A quiet afternoon aboard the Courageous. The ship hummed softly as Class VII prepared for their next steps, but for now, most of the group was enjoying some well-earned downtime.

Fie wandered into the lounge with no particular goal in mind, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets. She'd planned to grab a drink, maybe find a quiet spot to nap, but as she rounded the corner, she spotted two familiar figures seated near the window.

It was Laura and Rean.

The two were chatting amiably, Laura's expression relaxed as Rean gestured, an easygoing smile on his face as he spoke. Fie couldn't make out the words, but she could tell from the subtle curve of Laura's lips that she was enjoying the conversation. Rean said something that made Laura laugh—a soft, melodic sound—and Fie felt a pang of something.

She frowned slightly, lingering near the entrance as her mind began to wander. Do they hang out like this often?

Shaking her head, Fie turned on her heel and left the lounge, a strange sense of unease following her.

Later that day, Fie found Laura alone in the training room, diligently maintaining her blade. The rhythmic sound of the whetstone against the blade filled the air as Laura worked with her usual precision.

"Hey," Fie called, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Laura looked up, offering a small smile. "Fie. Good to see you. Were you looking for me?"

"Yeah, kinda," Fie replied, stepping into the room. "Just wandering around, though. Figured I'd see what you were up to."

Laura nodded, setting her sword aside for a moment. "I was tending to my sword. Would you like to spend some time together?"

Fie hesitated, her gaze flickering to the floor. "Yeah, sure."

Laura tilted her head slightly, sensing there was more to Fie's visit than she was letting on. "Is something on your mind?"

Fie shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Not really. Just saw you and Rean hanging out earlier."

Laura raised an eyebrow but said nothing, waiting for Fie to continue.

"You two seemed pretty close," Fie added, her voice casual but her tone just a little too measured.

Laura smiled faintly. "Rean and I have always gotten along well. He's a good friend and an admirable leader."

"Yeah, I know," Fie said quickly, brushing off the response with a wave of her hand. "He's a solid guy. I mean, he's basically the glue holding all of us together."

Laura nodded in agreement. "Exactly. He's someone we can all rely on."

Fie shifted on her feet, her fingers twitching in her pockets. "I was just, uh… wondering if you respect him a little more than the rest of us."

Laura blinked, clearly surprised. "What do you mean?"

"You know…" Fie trailed off, looking anywhere but at Laura. "Do you, like like him?"

It took Laura a moment to realize what Fie was implying. When she did, her expression softened, and a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. "Are you asking if I have romantic feelings for Rean?"

Fie's shoulders tensed slightly. "I mean, you don't have to answer. It's just… I was curious, that's all."

Laura studied Fie for a moment, her calm gaze steady. Then, to Fie's surprise, Laura chuckled softly.

"I see. No, Fie, I don't have feelings for Rean," Laura said, her tone gentle but firm. "He's a dear friend and a trustworthy ally, but that's all there is to it."

Fie exhaled, her posture relaxing slightly. "Oh. Okay. Cool."

"Why do you ask?" Laura inquired, a curious glint in her eye.

Fie scratched the back of her neck. "No reason. Just didn't want to get in the way or anything."

"In the way?" Laura repeated, her voice laced with curiosity.

"Forget it," Fie said quickly, waving a hand. "I was overthinking stuff. It's nothing."

Laura didn't press further. Instead, she picked up her sword and resumed her work.

"You're always welcome to ask me anything, Fie," Laura said after a moment, her voice warm.

Fie glanced at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Yeah. Thanks, Laura."

As she left the training room, Fie felt a strange mixture of relief and embarrassment. She shook her head, silently scolding herself for overthinking things.

Figures, she thought, her smirk returning. Laura's too focused and straightforward to get hung up on stuff like that.

Still, a small part of her felt lighter knowing the answer.