The BLTS Archive- Waiting
Geron #5: PWP
by Karen (CP4Karen@aol.com)

---

Disclaimer: Paramount owns them. I imply no copyright
infringement.

c1998 Karen

---
 
Something didn't feel right.  He was warm, but lacked his
usual source of nocturnal safety and comfort.  No bicep
pressed under his cheek, no strong arm wrapped around
his waist with its hand cupped against his belly, no lean
torso pressed against his back.  The effect was a jarring
sense of loneliness.

//Oh, Tem, you've got it bad...//

Geron listened for any sounds that might hint at his mate's
location.  Water running, the tap of fingers on the terminal
padd, soft music from the day room pointing at a restless
night.  They were fewer, but they still came occasionally. 

There was no fear that Tom had left their cabin; that was
one of the older man's first concessions to their relationship. 
If the darkness made it impossible to stay, he would at the
very least wake Gerrie to say that he was leaving for a while.

Another was that Tom always discussed what had driven
him out, whether it was pure restlessness to be battled with
a workout in the gym, or the dreams sending him to the still
effective comfort of Sandrine and her advice. 

Sometimes Gerrie accompanied him.  That was Tom's
unknowing gift to his mate.  Tem was always welcome,
something that not even Harry had managed to accomplish
in their long, and thankfully re-established friendship.

Tonight was different though with the utter emptiness
that somehow still managed to fill the rooms.  Then he
heard it.

A sigh.  So soft as to be almost inaudible, but clear enough
to recognize as a bit shaky.  Obviously painful.

Worried now, Geron rolled to the edge of the bed and stood.
Grabbing both of their robes, he quietly padded into the
main room.

He allowed his eyes to adjust to the added starlight as he
scanned the room, and frowned at its seeming vacancy.

Another sigh.

Tem turned towards the sound and was surprised to see
his lover sitting against the wall in the far end of the
dining area.  The stars turned his hair and eyes black,
striking against the alabaster glow of his skin.

"Tom?"

Geron's whispered call touched the older man.  He
silently held out his arms, and then smiled as Tem
insisted on wrapping him warmly in a robe.

"I'm not cold, sweetheart, just lonely."

Geron looked up from the warm nest he was building
for himself in Tom's arms.

"Who are you lonely for?" 

"You, for one."

"You've got me.  In fact, you had me and you still left
the bed.  So who am I going to have to fight for you?" 
Gerrie grinned as he felt rather than saw his mate's blush.

Tom finished wrapping the younger man in his robe
and then hugged him tightly.

"Gods, with all the work it took to get here, you think I'm
going to risk this?" 

Tem moaned softly into the mouth that was suddenly attached
to his own.  Tom pulled back and grinned at the result of his
efforts.  Nuzzling his lover's neck, he confided:

"Actually, I was thinking about my mom, and all the shit I've
put her through over the years.  She was always trying to keep
the peace between me and my father."

"It must have been hard for her, loving both of you and not
wanting to take sides."

Tom just nodded and tightened his hold on Gerrie.

"What made you think of this, Chesei?"  He felt Tom's
smile against his cheek.

"I'm surprised that you still consider me 'your sweet one'
when I wake you up at 0300."

"I do.  Even when you evade my question."

"Not evading, just..."  With another sigh, Tom lay his
forehead against Geron's hair.  "We have a holiday on
Earth called Mother's Day.  I don't know all of the cultures
that celebrate it, but in most North American families, her
family tries to show just how much they appreciate her with
gifts and flowers and maybe taking her out for a nice meal."

Gerrie smiled.  "Sounds nice.  We have something similar
on Bajor where each village has a sort of party.  We offer
thanks to the Prophets for the wisdom and guidance that
they have bestowed on our parents, and ask that it may
continue through each generation.  Everyone brings food,
and there is music and dancing."

"That sounds nice."

"It was, even though there wasn't much in the way of food,
we at least tried to have singing and praise offerings.  The
Cardassians didn't like it much, and most of the time would
stand around laughing and making fun of our beliefs. 
I remember my mother just shaking her head, and telling us
that there was always something to be thankful for, that just
surviving another day was the greatest gift of all." 

Tem lay his head on Tom's shoulder.  "I didn't always
agree.  I remember thinking that maybe my mother and my
sister were the lucky ones.  They died fast and fairly painless.
And they weren't the ones left behind like me and my father."

"Gods, Ger, I'm so sorry.   And I'm sitting here whining because
I can't tell my mom I love her on Mother's Day."

Geron sat up and kissed Tom tenderly.  "She knows, Tom, and
mine does too.  Besides, in a way, I'm doing the same thing. 
The only real difference is that I know my mother is safe and
happy."

With a final hug, Gerrie rose to kneel and grin down at his mate.

"I think that one day soon, you'll be introducing me to your
mother, and she'll just love me.  C'mon, Chesei.  My ass is
going to sleep."

Tom laughed and allowed the smaller man to pull him to his
feet and lead him towards the bedroom.  Slipping an arm around
Tem, he nodded.

"You're right on both counts.  She will love you.  Because you're
wonderful, but mostly because I love you.  You're right about the
fact that even if I can't tell her at this moment that I love her,
she knows.  When I was little, I once told her that I loved her more
than anything.  She said that she knew and when I asked how,
she said that it was in my eyes."  Tom laughed.  "She used to say
that I had very vocal eyes."

Geron looked up into the gentle loving brightness of his lover's
gaze.

"She was right."

---

The End