Romantik/Intimität - Loyalität (Für's Team)

[servena]

Team: Drache
Challenge: Romantik/Intimität - Loyalität (Für's Team)
Fandom: Andor
Charaktere: Luthen, Kleya
Sprache: Englisch
Wörter: 750
Kommentar: Das hab ich vor dem Ende der 2. Staffel geschrieben und musste jetzt noch was umschreiben, das hat man davon, wenn man nicht gleich postet, grml.

“It’s different with him. Isn’t it?”

or

Luthen waits for a radio call.

Waiting on the Radio

He doesn’t hear her come in, so lost is he in the examimation of the artefact before him. He’s been staring at the tiny inscription for so long that it’s blurring beneath the microscope. He leans back in his chair to rub over his eyes, and it’s only then that he sees her hovering in the doorway, an indecipherable look on her face.

“What are you still doing here?” she asks.

“I’ve got that meeting with Senator Pavan tomorrow.”

“I thought you finished that collection weeks ago.” A slight furrow appears between her brows.

“He might be interested in this. Batuu, pre-Hyperspace, it’s right up his alley. If I could just decipher that writing…”

She takes a couple steps into the room and moves to look over his shoulder. Then her eyes are drawn to the radio sitting in its opened drawer and he knows he’s been caught.

“You should get some sleep”, she says.

He sighs deeply. “Just a little bit longer”, he says, like a child that’s avoiding bedtime.

She leans against the table with her back, narrowing her eyes at him with that familiar scrutiny. “…It’s Andor, isn’t it?”

He doesn’t bother to deny it. “He’s late.”

“How late?”

“Couple of hours.”

She lifts her shoulders slightly. “You know how these things go. Anything could have happened.”

“Yeah”, he says, “I know.”

Silence opens up between them. He waits for her to leave, or waits for the lecture, but he gets neither. Instead she asks: “It’s different with him. Isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, he mumbles and squints at the inscription again. The last letters appear damaged, and it’s hard to tell how much of the sentence is missing.

“With Andor”, she continues mercilessly. “You wouldn’t be so worried if it was somebody else.”

“I would”, he says with little conviction.

“You aren’t this worried when it’s Vel.”

He leans back, gives up on the inscription finally. “Vel can take care of herself.”

“So can Andor. He’s not a newbie anymore.”

He sighs again, runs a hand over his face. His thoughts feel fuzzy from lack of sleep. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” She lifts one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows.

He knows she won’t let this go unless he gives her something, anything. “We need him. And we’re vulnerable if he gets caught. He knows a lot.”

“Some might say too much”, she says pointedly.

He gives her that one, too, with an apologetic smile. “Well in any case, it’s too late for that.”

“Yes, it is.” She gives the artifact a cursory look, then continues: “Andor is valuable, but he’s not irreplacable. And it doesn’t explain why you rely on him so much. Why you told him so much.”

He finally turns around to face her. “What do you want me to say? I wanted him. I met him and I saw his potential - everything he was, everything he could be. More than he could see in himself. I guess I was too prideful to let it go. And hasn’t it paid off?”

“So far”, she concedes. “Andor has been a valuable asset. But you’re too involved. This isn’t you, Luthen.” For a moment the mask on her face slips and she allows her concern for him to shine through.

He finds himself nodding. “I know I shouldn’t. I don’t know why I am. I know personal attachment is a luxury, but I guess every once in a while, I can’t help but indulge myself. That feeling when the potential you saw finally reveals itself to the rest of the world, when every lession you taught comes to fruition -” He stares in the direction of the radio for a moment, not seeing it, seeing only it. ”I know a teacher shouldn’t have a favorite, but he’s my favorite, Kleya.”

“I know”, she says softly.

“And what kind of reward do we have to offer him?”, he continues. “Death will get as many chances as it needs, with him. Shouldn’t we at least bear witness when it happens?”

“You should get some sleep”, she repeats. Then she leans forward and presses a chaste kiss to his forehead.

He knows better than to struggle on when he’s been defeated. He’s just about to get out of his chair when the radio in the drawer hums to life with that all too familiar sound. He leans down to pick it up, and pretends not to see Kleya’s look at his relieved smile.