The Artist

Posted on 22 Sep 2018 @ 9:25am by Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Alexion Wylde & Laeon Wylde
Edited on on 24 Sep 2018 @ 1:25pm

3,589 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Avondale Shipyards - Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 142, 1400 hrs

[ON]

His legs pulled up into the chair, the youth had his paper pad resting against his thighs and knees, idily sketching with a pencil as he glanced up. Laeon Wylde had been nursing the same drink for over an hour now, having lost interest in it pretty quickly. It was green, and thick and blitzed up, having fooled him into thinking it would be like a milkshake...no, this tasted healthy. He didn't like it at all. He looked at the dark haired man again, taking in his face and the line of his neck before starting to draw with more detail.

Constantin Vansen frowned as he stared at the PADD before he finally sighed and put it down. He tipped his head back and rolled his shoulders, turning his head to the side. That's when he noticed the youth sitting there. He was pretty sure there was...was that real paper? He had never seen it before. And what he had in his hand was a pencil, he knew about those but again hadn't...seen one. "Hey," he looked at him and smiled. "Is that paper? And a pencil?"

"Hm?" Laeon's eyes came back into focus at being spoken to and he glanced to the drawing materials in his hand with a small smile. "I...yeah. It's the best stuff in the Federation I've found for drawing. Well, least messy for somewhere like this anyway," he admitted with a chuckle, shaking his head. "I prefer ink."

"Can I see?" Constantin asked, not moving from his seat but smiling as he watched the young man. He was curious. He hadn't seen...anyone do that before. Not for real.

"I...sure..." Laeon gave something of a nervous smile, but got up to sit next to him, showing him the pad. It was a sketch of Constantin, a look of concentration on his face as he read. There were words in the boy's own language though, threaded into the image. "Ink is clearer, but....well, this is easier out and around."

Constantin watched it for a moment with confusion. He looked at Laeon and smiled, shaking his head. "I...you were drawing me," he said before he motioned to it. "What does it say? Or...is it just...style?" He didn't know if it was a language, but it looked like it to him.

"They're words, from my language," he smiled gently to him, meeting his eyes for a moment before moving his fingers over them. "Usually, I would work a story into the art, but I don't know you, so...they're just words that came to mind. This one translates roughly as 'depth'...here is 'ember'....this one is something close to 'traveller'...oh, and this one is our word for 'star'. It...works better in ink, the letters become the image..." he added, almost apologetically.

"It's beautiful," Constantin said as he saw the boy's embarrassment, smiling to him. "I'm Constantin..." he thought it was better than to do the full name and rank thing. The boy was talented. Really talented. And he was decently sure all the words he had chosen were compliments. And that had made him grin.

Laeon relaxed at the compliment, smiling warmly to the man as he leant in to offer his hand, but with the kind of stiffness that showed it wasn't a natural greeting for him. "Laeon."

Constantin looked at the hand before he took it, smiling weakly. "Good to meet you, Laeon," he said before he shook his head. "I...never really understand the handshake. I know I am human and should, but...I just don't...get it..." he let go of his hand and grinned.

Laeon relaxed at that, letting out a soft laugh at himself for having done it in the first place. "Sorry..." he grimaced, shaking his head. "We do it like this..." he touched his chest with two fingertips, then raised them to touch his forehead before motioning them towards Constantin. "No messy contact," he grinned.

Constantin copied him, smiling at the words. "I like gestures," he admitted softly. "If you are in a spacesuit, you need gestures because smaller things can't be seen," he chuckled warmly and nodded. "You are a true artist..."

Laeon smiled warmly at the words but shrugged shyly, looking to the paper. "I just enjoy it. It's not...useful. Not like you and the crew," he smiled softly, his eyes gentle as they watched him. "Dad...doesn't seem keen on me joining Starfleet though."

Constantin bit his lip for a moment as he considered it before he made a face. "Not...his life though, is it?" he asked quietly. "Besides...what you have created? Makes me look...good. Makes me feel good. Now, if that isn't useful, I don't know."

Laeon watched him with gratitude, shifting his chair closer to him, shaking his head. "What do you do?" he asked softly.

"Operations," Constantin held his eyes before he smiled. "Keeping things working on the ship. It is what I am good at...repairing things. It's...good. I enjoy it. And I get to be in space, which...feels like home to me. That view? That is the view I have always known and always loved."

Laeon smiled at that, leaning in as he flipped through some of the pages in the pad, finding out a couple of sketches he'd done of the view. "It's...pretty spectacular," he admitted quietly. "I prefer it to other planets anyway," he shrugged gently. Unable to go home, it just felt uncomfortable to be on other planets. He preferred space to that feeling.

"Nothing wrong with liking space," Constantin said firmly with a warm and quick smile. He looked at the sketches, taking them in as he let out a soft breath. "They're beautiful."

Colour came to Laeon's skin at the words and he shook his head slowly with a small smile. "I'm sure you could do them too...if you weren't doing more important things," he pointed out.

Constantin held his eyes for a long moment, searching his eyes. "No, I can barely hold a PADD and I would not have this talent..." he said with a grin before he tilted his head. "Don't be so modest on your own skills."

Laeon smiled to him with gratitude, holding his eyes for a long moment. "Come on...you must have an artistic outlet hidden away somewhere..."

Constantin looked at him before he smiled gently, shaking his head. "Maybe hidden very, very, very far away."

Laeon took a long moment just to watch him, taking him in, searching his eyes with warmth. "All humans I've met have been pretty creative. In one way or another."

"Ah. Well...I suppose I have never tried anything creative," Constantin admitted as he smiled gently. "I like dancing. I am not good at it, but it feels...good to move with people, to feel them move with you. I suppose...the rest..." he gave a small shrug by holding his hands out tot he side and moving them and looked down with a grin. "Sorry. I...I have been told I can talk too much. I am still finding out about the social unspoken rules. I wish someone would just say them and have them be spoken rules."

"Why have any rules?" Laeon shook his head with a soft smile at that, although there was a slight shyness in how he looked at him. "I like that you talk a lot to me. It's...refreshing," he shrugged awkwardly. "When you could just tell me to get lost."

"Why would I do that?" Constantin met his eyes with surprise at the words, watching with confusion. "Is...does that happen a lot, people tell you to get lost?" He couldn't imagine it. It was Starfleet and...and people seemed social here. He felt social anyway. He liked feeling and hearing the people. Knowing he wasn't alone, it mattered so much. It reminded him that he wasn't alone in the universe, that the silence at night was temporary. And yet he balanced it with the fact he still worried about being awkward, about being...in the way with people. Well, no one said you were smart, Vansen. Get over it, he thought, with a weak smile to himself.

"Oh not that bluntly," Laeon laughed softly, shaking his head with a half smile as he looked down to his pad, tapping it lightly with his pencil. "But you don't have to be a native federation standard speaker to understand 'time to leave the room, the adults are talking now' in 1001 varieties of phrases."

Constantin looked at him before he smiled weakly. "Want to teach me? I keep missing those varieties of phrases. I am the one who stays a lot longer than I should in a room until people just leave..." he chuckled at himself. Okay, it sounded a bit pathetic when he said it that way.

Laeon just laughed though, leaning in closer to him across the table. "Oh, well, it usually goes something like..." he cleared his throat and adopted a mock serious expression. " 'Sorry, but I left my PADD in the arboretum...do you think you could go and fetch it for me?' Or...'You must be thirsty, why don't you go through and get yourself a drink?' Or...'you must have work you need to get finished for tomorrow?' Or my personal favourite is when people just stop talking and start clearing throats and glancing unsubtly to each other."

Constantin smiled weakly at the words. "Wow. Okay, so even I should be able to catch those awkward times..." he chuckled and shook his head. "Are people really that self-centric? Or jerks?" he asked softly as he lowered his voice, so no one else could hear.

"If they do it to you, yes," Laeon replied seriously, shaking his head lightly. "But it's just how it is with 'kids'," he looked upward in a moment of irritation that he was still considered one. "You must remember?"

Constantin looked at him before he looked down at his hands. "I...never had that problem as a child," he said before he met his eyes, moving his hands to the side to shrug with them. "It was just me and my parents. They would tell me to go to bed if they wished to talk without me listening in."

"Go to bed, that's another one," Laeon laughed gently, shaking his head as he watched him with uncontained curiosity. "How was it just the three of you? That seems....quiet. Small."

Constantin let out a soft breath, seeing the curiosity and responding to it with wanting to explain. "I was born and raised on a small ship. Or big shuttle, not sure what it classifies best as. Anyway...it was just the three of us until we got into some trouble and my father died."

"Wow..." Laeon sat back with surprise, trying to imagine what that would have been like, how small a world that must have been at times. "You must have been so close."

Constantin held his eyes for a long moment before he let out a breath. "I...am not sure. They were my parents, but also my Captain and Second in Command."

"Aren't all parents in a way?" Laeon chuckled softy, shaking his head, his gaze lifting upward. "You must have kind of liked it though? To be back on a ship?"

"I...yes," Constantin admitted as he looked at him, studying his features. He seemed so familiar but he could not place him. "I am happiest out here. It is what I have known all my life. And planets do not agree with me."

Laeon smiled almost sadly at that, nodding as he looked down to his drawing pad, caressing the paper for a moment. "Planets don't feel right anymore," he said quietly, shrugging.

"Why?" Constantin asked as he looked at him, frowning at the way he was now moving. He didn't have much experience with people, but it didn't seem...right. Suddenly, he seemed...what was the word? Not sad, he didn't cry or anything. Wistful?

Laeon was quiet for a long moment, trying to find the right words, a frown coming to the youthful features over it. "Because there's no such thing as home anymore."

Constantin watched him for a long moment before he reached out to touch his forehead, over the frown to try and smooth it out. He suddenly realised what he was doing and pulled his hand back, smiling weakly. "Sorry. But...there is always a home. It just...isn't a place. It's...a feeling."

Laeon watched him with open surprise at both the words and his kindness. Handsome and kind? He shook his head, as if to rid himself of the slight colour on his cheeks. "Is that why you're happy travelling?"

"I think so," Constantin admitted as he smiled warmly to him, searching his eyes. "You meet a lot of people. And...I like the stars. I like seeing them in the sky. Makes me feel...both grand and insignificant at the same time."

"When I was little, I used to think stars were creatures. Something like...faeries to humans," Laeon smiled softly, resting his chin in his hand. "And when they were full of mischief, they would move, to trick the people watching them."

Constantin watched with awe before he shook his head, taking a deeper breath. "That sounds...so beautiful. And who knows really? Could be that is really true and we just don't understand how they truly are?"

"They would be amazing," Laeon laughed, back in better spirits again as he shook his head. "They're just staying really, really still when we're watching them so we don't catch on to what they're doing...."

"See, that I can imagine. And the moment we blink or look away they dance or do something...and that is what you catch from the corner of your eye," Constantin added before he sat back, pleased with the turn of conversation and how it had made the youth laugh.

Laeon smiled warmly to him, surprised at how easily this man talked about such frivolous things with him. "Let's hope they don't send us too far off course out here..." he said gently.

"Well...if it does, won't it be a bit of an adventure?" Constantin breathed as he held his eyes, his eyes shining playfully with mirth.

Laeon's smile widened at that, and he leant in closer to him, searching his eyes to try and see more behind his words. "Do you think we can make a mark out here?" he whispered.

Vansen nodded slowly, biting his lip for a moment. "We already are," he said quietly. "We're people in space. It's the one environment that doesn't support most lifeforms and yet here we are. Sure, we are in a ship, but we are out here. We are out in the cold, hard vacuum of space and that in itself is amazing. We are surrounded by stars. And what we see right now, no one else will ever see. Not these seconds, not these minutes. Isn't that amazing?"

Laeon set his chin in his hand as he watched him with wonder at how he spoke. The image it painted. "You said you weren't artistic...your art is in your words."

"I..." Constantin hesitated as he said it, blushing before he gave him a smile that was almost silly. "I suppose I sometimes just...say what is in my head. It is a bit...weird up there."

"All the best people are," Laeon laughed warmly before glancing down shyly, but appreciating the honesty from the other man. It wasn't as common as some people liked to think.

Constantin chuckled at the words, reassured as he nodded. "Good. Good, because I wouldn't...really know." He admitted and nudged the boy, watching the downturned face. Shy. He understood shy, he had been like that himself. "So...if I asked you to draw something...would you?"

"I can try," Laeon grinned at the prospect of a challenge, already taking up his pencil.

"Laeon..." Dr Wylde strolled over to them, his hand in his pocket as he looked to the pad his son had on the table. Made sense. "I have been looking for you. I should have known better..."

Constantin looked up and smiled when he saw Alexion, his breath catching. He had last seen Doctor Wylde at Starfleet Medical. "Doctor Wylde," he said softly and grinned, sitting back. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Constantin..." Alexion gave a smile to the man he remembered easily enough. The unforthcoming patient who tried to play down his symptoms but ended up cracking in the end. Once the right pressure had been applied.

Laeon looked between them, his own smile broadening at the reactions. "You know each other?"

"He was my patient, in Starfleet Medical," Alexion laid a hand on his son's shoulder, leaning to take a look at what he'd been drawing. He gave a slight chuckle when he saw the drawing of the dark haired man in front of him. Constantin didn't seem bothered about it though.

Constantin chuckled at the words and nodded. "And Doctor Wylde helped me with my medication," he said, looking between them. He could see the family resemblance now that he was looking for it. It was nice. And strange too, to see a father so warm with his child. Like he cared. Like he loved him. It's how it is meant to be, you idiot. You are the odd one out who didn't have that.

"Did it taste bitter?" Laeon teased, but with a small smile, glancing up to his father with an arched eyebrow.

"Haha," Alexion sighed, setting his hands on his hips and jerking his head towards the door. "And you have studying to do, so enough distraction..."

"Wait..." the younger Wylde looked to Constantin with a smile, grabbing his pad and pencil. "You didn't tell me what I have to draw..."

Constantin watched him before he smiled warmly. "Draw me an animal in the woods at night. I hear that's...something a lot of people like. Maybe I will like it too?"

Laeon watched him with surprise at the subject, hugging the pad close to his chest as he thought on it. "Even if you grew up on a ship?"

Constantin held his eyes as he nodded, searching his eyes. "I missed out on a lot of things," he said softly, taking a breath. "So maybe some art of what I missed might...slot those pieces in where they belong?" Make him more normal.

"Okay," Laeon smiled warmly to the man, nodding firmly to show he'd give it his best shot. "Challenge accepted...." the smile turned to a grin before the youth dashed out.

Alexion shook his head with a slight sigh, giving a half, apologetic smile. "Sorry if he...invited himself over."

"He didn't, I saw him sketching and I...started talking to him," Constantin said and smiled as he stood, watching him closely. "So...how have you been, Doctor Wylde?"

"Me? Oh, fine," he lowered himself into the seat Laeon had been in....inviting himself over. "More importantly...how have you been?" he asked quietly, watching him seriously and expecting an honest answer.

Constantin met his eyes before he smiled to him, his eyes warm. "Much better," he admitted softly. "Been clocking some zero gee time as well. And the medication works well," he said and held his hand out, giving a thumbs up. "I got a top bunk this time. A bit worried about falling out of it, but the view is good and it means I can keep my meds out of the way from my room mate."

Alexion nodded with approval at hearing the man's improved circumstances. It seemed liked he'd found a rhythm to life. "Well if you need anything, or it starts getting worse, you can come and find me. I work in the place with all the sick people..." there was a teasing glint in his eyes.

Constantin chuckled, looking down with a small smile. "Yes, I remember where sickbay is...roughly anyway..." he glanced at him, giving a playful smile. "I take it you won't drag me there then, Doctor?"

"Depends whether you behave or not..." Alexion gave a slight tsk as he pushed himself up, his eyes light. He was about to leave but ended up hesitating, glancing back to the dark haired man. "Thank you for humouring my son. He...doesn't always find Federation life easy."

"I wasn't humouring him," Constantin said with a small smile, holding his eyes. "He was doing something I had never seen before. And he is nice. Must take after his father."

Alexion chuckled, shaking his head with a slight grin at that, pushing the chair under the table. "I have been described in many ways. Nice is not one of them," he pursed his lips, shaking his head with a small smile. "Take care of yourself," he ordered with a point of his finger before moving away to follow Laeon.

Constantin smiled weakly as he watched him go, taking a deeper breath before he sat back, looking at the stars. "Will try," he said into the empty space.

[OFF]

--

Petty Officer Constantin Vansen
Operations
USS Galileo-A

Laeon Wylde
Civilian (family)
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Doctor Alexion Wylde
Medical
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

RSS Feed