Chapter Text
Echo’s hands slipped inside of her gloves, partly because they were too big and, partly, because of the growing sweatiness of her palms inside of them. Her eyes were burning, stinging with frustration as she struggled with the harnesses on her seat. With a growing panic, her chest started rising and falling at an increasingly fast pace. She stifled her breathing, her breaths hitching in the back of her throat. She couldn’t do this, she couldn’t breathe like this, not when Raven said...
“Here, let me,” Harper said, placing her hands over the strap and clasps. Echo lifted her gaze to her, watching her from beneath her lashes. She’d helped her before; she’d helped her when she could barely stand, letting her lean on her as they got to the rover when she and Monty came for them.
“What’s it like?” she asked. She hated herself for the tremor that resonated in her voice. Harper looked at her, her expression softening when faced with her fear. “Being in space,” she elaborated quickly, “what’s it like?”
One look at her and Harper knew that that wasn’t her only fear. She mustered a smile, “You’ll be fine,” she said. She took Echo’s hands in hers and Echo could feel the sting of her glove pressing into the self-inflicted cut on her palm. “Just, when Raven says brace,” she placed her hands on either side of her seat, curling her fingers around it, “brace.”
Echo pursed her lips together, nodding firmly. Harper smiled, patting her on the shoulder. As she rose to her feet, before she could leave, Echo grabbed her arm, gaining her attention. Immediately she realised she had done so with too much strength, trembling as she may have been, but Harper didn’t look at her with fear or judgement, just concern. “Thank you,” she said, quickly. The world was ending and they could die; she needed her to know she appreciated her efforts and, that if all else failed, she was grateful.
Harper’s smile grew and she nodded, returning to her seat beside Monty.