Ch. 3: Cat and Canary

In which clothing is discussed and food metaphors abound.

Hoshi looked at Malcolm's desk, his chair, and his bed, looked at anything but Malcolm. This is terrific, she thought, stuck in Malcolm's room for two days, him unable to resist my feminine wiles. I'd think I was daydreaming except I know it isn't real. He doesn't really want me here. She risked a glance at Malcolm. He is something, she thought, mysterious, confident, decidedly easy on the eyes, and that lovely voice. He was looking at her like she was chocolate covered chocolate with chocolate sprinkles on top. It made her knees weak. "I don't think I should stay here," she said, "maybe they'll all go to bed soon."

"Don't be silly," he said, "you can stay. I'll go if you're uncomfortable." He started to gather some clothing and toiletries. "Is that my shirt?"

"Yes. I guess I forgot to give it back," she said. Oh, god. Now he knows I sleep in his shirt. This is almost as bad as the hot plate in my quarters incident. Can't I ever be cool and collected around him? She sat on the edge of his bed, not wanting to mess up his crisp hospital corners. The door chimed and she jumped, startled. She slipped off the edge of the bed and landed flat on the floor. "Fuck!" Now he thinks I can't even sit right. The door chimed again and Malcolm answered without unlocking it.

"Malcolm, I know you're in there." Trip's voice filtered through the intercom. "Phlox explained everything. Just let Hoshi out." Malcolm looked at Hoshi, on the floor by the bed. She shook her head no.

"I'm sorry, I don't think she wants to come out now," he said.

"Damn it, you can't keep her all to yourself!"

"Trip," Hoshi said, "I'll be fine. I'm just going to stay here until this wears off. Nothing is going to happen." There was no answer from Trip. After a few minutes Malcolm went back to packing. "You could stay, for a little," she said, "just in case anyone's out there...Ó He paused.

"I've been meaning to tell you something--"

"No, don't," she said, "don't say anything right now. If it's important you can tell me in two days." She smiled, the corners of her mouth upturning slightly. It would be so easy to walk over to him and kiss him and touch him and whisper her heart to him.

"I-- I just want you to know I felt this way before all this happened," he said.

"Please, I don't want you to say something you'll regret," she said. Was it true? Or was he making it up under the influence of Pevilian's pheromones?

"I won't," he whispered so quiet she almost didn't catch it. Her breath caught.

She took the bed, at his insistence. He sat with his back leaning on the door. They sat in the dark, not sleeping.

"You know," she said, "I used to imagine what it would be like to be one of those women who walk into a room and commands the attention of every man in it. I've decided it's not all it's cut out to be."

"I can't imagine you've had many problems commanding male attention," he said.

"Well, not like that though," she said, "not like T'Pol. She walks into a room and everyone notices. Everyone sits up a bit straighter."

"There is the small matter of her being a Vulcan," he said, "people are fascinated by what is alien and different."

"Especially when they have nice bums?" she said, giggling.

"I'm going to kill him."

===

Three days later.

Hoshi moved back into her quarters without incident. She hadn't seen Malcolm in almost a day; she had moved out while he was on shift, leaving his shirt neatly folded on his bed. She made her first appearance in the mess hall and quietly ate dinner.

"Well if it isn't the femme fatale herself," Travis said, sitting down. "You know, we could bottle that stuff and make our fortune selling love potions throughout the galaxy." She laughed; she was glad things weren't too weird with him. Trip entered the room, saw her and u-turned right back out the door. She ran after him.

"Trip, wait a minute," she said.

"Hoshi, I'm sorry," he said, looking down at his shoes. "I--"

"I know," she said, "it's all right. Just don't ever call me baby doll again, okay?" She smiled. He met her eyes and grinned.

"Sure thing, sugar lump," he said with a wink.

Hoshi made her way back to her quarters. Talking to the captain tomorrow wasn't going to be fun, she thought; she'd be back on the bridge, working. She hoped it wasn't uncomfortable. She picked up the game Macolm had given her and played a few rounds, trying not to think about him, what he would or wouldn't say. The door chimed.

"Come in," she said. Malcolm stood in the doorway holding the shirt she'd left on his bed.

"You should keep this," he said, "I want you to keep it. I-- I like that you wear it..." He looked at her like a cat looks at a canary. She stood and walked over to him before her knees melted. He threw the shirt on her bed and cupped her face, meeting her eyes. He leaned to her and touched his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, running her tongue along his bottom lip.

"mmm..." She put her hands on his waist and pulled him closer.

"What?" He ran a line of soft kisses along her jaw and nibbled at her ear.

"Remind me to send a long message to Ulniria," she said, her hands twisting the fabric of his uniform, "thanking Pevilian for his most generous gift of friendship..." He turned them quickly, pressing her against the door with his body. He kissed her neck and bit gently at the spot where neck meets shoulder. She gasped.

"Later," he said.

---end---