Lt. Cmd. Silveira: Bottoms up.

[btv.abreu]

(( Rooftop Gazebo - Ana Kersna, Rylor ))

He had to admit, although the circumstances weren’t right. And he really needed to update his status on Staflirt, he was enjoying Nat and Tamio’s company. As they were all sharing Vitor mentioned his “brother” Tito, although not by name and shook his head and gestured for a drink. Not going into the sad details of his recent LOA.

Silveira: Too sad of a story to be shared tonight. Let’s say it was a family matter and I felt compelled to go with him. Our grandparents knew each other and although he is slightly older we met as kids and spent some time together. Like I say, he is my brother from another family. But how about your families? ::He tipped his head in Nat’s direction:: You mentioned your sister so I want to know it all.

Cole: Juno is my non-binary younger sibling. They came out shortly after I started my transition at sixteen. ::small smile:: Honestly, I think we gave our family emotional whiplash for a year or two, but Juno’s always had a clearer sense of themself than most people twice their age.

Vitor smiled and nodded.

K’Wara: Juno sounds lovely. Are they published? I might look up some of their work.

Cole: ::thinking:: Not yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they are soon.

Vitor smiled and picked up another drink as he leaned back. This one looked slightly better than the one he tried before.

Silveira: Well, my parents run a medium size trade company with it’s own ships. Paternal grandparents are retired on Earth and Maternal grandparents are retired on Risa. ::He winked as he leaned forward.:: Yes I grew up between Earth and Risa. You all know my significant other Nan… And only close ones missing are Thera and Jonathan. ::He smiled as he spoke their names.:: Thera and I had a relationship, back when we were in Ops.
Jonathan is our son.

Tamio’s eyes widened after his last sentence.

K’Wara: You have a child? ::examines:: I never would have guessed.

Cole: You really do save the interesting details for dramatic effect, don’t you?

Nat leaned back and lifted her eyebrows as she gestured to the attendant.
Vitor opened his arms in his trademark, theatrical way, and winked.

Silveira: What can I say? I am predictable.

Tamio nodded along with the story, giving it serious thought.
K’Wara: Must be difficult...

Cole: I’m guessing there’s no version of that where the timing ever feels ideal. Still… sounds like the kind of complication that matters.

Vitor nodded, now letting his grin turn to a soft smile.

Silveira: It is, and the proof of that is the fact our relationship didn’t work out. But we are friends and we have something in common that we both love. I am not saying it isn’t possible to work around that, but with the dangers we face I am not willing to risk having Jonathan here.

K’Wara: True. My old man always said “ship service is for when you’re young and adventurous - station life is for when you’re ready to settle down and be an adult.” Don't know if that's true yet.

Cole: ::smirking into her drink:: That sounds like parental code for “go be adventurous, just not so adventurous I can’t keep tabs on you.”

Vitor nodded and took a sip from his drink before replying.

Silveira: Your Old Man is wise.

K’Wara: Response

Cole: My family’s... complicated. ::half-smile:: Some of them are easy. My mom, Juno, Aunt Rea in her own deeply mysterious way. Others require a little more emotional hazard pay and stronger drinks.

She traced a fingertip around the rim of her glass before looking back up.

Cole: Still, I’ve learned that who shows up for you matters a lot more than who thinks they’re entitled to the title.

Vitor totally understood Nat. Admittedly he felt better being away from his parents, particularly his mother, although since his parents divorce things were oddly better.
Even his grandparents could be annoying, and he found a nice balance now, seeing them more often but still not long enough to bring back arguments or meddling.

Still, it felt like Nat had things slightly different.

Silveira: That’s very true, on both accounts.

K’Wara: Response

She gave a small half-shrug, but something in the way she looked at them felt as if she was implying something more. Vitor kept his smile hoping that could help.

Cole: I guess I’ve stopped measuring family strictly by blood. Some of the people who’ve shown up for me the most had no obligation to which, honestly, makes it mean more.

Silveira: The ties that bind us are sometimes sewed in different ways.

K’Wara: Response

Vitor finished his drink and leaned back. He was glad that the three of them were getting to know each other more. He was an open book but it was clear Nat and Tamio were also opening up. And that felt nice.

But they were again stepping into serious matters, and since they were here they should have some more fun, so in his usual way he tried to brighten the mood.

Silveira: In a way we are also like family. I call dibbs on being the funny uncle.

K’Wara/Cole: Response

Vitor laughed and leaned forward and raised his hand for a new drink.

Silveira: Sorry, I was just picturing that. You have no idea how chaotic my mind can be.
Even in… ::He raised his fingers making the “air quotes”:: normal circumstances.

K’Wara/Cole: Response

Vitor took his glass and raised it to them as he winked.
He hadn’t realized how much he needed this winding down

Silveira: I would drink to that.

K’Wara/Cole: Response



TAGs/TBC

Lt. Cmd. Vitor S. Silveira
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Artemis-A, NCC-81287
O238907VS0