"A rushed kiss before one party leaves for work"
requested by @smolbeandrabbles
“All right everyone.” Stafford was wrapping up his assignments for the crew. “To your stations.”
Young and Mitchell chatted and laughed as they headed back to the bridge. Eisele was going the opposite direction, through the atrium to the Oracle's main hub. Williams was given no assignment, but was likely off to his office on the science deck.
“Come on, Cernan,” Cooper said, gesturing for him to follow her and Anders.
“I'll be right with you,” he assured her. “I have to get going,” he told Carter. Carter gave a tight smile. Trying so hard to be supportive when there was clear tension in his eyes. He and Simms weren't given any real assignments.
“I know. You've got important things to do.”
“What you do is important, too,” Cernan said. He leaned in, giving Carter a quick peck on the mouth. He felt Carter return the pressure just before they parted. “See you in the mess hall for lunch?”
Carter nodded, and Cernan hurried to catch up with Cooper and Anders. Cooper's eyebrows were nearly to her hairline.
“Uh, what the fuck was that?”
“That, back there.” She pointed to the crew lounge.
“I meant what was going on with you and Carter.”
“Oh, that,” Cernan nodded in understanding. “He's been worried about what he and Simms are going to be doing while we're all surveying the planet.”
Cooper and Anders exchanged looks. “I think she's referring to that kiss,” Anders said at last.
Cernan's face flushed red. He hadn't done that on purpose, exactly. Kissing Carter in that moment was more like a natural sequence of events. He was headed out, so he kissed Carter before leaving.
“It's nothing that you two haven't done before,” Cernan hedged.
“Well, yeah,” Anders agreed, “but we're a couple.” There was a significant pause and the two women exchanged looks again.
“Wait, are you two a couple?” Cooper demanded.
Cernan suppressed a sigh. “Can we please just get to Astroscience? We need to make some calculations in preparation for the first drone.”
“You are!” Cooper gasped. “How did this happen? When did this happen?”
“It's a long way to Astroscience. You'd better give us all the juicy details,” Anders chimed in.
The two women were probably his best friends on the ship, and unfortunately that meant they weren't going to stop asking. But he had the taste of Carter's mouth still fresh on his lips, so Cernan could live with a little pestering.
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