Prompt 5: "You dumbass!" "Hey, I didn't screw up that much!"
Hoshi Sato all but dropped the fork that was halfway to her mouth. "You what? Malcolm, you dumbass!"
Looking slightly taken aback, the chief security officer merely shrugged taking a sip of his coffee. "Hey, I didn't screw up that much!"
"You confessed your feelings to the captain, Malcolm. Did you forget about the fraternization rule?" Hoshi restrained herself from shouting remembering the public place they were in, quickly checking to make sure nobody was listening in.
"No I didn't forget, besides at least one of us needs to admit how they feel." He gave her a pointed look, while she turned a similar colour to the tomato sitting on her plate.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She defiantly took another bite of toast adorned with scrambled eggs. He merely chuckled taking a bit out of his own piece of toast.
"Besides, Star Fleet didn't have deep space missions in mind when they wrote those rules. Haven't you noticed the unattached crew have started to pair off? I really don't think the captain would mind Hoshi, so long as you kept it quiet."
She immediately dropped her gaze to her plate and mumbled, "Wouldn't matter anyway, he doesn't even notice me." His snort of indignation was met with an angry set of dark brown eyes.
"I'm sorry Hosh, but seriously? You think he doesn't notice you? Clearly you're just as blind as he is, well matched in that case." With a quick glance at his watch Malcolm made to stand, "Well I've got to get-"
He was immediately interrupted. "Wait! Why are you so chipper this morning, I expected you to be miserable, possibly severely hung over." The questioning look he received was answered with a mischievous grin. "No way! Malcolm, how come you didn't say anything earlier. I'm so happy for you, confused and need to know all the details but happy!" She sprang from her chair and gave him a rib-crushing hug. He was unable to stop the goofy grin now adorning his face when she pulled away. Dragging him out of the mess hall they slowly made their way to the bridge. "Tell me everything."
"Well I asked to speak to Jon, ah the captain, privately and he invited me to meet him at his quarters, even despite my protests. So I arrive ready to confess and run, but I'd hardly gotten two words out and he kissed me." The gob-smacked look on Hoshi's face caused an unstoppable chuckle to escape Malcolm's mouth before he could control himself. With a displeased look his way, he continued. "So he pulled away and asks me what's wrong and I just say, 'I think I love you,' and he proceeded to snog me senseless and let's just say I didn't sleep in my quarters last night." He winked at her as they stepped into the turbolift together. At her stunned expression he clarified. "Hoshi Sato, get your mind out of the gutter, nothing of that sort went down we just cuddled." She snorted.
"Sounds more like canoodled if you ask me." She whispered, cooling her expression as the lift doors opened and they made their way to their respective stations.
"Lieutenant, Ensign." The captain greeted and it took all of Hoshi's will power not to crack up right then. "Actually Lt. Reed I was hoping to discuss those weapons upgrades you've been telling me about, in my ready room if you please." Catching Malcolm's eye across the bridge she raised her eyebrows to which he mouthed 'No!'
The second the ready room door shut she giggled quietly, trying to disguise it behind a cough.
"Somethin' funny Hosh?" The southern drawl beside her made her all but fall out of her seat. She turned to glare at Trip, glee dancing back in his eyes. "Say T'Pol, s'it alright if I take Ensign Sato here ta help me replace some relays, said she's been wanting to learn more about Engineering and nothin's really happening up here?" With what could have been considered a dirty look in Vulcan books T'Pol merely nodded. He steadily made his way towards the turbolift a bewildered Hoshi trailing behind.
The doors had barely shut when he rounded on her. "What do you know?" It wasn't an accusatory tone, merely curious.
"Well that depends on whether the captain has told you something or you're going off a gut feeling here." She crossed her arms trying to appear unaffected by the close proximity they were standing in.
"Well, he mighta mentioned somethin' at breakfast."He leaned down to whisper in her ear conspiratorily. "Might be similar to something you heard at breakfast as well." Hoshi tried to keep her breathing even and forced herself to answer calmly.
"Lt. Reed might have alluded to certain activities between himself and the captain last night, but we talked about a lot of things this morning. You'd have to be more specific." She met his eyes, the hint of a smile touching her lips.
"A lot of things you say? Well how about the captain getting all hot, sweaty and naked with the chief of security last night, is that specific enough?" Hoshi's jaw just about hit the ground.
"I'm going to kill Malcolm when I see him next, he said they didn't get that far! And oh my god they're probably doing it in the captain's ready room as we speak. I'm never going to be able to make eye contact with Captain Archer ever again." Trip's smile just got wider and wider as Hoshi's rant went on. Eventually he decided to stop her.
"On the topic of other conversations had at breakfast, Jon said the strangest thing to me." Ensuring he had her undivided attention, he continued. "He says to me, Trip you know I wouldn't be angry at ya if you got yourself a lady. After all T'Pol and Travis seem to be going pretty steady, and now him and Malcolm are doing the horizontal Charleston," At this Hoshi doubled over in laughter, he waited for her to finish. "So it got me thinking, who's left for poor old Trippy boy?" He paused and took a step towards her, essentially trapping her between himself and the wall. "Can you think of anyone who'd be able to help me out here Hosh?" He gave her a playful look and she continued with the charade, scrunching her eyebrows together in mock concentration.
"Hhhmmmm. I don't know sir, any thoughts suddenly hit you?" She grinned up at him.
"Well I've heard rumours of a communications officer who happens to be single." Hoshi tried to contain her grin.
"Yes, I've heard similar rumours. Some state that she swings the other way, hence why she hasn't settled down." Trip almost faltered but continued playing along.
"Maybe she just hasn't found the right guy yet."
"Or maybe he hasn't found her." Unaware the turbolift had stopped Trip stood dumbfounded for a minute before realizing Hoshi had started down the hallway towards engineering. He nearly ran after her, pulling her into a secluded junction only maintenance crewman used. Barely giving her a second to regain balance, he pressed his lips to hers which eagerly responded.