Kissy Wissy Part 2

Posted on Tue Jan 24th, 2023 @ 9:40am by Indigo (*) & Theodore Winslow (*) & Lyndon Zahn
Edited on on Thu Feb 16th, 2023 @ 5:06am

Mission: Mission 16: Hysperia
Location: Hysperia- Kissing Booth
Timeline: Second Day of Festival (MD06)
1980 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

Theo was not at all sure of how wise him and Indigo going off and exploring was at all. She was exactly the type of person he avoided normally in Starfleet, wild and impulsive around the greater good and he could not get which flavour of alien she was at all. She was old but did not give a crap about a lot of stuff but there was something kind behind her eyes that would put the Virgin Mary to shame if he tried to think about his religious upbringing and how it had tainted his view of the world and led him to be an outcast.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Indigo wondered looking at the man as they weaved through the crowds. He was quieter and sullener than normal which was saying a lot as it was like having a shadow half the time when he was around. She had hoped the change of scenery might help him relax but there was nothing that seemed to be doing it.

“Nope, I am good.” He assured quickly. He did not want to talk to anyone about especially the blue-haired woman who had recruited him from Starfleet. There was no point in bringing it up when it would send him into a spiral and spending the night at a bar. “Fancy a drink or food?” He asked indicating the stalls around them.

“Kissing booth?” Indigo said stopping dead to take it in. She had not seen one in years since she was a child.

The figure currently manning the store wore the slightly bemused expression of one who possibly hadn't had nearly enough sleep, and the hairstyle that confirmed suspicions. Lyndon had, and saw no reason to deny or apologise for the fact, thoroughly enjoyed the formal opening of the festival. Business was far more enjoyable too now that his partner had warmed the waters and a night full of drinking mead and disappearing behind haystacks had destroyed a lot of the local's inhibitions. Certainly the influx of outsiders had helped matters; fresh ideas, open minds and currency burning holes in their pockets. He pushed upright from his slouch, chin rested in his hand, to grin at the latest prospect. He'd never seen such gloriously blue hair on a person, at least not that shade. And sans antenna. "Obligation-free, of course." The Risian's gaze flicked over Indigo's shoulder to regard the man hovering behind her. "It seems as if your companion could do with a double-dose."

If at all possible Theo stood straighter and looked mortified. "Him?" Indigo burst out laughing and shook her head. Theodore Winslow was as uptight and straight-laced as they came from Starfleet. She really was not sure how she was going to get him out of his shell and loosen up. "He would faint on the spot. So tell me what does exactly your kissing booth offer?" She demanded leaning against the booth as Theo looked on wanting to be anywhere other than there.

Lyndon didn't think it was possible to be met with more consternation than he'd been shown in the initial hours after opening. The look on the other man's face made it seem as if he was peddling toothpicks under the fingernails, or eating live spiders. Bemused but somehow resigned to this disingenuous level of propriety, the Risian directed his response to the woman directly in front of him. And grinned. "Well, there has been somewhat of an evolution of the idea over time, I will admit. Unfortunately, my partner is currently taking a break, she has generally had far more success than me." He seemed a little forlorn at the admission, though one couldn't argue with honest fact. "The general gist, however, is that there is an exchange of a small fee, whereupon we enjoy a brief moment of tender connection and then you wander off into the crowd and forget about me." Once again, this seemed to be a sheepish calculation born of experience. "It sounded far better when I first conceptualised it."

Indigo snorted and glanced at Theo wondered if this was the moment he was going to snap by the look of him. He looked well and truly done with her her as he stood there, arms folded. “Oh come on Fleeter, what harm could a kiss do? Been many years since I’ve kissed a man.” She added just to wind him up more than anything.

That response only seemed to prompt a wider grin from the stallholder. "We can always negotiate a two-for-one deal," he offered, waggling his eyebrows at the sullen man. Lyndon had been combating prudish platitudes all day, it had become almost more unusual to meet someone open to the prospect of pocket-sized intimacy.

“That will not be necessary.” Theo stuttered through trying to grab Indigo’s arm but she already had credits out and slammed them down on the counter.

“I definitely count as two people,” Indigo assured grinning as Theo rolled his eyes and looked around. Indigo was going to be the death of him, he was sure.

Arms spread wide, Lyndon availed himself with the same cavalier attitude he'd managed to maintain all day. At this rate, he'd wind up sleeping for a week. "Who's first?" Leaning forward, his arms dropped to support his weight, he added sotto voice to Indigo, "Don't worry, they always protest this much at first. Oddly enough, it's the same ones that usually come back for seconds."

"Oh no... both kisses are mine," Indigo said grinning at the mere thought of Theo kissing this man. "He won't be tempted. The man has an iron-clad will or ..." She shared a look with Theo who was just staring at her waiting for her to choose a word. "Just sulking." She finally said.

Why was it, Lyndon asked himself, that the most receptive ones were all from off-world? A pair of arched eyebrows offered Theo one final opportunity to capitalise before Lyndon heeded Beya's tutelage and left the clearly-unwilling alone. Instead, his eyes twinkled as he regarded the blue-haired beauty, who reminded him of an unlit firecracker for some reason. It was a personality he could get behind. "Then how would m'lady prefer her first sample?," he asked, stepping out from behind the booth to affect a ridiculous show of taking her hand and dipping to a bow. Still bent over, Lyndon glanced up and added in a somewhat less formal tone, "You have no idea how many I've had pay for me to kiss their boots."

Theo just stared at the man before he rolled his eyes and looked away. He really did not have the patience for this. “Oh I am too old to be surprised by anything like that and I bet they are all male.” She said offering her own curtsy as was the style of the planet.

In a different place, with better odds, Lyndon had the capacity to move as smoothly as he spoke. Something about Hysperia had dislodged his equilibrium and he had struggled, with comedic effect, to navigate the complex society that seemed to live one way in public and another way entirely behind closed doors. It was not the Risian way, of course, at least not the parts of Risa he'd grown up in. Still, gallantry had a certain appeal, and his new partner was very generous with her knowledge and gracefulness. Converting his low bow into a series of twirls that landed the woman draped across his arms and dipped downwards to the ground seemed flawless and Lyndon wasn't about to admit to how many times he'd nearly dropped Beya whilst practising.

"Perhaps like this?"

“Perfect.” Indigo approved hoping that she did not spill out her of her dress being dipped that low. It was not at all often that she wore a corset style dress was not at all trusting. “But more like this.” She leant up and pulled him down to her and kissed him taking the initiative.

By now, people had at least stopped staring. There was still the occasional person who hurried past with their head down, or who turned abruptly the other way to avoid the scene entirely, but otherwise there was a weary acceptance and intent to just get on with things. Particularly for the stallholders around, most of whom had not seen any damage to business from the kissing booth's operation. Lyndon, having once again taken feedback from his partner, maintained a kiss that was both unassuming yet just soft and sensual enough to provoke future purchases. It had taken some practise, the Risian had never attempted transactional tenderness before, but of all the things he'd had to invest time into to reach proficiency, it was easily one of the more enjoyable. After a moment had passed, he grinned into the kiss and inquired, "And dessert will be...?"

"Later on." She grinned back as he set her back fully on her feet and upright again. She glanced at Theo who was still ignoring was going on and stomped to another stall. "Not a bad kiss." She told him turning her attention back to him as Theo was more than capable of looking after himself.

"Another satisfied customer." It took Lyndon perhaps a smidgen longer than was necessary to release her entirely, though he stepped back in due time and turned his attention to the empty space where her companion had once been. It occurred to him then that perhaps he had inadvertently stepped on the young man's toes. In fact, the more the Risian reflected on it, the more likely it seemed that a young man wandering around with a young lady in a place like this might be more of a mind to covet her affection for himself. Lyndon frowned faintly. It certainly hadn't been his intention to thwart young love.

"And now, the rest of the festival is yours to explore and enjoy. Perhaps your...friend...might prefer some of the dragon jousting. Or I hear there is a pie eating contest in an hour or so!"

Everyone was making that mistake between her and Theo. They were certainly closer to friends than anything else and even then friends was a loose term. “Maybe my friend would enjoy the dragon jousting. Would be interstellar to see myself. Thank you for the suggestion.” Indigo was not exactly enjoying the place but the exploring was certainly nice as it was just so different from Freecloud.

"Might even be a spot or two in the beginner's tournament if you're inclined towards competition." One thing that Lyndon partially regretted about setting up his own enterprise was just how much of the rest of the festival he stood to miss out on. Perhaps, and it was certainly worth considering, he could rethink his operational hours.

“Maybe. Will see how the mood takes me and my very grumpy friend.” Indigo said with a nod at the man and a quick glance around at the fact it was starting to get busy . “Save that second kiss. I’ll be back back to claim it later.” She reminded him teasingly.

"Then I shall be right here, waiting with bated breath," Lyndon assured, stepping back behind the booth despite being of half a mind to close it for an hour or so. Now that the challenge of making it succeed was somewhat fading, the allure of other exploits was likely going to be too strong to resist indefinitely. Leaning out, he waved to the other man, already several stalls away in an effort, Lyndon supposed, to distance himself from the spectacle. "And remember, if you come back later, my partner a very tantalizing prospect!" There was a pause as the only response was a very resolute silence, interspersed with faint sniggers from those keeping audience. Lyndon ignored them.

"See you soon!"