A Different Kind of Peace 3/3

Posted on Fri Oct 16th, 2026 @ 4:37pm by Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Moriarty & Tavrek Harland

1,840 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Pilot - "The Gate"
Location: Tavrek Harland's Quarters, USS Guinevere
Timeline: A few days after 'First Contact'

Continued from part 2

"And cooking for beautiful men," Tavrek said, his eyes shining with it before he winked. "Although I am now seeing that I calculated the dessert perfectly."

"You really did...it might be the best thing I've ever eaten," Jesse was grinning though as he looked into his bowl at the unexpected compliment. There was even a touch of colour on his cheeks.

Tavrek nodded, taking a deeper breath as he sat back, his own bowl empty. He leant to put it on the coffee table. He saw the blush, the grin...he wanted to keep the mood, but also...the blush? Perhaps Jesse needed a little distance to recover. "Maybe it'll make you sleep better," he said softly.

"For a week, I'm sure," Jesse laughed softly as he did the same with his bowl, watching him with a small, grateful smile. "You don't have to do all this for me...but it's really enjoyable..." he admitted.

"I wanted to...and I enjoy your company," Tavrek said with a smile, shaking his head with it. "So I get as much out of this as you do."

"I don't have to worry about...rank or hierarchy here," Jesse replied quietly, watching him with a small, half smile, not sure he'd understand.

"Must be hard...being one of the highest ranking people in the hierachy," he said softly to Jesse, giving a nod as he met his eyes, his hand going out to touch Jesse's.

Jesse's fingers responded, nestling between the tips of the other man's. "Just means a bit more distance. Being careful what you say."

"You don't have to be that with me," Tavrek observed with a small, playful smile. "I don't follow orders very well..."

"Ah, so we've finally got to the bottom of why you're a civilian...." Jesse chuckled, but watched him with amusement sparkling in his dark eyes.

"It is rather obvious," Tavrek teased as he turned to face him properly. "My stubborn streak. My desire to mock collective efforts...my preference for waistcoats over uniforms."

"But how are you at giving orders?" Jesse asked with a small, wry smile, searching his eyes.

Tavrek smiled as he looked at him, raising an eyebrow before he chuckled. "That depends entirely on the situation, Jesse," he said playfully. "I can be...quite bossy."

"And here I was thinking you were all...mild mannered and polite," Jesse quipped back, shaking his head as he relaxed against the back of the sofa.

"Polite...sure...mild mannered..." Tavrek laughed as he looked at him before he leant closer. "Only as mild mannered as I need to be, I assure you."

"So there's times you just want to...break loose?" Jesse asked with interest, studying his face as he tried to gauge him.

"Of course," Tavrek said as he held his eyes, searching them for a long moment. "I also have times I want to tell people to piss off..." he winked, his hand moving to take Jesse's to squeeze.

Jesse grinned at the prospect....it would be pretty entertaining to see the strong-framed Vulcanoid lose his rag. "Let me know before hand..."

"I'll give you a warning... a safe word," Tavrek laughed and winked, not moving from where he was leaning slightly towards Jesse.

"I don't need one of those," Jesse replied with a shrug, but a small smile was on his lips as he watched him. "I meant more so I don't miss it."

"Alright then," Tavrek laughed as he met his eyes, nodding. "I'll call you especially, get you over to witness it..."

"And I bet it would be a sight to behold..." Jesse said lightly, chuckling gently to himself as he absently picked at a thread.

"I don't know...I suspect I would look like most people do when they're angry...when adrenaline is rushing through them and all thought flee..." he reached to touch his cheek, to make him look at him.

Jesse swallowed at feeling the warmth of his fingers against his cheek and he hesitated before lifting his gaze to meet the other man's. "Tavrek...I really like you, and I don't want to screw this up," he admitted without warning.

Tavrek looked at him with surprise before he smiled, shaking his head. "You won't screw it up," he said quietly, meaning it. "I don't ask anything from you that you can't give. It doesn't need a label if you don't want it to have one."

Jesse searched his eyes for a long moment, frowning at himself. For how clumsy he felt. At not being able to find the right words when it mattered. In the end, he decided just to be matter of fact and blunt about it, but he had to look away to do it. "My old counsellor said I have an unhealthy relationship with sex. I use it to...mask what I don't like feeling and to self-medicate....like alcohol or sparring. But I don't want to use you, Tavrek," he met his eyes again with the words, his own a shade darker as he let his fingertips caress the inside of the man's wrist where he held his hand. "I don't want to use you."

Tavrek let out a shaky breath as he watched him, at hearing him being so open with it...and at what the counsellor had said. "You're worried that if we have sex, you'll be using me?" he asked, mirroring a little of the bluntness. But his eyes were gentle and there was a small, almost reassuring smile on his lips.

Jesse had to drop his gaze again at hearing it echoed back to him, but he nodded lightly. He'd opened the door, it would be pointless running back through it now. "And I wouldn't want it to be like that. Or for you to think that it was."

Tavrek nodded as he looked at him, thoughtful, before he let out a soft breath. His hand gently closed around Jesse's, holding it properly. "Well...I'm a grown man, I am sure I can...deal. But maybe I can propose an...easing in approach? That might not hit those triggers or the criteria that you...worry about?" he said as he searched his eyes.

Jesse couldn't help but smile fondly at the words, chuckling softly with them as he relaxed. "There's the diplomat..." he teased lightly.

Tavrek smiled as he nodded, watching him for a long moment before he lifted his hand to kiss the knuckles. "Who proposes that...this...is good for today. A cuddle perhaps. Do you like cuddles?"

Jesse couldn't help but laugh at the word. Because it was so outside of his world. He couldn't remember the last time he'd even heard it. "You know...I don't think I've really had the chance to find out..."

Tavrek looked at him with surprise before he smiled, nodding. "Ah, then we have to find out if you like it," he said with a wink. "It's close contact, which...might be good for you, but nothing...you know..." he winked.

"But nothing...'you know'..." Jesse chuckled softly at the coy way he said it. He nodded, hesitating for just a moment as he tried not to be awkward...but he finally shifted, until his leg was pressed against the other man's. He leant in close, carefully and slowly, but not stopping until his head was resting on him.

Tavrek smiled as he wrapped his arm around him and eased back a little, resting his cheek against his head for a moment. "Nothing under the clothes. Nothing that you're not ready for," he whispered, his hand stroking over his shoulder and upper arm. "Because if you do want sex, at some point...I want you to see it is mutual, that you're not using me...that you're not using it to bury other things. It'll be because you want to be with me in that way, beyond a one night stand."

Jesse swallowed hard at the words, glad he couldn't see his face with how he was resting against him. He nodded though, his throat tight with emotion. "Exactly like that."

"I like this," Tavrek whispered as he closed his eyes, enjoying the closeness. "And your hair's soft. Those curls...bet they can be a nightmare...."

Jesse laughed warmly, finally relaxing enough to close his eyes too. "An absolute nightmare....but they're worse shorter, so...."

"And you look dashing with it longer," Tavrek said with a smile, stroking soothingly over his shoulder. "Like some...hero of ancient times. Scar helps with that too I think...that heroic rough look..."

Jesse was pleased he couldn't see the colour that reached his cheeks with the words, shaking his head gently. "I'm starting to get a picture of your fantasies..." he teased.

Tavrek laughed against his hair, unable to stop the sound. "Maybe. Or maybe I just appreciate someone who...has lived. And is confident in what he keeps and what he doesn't."

Jesse chuckled softly, his hand finding Tavrek's, lacing their fingers together. "It sort of just happened," he had to admit. "I didn't always have access to a medical facility. This face injury just healed like this and it was there so long that when I finally did get to a medic...it had become a part of me."

"Where did you pick it up?" he asked softly, smiling at Jesse taking his hand. He...liked how relaxed he felt now, against him. Not as guarded.

Jesse was silent for a long moment, taking in a long breath as he contemplated the answer. "The Maquis."

Tavrek nodded, his hand stroking over his neck for a moment, a small smile coming to him. "Well, it suits you...I think anyway."

Jesse let out a soft, shaking breath at his reaction to it, smiling weakly as he rested on him. "Better leave it there then..."

"If only because when I close my eyes and see your face, it's there," he teased Jesse, his palm pressing briefly to his cheek just to make sure he stayed there. "And it has been with you long enough to be part of you."

"You've thought about me?" Jesse couldn't help but ask, intrigued by the snippet of information.

Tavrek looked at him before he nodded, taking a slow breath before he closed his eyes. "Yes, I have," he said quietly.

Jesse's smile became a grin at the words, unable to hold it back as he pressed his hand warmly against the chest he rested on. "Let me know next time it happens..." he murmured.

"Call you while you're on duty...or send you a message while you are sleeping..." Tavrek said softly before he opened his eyes, smiling at the closeness, the hand on his chest. "We can stay like this a while."

Jesse took in a slow, measured breath...feeling truly relaxed for the first time in a long time. "I'd like that..."

----

Tavrek Harland
Translation Specialist
USS Guinevere

Lt. Colonel Jesse Moriarty
CO Federation Ground Forces
USS Guinevere

 

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