Safe in familiar arms, waking up late in the morning, ever so lazily was a wonderful way to start a morning. Mornings that Tyler had once thought would not belong to him after escaping Voq. Lorca changed all that for Tyler. Tyler's head was resting against Lorca's shirtless chest with his right arm on the lighter man's stomach. Lorca's golden shirt looked green with the light from the lamp hitting it. Merkin was purring loudly on Lorca's chest. Tyler turned onto his side making Lorca's arm fall off his back onto the soft, warm bed sheet. Lorca was talking in his sleep. A few words that sounded like gibberish, Starfleet regulations, and something about a cat with wings. Tyler smiled looking down onto Lorca.
The security officer slid out of bed then put on his black pant then the two shirts.
"Come back to bed, sailor," Lorca grumbled.
"I have a session with a counselor," Tyler said.
"Oh, hot damn, right, we're in a war," Lorca said.
"I got a few minutes to spare before going," Tyler said. Lorca smiled back, tiredly. His bright blue prosthetic eyes reminding Tyler of a Alcyone, a typical blue giant, resting in space.
"I got a bad headache," Lorca said.
"You drank more glasses than I did, Gabe," Lorca said.
"Not enough, apparently," Lorca said. "The goal was to make you get drunk and have some shenanigans. It's a old time tradition to have fun during a war," Lorca rubbed his forehead. "and some relics of that fleeting happiness in a dark time."
"You failed at it, miserably," Tyler said. "Didn't hear of such a tradition from Maranville."
"I will sleep some of it off before going to Soval," Lorca said.
"Hmmm," Tyler hummed, as Lorca's eyes grew heavy and heavier.
Lorca fell to sleep. Tyler combed his hair using the mirror as his guide while whistling a old sailor song. Slowly, the security officer stopped whistling. Something dawned on him. He placed the comb onto the counter then walked toward the window. He searched in the dark then rubbed his eyes and pinched himself. It was real. Not a bad dream that was happening. He appeared to be alarmed at the sight looking into the pitch black.
The doors to the shared quarters belonging to the second officer opened to reveal Tyler leaning against the doorway with one hand cupping around his nose.
"Lieutenant Tyler," Burnham greeted him. "what brings you here?"
"I heard we're inside of a time loop," Tyler said. Burnham raised a eyebrow. "I asked for this."
"Might I ask why?" Burnham asked.
"Lieutenant Stamets looked kind of pissed off when he saw me and I figured I did something that I forgot. Again, I asked for it. Thought it was going to be a slap," he had a short laugh. "at least he feels better," Tyler shrugged. "Could have been worse. Anyway, he told me that after apologizing. He didn't need to. Had a good hook."
Burnham had a bemused look in her eyes.
"And?" Burnham asked.
"Are we really in a time loop?" Tyler said.
"Yes," Burnham came over to a cabinet then slid the drawer open and took out a nose cover. She came over and handed it to the man. Tyler took then covered his nose with it. The red machine became part of his nose cleaning up the bleeding mess. "We are going to be out of it, soon."
"To him, this must be the first loop where we crossed paths," Tyler said.
"Perhaps," Burnham said.
"Did Tilly make it to her quarters last night?" Tyler asked.
"I made sure of it," Burnham said. "and the captain?"
"Fast asleep nursing a bad hang over," Tyler said. "Not going to be up before the loop is over."
"Do not be so sure about that," Burnham said.
"Is there anything I can do?" Tyler asked.
"Yes," Burnham said. "Do not mention the nose punch to Stamets in the foreseeable future."
"I can do that," Tyler said.
"Anything else?" Burnham said.
"Yes," Tyler said, folding his arms with a concerned look. "Why are there no stars?"
Burnham sighed looking up toward the lieutenant.