Calling Foul

Posted on Sat Dec 3rd, 2011 @ 6:15pm by Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Cadet Senior Grade Chance Conradi

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Chance/Eli Quarters

The mid-year break between Academy terms had come and Eli could not be more glad. Between classes, studying, and working, he had little time for anything else and it was wearing on him. If not for the fact that Chance lived with him, he might not even have time to see him, and that just wasn't acceptable.

The term had ended with the conclusion of the holodeck simulations and now Eli sat at his desk, working on a drawing. The scene was from that simulation, showing a lush oasis. The calm water was broken by the figure of a tall male standing waist-deep in that water, hands buried in his wet hair, his face tilted up towards the sun. He seemed utterly lost in the moment, and he had been. Just as Eli had been lost in the moment watching him, taking in every detail.

He laid down the piece of charcoal and once more let the image carry him away. Chance. That oasis had come at the end of a long, hard trek and now Eli wasn't sure which had looked better - the water itself, or the water as it had run down his chest in small rivulets and dripped from his hair.

The soft ring of the chime pulled him back to the present. He laid the drawing down on his desk and rose, crossing to the doors to open them. The Federation President, or Q, would have surprised him less than the sight that awaited him. It was his parents. Eli blinked rapidly, not sure if they were real, but then his mother held out her hands and he took them, pulling her in, then wrapping her into a tight hug. A mix of emotions swirled in him as he pulled one hand away from his mother to reach for his father. He'd been so certain he would never see them again. His father grasped his hand tight, holding it to his heart.

"Eli!" His mother cooed as she held him tightly. "We've been so worried about you!"

His father nodded, letting go of his hand. "We would have come sooner but we had to wait until attention was not so focused on us. You understand, son."

"Oh, of course. Come, sit down." Eli motioned them to the sofa in the small living room. "I wasn't so sure if you'd be allowed to come here at all."

Holding Eli's hand, his mother moved into the room, looking around, noting that the apartment was definitely one that housed two boys: the place was neat enough, but she spied a pair of stray boots and socks, a tunic tossed over the back of a chair.... Definitely boys. "The Starfleet Federation didn't seem to mind if we came; it was just the Magistrate we had to get past."

"It seems that your actions started something of a ..movement among the students and they've been busy dealing with the outcry. It's catching on, though I suppose they will put it down soon enough." His father paused as he passed the desk, seeing the drawing. He lifted it for a closer inspection. "This is very good, Eli, so lifelike. Who is it?"

Eli halted his movement to sit, standing back up as he was addressed. "That is...umm...my roommate. Chance. We just finished some simulations on desert survival. The last one we discovered an oasis at the end, and after the heat, and conserving water, it was a great thing to find." His stomach tightened a moment, and subtly, he began the process of guarding his thoughts on Chance, covering them over with scenes from the simulation. He remained silent as his father passed the drawing pad over to his mother.

His mother looked over the drawing, raising a brow at the detail involved in the portrayal of the man in the water. "This is ...interesting," she lifted her gaze to Eli and smiled slightly. She was about to say more, but the apartment door slid open, distracting her.

"Hey, babe!" Chance was in the apartment and reaching for Eli before he saw they had visitors. He froze, a smile plastered on his face, and asked, Who are they?

Parents, came his silent reply. His dark eyes, a storm of conflicting emotions, met Chance's. He stood still as a statue.

"That we are," his father replied, having picked up the question. His tone was rather stiff and formal. "And guessing from the drawing, you would be Chance. I am Maran Ziyad."

Babe? What sort of address is this? His father's question rose in Eli's mind.

"I am. Yessir. Chance Conradi. One of Eli's fellow cadets," Chance held a hand out to Eli's father in a common human gesture. Nervousness caused his neck to blush pinkly.

Eli closed his eyes, wondering for a moment if there was some 24th century miracle that could turn the clock back, ohhh, about ten minutes. When it didn't happen, he slid a glance over to his mother. His father may be momentarily in the dark but he sensed she wasn't. He did his best to withhold the emotions from Chance but he knew his parents sensed completely the awkwardness, confusion and avoidance that blazed within him.

Eli's mother cast a glance at her son and took Chance's hand before her husband could. Doing so let her avoid having Eli's father catching all the thoughts, questions and emotions present in Chance. She blushed and said, "Please, call me Irina. Could you get me a glass of water, please?"

"Oh, of course," Chance nodded and disappeared into the apartment's small kitchen area.

Prepare for detonation. The thought followed Chance as he moved into the kitchen. Eli really didn't want to look at his father just now, and the fact that his mother had politely removed Chance from the room wasn't all that good either. Still, it was the lesser danger, at least he hoped so. He swallowed nervously, not sure what to say. And as luck would have it, his father picked that moment to 'get it'.

"Irina?" Maran spoke from behind Eli.

It wasn't Maran Eli needed to worry about. Instead, it was his mother. She grabbed his forearm and hissed, "Are you trying to shame me? How dare you?! What is wrong with you?"

"I would echo that question, Eli." Maran kept his voice low. "This is not what is expected, or acceptable by our traditions." It was clear he was holding back, trying to be civil given that Chance was just out of earshot. Answer her questions, and make it good before I lose my temper and say something I'll regret.

Eli nodded slowly, turning back to face down his mother. Better here so he won't hear. I don't know what you want me to say, you can now read it all in my head. There's your answers. And for the record, there is nothing wrong with me. He is....incredible. He makes me happy. He.... Eli stopped and shook his head. So say your worst, it won't change me...or us.

Anger hummed in Irina's thoughts. You are no son of mine. I did not raise you to be this way!, she shot at him and took her husband's hand. We're leaving. This was a mistake.

Eli sighed, then spoke aloud. "So you risk coming here just to toss me aside for this?" Two bright patches of color bloomed in his cheeks now. He looked to his father who cleared his throat.

"Irina, perhaps we should speak to them both?"

I do not wish to speak to them both!, Irina huffed, folding her arms in front of her.

At the same moment, Chance came back from the kitchen with a glass of water in hand. He smiled tightly as he handed it to Irina. His own thoughts were a dark maelstrom, but he managed to be outwardly calm, "Or, perhaps, you should go back to your guest quarters, think on this and meet us for dinner at the Nexus Club later."

Maran shot Irina a stern warning glare before he addressed Chance. "That would be acceptable. Until then, we will take our leave." His tone was firm, making it clear to his wife this was no longer the time to argue.

Irina handed the glass back to Chance and walked out of the apartment, head held high. With one last look back, Maran followed and the doors closed once more.

Chance set the glass down and reached for Eli to pull him into an embrace. "Wow."

Eli came, stiff at first, then finally relaxed against Chance. "What do I do now?"

"Let them think on it. It's sort of a shock to parents. And I'm guessing that Enarans aren't really... accepting of this sort of love."

"I suppose I was hoping that they missed me enough or cared about me enough that it wouldn't matter. They risked a lot to come here to see me. After all that's happened, why should it matter?" Eli pulled away, moving over to lift the drawing from the coffee table and passed it to Chance. "She knew the moment she saw this."

"Um," Chance's brows went up as he looked at the drawing. It was wonderful, detailed, and ...hugely flattering to him. "I think even my densest brother would have known based on this."

"Yeah. I was working on it when they arrived unexpectedly." Eli pressed his fingers to his temples, gently massaging them. "Since they figured it out, I let them know...everything. In for a penny, in for a pound, isn't that your Earth expression?"

"Yeah. But so is 'let sleeping dogs lie'," Chance frowned.

Eli paced back and forth before Chance. "Here's the thing. My mother has a temper, yes, but in the end, she will do as my father says. He seems as if he may be salvageable. Maybe. It's against everything they believe in but then again, I'm their son. They've already lost me once, will they risk losing me completely?"

"Exactly." Chance kissed Eli and rubbed his shoulders. "That's why I suggested they go think about this. It'll give them some time to digest it. And, who knows, maybe your mom is most tweaked about the idea of not having grandkids." That was the Zeferino way: make a joke of it when things got too serious.

"The other option, of course, is to go to dinner without me, explain that this is all just a phase, just some experimentation on your part. You'll be over it soon and back to dating girls in no time," Chance said, holding at bay his own dismay over such an idea.

"They will know that's a lie," Eli answered quietly. He took Chance's face in his hands, holding him close as he looked into his eyes. "They know more now regarding what I feel about you than you do."

Oh. I see. I see. Um..., Chance suddenly smiled, Think we could work off our tension before dinner?

Eli smiled finally. I'm going to need it before we face the lions.

"Yeah, since I'll be sending you in to those lions alone," Chance replied then quickly kissed Eli, silencing any outcry.

Eli gave in to the kiss but was hardly silenced. What do you mean..alone??

Do you have another definition for 'alone' that I'm not aware of? Alone: by yourself, Chance, who wasn't used to 'talking' mentally while kissing, pulled back and looked at Eli. Seems to me your parents might speak more freely if I'm not there.

"It was your idea!"

"Yeah, but I didn't say I'd be there, did I? 'Sides, I'd like to go chat up my sister. I haven't heard from her lately."

"I believe I heard 'meet us for dinner'." Eli sighed and turned to move off to the bedroom. "I'll be surprised if she even shows up. But maybe you're right, this is my dragon to slay, pardon the expression."

"Well... I guess I could just call Oz, get her to come to dinner at the Nexus. I'm sure I wouldn't have to twist her arm, since it means she'd get to see Jackson, too," Chance shrugged and followed his lover to the bedroom. If he'd known about Oz's current condition, he wouldn't be so flippant about her.

"At least you'll be in the room, so maybe I won't lose my temper entirely. But no, I really don't want to subject you to any more of what you just went through. I'm sorry about all that. Apparently I am just one big ball of anti-tradition force." He stripped off his shirt and began to sift through the clothes in the closet.

Sidling up behind Eli, Chance put his hands on Eli's stomach, his fingertips just grazing his waistband, and asked, "Choosing what to wear so soon?" He kissed Eli's shoulder. "As for going through 'all that', don't worry about it. Not the first time."

The tension in Eli's shoulders relaxed immediately. "There's time." He turned to rest his palm to Chance's chest. "And I'm not the boy they thought they sent away, either."

No, you're not, Chance thought as he pushed Eli onto the bed.

*********

Cadet 4th Class Eli Ziyad
Caught Between A Rock And A Hard One

Cadet 4th Class Chance Conradi
Pitching for Eli

Maran & Irina Ziyad
The Rocks