PNPC Crewman Jozial Renirs – So many butterflies
Jovenan
((Turbolift, USS Artemis))
Kliss’lai: What are you doing here? I mean, what are you doing in the turbolift? I mean, what deck? Are you going? ::breath:: What deck are you going to?
Oh shoot, was she going somewhere? Jozial had walked straight in and been too distracted with something else to notice she hadn’t informed the computer of her destination. “Something”. Someone. Her entire face was coloured crimson, contrasting the Andorian’s soft-looking skin. If she had been going somewhere, it couldn’t be anything more important than this.
Renirs: Deck? Oh, uh… The, umm, same as you?
Having turned to face her again, in order to talk to her, Jozial could see Kliss’lai blink confusedly with her captivating grey eyes. Jozial closed her own eyes, realizing her mistake: Kliss’lai had never told her destination to her.
Kliss’lai: Deck five?
Renirs: Yes, that’s, uh, were I was going to as well. What a coincidence.
Kliss’lai: My quarters are on deck five.
Jozial had been anxiously flustered for talking to Kliss’lai, but now she began to imagine that the butterflies in her stomach were also doing the thinking on her behalf. Of course Kliss’lai would be going to her quarters, and being an Ensign, it made sense she’d be bunking on deck 5. Meanwhile, Jozial had no reason or excuse to being following her.
Kliss'lai: That's where I'm going. To change. I can't exactly walk around like this all day, can I?
Jozial had a one more gaze at her, covered only by a swimsuit and a towel. She wanted to be allowed to linger on the sight for longer, but every second her eyes were to her direction made the situation more and more awkward.
Renirs: I wouldn’t mind it. ::quickly:: For myself! I wouldn’t mind wearing that myself all day! ::nervous laughter:: Unless you want it to mean you… Uh… But, umm, yeah, you go change…
She turned away again. What had happened to her? When they had met, Kliss’lai had only been a random security officer who had fired one lucky shot when Jozial had been making mashed Gabe-otatoes. Seriously, she had been just one of the many officers who couldn’t tell a wrench and a hyperspanner apart. There couldn’t be any other explanation: it must be some persistent effect of the sleepy gas they both had been breathing on the corridor not so long ago. The Emo Hoodie Girl who had devised the cure had obviously screwed up. Such a loner wouldn’t remember to account for psycho-neural effects that emerged when interacting with pretty girls.
Turbolift maintenance weren’t Jozial’s responsibility, but this one was clearly faulty. Moving one deck downwards took it forever, as if to deliberately prolonging the awkward silence between them. Not only that, but the turbolift also made weird, rhythmic beating sound… No, wait, that was just her heart racing like it was participating to the Denali Invitational. She wanted to take a deep breath to calm down but didn’t want Kliss’lai hear the change in her breathing.
Eventually, the faulty turbolift stopped and the doors opened. Jozial turned to Kliss’lai and smiled stupidly. Neither of them moved.
Kliss'lai: This is deck 5.
Renirs: Yes, it is. This is where we were going.
Jozial didn’t know if she should step out and walk Kliss’lai to her quarters. But did she actually have an excuse for that? She had stopped on this deck only because Kliss’lai was heading here, but she didn’t actually have a reason to stay here, not to mention to follow her. Stepping out of the turbolift meant she’d need to go to another direction and say goodbye. Unable to think clearly, she opted to stand still.
Kliss'lai: Do you like food?
Food? Suddenly, she couldn’t remember what she liked of food. Had she even had any of that? No, wait, yes! Food! Say something!
Renirs: Yes, I love food! I have it every day.
Kliss'lai: I like to eat when I'm hungry. ::patting her flat stomach through the towel:: I'm clearly hungry. Do you want to have food? Um ... with me?
Her jaw dropped. Did she just ask her… out? The butterflies in her stomach had turned to wasps, injecting paralyzing toxin to her poorly detoxifying Trill body from within. She wasn’t sure if she was still her or if she was observing the scene from somewhere far away.
Renirs: …yes.
Kliss'lai: okbye
Wasting no time after the cutely nervous and speedy goodbye, Kliss’lai walked fast out of the turbolift, leaving immobile Jozial staring at her go. After Kliss’lai had disappeared behind the corner, Jozial jumped in the air and bunched the air a few times. After running a lap around the turbolift, she stopped bent over, taking support from her knees, and finally had a proper breath. Her heart was still beating like drums in her ears.
She was going for a date!
It was a date, right? And not some officer form of insincere politeness? Or some kind of meetup as “just friends”? Doubt bludgeoned itself to her mind. No, it was clearly an invitation for a meal, with a pretty girl, ergo a date. Oh, she couldn’t wait for it to actually begin!
Then she realised they hadn’t actually agreed on the time or place. Now her stomach was full of butterflies, her head battered by doubt and her skin itching of uncertainty. Did it mean she would wait till Kliss’lai had the opportunity to change the swimwear, or did it mean some later date? But she had been hungry now, that would imply it meant now. Right?
And what she should do? What to wear? Where to go? What?
She considered asking for advice from someone more experienced, but she didn’t know anyone. Gabe? Nah, he’s married, married couples don’t go on dates, they just argue and shout. Talos? Ha! There was no way Stuffy the Funpire Slayer knew anything about talking to women! Supervising Petty Officer? Absolutely no, that person hated all love and joy. She was left with no alternatives but to trust on her impeccable impro skills.
((Timejump: circa 15 minutes later))
((Corridor, Deck 5, USS Artemis))
Jozial nervously straightened her clothes. Having dumped her messy uniform for a black leather jacket and denim shorts, she stood behind Kliss’lai’s quarter door, which she had found by asking the computer for directions. Her combadge had been making annoying chirping noises, so she had left that behind as well.
She had had a moment to think of her plan. Gabe had told Kliss’lai liked calamari, so she had looked up for a seafood themed place from the Cat Station. Turned out there were multiple, as if the Cats liked fish. She had also planned things to say, so she wouldn’t have to repeat the awkward inability to speak clearly. Girls liked confident girls, and being cool was definitely a green flag for Andorians. And despite her freezing up and babbling earlier, she knew she was the personification of cool and confident.
So confident she didn’t dare to press the doorbell without minutes of psyching herself.
Eventually, she mustered all her courage and chimed the bell.
Kliss’lai: Response
What was she doing!? She had still an opportunity to run away! Run!
The door opened. Freezing stiff seeing the pretty Andorian, now properly dressed, she forgot all her lines.
Renirs: Hi, uh, Kliss’lai! I was wondering if, umm, you still liked food?
Kliss’lai: Response
Renirs: There’s this place on the Spacedock that has seafood. Would you, uh, like to try it out? It’s okay if you…
Kliss’lai: Response
Jozial smiled widely as the doors closed behind them. No, cool girls don’t smile like dorks! Cool face, cool face! She tried to control her facial expression poorly. Maybe she should try saying something.
Renirs: So, Kliss’lai…
Kliss’lai: Response
Renirs: Okay, Kliss! You can call me Jozial if you want.
Kliss’lai: Response
TAG/TBC
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Crewman Third Class Jozial Renirs
Enlisted technician
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11