What Is This Thing Called Love

Posted on Sat Sep 28th, 2024 @ 6:28pm by Civilian Verity Thorne & Staff Warrant Officer Oliver Sylver

2,043 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go
Location: Mars Station
Timeline: Day 3 - before the crew board the Fenrir

ON:

There were many good things about Starfleet. There were many impractical things too, such as reassignments, being away from family and loved ones, the shifts, occasional diplomatic incidents and many other things that, if you stopped and considered it, would turn many away from serving in Starfleet. It had never turned Oliver away. He had never had family and the escape from Earth had been welcomed by him. As he got older and saw more, he started making attachments.

Nothing had ever prepared him for meeting Verity Thorne. It had been pure chance. And then they had shared quarters and he had found himself drawn to the other man. Madly in love, some would say. His colleagues on the Washington had certainly found it interesting how Oliver would send daily messages to his boyfriend, or pre-record them before away missions. The stars had finally aligned though. He was going to be on the same ship as Oliver again. Finally. He had not seen him for so long.

So he stood in the lounge, having sent a message that he was there...and knowing that Verity was on Mars Station, right now, as well. Even so, somewhere neutral had seemed natural. A place to see each other face to face. He looked down at the flowers he held, a bouquet of tulips. Real ones too. He was nervous. What if...

What if Verity no longer felt the same way? Distance could bring many things forth. It could...

He pushed the thoughts aside. If this was the end, it was just that. And nothing could change it.

"Oliver..." the dark haired man watched him from the other side of the lounge before a grin came to his face. Verity had lost some weight in their time apart. His appetite had become non existent for some time when he'd been fighting illness. He'd been cooped up for months at Starfleet Medical as he recovered, and even now he was slightly stiff on his feet and prone to fatigue. But it was completely forgotten as he let his bag drop to the ground, half running to Oliver to throw his arms around him.

Oliver let out a shaky breath at seeing him, smiling as he walked to him and caught him in his arm. He held him close, his face buried in his hair to breathe in the scent of him. Of Verity. "I missed you so much," he whispered, unable to stop the slight tremble in his voice.

"Oh, I missed you more," Verity assured with a soft laugh, catching a hold of the side of his face to kiss him long and deep, almost as if to be sure he really was there and he wasn't just imagining the whole thing.

Oliver kissed him back, the hand not holding the flowers going to his hair. When the kiss broke he met his eyes and pulled back, enough to get a look at him. "You've lost weight," he said, softly. But it wasn't a healthy sort of look, he had been around enough to know weight loss by illness. He was still beautiful although he suspected that to him he would always be beautiful. "Are you okay, Verity?"

"Oh I am now," Verity said softly with awe, smiling warmly as he searched his eyes, caressing his cheek with his thumb. "That virus got me good for a little while, that's all. I'm better now."

Oliver nodded, leaning into the touch before he grinned. "I..." he pulled back enough to give him the flowers. "I missed you, Verity. Do...you want to sit down? Talk?" Because he felt they had so much to talk about.

Verity grinned as he took the flowers, lifting them to smell the scent. "They're beautiful, thank you," he said with awe...because he knew they were real. Oliver would only gift him real flowers. He got hold of his bag, moving to sit at a table and dropping it at his feet before offering his hand out to him with hope.

Oliver took the hand, smiling as he sat down with him. He watched him for a long moment, just taking in the features before he chuckled. "You know, I was thinking about this a lot. All possibilities, all outcomes. Getting myself into a right state...and I don't even know why now, watching you."

Verity watched him with surprise at the confession, linking their fingers as he smiled gently to him. "There was only ever going to be one outcome here," he said softly but firmly.

Oliver lifted the hand to kiss, watching him with awe. "I was hopeful," he admitted, his voice lowered as he held his eyes. "But I did not want to presume, we have...been apart from each other for a while. Things...happen. But I was hopeful."

"Everyone talks about how hard long distance relationships are, but when you're actually doing it, it's so much harder," Verity admitted with a soft laugh, watching him with warmth in his eyes. "But it was also absolutely worth it."

"I agree...it was worth it," Oliver nodded, watching him with awe. "You got my messages?" he suddenly asked. He had been sending them daily, pre-recording them if he had been assigned to an away team. It...had been the one thing he felt he could do, to keep their connection going.

"Every day," Verity watched him with love at the devotion he had shown even across the space between them. "I'm so sorry I couldn't always return them. But I watched every single one....more than once."

"I don't care that you didn't always return them...you are here with me," Oliver said as if that said it all. And he felt blessed for that, as...unbearably sweet and sugary as that seemed. He smiled as he stroked his cheek before he hugged him. "Thank you for coming here. With me."

"You say that like I had somewhere else I'd rather be," Verity laughed softly as he shook his head. "Oliver, this is all I've been thinking about for the last months. I wouldn't care if we were on some back water station...well...apart from the fact that would drive you mad," he teased knowingly.

Oliver laughed, looking down with an almost embarrassed smile. "I..." he looked up at him, swallowing. "Same. I wanted to get back to you as soon as I could, Verity. I am just sorry it took so long."

"Me too," Verity admitted with a weak, half-smile, but he reached to hold his hand tenderly. "So...how was the Washington?"

"Fine," Oliver said before he realised it sounded like he was avoiding the question. "It got a bit rough here and there, overall...I just missed you."

"Needed a decent Chaplain, did it?" he teased him, playfully missing the point as he let his fingers caress his.

Oliver smiled, his eyes shining with good humour. "Yes," he said teasingly. "No one blessed the replicator and truth is, many needed some spiritual guidance..." he leant close, holding his eyes.

"Were you one of them?" Verity teased softly as he leaned easily into him, searching his eyes. Lord, he'd missed them.

"God and I have an understanding," Oliver said with a small smile, stroking over his hand. "So spiritually, I was fine. It was more...my heart was missing a piece while we were separated."

Any lasting worry Verity had was melted away with the words. He pressed his hand to his, leaning to kiss his cheek gently. "Then let's make sure it doesn't happen again."

He met his eyes, smiling as he took the hand to hold. "If you want, I can try to see about getting us shared quarters again. If you want to, that is."

"Of course," Verity couldn't quite keep the surprise from his voice that he'd have to ask, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

He smiled with relief, nodding before he lifted the hand to kiss. "Sorry, I just...we've been away from each other for so long. I wasn't sure what you..." needed. He wasn't sure what he needed, if he needed time and space to get close again, or clinging together like two orphans in a storm.

Verity's expression softened at the words, as he understood. He nodded, leaning to kiss his cheek gently. "Thank you for checking," he said gently, meaning it.

Oliver closed his eyes at the kiss, smiling gently at it. "Seemed the gentlemanly thing to do," he said jokingly, opening his eyes to watch him. "I'm just...so glad to see you in the flesh. To reach out and know you are...here. And okay."

"I'm okay," Verity nodded firmly, swallowing hard. It had been touch and go for a moment or two. Perhaps more than he cared to admit. But now, especially in this moment, he was okay.

Oliver nodded as he reached to stroke his cheek, caressing for a moment. Verity was thinner. Looked...a little bit frailer, more worn. But still so beautiful. "It's better to see it for myself than...the messages."

"You have no idea how much those daily messages meant to me though," Verity assured quickly, shaking his head with a gentle smile all the same. "When I was bedbound, it gave me something to look forward to every day."

His eyes softened and he smiled gently. "I would...record more, if I was assigned to away teams. Get changed every time before recording one, so that...you wouldn't really notice. I wanted to make sure you got them every day no matter what."

Verity laughed warmly at the admission, his eyes glinting with awe as he shook his head slowly as he imagined it. "Sneaky. I can see I won't get anything past you...."

"Can't help being a little sneaky," Oliver said with a grin, holding his eyes. He had another recording stored, in case the worst happened. But when he had come here to meet Verity, he had deleted it. "Have to keep the man I love interested after all."

"No, you don't," Verity replied softly, sincerity in his blue eyes as he watched him easily and openly. "You won't find me fickle, Oliver. That's not my style."

"I know, one of the things I love about you is how steadfast you are," Oliver said with meaning. He touched his cheek, stroking it with light fingers.

Verity couldn't help but grin at the way he said it. He couldn't describe how much he'd missed him. Not in real terms. And not just when things had been bad at medical. He'd taken so much for granted before they'd been separated. Well, not again. "It's not all bad. Experiences like this, it helps give you perspective."

"Yes," Oliver agreed before he looked down at their hands. It had given him perspective. He had seen how much he loved Verity and that he wanted to have him in his life. Always.

"So...I'm making this promise, right now. No matter what, I won't let them split us up again," Verity said softly but firmly, resolve in his blue eyes. "Even if it means I have to give up my work and join you as a family member."

He met his eyes with awe before he touched his cheek. "I'd never ask that of you," he whispered softly, leaning close to kiss him. "If we come to that bridge, we talk about it. There's other options that doesn't stop you being a chaplain."

Verity nodded gently, smiling warmly at the response. At least he hadn't jumped into the nearest shuttle. "I know. We'd figure something out. I just want you to know...that's on the table, if it makes us work."

"God, I love you," Oliver breathed at hearing him say that. He smiled and leant close, kissing him. "Come, let's go and...do something. Have dinner. Let's have dinner together."

Verity's smile widened at the invitation. Something so simple sounded so utterly perfect after missing so many meals with him. He nodded quickly, pressing a kiss to his hand before standing to lead him away. "Let's go to my place, while I still have one..."

OFF:

SWO Oliver Sylver
Flight Control
[PNPC Hanlon]

&

Verity Thorne
Chaplain
[PNPC Blake]

 

RSS Feed