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"And you're waiting for me to go missing or to wake up dead." He knows that feeling pretty damn well. "It's hard to cope with.

"Yeah. Maybe. Or I'm just waiting for the hallucination to end so I can die properly." He strides forward and gets Duke's leash down, giving a little whistle to draw him from wherever he is—what had been Theta's bed, most likely.

"Deralization, I think. S'what it's called. I have issues with that now and then- have since I woke up here." He follows North with his eyes, not getting up just yet. "Long as you cope in a healthy way it's alright. I....didn't always. So I know what you're go'n through."

He gives a little nod to what York says and greets the dog when he makes his way lightly down the stairs. "Hey, boy," he says, and there's a smile on his face but it's a plastic, pasted-on smile, no mirth to it. It's like a routine—he smiles because he should, but once Duke has had a few moments to pant at North with a big doggie grin on his face North's smile turns into a grimace for half a second before it just drops.

Right. Not discussing the thing- going on a run. At least he's dressed for it. He shoves out of the armchair and gives North the moment to do- whatever he feels he's got to do to face the day. "Lemme know when you're ready."

"I am now." Sure, he's wearing what he slept in but he just needs to get out in the air right now. He clips the lead to Duke's collar, slips on his coat, and leads the way out, looking up and out toward the Dome for a moment before heading down the porch steps. "I wish we could see the sky." Something about seeing the sky is grounding for him. Maybe he'd feel less like he was floating through an aimless muddle if he could see the sky.

York pulls his coat on and jogs after- nagging North to change wouldn't do much good. There's just the street, the dome, and them. Duke snuffling around in the early morning light as they hit their stride. "I've kinda given up on seeing it without leaving the dome."

An easy pace is all they need, for now anyway. He can sort of tell if he gets to thinking too hard he'll keep going faster and then faster and faster until he outruns his feet. Duke, well trained, heels as they run. "Well, I'm in the army now. Maybe we'll have a reason to go out and I can see it then." Would it look like the Martian sky, he wonders? Would it remind him at all of home?

"Probably. Heard noise about a new airlock getting built. Something big enough for freight. Dunno if that's smart but- hey. I'm not a general." He shrugs, taking the next turn with North. "...If you wanna run yourself stupid I can set up the course in the bunker. All this-"

He waves a hand at the nice houses in the nice air and the pleasant temperature and the kind people- it's. Nice but grating when you're in a darker headspace. "Is alright but. Y'know, if you want."

"Might do that. Thanks." It'd be a nice change of pace from working out on base, sometimes. Especially when Maine's around.

After that he just...goes. Goes and doesn't think, no doesn't think, just keeps his feet moving one after the other, lets the dog pound alongside him, and Theta is gone. Goddammit. Theta is gone and Wrath used to be such a joy to him and she was there when he dealt with the things he needed to deal with and it feels like it doesn't mean as much anymore.

No, he needs to slow down. He does so, and glances over at York. "You still got it set up for someone to sleep there? In the bunker?"

"being alone right now is the absolute worst thing you can do." He says without looking over. "Been there, done that, have the Tshirt. You wanna talk to someone, I'll give you my doc's frequency. You wanna sweat it out? I'll go as many rounds as you need. Quiet is not gonna help. Trust me."

"Not everyone deals with stuff the same way," he says, but doesn't protest beyond that. He waits a couple beats before asking, "Could you meet me there when I'm done with my shift? I think I'm going to put in a 12-hour day."

"No, but having a support network helps in times of emotional turmoil. Removing yourself from that support network just lets you freefall and that shit ain't fun. Been there, done that, got the mug, etc- trust me. Okay?" Now he looks back at North, brows drawn down, jaw tight. "Just- I know where you're at right now. And I know you."

North feels that he would beg to differ, but at least York's got a proper measure of concern. "That's why I'm asking you to meet me," he says. "I'm not going to insist on staying there. Not if you don't want me to."

"I'm gonna insist that you stay in the house. Use the third bedroom- it'll help me keep Malcolm from making it into a nursery." Which is WEIRD on so many levels.

He'd sigh if he wasn't breathing heavily from running. "Yeah, I don't know." It's the last bend before they get to the house and he lets himself surge forward a little bit again. He's usually better about keeping a steady rhythm while he runs but...well, it's just not a priority, he supposes.

"Think it over. Okay?" That's more or less said to the back of his head, damn his long legs. He didn't get to be second on the leaderboard without being at least a little competative, and Duke's doing fine right now, all that endless energy that came with being a puppy so-

Impropmtu race? Sorta. He surges forward to keep pace with North, and a little more besides.

North notices, and inches forward enough to keep up alongside York, but doesn't try to pass him. When they reach the house he slows and begins to walk to cool down, gesturing with his head for York to follow. Duke still has to do his business and they can cool down in the back yard.

Slowing to a jog- yeah. Then a walk. Because wow keeping up with a guy that's got six inches on you and it's all LEG is a little challenging outside of the suits but he's totally not winded. Really. It's from all that drilling he did when he was avoiding- everyone.

"Not a bad way to start the day."

"Yeah. Thanks for coming with me," he says, giving York a pat on the back. He unfastens Duke's lead once they're in the back of the house and the dog immediately begins to sniff out a perfect spot.

"Like I said, anytime." It beats holing up in the bunker and running that damn parkour course until he's ready to pass out. He slows to a stop, leaning against a fence post and lounging there as he watches Duke. The fact that Theta hasn't come home is gonna sink in eventually.

It definitely does need to sink in and that's one of the reasons North had teased at the idea of staying elsewhere. But he knows York's concerns. Once the dog is done and returns he scrubs behind the dog's ears. "I really do have to go get ready to head to the base," he says. "See you tonight?"

"Yeah, Drew. I'll have dinner on the table." He's not sure what it'll be but he'll try something simple. Maybe stew, it's kinda chilly.

"Thanks. That's thoughtful of you." He comes over and gives York a quick hug before drifting to the door and heading inside.

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