#caleb fluff

[getosurya]

and if i wrote popular/jock-esque reader and nerd caleb then what

should i...

yes write it instead of studying

no

Voting ended onJun 9

[heressya]

Random thing with Caleb and my OCs.

Cold bands of blue light lit up the meeting room of the Farspace Fleet. Holograms of the Deepspace Tunnel rotated in the center. Unexplored regions, fuel projections, aircraft that would go all floated next to it.

Fleet Officers sat solemnly listen to their Colonel point a gloved hand at the large console behind him.

"If the Colonel didn't execute the drop maneuver at the last minute we'd all be de..."

Caleb shoots the man a cold look and the words die in the old man's mouth.

The Colonel continues "We went through Sectors 3, 5 and 8 of the Deepspace Tunnel but that route is vulnerable and drains more fuel. They knew that."

Nobody ever interrupted.

Nobody ever did.

Caleb pulls up another projection. "Another problem is the the person or group that tried to sink us they..."

His sleeves tug downward.

The Colonel looks down at the tiny fingers grasping his dark uniform.

"Need juice."

His son, Navin stood next to his chair, in one leopard print sock (the other lost somewhere in the room), an apple plushie and an oversized little sweater. His purple eyes heavy with sleep and brown curls messed up from where he'd laid down.

Nav did not cry.

Nav did not whine.

He asked quietly.

Liam and the others looked to the floor, as if making eye contact with the toddler would earn them a one way ticket to the interrogation room.

Caleb didn't lose his composure.

"Those of you I sent out to get to the bottom of that better have answers. Otherwise I have all reason to believe you are conspiring against the Fleet's Colonel." He continues reaching down with one hand searching the insulated bag under the table as he searched blindly while speaking.

"No Colonel can trust those who aren't serving him...." Caleb found the juice box.

Without looking away from all the men seated before him, with the reflexes and speed of a man who'd loaded firearms many times, he popped the straw in before handing it to the toddler.

The toddler accepts it with two arms, beaming happily.

"Thank you daddy!" The child squeals.

"I question the competen....You're welcome Pup. " Caleb says before turning back to the conversation.

The meeting changes to Fleet Deployment schedules, Caleb feels a small weight climbing onto his lap, he doesn't need to know who it is. Mildly afraid of the medals poking his little pup he quickly unbuttons the front of his military jacket before picking up his son and places him on his destination, his hands protectively circles the child's waist.

The world seemed bigger on his father's lap. So many shiny things and serious people. People didn't talk much, sometimes men in dark uniforms saluted him. He liked being with daddy, nobody bumped into him when he was there.

"House?" He asked when they got there. "No Pup this isn't my house."

So what else could it be?

It was high up with too much doors and too much windows. His father didn't wait, did not get lost, did not ask other adults for permission inside here...everything looked simple to

So the child's only logical answer.

"It's a castle!"

Nav absentmindedly drank his juice on Caleb's lap before a question formed in his head.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Pup?"

"These your Knights?" The child's eyes widened in awe at the ppl around the table, with his juice box he specifically pointed to Liam.

"Yes." Caleb replied instantly. "Most of them are Papa's knights."

Nav stared at everyone like they were his heroes too before sighing happily and plopping back on Caleb's chest.

Caleb holds him closer, fights the urge to place his cheek on the child's curls and nuzzle him till he laughed loudly or shower him with kisses. Nobody trusted Aadhira, his older daughter since she almost burnt the house down making microwave ramen so she was at the D.A.A with her mother, so of all the meetings, Caleb had to watch him.

Caleb admired his innocence. It was somethings that he couldn't afford when he was Navin's age and he would protect that.

[feral-espresso-boba]

MC slipping these in the hamper for when Caleb does her laundry

[xiagasm]

synopsis. you're a little jealous because all the girls in class flock to your boyfriend caleb

cw. slight angst ˖ jealousy ˖ comfort

note. i think i completely missed what you wanted frm this request anon im so srry

you were going to beat caleb up. doesn't matter if he's taller and stronger than you. . . you were determined to give him a piece of your mind.

you watch as girls flock to him at the end of class, standing way too close for comfort. having him as the student TA for your class was both a blessing and a curse. not only was he super smart and able to help you with the course material, but having him as eye candy to just stare at during class was nice too.

but it turns out many other girls in your class thought the same. they crowd him as they try to feign stupidity on the topic, hoping to talk to caleb by using academics as an excuse. you watch as their hands stroke his forearm while holding the worksheet in front of him for "clarification." you can't blame them though. caleb is the spitting image of boyfriend material with his beanie, glasses, and flannel.

and caleb, being thoughtful, would answer every single one of their questions, unbeknownst to their ulterior motives. you mentally huff and shove your belongings into your bag before storming out of the classroom, giving one glance behind your back to see if he would notice, but he doesn't look your way.

usually you wait for him until he's done with his TA duties so the two of you can go back together. but today is different. you're tired of all the girls clinging on to him while he doesn't care about how that affects you. so with a pout on your face, you trudge all the way to the library.

you sit down at your usual table and take out your supplies to begin studying. you're able to make it through half of your notes before you feel stumped. you sigh, tapping your pen against the notes you took earlier in class.

you feel your emotions rising up again. caleb was supposed to be here at the library with you to help you study for your exam. and you were so looking forward to it. something about the way caleb explains things to you, makes it so easy to understand. not to mention the way he always praises you for getting the answers right. he made studying so much more tolerable.

speak of the devil, you hear the chair next to you scrape against the ground. you don't look up, you don't want to acknowledge his presence at the moment. it's childish, yes. but you can't help the way you feel right now. you pretend to be concentrated on the papers in front of you.

caleb doesn't realize. he slides in the seat and scooches it closer to you. with his elbow on the table he rests his head on his hand and leans in closer to examine what you're looking at.

"mm, yeah. that one's a bit tricky babe. don't worry though. professor caleb's here to help!" he says with a smile.

you turn away from him with a pout on your face, "oh now professor caleb's free, huh. . ."

"what'cha mean, pips? i'm always here for you, you know that." he says while wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

you shrug it off. "i dunno. . . you seemed pretty busy earlier with all those girls at the end of class."

mirth dances in his eyes, "awhh is my widdle apple jealous right now?" he teases you.

you turn towards him with a scowl and gently hit your fist against his chest a few times. "not funny, caleb."

"hahaow- ouch! okay, okay. i'm sorry." he grabs your hands and holds them in his, pulling them up to leave gentle kisses on your knuckles. "talk to me, tell me what's goin' on in that pretty head of yours."

you sulk, "well. . . i-" you avoid eye contact.

his hands squeeze yours, thumb stroking the back of your hand. "take your time, m'listening."

your eyebrows furrow. "it's just that. . . don't you think those girls are too close? a-and it's like you don't even notice how hard they try to flirt with you. . . and i just have to sit and watch. so yes. . . i am jealous."

he takes a few moments to listen and absorb your thoughts and feelings. "i'm sorry i made you feel that way. i only ever have eyes for you, i promise." there's a slight frown on his face. "i really didn't know. i was just trynna do my best for the TA job."

he sits and thinks for a few seconds before speaking up. "tell ya what. i'll move my office hours to be online instead of in person, is that better?"

"yeah. . . m'sorry." you mumble, feeling like you're making a big deal of nothing now that he's clarified himself.

"hey, you have nothing to be sorry for, pips. if anything, i'm glad you told me. i want you to be able to tell me anything." he reassures you.

he looks down at your papers spread across the table. one by one he begins to collect them and put them back inside of your bag.

"wha- caleb, what are you doing? i still have to get through those notes." you say.

"nope." he pops the p. he looks at you with a lopsided grin, glasses slipping down his nose and his hair sticking out of his beanie. "we are gonna go walk around campus, like this." he says while slipping his hand into your back pocket and giving your ass a light squeeze. "gonna hold you nice 'n close so everyone knows who i belong to." he winks.

he slides your bag across his arm and pulls you close as you walk out of the library. "and later we're gonna go back to my dorm and i'm gonna love on you sooooo hard. you're gonna be tired of my kisses by the end of the night."

your feelings of jealousy have disappeared, a smile breaks down on your face as you feel reassured and full of love. "nah. . . i don't think that's possible." you let out a chuckle.

he laughs, warm and loud and then leans down to place a chaste kiss on your temple. "challenge accepted."

[feral-espresso-boba]

I found a note from last night that I don't remember writing that just says "Caleb using EVOL time dilation to extend orgasm"

[luckygirlcharms]

“Caleb, if we had a daughter what would you name it?” You say suddenly appearing from the other room into his office.

Caleb drops his phone and looks at you a million different things running through his mind.

“Why are you asking pips, are you okay is your period late?” He sounds nervous and is that a hint of excitement you detect in his tone. You don't have time to unpack that right now so you simply show him your switch screen.

“I’m not pregnant dummy our miis just had a baby and I wanted your input.”

Caleb makes a sound of understanding pulling you into his lap to get a better look at your screen. “I thought you could choose the gender why are we having a girl first?”

“Because my island is female dominated that's why.”

”But she’s gonna need a big brother to protect her like I do for you.” He states matteroffactly.

”Caleb she’s a mii nothing is gonna happen to her now what are your thoughts on naming her Apple.”

”I like that its cute like her.”

You both watch the little montage of your miis being parents to Apple.

Hours later you lie in bed with Caleb recalling how he reacted earlier.

”Hey why did you sound disappointed when you found out I wasn’t pregnant?”

Caleb squishes you to his chest and shushes you.

”You must have been hearing things goodnight pips.” He says quickly.

[mrs-hatake]

Hold Me

Pairing: Caleb x F!Reader

Tags: Drabble, fluff, comfort, mentions of nightmares, chat messages, Y/N is not MC.

Word count: 764

A/N: A rewrite of an old fic of mine :)

Sounds of gunshots reverberate down the hallway. Caleb has been in his gaming room since late this afternoon, only coming out to use the bathroom.

Your fingernails dig into your palm as you debate knocking on the door. Caleb isn’t the type of man who is obsessed with his games to the point where he becomes negligent but he tends to lose himself in his games when he has the time to play, which isn’t often since he’s always so busy with work. That’s why you’re so hesitant to interrupt him.

But images from your nightmare flashes before your eyes and you find yourself knocking in rapid succession. Your heart beats loudly almost louder than the muffled gunshots.

You bite your lip as anxiety churns your stomach.

It sounds like Caleb is still playing his game.

Maybe this was a mistake, You think to yourself.

Just as you’re about to return to your bedroom, planning to have any Netflix show playing in the background to help you go back to sleep, the door finally opens.

“Y/N?” Your husband sounds shocked to see you awake at this hour,  “Are you alright?” his eyebrows furrow in concern.

You awkwardly smile at him, flushing in embarrassment for reasons you cannot explain.

“I had a nightmare. Can I please stay with you?”

Caleb’s eyes softened, “Oh, sweetheart. Of course you can stay. Stay as long as you want, okay?” He then opened the door wider and stepped aside for you to come in.

You rarely find yourself in Caleb’s gaming room, preferring to play games on your phone in a dimly lit room rather than a dark one only illuminated by artificial lights coming from his gaming setup. 

Through the darkness, you can see posters of fighter jets. There’s also a small banner of Caleb’s university and the aviation academy he graduated from. On one spot on the wall, there are numbers and letters that you can’t decipher but interpret them as codes for the game he’s been trying to complete. 

“You can sit on my lap.” Caleb pats his legs.

You glance around the room, mentally making a note to buy an extra chair for nights like this.

“Are you sure? Won’t I get in the way?”

Caleb shakes his head, a soft smile gracing his lips, “Don’t worry, you won’t.” His tone is encouraging. 

Not wanting to sit on the ground or go back to bed alone to face your nightmares, you sit on Caleb’s lap, making sure to make yourself smaller so that you don’t block the screen.

“What are you doing?” Caleb chuckles, his breath fans the top of your head before he leans down to kiss your forehead. “Sit up straight I can still see.”

But a firm shake of your head has Caleb relenting, “So considerate.” He murmurs playfully and then puts his headphones back on.

“Of course silly!” He smiled at you one more time before going back to his game, Call of Duty as you noticed.

As you watch Caleb shoot some zombies up, your eyes slowly drift shut as the muffled sounds coming from Caleb’s headphones lulls you to sleep.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

TheColonel: guys, I gotta go...

CapGideon: WHAT bro...

CapGideon: we’re getting to the good part!

CapGideon: 😤

DragonKing: is it someone...special 😏

Caleb steals a quickly glance at your form curled up in his lap, your hand loosely clutching his pajama shirt.

TheColonel: Yeah…It is 😌

CapGideon: ohhh you mean the missus 😎

DragonKing: since when were you married?

DragonKing: i thought you lived in your moms basement?

TheColonel is offline

CapGideon: dude

CapGideon: @dragonking

CapGideon: why’d u piss him off 

CapGideon: we coulda convinced him to play one more round 😩

Switching off his computer and removing his headphones, Caleb gently fixes your position and carries you in his arms all the way to your bedroom.

Caleb’s well aware that after dealing with nightmares, you prefer to sleep with the nightlights switched on.

“I got you.” Caleb whispers after laying you down on the bed and moving to adjust the lights. He gently pries your hand from his shirt to flicker your favorite nightlight on and to get ready for bed. 

A short moment later, Caleb is under the covers, his arms wrapped securely around you.

“Hey.” He whispers, his fresh minty  breath tickling fanning your face.

“Hey.” You whispered back sleepily, scooting up closer for warmth. 

“You doing okay?”

“Mmmhmm.”

Caleb’s hand is rubbing your back, making it difficult to stay awake. 

“Sleep, my love.” Caleb whispers, intent on watching you until you fall asleep. 

[feral-espresso-boba]

Singularity Dark: Chapter 6

Summary: Caleb tricks you into giving him your phone number.

You discover he actually has vulnerabilities.

Gideon meets Meg and they're both such little beans about it.

Errol makes you an offer you can't refuse. Well, you could. But you don't.

Chapter 5

Chapter 6 - a cute girl who likes spice

Meg walks down the brightly lit hallways of the Aerospace dormitory. It's much shinier than the Infantry dorms, with neat looking piloting students bustling to and from meals, studies and social engagements.

Even the ceiling of this deck seems higher.

Meg knocks on the door nervously, wondering why she agreed to this in the first place.

It opens and she sees a handsome figure with dark brown hair peering down at her.

“Gideon!” she blurts, forgetting that they haven't actually met, and she only knows him from pictures in the group chat and stolen glimpses from a distance.

“Um, yes? Hello. Can I help you with something?” he hopes aloud.

“No. I mean, yes. Uh, is Caleb here?” Meg feels her cheeks starting to get hot.

Gideon's heart sinks. Of course the cutest girl he's ever seen is here for the DAA Heartthrob and not him.

“Ah. You're not from his fan club or something are you? Because coming to his dorm is kind of…”

“No, no. I'm not one of his fans.” Meg says quickly. “My jiejie sent me to get something she left here last Wednesday.”

“Oh! You're Meg, right? Do you want to come in?”

“Oh. Is that ok?”

“Yeah, come in! Sit down. Caleb’s in the shower but he’s been in there awhile, so he should be out any minute,”

He knocks on the bathroom door.

“Caleb! You have a guest!”

Meg sits stiffly on the couch.

“Can I get you something to drink? Do you like tea?”

“I love tea!”

“I have an orange pekoe here that I haven't tried yet.”

Her eyes light up.

“Orange pekoe!”

“Do you like it?”

“It's my favourite! I haven't had it for ages!” 

“Why not?” 

Meg colours. “Well, it's a bit expensive, haha,”

“You can come over and have some anytime.” Gideon has no idea what he's doing. He's sure he must be coming on too strong.

“Ok, I'll hold you to that!” she says.

Caleb emerges from the shower, drying his hair with a towel.

“Hi Caleb,” Meg says nervously, suddenly feeling like she really shouldn't be here.

“Meg. Did you need somethin'? Your jiejie ok?” he says.

“Yeah, she's ok. She wanted me to get her model back for her.” 

Caleb leans against the wall with a self satisfied grin. 

“Did she, now?”

Meg returns empty handed.

“Where is it?” you ask.

“Uh, he wouldn't give it to me.” she says.

“What? Why not?”

“He said he can't hand over something important like that to just anyone, and that if you want it you should come and get it yourself, and that he's free Wednesday. He said if you have a problem, here's his number." She hands you a sticky note. 

Caleb's phone buzzes.

🌌Give me my model.

🍎I can't believe you gave me your number this easily. what a sucker.

🌌You're so annoying.

🍎is your avatar just outer space? that's so cute.

🌌Give me back my model, you asshole!

🍎hrm, model? sorry, I haven't seen it. you can come over and have a look for it on wednesday if you want though.

🌌 I'm blocking you

🍎no don't 🥺 come and build with me instead.

🌌Can't. Busy.

🍎doing what?

🌌None of your business just give me my model back!

🍎 sorry, I've never heard of this “model” before. I don't know what that is. you'll have to come over and explain it. wednesday would be good :3

🌌 I'm going to kick your ass

🍎you know where to find me ☺️

You throw your phone onto your bed in annoyance.

You don't have any more time to waste on him anyway. It's almost 11pm, time for your flight simulation practice.

Every night you go to the area where all of the flight sims are lined up in a row. 

They’re basically accurate replications of plane and spacecraft cockpits but with computer screens in place of the windscreens.

At this time of night, there's very few people save for a handful of drunk students trying their luck for shits and giggles. 

But way more than luck is needed. The simulations are extremely difficult, requiring specific knowledge of the selected aircraft to pass.

You've been studying as much as your schedule allows, but you can’t afford the requisite textbooks so you're stuck with what you can find online, and you've been stalled on the same level for two weeks now.

You're pretty sure that you're doing most things right from a technical perspective (well, not that sure…) but it's your reflexes that are the major issue.

The simulation is randomised, throwing a series of challenges at you, requiring rapid responses in quick succession. You're becoming more familiar with the aircraft, but you still can't beat this level. Your response time is just not fast enough.

By the time your session runs out you're no further ahead than you were before.

You wander back to your dorm, your eyes strained and burning. You’re frazzled, frustrated and hangry.

You stop in your doorway. On the floor up against the door is an insulated grocery bag.

Frowning, you look inside.

There's a thermal lunchbox.

You let yourself into your apartment, assuming that the box doesn't contain a bomb or something. Your brain is so tired you're not sure you care even if it does.

You dump the bag on the tiny bench and put your stuff down before pulling the little box out to take a closer look. There's a sticky note on it.

“I'm trying out some new recipes. Be my test pilot? - C.” with a little smiley face.

You open the box. It's full of piping hot chicken dry fried and spicy with white rice.

Your stomach grumbles loudly in your empty kitchenette.

You grab the chopsticks he's packed into the box and pop a piece of chicken into your mouth.

Your phone buzzes.

🍎are you eating? 😇

🌌I just took the first mouthful, did you install cameras in here or something?

🍎 what? that would be crazy, how would I even do that haha. so how is it?

🌌 It's good. It could be spicier but it depends who you're making it for.

🍎 a cute girl who likes spice ;)

🌌Why don't you test it on your roomies?

🍎 Gideon can't eat spice and Patrick is a human garbage can.

🌌Well, it tastes good, thanks. Good luck fucking whoever it is! I gotta be up in 5 hours. night.

Your online status goes grey.

Caleb puts his head in his hands. He was trying to be flirty, now you think he's pursuing someone else. Worse than that, you don't seem to care at all.

You fall asleep that night with a vague, annoyed feeling that you just can't pinpoint.

You wake up the next morning underslept and groggy.

Your phone is making a different alarm sound than usual. 

You blink at it through bleary eyes.

Ugh. It's the medical examination for all students today.

The examinations are taking place on one of the floors that's predominantly office spaces for the military. 

Many of the little rooms have been set up for a number of basic physicals to take place at once, with a few reserved for students to change into the papery shirt and pants that always makes your skin feel like it's covered with ants.

Students are milling around everywhere while desperate medical staff try to wrangle them into some kind of order.

You start looking around for Meg or Owens, but instead you spot Caleb Xia. 

He meets your eyes, giving you a bright grin and a wink as he goes past. Something seems off about him but you can't put your finger on it.

After a few minutes a nurse hands you a set of the scratchy medical garments and tells you to change in room nineteen.

You close the door and are halfway to taking your shirt off before realising you're not alone.

“Sorry, I didn't know someone was in h…are you ok?”

Caleb is sitting against the wall, half hidden by a desk.

He looks pale, maybe even a little clammy.

“Should I go get someone?” you ask, a little concerned.

“No I'm fine I just. I don't like medical exams,” he says sheepishly.

He doesn't know what else to say. There's nothing about his past that he can tell you. 

Not how doctors strapped him to a table every day of his early life, stuck him with needles. Took his blood. Cut his flesh to see how well it healed. Broke his bones to record how fast they repaired. He healed so fast and so well, they could repeat the experiments every week.

Doctors terrify Caleb.

“Do you want me to find your roommates?” you ask.

He laughs weakly.

“Please don't. They'd never let me live this down.”

You sit down next to him.

He blinks at you looking not so much like a top pilot and basketball star as a frightened puppy. His untouchable charm has given way to a palpable uneasiness.

“I'd say something profound, or helpful if we were something other than two emotionally dead idiots sitting against a wall.” you say.

“You think I'm emotionally dead?”

“Not really. I think you're struggling and you try to hide it behind that charming smile.”

“Struggling? What would I be struggling with?”

You shrug, but you don't waver.

You notice it all the time. Whenever he flashes that blinding smile, you feel like he's screaming. It’s so obvious to you that you’re shocked nobody else seems to notice it. 

But that's a fairly intense thing to say to someone you don't know very well. So you stay quiet.

“So…you think I'm charming.” he changes the subject.

“I know that people think you're charming.”

“But not you?”

“Known too many charming guys,”

A micro-expression crosses your face only for an instant, but he catches it. You've been hurt. An angry spark catches inside of him. He tries not to feed it.

“What makes you so sure my smile isn't just a smile?” he says.

“Just a hunch. I've seen it a lot. Meg does it too.”

“You don't.”

“It's not that I don't. I just can't. I don't know how to smile unless I'm really happy. Anyway, we're not talking about me.”

There's quiet for a moment while you try to think of something to say.

“What do you like to eat?” you say finally.

“My grandma likes congee with beef and lettuce, that's pretty good. My little sister likes–”

“I asked what you like.”

He shrugs. 

“Haven't really given it much thought.”

“You don't have a favourite food?”

“Food is just the thing that makes you not hungry anymore.”

“How can someone so good at cooking think that? Isn’t there anything that you just never get sick of, no matter what?”

“I guess…I like ginger milk curd. And I like apples. Apple flavoured stuff.”

“What kind?”

“The sour ones.”

“You like sour stuff?”

“I like anything with a bit of bite to it,” he says, eyes lingering on you.

There's a rapid knocking on the door.

“Everything ok in here?” the nurse's voice calls through the door.

“Uh, yeah! Be out in a minute!” you call back.

“You'd better go,” Caleb says.

“Are you gonna be alright?”

“Yeah. I'll be ok, thanks.” Then he smiles a real smile, and it blows you away.

He smiles so brightly when he's bullshitting, which is almost always.

His real smile is gentle, pretty and unsure. It's far more dangerous than any of his charms.

“Can you turn around while I change?”

“If I have to.”

“You do have to.”

It had taken him a couple of minutes to figure out which room you'd likely end up in based on your position in the line and the time interval at which they seemed to be sending students. It was just a guess, getting it right had required some degree of luck, but Caleb had always been lucky.

Lucky enough to grab a picture of your medical records while you were changing.

Later that night, you're almost asleep on your desk when your phone buzzes.

🍎Sun-sun.

🌌 Wha?

🍎what you doin'?

🌌 Studying.

🍎need a study buddy? :3

🌌No.

🍎come on, are you studying Aerospace stuff? I can help!

🌌 Don't you have your own study to do?

🍎 yeah but it's just a mental health class, should be a cake walk to pass.

🌌You feeling better now?

🍎:) thanks to you

🌌I didn't do anything.

🍎you got me out of my own head. That's enough.

You're curious what had him so spooked about a routine physical, but you figure if he wanted you to know he would have told you already.

🌌If you wanna pay me back give me back my A360 😡

🍎hrm, never heard of it. Do you wanna test another dish for me?

🌌Sure, whatever. Did that girl like the last one?

🍎yeah, she did :) I'm still not sure if she likes me though.

🌌 Everyone likes you.

🍎do you? :3

🌌 Nope. Goodnight!

Caleb has no idea how to resolve this misunderstanding without telling you outright that it's you and making you bolt in the other direction.

He sits and opens up the picture of your medical records.

He zooms in on the clinical notes.

History of violent outbursts and aggression - managed via behavioral therapy. No incidents for past two years.

Aquaphobia - displays intense fear of submersion. 

May tolerate brief exposure such as showers or light rain.

Able to maintain basic daily hygiene.

Heavy rain or full submersion can cause anxiety, shutdown or dissociation.

Patient to maintain fortnightly exposure therapy.

Caleb ponders, not only about your swimming sessions but about all the times he's seen you marching in the rain on the training ground with your squad. Or running the dynamic obstacle course while the monsoon weather simulation is in action.

He falls asleep contemplating how to destroy every rain sprinkler on this ship, or possibly the world, and build you a house in the desert.

Errol Whitlam approaches you on your way to class the next day.

“Squad commander, a word?” He uses his default opener.

“Do you have a fetish for being yelled at?” you ask.

“I'm starting to wonder that my own self.” he mutters.

You start to walk away but he holds up a hand and you feel your body stop, a heavy pressure bearing down on you. It stops as abruptly as it began.

“Hear me out, and I'll leave you alone,”

“If you ever use your Evol on me again I'll break your fucking jaw.”

“Understood,” he holds up his hands in a gesture of peace.

“Please tell me you're not here to ask me out again.” you sigh.

“I'll give you five hundred, no, a thousand credits to attend a party as my date tonight.”

“What? Hire a real escort. They'll be nicer to you.”

You're pissed that he thinks - maybe correctly - that he can just pay you money and you'll do whatever he wants.

“Do you think a military starship has an escort service?”

“So I was your plan B?”

“No. I'm not short of potential dates. You're very much my plan A.”

“Why on earth would you pay me?”

“Because I like you, and you keep saying no.”

“How can you like me? You don't even know me!”

“I've seen enough to know you're my type.”

“The type to piss off your parents, right?”

His eyes widen and you know you've got his number.

“Fifteen hundred.” he says.

Fuck! You are way too desperate to turn down that kind of money.

“What exactly would this entail?”

“You'll stay for at least two hours. You will identify yourself as my date to whoever asks. Minor physical contact such as linking arms or an arm around your waist. You make at least a cursory effort to be polite to my guests. Also, we will take several pictures together.”

“What do you want pictures for?” you eye him suspiciously.

“Like you said, to piss off my parents.”

“No sex,” you say.

“No sex” he confirms.

“You're going to pay me fifteen hundred credits for a single sexless date.”

“Correct.”

“Why?!”

“Because it's a start,” he says.

“You really have that much spare money lying around?”

“Yes.”

“That must be nice.”

“It is. Do we have a deal?”

“Fuck. I guess we do.” You shake his outstretched hand.

Errol smiles to himself as he walks away.

He's noticed Caleb Xia following you around like a stray dog.

He's finally found a gap in the armour of the man who has no weaknesses, and he has no intention of letting it go.

Caleb watches you talking to Errol Whitlam.

You're not smiling. You rarely do. But you don't look as unhappy as he'd like for talking to a man that isn't him. Especially that man.

He sidles up to you as you walk away.

“What did he want?”

“What do you want?”

“To know what he wanted.”

“He wanted you to give me my model back.” you say.

“Sorry, I make it a personal policy never to do anything Errol Whitlam says,”

“Legitimate,”

“So what did he really want?”

“To ask me out,” 

“And you said?”

“I said ‘Wow Caleb, that doesn't sound like any of your business!’,”

“Whoa, he changed his name to Caleb?”

You lean in and grab the base of his hoodie and pull the back up over his head in one swift movement.

By the time he disentangles himself you're gone.

“Dude, did you just get jerseyed?” Patrick appears at just the right time.

But Caleb doesn’t acknowledge him, he just stares after you with the dumbest expression Patrick has ever seen.

Chapter 7