Work Text:
Eira wrestled the hatch open, carefully juggling her precious cargo as she climbed onto the top of the Andromeda Six. The warm, dry air of Teranium stirred the hair that had come loose from her braid, and she brushed it back from her face as she looked towards the man sitting farther up.
Calderon was backlit by the fading colors of the sunset — just enough light for her to safely walk towards him, distracted by the way the shades complimented his golden and tan coloring, blue eyes mirrored in the darkening sky. He'd glanced back as she emerged from the inside of the ship, scowling at the intrusion, his expression softening when he saw who it was.
She approached as quietly as she could, cradling a bundle to her chest carefully. "Hi," she started, shuffling her feet a little, "can I interrupt your alone time for a minute?"
The captain huffed and patted the space next to him. "At least you waited until after the sunset." He drank the last of the liquid in his glass, reaching for the bottle at his other side.
"That was the plan," she murmured as she settled down on the still sun-warmed metal of the ship's roof, then offered him the cloth wrapped object in her hands. "Here, a special present from the crew."
With an arched eyebrow, he set the bottle down and took the present, fingers brushing against hers. "I thought we already had the celebrations earlier."
Eira shook her head and nibbled the inside of her lip. "I asked around and we pulled this together for you. Damon — well, he knew a guy, of course."
Calderon unwound the cloth and withdrew the bottle from within, blond eyebrows raising as he scanned the label in the rapidly dimming light. Deep blue eyes shot to her in surprise. "This is... really expensive scotch."
"Is it okay? I wasn't sure—"
She stopped at the sharp look from him, twisting her fingers together in her lap. He shifted, tapping her gently under the chin, a smile tilting his lips.
"It's perfect."
A smile bloomed across her face, and she gazed back at him with soft grey eyes, happiness fluttering in her chest. His gaze lingered on her and she felt her cheeks warming despite the cooling desert air.
"Well, I'll leave you to enjoy your drink in peace," she said, suddenly flustered by their proximity and relative solitude, moving to push herself to her feet.
Quickly, his hand reached out and gently circled her wrist. "Stay," he said, his deep voice low and quiet.
Their eyes met again and she twisted her hand in his grip, their fingers threading together, pleased when he allowed it.
"You don't mind me intruding on your roof of solitude?" she asked it lightly, but her pulse sped up as his thumb feathered over her wrist.
His lip quirked up at the corner. "You? No."
She squeezed his fingers a little, pleased to hear it, and looked out at the last remnants of the sunset, the orange edges on the horizon fading briefly to green, melding to cobalt blue. Oppo's junkyard, being on the edge of Nos Vega, afforded them a view of the lights of the city as well as stars that began to twinkle overhead.
After a time in companionable silence, he let go of her hand to pour himself another drink from the bottle he'd brought with him.
"Not going to try your present?"
"I'd have to get a clean glass to try it properly, and I'd rather not leave just yet," he replied with a quick glance.
"I didn't know, I would have brought one up."
"It's fine," he murmured. "I don't have a second glass to share with you, either."
Her eyes dropped to his lips for a second as he took a sip, then quickly skittered away. "It's fine," she echoed, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them.
Calderon leaned back on one hand, swirling the amber liquid in his glass with the other. She looked at him sidelong, admiring the way his t-shirt clung to him, his jacket discarded in the heat before the sun went down.
Warmth crawled up her neck and she tilted her face up to look at the stars, furiously hoping he wouldn't be able to see her blush in the evening light. So many things about him made her feel naïve, and she struggled not to show it, drawing on her royal upbringing.
Silence fell over the two of them again, and she held back the questions about him and his past that hovered at the tip of her tongue. There would be time, when he was ready. Nor did she want to break the easy sharing of peace and quiet that he so clearly desired.
It made her happy, though, that he'd asked her to stay here with him. He could swing between being hot and cold, though more and more often he softened towards her, as she gently and patiently wore down his walls. He also made her feel safe, within this makeshift band of misfits aboard his ship.
Yes, there would be time, if she had any say in the matter. She wanted to stay here with him and the crew as long as she could.
Eventually, as the sky had long settled into an inky black backdrop for an array of stars, she tried to subtly shift a little closer to him. The nights on Teranium were cooler, as a desert planet, but she was loath to go inside. She thought he was refilling his glass again as he moved, but instead his jacket settled on her shoulders, enveloping her. She looked at him with a mixture of surprise and pleasure, tucking her cheek against the tall collar.
Eira could swear his eyes darkened at the sight of her snuggling into his jacket. He cleared his throat, and she couldn't help it when a grin spread on her lips.
"What?" he asked, a hint of a growl in his voice.
"You like seeing me wearing your clothes."
He huffed and knocked back the last of his drink, then his hand came up under her chin, tipping her face up towards his with thumb and forefinger. Her breath stalled in her lungs, stolen as his lips met hers.
Calderon's kiss was smooth, insistent, encouraging her to yield beneath him — and she did, gladly. Her hands came up to rest against his abdomen, warming her chilled fingers and letting her feel the muscles beneath. Deft fingers slid back along her cheek to cradle the column of her neck, his touch leaving sparks along her skin in its wake, excitement buzzing in her stomach.
He nipped at her lower lip, bearing her back onto the roof, hand resting behind her head to cushion her. His other hand gripped at her waist, pulling her to him as he settled over her. She was grateful for the barrier of his jacket against the cool metal, though thoughts soon fled as she fell into the kiss, his tongue gliding against hers. He tasted like alcohol, sharp and biting at first that mellowed to a lingering taste of smoke, and almost sweet. It was so like him, in a way, and she found herself smiling against his mouth.
Softly, his thumb stoked her jaw as he drew back a little, eyes searching hers in the star-studded darkness.
"Happy birthday," she whispered.
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, genuine and as relaxed as she'd ever seen him. His head dipped back down, and she stopped caring about anything else.