I turned toward the treeline, frowning.


    The hairs on my neck stood up.


    Ryan glanced over from the stove. “You hear that?”


    I nodded slowly, eyes scanning the trees.


    “Probably nothing,” I said.


    He raised an eyebrow. “Sounded big.”


    “Could’ve been an echo. Rocks mess with sound here.” I wasn''t about to let Ryan come between me, the waterfall, and Emily.


    “Alright,” I said, raising my voice. “Good job, team. We’re set up, so let’s enjoy it while it lasts. Poker’s still on for later. And yes, Ryan, you’re going to lose again.”


    Joey snorted from across the clearing. “As long as Danny doesn’t come back gushing about how romantic it was, I’ll be happy.”


    “Knowing Danny?” Ryan said with a grin, shaking his head as he tested the stove. “We’re gonna hear all about it. In excruciating detail.”


    I shared a glance with Emily. She just shook her head, smiling as she came to stand beside me. “Well, at least someone’s getting their alone time,” she murmured, her hand brushing against mine before giving it a quick squeeze.


    Ryan and Joey grabbed their gear, chatting quietly as they got ready to head out. They were going hunting for dinner, and maybe figure out what made that sound.


    Ryan slung his plasma rifle over his shoulder, looking way too pleased with himself, while Joey checked the charge on his compact scanner, the faint glow of its display lighting his face.


    Joey hesitated, glancing at the trees like they were hiding something. “You sure this is a good idea?” he asked, not looking convinced. “I mean, I’m all for fresh meat, but what if we end up hunting something that decides to hunt us instead?”


    Ryan smirked, the cocky bastard. “Oh, come on. We’ve tested everything we''ve found, and nothing’s tried to eat us yet. The area’s clear, remember? It’ll be fun. Like a field trip. Except with more guns and no whiny kids, mostly.” He added, grinning at Joey.


    God, I wish Joey would wallop him sometimes. That guy had so much patience.


    Joey sighed. “Fine. But if we run into something with fangs, you’re the one distracting it while I run back to camp.”


    Ryan clapped him on the back, laughing. “Deal. Let’s see if we can’t rustle up something worth throwing on the grill.”


    I watched the two of them disappear into the underbrush, shaking my head as I adjusted the last perimeter sensor. “They’d better not wander too far,” I muttered to myself. “Last thing we need is to lose our cook for the night.”


    The Peregrine was safe, for now. The shield was active, and Chris was in the med pod, out of danger. Over the last few days, Joey had burned through half the cartridges we brought down: regenerative fluids, tissue sealants, vascular repair, hemostasis: the works. The acid had eaten straight to the bone, so they’d started with coagulants to stop the bleeding, followed by deep tissue trauma and vascular repair to keep the arm viable.


    Then came the heavy hitters: tissue regenerators, bone fusion, and a round of regenerative fluids to rebuild what the acid had melted away. Even the pod had beeped at Joey like “are you serious right now?” But it worked. Chris was stable. He’d be sore as hell when he woke up, but he’d wake up. Both arms intact.


    “They’ll be fine,” Emily said, stepping up beside me, her arm slipping through mine like it belonged there. She leaned in close, her warmth against my side chasing away the lingering stress of the day. “And if they bring back something good, we’ll grill it.”


    I turned to her, a small smile tugging at my lips. “So, you ready to check out this waterfall?” I asked, my tone casual, though the idea of a quiet moment with her had my heart picking up a bit. “Or are you going to make me wait even longer?”


    “Oh, I’m ready,” she said, her eyes sparkling in the soft glow of the fading light. She always had this way of making the world around her seem brighter. “I think Danny and Zoe have had enough time to do... whatever it is they’re doing. Besides, if they’re still there, we can just crash their date.”


    I smiled at her, she was so cute, honestly, pulling her a little closer as we started down toward the waterfall. She had strapped her [Proxima PS-64 ‘Solar Edge’ Plasma Sword] to her belt while I had my trusty [Hyperion Devastator Energy Blaster]. There were no portals nearby, or so the reading from our satellite had stated.


    The forest seemed to close in around us as the sounds of the camp faded into the background, replaced by the quiet rustling of leaves and the faint trickle of water in the distance. The way forward was jumbled, full of vines and roots everywhere, but easy enough to follow, the air just a tad bit cooler now, carrying the unmistakable scent of damp earth and fresh water.


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    “Think they’re actually having a moment, or is Zoe still dragging him by the ear?” I asked, grinning as we stepped over a moss-covered log.


    Emily laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, she’s definitely in charge, but I think Danny’s finally catching on. Took him long enough, though. I mean, two months of her practically begging?” She glanced up at me, her smile softening. “You’re not that oblivious, are you?”


    I snorted. “Please. I’d have figured it out by month one. Maybe.” I nudged her lightly, feeling the weight of the day lift with each step. “Anyway, if they’re still at the waterfall, we’ll just have to remind them this planet isn’t exactly the best place for private time.”


    Emily’s laugh was light, easy. “Or we can just scare them off. Bet Zoe would love that.”


    “Tempting,” I said, the faint sound of rushing water growing louder ahead. “But maybe we give them a break. Danny’s got enough to deal with already, and Zoe’s been working overtime to make this happen.”


    “True,” she said, her tone softer now. “But if she doesn’t land him soon, I might just step in and do it for her.”


    I shot her a look, catching the playful glint in her eye, and shook my head. “You’re unbelievable.”


    Emily’s grip on my arm tightened a bit as she glanced up at me, her playful smile making it hard to focus on anything else. “You know, I’m still surprised you didn’t figure out why I wanted to wait earlier.”


    “What, letting Danny and Zoe have some alone time?” I shrugged, doing my best to act like it wasn’t a big deal. “Sure, I get it now. But it’s not like they’d be the first to sneak off for some private time.”


    She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into that teasing grin that always got under my skin. “You’re adorable. Honestly, for someone so sharp, you can be really dense sometimes.”


    “Hey,” I shot back, feigning indignation. “I’m focused on the mission. Can’t always pick up on the... subtler things.”


    “Uh-huh,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’m sure that’s it.”


    We kept walking, the banter light and easy, punctuated by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of some alien bird. It was quiet, peaceful even, something we didn’t get to enjoy much on New Dawn anymore. The kind of moment that made it easy to forget where we were or how far from home this place really was. For a little while, it was just us, the path ahead, and the sound of the waterfall growing louder with each step.


    When we finally pushed through the last line of trees, the waterfall came into view. It cascaded down a jagged rocky incline into a wide, deep lagoon that sparkled under the faint glow of the twin moons. The mist rising from the falls caught the moonlight, creating this soft, silvery haze that made the whole scene look like something out of a dream. The air smelled fresh, clean, almost like Earth, but better, somehow.


    <hr>


    Emily gasped, and I swear to God, her eyes practically bugged out of her head.


    “Wow,” she breathed, barely loud enough to hear over the rush of the waterfall. “It’s beautiful.”


    Yeah, it fucking is. I kept my eyes on her, though. On the way her face lit up like a goddamn Christmas tree, lips parted, all soft and… shit.


    “Yeah,” I said, my voice a little rough. “It is.”


    She caught me staring, and I could see the blush creeping up her neck. She elbowed me, all playful and shit. “Stop it, you sap. We’re here to enjoy the view, not make it weird.”


    “Hey, I’m just appreciating the scenery,” I said, flashing her a grin as I snaked my arm around her waist. And what fine scenery it is. “But I guess I can do both.” Smooth, Luca. Real smooth.


    We started picking our way down to the edge of the pool, but Emily stopped dead, crouching and yanking on my hand.


    I nearly lost my balance as she pulled me down. “Whoa,” I said, giving her an eyebrow. “What the fuck?”


    She shushed me, waving her hand like I was some kind of idiot, and pointed towards the water. “There they are,” she whispered, eyes flicking to the edge of the lagoon.


    <hr>


    There who are? Then I saw them. My jaw hit the fucking floor. Danny and Zoe. Naked as the day they were born, going at it like rabbits right there by the edge of the water. Holy shit. And fucking finally.


    Zoe had been chasing Danny''s tail for the past eight weeks. Eight long weeks of her trying to get this tool alone, and by the grace of God, she''d done it. About damn time she lost that V-card. And to Danny? Lanky, cute, totally-whipped Danny? Perfect match.


    He was practically made for those long legs and that bubble butt of hers. They looked good down there, her creamy dark skin against his pale, toned body. Damn. I whipped my head around, feeling my face burn hotter than the goddamn sun. But I couldn''t help the thought: It looks hot as hell down there. His hands grabbing her ass as she straddled him. Good for you, Zoe.


    “Uh… maybe we should give them some privacy?” I choked out.


    Emily snickered, the little minx, clearly loving my discomfort. “Come on, they can''t see us from here,” she said, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let’s just watch for a bit.”


    I shook my head, but even I couldn''t deny the little jolt of… something that shot through me. I mean, it was Danny and Zoe, two people I actually cared about. But also, holy fuck, they were naked, right there. And Zoe was finally victorious. I took a peek. Like some kind of idiot, I had to.


    They were completely lost in their own world, all tangled up and naked skin, moving together like they were made for it, right there at the edge of the shore. Danny was whispering something in Zoe''s ear, making her giggle as she wrapped her legs tighter around him.


    “How romantic,” Emily sighed, sounding like she was about to melt into a puddle. Yeah, about that... My brain was scrambling. Am I jealous? Horny? Relieved for Zoe? It didn''t matter. It was wrong. And yet...


    After watching for a bit longer than was decent, okay, maybe a lot longer than was decent, Emily finally stood up. “Alright,” she said, that mischievous grin still plastered on her face. “Let''s leave them to it and go enjoy the waterfall ourselves.”


    I nodded eagerly, a wave of relief washing over me. Finally, though... a tiny, traitorous part of my brain was like, just another minute or two? It was like a car crash; you couldn''t look away.


    Shut up, brain.


    To avoid being seen, because, yeah, that would be awkward as fuck, Emily and I snuck around to the other side of the lagoon. We reached the edge of the water, and started shrugging off our protective armor and weapons. No beasts nearby, I hoped. Finally, some fresh air. I needed to feel that cool water on my skin. But then Emily went a step further. She unclipped her bra, letting it drop to the ground.


    Then slid her panties off, too.