Oliver noticed that as their time was coming to an end on the spaceship, that he and Mai had fallen into a routine. Every morning, he woke to a cup of tea. Mai would go for breakfast and be chatting to Amy by the time he arrived. Unless there was a requirement to perform some kind of maintenance or some other group activity, Mai would spend her mornings studying with John while he read. Then after a usually late lunch, they would fit in workouts.

Finally, after dinner, everyone would get together for games of cards or charades. Late at night, the two of them would read in bed. Oliver had found that if he offered Mai his shoulder or chest to lean on while they read, she would always take it. He also found that more often than not, she would fall asleep before he'd finished reading.

It almost bothered Oliver that the physical contact with Mai did not bother him anymore. He was so used to flinching away that it felt unnatural not to.

But as he sat with a book in one hand and Mai sleeping on his chest under his other arm, he couldn't find himself hating the situation. He knew that once again when he shifted her to her own side of the bed, that she would wake and apologise sleepily.

Oliver plugged his tablet in and placed it on the bedside table. He then gently prized Mai's from her fingers and did the same.

"Mai," he said gently. "It's time for bed now."

"Hmm," she hummed and nuzzled into his chest. "Mmm, sleep."

"I know you are asleep," Oliver said. He couldn't help but let the corners of his lips rise a little.

Mai mumbled something else Oliver couldn't make out, so he lifted her to her own side of the bed. This evening, like every other evening, Mai woke up as he did this.

"Oliver? What? Oh! I'm sorry!"

"Go to sleep Mai," Oliver said, straightening his face.

"I was just so-" Mai yawned "- tired."

"I know," he replied. "Go to sleep."

He laid down and turned off the light, only now letting the smile return to his face.

The following day, Oliver headed to the gym in the early afternoon. He expected it to be empty, bar perhaps for Lin, who often frequented at that time.

It was not empty. Or quiet, for that matter.

He recognised one of the voices, but it was not until he entered the gym that he put a face to the sound of the other wailing noise. Mai and Masako were shrieking in the gym while appearing to have some kind of aneurysm.

"Oliver!" Mai said, freezing where she stood. Masako hastened to turn off the music.

Oliver raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Aerobics," Mai said. "It's a great way to keep fit."

She was blushing something rotten. Masako was trying to stifle her giggles behind her hand.

"I see," Oliver said. "Perhaps I will come back later."

"You could join us?" Mai suggested.

"I think not."

Oliver pursed his lips at the two young women before turning on his heel and leaving. Mai and Masako both collapsed with laughter.

"His face!" Mai wheezed

"He must think we're so weird," Masako said from behind her hand.

"It's such a shame Ayako didn't want to join us!"

"She wouldn't have wanted to show off her wrinkly body!"

"Masako!"

"It's true!"

Oliver listened to them laughing from just outside the room. He'd noted Mai had been a lot happier since she'd begun her training, despite his opinion they were selling her short.

He made his way back to the dining area in search of a cup of tea.

"Do you want tea?" Lin asked by way of a greeting. "I was just about to make some myself."

"Yes, if you can call it tea," Oliver replied.

"It will run out eventually when we are on Mars," Lin pointed out. "It would hardly be considered a priority for growing."

Oliver scowled and Lin smiled slightly.

"We will find a way to cope, no doubt," Oliver said. "Perhaps one day we will have the resources to grow tea."

"I think that is slightly far off," Lin admitted. "But Madoka was musing the idea of cocoa trees. She did argue that they produce a lot of oxygen and would help towards the eventual terraforming."

"Surely there are other trees more suited for that purpose."

"That was my argument," Lin said with a slight smile.

They both took a seat and sipped from their cups of tea.

"Jihyun said that we should reach Mars orbit overnight," Lin told Oliver. "We'll be able to descend tomorrow evening."

"When will we be able to take the rover to the satellite base?"

"Assuming the commander on the ground agrees, the following day," Lin said. "But they are likely to want to check over what we've brought before we take their working rover away from them."

"I see."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Oliver, there was a message from command," Lin went on tentatively. "They're worried that the satellite base didn't have enough provisions."

"What?"

"Enough food to last…"

"But we heard from earth about the rock messages," Oliver countered.

"The last one they couldn't decipher and was two weeks ago."

"I see."

"It may mean nothing, kanji are notoriously difficult," Lin said. "Perhaps they have calculated we must be close and stopped bothering."

"Perhaps," Oliver agreed. "Excuse me."

Oliver downed his cup and returned to his room. He could see Mars out of the window, but could not discern where the main base was situated. He took a seat and tried to read something on his tablet, but to no avail.

Mai turned up, fresh from the shower a little while later.

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm," Oliver replied. "We should arrive overnight."

"I'm not as nervous about the descent," Mai mused. "I thought I would be, but I think after 70 odd days of space travel, hurtling to the ground doesn't seem so dangerous."

"Did you have fun with Masako and your - what did you call it?"

"Aerobics," Mai deadpanned before brightening. "And yes, we did have fun. She is a little nervous about arriving. I think she might be worried Gene won't love her anymore or something daft."

"That's ludicrous."

"I don't even know Gene and I think it is," Mai said.

Oliver patted the bed beside him and Mai joined him. He put an arm around Mai's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. Mai frowned but did not question the move.

"Gene would never shut up about Masako," Oliver told her. "At first, it was all about how mean she was. He would go on and on about her bad behaviour. But as their relationship progressed, he started talking about the good things she did. I think even I knew they were interested in each other before they did."

Mai laughed, but did not speak, she could guess Oliver was going to continue.

"I remember when Gene asked me to be his best man, that was his way of announcing their engagement to me. I think he expected me to be shocked, but I merely replied that it was about time."

"I guess you'll still be able to be best man now," Mai said.

"Yes, I suppose so. You will have to ask Masako to be her maid of honour," Oliver stated.

"I can't ask that!"

"There is nothing that physically stopping you."

"Why would you want me to ask her that anyway?"

"The best man is supposed to dance with the maid of honour," Oliver said. "I would rather dance with you than any else."

"Thanks," Mai muttered as her cheeks reddened. She felt Oliver press his lips to her forehead.

"I am thankful that due to the lack of luxuries on Mars that most of the other festivities will be limited."

"I wouldn't say no to a bit of cake," Mai mumbled. "I miss cake and ice cream… And chocolate…"

"So you would join Madoka in her desire for cocoa trees?"

"Would they grow?"

"The temperatures would be warm enough I imagine, but I would still prefer to grow tea."

"Yeah, tea would be nice too…"

Mai sighed.

"What rehydrated meal would you like today?"

"I am torn between the sweet and sour and the bolognese," Mai replied. "Though neither sound particularly appetising. I am looking forward to Mars grown carrots and potatoes!"

"Me too," Oliver murmured.

"When will we be able to go and get Gene and the others?"

"Hopefully, the day after we have landed," Oliver answered. "I am sure the base commander will also be keen for their retrieval."

"Do you want to go and get food now?"

"No."

"Are you alright?"

"I am nervous," Oliver said. "Gene is going to be angry with me."

"For coming?"

"I know he thinks I would be better off on Earth."

"I can't imagine he'd be angry for too long," Mai said in a gentle voice. "I think he'll be glad to see you really."

Oliver nodded. He hoped Mai was right.

Author's note: This chapter felt really short to me but it's got the same word count as most of my others. How odd.

I had a review regarding hair growth in space, hair still grows in space, though some evidence suggests slightly slower than on earth. On the ISS, they have hair clippers with a vacuum cleaner on the other side to suck the cut hair away!

Please review :)