Prompt: Andy - "Dude this is your M.O. You never let yourself care, you're that guy." - 'About A Boy'
They had found shelter, an overhang of the rocks that gave them protection on three sides and a good view of the surrounding valley. It was a good place to spend the night and hopefully avoid the Cardassians long enough for the Val Jean to come back for them.
Darkness had fallen over the planet. The soft snoring from Jonas told Dalby that the man was blissfully asleep despite the situation. The silhouette near the one side of the opening was Hogan, taking the first watch. Gerron had been getting fitful bursts of sleep since they had found the place. Though he knew he should be trying to get some sleep himself before he took over the watch from Hogan, Dalby's mind wouldn't allow him that luxury. Instead, he was keenly aware of every movement and sound from the young Bajoran huddled in the back of their shelter.
A muffled cough from that direction immediately caught his attention. In the dimness of the night, Dalby moved carefully to Gerron's side. Given the near drowning experience earlier, Dalby knew there was a chance of secondary drowning occurring. He could feel Hogan's eyes on him as he reached down and pulled Gerron into a sitting position, the Bajoran still coughing. Unsure of what else he could do, Dalby rubbed Gerron's back until the coughing finally subsided.
"You okay?" Dalby asked quietly, feeling the younger man shiver under his touch.
"Yeah." The one word answer conveyed the exhaustion Gerron was feeling.
Leaning back against the wall, Dalby pulled his younger comrade back to rest against him. He hoped the more upright position would help with future coughing fits, and hoped the shared body warmth would help the shivering.
Looking toward the entrance, he saw the turn of Hogan's head as the man resumed his watch on the world outside their shoulder. Dalby couldn't help but wonder what kind of stories Hogan would be telling once they returned to the Val Jean. He knew he wasn't acting like himself. This caring nature wasn't his usual M.O. He hadn't been the guy that let himself care about others since he had held his wife's broken body in his arms.
Except somehow, somewhere, he had let Gerron get through the walls he had built around himself. The young man, who had refused to share any of his past with anyone, had somehow triggered in him a protective urge that Dalby had thought he no longer possessed. He saw himself in the anger and pain in the younger man's eyes. Understood the protective walls that Gerron had built up around him.
Though he knew their back story's could probably not be more different, he had still found a kindred spirit in the young Bajoran. Had found a younger brother to replace the family that he had lost.
Now if only he could get Gerron to accept that bond, then perhaps having his reputation as someone who cared only for himself shattered, wouldn't be so hard to take.