JP - Robin Hopper & Nathan Richards: A Special Kind of Knowing (Part 6)
tas9303
((Wet Goods, Amity Outpost))
As they repeated the chorus line one more time, Robin pulled the microphone from the stand and closed the few-feet difference between the two of them. With a final stum of the guitar, as the remaining patrons applauded, she wanted to drown out the crowd and hold onto those feelings of certainty just a little bit longer.
She lowered the mic, grabbed the font of Nate’s shirt, and pulled him in for a very public smooch. For a moment, Nathan was taken by surprise at the sudden, very public kiss. But he quickly got over the thoughts of worry at being in a public place, reaching up and placing his hand on her cheek.
This had the opposite effect, predictably, of making the onlookers go away – only causing the people at the surrounding tables to cheer louder, but Robin didn’t care about any of that right now. Let them see. Let the universe try to pull them apart. She wouldn’t let it.
Breaking their kiss and looking up into his eyes, it dawned on her that she’d made a choice for the both of them – one that he may not be comfortable with.
Hopper: ::Nervously:: Sorry.
Richards: Uh, ::Chuckling:: don’t be. ::Raising eyebrow:: But, why?
The room around them was visible again, the haze of her immersion in the song and all its associated emotions, beginning to fade slowly away, back into reality. But the feeling in Robin’s heart remained, and the clarity that her subconscious had been seeking when she chose that song for them couldn’t be diminished by her growing awareness of their exposure. She was falling in love. Maybe she’d already fallen, and now she was plunging so deeply into it there’d be no going back.
Hopper: I… ::Not knowing what to say:: I just, um, felt moved by the music, I guess.
Nathan raised his eyebrow. If he ever needed evidence for how the song had been affecting her, there it was. The sudden kiss, the emotion behind it and the words as she sang. There was something there. Something deep down.
Richards: Yeah. ::Running hand through his hair:: Yeah, makes sense.
Her gaze was drawn to the tables of other bargoers surrounding them. Even with her own growing inner clarity, the fact remained that things could still get awfully messy for them if ‘the wrong eyes’ saw them, or overheard their conversation.
Hopper: Let’s, uh, find somewhere else to talk, hmm? ::Nervous chuckle:: I don’t know about you but I could probably do with another drink… or several…
Why was she getting so tongue-tied now? She normally found it harder to stop talking – especially around Nate, who she knew somehow managed to tolerate, maybe even enjoy her boundless conversational energy. But at the moment, the thought of trying to put her feelings into words made her feel overwhelmed with emotion.
Nathan could see by the look on her face that she was a bit flustered. He gave her a reassuring smile before pulling the guitar from his shoulders.
Richards: Let’s go get a booth in the back. Should be nice and quiet.
With Robin being flustered in the after shock of the song and the unexpected kiss, Nathan wanted to get her somewhere that she could collect herself away from the eyes of the other patrons. He set the guitar down on one of the chairs that sat towards the back of the stage, and held out his arm for her to take. He led her down the stairs and towards the opposite end of the pub to the more private and secluded booths, usually reserved by those who wanted nothing to do with the loud energy of the dance floor and stage.
They sat in the booth, across from each other, and Robin let out a tense sigh that failed to fully ease her nerves. Her eyes darted from the stage, to Nate, then down to her own hands.
Hopper: I, uh, didn’t realize I was gonna do that just then. I didn’t mean to– Well, I just– ::Cheeks flushing red:: I couldn’t help myself.
Nathan looked at her with concern on his face. There appeared to be a lot of turmoil behind her normally tranquil blue eyes.
Richards: ::Softly:: Do you want something to drink? ::Smirking:: Maybe some Ice Cream? More curly fries?
Hopper: Yeah. Yeah, actually, I don’t know about you but I could actually go for a shot right about now. Or two.
It was silly to think of things between them as ‘moving fast,’ wasn’t it? After all, they’d known each other for well over a year now – and their attraction had been immediate. She could still recall their first meeting vividly, and the desire that had kindled between them those long hours working on the Targhee, alone together. It had never really faded, just been pushed aside and half-heartedly buried.
Nathan tapped at the menu PADD that sat on the table, submitting another drink order before he turned to look at Robin once more. Her left hand sat near the edge of the table, fingers nervously drumming on its smooth black surface.
Richards: ::Taking Robin’s hand in his:: You alright?
As he took her hand, Robin wanted to melt. Her mind was divided between looking for escape routes and feeling utterly secure. Both felt foolish.
Hopper: I’ll be okay… ::Changing the subject:: Thanks, again, for humouring me – you know, for always taking my, um, ‘eccentricities’ seriously.
Richards: ::Chuckling:: You make it sound like it’s some special skill or something that I have.
Hopper: Yeah, well, maybe it is. ::Smiling appreciatively:: I think we just get each other. You get me, I get you… ::Slightly somber:: I used to think I’d never find that. Maybe it’s greedy of me, but I wish I’d known you sooner.
Nathan looked at her for a moment, wondering if there was even the possibility that they may have crossed paths at the academy and neither of them knew. What if they had? What if they had met back then? What would that have meant for them now? He shook his head slightly, clearing away the what ifs.
Richards: Sometimes, ::Squeezing her hand:: It feels like we have known each other our whole lives. ::Shrugging:: If that makes sense. Things between us are just so easy, like we…
Nathan just let the thought hang. He wasn’t sure where he was going to go with it. He shrugged and sighed. Robin chuckled. She knew what he meant. And that was it, wasn’t it? The things left unsaid weren’t dead ends for them – not anymore. There was a special kind of knowing between them.
Their exchange was interrupted by the arrival of a server, their hands parting to make way for the delivery of several tequila-filled shot glasses and a small plate with lime wedges placed between them. Robin nodded in thanks, and the server carried on to attend other orders around the tavern. Nathan grabbed a shot glass, and Robin followed suit, both of them holding their small glasses in the air. He looked at Robin with a warm smile before he spoke.
Richards: To…::Smirking:: My special ability to “put up with your eccentricities”.
She raised her eyebrows in mock offense, but lifted her glass all the same.
Hopper: You weren’t supposed to agree with that…
After tapping glasses, they both drank their shots, Nathan setting his upside down on the table with a small thud. He tapped a metallic finger against the glass a couple times before looking up at Robin as she deposited a finished lime wedge into her own empty glass.
Richards: You know, you don’t have to be sorry about kissing me.
Hopper: ::Unsure:: Yeah, well…
Richards: ::Running his index finger around the rim of the next shot glass:: I kissed you for the first time, ::Pointing towards a table sitting closer to the stage:: at that table right over there. Unprovoked. Spontaneous. ::Chuckling:: I’d say we are even now.
She leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table, emboldened slightly by his return to the subject – and her shot of tequila.
Hopper: Not counting that time we thought we were about to be murdered by Ninth Wing goons – pretty sure that one was on me too… ::Slight smirk:: I guess that part of the mission is still technically classified.
They chuckled together and reached for their second shots. Robin paused a moment, running her finger along the rim of the glass pensively. Her mind was still a swirl of indecision and doubt, but through it all, a thread of singular longing ran clearly now, drawing her towards an inevitable conclusion.
Hopper: Nate, I–
She struggled to find words that would express what she was thinking, what she was feeling, without making her seem crazy, or like an awful hypocrite. It had been her, after all, who had balked at his confession a year ago, her fear of attachment that had kept them from exploring their feelings honestly for so long… and it was only now dawning on her that it hadn’t been her fear of Nate falling in love, but rather her own feelings that had pushed her away.
Hopper: I, uhh, wanted to tell you something…
Nathan slowly set down his shot glass, giving Robin his attention and smiling.
Richards: What, Kino? You know you can tell me anything.
She furrowed her brow, and her lips pursed together tightly, resisting the urge to speak her heart. Things were going so well. Throwing ‘love’ back into the mix would probably only complicate things, add pressure and expectation. Hell, they weren’t even comfortable being ‘public’ about their relationship yet – and what if she was wrong? What if it wasn’t love, but some heady concoction of lust and affection? Finally, knowing she had to say something, she said the next best thing.
Hopper: I… I want to go with you, back to Earth, when you go. ::Nodding, confident that her words were, at least, true:: I figure, I like you well enough. I’ll probably like the rest of the Richards clan too.
Nathan blinked a couple of times as he looked at her, unsure if she was being serious or not. She had been so adamant about not going with him and worried about meeting his family. Why had it changed all of a sudden? He lifted the shot glass in his hand to his lips, tilting it upwards and drinking the contents.
Richards: Are you sure? You didn’t seem very keen on the idea before…
Hopper: ::Tilting her head back and forth:: I just needed some time to think it through. I’ve never, umm… met the parents before… I guess it feels sort of serious. ::Wide-eyed sigh:: But, now that you’ve met mine, it’s really only fair isn’t it… ::Looking to him:: If you still want me to come, that is?
Richards: Of course I want you to go. ::Smirking:: My family wants you to come.
Hopper: ::Surprised:: They do? Wha– Uh, how? You talked to them about me? When?
Nathan realized that he had never actually told Robin that she had been the topic of a lot of discussion on Nathan’s last visit to Earth. He felt his face flush slightly as he ran his hand through his hair.
Richards: Uh…yeah. We did talk quite a bit about you last time I was home…
Hopper: ::Intrigue, tinged with worry:: Oh really…?
Nathan downed another shot, trying to stall a moment while he thought of what to say.
Richards: All good things, obviously. ::Resting his chin in his hand:: They were excited that I had made friends out here. Especially after breaking the news about ::Waving Prosthetic hand in the air:: this.
Hopper: Well, sure, but you have lots of friends. ::Crossing her arms, raising her eyebrows:: Why were they so interested in me?
Richards: I told them about the shuttle, and the work we were doing together to get it going. ::Chuckling:: I had to convince my brother that you weren’t some evil alien and I wasn’t pregnant with your alien babies.
Robin leaned back in her seat as she processed the news that Nate’s family had known about her for nearly a year. Finally, she replied.
Hopper: Who says you’re not?
She slipped a foot out of her shoe and, raising it under the table, jabbed Nathan in the stomach with her toes. Nathan chuckled, swatting at her foot.
Richards: Then I think there is another serious conversation that we need to have.
Hopper: ::Smirking, evilly:: Your research into Centaurans hasn’t covered ‘mating customs’ yet, has it? ::Casually, mockingly:: Soon my brood will be ready to hatch…
Nathan shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.
Richards: So… ::Smirking:: This brood. Will I live through the birth?
Hopper: ::Leaning over the table towards him:: If you’re strong. Maybe.
Nathan put his hand to his chest in mock shock.
Richards: Well then, I must say it has been nice knowing you and I hope you raise our children with love and care.
Hopper: ::Shrug:: If they don’t just eat me, as is our custom. But hey - let’s at least wait ‘til we get to Earth so our evil offspring can conquer the planet or something!
Nathan chuckled and shook his head, still somewhat confused as to her sudden change of heart about going with him.
Richards: So, ::Tilting his head:: You’re sure about coming with?
Hopper: I’m sure. ::Amused shrug:: I make all my best decisions after too much tequila. ::Beat, then lifting her second shot:: Let’s seal the deal with a toast. I’ll put in my RTO request tonight. I think I can swing a couple months of leave – and I’d love to see Montana. Maybe we can even swing by Bozeman?
Richards: ::Smirking:: We could probably do that.
Hopper: Cheers to that.
They clinked their glasses together, then took the last of their shots. Robin grabbed a wedge of lime and held it up for Nathan, the two of them crossing arms and feeding each other their limes while they chuckled. Nathan felt his sinuses burn as his chuckling sent the lime juice in the wrong direction.
Hopper: ::A little drunkenly:: Ooohh… boy… And with that, we’ve officially gotten silly. Time to cut us off, hmm?
Richards: ::Tossing down the lime wedge:: Probably a good idea. ::Cough:: I don’t think I can do anymore limes.
Hopper: What say we get out of here before they kick us out…? ::Eying him:: Your roommate’s gonna think you’ve been transferred off the station or something.
Nathan tilted his head back and forth as he thought for a moment, but stopped as the room began to spin.
Richards: I honestly don’t think Siben really expects to see me much. I told him I was fairly busy most of the time. ::Looking at Robin, raised eyebrow:: Wait. You saying you want me gone for the night?
Robin placed an elbow on the table and leaned her chin on the back of her hand, squinting across at Nate with a look somewhere between sleepy and provocative.
Hopper: I thought you might want to sleep it off with me.
Richards: Uh-huh. You are just looking for some recovery time, ::Winking:: aren’t you?
Hopper: All I’m saying is, you make a very comfortable pillow.
Nathan rested his arms on the table, letting his head drop so that his forehead rested against the table top.
Richards: ::Laughing:: I’ve had too much to drink. Oh boy.
She ruffled his hair, then began gently running her fingers through his short blond locks, appreciating the bright summery colour of his hair, a warm and tender feeling spreading from her fingers up to her heart.
Hopper: See? How can I let you go wandering off on your own? You might get lost in Peace Park and never make it to your quarters… Or worse, you’ll stumble in and make a racket and wake poor Siben… Yup. You better come with me. It’s the only safe option.
Nathan lifted his head to look back up at Robin with a smile as she ran her hand down his cheek.
Richards: Let’s get out of here.
She leaned over the table, giving him one more recklessly public smooch.
Hopper: Yes, let’s.
TBC in Part 7…
Lt. Commander Robin Hopper
Chief Science Officer,
Amity Outpost
V239806K11
&
Lieutenant Nathan Richards
Chief of Operations,
Amity Outpost
A239905NR1