Task Name: Abel

    Anna’s eyes followed Ethan until the bedroom’s door had been closed and gaze shifted back to Mikhail with a sigh leaving her lips. Her head shook from side to side before she moved to sit besides him, noticing he didn’t dare to look up at her. Brows had been knitted together ever since Earth had been bought up once again. It wasn’t easy, not as much as Ethan made it sound to be. There were so many things to consider, not to mention the inconvenients they would both have to deal with by the mere fact of being associated with one another.

         ‘I thought you wanted to leave. You always talked about leaving this shit hole.’

  —— “I say a lot of things, Anna.” Alexei responded dry, turning his head to look at the bedroom’s door with his expression softening as he thought of his ex-navigator. “You and me know that with my record, I wouldn’t be allowed in Earth. They would kill me before seeing someone like me next to the son of someone as important as Ethan’s father.”

Ethan waited patiently outside of the bedroom, his hands forming fists as he thought about what Misha’s final answer would be once he walked out of that room. “I’ll go crazy if I stay here any longer. Their conversation could take awhile. It wouldn’t hurt to go out for a quick walk...no one should be outside at this time anyway.” Taking one last look over at the bedroom door, Ethan prepared himself for the harsh conditions outside before opening the door, the heavy winds slamming the door behind him.

              He couldn’t deny that, Ethan was right. Alexei had never been one to blend in anywhere and Colony Five wasn’t the exception but going to Earth and have all eyes on him like he was some alien… he wasn’t so sure about it and what kind of problems would that bring to Ethan? Wit his family and friends? With his job if he planned on having any? Alexei felt like he would be a burden, like he would hold back the ex-navigator.

                    Anna looked over at the blond, sighing and gesturing him to go into the bedroom. “I think Misha and I need to talk…” She no longer sounded cold or distant. In fact, she would try to convince him on the idea.

It was surprising to hear that Anna wanted to talk with Misha, with the topic obviously being about going to earth. After all the grief that Ethan had just put Anna through, she was still willing to talk Misha into the idea of returning home with him. “Maybe this isn’t just about what I want, or about what Misha wants to do...Anna is involved as well. Until Misha has his own place here, he will have to stay with Anna, and things are complicated  enough here as it is. He showed up at her door so unexpectedly, and she just isn’t prepared to take on another person...not for long anyways.”

    A sharp sigh was exhaled from between his lips, shifting on his posture to rest his back against the couch’s cushion and shake his head at what Ethan said. When was he going to understand that it life in Mars could never be that easy? He didn’t have much an option.

    “ —— You know I don’t.” Alexei responded, looking away from Ethan to glance over at Anna, who furrowed her brows as she met his stare from over the kitchen.

     “I was a great soldier…the best fighter…nothing will compare to that. Here I’m  just one of many but there’s nothing I can do about it. Earth is no place for colonists.”

Abel:

✪▐░▒ The black bundle of fur was mewing, trying to claw its tiny body all the way up to Cain’s shoulder. He couldn’t say anything or even listen properly to what Abel was saying as he was too busy focusing on the baby feline’s cuteness. It is obvious that even now the fighter was feeling nothing but absolutely joyously surprised from the way his dark hues were widened, his body stunned not exactly knowing what or how to even react. Seeing an earth cat was one of Cain’s biggest dreams ever since he saw one in photos as a child, and the dream has just been granted. “ I am not gonna lose this guy Abel. This was….One of the things I really wanted this entire time, ” Once Cain responded, his eyes were slightly away from the sight of Abel’s, with a slight flush on his cheeks

“Well, I figured...I can’t bring you to earth, so bringing you something from earth would be the next best thing.” Seeing warmth in his fighter’s eyes instead of the usual cold look he saved for others made his efforts to bring the small kitten onto the ship so much more worth it. It was clear that he was just as attached to the kitten as the kitten was to him. Was this the more sensitive side of Cain that he had wanted to see this entire time? Having him open up like this was enough of a breakthrough.

//It’s all schoolwork I’ve been doing, so I’ve been focusing on that while missing Abel’s blog terribly ;w; I have 4 weeks left though, so I feel better! It’s been hard trying to juggle both. I’m hanging in there though, because the end is near!

  Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a knot that had built up there from being crammed in a stimulation for too long. “Ah, yeah. I-I guess it really is easy to pin point the new guy, huh?” that wasn’t entirely great news either. Yuuri didn’t like the idea of his addition being so visible to the other crew members. It easily made him a target to any of the fighters that decided that playing Alpha was cute.

  “I’m Tyge. I’ve heard much about you, Abel! I mean… mainly from my own Navigator. Seems like you’re always the talk of the town. Aha– but I imagine it’s also intimidating. A lot of expectation with the privilege of being so great,” and Yuuri didn’t entirely mean to butter up the other male. Compliments came easy for Yuuri and he had the tendency to gush when someone that peaked his interest actually gave him the time of day. He only hoped that a stray ear in the hall didn’t pick up on his words. Those types of people were quick to tell others and if it got around to Cain – Yuuri wouldn’t know what to do.

   The raven brushed his shaky hands over his shirt as they passed through the entry way of the mess hall. “I’d like that, actually. D-don’t get me wrong! I’ve made a few friends already, but it’s always nice to get to know as many people as possible,” with the exception of most of the fighters. “Thank you, Abel. I really appreciate your kindness,” Yuuri proclaimed, his smile flashing across his features.

  He got into line for a meal and was met with some kind of gunk that was mentioned to be a type of meat loaf. Following that was a piece of bread to sop up any juices that may secrete from the hunk of protein. It seemed the bread was too dry to eat otherwise. Yuuri took a moment to inspect the pieces before scurrying off to grab a cup of water and a seat at one of the emptied tables.

“There is nothing wrong with being the new person on the ship. It doesn’t happen as often, but everyone stepped onto this ship at one point as the new person” he explained as he walked over to the lineup to get his meal. Abel had received the same meal as Yuuri and while he wasn’t thrilled about it, he had grown accustomed to the food that was offered in the mess hall.

Heading over to the empty table off to the side, Abel laughed softly upon taking a seat, blushing softly as the other male mentioned how well he was known around the ship. “It isn’t my doing alone. I work well with my fighter, Cain, as stubborn as he can be sometimes. It’s having that connection and working as one that gives us that reputation. When I’m working on my own for the day on any assignment that Commander Cook gives me, I try my best to go beyond his expectations. It isn’t always easy, but I want to prove that I can stand on my own and earn my success.”

    A question he didn’t even want to think about had been bought up to light, making Alexei to tense every muscle of his body as he leaned further back on the couch with his arm resting on the arm set and chin being supported his clenched fist. His eyes fixated on Anna at the kitchen, who curiously glanced their way as if to expect him to answer already. Being back, living with Anna, was he supposed to pretend the Alliance never happened? To perhaps try again with her? He knew he couldn’t ask Ethan to stay, so remaining together wasn’t an option either.

      “ ——I dunno.” He admitted, sighing sharply and turning his head to the blond instead. “Try to stay out of trouble and get a job, I suppose.”

He wasn’t at all satisfied with the answer, and he was sure that Misha didn’t truly have a plan. He was giving him an answer for the sake of answering him. There was almost nothing out here; the most he had seen were businesses with the purpose of helping the people, a necessity on this planet. “Misha isn’t cut out for any of these jobs. I’m sure that he’d like to do something more exciting and risky. Him staying out of trouble...that is easier said than done.”