「 ✦ Bambi- Bellamy Blake ✦ 」

Accismus

feigning disinterest in something while actually desiring it

Athena continued to walk, her legs moving on autopilot until she reached the dropship. She climbed the ladder with a heavy heart, closing the hatch behind her as she settled into the relative solitude of the upper level. Her eyes stared blankly into the air, her mind replaying the scene she had just witnessed.

"You being followed?" a voice broke through her thoughts. She turned to see Monty tinkering with some equipment. 

"Something like that," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. 

Monty paused, glancing up at her with concern. The two weren't particularly close, but Athena's usually cheery demeanor had clearly been replaced by an air of melancholy.

"Hey, you okay?" Monty asked gently, setting down his tools and giving her his full attention. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Athena forced a weak smile, appreciating his concern but unsure how to articulate the turmoil swirling within her. "Just... had a rough day," she replied, her voice shaky. "Needed some space."

Monty nodded, understanding that sometimes people just needed to be alone with their thoughts. "Well, if you ever want to talk, I'm here," he offered, returning to his work but keeping an eye on her.

Athena met Monty's eyes, realizing she must look out of sorts. Trying to shift the focus, she asked, "Thank you. " she walked closer to him. "What are you working on?"

"Raven asked me to help her with the walkies," Monty replied. At the mention of Raven's name, Athena couldn't help but flinch slightly, the recent encounter still fresh in her mind.

"Cool idea. Do they work?" she said, reaching for one of the walkie-talkies.

"Try it out," Monty encouraged, grabbing another unit and walking to the other side of the room. Athena pressed the button, her voice tentative.

"Hello, can you hear me?"

Monty's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie. "Loud and clear."

A small smile tugged at Athena's lips despite everything. She felt a flicker of normalcy in the simple act of testing the device. "These are great, Monty," she said, genuinely impressed.

Monty walked back over, his expression softening as he saw her smile. "Thanks. It's been a good distraction, honestly. And now we can all stay connected better."

Suddenly, a knock echoed through the dropship, making Athena's smile falter. Monty looked back at her, concern flickering in his eyes before he went to open the hatch. Raven's head appeared as she climbed up the ladder.

"I got the walkies down. What about you?" Raven asked, her gaze landing on Athena, who was still holding one of the walkie-talkies.

Athena quickly forced a smile, trying to appear normal. "They're perfect," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

"Great," Raven sighed with relief, her shoulders relaxing. "We need these to work well, especially with everything going on."

Monty nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they'll make a big difference. Everyone can stay in touch, even when we're spread out."

Athena handed the walkie-talkie back to Monty, her fingers brushing his in the exchange. "Thanks for letting me test it," she said, her smile now a bit more genuine.

"No problem," Monty replied, glancing between the two girls. He could sense the tension but didn't want to pry.

Raven's eyes softened slightly as she looked at Athena. "Hey, you doing okay?" she asked, her voice gentler now.