The Tarot Doesn't Lie

Posted on Wed Jul 1st, 2026 @ 2:52pm by Lieutenant Xavier & Lieutenant Endymion Tox
Edited on on Wed Jul 1st, 2026 @ 2:52pm

1,512 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct
Location: Deck 15 | Arboretum
Timeline: After: Questions and Insights - Part II

ON:

Xaiver sighed as he collected his cards yet again. Three pulls, three times the same cards no matter how much he shuffled.

He leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Rubbing the bridge of his nose he took a breath and then shuffled again. It was then he felt the claws of Phobos on his shoulder.

Xavier smiled and then opened his eyes looking at this Raven. "You're right my friend. Pulling again will not change the outcome." He sighed as he repacked his cards and then he decided he needed a walk. The persistent headache drove him to a calming place. Perhaps the Arboretum His legs carried him that way and soon he was seated amongst the flowers. He closed his eyes trying to draw strength from the flowers and trees. Trying to meditate. A sound drew him back to the present. When he opened his eyes he let out a soft sound of surprise. "Kerberos."

Tox, who'd also been walking stopped a few steps away looking at Xavier. His expressive eyes said so much in a second before a cold mask fell over them. "Lieutenant."

Xavier closed his eyes. "May we speak....please."

Tox stood there for a long while before he sighed. "Okay."

Xavier watched as Tox sat on the grass across from him. He said nothing so Xavier started. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Being a coward. For not telling you when I figured out that you were my Kerberos."

Tox was quiet for a long time before he looked up from the grass. "Yes. You should have. But he should not have invaded our privacy and used it the way he did." Tox paused. "I'm mad at you for keeping this from me but right now I'm more mad at the breech of trust on his part. Pluto was..." He stopped as if to mentally tell himself that he was speaking with Pluto. "What we had was special and I feel mad at him for trying to use that and mad at my self for believing him."

"I am...not what you wished for, in person. You were hoping for someone more like him."

Tox's eyes widened. He realized now that Xavier was hurt. "Oh God. No, Xavier listen. I...you caused a strong reaction in me. No I didn't like you at first but that's because you seemed arrogant and ... combative but I loved arguing with you. There was a strong element of lust there and I was angry that I felt it and that you made me feel it and that you intrigued me because I loved Pluto and it felt like cheating on him." His hands flew to his mouth when the L word slipped out.

Xavier's eyes widened for a moment.

"I mean. I..."

Xavier spoke, "I love Kerberos as well. I have from the moment he made that comment on my Pluto will always be a planet shirt."

Tox's eyes softened and he smiled. "That is a dangerous word you know. Love between two people that have never met is possible but when reality comes into the mix it could change things."

Xavier said nothing. He looked away.

Tox squeezed his eyes shut. "We're at the cross roads and we have a decision to make Xavier."

Xavier looked up because it had been the first time Tox used his name.

Tox went on, "We're both barreling down a road convinced we love one another and I have no doubt we do but we love based on anonymity and now we need to see if that will translate to this." He motioned between them and then went on. "We have two options. To not try is not an option I think we both want to but we'll otherwise go down the road of togetherness or not and both sides have the potential for pain so a choice.

Xavier was silent and he thought back to the Tarot Spread that haunted him since this morning.

The Chariot Xavier thought. They had both run full speed ahead into love with speed and confidence but also speeding too fast to be safe. The Chariot was crossed by The Lovers a choice to be made about love and friendship choosing to take the step but in a healthy way with boundaries that are healthy.

The two cards had been preceded by The Tower Tox and he had only been hit by chaos. What they thought they knew about one another coming to a head when the final meeting happened, when the veil was lifted and when both of them realized that they were the very souls that they loved. The truth of who Pluto was, of who Kerberos was. The Tower energy lingers over everything.

"So, we have a choice," Tox said.

Xavier suppressed a smile. So far the cards had been right. He thought to the next card that had fallen. The action that needed to be taken. Strength So he lead with that. "I think that we both require strength. To choose to move forward, to choose to try. The question is easy to answer. Based on what we built over the years do we owe it to one another to try in person? Yes. Do we stop living in an illusion of written word? Yes. We are both stronger then we allow ourselves to believe and we must confront that strength."

Tox smiled. "Yeah."

Again Xavier thought back to the cards that came out. The challenge was The Devil "Diving into the shadow self and being trapped by the chains of our past. We both tend to react from a place of pain. That will be our obstacle. The past of our letters is also a chain in itself a beautiful illusion that we both want to stay in but now that we are face to face we must let go of what we once were. We can use it as a bridge but it can't be something we compare the now to going forward with."

The card that had followed The Devil earlier today had been Death, rebirth and change. "This is a new start for us both. It's the death of our old relationship and a start of something new. Like a falling tower it is a foundation but we have to navigate this rebirth and rebuild of the relationship and we have to let go of what we knew and use it as a way to build something new."

What worried Xavier is the card that fell in at the outcome. It had been three cards. The Fool, a new beginning with an unknown journey and end. That had been followed by The Moon, Unfamiliar path, the unknown, the hidden dangers within each of us and our pasts that could break us or strengthen us. Finally The Wheel of Fortune, a card that talks of cycles, fate that the future outcome is ever changing and at the bottom of the deck had been The Magician. Saying... "We have the tools to shape our futures we just need to tap into them and decide how we use them. So do we try?"

Tox thought a long time on this. "Yeah."

Xavier gave a nod. "I agree but I say use what we know. Start with letters, hand written, delivered in person. Perhaps a lunch, not a date but a lunch or two every week. Until we get to know one another."

Tox was nodding along. "Also a promise of truth and complete transparency no matter how difficult or frightening."

Xavier swallowed because there were some truths he'd had that he hadn't shared with Tox. Before he could respond. Tox went on.

"This could work. Okay so let's take a break, think about this meeting and let's start with the letters. Once we process this we can write our feelings down this way reading it alone neither of us has to worry about feeling embarrassed or afraid we can pour it on the paper and take time to digest."

"Okay." Xavier felt is something was stuck in his throat. Truth was going to be difficult because Xavier had some shadows that he was afraid to bring to light for Tox.

"For the record the whole Vampire next door with Pointy Vulcan ears is a total turn on."

Xavier was so startled that he laughed. "What?"

"Well it's true. Should we get there might be fun to explore if your bite is worse then your bark."

Xavier flushed green and Tox laughed.

"So innocent!"

Tox's words cut through Xavier and he flinched. His green flush had nothing to do with blushing now. It was a green caused by stomach turning. He watched Tox stand and move away and when he was gone Xavier crumpled in on himself. "He can't find out," He mumbled. "Truth be damned he can't find out."

OFF:


Lieutenant Xavier
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Endymion Tox
Head Nurse (NPC)
USS Ontario

 

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