driftfleet | And Let Us Gather 'Round [ Video + Action ]

Entry tags:

And Let Us Gather 'Round [ Video + Action ]

Who: Kirk and The Fine People of the Fleet
Broadcast: Yes
Action: On the Iskaulit, Specifically at the Melting Pot - Note: After the Broadcast
When: After they start heading away from the system

Video
_{[ Kirk appears on the screen, and probably like many people he looks tired and a bit beaten up. Scratches not yet healed on his face, one even covered with a bandage on his cheek, that sort of drawn look around his eyes after all the sleepless nights and the battles and general horridness. A little to pale, perhaps.

Even so, he gives as warm a smile as he can as he begins to speak. ]}

For those of you who might not know, I come from a world called Earth - or at least, one of the versions represented here. On my world, in the country I hail from, we celebrate something known as Thanksgiving roughly around this time of year if I've done my calculations correct. Some people call it Friendsgiving, but it's all the same really.

Essentially, it's a time to a give thanks for the good things in your life, your friends, and your family. In the spirit of that, I've arranged for a gathering at the Melting Pot - a thank you to Jarvis for that. Everyone who wishes to come is welcome.

I just thought we all could use a day, a place, to be together and to just enjoy each other. So I hope to see you there.

Action: The Melting Pot
_{[ The restaurant is set up to allow as much mingling as possible when people arrive - places to sit, of course, but there's gentle music playing for those who might want to dance and just to give some atmosphere (but not loud enough to stop conversation at all). Food and drink is laid out - things to nibble on rather than the usual feasts associated with a Thanksgiving. Not particularly ideal, but it's what could be managed. Unless, of course, anyone decided to bring something else to add to the spread.

Not a fancy party, to be sure, but it's warm and inviting, which is what Kirk had hoped for. A place for them all to come together and enjoy each other and just be glad they were all there and if not quite completely whole, then, well, able to be there. ]}

_{[ooc: Open mingle! Feel free to create your own starters and do as you like - tis a warm Friendsgiving party for the Fleet! ]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...I don't think that's necessarily true.

[He's just gonna...take a seat here. Because Chekov is a good kid and because he's invested now. Felix doesn't doubt that Chekov has other people who will look out for him, people who are willing to listen to him. But who knows. Maybe he's less willing to talk to people closer to him. Maybe he's not going to want to talk at all.

Felix is still going to sit and try. He's marginally better with other people's emotions than he is with his own.]

You don't really look like that's true, anyway.

[Normally he wouldn't call people on their shit. He'd hate it. But for Chekov...he has an inkling it won't go as terribly as it could.]

Nothing that I should complain about, then.

[There are many things that he suspects he needs to talk about, but he doesn't want to bother anyone with his problems (everyone he knows has enough problems of their own) or whine about things that, compared to what others here have been through, aren't all that bad.

Still. Felix, unlike Kitty and Kirk, is in no way a part of what's bothering him. He seems genuinely interested in nudging Pavel towards a more honest answer. Maybe talking wouldn't be so awful.]

It isn't. Not really. [So close to just giving in to the need to share with someone with whom he has no significant history. He nudges a half-empty bottle towards Felix.] Would you like a drink?

[Felix considers the bottle for a second. He doesn't want to tip over into being drunk, it's a little too much of a loss of control for his taste. On the other hand, he wonders if not drinking will cause Chekov to clam up.

...He'll drink a little.]

Sure, why not.

[Picking up the bottle - he trusts Chekov's personal hygiene enough to just drink from it straight, and...hopes that Chekov doesn't mind - Felix takes a small sip, and then sets it down within reach.]

Also, "should" isn't always particularly helpful. [He shrugs, casually, trying to make his next offer seem like it's really not a big deal.] If you need - or want - an ear, I don't mind.

[Drinking straight from the bottle is the best way to get drunk, Felix. Thank you for adhering to proper drinking etiquette.]

You may be right. [He contemplates the bottle for a moment, clearly thinking about something other than drinking. He could use an ear, especially if it's attached to someone who will likely listen without trying to fix anything.] I killed someone on the planet. One of the natives. I have never needed to do a thing like that before.

[Oh.

Oh. If they were closer, maybe, Felix would consider offering Chekov a hug. A first kill is...a rough thing. Especially for certain people. (Chekov is that kind of person. Felix...he'd say he was that kind of person, but in all honesty he probably still is. Maybe. It depends.)

Considering the circumstances they were in, it's perhaps not surprising that he'd ended up needing to take a life. Felix had actually been a little surprised that Chekov had gone with Kirk at the end, to the fighting. Especially considering the conversation they'd had on the Tourist, the one about how Chekov had had very little practical experience.

Felix pauses for a moment before he responds. He doesn't necessarily want to fix things, but he wants Chekov to feel like he can keep talking. After that pause, he just nods.]

It's not an easy thing to sit with. I'm sorry you had to.

[Chekov had been motivated to follow Kirk and Fenris to the fight partly because he knew he could be useful, partly out of loyalty, and--not that he has admitted this to himself--partly because it hadn't mattered what happened to him at that point. He has never had a death wish, but there was an element of self-destructiveness at play.

That self-destructiveness is in full force today. Pavel is a social drinker; he only goes at it like this when he truly can't stand himself.]

As am I. [He takes a drink.] But it will happen again. The captain reminded me that command officers need to do these things... make decisions that sometimes end with someone dying.

I'm not certain that I can do that.

[Felix takes another few long moments, after that admission. What Chekov's saying is true: command officers are sometimes put in that position. Felix never really was. Not until he seized command for himself the once. But it's a possibility. Especially for Chekov, who is young and bright and is sure to keep rising in the ranks. Felix is sure of that.

He sorts through what he could possibly say, what he wants to say. That a sense of compassion, a sense of worth for human life isn't a failing. That it could be a failing. That Chekov might surprise himself (Felix isn't sure he will, though.)

Finally, he settles on something:]

For what it's worth, I think when that time comes, you'll do the right thing. [He considers leaving that there, but that seems too unspecific.] Making that choice, or not, I don't know what the right thing will look like. But I think you'll know. And you'll do it.

[Because Chekov is basically him, and they both have strong moral compasses.]

[Pavel observes Felix for a few beats, gaze sharper and more intense than usual. Assessing. What he really needs now is some assurance that Felix--that anyone--trusts in his ability to do the right thing. He needs to know that someone has faith in him when he doesn't.

He quickly decides that he wants to believe more than he wants to doubt.]

I hope that you are right. [His smile is part gratitude and part uncertainty.] Nearly everything that I have done at home has been for this--for being a Starfleet officer. It would be embarrassing to find an obstacle that I can't overcome so late.

[Felix doesn't have a lot of faith in people in general. People in the abstract. But there are a select few people he's learned to put a little faith in. Or relearned, anyway.

Chekov is one of them, has pretty quickly become one of them.

They're still not close enough - emotionally anyway - for Felix to be comfortable offering him a hug. What he does offer, after that particular smile Chekov gives him, is a hand on his shoulder. Some extra reassurance.]

I know I'm right.

[That means a lot--both the gesture and the words. Chekov doesn't think that Felix would tell him something that he doesn't mean for the sole purpose of making him feel better.]

I will trust you. [He does. He doesn't say things like that if they're not true.] I'm sorry for being so... there's a word that fits very well. Maudlin?

Look, I think we've all earned a little bit of leeway on being maudlin.

[True, some people are taking this party as an opportunity to leave that behind, but it doesn't make the opposite tendency less valid. Anyway, feelings are feelings.

He leaves his hand in place for a few more seconds, and then removes it to make a gesture that sort of dismisses Chekov's apology. This is accompanied by a sort of knowing (self-knowing) expression.]

Besides. I don't know if you've noticed [Haha, it's a joke because there's not way not to notice.] but I spend a lot of my time being the least fun person at the party. I'm probably the last person you need to apologize to.

[He can say these things right now because he's a little more comfortably okay with not being okay. Only tonight though.]

Yes, after two disastrous planets, the right to be maudlin is the least that we deserve.

[Felix's self-deprecation gets a real smile.]

Fun or not, I enjoy your company.

[Oh good, a sincere smile. Felix echoes it a little, leaning back in his seat. Now that Chekov seems a little bit more cheered up, Felix's demeanor relaxes a little. Not to say that he was tense before. But he had been more careful.]

Well, that's kind of you.

[He's not always the easiest person to get along with. He knows.]

I wasn't saying it to be charitable.

[As someone who occasionally suspects that people are only putting up with him to be kind--not as often now as in the past, fortunately--he does want to make it clear that he means it.]

[That gets Felix to look at Chekov with a slight look of...surprise? Like he either didn't think through the implications of saying that Chekov was kind or didn't expect to be called on his self-deprecation.

Then he nods. The smile returns, but fainter.]

Well. Thanks.

[He nods and looks down at his drink, somewhat embarrassed by the abrupt and out-of-place sincerity. Dial it back, Pavel.]

Sorry. This will shock you, I'm sure, but I'm not very good at parties even when nothing terrible has happened recently.

[Oh good, he's made someone apologize for being nice. Good work Felix.

He shakes his head, puts his hand on Chekov's shoulder again for a moment. That smile is a little wry now, but it's directed inward.]

You're fine. You're doing fine.

[Chekov's expression matches Felix's. Wry doesn't really suit him.]

Am I? I'm drinking to be drunk and telling you about things that are probably best kept to myself. [His features soften.] But thank you.

[...It really doesn't. Felix has to suppress a smile, even though the mood isn't funny. He can't help it.]

Well, I guess 'fine' is relative. I meant...there's no reason to apologize.

[No, look, humor is the only thing that gets Pavel through life sometimes. Don't suppress any smiles!]

Ah, that. I'll do my best to not apologize again. [Kidding. There's always another chance to apologize for not putting up a good front.] Still, thank you. You're very good at listening.

[Felix isn't sure he is but he doesn't argue the point with Chekov. He just nods.]

If you ever need someone to listen, I'm here.

[He just barely manages to surpress some self-depreciation in the form of mentioning how he doesn't know how good he is at the talking part of it. It seems like it would just trigger Chekov reassuring him.]

[Felix is very good at not sharing anything! That's kind of like being good at listening?]

The same is true for you, if you would ever like someone to listen. I promise that, as much as I talk, I'm capable of doing that.

[In most of his relationships, in fact, he's the one who does more listening than talking. And when he does talk, he tends to avoid the things that he really ought to talk about.]

[They're really, really much too alike. But somehow it still works. (It probably works because Chekov is decidedly more flexible than Felix.) In any case, Felix smiles and nods.]

I believe you. [A little humor, a little sincerity.] And I'll remember that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And Let Us Gather 'Round [ Video + Action ]

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