Indulgence

2002 ASC Awards/ Enterprise/ Tucker Pairing: Third Place

Indulgence

by stub

DATE: 9-9-02

RATING: PG

DISCLAIMER: Next verse, same as the first: NOT MINE!!

SUMMARY: It's late and there's pie.

NOTES: This story contains spoilers for "Breaking the Ice" and "Two Days & Two Nights"...kind of a "2D2N" post-episode. Maybe.

MORE NOTES: I'm not sure how many more situations I can place Trip and T'Pol into without pushing the cheese envelope. Also, the ending took FOREVER to come up with. Many, many, many thanks to James for helping me brainstorm the end to this. And thanks to Alcott for the last minute beta.

ONE MORE THING: This is not canon to any of our other stories. It can stand alone with pride. In fact, it wouldn't make a hell of a lot of sense if you tried to fit it in with the others.

*************

It was late, well past 0130. I couldn't sleep. I had taken a walk around the ship and ended up in the mess hall. I just sat there, staring out at the stars. My elbows rested on the table, my chin in my palms. It was stupid to be so glum about that incident on Risa. Malcolm and I just wanted to have some fun. Instead we got mugged.

The mugging part wasn't even what bothered me. It was the fact that I couldn't get laid. How dumb is that? Everyone thinks I'm God's gift to women. Christ, I wish that were true. But I'm not. I never have been good with the ladies. In my younger years I had lots of women friends, but rarely did it go past that. Sure, I had girlfriends but nothing serious. I went too slow for their tastes. Always the gentleman. My momma raised me that way, to respect people. I never pushed myself on anyone the way my other guy friends did on their girlfriends. The goal was to always Get Laid. I didn't share that goal. Maybe I had some fear of intimacy. Maybe that's why the few relationships I had went bust. Maybe I'm just a coward.

I tried to comply with my reputation while we were on Risa. I think Malcolm was trying to live up to mine. But I see now in hindsight that neither one of us had a goddamn clue what we were doing. We must have made quite the sight.

A chuckle escaped my throat as I thought of how stupid we must have looked. The chuckle turned into a giggle, one which I couldn't stop. I must have been really tired. Two seconds ago I was all depressed and now I was laughing like a madman.

"Am I interrupting something?" I heard a soft voice ask behind me.

My laughter was abruptly silenced as I turned around in surprise. "N-no," I stammered, staring straight into the bosom of the Vulcan science officer. My gaze averted instantly to her face where it was met with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't hear you come in," I finished lamely.

"Apparently," T'Pol said, the slightest hint of amusement in her voice. "May I join you or do you wish to be alone?"

"Have a seat," I offered, an involuntary smile spreading across my face. "I could use some company."

It was then I noticed the slice of pie she was carrying. She set it on the table along with a mug of tea and sat down. I stared at the pie again. "Is that *pecan pie*?" I asked. I was floored. Since when does T'Pol eat that? I looked to her face to confirm. She actually looked sheepish.

"Yes," was all she said, not looking at me.

"Thought you said it was mostly sugar?" I craned my neck to get her to look at me.

"I did and it is. However, I had the opportunity to try it once," T'Pol said, glancing up to meet my gaze. "I found it to be...palatable."

Idly I wondered what opportunity she had, besides the one I'd given her several months ago. I decided to give her a break and averted my eyes again. The smile on my face broadened. I felt another urge to laugh. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand and cleared my throat.

"You do this often?" I asked. "Sneakin' around the ship after hours to eat pie?"

"Not often," she said. "Only when it's this particular variety of pie."

"Afraid someone might see you indulgin'?" I teased. The fact that it was only pecan pie she ate didn't escape me. I felt proud somehow.

The muscle in her jaw clenched before she answered. "Something like that," replied T'Pol. She was focused on the treat in front of her.

"Got a reputation to protect, huh?"

T'Pol looked at me then, seemingly surprised. I nodded and continued, "I understand. All too well."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Nothin'," I sighed, my mood darkened again. I waved my hand to dismiss the topic. "Forget it. I won't say anything about your late night habits, I promise." I chanced a glance at her. There was an openly curious expression on her face. Despite being tossed back into my self-depreciating state, I felt another smile tugging at my mouth.

"Is there anything you'd like to discuss, Commander?" Her tone was different. Her posture was different, more relaxed. I think I liked this T'Pol. Her Vulcan guard was lowered, just a bit.

"Nah, I don't wanna bother you with my personal life," I said. I looked at her slice of pie again, untouched as of yet. "You gonna eat that or stare at it?"

"It's no bother," she said almost shyly. What was with her? I felt my pulse quicken, a knot churn in my belly. I swallowed hard. T'Pol was looking at me quite intently. I wiped my hands on my pants. Add sweaty palms to the list of suddenly disturbing physical changes within the last ten seconds.

Symptoms of either fear or lust, I thought suddenly. Aw, hell...

She was speaking again. "What?" I asked nervously.

"I asked if you'd like some," T'Pol repeated. I felt my face flush slightly and I was somewhat relieved to note that she didn't look at me, but rather picked up her fork.

Pie, I thought. She's talkin' about pie for chrissakes.

She was waiting for an answer, an eyebrow arched. I felt myself nod, a grin spreading. "A bite would be nice," I said as I watched her slide the fork into the end of the slice.

The morsel of pie balanced on the fork between us. I found it difficult to look away from her gaze. There was an intensity in that gaze. It wasn't the one she usually leveled at me when we were on the Bridge or in Engineering. This was the intensity I first saw the morning after I tried to kill her in that cave, after the effects of that pollen wore off. After I apologized. This was the intensity I saw on the bridge that day Vanik left. The day T'Pol was supposed to return to Vulcan to get married. The day I talked her out of it. I swallowed again as I remembered that time. This was the intensity I saw on that ship full of holograms, when I was talking about Liana too much. When she got pissy at me. Oh god, this one was...personal.

In the present, she was studying me, her expression thoughtful. What was she thinking about? I reached out to take the fork from her. But instead of gripping the fork, my fingers brushed against hers, slid down the back of her hand to gently grasp her wrist. I felt something jolt up my arm at the touch. I watched her face as she swam back to now, broken from her thoughts. I think she felt it too. T'Pol blinked lazily as she watched my hand guide hers to my mouth.

I took the fork with the pie on it into my mouth and closed my eyes. I didn't remove my hand from hers as she retracted the utensil from my lips. I chewed my bite slowly, opening my eyes again. Hers were fixed on my mouth, watching its actions. As I swallowed, her gazed followed down to my throat and slowly back up to my eyes.

"You mentioned something about a reputation," T'Pol said softly. The fork was back to the pie, cutting off another bite. My hand fell from hers and I tucked it back under my chin.

"My reputation," I sighed. Did I really want to talk about this with her? If anyone would keep a secret it was T'Pol. Not that it was any big secret anyway. I just didn't want to ruin it for all the ladies on board. I was quite sure she didn't really talk to anyone but me and the doc anyway.

She prodded me along with an eyebrow. Momentarily distracted, I watched her raise the fork to her mouth and it disappeared between her lips. She closed her eyes for a moment, the fork remained in her mouth for an instant longer than usual. Like she was taking the time to enjoy it. T'Pol opened her eyes and removed the fork, bringing it to her lips again. Those full, pouty lips, I thought. I felt my eyes widen, just a hair. Her tongue poked out to lick the back of the fork clean of any remaining traces of pecan pie. I'd never wanted to be a fork so badly as I did right then.

Clearing my throat and looking away before I embarrassed myself further, I finally spoke up. "I shouldn't have gone to Risa."

T'Pol's brow furrowed. "Why not? You wanted to go, did you not?"

"I thought I did," I admitted. "Thought it would be easy to get...my tensions eased."

"It wasn't?" she asked. She sounded surprised.

I shook my head and smiled. "Not as easy as *you* implied it to be." I poked a finger at her. "For a dumbass like me, it shoulda been a piece of cake."

"Dumbass?" T'Pol took another bite of pie and washed it down with a long drink of her tea. My eyes followed the movement of her throat, then scooted back to her face.

"T'Pol," I said, looking down. "People think that I'm something I'm not."

I met her gaze again. She looked thoughtful. "Very few of us are, Commander."

T'Pol held my eyes for a long moment before returning her attention to her pie. Did she have any idea what I was talking about? It seemed like there was a personal meaning behind that comment. Maybe we had more in common that either of us thought.

"Want a refill?" I asked suddenly, looking at her mug.

"Certainly," replied T'Pol. "Orange spice?"

I grabbed her mug and rose from my chair. "Comin' right up," I said more softly than I intended, my smile returning. Our gazes locked yet again, that intensity returning. I felt that knot in my belly coiling up. I quickly turned and headed for the dispenser.

I wanted to bang my head on the wall. She's waiting for me to elaborate. I'm not sure I want to. Why'd I have to go and bring that up? I don't need her knowing I'm a wreck at interpersonal relationships. Do I?

Reaching for the dispenser, I placed the mug inside and called up for some orange spice tea. It smelled pretty good. I closed my eyes and a vision of T'Pol swam before me. In my mind, I leaned forward and brushed my lips to hers. I sucked on that bottom lip of hers before she opened her mouth. I swept my tongue inside and I was intoxicated by her flavor. She tasted like oranges, cinnamon, cloves and something else. Something exotic. Something Vulcan.

My eyes snapped open. Where did *that* come from? What the hell was my problem? This is T'Pol. I thought. And she's here in the Mess Hall with you in the middle of the night eating pie and talking as if we were old friends. I suddenly developed a full blown case of the jitters. My hand shook as I grabbed the mug of tea. I swallowed hard and peeked over my shoulder. T'Pol was sitting there, fork in hand. She was staring out the portal, distracted. I found myself wondering again what she was thinking about.

If she's thinking about me, I admitted to myself. My stomach did a back flip as she nonchalantly turned her head toward me, as if she'd heard me. Our gazes locked for the umpteenth time this evening. I took a deep breath and returned to the table. I set her tea on the table and sat down.

"Thank you," she said quietly, eyes on her pie again.

"I think maybe I should get my butt to bed," I managed. I smiled at her apologetically. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to see what would happen. But I was afraid my body would betray me. I was afraid it would act of its own accord.

"It is late," agreed T'Pol. She took a sip of tea. I tried not to study every movement that she made.

"One more bite?" I asked, nodding at the pie.

Without answering me, T'Pol picked up the fork again and sliced off another piece. I kept my hands to myself this time. I didn't want her to see them shake. I watched as she lifted the fork to my mouth then closed my eyes as I felt the tines touch my lips. I opened my mouth to accept the sweet treat. There was something decidedly...erotic about her feeding me pecan pie. Willingly.

When I opened my eyes, that same intensity hung in the air between us. Except that it had increased tenfold. T'Pol was just staring at me. I blinked.

"Uh...I should go now," I said not wanting to take my eyes off her. I didn't move, though.

She merely nodded once. "You'll say nothing?"

"Not a word," I promised. "I've got my own reputation to protect. I don't wanna ruin yours in the process."

I could have sworn just then I saw what looked like a tiny smile tug at her mouth. But it was late and dark and I was tired. I must have been mistaken. I stood up and stretched.

"Thanks for the pie," I replied. "Have a good night."

I turned and walked towards the door, not waiting for an answer. I got one anyway. One that made me grin like a fool all the way back to my quarters.

"Sweet dreams, Commander."

FINIS

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Four of you have made comments

This was fun. At the end I could swear that T'Pol *knew* exactly what Trip's problem was. Thank you for a good story, Ali D :~)

That was lovely. I could visualise them sitting there, in the darkened mess hall, just the width of the table keeping them apart as they slowly were drawing towards each other in all other ways.There must be something in that pie other than pecans...

Congrats on the award!

What an enjoyable story! Very sweet, very wistful. Ah, Trip's such a dreamer, eh?

***sigh***

I'd never wanted to be a fork so badly as I did right then.

Implying that there were other times when he wanted to be a fork, just not that badly? ;-)

I love your stories.