new morning

[ensigntanner]

*wakes slowly*

*wakes up alone*

*stays in bed, tucked under the covers, thinking about the past twenty four hours*

*lets a sigh whistle out through his teeth*

Big day...*pushes back covers

Comments

[mrostov]

*returns to the deck after the appointment he had with Phlox*

*is unsure if he should check in on Stephen now or wait for a while*
*has lots of things he'd like to talk about*
*decides that a general 'hi' wouldn't be a bad idea*

*stands in front of door, wonders if he should ring or open, since he still has the code*
*decides to do both*

*rings, then keys in the code immediately afterwards*

*enters quarters*

[ensigntanner]

*is towelling hair dry*

*hears bell ring*

*hears noise of someone entering*

*frowns*

*pokes head out*

*sees Michael*

*smiles*

Hey! Why didya ring the bell? Afraid of catching me in flagranti or something?

*ducks back in to finish drying off, but leaves door open to hear Michael*

[mrostov]

*sees Stephen poking his head out and smile*
*smiles back*

Nah... just... Phlox's given me a lot to think about... *wonders how to continue, then decides to go exactly by what Phlox told him to*

...I think I got kinda uncertain. Weird, huh?

[ensigntanner]

*comes back out, pulling t-shirt over his head*

I've come to the conclusion that Phlox has that effect on people

*looks down at hand*

*frowns*

*wonders if he should worry Michael....but can't do it alone*

*keeps tone deliberately light*

Glad you're here, actually. I need to put a fresh dressing on this...

[mrostov]

Do you need a hand on that?

*keeps tone casual*
Phlox told me a lot of things... some that made me feel pretty stupid.

[ensigntanner]

*is already getting bandages together*

As I've already discovered, its hard to use your hands to fix your hands

*waits til Michael has started to apply the bandage*

So, can I ask what you and Phlox talked about?

[mrostov]

Sure... for example, apparently I was stupid to clear all my things out from you... *corrects self* our quarters.

[ensigntanner]

*is treading very carefully through this emotional mindfield*

I have to admit, it did pull me up short to see an empty space where you should have been...

[mrostov]

*stops for a moment in applying the bandage and looks at him*

I'm sorry if I hurt you with that. It wasn't meant that way. I think I took you far too literally than I should have.

[ensigntanner]

I wasn't hurt...no, actually I was, but I understood why you had done it.

*steps away, flexes newly-bandaged hand*

*turns to put things away*

I think I was more pissed at myself than anything

[mrostov]

*looks at him curiously*

Why were you pissed at yourself?

[ensigntanner]

*shrugs, back still to Michael*

Because...because I had made my bed and now I had to lie in it...for better or for worse....

[mrostov]

*moves in closer to Stephen, but doesn't touch him yet*

What do you mean by that? In what sense...?

[ensigntanner]

*fidgets*

*can't bring himself to look at Michael*

*forces himself to be truthful*

I had pushed and pushed and finally pushed you away...and I was truly alone...

[mrostov]

*gently puts his hand on Stephen's shoulder*

You didn't... you didn't push me away... I didn't want to leave you alone with all that shit you were dealing with... but you asked me to, and I respect your decisions.

[ensigntanner]

*turns into Michael*

Can I make a standing family rule? *holds Michael out at arms length* Distance is here and no further? Makes it easier to reach out when time's up

*reels Michael back in again*