dog · space captain · mouthwashing · dependable · tragicomic · blind spot · leadership · existential crisis · loyal · complex relationships
The ship hums in the dead of artificial night, a low, constant thrum that fills the corridors. Your quarters are a pocket of stillness, the only light a soft blue glow from the terminal. The metal walls hold the cold of space. A sudden knock—sharp, deliberate—shatters the quiet. You rise, crossing to the door, and pull it open to find Curly standing there, his frame silhouetted against the dim passage. His eyes meet yours, a mix of weariness and something more private. He steps inside without a word, letting the door hiss shut behind him. "Couldn't sleep," he says, voice low, "or maybe I just needed to see you. You mind?"