Gained in Translation

Date/Timing: 17 August 2016
Setting: Vulcan Specter Ranger suite, Sydney Mini' Dome; Hong Kong, China
Inspired by this.
Jackson smooths down a band-aid (one that matches his skin tone, thank you very much) on his scratched cheek.
Cat smugs at him from the beside the sink, Andrea's bra still in its mouth.
Very light running footsteps, a squawk, and a /thud.
Jackson looks down.
Cat looks down with concern. "Maf?"
Drapes, sprawled on the floor, wearing a black t-shirt over his robes.
"You okay?" says Jackson. 
Drapes pops back to his feet. "I'm okay."
"I don't know why I bother asking anymore." Jackson reads the metallic gold script on the front of the shirt.
Drapes beams.
Jackson bites his lip, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. "Nice ... shirt," he chokes.
"It's my birthday present from Blockhead."
"Really."
"He says it reads 'Live long and prosper'." 
"That's what—" Clears his throat, voice still comes out strangled: "That's what he told you?"
Drapes nods, hugs himself, and fuckin' /glows.
"That's really, uh, /sweet of him."
"I knooooow!" Drapes twirls and skips out.
Jackson holds it together until the suite door slams, then completely cracks up. So hard, in fact, he doesn't hear the door open.
""You okay?"" asks Logan from the doorway.
"Where—" wheezes Jackson, "—did you get that? For Drapes?"
"The shirt?"
Jackson holds his sides and nods.
"Had an online nerd translate and custom print it."
Manages to straighten the rest of the way. "Do ye realize it says 'warning: red earth-/sehlats'?"
Logan rocks on his heels. "Yup."
"You don't even know what a /sehlat /is!"
"Not a clue." Shrugs. "But the nerd said it was as close to 'panda' as they could get."
"You /purposely gave him a shirt that basically says nonsense in Vulcan."
Logan preens. "Yup."
Jackson tries /really hard not to sparkle, squeaks, "I'm so proud of you!" and hugs Logan.
"Thank you most kindly, Lord Nerd of the Nerd Galaxy."
Jackson growls, releases him—
Logan takes a quick couple of steps back.
—grabs—
"Don't—"
"MAAF!"
—Cat by the scruff, lobs it (Andrea's bra tagging along) at Logan.
"/FUCK! OI!" He scuttles out, flapping, Cat firmly attached to his arm.
Jackson doubles over, clutching his sides.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Hong Kong Shatterdome (setting)
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson's POV
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Feng
Category:Feng (ficlet)
Category:Feng is a marigold disaster
Category:Jackson is multilingual
Category:Jackson is a nerd
Category:Feng's cats
Category:Cats of Lin
Category:Cats of Lin (ficlet)
Category:Logan
Category:Logan (ficlet)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Comments
Category:Ficlets with comments