An Apple A Day

Posted on Wed Mar 25th, 2020 @ 4:01pm by Executive Officer Jake Ford & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers

Mission: Mission 11 - Prospecting
Location: Eden's Quarters
Timeline: immediately following end of Temperance Mission
1054 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Eden had been cleared to return to her quarters where she was told to take it easy. And honestly, the way she felt right now, she wasn't going to be doing anything other than cuddling on the couch with Jake if he was available. Otherwise she was severely tempted to take Stan out of his cage. She entered her quarters, grabbed a blanket and draped it over her as she gingerly sat down on the sofa and stretched out.

Jake appeared from her bedroom with a cup of coffee in one hand and a punnet of freshly-replicated grapes in the other. "Stay there. Don't move," he instructed. "You took a nasty one, and the medics will have told you to take it easy so that's what you're going to do. Let me take care of everything."

She blinked, surprised that he was already there. But it soon turned into a grin when she realized he was fussing. "Yes sir," she replied. Eden watched him for a moment. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Shush! Sit!" he urged, ushering for her to stay in place. "Relax. I got you some coffee, and some grapes - I hear these are great for when you've been sick or something." He shrugged at that part. Something his mother had taught him when he was a kid, probably. "Got to keep your strength up," he added, practically shoving one in her face.

"You take such good care of me," Eden took the grape and popped it in her mouth. "I'll sit if you stay with me," Eden replied making herself comfy and patting the seat next to her. "Cuddle?"

"I wish I could, sweetie, but I don't think I have the time. I need to clean this place up, make sure you and Stan are fed, wash your clothes..." Jake started to reel off tasks at a frantic pace, before stopping sharply. "Oh. Oh no." He stared. "Did I suddenly turn into you!?"

She giggled. "Jake, I'm okay." She nodded very seriously. "I'll be back on my feet in no time. I'm just sore and tired really. I can do all that stuff, sit with me." She reached out an hand to him this time as if her touch would somehow calm him down.

Relenting, Jake trudged to her side and dropped to the couch, suddenly regretting it as the force of him landing jolted her sharply to one side. "Oh! Sorry!" He paused, cringing that he might have accidentally made things worse. "Now I'm getting clumsy, too. I really am turning into you! Maybe we've fallen into some strange opposites universe where our personalities are mirrored..."

"I doubt that," Eden replied to him. "I think you're just super stressed." She moved her hands to his shoulder and began rubbing it gently. "Must have been pretty scary, watching what happened and not being able to do anything. But no broken bones, I refused painkillers because I thought someone might need them more than me someday."

"Huh. You know they can probably just replicate those, right?" he asked, his eyes closing as he enjoyed her touch on his shoulders. "Honestly, I can't remember ever diving away from my post in the middle of a situation like that," he admitted. "I'm usually pretty disciplined. Just...seeing you get hurt..."

"You never know where Grenol gets things." Eden wrapped her arms around him and squished him with a hug. "I try not to," she chuckled. "But I'm really starting to think this ship doesn't like me. I thought it was you she didn't like but I'm having doubts about that. But, you know I'm okay now. So you may make yourself busy or just sit here with me, whatever you like. Don't feel like you have to clean my quarters though."

"How can this ship not like you, Eden? You're pretty damned adorable." He booped her on the nose. "So adorable that I'm going to look after you while you're getting better. Even if that means I have to..." he glanced over at the cage, gulping loudly for dramatic effect. "Feed...Stan..."

"Aww, that's the sweetest thing ever." Eden kissed him. "I'm so lucky. And honestly Stan likes you too."

"Maybe too much. You know you should really be jealous. Yeah, he's totally making moves. You should get rid of that guy before he tries to split us apart..." Jake teased.

"Nah, I couldn't do that to you guys. You might be really happy together. You know, I never considered Stan might be a girl. I'm not even sure how you tell." She seemed to think about it for a moment. "And if he is a she, then I can see why she can't keep her legs off of you."

"So you mean Stan might be a girl spider?" Jake frowned, feigning protest. "Well, this changes everything; you'll definitely have to be careful that she doesn't try to web me up and steal me away from you. Unless that's what you want...are you Stan's wingman? That would make a crazy kind of sense..."

"What do you want me to do to convince you I'm not? Marry you? Maybe I plan on sharing." Eden curled up against him, content enough to slip off to sleep if his warmth seeped into her.

Jake had to double-take a little at her use of the 'M' word, but in his mind he glossed over that part quickly. Too soon. They'd known each other what? A few months? Just a turn-of-phrase. "A threesome would be any normal man's dream. You might have just turned that into a nightmare by adding a spider as the third party," he sighed, cuddling her close. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm debating changing my answer on that. If I had known you were going to wait on me hand and foot ahead of time," she smiled against him. "Can I use you as a pillow?"

"That's a rhetorical question, right?" he laughed as she nuzzled into him. He draped an arm over her. "Sure. Rest. I'll wake you up when I need to pee."

Eden didn't say another word, she just sighed and melted against him.

---

Eden Bowers
Chief Helmsman
SS Mary Rose


Jake Ford
Chief Armoury Officer
SS Mary Rose