[ussgeorgetown] Happy at Home by 5 of 12, Aileas McKay, & Nan Ecitsuj
- From: TKilyle@xxxxxxx
- To: ussgeorgetown@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 20:53:38 EDT
Pain never suited Nan's disposition very well. Neither did getting angry.
Even though he'd gotten the last word, so to speak, with Butler and had tried
running more with that very odd Romulan, his leg was still hurting. He was
still limping by the time he got back to Aileas' cabin.
The sound of Nan returning home brought a warm smile to Aileas's lips and
she bounced up to him. Kissing him lightly, she frowned at the pain in his
eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Nan slipped an arm around her waist then kissed the top of her head. "The
leg's been killing me all day and I do not want to take any medication. What
works usually makes me sick," he told her. He shook his head. He hated
sounded so grumpy.
"Tell me what I can do," she said as she guided him to the only chair.
"That helps, Nartok," he said as he finally took the weight off his feet.
He reached up to take her hand, which just happened to be the one with the
sensor tips, and kissed it. "I've never asked you to do this. It hasn't been
so bad lately but...you have the loveliest hands. How are at they at
massaging away an ache that only exists in my head?"
Kneeling before him, she let her fingers play over his legs, looking for the
implant. When she found the top edge, she started to massage, gently at
first and then stronger and harder, using the tips of her fingers to dig out
the
knots.
He knew it was all in his head. Even after he'd rechecked with the medical
crew on this ship, who he now trusted more than his team from HQ, he knew
they were still just phantom pains. He felt Aileas' strong fingers start to
work and the tension let out little by little.
"Mmm...that feels good. I knew you had magic hands," he said almost
dreamily, as he let his hand rest on her head. He loved her hair, so much a
contrast to his own.
She kneaded down his thigh, working out all of his pain. "Why do you let it
hurt you?"
"The leg? I don't know," he answered definitely relaxing under her touch.
"I can't quite ignore it. It's just been one of those days..."
"But it's all in your head, love. Pain is controlled through the
interpretation of neurological impulses in your brain," 5 of 12 informed him
as she
continued Aileas's work. Her touch was harder and deeper, not as soft but
more
effective.
"I know, Nartok. I can usually deal with it but if I get
distracted...mmm...well, you see the results," Nan told her, his hand still
resting on her
hair.
"The Borg deal with pain by simply not seeing it. It is a colour to us, red
I believe. Did you know that as 5 of 12, I cannot see red? In fact, I can
see very few colours where Aileas can see the whole spectrum," 5 of 12 said
matter-of-factly.
"You never told me that. That's very interesting," Nan replied. He looked
at her curiously. "I'm personally very aware of color because it's a rare
thing on Ninitchik. There's a trade off though, isn't there? You see other
spectra?"
"My visual ranges extend beyond the normal spectrum, yes." She left it
there. In fact, she could see well beyond normal ranges, down into microwave
and
radio and up into the ultraviolet. To her, Nan was an explosion of colour
that she could never describe to him. Looking up into his jet black eyes, 5
of 12 smiled as she stood, lifting his hand from her hair. "How does it feel
now?"
Nan extended his leg, twisting the foot left and right, then stood up,
putting his full weight on it. He grinned widely, put his arms around her,
then
kissed her soundly, bending her backwards. "I really wanted to do that
before, you know, but I didn't think I'd be able to. Thank you, my Nartok.
This
is definitely one of the many reasons I love you."
"It's nice to know I'm useful for something," she said ruefully.
Nan's eyes widened. That didn't sound right, not at all. Rather than sit
on the chair, he lowered himself to the floor, holding out his arm. "Come
here, Nartok. Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing, love, just... well, I feel kind of useless at the moment. All I'm
doing is watch Aileas run routine scans, playing with her astronomy papers
and being bored out of her mind. She has about as much to do as I do." 5 of
12 shrugged. "We're just excess to requirements at the moment." There was
no trace of self-pity in her voice. Everything was said without any emotion
at all.
Nan settled his arm around her, holding her close. "Nor have I got much to
do either except study, which I've been doing. I suppose we ought to be
thankful for when it is quiet but it doesn't help much when you've got nothing
to
do." He tilted her chin up, looking at both her eye and the implant. "Not
only are you beautiful, you're smart. Smart people have a hard time being
bored."
"But when we are, our boredom is complete and mind numbing." Leaning her
head against his, 5 of 12 sighed deeply. "I love you, Nan."
"And, I love you, too," Nan said. "You've made me a very happy man, you
know. Despite all the trouble we've gone through, I wouldn't trade any of it
if
it meant being without you." He kissed her nose then her chin then finally
kissed her lips.
Smiling against his mouth, Aileas kissed him deeply. "What would we do
without you, love? Probably drive each other mad. Have you eaten?"
"No, I was waiting to have dinner with you. I didn't even finish lunch
because I got so distracted with shift coverage and studying. Besides, eating
with you is a lot more pleasant than eating at my desk," he said brightly,
feeling the familiar mental warmth she always inspired.
"I think you should choose this evening." Snuggling down into his arms,
Aileas rested her head against Nan's shoulder. "I want to know more about
your
world, make us something from there."
"We have these huge birds and you'd think they were flightless but they
aren't. They're covered all over in these beautiful soft feathers, too. We
eat
them but they're also honored parts of our myths because they ride the Winds
where we have to walk..." He realized he was rambling and offered her an
apologetic shrug. "Sorry, I was off on a tangent again. Anyway, emicha taste
horrible if you replicate them but Terran chickens come close even if they're
so small. What do you think--roasted with string beans?"
"Why do you do that?" she asked, trying to look into his eyes. "Why do you
stop yourself from telling me about your home?" A small amount of hurt crept
into her eye but she kept her voice inquisitive.
He raised one snow white brow, blinking at her question. The realization of
what she asked hit him and his face fell. "Oh, Nartok, I'm sorry. I've
become so used to editing myself that I forget I don't have to do that with
you.
I'm not used to it any more," he said quietly, his dark eyes searching her
face. "Forgive me? Please? I'll tell you whatever you want to know but you
always tell me to shut up if it's too much."
"When have I ever told you to shut up, Nan?" she said quietly, stroking the
side of his face lightly.
Nan chuckled lightly even as he let himself enjoy her touch. "Back when we
were in Renaldi's office the first time, actually, but I deserved it. All I
mean is that if I'm going on too much then you need just tell me." He kissed
the palm of her hand.
"Have you ever loved another? Like you love me?"
"No, not at all," Nan replied in all seriousness. He stroked her face,
implants and all. "I have, in the past, been called an awful flirt but I was
never truly attracted to anyone, at home or in the Fleet, until I met you."
Aileas looked away from him, her cheeks flushing. "Does it bother you that
I have?"
"You mean Sechen?" He shook his head. "Not at all. I'd say he was a
fortunate man to have known even a part of the you I know now. I admit it
surprised me when you told Renaldi you were engaged but I understand why you
didn't
tell me, considering the circumstances."
"I'm ashamed to admit that I find it hard to tell even those close to me all
of my secrets, my hidden thoughts and feelings. Even now..." She snuggled
in close to his chest, hiding her face from him.
Nan wrapped his arm around her and rested his chin on top of he head. "We
have these flowers at home. They only grow where they're sheltered in the
forests. My father says that if you force them to open then they die. I'd
never force you to tell me something. I trust you to tell me what you want
when
you're ready, like the dianta."
"You are beautiful, wonderful, gentle man, Nan Ecitsuj," she murmured into
his chest, her fingers dancing over his arms. "I will tell you, I promise,
just not yet."
"When you're ready, Nartok. I'm not going anywhere," Nan said simply after
he kissed her hair. He hugged her to him then tilted her chin up. "You sure
you trust my cooking? I've never made dinner for anyone. Senek's a
vegetarian, you know, and he very politely said please don't."
"There is nothing that I don't trust about you," Aileas said with a giggle.
"Only... if you give me food poisoning, I'll set Five on you."
Nan threw his head back and laughed, hugging her tightly. He made to stand
but motioned for her to stay seated. "Relax, my dear, or do something else
if you want. I'll do this for you."
Curling her knees underneath her, Aileas watched Nan work. "What are you
fixing for me?"
"It's all Earth stuff but with our Ninitchik seasoning. To substitute for
the emicha--chicken, roasted, steamed string beans since they remind me the
ones we call sozha, and mashed Andean potatoes," he said from his spot on the
galley area. He looked over his shoulder at her, grinning. "Don't listen to
Senek. For a Vulcan, the man's a smart ass. He keeps saying we eat ice."
"He's got a big mouth," Aileas said with a growl. "Why does he insult you
so much?"
"Oh no, no, Nartok. It's not like that. Our friendship started off with
him telling me to shut up and it's gone back and forth that way for years.
He'd go to the hilt for me. I know that. For you, too," Nan explained, even
as
he went back to cooking. "He let you in his quarters and he doesn't do that
for many people."
She wanted to tell him that if Senek insulted Nan in front of her, she'd
swing for him, but she didn't think Nan would understand. "I'm sure he's very
nice when you get to know him."
"He is. A little odd for a Vulcan but a very good friend. I think if he
hadn't held my hand after I was hurt, I might have just let go..." Nan
shuddered. He hated thinking about what might have happened. "Almost ready,
beautiful lady."
Perhaps we can reserve judgement on this Vulcan, Five, Aileas thought. Her
companion's only response was an internal snort. "Wonderful," she muttered
as she got to her feet and moved to sit at the table, "who else has their own
personal disagreeable Borg?" To Nan, she said cheerfully, "That smells
wonderful."
Nan placed the trays on the table then laid out the place settings. "Dinner
is served, my dear. Earth food but Ninitchik style. No food poisoning to
be found," he said with a grin as he kissed her cheek.
Taking a forkful, Aileas grinned. "This is gorgeous, Nan! You're a good
cook." With a sparkle in her eye, she said, "You can cook every night from
now
on."
Nan beamed happily. "That's fine with me." He reached to touch her cheek.
"I'm a very fortunate man, you know. Things have gone so well since I came
aboard."
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