On Board
by Starhawk

"DECA, lights."
"Ow! Hey, I had those off for a reason, you know."
"...Sorry. I didn't realize anyone else was in here."
"S'okay. At least it keeps me awake."
"What are you doing here?"
"Just... I don't know. Thinking. Moping, mostly."
"Moping?"
"Yeah, moping. What are *you* doing here?"
"I--couldn't sleep."
"Want to sit down?"
"I guess."
"...So why couldn't you sleep?"
"I just couldn't."
"Right."
"...Why are you moping?"
"I just am."
"Okay."
"Huh."
"'Huh' what?"
"Nothing. Just feeling sorry for myself again."
"Why?"
"You'll laugh."
"No I won't."
"Well... you know when you really like someone?"
"...Yeah?"
"You do?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. Well, have you ever really liked someone who didn't know you existed?"
"Maybe."
"What does that mean?"
"It means 'maybe'."
"...Well, now you know why I'm moping."
"He can't possibly not know you exist."
"I guess he knows. But I don't think he cares."
"...His loss."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"No, what did you--"
"Want something to drink?"
"...Sure!"
"DECA? Two hot chocolates."
"I thought you didn't like hot chocolate!"
"I never said that."
"I'm sure you did!"
"I said I'd never had it. I didn't say I didn't like it."
"Oh. I guess it was the way you said it that made me think you didn't."
"That's just the way I talk."
"You think so?"
"You don't?"
"Not really. Sometimes you're actually nice and stuff."
"'Nice and stuff'?"
"Well, not often."
"Huh."
"Don't say that; that's my word."
"So?"
"So you can't steal my word."
"Not if I was nice and stuff, no."
"...At least tell me why you can't sleep."
"Why?"
"Because I told you why I was moping. Fair's fair."
"People who aren't nice don't have to be fair."
"I didn't mean you're not nice. I just meant you don't act it. Much."
"...I had a nightmare."
"About what?"
"Just stuff."
"Stuff that's happened? Or stuff that might?"
"Stuff that's happened."
"Sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"I'm still sorry."
"I'm sorry you're moping."
"It's not important."
"It's important to you."
"Not compared to your nightmares."
"They don't mean anything."
"They mean you're not sleeping."
"So?"
"So maybe you'd act nicer if you got a full night's sleep."
"Oh."
"I'm just kidding."
"I know."
"I wish I could make your nightmares go away."
"You can't."
"I *know*. I just wish I could."
"...Thanks."
"You're welcome, I guess."
"No, that's really nice of you."
"Self-interest."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"'Self-interest'? Why?"
"I... like to see you smile."
"...You do?"
"Yeah. You don't do it much."
"Maybe I don't have any reason to."
"You do now."
"Why?"
"Because you have us. Friends are supposed to make you smile."
"Oh."
"Haven't you had friends before?"
"Of course."
"Okay, sorry. Just checking."
"You--make me smile."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"...I'm glad."
"I'd better go."
"Hey... thanks. For the hot chocolate, I mean."
"Thanks. I mean, you're welcome."
"...Well--pleasant dreams."
"You too."
"'Night, Andros."
"'Night Ashley."

***
"I am everything you want, I am everything you need
I am everything inside of you that you wish you could be
I say all the right things, at exactly the right time
But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why"

***