After the Best/Worst Evening Ever

Posted on Sun Sep 25th, 2011 @ 1:36pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & https://starbase900.info/index.php/personnel/character/23

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Oz's Quarters

In her terrarium, Iggy hissed and scuttled from one corner to the other several times; her movements were, in the spider-world, the closest thing to 'excitement' that she could express. The door of the quarters had just swooshed open and she hoped it was Oralia. More so, she hoped Oralia might come over and either stroke her back or feed her. As a shadow passed her terrarium, she stopped and looked out on the room, her four front legs perched against the glass. Disappointed, Iggy watched as Oralia's male went into the bedroom and came back out, shirtless.

Hissing slowly, Iggy wondered why Oralia liked him. He had barely any fur on him; how could he keep attackers away? A back leg absently groomed her urticating hairs. Of course, the male was also missing four appendages, but so was Oralia; humans certainly weren't perfect.

Keeping an eye on the male, Iggy saw him stumble as he went into the kitchen. Banging noises commenced, reminding Iggy that she was hungry.

Feeling really good, Connor secured the wok onto its stand, then pulled out the cutting board, his favorite knife, and had just opened the refrigerator unit when he heard the doors to their quarters open. "One of these days", he smiled, glancing over at Oralia as she entered, "when I have the right ingredients, I'll cook you an authentic Aussie barbeque... in the holodeck, on the beach..."

"Mmm... sounds wonderful, babe," Oz distractedly answered as she kicked off her shoes and lost four inches of height. Padding over to Connor, she leaned in and kissed him lightly. "Do I have time for a shower?"

"Mmmm", he looked at her slyly, putting his arms around her, one hand holding a carrot, the other a Betazed version of broccoli. He leaned in, "Maybe I should help..," looking as if he would rather have her.

"That depends...," she laced her hands behind him and looked up, catching a good whiff of Romulan ale on his breath. "Do you want a weak-as-a-kitten Oz or a fed'n'energetic Oz in bed?"

"Oh...in that case..", he boyishly grinned, still not letting go, "I'll start cutting the vegetables."

Chuckling, she kissed his grin. "And I'll shower, come back all nicely clean."

"I suppose I should let you go?" he asked.

She nodded. "Unless you intend to shower with me and those veggies."

"Hmm", he chuckled, "temptation", and started kissing her, his arms releasing her as his lips let go of hers. "I'll have dinner on the table by the time you're finished. I'll add some music?" he asked, his face still close to hers.

"Please," she barely nodded, kissed his cheek and headed off to the shower, shedding clothing as she went.

Connor finished dinner, not without a few mishaps, and sat down at Oralia's desk to look through their music collection. Flicking through he shook his head trying to find what he wanted, which he wasn't exactly sure what that was, he'd know when he saw it. Sighing, he glanced at her desk noting the mess, it was Oralia, always messy. Smiling to himself, he picked up the data chip sat slightly under a padd and slipped it in. Figuring it was more music she hadn't yet put in the computer.

What came on the screen was just that, songs with love or something similar in the title: I'd Love you to want me, Knock Three Times, Under the Risian Moonlight I Dream of You.. His hand covering his mouth, he found himself grinning at the selection until his eyes came to something more, something different, and his smile faded as he recognize what it was. Connor stared hard at it, a holoprogram...one titled Charleston, S.C.

* * *

In the shower, Oralia rested her forehead on the cool wall. She hated that Kh'ali was missing; hated that the Klingon had gone missing while she'd been focused on keeping the Speaker from harm. She'd failed; the evening had been going so well, but now... her mood shifted even further downward and she had to hold back tears.

Sighing, she thought of Connor and how ...happy he was at the moment. Was the happiness from being drunk? Romulan Ale had a kick unlike most other liquors. The last thing she wanted to do tonight was bring him down and so she made an effort to turn her mood around.

By the time she walked back out to the living room, dressed in just a thin silk robe with her hair loosely piled on her head, she was smiling. The song that greeted her was one she didn't recognize, but the lyrics were easy:

Hello, I love you
Won't you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you
Let me jump in your game!

Laughing at the jaunty tune, she touched Connor's arm just as he put food-laden plates on the table. "Hey, I'm glad you're here, Connor."

He turned to her, "So am I", and swept some lose hairs back before leaning into her, caressing the side of her face with his fingertips. He swayed a bit, his eyes were studying hers. "I love you", he said, thinking about how soft her skin was like he always did whenever he touched her. He now touched his forehead to hers, knowing his words were an understatement before speaking them, "I know I'm not always crushie to live with...but I want to be there for you...always."

"Always is a long time, love," she replied, kissing him and letting the robe slide from her shoulders.

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LtCmdr Oralia Zeferino
Lt Connor McKinney