Work Text:
“You need a vacation.” Beverly was sitting with one leg curled up underneath her on Jean-Luc’s sofa and her boots under the coffee table, looking as if she belonged there. Jean-Luc smiled. He loved the way Beverly seemed to just take over his space as if it was her own.
“I just came back from a vacation.” Beverly smirked.
“But you said it wasn’t as relaxing as you had hoped. I mean, honestly, you went to Risa on Will Riker’s suggestion and managed to have a bad time!” Beverly threw up her hands. Jean-Luc really was ridiculous.
“I would have had a better time if you had come along like I had asked.” Beverly quirked an eyebrow.
“And kept you from meeting the dashing Vash and getting involved in some strange mystery? Oh, I wouldn’t dream of ruining that for you.” Jean-Luc shook his head at his best friend’s teasing. Her sarcasm truly knew no boundaries, and he loved it.
“She wasn’t dashing. She was horrible and obnoxious. She was a con woman. Always looking for an angle.”
“But you kissed her.”
“No,” Jean-Luc’s voice was steady, “She kissed me.” Beverly’s blue eyes seemed to twinkle as Jean-Luc watched her casually reach over for her cup of tea.
“You liked it.”
“I....” Jean-Luc trailed off and returned his gaze to her hands cupped around the mug of tea she was drinking. He watched as she raised the cup to her pink, smirking lips and he swallowed and looked away. Beverly rolled her eyes.
“You can tell me.”
“Beverly, it had been a long time since I kissed anyone. It was....” Beverly snorted.
“Long time? Jean-Luc, I gave you a kiss before you left for Risa!”
“Yes, but Vash kissed me with passion. Like she wanted me to be her lover.” Beverly’s eyebrows rose. She sat her cup down on the table and inched her way closer to Jean-Luc on the sofa.
“You don’t think I want you to be my lover?” Jean-Luc looked away. He didn’t know how to answer her. He wanted her to want him, but how did one go about telling their best friend they wanted something more? Beverly reached for him and cupped his cheek gently. “Jean-Luc....”
“Yes?”
Her lips met his. She kissed him with passion for the first time in their long relationship of teetering on the edge between friends or something more, and Beverly’s kiss firmly pushed them over the apex and down into the land of a blossoming relationship. She pushed him backwards onto the sofa and continued to kiss him, climbing on top of him. When they broke off the kiss, Beverly rested a hand on his chest and looked him in the eyes.
“Does that answer your question?”