[BACKSIMM] JP Lieutenant Commanders Lael Rosek & Chythar Skyfire: An Important Question, Pt. 2
Lael Rosek
OOC: Set before Lael’s “Long Distance Date Night”
(( Golden Gate Park, California, Earth ))
{{Time Index: Stardate 239701.27, Evening}}
He nodded again. This time, he felt a wave of excitement at the fact he’d be able to see his niece again. The thought of becoming a father was at first slightly overwhelming. It took him a few moments to process the request, and finally spoke.
Skyfire: That’s...that’s fine. Yes.
Hesitating at the tone of his response, she searched his eyes for the sincerity she desperately hoped to find. She knew it was a rather large bombshell and, in all honesty, hadn’t expected him to say yes right away. It was a lifetime commitment. She’d known from the moment she’d received the call what her answer would be. She’d wanted for so long to be a mother. If this was her chance to be, she wasn’t about to pass it up.
Rosek: ::pauses:: Are you sure? You can take some time to think about it if you’d like. I know it’s a huge commitment.
He had come to realize that despite everything he had been through, the reason why he was so open to the idea of being a father to a young lady like Maddy was because he didn’t have much in the way of a family. Only Chris, who was practically blood. He hadn’t spent enough time around Natalia to really understand his role as an uncle, but he had spent plenty of time around Maddy before her untimely departure. His gaze conveyed the “steady as a rock” sincerity she was looking for.
Skyfire: I’m sure. I don’t need to think about it. Permission granted.
Their gazes met and neither said anything for a long moment. How long had she and this man been friends? How long had she fought the deeper attraction she felt for him? There had been a spark from that day in the Sto’vo’kor Lounge, but they’d both been with other people. That had been the story the entirety of their friendship. Either one or both of them were with someone, making it impossible to explore something deeper.
But now, both of them were single. Nothing stood in the way of them trying this out. Even the distance was relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. Certainly, there were their jobs. But Lael had enough leave time banked from years of not using it and she was certain Chythar did, too.
Her eyes dropped from his and squeezed his hand. The affectionate gesture was like the connecting of two wires. She became more acutely aware of him with the physical touch, lacing her fingers with his. Until this moment, she hadn’t realized just how many times they touched in some way when they were around one another. It was natural for them and always had been. That fact alone made it harder to resist the impulse to dive into this head first.
The tension had existed for so long between them that it was overwhelming to think that the barriers that had once kept them from crossing that line were almost non-existent. The only thing holding her back now was the fear of how much it would hurt if she lost the one stable force in her life.
He squeezed her hand in return. The tension that had existed between them before was now gone. There was nothing standing between them now. It took him a moment to exhale and relax as the emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
Rosek: ::pauses:: Dinner? ::smiles wanly:: I’d love to hear more about what you’ve been doing since we were reassigned.
It was possibly the worst idea considering how close she was to blowing every good intention she had out of the water, but she felt a need to spend more time with him. Maybe she’d get the courage to say what she’d been thinking from the moment they’d sat down on this bench.
He nodded slightly. It sounded good, and finally his tongue once again worked.
Skyfire: Sure. Dinner sounds good.
Rosek: I heard Akiko’s has good sushi. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s about a mile from the beach. They added rooftop dining recently that I’ve heard has some pretty good views.
Skyfire: Rooftop dining, you say? Sushi? :: in Japanese. :: Oishi-sōdesu ne. Ikou. (Sounds delicious. Let’s go.)
((Roof, Akiko’s, San Francisco, California, Earth))
{{Time Index: 45 minutes later}}
She stared out into the night, the moonlight glimmering over the surface of the San Francisco Bay, the lights of the Bay Bridge casting an eerie glow on the buildings laid out below them. Beyond the streets was the beach, empty save for a single bonfire a ways down in one direction. She could barely make out the silhouettes of people dancing and watching the embers of the fire burning.
Sighing, she took another sip of the sake. Enough to relax her nerves and make her less anxious about the fact that she’d just asked her best friend to let her add him as Maddy’s adoptive father if she was able to get custody. A slight grimace twisted her features and she felt a pang of guilt that she wasn’t trusting God’s timing on this. But she was tired of waiting for the right man to come along to have a family and for the process as a whole.
He had a sip of sake, muscles relaxed. He felt relief, to some extent, that this thus far hadn’t exploded in his face. However, his ability to trust in the grand design set before him by their mutual faith was… questioning. He didn’t know what the overall plan was, but he didn’t know what else to do at the moment.
Pushing aside her anxieties and uncertainties, she reached for Chythar’s hand and laid hers on top of it, allowing his presence to be her anchor. No matter what laid ahead for them, this moment was perfect. A smile curved the corners of her lips and she took another drink of her sake.
Rosek: ::softly:: The bay looks so peaceful.
He closed his eyes and let her hand rest on his, and he felt himself relax a bit more. He felt the calm that emanated from her body. The calm was something he needed right now.
Skyfire: It does indeed.
Their first rolls arrived and Lael released Chythar’s hand, offering the server a smile and a nod of thanks. The man returned the smile and bowed slightly before leaving them to their meal. Picking up the pair of chopsticks sitting nearby, she carefully picked up a piece of the sake roll and dipped the edge of it in her soy sauce, then added a small dab of wasabi.
He smiled softly and added a bit of wasabi to his soy sauce before he picked up the piece of tekka maki, dipping it into the bowl. He felt strangely at peace, and bit into the roll without another word. Once he’d finished that individual piece, he nodded slightly and returned his mind to the conversation topic she’d suggested before they got here.
Skyfire: I’ve been busy slinging coffee and working in sickbay on my days in the rotation. Haven’t renewed my contract with Starfleet yet, but I was thinking about doing so.
She remembered well the incident that had led to him going on a sabbatical of sorts, her eyebrows arching in surprise when he brought up renewing his contract with the Fleet. It had been disappointing to see him take a step back, but she’d understood his reasons well enough. As much as she wanted to get back out there, she still wasn’t sure what she was going to do.
Of course, she’d be teaching at least one course over the summer, possibly continuing work on the Warp XV project. But did she really want another posting aboard a starship? Her gaze dropped to her sushi, taking another bite and chewing thoughtfully.
She’d rolled the thought over in her mind more than once of remaining stationed here on Earth for awhile. It was a nice change of pace from the hectic life of a starship, though part of her missed the adventure. One day, maybe she’d get back out there. But for now, she was content where she was.
Skyfire: You aren’t saying anything. Talk to me.
She looked up, confused for a moment, before she realized how long she’d been silent. Reaching out a hand, she squeezed his.
Rosek: ::smiles wanly:: Sorry. Just thinking. ::pauses:: I haven’t decided when I’m going to resume serving on a starship...if ever.
Skyfire: You considering not renewing your contract with the fleet?
Rosek: ::shakes her head:: Of course I’m going to renew. I just haven’t decided if I want to remain stationed on Earth or if I want to go back to life aboard a starship. ::pauses:: If the courts decide I’m an eligible guardian, the adoption process could take awhile. ::pauses:: I almost gave up my commission when I became Maddy’s guardian just so she could live a somewhat normal life.
Chythar had voluntarily given up his commission following his mental breakdown aboard the Montreal. During his time on Earth this trip, he’d gone to Starfleet Medical for that psych eval that he’d been putting off for forever. He was ready to go back into service, in the event that someone was willing to take him.
Skyfire: Right.
Truth be told, she missed being out in the black. She remembered well the adventures they’d had and would never forget the thrill of standing on that bridge, staring Lenik down and daring him to test her. Despite his haughty response, she hadn’t lost her composure. She was proud of that fact.
Rosek: ::pauses:: I do miss it. ::smiles wanly:: I always felt a draw toward command. Even with the setback my first year at the Academy, I never lost my desire for it. ::gaze drops to her plate:: I always figured I’d get there someday.
Skyfire: I miss it too. Weird coffee, sickbay...starships...all of it.
Her gaze went again to the horizon, the last of the light fading as the sun sank below the horizon. A thought had entered her mind at Golden Gate Park earlier and had persistently lingered. Chythar had likely caught it, but was choosing to remain silent. They were both single. No one would fault them if they tested the waters of the attraction that had once (and for her part, still did) existed between them. But could she take that risk with him? Could she chance their friendship on something as fleeting as a night?
He didn’t know if she had intended to broadcast, but he was picking up her desires loud and clear. He took a breath and decided to chance it, kissing her gently.
It surprised her at first, though it really shouldn’t have. Because of their connection, she was like an open book to him. Closing her eyes, she sighed and brought a hand up to cradle his cheek, keeping the contact light. It was a gentle exploration compared to the usual passion she expressed with lovers. But he was different from anyone else she’d ever met.
Though she was naturally assertive, she didn’t feel the need to hide behind that with him. She could be vulnerable with him and not worry that he would take advantage of that fact.
She pulled back slightly and leaned her forehead against his, her thumb gently caressing his jawline.
Rosek: ::murmurs:: Well, that was unexpected.
When the kiss broke, he gave a slight chuckle. There was something in the way she reacted that triggered the reaction. It took him a moment to regain his composure before he spoke.
Skyfire: Always expect the unexpected. That way you’re never disappointed.
Opening her eyes, she met his gaze and smiled softly. It wasn’t like him to be so assertive, but she was finding she liked it. He’d grown so much in the years that they’d known each other. She’d dated man after man, but none had been able to keep up with her.
It had always been different with him. They had their disagreements, sure. He did something she didn’t like or she was unnecessarily reckless with her own life. They were who they were. Somehow, though, that was okay. They’d come to accept each other as they were and still support one another anyway.
Rosek: ::laughs softly:: I must be rubbing off on you.
Skyfire: I ‘ave no idea what you’re on about, Lael.
Her smile widening, she pulled back and angled her head slightly as she leaned in to brush her lips against his again. She was careful to take it slowly, not wanting to overwhelm either of them and create an emotional feedback loop. That was the danger of being an empath, one she’d experienced first hand more than once.
Rosek: ::murmurs:: Do we really want to start this? You’re leaving in a few days, headed back to your ship. I’m here for God knows how long waiting to see if the adoption process goes through--
Skyfire: I’m a civilian, darling. There are other people on the ship who run the Brew just as well as I do, and my absence from sickbay probably won’t be noticed. If you want my support until the process finishes, you shall have it.
END
----
Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek, Eng.D.
Chief Engineer
USS Atlantis, NCC-74682
I238110RH0
&
PNPC Chythar Skyfire, MD
Barista
USS Veritas NCC-95035
O239002CS0