The fact that she had hugged him seemed, for one moment, to change everything. At that time they were no longer enemies. Vitali wasn't suspecting her of anything at all then. Indeed, since he had wrapped his arms around her and returned the gesture, it seemed like he felt that he could trust her again. Exhaling softly, he looked into her eyes. Just as he had suggested, a hug really could make everything better.<br/><br/>While she had hesitated for a second, he shoved it to the back of his mind and pretended that it hadn't happened. He honestly hadn't wanted to believe that anything could be wrong. The cosmonaut had just wanted to believe that everything was back to normal all over again.<br/><br/>Regardless, he leaned into the hug and just paid attention to the here and now. He didn't want to pay attention to anything else honestly. Exhaling a bit, he finally allowed his chin to come to rest on her shoulder.<br/><br/>Even though he said before that he hadn't wished to share any public displays of affection, it had seemed like he was going back on his word for the time being.<br/><br/>"Why would I have laughed at you when I wanted this every bit as much as you did? Would you pull away from me if I said that I knew now that I loved you?"<br/><br/>It felt so unusual saying it, but Vitali knew that he would have had to. Some part of him still wanted things to go back to the way that they were, but that trip in space enlightened him. It made him feel as though he were so small and insignificant. He traveled in what was essentially a small tin can and floated across the seemingly giant yet fragile earth.<br/><br/>That made him realize that there was no time but the present, and even that was fleeting away from him. Traveling in space could really change a person, and there was nothing like it.<br/><br/>"Did you want to find some place a little more private, or did you still want me to give you a tour of what I'm allowed to show you?"