Glein
Well-Known Member
- RP Date
- YE 40
- RP Location
- YSS-Hana/Halls -> Laundry Room -> Quarters
YSS-Hana, halls
Lucas walked through the halls with a pad in hand checking over supply manifests. Something he wasn't needed to do right now, but he still had that habit of working even when not needed.
Elenor herself wasn't wandering the halls. Rather, she was in the Laundry room, waiting on her clothes and uniforms to finish washing. She'd tried to delay this for as long as she could, which meant that she was down to the last set of clean clothing she had... And it wasn't exactly modest. A fact that she was trying to have be as little of a problem as possible.
After all, she was only wearing some of the underwear that'd been donated to her, and it'd been one of the pairs she'd avoided wearing because it felt so... well, more assured of her body than she really felt. Why nothing else? well, it was all in the wash. Even her back-up attire was in need of a wash.
Lucas looked and noticed a discrepancy on the pad for detergent. He made his way down the hall and entered the laundry room. His gaze was still on the pad when he entered, oblivious to the mostly bare Elenor in the room. He turned right and a few steps over to look at the stock of detergent.
Elenor just happened to be sitting in the chair next to the dispenser when Lucas came in and turned without even paying attention to what was happening. "WOAH!" Elenor tried to call out a warning, but sadly, was too late as Lucas ran into her, the chair, and they all toppled over.
The pad flew from his hand as they tumbled, him ending on top of something warm, his face having thankfully landed in something squishy and soft........Wait. squishy?........SOFT?!........oh heavens.
Lucas was afraid even though he knew the answer, lifting his head to see a bosom staring him in the face. His face instantly went crimson red as he looked up to lock eyes with Elenor.
Oh by God....I'm dead.
Elenor was still rubbing her head, having slammed into the deck with the toppling. "Get your nose out of the pad next time Lucas!" She grumbles, before it really dawned on her just where Lucas's head was located.
Her face soon reached a similar level of crimson. She wasn't sure just what to say in that moment. Did she scream at him? Attack him? Hug him? She wasn't sure. She wanted to do all these things and maybe some more... Ever since that weird, well, feeling she got when he touched her that one time, she had such conflicting feelings about Lucas himself.
Lucas so.many thoughts running his mind at once, one anticipating a violent reaction, but when one did not come. He was what? Hopeful? Disappointed? Confused definitely.
With the pause clarity crashed back in, and he quickly scrambled onto his side, and offer her. He took a new position on his knees with his forehead in a position of clearly asking for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, please forgive me, strike me if you want, I deserve it for such a shameful act.", rambled out clearly sorry for violating her space.
Blinking a few times, Elenor pushed herself into a sitting position. "I ain't gonna strike you Lucas..." She grumbles, righting the chair and sitting back into it, though she does sit a bit more conservatively than she had been prior to Lucas' arrival. "I meant what I said though... Sometimes you gotta get your head out of your work and pay attention to what's around you!"
She never said she wouldn't chastise him.
Lucas slumped slightly at such a calm response, but cringed at the last part. He worked because he had little else to do, and it let him forget about certain things.
"I work because it's all I have. It's needed, and helps the crew.", He said, even though he knew it was a lame excuse.
He stood up, but kept his eyes closed. Quickly he took off his jacket and offered it to her.
Taking a moment, she took the offered coat, and pulled it on. It still left her lower body mostly bare, but at least she was more decent than before. "Maybe, but paying attention to your surroundings should be just as important. Especially when you walk into a room."
She sighs. "You just happened to catch me doing my laundry. I'd held off doing it for longer than I should have."
"Again I am very sorry. What i did was very inappropriate and disrespectful to you.", He said hanging his head low, still mentally kicking himself for letting work blind him.
"Alright alright, I get it Lucas. Stop moping already." She says, shaking her head. "You're making yourself look like a bigger fool than you already are."
He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Upset she wasn't more so? Happy he had been forgiven with little in the way of negative reaction?
"Why are you forgiving me that easily? Most people would slap the red off of someone who violated them like that.", He asked confused.
"Simple." Elenor stated, crossing her arms. "Because you didn't intend to do it. I won't lie and say you don't deserve some kind of punishment, but what kind of hypocrite would I be to punish you and claim I didn't feel something... else." She seems to pause and struggle actually saying what she felt, but finished with something that could work.
Something else?
His mind wanted to read into that, but he kept that to himself, there was no guarantee it was what he hoped it was. But at the same time he wanted to know, "something else?"
Elenor shrugged. "I'm, not really sure how to describe it okay?" She states. "I'm not being tsun or anything of the sort. I'm just not sure how to describe it!"
"Is it......Is it related to....what we felt that night? When I tried to use my abilities?", He asked, not sure of what her answer. A small scared part of him, worried what it would be. An still healing part worried what would happen after, if it was a yes. He was still admittedly healing over Juno, and it made him hesitant even on that night in question.
Elenor slowly nodded. "I think so. A bit. I know I felt... Something." She says, sighing. "I'm just not sure what exactly what though." She stated. "I'm not even sure what you were trying to do that night."
"I was afraid that you were misunderstanding, and I tried to use my race's empathic abilities to share those feelings of honesty.......But I shared more then intended. But not everything felt was mine.", Lucas said rubbing his arm, still embarrassed he could not use such a natural skill properly.
"So, it was an, accident? Some of what I felt wasn't what was supposed to happen?" She asked, wondering then if what had been felt had simply been unintended happenstance.
"I was only trying to share my feelings of honesty, but I ended sharing some of my other feelings........particularly those for you. But at the same time I felt your feelings as well I guess, because some were not mine. Part of the ability is the other way where we draw in feelings from those we touch.", Lucas said feeling a growing dread. It sounded like she believed that her feelings were not there as well.
She sat there for a time, even as the washer began to ping in letting her know it was done. "So, you mean that none of it was fake? It was.... all real?"
"To use this ability is to let the other in to a degree where deception is not a possibility. In a way it is like letting another person view into your soul. Empathy is something not meant to be used lightly.", He said still rubbing his arm. He was admitting things he was hesitant to tell her, afraid how it might change things between them.
"I..." She starts to say, but paused. "So, you felt something for me... and my feelings for you were exposed to us both..." She mused, and hugged herself a moment, realizing that he had just explained what she'd been feeling this way towards him over time.
"Yes. I'm sorry. In a way it was a worse violation then what happened just a few moments ago. I shouldn't have let desperation to let me jump to using an ability that I can't control properly. Never really been very good at being Iroma, and I can understand if you want me to go away.", Lucas said feeling more shame as he realized he may have gone to far.
"No." She stated. But to what precisely was hard to say out of hand. She remained sitting there for a time, eyes closed as she contemplated her next response.
"Yes, I will agree it was a violation. But... I don't hate you for it." She said, opening her eyes.
His worried eased some, but he felt this wasn't over yet.
"Where does that leave........us? Where do we stand?", He asked.
"Hard to say." She stated, standing up and walking to the washer to start moving her clothes from the washer to the dryer. "On one hand, I'd be interested in going further... But on the other hand, I'm, not sure."
Lucas felt like his heart was jumping to FTL, but at the same time sinking. He somewhat expected things to go as before, for a second love to drown in the chemical smell of the laundry room. At the same time he willed that not to be the case, mentally sending a silent prayer.
"Then.....how should we approach this. Should we give each other time?", Lucas asked.
"I'm not sure. I don't know how to go about this. Never exactly did do well in relationships growing up." She says, finishing moving her clothes between the washer and dryer. Of course, this had involved a fair bit of bending over.
Lucas tried to ignore that even as his cheeks reddened again. He didn't look away however at first until he realized he was staring. "I've..uh..only had the one.", He said keeping his eyes raised.
"So, we're both kind of playing at figuring this whole thing out." Elenor says, standing up and resting against the dryer as it started up. "I suppose the bigger question then, is if you want to try and make this work or not."
His mind was still hesitant, but the words left his mouth before they could be stopped. "Yes, yes I do. I like you Elenor.", He said.
"Well then, I guess we get to work it out." She remarked, sighing. "It's just gonna be a guessing game. And no, you don't get to use that Iroma ability again." She points out, smiling at him.
Lucas was still looking up and was still blushing heavily, "f-fair enough."
If there was one thing that was ruining her look of being upset, but amused, it was her tail, giving those happy excited twitches behind her. "So, how do you plan to apologize for crashing into me? I mean, wearing your jacket till mine is clean is nice and all."
"What, you want my shirt too?", He said beginning to slip it off.
"Nah, that'd be too easy." She retorted, starting to giggle a bit. "Besides, you look better with it on."
Okay now he was worried.
"Uh....I can carry you? Grovel some more?", He asked.
Please don't ask for my pants.
"How about helping me finish my laundry and then cleaning my room? I'm not that cruel." She says, grinning at the expression on Lucas's face.
He breathed a sigh of relief, "That I can certainly do."
He moved over to the machines and finished starting the dry cycle.
"Hey, I saw that look. And I wasn't going to steal any more clothes. We're both red enough as it is." She says, jokingly referring to how embarrassed they were.
With dry cycle running, there was nothing to do but wait.
"I wasn't expecting you too, but it would have been fair. I doubt I can get any redder then I already have anyways.", He said with a slight smile. To be honest he found enjoyment in medial tasks.
"I can think of a few ways you'd be redder." She says, grinning. "But I think those ways are better saved for when we're a bit further into figuring out if we want to make this relationship work."
Some of that blush came back, "wut?"
Elenor just continues grinning. She used to be a guy, she knew that Lucas' imagination could run quite wild left with open cues like that. Odin knew she still had instances of that when she had nothing better to do.
"Good heavens, that would be jumping ahead I agree."
"Thought you'd agree." She remarked, waiting on the dryer. "So, working hard again?" She asked, wondering what brought him down to the laundry this hour.
"Well I was going to check an error on the cargo manifest. Apparently we had too much detergent according to the system.", Lucas explained, "all I really have to do in my free time is more work."
"You really do need to find something to fill your time with Lucas." Elenor says, shaking her head in amusement. "And work isn't an option." She points out before he could say he does.
"But what though? Well I guess that's a stupid question given tonight."
"Plenty of options. Just a matter of finding what interests ya. It's kind of how I pass time. Usually listening to music, or using the holo capsule to visit various wilderness simulations." She states, showing a couple of examples of things to do that weren't work-related.
"I don't own a music player. I do visit the holo capsule, a little too frequently of late. I need a distraction, something to get my head on straight. Seems like I can't stay focused unless I'm working.", He said admittedly. The major issue with activities was serving on such a small ship really limited what options were available.
"A distraction is what I'm suggesting." She says, before thinking on it, and promptly blushing. "And I should probably focus a bit myself..."
"Need a book or two? I read all mine."
"Maybe..." She muttered, wishing the dryer would hurry up and finish.
"Hey you okay?", He asked worried at her suddenly muttering behavior.
"Y-yeah. Just fine." She's quick to answer, trying not to make this whole thing more nerve-wracking than it already was.
"You don't sound like it. What's bothering you? You were there for me when I had something wrong, I want to repay that kindness.", Lucas said gently touching her shoulder.
"I was just... Thinking of how scenes like this tend to happen in shows and books... And then realized what I was wearing, probably wouldn't help." She says, giving a nervous chuckle. "Sorry for well, sounding so silly."
"No not at all. Every story is based on a grain of truth. In some cases like this, far closer to reality then fiction. Maybe we'll even get that happy ending.", He said giving a smile.
Giving a small whimper and a wiggle of her hips, she gave Lucas a small glare. "Keep it up and I might see about playing out more of the scene." She threatens, struggling to keep the grin from creeping onto her face.
Lucas thought about.that, about the meaning behind those.words. He had been hesitant this whole time, even the first.time. maybe that was why things had not gone well before, because he held back to much.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Lucas let his impulse to act win out. His hand moved from her shoulder to her cheek gently. His other did likewise as he moved in and gave her a kiss.
He waited for the outcome.......
Elenor blinked in surprise at the sudden kiss, but couldn't help herself, soon returning it even as he seemed to be wanting to pull away. Her own kiss given, she pulled back, blushing. "That uhhh, that was nice." She says, not really sure how else to describe it.
"I think that scene just did play out.", He said with a warm smile, a lingering warmth on his lips. Her returning the kiss seemed to have washed away his worry.
"I guess it did." Elenor replied, jumping as the dryer signaled it being finished. "O-oh. Guess we're gonna hafta get back to reality huh?" She says, turning around and bending over to start pulling her items out of the machine and into the basket near it.
She was rather focused on the moving of items out of the dryer now.
He ignored the sudden flash of rear as he spoke, "Here let me help you, I.did promise I would help with the laundry, and clean your room."
She'd nearly gotten all her things out, but paused and looked over her shoulder at Lucas as he said that. "I suppose you did agree to it." She remarked, standing up and stepping aside so he could get the rest of it out. There was a table nearby that she figured she'd use to fold what needed folding, and find her bodysuit to wear back.
Lucas had to bend over and stoop do to his height, as he finished gathering the clothes into the basket. He then picked it up, and closed the dryer, before taking the basket to the table.
He began to fold the clothes, after pulling out the body suit and setting it aside for Elenor.
Giving Lucas a smile, Elenor pulled off his jacket, put it on the table for him, and started to slip into the bodysuit. "Thanks." She said, smiling. Sure, the lines weren't quite as smooth with the underwear she was wearing as normal, but she wasn't going to go hunting through her clothes for underwear that would work under it.
It didn't take long to fold all the clothes into a neat stack. He waited for the sound of the zipper to end before turning around, holding the stack in his hands.
"You want me to carry them?"
"We both can." She stated, walking over and grabbing half the stack. "Don't want to make it look like you're doing all the work." She explained, smirking as she turned for the door and started walking, her tail swaying happily behind her.
The tail was reassuring...crap, he needed to stop looking at her butt.
Lucas gladly followed her to the backroom, and sat the stack on her bunk. He wasn't sure where, or how she stored them. "I guess I'll start cleaning, while you store your clothes."
Elenor wasn't too worried about him looking. If anything, since he was wanting to be with her, well, it kind of sent a thrill up her spine knowing he might be. Alas, the thrill was over as they reached her room. Taking the clothes to the locker, she started putting the items where they belonged.
There wasn't a lot needing to be cleaned up, honestly it seemed she and her room buddy did a good job keeping things in order. "Hey Lucas... If you, ya know, want to get comfy..." She stammers a bit, not sure why she was feeling so nervous all the sudden.
Lucas had been happily dusting when she spoke, and it caused him to pause, "Yes?", He said unsure of what she was trying to say.
Elenor shrugged, though she wasn't sure if he could see it. "Just saying, you could get comfortable if you wanted. I mean, it isn't like we should be, well, shy with each other..." She said, sounding rather nervous about the suggestion.
"Your right, but we shouldn't rush if your still getting used to the whole thing. I want you to be comfortable around me, but I want you to also take what ever pace works for you. You know I'm here for you.", He said.
"I know. I just..." She sighs, and walks over to Lucas, giving him a hug. "Thank you."
"You were there for me, and now it's my turn. We'll work this out together.", Lucas said returning the hug.
"You realize the more you are nice to me, the more I'm falling for you, right?" She said, grinning up at him. "Might well make me fall helplessly in love with you." She finished, giving him a light nudge with a fist in his shoulder.
"Would that be so bad? You know I'll be there to catch you.", He said with a warm smile, "Though maybe not at the same time like today, then who will catch us both?" He joked.
"Someone who probably wouldn't know what to make of the scene." She replies in kind, before just resting her head against him. "I just wish I could be more, open... for you." She says, referring to her own insecurities about herself. "Ya know?"
"Don't worry, you'll get there. I'm fine as long as your here with me, and that your ready when you feel your ready. Your a strong woman, just gotta believe that.", Lucas said as he gently rubbed the back of her head, before lightly resting his on top of her's.
"Yup, there you go, making me fall for ya more." She said, laughing a bit.
"Might be good to drop me a note next time your in your underwear in the laundry room. That way I can avoid accidentally walking in next time. Or at the least bring you an extra jumpsuit. Not to say you don't look good in my jacket, but it might not be me next time who stumbles in.", He chuckled.
Elenor couldn't help but laugh more. "I dunno, I might find a reason to slip into your room in just my skivvies if you like them so much." She replied, grinning, the statement more in jest than seriousness.
Whether a joke, or not, that idea still brought a fresh coat of red to his cheeks. "Oh, uh, that's very nice of you, that I would be worthy of that. Though I doubt you want to see me in my briefs so soon.", He said nervously.
Finally pulling herself out of his embrace, Elenor sat on her bunk, and shrugged. "To be fair, you're not exactly easy to forget down there." She says, grinning. "Shower, remember?"
How could he have forgotten that, and his cheeks went up another notch. "Oh.", was all the flustered Iroma man could muster before continuing, "I would say that makes us even, but laundry room was two. Weird how shower just made it casual."
"All are equal in war and the showers." Elenor entoned, using a bored regal tone with it. "Sorry, couldn't resist quoting my old instructor. Honestly, the shower's the only place I don't feel shy or out of place. I guess there is some truth to the statement."
"I guess so.", Lucas admitted as saw the truth of it himself.
"And if you want to split hairs, three." She said, holding up three fingers. After all, there was that horribly designed swimsuit she'd put on during the session in the shuttle bay helping her with outfits.
"So since you've seen me down to my skivvies, or less, three times now, I guess I should ask... What do you think?"
He went real red, even as the question began. He'd been trying to keep her body off his mind since the laundry room. Especially after the close encounter where he landed face first in her chest. Now she was asking what he thought of her body as a whole?
"W-what, your body?", Lucas asked before answering, "You're a beautiful woman. You have nice figure, You're v-very ample in..places, and....Your skin is...very soft. You're a fine woman."
He hoped he hadn't said too much, or worse,...misunderstood the question.
"I see. I don't know if I should feel relieved or disappointed..." She says, smiling. She kept her hands in her lap now, wringing them together. "I mean, I suppose that I might not be quite exactly what you'd want in a girl. I suppose I chose options that were kind of plain." She continued.
He wasn't sure to feel hurt that she didn't believe she was beautiful, like he did, or to be annoyed with himself for not conveying that clearly.
He got down on her knees before her and gently took her hands. He bucked himself up, this being no time for his nervousness, "No, I mean it. You are a beautiful woman, and I am lucky to have fallen for such an amazing woman. You are more then I could have ever asked for. You are kind, caring, considerate of others, strong, and not just in the physical sense. But will too. You are beautiful in more then just looks. You're a knockout in both personality, and being attractive. I want you to see that, see what I see."
She smiled, and chuckled. "Okay, now your overshooting it Romeo." She remarked. "Still, thanks." It wasn't a statement that he was wrong, just that maybe he'd tried a little too hard this once. "I'm just glad you like, well, me." She states, smiling.
"Sorry.", Lucas said realizing he had rambled a bit, "Preacher remember, I get a little too long winded some times."
"I'll let it slide this time." She said, patting Lucas's head. "Still, I suppose I've kept you long enough. I imagine you still got a bunch of work left that you took on instead of actually enjoying your down time."
Which he was now mentally kicking himself for.
"Yeah, need.to figure out where an extra detergent came from. Maybe we can do something next time we're off duty?", Lucas said making the explanation of his work sound dramatic, hoping to get a laugh. But he gave a smile as he asked his following question.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Elenor said in reply. "As for the detergent, I'm sure it's not that large a issue." She continued, herself not concerned too much about the extra. Just meant they had a little extra time to clean clothes with.
Lucas walked through the halls with a pad in hand checking over supply manifests. Something he wasn't needed to do right now, but he still had that habit of working even when not needed.
Elenor herself wasn't wandering the halls. Rather, she was in the Laundry room, waiting on her clothes and uniforms to finish washing. She'd tried to delay this for as long as she could, which meant that she was down to the last set of clean clothing she had... And it wasn't exactly modest. A fact that she was trying to have be as little of a problem as possible.
After all, she was only wearing some of the underwear that'd been donated to her, and it'd been one of the pairs she'd avoided wearing because it felt so... well, more assured of her body than she really felt. Why nothing else? well, it was all in the wash. Even her back-up attire was in need of a wash.
Lucas looked and noticed a discrepancy on the pad for detergent. He made his way down the hall and entered the laundry room. His gaze was still on the pad when he entered, oblivious to the mostly bare Elenor in the room. He turned right and a few steps over to look at the stock of detergent.
Elenor just happened to be sitting in the chair next to the dispenser when Lucas came in and turned without even paying attention to what was happening. "WOAH!" Elenor tried to call out a warning, but sadly, was too late as Lucas ran into her, the chair, and they all toppled over.
The pad flew from his hand as they tumbled, him ending on top of something warm, his face having thankfully landed in something squishy and soft........Wait. squishy?........SOFT?!........oh heavens.
Lucas was afraid even though he knew the answer, lifting his head to see a bosom staring him in the face. His face instantly went crimson red as he looked up to lock eyes with Elenor.
Oh by God....I'm dead.
Elenor was still rubbing her head, having slammed into the deck with the toppling. "Get your nose out of the pad next time Lucas!" She grumbles, before it really dawned on her just where Lucas's head was located.
Her face soon reached a similar level of crimson. She wasn't sure just what to say in that moment. Did she scream at him? Attack him? Hug him? She wasn't sure. She wanted to do all these things and maybe some more... Ever since that weird, well, feeling she got when he touched her that one time, she had such conflicting feelings about Lucas himself.
Lucas so.many thoughts running his mind at once, one anticipating a violent reaction, but when one did not come. He was what? Hopeful? Disappointed? Confused definitely.
With the pause clarity crashed back in, and he quickly scrambled onto his side, and offer her. He took a new position on his knees with his forehead in a position of clearly asking for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, please forgive me, strike me if you want, I deserve it for such a shameful act.", rambled out clearly sorry for violating her space.
Blinking a few times, Elenor pushed herself into a sitting position. "I ain't gonna strike you Lucas..." She grumbles, righting the chair and sitting back into it, though she does sit a bit more conservatively than she had been prior to Lucas' arrival. "I meant what I said though... Sometimes you gotta get your head out of your work and pay attention to what's around you!"
She never said she wouldn't chastise him.
Lucas slumped slightly at such a calm response, but cringed at the last part. He worked because he had little else to do, and it let him forget about certain things.
"I work because it's all I have. It's needed, and helps the crew.", He said, even though he knew it was a lame excuse.
He stood up, but kept his eyes closed. Quickly he took off his jacket and offered it to her.
Taking a moment, she took the offered coat, and pulled it on. It still left her lower body mostly bare, but at least she was more decent than before. "Maybe, but paying attention to your surroundings should be just as important. Especially when you walk into a room."
She sighs. "You just happened to catch me doing my laundry. I'd held off doing it for longer than I should have."
"Again I am very sorry. What i did was very inappropriate and disrespectful to you.", He said hanging his head low, still mentally kicking himself for letting work blind him.
"Alright alright, I get it Lucas. Stop moping already." She says, shaking her head. "You're making yourself look like a bigger fool than you already are."
He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Upset she wasn't more so? Happy he had been forgiven with little in the way of negative reaction?
"Why are you forgiving me that easily? Most people would slap the red off of someone who violated them like that.", He asked confused.
"Simple." Elenor stated, crossing her arms. "Because you didn't intend to do it. I won't lie and say you don't deserve some kind of punishment, but what kind of hypocrite would I be to punish you and claim I didn't feel something... else." She seems to pause and struggle actually saying what she felt, but finished with something that could work.
Something else?
His mind wanted to read into that, but he kept that to himself, there was no guarantee it was what he hoped it was. But at the same time he wanted to know, "something else?"
Elenor shrugged. "I'm, not really sure how to describe it okay?" She states. "I'm not being tsun or anything of the sort. I'm just not sure how to describe it!"
"Is it......Is it related to....what we felt that night? When I tried to use my abilities?", He asked, not sure of what her answer. A small scared part of him, worried what it would be. An still healing part worried what would happen after, if it was a yes. He was still admittedly healing over Juno, and it made him hesitant even on that night in question.
Elenor slowly nodded. "I think so. A bit. I know I felt... Something." She says, sighing. "I'm just not sure what exactly what though." She stated. "I'm not even sure what you were trying to do that night."
"I was afraid that you were misunderstanding, and I tried to use my race's empathic abilities to share those feelings of honesty.......But I shared more then intended. But not everything felt was mine.", Lucas said rubbing his arm, still embarrassed he could not use such a natural skill properly.
"So, it was an, accident? Some of what I felt wasn't what was supposed to happen?" She asked, wondering then if what had been felt had simply been unintended happenstance.
"I was only trying to share my feelings of honesty, but I ended sharing some of my other feelings........particularly those for you. But at the same time I felt your feelings as well I guess, because some were not mine. Part of the ability is the other way where we draw in feelings from those we touch.", Lucas said feeling a growing dread. It sounded like she believed that her feelings were not there as well.
She sat there for a time, even as the washer began to ping in letting her know it was done. "So, you mean that none of it was fake? It was.... all real?"
"To use this ability is to let the other in to a degree where deception is not a possibility. In a way it is like letting another person view into your soul. Empathy is something not meant to be used lightly.", He said still rubbing his arm. He was admitting things he was hesitant to tell her, afraid how it might change things between them.
"I..." She starts to say, but paused. "So, you felt something for me... and my feelings for you were exposed to us both..." She mused, and hugged herself a moment, realizing that he had just explained what she'd been feeling this way towards him over time.
"Yes. I'm sorry. In a way it was a worse violation then what happened just a few moments ago. I shouldn't have let desperation to let me jump to using an ability that I can't control properly. Never really been very good at being Iroma, and I can understand if you want me to go away.", Lucas said feeling more shame as he realized he may have gone to far.
"No." She stated. But to what precisely was hard to say out of hand. She remained sitting there for a time, eyes closed as she contemplated her next response.
"Yes, I will agree it was a violation. But... I don't hate you for it." She said, opening her eyes.
His worried eased some, but he felt this wasn't over yet.
"Where does that leave........us? Where do we stand?", He asked.
"Hard to say." She stated, standing up and walking to the washer to start moving her clothes from the washer to the dryer. "On one hand, I'd be interested in going further... But on the other hand, I'm, not sure."
Lucas felt like his heart was jumping to FTL, but at the same time sinking. He somewhat expected things to go as before, for a second love to drown in the chemical smell of the laundry room. At the same time he willed that not to be the case, mentally sending a silent prayer.
"Then.....how should we approach this. Should we give each other time?", Lucas asked.
"I'm not sure. I don't know how to go about this. Never exactly did do well in relationships growing up." She says, finishing moving her clothes between the washer and dryer. Of course, this had involved a fair bit of bending over.
Lucas tried to ignore that even as his cheeks reddened again. He didn't look away however at first until he realized he was staring. "I've..uh..only had the one.", He said keeping his eyes raised.
"So, we're both kind of playing at figuring this whole thing out." Elenor says, standing up and resting against the dryer as it started up. "I suppose the bigger question then, is if you want to try and make this work or not."
His mind was still hesitant, but the words left his mouth before they could be stopped. "Yes, yes I do. I like you Elenor.", He said.
"Well then, I guess we get to work it out." She remarked, sighing. "It's just gonna be a guessing game. And no, you don't get to use that Iroma ability again." She points out, smiling at him.
Lucas was still looking up and was still blushing heavily, "f-fair enough."
If there was one thing that was ruining her look of being upset, but amused, it was her tail, giving those happy excited twitches behind her. "So, how do you plan to apologize for crashing into me? I mean, wearing your jacket till mine is clean is nice and all."
"What, you want my shirt too?", He said beginning to slip it off.
"Nah, that'd be too easy." She retorted, starting to giggle a bit. "Besides, you look better with it on."
Okay now he was worried.
"Uh....I can carry you? Grovel some more?", He asked.
Please don't ask for my pants.
"How about helping me finish my laundry and then cleaning my room? I'm not that cruel." She says, grinning at the expression on Lucas's face.
He breathed a sigh of relief, "That I can certainly do."
He moved over to the machines and finished starting the dry cycle.
"Hey, I saw that look. And I wasn't going to steal any more clothes. We're both red enough as it is." She says, jokingly referring to how embarrassed they were.
With dry cycle running, there was nothing to do but wait.
"I wasn't expecting you too, but it would have been fair. I doubt I can get any redder then I already have anyways.", He said with a slight smile. To be honest he found enjoyment in medial tasks.
"I can think of a few ways you'd be redder." She says, grinning. "But I think those ways are better saved for when we're a bit further into figuring out if we want to make this relationship work."
Some of that blush came back, "wut?"
Elenor just continues grinning. She used to be a guy, she knew that Lucas' imagination could run quite wild left with open cues like that. Odin knew she still had instances of that when she had nothing better to do.
"Good heavens, that would be jumping ahead I agree."
"Thought you'd agree." She remarked, waiting on the dryer. "So, working hard again?" She asked, wondering what brought him down to the laundry this hour.
"Well I was going to check an error on the cargo manifest. Apparently we had too much detergent according to the system.", Lucas explained, "all I really have to do in my free time is more work."
"You really do need to find something to fill your time with Lucas." Elenor says, shaking her head in amusement. "And work isn't an option." She points out before he could say he does.
"But what though? Well I guess that's a stupid question given tonight."
"Plenty of options. Just a matter of finding what interests ya. It's kind of how I pass time. Usually listening to music, or using the holo capsule to visit various wilderness simulations." She states, showing a couple of examples of things to do that weren't work-related.
"I don't own a music player. I do visit the holo capsule, a little too frequently of late. I need a distraction, something to get my head on straight. Seems like I can't stay focused unless I'm working.", He said admittedly. The major issue with activities was serving on such a small ship really limited what options were available.
"A distraction is what I'm suggesting." She says, before thinking on it, and promptly blushing. "And I should probably focus a bit myself..."
"Need a book or two? I read all mine."
"Maybe..." She muttered, wishing the dryer would hurry up and finish.
"Hey you okay?", He asked worried at her suddenly muttering behavior.
"Y-yeah. Just fine." She's quick to answer, trying not to make this whole thing more nerve-wracking than it already was.
"You don't sound like it. What's bothering you? You were there for me when I had something wrong, I want to repay that kindness.", Lucas said gently touching her shoulder.
"I was just... Thinking of how scenes like this tend to happen in shows and books... And then realized what I was wearing, probably wouldn't help." She says, giving a nervous chuckle. "Sorry for well, sounding so silly."
"No not at all. Every story is based on a grain of truth. In some cases like this, far closer to reality then fiction. Maybe we'll even get that happy ending.", He said giving a smile.
Giving a small whimper and a wiggle of her hips, she gave Lucas a small glare. "Keep it up and I might see about playing out more of the scene." She threatens, struggling to keep the grin from creeping onto her face.
Lucas thought about.that, about the meaning behind those.words. He had been hesitant this whole time, even the first.time. maybe that was why things had not gone well before, because he held back to much.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Lucas let his impulse to act win out. His hand moved from her shoulder to her cheek gently. His other did likewise as he moved in and gave her a kiss.
He waited for the outcome.......
Elenor blinked in surprise at the sudden kiss, but couldn't help herself, soon returning it even as he seemed to be wanting to pull away. Her own kiss given, she pulled back, blushing. "That uhhh, that was nice." She says, not really sure how else to describe it.
"I think that scene just did play out.", He said with a warm smile, a lingering warmth on his lips. Her returning the kiss seemed to have washed away his worry.
"I guess it did." Elenor replied, jumping as the dryer signaled it being finished. "O-oh. Guess we're gonna hafta get back to reality huh?" She says, turning around and bending over to start pulling her items out of the machine and into the basket near it.
She was rather focused on the moving of items out of the dryer now.
He ignored the sudden flash of rear as he spoke, "Here let me help you, I.did promise I would help with the laundry, and clean your room."
She'd nearly gotten all her things out, but paused and looked over her shoulder at Lucas as he said that. "I suppose you did agree to it." She remarked, standing up and stepping aside so he could get the rest of it out. There was a table nearby that she figured she'd use to fold what needed folding, and find her bodysuit to wear back.
Lucas had to bend over and stoop do to his height, as he finished gathering the clothes into the basket. He then picked it up, and closed the dryer, before taking the basket to the table.
He began to fold the clothes, after pulling out the body suit and setting it aside for Elenor.
Giving Lucas a smile, Elenor pulled off his jacket, put it on the table for him, and started to slip into the bodysuit. "Thanks." She said, smiling. Sure, the lines weren't quite as smooth with the underwear she was wearing as normal, but she wasn't going to go hunting through her clothes for underwear that would work under it.
It didn't take long to fold all the clothes into a neat stack. He waited for the sound of the zipper to end before turning around, holding the stack in his hands.
"You want me to carry them?"
"We both can." She stated, walking over and grabbing half the stack. "Don't want to make it look like you're doing all the work." She explained, smirking as she turned for the door and started walking, her tail swaying happily behind her.
The tail was reassuring...crap, he needed to stop looking at her butt.
Lucas gladly followed her to the backroom, and sat the stack on her bunk. He wasn't sure where, or how she stored them. "I guess I'll start cleaning, while you store your clothes."
Elenor wasn't too worried about him looking. If anything, since he was wanting to be with her, well, it kind of sent a thrill up her spine knowing he might be. Alas, the thrill was over as they reached her room. Taking the clothes to the locker, she started putting the items where they belonged.
There wasn't a lot needing to be cleaned up, honestly it seemed she and her room buddy did a good job keeping things in order. "Hey Lucas... If you, ya know, want to get comfy..." She stammers a bit, not sure why she was feeling so nervous all the sudden.
Lucas had been happily dusting when she spoke, and it caused him to pause, "Yes?", He said unsure of what she was trying to say.
Elenor shrugged, though she wasn't sure if he could see it. "Just saying, you could get comfortable if you wanted. I mean, it isn't like we should be, well, shy with each other..." She said, sounding rather nervous about the suggestion.
"Your right, but we shouldn't rush if your still getting used to the whole thing. I want you to be comfortable around me, but I want you to also take what ever pace works for you. You know I'm here for you.", He said.
"I know. I just..." She sighs, and walks over to Lucas, giving him a hug. "Thank you."
"You were there for me, and now it's my turn. We'll work this out together.", Lucas said returning the hug.
"You realize the more you are nice to me, the more I'm falling for you, right?" She said, grinning up at him. "Might well make me fall helplessly in love with you." She finished, giving him a light nudge with a fist in his shoulder.
"Would that be so bad? You know I'll be there to catch you.", He said with a warm smile, "Though maybe not at the same time like today, then who will catch us both?" He joked.
"Someone who probably wouldn't know what to make of the scene." She replies in kind, before just resting her head against him. "I just wish I could be more, open... for you." She says, referring to her own insecurities about herself. "Ya know?"
"Don't worry, you'll get there. I'm fine as long as your here with me, and that your ready when you feel your ready. Your a strong woman, just gotta believe that.", Lucas said as he gently rubbed the back of her head, before lightly resting his on top of her's.
"Yup, there you go, making me fall for ya more." She said, laughing a bit.
"Might be good to drop me a note next time your in your underwear in the laundry room. That way I can avoid accidentally walking in next time. Or at the least bring you an extra jumpsuit. Not to say you don't look good in my jacket, but it might not be me next time who stumbles in.", He chuckled.
Elenor couldn't help but laugh more. "I dunno, I might find a reason to slip into your room in just my skivvies if you like them so much." She replied, grinning, the statement more in jest than seriousness.
Whether a joke, or not, that idea still brought a fresh coat of red to his cheeks. "Oh, uh, that's very nice of you, that I would be worthy of that. Though I doubt you want to see me in my briefs so soon.", He said nervously.
Finally pulling herself out of his embrace, Elenor sat on her bunk, and shrugged. "To be fair, you're not exactly easy to forget down there." She says, grinning. "Shower, remember?"
How could he have forgotten that, and his cheeks went up another notch. "Oh.", was all the flustered Iroma man could muster before continuing, "I would say that makes us even, but laundry room was two. Weird how shower just made it casual."
"All are equal in war and the showers." Elenor entoned, using a bored regal tone with it. "Sorry, couldn't resist quoting my old instructor. Honestly, the shower's the only place I don't feel shy or out of place. I guess there is some truth to the statement."
"I guess so.", Lucas admitted as saw the truth of it himself.
"And if you want to split hairs, three." She said, holding up three fingers. After all, there was that horribly designed swimsuit she'd put on during the session in the shuttle bay helping her with outfits.
"So since you've seen me down to my skivvies, or less, three times now, I guess I should ask... What do you think?"
He went real red, even as the question began. He'd been trying to keep her body off his mind since the laundry room. Especially after the close encounter where he landed face first in her chest. Now she was asking what he thought of her body as a whole?
"W-what, your body?", Lucas asked before answering, "You're a beautiful woman. You have nice figure, You're v-very ample in..places, and....Your skin is...very soft. You're a fine woman."
He hoped he hadn't said too much, or worse,...misunderstood the question.
"I see. I don't know if I should feel relieved or disappointed..." She says, smiling. She kept her hands in her lap now, wringing them together. "I mean, I suppose that I might not be quite exactly what you'd want in a girl. I suppose I chose options that were kind of plain." She continued.
He wasn't sure to feel hurt that she didn't believe she was beautiful, like he did, or to be annoyed with himself for not conveying that clearly.
He got down on her knees before her and gently took her hands. He bucked himself up, this being no time for his nervousness, "No, I mean it. You are a beautiful woman, and I am lucky to have fallen for such an amazing woman. You are more then I could have ever asked for. You are kind, caring, considerate of others, strong, and not just in the physical sense. But will too. You are beautiful in more then just looks. You're a knockout in both personality, and being attractive. I want you to see that, see what I see."
She smiled, and chuckled. "Okay, now your overshooting it Romeo." She remarked. "Still, thanks." It wasn't a statement that he was wrong, just that maybe he'd tried a little too hard this once. "I'm just glad you like, well, me." She states, smiling.
"Sorry.", Lucas said realizing he had rambled a bit, "Preacher remember, I get a little too long winded some times."
"I'll let it slide this time." She said, patting Lucas's head. "Still, I suppose I've kept you long enough. I imagine you still got a bunch of work left that you took on instead of actually enjoying your down time."
Which he was now mentally kicking himself for.
"Yeah, need.to figure out where an extra detergent came from. Maybe we can do something next time we're off duty?", Lucas said making the explanation of his work sound dramatic, hoping to get a laugh. But he gave a smile as he asked his following question.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Elenor said in reply. "As for the detergent, I'm sure it's not that large a issue." She continued, herself not concerned too much about the extra. Just meant they had a little extra time to clean clothes with.
