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 Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in side-sim: New Rhythms
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Bethany sighed deeply but softly. She leaned against him, accepting his stable assistance. “I think you like the side effect of these meds. That you have more of a reason to tale care of me.” She was quiet for awhile after that.m, long after the dizziness wore off. “Aasrel, what if I don’t get better? Not die, but don’t get better. I already feel like I can’t do my job the way I need to. If I don’t get better, I can’t do my job. I have no where to go.”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled and shrugged. “I guess it gives me something to focus on. And a reason to make you sit with me.” He sat quietly with her, just focusing on her and relaxing. Her question took him off guard. “If you can still work, then we’ll find ways for you to do your job. If you get a medical discharge and you can’t go to your uncles then I’ll take you home with me.”

~ Aasrel

“My uncles are old, they helped my father take care of my mother. They don’t need to watch me waste away too. They raised me. I should be taking care of them.” Bethany shook her head, “That’s a visit. I can’t stay there. What would I do when you go back? Stay with your family?” She sounded horrified at the thought. A burden on complete strangers. Maybe she would go to Norda III. T’Jal and Jake were getting old too though. She supposed she could work as a computer programmer or tech and sit behind a desk. She was good with computers after all, but work for whom?

Bethany

Aasrel shrugged, “Why not? They wouldn’t mind. Or I could… You know. Not go back.” He looked at her, his look full of sincerity. “I wouldn’t just let you go with nowhere to go to.”

~ Aasrel

She couldn’t stay on Betazed, sick, disabled by their standards, and live off the pity and charity of others. Answering the same questions about her heritage and history over and over to doctors that would both pity her and be repulsed. “Rel, you can’t give up your career for someone you just met.” What if he ended up resenting the choice and her? No, nonono. That would be worse than being alone or dead. She met his gaze though, surprised by the intensity. “You really mean it. You’d walk away because of me?” She hated how sad she sounded. The stress must be getting to her.

Bethany

“It’s not giving up my career. I can be a doctor anywhere,” Aasrel said without hesitation. He met her gaze, his own still completely serious and sincere. “I would. What has Starfleet done for me? Got me in trouble, then sent me on a suicide mission. I’m lucky that ship thought it was worth it to go after the Borg at all or that’s where I’d be.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany couldn’t argue with him there. Star Fleet wasn’t what it used to be. Instead of the Dominion War and then the Romulan star disaster bringing Star Fleet closer and making them stronger as a whole, the whole thing seemed to have left the Federation, tired and timid. That’s why organizations like the Rangers were so necessary. “I’m glad they did. No one should be left there.” She locked eyes with him, “Why don’t you leave? I know you say you can’t go home like you are now, but why stay? After everything?”

Bethany

“I can’t go home, and there’s nowhere else that matters to me. I didn’t want to live, Bethany. I took the easiest path and that was staying.” Aasrel answered honestly, keeping his eyes on her. There was still sincerity in his look, now mixed with personal pain. “Following you would give me a purpose. Something to care about if I’m not in Starfleet anymore.”

~ Aasrel

She didn’t agree that he couldn’t go home; just like she could go live with her uncles. She understood his reluctance though. She shifted a little and set both her hands over his where he was holding her. “It’s crazy and maybe not smart how quickly this is moving or how much time I want with you. But, Aasrel,” she cupped his cheek, “I can’t be your purpose. What happens if you can fix me? No more purpose, no more reason to keep me around? I want to share experiences and life and adventures with you, sick or not.”

Bethany

Aasrel smiled softly, keeping his arms around her. “You’ll be my purpose whether you’re sick or not. I want to cure you more than anything. It’s if I can’t fix you and you die that I don’t know what I’ll do.” He shrugged, “It’s maybe not smart how fast things are moving but I’m happy and you’re happy and that’s all I care about.”

~ Aasrel

Bethany pressed into him, burying her face in his neck as she held on tightly. She felt his words deeply and the conviction in them. She couldn’t say how it made her feel, only that she felt it deeply and powerfully.

Bethany

Aasrel hugged her tightly. There were words he wanted to say, but he held them back, it was too early. He just let her hold onto him, her breath warm against his neck. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can,” he said at last.

~ Aasrel

“I’m not going anywhere.” Bethany stayed cuddled into him for a long time. The medication was helping. Now that her heart rate and cortisol levels were going down, she was tired. She just didn’t have it in her, right then, to pretend like she was okay and not worried about anything.

Bethany

Aasrel just kept hugging her to him, letting her stay cuddled into him. He could tell when the hypo took effect. Suddenly she looked very tired. He looked down at her with a little smile. “Ready for bed?”

~ Aasrel

No not really. Bethany just wanted to stay there, but that wouldn’t be comfortable for them for very long. “Yeah,” she sighed out. She stood slowly, picking up the meditation globe and turned it off. It doused the room in pitch black, minus the ambient light from the stars out the window. She took his hand as she kissed him softly.

Bethany

Aasrel stood with her. He squeezed her hand when she took his. Then she kissed him and he leaned into her, kissing back. He pulled her toward the bed and then lay down with her. Then he cuddled into her.

~ Aasrel