And The Night

Posted on Fri Mar 15, 2019 @ 5:30pm by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Lieutenant JG Camille Lévesque PhD

801 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Plaga Navis
Location: Nicole's Quarters

Nicole was sitting up in bed, reading her book when the chime went off. She ignored it, guessing who it was and hating herself for doing so, but she wasn't sure she was ready for company. When it went off again, she put her finger in the book to save the page and threw back the covers and grumbled, going to the door.

As it opened, she immediately hated herself for what she'd been thinking. "Hi," she said.

“Bonsoir,” Camille said with a slight smile. She’d gone back to change into more comfortable clothes, which this evening meant flannel pyjamas with sleepy bears on them and fluffy pink slippers. Her hair was tied back with a simple hair elastic. “Can I come in?”

Nicole nodded. "Of course. " She stepped aside and gestured to her couch. "Something to drink?"

Camille stepped into Nicole’s quarters. “It’s pretty late, so maybe some mint tea?” She moved to the couch and sat down, kicking her slippers off and tucking her feet under her, getting comfortable. “What are you reading?” she asked, looking at the book in Nicole’s hand.

Nicole looked down at her hand, realizing she'd forgotten she was holding her book. "It's called The Doctrine of Lollo," she said, going to the replicator and ordering a mint tea and a hot chocolate. "It explains the combinations of our lives and how we find balance in such combinations. Basically a book of Numbers from an old Numerologist."

She came over to the couch with the drinks and handed Camille her cup, setting the book down as she sat down with her mug.

“Merci. You’ll need to let me try the book sometime. I don’t really understand Numerology.” Camille breathed in the deliciously minty smell over her cup and smiled. She took a sip before setting her cup down on the coffee table. “How are you holding up?”

Nicole sighed and took a long sip. "I've had better nights," she said. "I went and apologized to the Captain for my behavior. I must have caught her in a charitable mood, because I still have my rank, and I'm not in the brig." She sighed. "I owe you an apology as well. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you earlier."

“You didn’t embarrass me,” Camille said. “I’m glad the Captain didn’t lock you up. And Starfleet should have told us who they were sending. Not that they knew your feelings or would care, but it seems poor form.” She gently touched Nicole’s arm. “But I accept your apology. You should know that I had dinner with him tonight.”

Nicole immediately tensed up. "Why...." she said, slowly.

“Nicole, you may not like him but he is a guest on the ship,” Camille said. “I needed to be polite and show some basic hospitality. I couldn’t just say ‘find your own way to the mess and figure it out’. That isn’t me, and I think you know that by now. Besides, I’m sure the Captain wouldn’t approve of me abandoning him, and Commander Hunter would view it as our relationship affecting my duty.”

Nicole's jaw clenched. Camille had a point, but she wasn't in the mood to entertain it. "Fine then," she said. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, taking a long drink of her hot chocolate. "I could always just keep drunk," she said, giving a half-hearted smile. "Can't argue if I'm slurring too hard."

Camille finally put a few pieces together. She remembered Nicole using drinking terminology about hot chocolate when they were in holo-Montreal, like it going to her head and Camille plying her with it. She didn’t understand how, but apparently Nicole got drunk off of chocolate. “Is that going to be your solution the whole time Thomas is here?” She knew Nicole was in pain, but surely there were better outlets.

"Well, it's that or exhaustive sex," Nicole said. "But no point in both of us being incapacitated." She put her mug down on her coffee table and curled up on the couch, her head resting on Camille's leg. "Just...bear with me for the next few days, okay?"

Camille gently stroked Nicole’s hair. “I’m here for you. Whatever you need.” She smiled wickedly. “And if what you need is exhaustive sex, then I guess I’ll just need to provide.” She started running her fingers through Nicole’s hair. Her smile, however, hid the other thought that was in the back of her mind. The one that voiced her fear that her lover would run to Victor for that particular need.

Nicole chuckled a bit and sighed, kissing Camille's thigh and closing her eyes, finally, for just a moment, feeling safe.

 

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