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"Oh, Guardian! You... you're here...?" Lodi looks around, then sidles away from the Aionian scientists nearby, meeting the Guardian as they come loping towards him.
"I had to come see you after what you told me on the radio... Are... you okay?" They ask, transmatting their helmet away so they can meet his eyes.
Lodi hems and haws for a moment, trying to put on a brave face, but then he seems to collapse a little in on himself, his shoulders slumping.
"It's... a lot. I mean, I knew it would be a lot... But..." He shakes his head, then says, "I meant it... What I said. I...I don't want you to see me any differently."
The Guardian feels a little pang in their chest, and takes one of his hands, noting how clammy it feels. They give it a warm squeeze. "Lodi... Louis... nothing... nothing... would make me see you any differently than I do now," they say gently.
"But what if I'm not..."
"No, stop right there," the Guardian chuckles, lifting a finger and pressing it against his lips to shush him.
Lodi shushes and they drop their hand and smile. On impulse, the Guardian steps forward to close the distance between them, and gives Lodi a brief, but warm and encouraging kiss on his lips.
"You've got this, Lou," the Guardian whispers once they pull back, lifting their hands to give his shoulders a squeeze. "Promise."
Lodi looks a little dazed, but he nods, repeating, "I've got this."
"I'll see you later?" The Guardian smiles, transmats their helmet on, and bounds away towards the Gorge.
"Yeah," Lodi says belatedly, dreamily. "See you later."
A pair of Aionian scientists watching nearby elbow each other with soft chiming laughter as Lodi lifts his fingers to his lips, watching the Guardian leap away with an expression of wonder on his face.