Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek & Chythar Skyfire: Full Circle...Oh, The Irony Part I
Carter Greyson
:: Chythar came in from his shift and got a bowl of kibble for Devlin. The little beagle wagged his tail at his master’s feet and followed him to where he set the bowl down, then began munching happily once he could reach it. The former CMO moved toward the couch and lay down on it, debating whether it was a good idea to go to bed or if he should head to the gym to get the tension out of his system -- he and Alex Blair had broken up on good terms. ::
:: They were still friends, but they couldn’t keep the correspondence frequent enough. He knew that Alex couldn’t maintain an open comm line all the time, and he knew that Starfleet brass had a way of making relationships fail, as was his experience with his immediate family and his mother’s constant absence. Even with his chosen family of the Moonsongs back on Earth, CD was a terrible correspondent and hadn’t been back to the farm when he was last there. ::
:: He was still lying on the couch when he heard the doorbell chirp. ::
::She hadn’t been able to help catching Chythar’s feelings through their connection. They’d been so strong that it was just unavoidable. Combined with her increased empathic abilities after Lenik, even the neural suppressants hadn’t been able to completely block the feelings. She wasn’t sure exactly what was bothering him, but she had an inkling. The last time he’d been this depressed was when Alex had taken the first officer position aboard the Constitution, leading her to believe it had something to do with Alex. It wasn’t much of a leap from there to surmise that something very not good had happened between them.::
::Bottle of tequila in hand, she pressed her thumb to the doorchime. Normally, she’d bring brandy. But she’d found tequila was the best kind of drink for forgetting. It seemed to be just what Chythar needed tonight. Hell, there were a couple of things that had happened recently that she’d rather forget. They had each other to help with that.::
:: He didn’t have to open his eyes to know who was on the other side of the door. The mental connection he shared with his best friend, even with whatever she was using to block it, couldn’t mask her identity. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see her, but he would be social for the moment. He took a slow breath and gazed up at the ceiling. ::
Skyfire: Enter.
::The doors parted at his command and she stepped over the threshold wearing a wane smile. He was laid out on the couch, clearly not having moved. There was little they could do to surprise each other anymore due to their connection. Lael was used to it and, as such, didn’t spare it much more thought than she did breathing.::
::The comfort level was like they’d always been like this--connected their entire lives even if in reality it had only been a few years. In ways, he understood her better than she did herself at times and her the same with him. It killed any of the mystery a non-platonic relationship between them might have had.::
Rosek: I don’t know what has you in such a $#!* mood all of a sudden, but ::holds up the bottle of tequila:: I thought you could do with some forgetting.
:: Chythar glanced at the bottle, and to her. Then back to the bottle. Then he nodded and chuckled slightly. ::
Skyfire: How ironic. The first time you introduced me to that, I was patching you up and you had this bizarre idea that I wanted you… :: He paused for a moment. :: ...I won’t deny it was tempting then...
::A bright flush crept into her cheeks at the memory, feeling a bit awkward as the memory played in her mind’s eye. She hadn’t remembered it until they’d started their “sessions” to untangle the mess that was their connection. With their mental shields compromised, both had been vulnerable and the memory had surfaced with little prompting. Neither of them had expected that buried memory and it had caused a lot of tension between them as well as a spectacularly awful wonky love triangle between her, Chythar, and Alex...the difference being that neither man had any non-platonic feelings for her.::
::She and Chythar had barely spoken for months and it had taken both Alex and Dassa locking them in a holodeck together for her and Chythar to even admit that anything was wrong. She’d been so afraid that she’d lost her best friend to feelings that she hadn’t been able to control. Those same non-platonic feelings had led to her getting sloppy drunk the night before her surgery and sleeping with Anjar Thoran (not for the first time) to avoid dealing with them.::
Rosek: ::murmurs:: Yeah. That was a pretty big mess.
Skyfire: Yeah. About that… :: He nodded toward the desk where he had a couple pictures, one of him and Alex with the man’s marine dog tags wrapped around it. :: We’re not an item anymore.
::Lael sighed and nodded, striding toward the couch. She nudged him with her foot, silently telling him to budge over and give her some space. Not surprisingly, he moved his feet just enough for her to have room to sit. It wasn’t an easy task given that his couch wasn’t made for people taller than 5 foot and a few inches.::
::His legs were already hanging over the arm as it was. Reaching forward awkwardly, she stretched to grab two glasses that habitually sat on the coffee table, pouring a generous amount of tequila in each. She then leaned back with the glasses in hand, offering him one and holding onto the other for herself. Her gaze met his and she raised her glass.::
Rosek: To long-distance relationships and the hell they wreak on our lives.
:: He took his glass and finally sat up, so as not to spill the drink as he took a sip. ::
Skyfire: To Starfleet, and the families they take apart.
Rosek: ::arches an eyebrow and takes a sip of tequila:: That’s a bit more cynical than even I was going for.
:: He sighed heavily and took another sip. He didn’t know what to think, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He didn’t want to forget Alex, by any means. At the same time, he was equally confused as the drink made its way through his system on whether he was harboring feelings for her. Again. Much like the first time, except then he only had one sip. Now he was having a generous helping of it, and they hadn’t kissed this time. ::
Skyfire: What can ah say? He was the best thing that’s happened to me since that hellhole universe. And now it's… Well, it was easier to stay friends than lovers, ah suppose.
Rosek: ::grimaces:: Believe me when I say I feel your pain. Worked out about the same with me and Janel Tarna. ::pauses:: Before you and I became friends I believe.
Skyfire: And back then, you wanted to chew me out because of Plasmodium-falciparum Romulopesti. Instead, you wound up falling for me because ah was a socially awkward and inept guy just tryin’ tae survive in a hostile universe.
Rosek: ::smirks:: That tequila getting to you already, Skyfire? Because I seem to remember that awkwardness didn’t come until much later. ::pauses:: Though I admit if I hadn’t been with Jansen, it would have been tempting. ::gaze drops to her glass:: Yeah. A lot would have been different if I’d recognized you from the moment you came aboard.
:: He nodded slowly and swirled the contents of his glass before taking another sip. Of all the things he wanted right now, he couldn’t say positively if he wanted a relationship, or even if he wanted a relationship with her. He just wanted to not be confused, but that wasn’t likely to happen. ::
Skyfire: Yeah, ah’d say it’s getting tae me, sure. :: He paused again, dropping his gaze. :: How’s life with German?
:: He felt stupid for asking the question, but couldn’t conceal the fact that he was harboring feelings for her. Even though these feelings were most likely rebound off of Alex, they existed and he couldn’t prevent her finding out about them. ::
Rosek: ::shrugs:: Well enough. ::smiles:: I feel like our time away last leave brought us closer. ::pauses:: I’ve been thinking about sharing a bit more with him, actually, about your and I’s connection. There’s no reason not to. He and I are past a lot of the early relationship hurdles.
Skyfire: Good for you, lass. :: He swallowed the last of his drink and set the cup back on the table, resting his head in his hands. :: Ah’m just so confused right now…
Rosek: ::lays her hand on top of his and smiles wanly:: I know break-ups are hard. They can leave you with a lot of feelings to sort through. But I’m here for you. Always have been. Always will be.
:: In the days following his depressive rage about his court martial, followed by Alex’s abrupt transfer, he spent several nights between Lael & Dassa’s quarters for emotional support. The slumber parties, as he’d called them, helped him sort through some of the emotional tension and helped keep him from losing his cool with everyone. Now, both seemed like non-options due to their respective significant others. ::
Skyfire: Slumber parties are now out of the question, so… Ah ‘ave no idea…
Rosek: ::shrugs:: You’re more than welcome to crash with German and I if you don’t want to be alone. Though I can’t offer the bed this time.
:: The offer was genuine, but the question then became whether he could handle German on such a level. There wasn’t much in the way of common ground they had, except rank and one experience together as prisoners. The two of them hadn’t spoken very much since CD assumed his role as a barista in the lounge. ::
Skyfire: Ah’ll consider it, Lael. Really.
Rosek: :nods and pauses:: What’s with the trip down memory lane? I thought tequila was a forgetting sort of drink. Not a remembering one.
:: He was a terrible liar, and a worse poker player. Due to their connection, he had no secrets from her. Then again, even before that, he couldn’t hide anything. ::
Skyfire: Ah dinnae what you’re on about, Lael. And believe me when ah tell yeh that ah’m nae in the mood t’ make new friends right now. Ah doubt German will understand the situation.
::She arched an eyebrow. This was new. She’d always known that Chyhar was hesitant about her and German because there was always the possibility that she’d be hurt. But things with her and German were stable enough that she’d started imagining a future. For the first time, she was excited about what the future might bring.::
Rosek: I get it, Chythar. I do. ::pauses:: I guess I just feel like I haven’t been entirely honest with him and given where things are headed, I should be.
Skyfire: Up to you how much you tell him. :: He paused again. :: Just be careful, all I ask.
Rosek: ::shrugs:: I don’t imagine he’ll lose it or anything. He’s seen how you and I act around each other and I’ve told him a bit. He knows we’re close friends.
:: Chythar nodded and raised his head to look at the bottle. He wanted another drink. Even if all it accomplished was making him black out on the couch. He was too confused to make any rational decisions, but he didn’t want to go for another slumber party with his friends. He couldn’t bring himself to intrude. Hesitantly, he poured another drink for himself and had a sip. ::
::A slightly awkward silence settled between the two of them as she took down the shot of tequila in her glass and poured another, cradling the glass between her hands. She’d sensed something in the air from the moment she’d walked in, though she hadn’t been able to pinpoint exactly what. Sure, there was his lingering disappointment and sadness over things ending with Alex, but she also had the feeling there was something more.::
::She lifted her gaze, studying Chythar’s expression for long moments. Despite her desperate attempt to grasp at what he was hiding from her, it remained out of reach. It was quickly becoming frustrating. She sighed and ran one hand through her blonde hair in exasperation. They told each other everything and it bothered her to think Chythar felt there was something he couldn’t share with her.::
:: He couldn’t lie to her. Hell, he couldn’t lie to anyone if his life depended on it. He’d lost too many games of poker. And with their connection, she sometimes knew him better than she knew himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit it. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead wound up closing it as he brought the glass to his lips and had a sip of his drink instead. ::
Rosek: Spit it out, Chythar.
Skyfire: It’d be a waste of tequila. :: He shook his head, not sure he could even bring himself to say the words. ::
Rosek: ::grimaces:: There’s something else bothering you and it’s making me crazy trying to figure out what.
Skyfire: :: sighed heavily. :: Remember when you showed me the bottle, and I admitted it was tempting then? :: He paused. :: It’s tempting now...but...with German in the picture it’s not as much.
::The tequila must be messing with her more than she’d thought because she could have sworn she just heard Chythar essentially admit he was harboring non-platonic feelings for her. Their gazes locked and she studied his face for several long moments. No smile or smirk appeared and not even a hint of laughter danced in his expressive eyes.::
Rosek: o0 He’s serious. 0o
::It was enough to stun her into momentary silence as she struggled to process what he was telling her. Her lips formed a thin line and her gaze narrowed. She fought hard to suppress her instinctive reaction. If it were anyone else, she’d think they were saying it just to get her between the sheets. But this was Chythar. Her best friend. They’d known each other long enough that she knew for a fact that wasn’t what he was after.::
::More than likely, it was loneliness and confusion after his break-up with Alex. He was feeling abandoned and unworthy of love. Chythar’s default mode was to blame himself, a martyristic tendency they both shared. She reached out a hand for his, squeezing it tightly. For a long time, she said nothing, not quite sure what to say.::
::There was a time that she’d have jumped at the chance to try taking their friendship to another level...if only because Chythar was the only person she’d truly trusted for a long time. But with German...she’d found an unexpected connection with the Denobulan scientist and she was eager to see where things would lead.::
:: He had enough bad experiences to know that he was confused. He was on his second glass of tequila, and his Russian accent was about to boil to the surface, replacing his default of Scots-Irish brogue. He said nothing, as every instinct in his body told him this was a rebound reaction, and nothing more. She was his best friend. On one hand, he felt unworthy of love because he was a martyr who didn’t want Starfleet to rip them apart, which it already had. On the other hand, he regretted nothing about his relationship with Alex. That man would leave an impression on him for the rest of his life, but he was probably never going to see another relationship. At least, not a true one -- if he entered one now, it would be pure rebound, not out of love. ::
:: Still, he thought it was his fault. He didn’t want to confess it to anyone but her, because nobody else would understand him like she did. Even though he hated counselors trying to get into his head after his experiences, he wasn’t going to go into detail on this with one. Ever. ::
TBC
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Chythar Skyfire
Barista, Pagrati Lounge (Brew Continuum Franchise)
USS Astraeus NCC-70652
O239002CS0
&
Devlin the Beagle
Therapy Dog
O239002CS0
&
Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek
Executive Officer, USS Astraeus, NCC-70652
I238110RH0
Lieutenant Carter Greyson