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Johnny was leaned up against the lockers in the mid level of the ship, picking at his nails with his knife again, when Violet comes around the corner. Grinning, Gat pushes himself away from the wall, eager to greet her. Too late does he notice just how nervous she looks.
"Hey boss, how-" He starts, but boss cuts him off before he can continue.
"Just shut up." Violet says harshly, holding out a hand, and Johnny stops mid-step, taken aback. Violet glances away from him, eyes darting to different spots on the floor. "I have to tell you something." She continues, and takes a deep, shaky breath. Alarm bells go off in Johnny's head, because this can't be good, but he doesn't say anything.
"For years I thought you were dead, and I blamed myself for it." Violet starts, and she shoots him a regretful look before glancing away again. Johnny shakes his head. So that's what this is about. He wants to tell her that that would never be her fault, but she looks dead set on continuing, so Gat lets it slide. Crossing his arms, he waits for Violet to go on. She nervously twists her hands together as she talks.
"I'd always known how much it would fuck me up to lose you, and I always tried not to think about it. But god, Johnny… it was so much worse than I could have imagined. There was no… point to anything. The Saints, the money, the city, none of it mattered if you weren't there." Violet avoids eye contact while speaking, a flush rising to her cheeks with more intensity with every word. "And I always thought I didn't have the right to say anything, but seeing you now has made me realize how much I need you." She meets his gaze on the last word, embarrassment and fear written all over her face, and she looks away again, still fidgeting with her hands. Johnny is stunned. Not only was she describing how much she means to him, Violet was saying she has feelings for him. As much as he'd suspected, hoped, that was the case over the years, to hear her actually say it… He doesn't know what to say, doesn't know what would do justice to how he felt. Violet seems distressed by his silence, and continues to ramble.
"I know I'm not Aisha." She starts, and Johnny wants to tell her you don't have to be, but he doesn't know quite how to say it, so instead he just begins to step closer. "And I'm not trying to be, but if-" Violet tries to continue, but Johnny's hand is already on the back of her head, and he cuts her off by sealing his lips over hers.
Violet stumbles back a touch with a muffled gasp, eyes wide in shock as Johnny kisses her. Then, slowly, her eyes drift shut, her body relaxing in his hands as she loops her arms over his shoulders. A smile breaks on her face as she pulls away for a split second, then kisses him back, and Johnny grins into the kiss in return. His hand drifts from her waist up her back then, pressing her closer to him, determined to feel as much as her warmth as he could through the stupid blue spacesuits.
After a while, Gat pulls back just enough to look Violet in the eye, but continues to hold her close to him. "How long have you--" he begins to ask, but Violet interrupts him.
"For fuckin' years! You have no idea--" She starts, the smile on her face so warm and bright it feels blinding.
"Me too, actually." He cuts back in, grinning back at her, and it feels so good to finally tell her that. Violet's smile falters, and she blinks at him for a moment, as if absorbing that information, then lightly whacks him on the arm.
"You ass! Why didn't you say anything?!"
"Was waitin' for you." He says simply, and slowly the smile returns to her face. Leaning forwards, she kisses him again, warm and soft, and Johnny can't stop fucking grinning. When they finally break apart again Violet speaks first.
"Fuck, I've wanted to do that forever." She whispers, which gets a chuckle from Gat. Then, Violet's expression shifts into something almost shy. "Take your glasses off?" She asks, and without hesitation Johnny raises a hand and slides them up to rest on the top of his head, revealing his dark brown eyes. Violet seems surprised that he granted her request, but smiles wide and brings a hand up to his cheek. Stroking his cheekbone with a thumb, she sighs, a wistful look coming over her face. "Sometimes I can hardly believe you're really back." She whispers, and Johnny's chest aches at the words. He holds her just a touch tighter in response.
"Yo, I'm here. I'm not goin' anywhere." Johnny reassures her as softly as he can manage. A small smile graces Violet's face then, and Johnny leans in to kiss her again.
"Boss, you there? I need you in the simulation." Kinzie's voice suddenly sounds over the intercom, and Johnny and Violet jump away from each other, startled. Waiting a few moments for any indication that Kinzie knows what they were up to, neither of them moves an inch. Then, when they finally look at each other again, a sheepish grin forms on Violet's face.
"Looks like I gotta go." She says. Johnny rolls his eyes and slides his glasses back down to rest on his nose, but doesn't argue. "See you later?" She asks, and Gat just smiles.
"Yeah." He replies, and Violet grins back, then walks past him towards the stairs. Johnny just stands there, watching her go.
Both of them spend the rest of the day with big sappy smiles on their faces.