Chapter Text
Jean-Luc was reading on his settee, drinking a cup of tea when his doorchime went off. He knew it could only be one of a handful of people who would disturb him at this hour, so he placed his book down and cheerfully called “Come!”, but the person who entered was anything but cheery.
Beverly Howard stalked into her best friend’s quarters muttering to herself. “Bev? Are you alright?”
“No, I’m not alright!”
“What’s wrong? Can I help?”
“Can you talk some sense into your other best friend?”
“Uhm...”
“I didn’t think so.” Beverly began to pace around Jean-Luc’s meagre quarters and ranted about her boyfriend, Jack Crusher. It was hard for Jean-Luc to follow everything she was saying as her words picked up speed the angrier she got, and at one point she had lapsed into what he was fairly certain was Scots Gaelic. Her long hair billowed out around her as she paced, making her look as if she was aflame. “He just! He doesn’t fucking understand!” At this point, Beverly burst into angry sobs.
Jean-Luc stood and pulled his best friend into his arms while she sobbed against his chest. Beverly clung to him as her hot tears splashed onto his neck. When her tears had subsided to a few hiccups, she looked up. “I must look a mess.” Jean-Luc kissed the top of her head.
“You have looked better.” Beverly gave him a shove. “Cheeky.”
“Do you feel better now?” Jean-Luc gently stroked her back as she nodded. “Can I...can I stay here tonight?” Jean-Luc’s cheeks stained pink. “Do you think...Is that a good idea? Shouldn’t you...work things out with Jack?” Beverly shook her head. “No. I need space from him.”
“Alright, you can stay here. Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll get you a pair of my pyjamas?” Beverly glared. “Do I look that bad?”
“No, Bev, not at all. But a shower might make you feel better.” Beverly screwed up her face. “You might be right. I don’t suppose you have anything I can tie this mess up in do you?” Beverly pulled her hair forward. Jean-Luc patted his receding hairline. “Beverly, you’re lucky I even own a comb you can use. But I think you might have left one of those thingies here a few weeks ago.”
“Thingies?” Jean-Luc shrugged. “I don’t know what it is. Hang on, I put it on my dresser.” He came back a few minutes later holding a hair clip. “See? Thingie.” He squeezed it together and the jaws opened. “Looks like a mouth with teeth.” Beverly couldn’t help but suppress a smile. “It’s a hair clip. Watch.” Jean-Luc watched, mesmerised, as Beverly artfully twisted her long tresses around and around and wound it up around her head, securing it in place with the clip. “See?”
“Hmm. I think I like it better down.”
“Me too, but I’m not washing it tonight. Do you even own shampoo?”
“I have...some hair.” Beverly rolled her eyes. “Right. I’ll be in the bathroom.”
Jean-Luc rifled through his drawers and found her what he hoped was a pair that would fit. He picked the shirt with the shortest V-neck for her. Not that he would mind if he got a glimpse of her breasts, but he wanted her to feel comfortable. Jean-Luc quickly changed into his own sleep shorts and gently knocked on the bathroom door. “Oh, just come in, Jean-Luc,” Beverly called from within. Steam billowed out of the door and his breath caught when he saw Beverly’s outline through the frosted glass of the shower door.
Jean-Luc swallowed a few times to try to gain his voice. “I...I brought you some pyjamas. Do you want to use my dressing gown?”
Beverly opened the shower door and stuck her head out. “Thanks,” she paused, noticing Jean-Luc’s bare chest. “Are you sure you don’t mind? Don’t you need it?”
“I want you to be comfortable.”
“Thanks.” Jean-Luc placed the pyjamas on the counter and hung the dressing gown on the back of the door. He then went and got her a fluffy towel. “Fresh towel for you, too.” He abruptly turned and left before Beverly could offer her thanks again.
Jean-Luc gathered a spare pillow and blanket and made up a bed for himself on the settee. He would be cramped, but he wasn’t going to ask Beverly to sleep on the settee. When Beverly emerged, she wasn’t wearing his dressing gown. She was wearing his pyjamas though. The deep V and wide shoulders made it slightly too large and it slid down off one of her milky shoulders. The shorts were cinched tightly around her hips, but the legs were far too wide. She pulled the clip out of her hair and shook it out and Jean-Luc was once again mesmerised.
Beverly glanced at the sofa and frowned. “Who’s sleeping out here?”
“Err...I am. You can have my bed.” Beverly shook her head at her friend. “What if I want to share the bed with you?”
“Bev, is that...wise?”
“No. But it’s what I want.” Jean-Luc licked his dry lips and Beverly closed her eyes. Just the act of him licking his lips and the fact that she was wearing his pyjamas that smelled like him did things to her that being around Jack never did. But then again, it had always been like that with her and Jean-Luc. Their friendship had blossomed from the minute they had met and had become inseparable. Beverly had wanted him, but Jean-Luc had a stupid noble streak and never acted on his feelings, which in turn, made her never act on hers. Then, she met Jack.
She and Jack had been dating for just over a year. Jack, Jean-Luc, and their other friend Walker Keel, were all stationed on the Stargazer together – Jean-Luc as Captain, Walker as First Officer, and Jack as Second. It made perfect sense for Beverly to transfer onto the Stargazer to complete her Academy studies – at least until she would be required to attend labs and perform practicals for her medical degree. When she started dating Jack, he had wanted her to move into his quarters, but Jean-Luc had wanted her to remain in her own.. in the end, Jack had won out. Beverly now felt that had been a mistake. On the other hand, if she had her own quarters, she wouldn’t be standing in Jean-Luc’s quarters wearing his pyjamas and surrounded by his scent. She softly smiled and Jean-Luc’s touch on her arm brought her out of her thoughts.
“Tea?” She nodded.
Jean-Luc busied himself over at the replicator and soon came back over to the settee carrying one cup of black tea, and one cup of green tea, her current favourite. Her preferred tea choice changed seemingly monthly, but Jean-Luc never failed to notice what she was drinking. He had a hairbrush tucked under his arm and after placing the cups on the low table in front of the settee, he presented the brush to her. “I know it’s probably not going to be like the one you use, but I thought this might be better than my comb.”
“Thanks.” Beverly reached to take the brush from him and Jean-Luc shook his head. “Nuh-uh. Turn around.” Jean-Luc sat on the settee and spread his legs wide and grasping Beverly’s hips, pulled her to stand between his legs and gently began to brush her hair. Beverly shivered.
“Cold?”
“No.” Jean-Luc used his fingers to separate her hair into sections and ran the brush through, massaging her scalp with the rubber nubs. Beverly’s mouth opened and she let out a small moan. She wondered if he knew what he was doing to her, but decided he probably was fairly clueless. Beverly always found it quite erotic to have her hair brushed, but Jack hardly ever did it, complaining her hair was too long.
Jean-Luc hadn’t heard her moan, but he took the opportunity to bring his face close to her hair and he deeply inhaled. He loved the smell of her hair. It smelled like strawberries , sunshine, and her. He abandoned the brush and finger combed her hair. He risked placing a light kiss on her neck. She tasted good, too. Beverly sighed and leaned back, wishing he would kiss her again. He gently pulled her hair away from her face and braided it.
“How do you know how to do that? You didn’t have any sisters.”
“No, but I used to braid the horses manes. Maman taught me.”
“Oh.”
“I’m afraid I don’t have any elastic bands to put on the end.”
“That’s alright. It will probably stay.” Beverly turned around and placed a kiss on his cheek, slightly too close to his mouth. “Thank you.” Beverly picked up her cup of tea and perched on the settee next to him. “Tell me about the vineyard?”
“What do you want to know?” He took a sip of his tea. Jean-Luc hardly ever talked about his childhood, but he had always found it easy to open up to Beverly. He had told her he would take her to La Barre one day and show her the castle ruins nearby, but that had been before she started dating Jack. Jean-Luc had felt it wouldn’t be appropriate to take her home with him now, given her relationship with his other best friend.
“You have horses?”
“Had. I don’t know if Robert kept them, but Maman loved to ride. She taught me how to take care of the horses.”
“We had horses on Caldos.”
“Ah, so you’re familiar with the punishment of mucking out the stalls.” Beverly wrinkled her nose. “I loved riding, hated shovelling shit. But it was good for the garden.”
“Good for the grapes, too.” The pair fell into companionable silence as they drained their tea. When Beverly got to the bottom of her cup, she inched closer to Jean-Luc and rested her head on his shoulder. His arm moved to wrap around her and he tucked her in close and they both continued to enjoy each other’s company. Beverly shifted and placed a cool hand on his warm chest and it was his turn to shiver. Beverly smirked. “Cold?”
“No, but your hand is.”
“Should I move it?”
“No.” Beverly lightly drew circles on his chest with her fingers and he raised his hand to catch hers against his chest. “Bev...”
“Hmm?”
“What are you doing?”
“I...I don’t know,” Beverly made to move her hand, but Jean-Luc cradled it against his chest and stroked the back of her hand. “Tell me what happened with Jack. When you ranted, you switched into Scotch Gaelic...I only know a few words.”
Beverly lowered her gaze and toyed with the edge of Jean-Luc’s shorts against her leg with her free hand. “He’s an arrogant ass.”
“Beverly...”
“He is! We were talking about marriage –“ Beverly caught the look on Jean-Luc’s face and quickly added “In the abstract sense.” Jean-Luc let out the breath he had been holding. He could accept Beverly dating Jack, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready for her to be married. “I said I wanted to wait. I mean, I have two years left at the Academy, then six more between medical school and internships before I’m a full-fledged doctor, and you know what he said?” Jean-Luc shook his head. “He suggested I go into nursing since that’s only a six-month program after the Academy.” Jean-Luc tightened his grip on Beverly’s shoulder and closed his eyes against his own anger.
“I’m sorry, Bev.”
“But wait, Jean-Luc, that’s not all the S O B said.” Jean-Luc shook his head. “There’s more?”
“Mm. He said that when we have children....when we have children...as if I already agreed to everything...he expected me to resign my commission to stay on Earth to raise the children while he stayed in Starfleet! The fucking rat bastard actually wants me to give up my dreams and career to raise his little brats!”
Jean-Luc chuckled and smoothed down her hair. “Beverly, if they’re your children too, they couldn’t possibly be brats.” Beverly stuck her tongue out.
“He didn’t bother to ask me what I wanted! He seems to have it all planned out, Jean-Luc!” Beverly rose and began to pace around the room again. “We’ll get engaged in about a year, married after my last year at the Academy and then we’ll have our first child a year later! First!!” Her eyes blazed and her hair had started to unravel from the braid Jean-Luc had made earlier. She angrily raked her fingers through her hair and pulled out the rest of the braid and frowned. “I’m sorry. I ruined your braid.”
Jean-Luc chuckled as he rose up and drew her into his arms once more. “I can braid it again for you, don’t worry.” Beverly rested her head against his shoulder and ran her hands across his bare back. “You’re so good to me, Jean-Luc.”
Jean-Luc swallowed. He was trying not to get aroused by Beverly’s hands on his back or by the sight of her wearing his pyjamas, and definitely not by her exposed shoulder or long legs and bare feet. He closed his eyes and Beverly felt his grip against her hips tighten. He wanted to pull her close and let her feel what she was doing to him, but he couldn’t. He was the “nice guy”. He was her best friend. As far as he knew, she didn’t even think of him as anything but her best friend. Jean-Luc dropped a kiss on her head. “Beverly...I care about you a lot...you’re...you’re the most important person in my life.” Beverly clasped her hands behind his neck and pulled his head down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I know. You’re the most important person in my life, too.”
“Not Jack?” Beverly shook her head. “Jack...he’s fun, but...honestly, Jean-Luc, I can’t see myself married to him.”
“Neither can I.” Jean-Luc led Beverly back towards the settee and he took a seat and spread his legs wide for her to stand between them again. He turned her back towards him and he separated her hair into three sections. If she couldn’t see his face, he could maybe tell her how he really felt. “I....” he trailed off and untangled a small snarl in her hair.
“Tell me, Jean-Luc.”
Jean-Luc deftly braided her hair again and pushed the braid over her shoulder. “I can’t.” Beverly turned around and placed her hands on his shoulders. She moved close and sat on his leg and his arms automatically went to hold her. “Why not?” Jean-Luc dropped his head to her exposed shoulder so she wouldn’t be able to see his face. He spoke softly against her neck. “Because of Jack.”
Beverly’s eyes blazed again. “Who cares about Jack? I’m going to ask Walker to find me new quarters tomorrow. I’m done with him.”
“You don’t mean that,” Jean-Luc was still speaking quietly against her neck, and his hot breath was doing things to her she didn’t want to think about unless he would just admit his feelings.
“I do.” Jean-Luc raised his head. “Bev, you’ve fought with Jack before. You’ll stay away from him for a few days...maybe a week...and then you’ll forgive him.” Beverly shook her head. She hitched up her leg and straddled Jean-Luc’s lap before resting her head against his chest, right over his heart. Her hair tickled and he didn’t have any choice other than to wrap his arms around her and pull her in closer. He closed her eyes as she made contact with his arousal. She gasped. “Jean-Luc?” His face coloured.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She stood up and held out her hand for Jean-Luc.
“Bev...are you sure?” Beverly bent down and placed a long, gentle kiss against his lips. She ran her tongue along his lower lip and when he opened his mouth, she deeply kissed him. When she broke off the kiss, she smiled. “Come to bed with me.”
“I....” Jean-Luc allowed Beverly to pull him into a standing position and be tugged towards the alcove with his bed. She peeled back the covers and patted the bed. “Get in,” she kissed him again. “Please?”
Jean-Luc dutifully obeyed and slid under the covers. Beverly snuggled up against him. “Beverly, what do you want from me? Please don’t play with me.”
“I don’t know...no, I’m not playing with you. I care about you so much, Jean-Luc. But I don’t want to lose you...”
“You won’t. I promise. Whatever...whatever happens tonight...tomorrow...next year...you’ll never lose me.” Jean-Luc rolled over on top of Beverly and gently kissed her. He kissed down to her bare shoulder. “This shoulder has been driving me mad all evening. I’ve been wanting to kiss it.” Beverly giggled as he murmured “tastes good.” Beverly slipped her hands into the back of Jean-Luc’s shorts and squeezed, causing him to yelp. “Always wanted to do that.”
“Cheeky.” Jean-Luc inched his hands under her shirt and paused. “You know, I want to take off your shirt, but I also like the way you look in my shirt. I can’t decide what to do.”
“Take it off. I can wear it later.” Jean-Luc slowly pulled the shirt over Beverly’s head and paused to admire her. “Oh, my love, you are beautiful.” Beverly had tears in her eyes. “Do you mean it?”
Jean-Luc lowered his head and kissed her breasts, lightly nipping at each nipple until it peaked. “Beverly, my love, if I didn’t mean it, would I do this?”
“You called me your love.” Beverly spoke softly and Jean-Luc had to strain to hear her. Jean-Luc rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms, pressing her breasts against his chest. “Yes, I did.”
“Do you...love me?”
“My love, I have loved you since I met you.” He pressed a kiss to her hair.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Jean-Luc? I love you too. I’ve been attracted to you for a long time now and I thought you were attracted to me too, but I didn’t know you loved me...I wouldn’t have dated Jack if I had known.” A few tears leaked out of Beverly’s eyes, and Jean-Luc brushed them away with his thumb.
“Shh, my love. It’s alright. “
“It’s not.”
“It will be.” Beverly tilted her head and kissed Jean-Luc. “Jean-Luc? I...I want to make love with you, but I don’t think tonight is the right night for it....is that ok?”
“Of course it is, my love. Do you want me to sleep on the settee?”
“No. Will you hold me?”
“Anything you want.”
“Naked?” She asked in a small voice. Jean-Luc groaned, but untied the drawstring on his shorts. “I did say anything....but I’m not responsible for my reaction. It has a mind of its own when it comes to you.” Beverly giggled and slid her shorts off under the covers. She rolled over to her side and Jean-Luc spooned her against his chest. He placed a kiss on the back of her neck. “Goodnight, my love.”
“Goodnight, Jean-Luc. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”