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Unbeta'd. Read at your own risk...

Chapter 10

There was something in the air, Toshi thought, staring across the table at Novasch and T'Quilloc. Things were definitely...tense. The conversation was polite, but he felt a heaviness he couldn't identify, as though gravity had just increased.

The conversation was polite, but...stilted. Toshi could feel nothing from Novasch, and he hadn't really spoken at all since sitting down.

"That sounds quite lovely, T'Quilloc," Yumi said, then she stared down at her plate and squared her shoulders.

Toshi knew that meant she was getting her nerve to say something important.

Looking up at Novasch Yumi said in her most cheerful voice, "Novasch, you don't have to hide your feelings from us."

The heaviness in the air seemed to increase.

"It is the height of rudeness to inflict one's emotions on others," said Novasch. "I should have had better control of myself last night."

Yumi nodded, smiling slightly in discomfort and understanding. "Sometimes it is uncomfortable to others. But you are our friend...and we don't mind. We are used to gaijin being emotional."

Hadn't Yumi said it was hard for Novasch not to project? Was that the tension Toshi was feeling?

He looked at the Vulcan man sitting across from them. Novasch was carefully surveying his silverware.

"It's true Novasch. We are used to it," Toshi said. "At least you don't talk too loudly and draw attention to us."

"Or stretch your arms," added Yumi...wide gaijin gestures were so...unsettling. "We really don't mind you projecting your emotions. We're immune."

"Honto desu ne..." Toshi added for emphasis in their own language. They'd both been away from Japan for many years.

Suddenly, the tension in the air lifted. If Toshi hadn't known better he would have thought thunderclouds had just been replaced by clear skies.

He wasn't immediately overwhelmed by emotion...just tickled a bit...was that...curiosity?

"The pumpkin soup sounds very interesting," Novash said.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

The rest of the dinner went much better. Sometimes Novasch talked aloud. Sometimes he whispered into their minds -- sometimes Toshi wasn't sure which had occurred.

By the end of the meal everyone was very much at ease again. And then the waiter brought out the complementary chocolate truffles.

The two Vulcans stared at the tiny morsels. Toshi could feel Novasch's mouth watering.

Yumi once again spoke up. "It is very far to your cabin..."

This was of course Japanese for, 'we can't carry you that far, control yourselves!'

Fortunately, Novasch was telepathic. "Ah....perhaps we can take it back to our cabin and enjoy it there?" Novasch asked.

Toshi felt the air around him hum with hopefulness.

"We did receive a complementary bottle of champagne our first night," said T'Quilloc. "The maker was Perrier-Jouet...Perhaps we could all enjoy it together?"

Perrier-Jouet was one of the top makers of champagne for the last two hundred years...Toshi was nodding even before T'Quilloc had finished the sentence. "Chocolate and champagne go excellent together," he noted aloud.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Getting into an onsen after drinking alcohol was a bad idea. A very very bad idea. How many glasses of wine and champagne was it? And it did register somewhere in the back of Toshi's mind...but the Vulcans were giddy from chocolate truffles -- though no where near as inebriated as the night before, and he and Yumi were giddy from the alcohol and Vulcan giddiness. They'd just get in for a very quick soak.

Toshi was having a dream about space. He was spinning through it desperately looking for Yumi. He needed her....he was burning for her...and oddly his mind was filled with the sounds of big cats growling and hissing.

Opening his eyes with a sharp breath he found himself in a bed in an unfamiliar room that was far too hot for comfort, a towel from the onsen draped modestly over his midsection. Somewhere it registered in him that he must be in the extra bedroom in Novasch and T'Quilloc's cabin.

In the dim light he could make you Yumi's eyes, open and looking into his own. He wanted this woman for the rest of his life. He wanted to grow old with her -- he had never felt so strongly about any other living person. All other love paled in comparison. And right now he needed her.

Something thudded loudly in the next room, and he found he really didn't care...and neither did Yumi.

Sometime later in the heat of passion he found himself chanting a command into his lover's ear, "Marry me, marry me, marry me!"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes," Yumi panted in reply. At least, he hoped it was in reply.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Waking up the next morning he was hit by a cool blast of air to the face -- he'd opened the window in the bedroom. His limbs were entwined with Yumi's. She was half awake humming slightly.

Feeling like an idiot he shifted a bit in discomfort.

"What's wrong, you?" Yumi asked in their native language.

"That wasn't how I was supposed to ask. I have a ring -- I had planned --" He blinked. Well. Actually he hadn't had a plan per se, more of a vague outline.

Yumi laughed into the crook of his neck. "I thought it was very romantic...you can ask me again later in a way I can tell my parents about."

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Later that morning they showered, put on some resort supplied robes and made their way out to the onsen.

T'Quilloc and Novasch were sitting in the cabin's dining area eating fruit.

Novasch was radiating pleasant satisfaction, which Toshi had begun to interpret as his sense of amusement.

I trust you had a good night, Toshi and Yumi?

"Yes," Toshi said a bit annoyed that Novasch was choosing to tease him. It was obvious the Vulcan knew what had gone on the night before.

"Would you and T'Quilloc like to join us for a soak?" Yumi asked.

Suddenly, Toshi was hit by a wave of...embarrassment? Huh. They hadn't had any hesitation about nudity before...

"Perhaps not this morning," said T'Quilloc evenly.

Toshi decided not to push it. "Okay, well...we'll see you in a few minutes."

He and Yumi went hand in hand past the Vulcans towards the door waiting onsen. As Toshi was opening the door to the outside he just happened to glance back at the Vulcans. Novasch was leaning forward to take a bite of fruit and as his neck stretched forward Toshi saw what looked like...

Novasch brought his head up sharply. But it was too late -- suddenly the sounds of big cats fighting changed, completely on its own accord, to another image entirely in Toshi's mind. What had Novasch said that first night? Something about 'wanting to bite and not in an affectionate way...which meant of course there I an affectionate way...

"I trust you had a good night too, Novasch and T'Quilloc?" Toshi asked evenly somehow managing to keep from laughing. Turnabout seemed like fair play.

Neither Novasch or T'Quilloc turned to face him. He was hit by a huge wave of annoyance.

Chuckling softly Toshi stepped out the door with Yumi into the steamy air billowing up from the onsen.

A/N:

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(And if you're looking for a meatier fic, please have a look at "The Native" -- angst AND humor).