Taking the Plunge
Posted on Wed Sep 8th, 2010 @ 11:55am by Lieutenant Commander Dylan Blake & Petty Officer 3rd Class Sehra Vahn
Edited on on Sun Dec 29th, 2013 @ 12:37am
3,713 words; about a 19 minute read
Mission:
The Clarity of Informed Sight
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: Reasonably current
"Well I suppose I could have the program open on the top of the hill but then what would we do for exercise? Come on, it's not that much further. Believe in the power of the underpants!"
Breathlessly Blake laughed feeling light headed and nauseous as he stummbled, gropping the in darkness behind her.
Walking backwards up a steep slope in practically pitch black darkness having already consumed two glasses of champagne from one of two bottles supplied by one's parents on one's last visit home was perhaps not the best idea ever concocted but if there was anything positive to be said it was that Sehra was far too light-headed to really notice any discomfort as she landed on her behind with a thud, her feet still tangled up in the fallen branched she'd inadvertantly stumbled backwards over. The ensuing fit of giggles was adequate reassurance that not even her pride had been hurt by the fall and, instead, she reached up with both hands to her companion, left to carry the remaining bottle of champagne as well as both glasses, and waggled them about impatiently as she waited for him to help her up.
Dlyan was laughting too much to help her up straight away. He could see her sillhoute struggling in the darkness like a turtle that had been rolled on its back with its limbs flaying.
"That's not normally there," she rambled, not actually as affected by the alcohol so much as just suffused with her "Back home, that stick has never existed, absolutely not. I just put that there to remind people to watch their step. So watch it!" She grinned. "Mr. Puff-a-lot."
Forceing himself to strand up right have been doubled over with laughter at her predicament. "Me, puff a lot? It's not my fault this hill's so bloody steep!" he faked a hurt expression. "You know I might just leave you there, call it revenge." He moved closer to her then with a glint of humour he stepped over her, blocking the waxing moon from her view. "I bet you're ticklish!" Dylan bent over her tickling her sides causing them both of laugh harder still.
Then with a unsteady wopple Dylan too fell into the thicket with fresh laughter.
"Serves you right! I might have known the rogue couldn't mind his manners forever."
Crawlilng back onto her feet wasn't exactly the most graceful move Sehra had ever executed but it was exactly what she did, finding her way onto her hands and knees first and then delicately picking her way through the gorse, with her behind stuck in the air, until she found a clearer patch of ground upon which to straighten. She had climbed these hills, or at least the real versions, numerous times throughout her childhood and had even traversed them in the dead of night on several occasions, though admittedly not at this altitude and never more than fifteen or twenty minutes away from her house. The particular outcrop they were shooting for had always been a favourite retreat during those rare occasions when the Betazoid had needed fresh air and solitude but this was the first time she'd attempted the trek, even in an artificial environment, in the dark whilst slightly tipsy.
She squinted up at the moon.
And then grinned down at her companion. "You know, the view is much better from up there. Of course, if you need a rest, I'll completely understand. I forget how arduous this kind of thing can be when a person gets on in years." Her eyes glinted in the pale light overhead as she moved to stand over Dylan, her hands placed firmly on her hips. "Shall I piggy-back you, old man?"
While Sehra creapt out of the thicket Dylan was still thrashing trying to free is larger feet caught up in the undergrowth. He did however find the bottle of bubbly and glasses she had disgarded.
He was still hooting with laughter at his prediciment: "Old man!" he gapsed. "I'll show you!"
He pushed himself up, half stumbling and ran with weaving strides around Serha and up the hill hearing her call after him.
He had to agree, this was nice. Sitting at the brow of the hill with the moon high above them and the twinkle of lights from the city below., the company too was lovely.
"Why did you bring me here?" he asked rolling his head toward her, tapping his fingers upon the half drunken glass of champagne in his hand. "Was it so you could cross examine me, analyze me like your patients? Or something else?"
"Oh, I brought you here, did I?" The impish reply was delayed only as long as it took Sehra to swallow her mouthful. "I simply wanted to come to a favoured childhood getaway so that I could enjoy the rest of my evening in peace, it's hardly my fault that senior officers find me irresisitable and choose to follow me around." Grinning in the darkness, the Betazoid leaned sideways the scant inches to bump Dylan playfully with her shoulder and then shrugged it as she sobered enough to reply with a little more seriousness. "Besides, my parents gave me this champagne. Call it nostalgia but this seemed like the place to finish it." Glancing upwards towards the waning moon, Sehra smiled softly, a tenderness that was mostly masked by the darkness, and let out a slow breath. "I used to come up here a lot."
"Perhaps you should return to visit. Catch up with your friends and family - trust me when I did my parents were rather unwilling to let me go!" He followed her gaze upward noting the heavy longness in her tone.
"My sister is getting married at the end of the year, I've already booked my leave so I'm kind of stuck until then." Though her voice was as light and conversational as it always was, Sehra hadn't taken her eyes off the patch of stars she'd focused on moments earlier and though the moonlight was creating more shadows than were helpful, the Betazoid's silhouetted profile betrayed an element of her wistfulness. Sehra loved her job but she missed home, missed her family, and though she and Dylan had managed to enjoy themselves, their earlier conversation had not receded perhaps as much as the young telepath would have liked. She was on a starship full of people, surrounded by those she could now comfortably call friends; why was it she felt inexplicably lonely all of a sudden? She smiled wanely though she kept her eyes fixed on the sky above, her voice dropping to a hushed murmur as if to respect the serenity of the moment. "Can't miss another stint at being a bridesmaid, after all."
Dylan shifted choosing to lay in the grass, admiring the way she was silhouetted against the stars. "You'd look stunning I suspect," he said with a fading smile. The buoyancy of the evening seemed to be fading, and their pervious sober moods returning.
"I'm afraid marriage doesn't have the same ring to me anymore, one day maybe but not for a few more years. Although I hope your sister will be happy, people deserve it.
"She's found her Imzadi," Sehra replied, finally grinning down at her companion as she watched him for a moment and then settled down in her own patch of heather, head cushioned beneath her hands, so that she could stargaze properly. The holodeck hadn't quite got the crispness of the night air right but that was because, as much as she was used to the cold, Sehra couldn't quite bring herself to purposefully freeze within minutes. It was still cold, however, enough that the body heat of the man beside her was palpable. "For Betazoids, that's something of a big deal though it's not necessarily guaranteed." Turning her head back to the starry expanse above, the brunette pondered quietly for a moment and then added softly, "A lot of people never make that connection."
"I guess she's among the lucky ones," Blake heard himself say. Then with a sigh he turned his head toward her, rolling onto his side for comfort.
"I'm sorry Sehra, I'm being a sourpuss. Thanks for this evening its been fun, though embarrassing but fun, and here I am ruining all that laughter."
"You don't have to apologise, listening to sourpusses moan is part of my job." Picking up a stray twig, Sehra grinned as she tapped its sparse leaves against the engineer's nose before her features softened along with her tone. "Besides, I don't think a little melancholy once in a while will brand you as a killjoy. You do a pretty good job at being cheerful most days." Regarding him for a moment, Sehra then smiled gently, a tenderness that was as sincere as her usual display of vivacity even though it was far rarer. "After all, I'm a telepath and I didn't realise we had relationship woes in common."
"Once bitten twice shy, or so they say. I guess we're just good at hiding our hurt by being unnaturally cheery." Blake shrugged his shoulders causing the heather to rustle in the cool night. "Life would be too perfect if we didn't have regrets, heartache and emotions - I'd make a terrible Vulcan."
"Hey, my cheeriness is completely natural," quipped the Betazoid, grinning before turning thoughtful, her silence lingering a little longer than was normal before she turned onto her side, propped her head up on her hand and fixed her friend with an intent gaze that revealed the depth of feeling that so many liked to assume she was incapable of. "It's not unusual for people to assume you have nothing on your mind because you choose to move past it though. When you have a psychology degree, it's just as likely that they'll expect you to have all the answers." Sehra chuckled quietly and, for a moment, betrayed an element of weariness. "Can I tell you a secret though?" Smiling wanely, she continued without waiting for the unnecessary response, "I fail at relationships. Of the romantic nature. Completely and totally and utterly." It was the first time the telepath had ever expressed a lack of confidence but there was nothing self-pitying about her tone. Wherever her conviction had stemmed from, it was resolute.
Intrigued Blake rolled nearer mirroring her by propping his head upon his arm too. "What makes you say that? I mean, without sounding rude it shouldn't be too hard to understand the other person. Me, for example we have to keep second guessing and dating is like walking through a mind field. One wrong word or gesture and - bang you've blown it and she's already walked."
"Telepathy doesn't quite work that easily," Sehra replied wryly but without offense. "On Betazed, the society is open by Terran standards, for sure, but it's...." The brunette screwed her nose up. Explaining telepathy to non-telepaths was always difficult because it was the nuances and instincts that made half the difference and those were almost intangible. "Context matters. I may be able to sense when someone is anxious or excited or angry and most Betazoids have a good intuition when it comes to dishonesty but that doesn't mean we automatically understand why. Knowing that someone is unhappy isn't the same as knowing what to do about it."
Sighing, Sehra dropped her eyes and began picking at the grass between them. "Even knowing doesn't mean you can do anything about it. If someone wants something you can't give them, something that compromises your own happiness, then it makes no difference how much knowledge you have. I just..." Though it was completely out of character and perhaps partially the fault of the champagne, the telepath paused for a moment with a dejected tilt to her head, the sparkling spirit that was her trademark faltering long enough to reveal a layer that rarely saw daylight. "There was someone, once. I thought it was... Well, it doesn't matter what I thought it was. At least I had three years, " she added, trying to be optimistic as she looked up sadly into Dylan's eyes. "More than some people get."
Looking between the tufts of grass Sehra had pulled up in her explaination and her dark eyes, bravely he reached out and stilled her hand with his own.
"I'd say you were quite lucky. Definitely more then most, more then what I've had. You'll find someone else I'm sure."
The physical contact was a comfort without causing any awkwardness, Sehra's nature being such that she tended to be reasonably tactile as a preference anyway. Even their proximity was something that she enjoyed without placing too much emphasis on it because if there was one thing that could be said for the Betazoid it was that she could find pleasure in small things without craving more. Purposefully shifting her hand so that she could lace her fingers with Dylan's, the brunette smile and replied, "The universe is full of opportunities, that's for sure, as long as you leave yourself open to them." She arched an eyebrow, pointedly adding with mischievous affection, "Filling your life with meaningless liasions so that you don't have to risk heartache again probably doesn't count though," having heard enough about his so-called reputation to draw some vague conclusions. Grinning, she then gave his hand a squeeze and softened her tone as well as her expression, "You should be like this more often, life just passes you by when you don't take risks. Getting hurt is painful, I know, but letting it ruin any future happiness is just..." The telepath wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "Don't you ever wish you could just do something? Forget worrying about how much it could backfire and just do it."
Blake's eyes flashed in the moonlight enjoying the way their hands connected and how understanding Sehra was on various levels. Her suggestive questioning bought a smile to his lips half wondering if the champagne was talking or if Sehra was still in her right mind.
"Yes," he answered softly feeling himself inch closer to her like their was an invisible bond pulling him in. "All the time..." his tone had now dropped to a whisper that hovered in the night air his face now closer he could count every single curved eyelash and trace the moons shadow across her cheek.
Feeling a level of tension building in his own body and the first niggles of rejection forming he surged ahead gently pressing his lips against hers in a possible futile attempt to show her how he felt.
Giggly as she had been, Sehra had actually thought she'd been sobering up until Dylan's lips met hers with an unexpectedness that seemed foolish once she'd considered the situation. The telepath normally prided herself in knowing her own mind better than that but though she had thought she'd been talking generalistically, that her question applied to life and just about any situation without needing to carry an element of suggesting, it seems possible once the engineer's warmth was palpable that her subconscious had concocted a plan that her inebriated mind hadn't been aware of. Of all the half-realised truths her optimism tended to push aside, loneliness had been the most persistent and though attraction had played no part in her pursuing a friendship with Dylan, something had started ticking away in the back of her mind once she realised his relationship choices were the result of heartache rather than permanent frivolity. She understood it, just has she had understood T'kaarch's sudden desire to bond with another person after so many years in isolation, but with Dylan she didn't feel like she was taking advantage of confusion. Content to let the moment of unity pass without demand, the brunette returned the kiss slowly and tenderly, trading passion for compassion because she didn't want the Lieutenant to think for a moment that she expected anything more from him than this honest display of genuine longing.
Breathlessly Dylan pulled back an inch or two before looking up into her sparkling eyes for a reaction since he had crossed an invisible barrier.
It was worth it however, he summarized having felt a surge of relief when she responded positively rather then to swot him around the jaw and storm off in disgust. That wouldn't have been the first time that had happened.
He pulled back further as if sensing trouble. "Sorry," he muttered. "I shouldn't have done that."
"Why not?"
They were two simple words and yet the tone with which they were spoken carried such a multitude of nuances that the impression they gave was that Sehra had said so much more. Her response was challenging and yet gentle, quietly teasing whilst at the same time conveying affection and perhaps a smidgen of her own nervousness. Lack of confidence didn't tend to plague her often but Sehra felt partially responsible for the kiss even though she hadn't instigated it and if Dylan was regreting it through lack of any significant amount of desire to have shared intimacy with her in particular, she'd have to kick herself. For exactly the same reason she had pulled the reins on T'kaarch, to allow him time to adjust without throwing himself headfirst into emotions he barely understood, she would have taken more care to keep her distance if Dylan was only risking unhappiness by seeking comfort from someone he didn't actually want it from.
Being a telepath really didn't help at all sometimes.
Maintaining eye contact and doing her best to hide all traces of her own insecurity, Sehra wet her bottom lip with her tongue and then added in a hushed, weakly joking tone, "Was it that bad?"
Dylan smiled with relief that she hadn't taken a fist to his face or recoiled. Instead she was encouragingly challenging him - that had to be good sign. In their short moments together he already knew that Sehra was unlike many of the other men and women he had frolicked with. Her personality and level of understanding went deep, drawing upon her training no doubt, but it was both refreshing and intriguing.
"No, actually," he replied softly. "It was wonderful, I just didn't know if that's what you meant or wanted."
"I didn't plan it," came the soft reply, followed by a gentle laugh. Though Sehra managed to avoid being blunt enough to hurt feelings most of the time, she still retained her people's tendency to favour honesty and integrity. There wasn't anything negative about her admission, nothing to suggest that the unexpectedness of this sudden turn was a problem in any way, but it seemed important to establish that she had been content with his friendship. Sehra somehow got the feeling that Dylan didn't set himself up for many lasting friendships. Squeezing his hand, the Betazoid then grazed her thumb against his and smiled. "But do you really think I'd do something I didn't want to?" The smile slowly turned into a grin. "Especially after lecturing you about taking the good risks life throws at you." The telepath's tone and expression softened, warm eyes scanning his face intently. "I'll only ever object if you're acting out of despair rather than desire, and that goes for anything. So, which is it?"
"I learned after my experience not to throw myself into a relationship, only touching enough of the surface to suffice. I guess I lost some of that confidence to long haul with a partner, finding it easier just to move on after an evening of emptiness." Dylan squeezed her hand in return caressing her thumb. "You've helped me remember the person I use to be before I had my heart broken. And you're right - I need to take more risks in love, and, and I found you attractive the very first time we met. I still do. Sehra, I like you, a lot, but I guess that depends on what you want. If you just want to be friends that's fine."
"I don't think we're ever going to stop being friends." Sehra's smile was warm to match the expression in her eyes, for once devoid of the mischievous gleam that was her trademark. "At least I hope not, we're surely both smart enough to stop before things get to that point. For all we know, we may never actually be more than friends, I gave up trying to predict the future when I was sure I was going to be married by the age of 22." Laughing softly, the Betazoid then sighed and leaned forward just far enough that the top of her head rested against the engineer's chin, a thoughtful silence lingering before she spoke again.
"Why don't you just ask me out again?" Tilting her head back, the brunette fixed Dylan with sparkling, affectionate eyes. "And after that, just keep asking me out and we'll see who gets tired of the other first." With a chuckle, she nudged his cheek with her nose and added, "In other words, I'm game if you are." It would involve a conversation with T'kaarch that she wasn't sure she was especially looking forward to given her desperate desire not to hurt her best friend but this was life. You lived it in the moment, but with care. Right now, this seemed...right.
Allowing the weight of his head to be manipulated with hers Dylan smiled emitting a throaty chuckle. "Very well. Sehra would like to go out with me, see a movie, have a few more drinks at least until we'll certain this is what we want?"
He lifted his hands, sliding up up and over her shoulders threading them deeply into her long hair enjoying the texture of her skin and the flawless complexion.
The grin that had been threatening finally won, transforming the Betazoid's features into the picture of impish delight. "There," Sehra remarked, leaning in a little closer, "that wasn't so hard, was it?"
A little interlude brought to you by:
Lt. Dylan Blake
Chief Operations Officer
USS Ranger
and
Petty Officer Sehra Vahn (PNPC McAdams)
Morale Officer
USS Ranger
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