Private The Trenches What We Are To Each Other

[Morgan Liu]

Morgan started at mention of Vihma coming up here with a male, wondering if the weasel had caught on to Morgan's feelings and was trying to gently warn her away. As she listened, she found herself over-thinking, over-analyzing, trying to assess just what message was conveyed in those statements and reaching no conclusions.

Finally, she risked a response. "An' now?" she inquired, her voice hushed. "Are y' still wonderin'?"

 

[Vihmastaja]

Vihma frowned.

"Maybe a lil bit," the weasel admitted.

She turned to face the ferret, staying silent as she fished something from her satchel. It was the telescope from Piper's crossbow - expensive government property, not that Vihma particularly cared. It was of more use here than on the weapons rack back on the Hide.

"I uh, well..."

She fiddled with it, as though it was somehow some important task requiring her distraction.

"Y'know, I keep thinkin' about you. About us, I mean. Up in the crow's nest... Even there on the shore, when we were 'bout t'be overrun by the... y'know, the shrews... I remember thinking..."

Vihma trailed off. She remembered thinking about all she'd dragged herself into. All she'd dragged Morgan into. Thinking of how things would be if one of the Urk warriors had just been a little faster, just a little stronger, just a little bit better with their aim.

"Lot'v jacks I've liked, I jus' sorta... drove 'em away, I guess. Mayhaps they weren't really interested t'begin with. Who knows, neh? But... they - they always knew where I stood, at least."

The weasel coughed as if to clear her throat. It felt dry again. She wished on the stars she'd have brought some booze with her, more, now, just to make herself brave.

"Any'ow, I just means t'say I... I really care about ye, an' I... I wanted ye t'know that... just in case..."

Vihma couldn't bear to look at Morgan, already imagining the puzzled reaction to her words, the sheepish, delicate platitudes and clarifications she'd get back in response. The ferret wasn't the type to mock her, she was pretty sure of that. Maybe things would be awkward for a while, but... the ferret wouldn't hurt her, at least not meaning to. She could be sure of that, at least.

 

[Morgan Liu]

Morgan's breath caught in her chest, unable to believe her ears. Had she misread Vihma so badly? She'd been sure that the weasel didn't see her as anything more than a friend, a sister even, but...

Morgan quietly paced to one of the crenellations and sat herself down in them, resting her elbows on the stone struts. "Y'know," she said quietly, "when I was on that operatin' table, strugglin' t' breathe, drownin' in m' own blood, I was thinkin' 'bout givin' up. Jus' lettin' it end. I figger'd Mum an' Mother woul' be sad, but 'ey'd get a flag an' a medal, an' those at leas' can't disappoint 'em like I do. The crew'd ferget me quick enough. Th' only one I couldn' bear t' leave was you."

She looked up at Vihma, tears in her eyes. "I really like ya, Vim," she confessed. "I think yer smart, yer pretty, and yer good. Yer a good beast through an' through, nah in spite a' what ye been through, but 'cuz ye chose t' be good even after all a' it. When I'm wiv' ya, I feel more alive, more... more me 'n I 'ave m' 'ole life. Around ye, I don' spend every momen' hatin' m'self anymore."

She took a deep breath before admitting, "I know I'm a lot, even on a good day, an' I wouldn' blame ye if ye wan'ed t' jes' keep thin's as 'ey are. But, if ye don', well..." She got up and, approaching Vihma, offered her paws, hope in her eyes. "...'En I'd really like t' try wiv' ya."