[V-OL] Dr. Skyfire: Of Pirates and Stick-figures

[Chythar Skyfire]

​((Officer’s Lounge, Deck 4, USS Veritas))

 

:: Alex stood, presumably to get some food. Chythar watched him come back and glanced at the plate of eggs, burrito, sausage and fruit cup. It did look tasty, and there was no denying it. However, CD had already had his breakfast of pancakes before he’d left their quarters, which was...several hours ago. He wasn’t all that hungry, and had polished off a cheeseburger before they got here, so he was fine. ::

 

Skyfire: Ah’ve already had food, so am not particularly hungry.

 

:: Lael laughed, a booming one that seemed to resonate off the nearby walls. Ordinarily, CD would’ve thought it was due to the acoustics. However, since his surgery he was grateful for the filtering functions of the implants to control the volume before processing the noise. In a way, he supposed, he was almost grateful for the explosions he’d been caught up in.  ::

 

Rosek: Hungry much?

 

Blair: ::smiling:: Huh? I didn’t hear anything. ::laughs:: Okay, okay, I guess I waited a little too long to get some food.

 

:: Lael patted Alex’s hand. ::

 

Rosek: Alex...don't tell me you need someone following you around making sure you eat. Chythar's enough of a handful as it is. The man would live off of coffee if he thought he could.

 

Moonsong: Some things do not change.

 

:: Another jibe to him. He’d changed, alright. CD had definitely changed. The distance that had grown between himself and the counselor was just one of many changes that seemed to be evidence of this, and now it seemed like it was eating at him in an uncomfortable fashion. ::

 

:: As the conversation continued, Chythar continued to sit quietly and enjoy his drink. It was almost like he was meeting Raissa for the first time, all over again. Their social conversation in her quarters seemed like...he didn’t know how to describe it other than some level of awkward The camaraderie from before had all but disappeared. ::

 

:: Alex laughed as he shook his head. ::

 

Blair: No worries, I’m not that bad. ::Alex motioned towards Skyfire.:: It’s a full time job keeping up with making sure he eats.

 

Rosek: ::smirks:: It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

 

Moonsong: Yet, shared bad habits need to be addressed.

 

Skyfire: Ah’ve been setting alarms to make sure ah eat at what most would consider normal meal times so ah’m nae needin’ a shepherd.

 

::Alex smiled at his partner.::

 

Blair: Well at least when you’re home, you’ll be on a regular schedule. ::Alex looked down at the food on his tray.::I’m usually pretty good at eating, I just slept too late today.

 

Skyfire: After the day you've had, ah'm nae surprised.

 

:: He was referring to Alex’s recuperation from getting shot, but the conversation quickly shifted when Raissa spoke again. ::

 

Moonsong: ::faint smile.:: I suppose I should leave the three of you to your meals. :: She glanced at CD.:: You seem to have your hands full with your partner and your ‘sister’.

 

:: The words wounded him, and he hid his discomfort behind a smile and the practiced visage of calm. At least he had a reply on the tip of his tongue, so as not to let a beat elapse. ::

 

Skyfire: So it seems. Feel free to join us any time.

 

Rosek: ::smiles:: Absolutely. The more the merrier.

 

Blair: Absolutely, I’d like to get to know you better, and I’ve got to hear some of those stories!

 

Moonsong: If you want the really interesting stories about your good doctor, I would talk to Ensign Porchevska.

 

:: He hid a wince behind a well-timed sip of his drink. He remembered Gabi, and still had to make time in his somewhat work-oriented busy schedule to pay her a visit so she didn’t catch him in work mode. Chythar had almost forgotten how much Gabi enjoyed collecting odd stories, given how long it had been since they last served together. It was not something he would likely wind up forgetting in the near future, however; especially if his friends were going to ask about his storied past. ::

 

Skyfire: Which incident, specifically?

 

Rosek: ::to Chythar:: ~There was more than one?~

 

Blair: Come on now, don’t tease us. We need to hear more.

 

Moonsong: ::a look of innocence.:: Did he not tell you about the time she punched him and then kissed him?

 

:: Lael said nothing as she sipped her tea quietly. ::

 

:: A wave of bitterness washed through him. Only hours before meeting Gabi in his office, he was recovering from his stupid and reckless effort to save the Cardassians from a modified version of PFR that the Maquis Reborn had engineered. Immediately after she arrived in his office, following a brief rant about how he endangered his own life, she smacked him across the jaw and apologized profusely in the form of a passionate kiss. ::

 

Blair: Well if I knew that’s all it would have taken, I wouldn’t have been so hesitant to start things with you!

 

Skyfire: Not one of my better moments, for certain.

 

::Alex shook his head smiling as Moonsong rose from her seat and left the room. When she was gone, he looked at Chythar and Lael.::

 

:: As Moonsong departed to leave the three of them to their food, CD allowed himself to relax a little. Since setting foot on the Veritas, he had this sinking feeling that his relationship to her would need to be seriously redefined and they were no longer family. Especially since she had referred to Lael as his sister instead. ::

 

:: What had happened to him that made them drift so far apart? The closeness they’d once shared was gone. Chythar considered how he adopted both Sal and Ris. Was it really based on need, or did it start out as crushes that evolved into sibling love over the course of time? Her family had been one of the best things that had happened to him since their return from the alternate universe, but reconnecting to Raissa was proving to be one of the greater challenges. He didn’t notice it immediately, but when he spoke again his accent dropped. ::

 

Blair: Well, that was interesting. Did I say something wrong or offend the counselor somehow?

 

Skyfire: I wish I knew. She got all formal, like from the moment she sat down. I… I have no idea if this distance is my fault or not. :: He paused for a moment and glanced to Lael. :: I guess what threw me off more than the demeanor was that she referred to you as my sister.

 

::​ ​Lael laid a hand on top of Chythar's, squeezing in an attempt to comfort him.​ ::

 

Rosek: ~I'm sorry. I made things awkward, didn't I?~

 

:: Chythar shook his head and ran his free hand over the pressed metal he wore beneath his shirt. He was, for the first time in a long time, speechless. Perhaps because the level of awkwardness that had risen between him and Raissa was so new. So...unexpected. They weren't as close as they used to be. It was troubling, and yet not entirely unexpected. He'd been on three ships since he departed the Invicta, and spent almost a year in the alternate universe where he became jaded and...well, changed. He wasn’t the man he used to be, that much was certain. He was still in touch, albeit loosely, with the twins, Sasha and Nikolai. He had no idea how he’d write this into his next letter home. ::​

 

::Alex finished chewing and took a drink from his mug.::

 

Blair: So…things got awfully quiet…what’s up?

 

Rosek: ::sighs:: Every time we try to move past this nonsense, it somehow gets thrown back in our faces.

 

​Blair: What are you talking about?

 

​:: Chythar remained silent. He didn't know how to describe the situation with Moonsong with any other word than "awkward" at the moment. Her professional-sounding demeanor and the...was it an intentional or accidental slip, calling Lael his sister? There was no way for him to actually know. Asking seemed out of the question. ::​

 

Rosek: ::grumbles:: I get the feeling she knew exactly what she was doing. ::blushes:: She knows exactly what's happened between Chythar and I. ::clears her throat and changes the subject:: So...what now?

 

​:: Again, CD had another sip of his drink and remained silent. There was nothing he could immediately say to break the tension, and every fiber of his being was telling him that his relationship with Raissa had to be redefined. His eyes closed for a moment as he focused on his breathing, the sound of his heartbeat and the tension in his shoulders. Chythar was learning to let go, slowly. It was a process, much like any other learning curve. ::

 

​Blair: I say let’s change the subject.

 

Skyfire: :: quietly. :: Good idea...you pick...

 

Rosek: ::smiles wanly:: Alex and I could always bore you with talk about our latest joint project.

 

​:: Chythar opened his eyes and glanced at the pair of them just as Alex seemed to fire an icy glare over the top of his mug at Lael. The meaning behind the look was lost, as CD wasn’t focusing on trying to read emotions at the moment. ::

 

Blair: Or we could make some plans for our next holodeck excursion. 

 

Rosek​: ::smiles:: Mmhmm. Maybe something a bit outside our usual beach and lake programs. ::grins:: Maybe an amusement park.

 

:: That was almost a laugh. The last two times he’d been in what seemed like an amusement park setting, both were holodeck sessions of Risa -- one was windsurfing with Sal back aboard Ops, and the other was jumping off a cliff into a pool, or was it a lake…aboard the Columbia as something Flynn had put together both times. ::

 

Skyfire: So long as there’s no cliff-jumping. Ah’m nae a fan of jumping off cliffs.

 

:: Alex adopted a grin that would make the cheshire cat jealous. Chythar’s brow creased in contemplation, an eyebrow raising at his partner’s reaction. ::

 

Blair: I don’t know, but I could go for some real excitement this time. ::pause:: I don’t know if I’ve ever told either of you this, but as an ensign aboard the Tiger-A, I had this great pirate adventure program. 

 

Skyfire: Oh really, Alex?

 

:: The thought of Alex in some other attire besides casual and renaissance tourist did have a certain appeal. The ren-faire attraction, well..it didn’t seem to suit him as well as normal casual wear when they were protecting that one fellow in the tunnels. A bit more of a piratey look, though...it was almost hard to imagine since Alex enjoyed being clean-shaven most of the time. That negated “pirate” in CD’s mind. ::

 

Blair: ::smiling as the memories started rushing through his mind:: It was great! We even got a big chunk of crew involved in one and ran opposing ships.

 

Skyfire: Ah’m havin’ a spot of difficulty envisionin’ it, love. You ‘ave nae even grown a goatee since we’ve started seein’ one another.

​

Blair: ::smiling:: But then again, I don’t know if either of you are up to the task of serving under Captain Blair. 

 

​:: It took Chythar a moment to recognize Lael and Alex locking gazes, but he said nothing. It had become apparent in subsequent conversations they’d become better friends since their time aboard the Za. He was still fidgeting with the tags around his neck, allowing some of the tension to melt away, partially due to Lael’s touch and partially to Alex’s presence. ::

 

Skyfire: It’s a thought, though you may want tae grow the beard out a bit before assumin’ the role again. 

 

​::Lael's eyes widened as she snorted, choking on her tea at first. It took her a moment to catch her breath enough to laugh.::

 

​Rosek: ::rasps:: I would totally pay credits to see that. ::smirks:: I'll bet you look dashing in pirate garb.

 

:: This wasn’t the first time she’d made a comment about CD’s man in casual conversation between friends. Chythar had gotten a bit territorial the last time, and this time he just smiled softly at her without saying anything. He seemed to recall her reaction the last time he shot her this look -- it was the one that said “Mine.” This time, there were no words. He just sipped his drink quietly. ::

 

Blair: Response

 

Rosek: ::laughs:: What? I can't be honest?​

 

Skyfire: Ah dinnae say that, lass. Just remember, he’s taken. :: He gradually removed his hand from beneath Lael’s to rest it on Alex’s. ::

 

Blair: Response

 

Rosek: ::chuckles:: Oh, hush, Skyfire. You know your boyfriend doesn't have eyes for anyone but you. I doubt he even notices when someone else is in the room half the time.

 

:: Chythar’s brow creased as an eyebrow arched in her direction. He studied his friend for a long moment, focusing on the emotion behind her words. Truth, with a hint of mischief. Was CD truly aware of that fact, or was it because the only public appearance since they’d become an item was their welcoming home party in San Francisco? ::

 

:: A bunch of questions started to rise in Chythar’s mind,  each clouded by a nibble of doubt that their relationship would endure whatever had been thrown at them. Alex had stuck with him back when Shira’s technique had backfired, and so much more….but yet...something in Lael’s words suggested this might not always be true. Hidden behind his walls of shields, he was able to keep the doubt at bay. He wanted this relationship to last. He wasn’t ready to lose one of the best things in his life. ::

 

Skyfire: Nae exactly true. He noticed plenty of people at the party when we got back a year ago. :: Had it really been a year? :: Don’t forget also, the only other social occurrences ‘ave been with you and your entourage following the surgery. Or Alexander alone.

 

:: It pained him to run out of conversation topics so soon. He was still terrible at the small-talk thing, and was trying to pull himself back from the edge of overthinking things. It wasn’t working. CD realized that his other hand was still caressing the pressed metal around his neck, the familiar lettering he could almost recite blindfolded. :: 

 

Rosek / Blair: Response

 

Skyfire: Sorry. You both ken that small talk is nae my thing. :: He paused and considered. :: So...the stick figures.

 

Rosek / Blair: Response

 

:: Chythar knew full well that he’d left the doodles on the coffee table, and had forgotten to put them away. He swallowed hard and had a sip of his drink before he continued, the tension he’d been trying to alleviate in his shoulders returning once he considered his words. ::

 

Skyfire: As ah’ve told you, ah went tae the phaser range tae practice for the requalifiers. The...the pictures….were concept sketches about concealed phasers or knives without looking like ah’m in violation of any of the bylaws concerning medical officers.

 

Rosek / Blair: Response

 

:: He gave a heavy sigh and nodded, resisting the urge to go for an Antaran brandy to help him get through the rest of his story. There were pieces of it that were downright painful, which had resurfaced only when he was in here behind a table. Again, his accent faded away. ::

 

Skyfire: This last mission, I was in a situation where ah took up a phaser in self defense because we were boarded and I may’ve had to jump in front of someone to take a hit in order to save their life. I don’t carry, as you know. 

 

Rosek / Blair: Response

 

:: He paused and took another breath. CD could almost hear Joan’s voice echoing in his mind, nearly parroting his next sentence. It took every ounce of willpower he had to keep a relaxed grip on the mug of tea in his hand. Lael’s words from one of their discussions echoed in his mind that memories couldn’t hurt him anymore. ::

 

Skyfire: Lael convinced me to start, because of the nightmares and the fact I in particular seem to keep finding myself in these situations. :: Another pause, glancing to Alex and locking his gaze. :: You know how seriously I take my job.

​With recent events, i

n case we run into a situation where medical officers get captured

​ or similar​

, I’d prefer to be armed and wait for the right time to act rather than let my refusal to carry get us killed.

 

Rosek / Blair: Response

===

Lieutenant Chythar Skyfire, MD

Medical Officer

USS Veritas NCC-95035

O239002CS0​​