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[Steve makes a token effort to eat his. She's right as she always is when it comes to food. He needs to keep his strength up. He can't help noticing her hesitating to eat hers. He tries to joke about it if only to lighten the mood.] That's why you're roughing it up first?

[It may not have been the greatest joke in the world, but it does get a small laugh out of her.]

Sure. Have to show it who's boss.

You're doing great. [He takes a couple more bites before he decides to address the elephant in the room.] Want to talk about it?

[She exhales, trying to figure out how to put it into words without being completely blunt about how wrong this feels.]

I feel like there were no good decisions there. No matter what choice we made, we were still trading lives.

[The only difference was, which lives were being traded.]

[There's no denying any of it. Steve can only nod and swallow his food.] You're right.

[He trains his eyes again and feels his age not for the first time since this started.] We're fighting against wide scale death against something with no face or name. The only thing we can do is try to save as many lives as we can. There's no victory in that. No one gets to feel good about it. We just have to hope this ends with more of us alive than dead.

[Which is so very cruel to say, but it is Steve's truth.]

[She doesn't deny that, but at the same time ...]

Our job is supposed to be saving this world, though.

[She takes a deep breath.]

I know my vote wasn't the kindest, but ... we tried to do the kindest thing in Akvos and look where it got us.

I know that's what we're meant to do. I just doubt we have the tools to make it a reality. [He hates himself for saying it. That's what has been on his mind lately. Steve doesn't feel like they have control of this situation by a long shot.]

We're fumbling around in the dark, Zari.

I know.

[And that's probably the one reason she didn't fight harder. Because they didn't know what would happen with either option, so honestly what did it matter?

Either way, people were going to die.]

I just hope the people at the glow manage to do something.

[He bumps his shoulder against hers. Steve can't quite smile with a heart this heavy, but he does feel optimistic about this.] I have faith in them. They're a good team.

They are.

[She exhales slowly.]

And Astoria has faith in us, for some reason.

[Steve shakes his head.] We earned that. I know things have been rough, but we've done better than we ever had any right to. You have to remember that.

[It is the one thing they honestly have going for them.]

[She nods because he's right. Considering how little they've had to go on, they've had far more victories than losses.]

I will. You might have to remind me every once in a while, though.

ic inbox | acatalepsy

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