Date Or No Date

Posted on Fri Nov 4th, 2022 @ 7:48pm by Ensign Ilan Ocara & Warrant Officer Ahira Kasamoto
Edited on on Fri Nov 4th, 2022 @ 7:50pm

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Gym
Timeline: Mission Day 27 at 1630
2453 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Ilan tried to make a point to hit the gym every day or at least every other day. Sitting in a lab all day more or less wasn't exactly ideal for one's fitness and activity (though she did get both of those things from decidedly more enjoyable encounters quite regularly.) Given her strict maintenance of her figure, she focused on cardio more than anything and maybe twice a week worked weights. Today, she was running on a treadmill wearing nothing but a racer back sports bra that kept her ample breasts more or less tamed and leggings that hugged her hips and toned legs. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail that bounced and flicked with each step she took. The gym wasn't overly full, but there were a few people working out there. Most minded their own business, but a couple of men at the weight bench were most definitely focused on Ilan's backside as she ran. She didn't mind though, she enjoyed the attention.

Ilan was one of the few people that wasn't wearing at least one earpiece to provide music or other entertainment during her workout. She liked to keep herself approachable for people and it worked more often than not. She looked down to the readout on the treadmill and continued moving without a care in the world.

Ahira's workouts mostly revolved around his martial arts, both unarmed and most recently armed. He was getting quite good at it. But, that wasn't the only thing he did to keep in shape. He mostly did isometrics and resistance exercises, and things like crunches, sit-ups, and similar exercises.

He didn't neglect weights altogether, a couple of days a week, just to build a little muscle tone. The combination worked out pretty well for him. He would never be mistaken for a bodybuilder. He was more lithe and sinewy. But, he had a more than a decent six-pack and a solid core.

After he had gotten off duty, he'd gone back to his new cabin, taken a shower(he knew he'd need another one after his workout but didn't mind,)and changed into a pair of black running shorts, that were snug, but not too clingy, and a charcoal gray A-shirt. The shirt had fit well, back at the Academy, but now it was a little snug. It wasn't tight because he'd gained weight, it was tight because he gained muscle.

His hair was still slightly damp when he'd stepped into the gym. His eyes scanned the room, and he took a quick inventory of the people working out. He noticed a lot of the men, and maybe one of the women, eyeing, or more accurately in some cases, ogling a woman jogging on a treadmill.

He could understand their interest, she was very attractive and very well-built, in more ways than one. If he had swung that way, he would no doubt have been staring as well. But he wasn't, so after a cursory glance, he went back to his business. And, his business that evening, was building his core.

He made his way to a series of bars, fastened to the walls at various levels. He had to jump up slightly to grab the bar he wanted to grab. Then he began doing chin-ups. By the time he reached thirty, his arms were starting to tire, and sweat to cover the upper part of his shirt. Every time he dropped down he found himself looking right into the eyes of Ilan and he'd smile at her.

Ilan had of course been aware of the door opening but paid it no mind, it was normal after all. Her mind was drifting elsewhere to what she wanted to do to entertain herself tonight. Some research maybe? A bit of holodeck time? Or perhaps some time spent in private with a lucky someone… Her eyes shifted over to the two men looking at her on the bench. Or two. She smirked a bit to herself and looked ahead just as a man she didn’t recognize was setting up on the pull-up bars in her eye line. She looked him over; he was quite attractive and those lips were to die for. Ilan wasn’t one to ogle, but he had set up right in front of her, so she settled for not blatantly staring.

She continued to mindlessly run, but eventually, she did seem to register the stranger was starting to tire. She looked up at him to see him smile, and she finally smiled back with animated eyes. She lifted her thumbs up to him. “Keep going, handsome, you’re doing great.” She encouraged.

The handsome comment didn't exactly catch him off-guard entirely, but it was a bit unexpected. His smile before had been automatic, his resting friendly face, but her comment widened and warmed it. He took a few deep breaths as he hung there, drawing from a well of inner strength and renewed what he'd been doing.

He managed to do another ten before he felt his arm start to truly give out and he dropped lightly to his feet. By now, all the effects of the shower had worn off and his shirt was fast becoming drenched with perspiration. He peeled it off and wiped his face with one of the few dry parts.

Ilan had simply continued both watching and not watching him while she ran, trying to be polite and not come off like she was staring. When he did drop down and take off his shirt though, she couldn't help herself and watched him do it. Her green eyes ran over his half-naked body slowly and she smiled one of appreciation. She finished up only a moment after he did and finally hopped off the treadmill. Picking up her towel, she wiped her exposed skin down and then took a drink of water before she looked over to Ahira again and gave him a warm, inviting smile.

He didn't notice her staring at him at first. not until he had mopped his face and flung the shirt over his shoulder. Then he saw her mirror his actions and wipe her sweat away. When he saw her smile at him, he smiled back and crossed the distance between them "Nice workout?" he asked, "I really need to dedicate some time to some cardio."

"Oh sure. Nothing special really but I felt like being semi-social instead of going to the holodeck." Ilan gave him a charming smile and took another drink of water while she looked over him again. "I don't think I've seen you around here before, we must just miss each other. What's your name?"

His eyes were focused on her face; her eyes, her nose, her lips, he didn't let them wander lower, though it appeared to him that she was looking at more than just his face. He was sure it was mere curiosity on her part. As she indicated she didn't remember seeing him around.

"I'm Ahira Kasamoto, in the security department if that makes a difference. And I don't recall seeing you around either, but it's a big ship and we've had a lot to deal with.

"What's your name?"

"Ilan Ocara, I work in sciences." She offered her hand to him with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Ahira." Her eyes moved over him again and then back up. "I'm really surprised I haven't seen you in here before. With a body like that, you must come in here often enough, no?"

Ahira was usually pretty good at picking up on others' social cues, but he'd been pretty clueless up until that point about what the science officer's intent was. He still wasn't entirely sure but he recognized or thought he recognized the look she was giving him. It just usually came from other guys, and whatever Ilan was she was most definitely not a guy.

Since he wasn't 100% sure about her thoughts and he'd been taught to be polite, he decided to continue the conversation. Besides what was the harm in a little innocent flirting, since, in the long run, it wasn't going to go anywhere?

"Nice to meet you as well, Ilan. And thanks for the compliment. I'm also into martial arts, so yes I wind up working out quite a bit. Usually in my cabin. But I come to the gym a couple of days a week. Usually early in the morning."

"Is this when you usually work out? Oh, and do you mind sharing your water with me?"

"Hm? Oh, sure." Ilan offered the bottle to him, still wearing that warm and easy smile. "This is about when I would come here, yeah. I prefer the later afternoon so I can shower and get ready for any sort of fun that might come my way in the evenings." This time, she did eye him up and down more pointedly, the warm smile becoming a bit more of a smirk. "Or trouble."

Fortunately, he had swallowed the water by the time she smirked and dropped the trouble line, which confirmed beyond any doubt, that she had indeed been flirting with him. For a moment, he considered continuing to flirt back. After all, he was enjoying himself. But at that point, it would have been a facade.

"First, I am flattered that you want to get into trouble with me. You're a very good looking woman."

He made a point of looking around the room, "And neither one of us is blind, it looks like you have a room full of admirers who would drool over themselves to have a chance with you. Believe me, if I was straight, I would push myself to the front of the line."

"Unfortunately, probably for both of us, I am not straight. I'm into other guys."

There was a pause of a beat, a blink, and then she just laughed and shifted herself so she was standing next to him. Her arm went around his shoulders and she bumped her hip against his. "Well then, let's admire together, shall we?"

There was no hesitation in her voice, no strange looks or disappointment. She simply looked out to the various men and women still in the gym. "One thing nobody can complain about is the quality of men on Terran ships." She rolled an "r" sound in something between a playful meowing and purring of a catcall.

Ahira hadn't been sure what kind of reaction he'd receive when he revealed that part of who he was. Not everyone was as open as Ilan, many people looked down on him because of who he was.

"No complaints here, I'll tell you that," he agreed bumping his hips with hers. "Unfortunately, admiring is about all I get to do. There aren't too gay men on Imperial ships."

"So, besides working out and working out what do you do for fun?"

"Oh, I do a lot of working out." She replied with a devious grin, her arm still around his shoulder. "But I like to dance too, I also practice judo." Finally, she dropped her arm from around him and flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder.

"There's a number of men on this ship of your persuasion or ones that swing both ways. I'm not sure if that would bother you though?"

"Well, I'd never turn down a workout or three. I mean I'm as horny as the next guy. So, it wouldn't bother me a bit if they swung both ways."

"Eventually," Ahira continued as his eyes wandered the room looking at those exercising, especially the men, "I'd like to find the proverbial Mr. Right. But I'm not in a big hurry for that. Especially with my job."

He wasn't sure how she would know about other gay or bi men, but he didn't question her about it. Instead, he asked, "Anyone, in particular, you'd suggest?"

“Maybe. Maybe. I’ve got some friends and you seem nice. Not overly creepy.” She eyed him up and down then, appraising, but obviously not for herself anymore. She then grinned and winked, still flirtatious in her manner. “Just the right kind of creepy.”

He hadn't laughed a lot since the Vengeance had been swept into the Delta Quadrant, but he did then. A peal of rich baritone laughter.

"If you were a man, I'd show you exactly how creepy I can be. Just saying."

Ilan laughed with him and squeezed his shoulder. "Oh dear, now I do believe we are both missing out." Her grin remained, good natured and friendly.

"Tell you what, let me do some asking around and maybe in a couple days here I'll have some people to introduce you to?"

"That sounds like a deal," he agreed. "And thanks, this has been fun. So what's your type?"

"Fun, uncomplicated, below my asshole tolerance threshold." Ilan chuckled a bit to herself. "I'm open to most anything really, I suppose. Not interested in any strings, so that helps."

"I hear what you're saying, and I totally agree with the asshole threshold. Strings or not. Some things just aren't worth it."

"Look, I'm the last one to judge someone because of their choices, and if no strings works for you, more power to you. Just know that sometimes strings can tie you down, and sometimes they can bind you to a partner that's going to make you whole."

She simply smiled in response and shrugged, "I'm only twenty-two. I'm not in a rush, if it happens it happens but right now I'm just choosing to live my life how I want." She gave his shoulder an affirming squeeze and looked into his eyes. "But if finding a partner is what you want, I really hope you find what you are looking for in the midst of having fun too."

The warrant officer nodded. "Hey, there's nothing that says I can't have Mr. Right Now or a dozen Mr. Right Nows before I find Mr. Right."

"That's exactly right." She grinned and winked again. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Ahira. I'll be in touch. For now, though I'm going to go see if those gentlemen over there want to do a different kind of flexing for me." Ilan blew him a kiss and then made her way over to the bench press where the two men who had originally been blatantly ogling her were still hanging around.

"Hello, boys..."

Ahira watched her depart, noting to himself that she did indeed have a nice ass. He rolled his eyes and smirked when she made her not-so-subtle approach.

OFF