Build Your Castle; Stop Collecting Stones

Posted on 08 Jun 2014 @ 2:42pm by Commander Andreus Kohl & Petty Officer 1st Class Victarion Jaqen

1,449 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 7, Arboretum
Timeline: MD -04 - 2020 hours

[ON]

Dressed down for the occasion, Andreus Kohl was stood waiting in the entrance to the arboretum. His upper back and shoulders were leaned back against the archway, and his legs were crossed at the ankles. Rather than his uniform, Andreus was dressed in a cream-coloured tank top, a fitted taupe blazer, and pale green trousers. His motor-assist bands were conspicuously absent from his calves and his thighs. Andreus' sapphire eyes were on the down, studying behavioural ecology lecture notes on a PADD. Said notes were fascinating enough that he didn't look up when each passerby came and went.

Victarion wore dark brown clothes, oddly demure considering everything. He had not shaven and his hair, always a bit of a handful to tame, had rebelled against him. It had been because he had been so nervous. He smiled when he saw Kohl and he let out a soft breath. He walked over to him, his blue eyes studying him. "I am sorry I am late...I heard it was polite to be late, so I was trying to be twice as polite..." he said jokingly.

Victarion's presence --his physical presence close by-- was enough to curl Andreus' lips into an easy smile. It was his most natural smile, the kind of smile that came when he was alone, reading a pleasing story. Andreus looked up from his PADD and raised his left hand to cup Victarion's scratchy cheek. "Men who look like you look don't need to be polite," Kohl remarked. "I would beg you to treat me ill."

"Charmer," Victarion blushed and leant to kiss his cheek before moving to look over him. "You...you look better?" he said, surprised. And he thought he really did.

"I'm feeling stronger," replied Andreus, and he sounded heartened by Victarion's concern. That line, coming from another man, would be about Andreus' eyes or the taughtness of his body, but he knew deep down that Victarion meant that Andreus looked healthier. Andreus' brows creased, and a sardonic pinch to his lips interrupted his smile. "I may not look much better when you see me walking," Kohl said with a hint of fear behind his words. "I'm trying not to use the assist bands when I'm off duty. ...I may need you to hold my hand."

"I would welcome that," Victarion said as he watched him, his eyes warm as he chuckled. "An excuse to hold your hand. Do not worry. Please. You are looking so much better already, it warms my very spirit."

Reaching over, Andreus took Victarion's hand and tugged him as if he was about to jog into the arboretum and drag the younger Argelian with him. Andreus' body didn't quite respond in kind. He took one ponderous step after another with heavy footfalls, and began a meandering walk into the arboretum. "How was the Captain today?" Andrues asked, wanting to ask about Victarion's day, but knowing better than to shine a spotlight on the man too suddenly.

"He seems to be taken it all onboard," he smiled gently as he walked with him. "And perhaps suddenly appreciates all that Saalm used to keep from him," he added to Andreus with a playful smile.

Chuckling at that, Andreus continued to lead Victarion along one particular pathway. He kept close to Victarion's side, and bumped into him from time to time, on purpose. Any excuse for closeness. "And you're supporting him through that, I imagine," Kohl said.

"I try," he said softly, giving a small smile. "But he is a man used to doing things on his own. I suspect he finds me useful, but does not quite realise how I can be used..." he wrapped his arm around Andreus, to have him hip to hip.

All of a sudden, Andrues didn't feel like a burden, walking so slowly. It meant there was less chance of slipping out of Victarion's grasp as they made their was along the path. Andreus took them on a left turn, before the path ended, and lead them onto the grass. "I wonder," Andreus said with a mischievous edge to his voice, "If you can recognize that trait in him so easily, because you are a man too accustomed to doing things on your own."

Victarion blushed as he looked at him, his eyes shining with warmth. He smiled, his eyes warm, eagerness written on his face. It was playful. He couldn't help it. "I am used to it. Does not mean I enjoy it."

"If that's the case," Andreus remarked, "Then I am a very lucky man indeed." Working himself up to a stride, Kohl moved ahead of Victarion, leading them in a very specific directly. All the while, his grip never loosened from Victarion's hand. "I promised the ecologists I would work on a project for them, but I'm just one man. I need your help."

He watched Kohl before nodding gently, taking a breath. "I would love to," he admitted with a warm smile. "I would love to help, Andreus."

"While we were on Earth," Andreus said, and his excitement was barely contained within the confines of simple words. He pushed himself to walk faster, practically stumbling as he approached a naked flower bed. "I got my hands on a crate of amethyst gladiolus bulbs! I thought, well I hoped, we would plant a patch of garden to look just like your family homestead."

Victarion watched the naked flower bed before looking at Kohl. For a moment, he just watched him. It was such a thoughtful thing, to give him a little piece of home. Only...it was the wrong flower. He leant close and kissed his cheek, unsure how he could...tell him. He felt like a proper bastard too. "They are beautiful when in bloom...." he said and looked down, leaning closer to him. "But...my family grow nymphaea amethyst, the dark purple water roses..."

Encircling Victarion's torso between his arms, Andreus hunched over slightly to bury his face in the other man's shoulder. "No, no, no," said Andreus. Still, he wouldn't raise his head, for fear of having to meet Victarion's eyes. "Oh no. They don't grow these on Earth. I had to import them before shore leave was over. Travel time alone-- I had to trade to lift them out of a shipment that was already en route..." Andreus lifted his head now, but only enough to kiss Victarion's cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

He laughed warmly and leant to kiss his cheek in return. "Don't be sad," he suddenly said. "This...this means so much. More than the flowers, it is what you are doing for me. You have done that for me, such...thought."

Straightening himself upright, Andreus remarked, "I seem to think about you a lot." He smiled shyly, and then he said, "More than you think I do."

Victarion let out a shaky breath at the words, searching his face. "Good...I mean..." he laughed softly, blushing as well. "I think about you a lot."

"Oh, do you now?" Andreus said, seemingly mocking him with feigned-surprise. Since they were there already, down on the ground, Andreus' fidgety hands reached out for a trowel, and he started to dig into the fresh soil. The bulk of his attention remained on Victarion throughout. He asked, "And in what context do I feature in your thoughts?"

Victarion watched him for a long moment before smiling gently. "A constant source of joy," he said quietly. "And concern. Because I care about you."

Kohl had smile, really smiled, at the talk of joy, but his features dimmed at the next part. "What, uhm," Kohl asked, "and what gives you cause for concern?"

He smiled at that before stroking his arm. "Nothing specific," he admitted softly. "I just...worry about you."

"In that case," Kohl remarked, "the next time you feel concern rise in your chest, I would recommend you touch your commbadge and you say hello." There was only good humour behind Kohl's condescending manner. He lifted up a small bulb and he planted it in the soil, but he slowed his movements when Victarion's hand came to rest on his arm. "You may find your intervention cheers me greatly."

Victarion nodded before leaning close, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I will. But only if you do the same for me, should you ever want to hear my voice." He arched an eyebrow before pulling back, slowly, watching the soil rather than the other man's face.


[OFF]

Lieutenant Andreus Kohl
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

&

Petty Officer 1st Class Victarion Jaqen
Yeoman
USS Galileo

RSS Feed