Fannish fun

This week's theme was: idioms!


Prompt: Scotty, Gaila - Water under the bridge

The Cure for Pessimism

″Why are you so nervous?″ Gaila glanced up from the PADD she was disassembling. She sat in the middle of the large bed with electronic components scattered around her. It was definitely an intriguing sight, if ever Scotty saw one. ″The dog's back and there's no reason for Admiral Archer to continue to punish you, correct?″

He sighed and glowered. ″It ain't that easy, lass. Archer holds an unnatural regard for that beagle and I suspect that he doesn't forgive easily.″

″But he didn't try blocking your transfer to the Enterprise nor your promotion to Chief Engineer back when we first set out. Why try to get to you seven months later?″ Her attention back on her work, Gaila carefully touched one of the sensors with her handitool and sent out a tiny spray of sparks. ″Damn, fried another one.″

Scotty waited until he was sure that none of them would remain smoldering on Gaila's clothing or the bedding of the hotel suite they were staying in – their first official shoreleave together and Gaila had been insistent they do it up right! - before responding. ″Who knows what goes on in that man's head. He's got quite the history, though, and I'm sure he could come up with numerous suitable punishments were he so inclined. And he probably is.″

Walking over to the bed, Scotty picked up another sensor from the bedside table and had it ready when Gaila, still fussing with the scorched sensor, held her hand out to him for a replacement. She took it with a small smile and began calibrating it, idly commenting, ″Don't be so pessimistic. He might be calling you in to say that it is all water under the bridge or to let bygones be bygones or some such trite phrase.″

He smiled down at her bouncing red curls, swaying with every tony movement of her head as she worked. Tough to be a pessimist in her presence. ″Or he might want to kill me slowly and painfully. I'd call it realism, actually.″

Gaila rolled her eyes and put her tools down on the bed before resting her full attention upon him. She crooked her finger at him until he leaned over the bed towards her so she could grab his collar and pull him down further towards her. He was bent at an awkward angle given the size of the bed and the pointy bits of PADD innards that he didn't want to fall onto, but she made it worthwhile when she drew him into a lingering kiss.

Once Gaila released him she gifted him with one of her sunny smiles and a pat to the ass. ″Go to the meeting, get it over with, and then come back here so we can celebrate your new freedom to walk around San Francisco without looking over your shoulder for cranky, potentially vengeful canine-loving admirals, okay?″

″You want to go out tonight?″

Somehow her grin grew wider. ″I was thinking we should stay in, ″ She winked at him saucily. ″But going out's an option for tomorrow.″

Scotty grunted but admitted that she was an excellent motivator. ″I suppose there's something to be said for getting it over with and moving on - if I survive, that is - to better things.″


***

Prompt: Kirk, Gaila - Sly as a fox

Direct Approach

″I wonder if he's gotten any since his divorce.″ Jim cocked his head to the side as he contemplated his best friend. Bones had just walked into the academy mess hall looking as grumpy as ever.

Gaila raised her hand to catch Bones' attention and indicate where they were sitting, waving it around theatrically until he'd nodded his acknowledgment and gone in search of his lunch. She then turned her attention back to Jim. ″Well, if things were bad between him and his ex, then there's a good chance he wasn't getting any for a time before the divorce as well. Poor man's probably tense as hell.″ She shook her head sadly.

″Maybe we should do something about that. I mean, if he really hasn't had sex in a while that can't be good for his health.″ Jim smiled at Gaila's raised eyebrow. ″And I think it would be fun, I admit it. My concern is not entirely humanitarian in nature.″

″I thought not.″ Gaila grinned and crunched into a bright orange carrot stick that contrasted nicely with her skin tone. ″How shall we determine if your suggestion is what would help him?″

″Hmmm, I can ask a few questions, kinda lead up to the discussion. Today's chicken and dumplings day so he won't want to leave before he's done, even if we do piss him off.″ Jim was silent for a moment. ″And just in case, maybe you should sit next to him and block his way to the exit.″

Gaila's eyebrows drew together and her forehead crinkled in thought. ″Why not just ask him? Take the direct approach?″

Jim shook his head. ″Not with Bones, I think. He never tells me things straight-out unless he's annoyed with me or drunk, I have to be sly to get anything out of him otherwise.″

They were interrupted by Bones' tray thumping down on the table – piled high with chicken and dumplings, Jim noted. ″What are you two whispering about. You looked like you were over here plotting world domination.″

″Jim smiled at him. ″Nah, we figured we'd start small and work our way up.″

″Oh?″ Bones dug his fork into his meal.

Gaila scooted her chair closer to Bones' and Jim knew immediately what she was going to do, even as she opened her mouth.

″Leonard, Jim and I think you should have sex.″ Bones' eyes got big and his fork, which had been halfway between his plate and his mouth, dropped back onto his tray with a wet splat. ″With us, ideally, since we are both quite fond of you.″

Jim knew immediately that the blow-up would be immediate and impressive.

::

It was: Bones' yelling, fortunately generally incoherent, could be heard throughout the mess hall.

::

Later that night, as he lay between two sleeping, sated bodies, Jim couldn't help but admit, however, that Gaila's direct approach had some merit.


***

Prompt: Kirk, Chekov - Your guess is as good as mine

Unintended Exposure

Though the doors on the Enterprise merely swished shut rather than slam, Leonard McCoy certainly managed an exit worthy of an angry teenager as he hightailed it out of the conference room he'd only just walked into moments before.

″When do you think the Doctor will be speaking with us again?″ Pavel sounded like he was trapped between laughter and worry, lending an odd tone to his voice.

Jim shrugged and threw Pavel's shirt over to him. He still hadn't located his pants or Pavel's briefs. ″Your guess is as good as mine. I'd try to avoid injury for the next few days though, if I were you.″

″Agreed.″


***

In other news, I think my porn muse is broken :(

In other, other news, I'm back at work and exhausted. Work blew up while I was away. Woe. Does make the day less draggy though, I suppose.