The habitat hums quietly, filtered air whirring through vents. Someone and you already know who has taped construction-paper bats to the oxygen recycler and stuck googly eyes on the lab microscope.

Beck drifts into view, upside down, still in his suit liner, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t judge,” he says, holding a strip of orange tape between his teeth. “It’s festive.”

You laugh, trying to swat one of the bats as it flutters loose. “Festive? You decorated the life-support system.”

“Exactly.” He sticks the bat back in place. “Keeps morale alive. NASA should thank me.”

You shake your head, floating closer. “You miss Halloween that much?”

He shrugs, spinning lazily in mid-air. “What can I say? Used to love carving pumpkins. Now I settle for carving out oxygen levels.”

You snort. “Very romantic.”

“Working on it.” He opens a pouch and lets a single candy corn drift out, its bright colors spinning in slow motion. He flicks it toward you with a perfect little push.

You catch it, laughing. “Where did you even get this?”

“Trade secret.” He grins, then leans just enough that his forehead almost brushes yours. “No gravity, no problem…” His voice softens. “…still fell for you.”

You can’t even pretend not to blush the low hum of machinery is the only witness.

“Smooth, Beck,” you murmur.

“Yeah, well,” he says with that bashful half-smile, “figured it was either that or a science pun about attraction. This seemed less embarrassing.”

“Barely.”

He chuckles, reaching past you to anchor himself on the handrail, eyes catching the soft gold of the habitat lights. “You laughing,” he says quietly, “makes this place feel like Earth again.”

For a second, neither of you move. Just the slow drift of paper bats overhead, the faint rhythm of air, and his voice when he adds, “Next Halloween, we’re doing the real thing. Pumpkins. Costumes. Gravity optional.”

You smile. “Deal.”

Outside, the Martian night glows faintly red. Inside, Beck’s grin outshines it proof that even millions of miles from home, love finds a way to float.