At around five in the evening in an empty Galaxy Garrison classroom, a young woman spent her time daydreaming while finishing her paperwork. She was near the end of her busywork, sitting at her teacher's aide desk and flipping through a small stack of paperwork as her thumb played the role of the skimmer. Every so often, she would glance out of the window, accidentally getting enveloped in a fantasy version of a mission she missed her chance to be a part of. She was good, great even. The admiral even told her that she would have been a great addition to the team… if the mission didn't just suit three people. Of course she didn't make the cut because of something so miniscule. Shaking her head to get back to reality, the woman went back to her paperwork. She held another stack and flipped through the papers; everything was in order. Feeling satisfied, she took all the papers and squared them up, just so they were aligned properly. She then got up from her desk and headed out the door with papers in hand.

The days at the Galaxy Garrison had been monotonous lately. The woman had been longing for another adventure; her last mission was so cool. Exploring the moons of Uranus was so fascinating. Witnessing the planet up close was life changing. Even though the mission was to get samples from the moon Titania, there were some technical difficulties that she was able to rectify. Of course the over dramatics of some crew members on that mission resulted in a hug that she would always remember. Caught up in her thoughts of her previous mission, she stopped at Commander Iverson's office. As a Lieutenant, she always brought her work to her commanding officer at the end of the day. That would, in fact, be Commander Iverson. She stood at the door for merely a moment before it opened automatically.

The woman walked in, remembering to salute her superior before going over to the file cabinet. She set her stack of papers on a nearby table and got to work, making sure each stapled group of documents was put into the right folder for the file. She searched through the open cabinet drawer, making sure that every piece of paperwork was in the right place. It was a hassle for them to be misplaced otherwise. Each handful of papers were placed in the correct folder in the file cabinet. After finally running out of papers, the woman closed the cabinet drawer and turned around. She saluted her superior once again before walking out in a poised manner.

Walking through the hallway, she knew she had to keep up appearances. There was a need to finally give in to her intrusive thoughts and celebrate like a college student after exams, but of course, she couldn't. This place was a government facility with some standards. Though she would argue that celebrating getting work done after an incredibly long day would be perfectly fine in this day and age. Especially since the military branch she works for is still in 'the dark ages', as she calls it. She would live by the ways of the computer, even suggested to the higher ups several times. Of course, they told her that they would look into it, only to not do anything for several months. Using paper was one of the few status quos about the Galaxy Garrison.

The woman rolled her eyes at her imaginary diatribe, as usual, when she stopped at the entrance to her dorm. She walked in, having the door automatically open and close when needed. Once she heard the door closed, she threw off her hat and pumped her fists in the air.

"Freedom!" She bursted, "I can finally rest! No more work until Monday." She sat down on her bed and let her body relax fully. She laid down on her bed, half of her body off the mattress. Her feet planted on the floor and her gaze focused on the untextured ceiling. Being the weekend, she looked forward to one thing and one thing only. Of course, it was the only thing to keep her going through the weeks.

One thing would change though. As the Kerberos mission gets closer, the one event she looked forward to will be on hold for an indeterminate amount of time. Cultivation missions on moons of various planets always go for longer than projected. The last mission she was on had an estimate of two months of a round trip, including cultivation of resources. Instead it took her team six months for the round trip. Of course, that was due to complications the team had during the mission. It wasn't too bad of a time; she was able to get away from her responsibilities on Earth for a while. If it wasn't for her getting inspired by the Damascus mission, lord knows what would have happened on that ship.

Before getting lost in her thoughts, the woman's phone vibrated. It was still in her pocket. Due to her position, she struggled to get the phone out, but eventually managed. She brought the phone to her face and read the notification on the illuminated locked screen. It was a text from her best friend, Takashi Shirogane.

Hey Alisha. Are you out of work? I got some time to kill.

Alisha rolled over to her side as a slight smile graced her lips. A silly giggle escaped her mouth, not hiding her feelings towards him whatsoever. She propped herself up, phone in hand, and brought her free hand to her face as she blushed.

"Yeah," she swooned, leaning to the left and feeling like a resident of cloud nine. "I'm ready for whatever." Chuckling in a weird, smitten state, she instantly came back to reality by shaking her head. She thanked whomever ruled the heavens that she was alone. If her roommate was around, she wouldn't hear the end of it. Turning her phone over, she unlocked the device and typed her reply. It was in a more grounded manner than her initial verbal response. She thought to maybe look at possible therapists later; that could help.

Meet you in fifteen. Don't leave without me!

After she sent the text, she kicked herself off the mattress and walked towards the mirror. She walked past her military grade beret that laid on the ground. She stopped in front of the mirror and noticed it; she should really pick that up. Despite that, she went on to check her reflection in the mirror.

Thick brown hair tied in a bun? Check. Tan skin? On and not going anywhere. Eyes? Brown and proud, hell, they could be black with how dark they are. Lips? Chapped as hell; her chapstick never worked despite multiple positive reviews for it. That company will rue the day they lied to her. Alisha took a breath and focused on her hair. That would be the beast to tame for the next seven minutes- hopefully seven minutes. There were bobby pins upon bobby pins in that tight little bun, including three to five hair ties in there. She knew she had to get to it sooner or later. It was one of the few things she hated about the dress code at the Garrison. Without any further hesitation, she headed towards the bathroom for the last big battle of the day.

Staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Alisha stretched out her hands and fingers before doing anything. She did get a cramp in her hand once, and it was the most painful experience she ever had. It even shook. Closing her eyes and grunting as she stretched, she knew what was ahead of her. She wiggled her fingers as they moved closer to her hair. As they got close enough, the fight was on. It took meticulous targeting from one hand, and crunches in the other. The search for the bobby pins was not only an art, but an extreme sport. Pulling out one pin and feeling for the other, Alisha regretted the amount of pins she put in her hair. Why so much, she would ask herself at the end of the day. Why did she do this to herself, she would ask herself right after. Of course there was no answer. This canon event was simply the actions of her consequences.

Alisha's hair was like this because of her father. A man of African-American descent whose genes did not favor her habits. She was someone who liked having a streamlined routine, one that didn't take that much time out of her day. Fortunately, living with her type of thick hair had her come up with a plan when she started attending the Galaxy Garrison. It was haphazard and crazy, but it worked. What used to take her hours, had her being able to do it in a timeframe of seven to fifteen minutes. Growing up, styling her hair was a hassle. She barely wore her hair down unless it was for special occasions or lazy days. She could pull it back in a ponytail, and try her hand at braids. Pulling her hair into a bun was the biggest challenge of her life. Never has she ever felt envy for the girls at the Garrison with finer hair until her first day. Being humbled by her hair is something she considered a past time.

Pulling out a good number of bobby pins, she inched over to the bathtub, which provided her hair styling cup. It was a simple cup that she placed her bobby pins and hair ties in. Alisha knew that putting it near her and her roommate's toothbrushes would have been gross, so near the bathtub it goes. She placed all the bobby pins she acquired from her hair into the cup. A few strands of hair stayed on her fingers, making her shake her hand until no single strand remained. Giving a disgusted look to her hand, she continued on, wanting to be done with this activity as soon as possible.

It felt like hours had passed in that bathroom, when in reality it was four minutes. A new record. Alisha's arms screamed from soreness. She took a look in the mirror to find her hair a complete mess. Nevertheless, she pushed through to her goal. She will hang out with her friend today whether she wants to or not. Her soul continued to be the stronger part of her, as usual. Despite the appearances, she was proud of herself. Being able to beat a record and tame the beast that resides on her head was something to celebrate. Only in the realms of her mind. After a mini celebration, she reached for her trusty hairbrush and brushed through her thick, temperamental hair. She took a handful of hair and started from the bottom. That advice her hairdresser gave her would reap so many benefits with saving time. Alisha would be considered an expert on brushing her hair, and her hair only.

Alisha took another look in the mirror after brushing her hair. It was finally tamed. Her thick curly hair was represented properly. She puffed her hair a few times with her hands and took out her phone. She saw Shiro's reply and her heart skipped a beat once again. She really needed to think about getting a therapist. Walking out of the bathroom, she had her outfit ready. A cropped turtleneck collar with long sleeves, a long tank top, and jean capris. The cropped turtleneck was of a cobalt blue color, and her top was a nice powder blue with an abstract white pattern on it. She pulled on her dark navy blue sneakers and headed out with her Galaxy Garrison identification card. This was the only thing keeping her from getting kicked out by security. Walking out the door, she headed to the entrance of the Galaxy Garrison, where she knew her best friend would be waiting.

She had to flash her ID a few times to some staff members, surprised that she looked so different with her hair down. She had the same face and wasn't an identical twin. She would know if she had a twin. Approaching the doors, a familiar figure dressed in a black and gray coat and black pants waited out there, watching the never changing scenery of the caverns and canyons further away. Alisha smiled, recognizing him; she placed her hands behind her back and walked up to him.

"Hey there big guy," She grinned, "did you wait long?"

Shiro looked over and grinned, "Hey. You're late." He lied. He always lied about her being late. It was a stupid joke he always did to rile her up. Despite her situation with her hair, she somehow always arrived on time. He noticed the outfit she was wearing. "Are you trying to make a statement or something? All I see is blue."

"You know it's my favorite color, jerk." She said in jest. "Where are we headed today?"

Shiro scoffed at her answer. Even though he was used to her playful banter, he would always give off some sort of reaction. She always had a sassy comeback for whatever he said. His favorite response of hers is when she would raise an eyebrow in disbelief and bring up one thing he can't do. Of course it made him feel embarrassed, but not enough to end the friendship.

"I was thinking we could head to Plaht City today. Movie? Dinner? Something, really."

Alisha brought a hand to her chest. "The gay man wants to take me on a date? That's new!" Her voice sounded as if it dripped in honey. Her joky tone was able to shine through. She scoffed over her silly joke and elbowed him. "Hell yeah, man. Let's go."

With that said, the two headed off to Shiro's hover bike and headed out towards the city. Shiro always drove, it was his chariot, after all. Alisha hugged him close to her, making sure to hang on. She trusted him with her entire being, but she didn't trust physics; she knew it was just one wrong move on her part and she would go flying. Having dirt on her clothes and pain coursing through her body was not a good idea, so of course she held on as if her life depended on it. The ride wasn't too long, only around ten to fifteen minutes long. The secret is that Shiro went faster than he should on the hover bike. After coming to a full and complete stop, Shiro powered off his ride. The bike landed on the ground with a thud. After a few seconds passed, he patted his best friend on the head; it was just a signal for her to get off.

Feeling his hand on her head, Alisha opened her eyes and glanced up. The cue to get off always worked with her. She had a feeling that he wouldn't pat her head if she was taller. Turning to the left, she brought her right leg up to rise from her seat. She turned on her heels to face him as he disembarked. She didn't know why, but she thought this was a date. She didn't have her best clothes on, not like she had any to begin with. Just a blue getup she randomly took out of her closet. She didn't think it was too fancy; she was wearing jeans for goodness sake. Her hair wasn't even done in a cute style. Alas, a part of her thought it was a date. Her crush on her best friend only grew every time she looked at him.

"What's the plan?" She asked, placing her hands in her pockets as her right leg bent and she leaned back slightly.

Shiro was off the hover bike, locking the vehicle before turning to her. "I was thinking of either a movie or that restaurant you love going to."

"You're not scared people might think of us as a couple? Well, 'scared' being the wrong term there, but you know what I mean."

"It wouldn't be the first time. We'll be fine. It's not like we're going to Vegas or anything."

"You sure? You're usually annoyed when it happens."

"Yeah, I am. But it can't be helped."

This sudden maturity in Shiro almost made Alisha blush. Keyword is almost. Not wanting to waste any more time talking, she strolled on over to his side. She wanted to take his hand, but didn't want to be too obvious with her feelings. Not like he ever noticed. She could do a powerpoint presentation on her romantic feelings towards him and he still wouldn't get it. It was just something she had to deal with.

"I can honestly say that a movie is going to cost you more than dinner." She flashed him a quick smile and tilted her head to the right. "I checked the prices with Cassidy the other day, and she was not happy. Seventy dollars just for two tickets, two drinks, and a large popcorn. On a Tuesday, no less."

Shiro widened his eyes and mouthed the word 'what'. Utter nonsense. No way prices went up that high. He and Adam saw a movie in theaters two months ago. It was much cheaper than that. "I don't believe you. Which theater?"

"Spectertainment."

"Ah," A wave of relief came over him. Thank goodness he wasn't going crazy about prices. He knew Spectertainment was one of the worst franchises for movie theaters. He would never go there, even if he had a coupon for it. He wagged his finger at her, "that's where you messed up. You have to go to Sunstone Cinemas. They have the best prices there."

"I'll keep a mental note of that." Alisha scoffed. "Despite that, dinner?"

"Dinner. Not to be demanding, but I skipped lunch again, so-"

"Skipped lunch? No, no, we're not having that! Dinner it is!"

The two headed to Alisha's favorite restaurant. It was a place that got her through the toughest times at the Garrison; she always dragged Shiro with her. The Grand Jewel. A casual dining restaurant that sold Asian fusion. A mix of Asian cultures under one roof. It was her own personal heaven. The two both knew the menu well, Alisha somehow being on a first name basis with some of the staff. Shiro just looked at her blushing as he covered his face with his left hand. That girl really just lived without a care in the world.

The two had their usual meals, Bibimbap for Alisha and Shrimp Chow Mein for Shiro. Sitting at a booth, they distracted themselves from their meals to chat. Shiro guarded his food with his life, knowing Alisha would steal some shrimp from his dish.

"So he just gave me a weird look and stormed back to his desk." Alisha concluded, still flabbergasted over one of her students. She moved her chopsticks in her hand as if she was talking with them.

"God, you're getting the sassy ones this year." Shiro chuckled, he raised an eyebrow. "That's like, what, the tenth one this month?"

"Yes! It's insane!" She rummaged through her pockets in search of her phone. "Speaking of insane," she started before finally taking her phone out, "You're not in the group chat. Reece is finally seeing someone. C'mon. Let me add you in."

A small 'oh' ran through Shiro's mind, though he didn't dare say it out loud. He then felt his phone go off. Upon taking the device out, it was both Dominic and Sophia. No doubt, trying to beat each other in their weird race of 'who greets who first'. A small smile ran across Shiro's lips before jokingly texting back he's on a date and putting his phone away. He awaited the shocked reactions to his message.

"I forgot you got a new phone three months ago. I meant to tell the chat but I didn't." She then put her phone back in her pocket. "Also I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Alisha took a breath. "You know how we have so much space whenever we go to the movies together?"

He nodded, unsure where this conversation was heading.

"I usually buy four tickets instead of two. So no one can sit near us."

Dumbfounded, Shiro coughed up a laugh. His brow creased and his nose crinkled. "Why do you do that?"

"I have seen so many people try and flirt with you when I just want us to hang out. No one night stands on my watch! Especially after that time we were roommates."

"Oh my God! You're insane! That was one time!"

"The trauma is still there, man! I can still hear the thumping!"

The two talked and joked in the restaurant until nightfall. By the time the sky turned from orange to a deep dark blue, the two paid the bill and left the place. The two had a conversation about various topics until they came upon a park bench. The night sky was clear for the first time in days, and they never truly saw the stars in quite some time. Alisha motioned her head over the bench, pointing over to it with her thumb. With Shiro agreeing, they walked over and sat down.

The sky was decorated with countless constellations and newborn stars, both of what they always loved looking at. The first time they ever got lost in the endless sea above was when they were kids, five and six years old respectively. Not knowing many constellations, Alisha glanced at her best friend. The corners of her lips nudged upward.

"So," Alisha's voice broke through the sounds of the crickets. "You're going to Kerberos." Her legs kicked through the air in a gentle manner as she watched the stars again. She knew how time worked. The seconds ticked down as she wasted her time in silence. "I wish I could go with you, but I'll trust the Holts. Matt is a fantastic communications specialist and Sam is one of the best Commanders. I'm sure you three will be fine." She glanced towards the ground and bit her lip. "Maybe I could teach Adam-"

"No," Shiro interrupted, "He and I… aren't together anymore."

"Oh," Her voice trailed off as she gazed at him. Her eyebrows arched downwards. She honestly thought that him and Adam were endgame. Despite her jealousy towards the now former partner, she had a feeling he and Shiro were soulmates. "I… didn't know, I'm sorry."

"I should have told you." Shiro let out a breath, blowing his fringe up in the air for a bit. He glanced over at Alisha and noticed her worried face. He gave her a sympathetic smile, "Don't worry about me. It was honestly bound to happen, and working with him felt awkward recently. If he and I were on a mission together, I wouldn't like the outcome."

"I see." Alisha kicked her feet in the air again, not knowing what to fully say. "Sorry for making things awkward."

"You didn't. Don't worry." Shiro looked back up at the sky, secretly hoping for a shooting star to fly by. While a superstition, he believed in making wishes on them. "It does suck you're not coming to Kerberos with me. I'm going to miss your company."

"You don't trust Matt and Sam?"

"I do. I'm just going to miss your jokes."

Alisha was taken aback by that statement. There was no way in hell Shiro said that. She knew for a fact the opposite was completely true. "You hate my jokes, you liar."

"What do you mean? I laugh at them."

She scoffed at him and raised an eyebrow. "No you don't! You literally locked me out of your room when I made a pun about morning wood."

"I laughed at that one."

"No you didn't. You picked me up by the collar and locked me out of your room for like ten minutes."

"I did not."

"Yes you did!"

Shiro huffed a laugh. He did lock her out of his dorm room. That joke was awful, and honestly she shouldn't have made it. He did feel a little bit guilty towards his fellow men for the laughter he fought to keep in. That day was like any other day; before the Kerberos mission was even announced. It was a day or two after the Dione mission, one of the many missions they worked on together. He was the star pilot, and she was his engineer. Adam was too busy with his classes to come along.

"Question," Alisha started, wondering what to talk about next, "have you ever had a vacation since joining the Garrison? Maybe I could bring you home when you finally get one."

Shiro glanced towards the ground. If someone looked up the word 'workaholic' in the dictionary, a picture of him would be there. He wanted to be the best, like his heroes from the Calypso mission. He never lost sight of his goal, earning every record imaginable, but Alisha was right. "I haven't seen my parents in a while," he lamented, there wasn't an excuse as to why. "I hope they're doing okay without me." He sighed and looked over his left shoulder, his gaze focusing on the uninteresting pavement. He called his parents whenever he could. Even if it was for ten minutes, he would give them a call before being busy again. He loved them to death, they were nothing but the best parents a child could ever have.

"Have you called them?"

"Yeah. Every time I'm done with work, I call them. I then get to your barrage of texts that you send me during the day."

"That's good. I know your mom worries about you a lot." Alisha relaxed her head against the backrest of the bench. "When you don't call, she calls me. She sounds so worried over the phone. She tells me to text you so you won't forget." She then realized the last part he said, "I don't send you a 'barrage of texts'. I send you like three messages a day."

"Yes you do. Everyday. I have receipts." He nodded, hiding a chuckle. "You're right about my mom though. She tells me if she called you or not. I guess she loves you like her own." His mom was a genuine worry-wart. While she wasn't a helicopter parent, he knew he was the first successful child after so many miscarriages. He would have been one of five if bad luck didn't strike his parents' marriage in the early days. "I make sure to call them whenever I can. I miss them every single day."

Alisha turned towards her friend, grabbing his hand with her right, and bringing her left index finger to her face. "Then how about we make a deal?" She knocked her head in a downward slant and winked. "The moment you land, talk to Iverson about getting a vacation. I'll take you home." She needed a reason to leave her job for a bit to destress, but only the lord above knew what her best friend was going through. The two only talked about work whenever something interesting happened, and Shiro wasn't one to talk about his day so easily. "We can catch up with everyone, too. Group chats can only do so much."

Shiro's eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly. His best friend's actions were out of the blue for him. She's never done something like this when a plan came to her mind. He was more spontaneous with plans, letting his body get into action before he thought everything through. "Are you sure? My skills are in pretty high demand. I'm needed almost all the time."

"That's fine," She bubbled, "I think the Garrison can live without its best pilot and morning flight drill teacher's aide for another week. You're going to be gone for a year at the least. Taking a break from work should be easy for you to request." A quick scoff huffed out her nose. "Besides, if you're ever in danger, I'll save you."

He shook his head as a smile graced his lips. "I don't need saving. I can handle things myself, thank you." He got out of her grip and crossed his arms. He closed his eyes and his face aimed towards the sky once again. A chuckle escaped his closed mouth.

Alisha nearly caught herself staring at her best friend. She would have done anything to make him feel better again. Her chest fluttered when she heard his voice among the sounds of the night. The calming, yet lively sounds that permeated the park. She didn't mean to grab his hand like that, she didn't know what came over her. However, she knew for a fact that he needed to be saved from time to time. Despite the fact that he was a phenomenal pilot, she had, in fact, helped him out in more ways than one.

She brought herself back and crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, so the times I saved you and Sam from imminent death during the Saturn Race Mission don't count? The engine just fixed itself?" She bragged to anyone who would listen for over a month about how she saved them from death at least three times after landing. "I remember you hugging me and saying 'Oh my god, Alisha you're the best! I could honestly kiss you right now, I thought we were goners!'" She had a mocking tone in her voice. Despite knowing Shiro since she was a little girl, her attempt at mimicking his voice was difficult. She still smirked, knowing that would tip him up a little bit. "I remember you owing me a fancy dinner, too. Still waiting on that."

Shiro could not believe what he was hearing. Yes, he always considered his best friend as a skilled engineer, but as a lifesaver? Absolutely not. Maybe when he was drunk. There was, however, that one time where he, Sam, and Alisha were experiencing technical difficulties that could have resulted in disaster… and she did diagnose the issue and fix it. Defeat ran over him like a truck. She was right. Why on earth out of all those scenarios did she have to be right? A part of him hated this. Due to his stubborn nature brought by his father, he refused to admit anything.

"I may have," He opened his eyes slightly and kept his arms crossed. He focused on her, wanting to see how she would react. He wanted to wipe that smug look off her face. "Or maybe you're misremembering. I never said I would kiss you, or that I would buy you dinner. You're making that up."

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." The smirk was still on her face. She brought a finger up and delivered the final blow to her attack, "Though I must ask, do you know how to spell maintenance on the first try? Or rhythm?"

"Okay, now that's personal!"

The two sat on that bench and talked for what seemed like hours. However, after reaching adulthood, Alisha knew that time moved faster than she enjoyed. She longed for the days where hours felt longer and minutes were barely something to think about. She kept tabs on everything, knowing her friend would get lost in his thoughts. If locals came around, they would think of those two as a couple. Of course, that wouldn't be the truth. They're just best friends; a gay man and a woman who's crush is known to everyone but him.

The two headed back to the Garrison on the hover bike. Alisha held on to her friend with her arms around his waist, mentally counting down the days until liftoff. With this day over, it's six days left. She thought about how to finish her work faster just to try and hang out with him more. Truth be told, her anxieties got the better of her. Just like Shiro's mom, Alisha was worried about him. She couldn't tell her reasonings as to why. She would never know the true answers that occupied space deep within her mind. Knowing that Adam wasn't involved in his life romantically was a plus for her too.

Nothing against her best friend's ex in the slightest, but the constant signs of jealousy were getting too much for her whenever the three hung out. She honestly thought she had heartburn for the first week they dated. Her fake smile nearly turned into a bad habit around anyone, not just Adam. An intense need to try and one up her best friend's lover was intense at the time, but she knew her limits. She knew what Shiro liked in a person, she didn't fit all the requirements. She had to work on her tone of voice, since it came out in a clipped tone, showing how tense she was. It never happened when they were on a mission together. Thankfully, it never happened during drills and simulators. Their professionalism was some of the best the Galaxy Garrison had to offer, at least that's what Iverson told them.

Remembering the praise always made her confused when the topic of the Kerberos mission came into play. There was nothing wrong with her physicals, all her work was completely up to date and done in a timely manner, and she only missed one day of work due to a cold. She didn't know that one sick day could result in her being eliminated from the lineup. She told Shiro the news and as sympathetic as he was, she caught a glimpse of Adam's reaction. He smirked. An arrogant smirk graced his lips as if he was mocking her. Due to her feeling strange at the time, she assumed the smirk didn't exist; simply from her imagination. She didn't want to demonize an innocent person just because of her jealousy.

Soaring through the air, Alisha glanced up towards Shiro. His face illuminated by the backsplash of his bike's lights. Since it was much darker out with a small number of street lights, he went the proper speed limit. It was all fun and games until one of them was injured in an easily avoidable accident. He focused on the road and where he was going, which was more important than how she was feeling. It was understandable. This wasn't a romance movie where things would be unrealistically sweet and nice. As much as she wanted to be in an old fashioned romantic comedy, it wasn't worth wasting time on. The two didn't see each other that way. At least, he didn't see her that way. His friendship was more important than a romantic relationship.

Yet her mind still wandered to those unrealistic scenarios. When Shiro was a self-proclaimed astrophiliac, an obsessive lover of outer space, planets and the stars; Alisha was only fond of him. As stupid as it was, it was completely true. She hated herself for it. She could have any person who desired her, but no, she goes for the actual gay man in her life. She knew she had to let it go, she had to. As of this night, it was a challenge for another day.

The hover bike's engine slowed to a stop at the Galaxy Garrison base, having Shiro turn off the vehicle and signal Alisha once again to get off. The two walked in the dark, only lit by the drastically bright street lights that ran through the area. They laughed whenever one of them got blinded, as if they didn't know when they would be under another light. Turning to the Garrison's entrance, Alisha flashed her ID to the multiple staff members who didn't remember her face. Shiro, as usual, was easily recognized. She would claim that he could never do anything wrong in the Garrison's eyes. He could carry an umbrella, chew bubblegum, and put his hands in his pockets while walking through the corridors and no one would bat an eye. He was considered the golden child of the facility. Of course, if Alisha tried those things, she would get written up. No questions asked.

The two lieutenants walked throughout the corridor, with Alisha still flashing her ID, until they both stopped at her dorm room's door. The countdown started; perhaps it did already. She hugged her best friend, already having a plan in motion for the next few days. To her, it was worth the overwork and stress. She'd do anything for him. She sent him off with a flirtatious wave he would never know the true meaning of.

Walking into the room, the door opened and closed automatically. Alisha took a good look in the dark, seeing that her roommate was asleep. It was pretty late, she wouldn't be surprised if she and Shiro accidentally broke curfew. Of course, with him being the golden child, she wouldn't get in trouble with him by her side. Alisha walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed, being careful to not make too much noise.

Coming out in light blue pajamas and yawning, Alisha minced over to her bed. As she sat at the edge of the mattress, her phone went off with a slew of messages. Jumping at the sudden vibrations of her phone, she took the device out of her pocket as it played a game of hot potato with itself. She unlocked her phone to see several notifications. Most of them were from the group chat, one was from Shiro. She opened his message first, as she always did.

G'night. Sleep well.

A compassionate smile dominated Alisha's face. The gentle giant unknowingly goes for her heart again. It was a simple message, one that she always replied to, yet her lovestruck self couldn't stop over thinking. She replied with a simple response, hoping he at least got sleep for the night. She could always tell whenever he did all nighters. While under eye bags weren't always something he lived with, she could tell when he didn't sleep. Her phone went off again with Shiro's response, promising he would get to bed as soon as possible.

"Liar." Alisha mumbled under her breath. She caught up with her friends in the group chat for a good minute before closing her eyes. From that moment, sleep took over her being and she was thrusted into the realm of dreams.

And thus the timer clicked away without any worry or care. Alisha made sure to hang out with her best friend as much as possible during those days, even surprising his parents over the phone. As annoying as she was, acting like she couldn't live without him, the truth was her worries getting the better of her. She knew how her friend acted, she knew how he was under pressure, let alone how bad things got. Her dreams, however, have gotten more strange and uncomfortable. Well, not uncomfortable to her, but enough for her to think about seeking a therapist.

Waking up this day was different. Alisha had an interesting dream, one she would never want to recite in front of people even if they asked. Regardless, she sat up and rubbed the back of her head. Groggily stretching her arms into the air, the morning hit her like a truck. She knew a shower would wake her up properly.

"I should seek a therapist," she stated, thinking out loud more than anything.

"You should," Cassidy replied as she readied herself for her teaching position. "You're in love with a gay man. You can do better."

With a tap on Alisha's shoulder, Cassidy left the room to start her day. The younger one jumped out of bed, remembering why today was so important. Kerberos day. Getting ready faster than usual, Alisha strided down the corridor, hoping she wasn't too late. The launch was in three hours, but she knew her friend like the back of her hand. She knew his stupid little habits, and how he was on big days like this.

Getting to her destination, Alisha stopped promptly at the door, she was about to knock when the door opened automatically. It revealed Takashi Shirogane, miraculously well slept and ready for the mission. He was completely ready to take to the stars once more, dressed in the astronaut suit the Garrison staff practically gave to him after his fourth mission. Witnessing this interesting phenomena in front of her, Alisha raised an eyebrow.

"I don't understand," She narrowed her eyes and pouted her lips. She then tried looking behind the possible skinwalker, seeing an empty room. Shiro didn't have a roommate? Since when? "Where's the real Shiro? I told him I'd be waking him up."

Shiro sighed at her disbelief and chuckled as a result. "Alisha. I slept last night. Is the concept of me sleeping for a full eight hours lost on you?"

"You don't sleep the night before missions." Alisha poked Shiro's chest repeatedly. "You have consistently stayed up until four in the morning studying fighter jet flight patterns and researching the destination until your bags have bags."

"This time I slept."

"Load of bull."

"Come on, let's get some breakfast. Why did you want to wake me up anyway? I usually do that to you."

"I just wanted to spend some time with you before you blast off."

Shiro widened his eyes, his eyebrows moving up and curving. He took a quick breath as his mouth opened slightly. He didn't forget today was launch day. He'd actually been looking forward to it. A part of him always thought Alisha found a way to be a part of the team. He foolishly thought she was a part of the adventure, when that wasn't the case. He never thought he'd have to leave his friend so soon. Caught in his own silence, all he could do was make eye contact with her.

A bit confused by his reaction, Alisha patted her best friend on the shoulder. A bit of reassurance that there was nothing to be afraid about. She had faith in him, she always did. Whether she was with him or not, everything would go smoothly. He was the Takashi Shirogane, afterall.

"Like I said before, stay safe. Come home. I'll ask Iverson about giving you a week off. You've done more than enough to earn it by now."

A comforting smile ran across his lips as he was brought back to reality. Still somewhat disappointed she wasn't coming with him, he fought off the feeling as much as he could. "You know, you're too good to me."

"Nah, I'm just your best friend."

With that said, the two reached the mess hall for their breakfast. As much as she wanted time to go slower than it usually did, the time eventually came for the flight. Dressed in proper astronaut attire, Sam Holt, Matt Holt, and Takashi Shirogane said their goodbyes to Earth and launched into the stars. The launch was perfect from engine start up to takeoff. The communications team cheered as they heard Sam saying they've successfully reached the exosphere.

The rest of the day had this hint of loneliness for Alisha. She went about it looking out towards the sky at any given window, even being a little more distracted with her paperwork. That would soon come to pass, she hoped. At the end of the workday, she headed to her bed and took a device out from her bag. It was a teal remote-like device that had a red trapezoid button in the middle. There was an indent like a receiver from an old fashioned phone where a possible screen would be. There were holes near the bottom, making it some sort of a walkie talkie. She called it a bootleg communicator. Her and Matt created it out of scrap metal and discarded electronic components. He said that it should be able to reach anyone who has it. The other person being Shiro. She pressed down on the button and brought the communicator closer to her mouth.

"Earth to Kerberos Team, this is Lieutenant Alvin. What is your status?"

"Kerberos Team to Earth, this is Lieutenant Shirogane. Everything is going as smoothly as ever."

Smiling with the response she needed to hear, she carried on with the secret conversation. She thanked her roommate for being a busy body, having the room to herself for a couple more hours than usual. It wasn't an ideal way of communicating, but it was enough to keep her anxieties at ease. To her, breaking that one rule was worth it.