a/n: Morning routine and transit.

All the good things belong to Monolithsoft.

Hope's alarm buzzed and the two sleepers woke quickly but not suddenly. They had just enough time between the return of sensation and the full return of consciousness to untangle themselves comfortably. One beat to the next, mutual snuggle transitioned into reorganization. Hope brushed her hair from Quincy's face, Quincy slid his arm from under her head, they each retrieved their legs from the warmth of the other's. Hope rolled out of the covers and was stretching before she thought to apologize and by then it seemed unnecessary.

"I feel like I slept for a week," Quincy said, adding an enormous yawn. He rolled his shoulders, then twisted his back with a satisfying crack.

Hope smiled and started to rummage in her foot locker. "You can keep sleeping if you want to."

"Nope, I think I'm good." He was sitting on the edge of her bed now, rumpled slightly, but even without checking she could tell his energy levels were fine. "I just need to see if I know how to tie shoes."

She had pulled out all the parts for today's outfit and crammed them into a duffel. They would have been too difficult to carry otherwise. Quincy looked suspiciously at her. "If you give me 5 minutes to change, I'll go to breakfast with you," Hope said.

"That stuff looks pretty intense," said Quincy slowly.

"I'm on a combat mission today," Hope answered. She hesitated, reluctant to explain more.

"Okay." Quincy didn't press her. Instead, he sat there, holding a boot and examining it like an ancient artifact. The expression on his face made her think he might be resolving a religious question, one that had plagued generations, based on the new revelations from the buckles on his boot.

"Back in 5." She shot out the door. She'd find a changing stall in the bathrooms, slap on the layers of armor, let the sealing mechanism do its magic, and be back well before that. If she put her helmet on and kept the visor down, it might even be less. People didn't chat up fully geared soldiers. But that would be overkill.

While she dressed and waited for the final snap of interlocking protection, Hope considered the problem of breakfast. Hope decided it would be fine to take Quincy down to the mess hall. It would loud and crowded, but they could disappear into that noise. People tended to leave Hope alone during meals if she was with a single person. They were nice that way, allowing her to focus on someone who needed her attention. That wasn't the case with Quincy, of course. He was fine.

If she needed proof of that, the first glance upon returning to her room was enough. He'd managed his boots without help, and he was grinning with ridiculous triumph when the door opened, obviously wanting to show off. The grin slipped a little as soon as she entered. "Wow. Serious stuff," he said.

Hope flushed a little. She was still getting used to wearing heavy armor. Making sure each part fit smoothly into the next, the glove over the arm guards over the sleeve into the shoulder guards, it was all a bit much, but she was learning to believe in the process.

"Can you eat in that?" Quincy asked.

Hope flush intensified. She scooped up her helmet and headed out the door. "Come on," she said fussily. She didn't look to see if Quincy followed. She'd simmer down before they reached the elevator. She had forgotten how wildly angry that strange brain imp had been yesterday, but it obviously hadn't cleared up on its own. She'd spend some time this evening, considering it. She had just been so tired yesterday. And cozy, teased the imp.

Quincy had caught up to her. "You look really ...," he began. Hope didn't want to hear what he said next and started to interrupt but he shook his head. "I guess the stuff about battles and enemies didn't sink in, but now I really believe it. You look ..."

Hope couldn't stand it. She didn't want to start the morning with teasing about how the armor looked all wrong on her. She heard enough about the incongruity of her sweet face and the bulky armor. A kitten in a bulldozer, Gwin had called her only last week. For some reason, she really didn't want to hear whatever version Quincy was going to come up with. "We'll miss out on the sausages if we don't get there early," she informed him.

"Okay?" Mercifully, Quincy didn't go on. He stood behind her as she fussed with the elevator button. It was a miracle how much concentration she could apply to that one button. His voice behind her sounded awkward. "Anyway, you look like a million and tough as nails and I'm doing my best not to say really cool but I'm kind of short on brain power today."

She spun around. This was not what she had expected. "Cool?"

"Yeah, well, cool and capable and kind of scary. In a good way. Indomitable." He flashed that joyful grin again.

"Indomitable?" She knew she shouldn't act so shocked by a single word.

"Yeah. I wish I had started with that one," considered Quincy. "I wouldn't have sounded so gee whiz."

"Indomitable?" She was almost laughing except it sounded ... good.

In the elevator, he lowered his voice. No one was sharing it with them, but something about the possible arrival of strangers made him almost whisper. "No, but honest, I'm kind of blown away that you do this to protect the city."

"I'm really just learning," she said, the joy slipping away, the doubts returning.

"If we have people as good as you, I understand how hard the war must have been. Makes it scary, but also gives me hope. To have you doing this. I dunno. Should I say thank you? I mean, I should, for last night, but..."

The elevator slowed and another team entered just as Quincy said the last part. One of the BLADEs gave them a sly glance. Hope tried to shush Quincy without a sound.

Quincy looked very uncomfortable the rest of the trip. Hope planned to reassure him. No one would think ill of his enthusiasm and support. Personally, it made her feel ... nice. Actually, very nice. Actually, honestly, it made her feel indomitable.

At the ground floor the other team exited, followed by Hope and Quincy. She pulled him aside, toward the lounge. She could set him at ease in privacy there. The moment they got through the door, he collapsed onto a couch, wheezing. "Quincy! Oh no!" Then she realized he was laughing.

"Ah ha ha ha, did you see her face? When I thanked you? I'm pretty sure she thought ... oh my god I can't breathe, I'm so sorry, Hope," he managed in between howling.

Hope reconsidered the woman's sly look. Her expression didn't change but her cheeks were a little brighter. "I'm sure she didn't mean anything. Lots of people are passionate about ... gear."

Quincy had calmed a little but he went immediately back to wheezing.

Hope was going to wear her indomitable armor with pleasure today.

a/n: This was supposed to be a short story, btw, not something that's taking all year, but here we are. Say goodbye to Hope's bed, because it doesn't reappear in the story.

Next up: Breakfast with the short short order cook.