As usual, SPOILERS for Star Trek Prodigy Season 2 under the cut.
Okay, hear me out. I might be super delulu here, but I think J/C were either at the very beginning of a relationship or about to start one before the events of Prodigy. What I assume is Beyer's mirror (or at least inspired by it) is a big clue for that, along with him literally giving her his family heirloom before his departure in a very intimate way - grasping her hand with both of his. Adding to that is the original storyboard scene where their hug was supposed to be a lot more personal and romantically coded (which supports this theory), but was changed due to (what I assume) the setting they were in; it wouldn't have been appropriate.
Now that they're back, the reason we didn't get a grand confession or anything like that is because it wasn't needed - they had already done that before the events of Prodigy and simply continued where they left off.
My first big clue for this is the hand-holding scene in the mess hall. To me, it looked like she was trying something new and wanted to see how he felt about it, and he encouraged her (if you notice, he does a little nod). She looks slightly embarrassed, frisky, but confident at the same time. This is probably how they are when no one's watching and they're not on duty (even tho they were watched by Dal and Gwyn and I thank them for their POV)
Going back to Beyerverse, they also ended up together the night before his departure for a mission he was supposed to be on for a year, which fits this as well. I'm not saying the same events occurred, just that the parallel is there, and the mirror is also there, so it makes sense to assume.
This scene is going to be debated forever about what it was. Initially, it looks like she's straightening his uniform, and if we go that route, why did she need to straighten it in the first place? He was already in uniform in the scene above which comes prior to it. I imagine you can see where I'm going with this. If they shared either a kiss or a hug, there would be a "need" for her to fix his uniform. What seems a bit strangeâą is how long her right hand lingers on his shoulder before it makes that 'straightening' movement. It lingers a bit too long. You could argue the hand animation was waiting for the camera to get into position, but technicalities should never come before storytelling and hints and Prodigy's writers have proven they write things with intent.
And then you have this brief moment where we clearly see she's leaning back, removing herself from his personal space, which absolutely didn't need to be there. In the shot above, the camera stays on his face for a while before cutting to this shot below, meaning it was intentionally shown that she was in his personal space even if it was for a split second.
The conversation afterward was quite formal, but they needed to fall back into formality because they were about to have a debrief with Jellico. Another hint in this scene is their conversation about how he isn't her number one anymore and how they aren't on the 'old Voyager'. She then comments how nothing stays the same forever and briefly glances in his direction. This can be read as having a double meaning: their Voyager relationship won't stay the same forever either and will evolve, just like Voyager. Janeway then says she's looking forward to what comes next.
They apologise for being late for the debrief with Jellico... đ
The Indiana scene where she said she wasn't expecting to see him can be read as because he was supposed to be on a mission somewhere with Voy-A, but got called back due to the Mars attack and arrived earlier than she expected. She didn't know about the Mars attack, so it fits. If they were just friends, it would make sense for him to call her and tell her what happened because I'm sure she'd pick up a call from him if not Starfleet. But he came there physically to tell her what has happened, and that must be for a reason. They are okay with him popping in unannounced. He could have called her and the outcome would've been the same, but he came in person.
I will die on the hill that when she turned towards him, right after the cut happened, he said, 'I ... need you.' It's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but his lips part just before the cut as if to say something that we just didn't get to hear.
If Prodigy taught us anything, it's that there are things happening after the cut, as shown in the Protostar christening scene, which ended up having an even deeper personal connotation than what was shown in S1 when Janeway was replaying the scene in the holodeck.
There are more things to be explored, and I eventually will, so I hope this brought some positivity to any disappointed J/C fan.
A/N: Hello, hello! See, I kept my promise and didnât let you guys wait months for this part! Most of this was written when I had a few drinks, so if youâd like to complain to anyone youâll have to wait until tipsy me shows up. Sober me is not responsible for whatever this is. As always, I hope youâll enjoy the turmoil and horrors Iâm putting these two through. Have fun!! <3
TRIGGER WARNING: there are some unpleasant things in this chapter. Iâm being evasive because I donât want to spoil the whole thing. Read at your own risk!
Life without Larissa had been excruciatingly painful, youâd found out. Not just for the money part. Every time youâd close your eyes youâd see her blue eyes filled with sadness. You betrayed her.
She would move on, youâd tell yourself. She was a wonderful woman, in every way possible. Surely she would move on. And you would have to move on too.
The first couple of weeks were easy. You used Larissaâs cheque to pay your tuition, which had lifted a huge weight off your shoulders. But then⊠Then you had found yourself in need of more. Wether it was more money or more Larissa, you didnât want to think about it. And so you were back on that goddamn app, Secret Benefits.
Womenâs profiles were scarce. Youâd opened your conversation with Larissa only to find out that she hadnât been active in weeks, not since the two of you had started seeing each other, which only made you feel even more guilty.
You swallowed thickly and scrolled through the endless menâs profiles on the apps. Married men looking for some fun away from their duties at home, rich men just looking for some fun without any fuss. Nothing you really wanted to be a part of, to be honest.
And then youâd stumbled on Alanâs profile. Alan was in his fifties, he had a doctorate in Egyptology and was looking for âsomeone to spend some time withâ as he had put it. And so youâd send him a message.
Youâd talked for a few days, which allowed you to find out more about Alanâs work. Heâd often travel to Egypt for some excavations or whenever he was needed over there. It seemed like a fun job, being around mummies and thousands of years old artefacts. He seemed genuinely nice, really. He was polite and respectful which you appreciated.
âI think I would like to meet you.â Heâd said after a few days of chatting with you.
âThat sounds like a good idea. Do you have anything in mind ?â
âHow about Friday night? 7 pm at the Velvet Vesper?â He offered.
âNever been there before, but it sounds lovely. Iâll be there.â
And thatâs how you had found yourself trying on outfit after outfit on a Friday night. What would Alan like? A dress seemed like a good idea. Youâd searched the barâs name online and it was obvious that it was a place where only wealthy people would hang out. A dress then. Not something too fancy, but still.
You eventually settled for the Simone Rocha dress that Larissa had bought you for your first date. How you missed her. You missed the way sheâd pick your outfits and your food. You very much doubted Alan would do that.
One last look in the mirror and a deep breath later you were sitting in an Uber on your way to the bar. You had booked the Uber yourself, not Alan. Larissa would have done it, you thought. Larissa would have taken care of everything.
You were lost in your thoughts when the driver cleared his throat and you realised youâd arrived at your destination.
The Velvet Vesper was located in an old beautiful Haussmann building, something that looked like it belonged to Paris more than Jericho. Alan was nowhere to be seen and the two of you hadnât talked about meeting outside or inside, so you eventually walked in after waiting for a few minutes.
It was a fairly nice place, with dim lighting and velvet sofas all around the room. It also had an impressive wall of whiskey bottles, you noted as you walked past the bar, and it was eerily calm. Most people seemed to be speaking to each other softly, creating a low hum that echoed on the high ceiling alongside the faint jazz music that was playing. It was very different from the bar you worked at, youâd usually come home from your shift with a migraine that would last for hours.
You suddenly heard your name being called, making you spin around only to be met by a man waving at you.
âAlan!â You smiled and joined the older man at his table, sitting down on the velvet armchair in front of his.
âYou look lovely.â He said looking down at your dress.
âThank you, itâs really nice to meet you. Iâve never been here before, itâs very cozy.â
âIsnât it ?â Alan smirked as he looked around the place. âWhat will you be drinking ?â
Larissa would have picked for you.
âA margarita would be nice.â
âHa, youâre a fancy girl arenât you ?â The man chuckled and gestured for a waitress to come over, ordering a margarita and a glass of brandy for himself.
There was a long moment of silence then, which you tried to fill by saying something, anything, but inevitably failed to do so.
âSo, youâre a student ?â
âYes, I study economics. And youâre an Egyptologist, right? I had this phase when I was younger, I was obsessed with ancient Egypt and the mythology.â
âReally?!â A smile stretched across the manâs face and he took a sip of alcohol before starting to tell you more about his last trip to Egypt.
It felt nice, having someone sharing things about their personal life with you. Larissa was very discreet about hers, almost as if she had wanted to keep you out of it. You shouldnât be thinking about Larissa.
âAnother margarita ?â Alan offered, snapping you out of your thoughts.
You looked down at the empty glass in your hand and nodded. You had stopped listening to him about ten minutes ago, somewhere between a trip on the Nile and a mummy identification. Itâs not that it was boring, but your mind simply wouldnât stop wandering back to Larissa.
You excused yourself and got on your feet, asking your waitress for the way to the bathroom and locking the door behind yourself once you were in.
Itâs not that it wasnât going well, but Alan just wasnât a good match for you. You werenât sure if âbeing a good matchâ meant anything when all you were supposed to do was spend time with him and get paid for it, but still. You didnât feel that spark. Not like youâd felt it with Lari-
âEnough!â You quietly scolded yourself looking at your reflection in the mirror.
You needed to move on. No more Larissa.
âNo more Larissa.â You mumbled as you walked out of the toilet.
You sat back down in front of the older man and pushed a smile. Another margarita had been placed on your side of the table and a glass of brandy on his.
Alan started talking again, something about him thinking he might be on the right path to find out the location of Cleopatraâs tomb. You almost laughed hearing this. As if.
You took a large sip of alcohol, crossing and uncrossing your legs as you tried your best to look interested in whatever your companion was jibbering about - which proved to be increasingly difficult the more you sipped on your drink.
âI think I need some fresh air,â you eventually interrupted him as you placed your glass down. Your head was spinning and it felt like the walls were closing in on you.
âAre you alright, darling ?â You heard Alan say. He was on his feet in a second, wrapping his arm around your midsection. âLet me help, weâll go outside for a minute.â
The cold wind hitting your face didnât help as much as youâd hoped it would. If anything it only made you feel more dizzy. Alanâs arm left your back and a moment later a blazer was placed on your shoulders.
âAre you feeling alright ?â The manâs voice echoed through your head as you tried to take a step away from him.
âN-no,â You shook your head. No was an understatement. How much alcohol had they put into that damn margarita?!
âCome, Iâll take care of you.â Alan said, wrapping his arm around your back once more.
You werenât sure what that meant, whether heâd take you home or anywhere where you could rest. You had hope, really, that he was a nice man. That was until your back was pressed against what you assumed to be a brick wall and a body - which you assumed to be Alanâs - was pressed against yours.
Fuck off, you tried to say but all that came out of your mouth was a loud growl.
âCome on, donât make this harder than it has to be!â The asshole groaned and pressed his lips against your jaw.
A sudden nausea surged in your stomach and you thought itâd be nice to be sick right there and then. Surely that would deter him. You could barely keep your eyes open, fainting was probably more likely than throwing up.
Donât faint. Donât faint. Donât faint. The small voice in your head kept repeating. Do not fucking faint!
You could feel hands groping up and down your body, pushing up your dress as a tongue was shoved inside your mouth.
âI wouldnât do that if I were you.â
A voice. Not Alanâs. A strangerâs voice. A man from what you could tell.
A strong hand had gripped Alanâs shoulder, pulling him away from you.
âWhat the-?!â Alan half turned to look at the man behind him. He was tall, at least half a foot taller than Alan.
âI said, leave the lady alone or Iâll smash every tooth in your head.â The voice said calmly, too calmly.
Alan completely let go of you then, muttering something about how sluts shouldnât be surprised to be treated like this before disappearing out of the alley.
âAre you alright ?â The man asked, taking off his woollen coat and placing it on your shoulders.
Your lack of answer and half-closed eyes told him everything he needed to know.
âListen,â he said. âI very much doubt that youâll trust me after what just happened to you, but I wonât hurt you. Iâll carry you to my car, alright ? I can see youâre struggling, you can just close your eyes.â
After that, all you remember is an arm being placed behind your knees and another one behind your back as you were lifted off the ground by a man whose scent was strangely familiar.
And then everything went black. For god knows how long.
âCareful,â You heard someone say as you blinked your eyes open and tried to sit up. âI think you should stay lying down.â
You were back in your flat. You could tell by the pictures of your friends hanging on the walls above your head.
âYouâve been out for a couple of hours, I didnât want to leave you alone.â The voice came again from the kitchen. The man opened a cupboard and pulled a mug out as if heâd been there before. âTea might help.â He said, pouring boiling water on the tea bag inside the mug.
âWho are you ?â You managed to push out of your dry throat.
âIt doesnât matter.â The man said as he placed the cup of tea down on the table and carefully helped you sit up.
You were able to take a proper look at him then. He was in his forties or looked like it. White hair, blue eyes. He was a stranger and yet seemed oddly familiar.
âWhat were you doing out there ? Did you know that man ?â
âNo,â you muttered and took a few sips of tea, relishing in the warmth it brought to your body. âIt was my first time meeting him. Weâd been chatting online.â
âWasnât he a bit old for you ?â The man asked, taking a seat on the sofa across from you.
âI wasnât exactly looking for a relationship.â You said, hoping you wouldnât have to further explain yourself.
âHa, I see.â He gave a nod and rubbed his hands together.
âThank you for helping me.â
âOf course, anyone would have done it.â The man shrugged.
There was a moment of silence which he eventually broke by clearing his throat.
âWell, Iâm not telling you what to do but maybe you should stay away from this kind of meetings for a while.â
âYeah,â you looked down at your feet and sipped on the tea again. âI donât think Iâd ever be able to find a match, anyway.â
âWhyâs that ?â He suddenly looked interested, leaning forward a little.
âThere is someone. Was, there was someone. We were⊠Seeing each other. Not romantically, I mean-â You took a deep breath. âIt was a mutually beneficial arrangement, thatâs what I meant.â
âI see. I suppose something happened since you were looking for something new.â
âI fucking messed up, thatâs what happened.â You chuckled sadly and placed the mug down before pulling your knees against your chest. âI went into this telling myself I wasnât looking for a relationship. We had agreed on no intercourse. I would spend time with her and sheâd help me financially, that was the agreement.â
âHow did it end ?â He asked.
âI used her. I knew she was attracted to me and I used that to get money out of her. The thing is, I think she was more than just attracted to me, you know ?â You said, looking up and meeting the manâs blue eyes. âAnd I didnât realise that until it was too late. If I had known, I wouldnât have done what I did. Iâm not cruel.â
âWell, Iâm not sure exactly what you did to her but have you tried getting in touch with her ?â
âNo, I could never.â You admitted. âShe said Iâd never see her again. And I just feel too much guilt and shame. I could never.â
âThatâs a shame.â The man pushed a small smile and got on his feet to pick up the empty cup from the table. âYou should try and get some sleep, you need to evacuate whatever it is that he slipped in your drink.â
You gave a nod and lay back down, pulling on the blanket that was bunched up at your feet. You heard the kitchen tap running and the sound of dishes being washed. And then nothing.
When you woke up the next morning, you could barely remember what had happened the previous night. You blinked a few times, taking in the rays of sunshine that were coming in through your open curtains.
Something was off.
Youâd gone to the bar to meet Alan, had a few drinks and then⊠Flashes of what had happened came rushing back to you, making you shiver. You were fine. You were fine. And it was only thanks to that mysterious man.
Something was off.
You slowly sat up and groaned as your head immediately started throbbing. You would have to call the bar and let them know you wouldnât be able to work that night.
Getting out of the couch took you great effort but your mouth was awfully dry and your bladder awfully full and you needed to take care of at least one of these things.
Slowly you walked to the kitchen, the thought of a cold glass of water nearly making you drool.
And then you finally registered it, what your brain had been trying to tell you for the past few minutes. Someone was sitting at your table, hands wrapped around a fuming cup of tea.
âLarissa ?â It left your lips barely audibly when your eyes met hers.
The woman pressed her lips together in a thin line before giving a nod.
A/N: Hello, hello! Finally posting the fic I shared an excerpt of a while ago. This is an AU where Larissa is a college history professor and reader an ex student of hers. Everyone is of age, Larissa didnât know reader as a minor, etc etc. LOOSELY inspired by real life events. đ«Ą
Have fun! <3
âI donât want to bother you, Miss Weems.â
âNonsense!â Larissa had smiled, dismissing your worry with a wave of her hand. âIâm offering. Itâs pouring, Iâm not letting you go home on your own. Youâll be soaked to the bone!â
And thatâs how it all started. On a rainy Tuesday night nearly a month ago. Larissa had dropped you off at home any time she could ever since, whether it was pouring outside or not.
You didnât really think much of it at first. Larissa had been your history professor the previous year. Sheâd always seemed detached. Not that she wasnât a great professor - she was an excellent one - but she always kept her distance from her students. She was one hell of a woman. One that no one would want to mess with.
Again, you hadnât really thought much of it at first. Not until something else had somehow developed between the two of you. Or at least it had on your side. Friendship, perhaps. Thatâs what you tried to convince yourself of. Friendship. But friends didnât look at each other the way you had started to.
You never thought of Larissa as a funny woman. If anything she would have been considered a stern one by most people. And yet she always went out of her way to make you laugh whenever it was just the two of you in her car.
And then there had been a friendly hug one day. Some stupid crap, as youâd put it, had happened and you had stayed quiet through the whole ride back home which had alerted Larissa.
âYou donât have to tell me anything, I know how much silence can be comforting sometimes. But still, if you wish to shareâŠâ Her voice had been sweet like honey, like she really cared. And you had just spilt everything out. The anxiety, the anger, the sadness about everything and anything. You had spilt your guts out on the pristine interior of her Chevrolet. And she had listened. She had stayed quiet, nodding when necessary. And when youâd been done spitting it all out, Larissa had pulled you into her arms. And how right it felt, to be gently squeezed into her warm embrace.
Everything had changed from that moment, like you had somehow opened Pandoraâs box. The couple of weeks that followed only deepened what had sparked inside you that night.
Larissa stopped the car, a heavy silence instantly falling between the two of you. The tension, you thought, could have been cut with a knife. You could almost feel it under your fingertips.
The womanâs hand moved to rest on your leg, right above your knee. She gave it a gentle squeeze, her thumb rubbing at your skin. A soothing gesture. You wondered if perhaps you should return it.
Still, that heavy silence.
âCan I kiss you ?â
A beat.
Larissaâs silence was enough of an answer to you but still, you watched as her tongue darted out to wet her crimson lips before she spoke.
âNo,â She said. And before you could ask why, like she knew you would, Larissa went on. âAnd Iâm not saying that I donât want to. But if I kiss you, there is no turning back. If I kiss you, I wonât be able to stop. And I canât.â
âWhy not?â
Larissa almost let a chuckle out. Almost. She knew you like the back of her hand.
âBecause this-â She said, gesturing her hand between the two of you. âThis is already way past what we should do.â
âWhat weâre allowed to do, you mean.â
âYes.â She nodded. âWhat weâre allowed to do.â
âAnd yet weâre still doing it.â
You were right and Larissa knew it. But still, as long as she didnât kiss you it hadnât gone too far.
Desire was a funny thing - Larissa had found that out quite a long time ago. But she couldnât let herself be tempted by you. She was twice your age, you had been under her authority, you were still a student even if not hers anymore, you-
âI think I should go.â
The silence had stretched for too long and you needed to swallow the rejection youâd just faced. Well, it wasnât really rejection, right? Larissa wanted it, but you simply couldnât. She wanted it, right? Or maybe she didnât and this was her way of gently pushing you away.
âI will see you tomorrow. Have a good night.â Larissaâs hand left your knee and you immediately missed its warmth against your flesh.
âNight.â You said before getting out of the car and getting inside of your flat as quickly as you possibly could.
You avoided Larissa like the plague the next day and even thought about leaving early so you could walk home but she had opened her car door as soon as youâd stepped into the parking lot. The ride had been excruciatingly awkward with Larissa trying to fill the silence with anything that came to her mind.
Eventually, she parked outside your flat, watching you pick at an invisible lint on your jeans.
âIâm sorry for making things awkward between us.â You said barely audibly, keeping your eyes down.
âLook at me,â Larissa started. When you kept your head down, her fingers grabbed your chin and forced you to look at her. âYou didnât make anything awkward.â
You almost didnât hear what she was saying, the pressure of her fingertips on your skin making your brain freeze.
Your mouth fell open and Larissa watched as the tip of your tongue darted out to wet your lips. She swallowed thickly, unsuccessfully trying to ignore the images that had been conjured into her mind.
âGodsâŠâ She whispered before slowly turning your head to the side.
Kissing was out of line, but maybe⊠She wasnât thinking straight. Larissa wasnât thinking straight, she obviously wasnât or she wouldnât have latched onto your neck the instant that followed.
You couldnât help the moan that escaped you, something between surprise and pleasure. The surprise only lasted for a second before you grabbed the back of Larissaâs head and pulled her impossibly closer.
âLet me kiss you-â you pleaded, voice hoarse as the womanâs mouth continued its assault on your neck.
âI canât-â Larissa whispered between two kisses, making you snap out of your trance. You felt like youâd go berserk any second.
âYou canât blur the line and expect me not to cross it.â You blurted out as you pulled away from her. âYou canât drive me home and flirt with me and put your hands on me only to act surprised when I want to kiss you.â
Larissaâs hand that had been on your neck stayed still in the air when you pulled away. Guilt filled the womanâs body, making her stomach suddenly feel heavy.
âI wonât ask again,â you eventually said when the silence had stretched out for too long. âI might be foolish, but not foolish enough to keep begging.â
Larissa didnât know what to say, she only blankly stared at you, lips half open as if she was searching for something - anything - to answer.
You shook your head a little and your hand grabbed onto the door handle, youâd had enough. You had already opened the car door when the womanâs hand wrapped around your bicep to hold you back.
âLarissa,â you sighed as you turned to face her. Before you could add anything else, the woman pulled you closer and crashed her lips against yours.
Larissaâs kisses were just like she was. Demanding and yet loving. It felt like the world had stopped spinning and youâd been propelled against the windshield at an incredible speed.
God, she was kissing you.
And so you kissed her back, with all you had. And whenever one of you would pull back to catch their breath, the other one was quick to steal another kiss from their lips. You kissed and kissed and kissed again. You kissed until the windows were all fogged up. Until your lungs began to burn and your head spun from the lack of oxygen. And even then you didnât stop kissing.
âDo you want to come inside? For a drink?â You asked when she eventually pulled away.
âDonât push your luck.â She chuckled softly, her lips plumped from your gentle biting.
âI offered a drink, not a quickie.â You rolled your eyes and watched as Larissaâs mouth shut closed. No doubt her cheeks had turned pink but you couldnât tell in the darkness of the car.
âNext time. Whenever you and I donât have classes the next day.â She smiled.
You gave a small nod and froze for a second. Were you allowed to kiss her again? Before you could give it a second thought you cupped Larissaâs cheek and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
âI will see you tomorrow.â She whispered as you pulled away.
You nodded again and took a last look at her before getting out of the car.
You werenât sure what all of this implied, you thought as you turned the key inside your door lock. What it meant for the future. What it even meant for tomorrow. All you were sure of was that Larissa Weems had kissed you and you had kissed her.
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