Falling

Posted on Tue Mar 9th, 2021 @ 11:09am by Lieutenant Dylan Blake & Lieutenant Commander Chire

1,877 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Holodeck

Previously...

"Couldn't that make it worse?" he asked turning back to face her. "I wouldn't want to bring further shame to you or your family."

Her eyes seemed to widen at this. "You could never do that Dylan. No matter what happens. Do not worry about it at all." She nudged him with one wing and sat down to overlook the view, patting the spot next to her. "I want to make myself understood. I think we should have a serious conversion."

"OK," Dylan gulped uncertain what she was about to propose. He sat down beside her his mouth suddenly dry and raspy, he felt nervous too which was ridiculous. Chewing his bottom lip slightly Dylan glanced sideways through his lashes as Chire hesitated probably looking for the right words just like himself.

Now the Continuation...


Why was this so hard? Dylan thought as the silence stretched between them.

They were just friends, or at least that was his perception of it, though they'll easy going friendship had developed into something else, something the Lieutenant didn't really understand. He'd had several brief flings with romance over the years enjoying the company of both male and female, occasionally at the same time too. Human, Trill, Betazoid, Orion and failed attempt at Klingon that Dylan pretended never happened all came and went in a similar manner - a flash fuelled by loneliness and lust.

This felt somehow different.

He wanted to spend time with her, and enjoyed making her laugh. The cold shoulder she'd shown the last couple of days had hit him harder than perhaps it should have done leaving him feeling both confused and guilty. The relief it was just a misunderstanding had been enormous only to be eclipsed by the news she was transferring but thankfully not off the ship. His head was spinning from it all trying to keep up.

"Chire," he started but stopped quickly words failing him then shook his head sharply: "You go first."

"Oh, okay." Chire didn't realize that he had something to say as well. "I uh. I really like you Dylan, as more than a friend but I also understand if you are confused or don't feel that way." Because from her point of view no one ever had felt that way about her. "You are important to me, I do not want to frighten you. "

"You don't frighten me," Dylan replied with another shake of his head. "We'd be terrible friends otherwise," he smirked with jangled nerves. So she did like him, like really like him! Her admission, though he'd suspected such had added to his confusion for what he should do or feel in return. Could they work as a couple?

There was only one way to find out...

Shifted himself so he faced her Dylan took a steadying breath. "Remember when you asked me why I didn't have a mate?" he asked. "To use of human phrase I'd simply hadn't found the one yet. While we don't mate for life necessarily like the Creoli I'd hate feel like I'm pressurizing you to do or so anything you're uncomfortable with." He licked his dry lips again: "What I'm trying to say is I like you too Chire and for the first time in, well, forever I like someone more that just friends too."

She did not know how to answer him. Chire was in such a state of shock, she fully expected to be turned down like she had been before. In fact her mind was whirling with all sorts of things that would not come out her mouth until unexpectedly her feathers poofed out and she turned a rather dark shade of red. Then she remembered she needed to breath and sucked in air. "I am . . . . so surprised. I do not know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, this is new for me too," he confessed. "Though for now I'll be happy for now if you kept breathing." He chuckled relieved this conversation hadn't turned into a car crash or of Chire pushing him over the cliff edge. "Otherwise I'd be taking you to sickbay again."

"Yes, I will keep breathing." She nodded. She looked out over the scenery while she tried to process what had just happened. She felt like jumping off the cliff into flight but didn't want to alarm Dylan. "May I ask how old you are? I could have looked up your personnel file but I never have. I had no reason to other than pure curiosity and that didn't seem to be sufficient."

"I'm twenty-three, well twenty-four in a couple of weeks, but don't tell anyone," he whispered the last part. "Celebrating a Birthday usually means you become the target for a barrage of pranks, or least that's how it is among the junior officers. Maybe the Senior Staff are a bit more controlled than that." Dylan realised he'd been rambling slightly a side effect of his still present nerves. "Yet," he continued to babble on. "I can't grow a beard or moustache like Lieutenant Redmond - do you think it would suite me?"

"Hmm," Chire said as she raised one wing up to put feathers on his face as if imagining a beard there. It highly amused her to see him this way and she couldn't help chuckle. "It might make you look older, if that is your intention. But I do not think it would detract from your looks if you did do so."

He chucked too as her feathers tickled his chin. "That was the general idea, though if you don't think its warranted..." Dylan trailed off realizing slowly she'd paid him a complement, already he could feel his skin reddening into a blush. This is new, he noted as the warmth spread into his core filling him with happiness.

He smiled broadly momentarily before standing upright suddenly feeling elated and unstoppable. "Fancy a flight?" he asked nodded to the scene below.

"It is your face, you should do what you feel you want to without worrying about what others think. Sure," she answered him, but she looked at the cliff with some apprehension. "If you are careful. The safeties are on," she reminded both of them to relax her nerves.

"Good," Dylan nodded. "Otherwise they'd be bits of me everywhere," he took a tentative step closer toward the edge of the cliff wondering if maybe this wasn't a good idea after all.

Oh, hell why not? He shrugged the safeties were on after all.

"See you dow - !" he started when unexpectantly the edge crumbled away beneath him and the Lieutenant promptly fell from sight with an alarmed cry.

"Dylan!" Chire yelled and she dove off the cliff after him. She tucked her wings close to her body so that she could go as fast as possible since he had not had time to properly lift his wings. She managed to reach him but knew from experience that her wings would not hold both their weights. Still, perhaps she could slow them down.

Tumbling freely Dylan felt panic surge through him, he tried to stretch open his arms to allow his wings to slow himself but he continued to twist awkwardly in the air making it hard to focus on anything expect the cold rushing of air assaulting his body.

Then he felt something tugging him slowing his descent some what. His limbs finally stopped thrashing wildly enough for him to see Chire orange body straining to help him. "This wasn't what I had planned!" he shouted unsure if she could hear him.

With his free falling now under control Dylan was able to shape his winged arms and support himself relieving some of Chire's burden hauling is ass to safety.

Falling into the tree canopy with a rather hard landing, Chire just lay there for a moment catching her breath. "You . . . . are sticking to the baby rock," she jokingly added, a bit breathless. She had a feeling she was going to be super sore tomorrow.

"You won't hear any complaints," Dylan groaned gripping to the tree branch he'd latched onto as they crash landed. "I thought we'd just glide downward gently, drink in the view...it worked beautifully in my head."

"And do things often go differently in real life than they do in your head?" She was amused more than anything. Chire began to sit up. Yes, she was going to be sore. "Computer," she said. "End program." Everything disappeared and it dropped them a couple of feet to the floor. "Sorry," she winced. "Next time let's do a rainforest with a waterfall or something, no cliffs."

Dylan chuckled at her remark before the scene disappeared around them. He too winced as they landed heavily: "Can the Creoli swim?" he asked rising to his feet. "You've never mentioned it before."

"We never had much water to do so. There is a small river but most of the water was underground. But yes, I suppose you could say we can. We are very buoyant. Speaking of water, would you like to use my shower? It is real water. The sonic showers do not clean my feathers well."

Surprised by her question he choked upon his breath and promptly started coughing. "Wow," he managed after regaining him composure. "If I didn't know you better I say you were being a bit presumptuous and very forward. That's like asking your boyfriend to come round and well... you know..." he finished uncomfortably.

Chire blinked at him. "I don't understand. Did I say something wrong?"

Dylan smiled at her innocence feeling his cheeks burn anew. "Maybe you should research a bit more of human society especially the topics of intimacy," he suggested. "Without meaning to you just invited me round to yours for..."he paused uncomfortably again. "Third Base."

Chire still had no idea what he was talking about but his blush definitely caught her attention. She frowned slightly. And then it clicked. "Oh. Well I only meant you could use the shower if you liked, alone," she clarified. "I've heard humans like actual water too. I didn't mean to imply anything. I thought you might be getting sore from falling."

His shoulders sagged in relief and promptly his cheeky smile returned to his lips. "I know, though its fun to tease you sometime. Saying that you do a good job of pulling my leg too. You certainly had me going for a moment." Dylan unstrapped his wings and flexed his stiff arms. "That would great if you don't mind, will help soothe these aching arms," he grimaced slightly noting how damp his uniform was for the first time. "Though I wouldn't stand too close I must stink."

"I don't smell anything. And my sense of smell is more acute than a humans. I just smell . . . you." She gave a small shrug. "But you are welcome. After this we might need to take a break for a few days. I think I will start to feel sore myself," she said as she led him out the holodeck as her wings tucked back into place so she could walk down the corridor without knocking people over. She sighed. "I could do with a good brushing too."

 

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