It's night again, and for the nth time Adam finds himself drifting in and out of consciousness. He's been with this group for months now, but the time hasn't done much to keep him from losing himself in memories of the past.

Preston does well to include Adam in any supply runs now. Adam's injuries have started healing, and he doesn't find it too hard to maneuver around. Running is still a no go. There's an obvious limp, but he doesn't need to use the crutch unless he's in a lot of pain. Sadly, he does tend to overwork himself. Anything to keep him busy…

When he isn't on a supply run, he talks to Yven and Magnolia. The two women have been best friends for decades and didn't come to realize their love for each other until their late fifties.

"We want to make up for the lost time," Yven tells Adam.

Magnolia adds on, "I think we always knew we loved each other, we just never said anything."

Adam enjoys being around them, but too much time with them tends to send him down a rabbit hole of uncontrollable thoughts. Part of him wonders if he could have had this if he tried hard enough.

No… no use thinking of the what ifs, he reminds himself.

Solia talks his ears off, and Wes likes to hold his hand when he feels overwhelmed. Adam might have a soft spot for the two, not that he's going to admit that anytime soon.

They fill his day with noise, but he's left in a limbo later in the evenings. He's lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling as he reminisces.

—

He's thirteen when his sisters drive him to his new school. He's one of the select few students to get accepted into the Garrison's space piloting program. His oldest sister, Noora, focuses on the road but occasionally makes a comment about how Adam would be miserable in the desert.

His other sister, Mona, laughs and turns up the radio, playing music that Adam would normally find annoying.

"Aren't you glad to be getting out of California?" Mona asks Adam, looking over her shoulder from the front passenger seat.

Adam thinks about it for a moment.

"I'll miss the beaches, and the heat is gonna be hard to get used to."

Noora snorts. "The beaches are all you're gonna miss?"

Adam blushes. "No, I mean, I'll miss you guys… but I'm kind of relieved that I won't be home."

Mona nods in agreement.

Noora moved out first. She was attending medical school and was just finishing up her residency and had found a man she wanted to marry. Their parents had not taken the news well and claimed she was falling out of the culture. Adam could remember all of the nights he spent sitting with his sisters while Noora cried and Mona strategized. Noora was twenty-nine and often treated Adam like a son rather than a brother.

Mona stayed home a little longer. She said she didn't want to pay for dorming in college, but Adam had come to realize she felt a responsibility to protect him from their parents' moods and expectations. Mona just graduated from college with a degree in environmental science and marine biology. She doesn't know what she wants to do, but she says she'll figure it out.

Both of his sisters were much older than him, and made it their priority to keep him out of trouble. They were his biggest supporters. Noora was the one who gave him his first book on astronomy. It had been a textbook she used for an elective course in college, and he fell in love. Mona convinced Adam to apply to the program, and when he was accepted, she convinced their parents to let him go.

—

"If he messes this up, he's done." He remembers his father's booming voice shaking the walls of the house.

Mona doesn't budge. "Dad, he's not as immature as you think he is."

Their mother butts in. "He speaks out of turn, and he can't stick to one thing for more than a month! Space military? Why can't he go to medical school like Noora?"

"You didn't support Noora when she decided to go to med school." Mona raises her voice. Adam shuts his eyes. She's supposed to be the calm one. She never raises her voice unless she's laughing.

He flinches when he hears a loud crack and yelling. Moments later, his sister comes back, eyes red and cheek swollen, but she's grinning.

"Guess who's going to space school?"

—

The Garrison comes into view, and Adam is taken aback by how large the facility is. He can make out huge dome structures and gray and orange colors blend into the desert, and he holds his breath. They park the car and get out. Noora adjusts her headscarf and takes off her sunglasses as she walks up to Adam and places her arm across his shoulders.

He feels… tiny.

"You ready, kid?" She squeezes his shoulder and ruffles his hair before ushering him to the back trunk to grab a few boxes. Mona has already grabbed a couple smaller bags from the trunk, leaving the rest for Adam and Noora.

"Alright, nerds, let's go." Mona blows air exasperatedly and locks the car. They make their way to the Garrison entrance where they are cleared and pointed to the dormitory building. They find Adam's room, and he unlocks the door. There's two plain twin beds, one on either side of the room. There's a two-person desk opposite of the front door. By the end of each bed, there's a medium sized closet with several drawers on the side. The walls are dark grey and cold. Plain, militaristic.

Adam sighs, placing his backpack on the bed closest to him.

Mona nudges him. "Hey, don't look like that. You're gonna do amazing here."

He's about to respond, but she slaps his back. "Oh, I'm so looking forward to having all the samosas to myself!"

Adam sneers, "Well, now that you're the only one there, you're gonna have to fill them all alone!"

Mona's eyes gloss over in dramatic realization, "God, damn it! Adam, you gotta come back. What'll it take?!"

The three laugh and get Adam's belongings sorted out.

"Your roommate still hasn't showed?" Mona asks, pulling her hair out of her bun.

"Looks like we'll have to meet him another time." Noora sighs and smiles at her younger brother. "Adam, we're so proud of you."

She pulls him into a tight squeeze, and Adam tears up. Maybe he'll miss his suffocating home just a little bit.

"Yeah, A-dumb, haha, see what I did there?" Mona cackles at her own awful joke and ruffles his hair.

"You two are the reason my hair is always messed up," Adam accuses them tearfully.

"No tears, kiddo." Noora contradicts herself, wiping away a tear or two herself.

Mona rolls her eyes, trying to keep up her strong facade. "Yeah, lame-ass." Noora shoots her a look.

"Make sure to call regularly, and don't ignore us in the group chat!" Mona punches his arm and brings him into a hug too. Adam laughs a little against her shoulder but then tearfully holds onto her.

"Come on, Adam, you're gonna do great." she reaffirms.

They hug him and kiss his head, bidding him farewell.

He lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling before losing himself in his head.

Adam doesn't know how long he's asleep when he hears the door to his room squeak open. He inhales deeply and removes his arm from his eyes. He sits up and squints.

"Oh, sorry for waking you up. Are you Adam Wa… hyd?" the person asks him.

"It's pronounced Wa-heed," Adam answers in a dry tone.

The other boy looks at him apologetically. "My bad. I've never heard of that before. Sounds really cool. I'm Takashi Shirogane. People call me Shiro, but since we're gonna be roommates for a while, you can call me Takashi."

Adam is still squinting. This guy likes to talk a lot. Takashi Shirogane walks up to his side of the desk and picks something up, offering it to Adam.

Adam looks down and … oh, they're his glasses. He must've placed them to the side before dozing off.

"Thanks." He puts them on and looks at his roommate. He's a pale guy with thick eyebrows, long eyelashes and a square face. He's bigger than Adam.

He looks like a jock, yet there's something soft about the way he holds himself.

Takashi glances over at Adam's desk and lights up immediately. "Hey! You like Lord of the Rings, too?"

"Huh? Oh, my sister is into old fantasy novels. She got me the series as a going away gift." Adam feels his face get hot.

"Have you watched the movies? They're CRAZY!" Takashi gets a little too close to his face. He's grinning wide in excitement.

"Uh… no, I've never even heard of it," Adam admits.

Takashi looks offended and presses his hand to his heart. "I guess that's our first bonding exercise!"

—

Adam's heart tightens just a little bit. Does he truly hate Takashi or is it just resentment? Does he just hate himself for being right? For being right that Takashi wouldn't make it back from that mission? He's alive, though, right? Last he heard from Sam, Takashi was a part of an intergalactic resistance or something… He can't bring himself to believe it. He's staring up at the ceiling once more.

—

"Iverson… hates… me…" Adam grunts through his push ups. He had spoken out of turn ONCE and was being put through additional training for the next month. Takashi stares at him in amusement.

He's about to respond to Adam's comment but is stopped by the officer overseeing Adam's punishment, "Don't want to end up taking the discipline with him, do you, Shirogane?"

Takashi waits. Just half an hour more, then he can hang out with Adam. He decides to go for a run while Adam is being tortured.

Adam collapses after his last pull up and groans on the floor.

Officer Davidson has a soft spot for the kid after proctoring his punishments for the past three years. She chuckles at Adam as she checks off the last box on her report.

"Alright, Wahid. I'll see you next time." And she's off.

Takashi hops off the treadmill and walks over to Adam, collapsing by his side.

"You know, I didn't take you for such a snappy person." Takashi nudges Adam playfully.

Adam sighs, controlling his breath. "Wanna go for a quick run now?"

Takashi grins. "Only if you're up for it."

The two had become quick friends during their first year. Takashi forced Adam into watching the entire Lord of the Rings series while Adam made Takashi watch these terrible sci-fi movies call Star Wars. When they aren't training and studying, they're usually working out or causing mischief. At this point, most of Iverson's threats for expulsion fall on deaf ears.

The two are almost sprinting. Yeah, weight lifting and whatnot exhausted Adam, but he felt a need to impress his friend.

Adam looks over as he increases the speed of his treadmill, but his blood runs cold. He's seen it before—the way Takashi's body can sometimes fall apart on himself, but he never felt it was too prevalent to mention. At that exact second, Takashi's knees buckle and he slips backwards; his head slams into the hard floor of the gym with a sickening crack. If he hadn't noticed the way his legs gave out, Adam would have just assumed Takashi slipped.

"Takashi?!" Adam yells in panic, gaining the attention of a few others in the gym.

Mumbles of "Oh, shit" and "I'll call for help!" fill the room.

Adam stops his machine and scurries clumsily to Takashi's side, holding his friend up. He feels the back of Takashi's head for blood, and thankfully, there's none, but that doesn't mean he's okay. He's knocked out.

Adam is numb, shaking. His mind is blank.

Someone runs up to them, taking Takashi from Adam and examining his head for signs of injury.

"Help's on the way, don't worry." It's an older student. He smiles at Adam reassuringly, but it does little to settle the burning in his eyes. Takashi has mentioned having some sort of muscle degenerative disease, but never showed any symptoms. How could Adam just forget?

He follows the medics to the infirmary and waits for any news.

"Adam?"

He looks up to see Curtis. He's not in the same program as Adam, so they don't see each other too often, but they have physics and history together.

Adam opens his mouth to respond but only lets out a shaky breath.

Curtis glances over at the front desk. He works at the infirmary, and Adam's seen him a couple times for sprained wrists and exhaustion.

"I heard about Takashi. Don't worry. I'm not supposed to say, so you didn't hear from me. I overheard a nurse. He just has a concussion and will need to rest for a few days." Curtis offers words of consolation, looking at his classmate in worry. Adam blinks and sighs, knowing there's more to this than just a concussion. The cause of it worries him.

"Thanks, Curt."

Curtis is silent for a few seconds and glances off to the side. "I gotta get back to work, but I'll check up on you two later."

Adam nods in agreement. He calls Mona on the phone and doesn't realize he's crying until she comfortingly hushes him, calling him terms of endearment in their native tongue. He misses that security.

When Takashi wakes up, he can't see clearly and has an awful headache.

He doesn't notice Adam call over the doctor and most of his follow-up examination is a blur to him. When the doctor leaves, Takashi looks at Adam.

"Hey... " He breathes. Adam stares at Takashi's face intently before speaking.

"How are you…?" Adam asks him cautiously.

Takashi looks at him and tiredly smirks. "Were you cryin' over me?"

Adam's eyes narrow; he's too tired and stressed for jokes, and Takashi apologizes and looks away from his friend. Is he… ashamed?

"Hey," Adam starts and gains Takashi's attention. He has to hold his breath when granite eyes meet his own.

"You scared the shit out of me." Adam purses his lips, lightly punching his friend's shoulder.

Takashi fake winces and groans. "Should you really be abusing someone who's in the hospital?"

"Hospital, my ass." Adam rolls his eyes.

A few hours later, Curtis drops by to check in and sneakily hands Adam a few packets of gummies.

"They're on me. Feel better soon, Shiro," he jokes and waves goodbye to them.

—

It goes against Takashi's nature to ask for help. Adam turns to his side and mentally rolls his eyes. For all his complaints about Takashi, it doesn't change the fact that Adam considers him his closest... friend. He doesn't like admitting that Takashi knows him the best out of anyone he's ever met.

—

"I miss samosas," Adam whines, face smooshed into his pillow.

Takashi looks up and raises his eyebrow. "What are samosas?"

Adam turns his face to stare at Takashi, who is sitting at his desk. "They're only the best goddamn things in the world. You get this pastry and fill it with spicy potatoes. Some people like meat, I'm more of a potatoes, peas, and garbanzo beans guy. But you fill 'em and fry 'em and uuuuugh. My sisters and I would always make them before Ramadan."

"What would you say if I said I had a way to get into the kitchen?" Takashi leans forward like how he always does when he's scheming and rests his face in his hands.

Adam's eyes light up as he looks at Takashi. "You didn't…"

Takashi grins, opening his drawer and pulling out a keycard.

They make quick work of their day off by sneaking out into the city to buy some ingredients and then make their way the kitchen after hours.

Adam's giddiness is infectious and Takashi is an excited mess as they swipe into the kitchen. Adam thinks it's really cute how Takashi can intake someone else's good mood and project it five times stronger. It makes for good company.

Adam instructs Takashi on preparing the dough while he puts the potatoes to boil. He begins cutting up onions and feels a pair of eyes on him. He glances over to see Takashi leaning on the counter and staring at him intensely.

"What's up?" Adam asks suddenly self-conscious of every movement he's making. He looks back at the onions but feels scrutinized under the gaze.

If Takashi realizes he's staring, he isn't doing much to conceal it.

"It's just nice," Takashi muses, "that you're so excited about making these."

Adam feels the heat in his neck and looks away, hiding his smile. He says nothing and continues. Once all the ingredients are chopped and mixed, he teaches Takashi how to make the pastry, and they make quick work of folding and filling.

Adam groans. "I didn't realize we wouldn't be able to fry them…"

Takashi tilts his head in thought. "Is it okay if we bake them?" He motions to the oven.

Adam's shoulders slump and he dejectedly nods. "Sure; won't be as authentic though."

Takashi slaps his back. "Hey, well, at least we won't be going too off the rails from our diets!"

Adam takes comfort as they lay the samosas on a baking tray and throw them into the oven. He props himself onto the counter, leaning his head back against the wooden cupboard. Takashi stares into the over deep and finally gets up, propping himself next to Adam. He looks at his friend and mimics him, leaning his head back, too. He's sitting just close enough that his leg barely touches Adam's own.

"What're you thinking about?" Takashi asks after a few minutes of silence.

"Samosas."

Takashi laughs and nudges Adam off balance. The smaller teen yelps and glares before shoving Takashi back.

"Oh, come on! You got more than that, Wahid!" Shiro taunted, pushing Adam's cheek with his palm.

"Takashi!" Adam groans trying to push Takashi's hand away, and when that doesn't work, he takes to drastic measures and pokes Takashi's sensitive sides. Takashi yelps in surprise and in that split second Adam has him pinned by his side to the wall.

When Adam realizes what he's doing he gets flustered and pulls back, hopping off the counter and checking the samosas. He looks up at Takashi and grins. "They're almost done!"

Takashi looks at him, a little dazed. He nods.

When Adam is happy with them, he pulls the tray out, revealing the golden brown and aromatic food.

He picks a few off and puts them in a plate, bringing them over to Takashi.

"Try em!" Adam insists, picking one up himself and biting into it. He immediately regrets his decision as he has to keep opening his mouth to blow the steam out.

Takashi picks one up and does the same and realizes his mistake for not letting them immediately cool off. The two keep trying to breath the heat from the samosas out but in vain. This causes Adam to start laughing because Takashi is in tears. Takashi ends up cry laughing at Adam because Adam had to spit the food out so he wouldn't choke.

Adam stares emptily at the cooled, saliva soaked mush in his palm and looks straight into Takashi's eyes. "I mean… it's still good."

He moves around his hand to cool off the mush a little more then plops it into his mouth, gleefully finishing it up without a care. Takashi watches in horror.

"You're disgusting," Takashi grimaces and goes to pick up another samosa. "These are good. Wonder what they're like fried."

Adam swallows one whole, or so it seems to Takashi. "Dude, they're so much better."

The two fill up on the baked goods and lounge around. Adam is lying on the counter. His legs hang off the edge. Takashi leans by Adam's head and muses, "Do you think Iverson is gonna find out we're here."

Takashi was the one who didn't like breaking rules, and sometimes, Adam feels bad for bring an awful influence. Sometimes. Adam looks at him from the corner of his eye and in a mocking voice mumbles, "You know, who cares? What's he gonna do? Make us do push ups?"

Takashi tilts his head and knocks his temple against the top of Adam's head and sighs, "You know, you're unbelievable."

It's quiet. Adam closes his eyes, completely prepared to doze off. He hears a shift and assumes Takashi is going to go get more food. What he doesn't expect is a presence leaning over him.

He opens his eyes and sees Takashi leaning over him. His face is starting to turn a shade red as he stares down at Adam. Adam's heart beats fast, and he can hear his pulse. He parts his lips but doesn't say anything. Takashi leans down just a bit, slowly tucking his hand under Adam's head and placing his other hand on Adam's side.

"Is this okay?" Takashi whispers.

Adam nods. For his first kiss, he doesn't know what to expect. Takashi's lips are a little spicy but soft against his own. It doesn't go much deeper than the initial peck before Takashi pulls away, blushing deeply and hiding his smile behind the back of his hand. He hadn't ever considered Takashi and him kissing, but he isn't mad about it.

"Samosa breath," Adam accuses, trying to play off the kiss. He sits up on the counter and is about to continue when the doors to the kitchen slide open and introduce a pissed off Iverson.

"Oh, fuck…" Adam groans, looking at Takashi.

"Offer him a samosa," Takashi whispers, bracing himself for the scolding.

—

Adam chuckles. Iverson had a field day with the two. Takashi had stolen that keycard, and the two were out way past their curfew. If he has to be honest, he thinks he deliberately would try to get Iverson's attention. He wanted to be known for something other than perfect grades. When he was younger, that something had been getting in trouble and having a smart mouth. The amount of times he got reprimanded and almost dragged star student Takashi Shirogane down with him was laughable. Even Curtis barely escaped the wrath of the commander.

Poor Curtis… Adam smiles, remembering how many times his kind friend had gotten Takashi and Adam out of trouble.

—

"Sir, I haven't seen either of them since class." Curtis shifts to the left. He stands straight in front of a skeptical Commander Iverson who is looking him over. Unbeknownst to Iverson, Takashi and Adam are in the next room over trying to sneak out through a window before they are caught.

Iverson looks down at Curtis , raising his eyebrow unnervingly high. They here a loud crash in the room and Curtis falters for a moment. Iverson moves past the teenager and opens the door, only to find an empty storage unit. He walks around slowly, expectantly turning corners ready to catch Shirogane and Wahid breaking some sort of rule. When he is satisfied that no one is in the room, he leaves. Curtis bids him farewell and as soon as Iverson leaves, he slumps against the wall and sighs in relief.

A few moments later he receives a text.

Adam: Thanks :')

Shiro: we owe you q.q

Curtis rolls his eyes and texts back.

Curtis: Don't talk to me ever again.

That same semester Curtis gets transferred to the California base as a communications intern. Adam and Takashi try to keep in touch, but their growing responsibilities make it hard to meet up. They don't see him again until a few years later.

—

Adam inhales, turning on his back once more. He's wide awake. If he's being honest, he can't remember the last time he's slept well. His nights are always haunted by memories of simpler times. Or… maybe they aren't simpler, he just knows too much now.

His curtain is pulled back and someone enters. He looks over and sees a blurry Wes approach him.

"Mr. Adam?" he asks just barely over a whisper.

Adam sits up, "Are you okay, Wes?"

The little boy looks down at his feet and shakes his head. "Can I stay with you?"

Adam's heart melts just a little and he nods, moving over so that Wes can crawl in next to him. The little boy makes himself comfortable in the crook of Adam's arm. The older man looks down at him and sighs.

"Mr. Adam?" Wes asks again.

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

Adam thinks for a moment. That one time Takashi and he got stuck in the desert and Iverson had to come get them might make for a nice tale. He nods and begins. At some point he looks over to see if Wes is paying attention only to find that the boy has soundly fallen asleep.

Adam looks contently on and tightens his hold around Wes, barely noticing himself slowly dozing off as well.