Balestra

Posted on 30 Sep 2014 @ 12:00am by Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Amon Mormont

2,052 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 7 - Callisto Bar
Timeline: MD 08 - 1630

ON:

Mormont smiled as he spotted Stark, walking over to him. After all that had happened yesterday, he wasn't surprised to find him in the bar. In fact, Amon had been dreaming about this moment. Just...to relax. And with Gabriel too. Because he suspected...well. They did need to talk too. He hadn't forgotten the night they had shared, the sex. The way Gabriel's hair felt under his fingertips.

"Hey," Gabriel's smile brightened when he spotted him approaching, lifting his glass with a soft sigh. The tribbles had been, frankly, driving him mad. Because he hadn't had enough to deal with down in the crazy mines of hell. He'd needed a drink to unwind after scooping furballs out of his own bloody bed. "Can you believe it, we're still in one piece."

"Still breathing," he said and smiled as he sat next to him. "How you holding up?"

"About the same," he admitted with a weak smile, shaking his head. "It's been a hell of a week. And I'm being forced to take time off by the First Officer," he made a face.

"You need the time off, Gabriel," Amon said firmly, touching his arm. "You've done well, holding it together the way you did."

"See, even you're expecting me to fall apart," he frowned, shaking his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "The First Officer's sent me back to bloody counselling. Let's just run away now."

"No, I..." he reached out, to touch his hair, smiling. "I just mean that some of us fell apart there. The tension, everything...you could see the strain. And you managed. Hell, you seemed to thrive."

Gabriel chuckled softly, watching him fondly at the touch. "You don't want to run away to Risa then?"

"I can if it is with you," Amon said and lowered his hand, holding his eyes. "But I think you'd miss this mad place. You just got your other half back as well."

Gabriel almost choked on his drink at the turn of phrase. "Are you talking about Aria?" he asked with a laugh. "Now there's a scary thought."

He laughed as he leant closer. "You and Aria are best mates. You have to be glad to have her back. I mean...sorry about her demotion, but she seems to be handling it well."

"Yeah, best mates, but not my other half!" Gabriel laughed softly at that, shaking his head. "Yeah, she's doing well. I think she's actually happier."

"Good," Amon said, nodding as he watched him. He wasn't sure how to approach this either. "How...are you doing, Gabriel? Really?"

Gabriel searched his eyes for a long moment, leaning close to him. He admired and respected Amon. Hell, he fancied him like anything too. "I'm getting through," he said quietly. "You saw me in training though, I was crap."

"I saw you taking control over yourself. I saw you did well," Amon said firmly and smiled gently. "You would never have been left alone in a real situation, you know that."

He gave a soft smile at the words, watching him with awe as he reached to touch his arm. "Thank you, for saying just about the right thing all the time."

Amon smiled, taking the hand to hold. "I mean it, Gabriel," he said, his voice quiet. "I'd make damned sure of it."

Gabriel held his hand tightly, searching his eyes as he nodded, letting out a shaking breath. "I'll always have your back," he whispered.

Amon watched him for a long moment, searching his eyes in return. "So...so maybe we could have dinner?" he asked softly. "Together?"

Gabriel blinked with surprise, tilting his head as he laughed softly. "You and me? Like....civilised?"

"Yeah," he said and nodded, his eyes warm. "We can even get uncivilised if you really want later on, but..."

Gabriel laughed warmly, his eyes shining as he kept leaning in close to him, stroking his arm. "You realise there's nowhere private for a nice meal."

"Quarters," he said as he met his eyes, swallowing. "Hell, I can replicate us something nice...I'd usually cook, but...tribbles."

"Slight problem, I've got a roommate these days," Gabriel shook his head with a weak smile, lamenting the days he'd had his own room because of his difficulty at night.

"So...do I," he admitted before smiling. "But he'd be at work now...he works Beta so I never see him because I am always here to..." he stopped himself. He had made his sleeping pattern so he was awake gamma and beta, so that he could see Gabriel when he was off shift.

"Then I'd love to," Gabriel said quickly, as if scared he'd change his mind. He didn't want him to.

"Good," he said as he smiled, nodding gently. "Come on, we go now..." he stood and took his arm, with a chuckle.

He laughed gently, hooking his arm comfortably through his as they walked. "Why thank you, kind sir," he teased.

Amon laughed warmly as he walked with Gabriel, watching the other man. "I missed you, you know. We...haven't had the chance to talk since that night."

A smile came to Gabriel, knowing exactly what night he was talking about. "Not properly. Not like that," he admitted. "I've not been avoiding you, I promise. It's just been busy."

"I know...same," he said as they walked, considering it. "I...don't want you to think I'd just use and dump you."

Gabriel watched him with surprise at the phrasing, holding his breath. He looked down awkwardly, frowning. Well, he hadn't thought of it in that language, but, he had figured it was a one night stand.

Amon stopped, watching him for a long moment. "Gabriel...no..." he said, touching his cheek, not caring if they were in the hallway. "No, I..." he leant close, kissing him.

Gabriel's eyes widened with it but he pressed forward firmly, holding the back of his neck as he kissed him back with warmth. He closed his eyes, melting with the feeling that he'd missed since their night together. "Sorry," he finally whispered against his lips once he pulled back for a shaky breath. "I just assumed..."

"I should have said..." he whispered as he stroked over his neck. "I'm sorry, Gabriel. I should have said..." he wrapped his arm around him, leading him with him.

He walked comfortably at his side, resting warmly against him with a sigh. "I'm just used to the one night stands thing. I didn't think badly of you for it or anything, just as one of those things."

"You deserve more than that," Amon said quietly, shaking his head with a frown. "You're...special."

Gabriel watched him with awe, letting out a shaking breath as he smiled, grateful for the words. "You don't have to say it, but it sure as hell feels good."

He chuckled as he nodded, getting him inside. "Well, I want to say it, Gabriel. What do you want to eat?"

"A great big thick burger," he laughed softly, shaking his head. "Hardly delicate though, hm? No, I'll have whatever you're having."

"Burger sounds good to me," he said gently, getting to the replicator. "I need something proper."

Gabriel sat down on the bed, smiling warmly as he watched him, tucking his legs up under himself as he glanced around with curiosity. "I think I'll be happy if I'm never in another mine again."

He nodded as he carried the burgers over before getting them something to drink. He sat down with him, his eyes gentle. "Yeah...and no zombies either."

Gabriel nodded with wide eyes at that, shaking his head with disbelief. "How mad did it all get."

"Mental," he said before taking a bite of his burger, moaning with pleasure.

Gabriel did the same, closing his eyes to enjoy it as he moaned softly. "I could eat ten of these...I must have burned through a million calories in the last few days."

"Mm..." Amon nodded as he watched him, fondly. "You did well though."

"I want you to think so," he admitted quietly, shaking his head with a frown. "It matters, what you think of me."

"Alright," he said gently, watching him for a long moment. "Gabriel...I'm proud of you."

Gabriel's eyes warmed at the words and he leant closer to him, carefully stroking his knee. "We've got through a lot together."

"We will get through a lot more," he said and leant to close, to kiss him.

Gabriel kissed him warmly with a moan, sighing against his lips as he closed his eyes and felt his skin under his fingertips. "Missed you," he whispered.

Amon smiled as he stroked over his side. "Missed you too, Gabriel. Even if we see each other often."

"But not like this," he said quietly, frowning as he looked down. Not in a way that made him feel....like his.

"I know," he said, smiling as he touched his chin, stroking. "Eat up, Gabriel."

Gabriel tucked in, watching him even as he ate though, curious as he took him in. "Aria said I should talk to you."

"Did she? Nosy girl," he said softly, with a small smile as he wondered if that was good or bad.

"She said I should snag you," he admitted quietly, sipping his drink but kept his eyes on him. "To tell you that I didn't want just one night with you, because you're kind of fabulous."

Amon watched him, searching his eyes before smiling gently. "And is that what you want, Gabriel?"

"I've never really done that before," he admitted, almost a warning as he shook his head slowly. "It's always just been one night stands. A bit of fun and move on."

"Yeah...I see that from you," he said softly, meeting his eyes for a long moment. "But you deserve more."

Gabriel smiled softly, watching him with a gentleness that didn't usually show through when he was with other people. "Are you the more?"

"I want to be," Amon admitted openly as he pushed his food away, to focus on Gabriel and Gabriel alone.

He grinned, shaking his head as he reached to touch his chin. "What if I think you deserve more?"

Amon watched him for a long moment, touching his hand. "Then you don't know what I want."

"You're right, I don't," he admitted quietly, his fingers brushing over his knuckles.

"I want you," he admitted, searching his eyes. "I want you, Gabriel Stark."

He smiled softly at that, licking his suddenly dry lips. "I'm not all I'm cracked up to be," he whispered.

"I know you," he said gently. He knew it was a lot to say. But he did. He knew him. "Just...trust me?"

Gabriel searched his eyes for a long moment before smiling warmly, the grin reaching his eyes. "I trust you. I trust you with everything."

Amon nodded, smiling as he kissed him deeply. "Good..." he whispered, stroking over his chest, reassuringly.

"How are you?" Gabriel asked quietly, holding his eyes. "You keep asking how I am, but you don't talk about yourself."

He met his eyes, searching them before he took a breath. "I missed you. I...really missed you. Like this."

"Close?" he whispered, leaning close to kiss him softly, stroking his cheek so he could feel him there.

Amon nodded, wrapping his arms tightly around him. "Where I can keep you safe," he admitted.

Gabriel moved in closer against him, letting out a breath as he straddled his lap to get comfortable, smiling at the closeness. "Think I need it, hm?"

"Yes," Amon said bluntly as he watched Gabriel, touching his cheek. "I do, Gabriel. Because you don't take care of yourself."

He let out a soft breath, searching his eyes at the observation before looking to his lips. "Think you can?"

"I know I can take care of you. Make sure you eat. Sleep. Make you feel safe," Amon said and grinned, leaning close to kiss him. "And more."

"I like the 'and more' bit," Gabriel whispered, closing his eyes, wrapping his arms around the back of his neck to tug him closer.

OFF:

MWO Amon Mormont
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo
[PNPC Markos]

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

RSS Feed