I hurry to the closet where we keep our gear. As I grab my helmet, and swiftly turn in the direction of the docks, a pained moan that echoes throughout the hall causes me to freeze.

Was somebody hurt during Maxwell’s hectic flying after all? I wonder, as I take a few slow steps toward the half-open door, where the cries of a man do not cease to slip out from the room it leads to.

“Hello? A-are you oka—"

But, as I arrive in front of the doorway, I quickly swallow my words.

My eyes go wide.

In front of me, two naked men make love.

I look away.

I gulp.

I do not know how long I stay there, my gaze glued to the floor, my foot. It’s like I’m stuck in quicksand. And I want to apologize, yet eventually, I simply leave without saying a word.

The people I pass in the corridor give me strange looks. Deep down, I’m aware it’s because I’m probably red and walking like a limping robot, and that it has nothing to do with what I’ve just seen because they couldn’t possibly know. Even so…it still feels like they see right through me. Because something is wrong with my brain. And I’m afraid.

Because when I looked at those lovers indulging so freely in each other, I thought of Luenos, and I wondered what it would be like with him.

“Vance? Is everything all right?”

I scream, jump, and hit my elbow against the corridor’s walls. “Laurine,” I gasp with a hand to my heart. “You scared me.”

She crosses her arms and raises a brow. “You’re the one who scared me,” she says. “You were just standing there, staring at the docks, without saying anything. I thought I might have missed a concussion when examining you.”

“You know that’s not possible, right?” I chuckle. “I’d be dead by now.”

Laurine frowns. “Well, sorry for worrying about you,” she mutters. “Are you going to enter by the way?” she asks me, cocking her head toward the dock’s doors.

“Oh, uh,” I scratch the back of my head. “I—”

< Vance! > Luenos comes running toward me.

Laurine cringes. “Please tell me that’s friendly,” she says.

I turn to her and frown. “Of course it is!”

She shrugs and takes a step away from us. “Okay, well, I still have some work to do, but remember to take it easy. You went through quite a lot, and you shouldn’t be moving too much.”

“I’m fine,” I say. “It’s been more than a good few days.” Looking down to my leg, I laugh. “It’s not like it’s going to grow back anyway.”

Back turned to me, Laurine pauses. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks me. “If you need to talk, I don’t mind—”

“I’m fine,” I say. “You have more important things to worry about. Seriously, we need to find a way to make the ship work again. Don’t waste your time on me.”

Laurine turns around. She parts her lips. “Vance. Wait—”

But I motion for Luenos to follow me into the docks and shut the door behind us.

It would only make things harder if I stayed to have that conversation.

Laurine knocks on the door.

Her words are muffled.

After a while, she gives up, and walks away.

I sigh.

I turn to face Luenos.

“What’s going on?” I ask him. “I thought you were resting in my room.”