Author: Lady Starblade -- [email protected]
Rating: PG
Pairing: T/R
Category: Romance
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Unabashedly schmoopy
Archive: Entslash; Anyone else, if ya want it, take it. Just let me know where.
Feedback: Yes, please. <Bambi eyes>
Disclaimer: I wish I may, I wish I might, but I don't own Enterprise or its denizens. And while I'm at it, I wish I got paid for this, but I don't.
Author's Note: I was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the sappy romantic bunny. More angst-rebellion, I guess. Inspired by the two lyrics at the story's end.
Summary: "He was waiting for Trip to come home."
**
Malcolm Reed sat at the cluttered desk, staring intently at the console. Or at least attempting to stare intently at the console. His fatigue was wreaking havoc with his concentration. It had been a very long day, turning Malcolm into a virtual recluse in the armory. When it came to a system as critical as torpedo alignment, Malcolm could not leave it solely to his staff. Nineteen hours of schematics, scanners, readouts.....that would destroy even a Reed's focus. But try as he might, Malcolm could not sleep. So he idly scrolled through even more schematics, not really seeing any of the images.
He was waiting for Trip to come home. True, "home" was just Trip's small quarters, made even more cramped by the addition of a second occupant. Malcolm couldn't remember the last time he had spent a night in his quarters. Here was where he lived with the man he loved, so this was "home." This room had edged out the armory to become his favorite place to be.
Malcolm checked the chronometer at the bottom corner of the screen. Trip should be back any minute now. He hadn't seen his lover all day, and he had to restrain himself from fidgeting with anticipation. He mentally snorted at himself. Only Trip could make him fidget with anticipation, shake with laughter, tremble with desire....
Malcolm's train of thought was broken as the door slid aside. Trip Tucker walked into the dim room in mid-yawn, hair rumpled and uniform partially unzipped. His look went to the bed first and became quizzical when he realized it was empty. Then his eyes unerringly slid over to Malcolm.
"Malcolm? What are you still doin' up, babe? Weren't ya working all day?" Trip's voice sounded as tired as Malcolm felt.
Nodding sheepishly, Malcolm answered, "Yes, but I couldn't sleep."
Gaze narrowing, Trip asked, "You feelin' okay?" Only the ring of true concern kept Malcolm from laughing. One of Trip's self proclaimed duties was to keep Malcolm from working too hard. Malcolm had found Trip could be annoyingly persistent in that area.
"I'm fine. I just don't sleep all that well when you're not here. I suppose I've gotten used to having a certain engineer curled up next to me." He looked up to see Trip's lips twitching upward.
"Yeah, I sleep better when I know you're around too. You're like my big teddy bear."
Malcolm cocked an eyebrow. "Me? A teddy bear?"
Trip grinned back as he stripped off his jumpsuit. "I wonder if it'd kill your reputation if everyone knew how cuddly you are. You even beat out 'ol Porthos in that department."
"Only with you, love." Malcolm was suddenly overcome with a jaw-cracking yawn as he rose to his feet and stretched, feeling joints pop.
Trip pulled a baggy gray t-shirt over his head as he walked over to stand next to Malcolm. He squinted at the screen and grunted. "More tech stuff, Mal? Isn't your brain tired yet?"
"I was just marking time. I don't think I was actually processing any of the information."
Trip grunted again and reached past Malcolm to flip the console's switch, plunging the room into darkness broken only by starlight. He then slid his arms around Malcolm and drew him close. They exchanged a lingering kiss before Trip pulled back and mumbled into the dark hair, "Missed you today, darlin'."
Malcolm hummed in agreement as he pressed his lips to the side of Trip's neck. "I missed you too. I was suffering from Trip deprivation."
Trip laughed and gave his lover another squeeze before breaking the embrace and taking the two and a half steps to his side of their bed. "Uh oh, I don't know if that's treatable or not."
"I certainly hope it isn't," Malcolm shot back as he moved to his own side. He yawned again, then added, "And I recommend we sleep, lest we suffer from sleep deprivation."
"I agree," Trip answered with mock seriousness.
They slid underneath the covers, and Malcolm couldn't stop a sigh of contentment as those familiar curves fitted themselves to his own. Trip chuckled softly and looped an arm around Malcolm's waist. Malcolm captured Trip's hand and entwined their fingers.
"Goodnight, Trip." Malcolm tilted his head slightly to brush his forehead against Trip's chin.
"G'night, Mal." Trip whispered, the words caressing Malcolm's ear.
The last sensation Malcolm registered before drifting into sleep was one of perfect rightness, a sense of perfect belonging.
*Yes,* he faintly thought, *this is where I belong.*
END
**
"But I do know one thing
Is where you are is where I belong...."
--"Where Are You Going" by Dave Matthews Band
"I'll never let your head hit the bed without my hand behind it...."
--"Your Body is a Wonderland" by John Mayer