churbooseanon | Surviving - Visual Aids (a 'For Every Action, A Reaction' side story)

Summary: Miles and Delta finish a project together and are happy at where it puts them.

Surviving - Visual Aids [a FEAAR sidestory]

Not everything about the freedom they had won was an improvement in Miles’s opinion. There were little things about life that weren’t as good. For one, Miles found that without the rigid discipline of the military, the insane schedules of PFL, and no concern that he might have to fight for his life at any given second meant that he struggled to keep in fighting shape. Mostly it was the fear of the retribution they were all certain would come some day from Florida that kept him and Nic so active. Then there was the coffee. Every morning after his first cup in the mess, Miles would break into the Director’s office while he was giving general orders or something, and steal a cup of the higher quality brew the man kept for himself. The locks got better every few weeks, of course, so York had to assume it was part of his training. Or, well, he enjoyed that, whether it was meant for that or not.

It was only when he was bathed in the familiar, soft green light that he realized what it was that he truly missed. And that he needed it back.

The easiest part, as it turned out, was to figure out how to do it. Among all of the other things that Delta knew how to do, make, and all the other general knowledge, was the information necessary to create the device that they required. The revision of the plan took two dedicated days of calculations and focus from Delta. For one thing the creation had to be smaller, easily portable, unremarkable by most people, and not draw too heavily on power so that it would be functional whenever he needed it. In addition to that it had to be constructed of things he could easily get his hands on.

All in all, that is what made the completion of the prototype all the more exciting.

Do you think it will work?

Miles had to chuckle at the question from his AI. Of course he believed it would work. After all, it was Delta’s construction. Delta had given his all for a week, spending parts of their nights for the last week working on putting the pieces it had taken them months to gather into the right configuration. The only work Miles had done was offer the nimble fingers, the sharp vision, and the patience that came with lockpicking. Once he had thought that Delta was the patient one, but the sheer excitement Delta felt at being able to have this outlet seemed to work against his normal patience.

“Yes, D. The better question is if you’re ready.”

The watch was completely out of style, despite their best efforts, but Miles didn’t care. What mattered to him was the fact that the thing was heavier. With a smile he adjusted the band on his wrist, making sure the face was out. Once it was settled he sighed, his eyes closed. Here went everything and nothing at the same time. Eyes open once more, York pulled out a knob, twisted it, and pressed it back into place, powering up the supposed watch. Lights slowly flashed over the face, green crawling in patterns over the face until, at last, a familiar symbol appears in their place.

Just like that his tension melted away, because the green light spread outward, projected from the small device until there was a smaller than normal hologram of the other part of himself. The other man that shared his. The one who loved him no matter what, even when they’re mad at each other.

“It works,” Delta observes, his voice a soft whisper from the watch, and god did Miles smile as he lifted his wrist higher to bring the small AI closer.

“Yeah,” Miles agreed, “looks like I’m going to be able to carry a little genius with me everywhere.”

“I would point out that I have rarely been apart from you in all this time,” Delta countered, and hearing that voice out loud, calm and rational, actually made Miles laugh with delight.

“I’m not sure Nic and David are going to appreciate you snarking them like that,” Miles warned, and that prompted Delta to tilt his head, as if in curiousity.

“I had not considered that possibility yet. Though I would like to make a small request.”

“Anything for you, D,” Miles said, and he knew he meant it. They both knew it. The two of them were more closely entwined than some people in their lives might approve of, but it was a state they enjoyed. With each day they grew not only closer, but more distinct in a way. Two as one, and one as two. Helping Delta was helping himself.

“Don’t tell them yet.”

But even as connected as they were, Delta always managed to find ways to surprise him. This was definitely one of the more interesting ones, though.

“Why?” he couldn’t help but ask, not ready to delve into Delta’s awareness to pull the answer from him. That would be rude.

Delta hung his head in shame. “I want to be certain that it will function under repeated use, be rechargeable, and such things. I do not desire to elevate the hopes of Theta and Nic until we are certain of the viability of this device. Can you please agree to that?”

There was more to it than that, Miles was certain. Perhaps a desire for a time to adjust to his new abilities before showcasing them. Or just the desire to have something with Miles that he didn’t have to share with anyone else for a time. But he was okay with that, and nodded happily.

“You got it D. Now, let’s run a full diagnosis before we get too far ahead of ourselves, okay?”

“Now, I do believe, we are in territory with which I am quite familiar. Would you like to join me?”

As tempting as it was to sink into the ease and pleasure of the pure elegance of code as he’d been doing lately with Delta, Miles shook his head. “No. After all of this, I feel like I need to get some rest with my men. Can you handle this on your own?”

“Can you handle having some… strange dreams?”

Miles chuckled and pushed to his feet as the hologram flickered away. “D, think about who you’re talking to. I’m the master of strange dreams. Lay them on me.”

With a yawn he moved into the main room and smiled upon his sleeping lovers. Yeah. That was where he wanted to be.

No offense, D.

None taken. None ever taken.

A deep warmth flowed through him and Miles tried not to melt in the radiance of his AI’s love and devotion. Too bad he couldn’t rest in the arms of all three of his partners. That thought prompted the sensation of a hand in his own, and when he closed his eyes, Miles could ‘see’ the full glory of the form Delta had constructed for himself, in more natural human color. Delta stepped forward in the darkened room that still seemed perfectly lit behind Miles’s closed eyes. Fingers interwoven he followed his friend to the bed and laid down when he was directed. Nic and David immediately had Miles enfolded in their arms, an unconscious habit of his sleeping lovers. Delta smiled down at them fondly and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Miles’s brow that left the skin tingling.

Good night.

Miles let himself open his eyes briefly, let himself take in the darkness and the lack. But still he could feel the presence of his partners. And the fact that he could just pull out the mini-holoprojector and see Delta made everything feel right. Finally, after so long, things in his life were right again. Or near enough. He’d regained something the Project had taken from him, and Miles had no intention of ever letting it go again.