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(A/N: For anyone reading, feel free to use the first names I give these characters in your own writings if you want. Heck, use the head-canons and backstories too if you like them. Or even any ideas in general. They're pretty open-source.)
Butting Heads
Second Officer Keen was a hardnose. The strictest of the strict. Everything needed to be done by the book, every order needed to be followed without question. Down time? What was that? Breaks? If you absolutely must. Lunch? Scarf down a nutrient block and get back to work. There were duties to attend to. Ryley would never claim he got along with the man. Captain Hollister hadn't immediately introduced him to Keen as the new Systems Maintenance Chief. It seemed he much preferred to ease into that when it came to his SO. Within a week, Ryley understood why. If ever anyone had looked down their nose at him, it was the Second Officer. Ozzy kept reassuring him the guy wasn't so bad, and that he really wasn't as tactless or prejudiced as he was coming across, but Ryley had yet to be convinced.
In every way, shape, and form, he and Keen clashed. They were polar opposites. Keen liked to be in control, Ryley didn't like to be controlled. Keen had a level head that lent to sound decisions, Ryley struggled with a hothead that led to some pretty questionable impulse reactions. If Keen said up, Ryley went down. If Keen said stop, Ryley would go. A part of it was general pettiness, but a bigger part was because they had two completely different outlooks on the same situations. If Keen wanted to be cautious and plan, Ryley would take the plunge and chance it. You got the picture. When Captain Hollister finally informed the SO that the mute on board was the new Systems Maintenance Chief, it went about as well as expected. Keen was visibly outraged.
"Captain, I advise very strongly against this!" the Second Officer blurted.
"Why?" Hollister challenged simply.
"What good will he be in a situation where orders must be immediately and clearly given and followed? What use is sign language in the midst of chaos where no one's eyes are on anything other than what they're doing at any given time?" Keen demanded.
"He has already proven himself to me, Keen, but it seems my recommendation means precious little to you," the Captain said, frowning at the man.
Keen seemed to fall in line briefly, but then quickly took an attitude again. "Extend the trial period. I should like to see how he handles high-pressure situations with my own eyes," he said.
"What issue do you really take with this, Jonathan?" the Captain asked.
"Precisely that!" Keen insisted.
"Don't lie to me, boy," the Captain warned.
"The man is a total wildcard with no regard whatsoever for any order handed him by his superiors aboard this ship!" Keen blurted, caving immediately.
"Just you," Ryley signed. Hollister gave him a harsh look and he winced, lowering his hands and resorting to glaring.
"Keen, no one but you has reported any trouble with Mr. Robinson," Hollister said, looking back at his officer.
"Because no one else on this godforsaken ship can be bothered," Keen argued. Ryley scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Enough," Hollister sharply chastised the two of them, giving Ryley a warning look. Ryley backed down, hunching in on himself. Hollister turned his attentions back to Keen. "This is how it's going to be. Like it or not, Mr. Robinson is part of our crew now. Learn to live with it."
"But sir…!" Keen began.
"Enough Keen! If you wish to discuss this further, you will do so in private with me," Hollister said. Ryley made a sound of protest. "Don't you worry yourself about it, Robinson. If it should be pertinent for you to hear, you'll hear of it." Ryley frowned but begrudgingly let the matter go. He gave Keen a dark, annoyed look. The SO glared back with equal spite.
Subnautica
Over the years, Keen knew, Captain Hollister had picked up many strays. Of all those strays though, none took the cake like Ryley Robinson. Ozzy was an insufferable but lovable twit. Robinson was just plain insufferable. A twit as well. He'd met him when he returned from a requested leave. A leave that had gone about as badly as you would have expected for someone with his luck. It was best to not think about the details of that sorry soiree, he decided. For his own sanity's sake.
The first thing he had been greeted with, upon his return to the Borealis, were stories of a mute who had travelled with the Captain on his latest expedition that Hollister had every intention of travelling with again. Not so bad, right? He had actually been quite keen on meeting the young man in question. Right up until he had. Then reality came back with jarring force.
Robinson was defiant, abrasive, stubborn, prone to complaining, too inquisitive for his own good, too observant for anyone's peace of mind, and all-around difficult to handle. Robinson was a pest of the highest caliber. Robinson had caught the captain's eye more than anyone else ever had since Keen himself, and Keen was less than pleased about it. Worst of all, Robinson saw through the airs he put on to keep the crew in check and had a desire to expose him to them. He might have succeeded too if not for Ozzy. Had he mentioned how dear he held the chef? No? Well, he held him very dear. Not that Ozzy would ever have the satisfaction of knowing as much. Oz was a good man and a good friend who had gone out of his way to watch out for him and protect him during his youth, after Hollister had taken him in. The chef had had the audacity to call it babysitting just to mock him, but truth be told, he would have been lost without Oz in his younger years. Ozzy had developed something of a big-brother complex towards him back then and had treated him accordingly, always watching out for him or helping him with his problems when Hollister couldn't or was too busy to. Homework? Oz tried. Relationship advice? Not a problem. Bullies? They had better hope the Captain got to them before Oz did. Graduation? Ozzy had cancelled a date and closed the canteen early with no hesitation to be there for him right along with Hollister. Keen remembered graduation day. Some years ago now. He had gone with an old friend of his, Saran Yu. She'd been stunning that night. To feel her arm linked through his… Quickly he shook off the stray thought, chastising himself for it. The point was, when Hollister finally separated him and Robinson, it was barely in time to stop outright war. It wasn't that Ryley was a bad sort, he just wasn't the sort that Keen got along with. He dealt with enough defiance as was from another old friend of his. A young man by the name of Cameron Berkeley. He didn't need Robinson's defiance on top of that. Frankly, Keen wasn't sure anything could salvage the shreds of his and Ryley's relationship, if you could call it that, but he knew Hollister was hoping for the best and most certainly didn't want to disappoint the man. Not after everything the Captain had done for him.
Subnautica
Ryley had learned really quick that Keen was not a fan of defiance. The SO was used to people falling in line without question. The few who didn't always threw him for a loop and knocked his self-assurance down about twenty pegs. High-maintenance and Keen didn't go well together. He had no temper for that. Anyone breaking protocol caused him to get flustered and let common sense slip, because deep down inside, Keen was not a confident or secure man. It was a glaring weakness the SO needed to work on, but most no one even knew about it because Keen gave off such an authoritative aura that no one dared try him. Those who did were the ones who saw what he hid away. Ryley was one of those few. He half wondered what would happen if he just casually exposed the reality of it to the rest of the crew and knocked the Officer off his high horse.
"Ryley, this is moronic," Ozzy flatly said when he finished reading through Ryley's little proposal.
"Well someone needs to humble him a bit!" Ryley signed in annoyance.
"He's the Second Officer! He can't afford to lose that kinda credibility. I ain't gonna stop ya if this is what you're hellbent on doing, but I'm warnin' you now, you're gonna regret it. There's a reason people who know the truth about Keen keep their mouths shut. Me included." Ryley started in surprise. Ozzy smirked wryly. "It's called respect. Look, I know you two don't get along, but Keen's a good guy. Better than you think. Believe it or not, when he was younger, he was actually a lot like you! Careless, a little reckless, kinda defiant… He grew out of it as he got older and gained experience. Hollister taught him well. Point is he doesn't deserve this. Just give him a chance, will ya?"
"Why should I give him a chance when he won't even entertain the thought of giving me one?!" Ryley demanded through signing.
Ozzy sighed. "Fine. Do what you gotta do, but I'm not kiddin'. You pull this off and you'll regret it," Ozzy said.
"What's he going to do? Shoot me?" Ryley signed with a snort.
"It's not about what he's gonna do, it's about what you're gonna do," Ozzy replied. Briefly Ryley hesitated before steeling himself and firmly shaking his head. "Okay, fine, but don't say I didn't warn ya. Here he comes."
Ryley turned around with a frown and saw the Second Officer entering the room. A hush immediately fell over the crew before the chatter started back up again. This time, though, far quieter than it had been before. Ryley was mildly disgusted to see them all quelled like that. Keen approached the counter. "Ozzy, the usual if you please," Keen said.
"Sure thing, Scamp," Ozzy replied, turning to go prep it.
Keen frowned at him in annoyance then glanced over at Ryley coldly, pinning him with a condescending gaze. "Robinson," he icily said.
Ryley nodded in acknowledgement then signed: "Tell the truth. You get off on the fear you bring?"
"There is a difference between fear and respect," Keen snapped. "Not that I imagine you know anything about the latter."
"Not that you'd get any of the former if they saw the real you," Ryley signed in retaliation.
Keen fixed him with a hard, dark look. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" he asked coldly. Ryley just smirked. Keen glared at him darkly a moment longer before huffing and turning attention back to Ozzy. "Can we hurry this up Oz? I have places to be that aren't here."
"That better not be a dig at my café," Ozzy warned, frowning at him.
"It's not," Keen replied, giving Ryley a pointed look. Ozzy shrugged and finished the prep before putting it all together and letting it cook. Ryley scoffed, got up, and left in annoyance.
Subnautica
As Keen passed by a room on patrol, he heard the Captain's voice and paused to listen. "Now, now, Robinson. Keen's not so bad. I think he may be a little jealous of you though. The last time I showed this much favor to anyone, it was to him," Hollister said. Keen started and frowned. This bore closer inspection. He crept nearer to the door. "Only-child syndrome? That's a new one. I suppose Ozzy's been telling you stories?" A pause. "Suddenly daddy dearest is paying attention to someone who isn't him and you feel he's taking it out on you? Be careful, Robinson. I'm not one to tolerate any disrespect aboard this ship. I've told Keen off for it about a dozen times and I'll do the same for you… Now, now, I know Keen doesn't make it easy for you to like him, but don't take it to heart. As far as he's concerned, it isn't in his job description to make friends. His job is to command and lead. He struggles with balance in such matters. Keen started and frowned. Harrumphing, he knocked on the door of the room and peeked in. Hollister and Ryley looked over at him. "Keen, what's the matter?" Hollister asked.
"Checking up on you, Captain. We're due to arrive in port within the next few hours," Keen said, glaring harshly at Ryley who didn't even bother meeting his eyes.
"Ah yes. Sector D," Hollister grimly said. "Will you be going ashore?"
Keen was quiet. "It may be best if I don't," he quietly said.
Hollister frowned in concern. "What happened?" he asked. Keen was quiet. "Has it something to do with Yu and Berkeley?" he asked. Ryley glanced over, curiosity peaked.
"Not here, Captain," Keen coldly said, looking at Ryley.
"So then something did happen between you three. It seems Yu and Berkeley are the key perpetrators in all your major dilemmas," Hollister said.
"Friendship, it seems, is bad for my physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, but I'm stuck with them now. I have no regrets about Saran. Cameron remains to be seen," Keen said, crossing his arms.
"We'll discuss the matter in a moment," Hollister said. He looked to Ryley. "Dismissed, Robinson." Ryley saluted, stood up, and left, giving the evil eye to Keen as he went. Keen huffed and entered the room, making his way to the observation windows and leaning on the bar.
Subnautica
Hollister smiled fondly at his Second Officer. Time had passed so quickly… From the day he had found the young man, an emancipated youth on the streets of the sector they were soon docking in, to now, it seemed like a blink of an eye. Letting him stay one night had turned into letting him stay a week, then a month, then a year, then two, then three, then four, then five… It had been the closest he'd ever come to settling down, and he'd done it in a settlement he despised with a boy that wasn't his own. He'd gotten said boy through school alive, oftentimes cutting his expeditions short to accommodate the young one's educational breaks. He'd started paying into a college fund that wasn't his responsibility just because he had wanted to. He'd taken him on his expeditions, he'd mentored and trained him up to be his successor because he'd thought to himself it was about time he got himself a Second Officer, and never once had he looked back or regretted a moment of what he'd done. Nor had he ever felt pride anything like it in all his days.
More than once over the years he had expressed to Keen how much he'd wished he had been able to make it official, but of course Jonathan's birth parents hadn't bitten. Ever. No matter what he offered them. It didn't matter though, because as far as he was concerned, Keen was his in every way but blood. Maybe not in the eyes of the Trans-Gov, but in his own eyes. He couldn't have asked for anything more than that.
Jonathan had grown into a fine young man. Hollister had never doubted he would. Keen was tall, good-looking, smart as a whip… Quite frankly his pride and joy. The apple of his eye, Ozzy would tease. Keen, to no one's surprise, had always found the chef annoying but tolerable. In fact, he'd even become rather fond of the man. The nickname Scamp had fallen to the wayside as the boy had grown up, but every so often Ozzy would tease him with it again. Keen never seemed to begrudge the chef that. His SO would never admit as much out loud, but he'd become quite accustomed to the endearing term over the years. It had made Jonathan feel cared about.
"What's wrong, son?" Hollister gently asked.
Subnautica
Keen tensed up but didn't immediately answer. Hollister patiently waited as he always did. He loved the captain dearly. That he had the honor of calling such a man his father if he so wished to, meant more to him than Hollister would ever know. He shied away from doing such when they were at work, so to speak, but in private or intimate moments, he didn't hold back with terms such as 'dad' or 'father' or 'da'. The first time he had let one of those slip, he had feared Hollister would shut him down immediately. Instead, the captain had smiled an amused and fond smile. He had stammered over an apology, but Hollister had told him he would have none of that and informed him quite plainly that he was welcome to call him such as he pleased. The captain had in fact told him he would be honored by it, so he had taken him up on the offer in full.
"She slept with him," Keen said in response to Hollister's question.
There was silence. "I'm sorry, Jonathan," the Captain solemnly said.
Keen shook his head and turned around, leaning against the railing. "I don't know how to feel about it. Yu and I were never official, goodness knew I made sure of that, but…" Keen trailed off.
"I'm listening," Hollister gently said.
Keen let out a slow breath. "It's been four years since we last saw Cameron," he said. "He was studying in the Mongolian states."
"If I recall correctly, his departure was quite hard on you, wasn't it," Hollister said.
"What else do you recall?" Keen tiredly asked.
"Everything you told me," Hollister said.
Keen shook his head. "When he walked up to us on his return, we barely recognized him. As trite as it sounds, he left a boy and unfortunately came back a man. For as glad as I was to see him again, I was in equal parts resentful for it because suddenly Yu wasn't spouting the usual, 'you're like a brother to me' nonsense on him. I confronted her about the matter. It didn't end well. You told me, once, not to be jealous of a child. Well, he's no longer one. Given how I left things with Yu when I stormed off on her, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when a few days later after my head had cooled and I went to try and make amends, I found them far closer than they had any right to be. Cameron looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Yu was stunned. It wasn't as if I hadn't seen it coming, but it was painful. So very, very painful," Keen said.
"Running away isn't going to fix things between you three you know," Hollister said. Keen closed his eyes, turning away from him. "Go back, Jonathan. Make things right."
"What's right anymore?" Keen asked, shaking his head. "I don't even know what we are!"
"What do you want to be?" Hollister asked.
"How the devil should I know?" Keen demanded.
"What's makes you hesitate?" Hollister asked. Silence. "Is it Berkeley?" the Captain asked sympathetically. Keen's jaw twitched ever so slightly. "What are you afraid of?" Silence. "Hurting him? Losing her? Both?" Keen let out a shaky breath. "You can't run away from this, John."
"I know," Keen said.
Hollister nodded and gently squeezed his shoulder. "I'm here for when you need me. Always," he promised. Keen nodded. "Be careful, son. If you don't act soon, you may well lose them both." Keen winced and bowed his head.
Subnautica
Keen sat in the Atrium sipping on brandy and watching the nearing planet out the window. He heard footsteps approaching and glanced over. Oz.
"Hey, heard what happened between you and Yu. You okay?" Ozzy asked, pulling up a seat next to him.
For a moment, Keen was quiet. "I noticed the change in how she viewed him the moment I saw them together. Her hanging off his arm, him grinning brilliantly down at her with the sort of expression I wanted to smack off his face." Oz huffed a laugh. "I despised how pleased with himself he looked… I've always been the sort of man that makes other men jealous. Berkeley is the sort of man that makes men like me jealous."
"He's cute at that."
"No doubt. It annoys me immensely. Should I really be surprised, though? All I've left in my wake regarding Saran is a string of broken promises… It hurts," Keen replied.
"I mean, how do you think it felt for her?" Keen glanced warily up at him with a frown. "You realize you've told me about every relationship you've ever had, right? Including the ones you had when you and her were foolin' around playin' friends with benefits."
Keen looked down, expression bitter. "I was stupid."
"Wouldn't say stupid, just… undecided. Inexperienced," Ozzy said.
"Delusional," Keen dryly corrected.
Ozzy smirked a little, but his smile fell soon after. "You always said you knew she wanted more from you. So what? You didn't feel the same?"
"I did feel the same," Keen replied.
"So then what stopped ya?" Ozzy asked. Keen was quiet. "Berkeley?" Ozzy pried.
Keen gave him a sharp, warning look. Ozzy let it go, focusing on his own drink for a bit. Keen watched him silently a moment, then turned away. "I didn't want to hurt him. It seems he didn't have the same qualms," he at last said.
"Didn't he?" Ozzy asked. Keen closed his eyes. Ozzy watched him but didn't pry. Just shrugged and looked back out the viewing windows. "Young guys are morons. Make too many mistakes to be good for anyone's health. Least of all theirs," he said.
Keen huffed a half-laugh, but the brief smirk fell. "So, what do I do?" he asked.
"I'm only good for so much, Scamp," Ozzy replied. Keen gave him an annoyed look. Ozzy sighed. "Ya keep goin'. Things are gonna be a whole lot more complicated now than they could have been, but you guys'll figure it out. Determinators each one of ya."
"She'll sleep with him again," Keen said.
"With you both, probably," Ozzy said, shrugging. "Neither of you made the big move, so now the ball's in her court. Unless you plan on makin' it official, the three of you will be stuck as FWBs for a long time to come. At least until she gets her own head squared away. But I mean, you don't wanna hurt Berkeley, he doesn't wanna hurt you, she doesn't wanna break either of your hearts, so you're kinda in a catch twenty-two here Scamp, and there ain't an end of it in sight. There won't be until one of you puts on the big boy, or girl, pants and takes the plunge. Since you and Cameron are bound and determined to make Yu the one who pulls the pants up, seems you're gonna be waitin' a while."
"Tell me what to do," Keen said.
"If you love her, tell her and make it official," Ozzy said. "You wait much longer, suddenly she's not gonna be so certain where her heart belongs anymore."
"I'm not convinced I'm courageous enough to do that," Keen said.
"She likes the cowards it seems," Ozzy said.
"What was the name of that woman you've been pining for since college again?" Keen bit, giving him an annoyed look.
Oz frowned at him and huffed. "Guess we're both sinkin' in the same boat. To cowardice?" he asked, raising his glass.
"Humph. To cowardice," Keen dryly replied, lifting his own. Ozzy chuckled and together the two drank.
"We're docking soon you two," Hollister said from behind.
Keen and Ozzy looked back. Keen grimaced but said nothing. Hollister watched him a moment, clearly concerned, but soon left, shutting the door behind him. Ozzy turned to the SO. "You gonna be okay to do this?" the chef asked.
Keen stood up. "I'll be fine. The first person I need to see is Yu," he said.
"Good luck, Scamp," Ozzy said, punching his arm lightly.
"I'll need it," Keen dryly replied. The moment the ship was docked, he was off it and making his way to her house feeling more than a little nervous.
