a/n: this is written with the reader and him already in a relationship but i don’t see malcolm as the kind to use petnames so i don’t think it’s obvious D:
also, i just finished enterprise and i’m so happy to write for malcolm,, i would like to hold him gently like a field mouse. that is what i think when i see him.
Word count: 1208
The sound of the mess hall door opening was the first thing to pull you from your sleep, but it was the painful brightness of the cabinets that woke you. “Y/N?” a voice called. “Y/N, are you okay?” the voice belonged to Malcolm, you decided, after noting the accent. A glance in the direction it came from proved correct, though when you raised your head it felt as if it was filled with rocks.
There seemed to be some fluff in your mouth that didn’t want you to speak, but you did anyway. “Hi, Malcolm,” you said slowly. He stood a few feet away from you, looking concerned. “What are you doing here? The reception ended an hour ago.” An hour ago? It certainly didn’t feel like that. “I guess I fell asleep,” you worked out. “Can you turn the lights off please?”
“Y/N, the lights are off. I can’t turn off the cabinet lights.” Malcolm sat down in the chair across from you, unintentionally but miraculously blocking some of those pesky lights. “Oh. okay.” Your head was pounding.
“What happened? I thought you left with Hoshi when Trip and Travis started wrestling. Didn’t you both get a headache?”
“Y’must have left before I got back. I walked her to her quarters and stayed with ‘er for a bit, but I felt fine. Do you feel fine?”
“Yes, perfectly. Are you o-”
“Because you certainly look fine,” you snickered and attempted a wink, but leaned forward to rest your forehead on the table as your head just must have been attacked with a drill. Malcolm stared at you and hesitated before his next words. “I’m sorry I left. Exactly how much did you drink?”
Your brow furrowed against the table as you tried to recall. “I don’t know. Six, seven shots?”
“Of?”
“Andorian ale?”
“Six or seven shots of Andorian ale?! Y/N, what were you thinking? Come on. Let’s get you back to your quarters.” He stood up quickly, stepping over to your side of the table and gently guiding you to stand. He put one of your arms over his shoulders and held onto your waist, but instead of moving, you just leaned into him. He sighed, trying to get you to walk. “Please don’t make this difficult. It’ll be a lot comfier to sleep in your bed.”
“You’re a lot comfier than my bed.”
Malcolm said nothing and dragged you forward, pausing to open the door to the corridor. After a few steps, you started to walk, more than be dragged. “Why did nobody else bring you back anyway? Surely they realized you were asleep there. Someone could’ve at least come and got me. I feel awful, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine! We were all pretty hammered, I'm surprised I was the only one left!” you laughed loudly, but flopped back against Malcolm again. “You’re cozy.”
Malcolm sighed, trying to keep you as upright as possible. It proved a difficult task, but he was able to get you to your quarters. As soon as you were at your bed, you flopped down on it. Malcolm made you flip over and at least have your head on the pillow. After a moment of consideration, you decided that you were right: he was cozier than your bed.
“All right. Are you comfortable? I’ll run back to the mess hall and bring you a glass of water.”
“Don’t leave. I have a cup on my shelf, just use the sink.”
Malcolm nodded, finding the aforementioned cup and quickly going to fill it up. When he came back, you just told him to leave it on the desk. “All right. I hope you feel better in the morning, I’ll make sure to come check on you before your shift starts. Good night, y/n.” as he headed to the door, you frowned. “You’re not gonna stay?”
Malcolm’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh, I don’t think that would be appropriate.”
“Please?”
He looked at the door, then back at you, before coming to a decision. He nodded, sighing, and turned the lights off before coming to lay, very stiffly, beside you. You quickly snuggled up to him, to which he needed a moment to adjust to- he wasn’t the most comfortable being with you like this yet, let alone the fact that you were drunk- he didn’t want anything to happen that you’d regret. Though sleep was begging to take over, you managed to speak. “Told you you were cozier than my bed. And warmer, at that.”
“You weren’t even under the covers.”
“We could be.”
Even in the dark, you knew he’d be blushing by now. “Think of it this way, Malcolm: at least you won’t have to take the time to stop by in the morning now.”
“You know I wouldn't have minded.”
You sighed. Maybe… maybe kissing him would get him to calm down. So you tried.
It did not.
“Y/N, please. I’ll stay here with you, but you have to go to sleep.”
“I’m not tired,” you lied.
“Yes, you are. Please, try.”
You frowned and looked up at the shelf above you. “Why are you pretending like we’re not dating?”
Malcolm shifted, turning to lean on his elbow facing you. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“You’re with me, but you’re not here. I’m tired, yes, and I feel like shit and I just want you. I want to kiss you. I want-”
Malcolm gave you a quick kiss, just enough to silence you. “Listen. I just don’t want to do anything when you’re not fully able to think, okay? I love you. I don’t want you to get hurt, or to hurt what we’ve got going. That’s all.”
You turned over quicker than he could blink. “Come again?”
“I don’t want to hurt-”
“Not that. You said you love me!”
Malcolm paused. “Oh. I suppose I did say that.” A million thoughts went through your head in the space of a few seconds. Does he really? Do you love him? You think you do, but what if you’re not ready to say it back? What if he does, but didn’t mean to tell you? What if-
“Did you mean it?” Malcolm’s free hand went to one of yours. He laced your fingers together and held tightly, before answering: “Yes, I did. Of course I did, I do- I just don’t know if I would’ve said it yet. I didn’t mean to startle you, I understand if you don’t-”
“Malcolm!” You pushed him onto his back and rolled over, half onto his chest, still holding his hand. “Not startled, just surprised! I love you too! I do!” You usually didn’t mean to get so excited, but with the inebriation, the tiredness, and the pure joy going through you right now, you couldn’t help it. Malcolm laughed softly, kissing the top of your head and wrapping the arm he was leaning on around you. “I’m so glad, but saying “I do” makes it sound like we’re getting married.”
As you were finally allowing the sleep to take you, you got out one final response: “Hm. Not today.”
The last thing you processed was another soft kiss and a gentle “Sweet dreams, my love.”
Tom Paris understands never feeling good enough for anyone. People close to you might tell you all the way they want you to fix the way you are, and it's easy to always feel like you're disappointing them for not being what they want. This can also cause a lot of guilt when you're not able to do the things they want you to do.
It can be really difficult to live like this, feeling guilty all the time and feeling like you're a failure. People's standards for you might seem impossible to meet, which can wear down on your self esteem.
Remember that, just because you don't feel like you're living up to expectations, that doesn't mean that you're not a valid or worthy person. All you can really be expected to do is your best effort. Focus on the things you are doing instead of the things you aren't able to do, and include the things you want yourself to do, not just the things others expect of you. Even if it's not a long list, you should still be proud of yourself for everything you've done. He hopes that one day, you can learn to feel good enough for others, and for yourself.
Data - “Even though I cannot dream, I feel I must be when I am with you.“
Word count: 1282
Quiet evenings with Data were all you needed to be content. It was quite often that you would find yourself in your boyfriend’s quarters when he was off duty, where you were welcome to simply sit and play with Spot, as you wished. Every time you came in, though, he would bombard you with the same questions after you pressed your routine kiss to his forehead in greeting. A subtle reminder that he loved you, though he would never say it himself.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“No thank you, Data.”
“Would you like some music?”
“No thank you Data, I’m fine- I quite enjoy listening to the sounds your computer makes.”
“I see. Would you like-”
“Data, I’m just here to see you, I’m happy with simply being here.”
Usually followed by a contemplative “ah” and a slight tilt of his head, you’d go back to the main living space to sit on his couch and talk to him from there while playing with Spot. He found it strange at first that you’d be okay talking to him while he was finishing up his work and not physically present, but always found an odd sense of… comfort, upon coming over to sit with you with an arm around your shoulders.
Tonight, however, had been different: When you came in and kissed him hello, he attempted his best smile and stated: “I am almost done, please wait a moment.” At this, a grin spread across your face. A stray from the usual?
“Not gonna ask if I want a drink?” You prodded, teasing. Data, however, did not see that it was a prod, a tease. He looked down for a moment, deep concentration and confusion showing up on his face in a way he wouldn’t have been able to put into words if asked. When he looked back up, however, his face was as expressive as a rock.
“My apologies, Y/N. Based on your prior responses nearly every time I have offered you a refreshment, I calculated a chance of only six percent that you would say yes. And while that is almost always a chance I will take, as I wish only for you to be comfortable and content, today is the exception. Please, sit down, I am almost done with what I am doing.”
You smiled at him, nodding and starting to back away from the desk. You paused in the doorway, too curious not to ask: “Have you got something planned, Data?”
He looked up from the computer and gave a slight, but definite nod, along with a slight, but definite, smile. You smiled again, finally leaving to sit on the couch. A few comfortably silent minutes passed before Spot made her way to you, dashing out from hiding and jumping up onto the couch, then onto your lap. She rubbed against you a few times before settling down, which happened to be the exact moment Data appeared in the doorway.
“Sorry, Spot, bad timing,” you sighed, picking Spot up and placing her down on the couch as you stood up. Turning back to the door, you found Data right behind you- but moving forward still, crouching down in front of the couch to pet Spot.
“I have prepared a surprise,” he stated, twisting his head around to look at you. You crouched down next to him.
“What kind of surprise?”
He tilted his head ever so slightly, and his baby doe eyes could’ve killed you right there. “Is not the point of a surprise to be a… surprise?”
You grinned, and he stood up, taking your hand to pull you along with him. “Spot, we will be back later. Behave while we are gone.” You couldn’t help but giggle at how seriously he spoke to her, as if she truly understood the meaning of every word. Despite that, you waved goodbye to Spot as the two of you walked out the door.
“I have created a holodeck program for us,” he announced once you made it there. He tapped something into the computer interface and requested his program, then took your hand and stepped inside.
It was breathtaking. The prettiest golden sky hung over rolling valleys to the west, while to the east there was a massive willow tree sat against the edge of a lake that stretched far beyond your field of view. You took your shoes off to see how it felt to walk on the grass, which seemed to be the softest grass you’d ever encountered.
While you giggled and played around in the grass, Data turned to you. Completely flat and monotone, he proceeded: “Even though I cannot dream, I feel I must be when I am with you. This is a representation of what you remind me of.” He put his hand out again for you to take, and once you did, began walking toward the tree.
You smiled at him. “Data, I love it, it’s absolutely gorgeous. But I must ask, when did you become such a poet?” He thought for a moment. “I have been studying the art of poetry. I’ve reviewed a wide variety of societies’ most famous poets, while especially focusing on the subject of love. I have found from my studies from Earth’s poetic history that sometimes simplicity is the best way to express your message.”
“Well, that certainly proved true. This is perfect,” you responded as you reached the edge of the lake. You stared at it for a moment while Data disappeared behind you. “Y/N?” You turned to look at him, now sitting against the base of the tree. What you hadn’t noticed from the entrance was a picnic setup: a classic red and white gingham blanket with a little picnic basket sat in the corner, accompanied by two glasses. He very mechanically patted the ground next to him, motioning you to sit, which you did promptly.
“In addition to my poetry studies, I have recently learned that the “picnic” is a common type of date in many cultures. Though I do not require sustenance, I have programmed in my bio-lubricant beverage so I may share this experience with you,” He explained, reaching over for the glasses. This was all so thoughtful, but not at all hard to believe. You knew he had emotions of his own, despite his constant denial of it. You knew he loved you, despite his saying “I can only wish I could.” You took the glass he was handing you, and smiled.
“Data, this is incredible. Thank you so much.” A small smile grew on his face, though if you asked him he again would have denied that. “The pleasure is mine. An idiom, of course, as I do not feel pleasure.”
“Oh, of course!” You giggled and clinked your glass against his before taking a sip- which thoroughly confused him for a minute before he accessed the information for, (“Ah. A custom shared in many cultures as a pretense to sharing a drink with friends or family, usually followed by a toast.”)- then set it down and leaned against his shoulder. It had been a long day, and you were used to just relaxing with him in his quarters before he took over the bridge night shift, not running around on the holodeck. The air was cooler underneath the tree and so close to the water, and you found your eyelids to be a little bit heavier than they were five minutes ago.
Data watched you closely, moving his arm around your shoulders to let you cuddle closer, which you did just before falling asleep. Though he wouldn’t say he loved you, you knew he did.
The low hum and creak of the station was the first thing to lure you out of your sleep. It felt like comfort: one single constant that you knew would never change. As long as this station was in operation and in one piece it would never, well, shut up.
The next was opening your eyes ever so slightly to see the soft, spotty lights landing on Julian so perfectly, highlighting his hair and the side of his face. That felt like angelic rigging: heavenly placements fine tuned to spotlight him. He looked so gentle, so peaceful.
The last thing that made you stay awake was seeing Garak’s hand move into Julian’s hair, gently combing the curls. This felt like love, loving, and being loved: it was the ultimate feeling to cherish, even through being dragged down by sleep.
You reached over to take his hand, to which he hummed.
“Good morning, my love,” he half-whispered, pulling your hand further away to kiss your knuckles. You smiled and tugged back lightly, bringing your and Garak’s hands to rest on Julian’s hip.
“How long have you been awake?” You asked quietly, not wanting to wake Julian.
“Only a few minutes before you,” Garak responded. You hummed softly to acknowledge while brushing your thumb over the side of his hand. A few moments passed where the only sounds were the three of you breathing and the station’s ambience, though all you could focus on was Julian.
He was so pretty in his sleep. Stunning while awake as well, of course! But not everyone has the privilege of being a pretty sleeper. Garak certainly didn’t. In the few times you’ve woken before him, you’ve found him either splayed out like a starfish or curled up tightly like a cat, but always with the strangest expressions on his face.
“He is really that gorgeous, isn’t he?” you whispered. “See the way the lights hit his hair? And how soft his face is? His eyelashes? God, Garak, his eyelashes!”
Garak chuckled, though obviously trying very hard to keep it as quiet as possible. Julian stirred, and you both held your breath- he settled back down after a few seconds.
“You’re both cute in your sleep,” Garak said after Julian laid still for a few moments. You didn’t respond, but kept idly playing with his hand. Garak and his lies. A lie doesn’t have to be a bad thing, however- ones like those could even be… appreciated, but you knew you slept oddly too.
Sleep started calling out to you again, tugging on your eyelids and fogging up your brain, begging you to close your eyes for just a bit longer- until Julian started to shift again.
His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled warmly when he saw you. “Good morning, darling,” he said, voice rumbly from sleep. He leaned forward slightly to kiss your nose, then the corner of your mouth, which you returned with a proper kiss. You smiled as he rolled over to kiss Garak good morning as well.
You let go of Garak’s hand to wrap an arm around Julian’s waist, pressing yourself into his back.
“Been awake long?” You heard him ask.
“Not really, my dear.”
“Go back to sleep, will you?” You started, muffled. “We weren’t done admiring you.”
Julian chuckled, placing a hand over yours. “Whatever you say, my darlings.”
a/n a) yoooo this is fiction…. just pretend there’s a screen in your quarters y’know :P b) sorry for being MIA i have *so* many ideas to work on that i got burnt out LOL but! back at it again at krispy kreme
warning: mention of sex but it’s (mostly) a joke
word count: 685 (😔)
It was impossible to sit still. Cold was possibly literally chewing on your bones, how could you sit still? Tom noticed. Tom had “noticed” for the past ten minutes, but had neglected to ask why you were shifting around every other minute. It was getting quite distracting, however- he really wanted to just sit quietly with you and watch this movie. You weren’t doing it to get his attention, either- you knew he just wanted to, well, just sit quietly and watch this movie. You weren’t trying to bug him. Finally, Tom sighed, pausing the film.
“Aright, what’s wrong?”
The cold must’ve reached your tongue, because you couldn’t speak.
Cold. Just cold, That’s all. Can I just say cold? Is that an answer? Is that silly? Will he be upset with me for making him pause the movie? Should I have just gone to get a blanket earlier? Could this have been avoided? Should I have-
“Y/N? What’s up?”
You blinked. “Cold,” you blurted. Ah, there it was. Cold. You did consider yourself a genius with words at times, this clearly being one of them.
Tom blinked back exaggeratedly. “Cold?”
You nodded solemnly. “Cold, yes. Freezing, in fact. Should’ve gotten a sweater, I just didn’t want to walk in front of the screen.”
His face softened, concern of anything more serious fading away and being replaced by laughs to suppress.
“You’re telling me you’ve been sitting there for the past ten minutes squirming around because you’re cold?”
You nodded again, clasping your hands together and resting them under your chin. “Yes, that would be accurate.”
Tom smirked. “You’re telling me you’ve been sitting there for the past ten minutes squirming because you’re cold, when your nice, warm and soft boyfriend is sitting right here at your service?”
A grin appeared on your face, yet a hand fluttered to your chest in mocking shock.
“At my service? Why, me?”
Tom chuckled as he reached across the couch and gathered you into his arms. You snuggled in quickly, pressing against his chest while your arms went around his waist. It didn’t immediately thaw the ice your blood had become, but you were sure it would. Tom rubbed his hand up and down your arm and kissed the top of your head.
“Silly baby. I understand not wanting to cross the screen, but why didn’t you just come over here?”
You shrugged against him. “You were really excited to watch this, I didn’t wanna distract you at all.”
“Why would I ask you to watch it with me if I didn’t expect to get at least a little distracted?”
You could hear the smile in his voice and blushed a little bit, wondering if he had asked you because he had… something else in mind. You looked up to meet his gaze.
“Why, Mr. Paris, what did you expect I would distract you with?”
A smirk snuck onto his face. “Oh, I don’t know. Hot steamy sex, or something.”
Laughter erupted between the two of you, but once you managed to stop, you reached up to cup Tom’s cheek and give him a quick kiss.
“That would certainly warm me up, wouldn’t it?” You quipped. Pink immediately tinted his cheeks- sure, he liked to tease, but he never expected you to tease back! You giggled again, but snuggled closer. Tentatively, his hand went slightly under the hem of your shirt. You snapped to hold it firmly in your own, moving it up to kiss his fingers. “Nice try, babe. Not now.”
“It was worth a shot.”
“Mm, but we’ve got a movie to watch, yeah?”
“Fine, if you insist.” He sighed loudly and sarcastically, smiling while rolling his eyes, though you weren’t looking.
Still holding his hand up between his and your chests and playing with it absentmindedly, you smiled. You didn’t often get to just be together like this- casually intimate, relaxing but still being playful. It was far beyond nice to finally catch a break. He unpaused the movie, but you couldn’t pay attention: all you- and he- could think about was what he said.
Summary: Data is curious about whether you’d like to join him in exploring what humans call “making out.”
Rating: T
A/N: This is my first time writing a Character/Reader fic, and basically this was an exercise in pure self indulgence. It ended up not even going the direction I had originally intended, so it very likely may be followed by a sequel or two. As I am very new to writing anything of this nature, feedback is greatly appreciated. At least I had fun imagining this moment with a cute android :)
The poem Data is reading at the beginning of the story is “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Also posted on AO3
———————————————————————-
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.”
Data’s voice is pure honey – honey and silk. His voice is always soft, but you didn’t know it could be so absolutely sensuous. You close your eyes and feel that luxuriously velvet timbre of his voice all around you.
The two of you are in his quarters, sitting side-by-side on his couch as he reads you love poems that he has downloaded to his databanks just for you. There are poems from every era and planet: Human, Vulcan, Klingon, Betazoid, and other cultures you haven’t even heard of before. You marvel at the universality of this experience of love, this experience that you are sharing now with the handsome android beside you.
Spot is curled up contentedly in your lap, a rumbling ball of fur pressed against your stomach that you absently stroke with one hand. Your head rests on Data’s shoulder, the fabric of his uniform soft under your cheek. One of his arms encircles your shoulders, while the fingers of his other hand are twined casually yet intimately with yours.
At first, Data’s attempts to romance you were stilted and awkward (though still adorable) based on a saved template for a romantic subroutine from a previous relationship. It took several insistent reassurances from you that you didn’t want a Casanova or a Romeo, that you just wanted him, just wanted Data, before he started adjusting the subroutine so that it didn’t drown out his true personality, but merely enhanced his already romantic qualities.
“I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.”
You snuggle closer against him, your body warm and relaxed. Data’s body is warm too, pleasantly so, and your form melts against his like butter.
You can hardly believe it was only four days ago that Data showed up unexpectedly at your quarters, carrying a bouquet of Andorian sweet roses and inquiring whether you would like to attend that evening’s string quartet concert in Ten Forward with him “in an exploratory trial to assess our romantic compatibility.”
Of course, you said yes.
You’d had a crush on him for months at that point, stemming from that one time when he’d found you crying alone in Ten Forward and invited you over to his quarters to pet Spot, because he’d read that holding a purring cat had therapeutic and comforting properties for humans. You’d always found him physically attractive, but that was when you first realized what a gentle, sweet, and caring, even loving, man he also was.
What if, one day, Bones gets back to his quarters after the most exhausting, stressful day, only to find a stack of record tapes on his desk. As soon as he had made it in the door he had stopped trying to hold it together, the man was in shambles, and now there’s more work to do?? He’d take a minute to grumble and really try not to start crying, then go over to the desk to check out the tapes.
On the one from the top was a video recording of Sulu and Chekov, thanking him for everything he does for them when they get all scratched up on landing missions. They both told specific stories of when he really saved their asses, and how grateful they were. “We probably wouldn’t be here without you.”
He had smiled a bit, wondering if it was supposed to make him feel better about the extra work pinned on him before starting. He took the tape out and set it on the ledge behind him so he wouldn’t misplace it, then put the next tape in with a sigh.
The next one was more or less the same, though featuring Uhura and yeoman Rand. “You’re the only one who can keep the captain’s head above the water, doctor, and you’re the best one for the job.”
He was a little more taken aback by this. Was this whole stack just… thank you videos? After putting that tape behind him with the first one, he continued.
The next was the same. And the next, and the next. One from his own damn medbay, featuring nurse Chapel: “You may be CMO, but I can still give you orders to rest.” He hadn’t noticed he’d started to cry, only realizing when the tears were completely blocking his vision. Jim must’ve put more than a third of the crew up to this, he thought, stacking all the watched tapes up nicely again before moving on to the final one.
Although overjoyed, he didn’t feel deserving of the praise. He was a doctor, it was just his job! He was the one to fix others up, the one they could vent to. Sure, it got plenty stressful at times… but that’s what he signed up for, right?
The last tape was making him nervous. They seemed to be stacked in a specific pattern, but he hadn’t seen Jim or Spock yet. Despite that, the last tape slid into place and his head went into his hands.
It was a view of the whole bridge, with everybody standing around Jim in his chair. Everyone had a word of encouragement to say, and by the end, everyone had but Jim and Spock- Spock spoke first.
“Doctor, you are undoubtedly the most essential member of this crew. A ship needs its captain, but a captain needs their doctor. You’re always looking after everyone else, always asking what’s on everyone’s minds, we realize you seldom get that treatment in return. We… I, sincerely hope our messages have gotten through to you.”
Bones was breathless. Praise, from Spock? He knew Spock respected him, but he wouldn’t expect him to say anything like that. Unprompted, that is. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve as Jim started to talk.
“Bones, at this point it’ll sound boring and repetitive-”
“Not at all,” he whispered to himself. He didn’t know how much he needed this.
“But I’m saying it anyway. We love you. We appreciate you. We are so, so grateful we have you as our CMO, and as our friend. Please, Bones, get some rest. That’s an order. We love you.”
The video stayed paused on the last frame. Bones was looking down, head still in his hands, tears still rolling down his cheeks. A few silent minutes passed before the door opened, no preemptive chirp to ask for permission. In walked Jim, who came straight over to Bones and put his hand on his back. Bones didn’t look up.
“Thank you, Jim,” he said quietly. “You have no idea what that meant to me.”
“I’ve got a pretty good idea.”
There were a few beats filled with nothing but Bones’ shaky breathing.
“Bones, I’m, uh, not supposed to tell you this, so you can’t tell anyone you know, okay?”
Bones looked up, not saying anything.
“Spock planned all this, actually. He proposed the idea in the first place, organized everything, and had me go around and have everyone record their messages. But you didn’t hear that, and certainly not from me.” Jim smiled his sweet smile, but Bones couldn’t say anything. Spock did this? Why? That pointed eared devil had no reason.
“Spock did this?”
Jim nodded. “He said that a show of emotions would, ironically, be the most logical way to cheer you up.”
“Well, he was right, ‘n I hate admitting that. Thank him for me, will you? Since I didn’t hear any of that.”
Jim smiled, glad that the plan had worked exactly how they wanted it to. He and Spock knew Bones was going to keep the tapes safe and watch them whenever he needed a little boost. They knew Bones would never admit to the others that for once he was the one who needed help. “Of course.”
It was no news to anyone that Captain Picard was a man of fine tastes. He’d love to take you to classical operas, strolling through the art museums of Paris, and occasionally, into his Dixon Hill stories; but his favourite thing to do with you was take you to a point in history he thought was fascinating and watch it play out with you.
Will was a smooth man, but playful at heart. As much as he’d love to serenade you in a bar every night, he also loved to bring out a beach and just walk hand in hand with you along the waterside. On that same note, swimming with him? The cutest. He could not get enough of swimming with you. He’d splash a little water at your face, you’d splash back, and suddenly he’d be sending a whole wave at you!
Geordi knew you (almost) better than he knew his engines, so when it came to picking a fun date to go on, he knew just what to do. He had a couple ideas, actually- children’s science centers where they’d have neat games to play and simple ideas to take your mind off the complexity of the 24th century, sci-fi movie nights, or- and this ended up being your favourite- into movies to either observe or participate.
Initially, Data had invited you to join him and Geordi in his Sherlock simulations, but Geordi seemed to have said something to him to take that back and choose something more suited for a date. (You thought that would’ve made a wonderful date, however, Geordi absolutely insisted you would regret it)
Ultimately, he ended up taking you to art galleries from all over the galaxy every week and giving you detailed histories of anything you seemed vaguely interested in.
Deanna had no problem picking what to do for dates. She always knew exactly how to melt your stresses away, and if you weren’t stressed? She knew just how to make sure you still had the time of your life. Sometimes she’d get Geordi’s help to program a stunning display of colours while you sat in the middle of a void, or other times she’d simply bring you to a room full of puppies.
Worf would sulk around his quarters in solitude for hours before admitting he needed help coming up with something. He went to Deanna, who told him he already knew what was best, but he thought there was no way you’d enjoy one of his training programs!
But you did. You’d been wanting to join in for months, but never asked because you knew he’d say no. It took a lot for Riker to convince him, why would he let you? When he asked if you’d want to come, you got changed immediately.
You loved her dearly, but Beverly Crusher wasn’t much fun when it came to holodeck dates. She struggled to think of things to make up for the two of you, even though she knew you like the back of her hand. She’d go to Picard to ask for advice, and end up with something far too sophisticated for your tastes- ultimately, you usually ended up on her couch, just cuddling up and watching a movie or both reading.
Welsey would take you from one end of the galaxy to the other. He loved to teach you about the subtleties and intricacies of anything he could, which sometimes had you sitting on the edge of a cliff watching three suns set, or floating in space watching an asteroid belt.
A/N: ain’t it convenient that y’never have to wait in a line??
Word count: 2827
“What should we do first?”
The scenery around you was too incredible a sight to respond to your boyfriend’s question. While passing through, the Enterprise had been hailed and invited to come to relax for a bit- there was a fair happening this weekend, they said! The inhabitants were an incredibly peaceful people, but curious, and only wished in return to meet and learn from some of the senior officers. The captain was apprehensive at first, of course, but commander Riker and Wesley had been able to get through to him after organizing a few fully in-depth scans and reports of the planet that proved no ill-intent.
Your mouth was slightly agape at all the colours and attractions surrounding you. There were countless rides- You weren’t sure what most of them were, but they looked absolutely thrilling. Twinkling lights in the evening light, music blaring, people milling around enjoying themselves, the smell of sweet treats drifting towards you… It was all so much to take in. And since the people wanted to speak with the senior officers for a bit before they got a chance to join, you and Wesley had a while to hang out on your own without worrying about his mom coming to check on you.
“Earth to Y/N, you there?” He tapped your shoulder. You turned to the side to face him, and as soon as his eyes met yours he mirrored your grin. It was infectious- there wasn’t anything like this to be excited about on the Enterprise! There was the holodeck, of course, but knowing it’s the real thing brought on a different feeling. “Yeah, I’m here! We’re here! We’re here!” The excitement was practically oozing out of you, it was hard to keep your eyes on Wesley. He giggled and took your hand, which you promptly used to lead him into the mess rather than the other way around. With Wesley being dragged in tow, you marched straight over to a chain of large booths decorated with plush toys to be won. A large Cardassian man stood behind the counter of the first one with an impossibly wide grin.
“Welcome! Know how to play?” He asked, gathering darts to give to you. There were balloons behind him, so you assumed the goal was to hit them, but you shook your head anyway. Wesley stood next to you and leaned on the counter while the man explained. “Red balloons are worth one point, yellow are worth three and blue are worth five. You get five darts,” he paused to hand the darts to you, “and the goal is to get fifteen points. Ready?” You nodded, smiling, then turned to Wesley. “Wanna split?” You held three darts out to him.
“Hard to split an odd number. I’ll go after you, okay?” He curled your fingers over the darts and pushed your hand back. You nodded, then turned back and focused on the balloons. Three blue ones would be most efficient, but you weren’t entirely confident in your skills, and there was far fewer blue than yellow and red. Despite that, it was still the most logical choice to go with. Wesley stepped closer and set a hand on your shoulder as you took a deep breath and aimed for your first blue balloon. Like a rubber band snapping, you shot the dart forward, only to have it hit a yellow one that was nowhere near where you had aimed. “Aw, man!”
“Hey, not bad!” The man offered. You wanted to win, not be patronised! Aiming again, Wesley squeezed your shoulder reassuringly. The next dart hit blue, at which both you and Wesley cheered. Your third and fourth hit yellow, which meant if your last dart hit blue, you’d have just enough points to pick one of the hundreds of plushies surrounding you. “You got this,” Wesley encouraged, by now having his other hand on your back and feeling just as excitedly anxious about your last shot as you. You lined up, aimed straight ahead for the blue balloon that taunted you at the start, and shot… and hit red. A large sigh shook through you, and it truly felt like the world was crumbling! “You did great, for what it’s worth!” Wesley cheered after pressing a sympathetic kiss to your cheek.
“Sorry, kid. Wanna try again?” You shook your head, wrapping an arm around Wesley’s waist for a moment before slipping away behind him. “Your turn,” you said, smiling again. You knew he could do it. And… he did, of course. Not only did he do it, but four of his darts hit blue, amassing a total of 21 points. Naturally. You had to try very hard not to feel insignificant next to him most of the time, but now wasn’t one. You were simply too excited to be here to worry about that. You both cheered at the last balloon, and the man behind the counter laughed before asking: “All right little man, what can I get ‘ya?”
As you giggled at ‘little man,’ a grinning Wesley turned to face you. “Which one do you want?” You smiled, but sighed. “Wes, if I recall correctly- and I’m sure I do because it was just ten seconds ago- you scored the points, not me. What do you want?” He thought for a moment before his eyes lit up like the stars, however, he continued as seriously as he could. “I want whatever you want.” You shook your head and sighed, but smiled a little bit as you vaguely gestured towards the one you had your eyes on. “The big orange tribble?” He prompted, knowing fully well that that wasn’t what you meant. Wesley Crusher? Teasing you? You shook your head exasperatedly. “The rabbit, please?”
He grinned at you and nodded to the man behind the counter, who promptly grabbed the plush rabbit and set it down in front of you. It was a soft and velvety peach colour, with a big white bow around its neck and little white hearts on its paws. You took it, hugged it close, and waved goodbye to the man as Wesley took your hand and started to guide you away from the stall.
“Thanks, Wes,” you said quietly, kissing his cheek quickly as you walked. He smiled at you in return and replied: “No problem. Are you gonna name it?” You hadn’t thought about that yet, and turned your head back to the view around you to consider before looking back at him. “Dunno. You got any suggestions?” He shook his head and looked out ahead.
You walked in comfortable silence for a few moments before stopping in front of a large, colourful, and oddly shaped building. You leaned forward and read the sign on the gate out loud. “Funhouse?” The man standing next to it- this one seemingly human- grinned down at the two of you. “Y’never heard of a funhouse before?” Both of you shook your head this time, wondering what it could mean. Wesley looked at you. “Should we try it?” You nodded, beaming once again and adjusting your hold on the rabbit plush. The man opened the gate, after which the two of you walked through and into the strange structure.
Upon entry, there was an even more colourful room with two hallways to choose between. You chose left, and through that found a room full of warped mirrors. “Y/N, look! You’re taller than me!” Side by side, you were both in front of two different mirrors- his squashed him down to a third of his height, and yours stretched you almost to the ceiling. He laughed, wrapping his arms around your waist and spinning you around- you looked so funny from all the different angles! Regretfully shoving him off, which earned an adorable whine, you prompted him to continue through the house. “C’mon, c’mon! We gotta go check out the other hall!”
Through the other hall was a set of stairs that were each a different height, and on the floor above was a room filled with poles reaching from the floor to the ceiling. You had to weave your way through them to get through to the next room, where you found just a balcony that overlooked the attraction and a ladder not unlike the stairs. While you started to climb the ladder, which was quite difficult to do while holding on to the rabbit, Wesley walked over to the balcony and stood for a moment. “Coming, Wes?”
“Isn’t it pretty?” He looked completely lost in the view. Hopping off the ladder, you stepped over to join him. It was absolutely gorgeous- You could see everything the fair had to offer. You didn’t think you could get sick of it, but you did want to finish this little attraction. “Positively stunning,” you quipped, mocking him though you agreed. “I wish I could see it from higher,” he sighed. Your heart skipped a beat at the thought of going any higher than the next floor. “Higher? Are you crazy?” He smiled at you with furrowed brows and kissed your cheek quickly before slipping away to climb the ladder.
You made your way up as well to find one long room with conveyor belts crossed along the floor and tubes hanging from the ceiling, once again having to navigate through them, only this time with a floor throwing you left and right with each step. Wesley took your hand, and you hopped along behind him, giggling when a tube he pushed out of the way hit you in return.
At the end, there was a slide. Wesley stood aside and gestured for you to get in first, then sitting behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist. Yours were around the rabbit, but you shifted one to put a hand over his. “Guess it was more interesting on the outside, huh?” It was more of a statement than a question. “Yeah,” he responded in a small laugh. “Ready?”
You hummed happily in response, and he pushed the two of you down. It seemed like a startlingly long slide- it curled around more times than you cared to count, which was probably why. When you got to the end and stood up, you promptly stumbled forward, and probably would have hit the ground had Wesley not grabbed you and pulled you into his chest. You smiled and enjoyed just being close for a moment before he turned you around and started dragging you forward again.
“Aw, what’s the rush? No hugs for poor ol’ me?” He turned his head to offer a smile for your whining, and you couldn’t help but return it. “Don’t worry. I’ve got a good ride in mind for next, and we’ll be plenty close there.” What was he planning? You passed a food stall that put a little growl in your stomach. Hopefully, whatever it was, you could eat after…
“Here!” You looked up ahead of you to see the one thing you had hoped not to encounter tonight: the Ferris wheel. Your stomach did a somersault, and suddenly, you weren’t quite so hungry. “Wesley, I’m sorry, I really don’t think that’s a great idea.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun! We’ll be able to see everything from up there,” he insisted.
“Wes, please, I-” He pouted, and it was like he cast a spell, because you couldn’t continue saying no when you looked into his eyes. You sighed, pinching your forehead and looking down to your dearest ground. “Fine, fine. Don’t you dare let go of me though, or I swear when we get back down here I’ll just cry on you.”
“Of course!” He grinned and kissed your cheek before tugging you into the car at the bottom of the wheel. A ball of anxiety started growing in your stomach, and you tried your best to ignore it as the lady running the ride locked a bar over your laps. “It’s totally safe, see?” You nodded, tucking the rabbit into the space between your lap and the bar. You looked at him, and he had to try hard to hold back his laughter- your face had gone pale from the fear, and you looked like you would either throw up or punch him at any given moment. “Hand. Now.” Wesley picked up your hand immediately and you scooched closer to be right next to him. “It’ll be nice,” he whispered, wrapping his other arm around you. You had to admit, he did a good job of making sure you felt safe.
The ride started to move and you breathed in sharply. Wesley giggled and rubbed his hand up and down your arm as the ground got further and further away from you. The wheel spun painfully slowly until it stopped about halfway, halting suddenly- the car swayed gently, not doing anything to ease your fears. You snuggled into Wesley’s side and heard him sigh gently. “Y’know how cute you are?”
“Shut up.” You never meant to snap at him, but this was truly pushing your buttons! He chuckled and kissed the top of your head. His next words were softer than you’d heard from him in a while, inviting you to look out at the ground instead of staying curled into his shoulder. You did so, turning your head and peeking with one eye at the sight in front of you. It wasn’t too much yet- you were only about twenty five feet above the ground, what you imagined the third floor of the funhouse must have been. You lifted your head entirely and looked around.
It was fully dark out now, making the contrast between the lights and the sky even prettier than earlier, but otherwise the same. People were still running around, kids were on rides, it still smelled marvellous- just up high, which wasn't necessary to you to enjoy it. “See, if this was the top, this would be fine! Great, even!” As if your fearful words had prompted it, the wheel began to move again, causing you to withdraw into Wesley’s shoulder again.
The seconds seemed to last a lot longer while waiting for it to reach the dreaded top. But it did, and you did not move an inch. Wesley shook your shoulder gently, giggling at your clinginess. “How do you manage living in space, hanging in an infinite void, but you’re afraid of heights?” You looked up at him, blushing with frustration. He did have a point.
“It’s different! In space, you’re not stuck in an open seat fifty feet above the ground!” You gestured around you, and he smiled.
“I mean, there is always a small possibility of losing control and crashing into a planet.”
“Shut up, Wesley! Just hold me.”
“Could I do you one better?”
Before you could ask what he meant, he was kissing you. It wasn’t the first time you’d really kissed, instead of just little forehead or cheek pecks, but it sure felt different. He pulled away too quickly, though, at which you pouted. “Ah, was that- was that okay? I should’ve let you answer first, I’m sorry, I just thought it would be romantic to take you up here, and-”
You cut him off with a kiss of your own, squeezing his hand tightly and bringing your other one over to cup his cheek. He smiled against your lips and broke away for a moment. “See? Not so bad up here,” He cooed, moving his own free hand to mimic yours and brushing his thumb over your cheek. You blushed, knowing fully well you were still paralyzed by fear. “Not so bad no. I’d still rather kiss you on the ground, though.” Wesley smiled at you. “Is that a promise?” Cheeky boy! You leaned into his side again, taking his free hand into yours. “Sure,” you started, smiling at the thought. “It can be.”
For as slowly as the seconds seemed to move before, they seemed to slip between your fingers now- the ride started moving backward, rolling you down to the last quarter mark. There was a comfortable, content silence. If you tried to categorize it, you’d call it light and fluffy, maybe. Wesley was absentmindedly brushing his thumb over your hand, and you started to match your breathing to his to ease the anxiety that was still sitting in your stomach. Before you knew it, though, it was moving down again, and when it stopped at the ground, a wave of relief rushed through you.
“See? We lived!” You giggled and punched him playfully in the chest, but thought for a moment. You swallowed hard, knowing what you were about to say was likely to make you feel even worse.
“Should we go up again? We didn’t really get to see the view like you wanted.”
Wesley beamed at that. He nodded, tightening his arm around you and kissing your temple. The car started moving again, and this time, it didn’t seem so scary.
A/N: this was written with aos bones in mind but i think it works either way! :]
Word count: 2059
Even the rhythmic beeping of the various instruments within the sickbay was irritating you today. It was slow, lonely, and cold; you’d been simply sitting at Dr. McCoy’s desk playing a memory game with the computer for half the day. For the last hour, though, you’d gotten every answer wrong.
“Where was the last Federation ship found after being reported missing?” It felt like there was a thick smoke preventing your brain from figuring out the answer, but you tried: “Torman V.”
“Negative. Pollux V.”
You sighed. At least I got the number right. That counts for somethin’, doesn’t it?
Taking your head out of your hands, you instead crossed them on the desk and laid your head down on them. “Computer, end game.” The computer stayed silent. As did you, for the next half an hour or so until Dr. McCoy came back. You considered yourself and Bones to be good friends, the two of you were practically inseparable- now being an obvious exception. The two of you worked the same shift for as long as you’d been on the Enterprise, and even before that, you’d been… well, more or less, drinking buddies at the academy.
Today he’d gone down to a planet, alongside the captain and a few other nurses, to take care of a medical emergency. They left before your shift started. Why he didn’t wake you to go along was confusing, did he not want you there? Was it biased? Is he upset with you? You sighed, tracing little patterns onto the desk idly when the door opened.
“Y/N! We’re back!” You couldn’t tell who spoke to you, just that it wasn’t Leonard. You didn’t respond, just mumbled and nodded against your arms. You heard shuffling and breathing and equipment being put down, and you closed your eyes. He musta’ had to stay with the Captain, you concluded to yourself in dismay. You didn’t understand why being away from him was so devastating, it’s not like you’ve never had to stay here alone all day before! The only thing you could think of was it was amplifying an already bad mood, but you weren’t upset at anyone or anything either. You just felt… empty.
And now you felt… warm? There was something warm on your back.
“Not gonna welcome us back, Y/N?” Bones cooed. Peeking through one eye, you found the energy to lift a corner of your mouth into a small smile for the good doctor, who was doing the same down at you. It was, evidently, his hand on your back, and he was leaning against his other hand which was resting next to you on the table. He was like a big wall, creating a space for just the two of you there. Though you were internally overjoyed, it just wouldn’t show through. “‘Course, doc,” you said quietly, “welcome back.” He frowned slightly.
“Somethin’ wrong?” He moved in more. Taking his hand from your back to lean closer against the desk on his forearm immediately bought back the cold empty feeling from earlier. You sat up and turned in the chair to face him, but looked down at his hand hanging off the edge of the table. You swivelled the chair side to side, anxious to just get to talk to him, knowing it won’t be now.
“Nothing really. Just been lonely without you here all day. Not much to do, y’know. I played games with the computer for most of the time.”
“Sorry ’bout that, doll. We had our hands full down there for longer than we thought we would. Maybe I could’ve used you there after all.” You looked up at that to see him smiling down at you again, but you couldn’t say anything. He used affectionate nicknames on you all the time, and every time, it made your heart skip a beat. You knew it was natural for him, not necessarily intending anything, but you couldn’t help but get lost in his words sometimes. Putting your head back on an arm on the desk, you started to play with Leonard’s hand with your free one. God, how you loved his hands. Bones watched you silently for a few moments while you mustered up the courage to speak again.
“Why did you leave me here? Did I do something?” A sigh came from him as an initial response.
“No, you didn’t do anything. You needed the rest. I’ve seen you all spaced out recently, it isn’t like you. I knew you wouldn’t agree to take the day off if I’d told you to, so I took the opportunity as soon as it came up. Pretty lucky it did, too- I was gettin’ pretty damn close to lockin’ you up in your quarters.”
A blush crept onto your face, and you hoped he wasn’t looking too closely.
“Mighty kind of you, doc,” you quipped sarcastically, smiling. He laughed, but quietly- or intimately, as your brain twisted it. His other hand came up to your chin and pulled your face up gently so he could look at you, which then definitely would’ve shown off the red on your cheeks like fine paintings at a gallery.
“Y/N, you’re taking tomorrow off as well. No objections. Sitting here won’t have done you much good if you were just worrying about us gettin’ back.”
A crude mix of warmth and dread began to spread through your stomach. “But-”
“No buts, darlin’. If I see you here tomorrow- or anywhere else for that matter- I will personally drag you back to your room. Is that clear?” Nodding in defeat, you looked down again, if only to hide the furious colour returning to your face from the thought of what he said.
“Doctor, could you come review the medical log?” Much to your dismay, Bones sighed and gave a quick “Be right over.” As he started to move, you grasped his hand instead of just hovering over it. “Bones, wait.”
You bit your lip. Why were you getting so nervous? You’d never been nervous about him before. You sat up again but didn’t release his hand. “Dinner later? Dinner and chess or somethin’?”
He looked absolutely delighted, despite it being a regular occurrence. Your stomach fluttered when he turned his hand over in yours to lace your fingers together.
“Absolutely.” He kissed your forehead, then flashed you a little smirk before letting go of your hand and going to join the nurse in the other room, leaving you flushed a bright red. That man sure knew how to make you anticipate.
All that you could think about for the rest of the day was him kissing your forehead. Years of knowing Leonard had proven he was a sweetheart, but you’d never truly felt it as solidly as then. The closest thing you could think of was any hug from him- he’d wrap you up tightly, and everything would feel peaceful for once. You’d never thought of it as romantic, though. Maybe you did, but didn’t realize it? As your brain was tearing every aspect of your friendship to shreds to analyze it, Bones snuck up behind you.
“Y/N, we goin’?” You spun around in the chair and stood up, smiling. “Mmhm,” you hummed. It hadn’t quite registered how close he was standing, you realized, as you were just a few inches apart. “Everyone else left a little while ago,” he said quietly. “Oh? How long?” You were more curious as to why he’d waited until you were alone. “Not very,” he answered, picking up your hands and stepping in a bit closer. Barely a breath between you now, you looked up. His eyes met yours and filled you with that exact warmth you felt from his hand on your back earlier. “And what’s a sweetheart like you done, waiting for everyone to leave before cornering me?” You smirked up at him and thought you might’ve seen a hint of blush on his face for a change.
“Cornering you? Is that what this is?” His words were soft, barely above a whisper.
“I’m not sure,” you responded just as quietly. “Is it?”
“It can be.” His voice was rough, low. He moved a hand to cup your cheek- and he kissed you. Barely more than a peck, he pulled away quickly, but you reached a hand up behind his neck to stop him and pull him back. You couldn’t believe you hadn’t realized sooner how you felt about him.
He pulled away again, and before you could do anything to bring him back, he walked you backward and against the desk, where he picked you up and sat you on it. He stood there for a moment, taking you in with his eyes, bringing his hands up to brush your arms gently. You grabbed his wrists just before his lips met yours again. “Leonard, though this does seem quite promising, perhaps we could continue this after dinner?”
He rested his forehead against yours and smiled, warm breath tickling your face. His arms wrapped around your waist, and you did the same, reaching up his back. “Perhaps we can.” He pulled you off the desk and into him tightly before letting go, though still holding onto your hand to lead you to the rec room, as if you didn’t know where it was.
You walked silently, both of your thoughts consumed by the other. In a few minutes, you got to deck five’s rec room and sat down after getting something to eat from the food dispenser. It was quiet, there were only two or three other people in the room, and not near the two of you. “Why now?” You asked.
Bones looked at you, confused, then it clicked. “Just felt right, I guess. I care about you a lot and needed to make sure you knew it. Y’think I wanted to leave you here? No. I missed you just as much as you said you did me. More, even, possibly.”
You could only stare at him in response. A smile crept onto your face, and God you just wanted to kiss him again. “How’d you know I wouldn’t, like, punch you or somethin’?” He looked up from his plate and laughed. “Are you kidding?” You shook your head. If you hadn’t realized your feelings until just recently, how had he? He sighed, not in a frustrated way. “It’s been obvious for a while. I thought you’d realize how I felt, too, to be honest. I tried to make it obvious.”
“I don’t always pick up on the obvious.”
“Clearly.”
“How long?” You wondered if he’d known longer than you did. He smiled. “‘Bout a year now. Probably earlier.”
“Really? I didn’t realize until today, really.”
“You don’t always pick up on the obvious.”
You chuckled. “Clearly.”
The two of you talked about how you felt about each other for the next hour. You learned he’d liked you for the better half of your time knowing each other now, and that he didn’t want to risk losing you as his best friend if anything did go wrong in a confession. You learned that he never shut up about you when he wasn’t with you, that Jim was getting sick of his lovesick babbling, and Spock had learned to tune him out entirely when he chose to start it up again. You learned that he was even sweeter than you ever thought you knew, and that you were the closest to being in love you’d ever been, if not already.
Eventually, however, you decided to finally leave the rec room for something a little more private, despite it being empty aside from you. Once inside Bones’ room, he motioned to his desk, to which you tipped your head to the side in question. He smirked. “Care to sit?” You accepted, grinning, and hopped up onto the desk. He stood in front of you, leaning in to kiss your neck, but you grabbed his chin to bring his face up to yours instead. You kissed him promptly, deeply, moving your other hand to wrap around his torso as he moved his from your hips to your waist. He brought a hand up to grab your hair and gently wedged himself between your legs.
“Shit,” you whispered into his neck. “I’ll definitely need tomorrow off, now.”
A/N: For the ever lovely @too-many-baes who’s just the kindest, I hope you enjoy and thank you for your patience on how late this is!! You lot as well, hugs! :) x
“So, are you two together, then?”
This was a question you were asked all too often in referral to you and your best friend, Trip. You’d been close for around two years, having started to hang out together not long after your ship, the NX-01, had taken off on her voyage. Both working down in engineering, you’d spent time together on the job, but it took around three months before you started to meet up during off hours.
In those two years, Trip had become your rock. At the beginning, you were homesick and missing Earth, but Trip had been there to comfort you and to take your mind off it. There had been other times you had been under the weather, Phlox having assigned you to quarters, and Trip would stop by every night after his shift to check on you, or if he had no shift he spent the whole day relaxing with you. No matter the problem, no matter the issue, Trip was always there.
Trip was thankful for you, too. You were his comfort when things went wrong, or when he had any self doubt, you would be there for him. Countless times he had shown up at your quarters at night, eyes red or mood under par, and each time you had your arms open and you were ready to listen. Times when work wasn’t going to plan and he was particularly stressed, you would be there with a smile and a hand on his shoulder, an instant mood calmer. Thankful was far from a strong enough word to describe how he felt that you were in his life.
The two of you often were mistaken for a couple, and you couldn’t blame anyone for thinking so. The way you acted, the way you flirted between each other, the banter. It all screamed relationship, but it wasn’t the case. You weren’t to say that you hadn’t wished it, however. You had eyes, you could see Trip was a handsome man. But there was also Trip the man, the one underneath all that. That was who you had come to love, despite not wanting to admit it to yourself. As far as you knew, he saw you as his best friend, and you didn’t want to ruin that.
Another day in engineering, and the banter between you was flirty and fiery as always.
“You two are definitely together, come on!” One ensign shouted, and you turned to him with a laugh.
“Of course, Johnson, to the untrained eye.” You winked and he huffed a laugh, returning to his work. Turning back to Trip, you were met with sparkling eyes and a shining grin from him.
“Seems every day this now, don’t it? I just don’t know where they all get it from, Y/N,” he feigned wonder, looking around the room in mock thought.
“Neither do I, Mr. Tucker, it would seem they simply conjure it up out of nowhere!” You shot back, incredulous tone in your voice. The two of you shared a laugh, and you booped his nose lightly with your finger.
“Back to work, anyway.”
The shift dragged on and it got later and later, the last of the shift eventually filtering out. Trip and yourself were left alone, working on separate things, though still sitting close together. Determined to get it finished so you could eventually get some sleep, you were so focused you hadn’t noticed Trip talking to you.
“Hello? S’ anybody in there?” Trip enquired, waving a hand in front of your eyes. Snapping your head up, you blinked a couple of times.
“Some of us have a work ethic and actually want to leave, buddy,” you commented with a smirk. “What is it?”
“Oh, don’t matter anymore, it was seven years ago now, I’ve aged since.” He remarked back.
“You look it, too.”
“Hey! Rude!” You laughed as he pretended to cry, and you mock consoled him with a pat on the back. In a flash move, he grabbed your wrist and began to tickle you, causing you to laugh and plead with him to stop. He did no such thing, paying you back for your comment.
“Had enough?” he asked, and you nodded, breathing a sigh of relief when he stopped his attack. Though he had stopped, he hadn’t let you go.
“An apology?” he asked, though you knew it was a joke.
“Absolutely not, you’ll never-” You stopped talking as you looked him in the eye; you hadn’t been this close to him before, not like this at least, and you noticed his eyes were very pretty in the dim light. Very pretty. You knew then that what you felt was more than a small crush on your best friend; in that moment your brain racked all the prominent memories with him, one by one. Trip had noticed your abrupt stop and distraction, and furrowed his brow ever so slightly.
“You got the attention span of a spoon, y'know that?” he chuckled, and before you could think about it, you spoke.
“It’s you and your stupid face.”
He laughed again. “My stupid face?” Trip mocked, and you realised how that sounded. There was no going back and no trying to deny it, he had already heard it loud and clear.
“Your stupid face, yeah.” You grinned, your mind still on the close proximity of you both, but also trying to keep up to your quipping standard.
“You’ve got a stupid face, too.” Trip stuck his tongue out at you like a child, and you raised a brow.
“Happy seventh birthday, Trip, real mature. You-”
Your next insult was cut off by Trip placing his lips on your own, and you froze. Not that you didn’t want that, more that on your list of things he would do in such a situation, that was at the bottom. Trip clocked what he’d done and pulled back, looking around sheepishly.
“I, I uh, didn’t think that one through, m'sorry, I shouldn’t of-”
This time you cut him off with a kiss, sweet and short, but told him everything you needed to in those few moments. Smiling, you stared at him with a new twinkle in your eye; one of a non platonic sort of love. He too smiled at you.
“Took you long enough, you big lummox.”
He pulled you into his chest and you willingly snuggled in.
“I didn’t wanna ruin what we had, last thing I need is to lose you, Y/N.”
You looked up at him, in a rare moment of sincerity amongst the banter, to see him glancing down at you with adoration.
“You idiot,” you giggled, kissing him once more, forgetting entirely about the work you had to do.
“Tell you somethin’,” he started, sounding almost sleepy as he ran his hands through your hair. “Gonna be a shock for them all when you say yes next time.”
And a shock it certainly was, and you noticed a few bets being paid off around you. You didn’t care, what mattered most was Trip, and as long as you had him, everything was alright.
jim kirk is such a unique character because while pop culture has twisted his character, hes actually an absolute softie who picks flowers, is kind and compassionate, looks after/has a close relationship with his crew, respects everyone, is insanely clever, has strong morals and can hold his own in a fight,,, hes just neat
the kirk drift is real and you have to be so careful to remember that because if you fell and scraped your knee in front of james t. kirk he would pick you up and carry you to sickbay personally and probably either stay with you or come back periodically even though it was literally a scraped knee
tangentwithtanner
gummygunk
andulkaphoto
romaincrisis
origamiaround
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
