Work Text:
Encke had lost count of how many times he had promised not to stare. However, he knew his navigator had caught him staring four times, which was a pretty good count, he thought.
Because that white tail, swinging in his peripheral vision, always caught his attention when he tried to focus. And then he looked up, and once again realized what had happened. Remembered the accident that Keeler had gone through, remembered radiation and genetic material. How the doctors had freaked him out, over and over again, before the other was finally released.
With all that rushing through his mind, he found himself staring at the soft white tail, and just as white cat ears, that his lover sported. It had been an adjustment, and it still was.
When he heard Keeler sigh, though, he shook his head and looked up. And the man's disappointed, tired expression, his lips a thin line, he knew he had messed up. Again.
"Baby, I'm sorry, I-"
"Don't bother, Encke. I know it looks weird, it's just natural that you look at it. So you don't have to apologize."
He could see clearly how the smile the blonde put on was fake. It didn't make the fine lines appear around his lips, nor reach his eyes. Not to mention how his tail hung straight down. The man was smoothing it over, and it hurt both of them.
But Encke knew there was no discussing the matter. Keeler was and would always be a man who stood on his own, no matter how others tried to take care of him. It was a trait that had pulled the fighter to him, actually. But then, it only made him regret his mistakes even more, and feel locked out.
Which would seriously damage their work performance as the lead team. And even more importantly, their personal relationship. Something had to be done.
-
(I hope this will work...) The fighter thought to himself, as he scratched his head, again. Wicks idea had seemed good when he shared it, and gave him the parcel, but Encke was having second thoughts.
Though, then there wasn't much time to think, as the door to his and Keeler's quarters opened. The navigator's gaze was still on his tablet, fingers sweeping over it to make a change. He didn't notice the other, before he glanced over the room quickly.
"Oh, hi, didn't you'd be he-" Then, when he saw what Encke was wearing, his words died in his throat, and he was the one staring.
The fighter stood up slowly, once again wondering if wearing the headband with black cat ears was the right choice. Either way, it was a choice he had made, and he wasn't going back on it.
He didn't have any chance to say anything, though. Because the other man quickly walked over to him, dropped the tablet on the bunk bed and hugged him close. Buried his pale face in Encke's wide chest, shoulders slowly starting to shake subtly, as he whispered.
"Thank you..." It didn't take many nanoseconds before strong arms encircled that shivering frame, holding him close. Nor before the fighter bent down to press soft kisses to white, flattened cat ears.
"Anything for you, baby, anything for you... I'm sorry I can't do more..." His own voice was rough, too, hands stroking over Keeler's back to sooth him.
"Nono, this is enough, more than enough." With that, the blonde raised his head, and smiled, even with tears in his eyes, making Encke's heart beat harder. White ears was perked, but he didn't want to think about the accident or doctors.
So instead he kisses his lover, gently, to make both of them forget. If just for as long as they could stay in their quarters, and Encke wear his own cat ears.