Christmas Morning: Meeting the Parents, Part 2

Posted on Fri Jan 31st, 2025 @ 8:29pm by Lieutenant JG Malcolm Beckett M.D. & Lieutenant Commander Eirly Andersen

1,499 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Happy Holidays
Location: Eirly's Quarters
Timeline: Christmas Morning

Still rubbing his arm from where he'd been smacked, Gunnar looked at his sister, "I hope he doesn't, I'm just looking out for you because someone has to and I love you, okay?". Then he looked to Malcolm, "Just don't hurt her, okay?" and he stood up to walk off, leaving everyone stunned.

"Gunnar, don't walk off like that. What's gotten into you?" Ingrid called out to no avail.

Tagging in from his brother was Leif, and he was smiling from ear to ear, "Hi guys! It's really good to meet you, Malcolm! It'll definitely be better in person one day, but this will have to do!" He laughed at himself before anyone could get a word in, "I'm sorry, I'm the over the top one of us all. I hope you guys have had a good holiday so far?"

"Great actually. We had a bit of a winter on the holodeck last night, and Kasper came over with a friend for a bit this morning, We've been lucky things are pretty quiet today," Malcolm said.

"That's great to hear it's pretty quiet, but you should know better than anyone not to use the Q word, am I right?" Leif raised an eyebrow at him, "Let me guess, my sister took you to those igloo hut things in Iceland? Yeah, she'd live there if she could, right sis?" Eirly nodded and Leif smiled wider

"I've never been to the real one," Malcolm admitted. "If we're lucky enough to get leave next December we'll have to go."

Leif turned his attention to his sister, "Remember how I told you there was this girl I liked? Well, I took the chance, asked her out, we went on a couple of dates, and now she's my girlfriend! It actually worked! Her name is Chloé, and she's here at the house, she's just upstairs." Ingrid nodded her approval, which meant Eirly already liked her too. "Hopefully we can all meet up at some stage and you guys can meet her."

"That sounds lovely, Leif." Eirly said warmly as she yawned and cuddled into Malcolm a bit closer. It had been a long day and as much as she loved her little brothers enthusiasm for life and everything in it, she was starting to get tired.

"Barisa Prime is our home base for now. It's a bit difficult to know when we'll be passing through exactly," Malcolm said. "But if you even know if you're going to be in the area you should let us know. We're pretty exclusively along the Romulan border in that region unless something comes up."

"I've heard about Barisa Prime before," Leif nodded as he looked between his sister and Malcolm, "That it's really beautiful down there. But judging from Eirly almost being asleep, I think that's a topic for another time. I'll leave you guys to it, but welcome to the family, Malcolm," he smiled wide again and stood up, "Bye guys!"

"Thank you. I appreciate that," Malcolm replied graciously. "Merry Christmas to everyone."

"Yes, welcome to the family, Malcolm. Eirly, if you know you are going to get shore leave somewhere, even if it's just for a few days, let us know. We'd love to see you. It's easier for us to get away than it is for you. We'll try to see if we can get out to you," Ingrid said.

"That would be amazing, ma." Eirly said with a bit more enthusiasm and excitement in her voice, the idea of her parents coming to see her made her very happy. "I'll have to check rosters to confirm, and I think you would have to talk to Jezra, right?" She looked up at Malcolm from where she was, "But I'll be sure to let you know in advance?"

After everyone had said their goodbyes, Eirly let out a deep and tired breath and looked at Malcolm, "Well. There you go, you've met them all now." She stood up and walked over to get some of the leftover mulled wine for both of them then came to sit back down, "I'm sorry my brother was a complete douchebag to you, that's not normally like him."

"Hopefully he'll come around when he realizes I'm not going anywhere," Malcolm suggested.

"On the upside though, Leif is going to be your new best friend," She laughed at the enthusiasm he'd shown, "And you already know how Kas feels, so two out of three isn't a bad result, right? Plus," She tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn, "My parents love you, which is what you wanted, isn't it?"

"I do want them to like me, yes. I know how much your family means to you, and intend to keep you around," Malcolm said holding his arm out for her to nestly closer now that it was just the two of them again. "Think Kasper will remember to call them?"

"He should do, I know he's often forgetful, especially now he's with Charlotte, but he's usually pretty good when it comes to calling our parents." She admitted as she nestled in. "Is it tomorrow we're seeing your parents?"

"The day after tomorrow actually. Nothing planned for tomorrow except for a couple of extra hours in the Medical Bay to catch up on some research," Malcolm replied.

"Until then it's just you and me, right?" She asked and smiled, "I have a few ideas that could help pass the time a little bit, if you're keen? And I'm pretty sure three of them involve a bed..."

"Three of them you say..." Malcolm looked at her curiously. "Well I never want to be the guy that you have to tell twice." Malcolm stood stood up and took her gently by her hands before grabbing her by the torso and putting her playfully over her shoulder.

He did a half turn like he didn't know where he was going. "Did you say the bedroom?"

From how much she'd been yawning, one of the reasons definitely meant sleep. The others were open to interpretation. She hadn't been expecting to be picked up and thrown over his shoulder like that so she laughed loudly and rolled with it, "I did!"

"This way?" Malcolm turned pretending to be confused, for a moment. "No this way, he said correcting himself and turning back in the right direction and taking her to the bedroom. He bent over so that she rolled back onto the bed. "Anything else that you need, my love?"

Eirly shook her head, "Nope, just you," she wriggled up onto the bed a bit more so there was a bit more distance between them and smiled sweetly with a hint of mischief in her tone, most traces of tiredness forgotten, "So, I um, think you should come here? I think there's one activity I know you'd be good at..."

"You were falling asleep two minutes ago. I wouldn't dare take advantage of a sleeping beauty," Malcolm said, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"Oh, sleep is definitely involved amongst those things," Eirly nodded in reply at the kiss, "But I think it's just being around you that makes no sleep worth it?" There's no short of things she would do to make him happy as much as he made her happy, and she was constantly thankful for him.

Malcolm kneeled on the floor next to where her head lay on the pillow and reached for her hair first. Her hair was always so soft, and it had become something almost of a habit to let her long locks slip through his fingers whenever they were nestled close together.

He leaned in so his lips brushed against hers.

"Mmm," she replied as he kissed her and played with her hair, "I take it that's a no and your subtle way of telling me I should sleep?" If he kept playing with her hair, she'd fall asleep in no time.

"That wasn't my intention at all. I'd never say no to you, love," he said as he deepened his kiss. "There's plenty of time for sleeping later."

She welcomed the kiss, tugging him towards her and causing Malcolm to crawl onto the bed. She'd never get sick of that sight or him in general, no matter what anyone might have thought, "Then what's the plan now?"

"Must we always have a plan, sweetheart," Malcolm quipped as he leaned in to kiss the hollow near her collarbone. "I thought I could just improvise from here."

Eirly laughed when he kissed her there, "Okay, okay, no plans! You do what you want and I pinky promise I won't object!" She held out her pinky as a sign of her promise.

Malcolm pulled away slightly. "I don't want to do anything you don't want to do," he said checking himself. "No promises not to object. You have to tell me what you want," he said looking into her eyes.

She laughed again, "Just kiss me and we'll go from there then?"

~

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