Warm Wine, Cold Pizza
Posted on Fri Mar 10th, 2023 @ 11:11pm by Daniel Martinez & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver
2,043 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Mission One: Goodwill Tour [Part One]
Location: Triton Seabase
Timeline: MD12: 1800 hours
Max had finished his duty shift and handed duty off to Lieutenant JG Callan Armidale. He enjoyed the younger man’s Australian accent, even though he’d yet to hear a G’day. With the door closed behind him, Max was going to recommend increasing the size of the CO and XO bunks just off the bridge. They were a bit claustrophobic.
Max stripped off his clothes and stepped into the sonic shower. He washed up without water, the ionized stream of particles felt nothing like water; the feeling almost indescribable.
Max finished his shower and pulled on his Academy sweats and t-shirt. The benefits of the freshers were that they kept nostalgic clothing like new. He pulled on his clothes before sitting at the small desk, Max looked through the Martinez C&C company directory until he found Daniel Martinez - listed as Chief Executive Officer of Romulan Affairs. Max’s brow knit in confusion, Dani had presented himself as a normal guy during his surfing lessons, not as a hotelier mogul.
Tapping the channel, Max waited. He sat for about five minutes before Dani’s face showed up on the live screen. Max noticed that Dani was wearing a black shirt with a blue tie; an outfit that would have matched his own outfit to the Symphony. ’Good taste,’ Max thought with amusement.
“Max?! The would-be surf coach,” Dani said with a smile. “Nice to see you again, so soon. Do you need another client to try to teach, because I was pretty clear surfing wasn’t really my style.”
Having never done this before, Max wasn’t quite sure what to do. Shaking his head, he caught on their lunch. “I just thought I might repay you for lunch?” he suggested. “How about a dinner date at my place tonight?”
Dani seemed to catch the word immediately. “So a date at your place tonight?” he asked playfully. “Would you consider this a second date or our first official date?”
Max smirked. “I suppose that’s up to you, Dani. You paid for our first lunch together and I’d guess Evelyn and Ben would consider that a first date for them.”
“Well then, a second date it is. So, how about an hour from now. I have some things to finish here. Formal or casual?” Dani asked.
“Let’s go casual because I just finished a twelve hour shift and I’m in sweats. I’d have to dress up,” Max admitted.
“Lazy already on a second date?” Dani tutted. “I’d prefer formal then. Shall we choose dinner now?”
Max shook his head. “I’ve got less than an hour to get into formal clothes and meet you on arrival. If you’d be so kind as to send transport coordinates, I’ll meet you here soon.”
“Martinez out,” Dani replied, a smile playing across his face as the screen shut off. Max caught the smile and noticed anticipation.
Max had to run down to his quarters and clean the stray tunic, pair of pants and PaDDs laying about. Otherwise, his living space looked unlived in.
From the closet, he pulled a new uniform out. Dani wanted formal, he was about to find out the formality of Max’s daily life. Max stripped down again, this time leaving his sweatpants and t-shirt folded under his pillow. Max pulled on a small pair of light blue bikini briefs, easily hidden under his dress slacks. A black tunic was quickly covered by his duty jacket. Finally, Max applied his combadge and four pips perfectly aligned.
Max made his way to the transporter room, catching only a few nods from the crew as he walked the corridors. Once inside, Max placed his hands behind his back before ordering, “Energize.”
Dani solidified from the whorls of light and sound. When his atoms were arranged properly, he took in Max and quickly came to two conclusions. “Well, I guess you don’t need work as a surfing instructor. Hmmm? Captain Max?”
Max smiled. “No,” he admitted, seeing that Dani had brought something with him. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”
Dani looked properly admonished. “I just assumed your alcohol selection would be shit.”
Max laughed. “Come on,” he said, offering his hand. “Date number two is in my quarters. I hope they’re not too small for your discerning tastes…”
Max walked through the ship’s corridors, his fingers gently laced with Dani’s. They did catch an unusual look or two, but when they realized it was the captain, they went back to their duties. The turbolift deposited them on a deck with just three doors, Max brought Dani to the door at the end of the hall and it opened with a hiss.
Inside was little bigger than a bed/sit, but Dani supposed space was at a premium on the seabase. Breaking contact, Dani admitted, “I feel stupid. Here I was thinking I’d be spending the evening with a surf bum, not a Starfleet captain.” Dani looked around Max’s quarters, but they looked almost like the ship had just launched.
“Sorry,” Max apologized. “I suppose I could have spent some time putting out knickknacks and pictures, but then I would have missed two days of good surfing. And also, Daniel Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of Martinez C&C Hoteliers? Talk about secrets…”
Dani shrugged and flashed a brilliant smile. “Never came up in conversation, Captain Max…”
“Culver. My last name is Culver,” Max answered quickly. He popped the cork on the wine Dani had brought with him. He poured two the red into fluted wine glasses. Walking the short distance from what counted as a kitchen, Max handed Dani a glass.
Raising his glass, Max toasted, “To learning more about your date on the second date.”
Dani laughed. He pulled loose his tie. “Whose choice was formal?” he asked jokingly.
Max rolled his eyes. “Thank the Gods,” he said. Moving through the holovid, Max moved into the bedroom and rifled through some drawers. He pulled out a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. “Those should fit,” he said, tossing them at Dani.
Dani found the bathroom, the only place that had an actual door, and stepped inside. He changed into Max’s pajama pants, pulling the strings tightly so they didn’t fall down. Even the shirt was a little big on him.
When he stepped out, he caught Max pulling up his sweats, covering a light blue pair of underwear that couldn’t have been any bigger than his bathing suit - Dani noticed his cute tan line. He pretended to be inside the bathroom when he asked, “Are you decent?”
Max pulled on his t-shirt and responded, “I hope I’m never decent.”
Dani chuckled as he stepped out and folded his clothes, leaving them at the end of Max’s bed. “So, should we decide what’s for dinner?”
Max nodded and his stomach growled as if it understood the question. “And what does His Royal Highness wish from the replicator? Or shall I have the chef make us dinner?”
“This is a casual date now, let’s have a casual dinner, eh? Pizza!” Dani suggested.
It had been years since Max had eaten pizza. “Toppings?” he asked his date.
“Everything but those nasty little fishes.”
Max’s face turned. “Anchovies.”
“Yes.” Dani approached the replicator. “Computer, one large pizza with everything but anchovies.”
A second later and a flash of light and sound of electricity, a large, hot pizza was deposited in the replicator. Max walked up behind Dani, sliding one hand over his stomach as he used his other gloved hand to grab the pizza.
“Sorry,” he said softly into Dani’s ear as he slid his hand back over Dani’s abs. “I didn’t want you to burn yourself on the pan, it comes out hot too.”
“Hmmm,” Dani said, grabbing Max’s hand and forcing him to put the pizza pan back. “Maybe we should let it cool down for a few minutes.” His lips were centimeters from Max’s.
Max couldn’t help but look into Dani’s blue eyes, light in the center and growing darker toward the edge. Dani still held his left wrist, but Max moved his right hand up to Dani’s cheek and pulled him into a gentle kiss him. Max couldn’t help but close his eyes and enjoy the kiss, the slight taste of wine lingering between them.
When they broke the chaste kiss, Dani smiled. Max thought it lit up the entire room. “So, you think what?” Dani asked, mocking an angry tone. “You think Dani is CEO. He is a prince locked in a tower. I’d better be gentle with him, eh?”
Max was about to respond when Dani gabbed Max’s t-shirt by the chest and turned him around, roughly shoving him against the wall behind them. The pizza pan clattered from the force of Max hitting the wall. Suddenly, Dani’s lips were at Max’s, a more hungry and passionate kiss was sought out and responded to.
Max grabbed Dani’s shirt and pushed him back, forgetting the size of the room. Suddenly, the pair fell backward, head over heels as the couch both got in the way and broke their fall.
Dani laid with his head on Max’s chest and the two of them couldn’t help but laugh. They stayed on the floor, crumpled up together, looking like a bad origami project. By the time the laughter died down, Max couldn’t help but stare at Dani as he ran his fingers through Dani’s curly black hair.
¿Qué miras tanto?” Dani asked. Dani was sure no answer was coming, he’d asked the question in Spanish.
“Perfection,” Max answered after a time. He grabbed Dani’s shirt, to pull him closer downward, but in doing so, he also pulled off Dani’s too large shirt. Now, shirtless and closer to Max’s face, Dani moved in for another kiss. Mouth to to mouth, Dani scrambled to pull off Max’s shirt.
Dangling upside down, Max could feel the rush of blood flow to his head and Dani’s weight against the odd angles of the couch were making it harder to breathe.
Max moved the transparent aluminum table and slid farther down, until his rear end hit the floor. With a break from the kiss, Max gasped to fill his lungs. Dani now straddled Max’s hips and with a look that couldn’t care less about the topic, Dani said, “The pizza is getting cold.”
Max laughed and slapped Dani’s rear end. “To hell with the pizza…it’s always better cold anyway.”
Dani stood up and offered Max his hand. Max took Dani’s hand and accepted the assistance. Once they were both on their feet, Max smiled as his eyes roamed the room. Pulling Dani around the table, Max could see the last bit of furniture in the way.
Rather than avoid it, Max shoved Dani onto the bed and crawled up over him, grabbing his wrists, Max forced them over Dani’s head and kissed him again. This time, safely for both of them.
Suddenly, Dani looked almost panicked.
“What is it?” Max asked, worried he was pushing too fast.
Dani shrugged. “It’s just…I’ve never done this before.”
Max laid his head on Dani’s chest. “Neither have I,” he admitted. Dani’s heartbeat felt like it was going to explode out of his chest. “And we don’t have to. Not tonight, if you don’t want to.”
Dani placed his hand on Max’s chest and he could feel Max’s heart beating like his, fast and like it was about to explode. Dani slid his hand down Max’s chest, then stomach and his other hand joined in the process until they hit the band of Max’s sweatpants. Hooking his thumbs under both Max’s sweats and underwear, he suddenly found Max as naked as the day he was born.
Max followed suit, his job easier from above. With one last kiss, Max called, “Lights.”
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