![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
"There's a very old saying on Earth: you can't step into the same river twice." He thinks through what Crais is saying, that everything is impermanent, and the only thing that matters is love in the moment. Maybe memories of that love? Still, it is ultimately a fleeting thing.
"Even if you go to the same spot on the bank, at the same time of day, the water is different. The wind is different. Nothing lasts, but the view of the water might be beautiful."
"Even if you go to the same spot on the bank, at the same time of day, the water is different. The wind is different. Nothing lasts, but the view of the water might be beautiful."
Julian is taking more subtlety and depth from the remark than Crais had, but the gut level feeling and strange reassurance he'd gotten from it -
The result is about the same.
Probably.
"I have never been good at letting go, but Cyram does occasionally get something right. Does Jadzia know she's dead?"
The result is about the same.
Probably.
"I have never been good at letting go, but Cyram does occasionally get something right. Does Jadzia know she's dead?"
"No. I haven't told her. I don't know how to." What's he supposed to say? How can he tell her that he couldn't save her? That Curzon lived so long and she dies so young in a war she's never heard of?
"I need to. I know."
"I need to. I know."
He digs his fingers into Bashir's back, lightly but with pressure that doesn't relent. Pressure, basically, and just that.
"Why do you need to?"
"Why do you need to?"
The physicality of it helps center him. He feels better when there's something tethering him to his body and this conversation.
"There's no point, is there? If she's returned to her timeline, she won't remember this place, will she? It will only ...it would be unfair." He drains the last of his glass and leans against Crais, eyes closed and resting? Thinking?
"There's no point, is there? If she's returned to her timeline, she won't remember this place, will she? It will only ...it would be unfair." He drains the last of his glass and leans against Crais, eyes closed and resting? Thinking?
"Most of those things may be true. The question is: is not telling her unfair to you?"
Look.
He is not a good person.
His people will always trump abstract ideas - or ideals, or morals.
Look.
He is not a good person.
His people will always trump abstract ideas - or ideals, or morals.
"I don't think I ought to answer that." It hurts him not to tell her, but it will hurt her to know it.
"Don't push me on it, please." Odds are he'll get there when he gets there. "And I know that if she does decide to contract with me, I'll tell her well in advance of that."
"Don't push me on it, please." Odds are he'll get there when he gets there. "And I know that if she does decide to contract with me, I'll tell her well in advance of that."
"Why are humans like this?" He does not entirely not-understand at this point, but he also doesn't understand.
Not that he - He kisses Bashir's shoulder, since that's where he is. "I'm not going to push you. I may yell at some point but I will try to give the illusion that I'm mad about something else."
Not that he - He kisses Bashir's shoulder, since that's where he is. "I'm not going to push you. I may yell at some point but I will try to give the illusion that I'm mad about something else."
"Because we're a collection of evolutionary gambles applied to a group of stubborn apes." He hums, scritching at the sides and back of Crais' neck, enjoying the closeness. "I appreciate your yelling."
"D'you want to sleep now?" Bashir tends to get a bit dozy when drinking. A little loose-limbed, lazy, and ...okay, he will gnaw on some part of his friend that's close.
"D'you want to sleep now?" Bashir tends to get a bit dozy when drinking. A little loose-limbed, lazy, and ...okay, he will gnaw on some part of his friend that's close.
Well, that makes as much sense as anything ever has.
He grunts and pushes off Bashir to sit up. He is irritated about the loss of contact and the scritching and gnawing, but-
"Not here. In your bed."
He pauses sitting on the couch waiting for some lightheadedness to pass and has one more question. "How important do you think telling people you love them is?"
He grunts and pushes off Bashir to sit up. He is irritated about the loss of contact and the scritching and gnawing, but-
"Not here. In your bed."
He pauses sitting on the couch waiting for some lightheadedness to pass and has one more question. "How important do you think telling people you love them is?"
Definitely bed. Bashir stands and he's only a little wobbly around the edges, but it's fading quickly.
"I don't know. It's probably quite important. I know it's often seen as the correct thing, but just as often, it's unwelcome." He offers a hand to help Crais up off the sofa, so they can go to bed. (And he suspects that it was a very wise thing to have set out a ewer of water beforehand.)
"I don't know. It's probably quite important. I know it's often seen as the correct thing, but just as often, it's unwelcome." He offers a hand to help Crais up off the sofa, so they can go to bed. (And he suspects that it was a very wise thing to have set out a ewer of water beforehand.)
He takes the hand and then help. His only reply to that 'sometimes correct sometimes unwelcome' is an irritated sound.
He does not let go of Bashir's hand, just goes to bed and, well, predictably sprawls out all over Bashir.
He does not let go of Bashir's hand, just goes to bed and, well, predictably sprawls out all over Bashir.
[ Look, he'd needed to contact the Doctor anyway, so... two birds, one stone and all. ]
Along with pain I guess, I thought about your offer. I don't know that there's anything you or anyone can do for the burns, but if they can be gone or lessened, I'd do anything for that.
Along with pain I guess, I thought about your offer. I don't know that there's anything you or anyone can do for the burns, but if they can be gone or lessened, I'd do anything for that.
I have a few ideas about what might or might not work, but I cannot promise anything until I know the extent of your scarring. Would you be willing to meet for an exam?
I know that many people do not appreciate the hospital setting, especially in the Up, so I'm happy to travel wherever you're comfortable.
I know that many people do not appreciate the hospital setting, especially in the Up, so I'm happy to travel wherever you're comfortable.
Haven't been a fan of hospitals since I died in one. I can give you my address, I think my Dom is out at the moment.
[ He texts Julian the address for Kavinsky'a townhouse where he's moved to. ]
[ He texts Julian the address for Kavinsky'a townhouse where he's moved to. ]
I'll see you there.
And, 'lo and behold, Bashir can follow directions and will appear at the door to Kavinsky's townhouse. Slung over one shoulder, he's brought along his portable medical kit. It's not as robust as he'd have on DS9, but it's the best he can cobble together from the local material.
Knock knock?
And, 'lo and behold, Bashir can follow directions and will appear at the door to Kavinsky's townhouse. Slung over one shoulder, he's brought along his portable medical kit. It's not as robust as he'd have on DS9, but it's the best he can cobble together from the local material.
Knock knock?
"One second!"
Gerard comes to the door - contrary to the yell - several seconds later, opening it with a squirming pale fluffy kitten under one arm.
"Hey, sorry, come in, quick. Hope you don't have an allergy."
Gerard comes to the door - contrary to the yell - several seconds later, opening it with a squirming pale fluffy kitten under one arm.
"Hey, sorry, come in, quick. Hope you don't have an allergy."
"None that I've found." Bashir is still getting used to cats, but they're growing on him. He does as he's asked and steps inside, closing the door behind him so that there's no mad, fuzzy dash into the street. "And what's her name?"
She has a very good, very wiggly shape. That's science. Cat science.
She has a very good, very wiggly shape. That's science. Cat science.
"Retrosleep in the Morning Calm, or just Retrosleep."
It's a big name for such a little cat. She gives a ferocious roar which comes out more as a squeaky little cry and a mighty wiggle. No mood for cuddles at the moment. He gives a sigh and sets her down, picking up a jingle ball and tossing it further into the house. She goes zooming off after it.
"She's very cuddly after she tires herself out," he assures Julian before gesturing to the rest of the townhouse. "Come in. I can make some tea if you'd like, or ... we can just get to it. Whichever."
It's a big name for such a little cat. She gives a ferocious roar which comes out more as a squeaky little cry and a mighty wiggle. No mood for cuddles at the moment. He gives a sigh and sets her down, picking up a jingle ball and tossing it further into the house. She goes zooming off after it.
"She's very cuddly after she tires herself out," he assures Julian before gesturing to the rest of the townhouse. "Come in. I can make some tea if you'd like, or ... we can just get to it. Whichever."
"She looks lovely. I've been trying to decide if I could or should have a cat." He's never had a pet, but if he's settling into the city for the long haul, there's no real reason he couldn't have a cat. Even Jon said that he might be an acceptable pet owner. (Even Jon!)
"And, yes, I think tea would be lovely."
"And, yes, I think tea would be lovely."
Gerard gestures for Julian to follow him into the kitchen where there's a little island with tall chairs for seating. He talks as he puts the kettle on and gets some mugs out.
"Mum wasn't exactly the nurturing sort when I was growing up - and definitely not the kind you'd want to put small helpless creatures at the mercy of. When I was finally free of her I told myself once I got back from that trip to America with Gertrude I'd get myself a cat. I'd always wanted one. I ended up dying in America instead."
It's a sad story, sure, but like so many other tragedies Gerard tells himself it's normal.
"Got Retrosleep as a gift. She's been a real joy."
"Mum wasn't exactly the nurturing sort when I was growing up - and definitely not the kind you'd want to put small helpless creatures at the mercy of. When I was finally free of her I told myself once I got back from that trip to America with Gertrude I'd get myself a cat. I'd always wanted one. I ended up dying in America instead."
It's a sad story, sure, but like so many other tragedies Gerard tells himself it's normal.
"Got Retrosleep as a gift. She's been a real joy."
"I don't know if it's the right thing to say, but I'm sorry for your death?" Your loss? Of yourself? Bashir doesn't really know how to convey that he's glad Gerry is here, alive, and well, but hopefully the sentiment comes through.
"Family is a strange thing. I suspect that's an understatement for quite a few of us LIErs." As Gerry sets out mugs, Bashir thinks of his own parents and pushes that aside. "My aunt used to leave food outside for the strays. There was some talk about how it wasn't a very 'modern' idea, but it was part of who we were. If there is a town, there should be some cats about, and it's a noble act to be kind to them."
"Family is a strange thing. I suspect that's an understatement for quite a few of us LIErs." As Gerry sets out mugs, Bashir thinks of his own parents and pushes that aside. "My aunt used to leave food outside for the strays. There was some talk about how it wasn't a very 'modern' idea, but it was part of who we were. If there is a town, there should be some cats about, and it's a noble act to be kind to them."
Gerard gives a little one-armed shrug at the show of sympathy. It's a kindness and he does appreciate it, but he knows it's an awkward subject and the faster moved on the better.
"Your aunt sounds like a fine lady," he said. He wasn't sure how the future worked for that kind of thing, but there definitely was strays wherever there were people, and cats provided a valuable service to humanity aside from just being cute.
"Lapsang souchong or English breakfast? That's the only tea we have right now," he clarified. Both of those were by his own purchase, as getting Kavinsky to drink something that wasn't alcoholic was a miracle.
"Your aunt sounds like a fine lady," he said. He wasn't sure how the future worked for that kind of thing, but there definitely was strays wherever there were people, and cats provided a valuable service to humanity aside from just being cute.
"Lapsang souchong or English breakfast? That's the only tea we have right now," he clarified. Both of those were by his own purchase, as getting Kavinsky to drink something that wasn't alcoholic was a miracle.
"She was an exceptional woman." Bashir smiles fondly as he remembers the times they spent together and the way she was always patient. Also, that she too liked to stick her hands in large bins of dried peas when no one was looking in the market. Auntie knew what was good in life.
"And the breakfast tea, please. If you've a little milk and sugar?"
"And the breakfast tea, please. If you've a little milk and sugar?"
Gerard nodded, and once the tea was brewing he set the mugs down and brought both a small container of milk and jar of sugar over. He thought if he'd be staying with Kavinsky long term he might get something nicer to put both of those things in when making tea, but thinking beyond the immediate moment was still a bit of a crapshoot for Gerard that depended on the day.
He added both milk and sugar to his own mug of English Breakfast tea, if only a little bit of each.
"I swear everyone here is obsessed with coffee. Not that I mind, but I feel like I need to drink more tea just to compensate."
He added both milk and sugar to his own mug of English Breakfast tea, if only a little bit of each.
"I swear everyone here is obsessed with coffee. Not that I mind, but I feel like I need to drink more tea just to compensate."
Page 7 of 28