The leaves on the numerous arkala trees scattered throughout the yard rustled softly; a cool breeze drifting by. Aakon could pick up the faintest scent of the vanala bushes that lined the yard itself; they always had the sweetest scent as the petals began to wilt and die off. It was a smell that, in Aakon’s mind, always heralded the change of the seasons. His family lived in the northern regions of Betazed so the summers were always mild and winters cold and snowy. He had desperately missed those winters during his time at the Academy in San Francisco. A part of him still ached that he’d be away from home again during the winter season.

Jackson walked by, carrying Aakon’s 3 year old niece in his arms, before turning back around to face Aakon. “What is that smell? Is it those bushes you told me about?”

Aakon smiled fondly. “It is.”

“Huh.” Jackson sniffed the air again. “Smells like marshmallows,” he said softly before walking away.

Aakon chuckled under his breath as his mother approached. 

“Been quite awhile since you brought a companion home, little bird.” His mom placed the large jug of jamuy juice on the table next to him. “He’s very kind.”

He gave his mom an affectionate side eye. “You haven’t called me little bird since I was ten. You also don’t call Aryssa big bird even though she’s your eldest child.” He had hoped a little nostalgia would deflect the conversation away from his ‘companion;. He really wasn’t ready for that yet.

His mom nodded. “You will forever be my little bird and no, I don’t call your sister that. There wasn’t a bird perched on the window ledge of the birthing room when she was born like there was with you, so you really should feel special.” A teasing lilt had entered her voice. 

He sat down at the table. “I guess I should be happy there wasn’t some random insect on the window ledge then.”

His mother chuckled, continuing her table preparation of the afternoon meal, glancing at Jackson while she did so. “He’s good with kids.”

Aakon turned to spot Jackson, now sprawled out on the grass as Aakon’s niece ran around him letting out delighted little screams while placing her dolls around him in a pattern that must have meant something to her. He had no idea what game they had concocted up but both seemed to be enjoying it. “He is. He has three little sisters back home on Earth, all under ten years old. He misses them something terrible.”

She hummed in acknowledgment. “Well, it was very kind of him to come visit these last two weeks when he could have stayed back on Earth with this family.”

Aakon shrugged. “He wanted to meet the family before he came to Erena’s wedding in a few months.” He shuffled in his seat back to face his mother once again. “Thank you for being accommodating. I know it’s not always easy to primarily speak instead of using telepathy.” 

“When my son says he’s bringing home someone he wants us to meet, there is no burden too great for me to overcome.”

That wasn’t quite how he remembered phrasing his request, it was more ‘Hey, my friend would love to meet the family before he joins me at the wedding.’ “Still, thank you.”

“Of course.” She placed a cloth cover over the zeeda puffs to get the birds away before setting down across from him. “So tell me, what is he to you?”

Aakon felt his stomach leap up into his chest. His mother was rarely this direct and he had really hoped that they had hid their physical arrangement well enough. This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have or was ready to have. Over the last few months while he had been on leave in the aftermath of the Nightfall crisis, aside from two weeks, he and Jackson had spent that time together. He told himself he was just complying with his therapist’s demand he not be alone during this time but what had started as always having separate rooms turned into once in a while sharing a room to always sharing a room. Same things with meals. Same thing with everything. He always hated the idea of monogamy, and technically what he and Jackson had wasn’t bound to monogamy, they’d discussed this after the first night they’d spent together nearly a year ago but he found himself seeking less and less ‘outside’ companionship. 

No. No. Now was not the time to deal with this. It terrified him. His new assignment started tomorrow. He still struggled most nights falling asleep; the weight of being reasonable for hundreds and then watching the die under his command was oppressive. He would not be responsible or bound to a singular individual he could lose at a moment’s notice. Never mind the fact that relationships weren’t in his wheelhouse; that freedom was hard to sacrifice.

He cleared his throat, realizing he’d sat there for a few minutes, likely with a panicked look on his face. “He’s just a friend.” It wasn’t a lie but he wasn’t sure it was the truth anymore. Not like he could lie to her anyway; she’d sense his lie in seconds. 

She gave him a soft nod, a smile crossing his face. “You know I respect your private life but.” She paused for a moment, collecting her words. “I worry about you. The weight of what happened to the Resnik is still pulling you down. It brings me comfort that you have friends like Izzy, Maria, and Jackson.” She nodded to the younger man, who was now running around the yard, chasing Aakon’s niece, who shrieked with joy in the way that children do. “But I know there are mornings where I’ve walked by the guest room and the door is cracked open and Jackson clearly hasn’t slept in that bed. I watch the two of you interact and it isn’t hard to see between the lines. I want to make sure you are being true to yourself and that you are being respectful of Jackson. He’s a good man, he deserves your honesty.”

The panic that Aakon felt in his chest hadn’t ceased. He should have known that his mother, his Betazoid mother, would pick up on their connection in an instant. She had a point, as much as it terrified him to admit it, whatever it was that had slowly been growing between them had to be addressed. Jackson deserved that much. How could he be that selfish? To be so focused on his needs that he just assumed Jackson was along for the tide. The thought that he could be stringing him along, even unknowingly, ate at him. The fact that he hadn’t thought of that until now was shameful and selfish. He did his best to shake the thoughts from his head. It’d do him no good now.

“I am doing my best but you’re right. I don’t know what we are and that scares me but clearly it’s reached a point where I need to figure it out.” He glanced at Jackson once again. “We need to figure it out.”

His mother reached across the table, encircling her hands with his. “You’re scared, and that’s ok. I know the man I raised; you’ll do what’s right. Just make sure you figure it out before someone else offers him what you aren’t giving him right now. Don’t let something slip away that you’ll regret for the rest of your years.”

He nodded. “I will.”

“I know, little bird.” She stood up, clearing her throat and raising her voice. “The evening meal is ready.. Come, let’s eat and enjoy Aakon and Jackson’s last night with us. Jackson, come, sit next to me.”

Aakoin turned to look at Jackson just as the other man turned to him, a slightly alarmed look on his face. Aakon gave him a reassuring smile and nodded before Jackson joined his mother at the head of the large table. 

As the family gathered at the table, the low hum of conversation and laughter filled the area, food and wine quickly making its way around the table. He felt the panic from before settling; not gone but quietly residing in the background. For one last night, there was no duty, no crisis to deal with in the middle of the night, and he could breathe easy.