Close Quarters

An Alleycat Crew Short

The cockpit of The Cat wasn’t built for comfort. It was built for practicality and reliability. The two seats at the helm gave them just enough space for Kash and Calynn to bump elbows whenever they tried to work side by side.

Not that Calynn minded.

She curled into him as he perused the cyber-web, resting her head on his shoulder and letting her hand trace lazy circles along his arm. The hum of the HLD propelled them along as galaxies whipped by.

“I like when you join me up here,” Calynn said absently as she leaned over more.

Kash smiled warmly and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Calynn cuddled in closer so he could kiss her head. He always kissed her head—but instead of a kiss… his stomach grumbled and a burp escaped his mouth.

“Did you just burp in my hair?” Calynn asked as she suddenly sat up and turned to face him.

“Your elbow hit just the right spot to dislodge it,” Kash explained with a smirk. “Not my fault.”

“There better not be chunks in my hair,” Calynn said bitterly as she ran her fingers through her hair.

“It was just a burp.”

“In my hair,” she repeated, glaring at him.

Kash leaned back in his seat, still smirking. “Technically, yes. But hey—better than in your face.”

Calynn’s jaw dropped. “Oh my gods, you’re proud of this?”

“It was your elbow,” Kash corrected, shrugging. “You pressed the launch button.”

She gasped, half horrified, half laughing. “Don’t make it sound like a weapons test!”

“Well,” he said, deadpan, “zero collateral damage. Successful deployment.”

Calynn shoved him hard enough to rock his chair, but she couldn’t keep the grin off her face. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet,” Kash said, sliding an arm back around her shoulders, “you’re still cuddling me.”

She groaned, dropping her head back onto his chest. “Next time, I’m bringing air freshener.”

Kash chuckled. “Romantic.”

“Necessary,” she muttered—but the smile in her voice gave her away.