The Morning After
Posted on Sat Feb 9th, 2013 @ 2:14pm by Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Cadet Senior Grade Chance Conradi
Mission:
The Struggle Within
Location: Chance/Eli Quarters
* * * Chance & Eli’s Quarters * * *
Chance's dreams were a muddled mess of images from his childhood and his current life, all tossed into a bag and laced with a heavy dose of fear, anxiety and angst. He woke in a sweat to find an arm tossed over his middle.
The owner of the arm - Eli - was still asleep and looked angelic. Chance stopped to brush a lock of the boy's hair from his face; a surge of love washed over him and he kissed him awake. With a rising urgency, he pushed Eli into the pillows and, without any words exchanged between them, made his desire known.
Sometime later Eli stirred and looked up at Chance with a blissful smile. “So, it’s morning. If that’s your version of a pinch, feel free anytime.” He reached up to brush his finger over Chance’s lips. “I’m awake and you’re still here. Reality is so good right now.”
"Yeah," Chance smiled, looking and feeling slightly distracted. "He didn't kiss you. That was me. Well, kind of. Maybe not. Anyway." He shrugged with one shoulder.
“I knew you were in there, it was just a little strange is all.” Eli closed his eyes as he prepared his next words. “I know this is rough for you, and life seems crazy right now. I am over the moon that you’re back and alive. You know I love you. But I promise I’m not going to push. Sakkath said it would take time, so try not to get too impatient with yourself.”
"Why was I using Conradi? Did my dad know?" By 'dad', he meant the one he shared with Oralia, not the Vulcan whose genes he carried.
“I don’t know. I think the name was so that people wouldn’t tie you to Oz at first and expect too much. As for your dad? I don’t know. Oz didn’t even know until Dr. Harding told her after the attack on you. It explains a lot though, like why it was so easy to share a link with you mentally.”
Chance grunted and didn't give voice to his not-so-flattering thoughts about telepaths, not that he needed to for Eli to catch them. Instead, he was saved from further comment by a computerized chirp and his sister's voice: "Chance, I'm coming over in about ten minutes."
"Okay!" He shouted in answer. In a quieter voice, he said, "Eli, I need to shower." Without waiting for an answer, he rolled out of the bed and made for the bathroom, leaving Eli alone in their bed.
Eli watched him go, then fell back into the pillows and let the past hour replay in his thoughts. He was smiling still and out of habit passed his happy thoughts on to Chance in the shower. Finally he rose to get dressed so he would be decent when Oz arrived.
Coming out of the shower, Chance didn’t cover his nakedness; he simply used the towel to dry himself off. He grinned at Eli. “Had another memory fall into place, involving that shower. Nice, right?”
Eli pulled his head out of the closet, a pair of jeans and shirt in hand and his smile mirrored Chance’s. “Oh yeah....so...you think Oz is still wound up? Coming to make sure you’re really here?” His gaze swept over Chance and he crossed the room, leaned in to brush his lips across Chance’s as he continued past him into the bathroom.
“No idea why she’s coming here,” he shook his head and started dressing. “When she gets here, you gonna stick around?”
I can if you want. The words appeared in Chance’s head as Eli was brushing his teeth. Not like she despises me or anything.
“Was that sarcasm?”
“No, I’m serious.” Eli stepped out of the bathroom, teeth brushed, long hair brushed. “She likes me much better now.”
“Good. Ten minutes are up. She’s late.” Chance turned and went out to the living area, just as the chime sounded. “Or, on time,” he muttered and opened the door.
“Chance,” Oz stood on the doorstep and just looked her brother over, looking a bit like she didn’t know who he was. “Half-Vulcan? Think you could have told us?”
“Us? Us who?”
“Well... me, since I seemed to be the only one who didn’t know!”
“You’re older, how could you not have known?”
“Ugh,” she rolled her eyes and then crossed the threshold to grab him in a tight hug.
Eli emerged from the bedroom, now in his jeans, white shirt and bare feet. “Good morning, Oz, how are you? I was just going to make some real coffee. You up for it?”
Letting go of Chance, Oz nodded. “Yes, please. Thank you, Eli.”
Chance, however, wasn’t done with Oralia. He grabbed her arm, hard, and pulled her close to him again. Taking a deep breath, he smelled her then commented, “Your hair smells... different. Musky. Male.”
“What?” Oz quickly stepped away from him, breaking his grip on her arm. This was something Chance had never done before. “That’s how you respond to a hug from your sister? By telling her she smells?” Truth was, he had just creeped her out.
Moments later, the smell of coffee drifted through their quarters and Eli returned. “I left some hot chocolate on the counter for you, Chance.” His tone was casual, but he glanced over to Oz as he spoke.
“Hey, thanks,” Chance clapped Eli on the bicep as he passed him and disappeared into the kitchen.
Oz watched him, a frown gracing her lips. Then she caught Eli looking at her and smiled. “Well?”
Eli stepped close to Oz and spoke in a whisper. “Something similar happened with me last night.”
“Maybe... you know, he was a weird little kid. Maybe things haven’t settled, like Harding and Sakkath warned,” she said, hope rising eternal. “Maybe in a few days, he’ll be ...normal.”
“That’s what I’m hoping, so we’ll see. He got a little forceful when I offered to sleep at Vor’s so he’d have the place to himself.” Eli shrugged, then stepped back away from her. “How’s the chocolate?” he called out.
“Little bitter,” Chance came back, smacking his tongue against his palate. “But some sugar solved that.”
Ignoring this new weirdness, which happened to remind her of Chance when he was ten years old and on a wicked sugar kick, she looked at Eli then back at Chance. “Harding suggested you see Counselor Swift,” Oralia reminded him. “Could we make that appointment today? Eli, would you be available?”
“Sure, anytime. I arranged for a few days off from classes, for both of us. It works out well since Vor’s working on some internship thing.” Eli smiled at Chance as he passed by him on the way to get his and Oz’s coffee.
“Chance?” Oz spoke softly and, with a hand on his arm, drew her brother away from the kitchen slightly. “How are you feeling?”
“A little off, Oz,” he whispered, “Last night, I couldn’t remember your name. And, Eli..., when he said he was going to someone else’s for the night, I got really possessive. I barely recall him and there I was, ready to tie him to a chair to keep him from leaving me.”
She hugged him. “It’ll get better, kiddo.”
“Coffee.” Eli returned and passed a mug to Oz. “Fair warning, I make it like jet fuel. Great for all-nighters.” He paused and realized how his words sounded. “Studying...of course,” he hurried to add.
Glancing at Eli, Chance smirked.
“Since I’ve already been up since five and have been to my - Li Hawke’s - office, this should be just what I need,” she sipped the coffee and immediately made a face. “You weren’t kidding. On this, I’d think you’d be shaking too much to study,” she smiled at both of them, watching them.
“I can call Counselor Swift if you need me to, Oz.” Eli hurried along to change the subject and fast. “I know you have a lot to do and.....oh.” He lowered his cup and looked at Chance, a little bewildered. “I was thinking of the search for Iggy, but last night Chance said that she’s no longer on the station.”
Oz blinked. “Not on the Station?” She grabbed Chance’s shirt and demanded, “How the hell do you know that?”
“I... I don’t know, Oz,” Chance admitted with a shake of his head, a move that got his sister to back off and let go of his shirt.
“It’s not like she could book passage off the Station,” she muttered. “Eli, if you could arrange things with Swift, I’d appreciate it.” As she said that, she realized that, in the past week, she’d come to think of Eli as part of her family - hers and Jackson’s.
“I will,” Eli answered. He was looking at Chance, however. “I’m going to fix us something to eat, he’s been starving since we got home last night. You staying Oz?”
"Ah, no, I'd better get back. Acting Exec, and all," she shrugged and looked at Eli, "Thanks." Before leaving, she hugged Chance again, briefly squeezing his arm, as if testing to make sure he was real. "I'll see you two later."
“Later Oz. I’ll call the Counselor and I think we’re going on a little tour of this place this morning, see what memories it stirs up.” Once Oz departed, Eli strolled on into the kitchen.
“What are we having?” Chance followed Eli, quickly catching him around the waist and planting a kiss on his neck.
“A late breakfast if you keep that up.” Eli smiled and leaned back against him, enjoying the closeness. “She’s worried about you.”
“So are you. You both think I’m acting weird,” he whispered. There was no recrimination in his statement, merely an acknowledgement.
Eli laughed softly. “This is you Chance. The correct term would be weirder. Given what you’ve been through, it would be a miracle if you weren’t a little off.”
Chance chuckled, too. “Yeah. I’m feeling a little like a book whose pages have been shuffled around. I liked mustard and pickle burgers when I was a kid. Still do.” He shifted his mood a little then said, “Okay, breakfast and then a tour of the station. Let’s go.” He let go of Eli.
“I’m all yours.” Eli smiled and got busy with breakfast.
“I know,” Chance smiled and watched him.
**********
Cadet 2nd Class Eli Ziyad
Hope Springs Eternal
Cadet Chance Conradi
Some Things Aren’t Forgotten
Lt. Commander Oralia Zeferino
Weirded Out
