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hellomajortomTakes place 4 days after this, and the evening after this... and the evening before this.
“Aletayria, I know you're not tired but will you come lay here a minute?”
Tom's voice had her turn away from where she was brushing her hair, to meet the gaze of the man laying in the bed. He had gotten so old while she was away. It had been so long for her and she had barely aged but just a few years had taken so much out of the human. Those thoughts were pushed aside by the tug on her mind. She knew he wanted to talk about something that couldn't wait.
Tom watched her set the brush aside before drifting into the bed. As soon as she was near enough he took her hand, holding on so she couldn't turn away.
“Lay down here with me.” He requested as he kissed her hand. “I know you've had things on your mind you should talk about. I don't need to be a telepath to see them.”
She looked down at their hands briefly while feeling the sting of shame. There had been a few things she was keeping from him because she wanted to save him the concerns.
“Come on.” He gave her hand an encouraging tug. “Whatever it is we'll figure it out. We always have.”
He made her feel like crying, not sad tears but those that came from extreme love and her own fears about loss. Aletayria slid into the bed beside her husband, even if that was something that only existed in words. Her father forbid them making it a reality to her people. “I can't lay here long. You're too hot.”
“If you wanted to flirt, you could have started with that instead of the sadness.” He grinned like a school boy as she nestled against his shoulder. Tom's way of making light of the serious, as a way to find a comfort in the difficult, was something her own people didn't really have. She loved it about him. “So, what's got you worrying?”
There were a number of things and she fell silent under the competing thoughts. All of them were stressful. Even if his skin felt hot against hers she needed it now, the comfort of closeness. Perhaps the most distant one from their relationship would be the best start?
“Do you remember my cousin Thomas, the one who went to Earth.”
“Of course.” Tom smiled pulling her a little tighter. “The man I still need to thank for rocketing me into space in a faulty ship so I could find the love of my life.”
Why did he have to do that to her all the time. He was so charming and age did nothing but make it worse. Even under duress she smiled. “Hiroki saw him here in the Nexus. I don't know where. I've been looking but I can't find him. Tom, he's so hurt and all the family I've got here... well I have you and Ziggy.. “ she trailed off feeling like she said something wrong.
“I know what you mean. I spent a lot of my earlier days on your ship wishing for another human even if I still would have wanted your company.” Tom brushed all the red curls away from her face. “Someone of your own species is a different kind of need and love than what we have. Can I help? I don't know what he looks like but there can't be too many tall, skinny men here with bright red hair.”
“It's orange.” She corrected as she completely relaxed into her husband's presence. No wonder their child was so optimistic. “I need to find him. I'd like him to visit, to meet you.”
Tom buried his face in the crown of her hair. “I'll help you find him. You know I will.”
It brought to mind other visitors recently, thoughts of family, and all the children they'd lost after Ziggy was born. He still had nightmares about waking up in bloody sheets to a wife screaming in pain as she felt the life inside dying. He had heartache for the loss but Tom knew he couldn't even imagine what his wife went through feeling the mind and emotions of their children fading and dying. The question was there on the tip of his tongue but it was selfish to ask. Maybe even cruel to ask it?
“What's on your mind?” She looked up from his shoulder. “You're good at hiding your mind but I can still feel the emotions.”
He sighed, meeting her gaze with uncertainty. “It's just something I've been thinking about since Astro came to stay with us.”
They both adored the boy, robot or not, it was like having another son in the house. The Anthean was starting to imagine where this conversation was headed but gave Tom his space to come to terms with it.
“I want to try and have another child.” He could see the protest rise in her expression and shook it off. “You know I'm dying and my heart isn't going to last too much longer. I know you know. I've also seen you staring at the picture of me holding Ziggy when he was still sick.”
Tom felt tears bubble up but he wasn't going to sob and cry over this. The tears were just the pain finding some way out. “I don't want to leave you regretting you never got that big family you wanted. Though, I hope you'll find one of your own after me and have one anyway.”
“Don't talk like that.” the heartache rushed out with her words. Tears fell freely from her eyes as her face buried into his chest.
“Baby, I'm human. We knew this was going to happen sooner than either of us wanted.” He was trying to comfort her but he didn't know how. He was worn too thin just trying to hold himself in one piece.
“What if it doesn't have to be?” She mumbled against his chest. “What if there was more time?”
“I want that, too.” Tom closed his eyes against the hurt; his own and the tidal wave of it crashing into him from his wife. “I'd sell my soul to have forever with you, but it's not realistic.”
“I might know a way.” Aletayria informed him as she wiped the tears away.
All Tom could think of was that the actual devil apparently lived in the Nexus. Maybe he shouldn't have so openly wished to sell his soul. That whole train of thought threw him off so much that it took him a moment to collect himself when Aletayria started to speak again.
“I think I could alter the pills we use to heal to maintain your body at this age. I'd have to manipulate the ingredients and there might be trial and error....”
“What?” Tom hadn't been following along as closely as he should have been. Confused he looked at the Anthean with furrowed brows.
“I think our medicine can keep you healthy.” She repeated a simpler version for the sake of understanding.
Slowly, Tom smiled when he caught on. “We'd get more time?”
She nodded but her mind was on the risk, on his request. She could easily hear Tom's mind whirling around in the same circles. It was to be expected since this was a heavy and life altering set of topics. The silence went on until it because unbearably comfortable.
“I'll make a deal.” Tom looked at his wife. He never felt so lucky, not with his first wife even. “I'll do drug trials if you let me remove your blocker.”
“My...” She stared blankly at her stomach. “You knew?”
Tom laughed cynically. “Your father rubbed it in my face constantly. He'd tell me all about how he was saving his daughter from giving birth to animals.” Tom was well aware of the implant that prevented his wife from conceiving at all. Up until this point he had seen it as a boon to save both of them from continued hurts.
“W..When?” Aletayria was tentative.
“Now?” Tom pulled her closer. “Then we can try to knock you up again, and in the morning you can work on the medicine and I'll help look for Thomas.” He was flirting, charming, and a little manipulative at the moment but this seemed to be what they both wanted.
“In the morning. You're tired.” She wasn't trying to say no, only point out the obvious. “We could practice tonight?”
The strain and stress of days melted away with those words. All that was left was happiness for the moment. “How did I ever think you were ugly?”
“I don't know. I think you still are.” Aletayria countered playfully. It got her pulled into a kiss.
“My ugly eyes.” He laughed as she shook her head, he could feel the blush even without the red cheeks. It had been so long since they had hope. Even a year ago they had accepted they would never be able to see each other again. Things were turning out very different, because of Ziggy and his incessant optimism that had got them both here.
“Aletayria, I know you're not tired but will you come lay here a minute?”
Tom's voice had her turn away from where she was brushing her hair, to meet the gaze of the man laying in the bed. He had gotten so old while she was away. It had been so long for her and she had barely aged but just a few years had taken so much out of the human. Those thoughts were pushed aside by the tug on her mind. She knew he wanted to talk about something that couldn't wait.
Tom watched her set the brush aside before drifting into the bed. As soon as she was near enough he took her hand, holding on so she couldn't turn away.
“Lay down here with me.” He requested as he kissed her hand. “I know you've had things on your mind you should talk about. I don't need to be a telepath to see them.”
She looked down at their hands briefly while feeling the sting of shame. There had been a few things she was keeping from him because she wanted to save him the concerns.
“Come on.” He gave her hand an encouraging tug. “Whatever it is we'll figure it out. We always have.”
He made her feel like crying, not sad tears but those that came from extreme love and her own fears about loss. Aletayria slid into the bed beside her husband, even if that was something that only existed in words. Her father forbid them making it a reality to her people. “I can't lay here long. You're too hot.”
“If you wanted to flirt, you could have started with that instead of the sadness.” He grinned like a school boy as she nestled against his shoulder. Tom's way of making light of the serious, as a way to find a comfort in the difficult, was something her own people didn't really have. She loved it about him. “So, what's got you worrying?”
There were a number of things and she fell silent under the competing thoughts. All of them were stressful. Even if his skin felt hot against hers she needed it now, the comfort of closeness. Perhaps the most distant one from their relationship would be the best start?
“Do you remember my cousin Thomas, the one who went to Earth.”
“Of course.” Tom smiled pulling her a little tighter. “The man I still need to thank for rocketing me into space in a faulty ship so I could find the love of my life.”
Why did he have to do that to her all the time. He was so charming and age did nothing but make it worse. Even under duress she smiled. “Hiroki saw him here in the Nexus. I don't know where. I've been looking but I can't find him. Tom, he's so hurt and all the family I've got here... well I have you and Ziggy.. “ she trailed off feeling like she said something wrong.
“I know what you mean. I spent a lot of my earlier days on your ship wishing for another human even if I still would have wanted your company.” Tom brushed all the red curls away from her face. “Someone of your own species is a different kind of need and love than what we have. Can I help? I don't know what he looks like but there can't be too many tall, skinny men here with bright red hair.”
“It's orange.” She corrected as she completely relaxed into her husband's presence. No wonder their child was so optimistic. “I need to find him. I'd like him to visit, to meet you.”
Tom buried his face in the crown of her hair. “I'll help you find him. You know I will.”
It brought to mind other visitors recently, thoughts of family, and all the children they'd lost after Ziggy was born. He still had nightmares about waking up in bloody sheets to a wife screaming in pain as she felt the life inside dying. He had heartache for the loss but Tom knew he couldn't even imagine what his wife went through feeling the mind and emotions of their children fading and dying. The question was there on the tip of his tongue but it was selfish to ask. Maybe even cruel to ask it?
“What's on your mind?” She looked up from his shoulder. “You're good at hiding your mind but I can still feel the emotions.”
He sighed, meeting her gaze with uncertainty. “It's just something I've been thinking about since Astro came to stay with us.”
They both adored the boy, robot or not, it was like having another son in the house. The Anthean was starting to imagine where this conversation was headed but gave Tom his space to come to terms with it.
“I want to try and have another child.” He could see the protest rise in her expression and shook it off. “You know I'm dying and my heart isn't going to last too much longer. I know you know. I've also seen you staring at the picture of me holding Ziggy when he was still sick.”
Tom felt tears bubble up but he wasn't going to sob and cry over this. The tears were just the pain finding some way out. “I don't want to leave you regretting you never got that big family you wanted. Though, I hope you'll find one of your own after me and have one anyway.”
“Don't talk like that.” the heartache rushed out with her words. Tears fell freely from her eyes as her face buried into his chest.
“Baby, I'm human. We knew this was going to happen sooner than either of us wanted.” He was trying to comfort her but he didn't know how. He was worn too thin just trying to hold himself in one piece.
“What if it doesn't have to be?” She mumbled against his chest. “What if there was more time?”
“I want that, too.” Tom closed his eyes against the hurt; his own and the tidal wave of it crashing into him from his wife. “I'd sell my soul to have forever with you, but it's not realistic.”
“I might know a way.” Aletayria informed him as she wiped the tears away.
All Tom could think of was that the actual devil apparently lived in the Nexus. Maybe he shouldn't have so openly wished to sell his soul. That whole train of thought threw him off so much that it took him a moment to collect himself when Aletayria started to speak again.
“I think I could alter the pills we use to heal to maintain your body at this age. I'd have to manipulate the ingredients and there might be trial and error....”
“What?” Tom hadn't been following along as closely as he should have been. Confused he looked at the Anthean with furrowed brows.
“I think our medicine can keep you healthy.” She repeated a simpler version for the sake of understanding.
Slowly, Tom smiled when he caught on. “We'd get more time?”
She nodded but her mind was on the risk, on his request. She could easily hear Tom's mind whirling around in the same circles. It was to be expected since this was a heavy and life altering set of topics. The silence went on until it because unbearably comfortable.
“I'll make a deal.” Tom looked at his wife. He never felt so lucky, not with his first wife even. “I'll do drug trials if you let me remove your blocker.”
“My...” She stared blankly at her stomach. “You knew?”
Tom laughed cynically. “Your father rubbed it in my face constantly. He'd tell me all about how he was saving his daughter from giving birth to animals.” Tom was well aware of the implant that prevented his wife from conceiving at all. Up until this point he had seen it as a boon to save both of them from continued hurts.
“W..When?” Aletayria was tentative.
“Now?” Tom pulled her closer. “Then we can try to knock you up again, and in the morning you can work on the medicine and I'll help look for Thomas.” He was flirting, charming, and a little manipulative at the moment but this seemed to be what they both wanted.
“In the morning. You're tired.” She wasn't trying to say no, only point out the obvious. “We could practice tonight?”
The strain and stress of days melted away with those words. All that was left was happiness for the moment. “How did I ever think you were ugly?”
“I don't know. I think you still are.” Aletayria countered playfully. It got her pulled into a kiss.
“My ugly eyes.” He laughed as she shook her head, he could feel the blush even without the red cheeks. It had been so long since they had hope. Even a year ago they had accepted they would never be able to see each other again. Things were turning out very different, because of Ziggy and his incessant optimism that had got them both here.
