The afternoon sun burned low over the rooftops, casting long, stretched-out shadows on the pavement as Nyota, Sage, and Kilo strolled through the quieter part of the precinct. Work had been slow today, nothing out of the ordinary, which left them more time to talk.
Of course, this "talking" consisted of Kilo running his mouth.
"You know, I overheard somebody say not too long ago that they got rid of a bulk of the vending machines around here. I'm telling you," he said, waving a hand for emphasis, "I can't think of another reason other than lowering agent morale."
Sage sighed. "That's the dumbest thing I've heard today."
"Oh, yeah?" Kilo kicked, his hands in his pockets. "Well, my patience is certainly low because of it. How else would you explain that?"
Nyota smirked. "Wouldn't working this job make anyone miserable?"
Sage shrugged. "Sure, but of the three of us, only one seems to be complaining about food."
"I mean it," Kilo insisted. "And I'm not fat, if that's what you're trying to imply. Plus, nobody uses that word anymore. It's offensive."
"Kilo," Nyota chuckled, shaking his head. "What are you going on about?"
"My words are important, guys." Kilo grinned. "What, you don't entertain mundane theories from time to time?"
"I'm surprised you know what 'mundane' means," Sage quipped.
"Well I got it from you, dimwit."
"My, I can't believe we share blood."
Their conversation carried on as they walked, the familiar grid of the precinct neighborhood gradually giving way to a stretch of storefronts. Neon signs flickered in display windows, their hum barely audible over the distant murmur of traffic. The further they drifted from the precinct, the quieter its presence became, fading behind them like background noise.
Then—a shift.
Nyota's steps slowed as a prickle of unease crept up his spine.
A shadow passed overhead.
He glanced up, catching only a brief flicker of movement—too far to see clearly, but something about it felt off. He held onto the thought for only a second before Kilo nudged him.
"Spacing out again?"
Nyota refocused. "Just thought I saw something."
Sage lifted an eyebrow. "Something weird?"
"No. It's nothing."
Kilo shrugged. "You do that a lot, you know? Like, you just disappear in your own head for a second." He shot Nyota a sly look. "Thinking about her?"
Nyota blinked. "...Who?"
Sage sighed dramatically. "Here we go."
Kilo grinned, sensing an opportunity. "You know who. Cute. Sharp. Great with archives. Name starts with K, rhymes with 'guy'—"
Nyota groaned. "We're not doing this."
"Oh, we are," Kilo said, undeterred. "In fact, we're overdue."
"There's nothing to talk about," Nyota insisted, struggling to hide the smile breaking on his face.
Kilo rebutted. "Oh, please, don't give us that."
Struggling in his search for words, Nyota shrugged. "What else do you want me to say?"
"Sage, a little help here?"
"I'm actually with Kilo on this one," Sage added. "I've seen how you two interact. I'm sure Aurora would say so, too, assuming she's been paying attention."
"Nyota. You called her a godsend. To her face." Kilo threw his hands in the air. "She blushed! Let's not forget when you first ran into her at that convenience store. I was there. Then you started asking me to cover for you to meet her regularly, outside her school, during patrol hours? I'm a great wingman, and as a great wingman, you won't be able to hide this from me."
Nyota knew there was truth in what they were saying—more than he wanted to admit. He could brush off their teasing, roll his eyes, and act indifferent all he wanted, but deep down, he couldn't ignore the way his attention always seemed to catch on Kai whenever she was nearby. How, even in the middle of a conversation, his focus had a way of splintering the moment she entered a room.
Despite this, he scoffed, shaking his head as if the very idea was absurd.
"She's just…"
The words stuck, as if waiting for him to find the right ones. His mind scrambled for something neutral, something that wouldn't fuel Sage and Kilo's amusement—but instead, it betrayed him, conjuring images of her without permission. The way she carried herself, sharp-edged yet composed, always aware. The rare moments her guarded exterior cracked just enough to show something softer underneath. The weight of her gaze when it landed on him, steady and unreadable.
Something stirred in him, subtle yet undeniable. A slow, quiet hum beneath his skin, a warmth he couldn't name.
And judging by the smirks forming on Sage and Kilo's faces, he had already taken too long to answer.
"It's fine, because if you don't say it," Kilo chuckled. "I know who will, am I right?"
"Look, man," Sage started. "if you really like her, you've gotta start making a move. Buy her some food, pull up to her place. Hang out with her."
Kilo waved his hands. "But don't come on too strong, see? Play it cool. Play it easy. Play it… safe. Since it is our usual spot, showing up at her place shouldn't be too crazy, but act as though you've been there before."
Nyota reflected on the brothers' proposed idea. "The place, sure. The situation… I don't know. Plus, what if there's already someone else?"
Sage shrugged. "Well, you won't know until you talk to her, now will you?"
Nyota was quiet for a moment, his mind racing. He tried to picture it—the conversation with Kai, what he'd even say. Sure, he'd had chances to speak to her by himself before, but he remained uncertain of what to expect. Still, the idea of not knowing anything for sure was gnawing at him.
What if there is someone else? What if I'm wasting my time?
But in the end, the uncertainty only made him more determined to figure it out.
"Fine…" he muttered to himself, more as a reassurance than an actual declaration. "I'll do it. Tonight."
His words hung in the air, the weight of them settling between the trio. Kilo's grin widened immediately, while Sage's expression softened into something almost approving.
"That's the spirit!" Kilo cheered, clapping Nyota on the back with enough force to send him stumbling. "And keep me updated. I want to know all the juicy details."
Sage immediately shot Kilo a sharp look, a sigh slipping from his lips. "Don't be weird."
Kilo raised his hands innocently. "What? I'm just saying, I'm invested now."
As their laughter continued, Nyota's mind wandered back to Kai, and a strange sense of resolve settled over him. He would do it. He would visit her that night.
But, unnoticed by any of them, a figure lingered in the shadows above—silent, observing.
Orion, standing on the edge of a building, kept his distance, his gaze fixed on Nyota as the group walked on. He watched how Nyota moved with the brothers—how he was always a little apart from the banter, but still very much in the middle of it. The way Sage's wisdom and Kilo's humor always pulled him in, even when he tried to stay on the sidelines.
Orion didn't need to get too close to see that much.
He simply watched.