It was like sitting next to a sleeping bear.

Well, not quite literally. He didn’t snore, though, in the small confines of the shuttle, she could easily hear his breathing from what seemed to be a sound sleep. Like someone who had just plopped down and gone into hibernation in a matter of moments. She never could figure out how to do that and she was often envious of the people who could.

When Catriona first boarded the shuttle, she wasn’t too surprised to find that she wasn’t the only passenger onboard. Before she served on ships, she was a diplomatic officer assigned to foreign missions so she was very well versed in living out of a suitcase and saw the interior of shuttles far too frequently than most pilots did. She’d met all kinds of people during her travels which often presented interesting interactions.

The back of the Type 11 Shuttlecraft was devoid of supply crates so it was clear to her that this was purely a personnel transfer, but after pleasantly greeting the two pilots who would be taking them to their final destination, she went to one of the empty seats in the passenger cabin and made herself comfortable.

Her attention went back to Mister Bear.

She didn’t sit that far away from him. She didn’t feel threatened by him so she didn’t bother keeping her distance. He was still soundly sleeping in his corner, dressed in a military uniform she didn’t recognize. Definitely not Starfleet, and unlike her clean and pressed tailored uniform, she could tell his had seen the battlefield, maybe even recently. And even with him doing his best to slouch down and be comfortable, she could tell he was a big man and the muscles underneath his shirt were definitely real. She couldn’t see his face, his cover had obscured the top half to shield his eyes from the bright cabin light, but she could see what looked like to be a scar, marring his face.

Somehow that just made him seem even more interesting.

Not wanting to be rude and scrutinize the sleeping man further, Catriona decided to have a little snack. She was a bit hungry, not having had a chance to eat before she left. Her friend had given her the pickup time well in advance, but it wasn’t until that morning that she received an update from the pilot that they were arriving earlier than expected.

She barely had time to pack up everything she was doing and reach the starport just in time.

She didn’t have time to cook a meal before she left, she was preoccupied with something else she was making in her oven. Her new assignment was a big deal and meeting her friend after a long time, she wanted to give her and her new comrades something to enjoy from the bottom of her heart. She’d brought plenty, perhaps a little too much, but then she always liked to make extra. Taking out one of the insulated boxes from her carry-on, she took off the lid and the sweet scent of freshly made pastries began to waft within the cabin.

Jayce’s nose twitched, his stomach informing him that he hadn’t eaten for… yeah, he didn’t want to think about that, or what his last meal had likely been. Something slopped into a mess tin and eaten hastily. He couldn’t recall the details. The last few days had merged into one. 

Lifting a hand, he pushed his cap back, squinting against the cabin lights as they stabbed into his eyes. A young woman in a starfleet uniform sat opposite. She was a pretty little thing, all blonde hair and blue eyes. Instantly, he felt grubby. Well, he actually was grubby, there was at least a couple of days of dirt on his clothing. 

His attention latched onto the box in her hand as his stomach grumbled loudly. Where they… donuts?

A squirt of sanitizer from her purse wasn’t enough for Catriona, she took out a tissue to pick up one of the glazed donuts from the box. They were still warm, the insulation doing its job well in preserving the food, and looked as delicious as it smelled.

But before she could take a bite, Mister Bear’s breathing changed and a moment later, the unmistakable sound of a grumbling stomach reached her ears. She turned and realized that her fellow traveler was now awake and was eyeing her food like a predator that had spotted its prey.

He was handsome, and yet much more intimidating now that he was awake. He was clearly a warrior though even if he wasn’t Starfleet, he surely was friendly if he was on this shuttle, wasn’t he?

She offered him a smile, followed by the box of donuts that she held out to him. “Hello. Would you like some?”

He blinked the rest of the sleep from his brain and sat up, abs bunching under his grimy t-shirt. He’d been aware of the second stop the shuttle had made but hadn’t paid it much mind. No one had gotten close enough to him for him to worry over much, and if they had, his instincts would have brought him out of his doze. Now he wished they had. His companion was pretty as hell and she had food. 

“Only if you’re sure,” he said, voice raspy from sleep as he eyed the box. They looked homemade. 

She chuckled as she stood up to hand him the box. She was taller than most women but being this close to him, his presence seemed even more prominent. “I made plenty,” she offered. “Please have some. Or would you prefer brownies? I have some of that too.”

“Marry me,” he said instantly, a grin across his features as he reached for a donut. He flicked her a look, gaze settling on the rank on her collar for a moment. “Brains and cooking? You have to be the perfect woman.”