Stuck in the Middle

Posted on Tue Feb 24th, 2026 @ 2:52pm by Civilian Jairic ch'Shaorhs & Civilian Laeon Wylde

2,129 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Prologue: To Boldly Go
Location: USS Fenrir - Lounge
Timeline: MD 14 - 16:30

ON:

Having been told that the Valhalla bar was out of bounds for someone 'his age', Laeon had found himself heading to the regular lounge instead. With everyone busy settling into a new ship and routine...and school not having started yet...he'd found himself at something of a loose end. The youth sighed as he carried a green drink to a seat by the window; at least he'd get a decent view with everyone being so busy.

It didn't matter what species, or gender, or, for that matter, relationship, a parent was a parent. They usually meant well. Usually, but they forgot what it was like to be a kid. So when a teen, or a child of any age, really showed the slightest hint of rebellion or disobedience, or simply made a mistake, a lecture was forthcoming. Ren lectured less than his brother had, but he made up for it by doing a worse job of it.

They'd had another of their arguments about Jairn. Jairic admitted things had gotten a little heated, and he may have crossed the line. Rolling his eyes when Ren was correcting had probably been a bad move. Now, he found himself wandering the ship.

A bar, he thought to himself. Going in there would be a bad decision, especially with Ren still pissed at him. It would only make things worse if he got caught. So, he'd just have to not get caught. He stepped in and spotted a familiar face.

"Ewww," he said as he walked up, "that stuff looks like mouthwash."

"Huh...oh!" Laeon chuckled as he picked up the glass in question. "I think it's...citrus fruit of some kind?" he sipped it carefully, blinking rapidly at the zing on it. "Yep...definitely citrus..." he said with a strained voice from the strength of the sour. "How are you, Jairic? Is Ren buried in work?" he hazarded a guess, wondering if the other lad was also at a loose end.

Jairic smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Shaking his head, "No, he's buried in the past and has his head up hi... in the sand. I had to get away, before I heard Lecture 1,067 What about you, what are you up to?"

"I thought the view might give me something new to draw," Leaon admitted with a weak smile...because he was distracted by what Jairic had begun to say. "Ren getting on your nerves?" he asked lightly, inviting him to vent if he needed, but not so pushy that he couldn't back away from the question if he wanted.

"He didn't use to be this way. Don't get me wrong, he's still Ren. The quieter one, the more stable one. But now he seems more on edge, like he's going to explode. I know he won't. explode that is, but it's just not the same."

Laeon watched him with concern as he set his drink down to give Jairic his full attention. "Maybe it's the stress of moving to a new ship?"

The Orion shook his head. "Nah, not really, I don't think. Ren is used to moving; he's a Starfleet guy after all. My brother his husband was killed in action. I mean, there wasn't a body, so he kept holding out hope that he was still alive. Out there somewhere. I think he's finally starting to get it and he doesn't know how to handle it."

Laeon watched him with pain or a long moment, shaking his head lightly with it. He remembered the sting of grief and the uncertainty of not knowing. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, knowing it wouldn't do much to help, but wanting to say it anyway. "It...sounds like maybe you...realised sooner?"

Jairic cocked his head to fully face Laeon, giving him the barest hint of a smile, a smile that almost reached his eyes. "I've heard that before. I appreciate your condolences. And yeah, you're right. I've come to terms with it. I'm not sure Ren has yet."

"That must be hard," Laeon watched him with regret for his situation. Jairic was so young...to lose his brother, and have to support his partner through it. "To be in such a different place from him."

The Orion teen hadn't been expecting a counseling session. He'd been through enough of those. Enough, but not enough. Technically, Laeon wasn't offering a counseling session, just an attempt at understanding. He sighed, then nodded.

"It's not easy," he admitted, "some days I feel like I'm the adult in the room. "I mean, I get why he is where he is, not wanting to accept the truth, but it's still hard."

"I'm sorry," Laeon's heart went out to him. He'd been laden with two burdens. No matter whether it was meant or not, it didn't make it easier. "Maybe...new horizons will be good for both of you?" he offered with a hopeful smile.

"I hope so. I didn't mean to get maudlin or get a counseling session, though I'm grateful for you listening. But I don't want to dwell on depression. Let's talk about something else. Tell me more about you."

"Oh, I'm...dull..." Laeon laughed, almost embarrassed with it, or maybe over being asked about himself. "I'm over 50 human years old, but I'm still seen as a 'kid' by my people. So...I have to do the whole school thing still. Even though I'm older than a bunch of this crew..." he didn't quite roll his eyes, but his tone of voice made the feeling clear enough.

Those revelations surprised Jairic. A lot. He didn't even try to hide it. "You're over fifty? That is... I can't say it's a shock. I know there are races out there that live a long time. But you look like you're at best a couple of years older than me. And somehow you think that's boring?"

"You have to tell me more."

Laeon laughed softly, genuinely surprised at the reaction. It was such a hassle to him; he hadn't thought it might be interesting to someone else. "Dad says we develop and age more slowly than some other races. He says I'd be the same as a...15 or 16-year-old human. Which means school...having to do what I'm told...being treated like a kid. I know I should be more...patient, but it's hard being told to leave it to the 'adults' by an officer half my age, you know?"

"That has to be weird as fuck, em sorry, I know I shouldn't be using that kind of language. It's a bad habit. So are you seeing any girls?"

He paused briefly, "or guys? Who am I to judge?"

"No..." Laeon blushed slightly at the suggestion, laughing as he looked down. "Pretty sure Dad would burn a fever if I were. What about you?" he asked with curiosity. If it had been in his mind to ask, maybe he had a romance simmering.

Jairic's shoulders rose and fell, almost imperceptibly. "About a year ago, back on our previous posting, there was this Betazoid girl, we went on a couple of dates, well, we spent a few sessions in the holodeck, I don't know if you could call it dating. She was, I don't know too pushy, wanted to... let's just leave it a pushy. Plus, she could read my mind, which was kinda freaky."

"Then about six months ago, just before everything went to hell, I kissed a boy. Or he kissed me. It was confusing. I thought, maybe I was like my brother or Ren."

"But, I was less than impressed. So I don't know. Maybe it's me, maybe there's something wrong."

"How old are you?" Laeon asked softly, with genuine curiosity, but also in regards to Jairic's romantic trials and tribulations. Maybe he was just still trying to figure out what fit him. He couldn't talk himself, he had no direct experience, just crushes from afar.

"Fifteen," came the almost instant reply. "Old enough so I should know what I want, even though I might not be old enough to get it. So we're kind of the same age."

"Don't you have it figured out?"

"Me? No! Oh no no no no no..." Laeon laughed softly, shaking his head lightly as he watched him with blue-violet eyes that sparkled with humour. "I've...liked people, you know? But...from a distance."

"Why from a distance?"

Laeon shook his head as he looked down to his hands, his nails delicately flicking together as a blush crept over his face. "I guess...it's difficult. To be open with someone like that. Besides, I think my father would hate it."

"Why would your father object? I don't understand. Is it like a cultural thing? You have to be an adult, however long that is, for your people before you can see someone? Before you can kiss them, before you can you know..."

Laeon chuckled softly because he knew he couldn't blame a cultural belief. "It's more a...' my Dad is overprotective and readies his hand on his phaser if anyone so much as glances my way' kind of thing..."

Jairic smirked. He didn't even try to hide it. "Wow, I thought that Orion families were messed up. So how does your dad feel about friends?"

"Oh, friends are okay...he'd worry more if I didn't have any," Laeon grinned to him, his eyes glinting with warmth and humour. "Fancy taking on the job?"

The Orion teen grinned back at him and nodded his head. Yeah, I like that idea. I mean, don't most good relationships, whatever they turn into, start with being friends?"

"Good relationships, yeah," Laeon chuckled as he shook his head at the observation, looking to him with awe. "You're really smart, aren't you. It's okay, I won't tell if you don't like people knowing."

Jairic's smile widened, displaying perfectly white teeth, with a small gap between the two front ones. "It will be our secret," he replied cheekily.

"Are you being sent to school here?" Laeon asked with interest, searching his emerald features with curiosity. "Dad says I have to. The teachers aren't bad, though, it's just...well..." he rolled his eyes.

"My," Jairic paused and made air quotes with his hands, "dad says I have to go too. So, yeah. What subjects are you good at? You're a lot older than me. Haven't you been through this all before?"

"Yep, a lot..." Laeon laughed softly, shaking his head lightly as he shrugged gently. "But Dad says he had to do it, so I have to as well. We'd learn all sorts of things, though, not just...academic subjects. I've also had to re-learn things the Federation way. I like literature...but I still hate maths," he chuckled softly at the admission.

"I am pretty good at math, actually. Though you're probably ahead of me even so. You have a lot more experience."

"No! No no no, my brain just doesn't flow that way..." Laeon shook his head quickly with wide eyes, grinning at his faith in him all the same. "Honestly, numbers sort of make me go all...misty."

The Orion teen gave Laeon a wide, definitely not innocent grin. "I'm not going to touch that line, as tempting at it might be."

Laeon laughed with him, covering his face with his hand before shaking his head. "Believe it or not, I have mastered Standard better than my father, but...Well, I still have a fair amount to learn, it seems.

Jairic nodded. "So, if you're not good at maths. What are you good at?"

"Languages, I guess," Laeon rubbed the back of his neck as he thought on what they'd just said. He supposed he must be. "I'm...happiest in art though," he had to admit with an awkward shrug. "Not exactly useful on a starship, I know. Would you ever join up? To Starfleet, I mean."

"That makes sense," the Orion said, "you're being so old and all. How many languages do you speak?"

"Oh..." Laeon had to stop and think, rubbing absently over his blonde hair as he frowned with the focus. "Let's see....my language, and another from my homeworld....Federation standard of course...I learned the Prime Vulcan dialect, but I was told my accent needs work. During the war, I started learning Cardassian... that's it. For now at least..."

"I could teach you Orion," Jairic suggested.

Laeon's grin widened at the offer, and he nodded firmly, pointing a finger his way with mock warning. "I'm going to hold you to that..."

"Good. I hope you will."

OFF:

---

Laeon Wylde
Civilian Minor
USS Fenrir
(PNPC Blake)

Jairic ch'Shaorhs
Civilian Minor
USS Fenrir
(PNPC Taylor)

 

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