Taurik was bent over a console when Geordi came up to him. The Vulcan stood up straight and greeted his superior officer in the polite, attentive way that never seemed to relax, despite how many shifts they'd worked together.

Geordi was friendly, but still a bit reserved. Taurik had run into problems with non-Vulcans before who had refused to accept his personality, or decided to take his apparent coldness personally. Geordi did not seem entirely comfortable with him, but just the fact that they had worked together so much had helped ease their interactions.

"Hey, Taurik," he said, leaning slightly on the console as he held a data pad in his hands. "I noticed you haven't been taking any extra shifts lately."

"Do you wish me to, Sir? If you need me to be here-"

"No, no, it's fine. If I need you, I'll call you. It's completely your choice if you want to pick up extra shifts. I was just wondering if there was a reason you haven't. Was the work load too much?"

"I did not mind the work load, Sir. In fact, I could work for to two weeks straight if that were truly necessary. In fact, in the Academy, I used to-"

Geordi raised a hand. "I don't need anybody working two weeks straight, Taurik. I don't mind you going back to a normal rotation. I was just wondering if there's anything going on I should know about?"

Taurik's lips twitched a bit as he considered the potential fallout of telling his superior. He decided in a few seconds it would be no harm (not that he would seriously consider lying to Geordi, anyway), so he glanced back at him and said, "I've made a new friend. I have been helping him study for the upcoming advancement test."

Geordi grinned, but looked a bit taken aback. "Really? Anyone I know?"

"Possibly. It's Ensign Crusher."

"Wesley?"

Taurik frowned. "Is there another Ensign Crusher on board, Sir?"

Geordi laughed. "No, Taurik. One's plenty." Before Taurik could ask what Geordi could mean by that remark, his superior gently patted his shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you're making friends, Taurik. It's good for you."

Taurik nodded in agreement. "I assure you, I won't miss any of my required shifts," he added. "And of course if you need me, I shall give that top priority-"

Geordi interrupted, "I know you will, Ensign. Just as I know two months from now, I'll be calling you Lieutenant."

Taurik did not crack a smile, but the slight flush of green to his face and the look in his eyes betrayed his pleasure at that remark.

#####

About a month before the date of the test, which coincided with the ship's next scheduled overhauling, Wesley came to Taurik with a look of extreme concern on his face. He looked flustered and Taurik had to ask him what was wrong.

"I...I have something to ask you," Wesley attempted. "And if the answer is no, then that's completely fine. There's no pressure!"

"What is it?"

"OK, I've been thinking. When we moor at the station, after we take the test? We're gonna be picking up some new junior officers who just got transferred to the Enterprise."

"Yes?"

"Well...we both have our own rooms right now. But one or both of us might have to share a room with one of those new officers..."

"So what you're saying is that we should share a room, before either of us gets assigned to someone else," Taurik finished for him.

Wesley paused and studied Taurik's face carefully. He had been around the other boy enough to have a pretty good grasp on his mental state by the subtle cues of facial expression and body language. At the very least, Wesley could tell when Taurik was annoyed, though that wasn't too often, and it never happened because of anything Wesley did. But when he detected such moods, Wesley usually stepped in to alleviate the situation. Usually by leading Taurik somewhere else.

But right now Taurik's' face was maddeningly sphinx-like, and it was really frustrating Wesley, who depended on perceiving emotion to help guide his reactions with people.

Sensing his friend's agony, Taurik gave in and nodded gravely, eyes closed. Wesley took that as a yes and broke into a warm smile. "That seems the most logical course. Who shall be moving in with whom?"

Wesley stared a moment, shock at the ease of this fading into excitement. "I really don't care."

"Alright. Then how about you move in with me? That way I don't have to move my things. I like how I have everything arranged."

Wesley grinned. "Sure! That's fine! We have to go put in a room assignment request with the yeoman." He issued a little squeal of glee that made Taurik blush at its naked audacity. "This is gonna be great! I was so worried you'd say no!"

"Why would I refuse?" Taurik asked as they made their way down to the yeoman's office.

"I don't know. Maybe you'd think it's too much? Too personal?"

"Even if we weren't facing possible new roommates, I would still be pleased to share my quarters with you, Wesley."

"Really?"

"Certainly. It is as though we share quarters anyway, we are so often together. It is only logical."

"Ah, yes. Logical. And nothing else, Taurik?" Wesley teased.

Taurik merely raised his eyebrows at Wesley, giving him a cryptic, teasing look right back, before turning the corner into the yeoman's office. Taurik did all the talking for them. They both signed the data pad and then went on their merry way, when they ran into Dr. Crusher. They stopped.

"Good morning, Doctor," Taurik said.

"Hey, Mom," Wesley said.

"What are you two doing down here?" she asked, after giving Taurik a polite nod.

Wesley told her all about it. Dr. crusher glanced at the two, then seemed satisfied. "That was smart thinking. I just hope this doesn't interfere with your study time, Wesley."

"Oh, no, just the opposite! We'll have even more time to study!"

"I expect nothing less, young man. Look, I have to get going. Let's get dinner some time. You too, Taurik," she said as she headed past them.

"Aye, Sir," Taurik called after to her.

Wesley grabbed Taurik's wrist and led him down the hall, too exuberant to realize what he was doing. "Come on! Let's start packing!" A few steps later, he stopped and let go, turning to Taurik with a look of contrition. "Oh...sorry."

Taurik frowned. "Don't be, Wesley. You're my friend. You may take my arm if you wish."

"Yeah?" Wesley smiled carefully, and reached for Taurik's hand. But as soon as he grasped it, Taurik gently moved Wesley's hand to his wrist instead.

Wesley frowned and looked to Taurik for an explanation.

"On a Vulcan, the hands are extremely psychically sensitive," he said. "Especially the fingers." He held his other hand out, palm upward, in the shape of the familiar V. He let Wesley bring his free hand over to it, but pulled it back before their fingertips could touch. "I will show you later. But for now, while we are in public, I must insist you avoid my hands. At least until we are both comfortable with it."

Wesley stared with confusion, but he accepted it. He kept a firm grip on Taurik's forearm the entire way back to his quarters. Their shipmates they passed were so used to seeing these boys together, they didn't seem to notice the additional closeness. And frankly, neither did the boys themselves.

For the next hour or so, they moved Wesley's things into Taurik's room. It was an easy job unpacking because Taurik had not changed the arrangement of his things after his last roommate left, leaving plenty of empty space for Wesley.

When they were all done, Wesley turned to Taurik. "So," he said. "Wanna show me what happens if I touch your hands now?"

Taurik looked at Wesley a moment, weighing this decision. He realized he must have expected to pique the human's curiosity by mentioning it at all. He could have asked Wesley not to touch him at all, but he did not. Instead he had practically invited Wesley to ask for this. He knew this would happen, therefore he must have wanted it.

And the more he gazed at his friend, who gazed right back with a soft smile at his lips and eager curiosity in his eyes, the more Taurik realized he still wanted to share this with him. He gently pulled Wesley to his bed by the arm and they both sat down. He made the Vulcan salute but held his hand sideways, invitingly. Wesley didn't have to be instructed; slowly he brought his first two fingers to Taurik's and connected.

Taurik's fingers felt so hot suddenly, he jerked them back. Wesley looked at him, worried, but Taurik calmly returned them, and made himself recognize the sensation for what it was. It was the jolt of the sudden connection of two minds. Not in the same way as a mind meld, but far more subtle. More of the suggestion of the other's presence, a whisper to the mind meld's scream. However, that was still a very strong feeling, especially for a Vulcan quite unused to it.

But he felt much more relaxed as he held it, and felt a wave of serene calm wash over him. When he looked up, he saw Wesley sitting with his eyes nearly closed, lips parted. He was breathing deeply. He opened his eyes when Taurik looked at him, probably because he sensed the other's attention on him, Taurik believed. They looked at each other for a while, not speaking, not needing to. They had been shifting their bodies closer, more facing towards each other, this whole time, in tune with each other. Their knees were touching and by now they were moving their hands around each other's slowly, exploring, never breaking contact. Taurik found that Wesley could move his fingers as far as the wrist and he'd still feel the connection, but fingertip to fingertip was optimal. And Wesley seemed to pick up on that and responded.

At some point, Taurik started leaning closer, though that was not his idea, but Wesley's. Wesley had taken the initiative to come closer, place his other hand on Taurik's neck and give him a close mouthed, but lengthy kiss. He pulled back calmly, but the distress he felt caused distress in them both, amplified by their link. Taurik did not want to, but he made himself sever the link before they could be hurt any further.

Wesley sagged, like his strings had been cut. Taurik felt exhausted, but knew he had to be the strong one. He was the one who showed Wesley this, therefore, he reasoned, he must take responsibility. He cupped Wesley's shoulder and lightly placed his fingers on his forearm.

"I am not angry that you kissed me," he said.

Wesley looked up. He looked too tired to be overly emotional. "It just seemed...right. I...I've never felt so close to you. Or anyone! Not like that. It was like...like you were inside me!"

"And I felt your presence inside of me as well. We were psychically linked, Wesley. We felt something very strong. I felt your desire to kiss me even before you did it."

"Did you want to stop me?"

"I don't know. At first there was no separation between your desire and my own."

"But then, when you realized?"

"Vulcans do not usually kiss, Wesley. The act does not fulfill us in the same way this does." He lifted his hand. "It is not something we socially evolved. It was you humans that brought the idea to us."

Wesley smiled at that. "Well, what do you think, then? Do you like kissing?"

"I can't properly judge. That was my first."

"Your first?" Wesley exclaimed. "Oh, Taurik!"

"Well, it was most satisfactory, at least, as far as I can tell, having no other example by which to-"

Wesley cupped Taurik's face and pulled him closer, interrupting him with another kiss. He was not forceful, and Taurik could have pulled away easily at any time, but he did not. He followed Wesley's lead, or tried to, anyway. Even Taurik could tell that Wesley was no expert at this either. He opened his mouth just as Taurik did and neither seemed to figure out what to do with his tongue. Wesley was a little too rough, making Taurik struggle to keep up. Taurik wasn't sure what to do, so did little more than offer his mouth passively. Even then, it was awkward and he felt extremely self-conscious.

He grabbed Wesley's hand and joined their fingers. Wesley immediately slowed down and began to fall into a more pleasant cadence Taurik could keep up with. They were not transmitting messages to each other, not literally, but were still able to slip in sync with each other as one motivation. Now they felt confident to attempt a much more relaxed, and yet also heart-felt, open mouthed kiss.

Taurik wasn't sure if he chose to do this or if it was Wesley suggesting it, but he lay down, with Wesley kneeling over him. They were still joined at the lips and fingers. Wesley slipped his mouth off Taurik's and got on top of Taurik's pelvis, but since most of his weight was distributed to his knees and into the mattress, he was not crushing him. He'd be too small to crush him, anyway, but he was still conscious of his body in relation to Taurik's.

He stroked Taurik's cheek with his free hand and asked, "What are we doing?" He smiled softly.

Taurik answered softly, "I don't know."

"Should we stop?"

"I don't see a reason why."

Wesley thought for a moment, but his fear was experienced by both. He lowered himself to lie partly on top of, partly beside Taurik, who turned slightly to face him. "I don't want to go too far," he said, his hand slipping to the zipper at Taurik's collar even as he said this. "Are you scared?"

Taurik changed hands to make it more comfortable with they way they were positioned. Then he reached around Wesley's hip. "Yes," he whispered. "But I trust you. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." With his free hand, Wesley pulled the zipper down to the waist, Taurik lying back and allowing this. In fact he had to focus on keeping his mind calm and purged of as much panic as he could. This was frightening to him, but he did not wish it to end. Wesley helped him pull the sleeves down, so now he was bare from the waist up. He felt Wesley's uniform, cold and soft against his skin. When the cold, hard communicator pin pressed against his nipple he gasped and dug his fingers into Wesley's arms. Wesley hissed at the sudden pain, but did not seem to mind too much. He sought Wesley's hand again as he was kissed roughly up the throat, the cheek, the ear.

Taurik's chest starting heaving as the human slid his hand over it. In his excitement, the heel of his hand slipped off and onto the bed by Taurik's side, and Wesley nearly toppled on top of him. Taurik let go of his hand to catch him by the shoulder.

Wesley chuckled as he re-found his balance. "You OK?" he asked.

"Yes," Taurik whispered. He reached up to cup Wesley's cheek and guided his face down. They attempted another kiss. It was better this time; they'd learned much in little practice. And while they were not joined at the fingertips anymore-Taurik felt it wasn't quite so safe-they were both comfortable enough with each other they hardly missed it.

When Wesley slipped his hand down Taurik's torso, Taurik grabbed it before it could venture too far. Wesley pulled his face away to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"Please," Taurik hissed.

"You don't want me touching you there?" Wesley brought both hands back up to rest on Taurik's shoulders and lay beside him. "I'm sorry..."

"No, it's not your fault. I just...please, just don't." He didn't know what to say. If he confessed he had never gone this far, he feared Wesley might take that as a challenge. The very few humans that had found out-either by incessant queries or asking someone else-had done exactly that. No one had ever forced him or herself on Taurik, but he had experienced varying degrees of pressure. Apparently for some, being Vulcan wasn't enough of an excuse. He did not think Wesley would be like that, but kept quiet just in case.

"OK," Wesley said. He ran his fingers through Taurik's hair. "That's totally fine. Do you want to stop?"

Taurik pondered. He was already invoking his years of mental discipline to calm his mind, though that as proving difficult. It wasn't a terrible feeling, though an excess of adrenaline and testosterone, but as long as he could control it, it was actually pleasurable.

"Do you mind?" he asked.

Wesley exclaimed, "Of course not! If you want to stop, I want to stop."

"Thank you." Taurik rolled onto his side and the two pressed together, Taurik placing his thigh over Wesley's.

"Don't expect any less from anyone else," Wesley said firmly, then planted a kiss on Taurik's forehead.

"I don't foresee anyone else," Taurik said, prompting Wesley to squeeze him tightly.