Other

"Are you alright with 'friend'?"

It was later that day and well into the artificially conceived night. Regene watched Tieria change into his sleepwear and took a around the room. Tieria's room was bare and stripped of anything other than highly functional items. If not for Regene's keen perception of all things related to Tieria he might have not even noticed the picture frame that he hurriedly hid in a drawer.

"Oh, yes, sure. Friend is fine."

Tieria was distracted. Regene could tell as much. There was a certain awkwardness that was heightened by sharing the same small quarters and Tieria's solution was to dive into activity for no reason. Regene knew that this was Tieria's way of dealing with issues, unlike himself he had never learnt the power of reflection. What else would explain the fact that he saw fit to fold a bundle of Celestial Being uniforms, pressing the short purple jackets with useless diligence and carefully straightening white pants.

'Friend' is a lie, Tieria.

Regene sat cross legged in the narrow bunk and waited for Tieria to be done doing, well, nothing useful. As he expected as soon as Tieria was done tidying up his professional clothes he moved to arrange rows of tight flight suits, then a few rows of pastel cardigans. At which point he moved to the computer work stand and began to type rapidly, his eyes scanning figures on the screen. Regene kept on waiting. He paid close attention to Tieria's posture as he relaxed behind the wall of data. Cleverly hiding. Avoiding contact. It made Tieria feel safe.
No matter how much information he assessed there would be more information to assess. Regene knew this very well as did Tieria. It was typical Tieria to redirect things that he could not control such as emotional baggage into that which he could control. Even if only into mechanical tasks such as running programs.

"Your team mates seem very nice."

"Yes, I suppose so."

Regene had to be patient but he still wanted to talk. Being introduced as Tieria's 'friend' had been Regene's strategy to keep the whole crew from becoming too aware that Tieria was utterly clueless. It was far from accurate. They had gone beyond that boundary and in this shifting scenario of half guessed intentions there was precious little that was tangible and solid- qualities that Tieria so prized. As for Regene, he knew all he had to know in the synchronization of gestures and thoughts that he felt when in tune with Tieria.

At length Tieria abandoned the computer and stood unsure of what to do.

"It's a bit late. Are you coming to bed?"

Regene could almost see the cogs turning in Tieria's brain as he hunted for some excuse to do something. He decided to act and reached out across the small room, taking his hand and motioning him to join him. Tieria obeyed but even as he sat by Regene's side he stared absent mindedly at the floor, his face hidden by a swish of straight purple hair. At length he removed and folded his glasses and lied down. Regene scooted out of his way. Two adult humans would find it difficult to share such a narrow bunk but Tieria and Regene were fairy small and lithe, their identical bodies perfectly sculpted in delicate frames that were smooth to the touch.

Regene preferred naked contact when they were this close but Tieria insisted on being fully clothed now that they were aboard this ship. Building frontiers. Regene tried to efface them by tracing a caress on Tieria's cheek and kissed his lips lightly.

"We can't do this- by human terms we are siblings…"

But we are not human. Even if it hurts you to admit it.

Regene broke the kiss and snuggled closer to Tieria, getting their legs entangled. Cozy warmth descended upon them and eased away some of Tieria's discomfort. Regene combed his hair to keep it from curtaining his beautiful face, he wanted to look into this mirror-like image that was yet different.

"Goodnight, Tieria."

"Goodnight."
Regene could tell that Tieria wanted to say something but at the last minute decided against it.