The Beginning Is Always Today

Posted on Tue Apr 25th, 2023 @ 11:37am by Ensign Nandi Chakma & Lieutenant Calderon Jarsdel

Mission: Season 1 Interlude II (E5.5)
Location: The MT Resort
Timeline: ID4 Afternoon (before "Bitter Morning After Pill")

Congratulations on the reinstatement, Cal. I saw the order just today. You deserve it. Please accept this token of my approval and best wishes. I hope to see you on Risa. ~Nandi

These words had drifted pleasantly around the man's head as he'd lain on a paddleboard out in the warm ocean waters and closed his eyes to the two suns. Just drifted, languishing in those wonderful words along with the soft accent that wrapped around them in his mind's eye. I hope to see you on Risa. That was an invitation, mild and innocent. Until he considered the ancient wisdom contained within the tome that accompanied them, timidly left at his door all alone and wrapped for privacy,

She would indeed see him, Cal considered, perhaps even more of him than anyone else had seen in a long while. But he needed to return the kind favour with a romantic signature of his own, and it had been a very long time since such societal niceties had been considered. It needed some contemplation, and here, now, he was a little out of practice.

Lazily, he rolled over onto his belly and steered himself further out into the calm waters, needing privacy, needing space of every kind - physical, mental and wide-open environmental - so as he paddled with his hands alone, those huge blue skies called to peace and quiet out here where he could finally, absolutely, be alone.

---

Walking back into the hut for the second time that day, dressed in jersey shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt and this time to witness Nandi's return, Cal feigned casual happiness and hid the inner deeper sense of excitement. She seemed a little off, her emotions radiating outwards to clash with his calm, well-balanced sense of peace, but he smiled and waved and hitched the backpack upwards on his bare shoulders. "Bad time to visit?" Cal asked, outright, lifting both eyebrows with his voice as he asked the question.

Nandi had the faintest hint of a limp that she had mostly managed to walk off. "No..." Her eyes swept over his body, then searched for any sign of the book, and then pulled her hair back behind her ears with both hands. "For truth, I was becoming uncertain whether you would..." A timid but hopeful grin began to creep across her mouth. "I must confess that I've thought of little else since I left you the...gift. It violated so many protocols, but..." She turned pensive for a moment which pulled her smile back into a grimace, but her nervous energy summoned it back in short order. "Well, I recently had advice that some rules must be broken in service to greater ones. And I'm talking too much, aren't I?"

Was she limping? Cal scanned both the young woman's physique and her mind, if lightly, for signs that Nandi was hurt, even as she studied him in return. "Are you okay?" He asked, a light frown creasing his brow as he shifted his backpack to the floor and walked closer while Nandi awkwardly responded to his initial question. No was good in this case, Cal realised, even as he registered that sense of her hope on all levels, outwards and within. He stopped right in front of Nandi, shoulders back, stance casually powerful and allowed her rambling to come to an end question before he spoke again.

"I've been thinking a lot too," Cal admitted, his eyes bright. He smelt of sea-salt and ocean, his tufty hair messy, his physique firm and already beginning to pick up a tan. "I needed some alone time," he admitted, standing within physical reach of Nandi now. "Clear my head, find my peace. But now," Cal continued with an impish grin. "I'd really like to discuss your gift," his eyes were mischievous, his tone strong and confident as he took the book she'd gifted him from its hiding place at the small of his back. "In intricate detail and utilising the medium of touch."

Though she couldn't fight back the blush that always seemed to fire up around Cal, there was no hesitation or bashfulness on Nandi's part. "I am very excited to hear that." She changed her limp to a strut as she walked into her room, leaving the door ajar. After a moment there came the sound of running water and the distinct sound of bubbling jets.

The grin that flooded Cal's face was broad and happy as he considered that familiar blush across Nandi's features. She seemed more confident though, that strut and her tone confirming such, so that he had no guilt, concerns or uncertainty in following her through that slightly open door. His pause had simply been stealing a moment to appreciate the good life coming back around.

"So are we violating protocols, breaking rules or simply taking a bath?" He asked, his tone light, happy and jovial as he kicked off sneakers and pulled his sleeveless tee over his head, before reaching to Nandi's shoulders with firm, massaging hands.

Nandi pursed her lips as her eyes darted to one side in thought. "Yes," she answered before offering him a coy smile. "My original intention was to have you thoroughly pound me like a masala, but after an unfortunate tumble earlier today, I am in dire need of a massage first." She turned around, let her clothing drop to the floor, and gingerly stepped into the bubbling inlaid tub.

Her good mood and shyness radiated from the young woman, and Cal didn't look any deeper than that with any of his extracurricular skills. He was here, he was happy, he was in good company and he was choosing to enjoy the moment rather than overthink it. Seemed like it had been a really long time since he'd been in this situation, with all his faculties available and control of all parts of himself. Still, he was looking forward to just being here, physical and present more so every second.

"Like a masala?" Cal raised one eyebrow and grinned. "Well, I'm not a great chef, but..." he flexed his hands and long fingers purposefully as he lingered on that caramel skin and slender physique dropping into soapy water. "I reckon I can handle a massage and still have more than enough energy to finesse you a little better than I can make a curry." A loaded pause was followed by a quick strip down to stand proudly naked before her. "Room for two?" Cal asked, indicating the tub.

In reply, Nandi raised a beckoning finger over the turgid, bubbling water. This was a new experience for her. Most boys were just that... boys. Young, immature, inexperienced in the ways of the world. Cal was not old by any means, so the years he wore did nothing but enhance his masculine wiles. The darkness in his eyes was both captivating and terrifying which sent a thrill through her from Sahasrara to Muladhara. Everything tingled, not least of which were the fluttering butterflies in her stomach. "Do tell me more about this 'finessing' of yours."

Her confidence was beautiful, particularly because they were alone, and Cal savoured Nandi's forthright nakedness and that encouraging gesture. He climbed in, grin present across his whole being, and her tingle resonated with him too, Betazoid and Lethean reading the woman in the bathtub with more than enough accurary, no need to break protocol, and a hunger that began to rise within him. He wanted her just as much as he wanted Nandi to feel appreciated, cared for and ecstatic, and he let his fingers do the work as his mind eased down a notch or two. It had been a while, but he had an advantage that outweighted verbalising demands and requests. Time to put those to the test and find out what made Nandi deeply satisfied.

"Well," he said, slipping into the bubbles behind her. "There are points in everyone's physique that matter more than others, subtle changes that make you unique on a spectrum of touch and sensory overload. I intend to locate them, linger as long as you can endure...." Cal grinned. "It's better if I show you. I'm a little out of practice on the verbal romancing, but I'll make up for it with the physical." He let his fingers peruse Nandi's back and shoulders, going quiet as he listened to her internal reactions and adjusting accordingly.

Nandi couldn't help but groan as her soul tried to leave her body. "Oh, that is incredible." The stress of the past month, compounded by one terrible development after another, began to fall away. Even the ever-present burden of anxiety that she always carried seem lightened. "How..." But words failed. Her mind rose and fell at the same time into a sensual cacophony that might just have been a taste of nirvana. "Oh..."

He could feel her mood shift, sliding comfortably into a more casual sense of being. Nandi's whole being eased down a notch with his every touch, each simple pressure point contact, each soothing deeper stroke and Cal luxuriated in that to and fro, that shared joy. He took great care to ensure each and every inch of her caramel form had its fair share of bubble-bath soaked, strong massaged perfection, and then picked up with an under-rhythm of gently planted kisses on those easier to reach pressure points and tickle-zones. "Here?" he whispered, close to her ear. "Or better... there?"

"Vaah-vaah," Nandi half-whispered, half-moaned, her native Hindi coming out without the benefit of her combadge to translate it. "Shaabaash..." The last word came out with a giggle as her hand canted to one side and she savored the sensation with eyes closed. When she had first met this man, she was intimidated by the air of mystery which surrounded him. The lion's share of his personnel file was classified but nothing could hide the looks he had received, nor the fact he had been under lock and key pending psychological evaluation. That terror had been what allowed his charm to get past her guard. Now... he was sending her straight to Moshka in all the right ways. Leaning back into him, she raised one arm up to wrap around his head and pull him onto her shoulder. "Take me," she whispered. Help me remember why I'm alive, she thought to herself.

Permission duly granted in the sweetest whisper of a request, Cal gently scooped Nandi up with him as he carefully stood to his feet. Warm water about his feet, hot skin against Nandi's own, he cradled her in close to ensure she was wrapped in steam and remnants of bubbles as he escorted their moment to the bedroom. Sex in water was all very romantic and all, but he preferred the more varied options drier land provided. And as he left them both fall backwards onto the expensive and accomodating mattress, he rolled to ensure Nandi fell against his body, closely guarded against him, until she wasn't...

It had been a long time, but Cal had forgotten nothing of those skills, desires or unselfish pleasures.