Catch Up [Part Two]

Posted on Mon Apr 1st, 2024 @ 2:14am by Sergeant Trent Busby (Kosugi) & Corporal Briar McKinnon (Cortez)

Mission: Just Another Day on Gladiator
Location: Holodeck
1932 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

As they headed to the kitchen Trent gazed at the familiar setting. To one side was a large room with a couch, comfortable chairs and a book case all along the back wall. The kitchen itself was large enough for several people to be in it at the same time with an island in the center. There was a fridge, to the left then counter tops with drawers beneath then the sink where it was placed and a person can look out to the back yard where there was a garden as well as swingset for kids and adults to swing on. "I have had a few good memories here. " giving a smile.

"So anything you'd like to eat?" the man turning to look at Briar.

Briar twirled around as she looked at everything, again in awe, and then made her way over to the island to lean on it. There was a lot to take in and she could picture herself swinging on the swingset on a summers day with a nice breeze flowing through her hair as she did so. "I can see why there would be a few good memories here, as you put it. My childhood home doesn't have the same homey feel like this one does... Maybe one day I could show you?"

She gave him a wide, happy smile and added, "And whatever you're offering, I'll have it."

"I say fried chicken, with mashed potatoes and gravy. A vegetable side dish, a salad and for dessert. What would you like, Pie or cake? Then tell me what you'd like pie wise or cake wise." Trent giving a grin.

Now Briar was starting to get really hungry, that meal sounded amazing! "You had me already at fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy, and now you're offering me the option of cake or pie too?!" she said excitedly with a wide grin and a light laugh. "Don't think that's the way you get me to fall head over heels in love with you though... My preference for cake is a black forrest gateau, and pie is nice and simple: apple pie with French vanilla ice cream. I think I'd go for the pie, please."

"I don't know how to make the black forest... gateau? I do know about apple pie and french vanilla ice cream. That is one of my favorite desserts." he grinned. "Okay, I'll get the stuff prepared and then we'll eat. I can just order it through the replicator, or just make it by 'scratch'. What do you think?"

Briar moved to sit on one of the available seats, "Hmm, it would definitely be a lot faster to get it through the replicator, but nothing beats the taste of real, authentic homemade apple pie and ice cream, even though it takes a lot longer to make... It's honestly completely up to you, I'm not fussed either way." Looking outside, she could see a couple of birds flying past, "If you wanted to make it from scratch, there's a number of things we could do while we waited for it to cook." She used a light yet suggestive tone and looked at him.

While Briar spoke, Trent had walked over to the pantry and pulled out some apples for the pie, he turned to look at Briar. "What do you suggest? I'm all ears on hearing what you have to say." giving a bit of a smile, then proceeded to walk over to the counter and began peeling the apples in readiness for the pie making.

"For one, you could push me on that swing out there?" She grabbed a couple of apples and started helping peel them to make herself useful, "Or two, you could show me around this amazing place?"

"I could do both." Trent flashing a smile, as he got the rest of the ingredients for the piecrust and the sweetening of the apple pie filling. "The pie is going to take the longest but that will be okay." while he cut the apples into slices, he'd pop one in his mouth and would offer a slice to Briar.

Even though they were simulated, the apples didn't taste too bad. Pretty good, actually. "I'm sure we've got a fair amount of time left on this deck, so I'm happy to wait for it. So." She pushed off the island counter and walked over to the doorway that lead out onto the verandah before stepping outside and into the yard and looking around before back at Trent.

Trent looked right back at Briar, while he continued his prep work for dinner. While he had been working on the pie, Trent already had things prepped for frying the chicken and he began that. It was an assortment of two thighs, two drumsticks and two chicken breast. Also he had gotten the potatoes cut into pieces and were boiling on the stove. The corn was being cooked as well. Trent loved the fact of how large the stove was that his mother had at the time. Made it easier to get a meal prepped in a good time frame. Leaving things for the moment, Trent washed and dried his hands and went out to join Briar.

"We've got a few minutes or so and I'll give you a push on the swing." Trent giving a bit of a smile, and walking over there. "Ready to swing?" there actually was another swing that he could sit on as well.

The swing in question had a wide base, big enough for two people her size to be on it at once, or even just Trent because he was bigger in size, to which Briar chuckled to herself. "How about we just sit on it and relax until we have to go back in?" There was no urgency, and she hadn't been pushed on a swing for a very long time, probably the last time being when she was a kid.

"Sure I like the sound of that." Trent replied. He'd not sat in a swing with anyone in a long time and the last time was when he was much younger than he was now. He moved to take a seat upon it, moving over for Briar to take a seat as well. And when she was seated, he'd push against the ground to start the swing in motion. "You know, I've not done this with anyone since I was well not as tall as I am now nor as old as I am." he chuckled.

As they swung, she recalled a memory that she thought was lost for the ages, "You know, we used to have a swing like this at my parents place, and there was one time where my younger brother Kaleb was pushing me, keeping in mind that I'm the short one in my family, and he lost his footing and faceplanted into the ground and the swing came back and smacked him in the head, causing a concussion." Briar laughed and added, "I've never seen my mother go off at anyone like she did him, calling him an idiot and everything. Dad laughed when he found out though."

Trent cocked up an eyebrow at the tale. "Weren't his fault but then again, parents can react differently when they are scared when a kid getting injured. However, glad he didn't get hurt any worse. It sucks though." he looked at Briar, "However I am not going to do that to you swing you by yourself. This is rather cozy and nice sharing this swing." After a few more minutes, a timer sounded and Trent moved from the swing, being careful in doing so as he didn't want to knock Briar out of it. "It's time for me to get the chicken frying as the pie is almost done cooking."

Why was it just now that she wanted him to stay next to her instead of going back inside? "Do you need any help with anything?" she called out as she continued to swing and take in the view. Hopefully, one day, she'd get to see this view for real and not just on the holodeck.

"Come on, I would mind some help." Trent replied, he really wanted to take her by the hand and walk back into the house where the scent of the pie was wafting its way towards the backyard. Tentatively he held out his hand towards Briar, would she take it?

Briar looked at Trent and flicked her eyes to his hand before back to him, this was one of the only times he had initiated physical contact. She wasn't going to knock it this time so she reached for his hand and slowly got out of the swing while being careful not to incur the same accident as her brother. She also wasn't sure if she could keep her hand in his so she removed it and made her way back to the kitchen with Trent and took up her position on the other side of the bench to him.

She took his hand! Trent could scarcely believe that Briar did. Then she took it away, when the arrived back into that kitchen. However he needed his hand back anyway, what with needing to get the dinner finished up. It didn't take long, and Trent set the table placing the food upon it. The table was covered with a light blue table cloth. A flower was placed in the center.

Then Trent looked at Briar, "Shall we eat?"

The meal progressed and Trent enjoyed the company of Briar. When it was all finished, Trent gave a satisfied smile. He was definitely full. "You know, I would love to do this again."

Briar put the cutlery down and pushed the plate away from her as she finished what she was eating. "You know this is an amazing dish, right?" The way she said it was more a statement than a question.

She nodded in agreement to what he said and responded quietly with a slight smile, "Is it bad form or too early and too forward to say I want to do this on a more regular basis? Or would that complicate things?" Why not just lay it on the line.

Trent thought over what Briar had said,then he grinned, "I don't think its going to complicate matters, so yeah, I would love to do this on a regular basis. From our experience with the last mission, its made me rethink a few matters. Lets see where this goes from here sound good? Life is too short to not try a new path and new way of thinking, right?"

"I agree," She looked at him and grinned as she let her mind wander briefly to a few possibilities, "But for now, shall we conclude this and go back to reality, as much as I don't want to?"

Trent gave a nod, "I regretfully agree, and we have other things we need to attend to. For now, though before we step out there." He pulled Briar close and gave her a fervent kiss. He broke the kiss giving her a saucy smile. "Thank you for this."

"That... was unexpected." Briar lingered for a moment, making sure in herself that the kiss actually just happened and she wasn't just dreaming it. She'd overthink it later though. "But you're welcome." She gave him a sweet smile in return.

A soft caress along her cheek, his thumb tracing along her lips. A quiet sigh then Trent called out "Computer save program and end."