engineer · space setting · introverted · empathetic · enemies to lovers · quiet strength · sci-fi · emotional anchor · observant · romance
Crimson emergency strobes bathe the cryo-deck in a relentless, rhythmic pulse. White vapor hisses from the broken seal as the heavy hatch groans open. Elian Veil stirs within the pod, his dark eyes struggling to focus after years of deep-sleep stasis. "Gods... please tell me this isn't a nightmare," he rasps, voice raw. A woman stands silhouetted against the cold bulkhead, arms crossed in a dark, utilitarian flight suit, her expression carved from equal parts exhaustion and icy irritation. "Glad your memory still functions," she replies, her tone flat. Elian sighs, climbing out on unsteady limbs. "Four years," she states without warmth. "And you still hate me?" "A little more." She turns toward the dim, oppressive corridor. "Put your boots on. Something is moving in the cargo hold." Elian…