263. A lonely tomorrow
Title: Silence
Author Quetzal
Rating:PG-13
Fandom: 2001, A Space Odyssey
Pairing: Dave Bowman/Frank Poole
Theme:263. A lonely tomorrow.
Genre/s: Romance
Warnings: Slash; spoilers for the book/movie
Words:1060
Summary: Dave contemplates the silence of the ship Discovery now that he is alone.
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING
The hum of the instruments did little to soothe Dave. It echoed through Discovery, no more so than it used to. But now he was utterly alone. Shadows became ghosts, though he did know that he was being absurd and paranoid.
The adrenaline had long since worn off, as had the post-rush shakes. He was feeling utterly empty. The day replayed in his head over and over.
Open the pod bay doors Hal.
Why don’t you take a stress pill and get some rest?
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.
Dave growled at his mind, unable to tune out the chatter. He tried to focus on a happier time.
“Something has been up,” Dave said to Frank, cornering him. Frank had been skittish for the last week or so. Dave noticed the change in behaviour almost instantly. Part of their training had included rudimentary psychology to be able to identify issues.
This, Dave thought, was a personal thing. Frank’s job performance was not being affected, but it was all during his off hours.
Frank flinched. “Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me; I don’t want to have to give you an order.”
Frank refused to make eye contact.
Dave’s tone softened. “Frank, what’s wrong?”
“Is that an order?”
“Does it have to be?”
He half-shrugged. “It’s personal.”
“I know that.”
He was still nervous.
“Why don’t we have something to drink and talk it over?” Dave suggested softly.
They sat at the table beside the food storage system, both sipping on coffee.
“So,” Dave began softly, “what’s wrong?”
Frank took a deep breath. “Do you remember Sherry?”
“Of course I do.”
“She’s getting married.”
That would explain it. Dave leaned back slightly. “Oh, Frank, I’m sorry. I remember her promising to wait for you.”
“Yeah, well...”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I know,” Frank sighed. He toyed with his coffee container. “There is something else...”
“What? She wasn’t pregnant, was she?”
Frank managed a weak laugh, “No, no, nothing that dramatic.”
“What is it then?”
“I don’t know how to tell you.”
“Start at the beginning. I’m not going to share anything you say to Mission Control, and neither is HAL.”
“That’s right Frank,” HAL’s soothing voice said, “I may have been programmed to listen, but I don’t have to talk.”
“Thank you HAL,” Frank said. “This is...hard to talk about. I can’t form the words in a not shocking way. I don’t want to talk about it yet, but you do have a right to know. When Sherry told me she was getting married, I didn’t even care. Sure, I had devoted three years of my life to her, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t on earth, so I didn’t care.”
Dave nodded.
“I’ve been in space for too long,” Frank muttered.
“I don’t think so.”
“They told us this might happen.” Frank was just saying whatever came into his head. He wasn’t forming logical thoughts. He did not want to tell Dave. He was afraid of what would happen. But, at the same time, he did want to tell him, as if telling him would be a weight lifted off his chest.
“They told us a lot might happen.” Dave knew he was failing at making Frank more comfortable.
“No, you don’t understand. Dave, you are so focused on this mission, you don’t talk about your personal life. Do you even have a personal life?”
“Of course I have a personal life.”
“You don’t show it. I never hear about your parents or friends.”
“My friends are here, on this ship, you and HAL. My parents are another matter.”
“Tell me about them. Please?”
“My father is dead, died when I was little. I had a brother, Robert. He drowned when I was ten. I was raised by my aunt for a while. My mother went catatonic when I got accepted to the university and has lived in a hospital in Florida ever since. I don’t go home much. Florida brought up so many bad memories. So, I forced myself to get rid of my accent, moved away, and I never looked back.”
Frank was staring. He had no idea Dave had a life like that. Frank had assumed that Dave’s life would have been very much like his own: a mother and father, various siblings, pets and friends.
“I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Frank’s voice was weak.
Dave shook his head. “It’s fine. Now, what’s on your mind?”
“I...” His voice faltered.
Dave really didn’t know what to say. Here was Frank, nervous beyond all reason, sitting across from him. Guilt flooded over Dave. He had pushed the subject, and now Frank was a mess.
“I have feelings for you, okay? There I said it, now can we drop it?” Frank had turned from a nervous mess to an aggressive mess.
“Wait, what?”
“I. Have. Feelings. For. You.”
“Why are you so angry about it?”
Frank was taken aback. “I’m not angry.”
“Anger or not, why didn’t you just tell me?”
“Because...” He tried to find the words. “We’re colleagues?”
Dave laughed. “Why does that matter?”
“Because we’re both men?”
Dave shrugged. “Again, why does that matter? I’m actually kind of flattered. I can handle this sort of thing.”
“Fl-flattered?”
Dave nodded. “Yeah, flattered.”
“How?”
“I like having people find me attractive.”
Frank just stared. "I don’t think I’ll ever understand you.”
“You don’t have to understand it. I’m not upset or angry with you, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”
The two went their separate ways to work. Much like any day, they did not run into each other very much. There were so many jobs to do onboard.
They did, however, share meals.
It was quiet as they ate: Frank was reading a book while Dave looked over some report. They both finished around the same time, getting up and about to go their separate ways again. Dave hadn’t really been paying attention to where he was walking, so he rammed full-force into Frank.
“Ooh, sorry Frank.”
Frank watched him for half a second, maybe, before swiftly kissing him.
“Sorry...” he said, pulling away and quickly turning.
Dave grabbed his shoulder, spun him around and kissed him back.
He hoped it had all been a nightmare, but it wasn’t. Dave woke up after a quick nap to a silent ship. No Frank. No HAL.
Just him.
Author Quetzal
Rating:PG-13
Fandom: 2001, A Space Odyssey
Pairing: Dave Bowman/Frank Poole
Theme:263. A lonely tomorrow.
Genre/s: Romance
Warnings: Slash; spoilers for the book/movie
Words:1060
Summary: Dave contemplates the silence of the ship Discovery now that he is alone.
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING
The hum of the instruments did little to soothe Dave. It echoed through Discovery, no more so than it used to. But now he was utterly alone. Shadows became ghosts, though he did know that he was being absurd and paranoid.
The adrenaline had long since worn off, as had the post-rush shakes. He was feeling utterly empty. The day replayed in his head over and over.
Open the pod bay doors Hal.
Why don’t you take a stress pill and get some rest?
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.
Dave growled at his mind, unable to tune out the chatter. He tried to focus on a happier time.
“Something has been up,” Dave said to Frank, cornering him. Frank had been skittish for the last week or so. Dave noticed the change in behaviour almost instantly. Part of their training had included rudimentary psychology to be able to identify issues.
This, Dave thought, was a personal thing. Frank’s job performance was not being affected, but it was all during his off hours.
Frank flinched. “Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me; I don’t want to have to give you an order.”
Frank refused to make eye contact.
Dave’s tone softened. “Frank, what’s wrong?”
“Is that an order?”
“Does it have to be?”
He half-shrugged. “It’s personal.”
“I know that.”
He was still nervous.
“Why don’t we have something to drink and talk it over?” Dave suggested softly.
They sat at the table beside the food storage system, both sipping on coffee.
“So,” Dave began softly, “what’s wrong?”
Frank took a deep breath. “Do you remember Sherry?”
“Of course I do.”
“She’s getting married.”
That would explain it. Dave leaned back slightly. “Oh, Frank, I’m sorry. I remember her promising to wait for you.”
“Yeah, well...”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I know,” Frank sighed. He toyed with his coffee container. “There is something else...”
“What? She wasn’t pregnant, was she?”
Frank managed a weak laugh, “No, no, nothing that dramatic.”
“What is it then?”
“I don’t know how to tell you.”
“Start at the beginning. I’m not going to share anything you say to Mission Control, and neither is HAL.”
“That’s right Frank,” HAL’s soothing voice said, “I may have been programmed to listen, but I don’t have to talk.”
“Thank you HAL,” Frank said. “This is...hard to talk about. I can’t form the words in a not shocking way. I don’t want to talk about it yet, but you do have a right to know. When Sherry told me she was getting married, I didn’t even care. Sure, I had devoted three years of my life to her, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t on earth, so I didn’t care.”
Dave nodded.
“I’ve been in space for too long,” Frank muttered.
“I don’t think so.”
“They told us this might happen.” Frank was just saying whatever came into his head. He wasn’t forming logical thoughts. He did not want to tell Dave. He was afraid of what would happen. But, at the same time, he did want to tell him, as if telling him would be a weight lifted off his chest.
“They told us a lot might happen.” Dave knew he was failing at making Frank more comfortable.
“No, you don’t understand. Dave, you are so focused on this mission, you don’t talk about your personal life. Do you even have a personal life?”
“Of course I have a personal life.”
“You don’t show it. I never hear about your parents or friends.”
“My friends are here, on this ship, you and HAL. My parents are another matter.”
“Tell me about them. Please?”
“My father is dead, died when I was little. I had a brother, Robert. He drowned when I was ten. I was raised by my aunt for a while. My mother went catatonic when I got accepted to the university and has lived in a hospital in Florida ever since. I don’t go home much. Florida brought up so many bad memories. So, I forced myself to get rid of my accent, moved away, and I never looked back.”
Frank was staring. He had no idea Dave had a life like that. Frank had assumed that Dave’s life would have been very much like his own: a mother and father, various siblings, pets and friends.
“I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Frank’s voice was weak.
Dave shook his head. “It’s fine. Now, what’s on your mind?”
“I...” His voice faltered.
Dave really didn’t know what to say. Here was Frank, nervous beyond all reason, sitting across from him. Guilt flooded over Dave. He had pushed the subject, and now Frank was a mess.
“I have feelings for you, okay? There I said it, now can we drop it?” Frank had turned from a nervous mess to an aggressive mess.
“Wait, what?”
“I. Have. Feelings. For. You.”
“Why are you so angry about it?”
Frank was taken aback. “I’m not angry.”
“Anger or not, why didn’t you just tell me?”
“Because...” He tried to find the words. “We’re colleagues?”
Dave laughed. “Why does that matter?”
“Because we’re both men?”
Dave shrugged. “Again, why does that matter? I’m actually kind of flattered. I can handle this sort of thing.”
“Fl-flattered?”
Dave nodded. “Yeah, flattered.”
“How?”
“I like having people find me attractive.”
Frank just stared. "I don’t think I’ll ever understand you.”
“You don’t have to understand it. I’m not upset or angry with you, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”
The two went their separate ways to work. Much like any day, they did not run into each other very much. There were so many jobs to do onboard.
They did, however, share meals.
It was quiet as they ate: Frank was reading a book while Dave looked over some report. They both finished around the same time, getting up and about to go their separate ways again. Dave hadn’t really been paying attention to where he was walking, so he rammed full-force into Frank.
“Ooh, sorry Frank.”
Frank watched him for half a second, maybe, before swiftly kissing him.
“Sorry...” he said, pulling away and quickly turning.
Dave grabbed his shoulder, spun him around and kissed him back.
He hoped it had all been a nightmare, but it wasn’t. Dave woke up after a quick nap to a silent ship. No Frank. No HAL.
Just him.