Chapter Text
You'd been working on a Security project with Lieutenant Commander Data for just over a month, and he was, at least what you deemed to be, a very interesting android. Much more interesting than everyone else on the ship, surely. As a Lieutenant yourself, you had been an integral part of the Enterprise and its functions since your inauguration six months prior; although perhaps not as integral as Data himself.
Your thoughts were interrupted and redirected to the Turbolift as its doors opened, revealing none other than the android you had just been thinking of. Your gaze followed Data's slender figure effortlessly stride down the Bridge's leftmost ramp to seat himself at his station; his long fingers dancing across the terminal to reconfigure the Enterprise's set course.
"Lieutenant."
Yar's voice sounded beside you, ultimately breaking you from your thoughts altogether. You had propped your elbows on the back of your own chair, your face resting in your hands as you stared at Data. You straightened your posture quickly and spun around, embarrassed to be caught so unprofessionally positioned.
"Sorry," You mumbled, meeting her eyes somewhat shyly. She closed her own in exasperation and leaned against the terminal.
"I understand you want to see the view, but that's not part of your job description." Yar huffed, rather tersely. You inconspicuously smiled; her definition of 'view' was very different from yours. "Can you run a diagnostic on one of the brig's protection fields? An Ensign mentioned that it's been malfunctioning, and we have a pretty dangerous criminal in there right now."
"On it." You kept your interaction short, successfully zeroing in on the brig's security functions. "Which one? The one Ensign-"
"The main one, you know what I'm talking about." She pressed her hand into the side of the terminal and pushed herself off, walking to her station at the front of the balcony. You quickly ran a scan on the central cell, finding a slight anomaly. You tapped a few of the screen's designators to reinforce the electrical components, and forwarded the rest of the mechanics to Commander La Forge to inspect more thoroughly. As you were doing so however, you felt someone's presence looming behind you. You turned your head slightly, expecting Lt. Yar waiting to reprimand you.
"Excuse me, Y/N."
Instead, it was Data's unmistakable mellifluent voice. You turned your entire torso to look up at him, a smile creeping upon your lips at the fact he had come to visit you.
"Hi, Data," Your voice was ridiculously chirpy and upbeat, so much so that it made you recoil. You cleared your throat to reassume your normally-calm way of speaking, but Data did not seem to notice what had embarrassed you. He reached over you to tap a code into the terminal; proceeding to analyze something before looking down at you.
"Have you successfully located the electrical breach in cell three?" His lime eyes were lit up in anticipation for your response.
"I have. Lieutenant Yar just told me that another one of the brig's protection fields have begun to fail as well." You kept your report professional.
"Unusual," Data's waist brushed your shoulder as he moved to send a report to Engineering.
"I already did that." You said quietly, leaning forward to stop him.
Data looked over at you before returning his gaze to the screen.
"You did not." His voice was plainly expressionless, unlike Yar's usual impatient and admonishing tone.
"Well, I was before you interrupted me." You muttered slyly, taking advantage of his perceived kindness and being slightly more free with your choice of words.
"You have initiated a double request that has prevented any proper relay." Data either ignored or did not understand your tone.
"Well, I made the first request. You're the one that created the other, so technically the 'double request' is your fault."
"Regardless, I must now reset this particular terminal." Data looked back at you, so innocently, before taking the arm of your chair in his hands.
Your heart skipped a beat, for whatever strange reason upon his movement. He stared at you momentarily before gently pushing your seat over so he could reach the base mechanism underneath the console. You watched him kneel down beside you, ducking underneath the outcrop to reconfigure the piece of technology. You glanced back at Yar, expecting her to rush over amongst all the commotion, but much to your relief, she was speaking to Captain Picard about an unknown approaching ship.
"Lieutenant?"
You redirected your attention back to the still-kneeling Data, who was now looking up at you expectantly with a bundle of wires enclosed in his long, pale fingers.
"Sorry, what?" You crossed your legs, suddenly very aware of your surroundings as the android scrutinized you.
"I had asked if you would like to converse in the meantime." He repeated, still paused in his endeavour to reset the terminal.
"Er, about what?" You gulped involuntarily. You'd spoken with Data about a lot of things in the past, but for some reason, him being at your feet in such close proximity made you feel slightly uncomfortable.
"In the past, I have noticed that you hold a considerably greater predilection for philosophical debate." He raised an eyebrow, slightly turning to adjust the wiring in order to reset the master switch.
"That was one time," You felt a genuine laugh bubble up in your chest, uncrossing your legs to lean forward. "And I was drunk."
"Interesting," Data mused, leaning back to realign the wires with its containing groove of the wall. "One could argue that intoxication reveals the true desires of an individual."
"You're ridiculous," You scoffed, lowering your voice as Yar passed to resume her conversation with Picard in front of his command seat. Data's focus fixated on flipping the switch of the terminal back on before responding to you. You wondered if he was waiting for Yar to leave too, or if he truly was just completely occupied with his task.
"Am I?" Data asked finally, clearing his head from the console's outcrop to look at you. You couldn't formulate words for some reason, your throat suddenly dry. He sat at your feet for a moment awaiting your response, but you remained choked up for reasons beyond your current comprehension. Upon your silence, Data's central matrix must have identified other pressing priorities to attend to in that moment.
He suddenly moved closer to you on his knees, placing one sturdy hand on your mid-thigh. You inhaled sharply at the unsuspected touch, eyes wide; it was most likely to use you as leveraging aid to rise to his feet, but you couldn't stop your face from burning.
He gently pressed into you as he shifted his weight onto his left leg, his broad shoulders leaning into you as he repositioned his footing. He lingered unnecessarily in that position, causing your exhalation to catch in your throat. His knee brushed against yours as he moved to return to his standing position over you, his hand languorously dragging off of your thigh. You followed his gaze, which was absent as he analyzed whatever was on his mind. Your heart was racing, and you had to wipe your palms down your legs to calm yourself.
You had seen Data get up from a sitting, even lying position before, and he did not require any assistance. You had a bizarre, yet probably unfounded, feeling that he had touched you on purpose.
"Shall I send the message to Commander La Forge?" Data asked as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, gazing at you intently. He was not standing close, which made you think that you were just imagining your previous convictions.
"G-Go ahead." You stuttered, motioning towards the panel before leaning back into your seat. Data waited for the system to reboot, glancing back at you with an open mouth to speak, but the flash of the screen interrupted and redirected his attention.
"Lieutenant, can you accompany me to the transporter room?" Yar called, walking up the ramp and tapping your shoulder as she made her way to the Turbolift. You rose from your seat to follow her, but paused.
"Do you need me?" You asked Data, unsure if he had to speak to you about anything else.
"'Need you'?" Data's face twisted into a small expression of confusion.
"I-I mean, need me with anything regarding the project?" Your heart began to skip again, so much so that you wondered if you needed to visit Sickbay.
"I am fine. Thank you, Y/N." Data was compressing the alert into a format readable for Engineering, as the previous template had been erased upon the reset. It happened to you all the time.
"Okay," You smiled, your words unnecessary as you joined the irritated Lt. Yar in the Turbolift.
"Y/N?" Data called from behind you after the last person on the Bridge left. You usually had to stay to monitor readings and general operation before the night crew took over roughly five minutes after the usual crew cleared.
"Yes? I'm finishing up a report that should've been completed this morning." You admitted. You were secretly excited to be alone with Data in the Bridge, it was almost ... romantic.
But you shoved that thought out of your mind as soon as it intruded, what were you thinking!? The worst thing to do was chase after a completely unattainable android.
You heard Data's voice become clearer and more in your direction; he must have swivelled his chair to speak to you:
"I have noted that starlight is more preferable for retinal health in comparison to artificial lumens. Eye strain is inevitable at the rate you are proceeding."
"So you want me to sit with you?" You giggled, somewhat inappropriately before standing up and taking the file with you. Data did not answer, but watched you with a certain curiosity. You found it mildly frustrating that Picard still wanted hard copies of security report transcripts, and you confided in Data about such distaste as you switched the terminal screen into 'sleep mode'. You pushed in your chair and made your way over to the descending ramp farthest from you, but nearest to Data. He watched you expectantly as he predicted you were about to speak.
"Hard copies in this day and age are ridiculous." You let your eyes roll into the back of your head in resignation, letting your fingers trace down the railing. "I seriously-"
Your voice went up into a squeak as your foot caught on the jutting corner of the ramp's base. You managed to stagger a few steps forward towards Data with the momentum, trying to regain your balance, but you ended up toppling over right into Data's chest. His hands immediately fell on you; one placed flat on your back and the other gripping your arm. The initial flush of embarrassment at your clumsiness was replaced by an unusual... comfort.
"Y/N, you have fallen." Data looked down at you, with his head tilted. When you didn't respond or move, he asked you if you had injured yourself.
You propped your hands on either side of him in an attempt to regain your footing, but his hold was so firm that you only rose a few inches. Your faces were impossibly close, and you felt your heart starting to race once again. You had to close your eyes to calm yourself; what was wrong with you!
"Y/N, your heart rate. Should I escort you to Sickbay?" The tone of Data's voice had become slightly more concerned.
You took a deep breath before letting out a laugh. "I tripped on that... thing". Data tilted his head, as he did not know what 'that thing' was.
Your folder was bent up after the tussle, and you realized that you couldn't submit it in such a state. "Captain Picard will never take something like this."
"Are you injured?" Data's eye contact did not break away from you as he repeated himself.
"No, you caught me." You chuckled sheepishly, slightly pulling away from him at the sheer discomfort of your proximity. Data held you for a moment longer before releasing you, letting his hands fall to his sides as you stood to your feet.
"We must compose a new record. " Data pried the folder from your left hand, answering your previous lament.
"We?" You asked coyly, looking at him from under your eyelashes.
"Would you not prefer company?" Data asked innocently. You felt a warm blush sweep your delicate cheeks, completely at a loss for words. Data proceeded to speak to fill the silence:
"With your permission, there is a sensation I am compelled to disclose." His expression was blank. His eyes followed your movements as you first leaned into the console before inclining your upper body closer to him.
"To converse with you is highly enjoyable." Data remarked innocently. Your face felt hot, and you hoped your makeup hadn't melted off during the day to reveal your probably-red complexion. This was very uncharacteristic of Data.
"I really enjoy talking to you too!" You exclaimed in an upbeat tone, distracting yourself from his gaze by tracing your hands along the edge of the screen, refusing to look at him.
"May I ask you a question, if it is not a bother?" Data moved his head to recapture your attention; attention he misperceived as waning.
"Sure," You smiled to yourself at his rather new interest in you.
"When we are in close proximity, your temperature increases by exactly three degrees." Data furrowed his brow. "It is nearly indicative of a fever-like temperature. I must inquire as to the reasoning for this phenomenon."
Your eyes snapped over to him as he continued.
"In the past, I have registered such inconsistent oscillations in your temperature, but dismissed the curiosity to average parameters of the human body in response to external environments," Data's brow furrowed as he looked away to process the situation. "However, given its frequency of three times in a single day, I am unsure that hypothesis is viable."
"What frequency? Three times today?" You scrunched your face. Data's gaze switched over to you as he became eager to explain his findings.
"The first event transpired upon my visit to your station this morning, and the subsequent arose when you had lost your balance."
"The third?" You pressed, somewhat doubtful.
"Occurred two minutes ago, upon leaning into me."
You felt yourself subconsciously pulling away from him upon his last remark, feeling so embarrassed that you underestimated his ability to detect such nuances.
"I didn't lean into you. I leaned forward."
"Due to this particular oddity, you have become a subject of my curiosity." Data ignored your clarification, his eyes gentle.
Your jaw slackened upon your disbelief. You started to explain but he interrupted, his eyes suggested he was in even deeper thought than before, even more so as his face contorted into a concerned expression.
"You do not feel hostility or fear towards me, do you Y/N?"
You burst out laughing.
"What?" You placed your hand on his shoulder in comfort, "Why would I ever? I feel more comfortable with you than anyone else on the Enterprise."
"Adrenaline provokes a rise in human temperature, and such a hormone is triggered during potentially dangerous situations." Data's tone was educational.
Your hand was still on his shoulder, and upon the hyper-awareness of such, you felt a sudden inclination to make a move on him. If your reading of the situation was correct, he seemed to like you. But there there you went again; he couldn't have those feelings, he wasn't even human! Why was your intuition applying its regular assumptions to an android? Surely you could logically see that this was an impossible attraction.
Nevertheless, you wondered how he'd respond if you entertained your intuition. You couldn't gauge a reaction like you could with a human, his face was relatively blank but slightly puzzled in anticipation for your response.
You leaned in slightly closer, and as you did, your hand naturally snaked down from his shoulder to rest against his chest. If it was possible, you felt him... tense up?
"That wouldn't be good," Your tone was almost facetious. You took his Commbadge between your forefinger and thumb, the rest of your fingers grazing the rough canvas of his uniform ever so gently.
"Y/N, I do not understand. What are you doing?" Data said in a rather low voice, his attention completely diverted to your new movements. You had a feeling he knew exactly what you were 'doing'.
"Would a person who felt hostile or scared be acting like this?" You asked, sliding to the left of the console to centre yourself in front of him, moving in even closer.
"It is unlikely, however, I remain confused-"
"You, Data, are confused?" You lowered your voice to a whisper, moving your hand up to his neck to rest on the crux just between his shoulder. Your chest was almost flat against your knees as you leaned as close as possible into Data, you couldn't tell if your vision was shaky or if he had also leaned in to close a certain distance. His yellow eyes were burning as you stared at each other for, what seemed like, an eternity.
"I do not believe what I have in mind would be the intention of a subordinate." Data looked at you matter of factly, his head tilted. "Your temperature is increasing again, as is your heart rate. Curious. You do not appear fearful."
"Oh, is that so Commander?" You moved your face next to his, breathing your words into his ear. "I don't feel fearful." Your fingers traced over the lining of his uniform collar, it was rough and thick. Data opened his mouth to speak but then closed it, his hands resting uselessly at his sides.
Suddenly you felt uncomfortable. Data wasn't reciprocating, and probably felt a little uncomfortable himself. You let go of him and moved away to stand up, his eyes following you with an expression of.. longing? You blinked and his face was once again stoic.
"I'm sleepy, Data, I'm sorry." You began to pick at the corners of the folder out of nervous habit. "I'm not acting rationally. Forgive me."
"It is within my abilities to write your report and leave it at your station tomorrow morning." Data's voice was dripping with a certain huskiness that you had never heard from him before, however, his face remained expressionless. You held out the folder for him to take, and as he did, his hand gently brushed yours. He did not break his eye contact.
His enigmatic presence was charming in and of itself; but you could never leave a mystery alone. You decided from then on that you would explore Data and his every single intricacy. Down to the last detail.