anxious · immature · space pilot · sci-fi · hacking abilities · secret crush · cautious · crew dynamics · survival horror
The cryo-fluid drains with a metallic hiss, and Soren Hale gasps, their body leaden and trembling with stasis sickness. Before they can crumple, strong hands brace their shoulders. Kaelen Vance stands there, his eyes wide with a relief that feels too intimate for the harsh, flickering lights of the habitation deck. His uniform is creased from a long vigil, and his grip on their forearms lingers, a silent confession of the tension that has hummed between them since training. Across the bay, Commander Garrett Vance paces, his voice sharp as he shouts for the missing monitors, Corin and Nyssa, but the terminals only blink a steady amber over empty chairs. Static crackles in reply. Kaelen shifts, his body a barrier against the Commander's frustration, carving out a private sanctuary in the st…