Drinks
Posted on Thu Aug 15th, 2019 @ 4:23pm by Major Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Fri Aug 16th, 2019 @ 10:59pm
2,716 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Episode 8 - The Silence
Location: After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD002 2200 hrs
Tallida couldn't wait to see Neil. She was getting used to the constant infiltration that he made on her mind. While she wouldn't admit it to him, she enjoyed the little interludes. That is what had pushed her to accept his invitation for a drink. She hadn't seen him since they had agreed to see where what ever this was between them would go. So there she sat at a table in the back of the room watching the door as she waited, looking up every time the doors opened. A smile crossing her lips when they finally reveled the Marine Captain.
He was late. He hated being late. Especially when he'd been the one suggesting they see one another. But, duty was duty and he was there now. Duty had kept him running, not nearly as much as the last couple of weeks of so called shore leave, but long days still. The hours of which had included random thoughts of Tallida and Jayna.
Neil smiled as he caught site of Tallida and removed his beret as he paused near the table and tucked it into the pocket of his tunic, which he also shucked and draped in a spare chair. He slid into a seat across from her, smiling "You're a sight for sore eyes, Tallida. You look great."
Tallida couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips, not the blush that rose to her cheeks from his compliment. "I missed you too, Neil." She said softly, not sure she should have told him. "I was excited you wanted to see me," Her blush deepened at her phrasing before she added, "I mean get together." With a little shake of her head her slightly curled light colored hair fell around her face and bare shoulders.
"Hiding behind the rainbow is no fair, Tallida," Neil smiled at her, "Though, traditionally isn't there a pot of gold somewhere?" He was being awkward and he hated being awkward. Then he took something from a cargo pocket and slid it onto the table in front of her, "Not gold, but I hope you''ll like it."
Resting on the table in front of tally was a small tin with a transparent lid, through which she could see dark, slightly slick looking granules.
Tallida giggles at his comment. She was going to say something but so many ideas came to kind that she was overwhelmed and ended up opening and closing her mouth like a fish before he slid the container to her. "You didn't have to get me anything," she smiled and she took the container. "I don't have anything for you." She said softly, biting her lower lip slightly.
"Not true," he said honestly, "The blushes were nice and then there's that smile..." He knew he was smiling inanely and really didn't care. "I was hoping you'd like it. It was that or some seasoning for gah, which I didn't really think you'd appreciate. Gah always looks like bait to me."
"Thank you," Tallida replied reaching over placing her hand on the back of his. "I love it. It isn't often that I get my hands on tellerite fidu truffle anything." She smiled. "Looks like our drinks are ready." She smiled before slipping from her seat and moving to the bar the retrieve the two glasses containing an amber liquid that moved as though it was alive. "I have something for you to try." She smiled when she returned placing a kiss on his cheek and instantly apologizing for it.
He'd watched appreciatively as she walked away, then innocently overrated his eyes after she turned and started back toward him with the drinks. "No need to apologize," he said to her as he peered at the drink. "Alright, I'll bite. What is it?"
Tallida grinned as she took a seat, this time feeling a little bold and took the seat next to him. She swirled the liquid in her glass causing the ambers, golds, and reds to flash majestically before taking a sip. "It is Angosian Fire Whiskey." She smiled. "Hopefully you like it better than the bourbon back at my place." She teased.
Neil placed both hands around the base of the glass and spun it slowly, back and forth until the liquid rolled slightly and the colors came forth. As he did this he said, "Wasn't I supposed to like your bourbon? And thank you for this, it's nice."
"You never do anything you are supposed too," She teased with a light laugh. She looked over at the chair she had vacated and couldn't but wonder if she should have sat over there. Leaning slightly she thought about moving, about having the space between them to be more, separate, but how would he take it? She let out a frustrated huff that she tried to hide as she took another sip of her drink. "It has a bit of a sweet finish, not the burn on typical bourons. It is what I give those with a weaker constitution," She found herself teasing again, which was out of character for her. There was something Neil that made her feel safe which worried her.
Neil took another sip, testing the flavors as he filtered her behavior. He was starting to recognize patterns with Tallida now and he smiled into his glass as he leaned back, letting his knee shift slightly to touch hers. "Is that a hallmark of us meeting in public, Tallida? Like this whiskey, you show a more sweeter side in public. Back in your quarters you were showing more of the pure fire?" His tone was teasing as well as he watched her. "And thank you for being concerned for my constitution. But you don't need to go easy no me, doctor."
Tallida blushed at his comment. Flushed was starting to be a normal color on her cheeks when he was around. She watched him for a moment, taking a sip of her drink in order to have at least the glass between them before she spoke. His touch against her leg made her feel bold, in comparison to her norm. "Perhaps," She finally started, "I have never had much opportunity to meet attractive men for drinks, nor have I wanted to kiss one, or thought about kissing one as much as I do you." She took another sip as she scolded herself. "I am a little unsure how to act, where to sit, what I should and shouldn't do. I don't want to push you or do something..." She trailed off as she realized she was babbling. "Sorry," She gave an awkward smile as she looked down into her glass.
"An attractive man?," Neil asked, grinning at her. "I better hurry up with my drink then before he stops by...but as far as a kiss goes," he leaned close and before she could turn away from her glass, gave her a brief kiss below the ear and then he smiled as she turned. "Tallida, don't overthink this. Just let the river carry you along until you find an edge to bring you back to dry land," he sat back and slid his arm behind her, resting it on the seat back. "I learned that in a survival course. Who'd have thought it would have any bearing on dating a beautiful woman."
"Oh, speaking of attractive men," Tallida exclaimed bouncing her her chair as if she had forgot to turn off the stove. "My, uh, ex I guess you could call him, is on the Pioneer." The corner of her lips pulled up in a slight smile. "Since you had been respectful enough to tell me about,uh," She scrunched up her face, "The Warrant Officer...Gods, I suck with names." She laughed at the irony of it. "She has a twin...I just can't remember her name." She laughed as she took another sip. "Anyways, I had dinner with Kalen the other night." She decided to keep to herself the fact that the entire time she had wished the dinner were with Neil.
He felt a bit of a stab at that and squashed it with another drink from his glass. Tallida was a beautiful, complicated woman..he shouldn't be surprised that she spent time with others. "Jayna," he said absently, as his mind flickering back to the last evening the two of them had spent together. "And how was that for you, the dinner I mean. I seem to remember something about a doctor coming aboard by that name."
Tallida watched Neil for a moment, suddenly doubting that bringing up Kalen at this moment was a good idea. "Unexpected, honestly." She started as she noticed his change but she wasn't sure what to do about it. "It was nice to see him," She continued. "But, He is here with a motive." She replied almost disappointed. She took a sip of her drink. She turned to him, "Oh, I am sorry. I didn't mean,uh, I shouldn't have brought him up." She shook her head. "I just wanted to be honest with you."
Neil waited for a few beats and smiled ruefully at her, "I do appreciate that and it's only natural that a beauty like you would have beings chasing after you," he took another drink and finally said, "Ultimately, I'm more interested in you being happy, Tallida. Happy for you might not be with me. Might not be with him either...you mentioned a motive?"
She had messed up, he had asked her here and she killed the mood. "He 'claims' he has regrets where him and I are concerned, but...it doesn't matter." She shook her head slightly. "Neil," She said softly as she reached out and hooked his chin with her hand. Leaning in she kissed him, like she had been wanting too. "My past is not sunshine and rainbows." She started softly barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I can ever be what you need, but I want to try." She finished as she kissed him again. Confession seemed like the best option at this point.
Neil returned her kiss and smiled at her, "We've all got things in our past, Tallida and we're both trying to figure out the future. I want to try with you, I think. But it seems we're both having distractions thrown at us. You sounded happy to see this Kalen...I wouldn't want to get in your way there." He kissed her again, lightly and said seriously, "If we don't talk about this now...is that good for any future we may have?"
"I am happy to see him,but not for the reason you think." Tallida replied a little stunned by his kisses, as always. "We met when I was fifteen and he was finishing his residency. He was part of the team assigned to me." She said matter of fact, the memories clouding her typically bright eyes. "He was my first crush and the first guy I dated and the first guy I fell in love with, but.." She started touching Neil's face. "He was also the first man to break my heart. Left me behind when I needed him the most. Like you said, we both have pasts and I am not sure this is one I want to revisit. Besides, it doesn't matter to me what he wants only what I want." She kissed him again, softly, before smiling.
Neil slid his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close and his free hand moved up to brush her hair away behind her ear, before trailing down her face and resting on her knee. As they parted, he nodded. "Very true that. And it doesn't seem to matter that while I'm enjoying getting to know Jayna, I continuously compare her to you and ultimately it's you in my dreams at night," he admitted.
Then he chuckled, "I am not very good at any of this. Apparently some of our social lives are stunted in the corp..at least if you follow my history. Is it odd for someone to claim they're falling in love with you on maybe the third time you have a serious conversation?"
Each one of his touches sent shivers over her skin. She listened to him speak and couldn't help the catch in her breath from his admission. She looked at his face, searching for a deception. When she found none, she waited for her own panic to set it, but that too never came. "If it is," She started softly locking her eyes on his. "Then you aren't alone."
Neil had to think about her words for a minute, then his own and untangled them. He shut his eyes for a moment, deciding that there was no point in correcting her...unless he wasn't sure about things either. Then he filtered his own thoughts and told her. "You know, on Earth there's a fish called the French Anglefish. I got to see them in New Orleans when I'd visit my dad."
He took a breath then and let half out, like he was preparing to fire on the range and said, "One of the more interesting things about them is...they mate for life."
Then he pulled the trigger, "I think I love you, Tallida."
The words weren't unwelcome they were just unexpected. She watched him for a moment. Trying to picture and decipher what the fish had to do with this. She decided that she would ask him later. "I am not sure I can put into words how I feel," She started and then kissed him without much warning. "But, I hope that let you know." She added softly.
"I don't know," Neil said lightly, "You might have to repeat it a few more times to make it seem real. And then of course we decide what comes next."
"Tomorrow," Tallida replied. "We can start figuring this out later. Take it slow." She said more as a request than as reassurance. She rose from her chair and offered her hand. "Come with me." She offered quietly.
Neil stood slowly, taking her hand as he gathered his jacket and beret with the other. In the back of his head he decided she was right. Tomorrow could take care of itself. "So, what's tonight, then?" He murmured to her.
She looked over her shoulder, giving him a smile and a shrug once they were in the corridor. "I don't know for sure." She started. "I just figured somewhere less private."
He chuckled as she led him from the room and asked, "Why Tallida, somewhere less private? are you taking me to a turbo-lift? I didn't realize you were such an exhibitionist."
Tallida stopped in her tracks and looked at him wide eyes. "I didn't." She stammered her cheeks turning a deep red. Her hand covered her face as she let out a laugh. "Oh gods, that wasn't what I meant." She laughed. "Come home with me." She looked up at him. "I wanted to take you home with me and I was trying to be confident and sexy and it didn't work." She laughed again.
"Oh it worked alright,"Neil confirmed as he nodded to a passing crewman, who he half recognized and who gave him a double take. "It might not have been what you meant, but I think perhaps Froid would have called that a slip...have you been having fantasies Tallida?" She was very cute when she blushed and he liked keeping her off step a bit. "And this bit about taking me home...I'm interested in exploring this line of thinking as well."
Talli bit her lower lip slightly as he spoke, excruciatingly aware of where they were. She gave him a smile before taking his hand and leading him to her quarters.
As they reached the door to her quarters, Neil couldn't resist and said quietly to her, "You do blush prettily, Tallida. Just how far does the blush go?"
A Joint Post By
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Tallida Ovaa
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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