Kissy Wissy Part 2

Posted on Thu Feb 16th, 2023 @ 5:07am by Indigo (*) & Lyndon Zahn

Mission: Mission 16: Hysperia
Location: Hysperia
Timeline: Second Day of Festival (MD06)
4446 words - 8.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Indigo had spent the evening dancing and cheering as one of the crew of the SS Mary Rose became queen of the harvest. It had been an odd event but now she was bored and Indigo bored was like a caged andorian fire ant burrowing through the ice - dangerous. She had really hoped that it would have ended up with someone like Teav or Kaylin who had ended up at the harvest royal.

But it was too much to ask the universe for even if it was hilarious to the blue haired woman to see her comrades in that position. Maybe on another planet she could set them up. There had to be more festivals and events like the harvest festival that they would end up now they were out in the universe a little more.

It was when she had decided to head back to her hotel room that she had a great idea to go back and find that kissing booth and claim her final kiss that she had paid for. Which was why she found herself outside the booth and knocking loudly on the wood not able to see who was inside or there was anyone at all.

As it happened, and perhaps the fortunes had been involved in the timing of the matter, Lyndon had only swung back via the booth with the intention of securing it for the night. He had been delighted, as most of her comrades had been, to see Beya crowned and it had very little to do with the fact that it was going to be a considerably boon to his business to have had partnership with harvest royalty. (He didn't expect she would have the time to continue, unfortunately, but he wouldn't begrudge her that.) There had been momentary disappointment at being overlooked as an option to join her but the eventual result had been far too pleasing for the Risian to really mind, and if he thought it through, it was probably better this way. Adding official obligation to his list of things to achieve before the festival was over wasn't going to leave him a lot of time for sleep.

He was very much craving the warmth of his bed currently.

And so, with the slightly contented wooziness of a combination of mead and beer sloshing around in his head, Lyndon was doing his best to secure the makeshift little stall against the weather. It had been raining on and off for the last half hour and seemed certain to set in. The knock caught him off-guard, and an immediate guilty conscious, (though there was no reason whatsoever for that to be the case), saw him stand up far too quickly and whack his head on the edge of the shelf. Muffled curses emerged, the shuffling of a body to accommodate the space, and eventually a head poked out of the side door to wince at the intrusion. It took only several seconds for his expression to clear as recognition kicked in. "Well, look who it is!"

Indigo moved to the side hearing the curse and winced as she saw him appear with a bump already forming on his head. She had not meant to scare him or cause an injury. “Yes look who it is but I did not mean to cause you an injury.” She moved forward to touch his chin to look at the bump.

"Ah," brushed aside the partially-tipsy Risian with a waving flop of his hand, "No harm done." It took a moment before he added, "Well, except for the actual harm done. But it's not the first time my head's taken a beating." He screwed up his nose, still standing rather awkwardly as he was given the once-over. "I'll survive."

Indigo let go of his chin to allow him to stand up straight through the door. She took a step back and looked around a little bit awkward taking in just how silly the situation was now. She’ had come there thinking he would possibly still be open just for a moment of fun but now she caused him to have a bit of an injury. “Course you’ll survive. Maybe I should actually make sure that the bruise is just that.” She offered.

Honestly a little mystified at the fuss, Lyndon didn't protest at first until a large splotch of water landed directly on his nose. It was jarring at first, his brain not wanting to draw logical conclusions and instead landing on the concern that she'd somehow spilt something on him. When a second raindrop followed, and then a third and fourth at increasingly fast intervals, the Risian looked upwards suddenly and understood. "You would think they'd have some kind of arrangement with the local deities about the weathe..."

He wasn't able to finish the sentence before the heavens opened.

Indigo looked up as the heaven opened in good old fashioned surprise rain and grinned as it started a deluge. She was never going to make it back to her hotel without getting wet.

"Oh, it's cold!" The hunch of his shoulders saw Lyndon turn quickly and, maintaining manners, gently pushed his patron ahead of him into the cosy confines of the stall's interior. So far, it had proven to be partially leak-proof, though the thunder of rain against the roof as the deluge kicked in was definitely going to push his carpentry skills to the limit. Lyndon pulled the door shut, stood a moment pressed against it in fear of treading on toes, and then managed to pat along the wall to find the switch for the 'lamp'. Like most things on Hysperia, it hid its technological advantage behind a more rustic exterior. He glanced upwards as the sound overhead enveloped them, blocking out all other indications of a world outside other than the very faint and distant shrieks of others seeking cover. "There goes the bonfires then."

“Not everything can be perfect forever.” Indigo commented pushing her slightly damp hair back out of her face and looked around. It was was definitely a small space but neither was squashed or bent down which was nice, the designer obviously look his own height into account. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the slightest about it all so her gaze turned back to him. “Sit down.” She instructed looking at the stool that was there.

This was his stall. His business. His entrepreneurial vision. He was the master of his own destiny in this space, in control of his own fortune. A sole trader, an independent businessman, finally free of the shackles of someone else's expectations and demands...

He sat down.

And, as it happened, nearly missed the stool. Wobbling slightly, Lyndon righted himself and then, not having anything else to do with them, folded his arms across his chest. "So, I, uh. This must be the part in proceedings where I offer you the free guided tour."

Indigo smiled softly and shrugged quickly glancing away so she could pretend to not see the wobble. “That is your choice.” She countered as she pulled out a small flash light from her pocket and used it to illuminate the part of his head he had hit. It was going to leave a mark but that was okay as there would be lasting damage.

It was hardly going to be the last time he hit his head on something in his haste. Consequences were a hard thing to get a handle on, especially when it was so easy to invent a new way every single time to make a mess of things. "Well," Lyndon glanced around, not ungrateful for the concern but mostly ignoring it, "there's not a lot to see. I think this used to be an old puppet show, I found it out the back where all the disused props and paraphernalia are kept."

“Well it’s certainly different and keeps the rain off us for a bit.” She said turning the torch off and just leaving them in the soft glow from the lamp. “No damage other than your ego.” She teased leaning against the wooden wall testing its sturdiness.

"Practically impervious to damage," Lyndon assured her with a wink and then glanced overhead to scrutinise the roof's efforts in preventing leaks. There was one small trickle in the corner but, so far, neither of them were being forced to dodge any drips. "I did consider perhaps that I should have just stuck with a puppet show." There was no real reason for the sudden choice in admission, other than being a few meads closer to exposing a well-concealed sense of inadequacy. He'd just wanted to fit in, to be part of the excitement and spirit of a festival he'd dreamed about visiting for so long. To honor his mother's love of the place and its people. Now, he was contemplating a very wet night in alone whilst his partner enjoyed her royal suite and it just seemed to Lyndon that he'd somehow missed the mark along the way.

"Sure you are." She countered with a smile as she looked around the stall the same as her but her gaze was one of interest and wonder as she tried to take it all in. She was used to so much tech that the simplicity of the planet was something else. Maybe she would retire if the watchdog ever let her there. "Oh?" She wondered seeing the look on his face as he looked around.

"Well, the locals didn't really understand the concept of a kissing booth at first," he admitted sheepishly, lifting a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "And even now that they've got their heads around it, I'm starting to realise the longevity of it as a business prospect isn't remarkable." Looking across at her, Lyndon hunched a shoulder. "It turns out it's quite challenging to break into a pseudo-archaic culture that draws inspiration from fairytales and folklore but also hides traces of convenience behind false ornamentation. Starting to wonder if even Tomas has an electric skillet hidden under that forge of his..."

Indigo could not help but chuckle ever so slightly at the sheepish expression on his face. "It isn't but business prospects sometimes are just short-term ideas or jumping steps to the next thing." Indigo had not started out as a Fenris Ranger or even anywhere near as good as that but it eventually over the years fell into place. Hard to say no to the Dogwatch or the Fenris Rangers in all honesty. They had both been good to her. "So if kissing half the universe is not what you want to do with your time what do you?" She asked thinking it was a logical place to start.

The very gentle swaying of one-too-many drinks lulled Lyndon into a peaceful reflection at first. So far, most of Hysperia had seen his showmanship, the front-man displays of grandiose extroversion that had simply been his best attempt at a suitable pantomime for the occasion. Reduced to a more candid exposition of true form, the Risian frowned and then his expression cleared to permit a resigned sigh. "Honestly, I'd settle for just seeing half the universe." He wasn't wholly familiar with the term wanderlust but Lyndon certain experienced it.

Indigo smiled a little at the man. “It is not a bad thing to settle on. Lots of opportunities, my friend has a ship that leaves Hysperia in the next couple of months that goes all over.” She said thinking of Gregnol and his crew. They went all over and they were the best type of people in the universe. A bit of Starfleet and a bit of Fenris rangers making them completely a friend to people done the right way.

A slightly exaggerated frown of concentration saw Lyndon sit a moment in silence as he tried to connect some dots. "There was a ship my sister mentioned being smitten with the idea of joining, sounds similar." He winced, reaching a conclusion that was altogether too common. "I'm not entirely sure I listened properly."

Indigo smiled more as she watched the man almost having a crisis of faith in her opinion. These were the times she almost wished she could relate more to people and the complex emotions that came with being more mortal than her. “Maybe time to listen more to your sister.” She laughed a little. “Us women have a lot to say and a lot of it makes sense.”

Lyndon held up a hand. "No argument here." He was more than willing to admit that Mykaia had handle the logistics of this working vacation so far, and that without her practical input, he'd have probably ended up anywhere by now. too impulsive, too swept up in whatever appealed to him in the moment. As he lapsed into thoughtful silence, a similar capacity to fixate saw him regard his current companion with the inquisitiveness and eager appreciation that were the most easily recognisable cultural traits he tended to succumb to. "What about you? When will the stars whisk you away again?"

“When my friends leave.” It was simple like that. The Fenris rangers were here purely in a professional capacity that was working out very well for everyone involved as more of a holiday with the dock closed for the holiday. “I will probably go back towards Freecloud.” It was their default status of preparation to be close to Freecloud and more technical minded communities. It was easier to blend in.

"Your friend finds it hard to relax in Hysperia but you frequent Freecloud for employment prospects?" The exaggerated grimace on Lyndon's face made it clear he was trying to envisage Theo attempting to navigate the seedier districts. He and Kaia had been in and around Freecloud a few times, Lyndon didn't mind it there though it lacked the charm of his current lodgings.

“Theo is a … he is going through a change in pace.” The woman laughed a little. Poor Theo would get there, he just needed to realise he was no longer in Starfleet anymore. “I want born and raised in Freecloud. I’m a citizen so I am quite happy to be going home.” It was simpler to blend in there and there was so much to do that was more her speed.

"So what brought you in this direction?" The haze of gentle inebriation was possibly doing a number on the Risian's ability to infer but he was content enough in his partial-obliviousness. Though not everywhere he'd visit had been quite as to his liking as Hysperia, Lyndon had still relished every new opportunity. As someone who had been planet-bound up until several months previous, anything made a better prospect than another climate-controlled balmy day offering massages by the beach.

“Helping my friend's ship. They are having a big refit in the dry dock and needed help.” It was not really a lie in her opinion as that was really why they were there but it was a little more than that. “Are you okay?” She wondered something about his tone did not strike her right.

"Hmmn? Oh, I'm fine." Tipsiness was a state of being for a Risian, at least when it came to festivities. The steady thrum of the rain overhead was somewhat too relaxing for Lyndon to stand too much of a chance of not drifting off on a whim, but then he tended to daydream at the best of times. "Somewhat wishing I'd stashed some mead in here but I've probably had my fill for the night."

A half-smile lingered into another stretch of warm silence. The stall, whilst fast becoming a little stuffy, was proving to be not a bad place to seek shelter from the weather, and the benefit of company had been something Lyndon hadn't anticipated. It had been an odd thing to consider, walking home alone on the most important night of the local calendar. If this had been Risa, he'd at least have had places to be, things to occupy himself with, services to render. As he sat there admiring her blue hair and listening to the rain, Lyndon realised that, after all this time, he was really quite lonely. It wasn't an entirely uncomfortable sensation because it was unusual enough for him to be intrigued by it, but it did warrant consideration that so much time flitting from place to place might be taking its toll on his need to connect.

His features relaxed further and though he remained on his stool to better average out their height, he pulled himself up out of a slump to pay better attention to the moment. After all, he might have been lonely but he wasn't alone. "I suppose it would be a little presumptuous to remind you to claim outstanding credit before the end of the day." The twinkle in his eyes was mischief that mirrored their first conversation, tempered by a more relaxed softness.

Indigo would have enjoyed more mead but she was sure she had her own fill as well. It left her in a nice place that she knew was not at all common for her. It was not often that she got to just chill like she was on Hysperia and it reminded her the differences between cultures and how the people here had forged something out of pieces to create their own society.

“Oh… well interestingly that was why I came here.” She said truthfully grinning at him as she move from leaning against the wall to standing close to him. “I did not know how long the credit lasts.”

"Technically, I would probably honour it even if we crossed paths in Freecloud one day, but opportunity doesn't always allow for second chances." Without rising, Lyndon reached out a hand as an invitation for her to take it.

The woman took the hand and moved to lean over him. It was a nice change to be slightly higher than a man or woman even if their legs were spread out making the space tight. “I’ll take it now.” She whispered before leaning forward pressing her lips against his softly. She moved her free hand and caressed his check.

His plan, a product of inherited gallantry courtesy of Hysperia's contagious pantomime for protocol, had been to kiss her knuckles and absolve her of any obligation to consider it necessary to request more. It was already a tight squeeze, after all, and sharing it had come without many options to refuse or suggest an alternative setting. Lyndon enjoyed physical intimacy enough to seek it often but he made a point of not taking advantage of convenience and honestly still wasn't sure if she was somehow already invested in these friends she kept referencing. It was vital to his willingness to return her kiss that she initiate it, though it took very little provocation beyond that for him to lift a hand to settle against her neck and use his thumb to trace the contours of her jawline. He loved the shape of bodies, revelled in the application of touch and pressure to evoke pleasure and arousal. This embrace was still ostensibly a business transaction but far be it from him to deny her a deluxe upgrade if she wanted to petition for it.

It was a nice kiss. Much better than the first kiss with Theo watching on and shaking his head or the whole of Hysperia watching on. Maybe it was the fact both of them were slightly tipsy or the fact they were alone. She did not know but it was certainly a lot different in the dark rather than the day. Indigo pulled back a little breathless and grinned down at him. “I think that makes us very even in regards to business now.” She explained.

"Mhm," Lyndon murmured, eyes still half-lidded in relaxed contentment. She hadn't retreated entirely, he noted, had barely moved enough to disconnect them at all, and with his fingertips still able to lightly trace patterns just below her earlobe, he nudged his nose against her chin and emitted a little huff of humourous approval. "Could I interest you in some closing-down stock?" The question was mumbled, half lost in the fact that he very boldly pressed the lightest kiss to replace the nuzzle. Despite the joke, his demeanour was different, no longer the showman and every bit a simple admirer thankful for the opportunity to cherish, even for a moment, a glittering jewel.

“Possibly… tell me more about the stock.” She whispered shivering at the kiss. It was a surprise to say the least at the nudge against her neck and then kiss. It had been a long time since she had entertained an idea of fooling around with someone.

There was an unwritten code, a way of interpreting body language, that came from experience and a certain amount of cultural dedication to its mastery. Like many of his people, Lyndon had restraint beyond the typical, right up to a point of being particularly adept at delaying his own gratification or denying it entirely for the privilege of pleasing another. His actions weren't guided by personal gain but a simple desire to indulge in something that had been far less common since he'd left home. Closeness. Intimacy. Companionship. He smiled fondly at her response, not just her words but the ripple of anticipation that at least guaranteed he wasn't destined for a slap across the face. "As always, the customer determines the delivery." The fingertip tracing a line across her jugular lifted to continue its trail around the curve of her ear as a means of tucking strands of blue hair gently behind it. "The universe is a big place to wander alone," he confessed.

“It very much is.” Indigo agreed as she turned her face and offered a smile to him. He looked like she felt sometimes and those emotions festered deeper than people realised. It made it hard to think some times about anything other than the overwhelming loneliness. Indigo did not know how long she had wandered alone before she found Kaylin but it had been so long that she had forgotten how long.

The agreement brought a grin to Lyndon's face and he shifted position enough to allow both hands to graze her forearms in search of hers. Giving them both a squeeze, he asked frankly, "How much do you know of my people?" Unlike his sister, he tended to wear his forehead gem since his experiences with being swept up with cultural stereotypes weren't quite as confronting for him as she found them. "Have you ever been to Risa?"

“Not for a long time and it was purely for business. So I did not really learn much. Teach me.” She requested. Glancing up still hearing the ran beating down on the stall.

"I only ask because, typically speaking, those we meet in our travels have a very keen focus on the pleasure aspect of our cultural identity." Lyndon chuckled. "Which is not without merit, we do strive to maintain a harmonious and open connection with each other.

"So tell me more about the culture." Indigo laughed softly. She was not about to tell him that she had been there and busted a slave ring that had taken over a resort and spoiled a lot of peoples holidays.

"That's a pretty broad subject," Lyndon laughed, pressing his palms to hers and then allowing their fingers to link. "My main motivation for asking is simply an exploration of transparency. Our visitors arrive with many and varied expectations, armed usually with a lifetime's supply of folktales and half-remembered oral histories. Risa has a reputation," he conceded. "And, often, when people deal with us, even off-world, we have come to realise that the universe tends to expect certain things from us."

His dark eyes studied hers for a moment, an inquisitiveness that bordered on captivation. In the slow time between customers, which had dwindled considerably once word had got around, he and Beya had been able to share what amounted to quite similar experiences when it came to outsider's expectations. Had she been available, the Orion might have been the most likely companion to seek given his current expressive desires but, though he had no doubt Beya would have welcomed him into whatever the royal chambers had in store for the night, Lyndon didn't find himself anywhere near prepared for facing Tomas in that regards. It brought about an immediate example of exactly what he was talking about that Indigo, despite being an entirely unplanned prospect, was not automatically a less worthy candidate just because she had not been first choice. People got funny about that kind of thing, as if it was possible to rank people on the basis of how their unique perspective enriched your life.

"It is quite late," Lyndon pointed out gently, "and you came alone under the guise of completing our transaction." Fingers still linked, he pulled her hand towards him to place a kiss against the knuckles. "If you are seeking more, or are in any way curious about jamaharon, it is perfectly okay to ask."

"It is late..." The woman laughed and leant forward and pressed a kiss to him properly. She could not work out what he meant by transparency as she was fully aware of why she came there for the most part. "Everyone needs more jamaharon in their lives." She answered pulling back from the kiss and squeezing his hands.

It was certainly a novel way of expressing the sentiment. Lyndon's features lit up with amusement, reassured at least that he hadn't caused offense. He may never know if she'd turned up purely to claim her kiss, or if it had been a smokescreen for seeking something more. It hardly seemed to matter as long as the outcome reflected genuine consent. "I'm afraid I left my horga'hn in my other jacket," he joked with a wink. "But if you care to dodge raindrops with me, my lodgings are not far." A little tug of her hands pulled her into him as he rose from the stool. "Perhaps I can show you some of my culture, it's far easier than trying to explain it."

The woman grinned and kicked back against the door and stepped out in the rain letting it soak her instantly. "Let us go find your jacket then." She called tugging him out into the rain with her.