Antarctica was about as miserable and cold as you’d expect it to be.

When you’re not staring dead-eyed at a monitor, tracking wind speeds and temperatures over lengthy periods of time, you’re…doing what anyone else on this base does.

Try to pass the time.

Sometimes, you’ll watch reruns of The Price is Right with Palmer, or maybe you’ll play ping pong with Blair and Copper.

Usually, you’re spending your time with Mac, sidled up next to him in your chair as he tries (and fails) to beat the Chess Wizard at a game. The last time he lost a match, you spent two weeks cleaning bourbon from all the internals and rewiring the whole machine.

Some days are a little...more.

After a particularly long day of marking down wind speeds and outdoor temperatures (it’s a balmy -36° today), you’re drained. Your mind’s gone fuzzy, and you know that Mac is the only one that knows how to handle this.

Mac’s in his room, clearly not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. When he catches a glimpse of you, poking your head into the door, a smile breaks out on his face.

A rare occurrence.

It takes him all of about four seconds to clock that you’re in a very particular headspace.

“Hey, kiddo, c’mere,” he offers, waving you in with a gentle hand, patting the spot next to him on his thin mattress.

Warm hands are gentle on your shoulders the second you settle, pulling the sweater over your shoulders to sit better, murmuring a soft “gotta bundle up, it’s cold in here…” as he does.

“You doing alright, kiddo? Need some quiet time?”