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When Miss Hunter joined UNICORN, some days could only be described as consistent.
While the middle varied, a set of predictable variables made her feel grounded in the day-to-day. Mornings were filled with three alarms, the last of which finally pulled the cotton from her eyes, and a quick run just to fully wake up her senses. By the time she made it home, her muscles would be primed for some protein followed by a few apple slices as she got dressed.
In between all of that were his wake-up calls. Never late, always on time. Ever the calm, encouraging, and bright Caleb on the other end of the line. Those bright sunny days during her training to be a hunter were replaced with overcast, rushed mornings as a squad member.
He still called her, it wasn’t every day, maybe once every other day, that his voice would come through and remind her of just how much she missed him. Daily calls from him weren’t rare, but few and fleeting. Longing clung to her skin on those days he didn’t contact her at all. She hadn’t realized just how precious those mundane, routine mornings were until they were gone.
No calls.
No Grandma sending messages of encouragement.
No home to return to.
No Caleb.
It was just, Miss Hunter, a shell hellbent on finding the ones who took all of her precious people, her family, away from her. She took on every mission that was even remotely related to protocores. No matter the hour, the day, or how long it had been since she last slept, the mission took priority.
Those mornings where she looked forward to waking up were replaced with overtime at her desk, and worried mid-morning calls from Dr. Zayne, telling, no begging, her to sleep or her protocore syndrome could worsen.
Those days passed by in a blur. To be honest, she couldn’t remember how often she even ate or drank. It was so automatic that her body seemed to be keeping her alive, somehow, when her heart was dead.
So, when she had that opportunity to shift that daily life, she took it. The depths of the 109 zone drove her to question. And the visit to Skyhaven ignited those long-buried feelings that life was worth living.
Miss Hunter’s life began again one year ago. He returned to her, different…yet Caleb all the same. He came back into her life as if he’d simply been away for a year. A sinking feeling told her he wouldn’t have ever returned if she hadn’t forced her way into the Fleet. Still, if it took time for him to return, then, that was fine. As long as he made it back that’s all that mattered.
She was used to waiting for him. Fall use to be the hardest, as was that brief time between Winter and Spring when all the time they had was a week-long stay during New Year’s. Summers were the best, long enough to spend days at a time drinking in the starry sky, the heat barely bothering them as they chatted until the sky shimmered with orange. Those times were ephemeral and brimming with a warmth that settled into her bones. It made her feel unbearably cold in the absence of it.
It was doubtful Caleb knew just how difficult it was for her to witness their phone calls and messages become sporadic, less daily, more weekly—and then there was that time right before his college graduation, where it was monthly.
At least she let him have it for that.
“You can’t just not even send a text for two months!”
“I know, sorry Pipsqueak. I promise won’t go beyond one month without contacting you.”
She remembered doubting those words then, but that smile of his had a way of swaying her emotions like being pushed in a swing, her heart soaring higher with the crinkle of his eyes. Back then, Caleb pinched her cheeks, barely keeping her frown from twisting into a smile.
Liar.
There was a time where she whispered that word in between fits of tears and nights filled with terror. Waking up damp with sweat from the myriad of mismatched nightmares and flashes of losing him in the explosion. Each time she’d reach out, only to be flung back from what she could imagine was his Evol.
Why did you put me first? Why not protect yourself? Why did I let you go in alone?
It should have been me.
Those thoughts raced in her mind day, after day, after day, till she ran her soul dry. Work became an easy way out, a way to keep herself grounded and distracted. Zayne told her at their appointments she was taking on too much.
”It’s not good for your health, let alone your heart. They wouldn’t want this for you.”
He was right, she knew that, but a tiny part of her resented him for calling out her for it. Her friends noticed too. It was impossible to hide her pain.
That mission and meeting Sylus did very little to quell her fury and rage. That hollowness left where Caleb should be never quite healed, even after they reunited. As much as she was mad at him for not telling her sooner, she was more furious with herself for not being strong enough for him to realize he could.
More than that—any anger and frustration was dulled by the raw longing she had every time she looked at him. It was impossible to hide it, those tainted feelings that didn’t have a name. No, she just never wanted to give them a name, for if she did, maybe Caleb would look at her differently—as if she were something monstrous and wrong.
To find out he had the same all-encompassing desire was a shock, more than her own feelings of betrayal and anger at him for yet again not trusting her.
Now that they were together the days no longer blurred. Those calls she had missed returned, awkward at first and tinged with distance she didn’t understand. Caleb, her Caleb, her home wasn’t gone. Not really.
It just would take time to rebuild their secret base, a place that felt as comfortable and warm as it did before. So, she tasked herself at earning back that broken trust. Sometimes she’d call him in the mornings first.
“Pick up after 3 rings or text me. If you’re going to be gone in the Deepspace Tunnel tell me before you leave and after you return. Then I won’t be worried and run all the way to Skyhaven to—
“Who says I don’t want that? You, running all the way to me, your face flushed with those round cheeks all puffed up. That would be a nice change.”
“Caleb, I’m being serious. Please.”
A half-hearted smile and a nod, a promise but not really. Caleb couldn’t make true promises anymore. Yet, he told her plainly that he at least wanted to try to keep them. That was enough. All she needed was an assurance, a vow that he’d allow her through the crack in the wall he’d built. She’d already opened her fractured heart, again, and again.
“Ok. I won’t leave you hanging.”
As their relationship changed, no…evolved, she came to understand him a little more. The anger that tore through her soul back in Skyhaven had long twisted into a deep desire to drag him home someday. She’d act as his tether, pull him back no matter how far into the skies he went; she’d anchor him to Linkon.
So, Miss Hunter’s routine changed focus. Her goals expanded.
Don’t worry him. Remain consistent. Let him know you’re someone he can return to. Let him know you love him.
The new routine seemed to work. Her anxiety settled. And those once precious days returned.
Well, almost...
“You sure you don’t need to head to the sickbay Miss Hunter? You’re practically drenched from head to toe and covered in scrapes and bruises!” Nero’s nagging crackled in her communication device. Miss Hunter winced, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she chose to ignore the water gushing from a broken hydrant nearby.
Xavier locked eyes with her, an amused smile alerting her to just how silly she must have looked. She turned away, whispering, “No! I’m fine, really. No pain or anything. Plus if I did, then my photos and report on that extra rare wanderer won’t get to your desk today.”
Nero sucked in a breath. “Fine. Xavier wouldn’t tell me anythin,g and that guy seems to have turned off his comms.”
Miss Hunter raised a brow, shooting her partner an incredulous look. Xavier shrugged, willing his blade away as he walked over to her. “I lost it in the scuffle earlier. He’s right, you should go change your clothes or sign out early for the day. What if your cuts get infected?”
Miss Hunter scoffed, shooting a stubborn “Fine,” at both of them. Earlier, UNICORN had been tasked with guarding a rare protocore transport, only to be blown up by a wanderer sighting. The damage to the block was contained, but at the cost of a few sidewalks and shop windows. Miss Hunter’s gaze surveyed the area, her eyes widening at the sight of a reporter chattering away. The camera pointed at her before she had a chance to truly bolt it.
Xavier called after her, but it wasn’t like she could simply explain why they were running away and abandoning the cleanup. That would involve describing why she really didn’t want to go to the sick bay and risk a call to her emergency contact. Caleb was probably still in the depths of deepspace, and a long-delayed message would only worry him needlessly.
The longer she could keep her injuries hidden, the better. For over a year now, her routine was finally back to normal. She didn’t need a sudden emergency contact call or a strange video of her online that could derail that peace she’d worked so hard to maintain for them.
She needed him to think her day was going “as usual,” especially since she didn’t know when he’d return. Still, she had to admit a little change in the monotony was nice, a bit exciting even. Maybe this would be a fun story to tell him when he came back.
Well…if she left out a few details, of course.
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“Miss Hunter! You have a special visitor!” Tara bounded up with a mischievous grin. Whoever this supposed visitor was made the girl’s eyes seem to sparkle with a knowing gleam.
Miss Hunter practically bumped into her friend in the narrow hallway. She’d decided to finish filling out her report at R and D before going home. Nero had been thrilled at the extra intel she’d gathered, and it wasn’t like she had anything else to do.
Still apparently, that plan was going out the window.
“A visitor? I just came back from a mission so I’m not exactly dressed for it.” Miss Hunter looked down at her now dried uniform, her white cuffs frayed and a few rips and tears at the elbows; she was not at all presentable for anyone important.
“Trust me…you have to head to your desk right now! Everyone is practically losing their heads over how long they’ve waited for you. Plus, I think if you don’t head there soon, an even bigger crowd will gather.” Tara said as she deftly turned her around. A light pat on the back made Miss Hunter stumble; her wide eyes blinked rapidly.
Who could it be? Someone who gathered a crowd?
Curious Miss Hunter headed down the halls, her hair tied up to avoid the splotches of blood she was painstakingly wiping off with a damp towel. The wanderers were particularly tough today. Although she didn’t look too weathered, it would be nice to stop for a quick shower.
Still, Tara was practically buzzing. Whoever it was had to be someone important; perhaps it was someone from the Association or Akso Hospital following up on the Kali Flower report? It couldn’t be Zayne, he was too busy lately with research to even spare time for a cup of coffee.
Xavier was a regular visitor, and not at all someone who tended to intentionally gather a crowd, more like he avoided crowds like the plague. Sylus wouldn’t be caught dead here—unless it was literally about something deadly enough to warrant a visit to tell her about it. Then again, it wasn’t his style, he’d be more likely to “kidnap her” while she was out on a mission. The only one she could think of was Rafayel, who was out of the country right now, so obviously not him.
And Caleb, he—
Miss Hunter stopped in her tracks, pausing to check her messages. He’d texted her this last week.
🍎Morning, the sunrise is a bit pink today, like cotton candy. I keep thinking about how the light would look peeking in through the curtains. Would it color your sleeping, scrunched-up cheeks pink too?
🍏Just say you miss me, silly
🍎I always miss you. Do you miss me?
🍏 🤭
She’d sent him an emoji, knowing all too well he’d be heading off on another mission in the Deepspace tunnel. When he was gone, contact was nearly impossible. He’d immediately read it, but most likely was already in the tunnel by the time he could respond. He didn’t say how long he’d be gone this time. A month, maybe more…timelines lately weren’t consistent. He’d long learned it was better to give her a time frame rather than an exact date.
It didn’t matter how long… just that he would come back safe.
As she rounded the corner, a small gathering of familiar faces from admin and recon were tightly gathered in a circle near the doorway to the hunter’s HQ. Their chatter was loud enough that it echoed through the halls.
“I can’t believe someone like that is here! Do you think we’re teaming up for a major protofield exploration? Otherwise—you don’t think it’s someone’s boyfriend, right?”
“Surely not…” A bubbly blond whispered. “I mean we’d have heard if a Hunter was dating someone like that—“
Suddenly, Jan from PR rushed out from the main office, her cheeks flushed as she was pulled to the side by Susie from the front desk. Miss Hunter felt awkward standing behind them. Somehow, it felt wrong to interrupt.
“What did he say he was here for? You asked, right?” Susie shook Jan’s shoulders, the earlier flush leaving her cheeks as if she came out of a daze.
“Taken. He’s taken. Here to see his girlfriend,” Jan put her hands over her face. “Why is it always the most adorable ones that are taken already? And gosh, that uniform!”
Miss Hunter stiffened. There was no way. Not a chance. Absolutely, he wouldn’t.
Hastily, she sent a text.
🍏Are you back from your mission?
If he were back, the reply would be immediate. Prompt. Maybe a little teasing.
After a beat, she sighed.
Radio silence.
Many huntresses had boyfriends, cute and handsome ones. Not to mention, many who wore uniforms of varying professions.
“Do you know who it is?!” Another voice, perky and squeaky, chimed in.
“It’s—oh um hello Miss Hunter!” Susie moved away from the door, soundly nudging her fellow gossipers out of the way. “We didn’t mean to keep you from your office.”
“It’s ok. I enjoy hearing about things like that, too. I get it. So he’s cute, huh? Maybe I should take a peek too?” A playful smile tugged up on Miss Hunter’s cheeks.
“Really?! We were just talking about how he’s just sitting at her desk, looking really happy. I was just saying maybe it’s his first time seeing where she works and—“ Susie was cut off by a sharp elbow to her side.
Jan smiled brightly as her friend doubled over in a coughing fit. “You can just go in, Miss Hunter. Sorry to keep you after such a long and exhausting mission. I’m sure you want to finish your report and take lunch soon. We won’t keep you,” she said, then gestured for the group to make way.
Just then, Simone passed through the crowd, her eyes locking with Miss Hunter. Raised brows and a hint of a scowl made it clear that whoever this was, Simone wasn’t a fan.
Simone pulled her close and whispered. “Hey, so the conference room is free. You know…the one that has noise canceling and blackout windows, Tara said to tell you.”
”Oh ok.” Miss Hunter replied, earning a light pat on the shoulder before Simone practically ran away. Whoever this was clearly ruffled her feathers.
Miss Hunter, while curious, decided it was best to listen to her colleagues—and her aching muscles, than worry about speculating. Although it was early, she could head home…probably take the rest of the afternoon off and play kitty cards.
Distracted, Miss Hunter checked her messages again. Still no answer from him…
Miss Hunter shouldered past her colleagues en route to her desk, her eyes glued to her phone. It was normal for him not to get back to her when in the Deepspace Tunnel. Only once had he been able to reach her, and even then, that was still within Skyhaven airspace.
Still, her mind couldn’t help but wonder how he was doing, where he was, and…when they might be able to share a meal again.
“The guys from the Fleet are pretty tight-lipped and a little, I dunno…intimidating? I hear they aren’t really dating material,” A girl chattered.
“Says who? Oh Miss Hunter’s here!” Another popped her head up, briefly locking eyes with the girl in question. Miss Hunter followed her line of sight, darting back and forth from her to her desk, where a familiar figure was seated.
Miss Hunter felt like cold water had been splashed onto her. It didn’t match. This scene of him leaning back in her chair, his boots propped up on her desk, resting his chin on his palm as he stared at a neatly framed photo. His entire physique seemed to dwarf her desk. He had always been absurdly tall and muscular, but something about the Fleet’s training regimen had filled out his shoulders and chest. From a distance, it would be hard to tell what expression the Colonel wore, amusement or an air of indifference. But for her it was clear as day. Even underneath that cap, she could see the corners of his lips turning upward.
In his hand was a copy of one of their photos from their first “technical” date. She’d decorated the frame with heart stickers and hid it safely in her drawer. Clearly, he’d been waiting for a while and sifted through her desk.
Caleb, you meanie. She thought, her lips pressing into a thin line to quell the anger and embarrassment thrumming in her chest. The fact that he’d intruded on her little safe space!
But didn’t he say he wanted to keep a low profile? Why was he here at headquarters?
“Oh my gosh, he must be Miss Hunter’s boyfriend! I saw a picture of him on her desk and—“
Miss Hunter’s cheeks flushed, her mind whirring as she rushed to her desk. Her fists balled, she stood over her boyfriend with her heart in hyperdrive. A part of her was elated while the other was a torrential storm of nerves and concern.
He wouldn’t come without a reason. Professional maybe. It had to be something like that. Otherwise, why would he risk so much unwanted attention?
Miss Hunter looked down at her clothes, then back at the seemingly distracted Colonel. Then it hit her. He saw it. Somehow, somewhere, he heard about it. Oh no.
The pure dread filling her veins was all too familiar. Memories of reluctantly meeting Caleb at her elementary school gate, her knees skinned and bloody came to mind. Back then, as they walked home she could see his expression turn from all smiles to a cold and simmering anger. Every time without fail he’d scold her, tell her to not keep from him if she was bullied, and even if she wasn’t—then she needed to tell him every detail of how and why she was hurt.
Surely that wasn’t it. There’s no way he’d be that tuned in to her every move.
“Colonel Xia, it is a pleasure to see you again. Will you please follow me to the conference room? I’ll debrief you there.” A pretty smile, taught and practiced, held the tension within Miss Hunter as Colonel Xia craned his neck to look up to her.
A polished grin rose and fell at the sight of her. “Are you sure you don’t need to visit the sick bay first, Miss Hunter?”
“No, I assure you I’m fine. Let’s move somewhere we can talk, privately.”
He stood up, towering over her with his practiced smile. From the years of countless silent fights and pointless squabbles, Miss Hunter could tell the Colonel was none too pleased about even just some minor cuts and bruises.
“Lead the way then, Miss Hunter. I can tell we’ll have a lot to chat about regarding your past mission.”
A knife slipped and jabbed itself into her chest. Of course, he’d probably heard how poorly their reconnaissance mission had gone. Whether he heard about it just as he landed or in passing gossip on his way in didn’t matter. What did matter was the simmering stare at her back as they made their way down the hall. It was so intense that she didn’t mind the curious glances of her fellow hunters as she ushered the Fleet Colonel into Conference Room 01.
With a sigh, she closed the door behind her, locking it with a simple press of her palm. Bracing herself for a tongue-lashing, she switched on the cloaking on the glass windows. The lights dimmed, making her curse. Of course, she hit the wrong one.
“We should be safe to talk normally in here. So whatever you want to say Caleb, go for it. I probably deserve it.”
Caleb took off his gloves and hat and placed them on the oblong table. He leaned back and crossed his arms, relaxed yet tense, as if he were preparing for the role of ‘good cop’ in an interrogation. It reminded her of their reunion. Her jaw tensed, the memory bubbling up emotions she tried to keep buried. She still didn’t like it. This uniform, what they made him do, and how distant it made him feel...
Inside that regalia of metal tassels, leather, and finely pressed cotton was her Caleb. Still, for all the responsibilities and secrets it made him carry, resentment was too simple a word to encapsulate what crossed her mind every time she saw him in it. Even now, she wanted to rip off that jacket, unbutton that collar, and run her hands over what was underneath.
If she could replace and overwrite everything that touched her Caleb, well, then maybe she’d feel a little better about how long they kept him away this time.
“We haven’t seen each other in weeks. I was hoping to find you in one piece,” He cocked his head to the side. His gaze met hers, cold and seething. “How is it that I listened to your request to be more careful, and yet–here you are breaking promises?”
“It’s just a few cuts and scrapes Caleb, seriously. You should see the pile of Wanderer dust I left behind,” Miss Hunter rolled her eyes. She walked over to him, crossing her arms to mimic him. Teasingly, she raised a brow. “What about you? After such a long time away, I doubt you just came straight here without treating a few cuts and scrapes yourself.”
In one smooth movement, she was drawn to him, one arm pressed firmly on the small of her back, while the other gently reached up to cup her cheek. He zeroed in on the cut above her eye, barely hidden by her bangs. She could see that flicker of light in his gaze, replaced with a darkness that could entrap her in its depths.
Ignoring the heat rising on the back of her neck, she chose to stifle that anger of his with a simple press of her index finger to his brow. His narrowed gaze rounded.
“Don’t be upset. I’m fine, Caleb. Just a scratch.”
“Doesn’t look like that to me,” He replied, his tone on the cusp of being stern and gentle. “Why didn’t you get this checked out at the hospital?”
The depth of his voice made her shiver, not certain whether she was being scolded or coddled. Miss Hunter bit her lip, lost for a moment in the reality that he was standing before her, whole and real. The mission was long, but not dangerous enough that any injuries were visible. She found herself placing both hands on his cheeks and turning his head from side to side just to double-check.
A laugh snuck out, just as that familiar grin bloomed across his lips. His hands dwarfed hers as he entwined their fingertips. Absently, he began to rub his thumbs across her knuckles. “I’m still in one piece, see? Now, let's get back to you Miss- ‘I’m fine, Caleb,’ when clearly you need at least some ointment on those scratches.”
Miss Hunter scrunched up her nose at his obvious attempt to mimic her. It reminded her of those days he’d mimic her whining back to her, ‘I’m tired Caleb,’ and ‘I wanna go home now, Caleb’ over and over until she found herself sick of her own whining. Maybe that was the point.
“I really am fine. This is normal for a Hunter. What are you really doing here? It’s unlike you to come in full uniform. Draws too much attention…” she said, pinching his cheek before laying a kiss on his nose. “I don’t mind people complimenting you, but in moderation, please?”
“Oh, is Miss Hunter jealous? Green is a nice color on you,” He chided, guiding her to straddle his thigh. “To answer your question. Only one reason.”
She swallowed, a heat bubbling in her stomach as he moved her to sit on his lap.
“I only need one,” Caleb leaned in close to her ear. “You.”
The heat from his breath was dizzying. They were close…too close…and not at all in an appropriate position. It wasn’t like she’d say no to him.
They just needed to not get caught. Feeling a surge of anxiety, she lightly tapped her fist against his chest.
“Caleb this is—we can’t right—” she stammered, her head feeling light at the thought of taking things a step further.
“I think a punishment is in order for a certain disobedient girl. When promises are broken anything is fair game. Wouldn’t you say, Miss Hunter?” Caleb smirked, his breath brushing against her ear.
She turned two shades crimson as she struggled to turn away from him. Just as she was about to make it to the door, gravity pulled her back. Her heels slid across the floor as he spun her towards him and made her fall right back into his lap. His large frame pinned her in, those thick arms on either side of her as he loomed over. A boyish grin, all too familiar, made it clear he was toying with her.
“Punishment? Really, how are you going to do that, Colonel Xia? Am I on probation or an indictment?” Miss Hunter raised a bow, keeping her head held high.
Caleb cocked a knowing brow as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small metal box. With a flick of his wrist, his evol flipped the lid open. Inside was a miniature first aid kit. Her eyes rounded as she watched him take out a small pot of ointment.
Miss Hunter scoffed, rolling her eyes as Caleb pressed down on her waist with his evol, restraining her with no chance of escape. The pressure held her on his lap while his long fingers began to gently smear the ointment over the cuts on her cheek. The warmth of his touch made her tense, all too aware of how close they were and how a slight squirm could make her lose the last shred of her sanity.
“While I’d like to take more of you right here and now… It’s not appropriate for someone so injured,” he said, roughly turning her chin to face him. The amusement dripping from his tone made her spine straighten.
“You’re upset.”
“I’m not. Hold still,” Caleb mused. He made short work of tending to such minor wounds; it was almost laughable. Still, the fact that he was so concerned was nice.
Miss Hunter squirmed under his evol. He must have found it amusing, for as soon as he pulled back his gravity she fell into his arms. “Don’t think I didn’t see that makeshift wrist splint. Did you avoid going to the hospital because you were afraid they’d contact me?” He held her close to his chest, and rubbed his cheek against the crown of her head. She nestled herself in the crook of his neck, and drank in his scent–a mixture of cherry and vanilla, the same distinct scent of her shampoo. Had he stopped by her place on his way here?
“No. It just wasn’t a big deal, barely a sprain. What about you? I told you not to feel like you have to make yourself perfect every time you come to see me,” she sighed, absently beginning to play with his fingers. “Did you even get any sleep before you came here or did you rush just because you heard I may have gotten hurt?”
A sharp intake of breath was her answer. Caleb stroked her hair, leaning into her touch as he pressed his palm to hers, absent of feeling, the metal underneath that mimetic skin so cold it stole her warmth. Still, even that feeling was something she missed too.
“Perfect huh? Well if it comes across that way to you, then mission accomplished,” he let out a hollow laugh. “No, I didn’t know you got hurt, or I’d have met you on site. I missed you, a lot. So I came. That’s all.”
There was something in his voice that worried her, an exhaustion that didn’t seem to ever truly leave him. Miss Hunter sat up, and gently stroked his cheek, reaching out to him with her evol. The golden tendrils enveloped them, resonating and pulsing with the beat of two unified hearts. The gesture made him flinch and draw those nebula-kissed eyes to hers.
“I missed you too. Though it is a bit surprising you came all the way here just to see me at work. Let me guess, you don’t have long here in Linkon before you go back?” Miss Hunter tilted her head with a knowing smile.
He swallowed her in his embrace, brushing his nose against her forehead as he left a light kiss. “Yeah, and I won’t be back for a long while.” His voice was rough as he left a kiss along her brow, then her temple. “You’ll hear about it and may not like what the Fleet is up to. But it’s all within limits. So keep trusting me, please? I promise. I’ll come back safe and sound, hmm?”
Miss Hunter averted her eyes as Caleb gently kissed her forehead.
“Are you mad?”
“No.”
“Sulky then?”
A pause between them made the room suddenly feel cold. He never told her the entire truth, and tended cover up the ugly side of his work with just a smile. Why did he think she wouldn’t approve? Of course she trusted him. After seeing how much their botched reunion Skyhaven devastated him, it was clear her Caleb remained, even if a new one had emerged—no a side she didn’t know about. Even now, there was a need to remind herself that Caleb in front of her was the same boy who blew on her knee caps when she scraped them, snuck out at midnight to play in the garden, and rose with her at sunrise to sit on the rooftop.
The man who died and came back. The man she loved and missed so much that her heart shattered when he looked at her as if she wouldn’t, no… couldn’t, accept him for who he was. Same, yet different. A Caleb who liked to remind her and ask, repeatedly, if this version of him was acceptable.
The same Caleb that looked at her as if the world would end if she said anything but “Ok.”
She cupped his cheek, her chest rising and falling as she contemplated what he really, truly needed from her. She gave him a soft light kiss, his warmth pillowy on her lips as she pulled back to ruffle Caleb’s hair.
“As long as you come back to me, whatever I hear won’t matter. I trust you. So just be safe, ok?”
Caleb’s eyes rounded as shock seemed to fade into a resigned sigh. His eyes closed, Caleb leaned back pulling her down on top of him on the table.
“Cross your heart a thousand times and no take-backs?”
“Or I’ll swallow a thousand needles.” She giggled, lifting herself up to grin at him.
Caleb’s hand went to the back of her neck, pressing her closer to him. The gesture elicited a squeak from her throat, a sound that made a smile bloom across his lips.
“Nah, I’ll be the one swallowing those needles. Who would dare let such a sweet little one do something so dangerous?”
“50/50 then, we’ll share,” she sang, giving him a light peck.
Caleb gently stoked her hair then kissed her ear, his lips hovering as his voice deepened. “Are you really going to give me just a taste? When I’ve come all this way?”
Her head felt fuzzy, as a haze seemed to dance across her eyelids. She balled her hand into a fist, pressing it against his chest in a weak attempt to widen the distance between them.
“Caleb! Are you being serious right now?” She hissed, her voice morphing into a squeaked whisper.
“You locked the door. It’s just us in here. Even then, we’ve spent a lot of time together in even more precarious circumstances before,” he grinned, pressing his forehead to hers. “I’m just asking for a bit more. Enough for me to live on for these next few days. Pleaaase?”
Miss Hunter knew he was teasing her and finding too much joy in it. Defiantly, she gave him another peck, “There, satisfied?”
An arm snaked around her waist and pressed her back to his chest. “I’ll be satisfied with just a bit more. I promise I won’t be too greedy.” He tipped her chin up, bending down so his lips brushed over hers as he dared to whisper such a dangerous lie.
“Liar,” she scoffed. “How can you say such a pathetic lie to someone who knows you best? Still fine. If we hear one movement outside the door…” The hesitance in her voice only deepened his smirk.
Permission was granted and the deal struck as he pulled her into his orbit. His kiss was relentless, claiming her as his own with a trembling thirst. He gnawed and sucked her bottom lip, the sensation blistering and tantalizing as she struggled against him for air. A moan of pleasure escaped, her whole body tensing against it. Miss Hunter’s nerves were set alight as she felt him tremble beneath her.
Caleb always knew how to twist the situation into his favor. Use her words against her to catch her in a carefully planned trap. It made her want to do the same. Use whatever she could to pull him back into her orbit this time.
Her evol flared, daring to resonate with him as they collided, the heat behind their lips as hot as two dying stars. The coarseness of how chapped his lips were and the faint taste of that lemon balm she’d bought him, made her smile. Caleb always used everything she gave him. Miss Hunter giggled as he pulled back, time slowing as those pretty eyes of his seemed to become dull and unfocused, lost in the dream of her.
“Not playing fair huh?” He chided, using his full weight to switch positions. Now, she was straddling him, his hand on her waist, hot and all too focused on making sure she felt the power gap between them.
“Fair? When have I ever played fair?” She taunted, leaning in for another taste of him.
“Silence, I won’t tolerate any insubordination.” He pressed his index finger to her lips. This time, the kiss was ravenous and biting, as if he were trying to swallow her whole. An involuntary whine escaped her lips as she returned the kiss in kind, gnawing on his lip just enough for him to pull away, breathless.
His thumb traced her bottom lip. “It’s not enough,” his voice thinned and weakened, as if gravity had stolen sound and replaced it with the rhythmic resonance of their heartbeats. There was a honeyed sweetness in his gaze, wet and glistening as if looking at her created stars in his eyes. He left feathered kisses on her knuckles, remaining transfixed on her as if the depth of his gaze was asking for permission to swallow her whole.
Caleb always had a way of pulling her back in, without fail, and he knew it.
In her chest a strange heat rose, her evol flickering and threatening to pull his gravity into her obit. That awful, terrifying and exhilarating feeling of needing all of him to be hers, the desire to overwrite anything and everything until just the two of them remained.
Caleb leaned in, sucking on her bottom lip as if he were begging for her permission. She slung her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, searching for the root of that insatiable thirst that never seemed to disappear. Suddenly, they parted, his hazy eyes refocusing. Had she done something wrong?
“Why won’t you really resonate with me?” Caleb took her hand in his, caressing it just as he did when they were kids. He’d always coaxed her into doing whatever she wanted with his evol: making a field of flowers bloom into a sea of petals, lift her up to catch a stray kite, or even just let her float up to grab a plate off the top shelf. The way he was looking at her now was reminiscent of those times, a reminder she could do whatever she wanted with him, just as she always had.
“Are you sure?”
“You don’t have to ask, pipsqueak.”
Her arms swung over his shoulders, deepening the kiss with a feverish intensity. With ease her evol reached out to his, gravity lifting her barely out of his grasp. That didn’t stop him, rather it made him even more desperate for her presence. He pulled her close, willing against his evol as stray papers, folders and chairs levitated around them. As if all were simply a nuisance that kept him from truly melting into her flesh and becoming one and the same.
His hand traveled down her waist to her thigh, hooking underneath to lift her further up onto the table. The feeling of his lips on hers, soft, and painfully fleeting made her wish that they could forever remain in this pocket of space, undiscovered.
She twisted his evol, harnessing it to roll them onto the floor, his precise control catching them in just the nick of time. He pulled away, shooting her a glare.
With a pretty smile, she leaned down and hovered over his lips, “You can’t always be the one to take the lead. My turn.”
It was an agonizingly slow kiss, slow breaths, and the feeling of her knee pressing down with the slightest pressure, all in the attempt to torment him, make him beg for more. Teasingly, she peppered his cheeks, nose, and forehead with kisses.
He groaned, frustrated. “That’s playing dirty.”
“Hmm and who is the one always playing dirty?” she sighed as she playfully began to kick her feet, her head resting against his chest. “How long do you have until you leave?”
“An hour…” The faint disappointment in his voice made it clear he was thinking the same thing. They both wanted to get out of here, spend the whole evening doing much much more. It wasn’t like they could treat those wounds that clung to the scars in their hearts in a place like this.
“Damn it…” Miss Hunter bit her lip, turning her head to look at him. “Really?!”
“I know... I know,” Caleb let out a long sigh as he began to absently stroke her back. “I wanted to provide a full inspection. But no, not happening. Not this time.”
Miss Hunter pouted, squirming under his grasp as he pulled her close again. Playfully, she tapped his nose, then stole a kiss. “I’m too Caleb-deprived. You need to spoil me more to make up for being gone for so long. You’re not supposed to leave that soon.”
Caleb hesitated, hovering over her lips as he began to smooth down her hair. “It’s not fair. I want to take you home,” He whispered, lovingly kissing her palm. “If it wasn’t for this next flight, I’d make you all your favorite things.”
A long sigh escaped her lips as she pushed herself up, her palm lingering over his chest as he sat up. Oh, how she wanted to rip that shirt off him right now.
Stupid Caleb. Dummy Caleb.
“When you get back, we’ll have all our favorite things. Stay up chatting until dawn… and maybe I’ll beat you at that new party game I bought,” she said, picking up his cap. Her eyes lingered on the Fleet’s emblem as her thumb traced the brim.
Right. Soon, he wouldn’t be just her Caleb. She didn’t like sharing him, but it’s not like she could say it. No… it’s not like he could always keep that promise to always stay by her side, or should. Caleb had things he needed to do without her, she knew that.
Still, this unexpected change in her routine was a welcome one. If she could just trap him…maybe he’d stay longer. Miss Hunter looked up, her eyes stinging as she pushed back those twisted feelings.
Caleb’s hands gently cradled her wrists. Perhaps he was thinking the same thing she was. Maybe he was only simply guessing her thoughts. Still, Caleb took his cap and set it atop her head. “Next time I’ll stay for the whole weekend or as long as you want. I’ll even make sure to be there every day when you wake up,” he said, his voice hollow and measured. Yet, a warmth still remained as he tucked away a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’d keep you always if I could. So, watch out.” She chided, tipping the brim with a wide grin. “Colonel Pipsqueak’s orders: be home soon, safe and sound.”
“Ok Colonel,” Caleb chuckled, ruffling her hair as he sat up. “So. What should we do for our one hour? Maybe an office tour?”
“Huh, you really want something like that?”
“What I saw on your desk was cute. That adorable photo of you from our last date with all those heart stickers. Aaand that Hunter’s Monthly magazine on your desk was real interestin’. Two articles from it really caught my eye, ‘10 ways to make your boyfriend miss you’ and ‘What your girlfriend’s desk says about how she feels about you.’ Real stimulating stuff.”
Miss Hunter blushed, shooting to her feet, as she inched away from him. “Huh, Tara must have left that in my desk. That sounds so silly,” she said, twirling a stand of her hair as she laughed.
Caleb sauntered over. He leaned over, hands behind his back as he bent into her line of sight. That mischievous fox-like glint in his eye gave her goosebumps. “I think I need to give Miss Hunter a full inspection before I go to be truly satisfied. I had my way with your desk, and nooow…” he pulled her back to him with a greedy grin. “I need to experience those 10 things the article mentioned. So, how long do we have this room for, hmm?”
Miss Hunter paused, then awkwardly pulled out her phone and texted Tara. After a beat, she playfully held up her phone. “Conference room cameras have been down for a while now. Sounds like it’ll take another hour for them to be up and running again normally.”
Caleb gave a light peck to her wrist. “Noted.”
⋆｡‧₊°༺𓆩❦︎𓆪༻༉‧₊˚.⋆
In a certain room, far away from prying eyes, Tara snorted as she watched two individuals leave the conference room. Miss Hunter’s hair was all mussed, her vest tied haphazardly, the white shirt she always kept tucked now hung loosely on her frame with her cheeks a rosy crimson. The Fleet Colonel, however, had his tie askew.
“So much for hiding all the evidence. Wow, a full hour? I knew she might have a freaky side but...” Tara shook her head, moving a video file labeled ‘confidential’ to an encrypted personal usb drive, she then deleted the “evidence” with ease. “Miss Hunter sure had an eventful day, Wanderers, special visitors—“
“What are you doing?” Simone asked, leaning over her shoulder.
Tara calmly glanced at her, then pulled out the drive. “Colonel Xia asked for it.”
“Wait, those two were just in there for over an hour.” Simone grimaced. “You didn’t.”
“She asked for it too.” Tara tilted her chin and smiled as she rose for her desk. Playfully she held up a small usb stick. “Anyway, I gotta make a special delivery to Miss Hunter. See ya.”