She looked at him her brow furrowing with worry. "Come on," she said eventually. "We should head back to the ship."
He nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. A sense of sadness seemed to wash over his expression, and he kept his eyes on the floor.
She squeezed his arm for a moment before beginning to walk back to the ship. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she seemed deflated, smaller than her regular self.
He glanced over at her, but didn't say anything. "I was hoping today would be better," he said finally. "Part of me wished we just stayed in the ship."
The ship loomed up in the distance and Poppy looked over at him suddenly. "This isn't anything we can't get past," she said firmly, almost as if she were convincing herself. "It's not something that we're unable to deal with."
They got to the ship and went up inside of it, and Poppy stopped and turned to him. "I love you," she tried, her voice desperate. "You know that, don't you?"
(I have an idea for their reconciliation!) "I know you do," he said. "And I love you, too. I just don't want to hurt you again." His tone was low. "Let's get you back to the room."
(Oh? Is there anything I can do to make it happen?) She studied him, her expression impossible to read. "Okay," she said. "Let's go."
(It's just that they should do it in the observatory and he realizes that breaking up was a mistake and then proposes because it's just the two of them, and he loves her, and it's the right time and everything is okay!) He nodded, putting his hands behind his back as thoughts rushed through his head.
(Dude, I was thinking the same thing! Yes. Let's do that.) They turned down their hallway in silence, and Poppy stopped between their doors and turned to look at him. "So, are we okay?" she asked quietly, worry plaguing the surface of her features.
He frowned, not meeting her eyes. His expression was one of sadness and confusion. "Poppy, I don't want to hurt you. I never want to hurt you again." He crossed his arms, his foot tapping nervously. "Do you understand?"
"You don't know that," he said, letting out a sigh. "I can't risk it." After that he wasn't silent for a long while, his eyes on the floor as he was deep in thought. "I think we need some space. I don't want to hurt you," he said, his voice shaking and his hands slightly trembling.
She inhaled sharply and stepped forward, taking his shaking hands as she looked up at him with panic in her eyes. "Francis," she said, sounding as if she were fighting to keep her voice steady. "Francis, my love. Please. Please don't do this."
"Poppy, I love you. I can't hurt you again." He shook his head, slipping his hands out of her grip. Would that make this easier? Would pretending I don't care make this any easier? "I love you too much to do that. I would rather you be safe."
Her expression shifted among many emotions. Devastation. Anger. Disbelief. "I am safe, though," she said, trying to mask her frantic tone of voice. "I am fine." She put a hand to her forehead, trying to gather her thoughts. "Yesterday, you wanted me to marry you, and today you want us to break up? I don't..." She shook her head, her curls flying left and right with the action. "I don't understand."
