Moving in

Posted on Tue Jan 19th, 2021 @ 7:33am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Season 4: Episode 3: Guided by Starlight
Location: Deck 17; Corridor J-12
Timeline: Before Away Team departure
2048 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Naxea caught sight of S'hib as he seemed to be heading in the direction of her quarters. "Hey S'hib," she called out as she picked up her pace to catch up with him. She recalled that they had talked about moving in to help relieve his anxiety about being alone but had never gotten around to it due to being constantly on the go the past several weeks.

“Naxea?” He blurted out while spinning around on one hoof. “I uh,” He gestured behind him, stumbling around to confused stop. “Was just coming to see you.” He finished, his brow curling into a frown. “You’re not busy are you?”

"Actually I'm not," she said, for once glad to be able to step away from her duties to the detachment. "What did you want to see me about because I wanted to talk with you about something as well."

"Oh good," He sighed with relief, letting his posture relax before his eyes shot open like a startled colt. "Wait, you did? what about?" he spluttered, seemingly forgetting why he was heading to hers in the first place.

Seeing S'hib's reaction caused Naxea to laugh as she placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Oh don't get so worked up. I only wanted to continue our talk about my offer for you to move in with me if you wanted to. We hadn't got much time lately to discuss it."

"We hadn't had much time for anything, which was why I was coming to see you..." He confessed, slowly blinking as he moved closer, a warm smile on his muzzle. "I've spent so much time away from my own quarter's lately, I'd completely forgotten about the offer."

Another hoof clicked forward and then his head fell against her shoulder, his thick neck pressing against her face, demanding this hug whether she wanted it or not.

Naxea couldn't help but chuckle as she wrapped her arms around his neck for a light squeeze. "You're such a big softy."

He snorted at this, pulling her closer before standing up and adjusting his uniform. "I'm not, you just give good hugs."

"Uh huh," she said as she let go. "So about moving in, are you still interested? I want you to be sure about this."

He smiled, brushing the side of his hand against her cheek and into her hair, almost mesmerised by the touch for a moment. "I am, but... are you, I mean... I take up a lot of room if you hadn't noticed."

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have agreed to it," she replied before grabbing his arm and leading him down the corridor towards her quarters. "And if it's not, then we can submit a request for bigger quarters."

“That wouldn't be fair on you though,” He protested, allowing himself to be lead down the corridor. “Making you move too...”

"We'd qualify for bigger quarters anyways once we're married," Naxea replied with a shrug. "Besides, Marines are used to moving," she smiled.

"Well, this Marine..." S'hib grinned, leaning close and snorting into the back of her head, blowing loose hair out of place. "Better get used to me tagging along."

"Only if you stop doing that," she looked up at him, waving a cautionary finger with a grin. They approached her quarters and Naxea came to a stop as the doors to her quarters opened upon recognizing her biosignature.

"Might want to turn that off if I'm moving in, since... you know, I don't wear clothes at home." He said awkwardly as the realisation dawned on him, that there would be a lot of social aspects they would both have to adjust too.

Naxea entered, beckoning for S'hib to follow. "Is that right?" she asked, smiling. "It only opens automatically whenever I approach the door from the outside. Anyone else has to open it has to get my authorization...however, I can get it disabled if you're that conscious about it."

"I know how it works," He sulked as he walked slowly inside, ducking under the doorframe and into what would now possibly be his home. "I'm just overthinking things, like usual."

Naxea smiled at him. "No, it's alright. I don't have an issue getting it changed. So will this be enough room or do we pester Operations about a change of rooms?" she asked as she turned her attention to her quarters.

"Well, we'd need a new bed regardless..." He frowned, though he was still smiling. "Even with mine my hooves sometimes hang over the edge."

The bedroom did seem rather small for someone of S'hib's size. It would be possible to fit a bigger bed but there would be considerably less space around the bed. "So looks like we're going to have get a bed specially fabricated," she asked, taking a look at S'hib and then her bedroom as her mind worked over the details.

He stared at her, his eyes flicking between her features, the way her eyes moved and the subtle movements of her lips. "I am sorry about this, I know things haven't been easy lately... And I don't want you to feel like you have to leave the one place you can relax... just to make me happy, because I'm already happy." He smiled as he moved close, wrapping his arms gently around her and pulling her shoulder against his chest, resting his lips gently against the top of her head.

"But you said you're having trouble sleeping because of feeling alone, S'hib," she protested, enjoying his closeness and warmth. "We're engaged now...which means I am happy with you."

"So am I, and yes... I'm still not sleeping well," He sighed, closing his eyes. "Least now I'm assistant chief of security I have more duties to keep my mind occupied."

"Then let's get you moved, shall we?" she suggested. "If you have the time that is. We can start with fabricating the correct bed."

A soft smile crept onto his lips as she spoke, feeling her voice vibrate against his chest. "I'll always have the time for you, Naxea..." He declared proudly. "Correct bed or not."

Naxea looked at S'hib for a moment before embracing him. "Well, I could keep the bed and you on the deck if you'd prefer?" she teased with a grin, looking up at him

"I dunno, last time we involved your desk in anything I'm pretty sure we broke a leg..." He snorted, the tip of his tongue poking out between his teeth as he teased her back.

Naxea stopped before replying, starting to laugh instead as she realized he had misheard her. "Better make sure the new bed is sturdy then," she winked at him with a smile before leading him to the nearest fabrication room.

"I would suggest a sleeping pit, but I feel it might be a bit too unusual..." He smiled, though a puzzling frown formed as he followed along. "I guess, we Sequus just have to do everything differently."

"A sleeping pit?" she asked, brows furrowing in confusion. "As in an actual pit?"

"It's more of a shallow bowl I suppose... we just call them pits, though they're normally quite large for communal purposes." He said, somewhat unsure of how to describe something he had never really had to explain before.

"However, they are rather comfortable... We had a small one on the farm on earth."

Naxea thought over the idea. Between S'hib, some sheets, and padding, she imagined it would be rather comfortable. She had slept in much worse. "Alright, we'll give your pit a try then," she agreed.

"I could show you on the holodeck first... before we commit to anything." He suggested, not wanting Naxea to sacrifice something so significant as her own bed just for his comfort.

"I'll be fine," she reassured him, patting his arm with her other hand.

His hand covered hers, holding it against his arm and enjoying the affection she gave him. "I know... but I still worry, it's just what I do."

==Thirty minutes later==

Naxea stood in her quarters with S'hib as she looked at the Sequus pit that had replaced her bed. It sat elevated slightly to allow for the depression without having to cut into the deck which was against Starfleet Regulations. Despite the name, it did look rather comfortable and cozy with the added padding, pillows and sheets.

“Just missing the hay...” He proclaimed with a great deal of effort behind his words to sound sincere.

"Nope. Hay is too itchy," Naxea commented with a shake of her head and a grin. "Besides, the blankets, pillows, and padding would be much warmer. Not to mention me. But seriously, is everything ok with the pit?"

"I don't know yet..." He smirked, idly clicking over to Naxea. "But," He snorted before leaning down and picking her up in his arms before she could protest. "I have an idea," S'hib added with a warm sigh, already moving over to the pit and sitting on the side, it's thick wooden frame supporting the weight with ease as he spun his legs inside, still with Naxea in his arms as he slid down inside.

"Oh, and just what might this idea of yours be?" she asked, wrapping an arm around his neck, snuggling against him. S'hib was one of the very few people she knew where she could drop her guard and truly relax.

"This..." He said warmly, shifting about here and there until he was comfortable. "Just us... cuddled up together, like after our first night together."

His eyes closed as he spoke, relishing the moment and consigning the weight of her body against his to memory... yet despite being tremendously relaxed his heart still beat heavily in his chest, thumping away between each long drawn out breath.

Naxea ran her hand across his cheek and leaned against him, kissing him as her hands began to remove her uniform jacket.

His heart quickened at the touch of her lips against his coat, leaning his head atop of hers and loosening his arm around her as she undressed from her uniform. "Comfortable?" He said softly, his words barely rolling out of his large Sequellian throat.

"For now," she said with a slight shrug as she tossed her jacket off to the side. "So...is there anything else you need from your quarters?" she asked softly.

"It's ours, Naxea... but no," He began, pausing for a moment to place a kiss on her lips. "You're all I need, and I have that."

"Ehhh, maybe," she shrugged teasingly. She was content on just remaining here in S'hib's arms. Her shift was over and she didn't have any scheduled training to do as she unzipped her shirt.

"Maybe?" He snorted, glancing down as she started to undress. "I'm moving in with you and you say maybe..." He grumbled, though a smile never left his lips.

Naxea couldn't help but laugh as she finished undressing. "Well, you did need a larger bed as well as me," she teased.

His nostrils flared as he glanced back down at her, eyes furrowed in mock annoyance. “Oh, so I need you now do I?” he grinned

"Let me think," she giggled. "Yes. Somebody has to keep you out of trouble."

"I do not..." He sulked, letting out a long drawn out huff as he glanced his head to the other side of the pit, a deep frown inset between his eyes. "Besides, it was me that got you out of trouble last time."

"S'hib, I'm sorry," she immediately apologized, caressing his cheek with one hand. "I was joking and I shouldn't have." She knew it was still a sore subject to S'hib.

"It's ok," He replied, relenting to her affection as he nudged his head against hers. "Im just grumpy because it's my turn next..." S'hib added, trying to make light of the fact.

"Not if I can help it," she said sincerely. "And no more being grumpy." She then kissed him

His lips lingered against Naxea, gently suckling on the bottom of hers before briefly pulling back. "Is that an order?" He teased, moving back in to kiss her once more.

"You're damn right it is," she said, grinning before pulling close against him.