Page 46 of Alien on the Moon

He squatted down beside her and touched the small green pod. “That’s amazing.” She should have been overjoyed, but instead, she looked worried. “What’s wrong?”

With a weak laugh, she shook her head. “Overthinking as usual. Don’t mind me.”

Standing up again, he pulled her to her feet. “No, don’t do that. We’re all about open communication now, right?”

She sighed. “Right. But we’ve been through this before. You love me. You want to stay with me. But I keep thinking aboutwhat happens after this. I’ll go back to the palace, and you’ll go wherever they send you. We might never see each other again.”

She gritted her teeth in frustration. “I know it’s irrational and you’ll get tired of giving me reassurance eventually, but—”

“Who said I would grow tired of giving you reassurance?” he asked, cutting her off.

Her lips curled into a bitter half-smile. “Well, it has to be exhausting. Right? We just keep retreading the same conversation because my stupid, irrational brain refuses to accept that you really do love me as much as I love you.”

He flicked her forehead. “Hey, I happen to like your brain, even if it is sometimes irrational. So, don’t insult my girlfriend like that.”

Pulling her closer, he just spent a minute holding her in his arms. “If you need reassurance from time to time, I don’t mind giving it to you. Remember, relationships are symbiosis.”

She sighed. “I know. But I don’t want it to be parasitic. You seem to have it together, so our relationship is, by nature, you giving more and taking less than me.”

“You think I have all my shit together?” He snorted. “Before I met you, I didn’t even realize how lonely I was. The moment you walked into my life, you made it infinitely better.”

He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “You aren’t a parasite, and you never will be one. You’re a brilliant, kind, funny woman, and it’s a privilege to know you. I’m not a believer in a higher power, but when I think about the odds of us meeting and falling in love, I begin to doubt my own skepticism.”

She sniffled, her eyes glassy, and for a moment, he panicked. Had he said something wrong? Humans cried when they were sad, but he didn’t think he said anything that would hurt her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He took both her hands in his. “What did I say wrong?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head, wiping her eyes. “You said everything right. More than right, actually. That’s the kindest and most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “Then why are you crying?”

She let out a short, staccato laugh of embarrassment. “Well, most of the time, humans cry because they’re experiencing negative emotions but not always. Sometimes, we cry because we’re overwhelmed with positive feelings. This is a happy cry, not a sad one.”

He let out a relieved breath. At least he wasn’t a total idiot. “I meant every word I said. And I know you will be there when I need you. You aren’t someone who turns their back on people they love.”

“Never,” she agreed.

“Then, let’s go back inside. I’m freezing.” He nudged her back toward the base and both started walking in quiet contemplation.

She finally broke it first. “Rylan?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

He took her hand. “I love you, too.”

It was a week before the first crop of vreben was ready to be harvested. The bral still had some more growing to do before it was ready, but everyone pitched in to pick the pods.

Three-quarters of the harvest was sent back to Thryal as proof of their success. The final quarter was to be a dinner incorporating the vreben they had picked themselves into the main course. After all, they deserved to enjoy some of the fruits of their labor.

“Here comes the final test,” Elena said, scooping a bunch from the buffet onto her plate. “Does it taste good?”

They sat down across from each other in a secluded corner of the cafeteria. Rylan grinned. “On three, we take our first bite. One… two… three!”

They both took a bite at the same time. The vreben was hearty and earthy, and it perfectly complemented the spices the base’s cooks used.

Living on an austere moon base meant the food tended to also be austere most of the time. The cooks often had to improvise with preserved food, so this was the first truly fresh vegetable they’d eaten in a few months. It was delicious, made all the tastier by the fact they’d grown it themselves.

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