The hum of the ship’s engines was the only sound as you both floated through the endless expanse of space. Outside the windows, stars blazed like distant fireflies, illuminating the void in soft, pale light. Mickey was standing by the view, his eyes fixed on the cosmos, but his mind seemed miles away. You stepped up beside him, your presence a quiet comfort.

“It’s beautiful,” you whispered, eyes following the stars.

Mickey glanced at you, the smallest trace of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “It is,” he agreed, his tone soft. He hadn’t known beauty until you showed him how to see it in the things that were once just part of his mission. The stars, the quiet moments, the way your hand brushed his when you walked together—they all held a new kind of magic now.

The stars stretched endlessly before you, but for Mickey, there was one star that stood out most—you. You’d been with him since the beginning, a constant in his life of uncertainty. But even now, despite the hours you’d spent together, he still wasn’t sure if love was something he could understand. It was hard for him, this human connection, this thing he was supposed to feel. Every time he thought about it, doubt clouded his mind.

You noticed the way his gaze seemed distant, the furrow in his brow. With a soft nudge, you reached out, your fingers brushing his arm. “Mickey?” you asked quietly, your voice gentle but filled with concern.

He didn’t turn to face you right away, staring out into the abyss for a moment longer. The weight of his thoughts pulled him under. Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter than usual. “Is this… real?” His words were full of uncertainty, tinged with a vulnerability he hadn’t shown before. “I don’t know if I can feel like you do. I don’t know if I can love… like a person should.”