Out Of The Blue & Into The Black

Posted on Sat Jan 11th, 2014 @ 8:41pm by Lieutenant Commander Leto & Lieutenant Nick Marcinko

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: USS Hammond

After their dino-hunting adventures, and a fun night at the bar with a few new faces, Nick was beginning to feel those old familiar tugs at his heartstrings. After getting over the initial anxiety and uncomfortableness of meeting new people, which he absolutely hated to do, they all had a really good time. They swapped stories, told jokes and, most importantly, had entirely too many drinks to do anyone any good.

Sitting there, beside Leto, they would get close to each other, held hands and she even cozied up to him at one point making him feel so relaxed. It was one thing to just be with her, but when they were able to be close in with each other, it was almost as if she had some sort of strange calming effect on him. Add to that the copious amounts of drink they’d all consumed, he felt really good.

They strolled back to her quarters holding hands the entire way. The old Nick would have invited himself in but he still didn’t think they were back to that point yet. He thought he was ready, but he couldn’t be sure about Leto. So, after a few long kisses in the corridor and a hug, which felt great to have her body that close to his, he let her be and went back to his quarters.

The next morning, and less than 8 hours to arrival at Charu, he wanted to see her again. It took him two hours to think of a good reason to go there and finally, after getting ready and smelling quite good, he was on his way to her quarters with a container filled with fruits and cheeses, champagne, two glasses and a large blanket. They were going to have a picnic on the floor in her quarters.

He’d thumbed the chime to her quarters and waited. No answer. He hit it again and cursed himself for not checking to see if she was, in fact, in her quarters and not elsewhere. But finally, the door swooshed open.

Leto stood in the open door, only partly awake, and brushed back her hair.

“Sorry I was...Oh Nick. Come on in.”

He walked in slowly and stopped a few feet from the door. “Leto, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think that you might still be sleeping.” Looking down at the large container he held, he looked back at her. “This was probably a bad idea. I can come back later, or...whatever.” Turning, he started back toward the door.

She turned her attention to the basket and sniffed the air. “Food? Oh my, you are an angel. Gimme ten minutes? And make coffee? Please?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure.” He put the blanket and the container on the floor and fired up the replicator. “Large carafe of black coffee, french roast, very hot. Bowl of sugar cubes and a container of coffee creamer. Oh, mugs and spoons,” he added. “Can’t forget those, I guess.”

By the time Leto had returned, he’d spread the blanket and placed the food and drinks out for them to begin on. The only thing he wasn’t certain about, now that he’d realized she had just woken up, was the champagne. But, just in case, it was still chilling on the coffee table.

She had hurried through a shower and dressed casually. After a few extra minutes to dry her hair, she emerged with a smile.

“Now I actually feel human. Well, close to human, I can’t actually be human.” She grinned at him and reached for a mug of coffee. “Much better. You nailed it. I think I could eat a targ with nothing but a spoon. How about you?”

“I think I’ve lost my appetite for targ over the years,” he said with a smile. “But I guess it would depend on just how hungry I am.” Handing her a bowl a strawberries he said, “I am sorry for waking you. I just woke up and kinda’ wanted to be here.”

“I’m glad you did. I wanted to check in on Kh’ali this morning too, though checking up on a pregnant Klingon could turn out to be similar to our dinosaur hunt yesterday.” Leto set her mug aside and popped open the champagne. “Ready for some bubbly?”

“Sure! Although I wasn’t certain you’d still want some since you wanted coffee.” He held both glasses up for her to fill. “And don’t remind me about the dino hunt. I’m still limping a bit.”

Leto’s smile widened. “I may be after I prod Kh’ali to go see Dr. Mi.” She filled the glasses, then took one and clinked it to Nick’s. “To the best breakfast in a long time, Nicky.”

“Why, thank you,” he said and took a sip. “I guess I could have brought along some meat, or something. Wasn’t sure how hungry you’d even be.”

Her only reply was the raising of one eyebrow as she reached for another strawberry and slowly bit into it. She maintained her composure for all of about a minute, then laughter bubbled forth.

“Good one.”

He was halfway through another sip of champagne when he stopped. “What--?” Then it hit him what he’d said. “Holy shit! I completely missed that one! I swear, I think I’m losing it. But in case you were getting concerned, I did bring along some meat, as I always do. Couldn’t very well turn myself into a eunuch now, could I?”

She shook her head, grabbed the champagne and refilled his glass. “Just a little out of practice is all. As am I. I swear, I haven’t embarrassed Patrick Smith in ages. I am the one slipping.”

“Hmph. Smith.” Nick’s eyes flared. “He’s not still sniffing around, is he? I’ll fucking kill his ass quicker than he can blink.”

“He never was, he’s just fun to mess with. He still blushes.” She reached for a piece of cheese and popped it into her mouth.

He eyed her a moment before taking a melon for himself. “Well, I’m all about making him uncomfortable. As long as he doesn’t think there’s any hope.”

“Haven’t you noticed? He’s smitten with the new hostess Jackson hired.” She took another sip of champagne and stretched her legs out before her.

“I’m not the least bit interested in what he does, on or off duty.” He gently placed a hand on her calf and rubbed her leg. “Only in what you do.”

“We’ve got a lot to do this trip, speaking of which. Dae sent a list. A list of the special ‘Nick sort’. I think he’s expecting trouble.”

With the sudden change of conversation, he pulled his hand away. She may not have been comfortable with it. “Trouble, eh? Well, I know I can still do my job, so maybe it was best that we did come along.”

“Well, you know that whole gift horse thing. Li’s suspicious and so is he.” Leto shrugged, then took his hand again. “Telepaths.”

“To be quite honest, I wouldn’t mind a mission that required us to do absolutely nothing,” he said, after a bite of cheese and some champagne. “We’ve hunted, skulked, shivered, sliced, stabbed and killed on so many missions that every once in a while a do-nothing mission wouldn’t go unappreciated.” After a shrug he added, “Then maybe we could just relax and enjoy the new digs there.”

“Or the new digs that aren’t there...yet.” She picked out a grape and fed it to Nick. “But will begin soon if this goes alright.”

He couldn’t help but feel a little twinge of excitement as he kissed her finger before she could pull it back. “I noticed that they brought a few industrial replicators. They may even put up some temporary housing and a control center while we’re there.” He popped another grape into his mouth--it was good! “If they do, I hope they put our quarters a bit closer together this time. But I guess we’ll be together quite a bit during this little foray.”

“And busy. We have a whole little planet to cover you know.” Let finished her champagne and reached for her coffee. “Starting in about five hours or so.”

Nick set down his glass and looked at Leto, watching as she crinkled her nose a bit sipping her coffee. “I know I haven’t been the best man in the world after all of, well, all of the changes, but I wanted you to know that I’m ready to be who I used to be. I want us to be who we used to be.” He fidgeted with a strawberry for a moment before setting it back down. “I’ve missed being with you like the old days and, after all of the time we’ve been spending together, then apart, I’ve been feeling it quite a bit more.” She wasn’t saying anything and he worried he was stepping on his dick saying these things to her. But he pressed on as she looked at him over her mug. “I love you, Leto. And whenever you’re ready, I’d like for us to be us again. Assuming you still want that.”

More silence from her. He crammed the strawberry, a grape and a few melon balls into his mouth purely from being nervous. Then started coughing as he tried to eat them too quickly.

“Not if you choke yourself to death on fruit.” A slow, cat-like smile spread across her face. “I swear Nicky, that is the longest speech you’ve ever given. And a good one.” She studied him for a few minutes and finally nodded. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m definitely sure,” he replied. “I’ve given it quite a bit of thought and, no matter what’s happened--and I know why you had to do what you did, I should have been more supportive and not such a pussy about it. But not being with you…” His voice trailed for a moment, searching for the right words. “It hurt. It sucked. It blew. Whatever you want to call it, that’s what it was. Horrible, that’s another good one. I finally came to realize, though, that no matter what you looked like on the outside, you’re still my girl on the inside. And you’re who I need.”

“It did blow, you’re right. About all of it.” She glanced at the time, then back to Nick. “We still have several hours you know.”

Nick smirked and then a wide smile spread on his face. “We do, don’t we.”

***************
Lt. Leto
Rising & Shining

&

Lt. Nick Marcinko
He’s Back