A/N: Obviously, a companion piece to "She". Again, two old friends from one of my other stories, again could take place in the "Protect and Survive"-universe. And no, not a conincidence that I used German lyrics again. If Fettes Brot is old school German hip-hop, Wir sind Helden are the Godparents of new German pop. I think I'll dedicate this to my youngest sister and her boyfriend because they met each other on a Helden concert... and just because I can ;) Betaed by the incredible mac who brought some great songs to my attention today... even if the little "UCMJ!"-voice in her head really doesn't like it.

Prompt: 084 He

Your silence is your tent

"Dein Schweigen ist dein Zelt
Du stellst es mitten in die Welt
Spannst die Schnüre und staunst stumm, wenn
Nachts ein Mädchen drüber fällt."

Wir sind Helden, "Nur ein Wort"

"They really don't get it." A little startled, she looks up from her lunch. Opposite her, Maureen Reece sits down. A mild frown appears on her face as she sees the slightly annoyed look on Maureen's face.

"Uh… beg pardon, but… who doesn't get what?" The other Marine rolls her eyes.

"All the girls trying to have a go at Major Lorne. Look at them." What is this is going to be about? Where does this sudden interest in Major Lorne come from? Doesn't Maureen have her own zoomie Major to think about? "Come on, it's a great study in female flirting behavior." Mh… obviously… Maureen just needs a little break from her all-guy team and some good old female gossiping. Oh well, why not indulge a friend now and then?

"Okay… let's just pretend for a minute that I don't have a science degree and actually know something about sociology. Who is trying to have a go at Major Lorne?" Maureen's face lights up with glee. She jerks her head discreetly in the direction of the lunch line.

"See that French nurse in line after the guy behind him?" She nods. "Okay, one of the girls in my department lives beside her, they like to talk, go to lunch together… but two weeks ago, she changed her lunch routine. And two weeks ago, Major Lorne passed three days in the infirmary. Guess who was the nurse in charge."

Aw, no. That's just so cliché. And anyway, now she remembers. They went on a mission two days after they discharged him, and while they sat around to wait for the scientists to finish, she'd wheedled it out of him that the last nurse in charge of taking care of him actually grated a little on his nerves. "Yeah, so what? Maybe her shift schedule changed."

Maureen snorts. "Maybe. Doesn't change the way she ogles him, though. And see how she tries to "subtly" catch his eyes." She throws a short look at the line… but the nurse is talking to the guy in front of her, not looking at… oh. Wait. Why does she suddenly trade places with the guy? She looks back at Maureen. A smug grin appears on her face. "See how that French charm works? Only not on the Major, God knows why."

No, actually she knows why. That nurse isn't Evan's type. In his usual private way he hasn't been backbiting about her, but he'd let it shine through that her "cute" manner – the little girl voice, the batting of her eyelashes, the pouting – isn't exactly what he likes in a woman. Before she can voice her opinion on that, another Major sits down beside Maureen. "Sharing your unfounded "theories" again, Kid?" Maureen rolls her eyes.

"With all due respect, sir, they are anything but unfounded. They are based on scientific observations, quantified research and years of professional experience." He snorts.

"Sure. More like 'female intuition'. And you know, I never thought you could be such a gossip." Maureen wants to say something, but catches herself in the last moment. She has the feeling that it had something to do with her roommate from her time back at the SGC, which is a kind of "Don't touch."-subject between Major Moore and her. Or at least that's what Maureen told her.

"Sorry to disappoint you, sir." She just shrugs, and he grins. Moore doesn't really look disappointed… but it's really been a while since anything his 2IC said or did disappointed him. And because she doesn't want to see the secret looks Maureen and Moore throw each other when they think the other isn't watching, she turns back to the food line.

There, the nurse obviously got up a little courage and has started trying to chat Evan up. She's not quite sure if she should feel sorry for the nurse or for Evan. While the Frenchie is twittering away, he seems to try and concentrates on the food in front of him, only giving the nurse a non-committal smile now and then.

By now, she thinks she knows him well enough to see that he's a little bewildered because of all of the attention he's suddenly receiving. If he didn't radiate off a certain degree of distress, she'd find it actually pretty funny that he seems to have no idea what he did to get the nurse on his tracks. She could tell him, but she has this feeling that he wouldn't believe her anyway. "You sure you don't believe me?"

She blinks and looks at Maureen again. The other woman just smirks at her momentary mental absence. And well… it's not like she's wholly wrong, but… if she's honest… watching that Frenchie trying to go in for the kill gives her a funny feeling. There's really no reason for that, since Evan is just a friend and will never be more than that, but still… "You're reading too much into that, honestly." Wishful thinking, a little voice in the back of her mind whispers, but she chooses to ignore it.

Maureen snorts and Moore smirks. What? "Actually… I've seen this happening before. There was this evening when we celebrated finishing our Fourth Year at the Academy and went into town…" Huh? Is Major Thomas Moore really about to share an Academy story involving some embarrassing content and Major Evan Lorne? She just raises an eyebrow and looks at Maureen, who just flashes a short grin, as if to say "Hold your tongue, this is bound to be good." Resisting a sigh, she returns her attention to Moore. "So… there was this waitress who kept coming to our table, flashing smile after smile and everyone was having a good time, mostly because our… CO over there kept blushing and…"

Abruptly he stops and looks at Maureen with a mixture of pain and disapproval on his face. She didn't just… step on his foot or something, right? From the look of Moore's face it must have been something painful as that, but really… "Been telling invented Academy stories to the girls again, Tom?" Holy… she nearly dropped the fork she's holding at the sound of the voice coming from behind her.

As Evan sets down his tray beside her, Moore just rolls his eyes. "I only tell true Academy stories. If I tell them." She catches Evan's eyes and he just flashes her a quick grin, which is so very different from the tight little smiles he gave the Frenchie that it makes her heart skip a beat. Because she's so caught off-guard by it, she misses the knowing look Maureen and Moore share.

"Which you almost never do, of course. Anyway… what've you been talking about?" Before Maureen or Moore can answer and make the situation very embarrassing, she takes up her chance.

"Oh, just next week's schedule. Say… is there a reason I don't get to go off-world at least once?" He grins and as the conversation steers away from the initial topic, she finds herself amazed at how glad she is that he feels comfortable enough around her to be anything but awkward or tight-lipped. In a corner of her mind… she would be really sorry if he was behaving around her like he just behaved around the French nurse, and that… well, she just doesn't want to be think about that.

~*~

"Your silence is your tent
You put it in the middle of the world
You span the cords and marvel in silence
When a girl stumbles upon them at night."

Wir sind Helden, "Just a Word"