Taking a Chance

Posted on 11 Jan 2015 @ 4:52pm by Lieutenant Oren Idris Ph.D.

2,992 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84, Oren's temporary quarters
Timeline: MD25 - 1015h

[ON]

Feeling happy, and content, Tyrion had spent most of the day after leaving Oren's quarters just wandering the starbase. He had felt in an exploratory mood so he had walked the entire length insofar possible, and back again. Now, early in the morning, he felt just simply happy. And most of this, even though he was actually still a little sore - he had not gone to see a doctor given the awkwardness of his ailment - he wanted to see Oren again.

Remembering the way, it didn't take him long to reach his intended target. A huge happy smile plastered to his face, he pressed his hand against the chime.

"One moment, please!" came the rapid reply, yelled across the main room as Oren continued to pamper himself in front on the mirror, making sure every hair on his head was placed correctly. He tried not to think of who could be coming to see him as he'd promised himself not to dwell on things or overthink them anymore.

That proved to be easier said than done as the doors finally opened to reveal the last person he expected. He smiled just the same, an instinctive reaction, and tried not to look too confused.

"Tyrion!" he said. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Are you hungry?" Tyrion asked, boldly leaning forward to kiss him. "I haven't eaten yet and I'm hungry and I thought you might like to join me. Considering last night's appetite...."

Oren looked unsure. He was still getting over the shock of Tyrion actually being here. He'd assumed they had a mutual agreement to keep their night together what it was, a night together. This wasn't in his plan.

But he looked so happy, Oren somehow couldn't bring himself to tell him to go away. It was just food, after all, not a relationship. People have food with people they sleep with all the time right? They had food in bed already, so this wouldn't be that strange, would it?

"Uh...sure," Oren said with a firm nod, more to convince himself he was making the right decision that to emphasize his words. "Just give me a moment." Ducking back into his room, he grabbed one or two things (his commbadge included, just in case) and went out again.

"Did you have a specific place in mind?"

"Well I found this little place on the promenade that claims to serve a traditional English breakfast. I was hoping you were adventurous enough to come and try it with me." He smiled. "No strings attached, just me buying you breakfast."

"I'm always adventurous," Oren said, resisting the urge to make an archaeologist reference. It just wouldn't do to mention his profession. It was standard one-night-stand code, even if they were bending the definition. Walking, he reached over and entwined his fingers with Tyrion's giving his hand a squeeze.

Looking down at their linked hands, Tyrion's expression positively brightened and he returned the squeeze. "I do love bacon and eggs for breakfast," he babbled, "oh and toast and vegemite. Have you ever had vegemite?"

"I have no idea what that even is. Is it some kind of vegetable?" Oren asked. He hoped they didn't just serve meat in the place they were going. He'd hate to have to sit there, munching on a leaf while Tyrion enjoyed a full breakfast.

"It's made out of plant or yeast yes," Tyrion babbled on, "and they have something called tofu too...instead of bacon or black pudding. I'm sure they have something you love?"

"I'm sure I'll figure something out when we get there," Oren assured him calmly. "I have to ask," he finally said as they reached the restaurant in question. "Are there really no strings attached here?" Somehow, Oren was skeptical.

Grinning, Tyrion turned his hands over and over, arching a playful eyebrow at his companion. "Do you see any?" He asked, then shook his head. "No, seriously, no strings attached Oren. None, no expectations either. Just you, and me, and breakfast."

Smiling, Oren nodded, assuaged. "Alright. Because, I'm really not in the right state of mind for a relationship right now," he revealed, letting Tyrion lead him into the restaurant and to their seats in one of the small booths.

"Nor am I," Tyrion answered quietly, the smile vanishing from his face as they sat down. "All I want, is a friend to be honest. I don't have a whole many of them. In fact, from what I think and observe I may really have only the one friend."

"Then I hope he's a very good friend." At the mention of friendship, Oren couldn't help but think of Ellsworth and with that thought came the obvious guilt. He'd noticed the messages on his private line (how could he not, there were dozens, each more heartbreaking than the next), but the more time passed, the more he found himself at a loss for what to answer. At first he'd felt evasive, wanting to be alone with his thought, even selfish. After all, he didn't owe Ellsworth an explanation about where he was every moment of the day. But as hours turned to days turned to weeks, shame overcame the feeling of selfishness and now Oren knew that there was no way this would end well between them.

Without intending to, Tyrion picked up on the guilt. "Why do you feel so guilty?" he asked, then looked away. "I'm sorry. I don't usually do this, but I couldn't help it. The emotion was so strong..."

Looking dismayed by the question for a brief moment, Oren then simply looked surprised. He shook his head. "It's nothing important. I'm just not a very good friend."

"Seems important to me, the way the emotion came across. Maybe you're not a good friend now, but you can be. And I can be yours, if you let me." He reached out, covering Oren's hands with his. "Still no strings attached."

Oren gave him a coy smirk. "Well, friendship comes with some strings, doesn't it?" he asked rhetorically. "I just have a bad habit to disappearing on people when I need to work through things."

"So you're you.... I steal away in my little alcove if I need time alone. Pick away at a computer. Or I stay home and just stay in bed." He shrugged. "Though I suppose being in a cell helps one think too."

"In the spirit of not finding out too much about you, I'm going to gracefully ignore that last comment," Oren said, though he could feel his nerves getting edgy with curiosity. "As for stealing away, I think I might have overdone it. My friend sent me lots of messages but I'm kind of ashamed to answer them now, after so much time has passed."

"It's never too late, until that person is truly gone," Tyrion answered cryptically. "I wish I still could tell someone special, but I can't." A single tear started to well up in his eye as he stared down at the table. "You should answer your friend."

"I think this is way past answering via message. I'll go see him, beg for forgiveness." Noting the emotion in Tyrion's voice, Oren turned his hand over so that he could give his hand a supportive squeeze. He wished for a brief moment that they could talk more openly, but this was for the best.

"You should message him tell him that at your earliest convenience, you'll come see him. Trust me Oren...do this as soon as you can. You may never get a second chance. I never got to tell the man I loved, that I did truly love him. He knew of course, but I never had the chance. Now, I wish I had done so."

Watching Tyrion, Oren felt strangely empty. The lack of emotion, once acknowledged, suddenly made him feel terrible. Ever since he'd found out about his parents, Oren found himself feeling very little for the people around him and that was frightening for someone who knew himself to be rather sensitive. He found himself wondering if his emotional outbursts over the last few years were merely habitual, something that was expected of him. What if he really was distant and detached, like his people were always accused of being.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, realising several moment had passed without his response. "But if your friend knew than you only need to let those feelings settle themselves. It only takes time." Time solves everything.

"He's dead," Tyrion murmured. "THe man I loved....he's dead."

"I guessed," Oren said honestly. No one talked using the tone Tyrion did about something that could be repaired. "I meant settle the feelings within yourself. All grief and pain has an expiration date, even if it feels like it doesn't."

"I can't, not yet. It's too soon." The Betazoid shook his head as he picked away at his breakfast.

Oren nodded, feeling bad for ruining the mood and for Tyrion having picked up on it. So he apologized. "I didn't mean to ruin breakfast."

"It's not ruined." Tyrion offered a weak smile. "I still have very cute company and I'm not spending the morning alone. That's a bonus."

Resting his hand over Tyrion's once again, Oren caressed the back of it with his thumb. "You're very sweet." Leaning over, he pressed a soft kiss to Tyrion's cheek.

"I could get used to that," the Betazoid murmured, bowing his head in an act of sudden shyness. "I don't like being alone."

"Me neither," Oren admitted, smiling fondly at the display of reticence before leaning over and kissing his temple again. He rather liked seeing younger people blush.

"THen don't be alone," Tyrion suggested, "call your friend, spend time with him. And while you wait for him, spend time with me?"

Oren's smile widened slightly. "I think I could manage that. But...I don't know how long we can keep this up."

"As long as we need to, or want to. As I said, no strings, no expectations. Just being friends spending time. And whatever else just happens to come along."

The smile on Oren's face turned playful then. "Deal," he said. He turned his attention to his breakfast briefly. "I was actually playing with the idea of getting away for a bit. I read a advert for a two day excursion to a little planet nearby."

"What kind of excursion? Is there room for two?"

"If there's not, you can sit in my lap," Oren said back, grinning and slipping his arm around Tyrion's back.

"Naughty," Tyrion chuckled. "When do we leave?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe you could come over to my quarters later and I'll find out in the meantime?" Oren suggested.

"I'd like that. I could use a little vacation, away from all of this. And you could too." He leaned over and kissed his cheek, rather than his lips. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. I like company and you are very good company," Oren complemented.

Tyrion's face turned beetred at the compliment. "I hope so," he murmured, "I haven't dated anyone in a very long time. Even if this isn't quite a date, as we agreed."

"Mmm-hmm..." Oren nodded. "Well, when you do go on an actual date, you'll do great. In fact, I imagine you're going to make someone very happy one day." He smiled. Oren had always been a romantic at heart and while he always loved the idea of finding 'the one', the fact that his long lifespan will no doubt rob him of that opportunity was an incredibly sore subject for him.

"Oh I hope so," Tyrion answered, but sobered almost immediately, "in time. For now, I'll settle for making you a little happier, anyway I can."

"You're making me plenty happy," Oren assured him, running his hand through the hair in the back of his head absentmindedly. "Don't worry about me. I've been through worse things than a little friendship drama."

"Perhaps, but I don't want to hurt you, or your feelings. And you're perfectly entitled to say no, just so we have that straight."

Oren smirked. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I do not have a problem with saying no if I don't want to do something."

"In that case...tell me in advance what you really don't want? I understand that we're not dating that we're not an item. I get that, but I still want to make you happy. So if you tell me, then I can make sure I keep you happy?"

Oren looked at him curiously. He'd had a few small relationships like this one and none of his 'dates' had ever asked him a question like that. "Hm...I don't know what I don't want now," he admitted. "What do you not want?"

"Not want? I don't want to be treated poorly or lied to." That was the easy answer. "I also don't want you to feel as if you are required to do something, just to please me. No means no, from either."

Nodding, Oren listened, feeling a little bad. "Well, I wouldn't treat your poorly and I definitely agree with not being forced or obligated to do anything," he confirmed. "As for lying...keeping things to yourself if they come up could be considered lying," he suggested.

"How do you mean that? If they come up, like what?"

"Well, here's an example. I know some things about you that you don't know about me and vice versa."

"But I don't know how much you know about me, except for what I've told you. We only met yesterday, and we had a great night together and unless I shared something that I can't remember...I don't know what you'd know."

"It's stupid," Oren said, shrugging slightly. "I know you're Betazoid. And you probably think I'm Terran, which I'm not."

"I honestly don't see how it should be an issue what species you are," Tyrion shrugged, "so you're not Human, neither am I. We've had our shots, at least I did....there's no risk of either of us getting pregnant unless you're secretly having a uterus that I don't know about?"

Oren chuckled but shook his head. "No uterus, I promise," he said, then shrugged, looking down at the table cloth. "I don't think species matters, I just always feel a little strange when people assume what I am. I'm El-Aurian." Days from now, Oren was sure he'd wonder why he told Tyrion this seeing as how it didn't really matter, but at that moment it made him feel better. Like things were more level between them somehow.

Tyrion smiled. "Not that I required to know this but I appreciate you telling me," he said gently. "I assume, that you're quite aged then, even though to me, you look to be a little younger than I."

"Yes, I'm much older than I look. I'll be seventy-five in a standard month," Oren revealed with a nod.

"Wow!" Tyrion grinned broadly. "You look very well then. I've never met an El-Aurian before, to be honest. But well...yes...you look great." His grin widened even further, the smile reaching his black eyes. "Very handsome in fact but of course you already know this. And desirable, but you know this too."

"That almost makes me sound a little vain," Oren teased.

"You don't look vain to me, you don't feel it either. There's a tenderness to you, and curiosity. And I feel drawn to that...it's something I very much need. Someone who understands."

"Understands what?"

"Loneliness, and being taken for something you're not, or don't want to be."

Oren smiled softly. "I do understand that. But you don't have to be lonely. You should open up to more people."

"How?"

The other man shrugged. "Join a group, reach out to people at work, say hello to strangers. You're good at that last one." Oren grinned cheekily.

"At work...my department head doesn't trust me anymore, not after all what happened. I don't have any friends on the ship where I serve. Just my roommate I guess."

"Well, maybe they can introduce you to some people," Oren suggested.

"I'd like that. I really don't like to be alone anymore...I've been alone too long."

"Well, you're not alone now, at least for the time being." Leaning over, Oren planted a big kiss onto Tyrion's lips.

Savouring the kiss, Tyrion closed his eyes. "Want to get out of here?" he murmured, his breakfast long since forgotten.

"Why?" Oren asked, pulled away just enough to still feel Tyrion's breath mixing with his.

"It's getting awfully warm in here, and I need some fresh air...." he breathed, "and we're drawing attention if we keep this up."

"Do you care?" Oren teased, not moving away. The small smile on his face made it clear that, if he was making Tyrion uncomfortable, he wasn't very sorry about it.

"No I don't care...let them," the Betazoid replied breathlessly, "I want you to kiss me again. I like it very much."

"Oh?" Oren smirked. "I wouldn't wish to spoil you."

"What's wrong with a little spoiling dear?" Tyrion smiled back in promise. "I'll return the favour."

Oren smiled. "That actually sounds nice. I don't think I've ever felt spoiled before," he admitted, hoping it wouldn't make him sound too odd. He was an 'old' man, after all and the fact that he'd never felt that made him feel a little self-conscious.

"So, kiss me," Tyrion suggested a second time, "and then we'll get out of here, on that trip you suggested."

"We can't go yet, it only leaves later in the week," Oren said with a smile at Tyrion's eagerness. "But I can definitely do the first."

[OFF]

CPO Tyrion Faye
Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC T'Vanna]

Oren Idris, Ph.D.
Archaeologist/Anthropologist
USS Galileo

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