Making Up For Lost Time

Posted on Mon Jul 13th, 2015 @ 12:22am by Lieutenant Commander Antos Lev & Lani Gellar

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Lady Ella's

At her desk, Lani glanced at the other two to see if the coast was clear, then swiped lipcolor on and pressed her lips together. "Well, guys, 5 o'clock, right? Time to go."

Malcolm sniffed the air and turned his laser gaze on Lani. “I knew I smelled girly stuff. That’s fresh lipstick.”

“Lipstick?” JL’s head popped up over the top of his monitor. “At quitting time? What’s up?”

“I never understood lipstick,” Malcolm griped. “They put it on to make their lips look all sexy, then get mad when we want to kiss those lips because it will mess up the lipstick.” He looked back at Lani. “Well, not your lips, I mean lips in general. No offense.”

"Yes, lipstick. And this is kissable. Though not by either of you," Lani announced. "It just so happens that I have a date."

“A date? Why wasn’t I consulted about this?” JL asked.

“Me either,” Mal added. “My question is, who has the balls to ask out Lani? Most of the men you know need a dictionary to keep up with you kiddo.” He gave Lani a cheeky grin.

"This one won't need a dictionary," she said, smiling. "He's probably smarter than both you put together... wait, that's not saying much...."

“Oh, I feel the love…” Malcolm put a hand over his heart and assumed a wounded pose.

“Now I am curious.” JL came out from behind his desk and sat on top of it. “Do tell.”

"Fresh lipstick and that there is a date is all you get, guys." She laughed and breezed out the door. Along the way to dinner, she stopped and changed her outfit. The dress matched her lipstick.

* Lady Ella’s *

Lev had taken Nirali’s advice and was dressed in pleated pants, a silk shirt in a Bajoran pattern and his earring. It felt good to get out of uniform and to see a long-time friend in the process. It didn’t hurt that Lani was brilliant and a feast for the eyes too. He stood just inside now, waiting for her to arrive and once again, feeling like a nervous schoolboy. The idea was funny actually. He could stare down an enemy but a diminutive blonde turned him into a bundle of nerves. Time to get a grip. The door opened, and he turned, hoping it was her.

That diminutive blonde breezed in and looked round before spying Lev. She grinned when she saw and made her way over to him. "Lev!" She hugged him briefly and took a seat. "How have you been?"

“Good, actually. It seems I am actually going to unpack my bags for the foreseeable future, which I am all for. I’d thought 15 was going to do that for me but this was just too good to pass up.” A waiter appeared and after they’d given their drink orders, he turned back to her. “How have you been since we both left 15?”

"Busy, as you might imagine. We've been working on the schematics for the new Colony. I'm glad we're about done with the initial drawings." She smiled at him. "What about you?"

“I’m glad you’re done too.” He grinned. “That means I’ll have a roof over my head when we get there. Niall sent an overview for the staff meeting and it’s impressive... and I am not surprised.” The drinks arrived and he took a sip. It had been a few months since Niall and Lani had departed DS15 but he was glad to see they could pick up conversation as if no time at all had passed. It helped ease his nerves.

Sipping her drink, Lani watched him and they lapsed into companionable quiet for a moment. "Personally, how are you, Lev?" She pushed a little, knowing he'd left behind a woman, though she wasn't sure why.

He swirled the cognac in his glass a moment to warm it and considered her question. “I’m good, actually. You are curious about Adrianna, yes?” He met her gaze and suddenly, all his nervousness evaporated.

"I am. You two seemed tight." She had reason to be curious: she didn't want to be a rebound.

“It’s complicated on one hand and not on the other.” He sipped his cognac and smiled as it burned its way down. “The woman you knew as Adrianna when you were there no longer exists.”

"People change," she said, though his phrasing sounded more drastic than mere change. "You don't have to tell me more. You're taking a tour of Charu's area?"

Lev had to laugh at her observation. “People do change, Lani but in this case, she literally no longer exists. It’s a strange story and sounds like something out of science fiction but it’s true. She was attacked on the station and we thought we’d lost her but then she seemed to come out of it and recover. It was only then we discovered she wasn’t really Adrianna but a….a construct. It would take days to give you the details but that covers it pretty well. It also explains why, perhaps, I am not still grieving her death. She never really was.” He smiled, then got to her next question. “Adara and Gaelan are taking a short tour later this week. I am going to oversee things here since we still have crew arriving and go see it once they are home.”

"Oh good, so we have a few days at least. Busy ones, but... You're free for dinners, right?" She'd always liked Lev and now seemed a good time to act on that.

“Always. Now that I’m not shipping out anytime soon, I could be convinced to cook. It’s been too long but with the quarters I have? Real food. Does that mean I can tie up all your evenings?” He had to smile at himself. Nirali would have been impressed with his sudden smoothness. Surprised, but impressed.

Smiling, she nodded. "You can. The guys in the office will be scandalized if they find out, but that just makes it more fun." She touched his hand. "Have you eaten here before?"

“No. I actually found it because Solis got lured into sitting in with the jazz combo several nights ago.” He turned his hand over, catching hers and holding it gently. “But you can’t beat the atmosphere if you’re with someone whose opinions and insights you value and you want to be able to talk without shouting. Does that make me sound old?”

Laughing, she shook her head. "No, your age makes you sound old," she teased him. "I like places where we can talk without shouting. I didn't realize Solis was here, too. He gets around!"

“That is the story of our lives, Lani, but it seems to be turning around. He’s on staff here now and I am actually going to be living in a building with a yard and trees that aren’t holographic. I'm not so sure I’ll know what to do with myself.” He paused as he thought of how easily they had already made plans for the following nights. “I suppose the guys in the office will be doing their best to see what you are up to, so we should at least give them a good chase.”

"Oo, I like the way you think! Maybe tomorrow I could walk slow, let them follow me." She laughed. "Care to dance?"

“I would love to.” He stood and held out his hand to her. “Here is where I confess that it’s because it’s a great excuse to hold you close and not get slapped for it.”

"Well... You should just ask me that old question - you know the one? You ask if you tell me I have a great body, will I hold it against you?" They were out on the dance floor in a moment, smoothly joining the other dancers.

“Well? Would you?” Lev loved how weightless she felt in his arms as they skimmed across the floor. He was glad to see that her sharp sense of humour was still intact as well. But how to tell someone they excited your mind without it sounding lame?

"Oh yes, I would." She followed his lead into a spin and then a dip. "Perhaps even all night if you play your hand right. Maybe not tonight, though. We shouldn't move too fast."

He raised her up right and his stern features had relaxed into a brilliant smile. “Why Lani, you surprise me.” He pulled her close against him as the music slowed. “But in a most pleasant way. We should have done this long ago.” The last words were whispered at her ear.

"Oh, you were involved, I was busy... It wasn't good timing. This is. Not just the dancing, either," she laughed.

She was right, of course about all of it. “How long is Niall planning to keep you all out here?” he asked.

"I don't know. Obviously till the Colony is complete, but beyond that?", she shrugged. "He's dating someone here, so we might stay longer than normal."

That caught Lev by surprise. “He is? Really? Niall? I don’t know why I am surprised but I am. He always seemed so...impervious to the vagaries of emotion I suppose. But if so, perhaps we might have more time than we think.”

"Right," she laughed. "He's having fun." She wasn't going to tell Lev who Niall was seeing.

“Hmm….he’s not the only one.” The song faded and he stopped, looking down at Lani. They stood there unmoving until he tilted her head so she was looking up at him. He considered asking, then changed his mind. Leaning down, he kissed her softly, just for a moment.

She kissed him back, then, when they broke it, she said, "Let's eat. I'm starved. Here or would you like to cook?"

“That depends...how fast are we moving?”

"Is dinner moving too fast? We can eat, talk, and then I'll go home."

“It’s a deal.” He kissed her once more, then led her off the dance floor. Hand in hand, they continued on past the table and out of Lady Ella’s.

**********
Commander Lev Antos
Lani
First Night