Halo – "Love at Long Range"
Location: Trainer's Room, AMBER BaseBeaumontia, Epsilon Eridani system
November 4th, 2548
1:12am
"The bomb looked homemade, boss."
"Homemade? No wonder it didn't show up on our scanners. You got lucky back there, Celest."
Celestina pulled a repulsed face while she was sitting on the bed. "Tell me about it. I would've been all over the place!"
Jun was leaning against the wall next to Celestina, his arms folded across his chest. He almost flinched at that sentence.
"Well, the bad news is that the base's been destroyed. Highly unlikely we'll get any info outta there now." Rhonda grumbled, running one hand through her chin-length light brown hair.
"Something else will pop up. But we'll have to be extra careful," Ryan crooked his head to Celestina. "Today they were expecting us and that almost got Celest killed."
"We'll need a new plan for next time, then." The newest member said.
"Next time. But right now, we relax," It was then Ryan produced a smile at Celestina. "Somebody has a BIG day tomorrow…!" He said in sing-song.
Celestina giggled immediately. "I'm hoping that there will be cake tomorrow…?" She address the team, raising her eyebrows cheekily.
"Who knows?" Rhonda grinned. "Get some rest, Celest. We'll see you in the morning."
"Night, boss. Boss lady!" She waved like a little child.
As soon as their commanding officers left the trainer's room, Jun pushed himself off the wall to meet Celestina, where he gave her his hand so she could get off the bed. She smiled sweetly at him and accepted his hand.
He then went to retrieve her hoodie jacket that was lying at the end of the bed. As she adjusted her black tank top, she addressed him. "You haven't spoken a word since we got back. What's wrong?"
"Hm? Nothing's wrong, princess." He enveloped her with her jacket and instantly wrapped his arms around her waist. Without a word, he placed a soft peck on her cheek.
She was beaming. She snaked one hand up to caress his cheek. "You sure?"
"Positive."
"Okay," He pulled away and she locked her hazel eyes with his blue ones. "Because I'm okay, you know. You don't have to worry anymore."
It took everything to muster that smile. "I know, Celest."
Location: Dorms
November 5th
10:24pm
"I hope you had a great time, Celest. I know I di-"
Celestina was holding a data pad when Jun walked into their shared room. The reason why he was rendered silent was because the data pad she was holding was his. And he knew exactly what he had been last viewing.
"I caught you reading it last night after lights were out, with such a gloomy look on your face," She began. "I told myself I wasn't going to pry but you refused to tell me what was on your mind," She lifted the data pad up. "And now I know why."
Part of him should have felt a little betrayed for her invading his privacy like that, but the thing about their relationship was that they never had secrets between each other. They would share anything and everything. So Jun could understand if she needed answers to his current behavior. "Well congratulations, Celest. You've found out that I'm a mess."
"I just don't understand why you would keep something like this from me," She spoke in her soothing tone as she sat the data pad down on the bed and got to her feet. "I thought we had that kind of a relationship since we were both 6 – that we could tell each other anything, anything at all. Why won't you talk to me? I may not solve it but… I can try!" She stepped forward to take his hands into hers and pull him towards her, further into the room. "This relationship isn't one-sided, you know. You can be there for me all the time and listen to all of my bullshit but I can't do the same for you? My knight in MJOLNIR armor?" She ran one hand past his cheek to persuade him to look at her. "Jun, sweetie, I wanna help you. What's going on?"
He responded to her touch and looked at her straight in the eyes. "What's there to say, Celest?" Jun turned his back to her and instead sat on the edge of his own bed. "You read the psych eval. Sally's death was my fault. I should've seen the sniper… She hit the ground before I knew what even happened."
Celestina had been there before. So many times. And as always, Jun would be there for her, comforting her, advising her. Looks like it was her turn now. She slid her hands into the pockets of her hoodie jacket. "Yes, I've seen the psych eval. That means that I know that Sally's death was out of your hands," She settled down next to him; his gaze was fixed at his twiddling thumbs. "Remember you used to tell me that? That saving someone sometimes just isn't within our reach?"
"So that's supposed to make me feel better about you nearly getting blown up?"
Realization hit her right then. "I knew this was also about 2 days ago… Jun," She wrapped her hands around his arm. "What's the point if you don't practice what you preach? You think Sally would want you to be this way?"
He placed one hand over hers and sighed heavily. "It's... not the first time, okay?" He confessed. "I just don't talk about it and bury it."
"That isn't good for you."
"There are those moments where I talk to you. But most of the time, I don't."
Her hazel eyes softened at that and she furrowed her eyebrows. "But why?"
"Because I'm helping you," And he finally looked at her right in the eyes. "A reason why I can bury it is because I distract myself by helping the most important person in my life. And it's been working ever since we first met. By helping you, in some way... I help myself. Makes it easier for me. Don't know if that makes sense or not but yeah."
"I get it. Really, I do. Given what we've all been through, we all have different ways to deal with our grief," She said. "I'm glad that in a way, I help you. You're the most important person in my life."
They shared a little smile and she leaned over to give him lasting kiss on his cheek. "No matter what, I'm always gonna be here for you," She then set her head on his shoulder. "You do so much for me. I will help you in any way I can. It's what you do for family."
"Thanks. And happy birthday once again, princess." Wishing her with all his heart, he placed one kiss on her head.