Risian Hugs Cure All?

Posted on Fri Sep 16th, 2022 @ 8:29am by Ensign Theilani Mo'naa & Lieutenant Bela Swain

2,845 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Storm
Location: Bela's Office

She'd heard many good things about the counsellor - both from her fellow nurse and sickbay staff of all professions and the other crew members she'd met so far, on how much they enjoyed her presence (and treatments). Color her quite curious as to what they meant, and to what extent they involved the hugs she was supposedly so famous for.

Hence she'd taken her break period today to make her way to her fellow countrywoman's office, conveniently located within sickbay itself, and chimed the doorbell hoping that she'd be in and willing to chat. Hopefully she wouldn't walk in on a counselling session in progress.

Bela had set this time aside for doing paperwork. Of all the things about her job, paperwork was what she liked the least. She liked to help people. She had to help people. But paperwork was just documenting what she did with crewmembers. And, really, how did one describe some of the things that she did? No words would ever substitute for feelings or sensations, even if you could describe the touch.

Even so, she knew that the work had to be done. After all, what would happen if one of her crewmates ever left the ship? She could not leave them unaided. That would be a disaster. No, documentation had to be completed to make certain that they were cared for appropriately. That thought alone made certain that Bela did her paperwork.

However, the ring of the chime interrupted her work. It was not disappointing to the counselor. She enjoyed interactions with the crew. Rather than calling for someone to come in, which Bela felt was impersonal, she walked over to the door and opened it.

Before her was another Risian. She stood nearly half a foot taller than Bela, which was not unusual. Most people were taller than her. She wore an Ensign's uniform and had silky mocha skin. Bela warmly smiled at the Ensign and quickly wrapped her in a warm embrace. "All that is mine is yours," she told the Ensign, refusing to let go. "You must be new on the ship. I have never seen you before. Have you come for your entry psych exam?"

Theilani shouldn't have been surprised that she would be greeted with a warm, comforting hug. Risians were want to give of themselves to everyone they met after all, affection, attention, care, and all. 'All that is mine is yours' indeed. She returned the hug with equal enthusiasm, wrapping her arms round her fellow countrywoman with a laugh, and lightly burying her nose in her hair. "No, I'm the new head nurse. I simply couldn't help but come visit when I heard that there was another Risian on board, more so near where I work." She answered with a light chuckle. "How long have you been on board... ma'am?" It felt only right to address her as such, given the difference in rank - but she had a feeling that she was soon to be corrected... possibly with another hug.

"Just call me Bela when we're alone," the Counselor instructed her visitor as she lightly stroked the Ensign's left side of her face with the back of Bela's right hand. "I assume the head nurse has a name, does she not?" the Counselor asked with a light laugh and a beaming smile.

"She does." Theilani couldn't help but blush a little bit at the attention she was receiving so far. She leaned a little bit into the hand on her cheek, lightly rubbing against the back of the hand now gently rubbing her face. "My name is Theilani. So, Bela. I'd just like to get to know you. You know, nice and personal..." There was that Risian playful flirtyness; one of the biggest reasons why their people were so well liked in any setting they put themselves into. "We'll be seeing each other quite a lot, it'd be a shame if we didn't even sit and talk at least once, don't you agree?"

For an answer, Bela's hand reached down from Theilani's face and took her hand, interlocking the Risian's fingers. "Of course. I could not imagine anything else as pleasant. Come with me." Bela led the two Risians over to a loveseat. It was a burgundy color and velvet upholstery. The back was curved so that the center was the lowest point. Either the sides were meant so that one person could cuddle comfortably against the other person or so that each person had a high back for maximum back support.

Bela instructed Theilani, "Sit, please, Theilani."

How comfortable that chair looked, she reckoned, just nice for two to sit if one leaned up against the other and cuddled them like a koala. Just perfect for a loving couple. Of course, she and Bela were the furthest thing from that at the moment, and the same surely went for all her patients, but she found that she didn't mind at all. This was probably the way Bela liked to do things, up close and personal with her patients - sometimes, as she'd learned, closeness was what some people needed to feel better about themself. That there was someone willing to get a little bit intimate with them, a little bit touchy feely. She probably did wonders for those with low self esteem, she reckoned.

Who was she to reject such a tempting offer? With their hands still interlocked she sat down, allowing the other to take her rightful place upon the loveseat as she was surely want to do. "Do all your patients get this treatment?" She asked with a giggle. "Because if so no wonder you're so popular..."

"Well," Bela started with a small giggle. "Not all of them." She sat down next to Tehilani so closely that their thighs were touching. "As I am certain that you are aware, not all other cultures are so comfortable with our openness. Many come to our home for a momentary release. But I do try to make everyone feel very welcome."

She looked up into the Ensign's eyes and continued, "You realize that this meeting will not relieve you of your duty to have your psychological exam, right?" Bela gave an apologetic shrug.

"Oh, I'm perfectly aware." She giggled, making sure to meet Bela's eyes with her own warm brown pools. "We can do that exam as and when you want, there's no rush, is there? For now I want to get to know [i]you,[/i] Bela, and I have a feeling this meeting is going to be quite memorable indeed." She put an arm round her back, pulling her close and leaning in just a smidgeon, ever so temptingly...

Bela needed no prompting. She laid her head against the front of Theilani's shoulder. "Well, now aren't you a treat? It is not often that someone asks me about me first. Counselors are expected to get to know others first."

Sighing pleasantly, feeling at home against Theilani's body, Bela continued, "We do have to do the exam within the first 72 hours of you coming aboard. So, there is some hurry but nothing urgent. But in answer to your question, I'm the baby of five children. Three boys, two girls. We're the younger two. The boys are the oldest. My parents own a resort on Risa but I didn't want to go into the family business, you know? Why should others always come to us? I felt that I had to go out to them, so I joined Starfleet, got my PhD, and now here I am. That's the long story short."

She paused for a moment, indicating her story was done. There just was not much to tell. "So, how did you end up here? I want to know all about you." Like an eager puppy, Bela popped off of Theilani's shoulder, put both of her hands on Theilani's thigh and Bela's blue eyes sparkled up into Theilani's eyes.

"There's not that much to my story either. I'm a single child who decided to join Starfleet after listening to a Starfleet officer talk about it while helping out in a local hospital. Weird, I know. Maybe a bit hasty." She smiled warmly and held the counsellor just a bit closer to her. "But I have no regrets over it at all, that's for absolutely sure. So far the journey's been absolutely wonderful."

"All about me, huh? Why don't we turn that into a game. Two truths and a lie, that sort. Something to have fun with - unless you have another suggestion?" Theilani's warm brown eyes seemed to gleam with mischief.

"Oh, you like games, do you?" Bela asked, intrigued. "I tell you everything and this is what you want...?" She pressed down with her hands on Theilani's thigh for emphasis. "Alright, I'm game. Are you proposing stakes or is this just for fun?"

There was that mischievous gleam in her eyes again. "Let's do this with stakes." She grinned. "The person who guesses wrongly the most number of times... has to take the other to dinner. Sound good? A venue and menu of her choice." Which she was fairly certain Bela would not disappoint doing - like she wouldn't. 'All that is mine is yours' extended to effort put into something for someone else too, and she would put in her best regardless of the result of this little challenge.

"Dinner it is," Bela responded eagerly, the twinkle in her eyes gleaming like a crystal. "Go on. Start it off. I'm ready."

"I've never given jama'haron to anyone else, my mother owns a clothes shop, and I'm absolutely addicted to caramel." She started. Something simple for a start, she reckoned.

"I'm going to go with you have never given jama'haron as the lie. I just can't believe that someone like you would have not experienced that yet."

"And you'd be correct." Theilani said with a sly grin. "Fun times for everyone involved. Now it's your turn..." She leaned in, gently nuzzling the top of the counsellor's head.

Bela leaned into the nuzzle and said, "Well, you have an advantage, because I already told you about myself but you gave me a simple one in return, so let me see...." Bela thought about two truths and a lie for several moments in silence.

She reached one of her arms around Theilani and said, "OK. I'm only ticklish on the bottom of my toes. My favorite color is red. Spiders freak me out." Before waiting for an answer, Bela said, "I love your nuzzles but it is very hard to see your eyes when you're doing that."

"I agree. Can't miss looking into those lovely eyes of yours now can we?" Theilani shifted her head so that she could look into the counsellor's oh so lovely and warm eyes. "Now let me see... I'm going to say that the lie is where you're ticklish."

Bela shook her head vehementy and laughed unbridled. "Nope. That's my tickle spot. The Gods help you if you ever try that out. It was the spiders. I love them. They're so cute. Your turn."

"Try it out, huh?" Theilani's eyes gleamed mischievously for a brief moment before moving on. "Never mind. I know how to cook Klingon rokeg blood pie, I used to own a Risian caracal and I don't know how to sew."

"Hm. Since your mom owns a clothing shop, I suppose it is possible that you would not know how to cook blood pie but that seems too specific not to be true. So, I'm going to go with 'you don't know how to sew.' How could you not with your mom owning that store?"

"Wrong. The lie was what I owned as a pet. I had a Risian cockatoo instead. She'd fly to my bed and peck me awake every morning demanding attention." She recalled fondly. "I think she's still going strong helping mother in the shop. I do wish I had a caracal, though." She paused to sigh wistfully before continuing, "Your turn."

Bela's jaw dropped. "You grew up in a family with a clothes shop and you can't sew." Her hand went to her mouth. "Gods! That's just something else!" She chuckled. "Have you even tried to learn again?"

"Oh, I intend to learn, don't worry. I'd love to fix my own uniform or something, though I suppose that's not necessary with replicators is it?" The Risian let out a giggle. "It's your turn, by the way.

"Oh, alright.... Alright. My turn." Bela scrunched her face and said, "OK. OK. I love scary holos. Dancing is the best foreplay. It has been more than two weeks since I've shared a kiss."

Theilani immediately smirked and gave her a boop on the nose. "Surely it can't be two weeks since you last kissed anyone. Beautiful woman like you, I'm surprised your patients don't ask you for one at times." The light mocha-skinned beauty leaned in, batting her eyelashes. "Hell, I definitely would..."

"Feel free; but, sorry to disappoint you, it is true. Being a counselor has its setbacks. Scary holos, though...." Bela shuddered. "I can't do them."

"They're not for everyone. No judgment! I wouldn't be able to do them either." She admitted sheepishly. "My turn..." The sheepish expression vanished from her face, replaced with sly mischief. "I have an amazing alcohol tolerance, my favorite color is hot pink, and..." She leaned in close, warm breath tickling the ear of the other. "...I'd give you a kiss right now if you just asked."

Bela could feel the heat of Theilani's breath. Some physical affection would be welcome. She whispered, "To hell with it," and let her lips caress Theilani's.

Risians were quite open with the giving and receiving of physical affection. Their adage 'all that is mine is yours' did literally mean (almost) all things about that person, including time, money... and in this case affections too. It was as such that the pretty young Risian purred softly and leaned in, swallowing the other's lips in a brief but passionate kiss before pulling away. "That was the truth." She cooed. "But you still gotta discern the lie."

"Really?" she asked sputtering a small giggle as she resisted pressing her lips against Theilani again. "Fine, I'll go with the alcohol tolerance even if the hot pink sounds equally unlike you."

"Wrong. I'm not one for pink of any kind." She grinned. "Get me purple any day. I find purple turns heads a little bit more often..." Theilani let a playful smile dance across her lips before adding "Your turn...."

"Good thing there's only sythehol on the ship then, right?" Bela asked giggling.

"Maybe." The tan-skinned Risian's expression, and the gleam in her eyes, were nothing short of deliciously mischievous. "You have a beautiful laugh by the way, and I'd like to hear it again..." A hand drifted to her face, lightly cupping her cheek and thumb gently stroking her jawline. "But it's still your turn..."

"You can hear my laugh any time that you want," Bela told Theilani, letting her hand trail down Theilani's arm as Bela leaned gently into Theilani's hand stroking Bela's jawline. "I do like it when my neck is stroked," Bela offered before continuing the game, figuring that could be her first statement. "I know at least 4 types of massage. I obtained my PhD on Betazed."

"I wanna say..." Theilani's hand shifted, moving down from her jawline which she carressed with the faintest feather touch from her fingers, down to the base of her skull which connected to the soft, warm and very sensitive skin of her neck. "It's where you like being stroked. The other two seem quite plausible to me considering how good the Betazoids are with the mind..." Her mocha brown eyes gleamed. "...and what you do for treatment...."

Bela purred, "No. I got my PhD at Stanford University on Earth." She moved closer into Theilani, if it was possible. "I think I won.... I lost track," Bela admitted. "So does this mean you're taking me to dinner?"

Theilani's answer was, possibly unsurprisingly, very much Risian in its nature: "Who cares who won and who lost? We're gonna have dinner together, and you and I are gonna have an awesome time out of it aren't we?" With gentle fingers she grasped either side of Bela's face, staring into her eyes with affection. "1830 hours. Tomorrow. Dress however you want to dress. I'll be waiting..." A sly grin played over her lips. "Cutie."

The Counselor raised her shoulders to her face and giggled. "You're too sweet." Her blue eyes twinkled into Theilani's. "1830 it is." Bela reluctantly unraveled herself from Theilani. "Thank you for giving me a taste of home, Theilani." With that, Bela gave Theilani another heartfelt hug and then stood up.

"You're welcome. I only hope I can give you more of it when you visit tonight." The caramel-skinned Risian's lips had curled into a mischievous smile as she stood up and walked out of the office, eager to begin preparations for the evening.

 

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