Abel couldn't breathe. The second the Reliant came to a stop, rough as it was, he opened the hatch and stumbled out onto the concrete floor of the hangar bay, not caring that people were watching him as he gagged mercilessly into his hand, squeezing his eyes tight to forget the overpowering sensations of nausea imprinted into his brain. Everything was spinning madly, and for a second the world reminded him of a wild Mat Hatter's tea party, though why an ancient Earth story would choose to claw its way into his thoughts at that moment was beyond him.

He clutched onto his stomach, trying his best to ignore the worried glances surrounding him as other flying teams disembarked from their space crafts. There was a raucous of noise, an endless thrum of vibrance enveloping him with swift vertigo, and Abel prayed that the sudden darkness overtaking his vision was only a temporary nuance in response to what he's just lived through.

Somehow, with strained effort and shaking limbs, Abel managed to get off from his knees and settle into a more comfortable sitting position. He lifted his head, slowly, so as not to fall victim to his dizziness again, deciding that he was brave enough to see under whose notice he'd lost the little reputable dignity he'd had to begin with on the Sleipnir, and noticed Praxis approaching him with quick, determined strides.

Abel feigned a smile, raising his hand just slightly over his head to give a reassuring wave, desperately hoping that Praxis would take that as an open invitation to leave him be.

It was just Abel's luck that he took it as the opposite.

"You okay there Abel?" he asked, concern etched into his face. "You're looking a little green. Is everything alright?"

Abel tried to stand up, but wobbled in the process as his legs buckled beneath him, and he was caught by Praxis before landing face first into the floor. Praxis had a strong grip.

"I'm fine, mumbled Abel, weakly, but just loud enough to be heard over the noise of the everyday docking activities.

Praxis narrowed his eye. He didn't look to be convinced at all. Suddenly he began looking around, head spinning from left to right. His attention then came back to Abel and he asked, with a hard edge to his voice, "where's Cain?"

Abel snorted. "Cain's perfectly fine."

Praxis frowned. "That still doesn't answer where he is."

"He's still in the Reliant, making sure that everything's properly shut down."

"Cain's shutting the Reliant down?"

Abel took a deep breath. "Yes," he replied evenly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to be getting ready for tonight's meeting with Keeler."

Praxis looked like he was about to retort with something, but was silenced by one stony look from Abel, though when he would think back to it a while later, Abel could have sworn that he'd seen Praxis look behind him and turn a peculiar shade of beige. Regardless, it was still empowering for Abel at that moment to believe that it was his determination that showed through his eyes and persuaded Praxis to back down. Abel was tired of getting pushed around all the time. He had to start standing up to people at some point, and if he was still uncomfortable with standing up to Cain, then he would start with someone less reckless, like Praxis. At least there would be less, if any, consequences to pay.

Praxis nodded in understanding and turned stiffly to walk off, pace hurried and off balance. Abel released a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding and turned around to face the Reliant. He was met with an amused look from Cain, who was leaning against the side of their ship, arms crossed and looking feral. "Done with the theatrics, princess?" he sneered.

Abel strode towards him with a new confidence, head held high. "Did you shut everything down properly?"

"why don't you go take a look." It was very subtle, almost unnoticeable, but the threat was there in his tone, his eyes.

Abel considered his options. He could either rebute Cain and call him out for his reckless arrogance, which would lead to rough consequences later in the evening, or he could concede to Cain's whim and act like he trusted him, despite everything he's put him through in the past half hour. Abel decided to go with the latter, though his eyes couldn't hold their own with Cain's as he thought about the other possibility, a hot blush snaking his way up to his ears. Even though he knew in the pit of his stomach that Cain forcing himself onto him was wrong, he still couldn't help but feel arouse at the prospect of having Cain inside him again. Shit, what he gotten himself into?

Cain snorted with laughter – clearly he's seen Abel's reaction. And it wasn't hard to figure out what Abel could be thinking about anyway, especially considering that he never really blushed like that for any other reasons. And Cain knew this well. Almost too well. Abel would have to do something about that.

Cain uncrossed his arms and pushed himself off the wall of the Reliant. "Let's go," he said in monotone, motioning with his fingers for Abel to follow.

But Abel didn't. he just stayed rooted in place as Cain sauntered with a wicked grace in the direction of their room. It didn't take him long to realize that Abel wasn't doing what he was told.

"Something wrong, princess?" Sarcasm dripped viciously from his tone as Cain stopped to wait for Abel to answer.

Abel took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, easing his nerves into submission. "I don't ever want you to fly again. You nearly got us killed."

"Tch. And who was it that said it would be good experience for me to learn the pressures that a navigator has to face? Besides, it was only a little space rock."

Abel clenched his fists. "I was a meteor shower that you purposefully guided us into! We could have died! I thought you agreed to let me do the actual navigation while you just sit at the control." His voice was harsher than it had ever been, spitting at Cain's back, trying desperately to maintain some form of restrain so as not to draw any more attention.

Cain placed a hand on his hip, half turning his body to probe Abel's eyes with a desolate glare. "We're still alive, aren't we?"

"But – "

"look princess, if you're too much of a fucking wimp to admit that you had a wild ride, then fine, whatever. Btu don't fucking blame me because you're too much of a fucking pussy to take on a little adventure. Now let's go."

He was unbelievable. Adventure? He called near-suicide adventure?

Cain stalked away, leaving Abel standing in the middle of the hangar bay with a stupid grin plastered over his face. And he didn't care that anyone could see.

Because when he took a step back to analyse the depth of the situation, he realized that firstly, he survived a flight that Cain of all people had navigated, and more importantly, he taught Cain how to fly!

And he'd finally taken the first step to standing up to Cain, small as it was, and that was the greater victory of the day.

So: I was riding the bus and feeling a tad motion sick. Then I though "how would Abel feel if he were motion sick? And how would he become motion sick to begin with. It would have to do something with Cain." And one thing led to another . . . .

Though don't ask me about Praxis, or the ending. I have no idea. That just came out of nowhere, and I have no idea if it even flows with the rest of the story. Oh wellz. XD