co_pilot | (no subject)

The next leg of their tour is the European section - there aren't as many cities that were directly affected by the kaiju here, though the people seem no less effusive in their enthusiasm. Mako is at an equal disadvantage when it comes to the talk shows - her languages are better, perhaps, than Raleigh's, but she doesn't possess complete fluency in this particular part of the world.

The interviews are fairly easy to get through, though they always manage to end up fielding some question about the two of them.

("Mr. Becket, Ms. Mori, can you talk to me about the status of your relationship?")

Too many shared glances, too many moments alone; people don't want to talk about the losses of the past. They want gossip, sensational news. It's enough to make her want to scream, or tear her hair out in frustration.

She settles for the next best thing - the exercise room of the hotel they're staying in is empty at night, and there's enough space for her to wind through the movements that calm her.

She doesn't need to watch her form in the mirrors around the room; she merely closes her eyes, focuses on her breathing - and lets the stress slip away.

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Raleigh's nodding fractionally at the idea. "Okay. That's. Yeah. Good."

"Okay."

She breathes a small sigh, closing her eyes.

"It will be good to be no one at all for a while."

"You're always somebody."

Silly Mako.

"You know what I mean," she says, and her other arm slings around him to join the first.

"'Course I do," Raleigh mumbles, letting his hands come up to run along Mako's arms around him. "I've been in your head, 'member?"

"Don't you want that?" she asks, speaking softly.

"The chance to just be no one for a little while?"

"I was no one for a little while."

Except a random shift worker.

"Sure I don't care about being -- " one hand lifts up to wave at the invisible public, " -- whatever that's supposed to be, but I'd like to stay being somebody."

"You're somebody to me."

"Maybe you're drunk now."

She clucks her tongue between her teeth, slowly straightens up, her arms slipping away from him.

"And yet you want to come with me."

"Of course."

It all makes perfect sense, really.

"Mako?"

She's warm with the aftereffects of the liquor, her hands relaxed on his shoulders.

"Mmm?"

"It might be time for me to go to my room."

The room here. It works for him.

"I'll walk you."

She rises gradually, trying to coax him up onto his feet.

Raleigh sways but stands, and the trip is quick back to quarters. Thankfully the electricity is still on, or else the trip would be a lot more hazardous than it already is with the height discrepancy and the inebriation factored in.

"Will you stay with me? I promise I'm not going to get sick or anything too disgusting."

"Yes."

It's uttered distractedly; the other half of her is focusing on trying to get him up and into his bed without his head knocking into anything.

The room is all steel and solid. Safe.

With Mako's help, he flops down on the bed, peeling off his shirt and doing his best to toe off one shoe at the same time.

She nudges his hands away, moving to kneel in front of him.

"Lay back."

Giving each shoe a gentle tug, she frees his feet, setting the shoes off to one side.

"Nnng. Why are you so nice?"

Asked to the ceiling, directed at Mako.

"Because you would do the same, if it was me."

She has a hard time considering a situation where their positions would be reversed, but she's learned never to rule anything out about herself when it comes to her co-pilot.

"That - that is definitely true." Raleigh's head lolls over to look at the woman next to his bunk, and he extends one hand out - as close to an invitation as he knows.

It'll be a tight fit for two people, even if one is about half the size of the other.

But she slips off her own shoes and curls in, back nestled against his chest.

"Thank you."

Raleigh's nose grazes Mako's hair and when he stills to heavy, solid breaths, he manages to not snore at all.