It's wonderful to lay his head down.
The pillow's soft, the covers warm, and the relief of laying his weary body down for several hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep is overwhelming. Especially after another day in the salt mines. A long hard day of honest labor, his Mom used to say. Huh. If only. What he's had is a long, hard day of lying, stealing, betraying, pretending… the glamorous life of a spy. If he'd known what he was signing on for, maybe he'd have given a different answer to his Sanskrit professor.
He plumps his pillow, trying to get comfortable—comfortable-er—and his eyes fall upon Kelly's sleeping face, white and stark in the embracing darkness of the room. Kinda like the moon on a summer's night. He raises his eyebrows at his sudden attack of whimsy, but the thought, once thought, can't be unthought. Or unthunk.
He smiles over at Kelly, who would appreciate the whimsy. Yeah. The Man in the Moon, that's his Kel. Even thinks the moon is made of green cheese and everything. And those craters and dips in the lunar surface? The lines that furrow his partner's face get just a little deeper every time his hopes are dashed, every time another so-called friend betrays on him.
Scotty closes his eyes for an instant. So many people have ducked out on Kelly, so very many. It's a wonder he's remained as pure as he has, as willing to risk life and limb for nebulous ideals, for innocents when he scarcely believes in innocence anymore. He opens his eyes, looking at the quiet face, lax and vulnerable in sleep. Like a lovin' six-year-old.
Yeah, right. The man's a stone killer, same as he, Scotty, is. Ruthless and efficient and would mow you down in an instant if he thought you were a threat. Nothing vulnerable about Kelly. There is absolutely no reason for Scotty to be looking at his soft and sleeping face, and thinking that if there's one good thing about joining the service, it's that Kelly won't be alone, or with some cat who doesn't dig him like Scotty digs him. Who wouldn't protect him with his very life. Who doesn't think he's the greatest heart, the most generous soul ever to cross his path.
Secure in the fact that he is not, in fact, thinking any of these things, Scotty sinks contentedly into a peaceful sleep.
