Quiet Wishes
September 15, 2552 2136 hours
UNSC Frigate Gettysburg
En route to Sol System
SPARTAN-043, Will, was on duty for the watch, but SPARTAN-058, Linda, was still awake cleaning her sniper rifle. Neither of them spoke, each preoccupied with their duties. In Will's opinion, he could have stood the watch in his sleep, especially since the only non-human things on the ship were no threat, but the Chief was taking no chances.
Privately, his thoughts turned to the Spartan cleaning her rifle. Thinking about her blood-red hair, piercing green eyes, and deadly accuracy, he wondered why he always felt so different when she was around. It felt like he was simultaneously shaky and strong, flushed and frozen, and he had no way to explain it. Truth be told, he'd had these feelings around her for a long time, and it was only now that he put a name to them.
He loved Linda.
But that wasn't possible, was it? How could Spartans fall in love? After everything that had been done to them, everything they'd been through, was it even possible for a Spartan to love? And even if it was real, if it was possible, she probably didn't feel the same way, did she? Should he tell her, or keep his mouth shut? Shaking his head, he forced himself to think about the watch. ONI and the rest of the brass would never allow a relationship anyway.
----Linda looked up in time to see Will shaking his helmet. Wonder what's bothering him? She was secretly glad that he was on the watch, but she'd never admit it. She'd never say the words to anyone, not even him.
I love you, Will.
It had been easier for her to put a name to her feelings, because she was a woman. Women knew these things, and once she'd gotten the courage to ask Dr. Halsey when she'd gotten weak-kneed once.
"Was there anything out of the ordinary, Linda? Anything unusual you noticed?"
"No, ma'am. Will and I were the only ones in the room, but that was all…"
"Linda? Is something the matter?"
"Dr. Halsey, I just realized…I only feel like this around Will. I don't know why."
There had been a quick discussion after that, at which point Dr. Halsey smiled and said she'd never tell a soul. And Linda had been wise enough to keep her secret to herself: who knew what might happen if anyone else found out? Besides, as far as she knew, Will felt nothing anyway.
Speaking of Will…
Something's not right. Will seemed stressed, for some reason. If the shaking of his helmet hadn't been an indicator, his body language was: something was bothering him. Packing away her rifle, which had been stripped, cleaned, and reassembled to her liking, she moved closer to him and set a hand on his shoulder, her stomach feeling like it had just taken a trip in an HEV.
"You alright?"
----"You alright?"
Her voice broke through the thoughts as Linda set her hand on his shoulder. How do I tell her?
"Nothing's on approach. I could do this in my sleep," he grumbled, forcing himself to keep his feelings to himself.
"Then what's wrong?"
"It's nothing, Linda. Everything's fine."
----"Everything's fine." Yeah, right, Will, how stupid do you think I am?
Linda could tell he was hiding something: after 30 years of growing up and training with somebody you leaned to read them pretty well. She was pretty sure she knew what he was hiding, and her heart skipped a beat. What do I do now? She had to tell him somehow, but more than that, she wanted him to say it.
A sudden idea struck her; pulling off her helmet, she walked in front of him, emerald eyes staring at his reflective faceplate.
"Will, I'm not stupid, you know. What's wrong?" She was practically daring him to look her in the eye and try to lie to her. It was a trick they'd learned from Mendez during training: if someone refuses to meet your eye, it's a pretty good bet he's hiding something.
----She was staring at him with those beautiful green eyes, eyes that felt like they were boring through his faceplate. He knew he couldn't keep himself quiet for long, not with her staring at him like that. Looking around briefly to make sure Fred, Johnson, and the Chief were asleep, he sighed and pulled off his helmet. His blue eyes met her green ones.
"It's nothing you can help me with." He went to put his helmet back on, but Linda stopped him.
"Maybe I can help," she said softly, moving a little closer. Will's heart began to race, and he could only think about how beautiful she was, and how close…
----"Maybe I can help."
She had no idea what possessed her to say those words, or what possessed her to move so close to him. Her heart was beating faster, and the look on Will's face was worth the risks she was taking. Will, tell me you feel what I feel. I need to hear you say it.
He didn't say anything, not verbally anyway. She felt a pair of armored hands grip her shoulders, and then the brush of Will's lips on hers.
About time.
----Will couldn't stop himself from grabbing her shoulders and kissing her. Half expecting her to push him away at the very least, he was surprised when she only pulled that much closer to him. Her mouth opened a little more, and Will deepened the kiss, pulling her against him as best as he could. For the first time, he cursed the Mjolnir armor the Spartans wore, as it prevented him from holding her even closer, from touching her face. He wished there was more time before they returned to Earth. Damn the brass!
----Linda was surprised when he broke away, and even more surprised when she saw the look in his eyes.
"Will? What is it?"
He didn't say anything for a while.
"Will?"
"Linda, I…I've cared about you for a long time, but I never knew…and you know what the brass would do if they found out. This would never work." He sighed. "For the first time I wish I wasn't a Spartan."
Linda hated to see him looking so upset. "Will, there's got to be a way, there's always a way." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Besides, the brass aren't here right now."
Will had to wake the Chief when they arrived in Sol two hours later. He and Linda made sure no one else knew about their time alone together. It hadn't gone far, of course, but even their kisses could have raised suspicions. Then Will remembered.
"Don't worry, I won't say a word," Cortana's voice whispered in his helmet speaker before he could say anything, a slight giggle in her voice. Fortunately, no one saw the glance he and Linda shared.
Opening a private com channel to his teammate, Will muttered three words he'd wanted to say for so long:
"I love you."
"I love you too, Will."