β hm... yes, well. it's-uh- it's quite alright. β the old soldier hummed in response. they were common questions, yes, but the captain didn't mind too much in answering them. to be honest, he just appreciated the fact that he had someone new to talk to. the afterlife was, for the most part, a lonely existance. the occasional interactions with the living world were few and far between, so james could forgive the odd repetative queries if it meant a pleasant conversation.
the corners of his lips twitched slightly, moustache curling upwards above a small smile. everyone has their quirks, quite right. and she was right, even in death the captain had strived to maintain the same routine he had lived by. it added some much needed structure to the vastness of eternity.
β curiosity is... admirable. it signifies intelligence, a desire to know, I can't fault thatβ β with a slight bounce on his heels, the captain cleared his throat once again. he tried (and for the most part, failed) not to dwell on his life, on the regrets of missed opportunities, on the happy memories that now only prompted a pang of melancholy. the obvious answer was yes. of course, he missed being aliveβ missed the taste of food, the comforting warmth of a hot cup of tea or the refreshing taste of cold water on a hot day. he missed the feeling of the sun on his skin, the pleasant ache in his muscles and stickiness of the sweat that came from a roaring game of cricket. he missed touchβ the feeling of a pen between his fingers, being able to thumb through the pages of a book, a strong handshake, fingertips lingering... one man in particular enters the captain's mind, and oh good lord what he wouldn't give to embrace him one last time...
β I do. β he concluded, rather succinctly. β life is difficult, but you don't often realise what you have until it's gone... β
