Dinner is served

Posted on 02 Jan 2013 @ 5:18pm by Chief Warrant Officer 4 Cyrus Kiwosk & Lieutenant Commander Pola Ni Dhuinn M.D.
Edited on on 04 Jan 2013 @ 5:47pm

4,902 words; about a 25 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Pola's Quarters
Timeline: MD 7 1900

ON:

Cyrus laid on his bed. A small stress ball resting comfortably in his left hand. The pain in his shoulder was almost completely gone, it was a wonder how he could have imagined this could have happened. He had seen some things, in a very short period of time. Things that he would normally have brushed off as part of the job. But, it seemed that he was remembering more and more what he had done, the dangers that everyone seems to deal with on a daily basis.

He lay quietly, squeezing the the ball in his hand every couple seconds. The thoughts of everything that had happened the last few days ran through his mind. The training with the science team certainly reminded him of what he registered.

He squeezed he ball slightly.

His thoughts drifted to Kiri, how she reminded him a lot of Fernandez, the determination, the idea of having a third option present. It made him think of Sturmgeist and the reidculous odds they had faced....they had been a warship, fully manned and equipped with the latest fighting gear...

This was a science vessel that had an entire security team ranging in less than a dozen.

The ball was almost completely flattened before he realized.

Man he thought to himself. He released his death grip on the stress ball before continuing. He laid there his eyes closed as he thought to his night out with Pola, the treatments to his shoulder.

He opened his eyes and let the ball fall onto his bed before getting up.

=^= Kiwosk to Di Nuhn. I do belive I owe you dinner. =^= He was excited to be able to get a second date out of the lovely doctor.

Having just closed her eyes for a moment, Pola almost fell of her couch as a voice echoed around her quarters. Giving herself a moment to try comprehend what was happening, she rubbed her fist against her eyes. Blindly reaching for her comm badge still pinned to her polo neck jumper, she replied to the voice that had awoken her from her slumber.

=^=Cyrus?=^=

A moment passed as this information and his question settled in. Finding herself a little more awake, Pola decided to try again.

=^=Cyrus...I'm free now if that suits?=^=

=^= Whenever you get awake and ready... =^= He looked around, Watt had just left. =^=It might be a good idea for me to swing by your quarters, if that's alright with you. Besides, it would be nice to see you again without others looking over my shoulder...so to speak=^=

Closing her eyes for a moment, Pola pulled her fingers through her hair as she tried to clear her mind. =^=How about...30 minutes? I think I should manage to wake by then.=^= With a smile, she realised this was nice...I'd be nicer to have Cyrus here but just talking, making plans...it felt nice.

=^= Thirty minutes it is. And make sure you have a big appetite. I don't cook small. Kiwosk out. =^= Cyrus was both nervous and excited at the prospect of making his dat dinner. He always enjoyed cooking, and would probably had been a chef had it not been for his enlistment into the Starfleet. Shrugging, he thought about what he would make for Pola. Recipes were like fighting techniques, each one was special. He wracked his brain slowly as he finally settled on an easy pasta recipe that was a surefire way to impress.

Looking around her quarters, Pola was starting to fully realise the mess which the place was in. Rubbing her eyes further, she realised that she felt drained and really needed to motivate herself. Heading for the replicator, her first port of call was coffee and then cleaning...in theory anyway.

Time passed far quicker then Pola could have imagined. She felt like a whirlwind, picking up disguarded clothes and generally cleaning the area. She knew that it wasn't the best but it would need to do. The last few days she'd been feeling more and more tired, barely feeling that she had the energy to do much. Taking a moment, she sat back down on the couch as she tried to get more coffee into her.

It wasn't long before Cyrus showed up at her door. Taking a deep breathe stomach still nervous and his head still filled with thoughts about their first date he pressed the chime. "Guess who?"

As she heard his voice, Pola felt a serge through her chest as a smile warmed her lips. Despite the exhaustion she felt, Cyrus always managed to bring a smile to her lips. Straightening her jumper, she moved across to the door, rubbing her eyes to try take the tiredness away. "Enter."

He stepped in, shortly after the door opened. "I wasn't sure what to make, so I have a couple things for you. I hope you have your appetite." He walked over and gave the doctor a quick kiss before leaning back...If anything, she seemed more tired than before.
It must be all the work she has been doing...poor girl doesn't know when to stop He thought to himself.
"How have you been?" He asked.

As Cyrus pulled back from the kiss, Pola's hand moved out to briefly touch his hip. Smiling slightly, she nodded her head is response to his first question. "I've been busy...I'm sorry it took so long to organise this. I've had alot on my plate in the last few days...I should make more time for the personal aspect of things."

"Hey don't worry about it, you're a busy gal. Any time with you is a good time in my books." He sighed. They both knew that he was an NCO and that an officer dating any non-commisioned was not well thought of, even if he was only one step below an LTJG. He wondered if tonight would be a good idea to bring that up to his date.
Instead he smiled and made his way to the kitchen. "You like pasta?" He asked.

As Pola watched Cyrus walk away, her hand moved to rub her arm as his sigh echoed through her head. She knew she'd held off on this but she couldn't have prevented it. Watching him starting to settle in the kitchen, Pola moved to seat herself on a breakfast stool. "Pasta sounds good...."

He smiled. "Good, because we're going to have lots of it." He replicated the ingredients and spices he needed with relative ease and sighed. "I didn't have time to go and grab some fresh stuff. I hope you don't mind. "

Watching his movements across the floor, Pola pointed at a small under counter fridge. "If you check..there's a white bottle of wine chilling. I guess I got lucky as white goes best with pasta. Right?"

Cyrus nodded. "That's perfect. You think of everything don't you." He grinned.
He grabbed a chef's knife from a knife rack and turned on a burner for the mini stove in the room. Cryus set a pan the burner and poured a healthy amount of olive oil into the pan. "It's nothing fancy, but I've always enjoyed it. You like chicken I hope?"

Nodding her head, Pola grabbed two wine glasses to leave them ready for when Cyrus was ready to start to drink. "Chicken really does sound perfect....I haven't had much of an appitie lately so a light dish, easy to eat, suits me perfectly.

"Great! You're going to love this I promise!" He began throwing chopped onions and green onions into a pan with cubed bacon. Next, he put the chicken in the oven and returned to watching the browning of the onions.

"So..." He began. "I don't think that we can really turn around this..." He stared into the pan, his back facing Pola. "You know...about us."

Playing with the stem of the empty glass, Pola had rested one arm on the counter top as she watched Cyrus' actions, wondering why it felt right to just sit and watch him. Listening to his words, she found herself slightly confused as she tried to understand what he was saying. "What do you mean?" Her hand stilling on her glass, for some reason it flashed through her mind that he was saying that this couldn't work out between them.

He took a deep breathe. "Well, I'm a non-commisioned...your an officer. " He looked over for a moment before tossing the hard noodles into a pot of boiling water. "I just want to know that if we start...this." He gestured briefly to them and the whole scenario before them. "That you're okay with it all. I don't want my not being an officer to affect you professionally..."

He looked over at her worriedly. "I've never felt this happy in a very long time Pola..." he said softly.

Feeling a slight lump in her throat, Pola looked over at Cyrus as she tried to gather herself together. In all of this, it had started to feel like a fairytale, a whirlwind which both of them had been caught in instantaneously and everything outside of the two of them had ceased to exist.

Clearing her throat, she tried to find the words to explain how she felt. "How I do my job, how I have proven myself in the last mission stands for itself..." Twisting her hand around the glass stem, she still couldn't move her eyes away from Cyrus. "...if people choose to judge me on the people I date then that if their problem, not mind...not ours. I like you too much to let some silly title get in the way."

Kiwosk grinned ear to ear as he listened to her every word. He took just enough time away from the stove to pick Pola up and kiss her deeply. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that." He smiled. "You're going to love this all the more. I want to be able to do this all the time, and take you out and give you someone to talk to. I enjoy spending time with you." He forced himself away to prevent the food from burning. "So I think we call this is what it is and we see where we go. What do you think?"

As the kiss broke, Pola had to hold herself back from reaching out to grab Cyrus back. Keeping her hands on the counter top, she instead went back to just watching and listening to him. "Well given how quickly all of this came about...I think you're suggestion is the best. We both already know if you leave things be they will happen as they want."

He grinned chuckling. "My thoughts exactly, besides, how could anyone say no to you anyways." He turned back to cooking, cursing silently as he realized that the noodles had almost overcooked. He cracked four eggs into a bowl and grated some cheese into it before adding it along with chopped garlic into the noodles, along with the now cubed chicken and other ingredients.

A slight twinge in his shoulder forced him to shrug to realize the slight pressure. "Any idea when Kohl might be available to give that last treatment?"

As she watched Cyrus carefully, she frowned when she saw his motion with his shoulder. Moving down from her perch, she moved across to stand behind him, the 6 inch difference in height becoming slightly difficult as she reached up to try massage the muscle. "I...Um...I'm not sure. You may end up with me."

"And I'm totally okay with that. " He stifled a groan as she was able to work a knot out of his shoulder. Looking behind him he eyed her suspiciously. "Why is that? I thought Kohl was taking over my treatments...."

Continuing to work the muscle with her fingers and heel of her hand, Pola briefly remembered what had attracted her to Cyrus in the first place. Although not a shallow woman, one would have had to have been blind not to be attracted his his physic. Pulling herself back to the room, she kept her focus on the shoulder. "Honestly..I'm not sure. He got a call last I heard from him and I haven't heard since."

He frowned as he finished mixing the last of the sauce together before pouring stirring rapidly. Little by little the pasta became a think creamy dish of heaven, smells of garlic and parmesean filled the air. "That's worrisome. I can see why you'd be so concerned. I hope everything is okay." He replied honestly. He didn't know Kohl in any great length, in fact he was sure he only spoke with him the one time. He could tell that Pola was upset and that was reason enough.

"Well...he's more then my assistant chief medical officer, he's a friend. I am worried..." Moving her hands away from his shoulder, Pola stepped in closer as she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him in a gentle embrace.

He turn around and rested his hands on her shoulders reassuringly, squeezing gently. "Dinner's ready." He replied smiling.

Moving her hands up, Pola looked into Cyrus eyes as she suddenly allowed the words on the tip of her tongue to fall free. "I must be the luckiest woman in the world to have met you..."

He looked at her and took her in his arms. "You read my mind doctor." He kissed her deeply.

Moving forward into his arms, Pola allowed herself to get lost in the kiss, forget about the weight on her shoulders from her position and exhaustion, just wanting to concentrate on the hear and now. Her arms still around his waist, she tightened her hold as she broke away, just looking in his eyes before moving one hand to touch his cheek, emotion ontop her exhaustion threatening to bubble over.

Kiwosk saw look of sadness in her eyes and pulled her closer for a hug. "Tell me about it over dinner eh?" He suggested. "The food isn't going to eat itself you know." He looked down at her and gave her a sly wink. "Let get into that wine shall we?"

Leaning into his embrace, Pola allowed herself to feel safe for the briefest of moments as he held her before pulling back with a smile. Leaning up for one last quick peck on the lips, she moved around him as she grabbed the wine and glass, leading Cyrus over to the already set table.

With a pair of tongs, he quickly dished what was in the pot onto the two plates and smiled. The fettuccine looked amazing. "Dig in miss Pola." He grinned.

"So if ever I get you a present, a chief's apron would suit you to the ground?" Rubbing a fist against one eye as she tried to rub away the gritty tired feeling, she surveyed the food offering with a smile, realising how nice it all looked.

Cyrus chuckled, but noticed the doctor's weariness. "I prefer the 'Kiss the cook' aprons myself, but I'm sure I'd enjoy any you care to give me. "

He took a sip of his wine and smiled. "You look exhausted. Is everything alright at work?"

With a slightly raised eyebrow, Pola tried to change the subject as she leaned over and picked up her own glass of wine. "I will only buy you that apron aslong as I'm the only one you are accepting kisses from. Secondly...I would guess it's customary that we have a toast to us?"

"Done." He smiled, lifting his glass to clink with hers. "To us." He took a small sip looking into Pola's eyes. "You know, I have to say, you're quite the interesting woman. It's nice to be able to spoil someone other than myself once and a while." he winked before starting his meal. He made sure not to eat as if he was in the mess hall, but took his time coiling the pasta onto his fork.

Leaving her own food untouched for a moment, Pola took a sip of the wine, just watching Cyrus over the edge of her glass with a small smile across her lips. "Has it been awhile since you were last in a relationship or...well spent time in a woman's company long enough to cook for her?"

Cyrus peered over his plate and chuckled. "I've never had the time to have a relationship. I was always out in the field or training. I didn't really get to know many people except the ones in the Marine Detachment." He replied. "I've always known how to cook, I learned from my mother and father. " He sighed. "It feels like forever since I've seen them. "

Smiling slightly, Pola finally placed her glass back on the table, picking up her fork as she started to push her food around the plate. Nibbling at small pieces as she found that the taste was even better then she had expected. Despite the simplistic preparation, Cyrus had managed to infuse tastes which overwhelmed her pallet for a brief moment before leaving behind an almost subtle, lingering taste of garlic. "Seems we have something in common. It's been along time since I've seen mine."

Taking a slow sip of his wine to wash down his mouthful of pasta, he nodded. "I could imagine. It's hard to believe we have come so far." He spotted her lack of appetite. He couldn't help but wonder if his cooking wasn't very good. It tasted fine to him..." Tell me about them. " He added, smiling.

Smiling, Pola made an attempt to eat more of the food infront of her, realising that Cyrus had put so much into this. Around her bites, she tried to explain the story behind her family, still feeling the pain which came with recalling the memories. "Um...Well both my parents are Doctors also, one in trauma medicine and the other as a thoracic Surgery.." Blushing slightly, Pola realised some of the terminology might be lost on the man infront of her. "..Thoracic medicine, deals with chest or respiratory issues, specifically to do with the lungs."

He chuckled, nodding. "I know all about Thoracic medicine." He replied, pointing towards the left side of his chest with a free hand. "I took the blast from the grande around there." He sighed. "It's good that you continued the family business. It would be a shame to lose a great doctor."

When she was around Cyrus in a natural environment like now, Pola often found herself forgetting about his injuries, he was so careful with how he presented himself. "Sorry...I should have known..." Glancing down at her food as she started to push it around her plate again. "I didn't do it for them, I did it because I realised that this is what I love."

He reached over and clasped one of her hands. "Pola it's okay." He said half chuckling. "It's in the past." He lied. The comment stung more than he would admit. Images were still ever recurring, he didn't want to set her off of the meal. "It's a good thing you love doing it. I'll be seeing you during and off hours, trust me. " He gave her a sly wink and continued with his meal. Pausing in between bites he asked. "So why a Starfleet doctor? Why not open a general practice on Earth?"

Still holding his hand, Pola moved to intertwine their fingers as she looked up at him. Still holding his hand, she watched while he eat, somehow finding something grounding about the simple action. "You can talk to me about it...I'm just in an funny mood at the moment. I think I'm coming down with something." Watching him carefully, she tried to choose her next words carefully, "I want to know everything there is to know about you, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad." She smiled slightly at her last few words.

He paused suddenly. His body froze and his fork hovered in mid air mere inches from his mouth. "I..." He started, he glanced up to Pola and saw the tired concern all over her face. He set his fork down. "It's nothing really." He tried to dodge the topic, forcing a smile and giving Pola's hand a squeeze. "It was just a recent event that took a lot out of me." He sighed.

Allowing her thumb to brush across his knuckles, Pola watched him carefully. She was used to acting as the carer, it was her job after all but in this case she felt stuck. She didn't know whether or push or sit back. Instead she just watched him, allowing Cyrus space.

"I don't know really where to begin..." He said honestly. "What would you like to know?" He knew where this conversation would end up, they always did. The accident, the explosion, if his earlier comment about his injury had turned her off her food, than his story about the incident would.

"Why don't you tell me about what happened?" Pola already knew about the injuries, she wanted to know about the man behind them. If it still effected him, she wanted to know why.

"You mean, when I was on the Fitzgerald?" He sighed.

"Why don't we go back abit further. How did you end up studying security and marines?" Wincing slightly, Pola realised that perhaps she hadn't worded that right. "Well....learn marines? How would you say it..."

Cyrus chuckled. "Battle School. When you want to take marine 'courses'" He scrunched his fingers in in quotation. "It means you go to Battle School, which is combat oriented. It's harder than the basic training everyone takes before going on to do their courses at the Academy." He stopped, having finished his meal, faster than he thought possible.

"Well, I originally planned to take the two courses together, but I was informed that I would have to do one before the other, and that if I did want a dual certification, being in two different departments, it would mean that I would be in 'school' for at least another year." He sighed. "I was originally going to stay with Battle School, but it was my father that told me not too. He was worried that the SFMC wasn't all glory, especially..." After my brother was brutally slaughtered Was the first thoughts that came to his mind, but quickly change it to. " Was killed in action on board the USS Fitzgerald." Cyrus paused to wet his throat before continuing.

"I joined the SFMC after my brother passed, I applied, and I was convinced it was the field that I wanted to go into. I did well for a new guy I suppose. I was bumped to sergeant within the first year. It was still war time; however." He noticed he was drifting fromt he topic. "It was Security that really caught my eye. I never liked class rooms, not really my forte. But I attended every single course offered." except one He thought to himself, a slight smile crossed his mouth. "But I never really gave the Security field a chance until my...accident, always thought that plan B wasn't going to happen to me. "

"All in all, I was cocky, arrogant and a smart ass, through a large portion of my professors. I pranked them constantly, but I forced myself to keep my marks up so I couldn't be failed." He grinned evilly. "What can I say..."

Having pushed her food to the side as she listened, Pola's thumb continued to stroke the edge of Cyrus' hand, smiling slightly as she listened to his recollections of life in the acedemy. "You seem like a guy who doesn't realise how much more he has inside." Blushing, she looked down at the table before continuing. "You are intelligent, that's evident in how you present yourself, the knowledge you have and the way in which you act. Cocky, arrogant and a smart ass? I've never seen you act that way around me."

Smiling as she looked up, Pola looked Cyrus in his eye, "Seems to me your only fault is the irresistible urge you have to always make me fumble and blush."

He shrugged and gave her a wink. "What can I say? You're adorable when you blush. Brings out your freckles." He teased.

As his words brought a further flush across her cheeks, Pola finally gave into her urges and stuck her tongue out at him before following it with a honest, soft laugh. "See...the rest of us can be spontaneous and cocky when we feel like it also."

"Good to know, hate to think I was the only one with a sense of humor." He added with a grin. "Other than that I really wasn't anything special academy wise. I scored high on my tests and teased just about everyone I knew. Still...part of me still wonders if doing the Battle School courses was for me or for the memory of my brother. " He thought back and shrugged. "I'll never know for sure, it might have been both. "

"You can only answer that question over time. You need to be able to feel something in your heart to believe that what you are doing is right for me." Pola watched Cyrus carefully, trying to predict his reactions and how he truely was feeling.

>>optional extra addition?

"What about you...you're still a little mystery when it comes to academy life. You must have a story or seven. Besides, that cheeky tattoo obviously shows you were a little more mischievous than you let on. "

Laughing, Pola shook her head as she untangled their hands, moving to start to clear their plates away. "I'm afraid most of my stories pre-date the academy. I was a wild child growing up and the academy seemed to settle me down."

He nodded. "You were saying something about that last time we went out. I never really did get much in the way of reasons though. " He chuckled. "Not that that is a bad thing. Everyone is entitled to their past."

"It's not a matter of secrecy...just a typical childhood. My parents dumped me, as such, with my Grandmother who raised me." Needing to occupy herself, Pola moved everything across to the kitchen. "I guess any child rejected by their parents act out someway, me included."

He felt a pang of guilt for suddenly asking the question. "I'm sorry...I didn't know." He answered. "That must have been rough. Explains how you became the woman I see today though. Things like that make or break a person." He helped bring the dishes into the kitchen. Setting the plate aside he placed his hands on her shoulders and gave a soft massage. " How was everything?" he asked.

Smiling softly, Pola relaxed back into Cyrus' touch as she closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the sensation. "It's ok...I'm not bitter over it any more...I understand about missing someone though. My Grandmother will have passed away 10 years ago this year."

"It'll be about the same for Osric. My parents were devastated that I applied for Starfleet, but I just had to after I had heard. My father urged me to take Security under consideration and not just be a marine, I'm glad I took his advice." He replied honestly.

Resting her head back against Cyrus' chest, Pola leaned up to kiss under his chin, blushing slightly as she realised the perceived intimacy of what she just did. Stepping forward, she busied herself with completing the cleaning. "I guess something more we have in common. My Grandmother always pushed to bring out the best in me, even when I fought back. When she died...I entered Starfleet and found my biggest passion..." Finding she'd run out of items to clean, she finally looked over her shoulder at Cyrus. "I guess we are kindred souls."

"Well what I see is a beautiful woman with a kick ass bit of determination, though I have to say it would be interesting to see that wild side." His voice a little husky as he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

Closing her eyes, Pola felt Cyrus' breath against her neck along with the shadow of his beard. Feeling her knees almost buckling beneath her, she took a moment before being able to find her voice. "Um..well...we could retire to the couch and make out like kids just in high school? I can show you my wild side."

"You sure you're not part betezoid doctor...because I could have sworn you read my mind. " In a single swoop he picked up the doctor, resting one arm under her knees and the other bracing her back. Kissing her as they made for the couch.

As a tiny squeak left her chest, Pola found herself laughing before it was cut off by Cyrus lips, firm against her own before she gave in. Slipping her arms around his neck, she allowed all thoughts to fall away as she lost herself in the man whom held her in his arms.

OFF:

CWO Kiwosk
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Pola Ni Dhuinn
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

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