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[It's so oppressively still now that all the chaos is over. He's largely healed up after the attack at the hospital, something he mostly suffered through quietly, with a few people helping him patch himself up. It was a miserable blow getting the hospital in a good state only to have it ruined all over again.]

[He seems to heal faster in this state so the injuries are gone, though the places he got clawed healed over in patches of scaly skin. He is...not exactly feeling his best. More and more skin has been changing. When he looks in the mirror, he doesn't recognize himself, for so many reasons.]

[But he's not going to linger on any misery. He's going to find an excuse to do something about it.]

[Pleasant company is always a good excuse to get on your feet, and beautiful women deserve to have the people propositioning them actually grooming themselves instead of looking like they live under a bridge in a Sanctuary City in the dark ages. It's enough motivation to find scissors and an old-fashioned bladed razor to tidy up his hair and shave off a beard that started in the Dominion camp.]

[Between that and the shower, it's the first time his face has looked like his own in a while. Even with the animal eyes.]

[After dressing in a way that would pass for quite fashionable in the Federation (and therefore slightly ridiculous in many other cultures, so many clashing patterns and weird cuts), he makes sure his place is clean and a neat since he has no idea where she might want to meet, grabs his mask, and settles casually on his couch. He takes far too long to arrange the throw pillows and decide how casually he should cross his legs, changing his mind about three times.]

[Then he finally puts on his mask and reaches out. This is the first time she'll have actually seen him clean-shaven. Even with how tired he still looks, it takes off years.]

Good evening, Kalmiya. Now that all the chaos is over, is there any chance you might be free one of these evenings? I was wondering if you might like some company.

[Reaching for Kalmiya is not such a straightforward thing. As open as she is to connection, her mind is not a book that just anyone can read at their leisure. Finding her without a tether leads to a likeness more akin to a specter than a living person, a glimmering pink silhouette in the vague shape of Kalmiya. Its features are purposefully obscured and absent of fox traits.

It takes her a moment to orient herself in this shared mental space, represented by the apparition turning as if to face the good doctor. Then, its body language alert, the figure fills in like a rain of glitter, taking on all the color and detail of Kalmiya as she currently is—including her bright grin.] Julian! I hardly recognized you!

[He got all fancy for the occasion, it seems. In contrast to him, she's in some cozy cross between loungewear and pajamas, a droopy pink sweater and fuzzy striped thigh-highs. And...no pants, apparently, judging by the glimpse of leg revealed as she settles into a lounging position.] The chaos is never really over here, but if you'd like to make the most of things while it's calm, I'm available at your earliest convenience.

[Her trio of tails flick playfully, an impish sparkle in her eye.] I'm awfully underdressed, though. Unless you've found one of those suits for me?

[The entire glitter effect is actually a bit delightful. And of course he doesn't mind at all catching someone dressing so casually. She relaxing at home and he's used to people dressing all manner of ways from the station anyway.]

[(And he certainly doesn't mind catching sight of a bit of leg.)]

[Her smile and saying she hardly recognized him makes him look pleased. This is a bit more like he prefers to look and he feels much more like himself all of a sudden.]

[As for mention of the catsuits, though, his ears blush a tiny bit.]

I don't know. I think a catsuit might leave you a bit overdressed and you look awfully cozy right now. If anything I'm the one that perhaps needs to pare down.

[He briefly wiggles his foot, where it's crossed over his other leg, as if jokingly insinuating he's the one in the wrong for not showing enough leg.]

Your place or mine? I should warn you, though I do have a private room, I'm afraid the dorms are a bit...communal in some of their common areas, if you'd prefer privacy. I like staying here just because it'd make it easy for someone to wake me if I'm needed in the Infirmary.

[He staked out a room that must have belonged to an RA so it was much more like a private room, with a private bath. But that means the kitchens and other areas entail some risk of running into others.]

[As her eyes are drawn down to the whimsical gesture of his foot, her answering smirk is devilish in its delight.] No need to dress down. I like unwrapping my presents.

[Even if the gaudiness of his chosen fashion is strange by current Earth standards, it doesn't register as unusual to her. She quite likes loud, striking clothing. And the more of it he wears, the more she gets to help him take off.

There's a tilt of her head, a flick of her gaze off to the side somewhere as she gives a thoughtful hm. Surveying something in physical space, it seems.] My bed's in rough shape at the moment. Your place is fine; the Hosts are the only audience I'm worried about.

[He smiles and ducks his head when she mentions unwrapping her presents, looking pleased.]

[Pleased enough his feathers are bristling slightly and his tail is flicking happily where it rests on the couch, despite his best efforts.]

Well, mine is very comfortable at the moment, though it could be warmer.

[He then gives her directions, to the building and then his room, and waits, reading a book to not spend the whole time squirming in anticipation.]

[A cheerful ring of laughter follows as she takes in the fluff of feathers and the flick of tail.] Don't worry—I'll help you warm it up.

[With that suggestive sign-off, she heads out to begin the trek. She doesn't change out of her pajamas, though she does pop on some tiny shorts and a huge holo-sequined coat before braving the streets.

Kalmiya is decent with directions, but the Murmur's preservation of maps and the sound of Julian's voice remain helpful guides on her way over. The trip is uncomfortable not despite the peace, but because of it; she breathes easier in the silent air, the phase and flow of her body as natural as a heartbeat while she navigates the reanimated remains of Manhattan. It is a deceptive peace. She doesn't care for it.

It shaves some travel time off, at least, with the ease of teleporting. She's polite enough to knock when she reaches his room, even if it's a silly knock, some rhythm she picked up from the Feywild.] Hello~ Tether delivery service!

[He opens the door and only just manages to avoid posing in the doorframe.]

[He thinks she looks cute. The holo-sequined coat would kill it in the Federation. And she looks so comfy. He misses comfy. He liked some of those cozy mornings with Leeta before they got up for their respective shifts.]

[Not that it ever would've worked out when she had feelings for Rom.]

[But fresh start. He's on the market again. There's a very pretty woman on his doorstep looking for something casual. (Sort of, considering the tether thing.)]

[He gives her a huge smile then wrinkles his nose as he jokes:]

Do I have to sign for anything?

[But despite the joke, he doesn't hesitate to gesture for her to come inside with a gentlemanly wave.]

[His room is fairly nice for something commandeered from a college dorm. More professor-like than student-like. Or at least maybe PHD-candidate-esque. He's tried to make it a bit less sophomoric, in what free time he's had to even worry about it since he's been so focused on setting up the Infirmary and hospital. There stacks of medical journals in a few places, including piled on a desk with some notebooks. There are books on shelves - nice books. He's "liberated" some leather bound copies in any places he's found them.]

[He stole some actually nice sheets and a relatively new set of comforters from a store in a deep blue. And there's a little couch there with coffee tables and a chipped tea set that looks like it's actually used, given the little caddy of scavenged teas.]

All jokes aside, you're much more than just a Tether. [He reaches out to snag her hands.] You've been very kind to me and I'm grateful for it, especially given some of the situations I came from.

I hope you might consider becoming friends after this.

[He doesn't have any major expectations. In the past he's been prone to falling into infatuation easily, but that's been tempered over time (most of the time). But she's been both kind and fun and he has friends in his life that've shown him how rewarding friendship can be with people like that.]

[His joke (and the very cute scrunch of his nose) earn him a jubilant laugh as Kalmiya follows the wave of his arm and sweeps into the room. Immediately she's captivated by the lived-in quality of the surroundings, all the personal touches that hint at the inhabitant of this dwelling. The medical texts look nightmarish, the tea set is darling, and the bed looks very comfy.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she hears the words of one of her Tethers months ago, giving her so much shit for her apathy towards her own living space.

She's still in the moment of taking it all in when he reaches for her, a grip which draws faint surprise but no resistance. She regards him with curious eyes and perked ears; a mild confusion touches the smile she gives in return.] Well, we're certainly not going to be strangers. Why wouldn't I want to be friends?

[Why is this such a common reaction to her affections??]

[He defaults to Starfleet officer cultural explanation mode because that's just pretty much how they operate. Part of it is a love of explaining different cultures. There's such enthusiasm in how he chatters away and he's utterly oblivious to the fact an info dump might dampen the mood.]

Oh, well, back home at least, for some people, they sometimes engage in casual sex just to blow off steam or share some mutual enjoyment, but with no expectations of even a casual platonic relationship after.

[He goes about making sure the door is locked. (His hallway is a bit remote compared to the other occupied places, but just in case someone comes knocking for a medical emergency. He really wants them to knock.)]

[Then he looks to make the place a bit more hospitable, turning up the heat on the space heater.]

We even have a whole pleasure planet with resorts where people go to hook up with lovers they bring and lovers they meet - sometimes with multiple partners at once. The local culture there puts heavy emphasis on enjoyment of casual sex and many of the locals are deeply attracted to aliens. If alien visitors are open to a sexual rite called jamaharon, they can display a totem called a horga'hn that advertises their receptiveness to any possible partners.

[He's not sure why any others have wanted to clarify wanting friendship from her but in his case, his society is so sexually liberated and quite frankly openly horny that sex can be completely divorced from anything approaching even platonic connection.]

So it's usually prudent to let someone know you like their personality and also want a friendship, to have the same expectations. I know you offered the Tether but someone accepting it could accept it based on need, not because they've enjoyed talking to you.

And I've enjoyed talking to you.

[He holds out a hand.]

Here, let me take your coat - which is very striking, by the way.

[Fortunately for Julian, Kalmiya has the insatiable curiosity of someone cut off from the rest of the world for the better part of two decades. She watches for only a moment as he bustles around (did he turn the heat up? Very generous,) though soon finds her gaze pulled back to the collection that surrounds her. However, while she regards the nice leatherbound books, her big fox ears are rotated towards Julian, clearly indicating how intently she's listening.

By the time he's mostly through his explanation, though, she's turned back to him with a furrow in her brow and a smile settled somewhere comfortably between amusement and mischief. With intrigued sincerity,] That sounds amazing. Communities like that in my world are very small; there's no entire society of the sort that I know of.

[Permissively, she shrugs her coat off into his waiting grasp, humming in appreciation of his compliment. When she straightens up, there is a pointed square to her shoulders, the posture of someone who's very accustomed to standing much taller than her physical stature allows. The mischief in her expression has evolved into good-natured challenge.] I do appreciate the clarity of your intentions. But please don't misunderstand the kindness I've extended. I would never offer something like this to someone who didn't enjoy my company.

I don't mind helping to satisfy a need, but I will not be used.

Good.

[Self-respect is important. And he certainly wouldn't want to be on the other end of someone offering something like this out of pity.]

[Mutual enjoyment of each other's company, her feeling that he values her company, that's different.]

[With her coat hung on a little hook near the door, he turns to her, walking over. He slips his arms around her waist, a gentle smile curving his lips.]

I shall endeavor to be worthy your time.

[As his arms encircle her waist, her confidence softens, though it doesn't by any means ebb. Effortlessly she reaches up to settle her own arms over his shoulders and catches a lock of his hair in the idle twirl of her index finger.] No need to try too hard. Respect tends to speak for itself.

[The curl of her smile is playful as she tucks herself a little closer to him. The trio of tails at her back sway with her climbing enthusiasm.] So, any preferences? I'm quite flexible.

[Metaphorically and literally, if the particular lilt of her voice is anything to go by.]

[His own tail was now flicking around wildly.]

As am I. [On both counts, honestly. The Augmented physique he'd started with was flexible and the new changes hadn't really countered that. He'd nearly been a pro athlete at one point.] I've...experimented. Other species back home have all kinds of practices.

[He tended to bend more towards their preferences, since some of it was heavily cultural. Humans were curious. It often entailed being flexible and trying something.]

But the most important thing is I usually like to focus my attentions on my partner for a while first. I find it very satisfying.

[And he had very good endurance, so it meant a long time of letting anticipation build without risk of losing control too soon.]

I'm very good with my tongue. And my hands.

[A bubble of laughter both surprised and delighted answers his boasting. So confident; she's eager to find out whether it's warranted. (Would he be willing to share some stories of those other species? Pillow talk, maybe.)

Joyously,] Well, far be it from me to deny you that satisfaction! I'll try to be good while you work.

[For some measure of "good." Staying still and keeping her hands to herself are not her strong suits in circumstances such as this, evidenced by the way her hands are already beginning to wander curiously along the firm slope of his shoulders.]

[He doesn't find the wandering hands to be a problem at all. He only moves more into her personal space, pressing soft kisses to her lips. His hands play with the hem of her sweater, fingers splaying out against the skin underneath, starting to tease their way upward.]

[The kisses are slow and teasing at first, then more exploratory, his tongue dancing between her lips, first slowly flicking against the tip of her tongue, then rolling. There's an obvious self-control there, a slow dance that can't happen if you're getting quick and sloppy.]

[Up close, there's the smell of musk and sandalwood. (He clearly takes pains to be pleasant for whoever he's with and he was worried what he might smell like with this new form.)]

[As one hand explores under the hem of her shirt the other is more affectionate, reaching up to cradle a cheek, his thumb gently caressing her face. He breaks off the kissing to only add to this open affection, kissing down along the line of her jaw, pressing hot kisses to her neck, the hand under her shirt reaching up to the small of her back to pull her even more closely to him.]

[There are hints of a tether already, just from the friendly moments they've had, just the edges of one that could be forming, strengthened by what they're doing. They don't need to fully engage in the act for him to already be feeling a fondness for her. When he's slept with someone that wasn't a stranger, there's always been that kind of warmth. Because he feels remote and distant enough from people for any form of connection to hold something warm.]

[Those are the first things to leak through. The first: a warmth and gentle feeling for her, a simple admiration for someone that he's getting a sense is a mix of sweetness and steel. Nothing too intense, nothing too fixated, just an earnest little bit of exuberance, a part of him going "oh, she seems rather brilliant, doesn't she? And lucky me, she wants to have some fun with me!" It's very playful.]

[The second thing through: something more quietly lonely underneath. A part of him that holds moments like this as precious, even if they don't last - knowing that they usually don't. Gathers them all together in a pile with other moments of love and connection from friends and loved ones, presses the entire pile close to a heart deeply wounded by something, and tells himself people wanting to be close in any way, means he's human.]

[But where others want to take, where they covet, his instinct is to give and to earn time and affection, as if it isn't simply warranted by existing. To give and give and give: Time. Care. Energy. Patience. Understanding. Pleasure.]

Edited 2026-02-25 08:56 (UTC)

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after week 4 of plot, when things go quiet

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