cosmicsommers | deanna troi

Well, it is that time of the year. Deanna supposes she shouldn't be surprised to find that someone has hung a sprig of mistletoe around the ship. A few sprigs, she corrects herself, as she moves from the hallway into Ten Forward. At this point, Deanna has yet to find the culprit, but it's only a matter of time. She's sure she'll hear about it sooner or later.

Assuming, of course, her empathic abilities don't pick up on the guilt first. Even well-intentioned guilt leaves a trace.

Still, even though she is currently searching for someone unknown about this, Deanna won't bypass a friend as close as Beverly without saying something, especially when they're off duty.

"Have you seen the new decorations yet?" she asks with no small amount of amusement.

Beverly frowns. "Hmm? Decorations?" She's been distracted of late, with the seemingly endless piles of paperwork that have accumulated on her desk recently. So it takes her a moment to realize what Deanna is talking about, and then only once she looks up. "Oh! Mistletoe!" She gives Deanna a mischievous grin. "You know what that means, of course."

Oh she knows. Deanna knows exactly what this means. She didn't spend so much time around Will Riker without picking up some things. Just don't tell her mother about this tradition or she will have mistletoe all over the Enterprise year-round. Deanna would rather avoid that headache, thanks.

Either way, that's why she is standing over here and Beverly is over there, under the sprig. Because this will keep Deanna safe.

Totally.

"I believe the sprig is more over your head than mine," she teases gently. "Perhaps we should find a location that is less infested?"

"Oh, but I'm quite comfortable right here." She gives Deanna a oh-so-serene smile. You should know by now, you're never really safe with her, not when it comes to things like this.

"Besides," she adds, "I'm not allowed to leave until I get a kiss. It's the rules, you know."

"You might have to ask someone else for that," Deanna jokes with a twinkle in her eye. Oh yes, she's seen and sensed the way Beverly and the Captain are around each other. Don't think for a second that she hasn't.

Or, y'know, she might be a victim of the powers that be soon.

Edited 2015-12-13 03:59 (UTC)

"But no one else is here, are they?" It's flirtatious, but not in any serious way. Flirtation as deflection, really, so maybe they can avoid talking about Jean-Luc for now.

Not that there isn't a small part of her that's curious to see what kind of kisser Deanna is.

Deanna's response is a light laugh of amusement. "No, but we are in Ten Forward," she points out. "I'm certain someone will be along shortly."

Not that she's moving, exactly.

And Beverly shouldn't be thinking she can avoid that topic forever with an empath around.

"So you're going to leave me at the mercy of the next ensign that walks in the door." Tsk. What kind of friend are you anyway Deanna?

Oh no, her bluff has been called. Deanna laughs quietly as she slides into a chair next to Beverly's. "I wouldn't do that to a friend. Perhaps if a certain captain walked in, I could be persuaded to let you go."

This face, Beverly. This face.

You're the worst, Deanna.

Beverly sighs. "Somehow I think he'll be even more uncooperative than you are right now."

Ouch. She loves you, too, Beverly.

Deanna's smile is gentle in its amusement. "Don't worry. I won't be nearly as stiff as he can be." See? She's giving in to tradition.

She holds out a hand, as though to draw Beverly closer, though in reality some strong force has her scooting closer as she does.

Beverly takes the proffered hand and pulls her friend closer, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. "See?" She grins. "Not so bad, is it?"

Deanna chuckles, turning her head to give Beverly a better angle to her. "I hadn't given up entirely yet," she teases. "Is the tradition for only one?"

She is... asking for reasons. Yes. And not because she's finding it difficult to get up now.

Now there is a little surprise on Beverly's part. Teasing, that is all she meant by this, but if Deanna is interested in continuing the game a little further, well she won't object. She trusts Deanna completely and knows it won't ever go past a certain point. "I don't believe there is a set number, no." Grin. "Why do you ask?"

Deanna's only plan was to reciprocate what she'd been given. Tit for tat, as they used to say. But trust is absolutely something she will never betray. That just isn't her way.

"I just assumed you were planning to force me into the first move," she teases.

But she can pick up the slack. Leaning in, she presses her lips to Beverly's cheek, a very gentle and friendly kiss for someone she considers one of her best friends. Sitting back, she grins as if to say, "See? I can play fair."

She grins back. "Maybe I just got tired of waiting, hmm?" Really, though, she's satisfied with the cheek kisses. Most of the fun was in the teasing. Moving to stand, she asks, "What would you say to some hot chocolate? Seems appropriate for this time of year."

Except.... when she goes to leave the table, she find she can't. It's almost as if there is a force field around them.

Uh-oh. She looks at Deanna, eyes wide with alarm. "I... can't move."

"It has chocolate in the name," Deanna teases with a soft laugh. "How could I turn it down?"

Her love for anything chocolate is legendary among the crew, after all.

What isn't legendary is the alarm in Beverly's eyes and emotions, what Deanna can sense of her anyway. The counselor stands as well and finds that she cannot move away, either. This feels like the force that was moving her closer earlier and she wonders what the problem is, what it wants and who is behind it. She can't sense anyone aside from those in Ten Forward, but that doesn't always rule the possibility of a mastermind out.

"Nor can I," she replies, keeping her tone calm, even through her own unease. "I wonder if this is the same entity that was encouraging me closer just a few moments ago. Perhaps we could try to move together in the same direction." At the very least, if that works, they can get away to a private corner to see what in the universe is going on.

"What?!" Beverly exclaims. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" Here she was busy teasing Deanna while there was something potentially dangerous going on. Nevertheless, she takes Deanna's hand and tries to step with her away from the mistletoe.

It doesn't work.

Beverly grits her teeth. "I swear if this is Q's doing..."

"Not like this," Deanna says patiently. If it had been forceful like this, she would absolutely have said something. It was gentle, something that could easily be mistaken as anticipation and teasing. This? This is decidedly not. "I didn't sense anything behind it, not an entity exactly. It was a feeling of excitement, a gentle sort of desire to see our joke through. I still cannot sense anything behind this feeling, but the sensation of being unable to move entirely is new."

Very unable to move, as it would seem. A concerned frown creases Deanna's brow. She still cannot sense any beings other than themselves and the people in Ten Forward with them. Knowing the crew as she does helps her with that. At the same time, she almost wishes she could. That she could do something about.

"I suppose it could be Q's doing," she agrees slowly. But how do they find out? "If this really is his fault, he won't stay silent for long. He never could resist gloating at us."

Nothing seems to be happening, though, and that brings up the question of getting out of this mess. The idea of seasonal traditions crosses her mind. Not that she would mind, particularly, but actual kisses weren't on her agenda today.

"True enough. He never can stay silent for long." Especially if it's an opportunity for taunting her. She frowns. If it's not Q, then who? At least with Q, they'd more or less know who they were dealing with. The idea that someone else, someone new, could be responsible is unnerving.

"Now what sort of feeling are you getting from... whoever it is?"

Deanna takes a deep breath, closing her eyes to make a concerted effort to sense whatever it is that might be responsible. The strongest feelings she can sense are coming from Beverly herself, due to their proximity. A lot of confusion surrounds them. They aren't the only people getting caught by the decorations. As for anything outside the crew and those living on the Enterprise...

"Nothing," she says with a shake of her head as she opens her eyes again to a frown. "I sense you and everyone around us, but I don't know if there really is an entity responsible nearby. If so, it is one I cannot sense."

Which is... not exactly a comforting thought.

"Perhaps it will let us go if we agree to the traditional mistletoe kiss?" she suggests. It's Beverly, her close friend. Anyone else would make Deanna supremely uncomfortable. But with each other, Beverly and Deanna know they are safe.

Beverly frowns. “I don’t like having to play their game. It’s not right, for anyone to force this.” Looking around, though, even she can see they’re not the only ones: people all around Ten Forward are starting to talk in raised voices, pushing against their invisible barriers with alarm in their wide eyes.

She tries tapping her combadge, but when it doesn’t respond she grinds her teeth for a moment, glaring. “Q! Or whoever the hell this is!” She’s not yelling, just making great use of that theater voice of hers, commanding and projecting. “You better show yourself right now!”

"I didn't say it was," Deanna points out patiently. The longer they stay here, the more distressed Beverly appears. It seems to be the same all around them and that makes Deanna wary. If this keeps up, outright panic might follow and fights could break out. The faster they figure this out, the better.

"Beverly, if we can figure out what the release code is, we can help everyone else get out faster," she continues, turning to motion towards the rest of the room. They aren't the only ones who are caught, but they might be the least likely to panic. Deanna's concern for those around her weighs heavily over her concern for herself right now. "I thought we could use the time to gather the remaining sprigs. If they aren't hanging and there aren't two people standing beneath them, they might not work the way they are now."

She thinks it's worth a try before the entire ship goes up in flames.

Beverly takes a deep and rubs the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes in annoyance. "You're right, of course you are." She moves her hand away. "I'm sorry."

deanna troi

beverly }{ bakerstreet mistletoe meme

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