Work Text:
Beverly glanced at the nameplate outside her suite. Her name was there - Beverly, but the other names didn’t look like human first names. Had she been given three alien roommates? She grinned. How thrilling!
Beverly had been interacting with other species since she was a child, of course, but she had never actually lived with any of them...or with anyone else other than her Nana (and her Papa until he had passed away) since she was four. But now she would be living in a suite with three other girls, and sharing a room with one of them. She picked up the handle on her trunk and dragged it in through the front door and headed for the room labelled “B”, the room she would be sharing with her roommate.
Beverly wondered why her first name had been on all her correspondence from the Academy. Everything she had so far received called her ‘Ensign Beverly’, which she found strange because surely they would be using last names? Unless the Academy thought she was Bajoran, but that would have been silly. She shrugged and entered room B. It looked like her roommate had already arrived and had claimed the left side of the room, so she sat her trunk at the foot of the bed on the right and opened it up to start to unpack. The shower was running, so her roommate must be in there.
Beverly was arranging her books on the small shelf above her desk when she heard a throat clear behind her. She turned around. “Hi, you must be....” and she trailed off. Standing in front of her was not the female roommate she was expecting, but a young man with a receding hairline and firm abs clutching a towel around his waist and obviously wearing nothing else!
“Are you Beverly’s girlfriend? Is he here? Would you mind giving me some privacy to get dressed?” Beverly stared open-mouthed at the man. “Picard?” she tentatively asked.
“ Cadet Jean-Luc Picard. I’d shake your hand but I don’t trust this towel. Do you mind?” Beverly blushed. “No, ah, of course not,” Beverly turned her back to the man named Picard and continued to speak. “But uhm...I’m not Beverly’s girlfriend....I am Beverly. Cadet Beverly Howard.” She heard the zip of the cadet uniform.
“You can turn around now.” Jean-Luc Picard held out his hand to Beverly for her to shake. “Sorry about that.”
“No, it’s alright. This is your room. Why wouldn’t you exit the shower in a towel?” She glanced around the room. “Do you think someone is pranking you?”
Jean-Luc shrugged and sat on the edge of his bed. “I don’t know anyone here. Do you?” Beverly shook her head. “No. I don’t even know anyone on this planet!”
“Wow, where are you from?”
“Well, I was born on Luna, but I lived on Caldos.” Jean-Luc grinned. “That’s fascinating. I’ve never even been off planet. But this doesn’t explain how we wound up as roommates.”
“What about the suitmates? Have you met them yet? Are they male or female or something alien?”
“Human males. Walker Keel and Jack Crusher. I think they grew up together or at least knew each other before.”
The colour suddenly left Beverly’s face, making her red hair seem all that more orange against her pale skin. “I think they have my name backwards. I kept getting all my correspondence addressed to Cadet Beverly, and I never really stopped to think....my last name is Howard. What if the Academy thought my name was Howard Beverly and that I was male?” Beverly sat down on the bed as tears filled her eyes. “What if they didn’t actually want me? What if there is a boy out there named Howard Beverly?”
Jean-Luc stood and awkwardly sat next to her on her bed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure it’s you they were expecting. Someone just wrote your name down backwards. Come on, I’ll go with you to the housing office and when they reassign you, I’ll help you repack and move to your correct room.” Beverly nodded and wiped her eyes. “Thanks. I better change into my uniform in the bathroom. I’ll be right out.”
###
Jean-Luc and Beverly stared slack-jawed at the woman with the greying hair in a tight bun behind the desk. “What?”
“I said, I’m afraid all the housing has been allocated. We have had a surge in admissions this year and everywhere is full. Your only chance is securing off-campus housing for now and I can put your name on a waiting list in case of a drop out, but I should tell you the waiting list already has fifty names on it.” Beverly frowned. “I can’t afford off-campus housing!”
“Well, then I’m afraid your only option is to continue to share a room with Cadet Picard. I’m sure you two can come to some kind of an arrangement regarding privacy. Think of it as part of your diplomatic training. Sometimes we all have to do things we don’t want to do.” Beverly sighed and glanced at Jean-Luc. “Are you...alright with this?”
“Beverly, I never shared a room before. My brother and I always had separate rooms....I don’t even have a sister.” She gave him a wry grin. “One more sibling than me. I’ve only ever lived with my Nana since my Papa died when I was nine.”
“Not your parents?” Beverly shook her head. “They were killed when I was four in an explosion on their ship.” Jean-Luc awkwardly patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks. So...what are we going to do?” Jean-Luc turned back to the woman behind the desk. “What about a room for me? Are there any rooms for male cadets available? I could move instead. Beverly...Cadet Howard would still have male suitmates, but I know some of the suites are mixed.” The secretary pursed her lips and tapped on her keyboard.
“Same situation, I’m afraid. Off-campus or a long waiting list.” Jean-Luc sighed. “Well, I guess I can sleep out on the sofa in our common room.” Beverly shook her head. “That’s silly. No, we’ll just have to make it work. Maybe we can get a curtain for the room to divide it or something. Or just get dressed in the bathroom.”
“The reclamation centre is in the basement of your dormitory. You should be able to get a curtain and a rod from there.” The secretary then walked away from her desk, so their conversation was obviously over. Beverly slumped against the desk. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“Well, if I had been better about questioning why everything was addressed to my first name....this might not have happened.” Jean-Luc gave her a half smile. “Can’t be helped.” He slung an arm around her shoulder. “Come on, let’s see if we can at least put up a curtain for some privacy.” Beverly smiled and reached up and patted his hand. “Alright. And won’t our suitemates be surprised. I wonder if I need to speak to anyone else about my name?”
“We might as well head for the administration building and get it taken care of before classes start in two days.” Beverly nodded. “Good idea. You don’t need to go with me, I’ll be alright.”
Jean-Luc smiled at Beverly. “I don’t mind.”
“Thanks.”
Beverly’s suspicions were correct. When she had taken her entrance exams, the person proctoring the exams had written her name down as Howard Beverly and forgot to put a comma between her names and someone in an office had assumed she was male. This had then generated her housing assignment. Fortunately, it was easy enough to fix the mistake and fix her name.
###
Jean-Luc and Beverly managed to get a curtain and rod and were struggling to hang it from the ceiling. “Ugh, shouldn’t there be someone from maintenance we can call to do this?” Jean-Luc chuckled. “That would be nice.” The pole fell down at one end and Jean-Luc shouted. “Merde!”
“Hey, Johnny. Everything OK in there?” Jean-Luc groaned. “It’s Jean-Luc,” he said through gritted teeth. Beverly laughed. “Do they know you have a female roommate yet?” she whispered. Jean-Luc shrugged. “I don’t think so. That was Walker.” Louder, he said, “No, we could probably use your help in here.”
“Sure thing!” A cadet about the same height as Jean-Luc sporting Engineering stripes on his cadet uniform and a head of dark hair walked into the room. “What’s up? Why are you hanging a curtain on the ceiling?” Walker then noticed Beverly. “Oh, hey, you didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend.”
“I don’t.”
“Ah, you must be Beverly’s girlfriend, then.” Beverly smirked. “No, I’m Beverly. Beverly Howard. They got my name backwards and assigned me this room...and there’s nothing available to move into, so Jean-Luc and I got a curtain so we can have privacy when we need to get dressed.”
Walker started to laugh. “Sorry. This is kinda funny.” Beverly glared.
“So can you help?” Walker nodded. “I think so. We can put a track on the ceiling for the curtain to move back and forth on instead of a pole since you don’t need it across all the time.” Beverly looked blankly at her suitemate. “A track?”
“Sure! Just let me go to the replication centre and get what we’ll need. Be right back.”
Walker returned ten minutes later, with his roommate in tow. “I told you Jean-Luc has a girl for a roommate.”
“No way, I thought you were pulling my leg! Way to go, Johnny!” Jean-Luc sighed. “It’s Jean-Luc.” Beverly glared. “Excuse me?”
“Uh...Sorry? Hi, I’m Jack.” Beverly shook her head at the shorter cadet. “My last name is Howard. Someone wrote my name down backwards and they thought I was a boy named Howard Beverly. Obviously, I’m not. I’ll be moving out as soon as a bed opens up in a female room.” She eyed the newcomer. “Are you here to help, or did you just come to gawk?”
“Uh...I can help....” Jack sheepishly grinned at Beverly and went over to Walker, who instructed him to hold the track to the ceiling while he screwed it in on one end. Beverly and Jean-Luc were on the other end. A few minutes later, the track was on the ceiling and Walker had threaded the curtain. “There. Now you two can just close the curtain for privacy to get dressed.”
“Thanks,” Beverly gave Walker a hug. “This will help.”
“Don’t I get a hug? I helped too?” Beverly rolled her eyes, but gave Jack a hug before he left. She turned to Jean-Luc. “Suppose I should give you a hug too,” she pulled him into her arms and he could smell the floral scent of her shampoo. “Thank you for being willing to accommodate me like this. I know this is going to be rough on you.” Jean-Luc squeezed her tightly. “I daresay, it will be rougher on you than me. Now, should we decide who gets the bathroom first in the mornings?” He reluctantly let go of his roommate and walked back to his side of the bedroom.
“Well, my hair will take longer to dry...” She grinned and Jean-Luc patted his receding hairline. “Well, you’re not wrong. You can shower first in that case. I suppose, just pull the curtain when you get out of the shower and then I’ll open it after I’m dressed? Of course, we can just talk to each other and ask, too.” Beverly nodded.
“Sounds good to me.” Jean-Luc’s stomach rumbled and Beverly laughed. “Maybe we should find something to eat. I guess the replicator out in the common room will do.” Jean-Luc rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve never used a replicator before.”
Beverly’s eyes went wide. “Seriously?”
“My father frowned on them. He said it made people lazy.”
“Wow. And your mom didn’t mind?” Jean-Luc shook his head. “Maman loved taking care of her family and the assorted farmhands.”
“You grew up on a farm?”
“No, not really. My family own a vineyard.”
“Wow, neat!” Jean-Luc frowned. “Eh, I wanted to get out of there. My brother on the other hand is already assisting our father with the vineyard. He’ll take over for Papa eventually. But anyway. Can you show me how to use the replicator?”
“Sure!”
###
The roommates fell into an easy schedule with their curtain. Before bed, they would drag the curtain across to change into pyjamas and they would usually leave it pulled until after they each had showered and dressed in the morning . If one of them came home after the other was in bed, they didn’t bother with the curtain and just changed while the other was sleeping. The curtain did get in the way, and more than once Jean-Luc or Beverly would get tangled in the curtain if they woke up in the night to use the bathroom or arrived home in the dark.
Beverly had finally had it with the curtain several months into the semester after a particularly stressful day and pulled on it harder than she intended when she came in from a gruelling training session and the curtain fell down. “Merde,” she said, picking up Jean-Luc’s habit of cursing in French. She shrugged and headed for the bathroom anyway, desperate for a shower.
When she emerged, Jean-Luc had his back to her and was working at his desk. “Are you alright? I saw the curtain on the floor, so I re-hung it if you need to close it.”
“No. It’s getting stupid. You might as well turn around to talk to me.” Jean-Luc swivelled in his chair and his breath caught. Beverly had a towel wrapped securely under her arms with another towel wrapped around her hair. “Uhm...”
“Haven’t you ever seen a naked woman before?” Beverly turned her back and opened a drawer, tossing a bra and a pair of knickers onto her bed.
“No. I mean...not in the flesh. I’ve seen pictures....” Beverly raised an eyebrow. “You never had sex?”
“Once. But it was dark and she wasn’t completely naked.”
“Oh.” Beverly moved the towel to wrap it around her waist and Jean-Luc got a decent view of her creamy back coated in a smattering of freckles. She pulled on her bra and then tugged on her knickers under the towel before removing it and turning around. “Well, I just think we’re being silly hiding behind a curtain. I mean, it’s not like we won’t eventually be in a situation where we might have to change in front of a member of another sex. Might as well start now and get used to it.”
“Sure,” Jean-Luc agreed. “But maybe you should put on some clothes? I have to admit, it’s a little distracting.” She grinned. “And these aren’t even sexy looking.” She pulled on a long sweater and a pair of leggings. “Better?”
“Thanks.”
“Ok, your turn,” she smirked.
“My turn for what?”
“Getting changed. I know you aren’t going to wear your uniform out tonight.” Jean-Luc shrugged. “I wasn’t planning on going. Lots of work to do.” Beverly frowned at her friend. “Please? Don’t leave me with Walker and Jack! Jack is handsy when he’s drunk!” Jean-Luc chuckled.
“Alright. Fine.” He rose and unzipped his jacket and hung it carefully in his wardrobe. “But it’s not going to be as interesting as you changing was.”
###
Jack eyed Beverly’s choice of clothing that evening when they were all standing around a high table in the bar. “I thought you’d have dressed up.” Beverly eyed her suitemate dubiously. “Why?”
“Well, I mean....don’t all girls like to get dressed up to go out?” Jack gestured around the bar where most of the women present were wearing short, tight dresses with high heels. Beverly shrugged. “Well, I’m comfortable.” Jean-Luc slung an arm around her shoulder. “And you look lovely. Right, Wal?”
Walker looked surprised to hear his name, he was too busy staring across the room at someone. “Hmm?”
“I said, doesn’t Beverly look nice?”
“Uh...yeah. Sure. Bev, you look nice.” Beverly sweetly smiled at Walker. “Thanks. I’m getting a drink. Want anything?” Jack shook his head. “Aren’t the guys supposed to get the drinks?” Beverly shrugged again. “Well, I’m going to the bar. I can either get you a drink or not.”
“Uh...beer please.” Beverly nodded. “Jean-Luc? Walker?”
“Yeah, beer sounds good.”
Beverly returned with a tray bearing four pint glasses of beer and Jack eyed her drink. “Beer? I didn’t think girls drank beer.” Beverly rolled her eyes. “Clearly, there’s a lot you don’t know about women. “ She lifted her glass and clinked it against the others. “Cheers.”
The four friends stumbled back into their suite late that evening and they collapsed into a heap on the sofa. Beverly was leaning with her head on Jean-Luc, Walker had his head on Beverly’s chest, and surprisingly, Jack had his head resting on Walker. Beverly giggled. “That was fun.”
Jean-Luc mumbled something undecipherable and Beverly stood, jostling Walker. His head fell into Jean-Luc’s lap and he didn’t seem concerned until Jean-Luc pushed him off. “I’m going to bed. Jean-Luc?”
“Good idea. Got anything to fend off the hangover we’ll all have in the morning?”
“Uh...coffee?” Walker wrinkled his nose. “Ugh. No. Can’t stomach the thought right now. My sister said to take paracetamol and a glass of water before bed.”
“Really?” Walker shrugged. “It’s what she said. I mean, she’s two years younger than me so why she knows I have no idea.” Beverly laughed and headed for her bedroom. “I have some in the bathroom. I’ll get it. It’s not a hypospray, but the tablets will do the job.”
Beverly and Jean-Luc said goodnight to their suitemates and closed the door to their room where Beverly immediately removed her sweater.
“Uh...curtain?”
“Screw it,” Beverly flung off her bra and Jean-Luc tried to be a gentleman and averted his eyes. Beverly giggled. “It’s ok to look.” Jean-Luc turned his back on her and opened his drawers to get a pair of pyjamas out. “I’ll just give you some privacy to change....”
Beverly rolled her eyes and sat on her bed to take off her leggings. Jean-Luc heard a thump and glanced over at his roommate. She had fallen asleep sitting on her bed, slumped against the wall with her leggings around her ankles. Jean-Luc chuckled to himself and carefully placed his sleep shirt over Beverly’s head and pulled her arms through, lifted her legs onto the bed, removed her leggings, and pulled a blanket over her.
“Sleep well, Beverly.”
“Mmph.”
###
When Beverly woke up, she had a headache and she groaned. From the opposite side of the room she heard the cheerful voice of her roommate, “Good morning, Beverly!”
“Ungh.”
“Want a cup of coffee?” Jean-Luc peered over at the bed. Beverly’s hair was dishevelled and she still had her eyes closed. “Please,” was all she mastered. “And...lights?” Jean-Luc chuckled and ordered the lights to dim before going out to the common room.
He returned with a large mug of black coffee and Beverly sat herself up in bed, frowning. “Why am I wearing your T-shirt?”
“You, ah, passed out half undressed so I put my shirt on you since I didn’t want to go into your drawers.”
“Oh,” Beverly paused to take a sip, savouring the flavour. “For future reference, my pyjamas are in the top drawer.” Jean-Luc nodded. “Noted.”
“Did we sleep together?”
“No,” Jean-Luc shook his head.
“I guess that’s....good...and bad.” Jean-Luc shot her a puzzled look. “Why bad?”
“Well, I think I probably wanted to sleep with you last night.” She sipped her coffee and watched Jean-Luc’s face change colours. He reached out and gently cupped her cheek. “Hey, I wouldn’t have taken advantage of you while you were drunk, alright?”
“Good,” Beverly leaned into his hand and grinned. “I’m sober now!”
“Beverly!” She giggled. “Oh, the look on your face.” He smiled. “Well, I’m not going to lie. I’ve thought about you frequently. But...would it be awkward? We have to live together and what if it doesn’t work out between us?”
“You mean the sex? Or do you want to have a relationship with me?” He nodded. “The second one.”
“Really?” He nodded again. “I’ve....grown rather fond of you these past few months.”
Beverly snorted. “Grown rather fond? Jean-Luc, get the stick out of your ass and try again.”
“I...like you?” He spoke the words tentatively and Beverly grinned before placing her coffee on the edge of her desk and pulling him towards her. “I like you, too.” Her lips crashed against his in a first kiss.