The moment she knew

Posted on Sat Nov 2nd, 2024 @ 11:41pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,729 words; about a 9 minute read

The small mess hall was alive with energy, echoing with laughter, clinking mugs, and shouts of victory. The crew was in high spirits, having just pulled off a smuggling mission that had gone smoother than any of them could have hoped. Lutz, their boisterous mechanic, had rigged up some extra lights that cast a warm, amber glow over the room, and the scent of strong ale and freshly-cooked rations filled the air.

At the center of it all, Vance stood with a casual, easy smile, accepting cheers and playful claps on the back from the crew. He raised his mug to everyone gathered, his smuggler’s charm shining in his half-smirk as he praised them for another job well done. "To all of you, for making this ship run like a dream,” he declared. “Not a finer crew in the galaxy– and certainly not a better paid one!”

The toast was met with enthusiastic shouts, followed by the hearty clinks of metal mugs coming together. Adrianna, seated at a table near the back, watched the scene with a small smile, feeling the contagious energy of the celebration pulling her in. She could feel Vance’s gaze drift her way every now and then, his smile lingering a little longer whenever their eyes met.

But the crew hadn’t missed those looks either, and after a few rounds of drinks, the teasing began. Lutz nudged his crewmate, grinning as he called out, “Oi, Captain! Maybe we should toast to something else, too! Like you finally making an honest woman outta Ade, here!”

The whole mess hall erupted into whistles and laughter, the crew knocking their mugs on the tables in loud approval. Adrianna felt her cheeks flush, but she couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips as she looked up at Vance, whose smirk had only widened.

“Oh, come on!” someone shouted over the din. “We’ve all seen the way you two look at each other– just kiss her already!” A chant then began, “kiss, kiss, kiss.”

Vance chuckled, the laughter sparking something in his gaze as he finally turned toward Adrianna, holding her gaze across the room. The noise around them dimmed in her mind, and for a brief, electric moment, it felt as though they were the only two people in the room.

Before he could say anything, Lutz, their ever-observant mechanic, raised his mug and called out, “Come on, captain, aren’t you gonna finally admit you’re sweet on our girl over here?”

A louder chorus of whistles and hollers erupted, the crew hammering their mugs against the tables in encouragement. Adrianna felt her cheeks flush as she tried to stifle a laugh, though she couldn’t keep from glancing at Vance, her heart racing as he smirked, clearly loving the attention.

“Oh, come on, just kiss her already,” someone shouted over the noise, sparking more cheers. “You’re killing us here!”

Vance chuckled, glancing down at her with an amused, soft smile. He took a step closer, his hand coming to rest on the edge of the table just beside hers. For a moment, his gaze softened, and Adrianna could feel the air between them shift. She watched as he leaned in, his hand brushing her arm, his face mere inches from hers. The noise of the crew seemed to blur into the background as she felt herself leaning in, drawn by the warmth in his eyes, the scent of his cologne, the way everything else disappeared whenever he was this close.

But just as she thought he might actually kiss her, Vance paused, letting his gaze shift over his shoulder, where the crew was still watching, leaning in, waiting. He gave them a lazy grin, lifting an eyebrow in mock disbelief.

“Don’t you all have something better to do than play matchmaker?” he asked, his voice light but holding a trace of challenge. “Or do I need to find everyone more work?”

The crew groaned in playful protest, a few calling out, “Oh, come on, Captain!” while others just laughed and shook their heads. Vance turned back to Adrianna, his eyes warm and unmistakably affectionate, as though that one lingering look was meant just for her.

“Hold that thought,” he murmured, his voice low and meant for her alone, a soft promise. Then, with one last smile, he pushed away from the table, brushing his hand gently against her arm as he straightened. “I’d love to stay and entertain you all,” he said, loud enough for the crew to hear, “but someone’s gotta make sure this old bucket keeps running.”

With a wave and another knowing look, he strode out of the mess hall, leaving a wake of whistles and playful shouts in his trail. Adrianna watched him go, feeling her heart pounding as her fingers brushed the place on her arm where he’d touched her. She could still feel his warmth lingering, his unspoken words echoing in her mind.

Lutz leaned over, nudging her with a grin. “You know he’ll be back for you.”

She smiled, looking down at her drink, her heart brimming with the undeniable truth she’d been trying so hard to ignore. Her gaze then shifted and she punched Lutz hard in the arm, before getting up and walking out. The punch was for embarrassing her, mainly.

Adrianna contemplated her next steps. She couldn't help how she felt– undercover or not, Adrianna was falling hard for Vance. He was not the bad guy Starfleet had him pegged as. He was loyal, brave, caring. Sure, he did some shady smuggling deals, but he made a living from it and always ensured that no matter what, all blame would fall to him and none of his crew.

Adrianna hovered in the doorway of the engine room, watching Vance work with that casual, confident ease she’d come to know so well. Her mind was spinning, replaying every moment from the mess hall and that almost-kiss that had her heart racing. She’d followed him here because she couldn’t shake the need to know if he’d really meant it– if he’d truly meant her.

Vance finally turned, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he met her gaze. “Couldn’t stay away, could you?” he murmured, his voice low and knowing.

She took a breath, mustering the courage to ask the question that had been burning in her mind since they met. “You didn’t answer them back there,” she said, her voice soft but steady. “All that talk about us… What did you mean by it?”

He looked at her, the playful glint fading, leaving his gaze open and intense. “You really don’t remember, do you?” he asked quietly, taking a step toward her. “The first time we met… I told you you’d be my future wife.”

Her breath caught as she remembered that day, the way he’d stood there, so sure of himself, flashing that easy, roguish smile and saying it as if it were an undeniable truth. She had laughed it off then, thinking it was some smuggler’s charm, but the memory now felt like a promise he’d carried with him all this time.

“You can’t be serious,” she whispered, her voice breaking a little as he stepped closer, his hand lifting to cradle her cheek.

His thumb brushed her skin gently, his voice a low murmur meant only for her. “I knew it then, Adrianna– and I know it even more now.” His gaze softened, and she could see the vulnerability he so rarely showed anyone else. “You’re my future. My everything. The second I laid eyes on you at the poker game, I knew that you were the one for me. Then every moment we're have spent together over the past– what– week– that opinion solidified for me. When you got hurt in the glitter bomb incident– I thought I was going to lose you and I couldn't bear it. I know it's quick, but my feelings are true.”

Her heart ached at his words, the weight of them crashing over her, and she couldn’t stop herself from stepping even closer, her hands resting on his chest. “Then don’t just leave me wondering,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He leaned in, his face mere inches from hers, his breath warm against her lips. “I won’t,” he promised softly, his words lingering in the space between them as his hand reached around her waist, pulling her close to him, “I swear, Adrianna. You’re the only one I see. The only one I’ve ever wanted.”

Their lips were so close, barely a breath apart, and her eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to the moment, every nerve alive as she felt him draw her closer, his touch firm yet tender. She felt his breath, could almost taste the warmth of him as he closed that final inch. His thumb brushed over her bottom lip as if to sample what a kiss could be like. “Ade–”

But just as their lips were about to meet, the ship jolted violently, and the piercing wail of alarms cut through the engine room, red lights flashing wildly.

They pulled back, both groaning in frustration, and Vance’s forehead dropped to hers, a reluctant laugh escaping him. “One of these days, I swear,” he murmured, still close enough that she could feel his breath against her skin, “I will kiss you without interruption.”

Adrianna laughed, her voice a breathless sound, “madonna, I guess the universe isn’t ready for us just yet.”

He reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Maybe not,” he replied, his eyes warm and steady, “but just know this, Adrianna. No matter what happens, you’re mine. You’ve always been mine. And you will always be mine. Not even a deity or death could tear me from you.”

Her heart swelled, her fingers tightening around his. “And you’re mine, Vance.”

With one last lingering look– a look that held every promise he couldn’t put into words– he turned and ran toward the bridge, leaving her there, breathless and longing, her heart racing with the certainty that they were each other’s future, no matter how many interruptions the universe threw their way.

 

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