You Must Be British As Tea Fixes Everything

Posted on Tue Aug 4th, 2020 @ 9:20pm by Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Deck E - Officers Quarters
Timeline: Day 40, Month 2, Year 0 18:00
3573 words - 7.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Lexi wanted to blame the fuzziness in her thinking on the medication, but she knew better. She knew her thinking was already ruined because of him, the injured shoulder simply heightened it all and how deep it went. The doctor had ordered her to stay off her feet and rest, but she was so restless. Each step in her pacing circle made her uneasy, but she kept on despite the pain from her shoulder.

She had to move, keep her blood flowing. She needed to do something to remind her she was still alive despite the Vrav and their attempt to put an end to her. She frowned and looked at her thin tee and running shorts, not really great for company but best she had right then. “One moment.” She called moving over to the door to open.

A levitating mug of tea appeared in the opening to the door, steam still wafting off of the top in its usual, carefree way. Upon further inspection, a hand and arm, and indeed the rest of Lieutenant Mattias Constantine appeared to be attached to it, but he had positioned himself in such a way that only the mug was visible to Lexi as the door opened. Peaking around the corner, he grinned as he saw her stick her head out of the entryway in search of her visitor.

"Hey you. So I made too much tea, and I thought to myself, who could I share this with? I was knocking on doors at random. You just happened to be the first one to open up," Constantine winked.

Lexi raised an eyebrow at the mug appeared and then smiled brightly as the man who she had been thinking about appeared. “Hello yourself. Well, them not answering is all my gain.” She greeted taking the mug before it ended up everywhere and stepped back to allow him into her quarters.

The space was tidy and Starfleet standard apart from a few Polaroid pictures stuck to the wall and A bright pink fluffy blanket That was folded on the bed.

"Ah, well, I can't take all of the credit. It was Finn's idea to use some of the mint you are growing to make herbal tea, so be sure and thank him the next time you see him. He sends his best wishes by the way," Matt relayed the hydroponics operator's words as he stepped through the door. He had his own cup of tea in his other hand, which he placed carefully on the table before turning to carefully envelop her in a hug. "You know Lexi, I think you're right about your quarters versus mine," he mumbled as he inhaled, luxuriating in the smell of her hair. "These port side cabins with the mirrored layout just aren't the same."

"He left me a fantastic herbal tea when I slept one day. I have a lot to thank you all for." All the days had blended into one with all the resting and sleeping she had been doing but she would be sure to thank the people who had saved her life. She had just put her own drink down when he surrounded her and hugged her to him in a proper hug. One of her arms moved to wrap around him while the other stayed at her side. "Odd isn't it." She agreed smiling not wanting to let him go.

"Very," Matt nodded, perfectly content to remain in an embrace for as long as she continued to squeeze him with her good arm. He slowly rocked back and forth in a slow, pendular motion, sashaying back and forth with Lexi still comfortably wrapped in his arms. "I've missed you. I've missed holding you. I'm very glad you're doing better, and I hope Duncan's bedside manner is tolerable at least. Ah," he extended an arm and plucked his mug of tea off of the table, releasing her with a half-turn as he did so. "You'll have to excuse me, but there is a special circle of hell reserved for those who let good tea get too cold."

"I miss being able to do hug you without being told to lie down." She teased just a little thinking of her overreaction when she had woken up. "He was wonderful. Brought chess to play. Thank you for listening to both of us." The woman admitted with a fond smile for the Engineer. It had been the first time they had properly spoken and she was truly thankful that he had carried out her mission to get Mattias to go to bed... proper bed. She did not want him guarding her like that, it would have been selfish of her. "As an English woman, I can appreciate that special circle of hell."

They shared a laugh as Matt took another sip of his tea before his attention was drawn away by the pictures stuck to the wall. Some were clearly taken prior to coming aboard the ship, but the most recent additions included some faces he recognized. He held his mug of tea close, cherishing the warmth of the steam as he looked upon Captain Morgan, Doctor Seong, and Ensign Livingston - all smiling, all memorialized on Lexi's wall. Another photograph showed Lexi and three other officers gathered around in the mess with a deck of playing cards scattered on the tabletop beside them.

"When do I get to make the wall of fame?" Matt raised an eyebrow in his best Vulcan impersonation.

The woman blushed a little as she realised, he had never been in her room before or knew about her polaroid camera or that she had a passion for photography. It was just something that had never come up in conversation before. “Well, you never seem to be able to keep still to take photos on PaDDs let alone film.” She teased him just a little trying to hide her embarrassment at the photos. "And you aren't on that wall but that wall." The woman pointed to three photos on the wall by her bed.

Swiveling around to where she was pointing, Matt focused on the trio of prints affixed to the wall. The first photo depicted a candid moment shared by the communications team of Leroux, Constantine, and O'Connery back on Earth during their first meetings in San Francisco. "Oh man, how long have you had this? Look at the stupid grin on my face," Matt couldn't help but laugh at himself. "And look at the cute blonde who clearly has my attention. You must've known from day one, Lexi."

"Six months or so. Since we left Earth." It felt like even longer but the woman did not comment on that. It had been like a rollercoaster the last few weeks and she was not sure if she was enjoying the ride or not but photos made her feel more secure.

"Oh, now this is a good picture here. I remember taking that one," Matt moved on to the next photo. The background looked similar to the communications center, but he couldn't be sure. In it, he had perched his chin on Lexi's shoulder and they were both pulling a face at the instant the shutter clicked. "We are such dorks, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lexi slowly sat down on her bed weakly and smiled a little. "Well, you do have long arms. And as usual, using me as a public leaning post. I think that was the day Leroux told us off for being dorks." She commented on not twisting to have a look. She knew them by heart, spent hours of restless nights memorizing them.

The final photo was markedly different than the others. Instead of being a print of a digital image, Lexi had seen fit to use some of her precious film to capture the moment. In the dim lighting, Matt had fallen asleep with Lexi comfortably nestled into the negative space he had created with the shape of his body. Frozen in time, his was a peaceful, deep sleep, free from the worry and stress that plagued the waking hours of every crewmember on the ship.

"Lexi," Matt tore his attention away and sat down beside her on the edge of her bed. "I am more than happy to leave things unsaid and figure this out day by day, but if you want to talk about things - about us," he looked over at her. "I'm right here."

"I..." The woman started before she paused feeling her hands sweaty on her knees as she thought about it all. "I do not even know where to begin. Do you?" She wondered clearly trying to work it all out but not knowing where to start.

"No," he admitted in return, "but I don't want the risk of saying the wrong thing to keep me from saying anything at all. It's certainly been my intent to be open and honest with you, and I'm not going to change that now. You know how I feel about things between us, Lexi. I just want to make sure I'm not rushing you. I want to respect your boundaries and to keep earning your trust because those are the sorts of things that I want to base our relationship on."

For sure, thinking about what lies ahead for them both could be seriously anxiety provoking. Lexi was sure it might be nicer to just lay in bed together and “enjoy the moment,” a serious relationship requires some conversation about what each person envisions for the next few years especially with how the word had gone topsy turvy. "Okay So here is the thing I’ve never really had a relationship before. " She knew he knew her home life was less than stellar and why she had escaped to Starfleet as soon as able to.

"Hey, look at me," Mattias calmly took her hands into his and studied the anxious look etched into her features. In that moment, if he could've wished away all of the doubt and answered all of her questions with the snap of his fingers, he would have in an instant. But he had learned from his parents' example and knew that patience and understanding were the bare minimum in situations like this. "Thank you for being honest, Lexi. I know it isn't easy Honestly, we're lucky our dialogue is a strong suit. Could you imagine this conversation with someone who doesn't understand how to communicate? I've been there, it's not fun, believe me."

Careful to avoid her injury, he took the aggressively pink blanket folded on the bed and draped it over her shoulders. A cool breeze wafted down from the environmental system, and if he had noticed it in his long sleeved tee, then he was sure she had. "If you're worried that being inexperienced is a red flag, don't be. You are amazing just the way you are, best friend. Don't change a thing," he smiled.

"I just... I mean things are different between us and yeah I guess inexperience if a factor but we are very different. I know you can totally love someone from a different cultural or religious background, but that doesn’t mean your different upbringings won't prove challenging at times." She murmured snuggling into the blanket appreciating the sentiment of it.

Matt brought his arm back to his side, taking a moment to thoroughly process what she had said to him. She was right, of course. His had been a relatively stress free upbringing on the east coast of the North American continent, and though they had never really talked about it in depth, he had gleaned enough information to know that her childhood into early adulthood had not been as effortless.

"You're right," he finally spoke. "We are different, but it'd be terribly boring if we were exactly the same. Coming to understand our differences is how we grow - not just me and you, but everybody," Matt's voiced trailed off. He took a deep breath before stepping out on a limb of which he had no way of knowing whether it would break or hold. "Lexi, if you ever want to talk about your past, I promise to listen with an open mind and an open heart. It doesn't have to be now - it's a standing offer, okay?"

The woman leant forward and despite the pain, it caused her in the sudden movement kissed him softly. “Whatever we were going in the relationship before now is getting intensified under the stress and pressure of this situation. I do not want us to move falsely and lose you.” The woman whispered barely loud enough for him to hear unless she was not as close as she was. "All I kept thinking when I was lying outside in the corridor was how I never got to tell you how much I cared for you. How kind you are and how much I was sad that we could not grow together." She had no idea why she was telling him that now.

The kiss was the perfect remedy to ease his worries. Matt had clearly had too much time to think sitting by her bedside in sickbay with nobody to talk to. He had enough emotions bottled up to rival the Vulcans, but everything made sense when she kissed him.

"I'm not going anywhere." He kissed her back gently. "Can I stay here tonight? They say a good cuddle accelerates the healing process you know." He bore the same grin that she so often drew out of him.

"This is really all new to me. I just need a little bit of time to get used to this. I am not going anywhere either despite the Vrav's best effort." She knew she was worrying whether Mattias was the person who will be able to fulfill the needs she had and make her life complete despite the chaos. Lexi was logical and had been brought up to know that the truth is, 'the one' was a myth but it still was all new. What was more important was that you have some basic compatibility and you're able to put the effort into maintaining your connection together. "I guess the bed is big enough for two." She grinned at him and ran her hand through his hair.

"I like it when you do that," Constantine closed his eyes and leaned into her hand a little more, hoping she would continue. "Are you any good at cutting hair? This mop needs some taming, and I don't know if I trust whoever has set up in the barber shop. I've seen some... interesting shapes come out of there," he reopened one eye to check his surroundings before plopping down in bed.

She carried on loving the feel of his hair in her fingers, it was just familiar now and there was a different feel to it now than before. "I am not sure who set it up but I think your hair and beard are perfect. I cannot say I am any good. Maybe McGrumpy might be good he seems to have shorter hair last few days." She whispered grinning herself as she watched him settled down on her bed. She hoped he understood why she could not go to his quarters for a while. She had attempted to walk there after leaving sickbay but it left her sick and dizzy. Was that a sign of PTSD?

"I shudder to think what nickname you've come up with for me when you talk to Dunc," Matt snorted, maneuvering himself into a more comfortable position. "But I am glad you and Duncan got to know each other better. Now you can empathize with me about the woes of living next to a man who thinks he can sing. Oh, and if he was trying to wingman, I swear I didn't put him up to it - it was his idea," he stuck his tongue out briefly and winked.

"Nah you get no nickname." The woman assured quietly as she sat there just trying to not think about anything other than them in the moment. "He is a good wingman." Lexi teased thinking back on the conversations that she and Duncan had, had about Mattias. "He thinks a lot of you, you know despite the fact he sings to make sure everyone knows that he is there. It is a defence mechanism."

"And I think very highly of him too. The dynamic I have with him kinda reminds me of the one I have with my older brother, Peter. I hope you get to meet him one day, Lexi. My sister, too, though she'll probably ask if you're okay in the head for ever agreeing to spend a significant amount of time with me. Sometimes I miss them so much it hurts," Constantine had settled into place, but his eyes darted around, still amused at the vibrant color of Lexi's blanket. Finally, he settled his gaze on his favorite brown-eyed girl, wondering why he had ever looked away in the first place.

Lexi grinned a little at what his sister would think of all of this. “I met your sister at the dinner we all attended, didn’t I?” She said thinking on that man and how much it must hurt to not have his family around him. “I wish I could help with that Matt.” She knew eventually the pain would lessen but for now, it hurt. It was easy for Lexi and she compartmentalized it all but not everyone was as ice cold.

"Oh yeah, I guess you did meet Nat," Constantine scratched his chin, recalling the events of the aforementioned evening. "God I was so nervous. A bunch of career officers and enlisted, and here I turn up still wet behind the ears. I'm just thankful that you two didn't decide to haze me too much. It seems like it's been years already! Speaking of, tell me Lexi, where do you think we'll be in five years? Still out here? Or do you think we'll find some way to make it home?"

“Five years. Hmm…” She mused rolling her good shoulder thinking on it all. “I do not know about the ship but I think on my own plan often. Well if we do get home which I am hopeful about I want to be home in Bristol soaking up the rays with a drink on the dock watching to make sure my kids do not decide to try and take a swim in the said dock. But if we are here, I want to be the best person I can so watch out for your job mister.” She teased winking.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Mattias imagined what it might be like to live in Lexi's vision of the future - the sound of the water swirling around the dock mixing in with the innocent laughter of children running around being scolded by their mother to slow their antics down to walking pace. In his mind's eye, the view of the Bristol channel warped into walls which were the familiar grey of the Atlantis's interior. The possibility of becoming a generational ship had never really been the intent with the NX-class, but life always seemed to find a way when it needed to. However, the question still remained - which path were they heading down?

"Let the record show that I've been warned," Matt reached out and booped her on the nose as he gave a playful, mischievous look. "Let the record also state that I am a pretty good swimmer and that running a two person department is harder than it looks sometimes. That said, I'd be more than happy to work under you. Or beside you. Or on top of you."

Lexi found her self blushing and laughing at the same time at his words. It was hard not to When the man said something like that in such a mischievous voice. “I am just glad that we’ve trained a few people to at least cover communications so we are not doing 12 hour days opposite each other.” She chose to just wink at his other words.

"You can say that again," Constantine stifled a yawn, stretching his frame out one last time before lazily draping his arm over Lexi's side. "Speaking of which, what's our schedule supposed to be like tomorrow, boss? I have a feeling I might want to sleep in."

"I do not know. I am off duty until they can check I am not going to flake out or still at risk of infection." Lexi mused admitting that not everything was perfect but it was at least better than it had been.

"Bed rest it is. That's an order, Ensign." His voice had become nearly unintelligible as he drifted closer and closer to unconsciousness. He switched to French halfway through mumbling something inaudible before his breathing steadied into a rhythm.

Lexi smiled at the man and stroked his hair for a moment taking in everything about him for a long time before she pressed a button along the side of her bed and turned the light down. She settled down next to him and soon found herself closing her eyes and falling into a restful sleep.