Cassius looks to Friend Singh with an ever-calming shell, worms piling under the faint warmth of his palm like they are starved of it. The squeeze that follows is one that slots Friend Singh firmly into Cassius’ good graces.
(Perhaps even just behind Doctor Hugh himself. When has a human ever touched him so without the influence of a monster? Never, never.
Before his Hunter and he had appeared here, on this ship that sails through stars, they only had each other. Now they have Doctor Hugh, and once Cassius introduces him to his Hunter, they will have a Friend Singh, too.
Cassius really is lucky to have found himself here.)
As quickly as the crowded tension had reached a boil, it disperses just as fast, much to Cassius’ relief. Allows Doctor Hugh to come back to him in impatient strides, and he takes a stuttering step to meet him, one hand automatically reaching out to Doctor Hugh’s arm before he thinks better of it. Lets it drop to his side instead.
“Yes, Doctor Hugh,” comes Cassius’ answer, warm in ways he is not. The smile he feels does not reach his face. “I am alright. I have even made a friend of Friend Singh. He is not afraid of me like the others are.” A small, happy roll of his shell that softens as he glances over Doctor Hugh’s shoulder. “Has it all been settled, Doctor Hugh? They will not - vent our Hunter?”
(And it is our, now. The Hunter is as much Doctor Hugh’s as they are Cassius. As much as he is Doctor Hugh’s and theirs.)
"A friend. That's - hmm." A beat. A glance at Singh, brief as can be. "Very nice. Good to have friends, isn't it?"
"Yup," Singh replies, easy as ever. Gives Cassius' shoulder another squeeze and steps past, already looking to join the little crowd while it speaks amongst itself. "Take it easy, Cassius. Come see me when you can, if you feel like it. I'm down in--"
"In medbay, we know," Hugh finishes for him (interrupts), not sparing a glance back. Barely containing the roll of his eyes. "You're wearing a white coat, we all know you're a doctor. And no, the--"
A pause. Softer, now, as Singh departs. As Hugh refocuses entirely on Cassius.
"--our Hunter will be quite alright. Another few days of observation and you both should be fit to mingle in the ship, in fact. Go where you please." A tired wink. "Wasn't easy to negotiate that bit, you know. Should we head back now, tell them the good news?"
There’s another pleased roll to his shell as Doctor Hugh’s words wash over him. With Friend Singh gone, Cassius is almost eager to step closer to Doctor Hugh, to rest his head against his shoulder just barely, just enough to feel his warmth.
“I look forward to it, Doctor Hugh,” he says, and he does. He looks forward to accompanying his Doctor Hugh as he works, looks forward to visiting Friend Singh in the – medbay, was it? (Why Doctor Hugh assumed Cassius knew is beyond him, but he is sure he had his reasons.) “It will be nice to… mingle freely.”
He pauses then, hand just grazing against Doctor Hugh’s own, fingers brushing along his knuckles. He cannot be overly affectionate, no, not with the crowd so close, but – surely this is okay?
“We can head back if you think it best,” Cassius says after a moment, “but – the Hunter is resting now. They have been – exhausted, I think, from enduring their Song for so long on their own. I would like to let them sleep, if possible.”
(They must have been terribly worn, he thinks, from how they have now splayed out across the mattress, how his worms have spread over them like a blanket. The tension has bled out of them, their teeth as human as they’ll ever get. They never relax so unless it is in his garden.)
“...I know you have done much today for us, Doctor Hugh, to go against your peers. You have my appreciation.” He casts a look up at Doctor Hugh from under his lashes. “And my apologies, for - asking for more. Would it be possible to see this vivarium you had mentioned to the Hunter? The sooner I have access to my Garden, the sooner they can rest easier. The sooner that I can as well.”
"Ah, yes. The--" Hugh's fingers link with Cassius, just - for a moment. So briefly. Just long enough for a reassuring squeeze, to share his warmth before their company forces him to affect indifference. "Vivarium. Of course."
The crowd is shooting suspicious looks at their backs, now. Ignoring the way Singh comes in with something easy, a little laugh - raised hands and a smile and a joke that doesn't quite land as Hugh glances back, slinks an arm around Cassius' shoulders protectively. Gives the slightest urge towards the door, as if he thinks they might turn on them.
Singh is trying, though. And Hugh - Hugh values that, despite himself.
"Certainly. It's not much of a vivarium, to be quite honest, but you might enjoy the greenery. Talking about your Garden the way you do." A beat. Lower, conspiratorial: "Let's talk more about that on our own, shall we? Prying ears, all that."
Cassius’ shell hums with a purring wave as Doctor Hugh’s arm winds around his shoulders and soaks him in that all-too-but-not-quite human heat of his. It takes him a moment to reel it in, to make sure he does not seem too comfortable, but when he does, he allows Doctor Hugh’s anxious guidance to lead him towards the door. His mouth opens -
Let’s talk more about that on our own -
- and it falls shut a moment after, expression thoughtful as he casts a look behind him.
“Very well, Doctor Hugh,” said in a slightly softer tone, one learning how to be conspiring, but not quite landing just yet. “Until the vivarium.”
Cassius waits until they are safely outside of the room to lean a little into Doctor Hugh’s side, waits still until they’re hidden away by elevator doors to slot his hand along Doctor Hugh’s spine, before remembering himself and looping it around his hip instead. A quiet, pleased sigh escapes him as his worms loosen into a thrumming duplicate beat.
(He thinks he understands, now. How his worms provide his Hunter comfort.)
“I am glad that the decontamination process is almost over.” A half step further into Doctor Hugh’s side, his cheek pressing into his shoulder borderline needy (greedy, even). “It is… difficult to keep from you so. I miss your heat.”
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(Perhaps even just behind Doctor Hugh himself. When has a human ever touched him so without the influence of a monster? Never, never.
Before his Hunter and he had appeared here, on this ship that sails through stars, they only had each other. Now they have Doctor Hugh, and once Cassius introduces him to his Hunter, they will have a Friend Singh, too.
Cassius really is lucky to have found himself here.)
As quickly as the crowded tension had reached a boil, it disperses just as fast, much to Cassius’ relief. Allows Doctor Hugh to come back to him in impatient strides, and he takes a stuttering step to meet him, one hand automatically reaching out to Doctor Hugh’s arm before he thinks better of it. Lets it drop to his side instead.
“Yes, Doctor Hugh,” comes Cassius’ answer, warm in ways he is not. The smile he feels does not reach his face. “I am alright. I have even made a friend of Friend Singh. He is not afraid of me like the others are.” A small, happy roll of his shell that softens as he glances over Doctor Hugh’s shoulder. “Has it all been settled, Doctor Hugh? They will not - vent our Hunter?”
(And it is our, now. The Hunter is as much Doctor Hugh’s as they are Cassius. As much as he is Doctor Hugh’s and theirs.)
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"Yup," Singh replies, easy as ever. Gives Cassius' shoulder another squeeze and steps past, already looking to join the little crowd while it speaks amongst itself. "Take it easy, Cassius. Come see me when you can, if you feel like it. I'm down in--"
"In medbay, we know," Hugh finishes for him (interrupts), not sparing a glance back. Barely containing the roll of his eyes. "You're wearing a white coat, we all know you're a doctor. And no, the--"
A pause. Softer, now, as Singh departs. As Hugh refocuses entirely on Cassius.
"--our Hunter will be quite alright. Another few days of observation and you both should be fit to mingle in the ship, in fact. Go where you please." A tired wink. "Wasn't easy to negotiate that bit, you know. Should we head back now, tell them the good news?"
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“I look forward to it, Doctor Hugh,” he says, and he does. He looks forward to accompanying his Doctor Hugh as he works, looks forward to visiting Friend Singh in the – medbay, was it? (Why Doctor Hugh assumed Cassius knew is beyond him, but he is sure he had his reasons.) “It will be nice to… mingle freely.”
He pauses then, hand just grazing against Doctor Hugh’s own, fingers brushing along his knuckles. He cannot be overly affectionate, no, not with the crowd so close, but – surely this is okay?
“We can head back if you think it best,” Cassius says after a moment, “but – the Hunter is resting now. They have been – exhausted, I think, from enduring their Song for so long on their own. I would like to let them sleep, if possible.”
(They must have been terribly worn, he thinks, from how they have now splayed out across the mattress, how his worms have spread over them like a blanket. The tension has bled out of them, their teeth as human as they’ll ever get. They never relax so unless it is in his garden.)
“...I know you have done much today for us, Doctor Hugh, to go against your peers. You have my appreciation.” He casts a look up at Doctor Hugh from under his lashes. “And my apologies, for - asking for more. Would it be possible to see this vivarium you had mentioned to the Hunter? The sooner I have access to my Garden, the sooner they can rest easier. The sooner that I can as well.”
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The crowd is shooting suspicious looks at their backs, now. Ignoring the way Singh comes in with something easy, a little laugh - raised hands and a smile and a joke that doesn't quite land as Hugh glances back, slinks an arm around Cassius' shoulders protectively. Gives the slightest urge towards the door, as if he thinks they might turn on them.
Singh is trying, though. And Hugh - Hugh values that, despite himself.
"Certainly. It's not much of a vivarium, to be quite honest, but you might enjoy the greenery. Talking about your Garden the way you do." A beat. Lower, conspiratorial: "Let's talk more about that on our own, shall we? Prying ears, all that."
Translation: everybody else fuck off.
no subject
Let’s talk more about that on our own -
- and it falls shut a moment after, expression thoughtful as he casts a look behind him.
“Very well, Doctor Hugh,” said in a slightly softer tone, one learning how to be conspiring, but not quite landing just yet. “Until the vivarium.”
Cassius waits until they are safely outside of the room to lean a little into Doctor Hugh’s side, waits still until they’re hidden away by elevator doors to slot his hand along Doctor Hugh’s spine, before remembering himself and looping it around his hip instead. A quiet, pleased sigh escapes him as his worms loosen into a thrumming duplicate beat.
(He thinks he understands, now. How his worms provide his Hunter comfort.)
“I am glad that the decontamination process is almost over.” A half step further into Doctor Hugh’s side, his cheek pressing into his shoulder borderline needy (greedy, even). “It is… difficult to keep from you so. I miss your heat.”