Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Tyler, I would like a word with you.” Kal says curtly, making a gesture akin to ‘follow me’.

Tyler raises an eyebrow. “Huh? Oh, uh, sure.” He stands from his place in the cockpit and follows Kal out into the hallway. In his head, Tyler goes through the plausible reasons the Tank may have for taking him out for a private chat.

I know I haven’t done anything to offend him.

Once the two men are an appropriate distance away from the others, Kal stops and turns to face Tyler. There’s a look on Kal’s face that Tyler can’t quite place. Almost… embarrassment ?

Kal takes a deep breath before he speaks. “I was unsure of how to approach you on this, but I…well. You are, um, aware of the Syldrathi concept of the Pull?”

“…Yes?” Tyler’s brows furrow. “What does that have to do with anything right now?”

“I…well-“ Kal groans, frustrated. “It would seem that I am experiencing this Pull.” Kal’s fidgeting with his fingers, picking at his cuticles. Something Tyler knows he never does.

Tyler then asks a question he already knows the answer to. “With…?”

“You.”

The flush spreading across Kal’s cheeks and seeping into his pointed ears denotes his mortification. It’s endearing.

Tyler doesn’t really know how to reply. How does one respond to something like this? So, they stand in silence for several awkward moments before Kal once again speaks.

“I understand that this may be a lot to take in right now. I apologize for dumping it on you like this.” Kal heaves a breath. He’s talking faster than Tyler’s ever heard him, like he’s trying to get it all out before he loses his nerve. “It’s only that it was eating me alive. You don’t-” Kal clenches his hands into fists, “you don’t have to reciprocate, or even accept it. I just thought it best to tell you.”

Tyler, in all his articulate glory, is still so shell-shocked that all he can do is stutter. “I, uh. Give me a minute to get my thoughts together.”

Kal nods politely, sitting with his back to a wall.

Tyler does the same, sliding down the opposite wall and ending up sprawled haphazardly on the floor.

So. Not what I was expecting.

Tyler tries to remember how Kal has acted towards him in the past.

Yeah, the signs were there.

Every hidden stare, every broken eye contact, every hint of pink in Kal’s cheeks at Tyler’s friendly compliments. All of it.

Tyler can’t say that he sees this as a bad thing. Maybe he should accept it, and see where it goes.

Tyler glances over at Kal, only to end up staring. Tyler studies Kal’s face intently, memorizing his relaxed expression, his high cheekbones, his smooth skin.

Then, Kal meets Tyler’s eyes, and for the first time ever, holds eye contact.

Swallowing hard, Tyler breaks the silence. “Yeah, ok.”

“What does that mean, exactly?”

Tyler snorts. “I can’t say that I exactly see you as someone I’d spend my life with,” he starts, wincing as Kal’s face falls a little. “But, I think that maybe I could . Would it be too much if we just, I dunno, tried it out?”

Kal lights up. “You mean, courting?”

“Yeah, courting.” Tyler laughs a disbelieving laugh. When did this become his life? Deserting the Academy, chasing a stupid hive-mind across the universe, losing one of his best friends, and now this?

Kal clears his throat. “There’s only one issue.”

“What’s that?”

Kal tucks a strand of silver hair behind his ear. “I have no idea how to do this.”

“Yeah, me neither.”