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The Ares III mission is aboard a small ship. Dr. Chris Beck, responsible for the well-being of the crew, knows that being aboard a spaceship can nevertheless become quite lonely. One psychological effect from this kind of isolation is touch starvation: for the single crew members, and those away from their spouses. So Beck institutes bonding nights for the crew, which are really just cuddle puddles while they play card games or engage in casual conversation. Beck also goes out of his way to offer casual touches to everyone: fist bumps with Martinez, a hand on Vogel’s shoulder, a warm embrace for Lewis.
But Beck is not really sure how to approach Johanssen. He’s liked her from the moment he met her, and if he’s not lying to himself, he falls a bit more in love with her every time he sees the light in her eyes when she describes matrix computing, watches her capable hands commanding the ship. Every time she smiles at him.
Beck’s not sure how to offer touches to Johanssen when he wants it to be so much more than casual. He doesn’t want her to believe it is just casual, but he doesn’t want her to feel uncomfortable if she doesn’t like him in the same way.
So he bides his time and slowly ratchets up his touch interactions with her. A warm embrace. Thighs touching while they eat dinner together. Massaging her shoulder when she complains about muscle knots. Every time he touches her, it kills him to pull back just a little. And over time, he finds himself less and less able to resist staying longer, reaching for more.
Tonight, Beck and Johanssen sit on the bench beside each other during dinner (they sit beside each other for most things, now. Beck wonders how much the crew has already noticed.). Johanssen subtly taps Beck’s ankle with her foot. Or maybe she was just shifting her leg. Beck is acutely aware of the warmth radiating from all over him, but mainly from his thigh which is pressed right up against Johanssen’s. Her hand is right there resting on her leg, just inches from Beck’s. He can’t bring himself to reach for her hand, and risk rejection when it feels like he’s been working for forever to inch his way closer to her. As a compromise, he moves his hand just a little closer to hers. When she reaches for her next bite of spinach, Beck’s heart soars as her fingers slowly tangle with his under the table.