Summary: reader is a intern at nasa and cruahing hard on Christina
A/N: this is fictional and i make no claims about real people sexuality or anything like that. I dont know the first thing about being a intern at NASA so I went super generic with it.
You’re starting to think exhaustion manifests in all four senses.
Like the smell of burnt coffee and the taste of iron from the constant chewing on the inside of your lip. The sound of buzzing of too many voices at once bleeding together. The sight of your puffy eyes in the morning. The physical sensation of pressure over your chest created by the faint gnawing panic of knowing you have three deadlines, two unread emails marked urgent, and a stack of paperwork that may or may not be multiplying when you look away and when did you last call your parents?
Your laptop is open. It’s been open for hours. You’ve done almost nothing or so it feels.
The NASA internship badge on your lanyard feels too heavy for your neck, like it’s reminding you of just how much is at stake.
“Focus,” you whisper to yourself. “Just focus.”
Someone walks past your desk talking about propulsion systems like they’re discussing the weather.
You sip your coffee and attempt to use your few working brain cells to make sense of their words but end up just feeling dumber by the second.
Your degree and years of studying was one thing, but being in this room with all these people made you feel like a kid that had just wandered in from the street. Ready to ask if the moon is actually made of cheese.
“You’re going to love this,” your supervisor breaks you out of your own thoughts.
“Coffee run? Not to sound ungrateful, but that was quite the build up for getting you coffee.”
“Not coffee for me. Well yes coffee for me AND several others involved in the Artemis II mission for a meeting coming up soon, so better run. Unless you want me to ask someone else, you seem busy.” He does a fake walk off, knowing full well you’ll stop him.
He slides the list toward you.
“Oat milk latte. Black coffee. One cappuccino, extra foam. One… jeez didn’t know you could put that many espresso shots in one drink?”
“Better run. Starts in 15” he says quickly.
You stand up, overwhelmed..
“Got it.” You exclaim speed walking out.
The hallway changes before you even realize it.
Quieter. Cleaner. Controlled.
Doors with access warnings you shouldn’t even be close enough to read. And you keep feeling like someone's going to tackle you for trespassing at any moment.
Your badge is checked more than once.
You make it to the meeting room. A few minutes to spare.
The room feels different, like it belongs to people whom you simply do not have any business breathing the same air as.
There are screens. Equipment. Parts you can’t name.
Everyone is talking, most of it goes over your head, regardless you try to not be in the way. Then you see her. Christina Koch. One of the astronauts going on the Artemis II mission. You fight the urge to stare, but she is right there.
Mid-conversation. Hands moving as she speaks, calm voice, focused presence.
A living legend. Someone laughs at something she says. The sound feels too normal for how unreal this is.
“Okay,” you tell yourself. “Just… distribute caffeine like a normal functional human.”
You move carefully through the room.
One coffee. Name called. Handed over. A thank you and swift movements. All good.
Another coffee. Another, don’t spill. Don’t spill.
She’s slightly turned away, still half in conversation. She glances up when you stop.
“Black coffee?” You ask, voice not betraying the internal collapse happening behind your ribs.
Your fingers brush hers as she takes the cup.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” She smiles.
“Um yeah,” you manage. “Of course.”
You turn too quickly and walk away before anyone sees the blush creeping into your cheeks.
You make it out of the room somehow, without any mishaps.
The door closes behind you and you stop walking entirely. Pushing your back against the cold concrete wall, letting out a sigh. Had you not been breathing this whole time?
Anyone would be starstruck, no shame in that. However, the way her attention had you wanting to kick your feet and giggle like a damn teenager, was quite embarrassing.
A simple kindness. That's it. But nonetheless her saying those words weren't likely to leave your mind anytime soon.
You press a hand to your face, trying to cool it, before heading back to your desk
Later that day your shift comes to an end.
You’re walking too fast because you need air and also because you don’t know what else to do with yourself. Your mind is over stimulated, eyes sore but your body craves movement, having spent too many hours in one spot
It’s dark out. You make your way through several hallways. Stretching your neck back and forth.
Several people step out, but you focus on a specific woman.
Adjusting the strap of her bag.
She doesn’t look like an astronaut right now.
She looks like a person who just worked very hard.
Something drops near her foot, but she keeps walking.
You move to pick it up. Moving the cap off the floor. You hurry to catch up.
“Sorry.” you say, tapping her shoulder lightly.
She turns. Looking at you in confusion.
“You dropped this,” you speak shakily, handing it back.
“Ah, thank you. I didn't even realise.” she says lightly.
You swallow. “Yeah. This morning. Coffee.”
Her confusion shifts to recognition.
“Oh! That was you. Saving me twice today then, the coffee was great.”
You nod too fast. “Yeah, I try to not destroy people’s mornings. There’s a coffee place down the street, it’s further away but they grind fresh beans for each brew.”
It’s not loud. Just real.
“I’ll make a note of that. ” she says.
You should stop there, but you don’t.
“I just.. um can I say something really quickly?”
She tilts her head slightly. “Sure.”
You pray your coherent in these moments as your mind goes blank.
“I just think what you’re doing is just so impressive and brave. Going to the Moon, and being part of Artemis II, and being the first woman to do it and I just” you inhale some air trying to steady your speech. “You must have worked so hard, you deserve all the honor. You will inspire generations to come.”
She looks at you for a second longer than you expected, long enough for your adrenaline to turn to embarrassment.
“Thank you,” she says gently. “That means a lot.”
You smile, embarrassed, but her smile is genuine.
“You doing okay? Long day?” She looks down at your collection of papers and all over frazzled appearance.
“Yeah, I mean I’m sure I’ll get better at it.” you speak. You weren't about to complain about your silly tasks.
We start walking a little together without meaning to.
“So,” she says, “you’re on the coffee rescue team? What else do they have you doing all day?” She asks earnestly.
“Paper work and um more paperwork. Reading and re reading and typing stuff up then doing it again.”you say nodding, recalling the day.
“That’s important work,” she says seriously.
“Oh yeah of course I'm thankful to be a part of all of it.” You speak fast, hoping you didn't sound ungrateful.
Your eyes shift to her arms as they tense her muscles and you curse yourself for looking.
“Your workouts must be pretty intense." You shift the focus.
“Oh yeah,” she says. “It can be but you get used to it..”
“I saw a video from a training session with your colleague, it looked painful” you add.
“Yeah,” she says. “That’s kind of the idea.”
You nod like you understand, but your gym sessions included way more breaks searching for a good song than exercises.
“I mean sometimes it’s hard and tiring, but it's achieving the result needed for the mission.” She talks gesturing with her hands as she speaks, still holding on to her cap.
“Yeah you’re in great shape. I mean your biceps are… great.” You blurt out, then wish to evaporate..
You nod again. Too much nodding. Stop nodding.
You reach a junction in the hallway.
“Well,” she says, “good luck with the rest of your coffee diplomacy.”
“Thanks,” you say. “Good luck… going to the moon.” What a sentence.
And you head home to get some sleep and get ready to start the day over.
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