Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Rest and Relaxation?

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aasrel Izei (Chief Medical Officer) in Rest and Relaxation?

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Rest and Relaxation?
Posted by… suppressed (27) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Aasrel leaned into her and rested his head against her, rubbing her hand with his thumb on their clasped hands. He closed his eyes and let himself be lost in her feelings of love and support.

~ Izei, CMO

A soft contended sigh escaped, that he only heard because they were so close, as his thumb rubbed over her hand. Bethany remembered him doing that when she was in sickbay and thought she was going to die. As if he could use the motion to simply wipe away everything that was wrong with her. They stayed that way for the rest of the trip. Bethany was content as she had ever been. When the transport stopped, she waited until the aisle cleared and then made their way off and back into the neighborhood where his family lived.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

By the time the transport stopped Aasrel was sleeping lightly. It was Bethany’s movement that prompted him to get up and follow her off. When they arrived home, his mom hugged both of them. How was your day? Did you like going, Bethany? What did you think?

~ Izei, CMO

After the quiet of the transport, Rel keeping the majority of the thoughts around her at bay, the sudden contact felt too much. Bethany realized she had a headache from all the telepathy. She had tried to blend in a little more for Rel’s sake. “It was beautiful. The Spires are,” she searched for the tight word, “enchanting.”

She felt a small kick at her foot and looked down at Luna. Bending to scoop her up, Bethany grinned. “I see you managed to wrap someone around that floppy ear of yours, and got out of your carrier. You had better have stayed out of trouble.” Luna twitched her nose and cuddled into Bethany’s arm.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Keyana smiled and laughed. “She is too cute for her own good.” Everyone sensed her discomfort and the pain of her headache and switched accordingly. Mrs Izei smiled and nodded. “Enchanting is a good word for them. I love going there.”

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany grinned from behind a full face nuzzle of the bunny. “Oh and she knows it. On my previous ship, our security chief was known for never smiling. Everyone liked him, but he was always quiet. By the end of our first week, Luna had him walking her around the ship on her leash, and getting him to feed her in the lounge. No one could believe it.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Keyana smiled widely. “Good! Everyone needs to smile.” That was when Masas walked in. “Of course little miss smiles would say that.”

~ Izei, CMO

For a moment, it felt like home. Watching her uncles pick on her mother like they were still children. When she had first arrived on Earth, she had been fascinated watching her mother and uncles together. Then after her mother had died, it was like the light faded. Her uncles still picked on each other, but for a long time it was forced. Bethany envied Aasrel and Masas and Keyana that relationship. “You should always smile and laugh. Especially when people don’t expect it. It makes them wonder what you’re up to.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

“See? Bethany gets it,” Keyana said, gently clapping Bethany on the shoulder. She grinned at Aasrel, “What do you think?” Aasrel shrugged and shook his head, “It’s complicated.” Keyana’s smile faded slightly, and there was a quickly hidden pang of… pity? Some kind of regret? and she plastered the smile back on. “Come on Rely, everything is more fun with a smile. You used to say that.”

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany looked over her shoulder at him, tossing one of those flirtatious, sassy, mysterious grins. The kind that always got his attention. She held his gaze until he smiled at her, and then she winked at him.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Aasrel couldn’t help but grin, “Come on, Bethany, that’s not fair,” he complained.

~ Izei, CMO

“On Earth, we have this very old saying. Goes back a few centuries. ‘All is fair in love and war.’ So, yes it is quite fair.” She winked at him again.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

“Well, this isn’t Earth.” Aasrel huffed playfully, giving her a look. “Alright, alright,” Keyana replied, “I think I like that saying.”

~ Izei, CMO

That look made Bethany blush. It always did. Bethany leaned into him, not overly close, but enough. “It’s called cultural exchange, Doc.” Then she looked at Keyana, “It’s a very useful saying.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

We’ll see how you feel about that cultural exchange later, Aasrel replied, still giving her that look. He was sure he could find some way to playfully use his culture to his advantage. Keyana looked between them and smiled. “I can imagine so.”

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany didn’t trust herself to make sure only Aasrel heard her. But she knew all about the side of his personality that went with that look. Her face turned an enamored and bright red. Which of course everyone in the room noticed. Bethany didn’t care. She was quite sure she would enjoy whatever he came up with.

Bethany nuzzled Luna again before the rabbit insisted on being transferred to Aasrel. Bethany indulged her and handed her over. Turning her attention back to his sister, “It’s quite useful in all sorts of situations. I’m pretty sure whomever first coined the phrase intended it that way. Is there not something similar on Betazed? Minus the war part of course.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Keyana thought for a moment as Aasrel took the little bunny and scratched by her ears. “What’s fair in one thing, must be fair in all things. Means quite the opposite of your phrase.”

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany nodded. “Do unto others,” she said quietly. A double edged blade that statement was. Be kind is what it was supposed to mean, but many took it to mean if someone hurt you to do the same to them. “That’s a good standard to try and live by. I fall quite short of it.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

“Most do, I think. No one’s perfect,” Masas said. He glanced at Bethany, “So long as you’re good to my kid brother no one here will be judging you.”

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany met his gaze, “Understood, Cmdr.” There was a hint of humor to the words, but the feelings behind it were nothing but sincere. Of course Bethany was less perfect than most. She had a monster’s DNA running through her veins.

And that quick Aasrel could feel the strain against the block the Admiral had placed as memories and knowledge tried to free the emotions.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Aasrel pulled her into him and kissed her, right there in front of everyone. No thinking like that on our vacation. He said to her telepathically, concern in his words. You are nothing like him.

~ Izei, CMO

Aasrel took her by surprise. Which was beneficial to stopping all those problematic thoughts. The words and his conviction washed over along with his concern and love. She wasn’t sure she wasn’t like him, but at the moment, while he kissed her, she couldn’t think of anything else. There was only the safety of his arms and the connection between them.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

His family was polite enough to look away, empathically understanding why he’d done it. Maybe not the exact reason, but the broad strokes. The kiss ended and he nuzzled his head against her, still gently cradling Luna.

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany told herself she didn’t care his family was watching. She’d survived life by not caring what people thought. People always stared at her, had opinions about her. But never had she really felt home except when she was with Rel. She rested her head on his shoulder, keeping her eyes closed, holding onto the illusion of privacy for as long as possible. Luna scrunched up on Aasrel’s arm and closed her eyes.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

They were like that for a while. His family just didn’t have the heart to interrupt. It was the most at peace either of them had felt since arriving. Finally Aasrel sighed softly and lifted his head. “I love you.”

~ Izei, CMO

“I love you, too.” Bethany kissed his cheek and rested her head on him again. She didn’t feel well. She’d already had a headache, and this sudden bout made it worse. It upset her stomach too. Headaches had mostly been cured now because of a better understanding of the brain. However that led to the incorrect conclusion that they never happened. What she probably needed was Rest and a mild pain killer. She didn’t want to Aasrel to stay alone with her. He had a family waiting to love him.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

“You should rest.” Aasrel said, sensing her headache and tiredness. “Why don’t you head to my room? It’ll be quiet there.” He said, hugging her again.

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany nodded, “Yeah. I think I might take something if you think it’s okay.” Her whole medical profile was out of whack now. She couldn’t think about the why too much.

Aasrel nodded. “That would be fine.”

She reached for Luna. The little rabbit seemed to sense that Bethany needed her, and she willingly settled into her arms. Bethany said good night, even though it was early, to everyone and then went into his room and shut the door. She had barely finished changing when Luna climbed onto the bed and laid down with her.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Everyone said good night back, and Aasrel hugged her one more time before she left. Then he sat down to spend some time with the others.

~ Izei, CMO

Aasrel’s mother sat down next to him. She radiated a warmth and love that soothed and comforted. She took his hand and squeezed it warmly and didn’t let go. I am so happy you are home. I have missed you.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

I’ve missed you too, Aasrel replied, but there was apprehension. The mind meld had helped immensely but there was still a lingering fear he wasn’t himself anymore.

~ Izei, CMO

It was easy for his mother, his whole family, to pick up on it. She reached up and brushed her fingers through the hair at his temple, like she had when he was a child (and unbeknownst to her, where one of the implants had been). You are still our Aasrel. Your essence, your feeling, is still the same. Just a little older.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

The surgery was still recent enough sometimes when he was touched where one had been he flinched like it was still there. This was one of those times. He jumped slightly with a flash of discomfort and something like fear, and shame. And then sadness and emotional exhaustion as he leaned against his mother like a small child would. I’m sorry.

~ Izei, CMO