Surprise Visit - Part II

Posted on Fri Aug 22nd, 2025 @ 6:41pm by Commander Vincent 'Vin' Salvatore & Lieutenant JG Gianna De Luca
Edited on on Fri Aug 22nd, 2025 @ 6:41pm

2,254 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: EPISODE 1: SHAKEDOWN
Location: Deck 2 - XO's Quarters

OLD:

"Sure... I guess." Vin replied, looking back to her with a smile. "I learned a lot from my brother. He would say: 'Keep your eyes and ears open, V. Just because I'm not teaching you, it doesn't mean you shouldn't be learning.' He said, bringing his voice down to a slightly raspy tone, mimicking his brother as best he could. After wards, he laughed slightly, smiling as he placed his hands together on the table. "When we were kids, I am sure, he was trying to teach me about Brotherly Love. About loyalty and being willing to hurt yourself to protect someone you love. Later on..." He paused slightly. "The lesson shifted. It was about gaining loyalty and manipulating someone to do something with that loyalty. He once took a beating from a cop, at least I thought, to protect someone from getting caught. He then used that protection, that loyalty, to make the man do something that almost got him killed to pay off a debt Carlo owed. I learned later, Carlo paid the cop to hurt him, promising him some money and a bigger name. The name of someone that was giving Carlo problems." Vin shook his head slightly, letting out a sigh. "He always had an angle, my brother." He paused for a moment before looking to Gia and asking. "What kind of person would subject himself to to that much pain in order to manipulate someone for their own means?"

NEW:

Gia nodded, the whole scene sounding very familiar to her with Marco at the hands of their father, "Unfortunately, everything you've just mentioned is reminiscent of narcissistic personality disorder, but that's just my opinion from a professional point of view, so don't let that cloud anything to do with your brother."

After a moment, Gia cleared her throat, eager to change the subject to let it not cross the line and become a therapy session. This was a friendly visit and she wanted to relax for the rest of the evening. "Look, I didn't come here to provide a therapy session or anything... I just came to chill out for a while and unwind from the day."

Vin chuckled slightly, looking down a bit, before raising his head again to lock eyes with her. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't-" He got up from his chair and cleared his throat, looking round the room before turning back to Gia again. "Do you like music? How about cards? Do you know how to play cards?"

Gia apologised, "Sorry, I didn't mean for that to come out like it did," she drew out a long breath, "It's been a long day and the caffeine has kind of worn off, or maybe it no longer has any effect, I don't know. I do like music and playing cards though, jazz and blackjack. What do you prefer?" She gave him a smile as she rested her chin on her hand with her elbow on the countertop.

"Perfect." Vin said as he walked over to the box of records and flipped through it. "If you want me opinion, you should switch to something stronger than water. Wine maybe." He said as he stopped at a record. "This will do nicely."

He pulled the record from the box and eased it out of the sleeve. Vin checked the record, tilting it slightly, before flipping it back and slowly placing it on the player. Upon flipping a switch, the record began to spin, prompting him to flip another switch that caused the needle to rise. As it moved over to the record, Vin walked to the kitchen, stopping at a draw to pull out a special deck of cards.

As the music began to play, the soft piano and trumpets fading in, he walked back to the chair. Vin shuffled the deck in his hands as he spoke with a smile. "Music, Wine, and a game of chance is always a good way to wind down from a tough day." He said as he repositioned the deck in one hand, holding it in an odd way, before splitting the deck in two. He quickly brought the together, keeping it all in one hand, allowing them cards to mix again before bringing his other hand to keep the cards from falling out. "So, Gia? How about that wine?"

Gia appreciated the effort he was going to for her, "I don't suppose you have a bottle of merlot stashed away somewhere then, do you? As you said, music and wine is a good way to wind down after all." She offered him a smile and listened to the music that was playing for a bit and watched as he shuffled the cards, "What are we playing, Vin? And what do I get if I win?"

"I might." He said, shuffling the cards again, before placing it on the table. Vin walked over to a modern cabinet, with a variety of bottles inside, kept locked by a control panel. He typed in the sequence to unlock it before opening the doors. Inside were various bottle, of different sizes and color, which he began to shuffle through. As soon as he found one, a Merlot as she requested, he walked back to the table. “As far as when you get… that’s entirely your choice. I would never ask you to do something that would make you uncomfortable or go against regulations.” He said as he placed the bottle on the table before walking away to grab two wine glasses.

Gia took the bottle and opened it, popping the cork and allowing the drink to breathe a bit before it got poured and consumed. With a smile, she moved and folded one leg under her to get slightly more comfortable. "Of course, that would be rather improper of you to do something like that. But we are off duty, are we not?" She could see him getting along with her brothers quite easily. "What would you want if you win the game?"

“Yes, we are off duty.” Vincent replied, adding a smile as he sat down and poured himself a glass, continuing to speak. “However, I don’t want you to judge my decision as an officer, but as man you can come to trust. ” He hesitated slightly, looking to her for a moment, choosing not to say what he was about to say as it might come off too forward. “So, in a way, that choice is very important for our… future conversation.” Vincent chuckled slightly, twirling the wine in the glass for a bit, before saying. “And it’s not fair. I asked you first.” He gave her a playful smile before taking a sip.

"I promise there's no judgement whatsoever, it would be purely confidential," Gia smirked in reply as she poured her own glass. "But seeing as you did ask me first, I would have to say dinner. Like a proper dinner, not a date, unless you'd want to call it that?"

“I wouldn’t mind calling it that.” Vincent replied quickly before stammering slightly as he continued on. “Only if you would mind. I am sure there are other terms we can use the describe a dinner setting between two consenting adults.” He gave her a quick smile as he placed his glass down on the table, clearing his throat a bit. “Dinner sounds like a great reward… if you win, of course.”

"You never did mention what you'd want if you win though," Gia trailed off as she sipped her own wine. The idea of it being a 'date' was quietly enjoyable because it would be one of the first times her family wouldn't have an input on.

He smiled back and shrugged his shoulders. As he looked down at his hands, shuffling the deck, he began to run through ideas. Certainly, asking for a kiss, would be forward and might not sit well. Asking for a dinner together would have been another idea, but she beat him to the punch.

As a smirk developed on his face, he looked up, locking his eyes with hers as his hands continued to shuffle. “How about a tray of goodies for you and your patients?” Vincent said as he placed the deck in the middle of the table. “For the next few days, I’ll bake a variety of cookies for you to place on your table in your office. You and your patients can’t enjoy them at your leisure while you discuss whatever it is you discuss?”

Hearing that offer was slightly disheartening, but Gia made sure her face didn't portray it because those biscuits he'd brought to their first session were quite enjoyable. "That would be delightful, I really enjoyed them especially the chocolate chip ones. You never know though, Vin, word might get around that you make biscuits and whatnot and people might come knocking on your office door for their own in no time." She couldn't help but laugh.

Vincent laughed as she didn’t. “To be fair, Gia. You didn’t leave me much choice. Dinner was my first choice, but you obviously robbed me of that.” He said with a smile as he cut the deck on the table and gestured to it, hoping she would take the cue to place the bottom half on the top half. “My next choice…” He paused slightly, choosing his words carefully, before replying as he looked into her eyes. “Well… let’s just say it’s better to earn it than to win it. It would mean nothing if it was part of a bet, but if you were to give it to me freely? Well then, it would not only be worth it but cherished from that moment on.” Vincent picked up his wine glass and smiled again, swirling what was left around a bit. “Consider it a lesson taught to me by a woman I hold very close to my own heart.”

She knew exactly what he was referring to and blushed slightly at the thought of it before wondering who the woman was that taught him that lesson. "You're right in saying that it would have to be earned rather than won, but I think the offer of biscuits is purely an excuse to come and see me, right?" She raised a brow that added intrigue to the smirk on her face and the slightly flirty tone she was using.

Gia felt herself relaxing more as the evening went on and she finished off the glass before placing it back on the countertop adding, "So how about this game of chance, hmm?"

Vincent smiled as he began to shuffle the deck in his hands. He sat there, looking into her eyes, a bit of a devilish look on his face as he did so. He contemplated on which game they could play. One he learned when he was at the academy or one from his home world. As he placed the deck on the table, he finally answered. “Have you ever played Crazy Eights?”

She shook her head, "I can't say I've ever heard of it. Poker, especially strip poker - don't ask - I can play, same with a few of the more conventional games like Hearts, Freecell and Garbage." Gia wouldn't have minded playing some sort game with Vin that involved... No, I'm not thinking about that, I'm going to be good. she thought and shook it from her mind.

Vincent smirked in return, catching a look appear on her face that seemed to say there was something that went thought her mind that cause her to pause and turn away, drawing him in slightly. Making him curious but also cautious so as not to push too fast or pull away. "Well... there is always War and Black Jack." He said softly as he raised his brow a bit as he added. "Then again... Poker is always a fun challenge. Whether you want to play for favors or clothing."

"Come on then, Vin, poker it is." She made the 'bring it' gesture with her hands and a devious smile played on her face. "Terms and favours have already been named, unless you wish to alter them?" There was a chance he might want to, but Gia was going to stick to her own little plans.

Vin let out a slight chuckle, which ended with him giving her a smirk and raised brow, as he shuffled the deck one more time and dealt the cards. He toyed with the idea of using the tricks his brother taught him, to rig the hand in his favor, but he decided it was best to leave this game to fate. While he danced with her before, Fate had always given him a rope to keep help him crawl out of any hole he landed in or gave him a break, but this was slightly different. He was interested to see where this led. How far it would go and whether a flame would be lit due to their friendship and interaction. The thought did excite him. Gia was beautiful and they seemed to have much in common, but at the same time, he's pushed someone away and he didn't want to relieve that. The heartbreak that came after.


OFF:

===========================

Lieutenant JG Gianna De Luca
Chief Counsellor
USS Hecate

&

Commander Vincent 'Vin' Salvatore
First Officer/Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Hecate

 

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