Friends

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Just as the Hanger door opened, Aerrow and Starling's skimmers touched down on the runway, pulling up smoothly beside the other skimmers already parked inside. Finn stepped inside the Hanger, his already wide grin growing as he watched the Sky Knight park his skimmer in his usual place at the head of the line.

Starling parked her skimmer between Junko and Finn's, her sleek purple Slip-Wing a definite black sheep among the Storm Hawks' colorful rides. Slipping her goggles off, she looked up to smile at Finn and Radarr, who were already excitedly greeting Aerrow.

"Dude! I thought you and Starling were never gonna get back! What took you two so long?" Finn bombarded the laughing Sky Knight with questions as he locked him in a headlock, noggie-ing him hard. Radarr squawked joyfully, leaping from Aerrow's head to Finn's shoulder and back again.

Struggling out of Finn's headlock and pulling Radarr off his head, Aerrow yelled, "Alright, alright, I give! Enough you two!"

A laughing Finn pulled the still struggling monbit out of Aerrow's arms, and said, "It's about time you two got back! I was starting to think you guys were never coming back."

Starling strode forward, placing a calming hand on top of Radarr's head, "We came upon a few unexpected... distraction. They took longer to get by then what we originally anticipated."

But her cheeks were coloring pink, and Finn took one glance and knew she was leaving something out. Glancing back to Aerrow, he asked, "Which means?"

The Sky Knight chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got into an argument with Harrier. Then he brought up the code, mentioning some rule about how guys and girls shouldn't be flying around alone together, and I lost my temper -"

He was cut off by Finn's bark of laughter, and he ducked his head slightly, trying to hide his own grin. Finn exclaimed, "Man, I want all the details. Tell me you kicked that uptight jerks' butt from one side of the Atmos to the other!"

Starling rolled her eyes. "Finn, please. Aerrow wouldn't do that. Now, me, on the other hand..."

Finn began to laugh once more as the Hanger doors slid open for the second time, this time admitting Junko and Piper, both whose faces lit up with excitement as they saw who Finn was laughing with. "Aerrow! Starling! It's good to have you two back!"

"Aerrow!" Cried Junko as he crossed the Hanger in four long strides, before grabbing the Sky Knight in a bone squishing hug. "It's about time you got back, buddy!"

"J-Junko! C-Can't BREATHE!" Gasped Aerrow, struggling to pull away from the over-enthusiastic Wallop.

Embarrassed, the Wallop released his friend, grinning sheepishly as he patted the smaller being on the shoulder, nearly knocking him to the floor. "Opps. Sorry Aerrow. Guess I don't know my own strength."

Piper was already in conversation with Starling, a relieved smile on her face, one that said she spend too much time around too many males and needed the company of someone who could sympathize with her. Starling was able to do that. The older woman asked, "How did you do with the boys while I was gone? They cause too much trouble for you?"

Her smile went wider. "No, they were mostly pretty well behaved. But it's nice to have you and Aerrow back on the Condor. I can only deal with these guys for so long!"

Both of them laughed, and it felt good to be able to share with Starling what she couldn't normally share with any of the rest of the team.

Aerrow stepped up beside the creamy skinned girl, a relieved smile on his face as he said, "Quick, Piper. Tell me again why I keep going to those Sky Counsel meetings."

She laughed as she turned around to hug him, slender arms slipping around his neck, "Because you enjoy the excitement?"

Groaning, the Sky Knight hugged her back, briefly pressing his nose against her neck. "Ri-ight. That's why."

The brief moment between them was shattered as Stork's voice sounded over the intercom, "Aerrow and Starling. You two need to promise never to leave again. These guys nearly drove me crazy!"

"You already are crazy!" Finn yelled at the air, as the rest of the team chuckled.

"Alright guys. I want to see how much damage you guys caused my ship while I was gone." Aerrow said, as he started for the door. Junko's eyes, before he pushed past Aerrow to dart down the hall.

"Just let me pick up some of my metal collection!"

/

A.N.: I'm changing my mind about where I'm taking this fic. Or maybe I'm not. I'm not quite sure yet. Updated to show you people that Yes! I am still alive!