Time of Scorn

Chapter 8: subject line- Environmental

Alcott promised to help Levi set up the berth so they could watch the debates from there. Anatoly had messaged Vertov, and the suggestion has spread across the base as a good idea and a necessary one. But he wasn't sure if they would have enough space or chairs.

She met him at Dylan's berth to help bring over the holo that he had printed. She had been baking cookies all morning and had a box of them to bring to Anatoly's.

"I messaged Dylan, she knows we're coming, but I haven't heard from this morning," Levi said. "I should just put the subject line as 'Environmental' then she'd check it."

"Levi," Alcott scolded.

"I'm not wrong," he pointed out and opened the berth.

Alcott still had Levi's code memorized from when Dylan had given it to her. She wasn't sure what to do with it. She had never talked to Levi about having such a thing, not that he probably would have minded.

Dylan was drinking tea and sitting on the couch when they entered. Her eyes narrowed at Alcott, but she didn't say anything.

"I messaged you," Levi mentioned. "Told you we were headed over; why didn't you respond?"

"I turned my holo-rib off today," she said. "So that I wouldn't be working. Sorry."

"Está bien," Levi sighed. "Anyway. I assume you're going to the debates?"

Alcott unplugged the holo, which was sitting on their coffee table. It was bigger than she expected and could see why Levi needed help. He couldn't navigate his crutches and carry this.

"Yes, aren't you?" Dylan questioned.

"No, Anatoly is setting up a watch party for people who...can't go into the meeting room just yet. I thought I'd watch it there."

"Because Alcott will be there?" she challenged.

Levi paused and set his jaw. "Do you want to fight about this?" he asked. "Because I don't. I'm staying because it's our holo that's being used and I want to make sure that it doesn't get broken, because it was an expensive thing to print. I'm staying because I promised Anatoly I'd help her set up her berth for additional people. And it wouldn't matter anyway, because you will either sit with environmental or with Tyson, and I'd be by myself during the debates anyway. Don't turn this into something that it simply isn't, Dylan."

Alcott hadn't heard Levi talk like that towards Dylan, ever. She wondered why there was such a difference. Dylan also seemed a little surprised at Levi's tone and she didn't say anything else.

"Alcott's made cookies, and I'm sure that Anatoly has quite the assortment of fruits and vegetables," he continued. "You are welcome to stop by before the debates if you'd like."

Levi turned for the door and Alcott hurried to catch up to him. They didn't speak until they turned down the first intersection and Levi finally sighed.

"She wants to turn you into the villain who ruined our relationship, and I'm just not going to let her," he told Alcott, as a sort of explanation. "She's welcome to hate me or whatever she's needs to. But she's not allowed to take this out on you. And have you noticed she spends most of her time with Tyson? I'm not the only one who's noticed that, right?"

"He's never home," Alcott admitted reluctantly. "I assumed he was working or with Keller."

"No, he's with Dylan," Levi sighed. "And I'm not even mad about it, which is sort of rotated. If she asked me to move back in like, right now I would in a heartbeat. I still love her. I'm just pretty sure she doesn't feel the same."