Journey of Love
Chapter Eight
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Marcus and Neroon, or anyone else from
Babylon 5.

Authors notes: Rated PG-13 Contains slash: two males in a romantic/sexual (although not explicit) relationship. If this offends you please turn back now.

…… denotes thoughts
After a hot bath which helped to sooth my sore muscles, I made my way into the kitchen to find Neroon cooking dinner. I couldn't help gape in surprise.

"My being able to cook surprises you." Neroon commented questioningly.

"Yes. I just figured you would have someone who would cook for you."

"I could if I wished to, but I enjoy preparing my own meals. It relaxes me after a particularly trying day."

"I didn't know that." I responded still fairly shocked, although I'm still not sure quite why.

"There is much you don't know about me Marcus." Neroon reminded me after placing fresh steamed vegetables over what looked like fish on the grill. "Although over dinner we could attempt to rectify that. Besides, there is much I do not know about you either."

"I would like that." I said still unnerved by Neroon's unexpectedly casual actions. Since I have never seen Neroon act anything less than the fully in-control warrior, his competence and obvious joy cooking flustered me greatly. Perhaps it was because we were in his quarters, I am not sure, but as we sat down to eat he relaxed fully and dropped a few of his defensive walls that he keeps in place around his subordinates. In response muscles that I wasn't aware were taunt relaxed, and for the first time since I met Neroon I wasn't intimidated by his charismatic presence.

For the next few minutes we ate in silence and alternately glanced at each other then at our plates. I was trying to think of a neutral topic of conversation to break the nearly oppressive silence when Neroon beat me to it.

"How long have you been stationed on Babylon 5?"

"Close to a year now." I answered while mentally going over significant events of the past year.

"It must be difficult to keep the peace from a diplomatic standpoint, with such a diverse gathering of species living there." He commented returning me to the topic at hand.

"True, but then that is more Sheridan's problem." I pointed out logically.

"You mean to tell me that you have never gotten involved in station politics? I find that hard to believe."

"Not precisely, merely that I'm not a diplomat and I tend to solve problems using a more direct route." Thinking of the men Lennier and I laid out in the barroom brawl a few months ago still brings a smile to my face.

"I sense a story." Neroon said curiously, folding his hands on the table top and inclining his head waiting for me to begin.

I told him of my wary respect and eventual friendship with Lennier and somehow mentioned Stephen during the retelling. Which in turn, lead to a story on my undercover assignment on Mars with him as a married couple. Neroon got great amusement from that particular anecdote. After an awkward silence, he began telling me of his parents and childhood.

"You mean to tell me that your mother was religious caste?" I asked in shock.

"This surprises you?" He queried.

"Yes. Last I saw you, you seemingly held disdain for the religious caste."

"Not all of the religious caste, only Delenn." Neroon corrected while carefully watching my reaction. "I did not believe that she could fill the role of Entil'zha effectively and that she would tear the Minbari people apart, as she did with the dissolution of the Grey Council. While I still do not like her, and probably never will, I have come to respect her leadership qualities. I also knew that she only wants what is best for our people. We have come a long way in making peace between us."

"That's good. I wouldn't want to have to get between you two again." I stated seriously, making it clear I would get involved if necessary. Neroon seemed about to start brooding about the Denn'sha and I really didn't want to deal with a morose Minbari, especially after such a pleasurable day.

"I don't think my ego could survive it." I added as an afterthought, getting an amused snort out of Neroon in the process. The conversation through out the rest of dinner was light-weight and for the most part inconsequential. After we finished eating and cleaning up, getting ready for bed wasn't such a production as it was the previous night. We were both sound asleep in no time.