“Let me help because I can,” he says, already unloading parts to rebuild the heater core. “I could not help my kind because they refused me. And they died.”
“You may have perished with them.”
“A sacrifice well-earned.”
I remove my helmet and am greeted with frigid air that prickles my skin. He doesn’t get it. “But then I never would’ve met you, and I would’ve died back there at the lunar base. I am glad you are here and that you are who you are. I’m sorry about what happened to your people. But don’t dwell on what you could have done. Learn from it and use that for the future. Otherwise, those regrets and memories will become a natural poison. Trust me.”
He sets the parts down, gently braces my jaw in his hands, draws me close, and kisses me hard. His face tenses with a pain that eases the longer his lips caress mine. “Go warm up. I’ll come nestle with you later.”
I giggle at the word.
“What?”
“So you did build a nest in the cockpit?”
Elix’s face darkens. His eyes shine as he returns to his work. “I would’ve preferred furs for you. But blankets are all I have. I thought you would like it. It was a sign of care my father did for my mother. He always primped the nest for her.”
“I’ve never heard you mention them before.”
He shakes his head and looks away. I’m left to assume they died in one of the invasions, and that’s why Elix was left to be sorted out by the remaining tribal leaders.
“Hey.” I summon his gold eyes to mine despite the shivers that consume me as the cold air snakes inside my suit. “I am here for you. You don’t have to endure this alone. I know how hard that can be.”
He kisses me once more with warm lips. He really is adapted to this place. Elix nods toward the front of the ship.
I reluctantly leave him to do all the repairs by himself. MONA lets me into the cockpit and then closes the door behind me. I kick out of the heavy suit, set the gear aside, and climb into the swirled pile of blankets Elix arranged.
“MONA, can I talk to Elix?”
“I can open coms, yes.” The system beeps. “Just say his name in the future and I will relay your feed.”
Seems simple enough.“Elix?”
“Yes, Zariah?”
I love the gentle way he says my name. I curl up in the blankets until I feel like I’m melting into them. “The nest is perfect, with one exception.”
“What’s that?”
“It needs you.”
He’s quiet for a moment.
“MONA, what is he doing?”
The screen closest to me blinks on, showing Elix standing still beside his workbench and looking toward the cockpit.
“If I may,” MONA says. “I think he’s trying to decide if he wants to finish or join you.”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
“I must get the heater core working so the rest of the ship can be safe for you. When I am done, I will come,” Elix says.
“You better,” I reply, chewing a thumbnail to keep myself from laughing. “I don’t like things being one-sided.”
A heavy breath comes over the speakers. I watch him set down what he’s holding and run a hand over his stomach as if it hurts.
“MONA?” I ask. “Is he okay?”
