"M'not believing it, Slink." Prince brushed past a chair in her path, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head as she and the other operator ventured back into a common room. Slinky shrugged, shaking the ever so plentiful sand out of the loaned shemagh as he shut the door behind the pair. "You're not believing it because you don't think it's true, when in reality it's the whole you're not believing it because your self esteem bullshit won't let you believe that you actually deserve it sort of thing?" He retorted in matter-of-factly tone, he moving to get a bottle of water out of the fridge as Prince sat down.
"It's because I don't think it's true, Carrick." Prince spat back, giving a rather dirty look to the SEAL as he sat down across from her. This wasn't a topic to be discussed in Prince's eyes. She wasn't here to be reunited with friends or to have a lovefest. It was purely coincidence - it actually disturbing the EOD Tech - that the three of them had been chosen for work with the Task Force. Prince was more than grateful for the hernia Rex and Slinky's former CO would have at the news of the trio being together once again and on a more permanent scale, but she knew that's not why they were there. They were there to work. She was disappointed in herself for allowing her emotions to get the best of her when Rex pulled the poorly worded and poorly handled 'I don't want you to get hurt.' card. Sure, things were settled between the two friends but all of the operators knew for a fact the pair had been fighting and that something had happened between them. Prince wasn't liking the fact her business was open to speculation by the others - it was just a habit. Keep your business to yourself, don't have it open. That was her philosophy and the others knowing about it was her penance for losing her cool and letting the issue get the best of her.
"And thaaaat's a bigger load of shit than the one I took when I ordered that sketchy tequila in Tijuana." Slinky commented, taking a swig from the waterbottle before sitting up a little bit straighter. "You want to know what I think about the situation?" He asked, being greeted with a look that screamed 'Sure, why not.' in sarcasm from the brunette female.
"You two met back in '01? Yeah. Cause that's when he got placed on Kitty Hawk. He and I met back in '04 cause that's when I met you too I think. Anyways. That's twelve goddamn years, Prince. Twelve. Years. You two have deployed out together countless times. You've both trained hard so your jobs are easy. He's DEVGRU. You know only some of the shit we did, and that even includes training. He's combat. You on the other hand? You're EOD. Batshit. You're on the same playing field as Corpsmen as you both save people and you go into harms way for it. But you put your life on the line in such a way that no one really can compete wth." Slinky twisted the cap onto the bottle before adjusting in the seat.
"You two know each other better than your own parents do. Because you've both seen each other in the worst situations and then you've seen each other in civilian situations - and yet? You don't treat each other differently. Not to mention you guys survived Halloween that one year. You two have been through some of the most hellish things together - hell, you two helped kill Bin Laden for Christ's sake. I can't even name all of the missions that you two deployed out with. When I first met you? I was iffy about you. I'll tell you that right now. Hadn't ever come across a female EOD tech and Rex assured me you were fine. And you were. Not just in a militaristic sense, but also in a personal sense." Slinky eyed the female, she picking pebbles out from her boot as she listened to him."
"You two just gel well together. You flow. I'd say yin and yang but it's not really that. Sure, he's quiet and can be a bit of a dickbag but you're the opposite. But you can be a bit of a dickbag too. You're both stubborn as fuck and you're afraid. And that's why neither of you will say anything to each other. You have a fucking tattoo for him, Kaid. You hid the fact you nearly died from him because you didn't want to worry him. You can't deny the fact that you have something for him. He has something for you. Everyone on this base can see it. You two are what I'd like to call common-war married. Stupid, I know. But you know common-law marriages? Yeah. You're that but it's different due to war. When you two had your lovers' spat the other day? It was awkward for everyone. You two saying nothing to each other and you not making cracks at him? It wasn't right. That's what we know. And we as operators, funnily enough, need some sort of continuity when it comes to things. Not to mention I felt like the fucking kid in the divorce between you two. Overall though?" Slinky was slightly terse at the last statement and Prince knew exactly why.
"I think the both of you are cowards about this whole thing."
Prince glanced up once the operator had branded her as a coward, he knowing that last bit was going to get her to react. If there was one thing Prince hated, it was being accused of being afraid of something. Pursing her lips, she merely nodded. "You had your peace, s'my turn now." Prince responded, placing her feet on the floor as she sat straighter in the chair. Slinky could easily tell that the female was thoroughly annoyed.
"Yeah. You're right. I did hide the fact that I nearly died from him. I didn't think he needed to know. He didn't need to worry about -- don't give me that look. This is how I feel and think. It may not be right but deal with it." Prince paused, looking at Slinky who wore a less than amused look. "He didn't need to worry about it. Why? He has more important things to worry about. He could die any day as a SEAL. He needs to worry about himself, his unit, and the mission. Not me, Carrick. Sure, we're close - but I'd expect him to choose his job over me if things ever came to that. I know he'd do it. There's no doubt in my mind. He'd hate himself quietly and he'd hole up for doing it, but he'd do it because it was the right thing to do."She sighed, brushing her bangs out of her face. She glanced around, making sure no one was near the windows at the front of the building.
"In the twelve years I've known him, I can read him better than anyone. You're right. In the twelve years I've known him, I've never met anyone as genuine as he is. In the twelve fucking years I've known him, I've never been able to trust anyone as much as I trust him. Nor will I be able to trust anyone as much as I trust him. You're right. You don't understand how close we are, you just know that we /are/. Johnny and I.. we have this bond that doesn't even need words in my opinion. It's just there. And I'm happy with that. I'm happy with knowing that no matter what, I'm always going to have my arch-angel in the flesh with me."
The last line was greeted with a raised eyebrow from Slinky, he looking slightly confused. He'd never been one for religion. He just believed you needed to do what was right no matter what. You didn't need some higherbeing telling you what was right and wrong. You had your morals and you stuck to them. That's what he considered his 'faith'.
"Okay. You're not Catholic. Forgot. But my Saint's Michael. The arch-angel. He's known for being God's right hand basically. He's also known for defending, protecting, consoling, battle and peace too. That's me in a nutshell, right? Exactly. But enough about me. I can't remember what his is but he does all of that. He fights, protects, defends. He's always been there for people. When I was going through my shit with my ex, Rex was right there. Whenever I've needed something, he's always been there. I've never had that really, Carrick. It's foreign to me still even after a decade. I'm fucking afraid I'm going to lose my best friend, but can I show that? No. I need to keep my shit together. He doesn't need to worry about it." Prince explained, Slinky watching the female speak. He could tell there was more to say from the female but she was trying to pick her words carefully.
"Yeah, I have my esteem issues. But those are mine and mine alone. I signed that contract at seventeen and I gave my word that I would do my job. Yeah, it hurts that I won't get a family. I've accepted that fact. It hurts to know that I won't get the one thing that I want more than anything. But I have my job and my family and my friends. I've never been a greedy person. Yes, I want more but I'm content with what I have. I'm content with what Rex and I are. Am I saying I love him? Yeah. I am. But he and I have jobs to do. His job is to be a SEAL and mine is to be batshit according to you. And we excel at our positions. How I feel doesn't matter, Slinky. It never does and it never will. Everyone else is more important. I'm fine with that. It's not a martyr thing. I just feel that people are more important than me. Rex is more important than I am and it's why I'm putting him first."
Slinky shook his head as the EOD Tech spoke, moving to stand and head to the door. He glanced back, watching the female for a seconds before speaking.
“A coward is still a coward, even if he changes clothes.”
Well, it’s a shame. Only method of transportation around here really. Faster than humvee. And may I just ask who’re you? [Slinky raises his eyebrow, expression remaining friendly.]
“I only dislike them when the pilot thinks it is necessary to make unnecessary chatter with you. And consider me a delivery girl.” She holds up a metal briefcase.
"You're not bringing pizza, so I have no business with you." [He shrugged, scratching his jaw.] "Where do you need to head? I can give you directions."
Well, it's a shame. Only method of transportation around here really. Faster than humvee. And may I just ask who're you? [Slinky raises his eyebrow, expression remaining friendly.]
(you know, i would reblog the kink prompt thing for slinky but he has a srs girlfriend at home and he could never cheat on her. consider yourselves lucky.)
Don't think she knows we're back and that's not what I'm talking about, Rex. Your wife won't get mad at us if we get hurt. Might call us idiots, but that's about it.
and we fall down. @dontmentionstairs - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
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