Keeping Up Appearances II

Posted on Sun Oct 16th, 2022 @ 5:33am by Ensign Ilan Ocara & Lieutenant JG Karen Lamont & Ensign Gretchen Rosen
Edited on on Sun Oct 16th, 2022 @ 5:33am

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Anorra
Timeline: Mission Day 17 at 2130
2698 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Ilan gave a small sound of approval as Gretchen kissed her, returning each with gentleness and warmth. When Gretchen pulled back, Ilan smiled and chuckled. "Maybe so, but then I wouldn't be able to see the sun in those beautiful eyes." She turned to Karen then and moved her hand from around the older woman to instead bring it up out of the water. She ran the back of her index finger down Karen's cheek in a curious, experimental way. "Or in yours, for that matter."

"You're sweet," Karen said gently, turning her head to lightly kiss Ilan's wrist as she ran a finger down her cheek. "You should have been a poet."

Gretchen smiled and looked between them. "This night has certainly gotten interesting." She leaned in for another kiss.

Ilan smirked with genuine humor and nothing malicious as Gretchen sought her attention for another kiss. She turned her head and gave it to her, her lips lingering just a little longer this time before she pulled away. "Yes, it has." She agreed and then turned to Karen again. This time, she leaned in and kissed just under Karen's jaw, taking it slower with her since she wasn't entirely clear on exactly how receptive Karen was. Somewhat, at the very least.

Gretchen let the kiss linger. She was pressed right up against Ilan now. She didn't seem intent on moving again anytime soon.

Karen smiled a little wanly and reached out to run a hand through Ilan's hair. "I am glad I came out tonight."

"I am too." Ilan smiled at Karen, looking into her eyes for a moment and then deciding to just take the chance and see. She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Karen's in a soft, inviting kiss.

Karen found herself returning the kiss, leaning in, but then she slowly pulled back and shook her head. "It's too soon," she said somewhat reluctantly. Too soon after what, she didn't say, but one could read a little between the lines.

Ilan pulled back and simply gave a warm, understanding smile. “That’s alright.” She assured Karen and put her hand lightly on the woman’s cheek. “If you change your mind, there’s no strings, just an evening to indulge and forget your worries for a while. For now, we can all just enjoy swimming for a while, hm?”

"That sounds good," Karen said, leaning just slightly into the hand cupping her cheek.

Smiling, Ilan slid her hand up and ran her fingers through Karen’s hair with warmth and an unspoken invitation just to drive home the point. Once her fingers were free, she turned her attention to Gretchen still pressed up against her. “Now you, troublemaker, what are we going to do with you pulling people under the water, hm?” She grinned and put both hands on Gretchen’s sides and began to tickle her.

"Have I been a bad girl now?" Gretchen asked with a grin. And then there was tickling! She started to laugh hysterically and squirm wildly. "No! No! Ilan....."

“What? What was that? More you say? Well, okay then. If you insist.” With a wicked grin, Ilan began to move her fingers more rapidly.

"Noooooo....." Gretchen cried out and then she dove straight down once more.

Ilan laughed and let Gretchen go, then turned to Karen with a grin. She took her hand and brought it up, kissing the side of her wrist in an almost comforting way. Her green eyes were steady, warm, offering a place of safety and comfort though she said nothing outward. Likely she was about to get pulled under the water anyways.

Karen smiled and leaned into Ilan, hugging her tightly. Maybe a bit too tightly for Gretchen to get a clean pull on either of them so she surfaced and just pounced them both, throwing her arms around them and laughing.

Ilan wrapped her arms around Karen and just held her close in the moment between the start of the hug and Gretchen’s inevitable pounce. She laughed merrily and slid an arm around Gretchen, holding her up against both herself and Karen. “So you swam a lot on Terra, hm? Where at?”

"Some on the beaches of New York and New Jersey but we'd either go to Bermuda or South Carolina some summers," Gretchen said. "Did you swim a lot back home?"

"On occasion, but mostly only at swimming centers in Norway. The fjords tend to run a bit too cold most of the time." She chuckled and squeezed both women slightly. "On occasion I did go somewhere more tropical though, I had fun on the beaches."

"Norway? I've never been. Live on Terra my whole youth and..." With shuttles and transporters, a planet could be a small place.

"I've never been to Luna," Karen admitted.

"I haven't either, but I've heard it is very beautiful. Especially lunar sunrises." Ilan nodded and looked at Karen with a smile. "I haven't been to a lot of places, really. I find exploring without others to be less fun."

"When we get home, we'll all visit Luna together," Karen suggested. "And Norway."

"I think that sounds like a fantastic idea." Ilan smiled and turned her head to kiss Gretchen once more, lingering, then turning to look at Karen. Again, the invitation lingered, but Ilan didn't press in on her. "We can go explore a whole bunch of places together."

Gretchen kissed her back. Fully and eagerly. Karen smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Maybe we can tour the ruins of Cardassia Prime? The Great Crater of Qo'nos?" Gretchen joked a little more militantly than usual.

Ilan nuzzled into Karen's shoulder and kissed it softly, then turned her attention back to Gretchen. "Oh absolutely." She grinned at the thought. "Maybe some gardens on Bajor. I've heard they are quite a sight."

"Perfect for the victory parade of our conquering heroes," Gretchen cooed.

Karen idly stroked Ilan's hair.

“Mmm yes it is. I’d like to see you both in the gardens with all the flowers, you’d look beautiful. Maybe in pretty flowing dresses.” Ilan smiled and allowed herself to muse over the scenario a moment. As Karen stroked her hair, Ilan’s hand began to move up and down her side slowly - it wasn’t meant to tickle and almost seemed as idle of a motion as Karen’s fingers in her hair. “Yup, visions of perfection.” She grinned then, genuine in her praise of both women and it showed.

"Oh, we'd have to be in uniform, I'm sure," Karen said softly. She had said it was too soon and would probably say it again if anything real happened, but she didn't seem to mind the contact.

“Well, not for forever. Maybe for the parade, but afterwards…” Ilan grinned again, kissing Karen’s shoulder tenderly and sliding her hand up Gretchen’s body and to the back of her neck to pull her into another kiss when she moved from Karen’s shoulder. “What are… your favorite colors?” She asked, looking between the two of them.

Gretchen was quite happy to kiss Ilan back. "Blue," she said.

"Black," Karen answered.

"Good to know, good to know." Ilan replied with a mischievous grin and chuckle. "Gold or silver?"

"Silver," they both said.

Laughing, Ilan squeezed them both close to her briefly. "Alright, alright, ladies who know exactly what they like. I like that." She gave them a suggestive smile. "If you could visit one place anywhere in the cosmos, what would it be? Besides going home."

"Alpha Centauri, it's very close to home," Gretchen joked.

Karen rolled her eyes. "I always wondered what was at the center of everything."

"Well, if you asked certain people, the answer would be themselves." Ilan chuckled and shook her head. "It is an interested question though... is there something? Nothing? Everything all at once? What do you think?" She asked and looked at Karen.

"I definitely...think we all know people like that," Karen said, "but the center of the galaxy might be interesting."

"Isn't there some old Vulcan fairy tale?" Gretchen asked.

Karen shrugged. "Not really my area."

"Mine neither." Ilan shrugged and smiled. "Now if you want to know what a Vulcan is made of, that I can help you with. Fantasy and fairy tales were never really my thing. I prefer to make my own with interesting people."

"As a doctor, I already know..." Karen began playfully. Gretchen leaned over and elbowed her. "I don't know much about Vulcans," Karen admitted. "So there are fun stories?"

"Oh well yes, I'm sure." Ilan giggled and shook her head. "I specialize in genetics, so I'm not sure there would be any fun stories. About the only thing I can really offer would be how to unravel their DNA which is a really, really unpleasant way to go, in case anyone was wondering."

"I can imagine!" Gretchen shuddered.

Karen laughed. "There aren't really great ways. I suppose faster is better and on your feet."

"This was a fun conversation!" Gretchen huffed. "I want to hear more about Ilan-ian fantasy and fairy tales!"

Ilan burst out laughing and hugged both women again, kissing Gretchen's shoulder and then Karen's in turn. "Alright, alright. Favorite meals?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

"Cheeseburgers," Gretchen said. "Boring, I know."

"Filet mignon," Karen said, "but now you have to tell us yours."

"Does it have to be food?" Ilan retorted pointedly with a devilish, cheeky grin as she looked to both Karen and Gretchen again.

"Yes," Gretchen said, "because I can't guess your favorite food." She winked.

Ilan just grinned and drew Gretchen in for a quick kiss. "I bet you can, beautiful." She teased. "If I am really going for a treat, I like lobster, but a perfectly cooked filet is very tempting too." She smiled at Karen warmly.

Gretchen laughed and kissed her back. "Do you like that?" she teased and pressed closer again Ilan.

Karen smiled back. "A replicator is no substitute for a real chef."

"I wonder why not," Gretchen pondered aloud.

"It misses the human element; I think that's one of the most important things." Ilan offered up and finally released both Karen and Gretchen, though did so slowly so they didn't just rudely drop down into the water without warning. Once her arms were free, she stretched and smiled. "So lets see. We have a conquest parade on Bajor after which there's a trip to the gardens. You're both in lovely dresses, blue and black," she gestured to Gretchen then Karen in turn, "with silver jewelry. For dinner we have a cheesburger and a filet mignon... what's for dessert?"

"But in theory the final has a certain molecular structure, no matter how a passionate and experienced the chef, that can be perfectly replicated," Gretchen said.

"But you agree it doesn't really taste the same?" Karen pressed.

"Yeah," Gretchen said, a little grudgingly. She looked back to Ilan, hearing the fantasy. "Tiramisu," she answered without even having to think about it.

"I wouldn't have thought of it but now I really want that too," Karen admitted.

Ilan thought a moment and shrugged. "You know, I've never actually had that." She smiled and chuckled softly. "Sounds like I'm missing out on something pretty good if you both want it. I'll have to try it some time."

"You'll love it," Gretchen assured her. "We'll have to get some sometime."

"Yes we will." Ilan agreed with a smile. "Right now though, I think its time for a different dessert." She reached back and squeezed Gretchen's rear. "Will you go up and get our towels?" She asked.

"Sure," Gretchen said, grinning as she slid out to get the towels, leaving Ilan and Karen alone for a moment.

Ilan watched Gretchen head to shore for a moment and then turned her attention back to Karen. A gentle smile appeared on her face, her eyes warm and inviting. She reached down and took Karen's hands in her own. Lifting them out of the water, she ran her thumb over the backs gently. "You are more than welcome to come join us, Karen. I know I heard you say too soon, and if it is, that is of course very much alright." Ilan drew Karen closer, but didn't press for more. "No strings, no expectations, just a little fun to forget for a while if you like. If you would rather have individual attention I would be happy to provide that too." She winked playfully, but it wasn't overbearing. "In the end though, I just want you to remember something... whatever happened, whoever it was, they aren't worth your joy or your smile. You are beautiful and worthy, but sometimes the pieces just don't fit no matter how badly we might want them to."

Karen leaned forward and pressed her lips gently to the corner of Ilan's mouth. Softly. Gently. "You're very sweet and thank you for the offer." She looked thoughtful at Ilan's words. "Sometimes, I look back and it seems like the pieces obviously didn't fit, like I was trying to shove them down together anyway out of sheer stubborness. Other times, it feels like they fit just perfectly until he suddenly knocked them all off the table because he grew bored of the puzzle." Or wanted to try another one. But she didn't say that, if only because it would abuse the analogy. "But you're right and I'll be fine. This isn't a first for me. I just needed a little time. Oh, and Ilan?"

"Mm?" Ilan prompted lightly, still holding Karen by her waist gently. She didn't press and didn't seem at all disappointed. She merely listened, understood, offered comfort.

"I think you're beautiful and worthy too," Karen said gently.

For a beat, Ilan just blinked at Karen like those words didn't exactly make sense to her, but she recovered and smiled warmly. "Thank you." Gently, she drew Karen in and kissed her on the lips once more. There was a tenderness there, a gentle passion. She squeezed the older woman's hip gently and massaged it with her fingertips, then finally pulled back.

Karen wasn't that surprised that Ilan was surprised. The other woman seemed to spend a lot of her life comforting others. Karen hugged her back tightly, smiling and pressing her lips to hers, until she gently pulled back. She looked past Ilan to the respectful but somewhat eager Gretchen who she imagined wasn't going to be staying in their shared room tonight. "Would you two walk me back to the room?" she asked.

“Of course we will.” Ilan assured her with a smile. She squeezed Karen’s hip once more and then took her hand, moving to get out of the water and join Gretchen. “Karen,” she began and slowed slightly, “I know I offered fun but… if you ever just want to talk to someone, I’m good at listening too. I will probably still flirt with you constantly, you’re beautiful, but I’ll contain it if you’d like me to.” She offered with a wink.

"Thank you, Ilan," Karen said warmly as she stepped out of the water with her, taking her hand for a moment. "I might just take you up on that."

An uncomplicated, warm smile graced Ilan's lips. She lifted Karen's hand and lightly kissed the backs of her fingers. "I'd like that." It was honest, as was her smile. "A lot."

"Then we'll have to do it," Karen promised. She smiled back.

Ilan leaned in and kissed Karen again, keeping it brief and mostly chaste before she turned and walked still hand in hand with Karen up to Gretchen. "We'll take our beautiful friend back up to your room for tonight and then do I have plans for you."

"It's always good when a plan comes together," Gretchen said and then blushed. "Sorry. That was bad."

"Several times, hopefully." Ilan grinned and winked then laughed, sliding her arms around both women after wrapping her towel around herself. With that, the trio headed back up to the hotel proper together, still giggling and happy.

END