Dinner Date, Part 1

Posted on Thu Apr 10th, 2025 @ 1:23pm by Ensign Charlotte Dawes & Lieutenant JG Kasper Andersen M.D
Edited on on Sat Apr 12th, 2025 @ 5:35am

1,609 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Menagerie II
Location: Kasper's Quarters

Charlotte arrived on time, as planned, choosing to wear a simple outfit of leggings with a black on black design and an orange collared shirt belted at waist that sort of doubled as a dress but was short enough that it was best worn with leggings than on its own.

She wasn't sure what to expect from the evening. She had been a little surprised he'd chosen his quarters, but it had been a busy day yesterday so there was no objection to the quiet. It was just that the two of them had gotten off to a bit of an interesting start. She rang the chime announcing her presence, curious to see if he'd be ready for her.

Kasper hoped he hadn't gone too overboard with the dinner he'd sorted for him and Charlotte: it was a coconut and lime chicken recipe he'd managed to make in the kitchens of one of the smaller restaurants he liked to go to. Everything was freshly cooked, and rice accompanied the dish with a few sprigs of greenery on it. It was a light and tasty dish he'd had a few times, and hoped she liked it as well.

Hearing the chime, he flicked the tea towel over his shoulder and called out, "Come in!" as he dusted off his hands onto his blue shorts. He was nervous because it was like a first date for them, and he didn't want to screw it up.

Charlotte stepped through the doors as they opened for her. "Hi. Just me," she said as she walked in. When she took her first glance at Kasper she didn't bother hiding her amusement and let out a little giggle as she stepped toward him and flicked the tea towel on his shoulder with her finger.

"You accessorize well. Nice touch," Charlotte teased.

Kasper grinned at the comment and nodded his appreciation, "Apparently it's called tea towel chic or something boujie like that," He didn't know if he should've kissed her on the cheek or anything, so he opted for a compliment instead, "This whole orange and black outfit you're going for really suits you, by the way. I like it a lot."

After a moment of appreciating her looks, Kasper went back over to the dinner he'd made and replicated two large bowls before filling them with rice, "I told you I'd be right on time tonight for once in my life, didn't I?" He gave her another grin as he watched her sit down, "I hope you're not allergic to anything, because this is coconut-lime chicken and rice. I do have to advise, however, that there's a bit of spice to it, not much, but it's still there."

"No allergies," Charlotte replied. "Wait, did you actually cook?" She asked, impressed.

"Why does that question sound like you're surprised I can actually cook?" He laughed in return.

"Maybe I am," Charlotte shrugged. "It's not like that many people learn how these days. It sounds delicious. How were you even able to make it?"

Kasper shrugged and replied sheepishly, "I may or may not have bribed one of the chefs at the Eclipse Bistro on deck nine with a few things in return for allowing me to cook in the kitchen," he plated up some of the chicken over the rice without managing to spill any, "Plus, my mother taught me and occasionally I do like to cook something real."

"Oh... bribery," Charlotte repeated as if it had some mysteriousness to it. "So you're a man of surreptitious means?"

"No..." Kasper countered as he picked up the plates and took them over to the little table that had been hastily set, "I just traded in some of the holodeck time I had, that's all. I mean, if my sister can do it for her baking, why can't I do it for a once-off meal for someone special?"

"Oh my gosh, you're so serious. I was just teasing you and here you are giving up all of your secrets," Charlotte replied with a slight blush filling her cheeks. "Um, so where did you want me to sit?"

He thought it was so cute when she blushed and it made him grin even more, "Wherever you want to sit, go for it. Whatever makes you feel most comfortable really... I don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to the whole dinner date thing, if I'm being honest, Char," He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously.

She casually placed a hand on the back of one of the dining chairs. "I don't think there's much to it. We eat. We talk. Did you want some help with anything?" She asked.

"Everything is done, if you'd want to get a couple of drinks for us, maybe? Your choice, of course." he replied, "I really hope this turns out alright, I've never cooked something like this before. I know the rice will be fine because it's rice, but the chicken though..."

"Sure, what can I get you?" Charlotte asked as she walked to the replicator.

Kasper thought for a moment, "Just a lemonade, please." He didn't want to be too fancy or anything.

Charlotte acknowledged his request with one nod of the head and put in the order, deciding on water for herself. She ordered pink lemonade for him just for fun, and was grinning as she turned to take them to the table, amused at herself for the tweak in the order.

"All set?" She asked as she placed the glasses on the table.

"What is this?!" He laughed as he held up the glass and examined how.. pink it was, "Surely this isn't lemonade? What did you get me?" Kasper looked at Charlotte and her grin with his eyes narrowed in mock suspicion.

"You've never had pink lemonade?" Charlotte replied as she pulled out one of the chairs and took a seat. "It's very good. And it's pretty."

He tried a bit of it and tasted the tanginess of the lemon but also something sweet. It was definitely a different kind of taste for him and something that would be perfect for a summer day in the sun, "This is... different, but in a good way. Good choice! I think this would be good for a beach day, what do you think?" He hadn't been to the beach in a very long time.

"Yeah, or a lemon shake-up. Ever have one of those fresh from a stand? I haven't had one since I was maybe 14 or 15 actually. Vacation in Santa Cruz with my parents. Ever been?" Charlotte asked.

He shook his head in reply, taking a forkful of the rice and chicken, "I can't say I have been, if I'm being honest. What's it like there? I didn't have that much of a chance to explore America before I enlisted into Starfleet. The European countries, yes, America, no."

"Not even at the Academy?" Charlotte asked. "This is really good by the way," she added remembering her manners. "I actually really like sweet and savory combinations, if you couldn't tell by the fruit and cheese tray I made yesterday."

"Anyway, Santa Cruz is just a bit south of San Francisco. Far enough that the weather is warmer, though the ocean is still cold. If you want warm water in the Americas you have to go to the east coast, or down around the equator. I haven't been everywhere though," Charlotte said. "I do love the ocean though. being on the beach and looking out and it's just water to what seems like infinity. It's almost like space. Sometimes I feel like it calls to me."

Kasper nodded his understanding as he played with some rice on his fork, "I can see you being at home on a beach somewhere. But yeah, the endless ocean is a beautiful thing to watch, just the peacefulness of it is something to behold. I kind of also guessed that you liked sweet and savory mixed together, I think it was the strawberries and cheese that did it for me to know that though."

"Ya got me," Charlotte grinned with a shrug. "So what have you been up to since shore leave? Anything fun. We haven't really talked much since outside of work."

Kasper shrugged back and felt guilty about that, "Oh, you know, the normal. I've managed to annoy my sister, work out a bit, use the holodecks to go on a couple of hikes, read a book. It's honestly nothing been nothing exciting." He gestured in her direction, "How about yourself? Anything fun and exciting?"

"Just working a lot, getting to know some of the girls in science and security a little bit. And getting used to the new doctors that joined us at Barisa Prime." Charlotte was starting to get full, and put her fork down, and pushed her mostly finished plate aside. "So what else did you want to do tonight? Anything?"

"There's a lot I'd love to be able to do, but a lot of them are probably thoughts I should keep to myself," Kasper gave her a knowing look and a wink, "But hey, I'm completely open to suggestions on what to do. Honestly, I'm terrible as a date, especially if it's a first date so to speak, with someone that I actually really like." He was being as honest as he could while still trying to be respectful, but that was currently hanging by a thread because she had his mind all twisted up.

~tbc~

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