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THE PURRING SOUND OF STEVE'S HARLEY QUIETENED DOWN AS HE KILLED THE IGNITION.
Steve remained seated on his motorcycle, head lifted to observe the plot of dark sky above. It was a beautiful night, the sight of the stars that filled the skies. He had always loved stargazing, something he did with his Ma years ago.
It remained the one thing unchanged when he came out of the ice.
"Hey, fun fact! Did you know–" They shared a pint of ice cream in Olivia's living room, admiring the beauty of the stars. It was exceptionally bright that night.
Steve hummed in response, a spoon in his mouth.
"The stars that we're seeing right now are all dead," she turned to face Steve, a grin ever present on her face.
"For a fun fact, that's pretty morbid. And so are you, a huge smile for quite a depressing story," he flicked her lips, returning to dig into their shared pint.
Olivia shrugged. "I just think it's kinda cool. When we were young, we were taught to wish upon a star for all our wildest dreams to come through. It's kind of cool that we only find out that our childhood dreams are just... dreams, when we grow up. Dead, like these dying stars. Did you know if a star combusts right now, it would take us decades to see it happening? Can't help but to think we're always one step behind time." Olivia enthusiastically replied, her eyes ironically matched the twinkle in the stars.
"Since when are you an expert on all things outer space?" Steve hummed at her sugar high. The cold spoon thoughtfully dragging across his lips.
Mint.
"I like to read up astronomy whenever I'm free. I am a scientist after all." Olivia teasingly pushed up her non-existent glasses.
What a nerd.
"Back to the topic, what I'm trying to say is– Don't wish for anything, just do it. Because when it comes to time, we will always lose." She ended, leaving Steve with a new train of thought. "Or what kids like to call it, jinx!"
Still seated on his Harley, Steve stopped himself from wishing upon the stars. He sighed, not wanting to jinx his chances again.
He trudged up the familiar stairs, keys aimlessly dangling around his finger. He bumped into his neighbour, Kate, who was on her way down for laundry. She reminded him that he left his stereo on.
Except he didn't. He was adamant he left it switched off before he reported for the Lumerian Star mission.
His mind fogged with happiness before it died down, realising it couldn't have been Olivia. Master agent or not, she didn't know how to work the thing.
