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They were the only two both apart and unapart. Able to be within but know that in many ways that they were outsiders. Perhaps that’s how they became friends. Who else would befriend an android who cannot read facial cues than a person who cannot see faces? What started as simple advice on how to navigate human social mores morphed into teaching Data the joy of painting, the feeling of self assurance and most importantly what it felt like to be accepted for who he would always be no matter how hard he worked towards “humanity”.
The ability to read facial cues would really come in handy at this moment because Geordi was not sure that Data fully understood what kind of situation they were in. They were at the bar discussing how Data’s inability to be frightened makes watching horror movies with him less fun when Data commented that he did not understand the human feeling of fear and that in his opinion, it is a weakness when the patron next to them overheard and started staring daggers straight into Data’s yellow eyes. Geordi had his back to the man so he could not have diffused the situation the same way he would’ve had he seen his reaction. Which meant Geordi explained why fear is necessary and Data concluded that humans are a flawed species but interesting nonetheless while the man fumed not more than a few feet away.
“Interesting? Is that what you think of us android?? That we’re interesting? We’re all just some big research project to you huh?”
As the man slurred his insults Geordi froze. Only for a moment.
“You wanna try that again, mister?” Geordi spun around on his barstool to face the man currently verbally attacking his friend.
“By your body language, it seems that you are upset with me sir. I do apologize for upsetting you. May I inquire as to what I may have done to agitate you?”
Geordi’s heart panged, of course Data would ask what he did to offend the person literally insulting him, he was so much more sincere than any human he knew. But as much as he found it endearing that by design Data overlooked other’s unkindness and dismissiveness towards himself Geordi would and could not.
“I think you owe my friend an apology.”
“I don’t owe your piece of scrap metal a damn thing.” The man slammed his glass down on the bar, standing and towering over Geordi. This did not intimidate the chief engineer who stood to meet the man’s gaze despite his smaller stature.
Sensing that the situation was escalating based on the body language of Geordi and the other patron, Data gently put his hand on Geordi’s arm.
“Geordi, I do not find it necessary for you to defend me. It is clear that this gentleman does not like my presence so I will leave.”
“Exit!” Geordi sighed and lifted his visor to rub his eyes, walking over to the control panel.
“Was my reaction not satisfactory Geordi?”
Geordi was exasperated, the entire point of them being in the holodeck and in this particular scenario was to teach Data how to defend himself in a respectful way when people insulted him and deliberately made him feel unwelcome.
“Data you were supposed to stand your ground. That guy had no right to try to make you leave a public space where everyone is welcomed. Even androids.”
“Geordi I do not see why it is necessary for me to defend myself from these “insults” as you call them. I am an android, that is not an insult it is the truth. He was a bit aggressive but I did not feel threatened by this as I am much stronger than any average human male.”
Geordi rolled his eyes, which of course could not be detected behind his V.I.S.O.R., he knew Data didn’t understand a lot of social nuances that humans had but he did not understand why Data couldn’t see how the way some people treat him is wrong.
“I know that. It’s just not polite for people to treat you that way just because you are different, that isn’t ethical or nice. You don’t deserve that…” Geordi trailed off at the last word, he knew Data wouldn’t understand, he looked around the empty holodeck trying to make out the shapes of the panels on the wall. Anything to avoid looking at Data’s blinding aura. The light Data emanated made him feel a warmth in the pit of his stomach that he only felt when he was with his droid companion.
“I do not understand why this is so important to you, Geordi. I have not been harmed in any way by the negative things others have said about me. In fact, I have noticed that it seems to help humans cope with my superior intellect.”
Geordi’s heart ached hearing those words, he longed for Data to understand why being belittled is not something anyone should have to deal with regardless of their status of being. He sometimes felt as though he longed for Data to be human more than the android did himself.
“Computer, Maldives 2 a.m.” Geordi was not sure if Data had ever been to a beach, he doubted it, and he thought it would be the perfect place to try to convey to Data just how much he was cared for.
Data looked around wide eyed in wonder, his pale yellow eyes processing the scenery faster than Geordi could even fathom. Truly there were some wonders of the universe that Data knew he could only truly appreciate if he were human. It…saddened him to ponder it. The sound of the blue, sparkling waves crashing against the shore brought Data out of his reverie.
“Geordi, I do not believe I have ever seen a sight as beautiful as this. Do you come here often? What do you think about it? How does being here make you feel?” He had added extra emphasis to the word because he was most curious of the feelings a beach could stir up in a human. Especially Geordi. Hm, he didn’ t know why he had had that thought. Shaking his head, to the best of his ability since his physical form could not boast of its flexibility, he looked to Geordi for his response.
Geordi chuckled, sometimes Data had the excitement of a young child. It was pure, sweet and one of the many reasons why Geordi fell for him in the first place. Taking his boots off to walk barefoot in the warm, soft sand and motioning for Data to do the same Geordi looked at the moonlight beaming from the ocean brilliantly adorned with phytoplankton that glowed a breathtaking cerulean to formulate a response to Data’s queries.
“Well…this is the first time I've come to this particular beach but I do come to the holodeck and go to various beaches in many different galaxies. Oceans, seas…they’re a different kind of space. So vast, full of undiscovered places and creatures! Oh Data I wish I could show you every beach in the world” Geordi clapped his hand over his mouth when he said that. He knew Data often couldn’t interpret human social cues well so he was hoping that his best friend had not noticed. But Data never missed anything.
“Why do you do that? Does that action have meaning?” Data was curious about the way humans reacted to certain things, he had thought what Geordi said was lovely but Geordi seemed embarrassed? If that was the correct emotion to describe it by, he was unsure as to why Geordi would be embarrassed.
“Data, would you like to sit down?” Without waiting for a response Geordi took a seat in the artificial sand and looked up at his friend to prompt him to do the same. Data complied. .
“Sometimes humans say things they don’t mean to say out loud. Intimate things. It can make you feel vulnerable and embarrassed.”
“Ah so my deduction that you were embarrassed earlier is correct?” Data was casually rubbing his hand into the sand, he liked the way it felt. It made him feel real. He would exist when they left the holodeck and the sand would not.
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
The conversation trailed off as the two took in the view before them: water that was an azure crystalline coupled with the white light of the moon shining off of it like a interdimensional mirror, one that could lead to other galaxies. Other galaxies where they could be together. Data was the first to break the silence.
“Geordi?”
“Yes Data.”
“I have just realized that you have not answered my questions from earlier.”
“Right! Sorry! I think about a lot of things when I visit the beach: how infinite the universe is, how I’m just one small piece of that. I think of all the things that I’ll never see that will still exist when I don’t.” ‘I think about you, too, Data,' he thought shyly to himself.
“Thank you for sharing that Geordi. I shall file that away for things to remember about you.”
This made Geordi blush, Data thought about him? He pulled himself together so that he could confirm that that’s what Data implied.
“You have a file on me? Why?”
“I find you interesting Geordi.”
“You’re interesting too, Data.”
“Yes, I have been told. I am the first and only of my kind and a technological feat not yet matched by any other being. Thank you.”
Geordi’s heart fluttered. To some the way Data responded was emotionless and braggadocious. But he knew that Data’s reply was full of humility and genuine appreciation.
“Geordi, how does the ocean make you feel?” Data was still curious, he could only speculate on how the beach made him feel but if he could attribute a feeling to what he was experiencing right now he’d probably say he felt euphoric. The scent of the ocean air, the feel of the coarse sand in between his positronic toes, the light summer breeze ruffling his normally perfectly styled hair would’ve given Data butterflies if that euphemism ever made sense to him.
Geordi looked out into the vastness of the night and tried to find the words to articulate how a night on the beach with the man on whom he had a secret, chaste crush truly made him feel...Euphoric. Geordi linked his soft, lithe pinky, lightly dusted with sand with Data’s slender lukewarm one. This seemed to surprise his closest companion.
“Geordi, this is something that humans do when they want to reestablish the bond between themselves and their loved ones. Is that not correct?”
Geordi beamed with adoration and fully linked hands with Data.
“Yes Data, that’s exactly why it’s done. Have you ever heard the idiom ‘Head over heels in love’?” Geordi tenderly squeezed Data’s hand, turning to look at him as he had, up until this moment, been looking out into the ocean admiring the twinkling phytoplankton.
“Yes. It means to feel great affection for someone, to possess grandiose feelings of amorousness, to-”
“Yes Data, you got it.” Geordi felt his face heating up, he knew Data would understand the phrase on a fundamental level but how to get him to understand that he felt that way and towards Data no less?
“Why do you ask Geordi?” Data held onto Geordi’s hand while they talked, it was strangely comforting to him.
“I..well, I feel that way about you, Data.”
“Thank you for trusting me with that information. I believe that I do too.”
Geordi’s dulcet grin took up the remaining space underneath his visor, and Data smiled in return. He reached out to touch Data’s face, stopping to wait for his permission. Data nodded and Geordi proceeded to caress his face and lean forward waiting for his crush to close the gap. Data seemed to realize what Geordi was initiating and leaned forward, making sure to close his eyes and kiss Geordi’s full lips, plush and velvety against his own. Something sparked in him, a notion…an idea of being in love. He had reviewed everything he knew about love in the seconds it took to kiss Geordi and determined through analysis of all of the memories he had stored within him that what he felt for Geordi was indeed, love.