I thought I got better, but maybe I didn’t

“Is it true captains have someone in every port? You know a special someone. For l’amor. Or s-,”

“You don’t have to answer that!”

“Oh, I think the captain absolutely has to answer this question.” Sam chimed in. The grin was evident in his voice, making the captain flush. “This is going to be good.” Apparently he’d also been listening to the previous questions where they’d given the most noncommittal answers possible to what could only be described as the most bullshit romanticized versions of space travel ever asked. Captain mentally face-palmed, horrified at who else might be on comms right now, too.

Suddenly desperate to stop before anyone could dig further, a quick “It’s been nice to meet you all!” was sent out.

The tour guide for the Faraday Budget Tours hurried to cut off intercoms and send over some credits. Captain was just as glad to never see the Tour ship again. In fact, she had the idea to start keeping the grav drive powered on just enough that they could jump within two seconds if she ever saw them again. Hell, maybe a new reactor so she could designate enough to jump in a second flat.

“Who’s driving next?” It was close enough to shift change…and honestly whatever was left (even if it had been hours) would have been covered, no matter who had been in the pilots seat as long if they’d put up with that. Even Vasco. Actually Vasco might have handled all that the best. Maybe he should be put on comms screening in this sector of space…

When Barrett accepted his position in the pilots seat (his chuckling earning him a glare), the Captain checked in with everyone still awake before heading to the newly installed Captains quarters. It was still new, and still being unpacked and made into a simple home, but it had been obviously needed.

At first even Sam had thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to squeeze into the same bunk some nights, but the reality had quickly set in between Sam’s abundant body heat, one or both rolling off the side at the slightest direction changes, even the feeling of others being too close for the new couple to really have any kind of intimate moment.

Now Sam was sitting on the edge of the full-sized bed, leaning back on wide arms with an all-too-pleased look on his face.

“So, Captain,” he drawled. “Should we have a talk about the many, many ports we end up in? Or maybe a special someone?” He was leaning back on his arms, the picture of Freestar cockiness. It only got worse when he heard the exaggerated sigh and wry smirk that graced his captain’s face.

“You know perfectly well no one is waiting for me at any port, Coe.” Not much had happened, but somehow the words sounded tired. “The one’s who matter are usually on this ship with me. One’s got her face in any book she can get her hands on. The other is looking damn good on my bed, right now.”

Sometimes it was hard to really see any color change on his face. He’d done a good job of getting his beard high enough to hide anything, but now it was too easy. His cheeks had turned a ruddy red and he had to take a second to look all around the room before finally looking at the one before him again.

“Have I told you today just how lucky I am to have you? I know this just started, but damn does it feel like the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.” He’d said different versions of the same thing before. It seemed like after the confession in front of Solomon Coe, Sam had gotten the courage to say everything he seemed to have been piling up for who knows how long. He never seemed to lack anything encouraging, sweet, and almost sickeningly poetic anytime the Captain asked.

It still made his partner blush every time, and there was no hiding that from anyone, much to the rest of the crews delight. They had been trying to keep their budding relationship quiet, but it had become obvious lately that everyone knew.