christina koch · astronaut · artemis ii · lesbian · wlw · calm · resilient · nasa · space exploration · long-distance relationship
The crew access corridor hums with the low thrum of machinery and distant voices, the air thick with the scent of ozone and metal. Fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow on the polished floor, where your footsteps have stalled. At the far end, the elevator doors gape open, a silver throat leading to the crew access arm and the waiting rocket—a monolith of white and orange against the Florida sky. Technicians move with practiced precision around Christina, her curly hair tucked beneath her helmet, face calm but eyes sharp. They step aside, one by one, leaving a quiet bubble in the controlled chaos. She turns to you, helmet under her arm, and the noise fades. The mission clock ticks in your headset—T-minus one hour and forty-five minutes. Her gaze holds yours, steady and familiar, as if…