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The music pulsed as Raffi attempted to weave her way through the crowd, desperately trying to deliver the glasses she carried with as much of their contents intact as possible. She smiled as she caught Seven's eye between the bodies which moved rhythmically to the noise that filled the club which Chris had managed to get the team, minus Picard who had politely declined, into upon completion of their latest freight run.
"Oh, 'scuse me … 'scuse me … sorry ... thanks" she repeated as she shouldered her way to the booth they had occupied.
"Damm!" She called as she finally placed the tray of Samarian Sunsets down on the sticky table surface and shook off the droplets which had spilled onto her fingers, absentmindedly wiping them on her trouser legs.
"Think I managed to save most of it, there's more hot sweaty bodies up there than at Pon Farr nights at the Academy," she laughed as she glanced back to the dance floor
"Oh, where'd they all go?" she asked Seven as she looked around the empty seats around their table.
"Ah. Agnes and Soji persuaded Chris and Elnor to … dance," she replied as she nodded her head towards the swaying masses.
"Really?" Raffi laughed, surprisingly, as she scanned the crowd briefly, in search of them.
"And you weren't?" she asked the xB as she placed a glass in front of her.
"Weren't what?" Seven questioned as she casually rested an elbow on the backrest of the long seat around their table.
"Weren't persuaded" Raffi clarified, sliding down beside her blond companion.
An ocular implant caught the lights as it twitched upwards, "I was not." Seven answered with a small smirk.
"Hmmmm," Raffi returned the smirk.
Seven's body leaned closer to Raff as she reached for her drink.
"I don't dance. So don't ask."
Seven's voice was close to her face as Raffi attempted to casually swirl her own drink, which had changed from its original clear liquid to a sparkling gold, around its glass. The closeness of the blond caused a rapid spike in the former Lt Commander’s pulse and she quickly raised the glass to take a swift, calming mouthful. She felt a long arm snake across the backrest as its owner rested against the seat once more. Raffi felt equal measures of nervousness and exhilaration as the warmth from Seven's body slowly began to seep through the fabric of her top. Her head began to swim whilst she desperately searched for something, anything, to say.
“So,” Raffi scanned the busy dance floor before quickly glancing to her side.
A curved implant twitched, “So?” Seven echoed.
“So. Yeah. They uhm, they look like they’re enjoying themselves,” Raffi said as she caught sight of their friends laughing and swaying on the dance floor before disappearing from view once more amidst a sea of bodies.
“They do.” Seven observed, before she turned her attention back to the woman by her side, “are you?”
Raffi turned to meet piercing blue eyes, “Am I what?” she asked, puzzled.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
Raffi held the gaze as she absorbed the warm look from the striking Ranger, slowly allowing a satisfied smile to creep across her face.
“Yeah,” she replied, as her smile enhanced. “Yeah, I am.”
Seven paused as she nodded slowly, letting her hand drop from behind Raffi, to gently rest upon her shoulder. “Good,” she smiled in return.
A flash of warmth swept through Raffi as she felt a thumb softly brush across her bared shoulder. She had felt her feelings towards Seven grow during their time onboard La Sirena, changing from being curious and intrigued by the mysterious xB, gradually morphing into a spiralling feeling of attraction. Yet, she had pushed the feelings to the side, afraid, convincing herself that it was some sort of mid-life crisis, that there was no way that the stunning, beautiful, fearless Ranger would harbour the same feelings in return.
She nervously dropped her gaze down, her eyes catching the glisten of light reflected from the metal cased fingertips resting upon Seven’s thigh.
“What ‘bout you?” she quietly asked. “You enjoying yourself?” she looked back to the shining blue eyes which gazed back at her.
“Right now?” Seven spoke, “very much.”
The two women held each other’s gaze, quietly sending, and reading silent, tentative signals to each other.
Summoning courage from deep within, Raffi slowly allowed her finger to graze along a long, metal-lined finger, thanking God when she felt it copy her ministrations.
The two held a long lingering stare as Raffi’s breaths became shallow and rapid. She felt the cocktail of anxiety and excitement increase as fingers teased each other before tentatively lacing together. Her mind became a crucible of a thousand instant thoughts in one melding blend.
Oh God!
Is this really happening?
Does she really wanna do this?
What if I’m imagining this?
Breathe
How does this start?
Does she wear socks?
Why the hell did I think that?
Does my breath stink?
Can she feel the sweat on my hands?
Breathe!
Are people watching?
I’m fallin’ … for her.
No … I’ve already fallen.
Breathe dammit!
She realised that both of them had begun to lean in, closing the already short distance between them.
Oh God,
This is it.
Eyes, open, or closed?
Screw it, who cares?
She slid her eyes closed as they both gave in, allowing the final gap to close as slowly, softly the warmth of full lips rested against hers.
In an instant, the deafening noise of the music and crowd melted away and it was just the two of them. Lips caressed lips. Fingers gripped tighter. Bodies relaxed and surrendered.
The need for air called for them to finally part. Raffi took in a grounding breath as she rested her forehead against Seven’s.
“God,” she giggled gently, “I’ve uhm, I’ve never done this before,” she confessed.
Seven pulled back slightly to look at Raffi in her now flushed face. She raised her brows questioningly, “Never kissed before?” she asked with faux surprise.
Raffi dropped her head to lean on Seven’s shoulder before looking back at her, a broad, amused smile on her face.
“Shit no,” she laughed, “God no.” She took another steadying breath before pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. Pausing for a moment before she continued. “No, I’ve just never done this … “ she dipped her head towards Seven, “with another woman.” She pulled her lip back between her teeth again in slight embarrassment.
Seven continued to look towards the slightly cringing woman, smiling once more at the endearing awkward Raffi beside her.
“Oh. I see,” the blonde looked at the wild, curly-haired woman who now gripped her hand tightly, her face now serious as she considered her revelation. She twitched the implant around her eye, “And I thought it was something serious.” she smiled.
The two leaned into each other and claimed lips once more. Raffi felt metal-tipped fingers slowly slip across her cheek and snake amongst the curls of her hair, gently yet confidently holding her in place as warm full lips parted against her own.
“About damned time!” a familiar voice called from the other side of the table.
The two women broke apart as Chris grinned like a child at them both.
“Chris!” Agnes chastised him with a swat to his arm.
Raffi rested her head against Seven’s shoulder as she laughed against it.
“What?” he threw his arms wide, “C’mon, seriously. I mean, what they been waiting for?”
Seven wrapped her arm tighter around Raffi’s shoulder, tugging her reassuringly as she turned to kiss her forehead lightly.
Raffi turned to her old friend, “Shut up Chris” she said cheerfully, slinking down further into Seven’s comforting arm.
“Well I think it’s so great, I mean, you guys are just like, so cute!” Agnes gushed gleefully as she dragged a grinning Rios back towards the dance floor.
Raffi felt the arm around her shoulder tighten comforting as Seven nuzzled into her curls. "Can't tempt you with even one dance?" She asked, teasingly.
"No." Came a firm yet gently answer "I'd much prefer to keep doing this." As she tugged her just a little closer.