Wake Up Call

Posted on Fri Apr 16th, 2021 @ 8:56pm by Lieutenant Dylan Blake & Lieutenant Commander Chire

1,720 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Personal Quarters
Timeline: 2430-08-30 07:20

After eight hours or so, which was supposed to the optimal time for Humans to sleep, Chire entered the bedroom quietly. She paused to smile at Dylan still sound asleep and crept along the edge of the bed on all fours until she was level with his head. Then she popped up, her wings splaying and yelled out in a high pitched voice, "Morning!!!!!"

"Aaarrgh!" a screech erupted from the sleeping human. Dazed and startled Dylan wrestled with the covers disorientated from the rude awaking and toppled out and onto the floor on the opposite side landing untidily.

"Christ!" he hissed quickly standing. "What was that for?" he asked angrily before a horrid sense of realism hit him. Quickly he pulled the bed linen closer hoping somehow Chire had not noticed his naked body. He cursed his decision of sleep attire, or lack of. The challenging tone in his voice faded away as quickly as it risen: "I mean..." he pulled the sheets closer still, a blush heating his cheeks. "Morning."

Chire erupted into a fit of giggles. "Sorry . . . . but it was time to get up." She said between gasps. "You've been sleeping for almost nine hours. I did not think I would succeed in startling you quite so much though. Are you hurt?" She turned her head watching him, the giggles were under control now. "I can make us breakfast. I've been learning about Human breakfasts this morning."

Feeling certain his face a shade a ripe tomato Dylan struggled to find his tongue as Chire's giggles filled the room. Perhaps if he'd remined dressed even if it were some distasteful boxers he'd find the situation amusing and would join in with her laughter. "That would be great," he managed to answer. "Though you don't need to put yourself out."

"It's the least I can do for scaring you so badly. I really did not think you would respond so well. Are you sure you're not hurt? You're very red." Chire got up from her spot, her wings smoothly retreating to their places tucked on her back.

"No, I'm fine," Dylan shook his head in a rather contradictory manner. "A bruise maybe but nothing permanent." His eyes dropped downwards and the truth came out: "I'm just a bit embarrassed... I should have replicated some pyjamas or something....I'm sorry."

"Dylan," Chire chuckled. "I walk around naked in front of you all the time, granted I have feathers but still, I see no reason to be embarrassed about your body. I do not care if you wear clothing or not. I would only worry you would get cold. Perhaps that's what we should do with the feathers I lose, make you a suit. Now, what would you like for breakfast?"

Her answer surprised him somewhat, in human culture normally one would only display nudity either on accident or in front of an person whom you were attracted to. Chire's relaxed approach was refreshing and therefore surprising - in all honesty he'd expected her to scold him for sleeping in her spare bed naked, which again wasn't exactly socially acceptable for a guest to do that. Even for him it was unusual having normally shared his dorm with another junior officer privacy was important. Maybe that was the real reason for his current humiliation and flash of anger that Chire had violated that unspoken rule and caught him out. Good thing he'd just been sleeping Dylan thought darkly creating another blush in the process.

"It's not that," he replied pushing aside the wild thought to rip aside the linen to prove a point and so she could admire his body, it would have been educational if nothing else he concluded. "It's just a bit of taboo in human culture, we have a different approach to nudity. It has a habit of making us feel vulnerable."

"Ah," Chire said, though still a little confused as to his current emotional state. "Should I apologize?" She finally asked, to clear the air between them.

"No, that's OK," Dylan shook his head with a slight smile. "You weren't to know, though maybe just shake me next time."

"Alright. Well . . . . I'll let you get dressed." Chire waited only a moment longer and then left the bedroom quickly. Humans were very confusing sometimes. Then again she was sure he felt that way about her. Taking a deep breath and telling herself that everything was okay she went to the replicator and ordered herself a blended fruit drink.

Once she left Dylan hung his head shaking it slowly: "Could that have gone much worse?" he groaned. With another shake of his head he began to ready himself both for his next shift and to smooth things out with Chire. This could prove to be a very long day.

Chire was waiting for him when he came out. She had waited to find out what he wanted for breakfast before ordering but a thought occurred to her so she stood up and met him. "I just wanted to say that you should not worry about your body. I think you're beautiful. " Then she rubbed her beak against his nose which was as close to a human kiss as she could think of.

Startled once again at her appearance Dylan stiffed momentarily half expecting Chire to launch into a unnecessary apology or return back to her cheeky practical joking manner and say something amusing to clear the air between them. Instead, her tone and actions took him by surprise.

His voice and breathe caught in his chest as she pressed herself close and gently caressed his nose with her beak. His brain stuttered into gear trying to process what had transpired and willed his body to respond. Without much thought he closed the small gap between them and pulled her into a hug before pressing his face into her neck.

Chire smiled and wrapped her wings around him. She felt much better about the whole deal. She wasn't sure how long to hold the hug and decided Dylan should pull away first. "It's rather amusing that neither of us know what we're doing. "

Still nestled in the crook of her neck Dylan released his held breathe into a contented sigh as her wings enveloped him. He too felt better after their uncomfortable scene in the bedroom it could have quickly turned sour resulting in his early exit. "I don't think anyone has ever called me beautiful before," he replied softly before straighten. He looked into her sapphire blue eyes and continued: "So thank you for that, it means a lot."

"You do not need to thank me for the truth," she smiled and pressed her forehead against his. "I am so very happy that you want to be with me. In any form. I like that you're calm, except when I scare you," she grinned. "Our personalities are similar even if our bodies are not."

Enjoying the comfort their close proximity bought Dylan closed his eyes, his lips twitched with mirth at her words. "Like long lost souls some would say."

"Hmm, I have not heard of that." Chire answered honestly. There was probably a lot she hadn't heard of as far as human folklore or beliefs. "What does that mean?"

"Think a long the lines of destiny," Dylan straightened. "Or at least that my understanding, our souls are happy to be with one another. Kindred spirts that sort of thing."

"Ah yes. That term I understand. Though the Creoli think differently. They believe it is possible to be mated to just about anyone through patience and understanding even though we only believe in choosing one mate for life. My parents were an arranged marriage that was beneficial to both of their families. They chose not to choose a mate for me for obvious reasons." She touched a feather on her arm.

"Humans used to have arranged marriages in certain cultures a long time ago, they also adopted that mentality," Dylan explained watching as she became distracted by her plumage becoming aware this topic made her uncomfortable: "That patience and understanding would fix everything, but it couldn't in some cases so it faded out as our horizons broadened. Personally I'd feel better facing whatever challenges that lay ahead with some breakfast in me."

Chire laughed. "Men are very predictable. Always thinking about their stomachs. What would you like?" She moved to the replicator.

"Just toast," he answered. "I don't normally eat much the mornings to be honest."

"How very boring," she joked but took his request and ordered a couple of slices. "Do you want any jam for it or some kind of nut butter?" She asked turning around to face him. "Also, I was thinking that we could have dinner together again?"

"Some raspberry jam would be great and some orange juice," Dylan nodded somehow forgetting his normal routine. Then again, this morning so far had been far from normal he smiled rubbing his nose where she'd affectionally caressed him. "Dinner sounds good," he added.

Chire put in the order at the replicator and returned to the table with his items. As she already had her breakfast she sat down. "Shall we have . . . a date? Like on the holodeck, we could eat there too?"

Dylan tried to stop his grin from broadening as he joined her at the table: "You'd like to? I've not put you off back there?" he nodded toward the bedroom. "I'm just teasing," he added after a short pause to trick her. "Where would you like to go on this date?"

"You did mention the seaside. We could begin there so I can at least see it, maybe stick a foot in the water?" She asked. "I do not care. You can choose the place. Somewhere I have never been." She smiled.

"A surprise," he replied already thinking up some ideas. "Leave it with me, I'm sure I can knock you're socks off with it, or whatever comparable metaphor you can think of."

"Good then, I'll let you plan everything and I will try not to break the ship while I'm wondering what you are plotting," she grinned. "I should leave, I'll see you tonight then?"

"That would be a good start," Dylan chuckled. "See you later providing the Admiral hasn't cooked up something radical again."

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