Making Good on IOUs [for losthunter]

[boldygoing]

True to his word, about five days after Jim's first venture into the Nexus, he finds the time to send a message to Hunter's PINpoint via his own version of the gizmo, an attachment he's hardwired into his standard-issue communicator.

Hey handsome. Enterprise in port for minor repairs. You free this evening? -Cpt. JTK

He sure hopes so. It's been a long day, and he'd love the chance to relax with a friend. Bones and Spock are both busy with personal business, but that's just fine with him, since he owes the friendly neighborhood artist a night at a bar someplace.


[[OOC: Image link to replace broken one below: Jim's civilian outfit]

Comments

[boldygoing]

If Jim knew that Hunter has really noticed how bothered he is, he'd appreciate the lack of questions. But he doesn't realize that's what the handholding is about, so he just musters up a smile and squeezes Hunter's hands a bit. "Gotta admit, your economy is weird to me."

[losthunter]

"And I got to say that so far this evening has been great, with a wide variety of topics. Even touching on politics and economy." Hunter leans forward slightly, and brushes his lips across Jim's knuckles.

[boldygoing]

Jim certainly doesn't pull away, and he smiles a little, appreciating the contact and the attention. "And the night is still young."

[losthunter]

"Plenty of other topics to brave." And he braves another lip brushing once more.

[boldygoing]

Jim doesn't know whether or not Hunter meant this to be a distraction, but he is on board with this change of topic anyway. Way more pleasant than dwelling on memories he would rather leave buried in the past.

He closes his fingers around Hunter's, rubbing a thumb across the back of the other man's hand. "Have you done this before?"

[losthunter]

Hunter looks up at Jim, tilting his head slightly. The question doesn't really touch on what 'this' is, but he figures he can safely cover a few options.

"Been out for drinks with a handsome man? Yes."

"Kissed that handsome man? Yes."

"Seduced, or was seduced by, a handsome man? Yes."

[boldygoing]

"That's a lot of 'yes'es." His voice is a little teasing, but he's still pleased by the answer. "I wasn't sure if your time was out of that stupid phase where people cared who anyone else sleeps with."

[losthunter]

"It is. People still care." Hunter shrugs lightly. "There are people who feel they should be able to dictate how others live their sexual life."

"But there are those people who live their life, without caring about those who try to dictate their lives."

"And it has taken me a while to get to that point myself. But I grew up in a household, with a father who had this 'picture-perfect' life picked out for me. Then Kendra changed my life, and I had this whole 'need to find one true love' mentality."

"I am a lot more happier with who I am today."

[boldygoing]

"Glad to hear it. Everyone should know what makes them happy." Jim's not sure he believes in having only one true love, but then it's not like Hunter set his own conditions on the curse that this Kendra person put on him.

[losthunter]

"It has been a journey."

"I have found so many great people since coming to the Nexus. And people that I do love... each in a different way."

"It is nice, not to have a curse define me. Or who I should be with."

[boldygoing]

"That's a pretty enlightened attitude, from a guy of your timeline." He doesn't mean it to be an insult; he's genuinely impressed.

[losthunter]

"I credit a lot of my enlightenment to Jack." Hunter gives credit where credit is due.

[boldygoing]

"I'm sure, but at least some of it's you," Jim says with a small grin. "No one can make you believe anything; you've got to be willing to listen."

[losthunter]

"And so how many 'yes's do you care to list?"

[boldygoing]

Jim laughs out loud. "Depends. Do you want to be here all night?" He shakes his head slightly. "Probably easier to just say that outside having a stable long-term relationship, I've done most everything at least once."

[losthunter]

"Not here. But I could spend the whole night with the company."

"Is it more customary not to have long-term relationships in your timeline?" Hunter asks, mostly because he would like to get a better understanding of where Jim is coming from.

[boldygoing]

That first comment gets him a charming grin, clearly a shared sentiment between them.

"It's not really that," he answers, drinking a bit of his Cardassian sunrise as he considers what he wants to say about it. "Casual relationships and hookups, that kinda thing, is pretty normal. But that's more about sex than love. Marriage is absolutely still around, and if you've got someone, or multiple someones, that you wanna spend your life with, that's normal too. I just never got around to it, you know?"

[losthunter]

"Sounds a little like my world, in a way. Casual relationships and hookups. Marriage to someone, or multiple some ones."

"And you got to be happy with what makes you comfortable."

[boldygoing]

"Well, that and the fraternization regs are a pain in the ass to get around. Starfleet's not a fan of captains hitting on their crew, for some weird reason."

[losthunter]

"But I would imagine there are still attachments and emotional connections."

[boldygoing]

"Oh yeah, absolutely," Jim agrees, without hesitation. "Some of us were friends for years before we ended up on the Enterprise together. Hell, Spock and Uhura were dating already, and Starfleet still let them serve together. Might be because Spock's a Vulcan, though. Cultural thing."

[losthunter]

"And as you said, there are a little more expectations on a captain." Hunter traces his hand over Jim's forearm for a moment.

"You will be able to distress from those expectations here. With me."

[boldygoing]

Jim smiles at him in reply. He's been watching Hunter for any signs that his twenty-first century upbringing is making him hang back at all, and hasn't seen much to indicate that. Whatever influences he's had to steer him towards more familiar cultural norms, Jim can assure himself that Hunter isn't going to make any more of this than what it is, a fun and mutually pleasant experience with no strings attached.

"You've been helping already, believe me." The alcohol's loosened his tongue a little, not that he really needed it. But it's been a while since he's been able to indulge, too.

[losthunter]

Hunter smiles softly. He reaches up with his free hand to gently caress Jim's jawline. "You definitely look relaxed."

[boldygoing]

He needs no better cue than that. Mindful of the fact that they're in public, Jim leans in to kiss Hunter, not softly and tenderly like a man in love, but with passion tempered with restraint. He's an old hand at this, with years upon years of experience, but every partner is different, unique in needs and desires.