Temporary Roommates

Posted on 18 Aug 2015 @ 5:50am by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ellsworth Hudson

3,218 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 4, Room 7, Ellsworth's quarters
Timeline: MD2, 2100 hours

ON:

The way to his room was barred, and not just by the tell tale danger ribbon, but also by debris. Inside his room, wires were hanging down from the ceiling and it almost looked as if the room he shared with Nesh had suffered a cave-in. Wintrow hoped his dear pets were alright but somehow, after having been allowed to survey the damage, he doubted it.

Only allowed, under guidance of an engineer, to grab his pillow and a PADD, Wintrow now dragged his pillow behind him and walked to the quarters he had spent a night once before. Looking a little bedraggled after a long day on his feet, the young pilot pressed his hand against the chime and waited.

Ellsworth was quick to answer the door and then stood just to the side with a hand extended towards his humble quarters. Somehow they were immaculate and clean, as if he'd spent hours making everything just right. The importance of presentation and courtesy was still ingrained in his mind from his days on Risa not so long ago, so he couldn't bring himself to have a guest without everything being in its proper place.

"Come in, come in. Welcome to L'Htel Ellsworth," he said, grinning as he mimicked something he'd heard in a holovid. "Would you like some tea? Coffee? Fruit juice? Chocolate bar? Champagne?"

Looking a little taken aback at first, Wintrow soon smiled. Slightly, but smiled. "No thank you sir," he answered softly, "I'm just grateful I can sleep here. I can't even get inside my own room. If I could though, I'd love to use your sonics...to clean up a little." He held up his pillow. "Unfortunately I have nothing but this so if you have a uniform or anything else to spare,...?"

Ellsworth started at Wintrow's waist and then craned his head to look up at him. There was at least a seven inch difference in their height, so imagining the other man in one of his uniforms made him laugh. "You get cleaned up, I'll get something for you to wear."

"I'd appreciate that," Wintrow murmured, briefly touching Ells' arm as he passed him towards the bathroom. "Thank you."

The quartermaster, using his extraordinary quartermaster powers, entered a requisition for a new uniform into the replicator and thus managed to bypass most of the lockouts. A uniform in flight control red materialized where food was ordinarily dispensed, which Ellsworth collected and then extended as far as he could into the bathroom while maintaining propriety. With his head turned away, he said, "Here you go, one uniform, specially authorized by the ship's quartermaster, tailored to your specifications. That'll be nine strips of gold-pressed latinum."

Despite the situation, the display made Wintrow smile. "You can put it on my tab sir," he answered, playing along. "And there's no need for you to stay outside, you've already seen all of me before." Still he did appreciate the sense of privacy as he took the uniform and started to pull it on.

Naturally, Ellsworth didn't need to much reminding about what "all of me" looked like - he kept a fairly accurate mental image of virtually everyone he'd slept with, filed and tucked away in the recesses of his mind. Nevertheless, he remained outside for propriety's sake.

Feeling refreshed, Wintrow exited the bathroom and raked his fingers through his hair. "I'll make up for this sometime," he promised, then looked around. "I guess I'll find a space on the floor when it's time for bed? What does your roommate think about me staying here?"

"Huh? Oh, he's fine. He's on one of the repair crews, so he probably won't be here more than a few hours at a time, anyway," Ellsworth said, waving a hand as if to dismiss Wintrow's concerns. He glanced to the side at the bottom bunk that belonged to his roommate, and then back at Wintrow. "He's also kinda picky about his bed... So. Yeah, the floor. Sorry. Uhhh... I've probably got some blankets and stuff I could put down to make it softer. Let me look." He shuffled over to the closet and began digging through copious amounts of clothing. "And I promise not to step on you when I get out of the bunk."

"I'm sure you can sense just fine where I am," Wintrow grinned, feeling a little more at ease. "I won't be in the way I promise, and I'm out of your quarters when I'm up in the morning."

Ellsworth disappeared into the closet in his search for some blankets, which was quite a feat given how small they were, and his voice was muffled when it came. "You're not going to one of the temporary shelters, are you? You don't have to do that. Unless the floor is that uncomfortable."

"No, but I don't want to be a burden to you and your roommate either. I plan to keep working in the shuttlebay and get my flight qualifications back. Assuming I lost them after I made Galileo bump into the other ship." Wintrow shrugged as he sat down on the floor, waiting for Ells to come back. "I don't mind sleeping on the floor, really I don't."

Ellsworth emerged from the closet, though he wasn't visible. He was completely wrapped in two enormous down comforters - one with a giant wine stain on it - that made him look like he was in a cocoon. He stumbled a bit, trying to find his footing without the benefit of sight, and then tossed them forward on to the floor.

"Here! We can use these to make a fake mattress." He grabbed the one that had partially covered Wintrow a dragged it off of him with a grin. "Sorry. Anyway, don't worry, you can stay as long as you like. You shouldn't have to be jammed into the cargo bay with twenty other people or whatever. I'd be a terrible host if I made you pack up and leave when there's plenty of room." He did a 360 degree turn as if to demonstrate all the space, even though an enlisted crewman's quarters were like a tin can. "See? It's practically the admiral's suite, cadet."

"Yes sir it is," Wintrow agreed, returning the smile. "And I meant that I'll only be here when I need to sleep and I won't be intruding on your privacy. That's all." He knelt down to arrange the comforters on the floor and padded them up a bit then placed his pillow on one end. "All I need now is a sheet or two and we have a bed all ready and made."

"Oh, privacy," Ellsworth laughed. Most people didn't give a second thought to whether he had privacy or not, especially not on a ship this small. Everyone seemed to know everyone else's business, so privacy was a luxury he wasn't intimately acquainted with. "You can come and go as you please. I'll lock the door if I need...uh...privacy. Now, sheets... Uh. Sheets, sheets..."

After opening six different drawers, he finally produced a sheet that he tossed to Wintrow.

The teenager missed and was completely covered by the sheet that had managed to unfold mid-toss. "Uhm...a little help?" he murmured as he struggled to get uncovered. "Like I said, I don't want to be a bother and if you've company I'll find another place to stay. This is your home, I'm a guest and I'll live by your rules here."

"In the orphanages, they used to have us make our beds over and over again if they weren't perfect. So, I'm pretty good at it," Ellsworth said, bragging a bit as he went down to one knee on the bed. He untangled Wintrow from the sheet and playfully bumped him with his shoulder to move him over a little bit. "First these corners at the bottom...then a tuck here and here...bring it up... And there. A perfect bed. Uh... Well, like...a perfect floor bed."

"Hey," Wintrow exclaimed as he was bumped over. He hadn't felt this at ease in a very long time and it showed on his face. "Orphanage?" he then asked carefully, his dark eyes settling on the other Betazoid. "Uhm yes, it does look like a perfect floor bed." He smiled again. "Thank you."

Ellsworth sat back on his haunches and titled his head to the side. "The orphanages. After the war, you know." He frowned a little before remembering Wintrow wasn't a Betazed Betazoid. "When it was over the state opened a bunch more orphanages to take care of all the kids. You know, like, our parents died in the war. I wasn't in them all the time - sometimes I got a family - but I usually ended up back in them." He turned to hide his face a little, uncertain whether he should grin or be ashamed. "I was kind of a problem child..."

"Depends on how you define 'problem', really," the younger man offered, "my stepmother considered me to be a problem." Carefully, almost shyly, he reached out, fingers barely touching Ells' arm. "You're not a problem child anymore, you have responsibilities now...and friends, and loved ones, right?"

Ellsworth looked down at this arm and considered the question. He had responsibilities, but the latter two were questionable. Oren was his friend. And... That was it. Things were too complicated with everyone else to be sure - Kohl was a superior officer; K'os was a walking drug; Grayson was a fling; Cyrin was altogether absent; and Piet was just a mentor. His family - across the board - had been wiped out by the Dominion invasion.

"Problematic, maybe, but not a problem child," Ellsworth replied before shrugging off the line of questioning by changing the subject. "So, do you think all your stuff is floating in space?"

"No, not in space but it looks like something caved in from the above deck instead. My quarters still have four intact walls, fortunately, but I do think my pets were killed. I didn't have time to look for them...and without someone taking care of them they'll starve."

Ellsworth looked properly horrified. "What? That's terrible! They wouldn't let you in? I bet it was security, wasn't it? They're such bullies." He huffed and crossed his arms, looking sullen and depressed on Wintrow's behalf. "What were they? Your pets, I mean."

"Yes it was security..." Wintrow sighed softly. "I had 3 gerbils, they were a gift from a former roommate. They were already really old, but still... Oh, gerbils are rodents, they belong to the hamster family." He put his index finger and thumb about 7 centimeters apart. "About this big with ditto tail."

"Hmm," Ellsworth said, squinting in thought. That reminded him of a certain species of vermin he used to encounter on the streets of Medara, foraging through the bombed out homes that were still awaiting federal reconstruction assistance. "I'm sorry they died. Can you get new ones? Maybe somebody in sciences can clone them. They can do that, right?"

"Possibly....thank you for that suggestion." Wintrow smiled. "Ill talk to them when this is over. It's a great idea." He impulsively reached out and hugged the Betazoid.

Ellsworth returned the hug, probably reveling a bit too much in the contact with another person that had been sorely lacking in his life since the debacle with K'os and Oren. Suddenly he stood up, lifted his mattress, and began rummaging around beneath it looking for something. As he did so, he spoke over his shoulder down to Wintrow.

"It's, like, the first science idea I've ever had." He grinned. "We should celebrate. Do you want a chocolate bar? Some were, uh, damaged in this last shipment of rations we received, and I thought it would be a shame for them to just go back into the matter reclaimator, so... I may have set aside a few."

"Oh I love chocolate!" Wintrow exclaimed happily, "it's uh...a genetic trait I think. What is like your first science class ever? And hey...can't eat it in once piece now can you?" He grinned back, dark blue eyes shining in a manner like they hadn't done in quite some time. "Ells...thank you. Just being here...I don't know how to explain. It feels good."

Ellsworth tilted his head to the side in a curious look and then smiled, patted Wintrow's hand, and hopped to his feet. "You're welcome. You can come over any time. Well, like, unless the door's locked. Then I'm probably asleep." He winked and walked to the closet, rummaging through its lower contents in search of the chocolate. "I think it's genetic, too. Did you know they have a hard time growing cocoa on Betazed? Maybe it's the rarity of it." Soon, he emerged from the closet holding aloft two chocolate bars; he looked quite victorious and pleased with himself. "That'll be five bars of gold-pressed latinum, please."

Wintrow grinned. "Put it on my tab," he answered playfully, "and no I didn't know that... but I've been to Betazed only once, a few months before my reassignment to Galileo. I found my maternal grandfather...the only biological family I have left and he never knew of my existance. My mom obviously never got to tell him and I'm not sure why dad never did. My stepmother probably prevented him to, when I was older..."

"Oh, really?" Ellsworth said, handing over the chocolate. He tried to sound polite but not necessarily too polite. Family was always a difficult discussion for him - listening to others talk about theirs usually inspired some jealousy, or when the conversation turned to him he'd get bogged down in some war orphan story. "Did you get along with him? Or was he one of those cranky old Betazoids?"

"We got along but well..it was really awkward and I haven't really heard from him since then. He didn't even know his daughter had gotten married." He shrugged. "I sort of have all this surrogate family now, in the form of a guardian though I suppose since I'm of age I don't really need one anymore, but I did back on Sarek....I sort of consider him a brother and he treats me like one. Oh....I still have a half sister but I can't discuss where she is, for fear my stepmother will find out. I'm in occasional contact with her though...she went through the same with my halfbrother as I did, and it was her twin....and my stepmother turned a blind eye, encouraged him when it came to me, and well...." He shrugged. "I already told you this before and I don't want you to feel bad and all that....as far as I'm concerned I don't have any real family left. Starfleet is my life."

Wintrow smiled as he unwrapped the chocolate and broke off a piece. "And I can tell this makes you feel funny....so tell me....what makes you smile?"

"Chocolate," Ellsworth said, grinning sheepishly. He answered openly and freely - not that he wouldn't anyway - but there was especially no need for holding things back when the other person could just mind-check you. "Hmm. Sex. Good sex. Mediocre sex. Uhh... The way Piet starts turning red when I'm being difficult during our mentoring sessions. Dancing. And..." He cleared his throat. "Oren." Quickly, he rushed on. "What about you?"

"Flying," the younger man replied without pause, "and sailing. But mostly flying." then, he did pause. "Oren? You mean Oren Idris? He's one of my on board teachers...I heard his quarters were destroyed..."

"Yeah, that Oren. He's okay, although I think he lost some of his stuff," Ellsworth said, smiling. "He's my...friend. He's one of your teachers?" For the briefest moment, he felt a flare of jealousy, followed by anger at himself for feeling jealous, followed by shame at feeling angry about feeling jealous, all in the span of a microsecond. "I didn't know that... What does he teach? Anthropology?"

Wintrow nodded. "Yes something cultural. I know very little of half of my heritage you see..." he blinked at the sense of jealousy and the flare of other emotions. Then he smiled uncertainly at the other Betazoid. "There's nothing between us," he promised, "he's just a teacher. I have no romantic involvement with him, or anyone on this ship. The only one I had was with you...and I'm still not sure how we ended up there..."

"It happens a lot," Ellsworth said, as if he casually fell into bed with hundreds of coworkers, and shrugged his shoulders. "I bet he's a really good teacher. Uh, Oren, I mean. He's really patient and super smart. He reads a lot, like, you know, boring stuff. Science stuff and archaeology and what they dug up on Cestus III that relates to Toputh IX and what it means for pre-colonial history on Planet Yadda Yadda." He purposely crossed his eyes and grinned. Suddenly, his eyes snapped back into focus. "Oh my Goddess, I bet his exams are gonna be so hard."

"I wouldn't know, so far we've really met only once to discuss matters. And I think it'll be a while before he actually gives me any course work. But yes he does sound super smart." Wintrow shrugged in return. "We'll see, but I do want to know more about my other half of my genetics. I grew up on earth, and I've been to Betazed only once, as I've already said."

"You aren't missing anything," Ellsworth said, drawing on memories colored by the war and his own personal struggles. Everyone seemed to think Betazed was beautiful but all he remembered was gray. "We have some neat stories, though. Like the one about Saint Alessia who couldn't be burned because she was righteous and protected by the Great Fire. Or...wait. Was that Saint Alexxia?" He frowned. "There are, like, a lot of saints. But no Saint Ellsworth. Yet. I didn't really pay a lot of attention in school, but I can try to help you with your homework, if you want. Well, the Betazoid parts. I don't know anything about anybody else's history."

"Oh I'd appreciate the homework help," Wintrow smiled, reaching out to him. "No Saint Ellsworth yet? Ahh...but I'm sure there will be in time. What you did for me, after Rigel...I'll never forget that. You're one of few with whom I feel very safe. And to me, that's a good thing."

Ellsworth blushed and shrugged it off with characteristic, deflecting humor. "It was nothing, just my first miracle. Two more and I'm a shoe in for saint."

"Well then we'll have to see about two more miracles," Wintrow suggested, then leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Either way, thank you, for being a friend."

"You're welcome," Ellsworth said, beaming a smile. He squeezed Wintrow's hand once and then rocketed up to stand on his feet again, sauntering off to the bathroom to prep himself for bed.

OFF:

Cadet SO Wintrow Paragon
Support craft pilot
USS Galileo
pnpc T'Vanna

PO3 Ellsworth Hudson
Quartermaster
USS Galileo
[ PNPC - Mott ]

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