3Summary: Matt has made a discovery that he just has to share with the boss.
a/n: Written to fill a prompt from antivanbrandy. Sorry it took forever and a day. But that seems to be my MO.
Kissing Day
The corridors of the confiscated alien ship were silent. CID, the resident AI, monitored the scanners to ensure the ship remained undetected as it lay in wait for a smuggler that had been ransacking small colonies in the area. While the boss didn't have an issue with piracy as a general practice, Remy McGinnis did not appreciate when people used the tactic against her interests. And she, as a rule, quashed it before others got the wrong idea about following someone's footsteps into that trade, at least under anyone else's employ other than the Saints'.
Matt's light footsteps slapped against the metal deck. It wouldn't wake anyone, unlike Remy or Gat's heavy-booted gallops. He slid around a corner and down toward a large door at the end of the hall. He hacked the mechanism before he reached it, allowing him to dart right through them as they opened.
The maneuver left him scrambling to stop on the smooth surface when he saw Remy walking right toward him. Despite his attempts, he barreled right into her. The collision sent both of them tumbling across the floor
They huffed as the impact knocked the wind out of them and finally landed side by side on the floor. Staring up at the inky black of space beyond the strange skylight in her quarters, Matt tried to catch his breath again.
"Good morning to you, too, Matt," she mumbled without moving, her breathing not quite evened out yet.
"Sorry," he replied, letting his head drop to the side. Seeing her laying there, he smiled then rolled onto his side. A hissing wince stole the mirth from his countenance, but there was still some glee in his gaze. He was fairly certain he'd bruised a few things in that crash, and it wasn't really the way he had wanted to introduce his discovery. He shuffled over to her side, gently laying his hand on her tummy. "Are you okay?"
Remy propped herself up on her elbows and gave him a look that bordered on exasperation. It was akin to the one she gave Pierce when his plans got excessively convoluted, or when he'd share his nightmares about Paul, the giant Saints Flow mascot, in the middle of movie night.
"Yeah. Nothing's broken," she said with a sigh. "I take it you have something important to tell me." Her body slumped a little as she relaxed and placed most of her weight on her arms.
"Umm. Sure." He was suddenly less confident that his revelation might qualify as "important" in her scheme of things. Her steel blue eyes studied him with what he could only qualify as expectation. It left him nearly certain that she wouldn't share his opinion.
"Well," she asked, brows rising on her forehead.
The question derailed his train of thought and he blinked his electric blue eyes a few times. "It might not be vital," he finally admitted as he sat up and pushed one hand through his jet-black hair. Long bangs fell messily back over his eyes.
Remy smiled, leaning up to push the stubborn locks aside. "Just tell me."
"I synced the calendars. Zin's and Earth's." His uncertainty about her reaction pushed him to ramble at a steadily increasing pace. "It wasn't as complicated as it seemed at first. With all the time traveling Zinyak did, it was quite simple in the end. I'm actually embarrassed it took as long as it did."
"Matt."
In the end, she had to call his name a few times before he halted his overly complicated explanation of the steps he took to complete the task. He could feel the heat in his cheeks as he blushed at her. Remy's smile widened.
"What did you rush over here to tell me?" she asked, resting her hand on his cheek as she leaned closer still.
Her touch, her proximity always seemed to settle him. And he lost himself in her pale blue eyes; they were the color of storm clouds and held just as much danger, he knew. But for Matt it had become a calming color.
He took a deep breath and smiled at her. "It's Kissing Day."
"What?" Her voice held the bright hints of mirth.
Matt nodded and tapped at the screen attached to his forearm. Then he started reading, "The idea behind it was to remind people of the simple pleasures associated with kissing for kissing's sake—"
"Matt."
"As opposed to kissing merely as a social formality or prelude to … other things." His eyes widened a little at the insinuation.
"Matt."
"It says here that kissing is, of course, enjoyable on its own, as well as an expression and experience of intimacy. As if everyone didn't already know that. Wanker," he muttered at the writer of this entry.
"Matt!"
"Plus, it lowers stress, improves our immunity, reduces pain, improves mood. Increases serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. Lowers anxiety. And can even fight off cavities. You know? Beyond strengthening relationships, promoting pleasure, keeping us healthy, and just making people happy," he concluded.
When he looked up from the screen, he noticed her leaning back on her elbows again, wearing a crooked smirk.
"You done, Mr. Wizard?" she asked.
Matt glanced down and tapped the devices a few times. "Yeah," he said, meeting her steady gaze again.
When Remy sat up, her hand shot out and grabbed his collar. The two of them collided again, but to far better effect. Her kiss lingered. Matt was almost certain he could feel the endorphins flooding into his system and his knee didn't seem to ache like it had after ramming into the floor when they tumbled.
The kiss didn't really break so much as just morphed. Her tongue withdrew from his mouth and they traded slow pecks that clung to one another's lips. Eventually even that stopped and the two of them opened their eyes again.
"Here, I thought I might have to tempt you into celebrating this one," he told her.
"Why?"
"You hate holidays."
"I do."
Matt just waited. He'd learned that when he was patient she would usually elaborate.
"I don't like the ones that are all based on having to buy things or perform in some expected manner." Remy inched closer. "But this whole … How'd you put it? Kissing for kissing's sake," she said, her lips brushing his again. "That is a holiday I can get on board with. As long as, you're willing."
"Oh, I am. I even came up with a game," Matt announced, after stealing a kiss.
Remy copied the gesture. Uh, huh?"
"A kiss in exchange for every nice thing we say about one another. Deal?" he asked. Their lips met again.
"You're one of the smartest people I know," she said, then waited for Matt to kiss her.
He did, holding her cheeks softly in both hands. "You're incredibly brave."
Remy's mouth moved to tease his open, her tongue flicking against his top lip. "Your eyes are beautiful."
They continued trading whispered and sighed compliments, each punctuated with a unique kiss until the game faded into the background, leaving them tangled up on the floor—kissing for kissing's sake. Remy and Matt lost track of the time; they just sat there under a never-ending blanket of steady stars, celebrating Kissing Day in the intent which it was meant.
