JP - Robin Hopper & Nathan Richards: A Special Kind of Knowing (Part 1)
Robin Hopper
((OOC – This JP is set several days after the ribbons ceremony, the arrival of Hopper's family, etc...))
((Hopper’s Apartment, Beijing District, Habitat Ring – Amity Outpost))
Gentle daylight filtered in through the bedroom window’s sheer curtains, casting a diffuse sunlit spot that slowly meandered up the bedding until it stirred its sleeping occupant. Robin opened her eyes slowly, lazily glancing to the window as the warm glow of her crimson princess hoya and the lilting sounds of native songbirds gave tribute to the rising of the Habitat Ring’s simulated sun…
Shutting her eyes against the soft light, she sighed contentedly and rolled onto her side, resting her head on Nate’s shoulder – his arm tucked under her pillow and around her shoulder while they slumbered. She waited a moment, silently enjoying the warmth of his strong bare chest and the tender feeling of his sleeping embrace as she nuzzled closer to his neck, wrapping her arm around his waist and pulling herself closer to him.
Nathan let out a contented sigh as the close contact drew him from sleep. Turning his head slightly, he buried his face in Robin’s hair and took a deep breath before gently kissing the top of her head.
Hopper: ::Softly:: Good morning.
Richards: ::Moving his head so he could actually breathe, yawning:: Morning.
She graced his neck with a gentle kiss then, unable to reach his lips, placed another on his jaw.
Hopper: Nice dreams?
Nathan looked up at the ceiling, lightly running his hand up and down Robin’s upper arm. He had to admit that waking up next to Robin in the mornings was the highlight of his day. Feeling her against him was the best way to wake up. Not even a piping hot coffee could compare to it.
Richards: I think so. ::Chuckling:: Can’t really remember.
A whirlwind evening out enjoying the closing night of the Amity Carnival had been just the distraction Robin had needed from all the family drama. Her mothers seemed thrilled to have something to do after their long starliner journey – and she could have sworn she even saw Keri crack a few genuine smiles as she explored the various attractions, which evoked the carnival hosted in their own hometown. The best part? Keri had been nowhere to be seen last night, evidently busy doing some sort of actual work for her FDC internship in preparation for the unscheduled presidential visit – all of which suited Robin just fine.
She pulled herself closer to Nate as he woke, wrapping her leg up and over one of his so that they fit together like a secret handshake, in a gesture known only to them. Here, in her apartment, they could be free of prying eyes and the trouble of public knowledge – their relationship, blissfully soft and undefined like the light through the window… A peaceful and private state of being that Robin knew wouldn’t last forever. But for the moment, she was happy.
Hopper: I don’t want to get up… ::Sigh:: Maybe we can both book some leave. ::Smirking:: I’ve got nearly three months’ accumulated. I could stay here for three months, lock the door, turn off our combadges and pretend we aren’t home. Couldn’t you?
Nathan gave her a squeeze with his arm, nodding.
Richards: Definitely. ::Chuckling, sighing:: But, unfortunately somewhere in those three months I need to be back on Earth.
Nathan thought about the upcoming trip he was taking to the Alpha Quadrant. Almost as if it were planned, his sister Sam’s graduation and his brother Blake’s wedding fell within a couple weeks of each other. Robin looked up towards him, caught by surprise.
Hopper: ::Brow slightly furrowed:: Back on Earth? That’s such a long trip… You have to go?
Nathan tilted his head so he could see her face. He searched it for some sign of joking, but found none.
Richards: I thought I mentioned it to you before. ::Chuckling:: Blake is getting married, and Sam is graduating from University. Of course I have to go.
Nathan gave her another quick kiss on the forehead, smiling. He wanted to ask her to come with him and meet his family. He honestly didn’t like the idea of being apart from her for the duration of the trip, but maybe a little time apart would do them some good…right?
Hopper: Oh… Yeah, no, of course you do…
The hints of disappointment in her voice were clear enough. But, with that brief explanation, the threads of memory were already starting to come back to her.
Hopper: I’m sure you did mention it. I guess I’ve been so wrapped up in everything happening here… I’m sorry. My portfolio’s just expanded. A lot. And there’s managing my family… and Keri’s not leaving any time soon. ::Looking up at him, momentarily worried:: I’m going to lose you right when I need the moral support.
Her grip on his waist tightened ever-so-slightly. The last thing she wanted was to muddle through managing her sister’s presence on her own – but that was her burden to bear. Still, the thought of being torn apart from him made her stomach tie in knots. Her own reaction unsettled her. She hated the thought of Nate leaving, even if she understood he had good reasons…
The realization that she was that attached to him already was both surprising and entirely expected. It was the reason she’d tried to refrain from getting intimate in the first place, the reason she’d eventually changed her mind. She’d tried to keep him at an arms’ length, avoid getting too close in case something had come up… something that would tear them apart for longer. But it hadn’t worked. Despite her best intentions to protect them both, the universe had other plans – and now there was hardly room for atoms to squeeze between them.
Nathan buried his face in her hair again, mixed emotions churning inside. He still held the fear, deep down, that the moments like these would be fleeting. With the arrival of Robin’s family, their interactions had come with more caution. He furrowed his brow as their discussion on their first date played through his mind. She had said she didn’t want to be ‘tied down’. He had let it slip that he probably wouldn’t be able to keep himself from falling in love…Things had changed, but the fear was still there. He didn’t want a situation like this to drive a wedge between them and make things more complicated. So perhaps taking this time away from each other wouldn’t be the good thing he thought it might be… Then a thought crept into his mind.
Richards: ::Shrugging slightly:: I mean…::chuckling:: you could always come with me.
She rolled her eyes, shrugging off his comment as a joke – though she was uncertain how she actually felt about the unserious suggestion.
Hopper: ::Mildly sarcastic:: Right. And crash your sister’s graduation? Your brother’s wedding? I’m sure your family would love that. ::Propping herself up on her arm, her tone becoming more sincere:: Six weeks on a starliner sounds pretty good right about now, but… I wouldn’t want us to upstage their special moments…
She left unsaid that it would also mean revealing their relationship – already more exposed than she’d hoped – to his family. It had been challenging enough trying to keep things secret here on the station, where they both had work as an alibi. Visiting his home, going to a wedding together? That was a big step. One that Robin wasn’t sure she was prepared to take.
If things didn’t work out between them, or if one of them were unexpectedly transferred by Starfleet Command, or if something tragic were to happen to one of them it would be a lot less complicated to process the loss in private, rather than after airing their ‘laundry’ to the rest of the galaxy…
Richards: ::Running his hand up and down her arm again:: It was just a thought.
Hopper: Yeah.
There was a short, but lingering silence in the room, that pushed Robin up and out of bed. She made her way to the armoire where she stored her uniform and collection of favourite civilian clothes – preferring to look through them ‘the old fashioned way’ rather than select her daily outfits from a digital replicator library.
Nathan propped himself up on his elbow, watching her move across the room. She pulled her blue-shouldered skant from the wardrobe and turned around, laying it on the bed between them, then slipped out of her nightie and started getting dressed for the workday ahead.
Hopper: Alright, come on. We’ve gotta get a move on if we’re going to get you out the door in time… ::Noticing his gaze, putting her hands on her hips and raising a teasing eyebrow:: …Hello? Amity Outpost to Lieutenant Richards. Can you hear me?
Richards: ::Looking up and into her eyes as she addressed him:: Huh? What?
She chuckled to herself, then turned around and pulled his gold uniform from her armoire, tossing it over her shoulder at him without looking.
Hopper: Put your clothes on. Unless you’re planning on wearing your Betazoid Formal to work.
Richards: ::Shrugging slightly, holding his palms out:: I mean…::Sighing:: Fine.
Nathan reached down and grabbed his uniform from the end of the bed and dramatically pulled himself to his feet. Robin turned back, taking her own turn to ogle him as he got out of bed and started putting on his outfit. Nathan watched her out of the corner of his eye, smirking and trying to put on a little show as he pulled on his trousers, almost falling in the process. Once he’d gotten his trousers on, she pulled her skant up over her head and pulled it down until she re-emerged through the top, sliding her arms into the short sleeves and quickly doing up the front zipper. Finally, she did up the clasps that help the front-flap of the uniform done, admiring Nathan as he finished getting dressed as well.
Hopper: Good boy. ::Smirking:: And, since we didn’t get distracted this time, I think we still have time for breakfast…
Richards: ::Straightening the pips on his collar:: Great. ::Smirking:: I’m starving.
Robin approached the bedroom door as it slid open and stepped out into the kitchen, still barefoot, looking over her shoulder to see if he was following. As she entered the main living space, her personalised ‘morning radio’ program began playing quiet music through the apartment’s built-in speakers.
Hopper: I’m not surprised…
She made her way to the island, turned around and leaned against it, palms out on the edge of the countertop. She couldn’t help but smile at his puppy-like grin as he followed her out into the kitchen, making his way over to her. She embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he placed his hands on her hips.
Hopper: You worked up an appetite last night, mm?
Richards: What, you didn’t? You are very demanding, after all.
Hopper: I’m just trying to make up for lost time…
They locked eyes for a moment before coming together for a proper kiss that neither of them seemed inclined to part from. Eventually, though, the need to breathe superseded the need to smooch, and they broke off – Robin’s eyes remaining closed a moment longer as she savoured the moment.
Hopper: Hmmm… ::Eyes open:: Tragically, we can’t get through the day on that alone. So, what’ll it be?
She pushed him away playfully and sashayed towards the fridge-mounted replicator, moving her feet to the beat of the music. She already knew black coffee was on order, and began replicating a to-go mug for Nate, placing it on the counter behind her as she depressed the button that would produce a cup of chai for herself. Nathan smiled as he watched her move around the small kitchen. She had an energy in the morning that he only wished he could replicate.
Richards: Might need to go for something I can eat on the way, I think. ::Sipping his coffee, thinking:: Maybe a burrito or sandwich or something.
Robin nodded and turned back to the replicator, wrapping an arm around her middle and resting the other elbow on it, tapping her lips in consideration. She absent-mindedly hummed along to the song and swayed her shoulders as she thought.
Hopper: Alright… ::To the replicator, speaking Low Centauran:: Zyot Fikarionin Voristh, warm – and wrapped to go.
Nathan leaned on the counter, and watched Robin slowly sway and dance to the music that played throughout her apartment, every movement she made absolutely captivated him. He pushed himself up and moved over to her, putting a hand on her waist and gently turning her so they could dance – the time and replicator all but forgot as they moved together with the music. After a moment, there was a light chirp that sounded from Nathan’s personal PADD that sat on the counter. The dreaded indication that he needed to leave.
Richards: ::Sighing:: Dammit.
Robin patted his chest reassuringly and turned back to the replicator, a goofy smile spreading across her face as she fetched two items – both wrapped in identical blue paper wrappers – and passed one to him. She repeated the phrase and explained, for his benefit.
Hopper: Fikarionin Voristh. “Breakfast of Seaweed.” It’s Centauran – a sort of ‘wrap’… ::Smile:: Guess I’m ‘in a mood’ with the fam here. ::Wink:: You’ll like it. ::Holding the other one aloft:: I made zyot – that’s “two.” One for me and one for you.
Nathan took the wrap in his left hand, while placing his right on Robin’s cheek. He gave her one last kiss before he turned for the door, which slid open as he approached. Pausing in the doorway, he turned to her with a smile.
Richards: I’ll see you for lunch?
Hopper: ::Grinning:: And I’ll see you… ::Gesturing him out the door:: Now, go! Go!
TBC in Part 2…
Lt. Commander Robin Hopper
Chief Science Officer,
Amity Outpost
V239806K11
&
Lieutenant Nathan Richards
Engineering Officer,
Amity Outpost
A239905NR1