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“And Sebastian too!” The man shouted over his shoulder and was met with another chorus of cheers. “Both of you get the fuck up here.”
They clambered up the ladder and were all but pulled into the crowded closet. Numerous hands reached out to pat and clasp them, and while Leon had to focus on keeping his cool and composure under all the attention and touching, Sebastian basked in it.
He reached out to clasp forearms, shake hands, and give clumsy embraces to as many people reaching out to him. When they finally managed to extricate themselves enough to stumble out into the hallway, the color was high in his cheeks and his eyes were bright. Leon didn’t know what his own face looked like as he stared into Sebastian’s joyful eyes, but judging by the way a certain shyness crept into Sebastian’s grin, Leon had to guess that he looked as mushy and lovestruck as he felt.
Sebastian opened his mouth, but the first soldier—Jason—interrupted him by throwing an arm around his neck.
“Drinks, Sebastian!” the man declared. “We have to compare our daring escapes. And I still never heard how you managed to get that bomb under that table up north.”
Sebastian laughed at his friend but pushed lightly at his arm and looked back to Leon. “Can’t Jason, I have to—”
“Go.” Leon raised a hand to stop him. “I’m just going to debrief with Martha and start planning. Go have a nice time. You deserve it.”
Sebastian bit his lip, and Leon could see the conflicting desires in his eyes, but then he nodded. “Yeah, alright. I’ll see you later?”
Leon could only nod, already feeling a twinge of envious regret as Jason tugged at Sebastian and dragged him in the opposite direction. “Sure.”
He watched Sebastian’s back disappear into a crowd of people, though he could hear his crowing even after losing sight of him. Just before all the soldiers dispersed, Leon caught the arm of a straggler.
“Where’s Martha?”
“Makeshift headquarters.” The woman jerked a thumb over her shoulder in the opposite direction of where the makeshift bar must be. “I’ll show you, sir.”
“Thank you.” Leon followed the woman through a few hallways, cleaned of debris but with windows boarded up tight enough to keep in the light. They turned a corner, and the woman pointed to a room at the end of the hall with a door ajar.
“In there, sir.”
“Thank you. Dismissed.” Leon nodded his thanks again and then pushed open the door.
Martha had her back to him with her arms crossed, but she turned when Leon rapped a knuckle against the old wood. A smile broke out over her face, and she strode forward to meet him. Leon stood stock still in surprise as she closed the distance between them and pulled him into her arms.
“Leon, thank god,” she murmured into his hair, then tightened her grip so much Leon could feel the pressure around his ribs.
All the tension went out of Leon in a rush. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, but his words still came out choked. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”
“I thought I had lost you too.” Martha didn’t let go, and Leon finally managed to bring his arms up to return her embrace. “I thought I would be the last one left.”
“No. No, I’m okay.” Leon shook his head against her shoulder. Farlon. Martha. Hilda. Leon. For a while, they had been all the others had. Leon and Martha were down to just each other, but two were still infinitely better than one. “I’m okay.”
After a few moments, Martha sniffed and pushed him out to arm’s length. Red rimmed her eyes, but no tears fell. “So the Ralsdis took you in, huh? I suppose you know everything now? About them and Sebastian.”
“I do. It was…” Leon twisted his lips. “A shock.”
“I’m sure.”
“But I haven’t forgotten what you said after that night in the bar.” Leon pressed his lips together and hardened his heart, just as he’d been told. He turned toward a table piled up with old maps and charts. “I know I can’t have him, not really.”
“No, Leon.” Martha tightened her fingers into his shoulders and pulled him back. “I was afraid.”
Leon let himself be diverted from the maps and looked up warily. “What do you mean?”
“After I saw you that day in Kaston, throwing everything away to get back to him.” Martha held his arm with one hand but crossed her other over her chest to wrap around her own shoulders. “I was afraid we’d lose everything at the last moment, and I was afraid of what Farlon—”
“I won’t make the same mistake again.” Leon’s face burned with shame. He’d already ruminated on all the ways he’d let Farlon down. “I know what my priorities are. I know what Farlon—”
“Farlon’s dead,” Martha snapped. “I shouldn’t be afraid of what he thinks, and neither should you.”
Leon’s jaw dropped.
