The best friend's best friend

[keepurshirtonlt]

Lazy mornings was one thing Trip did like about the island. While he missed Enterprise, her crew and her engine (he was the Chief Engineer and he'd helped design her, he loved that engine like she was a person) something awful but it was nice to be free of those responsibilities for a little while.

And he had good reason to be lazy as he'd been wore out last night by the woman laying beside him. That was another thing he liked about the island: people sure were friendly. Granted, Trip did care about Lily as a dear friend but he was glad they could still have a little fun now and again.

Trip was dozing comfortably, not bothering to open his eyes just yet and get rid of the warm, content feeling. A weight settled on his chest, and he was still sleepy enough to think it was Lily so he just grumbled at how sharp her nails were but didn't open his eyes.

It was the tongue that started licking his face that finally got Trip to open his eyes and he had to stare in sleepy confusion for a few moments before he figured out what was going on. Then, all else forgotten, he sat up quickly with a large grin. "Porthos! What are ya doin' here buddy?"

Comments

[notfaking_it]

At the sound of Trip's voice, Lily stirred, stretching sleepily before she opened her eyes. Whatever she'd expected to see beside her in the bed, it certainly wasn't a little dog, his tail wagging, trying to lick Trip's face and her eyebrows lifted curiously.

"He wasn't here last night," she said. "Right?" She may have been distracted by Trip himself, but she was fairly certain she would have noticed the dog despite that.

[keepurshirtonlt]

When Lily spoke, she got Porthos attention and he had always been a very friendly pup. Before Trip could stop him, he hopped over and started to say hello to her too.

Trip just laughed. "Nah, I don't think so. But damn am I glad ta see him." And he was. Sure, he would have preferred Porthos' owner but it was nice to have someone from home, even the Enterprise's unofficial mascot.

[notfaking_it]

"Oh, Jesus, that's a cold nose," Lily said with a laugh, pushing the dog's face away from hers gently. In this state, still half asleep, having him press his nose right against her neck felt especially cold, but once she'd nudged him away she began to scratch his ears. She might not have ever had a dog of her own, might not have ever called herself a dog person, but she knew a cute one when she saw it.

"So you know him, then?" she asked, looking over at Trip. "He didn't just wander in here?"

[keepurshirtonlt]

Porthos wasn't offended and happily took the ear scratching in exchange. He gave a small happy grunt and leaned into her hand while beating Trip with his madly wagging tail.

"Oh yeah. Lily, I'd like ya to meet Porthos. The beagle to travel the farthest from Earth and go where no beagle has gone before." Trip said with a laugh as he tried to still the tail and ended up giving in and just scratching the dog's back. "He belonged to ma best friend, Jonathan Archer. He traveled with us on Enterprise. I'd know this wiggly pup anywhere."

[notfaking_it]

"So you've been in space, then, huh?" Lily asked the dog, leaning down a little to look him in the eye. He was awfully cute, and small, which was always a bonus when it came to animals. The ones that could knock her over if they stood up fast enough were a little too much for her sometimes. But Porthos was a good size.

"It seems like everyone I know here has been up in space," she said with a grin, looking from the dog to Trip. "You're happy to see him, aren't you?"

[keepurshirtonlt]

Porthos may not have known what she said but he knew she was talking to him and replied with short, happy yelp before going back to trying to lick her nose.

"Ecstatic!" Then Trip took a deep breath and calmed down, though his smile was still bright. "Well...to be honest, I'd rather it was Jon who showed up but I can deal with my best friend's best friend."

[notfaking_it]

Lily could understand that, but it was nice, she thought, to have a little piece of home. Even if that piece was a small, wriggling animal who kept trying to lick her. For Nina it hadn't been quite so pleasant and Lily had yet to receive anything, though she wasn't sure what she might get, when the time came.

Leaning across the bed, she pressed a kiss to Trip's mouth, then leaned back again. "It's nice to see you so happy. But now you'll have to get him a dog bed," she teased.

[keepurshirtonlt]

Getting the hint, Trip laughed and gathered up Porthos so he'd leaved Lily alone. "Yes ma'am. First think, I promise, though I don't know how well he'll stay in it. Jon was a big softie for all that he was Cap'n of a Starship."

[notfaking_it]

"Well, the dog is pretty cute," Lily allowed, laughing as Trip gathered the little dog up in his arms. "I guess I can see why someone might let him get away with things. So you guys could have your pets on the ship with you? Or was that just a perk of being a Captain?"

[keepurshirtonlt]

"Seriously, this dog got away with more then he should. He's dangerous if yer holdin' cheese." And not only from Jon either but that was another story. "And it was a perk for Jon. He wasn't leavin' Earth without him and when yer the Captain of the first Earth starship, they wanna make ya happy"

[notfaking_it]

"I guess it makes sense," she said, imagining all the perks someone like that was given just because he was the first of something that important. She didn't doubt that he deserved those perks, because it was important, as far as she could tell from the limited information she had on the subject.

"So now he's yours," she said with a grin. "Are you going to spoil him like he's still on that ship?"

[keepurshirtonlt]

"Of course!" It was clear from Trip's tone that he meant it too. "And believe me, so will everyone that meets him. Little ole Porthos here is just as charmin' as his daddy."

Porthos opened his mouth and panted in a doggie smile, as if to prove the point.

[notfaking_it]

Lily could think of a few people on the island who might not want to spoil the dog -- Jeff, who didn't seem to even like his own dog, for example -- and she grinned, but said nothing. "It's good to see you so happy," she said honestly, knowing that the island had a tendency to send people things they might not be quite so pleased to see. It was good to know it wasn't always awful.