Worth A Thousand Words

Posted on 30 Mar 2014 @ 6:26am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov & Lieutenant Elijah Williams IV, M.Sc.

1,751 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Keval Grayson's Quarters
Timeline: MD -02 1630 Hrs

ON:

Keval had just stepped out of the shower, his hair was still damp. He slipped into a pair of jeans and the same paint splattered tee shirt he had worn the day he met Elijah. He liked the other man already, though he barely knew him. He found his painful shyness a sharp contrast to Asahi's confidence and am even sharper contrast To Ellsworth's' brazenness. He found it refreshing and compelling.

He decided not to make the same mistake that he had made with either of those other men. He had come to grips with the fact that he had been equally responsible for what had happened and the way it had happened with the Betazoid and he was glad that He and Kos seemed to have become a couple. Things between he and Asahi were still up in the air and he was willing to give the other man some space So with Elijah he was willing to take things slow and see if there might be something between them

Instead of cookies he had planned to surprise the human with a apple pie. He had done better before He had been forced to replicate the crust, but the rest was homemade. It was cooling on the sink and just awaiting the arrival of his guest.

Things were starting to fall in place for Elijah. He was slowly getting used to starship routine and even more so, getting used to the limited space of the Galileo. He got along with his roommate just fine, but he still spent a lot of his off hours in the mess hall. It was more open and had a bank of large windows that allowed for the perception of a more open area. Sometimes he would just stare out those windows for hours, watching the stars streak by. It was calming, relaxing even.

He had also gotten to know Keval a bit more, though now duty shifts and work priorities had become priority so it was tough to meet for dinner. However, as promised, with an afternoon free, he would sit for a portrait. Now that the day was finally here, this caused him some anxiety and he had thought about backing out. But, he had made a promise and he never went back on his promises. Once at the Andorian's quarters, he stood at the door then rang the chime.

Keval smiled when he heard the chime. He went to open the door himself. He was pretty sure who it was going to be and he smiled as the doors slid open and he saw he was correct.

"Come in," he said, "I've fixed you a surprise."

Elijah entered the familiar quarters, hands clasped behind his back. "A surprise?" he said with a hint of shock in his voice. "For me?" No one really ever had surprised him with anything. His parents didn't go out of their way, even birthdays were just run of the mill events. His mother would make a cake, he would get to choose his favorite meal and then there would be presents. It was always just family, never friends.

"Yeah I said I was going to fix cookies for us, but I decided to make a pie instead. It may not be my best effort, the crust I had to replicate. I hope you like apple. I would have asked but that kind of would have spoiled the surprise."

It was an interesting surprise. "I can't recall ever having apple pie actually," Elijah said. "Though I do like apples, so I suppose you can't go wrong with them in a pie."

"Well then let me serve you up a slice. Would you like some ice cream to go with it? The replicator does an okay job with that kind of stuff." he went and pulled the pie out of the oven and sat it on the counter to cool. Just give me a minute and I can dish it up.How was your day?"

"Actually no ice cream," he said. Elijah didn't want Keval to go through so much trouble or fuss over him. It made him uncomfortable. "My day was fine, nothing too extraordinary."

Keval shrugged his shoulders slightly his left antennae now almost completely restore to normal curling forward slightly. "Sure no problem on the ice cream I like it better just plain myself. I'm glad your day was okay. Pretty dull right now, though I am sure that will change."

"That's life on a starship," Elijah said. "Or, so I am told anyway," he quieted for a moment as he kept his gaze on the Andorian. "Can I ask a personal question?"

"Of course. Anything you want."

"It's about your antennae," Elijah said. "Since the moment I met you I noticed how they move and twitch. Are they an extension of your emotions, like a physical expression?" He had to admit he was curious, at the Academy, learning about other species was the norm but if you didn't go into exobiology or exoanatomy you only got the basics.

"I guess they're a combination of things. They are used for balance and I use them to express myself. Usually I don't even realize what that I'm doing. You know like people who talk with their hands. If i'm curious about something they usually curl forward, If I'm angry they are usually stiff. They are also an erroneous zone under the right circumstance.

As you can see one was damaged and is just now getting close t normal. Anymore personal questions?"

Elijah had noticed the damaged antenna but didn't feel it was his place to ask about that. Sometimes people didn't want to talk about injuries or other things that happened. He himself never talked about his past. "Interesting," he said simply. So basically it was a way to communicate an extension of self. "Nope, no more personal questions."

"Well then, eat up and then we can get started."

"Alright." Elijah started in on the pie, he wasn't sure what to expect but the bursts of cinnamon and sugar was unexpected. It was a nice taste, but the apples were too soft for his liking. He was glad it wasn't a large piece, it allowed him to finish quickly. He set the plate down on the table. "Where do you want me? Do you need me to stand or sit?"

Keval finished his own plate and stood picking up both his and the Human's. "Just over there by the easel. I've got a new canvas. You can sit or stand. Your choice, just make sure you're comfortable.

Nodding, Elijah moved to where the easel was. He thought at first it would be better to stand, but not knowing how long this would take, he decided to sit. He went back, grabbed a chair, situated it and then sat. He waited for further instructions at that point, since he wasn't sure what Keval had in mind for a pose.

When Keval had put the dishes away, he moved across the room and got out a small box. He opened the lid and took out some brushes. Why don't you turn your chair slightly to the right. Then put your fist under your chin and rest your elbow on your knee."

Elijah did what was asked, he turned the chair slightly and posed as directed. It was an odd pose, but he didn't mind it either.

"Thanks," Keval said as he picked up a paint brush, "You know really appreciate your taking the time like this, it means a lot. Is that pose comfortable for you? If not, you can just sit back in the chair, I just want you to be at ease."

"Actually, it is a little uncomfortable. It seems... forced," Elijah says. It was a pose after all, those were forced. He leaned back against the chair but sat ramrod straight, but relaxed his shoulders slightly. "There, how is that?"

"That works, but unless you sit that straight all the time, I'd relax a little if I were you."

"Yeah, I kinda do sit like this all the time. Perfect posture... it's a thing from childhood," Elijah said. But, since he was going to be sitting for a painting and had to hold still he decided to relax his posture.


"That's better. " Keval said, "You should just look natural. Whatever natural is for you. By the way. You seemed to be pretty good with the color suggestion. Would you like me to teach you how to paint? I mean not that I'm that good at it."

"Well I already know how to paint... some," Elijah said. "I just sort of fell away from it," he wanted to smile but kept his composure. "Though the lessons would be welcome, it's something I wouldn't mind getting back into."


"Good and teaching someone makes me better at what I do too. So it should be what they used to call a win, win situation. Any particular style we should focus on, oil, acrylic, landscapes, portraits, that kind of thing?"

Elijah gave it some thought and stayed quite for a long while before answering. "Probably landscapes, that seems like a good starting place," he said. "I think acrylics would be a good thing to start with as well."

Keval gazed at Elijah as he spoke. He liked the sound of his voice, the way he sat as well as his general countenance. The corners of his mouth curled up as the other man spoke, both antennae curling back slightly as he became more familiar with and relaxed in the other's presence.

"Landscapes it is then. Saturdays is good for me if it works for you. Are more of an early morning person, or would you prefer later in the afternoon?"

"I will let you know," Elijah said. "I am not free every Saturday, but afternoons would work best." He saw Keval's antennae move again and he wondered briefly what that meant as far as what the other man was thinking. Though he was too shy to ask the question again, so he kept these stray thoughts to himself.

"Sure," Keval responded, his grin getting bigger. "Let's just play it by ear."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Elijah replied. If there was one thing he loved and thrived on was a plan, even it was in it's infancy stage.

OFF:

Lieutenant JG Elijah Williams, IV
Geologist
USS Galileo

&

CPO Keval Grayson
Operations
USS Galileo

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