commanderforehead | continued from bakerstreet due to captcha

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.

[He gets it, in bits and pieces of stolen glances since Akmazian clearly has no body shame. Under better circumstances Ryan could find it a rugged and attractive look, as is he's more just worried about Akmazian's continued safety. Ryan tries to remind himself that Akmazian's medical scan turned up all clear and in good health.]

So it looks like most businesses in the area are closed up after dark, though there's some lights on the trail for 'romantic evening strolls'. We'll have to be careful depending on where we are about being seen, then.

[ and that actually gets him to laugh out loud. he's comfortable and sedate from the 'food, nap, hot shower' trifecta, and the look he shoots ryan is open and wry. ]

Think you can manage that one believably with me? Can't really see you hangin' off my arm...

I just needed time to prepare - that whole thing was - it was a surprise.

[Ryan scoffs, crossing his arms. Just you wait buddy he will be the best damn arm candy you ever did see.]

And I happen to tell the receptionist that my last relationship before this one ended really badly and I'm a little shy about PDA because of it, so groundwork. There.

[ he's laughing again, dropping back against the sheets to just let his overheated skin cool off a little before he bothers actually getting dressed again. ]

Just mind not to overdo it, y'hear? We want to be forgettable, not endear ourselves to everyone we come across.

[Ryan's just... trying to be himself, but a himself that is apparently engaged to Akmazian. He sits on the edge of the bed as well, looking down at Akmazian.]

You were the one that got her invested in this love story. That's on you.

Nuh uh. I was just playin' along.

[ he spins himself around, before - shamelessly - resting his head right next to ryan's LEG. staring up at him, he grins a little lopsidedly, eyes heavy-lidded. ]

Challenging assumptions is one way to make you stick out like a sore thumb.

Edited 2016-08-10 18:19 (UTC)

[Ryan moves his leg a bit - very gently nudging against Akmazian's head. He's mostly keeping the straight face.]

You don't seem to mind that much normally.

Well, I mean... it's different if you're in a cloak.

[ akmazian will just shift enough so that he can recline his head on top of his leg. ]

Because they can't see my face.

[Okay, yep, that just happened. Ryan just kinda... leaves his leg there then. Since it's now been requisitioned as a pillow?]

They just see the very obvious cloak and take notice of the fact that it also hides your face which is in no way suspicious?

Yeah, but people in a cloak can be suspicious for a million different reasons. No one's gonna see my face on a vidfeed and go, "I bet that was the guy in the cloak."

[ hey, score. he just shuts his eyes, pleased that ryan isn't trying to ... shove him off. it's nice. strangely intimate, at least for the two of them. ]

[It's definitely not bad.

One step at a time.]

I would think that. Every time I see a cloak now, actually. I just pause and admire the sheer idiocy of it and wonder if that means it's you.

[ he actually laughs out loud at that, turning his cheek to press it briefly against ryan's leg. he's lingering way more than he in good conscience should, but once you start invading ryan's space, it's hard to want to stop. ]

You know, you're gonna really hurt my feelings someday.

[The movement catches Ryan at an unexpectedly ticklish spot, and his carefully held control drops in favor of letting out a breathless laugh, himself.]

And here I was sure you'd choose to focus on the part where that implies I'm thinking about you. You're really bad at this not challenging assumptions thing.

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