Thanks

Posted on Tue Nov 8th, 2022 @ 11:55am by Lieutenant JG Ryland Dedeker & Lieutenant Sophie Xiong
Edited on on Tue Nov 8th, 2022 @ 11:56am

1,105 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Season 1 Interlude II (E5.5)
Location: Ryland's Quarters | Overwatch Station
Timeline: ID 1

In truth, Mrazak’s interruption had only cost them a couple of hours, but that didn’t make it any better in Sophie’ mind. She still had to redo a lot of stuff and if there was one thing she hated, it was doing things twice.

But at least they had finally finished and she was free to spend the rest of the day as she would. First, though, she owed someone some gratitude. And Sophie always paid her debts. So she found herself at Dedeker’s quarters, ringing the chime. If he wasn’t here, she’d tell him the next time she saw him; she didn’t have time to be chasing him all over the station.

Ryland's door slid open since Sophie's biometrics had been programmed into them to allow her direct access. Inside was a loud, bawdy tune playing at decibels which were far louder than necessary. A faint whiff of cigar smoke fluttered into the corridor.

"Disgusting!" complained Sophie, waving her hand in front of her face as she stepped through the door. "Dedeker!" she called, but the music was too loud. "Computer!" she shouted as loud as she could. "Music off!"

The old tavern song cut short with a squelch that may have been part of the original tune.

"Hey!" Ryland shouted from the corner chair. "DAMMIT!" At first he was merely protesting Sophie's intrusion, but then he was sucking the tip of his thumb that he'd burned with an actual wooden match. The cigar in his other hand smoldered red as its smoke wafted up, wasted without being inhaled. "What can I do ya for, baby doll? Jonesin' for more of the ol' cunning linguistics from yours truly?"

Sophie rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I'm pretty sure those things are illegal," she pointed out, nodding towards the cigar.

"Just 'cause you got a pussy don't mean you gotta' be one," Ryland teased. "Seriously, though. You here to rub fuzzies or what?"

"No!" snapped Sophie testily as she finally stepped into his quarters. "I came here to say-" but she was suddenly seized with a coughing fit from the cigar smoke. "How can you-" cough, cough "-stand-" choke "-those things?"

Ryland took a deep hit and blew the smoke cloud straight at Sophie. "It's a man thing. If you were hung like your main man, you'd understand." His cigar wiggled as he chuckled. "Sure I can't tempt you with a raw-dog romp?"

Her sneer was somewhat ruined by the fact that she was still coughing slightly. "Grow up, Dedeker," she suggested. "Look, I just-" cough "-came to say thanks. For shooting that Klingon on the bridge."

Confusion overtook his face for a moment until recollection settled in its place. "Oh," he said thoughtfully before tamping out his cigar in the ashtray. "You're very welcome, darlin'. You know, there is a traditional way to thank a big damn war hero..." He waggled his eyebrows at her with an exaggeration that was only fed by Sophie's sneer.

"One of these days, you're going to have to take me to Sick Bay because I've rolled my eyes so hard, they've gotten stuck backwards," retorted Sophie with a roll of her eyes.

"And to unstick your luscious Oh-Face," Ryland quickly added, imitating an orgasmic facial expression.

"And probably to fix your broken nose," she retorted, eyes narrowing as she held up one fist at him.

"Please me, baby, don't tease me." Ryland let out another teasing chuckle. "Anyway, don't worry. Nobody gonna' hurt you so long as I'm around."

That brought Sophie up short. She didn’t know what to do with information like that. She had been brought up to look after herself, to believe that nobody would be looking out for her except for herself. And yet here was someone who claimed to be looking out for her? She blinked several time, brow wrinkled. “Uh… yeah,” she finally muttered, all of her previous bluster completely gone. “Yeah… thanks.”

"So you said, darlin'." Ryland grinned at Sophie's awkward turn so hard it made his tongue poke between his teeth. "So you said."

Which frustrated her, of course. She didn’t like people knowing they’d caught her unaware. She huffed and clenched her jaw. “You are insufferable!” she accused.

"And you, honey..." Ryland swaggered up to Sophie and rested his hands on her shoulders. "...are irresistible."

“I never said I changed my mind,” she pointed out, crossing her arms. But, her voice was slightly softer than it had been a moment before.

Ryland grinned at her with a smug confidence. "Yeah, but your iceberg is melting," he said mischievously while his hands gently and slowly slid down from her shoulders, "and that can only mean you're startin' to feel as hot as you look."

"Do you ever think with your brain instead of your dick?" she asked derisively.

"I did once but it never got me anywhere," Ryland said with a chuckle. "Come on, now. You came to say thank you." He started nibbling on her ear. "Now it's my turn to say you're welcome."

Sophie huffed. "Fine," she replied. "But don't take forever!"

"Mee-oww," Ryland teased. "Kitty has claws today."

“Shut up and get your clothes off,” ordered Sophie irritably. “Unless you’re not interested, of course.”

Ryland was shirtless and pantsless in the space of two seconds. "Do I at least get a smile?" he asked with a grin and arms spread wide in a Ta-Da gesture.

“No,” she replied flatly, pulling her own shirt over the top of her head. “Take it or leave it.”

"What if I do this?" Ryland began tickling her bare sides.

She squirmed out of his reach without smiling. “Cut that out!” she snapped.

"Cut what out?" Ryland's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint as he pursued her.

Her hands went to her hips and she struck what was basically a “Peter Pan” pose. “I mean it, Dedeker!” she ordered.

Ryland swept his hands over hers and pulled her hips against his. "I know how mean you can be," he said with a wink. "You know how nice I can be." He closed his eyes and gave a brisk purr. "Gimme a smile and I will rock your world."

So she afforded him a very mocking grin that was almost a grimace. “Happy?” she asked, crossing her arms.

"Baby, I am euphoric." Ryland returned her mocking grin with a sincere one that stretched ear to ear in his laughter. Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her toward his unmade bed. "And euphoria makes Daddy hungry."

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