Whiskey Sonata

Posted on Thu May 16th, 2024 @ 12:56pm by Ensign Sophie Bishop & Commander Steven Greco

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Year One: Whispers in the Wind
Location: USS Moore - Holodeck 1
Timeline: MD 20: 21:30

Steve sat at the piano, playing one of the songs he played first learned as a child from his mother. It was slow and melodic, but comforting. He couldn't remember the name after such a long time but he knew the song by muscle memory. He sat at the same piano he played dozens of times in the main reception room of Starfleet Command, though he programmed the room to be empty. He wanted some solitude and a place to let his commander veneer down.

Drinking the last of his whiskey, he sighed as he devoted himself to the song, trying to focus on more pleasant memories and not think of the bodies he made his way through to find Sophie on Brighton. It was proving to be a difficult exercise. Seeking the solitude he needed as first officer to process his feelings meant a rush of emotions he had been suppressing since he came to under the scaffolding and he could feel his body fighting itself as he was torn between his grief and pushing it away.

Sophie had been struggling recently. Not that one could blame her really. It seemed like every loud noise made her jump, even someone crossing in front of her in one of the many corridors gave her heart a scare. She found the halls of the ship confining, like they were closing in on her and even as she walked it felt like the walls were shaking, shrinking.

This is what she was feeling just now as she walked along. Passing Holodeck 1 she threw herself inside knowing it was a large enough space to calm her down. The large doors closed in front of her as she placed her hands on them and began to take deep breaths to slow her heart rate down. She hadn't even noticed there was a program running.

Steve heard the doors to the holodeck open and sighed heavily to himself. He came to the holodeck looking for solitude. Turning towards the doors, he was about to ask whoever walked in if he was needed on the bridge when he saw Sophie in a panic. "Sophie, is everything alright?" He asked as he started to stand from the piano.

Sophie's heart was beating so fast, so loud that she didn't quite hear the muffled sounds behind her. Still, she stood at the doors of the holodeck, her palms firmly placed on them as she tried to calm and ground herself. Her breathing was fast and she had her eyes closed to stop this warbling effect that was happening.

Seeing that Sophie made no attempt to move when he called her, Steve got up from the bench and started to walk towards her. As he approached, Steve saw that she was lost in her own world. "Sophie, are you alright?" He asked more firmly but quieting his voice as to not startle her.

Sounds became a little clearer as the pounding of her heart slowed in her ears. Sophie's breathing had slowed and she opened her eyes slowly to reveal Steve standing near her. Why was she always bumping into him? It's like the universe just wanted her to look like a weak little girl at every opportunity and that's not how she wanted him to see her. Wiping her eyes a little with her sleeve she turned away from him. "I'm fine sir. Sorry for interrupting you. I didn't realise where I was." she said moving over to the arch controls to try and get the door to open so she could escape.

Steve couldn't help the small smile on his face, charmed by Sophie so easily. "No need to apologize, Sophie. We are all looking to escape in one way or another right now." He said as he made his way back to the bench. "Join me." He said quietly to the younger woman as he began playing the piano again.

"I just didn't figure I'd escape right into you." Sophie commented. They always seemed to be drawn to each other. Almost like the universe was trying to put them together whilst also simultaneously trying to find ways to keep them apart. "Join you like on the bench, or standing next to the piano?" Sophie's mind had yet to engage fully and she just felt all foggy as she moved closer to Steve, even the smell of him, his aftershave, put her at ease.

Greco focused on playing for another moment before turning to look up at Sophie as she approached. “Whatever you prefer. Whatever makes you comfortable.” He offered with an easy smile before turning his attention back on playing.

"O-okay." Sophie said and chose to sit next to him on the bench. The feeling of the heat from his body, the comfort he brought her even when in the same room was often enough but she wanted to be close to him. As she sat she initially clasped her hands and placed them on her lap, but her left hand began to drift and found itself on his thigh. Sophie hadn't even noticed but it was for comfort, the touch of something real.

Steve was so engrossed in his play, he didn't notice Sophie moving to sit next to him at first. He noticed her scent first, then the warmth coming off her body. Taking a breath, he let it out slowly so he wouldn't be distracted. "How have you been feeling?" He asked to be diplomatic while also caring about her well being.

"Alright." Sophie said simply. "Doctor Yara has put me on medication to help with my anxiety and something for my mood as well." she didn't mention the panic attack in the hall nor the way in which it forced her into the holodeck. "How about you?" she quickly changed the subject. "Pretty wild about Admiral Dorian, right?"

Steve simply nodded at first, concentrating on the music before he sighed. “I don’t want to believe it’s true, but the evidence is pretty damning. What could drive a man like that to do such a thing as kill innocent civilians, children?” He asked rhetorically but with rising emotion before he took a breath and shook his head helplessly and focused on playing to try to block out his feelings.

"From the lessons we had in the Academy I think he always walked a fine line in what he did." Sophie admitted. She always thought that sometimes during battles, or even the wars, he nearly always crossed a line but because it was in the name of the Federation, fighting for Starfleet it was alright. "But it is hard to believe he'd be part of such a large scale attack on something he's given his life to, something he loves." and with the last word of loves her hand subconsciously squeezed Steve's leg.

Steve did his best not to notice Sophie's hand on his thigh and focused on the conversation. "War changes people, Sophie." He said confidently, speaking from experience. Taking a breath to push down the memories from his own battles, he caught a whiff of her subtle perfume. She smelled softly of warm vanilla and lilac. It was cleansing and soothing, putting him at ease. With a breath, he looked down at her. "Do you know how to play?" He asked about the piano before he finished his glass of whiskey and continuing the notes.

"I didn't join Starfleet to go to war with people, especially my own." Sophie sighed but the light piano playing was quite soothing and calming to her. "No, more of a guitar girl." she let a weak smile crack her solemn façade.

Steve smiled at the thought of Sophie sitting and playing a guitar, practicing for hours. He shifted and opened himself up, taking her hand and guiding her to sit on the bench between his legs. "It's not too hard. Come here," He said quietly, shifting so she could sit comfortably. "Relax your arms, put your hands on the keys and follow my movements." He said gently as he placed his hands over hers and when he felt her relax enough, gently pressed his fingers into hers so she would start hitting the notes and slowly guided him through the song his mother taught him.

Sophie noticed Steve's ears move up a little. It often indicated a smile and it did make her feel warm and fuzzy inside. The comment of not be too hard made her internally giggle. She placed her hands on the keys and his went atop of them. They were warm, safe and felt just like where she wanted them to be right now. "This song is nice."

Steve couldn't help the smile as he remembered fonder memories of playing this song as a child with his mother. "My mother taught me to play piano by this song. I wish I could remember what it's called but I just play it by memory now." He commented quietly. Her subtle perfume was stronger as he looked over her shoulder to watch their hands play. The warmth of her body flush against his was intoxicating. It stuck him how little contact he's had with people over all of this. He was always the consummate professional. His gestures were always light and meant to encourage the crew under him. A shaking of hands, squeeze on an elbow or shoulder, never nothing more. It dawned on him how much he missed to just touch another person, how lonely he had become.

Slowly pulling his hands from Sophie's, and up her arms before to her waist. "Turn around." He said softly into her hair.

A shiver went up Sophie's spine as his hands slipped up her arms and then down onto her hips. She had closed her eyes as he did so and the shiver caused a little involuntary head jerk as it just felt so good.

Standing up from in between his legs she turned to face him. Being level with his face was her goal even if butterflies churned in her stomach at the prospect of being so close.

His hands still on her hips she felt he was in control and she wasn't unhappy with that. However, she didn't really know what to do with her own hands but they drifted to land on his strong shoulders. Her breathing was a little quicker, her heart rate more so and the tension between them was so palpable you could almost see electricity firing between them.

Steve looked up at Sophie in silence for a moment. He let his hands slowly trail up and down from along her uniform from her hips to waist and back again as he took in her beauty in quiet contemplation. "You're very beautiful." He offered quietly, looking up into the woman's eyes.

His touch sent a wave of sensation across her whole body. Not a large movement of his hands by any imagination but it was in fact her imagination that was running away with her. Calling her beautiful made her move her hands to either side of his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin on the palms of her hands. She moved her right one and tucked a stray hair away and brought it back down past his jawline, a bit of stubble betraying his often pristine appearance. "You make me feel seen." she said simply.

In a sea of ensigns, even cadets when she was in the Academy, she often felt as one of the pack. One of the forgotten faces amongst the group. Here the group was just as big but somehow she shone.

Steve smiled softly at the feeling of her fingers in his hair and her hand along his jaw. His hands moved lower to trace the outside of her thighs, his thumb stroking through her pants where she had been impaled by the scaffolding in the attack. His face clouding for a moment at the memory. The dermal regenerator had seen to the fact she had no physical scar, but he knew it could do nothing for her emotional ones, or his guilt. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," he said softly, barely above a whisper but continuing with a conviction in his voice that made it louder. "But I promise, no one is ever going to hurt you again." As Greco stood, he followed his impulses and emotions and kissed Sophie deeply and passionately, pressing her against the keys of the piano with his body as he held her close.

Sophie's knees felt a little weak when his hands moved down her thighs. They began to buckle but she felt Steve keep her steady as he seemed to pause at where her injury had been. She could still feel phantom pain at times but the look on his face made her feel worse. "It's oka--" she was cut off as she saw fire in his eyes as he kissed her with so much passion that it took her breath away. This time her knees did give way and he held her strongly as the odd note from the piano could be heard as she bumped off them. Her own passion taking hold she bit his bottom lip in a spur of the moment reaction to Steve. She just got lost in him.

Steve gently stroked Sophie’s cheek before moving his hand into her hair all while his lips never left hers. He didn’t focus on anything except her. Her smell, her soft skin, the sound of the gentle breaths she took when he pulled away half a moment to let them get some much needed air before kissing her again. He could feel her small body against his and instinct let his hips find hers without conscious thought.

Sophie let out a few moans, a squeal or two. All subconscious, natural noises that someone who was lost in a passionate facesmash would make, if they liked what was happening. She could feel her body get warmer, her cheeks flusher than a hand in poker. When their hips touched and she felt their bodies touch in a far more intimate way than she'd have imagined when she walked in she let her hands drop and pull at the waistline of his trousers as she truly lost all bearings and sense of where she was. It was just him.

Steve sighed pleasantly into the feel of her warm, soft cheek against his as he lost himself in the pleasure of her touch. He could feel his body ache from the deprivation of touching another, truly touching, and how much he craved it. It was so consuming he almost didn't realize Sophie's hand opening his pants until it was too late. Her boldness, stopping him in his tracks as he came back to his senses and pulled his lips away from hers, just far enough to be able to look down into her eyes. "We can't..." He muttered, his voice quivering as his body trembled from the effort to control himself.

As their lips parted Sophie's head fell a bit forward before tipping back to look at Steve. All her weight had been reliant on him and as he moved back an inch she had to readjust her balance. Their eyes met and she felt he was looking into her soul but with hesitant, sad eyes. "Why not...?" she asked breathlessly and with a slight quiver to it as her emotions were running high.

Steve licked his lip as he struggled in his decision to hold back from kissing the young ensign again. "You know why. I can't do this with you. You are my subordinate and...you are so young. It's inappropriate of me to take advantage of the situation."

Stepping back and out of the enclosure that was Steve Greco she touched her bottom lip with a finger from her right hand as she thought. She ached for him and that much was no secret. Sophie looked at the door, or where the arch would be when she called it, and looked back at Steve. "You know, sometimes I think you forget that you aren't that old and if we were both 10 years older you wouldn't use that lame excuse." she moved further away and called for the arch. "I am sorry to have interrupted your personal time Commander." she fixed her hair back into a respectable state. Make-out messy hair was not a look she was going for. "I'll be sure to be more careful." she stood to attention waiting to be dismissed like a good ensign.

Steve flinched in reaction to Sophie's response. Licking his lips briefly in an effort to stop alleviate the dryness of his mouth, he watched her go. No words coming to him to defend himself, or help her to understand. Despite knowing what she was waiting for, he only looked away as he hung his head in silent shame.

Sophie sighed heavily and quite audibly. Clearly Steve wasn't going to say anything. At risk of reprimand she chose to leave without being dismissed from his ever loving company and the heavy holodeck doors swung shut as did the world around the poor ensigns heart.

 

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