Chapter Text
Cosima checked her phone for the 10th time in the last hour and couldn't help but sigh loudly, stretching her neck to the side and looking around the empty corridor. She had been in the same damn plane for at least 10 hours; had stopped in 3 different airports and now had been waiting for at least an hour for passengers to start boarding. After that it would be her last flight, finally, one straight to San Francisco, a place she used to call home. For the past four years she had been working to earn her PhD in evolutionary development in biology at the University of Minnesota.
“Man I’m never letting Sarah get me these cheap flights ever again…” Cosima complained, pulling her glasses up to the top of her head and rubbing her eyes, then just resting her forehead in her hands as she tried to elaborate a plan to kill her friend. Of course she knew Sarah was trying to help by getting her the cheap ticket, which was a courtesy that employees of the Maslany Airlines have. But really having this many connections it wasn’t worthy at all. Even though it was better than a 29 hour drive, she was going crazy staying still in the same place for 10 hours. “I bet she made this as a prank, and is laughing her British ass off...”
“Bonsoir. Can I get you anything?” A female voice with a delicious French accent startled Cosima out of her ‘how to kill Sarah Manning’ plans. As she placed her glasses back on and looked up, having to blink a few times to help her vision adjust, who she saw made her mouth go dry and her blood run faster at the same time.
Standing next to her in the corridor was a tall and blonde flight attendant with the prettiest and sweetest hazel eyes she had ever seen, with the kind of angelic face her nerdy mind used to connect with the princess she was supposed to save in many of her RPG sessions with Scott and his battle bitches back in Minnesota. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bum that let some wild blonde curls escape free, making it look like it was styled in a rush but at the same time looked like a hairdresser’s prime work.
“I’m sorry Miss but…” The melodic voice woke up Cosima from her wild daydream of saving a blonde angel from a dragon in a dungeon. Again she blinked repeatedly a few times before noticing a reply was actually expected of her.
“Oh yeah! Sorry my bad, this long trip is starting to make my brain have a kind of lag…” Cosima chuckled while scratching her scalp in the middle of a couple of her dreads that were bound together in a ponytail.
“Non non… don’t worry, if I’m not wrong you’ve been with us since the beginning of the flight right? Back in Minnesota?” The blonde asked with a cute tilt of her head to the side, making Cosima smile and her chest skip a beat just by knowing that for some odd reason the blonde had noticed her during the flight. How could the scientist have missed this beautiful woman for almost 10 hours? That was a real mystery, because even when hot French blondes weren’t involved she was a good observer. She was a scientist after all.
“Oh my… yeah! Can’t believe you noticed, but yeah I’ve been here from the start. Can’t say that I’m enjoying it much.” Cosima can’t help but shrug.
“I am really sorry to hear that, but oui… I know it’s a long flight, took me a while to get used to it. Many connections non?”
“Way too many actually, if I can get my hands on a uniform I bet you guys will accept me as part of the crew.” The natural laugh that came out of the blonde’s mouth made Cosima smile broadly.
“Even though I bet you would be a lovely new addition to the crew, let’s hope it won’t really happen.” The grin she gave Cosima made her insides flutter.
“Yeah I wouldn't be a good flight attendant. I tend to drop drinks on people even when I'm holding just my own drink, Way too clumsy for my own safety sometimes. And I’m not thinking about changing professions just yet. l I still want to put my years in college to use.”
“Oh college? That’s what you do back in Minnesota?” The tall blonde asked while sitting on the armrest of the chair across from Cosima. And the brunette couldn’t help but let her eyes follow the infinite long legs with milk skin. Her tight skirt moved slightly upward, revealing a bit more as she bent her legs.
“Yeah…yeah I study Evo Devo.” Cosima managed to snap her eyes back to the blonde’s face, hoping the her wandering eyes and flushed cheeks would pass unnoticed.
“Humm I think my English is quite good these days, but I think something got lost in translation there…“ She tilted her head again and slightly closed her eyes in concentration.
“Oh yeah, sorry it’s evolutionary developmental biology. We call it evo devo there, you know lots of smart minds but too lazy to say long and complicated names.” Cosima chuckled and was starting to enjoy more and more the little smiles she managed to get out of the blonde girl.
“A scientist then?” The steward asked in amazement.
“Actually a Phd student, oh no wait, I’m so used to saying it but actually you can call me a doctor now.” Cosima said with a toothy smile. She did it finally; she had the right to be proud of it.
“Doctor?” The blonde’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.
“Yeah just got my doctorate this month. I’m still getting used to it actually.”
“Well congratulations doctor…?” She made the last syllables longer, waiting for the brunette to complete the sentence.
“Oh it’s Niehaus, well Cosima. Cosima Niehaus.” Blushing and shaking her head at the way that came out. “Oh geez I said it just like James Bond didn’t I?”
“Well you did Agent Niehaus.” The blonde tried to contain a laugh with her hand. “I’m Cormier,” she says pointing to her name tag “But I will tell you a little secret…” She said, leaning forward and lowering her tone, drawing closer to Cosima, which made a sweet scent invade her nostrils with what she presumed was the steward’s perfume.
“I can keep a secret…” Cosima tried not to pay attention to the cleavage that became slightly more prominent at this distance.
“I’m actually known as Delphine. Cormier is just my code name,” the blonde said with a wink that made Cosima’s heart flutter once more in her chest. This was starting to be a common reaction to Delphine “You know we need to keep our true identities secret right?”
“Yeah totes, obvs.” Cosima chuckled and loved that the other woman decided to joke with her instead of make fun of the way she talked.
“Enchantée Cosima.” Delphine gave a light smile while stretching her hand to Cosima.
“Enchanteii.” Cosima flinched at her strong accent. She really needed to work more on her French, but was enjoying more the feel of the soft but firm hand holding hers.
“Well since you’re an agent I should be able to trust you with another secret, correct?”
“Of course!” Her eagerness made Delphine smile “My lips are hella sealed.”
“Well actually back in the day when I was still an awkward teenager…” Delphine said while stretching her hands in front of her with a shy manner.
“Bullshit!” Cosima blurted without thinking and, seeing Delphine’ surprised expression, hurried to add: “I mean, no way someone like you was ever awkward. Really you should be a top model and with those legs … sorry, I’m crossing a line here. My mouth tends to be faster than my mind.” Cosima said, blushing profoundly.
“I should say that you crossed the line, you know according to airline etiquette, but more than nothing I’m flattered.” Delphine offered a smile. “It’s not every day I get a compliment from a charming doctor.” The wink that followed that line made Cosima blush harder and scratch her neck self consciously. Did Delphine really think she was charming?
“But I’m serious with the awkward part,” Delphine continued after a short pause of watching Cosima blushing. “I was too tall for my legs to actually manage to move without tripping every few steps. And wild frizzy hair and braces didn’t help much.”
“Oh my I really can’t imagine that…”
“Well maybe one day if you find me after a few cocktails… maybe I’ll show you a picture of such dark times.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but only after a sip of courage.” Delphine let a laugh escape her lips as she shook her head.
“I will be sure to take you up on that offer, but I’m guessing your need for a sip of courage isn’t the secret is it?”
“Oh non… the secret is actually that I was a real biology geek back in high school. You would make my day by putting a microscope in my hands or a dead frog to open up.”
“Really? I didn’t take you as the lab geek kind of girl.” Cosima couldn’t have expected such a pretty woman would ever be interested in science just like she was. It was too good to be true. The image of Delphine in a lab coat was sure to be her newest wet dream for sure. Beautiful and smart was a deadly combo to Cosima.
“Well I didn’t imagine you stuck inside a laboratory either. You’re too stylish to be a scientist…”
“Oh the dreads right? Well I always believed I don’t need to look like a scientist to be smart enough to be one,” Cosima said, pulling one of her dreads forward.
“That’s true, I didn’t mean to offend you Cosima,” Delphine said with a sad and apologetic tone.
“No hey chill you didn’t. Actually people always take me for a DJ or philosophy major” That made Delphine laugh and Cosima couldn’t help but join her.
“And I did judge you just by your appearance so we’re even right?” Delphine nodded eagerly, making the stray curls bounce a little. “But tell me more about lab girl Delphine.”
“Oh mon dieu, yes! I was definitely a lab kind of girl. I was always staying longer in the laboratory after class. I was more into books than into knowing who the newest couple in class was. I so dreamed of being a doctor one day, just like you right now, but I was more into Immunology. I was never good in the evo devo department.”
“Hey you`re using the pet name? Cool! And yeah I totally get it, we always have a favorite field, but that’s still so rad! To think you are into biology too!”
“Well I’m not that into it anymore sadly. I can only read Scientific American from time to time and watch some documentaries when I got some free time between flights, you know?”
“Oh yeah I can imagine your schedule must be all over the place,” Cosima said,nodding vigorously. “But you didn’t try to continue your studies? I hope I’m not prying too much?”
“Non non of course not. It’s good to talk about it with someone who gets it, non?”
“Yeah ditto obvs…” Cosima couldn’t help the smile that came to her lips once more because yeah, she got it. It was always better to talk to someone that could understand your life passion and not just think you sounded like a textbook.
“But sadly sometimes life isn’t like we planned and I found myself discovering the world from inside a plane and not from inside a Petri dish,” Delphine said with a smile that Cosima could see didn’t reach her eyes completely, and made her wonder what could have made this beautiful woman leave her love for biology in the first place. It made her hope she would get to know her better someday to be able to ask about it.
“Well that’s still a really rad way to get to know it like you do.” Cosima tried to come up with a different topic, not wanting to let that sadness stay in Delphine’s eyes for long. “I wish I had traveled more…”
“Oh so you’re not the travel book kind of girl?” Delphine’s curiosity made her eyes sparkle once again, making Cosima smile thinking that she was interested in this geek monkey after all.
“With all the time it takes to focus on getting my degree, the furthest I went from home was to Minnesota. Totally not the tourist kind!”
“You never left the country? Europe? Not even Paris then?” Delphine asked amused.
“No, but if I knew I could find pretty French girls like you there, I would go for sure…”
“Hum you’re cheeky, non?” Delphine shook her head slightly and smiled. Cosima thought that this smile alone was worth being called cheeky.
“With pretty girls like you I am.” Cosima dared to wink and when she saw Delphine slightly blushing, her smiles grew even wider.
“So you think I’m pretty?”
“Yes…hum is that crossing a line again?” Cosima was suddenly worried because they weren't friends. They just had meet, but talking to Delphine felt so natural that she forgot that maybe the other woman wouldn’t really enjoy flirtation from another woman.
“Maybe…” Delphine said slowly, making Cosima anxious about whether her flirting was too much after all. The brunette couldn't help but hold her breath when Delphine leaned closer and whispered in her ear “But since the captain isn't here, you’re safe chérie.”
Cosima was smiling like a dork as she watched Delphine move back with a light smile on her lips. Could she be reading the signs rights for once? Was this beautiful woman really ok with her little flirts?
“Delph…” she tried to start but was soon cut by the mechanical sound coming from a speaker close by.
“Attention crew prepare for boarding. We will start the boarding process.”
“Mon dieu! Looks like my break is over. Time does fly when you’re having a good time,” Delphine said with a tone that Cosima hoped was disappointment. “It was lovely to meet you Cosima.”
“Yeah ditto Delphine.” Cosima smiled up as the blonde got up and fixed her tight skirt.
“I wish you a good flight.” And to Cosima’s surprise the blonde bent forward once more and placed a soft kiss on her left and right cheeks, kisses that landed just a little too close to the corner of her lips.
“Th… thanks.” Cosima managed to gasp the word while her mind was still running wild with the feel of Delphine’s warm lips on her skin and trying to figure out if the almost kiss was an accident or a tease, on purpose.
Delphine smiled at her one last time before turning around and walking down the corridor before disappearing behind a curtain, Cosima’s eyes not leaving that sexy back and following the swing of those hips until she was gone.
“Holy watershed!” Cosima groaned while placing her fingers where Delphine’s lips had been just seconds ago. The brunette had felt attracted to people just by meeting them before, of course, they were nothing as strong as the unstoppable force that was Delphine Cormier.
Something about the blonde just made Cosima want to be with her, no matter if they only talked for only 10 minutes. And she couldn't be reading the signals wrong right? Delphine must be interested as well even if in the end it’s just for a friendship. Yeah, Cosima could roll with that even though, if she was being honest, being more than friends totally was her stronger wish.
Would it be too forward to ask Delphine for her phone number? She didn't know if the blonde would stay in San Francisco or if she had another flight still scheduled for today. The asking for her number shouldn't be a problem, but Delphine was working and Cosima didn't want to cause her trouble, especially if any one of the crew started spreading rumors that Delphine was flirting with passengers.
“But how can I talk to her then?” Cosima sighed loudly, really not wanting this to be her only encounter with the French steward, but not wanting to cause cause problems either.
“Excuse me lady…” Once more Cosima was taken from her thoughts, but this time when she looked up, a young man in a suit was looking at her and motioning to the empty seats next to her.
“Yeah, sure, sorry,” Cosima mumbled while getting up and moving to the corridor to let him take a seat. While standing she got a glimpse of Delphine further down the corridor helping an old lady put her hand bag in the luggage compartment on top of the seats. A smile came to her lips just seeing the blonde again, and like she was sensing her stare, she looked sideways and her hazel eyes met Cosima’s.
A blush came to her cheeks when she got caught staring and she awkwardly waved to the tall steward. Delphine didn’t wave back because her hands were still full but she gave Cosima a warm smile, before giving her full attention back to the task ahead of her.
The young scientist was still smiling when she felt someone’s shoulder bump with hers, and she got out of her heart eyes state and noticed she was still standing in the small corridor and rushed to sit again.
A few minutes later the mechanical voice was back.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the Fasten Seat Belt sign. If you haven’t already done so, please stow your carry-on luggage underneath the seat in front of you or in an overhead bin. Please take your seat and fasten your seat belt. And also make sure your seat back and folding trays are in their full upright position.”
Cosima already knew those in flight announcements, like most people that had gone on a few flights, but what got her attention was spotting Delphine in her section of the plane. Maybe the stewards changed from section to section. She had no idea how big the crew was or had any idea how they worked, but seeing Delphine walking slowly by the corridor asking passengers to fasten their seat belt, checking and closing the luggage compartments doors, she was so hoping that Delphine wouldn't just disappear as the flight took off.
Her belly was doing some happy flips just at the thought that maybe she could watch Delphine the rest of the flight. As the blonde approached her seat, she looked down with a smile.
“Excuse me, miss, but could you fasten your seatbelt? We’re about to take off.” Delphine’s smile was so hypnotising to Cosima that she took a few seconds to look down and actually notice that her seatbelt was indeed undone.
“Oh right...” But before Cosima could reach to her seat belt, Delphine’s hands beat hers to it.
“Let me help you, chérie.” Delphine’s skilful hands fastened the seat belt in a few practiced movements. Cosima’s eyes were glued to those beautiful fingers and tried hard not to blush as her mind flashed her vivid images of said fingers doing totally different kinds of movements, maybe involving naked and heated skin and sounds that should not be heard on a plane full of passengers.
But she did gasp out loud when suddenly she felt the light touch of Delphine’s fingers against the back of her hand and up her arm, moving in a slow motion as the blonde moved back to a standing position. It left a tingling sensation all over Cosima’s arm.
“There, all set.” Delphine’s eyes were full of mischief that didn’t escape Cosima, who grinned up at the steward.
“Thank you I’m kind of slow with those handy things.” Both knew Cosima didn't really need any help with her seatbelt, but Cosima liked Delphine’s sneakiness, using the belt as an excuse just to touch her.
“It was my pleasure ,chérie.” Delphine grinned down at her before turning and walking down the corridor to the seats behind Cosima’s.
Cosima didn’t dare look back just to follow Delphine, but was grinning like a fool over the little exchange that just happened. When she heard the man sitting next to her by the window she felt self conscious. Did he watch what had just happened? But as she looked at him, the guy was engrossed reading his newspaper and the empty seat between them gave some distance that she was sure he didn’t even notice that Delphine was even there just seconds ago.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Katherine and I’m your chief flight attendant. On behalf of Captain Jefferson and the entire crew, welcome aboard Maslany Airlines flight 1865.”
As the announcement continued, Cosima checked her phone to turn on the airplane mode once more, and looking at the time she knew soon she would be home. But somehow for the first time she didn’t want the flight to end just yet. Not because she suddenly felt like enjoying the plane. It had more to do with the pretty steward that was making her enjoy her stay. The scientist lifted her head when she felt a bump against her arm.
“Oh, je suis desolée…” It was Delphine again. The blonde’s hand kind of bumped against her arm as she walked by, making Cosima wonder if it was again on purpose.
“It’s ok I don’t mind.” Cosima smiled and looked at the warm hand resting against her shoulder.
“You don’t hum?” If Cosima wasn’t paying attention maybe she wouldn't have heard Delphine remark. The blonde started walking again and Cosima watched as she stopped a few rows away and grabbed a few items from the luggage compartment.
“Now we request your full attention as the flight attendants demonstrate the safety features of this aircraft.”
Cosima watched as Delphine made the demonstration of the safety procedures and finally could let her eyes wander Delphine’s tall frame. It was a feast for the eyes, from her black stilettos, up to milky long legs, to a skirt hugging her thighs, to the tight vest that only helped to squeeze her light curves in all the right places, to the beautiful lips graced with a professional smile, to her sharp eyes that from time to time would focus on Cosima’s, making the scientist flush with the attention.
Making Cosima flush seemed like something Delphine was mastering during the entire flight. They didn't really have a chance to talk much, but the blonde had her ways of gaining Cosima’s attention.
Like fingers that would linger a little too long when giving Cosima her dinner of choice. When passing around an extra blanket, her hands would linger over Cosima’s thighs and the brunette could feel a light squeeze over the soft material. The scientist didn’t hide her interest either, letting her eyes linger over the steward until she would sense her, turn and smile shyly when her eyes found Cosima. Maybe she wasn’t really thirsty, despite the many times she rang the steward button to ask for a beverage. But just seeing Delphine walk down to her with those sweet smiles was worth the overly full bladder.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as we start our descent, please make sure your seat backs …”
The mechanical voice came just as Cosima was wondering if it would be too much to ring Delphine once more? Maybe she could ask for a cookie this time, but to her disappointment their little exchanges had to come to an end.
“Flight attendants, prepare for landing please.”
“Cabin crew, please take your seats for landing.”
By hearing the last messages Cosima got worried she had lost track of time. Their teasing had distracted her to the point where she actually forgot to ask for the blonde’s number. But before she could come up with a plan to reach Delphine once more, the plane’s tires were bumping to the ground and the passengers, eager to leave the plane, started moving around and gathering their belongings. And since the man sitting next to her was already turning his cell phone back on and standing, she couldn't really linger in her seat and wait for the passengers to leave.
Cosima grabbed her purse, fixed her red coat and started walking in line with the others passagers. She looked back to see if she could catch a glimpse of the blonde but she didn’t have any luck. After standing in line for a few minutes, she finally reached the front of the plane and some well know blonde curls caught her eye.
“Good bye. Thank you for choosing the Maslany airlines.”
Delphine was one of the crew members saying their goodbyes to the passengers by the door. A hopeful flame came back to life in Cosima’s chest. Maybe she could ask the blonde for her number after all, but the flame didnt last long as her eyes landed on the other crew members standing close to the blonde. How could she approach Delphine without getting her in trouble? She was really out of time to come up with a safe plan.
“I wish you a good stay here in San Francisco.” Cosima managed to stop in front of the blonde, smiling and messing with her purse straps while listening to Delphine. “It was a pleasure have you on our flight.”
“Oh no the pleasure was all mine.” She managed to say before she felt the pressure against her side from the other passengers trying to move past her to leave the plane. “OK I’m moving…” she hissed to the same guy that was beside her the entire flight. She gave another glance to Delphine with a flustered smile and an awkward wave followed by a low whisper. “Bye…”
Cosima was just starting to walk on the ramp when she heard a well known by now French accent calling.
“Mademoiselle, excuse moi…” The brunette stopped and glanced back to see Delphine squeezing by the other passengers.
“You dropped this back there.” Delphine said, holding out a folded piece of paper. “Thought it could be important.”
“I …” Cosima was surprised with the blonde coming after her and she was sure she didn’t drop anything, but Delphine’s smile made her reach for the paper. “Thanks.”
“Au revoir miss, don’t go losing that.” Delphine was already turning and disappearing back into the plane between the moving passengers before Cosima could understand what was happening. When she reached the terminal lobby and could actually move away from the crowd, she looked at the paper Delphine said she dropped.
“In case you need help on a mission while in town. D.”
It was written with beautiful handwriting, on a piece of paper that had the Maslany Airlines emblem, followed by phone number.
The smile that formed on Cosima’s lips was wild and hopeful as she read once more Delphine’s words. That the blonde remembered their little joke about being secret agents made the scientist chuckle lightly. And that she indeed wanted them to stay in touch made her want to make a victory dance right there, but she managed to contain herself. But the smile never left her lips as she walked to grab her luggage and climbed into a taxi, all the while wondering when she would actually call Delphine about such mission.