Ladies are... good.

In the vehicle.

“Shoulda left me” Alex grumbled. He sat wrapped in his blanket, leaning against a bulkhead and avoiding eye contact with anyone.
“Yeah, shoulda left him!”
Phi gave a warning glance. “Please stop that Justin, you're not helping.”
“So-rree. Aw, didn't mean it, Alexandra.”
Alex didn't react.
“Justin, go away.” Phi snapped her fingers and pointed across the compartment.
“Fine.” He humphed off and sat with Bedge instead.
Phi turned back to Solvay, the junior medic in her concerned. “Alex, you look terrible.”

It was true. He had the beginnings of a scruffy beard, his hair was unkempt and matted at the back, his eyes were bloodshot and tired, he looked like he'd lost a little weight, and he no longer smelled of soap. Unless it was whisky scented soap.

“We couldn't have left you, the gas would have killed or mutated you. You wouldn't want that, would you?”
He finally turned and looked at her, eyes large, and face so solemn it was almost comical. Almost. He shook his head, little-boy poutily, momentarily a four year old in a bedraggled-bearded man's body.
The fact that he was only wearing boxer shorts and a blanket made him seem even more pathetic.

Bedge who'd been sneakily listening, via amplified aural receptors, decided to throw in a comment. “I fought you wanted to go on holiday, Marster Solvay!”
Alex's ears pricked. “Holiday?”
Phi nodded. “Yes, we're going on holiday. Holly did tell everyone.”
He turned muzzily back to her. “I am quite drunk.”
She narrowed her eyes a little. “M'yes.”
He felt a tendril of warmth curl into his soul. … A holiday. Oh Gods, a holiday.
His face brightened a notch.
Then he squinted. “That guy-thing, comin'?”
“Who?”
“Shark. Plays games. Talks funny to women.”
Justin had wandered back over. “Yes. You know he is. You really are drunk, aren't you? And as if you're so great at talking to women...”
Solvay shrugged. “Used to be a jerk.”
Justin smirked “'used to be'?”
“But I learned when I was whoring.”
“Oh. I...” Justin double took. “What!? You were a-”
“Man-whore.”
Alex noticed Phi's horrified expression. He supposed it was his language.
“So'y... 'prostitute'.”
Justin's face displayed a weird mixture of emotions.
Alex shrugged.“Only for a while.”
The other two were staring at him. Probably waiting to find out what it was he'd learned.
“An'way, ladies are...” he frowned, losing his thread “... ladies are... good.” He finished.

Why was he telling them this? He swigged from a bottle, previously hidden under his blanket.
“I'll take that, thank you.” Phi gently removed it from his hand.
“Hey...”

They sat in silence after that, listening to the gentle hum of the others engaged in their own conversation further up the compartment, and Jacky yelling towards the cockpit. “Are we there yet?”

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Hope I've kept track of who's where.