[ussbansheec] Imperfectly Perfect
- From: Andy Maluhia <CaptainAndy@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ussbansheec@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:31:16 -0500
_Imperfectly Perfect
_by Aneirin tr'Ghaladriel and Rea Sabine
/"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to
see an imperfect person perfectly"--Sam Keen
/
He used to tell himself it was simply illogical to have a variety of
civilian clothing when most of his time was spent on ship and on duty at
that but now that he was spending more time with Sabine, Aneirin had
come to regret that. He'd gone so far as to ask his brother for help.
Erianath had simply smiled and patted him on the shoulder, muttered
something about boring Federation uniforms, then told him to take what
he wanted from his own things. Later, the older man told him, they
would see about making him presentable when off duty. That was how
Aneirin found himself in finely made Romulan clothing, heading to pick
up Sabine. Just the thought of seeing her made it easy to put up with
the gentle teasing from his father and uncle. It was amusing but
annoying in stereo.
Delphine had set her hair in pretty spirals around her face and done her
mack-up in subtle shades to blend with her skin tone. Sabine was in a
gentle green silk dress that floated around her thighs, a little shorter
than she normally did but Delphine had told her that she had nice legs
and Aneirin would appreciate seeing them. Blushing a little as she
waited, she played with her coffee cup at the cafe she sat at.
He saw from just outside the cafe and stopped dead in his tracks. He
knew he looked like an idiot but it couldn't be helped. She was
beautiful, he knew that, but as she was at that moment, she was
stunning. Walking forward slowly, he couldn't help the almost smile on
his face. "You look stunning, Sabine. You truly do."
Her hand lifted automatically to her hair and her blush deepened.
"Thank you." Rising to her feet, she swayed up and did her best to hold
back from tugging at her skirt. Instead, she reached for his hand and
kissed his cheek. "You look pretty fine yourself."
His eyes followed her as she stood then he really did smile, not caring
who saw. Elements but she was perfection! "You can thank Erianath and
the fact that we are close to the same size," he told her after kissing
her gently. "I drew the line at earrings."
"Which is a very good thing because I think they'd just mar a very
handsome face," she said firmly. "So, pretty man, where are we going?"
"To be honest, I have no idea," he admitted. "To be honest, I have
literally never had such a social occasion. It seems, as I was once
told, I weird people out." He sniffed softly and shook his head. "I
was rather popular to switch duty shifts with for that reason."
"You've never weirded me out," she said with a bright smile. "I told
you before, I always found your company relaxing." She looked back at
her coffee and shrugged. "Want to join me in more caffeine then?"
"That will be fine," he said simply. He held her chair for her, saying,
"I think I forgot how to relax to be honest. Meditation does not always
work but reading helps. I have real books."
"I listen to music. My mother's cousin is a musician, I always loved to
listen to her play when I was a child. My mother had hours and hours
recorded and she sent me copies of it. It always relaxes me."
He took her hand simply because it fekt right, his thumb brushing its
back. "Then listen to it with me one day. Teach me if it comes from
Earth or Bajor?" he asked. "I'll read you the very strange stories my
uncle found for me. Humans have some odd ideas as to what is fiction."
"Half human here, remember?" Sabine teased. She pulled him to sit next
to her at the table she'd been sitting at then leaned her leg against
his, enjoying just that little extra contact. "It's Bajoran music
though. All of my mother's family is Bajoran. She's the only one who
married an Offworlder."
"I meant no offense, Sabine," he said quietly, "but Uncle bought me this
book, written in Earth's 19th century, and I cannot fathom why someone
would step through a looking glass. And the rabbit? Very, very strange."
"I'm not offended," she giggled. "If you think that's the strangest
thing Human fiction can throw at you then I'm not even starting on a
British one called Douglas Adams. Some of his novels are just downright
weird."
One brow rose slowly, Vulcan-like in its movement, but the look on
Aneirin's face was not at all Vulcan. "I am going to have to ask Uncle
before he goes home then. He'll send it to me if he finds it," he said
with a chuckle. He ordered a deka tea then shook his head. "Weird is
my forte, na? I look forward to learning about Bajoran music, too."
"Do you listen to any music yourself?" she asked as she sipped her coffee.
"Vulcan classics. Di'nanov actually liked a man named Salet, but
otherwise...no. I always wished I was more creative but that only works
in medicine.."
"Oh I don't play," she laughed. "I can't even sing. I would hazard
that I am, in fact, completely tone deaf." She nudged him with her knee
and grinned, forgetting completely how stern and sober he normally was
in the face of the charming, sweet man he was now. "My brother tells me
I sound like a dying cat. Then again, this is the guy who has
absolutely no sense of colour coordination."
"He's...colorful," Aneirin said carefully even as he squeezed her hand,
"but vibrant, too. The color goes through to the inside, a bit of all
the Elements in one package." He let go of her hand then to lightly tap
the end of her nose. "And you have a lovely voice. I doubt it has any
resemblance to a feline."
"You tell Tennyson that," she said. She wiggled her nose at him and
giggled again. "You're funny. I never really knew you were this fun."
"You are possibly the only person not related to me who has ever said
that," he snorted.
"Then it's about time someone else noticed," she said firmly but with a
smile.
He reached to brush her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I think
you must have some special vision, Sabine. You see things no one else
sees. You get me to laugh, to talk, when I have never wanted to." He
kissed her cheek. "You are a wonderful woman and you look beautiful."
"You've said that," she said, her cheeks going dark again. "All I see
is what's in front of me." She kissed his hand, shaking her head and
making her curls dance. "I can't believe this is happening."
He dropped his eyes a momernt then shook his head. "Charming and suave
are not things that are ordinarily applied to me, Sabine," he said with
a soft snort but then he touched her cheek. "What 'this' do you mean?
There has been so much that has happened that you are the strong, steady
thing there's been. Please don't let me make a mess of things."
She smiled, she couldn't help it, he was being so sweet and lovely.
"You're not making a mess, Aneirin, you're making me feel wonderful.
The 'this' is just being with you, sitting here and being sweet with
you. I never really imagined it would ever happen."
"I was rather afraid when I was in the brig," he admitted. He took a
deep breath. It was hard for him to admit such things, after a lifetime
of seeking his mother's approval. Still, he cared about Sabine so she
was worth the effort. "Mostly that you would be horrified by what I did
and would never speak to me again. That's why I froze when you and
Di'nanov arrived."
"I thought it was because you didn't want to get blood on me," she
admitted. "But you know it was silly, right? I'm Bajoran, we're
stronger than we look."
"There was that, too, but, again, you would think I'd know better by
now. My maternal parent would have called both things illogical," he
said with a smirk. "I've only known Bajorans professionally, never as
individuals. Sad but true."
"Then let me give you a small insight: we fought for our right to be
free, we're just as much warriors as Klingons and Romulans, we're just
nicer about it," she told him, winking.
He laughed out loud at that, startling several patrons who didn't expect
such a thing from a man of his appearance. "Very nice," he amended. "I
have long admired the richness of teh culture. It's as old, if not
older, than Vulcan but not so secretive. I should have drawn my head
out of Sick Bay more often. The furthest I've gotten was reading some
more modern poetry."
"Then one day you should talk to my mother, she loves poetry. I still
love music more but I can appreciate the poetry when I get time." She
leaned in really close, grinning at him all the while, then whispered,
"You have the most gorgeous laugh."
"Just for you," he murmured. "I have to keep up the mystique outside
the family you know. Must be the stern and reserved one they expect
outside."
"If you think you have to," she breathed, not even thinking of moving
back. "I like this side of you. Is it wrong of me to be falling in
love with you?"
He shook his head. "I could care less what people think unless I
respect them. My family and yours I would care about and, once upon a
time, Dr. McEntire but that would be it. As for wrong...never. How
could something so very honest be wrong?"
Slowly, thought she didn't want to, she sat back, twirling her fingers
with his. "Perhaps I'm falling too fast. Maybe I'm pushing when I
should back off. I don't know. You might be worried about messing this
up but I know for sure that I will."
"No, Sabine," Aneirin said gently as he took her hand. "You aren't
pushing at all. You are simply being sweet and yourself. It's
something that many people don't do."
"I promise to always be myself around you, Aneirin, as you are with me,"
she said.
"I could certainly love you, Sabine. Despite what I've seen when I grow
up, I find myself a romantic," he told her. "I like this sweetnss."
The 'could' sort of hurt but she really did understand. It was new and
she'd had these feelings for a long time, she was projecting them onto
him, assuming he felt the same way when he, more than likely, didn't, at
least not right now. She could hear Tennyson's voice in her head
telling her to back off, calm down and be herself. Don't try to impress
anyone, her brother always said. Just let the person you are do the
work for you. Easy for him to say, she thought.
"Sweetness is very nice," she said, smiling and trying not to let her
thoughts play over her face. "I think everyone from Banshee deserves a
lot of sweetness for a long time."
"Then I will introduce you to all the rest of the family that's here,"
he chuckled. "You've met Di'nanov but not his twin. They want to spoil
me. Aunt was beside herself when she knew I was going out with you."
"Why?" Sabine sniffed, "If she's like her son Joseph, she should be okay
with non-Romulans, right?"
Aneirin let out a frustrated groan an shook his head. "I did it again,
didn't I?" he asked. "I meant taht she was happy. She was the one who
birthed me and she is very much a mother to me. Joseph and I don't get
along well but he is a good man. He and Evelyn will be happy together."
"oops," she grinned. "You didn't do anything, I'm just really good at
misunderstanding things when I'm nervous."
His shoulders shook in a silent laugh. "This is me, Sabine, the one who
you said made you relax. Nothing, except for that one thing, has
changed. Be at ease." he chuckled. I like to think that the rest of
our crew mates will have happiness waiting for them . I don't know that
it will be so but it would be nice to think it."
"It would nice, wouldn't it?" she mused, blushing a little but smiling
all the while.
"It would but I will be selfish and say I would be pleased if our
families were happy at the very least. Imagine, we had no idea that
Di'nanov was helping your father while we were away. We had no idea,"
he mused.
"And isn't it good?" she beamed. "I love my Dad so much and your father
cured him. I don't think I'll ever be able to say thank you enough."
"I like him, Sabine," Aneirin told her. "You get a sunniness from him
that no artificial light could dim. I think Di'nanov was glad somebody
trusted him enough to allow him to lay hands on. He gets very offended
even after all these years when people don't trust him. It's a very
good thing that the trust came from from such a good man."
"My Dad was an expert in exo-psychology, that's how he met my Momma. He
doesn't have a mean or mistrustful bone in his body, he just adores
people, all kinds of people," she explained, the love and pride she had
for her father ringing in her voice.
At that, Aneirin laughed again. "Has he seen my father and uncle
together yet then? It's an odd sight though I'm sure it's not anything
to do with their species. The last time any Federation psychologist's
tried to make sense of them, the woman left shaking her head."
"I'm sure I saw your uncle at the party," she said with a shrug. "My
Dad doesn't make sense of people, he just observes them and loves them."
"They are identical twins," Aneirin said with just a tinge of mischief.
"We don't know if it runs in the family or not."
"Maybe we'll find out one day," she grinned.
"I'd like that," he said simply. "You would be wonderful with children."
Her heart leapt in her chest and she kissed his fingers suddenly. "I'd
like it too. I'd love it."
That simple gesture touched him deeply, a warm flush tingeing his ears.
"I love you," he said softly. "I want you to be the one I look at every
day and wonder what you see in me. I want us to have a home with
children who drive us happily crazy. I want us to be be happy."
She felt tears in her eyes as she leaned forward and kissed his lips
gently. "I love you too. It's going to be a perfect life."
--
Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i
Other related posts:
- » [ussbansheec] Imperfectly Perfect - Andy Maluhia
