TW: MENTION OF ALCOHOLISM & TRAUMA
Jim POV
"Gail?"
who I now definitely know is Gail, she's curled up in a ball, she's been crying for a while now.
"Jim? What are you doing up here?"
"well i heard crying and i wanted to make sure you're okay..." I say walking over to sit next to her "Why are you crying?"
"well... I... ummm..." Gail falls silent as she looks back down at floor
I sigh and give Gail a small smile "Well... we don't have to talk about it... we can just sit here for a little bit."
We sit in silence for a while, just looking at the stars and doing quite chats about how life was in school with little memories coming back...
"you know... the sky reminds me of... 'on the clearest of nights... when the winds of the Etherium are calm and peaceful'" I start in my best impression of the Captain Flint book I would always beg to read as a kid.
"you read 'the swashbuckling of captain Nathaniel Flint' too?!" Gail says looking over at me for the first time tonight.
I smile and continue. I always love talking about my childhood book "yeah! i thought it wasn't very popular? how did you have it?"
"It was like the only thing that got me through Atlas's episodes." Gail says casting her eyes towards her hands
"Atlas? youve mentioned them a couple of times right? they're your legal guardian?" i say looking at her nervousness
"um... yeah they're cool now..." Gail says slowly
"we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to..." I say with concern
"No... no... it ok..." Gail sighs before starting up again
"I guess the best way to describe Atlas is... Well there's no way i can really describe them to you.. But...
When i was 10 years old... Mikey was about 7... we um were hanging out we had just finished dinner and i was getting Mikey ready for bed but um.. Atlas got home... they were pretty drunk... they were normally pretty drunk... um... they got home and were upset that I hadn't done the dishes yet and started yelling at me... a lot... telling me I'm a bad daughter... a bad sister... a worthless.. piece of space... and they um wished they had never adopted me."
"Gail..."
"No it's ok... they were right you know..." Gail gives a smile "I can't seem to get anything right... i mean, I almost completely messed up this opportunity because I was hanging out with you. I mean that is in now way remotely you're fault I made my choice to hangout with you. I made my choice to not do my job that i was hired for and goof off with you. It was my decision. Even when I was a kid I chose to not know you anymore than i did. i chose to be an asshole to you for a long time, not accepting that you might have wanted to be my friend just because of how everyone else was. It's always been my fault..."
I lean my head back so it rests up against the wood of the crows nest. my eyes naturally fall to the sky, "Isn't the sky beautiful?"
"what?" Gail says looking over at me like I'm crazy, like i didn't hear her just pour out her entire heart and soul to me. Tears still running down her face.
"The Ether. It's beautiful." I continue looking over at her. "thats a truth, and another truth is that you belong here. I've never see you so happy G. Theres nothing that is your fault. if anything all of tonight was my fault. I'm the one who did check the safety ropes." I pull my jacket off and put it around our shoulders.
"Jim i..." Gail starts
"Nope. I won't hear it Gail Stewart. you're smart, and cool, and tough. you've saved my ass multiple times and really wish you were in my everyday life you would come in handy." I stand up, flinging my jacket onto the ground. Gail picks it up and puts it around her shoulders. "You Gail Stewart are awesome and i hope you know that." I stand there my hands on my hips and staring down at the girl sitting on the floor
Gail starts to laugh
"What?" I say dropping my hands
she continues the laugh more and more
"What!?" I say throughly confused now.
"never change Hawkins. never change."
"don't worry I won't Stewart." i say with a small wink
Gail POV
I smile as Jim responds, "Thanks for cheering me up 'Cabin boy'"
he smiles back "any time 'cabin girl'"
I chuckle "Well Hawkins, I'm going to go head to bed. don't stay up to late"
"Alright, Stewart. I'll be down in a bit. Im gonna watch the sky for a while." Jim says smiling at me "Goodnight Gail."
"Good night Jim."
Third person POV
Gail climbs down the shrouds heading straight to the sleeping quarters not even noticing Jims jacket still draped around her shoulders.
(Edited 12.29.22)
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Winds of the Etherium
Phiêu lưu!!EDITED!! Gail Stewart, a strong, tough, and reckless girl who can stand on her own two feet. She is fresh out of Junior flight academy and for a full ride to The Interstellar academy she needs at least 10 weeks in space and a signed letter of reco...
