Rarely had the Observation Deck been so crowded. Then again, rarely had the fates of so many of their crew hinged on the news that would soon be reported back to them. Several of their friends had been conscripted for a dangerous mission, all in the name of stopping the Ohm. Whether they would return alive was the question of the hour.
That tended to bother Billy, with his science-borne need to find conclusive answers. Just waiting for someone else to deliver the information clashed with his style, and it made him feel...helpless. Weak. So many things that he didn't want to feel. Panic and dread were starting to bubble below the surface, and it was only a matter of time before he broke out into a cold sweat.
Luckily, he never had the chance. A strong, slim, and warm hand slipped through his, squeezing knowingly. Suddenly feeling ashamed, Billy turned to look at her. Katara, he knew---only her hands had the unique texture borne from both physical combat and Waterbending. Hands that could heal as easily as they could kill, and apparently as easily as they comforted.
When they made eye contact, Billy instantly felt as though a suit of armor had been wrapped around him. Not that he overestimated his chances in any upcoming battles, but he felt anchored to something special. Someone special, rather. The friend who'd perhaps guided and shaped him the most in the absence of the friends from his former world.
We'll pull through. That was the message silently passed between them, and as Billy threaded their fingers together he privately believed it. They'd lost much, gained much, and most importantly they were both heroes---as he said long ago, heroes were those who helped people no matter what.
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Gentle Hands
Rarely had the Observation Deck been so crowded. Then again, rarely had the fates of so many of their crew hinged on the news that would soon be reported back to them. Several of their friends had been conscripted for a dangerous mission, all in the name of stopping the Ohm. Whether they would return alive was the question of the hour.
That tended to bother Billy, with his science-borne need to find conclusive answers. Just waiting for someone else to deliver the information clashed with his style, and it made him feel...helpless. Weak. So many things that he didn't want to feel. Panic and dread were starting to bubble below the surface, and it was only a matter of time before he broke out into a cold sweat.
Luckily, he never had the chance. A strong, slim, and warm hand slipped through his, squeezing knowingly. Suddenly feeling ashamed, Billy turned to look at her. Katara, he knew---only her hands had the unique texture borne from both physical combat and Waterbending. Hands that could heal as easily as they could kill, and apparently as easily as they comforted.
When they made eye contact, Billy instantly felt as though a suit of armor had been wrapped around him. Not that he overestimated his chances in any upcoming battles, but he felt anchored to something special. Someone special, rather. The friend who'd perhaps guided and shaped him the most in the absence of the friends from his former world.
We'll pull through. That was the message silently passed between them, and as Billy threaded their fingers together he privately believed it. They'd lost much, gained much, and most importantly they were both heroes---as he said long ago, heroes were those who helped people no matter what.
Sometimes, that meant each other.