Red Horizon (The Martian Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

SOL 61

The day had been uneventful, at least by Mars standards. Olivia had taken the time to finally shower, letting the warm water wash away the exhaustion and grime that had built up over the last few days. Now, dressed in fresh clothes—an oversized shirt that belonged to Mark and a pair of sweatpants—her wet hair still clung to her shoulders, droplets of water occasionally running down the back of her neck. She felt cleaner, lighter, even if the constant dull ache in her leg and ribs remained.

She stepped out of the small bathroom, running her fingers through her damp hair, and glanced around the Hab. Mark was hunched over his workbench, focused on some new project that required his full attention. His back was to her, the sound of clinking tools and the faint hum of the Hab's systems filling the space. Olivia smiled to herself, grateful for the moment of peace and for the man who had been her constant through all of this.

As she padded quietly across the room, her bare feet cool against the floor, the sound of her music playing softly over the speakers caught her attention. It was one of her playlists, something familiar and comforting that she'd played more and more lately to keep morale up. A particular song began to play, its rhythm light and inviting, tugging at something deep inside her.

Without thinking, Olivia felt the pull of the music. It had been so long since she'd danced—since she'd felt that kind of freedom in her body—and despite the limitations of her healing leg, the urge to move was too strong to resist.

Her gaze landed on Mark again, still bent over his work. She grinned to herself and decided that now was the perfect time. She needed this, and maybe Mark did too.

With her wet hair dripping and her clean clothes feeling soft and light against her skin, she walked over to him, her steps quiet but purposeful. When she reached his side, she tapped him lightly on the shoulder, causing him to glance up from his work with a curious expression.

"What's up?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Olivia didn't say anything at first, just smiled and held out her hand toward him, the music filling the space between them. "Dance with me."

Mark blinked, clearly surprised. He glanced down at her outstretched hand, then back up at her face. "Dance?" He glanced around, the tight confines of the Hab clearly not what he expected for a dance floor. "Here? Now?"

She nodded, her smile widening. "Yes, right now. Come on, don't tell me you've forgotten how."

Mark chuckled, shaking his head as he set down whatever tool he had been holding. "I'm not sure Mars is the place for a dance floor, but hey, why not?"

He stood, towering over her, but there was no hesitation as he took her hand. She led him toward the center of the Hab, where there was a little more room to move, and the music wrapped around them like a familiar embrace. Olivia's heart fluttered slightly as she felt Mark's hand slide around her waist, pulling her close, his other hand still holding hers.

The warmth of his body against her fresh, clean clothes made her feel more alive than she had in days. It was strange—being here, dancing on a desolate planet with no one around but the two of them—but it was perfect, in its own way.

"I'm warning you, I'm not the best dancer," Mark teased, his voice soft as they began to sway gently in time with the music.

"You're doing just fine," Olivia replied, leaning into him as they found a slow rhythm together.

The song played on, the melody wrapping them in its warmth, and for a few precious moments, they weren't stranded astronauts on Mars. They were just two people, moving together to the beat of a song, the rest of the world fading into the background.