Chapter Text
The space was big. Big enough for every star to exist and not burn every asteroid or planet down. For the beans to find the Ore+ asteroid and still research on new ones every other day. It was fascinating. Red always dreamed of being able to visit the endless void. Of seeing other planets or maybe even walking on them. He dreamed big. Red always did. And sure he did at the time he got an unpaid internship at Airship. It wasn't even that long ago.
They remember the first day and first seeing Purple. They were making some sharky comments about how their HR said that this place is the best job in the world while showing some lame office workers. Purple was always sarcastic. They loved joking about how bad their situation was, lightning up the mood. It always helped Red during hard times.
The internship itself… was far from good. They barely got food and just a small room with one lonely cube to put their things inside was waiting for the two beans. Plus the beds which were AWFUL. They both always joked about how hard it was to fall asleep on them. Well, at least they had each other back then. Now they don't even have that.
There was something so oddly unfamiliar in Purple's look when they sat together after… killing Green. It was still hard to believe that this happy and giddy unpaid intern was killing them without any regret. Red truly hoped that Green would have a better fate than he has.
But back to Purple. They looked so tired, so hopeless, like they just wanted to die on the spot. It was so strange seeing this expression on the face of someone who always seemed to find a way out, who always found something to hold on even when the whole world was dying. Red always admired their honesty, he couldn't imagine ever being like them. He feared that everyone would turn away from them, that they’d be not enough for anyone to notice them.
Purple seemed like the opposite of them. They didn't fear who they were, they frequently spoke their opinion outloud, they got most of the work done without any doubt or fear accruing to them. Red, on the other side, was always “without opinion”, since their opinion was always the one of the authority they serve, were these his parents or the Mira HQ. He was too scared of being left alone to do anything of these amazing things Purple did.
He…
He really wished they could be friends again. It was hard to admit. Especially after many months of hiding their loneliness, of saying that they're all good without any friends and being a captain is entertaining enough. But Purple was their first and only true friend, he just couldn’t not miss them. They meant too much to him. Red just wishes the incident would never happen. Maybe they wouldn’t have to carry all this knowledge around now. Maybe they would be happy.
Without any warnings, the door to the captain flew open.
"I've made some food. If you wanna join, I'll be in the cafeteria."
The door flew shut.
Red didn't have time to answer, nor even turn around to face Purple.
Why did... They do that? Why did the guard invite them to eat together? Not that Red was against it, he just really didn't find any reason why they would invite him. Guess Purple still likes them enough to share a meal.
Though their voice seemed a bit too high pitched, Red decided to dismiss this, it was one of the smallest problems in their situation.
Red looked onto the monitor that led their way to Mira. The road seemed clean from any obstacles, so they put on the autopilot and slowly walked out of their room.
The corridors smelled like death and decay, most likely the aftermath of Green not doing their work good and fast enough. When the captain passed on the O2 room, they took a short look inside. Just to check. Just to be sure that heracles was really dead.
The fish's corpse was peacefully swimming in the water, not disturbed by anything that happened here. But the dead look in their eyes reminded him of how odd Purple looked a few hours ago. Just the image of them made something inside of Red twist, as if saying that they might do now anything, including very VERY dumb and suicidal things. Purple actually never acted like someone with these kinda problems. Well, until now. That time they looked just as if they WISHED to be dead, to join heracles in heaven. Red couldn't really blame them. Their life must have been... shitty.
Red had zero idea on how Purple survived being unable to work at any normal paying job because of the incident, but they somehow survived until Red asked them to come into the team. He never saw such a shock on anyone before, but they were even more shocked when Purple said yes. Looks like they didn't have any job back then- but they still manage to survive... Maybe death just hated Purple, Red thought as he started moving towards the cafeteria again.
"Hey?" Red's tone was careful, trying not to scare away the other bean.
It took some seconds for Purple to notice his appearance looming over the door leading to the Weapons room. Slowly, they looked up from their fast-cooked pasta and locked their eyes on the captain.
"Can I- uh..." Red's uncertainty grew bigger and bigger with every second of the guard staring into their eyes. "Can I come in and eat?"
Oh no, oh no oh NO OH NOOHNOOHNOPHNOOHNOOHNOHNO
NOT THIS LOOK
THE "I thought you're better than this" LOOK
EVERYONE ALWAYS LOOKED AT THEM THIS WAY WHEN THEY MESSED UP HARD.
DID THEY JUST-?
"Since you invited me, I thought it would be a sin not to join my fellow crewmate during lunch!"
They didn't wanna say that.
It came automatically.
He was so dumb that he couldn't even control his own thoughts now. How dumb.
Purple is never gonna forgive them. They're going to hate Red till the end of the days, and that rightfully. Red was awful. He was awful at hiding his uncertainty. He was awful at caring for others. He was awful at pretending the guilt never existed. He was awful at doing the job he always dreamed about. He hated himself he hated himself he hated himself he hated himself he hated himself he hated himself he hated himself he-
"Sure, why else would I invite you. "
Slowly, the captain sat down at the same table as Purple, just at the other side.
"There's a portion for you in the pan in the kitchen"
Red did...
Not expect that at all...
He thought Purple just didn't want to be alone and that they didn't care or that they just were lonely- but no. They cooked for Red. After all of thi-
"Are you trying to hypnotize my pasta right now?" They didn't… sound angry. Annoyed, yes, but not angry. That made Red giggle a bit. He tried to hide it but Purple saw the small change in the visor.
"Yes, I'm hypnotizing it so it won't eat you from the inside and make you an imposter"
"WHATT???"
"You heard me."
Red stood up and entered the kitchen. It wasn't the most pleasant place to be, they remembered Brown's brutal death like it was two seconds ago. But now they at least had food again!
The pasta was actually pretty neat. It had a very good balance between tomato sauce and the macaroni. It tasted really good for just a two-seconds-made meal they were expecting. Purple used to make these a lot back then.
"It's... Very good"
"Huh?" Purple either didn't hear the question or was really irritated by the fact their pasta was enjoyable, Red couldn't read this from their look.
"Your pasta. It's super tasty."
"Oh uh- thanks..."
Red didn't even have to look up to know Purple was blushing right now. They looked hella cute like this. But not the "oh i wish to do unimaginable things to them" or the "I want to kiss them so bad" way, no, they just thought Purple looked cute when they blushed.
They both fell in a comfortable silence. Maybe their old bond was ruined, but they were together again, able to build new memories and a new friendship.
If only the world would let them be that happy for a long time.