Zach & Lexi & Zed & Gracie

Posted on Tue Aug 25th, 2026 @ 12:00am by Lieutenant JG Grace MacKenzie 'Sabre' & Chief Petty Officer Alexis Aenera & Lieutenant Zachary Addams

3,574 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Kintsugi
Location: Zach's Quarters

It was another rough night for Grace, even if the nightmares weren’t nearly as bad as before. This one had been more immediate, more in the present, far different than the ones that had previously woken her up in terror. A flash of an explosion as her flight leader had slammed into that asteroid that SHE had missed her shot on; The terror of facing Heralds down as their weapons fire sparked off her shields; The realization that those torpedoes we’re going to hit HER; then the brief wind caused when the shredded remains of her fighter limped back as she silenced the alarms that told her she was going to die before she made it back to Tokyo.

All in all, rather tame in comparison, but the fact that she had gotten maybe an hour of sleep before her bunk mate had woken her up AGAIN because she was making too much noise meant that she needed to get out for a walk again. There was only one place to go anymore, what with the damage that had parts of the ship off limits: She went to Zed’s quarters, he would hold her and she would sleep peacefully with him guarding her dreams.

The door let her in as it always did and she sniffed delicately, not smelling any remnants of the smoke from her aborted attempt at dinner, then the other unfamiliar sound came from the open bedroom door. It was a rustle of sheets and… There was a distinctly feminine moan followed by a masculine one. Grace froze in shock and panic, did she enter the wrong quarters? No, the door had welcomed her.

Her feet padded forward without conscious thought and as she finally found the doorway, she saw what she was scared to see and she froze completely as she could only stare at them there, bodies entwined, her head was thrown back in ecstasy, clearly she had bigger boobs than Grace herself, but… Instantly there was a pain in Grace’s chest as her heart shattered, but she was unable to move, to speak, for any signs of life.

She watched silently for what should have been several heartbeats, if hers had been beating still, then quietly turned and walked away, her hand sliding down to close the bedroom door as she made her way like a zombie to the couch that she had sat on many times before and collapsed onto it in despair.

The sounds in the bedroom ceased immediately as they heard the doors close. There was a sudden rustle of fabric and a brief thud as if someone had hit a piece of furniture. A moment later, the doors opened again and Zach stepped out in boxers and a tshirt, looking surprised, and concerned. "Gracie?" he said, then saw the look on her face. He stepped into the living room, letting the doors close and walked over to sit in a chair near her and tried think of something to say that wouldn't be galactically stupid.

Grace almost wasn't sure she heard the voice as she stared off into the wall, tears falling silently from her eyes as if in absolute disbelief. "W-When were you gonna tell m-me that you've gone and dumped me, Zed?"

Zed looked at her like she had three heads. "Dumped you? What are you talking about?" he said, completely thrown.

She finally looked up at him, her eyes not focusing on him at all, "Dumped me. That's what boyfriends do when they get tired of their girlfriends, especially when they aren't sleepin' with each other and Ah get it, Ah don't blame you." She seemed to wilt where she sat.

Zed's face went through several emotions, most in the 'confusion' range. "Boyfriend? Gracie, when did we.....we never....Gracie, honey, we haven't talked about a relationship at all. You never said you wanted that and I hadn't wanted to make you feel pressured so I hadn't brought it up and...." His heart was racing and he felt a surge of emotions as he realized how hurt Grace was, and before he could stop it, he felt his governor kick in. "Grace," he said, his voice suddenly calm and steady, "please understand that I was not aware you felt this way, and I am so very sorry to have let you be misled. I had no intentions of every hurting you, and I feel extremely upset about it."

"Ah told you that Ah was tryin' to be a better girlfriend, and you didn't argue with it!" Grace got out, sounding more hurt than ever, "And then after Ah tried to make you dinner and we had that... Moment, how could Ah have thought otherwise? You said you'd wait for me, be patient for me, and now.." She trailed off.

The door opened behind them and Alexis took one step out, "Zach, are you coming back?"

Zed regarded Alexis with a raised eyebrow. "There are more pressing matters," he said. "Grace and I have had a severe misunderstanding and miscommunication and I need to clarify it." He looked back at Grace, his focus on her. "Grace, my involvement with Alexis preceded any emotional closeness between us. It was something separate. When you mentioned being a better girlfriend, I assumed you were speaking in a general sense. We hadn't discussed any kind of formal relationship, so I was not aware you were expecting me to act accordingly." He took a few breaths, trying to calm down, but he could tell he was still extremely upset. "I have and would continue to be patient with you. I have not attempted to rush you, nor have I asked more of you than I thought you capable of giving. I simply did not realize you...cared as much for me."

"And here you go, tryin' to take the easy way out by talkin' all fancy-like and calm and..." Grace dropped her gaze to the floor in front of her again, "And Ah know it's not your fault, so that's wrong of me to say.. Ah'm sorry..." But did it have to be with HER?" She demanded, not seeing Alexis's jaw dropping, "Lots of other girls on board and you had to pick her?"

Alexis took two steps forward in her t-shirt and panties now, "Now look here, Missy, you have some nerve! He's obviously not getting what he needs from YOU, so I'm here when he needs me!"

"Alexis," Zach said, his voice stern, but still level. Nothing about this was helping him get back to normal and his frustration at that just made it worse. "That is not helping the situation, and for reasons I can't go into, it is extremely hurtful."

He sighed and turned back to Grace. "Again, she and I became involved before you and I were attempting to become closer. Our relationship is physical, yes, but that is all. She is not your enemy, nor your adversary."

"What's going on with you, Zach? Why are you talking like that?" Alexis was giving him an odd look, "What did you do to him?"

"It's not his fault!" Grace snapped at the other woman, stabbing a finger at her as she spun on the couch, "Get back in there or leave, Ah don't care, all Ah know is that if you're in this room in the next five seconds, Ah'm gonna fuckin' kill you!"

"Grace!" Zed said, his volume rising. "That wasn't called for."

“It’s her fault for bad-mouthin’ you!” Grace made her case, “An’ that’s the difference between us, Zed, Ah understand you, she just… Ah don’t know.”

Zed looked at her a moment, deep in thought.

Alexis looked between them both, “I’m not ready for this sort of crazy right now, I’ll see you at work, Zach, I’ll come back for my clothes tomorrow,” She glared at Grace, “When it’s safe.”

Zach sighed and stood up to look her in the eye. "I will speak with you soon. I am sorry for this, Alexis," he said, quietly. "I will try to explain everything."

The Roman shoook her head slowly, “Right, it’s fine, see you soon Zach.” She gave one final dagger look at Grace before she walked out into the hallway and was gone.

He walked her to the door and saw her out, then turned back to Grace and sighed. He walked back over and sat down next to Grace. "There are no words to describe how much I hate what has happened," he said. "I never wished to hurt you, and I cannot forgive myself for doing so."

“As Ah said, Zed, Ah can’t blame you that much. You’re a guy, it’s what guys do.” She moved away from him as he sat down, “And Ah thought you understood, that you knew Ah was your girlfriend and you were my boyfriend and it hurts. God, it hurts so much Zed, but Ah can give you what she can’t. If she loved you like Ah do, she’d never have walked out that door.”

"I take quite a bit of offense to 'you're a guy, it's what guys do," he said, "but I understand why you would say it." He sat quietly for a moment. "I never thought she loved me, Grace. We were not in a relationship as such. It was simply an arrangement of convenience. You and I...what we have, as fractured and fragile as it is, is more emotional and loving than what she and I share."

“Ah never told you my third boyfriend cheated on me, of course, so did my second, but that’s because Ah wouldn’t put out. My third was the one Ah lost my cherry to.” Grace shook her head, “So as Ah said, Ah’m not surprised. Ah’ve really been tryin’ to get there for you, Zed, Ah swear it on.. On anythin’ you can named because Ah don’t wanna lose you, too!” Tears sprang from her eyes, “You’ve been what kept me goin’ after Foch went down and and yeah, Fubuki protected me from the Legion when they came for me on the flight deck, but you’ve always been there..” she covered her face in her hands as she broke down, “And Ah really love you.”

Zed had always treated her gently and let her move at her pace, but for once, he felt the situation called for swift physical action. He moved closer to her and pulled her against him, holding her tightly, ignoring her struggle and holding her against him, kissing the top of her head. "I have told you," he said, "I will not abandon you, and you have no obligation to 'get there' for me, and I wish you would not put that pressure on yourself. I care about you, Grace, more than I am able to express right now, and sex will not change that, nor will a lack of it."

He struggle to get away was only half hearted, faded quickly and she was still in his arms after a few seconds, “But you don’t.” She said miserably, “Love me, that is, do you?”

"Grace, what I feel for you," he said, trying to calm down once again, but finally sighing in resignation, "is very real and very complex. If my feelings for you weren't so strong, I would not be so trapped in this override hell. If I didn't have feelings for you, I wouldn't be so close to you as we have become. Love is something grown over time, and I am willing to take that time and let my feelings continue to grow, if you'll still have me to grow with."

Grace finally threw her arms around him and clung to him in desperation. It wasn’t a yes, but it also wasn’t a no. For now, she’d take that, because it was hope. “But what about her?”

"Her name is Alexis," he reminded her. "And she is a close friend, and deserves an explanation from me," he said. "And I will give her one later. Right now, I am not leaving you."

She smacked him on the back, “You’re avoidin’ the question.” She nagged him, “You are my boyfriend. I need that to be clear. If you want me to be with you, to grow with you like you said, it isn’t as second place to a strumpet.”

"You are not," he said, holding her tightly. "You are the one I've kept here, you are the one I am comforting right now. She merely fulfilled a need and was a good friend. You as a girlfriend is a very different dynamic, but one I welcome." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then moved and nuzzled her neck.

She enjoyed that very much, but still, something ate at Grace from the inside and she pulled back slightly, “You swear that there were no actual feelin’s for her?”

Zed let out another breath, feeling himself come back to normal as he held her. He sat silently for a moment and shivered as he regained control. "Gracie," he said, his voice now unsteady but warm, "I care about Lexi very much, as a close, personal friend, but that is all. She's not my girlfriend, and has no interest in being that, and I've had no intention of asking her to be. Right now, I think that position is filled with the best applicant." He gave her a small smile, despite the tear now coming down his cheek.

Grace judged the look on his face, then sidled back over close to him to let him wrap her up again, “‘Cause she is right, damn her to the seventh ring of Hell…” She muttered, “Ah wanna set some ground rules, Zed and Ah can change them whenever Ah feel like it. Ah come first. No matter what the case, and she doesn’t get to stay the night just in case Ah need to come in to snuggle. We can figure out some way to warn me off so Ah don’t gotta see that again, but if she’s just givin’ you what Ah can’t? Ah don’t gotta like it, but better someone you ain’t got feelin’s for that someone who you might get them for. And if you ever start feel in’ for her? Tell me and we will re-evaluate, okay?”

He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, closed it again. "Gracie," he said, softly, "are you absolutely sure?"

“No, but Ah don’t know how long it’s gonna take for me to… Be normal again.” Grace finished carefully, “And if it’s this or risk losin’ you to someone with a different exotic accent who has a better body than Ah do and is closer to your height? Or just risk losin’ you period?” She exhaled and nodded, “Ah can live with this.”

"Okay, let's get some things straight," Zed said, some exasperation cutting through in his voice. "Your body is magnificent. I've never not loved seeing it or touching it. Your height is not a problem. Short girls are cute as hell, in my book. Your accent is sexy as hell, and I love hearing it." His voice got firmer with every statement. "But those aren't the things that make me care for you. Those aren't the things that make me want you in my life, or that have helped us get close. So, please, do me the courtesy of not acting like that's all I care about, just because I had a lover who is built differently, all right?" He huffed and pulled her close again, holding her. "I care about you," he said.

“But not love me… yet.” Grace was making the distinction, but her tone made it as clear as she could that she was doing it for herself, not to press the issue. “But that will change. Ah’ll do my best to not think those things, but, do we have a deal?”

"Yet," Zed promised, then thought for a moment. "And yes," he said. "We have a deal. I'd like to set one other condition," he said, quietly, his voice serious.

Grace gave him a wary look, but nodded, “Ah’ll listen at least.”

"You are not allowed near my kitchen without me there to assist," he said, then broke into a grin.

She stuck her tongue out at him in response, “No. Ah am goin’ to successfully make you dinner as a surprise one of these days, and it can’t be a surprise if you’re in the kitchen with me!”

"The surprise can be on your own. The practice ahead of time will be with me, and we'll learn together," he said. He looked her in the eyes then screwed up his courage and moved forward, kissing her, trying to show her how he felt even if he couldn't say it yet.

Grace didn’t respond at first, in part because she wasn’t sure that they weren’t still fighting, but she knew she loved him and that was enough for now. Finally she kissed him back, “It’s late and Ahve got some simulator exercises in the mornin’… Perhaps we should go try to get some sleep?”

He nodded, already feeling the fatigue. "I agree," he said. "Give me a minute to...tidy up." He kissed her again and stood up, walking quickly to his bedroom. He closed the doors and rushed to clear all of the discarded clothing around and straighten the sheets. After two minutes ne came back out and nodded. "Ready for bed," he said.

Grace peeled herself off the couch and joined him in his bedroom, shaking off the sight she’d seen just so recently from her brain. That was the past, this was the now.

As she stepped into the bedroom, Zed took off his shirt and tossed it to his hamper. He almost removed his boxers, but realized that would give the wrong message and left them on, slipping back into his usual side of the bed and turning to face her as she came around to hers.

Grace stared at him as he took his shirt off and bit her lower lip before reaching down to pull the hem of her own shirt up and over her head before quickly getting in under the covers knowing his eyes were on her body, not her face. He thought she was beautiful, she reminded herself, and while it wasn’t what Alexis could give him, she could still do something small like this. She sidled up to him and rested her head on his chest as she snuggled up to him under the covers, “You really like them?”

Zed's jaw had dropped in full shock as she went topless and as she pressed against him, his arms went around her immediately. "I love them almost as much as I love the girl they belong to," he said, softly. One hand rubbed her back gently, and the other traced up her side and gently traced the shape of one against his chest. He felt her shudder and held her again. "Gracie, they're perfect, and as beautiful as you." He kissed her cheek and snuggled down with her.

"Ah like it when you say things like that." Grace murmured, "And Ah won't rush myself, Ah promise. When Ah'm ready, Ah'm ready, not before. But Ah wanna be." She looked up at him, propping her chin on his chest, "But for now? Ah think Ah just need you to kiss me."

Zach looked at her and smiled, then gave her a kiss that was long, slow and deep. One hand stayed on her back, supporting her and holding her with him, the other hand went to her hip and rested gently there, letting her get used to having him close.

Grace wrapped one arm around him, but didn't disrupt him until he finally released her from the kiss. She flexed her butt muscles briefly as she smiled at him, "See what you were missing from not thinking of me as your girlfriend?"

Zach shook his head and bravely moved his hand to squeeze her flexed muscles playfully. "Gracie, I have tried my whole life to be a good man, but I have never claimed to be a wise one," he said, quietly. "But I will forever be thankful that I was smart enough to appreciate a smaller, sportier model." He kissed her again, this time with a bit more passion and let his hands move a bit more freely.

As his hand slid down and squeezed her butt, Grace squeaked in surprise, but didn't pull away, it certainly helped that she was still wearing pajama pants. Her reply was removed as she kissed him back with equal passion, wriggling herself to invite him to add his other hand, which he did. She could give him this much at least, even if not everything. She slid up on his chest even more, resting her own on his and moaned gently into his mouth.

A post by:

Zachary Addams
Chief Engineer
USS Tokyo

Grace Mackenzie
Winner
USS Tokyo

Alexis Aenera
Unlucky Loser
USS Tokyo

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