"Hey Sy?"

"Mm?"

"You still awake?"

"Mm."

Zephyr sighed softly. "Yeah. Me too."

Sy lifted his head up off Zephyr's shoulder and gave him a sleepy blink. The boys had their arms linked through each other and their backs pressed against the wall of the rooftop entrance. They'd agreed not to let go of each other, and to try and stay up in order to minimize the risk of either of them rolling down the roof and plummeting to their death.

It was not an easy task.

"Do you remember when we were kids…." Zephyr trailed off, trying to figure out the words he wanted.

Sy waited patiently, allowing room for Zephyr to gather his thoughts. The silence stretched between them with only the soft calls of birds and bugs as a consistent background drone.

"I do remember childhood," Sy prompted when it seemed as if Zephyr was not going to complete his thought. "Did you have a specific incident in mind, or just generally the first seventeen years of my life?"

Zephyr rolled his eyes affectionately. "Of course I meant specifics, D'nahsy."

"Care to elaborate on what ones, then?" Sy shot back playfully.

"Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up?"

"Of course I do!" Sy started laughing. "Where to begin? A veterinarian. An ethereum biologist. A geologist. A cartographer. A naval officer. A pastry chef. A solar cart racer. A brecklebeast farmer. A juggler. Need I go on?"

Zephyr was laughing as well. "I never did understand half of what you were talking about when you'd come visit. I thought you had the wildest imagination."

Sy settled his head on Zephyr's shoulder again and smothered a yawn. "Why?"

"When did you decide you wanted to go into the military?"

Sy was quiet a moment as he thought. He knew the answer, that wasn't the problem. He just didn't know how much to share. "I think when I was about twelve or thirteen. I suppose it came down to a choice between joining the church or joining the military. I wanted adventure, and to see cultures I'd never experienced before. You can't do that from inside a chapel."

"And priests can't get married."

"Wh-how, I-" Sy sputtered, sitting straight up, his face flaming hot.

Zephyr started to laugh. "Oh come on, Sy. The girls all love you. You're so polite, and sweet, and you know they think you're good looking. Honestly, I'm impressed at how you manage to miss some of the hints they give you. Besides, you have a loving nature. I know you're focused on your classes now, but once you're ready, you'll enjoy being married."

Sy let out a long sigh of relief and chuckled nervously. "Oh, right. That makes sense. Yeah."

Zephyr eyed him, a small smirk on his lips. "That was quite a bit of a reaction, though. Is there someone you like? A girl in town, maybe?"

Sy could feel his blush spreading down his neck. He shook his head, his eyes all but glued to the rooftop. "Nope. No girls. Just me, totally and utterly without a girlfriend." It wasn't technically a lie.

"Mhmm." Zephyr smirked. "You're not convincing, you know. Come on, you can tell me. Who is she?"

Sy took a deep breath. He lifted his gaze, meeting Zephyr's eyes and holding it. "I can promise you, I truly and honestly do not have a girlfriend, nor am I interested in any girls or women on this planet. There is not a single lady here that I am looking to or currently dating."

Technically still not lying.

Zephyr shook his head. "Well that's boring. Alright then. If you're sure."

Sy nodded. He settled his head back on Zephyr's shoulder and yawned. "I'm positive."

"You can get some sleep if you need," Zephyr offered softly.

Sy shook his head best he could from his position. "No. I told you I'd help keep you awake. If I move in my sleep, I'll be nothing but dead weight for you to hold up. We can't take that risk."

Zephyr stretched out one of his legs, the other still bent in front of him. "It is pretty up here."

"Yeah." Sy smiled. In the distance the ocean sparkled with the reflection of the moon and stars. He'd sometimes forgotten how bright the sky could be at night. The last planet he'd been on had too much light pollution to properly see through the atmosphere. And space stations, despite being in space, did not always have the best views.

"How'd you know I was up here?"

Sy shrugged. "You were upset. You always find somewhere high up to be when you want to be alone and to just think. I checked the astronomy tower first, and spotted you out one of the windows. It was just a matter of figuring out which rooftop this one was."

Zephyr managed a small smile. "You always were perceptive. Sometimes about the wrong things, but I can always count on you when I need you."

Sy nestled in a bit closer. It was becoming more and more of a struggle to stay awake. "And I on you."

Zephyr unlooped their arms and wrapped his over Sy's shoulder, pulling him in closer. "Always. You will always be my priority. Above anything and everything else. I promise."