Extra Nervous (Xiantha)

[Seth]

Patrick groaned, hips bucking upwards as Xiantha nursed him to his third climax since the sun had gone down. He slid her hips down, gasping in pleasure as he spilled into her once more.

"Good...gods, woman," he said with a laugh. He leaned up, nuzzling her breasts for a moment, then fell back.

"Ok, but I bet you can't do it a fourth time," he grinned, teasing her. It was how they'd gotten into the second, and the third. He looked sideways, then sat up suddenly.

"Is that the time?" he asked, pointing at the watch which had been clipped to his slacks. "Ant's due out in like an hour."

He frowned, having forgotten all about Greenleaf's forty eight hour days.

[JanetJulian]

She laughed. "Haven't you learned not to dare me yet?" She sighed and fell back, feeling pretty weary herself.

She blinked at his sudden exclamation and sat up. "What? It can't be, there were ..." she did a mental calculation and then sighed. She'd forgotten to figure in the time shift from the resort to the beach. Stupid, stupid.

She jumped up to her feet, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She grabbed the long-empty bottle of wine and the rather sodden rag that her red dress had become and made for the shuttle. No sense getting dressed just to strip it off to put on the sensor suit. She shook sand off her with every step and hopped up to the shuttle deck, glad for a young body and the few catnaps they'd gotten between sessions.

"Guess your day is over, huh?" She grinned at him, gave him a final kiss and then slotted herself into the suit, deciding to do without the checklist this time.

Patrick had barely gotten himself buckled in when she hit the engine and sent them burning off towards orbit, radioing ahead. "Lisa, you there? We're incoming from Greenleaf once I finish triangulating your posit ... oh, there you are. Should be there in about twenty-two minutes. Over."

[Seth]

"Might need another lesson or two," he grinned.

He blinked at her sudden jump to her feet, deciding to bring th blankets with them and let the resort change them the minimal cost fo their repalcement. They'd been strewn with sand, regardless. He had considerably less sand to shake off, but he still bounced a few of the steps to get the dry, caked sand to fall off.

He followed her in, yelping in surprise when they went past their initial checks and simply started lifting off. He caught hold of the belts, holding them until they'd made it up into orbit, then chuckled aloud as they entered space.

"Left my shirt," he mused, holding up his slacks, and finally starting to slip them on.

Lisa appeared in front of her view, giving a small wave. "Welcome back, Captain. Readying the aft shuttle bay for you."

Not there was another shuttle bay, yet - they intended eventually to take on one or two conventional shuttles and store them in the cargo bays, but shuttles were a hot commodity on Greenleaf at the moment - all attempts to pick one up had shown to be overpriced three or four times their actual value.

"See you in ten," she grinned. "Tiao's got breakfast cooking. Could you smell it from the beach?"

[JanetJulian]

Xi chuckled when he said he'd left his shirt. "Tsk, littering is a fine on Greenleaf, you know," she chastised with an amused voice.

She grinned at Lisa, nodding at the shuttle bay assignment - as if there was a choice! - and then laughed at the 'see you in ten'. "Maybe fifteen," she countered, leaning on the thrusters.

"I could use a good meal." It seemed ages since they'd had that steak at Tony's, and they'd forgotten to stick around for dessert. Oh well. "Guess I just have good timing."

Or more likely Tiao knew she'd turn up for Ant's release and wanted to give him something special. She licked her lips at the thought of it and got them there in record time. She knew better than to rush the connection, though. She was still getting used to the odd loading style of these shuttles, but she got it done smoothly and leaned back in the harness as they came to rest.

"Lisa says Tiao's got grub on," she called back to Patrick as she headed for the change closet. "Though I think I'll stop by the medbay first."

[Seth]

"Thank god," said Patrick, rubbing at his belly at the promise of food. He unbuckled himself and stretched, then gave her a quick hug and squeeze that took advantage of the skin on display in the sensor suit. He glanced at thstill-wet red dress, and chuckled.

"Should I get you a towel for your trip up to the Captain's Quarters?" He grinned. "Or you going to save Ant some time and just meet him in the buff?" He grinned and gave her bare buttock a squeeze.

It didn't take long for the two of them to get appropriately outfitted. The smell coming from the galley was delicious - though it still looked to be a ways out, as Tiao was preparing everything to be timed for a few minutes after Ant's expected release from Emily's custody. Still, Xi could smell bacon and sausage, eggs and more all sizzling away in a half dozen pans. They weren't exactly Tiao's specialty, to be sure, but the whole crew had gathered around hungrily, well aware it wouldn't be ready for another half hour or so.

[JanetJulian]

Xi frowned at him. "Okay," she determined. "Quarters first for clothes and a shower to get the sand out of places it should never have been. Then Ant, then food." She smiled and gave him a peck on his cheek. "Towel sounds fine, thanks." She punched him lightly for the 'in the buff' comment, still in a good mood from the last day.

She had her shower and got herself dressed in record time, trotting down the stairs still drying her hair and found herself drawn inexorably in by the smell. "Wow. Where did you find meat?" Her mouth watered and smile smiled at her XO, leaning to kiss her cheek.

"I better go to the medbay or I'm going to lead a rebellion to free those little bits of bacon from their pans." She winked and waved at everyone else, calling out greetings by name and then heading off to check on Ant's progress.

[Seth]

Tiao chuckled. "I bought a lot when we first got back," she said. "Before the resort blew up and the whoel Rim tried to get out here for a visit." She smiled. "Now I've just been replenishing periodically." She smiled at the sight of Xi, giving her a brief embrace, and angling her cheek for the kiss. "Did you have a good trip?"

Tiao laughed. "Don't do that. They're just waiting for Ant to be free. And I've been practicing making this... scalloped potato thing for a day now. Patrick said it was his favorite when they were little."

Ant wasn't quite out of the tube yet, but Emily turned and waved at Xiantha as she strode in. From her mind, Xi could tell that Emily had fabricated an excuse or two to delay everything, wanting Ant to have people here the moment he was released. She gave a relieved smile to Xiantha, and began pressing buttons on the console.

"He's doing good," she smiled. "Recovery isn't over, but the part of it which can be accomplished in the tube is. My big worry with this guy is he won't pace himself when it comes to therapy."

[JanetJulian]

Xi chuckled. "Smart, smart Tiao. You could resell this stuff down there for ten times the price you paid, if we didn't prefer to eat it ourselves first." She winked at her and gave her a hug back. "Wonderful trip. Feel like a new woman."

She smiled warmly, pleased that Tiao was putting so much effort into making sure Ant was properly received. "He'll be thrilled," she assured her before heading off to see him, taking Patrick's hand for the short walk.

Once there she let it go, moving over to the tube, smiling at the bobbing figure. "Hey, you." She said, looking back at Emily with a soft smile. "Oh, we'll make sure he takes his time, won't we Ant?" She looked back at him and put her hand over his on the glass. "How much therapy is he going to need?"

[Seth]

Tiao laughed. "That's it, you're all eating eggplant. I have bacon to sell!" She grinned, offering Xiantha one more peck before she departed.

Tiao chuckled. "I sure hope so! Tell him he has to tell me if there's anything to improve."

Ant reached to touch her hand, his excitement bubbling at his imminent release. He gave Emily a reassuring nod, but mostly he would hace said or done anything to get out. He couldn't even really hear what was being said, but he read the look on her face and her small prompting nod well enough.


"For muscle loss? Only about two weeks. He'll be back to his old self in no time. In getting the nerves properly interpreting stimuli? Longer. Pain's going to be overwhelming, at first, and... so's the opposite. Not dangerous - well, pain could be. A really solid kick could potentially send him into shock, but exposure is the only treatment which will acclimate him."

She squeezed Xi's shoulder. "I'll give you both some exercises, after you've gotten some time together. I'll... need a fairly candid report from both of you, as well."

[JanetJulian]

Xi giggled and pecked her back before leaving.

She listened to Emily's words, Ant's eagerness pressing at her mind, making it harder to concentrate. She nodded and then smiled faintly. "We'll do our best. So, pleasure ... could that send him into shock as well?" She wanted to make sure she knew what they were getting into.

[Seth]

Emily gave a slight smile. "Well, there aren't any case studies." She turned to eye Xiantha critically, certain that if anyone could make someone go into shock from pleasure overload,it might be the Captain of the Nike. "I'll be on call. If he starts getting a temperature that won't abate, or he throws up food, eyes dilated - give me a call, right away. Pace yourselves, too," she added, aware that Ant couldn't hear her, and likely wouldn't listen.

"There's no more signs of the surgery," she said, "so we're just talking general concerns about strain on a recovering immune system. "

She smiled, looking back at the tank, which was still draining.

[JanetJulian]

Xi nodded, thinking that she'd be calling anyway if he did any of those things, but she made a mental note to take it slow and easy. Likely the best idea anyway, though often with Ant slow quickly became far from easy.

She smiled at the thought and turned to watch the tube drain. "Not long now," she told him, stroking the glass near his hand again.

[Seth]

Emily chuckled, watching her interact with her ensconced boyfriend.

"Ant," she said, can you hear us yet?" She raised her voice, and Ant nodded and gave a thumb's up. "If you make me a deal," she said, "Once you're out of the tube, you can take a shower and start getting some food, once I get the tube out of your throat, IF..." She raised an eyebrow dramatically. "You promise me you'll come straight back here so I can run some baselines."

She nodded towards Xiantha. "Not even if the Captain orders you otherwise," she said, her voice light, teasing. She dropped her voice, looking to Xiantha. "I mean, real emergency or something, sure."

[JanetJulian]

Xi stood by and smiled, lifting her hands. "Oh no, I take doctor's orders seriously," she said. "I can guarantee you he'll be back here after eating." She arched an imperious brow at Ant and glanced over at his brother, standing quietly by. No doubt Patrick was as nervous as Ant, given his dislike of medical procedures in general.

[Seth]

Emily chuckled and nodded, grateful. She had no thought in her mind of trying to undermine Xi's authority, and often she worried more about it than she needed to.

Patrick still leaned at the doorframe, watching his brother supportively and standing inside the room but not deep inside the clinic. Ant's shoulders shook with laughter, and Emily finally set the tube on it's side, where the entire device could be made to open lengthwise. Emily gestured for Xiantha to step back, and did so, cracking the top open with a 'stay put' look to Xiantha - at least for a moment longer.

[JanetJulian]

Xi stepped back as the huge tube tipped over sidewise, almost bouncing in place as Emily's gaze made it clear she was to stay put. So she moved over to Patrick instead, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tight. "He'll be fine," she whispered in his ear, waiting for the all clear signal to charge in and get her first chance to touch Ant in weeks.

[Seth]

Patrick gave her a squeeze and nodded. "I know."

Emily made Ant stop moving, too, pushing him back as gently as she could and then unbuckling the mouthpiece. "This is going to feel really weird," she promised, as she began to remove the mask and the tubes which slid down his windpipe and esophagus. It took a bit - and a tiny struggle and wince from Ant - before the tubes were free and he took in an experimental breath, sitting up and grinning over at Xiantha. He was still covered with the ambel gel, and Emily sighed and stepped out the way.

"He's going to need a shower before breakfast," Emily suggested, pointing towards the rooms off the medbay. Ant started to try to clamber up and over the side. Emily's eyes widened, and she stepped in, moving her shoulder under his arm. The curved walls and gel were both naturally slick, and Ant's coordination was clearly off.

[JanetJulian]

Xi let go of Patrick when Ant sat up, stepping over at a slow enough pace for the doctor to stop her if she wanted. When she saw him trying to get up she hurried the last few steps and braced him from the other side - the one that had been numb before. She grabbed him without really thinking, not hard, but enough to slow his movements, which was her intent.

"Easy there. Let's take it slow, big guy," she said to him with a soft lilt in her voice.

[Seth]

Ant caught her around the shoulders, letting his weight move to her tentatively. Patrick had moved over, too, and now he stood in front, the one most likely to be able to catch Ant if he fell.

Ant tried to talk, to greet her, but his voice came across as just a ragged noise, and he winced after.

"Oh, don't do that," said Emily. "Going to want to give it a few hours and a lot of water before you start talking." Ant nodded, contenting himself with a peck on Xi's cheek. Once his feet were on the ground, he beamed, flexing his toes and enjoying the feel of something beneath them.

[JanetJulian]

Xi quickly realized her newly clean clothes were going to need a wash, but she didn't care, sliding herself against his body and letting him use to her steady him as he stood up. She frowned at the sound that came out of his throat and looked to Emily, then nodded. "Tubes," she said, returning the light peck with a soft kiss on his mouth and remained beside him as he took in the sensations that he'd been missing for so long.

"Shower?" She prompted after a minute, smiling at him. "I sense some blue foam in your immediate future."

[Seth]

Ant gave a chuckle, then winced. Emily smiled. "No jokes, it sounds like. For a little bit." Ant nodded his agreement, but gave her a squeeze, and nodded at the shower. He slipped his arm away from Emily, and smiled to Patrick

"I'll see you both soon," promised Patrick. Ant looped his heavy arm around Xiantha, letting her be a crutch, and a guide towards the showers. His steps were slow and careful, taking in the sense of having both his feet under him.

[JanetJulian]

Xi smiled at Patrick and blew him a kiss, but she'd given him plenty to remember while she spent some time with Ant. "Shoulda just gone with naked," she said with her own chuckle, looking at the amber good smeared on her clothes and then padded along with him, slowly towards the shower.

"Think you could drop off some clothes for me before you head out?" She called after Patrick.

She just turned it on when they got there, not caring if her already ruined clothing got more wet. Reaching for the foam, she began to lather it on his body.

"How're you feeling? I've really missed you."

[Seth]

Patrick nodded, smiling that she'd developed an aversion to the skin-tight foam suits he and Ant so much appreciated. "Sure," he promised. He gave her a wink and blew the kiss back, heading out to give them some time, and taking Emily in tow.

Ant chuckled as she stood under the water in her clothes and started to lather him. The combination of water, hands and foam made his eyes widen and he blinked, stepping back and shivering.

Maybe one thing at a time, he smiled. I missed you like crazy, too, he promised, pulling her out from under the water so he could give her a true embrace. He held her close, inhaling the smell of her, running his fingertips over wet cloth and then skin, savoring the feel of her under both his hands. Then his fingers moved awkwardly down to her shirt, starting to lift it up and over so she could truly enjoy being in the shower with him. He kissed her forehead when he'd accomplished the task, then his hands slid down to the leathers she'd slipped on, tugging them down over her hips. It wasn't particularly sexual - the shower and foam and her fingers had been enough of an overload, and he was worried an overload might mean he was cut off from her for a time.

[JanetJulian]

Xi waved at Patrick and Emily as they headed out, slowly running her hands over his body until he stepped back. She paused then, letting him pull her out from under the spray and slowly undress her, lifting her arms to help him take her shirt off over her head, full breasts tumbling free. She hesitated, then just watching him, not quite sure what he was comfortable with, all too aware of his mental worries.

She slid the fingers of her hand over the flat plane of his chest and then leaned forward, lightly brushing her lips across his.

"We'll take it just as fast - or slow - as you need, okay?" She said, eyes soft and warm and expressive.

[Seth]

"Ok," he said, his voice soft. "I think... just one thing at a time, for now." He leaned forward, his eyes soft and gentle. "And the one thing on my mind for the last month is when I was going to get to hold you again."

He stepped forward, careful as he slid his arms around her. The touch of her skin sent shivers across his - and curiously, it didn't seem to be a matter of left versus right. His living side was just as overly sensitive as his formerly dead one. He drew his fingers over her body, shivering again as he did. She could feel the rise and press of him, but his mind wasn't on it - it was in experiencing her in careful, incremental steps.

His eyes were gleaming, nearly wet, when he drew back. Ten fingers slid up her collarbone, over her neck, touching her cheeks and over her face. He pressed his hands to either side of her face, drawing her forward slowly, tentatively moving in for a long, long overdue kiss.

Her lips were like a lightning bolt down his spine. His eyes widened, but he continued to kiss her, tongue touching hers and making his shudder once more. His pleasure was nearly sexual - raw waves of it that made his muscles tense and his mind fog. The mere press of his length against the soft skin of her belly was shockingly pleasurable.

[Sponsored content]