#deepspacedukat fics

[deepspacedukat]

Pulse

I just...I had an idea and I had to write it. In my defense, Shran pinned me to the wall and made me. 👉👈 🥺 Set during Season 5 which never came to fruition, in which Shran is a member of the Enterprise crew. Listen, my brain goes places when AO3 is down...

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Thy’lek Shran (ST:ENT) x Reader

[A/N: This is just fluff. Nothing constructive or useful to say here this time.]

Warnings: Interspecies kissing, human/Andorian kissing, made up Andorian culture stuff for the purposes of flirting (but hopefully it’s plausible?), it’s implied that they’ve been pining for like 3-4 whole seasons so it’s time for them to make out, mutual pining, they both think their feelings are unrequited, but they’re idiots.

~*~

To say we’d had a bumpy landing was an understatement. There was some sort of interference in the atmosphere of the planet we were attempting to scout out, and the shuttle I was in with Commander Shran came crashing to a halt after the engines died. We’d both been startled and a little rattled by our rather unexpected descent, but apart from a few bruises we were ultimately uninjured.

We gave the shuttle a quick once over from inside and found that external sensors and our communications array were the only things that appeared to be working. Enterprise wouldn’t be at our rendezvous point for at least another twenty four hours, so all we had to do was survive until then. Easy.

Or so I thought. Checking the external sensors, we found that the temperature outside the shuttle cabin was well below freezing. A fact that would be no problem for the Commander, but for my human physiology, I knew I’d have to be a little more careful when the cold started leeching inside.

“Well, look at it this way, Lieutenant, you might get a preview of what Andoria is like,” Shran quipped as we checked our emergency supplies. Something shiny landed beside me, and when I looked, I saw the silvery sheen of a thermal blanket. “You’ll need this much more quickly than I will.”

I could hear amusement dripping from his every syllable. Playfully nudging him with my elbow, I shook my head and started setting up the distress beacon with a warning about the atmospheric interference so that Enterprise could find us when it eventually came back.

The Commander and I passed several hours busying ourselves with various small tasks around the shuttle before eventually settling in to wait. I took a seat at the back of the shuttle with a data PADD, tapping away at a preliminary analysis of whatever the hell kind of interference was in the planet’s atmosphere. 

“I admire your dedication, but I think there’ll be plenty of time to finish that back on Enterprise,” Shran said as he took a seat beside me and offered me a glass of something blue. Andorian ale, perhaps? But where the hell had he gotten that? I raised an eyebrow in silent curiosity, but he proffered no explanation. Fair enough. Setting my PADD aside, I accepted the glass from him with a quiet nod of gratitude. He tapped his glass gently against mine - a gesture he’d picked up from the Captain - and we both lifted our drinks to our lips. “You’ve been quiet tonight. I was going to surprise you with this next month, but I thought maybe you could use a drink after today.”

“Why, thank you, Commander. You’re always so attentive to your officers’ needs,” I noted as I swirled the remaining liquid in my glass. Being in close proximity to him always made me fidgety. I could only hope that he wouldn’t notice. When his arm nudged mine, I looked over at him to find him already watching me with a smile across his mouth.

“I think it’s safe for us to drop the formalities, don’t you?” The soft rasp in his tone felt smoother than the ale he’d poured for me and a great deal more satisfying. A murmur of my name from him sent my heart thudding in my chest, and I wondered a bit belatedly just how strong this Andorian style alcohol was. He’d said my name before, so why was the sound of it affecting me so much more now than it usually did? Maybe it was the relative calm inside the shuttle or maybe it was the lack of other crewmen in close proximity. “Is it still alright if I call you that?”

“Of course. Are you still alright with me calling you Thy’lek?” I asked catching myself staring at his lips for about the thousandth time since we met.

“You know you never have to ask,” he said refilling his glass and mine when they were both empty. Despite the pleasant warmth that spread through my limbs from the ale, a few hours later it became clear that the cold had begun to seep in just as we’d both anticipated. I hadn’t even noticed that I’d pressed my side against Shran’s until he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and his voice sounded from much closer than I remembered. “Need that thermal blanket?”

“Not yet. Maybe in a couple of hours, but right now I’m alright.” I was almost proud of how steady I sounded despite the Commander’s nearness. Coaxing my empty glass carefully from my fingers, he set both vessels down and drew me to lean more fully against him.

“Then I’d suggest you try to get some sleep. I’ll take first watch.” Rest did seem like a tempting option. I started to protest that I was fine, but barely a few words in a yawn tore from my throat betraying just how exhausted I was. Ceding to the wisdom of his suggestion, I staunchly ignored the blush heating my cheeks and rested my head on Shran’s shoulder. Sleep found me much easier than I’d ever admit. Within moments I was out like a light.

--

The cold seemed to be all around me, with the exception of one warm spot. Nuzzling sleepily into it, I practically purred at the feeling of heat brushing up against my face. A deep, rumbling sound shook the...whatever I was resting on, and blearily I forced my eyes open. When I did, though, all I was met with was a wall of two blue shades. One I recognized instantly as the blue of a Starfleet uniform. The other was a little harder to place until I leaned back slightly and saw that my makeshift pillow was Commander Shran.

Oh shit. Had I just been pressing my face against his neck like a cat? Startled fully into consciousness, I sat up rather abruptly, carefully avoiding meeting Thy’lek’s eyes. I knew there would probably be disgust there, and honestly, I didn’t think I was strong enough to take that. Forcing myself to my feet, I went over to one of the few working consoles and checked the sensors. Everything seemed fine, and I’d slept for something like six hours. 

A murmur of my name from beside me startled me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even heard Shran get up, but there he was looking at me all concerned. There was no hiding the way I jumped at the sound of his voice so close to me.

“Are you alright?” One of his hands rested lightly on my shoulder, and couldn’t help but look down at the point of contact. No doubt I had an expression of dumbfounded amazement on my face. Lifting his hand and brushing the backs of his knuckles lightly down my cheek, followed by the gentle caress of his gaze. Without a thought, I leaned into his touch. His other hand slid down to my waist, steadying me as he stepped closer. “You’re trembling.”

“Am I?” My voice came out as barely a breath. He nodded his head and started rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

Oh. He just thought I was cold. I mean, I was, but...I guessed he didn’t notice that it was his proximity that was causing me to shake. Why did that simultaneously relieve and disappoint me?

“If you’re ever going to visit Andoria, pretty girl, you’ll have to get used to being cold,” Shran said as a small smile wove across his lips. I tried my hardest to ignore the fact that we were practically sharing our breaths.

“I don’t mind being cold, but I wasn’t exactly dressed for sub-freezing temperatures.” I spoke through a huff of laughter as I started rubbing my fingers together to create some warming friction. At a hefty shiver from me - one actually due to the cold, this time - the Commander grasped my forearms and led me over to the little area we’d been using. He took a seat and eased me onto his lap. Grasping my hands, Thy’lek tucked them beneath the collar of his uniform. The warmth of his pulse beneath my fingers began seeping into my skin and I felt myself blushing at the intimacy of our position. Shran wrapped a thermal blanket around the two of us and settled his arms around my back to keep me steady.

“We can’t have you freezing, now can we?” Mischief and something else trickled into his tone. “You seem surprised.”

“Is this how you warm each other up on Andoria?” I asked hoping he couldn’t tell how flustered I was. His eyes skimmed lightly over my face, pausing over my lips. Surely I was imagining it. He’d done the same things dozens of times before, but he’d never been any more forward than that.

“Sometimes. Usually, though, this particular method is reserved for those we trust with our lives. Most commonly our families or those we see as prospective mates,” he explained, and my eyes went wide as I looked up at him. A thousand responses bubbled up in my throat, but what came out was measurably less steady than I’d intended.

“And in your considered opinion...do I fit into one of those categories?” I asked barely able to meet his gaze. A slow, intimate smile spread across his lips and beneath the thermal blanket we were wrapped up in, his hands drew me closer to his chest.

“You do. You always have, even if I haven’t exactly made my feelings obvious,” he murmured. I took a shaky breath and touched my forehead to his, allowing my eyelids to flutter closed. “Our loved ones are precious to us. To warm each other like this...to use the heat from our very blood...our life essence...that is the most intimate form of protection. You certainly don’t need it, but I very much want to be your defender, if you’ll allow me.”

His hands rubbed quietly up and down my back. My thumbs skimmed lightly over his thrumming pulse, and satisfaction rolled through me when I felt it speed up beneath my fingertips.

“I’d like that,” I admitted, almost too terrified to hope that we were on the same page. Tilting my head slightly, I let my lips brush over his. Shran’s hold on me tightened and he remained absolutely still as if he was afraid I would leave if he moved. With minimal hesitation, I closed what little distance was still between us and kissed him like I’d always wanted to.

When a signal from Enterprise crackled through the comm system, we were so wrapped up in each other that we almost didn’t hear it.

[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. 

[uss-exile-ncc-440548]

Hfihar Duvek: Complete Edition

A/N: Cover art updated

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.

Cover by the Major AKA @within-its-cave / @on-the-cave-walls

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

[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 💚

[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

[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.

[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…)

[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!!! 🥂

[deepspacedukat]

Good Catch

This is just a little plot bunny that hopped into my brain. Literally no idea why, it just happened. So...enjoy! 😇

If anyone wants to be added to or removed from my taglist, let me know!

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Vorik (ST:VOY) x Reader

[A/N: This is fluff with mild suggestiveness and a brief mention of a previous instance of Pon Farr.]

Warnings: Interspecies romance, Human/Vulcan romance, mild fear, idiots in love, both think their feelings are unrequited, mutual pining, angst, brief mention of past Pon Farr, spoilers for ST:VOY S3E16 "Blood Fever", mild spoilers for ST:VOY S4E1 "Scorpion Pt. 2", the beginning would make more sense if you watch S4E1 first but it's not entirely necessary, and I assume that you've seen "Blood Fever" if you're reading Vorik fanfics, so...🤷‍♀️, kissing, Vulcan hand-holding, touch telepathy, idk what else to put here because it's really just fluff.

~*~

The tension on the ship was already palpable when the chaos started. Everyone was on edge because of our uneasy alliance with a Borg cube, wondering how long it would be before they turned on us and tried to assimilate Voyager. The fact that Species 8472 had turned out to be hostile as well did nothing to alleviate the crew's stress.

With enemies in front of and behind us, all we could do was try to prepare to the best of our ability. I just hoped it would be enough. Vorik had been silent on our way to Engineering for the start of our shift. The silence itself wasn't troubling - Vorik was often contemplative early in the day - but the small frown just barely pinching his brows together...that was worrying.

Inquiring about his well-being had earned me no more than a noncommittal, murmured deflection. All I could think to do was give him a gentle smile and rest one hand briefly on his shoulder. Shockingly, that seemed to help. His forehead relaxed, smoothing out into his usual, calm, neutral expression.

For the next few hours, I noted that whenever I glanced over at his station, the Ensign seemed to have retained whatever sense of ease he'd regained in the corridor that morning.

Soon, however, all thoughts outside of my duties were wiped away. Red alerts began blaring, and it was all hands on deck as we struggled to regain control of Voyager from the Borg.

I'd just begun to cross the second level to access a different terminal when the ship gave an almighty jolt. Before I could brace myself, I was thrown toward the warp core. The low railing struck my back, and I let out a yelp of pain and fear as I began to tumble over the side.

Instead of finding myself flattened or shattered by the fall, however, a vice-like grip on my arm stopped my momentum and tugged me against a sturdy, warm chest. I grabbed at the shoulders of my savior, trembling with residual shock. Only after the ship steadied itself did I manage to catch my breath and glance upward.

Looking down at me with a protectiveness that I had never before witnessed from him, Vorik's shining brown eyes met mine.

"Thank you," I managed to squeak out, but speaking seemed as difficult for him as I'd found it to be. Instead, he nodded his head once and pressed our foreheads carefully together. Vorik knew I was terrified of heights.

After a moment, though, we were forced to pull away from each other and go tend to our duties. Short-lived comfort was all we could manage at times like that. Being stuck in fluidic space after we'd been forced there by the last surviving Borg onboard Voyager was definitely not the right moment to become distracted by our personal tension, even if it had been growing for years.

I knew nothing would ever truly happen between us, though. If he'd seen me as a viable partner, Vorik would've approached me when his pon farr happened the year before. Instead he'd gone for B'Elanna Torres, and I'd forced myself to stay away from him.

I'd requested a transfer to the night shift so that I wouldn't be on duty at the same time as him, and the few moments where our schedules overlapped, I tried to find reasons to be busy in other places.

Yes, his interest in someone else had stung, so I decided that until my own stupid feelings cooled down a bit, I'd keep my distance. Mostly, I just didn't want to embarrass myself in front of him. After all, that Vulcan could read me like a book, and at that particular point, I didn't want him to ponder my emotional state too closely. If he hadn't caught on to the fact that I loved him prior to his pon farr, I certainly wasn't going to change that after he'd made his non-interest known.

I hadn't been rude to him in the aftermath, especially since he was being viewed so poorly by so many of the crew for attacking B'Elanna in engineering, but I hadn't gone out of my way to talk to him, either. The whole situation was a mess, and although I didn't want him to feel alone, I definitely wanted to limit the number of opportunities that I had to make an ass of myself.

Eventually, though, it all came to a head one morning when I'd just finished my shift. As I approached the hall where my quarters were, I saw a familiar head of fluffy back hair standing at attention outside my door.

"Vorik?" I called, and he looked quickly in my direction. Standing even straighter - a feat that I hadn't believed possible - the Ensign acted formally, as if he was addressing a superior officer.

"Ensign, forgive me for disturbing you at this hour, but I...had hoped to speak with you in private," he said in that low, gentle voice that I...oh, I'd missed him more than I anticipated! I blinked in surprise, and opened the door to my quarters, answering his question.

"Would you like some tea or water or something? I know you need to go on duty soon, and I have some extra replicator rations...?"

"Thank you, but no," he murmured as we made our way over to my sofa. We'd held many debates and conversations here over the years, but it had been something like two months since we'd been together like this. I took a seat, but when he remained standing, I looked up at him curiously. "May I?"

"Vorik, we've been friends since before we came aboard Voyager. You know you never need to ask permission to sit down." He seemed surprised by my response, which, in turn, surprised me.

"I did not know if..." he stumbled over his words for a moment as he perched awkwardly on the cushion beside me. "After the incident in Engineering, I was uncertain whether you would be...comfortable with my being in close proximity to you."

I was silent for a moment as I processed what he'd said.

"You thought I'd be afraid of you?" My voice came out as barely a whisper, and when he nodded his head, my heart shattered in my chest. He looked so vulnerable, so afraid that I was going to scream at him or throw him out of my quarters.

"It is the logical conclusion. You did request a transfer to a different shift, did you not?"

Of course he'd found out about that. I don't know why I expected that to remain a secret.

"Yes, but it wasn't because I was afraid of you, Vorik." That may not have been the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie. He seemed relieved, but I didn't want him to dig too deeply, so I changed the subject with a smile. "Now, what brings you here before your shift? How can I help you?"

"My main goal was to ascertain whether I'd frightened you. My subsequent objective..." he trailed off with his brow furrowed. "Upon reflection, I do not know whether this is logical, but I wished to determine what would be required to restore our prior level of interaction. I find myself...troubled by your absence, both in Engineering and in our leisure hours."

"You missed me?" The question slipped out before I could stop it, and just like that, it was Vorik's turn to look surprised.

"Of course. Did you believe that I would be indifferent or pleased to be without you?" Nodding my head, I watched as my friend cautiously moved closer to me on the sofa and placed his hands on my shoulders. "You lend me much metaphorical strength. I value your counsel...and your friendship."

My self-imposed isolation had ended that night. I spoke with B'Elanna and got transferred back to my original shift, which is why Vorik was there to save me when I nearly fell over the railing. If it hadn't been for him, I'd likely be lying in a crumpled heap on the lower deck by now. We'd rekindled our friendship after that lapse, but I knew it would never become anything more.

Regardless, Vorik had saved my life, and I resolved that once we were out of danger, I'd show him how grateful I was.

--

One minor war later, Vorik and I exited Engineering with the rest of our shift, and without a single moment's discussion, I found myself being led by a firm hand grasping my elbow.

"Vorik? Where are we going?"

"Patience." Was it my imagination, or was his voice rougher than usual? He sent the turbolift up before anyone else could board it, and the ride was filled with an undefinable sort of silence.

His grip slipped down from my elbow to my hand, and tingles erupted across my palm. He'd never touched my bare skin before. Vulcans were averse to such contact, and I'd always done my best to respect that boundary.

But he'd been the one to initiate this, not me. As the lift hummed along, Vorik's gaze slipped upward until our eyes met. A mere blink later, his eyes were hooded and hunger flooded his demeanor. Stepping closer to me with our hands still joined, the Ensign backed me up against the wall of the turbolift releasing a whisper of my name in that beautiful, low, silky voice of his.

The tingling in my spine intensified the longer he looked at me - and oh, did he look at me! His eyes seemed to bore right into my soul, stealing my breath and my thoughts with unerring skill. He'd looked at me before, but never the way I wanted him to...never like this.

That frightened me. Oh, the look itself wasn't disquieting, but the possibility that this could lead to something more – something that might damage my heart more than his preference of B'Elanna over me had a year before? That terrified me.

"I did not," he rasped, and I blinked in confusion. "I believed that you did not harbor the same regard for me that I did for you, and it was out of a desire to avoid needlessly damaging the relationship between us that I selected Lieutenant Torres. I did not wish to lose you. To equate yourself with her is the height of illogic, because none could ever compare with you."

Before I could respond beyond a stunned look, however, we arrived at the deck we'd been hurtling toward. The door hissed open, and he began tugging me through the corridors again. We passed through the door to Vorik's quarters, and everything clicked into place. He'd always preferred privacy, only allowing into his space those who needed to be there - like the Doctor and Lieutenant Tuvok.

And then there was me.

I'd never understood why he allowed me in when almost nobody else was permitted the same luxury, but suddenly it all made sense. I was allowed to be there when nobody else was because he trusted me enough to be vulnerable with me. He told me more about himself than he did anyone else. He spent more of his free time with me than anyone else. He knew more about me than anyone else did.

And I'd all but abandoned him after the incident with Torres! Guilt coiled hot and bitter in my gut, and I bit my lower lip. How did he not hate me? How could he have simply been content with our renewed friendship? He should've chewed me out or berated me–

My racing thoughts ground to a halt as the softness of his lips met mine.

Oh.

The kiss was gentle and brief, but it was easily the most tender gesture I'd ever received. When he pulled away just far enough to watch me open my eyes, his hands caught both of mine and lifted them to his chest.

"I...Vorik, that...isn't something friends do," I breathed, feeling like an idiot as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

"You are correct. It is not," he said with a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "but I had hoped that my attempts to demonstrate my interest were successful enough to convey that I desire you in more ways than a simple friendship will allow."

"Your interest?" I parroted, and he moved close enough that when I spoke, my lips brushed against his. The contact felt as warm as fire, as sweet as honey, and I was a starving. Ravenous for his touch, his affection, I craved him more than I had anything else in my entire life.

"You cannot have missed it. By Vulcan standards, I have been metaphorically throwing myself at you. Lieutenant Tuvok even suggested that I was being too overt." He grasped my waist, tugging me gently against him as his lips met mine again. A fleeting, barely-there peck later, my patience had stretched to the breaking point as I chased his retreating mouth with my own. "Is there something you need, ashayam?"

Blinking up at him, it occurred to me that he was doing this deliberately.

Vorik was teasing me.

And he looked almost proud of the reaction he'd drawn from me. Beautiful bastard.

"You," I whispered before I could talk myself into being more cautious. "All I need is you."

"Then you shall have me," Vorik promised as he lifted me into his arms and carried me toward his bed.

~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes

@emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek

@slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[deepspacedukat]

Praetor's Pride - Part 6

Y'know, at first I was worried that this would turn out to be a filler chapter, but it turned out to be something else entirely thanks to a plot bunny that halfway ties together two ideas I had. This fic will probably end up being around fifteen chapters, so strap idn for a long journey, and enjoy, friends! I know I haven't updated in ages, but life is busy and writer's block is a bitch.

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Part 4 here. Part 5 here.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Praetor Hiren (ST:Nemesis) x Reader; Senator Letant (ST:DS9) x Reader

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

Warnings: Interspecies sex, Human/Romulan sex, innuendo, ogling, heavy flirtation, literal sleeping together, dirty talk, implied spanking, mild angst.

~*~

After months of sand swirling around my head, getting in my hair, and nearly blinding me, the cool, climate-controlled environment of Deep Space Nine felt like the height of luxury. The Vulcan heat, I'd discovered, was quite possibly the most stifling climate I'd ever experienced - even Andoria's frigid icy surface was more enjoyable.

When I'd arrived on the former Cardassian station, I'd lowered the temperature in my quarters and practically lived in my bed the first day. It was lazy, it was selfish, but oh stars it felt incredible to not be on the verge of melting for once.

All in all, Vulcan hadn't been completely unpleasant, but the heat was one thing I could definitely do without. Despite feeling as though I was roasting alive every time I walked outside, my spirits during my stay there had been kept rather high by my correspondence with both Letant and Hiren. The letters I received from them were the highlights of my days.

Each had such a unique voice when putting pen to paper - or, I should say stylus to PADD - that I could tell by the very first line which of the two had written it before I glanced down at the signature. Letant was his usual jovial, jaunty self. We'd corresponded semi-regularly prior to this last trip to Vulcan, but his letters were now an almost daily part of my routine.

He spoke, for the most part, as if nothing had changed between us, but he'd stray into romantic territory near the end of each missive. Judging by his tone and how sentimental he waxed, I could discern his mood. If it had been a long, hard day, he veered further into introspective territory.

'I can't help but wonder,' he wrote in one particular message, 'whether I've been selfish in regards to our relationship. A Romulan Senator has no shortage of enemies, as has been demonstrated to me recently, and I must ask you to be honest with me in your next response. Are you absolutely certain that you know what you're getting into?'

I'd responded to him that whatever hurdles appeared before us, we'd conquer them together. Navigating life together - the good, the bad, and everything in between - was, after all, what relationships were all about. He'd comforted me countless times over the course of our friendship, so why shouldn't I do the same for him now that we were romantically involved?

Letant certainly had no objections to my emotional support, becoming ever more amorous in his subsequent correspondence.

And the Praetor's letters...

Oh, Hiren gave me something utterly priceless: a glimpse into his soul. Quoting romantic poetry from all corners of the galaxy, he made me feel as though he...well, adored me. Letant's letters were extremely intimate and romantic, of course, but this side of Hiren was unexpected. I wasn't surprised that he could be that way with a lover, but I never quite anticipated being on the receiving end of such desire.

A small part of me still expected an abrupt shift from acceptance of my Humanity to outright rejection. Maybe that expectation was just my past experience with intolerance rearing its ugly head, but something taut and nervous fluttered through my chest every time I read one of the Praetor's missives. I already felt so much for him. The thought that he might end up thinking no more of me than some of the others I'd met felt like a vice around my lungs. I hadn't yet confided that to Letant, but I knew it would be wise to do so once he arrived on the station.

He'd know precisely what I was feeling, especially if he made use of that telepathy he'd demonstrated to glance into my thoughts. In fact, that might be easier than trying to express what I felt verbally.

They seemingly had no trouble doing so - a fact that never ceased to surprise me, despite the heavy encryption that protected their words.

Something else their letters shared was the presence of oddly capitalized letters. Both could speak Federation standard, but given how random the capitalized letters were, it seemed as thought they'd begun dictating their letters in Romulan using a translation matrix that wasn't quite calibrated correctly, then switched over to Federation standard dictation halfway through. It was odd. Every letter but one contained these odd linguistic characters; Hiren's most recent correspondence was the only one completely free of typos.

For such exacting men, this struck me as odd, but then again, they were both extremely busy. They could simply have not noticed, especially if their wrote their letters at the end of the day before bed. They did have exhausting jobs, and more than once, Letant had alluded to giving himself a...'relaxing massage' while composing a message to me.

I couldn't help but wonder whether Hiren had ever done the same. I reprimanded myself as soon as the thought crossed my mind. He was the Praetor of the Romulan Empire. I really shouldn't have tried to read more into his words than was intended.

But then, that day in the garden still nudged at the back of my mind, reminding me of how deep and sensual Hiren's voice dropped when he was aroused, and I was gone. There was no dragging my thoughts back from the abyss of dirty imagery it had conjured. Maybe it was all that time spent with the Vulcans and their own mental restraint, but I longed for some of my lovers' expressiveness. Their wit and sarcasm, their gentle smiles and gleeful smirks...my heart ached to be with them again.

A week after I'd arrived on Deep Space Nine, I was rereading Hiren's latest message when it struck me:

It was too late for me to guard my heart. For better or worse, he and Letant already held it in their grasp. I was head over heels for the Senator, and I could tell that the same fate awaited me in regards to Hiren.

Could this really work? Could I really be a lover to two high-class, influential Romulans?

Odo opened a comm channel just as I once again skimmed the poetry excerpt from Hiren's last letter. I was still reeling with shock from the realization of how far I'd already fallen.

"Ambassador, I'm sorry to bother you, but there's someone in security who claims that you're expecting him."

How odd.

"Acknowledged. On my way," I answered as I got to my feet. Reluctantly, I put the PADD containing Hiren's letters back into my luggage with the rest and locked it before starting toward the Promenade.

The entire way there, I was stuck in my own thoughts. Was this a risk I was willing to take? Were Hiren and Letant really willing to accept a mate who was so incredibly different? Did they understand just how much we had to learn about each other?

For that matter, did I?

A pair of doors hissed open in front of me, and I realized I'd reached the security office while I was overanalyzing my situation.

"I know you've been here before, sir, but we all have to take precautions. your government's delegation was altered at the last minute. Ah, there you are, Ambassador," the Constable said, and I blinked, taking in the group of people in the office. There were three Romulans. Two wore military uniforms, and when the third turned around, I froze.

"Speechless already? Oh dear, that doesn't bode well for the conference in a few days, does it?" Letant's usual shit-eating grin awoke the hoard of butterflies hiding in my stomach. He was here early! I hadn't been expecting him for another three days at the very least! "Really, Constable, if you recognize me, surely you don't need confirmation of my identity?"

Odo harumphed as if the Senator's question was the height of stupidity.

"It's not your identity I'm concerned with, it's your behavior," he stated bluntly before turning his attention to me. "I wouldn't normally do this, but the last I heard, the two of you were close friends. Can you vouch for him?"

Mischief bubbled swiftly up from within me as I turned to my mate with a serious expression.

"Hm, I don't know. He can be quite the troublemaker. Drinking too much ale...flirting with the Dabo girls...picking fights with Klingon officers..." I trailed off and took two slow steps toward him as my eyes drank him in from head to toe and back again. "Do you promise to be a good boy for me, Senator?"

Letant's eyes darkened with hunger, and his grin transformed from a light, easy, roguish smile to a smirk that promised I'd regret teasing him in front of his officers.

"For you, Ambassador, yes. I do," he murmured, and I turned to the Constable.

"Yes, Odo, I'll vouch for him."

The Security Chief started tapping away at his console.

"Very well. Senator, as you've arrived early, I'm afraid the quarters we were going to have prepared for you are not yet empty–"

"There is no need for a separate set of quarters. I'll be staying with the Ambassador," Letant said, and before Odo could protest, the Senator guided me out with a large, warm hand placed firmly on my back. His guards took up protective positions behind us as we walked, effectively multiplying the amount of people staring at us. "My, separation has made you quite bold indeed, e'lev. Did your stay on Vulcan truly bore you so severely that you would challenge a Romulan Senator in public?"

"Oh please, you dramatic man, there was no challenge. I was teasing you, and you damn well know it."

Letant let out a quiet laugh as his eyebrows rose.

"You don't call publicly asking if I'm going to be a 'good boy' a challenge of my authority?" I started to reply, but he cut me off. "Or were you, perhaps, trying to coax a particular reaction from me, hm?"

The abrupt closure of my mouth told him all that he needed to know.

"Ah, I see. I knew arriving early was a prudent plan. You've been alone for far too long," he murmured as we got into the turbolift. Heedless of his guards' gazes, Letant turned me to face him and backed me up against one of the lift walls. Grasping my waist with one hand and my jaw with the other, my Senator spoke in a raspy whisper. "Congratulations, e'lev. You were entirely successful."

His lips met mine for a moment, tantalizingly rough and sweet at the same time, before pulling back and leaving me dazed as the turbolift continued on its path. From what I'd been told, such displays in front of others, including personal guards, were usually avoided like the plague.

I must've teased him more than I realized after our time apart.

When we reached the doors to my quarters, we were both short of patience. I was stunned that we made it all the way inside before Letant had me up against a wall. And just like that, the fullness of the three months that we'd been separated forced our composure to take a backseat. We became a mess of grasping hands and searing kisses, fumbling our way toward the bedroom.

"Three months is too long to be away from you," he breathed as the sound of tearing fabric heralded the death of yet another uniform top.

--

Sated and lounging in bed that evening, I'd relaxed into an almost trance-like state atop my lover's chest. The hypnotic sensation of Letant's fingertips skimming up and down the length of my back coupled with the rhythmic steadiness of his breathing comforted me in a way that I'd severely missed since I set out for my trip to Vulcan.

"He'll be here tomorrow," he said just above a whisper.

"Hm? Who?" I dragged myself back to full consciousness and looked up at Letant.

"Hiren, of course. He's talked of little else since your departure from Romulus," he murmured brushing his lips against my forehead. "I would ask if he's been writing to you if not for the fact that he practically glowed every time you responded to him."

"How could I not? The Praetor is a charming man with a romantic streak. His knowledge of love poetry is rather extensive - or, at least, I assume that it is, given the vast selection of excerpts that he's been sending me." Tracing my fingers along the column of Letant's throat, I couldn't help but smile at the thought that I'd gotten incredibly lucky.

"How did you like his latest prose, if I may ask?"

"That was my favorite set of lines yet! Oh, that reminds me, he forgot to include the poet's name. I'll have to ask him about that when he gets here. Unless you know, of course?"

With a rumbling laugh, Letant gripped my hips and slipped one of his legs between mine.

"Now, now, have patience, e'lev. I promise you'll have your answers, but not from me. The name was left off deliberately, and Hiren swore me to secrecy. Friend though he might be, I dare not disobey my Praetor. You should have seen him when he was preparing for this trip, though. He must've pulled every set of robes from his bot-unsubstantial wardrobe to ask my opinion on whether you'd find them attractive."

"No," I scoffed in disbelief, but Letant was entirely serious.

"Yes, my girl. It's ridiculous. The man has been married before. He certainly knows how to flirt and has plenty of experience in seduction. There's no reason for him to be this nervous - he's had his head between your pretty legs, for goodness sake - yet he's behaving as if he's not even had his first encounter."

"Bullshit. Hiren would never go to pieces over someone like me. You're exaggerating."

"I most certainly am not. You have reduced the Praetor of the entire Romulan Empire to no more than an anxious suitor. He lured me to the palace, plied me with kali-fal, then proceeded to try on everything he owned in front of a mirror to ask for my opinion. You should've seen him. He struck poses, e'lev," Letant said flexing his biceps as someone might in front of a mirror, and I dissolved in a fit of giggles at the mental image he conjured. "I have told you many times that you are a remarkable woman. Perhaps you'll realize that I spoke the truth before you give the poor man a coronary."

"But surely...? I mean, he must realize that I'm not superficial enough to judge him for his outfit. He'd look good in anything, just like you."

With a mere flick of his hands, Letant maneuvered me atop him so that I was straddling his hips. I braced my hands on his chest, taking in the sight of the beautiful man beneath me. his normally pristinely-groomed black hair was tousled from our exertions, and the smirk stretching his lips brought to mind smug gods from ancient mythology. In such a comparison, I was more than content to be the unwitting mortal who'd fallen so willingly into his bed.

"You think I'd look good in anything?" He asked as a faux innocent expression made its home on his face.

"Now you're just fishing for compliments–"

"Of course I am. You love me. Who better for me to ask than you, my lovely mate?" His hands slid up my sides and caressed the swell of my breasts. "Tell me, what is it like to be in bed with someone so devilishly handsome?"

Scoffing playfully, I started to move off of him, but Letant's renewed grip on my hips kept me firmly in place as he sat up beneath me. With his lips a mere hair's breadth away, I stubbornly kept my hands to myself and my mouth shut.

"Now, now...no need for petulance," the Senator breathed. It was so obscenely easy for him to get what he wanted from me. His arms wound around my torso, holding me close as he spoke. "Just because your partner is almost equal to you in beauty doesn't mean you need to pout."

How was it he always managed to compliment both himself and me in one breath?

"You don't play fair." I just barely managed to hold back a grin, fixing him with a glare instead. Letant laughed, his warm breath ghosting over my skin.

"No, but you've known that for quite some time. Besides..." he said laying kisses slowly down the length of my jaw, "you know I'm right."

The Senator's hands slid farther down my back.

"Now, about that little challenge earlier..."

--

Hiren found the T'Met's commanding officer in his Ready Room, skimming through reports with a look of deep concentration etching his face seemingly in stone. The Riov glanced up as the Praetor entered, and he smiled that same charming smile he'd worn for years.

"Well, well, I was wondering when you'd come see me, old friend. Please, have a seat," S'Talon said shutting off his console and leaning back in his own chair. "I've heard a little rumor, lhhai, concerning you, Letant, and a certain Federation Ambassador. Is that why I've been honored with the task of transporting you to this conference, my Lord Praetor?"

"You know such formalities aren't necessary, Tal," Hiren said as he sank down into one of the plush chairs. "As for the rumors...I don't know what you've heard, so it's a bit difficult to give you an honest answer."

The Riov smirked and tapped the top of his desk in an absentminded sort of way.

"I've heard that you and Letant intend to make a proper triad with her...that the two of you love her."

Hiren lifted his chin. He wasn't sure how the Riov knew that, but he was not ashamed of how he felt or who he felt it for.

"Yes. She and Letant were together to begin with, and I am fortunate enough to be a candidate for the position of their third. I won't be so rude as to presume to speak for her, but for my part, I do love her, yes."

S'Talon practically beamed at him.

"I have no doubt she adores you. I remember how smitten you were with T'Shara. I see just as much light in your eyes...just as much pride as there was when you spoke of her." The Romulan Captain stood and walked around his desk. "She must truly be a marvel to have caught your attention so fully. I look forward to meeting her when we arrive at the station."

"Don't go getting any ideas. I know how charming you can be toward women you find exceptional," Hiren chastised playfully, but S'Talon placed a solemn hand over his heart.

"I am fond of the fairer sex, but you know I would never abscond with a friend's lover. She's yours, you are hers, and I would never dream of coming between you. I'll be on my best behavior, I swear it," the Riov vowed. "I would, however, like to befriend her, if you're comfortable with that."

"I do not choose my lover's companions for her. If she wishes to count you among her friends, I would never stand in your way."

A moment's comfortable silenced passed between the two, and as he leaned back against the desk, S'Talon smiled.

"Have you imagined it? What you'll do once you marry her, I mean?"

"She might not have me–"

"Oh, she'll have you, old friend, I'm certain of it. Now, tell me," the Riov continued, "where have your daydreams taken you when you think of her? You will undoubtedly be the most powerful triad in the entirety of the Empire, but have you given any thought to where you'll live? Your family estate is quite large, as is Letant's, but the Praetor's Palace would obviously have enough space, should you choose to reside there..."

Hiren couldn't help but laugh at his friend's enthusiasm, allowing his infectious joy to flow through him.

"You give me far too much credit, Tal. She's Human. She may not...well, it might be that she is not made for a triad. Who knows? I might make some monumental mistake that costs me her love, or I might simply be too old once she stops to consider the age difference." Hiren gave voice to the fears that had rolled around in his head since her departure from their home planet. He'd told Letant his concerns and had received reassurance in return, but Hiren wanted S'Talon's counsel, as well.

"I cannot pretend to know her mind," the Riov began, "but I do know yours. You are an excellent judge of character. You would not have chosen someone so fickle. I would wager my best bottle of kali-fal that your fears - while completely valid and normal - lack real foundation. She will have you, my dear old friend, and she will not let you go once she does."

Hiren nodded his head, rolling his shoulders as if to banish some of his tension from his frame.

"Would you do me a small favor once we reach the station?" The Praetor has no doubt that he was about to sound even more ridiculous, but he was beyond caring. "Would you...sketch her for me? I'd be happy to pay you. Nothing too elaborate, and she doesn't have to know, it's just..."

He trailed off, unable to think how best to describe his emotions, but Tal just smiled.

"Of course. It would be my honor." The Riov murmured, but he frowned a little. "You know I'd never charge you for that. I would, however, like to know how you met her."

A smile stretched the Praetor's lips as he thought back to that night.

--

Letant lay in bed that night content to hold his mate close as his thoughts whirled in his head behind a carefully constructed barrier. He didn't want them bleeding across the telepathic bridge between his mind and his lover's. She deserved sleep that wasn't interrupted by his guilt.

Was he doing the right thing keeping this from her? But surely, if it was to keep her safe, she'd understand.

Elements, if this involved anyone but her, he'd have no trouble justifying his actions. He'd been a great strategist - he still was - so why was this causing him so much discomfort? He knew that the pain she'd feel would be temporary...that it would all be resolved in a matter of days once it began and that the three of them would live quite happily afterwards, but...

Damn him, the thought of causing her even a moment's pain made him want to wake her, drop to his knees, and plead for her forgiveness. He wanted to tell her everything, but he knew that doing so would endanger her life.

That he could not abide. Her life was much more valuable to him than his comfort, and though she may rage at him later, he was reasonably certain that they could work through any problems together.

She stretched in his arms and nuzzled even farther into Letant's embrace. Precious girl. She murmured something nonsensical in her sleep, and the Senator held her just a bit tighter as he kissed her forehead.

Allowing his mind to brush against hers, he watched her dreams like a holo-vid until he finally dropped into a mostly-peaceful sleep in her arms.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes

@emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek

@slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[deepspacedukat]

Unconventional Holiday

I have participated in the Thanksgiving Drabble collection that I rb'd a post about! I'm scheduling this to be posted on December 5th when the works in that collection will no longer be anonymous. Solok decided (logically) that it was his turn. Enjoy!

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Solok (DS9) x Reader

[A/N: This is 100 words of pure smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Interspecies sex, Human/Vulcan sex, risk of being caught, established relationship, mentions of a mating bond, implied telepathic bond, sex in a closet.

~*~

While he hoped to make a good impression at his first shared holiday with his mate and her family, Solok could not control his hunger when her thoughts swirled so sensually through their bond. Sneaking into the cloakroom, the pair pulled aside only enough clothing to serve their needs.

The balance between silence and speed was essential, so he kept one hand clamped over her mouth even as the other slipped beneath her lace panties to rub her clit. The Captain typically preferred to take her in their bed, but this clandestine affair was too tantalizing for him to resist.

[deepspacedukat]

The Lifeline - Part Three: To Have An Open Flame

Vreenak decided it was his turn. He's the kind of chaotic stability I needed right now, tbh. Anyway, still winging it. Enjoy!

Part One here. Part Two here.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Vreenak (DS9) x Reader

[A/N: There will be suggestiveness in future chapters so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: References to Romulan politics, espionage, stalking, references to an interspecies relationship, pre-Romulan/Human relationship, interspecies romance, threats, angst, time travel bs, references to marriage/a mating bond, skeptical Vreenak, Romulan undercover as a Vulcan, mentions of a previous Vulcan/Human failed relationship, he's falling and he doesn't even know it, Romulan reading a Human romance novel.

~*~

I really have no reason to be nervous, I thought to myself as I got my lunch from the replicator. He's probably just uncomfortable with his new surroundings, and being Vulcan, it's difficult for him to express his discomfort.

Turning with my lunch tray, I caught sight of my current objective: Velek sat alone at a table in the mess hall, eating his lunch and reading a PADD. Thinking of those icy blue eyes again made my heart thud in my chest. Really, he was gorgeous, but he was also grumpy enough to make him a bit scary. Well, maybe he himself didn't scare me, but the thought of being on the receiving end of his anger, suppressed or not, definitely did.

Come on. Realistically, what's he going to do? Scowl you to death?

With a deep breath, I made my way over to him, putting on what I hoped was a friendly smile and not a terrified grimace. As I approached, his eyes flicked up and practically froze me in place.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" He asked in an almost deadly-quiet tone.

...I hated that he still sounded so sexy. Really, it wasn't fair. I was actively trying not to fall for any more Vulcans, and he was not making it easy.

"Hi! Er, uh, good afternoon, Lieutenant," I said trying to sound less terrified and more confident. "Is this seat free?"

He glanced at the seat across from him and back at me, seemingly considering his options. The Mess Hall was almost full, so seating was limited anyway. It wasn't like this an unreasonable request, but I guessed he was still trying to find a polite way to refuse. Just as I opened my mouth to apologize and go try to find another seat, he sighed.

"Yes, it is currently unoccupied," he said setting his PADD aside.

"May I...?" I gestured to the seat, trying to give him an opportunity to refuse, if he really didn't want me there.

"...You may." Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, I thanked him quietly and sat down, trying to be mindful of his space so that I wouldn't make him more uncomfortable than he already appeared to be. "I trust you're ready for the anomaly scan analysis?"

"Oh, yes. I'm looking forward to seeing how this pulsar cluster differs from a couple of the others I've read about," I answered, and at that he lifted a sharp eyebrow.

"You've worked with these sorts of phenomena before?" He sounded genuinely interested, which I took as a tentatively positive sign.

"Well, as they're rare, I haven't had the opportunity before, but phenomena like these have been of particular interest to me since the Academy, so I've read pretty much all there is to know about them," I explained. "I've studied all the procedures, and I know that actually doing something in the field is much different than just studying the theories involved, but I'm confident in my abilities, so..."

I trailed off with a shrug.

"What about you? Have you ever studied a pulsar cluster up close before?"

"Twice, yes, but not in many years. I was barely thirty when I saw my first, then fifty when I saw my second," he said, and I felt my eyes widen. I knew he was older than he looked by Human standards, because of his Vulcan heritage, but it still took me by surprise that he was over fifty. It really shouldn't have stunned me, hell, even Torek was over seventy. Did...Did that mean he was closer to maybe...ninety?

Mental math aside, I nodded my head, trying to focus on the science aspect of the conversation rather than Velek.

"Oh really? That must've been so fascinating." I leaned a little closer in my seat. "Were they about this size, or...?"

"Both were smaller, actually," he said; some of the barrier in his gaze came down as he spoke. "Neither of the events I observed were quite this strong, either. I must admit, if I was not–"

He cut himself off abruptly as if he'd caught himself from saying something he shouldn't.

"I...am intrigued to see what differences this cluster will yield," he finished quietly, and if I was not very much mistaken, the tips of his ears had turned a darker shade of green than they were before. He crammed a bite of food into his mouth, staunchly not meeting my gaze, and I did the same, not wanting him to feel as though he was obligated to speak if he didn't wish to.

After a few moments of quiet, furtive looks between us, Velek and I accidentally met each other's gazes and froze.

"We're lucky to have you here, you know," I said, trying to set him at ease. "We've been a bit short-staffed lately, so your arrival couldn't have been better-timed."

"...Your gratitude is...appreciated, but misplaced," he began, some of the coldness seeping back into his tone. "I am here for the work. Nothing more."

With that sentiment out in the open, I realized I'd likely overstayed my welcome. Feeling awkward and out of place, I got to my feet.

Maybe his surroundings weren't making him uncomfortable. Maybe it was me.

"My apologies. I'll just...get out of your hair. Have a good rest of your shift," I said giving him a sheepish, apologetic smile and walking away before he could say anything. Shoving my mostly-full tray into the replicator to be recycled, I made my way back to my station. My appetite was gone.

--

Vreenak watched her walk out of the Mess Hall with a sinking feeling. Why did he care whether he'd hurt a little hevam's feelings? She was nothing to him. He was here specifically to avoid acquiring a Human wife. What did it matter if her poor, weak little emotions were injured?

He huffed quietly to himself and picked up the report he was supposed to be reading. Instead, though, his mind was focused solely on the expression that had crossed her face just before she rushed out: a mixture of pain, embarrassment, and regret. Had he truly been so intimidating? A sigh escaped his lips. Of course he had! He was the Vice-Chairman of the Tal Shiar, for Elements' sake, of course his looks were as cutting as his tongue was in Senate sessions.

Putting his own half-empty tray into the replicator, he made his way back to his station, trying to force his mind back into neutral territory to maintain his cover. That same look kept returning to his mind's eye even as he worked.

Later that night, they read through the next chapter of her book. Really, she'd chosen such a trite little story. Were these two actually meant to be together? He hated her, yet she was still mooning after him like a pathetic baby set'leth crying for its mother. It was hard for him to imagine the story ending well, but her Trill friend mentioned that it had a happy ending the last time she visited the Lieutenant's quarters. Why would anyone endure something so painful? Was love really worth that much?

Vreenak read a bit slower that night, finding himself repeatedly distracted by the way she looked. The shape of her nose, the curve of her cheeks...her rounded, extremely Human ears...

Eventually, she went to bed, and Vreenak did as well, but disturbingly, he found himself thinking about the message. 'Vree, honey,' she'd called him. She'd shortened his name, and he had the rather unsettling thought that in her voice, he actually liked how it sounded.

When he drifted to sleep that night, there was a small smile upon his lips at the ridiculous yet heady thought of her saying the entirety of his real name. Not that he would admit to such a thing, of course. Exhausted minds were prone to playing tricks on their owners.

Days passed, during which they kept to their little routine. They'd complete their shifts with minimal interaction, go back to their respective quarters, and Vreenak would read along with her in that insipid romance novel. The male love interest was, for lack of a better term, a complete veruul. If he simply admitted how he was feeling, there would be significantly fewer problems, and they could have ended this terrible book several chapters earlier.

Vreenak was grateful beyond words that he was not that dense. If he cared for a woman, he'd be brave enough to confront those feelings and do something about it. What a coward, that character was to hide behind his fear of losing her as if it was some sort of cloaking device! He was glad they were nearly three quarters of the way through.

He put the book away when she did, and assuming that she was off to bed, he went to change out of his uniform. He'd stripped down, and thrown on a dark green pair of sleep pants and a matching robe, but as soon as he went to begin his evening routine, the door chime sounded. Who would call on him this late at night?

--

When the doors to Velek's quarters slid open, I blinked in surprise. He was already out of uniform, wearing instead a dark green silk robe.

"Do you require something, Lieutenant?" At Velek's harsh, impatient tone, I used all of my restraint to keep from staring at the exposed stripe of his chest peeking out from behind the soft fabric. I must've looked like a startled deer!

"I apologize for disturbing you. The Captain just wanted me to check in and see how you were adjusting to your new post," I answered, which was partially the truth. Velek had been withdrawn - more than other Vulcan crew members I'd encountered, in any case. Despite extraneous socializing being considered largely unnecessary and illogical, most Vulcans engaged in at least a little bit of it. Velek, though, did not, which suggested continued discomfort on his part. "May I come in?"

After a long, hard stare, Velek stepped aside, and I took the opportunity to slip past him into his living space...

His...still-utterly-bare living space. Other than a few data PADDs and an empty glass on a table near the viewport, his quarters seemed virtually untouched. Had he not unpacked in the nearly two weeks that he'd been here?

"I apologize for my appearance. I was attempting to meditate and did not anticipate having a guest," Velek called, but he didn't make any move to draw the sides of his robe tighter around himself. At least he was comfortable enough to take that small liberty. Given the view, I certainly wasn't complaining.

"Where are your candles?" The question flew from my lips before I could stop it, and he paused.

"I neglected to acquire more before my last transfer, and as they cannot be replicated properly, I do not have access to them." Maybe that was why he was so short-tempered! He couldn't meditate properly! I knew how important the candles were to the process, and I knew the replicated ones gave off an unpleasant aroma - something about the synthetic oils didn't settle correctly into the wax mixture.

"Oh, I see. I, um...Is there anything I can do to make adjusting to this post any easier?" I asked as I turned to face him, only to see his eyes skimming slowly up my body as if he'd been observing me. No. That was too much to hope for.

"Nothing comes to mind at present," he said, and I nodded my head.

"Has everyone been treating you alright since you got here? Are they making you feel welcome?"

He walked over to his sofa and took a seat, crossing one leg over the other.

"As the rest of the crew have respected my desire not to socialize, I have no reason to complain." The ice had reentered his voice.

Oh. Right. He didn't like me. The glimpse of his bare chest had all but obliterated my rational thoughts.

"Oh, good. Well, uh, I apologize for interrupting your evening. I'll just go report to the Captain and leave you in peace." I practically bolted from his quarters before I could do something really stupid like asking if he wanted a completely logical cuddle.

--

How odd that she would run out like that right when he was going to break down and offer her a seat and a drink. Granted, he wasn't wearing his uniform, but he didn't look that bad...did he?

He glanced down at himself and felt an uncomfortable wrinkle of insecurity. A bit of his chest was showing, but he knew he looked better in this than he did in a Starfleet uniform. There was no question that this was more sensual, and she'd already admitted to her friend that she found him attractive, so...what was there for her to dislike?

Unsettled, he made his way to bed, but he couldn't coax his mind into a state peaceful enough for sleep. When Vreenak left his quarters for duty as a slightly more tired version of Lieutenant Velek the next morning, he spotted a box beside his door with his alias on the digital tag. Bending to inspect it, his brows lifted at the note it contained.

'I hope these help you feel more at home. Welcome aboard!'

Attached was a file giving written consent for an open flame in his quarters from the Captain. An open flame? Opening the box, he discovered a bundle of traditional Vulcan meditation candles.

There was only one person from whom these could have reasonably come. Glancing at the door to the quarters beside his, Vreenak couldn't help but feel a hint of surprise. Why would she be kind to him when he hadn't been that way to her? He'd attempted to shut down every friendly overture she'd made toward him, but he clearly hadn't succeeded.

And, did this mean she hadn't disliked what she'd seen of him the night before?

...More importantly, why should Vreenak care what she thought?

Quickly moving the box inside, he took a deep, steadying breath and headed to his station in the forward science lab. Sure enough, she'd beaten him there as always.

He wondered, as he often had these first two weeks, whether she'd slept better than he had. The skin beneath her eyes was darker than the rest, and Vreenak was stunned to feel concern bloom in his chest. Her self-deprecating jokes about insomnia had at least some basis in truth, then.

Again, why should he care? She was just a Federation officer! She was a mystery to be solved, a whisper from a potential version of the future, nothing more. He had a mission to accomplish. There was no time for him to become sidetracked by trivialities like some hev– some Human's health. He realized he'd been watching her for several seconds, but before he could turn away, she caught him staring.

Maybe that Trill was right. Vreenak must be getting older if he was slipping so severely.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," she called with a tentative smile stretching her lips. Forcing himself to move, he stepped over to the adjoining station and started his work for the day.

"The candles you left me..." he began, but as soon as he spoke, she looked over at him and his mind went blank. What...had he been saying?

"They...They are the traditional type. A-And, they're not replicated, I promise," she murmured when he didn't continue. "I apologize if I overstepped, but I just thought...I mean, when I was at the Academy, two of the three cadets I shared quarters with were Vulcans, and I always kept a few extras in case they needed them. It's sort of become a habit, and when you said you didn't have any..."

She trailed off, and Vreenak had to exert more force than he expected to keep himself from smiling at her. Vulcans didn't smile. Why did he suddenly resent that?

"It was not necessary, but...I appreciate them. You have my gratitude." He might not really be Vulcan, but the thought and intention behind the gesture touched him. He'd done nothing but be brusque and prickly with her, but she'd still managed to find enough kindness in her heart to offer him yet another olive branch. She was as stubborn as he was.

They worked on their respective tasks, side-by-side in silence for a moment before she spoke.

"So...does that mean we can be friends now?" The mischief in her voice made him glance at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Do not push your luck," he muttered, and though his voice was as intimidating as it had always been with her, she simply smirked and turned back to her terminal.

And he was proud of her reaction.

The realization made him pause. Proud? What reason had he to be proud of a Human? He should hate her! She was the reason he'd been inconvenienced with this mission in the first place. Her call from the lonely darkness of the Delta Quadrant was what had summoned him from his cushy position in the Senate.

He should be home on Romulus, not wasting his time on a Federation science vessel. Abruptly, he stood and made his way to a different station, acting as though he required access to another set of data simply so he could put some distance between them.

This Lieutenant would not be his wife - she was nothing to him - therefore, there was no reason for him to become attached. Simple.

...So, why did he feel the loss of her proximity so keenly when he reached the other side of the lab?

Vreenak had become too involved in his role as Velek. To a Vulcan like his cover, she would be a perfect candidate for a mate. Studious, dedicated, accommodating, warm...the likelihood of her rejecting his attentions would be low...

Instinctively to a Vulcan, she would be perfect. For a Romulan, however, she was barely adequate. She needed more...more...something. Cunning, perhaps? Her naïveté was clearly uninspiring.

Yes, that was it. Vreenak was simply delving too deeply into his cover. All he needed to do was remind himself of why he was here: to investigate a Federation officer who would, at some point in the future, come to know three influential Romulans by name when she shouldn't. Threat assessment and, if necessary, removal.

Throughout his shift that day, his thoughts kept straying to the candles in his quarters. He told himself it was just one more piece to the puzzle.

~*~*~

Romulan Words:

hevam - derogatory term for human

veruul - fool

~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes

@emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek

@slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[deepspacedukat]

The Lifeline - Part Two: The Armstrong

To be completely honest, I haven't exactly planned this fic out, so I have no idea how many chapters this will be. It'll be a surprise for everyone, myself included! 😇 And yep, i have a lot of asks and tagged posts to get around to, but I wanted to put this out first. Enjoy!

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

Part One is here.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Vreenak (ST:DS9) x Reader

[A/N: Future chapters will contain smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Spoilers for ST:VOY S1E7 "Eye of the Needle," references to Romulan politics, espionage, stalking, references to an interspecies relationship, pre-Romulan/Human relationship, interspecies romance, threats, angst, time travel bs, references to marriage/a mating bond, skeptical Vreenak, Romulan undercover as a Vulcan, mentions of a previous Vulcan/Human failed relationship.

~*~

After a few months aboard the USS Armstrong, we were finally going to see the Epsilon Pulsar Cluster up close! We took on new crew members at the Epsilon IX Station; four of which were engineers intended to ease the burden of repairs mid-mission, two were specially-qualified science officers, and one was simply a late addition.

It was the latter of the group that fascinated me. With keen, icy blue eyes, sharp facial features, and neatly-groomed hair, the new Vulcan Lieutenant had drawn my attention from the moment he materialized on the transporter pad in his science division blue uniform. The others were escorted to their stations and quarters by the Chief Engineer and the Science officer assigned to the Bridge, and I was assigned to Lieutenant Velek.

Tall and mildly intimidating, the stoic Vulcan stepped down from the transporter pad, and I offered him the traditional Vulcan ta'al in greeting as I introduced myself.

His eyes roamed the length of my body, seemingly sizing me up, but he did return my greeting after a pause. Undoubtedly, I was not who he expected to see when he beamed aboard.

"It is...agreeable to meet you, Lieutenant," he muttered after a moment, and assuming that was about all I was going to get out of him for the moment, I plastered on what I hoped was a welcoming smile.

"If you'll come with me, I'll show you to your quarters." Velek did so without protest. Giving him a short overview of our ship's upcoming mission to update Starfleet's data regarding the pulsar cluster, I tried to be as concise as possible. Though I kept my gaze firmly forward, I couldn't help but feel as though he was observing me.

Keying in the entry code for his quarters, I gave him a quick glance through the layout. Our ship was a little different than the standard science vessel in terms of accommodations. Starfleet meant for us to be a prototype for longer-term science missions into deep space, so there were a few more amenities than were standard.

If his expression was anything to go by - he'd lifted a single eyebrow all of twice - Velek was either impressed or turning his nose up in the most Vulcan way possible.

"If there's anything else you need, please don't hesitate to let me know. My quarters are actually just to the right of yours, so if the comms go down and you need a book or some tea or something, I won't be hard to find," I said clasping my hands behind my back as he turned to face me.

Velek's icy blue eyes gave me an appraising once over.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I will keep that in mind." Now that we were alone, I was struck by how deep and velvety his voice was.

Fuck. No way. I couldn't do this again. I was just asking to get hurt if I developed feelings for another Vulcan, so I simply wouldn't be interested in this one. Velek was a colleague, nothing more. That was all he'd ever be.

"I'll leave you in peace," I murmured with a polite smile. "Your first duty shift begins at oh-nine-hundred tomorrow morning, so take some time to rest or explore the ship, as you see fit. I'll see you in Science Lab Three."

He gave a polite nod, and I left his quarters. Taking a deep, steadying breath once I was back in the hallway, I forcibly shook my thoughts back into neutral territory. Velek was not for me.

--

Vreenak's first step aboard the Armstrong was to determine the Lieutenant's schedule - a task made easier by the proximity of her quarters to his. Next, he slipped inside and placed a few listening devices. Audio and visual in her living space, and audio-only in her bedroom.

He was careful to disturb nothing during his time in her space, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing through the few books she'd accumulated. A pair of poetry books, a copy of Surak's teachings, three assorted fictional texts, and what appeared to be a romance novel. Tucking the title away in the recesses of his brain for further research, he placed secondary sets of bugs in extremely innocuous places, pausing only when he leaned over the head of her bed.

A soft, sweet scent clung to fabric that Vreenak simply couldn't resist inhaling deep into his lungs. Something primal and dark stirred in his chest, and he just barely managed to suppress a small groan of hunger.

Horror washed over him when he realized what he'd done, and with a scowl, he left as quietly as he'd come. As he sat in his quarters testing the equipment one last time while he had the chance, he scoffed at his own behavior.

Fool of a man. If he didn't control himself, he'd end up with a Human wife whether he wanted one or not. And he most certainly did not.

Especially not one like her. She was too–

Somewhere in the midst of his thoughts, the sound of voices reached Vreenak's ears. She was back, and she had a guest. Accessing his new cameras, he watched as the Lieutenant and a Trill Ensign sat, kicking off their shoes and tucking their legs beneath them as they chatted. Raising the volume slightly, the Vice-Chairman listened in.

"–eyes like that? I mean, if someone like him looked in my direction, I'd be half-way to requesting Vulcan citizenship already," the Trill woman said with a gleeful smile. "Oh, come on. You have eyes in your head! The new guy's hot!"

The Lieutenant merely shrugged her shoulders.

"I mean...yeah, he's good-looking, but I got the feeling he's not easily impressed. He barely said two words to me. And he seems...irritable," she muttered, and her friend nudged her arm playfully.

"So he's just your type, then?" The Lieutenant looked up at her sharply, but the Trill just laughed. "You know I'm right. Every guy you've dated since the Academy has been some variation of a smart, handsome asshole. What makes Velek so different?"

Vreenak blinked. They were talking about him? The silence stretched between the women, and eventually the Ensign sighed, but less from frustration than concern.

"This is about Torek, isn't it?"

That was a new name. One that Vreenak instantly disliked, though he couldn't put his finger on the reason.

"Of course it is. When someone uses you like that, you don't forget it in a hurry," the Lieutenant wilted somewhat.

"I know, but this one's older," Vreenak bristled at that, "I bet he's got at least a modicum of tact when it comes to letting people down gently. And anyone would be more honest than Torek," the Trill said patting her friend's shoulder before moving to the replicator. "Now, I think ice cream is in order."

The rest of the evening's conversation was irrelevant, and once the Ensign headed back to her own quarters, Vreenak stretched and made to walk back to his own bedroom. Humans needed more rest than Romulans, so he fully expected that to be the end of her evening.

To his surprise, he glanced at the monitor once more, but instead of finding her heading toward her bed, he saw that she had curled up with a book - the romance novel he'd found on her shelf earlier.

After a long moment of debate, he switched his view to the camera situated behind her so he could note what page she was on.

How strange for her to be reading a romance, especially if what she'd said to her Trill friend was true. She'd been used by a Vulcan, yet she willingly sought romance? Did that not simply emphasize her loneliness to her? Was she addicted to the pain?

Vreenak's brow furrowed, and he pushed down memories of his own failed romantic endeavors. No, if he was in her position, he could never indulge in something like a romance novel. Elements, he didn't want to even in his current position.

Unfortunately, though, he would need to if he wanted a full understanding of her psychological state. He told himself it was all part of building a profile of the woman who'd claimed to be his wife.

Downloading the novel onto his personal terminal, he let his gaze linger on her for a time. She seemed so small and unassuming when she was all bunched up amongst the cushions.

But, he'd learned decades ago never to underestimate an opponent. The moment you did, that was usually when you got a knife in the back. He would not be such a fool. Not with her.

Thus, he opened the first page of the book file and began to read with a scoff, alternating his attention between her and the text of the drab little story with the childish pink hearts on the cover.

~*~

Taglist: @akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes

@emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek

@slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[deepspacedukat]

Worthy

And Spock wins the plot bunny sprint. 🖖

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Spock & Reader (platonic)

[A/N: This can be any Spock you want, but in the interest of full disclosure, I did write it with TOS Spock in mind.]

Warnings: Mentions of a break-up (not between reader and Spock), tears, emotional hurt/comfort, friend relationship, Spock is a good friend, supportive Vulcans are supportive.

~*~

"Lieutenant? You have seemed distracted today. Are you well?" The calm, neutral voice of the Enterprise's first officer startled me out of my stupor. I'd thought I was alone in the turbolift - finally free to trudge back to my quarters at the end of my shift and cry myself to sleep. Had Spock been there the whole time? If not, when did he get into the lift with me? Had I been that out of it?

"I'm fine, sir," I murmured, but the conspicuously raised eyebrow told me that he didn't believe a word.

"Forgive me, but unless I am mistaken, the puffiness around your eyes indicates the recent presence of tears. And you never call me sir when we are off-duty," he stated, and although I knew he was just expressing his concern, the formality of his observation in a situation like this drew a rueful huff of laughter from my throat. I was certain that I'd either confused him or made him even more concerned about my well-being.

Taking a slow, deep breath, I nodded my head and halted the turbolift.

"Perceptive as always, Spock." He'd been my friend since the year before I'd been assigned to Enterprise, and since I had nobody else aboard who I felt like telling, I figured I should go ahead and tell the one person to whom I told everything. "He broke up with me...said he couldn't handle this 'long distance stuff,' to use his own words."

At this Spock's brow furrowed.

"I was under the impression that he was merely opposed to the labeling of your relationship as romantic. The two of you were, to quote you, 'keeping things casual.'" He sounded as confused as I felt.

"We were, but...I guess a casual relationship just...wasn't what he wanted anymore. Not when it was long distance, anyway," I muttered crossing my arms protectively over my middle and leaning against the turbolift wall. "He wants to stay friends, though. I agreed. It hurt, but I agreed. I can't make him care for me more than he does."

Lowering my head to hide the reemergence of my tears, I took another deep, steadying breath and tried to blink them away before they could fall.

A large, warm hand grasped my upper arm, a gentle sensation that made me look up.

"If he was not satisfied with the devotion you harbored for him - that was evident whenever you spoke of him or to him - then he was not worthy of you," Spock murmured, soft brown eyes conveying more compassion than I'd expected from one so controlled as he.

This time I couldn't stop the tears that dripped down my cheeks.

"Thank you, Spock." My voice sounded watery and small, but I knew he wouldn't mind. His mother was Human. He'd probably seen her cry before, not to mention the rest of the Humans he'd served with.

Standing straight and clasping his hands behind his back, Spock lifted his chin slightly and spoke with more gravitas than I'd heard before outside of the Bridge.

"As you are my friend, I believe it is my honor and privilege to host you in my quarters for what is colloquially termed a 'girl's night.' I may not be the same gender as the name implies, but I have been told that what matters on such an occasion is the quality of the friendship. I believe I am correct in saying that ours qualifies."

I was so stunned that I didn't reply immediately, but Spock continued.

"Disregarding the lack of nutritional content, I believe ice cream would be an appropriate substitute for a meal, as well as wine. As per the terms of a 'girl's night,' I am also quite open to listening to the ways in which the ending of the relationship has caused you pain and providing comfort at appropriate moments–"

I couldn't help myself. I knew that Vulcans weren't big on physical touch, but Spock had allowed me to hug him before. Throwing my arms around his waist, I let out a wet giggle against his shoulder, making him break off mid-sentence.

"You're too good to me, Spock."

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I sniffled quietly.

"It is my duty as your friend to support you. I believe it would be customary after a terminated relationship to offer to hide the body, but he is not worthy of the effort of such a venture," he said against the top of my head. "I take it you would not be opposed to a girl's night?"

I shook my head wordlessly, and he redirected the turbolift toward the floor housing his quarters.

~*~*~

Taglist:

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

[deepspacedukat]

The Lifeline - Part One: The Message

...Yes this is another plot bunny. Yes I still have a ton of requests to get out. It's fine. Blame the brainrot.

If anyone wants to be added to or removed from my taglist, please feel free to let me know.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Vreenak (DS9) x Reader

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

Warnings: Spoilers for ST:VOY S1E7 "Eye of the Needle", references to Romulan politics, references to an interspecies relationship, Romulan/Human relationship, interspecies romance, threats, espionage, angst, time travel bs (it'll make your head hurt if you analyze it too much, or at least it made mine hurt), references to marriage/a mating bond.

~*~

**2367 - Stardate Classified, Late afternoon - Romulan Senate**

Listening to Sabrun drone on and on about the threat of the Federation-Cardassian peace treaty was usually something Vreenak would enjoy, but today, his head ached. He'd been in nothing but meeting after meeting for weeks on end, both for the Senate and the Tal Shiar, and the tedium was finally getting to him.

When was the last time he took leave? Years, most assuredly - before he was elected to the Senate seven years ago.

Wasn't that about how long Sabrun had been talking? Consciously straightening in his seat, he forced his shoulders to release some of their tension. He relished the opportunity to serve his people, to protect them, but he hated long-winded sessions like this.

A tap on the arm knocked him out of the deep, sinking morass of his thoughts, drawing his attention to the aide who'd approached him. He wore not the uniform of the government, but that of the Tal Shiar.

Elements bless Koval for saving him from such an utterly dull session!

Quietly, he gave the Praetor a deferential nod and slipped out of the Senate building. The fresh air caressing his face sent a bolt of relief through him. Even though he would likely not be allowed to rest for some hours, he couldn't find it within himself to be resentful. He did need to take some leave, no doubt, but for now, he'd gladly accept the moment's respite that his position with the Tal had just given him.

"Ah, the Chairman summoned you, as well?" Vreenak smirked at the sound of Letant's voice, and he slowed long enough for his friend to catch up.

"Luckily. I thought Sabrun would never shut up. He makes good points, obviously, but does he never tire of the sound of his own voice?"

Letant let out a tired chuckle of his own at Vreenak's ire, but both men were too relieved to be free to dwell on their frustrations.

"Any idea what this might be about, Mr. Vice-Chairman?" Letant's use of the title brought a genuine smile to the other man's lips. Vreenak had only earned it a year prior, and he was damned proud of his success. "Am I to finally be silenced for knowing too much about you?"

"Never, old friend. We may disagree on some points, but I value you too much to ever allow it to come to that." Vreenak murmured as they walked.

"Thank you for coming so promptly. I hope that I have not inconvenienced the Senate too much by pulling you both mid-session," Koval called the moment that the pair of Senators stepped into his office, shrugging off their outer robes. A smirk played across the Vice-Chairman's lips.

"You and I both know that inconveniencing others is one of your favorite pastimes," he called taking a seat before Koval's desk and allowing himself to sink into the cushioned chair with a relieved groan. Letant took the other. "I must thank you. One of our colleagues had become...tedious."

"You will not thank me in a moment." Koval's tone was graver than Vreenak had heard it in some time. Uh oh. That was always a bad sign. "What I am about to show you goes no farther than this room. One of the Empire's scientists - Telek R'Mor, Captain of the Talvath - died recently."

Vreenak's brow furrowed slightly, and Letant tilted his head.

"His family has our sympathies, but I, for one, fail to see the relevance," the latter remarked.

The Chairman stood and poured both of his guests generous servings of kali-fal.

"There was a data storage device found in his belongings. It was accessed, and the contents were...intriguing. You see, it contained personal messages from the crew of a Starfleet ship to their families," Koval continued, "a Starfleet ship that has not yet been built."

At that, Vreenak froze with his glass halfway to his mouth, and Letant's lips parted in surprise.

"They were messages from the future?" Vreenak hadn't meant to ask the question, but it slipped out anyway.

"Indeed, but that is not all. Computer, play visual message one-three-one-alpha," Koval ordered, and the screen before on the desk before the Senators lit up with the image of a woman - a Human woman.

Mentally, Vreenak acknowledged that she was actually quite pretty for a hevam.

"Hi, sweetheart. I know you're probably surprised to hear from me...after such a long silence, I mean. I doubt you'd write me off so quickly, but, well, I'm sure by now you've worked out that something is wrong." Vreenak glanced at Koval, not yet grasping the significance of this seemingly random message, but the Chairman simply nodded back at the monitor. Letant seemed intrigued by the woman on the screen. "It's been a few months since Voyager went missing, and while I can assure you that I'm physically alright, I...Vree, honey, we're stuck in the Delta Quadrant."

His eyes widened at a single syllable amongst the mess of her rambling. 'Vree.' Was...? She was talking to him? Why the hell would a Starfleet officer - a Lieutenant Commander, by the look of her rank pips - be contacting a Romulan Senator? He'd never seen her before in his life. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Letant look at him curiously, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"We're doing everything we can to find a shorter way home, but it might take years," she admitted, and he noted that tears had slowly gathered in her eyes. "I understand if you want to petition the Praetor for an annulment. After all, it's not much use having a wife who's stuck in a whole other quadrant of space. But, I...I want you to know that no matter how long it takes, I will make it home to you. You're in my thoughts every day and night, deyhhan. I love you. Give Koval and Letant hell for me, okay?"

She blew a kiss to the camera just as a tear rolled down her cheek, and Vreenak set his glass aside just as the message cut off.

"Computer," Koval called, "display addressee for visual message one-three-one-alpha."

Vreenak's stomach clenched as he saw his own name and rank pop up on the screen along with the stardate on which the message was recorded - nearly four years in the future by the Federation's calendar, assuming his mental calculations were correct.

"Well, my friend, you seem to have gotten quite lucky. As far as Humans go, she seems delightful," Letant murmured as he downed his drink. "She's stuck in another part of the galaxy, of course, but she obviously cares for you–"

"This is a joke," Vreenak rasped, feeling anger bubble up inside him. She seemed to know about all three of them, but that couldn't be possible. "I've never even seen her before! Why would I marry a...a hevam?"

"I assure you, I would not have called you here if I had not already verified that this was not a joke," the Chairman stated, and he handed the Senator a data pad containing the results of the inquiry he'd conducted into the subject. An encrypted visual message from Telek R'Mor himself detailed the encounter he'd had with Voyager in 2351, including his logs, and even a covert visual recording he'd snagged from their communications with his ship. Apparently, the man had left instructions for the delivery of these personal missives, but his daughter had turned them over to the Tal Shiar as soon as she'd discovered that one of them involved three well-known Romulans.

A wise choice.

Farther down, he found a report on the woman in the message. She was a Lieutenant currently serving aboard a science ship. Having received high honors at Starfleet Academy, she also had several commendations on her record from various superior officers. There was no indication that she was involved with Starfleet intelligence or Section Thirty One, though.

How odd, given the circumstances. How else, hypothetically, would they have met if not through clandestine contact?

Koval was nothing if not thorough, and the fact that he'd already looked into this meant that there truly was no chance that this was a deception.

Vreenak had a wife. A Human wife. Or, at least, he might end up with a one at some point in the next four years.

Just in time to lose her to the Delta Quadrant.

"I take it you're interested in having this looked into, then?" Koval asked, and the sound of his voice spurred Vreenak into action. He downed the kali-fal he'd been served, then got to his feet.

"You're damned right, but I'll do it myself," the Senator said, straightening his tunic before donning his robes once more. "If this woman really did send a message from the future, then I need to know more about her. Her intentions, motives, possible schemes... This isn't just a mystery, it's a personal one."

"Of course. Do what you have to. I'll have transportation and an alias arranged, as well as a surgeon," the Chairman confirmed. "I trust you'll want a Vulcan persona to save time?"

"Naturally."

"Oh, and Vreenak?" Through Letant's opening inquiry, he could already hear the mischief in his voice. The man in question glanced back at him over his shoulder. "If you don't like what you see when you meet her, do feel free to send her my way. She is rather alluring."

The Vice-Chairman let out a gruff huff of laughter.

"Be careful what you wish for. I'm certainly not marrying a hevam, but if you're willing to debase yourself in such a manner, then by all means, have at her," Vreenak said as he strode to the door.

Pledge himself to a Human? Ha! He would never disgrace himself like that. His taste was much more refined.

~*~*~

Romulan words:

hevam = derogatory name for a human

deyhhan = husband

~*~

Taglist:

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