Chapter Text
Lime spent most of their life three feet below the rest of the crew, navigating the chilly maze of the ship’s ventilation system. It was quiet, safe, and—most importantly—completely free of social interactions.
Usually.
Today, however, the vents of tasks weren't enough to distract Lime from the loud, persistent thumping in their chest.
With a heavy sigh, Lime unlatched a floor vent in Storage, startling Cyan, who was sitting, organizing some crystals.
"Woah! Fuck!” Cyan jumped, dropping one of their crystals with a clatter.
They pressed a hand to their visor. "Lime! A little warning next time? You're going to give me a heart attack before the Alien Imposter even gets a chance."
Lime shivered at the words “alien imposter.”
"Sorry," Lime muttered, pulling their knees up to their chest as they sat on the floor beside Cyan's chair. "I... need advice."
Cyan raised an eyebrow behind their visor, picking up the wrench. "Advice? From me? About engineering? You're the one who’s good at the engineering.. Lime."
"Not about engineering," Lime mumbled, their voice dropping to an embarrassed whisper. "About... feelings."
Cyan froze, turning their chair around completely. "Feelings? Oh, now I'm listening. Spill.”
Lime started talking right away.”It's Blue. Every time I go toMedBay to get a scratch checked out, or every time they pass me in the hallway, my chest gets all tight and my hands start shaking.”
“Last week… Blue handed me a bandage and I almost dropped my whole toolbox. What is wrong with me?"
Cyan stared at Lime for a moment before bursting into a light laugh.
"Hey! It's not funny!" Lime groaned, hiding their blushing face in their arms.
"Lime, nothing is wrong with you," Cyan said gently, leaning forward. "You have a crush."
Lime popped their head up, eyes wide. "A crush? In the middle of space? While we're trying to fix reactor panels and avoid getting eliminated?"
"Hey, feelings don't care about the mission parameter," Cyan picked up another crystal. "Blue is nice, smart, and cares about everyone on this ship. It makes total sense why you like them."
"So... what do I do?" Lime asked, looking lost. "I'm better at fixing wires than talking to people."
"Start small,"
Cyan suggested, tapping Lime's shoulder. "Next time you see Blue, don't just duck back into a vent to hide. “
“Say hi. Ask them how their day is going. You don't have to confess your love right away, just show them you care."
Lime thought about it for a long moment,
"Say hi... Yeah. I can do that. I think."
"You've got this,"
Cyan smiled.
"Now, please get back to your vents before someone sees you slacking off."
Lime grinned.
"Thanks, Cyan."
With a swift jump, Lime grabbed the edges of the open floor vent, pulled themselves in, and pulled the grate shut behind them, leaving Cyan alone in Storage once again.