Barriers and Boundaries.
Posted on Sat Nov 2nd, 2024 @ 2:46pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant JG Zai
Edited on on Sat Nov 2nd, 2024 @ 2:46pm
1,330 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Stars Around the Well
Location: Zai's Quarters | USS Arcadia
ON:
Dinner had ended with Adrianna, when they'd returned to Zai's quarters Zai had filled the new tub and taken a good soak while Sabastian walked over to Engineering to conference with his people still there doing last minute repairs. Fang was thankfully out doing XO things in his new XO office so Sab had the run of Engineering. When he'd returned he'd showered and changed and joined Zai in the bedroom.
Sabastian smiled as he looked over at Zai from the door. "What are you reading?"
Zai looked up. "A Vulcan text actually. Our ship has a library, a real library, with books."
Sabastian laughed as he walked into the bedroom. Pulling back the covers he slipped inside leaning against the headboard. "I remember even in the Academy you loved paper books. You used to say that there was nothing more calming then the smell of books."
"Yes, I admit it, I'm a book sniffer."
Sabastian laughed. "Uh-huh. You used to smell every new book you bought."
Zai smiled. "Yeah. I don't have many these days they were all lost over the years but it was one of my guilty pleasures. I would buy a book, the weight of it, the smell when you first opened it and ruffled its pages, the sound of the spine opening for the first time." He closed his eyes as if reliving it. "It was pure heaven. My dream has always been to have my own library."
"Then I have something you will love."
Zai looked over raising an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Sabastian leaned over and pulled something out of his overnight bag that was by the bed. "Here you go?"
Zai took the jar. "Leather and library?"
"It's a candle. When you open it there is a smell of old books."
Zai didn't waste time he opened it and took a sniff. "Oh my gods! This is heaven!"
Sabastian chuckled. "Thought you would like it, for your meditation."
Zai slipped the candle on the bedside table and closed his book adding that there too. He hugged Sabastian "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Darling. Shall we sleep tomorrow is a big day, launch for your team and mine has a lot of work to do we have three ships leaving."
They settled down for the night and once again, Zai slept better then he had in years. The peace and calm that came from being next to Sabastian could not be put into words.
It was about an hour before the alarm was set to go off when a hissing sound drew Zai from his dreams. He gently slipped out of Sabastian's arms and headed to towards the Livingroom. His senses told him that they were not alone and he knew exactly who was there.
He walked into the living room and stopped crossing his arms. "Lee Fang. What are you doing here?"
Fang stared at him. "What the hell are those and why is it so hot in here?"
"That is called sleepwear and it's hot because Sabastian is part Vulcan he prefers this temperature."
Fang stared at him. "Excuse me but since when do you wear sleepwear you sleep in boxers and what does he have to do with the temperature in your quarters. Also where is your window?"
"Fang, kindly get out."
Fang stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"Apologies. I was not clear. GET. THE. HELL. OUT. OF. MY. QUARTERS." He paused. "Better?"
Fang stared at him. "What's this about?"
"Boundaries."
"He asked you nicely, Lee. I'll just call Tactical and how would that look on your record." Sabastian strolled out not bothering to put anything on. He was just in his boxers. He walked over to Zai placing a hand around his shoulder. "Hello Darling, what's the idiot doing here?"
Fang's mouth literally dropped open.
Zai, taking advantage of Fang...speechlessness stepped away from Sabastian and grabbed Fang's arm. "Out! You are going out now and don't come back in uninvited. I'm changing my codes." He lead Fang out and deposited him in the hallway.
Fang found his voice. "What the hell is going on?"
He'd felt Sabastian move behind him. "I'm spending time before we leave with my boyfriend."
"I...I..."
"Listen Fang don't give me that. Maybe you understand now how it was for me all those years, the only difference was back then I think I was in love with you and frankly you found your happiness elsewhere and then when you were done you returned to shower me with affection, this is like that the only difference is I have been freed from being in love with you and I am with Sabastian because I am falling in love with him, hell I may already be head over heels. I won't be coming back to you in a day or days or a few hours or maybe ever, this is not a few days or weeks, I want to try for a lifetime with Sabastian and I have no problem being your friend. Friend. Understand." He closed the door and opened the panel to the side changing his codes.
Sabastian wordlessly leaned over and imputed a code of his own. "Added step to ensure he can't override your code. Something Station CEOs can do, not technically supposed to be used this way but screw it. Only your CO or medical codes can override the seal on your door."
Zai gave a nod, shut the panel and turned around. "Sabastian I hope you understand. This isn't what he was doing to me."
"You mean knowing you loved him but not willing to return it and sleeping around, then coming back to you. I know. You just told him you were falling in love with me and that you wanted to try for a lifetime. I do too." He took Zai's hand and placed it over his heart. "Open your senses, feel what I feel for you."
Zai closed his eyes, it had been a long time since he interacted with an empath like this. He opened his senses felt Sabastian do the same. The rush of warmth, love, joy, wonder that filled him had him speechless. He opened himself and allowed Sabastian to see his own heart and in that instant he knew, his own emotions mirrored Sabastian's. Sabastian had fallen first and harder but Zai was right there with him falling but with a slight resistance and in that instant when they were empathically joined he brought down that last barrier, a promise to both of them to allow himself to fully fall and to get lost in what they shared.
As they withdrew from one another's emotional field and opened their eyes both saw tear tracks on each other's cheeks. He didn't know who moved first but they were once again in each other's arms just holding on to one another.
A couple hours later they stood at the airlock that was docked to the station. The Base personnel were filing out and when the last one left Sabastian turned to Zai. "Well that's it. All my people are off. I'm the last one."
Zai gave a nod, not trusting himself to talk.
"I'm glad we happened. It still feels like a dream but I'm here for it. If it is I hope I never wake up."
Zai smiled and cupped Sabastian's face pulling him in for a gentle kiss. A few moments later he leaned his forehead on Sabastian's both of them out of breath. "See you when we're back."
Sabastian smiled. "Don't forget next shore leave you're all mine, we're both taking a month off to go frolic on Risa."
He laughed. "Deal. See you soon from the bridge" Another featherlight kiss and Zai stepped back watching as Sabastian left and the mutual airlock seals were engaged. A final wave through the airlock glass and both walked away looking forward to when they would be together again.
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