(Untitled)

[faithful_lt]

Felix's birthday had come and gone several weeks before Hoshi had found out about it.

It doesn't surprise him one bit that Felix hadn't drawn attention to it, but he himself has no intention of waiting for it to roll around again next year.

***

"Hey," he says, poking his head up over the edge of Felix's rack. "You're off for a few hours,

Comments

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta, idly absorbed in a ratty paperback he picked up at auction some months back, looks up and smiles.

"Hey. I've still got -- " a quick check of his watch, " -- two more to go before I'm on duty, yeah." He tents the book on his stomach. "Why?"

[faithful_lt]

Hoshi smiles back.

"Can I borrow you for one of them?"

[mr_gaeta]

His smile warms. "Always," he says, and deposits his book to the side as he swings his legs over his bunk.

After a beat, realization strikes. Gaeta cocks his head.

"Wait, um -- aren't you supposed to be on shift right now?"

[faithful_lt]

"Dee's covering the swing for me," he says, blithely, and steps back to give the other man room to climb down.

There's quiet mischief in his glance, for some reason.