Compare and Contrast

As I stood there in the doorway, I could only see the fantastic spread of stars through the long windows of the ship, cut to ribbons by that slim, toned body, moving like water in and out of the light. He was training. He is always training, as if there were anything else to do while we wait for another bounty to catch.

I simply leaned against the doorframe and stared for a while. He knew I was there. He always knows, but he doesn’t care, he just keeps on pushing himself until it hurts, until he can’t take anymore, or until I say that dinner’s ready. That’s when he finally lowers his fists, his feet. That’s when he calms down, lets his body relax.

I love watching that too, I love seeing him melt back into reality, those loose pants hugging his slim hips. I dread the day when I won’t be able to steal glances anymore, to watch him while he trains, to stare while he goes through the motions of getting worked up and then calming down. I always wish that I could do something for him to help him relax; massage his shoulders, feel the taught skin of his back beneath my fingers, those sinewy muscles yielding to my touch.

I turned to go, my feet silent in the darkness. I don’t want the bell-peppers-and-beef-sans-beef to burn. Another night spent alone, another day spent griping at Spike to get off his ass and do something. He goes to the hangar and tinkers around on that old heap of his. To tell you the truth, it really is a beautiful ship, not like mine, so beat up that it barely even runs sometimes. Or so I think. He says that he’s always liked it, he says it’s like me, strong and sturdy, reliable.

If I was to compare him to his ship, it would be strong-willed and beautiful, just like he is. He’s always getting us into the worst situations, but he always manages to get us out of them too. Not only that, but whenever I see him fly, he’s carefree, happy, he’s truly himself in that ship. No one else is like him in the world. He’s everything I wish I could have been. I know that it’s just wishful thinking, but I have kept him as such a good friend and partner because deep down, we’re really the same. No one else makes me feel the way he does. I’m never alone when Spike’s around.