Their Second Date

Posted on Sat Sep 28th, 2024 @ 12:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Darrod Hanous & Chief Petty Officer Meredith Corden
Edited on on Wed Oct 2nd, 2024 @ 12:17am

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 5: The Price of Paradise
Location: Holographic Rec Deck
Timeline: M5 MD02 (2268.07.25) 2000

Since Meredith had decided the location for their first date, Darrod had agreed to find a good place for their second. His decision was one of the places that Meredith would probably be intimately familiar with, and he’d only visited once or twice - Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, They could visit the aquarium if they wanted, or just spend time along the waterfront, One of the many benefits of being Chief Engineer was the ability to leverage some credits and favors to get decently fresh seafood on-request if he and Meredith decided to eat here again. He wondered for a moment how jealous others would be if they found out the favors Darrod cashed in or gave to make sure that Corden had a good time.

Meredith walked along the familiar waterline, arm in arm with Darrod. "You wanted to make it just like home for me," she said. It was clear a lot of thought and effort had gone into it. "And you got fresh shrimp?" She already knew the answer. She just wanted o show she appreciated it.

Dar smiled at her and nodded as he held her arm. It was a nice feeling - a rare moment of peace for him. Somehow, being with Meredith drew that out of him and let him relax. "I tried, yes. Though when we get some leave time, we'll have to go to Earth and visit the real thing." When she asked about the shrimp, he grinned. "I did. I wouldn't take you here and only be able to call down that mystery meat that they call meatloaf in the mess hall. Or their creative interpretation of clam chowder."

He chuckled a bit, walking with her. The engineer in him still marveled at the holography on display, and the technical work that went into it; but all of his conscious attention was focused on the woman beside him.

"You are a very attentive date," she agreed. "But I already know all about where I'm from. I want to see more of your stuff." She looked at him a moment, not sure that had been the right thing to say. She knew there was some complicated issues.

"So will the seals look real?" she asked, as they did head towards the aquarium first.

Dar shrugged at her comment about wanting to know more about where he was from. At some point, he would have to find out if the Centauri colonies had enough visual data in the computer's library record to build a holographic record. "If you've seen a field of quadrotetricale, that's pretty much where my family lives." He smiled when she asked about the seals. "As far as I know, yes, they do."

"I actually don't think I have," she admitted. "The last time I saw a farm, they were still using boring old tritetricale like the cavemen must have." She's clearly joking. She heads straight towards the outdoor seal enclosure. "Seals are so cute."

Darrod couldn't help but chuckle at Meredith's joke. "It's still just a boring wheat field, I promise." He walked with her to the enclosure, still smiling. "They are. Though for the longest time, I couldn't tell seals and sea lions apart - and I was uncertain about walruses for a few years too."

"Aren't sea lions technically a kind of seal?" Meredith asked, moving close to him, enjoying his presence as she walked. "I'd have to look it up."

Darrod thought for a moment as he walked with her, enjoying her being close to him. It wasn't something he was very experienced with, which was obvious. "I think so, but they are different - I think it's the little ears. We can ask the doctors or the bio team sometime."

Oh, it was very obvious to Meredith. She smiled, hoping to put him at ease a little. "Or just the computer," Meredith suggested. It seemed like one of those straightforward facts the compute could answer. But she didn't do so immediately.

Darrod nodded, smiling back at her. "That's probably true. I just never think of it because I tend to run into the library computer when it's failing, not when it's actually working right and telling us things we need to know."

"Well, that's because you are always fixing things." She sped up slightly, a playful smirk on her lips. "But then a girl likes a man who's good with his hands."

Darrod chuckled at her comment, not sure how far to push on that. After all, moving too fast might not end well. "Well, yeah, that's true. I like fixing things. It's nice to build things or put them together."

She has invited him to push further before. But she just smiles. "And you're very good at it."

He smiled back at her. He knew he was good at what he did, and was usually quietly proud of his skills. Hearing it from Meredith made him feel a sense of warmth that he wasn't really accustomed to, regardless of his . "I'm glad you think so. I'd like to, uh... I'd like to get the chance to build something special with you. I don't mean a model kit, either."

Meredith stopped walking and paused for a minute. She regarded him quietly. "You're really sweet, did you know that?" She extended her hand, reaching for his.

Darrod smiled and held her hand, happy to be with her. "I try, when I'm with someone I care about. And being with you makes it easy." He stepped a bit closer to her, still holding her hand, walking. "You help bring out the best in me, because of how wonderful you are."

Meredith laughed slightly, a little uncomfortable at the extent of that compliment. "I'm not that special, Darrod."

Darrod looked at Meredith with a smile, squeezing her hand gently. He leaned in a bit and looked at her. He didn't know how she thought so little of herself - but he was going to have to make an effort to show her what he saw. "If you keep thinking that way, I'll just have more work to show you how special you are to me already."

"It can be a little overwhelming is all," Meredith said gently. "I don't want to be put on a pedestal. I want to be put..." She blushed and looked away. When she spoke again, it was probably not what she had originally been going to say. "....in the aquarium."

As much as Dar tried to avoid his heritage, there were times that Orion culture bled over in his mind. A large part of that culture was physical openness and displays of sexuality. That was part of how the Syndicate had formed, even before they turned to crime. So when Meredith blushed during her pause, there was no question in Darrod's mind about exactly where she wanted to be put. At the same time, he didn't want to push. He enjoyed being with her, taking a slow pace, and not rushing into things. It was overwhelming for him too, because he was fighting millennia of short-term instinct in an attempt to focus on long-term joy. He squeezed her hand slightly and nodded. "It's overwhelming for me too. You're the first person I've ever really felt this way about, Meredith. If I put you on a pedestal, it's because you deserve all that and more."

He'd said that before to her, and it remained the truth. What had started as a spark of chemistry over a broken shower head was now making Darrod actually think about the future. But for the short-term, the Aquarium, and a seafood dinner, waited for them.

"Darrod..." She seemed at a loss for what to say. "I can't..." She squeezed his hand back and looked up at him. "You've shown me how much respect you have for me, but...look....It's not disrespectful it it's mutual, ok, but I don't want to have to be the one asking. A girl wants to feel wanted too."

She was blushing deeply now and she turned away sharply, before he could answer, but still holding his hand. She started towards the restaurant.

Darrod blinked, holding her hand as they walked toward the restaurant. He was honestly a bit dumbfounded at her confession, but nodded enthusiastically when she said it. He stepped in a bit closer to her and spoke softly, watching her. "Meredith, being with you makes me feel safer and more at peace than I've felt in most of my life. That feeling isn't something fleeting either."

He spoke slowly now, having to confess things about himself that he'd never done. Maybe some of them were even things he'd never admitted to himself. "Before I met you, I'd never thought I'd be in a relationship. I thought it was, y'know, something for people less scarred and hurt than me. The scars do run deep, even as much as I've fought them. Some of them involve touch, and intimacy. I didn't know that you wanted that. I didn't want you to feel pressured to... perform, if you understand the meaning. I didn't want to consider risking hurting you. Of course I want you. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and one of the kindest and warmest people I've met."

He took a deep breath and straightened, looking at her. "I'm not good at saying this, because of how I've heard the word warped in my past. But, in human terms, yes, I love you. And yes, when you're ready for it, I want you. I will probably not ask directly for a very long time. Just because I don't ask, that doesn't mean the desire isn't there. It's a byproduct of needing to be better than my upbringing."

"I love you too," she said. It felt early to say that but it also felt true. She smiled and regarded him. Her hand was in his. "It's not really normal for humans to talk about this stuff directly. We always say communication is important but we, well, don't actually."

Darrod nodded and gripped her hand tightly. His voice went quiet. "It's because most people don't need to talk about it. I'm sorry that I have to discuss it and not just react." He pulled her closer with his free arm, pressing his forehead against hers. "Anything you want, anything you need, I want it and I need it too."

"Well..." she said, hesitating. "We don't have to rush, you know, everything." She pressed her body against his, resting her hands on his shoulders. "But kiss me?"

As she pressed against him, holding his shoulders, it was impossible for him to resist the urge to hold her hips. He nodded and leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips, looking into her eyes. He nodded. "Any time you want to be kissed."

She kissed him back and smiled. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You have a standing invitation. We are together." So that was official now. Not that it hadn't been obvious enough before.

He enjoyed the feeling of her head on him, while holding her close. He turned and kissed her on the cheek as she rested against him. "I hope I can bring you even a measure of the joy you've given me."

"You are excessively sweet. You know that, right?" She was content to remain there for a long moment. Just nestled up against him. But finally she did step back. "I actually am hungry."

Dar held her close with a smile. When she stepped back, he nodded and walked with her, holding her hand warmly. "It's not excessive with you. As long as we make each other happy, then it's all worth it." He led her to the place he'd set up for their dinner, leading her to the table at a restaurant near the aquarium. It wasn't close enough to see inside the aquarium, but they had a good view over the harbor from their table. He pulled out his communicator, and sent a message to the galley to beam down their seafood dinner.

"Case in point," she teased even as she walked contentedly with him. She held his hand and she took her seat, smiling. "You do, you know? Make me happy." She grinned at the food as it appeared before them. "This looks delicious!"

Darrod smiled at Meredith, and nodded. "I do my best - and you make me happy too." The food arrived, and he nodded as he looked it over. "It definitely does. Remind me that I owe the galley staff a massive favor for doing this. They did an amazing job." He picked up the bottle of wine that was beamed down beside the meal, and poured a glass for each of them.

"We owe them," Meredith insisted as she took her glass. She slowly took a sip. "This is the real stuff," she said happily. She paused a moment as if trying to think of something to say. "It's hard to go back to smalltalk after a big relationship conversation."

Dar nodded in agreement, then chuckled. "That's very true. But I'm glad we had the discussion. It's important."

"It is," she said, putting her hand in his.

 

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