Backpost-Post Promotion Celebration

Posted on Mon Feb 25th, 2019 @ 9:43am by Commander Talia Varen

Mission: Starbase 332, Where Are You?

Liarras words echo'd in her ears and even in her shell shocked state her first thought was for Leo. Had he known about this and managed to hide it from her? Absently she signed the report in front of her and placed the padd in the complete pile. Rising from her desk she stretched slowly ~Leo?~

Talia’s call came as a bit of a surprise as Leo was engrossed in his work, a welcome surprise however and a distraction as he felt his eyes going strange on him from staring at the monitor and text for the better part of 2 hours. ~Yes Imzadi.~ He replied with a calming sigh, an effect she always had on him.

~Ive had enough of reports to last an aeon. Ive been told to skive off early. I dont suppose you'll join me?~

~I could actually do with a break.~ Leo replied. ~Where should I meet you?~ He asked as he flicked off the monitor and pushed the reports into his desk drawer.

She sent him a mental image of the Tapas resturaunt that had just opened on the promenaude

~5 minutes?~ Leo returned as he stood up and headed for the door. He’d heard of the restaurant and wondered about it himself since it had opened.

~Ill race you~ she teased gently with the ghost of a mental kiss

Leo smiled but knew he’d let her win, a good man always makes the lady feel good and special and letting her win served both. That was not to say he didn’t make an effort, his pace was quick but not as such as hers.

Talia had already asked for a table, and was seated towards the back of the restaurant. It had no menu aside from drinks, and she felt Leo approaching, for the warmth in mind and body increased

When Leo entered he was shown the way, he knew where she was because he could sense her presence and the smile to grace his lips as he saw his beauty in blue waiting for him just as she said, the victor to her race. ~Imzadi.~ He greeted, kissing the inside of her wrist and then sat down.

A shudder ran through her whole body at that gesture. When Leo did that to her, it just inflamed her. He didnt even know how insane it made her. "Mmm...hello love."

“So, now that we are here, what would you suggest we enjoy from the menu?” He looked around noticing they were at the back of the seating area, view was mostly private, Talia’s doing no doubt in requesting this table.

"This place serves chefs choice. There is only a drink menu."

It was only by chance he caught it, the subtle change. What once was black was no gold. Talia was a full Commander now, an equal to his own. “Congratulations.” He played letting on initially that he’d not noticed or at least hide that he may not have straight away. “I’ll have to work even harder now to make Captain.”

"Captain Luciano has a nice ring to it. Then you would be my captain." She gave a throaty laugh.

“I didn’t know you knew Whitman?” The ‘My Captain’ remark reminding him of the poem by the man. “Though you are right it does doesn’t it?” Leo looked at the menu. “So what would you like? Shuffling closer so she could share in viewing the menu.

"I grew up on Vulcan caro. I had a traditional education. If you think my classical knowledge isnt there, just assume it is" she smiled gently at him and laid her hand on his thigh.

Leo smiled. ~So have you decided Imzadi?~ The list of beverages was many and each with a small snippet of information detailing the drink and the flavour it had.

Shed chosen a cider made of vulcan fruits paired with earth ones. It sounded fascinating and she hoped it would meet her admittedly high expectations. The young doctor was quite the snob when it came to food and drink. "I have, though you may want something different. Vukcan fruits are sometimes unpalatable to humans."

"Oh...." That was one thing Leo didn't consider. He changed his order to something more suitable at least to Betazoids if what Talia had ordered was perhaps out of taste for him. "There, done."

"Everyone knows Vulcans are prickly on the outside. Our fruits are the same way." Her smirk belied that remark and made her eyes twinkle.

“Oh I don’t know about that, I’ve been fine around you so far, admittedly you are the Chief Medical Officer so should I wound myself Im confident I will be in good hands for treatment.” Leo joked in return.

A snort escaped her, amusement curling around him. "You'd be in good hands alright."

“I would hope so, it would not look good on a newly minted Commander to lose a First Officer in her care.” Leo winked and just as the drinks arrived.

Her thoughts shot to an image: him, bound to her bed and when she was asked about it she simply replied 'maybe he got lost?'

A sudden flush of red washed over his face. “Lost indeed.” Leo smirked as he waited for the drinks to arrive at the table to the rear of the room.

She felt a sense of triumph at his scarlet blush. "I suppose it is one way to lose yourself." The drinks came along with the first course. Prosciutto, cheese, and a spicy mustard.

“Now this looks good.” Leo replied as he looked at the food laid before them. “So how did you find out about this place?” His voice thick in accent as he looked at the food then her.

"One of the chefs was infected with the virus. He told me how proud he was of his little restaurant"

“Should I be worried about what people tell you?” Leo joked. “Can’t have them whispering all my secrets.”

"I think that eventually i will know all your secrets from your own lips." She joked back picking up a cracker with a slice of cheese and spreading mustard upon it

"You seem rather sure of yourself Imzadi." Leo replied as he began to eat himself.

"Ti amo Leonardo" she whispered into his ear before popping her completed treat into her mouth.

"You know, talking like that gets you in trouble." Then Leo turned the tables and whispered all kinds of things into her ear in his thick accented voice.

She gripped the edge of the table, and his hand simultaneously. Then she whispered a reply into his ear in flawless Italian. Shed been making an effort to learn italian, for him. Mostly, so she could understand his words soft in the middle of the night. There was more to it than that though- sometimes he had nightmares and she couldn't understand the words. She couldn't abide that.

"Someone....has been learning Italian behind my back....." The eyes narrow as if playfully warning his Imzadi of how devious that was for her to do.

Leaning in she brushed her lips to his gently. "You, are pleased. Dont give me that look and try to pretend that you're not."

"True." It did please him that she was learning his language, at times he found it easier to speak it than standard especially when he was emotionally strained.

She nuzzled his cheek softly before sipping her drink.

"How have you found learning Italian?" He knew that her Vulcan side would perhaps find it a lot easier for her to learn his than him to learn Vulcan to be sure.

"Its interesting." She said after swallowing the flavorful procuttio. "Gramatically it's interesting because from Standard English it's backwards. It's simplistic when compared to Vulcan however, so I doubt learning it will provide too much trouble. I do love its musical quality, but i knew that already, hearing you speak."

"Flattery will only get you so far before payment is required Imzadi." Leo smiled in return to her play. He knew ahe cared for him and he her but there were times, special times like these that made all the days troubles worth it.

She laughed softly and pressed a kiss onto his lips. "You sir, are just fishing. I wont play your game." Her smile told him she was teasing.

"Commanders perk. Dont worry you will get used to it in time." Leo spoke playing the only card he had left, the time in grade. "So what do you think to this?" Indicating the drink and meal before them.

The tapas dishes were tiny but they were delicious, and each time the waiter brought them a new one it was better than the last.

Leo was happy to see Talia was enjoying herself. He knew she worked hard and ao little downtime moments like this were little godsends.

She reached over and offered him a morsel of what had been placed in front of her, on her own fork. It had made her close her eyes in gustatory delight.

Leo leaned forward and took the offering. It was a delight indeed but for him it was the company that made thr moment.

She blushed as that thought was conveyed in its entirety through their bond. Shed managed to close down when she was busy in sickbay, but right now,he was open to her and her to him. Warmth filled her as she gazed over at him.

"If you are done, would you like to join me for something, there is something I want to show you?" Leo spoke as he had been thinking much about it this day and it was hard to keep it from her through the bond, thankfully his workload managed to keep his mind busy and clouded.

"Shall we take dessert home then?" She asked as her eyes gleamed at the idea of a surprise from him.

"Sure, it would be a shame to waste such a treat." Leo replied as he tried so hard to hide his anticipation of what was to come.

She asked the waiter if he could have dessert sent to Leos quarters, and then pressed her thumbprint to the pay padd. Then expectantly she looked at Leo. "Lead on"

Leo lead her from the restaurant up the higher levels to the command observation desk almost at the top of the station. The view unrivaled throughout the station as they saw ship and star unobstructed in a 360 degree angle. A sort of dome for observers. "What do you think?"

Walking to the edge of the windows, she placed one elegant hand on the window and gazed out in wonder. "Oh..." she whispered awestruck by the view

While Talia was distracted now was his moment. From his picket he retrieved it, opened it and dropped to one knee. "Will, you marry me Talia?" The moment he'd considered all day now upon him.

Her focus eas so great she almost didnt hear the question, turning to him the request for him to repeat what hed said died on her lips. She knew what hed asked. They parted but nothing came out, and she felt for an instant like she was falling into the ernest look in his eyes. Marry him? Of course she would marry him.

Leo waited, patiently as he never broke eye contact with her. There was fear, hesitation, worry. Worried it was too much or soon for her, that it was too sudden and frighten you off or worse, that she would say no.

Her entranced steps took her to his side and she knelt beside him, pressing her lips to his, gently, tenderly. "Yes" she whispered against his lips as she kissed him again.

A wave of relief, a flooding of emotion through the bond as even while Talia kissed him his fingers worked the ring from the box ready to place on her finger.

Not able to help herself under the onslaught of his emotions and her joy, she began to weep. The ring slid perfectly onto her left hand and she would admire it once she could see.

As soon as the ring went on he stood up bringing Talia with him, he didn't want to let her lest it was all a dream and any moment he would wake up and it would all shatter before his eyes. ~Imzadi.~

A tear gleamed on her cheek, shining like a star. ~Imzadi~ her hand raised to cradle her cheek.

Silently Leo hugged Talia, the ring box falling to the floor and both arms wrapped around her in an embrace that screamed with all the emotion, want and need he had for her. Nothing mattered at this moment beyond what this room held, nothing considered aside from Talia.

The tears continued to glitter on her cheeks in the darkness as she simply leaned into his embrace. She hadn't even gotten a good look at the ring. "You can't have planned this...." she whispered against his neck.

"I may have." Leo spoke as he held her. "I had plenty of time since you work different shifts a few times a week so gave me time to go shopping."

He chuckled a little. "Besides, a man has to have his talents and secrets otherwise you would have figured me out a long time ago."

"I don't know If figured you out is the correct term love." she said softly "Besides...it hasn't been that long since our accident of fate" she was referring to their accidental bonding and the desperation that had followed.

"True, but sometimes you just know, it feels right, you feel complete and I do all of that with you." Leo replied. "I'm glad for that accident, and where ever it will take us in the future."

Her fingertips raised to stroke his cheek lightly, a shadow of the Vulcan technique to bind the minds together.

As Leo held her he felt warm, wanted, loved and needed. As if part of him once dormant had been woken by this woman and now she had agreed to be his wife. "Let's head home, some privacy for us."

"Do we need privacy k'diwa?" she asked softly her eyes gleaming at the idea.

"Can't have people seeing you teared up and me the cause. Our images would be ruined, Captain Von would have to speak to us." He joked over exaggerating the issue.

"Better than the reverse I'd say" she countered with a giggle.

Leo giggled as well. "True, true." He was glad the ring size was right, she liked the ring, all the planning that he'd put in it had boiled up to this moment and left the pair of them with a pure, unaltered, perfect love.

Rising up on her knees, she pressed he lips to his in a needy kiss that seemed to go on for hours.

The kiss was passionate, hungry and drawn out to its fullest. Talia had agreed to become his Wife and from there he hoped a Mother to his children if she were open to the idea. He wondered how everyone would take the news since he'd not been on board long, he didn't want people to think this was some kind of 'shot-gun' thing.

She winced a bit at his thought "We don't have to get married right away love....there's nothing that says we have to do this tomorrow."

"I know, I just...didn't want people to cheapen what we have by misunderstanding." Leo replied. He didn't want people to think poorly of them for the quick and short duration to which they have been together.

"Well there is some planning involved. Noone will think its an off the cuff sort of wedding if we plan it slowly. "

"That is true." Leo stood up bringing Talia with him. "I wonder what the parents will say. What has your Sister said?" Without a doubt she already knew considering the bond they shared and the emotional Talia on one end of it.

"My sister likes you...and is more than a little jealous she cant get her husband to shower with her even after 10 years of marriage. "

"Come to think of it, been a while since we did that." Leo spoke as he considered what she said. "Each couple is different I guess but I suppose what suits us is what is important."

"Mmm and what suits me best is you my sweet Leonardo."

"Hmmm, flattery gets you everything." With one final hug he walked Talia to the window which they could gaze out to the stars again. "I wonder what Captain Von would say?" Leo would have to tell her at some point, a major change in the personal lives of two of her senior staff.

"She's going to squeal like a little girl and ask when she gets to marry us." Talia said quietly, gripping his hand and tracing symbols into the palm.

"Do we want her to marry us or did we want something more traditional or off station somewhere?" Not that they had discussed such things but until now Leo had not thought of such things too.

"If were going to get married, id like for it to be here. Its not like our guests cant come here. "

"And invite everyone here...." Leo nodded as that made sense. "Would offer a lot of convenience and its not like we don't have quarters to spare to accommodate them for the ceremony."

"And it would boost revenues. The shopkeepers would be happy."

"I'm sure they would be happy to make any arrangements we need like catering, flowers, furniture." Leo spoke as he thought about the day but knowing there would be plenty of time for it.

"Quite right. And i get to be all feminine and fuss about flowers and dresses. " her eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Are you sure I can pull you away from Sickbay long enough to marry you? Or would I need to relieve you of duty to free up the time?" Leo smirked as he played on the moment they shared between them.

"If you made an appointment enough time in advance Commander."

"I'll try to avoid getting sick closer to the day." He replied with a smile. He knew she valued her duties, Talia was a very capable and prideful of her duties. Driven and determined to administer the level best of her capabilities and it showed in her reviews.

"You see that you do Mister." She poked him in the side and then let out a peal of delighted laughter.

"Yes ma'am." Leo replied smiling knowing that the wrath she would inflict upon him would pale in comparison anything else anyone could do to him.