Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aasrel Izei (Chief Medical Officer) in side-sim: New Rhythms

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in side-sim: New Rhythms

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aasrel Izei (Chief Medical Officer) in side-sim: New Rhythms
Posted by… suppressed (16) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Aasrel ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly. Being with her made him happy. Reminded him of what it was like to just be before the Borg. To him it felt as though some kind of fate had brought them together. As if, if the Gods were real, they had guided them to this ship, at this time. After a long while just sitting with her curled up on his lap, he yawned and looked down at her. “I don’t know about you, but I think I’d rather lay down.”

~ Aasrel

The movement of his hand in her hair was unfamiliar, but at the same time it was as if he had always done that. Bethany laid her head against his shoulder. Even if this between them didn’t last, she believed they were both here for a reason. She was sick so she could donate what he needed so he could heal. He had done extensive research on the paracortex for himself, but she believed that research would help her. That had to be why they were both here. Why they had met under these circumstances.

His comment made her smile sleepily. “Do you want me to stay?”

Bethany

“Of course I do,” Aasrel said. He was almost reluctant to get up and make her move, but he did want to go to bed, so slowly he did get up, giving her time to move. Then he undressed, tossing his shirt and his pants at a laundry hamper, and then he laid down, moving over to leave space for her.

~ Aasrel

Bethany moved, she didn’t want to, but sleep sounded like a good thing. Jacket, shirt, and pants were set carefully across a chair. She chuckled softly, realizing she didn’t have a change of clothes. “We really need to plan better if we’re making this a habit.” She stretched out beside him, enjoying his warmth. It was a rare night, and she was able to fall asleep easily.

Until a few hours later. Bethany was restless in her sleep and uncharacteristically talking in her sleep. “Kyn! Bezi Kyn! Quinyi! (No! Daddy No! I’m sorry!)”

Bethany

Aasrel was a deep sleeper and woke slowly to the sound of her voice. “Bethany..?” He leaned up with his elbows under him, then shifted so he could shake her gently. “Bethany. Wake up.”

~ Aasrel

Although gentle, when he shook her, Bethany’s hands came up between them. It would be hard to determine if it was a by product of whatever she was dreaming or intense necessary training. She came awake instantly, even as she was moving to push him off. The gaze that looked down at her, one all black and one black and silver prosthetic, was instantly recognized. Bethany stopped. “Aasrel?”

Bethany

Aasrel moved to protect himself, but she recognized him and stopped before he had to. He smiled down at her, but it was full of concern. “Are you okay? You were talking in your sleep.”

~ Aasrel

Her heart was racing painfully, and she was breathing heavily. Bethany felt an almost overwhelming need to get up, leave the room, pace, to just move. She was talking in her sleep? She never did that. That wasn’t good. Her gaze turned unfocused for a moment as she remembered the dream, well memory really. She rubbed her arm where Aasrel had healed the cut, as if it was bothering her. “Just a bad dream. I’m sorry I woke you.”

Bethany

“Don’t worry about it.” He hugged her tight, trying to comfort her. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked from beside her. “It’s okay if you don’t.” He’d, of course, recognized the words she was saying, it was in the native language of Betazed. But he wasn’t going to mention what she was saying unless she wanted to talk about it.

~ Aasrel

Her breathing was rapid and harsh in the quiet. Aasrel could feel her hands shaking as she rubbed gingerly at her arm, as if it hurt but she was afraid to make it hurt more. Even in the dim light he could see her pulse beating frantically in her neck. She closed her eyes, trying not to squeeze them shut. Her breath shuttered and held as if she was trying to stop from crying. It had been years since she’d had that dream. It was over, done, he was gone. She was not going to cry over it, not now after all this time. She couldn’t get the words past the ache in her throat or the painful racing of her heart.

Bethany

Aasrel set his hands gently over hers on her arm. She was still shaking. It wouldn’t make sense for the cut to still hurt. “Bethany, whatever it is, it’s okay. I’m here. If you want to cry,” it looked like she did, “then that’s okay.”

~ Aasrel

Her arm jerked when he set his hand over hers. She almost cradled it. The touch broke Bethany’s emotional dam. She simply rolled to her side, pressing into him and cried. Maybe…maybe when he was better, seeing her disability would be too hard of a reminder. Maybe it would change whatever this was. Maybe it wouldn’t change at all. Either way he was there now, and Bethany needed the comfort he offered.

Bethany

Aasrel remembered when he’d treated her arm earlier, while cleaning the wound, he’s noticed a faint scar around the same spot. She was now cradling that arm… Not because of a recent injury, but because of an old one.

Bezi Kyn! The words uttered in her sleep echoed in his mind. He hugged her tightly when she rolled into him and kissed the top of her head, letting her cry for a while. Then, “Bethany… did your father hurt you?”

~ Aasrel

Bethany went still and silent at the question. How many times had she been told the shame was her father’s not hers. Her body seemed to deflate next to him. She nodded. “Yeah.”

Bethany

Aasrel stiffened slightly, hugging her tighter. “I’m sorry he did that to you. You didn’t deserve it. No matter what he told you.” He said softly to her. “No one deserves that. Especially not from a parent.”

~ Aasrel

Hugging her tighter seemed to make her relax. She blew out a soft breath and with a little effort to move her arms, wiped her face and then hugged him back. “It’s why I ran away that night. I wasn’t allowed to talk. I had to use my telepathy. I had to know what he was thinking. I got really good at guessing, but I guessed wrong that night. He got really angry. The more I asked him to stop…” She shook her head against his chest.

Bethany

Aasrel kept hugging her. “It’s not fair to be asked something you simply can’t do.” And he understood now her resentment towards telepathy, why she wouldn’t want it. “I’m glad you’ll never see him again.” And if Aasrel ever met him… He’d have words with him. A lot of them. It would only be better if they could be telepathic words, as if to prove that not all telepaths were such awful, disgusting people.

~ Aasrel

Bethany would have appreciated the irony because right then she wished they had telepathy. That way he would know what happened and she wouldn’t have to say it. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly. “I won’t. I don’t want to. Besides, I have my uncles.”

Bethany

Aasrel nodded, still hugging her. “Your uncles sound like they care. It’s good, I’m glad you have someone.” He sat quietly with her, letting her calm down. How could anyone be that awful? Over something Bethany had no control over. It was ridiculous and terrible.

~ Aasrel

“They are. Uncles Cayden and Kian took me to the hospital. Uncle Lachlan came later with the police. I thought Kian was going to punch one of them because they wouldn’t let my uncles in while they talked to me. I never saw my dad after that. Never heard from him either. I never went back to our house either. Lachlan and Kian went and got everything and Cayden stayed with me. The judge gave the three of them full custody of me, and when I was finally allowed to go home I had a very long lecture about not allowing anyone, no matter who, hurt me. They made me enroll in martial arts classes after that.”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled. The idea of her using her martial arts to beat up her dad was a little bit funny. “I’d love to meet them someday.” He said. “Speaking of enrolling in martial arts classes… Looking forward to teaching me?”

~ Aasrel

“Hmmm they always wanted to go to space once. Though this ship doesn’t have a lot of room for guests.” She sighed. Talking about them made her miss them more. “I’d like you to meet them.” She shifted a little so she could look at him. “I’m looking forward to any reason to get to spend more time with you.”

Bethany

“Whenever I can meet them, I’ll be happy to.” Aasrel smiled and looked at her. “Well, don’t blame me if I’m not very good.” He said with a smile.

~ Aasrel

That made her laugh softly. “It’s not about being a good fighter. It’s about staying safe. I promise you will do great. If not, it’s not you, it’s the teacher.” Bethany pressed in close again, now that the adrenaline rush had subsided some, she was chilled. Her heart was still racing erratically though. That couldn’t be good, but she didn’t want to worry him.

Bethany