Nothing Better Than Homemade

Posted on Tue Feb 23rd, 2021 @ 1:03am by Lieutenant Ausra Danton & Lieutenant Commander Savin

Mission: Character Development
Location: Savin's Quarters
Timeline: after Dessame's departure
1927 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Ausra, after having returned to the ship heard that Lieutenant Dessame Sar would not be joining them again so she went straight to her quarters and came out an hour later with a basket full of fresh warm cookies to deliver to someone she thought might need them at the moment. She pressed the chime outside his quarters and waited patiently.

It took a few seconds for Savin to realize someone was at the door. He scooped up Sheba and decided to disregard the disarray his personal living space was in. Dessame's departure had hit him hard, and somehow he couldn't help but wonder if he had any fault in her choosing to leave for her home world. He'd honestly thought he'd found his match, but clearly he'd been mistaken?

He sighed, taking a few deep breaths to recollect himself. "Come," he finally called out, firmly holding on to the squirming cat.

When the door opened Ausra stuck her head in. "Sorry, I'm probably interrupting. But I brought you something I thought you might need." She held out the basket to him. "You can let her go," Asura squatted down and dangled her fingers for the cat to pounce on.

He let Sheba go and watched the cat bat her paw at the wiggling fingers. "No, you are not interrupting," he told her, awkwardly accepting the basket. "What are these?" There was a sweet aroma coming from it which was familiar and yet somehow he couldn't place it.

"Sugar cookies," Ausra responded. "I wasn't sure which kind of cookies you'd like, but I figured everyone likes this simple dough because it's sweet and buttery." She looked up from playing with the cat. "I'm sorry, about Dessame."

"Me too..." He set the basked on the coffee table, casually peering inside to hide the look of hurt on his face. "I ah... am not certain what kind of cookies I like either, it is not something I often indulge in. Would you like some tea?"

"Sure," Ausra answered him quietly. "I just came by in case you needed someone to talk to. I know how stubborn counselors tend to be in that area. They're always helping everyone else."

That caused a minute smile to cross the Romulan's face. "Stubborn indeed," he mused before briefly turning away to get them some tea. He returned with a small tray which held a pot, two cups and some sugar and milk just in case it was desired. "Is it not my duty to help others?" he asked as he sat down before pouring out the tea. "I do not understand why she left... I had not seen this coming..." He paused, sighing softly. "I feel... alone. Does that make sense? Like part of me is gone."

Ausra nodded as if she understood while she poured a little bit of milk and sugar into her tea. In reality she had always felt a part of her was missing but she didn't say that out loud. "It probably had nothing to do with you. She obviously had some things she needed to take care of."

"I knew she had traumas to work through," he admitted without treading into detail - after all that was confidential. "I miss the link I had with her," he added carefully, "somewhat like what I share with Jerant but... different. My bond with Jerant is that of a lifetime of friendship, he is almost like a brother to me. But Dessame was different..." He looked up, his face colouring a slightly darker shade of green. "I had feelings for her, I felt strongly for her. I still do, but she left anyway."

Ausra took this information in as she sipped her tea. "Like a telepathic connection?" She asked carefully. "I can't imagine what that must have been like. But . . . I guess it wasn't meant to be? You will find the person you were meant for."

"Like a telepathic connection," he confirmed, "no words were necessary between us, we could have a conversation between us by mere thought." He cast her an apologetic look. "For me, that does make conversing quite a bit easier as I do not constantly need such a person's line of sight, like I need to have now. It was refreshing, and soothing at the same time. I do not know if it was not meant to be, but I do feel hurt by her departure. Cast aside as if my feelings mean nothing, as if my assistance is undesired."

"Does that work only with people who are telepathic? Make a connection with me. I never mind talking and I don't care if you can hear what's in my head and it might bring you comfort to not have to speak vocally."

Taken aback by her unexpected offer, Savin slowly shook his head. "It does not work like that," he answered apologetically. "Dessame is Betazoid, telepathic communication comes to her naturally. The same with Jerant, who is also Betazoid. For me to converse with you telepathically, I require to meld with you. It is not something I engage in lightly, as it can be perceived as invasive, and intimate."

"Ah." Ausra answered. "Well . . . . . is there anything I can do to help?" She gave a small shrug as she couldn't think of anything else other than just talk to him when he needed an ear.

"I do not know," Savin confessed, "I have not experienced such a situation for myself before. This is very new, and I have no idea how to hold myself." He glanced around at the disarray in his quarters. "I..." He faltered, a sense of shame washing over him. "I believe I did lose myself, before your arrival. What do Humans do, if someone they love leaves them?"

"I'm not exactly an expert but they do a variety of things. They cry, become depressed. Sometimes it is a relief, sometimes they eat a lot of sweet foods," she pointed to the cookies. "Or they talk to friends. Sometimes they even go out and find a new date."

"I do not cry," the counselor replied firmly, but deflated almost instantly. "I...screamed," he admitted, "threw things..." Given the broken items that lay near the wall, bits of broken glass scattered around. He took another bite of the cookie, finding it a little sweet to his taste but otherwise enjoyable. "I feel a need to exhaust myself, is that normal?" Finding a new date so soon after being left, somehow just didn't feel right.

"Well you're the counselor." Ausra smiled at him. "But it sounds pretty normal to me. You want to be distracted so you don't have to think about it. Happens to Humans too. Well .. . I wouldn't know, but I have heard of it."

"Counselor counsel thyself?" He gave her a wry smile. "I am a counselor, not a relationship therapist. This is beyond my area of expertise I fear. Yes I do want distraction, to not think about this hurt." He arched an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean, you would not know? You have not been in a relationship before?"

"No, I have kind of kept my eyes on getting to where I am. And no one's really asked. But that's fine. My parents wanted me to marry young and pop out kids, but I wanted something more with my life."

"Did they?" He paused. "Why did they want that? Surely, you live your own life? Did they marry young?" He couldn't recall his parents ever mentioning marriage or even children to him or his younger brother. He wasn't realizing he was slipping into counselor mode.

"Yes, they are traditionalists. No technology. My mother married young and had four children before she was 30 years old." Ausra shrugged. "So you see we don't see eye to eye on most everything I've ever done."

"No technology, whatsoever?" A look of sheer surprise crossed his face. "Wow... and you embrace technology, no you are right you are the furthest from her I could imagine. But..surely you two also have common interests? A common ground?"

"Well no technology that requires electricity anyway. Everything is done by hand or crank for example. I doubt it. I gave up trying to identify with my mother long ago. We're two very different people."

"Even very different people must have something in common?" Savin queried curiously, his own troubles seemingly forgotten for now.

"Not that I was able to discover. But honestly Savin, I don't really want to discuss my parentage. I left them a long time ago. Just because you are related to someone doesn't mean you should have to stay in their life, especially if you feel they were . . . . maybe not the nicest of people."

"As you wish..." He gave a minute nod, taking another small bite from the cookie. "I have somewhat of a similar issue I suppose. Ever since discovering my true parentage, somehow I have not had any desire to contact my parents. I probably should, but I have not felt any need to."

"Why is that?" Ausra asked curiously, wondering who his parents really were. She had a vivid imagination and could bur reality with fantasy very easily if not kept in check. She could imagine all sorts of parents for him, though they must be bad if he didn't want to meet with them.

"Because they raised me and my brother on a lie. All my life, I believed I was Vulcan when really, I am not. I should say origin, not parentage. I am very certain my father is indeed my father as we are quite similar in appearance. But why raise us to believe in a lie? What good has that done?"

"Ah well, maybe they believed it was in your best interest." She shrugged. "Parents have way of doing that. In any case, we all have parent issues it seems. Family wouldn't be family without a little drama thrown in." She smiled at him. "So tell me, how has Sheba been doing? She's grown a lot." Ausra reached to pet her.

"She has been doing exceptionally well for a creature who is as deaf as I am. She is very demanding of attention, and definitely doing her name justice. She is a queen alright." He smiled. "Quite the watchful creature too, she woke me rather rudely, when Commander Taeler tried to sneak out a while ago. She stayed the night, because she needed company." He offered a small smile. "I slept on the couch, and Sheba had curled up nearby on the floor. She woke and ended up clawing me when Taeler startled her."

"Aww. Maybe I should get a cat. I've been thinking of getting a pet lately but haven't decided what kind. Sheba and I get along well." She let out a sigh as if she were tired of thinking of what to do. "I should probably go, I've taken up a lot of your time."

"It is my time to offer," Savin answered quietly, "and I consider it well spent. Thank you for coming by, the support is appreciated."

"You are very welcome. I'm no counselor, but feel free to barge into my quarters if you need someone to talk to." She got up, bend down and petted the cat one more time. "Enjoy the cookies and I will see you later Savin."

Sheba purred loudly, though it went unnoticed to her owner. "I will," he promised though he failed to clarify whether he was referring to the cookies, or the offer. "Thank you."