Dance with me or A conversation and a dance

Posted on Friday 29 January 2021 @ 08:08 by Commander Caroline Miller

Mission: Homeward
Location: Somewhere at the engagement party
Timeline: MD 8
1688 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Dinner was eaten, dessert as well, and the official engagement having been done, Mathias was wanting to do something more that evening. He was hearing music being cued up for dancing, and he wished to dance with the divine Caroline.

He looked at Caroline with a gentle smile, "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me again? Besides, I would like a conversation with you, and see how things are going for you."

"Of course," the blonde replied standing up and attempting to pull her dress so it was a little more off the floor. She had almost tripped over on their first spin around the floor. "Lead on," she smiled. Somehow though this felt a little more serious to the first time. He had something on his mind, she mused.

Mathias had noticed her near trip from earlier and thought of a possible temporary fix. If Caroline was willing. "I can temporarily fix your hem so you won't trip over it whilst we dance." he said quietly, "But it will take a quick visit to the concierge for a couple of safety pins or a needle and thread. I am afraid I came unprepared in that aspect." giving a rueful chuckle.

Caroline laughed inwardly. “Is there anything you can't do?” she asked. “No it's fine just keep a firm hold on me and I won't fall over. Also it will keep the illusion. That blond Klingon eyes keep roaming over me. I think I Sprained my hand a little, ” she confessed. “He's a lot bulkier and firmer close up. I surprised myself finding the strength to perform that manoeuvre.”

She opened and closed her fingers a few times. Yes something felt off. Still it was better a minor injury than one of the XOs family choking to death at their engagement party.

”What do you want to talk about?” she asked walking them back to the dance floor letting him place his arm round her waist. Briefly her brain wandered wondering what his hands on other parts of her might be like. Yes it was a damn shame he was interested in Fay.

He wrapped one arm about her waist, paused momentarily looking into Caroline's eyes. He thought for a moment on how to broach the subject of Fay but decided there just wasn't going to be any dancing around the subject. "I am glad you saved his life." Mathias said then focused on what could possibly be a rather awkward discussion. "I wanted to talk to you about Fay and the whole awkward mess it had been, but most importantly, I wanted to see how you are doing." Mathias feeling like he was an awkward teenager at this point. " I felt I didn't have the chance to speak with you, to, resume our chat in the arboretum. It just seems so long ago, when we had it. I had hoped we could have more." Gently taking her injured hand, running one thumb over it as if endeavouring to sooth away the pain in her hand.

The thumb over her hand was all she could think about suddenly. Forcing herself back to reality, she asked. “What happened with Faye?”

"Fay and her new host, Abigale, have gone to where they needed to be at. I've not seen them for a couple of days now and I don't think I will be seeing them, before they head off to take Fay home." he remarked quietly. "The hoped for relationship the ladies had wished for, where I was concerned, didn't happen. I didn't want it to happen. Honestly, a little bit of me wanted to, as... Abigale was my first love when I was thirteen, but, now I just couldn't." he shook his head. "Fay on the other hand, she has someone waiting for her. Still, even if Fay didn't have anyone waiting, it still wouldn't feel right. And nothing happened." Mathias tensing up slightly as he thought of two nights ago. That evening had been a rough one.

"I don't think that we had considered the amount of sensory details that Fay had been experiencing, being exposed to sensations that she'd not felt before. Taste, touch, sense of smell, hearing. Can you imagine all that being combined with human emotions and passions in just a short amount of time? I could almost liken it to someone coming out from a long confinement and be exposed to what we take for granted and have.. boundaries set up, to deal with all of the input we are experiencing on a daily basis." Mathias went quiet, feeling like he had said enough for the moment.

"It would have been very overwhelming," Caroline said. "I met with her a couple of times to try gauge if she was coping. She did mention she kissed you. Faye."

The blond bit her lip suddenly feeling awful. She had been colder with him. Stepped back so not to ruin things for Faye and him, even a little jealous if she admitted it to herself. And then to find out he had been confronted with an ex, not to mention his first love as the new host.

"I'm sorry I owe you an apology," she said simply. "I too wanted to resume our chat but I ... I thought you were going to ask me out," she confessed. "And when Faye said you kissed. I ... I didn't like it but I thought it was what you wanted. And I didn't like myself for not liking it. Then I made peace with it but I still feel bad about that. More so when you decided to help me with ...." she indicated the Klingon, "Tonight."

Mathias was dumbfounded at her confession, then gave a gentle smile, "It was a rather awkward situation over all. No apology needed, we were all caught up in a rather confounding maelstrom and I was going to ask you out, even if it were just as two fellow crewmates. I don't know much about what you've been through before I arrived on the ship, and wanted to proceed at an easy pace. I honestly didn't expect for things to happen as they did, with Fay, then with Abigale. I actually felt like I was going to lose my mind at one point of time. Do you know what kept me going? It was you."

Caroline found herself smiling. "Me. How? I mean why?"

"I don't know if I can truly put in words why, but when I met you I felt a connection. There was something about you that, just, felt safe. Felt magical, felt wonderful. Your warmth, your gentleness, your inner strength. Bah words are failing me, even now." Mathias giving a shake of his head. "Just the thought of you, kept my head on straight. Honestly just the chance to see your smile, or even a glimpse of your lovely face and the sparkle in your eyes, I'd go find a dragon and tame it."

Caroline's smile broadened. "Well you don't need to tame any dragons but I think you should take me on that date." She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She didn't care if the Klingon was watching anymore this was soley because she wanted too. "If you still want too? I mean I owe you for the knight in shining armour act or I would likely be getting gifts of slithering Gagh and targ hearts right now. I could rustle up a proper dinner or picnic. Nothing alive," she said the joke there evident on her face.

Caroline's kiss was unexpected, and it was delightful, it drove any thoughts of any other kisses from his mind. Mathias stood there for a long moment as if in a daze, his mind trying to catch up with what had just happened. She. Kissed. Him. She kissed him! His smile was brilliant, then it turned more gentle. "I agree, nothing alive or squirmy. A picnic, or a dinner, yes. I'd love that very much." getting his brain to catch up. Mathias so wanted to pull Caroline close to him, wanted to give her a kiss that would leave both of them breathless. Maybe just one kiss, won't hurt. Mathias leaned in to give Caroline a gentle kiss, caressing her cheek then moving towards her hair. He allowed himself to just touch the softness of her hair then moved his hand back, him breaking the kiss. "When would you like us to go out, the day after tomorrow sound good?"

She nodded. “Sounds wonderful. I’ll send you some coordinates.” She was wondering about showing him one of her countries castles. A medieval one.

"That would be perfect." Mathias raising her hand, the one he held, to his lips and giving it a kiss. "I certainly am looking forward to wherever, the picnic or dinner will be." his attention just on her.

"Well good sir," Caroline said finding herself kind of curtseying which was both playful and odd in itself. "Its getting late and past pumpkin time so thank you for the dance. I'm going to skip off back to Sweden and I will see you in a couple of days. Unless you want to walk me out and escape too," she winked at him.

Mathias cast a glance towards where the others were, then back to her and grinned. "I would be honoured to walk you out and make my escape. I've got a quick tour to go watch some whales in the morning, by myself, so I am all for us sneaking away."

"You sure do like whales," Caroline commented waving good bye to people and linking her arm in his.

"They are amazing, and gentle. Just having the opportunity to see them it makes me relax." Mathias chuckled, then with one last wave to others, he left with Caroline away from the engagement party.

OFF:

●● Lieutenant Mathias McPhee
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin


●●● Commander Caroline Miller
Chief Counselor
USS Merlin