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The wind picks up and dust hovers above the ground like a thick fog, before rapidly disappearing—blown in another direction. The particles of dust reach his nostrils and he coughs—a cough that transforms into a dry heave. The dust feels like it's caught in his throat and is causing all the trouble. A handkerchief comes into his view, and wordlessly he takes it and covers his mouth and nose. Kelas feels as though he's coughing up a lung—this fit is so awful. It feels embarrassing. A grown Cardassian such as himself—looking like a fool—a weakling—with a never-ending cough. Kelas know that it is ridiculous to think that. A coughing fit does not mean you are weak. Most Cardassians have respiratory problems due to all of the dust that can clog up the air since the bombings. It is not unusual to see someone of any age to halt in their tracks and have difficulty breathing when a gust blows up or if the air quality is particularly bad that day.
He's sensitive about it today.
A firm hand rests on his shoulder as the fit subsides. "Are you alright now, Kelas?" Elim asks with a gentle voice. His face portrays nothing—no concern—his mask is still present. Not that Kelas would expect any less from his partner.
He clears his throat and straightens up to his full height. "I'll live."
~"You're a survivor."~
A lot of things have happened in his life—things that would have broken other Cardassians. Broken mentally, broken physically. But he's gotten through it all.
~"You're a survivor."~
Kelas has heard those words many, many times over the past few years. Everyone who is on Cardassia is a survivor from the Dominion Wars, from the collapsed rubble that is Cardassia City.
~"You're a survivor."~
Maybe.
He's not this negative and pessimistic most of the time, but today he woke up feeling down as it were, and he feels awful about it. Today is supposed to be a happy day—one all three of them have been looking forward to. It's been months of planning and waiting for this to happen.
Julian is visiting.
Julian is visiting and he'll be here, on Cardassia, his feet on the actual soil, for two months.
Elim keeps his usual composure, the side that he gives off to the public of playfulness and secretiveness, but Kelas knows that his partner has practically been jumping for joy and counting the days until now. Elim has set up everything in their house to make it perfect for when Julian arrives and sees it for the first time. Everything is tidy, everything has been dusted. The house has items that would fulfill Julian's wants and needs.
~"You're a survivor."~
But if Julian rejects him, could he survive that?
Kelas has never met Julian in-person. This relationship between the three of them has purely been long-distance from the beginning. Kelas fell in love with the human over time, over countless video calls—talking endlessly through the night. Hells, it was Kelas himself who brought up the idea—the possibility—of a polyamours relationship between the three of them.
But what if Julian takes one look at him when he steps off the Federation ship and sees Kelas in the flesh. Will he change his mind and realize that an old broken Cardassian is not what he desires?
A hand squeezes his own, and Kelas looks up to meet Elim's blue eyes. "His ship is here, my dear." His other hand cradles Kelas' cheek. "It'll be fine. I promise."
Kelas glances to the side to where the ship has landed and the passengers have begun to exit, but his partner redirects his attention. "Trust in our partner. There's nothing to worry about."
"Garak! Parmak!"
They both turn, and Kelas feels his heart skip a beat. There he is. Their Julian.
Julian kisses them deeply.
There was nothing for Kelas to worry about.
He's a survivor.