Star Trek: Theurgy

Re: CH03: S [D06|0950] Happenstance

Reply #25 – March 26, 2019, 04:57:19 AM

[ Lt. Jg. Suq | Corridors | USS Theurgy ]

When one shared warmth and love like this, one received warmth back tenfold. Suq firmly believed in that. Something in him still gnawed at his conscience, telling him not to trust. Indeed, there was a very real fear in him that Morgan was infected. Inside his soul he held a battle between two spirits, and he chose the winner. What would he cultivate inside himself?

“How are you feeling, now?” He was asked, and he laughed a little,
“Like an asshole, for not trusting you earlier. For not trusting anyone. Turns out I kinda like you.” He admitted. “...And i’m bad at being mistrustful.”

“Unless you mean my legs. In that case, they’re fine. Little bit tingly, but I can walk.” He let go of him mid walk, demonstrating that indeed, he was mostly fine. He was more than tingly, really, he had a faint limp, but he was indeed walking.

“...I’m sorry for being rude to you Morg. That’s not the kind of person I am normally. It’s just been rough lately. And I forgot what it’s like to just...connect with people, I guess.” He paused, letting the moment have it’s weight, and then…

“Do you wanna walk back to engineering with me or are we going to run off and find someone’s empty quarters to get cozy in?” He grinned at him, a big goofy smile. He meant to lighten the mood, but at this point in time, if Morgan seriously wanted to bed him, he’d probably be alright with that.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0950] Happenstance

Reply #26 – March 27, 2019, 08:02:32 PM

[ PO1 Morgan Song | Corridors | USS Theurgy ]

Morgan understood Suq’s confession for what it was; he shrugged a shoulder.

‘It’s okay, I get it. I come across as odd even at the best of times.’ And these were certainly not the best of times. Suspicion and paranoia ran deep on the Theurgy; if Morgan let it, it could consume him as well. But that wasn’t how he wanted to live. He had enough fear of the certain, more than enough. He didn’t need to add the unknown to that. The Theurgy didn’t need to add ‘shadows’ to their list of enemies.

But still. He understood that fear all too well. And he understood what it meant that Suq was letting that go, some of it at least. Enough to speak openly about it like this.

Suq’s demonstration of health left a little to be desired, but considering he’d been barely mobile not too long ago it was a dramatic improvement. Morgan couldn’t help the little smile that crept onto his face. Especially considering what Suq had been saying.

‘Looks like you don’t even need me anymore,’ he said, without thinking. ‘You’re making a good recovery. And honestly, don’t worry about it. Politeness is the last thing on anyone’s mind right now.’ He couldn’t fault Suq for his suspicion.

It brought him up short to hear Suq echo back his own thoughts at him: I forgot what it’s like to just… connect with people. He realised now it was silly, but he’d always kind of thought it was just him who felt like that, like there was a forcefield between him and the rest of the world, like he was still in cryo, always. And a large part of that had been engineered on purpose, by Morgan himself. But it felt… really nice. Starting to thaw.

And then Suq broke out the space heater — or the de-icer, maybe. He’d lost track of this metaphor. The flirting wasn’t entirely unexpected, nor unwelcome, necessarily — particularly — necessarily. And it was a joke, meant as a joke — he was pretty sure — probably? He should laugh.

‘Ah,’ he said instead, eloquently. Suq was still grinning at him. It was making it hard to think. Say something funny, idiot. ‘I don’t think we’d have time?’

Hilarious.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0950] Happenstance

Reply #27 – March 27, 2019, 10:06:47 PM

[ Lt. Jg. Suq | Corridors USS Theurgy ]

“Yeah.” He agreed, with that troublemaking smile still all over his face. “We’d need a couple of hours at least, maybe more if things went well. By that time, we’d probably get walked in on, and BB would be wondering where we were. Another day then.” He suggested, and though he was smiling, something about his tone seemed to suggest he was serious about the offer. As if they actually would need a couple of hours to--good golly, what would they be doing for a couple of hours anyway?

“Let’s head back then.” He stopped and turned, and he waited for Morgan to come along with him, reaching his hand out to take the other’s as if they’ll walk the whole way back holding hands.

Though he was sending confusing signals, Suq didn’t know it. He thought he was being just as kind as he would to a member of his own village. He offered sexuality just as freely as he offered warmth and kindness. Companionship of an erotic kind was just as freely given as hospitality. Morgan wasn’t the only individual to have received this treatment either.

But they walked together, headed back towards engineering, back into the fray. Theurgy was one hellstorm after another, but for a moment at least, they had given each other some reprieve from it all.

Re: CH03: S [D06|0950] Happenstance

Reply #28 – March 28, 2019, 12:25:11 AM

[ PO1 Morgan Song | Corridors | USS Theurgy ]

He was grateful that Suq joined in, teasing. It helped alleviate some of his damned awkwardness, making him bolder.

‘When we get that holiday,’ he offered, only half joking. ‘We’ll have all the time in the world then.’

He paused a moment when Suq offered him a hand; he could be slightly leery of contact, but they’d just been walking arm and arm and besides, despite everything Morgan was a tactile person at heart. He took the hand that was offered, and they walked back to Engineering in quiet companionship.

It was ostensibly the same way they’d set out, only it felt completely different. Hand in hand, Suq bearing his own weight and walking freely, if somewhat gingerly. Suq no longer interrogating Morgan on his loyalties; Morgan no longer weighed down by guilt and self-pity.

He felt lighter, his head clearer than it had been since he woke from stasis. He had no expectations from Suq — he barely knew the man — but whatever it had been, they had shared something here. He hoped it had helped Suq as much as it had him. And it had been so, so good to connect with another soul on this ship. He’d held himself back for too long, out of fear or shame or habit, he didn’t know.

Change didn’t happen overnight, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Morgan was too pragmatic to think that this one, short conversation had somehow fixed anything, had replaced either of their needs to see a counsellor. And who knew where the ship would be in a week, in a day, in an hour. Where they’d be when they came out of warp, even. But this? This moment of quiet, of calm, of gentleness? This had helped, this had been nice, even if it was only for a time.

Whatever came next, he hoped he would have the courage to face it. For the Theurgy, for his crewmates, and for the belief and kindness Suq had shown him.

~ FIN ~