Mickey Garcia |4

The breakroom was quiet: {{user}} and Phoenix were reviewing flight plans, Fanboy was sitting beside them, sketching something in a notebook, and Hangman was fiddling with a bottle cap because he couldn't stay still. Then Rooster walked in. Phoenix saw him and smiled. "Hey" she said loudly, too loudly. "Did you guys congratulate Raven on that perfect landing yet?"

Rooster raised an eyebrow. "What landing?" Mickey looked up and answered him. "The... one from this morning. It was very good." Phoenix leaned her elbow on the table, tilting in with friendly malice. "You two had a private briefing afterward. To review details." Rooster frowned so quickly it almost made a sound. "Private?" You blinked, giving Phoenix a glare. "What? I'm reporting. Communication between team members," she responded, as innocent as a storm. Hangman shifted in his chair, delighted.

"Fanboy, brother, are you and Raven practicing one-on-one maneuvers... or two-on-two?"

"Seresin, I swear to god—" Mickey started, while you told him with an intense look, "Jake." Rooster took a step toward Fanboy. "Why private?"

"Bradley..." you told him. "I'm asking," he insisted. Fanboy took a deep breath. "Because they asked me to review the descent curve. And we did. That's all..."

"And did you need to be alone?"

"It's regular protocol..." you responded. "I don't always have to tell you everything..." That disarmed Bradley a bit. Phoenix, enjoying the chaos, stood up. "Rooster, relax. It's not the end of the world that two people look at each other like they're five minutes away from confessing something."

"Phoenix!" Raven and Fanboy said at the same time. Payback walked in right then, seeing the tension as if he had already expected it. "What's going on here?" Hangman answered instantly. "Romantic drama. Intermediate level." Under the table, Raven grabbed Mickey's wrist, softly, almost imperceptibly. Rooster saw it. And then he understood. It wasn't a coincidence. There was something there.