Inconvenient Situation [Backpost]

Posted on 30 Jan 2017 @ 4:11am by Ensign Quinn Mackie & Ensign Kelly Khan & Ensign Aidan Crehan

3,717 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Endgame
Location: Cadet Quarters
Timeline: MD 9 || 1800 hours

Cadet Aidan Crehan had been very busy as of late, especially with a new department chief that wanted every avenue and option explored. He was glad to have gotten out of the science labs a little early as it had allowed him to spend some time in the ship's arboretum, reflecting. About an hour later, his stomach growled and he realized that he hadn't had anything to eat all day. That was something that he didn't want to take care of in his uniform, though. So it was back to his quarters for a change into something more comfortable.

As he walked to Cadet Deck, he smiled. His thoughts had drifted to Mila and how close they were getting. So close in fact that she had asked the Captain about them eventually moving in together. Then the other news of possibly moving in to Joey's old quarters. Moving in with Mila. Seeing her every morning, every evening. Listening to her sing. Learning more about her. Yes, he was most certainly looking forward to it.

Maybe it was the thoughts of his beautiful brunette, but Aidan had arrived at the door to his quarters quickly. For a brief second he paused, then thumbed the button to open the door.

For the last half hour, Quinn had been busy. Aside from a replicator, there was no other way to have food prepared in the meager accommodations, but at least they had a table that could be used for a meal.

But, that wasn't what he was preparing for. This mission had taken a lot out of both of them. Quinn, for one had been shot. And Kelly, well, she'd lost a ship. It wasn't her fault, especially since not a soul could have foreseen the hand that fate dealt for them.

Quinn knew he needed to do something for the both of them. Up until this point, she'd been the spontaneous one, and the one who'd planned every major event. He had to make a mark for this first one, and having limited options didn't help. Holodecks had been shut down and the crew's spirits in general may as well have been offline. Beating the Consortium plot wasn't enough to offset the news of being thrown into an alternate universe, nor the loss of their colleagues on the Cochrane.

No... this called for a night of intimacy and stress relief.

To that end, he'd researched what he could to transform his and Aiden's quarters into a spa. Steamers, nature sounds from Risa, warm towels, facial mud scrub... He even went as far to collect a couple cucumbers from the hydroponics bay and some fresh water. There was even a collection of smooth stones placed on a heater with a pair of tongs nearby.

What he didn't expect was the door to woosh open on its own. He knew he'd given Kelly the code to the room, and he knew Aiden had done the same with Mila. As his back was to the door, he had no idea which of the three had entered. Quinn wasn't yet ready. In fact, he was in the process of transition from civilian clothing to a towel of his own. In response to the door, he quickly wrapped the towel around his waist and turned towards the door (with wide eyes) to see who entered the quarters.

Aidan had barely stepped inside when his eyes fell on Quinn. "Oh, um, well..." The El-Aurian was at a loss for words. There was his roommate, wrapped in a towel. And their room, well, it looked and sounded like something from Risa. He had been to several during his time there. But this...this was something else. "Well, I seem to have interrupted something, have I not?" He paused and looked around their small quarters. "Do you have her hidden somewhere so she won't see this?"

"She..." Quinn stammered. "She... uh... she doesn't... quite know what's happening yet." His eyes glanced over at the nearby chronometer. "Kelly's not even supposed to be here for another ten or fifteen minutes or so."

Aidan chuckled. "Relax Quinn, your secret is safe with me. And this is a very good set-up you have put together. I was just thinking that is reminded me of one of the spa's I have been to on Risa many years ago. She will be thrilled when she sees the lengths you have gone to."

"I hope so," Quinn replied, looking around the room. "We haven't really gone down this road." A thought occurred to him, and he looked back at the older man. "Actually, aren't you supposed to be with Mila right now?" He hoped Aiden didn't take that the wrong way.

"Take your time." That was all he was going to say on that subject. He knew how some humans didn't broach that subject with one another and didn't wan't to put Quinn in that position. "Mila...well, yes, I am supposed to be with her. And I'm going there just as soon as I'm finished here. I just have to get a few things together. I promise to be out before Kelly shows up, too."

Quinn nodded. He remained standing in the center of the room, the steam certainly starting to feel comfortable. "Actually, Aiden... I do have a, uh, question."

Aidan had started over to his dresser when Quinn's question stopped him. He turned back and eyed the Cadet. "Go ahead, Quinn."

"Um..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. "I've, uh... never really given a massage before. You've probably done this... like a lot... Can you show me some, well, moves?"

To say that Aidan was caught off guard was putting it mildly. In all his two hundred years, he had never had an inquiry such as that. "Well, I...um...I suppose I could," he said looking at his roommate. "I have indeed given many. Mila particularly likes them. But..." he looked around their room. "Well, where do you have everything set up?"

"The bedroom," Quinn simply replied. "It just seemed like the best place for it." He paused, thinking about it. "Is it... not the best place?"

"Yes, it is. In the absence of a massage table, a bed may be used," said Aidan. "I would recommend putting an extra blanket on the bed, though, in order to catch any excess oil. If you're using a massage oil, that is. And if you are, make sure it is a pleasing combination and that it is warm." He looked towards the bedroom, "Shall we see the atmosphere you have created for Kelly?"

Quinn nodded, leading Aidan to the bedroom. Already burning was a bit of incense, a sweet calming smell. Other than that, the same ambiance that was in the entry room was exactly the same. "I think I have a spare blanket from my camping gear. As for oil, I was able to trade Petty Officer er'Riev for an exotic blend."

"Everything looks good," said Aidan. "You have the incense as well as the calming sounds. I would recommend turning the lights down just enough so that there is no glare in the room. It will help with the effect, too. Also, you should roll up an extra towel to place beneath her ankles as she lays face down on the bed. It will support her lower back. Less pain and aggravation." He turned to face Quinn. "As for the exotic blend of oil you traded for, may I ask if you know what the combination of the blend is? Those types of things are usually blended for specific purposes or to elicit certain responses."

"Sure," Quinn said, moving over to pick up the small bottle. "It's a blend of Rose, Orange, Patchouli, Clary Sage and Sweet Almond," he read from the label. "I was hoping to find something with eucalyptus because I know it's good for stress, but it seems that the supply doesn't meet the demand on the ship. If only there were some Ferengi around..."

Aidan grinned. "It seems you have made a very good trade, Quinn, despite the lack of eucalyptus. That particular blend presents a...playful...atmosphere." He paused and smiled at his roommate. "Petty Officer er'Riev most certainly gave you an exotic blend."

Quinn grinned. "Well, playful will have to do then. In my experience, fun and games take the edge off. And that's something we all could use about now."

Aidan stared at Quinn for a moment. "While fun and games may take the edge off, that wasn't exactly what I was implying. Quinn, my first trip away from the home we made on Earth was to Risa. I spent many years there learning many things from the Risans. When I said 'playful,' I didn't mean fun and games, I meant 'Risa playful,' my friend."

"Oh," Quinn replied. His eyes widened a moment later, his mind recalling the kayak trip and the extremely wonderful escapes they'd had on land. "Oh!" he nearly exclaimed, realizing what Aiden meant. Even in this moment, he felt more like a young kid in front of the elder man, even if Aiden didn't look a day over thirty.

And then the awkwardness set in. He was not one to talk about such things, and neither did Aiden seem to be. So, he elected to not push it. Quinn cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck again, wondering how to change the subject back to massage techniques.

Aidan watched Quinn as the idea set in. "Precisely. Now, as far as the massage, once Kelly is lying on her stomach, remove the towel to expose her back. Tell her that you are about to begin and to let you know if anything you are doing is painful or uncomfortable. Part of her being comfortable is having a feeling of trust in you. And remind her to take slow, deep breaths. This will help with the relaxation."

"That sounds easy enough," Quinn remarked. "Then what? I assume the best place to start is the upper back, right?"

"It is," said Aidan. "Once you pour a small amount of oil in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together, you will begin by rubbing it on her back. Start at the small of the back and rub upwards, gradually applying pressure. Next, use shorter, circular strokes with more pressure beginning again at the lower back. You can think of this as a kneading technique that uses rolling and pressing to enhance deeper circulation. It is hard to explain."

Quinn nodded, trying to visualize what Aiden was saying. "I don't suppose you could actually... show me, could you?" This was certainly getting a little more uncomfortable by the minute, and Quinn found himself wishing the holodecks were available.

Aidan looked at the young Cadet and chuckled a little. "Well, yes, I could actually show you," he said. "Sometimes it is easier to grasp than with the explanation alone." As awkward as things seemed to be getting, Aidan couldn't help but add a little humor to try and lighten the mood. "Shall I use the oils, Quinn, and let Kelly wonder why you already have an aroma about you?"

"No!" Quinn quickly answered. "I mean... That would be too much, you know. This is already weird enough as it is." He offered a nervous smile and chuckle as well. "I don't have to lay down, do I?"

Aidan broke out into laughter. "It is okay, Quinn," he said, calming down. "I was only joking. And, by the way, I agree, it would be too much. But as far as laying down, it might be best as applying the pressure while standing would not work that well. But, if you are more comfortable standing we can try it."

"How about sitting?" Quinn quickly offered. He knew Aidan was taller than him, so he could easily do this standing. But laying down on a bed with him nearby definitely would be too much. Quinn pulled a chair over from the desk and sat on it, pressing his chest against the back of his chest. He was already shirtless, so there was no need to worry about that.

Unless he wanted to put a shirt on... No, it was far too late for that now. "Will this work?" Quinn asked.

Aidan watched as Quinn settled into the chair. "That will work just fine. Now, just relax as much as you can." Aidan started at the small of the back and rubbed upwards, gradually applying pressure. Next, he went to the shorter, circular strokes and applied more pressure beginning again at the lower back. Then he positioned his thumbs at the top of the back, just below the neck and on either side of the spine. Using a "fanning" motion with his thumbs extended, Aidan pushed gently down toward the lower back.

"Relax, yeah..." he mumbled. Quinn tried not to visualize Aidan on the other side of the impressions being made on his back. In fact, he forced his mind to look past all of the awkwardness and focused on what was happening on his backside. "You use mainly your palms and fingertips, then?"

"Indeed," said Aidan. "Mainly the palms and fingertips as well as the thumbs. And when you're done with this part, you'll place one hand on either side of her, near the lower back, and pull one hand towards you as the other one pushes away. In the middle, your hands should slide against each other, in opposite directions, though. Repeat this move up her back until you reach the shoulder area, then come back down."

"Nice," Quinn said, feeling Aidan's actions melt away some of the stress he'd built up the last week. He was starting to find it hard to focus on what was happening as his body wanted to yield to the massage.

As Aidan was making his way back down to the lower back, a thought struck him. Aidan had noticed the incense in the bedroom, but he didn't remember there being anything out in the main room. He did, however, see a heater in the main area with stones warming on it. And that gave him and idea. "Quinn, I have another idea that might add a particular ambiance to your atmosphere for the living area. Aroma, just like in here," Aidan said. "You have stones warming on that heating unit. I have, heh, well, some recipes you could say in my files for aromatic wax melts. It is easily done. And it would be my pleasure to use my own replicator rations for this. It will be my gift to the both of you."

Quinn wasn't about to refuse an offer for help, especially since he'd already drawn Aidan in this far. He felt that by refusing this request, he might cause a bit of offense that would be damaging to both of them. After all, they still had to live together, even if Aidan spent a lot of time with Mila and he with Kelly. "That sounds great!" he said to Aidan. What he didn't reveal was that his eyes were closed and his body was opening more and more to the activity on his back.

"Computer, access...," he paused a moment, "not a word to anyone, young man ...access file Mila Candles Romantic Love and send to the replicator." The replicator in the other room whirred to life and seconds later there appeared to brown soapstone bowls with four disks of wax in each. "One is Romantic. The wax contains a combination of Rose Geranium, Ylang Ylang, and Bergamot oils. The other is Love, a combination of Amber, Rose, and Vanilla oils. Simply set them on the heating unit and it will do the rest." He started back up to the shoulders. "I failed to mention that this step in the massage is to be repeated three times. Then you may go back to the shoulders or wherever."

"You're pretty good at this, you know," Quinn said. "I know the easy answer is that you've picked it up over a lifetime, but how do you know when to change things up or keep repeating something?"

"You are very accurate, it has taken a lifetime to learn this well," said Aidan. "But you will start to feel the differences in Kelly's back from the start of the massage and during it. While gently rubbing on the oil initially, use that time to feel out the areas that are most tense. Then as you massage, keep them in mind so you can revisit them, or change things up. Also, listen to her. She will let you know which areas feel the best to her in her own way. Go back there. Does that answer your question?"

Quinn nodded. "I think so. Rub gently, look for tension, listen to her. That sounds simple enough."

It had been a long day and Kelly was looking forward to getting out of her uniform and into something comfortable. She had just made it back to her new quarters and looked at the jumble of boxes and packages that she had yet to unpack. Instead of getting started, she merely headed into the sonic shower while stripping off her uniform and let it drop.

As yet, she hadn't asked Quinn to move in with her, but it was on her list of things that didn't involve work. Once she was done with the shower, she changed into a black shirt that read "Smokin' as Tennessee Whiskey shirt and a pair of cut off jean shorts and left her hair down. She put on a pair of tennis shoes before she inquired the location of Quinn from the computer.

With that in mind, Kelly headed out of the turbolift and down one deck before she headed to the room that her boyfriend still shared with Cadet Grandpa. Instead of pressing the chime, she simply entered the codes that Quinn had given her and let herself in. The first thing to get her attention was the steam, the low lights and the scents of the quarters. Definitely not something which came standard, she looked around but didn't spot Quinn or Aidan, so she headed for the bedroom.

She had just taken one step in and stopped in her tracks, seeing Aidan behind a shirtless Quinn who seemed to be wearing nothing more than a towel. "Uhh...did I interrupt something?" she asked hesitantly.

Quinn wasn't facing the door, but as of this moment, he certainly wished that he was. The sound of Kelly's voice was enough to tell him that he'd gotten too lost in Aidan's demonstration. In an instant, Quinn was out of the chair.

Sadly, it was far from graceful. He stepped forward, knocking the chair over. Part of his towel was caught by a leg, and had Quinn not moved just in time, that towel would have joined Quinn on the floor. It took him a moment more to collect his composure and secure the towel on his waist. Smiling, though it was an awkward yet confident one, he kept his elbows at his waist and waved "jazz" hands in the bedroom. "Surprise!" his voice weakly mustered.

Kelly blinked and her opened and closed her mouth a few times before her brain rebooted itself. "Surprise?" she managed after a minute. "I'm surprised...uh...really surprised."

Aidan stepped aside quickly as Quinn came up. For which he was glad, as he didn't want to wind up on the floor. He imagined that things were about to get interesting and allowed the conversation between the two to take it's own route for the moment. He looked at Kelly and expected that Quinn's 'surprise' was going to need more than a little explanation.

"Well..." Quinn said, trying to rationalize the whole thing, or at least explain himself. "I know we've all been on edge lately, and I know how much the Chimera meant to you, and how much its destruction dampened your spirits. Since we can't use the holodecks, I wanted to create this spa feeling and try and do what we can't rely on holograms for at the moment. Aidan wasn't supposed to be here... he just dropped by for something. I asked him for advice, and how to do a few... massage things... and that's when you came in."

"You...did this for me?" Kelly asked as she looked around and let the other thoughts leave her mind. A smile crossed her lips and she went over to him to give him a hug. "Why thank you, Quinn. This really means a lot, despite what I thought I walked into."

A big smile appeared on his face. "You're welcome!" he said gratefully as he returned the hug. As he held her, Quinn looked at Aidan and mouthed the words, "Thank you!"

Aidan smiled and mouthed a 'You're welcome' response to Quinn. He then cleared his throat and said, "Now, if you two lovebirds will excuse me, I still have a few things to pack before I move, go, to visit my lovebird."

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six," Kelly began to count backwards as she looked at Aidan and back to Quinn.

"Then again, I am certain that Mila wouldn't mind if I came back with no clothes for overnight," Aidan said. "You two have an exquisite evening." The El-Aurian smiled as he left the bedroom, thinking that Mila would enjoy a nice back massage like that.

As soon as Aidan had left, Quinn said, "I'll freshen the incense if you'll get ready for a massage." In spite of all of the awkwardness, he was certainly looking forward to tonight.

"Ohhh...a massage sounds really good," Kelly said, feeling bad about chasing Aidan out, but she didn't tell him that he couldn't get some clothes on the way. She eyed the towel and grinned before she began to take her clothes off. It was already looking to be a great night.


OOC: Just for reference.

A Playful Massage Oil Blend
5 tsp carrier oil - Sweet almond
5 drops of Rose
5 drops of Orange
2 drops of Patchouli
3 drops Clary Sage

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