The Arkvault's elder section hums outside, but our penthouse is a cozy bubble—space windows glowing with nebulae, synth-dispenser whirring, and holo-screens flickering with alien sitcoms. I'm Alex, hovering over Fiona like a nervous gym coach. She's propped on the couch in a loose long tee, med-sling off but still bruised from the Graxon brawl in Habitat-429. Her blonde braid's messy, but her grin's back, and my heart's doing burpees every time she looks at me. Dmitri's out training, probably flexing his spear for Lyra, our Veltari teammate, whose green skin and silver hair light up any room. For now, it's just me and Fiona, and I'm on nurse duty, determined to make her smile.
"Open up, champ," I say, holding a spoonful of neon-green synth-soup, the dispenser's latest hit. "This stuff's like protein shake meets stardust."
Fiona rolls her eyes, smirking. "You're ridiculous, Alex. I can feed myself."
"Nope," I insist, waving the spoon. "Coach's orders. You rest, I spoon-feed. Deal?"
She laughs, leaning forward, lips brushing the spoon. "Fine, but only 'cause you're cute."
I grin, heart skipping. "Cute? I'm a cosmic caregiver, babe."
Her eyes soften, and she grabs my hand, pulling me closer. "You're more than that," she murmurs, voice low, sending a shiver down my spine. "Keep this up, and I might keep you forever."
I wink, spicy but playful. "Forever's a long set, but I'm game."
For days, I'm her shadow—fluffing pillows, queueing holo-comedies about tentacled chefs, and sneaking her extra fizzing drinks. "You're spoiling me," she teases, sipping one.
"Gotta keep my star player happy," I reply, nudging her gently. Our banter's easy, but every touch—her hand on mine, our shoulders brushing—feels electric, like we're rewiring something deeper. I catch her staring sometimes, eyes warm, and I know she feels it too.
Dmitri and Lyra pop in, back from training, still in fighting clothes—Dmitri's orange-and-black suit, Lyra's sleek Veltari armor. "How's the patient?" Dmitri asks, tossing his shield onto a chair.
"Bossing me around," I say, dodging Fiona's playful swat.
Lyra smirks, amber eyes glinting. "You're whipped, Alex."
Dmitri chuckles. "Says the Veltari who keeps stealing my synth-steaks."
Lyra flips her silver hair. "Gotta fuel the speed, fire man."
Fiona laughs, wincing slightly. "You two need a sparring ring or a date."
I raise an eyebrow. "Squad Zero's got drama now?"
One morning, Fiona swings her legs off the couch, gripping my arm. "Help me up, Coach."
I steady her, heart racing. "Easy, babe. You sure?"
She nods, determined. Her legs tremble, but she stands, wobbling, then straightens. Her eyes lock on mine, and before I can speak, she grabs my collar, pulls me close, and kisses me—soft, then fierce, like a supernova igniting. "Thank you," she whispers, lips brushing mine. "For everything—spoon-feeding, bad jokes, all of it."
I'm grinning like an idiot. "Anytime, Fiona. You're worth every rep."
She laughs, steadying herself. "You're stuck with me now."
"Best workout ever," I murmur, stealing another quick kiss.
Over the next few days, Fiona's recovery picks up. She's in regular clothes—a long tee and leggings—watching Dmitri and Lyra train in the elder's holo-room, its walls shifting to a lava-field sim. Dmitri's spear slashes fire-wind arcs, Lyra's kicks dodging his flames with Veltari grace.
"Missed a spot, shield guy!" Lyra taunts, spinning past him.
Dmitri grins. "Keep up, Veltari, or I'll roast you!"
Fiona claps from the sidelines. "Don't burn the room down, you two!"
I nudge her. "Jealous of their moves?"
She smirks. "I'll be back out there soon."
A few days later, Fiona tries light training—staff twirls, slow flux arcs. I spot her, ready to catch her if she stumbles. "Like a warm-up set," I say. "Nice and easy."
She glares playfully. "Don't baby me, Coach."
Lyra laughs, dodging Dmitri's spear. "He's just scared you'll outshine him."
Dmitri snorts. "Or trip him again."
By the end of the week, Fiona's back in fighting clothes, her staff humming as she spars lightly with Lyra, flux arrows flying. "I'm back, Squad Zero!" she declares, nailing a perfect shot.
I cheer, fist-bumping her. "That's my girl!"
Dmitri nods. "Squad's whole again."
Lyra winks. "Ready to kick cosmic butt?"