Posted by Lieutenant Kiama Naim (Chief Science Officer) in Calloway’s Quarters- Always Time for Dinner

Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Calloway’s Quarters- Always Time for Dinner

Posted by Lieutenant Kiama Naim (Chief Science Officer) in Calloway’s Quarters- Always Time for Dinner
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Touch had been one of those things Faye had avoided or found uncomfortable. It had always been a strange game of wanting connection and fearing it to the point of avoidance. For a period of time in her life, connection would have destroyed her. But it had never bene this all or nothing then. She saw that now.

Squeezing Kiama’s hand gently, Faye didn’t let go as she started to speak. Her other hand ran along Tess’s soft fur as the cat slept. But it would quickly shift and Tess, even new to Faye, understood the intensity of the emotions from her new companion. Faye told Kiama about life on Tracken and her mother’s disappearance, and the lead up to the Dominion’s assault on their colony. The massacre and the very brief escape.

Bracing herself. Faye told Kiama about the mercenaries and Kodell. About being a slave and that was how she came to understand the value of being a servant in a household, even if her experiences had a different connotation than Kiama’s friend in her kitchen, or Faye’s work on the freighter’s and doubling as a cook. But most importantly she explained how she was still struggling to reconcile her time with Kodell and her feelings for Daggum. That despite all his reassurance (and Alex’s too), a part of her was terrified than when things shifted between them towards the physical, Faye would react in a way that would damage something between her and Dag.

Her head slightly bowed, Kiama closed her eyes more than once while she listened to Faye’s story. Between her own vivid imagine and the emotions she sensed from her friend it wasn’t difficult to understand how rough and traumatising it must have been for her. She didn’t interrupt her though and just listened closely, still holding Faye’s hand and giving her all the time and non-verbal support she needed.

Pulling her hand away gently, Faye swiped away the moisture from her cheeks. “It’s so unfair, Kiama!” she lamented. “I’ve waited all my life to feel like I do about Daggum and it pisses me off to have this other… thing, looming,” she said, sudden;y rather aware of the anger. Where had that come from? Tess nestled in closer and Faye focused on the tactile sensation of petting the purring the cat.

~Faye Calloway

“Yes, it is,” Kiama replied softly, tears glistening in her dark eyes as she looked at Faye. “You have every right to be angry and upset over it,” she continued and after a short pause asked gently, “Is there anything I can do? Would anything help you prepare or feel prepared for the physical part of the relationship between you and Daggum?”

~Kiama Naim

Faye shook her head as she shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I thought I had Kodell squared away in my mind, even if I had simply tried to pretend he hadn’t ever been there.” She gave a lopsided smirk. “We can see how well, that worked out.”

“You did the best you could to keep going and to protect yourself,” Kiama replied with a warm smile. “It worked for a while. Now it doesn’t anymore and you’re finding new ways to live with your past. There is nothing wrong or unusual about that.”

Exhaling Faye smiled at Kiama. “Thank you, for being there for me. I used to think in the aftermath of leaving Orion that I would just be ripped apart by it all, but I kept finding myself still going, somehow. I’m like a cat with nine lives,” she joked as Tess settled back into sleep again.

~Faye Calloway

“Always,” Kiama replied softly. “And yes, from what I know of your past you certainly seem to be like a cat with nine lives,” she chuckled softly and glanced at the kitten in Faye’s lap for a moment. “And Faye, my previous offer will always remain: I’m here for you no matter what and no matter when. Even if you just need someone to be here with you without talking about anything.” With another glace at Tess she added with a wink, “And while this little one has you stuck to the floor, I’m happy to fetch you anything you might need.”

~Kiama Naim

Faye laughed, rosing Tess, but only for a moment. “I wouldn’t mind some water, actually. Please and thanks.”

“Sure,“ Kiama nodded as she rose to her feet.

Inhaling, Faye let some of the tension leave her body. “So… the dress thing. Now you know why I’m sort of freaking out. I want to feel as good as I ever have. But dressing up for someone, even in a different context just keeps triggering something in my body I can’t quite connect properly to my head. It wouldn’t even be the same style of dress, but tell my body that.” She blew out a breath through her closed lips. “If you have any suggestions for that, I’ll gladly consider them.”

~Faye Calloway

“Actually, I have an idea. Not sure if it will work, but how about you try dressing up for me? Here in the safety of your quarters with Tess at your side,“ Kiama suggested as she handed one of the two glasses of water she had brought to Faye. “It would be a rather different situation so it may not actually help and yet maybe it’s worth a try?“ she mused as she sat down opposite Faye and Tess.

~Kiama Naim

Faye took the glass for Kiama and had a sip as her mind started pondering. And pondering. Lowering her hand with the glass, Faye tilted her head slightly, squinting now and again as she contemplated the different ways that suggestion might go. “Huh,” she said finally. It felt longer to her because her mind was working so hard but it really had only been a few seconds. “I think you might be on to something, actually.” Faye nodded. “Yeah, let’s try that. We have to go to the replicator and grab some options anyway, which means”-she looked down at Tess-“you Missy are just going to have to move. Luckily for you I have a little bed you might like. Even got a small blanket I’ve had next to me while I sleep,” she said, directing the last comment to Kiama. “It’s supposed to help for a faster bonding.”

~Faye Calloway