The Space Between Us
Posted on Wed May 28th, 2025 @ 4:47am by Lieutenant Narin Valen & Ensign Millicent Ambrose
Edited on on Fri May 30th, 2025 @ 7:28am
2,574 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: The Quarters of Narin Valen - Deck 3 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD008 1000hrs
Millie went to her quarters to get some sleep after talking with Emiko. She was tired, and fully intended on going to sleep. For an hour she laid there, her eyes closed, doing meditative breathing, hoping to relax enough to get to sleep. Instead her eyes popped open feeling wide awake. She scoffed, trying to beat her pillow into submission to make it more comfortable. Laying down upon her right side Millie closed her eyes once more to try to sleep. That didn't work out at all. Her mind went back to the conversation she had with Astrid. And Narin's name popping up, that made her more wide awake.
She thought about the tea he gave to her to help her sleep, maybe that will help out. Her bare feet softly padded towards where she had the teas upon the shelf. Reaching out to pick up the tea that Narin had given to her, Millie stared at it for a moment and set it back down. She was going to visit him instead. Looking at the time it was almost 1000. Quickly getting dressed in her civvies, short sleeved blue tee shirt, black pants, black slip on shoes Millie went to Narin's quarters pressing the chime. Her lips felt dry, feeling a bit nervous at doing this, licking her lips to moisten them. She could feel her heart starting to beat rather quickly.
Narin was midway through getting dressed after taking a shower when the door chime echoed through his quarters. He paused, having just pulled on a pair of comfortable pants that hung loosely at his hips. Glancing toward the living area, he grabbed a dark shirt and stepped out to greet whoever was at his door. “Come in.” He called.
The door slid open just as he was tugging the shirt over his head. For a brief moment, he stood there bare-chested, skin still damp from the shower, before pulling the fabric down.
“Hi..." He said. “Come in..." There was a hint of confusion in his voice. He hadn't been expecting her.
Millie's heart rate ratcheted up, she hadn't expected to see this amount of Narin, even though it was just a brief glimpse of his nicely toned torso, of which she appreciated, making sure she didn't stare. Steady girl, just step in further. her feet following her thoughts.
"I er-came to check on you." Millie's cheeks warming up to a nice shade of pink. "Are you doing okay?" moving up towards him to where she was just a mere two feet from Narin. She had to tilt her head slightly back to look up into his eyes. "Have you been able to get any sleep?"
Narin noticed the faint color in her cheeks and the slight hesitation in her voice, and something about it softened the tension in his shoulders. Her presence was unexpected, but not unwelcome. "Sleep's been a hit or miss." He admitted. "Mostly miss, lately." He let out a quiet breath, the kind that carried more weight than he wanted to show. "What about you?" He asked.
"Off and on. Sleep has been troubled, I was about to make myself some of the tea you had given to me, when I realized I'd not seen you in awhile. Not after we had a meal together on Empok Nor." she broke her eye contact with Narin, and spied the couch near by, "So... may I take a seat on your couch? Would make thing easier to talk to each other." Millie giving a chuckle, making her way to the sofa where she took a set.
Narin thought back to their time on Empok Nor and gave a small nod. They really hadn’t seen much of each other since then not because he was avoiding her, but because he’d been wrapped up in chasing down the mysteries surrounding the Silence. It had consumed more of his time and focus than he liked to admit.
As Millie made her way to the couch, he watched her for a moment before asking, “Has the tea helped at all with sleep?” Once she sat, he followed, taking a seat about two feet away from her. He turned slightly so they could speak face to face.
"It has helped a little bit." warm smile appearing, Millie not stammering like she had been when they first met. Millie making eye contact with him once more. There was a difference in her gaze. One that seemed to have more confidence, unlike how she was earlier, trying to avoid making eye contact.
"Happy to hear that." Narin said studying her. She seemed different. More composed and present as compared to the first time they met, and even from their last conversations on the station. Something had shifted. Had something happened? He wondered but didn't ask, not yet. Instead, he remained quiet. His gaze meeting her's letting her steer the conversation. There was something more behind her visit, he could feel it.
How was she going to approach the subject, that had been whirling in her mind, after that shopping trip with Vura and Astrid. Millie mulled over that for a moment or two as she studied Narin's features. Something that she hadn't truly done before, except for the briefest look when they went out to eat. Now she was really looking. She saw the kindness of him, the shape of his face, once again the weariness in his eyes.
Taking in a breath, Millie said softly, "A lot has changed since we've last seen each other, in a short amount of time. I decided to bust down the door of the self-imposed prison, I had put myself in. I was frightened to allow others to get to know me, I was afraid of getting hurt, afraid of making friends, to make new connections. I even went as far as asking Vura and Astrid if they would help me update my wardrobe, I didn't want to dress in drab and dark clothing anymore. During that shopping trip, as I was getting the selections that Vura had chosen for me and try them out. Vura let something slip out in a question. She was wondering if I was dressing up for someone, like for Connor or--you. That caught me off guard when that came up. There seemed to be the general idea that--" Millie's face started heating up when she finished "That you like me."
Narin listened quietly, never once breaking eye contact. He didn’t interrupt, didn’t shift in his seat. He just sat there with the weight of her words, recognizing the courage it took for her to share them. He had suspected there was more beneath the surface with Millie, that she kept others at arm’s length. And now, hearing her speak it aloud, confirming what he’d only guessed.
“Thank you for sharing that with me.” He said sincerely. “I know that couldn’t have been easy. Just coming here, saying what you did. It takes guts.”
“As for how I feel about you… it’s not simple. I enjoy being around you, and I’ve appreciated the time we’ve spent together. But the truth is… I don’t really know you yet...not in the way that kind of relationship would need.”
He paused, choosing his next words carefully. “I wasn’t kind to you because I expected something. I was kind because that’s just who I am. And I do value this the friendship we've started to build." He paused again for a moment before continuing. "I think that’s important. It matters. And it’s not something I want to rush past or take for granted."
Truth be told, he did find her physically attractive but at this point, that’s all it was: a surface-level pull. The Millie he’d known before was guarded, hesitant… and now, she felt like someone new, someone still unfolding. It wouldn’t be fair to her or to himself to pursue anything more right now.
Millie just beamed at hearing his words. "Narin, I've never thought the reason why you were kind to me, was because you wanted something from me on a short term basis. I see your genuine nature, your true warmth." She searched for the right words to convey her thoughts.
"There are different levels of liking someone and that is something I believe in. I do like you, as you are--someone that I feel I can open up to." Millie closed her eyes for a moment, to gather her thoughts. "Vura, you, Connor have been helping me gain my confidence as well as others who I have come in contact with."
Millie opened her eyes, there was a light shimmering of tears there.
"I don't know if you believe in fortune cookies and the fortunes that could be read in tea leaves. I feel though that in some aspect, you giving me the Telaran Bloom Tea may have been a--unknown foretelling of the future. A possible future of me getting ready to blossom, to become who I used to be or into a better version of myself."
Narin sat quietly again, listening without interruption. Letting her speak, recognizing how important this was to her. He nodded occasionally, acknowledging her words, letting her know she was here. When she finished, he smiled. "If you are asking whether I'll keep being your friend and be there for you, the answer is absolutely yes. No hesitation."
He adjusted his position slightly, easing back into the couch. A thoughtful look crossing his face. Maybe he misread things earlier but he was grateful they could talk openly and get on the same page.
"You know, the universe does work in mysterious ways." He said with a smile. "Maybe it knew you were ready to start looking...even before you did."
"Maybe so" Millie chuckled. "I like how you were honest with me with your view point early on in our conversation. Having things open and honest between us, is something to be valued." Millie's mind went to what she had with her friends back in the day of academy and before.
Being with her friends both male and female, their friendships being close enough to where well even though they weren't in a romantic relationship with the males, they at times would just watch movies with some contact with each other. Now that she thought about it, was that even fair to them? She had asked that question and they assured her that it was okay.
"So I wanted to give you an invite on something. If you ever have the need for an embrace, I am quite willing to give you one as long as I get one in return. And if you have the need to hold a hand, just to make contact--" Millie stopped as she was feeling like what she was saying was coming out awkwardly.
“Honesty is important.” Narin said.. It felt even more essential now, with everything they were both carrying in the quiet corners of their minds. For a brief moment, his thoughts flickered to The Silence, but he pushed it aside, anchoring himself in the moment. “I’ll always be honest with you.” He added.
There was a quiet understanding....something solid beneath the words. Friendship, real and mutual, was what they were choosing to build. And her offer, simple as it was, felt grounding in a way he hadn’t expected. He turned fully toward her extending his hand, pinky outstretched. “You’ve got a deal.” He said, inviting her into a gesture that felt both playful and meaningful.
Millie chuckled warmly as she moved closer to Narin linking her pinky with his, she then closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace. "Thank you." her voice muffled slightly.
Narin surprised by the sudden closeness, but not in a bad way, he returned the embrace. "You don't have to thank me. That's what friends are for."
Millie smiled though at the moment she felt like she had just friendzoned Narin or she was friendzone, it didn't matter. It wasn't her intention, though for now probably best to have things tha way as they got to know each other. There was an attraction there, but that needed to be set aside. After a few long moments, Millie removed her arms from around Narin. "I probably should get going, Though I am going to ask this, do you want to continue down this road of getting to know each other, or you can just run from me as I might be troublesome." giving him a teasing smile.
Narin leaned back slightly as she pulled away. His expression shifting into something that looked serious. "Well." He said. "You might be too much trouble."
He let the words hang there for just a beat too long before smiling at her. "But lucky for you, I've got a high tolerance for trouble. Let's be friends." He stood up slowly, offering her a hand. "Besides, if I ran now, you'd probably track me down with some tea."
Might be too much trouble? I left myself too open for that. a slight shadow passing over her eyes. Millie looked at Narin's hand for a moment, then rose up, taking his hand, hesitantly. "You know something Narin, maybe I would do such, or I wouldn't. Guess it all depends on my capricious nature." giving a half smile. "Thank you for the talk, and perhaps we can chat more and get to know each other, such as our likes and dislikes. Sound good?" her half smile becoming a full one as she met his eyes.
Narin didn’t respond right away. Instead, he pulled her into a quiet hug. He held on just a little longer than he probably should have, but he didn’t rush it. For the first time in what felt like days, the noise in his head quieted. When he finally let go, he looked at her with a small and nodded. “Yeah." He said. “I’d like that.”
Millie's arms went about Narin, when he pulled her into an embrace, staying there not saying a word. She just let the moment linger. When he let go, she did as well having a warm feeling well up inside. With a smile at his answer, Millie turned to leave Narin's quarters. She paused at the door, just before the a door activated. "Until we meet again." Millie giving a wave before the door opened and she stepped out. "Have a good day Narin."
"You too, Millie. Take care." Narin said, watching as the doors slid shut behind her. He stood there a moment. He took in a slow breath, replaying the conversation in his mind. He suspected there was something there, and hoped he hadn't hurt her with how he handled it. All he could do was be honest, and he had been. With a quiet sigh, he turned and headed back toward his room to finish getting ready for his duty shift.
Hopefully, no more surprises.
A Joint Post By
Ensign Millicent Ambrose
Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Narin Valen
Assistant Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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