commanderforehead | continued from bakerstreet due to captcha

[ akmazian makes a show of wincing at ryan's words, rubbing the back of his neck as the other man picks up his bag to take. ]

Aw, hon, I'll just be a few minutes...

[ he glances at the receptionist with a sort of 'what are you going to do' look on his face, before stage whispering: ] Don't worry. I'll butter him back up.

[ he'll be at the room in a few minutes, two heaping plates of food in hand. ]

[Congratulations, Akmazian. You now have one (1) receptionist totally in your corner. Go get 'em, tiger.

Back in the room Ryan's looked around it. Small, the bed, a little desk with a chair, and a bathroom and closet and that's basically it. Nice view out the window though.

Ryan really was considering taking a shower and using up all the hot water. He opens the door for Akmazian, takes one of the plates, and closes the door securely once Akmazian's inside.]

Thanks for grabbing me a plate, sweetie.

[ akmazian is grinning when he shuts the door behind him, leaning in when ryan takes the plate. he leans in close, basically getting up in his face to whisper: ]

Guess I could've just told her we were brothers, huh.

[ his shoulders are shaking with barely contained laughter. ]

[Ryan briefly freezes when Akamazian leans in close. What with the kiss on the cheek earlier, yes, he's wondering if Akamazian is actually going to go for it... does he pull away, does he wait for it, does he-

You complete jackass, Akamazian.]

No, this is totally fine. I can cry on cue if I need so I'll pass as a perfect grieving widow when they find your body tomorrow morning. No one will suspect a thing.

[He goes to eat at the desk and get some personal space back.]

Oh, shush up. It's a good cover, regardless.

[ and - honestly? he'd been tempted. he'd been so goddamn tempted, but he had the feeling that it would've made things this weekend so much worse. he was hoping to actually get to sleep in the bed instead of being stuck on the floor, after all.

so he takes a seat on the edge of it, as if claiming his spot. ]

We should go before it opens in the morning.

Now while it's open or after it closes? It'd be tresspassing, but we wouldn't have to worry about other tourists.

[Ryan did bring a criminal, sure, but he'd like to break as few laws as possible here. This food is going to sit like a brick in his stomach, Ryan didn't know it was possible to cook with this much grease.

And when they get back they're going to have to figure out sleeping arrangements. There's no real way for them to both take the bed and not hit a secure cuddling risk.]

After it closes. Or just before it opens in the morning. Bound to be less people around before sunrise than there is right after dark.

[ akmazian, meanwhile, is fucking loving this food, and he scoots back onto the bed, crossing his legs in front of him -- boots still on. he clearly has no qualms about lawbreaking himself. ]

Right. Don't want bystanders that could get hurt in the way. Or possible accomplices for whoever is behind this.

[Ryan stands, going over to the bed where he set their bags down, going through his to take out what he intends to bring. Not the whole kit, but the portable dermal regenerator is small enough to fit in his pocket.]

Come on. Feet off the bed unless you're going to take your shoes off, I have to sleep in it too. [Sigh. Mostly under his breath as he goes through his bag,] Not like anyone would believe we were brothers anyway.

What? I could totally sell the 'brothers' story.

[ akmazian looks reluctantly at his feet, though, before he puts his plate aside and starts to remove his boots. he's going to pretend that he didn't hear ryan's little comment, there: the 'i have to sleep in it too,' implying that they'll both be occupying it tonight.

neat. ]

You do have get this air of... how to say it. Total exasperation about you when it comes to me.

[Ryan is all for crossing that bridge when they get to it and not a moment before. At least out of all the people he could be forced to share a bed with, Akmazian is on the list of 'probably it won't be terrible'.

At least.

Maybe Akmazian talks in his sleep, or sprawls around like a starfish or kicks his legs. It could be terrible. Absence of proof is not proof of absence.]

And you don't understand where my eyes are enough that 'brothers' would just prompt more questions in almost every sentient species in the Alliance.

Oh, come on, doc. Just because I choose not to behave doesn't mean that I can't.

[ nah, he's a pretty quiet sleeper. ryan probably has to worry more about what he's going to do before they actually fall asleep. he stretches, then, groaning a little. ]

Bed is comfortable, though.

[ definitely the most comfortable thing he's slept in in a long time. ]

[Ryan will believe Akmazian can behave when he sees proof of it. He glances up at the groan but quickly back down at the bags. Nope, not filing that sound away or anything...

He'd feel bad about switching so quick between hot and cold on Akmazian, but that's what happens when you choose to flirt with a guy who made it past thirty before he ever considered that he maybe wasn't as exclusively heterosexual as he'd been assuming.]

Do you even have a bed in the cargo bay or do you sleep on your ship? I could put in a request for a spare cot but knowing the Quartermaster you'll have your name cleared long before that gets approved.

Sleep in the ship, mostly. I don't really mind the rats most of the time, but some of 'em try to get a little cuddly if you try to actually sleep where they can get to ya.

[ and because sleeping in the ship is way more secure than sleeping in the bay; if he needs to make a quick exit, he doesn't want to have to worry about cleaning up his shit before he bails. ]

Don't worry about it, doc. This'll hold me through the next couple of months, at least.

[ he's partially just playing it up, but at the same time - with his "escape" from the trial, the alliance is redoubling their efforts in finding him. his face is all over the place again; doing things like 'staying in hotels' is riskier than it used to be.

he leans to put his plate onto the bedside table, rolling over onto his stomach and pressing his face into the pillow with a throaty little hum of content. like a puppy rolling around on a brand new dog bed, really. ]

You still callin' first shower?

Yep. Think you owe me that one, 'darling'.

[He looks at the clock, out the window to the trail that's supposed to head where they need to go.]

Think I should get that done now or wait until we get back?

Whatever you say, sweetheart.

[ this is still the funniest thing that's happened to him in ages. ]

Go ahead and do it now. I need a few minutes to recover from that food.

If you fall asleep I'm not going to be nice waking you up.

[With that warning, Ryan absconds to the bathroom, leaving the door open just a crack so it doesn't get too badly steamed up in there.

This isn't an actual vacation, but it's definitely relaxing to get under the spray of warm water. Ryan went from a full shift directly to this, and while he obviously scrubbed out from surgeries it's not the same as an actual shower - even one with piping as ancient as this.

He doesn't use all the hot water either in spite of his earlier threat. Too much of that and he'll want to just go right to sleep, never mind the shenanigans they have ahead of them tonight.

Toweling off once he's all done, Ryan puts his pants back on before he heads back out to see if Akmazian has actually fallen asleep or not.]

[ and akmazian is most certainly asleep. look, it's not like he's done it on purpose - he's really looking forward to that hot shower of his own, just because it's been a hellaciously long time since he's had the opportunity for one of those - but the bed really is incredibly comfortable. especially for a dude who just kicks back and snoozes in the pilot's chair most of the time.

it's not his fault that this is all weirdly domestic, stomach full of heavy food while ryan literally showers with the door cracked. it was either take a nap or regard that as an invitation, thank you very much. ]

[It's a new thing to be on the other end of the being able to watch someone while they sleep deal. He's seen people drugged up post op or otherwise in recovery plenty of times, but all those times his role as doctor came first. Monitor their vitals, watch for signs of things going bad the machines might not pick up or they'll pick up too late, consider alternate methods of treatment to have lined up if this doesn't take.

It isn't like they aren't battered down with other things to worry about now too - the conspiracy in the alliance is always there at the back of his mind now, but aside from that white noise it's just... quiet. Akmazian's even breaths. Ryan's had his privacy while sleeping invaded enough times, the universe owes him five minutes to take in how Akmazian's face looks when he's relaxed, when he doesn't have any reason to pretend, to hide.

And yes, maybe he uses that time to try to picture it in a different context - what would it be like waking up to this face every morning? if he tried to make something of them. It wouldn't be bad at all, he thinks. Except Ryan's still a hot mess, emotionally speaking. He needs to get himself more sorted out before he potentially messes someone else up too. Especially someone who is already in danger on the regular.

One step at a time, as he'd told Doctor Urvidian.

Glancing out the window again, Ryan returns his attention to Akmazian, leaning over and very gently touching his arm, voice soft also in spite of his earlier warning. Ryan's just full of empty threats today.]

Hey, time to wake up.

[ and akmazian does look different while he sleeps. less guarded, he probably seems a little older, a little more weathered, despite being in his early thirties. after all, it's only recently that he's come to actually start hoping again that he's got an actual chance at someday getting his name cleared.

initially, he'd started doing business in the black market because that was the only way he really had to get access to the information he might need to expose the alliance corruption that had pinned him for a crime he'd never committed. the longer he did it, though, the more it seemed to become part of his actual identity. an earnest part of him, not just a means to an end.

he had accepted that he would die a wanted man, that he would be listed as a villain in the history books.

having hope again was weird, and kind of exhausting. caring about people, being close enough to people to actually worry about them? was a hindrance and a luxury he hadn't had the privilege to feel in a long time.

he grunts quietly at the touch to his arm, before giving a heavy exhale and stretching hard. guh. some naps were just long enough to make you feel groggy as hell, and that seems to be the case for him as he rolls off the bed to stand up. ]

Mmmmh. Mmkay. Gimme a few minutes.

[ so he can dig through his duffel bag, find some clothes to change into. ]

[Ryan gives a quiet breath of relief. Akmazian is awake again, no more temptation. Or at least no more than Ryan lives with on the regular.]

Yeah. Uh, no problem, take your time.

[Super casual like. Ryan steps back to give him room to go through his bag, he can grab another shirt from his once Akmazian's in the shower.]

Yeah.

[ it's a groggy, sort of dim-witted mutter as he pulls some clothes from his bag, turning to actually look at ryan when he stands. that whole damp-hair, shirtless, flushed-from-the-heat-of-the-shower look was pretty excellent on the good doctor, and akmazian can't help himself:

the way he drags his eyes across the other man's figure is a lot less teasing than it typically is. he licks at his lower lip, as if deep in thought about something, before he just shakes his head and heads toward the bathroom. ]

Christ.

[ under his breath, whispered mostly to himself. where was his camera then? ]

[Ryan did his best to stay in shape, he tried to swim at least a few laps every night, to keep physically fit if only for the demands of his job. Still, there was knowing you technically fell into the realm of physically attractive for your gender and species and having someone you found attractive very clearly appreciating that.

Combined with seeing Akmazian so relaxed and unguarded for the first time in basically ever... well... the flush isn't entirely from the leftover heat of the shower.

God, he's gotta get out of the room before he does something stupid. Ryan grabs his shirt and quickly pulls it overhead when Akmazian heads towards the bathroom.]

Um, I'm going to - take our plates back out to the kitchen and see if I can find out more about the area. I'll be back in fifteen or so.

[Ryan grabs the plates and the room key and goes to do just that. Maybe they'll get lucky and run into armed guards later and one of them will get shot. Not badly, nothing life threatening, but enough to make it so there's something more pressing to worry about than the building tension.]

[ akmazian considers that maybe he should feel bad: ryan is clearly dealing with a lot. he's been thrust into the middle of this giant conspiracy pretty much against his will, put his career on the line to testify for him, lost his dad - and even now, he keeps chugging along, looking for the solution to this enormous problem that he'd never known existed.

it's just hard, okay. he is incredibly fucking fond of the guy, and he's only (63/64th) human.

he waves him off before disappearing into the shower and very nearly takes up the rest of the hot water himself. it's a good fifteen minutes before he re-emerges, the entire bathroom fogged up with steam; he's dripping wet, dressed only in his boxers, not sure if ryan is even back yet. ]

Hey, you took the only towel.

[ called as he pokes his head out, just sort of ... hoping ryan is hanging around somewhere in the room. ]

Edited 2016-08-10 17:23 (UTC)

[Just coming back in actually. The receptionist had been only too happy to answer his questions, very happy that he had apparently patched things up with his fiance.

So now it's Ryan's turn to get the wet-flushed-half naked show. Well, there goes that calming effect the fresh air had. Definitely banking on getting shot now. He averts his eyes, grabbing the towel from where he left it draped over the back of the chair to hold out to Akmazian. He's seen other men equally as fit and attractive in even less stages of dress (he shares a locker room with Doctor Osolong) but the context really is everything. Not being in the steamy hot bathroom the towel has dried pretty quickly.]

Sorry. I thought there was another in there.

[ if ryan manages to look long enough, he'll probably see a mess of light scarring, traces of old wounds. medical technology has advanced enough for the most part to prevent a lot of that, but for the most part? akmazian doesn't really have access to advanced medical technology. if he needs patching up, it's something that either he or whoever's running in his crew at that moment in time needs to do.

(honestly, he kind of likes it. he feels like it looks rugged.)

he takes the towel from ryan, scrubbing it through his hair as he heads back to the bed, thumping down heavily on the end of it. ]

I'll pick some more up later.

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