Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side sim - Sickbay Shenanigans

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side sim - Sickbay Shenanigans

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side sim - Sickbay Shenanigans
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“Perhaps so, but they also spend less time with the animals. It is in no one else’s notes that he won’t eat the flies,” Roman replied. He didn’t think she was questioning his lab staff at all. In fact, once again, he wasn’t sure what exactly she was apologizing for. He was distracted, though, when she called him ‘commander’, a part of him wishing she’d call him Roman again. “At any rate, the lab looks forward to your visits, we are all waiting for your return to duty.” He said, sipping from his own mug.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

She opened her mouth to ask him if he was waiting for her to come back, but stopped herself. To cover the awkwardness that she had obviously been going to say something, she said the first thing that came to mind. “I didn’t put that on the card by his enclosure? I..I’m sure I wouldn’t forget to do that.” Of course that had been a recent discovery, with her injury, maybe the written note never got transferred. She stood up and headed for her computer to check, moving too fast, not careful of how she put weight on the injured foot, and it gave out, and she fell, with nothing to grab onto.

Yeoman Rand

“I don’t recall seein-” he cut himself off as Rand started to head for the computer, standing to help her. Before he could say ‘sit down’ she was beginning to fall, and only because he was already headed for her was he there in time to stop her fall, catching her as gently as he could. “If you’re not more careful, Miranda, they’ll have you back in Sickbay before you can say ‘duty’,” said Roman, using her full name for the second time, still holding on to her after catching her.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand had her hands out to catch herself when she started to fall, and then she was suddenly not falling, but was in fact caught firmly in Roman’s arms, her hands trapped between them. Rand thought she might die of embarrassment. Except he was really close, he was more than close, he had his arms around her! All poor Rand could do was stand really still and look up at him. It was wonderful and terrifying at the same time. “I’d rather stay right here, Roman.” What? What did she just say? Please, please let him think she meant she didn’t want to go to sickbay…but there was no way, (Rand would not be that lucky…or maybe unlucky?), Roman didn’t realize she meant she wanted to stay with him. Long habit made her want to hide her hands behind her back to hide her nervousness, but they were firmly trapped between them, so instead her fingers had curled into his shirt. And she was too breathless to do or say anything else.

Yeoman Rand

The words certainly surprised him, and Roman definitely did not think she meant not in Sickbay. But here. With him. Like, in his arms. Roman had never been a blusher but now, if Rand was looking, she’d see the color in his face. His arms were around her and she was pressed against him closely enough there was nowhere for her arms to go except against his chest. And he wished he could sit there and hold her forever. He was not as tongue tied as she was, instead, his mouth seemed to get looser as he said, “Stay as long as you like.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand was too worried over her own embarrassment to notice his. Did…did he just tell her to stay? She was dreaming, she had to be dreaming. She was hyped up on pain killers and was dreaming OR she fell, hit her head, and was confused and didn’t understand. That had to be it, he meant to stay still because she hit her head. That theory only held for about half a second when she realized she was standing, so no where to hit her head. Rand had no idea what she was supposed to do. Should she stay or try to step away from him? She didn’t want to do that, but should she? Should she say something? And if so what? She had no theories about that at all. She was breathing like she’d run a mile, and her pulse was racing like it too, and her hands were still curled into his shirt. By the time she actually looked up at him, she’d worked herself into a fine nervous state, but she really didn’t want to move. Oh…he has nice eyes and she prayed she didn’t say that out loud. She stood there for a long time not saying a thing, completely tongue-tied, until she finally had to shift her weight off her foot. But instead of shifting her away it kept her where she was.

Yeoman Rand

The position he was in, holding her, was rather awkward and Roman was beginning to get sore. But he didn’t want to let her go. He could tell she was getting nervous, and he wondered if it was because she liked him and wanted him to not stop, or because she didn’t know how to ask him to let her go. Finally, a moment after she shifted her injured foot, he loosened his grip on her, giving her the option of stepping away. But he hadn’t completely let her go, because he really didn’t want to.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

She didn’t want to move, but when he loosened his grip she thought maybe he wanted her to move away, but he didn’t let go of her either. She stayed there long enough that he would know she was nervous because she liked him and not because she wanted him to let go. But in the end it was her foot that decided it as it began to throb. She shifted her weight again, so they were standing more upright. She wanted to call him Roman, the way he called her Miranda, but she wasn’t sure if she should. But he hadn’t told her not to. “Cm…Roman? Umm…my foot…it’s starting to ache…I…should I…I should sit down?”

Yeoman Rand

Letting her the rest of the way go, he nodded. “Yeah…” He said, somewhat awkwardly. The way she said his first name, even as awkward as the situation was, made him feel really, really happy. And then, after he was sure she had her balance and could make her own way back to her seat, he sat down at the table once again, wishing he hadn’t had to let her go as the warmth from where she’d been touching him began to dissipate.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

If he had to let her go, Rand would have preferred to go to the computer, but to do that was would have been forced to try and get past him. She really didn’t think that counted as her ‘being careful.’ So she sat back down at the table and picked up the coffee and sipped at it for the warmth where she suddenly felt cold. She was still breathless and confused. She didn’t know what to say, she didn’t want to mention anything about what had just happened. Just let it be and then she didn’t have to worry about accidently saying something she should not. It wasn’t that she minded the silence, or even being silent around Roman, it was comfortable and easy, when they were on duty, but this…whatever had just happened was confusing.

“Oh, you said Nibbles was lonely.” She turned in her seat and reached for a bundle from the laundry. She pulled out a strange looking garment that upon closer inspection was a uniform, or had been. A mix of red, blue, and gold, with different collars and rank stripes. She took a pair of scissors and cut a gold strip off of it. It had been part of one of her uniforms. “She liked that part of my sleeve until it almost fell apart. Maybe that will help.” Her voice was very soft and shy. What had just happened? She wasn’t sure.

Yeoman Rand