Chapter Text
Earth customs are strange. Shake hands, hug, three kisses. They are also the best thing you could’ve hoped for.
Gretchen won’t let you leave without a strong hug. It feels like being enveloped by safety.
Even B’Elanna insists on hugging you in welcome, pressing a quick kiss onto your cheek. Like a reward after years of dispute.
Then there’s Kathryn. She’s a hug-kiss person. Suddenly it’s a kiss hello, goodbye, just because.
You play along for all of them, wondering at the wistfulness they cause.
Then you realize: you didn’t want the kiss goodbye - you want to kiss her goodnight.