Matters of Importance [Thelos/Gavin]

[Starfleet Academy Central - San Fransisco, California]

Thelos's heart was fluttering like a Brerian flying swamp-rat- and it had nothing to do with the slightly bumpy shuttle ride he'd had on the way down to Earth. Some minor miracle of schedule alignments had occurred to let him take enough time to visit earth- and more importantly, to see Gavin again. Starfleet command had re-assigned him as an instructor at the academy... for reasons not totally understood by Thelos. Since then they'd been too far away even fore proper subspace communication (aside from a stray message here and there, and of course the one Thelos had sent to let Gavin know he was coming.)

As he strode across a brightly lit outdoor area -squinting all the while- he began to look around for the person he was looking for. It was a nearly unbearably hot day- but a small cooling unit built into the fabric of his uniform was keeping it tolerable for now. He was surely going to have a sunburn by the time he left the area.

He caught sight of a head of an unmistakable mop of curly hair- and in that the jumping in his chest seemed to increase all the more. It was definitely Gavin. What was he supposed to do, yell for him?

"Gavin?"

Well, close enough.

"...and if you're late on Monday," Gavin said, nodding at the Terran male and Bajoran female, "your assignment will be a comparative analysis of Gamma Quadrant species genetalia. With hand-drawn diagrams." With a wink, Gavin smiled at them both, the severity in his tone mostly playful. "Have a good weekend..."

Sighing, he sat down on a planter, having learned back in his own underclassman days not to tread too heavily on the garden grass, lest he call down the wrath of the groundskeeper. Gavin scrolled through his day planner, thankful that nothing else showed up. It was Friday, after all.

Things were starting to thin out here on campus, due to the weekend, and the close proximity of finals. This was the last week before them, and students traditionally blew off steam before getting to the final grind. He assumed his Intro to Xenobiology kids would be no different. 'Kids', he thought, shaking his shaggy head. They weren't that much younger than he was. When Gavin had been assigned to run a freshman orientation seminar at the beginning of the semester, many had assumed he was a student, too.

Gavin tucked his padd away, stretching as he stood. He assumed his Friday night would consist of more awkward nights at the bars...having to maintain a professional distance from the kids his age, but never fully fitting in with any faculty, either. Perhaps he'd bother some admirals, maybe about getting re-instated on a space mission. Maybe on the task force, closer to...

Blinking, Gavin cocked his head quizzically as an Andorian strode across the courtyard. There weren't many, even here at SFA, but every time he saw one, his heart nearly stopped, and...

"My god," he breathed. It was! Gav took off at a full-force run, charging toward Thelos...his friend, his confidante, his lover, his blue boy! Rationality caught up with him about halfway there, though, as he realized that Thelos might be here to finally break things off. Perhaps the distance was too much a strain. Gavin stopped himself short of barreling into the man, running a hand through his mop of hair. "Uh...hey. Didn't expect to see you!"

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

"...and if you're late on Monday," Gavin said, nodding at the Terran male and Bajoran female, "your assignment will be a comparative analysis of Gamma Quadrant species genetalia.  With hand-drawn diagrams."  With a wink, Gavin smiled at them both, the severity in his tone mostly playful.  "Have a good weekend..."

Sighing, he sat down on a planter, having learned back in his own underclassman days not to tread too heavily on the garden grass, lest he call down the wrath of the groundskeeper.  Gavin scrolled through his day planner, thankful that nothing else showed up.  It was Friday, after all.

Things were starting to thin out here on campus, due to the weekend, and the close proximity of finals.  This was the last week before them, and students traditionally blew off steam before getting to the final grind.  He assumed his Intro to Xenobiology kids would be no different.  'Kids', he thought, shaking his shaggy head.  They weren't that much younger than he was.  When Gavin had been assigned to run a freshman orientation seminar at the beginning of the semester, many had assumed he was a student, too.

Gavin tucked his padd away, stretching as he stood.  He assumed his Friday night would consist of more awkward nights at the bars...having to maintain a professional distance from the kids his age, but never fully fitting in with any faculty, either.  Perhaps he'd bother some admirals, maybe about getting re-instated on a space mission.  Maybe on the task force, closer to...

Blinking, Gavin cocked his head quizzically as an Andorian strode across the courtyard.  There weren't many, even here at SFA, but every time he saw one, his heart nearly stopped, and...  

"My god," he breathed.  It was!  Gav took off at a full-force run, charging toward Thelos...his friend, his confidante, his lover, his blue boy!  Rationality caught up with him about halfway there, though, as he realized that Thelos might be here to finally break things off.  Perhaps the distance was too much a strain.  Gavin stopped himself short of barreling into the man, running a hand through his mop of hair.  "Uh...hey.  Didn't expect to see you!"

The sight of Gavin effectively charging at him froze any intention that Thelos had of saying or doing anything further. He'd been right, that was Gavin and he was running towards him and if he hadn't slowed down he might have run him over... but Thelos didn't care about that.

He barely even noticed Gavin's awkward greeting before he effectively crushed him in a hug. In hindsight, he might have been a little more considerate of who might be watching, but at that moment in time just being able to give Gavin a hug overrode that sense of logical reasoning.

It wasn't until several seconds later that his mind processed Gavin's previous hesitation. Was there a problem? Has Gavin decided this is not working out? Thelos let go, though not too abruptly.

"Ah.. I suppose my subspace message didn't make it," he said with a nervous laugh. "I was, er, in the system. I thought I'd come by."

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

The sight of Gavin effectively charging at him froze any intention that Thelos had of saying or doing anything further. He'd been right, that was Gavin and he was running towards him and if he hadn't slowed down he might have run him over... but Thelos didn't care about that.

He barely even noticed Gavin's awkward greeting before he effectively crushed him in a hug. In hindsight, he might have been a little more considerate of who might be watching, but at that moment in time just being able to give Gavin a hug overrode that sense of logical reasoning.

It wasn't until several seconds later that his mind processed Gavin's previous hesitation. Was there a problem? Has Gavin decided this is not working out? Thelos let go, though not too abruptly.

"Ah.. I suppose my subspace message didn't make it," he said with a nervous laugh. "I was, er, in the system. I thought I'd come by."

"Err...some do," Gavin said, the smile on his face making his cheeks start to hurt...but he didn't care. It was Thelos! He was here! "Not all. The nature of long-range communications..." Gavin said, trailing off as he realized that he didn't exactly need to reiterate such things with the Andorian.

Returning the hug with equal enthusiasm, Gavin ran his fingers through the doctor's snow-white hair. "God, Thel. I've missed you. I'm so sorry about all of this. But I'm not sorry about this," he added, grinning impishly as he kissed the Andorian full on the mouth, his conduct as a member of Starfleet Academy's faculty be damned.

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

"Err...some do," Gavin said, the smile on his face making his cheeks start to hurt...but he didn't care.  It was Thelos!  He was here!  "Not all.  The nature of long-range communications..." Gavin said, trailing off as he realized that he didn't exactly need to reiterate such things with the Andorian.  

Returning the hug with equal enthusiasm, Gavin ran his fingers through the doctor's snow-white hair.  "God, Thel.  I've missed you.  I'm so sorry about all of this.  But I'm not sorry about this," he added, grinning impishly as he kissed the Andorian full on the mouth, his conduct as a member of Starfleet Academy's faculty be damned.

Thelos's heart was racing again, and his worried evaporated once Gavin had returned his hug with equal force. Being alone on the Phoenix had been upsetting, what with subspace glitching out and eating his messages every other time. The only good thing about it was being able to have the temperature controls the way he liked it... but that was no consolation.

Being an ice-dwelling alien made no difference in the warmth with which he returned Gavin's kiss-- so much so that he was breathless when they parted, and Thelos had a familiar shade of purple trailing up his cheeks.

"Do you even know how much I've missed you?"

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

Thelos's heart was racing again, and his worried evaporated once Gavin had returned his hug with equal force. Being alone on the Phoenix had been upsetting, what with subspace glitching out and eating his messages every other time. The only good thing about it was being able to have the temperature controls the way he liked it... but that was no consolation.

Being an ice-dwelling alien made no difference in the warmth with which he returned Gavin's kiss-- so much so that he was breathless when they parted, and Thelos had a familiar shade of purple trailing up his cheeks.

"Do you even know how much I've missed you?"

"Do you even know how much I've missed making you do that?" Gavin asked, grinning boyishly as he lightly touched along the purplish blotches growing on Thelos' cheeks. "I've missed a lot of things," he added, in a low whisper meant for the Andorian's ears only.

Reaching down, Gavin took up his partner's blue hand in his own, tugging him slightly along as they walked. "It's ridiculous, all of this," he said, gesturing expansively. "Well. I don't mean Starfleet Academy, obviously, but...this assignment? They have me teaching freshman intro courses! As if a job like that couldn't be done by anyone. Anyone!"

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

"Do you even know how much I've missed making you do that?" Gavin asked, grinning boyishly as he lightly touched along the purplish blotches growing on Thelos' cheeks.  "I've missed a lot of things," he added, in a low whisper meant for the Andorian's ears only.

Reaching down, Gavin took up his partner's blue hand in his own, tugging him slightly along as they walked.  "It's ridiculous, all of this," he said, gesturing expansively.  "Well.  I don't mean Starfleet Academy, obviously, but...this assignment?  They have me teaching freshman intro courses!  As if a job like that couldn't be done by anyone.  Anyone!"

At this rate, people were going to think he had a skin condition. Thelos ducked his head briefly to hide the stupid grin covering his face-- which he only managed to put a cap on so the rest of the campus didn't think he'd gone insane. He'd barely returned his expression to normal before he found himself being tugged along by a very excited Gavin.

Well, he certainly agreed that this assignment was strange. He definitely hadn't like it when he'd been re-assigned so far away- and he'd never found out why. Gavin's bemoaning his position made him laugh in spite of that. With a playful nudge, the Andorian looked up at Gavin and smirked. "Feeling a little over-qualified are we, love?"

A question was still prodding at the back of his mind, so he asked that, anyway. "I never did find out why you were pulled off so abruptly."

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

At this rate, people were going to think he had a skin condition. Thelos ducked his head briefly to hide the stupid grin covering his face-- which he only managed to put a cap on so the rest of the campus didn't think he'd gone insane. He'd barely returned his expression to normal before he found himself being tugged along by a very excited Gavin.

Well, he certainly agreed that this assignment was strange. He definitely hadn't like it when he'd been re-assigned so far away- and he'd never found out why. Gavin's bemoaning his position made him laugh in spite of that. With a playful nudge, the Andorian looked up at Gavin and smirked. "Feeling a little over-qualified are we, love?"

A question was still prodding at the back of his mind, so he asked that, anyway. "I never did find out why you were pulled off so abruptly."

Gavin laughed, shaking his head ruefully and rolling his eyes. "Overqualified...yeah, that would be a fair assessment. They could replace me with a smiling, happy hologram and nobody'd even notice." His heart soared when Thelos called him 'love'...as it did every time the Andorian said that.

A quiet park space opened up before them, with the historic expanse of the Presidio leading out toward the bay. Gavin sat down on the bench, crossing his legs at the ankles and leaning back. "I don't know exactly why I got pulled out of the ship like that, either, but I can guess. I blew the assignment with Zero. Dad swears he didn't get me recalled, but even if he didn't...I guess Medical felt I was too green for a true deep space assignment without my...purpose." His mouth twisted around the word. "It sucks. I want to come back."

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

Gavin laughed, shaking his head ruefully and rolling his eyes.  "Overqualified...yeah, that would be a fair assessment.  They could replace me with a smiling, happy hologram and nobody'd even notice."  His heart soared when Thelos called him 'love'...as it did every time the Andorian said that.  

A quiet park space opened up before them, with the historic expanse of the Presidio leading out toward the bay.  Gavin sat down on the bench, crossing his legs at the ankles and leaning back.  "I don't know exactly why I got pulled out of the ship like that, either, but I can guess.  I blew the assignment with Zero.  Dad swears he didn't get me recalled, but even if he didn't...I guess Medical felt I was too green for a true deep space assignment without my...purpose."  His mouth twisted around the word.  "It sucks.  I want to come back."

"Even in a low-level assignment, I don't think you're replaceable," Thelos said. He was minutely enjoying the mental image of Gavin as an instructor. "If I were a freshman again, I'd be sure to sign up for one of your classes." Not that he particularly enjoyed most of his general ed classes at the academy... and he had a feeling he might just be a distraction to Gavin.

Thelos joined Gavin on the bench, sitting close enough to nearly appropriate part of his lap. Gavin's story was about as much as he'd figured, although the added element of Zero Alpha was something he hadn't considered. "Hmmm."

"I wonder what strings someone would have to pull to get you back in space."

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

"Even in a low-level assignment, I don't think you're replaceable," Thelos said. He was minutely enjoying the mental image of Gavin as an instructor. "If I were a freshman again, I'd be sure to sign up for one of your classes." Not that he particularly enjoyed most of his general ed classes at the academy... and he had a feeling he might just be a distraction to Gavin.

Thelos joined Gavin on the bench, sitting close enough to nearly appropriate part of his lap. Gavin's story was about as much as he'd figured, although the added element of Zero Alpha was something he hadn't considered. "Hmmm."

"I wonder what strings someone would have to pull to get you back in space."

"I certainly don't know," Gavin replied, twining his fingers into Thelos', a pleasing mixture of pink and blue that always brought a smile to his face. "Whatever it is, I hope it gets pulled. I'm bothering all the people I know to bother."

Gavin leaned back into Thelos, resting the back of his head on the Andorian's chest. "I bet you were hell at the Academy...it's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for." Grinning, Gav looked up from where he lay, shaking his head. "I need some people with clout so I can bother them until they send me back into space. You don't happen to have many admirals in your address book...do you?"

Gavin Van Gelder wrote:

"I certainly don't know," Gavin replied, twining his fingers into Thelos', a pleasing mixture of pink and blue that always brought a smile to his face.  "Whatever it is, I hope it gets pulled.  I'm bothering all the people I know to bother."

Gavin leaned back into Thelos, resting the back of his head on the Andorian's chest.  "I bet you were hell at the Academy...it's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for."  Grinning, Gav looked up from where he lay, shaking his head.  "I need some people with clout so I can bother them until they send me back into space.  You don't happen to have many admirals in your address book...do you?"

"Me? Trouble at the academy? Perish the mere thought," Thelos replied with a playful smirk. With Gavin rested against him, the Andorian was feeling a sense of calm that he hadn't in a long while; at least not since Gavin had been pulled back to Earth. Unfortunately, that sense of serenity was tarnished by worrying how he was going to manage to not lose him to Starfleet's pull again.

"I... might have one or two from back when I was in medical school," he said hesitantly, as he thought back and attempted to recall specific names. "Admiral Nisckevsky, and Admiral F'tor. Both were quite helpful to me while I was studying. I know Nisckevsky's retired, but..." the doctor trailed off and paused to press a kiss to the top of Gavin's head while he thought abut the other Bolian Admiral.

"The Phoenix isn't the same without you," he commented quietly.

Thelos th'Zhela wrote:

"Me? Trouble at the academy? Perish the mere thought," Thelos replied with a playful smirk. With Gavin rested against him, the Andorian was feeling a sense of calm that he hadn't in a long while; at least not since Gavin had been pulled back to Earth. Unfortunately, that sense of serenity was tarnished by worrying how he was going to manage to not lose him to Starfleet's pull again.

"I... might have one or two from back when I was in medical school," he said hesitantly, as he thought back and attempted to recall specific names. "Admiral Nisckevsky, and Admiral F'tor. Both were quite helpful to me while I was studying. I know Nisckevsky's retired, but..." the doctor trailed off and paused to press a kiss to the top of Gavin's head while he thought abut the other Bolian Admiral.

"The Phoenix isn't the same without you," he commented quietly.

A pleasant little shiver settled into the small of Gavin's back as Thelos kissed the top of his head. He let out a soft prr, nuzzling into the Andorian's uniformed chest, not caring if the looked like love-struck teenagers for the world to see. "I've met F'tor, but only in passing. He may or may not want to stick his metaphorical neck out for me. I'm kinda...radioactive...as far as topics of discussions go in Starfleet Medical. Some brass are too irritated to deal with me, but almost all agree my name's too famous to be completely swept under the rug."

Gavin suddenly straightened, drumming his heels against the duracrete bench as a wickedly playful smile curled onto his lips. "Hey. One thing about this 'adjunct instructor' BS is that I get a very nicely-furnished apartment provided for me." He glanced down a second, and when his sea-green eyes returned to catch Thelos', they were full of mischievous promise. "...Wanna tour of it?"