The docking bay was quieter here, tucked into the far edge of the Yard where the independent haulers kept their modest operations.

Akiko scanned the patchwork of ships, each one a stitched-together story of survival. Most were battered, with mismatched hull plates and faded logos that hinted at a long history of wear and resourcefulness.

Nothing like the sleek, standardized vessels of Haven. And not quite like the Reclaimers' salvaged warships either. These were built to last, not to salvage some scrap of pride.

Raya walked ahead, steps purposeful and steady. Akiko followed, hands buried in the pockets of her jacket, ears and tail suppressed under a thin weave of glamor. Sifra flitted in and out of view like a curious ghost, occasionally darting off to poke at stray bits of exposed conduit before vanishing back into the folds of Akiko's coat.

Akiko watched Raya from behind. The way she moved. The way she carried herself. There was something different in her now. More direct. More confident. When she'd spoken to the last crew, her tone had been crisp. Certain without being harsh.

"She's got a spine after all," Akiko muttered.

Raya glanced over her shoulder. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Akiko said quickly, but a grin tugged at her lips. She adjusted her jacket as they approached the next ship, a compact, weathered tug with the name Stellar Reliant barely legible on its side.

"This is our last shot," Raya said, turning to face her. Her eyes met Akiko's with quiet certainty. "No charm magic. No heroics. Just let me handle it. Okay?"

"Sure thing, boss," Akiko quipped, raising both hands in mock surrender. But as Raya turned to approach the ship's open airlock, Akiko lingered a half-step behind, her thoughts drifting.

Raya wasn't like anyone she'd chased before. Back in her old world, Akiko had gone for bold types, all flares and fireworks. People who burned hot and fast and left stories in their wake. But Raya wasn't a blaze. She was an anchor. A harbor. And Akiko, for all her swagger and teeth, wasn't used to following someone else's lead, especially not when it felt this easy.

She frowned slightly. Easy wasn't supposed to make her nervous. And yet...

"Coming?" Raya's voice cut through her thoughts.

Akiko startled, then jogged forward to match her pace.

They reached the crew: a tall, wiry man with a scruff-shadowed jaw leaning against the bulkhead, and a shorter woman with iron-gray hair and an expression sharp enough to cut through hull plating.

"Yrla and Malik," Raya said quietly. "Independent haulers. Not big players, but dependable."

Akiko nodded. "Let me guess, not fans of Haven?"

Raya's lips twitched. "You could say that."

They stepped into the couple's orbit, and Akiko did what she never did: she stayed quiet.

Raya did the talking. Calm, professional, with just enough familiarity to soften the edges of suspicion. Akiko couldn't make out every word, but she saw the shift: Yrla's eyes narrowing at first, then easing slightly. Malik scratching at his beard, his stance loosening just a bit.

When Raya gestured toward her, Akiko offered a faint wave and her most disarming grin.

She didn't jump in. Didn't posture. She just watched. Watched as Raya navigated the conversation like a seasoned spacer, not a tagalong, but someone who belonged here. It felt strange. Not bad. Just strange. Usually, she was the one charging ahead. Spinning charm into momentum. Tipping the world on its axis to get what they needed. But now? She was content to lean against the bulkhead and wait.

Let Raya steer.

And that, more than anything, made her feel off-balance.

Raya approached with a small, satisfied smile, the kind that immediately put Akiko on edge. She was holding something back. Akiko could tell from the way her arms were folded casually, from the gleam in her eye that radiated far too much quiet triumph.

"Well?" Akiko asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are we in?"

"We're in," Raya replied, smile widening just a fraction.

Akiko narrowed her eyes. "Why do you look like you just pulled one over on me?"

"Oh, no reason," Raya said, tone so innocent it practically tripped over itself. "The Stellar Reliant doesn't exactly have luxury accommodations, but I think we'll manage."

Akiko's ears twitched in suspicion. "Define 'manage.'"

"They only have one spare bunk," Raya said, smirk deepening. "So... we're sharing."

Akiko blinked. "Sharing?" Her voice cracked slightly on the word, and she coughed, straightening like that might reassert some kind of composure. "That's fine. Totally fine. Cozy, even."

Raya nodded, already turning back toward the tug. "Glad to hear it. I'll go get us settled in. Try not to cause any trouble before we leave, okay?"

"Who, me?" Akiko called after her, her voice layered with mock indignation. "I'm the picture of responsibility."

Raya didn't bother responding. She just waved over her shoulder and disappeared down the gangway.

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The moment she was out of sight, Sifra popped her head out from Akiko's shoulder and immediately burst into laughter. The tiny fairy doubled over midair, wings fluttering erratically.

"Oh, this is too good," Sifra gasped between giggles. "You are absolutely tangled up in knots over her."

"I am not," Akiko said firmly, arms crossed as she glared at the floating menace.

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that," Sifra said, circling lazily overhead. "But you might want to figure it out soon. Otherwise, she's going to be the one wearing the pants in this relationship."

Akiko frowned. "What does that even mean?"

"Don't worry about it," Sifra said breezily, waving a tiny hand. "It's an Earth thing. Very old. Very classy."

Akiko squinted at her. "You've never been to Earth."

"Details," Sifra said, completely unfazed. "Point is, your dynamic is hilarious and I'm absolutely here for it."

Akiko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why do I feel like keeping you out of trouble is going to be a full-time job?"

"Because it is," Sifra said cheerfully. "Now come on, let's go get cozy, shall we?"

Sifra gave one last snicker before darting off ahead, leaving Akiko to trail behind.

The interior of the hauler was narrow and unadorned, metal walls humming softly with the low thrum of its systems. Each step down the cramped corridor brought her closer to the small room they'd been assigned.

She sat on the edge of the single bunk she and Raya were now destined to share, staring at the scuffed metal floor of the cabin. Her tail swished restlessly. The cramped room felt tighter than it should have, and it wasn't just the lack of space.

Her thoughts churned. This shouldn't be a big deal. It hadn't been with Ethan. Or—

She stopped herself. Her mind skimmed across old faces, half-remembered touches, flickers of heat and laughter from a hundred fleeting nights.

In her old world, adventures bled into tavern rooms, and intimacy was a temporary thing. A comfort. A habit. A distraction.

She had loved often. Fiercely. But never deeply. It was safer that way.

She ran a hand through her hair, let out a breath. "Why does this feel different?"

"Because it is," Sifra called from the desk bolted to the far wall, where she lounged like she owned the place. Her legs swung idly as she smirked.

Akiko shot her a look. "Stay out of my head."

"Didn't need to get into your head for that one," Sifra said with a shrug. "You're about as subtle as a dragon crashing through a barn."

Akiko groaned. "Thanks for the image."

Sifra fluttered over, doing lazy loops above her head. "So what's the big deal? You've shared beds before. Rooms. Close quarters. You're not new to this."

"That's not the point," Akiko said, too sharp. She caught herself, exhaled, then softened. "It's not the same."

Sifra tilted her head. "Because?"

Akiko hesitated.

"It's not some fling in a tavern after fighting off a troll," she said finally. "It's..."

"Real?" Sifra offered, her voice quieter now.

Akiko didn't answer.

The fairy sighed and drifted lower, her wings buzzing softly. "Look. It's not that complicated. You like her. She likes you, enough to share a glorified metal tube in the middle of nowhere. Maybe stop spiraling and just... see where it goes?"

Akiko leaned back against the wall and stared at the ceiling, arms crossed, eyes unfocused. "Easier said than done."

"Obviously. If it were easy, you'd already be happy and boring."

Akiko barked a quiet laugh.

Sifra landed lightly on her knee. "But if you keep tangling yourself up in all the ways this might hurt, you're going to miss the part where it might not."

Akiko didn't reply right away. She just sat there, breathing, the hum of the ship rising beneath them as the engines shifted, a low vibration that rolled through the floor and into her bones.

They were moving. Finally.

She pushed off the bunk and stretched, her joints popping in protest. "Guess I should try to sleep before we hit Zephara."

Sifra zipped toward the hatch. "Good plan. And maybe try dreaming about something other than trauma for once. You've been kind of a bummer."

Akiko raised an eyebrow. "Did you just tell me to dream happier?"

Sifra winked. "I'm very emotionally advanced."

She vanished with a flick of wings, leaving the room still.

Akiko sat back down, fingers trailing along the edge of the mattress. The space was too small for two. Too quiet for what she was feeling. But maybe that was okay.

"See where it goes, huh?" she murmured.

For once, maybe the gremlin had a point.

That night, Akiko's dreams were unusually calm. A formless warmth wrapped around her like a cocoon. No nightmares, no guilt, no pursuing shadows. Just golden light and the sense, so rare, of peace. The kind of dream she never wanted to wake from. The kind where nothing chased her. Where nothing hurt.

And when her eyes blinked open, the warmth didn't vanish. It stayed, tangible and steady.

Her mind caught up slowly. There was a weight pressed against her front. A quiet, even rhythm of breathing. Her arm was draped over a smaller frame, her fingers curled in the fabric of a familiar shirt. Dark hair fanned across the pillow. Nestled against her chest was Raya.

Sometime during the night, Raya had simply claimed her space, curling into Akiko's warmth like she'd always belonged there.

Raya shifted slightly, a sleepy sound escaping her throat. She pressed closer, her fingers clutching the blanket as if warding off the chill of recycled air. But she didn't wake. She simply tucked in tighter, like Akiko was something safe.

Akiko let out a slow, shaky breath.

This steady warmth, so different than her usual fire, was steady, insistent. And terrifying. But she didn't move.

Instead, she let her hand rest where it had fallen, careful not to disturb Raya. The world could wait. For now, this was enough.

The ship's hum vibrated softly beneath them. Raya's breath tickled the hollow of Akiko's throat. And slowly, the tension eased from Akiko's limbs.

She let herself drift.

She woke again sometime later to a different kind of problem.

Her tail was pinned.

Akiko blinked blearily and shifted, only to feel the light pressure of fingers buried in thick fur. Raya's fingers. Still half-asleep, the other woman had tangled herself even more firmly around Akiko's tail.

Akiko's stomach flipped. Her ears flicked as she realized how tightly it was held. If her tail had been free, it would've been swishing wildly. Instead, it could only twitch faintly, its betrayal obvious.

Raya stirred, eyes blinking open. She stretched, slow and languid, and smiled when she met Akiko's gaze. Far too smug for someone caught mid-tail-nap.

"Morning," she murmured, voice still sleep-heavy. She gave the tail an absent squeeze. "You've got the most incredible tail, you know that?"

Akiko's mouth opened, but nothing came out. She managed a laugh, thin and nervous. "I, uh… don't really think about it. Kind of comes with the territory."

"Relax," Raya said, sitting up without letting go. "I don't bite."

Akiko raised an eyebrow.

Before she could respond, Raya smirked and added, "Not unless you ask."

That did it. Her tail twitched furiously in her grip, unmistakable even constrained. Raya glanced down, then up, and grinned.

"Oh," she said. "You like that, don't you?"

Akiko groaned and buried her face in her hands. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Absolutely," Raya said, cheerful as ever, finally releasing her hostage and stretching her arms overhead. "You should enjoy it too. Relax."

Akiko tried to glare. But the moment she looked up and caught the sparkle in Raya's eyes, it crumbled.

"Come on," Raya said, rising and brushing past her. "We've got a ship to help run. Or would you rather stay here and sulk?"

Akiko rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Fine. But if I catch you doing that again…"

"Doing what?" Raya called over her shoulder, too innocent. "Holding your tail? Teasing you? Making you blush? You'll have to be specific."

Akiko groaned again, but this time it came with a laugh, quiet and full.

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