We're choosing the path between the stars

Posted on 24 Sep 2023 @ 5:47pm by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Oliver Sylver & Verity Thorne

1,654 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Sylver & Thorne's Quarters
Timeline: MD 11, 0230hours

[ON]

Verity pulled his jacket off as he finally returned to their quarters. His feet ached, as did his back, and it felt like he'd been on his feet for days. "Oliver?" he asked with concern, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, gratified to see he was still on it at least. Not in it, he noticed, but on it. He reached out to touch his head carefully, inspecting to make sure there was no sign of injury left. "I've been so worried..."

"I'm fine," Oliver said, smiling gently as he watched him. "I bumped my head on the console, nothing more serious than that. Promise." He leant to kiss him, quickly, to try and ease the worry. "Are you okay?"

"Of course," Verity was frowning as he ran his hands over Oliver's hair...mostly to push it off his face so he could check for any bruises or cuts. "And it was not just a bump to the head, Oliver."

Oliver met his eyes, letting him look at him. He let out a shaky breath at how serious Verity looked, knowing he had worried him. "Could have been worse. But I'm fine, I wasn't out for long and there's no damage."

Verity searched his eyes for a long moment, almost unsure whether to believe it was safe to be relieved. He kissed him, closing his eyes as he wrapped an arm around the back of his neck to press close.

Oliver kissed him back before he held him, tightly, closing his eyes as he smiled. "We're okay, beauty. I promise, we're okay..." he whispered against him.

"I'm not sure I'm going to let you work on the bridge again," Verity teased, shaking his head as he settled to sit against him on the bed. "You always get into trouble up there."

Oliver held him close, shaking his head before he kissed his hair. "I'm not often up there, you know that. And less now we have an Officer onboard...less double shifts." He stroked over his side, feeling him, taking comfort in having him close. They had barely had time to see each other. "Are you okay? You've...had a busy few days in sickbay."

Verity looked to him before nodding with a frown, not sure how to articulate it. "From what they were saying about that away mission, they went to hell and back."

Oliver nodded, reaching to stroke Verity's hair from his face. "If it was that, some might want to talk to you about what they saw. Hell, anyway." He smiled, gently, touching his jaw. "But I asked how you were." Selfishly, it was what he cared about right now. Verity. Just Verity.

"Just tired," Verity said softly, taking his hand to kiss the back gently. "I'm okay, Oliver, just tired," he assured.

Oliver nodded before he let out a shaky breath, at the kiss. "Okay," he said, accepting it before he moved closer to hug him. "Feels good to hold you. I've missed this. It's been so..." hectic. Strange. Dangerous. "Different."

Verity nodded with a sigh, resting against him as he settled, pulling Oliver's arm to stay around his waist. "Everyone's tense...on edge. Agitated. And that was before the Away Mission."

Oliver held him close, his hand stroking gently over his skin as he held him. It felt good, to just know he was okay and in his arms. "And now?" he asked, almost scared to ask the question. There were rumours, of something bad happening, yet nothing official as far as he was aware.

"It's just getting worse," he shook his head with a tired sigh, resting it against his shoulder. "There's going to be a reckoning, you can feel it."

Oliver nodded, pressing a kiss to his hair. "There always is," he said, meaning it, before he smiled. "But I'll be there with you, every step. We'll pull through it, together."

Verity tilted his head so he could see him properly, his fingertips absently caressing his hand. "No thanks to the Ferengi," he said quietly, shaking his head.

"How often do people get attacked by Ferengi nowadays? We're a rare group," Oliver said lightly, meeting his eyes as he gave him a small smile. "I feel like we should get little pins, so everyone knows." He winked before he leant to kiss his hair, breathing him in.

"Once you get a full set, you win a prize," Verity added with grim sarcasm, tutting at him and pushing his arm softly.

Oliver laughed, unable to stop himself before he touched his cheek. "Verity...we're alive. And yeah, we're going to have a tough time for a bit. But if anyone can do it, it's us. We got each other. And I am never letting you go."

Verity's expression softened at that and he searched his eyes with awe. "I think the phrase is 'I punched above my weight'," he whispered with a soft chuckle, leaning to kiss him gently, caressing up the length of his jaw.

"Yes I did," Oliver said with a lazy grin, closing his eyes as he held him that little bit tighter. "I punched way above it. But you stuck with me anyway. Must mean you love me."

Verity punched him very lightly in his side, laughing as he shook his head. "You know exactly what I mean," he breathed gently, kissing his jaw. "I guess the down side of being involved with a dashing pilot is that you have to be up on the bridge in the line of fire."

"Don't worry, we have a new pilot now...means I won't be there as often," Oliver said as he touched his cheek, stroking it as he closed his eyes. "Suspect it'll be more shuttle duty unless Lamar's taking that."

"How do you feel about that?" Verity asked softly, unable to help himself. It was sheer instinct after so many years as first a priest and then a chaplain.

Oliver opened his eyes to watch him, a gentle smile coming to him as he studied Verity. He heard that gentle voice, the tone he knew when Verity was putting on more hats than a supportive partner. "As long as I still get to fly, it makes no difference if it is a ship or a shuttle to me. I just don't want to be sidelined, my experience ignored, just because I'm the oldest but with the lowest rank."

Verity nodded with understanding, reaching to stroke his cheek softly. "I'm sure that won't happen," he assured gently. "They'd be crazy if it did. You were a marine fighter pilot, then climbed the enlisted ranks to Chief Warrant Officer in the regular fleet. That's pretty special by anyone's reckoning."

"You have to say that," Oliver said, leaning into the touch before he smiled. "And I love you for it. I'll be okay. I always am, as long as I have you." He followed it up with an innocent grin, knowing he was sweetening it up a lot...to cheer them up, to avoid that sense of stress and worry that he'd get if he let himself dwell too much on it. "Look, what matters is, we're here, we're alive."

Verity searched his eyes for a long moment, as if considering what was going on behind them. He reached out to pinch his chin gently, keeping a hold to make sure he was looking at him. "I don't *have* to say anything, Oliver. You know that about me by now."

Oliver grinned, watching him with love. "Oh, I know. You never let anyone tell you what to do, or think. You might very well be the strongest person I know."

"Hm," Verity smiled weakly at that, shaking his head thoughtfully as he trailed his fingertips down his jaw. "I don't know. I give in to temptation far too much," he pointed out.

He leant into the touch, smiling as he watched Verity. "I am not temptation, I'm your boyfriend," he whispered, meaning it. He knew Verity's strength. His mind. His compassion. Empathy. He was the strongest person he knew.

Verity let out a soft breath at the words, searching his eyes as he ran a gentle fingertip down the line of his jaw. "You're right," he said quietly but sincerely. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Oliver smiled, stroking over his hair as he let out a breath. "I know your strength," he whispered, meeting his eyes. "But for the days you don't feel it...have some of mine." He leant to kiss him, closing his eyes. "My love."

Verity closed his eyes with him, resting his forehead to his as he let out a soft breath, stroking the dark hair at the back of his head. "I won't be without you again," he said softly. "Where you go, I go. No matter what it takes."

His eyes softened at that before he kissed his jaw, taking his time as he smiled. "Even if I have to get a ring on your finger?" he asked playfully, his eyes closed so he couldn't see his reaction.

Verity watched him with surprise, his throat tightening as he lowered his gaze. "No strings attached," he assured softly before smiling softly, his eyes dark with warmth and mirth. "But...a ring might help..."

He opened his eyes to meet Verity's, smiling at that before he kissed him. "Good to know," he breathed, because...that was a big step. And he'd need to plan some things with it. But Verity's reaction had been reassuring. Warming. Permission for the future.

Verity smiled fondly at seeing his reaction, the nuances in it. He leant to kiss him almost reassuringly, taming a lock of dark hair back behind his ear. "I'm ready for any adventure with you."

[OFF]

Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

&

CWO2 Oliver Sylver
CONN Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Rice]

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