#qfr

# Queerflux Relationship Flag

// A Queerflux relationship could be described as a relationship that fluctuates between romantic, platonic, and inbetween the two, with no specifics. This could be shortened to QFR.//

ID UNDER CUT

Qualrz Friendly Reminder: We shouldn’t only care about mental illness when hetero-cis-male Hip-Hop artists are having hazardous public outbursts. 

We should care about mental illness and mental health always. 

We should care about the mental illness and mental health of Black women in Hip-Hop.

We should care about the mental health and mental illnesses of Black women, period. 

We should collectively check in with CupcakKe to see how she is doing and to let her know that we love her, we see her, and we are here for her. 

Worf/Troi Canon Action/Adventure Romance

*

Deanna jumped and nearly screamed as a hand landed on her shoulder, so focused was she on the corridor ahead of her. “Worf!” she whispered harshly, glaring at him. “You scared me!”

“Sorry,” the big Klingon muttered. “I did not want to risk calling you name. I believe I found a way out.”

Glancing back down the hall, Deanna nodded and turned to follow him, her senses stretching outward as they crept toward, hopefully, freedom. A sudden change in emotion, a tingling feeling of triumph shot through her, and she exclaimed, “Get down!” and pulled on Worf’s arm.

They both hit the ground just as a phaser blast scorched the wall right behind where they’d been standing.

Worf shot back, and yelled at Deanna to run, laying down cover fire as she scrambled up and around the corner twenty feet away, checking quickly to make sure nobody was coming up from that direction, then she returned the favor for Worf, covering his own escape.

“This way,” Worf said brusquely, pointing up the hallway. “There is a door further along this corridor with airflow behind it, I believe that to be the exit.”

Deanna nodded, but kept a wary eye on the intersection, waiting for their pursuers to appear again.

“Walk backward,” Worf advised. “I will lead us while you cover our backs.”

“All right.” Deanna took a quick, steadying breath. “Let’s go.”

Keeping a light touch between their left arms as they moved quickly, Deanna felt her adrenaline spike as two figures rounded the corner, and she shot at them instinctively. “Worf, they’re coming!”

“We’re almost there,” Worf assured her, glancing back briefly to fire his own phaser. They were out in the open, with no cover, nothing to keep their enemies from firing at them and putting an end to their escape. A moment later, they were at the door, and Worf tried the handle. It didn’t budge, so he shot it instead, unable to waste time trying to unlock it or bodily force it open.

Just as he reached to pull Deanna through the open door, she yelped and her face crumpled in pain. An exultant whoop came from down the hall. Still, he pulled Deanna outside with him, and as both crossed the threshold, the world dissolved around them, leaving four people standing in the holodeck.

“Those things hurt!” Deanna complained, rubbing her side where the training phaser had tagged her.

“They’re supposed to,” Worf pointed out. Turning his attention to the two junior security officers, he added, “Good job. However, we almost escaped. There is room for improvement.”

Still rubbing her side, although the sting was fading now, Deanna agreed, “Yes, try to keep your emotions in check. You thought you had us, but because you allowed yourself to feel triumphant, I was able to sense you before you shot.”

“Maybe so, but we still got you in the end, Counselor,” the female security officer teased.

“Yeah,” her partner agreed, laughing. “Once we realized you were busy with the door, sir, and that Counselor Troi couldn’t hit a planet if she was aiming at it, we took the opening provided.”

Deanna sighed loudly, her mouth twisting in an exasperated smile. “Thank you, ensign,” she said wryly.

“No offense, ma’am,” he added with a grin.

“None taken… now get out of here,” Deanna chuckled.

The two ensigns looked at Worf expectantly, and he nodded. “Dismissed.”

Once the holodeck doors closed behind them, Deanna looked up at Worf and suggested, “Maybe I should get some shooting practice in.”

“Perhaps,” he agreed, amusement in his dark eyes. “Thank you for assisting with the training exercise. Too often security personnel forget that other races may have skills and abilities they do not.”

“It was my pleasure, Worf,” Deanna smiled widely. “Although I have to admit, I’m a little annoyed that I got shot so close to the end.”

Gaze flicking down to Deanna’s torso, Worf asked, “Does it still hurt?” placing one hand over the spot.

Deanna shook her head. “No, not anymore.” Her lips curled up in a pleased smile as she added, “But you can kiss it better, anyway.”

Angin ramah sore itu seakan menusuk. Keceriaan peserta karantina tak lagi memacu tawaku. Benar, aku terkapar sebakda ghurub. Panggilan anak-anak mengajak halaqoh terdengar jelas. Tapi mata begitu berat terbuka.

“Ka Fauzia lagi sakit, Dek. Malam ini setorannya sama Kakak dulu, ya,” suara kawanku menenangkan.

***

Syukur di keesokan harinya, kondisi membaik. Meski harus berbalut kaos lengan panjang, jaket, dan tak lupa syal, kali itu aku tak mungkin meninggalkan lagi anak-anak.

“Ka Fauzia udah sembuh? Kok masih pake jaket?” salah satu dari mereka bertanya.

Tak mau perpanjang kata, cukup kuanggukkan kepala.

“Yuk, siapa yang mau setor hafalannya?” aku berupaya mengalihkan pembicaraan.

Singkat kisah, sesi halaqoh sehabis subuh itu selesai. Seperti biasa, aku mempersilakan anak-anak rehat sembari bersiap tuk sesi halaqoh selanjutnya. Dan seperti biasa pula, mereka tak serta merta beranjak pergi, melainkan sedikit memindahkan posisi tuk duduk mengelilingiku.

Satu per satu anak-anak menyampaikan keluhannya. Intinya, rindu mereka akan rumah, orang tua, dan sulitnya menghafal mereka sampaikan.

Dalam keadaan yang kurang fit seperti itu, jujur saja aku tak bisa membangkitkan mood tuk berbagi peduli, motivasi, cerita, atau tebak-tebakan yang biasanya kusampaikan sebagai ‘pengisi’ kegundahan-kegundahan mereka.

“Ayo, pada siap-siap. Jam delapan kita mulai lagi, lho,” aku kembali mengingatkan. Sejujurnya, itu lebih kepada paksaan; segera tinggalkan aku sendiri. Jangan curhat. Aku butuh istirahat. Jahat banget ya? :(

Masih belum beranjak, akhirnya aku yang memaksakan diri berdiri terlebih dahulu. Izin meninggalkan mereka. Ternyata mereka turut berdiri. Dan mengantarku sampai depan kamar musyrifah.

“Kak, kita masuk ya?” izin seorang anak.

“Ada perlu apa? Ini kamar Kakak-Kakaknya, banyak barang-barang buat acara kalian. Ga boleh masuk,” dengan hati-hati aku mencoba pahamkan.

“Mau masuk, Kak. Ya, Kak?” anak itu masih memaksa. Kali ini, teman-temannya kompak mendukungnya.

Emosiku naik. Tidak seperti biasanya anak-anak semanja itu. Setiap menangis dan mengeluh, setiap itu pula aku mencoba berada di sisi mereka. Tapi untuk kali ini? Berlebihan jika mereka harus turut masuk ke ruang privasi.

“Kalo gitu Kakak ke kamar kita dulu. Sebentar aja, kok!” usul salah satu di antara mereka.

Aku sempat menolak. Rasanya kepala ingin sesegera mungkin menumbangkan dirinya di atas bantal. Tapi aku sudah melarang anak-anak memasuki kamar musyrifah. Apakah tak melukai hati mereka, ketika permintaan mereka yang lain tak lagi terpenuhi?

Belum menyetujui, anak-anak sudah menarik tanganku dan membawaku ke kamar mereka. Di sana juga tengah berkumpul anak-anak yang lain. Seakan menunggu sesuatu.

Aku diminta merebahkan diri. Ya ampun. Apa yang hendak mereka lakukan? Berani-beraninya nyuruh yang lebih tua! Mungkin versi jahatnya begitu, haha. Tak mau perbanyak tanya, aku pasrahkan diri ini pada-Mu, Ya Rabb. Pusing-pusing mau dikerjain sama anak-anak juga tak apa. Hiks.

Tiba-tiba saja dua anak memegang kakiku. Dua yang lain memegang tangan. Yap, ternyata mereka memijat tubuh lemah ini. Terharuuuu (seketika #edisiramadhan yang tadinya buat latihan nulis malah jadi ajang curhat). Ya Allah, aku hanya bisa mendoakan mereka, semoga ditenangkan jiwa-jiwanya bersama Al Qur'an. Semoga dimenangkan mencapai target hingga akhir karantina nanti.

“Ka Fauzia jangan sakit lagi, ya,”

“Iya, Kak. Nanti gak ada yang nemenin kita tidur,”

“Iyaa, semalam kita tidur gak ada murotal,”

Demikianlah ungkapan tulus anak-anak yang meluluhkan hati. Jujur, tenang, menembus sanubari. Dalam hati, sebegitu kehilangan kah, mereka? XD

***

Satu pelajaran dari kejadian di atas. Aku ingin mencintai seperti anak-anak mencintai. Iya, aku mau mencintai sesederhana itu. Mencintai dengan cara mereka sendiri, cinta yang mungkin sulit dipahami dan diakui, tapi ternyata sebesar itu cinta mereka.

Mereka tetap memberikan cinta, meski raut wajahku seketika itu mungkin menyebalkan. Mereka tetap memberikan peduli, meski saat itu ego ini inginnya abai. Mereka tetap memberikan apa pun yang bisa dilakukan, demi orang yang mereka sayang. Meski hanya semampu tangan mungil yang menggenggam. Hakikatnya ia telah merengkuh jiwa ini kepada kehangatan.

Ya, cinta yang sering dianggap mengganggu atau memalukan, tapi sebetulnya ia merupakan bahasa mencintai; mereka ingin orang-orang yang mereka cinta sehat, bahagia, dan tak melupa-tinggalkan mereka.

Oak City Move 12 feat. Quinton Moore

Sara and Jenaye discuss some upcoming events, including Quinton’s Fun Record’s ALCU benefit.