New Beginnings

Posted on Fri Oct 26th, 2012 @ 1:39am by Lieutenant Norval Tigan

Norval’s mind was a fog. So much had happened so quickly… and the pungent scent of the milky water that the Guardian had brought from the Caves of Mak’ala on Trill had only served to amplify the recollections of his symbiont. It was becoming more and more difficult to tell what was Norval, what was Fyori, what was Andam… and what was simply Tigan.

He was dimly aware that his clothes were soaked with sweat. There was blood on his hands. The other officers in the corridor were initially smiling when they saw him, but those looks swiftly turned to confusion or concern. He didn’t seem to care as he shuffled towards his destination, unsure of where that even was.

He felt like he could use a drink, but he was moving away from the Promenade. It surprised him when he stepped into his own quarters, looking around at first like his living space was somehow unfamiliar, steeped in darkness. His feet had brought him here as if by instinct. He rubbed sweaty, rust-stained palms across the front of his shirt before tearing it off and tossing it unceremoniously to the floor. The musk that came off of his body in that state would normally have been more than appealing to him, particularly if it had belonged to Eric… the scent of him after the gym, or following a security alert… oh, the things he would do.

He lost his pants as he traversed the living area by memory, and was completely undressed as he crossed into his bedroom. The idea of slipping into bed and sleeping for the next two days seemed rather alluring, but he forced himself forward into the bathroom.

“Computer,” he mumbled. His mouth felt dry, like cotton. “Shower. Forty degrees Celsius.” His eyes had not totally adjusted to the darkness, but his ears registered the sounds of water pouring from the wall-mounted unit, and his skin perceived the heat and humidity of the steam that began to fill the room. As if in anticipation, the muscles in his neck and back seemed to ache exponentially more than they had moments ago and he slid into the aqueous curtain, breathing a heavy sigh of satisfaction and relief.

“You normally only make that sound in bed,” a voice said from behind him, causing Norval’s eyes to shoot open from their relaxed, closed state, though no more sight came in the darkness. He felt skin against his skin, mitigated by cloth in some places. Those were the sensations he registered even before he recognized the source of the voice. Eric. Then he felt the arm wrapping around his stomach, another on his shoulder, and felt his own body being pressed against the wall of the shower.

“The doctors told me not to get these bandages wet,” Eric said, feeling the water pour over the replicated material of his wound coverings, through his hair and in between his lips as his teeth dug softly into the flesh of the Trill’s shoulder. “I guess I’m not very good at following orders,” he whispered.

“I have some orders I’d like to give you, Lieutenant,” Norval managed during satisfied gasps, even as Eric’s hands wandered.

Grinning as his lips worked their way along the Assistant Chief of Operations’ spots up his neck, Eric continued. “Sorry if I surprised you,” he managed. “When they let me out, I just wanted to sleep… and it’s easier to do that here.”

His mind still a fog, Norval felt as though he was having a moment of perfect clarity. He managed to turn himself around in the Security officer’s arms, press his lips into Eric’s and manage one last coherent sentence. “Move in with me,” he said, resting his forehead against his partner’s.

“What?” Eric managed, for only a moment before he felt Norval’s mouth on his again. Surprise gave way to acceptance, gratitude and then to relief… in more ways than one.

* * *

When Norval woke, he was surprised to find himself wrapped in the silken sheets of his bed, but not unhappy as he felt Eric’s arm lying across his chest. He glanced over to see his partner still sleeping soundly, knowing that his body was still packed in bandages applied in Sickbay to heal the grievous wounds he had suffered protecting Ian Bren.

A pang of guilt struck him. He had never believed that there was a force out to harm Ian, had considered it a theory born of paranoia, but Jonas Levin… Lynch, Ian had called him… had threatened not only to kill Ian but anyone who stood in his way. Eric had stood in the way first, and Norval had taken up that mantle when his partner had been unable. He didn’t know how to broach the subject of E’tarna… He was only glad he had succeeded, without being killed in the process.

Eric stirred sleepily during Norval’s reverie. “Morning, lover,” he muttered, the sounds muffled by his face in the pillow as he rolled over, pulling the Trill’s cooler body into his own.

“Hello, handsome,” the Trill replied, pressing a kiss into the Human’s hair, gorgeous and blond. They spent several long minutes there, wrapped in each other’s arms, enjoying the contrasting coolness and warmth of the other’s skin.

“I will, you know,” Eric finally said, rubbing a hand along the Trill’s stomach, unconsciously tracing the scars that marked the place where Tigan had been implanted.

“Move in?” Norval asked, knowingly.

“Mmm,” was the only response he got, feeling a kiss pressed into the back of his shoulder.

“Good,” he said, smiling and wrapping his hand around the Security officer’s. Eric only shuddered slightly at the deep chill of his partner’s extremities, having become more and more used to the sensation, but not entirely accustomed. He half-chuckled, realizing that.

“How long have they given you off-duty to recover?” Norval wondered aloud.

“The rest of the week,” EE replied.

Norval’s usual, mischievous grin dawned on his features at that admission. “You know… I have some shore leave coming… and with Sakkath here…”

Eric turned Norval around in bed and drew his face into his own. “With Sakkath here, and Oz here, and everyone else more responsible than we are,” he began, smiling broadly, “I fully expect to keep you right here for the next several days.”

“Goooood,” Norval drawled, taking advantage of their proximity to draw Eric into one long, deep kiss that spoke volumes of just how thrilled he was to begin this new chapter of their relationship.

_______________________________________
Lieutenant Norval Tigan
Assistant Chief of Operations
New Landlord?

&

Lieutenant (j.g.) Eric Edwards
Security Officer
Purple Heart Recipient and pretty happy about it