Posted by Commander Dr. Royal Sinclair (Executive Officer) in XO’s Quarters - Sleepover? Slumber Party? No Idea What To Call It

Posted by Lieutenant Corinne Dalton (Scientist) in XO’s Quarters - Sleepover? Slumber Party? No Idea What To Call It

Posted by Commander Dr. Royal Sinclair (Executive Officer) in XO’s Quarters - Sleepover? Slumber Party? No Idea What To Call It
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

She held her cup in both hands and shook her head slightly. “I love that you did that even if it surprises me. It shouldn’t, knowing what we know now about our feelings, but it was one of those pleasant surprises. I think, having had some space from the Saracen now, I can see that I was afraid of someone caring about me again, n any way. I was afraid of being left behind again, even though incidentally I was the one leaving people behind.” Cori brought the cup to her lips and sipped carefully.

~Corinne Dalton

Royal stared at her for a long time before finally saying “I have no intention of ever leaving you behind, Cori.... anywhere.” and he took a deep breath and then said “And I won’t let anyone take you away, either. Not again. I can see you.... hear you… feel you… I won’t let that get away.”

Royal Sinclair

There was such an intensity to his words, an earnestness that she knew was based in truth. It made her cheeks warm. She dropped her gaze into her teacup before she took another sip. She should say something, reply in some way. Counter with her own promise, but there was a strange feeling she couldn’t shake. “I’m scared to make promises to you,” she said softly, lifting her eyes to his. “I’ve disappeared twice now, and I just worry that it’s not fair to either of us to make such a promise, because life is strange and we can’t control all the variables. In some ways, the old Cori had it right by living in the moment. You can think about the future, sure, but I’m not sure I can think past each today that arises.”

~Corinne Dalton

Royal set his cup down on the table and stood up and walked over to Cori, standing in front of her. Slowly, he lowered himself down until he was sitting on the floor in front of her. He took her cup, set it aside, and then took her hands in his. He looked deep into her brilliant blue eyes for long moments in silence before he said “I am not asking you for promises, Corinne Dalton. And I do not expect them. I said what I said because it is a fact. Not a promise… a certainty. I am not in charge of you, and I will never tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with your own life. But I will tell you that it is a fact that I will never leave you behind. Not ever. And I’m not looking for ‘fair’, Cori. And I’m not looking for ‘normal’ or ‘controlled’.” He took a deep breath and then said “I am just looking at you. That’s all I have wanted to look at for the past two years… and all I want to look at for the rest.”

Royal Sinclair

The earnest and heartfelt truth he was offering her was so simple as to be at first unbelievable. It was easy to dismiss the words, but not only could she not, the physical presence of him before her, the sensations his grasp on her hands generated in her body were far too real. Here he was declaring the facts as he knew them and Cori could see the layers underpinning each one. He was not asking her for anything but to believe him. Royal knew that she had a hard time trusting, that words were pretty and easily betrayed. He was not declaring love in some way that relied on fanciful dreams, on aspirations. He was just there, letting her know she was seen. At their core, wasn’t that what most emotional sapient being truly desired. To be seen, to be counted, to be reassured that they were not alone even as each step they took was their own. Alone, but together. She knew all this as surely as her chest rose and fell in a rhythm that was beautifully new to her again. Cori felt her heart was more open in this moment than any previous in her existence.

For several moments that stretched between breaths, Corinne Dalton just studied him till at least she nodded, squeezing his hands. “I feel your hands holding mine. I can see the truth in your eyes and this rather speedy new brain of mine can calculate the vectors this moment can have. And none of it matters. Because those are all rational.” Until she started speaking she wasn’t sure what she would say to him. This wasn’t love in a way she had known it before. It was not the careless lust of youth, nor the the conniving machinations of coercion, nor the unbalanced take from what should have been a partnership. No, he was offering her something so different that she wasn’t sure there were words to define it. “I believe you, Royal Sinclair, and every cell in my body says I can trust you. That you are happy with whatever I feel comfortable to share.” Her bright eyes blurred. “I don’t know if what I’m feeling right now is love or not, but I do know I am… happy. Content. And it’s a really nice feeling!” she said, breaking into a laugh.

~Corinne Dalton

Royal listened to her… heard her. When she said ‘love’, he smiled. “If all that comes from this is you being happy, then I will be satisfied. You deserve happiness. And you deserve love. If I can be a source of just the former, so be it. But… if at some point you decide that I can be a source of the latter… then I will more than happy to be that for you, too. But hey…” and he grinned at her and winked.

“No pressure.” and he laughed and then pulled her onto an embrace that seemed like it was made just for her.

Royal Sinclair

With a chuckle, Cori snuggled into his embrace, breathing in the smell of him, feeling his heart pulse in his chest. No pressure. And there hadn’t bene the whole evening. They had promised each other that and it seemed to be rather easy despite the unexpected twists and turns the evening had taken.

She stayed that way for awhile until at last she pulled back and gazed at him. Reaching up, she rested her hand along his strong jaw. “What a crazy, wonderful life.”

~Corinne Dalton