Work Text:
Marca Nbaro was alone in her quarters, sewing a curtain that Chu had asked her for, when she heard a knock on the airtight, metal door. Nbaro pressed a button and the door swinged open. It was Rick Hanna, her boyfriend. He stood before her, fidgeting with his hands.
“Hi. Hum…”
“Hey,” she said coolly.
“Can I… come in?”
Nbaro looked around. It was against the rules to have someone in your quarters. Especially if they were the opposite sex. Whatever.
“Yeah.” She gestured for him to come in then closed the door behind her.
“When will Thea be back…?” he asked, a tone of carefulness in his voice.
She eyed him. “Dunno. She's doing cargo dropoffs now, so another hour or two?” There was only one place her mind went to when he asked that question: he wanted sex. Of course he did. That was the first thing he asked her the first time they hung out outside of the Athens. She took a step back, her demeanour guarded.
“Okay, hum, can we cuddle?” he asked. He was more straightforward this time.
Nbaro dropped her guard, only a bit though. She didn't like to be alone and vulnerable with a man. Even if that man was her boyfriend. Even if she knew that man loved her… Orphanage thinking. He's a good man. I know he is.
She nodded, smiling. She couldn't tell if it was forced. “Okay.” She crawled up to her bed, the top bunk, inviting him up. He followed her and sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her. Until now they'd really only flirted. Maybe the occasional kiss on the hand from Hanna, but that was it. Never cuddling. Nbaro fidgeted with her hands awkwardly until Hanna held out his hand for her to take. She grabbed it. Maybe too forcefully. Or too gently? Am I doing this all wrong? Again?
She shook, mostly from nerves, though a bit of excitement coursed through her. Hanna leaned over and kissed her on the hand. He was very old-fashioned in that sense. He combed his fingers through her coiled brown hair with attentive care while caressing her hand with his thumb. She only shook more.
“Are you okay?” Hanna looked her in the eyes, concerned. Genuinely concerned.
“Yeah. I just… have never really done this.” She looked down at their intertwined hands. “Just cuddling,” she added.
“Oh. Yeah, I get it.” He squeezed her hand.
Do you?
She kept that to herself. She nodded and allowed herself to rest her head on Hanna's shoulder. He placed a delicate kiss on her head and she thought she felt… bliss?
Love?
She never thought she'd love again. Not after that useless boy abandoned her the moment they got caught. But this random junior lieutenant had broken down her walls. Carefully and lovingly.
“Almighty,” she sighed, stuffing her face into the crook of Hanna's neck. He smiled gently, continuing to play with her hair. She tilted her head up and did something she never thought she would do again. She kissed him on the lips. He looked shocked but fell into the kiss, squeezing her shoulder. The kiss was gentle and short. But perfect.
Hanna smiled that dumb, cute little grin. She couldn't help but smile back and lean in for another kiss. She held him close, never wanting to let him go.
Almighty…