Kavanagh felt his mouth gape as he turned to stare at the wraith beside him, "What! What do you mean it's a trap!" he yelled, causing D'aray to flinch and drop his cup. The wraith refused to meet his mates eyes as he took both cups and started back to the cabin, "I was meant as a spy, the wraith are waiting for your friends to dial through from Atlantis so they can get the co-ordinates," he said without looking back. Dr. Kavanagh said nothing in response as the wraith disappeared inside their dwelling.
The man stayed in his spot beside the stream for a bit, not knowing how he felt about D'aray somehow still keeping that tid-bit from him despite the circumstances. Fear of rejection? Loyalty to his species? Or was he simply playing with the mans emotions, milking him for sympathy to gain his trust? He thought about that long and hard before trying to regain radio contact again.
-----
D'aray sighed heavily and looked out the small, grubby window towards the stream, but could no longer see his mate. The wraith had aired the blankets and changed the leaves that he and Calvin had been sleeping on, but now had nothing more to occupy himself with. His head had begun to ache from too much crying and the wraith covered his eyes with one large yet graceful hand, the un-bandaged one, and sat down on the bed.
He felt like such a failure, after coming so close to gaining the humans trust, it had all been lost with the overlooking of one serious piece of information. "I'm sorry," D'aray moaned, tucking his injured hand against his stomach out of protective habit. The last thing he expected was to hear Calvin's voice from the doorway. "I'm surprised but happy to hear that," Kavanagh stepped into the room and started forward, leaving the door open behind him to let air in, the place was stale from years of neglect. "Don't let this eat at you D'aray. I thought about it and I don't think you kept this from me on purpose."
The human knelt down before the wraith, and after a moment, D'aray lowered his hand and looked into Kavanaghs eyes. "I am committing a horrible crime Calvin," he began, eyes looking haggard and dull, "I am betraying my own people." the scientist shook his head and frowned, "No you aren't. They already betrayed you. They left you at the uncertain mercy of a bunch of wraith hating humans, crippling you on top of that. On that note, I think you have nothing to worry about from my companions. I told Major Sheppard about our situation, and though he's not overly fond of me, he'll support me in keeping you out of a cell."
D'aray raised a brow and canted his head, "A cell?" Kavanagh nodded, "He's going to ask Dr. Weir to allow me a larger room, one that is meant for two people. You should get to live with me there. I already threatened to stay here with you otherwise. Surprisingly, they want me back bad enough to agree." the man smiled a thin smile and reached out to take the wraiths injured right hand. "And Doctor Beckett will be ready for the both of us back on Atlantis, he is especially concerned about your hand. I told you about the wraith named Steve and the one named Bob and how I got to study them?" D'aray nodded and let his hand relax in the mans grip, "Well Beckett, being a doctor, knows more about what he was looking at and he's concerned about long term damage. Not to upset you more but he's worried about how deep the cut is and about nerve damage."
D'aray frowned and carefully flexed the fingers on his injured hand, something painful but necessary to keep them from becoming dangerously stiff. Kavanagh helped by massaging the rest of the wraiths hand, carefull about how tender it was. "Besides," the man said, coming back to the original subject, "The joke's on the wraith. Major Sheppard had to gate hop to get here, he's used two gates already so there is no way we will be leading the wraith back to Atlantis." D'aray noticeably relaxed at this piece of information and let out a long breath.
Then the wraith looked up at his mate, their eyes meeting, and Kavanagh felt his heart start to race. Those eyes were so bright and intelligent, green hued shot through with gold. Without thinking he leaned forward that little bit needed and lightly kissed D'aray, whose lips were warm and yielding. They both jerked back at the same time, Kavanagh beginning to apologize immediately, "Oh god D'aray I'm sorry! After all you told me, showed me! I didn't mean it!" he leaped up and started backing towards the open door, but the wraith was faster and caught hold of him by his arms, "Calvin.." he tried, but the man continued to babble apologies, "Calvin!" D'aray said, louder, "Shut up already!"
Kavanagh shut up, blue eyes wide behind his glasses, "Why did you kiss me Calvin?" D'aray asked gently. To the scientists relief he didn't look mad, just perplexed, "I, I don't know. I wasn't thinking," the man removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. The wraith surprised him by slipping his arms about the mans waist and pulling him close, offering to let the mans head rest on his shoulder.
"D'aray?" Kavanagh inquired, tensing a little but allowing his head to rest on the offered shoulder, "You said that in a working relationship, there is give and take on both sides. I am returning the favor. I think I am not the only one to have, what was it? An emotional overload." the wraith explained. Kavanagh relaxed, feeling relieved and wrapped his arms about the wraith too, both drawing comfort in the fact that someone who understood what the other was going through was right there, comfortingly warm and breathing.
After a moment Kavanagh felt D'aray turn his head and snuggle his face into his neck. The scientist considered how this felt, since he couldn't see that D'aray was a wraith, he found he could easily imagine it was another human he was holding. But strangely, he didn't want to pretend. Only two days together and he couldn't imagine not having this wraith here. "Calvin?" he heard his name and pulled back a little, D'aray had done the same and was smiling at him. A small smile, barely curving his lips, but it was genuine and surprisingly affectionate. "How long till the Major arrives?" the wraith asked, "A few hours I think," the man replied. D'aray nodded, "I will bathe then. Maybe if I am more presentable they will be less inclined to reject me."
The wraith started to turn away, heading for the clothes, "I already sorted the clothing, you can bathe with me or after. I honestly don't care which," that last was said honestly and without any implications and the scientist nodded as he mulled over the new Atlantians possible rejection of his mate, "I'll give you your privacy," he said. D'aray nodded and bent to pick up the top set of clothes. As he passed Kavanagh to go out the door the wraith paused and turned his head to look at the man, "And I hope you were not serious when you said you didn't mean the kiss." before the man could reply D'aray was gone, heading for the stream.
Kavanagh and D'aray had both bathed and each had a fresh bandage on their hands. Now the wraith was sitting behind his mate, braiding the mans hair. It was a little awkward with his right hand being injured and bandaged, but he had asked and Kavanagh had agreed. Somehow it was soothing to play with the mans still damp hair, and D'aray admired the rich brown color as well since the only hair he really ever saw was white or bright red. After tying the end off with the band Kavanagh still had, the wraith rested his hands upon the scientists shoulders. They were broader than he had realized, "D'aray?" Kavanagh turned his head to look over his shoulder at his mate, the wraith smiled and stroked the mans hair, "Yes?" he knew the man was wondering what he was up to, but he felt a little playful and acted like he didn't know.
"You like my back?" Kavanagh asked, returning the smile. D'aray grinned and ran his hands over his mates shoulders lightly, "I didn't realize how broad your shoulders were," he said, pushing the braid aside and rubbing the mans neck. Kavanagh grunted something that sounded like encouragement and the wraith ran his thumbs up and down either side of his mates spine, "At least the clothes we got seem clean, I half expected Mr. Chunky," D'aray gave a low chuckle at his mates name for the one armed wraith, "To give us flea infested rags." Kavanagh finished, half turning and tucking some of the wraiths hair back.
"Why do you do that?" D'aray asked. Kavanagh switched gears from talking about the fat wraith to talking about his mates scarred face, "Do what? Brush your hair back? Because I like your face, it's very elegant with high cheekbones." D'aray reflexively pulled his hair back over the scarred side of his face, "But not any more," he countered, Kavanagh shook his head once and persisted in pushing the hair back completely. "I think it is," he insisted, leaving his hand on the wraiths mutilated cheek. D'aray looked rather perplexed but let his mates hand stay, it felt nice to have someone touching him so gently. "I hope I can learn to like myself as much as you seem to Calvin," the wraith said, putting his hand over the humans.
They were interrupted by a ship entering the atmosphere. After a nervous moment D'aray pointed and Kavanagh saw with relief it was a jumper. Both the man and the wraith stood and waved and the ship did a turn about and landed near where the wraith dart had.