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Everyone had noticed that Seven was different from the other people on Voyager - it was hard not to - but she just chalked it up to her being an xB. B’Elanna saw her differently though. She saw Seven as human, just… a different kind of human.
Working with Seven so often, she started to notice the little things about her. Like how even as time passed and she learned more about human social conventions, she still didn’t quite seem to understand. Or how she’d hum to herself as she worked, and played with her fingers while she held her hands behind her back, posture rigid.
Yes, B’Elanna saw Seven, but she wasn’t sure that Seven saw herself, not as anything other than an outcast or a Borg.
She resigned herself to making sure she was a safe space for Seven to be, making sure to be quiet while they worked - and while Seven hummed - only talking when necessary. She wasn’t sure either of them was ready to have a solid conversation about what B’Elanna had noticed.
After a while, B’Elanna noticed Seven begin to relax around her, and she began to act differently with her than she did around the rest of the crew. She noticed that over time, Seven had begun to mask the traits that made her different from the rest of the crew - except when they were together. Neither of them had talked about it, but there was an unspoken bond, a trust between the two.
One day when Seven and B’Elanna were working together, B’Elanna was surprised to hear Seven strike up a conversation, and even more surprised when she heard what Seven had to say.
“Do you… think I’m weird?” Seven said, her hands never stopping their movement. She found it easier to have conversations when there was something else for her to look at. She didn’t have to focus on reading the other person’s reaction. Even though she’d gotten to know B’Elanna well enough that it wasn’t a guessing game with her, Seven was still nervous to see her reaction to her question.
B’Elanna stopped her work to turn and look at her. “Seven.” She said, causing her to slowly turn around, returning to her usual position with her arms behind her back, nervously playing with her fingers. “Of course I don’t think you’re weird. You’re different from everyone else, but there’s nothing wrong with that.” B’Elanna frowned. “Why, has someone been getting on your case?” She felt herself tense up; it made her angry the way the crew had insisted on treating Seven differently when she was human like the rest of them. She hadn’t chosen to become Borg. She was a child.
Seven shifted nervously. “No… I have simply begun to notice how different I am from the rest of the crew.” B’Elanna tilted her head, silently urging Seven to continue. “Even with the Doctor’s lessons, I still struggle socially. I do not understand the purpose of the figures of speech the crew often use. It is hard for me to be in large groups of people for an extended period of time as it gets very noisy and often bright and I tend to become overwhelmed.” Seven paused, somewhat ashamed to admit her shortcomings. “Will I ever adjust to being human again?”
B’Elanna moved over to Seven, lifting her hand slowly and hovering it above her shoulder, waiting for a nod before placing it there and rubbing it gently. “Seven, I think you’re adjusting just fine. In fact, some people who have lived as humans their whole life have the same experiences you do.” Seven looked at B’Elanna, searching her eyes for some proof of dishonesty. “Is that true?”
“Yes of course it is! If you’ll let me, after we’re finished, we could head to my quarters and I could tell you more about it? Maybe it would help you feel a bit better?” B’Elanna offered, her eyes sparkling. She longed for the chance to help Seven, as she wasn’t sure anyone on the crew had ever done so without teasing her. “I would like that,” Seven said softly. B’Elanna smiled, taking her hand off Seven’s shoulder and letting her return to her work.
Truth be told, B’Elanna had been doing a lot of research on other humans who were like Seven. She’d wanted to see if she could find ways to help Seven feel comfortable on the ship. She’d saved up replicator rations and was excited to surprise Seven later that night.
Seven finished her shift and called B’Elanna using her comm badge to let her know she was on her way. B’Elanna replied affirmatively and began scrambling to find her notes. She asked the computer to dim the lights, just bright enough that B’elanna could still see, but dark enough that Seven would feel comfortable.
B’Elanna’s door beeped and Seven stood at the door, posture rigid and hands clasped behind her back. “Hi Seven,” B’Elanna said, suddenly feeling sheepish. “Hello, B’Elanna.” Seven replied, making her way into the room and to the chair B’Elanna pulled out for her.
B’Elanna pulled out a PADD containing the notes she’d taken to share with Seven. “Would you like me to read it for you?” B’Elanna asked, wanting to give Seven the option to process the information internally. Seven nodded, unsure of how she’d react to the things B’Elanna had to tell her; she thought it to be easier to listen to her speak as her voice would be much gentler than her own inner voice.
B’Elanna nodded, looking down at the PADD. “I’m gonna start and if you have anything to say or if you want me to stop, just tap my hand, alright?” Seven nodded again, finding words hard at the moment.
“I believe you have Autism Spectrum Disorder. It’s not curable, but there are some things that can be done to help you adjust to things a bit more. The first thing you mentioned was having trouble socially. I think I’d be able to help with that more than The Doctor can. As for figures of speech, honestly, some of them don’t make any sense to me either. But I can teach you some more common ones if you’d like?” B’Elanna paused, waiting for a response. Seven paused, staring at her hands as she thought. “That would be very generous of you. Thank you,” Seven responded. “You may continue.”
B’Elanna nodded, looking down again. “You also mentioned that you get overwhelmed when it’s very noisy and bright. I think I can talk to the captain about dimming the lights for social gatherings, kind of the same as the lighting in here. Also, have you ever worn noise-canceling headphones?” Seven shook her head, and B’Elanna smiled. “Well, I have a surprise for you,” she said excitedly as she reached under her chair and pulled out a round case closed with a zipper, placing it in front of Seven.
Seven tilted her head, raising her brow at B’Elanna. “Open it!” B’Elanna encouraged, and so Seven did. She pulled out the headphones and looked at them for a moment before B’Elanna realized she probably didn’t know how they worked. “Oh, here,” B’Elanna said, unfolding the headphones and demonstrating how to wear them before handing them back to Seven. She nervously put them over her head and noticed immediately how much quieter it was. All the little background sounds, the humming, the noises from other rooms, were all gone.
Seven smiled slightly, the tension in her shoulders dissolving. This was perfect. “Thank you, B’Elanna.” B’Elanna smiled, satisfied with the end result. “Of course! I also got you something else, but you can see that once we’re done here. Do you have trouble with other sensory input? Maybe feeling uncomfortable in your clothes or with certain foods?”
Seven nodded and began to elaborate. B’Elanna took notes on which foods brought her discomfort and made a note to tell Neelix the next morning. As they spoke, B’Elanna noticed Seven’s arm was shaking, and her hand was under the table. B’Elanna decided to hazard a glance and noticed Seven was flapping her hand. “That’s called stimming,” B’Elanna started. “You tend to do that a lot.” Seven tilted her head, “Stimming.” B’Elanna nodded. “Repetitive movements, sounds, words, or any other repetitive behaviors. When you hum to yourself or play with your hands behind your back, those are also stims. I don’t mind if you do them in front of me.” B’Elanna said gently, not wanting Seven to think she was being judged.
Seven nodded. “Thank you, B’Elanna. This has been a great help.” She paused, carefully considering her next words. “If I… needed to talk to someone about these things…” Seven trailed off, unsure of how to ask. Luckily for her, B’Elanna understood where she was going. “I’m here whenever you need me.” Seven nodded. “I appreciate that. I believe this would be when we hug?” B’Elanna smiled softly, “Do you want a hug?” Seven thought about it before stepping towards B’Elanna and awkwardly wrapping her arms around her short frame. B’Elanna returned the gesture, feeling her face flush. Seven pulled away, replying “Was that sufficient?” B’Elanna nodded, stifling a chuckle, “Yes, Seven, it was more than sufficient.” She nodded, trying to hide her satisfied smile. “Goodnight, L- B’Elanna.” Seven said before making her way back to her quarters.
B’Elanna sighed to herself. How was she meant to tell Seven she liked her?
As Seven walked into her quarters, she noticed there was a new blanket on her bed. It was divided into squares and there was a note on top of it. She picked up the note and read it.
I read online that weighted blankets can help autistic people to relax and sleep more peacefully. I hope this helps! If not then that’s alright, I just thought it would be nice to try.
— B’Elanna
Seven slid into bed under the blanket. She breathed out a sigh of relief. It felt like a hug in a way, an experience that Seven has just discovered she is very fond of. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep shortly after.
Seven woke up and took a moment to breathe with her eyes closed. Everything was so hectic when she was ranging or with Starfleet, but here, laying with Raffi, she could breathe. She decided to roll over and place her head on Raffi’s chest. It was easier to just be with Raffi by her; knowing she was safe with her brought Seven enough peace to be able to breathe. The certainty of her being next to her made Seven’s whole being relax and let out a long sigh.
Raffi woke slowly, realizing Seven’s head was on her chest. She smiled, knowing that the sound of her steady heartbeat was calming for her. “Good morning,” Seven murmured. Raffi raised a brow. “How’d you know I was awake? I didn’t think I’d moved,” she said, amazed by Seven (as she was every day they spent together).
Seven lifted her head to look at Raffi and smiled. “I heard your heart skip a beat,” she said, her face full of affection for Raffi. Raffi scratched the back of her neck sheepishly, “I guess you have that effect on me, huh?” Seven simply kissed her cheek and they laid there for a bit before beginning their day.
As Raffi made their coffee, Seven plated their breakfast. “Oh, Raff, I have a question.” Raffi hummed, and Seven continued as she put the plates out. “An old friend from Voyager reached out to me recently and I was wondering if you’d like to meet her.”
Raffi turned around and handed Seven her coffee, taking a sip of hers as Seven took a seat and did the same. “Of course! Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. What’s her name?” Seven smiled, “B’Elanna Torres.”
Raffi choked on her coffee, not expecting to hear that name. “Raffi?” Seven stood, making her way to where Raffi stood. “No no it’s just… I know her already. We met at the academy.” Seven raised her eyebrows, “Really?” Raffi nodded. “We… may have been more than friends.” Seven chuckled at this.
Now it was Raffi’s turn to be confused. “What’s funny?” Seven grinned. “I may have also been more than friends with her.” Raffi laughed, “Oh man. Small galaxy huh?” Seven shook her head as she smiled. “So I’ll tell her it’s a yes?”
B’Elanna was set to arrive today and Seven and Raffi wandered around the trailer, cleaning and rearranging things. Neither of them had seen B’Elanna in a long time, and they wanted to make a good impression.
When she arrived, it was Seven who opened the door, Raffi fiddling nervously with her hands while she sat on the couch. “Hi!” B’Elanna chirped, making her way inside and closing the door behind her before hugging Seven. “I’ve missed you,” Seven said. When they pulled apart, Raffi stood up to greet her and was met with a hug as well. “It’s been too long,” Raffi said, smiling.
B’Elanna and Raffi took a seat on the couch, Seven sat across from them. “So, I didn’t mention it before, but B’Elanna has a proposition for us.” Seven said, looking at B’Elanna to encourage her. “Oh?” Raffi said, turning to her. “Seven and I have been talking, and I wanted to ask if you would be willing to date me,” B’Elanna said, clasping her hands together in her lap to keep herself from fidgeting. Raffi looked between her and Seven. “Me?” Raffi asked. “Both of you.” B’Elanna replied.
Raffi smiled softly. The rules of their arrangement were that if one of them wanted to date someone else, they had to ask the other for permission. The issue had never come up until now, but Raffi was surprised that B’Elanna was offering to be with both of them. Raffi placed her hands on top of B’Elanna’s. “I would love that,” Raffi said with a soft smile. B’Elanna beamed, reaching out to hug Raffi. Seven just watched, smiling just as widely; she couldn’t believe how lucky she was.
Seven woke up with a start. It was getting close to a hard anniversary for her, and her body was reacting accordingly. She took note of her surroundings, trying her best to ground herself. B’Elanna and Raffi were laying on either side of her. “Seven?” B’Elanna murmured, having heard Seven wake up.
Seven turned over and opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. “What’s wrong?” B’Elanna said, trying to determine the best course of action. Seven tried again to speak, but she couldn’t. Instead, she made her hand into a fist, moving her palm towards her mouth.
“Can’t talk?” B’Elanna asked, and Seven nodded, looking away from her as her cheeks flushed. “Hey, it’s okay,” B’Elanna said. “We could go back to sleep,” she said, raising her right hand, “or we could stay up and I could try to help you feel a little better,” she raised her left hand. Seven took a moment, then pointed to her right hand.
“Okay. We can deal with it in the morning, yeah?” B’Elanna said, earning a nod from Seven. “It’s okay if you still can’t talk when you wake up. We’ll figure it out then. Would you like me to hold you?” Seven nodded again, curling in on herself and burying her face into B’Elanna’s chest as she wrapped her arms around her waist. B’Elanna held her, playing with her hair. “I’ve got you,” she murmured, slowly feeling the tension in Seven’s body melt away as she fell asleep. Once Seven was asleep, B’Elanna quickly followed suit.
Raffi woke to see B’Elanna looking in her direction. She was still holding Seven. Her position had changed so that her arms were held between her and B’Elanna, hands in fists held up as if to shield her. Raffi raised an eyebrow, silently asking what was going on. She’d been in B’Elanna’s shoes and she was worried about Seven. “She had a nightmare, I think,” B’Elanna said softly. Raffi just nodded; she knew a hard day was coming up for Seven. Thankfully, she had two partners who were quick learners and had already come up with a game plan for days like these.
Raffi got up to start to make food for them when she heard a whimper from Seven. She’d started to shake her head, whining softly. B’Elanna whispered to her, “You’re okay, I promise.” As B’Elanna continued to speak, Raffi stood where she was by the bed, frowning. “I’ve got this, go ahead,” B’Elanna whispered to Raffi before continuing to talk to Seven. Raffi nodded firmly, heading to the kitchen.
When she got to the kitchen, Raffi moved around silently preparing their breakfast. She didn’t want to disturb Seven, so she made them breakfast as quietly as she could. She was concerned for Seven, of course, but at least B’Elanna was there to comfort her for the time being. One of the many benefits of this arrangement, Raffi chuckled to herself. No matter what, they were never alone.
B’Elanna continued running her hands through Seven’s hair, whispering over and over you’re safe, I’ve got you, you’re okay. When Seven had calmed a bit she looked up at B’Elanna, her face splotchy and red from crying. “Feeling any better?” B’Elanna said, scanning over Seven’s face. Seven nodded. “Good,” B’Elanna sighed, running her hand down the back of Seven’s head and placing a soft kiss on top of it. “Does breakfast sound good?” Seven thought for a moment before signing strawberries? B’Elanna smiled. “I haven’t been down yet, but I’m sure there are plenty ready for you.” Seven smiled softly before nodding and taking B’Elanna’s hand as she got out of bed. B’Elanna let her lead as she pulled her into the kitchen.
The two sat down and Raffi placed their plates in front of them. Both plates held scrambled eggs and strawberries, Seven’s plate holding far more of the latter than the rest of theirs. Seven smiled up at Raffi softly after taking a look at her plate. “You’re welcome, my love,” Raffi said, gently kissing the top of her head.
After they’d finished eating, Raffi sat down across from Seven, B’Elanna still sat next to her. “Hey, honey. Had a hard night?” Raffi said, reaching her hands out in case playing with them would help Seven. Seven was, for the most part, sensory seeking, and the texture of her hands was something Seven found soothing. Seven nodded, reaching out for Raffi’s hands with her left and running her fingers over the callouses. B’Elanna and Raffi were well aware of the approaching date, and they thought it best for Seven to choose how to go about coping with it. “Is there anything you can think of that would be helpful?” B’Elanna said softly. After a pause, Seven pulled her hands away to sign, and her girlfriends sat up and watched. I think I just want to spend the day with you two. I don’t want to focus on it.
They both nodded. “Gotcha,” Raffi said. “Would you like us to set up a sensory space in the room?” B’Elanna said softly. When Seven nodded, she could’ve sworn B’Elanna teleported into their shared room. Seven giggled and Raffi smiled. “She’s really something else, huh?” Raffi murmured, and Seven nodded. In the best way.
Minutes later, B’Elanna poked her head out of the room’s door and waved for Raffi to bring Seven. “We’ve been summoned,” Raffi said dramatically, making her way around to Seven’s chair. Raffi held her hand out for her, and Seven held on with both hands as they made their way into the room. Raffi pulled the door shut behind them and both she and Seven were agape.
B’Elanna had set up the ceiling to display Seven’s favorite star systems. Seven squeezed her hands into fists and shook them, bouncing gently on her toes. “I wasn’t sure if I’d chosen the right one, but-” B’Elanna started before Seven waved for her to stop, dropping Raffi’s hand to sign. Perfect, Seven signed, using both hands for emphasis. Thank you, she signed multiple times until B’Elanna took her hands softly. “You’re welcome, angel,” she murmured, kissing her hands, then her forehead. “Should we lay down?” B’Elanna offered, gaining a nod from Seven as she slipped her hands out of B’Elanna’s grasp to pull her into bed. Raffi went to grab her weighted blanket and laid it on top of Seven once she’d gotten comfortable.
Seven smiled widely, waving Raffi over to lay with her and B’Elanna. Raffi wrapped her arms around Seven’s waist, pressing herself as close to her as she could manage. Seven lay with her head resting on top of B’Elanna’s chest as she played with her hair, enjoying the feeling of Seven humming happily against her.
Seven looked up at B’Elanna, her eyes sparkling. “What’s up?” B’Elanna said. It looked like Seven was about to cry. Nothing, just feel lucky. I love you. B’Elanna felt the tension leave her body as Seven turned to sign I love you to Raffi as well. “We love you too, honey, promise.” Seven curled back into B’Elanna’s chest and took a deep breath in, then out. As they all settled in, Raffi and B’Elanna thought that lucky was the perfect word to describe the three of them.