Posted by Captain Orvos Legen (Commanding Officer) in The Parthenon - Once in a Century

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (Counsellor) in The Parthenon - Once in a Century

Posted by Captain Orvos Legen (Commanding Officer) in The Parthenon - Once in a Century
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

There was an earnestness and even a slight nervousness tinge to his words, though it was something she felt rather than heard. “About us?” Janna shook her head. “Not at all. It’s like I said before, I knew you had to be ready to move forward before anything could even happen, even though we both knew there was something here. But I think also that you needed time to put your fears into perspective. Did it have to coincide with becoming captain? No, but I think it pushed things forward in a way that freed us both. I mean, I’m a very patient person, Orvos, and there hasn’t been anyone else I’ve been interested, but that didn’t mean there couldn’t have been.” She leaned forward as she picked up her fork. “I’m glad for this, and I hope you are too.”

Orvos gave an eased smile as he listened to her speak. She certainly was a patient woman. Aside from her job, he alone was hard to deal with. He was good at avoiding situations. “I’m sorry it took so long. If I regret anything it would be how long I denied reality. Rest assured, I’m exceptionally glad that’s changed.” He grinned broader and speared a piece of chicken from her plate.

“By the way, I knew something would happen that day we played pool in the rec room and we went to the holodeck.” And with that Janna cheekily started eating by spearing a piece of grilled chicken and popping it into her mouth, green eyes glimmering.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos’s eyebrows raised. “Oh did you now? What gave that away, hmmm?” he asked with the barest hint of laugh in his voice.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Khabal silently returned and place Orvos’ order on the table.

“If you need anything else, fell free to ask.”

• Khabal

“Thank you,” Janna said with a warm smile.

She returned her attention back to Orvos as she twirled some of the creamy pasta onto her fork. “You asked such deep and personal questions. You did what most people never would with a psychologist you just met: you got personal. Most people are too afraid of being examined, but you were okay with whatever I might do in that regard and did so back. And in doing so we just made each other more curious about the other, knowing there were deep depths to be explored. For explorers such as us, that is priceless.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos grinned genuinely, unable to keep his thoughts to himself with her. “Well, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, its that getting direct can throw people off. Most people are quite thrown off by that, but you weren’t. I’d honestly be lying if I said that hadn’t had a serious part in my own attraction to you. You simply went with it and kept it going. Seeing how you responded made me want to know even more. I’ve not been disappointed. I like to think its an El Aurian trait. Listeners or loremasters of the galaxy. I’ve always loved stories. Getting to know people can come quite easy to me. Even if I don’t always share everything about myself from the get go. But you…you had quite the effect on me. A part of me is struggling to determine whether it was that brilliant mind of yours or your more physical assets that kept me hooked.” He gave a shake of his head before adding. “Likely a bit of both I imagine.” He gave her an amused expression, his eyes admiring her presently as he observed her reactions.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

She flashed him a grin, her pale green eyes aglow. “I have many wonderful qualities. It quite frankly could have been any of them.”

Orvos leaned back and smirked, her confidence and ease to their chemistry adding to attraction he felt for her. “And you are absolutely correct.”

Janna ate more of her pasta and then looked back at him. “After everything went down with Kivon, a part of thought I was crazy to want something to happen between us. And it wasn’t just the whole Nexus thing and out connection that continued to draw me to you. I don’t know how to quite explain it other than I think you saw a deeper part of me that people have not in the past and I wasn’t willing to give that up so easily. Our natural chemistry was just an added bonus.”

His smirk had now turned into a gentle smile. “It’s certainly possible that I have. Quite frankly, I like what what I see in you. I trust you. Talking with you and sharing of myself has become easier and easier as we spend time together.” He said, his grin reaching his eyes as he practically stared into her, his eyes meeting hers and not daring to move away.

He had an endless gaze that drew her in and Janna held this moment, not wanting it to end. She knew her burgeoning abilities allowed her to read him on a much deeper level, but she was certain that it was far more than some technical ability. Her happiness in the moment floated between them, something tangible they could all but touch and hold.

“The question becomes, as we have our first public date, what now? Not that I’m in any rush or anything. I’m just curious.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Bump

He leaned over and took a bit of his food, clearly pondering her question. “Well, I didn’t get much time to interact with your parents when they were here. Probably a good idea to get more acquainted with them? As for us right now, keep getting together like this. We also still have other things to take care of. Training you in these new…abilities?…may also need to have some sort of priority. What are your thoughts?” he said, his ears open to hearing, but his mind also delicately reaching out at hers in curiosity.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Janna ate a bite of her pasta, pleased with how creamy it was. The gentle brush of his was reflected back to him, letting him in enough to know that she was both content and nervous. “Well, I think testing my abilities more would be good, and it would give Ben more metrics to work with.”

“And yes to more dates, for sure,” she said with a grin. “But also in regards to my moms. You met one, but she’s honestly the easier to get past. I didn’t tell her very thing though Orovos and she knows something is up with me but I told her I wasn’t ready to talk about it. It might be time for me to explain it all to them both. It might help to have you there because even now the Nexus is confusing to me.” She flicked her eyes away, but only briefly as she steadied the flux of emotions those memories brought back. It was a heady mix of terror, confusion, anger and desperation. It was not comfortable but she did acknowledge that she still had feelings about that episode with Ali on that were unrelated to Orvos and his choices. She was over that part. They had worked through all of that.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos could sense the mental storm resonating in the recesses of her mind. It wasn’t full blown, the metaphorical thunder was there. He reached out with his own peaceful understandings of it. His hand reflexively reached out. “The Nexus is a lot to try to understand. If you’re going to explain it at all, I ought to be there. Besides…I’d like to meet them in person anyway. Since you know, we’re probably going to be having a lot more meetings together.” He gave her a flirty grin before adding, “You don’t have to go it alone.”

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

His touch soothed her and Janna drew in a deep breath. “You know, in some cultures, meeting the family is an escalation of the seriousness of a relationship. Are you sure you’re ready for that?” she asked. His comment about going it alone struck her though and she was still processing its implications. Had she been going it alone? Perhaps so.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos gave her a gentle smile at her words. “I’m ready, yes. You see, all of this, what we’re doing…it’s been a long while coming. I never wanted to admit it before because I had no idea whether I would be here on the ship? I had no idea the future that was in store. I’ve lost people…many people. I lost my wife and children to the borg. The last thing I wanted to do was get involved with someone, only to see it snuffed out again. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was having feelings for you. Somehow, you helped me look past that fear. I mean, sure, yeah we had that one night after I’d had perhaps too much to drink. But…I don’t have any regrets. And I definitely remember every bit of the morning. So, I hope it’s clear…I’ve been in denial for some time. And I’m a lot older to be fair. I know what I want, even if I deny it on the surface. But I’m not going to rush you into anything. I’m ready to move forward a bit. The questions is, are you?”

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Janna was suddenly overwhelmed by an intensity of emotion. She turned her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “I’ve been the one who didn’t want to rush you, remember?” she said, smirking with shining eyes. “I have been equally scared to get too close to others at times, because a life in Starfleet is dangerous, and my condition meant more risk for me. But I’m not afraid of a future with you Orvos Legen, whatever that might entail, and however long that might last. I want to be with you, share our journey together. And this isn’t me pushing too far, just being honest. I’ve waited for someone like you a long time- maybe not as long as you’ve been waiting, but long enough for me. So I too am ready.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Her sharing of her feelings to him audibly made his mind reach out all the more. He smiled as he brought her hand to his lips, his mind also pushing more towards her own. He tenderly kissed the top of her hand and then let go. “Together…” he repeated.

She felt his response more than even the words conveyed and it made her smile.

“Though, you’ve been warned, I am indeed a bit quirky,” he added teasingly before stabbing at another bite of food. “I guess we’ll see if your parents can handle that. Though, whether they do or don’t is entirely on them.” He then leaned back and added thoughtfully. “I like quirky. And I like you! Perhaps they’re used to quirky already.” He said with a chuckle.

Janna laughed. “One is a sociologist and the other is a scientist. They’re used to quirky.”

He laughed. “That’s a good thing!”

“That being said, how often do we start doing this? A meal a week, a day, every meal? If I’m going to be honest, now that we’re actually doing this, I would do this every meal if possible.” He said with a happy smile on his face.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

It was one of those things where her heart wanted to jump ahead, but she also knew that they both needed to be sure of each step as they went. On the other hand, if anything was true when it came to the two of them it was that they were far more impulsive with each other than they were in other areas of their lives. “I’m open to the possibilities. Why don’t we try to meet for a meal once a day, even if it’s just coffee in the morning before we start our shifts. Both our jobs are so unpredictable that I think we’ll need to steal opportunities when we can. But I definitely want more time with you, and I think it’s my turn next to plan a date,” she said with a grin.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos grinned genuinely. “You know I’m always looking forward to it. Time with you. It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced anything like this. But…it’s a good thing. I’ve spent so long not wanting anyone close after what happened with my wife and children. I didn’t want to feel that pain again. To experience loss. You’ve helped me realize though that it’s worth it all in the end. Every moment.”

Her smile was soft and sincere. “We can’t know what joy is without having despair. And we can’t know love without loss. It’s all inextricably linked to being a person existing in the multiverse.”

He then speared some more of his food and added, “Now, anyone else I may need to be worried about besides your parents? Old boyfriends trying to reclaim their love for you? Time traveling baddies with nefarious ideas? Section 31?” He raised an eyebrow teasingly.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Janna laughed. “No, I’m not going to say you know everything there is to know about me, but I have no secrets from you. I’ve had flings and relationships, but nothing that stood the test of time. Or Starfleet,” she said with a wry grin.

~Janna Kingston, CNS