As four years passed their trio slowly grew. First Keith officially joined the Garrison and became the fourth member, he added a little bit of seriousness to their usually hyperactive group members. Nova had cheered when she realized they had to change their group name, which concluded as Matt had dubbed them "the fab four", a name she hated more. Next came Adam. Nova prided herself in knowing that it was her that introduced the shy boy to them. He was a smart boy in a few of her classes who she noticed kept looking at Shiro. She invited him to one of their movie nights when she realized Shiro looked at him too. She tried to be as involved in their relationship, playing moderator and giving advice. She felt responsible for anything that had happened since they started dating, because of this the other boys tried to separate her from the "ugly" side of the couple.
The group soon found that neither could decide on what to do when they hung out. One thing they could all agree on was movie nights. She loved their movie nights. Her fourth year she was fortunate enough to have a single person apartment so she usually hosted them. She was lucky enough to wrap Matt into helping her set up, even if she just had the company while she prepared snacks and cleaned the apartment. Sometimes Keith would also come over early and the three would gossip about Shiro and Adam. Keith practically spent every night at the couple's house, often sharing tales of their morning rituals of oatmeal, coffee and daily crosswords as Keith desperately tried for his surrogate parents to buy him pop tarts. Keith rarely had a negative word to describe the two boys, both were good hearted.
"I just don't get why you won't go out with him." Nova sent Matt a harsh glare. She thought he had dropped the subject a few days ago when Keith had walked in on their argument. He wouldn't drop the subject, which irritated Nova more and more. He was talking about a boy in their class named Trevor. He was tall, blonde and smart. They got along well but Nova wasn't quite able to open up to him. She knew she should want to go out with boys, she always envisioned numerous dates and flowers, maybe she'd even fall in love. But at that moment the only thing she wanted to do with a boy was slap the one sitting in front of her.
"Do I have to go out with any boy that asks me out?" She crossed her arms, staring at her companion. He casually sat on the couch eating their entire ration of popcorn.
He shrugged. "I thought you liked him."
"You only say that because I'm nice to him. I'm nice to you and half the time I'd like to punch you." She gave him a closed lipped smile, her sarcasm evident.
Matt relaxed and laughed just as there was a knock at the door. "Not it." He screamed, quickly pushing his index finger to his nose. Nova smirked as she realized she had beat him at his own game.
Groaning he launched himself off of the couch and opened the door. The other three walked in, Shiro and Adam looking like the suburban dads to a rebellious kid. Shiro and Adam night as well have been wearing matching outfits, both had their garrison jacket and dark jeans while Keith wore his red bomber jacket with a headband.
"Nice." Nova pointed fo the younger boys head as he groaned.
"I told you it was one." Keith argued, giving the headband back to Adam.
"Wait," Matt said as he grabbed it out of his hand. Pulling the fabric between his thumb and index finger her shot it right into Shiro's face.
Shiro gave the two an unimpressed but decided against scolding them.
"So what movie?" Keith asked as the group perched themselves in the living room. Because Nova only had a couch and a small chair Shiro, Adam and Keith usually took ownership of the couch, Nova said it was because they were guests. "I'm a guest too." Matt would argue only to be met with four disbelieving looks. "I think you're here more than me." Nova had mentioned.
They had just settled in for the long debate over which film would be next. As much as Nova denied it, her choice was always romantic comedies.
"Sharknado." Matt blurted out.
"No." Chorused the three boys on the couch.
"Oh. I got Nova." He cheered realizing the girl hadn't refused.
"I love those movies." She admitted before quoting a scene from the first one. "Zombie tidal wave." She joked, eliciting another groan.
"Let Keith pick." Nova looked over to the quiet boy.
"I don't have a favorite movie." Shiro then suggested a film that Keith would like but neither Nova, Matt or Adam had heard of it.
"So clearly it's up to us three." Nova nodded as Adam gave a light laugh.
They eventually decided on Back to the Future, coming to the conclusion that they'd have the next two movie nights planned out.
Shiro looked down at his two friends, who were quoting the movie by heart, even gesturing when the characters on the screen did. Matt played the hyperactive scientist, which Shiro thought fit while Nova was the young musician. They were almost more entertaining to watch. Adam seemed to enjoy the movie too even Keith was interested. His eyes moved from the two college students to the screen.
"So she fell in love with her son?" Keith asked, he had been slightly disturbed as the plot played out. Shiro tried to answer but was met by the overlapping explanations of the two on the ground.
"Isn't he swell?" Nova asked mockingly as she laughed at Matt's glare. Ever since one of their movie nights included The Breakfast Club Nova has used the word "swell" at least once while watching a movie. Matt usually would wince, claiming he hated the word but his complaint never went beyond that. Nova figured that one day she'd get a rise out of him, and it made Shiro laugh.
"We're out of popcorn." Adam interjected.
"I'll help you get some." Shiro replied, getting up as Adam stood up.
"No." Shiro sat back down, a frown on his face. Nova and Matt exchanged glances and eyebrow raised that ultimately ended with Nova pushing herself off the ground to figure out why Adam was angry.
"You okay?" She questioned as she walked over to the older boy. She was lucky the kitchen was separated from the tv room.
Adam scoffed and shook his head. "Shiro just won't listen."
"Ah." Nova nodded. "I thought you knew that." Her lighter tone just aggravated Adam more as he gave her a stern look.
"What happened?" She relented.
Adam looked at her, contemplating whether or not to unleash his issues on her.
"Shiro is going to space," He paused as Nova'a face turned excited. "And he won't come back alive."
Novas face dropped in understanding. It was no secret between the five of them that Shiro would die young.
"I mean Kerberos is months away. He won't make it back." Adam started a rant. Nova knew to stop it before he went off on a trajectory but she was too surprised to hear such a specific moon mentioned.
"Kerberos?" Nova noticed Adam's face go pale. He started to desperately take back what he had said but it was too late. Nova had heard him loud and clear.
"Matt didn't tell you?" He saw a bit of hurt in her eyes but she remained with her questioning glare.
She turned the corner to see the three boys throwing candies at eachother. "No." She shook her head. "How long is the trip?"
"I think it's just making camp out there to collect minerals then straight back."
"Who's going?"
Adam tried to cover up his mistake but Nova could be intimidating when she wanted. He stuttered as he explained what his boyfriend had told him. He just shrugged. "As far as I know it's Shiro, Matt and Mr. Holt."
Nova tried not to be hurt, it was just a short mission. Despite that it must still cost a lot of money, too much money to have two engineers. She had just expected that when her two partners went on a trip into space she'd be there too.
Adam finished putting the popcorn in a bowl and silently brought it out to the others. Nova stayed in the kitchen. She heard Matt ask where she was and soon after he spoke from the entrance of the kitchen.
"So Adam told you?"
"Why didn't you?" She tried to maintain a steady voice and despite her small shake she thought she did a good job.
"It wasn't a for sure thing."
"Liar." She laughed when Matt looked confused. "The garrison has been trying to get your dad's expertise out on the field for years. It's a sure thing."
"Then I didn't know how to tell you."
"Adam was able to tell Shiro just fine."
"And look where they are now?"
It seemed that Keith was in the middle of two fighting duos. He noticed, as he walked into the kitchen, that the argument in the living room had a more vicious cycle.
In the kitchen Matt looked incredibly guilty while Nova stood hurt, watery eyes and all. Keith had known Nova for years and he knew it didn't take much for her to cry but it did take a lot for her to be hurt. She looked devastated.
"Keith would agree, right?" Nova turned to look at the young boy as Matt brought him to her attention.
"Agree with what?"
Matt winced. "That I couldn't tell Nova about Kerberos until it was confirmed."
"Why isn't Nova going?" Keith questioned, to him Nova seemed just as qualified for a space exploration.
They older two stopped bickering. Nova gave Matt a quick look before turning to Keith.
"Only a few people can go on this mission." She tried to sound understanding but she wondered the same thing. Would her chance to go into space ever happen.
"So, why are you angry?" Nova gave a defeated sigh as Matt agreed with Keith. He nodded along as Keith looked confused.
"I'm not angry." Unfortunately Nova's voice raised a bit at her defense only making the two boys laugh.
"I just don't get why it was so hard to tell me." Matt shrugged like their fight was over, which it pretty much was. Nova could never stay mad at Matt and he wasn't much of a fighter.
The same couldn't be said for the couple in the other room. Nova could hear the back and forth arguments, mainly consisting of Shiro's disregard for his own safety and Adam's feeling of betrayal.
Keith watched as the two older students shared a look before silently peeking around the corner.
"You never cared what this disease will do to me!" Adam yelled.
"This is my last chance to go into space! What don't you understand?" Nova knew she had to break up their fight she was lucky they never threw punches the way they did words but it could still be damaging. Matt was too small to push between the and Nova was surprisingly strong and sturdy given her clumsy nature.
"Stop!" She yelled as she stood between the two men.
Adam and Shiro both backed away from each other as Nova stood her ground. She stalled in surprise only to respond with a shake of her head.
"You both have valid opinions." They gave her an unimpressed glance at her mediation before turning back to eachother.
"Takashi," Adam started. "I need a few hours." With that Adam rushed out of the apartment leaving a shell shocked Shiro surrounded by the people who looked up to him the most. Nova wasn't surprised when an awkward silence settled across the room. Poor Keith looked so out of place, especially considering his lack of a part in all the drama.
"I should leave." Shiro announced. Nova didn't even have the energy to pretend that I'd be fine if he stayed. "Keith, lets go."
Nova shut the door as the two quickly left. She turned, leaning onto the door. Matt stood in front of her, completely silent.
"So much for movie night." Nova tried to joke, neither quite willing to forget what had happened.
"Yeah." Matt said dismissively. "You know I didn't mean to hurt you." He urged, trying to meet her eye.
"I know." Nova said absentmindedly. The best she could do was try to ignore how disappointed she felt, there'd be other times to go into space.
Matt stopped her by lightly touching her arm. "Hurting you is the last thing I wanted."
Nova was met by two very big, very brown eyes and she suddenly felt ten degrees hotter. She let out a nervous laugh before averting her eyes.
"I know that." She then let out a cheer. "But space!" She yelled. She started listing off all the constellations and planets and moons he would be able to see. She could tell he was just following her around her apartment as she half heartedly picked up various pillows and snacks from earlier that night.
Shiro's friendship with Nova changed a bit after the movie night. He saw her as automatically siding with Adam because, she too was being left in favor of the mission to the moon. She tried to tell him differently, she was remaining impartial, but he wouldn't hear it. He had seen her comfort Adam numerous times since the movie night.
"Don't worry." Matt told her as they walked around the school. They had just passed the pilot who had only given them a polite nod. 'He's just keeping his distance." He tried to get Nova's attention as she watched Shiro walk away. Matt had told Nova that Shiro felt guilty about their trip to Kerberos, Shiro thought he should've tried harder to get a fourth seat on the ship.
"Here." Matt said, gaining her attention. In his hand held a paper rose. He looked away as he handed her the flower.
She was slightly taken aback but reached for it anyway. She gave a soft smile as she noticed how the petals moved. "When'd you learn to do this?" She questioned as she saw his red face. He began to go into great detail on the difficulty as well as the numerous video tutorials he had watched.
She didn't notice how her companion's eyes watched her as she carefully turned the flower over, inspecting it with great detail with a red face.