Making Memories - Part Four

Posted on 07 Apr 2016 @ 5:23am by Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin & Ensign Aidan Crehan
Edited on on 07 Apr 2016 @ 8:33am

2,800 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Location: New Risa
Timeline: MD-5

Aidan smiled as Mila was talking. He liked what she was saying. “Yes, I am hungry. Though, I believe this is the first time I have enjoyed dessert before my meal.” He winked at her.

"If you are a good boy, I will give you more dessert after we eat," she said as she gave him another kiss and came to her feet.

Aidan watched her get up. She was something. “Then I will be on my best behavior.” He tried to stifle a chuckle, but it didn’t work. “For now.”

"Then I will have to punish you properly," Mila said with a huff. "I need mashed potatoes, ground beef, onions, cheese and thick pastry dough for the knish, and you shall help me."

“Alright then,” he replied. “I will get them from the replicator. After you.”

She smiled and headed into the kitchenette to begin pulling out all the things she would need to cook the ingredients. "Did you see anything you liked?"

Aidan followed her into the kitchenette. “As a matter of fact,” he said, “I did. I saw something that I liked very much.” He walked over to the replicator and ordered up the raw potatoes, raw ground beef, raw onions, cheese. “Do you want replicated dough or the ingredients to mix it, Chef Mila?”

Mila laughed and looked at him. "Replicated, please. It will take too long to make it from scratch."

Aidan watched as the thick pastry dough materialized in the replicator’s alcove. He removed it and put it on a plate separate from the other ingredients. “I guess I did keep you preoccupied for a while.” He smiled.

"It was time well spent, Aidan," she told him as she set everything up and pulled out two cutting blades. "I need the potatoes put on to boil and the onions chopped up finely. I will start the hamburger."

“Yes it was,” he replied. Aidan got a stockpot and filled it partway up with water. He turned the heat up and put the pot on. While the water was heating, he washed off the potatoes. Not that replicated potatoes would have needed it, but still. He placed them into the water and went to finely chopping the onions. “I can’t wait to taste this,” he said.

Mila put the meat on and went to shred the cheese. "You will experience a delight to your taste buds which you have never tasted before," she assured him.

“I’m sure I will,” said Aidan. “After all, it is your recipe and your hands that are preparing most of it. I would not be surprised if it ended up with a somewhat sweet flavor to it, Mila.”

"If it is, it will be because you are sweet," she told him as she stirred the meat.

Aidan laughed. “Well that backfired on me. But I should have known better, such a quick and sharp young woman as you.” He had finished dicing the onions and moved them together to start chopping them.

Mila smiled at him. "You must be very quick and sharp when dealing with Captain," she said. "And Knights who would attempt to sway their Printsessas with a flattering word."

Aidan coughed a bit. “Oh, uh, must be the onions,” he said. “Speaking of, I am finished with them. Do you want them in the meat, Printsessa?”

"Please," she said. "We will need to mash the potatoes as well, but that is added with cheese last to pastry."

Aidan picked up the cutting board with the onions on it and slid them into the pan that Mila was stirring. He put the knife and board in the sink and replicated an ounce of lemon juice to rub on his hands over the sink. After having gotten the onion off, he washed up and went back to Mila. He placed his right hand on the small of her back and leaned in to smell the ground beef and onions. “I love the smell of meat cooking.”

Mila inhaled deeply and smiled, then looked at him. "Why did you put lemon juice on your hands?" she asked as she turned the heat down on the meat and onions, but kept stirring them.

“A very old habit,” he said. “My mother does it when she cooks with onions. She said that it helped reduce the smell on her hands. I never asked about the reasoning behind it, I just learned from watching her and followed suit. It eventually became habit.”

"I will have to try that," she said as she checked on the potatoes. "I think these are ready to be drained and mashed. We need masher and bowl, if you would be so kind as to replicate them for me, Sir Knight."

“But of course. It would be my pleasure, Printsessa.” He rubbed her back before going over to the replicator. He ordered up a mixing bowl perfect for mashing the potatoes and a masher. “Do you need any spices while I am over here?”

"Nyet," Mila said as she drained the water from the potatoes and took them to where he was. "It will have plenty of flavor by the time I am through."

“Oh I bet it will, Mila, I bet it will,” said Aidan, winking. He moved the bowl over and picked up the masher.

She took the meat and onions off the heat and drained them, then got another bowl and poured the mixture in. Getting another bowl, she shredded the cheese and looked over at him. "Now work those muscles, Sir Knight. Time is wasting!" She smiled and began to prep the pastry dough.

Aidan started laughing because she caught him off guard. “You just want to watch,” he said. “But that is quite alright with me.” He rolled his short-sleeves up to his shoulders and over-emphasized the mashing of the potatoes. “Enjoying the show?”

"Work those potatoes!" Mila called out and mimed cracking a whip. "Yeah, baby! Make them beg to be mashed and pounded!" She moaned each time he came down with the masher and cried out.

Going along with it, Aidan picked up the bowl and held it in the crook of one arm. He turned to face Mila and brought the masher down slower and more forcibly into the bowl. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you!”

"Harder! Harder!" she moaned and did her best not to giggle. "Whip me, beat me, then spread me down and prepare to eat me!"

Aidan was biting his lower lip trying not to laugh as he mashed the potatoes for the knish. He slammed the masher down hard again and again into the bowl. And then slowed. “There,” he said. Then he set the bowl down on the counter. “Got a spatula?” It was then that he felt something warm trickle down his lip. “Oh, I, uh,” he ran is tongue across his lip. It was bleeding. “Yes, I do believe I bit my lip.”

"I need a drink," Mila breathed heavily, then immediately looked concerned before she ran to get a towel wet. She came back and gently applied it to his lip. "Do not move. I will call to see to see if they have medics here."

Aidan grabbed her hand. “No medics. It will be fine. I will just hold the towel there and the bleeding will eventually stop,” he said. “Besides, it was only a small…bite,” he added with a wink. “And I need to get you that drink.”

"I will be okay," she said. "You sit down and take care of that lip and I will finish the Knish."

“Printsessa, it will be fine, believe me.” He pulled the towel away and folded it to a clean spot. “Please, I didn’t mean to put a damper on the fun or the evening. Allow me to do something other than sit.”

"Sir Knight," Mila said as she looked at him. "If you keep talking, your lip will not get better and then you will not be able to kiss me properly. Do you wish to enjoy no more kisses with your Printsessa?"

Aidan stared at her for a moment. “I had not thought of that. But just because I cannot speak does not mean I can’t communicate.” He closed his mouth to let his lip heal and applied a bit more pressure to quickly stop the bleeding. Then he walked up next to her and began rubbing her back with his free hand.

She smiled as she prepared the pastry dough before she began to layer the mashed potatoes, hamburger and onion, and the cheese on it. Then she folded it over and looked back at him. "Now we bake for half an hour and eat. I can only hope you will like it, Aidan," she said as she relaxed against him.

He refolded his towel again and noticed the bleeding was much less. To reassure Mila that would like it, he moved in close to her and took his hand up to her shoulder, rubbing her upper arm. He briefly laid his head on her shoulder and nuzzled. Then gestured towards the couch where he would be waiting for her.

"Do not go, please," Mila said softly as he nuzzled her. "I am enjoying your company. You may speak, but softly." She put the stuffed pastries in the baking unit and turned to him. "If you are nice, I will even give you a kiss."

“I will not go,” he whispered. “And I will be very nice. I like your kisses, they are soft and sweet.” He removed the towel and no blood. He then lowered his head to her ear, “Like you.”

She smiled and inspected his lip. "Then you may kiss me, Sir Knight," she said softly.

He immediately dropped the towel on the floor and wrapped he arms around her waist. Stepping closer, Aidan looked in her eyes and smiled. Then he pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and sweet, just as he had said. He stayed there for a minute and then gently pulled away, lingering for a second as their lips barely touched. Then he placed his cheek on hers and whispered, “My Printsessa.”

Mila returned the kiss and smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his cheek. "My charming, handsome Knight," she murmured. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Aidan breathed deeply, nuzzling Mila’s cheek in turn. He felt as if his heart were about to beat right out of chest. He just held her for a moment, silent. “I could ask the same, Mila.” He sighed. “Shall we have a seat? It could be a long half an hour standing up.”

"Da," she agreed. "But first, we get that lip cleaned up." She gave it a speculative look. "Hmm..it is looking good with that little bit of swelling. More kissable."

“Then let us get it cleaned up,” said Aidan. “More kissable, huh? I suggest that we do not put a cold pack on it then to reduce the swelling. You will just need to be gentle until the swelling goes down on its own.” He grinned and chuckled. “Oh the things you do to me, Mila, getting me to bite my lip. What am I going to do with you?”

"Me?" Mila asked innocently. "I am to be blamed for your excitement over mashing of potatoes?" She batted her eyelashes at him. "If that is what excites you, what chance to I have?"

He heard the tone in her voice, watched her bat her eyelashes and then looked her up and down, smiling. “You have more than a chance, Printsessa. And believe me, after this, I am looking forward to the time when we reach that star in our travels. You are full of surprises.” He grinned and nodded towards the bathroom. “Now, shall we get this cleaned up?”

"Da," she said as she gave him a smile and headed for the bathroom where she pulled out the medkit and a sterilizer and a dermal regenerator. "Just let me get this cleaned up first and you will be good to kiss. I mean go," she said with a wink as she ran some warm water and got a wash cloth.

Aidan stood there and let Mila tend to his lip. The warm wash cloth felt good, but then so did everything else. He smiled at her slip of the tongue, whether it was a accidental or not. When she finished, he said, "You are wonderful, Mila. And at times like this, more wonderful than I deserve. Thank you for your care."

Mila smiled once she finished with the dermal regenerator. "It is least I can do for making you bite your lip," she said. "Besides, if I did not heal it, how would I be able to kiss you without causing pain?"

"Any pain I would feel would be worth your kisses."

"You say the sweetest things, Sir Knight," she said and looked at him expectantly.

Aidan leaned down and gently kissed Mila. After pulling up, he asked, “Well, Printsessa, more kissable?”

Mila melted against him and returned the kiss. "Da," she said. "Very kissable," she agreed. "Shall we head back to living room?"

“Yes, let’s,” he said. Aidan grabbed her hand and walked with her back to the living room. “I think I’ve already said it, but it is worth saying over and over again. I like your kisses, Mila.”

"You are very kissable, too," she said. "So how could I not kiss you?" She gave his hand a squeeze and walked beside of him.

He raised her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “You know, this could go for a while, all this kissing. We might not even make it out for a swim later.” They neared the couch and Aidan took a seat. “Either way, though, is good for me. I could kiss you in here or in the water. It does not matter.”

Mila smiled and sat on his lap before she put her arms around his neck. "So what are you waiting for?"

Aidan wrapped his arms around Mila, pulled her down and began kissing her. He didn’t want to stop, but knew that after a few minutes they would both need to come up for air. When he stopped to take a breath, he laid his back on the couch. “Wow. You.”

"Me," she said. "And you. On the couch. Kissing. Does that cover everything?" she asked with a giggle.

He chuckled and moved one of his hands to lay it over her legs. “Yes, I do believe that covers everything…for now.” He sat there and rubbed her leg. “Unless you would like something to drink while we wait on the knish?”

"Nyet," Mila said. "Just you." To prove her point, she gave him another long soft kiss before she settled against him once more. "I am thinking that when we get back to the ship, I will not care who knows that we are together, but it does leave question. Are we?"

Aidan thoroughly enjoyed the long kiss and her settling in against him. It felt good. It felt nice. He breathed deeply. “That is something that I have been thinking about all day, Mila. I would like for us to be together, I want us to be together. And if that is something you want, then I have a question that is simply begging to be answered.”

She listened to his confusing statement, then nodded. "Then ask, Sir Knight."

Aidan squeezed her knee. “Well, it has been a while, quite a while actually, but that’s beside the point.” He was stammering again. And it had been quite a while since he had done that, too. “So, I’ll just ask. Would you be my girlfriend, Printsessa?” The two-hundred eight year old El-Aurian felt like he was fifty years old again and asking a little girl to be his one and only.

Mila smiled and reached up to caress his cheek. "I will, Sir Knight," she said, then touched his nose. "But on one condition. That is you continue to be my knight."

He smiled. That was a lot easier than what I thought it would be, he thought. “Consider your condition met. I will continue to be your knight.” He went back to rubbing her leg.

"Then I will be your girlfriend, Aidan," she said and leaned in to give him a kiss.

He returned her kiss and said, “Then in answer to your question earlier, yes, we are together. And I do not care who knows it, either, Printsessa. My Printsessa.”

TBC

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