Something Adventuous (Part I)

Posted on Wed Sep 18th, 2024 @ 4:55pm by Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy

Mission: A Day In The Life
Location: Risa
Timeline: Shore Leave
3908 words - 7.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Murphy woke up first as the radiant Risian sunlight began pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows, drenching the ceiling in liquid gold. The windows, perched high in the resort, overlooked the soft, silvery sands of the beach and tranquil purple-tinged aquamarine waters of the resort below. The balcony door was still open from the previous night and the sheer curtains billowed into the room, playfully reaching for the bed's occupants.

The engineer gave a soft groan, looking over to the sleeping figure next to him that was still draped partially in the white hotel linens, sound asleep. He slid out of bed, slid on the pair of boxer trunks, and slipped out onto the balcony to watch the rest of the sun rise. Half-empty glasses of burgundy liquid still adorned the balcony's table, a reminder of the fun and excitement of last night.

Marcus stirred slightly as Murphy left the bed, but didn’t fully wake. The warmth of the bed and the quiet rhythm of the ocean outside lulled him back into a light sleep, his breathing slow and steady. His dark hair, tousled from the night, fell across his face, and the faintest hint of a satisfied smile played on his lips.

When Marcus finally opened his eyes, the room was bathed in golden light. For a moment, he lay still, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings before remembering where he was—and with whom. He stretched lazily, glancing toward the open balcony where Murphy stood.

With a sigh, Marcus sat up and ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the awkwardness of the morning-after. He grabbed the sheet to cover himself, though he wasn’t exactly shy. “Looks like I missed the sunrise,” he said, his voice slightly raspy from sleep. There was a playful undertone in his words, but also a touch of hesitation as he tried to gauge Murphy’ mood.

"I barely caught it myself," Murphy replied with a wary side-glance to the man who was both familiar and yet still a stranger. "Which is unusual. I'm usually up way before now." He turned to face Marcus and leaned against the stone balcony as he crossed his arms across his bare chest.

Though he'd not drank last night, the memories were still slow to come to him. They'd had a good time, obviously. Marcus was much more of an outgoing personality than his own and it had been quite evident. Marcus had gone through two entire bottles of specialty wine they'd ordered up from room service. Murph stuck to some exotic local juice drink. "Big plans for today?" he asked, not entirely sure what he was supposed to talk about.

Marcus leaned back against the headboard, propping himself up on one elbow as he studied Murphy. There was something intriguing about the engineer's quiet, guarded nature. It wasn’t the first time Marcus had been with someone who preferred to hold back a bit, but there was something deeper with Murph — something that Marcus could sense but didn’t quite understand yet.

“Big plans? Not really,” Marcus said with a shrug, the sheet slipping slightly down his chest. He stretched again, the muscles in his back and shoulders flexing as he did. “I’ve been here for a few days now, so I’ve pretty much hit all the highlights. You?”

He didn’t want to come across as too pushy, but he couldn’t help himself from adding with a smirk, “Unless you’re looking for a reason to get rid of me.” He said it lightly, but there was a small part of him that wondered if that was what Murphy was getting at.

Murphy felt disgust. Not with Marcus, but with himself. He wasn't one for one night stands and this was just painful. He turned back to the ocean.

"I'm not looking for a connection," he said, almost robotically.

Marcus’s smirk faded as he caught the shift in Murph’s tone. He could see the walls going up, the coldness creeping in, and it stung more than he wanted to admit. He sat up fully, running a hand through his hair, considering how to respond without making it worse.

"Hey, no expectations here," Marcus said quietly, trying to mask the disappointment in his voice. He stood, pulling on his pants from the night before. "Last night was... well, it was fun. But if you're not looking for anything more, that's fine."

He walked toward the balcony, giving Murphy a little space, but stopped short of stepping outside. His voice softened as he added, “You don’t have to shut down, you know. I’m not asking for anything you don’t want to give.” Marcus wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to say it, but something about Murph’s detachment pulled at him.

"Rebound," Murphy explained coolly, not looking back at him. He bit his lip, clenched his jaw and hated that he was being so cold to Marcus who, for all it seemed, was just collateral damage in his divorce with Patrick.

He let the sound of the ocean's waves far below fill the silence for a few seconds. He rationalized his behavior by admitting that any relationship was doomed. He was away all the time on Majestic. It wouldn't be sustainable anyway, so why pretend? Even for a few days.

Marcus stood there, letting the word sink in. Rebound. It wasn’t the first time he’d been in that role, but hearing it so bluntly still hit hard. He swallowed the frustration rising in his chest and leaned against the doorframe, staring at the back of Murph’s head for a moment before looking out at the horizon.

“Yeah, I get it,” Marcus finally said, his voice a little quieter now, though still calm. He wasn’t going to push. He never did, not with someone like Murphy who had clearly been through his own kind of hell. “I’ve been there. More times than I care to admit.”

He glanced at Murphy, searching for some trace of emotion behind the cold exterior, but didn’t find much. “If you want me to leave, I will,” Marcus added, a little more resigned now. “No hard feelings. But… you don’t have to be alone with all that baggage.”

His tone was gentle, but he wasn’t sure if it would make any difference.

Why did he have to keep offering? It made Murphy angry a bit that Marcus would keep trying to build a connection that wasn't being reciprocated. But the anger was directed at himself, not Marcus. He looked over at the man in the door frame and feelings rekindled from the previous night and he remembered how much fun they had had.

They'd run into each other at the pool, both single, both stand-offish but trying to be social because that's what you did on shore leave on Risa. They ended up participating in a silly pool-side contest to see who could do more pull-ups. It was a muscle show and neither of them were anywhere close to winning, but the experience bonded them enough to make plans to meet for dinner, dancing, and then... well, after dancing.

Marcus could feel the tension radiating from Murphy, and it wasn’t lost on him that this was more than just awkwardness. The engineer was wrestling with something deeper, something that had nothing to do with Marcus himself. It stung, but Marcus wasn’t one to take it personally. He knew the drill—some people just needed a reason to shut things down before they got too close.

But as he caught Murph’s glance, Marcus saw a flicker of something—maybe a memory of last night, maybe just a crack in the armor. He let out a small chuckle, remembering how they had met at the pool, both awkward in their own ways, but loosening up after the ridiculous pull-up contest. They had laughed, teased, and for a little while, all the baggage they carried had seemed to vanish in the sun-soaked evening.

“You know,” Marcus said softly, leaning against the frame a bit more comfortably now, “last night didn’t have to mean anything more than what it was. Just two guys having a little fun. But… it didn’t feel like you were completely checked out.” He paused, gauging Murph’s reaction. “Whatever it was, I’m glad it happened.”

Murphy allowed the silence to gnaw away at him again. Marcus was relentless in his own, persistent way. His rational, logical, patient approach was something that reminded him of no one else he'd ever been with.

"I was thinking about breakfast and then catching a summit hike," Murph said out of the blue as he left his spot along the railing and headed toward the man. "If you've got nothing to do, you can come if you want."

Marcus raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden invitation, but the corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile. He hadn’t expected that offer, not after the cold shoulder. “A hike, huh? I could use some fresh air,” he replied, watching as Murph moved closer.

It wasn’t exactly a grand gesture, but Marcus understood what it meant. Murphy was letting him in, if only for a little while longer. “Sure, why not? I’ve got nothing but time,” he added, his voice light, though there was a quiet acknowledgment of the shift between them.

He grabbed his shirt from the floor and slipped it on, feeling the tension in the room ease just a little. “And breakfast sounds perfect,” Marcus said with a grin. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving after last night’s... festivities.” He winked, hoping to break through some of the awkwardness with a bit of humor.

"Oh my god," Murphy groaned quietly as he opened the hotel's wardrobe and pulled out a clean set of activewear. "Please don't say that again." It was a joke, but Murph's delivery was dry as always. "This isn't who I am, by the way. I don't just sleep around. I'm old and cranky," he said as an acknowledgement that he was a good 5-10 years older than Marcus.

Marcus chuckled softly, appreciating the dry humor even if it came with a touch of self-deprecation. He pulled on his pants, shaking his head as he buttoned them. “Old and cranky, huh? Well, you wear it well,” he teased lightly, not letting the age comment bother him.

He stepped closer to where Murphy was getting dressed, his tone turning a bit more sincere. “And I get it, Murphy. Last night... it doesn’t have to define anything. We’re both just figuring things out.” He paused, eyeing Murphy for a moment, trying to read him. “Besides, you’re not as cranky as you think you are. I mean, you invited me on a hike. That’s not something an old grouch does.”

He grinned, hoping to lighten the mood again while still acknowledging that Murph was being more honest than he probably wanted to be.

"Oh, that's only because I feel sorry that I'm kicking you to the curb after this last date," Murph said, again with deadpan delivery. "So enjoy it now while you can." He paused, eyebrows knitting a bit. "You're an engineer or something, right?"

Marcus let out a soft laugh, recognizing the humor behind Murph's deadpan delivery. "Ah, I see how it is. One last pity hike before I’m tossed aside. I'll make the most of it, then." He winked, keeping the mood light, though he could tell there was still a bit of tension lingering.

When Murphy asked about his work, Marcus gave a small nod. "Not quite an engineer, but close enough. I’m a starship architect, designing the next generation of ships for Starfleet. Mostly consulting these days, though. Less hands-on, more 'tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it.'” He shrugged, glancing at Murphy. “Guess we both deal with ships, just in different ways."

Marcus's tone was casual, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit of curiosity about what had prompted the question.

"I guess so," Murphy said, not looking too displeased about that answer. "It beats being a cook."

He could see the confusion in Marcus' expression and then explained, "My ex--- he was the head chef. Had a thing against eating food out of the replicator."

Marcus raised an eyebrow, his confusion giving way to a slight smirk. "A chef, huh? That’s a new one. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who hates the replicator enough to avoid it altogether." He chuckled softly, sensing that this was a rare glimpse into Murphy’s past, even if it came with a tinge of bitterness.

"Must’ve made for some interesting meals, though. Beats replicated rations, I’ll give him that," Marcus added, trying to keep the mood light, though he could feel the weight of the mention of Murphy’s ex hanging in the air.

He didn’t push for more details. He figured if Murphy wanted to talk, he would. Instead, Marcus stepped into his shoes and glanced back at Murph. “Well, at least you upgraded to a starship architect for this final date,” he joked, flashing a playful grin. "I’d say that’s progress."

"Not as good as an engineer," Murphy said as he slipped his clothes on. "But I suppose it'll do."

Truthfully, it still stung to talk about Patrick and their failures as a couple. This was perhaps the first time Murphy had brought him up in a long time, though, so maybe that was progress of some kind.

"Are you ready yet or what?" he asked as he slipped on socks and hiking boots. "There's a gear store near the trailhead. We'll get you some proper clothes."

Marcus caught the subtle sting behind Murphy’s mention of his ex, but he chose not to linger on it. He figured the fact that Murphy had mentioned it at all meant something, even if he wasn’t quite ready to unpack it. Instead, he took the gentle jab about engineers in stride, smirking as he slipped on his shoes.

“Hey, I’ve got nothing but respect for engineers,” Marcus said, adjusting his shirt. “You guys keep the ships running. I just make ‘em pretty.”

When Murphy asked if he was ready, Marcus quickly grabbed his jacket and nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I’m ready. And ‘proper clothes,’ huh? Don’t tell me you’re one of those guys that takes hiking seriously.” He grinned as he followed Murphy toward the door, already looking forward to whatever this strange final date would bring.

"Always. Safety first," Murph said, then chuckled a bit as he stepped outside ahead of Marcus. His job was to ensure the safe passage of everyone on this ship, he would probably do that until the day he died, even if he wasn't on a starship. He waited until Marcus had caught up, the door had slid closed, and then headed toward the elevator.

Marcus followed closely, still grinning at Murph’s chuckle. It was the first time he’d heard him laugh, even if it was brief, and that felt like progress. As they walked toward the elevator, he couldn’t help but notice how natural it suddenly felt—like the awkwardness of the morning had begun to fade, replaced by an easy camaraderie.

“Safety first, huh?” Marcus teased as they waited for the elevator. “I’ll try to keep up, then. Wouldn’t want to be the reason you have to pull out your engineer’s toolkit in the middle of a hike.”

He stepped into the elevator with Murphy, glancing over at him. “So, you always this serious, or is this just the ‘first and last date’ version of you?” There was humor in his voice, but also a quiet curiosity. Marcus wasn’t sure how much of Murphy's guarded nature was just him, or how much was a product of whatever he was still carrying.

As the lift whisked them away to one of the resort's better breakfast options, Murphy considered that question with serious self appraisal. "I guess it's who I am, at least here recently."

Marcus nodded, the playful glint in his eyes softening. He could tell that Murphy's response was honest, and there was something about that vulnerability, even if it was brief, that made Marcus feel like they were finally getting somewhere beyond the surface.

"Well, I can't say I mind it," Marcus said, his tone more genuine now. "Serious or not, you’ve got a way about you that’s... steady. And that’s not something you find too often." He gave a small, understanding smile, deciding not to push any further for now.

As the lift slowed to a stop, Marcus glanced at Murphy. “Let’s just get through breakfast and this hike without any disasters. If we can manage that, I’d say it’s been a pretty successful last date.”

"Good grief," Murphy feigned another grump as he stepped out into the beautiful open-air restaurant and toward the every-attentive host stand. "Stop calling it that." He held up a hand with two fingers to indicate the number of diners and they were led off to a private table overlooking the garden.

Marcus chuckled at Murphy's feigned grumpiness, falling into step behind him as they were led to their table. "Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I’ll stop... for now."

As they reached the private table, Marcus took in the view of the lush garden below. The sunlight filtering through the greenery gave the space a relaxed, peaceful vibe, and he felt some of the tension in the air between them dissipate.

Sliding into his seat, Marcus glanced across the table at Murphy. “This place is incredible. I guess if you’re gonna be dragged out on a pity hike, you might as well fuel up in style first.” He grinned, knowing Murphy would give him grief for that, but there was a warmth between them now that hadn’t been there earlier.

There was a small menu highlighting a couple of local options and some more generic options for those less adventurous. Murph read over and considered.

"So tell me more about you," he said as he looked over at the man. It was the first time all morning that he's really studied his face, how his dimple played only one side of his face and the clef of his chin seemed almost noble.

Marcus looked up from his menu, catching Murphy’s eyes on him for the first time in a way that felt more deliberate. It was as if the question marked a subtle shift, a real invitation into a conversation that wasn’t just about awkward pleasantries. He smiled, noticing how Murphy was really taking him in for the first time.

“Well, let's see,” Marcus began, setting the menu aside for now. “I grew up on Earth, mostly in San Francisco. Got into ship design because my dad worked for Utopia Planitia. It was kind of in the blood, I guess. Spent most of my life trying to build things that would last longer than most relationships.” His tone was light, but there was a tinge of something deeper beneath it.

He paused, running a hand over his chin as if deciding how much to say. “I’ve had a few relationships—none of them stuck. Maybe because I work too much, or maybe because, well, I pick the wrong people.” He offered a half-smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “But I’m still here, designing ships, drinking too much wine, and apparently getting dragged into hikes with handsome but very serious Starfleet engineers.”

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes meeting Murphy’s again. “What about you? I mean, I get the rebound thing, but what’s the story behind the cranky engineer?”

There was a lot to unpack in that question and thankfully they were interrupted by the waiter asking for drink orders. He ordered a glass of juice from a tomato-like fruit.

Marcus took the moment to breathe as the waiter approached. He ordered a coffee, something simple to give him a boost for the day ahead, and waited until the server had left before turning his attention back to Murphy.

He could see the hesitation in Murphy’s eyes, the weight of the unspoken story. Marcus wasn’t one to pry, but he knew that sometimes, it helped to talk—even if just a little. “No rush,” he said softly, offering a small smile. “We’ve got all day.”

Marcus leaned back in his chair, letting the silence settle for a moment. He didn’t need to fill it, and something told him that Murph would speak when he was ready.

"Oh. You were serious about it," Murphy resigned, taking his cloth napkin and folding it across his lap. "I was kind of hoping you got distracted."

He sighed. "I've been married twice. One ended in death and the other in a temper tantrum, which is what happens when you marry the emotional equivalent of a man-child. I have a high-stress job, a drinking disorder, and some sentient holograms tortured and tried to kill me." He let out a deep breath. It sort of felt good to get the crazy stuff out.

Marcus blinked, processing everything Murphy had just laid out. He hadn’t expected that level of honesty, but he appreciated it. He leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the table, his eyes softened with understanding.

“Well... that’s a hell of a lot to carry,” Marcus said quietly, his tone lacking any judgment. “I’m surprised you’re still standing, honestly.”

He let the weight of Murphy’s words settle between them for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “The holograms thing—yeah, that’s crazy. But the rest of it... I get it. The stress, the drinking, trying to juggle a relationship when everything else feels like it’s on fire.” He paused, offering a small smile. “Thanks for telling me. Seriously.”

Marcus didn’t push for more details, knowing that what Murphy had shared was already more than most people would admit. Instead, he raised an eyebrow. “So, two marriages, a high-stress job, and homicidal holograms… makes me feel like I’ve been taking it easy.”

"We can't all be me," Murphy said with a smirk. "So what are you ordering?"

Marcus grinned, relieved to see some of the tension ease. “Clearly, I’m not cut out for the high-stakes life of a Starfleet engineer,” he teased, flipping the menu back open.

He scanned the options quickly and settled on something local. “I think I’ll go with whatever this is.” He pointed to a dish with a name he couldn’t pronounce but that sounded like some kind of grilled fish with tropical fruit. “Might as well live a little, right?”

Marcus glanced back up at Murphy, feeling the mood lighten again. “And you? Something adventurous or playing it safe today?”

Murphy smiled. It was a genuine, relaxed smile. The first time he'd felt genuine and relaxed in a very long time.

He nodded at the question, "Something adventurous, for sure."