Star Trek: Eventide 777 - ┊v′lilyn′s-home

V'Lilyn was V'Chillin' in the kitchen, making soup on the stove. He heated oil in a pot, fried chopped Andorionions over a medium heat 'til tender, added Reman garlic, Terran tomato purée, and Redspice powder, stirred 'til combined, added chopped tomatoes and Men's special secret stock, then simmered for fifteen minutes. Then he used a hand blender to blend, added Bolian Beans and Redspice Pepper, and let them cook in the soup for another fifteen minutes 'til the pepper was tender. Now he had a big, warm pot of Redspice Pepper and Bolian Bean soup!

4

Linclaith, on the other hand, sat at the dinner table doing fuck all. What? He'd do the dishes later, he didn't need to help now.

Alizati was dressed in a dark green suit, matching blazer and trousers. He had a white button down shirt as well. He didn't know, but he was wearing the same exact suit as Lun wore, it was purely coincidental though, Romulans loved green. Also, Alizati had to face Romulan immigration so he thought it would be best to dress nicely. He had his hair slicked back as well to show off his forehead ridges, again, trying to get past Romulan immigration. Despite appearances though, Alizati was still as Vulcan as ever with his perfect resting bitch face and emotionless stare. He stood outside the home, right behind Men, saying nothing. They were there as... 'friends', just like they had agreed.

1

Men was dressed in black trousers and a white shirt. He looked like an office worker, clocking in to his 9-to-5. He pressed on the intercom, and V'Lilyn soon answered:

1

"Hello?"

"It is me."

"Dad! I mean, Sa'mekh." The door clicked. "Door's unlocked now, please come in, we are in the kitchen."

Men nodded and ended the intercom call. "Alright." He looked over to Alizati. "If there is... A situation in which we will need to lie about our relationship, I will be relying on you. I am ineffective with such things."

"It is beneficial that I am part Romulan," Alizati was not one to take pleasure in lying, however now knowing he was half Romulan made the act seem less... Shameful. He gave Men a nod and kept his distance, comfortable Vulcan distance but well within stabbing range. This would certainly be an interesting meeting, he thought as he clasped his hands behind his back and stayed behind his beloved.

The funny thing about Vulcans not lying is that many of them could, in fact, lie, and the saying 'Vulcans don't lie' was also a lie. They just didn't call them lies. Half-truths or convenient information omission, maybe. However, Men was too honest to realise this about his own people and so was not particularly good at half-truths or omission, either. He pushed the door and it opened. The interior of the house was quite fancy, lacquered wooden cabinets, marble floors, furniture that looked antique but was probably just replicated, etc., everything shiny, white and clean. However, there were many potted and hanging plants scattered around and paintings of deserts on the walls, including a few family photos of V'Lilyn, Men and Linclaith at Romulan Disneyworld or something, as well as a few on Vulcan with a tan-skinned, brown-eyed, copper-haired woman one could assume was Haem. There were also a few jars of random things strewn about the place. An small, fluffy dog with a unicorn horn padded up to them, nails clicking on the hard floor. Men bent down to scritch its head nonchalantly and wordlessly before he walked into the kitchen, where V'Lilyn and Linclaith awaited; the whole room smelled like soup and nostgia.

Alizati wasn't quite sure what to expect and indeed when he stepped into the house it was... Not what he could have even imagined. Wooden cabinets with marble floor, the only clicking louder than his own heeled oxfords on the floor was that of a small fluffy animal that appreoached them. Quick pitter-patter slowly grew louder until the creature was at Men's feet to greet him. An interesting creature, Alizati thought. It reminded him a little of his own 'pet' and for a split second he thought about messenging the station captain to see how they were doing. He had never been away from Bir, Ikki, and Yuch for so long, they must miss him. No they were not sentient, that was illogical. Alizati closed his eyes for a second to control his illogical thoughts. Ever since he welcomed Dzharok back into his life he had felt growing... Sympathy. Not good, very illogical. He tried to get his mind off of his thoughts by looking around. He treaded across the nice floors as quietly as he could, careful not to accidentally walk into the fluffy creature at his feet and also not to make too much noise. Men was sensitive to loud noises and he was alwatys mindful of that. As they walked into the kitchen Alizati caught the smell of a familair soup. No doubt V'Lilyn inherited Men's love for cooking. Even if they weren't related by blood, Alizati knew more than anything that nurture could be just as strong as nature.

"Hello, sir. You're Men's friend? He told me a little about you," Said V'Lilyn, ladling soup into four bowls and placing them on the table. Seeing V'Lilyn in pictures, you wouldn't think he looked much like Men at all. Seeing him in real life, however, he looked very much like him, not in appearance, but in posture and expression. They both spoke softly, too.

Linclaith's posture, however, was unlike either of theirs. He was leaning his chair back, rocking it back and forth a little, but sat in it properly once the little uni-horned dog came pitter-pattering into the room and jumped up on his lap. "Oh, hi, Alfalfa!" He looked at Men and Alizati with a grin. "You know, like the plant? Because he's an Alfa dog?"

3

"..."

"Tough crowd."

"Yes, I am," Alizati replied as he looked towards V'Lilyn. His mechanical eyes scanned the two men in the room, taking note of their mannerisms and details of their appearances. It was also at that moment that Alizati remembered he had to breathe and blink. At least with Dzharok's memories those things were a little easier to maintain than before. His gaze drifted down to the furry creature that was now making its way over to the older man, Linclaith as Alizati deduced. Just like the others in the room, Alizati stayed stone faced at the man's attempt at humor. They were all very Vulcan it seemed. Alizati made his way over to the table and took a seat in front of one of the bowls. The soup did look very similar to Men's,, he was curious if it would taste the same too. "Thank you for allowing me into your home and for the soup," Alizati looked at Men's son, the shaking of his eyes was pretty obvious from this distance now.

"It is fine. A friend of my Sa'mekh is a friend of mine," V'Lilyn said, sitting down himself.

Lin was already using one hand to sip the soup with a spoon and the other to restrain the dog from hopping up onto the table and slurping some himself. Looking around at the others, he had the horrifying thought that he was in a room full of Vulcans and they might just spend the whole meal not talking because it would be soup-erfluous, so he asked, "So what are you guys here for? Vulcans aren't prone to surprise visits."

1

"Admittedly, I do also wonder that. I was scheduled to visit 777 in a few weeks, so coming here was unnecessary if you wanted to see me."

"Um..."

Alizati picked up his spoon and began to sip carefully. As always his movements were slow and deliberate. Each motion as carefully done not only to minimise sound but also to maintain a certain level of grace. He was around two people who he assumed did not know his true nature and he wasn't going to give them any reason to think he was anything other than organic. This was the real test, he thought. The soup tasted similar to Men's, although V'Lilyn's had some differences. It wasn't better or worse, it was just different and Alizati quite enjoyed it. It seemed the one full Romulan in the room was not interested in eating in silence though and judging from Men's lack of response Alizati decided to be the one to speak. "We happened to be visiting for shore leave. I am half Romulan, of the Kota house," Alizati said, thankfully his quirky Rateg dialect was not very strong. Ironic how he could speak better in Rihannsu once he unlocked Dzharok's memories than before.

Happened to be visiting? Hmmm. Also, he noticed the Rateg dialect. In fact, he spoke the same way. Ooo, the mystery. "Oooh, fancy. I'm of the house of me." Lin ate his soup as though declaring yourself houseless wasn't kind of a taboo. Or was he houseless? Presumably, he came from somewhere.

V'Lilyn sipped his soup, and also chewed, because there were beans and peppers in there. He did not notice the dialect, and spoke Rihannsu with a slight Vulcan accent. "Do you have plans for any... Outings while you're here? I know some decent restaurants. None of them are better than my Sa'mekh's cooking, objectively, but it is good to keep one's palette refreshed by sampling a variety of cuisine."

"Thank you." Men didn't show it, but he was very proud of V'Lilyn's sophisticated (and mildly pretentious) taste. "We do not have anything planned except... No, we have nothing planned."

"A Vulcan? With nothing planned? For real?" Sus.

No house? Alizati did not claim to be an expert on Romulan culture, but if he rememberd to be houseless was a fate worse than death for most Romulans. He did not say anything or even hint at his inner thoughts with his expression though. Instead he just sipped his soup calmly. "This soup is lovely, V'Lilyn," Alizati complimented him, actually enjoying the soup. He wished they didn't have to speak so much, but alas they were on Romulus and 'when in Rome'. He allowed V'Lilyn to speak though, he was alright, anything to avoid another one of Linclaith's attempts at humor. "I am here to visit my family," Alizati spoke up, seeing how Men paused again. "After that we will be returning to the station," He said truthfully as he took another sip of soup. Alizati kept looking at Men, admiring him but also giving his eyes something to focus on as he could not keep up his organic functions and eat at the same time. By avoiding eye contact with the other two hopefully they would not catch on.

Interesting look he was giving Men there. Lin wondered if this was another Yuheng situation, but didn't have enough information to say anything.

Men kept glancing at Alizati to admire him, too, which did not help with the situation at all.

"But I thought you said... Never mind. Thank you, Alizati, if I may call you that. Is it just a social visit? Something we could help with?" Probably not, but V'Lilyn just wanted to spend more time with his dad and his friend.

He was a little too focused on Men, clearly there was something going on between the two that was more than friendship, but Alizati had no idea that was the vibe they were giving off. He was simply trying not to make it obvious that he was not blinking or breathing as he enjoyed the soup. "You may address me however you like," Alizati replied, preferences in name were illogical. He had two names and either of them were sufficient however there was a part of him that appreciated that V'Lilyn addressed him as Alizati first. "Yes and at the moment there is nothing we need. I do not anticipate the visit to be very long," Hopefully. Alizati was aware that Lalisa quite enjoyed conversation and had already thought of a strategy to keep the interview brief. As far as he knew Lalisa was the only family member he would be speaking with. He had no interest in meeting Lun. Alizati finished his soup and pushed the empty bowl forward. He glanced around at V'Lilyn and Linclaith before looking back at Men. Now that he was done eating he could resume organic functions although the shaking in his eyes had gotten worse.

How the FUCK did he eat his soup that fast? What was with the eye shaking? And did this guy ever blink?

1

Oh, he ate his soup pretty fast! He must have really appreciated it. V'Lilyn smiled slightly. He was half-Romulan, it was acceptable for him to smile when someone liked his soup, right? Or perhaps that was Linclaith's bad influence. "You eat very efficiently. Would you like to play Kal-Toh after this?"

"What, no dessert? You made, like, a whole tart."

Alizati blinked a couple times once he realised he hadn't done so the past minute. Maybe his organic functions were not working as smoothly as he thought. When the younger mentioned Kal-toh, Alizati had to use all his power to suppress the urge to smile. Oh, he loved Kal-toh. Even moreso with Dzharok's memories. Maybe being around Romulans was making him more emotional but he felt a strange sensation in his chest. Was this.... Excitement? To play Kal-toh? Being overly excited about things was illogical, he was simply looking forward to playing his favourite game, that's all. "I enjoy Kal-toh and would be willing to play. After dessert though, I would like to sample everything you have made for us," Alizati said, all emotion and excitement completely hidden in his voice.

1

V'Lilyn didn't do such a good job of hiding his excitement, his smile increasing before he felt what his cheeks were doing and dropped it. His mannerisms were a lot like Men's if he embraced his emotions a little more. "Alright. Well, give us time to finish our soup and I will fetch it for you. It's Gespar Tart."

Men, who had an unexpectedly strong sweet tooth, nodded and said, "I look forward to it," Then ate more of his soup.

"Eh, I think I'll be going if you're gonna be playing Kal-Toh. Not that I don't like it, but all three of you are probably leagues above me." It's not that he was bad at Kal-Toh - it's that they were all probably really, really good. "I just wanted to see how Men was doing in person. Haem keeps asking me about you, as though I know what her own husband is up to better than she does? Please start returning her messages, I'm not here to act as a damn messenger."

"Oh, going so soon? When have you ever been here at all?"

"...C'mon, Lyn."

"...Excuse my outburst." V'Lilyn are the rest of his soup in silence, then walked over to the fridge to fetch the Gespar Tart, putting it on the table and cutting it into quarters for each of them. The pastry was golden brown and the tart a tantalising orange. It smelled vaguely like pineapple.

Men said nothing, but shifted uncomfortably in his seat, brushing his knee against Alizati's for a brief moment of comfort.

Alizati stayed silent during the whole exchange, he was very good at that. It was strange seeing how V'Lilyn and Linclaith interacted, in many ways it reminded him a bit of how he and Dalin interacted. Dalin was always the emotional one in the family, not exactly great at Kal-toh and very forward with emotions. In his thoughts, Alizati did not even notice he was staring at Linclaith, studying the man's expression as he spoke. When Linclaith mentioned Haem that was when Alizati could not keep his expression neutral. He frowned, quite visibly in fact, but it only lasted a split second and then he was back to his :[ once again. With Dzharok's memories the feeling of disgust whenever he heard that woman's name was harder to control. The woman who hurt Men, blamed him for things that were out of his control. Now that he knew he was half Romulan and connected with the Kota family perhaps... No, that was too emotional, too illogical. Alizati was not Dzharok and thus incapable of murder. Instead he chose to focus on the aroma of the tart and the feeling of Men's knee brushing against his own. Calm, he was calm. Alizati breathed in and out, slowly, focusing all his energy on continuing his organic functions. "The tart smells good, I see you put a lot of effort into its preparation," He said as if the previous exchange had no even happened at all. Dwelling on the past was illogical, thinking too much about things he could not control was also illogical.

Linclaith's expression, when Alizati studied it, was deceptively analytical. Specifically, his sharp eyes were a contrast to his relaxed posture, as though he was acting in a sort of manufactured casual way, and when Alizati frowned, Linclaith glanced his way. He was, after all, still a Romulan. Still on the lookout for any microexpression or gesture he could read more into than there seemed to be.

V'Lilyn, on the other hand, was in chef mode. "I did. When Men mentioned you met in his restaurant I thought perhaps you might be a connoisseur and I should try to cater to your standards. Is business going well on 777?"

"It is. I enjoy my work and my clientele are diverse, yet harmonious. I believe I may have even made friends beyond Alizati."

"Isn't friendship illogical or something?" Lin said, eating his tart. "Seems Men's become more open to forming close bonds since I last saw him. That your influence, Alizati? Gotta admit, I'm a little jealous."

2

Now this was odd, perhaps it was Dzharok's influence, but he could feel Linclaith's stare on him. Was this the so-called Romulan subterfuge? Alizati and Dzharok never enjoyed conversations that were more like competitions as to who could hide the most amount of secrets. He looked away from the Romulan man and back to Men, choosing to brush knees with him under the table once again. After eyeing Men for longer than he anticipated, he looked down at the tart and picked it up to eat. He ate carefully and delicately, each motion done with grace. No breathing or blinking of course, all his energy was on the task at hand. it was nice to haer that V'Lilyn appreciated his father's cooking and strived to match him. It was something Alizati had wished his children would have done. Well, 3/4 did at least. "Friendship is not illogical and my-- friendship, with Men is very logical," Alizati paused as he spoke and he looked at Men. "We have similar interests and often meditate together. We also share appreciation in the arts and nature. I grew up on the Vulcanis Lunar Colony as a farmer, our live styles seemed to compliment one another," Was he going on too much about how much he adored Men? Probably, but he was half Romulan and it was difficult to keep his words completely neutral. A soft green blush crept cross his cheeks, but he had no idea, he just took another bite of his tart.

V'Lilyn wasn't quite as unobservant as his father, so he noticed the blush.

Lin, of course, also noticed. Yeah, this was another Yuheng situation. "Uh huh. Very complimentary. It's a pity he's already married, or I'd say you'd be a logical fit."

"I don't believe Haem would be very happy about that..."

"Fuck Haem."

"I believe you already took care of that," Said Men, nonchalantly. Then he went greener than Alizati as he realised what he just said.

2

Lin sat there in stunned silence, then burst out laughing.

"...Gross," Said Lyn, trying not to look too amused himself.

As the two conversed, Alizati found himself having to fight off all of his illogical emotions. He closed his eyes and did his best to Surak away his violent thoughts. Who knew that being half Romulan would be more than just some ridges on his forehead, this was so difficult. Suddenly he understood why that Dion boy and Dzharok chose to go the more emotional route rather than follow Surak. But then there were stories like Floyd Styre, who chose their Vulcan side. There was hope for him yet, he thought. He did not laugh or even smile when the comment 'Fuck Haem' was uttered, although he did opened his eyes and look at Men when he made that nice come back. Alizati did not laugh nor even look at Linclaith when he laughed. Yes, this man was all too similar to Dalin, but in the worst ways. Emotional, humor, and clearly close enough with his son that they lived together. Tart, that's right, he had to eat his tart. There was a reason he wasn't blinking or breathing, it was all so he could focus on eating his tart. Which was quite good, similar to Men's but slightly different vibe. Alizati's eyes drifted to Men again, wishing they were alone so they could have a more peaceful meal.

Men ate his tart slowly, the green on his face an odd contrast to the orange.

V'Lilyn ate in a similar patient and measured fashion.

Lin stuffed the whole thing down his gullet and swallowed like a snake. Then he got up abruptly. "Well, I'll leave you guys to your silent meal. But Alizati, I wanna ask you something alone when you're finished, so I'll be in the living room setting up the Kal-Toh boards." Then he cleared off to do just that.

V'Lilyn sighed. "I am sorry, Alizati, I hope you do not find him too... Boisterous. But even though he is not my father, he is... My Romulan side, so I cannot deny him."

Alizati was grateful that Linclaith left the room so they could eat in peace. Perhaps it was strange to non-Vulcans, but a silent meal was certainly the best way to eat. He tried not to stare at Men, although now with one less person in the room he didn't have to be as on his toes as he was before. He was the first to finish his tart, which was unusual for him. Usually he was one of the last people to finish eating, however he was interested in what Linclaith wanted to ask him. No android questions, hopefully. Alizati dreaded those, but as far as he knew Linclaith and V'Lilyn did not know he was an android and he intended it to stay that way. He did not get up immediately though, he wanted to linger around to watch Men eat. Square glasses, aqua green eyes, silky black hair. There was something oddly domestic about the two of them sharing a meal in a house on Mol'RIhan. Even if it wasn't their home, it made him wonder if things would be like this when they did live together. Maybe they could have a home on Mol'Rihan and one on Vulcan? Or the Vulcanis Lunar Colony, one of the cities, it would be nice, he thought. After realising that he had probably been staring at Men way too long, Alizati stood up from the table and looked towards V'Lilyn. "Thank you for the soup and tart. I will assist with the Kal-toh boards now," Alizati said as he stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room to see Linclaith there with the Kal-toh boards. "You wanted to ask me something?"

"You're welcome," Said V'Lilyn. What a good friend.

Men watched Alizati as he left. He looked Illogically good, even from behind. Then he turned to V'Lilyn and started discussing the recipe he'd used for the soup. Bonding time!

Linclaith was just setting up the last sphere when Alizati came in. He sat on the sofa, examining a stick, then, without looking at Alizati, said, "You make it very obvious, you know - one homewrecker to another."

1

Alizati focused on the Kal-toh boards, of course he was judging how Linclaith set them up, he was Vulcan after all. His mind was focused on scrutinising the boards and remembering his organic functions. Even though Men was in the other room, he was on his own for this interaction. "You will need to be more specific. I do not understand ambiguity," Alizati took a seat on the sofa, his eyes on Linclaith, watching him carefully. He knew how much Romulans loved subterfuge and these games of 3d chess, but even with Dzharok's memories he was not interested in playing. He was very well aware that Men's wife cheated on him with Linclaith and well, this was quite a meeting. Here he was with Men and Linclaith with Haem. Interesting. He wasn't going to say anything though nor did he let any emotion show on his face, he wanted to know what Linclaith wanted to ask.

"Wow. I thought that was pretty unambiguous. Fine, then. Are you and Men fucking or what? Is it romantic or are you just taking advantage of his loneliness and naivete? I'm protective," Linclaith said, leaning back on the couch, holding the Kal-Toh stick like it was a cigarette and pushing up his glasses with the other hand, a mannerism V'Lilyn had done during dinner. Seemed he had more resemblance to his biological father than he may like, despite V'Lilyn making an effort to wear rectangular glasses like his father instead of round ones like Lin. "And what are you gonna do about it when Haem comes around and clues in immediately? Because if I can tell, she'll be able to. I mean, seriously, both of you fucking blushed. Vulcans don't blush unless they're really into someone." He should know. Haem used to do it a lot around him. Men used to, too, but evidently he'd been replaced by the newest, shiniest temptation. Not that he could blame him. Aside from the blue hair and the not blinking, if he designed the appearance of a model Vulcan man, it'd be this guy, except for the ridges. It was kind of interesting that both homewreckers were Romulan, actually. If Vulcans hated emotions so much, why'd they keep falling for their heretical cousins, huh?

3

Perhaps Alizati wasn't as Romulan as he thought as he found Linclaith's words very crude. He would never, Dzharok would never. He blinked a few times and also remembered to breathe, although the shaking of his eyes was still as evident as ever. He watched as the other handled one of the Kal-toh pieces, immediately drawing connections to V'Lilyn. It made him wonder what mannerisms he shared with Dalin, or his grandchildren shared with him. What about Lun? Did his eyes also shake? He folded his hands on his lap, giving away no emotion on his face. He was not going to lie, but there were things he was not willing to divulge at this time. "From one Romulan homewrecker to another, Linclaith, my intentions are honest. I will stand by Men no matter what. If Haem loves Romulans so much it would only be logical she accept our customs," He said, speaking slowly and carefully, making sure to enunciate each word to avoid his quirky Rateg accent getting int the way. "And unlike you, I am from the honourable Kota house, I am more than capable of providing for Men," With some help from Dzharok's memories, Alizati was able to create a convincing bluff. He wasn't sure how powerful the Kota family was in the 25th century, but they surely had a wild history. Plus, Lalisa seemed well off and Lun was an interceptor so that meant the Kota family had to have some credibility. After he finished speaking he blinked a few more times in an attempt to get his eyes to stop shaking, but it appeared his emotions were beginning to get the best of him. Why did Dzharok have to neglect his meditation? It made things a lot more difficult for Alizati. He just wanted to be a normal Vulcan.

"Unlike m -" Linclaith laughed bitterly. "Well, I'm sorry, I didn't know that made me an inadequate lover. Next time I'll be sure to get my family off my planet before it fucking explodes so in the future I can provide for people." Linclaith put the Kal-Toh stick in one of the Spheres in a starting move that was actually pretty good and leaned forward. "Also, Haem does not love Romulans, nor me. She was just lonely and naive. Not that I took advantage of her. I really thought it was going to work out for a while, but it didn't, obviously; she cares more about being Vulcan than she does about being herself, or me, or Men. She's not just gonna give up on that because Men made the same mistake she already did. She's very good a twisting logic to dictate whatever she wants it to dictate. Men might even go back to her like even though he doesn't love her, like he did with Yuheng and me. You'll stand by him, but will he stand by you?"

Alizati was not surprised by the other's outburst of emotion, in fact at this point he had expected it. He took note of the other name Linclaith mentioned, Yuheng? So Men had another target of affection in his past? Not that Alizati was surprised, but there was a part of him that felt a bit of-- jealousy. An illogical emotion that he very quickly Surak'd away. Despite the fact he was dealing with a full blooded Romulan, Alizati was going to handle this situation as a Vulcan and that meant everything he did and said was going to be logical. No emotions at all. Still bitter about the Supernova? Alizati was not surprised, although there was a strange part of him that felt frustrated by Linclaith's response. He was emotional and very illogical, surely this conversation was not going to go anywhere. If he wasn't an android he would say he was wasting his breath. The breath that he was definitely not taking anymore, he was too focused on processing the whole situation. "If your goal is to illicit an emotional response from me you efforts would be put to better use watching the Kal-toh board," Alizati picked up his piece and placed it on the sphere, a strong counter to Linclaith's opener. "It is illogical to dwell on the what ifs. I told you my intentions are honest and if that answer is not sufficient then I have nothing more to say to you and we can play in silence," Alizati said, partially because he did not deem it logical to continue conversing with someone as emotional as Linclaith but also because he needed to divert his memory to organic functions and Kal-toh. Conversation would have to wait.

Linclaith went 'tch', like some kind of bad boy anime character, then spoke while staring at the Kal-Toh board, trying to work out his next move. "My goal isn't to piss you off. Give me a little credit. My goal is to find out what's going on and make sure you actually know what you're getting into. We've been trying to get Men out of this mess for years. What makes you so special, huh? If you really think honest intentions are gonna be enough, you're just as naive as the rest of them."

"I cannot speak for Yuheng as you mention, but I am Vulcan. I believe if there is anyone who can help Men it is myself. I was raised on Vulcan by my Romulan father and as such my understanding of Vulcan culture will allow me to at least stand on equal ground with Haem when it comes to logic," In fact, Alizati thought he could be more logical than her. After all he was an android, a perfectly logical being (at most times). Unfortunately for him Linclaith did not seem to want to play in silence and thus Alizati would have to focus on the conversation and Kal-toh. Romulans were perceptive, Linclaith was no exception. How long could he keep this up? "Men has already promised himself to me, we have shared mind and body. I do not think there is any more I can do," Mind and body, sounded like they had a mind meld which was exactly what Alizati was going for. He hoped that line would give Linclaith just enough information that the man would not suspect Alizati was anything other than an organic Vulcan-Romulan.

Promised himself? Mind and body? Wow, they really did get that far. Almost sounded like they did a mind meld or something. Also, wow, this guy didn't blink or breathe often. Was that some Vulcan ability he hadn't heard of in all his seventy plus years of living? Weird. "I mean, if you think that's enough for someone to stay loyal you haven't learned anything from me and Haem." He moved a piece from one end the the sphere to the other. It was an adequate move. Funny, he hadn't expected to end up playing it today and yet here he was. "But sure, I'll concede that you have the Vulcan advantage. I'm probably just jealous because I've been standing on the outside trying to fix this for years and been helplessly unable to do so." Wow. Self-aware of him. Linclaith sighed, looking very tired all of a sudden. "Listen, I care about this family, but I know you're going to fit in better than I ever will." Which sucked, because his family was, as established, very dead. "That's what happens when you fuck off for 16 years, though, I guess. So one more thing I wanna let you know is that I don't think V'Lilyn will mind the whole thing. Like, he's literally proof of how unstable their marriage is. Even though what you're doing may not be entirely logical, he gets it."

He did not doubt Men's loyalty and still thought that Linclaith was trying to get him to react emotionally. Besides, Alizati was also half Romulan, adultery was not even a word in his dictionary. Still, there was a very small part of him that felt worried at the thought. "I understand why you would feel jealous and defensive with Men," He stated, speaking partially as Dzharok and partially as Alizati. He did not understand jealousy nor why Linclaith was so concerned with things that have not happened yet, but Dzharok did. Yet another reason that confirmed that allowing Dzharok's memories to roam free in his mind was a good idea. "I will take that as an approval. Thank you, Linclaith. I appreciate your advice and respect your relationship with Men," Was that really an approval? Alizati decided to take it as such. He turned away from Linclaith for a moment so he could rub his eyes to get them to stop shaking so much. Of all the things to get from Dzharok, this was the most inconvenient out of all of them.

Approval? Advice? Yeah, he supposed that was what he was doing. "You're welcome, I guess." Just then, he heard the clattering of dishes being washed and quiet conversation from the kitchen, and stood up. "Sounds like they're nearly done. Make your move and then I'll leave the board for Men or V'Lilyn to pick up. I'm probably not gonna win, and you guys can have quiet conversation about, uh, Vulcan things. I gotta go do some odd jobs, anyway." What odd jobs? Who knows. Men and V'Lilyn certainly didn't know what this man did for a job except that it required him to disappear for weeks or even months at a time. Seemed he was always leaving when they least expected it, true deadbeat dad style. Before Alizati could say anything, Linclaith had already vaulted through the open window, for some reason, even though the door was in the corridor one room over. What an enigma.

3

Soon after, Men entered on his own. "V'Lilyn is finishing up in the kitchen," He said, sitting down next to Alizati. "But he said he wants to play versus you when he's done. What did Lin say?"

3

As if Linclaith couldn't resemble Dalin enough, the man even made his exit like Alizati's late father. 'Odd jobs', the only 'odd jobs' Alizati was aware of involved a not so nice Romulan organisation that was now defunct. He let Linclaith leave how he wished, if he wanted to be Mysterious Man™ so be it. As soon as he heard the familiar footsteps, he turned towards the doorway to see Men walking into the room. His expression remained unchanged, however there was a noticeable sparkle in his eyes. He moved to sit closed to Men and instinctually he wrapped his arms around the other's waist and held him. It was-- illogical, but that tiny voice in his head was already starting to grow louder. It was as if he had completely forgotten that V'Lilyn was still in the house and could easily walk in on them at any time. "He told me about you and him... And Yuheng," Alizati wasn't crying, but he felt like he could. Emotions were illogical, everything he was doing was illogical but there was barely any logic left in his mechanical brain at that point.

"We can't..." Men looked back at the door, still hearing the sounds of washing up, kissed Alizati on the cheek, pushed him away, then held one of his hands with his own. He needed to be able to let go quickly in case V'Lilyn walked in. "You seem concerned. What did he tell you, specifically?"

Alizati backed off after Men kissed his cheek, suddenly remembering where they were. He was grateful Men would still hold his hand, but still he wished they could be closer. He blinked a few times and looked away from Men, trying his best to Surak away his illogical emotions so that he could speak properly to his beloved. "That you will just go back to Haem and that I am naive to think this relationship will turn out any differently that with him or Yuheng. I told him I have my Vulcan logic and he seemed... Bitter. Or jealous? Or was he being overly protective? I don't know," Alizati may have been maintaining his perfect emotionless face, but his emotions were clear as day as he spoke. There was uncertainty in his voice, worry, distress, all emotions that somehow flew past all of best Surak-ing efforts. Perhaps this was the Romulan side of himself he had been suppressing. It was strong, almost too strong for Alizati. His eyes were still shaking, causing his vision to blur as he tried his best to focus on Men.

"Ah... I see." Men made a note to talk to Linclaith about this later. What exactly was he trying to accomplish? Men was an adult, he could talk to Alizati about these problems in his own time. "He is probably all three of those emotions. He is a volatile man, prone to ups and downs." As most Vulcanoids without Surak were, really. "I cannot deny that I have a... Pattern of building relationships with other men that are... Ambiguously romantic in nature, and then running away from them. I was not ready to acknowledge how I felt back then. I am now. I have not ever told Yuheng or Linclaith that I love them like I have you. I love you, Alizati." There was a loud crash and shattering from the kitchen. An accident? Or was somebody eavesdropping with their keen Vulcan ears? Men instinctively flinched at the noise, eyes squeezed shut in pain.

3

Men's words seemed to put him at ease as Alizati relaxed his shoulders and began to breathe again. He was glad Linclaith didn't notice that about him, or maybe he did but didn't mention it. Once the shaking in his eyes had subsided enough he could look at Men and focus on his words. "And I love you too-," Alizati was just beginning to speak when he heard the noise. His body seemed to act on its own and he immediately pulled Men close into his arms as if to protect him. This time Alizati caught himself and separated from Men almost as quickly as they embraced. "Sorry, e'lev," He muttered, realising what he had just done.* "Should I go check on V'Lilyn?" Alizati wanted to go, but V'Lilyn was Men's son and he was in his house. He wasn't sure what would be overstepping his boundaries here.

2

Men wished Alizati hadn't pulled away, even though it was logical if they didn't want to get caught. "It's okay, Ilhra, it helped. You may check on him; I can come with you, if you would like," he said, though he was a little shaken. It was illogical for loud sudden noises to be so painful for him sometimes, and yet they were.

"You can stay here, I will be back shortly," Alizati fought off all urges to kiss Men right then and there and instead simply squeezed his hand before standing up. He made his way swiftly to the kitchen area to see what had fallen. It was strange how this home reminded him of the house his family had on the Vulcanis Lunar Colony. Similar style and atmosphere, although no spacist relatives. "V'Lilyn? Are you undamaged?"

"Oh, I -" V'Lilyn was on the floor sweeping up a shattered ceramic bowl with a dustpan and brush. "I am fine." He seemed unable to look Alizati in the eye, but Men was often averse to eye contact, so that didn't necessarily mean anything. What could mean something was that he was blushing slightly. "I was just washing up and I dropped something. I know my Sa'mekh likes these kinds of hand-made bowls, but they are quite fragile."

Alizati did catch V'Lilyn avoiding eye contact, although he assumed it was because he may have felt... Dismay, after breaking the bowl. It was not an unusual sight, especially for a boy who was raised in a Vulcan household where one mistake could easily spiral into questioning one's whole identity as a Vulcan. He did not want the other to think he was judging him so he looked towards the shards on the floor as V'Lilyn swept them up. "That is true," Alizati walked closer to V'Lilyn and looked at the ground to see if he had left any pieces. "Have I done something to make you uncomfortable? I will not judge you for making mistakes," That's what was going on here, right? V'Lilyn was trying to make a good impression in front of another Vulcan, that's what Alizati concluded anyway.

Spot on assessment of V'Lilyn's childhood, but not why he was blushing. "You haven't done anything, no, it's just..." How did he politely tell Alizati he was using his above average Vulcan hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation just now? It had been hard to catch most words because of the sound of running water, but he could swear he heard his father say' I love you'. He'd never even said that to Haem! Maybe he'd misheard? "What did Linclaith want to talk about?"

"He asked me about your father," Alizati took a step back from V'Lilyn once he realised he was too close. "About...." He paused and turned away, trying to think of how to go about telling V'Lilyn. Well, he was Vulcanoid, there was a high likelihood that he heard everything him and Men had said. Linclaith also said he probably wouldn't mind. It was logical to bring it up as he had no doubts that Linclaith would surely tell him, they did have a phrase on Romulus the stated only the dead keep secrets. "Men and I are involved. Romantically. He wanted to ensure my intentions were not nefarious as I am a stranger. I assured him that I have no ulterior motives. He gave me his approval and then made a less than graceful exit. In a way, he reminded me of my own father, it was amusing," Alizati spoke perfectly monotone despite all the emotions still coursing through his mind. He was getting better at this, kinda. Except he was not blinking or breathing during this whole exchange, just staring at V'Lilyn with his shaking eyes.

"Oh..." V'Lilyn looked away with a slightly uncomfortable furrowing of his brow, "You shouldn't have told me that. I'm as bad at keeping secrets as Men is. But... Because of that, I think I've always known. It just wasn't acceptable to speak of it out loud. Not on Vulcan. Haem always said it was best to... Prioritise logic over your own desires." V'Lilyn got up with a dustpan full of ceramic shards, opened the cupboard where the bin was, and emptied them into it. "That's why she gave up on Lin."

Alizati watched as V'Lilyn finished cleaning up the broken bowl and stood on the other side of the table. "I cannot speak for her relationship with Linclaith, however I know it is illogical to stay in an unfulfilling marriage. I will support Men as best I can. I have an honourable house name, a high rank within Starfleet, and my Vulcan father. Two have failed before me however unlike them I am Vulcan and I have my logic," He sounded awfully confident in his own abilities, however in his mind Alizati wasn't quite sure if he had it in him to go face to face with Haem if the time came. He would have to do much meditation and Surak every ounce of Romulan bloodlust out of himself before that happened. Thankfully he was overly cautious with Dzharok's emotions, hopefully he would be able to continue his perfect Vulcan image.

"Maybe you will. I mean, just so you don't misinterpret my tone, I am glad you are happy together, but I do not see a path you can go down that doesn't end in tragedy for someone." Not that staying in an unhappy marriage wasn't a tragedy in itself, but breaking away from it was bound to get someone hurt, like it had before. "To be blunt, it doesn't really matter how prestigious your Romulan family or Starfleet rank is. Those things won't make the rest of the Men and Haem families approve of you. They scarcely approve of me." V'Lilyn sounded a little... Helpless. Like he'd seen this all happen before and it hadn't ended well. In some ways, he had. He was the product of adultery that didn't work out, after all.

Tragedy, why did both Linclaith and V'Lilyn have so little hope for him and Men. He blinked and looked towards the doorway to the living room, wondering what Men would think about all of this. The Dzharok part of him was telling him to run away from all this and just take Men with him. Noble, but it was the 25th century and 'eloping' was a bit more difficult when everyone knew your name and could track your bio signs. And even if they could elope successfully, that wouldn't make the turmoil in Men's family go away. "I am prepared for that," Alizati said with the same amount of confidence as before. Truth be told, he was unsure what he had to prepare for, but hopefully his experience with his own Vulcan family and Dzharok's family would help. "To use as terran phrase... We will cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, I want to cherish the time I have with Men."

"Cherish?" Lyn almost smiled, his eyes creasing a little. "A good word to use. We should tell him I know now. I have never been a fan of the Romulan inclination towards secrets. And then we can play Kal-Toh."

Alizati nodded, thankful that V'Lilyn seemed to be more aligned with his Vulcan side than Romulan. He could not say the same for Dzharok, and apparently both of his grandchildren. He walked back into the living room and sat beside Men. "Men. V'Lilyn knows now. I told him because I do not like keeping secrets and it was logical to tell him instead of allowing Linclaith to gossip behind out backs," Alizati told Men, not making any moves to touch him or even offer a hand, not in front of V'Lilyn. Too scandalous!

"What? I asked you not to - " Then Men looked over at V'Lilyn with a surprisingly readable expression of fear and shame.

V'Lilyn did not like that expression. "...I don't disapprove, you know."

Men said nothing, but exhaled shakily and looked at the floor. His relief was palpable, but the fear and shame still lingered and he was struggling to Surak them all away. Just because V'Lilyn was okay with this didn't mean he had been ready for him to know, and it didn't mean the situation was any less complicated. He wished dearly he could hold Alizati's hand.

"Sa'mekh..." V'Lilyn moved to sit down next to Men...

...But the man held up a hand to stop him and gestured to the sofa opposing Alizati, the Kal-Toh board between them. "Let's just play."

V'Lilyn nodded and sat across from Alizati. He squinted at the board, trying to figure out what Linclaith's intentions had been with this move. The man's true intentions were difficult to read sometimes, even in Kal-Toh.

Men inched closer to Alizati, hesitated, then leaned on his shoulder. V'Lilyn didn't seem to mind.

He did something wrong, didn't he? Alizati's eyes darted between Men and V'Lilyn as a brief wave of guilt and anxiety washed over him. It was brief, thankfully, so he did not need to Surak away any of the illogical emotions but this was something he wasn't going to forget. He watched the exchange between the two men and then his eyes went back to the Kal-toh board. So they were going to play after all. Alizati's mechanical eyes scanned the board and then V'Lilyn, trying to discern any emotion or any hint of what the man was thinking. Of course his skills of perception were hopeless on Vulcans, including half Vulcans. When he felt Men lean on his shoulder he did not move or react, choosing to just let Men do as he pleased. It seemed V'Lilyn didn't mind either, that was good. There was still a part of him that wanted to hold Men's hand right now, but no that would certainly be too scandalous. "I believe it is your move," Alizati said as he blinked rapidly to try and calm his shaking eyes. V'Lilyn didn't share the same quirk as Men, he noticed. Or maybe he did but Alizati was too engrossed with keeping up his own organic functions that he people analytical skills were faltering.

"Yes, sorry, I am just trying to work out how to deal with the mess Linclaith has up and left me with." Boy if that wasn't the story of his whole entire life. He placed a stick in the board.

Men relaxed as time went on, just watching as V'Lilyn and Alizati played in silence. Both were very, very good players, so undoubtedly were they not Vulcans this would be a tense game indeed. Unfortunately, he doubted they would finish the game before he and Alizati left due to the lengthy nature of Kal-Toh, but V'Lilyn, at least, seemed to be having a quiet sort of fun. At some point, he whispered, "I am sorry this is so... Messy. But I'm glad you're here."

V'Lilyn politely pretended not to hear that.

Alizati was equally enjoying this game. V'Lilyn was truly a worthy opponent and even Alizati was having trouble thinking of good counters to each move. He took his moves carefully and slowly. He liked Kal-toh because it was a game more about contemplation and logic rather than 'winning'. It was an exercise of the mind and with Dzharok's memories he actually needed to take care of his mental abilities. Partially to be able to suppress his emotions, but also to provide a distraction from the constant typhoon of thoughts raging in his mind. "I understand. I hope the visit with my family does not add any further stress. I have two grandchildren, but I only anticipate seeing one," Alizati said, thinking they would most likely miss his interceptor grandson Lun. Not that he didn't want to see him, it's just he had enough problems to worry about as it was.

The irony of it was that, given they were both interceptors living in the same area, V'Lilyn probably at least knew of Lun on a professional level. In fact, he could have taken on the Akuvek case, too. Unfortunately, Eshen didn't know he existed.

"I will manage, if you are there." Men had little else to say.

As the game went on and it became apparent they weren't going to finish it any time soon, V'Lilyn asked, "Where are you both staying tonight?"

Alizati played his hand well, countering each of V'Lilyn's moves. Perhaps he wasn't at the top of his game as he had to worry about organic functions, but he thought he did decently. If anything it made him seem more organic, only an android would be able to play a perfect Kal-toh game. "On our papers we would be staying with my granddaughter, but I would rather not spend too much time with her," Alizati looked at V'Lilyn, wondering if he would invite them to stay. He hoped so, he wanted to be able to hold Men as he slept and if they were staying with Lalisa he knew he'd be standing in the corner all evening.

V'Lilyn placed a stick that really screwed over one of Alizati's sticks, or however Kal-Toh works. "Well, you may stay here if you wish. We have a guest room. Linclaith usually uses it, but I presume he's off on 'odd jobs' so he probably won't be back for a while."

At this point, Men had his head resting on Alizati's shoulder. Only a little scandalous. Not like they were holding hands or anything. "If you stay here for longer, that's more time to play Kal-Toh, you know. You may even finish your game."

"I think the sleeping arrangements here would be better than with my granddaughter. I believe there I would have to recharge in the corner of the room, a bed is much more preferrable," Alizati said, so focused on the game that he did not even realise he mentioned android things. Perhaps he was so used to speaking with Men or his other acuqaintances on the station that he forgot "charging" was not really a thing organic beings did. Well, he had to focus on the task at hand anyway.

He couldn't Surak away his confusion, furrowing his brow. "Recharge? In the corner of the room? What do you..." Then, craftily, he looked at Men, who he knew was a terrible liar. "What does he mean?"

"Simply that... Um... To 'recharge' is slang for sleep in..." Where was the place Alizati's accent was from? "Rateg, I think."

V'Lilyn was unimpressed. "Linclaith's never said that."

Oh wait did he... Men did a nice save but Linclaith also spoke Rateg dialect? Alizati needed a quick response. "I was partially raised on earth where such terminology was used," Speaking of sleeping and inorganic things, Alizati was overdue for some biolubricant. He could feel his inner gears and joints feeling a little stiff. However he knew coming to Mol'Rihan would most likely mean no biolubricant the whole trip. He could manage a few days. Hopefully.

V'Lilyn may not have been a good liar, but that didn't mean he couldn't detect lies. He was nowhere near as observant as Linclaith and did miss things sometimes - especially when it came to anything like romance, mostly because he wasn't interested in it at all - but there was something very weird going on here, and it was activating his Romulan Mode. "So you are Vulcan, and Romulan, and you were raised on Earth? That is quite an amalgamation of cultures." Almost like being Vulcan, Klingon, and raised on Earth. "And you would recharge in the corner of the room? Why is that, Men?"

"Lalisa's bed is small?"

"Oh, I got the impression you hadn't been there yet."

Wow. He really wasn't going to be able to lie about his and Alizati's relationship to Haem at all.

"For clarification. I have never lived on Romulus. My mother is a Vulcan scientist and would often visit earth for work, hence why I seem more Vulcan than Romulan," Alizati replied, being very skillful with his words when it came to hiding android things. Keeping his relationship a secret may have been difficult, but hiding he was an android was second nature to him. It was something he had practiced his whole life, it was a way of survival and he was certainly in fight or flight mode at this point. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Men is confused by the terminology and I have been transparent with him about what our accommodations would be."

Hmmm. V'Lilyn was still sus (first recharge was Rateg dialect, then Earth?) but decided that, actually, he didn't care all that much. Men was happy with this guy and that was all that mattered. "Well, you're very much welcome to stay over. Any time, in fact." He appreciated any opportunity to kick Linclaith out of the guest room and onto the sofa. After that brief game of 3d chess, he looked down at the Kal-Toh board and made a very good move.

"Thank you for your offer. If Men is alright with it, I would like to stay here," Alizati said as he took a slow and deep breath, glad that was over and V'Lilyn didn't seem like he was going to pursue the matter further. Perhaps he was still suspicious, but as long as he didn't say anything there was nothing to worry about. The sphere morphed into a different shape after V'Lilyn's move. This guy was good, very good. Alizati blinked a few times as he tried to process a good counter. There were not many places he could move that wouldn't guarantee his loss. Perhaps he would go with the second option, fuck with your opponent. So instead of a counter to V'Lilyn's move, he made the most chaotic move he could and the sphere morphed to be significantly less symmetrical.

V'Lilyn was surprised. Very surprised. That was a very... Romulan move. In fact... "How very Linclaith of you," He said, bluntly.

Men wished he could whisper a cool move idea he had to Alizati, but would it be fair to help him? Probably not.

V'Lilyn continued to play Alizati until it was almost time either for Alizati and Men to go or to sleep. The sphere had managed to regain most of its symmetry in the meantime, but V'Lilyn had spent more time repeating past moves to restore it back to the state it was before than thinking of new ones, whilst Alizati had plenty of time to contemplate new plans of action. He was losing, but the game wasn't over yet... And probably wouldn't be until at least tomorrow.

"My father was not to dissimilar from Linclaith, I learned a lot of my strategies from him," Alizati said as he continued to play, trying to counter each of V'Lilyn's moves. The other played well, he was definitely impressed. As much as he wanted to continue, he realised they should probably take a break to rest. He looked at Men who was watching the game. "Do you want to rest now?" He asked, his gaze was warm and it was clear his feelings for the other were honest. Every time he looked at Men it was with admiration, as if he was falling in love all over again every time their eyes met.

Men, who had already gotten kind of sleepy resting on Alizati's shoulder, sat up properly and looked at Alizati with just as much warmth as Alizati did him. "Yes, that might be good." He had a brief fantasy in Which Alizati carried him upstairs (or Men carried him, but would an android be too heavy even for a Vulcan?), but that would probably be too scandalous. "It has been an... Unexpected day."

"Ah, well, the guest room is upstairs to your right. Since I don't know where Alfalfa has gone, he is probably up there asleep on the bed, so feel free to move him." He looked out the window and wondered where Lin had gotten off to. The man was not his father, and he could be very... Himself sometimes, but sometimes V'Lilyn worried the next time he left he would never come back.

"Thank you," Alizati put a hand on Men's back to gently lift him off of his shoulder so he could stand. What a coincidence that Alizati was also thinking about carrying Men up the stairs. Was it too scandalous? "Good night, V'Lilyn," He looked towards Men, expecting him to follow him and maybe once they were out of sight he could ask if Men would allow himself to be carried. Alizati was an android, very strong, he could definitely carry Men. But also as an android, Alizati was much denser than an organic being so the reverse situation was probably impossible or at least not without struggle.

Men got up and, after waving farewell to V'Lilyn, who seemed intent on staying up a bit to figure out his next Kal-Toh move, do some Interceptor paperwork, and maybe keep an eye out for Linclaith, followed Alizati out the door. "I am glad you seem to get along with him. I thought you would, but it is nice to have confirmation."

Alizati walked with Men to the door and they headed to the bottom of the stairs. "He is logical and of sound mind and body," He responded with a very Vulcan way to say he liked V'Lilyn. The man acted similar to Men and was a good cook, the resemblance was clear. As soon as he was sure V'Lilyn could not see them he turned to Men. "I am aware that you are capable of walking on your own, but will you allow me to carry you to bed, Men?" He asked, speaking softly so hopefully V'Lilyn wouldn't hear them.

How did Alizati know exactly what he was thinking? Maybe they really did mind meld. Men nodded. "That sounds... Soothing. I would like that," Men replied, voice even softer than usual. In fact, most humans would have trouble hearing them at all. "Are you capable of sleeping?"

As soon as he got Men's consent he scooped Men up in his arms and made his way up the stairs. He had a strong and firm hold on the taller man, truly the strength of an android. "Yes, I have a sleep mode. I do not shut down completely, but I can simulate the function," He spoke as softly as he could, careful that V'Lilyn could not hear them. Once he reached the top of the stairs he turned to walk to the guest bedroom. "If you would like, I can sleep beside you," Alizati was still very new to sleeping. He had the function but there as little reason to use it. "I also have a dream function," He added, remembering the little quirk that his creator had given him.

Getting carried was a little disorienting at first, but he soon wrapped his arms around Alizati, put his head on his chest, and relaxed into it with a tiny, tender smile. It was moments like these that made him curse all his wasted years denying himself this kind of thing. "I would very much like it. I believe I would sleep far better with you present. And of course, logically, I would be amenable to helping you test out a new function." Men paused. "Your strength is very attractive to me, even though it is to be expected from an android. I am not sure whether or not that is illogical."

"Attraction and beauty transcends logic," Alizati stated in a slow and even tone. Now that they were alone he was able to speak more freely. Perhaps it was Dzharok's emotions, but Alizati found it easier to be affectionate now than before his update. He gently laid Men down on the bed. "I will admit I have never 'slept' before. My Vulcan family denied me private sleeping quarters and I had no quarters at the Daystrom Institute as I was treated as any other machine. I had a charging pod but even there I had to stand with the other machines," He explained with just a hint of sadness in his voice as he recalled his early memories.

Men reached up and grabbed Alizati's hand. Bold, but gentle. Then he pulled him down onto the bed. "Well, I will not deny you. Come down here and sleep with me." Sounded like an innuendo, but he meant it very literally. As soon as Alizati was on the bed, Men wrapped his arms around him. "Perhaps you will dream of attraction and beauty."

Alizati was pulled onto the bed and the first thing he felt was Men's arms curling around his body. This was a new feeling, something much different from all the other times they had share a bed. Well, this time it was for actual sleeping. "I love you, Men," He said softly as he began to prepare his mind for his sleep cycle. It was surprisingly a lot of mental steps to get him to sleep, there were a number of systems he needed to shut down properly to initiate the sequence. As he did, he began to breath slowly and steadily, his eyes fluttering shut. Alizati's body temperature also rose during this process, bringing his temperature closer to that of an organic Vulcan's.

"Jol-ao au, Ilhra," Mumbled Men, kissing Alizati goodnight, closing his eyes, running his hand through Alizati's soft hair and drifting off slowly. At some point in his jumbled, half-asleep thoughts it occurred to him that in a truly illogical fashion... neither of them had remembered to change into pajamas.

1