~~~~~
Hoshi was someplace she didn't want to be. She was in a very small boat on a very rough sea getting very, very sick.
With a start she awoke to find out the very small boat and the very rough sea were just a dream, but, as she bolted for the bathroom, the very, very sick part wasn't.
Not until she had finished thoroughly throwing up did she notice the hands that had gathered her hair and plaited it into a braid and were rubbing her back. A cup of water and a tissue were handed to her, and she rinsed her mouth out, wiped her eyes and blew her nose.
Still-bleary eyes looked up to see Trip hovering over her, concern on his face.
"You ok, darlin'?"
"What are you doing in my cabin?" Her eyes dropped. "And in your boxers?"
"You're in my cabin. We all passed around a bottle of Jack last night after the away mission, and you passed out."
"Oh." Struggling to her feet, Hoshi leaned on the wall for support as the room swayed. "I think I'm still drunk."
"Wouldn't doubt it. Come on, back to bed." One arm around her waist, Trip helped Hoshi to the bunk. He eased her down gently, pulling up the sheet again.
"Huh uh." Hoshi pulled on his arm. Caught off balance, Trip fell into the bed, and before he knew it, Hoshi had draped herself over him. "You're the only thing not spinning. I need something to hold onto. And since Sylvester isn't here, you're it." Burrowing deeper against him, she closed her eyes.
"Sylvester?"
"My stuffed slug." With that bit of information, Hoshi dropped off to sleep.
Trip sighed and tried to get comfortable, which was rather hard to do when a half naked woman was practically lying on top of you, the warmth from her skin burning into yours. Especially when you didn't like her or anything.
~~~~~
Pain. The stabbing kind, right behind the eyes.
Stumbling from her bunk, Hoshi groped her way to the bathroom, eyes tight against any light, moving slowly as not to jar her head, which for some reason hurt like the dickens and was three sizes too big this morning. And why was she so thirsty?
Shower. She needed a shower. Slowly, ever so gently she peeled off her tank and then her boxers. Stepping into the stall, she stood under the hot water, letting the warmth soak into her.
"Ah . Hosh?"
----------
Trip had spent an uneasy night. On the one hand his bunk was not built for two, and while snuggling up with someone could be rather nice, it wasn't especially when the other person was practically passed out drunk and only using you as a stuffed animal substitute.
Waking up the next morning, Trip took a few minutes to watch Hoshi. Her hair had come out of its braid and was spread over the two of them. He took a strand between his fingers, letting it fall through them. Sighing, Trip placed his cheek on the top of her head. It really was a shame he didn't like her or anything, she fit rather nicely against him .
Easing himself out from under her, Trip went into the bathroom, turning the water to hot, and waited for it to warm up. He looked in the mirror and scratched at the stubble on his chin, grimacing at his reflection. It was becoming harder and harder as he got older to bounce back after a night of drinking. Getting into the shower, Trip went over various Engineering problems in his head. The Captain had given the away team the day off, but he needed to think of something, and if it couldn't be the woman in his bed, it might as well be work.
Besides, he kept telling himself, he didn't like her above half anyway.
Lost in his own Engineering world, Trip didn't know Hoshi was up until she stepped into the shower. He backpedaled against the wall, then froze, trying very hard not to stare at various perky bits as she stood under the spray.
Any minute now and she was going to open her eyes and see him, and all hell would break loose. Well, he didn't go to command school for nothing. Taking a deep breath, Trip seized the initiative.
"Ah . Hosh?"
Yes, Patton would have been proud.
----------
Hoshi screamed and flew to the other side of the stall. Admittedly that was at best only three feet away from the other side, but it was the thought that counted.
"What are you doing in my cabin? Get out!"
"Hosh, this is my cabin ."
"Oh my God, you're naked!"
"I am in the shower ."
"Oh my God, I'm naked! What are you doing here? Why are you in my shower?"
"Hoshi, it's my shower. Don't you remember last night?"
"Your shower? Last night?" Putting her head in her hands, Hoshi closed her eyes and tried to think, but her headache was making it hard. "We came back from the away mission, you said you wanted a drink, we all came in and passed around the bottle ." She looked at his naked form in growing horror.
"I got drunk, didn't I?"
Trip shrugged. "Yeah."
"And you took advantage of me when I was drunk?" She was across the remaining foot between them in a flash, pounding her fists against his wet chest. "You bastard! Tricking me into having sex with you just because I was drunk is low even for you!"
Hoshi continued to hit Trip, tears mixing in with the water streaming down her face. Suddenly she was pulled into a bear hug, trapped between Trip's body and his arms.
"Hoshi! We didn't . calm down . we didn't have sex! You passed out and I gave you the bunk while I slept on the couch!"
She blinked a few times within the circle of his arms, then hiccupped. "Really? That's all that happened?"
"Well, almost ."
"Tell me everything."
----------
Trip paused, not sure how much to tell, and if she'd be mad at him afterward. Hoshi would find out some of it from Travis or Malcolm if they remembered, but the rest he might be able to gloss over. Unless she remembered it later, then he'd be in trouble for not telling. Better now than later .
"Ah, well, we polished off the Jack, and when you put th' bottle down you set it t' spinnin', and it ended up pointin' at me."
"And ."
"And then you kissed me." Feeling Hoshi stiffen in his arms, Trip held his breath. But she wasn't trying to pull away, and far be it from him to let her go if she didn't want to.
"Oh."
Trip let out the breath. "And then you passed out face first in m' lap."
Hoshi buried her face in his chest. "Oh God. Please tell me that was it."
"Not exactly. In th' middle of th' night you got sick. I helped you back t' bed, and you pulled me down with you; you said I could stand in for Sylvester."
"I mentioned Sylvester?" Hoshi had turned her head so her cheek was against him now, idly twisting his chest hair around a finger. Trip tried to keep his breathing even. Didn't she know what she was doing? He hoped to God she didn't notice his growing erection pressed against her belly. It must be an automatic reaction, Trip told himself, since he didn't like Hoshi or anything. Yep, that must be it.
"And then you fell asleep." He neglected to add 'draped over me'.
"I'm sorry I hit you." Leaning back slightly, Hoshi lifted her head to look at Trip. Looking down at her, Trip could see the swell of her breasts as they pressed against him. He swallowed hard.
"S'ok, darlin'." Somehow his voice didn't crack. "I'd say you had cause."
"Thought I had cause." Hoshi bowed her head, her hands tightening to fists on his chest, then opening to splay out against the muscles. The light feel of her nails scratching against him sent shivers down Trip's spine.
"Cold?" As she looked up again in concern, he could only see how close her mouth was, little drops of water on her lips; as he stared, her pink tongue slipped out and licked them off.
He cleared his throat. "Naw."
"I . I should get dressed ."
"Yea." Trip forced his mind away from Hoshi's lips, way from the feel of her against him. "I'm done, if you want t' take a shower or somethin'."
"Thanks."
Closing his eyes to give her some privacy, Trip put a hand on the shower wall and felt his way out. He grabbed a towel and scrubbed himself dry, staying away from certain dangerous parts that if he ignored maybe would go away, and cursed at himself for responding to a girl he didn't even like or anything.
----------
Hoshi turned the water to cold, standing under it until she could get the image of a naked Trip and the feeling of certain perky bits of him pushing against her stomach out of her mind. She lathered up, telling herself just to get dressed and get out as soon as possible. It was just an automatic male reaction to having a naked woman in his arms. What else could it be, since she was sure Trip didn't like her. At least that way. Right?
A towel wrapped around her, Hoshi peeked around the corner of the shower entrance to see Trip leaning against the sink, shaving. "Why don't you use a beard suppressor?"
He grinned at her, cleaning the razor under the water. "Allergic."
"Oh." She slipped by him, eyes on the floor, trying hard not to look at him. Why did Starfleet boxers have to be that electric shade of blue? Scooping up her own boxers and tank, Hoshi fled into the other room.
----------
Trip sighed as he wiped his face clean of shaving cream. That was almost . domestic just then. The sight of Hoshi's pert bottom as she left the bathroom flashed through his mind. Having no need for the large bath towels, he just kept a few of the smaller ones on hand, which obviously weren't big enough to cover the essential parts of the ship's linguist.
Giving himself a few minutes to banish that image and let Hoshi get dressed, he knocked on the connecting door. At her ok, he walked in the cabin, his stomach tightening as he saw her tank and boxers still in her hands and he realized she was naked under her uniform. Why he would care, Trip didn't want to think about.
"Thanks Trip, for . you know."
"Sure, Hosh. What're friends for?" He answered her shy smile with a wry grin of his own. "So, maybe I'll see ya around, since we have th' day off."
"Yeah, maybe. Well, I should go ." Opening the door, she passed through with a little wave goodbye.
Running a hand through his still damp hair, Trip pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and lay down on his bunk with a stack of PADDs, fully intending to concentrate on various problems in Engineering and not various perky parts of Hoshi Sato.
'Cause it wasn't as if he liked her or anything.
Hoshi was someplace she didn't want to be. She was in a very small boat on a very rough sea getting very, very sick.
With a start she awoke to find out the very small boat and the very rough sea were just a dream, but, as she bolted for the bathroom, the very, very sick part wasn't.
Not until she had finished thoroughly throwing up did she notice the hands that had gathered her hair and plaited it into a braid and were rubbing her back. A cup of water and a tissue were handed to her, and she rinsed her mouth out, wiped her eyes and blew her nose.
Still-bleary eyes looked up to see Trip hovering over her, concern on his face.
"You ok, darlin'?"
"What are you doing in my cabin?" Her eyes dropped. "And in your boxers?"
"You're in my cabin. We all passed around a bottle of Jack last night after the away mission, and you passed out."
"Oh." Struggling to her feet, Hoshi leaned on the wall for support as the room swayed. "I think I'm still drunk."
"Wouldn't doubt it. Come on, back to bed." One arm around her waist, Trip helped Hoshi to the bunk. He eased her down gently, pulling up the sheet again.
"Huh uh." Hoshi pulled on his arm. Caught off balance, Trip fell into the bed, and before he knew it, Hoshi had draped herself over him. "You're the only thing not spinning. I need something to hold onto. And since Sylvester isn't here, you're it." Burrowing deeper against him, she closed her eyes.
"Sylvester?"
"My stuffed slug." With that bit of information, Hoshi dropped off to sleep.
Trip sighed and tried to get comfortable, which was rather hard to do when a half naked woman was practically lying on top of you, the warmth from her skin burning into yours. Especially when you didn't like her or anything.
~~~~~
Pain. The stabbing kind, right behind the eyes.
Stumbling from her bunk, Hoshi groped her way to the bathroom, eyes tight against any light, moving slowly as not to jar her head, which for some reason hurt like the dickens and was three sizes too big this morning. And why was she so thirsty?
Shower. She needed a shower. Slowly, ever so gently she peeled off her tank and then her boxers. Stepping into the stall, she stood under the hot water, letting the warmth soak into her.
"Ah . Hosh?"
----------
Trip had spent an uneasy night. On the one hand his bunk was not built for two, and while snuggling up with someone could be rather nice, it wasn't especially when the other person was practically passed out drunk and only using you as a stuffed animal substitute.
Waking up the next morning, Trip took a few minutes to watch Hoshi. Her hair had come out of its braid and was spread over the two of them. He took a strand between his fingers, letting it fall through them. Sighing, Trip placed his cheek on the top of her head. It really was a shame he didn't like her or anything, she fit rather nicely against him .
Easing himself out from under her, Trip went into the bathroom, turning the water to hot, and waited for it to warm up. He looked in the mirror and scratched at the stubble on his chin, grimacing at his reflection. It was becoming harder and harder as he got older to bounce back after a night of drinking. Getting into the shower, Trip went over various Engineering problems in his head. The Captain had given the away team the day off, but he needed to think of something, and if it couldn't be the woman in his bed, it might as well be work.
Besides, he kept telling himself, he didn't like her above half anyway.
Lost in his own Engineering world, Trip didn't know Hoshi was up until she stepped into the shower. He backpedaled against the wall, then froze, trying very hard not to stare at various perky bits as she stood under the spray.
Any minute now and she was going to open her eyes and see him, and all hell would break loose. Well, he didn't go to command school for nothing. Taking a deep breath, Trip seized the initiative.
"Ah . Hosh?"
Yes, Patton would have been proud.
----------
Hoshi screamed and flew to the other side of the stall. Admittedly that was at best only three feet away from the other side, but it was the thought that counted.
"What are you doing in my cabin? Get out!"
"Hosh, this is my cabin ."
"Oh my God, you're naked!"
"I am in the shower ."
"Oh my God, I'm naked! What are you doing here? Why are you in my shower?"
"Hoshi, it's my shower. Don't you remember last night?"
"Your shower? Last night?" Putting her head in her hands, Hoshi closed her eyes and tried to think, but her headache was making it hard. "We came back from the away mission, you said you wanted a drink, we all came in and passed around the bottle ." She looked at his naked form in growing horror.
"I got drunk, didn't I?"
Trip shrugged. "Yeah."
"And you took advantage of me when I was drunk?" She was across the remaining foot between them in a flash, pounding her fists against his wet chest. "You bastard! Tricking me into having sex with you just because I was drunk is low even for you!"
Hoshi continued to hit Trip, tears mixing in with the water streaming down her face. Suddenly she was pulled into a bear hug, trapped between Trip's body and his arms.
"Hoshi! We didn't . calm down . we didn't have sex! You passed out and I gave you the bunk while I slept on the couch!"
She blinked a few times within the circle of his arms, then hiccupped. "Really? That's all that happened?"
"Well, almost ."
"Tell me everything."
----------
Trip paused, not sure how much to tell, and if she'd be mad at him afterward. Hoshi would find out some of it from Travis or Malcolm if they remembered, but the rest he might be able to gloss over. Unless she remembered it later, then he'd be in trouble for not telling. Better now than later .
"Ah, well, we polished off the Jack, and when you put th' bottle down you set it t' spinnin', and it ended up pointin' at me."
"And ."
"And then you kissed me." Feeling Hoshi stiffen in his arms, Trip held his breath. But she wasn't trying to pull away, and far be it from him to let her go if she didn't want to.
"Oh."
Trip let out the breath. "And then you passed out face first in m' lap."
Hoshi buried her face in his chest. "Oh God. Please tell me that was it."
"Not exactly. In th' middle of th' night you got sick. I helped you back t' bed, and you pulled me down with you; you said I could stand in for Sylvester."
"I mentioned Sylvester?" Hoshi had turned her head so her cheek was against him now, idly twisting his chest hair around a finger. Trip tried to keep his breathing even. Didn't she know what she was doing? He hoped to God she didn't notice his growing erection pressed against her belly. It must be an automatic reaction, Trip told himself, since he didn't like Hoshi or anything. Yep, that must be it.
"And then you fell asleep." He neglected to add 'draped over me'.
"I'm sorry I hit you." Leaning back slightly, Hoshi lifted her head to look at Trip. Looking down at her, Trip could see the swell of her breasts as they pressed against him. He swallowed hard.
"S'ok, darlin'." Somehow his voice didn't crack. "I'd say you had cause."
"Thought I had cause." Hoshi bowed her head, her hands tightening to fists on his chest, then opening to splay out against the muscles. The light feel of her nails scratching against him sent shivers down Trip's spine.
"Cold?" As she looked up again in concern, he could only see how close her mouth was, little drops of water on her lips; as he stared, her pink tongue slipped out and licked them off.
He cleared his throat. "Naw."
"I . I should get dressed ."
"Yea." Trip forced his mind away from Hoshi's lips, way from the feel of her against him. "I'm done, if you want t' take a shower or somethin'."
"Thanks."
Closing his eyes to give her some privacy, Trip put a hand on the shower wall and felt his way out. He grabbed a towel and scrubbed himself dry, staying away from certain dangerous parts that if he ignored maybe would go away, and cursed at himself for responding to a girl he didn't even like or anything.
----------
Hoshi turned the water to cold, standing under it until she could get the image of a naked Trip and the feeling of certain perky bits of him pushing against her stomach out of her mind. She lathered up, telling herself just to get dressed and get out as soon as possible. It was just an automatic male reaction to having a naked woman in his arms. What else could it be, since she was sure Trip didn't like her. At least that way. Right?
A towel wrapped around her, Hoshi peeked around the corner of the shower entrance to see Trip leaning against the sink, shaving. "Why don't you use a beard suppressor?"
He grinned at her, cleaning the razor under the water. "Allergic."
"Oh." She slipped by him, eyes on the floor, trying hard not to look at him. Why did Starfleet boxers have to be that electric shade of blue? Scooping up her own boxers and tank, Hoshi fled into the other room.
----------
Trip sighed as he wiped his face clean of shaving cream. That was almost . domestic just then. The sight of Hoshi's pert bottom as she left the bathroom flashed through his mind. Having no need for the large bath towels, he just kept a few of the smaller ones on hand, which obviously weren't big enough to cover the essential parts of the ship's linguist.
Giving himself a few minutes to banish that image and let Hoshi get dressed, he knocked on the connecting door. At her ok, he walked in the cabin, his stomach tightening as he saw her tank and boxers still in her hands and he realized she was naked under her uniform. Why he would care, Trip didn't want to think about.
"Thanks Trip, for . you know."
"Sure, Hosh. What're friends for?" He answered her shy smile with a wry grin of his own. "So, maybe I'll see ya around, since we have th' day off."
"Yeah, maybe. Well, I should go ." Opening the door, she passed through with a little wave goodbye.
Running a hand through his still damp hair, Trip pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and lay down on his bunk with a stack of PADDs, fully intending to concentrate on various problems in Engineering and not various perky parts of Hoshi Sato.
'Cause it wasn't as if he liked her or anything.