Everything Is Connected

[Alia Discordia]

Nivek takes her by the hand and leads her to the couch. She smiles and offers no resistance.

He leans back and closes his eyes, and she curls into him, resting her head on his chest.

She listens to the blood moving in his veins. Listens to his breathing. Steady. Rhythmic.

She listens to his heart, and wonders to herself how he can be so relaxed with it beating so fast.

"Wanna go somewhere?" He asks.

"Where?"

"Anywhere you want."

She likes this. In one ear, she hears his voice, just little more than a whisper. In the other, hearing a deep baritone. The sound of it loud and soothing, muffled through his body.

"What about Riley? He should be back soon."

He lightly strokes the side of her face with his finger, and tucks her hair behind her ear.

"He's not invited."

His touch sends a surge of excitement through her. Her closed eyelids flutter and she lets out a sigh as her blood begins to rush.

The floor starts to vibrate and the engines blast to life, sending them away from the Skyhook, and towards the large, orange planet.

The g-forces sink them deeper into the cushions together, and as foolish as it might sound, she likes to feel as if the Universe wants them to be closer. She doesn't know where its taking them, but she knows the Universe wants her to move forward.

Alia opens her eyes and looks out the window, continuing to listen to Nivek's heartbeat, and she wonders aloud:

"What is this?"

Nivek keeps his eyes closed and continues to circle the edge of her ear with his fingertips as he answers her.

"I'm not sure. A long-term memory in the process of being made I s'pose. Whatever this is, it's definitely something to me."

Alia feels a pang of fear. The kind of fear she wants to feel. The kind of fear that will propel her forward. Fear that gives her the courage to say something she's been afraid to verbalize out loud to him for a long time now.

"I could be something to you."

Her voice was soft. Hopeful.

"You already are, Alia."

She loves his answer, and it makes her happy in a new way. Her emotions lift, and those feelings leave her fear behind as she moves forward...She feels like she's flying.

The irony is not lost on her.

A moment passes before he speaks again. "The question I need you to ask yourself now is, Who do you want that something to be?"

That's a question she doesn't know how to answer just yet, but the Universe needs her to decide.

Either way she chooses, the Universe will continue to move her forward, closer to Eris, whether she's ready or not.

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