#deepspacedukat fic

[deepspacedukat]

The New Girl

I know it's been a while since I teased this one, but ooh boy, this was so fun to write! I haven't written about sexy space lizards in a while, so I hope everyone enjoys this niche lizard mans! Also, plz consider this an apology for being gone so much recently! I love you all! 💖

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Boheeka (ST:DS9) x Reader

[A/N: This is smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Interspecies sex, Cardassian/Human sex, allusions to sex work, cock warming, mentions of lingerie, neck kisses, fingering, dirty talk, public teasing, risk of being caught.

~*~

The usual hustle and bustle greeted me when I arrived at Quark’s for my shift at the Dabo table. A Cardassian ship had docked earlier for repairs, so the place was positively swarming with officers who were desperately in need of a little recreation.

I'd barely clocked in and stepped out onto the floor to start working when Quark’s hand landed gently on my shoulder. With a little wink, he gestured for me to turn around, and I found myself face-to-face with one of the new arrivals. Outside of the occasional ship, we didn’t get many Cardassian customers. I'd heard that before the Occupation ended, Cardassian officers were about all anyone ever saw, but this was the first I'd had the opportunity to interact with. Despite my lack of experience with their species, I'd observed them with the other Dabo girls, and this one seemed different...more jovial, somehow.

“Hartla doesn’t work here anymore, but this is one of my new girls. I think you’ll find her equally...riveting,” Quark said, and I flashed the Cardassian a warm smile. “Boheeka is an old friend. Take especially good care of him while I set up the holosuite, my dear.”

“Oh, I will,” I answered in my most seductive voice. He was actually quite handsome, this officer. He extended his hand to me, and I took it as he skimmed his eyes down the length of my body. Grateful that I'd chosen one of my most flattering dresses, I silently preened under his gaze. If Quark wanted me to entice him to lose a little more money at the Dabo table, I’d be more than happy to do so. Whispering in this man's ear seemed like it would be an absolute pleasure.

“Well, well...If I’d known such a beauty was working at Quark’s I’d have come back to Terok Nor a long time ago,” Boheeka said as he stepped closer to me. The Cardassian tilted my chin up so he was looking into my eyes. “I’d take the time to romance you properly, if I had more time on this station. As it is, however, I only have a week here. I promise I’ll make my haste worthwhile to you.”

Oh, he’d had that sort of an arrangement with one of the previous Dabo girls! Well, this certainly wasn’t in my contract, but...he was quite handsome. I knew there were a couple of the other girls who would fulfill illicit transactions like this, but until now I never had myself. After all, if Quark didn’t want Odo catching on, he couldn’t force us to accept. My contraceptive implant would at least come in handy tonight.

“I’m certain you will. Would you like to play a little Dabo first, or would you prefer to get straight down to business?” I asked letting my free hand rest on the textured surface of his armored chestplate. He let out a little laugh and looped my arm with his as he began to lead me toward the stairs to the second floor.

“Hartla and I knew each other quite well by the time the Occupation ended. I’d like to get to know you a little bit before we go further.” Boheeka walked with me toward a table in one of the darker back corners of the second level. Taking a seat, the Cardassian smiled up at me and patted his thigh invitingly. “No need to be shy, my dear. Sit with me.”

With a smirk, I draped myself across his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. One of his hands spread across my back, steadying me atop him. I didn't need any help staying balanced, but I certainly wasn't about to complain about a handsome man touching me.

“Yes, this is much cozier, isn’t it?”

"It is, Glinn." As I spoke, his free hand slid up my thigh, nudging the lower hem of my dress higher. Just when he was reaching dangerous territory, his fingers slipped beneath the fabric and discovered the lacy material of my panties. Stopping him from looking down, I grasped his chin and kissed the tip of his nose. "How long did you pay for?"

"Three hours to start. Why?"

"Because if you can guess what color my panties are, I'll give you an extra half an hour for free on your next visit." It was a gamble, of course, given how closely Quark guarded his profits, but I'd figure something out. The dirty grin that stretched his lips sent a pulse of heat directly between my legs.

"A tempting prospect, to be sure..." Trailing off, he caressed the lace where it stretched over my hip as if he was contemplating what color would look best on me. "How many guesses do I get?"

"I'm feeling generous, so you can have three." Boheeka nodded his head while his eyes wandered down my neck.

"I'm quite familiar with how Bajoran and Orion women select their undergarments, but a Human? Never," he said leaning in and pressing a slow line of gentle kisses from my shoulder to my jaw. "Hm...what about red? The color of a species blood is often equivalent to the one that signifies their passion."

I had to give it to him, that was a more intelligent guess than I'd anticipated.

"A logical choice, but no," I murmured as he nudged the fabric aside and brushed his fingertips over my dampness. An involuntary gasp escaped me at the contact. His strong, callused digits moved in unhurried strokes, seemingly savoring the feeling of the softness between my legs. Idly, I wondered how different Bajoran women were...what differences he was noticing between me and his memories of Hartla...

"Pink." It took a moment to drag my focus away from Boheeka's much-too-skilled fingers and process what he meant. Right. Lingerie. The game.

I knew that.

"Why pink?" I asked curiously, trying to tease him with a non-answer.

"I have noticed pink garments on several members of your species," he explained. His teeth grazed lightly over my collarbone, and I was forced to stifle a whimper. "It would probably clash with your dress, but you would look sensational all wrapped in pink. Hell, even if I'm wrong, I think I might buy you some pink lacy things the week is out."

"Is that so?" I gasped as he pressed two thick fingers slowly inside me. The Glinn hummed and brushed his lips against my ear.

"But if I do, you can only wear them for me." His whispered stipulation sent a shiver down my spine, but before I could respond, he adjusted me on his lap. His fingers slipped from within me, and the ridge of his clothed erection pressed deliciously against my aching center. "Can you do that for me, beautiful?"

I nodded my head, utterly lost for words. That smug Cardassian knew it, too. He knew what he was doing to me.

"Have you already become tongued-tied?" I stammered out a protest, but he just laughed into the crook of my neck. "Oh, I am going to enjoy ruining you."

Looking to regain some semblance of control over this interaction, I tugged him into a kiss, distracting him as my own hands wandered between us. He gasped against my lips when I unfastened his uniform pants, but he made no move to stop me.

"Last guess," I whispered, and he smirked.

"Such a devious lady." Boheeka's voice came out rougher than before, low and gravelly and deliciously sexy. "Hm...if I get it wrong, do I get a consolation prize?"

Lifting an eyebrow, I couldn't resist teasing him further.

"I suppose I could...keep your poor, hard Cho'Ch warm until the holosuite is ready–"

"Then, I surrender." He'd barely waited for me to finish my sentence. Suppressing a giggle at his eagerness, I adjusted my position on his lap.

Lowering myself onto his length, I bit my lip to keep myself from making any attention-drawing sounds. It was a struggle, though. Boheeka stretched me so fully that once he was in, my eyelids fluttered closed and my knuckles went a few shades paler as I gripped his shoulders.

"Oh, you are absolutely worth the high price," he murmured, leaning in and kissing slowly down my neck as though I was a delicacy. "Quark said you didn't usually take this sort of work..."

I shook my head, grateful for the distraction he was providing.

"No, but when I saw how handsome you were, I couldn't resist."

A low, raspy laugh spilled from his lips at my flirtatious statement, and he slid one of his hands beneath the hem of my dress, palming my ass.

"You don't need to work so hard. You've already made a sale, gorgeous."

"I'm just telling you the truth," I whispered as I wrapped my arms around his neck and played with the hair on his nape. "Can't you tell? My panties are so wet that they're probably ruined, and it's all your fault."

He hummed low in his throat.

"Now, that I will happily take the blame for. Fuck, you're taking me so well..." I pulled back just far enough to connect my lips with Boheeka's, melting into him even as his length throbbed within me. Losing myself entirely in the Cardassian's kiss, I didn't even hear Quark's approaching footsteps.

"If you two want to take this somewhere more private, the holosuite is ready. I mean, if you want to risk getting caught by our resident shapeshifter, be my guests, but I'd much rather you–"

"Yes, yes, we're going. Aren't we, darling?" Boheeka asked, and I let out a dazed sound as I chased his lips. He chuckled at my enthusiasm and with a bit of subtle maneuvering, we managed to get up without making it too obvious that he'd just been buried deep within me.

To anyone else in the bar, we were just another couple walking hand-in-hand to the holosuite.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[creature-of-the-stars]

A few of my fav fics if they were Penguin Classics

@maybeamultiverse @deepspacedukat @theladygeneral @love-at-first-contact @emilie786 @bigblissandlove1

thanks @maybeamultiverse for the idea shared on discord. There will be many more added once I'm done compiling pdfs of the fics.

An Unusual Request art, Chintoka art, Tradition art, Emigre art, Holosuite 3 art, stock photos for the rest

made using the penguin classic cover generator

Master list other penguin classic covers, +

[crowfootwrites]

Eaha’le

I got the idea for the first part of this fic, the interaction between reader and Senator Cretak, and it rooted itself so deeply in my brain that I could literally hear it in her voice (specifically Megan Cole's Cretak, who I am deeply in love with 😅). Anyway, here's another entry for the December Prompt List by @creativepromptsforwriting. Tagging the folks I knew usually love that good Romulan shit! @deepspacedukat @bigblissandlove1 @sleepycat82 @starrynightgardens @horta-in-charge

Eaha'le translates to "sweetness" in Rihan.

December 8: Sweets (Senator Kimara Cretak x GN!Reader)

Warnings: none; pure fucking fluff; not beta'd we die like men. | Words: ~620

“And, what did you say this was called again?” Kimara asked as she sat, slightly wide-eyed, at your mother’s kitchen table, the few brown crumbs dusting her lips begging you to kiss them off.

You laughed and wiped your floured hands on the towel slung over your shoulder before taking a seat across from her, the Christmas platter of shaped cookies resting between you.

“Gingerbread,” you reminded her.

“It is… spicy,” she murmured, reaching for another Human man-shaped cookie. “But also sweet.” She studied it intently before gingerly taking a bite.

She nodded thoughtfully. “This is excellent,” she mumbled around the cookie in her mouth.

More of your laughter bubbled over – while you never imagined you’d refer to a Romulan partner as “adorable”, Kimara’s curiosity was endearing and it made her all the more lovely to you.

You knew, of course, about the Senator’s penchant for sweets. In the time you’d known her, she’d never passed up an opportunity to try a new confection. She’d actually introduced you to jumja sticks after you’d arrived on Deep Space 9.

But being back in your family home on Earth for Christmas meant introducing Kimara to scads of novel, handmade Terran desserts – so far, there’d been some hits and some misses. She wasn’t a fan of sweet potato pie, which you’d lamented dramatically, or peanut butter fudge. But she’d eaten enough lemon bars to make herself sick and was “delighted” by the lightness of your profiteroles. Gingerbread, it would seem, was another hit.

“I’m glad you like it,” you offered. “It’s a pretty traditional Christmas dessert, around here anyway.”

A loud clinking carried across the kitchen as your mother entered, carrying a tilting stack of ceramic casserole dishes. She swore loudly as she caught her hip on the corner of the counter and dumped the pile of pans on the countertop in annoyance.

“I’m fixin’ to make my famous banana puddin’, Kimmy,” she divulged, leaning against the counter with one hand on her hip. You snorted lightly at your mother’s diminutive nickname for your dignified, Senate office-holding partner. Kimara glanced between you and your mother, her eyes still wide.

“Bananas are a sweet, custardy kind of fruit – and in banana pudding, you slice up bananas and layer them with cream and crispy vanilla cookies,” you filled in.

“And mine’s the best,” your mother added, fluffing her hair a bit. “Won the blue ribbon at the holiday bake-off for the last three years.”

“That sounds like an exceptional accomplishment,” Kimara replied earnestly, and you reached for her hand over the table to give it a squeeze. Her kindness never ceased to amaze you – it was unexpected from someone who’d previously described the Romulans’ “well-earned” arrogance to you.

“I look forward to trying it,” she added with a respectful incline of her head.

“Oh, you’re too sweet, Kimmy.” Your mother flushed and began making a racket as she shuffled her dishes around and started setting out ingredients.

A timer sounded from beside the oven and you ruefully pulled yourself from your Senator’s grasp to pull your thumbprint cookies out of the oven. Navigating around your mother’s chaos in the kitchen, you set your cookies to cool and poured a cup of tea each for you and Kimara. As you turned toward the table, you spotted her finishing her third gingerbread cookie and chided her softly.

“You’ll make yourself sick again,” you warned around a grin, setting the cups on the table and seating yourself beside your partner. 

This time you couldn’t help it, leaning in to kiss away the specks of gingerbread clinging to her soft lips, your eyes fluttering closed as she kissed you back, spice and sparks crackling to life between you. 

[toebeans-mcgee]

Whew - Solok is hard to write and hard to draw. Why he gotta be such a little shit? (chap 4 of Stowaway is proving difficult 😤)

And I swear, I can’t recreate what I did for the Letant drawing 😩 - that was a happy accident and it turned out nice. Now, I feel like Vreenak and Solok are very controlled whereas the Letant one was sort of messy but it worked. Dammit. Letant deserves the special treatment anyway tho I guess. His face is so pretty.

Any who - who’s next? Shran 👀?

Also, thanks to @deepspacedukat for the thirst trap picture post to help fuel the fire for this drawing, @love-at-first-contact and @mikalero for their Solok fics inspiring this and my Solok fic too - you bunch of enablers 💚

[akamitrani]

Got inspired by @deepspacedukat "Begin Again" fic with Koss and had to draw him, thanks for the inspo! Also thank you for the amazing fic, can't wait for the next chapters.

[horta-in-charge]

Things I’ve decided are Canon TM for the Andorian First Contact AU (afc!au):

From other people’s fics-

Per @theandorianimperialarchive ‘s fic series on AO3 (which I’ll link in a reblog because it disappeared from my tabs 😭) the P’Jem Commando Quad did meet in a Vulcan POW camp.

I also really love their Andorian-Orion interaction concepts… which is to say it has excellent world-building that has destroyed me. Would not recommend reading that part if you’re squeamish or if you couldn’t handle Soval in the chair. Let’s just say that I absolutely want to destroy the Orions after reading that more than the Xindi wanted to destroy Earth in ENT S3.

The main universe Andorian cultural exploration is high key a yes in this, but that’s the 3rd(?) part of their Mirror Tales series. It’s sad but also really cute.

Emigre is required reading for cultural things as well, not sure if the author has a tumblr but READ IT. It’s very well thought out it’s unfinished though. The Keth system is quite interesting, I’m not sure if it’s fully like the Bajoran d’jarras or not.

There was another fic inspired by Emigre which I will also link once I find it that had some cool cultural exchanges as well (it does involve questionable blood transfusions). Also unfinished. And I think they may have gotten Keval’s name wrong? Unless they created a new OC. Their interpretation on quads is interesting but I’m a fan of the 4 genders and I’m also keeping the bottleneck semi-canon (it just gets put off another century).

@toebeans-mcgee sent @deepspacedukat an ask a bit ago that I loved about Andorians being able to sense human pheromones and LIKING it, unlike Vulcans. The gist is that’s why Tholos thinks T’Pol smells good in P’Jem.

My brain-

The Andorians were just checking out Earth to make sure they weren’t going to be attacked (again). They had no intention of keeping us except we kind of won them over (the pheromones probably have something to do with it).

They’re more helpful with technology than the Vulcans are in the normal ST canon but still very secretive. We end up getting some rudimentary shields from them eventually for the NX project but we do have to make them ourselves. We do give them rudimentary transporter tech in exchange (only cleared for inanimate objects, not people).

Humans colonize the moon and Mars successfully before building the NX-01. Transporter technology becomes advanced enough that they can piggyback beams through several orbiting stations and ships to supply the colonies. Mars looks nicer than we see in Terra Prime (ST:ENT).

Transport ships (mostly) have Warp 3 capable engines by the time NX-01 construction begins. The Enterprise has a Warp 5 engine still until the Xindi arc when it gets upgraded to a Warp 6 engine (part of the 6 month layover is running tests).

The Andorians introduce us to the Betazoids because they think it’s funny we look so alike. They don’t expect us to make friends with them because humans are still a little squicked by telepathy. We surprise them.

Pre NX-01 engine tests end up with us meeting Vulcans. They’re ‘okay’ by human standards and help repair the ship’s warp field generators. The Vulcans end up introducing us to the Tellarites (not sure how yet, probably through the IME) and we get along after the adjustment period (after all, Tellarite manners are a 180 from most human cultures).

Part of the reason Andorians continue to help/trade with us is because Earth is Space Australia TM and has a lot of medicinal plants (for aliens). The IME does request human doctors once they find that out. Hereford/Herford Medical School (HCOM- Her(e)ford College of Osteopathic Medicine) is a popular IME selection pool. Because this is my own thing I can put my OC’s in it and I will, but you can also ignore it if you want. Totally down for anyone to borrow this au if they give me credit.

The Andorian Government is very upset with us being so friendly towards pretty much their two biggest Space Rivals that they nearly cut all contact with us (and they would if it wasn’t for those plants that they can’t synthesize compounds from).

By the time the NX-01 is flight cleared we’ve met Klingons (IME? Some ambassador accidentally getting into a duel? I don’t know). The first mission is still the same. T’Pol is still the science officer, Phlox is still the CMO, Earth tech is mostly the same but works a bit better. We still have hull plating along with the shields because humans do love a backup system.

Pretty much (so far at least, unless I have more thoughts) all the ENT episode canon is still canon except for the not knowing Andorians, Tellarites, and Klingons.

[deepspacedukat]

Misfit Toys - Part 3

Alright! Here's the conclusion! I hope you all enjoyed reading this little fic as much as I enjoyed writing it! 💖 There are a few unintended side things that happen in this chapter, but I hope y'all will enjoy it anyway!! By that I mean whoops I accidentally created yet another OC.

Part 1 here. Part 2 here.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Tokath (ST:TNG) x Reader

[A/N: This is smut adjacent, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Interspecies romance, Human/Romulan romance, implied interspecies sex, implied Human/Romulan sex, mutual pining, they're idiots who think it's unrequited, it's VERY requited, flirting, some almost kisses, getting lokblocked, literally everyone can tell they're in love except them, they are the last people to find out about each other's feelings.

~*~

I hadn't needed Tokath's crutch in nearly a month, but it had earned a place of honor. Resting lovingly on a bookshelf in my bedroom, it served as a reminder of the progress I'd made...and of the fact that I now had somewhere that I belonged.

After all this time, it still felt strange to know that I had a home this amazing. The reaction to the news that I'd decided to stay instead of boarding the transport and leaving the Carraya system had been so joyful on the part of my new friends that I'd been moved to tears. None of them had been irritated that I'd chosen to remain with them.

Ta'lana even clapped a hand on my shoulder and grinned as she offered me a permanent position helping her concoct her salves. I accepted, of course. How could I not? Her companionship was so easy and natural that I'd have been a fool to refuse. Not to mention I owed her and Tokath my life for healing me after the crash.

Speaking of Tokath, as soon as he gave me permission to stay, I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my chest. There was no longer a lingering feeling of guilt and selfishness resonating through me every time I stole a glance at him. Oh sure, I was still on the verge of berating myself for behaving like a schoolgirl with a crush, but I'd realized that since I was now a permanent resident in this settlement, I had every right to live however I chose. If I wanted to bask in the warmth of the Romulan Commander's smiles, then that was exactly what I'd do.

I was afforded that opportunity quite often. More often than not, we managed to sneak in a little time together in the mornings before the day truly got started. Even if it was just enough time for us to share a cup of tea and breakfast, Tokath and I always seemed to gravitate toward each other.

There were still plenty of mornings where we woke up in each other's arms on the sofa in his study, and those were admittedly my favorites. He was nearly always awake before I was, but he never moved to get up first. The lingering caresses left on my skin before the break of dawn made me wish that I was a more courageous person. More than once I came incredibly close to blurting out my feelings for him in those slow, gentle morning hours. It was a wonder that he hadn't yet noticed.

There was definitely a slight shift in our relationship when I begged him to allow me to stay, though I couldn't define what it was. Our interactions were just as they were before but the burden on his shoulders seemed...lighter, somehow, despite the addition of a new member of the community. Maybe he just liked having a friend with a new perspective to discuss...

If only he knew how much that new friend wanted to kiss him when the morning sunlight poured in through the study window and glittered in his eyes. Resting atop his sturdy chest, half-dazed and half-witted from having just woken up, the temptation was almost overwhelming most mornings. Instead, I would simply nuzzle farther into his chest or the crook of his neck and breathe in his scent until I was certain I could trust myself to look into his eyes again.

One of those mornings, the rain cascaded down, splattering against the windows and creating a soothing rhythm against the roof. I was loathe to get up, and Tokath seemed even less inclined to do so, until a knock sounded at the door.

With matching pair of begrudging sounds, the two of us sat up, and Tokath called for whoever it was to come in. Belatedly, I realized how bedraggled we must look. M'Ven took a single step inside, saw our mussed hair and state of dress, and blushed as he delivered his message.

"My apologies for the intrusion, sir, but I thought you might like to know that your daughter's shuttle has just entered sensor range. She should be here within the hour." Almost as soon as he'd finished speaking, M'Ven tossed me a friendly wink and left us to our own devices.

A joyful smile spread across the Commander's lips as he turned to me.

"You and Ba'el would get along so well! Would you like to come with me to greet her?" He looked so hopeful. How could I possibly refuse? Without a single thought, I reached up and brushed a few errant strands of hair behind his ear. When his hand covered mine against the side of his face, I realized how close we still were to each other.

Oh, the urge to kiss him was back stronger than ever!

"I wouldn't want to intrude on your time with her–"

"Hush, e'lev. You could never intrude," he said, "and if you're not uncomfortable with the notion, I'd love for you to be there."

Tokath's hand kept mine firmly in place while I took a deep breath.

"I'd be honored." If I thought his smiles had been beautiful before, I'd clearly never seen him this utterly filled with joy. Tugging me into a crushing hug, the Commander let out a relieved breath. Did he really think I'd refuse?

After having bathed and changed into clean clothes, we arrived at a clearing in the woods that Tokath called the 'landing strip' just in time to see his daughter's shuttle touch down. The rain had stopped just a few minutes before, giving way to a thick, murky fog. Almost as soon as the shuttle's engines cut off, he was striding toward the door of the small craft.

This must've been something of a routine for them, because the young woman practically threw herself into his arms, sending the pair into a fit of giggles. I hung back just a bit to give them space. Despite Tokath's earlier protests, I was determined not to intrude on their reunion.

"You should've told me you were coming! I'd have prepared a welcome party," he said, and at her protests, I turned my attention to Ba'el's ship, trying to give them some semblance of privacy. The vessel seemed to be Klingon in design, so I assumed she'd acquired it or borrowed it while on the homeworld that she'd gone to explore - Tokath told me all about the incident with a Starfleet officer and the minor revolt that led to some of the younger members of the colony striking out on their own. More power to them. It took a lot to leave the only place you'd ever known in search of entirely new places.

"Oh, hi!" Ba'el's cheerful voice sounded, and I turned my head to meet her smile with one of my own. I gave a little wave as the pair walked over.

"Ah, this is our newest resident," Tokath said introducing me. Rather than a more subdued greeting as I'd expected, Ba'el glanced between her father and myself, then wrapped me in a tight hug. I'd expected apprehension or maybe something a bit more confrontational, but, really, that was silly. She was Tokath's daughter, and he was one of the kindest people I'd ever met. It only stood to reason that his daughter would be at least partially similar in temperament.

"This place is so secluded! How in the stars did you end up here?" She asked as she pulled back and grasped my shoulders.

"Well, it's a long story–"

"One that even I have not yet managed to coax from her," Tokath cut in as he wrapped an arm around my waist and smiled playfully down at me.

"–but it's not a terribly interesting one. I boarded the wrong transport at the wrong time, that's all," I finished with a shrug, ducking my head to escape the warmth of his gaze before I combusted completely.

"Oh, the 'wrong time' was it? And here I thought you liked it here, e'lev." He was teasing me, I knew he was, but I still didn't want him to have the wrong impression.

"No, no, that's not what I meant. I love living here! This place is the best thing that ever happened to me. I-I just–" Tokath's gentle, rolling laughter engulfed me just as his arms did, cutting off my rambling protests.

"Do you really think I don't know how you feel about that by now?" When I simply buried my face in his tunic and made a noncommittal sound, he gave me a nice, big squeeze. "Come on. Let's all get back to the compound before we freeze in this dreary weather."

--

Dinner that night was a joyful affair. Stepped up from the usual fare into something more celebratory, the whole colony was ecstatic to welcome back one of their own, even if it was only for a short time. Though she was only planning on staying for a couple of weeks, Ba'el's presence brought a sparkle into the hall. Her lightheartedness and genuine wonder about the things she'd seen in her travels brought smiles to everyone's faces - including a rather pointed attentiveness from Centurion M'Ven that I noticed.

Eventually, the meal drew to a close, but before Tokath could protest, his daughter looped her arm around mine and stole me away into the quiet evening air. Stopping at the same little pond where her father had first told me of the transport, Ba'el tugged me down next to her on the bench to sit with her. We were both silent for a few moments, watching the water ripple in the bond as a slight breeze caressed its surface. When she spoke, her voice was so soft that it almost slipped away amidst the trees' rustling leaves.

"When I was little, my parents used to bring me here every day. I'd run around and play, and they'd sit here together on this bench. On the days when I didn't need others for the silly games I played, they kept their own company. Sometimes they talked, sometimes my father would read her a book, and sometimes, if the atmosphere was right, they'd end up roaring with laughter over some joke they'd shared," she murmured. A nostalgic little smile stretched her lips, and a far away sort of look settled itself firmly onto her face. "When I got older, they trusted me to come here alone, and I took to exploring the gardens. I knew every rock and tree - they were my friends, as silly as that sounds. I miss this place more than any other when I'm off exploring the galaxy."

I listened carefully, and a wave of gratitude washed through me for the glimpse she was giving me into both her past and her father's. It must've taken a lot for her to share something so personal with me.

"The last time I was home, M'Ven saw me come here. He followed me one night...gave me a bouquet of his own hybrid flowers - he tends them religiously, so you couldn't have missed them," she said, and with a conspiratorial lean in, she continued. "He's asked me to be his mate."

I wasn't exactly surprised. The glowing smiles he gave her at dinner and his near constant blushing sort of gave it away.

"Does your father know?"

"Not yet, no. I'm going to tell him in a couple of days, though, I promise. M'Ven was the first born here. I think his mother was in the early stages of pregnancy before the battle and just didn't know it yet," Ba'el explained. "He's not officially a Centurion, of course. He wears the uniform, and he was trained by the officers here, but the Romulan government doesn't know anything about him."

She paused for a moment, allowing the weight of her words wash over me.

"We agreed that this year when I came home, if I still felt the same for him, he'd come with me on my next trip. It'll be a little more risky traveling together, but we'll manage. After that, when we come home next year, we're going to stay and build a life together," she said letting out a giggle that was so infectious that I couldn't help but join her. "So what about you? I assume that you and Papa are going to stop dancing around each other sometime this decade...?"

"I-I don't know what you mean." Stammering certainly didn't help my case, but the laugh that left her throat told me that she wouldn't have believed me even if I'd sounded perfectly confident. "Ba'el, I...I do love your father, but I don't want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable–"

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen him this happy in years! Last year I was so worried about him that I stayed for a month instead of my usual couple of weeks. He practically had to kick me out." She gripped my forearms gently and looked into my eyes. "I'm happy for you. When one of you finally works up the courage to talk about your feelings, I'll be the first person to celebrate. You're good for him, and, from what I can see, he's good for you."

Relief, palpable and potent, rushed through me, and I hugged Ba'el to hide the tears that had gathered in my eyes. We sat by the pond, talking and joking until the unmistakable sound of footsteps met our ears. We both turned in time to see M'Ven rounding one of the larger trees with a bouquet in hand. He caught sight of us and froze - he'd clearly been coming to meet Ba'el, but my presence startled him, the poor lad.

Ba'el beckoned him over, and the bob of his Adam's apple in his throat as he swallowed betrayed the confident air he'd clearly been trying to exude.

"Calm down, she knows. I told her," Ba'el said as I smiled and got to my feet.

"I also know when it's my cue to leave." Giving poor, startled M'Ven a wink, I started to walk away and give them some privacy. Before I got out of earshot, though, I turned back and called his name. "I think it goes without saying that you'd better be good to her."

Resolve straightened his back and lifted his chin.

"I will, lhhei, you have my word." With that promise obtained, I left them to their own devices, and, though I'd intended to go to my room and sleep, my feet carried me to Tokath's study seemingly of their own volition.

The door was already open, revealing the man in question sitting at his desk and staring into a cup of tea as if it held the answers to life itself. I wanted so badly to kiss the little furrow between his eyebrows and the lines on either side of his mouth...

As if my gaze had called out to him, his eyes lifted from the depths of his tea and caught me hovering in the doorway. His features melted seamlessly from from surprised to relieved to elated in barely a flash.

"Ah, so I haven't been abandoned for the evening, then," he teased as I closed the door behind me. Tokath leaned back in his chair, and I noticed for that there was a second cup of tea sitting on the desk.

"As if I could stay away from you, Commander." Walking over to his desk, I leaned against the polished surface and glanced at his bookshelves for the thousandth time. I knew very well which titles sat on the shelves - even the Klingon ones - but I needed somewhere to look other than at his gorgeous face. "Forgive me for being late. Ba'el and I were talking."

"So that's where you were! I turned to speak with L'Kor for barely a moment after dinner, but when I turned back, my two favorite ladies were nowhere to be found," he said placing a hand over his heart and pouting as if he was deeply wounded. "I thought for a moment you'd been stolen away. I noticed that M'Ven disappeared after a while, as well. I couldn't help but wonder..."

As he trailed off, I felt a brief surge of hope. L'Kor's words and Ba'el's floated into my brain. Maybe they were right. Maybe I did have a chance, after all.

"M'Ven is kind, and he is a friend of mine, but I wouldn't give up your company for his." With my reassurance putting his mind at ease, Tokath grasped my hands and smiled up at me.

"Forgive me, e'lev, I shouldn't be this greedy with you."

Freeing one of my hands, I rested it lightly on his chest.

"There's nothing to forgive. You can be as greedy with me as you want, Tokath," I murmured, and just like that I found myself lost in his gaze. There was a softness in his features when he looked at me, a vulnerability that made me want to wrap him in my arms and never let go. It went through my mind that I could tell him. I could kiss him there, right then, while that gentle trance had us so firmly in its grip, but I couldn't seem to make my mouth move.

"The tea...I'm sorry, it's probably cold by now." His voice was so rough when he spoke that he sounded as though there was gravel in his throat. I could hardly blame him, though. When I spoke, I sounded just as destroyed.

"It's okay. How many evenings have we talked so long that we forgot we even had tea to begin with?" He let out a quiet laugh at my question, and we fell into our usual rhythm of conversation. Before we drifted off together, though, I promised myself that before his daughter left with her own lover, I'd tell Tokath how I felt. If shy, reserved, dutiful M'Ven could ask the woman he loved to be with him, I could tell Tokath how much I adored him.

--

"She matches this little community of misfits well, doesn't she?" The rough voice of his co-leader sounded from just behind Tokath's right shoulder. L'Kor was observing the group of small children on the other side of the courtyard that were listening intently to a story that the Human woman was telling them. "The children like her, their parents trust her...she has even befriended Ta'lana. It's as if she's been here all her life."

"She did say that she felt more at home here than anywhere else," Tokath mused as he watched one of the youngest - a brave Klingon girl of no more than three - climb onto her lap. He couldn't stop himself from smiling at the ease with which she handled life in the colony.

The Klingon leader hummed quietly and they watched as the children begged her to show them a Human game.

"You see it now, do you not, old friend?" L'Kor asked as he and Tokath watched her explain how to play game. She said that it was one that children of her species played called 'hide and seek.' As soon as she turned her back on the giggling group of little ones, they promptly scurried away as she began to count.

"I don't know what you mean," Tokath murmured, but the aged Klingon let out a rough, disbelieving laugh.

"Yes, you do. Whether you wish to admit it or not, you look at that kyamo Human woman, and you feel young again," he rasped as a tiny Romulan boy sped past their feet. "You cannot hide it from me, Tokath. I know you too well. Since she crashed into our lives, you have become more like your old self. You should tell her how you feel."

The Commander shook his head quickly as she turned back toward the courtyard.

"Ready or not, here I come," she called, and a few poorly-suppressed giggles echoed from various not-so-clandestine spots.

"I couldn't. She chose to stay here in this isolated place without a single other member of her species being present. She believed that I alone had the power to banish her. She begged me to stay. I will not jeopardize her newfound happiness by making her feel trapped by an old man's unwelcome attentions," Tokath protested to his old friend.

"'Trapped'? 'Unwanted'? Commander, she seeks out your attention on a daily basis," L'Kor stated as he looked at his friend incredulously. "Have you not noticed how differently she behaves around you than everyone else here? Can you not see the light in her eyes when you give her a reason to smile? My friend, if such a woman looked at me with as much love as that Human lady looks at you, I would have made my interest known long ago."

That made Tokath pause. There had been moments where he believed - where he hoped - that he saw something beyond simple gratitude and friendship in her eyes, but he'd dismissed it, believing that those moments were a product of his own wishful thinking. Even a few nights ago when she still came to him after speaking with Ba'el for so long, there was a charged moment when he felt as thought might have a chance.

He did love her. She was a ray of light in a world that had grown gray and stagnant. He'd sacrificed so much over the years - his home, his career...he'd given everything to ensure that the families of the Klingons living here would not be dishonored. He'd even been forced to surrender his wife to the ravages of time. Did he not deserve to have a moment's pleasure of his own? Did he not have the right to cling to this bright spot and bask in her presence now that he'd found her?

Tokath relished how easily she made him smile...how effortlessly she made him laugh. Her quick wit and warmth had brought so much color to his life. He'd narrowly managed to avoid losing her to the transport, but only just. Had she not come to him and pleaded for a place in the Carraya colony, she would be lightyears from him by now. How long would it be before someone else here - someone younger and more willing to be forthright about their feelings - caught her eye?

He thought he'd revealed too much when he made that offhanded comment about M'Ven, but neither of them had been brave enough to make a move afterward. He cursed his cowardice yet again. He should've kissed her that night.

Taking a deep breath, Tokath nodded his head and mentally acknowledged how fortunate he'd been thus far. He might not be for much longer if he didn't gather his courage. Would his daughter approve now that she'd had a chance to meet her?

A few feet away, she found a Klingon child hiding behind a set of supply crates, and when she looked up Tokath's eyes met hers. His lips stretched into a warm smile reflexively, and she gave him a little wave as she went to look for more of hiding children.

Oh, Elements, he couldn't deny it any longer.

"You've made your point, L'Kor."

"And what are you going to do now that you see your situation more clearly?" Tokath bristled slightly as he turned to look at his friend. "Oh, come now. You cannot tell me that you have not given any thought to the possibilities. Surely, you've at least imagined what you might say if you were to tell her how you feel?"

He had, but most of those daydreams ended in him dejectedly acknowledging that she would likely never be able to return his affections.

Tokath's expression must've said it all, because L'Kor sighed heavily.

"Oh, my friend, do you truly think so little of yourself that you cannot even imagine a happy ending? Take it from me: it was far more difficult for my wife to give me a chance than it will be for that lovely girl to give you one," he said before patting the Commander's shoulder and ambling off.

Perhaps L'Kor was right. Maybe he simply needed to allow himself to consider the possibility that she might react favorably to the fondness, no, love - that was the emotion and he should call it by its name - that he'd developed for her.

A joyful squeal from one of the little ones drew his attention, and he saw his lady being hugged so enthusiastically by the children that she was practically drowning in their affections. She sank to the ground, surrendering good-naturedly to their embraces with a giggle. Tokath couldn't suppress his laughter at the sight of her trying to hug as many of the children in return as her arms could accommodate.

Her eyes found him through the clamor of the group, and his heart thudded alarmingly. Oh, the things she did to him!

One of the children whispered something in her ear, and when she nodded her head, the little girl broke away from the group and ran up to Tokath, looking up at him with big, hopeful eyes as she spoke.

"Mister Tokath, sir? Will you come play with us?" She asked as the rest of the children and his Human watched their interaction.

How could he say no to such a polite request?

--

Later that evening as he walked to his quarters to get ready for dinner, Tokath thought to himself that the afternoon spent playing with the children along with the woman he loved was one of the most enjoyable days he'd had in quite some time. The joy of simply being with her was enough to make him feel like the luckiest Romulan alive.

"When are you going to marry her, Papa?" Ba'el appeared at his side smiling up at his as she looped her arm with his. Had he truly been so lost in thought that he hadn't heard her approach?

"Marry? What are you talking about?" He asked as innocently as he could, but all that earned him was a scoff from his daughter.

"Oh, please. The entire colony knows how you feel about your newest resident," she said, and his cheeks heated up as she continued. "So when are you going to ask her?"

"Ba'el, I...I don't even know if she'll have me–"

"Are we talking about the same woman? When you joined her and the children today, she looked at you like you hung the stars in the sky," his daughter said. "You haven't been this happy since..."

She didn't have to finish her sentence. He knew what she meant. They both know the significance.

Pulling her to a stop in the hallway, Tokath grasped his daughter's shoulders lightly and looked into her eyes.

"Could you handle that? Could you live with the knowledge that you have a stepmother who is neither Klingon nor Romulan?" Ba'el's opinion of her was important to him - it was the only one that mattered outside of his own on this. He didn't want her to feel as though he was actively attempting to replace her mother. Gi'ral had been unique and he would never wish to disrespect her memory.

But he also didn't wish to be alone for the rest of his life. He adored this Human lady, and he...well, he would dearly love to be her mate.

"Father, I want you to live. I've been worried about you for the last few years, but now...seeing you this happy...I'm so relieved that you've found someone who makes you feel like yourself again. How could I ever object to you finding love?"

Overcome with emotion, Tokath pulled his daughter into a tight hug, nearly sobbing in relief.

"I...have some news, too...about M'Ven and I." She sounded nervous, but in truth, she had no reason to be. Pulling back slightly, Tokath looked at his daughter.

"Ba'el, if you believe that I know nothing of your affections for him or his for you, then you have clearly forgotten that I used to be young, too," he said looking into her eyes. "I wish the both of you every happiness, and if he hurts you, you tell me how much he screams when you tear his head off. And I know you're imminently capable, but if you need help, I'm here for you."

His daughter was right. He needed this. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

--

Tokath's daughter had been on the colony for nearly a week and a half when it happened. I stopped by his quarters to pass along a message from Ta'lana before dinner, but when I reached his doorway, I froze. He was standing in front of a full-length mirror, in his full uniform, tugging it gently in various directions presumably to straighten it. The poses he struck might have looked silly to anyone else, but to me, the imposing figure he made when he puffed up his chest and gave a harsh glare to his reflection made me bite my lip.

Realizing how long I'd been standing there, I knocked on the doorframe and acted as though I'd only just arrived when he turned his head.

"Just the woman I wanted to see," he exclaimed as he turned to face me. "I dug out one of my older uniforms and thought I'd wear it to dinner tonight. What do you think?"

He puffed out his chest once more as I stepped into the room, looking very much like the proud Commanding officer that he was.

"Very handsome...commanding..." I paused when I was right in front of him, itching to touch any part of him that I could. "...Perhaps a little rigid, though."

His smile fell a bit.

"Rigid?"

"Only a little," I answered, and he raised a curious eyebrow.

"How would you fix this...rigidity?" He asked, and I walked a slow circle around him before reaching up to finger the front of the ghastly leather collar at the top of his uniform.

"Does this part come off separately?" Tokath swallowed slightly before letting out a quiet confirmation. "May I?"

The Commander caught both my hands carefully in his and slid them around to the back of his neck where the collar's clasps lay.

"Do what you will with me." His voice had lowered, both in volume and in pitch to something husky...something that made me want to remove more than just this hideous strip of leather. After a moment's pause, I managed to unfasten the clasps and pull the collar away from his throat.

My next movement proved that I wasn't thinking. Once I'd tossed away the unnecessary accessory, I skimmed my fingertips over his neck, savoring the feeling of his pulse thrumming beneath my touch. Tokath's hands grasping my waist made me aware of what I'd done, pulling me out of whatever trance I'd been in and forcing my eyes to meet his.

Anything I'd been preparing to say was obliterated by the hunger in his eyes. Was I imagining it? I could simply have been seeing my own emotions reflected back at me.

Then he took a slow step toward me, and I stopped thinking about anything but how badly I wanted to kiss him. I took a breath and leaned in–

Only to be startled by a call of his name from the hallway. We both took a hasty step back and averted our eyes as Ta'lana appeared in his doorway.

"There you are. I tried to catch up with you, but it turns out you didn't need to deliver your message. I found the extra crates from our last shipment, after all," she said, then she turned her attention to Tokath. "My apologies for the disturbance, Commander. I hope this hasn't been too much of an inconvenience."

Tokath caught my hand and gave me a little wink.

"No, not at all," he said catching my eye. "I always welcome your company, lhhei."

A long, charged pause stretched between us, and my cheeks heated up under his gaze, but finally Ta'lana called my name.

"Come, come. We've taken enough of the Commander's time," she called, and I started toward the doorway.

"See you at dinner," I called over my shoulder, hoping neither of them could hear how unsteady I sounded. His response barely registered as Ta'lana closed the door behind us.

"I'm looking forward to it, e'lev."

--

The atmosphere in the dining hall that evening was different. It felt as though everyone was waiting for something to happen. They seemed nervous, yet...excited? How odd. When Tokath arrived, he took a seat beside me as usual and caught my hand in his. Before I could ask what he was doing, he'd tucked a flower securely in my hair just above my ear. The delicate petals tickled a bit, but I didn't dare risk dislodging it after he'd placed it there so carefully.

I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but the words just wouldn't come out. He seemed to understand my dilemma, though, because he brushed the back of his knuckles down the the side of my face and swallowed heavily.

The heat that suffused my cheeks when we were alone in his quarters earlier made a spectacularly rapid return, even as dinner was served.

Conversation was hushed, but weighty that night from all sides. People were happy for M'Ven and Ba'el - news had already made its way through the colony like wildfire, sparking surprised exclamations and boastful assertions that people had seen it coming years ago.

But there was something else, as well. Given how peoples' eyes kept straying up to the head table where Tokath and I sat, I guessed that people were wondering how he was taking the news. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that he'd be emotional about his daughter finally choosing a partner. If that was the case, though, why were so many gazes landing on me? Was it the flower? I supposed that I couldn't blame them. After all, I'd been surprised, too.

The Commander offered me his arm when the meal ended and I took it without hesitation, allowing him to lead me out into the gardens. This particular route was one we'd never taken before, and we only stopped when we reached a footpath leading into the forest.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he guided me down it expertly, pushing small branches aside and helping me over a fallen log.

"A secret place I found years ago. As far as I'm aware, nobody else even knows it exists," he said with a wink. After a few more minutes, we reached a curtain of vines. Thinking we'd reached a dead end, I looked around in confusion, but Tokath walked me right up to it with his arm wrapped comfortably around my waist. I looked up at him, and he winked as he parted the vine stems.

Moonlight sparkled and gleamed as it bounced off the surface of a placid lake. A swarm of glowing insects slightly larger than Earth fireflies swirled and played above the water, reminding me of a flock of birds.

"Oh, Tokath, this is beautiful," I murmured. I was almost afraid of speaking too loudly, lest I disrupt the peace that permeated this little place. The branches of the trees surrounding the lake's edge seemed to almost wrap around the clearing like gentle, protective arms.

"I thought you might like this place. I've been waiting for the right moment to share it with you," he whispered against the shell of my ear as his hands rested on my shoulders. Gently, so carefully, he grasped my chin and turned my head toward the left shore. A few feet from the water's edge was a blanket with plush pillows, fluffy towels, and a lantern resting atop it.

That was it. Afraid or not, I was going to kiss Tokath tonight, no matter what. I turned in his grasp only to find the lantern's warm, yellowish glow caressing the adoring smile that stretched his lips.

"Thank you for trusting me with this," I said resting my hands on his chest. It was now or never. Lifting my hand to cup his cheek like I had in his room, I looked into his eyes. "You've been uncharacteristically quiet tonight. Is everything alright?"

That damned smile got wider and he let out a quiet laugh.

"Oh, yes, lhhei. Forgive me," he said drawing me into a hug. "I'm afraid I've been lost in thought."

"Oh? And what has occupied your mind so thoroughly?" I punctuated the question with a quick kiss above his fluttering pulse. The Commander's breath caught in his throat, and I realized that maybe I hadn't imagined the hunger I'd seen in him earlier after all.

His grip on me tightened and he hummed at the question.

"You have, dear lady," he muttered, his voice low and rough. That tone had caused me so much frustration since the first time I heard it. I must've let out a gasp or some other surprised sound, because he nodded his head against my scalp. "Yes, you have been a very prominent element of my thoughts since the day you arrived here, but, lately, I find myself contemplating something that...truthfully, I have no right to even consider."

Feeling his proximity even more than usual, I looked up at him curiously. He didn't relinquish his grip on me one iota, but that suited me just fine. I never wanted to stop touching him.

"Maybe talking about it would help ease your mind? Usually confiding in someone close to me helps when there's something bothering me," I suggested, hoping that he didn't notice how shaky my voice had become.

"I will, but only if you don't mind being the one who listens to me ramble. You see, you're the only one who can help me with this particular problem, but I promise I won't ask you if you're not willing." His voice was low and heavy as he spoke, carrying the same weight I'd noticed more and more lately.

"I'll do anything I can to help, Tokath. You know that," I said offering him a reassuring smile.

"You see, I've been asking myself several very specific questions...ones to which I do not have the answers. If the answers are too personal or if you do not wish to engage in that conversation, you need only tell me, and I will drop the topic. Everything can return to the way it was before. I have no desire to make you feel trapped or to change how you see me."

After his little speech, I felt certain that I knew where this might be going, and anticipation flooded through me. Butterflies beat their wings unceasingly in my abdomen.

"Questions could never change the way I look at you." He shook his head at my assertion.

"These might," he breathed as he averted his gaze. "I haven't spent much time around Humans, as you may have guessed, so I...don't exactly know how someone in your culture might approach something of this nature."

I nodded my head in encouragement as his thumbs began to rub slow circles where they rested on my waist.

"I...You see, I wish to...to..." He trailed off and took a deep breath. "When...Well, with Klingons, the men write poetry, the women throw things at each other. It's rather straightforward. Romulans are more varied in their approaches, and...I suppose what I want to ask is is this: How do I...? I mean, what would you expect of...of a...?"

Tokath let out a frustrated huff and shut his eyes. A blush so vibrant that I could see it in the lantern light darkened his cheeks and spread all the way to the tips of his ears.

"Oh, fvadt, I'll never say it at this rate. What I'm trying to tell you is that you are beautiful and kind and the part of myself I never thought I'd find," he said sounding much more resolute. "I doubt this is the way a Human would go about it - much less subtlety to it even though you deserve subtlety and romance - but I need you to know that I love you. That I...would like to be your mate. Hell, I don't even know if Humans call their bound partners 'mates' as we do, but that's neither here nor there. I'd, of course, be happy to call us anything that you wish if–"

A surge of courage tore through me, and I cut off the rest of what he was going to say with a kiss. My lips met Tokath's, and he tensed up for a moment before relaxing into it and kissing me back. One of his hands came up and cupped the back of my head, holding me as close to him as was physically possible.

"I love you, too," I blurted as soon as we separated for air. He looked as dazed as I felt, but he still managed to lift me into his arms and carry me to the blanket as his mouth met mine again.

We didn't make it back to the compound until the next morning. With our hands clasped and rather obvious marks marring the skin of our necks, it was obvious to anyone who looked our way that we were both finally whole.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[creature-of-the-stars]

Phantasma

Chapter 1 -> read here 👻

Vreenak/ F OC

Synopsis: A Starfleet officer experiences problems with her runabout and makes an emergency stop at Empok Nor. The dusty station has been abandoned for years, there's not a single living thing in sight (no, not even a vole). However, the Lieutenant soon finds out she isn't alone.

So, this is the Vreenak fic I was supposed to do by Halloween, but - obviously - didn't 🤦🏽‍♀️. Also, I had eye surgery awhile back and just recently got to a point where I could read/write on a digital device without pain. It felt like someone was pushing my eyes out from the inside of my head if I spent more than five min looking at a backlit screen - thankfully, that's passing!

Tag list (let me know if I left you off because it's been so long, I have completely forgotten who is on my list): @deepspacedukat@darkmattervibes @starrynightgardens @bigblissandlove1 @emilie786 @sleepycat82 @indignantlemur @emochook (I saw your review already, lovely 💜, but I wanted to include you for completeness), @romulanhorsegirl @horta-in-charge

Also...Happy New Years!!! 🥂

[maybeamultiverse]

Tagged by the amazing @vegawriters to do this cute tag! Thank you <3 <3 <3

1. Three Ships: Since I'm going to keep everything securely within the realm of Star Trek for the sake of maintaining appearances of this particular blog, I do want to also bring up some ships that I think are maybe slightly on the obscurer side... and kind of DS9 heavy, and for some reason seem to involve Quark a lot.... anyways, so I love Quodo. So much in a kind of post-ironic sense. I also love Quark and Natima a lot (Qatima? Nuark?), and also Quark and Grilka (Qrilka? Guark?). Those are my less serious main ships, but I also want more fics about Vreenak and Iliana (from that fic called 'Heis'he Ri'nanovai') and also Geordi LaForge and Bochra, of course!

2. First Ship Ever: I honestly remember being such a hardcore stan for Spock and Uhura (Spuhura) when the AOS timeline came out. I remember all the unfortunate racist hate the ship got at the time online and in real life conversations, but even as a kid watching TOS, I always got the vibe that Uhura, or maybe Nichelle Nichols, had a lil' crush on Spock or Leonard, and I thought that was SO CUTE! I think I even wrote an incoherent rant at like 10 years old online on some forum somewhere... lol. Of course, Spirk became more obvious as I grew older and more aware of stuff.

3. Last Song: I just checked Spotify, and the last song I listened to was Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz hehe.

4. Last Movie: A few nights ago, I rewatched Ghostbusters for the first time in like 7 years just for fun. It was definitely entertaining, but it makes me wonder why it became such an international phenomenon. It felt oddly niche.

5. Currently Reading: I'm 'always' reading Dune, but in terms of fics, I haven't read a lot lately, mostly rereading this Labyrinth fic. (PSA: Send me your fic if you want a reader! I'm always happy to check new stuff out.)

6. Currently Watching: The Last of Us, Deep Space 9, Picard, the odd Voyager episode...

7. Currently Consuming: Water. I should make some coffee and get some toast soon, though! I just don't wanna leave my room lol.

8. Currently Craving: I really want bad diner food right now, or maybe something spicy. Or like, some arabic coffee.

Gonna tag @deepspacedukat @solarisone @mikalero @coco-little-rose @foreverforty2 @jaxifye @the-qalankhais-sweetheart @love-at-first-contact

[lettalady]

For the fanfic asks: I and K please 💖 - @deepspacedukat

FanFic Asks

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

Oh jeezaloo - so many. There’s so many various things I enjoy reading and writing. Hmm. But the key word there is guilty… I guess I sometimes do feel a little guilty dialing up the angst when writing. Sometimes. 😘 I’m an absolute sucker for the trope of a character just being ready to throw down saying “that one. I choose that one right there to love.” Also absolutely here for miscommunication or misconception leading to All The Drama. Oh here we go. Guilty pleasure is skipping to the smut first and figuring out from there if I’ll read or write the rest.

K: What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with?

Ever. Ever? That might be a good prompt to ask about but — I’ll take a stab and say: Unsettled. (Which was a melding of prompts submitted during a writing challenge.)

Angstiest. Hmm. I guess The Long Journey Home could tie, there — and that was me aiming at character dynamics and what could tie Zemo, a reader, and Bucky Barnes together.

Thank you for the ask! I hope those answers work. Sort of stumped me with guilty pleasure for a little bit! (Also yes super curious what everyone else thinks the angstiest work is…)

[uss-exile-ncc-440548]

Hfihar Duvek: Complete Edition

I finally completed this fic yesterday and instead of posted the individual chapters I haven't yet here, I'm just going to post about its completion with the links.

AO3 | Quotev | FFN

Characters: Eleanora McCoy, David McCoy AKA Pangaere Duvek, Toran, T'Auethn, Keras, Leonard McCoy AKA T'Anahos Duvek, and some OCs

Ships: Eleanora McCoy/David McCoy, Keras/T'Auethen

AU: Half-Romulan Leonard McCoy + Romulan David McCoy

Summary: The start of a series exploring the question “what if Leonard McCoy was half-Romulan?”. In which David McCoy, here known as Pangaere i-Rateg tr’Duvek, finds Eleanora after her ship, the USS Gryphon is left drifting through the Romulan Neutral Zone. An accidental violation. Allowing the crew to be spared so long as they behave… And giving Commander Pangaere ample time to know the Chief Engineer, Eleanora. Or would have. Unfortunately, the crew is not big on trusting Romulans.

Warnings/other tags: Angst, bittersweet ending

Chapter count: 5/5

Tagging: @deepspacedukat since you seemed interested in this AU

[deepspacedukat]

Love Stings

Normally when I post request fics, I reply directly to the ask I was sent, but in this case I was sent a dm by the requester, and they wanted to remain anonymous at the time. So here’s to you, friend! I hope you enjoy this and that it fits your idea! I hope it’s alright! Hell, I don’t even know if you’re going to see this, but here’s hoping. This got super long! It’s over 8500 words. Enjoy!

If you want to be added to or removed from my fic taglist, please let me know!

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Senator Letant (DS9) x Reader

[A/N: This is smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Interspecies sex, Human/Romulan sex, fuck or die situation, away mission gone wrong, sex pollen type situation, as consensual as a sex pollen situation can be, mutual pining, fingering, woman on top, dirty talk, praise kink, begging, implied oral sex (female receiving), smut with feelings.

~*~

“Why does a Romulan need a Federation escort, again?” I asked as I readjusted my bag on my shoulder and followed Captain Sisko down the corridor.

“Because Federation runabouts are able to withstand a particular form of radiation that utterly fries Romulan computer technology. In order to reach the planet where their probe went down, you need to pass through an asteroid field absolutely teeming with that radiation,” he answered as we reached the runabout airlock. “Starfleet isn’t about to give a Romulan free reign with one of its vessels.”

“And why can’t he and his men just, y’know...fly around that asteroid field instead?” That seemed like a rather obvious solution.

“Because that would take them several months out of their way - time which none of us can afford to spend in Dominion territory,” the Captain said as he handed me a small case. “You’ll need those.”

“What are they?”

“Earplugs,” he said with a smirk.

“Remind me: why was I chosen for this oh-so-special mission?” I asked slipping the case into my bag. Instead of the Captain, another voice piped up from directly behind me.

“Because, my lovely Lieutenant, you are the only one who can put up with me for long stretches.” Oh no. I knew that voice. With dread and several other emotions pounding away in the pit of my stomach, I turned and saw none other than Senator Letant wearing a mirthful smirk as he took in the look of sheer disbelief on my face. “Come, come, my dear, I would’ve thought you’d be overjoyed to see me again! After all, I requested you specifically for this little adventure.”

I opened my mouth to protest this assignment, but when I looked back, Captain Sisko had made himself scarce.

“Oh, let’s just get this over with,” I groused stepping around the Romulan and into the Shenandoah. Tossing my bag onto one of the benches at the back of the craft, I made my way to the cockpit with a pair of much-too-spry footsteps following in my wake.

“Just think of it, Lieutenant! We’ll have a whole week in the Gamma Quadrant, just the two of us.” Letant’s enthusiasm made me roll my eyes.

Of course he would be excited about this. He enjoyed flirting with me - or, more accurately, with anything that moved. Unfortunately, I enjoyed his banter, too, but how the hell was I supposed to keep him from seeing that for a whole week? If he knew, he’d be twice as insufferable as he already was.

With a quiet sigh, I refrained from responding, choosing to go through the pre-flight checks, instead. He rattled on while I ensured everything was prepped, but after several minutes of receiving no response from me, he laid a hand on my forearm. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the contact - a fact which didn’t go unnoticed by my co-pilot.

“Are you alright?” He sounded genuinely concerned, but I simply pulled my arm away and muttered a quiet ‘yes.’ Disbelief and sarcasm colored his tone when he spoke again. “Yes, of course. That must be why you’re behaving the way you are. In case you’ve forgotten, Lieutenant, I’m rather adept at spotting lies.”

Swallowing nervously, I turned back to my instruments.

“I’m fine. Pre-flight checks are all done. We’re ready to go,” I said, opening communications with the station before he could protest. “Shenandoah to Ops. All systems are green. Requesting permission to disembark.”

“Permission granted, Shenandoah,” Major Kira answered. “Sealing airlocks and releasing docking clamps. Have fun out there, you two. May the Prophets guide you.”

“Thanks, Major. We’ll be home before you know it. Shenandoah out,” I said as I closed communications and released our own docking systems. “Twenty seconds to the wormhole.”

“And how long until you tell me what’s bothering you, Lieutenant?” From my peripheral vision, I could see that the Senator had turned his chair to face me. If he was already able to tell that something was wrong, I really needed to compose myself. Otherwise, the next week was going to be hell.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just had a rough morning, that’s all,” I lied as I lowered our speed for the trip through the wormhole. “I should be back to my usual self in a little bit.”

“I see...” he murmured sounding no more convinced than he had a few moments before. “Well, if you require a sympathetic ear, I’d be more than happy to fill that role, and we are quite alone. Anything you told me would remain in total confidence.”

As light enveloped our little craft, I looked over at him, finding sincerity in his expression. I paused, though, because the ever-shifting light filtering into the cabin made his features glow. Letant looked almost ethereal - the changing hues flowed across his face, highlighting his forehead ridges, his nose, his lips, and making it impossible to ignore his beauty.

“Thank you, Senator. I’ll take that into consideration.” My voice came out raspier than I’d expected, making my cheeks burn. Before I could look back at the panel in front of me, though, Letant gave me a surprisingly gentle smile.

“I think we can safely skip the formalities, don’t you? There is nobody else here, and I certainly won’t be offended by a little added familiarity. Please, feel free to call me Letant,” he murmured, and I agreed quietly. A flash drew my attention away from him and back to piloting the runabout. We’d exited the wormhole.

“If you’ll input the coordinates, Letant, I’ll set a course,” I said, and a quiet hum came from the man beside me. “What?”

“I’ve never heard you say my name before, but I must admit...I quite like the way it sounds coming from you,” he murmured as he moved to do as I suggested. It felt strange to say his name when I wasn’t alone. The only place I’d said it before was when I was in my bed in the dead of night, but he definitely didn’t need to know that. He’d never let me live that down.

As soon as the course was set, I initiated the autopilot and took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I leaned back in my seat. It would take us about three days to get there at our vessel’s maximum warp.

“I can feel you staring at me, y’know.” My murmured observation drew a huff of incredulous laughter from my companion.

“Ridiculous. Utter rot. Even Romulans are not that perceptive,” he scoffed, but I just smirked.

“Haven’t you ever heard a Human say they felt eyes on the back of their head before?”

“I have.”

“They mean it. Yes, that expression can be used to communicate paranoia, but usually the person is being literal. We can feel when we’re being watched. We may not be able to pinpoint where it’s coming from, but a gaze can be felt as easily as a touch,” I explained, cracking my eyes open and tilting my head, finding him looking at me stunned as I’d expected to. Scientifically, that was only partially correct with psychological bias factored in, but he didn’t need to know the nitty-gritty details. “I wonder, was it you staring at me in Quark’s the other night? Or was it some other inebriated patron?”

“Who told you I was in the bar?” He fired back with a knowing raise of an eyebrow.

“Nobody. You and your guards make quite an entrance everywhere you go. I saw you arrive, but I thought little of it,” I lied, trying to give the impression that I hadn’t seen him in a gorgeous green tunic he’d never worn before. He’d looked so handsome that night, but I couldn’t show that I cared about his looks. He’d never let me live it down.

“That’s too bad. I’d hoped to ask your opinion on my tunic. I don’t often wear purple garments,” he said, and before I could stop myself or think better of it, I blurted out what I was thinking.

“But it was gre–” I broke off, but he’d heard just enough to widen his smile.

“You’re quite right. It was green, but how would you know that, e’lev?” Letant asked leaning closer to me. “I thought you didn’t care that I’d been in the bar?”

“I didn’t. As I said, your entrances aren’t exactly subtle. Everyone in the bar likely noticed you and your new tunic. That hardly makes me unique,” I said trying to explain my statement away, but his voice just lowered a bit more, becoming more velvety and delicious.

“...I don’t recall mentioning that the tunic was new.” He practically radiated triumph and glee, even as I internally cringed at my slip.

“And you still haven’t answered my original question,” I deflected as I stood and walked to one of the other sensor arrays as an excuse to put a little space between us. Beginning to perform a re-calibration, I nearly rolled my eyes when I heard footsteps behind me.

“You’re right. I never did answer your question. How rude of me,” the Senator said, his voice growing ever closer. Eventually, one of his hands rested on the bulkhead near my shoulder, and the other rested gently on my waist. “I admit I did look at you quite frequently that night, but I simply cannot resist a gorgeous view when it’s offered so freely. You seemed so relaxed. Nevertheless, allow me to apologize for staring like a lecherous rogue. Tell me...how can I make it up to you?”

His mirthful, suggestive question was practically whispered against my ear, but I bit the inside of my cheek to suppress a shudder of pleasure. It would be much too easy to turn and connect my lips with his.

“No need, Senator,” I murmured, hating how shaky my voice sounded. Ducking carefully under his arm, I went back to my seat and acted like I was double-checking the sensors. The Romulan let out a sigh, but he didn’t look too disappointed when he returned.

“You might change your mind over the course of our journey,” he said lounging in his chair, “and if you do, I’m quite open to any suggestions you might have.”

This was going to be a long trip.

--

The next morning, I stumbled through my usual routine, shuffling into the cockpit of the runabout with a hot mug of coffee clutched in my hands. Blinking sleepily as I took my seat, I started checking the sensors and our course.

“Well, well, good morning!” Amusement practically dripped from Letant’s voice. Oh, it was too early for this. “You seem to be out of uniform today.”

“Since we won’t be at our destination for another couple of days, I thought I may as well wear something a little more comfortable,” I said glancing down at my oversized shirt and sweatpants. “Besides, I thought you said you didn’t mind if we dropped some of the formalities? If you object, I can always get back into uniform...”

“Oh no, don’t you dare! I don’t mind at all. I’ve never seen you looking so ravishing,” he crooned as he raked his eyes over me. “Is this how you normally dress when you’re not on duty?”

“Yep, this is my favorite shirt, actually,” I answered sipping my coffee. I’d had it for so long that was beginning to go threadbare in a few places allowing my skin to peek through - a fact I hadn’t given much thought to before, but which I was now acutely aware of with the Senator’s roving eyes on me. “I take it you approve?”

“Oh, heartily, but I’ve never known you to need another person’s approval,” he said leaning toward me in my peripheral vision.

“And you seem to need the approval of every woman who dares to glance in your direction.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but once it was out I couldn’t put it back no matter how much I might want to.

“Not every woman. Only you,” he responded without missing a beat, and my eyes snapped up to meet his before I could think better of it. Beneath the obvious hunger in his expression, there was something...soft and vulnerable that startled me into looking away.

No. No, I was imagining that look. I had to be. Letant was a Senator. He could have any woman he wanted. There was no way he’d want me.

The rest of the day, Letant seemed somewhat more subdued, alternating between focusing on a Romulan data PADD he’d brought with him and the readout from the primary sensor array. I still caught him looking over at me occasionally, but he wasn’t nearly as determined to drive me insane as usual.

--

We decided to alternate who got the early morning shifts so that neither of us would be overly tired. Thus, the second morning, I was halfway through my second cup of coffee before Letant emerged from the aft section of the runabout. Glancing back at him, I noticed his own informal wardrobe for the day and did a double-take. Wearing only a pair of midnight blue sleep pants and an open, matching silk robe, Senator Letant stole my breath as he did nothing more but take his seat in the copilot’s chair.

So that was what he was hiding beneath his uniform!

“See something you like, e’lev?” Tearing my eyes away from the smattering of hair on his well-defined chest, I looked up to see him giving me a knowing smile. “Oh, don’t go quiet on me again. We’ve made so much progress on that front in the last couple of days. Would it help if I got back into my uniform?”

“Don’t you dare,” I murmured, repeating his own words back at him and drawing a devilish grin from him.

“I believe that’s the boldest flirtation I’ve ever received from you,” he declared crossing his legs and allowing his eyes to skim down the length of my body a little slower than the day before.

“Who said it was flirtation? If I have a right to be in my pajamas, so do you.”

“Ah, it’s a matter of equality, then. How curious. I could’ve sworn I saw you bite your lip a few moments ago,” Letant murmured, and I wracked my memory. Had I? It was conceivable that I had subconsciously. He did tend to bring out those sorts of reactions in me. His voice calling my name knocked me out of my anxious thoughts. “Oh, don’t worry. I did much worse than bite my lip when I went to bed last night. And after being around a beautiful woman in nothing but her pajamas all day, who could blame me?”

My cheeks burned at his insinuation. He was joking. He had to be joking. He’d never do...that...while thinking about me.

...Would he?

No. No, way. He was probably just trying to get a rise out of me first thing in the morning. I should just ignore hi–

“Ah, we’ve made better time than I expected,” he murmured checking the estimated time of arrival. “We’ll be there in less than twelve hours. It should’ve taken us eighteen more. How did you manage that?”

Okay, this I could do. I could totally talk work.

“Oh, I made a few routine course adjustments and skirted around a few astronomical phenomena that could have slowed us down,” I said as I pulled up a log I’d been keeping of my adjustments. He skimmed over it and a low hum issued from his throat.

“...You do realize what this means, don’t you?” Letant asked looking up at me, and I raised an eyebrow. “This means we have six fewer hours to spend together on this journey. You wound me, Lieutenant. Am I truly so unpleasant a traveling companion?”

He laid a hand dramatically over his chest and adopted a look of faux innocence.

“Seriously? We’re flying through Dominion territory and that is what you’re worried about?” 

“Well, I did select you for this mission so that we could spend time together,” he replied as if it should be obvious. I could scarcely believe my ears. “I thought you might enjoy some private interaction with a man as attractive as I am.”

“You are the most arrogant person I’ve ever met.” The words were out of my mouth before I could even think about stopping them, but rather than looking offended, Letant merely leaned toward me in his ridiculous, open robe and smirked.

“And did it never cross your mind that I have what it takes to back up my inflated ego?”

I had no rebuttal for that. The possibility had crossed my mind several times, in fact. Taking my silence as an answer, the Senator seemed satisfied that he’d gotten his point across.

“Now, before we reach our long-awaited destination, I need to brief you on what to expect,” he said, as if I hadn’t been briefed on the basics before we left. Before I could protest, however, he held up a hand. “There are several details that the Romulan government did not see fit to authorize me to convey to Starfleet, details that you must be made aware of if we are to complete this mission successfully.”

“Is the probe sentient or something?”

Letant let out a short burst of mirthful laughter.

“No, certainly not, although I admire your vivid imagination. The probe we’re going to be looking for is equipped...with a cloaking device.”

With the most serious expression I could muster, I set my coffee aside and laid my hand over one of his.

“Letant, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Starfleet has been aware that your people have had cloaking devices for over a century. I’m so sorry, I know that must come as a bit of a shock.” He gave me an exasperated look, and I couldn’t help but smile mischievously at having finally irritated him for once.

“You know, you are gorgeous, intelligent, and an utter pleasure to be around, but, Elements, my girl, you can be infuriating,” he said lifting my hand to his lips.

“Speak for yourself, Deihu.” The expression on his face morphed into pure surprise. “My apologies for the interruption. Please continue. What is it about this cloaking device that makes it so special?”

“Not only is it a new type of cloak, it was made more durable as well. We expect that it survived the crash and is still active,” Letant explained.

“So we’re going to be looking for a fully cloaked probe? How the hell are we supposed to find it, then?” Maybe that was why we’d been given a full day to search for this damn thing.

“Ah, I have a deactivation signal that I’ve already programmed into our tricorders. Once we scan the probe, it’ll decloak, we can remove the section that we need, and we can get back home,” he murmured, skimming his thumbs over the back of my hand. Why did he still have my hand?

And why did I never want him to let go?

“Why not just put that code into the runabout computer and scan the whole planet from orbit?” I asked raising an eyebrow.

“Because the tricorders can be destroyed afterward. The runabout computer can’t if we want to get home.” Of course. The Romulan Empire wouldn’t want any trace of how we deactivated a cloak to exist afterward to compromise them. “I do have the approximate location of where the probe went down - it was still transmitting as it crashed - so we should be able to land close enough to get into tricorder range within a reasonable span of time.”

A rather unpleasant thought occurred to me, then, and for the first time, I was forced to confront just how dangerous Letant could be if he so chose. His species was physically stronger than mine. If he wanted to hurt me, he could with barely any effort, and I would have no chance of stopping him.

“And...when we’re searching for the probe, what happens if I end up seeing it or the decloaking codes? Are you going to have to eliminate me for the sake of the Empire’s security?” To my horror, my voice was much quieter and shakier than I anticipated. Letant’s grip on my hand tightened by a fraction, and he looked at me with an inscrutable expression.

“If you truly believe that I could ever raise a hand to you, then you don’t know me as well as you think, e’lev,” he said. “I chose you for this mission, because I trust you not to reveal any more than is necessary to your superiors.”

I didn’t quite know what to say to that, so I simply nodded my head. Savoring the feeling of his fingers holding mine, I looked at Letant curiously. What was I supposed to make of him?

--

The rest of the trip was relatively quiet as I mulled over everything I’d learned. We were both mostly silent as we took turns getting changed back into our uniforms in the back. Even Letant’s flirtations were more subtle. I was working off muscle memory more than conscious effort as we approached the planet to enter orbit.

“Lieutenant, I’m inputting the range of coordinates where the probe could possibly be. If you could place us in synchronous orbi–”

He was cut off by an explosion rocking the craft and throwing us from our seats. My arm collided hard with the deck plating, and I let out a grunt of pain as I struggled to right myself.

“The starboard engine just overloaded,” I called as I finally got a glimpse at my panel. I clawed myself back into my chair and aimed us as close as I could manage to the area Letant had indicated. He pulled himself up just as I did, and as I held us on course, he started an emergency shutdown for the warp and impulse engines. “We’re going down no matter what we do! Brace yourself for impact!”

The collision jolted me from my seat, but before I could hit anything, a pair of strong, warm arms caught me. Grabbing onto Letant instinctively, we clung to each other for dear life until the runabout came to a screeching halt in the dirt.

In the unnatural silence that followed, our breaths seemed much too loud. I kept my face buried in the crook of the Senator’s neck for several beats longer than was strictly necessary, catching my breath and savoring the solidity of his body against mine.

Letant breathed my name against the top of my head, and I reluctantly forced myself to pull back far enough to look at him. A dribble of green blood trickled down the side of his head from a small gash.

“You’re hurt,” I murmured as I reached up and turned his head so I could examine him.

“Perhaps, but you’re not.” A glimmer of triumph twined through his words. Forcing myself onto my feet, I found the emergency medkit and passed the dermal regenerator over his injury with as much care as I possessed. He touched the spot gingerly when I was done and smiled up at me when he found himself healed. “You have my sincerest gratitude, e’lev.”

A flutter of pride went through my chest as I put the medical tools back in the kit. As a precaution, I took out a medical tricorder and set it aside in case we needed it.

“Why is this probe so important, anyway?” I asked a few moments later as we examined the outside of the runabout. Surveying the craft for damage was our first order of business. After all, if there was no chance we’d get off this planet, there was little point in rushing off to find the probe. Survival always came first. “May I know what we almost died in pursuit of? Surely, we didn’t go through all of this just for a prototype cloaking device.”

“No, it wasn’t just the cloak. Our probe managed to record secret information on the Dominion, but I’m afraid I can tell you no more than that without endangering you,” he said as he stepped over a large log. “Well, the propulsion systems appear to be offline but functional, as well the weapons.”

“Not quite. The antigrav thrusters are shot. We’ll have to get those working again before we can lift off,” I called as I pulled a branch out of one of the intake ports. “Okay. Well, it looks like we shouldn’t be stuck here for too long, at least. We should be able to find the probe, fix the thrusters, and head back.”

A vague noise of approval sounded from my companion.

“We landed not far from the probe’s potential crash site. If you’ve got the tricorders set up, we can start our search now,” I suggested as we both met up at the door of the runabout. Anticipating my statement, Letant held out two tricorders, one for me, and one for him. I noted that the medical one was already strapped to his side. Grabbing a second commbadge from inside the cabin, I traded it for the tricorder. “Keep your commline open. After all, we’ve only got each other out here.”

“Indeed. Watch yourself, Lieutenant,” Letant said as I strapped a phaser and holster around my waist. His own disruptor gleamed in the evening light. 

The setting sun cast long, sleepy shadows across the ground as we tramped through the trees. I’d taken a different direction than the Senator so that we could cover more ground, and I couldn’t help but wonder whether he was allowing himself to pause and take in the beauty of this previously unexplored planet. 

“Report, Lieutenant.” Speak of the devil.

“I’m not reading any humanoid lifeforms, only plant life, small animals, and various insects. I’m not reading the probe, either, so apparently I’m not in range yet.”

“No need to worry, Lieutenant. I’ve apparently entered range of the probe. I’ve almost reached it now. As far as life form readings, I’m getting the same as you. Be cautious, though. There’s an insect I scanned which appears to be venomous.” Letant’s warning came just as I stepped into a clearing filled with what looked like bioluminescent moths. Their colors varied through the entire visible spectrum of light, creating pulsations and swirls of color in the sky. For a moment, I could do no more than watch them in silence.

“Oh, wow,” I breathed as I watched the little winged bugs dance in the low evening light. “Letant, you’ve got to come see this!”

“Acknowledged. I’ve gotten what we need from the probe. On my way,” he responded, but I barely noticed. As if the little bugs were aware that they had an audience, they fluttered together and fanned out in a brilliant array of shapes I couldn’t even begin to describe. Just as I began to hear the Senator’s footsteps approaching me, the entire swarm of brilliantly hued moths fluttered toward me. I stumbled backward against a very solid chest. Turning just enough to confirm I’d bumped into Letant, my eyes met his just as the moths flew around us in a tight spiral from our toes to our heads. The light from their wings caressed his features, sparkling in his irises as I looked up at him in utter awe. His voice came out as a breathy whisper when he spoke a single word. “E’lev...”

The thrumming of wings slowly lowered in volume, and we watched the moths’ progress as they began to alight upon the branches of the trees at the perimeter of the clearing, colors still pulsing and changing as beautifully as before. Becoming aware of two arms wrapped around me like iron bars holding me upright against the Senator’s chest, I felt my face begin to burn.

“Thanks for catching me,” I murmured. Was it my imagination or was his face getting closer?

“It was my pleasure,” he breathed, and his lips brushed against mine. As my eyelids fluttered closed, though, something sharp jabbed my neck, and I let out a startled yelp. Turning me in his grasp, Letant caught my hand as I reached for the area. “Hush, it’s alright. Let me see.”

Baring my neck for him, I felt my heart sink when he swore in Romulan under his breath and pulled out his tricorder.

“Let me guess. That was one of the venomous ones.” The quiet beeping of the tricorder cut through the deafening silence - an answer of its own. I could already feel sweat beading on my skin beneath my uniform. Whatever this venom was, it was potent.

“We’re too far from the runabout to make it there before you suffer any ill effects. Do you trust me?” I’d barely even managed to answer in the affirmative when his lips closed over the bite mark and sucked hard. Gasping at the sensation, I clutched at his shoulders and tried to work out what the hell he was doing. Pain lanced through me from the wound, but after something pulled free, every ounce of discomfort within me transformed into intense euphoria.

The Senator spat something on the ground a moment later then returned his lips to the same place, sucking hard again. This time a moan tore from my throat. I never wanted him to stop. I felt like I’d die if he stopped - hell, I think I murmured something to that effect as I clung to him.

 It was as if the sensitivity of every nerve in my body had been heightened all at once starting with the spot where Letant’s lips were glued to my skin. Cascading downwards across my entire being, electricity, desperation, and pleasure had all been ignited within me.

Through the fog, the vague thought that he was attempting to suck the poison out of my wound poked at my mind, but it was deftly swatted away by the feeling of his lips repositioning themselves on my neck as one of his large hands supported the back of my head.

He spat something else onto the ground, but by then I was nearly limp with pleasure. I’d been close to an orgasm, so achingly close. Tears sprang to my eyes at the loss of contact, and all too soon he was asking me a question that I was too bleary to comprehend.

“Lieutenant? Can you understand me?” He sounded almost panicked, but I’d made out enough to answer that time. “Let’s get you back to the runabout.”

What the hell? Why did I nearly have an orgasm from what amounted to rather enthusiastic necking? As we trudged back the way we’d come, Letant supported me with an arm around my waist. I hoped that he hadn’t noticed the stupidly strong arousal that the sting and his reaction had caused. Surely at such close range he had? But if he did, then why wasn’t he teasing me about it?

And why did I have that reaction in the first place? I’d wondered what it was like to be with him on more occasions than I cared to admit, of course, but why the hell did I feel like all my nerves were hypersensitive?

The burning, overwhelming need for stimulation settled into a persistent buzzing in my abdomen. I’d never heard of venom causing a reaction like this before.

As soon as we stepped inside the shuttle, I ducked into the washroom at the back of the runabout. Splashing water on my face, I barely managed to hold back the moan that threatened to bubble out of me at how good the cold liquid felt against my burning skin. When I reemerged, Letant looked over at me with concern furrowing his brow.

“Are you experiencing any odd symptoms?” He asked, and I hated how my body reacted instantly to his voice. Any assistance that the cool water had provided disappeared as my skin heated further and I was forced to look away from him. “Lieutenant?”

“Hypersensitivity,” I answered. I hoped he would simply drop the topic and allow me to remain vague in my answer, but I had no such luck.

“In what way?”

“My hearing is amplified, smells are stronger, and I’m more aware of tactile sensations.” As I explained, Letant’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. Silently, he pulled out the medical tricorder he’d grabbed earlier and scanned me. After a long moment, he set it aside and moved to my side.

“E’lev, what can I do to help you?” He’d lowered his voice, likely out of consideration for my condition, which simultaneously made things better and worse. My ears hurt a little less, but this new register was gravelly and sinful, making me close my eyes as I felt a new gush of warmth between my legs. “You have a fever and elevated levels of hormones. Are you experiencing other symptoms that you haven’t mentioned?”

“Let’s just get the thrusters working so we can get off this planet,” I rasped as I stepped around him and got a tool kit. Focusing on anything would be difficult, but it would be better than throwing myself at a man like Letant.

I wanted him, oh, I wanted him desperately - I felt like I’d go crazy if he didn’t see though my act and fuck me soon - but he flirted with anything that moved. It was more likely that if I made a move, he’d tell me politely that he preferred prettier women...dabo girls like Hartla and Leeta, not officers like me. The idea that he could want someone like me was a childish fantasy, but...I wasn’t ready for it to end. Not yet.

The last few days had felt like a dream. He’d even seemed like he was letting his guard down in a sincere way. I wasn’t quite ready to give that up. His feelings might not be genuine, but mine were. I knew I’d have to wake up and face reality one day, but this trip had allowed me to push that sobering thought aside for a while.

As we worked on the downed systems, I was acutely aware of his proximity. Every time he moved, my stomach clenched and the traitorous heat between my legs got worse. Eventually, the computer pinged, notifying us that the engines were working again.

“Strap in. I’ll start the launch sequence,” I called as I made sure everything we’d brought was secure. Letant double-checked to make sure everything was secure, and within minutes we cleared the atmosphere. Though I didn’t remember doing so until later, I set our course back toward the wormhole and engaged the engines at our maximum speed. I had the distinct impression that whatever that insect had done to me needed to be fixed as quickly as possible.

I had no idea how much time had passed since we launched when a warm, familiar hand landed gently on my shoulder. I tensed involuntarily despite the inherent caution in its owner’s every movement.

“Why don’t you let me take over for a while? I assure you, I’m perfectly capa–”

“Yes, I’m sure you are, but I’m fine,” I cut him off trying to sound as though I was something close to normal again. Letant wasn’t buying it, though. He wasn’t fool enough to believe that I’d dismissed such an intense reaction so quickly.

“You’re not fine. E’lev, you’ve been flying this runabout for hours, and neither of us has any idea how your condition might affect you,” the Senator said reaching over and activating the autopilot system. “Overexertion could be lethal, and I am not prepared to lose you.”

“Letant, for fuck’s sake, I’m–”

“You are ill, I outrank you, and I am giving you a direct order, Lieutenant.” I turned my seat to face him, scoffing all the while.

“You can’t give me a direct order, Senator. You’re not a Starfleet officer. I’m staying right fucking here!” As soon as the assertion left my lips I knew it was the wrong thing to say. I tried to swivel my chair back to face my work station, but Letant caught it effortlessly in one hand. His damnable Romulan strength allowed him to keep it stationary with barely more than a thought. Slowly, he rose to his feet and leaned in close enough to brace his other hand on the back of my seat, effectively caging me in.

“I may not be a member of your precious Federation, but I am responsible for your safety!” I’d seen the Senator irritated before, even close to anger, but the passion burning in his eyes had me frozen squarely in place, pinned by his gaze. “You will get yourself cleaned up, lie down in your bunk, and get some rest. Argue with me again, and I will toss you over my shoulder and tie you to your bed until we return to the station. Is that clear?”

The low, velvety caress of his voice contrasted with the harshness of his tone, and suddenly, I couldn’t decide whether I was intimidated or more turned on than I’d ever been in my life. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I acknowledged that it was a particularly potent combination of both.

Undoubtedly mistaking my silence for fear, Letant’s gaze softened, and he cupped my face in both his hands. Silently, gently, he touched my forehead lightly with his, and his next words came out barely above a whisper.

“You know...surely, you must know that I’m doing this to keep you safe...?”

Covering his fingers with mine, I tried to steady my breathing. He was so close to me, and he smelled so good! Every inhale filled me with more desperation, especially when I contemplated how easy it would be to kiss him, but I hoped beyond hope that I wasn’t being too obvious despite our proximity.

Realizing I’d been silent for too long, I swallowed and forced myself to take a breath.

“I trust you, Letant. I always will,” I murmured. I hoped he would never question the reason behind my certainty. He pulled back just far enough to allow me to get shakily to my feet. “I’ll do as you ask, but just this once.”

With a small, fond smile, he brushed a bit of hair behind my ear.

“We’ll see about that, e’lev.” With that parting tease out in the open, I walked - or rather, stumbled - into the aft section of the runabout.

--

By the time that the dirt had sloughed off me in the sonic shower, I had to concentrate very hard stay upright. I was exhausted. First, the crash, then the walk through the woods, and the sting...it had been a long day.

The heat between my legs had intensified even further, leaving me shaking as I leaned against the wall of the sonic shower. The coolness against my overheated skin made me moan. The sound came out much louder than I’d intended, and I hoped that Letant hadn’t heard me.

Letant. Just thinking about him sent a fresh wave of slick dripping from my center. He wouldn’t know as long as I was quiet, would he?

Dipping my fingers between my legs, I was forced to slap a hand over my mouth at how good the friction felt. Against my better judgment, I brought myself to a quick, mostly-quiet orgasm, stifling my moans the best I could.

I could finally breathe a little easier once I’d blown off a bit of steam. One tiny little orgasm wasn’t going to be sufficient to make everything stop. I could tell. But it had given me the relief and clear mind that I needed to be able to go through the rest of my nightly routine and crawl into my bunk.

Rest, however, was thin on the ground. The heat that had been plaguing me in ever-building waves kept me tossing and turning in search of comfort. As I faded in and out of consciousness, brief flashes of dreams flitted across the insides of my eyelids. 

Hell, I even dreamed that Letant came to check on me, once. The quiet, familiar beeping of the medical tricorder seemed distant and hazy compared to the soft, affectionate caress on my cheek. He whispered that word he’d been saying all through this trip: ‘e’lev.’ It felt important. Everything about this dream felt important, but I couldn’t place my finger on the reason, choosing instead to allow myself to fall back into my troubled, achy sleep.

When I finally gave up on sleep several hours later, I was covered in sweat. My own natural lubricant dripped down my thighs once more, and I was forced to get in the sonic shower again just to become halfway presentable. I didn’t bother with a uniform when I got out. Opting instead for comfortable set of clothes, I walked shakily toward the runabout cabin.

I paused and leaned against the wall for support, contemplating how I was supposed to beat this, but in that short span of time I managed to catch Letant’s attention.

He looked thoroughly surprised to see me standing upright in my condition, but truth be told, he looked a little worse for wear himself. The Senator looked haggard, as if he hadn’t slept yet. And there was worry in his eyes - so much concern that I hadn’t seen from him before.

“You should be in bed,” he croaked as he got to his feet. Not giving him the chance to herd me away, I took a few determined steps forward.

“I’m fine,” I rasped, but he didn’t look at all convinced.

“E’lev, why won’t you tell me what’s wrong? I know you’re experiencing more than you’ve let on. If you tell me, I might be able to help yo–”

“You can’t, okay?!” He looked surprised by my outburst. Hell, I was surprised by my outburst. “You can’t help me, because I feel like I’m going to scratch my skin off if I don’t...if...”

A stab of pain and arousal wound through my abdomen, silencing my protests. Wrapping my arms around my middle, I dropped to my knees and tried to breathe through the sensation. Nothing I’d done had helped so far. Fingering myself in the bathroom had given me temporary relief, but as soon as I came in close proximity with Letant again, the almost uncontrollable lust had returned stronger than before. It had only grown since the sting, and now I was left a trembling, humiliated mess on the floor in front of the Senator.

“Do you think you’ve been successful in your efforts to hide your condition from me?” The question wasn’t accusatory, but I still looked away as he knelt in front of me and grasped my shoulders. “Because your pheromones gave you away the moment I tried sucking the stinger and venom from your neck.”

I looked up at him in alarm, but all that met me was a warm, gentle smile.

“You knew?”

“Of course, I did. Between that and your scent in the shower, it has been quite obvious that you are in need of some intimate attention,” he said, and my face burned. “If you truly have no desire to allow me to help you, I will respect your wishes and leave you in privacy, but over the time I’ve known you, I always felt there was...more to our interactions. If I was mistaken about my interest being mutual, I sincerely apologize, but if I was right...please, allow me to alleviate your suffering.”

“Are you doing this out of pity?” Letant looked scandalized by the mere suggestion. “Why would you be attracted to me when there are women who are so much...well, more?”

“No, I’m not doing this out of pity! My interest in you has always been genuine. I thought you of all people would’ve realized that by now, e’lev,” he said cupping my cheeks softly and looking into my eyes. Instead of mirth, all I found this time was sincerity and affection. “Why would I waste my time with anyone else when perfection is right here in front of me? None of them are you.”

His lips covered mine, and I stopped thinking altogether. Surrendering to the sensation, my eyelids fluttered closed, and I clutched at the front of his tunic. As though a switch had been flipped, I gave in. Letant was all I’d wanted for a long time.

Before I even realized I’d moved, I pulled him closer and practically started climbing him. A gentle laugh reverberated through his chest as he caught my waist, and I nibbled my way down the side of his jaw.

“Desperate, are we? Don’t worry, my eager girl. I’m going to help you,” he murmured lifting me into his arms. As he carried me toward the bunk in the aft section, I clung to him, trailing my lips across his skin in a haze of lust. I’d given in entirely to my raging hormones and my desire, and I needed him to just fuck me already! 

A pained whine escaped me when Letant laid me on the bed and I was forced to release my death grip on his shoulders. Had he decided I was more trouble than I was worth? No, surely he wouldn’t leave me when I needed him this badly.

My worries were silenced when he laid one of his large hands on my upper thigh and allowed it to skim upwards to the utterly doused fabric covering my crotch.

“So beautiful...” His reverent whisper made me arch toward him, praying for more friction than just that of fabric. “You’d let me do whatever I wanted to you, wouldn’t you?”

“Anything. Anything, just please touch me–ah!” My begging morphed into an almost feral sound of pleasure as he tore the crotch of my leggings and dragged his fingertips through my folds. Suddenly I was incredibly grateful to my earlier self for choosing to forego underwear. That was the wisest choice I’d made all week.

“Hush, I won’t leave you unfulfilled,” he promised, slipping one, then two fingers inside of me. Clutching the bedsheets frantically, I found myself lost in his gaze. Hunger, passion, and potent confidence drew me to him like a moth to a flame. It was painfully obvious, now, that Letant’s earlier insinuation about having good reasons to be confident in his abilities was absolutely true. 

Had I a scrap of dignity left, I would’ve been irritated at that revelation. As it was, all I could manage was a series of desperate moans and pleas as the Senator curled his fingers within me. In an embarrassingly short amount of time, I was arching off the bed and gushing around his digits. 

Letant murmured quiet praises that made a small, quiet part of myself roar with pride at having earned his compliments. He leaned down to kiss me, and almost without conscious thought, I maneuvered him beneath me and started tugging at his clothing. There need to be less separating us. I needed the hardness tenting his pants inside me now!

The next few moments were a blur of clothes sailing away from the bed, and finally - finally - I was able to sink down on his length. The tightness of his grip on my hips spoke to his own growing need for this coupling. We were both beyond words when I began to ride him in earnest. He sat up beneath me and wrapped an arm around my waist, even as his free hand tangled its way into my hair.

Our labored breathing sounded so right. This was what we’d been missing all this time. When I finally tipped over the edge into another orgasm, the last of my lover’s restraint snapped, and he shoved me onto my back amidst the sheets.

Resuming his place between my legs, Letant looked positively feral as he set out to prove why Romulans made superior mates. He gave me everything: powerful thrusts, hungry growls, and an orgasm intense enough to make my voice go hoarse when I called his name.

The fires ignited by the venom in my veins finally cooled when a shattered moan poured from his throat and his seed filled me in hot spurts. Bliss and tranquility blanketed every cell in my body as he rained featherlight kisses across my mouth and cheeks. This was heaven.

Letant maneuvered us into a much more comfortable position, murmuring that I should rest. His voice melted into a delicious hum that In was too boneless and satiated to comprehend, but it was alright. Everything was alright. He’d protect me.

--

The first sensation I became aware of when I awoke was the gentle, affectionate caress of warm fingers across my back. Still wrapped solidly in the comforting embrace of a Romulan Senator, I let myself float leisurely back to the realm of consciousness. There was no rush. We were still a long way from the wormhole and Deep Space Nine.

Stirring slowly, I tilted my head just far enough to press my lips against Letant’s neck, prompting a low hum from deep in his chest.

“I take it you’re feeling better?” The Senator asked, and I let out an affirmative sound as I snuggled farther into his arms. “I thoroughly enjoy this version of you, you know...the one who isn’t pushing me away.”

Guilt wormed its way through me as I recalled all the instances where I hadn’t believed he was sincere in his flirtations.

“I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, e’lev. You were protecting yourself,” he murmured pressing his lips against my forehead in a gentle kiss. “I do want you to know, though, that for as long as I live, I will be yours. Assuming you’ll have me, of course.”

Pushing myself up far enough to look into his eyes, I traced my fingertips down the bridge of his nose and over the softness of his lips. Then, without my permission, the words I’d held inside of me for so long finally poured out.

“I love you, Letant.” The smile he gave me as he flipped me onto my back and hovered over me was the most glorious sight I’d ever witnessed.

“I think you know how I feel about you, but just in case the idea needs reinforcing: I will love you until all the stars in the universe go out,” the Senator promised before catching my lips in a tender kiss that inevitably deepened into something more. He practically dragged himself down my body, lips trailing in his wake, eyes burning into my soul, pausing only when he was far enough to lift my legs over his shoulders. The mischief in his eyes told me everything I needed to know about what he was planning.

“Letant, you...don’t have to–”

“Oh, but I want to. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to taste you,” he crooned as he kissed his way up my thighs. “Your pheromones are so strong that every time you enter a room, you’re all I can think about...all I can imagine...all I desire. I’ve fallen asleep so many times with the memory of your scent lingering in my mind that I almost always wake up so hard that it fucking hurts.”

I moaned before I could stop myself, but Letant was undeterred. Trailing his lips up my inner thigh, he made every move with intention and tenderness enough to convince me that he actually had imagined us like this before. When his eyes met mine, it hit me that the emotions he spoke of weren’t just a womanizer’s bluster, they were real.

He loved me as much as I loved him.

And apparently he was going to make quite certain that I never questioned the sincerity of his feelings for me again.

~*~*~

Romulan Words:

e’lev = darling

Deihu = Senator

~*~

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