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28
After taking a warm shower, Onnika dressed in one of her new outfits—she’d thought of Aidan as she put it on—a delicate, flowy dress with straps that tied at each shoulder. The contrast against her skin made it appear to glow. Onnika found everyone except Caryn in the ship’s rec room. Caryn was in the galley and had been since they’d departed. Cooking always centered her. When Lear tried to follow her in on the pretense of offering help, she’d shooed him away.
As usual, Vin was attached to his handheld, watching event replays. He, Priya, and Lear sat at the table in the corner while Aidan, Zeek, and Asher lounged on the sofa. Zeek and Asher were jovially engaged in the AVFS, their VR visors covering their faces, occasionally elbowing each other in the ribs to disrupt the other’s concentration.
With one arm resting on the back of the couch, Aidan idly watched their two large-wheeled terrain vehicles streaming over a moon-like surface on the large viewscreen.
Her heart fluttered when Aidan smiled over at her and opened his arms for her to join him. She skipped to his side and then settled onto his lap. “Hi.”
“Hello. You’re looking beautiful as ever.”
She beamed, pleased that he felt comfortable enough to openly acknowledge their relationship, as obscure as it was, in front of his crew. No one seemed shocked by their newfound affection for one another.
He playfully tugged at one of the of the strappy knots at her shoulder, and she halfheartedly slapped his hand away.
“I’m assuming Onnika just arrived,” Zeek said, the visor still restricting his view. “Otherwise I think Aidan’s coming on to me.”
“Dream on,” Aidan replied.
“You know you want to hit this.” Zeek jokingly pursed his lips.
“Yeah, in the face.”
“We all want that,” Asher agreed, then shoved Zeek with his shoulder, nearly toppling him off the couch.
Righting himself, Zeek shoved him back, but the force of it barely unsettled Asher’s big frame. “Admit it. You’re all just jealous of my dapper good looks.”
“Yes, and we also envy gargoyles and miter ticks.”
“What’s a miter tick?” Onnika asked.
The tips of Aidan’s fingers scurried up her arm. “Grotesque-looking bugs that burrow under your skin and lay eggs.”
“Ew. Zeek, ignore them. I think you’re very handsome.”
Zeek briefly lifted his visor to wink at her.
Aidan turned churlish. “Don’t encourage him.”
“Doencourage him,” Zeek replied, as he nearly overtook Asher in their final lap.
Asher’s hand shot out to mess with Zeek’s controller, and Zeek’s vehicle spun out while his own sped across the finish line. Asher hooted in triumph. “Ha! I beat you again.”
“That’s because you cheated. Play fair.”
“Try playingwell.See if that helps.”
They immediately started a new game. Onnika rested her head on Aidan’s shoulder, listening to the pleasurable sounds of camaraderie around her and feeling more at ease than she had in a long time. She could fall asleep right here and know that she’d be perfectly secure with this group. Once more, she imagined what it would be like if she and Caryn could stay with them indefinitely. Countless evenings of easy conversation followed by nights with Aidan. Safety for Caryn. It was a beautiful dream, but perhaps the edges of it were a little less blurry than before.
“Have you all always traveled together?” she asked no one in particular.
“We used to mercenary together,” Vin replied, not taking his eyes from his handheld. “Long ago. But eventually we went our separate ways.”
“Why?”
“Different reasons,” Aidan replied. “Priya and Vin had some…things to work out.”
“Which we only did because you called us all back together,” Vin pointed out.
