Tap tap tap... tap... tap tap...
Davis rolled her eyes towards the ceiling of the bustling space port, asking whatever God was left these days for patience to deal with the sound that was scratching all the wrong parts of her brain.
"Exactly two minutes and fifteen seconds from the last time you asked." Davis added hastily after Marie's sharp glance towards her, "Respectfully, Commander."
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...
"Thankfully," she continued, glaring balefully at the toe of Marie's boot as it struck the shiny floor over... and over... and over. "Right about... now."
As if on cue a small, excited gasp escaped Marie's lips when a passenger shuttle came into view.
"I’ll push back the meeting for an hour, that’s the best I can do ma'am." She knew the other woman barely heard her as she took off at a run. "Have fun!" She yelled with a smile at Marie's retreating form.
You'd never know he was tired unless you knew him as well as she did. Mainly it was the slightly grown out buzz cut and uncharacteristically disheveled clothes. But also the eyes, exhaustion dimming the irises into a deep, burnished amber as they searched the expansive hangar. Then the color transformed, brightening to shine like the sun when they found their target flying towards him, arms outstretched and a squeal of excitement warning the crowd to part before her like the red sea.
He caught her just as his boots cleared the end of the ramp of the shuttle, dropping his backpack so he could scoop her up to feel every inch of her body against his.
And for the first time in two months, as her legs wrapped around his waist, she could breathe easily again.
"Ciao bella." Nico Morrisini covered his emotion by pressing his lips against her neck and breathing in the scent of soap and apples. "How long do we have?"
"Never long enough." Marie whispered against the shell of his ear, riding high on the feel of her stomach dropping as if she had just jumped off a cliff. He still gave her butterflies after all this time.
"I never liked that vase anyway." Marie replied to Nico's apologies as his boots crushed the remnants of their hurried need to be as close and as naked as possible.
"I missed you so much." He said against her lips, side stepping the dresser his hip had just bumped to push her against the wall of her quarters. "I need you with me."
Marie bit his lip, drawing out a growl deep in his throat. He didn't let her answer right away, his need for her too great, instead sliding his tongue into her mouth to find hers. They moved together until his fingers between her legs stopped her completely. They breathed together until her hand around his cock stopped his.
"We'll figure it out." Marie groaned as she lifted herself and guided him inside her. She was always wet for him, so the stretch was always a pleasant one. Her body somehow found new ways every time he touched her to give her a completely different sensation of star shattering pleasure. "For now, fuck me baby."
The Pelican was Marie's favorite ship out of all the ones assigned to her station. Equipped with equal parts top of the line weapons and massive cargo holds, she was essentially refitted after the war to be an all around MVP. One that could carry enough supplies to rebuild a city but could also take care of herself against pirates or whatever other perils the expanse of space threw at her. The inside had enough amenities to make even the pickiest officer feel like they were on a floating hotel yet also an expansive armory. Besides packing it's own air-to-ground battle shuttle, it's sleek frigate style design would fool most into thinking she was a day-cruiser instead of a battle freighter.
It was the one she chose for this mission, for Nico. Her heart swelled with pride as they made their way down the hall of the ship and she thought about how far he had come. An out of control wrecking ball with out a path to making it his mission to seek out, gather and safeguard orphans from the war to recently being instated as an official ambassador of the systems alliance orphan refuge department.
She shook her head as she tucked in her uniform shirt as they walked, making sure all the stray hairs were captive in her bun, busying herself so she wouldn't get emotional. She always knew he had it in him, she was just glad he found it.
"You’re never gonna guess who’s in charge of the ship." Marie tugged on his sleeve and he knew the signal to bend at the waist so she could reach his face. Licking her finger she rubbed off some of her leftover red lipstick before they turned and entered the conference room.
"Admiral Malin." Nico said in surprise, reaching out a hand as he walked to the man across the room, Marie stopping at the door to salute. "How long did retirement last? A month?"
"A week." Malin stood to grasp the bigger man's hand. "At ease Miller." He gestured to the chairs in front of him and they all three sat. "I wasn’t made to sit around and do nothing. And I definitely can’t deal with those jackasses on the admiralty board. So, I asked for a ship."
"Asked?" Marie said with a knowing grin.
"He took a different ship." She said to Nico. "Then when you told me your plans for this mission and what would be required, I asked him if he would so kindly take this ship. Purely selfish reasons."
"I wouldn’t have needed to if Miller had accepted my invitation to be a captain. She could have taken it herself. I may still just give it to her. Depends on how bored I get."
Nico turned to her in surprise and she grinned sheepishly under his gaze, knowing she was in trouble.
"Why be chained to one ship when I can be in command of an entire space station?"
"Very true. Sometimes the bars on your jacket are a weight, not a ladder." Malin steepled his fingers in front of him before turning to Nico. "I heard about your work with the orphan refuge department. It’s impressive. And needed."
"I'm grateful for the help. The supplies and manpower will save a lot of lives that didn't ask to be in the situation they are now."
Marie checked the time. "We actually have a meeting with requisitions in thirty minutes so we should get going sir."
"If there is anything either of you two need, don't hesitate to ask. Remember, I hate sitting around."
"Okay, listen." Marie turned to her giant at the same time he stopped and said "Why didn’t you tell me?"
"Because it's not important." She continued.
"I'd say a rank promotion is pretty important. And since the day I met you, nothing has been more important than your job."
Nico started, brows furrowing. "You didn't turn it down for me did you?"
"We’d never see each other. I wouldn’t be able to help you. I’d go wherever the alliance sent me and do what missions they told me. This way I can more easily dictate where I go and what I do. Commanders are systematically put in charge of entire space stations, free to decide what ships go in and out, what the main purpose of that station is, and when they actually need to be there. That's what I wanted, and that's what I got. As a captain I'd be stuck on one ship. It's just not something I want for myself, or for us."
"If you're sure." He slid a hand to her cheek. "I don't want you to sacrifice anything for me. I just want you to be happy."
"I have never been happier." Marie replied with every ounce of truth in her. "Well... maybe when the war ended and we realized we weren’t all going to die. Maybe on the day I first tasted chocolate. Maybe on the day you gave me this - she waggled her sparkling ring in front of his face- Maybe when-."
"Okay, okay." Nico caught her hand and kissed her ring, chuckling. Her favorite sound in the world. "Thankyou bella. For everything."
"Now come on." She slapped his arm playfully. "One of the downsides of you being a hotshot dignitary now is you don't have time to take a nap yet."
"What's the upside?" Nico grumbled, weary shoulders slumping.
She made a show of thinking. "I find it so sexy that you're a hotshot dignitary now that I'm going to give you even more blowjobs."
"Let's get this meeting over with." he replied hurriedly, sliding his huge hand over hers to pull her laughing down the hallway.
