After Shift Talks

Posted on Wed Nov 11th, 2020 @ 6:35am by Petty Officer 2nd Class Halla Dezom (*) & Major Levi Drake

Mission: Cosmos
Location: USS Cosmos, Marin CO Quarters
Timeline: 2396
1956 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Halla grinned as she heard moving about around her and opened one eye then another and saw the Marine Commanding Officer sneaking around trying to not disturb her. It was endearing but it was his quarters and she was technically trespassing. She had been waiting for him to come back but the thought of maybe getting an hours sleep without her roommate stalking around and making noise was just too tempting. “I am awake Major. Promise.” She murmured smiling thinking about the morning and the fact she had stolen his trousers.

Levi paused mid-sneak, then rose back to his full height. "About time. Was wondering if I was going to have to toss a glass of cold water over you." He smirked. "Not that I'm complaining that you're in my bed or anything..."

She watched him with a small smile admiring him for a moment before she blushed. "Sorry. I should have asked before sneaking in but I got to finish on time and my roommate was still snoring away." She murmured sitting slowly flicking her hair out of her face. She had done it a few times before but had always asked.

"Well, now I got the top job I got my own space away from the rest of the Marines, so..." he shuffled closer to the edge of the bed. "I can let you off easy this time, I guess."

Halla smiled as he moved closer to the bed. “Yeah no more having to sneak into Barrack Land.” She teased every so slightly but sometimes his teasing edged the line so she thought it better to actually get up especially if he was looking for something in his bedroom.

Seeing her wriggle to the edge of the bed he took hold of her leg and pulled her back, flipping her over and leaning in for a kiss. "What, you don't miss the thrill of sneaking around together?" he asked with a smirk.

Halla let out small cry of surprise as the man practically leapt to get to her before she move off the bed. She wiggled to look up at him running a hand through his short hair as she took in the difference from the Seabase to the Starbase where she had been high from the fumes that had been released. It had taken so long but it was such a joy to feel like she did there and then.. “I much prefer this even if you have to sneak around your quarters.” She admitted. “You do not need to make anyone nearly cry when I get caught.”

"But where's the fun in that?" he asked, meeting her gaze. "Besides, there are plenty of other perks. There's no chance of anyone on board bothering you at all, for instance. They might be grunts, but they're loyal grunts."

Halla giggled a little and shook her head. “That they are. Escorting me home when I’ve had to much in crew bar and making sure new Marines are fully aware I’m off limits.” She said thinking on the marine who had escorted her back to her quarters weeks back after she had drunk to much. “A bit different than I am used to.” Maxum had never been like that.

"Glad to hear they're all following orders," he said with a little glint in his eye. Woe behold anyone who didn't. "Sounds like we're headed to New Rixx on some mission for Command," he said, changing the subject a little. "If it's anything like Betazed then I imagine there might be a few places we could grab some leave together..."

Halla grinned a little spotting the glint in his eyes. He was protective and it amused her no end now that they had moved from her just annoying him so much he gave in to date to this where she could just come into his quarters and him asking if they could grab some leave together. "I heard Agrax commenting on New Rixx and the name to Karis." She snorted pressing a kiss to his lips. "I would love that." She assured softly.

"Good," he nodded, holding her gently around the waist. "This time let's hope we don't end up with zombies or killer robots or whatever. Not that I don't enjoy a good shoot-out from time to time, but it's really not conductive to a relationship."

"The Starbase was not so bad. We get to go to a Halloween party and you got to shoot stuff. I counted the Conference as one of the highlights of our relationship over the last six months. I enjoyed the last party we went to. Did you not?" She reminded him wiggling a little closer so she read snuggled close. It was not conductive to their relationship but it had made them appreciate each other.

"I'm not all that into parties," he replied, letting her snuggle close. "There's no party like a Marine party. At least that's what they say. Hopefully, this one will be a little quieter and we can figure out a happy medium somewhere in the middle."

Even if they did not have a good time at the party there was nothing stopping them find any number of other locations on the base to have fun. It was the best but of being allowed off on the base sometimes. "Did you figure out a costume to wear?" She wondered innocently burying her face in his chest so he could not see the grin on her face. She already had her costume all sorted but she was reluctant to tell him and spoil the effect.

"I figured I'd wait until you told me," he admitted with a little shrug. Before she could protest he added, "I told you, I'm not really a party guy. You'll have to find something that suits me. Anything you like."

The woman stayed quiet thinking for a long time to the point she thought he might have fallen asleep before she spoke. “You know we do not have to go to the party if your nervous about us making things official and being together you know.” She did not want to rush him.

"Nervous?" he echoed. "Only time I get nervous is when you're injecting me with untested serum designed to cure me from becoming a zombie..." he gave her a sly look. "We've not spent enough time together if that's what you think it is. No, I'm not nervous. Maybe just not really all that good with the 'couples' thing. We marines are simple folk, you know."

“Oh come on you cannot deny you are not gutted that you did not get at least one thing exceptional out of it.” The science technician was gutted for him. Halla was not sure on what to think was she pushing things too hard was he really not ready to take that step. It did not bother her, she could be patient but she did worry if he was really as bad as he thought he was. “I have no issue of holding off making this official when we are really the only people that matter and whatever. Relationships are meant to be fun.”

"It's not that. Really, it isn't," he explained, holding onto her arms gently. "Sure, it's new. And I really don't care what's official or not." He touched her chin with his hand, lifting her eyes up to his. "Don't over-think it. As I said, I'm a simple guy, not in this for the drama."

She smiled a little at his ability to joke about Marines when in Halla’s opinion they were some of the most complex people she had ever met. What mess they had come through to get here; thinking on that made her sure she wanted to firm up their future, she wanted people to know they were together, she did not mind but it would be nice. She always seemed to pick men who wanted to keep her or them a secrete. If it was not so self pitying she might have laughed “Then what are you in it for?” She asked honestly wanting to hear his thoughts.

"It's only been a few months," he replied. "I'd like to think we get on really well. There's at least one side of our relationship that works very well," he winked, hands moving to her hips. "At this point, that's as uncomplicated as it is. I'm not thinking too hard about the rest."

She cleared her throat; she had no idea how to begin as she looked at him carefully. "You're very important to me Levi." That was not a good start, she frowned a little at her inability to put words together enough. "I want to be completely honest with you here. I like you a lot more than I think I should right now but I guess that is me but you need to know that at the very least." Maybe she was just being young and idealistic. Maybe it was why she wanted people to know so that she could at least feel like it was a passing stage. She was just about to put more words together when his comm badge went off from his uniform jacket somewhere on the other side of the room. “It is yours.”

"Duty calls," he nodded, not going for it straight away. Instead, he was watching her face. Halla was quite important to him, too. But he was a straightforward guy and not always that great at complicated emotions. Sure, it had been months now, and he was certainly enjoying things. So why was it complicated at all? "I guess we should finish this conversation later?"

"Doesn't need to be." Halla nodded holding back the emotions that she wanted to spill out. She was pretty sure if she said anything more at the moment or any moment she was going to scare him off. That was so far from what she wanted to do right then and there. She was not sure in any state she could do more than contain herself, it seemed to be her most prominent state, one of perpetual restriction at the moment. How did Vulcan’s do this all the time? “I should get some dinner.” She admitted looking at the clock and the fact it was hitting 19:00.

"Dinner? Or breakfast?" he chuckled, motioning to her sleepwear. "These shift patterns aren't going to help..." He grabbed his uniform jacket. "I'd better get going too. See you after shift?"

“I am on Alpha again.” She shrugged as his comm still kept going off. Majority of the time she was on Beta whilst he did Alpha so she got that it was not helping things maybe. Halla looked at the shirt she had replicated to sleep in when she had decided to venture there to nap instead off going to her quarters and shrugged. “It will be dinner and then gym or gym then dinner. So I will be somewhere.” It would be one of them before she considered her evening any better. There was not more that could be done or said when they were on their way somewhere, nothing to scan or prepare for which was nice.

"We'll be at New Rixx before you know it," he said. "Then we can have that talk you want to have." He smiled at her calmly, then touched his commbadge in his hand. "Drake."

"We're ready for you to take a look over those deployment plans, Major." Probably one of his Lieutenants wanting to impress with some new drill he'd concocted.

"I'm on my way," he replied, still looking at Halla. Closing the channel he winked briefly and moved to make his exit.