Work Text:
He pops his head into her office on the 6th floor of the 4S building at the Johnson Space Center. She’s staring at a laptop screen in the sparse office, her desk neat, a calendar with a photo of Antarctica pinned on the beige wall behind her, blinds partially drawn to filter the Texas sunlight. She’s in a grey Artemis polo, her brow is furrowed, and she looks exhausted. He watches her for a few seconds instead of catching her attention with words. He moves in, shutting the office door, plunking himself into the seat across from her.
“Reid? What are you…” she’s not actually startled just surprised he’s sitting there grinning at her like a golden retriever but she can never really scold him for anything anyway. The earnestness that he brings to absolutely everything is frustrating in its total authenticity. A smile pulls at the corner of her mouth. He’s so goddamn pleasant, the sparkle in his grey eyes diffuses any situation; including this one.
“Just checking in on you. After yesterday I imagine you have your fair share to navigate today. It must be a lot to manage. Especially since none of it was of your doing.”
“I hate that it’s a thing Reid,” she sighs frustrated.
“It is a thing though, isn’t it?” he softens, “Have they given you a directive, PR on how you are supposed to respond?”
She raises an eyebrow at him “Wiseman, you think I’d let them tell me what to say?”
“No, I didn’t say that,” he gently responds. She sighs.
“I know you didn’t, I’m sorry.” She runs a hand through her straightened hair, searching for his eyes to let him know she didn’t mean to be flippant with him. “Honestly, all of those guys are completely deserving Reid. They’re excellent astronauts. I’m so happy for Andre; and my ISS space brother Luca. But the administration had to have known the optics were going to incense the public. And if I’m being honest, I am sympathetic to the outcry. I feel like I’m in an impossible situation.” She watches him from across the desk inhale deeply, his eyes piercing through her. She thinks to herself: It’s killing him that he’s too far away to touch me, physical touch is Reid Wiseman’s love language and right now he desperately wants a hand on my shoulder, or his palm running sturdy circles on my back, he’d even settle for gently twining his fingertips with mine. Sure enough, within seconds he’s pulling the standard issue 1970s JSC office chair he’d been occupying around the desk so he can get closer to her.
“Christina, you know you’re preaching to the choir. I’m the ultimate girl dad. You also know I’m your number one fan.”
He’s somehow managed to lace his legs through hers so his knees are touching hers while his left hand has deftly found her forearm on the armrest, his fingertips slowly tracing apogee and perigee patterns on her skin. She clocks it and smiles internally before offering, “Bottom line it was handled poorly. I feel upset for the young girls watching who feel slighted, I feel like I’m letting them down by not pushing back, but I also feel I have to walk the line of dutiful government employee, and supportive Artemis program teammate. I still do believe we should go for all of humanity Reid, by all for all.”
“It’s a lot of pressure on you, I know you hate when people reduce you to your records, but at the end of the day you have them, most of them aren’t going anywhere.”
“That’s part of the problem though, they should be surpassed.”
“I hate to tell you this sweetheart but you’ll always be first. Little girls will always read books with your name saying you were first. First woman to have the longest continuous amount of time in space, first to do an all female spacewalk…”
“Jessica was there too.” She rightly interjects.
Reid ignores her continuing, “You were the first woman to orbit the far side of the moon. It matters. And even when women surpass these milestones, you still did them. And you did them first. I wish you didn’t have to fight this fight on behalf of your entire gender. I wish your example had meant more to them. Because it meant everything to me.” He confesses honestly. He pulls her carefully into his arms and she returns the gentle embrace. He finds her ear, “I was just heading out to Ellington Field, want to go rip around in a T-38 for an hour or do you have to get back to Galveston?”
“I’m in no rush, and I’d like that.”she agrees. He stands gently pulling her up with him, enveloping her in a closer hug now that he can reach her properly, his hand moving to her neck his thumb brushing back and forth, his lips resting lightly on her hairline right above her forehead.
“Don’t get too sentimental with me Wiseman.” She teases.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to go around the moon with anyone else.” He says plainly. She stands up on her toes her lips brushing against his earlobe
“You don’t have to sweet talk me Reid, I already know I’m your favourite.”
“Shhh don’t tell Jeremy or Victor.” He laughs warmly and it vibrates through her small frame, “Let's go fly a jet.” He says breaking the embrace looking at her with such admiration.