A/N: Obligatory disclaimer here, since I don't have any connection to Star Trek, and so don't own the characters, setting, etc; and no profit is being made. Also, just a general warning, this is the first piece of writing I've done in a long time, and definitely the first I've posted in a very, very long time, so I hope you'll all be gentle with it, and perhaps leave some good reviews. 8)

With that said, let's get on with the story.

"Ah. Then, you wish to enter into a -romantic- relationship with me?"

Data's dry, straight tone made the comment seem more like a statement than a question, but the way the android tilted his head to the side slightly in open curiosity, let Geordi LaForge know it was intended to be one. The engineer let out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew this was going to be difficult, but he hadn't expected to have these little hiccups this early. The unexpected, additional dialogue was making him more nervous by the second. Of course, he should have guessed that Data would initially misunderstand his request to 'go out' with him, but for the android to question both 'date' and 'relationship'... That had to mean something, right? That wasn't a good sign.

"That's the short and long of it, Data." Geordi agreed, placing his hands on his hips, pointing his visor down towards the android's feet. Like always his visor was picking up all sorts of electromagnetic waves emanating from his mechanical friend, not too different from a human really, just... brighter. He could always tell when he was looking at Data, even when he couldn't pick up distinct features, and he found he had a habit of staring at Data often when they were in the same room, like a moth drawn to a flame.

"I see." Data nodded, and Geordi looked up to see the bright electromagnetic waves that represented Data frown. Geordi frowned too, worried. Data looked almost... troubled - that wasn't a good sign at all. After a brief moment, Data shifted in a way that let the Chief Engineer know the android was going to make some sort of logical statement - and he wasn't going to like it. "Geordi, I am not sure that this is advisable."

"O-oh." He was surprised at his own stammering, and how shocked he sounded. He shook his head a bit to clear it, reminding himself that he had no reason to expect a 'yes'. Data had agreed to trial-run romances with humans in the past, but that didn't mean he had to agree now. It was his decision.

He just... hadn't expected to feel so heartbroken over it.

After another moment, he looked back up at Data, who was still frowning, and who once again had his head tilted – this time in a way Geordi had come to identify as concern. Geordi smiled as reassuringly as he could and gestured vaguely, "Well, that's no problem. I just... Well, I thought I'd ask."

With that he was turning and preparing to leave Data's quarters (where he'd come specifically to make this awkward little confession of his), hoping to have a chance to go back to his own rooms and collect himself a bit before he had to report to Engineering later that morning. Before he'd made it a few steps, however, Data was calling out to him.

"Geordi, I do not want you to misunderstand me."

Geordi stopped and turned around, making a small groaning sound. An explanation was really the last thing he wanted at the moment, especially as he knew explanations were Data's way of handling a situation where the humans around him were having emotional issues that the android didn't understand. Data was going to try to make him feel better, but Geordi didn't think that was going to work quite as well today as it usually did.

"Data..." He started, but before he could stop him the android had already launched into his speech.

"I base my hypothetical projection on a number of statistics I have gathered from previous endeavors of this nature, as well as data I collected from various sources during my research on human romantic encounters. My analysis shows, that while there is a slight increase in the likelihood that I will succeed in adapting to a romantic relationship, where I have previously failed, there is also a troubling increase in the chances that a failure here will cause lasting damage to our -current- relationship. Thus, I consider the risk inadvisable." There was a pause, in which Data tilted forward slightly, with another expressive tilt of his head – this time, in the way Data did, occasionally, when he was attempting to divulge something he considered to be insightful. Geordi noted with a bit of amusement that he usually used it when he was trying out a new human phrase someone taught him - often with mixed results. "This conclusion has no bearing on your attractiveness as a potential mate."

Geordi, meanwhile had been listening to this with an increasing sense of realization, and by the end he had to laugh, though he knew that would confuse Data. But all LaForge could do was put a hand on his head and chuckle at the naivety of his best friend. The companion he'd spent so much time with, and who he really ought to know better by now, but who never ceased to surprise him.

Once the chuckles faded, Geordi looked up at the bright waves of light that he knew as Data and grinned. "You know, Data, that's a very human thing to say?" At the android's puzzled expression, he just shook his head and continued. "You're worried that getting into a... romantic relationship, is going to ruin our friendship. And that, if it doesn't work out, we won't be able to be friends again." He explained, gesturing out with his hands a bit. This was something he was used to doing, putting Data's computational analysis into human terms, and it was something he found became easier and easier the more he realized just how human the android really was. Geordi was smiling by the time he got to the end. "Most humans worry about things like that, Data. Heck, I was worried about it too."

Data, like always, was listening raptly, and took a moment to process this new information before nodding. "I see." Then another curious tilt of the head, this one slightly... expectant. "Then, what was your conclusion?"

Geordi pursed his lips a bit at that one, crossing his arms and taking a second to think over what he was going to say. That was another thing about Data, he really made him think – sometimes about things he was sure he would never have had the occasion to think about if it weren't for his unusual friend - and he found that over time, more and more, he was able to talk to Data openly and honestly about anything. "Well, I was just thinking, I probably spend more time with you than just about anyone else on this ship -" He paused when Data looked like he was about to cut in, and amended quickly without even thinking about it, glancing over at the orange tabby napping on Data's chair, "- Except maybe Spot."

Data nodded, and LaForge smiled and continued where he left off. "I can't pretend I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I mean, we both know more about each other than anyone else – I know you inside and out." He grinned a bit sheepishly there, thinking of how many times he'd helped Data work on his circuitry over the years, and how odd it always felt for him to see the physical proof that his friend was not human. Of course Data didn't seem to mind and merely nodded for him to continue.

"And, sure, there's a chance that it'll fall apart, that it'll be hard, but that'll be up to us, not statistics, Data." Geordi continued seriously, moving one hand to rub the back of his own head again. "Basically, my conclusion was that, more than I thought about what would happen if it didn't work out, I kept thinking, what if it did." At that he looked up at Data with a renewed determination. "And, I think I'm willing to take that risk, Data."

Once again Data took some time to process the new information before responding. "Your conclusion has many valid points." He began, in a way that Geordi did not see as promising, but Data was not frowning anymore, and seemed to be a bit more pensive. "I have discovered that, on board the Enterprise, there are many decisions that are statistically inadvisable, but are conversely the correct course of action. I believe it is described in human terms as, 'beating the odds'."

"Yeah, you said it." Geordi smiled at Data's conspiratorial nod and inflection on the human expression that was so foreign and mystifying to him. It was that tiny, playful nature in the android that had sparked Geordi's interest in the beginning, and he was fairly sure he could never get tired of seeing it.

Data nodded once again, looking pleased at his proper use of a term, then, with another slight tilt of the head that Geordi associated with Data understanding something new and fascinating to him about humans, he continued, "Then, I think I would be amenable to attempting to 'beat the odds' with you, Geordi."

Geordi's non-functional eyes flew open behind his visor and he blinked a few times, rapidly. "Wha- Really?" He stammered slightly again, before steadying himself. "You mean... you and me?"

Data, naturally, was perplexed at the outburst, but caught on to his meaning right away this time. "Yes."

"That's great!" The Chief Engineer said, somewhat lamely, grinning helplessly, "Oh. Wow."

For a while he had no idea what to do, he had nearly convinced himself that this was a futile effort, and part of him, panicking, wanted to call the whole thing off – but, luckily, that was a rather small part, compared to the overwhelming part of himself that was fighting the impulse to just reach over and kiss his best friend. He had to fight that urge really, really hard.

Meanwhile, Data's perplexed expression had turned into another one of his curious head tilts. "Your excitement is very flattering, but I would recommend that you not harbor any preconceived expectations of me." Data said, the words seeming negative, but his tone was lively and perpetually intrigued again. That was definitely how he preferred to have Data sound.

"I know. I'm sorry, Data. Let's just take it one step at a time." Geordi replied, squashing all thoughts of kissing out of his mind forcefully, before grinning slyly and nudging Data lightly in the side with his elbow."I guess you'll be writing another romantic sub-routine for this, huh?"

For a moment Data seemed puzzled yet again, before shaking his head in a mimic of Geordi. "Not at all." The engineer had enough time to wonder if Data had in fact kept the subroutines he used in is previous encounters, and whether or not he would be okay with recycled romance, when suddenly he had Data's soft and smooth lips pressed against his own, and his neural pathways flooded with Data's bright, bright lights. Before he could even realize what was happening, the kiss was over and he was already breathless. He didn't know what to say, but fortunately Data seemed to know, and was once again giving a cute little tilt of his head, this one Geordi identified as the one he did when he had to explain something he thought was obvious.

"I already have one for you Geordi."