[ Jim tends to have this way of making people feel at ease. Well, people he likes, anyway, which is definitely the case with Elsa. If alcohol's loosened her up a little he's not about to complain, but all in all he's still glad that she feels comfortable just being around him. ]
I think as queen you're allowed to have as many chocolate chip waffles for dinner as you want.
[ Well, within reason. Wouldn't want her to get sick or anything like that. ]
No? Well, they're all fools, if you ask me. Don't know what they're missing. It's delicious.
[ the very thought just makes her lick her lips and she thinks she can already smell her waffles across the bar. that might be a family trait, those chocolate senses.
her eyes follow a tray move over the tops of heads until the waiter sets it down on another table full of card players and she turns to him again. ]
I daresay I hadn't expected to find myself here when you messaged me this evening.
[ Well now he knows that he can't go wrong with chocolate. If he ever sees himself in the position of getting her something.
He looks over to the same table when she does, then back to her, head tipping a little. ]
No? What did you expect, then? [ Not that Jim expected this either, but then he rarely ever plans ahead. He likes the unexpected, and much prefers to wing it. ]
Considering that you'd propositioned me to start the conversation, I'm rather pleased that we've at least started with a date.
[ she can be forward-minded but there are some things that she prefers, and a tiny bit of courtship is one of those things. with a small smile, elsa leans forward and presses a lingering kiss to his cheek. ]
Well, I'm very pleased you answered despite the nature of my text. Although... I guess I can read that as interest. [ Enough interest to go out with him on a date, if nothing else. ]
I'll be honest, I'm not really used to this. But I don't mind it, either. It's pretty nice.
[ He's smiling at her, leaning back when the waiter makes his way over to their table and sets their food down. With a pleased hum, he thanks the waiter and picks up his milkshake, taking a sip. ]
It would have been a more negative response if I hadn't known you already.
[ also he happened to catch her at a good time. also she was curious about the message itself. also she really just had to stop denying that she has been attracted to him.
in true elsa fashion, she closes her eyes and gets a good whiff of the waffles, leaning into the table to let the scent of the food wash over her. it is immediately comforting and she's grinning as she picks up her fork. ] You're not used to dates?
To be fair, I wouldn't have been that blunt if I hadn't known you either.
[ Granted, he might have if Elsa were just anyone, but she isn't just anyone. She's a queen and that means at least a certain degree of respect and professionalism... or it did, apparently, until they started flirting.
Whatever. Not like Starfleet can stop them from doing whatever they want.
He shakes his head a little as he pulls his arm from behind her so he can pick up his burger. ] Not really, no. [ He figures she can put two and two together, though. It's not like Jim's at all inexperienced, his version of intimacy just doesn't often involve romance.
[ she is, thankfully, not bound by rules of marriage anymore. she's a modern queen, after all, unhindered by archaic traditions. flirting and more are on the table. (that has, historically, never stopped royalty before, but she puts that thought aside.)
her brow wrinkles for a moment as elsa quietly cuts a piece of her waffle, but she eventually shakes her head. ] No. [ a little something new for them both, it seems.
[ Maybe it wouldn't have stopped her, but it might've stopped Jim. For all the recklessness and hedonism he's shown over the years, he's a little more responsible now, and too respectful of his own title and the good relations of the Federation to just risk any kind of scandal like that.
He's just glad that's not something he needs to worry about though. Because, historically, Jim's always been terrible at resisting a nice smile and a pretty face. ]
Good. [ He takes a bite from his burger, chewing and swallowing it down quickly so he can add. ] Not that it would be a deal breaker. I like spending time with you either way.
[ the notion still tickles her. people vie for her attention every day, but to hear that from someone she really, truly likes is enough to make her feel as if she's just a girl figuring out a crush. and, in a way, she kind of is. it's exciting, as small as of this may seem in the grand scheme of things.
there is a comfortable quiet that follows, filled more with the sounds of eating and the glasses clinking and maybe a few arguments in other languages.
elsa gets a bit of melted chocolate on the corner of her mouth that she licks first before chasing it with the napkin she had set in her lap. ]
[ Small things are important too, though. Sometimes they're even more important. The smell of grass after the rain, the textured pages of an old book, deep and genuine laughter, the way your heart can pick up pace by just looking at someone you like. Not everything has to be as high up as her throne or as far and wide as his galaxy; it can be simple and even commonplace but be valued all the same.
Like the little piece of chocolate at the corner of her mouth. It's cute, and he smiles when she swipes it clean with her tongue, unaware all the while that he has a bit of mustard at the corner of his own. ]
[ but instead of gesturing, elsa reaches over for the napkin dispenser, puling one out so that she can turn to him and swipe that bit of mustard off his face. she leans close to him and dabs, removing the offending condiment. the napkin crumbles in her hands and she discards it, only to gently let her fingers run over the line of his jaw. ]
There are are, [ elsa concludes softly, reluctant to pull away despite the fact that they are in the middle of their meal here. ]
[ Jim turns to her when she leans in and wipes the corner of his mouth clean. It should probably feel a little silly, like he's some kid who needs to be cleaned up after, but it actually feels kind of nice, and he thoughtlessly and easily leans in close too, setting the rest of his burger down on his plate.
His smile is warm and a little slow to show, his hand dropping so his fingertips brush near her elbow. If she doesn't want to pull away, then far be it from him to make her. ]
[ as if pulled by a magnet, elsa leans forward and kisses him; it's short and sweet because she doesn't want to get into it here, of all places. for someone so cold, it is surprisingly warm.
she closes her eyes and rests her forehead against his, lips still puckered until she licks them again. ]
My pleasure, [ comes her delayed response as she opens her eyes again. ]
[ The kiss is a little sudden and a little too quick for Jim to really get into it, but at least he has enough foresight and presence of mind to return it for that brief moment. He stops himself from chasing after when she pulls away, slowly opening his eyes and his lips quirking into a small smile. ]
That's really very unfair, you know. [ Before she asks what he means, he goes on to add. ] Kissing me like that, when I can't do anything about it.
[ briefly, there's a glass of water between them as elsa takes a sip through a straw, looking up at him almost innocently through her long lashes. she grins around the plastic. ]
You could certainly do something about it, Captain, [ she uses the title teasingly this time, setting the glass down on the table, next to her half-empty plate of chocolate waffle. ] The question is, do you want to?
[ Little too innocent for it to be genuine, there. Jim actually narrows his eyes at her, though it's all playful and in good fun, his own lips stretching into a smaller and quieter smile.
It's close enough to permission and he'll take it, though he moves slowly and carefully enough that she can stop him if she wants to. With the glass out of the way, he leans in and tips his head, kissing her again and lingering a little longer this time. ]
[ there was a time when she avoided romantic complications, turning down offers for courtship, disregarding love letters. with anna engaged, she still feels the need to protect her, but it has eased somewhat now that she knows they will have more family.
besides, anna would want her to be happy too, and not just by performing sisterly duties.
her flirting seems strongest today especially. and if it brings her kisses like this one, she must be doing something right. elsa doesn't care who sees, if anyone is even looking as she curves her hand around his shoulder, closing the space between them where she can. ]
[ Luckily Jim's not actually proposing to her. While he does like her, enough to want to pursue something romantic with her, he doubts either of them are interested in anything more... official. He's definitely not fit to be a king of any sorts, for one, nor does he have any interest in that.
But that's the farthest thing from his mind right now, especially when she doesn't pull from the kiss as quickly as before. He turns a little more towards her when she cups his shoulder, his head tipping to better fit their mouths together while his own hand drops lower and settles on her waist.
Where they are or who might see them couldn't be any farther from his mind right now. Jim never really cared either way, and thankfully they're both free to do whatever they like. ]
[ letting loose is good for her. not caring about what happens next once in a while is good for her, too. and this – being touched and kissed like this – is especially good for her too.
her lips part and she kisses him deeply, quietly thrilled by the touch of his hand on her waist. her kisses are slow but eager and she makes a quiet noise when she ever so slightly pulls away, her lips still brushing against his when she speaks. ]
[ Jim reluctantly lets the kiss break, licking his own lips and tasting her in them. Despite her abilities, her breath feels warm against him, even if her hand on his neck is a bit chilly. Nothing he can't get used to, though, and it definitely doesn't bother him now. ]
Never apologize for those kinds of interruptions. [ The meal can wait. Besides, he was the one who leaned in for a second kiss, so. ] That was much nicer than my milkshake.
[ it is too obvious, she thinks, to say that it is very rare that she does anything like this. her cheeks and neck are warm and she is reluctant to pull away from him in order to continue picking at her own food.
lowering her gaze, elsa chuckles and bites her bottom lip. ] Yes, you did, [ she agrees with a short nod.
her mind only briefly drifts to family left behind this evening but it was also at her sister's encouragement that she have fun. it wasn't entirely what she expected but she certainly can't complain when she's sitting so cozily with jim. ]
[ It's obvious enough for Jim, who watches her quietly just to be sure that this hasn't made her uncomfortable. He's satisfied with that he sees, at least. She does look flustered and a little shy but not at all uncomfortable, at least not about him being this close or this forward.
He's definitely not going to push for more, though. Not while they're out in public like this. Not that he'd mind either way, but he can tell that she would, and there's only so much he's willing to nudge at the limits of her comfort zone. ]
We can skip on the rest of the meal, if you want to. [ He's evidently not interested in his burger anymore, although to be fair he did eat most of it already. ]
[ her forehead brushes against his and she is absolutely nuzzling him when she responds. ]
Let's get out of here.
[ she's mostly done, he's mostly done. it doesn't take long before elsa summons the server over to them so that she can instantly, without a moment of pause for protests, take care of the bill. it's the modern age, after all. all it takes is a flourish of her signature and elsa's slipping her hand right into jim's again so that she can pull him out.
instead of gracefully sliding away, she sort of giddily bounces out instead. ]
[ Right now Jim's a big fan of anything that gets them out of here as quickly as possible, and he's standing up soon enough, unable to bite back a slowly growing grin at the way she practically hops off her seat. He offers her a hand once she's standing up too, nudging her towards the door, then looking up and down the street before turning to her again. ]
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I think as queen you're allowed to have as many chocolate chip waffles for dinner as you want.
[ Well, within reason. Wouldn't want her to get sick or anything like that. ]
No? Well, they're all fools, if you ask me. Don't know what they're missing. It's delicious.
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[ the very thought just makes her lick her lips and she thinks she can already smell her waffles across the bar. that might be a family trait, those chocolate senses.
her eyes follow a tray move over the tops of heads until the waiter sets it down on another table full of card players and she turns to him again. ]
I daresay I hadn't expected to find myself here when you messaged me this evening.
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[ Well now he knows that he can't go wrong with chocolate. If he ever sees himself in the position of getting her something.
He looks over to the same table when she does, then back to her, head tipping a little. ]
No? What did you expect, then? [ Not that Jim expected this either, but then he rarely ever plans ahead. He likes the unexpected, and much prefers to wing it. ]
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[ she can be forward-minded but there are some things that she prefers, and a tiny bit of courtship is one of those things. with a small smile, elsa leans forward and presses a lingering kiss to his cheek. ]
It's a nice change from my normal.
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I'll be honest, I'm not really used to this. But I don't mind it, either. It's pretty nice.
[ He's smiling at her, leaning back when the waiter makes his way over to their table and sets their food down. With a pleased hum, he thanks the waiter and picks up his milkshake, taking a sip. ]
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[ also he happened to catch her at a good time. also she was curious about the message itself. also she really just had to stop denying that she has been attracted to him.
in true elsa fashion, she closes her eyes and gets a good whiff of the waffles, leaning into the table to let the scent of the food wash over her. it is immediately comforting and she's grinning as she picks up her fork. ] You're not used to dates?
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[ Granted, he might have if Elsa were just anyone, but she isn't just anyone. She's a queen and that means at least a certain degree of respect and professionalism... or it did, apparently, until they started flirting.
Whatever. Not like Starfleet can stop them from doing whatever they want.
He shakes his head a little as he pulls his arm from behind her so he can pick up his burger. ] Not really, no. [ He figures she can put two and two together, though. It's not like Jim's at all inexperienced, his version of intimacy just doesn't often involve romance.
Still, he glances at her. ] Is that a problem?
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her brow wrinkles for a moment as elsa quietly cuts a piece of her waffle, but she eventually shakes her head. ] No. [ a little something new for them both, it seems.
she finally takes a bite. ]
I am still open to such things after this date.
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He's just glad that's not something he needs to worry about though. Because, historically, Jim's always been terrible at resisting a nice smile and a pretty face. ]
Good. [ He takes a bite from his burger, chewing and swallowing it down quickly so he can add. ] Not that it would be a deal breaker. I like spending time with you either way.
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[ the notion still tickles her. people vie for her attention every day, but to hear that from someone she really, truly likes is enough to make her feel as if she's just a girl figuring out a crush. and, in a way, she kind of is. it's exciting, as small as of this may seem in the grand scheme of things.
there is a comfortable quiet that follows, filled more with the sounds of eating and the glasses clinking and maybe a few arguments in other languages.
elsa gets a bit of melted chocolate on the corner of her mouth that she licks first before chasing it with the napkin she had set in her lap. ]
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Like the little piece of chocolate at the corner of her mouth. It's cute, and he smiles when she swipes it clean with her tongue, unaware all the while that he has a bit of mustard at the corner of his own. ]
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[ but instead of gesturing, elsa reaches over for the napkin dispenser, puling one out so that she can turn to him and swipe that bit of mustard off his face. she leans close to him and dabs, removing the offending condiment. the napkin crumbles in her hands and she discards it, only to gently let her fingers run over the line of his jaw. ]
There are are, [ elsa concludes softly, reluctant to pull away despite the fact that they are in the middle of their meal here. ]
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His smile is warm and a little slow to show, his hand dropping so his fingertips brush near her elbow. If she doesn't want to pull away, then far be it from him to make her. ]
Thanks.
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she closes her eyes and rests her forehead against his, lips still puckered until she licks them again. ]
My pleasure, [ comes her delayed response as she opens her eyes again. ]
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That's really very unfair, you know. [ Before she asks what he means, he goes on to add. ] Kissing me like that, when I can't do anything about it.
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[ briefly, there's a glass of water between them as elsa takes a sip through a straw, looking up at him almost innocently through her long lashes. she grins around the plastic. ]
You could certainly do something about it, Captain, [ she uses the title teasingly this time, setting the glass down on the table, next to her half-empty plate of chocolate waffle. ] The question is, do you want to?
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It's close enough to permission and he'll take it, though he moves slowly and carefully enough that she can stop him if she wants to. With the glass out of the way, he leans in and tips his head, kissing her again and lingering a little longer this time. ]
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besides, anna would want her to be happy too, and not just by performing sisterly duties.
her flirting seems strongest today especially. and if it brings her kisses like this one, she must be doing something right. elsa doesn't care who sees, if anyone is even looking as she curves her hand around his shoulder, closing the space between them where she can. ]
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But that's the farthest thing from his mind right now, especially when she doesn't pull from the kiss as quickly as before. He turns a little more towards her when she cups his shoulder, his head tipping to better fit their mouths together while his own hand drops lower and settles on her waist.
Where they are or who might see them couldn't be any farther from his mind right now. Jim never really cared either way, and thankfully they're both free to do whatever they like. ]
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her lips part and she kisses him deeply, quietly thrilled by the touch of his hand on her waist. her kisses are slow but eager and she makes a quiet noise when she ever so slightly pulls away, her lips still brushing against his when she speaks. ]
Sorry to interrupt your meal.
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Never apologize for those kinds of interruptions. [ The meal can wait. Besides, he was the one who leaned in for a second kiss, so. ] That was much nicer than my milkshake.
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lowering her gaze, elsa chuckles and bites her bottom lip. ] Yes, you did, [ she agrees with a short nod.
her mind only briefly drifts to family left behind this evening but it was also at her sister's encouragement that she have fun. it wasn't entirely what she expected but she certainly can't complain when she's sitting so cozily with jim. ]
I'm not so hungry.
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He's definitely not going to push for more, though. Not while they're out in public like this. Not that he'd mind either way, but he can tell that she would, and there's only so much he's willing to nudge at the limits of her comfort zone. ]
We can skip on the rest of the meal, if you want to. [ He's evidently not interested in his burger anymore, although to be fair he did eat most of it already. ]
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Let's get out of here.
[ she's mostly done, he's mostly done. it doesn't take long before elsa summons the server over to them so that she can instantly, without a moment of pause for protests, take care of the bill. it's the modern age, after all. all it takes is a flourish of her signature and elsa's slipping her hand right into jim's again so that she can pull him out.
instead of gracefully sliding away, she sort of giddily bounces out instead. ]
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Where to?
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