You hadn’t done anything that bad—at least, that’s how you saw it. Just a small jump to the neighboring system, an abandoned cargo ship, sights that are rarely seen, and the promise to be back before dinner. Noah and Agnes were fascinated, glued to the windows as hyperspace painted lines of light.

You hadn’t thought about telling Thom. Well… you had thought about it, but it was far more exciting to leave it as a surprise. He knew perfectly well that your impulses carried a bit of risk. After all, that’s how he met you: in the middle of crossfire, when a blaster bolt grazed your ear and you kept talking as if nothing had happened.

When the hatch closed after your return, Thom was standing there.

“A little trip?”he asked, his voice low, deep, with that accent that not even all the years away from your planet had erased. His eyes drifted toward the children, unharmed but thrilled, with that smile worn by those who’ve just seen something forbidden.

You didn’t try to justify yourself. It was useless. He already knew your reasons, your way of thinking, the pull toward the unknown… and the fact that, to you, protecting them didn’t mean keeping them away from danger, but teaching them how to walk through it.

Thom sighed, crossing his arms under his robe. “Remind me why I said you weren’t going to change…”he murmured, and though he tried to hide it, the shadow of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.