Fifty-Four: Nowhere

"Where are we headed?" Mara asked with a half-hearted sigh as she wilted into the copilot's chair.

"No idea."

She waited a moment as he stared blankly down at his console. "That's it? You have 'no idea' where we are?"

He gave no response and she scowled. She flipped open her omni-tool and tapped out "You awake in there?"

His own device blipped and he slid it open before shooting Mara a glare. "What?"

"Why do you look so angry?" she asked, her brows knitting together. "If you want me to leave you alone, just say so."

"I just…" He huffed bitterly and shook his head. "It was too close, Mara. We can't keep doin' this stuff."

"What, waltzing into traps? No, I guess that's not the greatest plan."

Joker was quiet for a moment, glowering down at his calloused fingers and running his thumb across his knuckles absently. "EDI's flying," he muttered finally. "I don't know where she's taking us."

Mara decided against bringing up his usage of new pronouns for the AI. "It doesn't matter like this. It might as well be a black hole." She paused, gathering her thoughts and mustering her courage. "I'm sorry if I scared you today, Jeff."

This caught his attention. His ears flushed and he felt the warmth beginning to creep down his cheekbones. "What?"

"You sounded upset over the comm. Maybe the headset cams were a bad idea."

"No, no, they're great. I, uh… it was just makin' me a little sick on those platforms."

She stood up and gently stretched her back. "I should get out of this armor. I guess we'll talk later, then."

He stopped her before she walked away and rose to meet her height. "Mara, wait. I don't wanna do it like this."

"Do what like what?"

He lifted his cap and scratched his head nervously. "We're all… awkward and different and I don't like it, so I don't wanna do this—" here, he motioned impatiently between the two of them— "like this. Get it?"

She most certainly did not get it. "I don't understand. What do you mean by 'this'?"

She mimicked his gesture, but he grabbed her hands before she could complete it. "You kissed me, Mars. We can't really turn around now."

Her tongue felt thick and useless. She stared dumbly at her pale fingers clenched in his. "Then…" she began, lowly and slowly, "can we go forward?"

"How far?"

"How far do you want?"

He gave her a hesitant, yet knowing smirk. Without saying a word and without taking his hands away from hers, he kissed her with nervously nibbled lips. She returned it gratefully and gave him a small grin when they parted.

His face was flushed, a sight she'd never admit how much she enjoyed. She felt a twirling sensation in her stomach that left her feeling small and self-conscious. It was familiar, but she didn't need that to mean anything.

Right now, all she needed was another kiss.