Part 1 - An unlikely bond
Words:1672
Summary: Overwhelmed by a wave of gratefulness and secretly driven by thriving yet unknown feelings that started to surpass those of a normal friendship, Portal Six Three felt an undeniable urge to express his appreciation. He knew he had to give something back to you, a gift that would reflect the depth of his feelings.
Warnings: more fluff, angst
In the vastness of space, where stars twinkled like scattered diamonds, and mysteries lay hidden in the folds of the universe, a friendship like no other bloomed after the ship you were stationed on discovered a guardian of the Tkon empire laying dormant on the remote planet Delphi Ardu IV. It was a friendship that transcended dimensions, forged on the foundation of trust, understanding and a shared passion for knowledge. You found solace in Portal's company, and he, in turn, found a growing comfort in your presence. The weight of sadness that previously burdened Portal's heart seemed to lift whenever you were around, especially after the first hug. Driven by an overwhelming desire to uplift your newfound friend, you wrapped your arms around Portal in a warm, loving embrace. In that moment, you hoped to alleviate the burden of sorrow that weighed upon him. Little did you know that this act of compassion would set forth a chain of events that would forever shape your lives. After the initial embrace, many more followed over the next days and sometimes, much to your surprise, the guardian just walked up to you and hugged you tight while whispering fond words of gratitude to your ear. Overwhelmed by a wave of gratefulness and secretly driven by thriving yet unknown feelings that started to surpass those of a normal friendship, he felt an undeniable urge to express his appreciation. He knew he had to give something back to you, a gift that would reflect the depth of his feelings.
So unbeknownst to you, he embarked on a secret mission under the cover of the nightly darkness to repay your kindness and the joy you had brought into his lonely existence. With each delicate movement, he began to weave together the fabric of a garden, meticulously crafting it to mirror the visions that danced within your mind. Guided by the memories you had shared with him and the rare moments he was allowed to peek into your mind, he began to build a garden outside the temple, meticulously recreating the beauty that had once graced your life. With every touch of his glowing gauntlet, flowers appeared and blossomed in vibrant hues, their petals shimmering like stardust. A single majestic trees grew tall and proud, its branches reaching for the sky above, as if yearning to touch the stars themselves. A tranquil river meandered through the garden, perfecting the image that danced within your mind, while the gentle humming of the Tkon technology whispered through the air. The more he concentrated and shaped the more it dawned on Portal that his actions were driven by a deep desire to deepen the bond he had with you. He wanted to create a sanctuary where the two of you could find solace and that would maybe ignite the wish of staying here with him. Being truly honest with himself, he was very well aware that the final day of your assignment on Delphi Ardu IV was approaching relentlessly. Your captain, with the approval of the Federation, granted your wish to remain here under the condition that you'd provide regular updates on the knowledge gained and that you'd picked up after one year to resume your duty on the ship and while the guardian didn't know where this was headed, he was sure that he wouldn't want to let you leave without at least trying to persuade of staying here with him. He wasn't quite ready to be left alone again.
“Morning”, you mumbled, still half asleep as you stretched your arms.
Blinking slowly before finally opening your eyes, your hand reached to the left where Portal usually sat to guard over you while you slept. You weren't in any danger, given that the planet was currently only inhabited by the two of you but he claimed that it would calm him so you let him sit next to your sleeping frame. You jumped up, a sudden panic rising within you, unable to feel his presence as your hand landed on an empty chair. After months of him being always there when you woke up, the sudden lack of his gentle smile in the morning began to worry you. You rushed out, searching every room of the temple until you headed out, calling out for him.
Portal was standing in the garden, holding a crimson delicate earth flower you called rose in his hand. A finger of his gauntlet touched the stem and the thorns dissolved in an orange glow and held the flower up o his nose, taking in the sweet floral scent. Lost in his thoughts about you, his eyes shot up at his name being called out while the sound swift footsteps came closer. His gaze locked on your delicate figure, fixed on your panting chest as you stood there dressed only in your short emerald nightgown.
“Portal, I was-”, a gasp escaped your lips as your eyes wandered off, taking in the sight of the blooming garden around you that appeared over night, “this...is this? How?”, your hands moved around, your mouth agape in shock.
“The marvels of the empire's technology, my dear”, he chuckled nervously, striding towards you.
"Did you make this? With the scent? Why?", you babbled absentmindedly, struggling to comprehend the grandeur before you.
Portal's hand moved up to your face, holding your chin gently while he tilted your head to look at him. His touch sent shivers down your spine, and you couldn't help but be captivated by the intensity in his grey eyes. As his other hand offered you the delicate rose. In that moment, the world around you faded away, leaving only the two of you standing amidst the breathtaking beauty of the blooming garden. The thoughts raced wildly through your mind as you believed to realise the significance of this gesture. With trembling hands, you accepted the rose, its velvety petals brushing against your fingertips. The fragrance filled your nostrils, and you felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and affection. In your world, all of this would have qualified as the most romantic love confession ever made, but this wasn't earth and the guardian wasn't another human, he was the last remnant of a long gone civilisation that was so different from yours.
"I created this garden for you, my dear.”, Portal's voice, usually steady and composed, quivered as he spoke, “every flower, every scent, represents a moment, a memory, we shared, a...”, he paused for a moment, unsure whether he should continue, “...feeling I have for you, all shaped in the form of the garden from your memories.”
“-this means?”, he interrupted you, his voice barely above a whisper, “I might be a thousands of years old Tkonian portal who didn't know of the death of the empire it was supposed to guard, but that doesn't mean I'm a fool”, he huffed playfully to hide his nervousness.
Or perhaps I am after all... He had seen your memories, listened carefully to your stories and scanned through all the available data on human behaviour, their customs and the definitions of love and being in love. He wasn't made for this, not any more, and he had to admit that he never experienced love or intimacy with anyone of his kind prior to taking his oath to become a portal. And here he stood, the ancient wise Portal Six Three, having read up on any useful piece of information, only to find out that emotions, love in particular, was not something one could tackle with knowledge, it was more like falling down into the unknown abyss, it was a leap of faith and he would only know where it lead if he took the step over the edge.
Tears welled up in your eyes as you gazed at Portal, your heart bursting with an indescribable mixture of love, gratitude, and astonishment. The garden was a testament to the depth of his feelings for you, a declaration that surpassed mere words. When you enlisted at the Academy, ending up on a technically inhabited planet where an ancient being of a lost civilisation fell in love with a simple human, confessing it by creating a marvellous garden, really was the very last outcome that crossed your mind. Your eyes darted between his and his slightly parted lips, wondering whether you should give in to the urge of kissing him.
“I can read your mind, you know”, he dryly commented, swallowing a lump of nervousness that had formed in his throat.
“Well then, Portal Six Three, what are you waiting for?”, you whispered, holding your gaze on his eyes.
“For my little barbarian to accept my challenge.”
Without waiting for your reaction, he gently pressed his lips against yours, indulging in a lingering and passionate kiss that mesmerized both of you.
Time seemed to blur as the rest of the world faded away, leaving only the two of you in this moment of pure connection. The kiss was everything you had imagined and more. It was a wild dance of emotions, a symphony of longing and a testament to the undeniable chemistry between you. In that moment, the rest of the universe ceased to exist, and you were the only two souls in the vastness of space. But as quickly as the kiss had begun, it ended, leaving you both breathless and wanting more. Your lips separated, but the lingering taste of him remained, leaving an indelible mark on your senses. You looked into his eyes, searching for answers, but all you found was a glimmer of something you couldn't quite comprehend. It was a mix of sorrow and longing, as if he held a pain that he couldn't share. Silence hung heavy in the air as you both caught your breath, the unspoken questions lingering between you. What now? Where do you go from here? And what would you do when you had to go back to resume your Starfleet duty?
