Qilby's seen a lot of things he wishes he could forget.
It's the kind of feeling that rises quickly before you even realize it's there, that feeling he feels when he remembers his people dying in droves before his eyes, and suddenly when he looks down he sees that blood all over his spindly hands. His blood runs cold, icy in his veins, and his pupils contract against the sunlight that's suddenly so bright it could blind; he feels his ears ringing more than he hears the speech of the council over the din of screams ringing in his head, and when Chibi touches his hand and whispers "are you okay?" he can't stay still. He springs to his feet, runs out of the room even as Mina yells after him, and he feels the vomit rising in his throat and falls to his knees on the grass before he can stop it.
He only realizes he's outside when he finds himself shaking against the damp grass with Chibi's calloused hands brushing his hair out of his face, his strong arms pulling him against his chest. "You're not okay," he whispers in Qilby's ear, and the scientist feels himself come down, wrapped in the understanding embrace of his partner.
"I just remembered something," he mutters. "I'll be fine."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
He can't. He won't. He could never tell him what he's done. "I'll be okay. Thanks."
