He was watching her.

Not that it was unpleasant, mind you - he wasn't staring. He was just sitting there on the office sofa signing his name to a bundle of maintenance logs but every so often he'd glance up at her, a gentle smile curving his lips if they made eye contact. And she could never help smiling back, always conscious of a warmth in her cheeks....and her heart. Things were different now, somehow, and she wasn't sure why. Or is it that I do know why, but I'm afraid to think about it? At Alaska she'd realised that the connection between the two of them ran deeper than either of them had known - that it wasn't just friendship anymore. It was a comforting feeling, but also a frightening one. Shuffling her papers together she risked another peek, heart fluttering when he grinned rather boyishly and tipped her a wink.

"You're distracting me," she grumbled softly, trying to scowl when he laughed. "You are."

"Haven't done anything."

"That's not the point." Flustered, she picked up her pen to sign her name to the various documents. She didn't like to accuse him of anything if he wasn't being serious.....he was the kind of person who'd try and unbalance her just for fun. Deciding to ignore him Murrue instead focused on her work, though she knew he wouldn't leave it at that. And she was right.

"How'm I distracting you? I'm not doing anything I shouldn't. Just doing my work."

"You keep looking up at me." Knowing how silly it sounded she stared at her desk. "It's distracting."

He chuckled. "Am I not allowed to look at you now?"

"I didn't say that."

"I know you didn't. But if I'm making you uncomfortable, I'll stop."

"I.." She ran a hand through her hair. "It's not that." It's not like I mind him looking. I just didn't expect to mind it as little as I do. If he'd been leering (like she'd caught him doing more than once) it would be easy to ignore or chastise him for, but that smile was something different - something she wasn't prepared for. "You're...not making me uncomfortable."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just me. Forget I said anything." Irritated with herself she leaned back in her chair and rubbed at her eyes. This wasn't like her. She was so used to understanding her own thoughts, her own feelings...why was she being thrown off balance like this? He'd been in here before, to work or just to (she suspected) annoy her, and she'd never reacted this way.

"You're not used to it."

"Not used to what?" she asked shortly, not looking at him,

"Being treated as something more than a soldier."

She frowned at the odd statement. "How do you mean?"

"If I was in here being professional, talking as a pilot to their captain, you'd be fine. But because I'm treating you differently you're not sure what to do. Am I right?"

"Why are you treating me differently anyway?"

"Because things are different now. You know that."

"Do I?"

Now it was his turn to frown. "What, was I seeing things?"

"That depends on what you saw."

"You were crying."

Murrue picked at the work on her desk. "I don't like losing friends." And I wish you hadn't seen it.

"If that's all I thought it meant, I'd have gone to California."

"What did you think it meant?"

The thump of his hands on her desk made her jump - she hadn't even seen him get up. Her own hands curled around the bundle of papers she slowly looked up, dark eyes widening at how close he was. He wasn't smiling, wasn't angry....there was almost no expression there at all. Not on his face, anyway. His eyes however.... now that was another matter. There was confusion there at her deliberate obtuseness, and irritation, but there was also the kindness she was used to, as well as honest affection. And that was what she'd been afraid of. I didn't want this. It would be far easier if we just stayed friends...

"Would you rather I had gone?"

"No, of course I wouldn't." Tapping her papers together she looked away. "Why would you think that?"

"I might as well have with the way you've been avoiding me."

"I haven't been avoiding anyone."

The Commander seemed about to retort then stopped, letting go a breath in a deep sigh. He shook his head, the hint of a smile quirking the corners of his lips. "You're a pain in the ass sometimes." The comment took her by surprise, so much so she couldn't find a comeback, instead opening and closing her mouth rather like a fish. The blonde man did smile at this, and before she could react he leaned forward and kissed her.

And for a moment she was frozen, the sheer unexpectedness of it knocking her off-balance for at least the third time that day. He seemed to know it, chuckling into the exchange before pulling away, blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "That worked, didn't it?"

"W-worked how?"

"How d'you think? Been waiting for a good ten minutes to get the edge in that conversation....eventually I just figured I'd come out and do what I was going to ask you if I could."

She blinked. "You were going to ask if you could kiss me?"

"Sure. Only polite. But you were on the defensive, so I thought you might hit me."

Murrue finally grinned, unable to help herself. "You did, huh? Would you like me to?"

"Not especially. I was hoping you might let me kiss you again. If that's all right, that is."

"Oh." All right? Would that be all right? Definitely more than friendship, though how much more she wasn't sure. But what surprised her most was how much she wanted to find out. "Yes, I think that would be all right." Getting to her feet she tugged on his collar to bring him close and kiss him, dark eyes fluttering closed when he wound an arm around her waist to deepen the exchange. When they broke apart he grinned, ruffling her hair.

"So you are glad I came back."

"Yes, I suppose I am."

"And you won't avoid me anymore?"

"Not unless you're annoying me."

He laughed at that, ducking down to peck a kiss to her cheek. "I promise I'll try not to."

Maybe being off-balance isn't so bad after all.