"Well, if you ever want to see the ones on Earth in person, I know a guy with a ship."
A'Vanti's lips twitch. Not quite a smile, but close.
"Thank you," she says. "Truly. You should not have gone to such trouble."
"It was no trouble."
A'Vanti gives me a look like she doesn't believe me.
"Well," I say, aiming for casual and probably missing by a mile. "Get used to it. I've got a whole list of Earth stuff I think you'd like."
A'Vanti arches one golden brow. "A list?"
"A very long list. There's architecture, obviously. But also food. And I mean real food, not replicated stuff. Art. Music. This place called the Grand Canyon which I really think you'd appreciate." I pause, pretending to consider. "Oh, and cats. I'm definitely introducing you to cats."
"Cats." She says the word slowly, testing it on her tongue. "These are… small furry creatures, yes? With sharp claws?"
"That's them."
"L'Awai's mate showed me an image. They seem…" She searches for the right word. "Unimpressed."
I laugh. "That's the best part. They're completely unimpressed by everything. That's literally their whole thing."
This time, A'Vanti does smile. Just a small one, a slight curve of her lips and a softening around her eyes, but it lights up her whole face. For a moment, all of the walls she's built come down, and the sight of it does reckless things to my heart.
"You are very strange, Cody," she says. But the words are almost fond.
"So I've been told." I gesture toward the corridor. "You heading back to your quarters? I can walk with you, if you want."
A'Vanti considers this for a moment. I try not to hold my breath.
"Yes," she says finally. "I believe I would like that."
We fall into step together, leaving the lounge behind. As we pass the food replicator, I catch L'Awai's eye. He's holding a bowl of what I assume is gherro-and-ice-cream abomination, watching us with an expression that can only be described as mildly amused.
I resist the urge to flip him off. Barely.
A'Vanti is already opening the book as we walk, her fingers turning pages with careful reverence. She pauses on a photograph of the Parthenon, her head tilting.
"Beautiful," she murmurs, more to herself than to me. "We had similar structures on Ceraste."
She falls quiet, and I don't push. We walk in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds our footsteps and the ever-present hum of the ship. A'Vanti continues to flip through the book, occasionally making small sounds of interest or approval.
"Cody." She says my name without looking up from a photograph of Notre-Dame Cathedral. "Why do you wait for me?"
My steps falter. "What?"
"After my sessions with Dr. Singh." Now she does look up, her eyes meeting mine with unsettling directness. "You are always nearby when I finish. I have noticed this pattern."
I open my mouth. Close it. Open it again.
"I…" Smooth, Goober. Real smooth. "I… I worry about you. After the sessions. You always used to look so…"
"Broken?" she supplies quietly.
"Tired," I correct. "Wrung out. And I thought maybe… I don't know… having a friendly face might help. Even if you didn't want to talk or anything. Just… knowing someone was there."
A'Vanti is silent for a long moment. I can't tell if I've overstepped and made things weird, if she's about to hiss at me and stalk off to her quarters.
