faithful_lt | (no subject)

Gaeta, idly absorbed in a ratty paperback he picked up at auction some months back, looks up and smiles.

"Hey. I've still got -- " a quick check of his watch, " -- two more to go before I'm on duty, yeah." He tents the book on his stomach. "Why?"

Hoshi smiles back.

"Can I borrow you for one of them?"

His smile warms. "Always," he says, and deposits his book to the side as he swings his legs over his bunk.

After a beat, realization strikes. Gaeta cocks his head.

"Wait, um -- aren't you supposed to be on shift right now?"

"Dee's covering the swing for me," he says, blithely, and steps back to give the other man room to climb down.

There's quiet mischief in his glance, for some reason.

Some reason. Uh-huh. One eyebrow creeps a little higher as he steps to the floor and rummages up his boots.

"Mm." He sees your mischief, Louis, and raises it one teasing skepticism. "You two haven't been plotting anything, have you?"

He grins.

"Would we do that?"

"Never." Deadpan. "Why would I ever think otherwise."

The smile's dwindled, but still playing small and pleased at the corners of his lips. Gaeta finishes lacing up his boots and grabs his uniform jacket, shrugging it on and fastening the snaps. "All right, Lieutenant," he says once he's done. "An hour is yours."

"Thanks, Lieutenant," Hoshi returns. "I promise not to waste it."

He turns toward the door.

"If you'll follow me?"

He smothers a laugh. "Gladly."

Falling in step behind Louis, he trails after as they make their way into the corridor. If his suspicions hadn't been kindled by the mention of Dee, the fact that Louis hangs an immediate left instead of a right would do the trick.

They're not going up to the observation deck. They're winding deeper into the belly of the ship.

It quickly becomes apparent that he does have a destination in mind, and it's neither the observation deck nor Milliways.

Hoshi leads them to one of the designated repair bays off the main hangar deck, glances back and forth to ensure that they're unobserved, and then crosses over to open the hatch of the waiting Raptor before turning to Felix.

"After you," he says, cheerfully.

Gaeta's been eyeing him sidelong -- though still more amused than not -- ever since he figured out where they were going. The look's only intensified now that they've arrived.

"Louis," he says, half in laughter, "what are you..."

And then he notices what's inside the Raptor -- clear space, a tarp, a small box -- and the laughter fades. With the way everything's arranged, it almost looks like --

He turns back to Louis, eyes a little wide.

"Welcome to your birthday picnic," Hoshi tells him, his smile soft and warm.

"I'm afraid it's a little late, but..."

"...Louis."

Barely a breath, and more than a little awed. Gaeta looks back at the spread -- it's struck him on second glance how simple it is, how nothing there that he can see came from anywhere but the fleet -- before returning his attention to Louis.

The tiny thread of laughter returns as he says, "You didn't have to do this," and takes his hand.

(It must be said: he doesn't sound at all displeased that he did do it.)

He squeezes Felix's fingers.

"I wanted to," he says, simply.

"Thank you."

Still chuckling a little, as he leans in to kiss Louis' cheek.

"I didn't think it'd -- thank you."

"Let's hope you still feel that way after you try the food," he teases, a little ruefully.

"I know I could have just, um, picked something up you-know-where, but I wanted to... "

He trails off there for a second, struggling for the right words.

"... I guess I wanted you to know I'd -- even if that place didn't exist, I'd still--"

Oh.

His smile softens; warmth unfolds in his chest as he touches his free hand to Louis' cheek.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He tips his head to the side, leaning into the touch.

He sighs, small and contented. "Can I say thank you again without it being overkill?"

Gaeta draws his thumb along Louis' cheekbone.

"Well, if you insist," Hoshi tells him.

"You're welcome, Felix." His smile is quick and bright. "Want to climb on in?"

"Absolutely," he says, and darts in for a quick peck on the lips before pulling away.

The tarp's standard issue, its woven plastic a little slick against the Raptor's floor. Gaeta steps carefully and uses the doorframe for a little extra support; he settles in next to the box, eyeing it with great intrigue.

He climbs in after, closes and single-dogs the hatch door to hold it without sealing it for space, and takes a seat on the tarp on the other side of the box.

Hoshi reaches behind one of the seats and pulls out two canteens, then displays them to Felix.

"Water," he says, shaking the first one. Hoshi lowers it to the tarp and holds up the second.

"And some of the latest batch. I got it from Galen; he swears it's better than the last one."

Gaeta exhales a tiny laugh. "Gods only hope," he says, beckoning for the canteen.

(He won't be able to have a lot if he's going on-duty soon, but a single drink shouldn't do any damage two hours can't correct.)

"But," he adds, "he has nowhere to go but up. I think Hotdog's still using the last batch as boot polish."

"Cuts the dirt like nothing else," he agrees, passing the canteen over without hesitation. "Keeps a shine on."

A beat.

"When it's not dissolving boot leather like acid, that is."

"May the souls of those hooch casualties never be forgotten," he intones, and lifts the canteen in a mock toast before uncapping it to take a sip.

Louis and Galen are right: it is better than the last batch.

Of course, it also burns like fire the whole way down and makes Gaeta cough a little as he passes it back to Louis.