Adam's laughter shifted at that, a warmer burst of humor, less hysterical, and then his laughter settled and he could start moving again, wanting to get back to their quarters and privacy--safety--as quickly as possible. He met Ronan's eyes as they started moving, making sure that they were going together, and then just focused on moving, trusting that Ronan would stay by his side as they made their way through the halls.

They passed another fighter-navigator pair in a hallway, walking close and talking quietly. When they glanced over at Adam and Ronan in polite acknowledgement, Adam reflexively twitched away from them, bumping into Ronan and throwing himself off his stride. He recovered quickly, walking faster, with his shoulders drawn up and his chin tucked down defensively.