Baby Deals (Opening)

Posted on Thu Dec 31st, 2020 @ 3:27pm by Lieutenant Verdeath Newmark & Ensign Nhallia Newmark

1,550 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Storm
Location: Newmark Family Quarters

ON:

It was dark and late and still. On opposite sides of the bed, two people lay quietly- several empty feet between them. At least one of them was awake.

Nhallia silently, slowly turned over onto her side, staring across the bed. It wasn’t really that large a bed. But somehow it looked very large at the moment, with so much room between them.

She still didn’t understand what had happened- or when- and she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. For days now, every time Aurea was content and quiet or sleeping, Nhallia could only think about Verdeath slipping out and coming back in the middle of the night and never waking her, never even getting near her, staying way over there…

And he was still there. She’d thought that, maybe, it had been because he had come home late and hadn’t wanted to disturb her. Maybe he had just been trying to be considerate…

But that wasn’t the case. For several nights now as she had crawled into bed just a few minutes after him, she had noted that he was all the way on that side, and he had made no move towards the middle. His position had led to her taking up the same, mirroring the distance, staying close to her edge, facing away.

Now she stared across the bed in confusion and tried to remember, tried to pin down, when this had started. She couldn’t, though. She didn’t know the when, the how… or the why.

She moved slowly and very quietly towards the middle of the bed, and reached out with one hand. She was afraid, and she didn’t even know quite why, but her hand trembled just a little as she got close enough to ever-so-lightly touch her hand to Verdeath’s shoulder.

"Aurea need something?" Newmark turned over to face Nhallia more and get what was wrong. "No worries I can get her if..." Her flow was off; her touch tentative but as flowing as it had been. "You okay Love?" He asked instinctively as he always did, or thought he had?

Nhallia's fingers twitched, fluttering out a few 'mumbles' in sign as she sometimes did when under stress and and when her actual voice wasn't keeping up with her first fluent language. A few seconds passed before she managed to speak out loud. "I- I don't- I'm fine..." she said slowly, but sounded like she wasn't really sure of that answer.

After hearing nothing from the baby he concluded it was not that so he reach to her face and caress her cheek while raising an eyebrow; her face was nor relaxed; she was not soft and it was her eyes that he saw even through the dark.

"Would you like to try again." He gave a slight raised of an eyebrow. "How many knots would I find if I went down a few inches?" He ever so gently caress her skin; he missed her supple skin and did not feel the cheek muscles smiling as usual. "You need not stutter," glancing at her hands. "Just say -the -words please?"

"I- I think I was going to ask you the same question..." she replied, still speaking slowly and sounding unsure and perhaps a bit confused. But at least she wasn't mumbling with her fingers anymore.

"How many knots I have?" He tilt his head slightly. "I did not think you were curious about that?" He gave that sly grin and took her hand gently to his own face. "Check for yourself." He had never stopped his gentle caress with his off hand along her jawline and cupping her face slightly in an affectionate way.

Nhallia rested her fingers along his cheek where he'd placed them, feeling the movement of his jaw as he spoke, the prickle of a day-old beard, the warmth of his skin. She shook her head a little. "No, I mean... are you alright?" She only paused for half a breath- didn't even give him time to respond before she continued. "I know you've been sneaking out at night," she said miserably, looking away from his eyes, just too confused and embarrassed to hold that gaze any longer.

"Surprised you noticed I was gone." He said honestly. "I do not sneak, I took some walks and worked out a bit but I do not call it sneaking, I was not blatant but I did not hide it. I thought Aurea was sleeping longer through the night and usually you nap when she does." He had noticed but just kept going. "Why should I intrude on your routine?"

Her shoulders slumped and her face fell. She didn't know what she'd been expecting to hear- she hadn't even thought about having this conversation when she'd reached for him, she'd just reached... "Oh," she said quietly, her voice flat and unemotional. "I...I was just looking for you. A couple times. I thought maybe... Never mind then."

"I love you..." He just said. "Been missing having your attention to tell you."

She looked back to his face, a little surprised at the tone of his voice. "I know. I love you, too," she said matter of factly.

Newmark lean and gave her a soft but quick kiss good night then, he was not going to push, she just did not need him yet. It should come in time according to all he had learned over the years delivering babies. Even Doc said the mother's sometime need to adjust and the Dad; well, his job would come around at some point.

"Well if you don't need anything I should be going back to sleep, Sick bay is gearing up for this new mission." He did not feel like pushing a point, she was still narrowed to just her and the baby, he would have to wait a bit longer he supposed.

"Right. Sorry," she apologized. "Good night." She lay still, frowning a little in confusion. She still wasn't quite sure what had transpired- there was nothing inherently wrong with his little kiss, or with the way he'd caressed her cheek. Those were all just like him. And there wasn't even anything wrong with him needing to get back to sleep before a busy day tomorrow.

But *something* was still wrong. She didn't know what it was, and apparently he didn't either- or he just wasn't telling her.

"That is not good night." Newmark wrap her in his arms and brought her close to his chest before he rolled on his back to be her body pillow, not pinning her just having her close as he could have her again; looking into her eyes in the dim light. "This defines a good night." He ran his hand with that feather touch along her back; he was not letting her get away, this is where they both wanted to be and he decided it was time to go there.

Nhallia started just a little as he grabbed her- he had just basically told her to go to sleep and leave him alone after all- but the startle didn't last long. Verdeath's arms around her had never been wrong. No matter what else was going on between them, being in his arms would always- always- be right.

His hand smoothed down her back and she lay her head down on his chest. She could hear his heart beating, feel his chest rising and falling under her cheek with each breath he took. It was soothing- he was always soothing to her, and the tension that had been building in her for days began slowly to ease. "Yes," she whispered and pressed a little closer into him. "Good night."

Newmark was comforted; his muscles were more relaxed with Nhallia where she belong; close to his heart; he wanted her there and hoped maybe she might want to be there again. He really did not care at the moment, she was here and he could finally get some sleep.

[Hours Later]

Nhallia felt a squirming little one just making the first noises of being hungry; a whine more so than a cry yet the baby smelled clean and her little body bundled and changed to a fresh baby smell.

"Someone is getting hungry." Newmark kissed his wife's forehead. "I was closer to the monitor so I went to clean her up and treat her to breakfast by bringing her to you."

Nhallia rolled and reached for the baby before she was even aware or awake. "Aurea?" she mumbled. She blinked and rubbed her eyes a little. A flash of guilt and fear shot across her face. "I didn't even hear her. I'm sorry, Baba. I should have heard her." She cradled the baby close and moved to sit up properly.

"She did not really notice until I got her close; her nappy was not comfortable and she cooed when changed. She is becoming a little more sufficient, a wail will let you know when she is upset." He chuckled. "She and I had a little chat and she made certain agreements." He smiled.

Nhallia maneuvered Aurea into a nursing position and as soon as the baby was feeding well, she looked up. "Agreements? Like what?"

TBC

 

RSS Feed