Archive of Our Own

Lime had accepted the job at MIRA tentatively. They knew better than to trust the conglomerate with anything more than a small sticky note that designated what wire not to cut, mostly because they knew if they even gave them that much the company would cut it just to see if it kept them all that much more rich. Lime had been burned too many times. They knew better than to let their guard down for the big guys on top. The forums had opened their eyes to such horrors long ago, from organ harvests to dissections to even taking children from their parent's pods, they had become woke to the horrors of such a company. Yet here they were, assignment paperwork in hand, ready to board a shuttle to Industria like they were recolonizing the stars. 

They were a victim of circumstance, of course. Their home planet had no need for an electrical engineer of their caliber. They were nothing but dead weight, especially due to their God-given curse. All were born with said curse, it wasn't JUST Lime who held the total color blindness, but with how others acted and had treated them, they might as well have been the only one. Most places only hired those who had met their true soulmates, as those mates who had could use different colored wires to make their work easier, more efficient for all the companies around. Any of the "colorless" ones typically did minor busywork or pencil-pushing tasks, shit that paid less than minimum and wasn't worth anyone's time. MIRA was, as unhappy as Lime was to say it, their only real option. Their older shuttles still carried the wires labeled with symbols only, the only ones they could actually work with. 

Lime had heard small stories from the forums, however. Small glimpses of hope from destitute few who had managed to actually find their soulmates on complete accident on the shuttles. Apparently, according to the few who had the ability to fully regain their colors, it was slow going. It starts so slow that they apparently needed long times in their soulmate's space to even see their own soulmate's colors. Lime thought it was all lies. It had to be. No hope could be found in a losing situation under the thumb of the MIRA Corporation. Lime watched as a small crowd of crewmates loaded onto the Nautil, one of the more modern MIRA shuttles. They sighed, tapping their foot against the metal flooring of the launch bay. The next shuttle to load was the Skeld, a few-decades old model that they swore was only kept around due to the history that the model had.

They trudged onto the Skeld's loading bay, planting themselves by a crate labeled 'medical supplies.' They studied the group that began to gather, trying their hardest to pick out anything they could use to differentiate the group apart, if anything to at least stay away from them more efficiently. A captain with their nose planted firmly in some handbook that looked older than dirt, a security guard with overgrown foliage, a set of what looked like chefs, a manager, Lime couldn't tell, some pompous doofus, and a meek looking intern if their badge said what Lime thought it said. 'What a poor sap, allowing themselves to be another cog in the MIRA machine. Then again, maybe I'm no better.' Lime shook their head, adjusting their headband slightly to cover their visor more. The one they couldn't get too much of a read on walked closer to them, and Lime could instantly tell it wasn't going to be fun.

"Hell-oo there, Lime! My name is Orange, I'm going to be the HR representative of the crew for our voyage, and also our color designator." They gave a typical HR vocal performance, squeaky clean and oh-so MIRA in delivery. "Now, when we do head count, be sure to line up at the front of the ramp into the Skeld, as it will help us in trying to make sure every crewmate is here. Also, please take this." They handed Lime a ball, smaller than a typical baseball.

"What's this thing?" Lime squinted at it suspiciously, turning it in their hands. It didn't seem dangerous, but for all they knew MIRA had coated it in aphrodisiac or poison or both, even. It could have even been a gremlin egg, God forgive them for even THINKING that.

"It's a Trust ball! At MIRA, our one defining trait is the TRUST that our clients put in us, so all crew members are given one to test their own trust in each other! I, unfortunately, can't join in said festivities. One too many for even numbers, you see?" Orange gestured to the newer arrivals, a pure black blob that Lime couldn't make heads or tails of, somemate covered in stones, and a crewmate in what looked like a lab coat and wearing a doctor headband, or whatever it was called. From the looks of it they were extremely popular as others seemed to crowd around them, sans the captain who seemed to grumble to themselves about a 'stupid, hot heartthrob.' Lime squinted, before looking at 'Orange,' who looked more like a concrete color than whatever an orange was.

"Listen, I'm only here for repairs and a check, not here to make friends. I'm planning to do my job and nothin' else here, Orange." Lime spat venomously, squeezing the ball slightly. "Keep your sneaky tricks to yourself." They tossed the ball back as Orange caught it, mildly shocked.

"Oh, err...As you wish, Lime! Simply join the group so we may depart, please!" Orange quickly sped walked away, returning to the emerging group around that scientist, doctor, whatever the hell they were. 

Lime groaned, shuffling to the edge of the group. They could finally hear the swoons of the various crewmates around this specific one, with various compliments levied at them.

"Oh, so handsome! I SO wish I knew what color they were!"

"Wait, what if WE'RE soulmates?!"

"Fat chance, loser. They'd be closer to MINE than YOURS, anyway."

"EEE! They're SO hot!"

"Swoon..."

It took only a few more minutes of the crowd surrounding the crewmate, throwing out more 'hot's and a few 'sexy's before they finally spoke up. "Everyone, please, we'll be late to our desired destination if we delay any longer. Orange, could you please do our tally so we know all necessary crewmates are here for our maiden voyage?" Their dulcet tone matched everyone's description, at least. Lime could see them a little easier up close, and now could tell that yes, they definitely were a doctor. They didn't trust the medical field, either. They could be a MIRA spy sent to harvest their organs for all they knew.

"Of course, Doctor..." Orange seemed to deflate a bit, returning their gaze to a clipboard in their hands. "Alright, when I call your name, please raise your hand and nothing more. First, Captain Red?" 

It took less than ten minutes for a name to be put to a malleable hue of grey, white or black. Not that Lime cared all too much. After the unnecessary roll call, the crew shuffled onto the spacecraft uneventfully, picking a seat to strap into for liftoff. Lime had the unfortunate choice of between the rich, pompous weed named White or the silent Black. They chose the lesser of two evils, planting themselves in the seat beside the shadowy shape, belting themselves in the uncomfortable chair uneventfully.

"Total bummer. My first ever job as a geologist and it's with fucking MIRA." Black sighed, crossing their hands. "I should've just been a lawyer." 

"Quit your griping. They can hear through the walls and will gut you for your organs." Lime hissed, glaring at Black angrily, pointing a single finger at them. "You're here for a check, right? Keep your head down and they might not harvest you."

"I...What?" Black gave a bewildered expression, shaking their visor before turning to who Lime thought was called Yellow. "The drugheads they hire at MIRA, I swear, right?" They sharply whispered towards their other seatmate.

Yellow chuckled, waving Black's comment off. "Job's a job, right, Brown?"

Brown hummed, nodding along absentmindedly.

Lime grumbled to themselves, saying nothing else. It was clear that they were just as brainwashed as the masses were. It was going to be a LONG few months.

Once they reached the vast emptiness of space, Orange had given them all the go ahead to release their belts and enter the main hull. The Skeld, as Lime had read about on the forums and seen on the documents, was a regular freight vessel, perfect to transport cargo to and from small distances and rarely anything else. Lime studied the blueprints of the Skeld almost as religiously as his texts or the manuals they still carried from university. Their belongings were one suitcase and one suitcase only, tucked in the cargo hold by a vent. The perfect spot for one who knew the score. They collected what little they needed, braced their squishy bone, and slunk into the vent effortlessly, as if it was second nature to them. They'd make sure they weren't preyed upon.

Blue followed the sterile halls of the Skeld, studying the layout carefully as the rest of the crew split into smaller groups, with Green and Orange following them as Red and Purple stayed in the security room, quietly arguing about something Blue couldn't hear too well. Yellow and Brown had beelined to the kitchen to begin food preparations and begin dinner, Cyan and Black going to check on the Ore-Plus in the storage bay. White had offered to follow the others before deciding to simply retire to their assigned dorm room. Here Blue stood, surrounded by mates with colors that were clearly defined, yet invisible to them.

They loathed this accursed affliction, it made poetry nightmarish, their job a living mockery, and life all around worse for them. They had long heard how doctors who never found their soulmate stagnated in their practice due to missing obvious problems and disease, leading to lawsuits and the loss of all their hard work. They sighed exhaustedly as they recounted how they had to study the shades of grey countless times to even try and identify the differences between a teal and a forest green. Evidently, they sighed a little too loud, as Orange whipped around quickly to face them head on. 

"Oh, Doctor! Are you alright? Do you perhaps need anything from me?" Orange clasped their hands together, a half-visor expression on their face. "Please, do let me know! I wouldn't want one of our lovely crew members to be suffering in silence." Their stare felt invasive, as if they were undressing Blue with their gaze.

Blue waved them off, softly shaking their head as they turned away from Orange's unnerving gaze. "Oh, no, dear Orange. Just reminiscing, that's all. These halls remind me of University, haha." They feigned a chuckle, hoping it'd be enough to get them off their pack. "Say, are we close to the medical bay yet? I must begin to prep for everyone's physical examinations as soon as I possibly can, I'm sure you understand."

"Ah, as on point as ever, Dr. Blue..." Orange swooned, not seeing Blue squint their visor ever-so-slightly. "On the left, all the way down! And, erm..." They fidgeted with the trust ball they held, avoiding Blue's direct sight. "Would you, perhaps be available closer to dinner, perhaps? I would love to discuss how you ended up applying for MIRA's medical team, and all..." Orange trailed off.

"If I may but in, I'd also like to learn that, too...There's not a party like tonight every night, after all." Green piped up, adjusting their cap slightly to also avoid Blue's direct gaze.

"I truly hate to let my fellow crewmates down, but I truly must make absolute certainty that everything is prepped for everymate's checkups! Please, do enjoy the party in my stead. You all deserve that much." Blue bowed slightly, hurrying down the hall. 

"Oh, please don't be a stranger, Doctor!" Orange waved as they continued down the hall, sighing dreamily as Blue walked away.

"They're one of the most attractive mates I've ever seen...Swoon.."

"Green, let's not objectify the hot doctor, now."

Blue felt their visor twitching as they hurried down the hall to the med bay, the door sliding open lazily as they stepped in front of its sensor. They sighed, finally alone for the first time in what felt like eons. They slumped into their new desk chair, leaned back slightly, and closed their visor for just a moment. Finally, they remembered what peace was. They sat, almost napping in their seat, before a rattling stirred them again. Blue sat up, staring at the floor's singular vent. It was rattling slightly, as if the presence of  air blowing through it was possible. Blue checked behind themselves again, before turning to the vent, extending a hand out, and closing in on the lip of the vent. Before they could even touch the lid, it flung open forcefully, leading to Blue leaping back with a yelp, slamming into the ground with a worrying amount of force. Blue kept a wide visor directly at the open pit of the vent, mildly hyperventilating as a hand grabbed the rim of the vent. They couldn't discern the color, but they pointed a pen at the emerging being in some attempt of self-defense.

Lime groaned as they steadied themselves, propping themselves in the opening of the vent. "Ugh, Great vent layout, MIRA. Just as crooked as your business practices..." The crewmate lurched further onto the floor, standing up straight. "Eh...Huh? This ain't no mess hall. Where the hell am I?" They looked around, before eying Blue, still on the floor. "Who're you?"

Blue blinked a few times in surprise, scrambling to their feet. "A-ah, forgive me, fellow crewmate! I never did introduce myself to you! I'm-"

"Eh, it's fine. I'd rather not know."

Blue blinked again, bewildered. "Y...You're not the least interested..?" The crewmate studied the short-statured one, who was clad in coveralls and a bandanna, their light grey skin blotched with whatever the vents apparently had in them. They were stocky, almost two heads in height shorter than Blue, and very annoyed.

"Like hell I'd care for some medical wondermate from MIRA. You're probably plannin' to sell our organs to the highest alien bidder, aren't ya?!" They pointed an accusatory finger at Blue, glaring at them. "Well, I ain't for sale, you hear me?"

"Ah-No-What?!" Blue sputtered before collecting themselves. "I'm sorry, I know the medical field has a lot to answer for, I'll be the first to agree to that, but I'm in no way going to harvest any organs!" Blue watched as Lime slowly put their finger down, their expression softening from righteous anger to a mild perturbment. 

"Hrmm...How do I know you're not a MIRA spy like that Orange-Concrete one is..?" Lime Growled. They grabbed a bottle of Iodine, pointing at it sharply. "What color is this?!"

"Ah-It's...Uhm..." Blue panicked slightly. "Uh...Dark grey..?"

Lime studied Blue, squinting. "Hmm...You pass. For now." They slowly placed the bottle back on the tray, wiping their hand on their coveralls. "I'm still watchin' ya. Can't trust nobody here." They turned to leave through the vent, back now to Blue.

"W-Wait, ah.." Blue hesitated slightly as Lime turned around to give them a side glance. "M...Maybe I could have your name, perhaps? So I may say hello, the next time I see you?"

Lime hesitated for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. They crossed their hands. "Lime. It's Lime."

"Mine is Blue." Blue offered a polite expression. "It's very nice to meet you, Lime. I hope we can get along well on our voyage together."

Lime grunted in response. "Don't plan on double-crossing me, got it? Damn gremlins are enough as is." Lime slumped into the vent, slamming the lid as they fully disappeared into the vents, a scuttling noise shrinking further away.

Blue stared for just a little longer, unsure if the interaction had even happened. After so many fawning over them, Blue was willing to call it a good change of pace. Even still, they were puzzled. "What...Even IS a gremlin..?"

Lime had made small nests of supplies in various corners of the ship. It had taken what they'd assumed was a day or so, as the supplies they took was hard to steal undetected. They begrudgingly thanked Orange-Concrete for setting up the party, as that gave them plenty of time. They had checked the map time and time again, making extra care that every nest was in a blind spot, in untraversed ground on the ship. They had exactly enough supplies to last them the voyage, while still planning to keep the ship in semi-functioning order. Hell, they had prepared two nests around the reactor just for that. Still, they certainly had their work cut out for them. 

Orange-Concrete, as they had christened them, was an annoyance. They constantly held 'team-building' events, even earlier than early, and were dead set on Lime attending. They had THANKFULLY dodged them by claiming the med bay door was squeaking something fierce, and had slipped out of their grasp yet again. They stomped towards the med bay door, grey rattily toolbox in hand, and promptly faced the offending door. It was trapped in a half-closed state, as if pried open. Lime began to unscrew part of the interface, seeing the range of the damage the wires were in. Some were mildly frayed, some chewed, some completely ruined, almost sparking at Lime's touch. They growled in frustration, ripping at the mess angrily. The grey-black mass upset them even more, being unable to make heads or tails of what wire was even which. While they were half-torso deep in the mass of wires, they didn't notice Blue juggling a stack of documents, walking absentmindedly towards them.

Blue wasn't paying attention, head swimming from the revelation of a new set of soulmates on the ship. They had said yes to Orange's offer of a 'team-building' exercise, leading to Blue and Green being teamed, along with Cyan and Black being teamed. The event had been mostly fruitless, until Cyan had mentioned that they thought the light fixtures were grey and not a light blue. Black had stopped them in their tracks, asking if that was a sudden change. That one moment led to a VERY annoyed Black griping about bad karma and a VERY happy Cyan now attached at their hip, seemingly excited to now be able to explain their gemstone specimens better to Black now. Green had huffed, complaining that they were still in greyscale and was hoping that maybe them and Blue were late-hued. That little remark led to Blue excusing themselves quickly as Cyan dragged Black away, ending the exercise early.

Blue hadn't felt so embarrassed before, nor ever, even. They didn't need constant reminders. They knew they needed to fix their lack of color. They didn't need an unpaid intern to make such uncouth comments. They mentally slapped themself for even thinking such before their thoughts were interrupted as they tripped on the mess of grey wires in the hall, yelping as they tripped, the small stack of documents flying loosely in the air. They groaned, holding their head.

"Hey, watch were you're goin'! I'm working here!" Lime barked, shuffling out of the hole to face Blue directly. "At least keep your visor on the ground so you can stop trippin' on my hard work!"

"Ah, I'm sorry, Lime! Forgive me..." Blue quickly began to stumble onto their feet, trying to collect all the fallen documents.

Lime watched as Blue struggled to discern what was a document and what was a tile. They groaned, bending down to help. "How'd MIRA manage to get one of the clumsiest medical wonders?" They grumbled, grabbing the documents that Blue kept missing. "Ain't it a HEPPA violation to leave these around, or somethin' like that?"

Blue felt a mild blush of embarrassment on their visor. "Ah, perhaps...I apologize. I was simply in my own world, it seems." They chuckled. "Though, you didn't have to assist me in collecting these documents, you know." They teased Lime, watching as the shorter one sputtered wildly.

"W-well, you're all up in the way! How can I fix the damn door if you're in the way of it?" They grumbled, hiding the sheer heat their visor certainly was showing. "Now go on, I gotta get this done before any more gremlins come an' chew it up again."

Blue turned to enter the half-open door and swiftly placed the shuffled stack of documents on the desk. They thought about how long those medical files would take to shuffle back into a legible state, how the physicals weren't even for another few days, how they didn't even WANT to see Orange at this current moment in time and sighed. They turned to slip through the door again. Lime was now untangling what looked like a bundle of torn wires, angrily cursing as they twisted it out of a mess of coated wires. "Lime, if you're alright with me doing so, would you like it if I, perhaps assisted you?" Blue fidgeted a little, watching as Lime paused, turning to the doctor.

"Why? You want to learn how to fight the gremlins, too?" Lime sarcastically tossed at Blue, fist full of wires as they struggled to untangle the hydra of a bundle.

"You just helped me, so it feels only fair for me to return such kindness done to me." Blue placed a hand on their chest. "Please, Lime. I am indebted to you."

Lime squirmed at that wording. "Awright, fine. But if you fuck up, I'll let you have it, got it?!"

Blue began on a darker wire, untwisting it slowly while Lime adjusted the fresh wires in place. Blue felt so out of place, sat on the ground twisting broken wires out of a disheveled state while the ship's engineer was halfway in the wall. They chuckled to themselves. Lime stopped in their tracks again, whipping to face Blue.

"What're you laughin' at? You laughin' at me!?" Lime growled at the doctor while making a fist.

"Ah, no, Lime! Honest. I was just thinking how I spent so much time in school for a medical license, yet here I am, on the floor detangling wires!" They chuckled again, feeling embarrassed. "Then again, it's not even that funny. I am unsure why I'm so full of mirth." They cocked their head to the side. It was pretty odd.

Lime stood for a moment. "I...Guess it's kinda funny. Yeah." They stood silently for a moment. "How far are ya on the wire?"

"I think...A quarter done?" Blue held the wire up for Lime's approval. The wire was tucked in the center of the mass, half twisted around a dark grey one and loose around a stark-white one. "What is the expert's thoughts?" They inquired.

Lime groaned. "You're far too slow. We'll be at Industria by the time you're done with that. Give it here." Lime yanked the wire from Blue's hands, making quick work of the task. Blue watched their stocky fingers shape the wire effortlessly, untangling it in mere moments. They sighed, chuckling to themselves again.

"What're you giggling about now?" Lime quipped, still working effortlessly on their task.

"Ah, just about how our jobs are so different, I suppose. It's best I'm a medical professional, hmm?" Blue offered a bemused expression as Lime turned away.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't quit your day job. Now, all that's left is to replace that damn cover and your door should work." Lime made quick work of that, as well. The door swung open slowly as they finished up. They admired their work, sighing in contentment. "That's one more task done." They began to gather their things slowly.

Blue thought for a moment before shooting a tentative question towards Lime. "Lime, would you possibly, um...Be willing to talk about how your job works? With me?" Blue swallowed the dryness in their throat as Lime turned to study them curiously.

"Why? You need intel for your higherups?" Lime squinted.

"No, no! I'm just, let's say, curious about engineering. Our occupations seem so different, but are so alike in how we keep the ship on course. I just thought, that maybe, you'd be willing to let someone as green as me into your wonderful world?"

"Wait, your name is Blue, but you're GREEN? Your parents sure hated you, Doc." Lime shook their head as Blue sputtered.

"I-IT'S A TURN OF PHRASE!" Blue squeaked, covering their visor in embarrassment.

Lime laughed, wiping a tear away. "Alright, alright. On one condition. You don't tell no one else we meet up. Not a peep." Lime gestured at Blue again, this time with a pair of wire clippers. "If anyone asks, you weren't there."

"A deal's a deal." Blue held out a hand expectantly.

Lime stared at the hand. A pregnant silence enveloped around the two. "What're you doing?" Lime cocked their head to the side.

Blue quickly withdrew their hand, wiping it on their coat. "R-right. Anyway, I must bid you adieu, Lime. Lots of paperwork to sort." They coughed, whipping around into their office without further comment. Lime blinked for a moment, unsure why they'd even offer their time if they're that damn busy. They shrugged the question off, it didn't matter right now. Getting food while everyone else was busy was.

Blue felt their chest, the pounding feeling not going away even as they heard Lime's steps retreat further down the hall. They sighed, wiping their brow. They looked at their hand, noticing it looking slightly different. It was still mildly grey, dark for certain, but it looked off somehow. They felt a nervous pang in their chest as they felt their head. No fever, at least. They looked towards their desk, the stack of documents taunting them. They sighed. It was certainly shaping up to be a LONG night, for certain.

Blue had found themselves excited for their rendezvous with Lime. It started out as an academic desire for knowledge they didn't have already memorized. It began to shift after Lime had started to become far more casual around them. Far, FAR more casual than in regards to the rest of the ship. 

The rest of the ship. Right. Blue had dreaded every single time Orange had sauntered up to them, failing to reign in their barely-contained lust for Blue. They did nothing but compliment Blue, offer coffee dates, even another offer of a dinner date after another team-building exercise showed Red and Purple as soulmates, with both embarrassingly admitting that they knew that they were for as early as the first time on the ship. They were certainly done with Orange's desperate advances, especially considering Orange's apparent soulmate at their home planet. Blue felt nothing but contempt for one having found the missing part of themself, and still choosing to crave more. The raging jealousy was becoming harder to fight against as even more of the crew had found their own soulmates, giggling giddily or snipping at each other teasingly or using the walk-in freezer for less-than-holy purposes (Blue refused to eat for a few days after that one discovery.) 

Blue had learned quite a lot about Lime with their variety of encounters, even if they were barely anything but a simple conversation that lasted only two minutes between either of their tasks. They were originally from Industria, they were VERY religious (Blue will never take the lord's name in vain in front of them ever again, lest they cut them off entirely,) they were apparently an ordained minister who had officiated at least two weddings before they finished engineering school, and they liked their personal space. Blue had found that last one out after offering them another handshake during one of their earliest meetings. Lime had, once again, asked what Blue was doing.

"Oh, have you never done a handshake before? It's common in my line of work."

"Nah, I'm good, big dawg." Lime waved them off from across the table, leaning back in the chair. "I don't need one."

That conversation played in Blue's mind constantly. Blue would be deluding themself if they left it there, of course. They thought of Lime nearly most the time. When the others were bothering them so bad they would nearly snap, their mind would wonder to their new snarky friend. About how they treated machines as an extension of themselves, how their words were always quick, almost as quick as their wit, about how their expression would soften as they explained how the reactor functioned. Blue was glad to have met someone on the ship who seemed to at least not see them as just eye candy and nothing more.

The two had planned for a longer meeting, this time in the med bay as Blue had finished out everyone's various physicals--along with receiving various unnecessary quips about their visage, thanks to literally every other crewmate, INCLUDING the newly found soulmates--except for Lime. 'It'd be a lovely change of pace,' Blue thought, prepping the folder for Lime's arrival. 'At least I wouldn't have to hear how I'm supposedly sea colored, whatever that entails.' They strained their ears, waiting for the tell-tale scuttling Lime had as their way to announce their presence. As the sound came closer, Blue found their heartrate sharply accelerating. They thought this odd. They hadn't done any exercise or even left the med bay. Their thoughts were immediately pushed to the side as Lime threw the vent open, shuffling out of it quickly to face Blue.

"Evenin', Big Dawg. Is it evenin', actually?" They casually rocked on their heels, looking around. "Seein' as we're hurling through space currently, I can't ever tell."

"I believe at Industria, It's currently daytime and MIRA HQ is currently bathed in moonlight." Blue hummed, clasping their hands together. "Are you ready for our meeting, then?"

"I'm here, ain't I?" Lime raised an eyebrow. "You're actin' different."

"Apologies, but there IS something I must ask you to do for me. It's more than I've asked before, unfortunately..."

Lime thought for a moment. "Wait, is it...Don't tell me it's THAT."

Blue looked down apologetically. "Unfortunately, yes. I require a physical to be done by you. Everyone else has taken their scan but you."

"Y-you can't make me." Lime sputtered, backing towards the vent slightly. "I know my rights, you know."

Blue calmly nodded. "You're allowed your rights, but as your current physician, I'd find it rather helpful to have you take one, just so I may help you with any lasting conditions you may currently have or that may appear during the remainder of our six month voyage."

Lime grumbled a bit, crossing their hands. "And if I say no? I know what they'll do with that data, you know. They'll use it as a blueprint for my data and sell it to the highest bidder as a map to my organs. " Lime glared, turning toward the vent slightly.

"Lime, I know the medical field has done you wrong so many times before, but I will be the first one to apologize to you for such." Blue walked closer to lime, bowing slightly. "I'm sorry, Lime."

Lime glowered at Blue, apparently still unconvinced. 

"Look, Lime, I know how hard it is to trust in this crazy, chaotic galaxy of ours. I ask not to destroy your boundaries or to cause you pain. I ask for your trust in me. Lime." Blue walked forward, placing their hands on Lime's shoulders. "Can you put your trust in me?"

Lime gawped at Blue. They had never seen a crewmate ask so sincerely. They studied Blue as they stayed stationary, peering into Lime's visor for an answer Lime didn't even know how to give. They broke the intense gaze for a moment, looking towards the vent, then the floor, then back to Blue again. "I...Fine. Fine." They pushed Blue away slightly, Blue's hands quickly moving toward their sides as they stumbled. "I'll take the darned scan."

"O-oh, lovely. Let me just-"

"On ONE condition, Doc." Lime held up their hand, cutting Blue off sharply. " You're shreddin' that scan after you're done."

Blue walked closer, tentatively reaching for Lime's hand and taking in their own. "We can do it together." They watched as Lime sputtered and spat, removing their hand from Blue's forcibly. 

"Yeah, yeah. Together. Of course. Need the insurance you won't sell it and all." Lime rubbed their hand gently as they trudged to the scanner and hopped on, facing Blue. "Well, Doc, hurry up."

Blue studied the scan closely. Lime was somehow perfectly healthy, except where it didn't matter. Their chlorophyll levels were low, their nitrogen count somehow failed to register, and their weight was so low they were surprised the machine recognized them as anything other than an empty sack. The one thing that worried them most was their bone, which looked warped on the scan. Blue gave Lime, who sat on the ground near the vent, a concerned expression. They knew this was more intensive and it needed fixed immediately, but to have to tell Lime that was going to be like having their visor ripped off. They gathered the scan and walked to Lime, swallowing their hesitation.

"So, Doc, I'm the pinnacle of health, right?" Lime looked up at them as casually as Blue had ever seen them. 

"Well, Lime, I can tell you've been through a lot. Physically, I mean." Blue began slowly as Lime leaned forward, listening intently. "Unfortunately, there are some numbers that do worry me, somewhat. When was the last time you had, let's say, a nitrogen supplement? Or, well, ANY kind of supplement?"

"I have holy water, and that's enough for me, Doc."

"Ah, I...See." Blue hummed awkwardly. "Well, I have studied these numbers, and unfortunately, I cannot agree with that assertion of yours."

Lime tilted their head, visor glaring slightly from under their bandana. "Why not?"

"Well, in some ways, you're in perfect health. In others, it's purely a miracle you're able to even stand correctly. So, I have to ask, as your physician, for you to begin to at least take some vitamin supplements into your daily life so that-"

"So, you're trying to feed me POISON because some numbers are off?!" Lime gruffed as they hunched over more. "Not a chance, Doc. Like hell that toxic shit'll be coming near my gullet." Lime curled up more defensibly.

"Lime, I asked you to trust me, remember? I would never put our mutual trust in danger to poison you, nor even try such villainy." Blue cleared their throat. "It's only to supply your body with what your diet and lifestyle cannot give it normally. It doesn't change you otherwise, unless you're taking them recklessly."

Lime looked down with a pained expression. "Alright. I...I did say I'd trust you. Sorry, Big Dog." They gave a tired expression to Blue, clearly feeling the exact problems Blue had seen. 

"We needn't start you on them all immediately, but you will have to at least attempt the Nitrogen ones as soon as possible, as wiltbody IS a large worry for me, as we do not have any artificial sunlight to help with the process necessary for replacing most of what we need to to prevent that, and god forbid-"

"I get it, I get it. I'm basically on death's door and it's too close for ya liking." Lime grumbled. "I guess walk me through these pills. I'll take them, and if I feel even close to off, I'm stopping."

Blue hated fighting so hard for just a supplement addition, but by whatever gods were out there, they were too close to a breakthrough to stop now. They sighed, accepting the terms wordlessly as they maneuvered to their only medicine cabinet, plucking a single light grey bottle off the shelf. "Once a day, preferably after you eat, and please do up your regular water intake. These can take a LOT of water to function normally." Blue scribbled Lime's name on the bottle in a mildly neat cursive, handing it to them. "I thank you for trusting me, Lime. I promise not to fail you." 

Lime swiped the bottle. They turned it over in their hands slightly. "Nitric...Oxide?" The smaller crewmate turned to Blue. "Alright. consider it a deal." They pocketed the bottle and stood up. "Welp, I've been here too long. Concrete will probably want an update on the reactor maintenance for the week, and I think the AC in that crystal person's room is busted, so I need to see when they're free."

"Don't you want the scan destroyed? You asked me to, and I promised-"

"I trust you, remember?" Lime raised their brow. "I don't trust MIRA worth a damn, but if you need those dumb numbers, I can't exactly put myself at MIRA's mercy for a scan every time I come in here. Heh. Anyway, Love an' Peace, Big Dawg." They chuckled at their joke before offering a weak salute goodbye as they dove back in the vent, scuttling away. 

Blue's visor glazed over in thought as they watched the vent lid slam back into place as Lime's scuttling disappeared deep into the internals of the Skeld. They looked at the scan in their hands. Why DID they care so much about this? Did they care after giving a different supplement to Green, or tell Brown their weight may become an issue if not monitored, or remind Purple and Black that necessary rest was a part of getting over their own issues? No. That was simply part of the job. To assist as they were able, no matter how hard it became to them; That was the most important reason they had even transferred here. Lime was just another crewmate. They needed more help, but they were still their patient. 

Blue resigned themself to take the rest of the day to fully organize their notes, scans, and anything else into the proper folders. It had only been one week and a half into this voyage, and yet they had enough paperwork to fill up a quarter of their filing cabinet. They stared at Lime's scan just a little bit longer than the other's. 

'Blue, what's even going on with you? Why does this bother you so much? They're just a crewmate. A crewmate who trusts you, but still a crewmate.' Blue sighed, pushing the scan to the side in agitation as they heard the door fling open roughly, startling them. There in the door stood Yellow on their own, no Brown in sight.

"Yes?! Ah, Yellow. Hello, there." Blue placed a hand over their rapid heart, calming down at the sight of Yellow's mildly plump form.

"Yo, Doctor! I heard you hadn't been eating from Cyan and Purple. Brought you some leftovers from dinner. Coffee, too. You look like you need it." Yellow waltzed in, placing the plate of what looked like a pizza slice on the small rolling cart beside the door, along with a mug of coffee. "It's warm, promise. Brown would have my head if I didn't at least heat it up. Heh."

"Ah, I truly thank you for caring about my needs. I was simply too busy and-"

"Anyway, how's it been, Doc? You holding up well and all?"

"Just fine, yes. Just-"

"Oh, you were with Lime a bit ago, right? You think they might be somemate's soulmate on this hunk o' junk? I'm thinkin' it's White. It'd be funny, right?" Yellow raised their eyebrow mildly suggestively. 

"Ah, I..." Blue stood up, quickly collecting their food and coffee. "I'm very sorry, but I haven't the time to idly chat. I still need to finish-"

"Uh-uhn, no mate. You need a break like every other crewmate on this ship deserves. Sit and eat." Yellow put their hands on their hips. "Don't make me have to teach you about the needs of a crewmate's body. You know? The thing you have a doctorate for?" They peered at Blue.

"Fine, fine. If you're that worried over me, I'll certainly try to take at least the time to eat and return the dishes."

"Good. Now, if you still need anything, Brown and I'll be in the kitchen. Orange is killing us with the sheer amount of prep we need to do. Once we land, I'm probably going to talk to my Union rep about this-" They turned around and proceeded to walk out of Blue's office, still ranting about the importance of breaks and working wages. 

Blue studied the pizza. It looked to be just regular cheese, but it's mild grey haze was impossible to parse through. Blue began to eat slowly, savoring the saltiness a little. It at least tasted better than sterile air. They sipped on the black, bitter coffee after every second bite. It somehow added depth to the meal. Blue mused about wat eating in the mess hall with Lime could be like, before smothering that thought by chugging the remainder of the coffee. They'd worry about the ethics of any of these impulsive, selfish, very unprofessional thoughts later. Still, they thought of Lime positively, and hoped for their health to improve. They stood up, collecting the white plate and cup, before heading toward the door.

As they began to head out to return their dishes, they turned toward the bookshelf that held a variety of medical texts. They looked the same as they always had, except that they looked very different than before. 

They were no longer grey.

Lime had a problem. A big problem. At least, that's how it FELT. How it LOOKED. 

They stared at their hands, once a light grey, now coated in something not grey. It was glaring, it had coated itself over the entirety of their body, and it seemed to spread its power over their coveralls as well, except they were a darker color than whatever had created a diseased layer on their body. Their breaths heavy and deep as they shook, pill bottle beside them and almost certainly forgotten. They hadn't seen their hands for a few hours after meeting with Blue and getting those pills. They turned them over a few times, just to make sure. They rubbed their visor dry and with holy water. They PRAYED. Still, this loud, bright color stood out on their skin. They had just seen the doctor, but they couldn't fathom explaining what this was, how it happened, or even how neither had noticed it before.

They skulked through the vents quickly, trying to calm themselves with the idea of Blue helping them with this. They trusted them. They couldn't trust no one else. It wasn't possible. The doctor had to know what was going on. They HAD to. 

By the time they reached the vent, their hands were shaking too much to even lift the cover. They took one more breath and heaved it open with a weak push, scrambling to get a grip on the ledge and lifting themselves up. They were in medbay, the smell medicinal and sterile, everything still looked the same grey and white. Lime gave a puzzled look, grumbling as they began to search around. Everything else was a grey, black or white, but just slightly off. Lime squinted, hoping that it would assist in understanding what they were seeing. 

The door behind them shot open, startling them enough to turn around to see Cyan and Blue, having a hushed conversation and not paying attention to their presence. They slinked back into the vent, head barely peeking out to eavesdrop.

"Are you SURE your vibes haven't been off, Blue? You haven't been around the group much as of late and with what you're describing, it sounds like you need to reset your chakras-"

Blue shook their head. "I've been so busy with the scans and paperwork, I completely have forgotten self care, but this...This visual problem of mine, it's..."

"What exactly IS going on? You're so secretive in explaining it." Cyan placed a gentle hand on Blue's shoulder. "When you dropped that plate, I thought you were hurt. Are you certain you don't need care?"

Blue was silent for a moment, looking around the medbay. "I feel fine otherwise, but it certainly startled be to...see...What I currently am seeing."

"What ARE you seeing? Is it the Buddha?" Cyan inquired as they grasped Blue's shoulders fully now, turning them to face them. "Tell me, I need to know! T-to help, of course."

Blue gave an unnerved expression as they started slowly. "For all my life, I have seen grey. I have seen white and black as well, but nearly all I see...Is grey. And now I don't see grey. I see...Something else."

"Oh. My. God." Cyan removed their hands and grabbed Blue's, spinning them in a circle, squeeing. "You goof! You must be a Leo if you're missing all the signs! You've met them!"

"I'm sorry, I don't follow-" Blue felt dazed as they grabbed their head, steadying themselves.

"You've found the one and only! Your other half! The one attached to your red string of FATE, Blue!" Cyan became very serious, leaning so close to Blue they could see that their color, too, was no longer grey. "You've found YOUR soulmate."

"I...What..?" Blue stumbled over their thoughts momentarily, turning back to Cyan. "How have I met them, and not realized such?"

"Well, silly, it depends on so much that I can't really explain fully. I'm a GEMOLOGIST, after all. I think it's vibes based personally, but who knows!" Cyan shrugged, giggling slightly. " If you know who you've interacted with, that can narrow it down heavily. There are sometimes trios and quads of soulmates, but they're rarer than an intact geode as large as our ship." 

Blue thought over the past few days. They hadn't came into contact with too many mates over the past half of the second week. They had seen Orange for paperwork purposes, was teamed with Red for a team-building exercise, Purple had asked about making an appointment, and finally, their most recent meeting with Lime. 

"I only can think of one crewmate that fits said description, and I don't believe they'll be happy to hear about this." Blue mumbled their thoughts aloud as Cyan calmed themselves.

"Well, I need to see if Black is willing to talk today. I'm just SO happy for you! Believe me, Black and I were so confused when we started this process, too! I kept getting Brown and Yellow all kinds of mixed up, haha!" They waved to Blue before trotting out of medbay, the door forcibly blocking Blue from seeing them go down the hall. 

Blue groaned. This was as inopportune. The only good part of it was the now-acquired knowledge in what everything truly looked like. They took off their head mirror for the first time since arriving in the Skeld. They studied the smear of unknown color that it reflected back at them. The name of it was foreign to them, as was all of this spiritual talk. Finding their soulmate on a small ship less than two weeks into a six month voyage was far too lucky a chance, for certain.

Lime felt their stomach turn at the mere idea of finding their soulmate here. They knew the forum would tease them, having already mentioned that they were never going to find them and planning to be a greyvisor for their whole life. Here they were, at six years old (being born on a leap year made the math easy), and here they were, spying on a Blue who held their head, still staring into their head mirror while mumbling something about an ocean. Lime quietly snuck back into the medbay's vent fully, making sure not to scuttle as fast as usual to avoid Blue's attention. They'd have to lay as low as possible. 

They hoped that this would go away fast.

Blue had slowly adjusted to the colors of their new life after the sudden appearance. The tables were a metallic blue, colored stripes led to various parts of the ship, the crewmate's names suddenly made sense, and they finally knew what blood actually looked like thanks to a mishap with a pizza cutter from Brown. They had flourished poetically, as every poem now talked about colors. They could finally enjoy life. They felt more complete.

All except in one aspect: Lime had been missing almost entirely from the whole ship. 

It started the day after their scan and the prescription of the supplement, but they hadn't appeared anywhere since. Purple had claimed that they did appear after everyone had left the mess hall one night, raiding the coffers of most of a loaf of bread and a single jar of peanut butter. Yellow had made a quip about them not asking first, but it was neither here nor there. Blue had asked Purple to keep an eye out for them, out of concern for them taking their supplements and for their own safety. Purple had obliged, but Blue it was certainly only because it was them asking instead of actively caring for Lime.

Blue had found themselves staring longingly at the vent covers around the Skeld over the next month, wondering when they'd hear Lime scuttle past, grumbling about gremlins in the walls, griping about Orange-or as Lime had started calling them, Concrete, or possibly leaving the vent, simply to say a hello before leaving again. 'Anything would suffice.' they thought. 'But even then, would I accept such a measly attempt at connection again?' They once again smothered such a thought, reproaching themselves for having such a thought when Lime clearly was not doing well. They would simply wait for an opportunity. That was all they could do. 

Lime had made sure they were taking the supplement. Even after the realization and revelations, they still trusted Blue. They had no one else to trust, not even themselves. The visual hallucination of themselves as an ugly, putrid not-grey had spread considerably, pasting itself everywhere. The walls were similar, but only slightly different, like looking through a bottle. The reactor's room was now bathed in oddness, everything feeling off to the point Lime had just abandoned the camps entirely to not view the unnerving sight. 

The worst part of it all was the pang of regret for ignoring Blue. They hadn't necessarily meant to, but the idea Cyan had shared, Blue being the ONLY crewmate Lime had really been around, and the sheer cacophony of emotions Lime had felt about this entire nightmare had blended into a desire to be alone. Lime couldn't think of Blue as that. No mate could be their soulmate. It wasn't possible. And yet, they still found Blue as a small pin in the back of their mind. 

Trust. They believed in trust. They believed in Blue's trust of them. They believed Blue. So, why was it so hard to believe everything else? Their whole world had been cracked wide open, and they couldn't fathom anything having any positive feelings back.

They had went to take their supplement, it having been an entire month after recieving it, and they were met with a single pill. They looked at the pill, grimacing as they swigged down the water as they remembered. They had no choice anymore. They had to visit Blue.

But did they have to? Lime could just go without it again. No one else can fit in the vents, no one knows where they are. They could just hide for the rest of the trip.

But then again, they did pride themselves on their work. How could they do good work by staying in the vents? Exactly. It was impossible. They groaned loudly, the sound echoing off the walls of the vent. They prepared themselves to face the proverbial music.

The traversal to medbay was easy. They had traveled occasionally to keep themselves limber, their squish-bone having cramps if bent too long in one direction. They looked at the vent, partially relieved it hadn't been covered, partially unsure if this was even a good idea in the slightest.

They pricked their ears, just to make sure no one else was in there. Unfortunately, they could hear Red and Orange along with Blue's voices.

"So, what? They won't come out?" Red sounded like they were snacking on something crunchy.

"Well, at MIRA, the policy for vent-related traversal requires many permits I know they haven't signed, and for all intents and purposes, we all know they're a little...Directionally challenged." Orange-Co-Just Orange hissed, Lime scrunching their visor at the insult.

"Please refute from insulting them. I assure you two, I will try to find them and see to it they can receive the care they not only need, but deserve." Blue sounded stern, as if they'd been arguing for a while. "Once I can find them again, I promise to treat them and make progress in-"

"Dude, Doc, it's been a month. Purp hasn't seen them in a week on the cameras." Red had another of whatever they were eating, leading to a loud crunch with mild chewing sounds. "Maybe you should, I'unno. Give up."

Blue was silent for a moment, before letting out a little "No."

"Blue, this problem is clearly bigger than you or I! You can't save everyone, even if you want to-"

"This is none of your concern anyway, Orange." Lime had never heard such venom come from Blue before. It even took them aback as the other two crewmates drew silent. "Now, if you are done leaving crumbs on my medical bay floor and you are done attempting to tell me how to handle my patient, please leave me to my work." 

Lime heard footsteps leaving the med bay, along with more crunches following them. They also heard a loud sigh as Blue stepped towards the vent, blocking some of the light.

"Lime." Blue tasted the name on their tongue. It felt bitter after such a long weight. "I...I feel like I've failed you. I promised you, and I haven't been any help." Their voice broke slightly. "Everyone stares at me more than before. It's exhausting." Lime heard a shuffle as Blue crouched to get closer to the vent. "I feel like they've been told by Cyan. About how I was a greyvisor." They sharply swallowed, voice now clearly quavering.

"I shouldn't have opened up. I should have, I needed to, keep it together. And yet, my bleeding heart couldn't bear the weight alone." They must have been on the verge of tears at this point, hunched over the vent almost entirely by now. "Lime, dear Lime, I'm sorry." 

Lime felt droplets fall on their hands. Round and slightly warm. Lime looked up at the now sobbing Blue. They had never felt this kind of feeling in their chest before. They took a slow, deep breath, and simply spoke.

"Blue?"

The sobbing stopped with Blue drawing in a sharp breath. "L..Lime? Lime, you're alright?!" Blue was not moving, simply wiping away more tears from what Lime could see in the darkness.

"'Course I'm fine. Like hell the gremlins'd get me." Lime pushed the vent lid up slightly, light finally hitting their visor for the first time in a week. They blinked a few times too many as Blue came into view. They looked pretty disheveled, their coat wrinkled and tie loose. Their visor was still slick wet from tears and half lidded. Lime could call them pretty, in a way. The color that they had become was deep and warm, almost. 

Blue chuckled weakly. "Of course not, Lime. I...Trusted in your ability to keep yourself safe." They sniffed, wiping away another tear.

"I.." Lime hesitated. "I'm glad you trust me, Big Dawg."

Blue sighed. "I do want to apologize if I had caused your desire to stay hidden. Whatever I may have done to cause it, I-"

"N-no, Blue-" Lime stopped, swallowing the lump that had formed in their throat. "It's nothin' you did. Promise."

"But, then why?" Blue's visor gazed into Lime's for an answer. Lime felt weak under such an honest gaze, a heat rising to their visor. "It's been a month. Why did you go for so long?"

Lime looked away. "I...I ain't gonna lie. I was...Scared." Lime looked back to see a puzzled expression on Blue's face. They continued all the same. "I...I didn't wanna bother ya with this. This was...New. And, honestly, havin' just seen you, havin' heard...Cyan...I didn't wanna face it." The thought was fragmented, not cohesive in any way or form.

"You...You heard our conversation, Lime?" Blue widened their visor, the odd color they had darkening severely near the entirety of their visor. "I...See."

"L-look, we can just forget it all, right? Never happened. Poof. Nada thing." Lime panicked, failing to hide back in the vent as Blue clasped their hand in both of theirs suddenly.

"W-wait, Lime, Please don't." Blue gasped in alarm, holding Lime's hand in place.

Lime stopped in their tracks. They looked at their hand, now trapped in Blue's warm grasp. They looked at Blue again, drinking in exactly how they looked. The lighting was doing their beauty a MASSIVE disservice. They looked damn near angelic. Had Lime just not payed attention? Consensus was inconclusive as they realized how long they sat in that position. "Uh.." Lime stared at their hand again.

"I, I'm sorry if this is too forward, but would you, perhaps, indulge in my query, Lime?"

Lime wordlessly nodded slowly.

"I...I need to know. Has your vision also been...Changed?"

Lime once again nodded slowly.

"Was it right after or before you last saw me?"

Lime swallowed dryly. "After. It was after."

Blue was silent for a few moments while they stared blankly at Lime. Lime squirmed under their gaze. "You're certain?"

"I thought you trusted me, Doc." Lime quipped teasingly as Blue turned away, breaking their gaze.

"I do, but...If these events line up like this, then...That means..." They trailed off before whipping to face Lime again, moving closer to their face, visors almost close enough to touch. "Lime. You and I may have been each other's catalysts for this event."

"I figured that about half a month ago, Doc."

Blue sputtered for a moment, letting go of Lime's hand. Lime hoisted themselves fully out of the vent now, finally planting themselves on the edge beside Blue, kicking their legs softly as they waited for Blue to collect themselves.

"H-how could you know this, yet not try and at least find me, Lime?" Blue held their head, still a little frazzled.

Lime chuckled. "To be honest, I was worried about botherin' ya. I had just got those supplements, then you were talkin' to Cyan, and I honestly phoned it all in just to avoid the bull." They shrugged, staring at Blue as they shot a glare at them.

"Here I've been, thinking it was all my fault." They exasperatedly sighed. "I guess I don't know everything, huh?"

"Eh. You know enough and care enough." Lime Looked at Blue's resting hand intently. They inched closer, closer, yet closer. "Sorry, Doc. For worryin' ya."

Blue stared at Lime in surprise. "Lime, you're certainly not at fault. I should have tried to find you with more care-"

Lime bit the bullet and grabbed Blue's hand, stopping them in their tracks. They hid their visor with their bandana, knowing that their visor was burning hot now. "Stop blamin' yourself, yeah? We can go in circles with that."

Blue gave a small gasp at the sudden contact, before calming into a warm, mirthful expression. "I suppose so, hmm?"

They sat in silence, a warm embrace of each other's company. They certainly would have to work through this. It was new. It was certainly foreign, but it wasn't as unpleasant as either would have assumed. Here they were, unabashedly honest and pure in intentions. Here they were, in the beginning vestiges of what one would attempt to label 'love.'

Here they sat, together.

The rest of the crew's reactions as they noticed the change in the duo's behavior was varied and yet all were similar. White and Green had groaned angrily and sighed resignedly respectfully, apparently realizing that the two of them were the only ones to not find their soulmates. Red, Purple, Black and Brown were apathetic. Yellow had talked about how their rumors are always right on the money, having a mini celebration to themself as they walked back to whatever they were doing. Cyan had personally congratulated both, hugging them (Lime told Blue to let them know NOT to do that again.) The one who took it the oddest was Orange, who Lime swore gained a jealous glint for a few days afterwards, and being rather cold to Blue, who cared not for the HR rep's emotions towards them.

Still, the two didn't bother with caring all too much, simply making time the best they could to attempt to see each other. With their voyage trudging along without too many problems, sans the occasional hull leak or the doors breaking, they knew it was a matter of time before they had to answer the big question:

"What happens after?"

 "After what, Doll?" Lime had been reading up on a manual from one of their nests. "Need ya to be specific."

"Well, we are around a few months away from Industria, and I was simply inquiring on if we will...you know..."

Lime put the book aside, turned to Blue, and cocked their head to the side. "Your talking about if we're gonna stay together?"

Blue looked away. "Most soulmate pairs apparently split after voyages due to extraneous circumstances, and I'd be a liar if I told you it didn't worry me."

Lime hummed, looking down. "Well, I won't let it, Doc." They stated assuredly.

Blue gave a warm glance to Lime. They had finally began to look healthier after all the additions to their lifestyle, their vibrant color less sickly and their visor shiny instead of dull. They were still stocky, but in a less unhealthy way, now full of life. Blue was proud of Lime, having taken charge over their health away from MIRA's cold grasp. 

"You, Doll, are FAR too special to lose." Lime poked a finger at Blue's chest as the taller crewmate chuckled sweetly in response. "It'll be a freezin' day on Polus before anybody pries me away from you."

"Likewise, Love. Likewise." Blue nuzzled Lime's forhead, currently covered with a freshened bandana. "I...Love you, Lime."

Lime sighed, picking their book up to continue. "Love ya too, Bluebell."

There the two stayed, Blue writing small poems to read to Lime later, Lime resting like they never had before. They both found the entire situation odd; Lime had never wanted this kind of love, but they were reveling in the kind touches Blue had offered them occasionally, as Blue felt seen for once without their natural beauty being the only thing that they were seen for. They enjoyed each other more than their own isolation, more than anything they had originally resigned themselves to. If one had travelled back to seven months in the past, one month before departure, and had told the two that their soulmate would load onto the Skeld with them and bring them up to a better way of being, Lime would have called them a crazy coot and Blue would've asked about their mental faculties. Yet, here they were. Together, and very much comfortable in what they tentatively called 'love.'

They had each other, and they were in 'love.'