05-05-2025, 04:40 AM
She shook her head and gave him a stern look as he activated the anchor, though her eyes still danced with the smile that she was barely holding back. But as he stepped just a small step closer to her, she forgot what it was that she was going to tease him about, the warmth from his body now back in her personal space catching her off guard.
As Morad tilted his head back to point out the stars, she instead watched him, focusing on his face as he looked up. As he talked about dipping their toes in - her suggestion from earlier, she noted that she could still make out the stark definition of his jawline and the softness in his eyes despite the dark shadows of the moonless night. When he looked down to guide her to the back of the boat she felt like she had gotten away with something. A stolen moment, just for her. His face in her mind, then memories of other stolen glances made her smile to herself. Always that softness in his eyes. She was beginning to think it had always been for her.
"Careful stepping down," he murmured, his words interrupting her wandering thoughts. She looked at him almost bewildered for the briefest moment before she collected herself. She graciously accepted his assistance as she walked toward the platform edge, resisting the urge to move quickly toward it in a couple of giant steps. The air felt cooler here and she could smell the freshness of the salty air.
"Seems like a perfect spot for some amateur astronomy... and maybe deciding if a full swim is next on the agenda. What do you think?” Morad asked, looking at her, his expression open.
She looked back, the adoration for him clearly evident on her face, but she couldn’t hide her amusement, the laughter threatening to escape. She held out her hand for him to join her, “I do think this is the perfect spot, Morad. Please, come practice some astronomy with me.”
Her smile gave it away before she had finished the sentence and he was laughing with her as he joined her on the platform.
“You know, I could tell you more about the stars from this planet than I could from my own really,” Amila said more seriously as she sat down on the platform and tossed her shoes aside. She scooted out to the edge of the platform and let her legs hang off, gently kicking her feet in the water, careful not to make a splash. “Not that the stars and constellations and planets visible from Orion aren’t familiar, I just didn’t study them then, when I lived there. And I haven’t really been back. Not as much as I’ve come back here anyway.”
Amila giggled to herself before adding, “Since getting my amateur astronomy certification from Starfleet I mean.” She continued giggling as she watched for his response.
As Morad tilted his head back to point out the stars, she instead watched him, focusing on his face as he looked up. As he talked about dipping their toes in - her suggestion from earlier, she noted that she could still make out the stark definition of his jawline and the softness in his eyes despite the dark shadows of the moonless night. When he looked down to guide her to the back of the boat she felt like she had gotten away with something. A stolen moment, just for her. His face in her mind, then memories of other stolen glances made her smile to herself. Always that softness in his eyes. She was beginning to think it had always been for her.
"Careful stepping down," he murmured, his words interrupting her wandering thoughts. She looked at him almost bewildered for the briefest moment before she collected herself. She graciously accepted his assistance as she walked toward the platform edge, resisting the urge to move quickly toward it in a couple of giant steps. The air felt cooler here and she could smell the freshness of the salty air.
"Seems like a perfect spot for some amateur astronomy... and maybe deciding if a full swim is next on the agenda. What do you think?” Morad asked, looking at her, his expression open.
She looked back, the adoration for him clearly evident on her face, but she couldn’t hide her amusement, the laughter threatening to escape. She held out her hand for him to join her, “I do think this is the perfect spot, Morad. Please, come practice some astronomy with me.”
Her smile gave it away before she had finished the sentence and he was laughing with her as he joined her on the platform.
“You know, I could tell you more about the stars from this planet than I could from my own really,” Amila said more seriously as she sat down on the platform and tossed her shoes aside. She scooted out to the edge of the platform and let her legs hang off, gently kicking her feet in the water, careful not to make a splash. “Not that the stars and constellations and planets visible from Orion aren’t familiar, I just didn’t study them then, when I lived there. And I haven’t really been back. Not as much as I’ve come back here anyway.”
Amila giggled to herself before adding, “Since getting my amateur astronomy certification from Starfleet I mean.” She continued giggling as she watched for his response.