Part IX

Grif sighed as he sat down roughly in the last available chair, hearing it groan beneath his weight he sighed again. It held, and Grif gave Sarge a bored look. One he thankfully didn't notice. Donut smacked Grif in the thigh to scold him, but only managed to hurt himself. He bit back a cry, and Grif cast him an apologetic glance. Simmons, all the while, sat staring at the orange Private.

"Alright! Ah gave ya a few days a rest Grif, ta get back on yer feet. Don't think that this'll be a reoccurrin' thing now! So, onta business. We're gunna have some team buildin' exercises. Tha three ayou need to "reconnect", so ta speak." He paused, pacing back and forth before his three Privates and gesturing widely. Sarge stopped, pointing harshly at Grif. "Ya need ta learn everythin' there is ta kno' 'bout these two men. Ah know ah don't usually care much fer ya, Grif, but Simmons here seems ta see somethin' in yer that ah don't. And ah rather like tha boy, so ya bettah do as he says!" Sarge paced again, rubbing his stubbled chin in thought, brow creased. He stopped, looking back over them with a pointed look.

"What are ya all still doin' here?! Get outta my sight!"

Outside the kitchen, Simmons stopped Grif. He took a deep breath.

"I want to apologise about before. I shouldn't have accused you of something I knew you'd never do... I... I think we should finally have this conversation." Grif slowly nodded, following Simmons to their shared room. Once more, like the first attempt of this talk, they sat next to each other. This time Grif managed to not feel weird about it; like he was growing use to it or, if it were possible, like it felt... natural. They sat in a comfortable silence, Grif staring at the joints on his new hand, Simmons watching the orange Privates face for clues. He sighed, dejected.

"Grif—"

"I think I should start." Simmons, shocked, nodded once. "I talked to Donut before. I told him that, basically, I fell asleep on the roof of the base and woke up here. There, in that... world, I'm with your parts and you're the cyborg." Grif finally looked up. "We don't get along at all, never have, probably never will. Here, everything's different. Sarge hasn't threatened me once, Donut's been... bearable and you... you've tried to have two conversations with me in the past two days. That's more than what we usually have in one week." Grif paused, chewing his lip as he watched Simmons closely. He seemed... saddened. Not like Grif thought he would look. "You don't think I'm crazy? Donut didn't think I was nuts either." He sighed, plucking at his loose track pants.

"It makes sense. You've been acting strange ever since the... operation. Grif, here, in this... erm... world, we were---are, uh... lovers." Grif stared at Simmons for a moment, blinking slow. He looked away, staring at the opposite wall. Simmons grimaced, looking at the floor. "I know... it probably disturbs, no, disgust you but—"

"Really? We're... lovers?" Grif's tone caused Simmons to start; it wasn't what he expected... instead it was, well, happy. He looked up at the other man, nodding.

"Yes Grif, I wouldn't lie about something like this." Grif's smile was sad. No, Simmons wouldn't lie about something like this, that was for sure. He wouldn't do something so callous. Grif's smile faltered as he a thought struck him.

"Simmons... this has got to be the most perfect fantasy ever. That's... that's what this is. For me it's... it's my wishes all thrown together! I've wanted Sarge to stop threatening me, I never wanted you to have to sacrifice your humanity when you didn't want to, Donut—hell, Donut's the same and, you and me..." Grif sighed, looking at Simmons closely. "We're together." Simmons smiled.

"I only wished you knew how we got together. It'd probably cure you of current thoughts."

"Oh yeah? And what thoughts are those?"

"The ones where you think I don't really love you, but that this is all a dream. Because it isn't, you know. All of this was still here before you came. We were still together before you got the chance to experience this."

"Yeh... well, whatever the case may be, Simmons, I don't exactly want to go home anytime soon."