Work Text:
“I would like to continue our conversation regarding our arrangement,” Isaac announced, apropos of nothing.
“Sure,” Shry agreed, her tongue between her teeth as she detangled the wires beneath one of their jumpship’s consoles. She was flat on her back beneath the dash, trying to find the faulty connection that had been preventing her from improving their communications array. “Open, with context provided. Any breaches of trust are reported. What else?”
“Given the precipitous nature with which our last discussion ended, I would like to be certain you are still comfortable with those amendments.”
“I am.”
“Do you have any concerns you wish to address?”
Shry almost threw out a dismissive response but paused, threading a finger between a few wires to remind herself where she had been before she poked her head out from under the dash to look at Isaac. “Yeah, where’s all this coming from?”
“I intend to address that shortly.”
She looked at him, unblinking for a long moment before returning to her wiring. “Kay. Concerns. Not really. I mean, I want to reiterate that you’re welcome to actually have preferences and to tell me what they are and all. Trust should be a two way street.” Isaac up to that point had not shared his own interests with her, or to her knowledge filled out a Consent and Preferences chart of his own.
The plates of Isaac’s shell hissed quietly as they moved. “I had not considered it from that perspective.”
“Even if all you check is “making people happy” that’s still a preference, you know,” she explained. “I’ve gotten the impression that you don’t get much out of sexual interaction but you get a lot out of taking care of people. Helping them get what they need. I remember there being a section on that in the chart.”
“Section 14-C, Caretaking,” he said by way of agreement. “Very well. I shall review the chart and complete my own. You will have a copy by the end of the week.”
“Will you keep it up to date as you learn?” she asked, half to tease and half out of hope.
“I shall, yes.”
“Thanks, Isaac.”
“You are welcome. Thank you for explaining why you wanted it. I did not mean to indicate that I do not trust you.”
“Never thought you didn’t,” she said cheerfully, finally having found the faulty connection. “Can you pass me a length of universal wire?”
“What length?”
Shry blew her hair out of her face. “Let’s go with a half meter. It’ll be too much but I’m gonna have to weave it through.” The appropriate length of wire appeared next to her in a mass of dim sparks. “Thanks. That’s all I have in regards to the arrangement. What else do you have?”
“Will you ask other partners for a chart?”
“Depends on the relationship. If it’s a one-off or relatively casual then no. If it gets intense or becomes a regular thing it will at least be a conversation. I’m not giving you their charts unless they agree to it.”
“Absolutely,” Isaac agreed. “Have you considered the possibility of an individual joining the two of us?”
Shry dropped her multitool on her face. “Ow, shit. Fuck,” she put a hand over her nose and pulled it away to see blood. “Hey, Isaac?” He was already hovering anxiously at her shoulder. “Could you?”
He swiftly healed her nose. “I did not mean to startle you. I underestimated the surprise.”
“It’s okay. You fixed it. Damn. Probably shouldn’t multitask while we’re having these talks,” she chuckled and grabbed her multitool from where it had fallen on the floor. “Let me finish up here.”
“Certainly.”
She rewired the dash and then retried the comms upgrade with full success. Relieved, she tidied up the mess she’d made of the wiring and then collected her tools and clambered out from under the dash. Once the tools were put away she settled herself on the cot that doubled as a bench and tucked her legs underneath her. “Okay. Inviting a friend to join us. No, I hadn’t considered it until you said something. I am not opposed but the vetting process would be intense.”
“How so?”
Shry took a minute to compose her response. “I want to be able to trust them alone with you if I’m going to trust them like that. Because the reality is that I will be incapacitated in one form or another and unable to protect you.”
Isaac’s plates shifted. “Understood. And agreed.”
“So, massive trust required, chart required, everyone being on the same page required.”
“Same requirements for another Ghost?”
Shry stared at him blankly for a moment before she remembered how to talk. “Don’t see why not.”
“Have you considered who you will pursue first now that our arrangement is open?”
“Not really,” Shry shrugged. “Why? On a schedule?”
“No. I am… curious.”
“The last time you said you were curious you didn’t want to wait to see what I chose, you told me what to choose. Is this like that?”
He hesitated. “I had not remembered that. I shall make a note in my definition of curious. I do have a suggestion if you are interested.”
Pleased she had correctly interpreted his words, she felt generous. “Go for it.”
“Vynn Faer.” Shry leveled him with a look; she rather thought it was an expressive one. “You consistently enjoy Vynn’s company. Vynn is creative and kind and is known to enjoy sexual diversions. You love Bluejay and Bluejay clearly adores Vynn which speaks well of him behind closed doors.” Isaac trailed off but something about his tone said he wasn’t finished. When she sat in silence with an eyebrow arched at him, he eventually continued. “You always watch the Vor Pyl ships launch.”
“Fair,” she said after a long moment.
“Do you disagree with the suggestion?”
“Vynn,” she rolled the name around her mouth. “He’s never indicated any amount of interest in me. Never seemed to be the sort to want something long term with anyone. He has a reputation for working well with others but it’s not like he has a fireteam or he works with other people again after a time or two.”
“You’ve never made it clear to him that you find him attractive,” Isaac pointed out, causing her to flush. “You do not present yourself as available in any capacity to other Guardians outside of conversation. It’s entirely probable that he assumes you are unavailable, given your reputation.”
“I don’t think I can do casual right now, Isaac.”
“I’m aware.”
“Oh,” she slowed down and blinked at him. “And… Vynn?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Did I not explain that already?”
“Why do you think he might be interested in something that isn’t casual?”
“I think the two of you have a great deal in common,” Isaac said slowly. “You both have chosen your masks very deliberately.”
“Masks,” she said slowly. It wasn’t a question and Isaac knew it. “Okay. I’ll think about it.”
“That is all I have regarding our arrangement at this time.”
She blinked and came back to the conversation at hand. “Right. Thanks for going over all of that, Isaac.”
“You are welcome, Guardian.”
Shry rolled her eyes. “Any other title would be preferable.”
“I am aware.”
It was rare enough for him to try and pick on her that she just laughed and shook her head. She had a lot to think about.