Malcolm shook his head in affirmation and grunted. He was wondering how he was going to get the miners trained in time for the task ahead.
“I can see your finger on the trigger tensing before you fire,” added Hoshi as she took the rifle from Maklii’s hands. “It’s throwing off your aim. I used to make the same mistake.”
Hoshi grinned, taking a quick glance at Malcolm. The sounds of the targeting scanner reflected her perfect score as she demonstrated the proper technique to all in the room, earning admiring glances.
“That little minx has been holding back during our target practice sessions. I'll have to make her pay for that during the next session,” Malcolm grinned to himself.
Hoshi handed the phase rifle back to Maklii and quickly checked out Malcolm’s expression. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” She smirked to herself.
Malcolm walked into the gym with an air of self-assuredness about him He took off his sweat pants and started limbering up. As though he were in the middle of a conversation already he addressed Hoshi. "I was quite impressed with your phase rifle technique. You've come a long way, Ensign."
Malcolm finally turned toward her and looked into the depths of her eyes. He stopped breathing. She really was strikingly beautiful. At one point, he did remember to start breathing but tried not to let on that he was having difficulty.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I will take that as a compliment," grinned Hoshi as she reached one arm behind her back and used the other one to push on her elbow.
Malcolm closed his eyes too late as a vision of Hoshi's chest stretched across the tight black spandex of her sports bra. She wasn't small nor was she large. She was just right.
Bloody Hell! I feel like I am in the Three Bears fairytale. All she needs is a little red hood and a basket full of goodies. No, wait! That was another fairytale entirely. Whether he cast himself as a bear or a wolf, it really didn't matter; his attraction toward Hoshi was alive and well.
"Is something wrong, Lieutenant?" Hoshi asked. Why is looking at me like he wants to eat me? Why was she under the impression that she was about to get her ass kicked?
"N-No, Ensign. Shall we begin?" Malcolm assumed a defensive posture and flicked one of his fingers in a manner to have one come closer to him.
Hoshi maneuvered closer to him and attacked. All of her offensive moves were easily blocked as Malcolm continued to give her instruction throughout the exchange. "Now, change positions. You're defense. I'm offense."
It wasn't long before Malcolm had a headlock on his 'victim'. His chest was pressed against her backside and the sweat and scent of Hoshi assailed his olfactory nerves.
The split second of distraction was the advantage Hoshi needed as she stomped backwards onto his instep and thrust her head and elbow back. She heard a distinctive crack and thump and felt the weight of Malcolm's body release hers.
Quite pleased with herself, she turned to help Malcolm up. She gasped at the sight of him, sitting there with his eyes watering, holding his head up and back as though he were trying to stop a nosebleed. "Oh My God! Lieutenant, I am so sorry."
She pulled a towel out of her bag and pressed it to his face. She could see a trickle of blood on his fingers.
Malcolm flinched and pulled away. “You passed.”
“Ouch!” Malcolm swatted Hoshi away. “I got it! I got it!”
“Humpf! I never figured you for the baby type, Sir.” Hoshi glared at him and tilted his head further back by pulling on his hair. He could tell that she felt miserable yet she looked like she was getting ready to laugh. She had knocked him on his ass
“I don’t think it’s broken,” Malcolm muttered miserably as he moved his nose back and forth, his composure back in place.
“What are you doing?” Hoshi chastised him, pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips. She titled his head back as far as she could get it and pressed the towel to his face.
Malcolm kept moving his head from side to side like a little child. “Hoshi, this really is quite unnecessary.” His voice was muffled as she tried to keep up with him. “I assure you that it is nothing. My nose has been broken more times than I can remember – if it is broken.”
“So, you’re a fighter, not a lover.” Malcolm could scarcely believe what she said.
“I’m so sorry,” mumbled Hoshi with her hands over her mouth. She tried to move, but was held still when Malcolm’s hands shot out and grabbed her arms.
She gasped as his eyes locked onto hers. The blue in his eyes clouded over.
“Actually, I’m both a lover and a fighter,” Malcolm said in all seriousness as he held Hoshi’s darkening gaze and kept her pressed to him.
Malcolm felt as though this were one of the many dreams he had had about Hoshi. Here he was flirting with her. He knew it wasn’t a dream. The dreams were always a torment and a let down, always leading up to the peak of arousal, then dropped flat.
Malcolm removed his hands from her arms and started to caress her back, pulling her down to him. He rose slowly to meet her and pressed his lips gently to hers. The kiss was chaste yet spoke of a passion, dark and true.
Lips trespassed past one another, and the passion grew. This kiss enflamed Malcolm and his hands stripped Hoshi of her uniform. Every other sense was forgotten. His hands had masterfully released her silken hair from its restraint and it spilled onto her shoulders and framed her face. She was beautiful and he wanted her. “Hoshi.”
But, something was off. First, there was no smell. Memory served him well as he thought of Hoshi’s scent. Secondly, he couldn’t taste anything. Surely, Hoshi would taste sweet. Thirdly, he was getting dizzy. Why was he getting dizzy? He couldn’t breath. Maybe that had something to do with the lack of smell and taste. Then he heard a voice. It wasn’t the soft melodious sound of Hoshi’s. It was - Phlox?
“You did the right thing Ensign -- actually not. Let’s try not to break Lt. Reed’s nose next time you spar with him.”
“I didn’t mean to break his nose. He hesitated and I saw an opportunity, so I took it.” A voice that sounded like Hoshi’s broke through the fog in his mind.
“A dream, always a dream.” Malcolm opened his eyes and quickly closed them as the glaring lights of sickbay greeted him. Embarrassment flooded every fiber of his being. He was lying in sickbay practically having a wet dream about a junior officer who had just knocked him out cold.
“Were you dreaming?” Hoshi stood at the head of the bed and stroked his hair back from his forehead in the manner a mother would a child.
Malcolm moved away from her touch. It only served to heighten his aroused mood. Between that mood and the pain radiating from his nose, he was in shipshape condition. He rolled his eyes in annoyance.
Hoshi stood there with her hand frozen. He had every right to be pissed at her after all. She had broken his nose and successfully knocked him on his ass. “I am woman! Hear me roar!”
“Lieutenant, I cannot apologize enough for…this.” She waved her hands in front of his face. “It wasn’t my intention …”
“Ensign, I know you did not intend for this to happen. I view it as a hazard of my job. No harm is done. My nose has been broken more times than I care to count. On the other hand, although you passed your certification with flying colors, you do need to work on exercising control.” Malcolm sounded, with a nasal-like tone to his voice.
Phlox had been watching the exchange with minimal interest. “Lieutenant, are you ready to take the packing out?”
“Better late than never.” Malcolm reached toward the cotton and started to tug.
Hoshi bid get well tidings and quickly exited the room.
Malcolm froze in mid pull, his mind still swirling with the vision of Hoshi’s hair draped over her breasts. Cold showers, workouts and extra duty shifts should exercise the angel-demon that is Hoshi from his mind.
His reverie was broken as Phlox quickly yanked packing out of his nostril.
“Bloody Hell!” Malcolm jerked in surprise.
“Sorry Lieutenant, but is it not better to do it quickly than slowly?” Phlox stated as he put the bloodied-packing into a tray.
“Quite right!” Malcolm agreed and pulled the rest of the packing out in one swift movement. Maybe the pain would be enough to distract his mind from Hoshi.
TBC
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