[ He sees the way Jim's eyes wander too easily and a part of him lurches at that. A part of him wants to shut off the video again, to prevent anymore of the pain he's seeing even in the relief that he's there, that he's alive. But it's in knowing how much it matters to the cadet on the other side that he forces himself to stay his hands, to look him straight back in the eyes.
Zack's own eyes soften at that first comment... even as he stiffens at the next. There's something on the tip of his tongue, something that gets turned over again and again instead as he struggles to find his own words. He's usually good at finding them, but in that moment, it feels impossible. In that moment, it feels like 'should have's are an understatement. 'Should have's make something in him boil, make his eyes sting all over again. And that feeling only worsens by that last comment, barely discernable as it is.
Something in him twists hard and he covers his face with a hand, pressing tight as he struggles to keep his breath even, thoughts spiraling and ironic in contrast to just seconds before.
'Should'a been Kuns.'
'Should'a been Kuns.'
But those aren't the words he needs to hear. Those aren't the words that are going to make things any better. Those aren't the words he'd want to hear.. He sucks in a sharp breath but fails to lower his hand from his face. ]
I said I'd... We still gotta get those tickets out of here. I meant it and I'm not about to go back on my word. [ Just before there were three.
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Zack's own eyes soften at that first comment... even as he stiffens at the next. There's something on the tip of his tongue, something that gets turned over again and again instead as he struggles to find his own words. He's usually good at finding them, but in that moment, it feels impossible. In that moment, it feels like 'should have's are an understatement. 'Should have's make something in him boil, make his eyes sting all over again. And that feeling only worsens by that last comment, barely discernable as it is.
Something in him twists hard and he covers his face with a hand, pressing tight as he struggles to keep his breath even, thoughts spiraling and ironic in contrast to just seconds before.
'Should'a been Kuns.'
'Should'a been Kuns.'
But those aren't the words he needs to hear. Those aren't the words that are going to make things any better. Those aren't the words he'd want to hear.. He sucks in a sharp breath but fails to lower his hand from his face. ]
I said I'd... We still gotta get those tickets out of here. I meant it and I'm not about to go back on my word. [ Just before there were three.
Now, there's only two. ]