06-25-2024, 03:46 AM
After Tyra had poured herself another, Damian followed suit. The topic that they were on wasn’t exactly hard to talk about for Coleman in a way, as he found romancing easy and straightforward such that it was almost second nature. Though, in this case, it was different. That probably was made obvious to Tyra already just how he spoke about Ju, the words he used, his tone, everything. Tyra’s life as a security officer made her a keen observer, and able to make very educated guesses about people; especially people she knew well.
Coleman sat back in his chair as Tyra started talking about her past, where ghosts seemed to flitter between the pages of history long written. There was still some reverence for this Rex character in her voice, and Damian felt it hit him, though many other emotions played out amongst Tyra’s recollection too. Having something that was as big as getting the Chief’s seat called into question left echoes of hurt in its wake, though time had softened whatever Crawford may have felt long ago and filed the edges down significantly.
It was when the heavier subject of war landed that Damian unconsciously leaned forward, now understanding why it was that he couldn’t see a young or naive officer in Tyra. That war had drawn a curtain between the two distinct time periods. Anything that Tyra had been before the war was sealed off from her, and any attempt to reconnect with that portion of herself was likely colored by the violence and horrors that came after. It was rare for Damian to see sadness from Tyra, though in that moment, it was plain for anyone to see. He wondered what something like that might be like between him and Ju. It was interesting to hear that Tyra would have resented Rex for trying to protect her, and that gave something for Damian to chew on as she sipped on her bourbon.
During the silence, Coleman caught that he’d leaned forward and corrected his posture, using a sip of his own drink as cover. As Tyra started again, Damian focused on her words, particularly the part where she had mentioned Thomas. Coleman didn’t know the man as well as he should have, though perhaps that was for the best all in all. What little he did know told him that Thomas was a rock for her. Something she needed when the weather changed suddenly.
And brother, the storm is raging… Coleman couldn’t help but think of the impending chaos that seemed to gather clouds on every front. If any of them walked away unscathed, it would be a miracle.
Though it did surprise him when she talked about Thomas and her, a pair not just as a relationship, but also in command together. Damian’s brows betrayed that shock, bouncing up not once, not twice, but thrice as she recounted the very basics of their dynamic through the years. That was something that Coleman couldn’t quite imagine. Still, the fact that they were together after all of that spoke volumes.
Tyra’s eyes fixed on him and Damian felt the gaze. Now it was back to the topic at hand, and instead of taking a sip of his drink, Damian drank in her words. Whatever happened next, whatever Damian and Ju were to make of their relationship, it would be an uphill climb in terms of crowd control and spin. Though what Coleman had to do, was to try and not stick his arm out to block shots that would be taken at Ju. At that he nodded in understanding.
Whatever there could be done about the rumor mill, it was better to let it run its course as naturally as they could. Having Ju outside of his direct chain of command might help some, though he nodded again in agreement with Tyra that it wouldn’t put a stop to everything. That was unsurprising. Even when Damian and Ju had been on whole other ships, on shore leave, without any actual romance, plenty of scuttlebutt flew around the Artemis about them. At least now Ju and him could own some of that reputation that they’d already earned. Whether that would be a good thing or not was something they’d have to wait and see about.
After Tyra’s words had settled, Damian let out a sigh and took a good swig of the drink in his hand. The burn of it wasn’t as intense as the first sip he’d taken, but the heat still found a way to swell within him. A sign of how he felt about everything just as much as how the drink affected him.
“What Ju and I have feels different. Something I haven’t felt in a long while with someone. Different enough that I’m willing to fight for it,” his voice lingered in the lower register.
“It won’t be an easy road. I think I knew that going into all of this, even before Ju had come aboard the Artemis. Maybe I can’t protect her, but if I can learn from you and Thomas, it is that I can support her behind closed doors. That I can communicate with her. Let her vent when she needs it. Give advice when asked for it. But more than anything, I just gotta keep standing by her side time and time again without falter.”
There was a smile on his face that Damian wanted to wipe away, but couldn’t. Deep down, there was a romantic side to him that was more than just the surface level flirty playful romancing that others had seen. It’d come up once before, though when that particular relationship hadn’t worked out, it had silenced his taste for it for a while. Now that he was First Officer though, and had a couple of missions under his belt as such, he had quickly realized just how damn lonely it could be.
Sitting in the chair across from Tyra, his eyes had fallen down into his glass, as he absentmindedly made the liquid within rotate along the clear walls. Damian had almost completely forgotten the reason he’d come into her Ready Room in the first place. All of those previous emotions completely fizzled and had gone away. Perhaps there was a little bit of the alcohol doing its work, but mostly it was the discussion. Had Tyra intended to diffuse everything so easily and so quickly with him? Or had it not been as big of a deal to Damian than he thought? No, Coleman realized that what Tyra had said made sense, and that was what he had wanted to hear in the first place.
After another moment, he filled his lungs with air and blew out another sigh, before looking up into Tyra’s eyes.
“Things are gonna get rough for me I think,” he changed the topic.
“Some of the stuff that I’ve found out from old friends, and warnings from others who don’t owe me any more favors, point to a shitstorm. Before I came under your command, I told you about my past with the Atlanta, with Captain Peck. Well, not all of it, but enough that you could easily put the pieces of the puzzle together, especially with your background in security. Whatever hornet nest or nests we’ve stirred up, there is a frenzy about our pasts. There’s been lots of digging, and I won’t be surprised if they wrangle Peck. If they do that, then they’ll be asking me plenty of questions that I don’t particularly want to answer.”
A brief swig punctuated his feelings on the matter.
“I’m hoping that all they’ll do is ask me for a statement and leave it at that. Though I just want you to know that Peck has the amazing ability to make things go from bad to worse. And he doesn’t give a damn who gets swept up in his bullshit. There ain’t nothing they can take a swing at you about it all, but they might go at me some to push your buttons. I’ve already been talking to my own representation, but so far things are pretty unknown.”
“I just felt like you should at least hear it from me first, or maybe second if Cera somehow knew about all of that already,” Damian chuckled at the thought, though he also knew the blonde woman’s web was significant.
Coleman sat back in his chair as Tyra started talking about her past, where ghosts seemed to flitter between the pages of history long written. There was still some reverence for this Rex character in her voice, and Damian felt it hit him, though many other emotions played out amongst Tyra’s recollection too. Having something that was as big as getting the Chief’s seat called into question left echoes of hurt in its wake, though time had softened whatever Crawford may have felt long ago and filed the edges down significantly.
It was when the heavier subject of war landed that Damian unconsciously leaned forward, now understanding why it was that he couldn’t see a young or naive officer in Tyra. That war had drawn a curtain between the two distinct time periods. Anything that Tyra had been before the war was sealed off from her, and any attempt to reconnect with that portion of herself was likely colored by the violence and horrors that came after. It was rare for Damian to see sadness from Tyra, though in that moment, it was plain for anyone to see. He wondered what something like that might be like between him and Ju. It was interesting to hear that Tyra would have resented Rex for trying to protect her, and that gave something for Damian to chew on as she sipped on her bourbon.
During the silence, Coleman caught that he’d leaned forward and corrected his posture, using a sip of his own drink as cover. As Tyra started again, Damian focused on her words, particularly the part where she had mentioned Thomas. Coleman didn’t know the man as well as he should have, though perhaps that was for the best all in all. What little he did know told him that Thomas was a rock for her. Something she needed when the weather changed suddenly.
And brother, the storm is raging… Coleman couldn’t help but think of the impending chaos that seemed to gather clouds on every front. If any of them walked away unscathed, it would be a miracle.
Though it did surprise him when she talked about Thomas and her, a pair not just as a relationship, but also in command together. Damian’s brows betrayed that shock, bouncing up not once, not twice, but thrice as she recounted the very basics of their dynamic through the years. That was something that Coleman couldn’t quite imagine. Still, the fact that they were together after all of that spoke volumes.
Tyra’s eyes fixed on him and Damian felt the gaze. Now it was back to the topic at hand, and instead of taking a sip of his drink, Damian drank in her words. Whatever happened next, whatever Damian and Ju were to make of their relationship, it would be an uphill climb in terms of crowd control and spin. Though what Coleman had to do, was to try and not stick his arm out to block shots that would be taken at Ju. At that he nodded in understanding.
Whatever there could be done about the rumor mill, it was better to let it run its course as naturally as they could. Having Ju outside of his direct chain of command might help some, though he nodded again in agreement with Tyra that it wouldn’t put a stop to everything. That was unsurprising. Even when Damian and Ju had been on whole other ships, on shore leave, without any actual romance, plenty of scuttlebutt flew around the Artemis about them. At least now Ju and him could own some of that reputation that they’d already earned. Whether that would be a good thing or not was something they’d have to wait and see about.
After Tyra’s words had settled, Damian let out a sigh and took a good swig of the drink in his hand. The burn of it wasn’t as intense as the first sip he’d taken, but the heat still found a way to swell within him. A sign of how he felt about everything just as much as how the drink affected him.
“What Ju and I have feels different. Something I haven’t felt in a long while with someone. Different enough that I’m willing to fight for it,” his voice lingered in the lower register.
“It won’t be an easy road. I think I knew that going into all of this, even before Ju had come aboard the Artemis. Maybe I can’t protect her, but if I can learn from you and Thomas, it is that I can support her behind closed doors. That I can communicate with her. Let her vent when she needs it. Give advice when asked for it. But more than anything, I just gotta keep standing by her side time and time again without falter.”
There was a smile on his face that Damian wanted to wipe away, but couldn’t. Deep down, there was a romantic side to him that was more than just the surface level flirty playful romancing that others had seen. It’d come up once before, though when that particular relationship hadn’t worked out, it had silenced his taste for it for a while. Now that he was First Officer though, and had a couple of missions under his belt as such, he had quickly realized just how damn lonely it could be.
Sitting in the chair across from Tyra, his eyes had fallen down into his glass, as he absentmindedly made the liquid within rotate along the clear walls. Damian had almost completely forgotten the reason he’d come into her Ready Room in the first place. All of those previous emotions completely fizzled and had gone away. Perhaps there was a little bit of the alcohol doing its work, but mostly it was the discussion. Had Tyra intended to diffuse everything so easily and so quickly with him? Or had it not been as big of a deal to Damian than he thought? No, Coleman realized that what Tyra had said made sense, and that was what he had wanted to hear in the first place.
After another moment, he filled his lungs with air and blew out another sigh, before looking up into Tyra’s eyes.
“Things are gonna get rough for me I think,” he changed the topic.
“Some of the stuff that I’ve found out from old friends, and warnings from others who don’t owe me any more favors, point to a shitstorm. Before I came under your command, I told you about my past with the Atlanta, with Captain Peck. Well, not all of it, but enough that you could easily put the pieces of the puzzle together, especially with your background in security. Whatever hornet nest or nests we’ve stirred up, there is a frenzy about our pasts. There’s been lots of digging, and I won’t be surprised if they wrangle Peck. If they do that, then they’ll be asking me plenty of questions that I don’t particularly want to answer.”
A brief swig punctuated his feelings on the matter.
“I’m hoping that all they’ll do is ask me for a statement and leave it at that. Though I just want you to know that Peck has the amazing ability to make things go from bad to worse. And he doesn’t give a damn who gets swept up in his bullshit. There ain’t nothing they can take a swing at you about it all, but they might go at me some to push your buttons. I’ve already been talking to my own representation, but so far things are pretty unknown.”
“I just felt like you should at least hear it from me first, or maybe second if Cera somehow knew about all of that already,” Damian chuckled at the thought, though he also knew the blonde woman’s web was significant.