“Does this mean you forgive me?” I ask quietly.
“Yeah.” He nods once. “Yeah, of course I forgive you. I’m still angry as fuck, but I forgive you because there was nothing else you could have done.” He shrugs. “Why are you backtracking? Why are you acting like an apologetic pussy?” He points at me. “You normally have more mettle than this.I shouldn’t have done it.” He makes his voice soft and whiny.
“Is that an impression of me?” I ask.
“It’s how you sound right now.”
“What about me?” Flint asks. He’s trying to keep it light, but his voice cracks around the edges. “Am I forgiven yet?”
Magma snorts. “You’re going to have to give me a minute on that one.”
“A minute?”
“Maybe a couple of hours and more than just a six-pack.” Magma jabs a finger at him. “Ridge is one thing, but you were the one doing the actual investigating.”
“I know.” Flint’s voice has gone hoarse. “I know what I did. I’d do it all over again. If the tables were turned, I’d want you investigating me. I’d want you to be the one digging me out on the other end. Because that’s what friends do for friends.”
“Fine, you’re forgiven. Stop whining about it already.” He waves a hand at us both. “Don’t ever withhold information from me again. I’m glad I have you both in my corner. For the love of god, let’s crack those beers before they get warm.”
Flint grabs three beers and gives one to each of us. We pop the caps off.
They both take a long sip.
“You owe me lunch for a month,” he tells Flint.
“Bullshit. A week, tops.”
“Two weeks.”
“Fine, but they’ll be healthy.”
“Fuck that,” Magma says, and the two of them laugh. “How are things at Security Central? Has the place fallen apart without me?”
“Things have actually quieted down between the two islands.” Flint takes a swallow of his beer. “The talks are going well. There could be a declaration of peace signed soon. It’s looking promising.”
“Really?”
“Yep. So the frontline has been quiet for the first time in a long time.”
“Mmm.” Magma takes a sip. “And the rotation?”
“I shifted everyone on the southern wall to a two-week pattern after you went in. It’s holding. Morale is so much better. I’ve been able to give some of the team leave for the first time in over a year.”
“Good.” He nods. “That’s good.”
They go back and forth like that for a few minutes. The kind of shop talk I’ve heard them do a hundred times. I let it wash over me. I don’t have it in me to chime in. I’m thinking about Robyn.
I lift my beer, but I don’t take a sip.
Magma looks at me. Then he looks at the bottle in my hand and at my face.
“You look like someone kicked you in the nuts,” he says. “I forgave you. It’s done. We can move on.”
I make a noise of agreement.
Flint smirks. “He’s in love.”
I shoot him a look that should have put him on his ass. He just keeps smirking.
