JL | Cmdr Valeese, LtCmdr Stacker | "Kilig" Pt 2/3

Posted on Fri Mar 9th, 2018 @ 6:35pm by Commander Valeese Stacker
Edited on on Mon Mar 12th, 2018 @ 8:45pm

Mission: Lacuna

Yes, it was her.

It was only when he felt the fingers toying at his collar that his suspicion - elation! - was confirmed. The fingers of his left hand gently intertwined with hers as they glided into another turn, but all his focus was on the occasional sensation of movement around his collar. He had been slow on the uptake, at first: he had missed that first pluck, but then came the second, and the third, and with it recognition that she was the only person on the entire station who would do that when she was comfortable. It would be a cruel blow, to be sure, if it wasn't her, but it was very, very hard to counteract what had blossomed into near-certainty. So as they slowly swept around under the shadow of the trees, he found himself looking down into those well-framed and -disguised eyes. Perhaps there was too much intensity on his part, but he was not only unable to look away but equally but unable to shake a feeling of certainty at having found that one perfect moment.

And in so doing he lost track of time.

Rank. Position. Politics. All of it melted away and absolved itself of meaning and reason the more entangled the wee Vorta became. Her eyes glanced over to where his fingers wrapped succinctly around hers, engulfing her in the quiet dawning that she'd likely been recognized... And accepted. The more she tied with the collar of his costume jacket, the worse what she tried to keep at bay became until het fingers stopped and departed to reach for and stroke along the familiar line of his jaw. Meanwhile her smoky eyes returned to find his, answering their gaze with an unseen upsweep of her expressive brows and a smile painted across her ruby stained lips. So close to midnight, perilously so, and all Valeese could focus on was the way the dramatic light of the lanterns caught across his face and how the sultry tones of his natural scent, rich with pepper and aged vanilla and anise from what she could only assume was soap or aftershave, wed so well with the sweetness of jasmine, wisteria, and the general night air.

Spy and Ghost, Elf and Soldier... Meaningless words when it all was easily simplified and paid down to woman and man. It was... A lot... Nearly too much, and Valeese could hear warning bells going off in the back of her mind that she was getting ahead of herself. If it wasn't him, on that slim off chance, she was going to be in for a world of embarrassment and hurt. But if it was, and may providence shine upon get with that fortune, she knew what it was she wanted. "Istan quetë ya merin, ar lá hanyuvatyen," I could say anything at all and you’d have no idea what it was. She whispered and her thumb brushed the fullness of his lower lip. Sure... It was premature, to some degree, and she nothing more than a silly girl perhaps dropping get guard and being played by a spook well learned in the art of seduction, but it didn't matter... Like she said, he couldn't understand her anyway, "Le melin." I love you. Valeese breathed, searching his eyes and storing the moment away for what would likely be an eternity until she felt inclined to recite those words in a manner he'd clearly recognize. Self preservation, however, was quickly being overcome by the fire of want and need.

And then the clock chimed midnight.

There was an eruption of noise from inside the building, behind them, across the garden from where they stood. It was not so close that it intruded on their solitude, but rather a comforting reminder - to him - of distance. Which was good, because in that moment his jaw still tingled from her touch and his heart felt like it was thudding loudly and also racing from a cocktail of adrenaline, hesitation, nerves, and other feelings. His hand came up as he stood there, continuing to watch her but also taking her fingers gently and guiding them to a stud on an epaulet. The one that held a control to disengage the power supply to the holoprojector tucked into his helmet. The one that would make the facial projection, sword, bandolier, pack, and all the miscellaneous gear vanish. His other hand, which had previously held her fingers, was sliding along her arm, teasing her wrist before working down towards her elbow. "I believe the honor is yours ... Valeese," he said, in a normal and undisguised tone, gambling and leaping and yet simultaneously praying that he wasn't about to make a fool of himself.

The projection flickered once in hesitation before it finally died and allowed the playful lie of its projection to die and her smile to fully bloom. The sound of her name sent chills along her spine, but the sensation was quickly met and mingled with relief and recognition. "So it is." Valeese replied with her fingers smoothing away from his shoulder and her head nodding in appreciation of his touch, the honor, and the simple fact of his being. It was him. She could have melted into nothing at that very moment knowing she'd been right and hadn't wasted time or energy on anybody else. Reaching to remove her own mask left her with a new rush of nervous energy. It meant the ruse and game was over, even if the night was truly only beginning, and that in mere seconds she'd once more be Valeese, the doctor, the Vorta - not the mysterious magical being torn from the well worn pages of a beloved novel. It came away easily enough, killing the emitter that changed and disguised her ears and alerted the bright violet of her eyes. Standing there before him she offered a little shrug, her fingers barely gripping the edge of her discarded disguise, "Was I that transparent?"

"Anything but transparent," he said, arms encircling her waist as he spoke words that were underscored with relief, happiness, pleasure, and truth. The adrenaline of that final gamble was still working its way through his bloodstream as he plunged on, wondering all the while what he wanted now that she was here, this close to him, so close that their height difference was starkly apparent yet also reassuring at the same time. It felt comfortable and familiar. "You look wonderful Valeese. Even without the mask. Maybe a star was shining on our meeting." The last part slipped out, without any thought on his part, leaving him standing there with a slightly-rueful smile quirking the corners of his mouth as he leaned down towards her. "I hope you weren't thinking I hadn't read any of the book you gave me."

"I'll be honest, I'd almost expected you to shelve it." Her response was small and demure, almost sheepish as she tipped her chin to be awake to look up at him fully. His embrace tugged at the edges of her heart and soul, rooting her there before him and encouraging her to finally bridge the miniscule gap between them. The whispers of stars, the gentle compliments, the way his voice rumbled deep and sure within his chest. Her mask was quickly forgotten in lieu of allowing her arms to drape over his shoulders and fingers to run along the back of his neck. "I wanted it to be you." Valeese admitted, letting her fingers of one hand stroke through the hair at the nape of it neck.

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint," he gently teased, as he felt her fingers in his hair and he fought an instinctual urge for even closer proximity. He could almost feel the restraints that he was throwing around himself, like ancient chains being looped around his soul and chained to oxen. All done in the name of not pressuring her, or crowding her space, or scaring her into disappearing back into the crowd, or so he thought. Or was it more? Was he holding back? He squashed a momentary burst of self-doubt and bent down a little, letting his nose gently press to hers. "From the moment I realized what you might be dressed as tonight, and then when I heard you say those words, I wanted it to be you. So I'm glad we were both proven right."

"I don't think you could disappoint." She retorted without thought, feeling the stubborn shift of his body against hers as he dipped even lower and brought their noses together. Tip to tip, breath to breath, Valeese's little heart raced wildly out of control and her eyes fluttered shut. His words weaved their magic, washing over her with a purity in his sentimentality that lit a fire somewhere deep within her, "I couldn't think of it not being you. I couldn't think of being with anyone else." The honesty there refused to wane of buffer, coming away from her in the softest of breathy whispers. Valeese could feel the rise and fall of his chest and the beautiful way his heart pounded with such certainty, calling to hers... She sighed as she submitted, feeling her body press and mold delightfully to his as she let his touch finally have that final say out of her need to connect, to entrust herself to him, to throw caution into the wind for sake of the future.

He welcomed that feeling of absolute close proximity - almost as close as two souls could get - even as he reeled a little inside at her admission. It was so candid, innocent, and pure, that he had to force himself to take a breath, lest he forget how to breathe and undergo the slight embarrassment of becoming light-headed. Given how close they were each breath he took was to inhale her fragrance. It filled his nose and mind, causing everything else to blank, and he was suddenly and very acutely aware of just how she was molded to him - and somewhere through the haze he was faintly aware that his hands were now sliding along her back ... it was a delicate peck at first. Then a deeper meeting of their lips as he found himself unable to think of anything else but her.

The first touch of his lips was feather soft, a question of whether or not the waters he was about to ford were safe, if the tide was about to turn against his favor. It wasn't. Valeese was certain that she was about to incinerate by the time she met the second kiss with fervor. The more territory his hands covered, the more bold and hot the fire burned. By the time he reached the small of her back, Valeese had moved to cup his jaw in her hands, returning yet another kiss with a quiet whimper. Separating from him was an almost physical hurt, and left a sense of being incomplete and cold. There was no retreating from him, no disappearing act to be made even when the sound of the party drifted back to her ears. To hell with them. At least for now. At least while he fueled and fanned those flames. If she opened her eyes, if she looked at him, it would be over - any chance of walking away would be ash and ruin. She knew what she'd find, or at least what she imagined she'd find; a mirror of her own need combined with intent and intensity only he could muster.

Had she opened her eyes in that moment she would've been proved right, for his gaze was directed solely at her. He too heard the sound of the party, which by the increasing volume was turning into some level of raucous affair, but was too focused on the moment and Valeese to pay it much attention. So it was relegated to mere background noise. Yet at the same time ... the fervor of that kiss lingered on his lips, and the whimper that he had faintly heard refused to erase itself from his consciousness. He nuzzled at her face, one hand lightly sliding up her back to cup her shoulder, fingers looping over it, making sure she stayed close - as if there was any danger of her pulling away! - heart pumping away while a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions raged deep inside. "Do you want to leave, Val?" he found himself softly inquiring in that gentle bass tone, eyes closing as that surge of mixed fear, adrenaline, and hope crashed down on him again. That he'd shortened her name to something sweeter, more familiar, escaped his notice and attention.

A slender ear tip twitched gently in the direction of the noise as the only indication that she'd even heard it or given it any 'thought' what so ever. At first there was only a nod in response to his question as she worried her lower lip with her teeth and tried her damnedest to organize the ability for intelligent and comprehensible use of linguistics. Each touch continued to threaten to erase that ability completely, let alone the one that allowed her to focus on making decisions in a logical and meaningful way. Autopilot, however, dictated the nod. Yes. Yes, she wanted to leave with him. Yes, she wanted him. "Please." She finally whispered, letting her fingers run down the side of his neck and back to his shoulders.


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To Be Continued...

NOTE: Parts 3 is NSFW
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Commander Valeese
Chief Medical Officer
Cold Station Theta, SB-1170

&

Lieutenant Commander James Stacker
Chief Intelligence Officer
COLD STATION THETA, SB-1170