Morning After

Posted on Sun Jan 26th, 2020 @ 4:26pm by Lieutenant Kevan Dash & Senior Chief Petty Officer Mason Malone

Mission: In the Family
Location: Kevan's quarters
Timeline: MD-03
1147 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Kevan's head hurt. The room was still vaguely blurry as he rolled out of bed, a little confused and disoriented. He could feel how dry his mouth was, how his eyes hurt as he tried to blink. Staggering around his bedroom for a good couple of minutes and peeling off his now slept-in clothes, he made his way half-blind to the sonic shower and started it up, taking his time to appreciate the way it seemed to peel away the fog around his head.

Except Mason had the same idea only minutes before Kevan walked in. Not having expected the man to make up so early, Mason had taken the liberty of replicating some clean shorts and shaving utilities. He had just peeled himself out of his uniform when his host walked in. Startled at the intrusion, Mason made a grab for the only available towel.

Kevan yelped aloud when he realised he wasn't alone, simultaneously grabbing for the same towel. The moment felt like it hung in the air as the two men gripped opposite ends of the one scrap of material that might save their blushes.

"Who...what...why are you in my shower!?" he exclaimed.

Mason blinked, letting go of the towel. "Because I need one?" He returned, making a point of keeping his eyes on the man's face. "I slept on the couch remember, after getting you home."

"I don't-" Kevan hesitated. He didn't remember much after his first couple of drinks. And he was even hazier around how he'd come to be in bed. "Oh...oh no. We didn't...you know...did we?"

Mason chuckled but shook his head. "No Kev we didn't. I took you home, took off your boots and put you under the covers, that's it. I slept on your couch just to be safe, I didn't want you to be alone in this condition." This time his gaze did travel a fraction; the man was certainly handsome and it was true, the spots did go all the way. "Nothing happened."

Kevan sighed with relief. Then quickly clocked that he was still mostly uncovered and wrapped the towel around himself. "Good. Good. Because I like girls." He said it with emphasis, though it came out like he was trying to convince himself rather than the other man. "Uh, who are you, anyway?"

"Warrant officer Mason Malone," Mason answered patiently, though he shook his head in concern. "As I told you last night, before your last drink." As the Trill was wrapped in the towel, Mason stepped into the booth. "Security Officer in denial," he added with a mock salute.

"Kevan...Dash..." He manipulated the towel a little, then realised a handshake might not be the best idea. "Maybe I should get dressed?" He grimaced. "Are you sure we didn't...?"

"Very sure," Mason promised, closing his eyes a moment as the Sonic waves cleansed his body. "And maybe you should unless you still want the shower...not that you need a towel with sonics." Being a marine in heart and soul, Mason wasn't really shy about himself and he stepped out if the booth, reaching for his clothes.

Kevan's hand went up to his face, making a point of covering his eyes. Of course, that meant his other hand had a very tenuous grip on the towel, which dangled precariously. Making a little sound of embarrassment, he took a couple of steps backward towards the door. "Probably a good idea. Yes. Definitely."

Mason rolled his eyes as he got himself dressed, then walked out of the bathroom. "Nothing there that you haven't seen before you know," he pointed out with a smile. "I suppose I'll get out of your hair..."

"Definitely," Kevan repeated. He paused, considering both the time of day and the fact that his quarters were in prime location among the other junior officers' quarters. "Wait. If you leave now, then people are going to know you stayed here last night. And if they think you stayed here last night..." He put the rest together in his head. Then he lurched towards the door. "You can't leave! At least not yet!"

"So what if they know I stayed. Kev... nothing happened. You were drunk, I got you home and I stayed to keep an eye on you. I slept on the couch." He sighed. "And there's nothing wrong with being into men either. Yes, I used to be ashamed of it, ashamed of who I am...but I had the kindest and sweetest husband for a long time. We grew apart, and got divorced but he helped me a great deal with accepting myself."

"Accepting-?" Kevan frowned. "No, no, that's not what I'm..." he shook his head. "Look, I've been on board a little while, I know how these things get around. I'm totally fine with you as a person - totally fine, by the way - but I just think people will get the wrong impression about us. Me, I mean. The wrong impression about me."

"You don't understand..." Mason shook his head. "There is no wrong impression, if they wonder all they have to do is ask. Friends stay over all the time. Sure we just met, but there is no wrong impression because nothing happened. You're afraid of something that won't happen. I need to get home, I have to feed the cat and get ready for my shift." He frowned. "I don't think you should stop me."

Kevan genuinely thought about it for a fraction of a second, but Mason was bigger than him. And probably better trained in that sort of thing, being a marine. Not to mention the fact that he was naked and that would be super weird. So he stepped aside from the doorway, keeping the towel over his modesty.

"Uh...hold on," he mumbled. "Thanks. For, you know, getting me home safe."

Mason nodded. "Anytime," he said, "you should get dressed too." He stepped towards the door. "I'll see you around..."

"Well, we work together, so I imagine so. Yeah."

"And don't worry.. no-one will hear of this from me. It's no-one's business but our own, right?" He shrugged. He was no gossip and the guy seemed agitated enough about it all as was. "Still... I recommend not being so uptight or embarrassed about it. Nothing happened and I doubt it ever will."

"Nope. Never." Kevan agreed wholeheartedly as the other man exited. After all this, he was pretty grateful for the fact that the other guy had been so calm and measured.

Shaking his head, and adjusting his uniform, Mason hurried from Kevan's quarters. Still, secretly he hoped to see the handsome Trill again. There just was something about him, and Mason couldn't really explain how he felt about it.




WO Mason Malone
Investigations Officer
pnpc Peter


Lt Kevan Dash
Security Officer
USS Athena
(PNPC Kane)