Ash and Pearl Boutique, Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland
Fly had never expected dress shopping to be a thing he’d willingly agree to, but here he was, leaning against a mirrored wall in a small boutique off Main Street while Mei hovered in front of a rack of dresses like it was a tactical decision point.
Her fingertips brushed fabric as if she were choosing by feel instead of sight. She didn’t look at them when she spoke.
“So,” she said, casual but not careless, “are you guys nervous about BUD/S?”
Fly glanced at Than first. He stood a few feet away, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, eyes tracking Mei without him seeming aware of it. Fly caught the look and filed it away. He’d been noticing that more lately. The way Than went quiet when Mei was focused on something. The way his attention settled on her without effort.
He wasn’t sure when it had started, but lately, Than’s presence had begun to echo something familiar. The same quiet gravity. The same grounded steadiness. The same weight Bear carried without ever announcing it. Than had always been reserved, but Fly couldn’t quite read him anymore, and they hadn’t talked about BUD/S. Not really.
“It’s demanding enough for enlisted,” Mei went on, still studying the dresses, “but they hammer officers pretty hard.”
Fly exhaled slowly. “I want hard, Mei. I want that challenge.” He hesitated, then added honestly, “I can’t speak for Than.”
Than’s expression didn’t change. But when he spoke, there was no uncertainty in his voice. “I wouldn’t say I’m nervous,” he said. “Eager fits better.”
Fly nodded, unsurprised.
“Am I worried about fucking up?” Than continued. “Yeah. Of course. Who isn’t?” His jaw tightened just enough for Fly to catch it. “Just because we’ve been through the Academy doesn’t mean we’re ready for the real world. That’s not drills. That’s not exams. That’s getting tested when men’s lives are on the line.” Mei’s hand stilled on the hanger. “That’s the real thing,” Than finished quietly. “It’s no goddamned test.”
The boutique felt smaller for a second.
Mei turned fully toward them, eyes steady. “You understand the weight of it,” she said softly. “That’s why you’ll be ready.”
Something settled in his chest at that.
“You sound like an officer already,” he teased.
She shrugged, a small smile tugging at her mouth. “Maybe I am.”
Than didn’t look away from her. Not right away, and Fly saw it again, that quiet focus, the way Than seemed to file moments away like they mattered. Suddenly, the dresses felt secondary. This, this knowing, this honesty was the thing that would stay with them.
“You want to know what I think?” Mei asked. She faced them both now. “I think you’ll crush it. The Navy’s about to get two top-notch SEAL officers. The teammates you serve with will become your priority. Brotherhood isn’t just a word.” She smiled, soft and genuine. “I envy that a little.”
Than stepped closer. “You want to know what I think, Mei?” he said quietly. “I think we got the better part of this friendship deal. You’re going to change the world your own way.”
Mei blinked. Once. Then again. Color rose to her cheeks as she looked down, clearly flustered by the sincerity in his voice.
“Okay,” she said quickly, grabbing a navy dress like a shield. “Enough mush. Too serious?”
Fly grinned.
Than squinted. “That one looks like you’re about to give a congressional briefing.”
She grimaced and put it back. The next dress was deep sea green, simple, fluid, catching light without trying to. She hesitated and glanced at Than.
His voice came out low. “That one.”
She looked at him again, surprised, then nodded and disappeared into the fitting room.
Fly watched Than as the curtain slid closed. “You okay over there?”
Than shrugged, but his shoulders were tight. “She’s…she’s doing something important. We need to be honest and supportive.”
Fly smiled. That told him everything he needed to know.
When Mei stepped out a moment later, the shop went quiet. The dress was simple. No drama. Clean lines, fluid fabric, the color echoing water at dusk. It moved when she moved, catching light without demanding it.
