Another Life (Oc x reader)

Chapter 71 - California Wine

Ethan and Richard cough from the smoke in the kitchen.

"I keep trying to make French fries, and all I get is this." You say, showing them your pan.

"I'm not having much luck with the steak either." Richard chuckles.

"That looks like the crap I feed Nelly Bean." You tell him.

"Awe. My favourite dog in the universe." Ethan says sarcastically. You point the spatula in his face.

"Hey. It is not my fault she bites people." You tell him and he chuckles.

Richard tries the steak and cringe. "Oh. Mm-mm." He spits it out. "This is not.."

You laugh, but then a crash is heard and it rattles slightly. You hurriedly take your tablet and read it.

"Are you detecting a structural failure on the ship?" Ethan asks you.

"No. The structural integrity is fine." You answer. Ethan frowns and walk slowly forward to look around, trying to listen.

"When my parents moved us to the States, they took us to D.C. for a family trip. The Smithsonian had this exhibit on the decommissioned ISS. And there was this window from the station with a chip gouged right out of it." Richard says.

"Yeah, all thanks to a tiny fleck of paint." Ethan says, still looking around. "My dad took me to the same exhibit."

"I think it might be a meteoroid." You tell them.

"This oughta calm your nerves." Richard hands you and Ethan cups.

"Wine?" You ask, looking down at the liquid.

"Not just any wine. A California pinot." Richard tells you. "Back from when they could still grow grapes in the Golden State."

Ethan takes a sip. "Oh, that's good."

"To solar sails." Richard holds his cup up.

"And California wines."

...

Ethan chuckles. "So it turns out that I have been commanding a crew full of alcoholics."

"Of varying palates." Richard takes a sip. "That bottle tastes like battery acid."

"It's so bad." You chuckle. "What is the first thing you'll do when we get back?"

Richard scoffs. "I thought we already established that. I'm gonna hit an alien beach."

"No, no. Earth. Not the colony planet."

"Aah. Yeah, I haven't thought about it."

"Seriously?" Ethan asks. "Like, not even, like a tiny bit?"

Richard chuckles softly as he thinks about it. "I would like to go back to Zimbabwe."

"When was the last time you were there?" You ask him.

"Haven't been back since we left. Since I was eleven. Our home was in the Eastern Highlands near the border with Mozambique. And as close to Eden as you can get. On Earth, anyway. Then my parents relocated us to America for a new life, which ended up just being boarding schools, joining the military and becoming a career soldier. Was that a better life?"

Ethan shakes his head. "I don't know."

"Me neither. I've always wondered. If we hadn't moved. If that me had been allowed to keep walking down his path. Who would I be today?"

You smile. "Go find out. You could retire, Richard."

"Hell, I could retire. We've earned it." Ethan says, as he says it he actually realises that may give him the chance to be with you or at least ask, but he still isn't sure what you would want, especially with how you've been lately.