Star Trek Imagines (Reader-Inserts) Part One

Ent. Malcolm Reed - "I don't fit in."

"Is anyone sitting here?" Malcolm asked, approaching the table in the mess hall you were at.

You looked up at him. "Uh, no, go ahead."

He gave you a faint smile and sat across from you, setting his plate of food onto the table. "How's the food today?"

"It's all right," you replied with a shrug. "Re-sequenced meatloaf with mashed potatoes. How can you go wrong?"

He tested the meatloaf. "Hm. A little dry, but it's pretty good."

You nodded.

"Y/N," he said, "may I ask you something?"

You nodded again, taking a drink of your water.

"I've noticed that you tend you keep to yourself quite often. You eat alone, don't go to the movie nights... But you work well with the other members of the crew all the time. You're one of the most competent crewmembers I know."

"Thanks, but that's not a question."

He took a mouthful of potato and thought for a moment.

You raised your eyebrow as you waited. You two have worked together on numerous occasions and you've eaten together several times. But you wouldn't consider yourself to be very close to him. You always kept yourself at arm's length.

"I guess I'm just wondering why you prefer to be by yourself. Not that there's anything wrong with spending time alone, but don't you get lonely?"

"I'm fine," you said bluntly. "I guess I just haven't made many friends onboard."

He looked at you, trying to meet your eyes but you kept your gaze averted.

"I don't fit in," you admitted quietly. "I feel like I'm so different than everyone else."

"In what way?" he asked gently.

You shrugged and sighed. "I don't know. I enjoy exploring new planets and learning about new cultures. I can talk about my interests in alien cultures for hours, but when it comes to talking about my feelings and my personal issues... I just can't do it. I don't feel a connection to many people here, so I don't feel comfortable opening up to them. I like to spend my off-hours alone where I can just be quiet and relax. I prefer to read a book than watching some old classic movie that Trip puts on. I just... I feel like I'm getting in my own way of making friends, but I don't want to change who I am. And I don't want to get hurt by the people I'm close to, so I just keep my distance."

For a moment, you were stunned that you just ejected all of that to him. You weren't normally this open to people.

Malcolm nodded slowly. "I understand that."

"You do?" you asked, shocked. He seemed to have several friends, including nearly all of the bridge officers.

"I've never been that great at making connections with people, either. I could never hold a relationship for longer than a few months, I wasn't very close with my family, and the friends I made at the academy were only made because of convenience." He pushed his food around on his plate. "But when I came aboard The Enterprise, I guess it felt different. I felt like I could actually open up to some of the people on board. Yourself, included."

"Me?"

Malcolm nodded. "I like spending time with you, Y/N. I feel as though I can be myself around you and you won't judge me."

You smiled slightly. "I would never..."

"And I would never judge you, either," he said. "I like you, Y/N. I admire your talent and your passion for your work. I think you're a very interesting person. But I know what it's like to feel like you don't fit in. Let me help you get rid of that feeling. I'd like to get to know you better, if you'll let me."

"I don't know... Once I feel attached to someone, I can get a little clingy... I don't want to scare you off."

Malcolm laughed lightly. "That's all right. If you want, we can have dinner with Trip, or Hoshi, or Travis some time. You can get to know them better. None of them nor I will push you do be any more social or open than you want to be."

You smiled, looking down at your plate. "Thank you, that's very kind of you... If I'm being honest, you're one of the people on board who I feel closest to. I guess I've just been afraid to try and become closer with you."

"Then let's get to know one another better. Tell me about yourself." He put his chin in his hand.

Finally, you met Malcolm's eyes. You smiled. "What do you want to know?"