Second Date

Posted on Thu May 23rd, 2024 @ 3:04pm by Lieutenant (Sogh) Vok'Ka & Lieutenant JG Ki'ana

3,249 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Blockade
Location: Starbase Frontier's Arboretum
Timeline: Several Days After the events of "Blood on Deck 10"

Alexis looked around and nervously smoothed imaginary wrinkles out of the top she was wearing. When Ki’ana mentioned meeting for a second date, Alexis jumped at the idea. Not knowing what else to suggest, Alexis had mentioned that she’d never been to the station’s arboretum and suggested they have an afternoon date there. She had recovered from the fright of the galleria incident but she wasn’t keen on spending much time there now. Alexis decided she looked awkward just standing around, so she made for the nearest bench, sat down on it and waited for Ki’ana.

No one questioned why Ki'ana was carrying a basket that smelled of freshly baked cake to the arboretum - not that she would have cared. She hadn't bugged the nice baker on the promenade to lend her a portion of his kitchen for the morning just to be laughed at and scared away. In the end she'd still not managed to recreate her mother's version of the pastry, but they definitely tasted much the same in her opinion.

Her date was easy enough to spot from across the arboretum. "I'm sorry our first time was so rudely interrupted." Ki'ana smiled as she sat and placed the basket on her lap. "So I thought I'd have to do better this time. I hope you'll find these to your liking, as I promised." She opened the basket, and out wafted a smell that was somewhere between sugary and floral. The contents, it seemed, were small fluffy cakes that appeared to be drenched lightly in some kind of golden syrup. "Kelpien ikkit. Usually well loved by off-worlders from nearly everywhere."

Alexis peered into the basket, delighted by what awaited her and Ki'ana. The small cakes instantly reminded her of the sticky buns her Bubbie used to make. WIthout warning, Alexis was 8 again and helping Bubbie in the kitchen. Alexis’s responsibility had always been to fetch the utensils and bowls that Bubbie needed. She’d eventually graduated to working the dough but that had taken time. The scent of the ikkit wafted Alexis’s way; it wasn't overpowering, but rather all-encompassing, making her mouth water immediately.

"May I?" she asked, her hand hovering near the edge of the basket.

"Of course! They're for us both - just don't eat them all in one go, of course." Ki'ana smiled and opened the basket a little wider. She let Alexis take one before reaching in and taking one for herself. The fluffy pastry broke apart easily in her hands, tearing into two airy halves. She looked to her date expectantly, wondering what she might think.

Alexis marveled as the ikkit broke apart in her hand, seemingly from just the pressure of picking it up. She lifted one half to her mouth and was hit with the uniquely floral scent again, this time more intensely. She took a generous bite. Her first thought was the realization that the pastry was so light and delicate, like a fresh French croissant. The flavor that hit her tastebuds was aromatic; notes of jasmine and honeysuckle…sweet but hovering just on the edge of savory. But then the honey on top of the pastry changed everything. The honey was smoky and earthy, almost like the scent of pipe tobacco. But it wasn’t harsh either. It was refined and gentle.

Before Alexis knew it, she’d gobbled down the ikkit in her hand and was going back for another.

“These are sooooo good,” she raved, around another mouthful of the pastry. She hoped she wasn’t setting a bad precedence for herself. It had been quite sometime since she’d had food that didn’t come from the replicator and it was a good as she remembered.

Before she took the second ikkit out of the basket, she looked a Ki’ana, a question forming on her face.

“Did you want to do anything special or just sit here and devour yummy pastries all night,” Alexis asked.

"My plan was to devour pastries, then see where the rest of the night takes us." Seeing Alexis wolf down her ikkit made Ki'ana's heart leap with joy. She took a bite herself and smiled at the taste. "Mmm. There are other flavors, just so you know. These are the variant made on Kaminar - some more enterprising Kelpiens make them in various other sweet and savory flavors. The promenade sells ikkit made with miso from Earth, for example..."

“I love miso,” Alexis gushed. She made a mental note to try the miso version, though she had her doubts; somehow, she mused, they wouldn’t be as good as these were.

“But unless we want our third date to be in the gym, I think I’m gonna hold off on those little devils,” she said, smiling and pointing at the basket.

“What do you do for fun,” Alexis asked, shifting so that she was facing Ki’ana more and leaning back on the bench.

"Please. Just eat them. I insist. You can visit the gym to work off the calories they give you at your own time. I'll eat some too." Kia'ana beamed and sat the basket back on her lap. "What do I do for fun. Read. I am a scientist after all. I can't ever stop myself from wondering what'd be nice to add to this lovely arboretum. I make food such as these ikkit you can't stop eating. I visit the gymnasium when the mood hits. I'd like to learn the violin, if I can find one that's long enough." She said thoughtfully. "Self-care. I suppose that's what you humans call it. How about you?"

Alexis smiled an easy, carefree smile. She listened to Ki’ana talk and, without really thinking about it, reached into the basket for another ikkit. She savored the taste and the texture of the pastry while she listened.

“I like to read too…mainly fiction because I have to read too many technical specs at work,” she laughed. “I also like to work out at the gym - I love lifting weights and doing yoga…but I hate cardio,” Alexis confessed.

“I don’t play any instruments or sing. My Bubbie…that’s my mother’s mother…used to want me to play piano and guitar and sing…but I never got the hang of reading music. I can read any tech document you put in front of me - but reading sheet music makes my head hurt.”

“When I was on Earth, I used to surf quite a lot,” Alexis mentioned, a wistful look coming over her face as she got lost in a memory. Several heartbeats later, she shook off the memory and looked back at Ki’ana, and smiled again.

“Mentioning surfing took me away for a second. Sorry about that…” she said sheepishly.

"No, no. I think it's unusual - in a good way, of course." Ki'ama said, smiling. "I've always thought of trying it, but I think I'll fall off before I've stood on the board for even a few minutes. I would very much rather swim - I'm not one for cardio or using the gymnasium to keep myself fit." She added. "Maybe you and I could go for a dip the next time we meet like this - I could certainly stand to stretch my water legs." She raised an eyebrow expectantly.

“I would love to go for a swim… I haven’t tried out the pool here yet. Always been a bit too busy or self-conscious about my suit choice, you know,” Alexis beamed. She felt the smile on her face widen even more. She couldn’t, she realized in a moment of clarity, put her finger on it but she really enjoyed Ki’ana’s presence. It had been a long time since she’d felt that way with anyone… of any species, if she was honest with herself.

“Let’s do it,” Alexis blurted out. “Let’s go for a swim… together! I don’t care about schedules - I want to make this happen, and soon,” she said, a giggle of excitement creeping into her voice.

Hearing her date giggle filled Ki'ana's chest with warmth. People didn't usually find her all that funny or amusing; most found her nice or pleasant and that was sort of all. It felt good, really good in fact, to feel appreciated, if that made a lick of sense. Ki'ana rose to her feet and took Alexis' hand in her own. "Then we shall waste no more time. We're going swimming now." She declared. "I'm sure you can replicate something on the holodeck, yes? Don't worry about your choice of swimsuit. I guarantee you mine is likely equally as bad."

Alexis looked up in confusion for a split second and then stood up, keeping her hand in Ki’ana’s.

“For real,” she asked, feeling a nervous tremble coming on. It had been even longer since someone…anyone…had made her feel like that .

She shook her head quickly.

“Forget I asked that…I’m in,” she said. She admitted to herself that she wasn’t normally this impulsive but…this…this was different.

Alexis thought about work for a moment. Although she had a project deadline coming up, she was actually ahead of several anticipated timelines for that project. She gave a small, almost unnoticeable nod and told herself to put everything else aside for the moment. She started to walk toward the nearest exit, not letting go of Ki’ana’s hand.

“I always loved a late night, starlit swim. Made you feel like you were swimming through the stars themselves,” she said, the smile on her face widening.

"It'll have to be on the holodeck, I'm afraid. There obviously isn't an actual beach anywhere on board. But if it is a late night starlit swim you'd like, a late night starlit swim you shall receive." Every nerve in Ki'ana's body was jangling. At least ten seconds had passed since she'd first held her hand, and Alexis hadn't tried to pull free yet. No one had ever done that with her. Ever. A tiny ball of emotions popped into existence within her belly, and she shivered with excitement. She snatched up her basket of ikkit as they made their way out; something told her they might be on the holodeck for quite a while.

The nerves refused to dissipate throughout the brief journey to the holodeck, even after Ki'ana had typed in their requested location, time of day and other parameters. The ball popped at last when the holodeck doors hissed open to reveal the starlit beach that lay beyond. Before them stretched miles of undisturbed beach, and beyond that even, water that gleamed surprisingly clear in the moonlight. "Welcome to Kaminar," She breathed. "My home. This is the most beautiful beach on the planet that I know of. I hope you like it." She glanced expectantly (and nervously) down at her date. "The water's exceptionally clear tonight..."

Alexis was all nerves during the walk to the Holodeck. She was sure that Ki’ana would be able to pick up on the nervous energy she was putting off but not holding Ki’ana’s hand was just not an option. She allowed herself to be gently guided to the Holodeck and waited patiently as Ki’ana configured the suite.

As the doors parted and Alexis was greeted by the recreated Kaminar, she was awestruck. She had never seen a more pristine beach on Earth, and the lack of lights meant that she saw all of the stars in their glory.

“Ki’ana….” she whispered, “it’s beautiful!”

Alexis closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the sound of the gentle lap of water on the beach’s edge and smelling the night breeze. She could almost, not completely but almost, imagine she was back on her favorite beach in Maui. She took in a deep breath and held it.

She opened her eyes and gave Ki’ana’s hand a little squeeze.

“This is perfect,” she exclaimed gently.

Yes, it was perfect. The scenery and the little squeeze Alexis gave her hand. Ki'ana had to restrain herself from squealing like a little girl whose crush had just confessed their mutual attraction. That wouldn't have been very mature of her, would it? She led the way into the holodeck, hooves shoes leaving behind deep impressions in the fine, powdery sand that shifted in soft, whispery waves in front of her. She stopped just before the shoreline and gazed out in front of her; the sea reflected the moon so perfectly it was almost like a mirror save the ebb and flow of the waves. "I'm back home again. This is exactly as I remember it." She said softly, intertwining her fingers with Alexis'. She could've spent all evening there, just the two of them - but they were both here for a purpose. Tearing her eyes from the moon to look at her date she smiled and waved at the changing rooms about fifteen metres behind them. "I'll see you in fifteen minutes?" She suggested, letting go of her hand for once.

“Yeah, of course,” Alexis replied softly, not wanting to let go of Ki’ana’s hand. After a heartbeat, she did so reluctantly. Alexis reached down and slipped off her shoes. She looked around, spotted the changing room and headed for it. She fought down the urge to sprint, choosing instead to savor the feel of the Kaminar sand beneath her feet as she walked to the changing area.

“Ok…ok….” she muttered to herself, “just go slow…there’s no rush.”

Ki'ana's cheeks filled with heat as she trotted across the beach and into the changing rooms and swapped her casual outfit for a green two-piece swimsuit. This was happening. This was really happening. She'd struck gold, it seemed, and it seemed that said prize was equally eager to be found and kept. She had to take deep, slow breaths before exiting the changing room. Take it easy. Go with the flow. It'll all be fine, she had to remind herself as she trotted back to the spot they'd agreed to meet at before.

Alexis stepped into the changing room and looked over the replicator controls. She entered her credentials and pulled up her profile. After a quick scroll through the options, she found the suit she wanted: a cropped, short-sleeve rashguard and high-cut shorts. Her finger waivered over the activation button, and she had a second thought. She kept the top but swapped out the shorts for a bikini bottom on impulse. A flash of light later, and she had the suit. She had to stop twice to calm her breathing. Eventually, she got into the suit and left her things in the room.

Making her way back onto the beach, her breath caught in her chest as she spotted Ki’ana waiting for her. She smiled again at the sight.

“You look…amazing,” Alexis gushed when she got near Ki’ana. Without waiting, Alexis waded into the surf, nodding for Ki’ana to join her.

Ki'ana waded in after her grinning to herself. The water felt amazing between her toes and she couldn't wait to get her sea legs back - but more importantly, Alexis seemed to be over the moon, and that was really all that mattered to her. She took a moment to admire Alexis in the moonlight and how her face seemed to bloom like a fredalia flower when she smiled before diving into the shallows behind her and swimming with strong, graceful strokes. You'd think that something with hoof feet might not be so aquadynamic, but you'd be wrong. Ki'ana navigated the waves with ease. She popped up, giggling, behind the human, and brushed water from her brow. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” Alexis answered honestly, her smile never leaving her face.

“It’s been too long since I went for a swim.” She pulled an errant strand of hair out of her eyes, tucking it gently behind her ear, and then allowed her eyes to wander across the starlit sky above her.

“Helluva view you got here,” she remarked to Ki’ana as she trod the water around her. She took another chance on a night of chances and swam closer to Ki’ana. She playfully started to circle her date.

“What do you do to top this,” she asked. “Homemade pastries and a midnight swim are pretty hard to beat, you know,” she chided playfully.

"A kiss, and me walking you home, probably." Apparently Ki'ana too had decided to take a chance on this blissful night of chances. Everything about this evening's date had been lovely, and she wanted more like it - many, many more. She couldn't do that without learning where Alexis' boundaries lay, though. "Nothing you aren't comfortable with me doing, of course." She added, meeting her eyes as she swam around her.

Alexis stopped circling and started treading water.

‘Uhm…” she spluttered, making eye contact with the Kelpian. She reached up and nervously smoothed her hair back.

“Sorry…you just caught me off guard, is all…” she explained, feeling the color rise in her face.

“I’m starting to get kinda wrinkly…let’s head in,” she said after several awkward moments. Without waiting, Alexis kicked off and headed in toward the beach.

Ki'ana seemed a bit disappointed as she waded onto shore after her date, but she voiced no misgivings. People had their limits, and maybe Alexis' lay there for now - and that was perfectly fine by her. Whatever tempo she wanted to march to, Ki'ana would be right by her side.

"You look cute a little red, by the way." She teased her as she passed her and began to towel the water off her body. "I'd love to do this again sometime..."

Alexis waded onto the beach and found her towel waiting for her. She mopped the water off her body and then threw the towel over her shoulders, like a shawl. This allowed her to work on her hair.

“Stop it,” she exclaimed, feeling the color rise in her cheeks again. She ruffled her hair with the towel, trying to get as much water out of it as possible.

“I’d love to do this again…only next time - I pick the location. Deal,” she asked.

"Deal." Ki'ana had to hold in a grin, seeing Alexis' cheeks turn color like that. "I look forward to it. Oh, I already can't wait." She smiled and nodded at the changing rooms. As much as she wanted to hang out some more in this perfect beach, they both had work to do the next morning and sleep was definitely on both their agendas. "Would you like me to accompany you home?"

“Yeah…sure” she said around her smile.

“I will also take the offer of a third date and let my imagination run wild,” she said, blushing again.

“Let me get changed, and then you can walk me home,” she said quickly, trotting to the changing room.

Who would have thought that this would be the result after the incident in the Galleria, she thought to herself. She also wondered if and when she’d stop smiling…

END

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