It was a rare quiet evening aboard the Courageous. With the day's operations complete, Class VII and their allies had a bit of downtime before their next mission. Most of the students were scattered throughout the ship, relaxing in their own ways.

Fie, however, was anything but relaxed.

The door to the common lounge slid open, and Laura looked up from the book she was reading to see Fie trudging in, wrapped in one of the plush blankets from her room. Her usual sharp, nimble movements were replaced by sluggish steps, her hair slightly more disheveled than usual. She let out a long, exaggerated sigh as she collapsed onto the couch next to Laura.

Laura raised an eyebrow, setting her book aside. "Are you all right, Fie? You look out of sorts."

Fie let out a groan and buried her face into the armrest. "I feel like crap."

Laura tilted her head, concern flickering across her expression. "Are you unwell? Perhaps you should visit the ship's infirmary—"

"Noooo," Fie mumbled into the couch. She rolled onto her side, fixing Laura with a pitiful look. "It's my period. And it sucks."

The bluntness of the statement caught Laura slightly off guard, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks. But she recovered quickly, her composure unshaken.

"I see," Laura said, her tone gentle. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Fie huffed, tugging the blanket tighter around herself. "Not unless you can make this stop, which you can't. Ugh. Why does being a girl have to be so annoying sometimes?"

Laura couldn't help the small, amused smile that tugged at her lips. Fie, normally so calm and composed, was utterly out of character—whiny, dramatic, and, dare she say, endearing.

"You're taking this rather hard," Laura said, her voice laced with light humor.

Fie shot her a half-hearted glare. "You don't get it. This one's worse than usual. My back hurts, my stomach's all twisty, and I feel like punching something. But I'm too tired to get up."

Laura chuckled softly, reaching over to place a reassuring hand on Fie's shoulder. "I understand. It sounds quite unpleasant. If it helps, you're welcome to stay here and rest. I'll keep you company."

Fie blinked up at her, her expression softening. "You'd do that?"

"Of course," Laura said matter-of-factly. "What are friends for?"

For the next hour, Fie remained on the couch, occasionally grumbling about her cramps or letting out exaggerated sighs for no apparent reason. Laura patiently listened, offering comforting words when needed. At one point, Fie shifted closer, resting her head against Laura's shoulder without a word.

Laura froze for a moment, startled by the uncharacteristic display of affection. But she quickly relaxed, letting Fie lean against her.

"Tell me I'm good," Fie mumbled, her voice muffled against Laura's shoulder.

Laura smiled, her amusement growing. "You're a good girl, Fie."

Fie tilted her head up to look at her, a pout forming on her lips. "You think this is funny, don't you?"

Laura's eyes twinkled with amusement. "A little. It's not often I see this side of you. You're usually so composed."

"Well, don't get used to it," Fie grumbled, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward. "It's the hormones. They're making me all needy or whatever."

"There's no shame in that," Laura said gently. "We all have moments when we need support. I'm happy to provide it."

Fie sighed, her expression softening further. "You're too nice to me."

"And you're too hard on yourself," Laura countered.

As the evening went on, Fie eventually fell into a light doze against Laura's shoulder, her earlier discomfort seemingly forgotten. Laura remained still, letting her rest. She couldn't help but feel a sense of fondness for Fie in this vulnerable state, her usual aloofness replaced with a softer, more human side.

When Fie woke up a while later, she stretched and let out a groggy sigh, blinking up at Laura. "You didn't move?"

Laura shook her head, smiling. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"Hmm," Fie mumbled, sitting up and tugging her blanket around herself. "Well, thanks for putting up with me."

"You're my dear friend, Fie. I'm always here for you," Laura replied.

The warmth of their exchange lingered, a quiet reminder of the bond that had grown between them.