Chapter Text
The Stratospheric colony is an interesting place. Rex had decided he liked it well before he ever arrived – if the plan was for the Heliopause to subdue the colonists, then there was a good chance he was on their side.
Firstly, there’s more space than he’s ever seen in his life. There’s no ceiling, just sky, and he can run and run for as long as he likes.
The Strato adults are also nicer than basically anyone he’s ever met. He has an appointment with Medbay to get vaccinated against some local disease called The Shimmer, oversleeps, and has to rush to get there on time. By the time he gets a physical checkup and his “shimmer shot”, he’s past the window where breakfast would have been served on the Heliopause, and has inwardly resigned himself to seeing if there are any tepid leftovers that he might be able to choke down.
The canteen is pretty empty, so he heads to the newly-rebuilt kitchens. There are some containers, and pitchers set out, but he guesses those must be for lunch in a couple of hours. A heavyset man with tattoos that make him look like he’s made of marble is loading a steriliser, brows furrowed in concentration.
“Excuse me,” Rex says, more bravely than he feels, “sir. I think I’ve missed breakfast, I was in medbay. I was wondering if there’s any leftovers?”
The man looks up from the steriliser and looks Rex up and down. “None of that here,” he says, and Rex’s heart drops into his empty stomach, “that’s Perk, to you. Uncle Perk, even. You didn’t get in this morning?”
“No, I, um,” he can’t admit he overslept, “had a medical appointment that took a bit longer than expected. I’m Basorexia.”
Perk cranes his neck slightly to look him over. “How old are you, Basorexia?”
“Uh…sixteen?” Rex has no idea where this conversation is going. Possibly, a lecture about how a sixteen year old should be managing his time better.
Tapping his chin, Perk frowns and gives him a critical once-over. “Mmm. My son Cal’s about your age, I know how much teenagers need to eat. Cepheid, can we rustle up something?”
A second figure leans into view, and Rex boggles. Perk wouldn’t look amiss on the Heliopause, although the tattoos are a bit artistic, with his broad shoulders and shaved head. Cepheid, though, may as well be from another dimension – around six-foot and willowy, arms covered in tattoos of flowering vines, wavy blue hair pulled into a half-up and multiple piercings in each ear. They’re wearing eyeliner. He’s never seen an adult look so cool.
“Geranium and Flulu’s girl keeps bringing us – eh, Basorexia, you got allergies?”
“No, um,” Rex eyes Cephied, “do I call you Auntie or Uncle?”
Cepheid laughs, eyes glittering. “You call me either one of those, or Auncle,” they grin, “or just Ceph. Percolate, honey, can you rustle up this kid some eggs?”
An adult like Nomi! Rex resolves to tell them all about Cepheid as soon as possible, and then immediately gets distracted, because when Ceph said “eggs” he was picturing some sad congealed leftovers, but he just heard a sizzle. If he had a tail, it would be wagging.
“You’re actually cooking – I was hoping there’d be like, leftovers? I don’t want to trouble you…”
Perk leans into view, a bemused expression on his face. “You’re not troubling us, Basorexia,” he says, “my job is happy and well-fed colonists. And for the record, if you need to grab something quick, there’s sweet tea, seasoned soy protein, and other bits and pieces in the covered containers. If Ceph says you need a proper meal, though, I’m making you one.”
“I’m a nutritionist and food scientist,” Ceph grins, “and I’d put twenty kudos on you shooting up in the next year, you need fuel for all that growing.”
“How do you know that?” Rex asks, lifting an eyebrow.
Ceph laughs. “Your hands are all outsize,” they say, “feet, too. Happened to me, happened to my sixteen year old…we’re the same height already. Make sure you eat and sleep enough so your body has what it needs, though. Got any plans for the day?”
“Joining the construction crews,” Rex says cheerfully, “I like to be busy!”
A plate is set down in front of him, bearing a vividly yellow omelette folded over what look like mushrooms, and some shredded vegetables. “Leftovers from this morning’s frittata,” Perk explains, “gotta get some vegetable matter in you as well. If you see Bernie, tell him he’s a wanker from me, eh?”
Ceph swats at him, laughing. “The boy will do no such thing! Go on and eat, then bring back your dishes. We’ll wash them, since you have places to be.”
Nomination: where are you?? i haven’t seen you all morning!
Basorexia: i overslept and then had to rush to medbay for my shimmer shot. turns out if you accidentally miss breakfast the adults here will just. make something for you? this is so unreal, i love it here.
Nomination: yeah the way people talk about the strato colony i didn’t expect them to be so nice.
Basorexia: this is the best thing i have ever eaten i think? i’ll come find you after i’m finished at construction, i met some really cool people in the kitchens and they cooked me like. an actual omelette. and you should have SEEN auncle ceph, they’re a grown up but like you!
Nomination: oh my STARS what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rex returns his dishes to a smiling Ceph, then heads out into the Colony, trying to recall where exactly Construction was. He’s wandering around, shading his eyes, when someone shoulder checks him and nearly knocks him over.
Internally, Rex braces himself for one of his old “friends” on board the Helio, then he hears a scrabble and a dismayed noise and reaches out to take the newcomers arm gently to help them get their footing.
It’s a Strato kid – half a head shorter than him, with a fluffy and uncombed shock of blue and yellow hair. Rex watches a pair of reddish-brown eyes flick up, mouth opening, and then a visible short circuit. “H-huh, hello,” the newcomer says, “uh, I’m sorry, I should have-”
“Hi,” he says gently, “my name is Rex.”
“Um, Solstice. Sol, though, if I’m not in trouble,” Solstice replies, straightening her hoodie. A girl, he thinks, although he’s not entirely sure. “Um, sorry about that. I would say I’m normally cooler than this but,” a flash of a grin, “I’m not.”
Rex laughs. “Nice to meet you, Solstice. Hey, um,” he puts a hand on his cheek and lays on the puppy-eyes, “I’m still learning my way around – d’you think you could show me where the construction yard is? I was thinking of applying for a job there.”
Solstice scratches the back of her head, smiling ruefully. “I’m heading that way, actually. I sometimes work in Command, on the nanoprinters and running deliveries. So I can walk you there, if you’d like.”
“Oh, sweet,” Rex beams at her, “thank you so much.”
He follows Solstice to the Admin block. Curiously, she doesn’t speak again, although she does smile a little when she catches him looking at her, and she waves at a whole bunch of people and greets them by name, with the exception of a ferrety and greasy-haired boy that she gives a curt nod and a very slight wave, and Vace, who she ignores.
“So he got up your nose, then?” Rex asks, as they head up the hill to Command.
Solstice shrugs, very evenly. “He thinks very highly of himself,” she says, in the same tone one might say he shat on the carpet . Rex laughs, deciding that if Solstice dislikes Vace on sight she’s almost certainly alright.
–
The next time he runs into Solstice, he’s in the lounge, playing a game of pyramid. She lifts her eyebrows at him – he’s learned that from a Strato, that gesture means a lot of things, but in this context it often means do you want company, so he indicates the chair opposite him.
He’s got it right, because Solstice sits down opposite him and eyes the cards. “Should I ask you to deal me in?” she asks, lifting an eyebrow.
“This is a single player game, but I could go for a game of Bottoms Up,” he grins, “have you ever played before?”
Solstice looks amused. “No,” she smiles as if at a private joke, “how about you show me?”
Rex beams. “Well, it’s pretty simple – the person who puts down a lower card each round wins a point, until you’re out of cards. We usually do a wager on board the Heliopause, so we could play for fun, for Kudos, or for something more interesting.”
Very abruptly, Solstice looks him full in the face for the first time. Her eyes are a deep reddish brown, and he feels distinctly like he’s being weighed up . She usually ducks eye contact, but now she’s looking him directly in the eye. “What do you mean, more interesting?”
“Well,” Rex smiles a crafty little smile, “have you…ever kissed anyone before?” He’s been having a lot of fun kissing Strato kids. He’s kissed basically everyone his age worth kissing on board the Heliopause, which honestly wasn’t that many. Only a couple of his new friends have gone for it, but enough that it’s worth asking.
Solstice’s face shutters, and he’s about to open his mouth to apologise when she gives him a very penetrating look and says, “Why?”
He blinks. “Why…what? Why am I asking you if you’ve…?”
“Why do you want to wager a kiss,” Solstice frowns, “people are suddenly all about who’s kissing who, it’s kinda driving me crazy. Kudos are useful, I guess, or you could wager a dare?”
Rex pauses in the middle of packing up his game of pyramid and cocks his head. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. There’s no pressure.”
Solstice gives him an impatient look. “Answer the actual question, which is why would you want to? You don’t even know me, and I’m not so pretty people are lining up for me.”
“Oh!” Rex gives this question due consideration. Solstice is pretty, although not remarkably so – handsome is probably the better word – and if he’s the first person to think so, he’ll eat his deck of cards. “Well, I think kissing is nice. I like doing it. Good enough?”
“Good enough,” Solstice concedes, “okay, you get a kiss if you win. What do I get?”
Rex weighs up how cheeky he thinks he can get away with being and concludes that Solstice didn’t seem hostile, just confused. “You get to find out what kissing’s like? I’d be honoured to be your first,” he grins, beginning to shuffle.
Solstice laughs. “Oh,” she says, “an appeal to my curiosity? Well played. I agree to your terms, deal me in.”
The two of them make conversation while they play – he learns that Sol’s best friend is Marz (when he admits to having kissed her already, Solstice snickers and says yeah I thought so with obvious fondness) and that she likes to read and to garden and she tutors younger kids, and that she sometimes finds cool stuff outside the colony and brings it home. She wants to be a teacher when she’s older, although there’s a look in her eyes that makes him wonder if “teacher” is the more feasible option rather than the dream.
Rex starts off at a strong point advantage – he’s played a lot of this game – but at the halfway point Solstice starts to steadily gain on him. She’s sharp, he realises, dark eyes watching his face carefully. Does he have a tell? Damn.
“I think I underestimated you,” he grins, as Solstice scores another point – if she scores one more time, she’s won, “remind me not to play you in poker, you’d take me for everything I own.”
Solstice grins at him. “I’m good at reading people, that’s all. This is a fun game, though, thanks for teaching me!”
The two of them turn over their final cards, and Rex shouts gleefully. “Are you for real? That was a really risky play,” he laughs, leaning back in his chair, “you’re lucky I only had a high card left!”
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Solstice smiles at him slyly, “besides, it’s just a game.”
Rex finds himself grinning back as he gathers up the cards. There’s a very infectious quality to Solstice’s askance little smile, like she’s inviting him into a shared secret. “So…wanna cash in on that bet, winner?” he asks, a little more shyly than he intended.
“Yes, please. Do I need to…?” Solstice shuffles along the booth seat so she’s a little closer – good, he won’t have to figure out leaning over the table and risk his hand slipping and eating shit.
Rex reaches over to cup her cheek in one hand, then leans in. He feels Solstice’s jaw shift under his palm, and she glances up at him shyly before her eyes flutter shut.
Solstice makes a quiet inquisitive noise against his mouth – cute – and she’s wearing flavoured lip balm, vanilla and something spicy. It’s a proper smooch rather than a quick peck, because Rex has standards especially where first kisses are concerned, but he doesn’t take more than he’s due either.
He sits back, letting his hand drop back into his lap. “That was pretty nice,” Solstice gives him a tiny smile, “still not sure what the fuss was about, but…curiosity satisfied.”
“Thanks for playing,” Rex smiles back at her, “maybe we could do it again sometime?”
Solstice gives him a mock-severe look. “I see how it is,” she replies, all comedic haughtiness, “perhaps. I gotta go now, I’m helping Tammy in the kitchens. Seeya!”
“Seeya,” Rex waves, beginning to shuffle his cards again.
–
It turns out, for all that life on Vertumna isn’t easy, it’s lightyears ahead of what life was like on the Heliopause. He joins the construction crews and spends a lot of his time working on various new builds, plus his own project, and hanging out with new friends. The Stratosphere kids are all far nicer than anyone who he grew up with, and although he could do without the yearly alien attacks, overall life’s pretty good.
It’s been nearly a year since he arrived, and his life’s pretty good. He could do without Vace and his stupid mates sneering at him and sometimes doing worse, but on the balance of it Strato adults will do things like let him lead a solo construction project , and he gets his own room – Al apologises that it’s small, but it’s more personal space than he ever hoped to have.
He’s sitting in the grass with Nomi, sticking his hands out to catch the snow, when Solstice jogs up to him with a wheelbarrow of mushwood, pink with exertion and with her hair stuck to her face. “Special delivery for a Basorexia?” she grins.
“All of this for me!” Rex exclaims, leaping to his feet and pulling Solstice into a bear hug, lifting her clean off her feet.
Solstice giggles, patting him on the back. She smells like outside, like loam and petrichor and sweat. “What’s that thing you say – nothing a dog likes more than a stick? How about like…four sticks?”
“Decision anxiety from which one to ask you to throw first,” Rex replies, setting Solstice back down on her feet. There’s a yellow flower tucked behind one ear, and her shoulder bag clanks as she shifts on her feet restlessly
Nomi is looking at her, a little cautiously. ‘I, uh,” they clear their throat, “I like your flower.”
“They grow wild outside, and inside sometimes,” Solstice smiles and sits down next to Nomi, “this one was on a big cluster of them, so I didn’t feel bad about taking this one. Do you wanna see some of the other stuff I got?”
Rex plonks himself down in the grass, and Solstice promptly flops down on her stomach and rifles through her bag. There’s a big red egg, a couple of thick-skinned bobberfruit, some roots with dirt still clinging to them, and a bluish cluster of translucent rock crystals.
“What’s with the rock?” Rex asks, and Solstice gives him a crafty little smile and holds it to the light. It glints iridescent blue-green-purple, throwing rainbows on the grass and on him and Nomi.
Nomi gasps in audible delight, and immediately Solstice’s head turns to them. “You can have it,” she says immediately, inclining her head to Nomi.
“Oh,” Nomi blanches, “no, I couldn’t possibly, it’s yours–”
Solstice smiles a little. “You can have it,” she repeats, “if you like it you can have it. I have a few at home already.”
“Really really?” Nomi asks, hands already slowly extending unconsciously towards the crystals. Solstice reaches out to put the cluster gently in their hands.
“Really really,” she confirms, carefully closing their fingers around the crystal, “please take it.”
Rex leans his chin in his hand, watching the exchange. Nomi glances down at the gift for a moment, face hidden by their hair. “I’ll take very good care of it,” they look up at her, smiling sunnily.
“They’re pretty sturdy,” Solstice grins, pushing herself up on her hands and getting her feet under her to spring to her feet – she’s stronger than he realised, he thinks, “I’ve fallen down a cliff with one of those in my bag. Pretty and tough.”
“Sounds like someone I know,” Rex looks up at her, grinning. She wrinkles her nose at him, bouncing restlessly on the balls of her feet.
Nomi tears their eyes away from the crystal to give him a look of amused consternation. Rex gives them a big, shameless grin, and they laugh and thump him on the shoulder.
“You guys are so cute,” Solstice smiles, stretching her arms above her head and letting them drop back down to her sides.
Rex looks over at Nomi, wordlessly asking do you want to take this , and Nomi coughs. “Oh, we’re not like…” they sigh, rubbing the back of their neck.
Solstice blinks. “Oh, I didn’t mean it that way. Whatever it is you guys have going on, it’s really nice! Anyway, I’ve gotta run – catch you guys at dinner, maybe?”
With that, she jogs off. Rex watches her go, trying to find a name for the strange and sudden twisting feeling in his chest at how easily Sol just–
He’s been trying to explain how special Nomi is to him for as long as he’s known them. He’s said they’re like my sibling because it feels close but inadequate. He doesn’t know what having a sibling is like , but he just knows that any future he pictures isn’t complete if Nomi isn’t there with him.
The two of them were what felt like the only dreamers on board the Heliopause, clinging to each other for survival. Even - sometimes especially when it would have been safer to let the story told collectively by everyone else on board swallow them both.
In the sparse holoarchive of the Heliopause, they found other lives to live and other stories to tell. But even then, there were no words for how he feels about Nomi. He just has to use the closest ones he has, and weather people making assumptions that the only way they could be so close is if they were dating or family.
This is the first time that he can remember that someone has just…accepted that Nomi is the most special person in his life, with no qualification or interrogation. His chest feels bizarrely tight, like someone’s wrapped their arms around his ribs and squeezed, but not…not unpleasantly.
“I can’t believe she just… gave it to me,” Nomi says, admiring the crystal cluster, “that’s so nice.”
–
Some days he absolutely doesn’t miss the Heliopause , and other days he misses climate control hugely. He’s marinating in his own sweat and contemplating whether he wants to empty his canteen down his throat or over his head when he hears a wolf whistle from a group of Helio soldiers and a moment later Solstice jogs into sight, a peeved expression on her face.
“Why are Helios so weird?” she asks, pulling a hair elastic off her wrist and beginning to put her sweaty hair up in a ponytail.
Rex looks up at her, about to ask what they’re being weird about, then realises the problem immediately. Solstice has dressed more sensibly for the weather than he has, in a sports bra and loose trousers, but it’s rather more bare skin than would be remotely normal on board the Heliopause. She carries herself with a complete lack of self consciousness, like it hasn’t occurred to her that people look twice at her.
“They’re not used to people wearing that little clothing and they think you’re showing off,” he shrugs, “Stratos are…way more relaxed about bare skin as well. I’m beginning to understand why.”
Solstice sits down next to him, blowing a few strands that have already escaped the elastic out of her eyes. She’s been growing her hair for most of the year – it’s down past her shoulders now, thick and unruly. “Ew,” she says good-naturedly, “they think highly of themselves if they think I’m showing off for them.”
“I’d be showing off if I was wearing something like that,” Rex says thoughtfully, “but not for those nullheads specifically. That outfit does look really comfortable, actually, I like the pants.”
“I’d offer to let you borrow them,” Solstice grins, “but I’ve already let down the hems as far as they’ll go. I’ll find out what their item code is in the depot catalogue, though, then you can get lanky bastard pants for lanky bastards.”
Rex scratches his chin. ‘Oh right, I have nanoprinter credits. I’d like that, I’m still getting used to like…getting to choose clothes, not getting them issued and needing to customise them.”
Solstice shrugs evenly, leaning back on her hands. “You can customise stuff too. Marz likes designing clothes, so if you ask her for help she’ll be delighted to have someone new to play dress-up with.”
“I do like spending time with Marz,” Rex says agreeably, “she’s a lot of fun, and she’s smart.”
“You can say you like snogging her,” Solstice laughs, “she tells me everything. I do not get it but I’m glad she’s having fun, you know?”
Rex pauses. “What do you mean, you don’t get it?”
Solstice rolls her eyes. “Like…everyone’s looking at each other all the time, or making out with people even though they don’t actually like them very much, and there’s all this drama about…who likes who. Like…I get that it feels nice, and I’m not opposed to any of it, but it’s like everyone’s got dating and hooking up on the brain and I missed a memo somehow.”
Rex turns to look at her curiously. This sounds familiar, kind of like… “so, you don’t really want to date anyone, or?”
“I do,” Solstice says after a moment, “just…it feels like everyone else wants it more. You know?”
He opens his mouth to say no, I think I’m one of the people that wants it more and then shuts it, because he does know the feeling. He does know what it’s like for everyone to look at dating, and kissing, and a whole lot of fun stuff and attach way more weight and exclusivity and significance to it than he wants.
Rex knows what it’s like for people to look at the most important relationship in his life and assume it will always be secondary to a lover, even though he can’t imagine a future where Nomi’s not there right next to him.
Solstice is watching him, one corner of her mouth turning down a little. He can’t read the expression on her face, which is odd because he’s really good at reading people.
“Yeah,” he says at last, “I actually do. I mean, not all of it, cause I really like hooking up, but that’s just…fun, you know?”
Sighing heavily, Solstice keels over sideways to rest her head on his shoulder. “It’s nice that someone gets it,” she says, clearly relieved, “I feel crazy, sometimes.”
Rex winds an arm around her shoulders, resting his cheek on top of her head. He feels lighter, somehow. “You’re definitely crazy,” he says affectionately, “but I don’t think that’s why.”
–
“Rex! Rex!”
Rex looks up from his lunch just in time for Nomi to fling themselves into the seat opposite, clutching – is that paper?
“I just saw Marz,” Nomi exclaims, “and she gave me an invitation to a Vertumna Youth Ball that’s also kind of like, Sol’s birthday party? She wants us to come, there’s gonna be cake and dancing!”
Rex plucks a paper invitation out of Nomi’s hands – it’s been handwritten in Marz’ beautiful penmanship. “A birthday party,” he murmurs, examining the paper. It’ll be his first proper party since…well.
Since Vace broke his arm. After that, everyone except for Nomi stopped wanting to hang out with him, and he stopped getting invited to things.
As if summoned by the discussion, Solstice emerges from the kitchens, covered in smudges of flour and looking tired. “I can’t believe Marz and her hand-writing,” she says without pre-amble, sitting down next to Nomi, “it should be fun, though. Marz is going to print me something to wear and I’m not allowed to see it until the day of.”
“That would make me so nervous,” Nomi widens their eyes, “what if it’s too, um…daring?”
Solstice smiles, leaning her chin on one floury hand. “She knows how far she can push me before I tell her where to shove it,” she shrugs, diffident, “and she’ll want to be able to show me off. Marz doesn’t like sycophants, she likes it if you challenge her.”
“She’s so intimidating,” Nomi frowns, “I don’t know how you do it.”
Rex scrunches his nose a little. “She’s not so bad, Nomes. Maybe we can ask her what Stratos wear to…” he squints at the invitation, “sock hops?”
“Oh Marz,” Solstice sighs, “I knew she’d do some history nerd shit.”
“She’s an old earth culture aficionado, I think that’s the term,” Rex grins at her, handing the invitation carefully back to Nomi, who gently smooths the edges.
Solstice’s eyes crinkle at the corners. “Asking her for advice is good,” she says, “just don’t let her push you around. I gotta go wash all this damn flour off…shit, Nomi, I got something for you–”
She slides another shiny rock across the table to Nomi, who scrambles to catch it, then lopes off, flour-dusted braid swinging behind her.
“She’s so cool,” Nomi breathes, “I can’t believe she wants us to come to her birthday party. Did you know she’s seen Turbogirl Hyperjet Transform?”
Rex blinks, finishing off his mouthful of trippet. “What, really? They have that here?”
“Yeah,” Nomi looks starry-eyed, “she’s gonna show me some of her favourite shows, we can have, like…a watch party. Rex, I can’t believe she wants to hang out with me.”
He reaches out to ruffle their hair. “Cool people want to hang out with you because you’re cool, Nomi. Sol’s just smart enough to realise that, unlike everyone we grew up with.”
“Rex,” Nomi whines, half-laughing, “you’re gonna make my hair stick up in goofy directions!”
He drops a kiss on top of their head, smoothing down a stray strand. “All fixed,” he smiles, “go on ahead, I’ll do your dishes.”
Nomi stands on their tiptoes to give him a hug, then scampers off. He watches their retreating back, scratching the back of his neck. It’s always been him and Nomi against the world, and it feels strange to hear about them making plans with someone else.
Rex frowns to himself. Is he jealous? Is that it? Is he jealous about Nomi spending time with someone else? That’s never happened before.
Jealousy is meant to feel bad though, and he doesn’t feel bad. It’s not an unpleasant feeling, that Nomi has someone who isn’t him, especially if they’re as nice as Solstice.
He shakes his head. No time to contemplate navels, he had a project to work on and time to make with Marz to discuss what to wear to a…”sock hop”. Socks, he assumes, but he’s been wrong about things that seemed straightforward before. Like befriending Vace.
Rex puts strange feelings, and the memory of Solstice sitting in the grass saying it’s nice that someone gets it, I feel crazy sometimes out of his mind, and gathers up his and Nomi’s dishes to wash. He has a busy day ahead.