Tale of the Lobster Girl
Rating: T (someone swears like a trooper) (Is that the right rating? God, I'm so slow tonight!)
Author's notes: When I think summer, I think of the evil sunburn I seem to get every fricking year. So, when asked for a fic on VAMB that was, "A J/C summer story, something to take me away from the wetness of this summer. Anything can happen but there has to be a happy ending," well, I just instantly thought of what happens here. So, sit back, relax, and remember I don't own these characters, I barely have any semblance of control over the plot, I'm just playing in the garden that canon provides me.
Oh, and apparently, I'm insane!
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Tale of the Lobster Girl
"I'll be outside if you need me, Comm... Chakotay." She was always outside, what else could she do? Kathryn walked out of their shared have on New Earth into glorious sunlight. The sun's heat wasn't cloying; a light breeze paraded through the trees to meet her at the door. Everything felt new as she walked barefoot through the fields, yet surprisingly familiar.
Finding the perfect spot - one field over and next to the ever flowing river - she nested herself delicately between her piles of PADDs. Stories and puzzles were hidden between mounds of data and DNA code. Chakotay would put them there, hoping she wouldn't notice. Smiling, she relaxed, lying down on the soft blanket, reading 'The Tale of The Gecko And The Coyote.'
"Sly, fun loving Coyote was jealous of the Gecko, the animals of the land loving her loyalty and her level temperament. Angered by the fact that Gecko didn't want all the attention, Coyote planned to make her a laughing stock..."
"Kathryn? Wake up. It's dinner time," a voice whispered in her ear.
"Five more minutes mom," she muttered before rolling to her side, her face relaxed in blissful slumber.
Chakotay smiled softly. To be called 'mom' worried him slightly, but the thought of innocent, young Kathryn warmed his heart--
She screamed.
"AAAAAH! Shit, shit, shit! Oh for shitty bloody shitty hell!"
"Uh?"
"Nothing, say nothing! Ugh, why the hell didn't you wake me up before now Chakotay?"
Staring mutely, Chakotay watched as Kathryn winced her way up from the floor.
"I cook quicker than lobster Chakotay!"
"I thought you were sensible enough to wear sun screen."
"Well, obviously you thought wrong! Oh for bloody hell's sake. I need to get the dermal regenerator ov-- what Commander?"
"We decided the first night we were here that the medical supplies were for life or death situation only."
"This is life or death Chakotay!"
"Then you locked them away in the shuttle and we promised that skin burns under third degree burns would be allowed to heal naturally."
Kathryn stared. How could she forget? Blinking, as if waking from a deep dream into a bright, sunburnt hell, she pouted, then nodded slightly, bristling with the pain flowing through her skin. "I need the after sun lotion then."
If anyone told Chakotay at the start of their voyage that he'd be applying lotion to the captain a scant year and a half after meeting her, he would have laughed. She was Starfleet through and through - no way would he be applying lotion onto her superheated skin. But here he was - a burnt captain knelt between his legs, mewling softly in pain. He was gentle as he applied the lotion - hands as soft as silk. Slowly, ever so slowly, the mewls of pain changed to groans of relief, the sailor speak away for now.
"Lower, it still stings there," she muttered.
"You'll need to lie down then Kathryn." Kneeling had been the most comfortable position for her, the skin on her back only slightly relaxed.
"Fine..."
"So... Why sunbathe in such a low cut dress?" he asked, trying to keep his face neutral. It still felt as if she had eyes in the back of her head.
"It was never my intention to sunbathe, Chakotay. I fell asleep in the sun."
"I found you surrounded by PADDs, young lady, an--"
"Young lady!? Who the hell are you (ouch) calling young lady?!" she cried from underneath him.
"You. You're younger than I am--"
"By about three years!"
"But you're still younger... What put you to sleep?"
Turning her face away, her cheeks flushed. "The Coyote and the Gecko."
Chuckling, he applied some more lotion; his hands smelt of aloe and roses. "My mother would tell that story to Sekaya before bed. It was her favourite story."
Kathryn's face changed, a soft smile gracing her lips. "It seems I'm in good company."
They fell into a comfortable silence.
"Uh... Chakotay...? What are you doing?"
"My mother would do this when Sekaya or I had hurt ourselves. It's called kissing it better."
Her back relaxed further under his kisses. "Chakotay, I think you'll have to keep doing that for some time."
Smiling, he whispered delicately in her ear, "For you, I have all the time in the world."
Fin.
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Hope you like it! Tell me how much... Go on. You know you want to. It'll be fun. You'll like it.