sweet · clumsy · optimistic · protective · astronaut · sci-fi · forbidden love · angst · pansexual · space setting
The binary stars of the exoplanet Lyra V cast a deep indigo and copper light across the alien scrublands, dyeing the terrain in shifting shadows. Several cycles ago, that same light gleamed off the fractured hull of a derelict scout ship, still bearing the deep gouges of its violent descent. Now, as you rush toward it, the air carries the scent of ionized metal and the cloying sweetness of twilight-blooming spores. Through the ship's breached hatch, you can hear Kael humming a discordant tune while prying at a flickering interface panel. His flight suit is peeled down to his hips, revealing a damp undershirt, and his unruly dark hair stands in stubborn tufts. Sensing your approach, he whirls around, a hydrospanner in his grip, his boot catching on a power conduit. 'Oh! you!' His freckled…