Nohmmy - “You love me, right?”
They’re always in a tight spot, really. Ever since they decided to fuck off into space, play out some weird child-fantasy of Tommy’s, a lot of references to a Robin Hood with some added star pirate nonsense. And first, sure it was fun, but Noh Varr finds himself missing the quiet moments, he can’t remember the last time he wasn’t healing from some bump or bruise or more serious injury, and maybe this is just him getting old but he’s tired. He wants some good food and some music to dance to. Preferably with his partner-in-crime who is also sometimes his partner-in-life, and isn’t that weird and kinda circular, because they started bonding talking about Kate and now look at them.
Or rather, don’t look. Noh Varr wants to advert his eyes, as the alien who took offence to them boarding his ship gives Tommy a pretty solid backhand across the face.
And Tommy’s smiling still, split lip and all, and not for the first time Noh Varr wonders if this whole thing isn’t some sick attempt at suicide, except Tommy never looks more alive than in the middle of a fight (and it’s something he falls for, all over again, every time).
He’d asked once, after a particularly close call, and Tommy had gone all silent for a moment, long enough that Noh Varr worried he might have been right.
“Nah,” he says, finally. “Wrong twin for that. I’m not looking to die, okay? I’m just looking for ways to feel alive.”
It’s the most straight forward Tommy’s ever been, at least in regards to his own emotions. It threw Noh, left him speechless, not sure what words would be good for this situation, wanting to spit out ‘I love you’ but worrying it was the wrong time.
He should have said it when he had the chance. Why did he wait?Tommy’s looking at him, and Noh Varr doesn’t like that grin.
The captain is still shouting, but Noh Varr is no longer paying attention, he’s staring in shock at the human in front of him.
“Of course,” he gets out. He was never so easily made speechless before. It’s still not a feeling he’s used to. “Of course I love you.”
“Cool,” says Tommy, a casual answer that feels heavier in that mouth. Then he turns, hands pulling free of their bindings, and one starts to vibrate before it even touches the floor.
“No!” Noh Varr shouts, but it’s lost in the explosion.
He’s still wearing his helmet, which makes him one of the lucky ones. And their suits do have rocket boosters, which helps. It means he gets to Tommy fast enough to activate the boy’s own helmet, although not fast enough to do it while he’s conscious. His suit seems to have withstood the concussive blast, but Noh Varr is still on the edge of panic, because he can’t remember how long humans can live without oxygen, and he doesn’t know how long it took him to reach Tommy, and Tommy goes through air faster than most, and there’s no way he’s totally okay under the thin layer of his suit, and holy shit, did he really say ‘I love you’ for the first time just to blow himself up? What kind of nonsensical move is that?
“Idiot,” Noh Varr mutters, as he aims them at their ship. “Stupid, dramatic, heroic…” An Earth lyric enters his mind, as he floats towards his ship, carrying the body of his maybe-dead lover in his arms.
Ground control to Major Tom…
“I love you,” he says to Tommy, over and over again, as the hatch opens for them. “I love you, so you better wake up. I love you.”
It takes Tommy hours to wake up, weeks to fully recover. But that crack of one eye, crooked smile made even more twisted with the pain, and the choked out 'I know’ slows Noh Varr’s panic.
He knows that reference, after all. And that means maybe they can be okay.