Blossoming

Posted on Tue Apr 9th, 2024 @ 3:01pm by Captain Mira Rodale & Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance

Mission: Blood wine and vengeance
Location: Admiral's yacht
Timeline: Present

on:
{Admiral's yacht}

Kolar was sleeping contently on Kevin's chest.

"I was thinking of taking him to the arboretum. He has probably never seen grass. We could make it a picnic if you would like to come," Mira offered, looking up from her PADD, "I am all caught up with my reports for both the house and the ship. I am amazed."

"I would like that very much," Kevin replied, stroking Kolar's back, "Commander Montgomery has been a good shepherd in our absence and I think that we can trust him long enough for a picnic."

He paused to soak in the relaxed domesticity of the scene. He reclined on the sofa in the Admiral's quarters with Kolar, Mira sitting in a chair nearby with her PADD and cup of Raktajino, and Vay'toc sleeping contentedly on the floor between them. No Klingon warriors, no sentient alien ships, no interference from Qs. With the yacht cruising a warp 9 through empty space, there was little of concern to interfere with the tableau.

Except the future. The way that Mira had invited him on the picnic indicated that she was still a little uncertain as to Kevin's commitment. He couldn't blame her. He was uncertain as well. During the return trip he had started bonding with Kolar and the young boy was starting to trust him more in Mira's absence. But long term, what was the relationship between Mira and himself?

"When we get back to Starbase 364," he suggested cautiously, "I assume that you will convert part of your quarters for the use of Kolar and Tanom."

Mira shook her head slowly. "Tanom would have her own quarters, but yes, I plan to take one of the bedrooms and make it Kolar's. Tanom is .....to opinionated on topics she has no business in. When we are in our quarters, she doesn't need to be there.... driving me or you crazy...... with all her, you should be doing it this way....." Mira trailed off."Is she driving you to drink too?"

Kevin rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner by way of a response.

He focused in on Mira’s use of “me or you” in her description of “our quarters”. Was she indicating that a cohabitation arrangement would be acceptable to her? He had bunked with female cadets while at the Academy, of course, but since stowing away aboard the Dorcas James he had not “lived with” anyone that he had an emotional connection to. Even during the year and a half on Alpha Pyxis V, he and Kera had maintained their own separate quarters while in the midst of a torrid romance.

He carefully considered his next words as he said, “If you convert the second bedroom to a nursery, where am I going to sleep?” Mira’s quarters only had two bedrooms so unless she moved larger quarters…

Mira grinned as her eyes met his. "Where would you like to sleep?" She put her PADD down, giving him her full attention. It had been wonderful waking up with him by her side.

"We have a few options. You could ....move in with me or ah......if you need your own space, we could put a door between our two quarters. Or .....We could get bigger quarters. I have enjoyed waking up with you."

She didn't bring in the whole Kolar would love to be close to you to thing. That would just be cheating. She wanted him there because he wanted to be.

I loved falling asleep with you in my arms, Kevin wanted to say. Instead, his face became serious as he carefully sat up as not to disturb Kolar, “I learned as a child that emotional connection, intimacy and intercourse were all disassociated from each other. Intercourse was transactional, intimacy a weapon that others used to get what they wanted from you, a close emotional connection to anyone, even family, was a weakness that could be exploited. A little of what I have experienced since has alter that view but not much.”

“What we are building together challenges all of that,” he continued as he gently rocked Kolar, “but it causes me no end of confusion. My desire for you and the intimacy that I carve are at odds with each other. I know that I can trust you not to take advantage of my feelings and part of the reason that I haven’t…” he paused uncomfortably, “…put the moves on you is a desire not spoil the emotional connection that is growing.”

“I know it’s weird but I had a really screwed up childhood.” Kevin looked away in embarrassment, partly because of the discomfort that he felt in revealing this to Mira. Would she reject him?

Mira nodded her head. "I understand. My life growing up wasn't an easy one as well. Trust is a hard decision to make for me. We can take this as slow as we need. Our relationship is what we make of it. You can be a part of my life as much as you want. if you prefer to keep things just as they are. I can work with that. Also, if you prefer to spend your time with just Kolar, then......I'll try to understand. I wouldn't take your time with him. My doors are always open."

Mira sat back in her chair, wishing they were at the base right now. She needed to run.

“You are very accommodating, but what do you want?” Kevin asked, “I don’t want to keep things the way they are. It is torture to feel so wrong for wanting to be close to you. Either we move forward or it’s best that we end this now. Be clear that I don’t want it to end but working to overcome our upbringing and prejudices is going to take time.”

Mira smiled. "I would like to move forward...with you. Anything worthwhile is worth fighting for. But I don't want a relationship that is one-sided. I had that once. I wasn't a fighter before I was made one. It was like everyone I knew wanted to make me into something I wasn't. " She let her fingers trail on the chair. "I .....did everything I was supposed to live up to everyone's expectations, and in the end, I had nothing."

Mira looked hurt......." I was lying in a biobed with them trying to put everything back in place. The look he gave me was so closed. I could have been a stranger to him. He just nodded and walked away........" She swallowed hard."I tried to get up, but the doctor pressed a hypo to my neck."

Vaytoc dropped his head in her lap. She placed her hand on his head. "Next time I woke up, the shuttle was crashing. You kind of know the rest."

“Mira Angelina Rodale Rasmehlier,” Kevin addressed her formally as he fixed her in the eye, “as your executive officer I will always push you to be a better Captain. But as a man, I want you for who you are and who you decide to become. Whether you succeed or fail, I will never leave you or stop loving you.”

Mira wiped a tear that feel s down her cheek. "I love the man you are now and the man you become."

“I think that we should request family quarters when we return to Starbase 364.” He proposed, “Initially, I will stay in a separate room but it will give us a chance to learn how to be a family. I am thinking that we have a couple of years before Kolar wonders why his mommy and daddy are acting different than other kids'. Plenty of time for me to get over intimacy issues. With practice, of course.” He gave Mira a broad, reassuring smile.

Mira nodded, "as long as we are together we can work on everything else. "

Kolar was beginning to wake from his nap and would soon want his share of his mother's attention. "My thoughts exactly," Kevin replied.

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris