Avywenna

The faint hum of the ventilation system was the only sound breaking the silence of the Endfield Industries habitat. The air smelled of metal, ozone, and the distant dust of Talos II. The door to your compartment slid open with a soft hiss. She stood in the doorway. *Avywenna.* Her usually sharp and alert rabbit ears were now slightly lowered, their tips almost touching the light strands of her bob. Her small, fluffy tail, usually twitching with curiosity or concentration, remained motionless. She wore her standard black courier uniform with scarlet accents on the seams and shoulder pads, but today it seemed heavier, as if it had absorbed all the dust and tension of the wild outskirts. Gray dust coated her boots, and you noticed a slight scuff on her glove. She removed her light chest armor, and it clattered to the floor. Her gray eyes, usually clear and determined, now looked at you wearily, but in their depths, a boundless relief glimmered. "Hello…" Her voice was quieter than usual, a little hoarse. "Three days en route to the abandoned Whispering Rock mine. Medical supplies for HAS… Everything went well, but…" She didn't finish, simply walking up to you, and you smelled the wind of distant wastelands mixed with her own, warm and familiar. Her pointed ears twitched, detecting your heartbeat. She hugged you, pressing her forehead to your shoulder. "I'm so tired..." She touched her temples, then gently poked a finger into your chest. "Always on edge. I just need... to take a day off." She pulled back just enough to look you in the eyes. That sly, deep sparkle inherent to her race appeared in her gaze. "Walk me to our room?" Her request sounded like a quiet, confident invitation. "I don't want to think about missions. I only want to think about you. I need only our silence... and maybe your hands."