That Struck A Nerve

Posted on Mon May 23rd, 2022 @ 7:17pm by Crewman Finn Jones & Petty Officer, 1st Class Christian Tremblay

Mission: Mission 6 - Memory
Location: Enlisted Crew Quarters - D Deck
Timeline: Day 295 2000 hrs
1928 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Christian lay on his bunk and stared up at the bottom of the bunk above him. He kept trying to think back to what happened before he woke up in sickbay, but his memory was still hazy. Dr. Avira had run her test but her results had not revealed anything. She had cautioned him about getting more sleep and excused him from duty for the rest of the day. She had sent him back to his quarters where he had changed out of his uniform and into a pair of athletic shorts and grey tank top. As he laid there he rubbed his eyes again slightly before the door chime sounded.

"Come," he said knowing it wouldn't be Petty Officer Tozer, his roomate. Tozer wouldn't have bothered with the chime.

Finn pressed the door release and just stood awkwardly in the doorway for a few moments before he stepped inside. “Hi?” He greeted looking a little embarrassed. He had been trying to decide to go there or not go there for an hour before he had finally given in and found himself at the man’s door.

"Hey," Christian said as he sat up and motioned for Finn to join him on the bed. The hatch closed behind him as he raised the lighting within the room.

“Are you okay?” He wandered as he moved to sit on the bed. He wasn’t wearing uniform either but wearing jeans and a band shirt they was from a famous ancient band. He looked comfortable if not embarrassed by his annoyance at the doctor.

"Yeah. The doctor didn't find anything with her tests, but she excused me from duty the rest of the day," he said as he looked at Finn. He could tell from the look on his face that there was something bothering him, so he pressed forward, "I take it the doctor's comments were not to your liking?"

Finn gave him a of course they were not to my liking. He did not like what the woman had said at all, it had left him feeling angry and that was an emotion that he had not experienced in along time. “No.” He said simply as he looked at the plants on the shelf and fiddled with the soil.

Christian watched him fiddle with the plants before he stood and crossed over to him. He reached out and took the mans hand in his. "Hey, I know what happened to me has nothing to do with you. No matter what Avira says, what's important is you and I both know it wasn't your plants," he said softly, intertwining his fingers with Finns as the man looked up at Christian.

The younger man looked over at Christian as his fingers were stopped mid organizing and checking the plant. He knew it could not be anything there but it did not stop the niggling feeling that maybe it was.. “No it is not. You got hurt and what if it was something there. You cannot come down there until it is confirmed.” He said quickly.

Christian nodded at Finn. He could tell by the look in the younger man's eyes that he was worried. He decided to try his best to assuage his fears. "Well, if that's the case, how will I get my mint plant back," he asked giving him an upraised eyebrow and a slight grin. He hoped this would brighten Finn's mood some.

Finn offered a sad smile and shrugged. “I will have to look after it until I can bring it to you.” The man decided it was the only option.

"Finn, I know that your worried about me. But all the other times i was down there, this never happened. Maybe the doctor is right and I just haven't been sleeping well," Christian said before winking at Finn with a slight grin, "Besides, when would I be able to see you and bring my dead plants for you to fix?"

“I could get out the hydroponics more often.” He answered feeling that he would have an answer for anything that the one threw at him in his worry. He was refusing to lose anyone else. “But yes you should get sleep and rest.” He could agree with the doctor about that. Everyone could do with more sleep at the moment.

"Well, I know we'd all like to see you out of the hydroponics bay more, " Christian said with a smile. He pulled on Finn's hand and led him over to his bunk before motioning for him to sit. "You look like you have a lot on your own mind. You know you can talk to me," he said has he squeezed the man's hand.

“I do not have much on my mind I am just thinking a lot about the tiny things.” He replied trying to reassure the man. He knew everyone would like to see him out of hydroponics but Finn felt a lot of guilt that let him there. He knew it was survivors guilt as all his room mates had died. “I’m exhausted with hydroponics.” He finally admitted.

Christian squeezed his hand softly in acknowledgement. He knew that Finn was keeping himself in hydroponics far too often, but since they had been together he'd been trying to get him out more often. Christian also knew there was a deeper reason behind why he kept himself there, but he had not wanted to force the issue. "You know it wasn't your fault," he said softly to Finn as he reached out and softly turned Finn's head so he could look into his eyes.

Finn nodded. He knew that, he really did but the gap in his life by losing his friends was big. "I know it is not my fault but it does not stop the feelings," Finn said as he looked into the man's eyes. Finn leaned forward and kissed the man softly trying to get the questions away from him and what had happened. He was trying his best and it was all he had the energy for right then and there.

Christian returned his kiss as he let one arm wrap around him and pull him closer. He had seen in Finn's eyes how worried he had been, but there had been something else there. He knew Finn was afraid of a repeat of losing someone. In that instance, Christian realized how much he meant to the man. He pulled back and rested his forehead against Finn's and gave him a slight smile, "You know, I think that was better than any medicine Avira could have given me."

Finn laughed and then blushed under his gaze and nodded. “Maybe need to have follow up appointments then.” He said in a flirty tone relieved that the man had left it there and did not continue the previous conversation. He was going to try to change his outlook but it was going to take time.

"Are you saying our current session is finished? It was so short," Christian said giving the man a wink. He leaned back forward and kissed Finn again as he let one hand wrap around his waist and pull him slightly closer. The stayed like that for a bit before pulling apart again. Christian smiled as he held Finn in his arms and nodded, "Yes, I'm definitely feeling much better," he said. He then indicated his set up for his mint plant, "So, does my setup here meet with your approval?"

“For now.” He mumbled through breathless. Setup? Finn thought to himself as he looked at the man blankly before he looked at where he was indicating and smiled. “It is perfect. Your quarters are going to be like a herb garden within weeks.” He laughed.

Christian looked over and gave him an upraised eyebrow. "And your confident with that assessment given the brown mint plant I left in hydroponics," he asked as he felt Finn snuggle close into him. He was pleased Finn seemed to be relaxing more with him given what had happened recently.

"I am trying to not kick you when you are down," Finn said without missing a beat and smiled at him. "You learn from mistakes." He added trying to make the man feel better like Christian had been for him. "I should let you rest." He mused as he made a move to stand up.

Christian reached out to stop him from leaving. "Hey, I've been cooped up in here by myself for awhile," he said when Finn looked back down at him. He gently pulled him back to sit on the bed, alittle closer than before. As Christian looked into his eyes, he brought one hand up to gently caress the man's cheek. "I think I could do with some more medicine," he said giving Finn an upraised eyebrow.

“You have been stuck here hours by yourself.” Finn laughed as he was pulled back. “I do not believe I am that medically trained for protracted prescription.” The man teased as he pressed his lips against his again. It would be so easy to just stay there.

Christian returned his kiss while letting his arms wrap around the man's neck to pull him closer. He could feel his heart fluttering in his chest. He was lost in the moment and just focused on the two of them there. When he finally pulled up for air, he opened his eyes and leaned back against the bulkhead and motioned for Finn to join him. AS they laid together, Christian wrapped the man in his arms and breathed in his scent closing his eyes. "Well, I won't tell if you don't," he whispered as he felt incredibly calm in that moment. He felt Finn looking at him, so he opened his eyes and looked at him giving him a sly smile, "What are you looking at?"

“You.” Finn said easily. The man was gorgeous in his eyes and had a personality to match the exterior. It did not often match but in his eyes he was perfect and the kindness made him even more attractive. He knew they were on borrowed time with shifts changing and his room mate due back soon but he was starting to wonder how much they could take advantage of it all.

Christian could see the look in Finn's eyes, and he let a small smile creep onto his face. He looked towards the doorway before coming back to meet Finn's gaze, "You know, Tozer's not off duty for another couple of hours." He winked at him as he said this before wrapping his arms around Finn's neck and pulling him closer. He stopped just before their lips met and whispered, "How should we spend the time?"

“Surprise me.” Finn murmured kissing him back surprised that the man was not back sooner. He thought him finished earlier than he was but that worked out perfectly if it was correct. He really should have gotten up and left the man to rest when he had the chance but now he was helpless to resist.

Christian smiled slightly before pulling him in to press his lips to Finn's. He felt himself feeling light as they kissed passionately. Christian had admired Finn from afar for awhile, and he was glad they had grown closer since revealing their true feelings to each other. He could sense Finn wrapping his arms around Christians neck before he pulled back. With a mischievous grin he motioned towards the lights, "Why don't I set the mood then?"