[ They are the blandest reports he's seen in his three-day history as an unofficial officer but he isn't about to let Chris see him being a nerd and investigating basic space-travel propulsion and improving their security system. ]
I could try and explain it to you later, but you seem awfully busy today chasing blue proverbial skirts through the cafeteria of your own ship.
[ Chris would delight in seeing Loki be a nerd. Even if whatever it was he was working on was boring, he'd sit and listen to the entire report just to see Loki be secretly proud of himself for working on a project with a team or sneakily improving things without letting everyone know what he's doing. ]
Is it really chasing when you sat still the whole time and pretended I wasn't here even though all your friends scattered like a fox jumped into the chicken coop the moment I walked through the door?
[ So it would seem their little spat has been well and truly patched up. Chris is relieved — though the anger he felt before hasn't entirely been washed away, and at some point he might circle back around to try and convince Loki that he's not trying to be an asshole but what he did has consequences — by the heat that flashes in Loki's eyes for a moment, heat that makes him want to reach out.
He restrains himself. ]
Lieutenant. [ Loud enough to stop Loki in his tracks but not loud enough to be heard through the entire mess hall; the tables nearby all stop and stare regardless. ]
Aren't you forgetting something?
[ At least pretend you've gone through the same basic training as everyone else, Loki, come on. ]
[ He has to force down the smirk alive in his blood, affecting a wide-eyed, soft-voiced sight who halts and turns back to look at his captain with nervous devotion in his gaze, lips bitten red and shining. He swallows for effect. ]
Sorry, sir. [ It's coquettish and entirely contrived when he looks down and up. ] It's been a day. May I ... ?
[ Laying it on a little thick seems to be Loki's forever-MO, and today is no exception.
Luckily, Chris is a rather adept actor himself, when the situation calls for it, and the only hint that he's deeply amused is the slight thinning of his lips and the flare of his nostrils as he suppresses a smile.
After a moment, he lifts his chin in a little nod. ]
[ His gaze lingers a moment longer before he turns and hurries out of the mess hall. In the corridor, as the doors close on his heels, the anxious forward-slouch of his walk dissolves into a relaxed stride all the way to the turbolift where he heads to Deck-H. The physics lab is his destination, wondering if he's going to be sidestepped yet again before he makes it there.
He wants to turn on his heel and drag Chris into the nearest fancy Starfleet closet to feel the heat of his body, the eagerness of his kisses, his broad shoulders and strong thighs plastered up against Loki again until he doesn't have mere memories to go on.
[ As much as he might want to get up and follow that slender figure as it walks out the door, Chris has responsibilities of his own that have nothing to do with following his own wants and desires, and he knows he can't.
So, he turns back to his meal and finishes what's on his plate, studiously ignoring everyone still staring at him and speculating just what that was about. It's none of their business.
Still, he can feel eyes on him for the rest of the day, word spreading through the mess like wildfire and only slightly slower through the rest of the ship, a juicy new tidbit of gossip for people to pass around like a hot potato. Belatedly, he realizes he never asked Loki where he was billeted, or rather, in whose bunk he was sleeping, since it's clear none of the yeomen assigned him any sort of quarters. Did he find an empty one and assign it to himself? Is he sharing with one of the other crewmembers? Where exactly is he staying?
It's a question that plagues him all the way through to the end of his shift, and he resolves to do a little more digging once he's in the privacy of his own rooms. There's nothing he can do about it while he's in the chair, he'll just have to wait. It's not that big of a ship, they'll run into each other soon. ]
[ Loki spends the rest of his day working on his new security code, sinking Asgardian runes hacked through with magic into a padd cut off from the rest of the main computer, testing which codes work best. Stark would do the same, he's sure, but Loki's codes are a virus and he has to make them recognise a kind of neural loyalty to Starfleet's before letting them loose.
He wouldn't before talking to Chris, anyway. Not because he gives a damn about the ship but because Chris cares about it and so Loki must by extension too, it becomes something like a law instead of a choice.
When he's done, he makes his way into an access chute and crawls his way to the warmer jefferies tubes near the rear of the ship, arms around himself as he lets the hum of The Enterprise lull him just like the heartbeat of Yggdrasil. Curled up, he catches some Z's for a couple of hours to be fresh for whenever he emerges. ]
[ After a few hours left alone in his room with his own computer banks, combing through all the reports that have been delivered to him that day, one tiny little anomaly grabs his attention: one of the jeffries tubes has been accessed for no reason that he can see.
Intrigued, he calls up the security cameras, watching the occasional crewperson walk through the halls, each of them scurrying on their own way with the kind of hustle that indicates a man on a mission, and he's just about to dismiss the footage when finally, he sees a blue shirt worn on the right kind of body, the right fall of inky-black hair suspended above, the right shape of the hands that reach for the control panel.
Loki.
Torn between amusement and confusion, he watches Loki open up an access chute and climb up inside, disappearing out of sight.
Fifteen minutes later, he finds himself outside of that access chute, opening the access panel. ]
[ He was just starting to doze off when his actual name brings him to full consciousness. He blinks at the ceiling above, twists around in the narrow crawlspace, and around the corner of the jefferies tube his head pops out with a smile. ]
Yes?
[ As if he's been disturbed doing something perfectly normal. ]
[ It's said with the kind of tone one uses when discovering a cat trapped in a kitchen cabinet, not in one expecting much of an answer. Loki doesn't look uncomfortable, but... ]
[ There are security cameras in every hallway, and the chance of a member of crew passing by with no warning is not insignificant.
Chris restrains himself from pulling Loki close and kissing him, but he doesn't stop himself from reaching in and tucking a piece of hair that refuses to lie with the rest behind his ear, letting his fingers linger briefly at the hinge of Loki's jaw. ]
[ Surprise colours his cheeks and he tips his head into the touch, listing forward a little without leaving the spot. Chris is the whole reason Loki came here. The only. He's so tired of exploring everything and everyone else, but he keeps a check on his wants while in public.
He does respect Chris, mischief aside. ]
I've been trying to make your security codes stronger, it's been grim work. Is there somewhere I can rest? Not a mess hall.
[ The pink rising to his cheeks and the way Loki sways into his touch makes Chris want to pull him closer even more, but he continues to resist and simply lets his hand drop.
He can do a lot more touching later. ]
I know of a place.
[ Security codes is not a life sciences project. Has Loki been taking on extra work while pretending to do whatever it was Lukas was assigned? Perhaps Chris should be more worried at learning he'd been tinkering with the ship's security, but he's not.
[ It's more of a grumble about having lost that touch than anything although Loki would also just make a terrible officer, if he ever tried to really be one. He walks beside Chris and stifles a yawn, hands clasped behind his back. ]
[ He slants a smile at Loki as they walk through the corridors, Chris gently steering them towards the turbolifts that go directly to the officers' quarters floor, as it's less likely to be populated at this hour of the night. ]
Most of my job is reviewing reports, sadly. It was not made clear to me when I started the Command Training Program how much of captaincy is paperwork.
You would be surprised how much of being a god is answering summons when you're already busy. I suspect it's in the same vein, being pulled away from what you want to do to answer for other people.
[ Just waiting to see if their turbolift is empty ... ]
Mm. [ They have to stand and wait for the turbolift to arrive, and when it does, it opens to release a red-shirted Tellarite with whom Chris exchanges banal pleasantries as he exits, and then it's just the two of them again. ] You haven't had any summons while you've been here, have you?
[ Doors closing with a hiss, Loki half-steps behind Chris to run a hand up the back of his golden shirt, slipping back down to the curve at the base where his posture is well-practiced. If someone else enters Loki can move away easily; he isn't as reckless as he was at the market but the attraction simmering through his veins runs just as hot. ]
Luckily, not many people want me to save the day for them.
[ Chris doesn't quite shiver when Loki slides his hand up and along the length of his spine, but it's a close call.
Watching their reflections in the shiny doors of the turbolift, Chris is torn between smiling and frowning in consternation. He's such a creature molded by responsibility and duty that he feels compelled to protest Loki shirking any summons he might receive because of being on the Enterprise and yet... ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Chris raises his eyebrows. ]
Is that so.
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[ They are the blandest reports he's seen in his three-day history as an unofficial officer but he isn't about to let Chris see him being a nerd and investigating basic space-travel propulsion and improving their security system. ]
I could try and explain it to you later, but you seem awfully busy today chasing blue proverbial skirts through the cafeteria of your own ship.
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Is it really chasing when you sat still the whole time and pretended I wasn't here even though all your friends scattered like a fox jumped into the chicken coop the moment I walked through the door?
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[ Huh? Smart guy! Answer him that. ]
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[ He winks, smirking like a smug asshole, obviously joking.
It's obvious, right? He's joking. He is. ]
Besides. There might be a mutiny on board if word got around was I kissing my lieutenants in the mess hall.
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[ The steady promise of heat is swept away as Loki's expression switches to an anxious crewman, babbling loud enough for anyone to hear. ]
I'll keep that in mind for the future, sir, yes. Thank you, Captain.
[ He shuffles with an awkwardness not his own out from the table, tugging down his shirt as he heads toward the door. ]
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He restrains himself. ]
Lieutenant. [ Loud enough to stop Loki in his tracks but not loud enough to be heard through the entire mess hall; the tables nearby all stop and stare regardless. ]
Aren't you forgetting something?
[ At least pretend you've gone through the same basic training as everyone else, Loki, come on. ]
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Sorry, sir. [ It's coquettish and entirely contrived when he looks down and up. ] It's been a day. May I ... ?
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Luckily, Chris is a rather adept actor himself, when the situation calls for it, and the only hint that he's deeply amused is the slight thinning of his lips and the flare of his nostrils as he suppresses a smile.
After a moment, he lifts his chin in a little nod. ]
Dismissed.
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[ His gaze lingers a moment longer before he turns and hurries out of the mess hall. In the corridor, as the doors close on his heels, the anxious forward-slouch of his walk dissolves into a relaxed stride all the way to the turbolift where he heads to Deck-H. The physics lab is his destination, wondering if he's going to be sidestepped yet again before he makes it there.
He wants to turn on his heel and drag Chris into the nearest fancy Starfleet closet to feel the heat of his body, the eagerness of his kisses, his broad shoulders and strong thighs plastered up against Loki again until he doesn't have mere memories to go on.
But he keeps walking, serenely. ]
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So, he turns back to his meal and finishes what's on his plate, studiously ignoring everyone still staring at him and speculating just what that was about. It's none of their business.
Still, he can feel eyes on him for the rest of the day, word spreading through the mess like wildfire and only slightly slower through the rest of the ship, a juicy new tidbit of gossip for people to pass around like a hot potato. Belatedly, he realizes he never asked Loki where he was billeted, or rather, in whose bunk he was sleeping, since it's clear none of the yeomen assigned him any sort of quarters. Did he find an empty one and assign it to himself? Is he sharing with one of the other crewmembers? Where exactly is he staying?
It's a question that plagues him all the way through to the end of his shift, and he resolves to do a little more digging once he's in the privacy of his own rooms. There's nothing he can do about it while he's in the chair, he'll just have to wait. It's not that big of a ship, they'll run into each other soon. ]
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He wouldn't before talking to Chris, anyway. Not because he gives a damn about the ship but because Chris cares about it and so Loki must by extension too, it becomes something like a law instead of a choice.
When he's done, he makes his way into an access chute and crawls his way to the warmer jefferies tubes near the rear of the ship, arms around himself as he lets the hum of The Enterprise lull him just like the heartbeat of Yggdrasil. Curled up, he catches some Z's for a couple of hours to be fresh for whenever he emerges. ]
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Intrigued, he calls up the security cameras, watching the occasional crewperson walk through the halls, each of them scurrying on their own way with the kind of hustle that indicates a man on a mission, and he's just about to dismiss the footage when finally, he sees a blue shirt worn on the right kind of body, the right fall of inky-black hair suspended above, the right shape of the hands that reach for the control panel.
Loki.
Torn between amusement and confusion, he watches Loki open up an access chute and climb up inside, disappearing out of sight.
Fifteen minutes later, he finds himself outside of that access chute, opening the access panel. ]
Loki?
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Yes?
[ As if he's been disturbed doing something perfectly normal. ]
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[ It's said with the kind of tone one uses when discovering a cat trapped in a kitchen cabinet, not in one expecting much of an answer. Loki doesn't look uncomfortable, but... ]
Come here, come out.
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[ It sounds stupid out loud. Loki crawls out and dusts himself down in the corridor, raking back his hair. ]
What are you doing stalking my whereabouts? Can't stay away?
[ Heh!! ]
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Chris restrains himself from pulling Loki close and kissing him, but he doesn't stop himself from reaching in and tucking a piece of hair that refuses to lie with the rest behind his ear, letting his fingers linger briefly at the hinge of Loki's jaw. ]
Yes.
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He does respect Chris, mischief aside. ]
I've been trying to make your security codes stronger, it's been grim work. Is there somewhere I can rest? Not a mess hall.
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He can do a lot more touching later. ]
I know of a place.
[ Security codes is not a life sciences project. Has Loki been taking on extra work while pretending to do whatever it was Lukas was assigned? Perhaps Chris should be more worried at learning he'd been tinkering with the ship's security, but he's not.
It's Loki. It's fine. ]
Follow me.
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[ It's more of a grumble about having lost that touch than anything although Loki would also just make a terrible officer, if he ever tried to really be one. He walks beside Chris and stifles a yawn, hands clasped behind his back. ]
What have you been up to all day?
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[ He slants a smile at Loki as they walk through the corridors, Chris gently steering them towards the turbolifts that go directly to the officers' quarters floor, as it's less likely to be populated at this hour of the night. ]
Most of my job is reviewing reports, sadly. It was not made clear to me when I started the Command Training Program how much of captaincy is paperwork.
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[ Just waiting to see if their turbolift is empty ... ]
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[ Doors closing with a hiss, Loki half-steps behind Chris to run a hand up the back of his golden shirt, slipping back down to the curve at the base where his posture is well-practiced. If someone else enters Loki can move away easily; he isn't as reckless as he was at the market but the attraction simmering through his veins runs just as hot. ]
Luckily, not many people want me to save the day for them.
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Watching their reflections in the shiny doors of the turbolift, Chris is torn between smiling and frowning in consternation. He's such a creature molded by responsibility and duty that he feels compelled to protest Loki shirking any summons he might receive because of being on the Enterprise and yet... ]
I wouldn't mind it.
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