Because you're gonna get yourself fucking killed over people that aren't even goddamn here anymore.

( out of his mouth like shrapnel from a bullet, just as quick and molten-sharp. felix hisses through his teeth, dumping his coffee in the street and crumpling the cup in his hand as he chucks it aside. bad place to lay shit out. would've been worse in space. silver linings. )

You know what I thought when you stopped responding on comms? ( the worst. slow, trickling terror, something he hasn't felt in a long time. ortez felt it move through him like an aftershock, told him to focus. ) You think Ortez and I didn't try to fucking put her down? Double-teamed her ass. Didn't make a bit of difference. We weren't just fiddling with our fucking dicks out the whole goddamn time, Ephemera.

( fuck. he forks his thumbs into his eyes, pressing deep in the sockets. his head is going to explode. )

I thought she killed you.