Blip! For conjuredskies

[smartass_captain]

It's like dreaming that you're falling and then waking up. That's exactly what it feels like. But the two of them are no longer in the Nexus. There's a faint hum underfoot and the floor is hard under the thin carpeting.

"--and here we are." Jim lets go of Felix's hand and gives the other a smirk. "That location brings you directly to my quarters on the ship. Which well, is your third present. The last one is this way. Good thing you've got your new digs, yeah?" Jim heads to the door and presses a few buttons.

The door opens with a whisper. "I'm gonna show you the best view you'll ever see."

Comments

[conjuredskies]

Felix takes a moment to get his bearings, drawing a sharp breath as his senses adjust to this new realm. He sweeps an interested look around before Jim's words sink in, and then he's smirking right back. A direct route to the captain's quarters, hm? That's quite a gift.

"Very lucky." He's amused, but it's true. There's curiosity and excitement in his eyes as he follows Jim. This is brilliant already. What conjurer doesn't dream of stepping into strange new planes? Who knows what lies beyond this door? He reminds himself not to bounce on his heels, to relax. He's trying to look like he belongs in this world. Like there's nothing remarkable at all in his accompanying the captain.

"The very best? That's quite a promise to live up to."

[smartass_captain]

"I'm sure we won't stay there overlong for now, but I still want to show it to you before I forget." Jim opens the door and wow. Everything is metal and shiny and polimer and every step clinks against the hull. The humming is louder here and there's this slightly odd feeling artificial gravity gives everything that Jim is used to.

He leads the way briskly toward a tubolift--a magnetic elevator of what might as well be magic to Felix, more than likely.

"This shift, I doubt there'll be much of anyone awake at the observation deck. It's my favorite place to be." When the doors open Jim leads them to a darkish hallway that is all viewports so Felix can see the wonder that is deep space .

[conjuredskies]

Everything sounds different. Everything feels different. It's shiny enough to make the crankiest quaestor proud and there's a metallic edge in the echo of their footsteps. Felix is acting relaxed, but he can hardly keep himself from looking around admiringly. Nor from stumbling a bit when the turbolift drops - the elevators he's used to are slow, grinding or creaking things and the sense of sharp movement takes him by surprise.

It takes him a second to adjust to the view - to realize that those are windows running the length of the hall. Then his breath catches as he fully takes in the view beyond. He steps out into the dim room without taking his eyes from it, until the Void afire with glowing clouds and blazing stars fills his vision.

"I've never seen it like this," he says softly - then thinks over what he's saying, and laughs a little. "I suppose I've never seen this at all."

[smartass_captain]

"This is my favorite place on the whole ship, after the bridge, of course." Jim slips up behind Felix and wraps his arms around the other's waist.

"And this, is the best birthday present I could think of to give anyone I care about." The last bit is a mere whisper spoken to the shell of Felix's ear while Jim trails kisses down his neck.

[conjuredskies]

"I see why..." he murmurs. He relaxes into Jim's arms, tilting his head slightly toward the warmth of Jim's breath at his ear, the kisses on his skin.

No need for the captain to see the way his words make Felix smile. But there's only so much temptation the Imperial can take before he twists around, catching Jim's chin gently to give him a real kiss.

Cutting here or timeskipping to after. After is good for talking?

[smartass_captain]

"Can't....believe we haven't done this since the ball. Fffuck there are too many distractions keeping us busy." Jim talks around a groans ripped from his throat. "My room. Just hit the PINpoint again, I'm not taking any chances of someone catching me."

Jim swears to all the gods in every world that if they walked out of this room and someone wanted him for something, he would kill someone. They will do as many things as they can fit into the evening that Verity wouldn't, that is a promise.

Skipping to after is good!

[conjuredskies]

"Mmh." He's not wasting the time to smirk, but the twitch of his mouth is there. "Too important for your own good, captain."

But yes, his free hand finds the PINpoint in his pocket. He spares a glance to check the screen before activating it. There'll be no interruptions, and very little talk for a while.

[smartass_captain]

"...Lights, twenty-five percent." Jim sits up with a groan, rubbing absently at his hair, stuck up in every direction. What time is it? His throat is raw. Best kind of night. He thinks about texting verity for just a moment, his smirk evil. Decides on a polite and brief

Thank you

that he sends out. He'll find his regulation briefs and tug them on before padding across his quarters to check his station. He has to wince a moment. Yeah. not gonna be sitting comfortably for a bit. Ah well. Small price to pay. No emergencies, nothing on his messages. Not even a note from Spock. Well damn. Apparently a guy can take a night off once in a while without the ship going to hell. He has a mission briefing at the start of his shift in about four hours, but that's nothing a nap won't fix in a bit.

"You alive over there soldier or have I worn you out?"

[conjuredskies]

"...Lemme check," comes the lazy response. "Hmm-" Felix turns over very reluctantly. Who put all those lights up there? But he might as well stir- Jim's already gone and left a cold spot. Not that it's actually cold in here. Spaceships are all kinds of superior to the seagoing kind. He gets as far as propping himself on his elbows before he flops back.

"No, can't move. Too peaceful." Why deal with complaining muscles yet? It's warm and comfortable and there's a faint lulling hum around him. He's barely conscious of the very satisfied look on his face.

[smartass_captain]

"On that thing? Christ, they must have you sleeping on bags of rocks in Skyrim." Seeing as he doesn't have a pile of work waiting for him--for once-- Jim returns to his bed and flops down on his stomach.

"So, space living up to your expectations?" That look is doing funny things to Jim's stomach, making it dip and squirm. It's probably nothing.

[conjuredskies]

"Nothing but rocks. The horses keep getting the straw," he points out. Jim's back, which is plenty of reason to open his eyes properly and muster the energy to roll onto his side.

"I admit it, I underestimated the views. Not to mention the hospitality." And Jim is so much more at ease this time, relaxed and smiling and Felix wishes he could just pull him closer right now. Wishes a part of him wasn't wondering how long this will last.

Silly question. He has this moment.

[smartass_captain]

"Yeah, you need to text me before you just pop in here. I really don't want to hafta explain to Bones why some dude blipped into existence in my quarters while he's checking in on me." Jim rolls his eyes and shuffles closer when Felix turns over. "I'll show you how if you need me to."

"I'll take you there as often as I can. Often as you want." Until Felix gets tired of him. The thought makes his chest squeeze uncomfortably. Not that Jim expected this to last. He has to stay awake until Felix leaves. His nightmares have been getting worse again, with the end of the year approaching. That's not something he can let the other see. Not if he ever wants there to be a next time.

[conjuredskies]

"Well, I wouldn't want to give your crew fits." If Jim's going to move closer, Felix is going to slide an arm over his shoulders. "I could probably work out how to send the little messages, but how will I steal your attention if I admit things like that?"

"I'll hold you to your word, captain." At least for the moment, next time is in no jeopardy whatsoever. Felix is smiling back at him with genuine delight. "And being serious- I've seen some strange and awful things, but that was something special."

[smartass_captain]

"Pfft, like you can't get my attention in any other number of ways." Jim rolls his eyes and laughs. All the man has to do is show up and he has Jim's attention. It's pathetic how happy he gets over the smallest things, where Felix is concerned.

Happy.

Sure, Felix is damn good in bed, and Jim gets that way too, but happy was the first word that came to mind. The seed of worry starts slow, creeping into the back of his mind. Asking quietly what he'll do if Felix doesn't come back. If Felix finds someone else--someone who doesn't fail spectacularly at every relationship he touches.

And for now, Jim bats it aside with a carefree smile and a tilt of his head. Happy to enjoy the moment. But the thought is there, waiting to fester when Jim is tired and alone.

[conjuredskies]

For all the downsides, things are much simpler to Felix. He knows falling in love with Jim would be a mistake (though not as much as admitting to it). He’s a space captain, after all, a born officer and a hero. And Felix is, what – an unimpressive legionnaire? An apprentice battlemage? Some foreign officer’s second son? No, eventually the captain will either get bored or get serious. Felix hardly expects otherwise, even if… even if sometimes Jim does things that make him wonder. Like going out of the way to mark his birthday, or to make sure they can stay in contact…

It’s going to hurt when it ends. He admits that to himself. But until then, his pleasure in Jim’s company is entirely uncomplicated.

“The other ways are more fun. And we’ve already proven my new clothes are easier to get out of…”

[smartass_captain]

"I wasn't just talking about that, god you're worse than I am." Felix really isn't. But Jim's grabbing the pillow andsmushing it against Felix's face. "Though I do love it when you talk dirty to me. Don't get me wrong."

He's laughing and half laying on Felix now, half-assed trying to smother the other with his pillow.

"Your normal clothes are fine, Felix. But yeah, you could pass for someone in my world with the stuff Ver gave you. I could take you anywhere in that outfit."

[conjuredskies]

Felix rolls onto his back, trying to fend him off with an arm shaking with his laughter. If he can get the pillow away, Jim's getting bapped on the head with it.

"I'd like to see more. Of course, now I have a PINpoint I can show you my world just as easily..."

[smartass_captain]

Whump Jim sputters as he is shut up mid word by a pillow to the face. He rolls to the side off of Felix and moves to defend himself against any more return fire.

It's only when all seems safe that Jim dares to pull his arms off of his head and peer over his shoulder at Felix again.

"Don't I need a disguise, then?"

[conjuredskies]

Felix rolls over in pursuit, but he only baps Jim a couple more times before declaring victory. He props the pillow between them for now. Come get it if you dare.

"A tunic isn't hard to get hold of... but you'll need some kind of armor. Fur, perhaps, or leather if we can get the fit at all decent."

[smartass_captain]

"I've worn less." God bless you, Hawkskirt. "We should go shopping some time. Get me all suited up to go to Skyrim."

Jim snorts.

"Your brother would have ten kinds of fits if he saw me in your world's clothes." And not the good kind. JIm secretly hopes he looks half as good in Felix's clothes as the other looks in his.

[conjuredskies]

"Well, you can pull it off." He chuckles, thinking of the half-naked bandits in Skyrim. If Jim misses the Hawkskirt, they could give it a run for its money. "I know an armorer or two in the Nexus. The style might look odd but it'll suffice if I can't get us to Solitude."

Honestly, Felix is just as keen to see how he'll look. From the way he props himself up on one elbow to consider Jim, he's imagining it right now. "Stratos isn't so hard to get around," he says absently. "And if you ask me, he hasn't room to complain. Not as long as we- er, keep our heads down."

Using the word careful seems like tempting fate where Jim's concerned.

[smartass_captain]

"Well, hell. We've got about four..? Hours to kill? Before I have to go to work. Want to go see what they've got? Otherwise I'm probably going to try and catch a nap before my shift."

Jim shrugs either way. He's done double shifts on less sleep than this before, he's not too worried about it. Sleep is one of those things other people do. Jim has things to do.

[conjuredskies]

Felix blinks at him - that was the last thing he expected, and it shows. But then he's thoughtful again. He doesn't want to deprive Jim of sleep, but he hardly wants to object. Besides, it offers a less awkward way to part.

"I suppose it is the best time. Why not take a look? But no waiting around for a proper fitting. That takes at least an hour the first time, and even you must need some sleep."

[smartass_captain]

"Eh, I slept enough after we were done." Jim knows it can't have been more than an hour, but sleep is sleep. Rest is rest. This is more interesting. "Besides, you never know, might have something that's just right. The Nexus is a strange and wonderful place that way."

Jim's already rolling off the bed and heading to the washroom he shares with Spock to take care of some hygiene needs (and to fix his hair) before he hurries to get dressed.

"Alright, I'm good to go." Does Jim do everything this spontaneously? Is Felix even surprised anymore? Also, hell. He can get ready fast when he wants to. He spent like an hour fixing his hair the other day for meeting Felix.

[conjuredskies]

Felix is getting the hang of this, so once Jim starts moving he shoves himself up as well. He'll check out that washroom given the chance, (the Earth fondness for proper bathing whenever possible is one place their cultures quite agree). But he'll have plenty of time to wash once they're done, so he's more focused on dressing quickly. By now even the odd buttons and fasteners aren't slowing him down.

He finds the PINpoint setting for the Nexus and lifts it to show Jim, offering his other hand. "Then we're all set. Let's go."

Once back in the forum, it's a short walk into the commercial district. Felix knows the way well, and he's just a little keen to see how Jim looks in armor, so he's setting a quick pace. "Scale and Plate is the place to start. It's not so different from the forges in Tamriel."

[smartass_captain]

"What kind of scales? I've seen a lizard guy walk around in full plate before. It's not like his cousin or something i'm gonna be wearing around, is it? That would just get awkward for everyone." They're back out on the streets and the crisp winter air makes Jim shiver just slightly but the movement is helping greatly.

Plus, it's always warmer in the commercial district, between the glassmiths and forges, to the little outdoor heaters outside the cafes. Jim keeps pace with Felix, already nearly bouncing with energy when the locale Felix mentioned comes into view.

"Alright! Okay, we totally have to take a photo in our swapped outfits when we're done, too. Verity will think this is hilarious."

[conjuredskies]

"What? Oh, no." Nice work, Jim - Felix actually sounded a little shocked there. But then Shade-Seeker's kind of a big deal where he's from. "Although maybe Argonians gave us the idea. Scale armor is like plate, except instead of big interlocking plates, they're small and overlapping. It's made to be lighter and more flexible. And light is the way you'll want to go."

The cold outdoors is reminding Felix there's such a thing as too light, but he knows it'll be hot around the forge. The one ahead has wide doors standing open to the street and the forge area itself, where a wiry figure is hard at work. Felix is heading in toward the counter and the stocky woman working over the accounts book.

"Oh, good idea." And Verity won't share the pictures with anyone they wouldn't. "After she dressed me so well, I feel I've a lot to prove."

[smartass_captain]

"Good thing I can make anything look good. Shouldn't be difficult." Good luck convincing this vain bastard to wear any kind of helmet, Felix. He shouldn't need one just for walking about though, right? What could possibly go wrong?

Jim leaves Felix to do the haggling--he's more interested in looking around and taking in the new sights. Forges may be old hat in Skyrim, but Jim has never seen one of these in person before.

He wonders vaguely if Felix would be this impressed with replicators on his ship. Well, until he tried their food, probably.

[conjuredskies]

"Put it that way and I seem to have an unfair advantage." Is Felix going to have to get Clint to give you the arrow talk, Jim? Sure, Felix lost his last helmet and never bothered replacing it, but he's a mage. The hood's traditional.

The forge smells, naturally enough, of ash and leather and hot metal. There's plenty to look around at, from the spare set of calipers behind the desk to the racks and shelves of armor in everything from rough hide to intricate, glistening mithril mail and polished steel plate. Felix seems to know what they want: he immediately asks after their light armor, nothing elven or similarly fancy, preferably good reinforced leather.

The woman at the desk clicks her tongue and tugs back the scarf tied over her hair before she comes around and starts pulling out examples onto a table- sure, they've got leather gear. Some of it's more sleek and flexible, some more heavily layered and studded with steel. There's light scale-mail, too, and a few styles of winter-oriented armor made of furs and hardened hide. Some of it... well, you're probably meant to wear a shirt underneath.

To Felix it looks like the smith's drawing styles from a few worlds, and he zeroes in on something close to Skyrim leather gear. "Ah, this is more like our style. I mean, you can try anything, it's just I know scales are a nightmare to clean and we need something that'll blend in."

Is he having fun? Just a bit. He's enjoying the chance to use his experience to advantage, and if anyone's going to see to it Jim's properly armored... he's rather glad it's him.

[smartass_captain]

You will have to, Felix. Jim doesn't seem to care about the 'armored' part of this at all as much as fitting in. For someone who gets into life threatening situations as often as he does, you'd think Jim would be less flippant about this kind of thing.

"Whatever will help me blend in the most. And if Skyrim is colder than hell, ideally something warm." Jim's paying attention to the different armors and styles presented. This is very much not his area of expertise, however, and he's mostly just trying to imagine what he'd look like in each of them.

"You pick and I'll try it on. That's the agreement here." Now if Felix asked him to try on a bunch of things to take advantage of that agreement? Jim wouldn't complain. He left it open ended for a reason.

[conjuredskies]

It's a little hard for Felix to fathom that, especially given that Jim's nose for adventure is half the reason he's so set on armor.

"Hmm." Those terms aren't lost on him. Felix gives him a thoughtful look, then sets the leather aside and picks out a couple of the fur sets. "I suppose you haven't worn armor before. Here, start with these. We'll have to to try out as much as we can and see how it suits you. You'll want to loosen your shirt - or just take it off for now."

It's only the cuirass that really presents any challenge here. But yes, Jim, that is going to include some kind of armored skirt. You can wear breeches underneath if you like, but nobody wears greaves out in Skyrim.

Sorry!! I fell asleep as soon as I got home form work D:

[smartass_captain]

Just because Jim has a nose for adventure doesn't mean he's that great at planning ahead off the clock. He's more of a make it up as he goes kind of guy, most of the time. His whimsy is just one of his charms, right? Some would argue its one of his flaws though. It can be both.

"You're the expert." But Jim's grinning. Someone enjoys being the center of attention, especially Felix's. Someone also has absolutely no problem pulling their shirt off at a moment's notice. Those extra reps of crunches aren't doing a thing for your lack of a chiseled six pack no matter how hard you try, Jim. You just aren't ever going to be as buff as Clint.

Now, normally Jim wouldn't have a problem with the whole underwear optional thing. But all he knows about Skyrim is that it's cold and there's magic. Damn right he's keeping his briefs on. As long as he can figure out the clothing he's been given however, he's fine on changing into an ashen blue/grey set of fur armor before trotting back out all smiles.

No worries! Hope you got a good rest! :)

[conjuredskies]

Felix enjoys that kind of unpredictability. He just likes to face the unknown well-equipped, and hopefully that inclination will serve them both well.

He busies himself picking out a sampling of armor worth the time to try. For all he''s going to enjoy this, he still intends to do it right. He and the shopkeeper are comparing a couple varieties of scale made from bone when Jim re-emerges. His face lights up in an instant. The shirt in his hand is dropped back while he comes over to take a better look.

"Now this was worth getting out of bed." He circles Jim for a minute inspecting the fit with careful fingers, tightening certain laces and adjusting how the furs sit. The fur's a good color too, to match those blue eyes. "How does it feel?"

[smartass_captain]

"Warm, yet breezy." Jim lifts his arms to give Felix access to the various laces as he wishes. "Why the hell doesn't anyone wear pants in magic Nord country? Is frostbite just not a thing out there?"

Magic Jim. There are potions for that. He'll learn eventually.

"Gotta have a disguise." Jim agrees. "How do I look?"

[conjuredskies]

"Oh, the Nords are all halfway immune to the cold. The rest of us brew a lot of snowberry potions and tell them we don't need to act tough." Felix grins for a moment before he stands back and looks Jim over.

"The color suits you well. Honestly, you almost look too good for that armor. But that's nothing we couldn't fix..."

[smartass_captain]

"Seems legit." Jim rubs at the back of his neck and laughs slightly. Magic, he should have known. "I gotta say, it's really not that bad." Feels a little weird, to be sure, but it wouldn't have been the first or the last undercover gear he'd wear on a strange planet.

This one has the added benefit of hopefully also being used to continue seducing the Imperial he's falling for.

"You find something I don't look good in, and I'll be impressed." Jim claps Felix on the arm and gives him a wink. "What's next? Or do you want me to keep this one?"

[conjuredskies]

Not all the non-Nords can afford to chug those handy potions, it's true. The others just guzzle mead get used to it or just wear regular pants. Legionary uniform allows minimal leeway there.

"Of course not. I believe I just heard a challenge." Why would you do that, Jim? He's already picking up a set combining short fur sleeves with sections of hardened leather for the torso and skirt. It's not hideous, but it does look rather graceless.

"I'm glad you're comfortable in it, though. Nothing catches attention like a man who's uneasy in his own clothes."

[smartass_captain]

Is it shockingly Violet? Does Jim have to wear a thong to keep from exposing himself? No? Then it probably isn't going to look that bad. It doesn't escape Jim's notice, however, that this particular set was made for someone with shorter legs than he has, because the hardened leather skirt is a bit shorter than the last one.

Felix wants to play dirty does he? Jim can play dirty. It takes a little rummaging and careful concealing in his pile of clothes, but after a moment Jim makes a sort of frustrated noise before--"Felix? I need a hand. Are you trying to armor me up or put me in chains?"

[conjuredskies]

A conversation on undershirt options is cut short as Felix blinks in his direction. "It can't be that hard, surely. I mean, it's not as if it's full plate..."

But just in case, he's coming over to duck behind the curtain without seriously questioning what the matter could be.

Sorry not sorry

[smartass_captain]

Jim's bent over reaching around to try and fetch a lace that seems to be threaded a bit too short to reach. It's shifting the clothes upward enough for Felix to see bruises--the evidence of their revelry the night before, and to realize that Jim has apparently shucked his briefs in an attempt to be more 'authentically' dressed.

"I swear all this thing does is cling and ride up, Felix." Jim huffs in mock frustration. Jim said he'd try on the cloths. He didn't say he'd behave.

what is sorry even

[conjuredskies]

Aaaaall right that is not the view he was expecting even if it's entirely welcome and- and just breathe out, Felix. He makes a odd litle sound in his throat, then slides further in to the dressing cubicle with a cough and a squeaky "Ah."

For lack of immediate words, he steps in to get the offending lace and try to adjust the leather plates down again. Not that it's going to be enough. He can try to get his mouth working again though. "Um. Yes. I see what you mean. It's... a very poor fit."

Although if Jim's helping it along, he won't have a hope of realizing that until some point after his brain restarts.

[smartass_captain]

"You picked this on purpose. " He sounds vaguely accusing, but he's having a hard time not laughing at the face Felix is making. And in fact after a few moments Jim is beside himself laughing.

"Sorry, sorry. That wasn't fair. I legitimately can't get this damn thing on right, but I did shuck the underwear as revenge for the contortions you put me in to get this."

[conjuredskies]

"Yes, but I didn't think it was this..." He admits it without thinking, still trying to figure out what the problems are before Jim breaks down laughing.

"...Oh." He lets out a sharp exhalation, starting to grin sheepishly at his own alarm now. He must have looked like such a fool for a minute. "Stendarr, where's a pillow when you need it? I thought I'd have to tell you we still have underwear in Skyrim."

[smartass_captain]

"Pretty sure I knew that based on prior evidence." Jim replies with a grin. He laughs again and straightens up, although it's clear that the armor really doesn't fit him all that well.

"Help me wriggle out of this will you? I'll get dressed and we can find something else that actually fits." He shakes his head.

[conjuredskies]

"If you must." Felix seems to have quite recovered from the teasing.

Jim's about to get a taste of why squires and attendants are so necessary to a knight: even with ill-fitting light armor an extra pair of hands makes it far easier to shed.

"Hmm, we can get your rough measurements right and then test how much weight is comfortable." He's bearing in mind that the weight of something when you're standing in the armory is rarely the same as its weight after a few hours on a mountain path (which is in turn different after a couple of weeks).

[smartass_captain]

"You're taking this pretty seriously for a disguise." Jim pokes, grinning as he pulls his clothes back on quickly. He's done playing around. "It's kinda cute how dedicated you are."

The captain chuckles once more before his head emerges from his shirt, skewing his hair a bit.

"The furs weren't bad, but yeah, whatever works. I'm gonna have to get some underclothes too, this stuff chafes like a bastard."

[conjuredskies]

"Unless space captains are arrow-proof, it still has to protect you," he points out. His tone is light, but he's not kidding. If he knew they were just going to hang around in the better sort of town it would be different.

"If you get the fit right, the chafing eases after a while. But yes, you'll need a new undershirt, at the very least. Good socks, as well."

He'll duck out ahead of the captain to go searching the selection of leathers. Lest the shopkeeper have time to start giving him meaningful looks, he rattles off a series of remarks on the fit of the last cuirass, enlisting her expertise to help him find something better.