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small-spark-of-light · 5 months

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For the person who requested that i make a post of my fanfic because they cant access Ao3 :0 i hope you enjoy :D

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In Sticlafluier's humble opinion, the new guy is a little strange.

It's not a bad thing, truly. Everyone on this ship is weird at best, Rafe is hardly the weirdest. He simply acts odd. He's soft-spoken, if he talks at all, and he's constantly paranoid. It's like he's scared something is out to get him. He's reserved, too. No one knows anything about him other than how he got here.

The way he arrived is weird as well: he fell from the sky, gaining a concerning amount of scrapes and bruises while he was at it, and landed right on the dock. Capitan took him in immediately, as stoic and intimidating as he is. Sticlafluier still remembers the conversation he overheard when Rafe first arrived.

"He's concussed," he heard Eyewatch say, his voice low and stony and sounding dead in his throat, "We need to keep track of him for his own safety."

Sticlafluier never learned how Eyewatch figured that out, maybe his eye could see invisible injuries, or he saw how Rafe landed and used common sense.

Capitan's voice responded, "That's expected, all things considered. Someone will watch over him, if not myself."

Capitan taking in injured people has become expected, and that's when Rafe first started working on the ship, bringing his oddities with him.

These aren't the strangest things about him. At night, after all of his work is done, he stares up at the stars. This can go on for hours; he stayed up an entire night once. Ever since, someone always makes sure it doesn't happen again. Sticlafluier has been the one to shake him out of this trance multiple times. Rafe jumps at first contact, then realizes what he was doing, apologizes quietly, and leaves to go sleep.

It happens nearly every night. Rafe stands still, entranced by the stars.

The other crewmen don't mind his sudden presence or the quirks he came with. In fact, Sticlafluier likes having him around. So when he sees him standing by the ships rails, staring at the sky like he usually does, he decides to join him instead of telling him to sleep. Its not too late, the moon— it's a full moon tonight— is barely in the sky; they have plenty of time to chat.

Rafe doesn't notice Sticlafluier get close, even as he moves around him to see if he would. He leans on the rails right next to him, and Rafe still doesn't notice. He's completely enamored. The night sky is cloudless and filled to the brim with stars. Two of them, Sticlafluier notices, are extra bright and colorful; they stand out against the starry blacks and blues of the rest of the sky. Following Rafe's eyes, hes staring at them.

"Hey Rafe."

The man jolts at the sudden interruption. Rafe clutches his chest, clearly terrified. He stares for a minute before he relaxes, and a tired look eases onto his features. Sticlafluier smiles like he didn't nearly give him a heart attack.

"You staring into space again?" Sticlafluier asks, still leaning on the rails.

Rafe has the decency to look sheepish at being called out. He goes to leave, but Siclafluier catches him by the arm.

"You don't have to leave yet." He says, guiding Rafe back to where he was standing. "There's still a bit of time before Capitan gets onto our asses about not sleeping."

Rafe stares for a second, then sighs, then nods, and moves to hold the rails next to him. They sit in comfortable silence for a while, staring at the night sky. Sticlafluier notices that hes looking for something. His eyes scanning the vast expanse of stars until they catch those two brighter ones from before, and he settles into watching them again.

Those two stars, yellow and purple respectively. Are they what Rafe stares at almost every night? Sticlafluier always wondered why hes obsessed with the night sky so much. Are the nights he goes to bed early the ones he can't find them? The moon has moved only a little, and the tell-tale sound of footsteps approaching have yet to appear, he might as well ask now.

"why do you stare at the sky so much?"

Rafe blinks at him. And then blinks again, surprised someone had the courage to ask. He opens his mouth like he's about to say something and Sticlafluier forces down a bubble of excitement, It isn't often Rafe talks, let alone tells someone about himself. He looks scared, though, and his mouth snaps shut with a sharp inhale.

That little bubble of excitement pops and Sticlafluier can't help but feel a little disappointed, "You don't have to tell me if its something bad, they're your secrets."

He nudges Rafe with his elbow with an semi-casual smile, and hopes he can tell the apology is genuine. He doesn't react; hes lost in thought. He looks at the sky again, not at those two stars but staring upwards absently. Sticlafluier watches him and waits for an answer. Nothing comes. Rafe just keeps thinking, and Sticlafluier moves on to looking at the sky as well.

Those two stars are bright and big compared to the others. Its no wonder why Rafe keeps watching them: they are incredibly eye catching. Sticlafluier finds himself staring as well.

They sit in silence. The moon moves through the sky steadily.

"I've been to space before."

Hearing Rafe's quiet voice cut through the silence is jarring, and that doesn't mention what he said, "You've been to space? Are you talking about when you got here? I know you fell from the sky-"

"No," He interrupts, his voice shakes a little, "Before that. Long before that.

"I almost died when I was up there, but my friend saved me."

Sticlafluier stares at him for what feels like hours, even though it couldn't be longer than a couple minutes.

"what the fuck do you mean by that?!" He asks louder than he wants to.

Rafe jumps at the sudden volume change. He stays silent; its terrifying that hes not continuing. He nearly died in space, his friend saved him, and no more information was given. Sticlafluier waits for Rafe to give context, elaborate, say anything that explains the words that came out of his mouth. Even admitting that it was a lie would be better than this silence. Yet nothing comes.

"Rafe"

Rafe is still silent. He is still silent and it twists his stomach in knots.

"Rafe you cant- You cant just Say that and not elaborate-" Sticlafluier grabs him by the shoulders, mindful of his still healing wounds, "-What the fuck happened to you in space?"

Rafe stares at him with wide eyes, frozen in place, before taking a shaky breath and trying to relax, "What happened was what I said, I don't want to go into it more."

He looks at him with a tired, melacholic expression, and his voice is soft and quiet like always. Sticlafluier has a bitter, guilty twinge in his stomach for being so forceful. He exhales and lets him go. Putting his hand on the rails and letting it be his support, he watches Rafe quietly. Rafe watches him back; neutrally at first, then getting more and more uncomfortable as it continues.

"what was it like up there," Sticlafluier gestures upwards. "Can you tell me about that?"

He perks up at the question, "uh-" He glances at the sky,"-I believe i can."

Sticlafluier waits for his response. Rafe fidgets, wringing his hands together and drumming his fingers on the wood of the ship. He's not staring at the sky, instead he is fixated onto the dark water around them. The ocean is kind tonight. The waves are gentle as they rock the ship back and forth. He shuts his eyes, inhales, and Sticlafluier waits for what he will say with baited breath.

"It was scary," He breathes, "My friend and i were the only ones up there."

"that… sounds like it'd be terrifying."

Rafe hums, "We were surrounded by stars, and the earth looked so small from where we were."

Sticlafluier sits in his words. Being surrounded by stars on all sides and having a perfect view of the earth from so far away. Sticlafluier tries to imagine what its like; tries picturing the stars around him on all sides and tries to see the earth as something far in the distance. Its baffling. He wants to ask more, maybe about this friend or what they were doing up there, but he cant bring himself to talk.

Rafe looks at him, waiting for any more questions.

"Have you told anyone about this?" he manages.

"you're the first."

Its not particularly shocking, considering how reserved he is, but Sticlafluier finds himself surprised. He feels a bit of pride knowing that hes the first, and likely the only one, to be told this information. Rafe turns his attention back to the sky. Back to those two stars from before. He looks tired like before, like always, but its different now.

He looks almost peaceful.

Sticlafluier exhales. He bumps into Rafe's side, purposefully, and lets him catch his bearing before talking.

"you're a weird guy, y'know?" He grins.

Rafe's exasperated look sends him into a laughing fit. Sticlafluier clamps his hand over his mouth; they may be on the deck, but he doesn't want to risk waking everyone up. He snorts, doubled over from laughing, then coughs and clears his throat. When he looks up, Rafe is staring at him flatly.

Sticlafluier wheezes quietly, "That was mean wasn't it? I mean that affectionately! you fit right in."

He continues to stare for a second, then his face softens. He pats Sticlafluier's back lightly before helping him upright. He thanks Rafe, still out of breath from laughing, before taking a deep breath.

"we should probably go and sleep now; Its late." He smiles.

"It Is late."

Rafe jumps out of his skin at the sound of Capitan's voice. He nearly falls overs, shrieking under his breath and holding onto the railing for dear life. Sticlafluier snorts at his reaction; Hes gotten used to him showing up out of nowhere, and turns to Capitan with a lax smile. The captain stays stoic in return.

"Hey Captain," Sticlafluier says, "We were just going to sleep."

Rafe takes a second to come to his senses, but he manages. He takes a deep breath, and waves at Capitan with a shaky hand.

Capitan narrows his eyes, "you two should've been asleep earlier-" He turns to Rafe pointedly,"-You especially, considering your injuries."

He keeps his eyes on the floorboards, refusing to meet Capitan's eyes. Sticlafluier is completely unbothered by the sternness in his voice, and pushes Rafe in the direction of the sleeping quarters. He stumbles, turning to him with a tired glare, before walking away.

"Goodnight, Rafe!" Sticlafluier says. Rafe waves back, not turning around to look back at him.

Irritation laces Capitan's voice, "…That included you, Sticlafluier."

"I know, I know! i just wanted to make sure he was actually going!"

He huffs lightly, walking in the same direction Rafe did; Sticlafluier's starting to feel the slow creep of exhaustion, who knows how late it is now. Capitan follows, mostly. He separates when they reach the entrance to everyone's separate rooms and hammocks. He offers one goodnight before turning back, leaving Sticlafluier alone with his other sleeping crew mates.

It only takes a second to find his hammock. He falls into it, the wooded beams creaking under the sudden weight. It slowly stops swaying, and it leaves Sticlafluier in the dark with only the sound of waves— along with someone snoring quietly elsewhere— occupying his mind.

He cranes his neck a little: on the far end of the room, he can see Rafe's silhouette asleep in his own hammock. He's closer to the door by choice. Its another strange thing about him, that area is usually filled with the sounds of the ships machinery. Most crew members avoid it due to the noise. A select few, mainly Sparrow and Sticlafluier, figure he deals with it so he could see the moonlight seeping through the doorway.

Sticlafluier's eyes sag. Pulling his focus from the sleeping man, he stares at the boards above him. He remembers what Rafe said about being up in space and tries to imagine it again. It's just as difficult, if not more without the night sky to help him think.

He doesn't even notice that his eyes have closed, and he can't tell when they did.

After relaxing, letting the sound of the ocean and memory of the cloudless night sky soothe him, Sticlafluier finally drifts off.

#incredibox #evadare #xrun #rafe #sticlafluier #capitan #some others are mentioned #sparrow and eyewatch specifically #if its too long and annoying ill put it under read more #but i think the post will compress itself normally with the Expand thing it does

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