#i covered Earth Wind and Fire for the rant girls IT WAS SO FUNNY

[bungostraydoggos]

May I request some imagines of Chuuya, Atsushi, and Tanizaki comfort their scared and sad fem s/o? I have had a terrible day and nee cheering up. Thank you

Oh gosh, I’m sorry that you’re not having a good day. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy this and make you smile at the end :)

Nakahara Chuuya

“Hey, do you think she’s doing okay?” The sudden question snapped out of Chuuya’s work mode. He set some papers down while giving the golden demon wielder a quizzical look.  “What do you mean doing okay? Is there something wrong with her?” After a few minutes of explaining, it appears to be Chuuya’s significant other hasn’t been feeling well lately. Her expressions has been sullen and her sighs has become heavy. Clearly, she doesn’t feel well.  “Haven’t you noticed?” Chuuya shook his head at Kouyou’s question. She shakes her head in disappointment.  “You’re a horrible boyfriend--” “--I am not!”Chuuya quickly interjects with an angry response. To the Port Mafia gentleman’s dismay, it’s true that he hasn’t noticed his lover’s blue state, but it’s all because of his busy work that he hasn’t been properly noticing as a good boyfriend should. Gradually, a tinge of guilt creeps inside him.  “I’m leaving. Please finish my work.” With that, Chuuya swiftly left the office and began heading towards to his motorcycle. Before he drove off to his destination, he sent a quick text to his partner, telling her to meet him outside of their apartment in ten minutes. Although, it only took five minutes for Chuuya to arrive at their place. When his girlfriend came down from the complex, Chuuya gestures to get behind him on the motorcycle while giving her a smirk that showed he has a special surprise for her. Moments later, Chuuya and his partner arrived at what seemed to be an arcade.  “Did you bring me to an arcade?” she asks him. “Yeah, what else would it be? Come on!” Chuuya grabs her soft hand and pulls her into the land of games. Several hours has passed since their arrival, and the couple played numerous street-fighter matches, skeeballs, air hockey, and water gun race. It was only until the two got in to a picture booth that they got to unwind a bit. “Let’s take picture to commemorate this day.”  About four shots were taken and each shot had Chuuya giving peace signs and kisses on his significant other’s cheeks. When they got out of the booth, she turned to Chuuya, “hey, why did you suddenly bring me out to the arcade? Didn’t you have work today?”  Chuuya kinda fidgets before answering her question. “Well, I heard that, I mean, I’ve noticed that you’ve been down in the dumps so I thought maybe we could have fun together...” He slightly blushes at the cheesiness of which he said. “You did have fun, right?” His partner couldn’t help but to giggle. She did have fun and if anything, it’s as if all her stress and anxiousness has disappeared thanks to her considerate boyfriend.  “I sure did. Thank you, Chuuya.” With that, she gives a kiss against Chuuya’s lips, and they both leave with bright smiles on their faces. 

Nakajima Atsushi

For once in a long time, Atsushi and his girlfriend got to go out alone together. He didn’t want to pressure her in taking her somewhere extravagant so they were at the Uzumaki cafe where they were both comfortable. Drinking warm coffee, Atsushi begins to talk about his recent moments with Dazai and simply complaining how much he’s been lazy at work. He keeps talking and ranting until he noticed his partner gazing at the window while halfheartedly responding okays through the conversation. Atsushi studies her sullen expression. It’s an expression he knows all too well, and he could immediately tell that there was something wrong. The were-tiger takes a moment before carefully forming his words, “are you okay?”. His question brought her back to his attention and with a simple shrug and a thin smile, they only nodded. Atsushi could tell that his partner didn’t want to talk about it and for him, it was okay because he understands. But still, it doesn’t mitigate the heavy guilt and sadness he feels while he sees his beloved one in gloom. He needed to do something---anything that could at least cheer her up even if it’s the slightest. At this moment, Atsushi gazes out the window and sees a familiar scene. It gave him a wonderful idea that could cheer his lover up. He checks the time, 9:00PM--- perfect.  Atsushi quickly pays the coffee bill and takes his significant other outside. Her eyes widen at the suddenness and she asks him where he is taking her. He said nothing but with a smile, “it’s a secret.” Not too long, Atsushi brings his girlfriend to what looks like a tall abandoned building. In truth, they felt a little scared and confused in coming to a place like this. She asks Atsushi once again, “where are we?” He looks at her with a playful grin and carries her bridal style. Before she could process anything, Atsushi activates his Beast Beneath the Moonlight and his tiger-legs carried him over the roof of the tall building. The girl slowly opens her eyes and meets the beautiful night scenery before her. All the lights of Yokohama glowed like dazzling fireflies and stars beamed like it was the sun itself. The cool breeze felt like a misty touch and Atsushi’s warmth filled her chest with fuzziness. She felt her expression shifting from sullenness to happiness.  “Finally, a smile.” Atsushi’s voice made her look at him with glossy eyes and slight tears. She could see her own reflection in his grey eyes. HIs kind gaze made her swell with emotions. She understood that he was trying to cheer her up with this beautiful scenery. Atsushi pulls her face closer to his and with that, he gave a quick kiss on the crown of her head, reassuring her that he is here with her no matter the sadness and gloominess she feels. 

Tanizaki Junichirou

When Tanizaki was about to head on home after a long day at work, Naomi clings onto her brother, begging him to go late night karaoke with her. “Come on! We haven’t had fun in so long. Let’s go, brother!” Tired as he was, he tries to reject Naomi’s invitation and simply go home to get some shut-eye, but that all changed when Tanizaki’s significant other came out of the agency. Her stressed and moody expression caught his eye. Frankly speaking, work hasn’t been easy as of lately, but it seemed like there was something more happening especially with Tanizaki’s lover behind that cloudy face. Naomi was right. It’s been so long since they had any fun, and this is the only chance where they can have a good time before another detective job pops up. Tanizaki made up his mind, “you know what, Naomi? Let’s go to karaoke but we have to invite my girlfriend too.” Although a little reluctant, Naomi agreed. After thirty minutes, the trio gets into a karaoke room. Tanizaki invited his partner over to sing with his sister. So far, their sad expression is still on their face and for Tanizaki, his hopes of cheering her up runs on a thin line.  “Hey, I’m sorry for inviting you over when you’re so tired,” Tanizaki tries to initiate a conversation as Naomi sings one of her favorite pop songs.  “It’s alright. It’s nice to go out like this sometimes so...” Tanizaki frowns at her disinterest and sullen tone. There must be something going on but he has no courage to ask. After Naomi finishes about five songs, she elatedly asks Tanizaki’s significant other if there’s anything she would like to sing. Of course, with the cloudy mood hanging above their heads, Tanizaki quickly interjects that he’ll sing something instead. Naomi blinks in utter surprise and tries to stop her brother, but it was already too late when Tanizaki began to sing September by Earth, Wind & Fire. When the music cued, Tanizaki’s girlfriend’s eyes widened at the horrible sound. She couldn’t believe her ears. Tanizaki was singing with horrible intonation. He had zero sense of pitch, and his robotic movements matched with the terrible singing voice. His eyes began to swirl due to nervousness, sweat, and exhaustion. As this kept going, Tanizaki’s girlfriend couldn’t help but to boisterously laugh at the funny sight. She didn’t expect him to have a god-awful talent at singing. It was absolutely silly, and she smiled at his nerve-wrecking state.  “I tried to stop him!” Naomi covers her ears in distress.  When the song finally finished, Tanizaki witnesses his girlfriend’s familiar laughter and smile. He puts away the mic while continuing to look at her happy expression.  Guess the late night karaoke was worth it.

[boneybabbles]

A book I will never write: Project 1

The air smelled of ale, greasy burgers, overcooked onion rings, and fumes. The thin, swinging wooden doors that led straight to the tavern next door did not keep out the rowdy noise of the crowd within. As glass shattered, shouts got louder, and the sound of bone on bone drifted from beyond the doors and thin walls, Andromeda looked out of the grimy window at the cloudless, dark purple sky. In all the hours she had been stuck in this stuffy, stinky store, kept away from the gorgeous open sky; there had only been one customer. 

A too chirpy vacationing couple that used this rotting store as a quick pit stop.

 “Have you ever taken the summer to roadtrip to all the planets?” they said.  

“Do you know if any of the Great Attractions are good along the way?” Inquired the tall male with a spiked hair and the common opalescent skin. 

The female next to him, equally tall but instead with rough, red skin and black rope like hair had the gall to ask 

“What kind of girl is stuck here for the summer, instead of being out with her friends?”. Andromeda begrudgingly replied politely to all their questions as they paid for their snacks, drinks, and a map. Even though all she wanted to do was snap back at them, she had a paycheck that she desperately wanted. 

Once the couple climbed into their rounded ship and glided away, there had been not a soul since. Unless you count the usual brutes in the tavern as customers.

Andromeda sighed what was probably the longest and heaviest sigh in history. The sigh was so long that by the end of it, her lungs burned and she might as well have been spitting fire. She turned from the pathetic and grimy window to the clock that sat above the squeaky glass door. Tick.. Tick… Tick…. The seconds seemed to taunt her, letting her know she still had two miserable hours left of her horrid shift in this disgusting fuel-stop shop. Andromeda would much rather spend these slow hours at home with Horus. 

She looked around the small, cluttered, dusty, repulsive fuel-stop store. It's a wonder this place is still open she thought while she leaned onto the front counter. The cluttered aisles were pushed too close together. The floor was more dirt, grime and gods knows what than actual flooring. And usually dead rodents could be found in the corners around the store!

 The only source of income were the nasty freighters that stopped by once or twice a week depending on their shipping routes. The freighters were more strongly built beasts, then civilized beings. They all smelled, they all had dirty, foul mouths (not that Andromeda was much better) and she doubted any of them knew what manners even were. Still, they mostly only came for the tavern next door and the freighter parking where they could park to get a few hours of sleep before they were off again. 

At last, Andromeda’s shift was over! She was already out the door before the next employee even crossed the nasty store’s threshold. She ran for where her hoverboard was tucked behind the back of the store, a long sleek oval of metal that could zoom a few feet above the ground because of Aristaeus strong magnetic core. Without hesitation Andromeda jumped on her board and zoomed out of the lot, the desert terrain of the planet's surface whizzing under her as she raced home under the forever purple sky. 

The ride home was filled with wind, dust, and the endless starway beneath her. As soon as Andromeda glided into the sandy grounds of her family's home, she ditched her board near the stucco house and ran straight for the matching barn. 

The barn had a feed room, tack room, a loft, and ten stalls. Only seven used for mytaugh. Mytaugh were horse like creatures that might be the outcome if someone were to mix a draft horse with a plant that sprouted from starlight. They were beautiful creatures that came in infinite colors and patterns with personalities just as unique. Mytaugh are esteemed beings because they choose only one person to bond and ride with forever. It is an honor to be chosen by a mytaugh. 

When Andromeda reached the plain rock barn, she went straight to Horus. He whipped his large powerful head around and let out a small, happy screech when the oblivious mytaugh finally realized his person was home. 

Andromeda slipped into Horus's stall and began petting the large mytaugh. The two were complete opposites. Night and day, dusk and dawn, water and fire, air and earth. 

Horus was tall with a dark blue coat, so dark it was almost black. He had small specks of lilac on his rump and sock-like markings on his ankle in the same light shade. He was built more like his ancient ancestors, the stocky draft horse, than the wispy, dainty, lithe creatures they were mixed with. Andromeda, on the other hand, was short with light skin. She was so short, she often had to look up at everyone even though she was fully grown, just like them. She had an extremely light opalescent skin shade that was light even for Aristaeus’ standards. Furthermore, she had no interesting markings or traits. And her build was lean and fast, almost like she should play the sports she was oh so bad at. 

Andromeda stood there just petting Horus for a while. Finally she vaulted her way onto his back ditching her harness, leaving it in the tack room. Horus walked toward the stall door and turned, allowing Andromeda to unlock it and swing it open. Just like that the two were off, racing out the barn and across the front grounds of their home. They ran and ran and ran until they peaked the top of a very tall hill that led to a wide open plain. 

The two went to plain almost daily. Its right behind their family's house after climbing the large hill that hides it from sight. Horus slowed at Andromeda's command and the two stood there looking down on the great stretch of land below. The sassy mytaugh stamped his leg and in an instant his voice was in Andromeda's mind. 

"You're not the one standing. Aka doing all the work! Might want to correct that thought of yours."

She rolled her eyes at his outburst. Ok, so they weren't standing on the ridge looking down at the plain. Horus was standing proudly on the ridge while Andromeda sat on his back looking over the plain. He could be so sassy and passive aggressive at times. It was quite funny. Andromeda thought. 

With one more thought directed towards Horus, the two were off loping down the hill, moving as one. The hill was tall and steep so Horus had to zigzag down it. 

When they reached the base of the hill and the large, sandy, rocky plain, Horus and Andromeda paused.  The pair paused there, breathing deeply, feeling each others hearts beat, listening to both of their silent minds. Just like that, as one, they took off like a bullet. They raced across the flat land, eating up the ground before them. Andromeda moved flawlessly with Horus's natural movements. They moved as one. One body, one heart, one mind. Horus let out a thunderous screech of delight. 

After hours of running, jumping and playing, Andromeda was left lying on the ground. Horus was behind her laying down also. Andromeda had her head resting on his side like he was a pillow. She was looking up at the sky as it faded into the universe's natural state. Soon it would be covered in stars that would light up Aristaeus surface with a faint blue glow.  

Andromeda laid there thinking. She thought about her job, her summer break, and her non existent friends. She also thought about her family. This brought with it, feelings of anger, sadness, and worry. All of a sudden there was a voice inside her head that made her jump. It was Horus. 

"You know," he said "just because I wiggle my way into your mind doesn't mean I dont feel your emotions too. Honestly you should know this. We are bonded after all, I chose you."

Andromeda made a humming noise agreeing that yes, sadly he could feel her emotions too. Horus continued,

"So it would be nice if you would not worry so much. I'm ready to throw up already! How are you not sick from all that worrying you're doing?"

"You're not funny and I am sick from it." Andromeda grumbled. 

She got up and sat on Horus's back then laid down so her head was resting on his rump as she continued to keep looking up at the sky. 

"Come on," She thought to the mytaugh. "Let's go home." 

Horus walked straight into his stall with Andromeda still on him. Andromeda slid off Horus’s tall form. She slowly made her way to the stall door and right before she closed it a familiar voice filled her head. Horus had been quiet on the short ride home but apparently now he had something to say. 

“It will be ok,” His mind's voice said “Whatever it is, it will be ok in the end.” 

Andromeda stared at him in shock, the stall door still half open in her hands. 

“W-what?” She stuttered “Don't you already know what it is? You're always in my head listening to me.”

“I'm always in your head but i'm not always listening. That would be so rude! Can you imagine if I was listening to you all these years! I probably would've died from your overactive imagination when we were younger.” The mytaugh ranted. 

He had a point. Horus was a yearling and Andromeda was six when he chose her. At that time in her life she was a very weird nurseling and most of the time her mind would run rampant. That was over a decade ago. But right now she was still shocked that he didn't know what she was stressing about. 

“Oh.. well.. Thank you.”  She grumbled 

Andromeda closed the stall door and meandered from the barn towards her family's house in the dark of night. Sleepily she picked up her hoverboard to carry into her room. 

She climbed up the dark wooden stairs that lead to the low front porch. The front porch was covered with a roof that was made of the same dark wood that made up the stairs and floor of the porch. The house itself was a white stucco single story dwelling, modeled after the architecture of the ancient worlds. It had many square windows all along the house to let in the light from Aten during the day and glowed yellow from light within at night. The front door was a very dark wood, almost black looking. It had beautiful carvings in it telling different stories in different landscapes. Stories lost long, long ago in the ancient world. Andromeda touched the gold colored handle and the door swung open into the house. It revealed a shouting match in the living room. 

Calypso and Vega, Andromeda’s sisters, were screaming and hitting each other with pillows from the couch. At the sound of the door, Andromeda's twin looked up from his position on the couch. It looked like he’d been watching the two while they raged on.  

Andromeda ignored her sisters shouts as she walked to the hallway on her right that led to her room. She stopped in her room to prop her hoverboard against the wall and grab one other thing. 

By the time she came back out to living room, the burgundy couch Atlas had been sitting on was turned over, pillows all over the floor, the mustard colored chair closest to their fake fire holder, was in two; and the other burgundy couch that was closest to Andromeda was now a wrestling ring for her sisters. 

Andromeda walked in front of the whole scene to get a better vantage point. It turns out, Atlas was still on the turned over couch reading as if nothing happened. Contrary, Calypso was now on top of Vega trying to do, honestly, gods knows what. 

Andromeda took the stick out of little ball she was holding, threw it near her sisters, and covered her ears. 

The small ball let out a loud piercing noise that hurt everyone's eardrums. The sound was deafening and shrill. It was so loud the whole planet could probably hear it. At the sound, Calypso fell off of Vega and the couch while covering her ears. Vega just gave Andromeda a hateful glare while covering her ears. 

The small noise grenade died off seconds later. Now it was time for Andromeda to make noise. She stared at her siblings from where she stood at the front of this mess. 

“Where are mum and dad?” Andromeda started off with. 

“They are out tending a sick Caw somewhere at some farm.” Atlas replied half interested. He didn't even bother looking at her as he said it. A Caw was a large air animal that somehow flew despite its awkward wings. They also produced milk that was drank throughout most planets. 

“Do we know how long they are going to be gone?” She continued.  

This time Vega answered her with venom in her tone. “They may be gone all night. The Caw is sick and expecting a babe.” 

Andromeda sighed at that. Sometimes their parents chose the wrong times to be amazing vets. 

“Ok,” Andromeda drawled. “Then why were you two fighting?” She said while jerking her chin at her sisters. 

Calypso was still on the ground glaring at Andromeda like she was ready to kill her. Andromeda stare her eldest sister down waiting for an answer. Atlas sighed from the other side of the room as he picked up a pillow. He threw it at Calypso as he walked out of the room towards the kitchen. It hit the side of her head and she blinked. At that, Calypso caved and said, “Vega said that ancient humans were smart and most likely intellectual creatures,” Calypso looked towards Vega. “even though our scientist proved they were all as good as pigs! So I started a debate with her to show her how stupid she was being.”  

“So you two had to start killing each other!?” Andromeda's voice was so loud it was almost screaming but she quieted down for her next reaction. “You two are brilliant but yet you choose to fight!? You debate the creature that's undoing was violence, yet you practice the same thing? Honestly you two should be appalled at yourselves and I shouldn't have to even say this to you! Why can’t you two go debate peacefully without hitting each other, just stick to yelling.”  She fumed at both of her  sisters. Vega and Calypso were both older than herself yet sometimes she was the only one that could think straight. 

“We may fight like humans but at least we don't work at a fuel stop like some heathen.” Vega seethed at Andromeda. “We also have friends and we all know when it comes to school, Cal and I excel while you… flounder at best.”

Andromeda grit her teeth and clenched her jaw. She could play dirty with them if she wanted to. Instead, “Just stop hitting each other. Fight and debate if you wish, I don't care.” She snarled before stomping to the kitchen to the left of her. 

Andromeda passed through the arch made of dark brown wood, into the kitchen. It’s warm yellow walls were adorned with pictures and paintings. The large round table in front of the windows, was painted black and made to look like their solar system with a beautiful and bright Aten in the middle. The countertops and cabinets were sleek and sterile, made of some kind of dark metal Andromeda did not understand. Despite the harshness of the metal, Andromeda loved this room the most because it felt the most warm and inviting. Not that the rest of the house wasn't. Cherika, Andromeda’s mother, loved ancient looking things so she decorated the family home like an ancient human home. It was inviting and plush. Made for comfort, not practicality. This happened to be one of the things Andromeda’s father, Loni, loved about Cherika and made him fall for her. 

Atlas was sitting on top of the island in the middle of the kitchen, eating a bright green and yellow fruit. He acknowledged her presence but said nothing. The two might be twins but you'd never know it by the way they looked and acted. Most of the time Atlas pretended Andromeda didn't exist. Andromeda made her way to the freezing box to grab leftovers from the night before. She heated the food up making enough for 2 people. Throwing it on plates, Andromeda walked to the gorgeous table to start eating. On the way to the table, Andromeda shoved one of the plates at her brother who begrudgingly took it and followed her to the table.  

They ate in silence. Andromeda kept to her own thoughts thinking about different things. She started to wish Horus could reach her mind all the way in the house. If he could they'd be talking right now. Instead Andromeda and Atlas sat in suffocating silence. Atlas finished his plate and as he got up to put it away, he said “Vega is right you know. I don't get why you work at that abomination of a fuel station or why your grades are so low. I mean you remember stuff but yet you still get fails in almost every class. So really, if you are that bad you shouldn't be appalled at them. At least they are doing something with their lives.”

With that Atlas left probably going to his room. Andromeda sat there with wet eyes just staring at the bright yellow Aten on the table. 

The room was suddenly colder and it seemed like the lights dimmed even though they did not. Staring down at Aten, her food completely forgotten, Andromeda looked at its bright yellow and orange and red flames. The middle was a yellow and orange circle that had a pleasant and inviting face on it. Off of the circle was Aten’s magnificent rays of light. All of them were wavy and came to a point but each one was different shade of orange or yellow with the occasional red. All around the edge of the table were the nine planets that made up our solar system. Balder, The planet of dreamers. Bragi, The planet of scholars and writings. Isis, The planet of the Seers and healers. Ptah, The planet full of inventors and scientists. Aristaeus, The planet of agriculture and animal husbandry. Pallas, The planet of Military Associations.  Kanaloa, The planet that distributes water throughout planets and nurtures all aquatic beings; Also the planet that is most like the ancient homeland, Earth. Uli, The planet of Philosophy and wisdom. Lastly, The planet the galaxy depends on most, Themis. The planet of Law and Justice.  

Andromeda always wanted to visit the other eight planets but knew she probably never would. That never stopped her from dreaming though. Late at night when Andromeda was laying in bed or when she would ride with Horus, She would wonder about which planet she would belong on most. Most people in her galaxy would spend about a year traveling the planets to see where they fit in most to continue their lives doing what they love. Statistics from Ptah show, that for every person that leaves their home planet, there were two that stay. Not because the person couldn't get off of their planet but because that was truly what they loved and had no interest in pursuing anything else. Andromeda knew that her sisters would probably go to Ptah and Uli. She also knew that her brother would probably go to Pallas or stay here on Aristaeus. What Andromeda didn't know though, was where she was going to go. 

She felt something wet fall on her hand. Andromeda looked down at the water droplets on her hand in surprise. She hadn't realized she was crying.  She hadn't even realised she was sad. That was because andromeda was not sad but in fact furious. The tear of rage quickly sizzled off her hot, enraged skin with a quick hiss.  How dare Atlas say that about her! At least she was doing something with her life! And she was just as capable of school projects as the three of them. Andromeda just happened to not particularly care about them. And if she ever wanted to admit it, which she would but probably never out loud, She was probably better than all three of her siblings. As Andromeda thought these things, her blood was practically boiling. She stood up so fast from the lovely table that the dark wooden chair fell backwards. Andromeda grabbed her plate and threw it into the sink with more force than needed before stomping off across house. She stalked and stomped through the odd kitchen of her home, through the half wrecked yet still beautiful living room, through the dark hallway covered in pictures and paintings, all the way to her room. Andromeda entered her room and slammed the door to the point of it almost coming off of its magnetic hinges.  Upon entering her room Andromeda looked around at the soft purple walls that matched Horus’s markings. She looked at her hoverboard that she had painted and drawn on so it would really seem like hers and not just a scrap of metal. She looked at her scale of their galaxy hanging in the corner of her room that she used to fall asleep watching every night. She looked at the pictures on top of the set of drawers that stood in front of her sleep pod. The hologram pictures that constantly blinked between art pieces she loved, her friends, and Horus. That was when her raging fire calmed down. Andromeda slumped against her room's door and sat there thinking about how to fix this. 

Andromeda hastily jumped up and practically ran to her tall armoire. She grabbed her black satchel and hastily filled it. Andromeda paused in front of her hoverboard and looked at her Epikoi checking the time. It was 2400  which meant she had half of a standard galactic hour left. Andromeda grabbed the board and silently bolted to the barn with her bag on her left shoulder. 

Upon reaching the barn doors, Andromeda propped her hoverboard against one and plunked her satchel next to it. She deftly opened the other barn door and crept through the semi darkness to Horus’s stall. The brilliant mytaugh was illuminated by the blue tinted light from the billion of stars that made Aristaeus glow at night. Andromeda crept into the stall and started to pet the mytaugh until he roused seconds later. She lovingly grabbed Horus’s large head as his voice filled her mind. 

“What could you possibly want at this ungodly hour, human. I am trying to get my beauty sleep.” If mytaugh were capable of facial expressions like smiling, Andromeda had no doubt the creature would be smirking. 

“Well,” she started whispering while stroking Horus’s long nose. “I just wanted to tell you that: once I can, I will send for you. But until then, please just wait and don't bite anyone's arm off when you get prissy.” she winked. With that, Andromeda wriggled out of the stall not waiting for a response and back out into the open night. She didn't hesitate as she slung the satchel over her body and hopped on her hoverboard zooming off of her family’s ground, onto the seemly endless starway, retracing the path she took earlier. 

When Andromeda reached the dusty fuel-stop parking area where there were about two dozen freighter ships parked, she hopped off of her board and began to look around. When she finally found the green and orange ship she was looking for, she tucked her board behind it where it would be hidden and ran off to the nasty tavern that had yellow light streaming from its ever dirty windows. 

The tavern was almost as bad as the store she worked in next door. The only reason it was better was because the wooden floor was washed clean from the puddles of spilled ale on it and the smell of fried foods almost hid the unworldly smell of the nasty freighters. The bell above the door rang as Andromeda entered but either no one in the large crowd heard or cared. The bar at the back was packed with brutes twice her size, half of them them singing an off key bawdy tune obviously intoxicated. To her left some tables had been pushed together and a large drunken card game was going on around what seemed to be two players fighting probably for losing to one another. And to her right were various dimly lit booths and tables with different freighters seated at them drinking, eating, talking, or sleeping. The tavern itself was modern enough but the wooden panels lining each wall suggested this place was originally built to feel old. 

Andromeda searched the tables and booths for one specific mass of muscle. She cut across the dingy tavern and slid down in the booth right across from him. In the yellow tinted light Andromeda looked over the man’s bright opalescent skin, that was taking on the same tint as the lighting above. He wore dark clothing contrasting his flawless skin but matching his styled hair. When Andromeda finally looked up he was smirking at her and had a mischievous look in his eyes. 

“Hello Elon” Andromeda purred and smiled. 

Elon was still smirking as his rich baritone filled her ears. “What do I owe this visit to, dear?” 

Andromeda scoffed and sat back. “Can I not visit my favorite brute without there being a reason?” She said. “But while we are on the subject I need a favor.” 

Andromeda was taking a gamble but she knew that out of any freighter she had ever seen stop here, Elon was the one most likely to help her. He was only about two years older than her and already found his job. They met on his first run to Pallas from Ptah. The young man had stopped in the freighter lot not knowing it was huge mistake.  He had walked into the store to buy a soda but after talking to Andromeda, who was behind the counter that day, he decided against it. A wise choice. That had been a year ago and since then, Elon would stop at the tavern and store whenever he could. The two had become something like friends in his stops and messaging when he was away. 

Elon chuckled at that. “I knew there had to be a reason for you to show your beautiful face.” 

“Alright Elon, stop flirting.” At this his posture changed. He sat up straight and was no longer smirking as Andromeda continued, her voice not a lovely, devious, tone anymore. “I'm trying to fix a problem I have and I was wondering if you let me ride with you to your next stop.” 

Elon sat back in his chair and studied her. His face unreadable. He was watching her so long she was about to squirm when he finally said, “Kanaloa is my stop then back up to Ptah.” 

“That's fine.” Andromeda replied probably too quickly. 

Elon nodded but was obviously still thinking things through. Yet all he said in reply was, “Why.” Andromeda don't know what seemed liked the blow she felt. Was it the question itself? Was it his deep baritone laced with curiosity and worry in a way that made it seem soft but harsh at the same time? Or maybe it was him staring so intently at her. Andromeda didn't know but despite herself she just stared at him. 

“I have a problem. I am trying to fix that problem and the way to fix it is to get away from it.” she said keeping her words short and frank. 

Elon sighed seeming exhausted still staring at her. Andromeda stared back at him and realized that in this moment he somehow seemed older. More burdened maybe. Definitely older in some way. He slid out the chair while saying “We leave early. Now.” and then walking away. Andromeda trailed Elon out of the tavern the cool night air hitting her face the moment the pair pushed through the Taverns front doors. Elon led  Andromeda to his green and orange freighter ship. She grabbed her Hover board and pack, throwing them into the back and then hauling herself into the front of the large ship next to Elon. Elon glanced at her as he started up the ship but kept his eyes ahead as they flew onto the endless starway. The only thing illuminating the two and the starway was the gorgeously cold blue light from the stars high above. 

The starway was...

-Boney