The Lion and The Lamb

Posted on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 @ 4:14pm by Captain Sebastian Deauvuex (*) & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers

Mission: Ishimura
Location: Crew Quarters
Timeline: 2243
1287 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Eden opened her eyes. Someone was nudging her or shaking her awake. She frowned slightly wondering if she'd overslept for her shift. Then it dawned on her she was still in the living room on the sofa and Sebastian's face was in front of her. "Sorry," she mumbled, sitting up. "Everyone left?"

"Qui..." He said with a small smile at the fact she had passed out so easily. Majority of the crew had left before it happened and security had come to see what the noise was before he smoothed it over and advised everyone it was time to leave before he had noticed her.

"Wow, I'm a terrible host. I didn't mean to fall asleep on everyone." She stretched a little bit. "I'm obviously not a night owl." She wasn't that great at conversation or games either but at least people had shown up to this particular gathering.

"It seems so." The man said letting her go now that he had woken her up enough for her to make sense of what happened. "You missed security turning up to find out about all the noise." He added. It had been an awkward moment but he fixed it, it wouldn't go onto a duty log.

"Really!? I don't know I managed to sleep through that." Eden winced slightly about that as well. "Sorry. Maybe these parties should include fewer guests next time. I would say the host could participate but I'm not much into card games, I just like to watch really and it seems to make them happy."

"Me either." The man chuckled but he wondered if she had just trained herself to hear the computer or the claxon in emergency situations like himself. "Maybe arrange it in the rec room less chance of security invading?" He offered as a suggestion.

"Yeah, I could do that." She hoped her neighbors weren't too mad her for the noise. "Did you have fun?" Eden was suddenly nervous again realizing they were alone. She tried not to show it, it came and went with him. She really wasn't sure why she wasn't always nervous around him like with most people. But sometimes she would be so focused on something she'd forget. "I'm trying to figure you out," Eden said finally.

"It was certainly interesting seeing the crew in some down time and one of them is a card shark pretty sure they were counting." He admitted but seeing they weren't winning for anything other than prestige it wasn't a big deal. It would be a totally different matter if some type of winnings was involved. "Figure me out? Whatever for?" He said with a small smirk.

"Well to be perfectly honest I'm pretty sure you're doing the same thing with me. You keep looking at me oddly and turning your head ever so slightly. The night I climbed the containers in storage, the pile of papers in the mess hall, the PADDS in the library. Same expression each time."

"You intrigue me." He finally admitted after a long pause. Not many women could claim that notion at all. He grew bored quickly but this woman didn't seem to do that at all.

Eden opened her eyes wider at this. "Is that a nice way of saying you think I'm strange?" She asked softly.

“No. You arouse the curiosity and fascinate me.” He admitted with a shrug at her. “You have a mysterious quality that I like.” He didn’t like admitting it when she was more like a rabbit in headlights.

"Hmmm," Eden replied. He had definitely peaked her curiosity as well, mostly his behavior toward her. Approaching her when most people gave her a wide berth. They had some of the same interests. And well, he was very handsome. But she did not at all know what to think of him truthfully. "I think you're giving me too much credit," she grinned.

"I think you aren't giving yourself enough credit. Not many people distract me away from an evening planned with Fransceca Milligan." He said without a seconds hesitation. It was a known fact that he and the Livington Captain had, had an on and off relationship for years.

The woman she'd seen him within the corridor that day. So she had been right. It was silly of her to believe she might be his only interest. "Oh," she said. And when had she gotten the idea in her head that she was interested in the first place? She was being totally ridiculous. "Well, the evening here seems to be over. Maybe she's still waiting for you."

"I came here because I wanted to know you better." He pointed out realising her tone was that of confusion. Maybe he shouldn't have said it but he wanted her to know that he was interested. Maybe he was being ridiculous now he thought on it.

Though it pleased her to hear the words she spoke carefully, "Are you sure? In case you haven't noticed I'm a bit odd. At least to most people." Eden so wished that she didn't care what other people thought but it did bother her sometimes, the stares and whispers.

"I am here aren't I?" The man said softly. Wasn't that enough to explain the confusing feelings he had at the moment? It was strange to feel like this at all.

"I guess you are." She replied just as softly. "So . . . what do we do about this?" Asking that question made her heart kick into overdrive. Eden moved her feet. "Do you want to sit down?"

The man shrugged at her offer to sit down for a moment before he realised that standing there looking awkward was not helping. He moved to sit next to her. “I am not sure if I am being honest.” He hadn’t been in a situation before where he had to second guess everything.

"Oh good, at least that makes two of us." She glanced at him. "I guess we start with something like dinner?"

"Dinner sounds good." He mused thinking that it had to be less awkward than the last time he had tried to get her alone. "Might be better than my drink suggestion." He said trying to make things less uptight. They obviously both at least liked the other enough to want to attempt something. If it didn't work out, he was a professional at the very least.

"Hmm," Eden still felt guilty about that. But it couldn't have been helped, it was generally the way she acted. It was pretty brave of her to suggest dinner. "Tomorrow evening?" She suggested before she lost her nerve.

Sebastian nodded. "Tomorrow evening seventeen hundred sound okay?" He asked before a thought came to him. Was this a first date or were they further along? It was a tad confusing but he was enjoying the confusion and being out of his comfort zone.

"Sure." Eden nodded, not at all sure what else to say. "I guess I should turn in since I couldn't even stay awake for a card game."

The man stood up instantly guessing he was being pretty much kicked out in the nicest possible way. "Sure." He bent over and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead with a gentle. "I will see you tomorrow then." He said shifting with the awkwardness.

"Tomorrow," She smiled, both surprised and savoring the affectionate gesture. As soon as he was gone Eden wanted to zip about the room but as soon as she'd changed into her evening clothes and put her head on the pillow she was instantly asleep.

OFF::

Captain Sebastian Deauvuex
Commanding Officer
USS Ishimura
(PNPC Gregnol)

Ensign Eden Bowers
Chief Helmsmen
USS Ishimura