The object of desire

Posted on Thu Aug 11th, 2016 @ 10:56pm by Dixoho Saa (*)

Mission: Mission 2 - Contagion
Location: Deck 3 - Officer Quarters
Timeline: MD -10 23:00
2102 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Dixoho moaned at the insistent banging on her door, she didn’t have time to deal with the person now it was past her bed time and she felt bad enough that nothing was going right. She was wrapped up sleeping soundly when the noise started but she couldn’t find the energy to deal with it.

"Go away!" She rolled over onto her side and ignored the banging until it went away. She gasped as she could hear the door open clumsily, the metal grating as it was pulled opened, obviously she hadn’t locked it again. She rolled onto her back and sat up barely covering herself up seeing Joss in her room.

“Um... hi?” She wondered softly.

He had investigated and made many inquiries concerning the gift that was sent to him. One-by-one the all denied sending the package. The only female left was the one he had been overlooking as the Giver, primarily because he considered her a friend. This complicated things. How should he respond? He supposed the should talk about it.

It took Joss some time to pick up the nerve. Finally, he found her quarters. When she called out, he just tried the door. When it opened, he walked inside.

"Uh, hello," he returned.

"What's up Doctor?" She asked gently clutching the blanket to herself.

Talon took in Dixoho's defensive posture. His cheeks reddened. He took too long making up his mind to speak to her. Now, she was in bed, trying to sleep. She was in bed. Not a good predicament for him.

Backing away, Joss stammered, "I'm sorry....it's a bad time....we'll talk tomorrow, Dixie."

Dixoho shrugged, suit himself. Ever since the Bolian Thief had walked in on her just out the shower she hadn't been shy but now she was.

"Up to you." She said softly sweeping her long hair out of her face.

Dixoho had a way of getting to Joss with the Up to you. All along, Talon had thought it meant that Dixie didn't care one way or another. She was indifferent. She said it often and it seemed to be part of her personality. But now, Talon knew differently. Underneath that outward shell of indifference was a girl that was a romantic, wanting to be loved. Wanted him to love her. She wanted to care for him.

Dammit, Joss thought, "You can't say that!" It took him a moment to realize the last part was aloud. Wanting to be a turtle, crawling back into his shell, he turned to leave. He didn't want this conflict, and now, he just opened a can of worms.

"I totally can. You just come into my room and i am naked in bed... What is it with men on this ship." She whispered half to herself, half to him. She moved a little more wrapping the blanket around her and stood up moving to touch his shoulder.

Feeling her hand upon his shoulder, he forcefully turned. Now that he knew her feelings for him, she couldn't cone off with the whatever attitude.

"No," he said, a bit cross. "You can't act as if things I choose don't matter to you!"

The woman stepped back surprised at the cross tone and expression on his face. Why couldn’t she? It was what she had always done and it didn’t seem to bother him before.

“Why not... it’s never bothered you before?” She said clutching the blanket around her.

"Because I know," Talon replied, "the gift came from you. Along with the inscription."

There. He said it. The cat was out of the bag. It didn't make him feel better like he thought. He was a bit queasy. He could actually run out into the corridor and vomit, so much he hated conflict. Especially when it came to the beautiful redhead before him with only a blanket separating them. If it were any other place, any other time, then Talon wouldn't have difficulty with this. But it was a nightmare to him. He loved Tabitha.

"Ah... Sorry." She said simply sitting back on her bed. She had sent it before she knew about how deeply he obviosuly held the engineer.

"Ah...sorry?" Talon repeated. He stood there quietly for what seemed an hour, but was only seconds. The truth was, he didn't expect an apology from Dixoho. She was following her emotions. The timing was horrible, but she was being true to herself.

"Why didn't you say something?" Talon asked. "Why did you allow me to make a fool of myself, probing every female aboard about the gift?" Should he have used the word probing? Somehow, it seemed inappropriate to him in the current context. His face reddened with the realization.

"I thought you would give up eventually... I didn't know you would get serious with her." The Trill looked away, looking at the floor intently like it was the most wonderful thing in the universe. "Because you wouldn't listen... Everything I've said to you... Every bit advice I've you've ignored." She shrugged.

"Look," Talon suggested, "you were following your heart. I understand; I followed mine. If Tabs wasn't here, it might have turned out differently."

He reached out and turned her so that she faced him. "The truth is, you and I do have a special relationship. Next to Tabs, I come to you to rattle things around in my brain. You challenge me and I want you to keep challenging me."

"If I had known you were serious I wouldn't have but come on..." She left the thought that didn't belong to her hanging as she tugged away from his hand. "Don't worry. Its how it always is, things don't go differently for me."

She was a stubborn one, this red headed Trill. She seemed full of self pity, which caused her not to expect too much for herself. He realized it had become a survival mechanism for her. If you don't expect much, there's no risk involved. Yet, she did take a risk for Joss. And he took the risk of accepting her as a friend, one of his best.

"Well that's about to change since I'm your friend," Talon interjected. "If I have to myself, I'm going to find you a good man. Come to think of it, didn't you tell me you had a thing for our Boss?"

"I didn't not really." She looked at the floor. "He seemed safe and solid unlike anyone else then you came along."

"Get me off that pretty little red headed mind of yours," Talon jokingly suggested.

There had to be someone on the ship for Dixoho. He thought of his blue friend that helped with the medical equipment heist, but remembered that Erim was with a female Bolian at the party. There wasn't many men aboard; they were outnumbered by females. It made the ship more pleasant, but didn't help in the current situation. Then he remembered the lanky Betazoid that was part time medical staff.

"What about Leiddem Kea?" he probed. "I don't think he's attached."

Dixoho stayed silent not wanting this conversation or the teasing. She was going to be getting glared and remarks from his engineer she suspected with a sigh.

"It doesn't matter Doctor..." She said looking away.

She was beginning to annoy him with the It doesn't matter talk. Because the fact she had reached out to him showed it mattered. She was being stubborn once again.

"Tell me why the hell not?" he asked.

Dixoho forced herself to look at him when she didn't want to see the pity in his eyes.

"Because everytime I like someone... They don't feel the same and I get colder and colder."

"There's someone for you, Dixie," Talon said, holding his ground. "How about Rokas? He seems the strong type. I bet he's got endurance enough for you to be a happy lady."

"It's not about sex... A relationship shouldn't just be about that. Doesn't matter just forget it... please!" She requested shifting away a little. She wanted what she couldn't have and it seemed it wouldn't change anytime soon.

"You're right on that issue Dixie," Talon agreed with a smile. "But I'm not going to forget about you. You're my best friend, next to Tabs. Friends help each other. So, I won't rest until I find the right one. You can't give up either. So get it out of that pretty little noggin, because you're not giving up."

"I don't want or need your help please." She breathed desperately. "It would feel like pity and un truthful. I don't need it. I'm just here to get us to the station."

Talon laughed. "It's not pity, Dixie. You're wrong. You don't want my help, because you're stubborn. But friends overlook the stubbornness of their friends. You've got my help, dammit, and I won't take no for an answer."

Dixoho looked away flustered and shrugged. "Maybe i am but either way you were the first guy i have ever felt like that about and it hurts at the moment." She finally said the first truthful she had since he had woken her. She looked hurt and broken for a split second before her non plussed expression covered her face again.

Talon walked up behind her and held Dixoho's shoulders. "I'm truly sorry, Dixie." He began to rub the tenseness from her shoulders. "I will be here for you. You can count on that."

"No you are not Joss but it doesn't matter you are happy ." She wanted to shrug him away again but the touch on her bare shoulders was firm not letting her shrug him again.

He continued the gentle massage of her shoulders. "When you need to talk, I'll be here. When you're hurting, I'll be here. Any time you need a friend, I'll be here. You see," he joked, "I'm stubborn too." Dixoho turned to look at him.

"I don't want a friend!" She said looking up at him. She wanted something more than a friend, she needed someone to care about her.

His hands continued to rub out knots. "Too bad," he replied with a smile. "You've already got one." The young woman sighed softly and shook her head her hair flying every where in her frustration. She wanted to show him what he was missing, what he could have but she held back just watching him intently.

He stopped massaging her shoulders, coming to the realization that he was rubbing bare skin. Something like this shouldn't get back to Tabitha. She wouldn't understand how his best friend was another woman. It wouldn't do for word to get to her that Joss was massaging Dixie's bare shoulders. He'd have a hard time explaining his actions as nothing but support.

"I've got to get back to Tabs," Talon admitted."She's waiting for me." Dixoho nodded and made a move to step back but stopped herself. She lent up and caressed his cheek.

Feeling her touch began to aide his resolve to crumble. He rallied himself and gently took her hand in his moving it from his face.

Without thinking she lent up and kissed him. It was a kiss like no other, soft but passionate something that could break a man if they let it.

For a second, he stood, dumbfounded, his lower lip hanging open, before he realized his arms had automatically embraced hers at the elbows. His eyes showed a sense mixture of confusion and fear. He had thought things were going well; his thoughts clear. One more moment, he'd be tempted to stay. Hell, he was already tempted. If he hung around any longer, he would stay. Talon began to stammer as he quickly backed toward the door. He wanted to make sure he was prepared if Dixie advanced again.

"Th-th-thank you for th-th-the g-g-gift," he managed to get out just before stumbling over something, not sure what it was. His intention was to get out as quickly as possible; he didn't take time to see what the item was. He quickly recovered and darted for the door.

He didn't stop once outside, but dashed to the lift. As he awaited the lift, he leaned back on the door, trying to determine just what he did wrong. The lift arrived and the door opened with a woosh, causing Talon to fall inwardly. He had to find Tabitha and find her quickly.


OFF::

Talon Joss
Doctor
SS Mary Rose

Dixoho Saa
Chief Navigator
SS Mary Rose