Wedding Plans

Posted on Sun May 3rd, 2026 @ 11:21pm by Master Chief Petty Officer Chuck Finley [Reece] & Lieutenant J'airesh Mora-Heath

Mission: Interlude
Location: USS Elysium, J'airesh's quarters
Timeline: MD 1 / 1637 hours
1158 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Chuck was relaxing happily, sitting on J'airesh's couch, as she rested her head on his lap, looking up at him. He was gently running his fingers through her loosened curls slowly, as they discussed their plans for the future.

"I'm really just a simple guy, Babe, " he said with a soft grin as he gazed down into her beautiful face. "I'd be happy just going to the Commodore's office and having her simply pronouncing us. As long as it's you I'm marrying, all the rest is just happy fluff."

J'Air smiled up at Chuck, soaking up the joy of having him back, safe and sound after all the attacks and battles they'd endured over the past few weeks and her constant fear that he might die. She loved him so dearly that any kind of damage he might have received would have made no difference at all to her. She would nurse him if necessary, for however long it might take to get him well again. She wasn't afraid of that, it had just been the dread that he might have been so badly hurt that he could have been lost and if that had happened (or if it ever should - just the thought made her shudder involuntarily) she couldn't even bear to think about how dark her life would become; how broken her heart and soul would become, how hard it would become to live without him.

"I always thought I wanted a fancy wedding; you know, with all the hearts, frills and flowers; music, dancing and cake!" she admitted with a chuckle. "The sort, I have no doubt, that you would hate with a boredom that would horrify and torture you." another pretty chuckle as she watched his expression wrinkle involuntarily.

"But I can't be that cruel to you, my darling, handsome, amazing hero. I have to accept that I just want you to love it as much as possible - which probably means that it should last about ten minutes and then we spend some time with people whose company we enjoy, maybe have a drink for whoever likes that, eat some food, hopefully laugh and joke a lot and then, with that wonderful memory made and stored away, always look back on it with fondness and happiness? What do you think?."

Chuck grinned happily as he replied. "Well.. I wouldn't be opposed to the music, dancing and some cake." He gave her a playful wink as he continued. "I'm fine with a relaxed party with our friends celebrating with us. I'd even want to respect the wedding traditions of your world."

With that said, he reached behind the couch cushion beside him and pulled out a small wooden box, about the size of one of his cigar boxes. "Here, open it." He handed the box to J'airesh with a loving grin.

"Oooh! What is it? Special wedding cigars with our names on the sides so the guests can poison their lungs and burn us at the same time?" she laughed, sitting up and facing him as the little box was held out towards her. "No wait, I know, a little box of tiny super-luxury chocolate truffles - just bite size, very fattening and 100% delicious?" she was grinning from ear to ear as she jokingly mis-guessed on purpose before deciding to stop teasing him and get serious in respect for his lovely gesture and effort.

She sat with a straightened face and a deeply adoring gaze at him as she opened the lid of the box and peered reverently inside. As she got a better look, her eyes widened with genuine surprise and then began to prick with emotional tears as she just stared first at the contents and then back up at her love, temporarily speechless for once.

Chuck was smiling warmly and full of love for this woman. "I hope I got the designs right. From the research I've done, both the bracelets and the earring are supposed to represent our new family." He let out a short chuckle then added, "While my Bajoran is pretty good, I'm still learning the iconology of your world. I want to respect both of our cultures."

"Oh my darling!" she breathed, hardly able to speak as she was so touched by the effort and trouble and care that he'd put into choosing and sourcing these stunning, fabulous and super-thoughtful gifts.

"You have really done me proud with these thoughtful, stunning, amazing gifts, I don't have the words to thank you enough. You are the BEST EVER and I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. She threw her arms around his neck and clung there, willing him to FEEL how much she loved him. She was so deeply and eternally smitten with love and adoration of this wonderful man.

"I feel like I have to pinch myself every day that I wake up and find that I didn't dream you up and that I truly AM this lucky in reality." She clung to him, reluctant to let go of the joyful and enthusiastic bear-hug she had him locked in. She turned over the stunning matching wedding bracelets gently between her fingers and replaced them into their soft protective gift box, withdrawing the fabulous earring next. Tears welled in her eyes as she studied the beautiful jewelery. The earring had a particular form that indicated Chuck's own insignia as belonging in unison with her own. It shone with newness and the beauty of a skilled craftsperson's artistic inspiration. She sighed deeply, hardly able to resist the temptation of putting it on at once. She made herself return it to the soft padding as well and closed it for safe-keeping, ready for "the day". Her heart ached with happiness that was so deep she could hardly believe how intensely she felt towards this wonderful man.

"I'm just going to soak up this fantastic moment in time" she declared, her eyes shining up at the object of her adoration. "I keep saying this but I am SO LUCKY!" J'Air nestled gently this time, her passion just as deep and her heart just as full, but calmly now, breathing in his scent, soaking up his love, thanking the Prophets and whatever other forces in the Universe had any involvement in bringing him into her life and making it so perfect for her.

Chuck gently wrapped his arms around the woman who had so completely filled and claimed his heart and soul. For the first time, in a very long time, he was actually looking forward to the future. This woman had healed more than his physical wounds, incurred on that icy planet where they had met, she had healed the scars in his soul, that had lasted since the Dominion War. This was where he belonged now, with her in his arms, and his life.

~OFF~