38. Sylas

THIRTY-EIGHT

The next day,I stood on the bridge, facing all of my officers. I had no idea how they were all going to take it. Sure, a few of them—maybe all of them—knew, but this was different. Because it wasn't just about them accepting my decisions or me, it was also about them accepting her.

Accepting us together.

Which felt more daunting. But I didn't have to question the reason. I was looking right at it. At her normally smiling face, which was currently worrying her lower lip into her mouth.

"So, you're together," Leo stated, raising an eyebrow before looking back and forth between the two of us.

"Yes." I'd just finished briefing the entire officer team about our relationship status. And maybe none of them had really been surprised that we were sleeping together, but they'd all looked shocked about my revelation on the bridge.

"Like, really together?" That was Violet.

Astrid grinned. "I knew it."

Orion rolled his eyes. "It was obvious."

"Thanks for the support," I muttered, letting my gaze drift back to Aurelia.

"But… what will the federation think?" Finley asked, her eyes wide.

I crossed my arms, glaring at all of them. Even if some of them were supportive, they all needed to hear it.

"We're four and a half years from being back on Earth. Who the fuck cares what they think? They can fire me when I get back, for all I care." I looked at all of them. "And if you want to vote to remove me as your captain because I'm emotionally compromised, fine. I don't care. But I will not change my mind."

"No one's going to do that." Kayle sighed, looking at her nails. "I'm just disappointed you felt like you couldn't tell us sooner."

Internally, I wanted to roll my eyes. Externally, I just exhaled deeply. Because as much as I regretted not confessing all of it to Kayle before last night, I knew she had my back. And she was just playing a role of her own right now.

Aurelia spoke up. "I didn't want you all to think I was getting special treatment. That he was treating me differently. And then with the federation rules…" She shook her head. "I hope you're not disappointed in us."

"You're really going to risk everything, though? For a relationship that's been going on, what… three months?" Violet frowned. "Aurelia, you know I love you, but you know his reputation, right?"

Aurelia winced, and the weight in my pocket felt like a million bricks.

"Don't talk about her like that," I growled. "Like she's nothing to me. She's my wife." I ground the words out between clenched teeth, and the entire crew looked between her and I, dumbfounded.

"Your… wife?" Everyone was stunned into silence.

Aurelia twisted the new band of steel around her finger. "It's true. We're married." She looked up at me with the most dazzling smile, and I knew what those eyes were saying.

I love you.

My wedding band sat in the pocket of my uniform, and I slipped it on too. We'd both agreed to keep them off until we told the crew.

Well, the cat was out of the bag now.

"Besides," my new wife said, gaze focused on Violet, who she gave a soft smile. "I know he's a little grumpy. And sometimes he comes across as an asshole. But that's not really who he is. And I love him anyway." One side of her lips tilted up. "Even when he's a big ol' grump."

Ridiculous, I mouthed to her.

Secret softie, she mouthed back.

I cleared my throat. "Any other questions?"

The entire room exploded into discussion, and Aurelia slid up to my side, interlacing our fingers together.

Leo was looking at Kayle with a confused expression, and she just shook her head in a I'll tell you later kind of way.

Late last night, after we'd discussed it at length, we'd gotten dressed and went and found my sister.

See, the Captain and their first officer were granted the authority to sanction official documents and ceremonies on a starship. Like… a wedding.

Because what Wren had told me about the Voyager having a married couple both serving as officers, had me digging into the specific regulations about internal fraternizations or affairs. And while those relationships were frowned upon, especially between a captain and his subordinate, it wasn't explicitly forbidden. The likelihood they could actually fire either of us for being in a relationship was low.

Aurelia had spent two hours combing through the regulations.

And then we'd said I do.

Because at that point, neither one of us could imagine going another moment without being married. We were already linked together inexplicably. And I knew she was the only woman I'd want. Forever.

It wasn't a big ceremony—just my sister and two crew members to serve as our witnesses.

Maybe it was insane. Maybe we should have waited. But it felt right. And her wearing my ring on her finger—the ring I'd had melted down from scrap pieces of metal in the engineering room—satisfied that primal part of my brain that wanted to claim her.

"Do you think we can sneak out of here with no one noticing?" Aurelia whispered into my ear.

"It seems unlikely. Especially since we clearly weren't very subtle about being together in the first place."

"Oops?" My girl gave a little half-hearted shrug. "I'm just glad no one's upset."

"Why would they be?" I frowned.

"I don't know. I just didn't want to lose their friendships because I was sleeping with the captain. It's not like I want any special treatment. I never asked for that."

"I know you didn't." I ran a thumb over her cheekbone. "And I'm pretty sure they all do, too. Sometimes, it's hard to see from our own positions just how much support we have. But this crew…"

I looked at each one of them. They all were special to us. The girls had brought Aurelia so much support. Friendship when she needed it. And now, they practically had a sisterhood.

And the guys, well… They were my brothers. I'd never said those words to them, but it was true. These people, this crew—they were our family.

"Turns out we're exactly where we were supposed to be all along." I kissed her forehead. "Thanks for finding your way to me, little star."

"I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too," I responded, tipping up her chin to press a soft kiss to her mouth.

"Get a room!" Leo shouted, and everyone burst out into laughter.

As if I didn't plan to do exactly that.

The doorto my office slid open, and I turned to find my sister standing there. Everyone else must have still been on the bridge, or back to their everyday lives. Aurelia was checking on Brina, probably taking her out for a walk or a swim.

"Hey."

"Hi."

She joined me on the couch, leaning with her back against the arm.

"I'm proud of you, you know."

I raised an eyebrow at my sister. "What?"

She sighed, crossing her legs in her lap and sitting like she had since she was little. "I worried about you for a long time."

"You never told me that."

"Of course not. Because you were my big brother. It was your job to look after me. But someone had to make sure you were okay, too."

"I never minded taking care of you after mom and dad left us."

"I know. That's just the kind of man you are, Sy. Selfless." She reached over, patting my arm. "But you didn't grieve. Not like I did. The first few months they were gone, I cried myself to sleep every night."

I'd known. Of course I'd known. What sort of big brother would I have been if I hadn't heard her cry?

I cleared my throat. "I didn't?—"

She shook her head. "Let me get this out." Kayle took a deep breath. "I missed them like crazy, but you just trudged along. You made sure we ate. That we got to school. That we had a roof over our heads. I fell apart, and you kept us together. For years."

"Of course I did," I grumbled.

A tear fell from her eye. "But no one took care of you. And you were so closed off. You didn't open up to me about the stuff that really mattered. At one point, I figured as long as I had you in my life—my big brother, my best friend—it didn't really matter. But all I wanted for you was to find someone who would love you like you deserved. But you brushed off relationships, and I knew you had the guys, but… How much did you really let them in?"

She was right. They were my best friends, but I'd never been as open with them as I should have been.

"And then… Aurelia came along."

Some of the tension melted out of my body at the sound of her name.

She laughed. "You were so stubborn, insisting that she had no place on your ship. Because you liked her."

"Shut up," I grumbled, shutting my eyes.

"You totally were crushing on her, and it was so obvious. Who forces everyone to hang out just so they can be in the same place as the girl they like?"

Grunting in response, I let her continue without interrupting.

"But then… I watched how she blossomed, too. How she opened up to you. How your expressions became more open, your personality less guarded. Our parents might have been selfish jerks who abandoned us, but you never were. And seeing her melt that grumpy persona you built?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "It's not a persona."

"I've never seen you smile as much as you do with her."

Maybe that was true. In fact, I knew it was. I couldn't deny a single thing she was saying, so I didn't try.

"I really do love her, you know." I looked at the wedding ring on my finger. "And I know marrying her like this was reckless, but?—"

"I don't think it was reckless at all. Not when you care for her this deeply."

"It felt right. And if the federation tries to say anything, I'm the one who will take the blame. Not her."

"I know." She gave me a hopeful smile. "That's who you are."

"Thank you," I said, pulling her in for a hug. "For never giving up on me. Even when I was moody and a stupid teenage boy who didn't know the first things about periods and tampons."

She sniffled. "Just doing my sisterly job to prepare you for your future wife."

"I never thought that this would be my life. That I'd get to love someone. To dream of a future where I had a wife. A family. I always thought love wasn't in the cards for me."

"I've always known it was. You love too big, too hard, to not find the perfect woman for you."

"You'll find your person too, Ky. I know you will."

"Maybe." She shook her head, giving me a sad smile.

I wondered if there was something more that she wasn't telling me. If it had anything to do with all the times I'd caught Leo staring at her.

We sat on the couch for a while, talking about stupid sibling shit. And about my wife. It was nice to talk like this—out in the open, where anyone could hear. I was so glad we didn't have to hide anymore.

Later,after the bridge had emptied, I leaned against a railing on the top level, staring out the large window.

The ship was quiet, all diagnostics coming back clear. Everything was running properly. Sometimes, when I was wide awake in the middle of the night, I liked to come down here and check the code. The ship was built on a complex artificial intelligence system, but part of me never quite trusted that.

Settling into my chair, I watched the stars in front of me. The last twenty-four hours had been a complete whirlwind. I fidgeted with the ring on my finger, spinning the metal around and around.

"What's got you thinking so hard?" That soft, lovely voice called out, and there she was. Wearing a t-shirt that had my name on the back.

Her name now, too.

Finally, it was just the two of us.

Aurelia slid into my lap, and I wrapped my arms around her. Her feet dangled off one end of the chair as she sprawled across me.

"Hi." I nuzzled my face into her hair, letting her scent relax me.

"Hey. I thought I'd come check on you. You've been quiet since earlier."

"Just thinking about things, I suppose."

"No second guessing, I hope," she said with a chuckle.

I picked up her hand and kissed her ring finger. "Nope. I told you that you're mine. And now everyone else knows too. So don't even think about leaving me."

"Of course not." Her voice was soft. "And I'm going to make sure you know just how much you're loved every day." She kissed me softly. "Let's go to bed, husband."

"Mmm." I hummed. "I like the sound of that. Wife."

Standing up while keeping her in my arms, I headed back towards our bedroom.

I wanted to show her just how good the rest of our lives looked.