LINGUISTS & GREASEMONKEYS
The mess hall was slowly emptying, considering it was close to eleven, and the next duty shift started at half-eleven. Officers of all ranks finished their coffee, cocoa, tea or even warm milk, accompanied by a variety of warm and cold snacks, and filed out of the dining room. Nobody even cast a second glance over at the two officers sitting in the corner at a table, talking between themselves, occasionally laughing quietly, and smiling.
Ensign Hoshi Sato had gotten herself a hot chocolate about five minutes ago, having felt the unmistakable craving for chocolate, and hadn't been able to resist the tempting aroma of the warm drink as she passed another table with hot chocolate on. She was watching the man opposite her, as he dunked Oreo cookies in his warm milk, as she had when she were younger.
Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III was clearly enjoying his cookies, dunking them in the milk, and eating them afterwards, remembering similar times from his childhood when he would eat such a snack not long before bedtime. His mother had introduced him to the phenomenon that was Oreos and warm milk, and he adored her for doing so. He couldn't imagine missing out on this.
He remembered then that he was in the company of Hoshi, and looked up into her dark eyes.
"Sorry," he said, trying to suppress a smile, lowering the cookie to the tabletop. "I'm being rude, aren't I?"
She laughed. "No… not at all. You have a right to enjoy your cookies, Commander."
He cocked his head at her, and smiled a lopsided smile. "What did I tell ya' about calling me that off-duty?"
Again, she laughed, a crystal sound that was music to his ears. "I'm sorry… Trip. I forgot." She sipped her hot chocolate, blowing it shortly beforehand so she would avoid burning her mouth.
Trip smiled. He dunked another Oreo, and hovered it over the glass. He offered it to Hoshi.
She looked into his blue eyes as if he were insane. It had been a long time since she had eaten a milk-soaked Oreo. But still… she thought it would be rude to decline. She reached out, gingerly, and took the cookie. Their fingers brushed together for a moment, and she thought she blushed. She smiled, embarrassed.
He, however, did not seem in the slightest bit embarrassed about the contact. He picked up another one of the cookies, and dipped it in the milk.
Hoshi ate her Oreo, and she found herself wondering why she had waited so long to try this again. She had forgotten how delicious they were.
Trip ate the cookie, and sighed.
She finished her own chocolaty snack, and, like Trip, sighed. Her sigh was gentler, hidden partially behind her hand, as though she found the gesture rude.
"So," he began, sipping his milk, clearly having had enough of the cookies for one evening, "how are ya' enjoyin' the mission so far?" He raised a single eyebrow, and smiled that same lopsided smile again, putting the glass back down softly on the surface on the table.
She was a little surprised by the abruptness of the question, but answered it quickly, "It's great."
"Really? I remember a certain Ensign who, not so long ago, was ready to leave as soon a possible." Trip inclined his head slightly, running a hand through his ruffled hair.
Hoshi frowned. She had forgotten about that… almost. She had remembered that Trip had been the one to talk her out of it in the end, insisting that opportunities such as Enterprise didn't come up every day, and that she would be lucky to find another duty such as this one. So far, she had cracked quite a few language problems, helping the crew out on more than one occasion, such as the time when Trip and Captain Archer had been caught up in the alien life form… the life form that had been so lonely, and had resorted to dangerous measures to be in contact with others. That had been one of the toughest language conundrums to date, and it had had her a little… okay, more than a little, scared. More like terrified. She had been worried about the trapped crew, and had wanted nothing more than to beg the alien to let them go.
But in the end, she had solved it, with the help of T'Pol, and the crew had been freed. She had remembered how helpless the crew had looked… how much it had made her want to turn tail and run in the other direction. She had helped though… saved the day, so to speak. And now that was all over.
"Well," she said, with a smile, "that was then. This is now."
He smiled. "I'm glad you decided to stay."
Again, she felt the heat rush into her face, and looked the other way briefly, until she felt the heat dissipate once more, before turning back to face Trip.
They sat for a few moment in silence; Hoshi drumming her fingertips lightly on the tabletop, taking occasional sips of her chocolate; and Trip watching the remaining crewmembers leave the mess hall.
He turned his gaze on her, and asked, "Did ya' want me to walk you back to your quarters?"
She was a little taken aback by the question just asked, and she fumbled over a reply momentarily. "Um… sure. That'd be nice." She smiled to accompany the reply, which she had made a mess of, in her own opinion. She hoped the friendly smile had improved it slightly.
He stood, having finished his milk, and waited for her to join him.
She drank the remainder of her own drink, and stood, brushing Oreo cookies off her uniform. Then she nodded at him to show she was ready to go.
As they walked out of the door, the remainder of the day shift began filing in, ready to fill themselves with late night snacks, and refreshing drinks of all varieties, and then trundle off to bed themselves.
They walked quietly down the corridors, heading for Hoshi's quarters, neither one saying much of anything. Trip had shoved his hands in his pockets shortly after leaving the mess hall, and Hoshi didn't exactly know what to do with her hands. She glanced up to look at him every now and then, averting her gaze when his blue eyes turned in her direction.
Why was she acting this way? What was she doing? She knew it was different though… and she was mildly curious to find out where her behaviour was leading her.
"Well," she breathed, "this is where I stop."
He nodded, opening his mouth as though he were going to say something.
Their eyes met, and they stared deep into each other for a long while.
Then he moved forward suddenly, and kissed her, putting his hand behind Hoshi on the wall, as though he would fall forwards without the support.
She didn't resist, instead ran her hand round the back of his head, tracing her fingers through his soft hair, holding him in place.
Had she wanted this to happen all along? Had he?
She slapped the door-open button with her palm behind her, and led him in, still holding him in the kiss he had started.
His hand stroked her face, and they broke away then, breathing rapidly, both in a slight state of shock as to their behaviour.
"Are we sure about this?" he asked, his voice quiet, his eyes not moving from her face.
She felt herself shrug. "I don't know what we're actually doing."
She shook his head, and pulled her back to him, holding onto her tight as he kissed her passionately once again.
She embraced the feeling of being so close to him, feeling the warmth from his body, his gentle touch.
She reached up, and ripped out the scrunchie holding her long black hair in place, and let it tumble over her shoulders like a dark waterfall.
Trip didn't go back to his quarters that night.
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Author's Note: (I NEVER DO THESE!) If you're wondering where in earth this came from… I couldn't tell you! All I CAN tell you is, unless I get requests to do so, I don't think I'll be doing another Trip/Hoshi short fic (I dunno… some of you may want closure?) It just… came to me. Kinda sudden… and scary. Oh well… say what you like. Thanks. : )
The mess hall was slowly emptying, considering it was close to eleven, and the next duty shift started at half-eleven. Officers of all ranks finished their coffee, cocoa, tea or even warm milk, accompanied by a variety of warm and cold snacks, and filed out of the dining room. Nobody even cast a second glance over at the two officers sitting in the corner at a table, talking between themselves, occasionally laughing quietly, and smiling.
Ensign Hoshi Sato had gotten herself a hot chocolate about five minutes ago, having felt the unmistakable craving for chocolate, and hadn't been able to resist the tempting aroma of the warm drink as she passed another table with hot chocolate on. She was watching the man opposite her, as he dunked Oreo cookies in his warm milk, as she had when she were younger.
Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III was clearly enjoying his cookies, dunking them in the milk, and eating them afterwards, remembering similar times from his childhood when he would eat such a snack not long before bedtime. His mother had introduced him to the phenomenon that was Oreos and warm milk, and he adored her for doing so. He couldn't imagine missing out on this.
He remembered then that he was in the company of Hoshi, and looked up into her dark eyes.
"Sorry," he said, trying to suppress a smile, lowering the cookie to the tabletop. "I'm being rude, aren't I?"
She laughed. "No… not at all. You have a right to enjoy your cookies, Commander."
He cocked his head at her, and smiled a lopsided smile. "What did I tell ya' about calling me that off-duty?"
Again, she laughed, a crystal sound that was music to his ears. "I'm sorry… Trip. I forgot." She sipped her hot chocolate, blowing it shortly beforehand so she would avoid burning her mouth.
Trip smiled. He dunked another Oreo, and hovered it over the glass. He offered it to Hoshi.
She looked into his blue eyes as if he were insane. It had been a long time since she had eaten a milk-soaked Oreo. But still… she thought it would be rude to decline. She reached out, gingerly, and took the cookie. Their fingers brushed together for a moment, and she thought she blushed. She smiled, embarrassed.
He, however, did not seem in the slightest bit embarrassed about the contact. He picked up another one of the cookies, and dipped it in the milk.
Hoshi ate her Oreo, and she found herself wondering why she had waited so long to try this again. She had forgotten how delicious they were.
Trip ate the cookie, and sighed.
She finished her own chocolaty snack, and, like Trip, sighed. Her sigh was gentler, hidden partially behind her hand, as though she found the gesture rude.
"So," he began, sipping his milk, clearly having had enough of the cookies for one evening, "how are ya' enjoyin' the mission so far?" He raised a single eyebrow, and smiled that same lopsided smile again, putting the glass back down softly on the surface on the table.
She was a little surprised by the abruptness of the question, but answered it quickly, "It's great."
"Really? I remember a certain Ensign who, not so long ago, was ready to leave as soon a possible." Trip inclined his head slightly, running a hand through his ruffled hair.
Hoshi frowned. She had forgotten about that… almost. She had remembered that Trip had been the one to talk her out of it in the end, insisting that opportunities such as Enterprise didn't come up every day, and that she would be lucky to find another duty such as this one. So far, she had cracked quite a few language problems, helping the crew out on more than one occasion, such as the time when Trip and Captain Archer had been caught up in the alien life form… the life form that had been so lonely, and had resorted to dangerous measures to be in contact with others. That had been one of the toughest language conundrums to date, and it had had her a little… okay, more than a little, scared. More like terrified. She had been worried about the trapped crew, and had wanted nothing more than to beg the alien to let them go.
But in the end, she had solved it, with the help of T'Pol, and the crew had been freed. She had remembered how helpless the crew had looked… how much it had made her want to turn tail and run in the other direction. She had helped though… saved the day, so to speak. And now that was all over.
"Well," she said, with a smile, "that was then. This is now."
He smiled. "I'm glad you decided to stay."
Again, she felt the heat rush into her face, and looked the other way briefly, until she felt the heat dissipate once more, before turning back to face Trip.
They sat for a few moment in silence; Hoshi drumming her fingertips lightly on the tabletop, taking occasional sips of her chocolate; and Trip watching the remaining crewmembers leave the mess hall.
He turned his gaze on her, and asked, "Did ya' want me to walk you back to your quarters?"
She was a little taken aback by the question just asked, and she fumbled over a reply momentarily. "Um… sure. That'd be nice." She smiled to accompany the reply, which she had made a mess of, in her own opinion. She hoped the friendly smile had improved it slightly.
He stood, having finished his milk, and waited for her to join him.
She drank the remainder of her own drink, and stood, brushing Oreo cookies off her uniform. Then she nodded at him to show she was ready to go.
As they walked out of the door, the remainder of the day shift began filing in, ready to fill themselves with late night snacks, and refreshing drinks of all varieties, and then trundle off to bed themselves.
They walked quietly down the corridors, heading for Hoshi's quarters, neither one saying much of anything. Trip had shoved his hands in his pockets shortly after leaving the mess hall, and Hoshi didn't exactly know what to do with her hands. She glanced up to look at him every now and then, averting her gaze when his blue eyes turned in her direction.
Why was she acting this way? What was she doing? She knew it was different though… and she was mildly curious to find out where her behaviour was leading her.
"Well," she breathed, "this is where I stop."
He nodded, opening his mouth as though he were going to say something.
Their eyes met, and they stared deep into each other for a long while.
Then he moved forward suddenly, and kissed her, putting his hand behind Hoshi on the wall, as though he would fall forwards without the support.
She didn't resist, instead ran her hand round the back of his head, tracing her fingers through his soft hair, holding him in place.
Had she wanted this to happen all along? Had he?
She slapped the door-open button with her palm behind her, and led him in, still holding him in the kiss he had started.
His hand stroked her face, and they broke away then, breathing rapidly, both in a slight state of shock as to their behaviour.
"Are we sure about this?" he asked, his voice quiet, his eyes not moving from her face.
She felt herself shrug. "I don't know what we're actually doing."
She shook his head, and pulled her back to him, holding onto her tight as he kissed her passionately once again.
She embraced the feeling of being so close to him, feeling the warmth from his body, his gentle touch.
She reached up, and ripped out the scrunchie holding her long black hair in place, and let it tumble over her shoulders like a dark waterfall.
Trip didn't go back to his quarters that night.
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Author's Note: (I NEVER DO THESE!) If you're wondering where in earth this came from… I couldn't tell you! All I CAN tell you is, unless I get requests to do so, I don't think I'll be doing another Trip/Hoshi short fic (I dunno… some of you may want closure?) It just… came to me. Kinda sudden… and scary. Oh well… say what you like. Thanks. : )