Gorgeous

The ship's corridors stretched ahead, dimly lit with a soft ambient glow that felt almost magical in the quiet of the evening. Riza's hand was warm in mine, her fingers lightly squeezing every so often as we walked. There was a lightness in the air, a warmth that hadn't quite been there before. It wasn't just comfort—it was something more, something new and thrilling.

"So," I started, glancing at her with a playful smirk, "are you going to cry when I beat you at the arcade again? Or will you just accept your fate gracefully this time?"

Her eyes snapped up to meet mine, her cerulean gaze narrowing with mock indignation. "Excuse me? When you beat me? That's pretty bold for someone who lucked out the first time."

"Lucked out?" I echoed, feigning offense. "That was pure skill. You're just in denial because you can't handle losing to me."

"Can't handle—" she began, her voice rising in playful disbelief. She stopped walking, tugging on my hand to make me stop too, then turned to face me with a mock-serious expression. "Listen here, loverboy. The only reason you won last time was because I was distracted."

"Oh, really?" I asked, leaning in slightly, my grin widening. "And what exactly was so distracting?"

She hesitated, her cheeks turning pink as she looked away. "That's… none of your business," she mumbled, her free hand fidgeting with the strap of her bag.

I chuckled, gently tugging her hand to get her moving again. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. But just so you know, I'm aiming for a perfect score this time."

"Perfect score?" she repeated, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Wow, big words from someone who tripped over their own feet trying to grab a claw machine prize."

"That was one time!" I protested, laughing as I felt the heat rising to my face. "And I still got the prize, didn't I?"

She giggled, the sound light and musical as she shook her head. "You're unbelievable, Pepper."

"And yet, here you are, willingly holding my hand," I pointed out, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. "So what does that say about you?"

"That I'm a saint for putting up with you," she shot back without missing a beat, though her smile softened as she glanced at me.

"Or," I said, my voice dropping just slightly, "that you actually like having me around."

She rolled her eyes, but her blush deepened, betraying her. "Maybe," she admitted quietly, her tone laced with both playfulness and sincerity.

I grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. "I knew it. You're totally into me."

She gasped dramatically, her free hand flying to her chest. "Oh no, you've discovered my secret! Whatever shall I do?"

"You could start by admitting it," I teased, nudging her lightly with my shoulder.

She laughed, shaking her head as we continued walking. "Alright, fine. I might like having you around. But don't let it go to your head."

"No promises," I said, unable to hide my smile.

As we turned a corner, the soft hum of the ship's systems filled the comfortable silence between us. Riza glanced over at me, her expression softening. "Hey, thanks for today," she said suddenly.

I looked at her, surprised. "For what?"

"For everything," she said simply, her voice quieter now. "For making me laugh, for putting up with Lydia, for… just being you."

Her words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I couldn't think of a clever response. Instead, I stopped walking, gently pulling her to a halt as well. "You don't have to thank me for that," I said, my tone sincere. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

She smiled, her eyes shining in a way that made my chest feel tight. "Me neither."

For a moment, we just stood there, the quiet hum of the ship wrapping around us like a warm cocoon. Then, with a soft laugh, she tugged on my hand. "Come on, loverboy. Let's get to the observation deck before you start getting sappy on me."

I chuckled, falling into step beside her. "Too late for that."

Her laughter echoed softly in the corridor, and as we walked hand in hand toward our first stop, I couldn't help but feel like the rest of the night was going to be just as perfect as the moment we were sharing right now.

The observation deck was bathed in near-darkness, the only illumination coming from the faint glow of distant starlight and the occasional flash of the meteors streaking across the expanse. The room was vast and quiet, the soft hum of the ship's systems blending into the stillness, making the stars beyond the glass seem impossibly close.

Riza stood beside me, her face tilted upward, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the meteor shower. The light from the meteors danced across her features, catching the subtle sheen of her lips, the delicate curve of her cheek, and the gentle sparkle in her cerulean eyes. I barely noticed the spectacle outside; my focus was entirely on her.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered, her voice hushed as though afraid to disturb the magic of the moment.

I swallowed, my heart pounding in my chest. The lights of the meteors painted her in fleeting strokes of brilliance, like an artist's masterpiece coming to life. I leaned in slightly, my voice just above a murmur. "So gorgeous."

She smiled, her gaze still fixed on the meteors streaking across the black canvas of space. "It really is. I've never seen anything like it."

I hesitated for a moment, watching her face as she marveled at the view, and then I let the truth slip out, my voice quiet but steady. "I wasn't talking about the meteors."

Her head turned toward me, her eyes wide with surprise. "W-what?"

"I wasn't talking about the meteors," I repeated, my voice softer now, the words carrying a weight I couldn't hide. My heart raced as I watched her face transform. Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching as the meaning behind my words sank in.

In the dim light, I couldn't see the full extent of her reaction, but the way she stood—frozen, almost trembling—told me everything I needed to know. "Oh," she finally managed to say, her voice barely audible.

Her face turned away quickly, her fingers brushing nervously against her cheek. Though the darkness concealed it, I knew she was burning red, her embarrassment unmistakable.

I smiled, taking a step closer. "You're even more beautiful than the view out there," I said softly, the words tumbling out without hesitation. "And that's saying something."

She let out a shaky laugh, her hand fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "Y-you're such a sap," she mumbled, but the tremor in her voice betrayed how much the words had affected her.

"Maybe," I said, chuckling lightly. "But I mean it."

She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, her blush still hidden but her expression softening. "You're impossible," she said, though her tone was warm, almost shy.

"And yet," I teased, leaning slightly closer, "here you are, stuck with me."

She finally looked at me fully, her eyes shimmering in the faint light as her lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "Yeah," she said quietly. "Here I am."

We stood there together, the meteors continuing their brilliant dance across the stars, but the real light—at least for me—was the way she looked in that moment. Perfect, breathtaking, and mine.

The observation deck doors hissed open as Riza and I stepped out into the softly lit corridor, the quiet hum of the ship wrapping around us. The magic of the meteor shower lingered in the air, and we walked side by side, our hands brushing occasionally but not quite meeting.

"So, what's next, loverboy?" Riza teased, glancing at me with a playful smile.

"Arcade," I replied confidently, grinning down at her. "Time to settle the score. You ready for another loss?"

She scoffed, nudging me lightly with her elbow. "Oh, please. I'm the one who's winning tonight."

"Oh yeah?" I said, smirking as I nudged her back gently with my shoulder. "We'll see about that."

She giggled, her laugh echoing softly in the empty corridor. Then, without warning, she bumped into me again, a little harder this time, throwing me slightly off balance. "Oops," she said innocently, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "My bad."

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Oh, it's like that, huh?" I stepped closer and gave her a light bump with my shoulder in retaliation, earning a surprised laugh.

"Watch it!" she warned, though her smile only widened as she retaliated with another playful bump, this one almost sending me stumbling. "Careful, you might fall."

"Not a chance," I said, laughing as I leaned in for another nudge, which she dodged expertly, dancing a step ahead of me.

"You're too slow," she taunted, glancing back over her shoulder with a grin.

"Oh, you're asking for it now," I said, quickening my pace to catch up. As soon as I was beside her again, I gave her a light but calculated bump, sending her skidding a step to the side.

She laughed, steadying herself before spinning to face me, walking backward with her hands on her hips. "Is that all you've got?"

Her backward pace faltered as I stepped forward, narrowing the distance between us with a grin. "Careful, Riza. You're running out of room."

She turned just in time to avoid the wall, her laughter ringing out as she caught her balance. "Alright, alright! Truce!" she called, holding up her hands in surrender, her cheeks flushed from laughing.

I chuckled, falling back into step beside her. "You sure? You're not looking very confident anymore."

She shot me a mock glare but couldn't hide her grin. "I'm saving my energy for the arcade," she said, her tone teasing. "You'll need more than shoulder bumps to win there."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a promise," she replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

We continued down the corridor, our footsteps light and our banter flowing easily, the lingering warmth of our playful exchange making the walk to our next destination feel like its own little adventure.