idle hands [Paula's quarters]

[lt_paula]

Paula sighed and stared unseeing at her datapadd, the novel she’d begun the night before not capturing her attention. She felt almost like new, most of her injuries from the away mission healed but when she’d returned to Sickbay for her checkup that morning Dr. Xin had ordered her to remain off duty for two more days, and then restricted her to

Comments

[flying_katana]

That borderline risque message that Hikaru received from Paula made him wonder exactly how bored she was, and he decided that he needed to fix this.

He contacted Lieutenant Aron, called in a favor and asked him to come in for his shift an hour earlier, and once she arrived, he made a beeline for his room to pick up a tried and true method for beating boredom on an afternoon of bed rest.

Standing outside her door, he held the box in his hand, whistling to himself.

[lt_paula]

She had slept for perhaps a couple of hours when something woke her. Paula blinked, yawning and catching the datapadd before it could clatter to the floor. A second chime confirmed that it had been the door she'd heard. Still not quite awake but feeling refreshed, she padded over to the door barefoot, calling out as she crossed the room. "Enter."

Paula couldn't help smiling when she saw it was Hikaru, one hand going to smooth her hair as she let him in. "Hi." He was still in uniform and must have come straight from the bridge. Or almost, she decided, noticing he had something in his hand as she leaned in to kiss him. "Don't tell me I napped the whole afternoon away."

[flying_katana]

"I know you don't want to believe the medical staff," he began, "but you aren't a hundred percent yet, Collins." His slightly serious tone was offset by the playful look on his face as she kissed him.

Dropping the box on the table, he wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her carefully. "What exactly did the doc say?" he asked, curious and protective, a feeling that hadn't gotten away since her accident.

[lt_paula]

"Not quite," she admitted. But at least her sleep schedule seemed to be getting closer to normal. She had woken at her usual time that morning and only had the one nap. It was progress, Paula recognized, but it was too slow for her liking.

One hand raised to his face as Paula leaned into that touch, her other arm sliding around his waist. "She said I'm recovering well," Paula told him. "I'm to stay off duty two more days, but as long as I'm sensible I'm not restricted to bedrest."

Physical activity as tolerated had been the doctor's words, with the additional advice to listen to her body and not overdo things. And before Paula could get the question out, Doctor Xin had given her a conspiratorial smile, assuring her that sexual activity was perfectly fine, with the same restrictions. It seemed Hikaru had made an impression, taking care of her that day.