Heart To Heart I

Posted on Thu Sep 8th, 2022 @ 11:19pm by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Anorra
Timeline: Mission Day 16 at 1800
3217 words - 6.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Their bloody day had finally come to an end, a unique experience had been shared, and still neither Andrei nor Lyra had wanted to be parted from the other. They ended up at her room, packed up her things, and brought them back to Andrei's suite as they had discussed. As they walked inside, Lyra was immediately hit with his scent mixed with that of the hotel proper. Reaching out, she took her bag from him and put it down by the front door while sliding out of her heels.

"Shower. Drink. Talk. In that order." She said and looked up at him.

“Oh, you want to talk, is that it?” He asked, kissing her, his lips lingering near hers. “I thought that eagerness in your stride might be something else, love.”

“Want is a strong word.” Lyra replied and kissed him again, keeping it brief but there was passion in the embrace. When she pulled back, she reached down into her bag to grab a smaller toiletries bag out of the front pocket. Giving him a brief smile, she began to walk toward the bedroom seeming intent on her order of things. Her hands went behind her to unzip her dress. She pushed it off her shoulders and then off of her hips; she paused as it fell, stepped out of it, then reached down to pick it up and at least toss it on one of the chairs to get it off the floor. Entering the bathroom, she put her bag down next to the sink she felt looked less used and turned on the shower.

She was obviously quite preoccupied as she opened her bag and pulled out three small-ish bottles meant for travel. The conversation to come was inevitable. They both knew that even this morning.

Andrei wondered at her demeanor, but he understood the felt urgency. He went and prepared the bottle of Vidiian green alcohol and grabbed two glasses and then went into the bathroom, searching for his own washing supplies.

By the time Andrei had entered the bathroom, Lyra was already in the shower and washing her hair. When she saw his figure through the frosted glass, she spoke so she could be heard over the water. "Did you enjoy today, darling?" She asked with genuine curiosity in her voice. He had seemed to at times but not at others and frankly she was curious to the answer he would end up giving her. Would it be true or would he revert to spinning words?

"I did, actually." he said over his shoulder. "The first one I enjoyed vicariously, but...the second one I really did like."

He turned around and, stripping off his clothes, stepped into the shower with her.

As he stepped in, Lyra was already rinsing her hair out of the shampoo she was using. The air was filled with her scent, that slightly spicy and sweet perfume she seemed to favor. Her eyes were closed and her fingers worked through her hair. When she felt the coolness of the air briefly invade her space, she did open her eyes slightly, having only to see his hips to make sure it was indeed Andrei.

"I'm glad to hear that." She said as she closed her eyes again.

"You sound skeptical, Love." he said, lathering his washcloth and getting to work. He looked at her for an instant, admiring her yet again, before focusing on cleaning himself. When he was done, he got his own shampoo and started to clean his hair.

"Let me." She said, stepping up to him and starting to work his shampoo into his hair, her longer nails working it down and massaging his scalp pleasantly. She had already put her conditioner in and it needed to sit for a few minutes anyways. "I may be slightly. You seemed to enjoy it at points, but not at others." Lyra decided to be honest with him, continuing to work his hair through her fingers.

"I think it was the lack of utility really." Andrei said, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of her hands on his scalp along with her wet body against his. "I enjoyed the power and excitement, and I liked sharing it with you, but I wish there was a...reason. A purpose beyond enjoyment."

"I can understand that." Lyra assured him and continued working through his hair since he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her doing so. "In general, I also find having a purpose to be much more satisfying, but I wanted to share an experience with you and I am happy that I did." She finally finished with his hair and guided him under the water to rinse it out.

"Consider the experience shared, love."

As the water poured over him, he allowed some of it to pool in his hands and then he tossed it in Lyra's face. Chuckling, he watched her. She was already soaking wet, so no change was made. Yet it was still mischievous.

Lyra blinked as the water splashed up into her face and for a beat she was quiet and then started to laugh. She slid her arms around his shoulders and pressed herself into him, getting under the water with him so it could start to rinse out her hair. She began to kiss and lightly nip along his neck and shoulder, teasingly at first but then with more passion.

"Easy now, Tiger." he said, grabbing her and pulling her closer to him. "If you keep doing that, that drink and talk will have to wait."

"Here I thought you liked it when I kissed you like that." Her voice was playfully morose as she stopped and pulled back so she could start helping the water rinse out her hair by moving it with her fingers. "Fine, fine. No more kisses."

"I do. I love it. But after watching you at work today, I find you intoxicating." he said, responding calmly to her negative reaction. She was in a mood; he could tell. He gave her a calm grin. "I'm actually trying to be good. But, if you'd like, I can ignore your order of things and take you right here."

"No, no. I appreciate you being good. I just like kissing you." Her voice was genuine and she smiled as she reached to grab her body wash so she could clean her body properly. She didn't take long, not wanting to risk distraction from the intended rest of the evening. He had been right this morning about their needing to talk after all. They had both seen the looks, felt the touches, just sensed the possessiveness; and truthfully neither of them had been trying particularly hard to hide it - or they had and they had just failed miserably.

"Me too." he said, a rare moment of awkwardness crossing his expression.

Andrei leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Since he was done, however, he grabbed a towel and stepped out of the shower. He stood in front of the mirror as he dried his hair and body. Then he grabbed his scented lotion and began to apply it to his skin. He sighed, his mind drawing back to the look in Valaya's eyes as she struggled for life. He stood a bit taller. He was not weak; he was not helpless. He could see that for sure now. He grabbed a red silk robe off of a hanger and pulled it around his body, not bothering to put anything underneath.

"I'm going to get the drinks ready." he said to the shower, and then headed for the door.

Lyra wondered at the awkwardness she had seen, but didn't dwell on it. Perhaps his retreat was in the name of being good, but it was also possible he didn't enjoy grooming and playing with his partners for whatever reason; perhaps it seemed too affectionate. She shrugged slightly to herself and finished up. She took a few moments to wipe her body down and get most of the water out of her hair before she grabbed the second hanging red robe and wrapped it around her body, tying it so it would stay closed. She pulled her hair out of the back and brought a towel along so she could continue to dry it off.

Stepping out into the living area, she picked up her drink he had left for her and moved to sit down on the couch. "Thank you."

"Of course, you're welcome." he said, looking at her with a smile. He placed a hand on her leg and scooted closer to her. There was no sign he wanted any distance at all.

Lyra smiled and adjusted herself, putting her back against the arm of the couch and sliding her legs over his lap. She didn't want the distance either, but it was obvious she was in uncertain waters at the moment and treading with care. "You were right this morning. I don't think after the past week that we have shared that we can avoid the conversation." She didn't look at him, instead looked out the window for a moment and took a sip of her drink. "So, what are we?" Her head turned and she looked at him then, her eyes intense and probing as they ever were.

"What do you want us to be?" he asked in return, watching her just as closely. His right eye scanned her heat signature. The response was cagey but not defensive and, for his part, he seemed to really want an answer, like it was important.

No, of course he wouldn't be the first to answer despite him being the one with the womanizing reputation, falling into beds every other day, stringing women along as pawns and playthings. She looked away from him then and took another drink. Despite the rolling thoughts, her body was remarkably calm; it spoke to her control and discipline. It was impressive to say the least. She could have gotten up and left it at that, but if she were being truthful with herself she didn't want to.

Lyra looked back at him then, her expression cool. She would take the first step, but it was obvious she was not going to tolerate laying herself bare while he remained closed and crafty. If this was going to be, it was going to be, and it wasn't going to be one sided.

"Us." She said simply but decisively.

"Hmm.." he said, thinking. "So do I."

It was a simple statement, and his smile had gone away.

"The big question that remains is: what does that actually look like? What does that actually mean?" he wasn't testing her now, but seeming to think, looking down at his glass, his brain moved over the question again as it had a thousand times before. "I don't want anyone else...but I have a certain system in place, you understand. And I don't know quite what I should do."

"This is a situation where either both of us will be happy, or both of us will be unhappy with the decision we make; it cannot be one of us is happy while the other is not." Lyra said simply and watched him. "I do not want to share you, you do not want to share me. I do understand this system that you speak of... but I am also very aware that you could get nearly the same results using nothing but your charm. The women you bed to make your pawns are most certainly the most dangerous, and if there is an 'us', they by extension become dangerous to me."

Taking a deep breath, she reached out and ran the backs of her fingers down his arm. "While I am mindful of the fact it is right at this moment in time incredibly self serving of me to say, I think you are perfectly capable of graduating from fucking your pawns. Set your sights and focus on true power." She took another sip of her drink and reached out to take him by his chin, lightly turning his head so he would look at her again. "But the question is do you want to give that up? You are capable, yes, but perhaps you enjoy that lifestyle too much." Her words were not accusing, simply pointing out the fact.

"I've been asking myself that question a lot lately." he said with a turn of his head, looking at her, her fingers still resting on his chin. "I told myself it was just utility; just a lifestyle. But the truth is it would take an adjustment for me to stop sleeping with...well...anyone I want to."

He brought the drink up to his lips and sipped from it slowly. When he lowered it, he looked at her again.

"But I want you more than I want all of them a thousand times over." he said, looking at her with a determined expression, his eyes flashing. "More than I want that lifestyle. And I'm willing to make the changes necessary to be with you."

Disciplined or not, Lyra couldn't fight the rush of relief and excitement that flooded her body. She warmed, he could see it, and her fingers moved from his chin to caress his cheek with surprising tenderness. "That makes me... very happy to hear." She said and finally leaned in to kiss him with the same tenderness of her touch. She kept it brief and pulled back, pressing her forehead to his. In this, she had to trust him, but there was also the knowledge that the Vengeance was a small ship and if he did stray, it was unlikely she would not hear about it.

"I would ask of you though if you struggle or change your mind on this, do not try to hide it from me. Talk to me; do me that respect as I would do for you. You can see I take a very dim view of the faithless."

“I understand.” He said, grabbing her other hand with one of his. He was happy too, and it showed on his face. “How do you think we should…make it known?”

Lyra grinned then and shifted closer to him. "Let's just announce the engagement and wedding date." She said, obviously joking and devious. "I'd love to see how many heads spin at that, wouldn't you?" She laughed and took another sip of her drink, shifting completely so she could sit hip to hip with him now.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close.

“My parents in particular. My mother’s head would spin.” He said, laughing and then taking another drink. “And then I could tell everyone I’m a changed man…honest; good. And they’ll believe me.”

"They really would." She agreed with a chuckle and leaned her head back on his shoulder. "How do you actually think they'd take it? Your father really did tell me at one point he was considering me as a match for you, but what about your mother? You really haven't told me much about either of them."

“My father I hardly know, as an adult at least. My mother doesn’t like to be talked about.” He said, shrugging. “I know, the Petrovs aren’t exactly an open book. But you would be very welcome. In fact, I’m sure we’d have a far easier time than Kassandra and Johnathan.”

Lyra lifted her head at that and looked at him, quirking a brow. "I'm not asking to know her deepest secrets, Andrei, just something about her." It wasn't demanding, it was gentle. She wouldn't press, but she did find it rather odd he threw up a wall when it came to his mother especially.

"She likes to garden, and bake, and to mastermind schemes." he said with a wink, "Not unlike you and I, only..too good at it." and then fell silent as if to indicate he'd said as much as he would. Sipping his drink again, he sighed. "So you're my girlfriend, hmm? Christoph is rolling in his grave. I'm unduly influencing you after all."

Without any further prying, she let the topic of his mother go without hesitation. It gave her enough to think about and knowledge enough to be wary of Yana Petrova, though she was already. "Oh yes, yes you are. Terrible person." She swatted his chest playfully. "You know who will actually probably be beyond thrilled though is Mika."

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked, and then smirked. "Have you been weaseling up to my little sister, Lyra? She's delicate."

"Excuse you. I don't weasel up to anyone." Lyra said with mock offense and placed her hand on her chest. "You know I've only protected your sister and for whatever reason she seems to like me for that fact, and she loves you very much, you know."

"Yes, Mika is...different than the rest of us." he said, an approving nod starting with his head. "I try to watch out for her considering how innocent she is, especially in the Imperial Fleet. But she refuses to tell me anything. She seems to think I have a temper."

"You? A temper? Where on earth would she get that idea?" Lyra couldn't hide the slight snicker in her voice. She took another sip of her drink and looked at what little remained in it. "She is different, a good and necessary different." Shrugging, she looked at Andrei, her gaze steady. "I never had nor will have anything but good intentions toward her."

"I know that." he said, the fingers on the hand that was around her found her hair. "I trust you with that. There's no need to worry."

The words were remarkable coming out of his mouth and, even after he said it, his lips remained formed in the position in which he'd left them, hanging open as if he wasn't sure what had just happened. Then he looked at her and gave a small smile.

"I need to go back to the market for business tomorrow. The Captain wants me to exchange the Dalium Cobalt crystals for smaller denominations so that he can give spoils to the crew. It was a suggestion of mine he decided to listen to." he said, eating a piece of ice from the glass. " Cobalt Chips, Vidiinar, and Talaxian Druxuls. It seems that we collected 865 Million Golden Crowns worth of Crystals or, for our purposes, 432.5 Million Vidiinar which are used widely for the next 8,000 Lightyears."

He stopped and shook his head. "Sorry, the paperwork is talking."

Lyra was surprised by his admission of trust, but certainly didn't show it. She simply relaxed into his touch in her hair and listened to him talk. She enjoyed his voice, really, it had a pleasing tone and cadence to it even when he was just talking and not really trying anything else. When he apologized, she smiled and kissed his jaw lightly. "You don't need to apologize. I want to hear about it. Tell me." She encouraged and let her fingers slowly start to run over his chest.


TBC