Catch the Stars ||Keith Kogane||

52

Trip was splayed out across the bed bigger than the one in her own bedroom. Haylie and Harron had a double, at least. She wasn't even aware that there were beds this size in the castle. Though, it still looked like it wouldn't be long enough for Harron.

"You guys gotta try the shower," she comments, spread out with her hands behind her head as she looked up at the ceiling, "it's amazing, better than the ones in the mountain."

"This place is better than the mountain," says Haylie, peaking her head out of the closet that came with the room, "it took us years to get some of this tech, and this has just been floating around space?!"

Harron grunts, tossing one of the bags onto the bed, narrowly missing Trip's head, "everyone thought this tech died with the Alteans," he reminds them, "we had to recreate it based on stories."

Trip shrugs against the soft blankets under her, "still couldn't get the showers right."

"Don't you have your own room?" Harron tosses another bag in her direction, this one landing on her torso and nearly crushing the air from her lungs, "go bug someone else."

Trip shoves the bag off of her and onto the mattress, "no one else gets annoyed like you."

There's a light thumping of footsteps before Haylie launches herself onto the bed beside Trip, bouncing them both into smiles. When Trip looks over at Haylie, who's giggling, she's reminded of their childhood. The good parts, anyway. When they were only children and not soldiers.

"Think they'll let us take this back?" Haylie asks, referring to the bed they were lounging on, "this is amazing!"

"God you two are kids when you're together," Harron grumbles.

Haylie reaches a foot out to kick his back, which probably feels like a pinch to him, "not when it counts," she says, "besides, you picked me, remember?"

Harron looks back at her with an unamused expression, "I picked you, not both of you."

"We're a package deal," Trip says, tilting her head to give him a smirk, "You knew that. Besides, were you gonna tell me to get lost?"

She saw a hint of a smile peaking past his beard. They all knew the answer. They were brother and sister before they knew it themselves, before Haylie was even aware of it. He wouldn't have said no even if Trip had given him that option. There was no way she was leaving Haylie for any reason, not even a husband who didn't want her around. Luckily, that hadn't been the case.

Haylie smacks Trip's side after a moment, "oh, I have something for you."

She pushes herself off the bed, giving Trip room to roll onto her stomach. Harron still sorting through his and Haylie's things, a mixture of training clothes, armor, and weapons of choice. A few casual outfits had been thrown in by Haylie, who was a chronic over-packer on any mission.

Haylie walks up beside him to take over, throwing around everything in the bag she probably wouldn't need, "where is it..."

"Well if you hadn't brought all this shit we don't need," Harron huffs in annoyance but doesn't stop her. Haylie ignores his comment, determination in her stance.

"Did she pack her entire wardrobe again?" Trip asks Harron.

Her second nods, taking a seat at the end of the bed, "like always. It's gotten worse, actually."

"Aha!" There's a shout of triumph from the woman being spoken about, "I knew it was in here!" she turns around with a grin, a small stack of papers in a rubberband being held up, "I know you say you're not sentimental, but I know you. And I managed to save these while the ship was being cleaned out."