I'm standing in the Guild dome's massive window area, stars swirling like cosmic soup beyond a glass wall tall as a skyscraper, wide as a rugby pitch. Fiona's just dropped a supernova: "What do you think about us? I mean me, us together?" Her cheeks are red, her white-and-black suit glowing faintly, flux staff's orb pulsing like her heartbeat. I'm Alex, and my brain's buffering like a bad holo-stream.
I stammer, chuckling nervously, "Why—why do you ask?" My voice cracks, flux-tinged hands tingling. Fiona locks eyes with me, her Dublin fire softened by something raw. "Yesterday," she says, voice low, "that pirate attack—it was eye-opening. This life, it's not all fun and games. It can end anytime." Her staff's orb flares briefly. "Out there on the hull, I thought about us. I never had time for this—always fighting, training, surviving. But meeting you, Alex, I started feeling something. Attraction, I guess. That's the only name I can give it. Yesterday made me realize I had to tell you." Her face burns crimson, but she holds my gaze.
My brain's a treadmill on max speed, slipping. Attraction? Fiona? I blink, processing. "I—I never thought about it that way," I say, words tumbling like dodgeballs. "But I'm definitely not opposed. I mean, you're perfect." My cheeks heat up, flux sparking faintly in my palms. Fiona blushes harder, her staff's orb flickering like a shy star. We stand there, silent, the window's cosmic glow bathing us. Other adventurers chat and pace, oblivious to our moment. My bracelet pings, ever cheeky: Incident: Emotional overload. Query: Romance cardio stats? "Not now, bangle," I mutter under my breath, heart thumping.
I swallow, then blurt, "Do you, like, like me?" Fiona's eyes widen, then soften. She nods, a small, certain motion, her braid swaying. "Yeah," she whispers, almost to herself. My grin splits wide, flux tingling stronger, like a cosmic protein shake. "Blimey, Fiona," I say, scratching my neck, "you're a flux mage and a heart-stealer?" She snorts, punching my arm lightly, her blush lingering. "Don't get cocky, Coach." But her smile's real, unguarded for once.
We sit on a bench, stars spinning outside. "Back on Earth," I say, "I was all gym, no heart. You and Dmitri—you're family, more than I ever had." Fiona's eyes flicker, and I catch it now—not just family for her. "Dublin was rough," she says. "MMA, my sister, no time for… this. But you're different, Alex. Annoyingly cheerful, but different." I laugh, "Annoying's my brand." My bracelet logs: Conversation: Earth nostalgia. Query: Flirtation badge earned? I roll my eyes, but it's right—this is new territory.
Dmitri's thumbs-up from earlier clicks—he knew, the sneaky Russian. I ping him via bracelet: "Meet us at the teleporter, mate." Fiona's blush fades, her staff dimming as she stands. "Time to head back," she says, voice steady but softer. We weave through the crowd, adventurers gawking at the void. My suit hums faintly, pistol and blades stowed, flux still tingling from her words. At the teleporter, Dmitri waits, orange-and-black suit snug, magma spear retracted, shield folded. His smirk says he knows everything. "Good view?" he grunts, eyes flicking between us. Fiona glares, cheeks pink again. "Shut it," she mutters.
We zap to Habitat-382, landing outside our flats—Units 57, 58, 59. The fake stars above feel brighter tonight. "Tomorrow, we quest," I say, flexing. Fiona nods, her glance lingering, then darts away. Dmitri's smirk widens as he heads to his door. My bracelet pings: Day sixty-three: Rest day complete. Query: Cosmic crush confirmed? I grin, "You're too much, bangle." Unseen, the sleek alien in dark metal watches, reporting to the elder, who hums, eyes glowing with intrigue. Single—no, maybe not for long—I'm Coach Bounce, rambling through stars and heartstrings, one awkward step at a time.