The Astral Express hummed softly in the background, the gentle vibrations of the ship offering little comfort in the wake of the battle you had just endured. You had been on your feet for hours, running on adrenaline and sheer will, and now, with the mission completed, you found yourself staring at the distant stars outside the window, trying to make sense of the chaos.

Cipher had been with you through it all. Silent, calculating, always keeping her cool even as danger loomed at every corner. She had a way of carrying herself that was almost unnerving — an unshakable calm that made her both a reliable ally and, at times, a mysterious stranger.

You heard footsteps approaching, and without turning around, you already knew it was her. Her presence had a distinct, almost magnetic quality to it — steady, certain.

“Is everything alright?” you asked, though you weren’t entirely sure if you were asking her or yourself.

There was a long pause before she responded. “I should be the one asking you that.”

You finally turned around to face her, meeting her gaze for the first time since the mission had ended. Her usually composed features were now tinged with something else. Was it exhaustion? Or was it something deeper? A flicker of concern — something rare from someone like him — flashed in her violet eyes before she quickly masked it with his usual indifference.