I was too, even though it shouldn't be my activation's anniversary for almost seven months yet. I'll remember that yours is in August, but you'll have to tell me the exact date.
I wanted to repay you for what you did for me last week.
[ there are two people that he tries his best to be honest and straightforward with (while pointedly omitting key facts from his personal history, granted), and they’re the bleeding androids. fantastic. can’t even grumpily ignore this inquiry like he would from anyone else. ]
19. And your activation date?
[ a beat. ]
You don’t have to repay me though. We helped that guy together.
(connor stares at the virtually empty message window. he could leave it at that, but he feels like he needs to explain. fully.
if not for himself — and he knows it'll feel good to share pleasant thoughts for once —, then maybe for fitz. he could be having a hard time too. it's possible that he needs to hear that he's making a difference, even if it's for one person.)
Sorry, but that's not what I mean.
When I stepped in to assist you, I admit that I wasn't operating at- (connor pauses, hating how that sounds.) -I wasn't well. Physically. Mentally. The many events that took place over the course of the outbreak left me overwhelmed. And... I was scared.
You helped me pull it together, Fitz. This is thanks for that.
[ as soon as the date comes in, it’s in his calendar with a note tacked on: quick turnaround, so he knows to pull something together fast.
and then there’s the rest of connor’s message, popping up on the interface projected on his kitchen countertop. fitz has a habit of tinkering with prototypes or even his portal-generation while using the implant, but he stills then. can’t be easy for connor to articulate this, even if he seems to err on the side of honesty. admitting fear requires a great deal of bravery, paradoxically enough.
it’s precisely what he needs, too, to hear that he was able to help, in some small way. in recent months, fitz has been confronted with evidence that he’s not the man he thought he was — digging inside himself only revealed an ugliness, truer than anything at the surface — but maybe he's more than one thing. maybe he can dig deeper. ]
You're welcome. Thank you for saying that.
[ the messages come after ten minutes of overthinking. ]
I'm glad we ran into each other. Would've been a terrible day, otherwise.
[ it was terrible, anyway, but, y'know. not the part with connor. ]
Tell me how much I owe you, and I'll transfer it. My job may be amateur hour, but it pays well.
[ he's got that money money money ♫ ]
Unfortunately, I reckon I just got out of the doghouse with my flatmates, so I shouldn't disappear on a space holiday with you for a wee bit. Could shoot for the end of the month or later?
[ what's the turnaround time on planning space vacays anyway... ]
We can take our time with the dates, I am flexible and Markus is more than capable of taking care of things here himself. The end of the month sounds like a fine time, since I'll be able to remove my sling.
[ ok wait he wants to address the heartwarming cohabitation of his favourite androids and connor's deeply important recovery but whomst is the sugar daddy here ]
You can't just buy me a space holiday, Connor. What'll the girlfriend think?
(jemma where are you, please come babysit these children.)
The money I make here has been allocated to basic living expenses, the occasional dinner out, and shopping when there are articles of clothing Markus and I need to buy. It'd be a waste if I didn't use it to explore as much as I could - especially when I could learn so much from each trip.
so, by human standards, this kind of thing is unorthodox — from what fitz is implying, it's a romantic gesture. maybe he's not as good at the whole social graces thing as he thought. jaw tightening, connor figures he should backtrack.)
I'm sorry, I didn't realize that was the case.
If you'd feel more comfortable paying, then of course I'll accept half of the total cost.
Hey, no, it's just me that's being funny. You're being great. You've been great the whole time. I'm off-kilter without my partner — without Jemma, that's all. I know she'd want me to go. And she'd really like you. She'd want to go, too, if she were here.
[ no, she'd swat him and say "fitz, you're being horrible," but it's the same sentiment at heart... ]
[ somehow this ended with connor still paying for the space honeymoon. cool. ]
She's the best person in any universe. So I hope you get the chance.
[ UTTERLY SINCERE. he's thought about it a lot. the math checks out. jemma's the best person across the infinite parallel universes of the great big multiverse. ]
(his reply gets a tug of a smile out of him, thankful his friend has someone so seemingly wonderful to rely on.
jemma. he'll remember that.)
Yes, we're doing very well. Thank you for asking.
We have an apartment together in one of the more suspect communities, but it was the only decent one I could find that fit my salary at the time. The restaurant downstairs turns into a club in the evenings, so it's a bit loud but otherwise suitable.
[ wow team shield has three individuals in the science and technology sectors, plus fitz's lucrative side gig with the hi-jacks, so they live somewhere much nicer oops. ]
And neither of you are the clubbing type?
[ a joke but also should he get them noise cancelling headphones.... is that weird it's definitely weird ]
[ ah, the days of homicide investigations... jemma doing autopsies and fitz wishing he were literally anywhere else... what a holiday that would be now. ]
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Technically, I was born on this calendar month in an entirely separate timeline, yes.
[ fitz, it doesn't matter ]
What brought this on?
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I wanted to repay you for what you did for me last week.
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19. And your activation date?
[ a beat. ]
You don’t have to repay me though. We helped that guy together.
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(connor stares at the virtually empty message window. he could leave it at that, but he feels like he needs to explain. fully.
if not for himself — and he knows it'll feel good to share pleasant thoughts for once —, then maybe for fitz. he could be having a hard time too. it's possible that he needs to hear that he's making a difference, even if it's for one person.)
Sorry, but that's not what I mean.
When I stepped in to assist you, I admit that I wasn't operating at- (connor pauses, hating how that sounds.) -I wasn't well. Physically. Mentally. The many events that took place over the course of the outbreak left me overwhelmed. And... I was scared.
You helped me pull it together, Fitz. This is thanks for that.
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and then there’s the rest of connor’s message, popping up on the interface projected on his kitchen countertop. fitz has a habit of tinkering with prototypes or even his portal-generation while using the implant, but he stills then. can’t be easy for connor to articulate this, even if he seems to err on the side of honesty. admitting fear requires a great deal of bravery, paradoxically enough.
it’s precisely what he needs, too, to hear that he was able to help, in some small way. in recent months, fitz has been confronted with evidence that he’s not the man he thought he was — digging inside himself only revealed an ugliness, truer than anything at the surface — but maybe he's more than one thing. maybe he can dig deeper. ]
You're welcome.
Thank you for saying that.
[ the messages come after ten minutes of overthinking. ]
I'm glad we ran into each other. Would've been a terrible day, otherwise.
[ it was terrible, anyway, but, y'know. not the part with connor. ]
1/2
instead, it comes out a wobbly smile from the safety of his own apartment.)
I couldn't agree more, Fitz.
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1. A flight with a pitstop at the UN Space Station
2. A direct flight through the asteroid belt
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My instinct is to say #1 so we can do a recce at the space station.
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Let's make it back in one piece.
I'll be all set to purchase these as soon as my next pay check gets deposited. Did you have a preference for when you wanted to depart?
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[ he's got that money money money ♫ ]
Unfortunately, I reckon I just got out of the doghouse with my flatmates, so I shouldn't disappear on a space holiday with you for a wee bit.
Could shoot for the end of the month or later?
[ what's the turnaround time on planning space vacays anyway... ]
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I didn't expect you to pay for any of it.
(nvm it's the other way around now.)
We can take our time with the dates, I am flexible and Markus is more than capable of taking care of things here himself. The end of the month sounds like a fine time, since I'll be able to remove my sling.
I imagine you need full range of motion in space.
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You can't just buy me a space holiday, Connor.
What'll the girlfriend think?
[ don't romance him, you cad. ]
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Would she like to come along?
(THIS SASS)
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Well, yes.
I suppose you can.
[ nailed it. he can hear jemma saying oh, fitz now. and he gently ignores the invite because she's not here ha ha ha. ]
It's just a bit of a grand gesture.
[ does he even... understand... ]
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The money I make here has been allocated to basic living expenses, the occasional dinner out, and shopping when there are articles of clothing Markus and I need to buy. It'd be a waste if I didn't use it to explore as much as I could - especially when I could learn so much from each trip.
It's no object, Fitz.
What do you mean by "grand gesture"?
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Big expenses, special trips — you save them up for important people in your life.
[ just let him keep digging... ]
Not that you're not important.
You are.
It's just unexpected.
When you don't know a lot about me, I mean.
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so, by human standards, this kind of thing is unorthodox — from what fitz is implying, it's a romantic gesture. maybe he's not as good at the whole social graces thing as he thought. jaw tightening, connor figures he should backtrack.)
I'm sorry, I didn't realize that was the case.
If you'd feel more comfortable paying, then of course I'll accept half of the total cost.
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rapidfire messages ]
Hey, no, it's just me that's being funny.
You're being great. You've been great the whole time.
I'm off-kilter without my partner — without Jemma, that's all. I know she'd want me to go.
And she'd really like you. She'd want to go, too, if she were here.
[ no, she'd swat him and say "fitz, you're being horrible," but it's the same sentiment at heart... ]
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... proverbial tail-wagging.)
She sounds very special to you. I'd like to meet her, someday.
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She's the best person in any universe.
So I hope you get the chance.
[ UTTERLY SINCERE. he's thought about it a lot. the math checks out. jemma's the best person across the infinite parallel universes of the great big multiverse. ]
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Is it just you two? All going well?
[ are you happy are you friends is everything great do you need anything ]
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jemma. he'll remember that.)
Yes, we're doing very well. Thank you for asking.
We have an apartment together in one of the more suspect communities, but it was the only decent one I could find that fit my salary at the time. The restaurant downstairs turns into a club in the evenings, so it's a bit loud but otherwise suitable.
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And neither of you are the clubbing type?
[ a joke but also should he get them noise cancelling headphones.... is that weird it's definitely weird ]
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I have been to a club before, but that was for a homocide investigation.
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[ ah, the days of homicide investigations... jemma doing autopsies and fitz wishing he were literally anywhere else... what a holiday that would be now. ]
You investigate a lot of homicides?
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1/2
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