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Gerron turned from the counter, tray of whatever-Neelix-was-calling-food-today in hand.
The mess hall was crowded. It usually was this time of day as Alpha Shift crew members enjoyed the last of their evening leisure time. He liked working Beta Shift. It meant he could schedule his meals to avoid almost everyone else, but he was filling in on Gamma Shift for awhile, and he'd learned the hard way that if he didn't eat something before starting, he'd wind up both drowsy and ravenous a couple hours in.
He repressed a sigh. Almost every table was full.
He spotted Tal in one corner, chattering away to Billy Telfer, and headed in their direction. He liked them both well enough, but he still always felt like — what had he heard Tom Paris call it once? — a "third wheel" around the two friends.
Halfway to them, his eye landed on a nearly empty table. Lieutenant Tuvok sat alone, reading.
He'd forgotten that Tuvok's need for less sleep meant he usually worked double shifts, in command of the Gamma Shift before meeting the rest of the senior officers for Alpha Shift.
The normal crew rotation meant he didn't see Tuvok all that much, not after their enforced Starfleet training had ended, but he'd come to have some grudging respect for the officer. Better, Tuvok struck him as someone who didn't like to talk much during meals either.
Tuvok glanced up as Gerron approached the table. "Crewman."
"Lieutenant." Gerron settled himself into a chair.
A minute expression crossed Tuvok's face, and Gerron recognized it as the same one he suppressed every time someone attempted to engage him in uninvited conversation. He took a bite of food, then another. Neither spoke. After a moment, Tuvok returned to his PADD.
Eventually, Tuvok finished his soup. "Crewman."
"Lieutenant."
The Vulcan departed.
Gerron laughed a little to himself. That … hadn't been terrible.
"Crewman."
"Lieutenant."
A routine developed. They greeted each other, ate in silence, and parted. Despite the quiet, he could sense that the Vulcan had grown accustomed to his presence. And, to his surprise, he kind of liked it himself.
He had friends, of course. Tal and Billy. Dalby, he supposed. Ensign Kim and Tom Paris had even invited him to Sandrine's the other day. And he had Chakotay for advice; he suspected his former captain's duties often kept him busier than the first officer liked, but they found the time to talk when they could.
And he'd always been fine by himself too. When he joined the Maquis, he'd thought about prison and solitary — everybody'd thought about it — and it had never sounded like a burden to him.
"Crewman."
"Lieutenant."
The new duty roster came out, and there was his name, back on Beta Shift starting next week.
He found himself in front of Chakotay's office door, finger releasing the chime button.
They went through the usual pleasantries, but they both knew he hadn't come for a chat. Still, he hesitated to give voice to his request. Was it too odd? Just asking for a favor?
He remembered the first time he'd asked Chakotay a personal question: why he'd let a 19-year-old join his crew.
"Because you were scared, and you came anyway," Chakotay had said. "That's all I needed to know."
Gerron took a breath. He could do this. "I was hoping I could stay on Gamma Shift, sir. Permanently."
Chakotay was silent for a moment. "Not many people like the night shift. This isn't —"
Gerron finished the thought. "This isn't an excuse to not talk to people, sir. I've actually made a … friend."
He watched Chakotay's mouth open slightly, then close. Interest lit up his expressive eyes. But his words were all business. "We don't normally arrange duty shifts to accommodate friendships, crewman."
He flushed. "I know, sir. And I understand. It was weird of me to ask. Sorry." Gerron rose.
Chakotay stood too. "I didn't say no, Gerron."
Gerron gaped at him. "Sir?"
"You don't make personal requests. I know that. So … let me think about it."
That evening, as he and Tuvok sat quietly together, he saw Chakotay enter the mess hall. The first officer's eyes swept the room, found them. Lingered. He met Gerron's questioning gaze. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He nodded and left.
Gerron turned back to his companion.
"Lieutenant?"
Tuvok looked up patiently.
"May I ask what you're reading?"