It was funny, really.
That these people felt more like a community than any of the cities or towns she’d ever lived in. Smiling to herself, she knew that wasn’t quite right either.
They felt like family.
Among them, she was one more misfit soul. One more alien, but a welcome one at least.
It had been easy to fall into the rhythm of life on the ship. To feel at home.
#vss365

“Why don’t you?”
His smile wavered. “Why don’t I?”
“Escape,” she said, hands stilling on the papers strewn across the desk. “You could leave at any time, couldn’t you?”
Those amber eyes were alien as they stared at her. “I could,” he agreed, tone neutral. “What would I do that’s half so entertaining as your floundering, though? Lead a revolt? Start a war?”
Her expression must have been shocked, because he laughed.
It was so easy to forget what he was. That he was dangerous.
#vss365 #scifansat

Shock jolted him, locking the breath in his lungs. Froze him in place.
Even though he’d never seen her before, he knew her. There’d just never been a face to go along with the voice that had haunted his dreams.
His fingers curled under to resist the desperate need to reach out. To touch just to confirm she was real.
Brow furrowing, those dark eyes studied him in confusion. “Have we met?”
“No.” The word came out as a harsh rasp to make him flinch.
#vss365

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been trapped. Around him, the silence was deafening. Sinister. Studded occasionally with the dull echoes of memories.
Except her.
Her voice rose like a phoenix from the ashes of his mind, bright and sharp. Crying out for him.
#brknshards #vss365

Huck’s raspy laugh drained her tension away. His shoulder bumped hers, the contact reassuring.
“Making friends everywhere we go,” he said.
“You know me.” She shrugged, eyes on the looming Fey.
It’s eyes narrowed, clawed fingers flexing.
“You a feminist, too?” Straightening on spindly limbs to lean in, the Fey sneered. “Gonna whine at me about being mean?”
“No.” Huck smiled and socked him in the face.
She scowled. “I had it.”
“Oh, I know. I just really wanted to punch him.”
#vss365

“You want to talk about fate? Destiny?” She demanded, rounding on him to make him stumble to a stop. “This place was all my dad. It’s not mine and it never was. I can’t help you.”
He reached for her sleeve. “You’re his daughter, he-“
“Left us!” Her hands balled into fists, as she shrugged off his hand. She’d shoved that betrayal down deep where it couldn’t hurt, but it came roaring to the front now. “He left us to play make believe!”
His shoulders sagged, unwilling to meet her eyes.
#vss365

At some point, everyone ran out of second chances. In the constantly unfolding collateral damage that was her life, she’d had more than her fair share.
Which made how badly she’d wasted them all even worse. But apparently she was lady luck’s favorite idiot.
One more last chance. One more hand dealt.
Thinking back, she could pinpoint the exact moments when things had started unraveling. In the moment, though?
She could never see the cliff coming until she stepped off of it.
#vss365 #FridayKiss

“Listen up, punk rock.”
“Punk rock?” He echoed, one eyebrow lifting to make the piercing in it wink in the light.
She waved a hand vaugueky at him to encompass the chaotic Mohawk, the piercings, and the heavy boots. Face heating, she tried to keep her momentum and nerve from failing her. “You look like an extra in an 80’s music video, but that’s not the point. We-“
“That’s rather hurtful.” He interrupted, leaning his arms on the railing.
“I’m sorry?”
“You’re forgiven.”
“No. That’s not-“
#vss365

“If we’re going to risk our lives, at least tell us why.”
Her breath hitched. She’d known it was atrocious of her to ask them for help, but refuse to tell them why. Known that she’d have to explain eventually.
“Who are they?” Tal’s clawed hand gripped her arm.
The words caught in her throat, the bright panic she’d thought buried bubbling up.
“My husband’s men,” she managed, chin lifting defiantly.
Behind them, the captain coughed out a harsh, poorly smothered laugh.
#vss365