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Who: Jim Kirk, Venom
When: Week 4-ish
Where: One of the campsites
What: Talking about a potential shared future, friendship, possibly more
Warnings: None, other than a bit of fluff

[It's still surprising that a month has passed. They've been traveling towards the hub, and Venom's been pushed to his limits. Survival and roughing it is part of assassin training, but not for this length of time. One of the few things keeping the former assassin sane is Bartholomew, and even he's getting a little stir crazy.

As Venom attempts to forage, Bart goes off to do his thing, to gather questionable fruit, and to not suffer any ill effects. He wishes he could do that. He scritches behind his ears and sighs, hoping this will be over soon. It seems the group is stopping for the night, so he sets up his tent near a tree, giving Bart a perfect area to roost. It's better than being stuffed in a sling or hanging off Venom's arm.

He rolls out a sleeping bag before setting up to make some tea. If there's one luxury he's been allowing himself on this damn trip, it's tea. Nothing's going to keep him from it.

Once it's ready, he brings the cup to his lips, savoring the warmth. Perhaps someone should join him to share in his impromptu tea time. Namely the gentleman who's checking in on the other's tents. Venom's about to say something when Bart starts making noises to get the man's attention.

Thank you, Bart. Ugh.]

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[ After their reunion, brief as it was since they had to get back to the mission at hand, Jim had stuck close to Venom as they traveled towards their destination. It was long and arduous, and not everyone might be up to the task. He tried to be there where he could to help those that needed it, or were perhaps not typically cut out for this sort of thing. At the end of the day, it's a different story when he isn't on watch, and tonight he isn't. Neither is the assassin, and he's glad for that.

He makes his way over to the other man's tent, utters a little knock, knock out loud, and opens the flap to duck inside. Venom's just sit down with tea, and chuckles up at Bart who seems to be making conversation. ]

Guess he gave me away, huh? I'll have to work on that.

[ Jim smiles warmly as he takes his usual seat across from where Venom is, and groans softly as he does. It was nice to be off his feet after so long of a day. He gets out his sleeping bag, rolling it out as well, and then resettles. ]

Did I miss anything?

[That smile easily melts Venom's heart. He pours Jim a cup once he settles in, not minding the extra company. Being on the Moira taught Venom how to share his space, even though he still preferred being alone. Here, it's not so bad. Sharing a warm space with an even warmer individual.

Bart has since stopped making noise and finally curling up in his corner. It's like he wants to give Venom some private time with his new friend.

Would friend even be the right word?]

I don't believe so. I just had a protein bar and that's it. How was your patrol?

[ Jim smiles because in a time where it would be easy to lose hope and give up. To feel as though nothing will come of their venture and their struggles---they have each other. Not merely in the sense of the crew of the Moira that are still here have each other, but he has Venom. He hopes that Venom feels the same way.

He casts a glance up as Bart quiets and settles down for the night, it seems. ] Goodnight, Bart.

[ Jim shifts to where he's laying on his side, one arm propped up under him, and weight resting on it. He picks at the edge of his sleeping bag, and chuckles. In some ways, Venom almost reminds him of Spock. Very literal, but that isn't a bad thing. ]

It was good. A few people are still on edge, and it's understandable. I stayed a little bit until they felt more comfortable, and told them where I'd be if they needed anything. [ He nods towards the cup. ] What kind of tea is that?

[Honestly, Venom's still coming to terms with everything he's feeling. He's had his associates in the past, but the camaraderie's not the same compared to the Moira. It's difficult to explain, but they feel more alive here.

He takes another sip while moving a bit closer to his friend.]

I want to say it's a ceylon tea of some kind. It's flavorful but not as fragrant as I'm used to.

[Jim's recap gives Venom the impression that he has a big heart. It sort of reminds him of the three Illyrian kings, only Jim is much more tolerable. It almost brings a smile to the former assassin's face.]

[ Jim is in a way as well. They hadn't found Bones or Spock in the wreck of the Moira. He hopes that means, somehow, that they ended up back home, like before. He doesn't want to entertain the thought of anything more. It's good for them, mostly because he's pretty sure he knows what would happen to him if he ends up back there. Which is why he doesn't know exactly what he's going to do when they get to where they are headed. None of that matters at the moment, and no matter how tiring it can be, he always feels refreshed when he runs into Venom at the end of the day.

He doesn't stop smiling, even as Venom moves closer, and lifts his chin to peek at the liquid in the cup. ]

I'd be the last person to tell you. I'm more a coffee drinker, usually. I don't mind the odd cup of tea, though. You don't have watch tonight, do you?

Coffee does appear to be the drink of choice amongst the crew. I've always preferred tea, however.

[Tea can both stimulate and calm. This blend does a bit of both, though Venom drinks it more out of habit and almost nostalgia.]

If we had access to them, I would offer cream and sugar. But I feel this kind is best on its own.

[He takes another sip.]

I don't, so we have a shared night off.

Usually is, in my experience.

[ He smiles at the offer, but shakes his head. ] I prefer things like that without, I've found. Never really cared for how either of those changed the flavor.

[ Careful, Venom, he might steal a sip of yours. ]

Ooh, lucky us then. What will we do with so much time?

It appears I will have to learn my way around coffee as well, then.

[Not that he minded. He had little to do other than explore and aid others on the journey. Contracts were out of the question, so he busied himself the best he could.

He offers the steaming cup to Jim.]

I have no real plans, so I suppose we could wind down for the evening and talk.

[About what, he's not sure. He just wants to spend time with Jim.]

It's an acquired taste, so you don't have to if you don't want.

[ But it was nice to have someone to share interests with and explore new things.

Jim sits up enough, and shifts over to take the cup with a soft thanks, blowing on it a moment before taking a sip. He hums in appreciation, it was pretty good. ]

I like that plan. It's a very good one. What did you want to talk about? Or are we going to figure that out as we go?

[He lets himself smile ever-so-slightly when Jim appreciates his tea. But like most of his facial expressions, it's conveniently hidden behind that hair.]

I believe the last choice is the best way to go about it. Starting with what year you're from. I recall you mentioning traveling with space cargo so you're probably from many years into the future.

[Venom's mostly curious over anything. He feels Jim is from some kind of distant future, thousands of years from the 22nd Century.]

[ One day Jim will get to see that smile and then he will do everything in his power to continue to see it. Still, he can hear something that sounds like one, and ducks his head, making a pretend effort to peer through the forest of hair. ]

Was that a smile I heard? I could have sworn it was, but no. I think those must be elusive things. Uh, but yeah, when I was a kid, but that was just once.

I'm from 2263.

[How can one hear a smile? Either way, Jim's mishearing things. Venom huffs.]

So you're not as far as I thought. I'm from 2187.

[Maybe humanity eventually got their act together and returned to space. It's a bit of a relief, really. He lets himself relax as he moves close enough to lean against his friend.]

[ Oh there are ways, but Jim isn't going to reveal his secrets. Definitely not. ]

2187 isn't bad. You guys will catch up soon enough.

[ Said in a teasing tone, but he genuinely hopes as much. Venom seems to be trying so hard to change things where he's from. He's not sure if he's going to go back and continue, or not. He doesn't have the full story yet.

Jim doesn't shift up when he's leaned against, but he does let his head drop gently against Venom's arm. ]

[These little touching gestures are new to Venom. He felt he just got the hang of expressing his emotions, but now there's letting people in to his personal bubble. The hugging and kissing were done spontaneously, or that's how Venom's justifying it. Maybe the lean well help him adjust.

Or Jim's head on his arm will work, too. He sucks in his breath slightly, but relaxes.]

I hope so, too.

[For a moment, he wonders how his fellow assassins are doing, and if they managed to start operating in the light.]

[ Jim has always been one to thrive on touch. From the more complex to the simple, hugs and holding and cuddling to an hand on the arm or shoulder in comfort. He's never been shy about it, or worried about personal bubbles. He does respect them, however, and he doesn't miss when there's the bit of tension from Venom.

He lifts his head to look up better at him, a silent question as to whether or not this is ok. ]

Then that's the hard part already done. [ A beat. ] You disappeared there for a second. What were you thinking about?

Hmm?

[Was he drifting? They just started talking, and Venom really is trying to connect. His Guild tendencies are hard to break, apparently. Always work work work even though he's technically not the leader anymore.]

It's nothing to be concerned about.

[Jim doesn't need to know anything.]

[ There's a part of Jim that wants to push, but there's something in the way he's holding himself even now that stops him. He has enough secrets of his own to know when not to try for someone else's.

Right now, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. He offers a crooked grin instead. ]

If you're sure.

[That grin sends a little pleasant shiver down Venom's spine. How can one man be so charming? And more importantly, can he fully trust Jim? Well he is sharing a tent and his personal space with the man. And what he's been feeling towards him lately has been inexplicable at best.

There's a lengthy silence before Venom starts speaking again.]

I was thinking about my allies back home, and if our mission was a success.

It's that feeling of not knowing, is all.

[ Jim has already had Venom share with him that he was once an assassin. Considering that people from his time don't employ anything of the sort, and they are a peaceful explorers---that's kind of a big deal.

When Venom goes quiet, Jim doesn't question, or prod, he waits instead. He waits for the other man to be ready to speak. ]

Your mission to bring the Guild into the open? [ A beat and he goes quiet a moment. ]

I know a little something about that kind of feeling.

Yes.

[Venom starts to retreat further into himself, though he tries his best to reach out. Being able to talk like this is so rare. Soon he's curling up, but thankfully it's in Jim's direction.]

Shortly before all that, we had made the first steps towards legitimacy. Lord Slayer suggested that we celebrate with a bottle of aged wine. I declined the invitation as I was focused on accomplishing what could be called my final mission.

[His words are calm, but heavy. He absently seeks out his friend's hand, needing more contact.]

[ The last thing Jim wants is for Venom to retreat into himself or feel unsafe around him. He's more than a little relieved when the other man curls in his direction, and Jim shifts up, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

When he reaches out for him, he calmly takes his hand, and entwines their fingers so that his thumb can brush the back of Venom's hand.

He doesn't say anything for fear of further internal retreat, and decides to wait instead. He does, however, drop a gentle kiss to the top of the other man's head, hearing how wrought with emotion his words are. Well, for him. He can sense how much each word takes out of him. ]

[Those bits of warmth do wonders. Venom's never been held like this, not in a compassionate way. If he's being reckless with his words or thoughts, he doesn't want it any other way.]

I wasn't afraid of dying, and I went about my mission just like any other. The reality never hit me, even as I cast my final spell. I was tired of constantly living in unhappiness. Perhaps I felt that I was ready.

[Then he showed up here. He met new people. He met the man holding him.]

[ Which is good, Jim would hope they would help, but he also doesn't want to force anything that the other man isn't ready for. So he's more than a little grateful when he isn't pushed away. ]

You thought you were ready for the end?

[ There's no accusation there. No upset. People feel what they feel, even if it isn't what some would consider the right thing to. Can't help that. Jim, when he died, had been scared. He knew what he was doing when he went into the core unprotected. He knew what he was doing when he was trying to stop Krall. He doesn't regret either of those decisions, but that doesn't mean he wasn't terrified.

That he wasn't ready.

He tilts his face down a little, nose brushing against the top of Venom's head, and just breathes in a few moments. ]

I'm glad I got the chance to meet you.

[That sentence has Venom pulling back. Not from the embrace, but to look at Jim. When people meet him it usually meant they're meeting the reaper, but in that moment, Venom feels human. He can't bring himself to say much as no words really come to him.]

I...

[His heart swells as he gently presses his lips to Jim's. It was more confirmation that he was alive. That he was worth something. That he mattered somewhere (and to someone) in the grand scheme.]

[ For a few seconds, the space of a breath or two, held or pushed out, he wonders with a little concern if he'd said the wrong thing. The way Venom looks at him, it isn't something he can place a name to offhand. Maybe it helps, that when Jim met him, it had been a little gruff, but in a library of all places. One of his favorite kinds of places, not that he'd let a lot of people in on that.

He's still a little concerned, with the silence that ensues, but he isn't sure what he can say that might tip things one way or another. So he waits.

And he isn't disappointed.

Jim shifts his face down a little, meeting Venom for that kiss, and can't help the smile that sort of gets in the way of it all. ]

[Venom feels that tug of a smile against his lips, and it fills the former assassin with emotions that have been long been dormant. He's never felt so safe or comfortable with someone like this.

He closes his eyes and lets himself get lost in that kiss, hoping that Jim doesn't mind.]

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