Biscuits or Something

Posted on 25 Nov 2020 @ 12:51pm by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Ensign Gwen Leighton

Mission: R&R - after facing the Planet Killer
Location: Leightons quarters
Timeline: R&R Day 1
895 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Aarom had taken a little while to brave up to this but he hadn't heard from her in ages and .... well damn it he liked her.

He pressed the chime to her quarters. The trill felt himself blush slightly as he clutched the drawing he had brought to show her.

The door chime had caught her off guard. Gwen had been happily lost in an article her mom had sent. She rarely had time to read and the hot cup of tea that had been prepared was now cold from lack of attention. Making a note of where she was in the article, Gwen promptly unwrapped her feet from their warm blanket cave. Her toes wiggled as the cool air hit them, "Did I ...am I late for something?" Hopping off the sofa she walked past the kitchen area to the door. Pressing the panel it 'whooshed' open and, although caught off guard, Gwen smiled at the sight of Aarom, "Hello there.." She stepped to the side, "This is a welcome interruption. Come in?"

“How are you?” The trill said stepping in. “It felt like I haven’t seen or heard from you in ages but then I suppose planet killers disrupt everything,” he said.

"Even with that, I generally am terrible at social things." Gwen absentmindedly rubbed the length of her arm, "I get wrapped up in work far too easily - even without a planet killer." She looked about her quarters, suddenly embarrassed that it wasn't more homey, "Can I get you something to drink? Hot? Cold?" The alcove that house the dining table was thankfully clean and she motioned for him to sit, "Hungry at all?"

"I erm ... well I could be. Perhaps a cup of tea and a biscuit or something," he suggested taking the seat offered. "So how are you Gwen?" he asked. "If you strip away all the work stuff."

"A biscuit or something," Gwen laughed, "I think that can be managed." She picked up her cold cup of tea and returned it to the replicator, "Two hot mint tea and some shortbread please." The replicator whirred to life and Gwen masterfully picked up all three items and brought them over to where Aarom was sitting, "And to get into the more in-depth question of how I am, aside from work shifts and work place drama, I think I'm doing alright." She shrugged and bit into a cookie, "I keep waiting for my first evaluation and it has me a bit on edge. I'm an Ensign helping run a whole department. Don't get me wrong I love it but it's a big thing."

"Drama?" Aoram asked. "You just gotta let all that stuff flow off you. You know like your waterproof and it just trickles away. I see it at school. All the kids, they are having drama all of the time."

It was actually quite worrying to him as a civilian if the people that ran the actual ship had a load of workplace drama. Unless he was taking that statement to figuratively.

"Be waterproof," Gwen pondered the term, "I like that." She took a sip of her tea, " Kid drama is thankfully very different than work drama. We're more adult in our communication but people still rub against each other. It's the natural way of things when working with people so closely."

"I guess," He nodded. "Any plans for shore leave?" he asked. Maybe he could ask her out on that date now.

"My plan so far is to get off the ship and...that's as far as I've gotten," Gwen laughed, "You?"

"Get off this ship," he nodded. "Why don't we do it together?"

"That could be fun!" She quickly added, "Maybe we could take an art class somewhere. Work on your skills."

"Lets do something else. Something I'm better at. I can work on my skills in the art class here. There's a whole star base to explore. Why do the same?" the Trill suggested.

"What else do you like to do? Lets find something you would enjoy and will help you let off some steam from all your stress lately."

"Food...and swimming. I'm pretty sure they have a real pool for staff. We could probably make use of it." Gwen stopped and looked at him, "Can you swim?"

"Of course. And yes food and swimming sounds great," he smiled. "Although I'm not much to look at in a swimsuit I will warn you now."

"Don't worry! I promise we won't be swimming laps or anything. Just floating. " Gwen smiled, "That sounds like fun! Starbases have the BEST food vendors. Especially the ones with the tiny little carts on the Promenade. You can find the oddest things on a stick."

"Like what?" the trill asked. "What do you like to eat on a stick?"

Gwen laughed at the question, "Uhm...meat and...things you don't really want to know about. You just put them in your mouth and enjoy."

"That is very strange to me," he said honestly. "But yes lets go see what is the strangest thing we can find .. on a stick."

"It's a date," She offered her mug to 'cheers' with his, "And I promise I'll look out for you around those food vendors. I'd rather like to keep you around."

Aoram looked worried. What was he in for?

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