THE 100 IMAGINES

[RR] Aether.

It was uncomfortably quiet being up in space. Instead of hearing the wind howling, the water flowing down the rivers or falling from the sky, the leaves gently brushing against each other, the chirping of birds or the buzzing of the insects, all you could hear was the constant low hum that echoed around the Ring. It wasn't something that you were used to, having been born and raised on the ground where you were surrounded by moss-covered trees, colourful fruits and flowers, blue skies, and the white clouds, and not grey walls with wires and overhead lights that clinked as they flickered on and off. It was strangely dull, and not at all what you expected. The stars outside the windows didn't seem as bright as they once did on the ground, and instead, they looked like the faint glow of the dying insects on the ground that were losing their bright luminescence. There were no wild animals or canopies—the only greenery in space came from Monty's algae farm. In space, it was always dark and cold. The sun didn't always shine through the windows, and when it did, you could barely tell. But, despite all of that, it had become somewhat of a home.

The window, in the room that you stayed in, was finally facing earth. It was just as dull and as barren as space seemed to be, but there was one small patch of greenery that remained. The others had named it Eden. They monitored it constantly. There wasn't a day that went by that they didn't check to see if it was still there or if they could somehow communicate. All of their efforts were wasted and met with silence—your hope of returning was slowly dying and you doubted that anyone had survived Praimfaya, even those in the bunker. With a sigh, you stared out of the window in your room and towards the planet you had left behind a few years ago, with your arms crossed over your chest.

"You're staring again," Raven called out to you from the doorway, causing you to jump slightly, feeling your heart rate pick up for a few seconds before it settled again.

"I know," you replied, glancing back at her, watching her fix the headset she still had on, which meant she was taking a break from being sat at the controls.

"It's been four years, how are you not sick of it?"

"We've known each other for longer than that, how are you not sick of me?"

Raven smiled to herself, her head dropping slightly as she closed her eyes and walked into the room to stand beside you. "I don't think I could ever get sick of you," she replied, looking at you.

"Give it another year." There was a grin on your face as you leaned closer to her while you said it.

She smiled again. "I don't think I can deal with another year of being stuck up here with Monty's algae."

You stood up straighter, moving away from her, as you looked back out the window. "Mmm, I agree. I'd settle for some alcohol though, even if it tastes bad, it still has to be better than that stuff."

Raven nodded, grinning at your comment. "Maybe when we get back down there I'll buy you a drink."

"Buy it? Why would you—Wait, did you just flirt with me?" You raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her face.

"Have been for the past year, thanks for noticing."

"But... Why?"

"Because I like you?"

"Is that a question?"

"No, no, it's not. I like you, I do," she stumbled over her words. "Being up here, all forced together with nothing else to do... you grew on me, not that I'm complaining, but now it's like I can't get rid you of. You're everywhere and in everything I see and I hate that I couldn't just get my shit together and do something about it before, but that's clearly changing now. For years I've had feelings for you, and all I've done is sit on them when I should have been doing something about them," she admitted.

"But why me? I'm not one of the boys you usually go for... I'm not even a boy to start with."

"Yeah, well, maybe it was my mistake for not accepting the fact that I also like girls," she told you with a shrug.

"So, you like me?"

Raven, smiling lightly, replied, "Yeah, I like you... Do you like me?"

"I started liking you the moment we first met and you threatened to blow me up with that bomb you put together with parts you found laying around your old dropship. So, yes, Raven, I like you back."