Hydroponic Bay Blues Part 1

Posted on Tue Jul 7th, 2020 @ 1:13am by Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Crewman Finn Jones & Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Deck E - Hydroponics
Timeline: Day 32, Month 2, Year 0 1900
1847 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Lexi had walked past one lonely hydroponics operator on her way in. The crewman’s face made haggard from the worry of constant attack, barely acknowledged her other than a quick nod. She shook the thought that maybe she should have forced a conversation with the young crewman but he had been looking more… she did not know but it worrying to see. She would catch them when they came back like normal. Everyone was off at the moment and she knew her game had been off thanks to Mattias and the tension that had evaporated between them after the kiss.

She had given a passing thought to growing vegetables in many greenhouse houses over the years but had gotten busy and not thought about it again until recently. It was needed to supplement the algae and so much could be made from it all if only they had some decent soil. Normally she came down there with a good book or as time was passing on any book and sat at the back hiding out just soaking in the petrichor smell if she timed things right.

Lexi walked through the racks that had been growing for months with former experiments and now food and smiled as she heard someone come in. She must have been to absorbed in her own thoughts on what they could achieve that she had not realised the passage of time. “You have come back early Jones. Feeling better?” She called looking through some herb pots to see who she thought was the crewman.

"Ah, sorry doctor, it's your 1700 appointment," the voice belonged to the newly promoted Lieutenant JG Constantine. "Is it a bad time? I'm sure I can find Mr. Jones somewhere and send him in instead," there was mirth in his voice and in his smile as he walked through the room. He made his way down the multi-leveled row of terracotta pots, using the shelving units to remain hidden until he popped into view right across from Lexi, his face framed by sage plant to the left and a basil plant to his right.

Lexi found herself smiling before she heard his voice just beside her. She grinned turning to see him framed by the herbs. She stepped closer and moved the herbs aside a little. "I am quite sure I would rather see you than him. And nope not a bad time." She assured quickly not wanting him to think that. She had considered messaging him many times but the timing had always just been wrong.

"It's peaceful in here, I like it. Smells like home cooking too - this sage is amazing," Mattias pulled a leaf of sage towards his nose and inhaled deeply. His stomach grumbled, having been forced to relive an old memory of decadent meals that it knew it would not be experiencing again for a long time. There was no doubt he was losing weight; his normally inch-perfect, tailored uniforms fit more loosely on him than usual. The Vrav algae had helped them maintain and survive, but any thoughts of getting back into top physical shape were out of the question for now.

Constantine nimbly pivoted around the herb plants and enveloped Lexi in a big hug. "It's so good to see you, I've missed you," he took a deep breath before he released his embrace and turned to help her with tending to the plants. "Tell me about your day. The stupid Vrav won't leave us alone, even for a minute. You holding up okay?"

Lexi smiled as she watched him. She always watched him, he had a larger than light personality but now she was really watching him, it was impossible not too. “I did not consider home cooked food. I just really like the smell of earth after being watered.” She admitted with a shrug and a blush. Was not something she ever overly had as a child between her parents and the chaos they had lived in.

She waited until he was in her aisle to speak. She was surprised when he enveloped her in a hug. They were used to close contact, was hard to not be on this ship but the warmth of the action instantly calmed any storm or worries she had. She stopped thinking that she had been avoiding him or imagining it all. She grinned a little as she barely reached his shoulder. “Well, I have been working hard. Was on the bridge in the attack.” She knew he knew that but it was good to explain. “I’ve missed your witty self last couple of days too.”

"Well, as much as I'd love to be crammed into the sub-floor with you again, I am glad to have the environmental systems back online in our office," Matt pulled some dead leaves away from the lower part of a mint plant. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small twig had gotten tangled in Lexi's hair. He carefully removed it as the memory of the last time he had run his fingers through her hair flashed by his mind's eye. "Do you remember when we you got shocked by something when we were trying to replace the relay?"

Lexi looked up at him as he detangled something from her hair without a word for a moment. She smiled a little up at him watching him working on the twig.

“Merci. Probably from where I went to try and get my book.” She whispered trying to focus on what she had gone there to do which was read a book and enjoy the silence. The communication officer was finding it so easy to let him slip into that activity. What was wrong with her letting someone this close? She never let people this close.

She stepped back taking the twig from him at his mentioning when she got shocked last week. “Of course I do. It stung.” She looked at him trying to work out his trail of thoughts.

"So it turns out that may have been the source of the lack of air conditioning. Who could've known that system controller was down there," Constantine shrugged, flashing a grin. "That's the second time you've turned the temperature up on me. And yes," he held up a finger as he nodded, "I am flirting. And yes, I am cheesy and very bad at it. And to answer the next question, no Lexi, I don't know why you put up with me," he burst out into laughter at his own ridiculous joke.

Well, that certainly explained why they had been shocked and they had been lucky that it had not been worse for either of them. It would serve as a reminder for her to not be so damn brave in future. She giggled as she opened up her mouth to ask those exact questions in that exact order. He knew her far too well but the young woman did not know if that was a good thing or bad thing right now. "I do not mind cheesy flirting Mattias." She assured quickly blushing a little as she realised someone was actually flirting with her. "And I put up with you because I like you." She shrugged not sure if she should have not said that at all. It was a mine field in her head, one wrong move and things could go wrong.

Mattias, who had picked up a spray bottle to water some of the smaller plants, stopped what he was doing to turn and face his gardening partner. For a moment, he thought about everything that they had been through since their first departmental meeting prior to the mission launch. His and her skills in their field of expertise quickly fostered mutual respect for one another, but fast friends they were not. But slowly, they had begun to lay down the foundations of what was now a very close friendship, cemented by one evening in particular when she stumbled upon him in an emotional low effectuated by homesickness. Instead of ridicule or judgment, he had found someone that was willing to listen. To his own journal, Matt had admitted that he considered her to be his best friend, but now they approached the precipice of a new chapter in their story. He had kissed her, and she had kissed him back. Oh, had she ever kissed him back! Even now, it made his head spin thinking about it.

"Lexi," he spoke after a moment. Constantine's entire face lit up at her revelation, but his voice carried the even cadence of sincerity as he continued. "Listen, I think you're probably feeling a lot of the same things I'm feeling now. You and I, we're both pros at what we do, and we're both duty bound to our captain and our mission. But at the same time, we've let each other get really close. Like, close enough to hurt each other, and I think that's where our hesitation comes from. But... I don't mind being vulnerable around you. You've never once manipulated me or treated me unfairly. All you've ever done is become my best friend in the time I've known you," he took her hands in his and interlocked his fingers with hers.

"So I'm going to be truthful too. I like you, Lexi, and it makes me feel all of those trope-y movie tropes to hear you say the same. I've always had a crush on you, silly, but you knew that already. So - I'll be clear about my intentions, and if we disagree, we can be adults about it and move on, right?" He searched her eyes as he had learned to do to judge how she was taking things. He hoped his own visage didn't betray how scared and anxious he was in that moment.

"If and when you're ready, I want to be more than friends, Lexi O'Connery," he finished his cathartic revelation, relinquishing his grip and backing away to give them both some space to breathe and think.

The idea she might miss a chance because she faltered when action should have been pursued had been bothering her as much as the what if they broke what they had right. Harbouring feelings for a lifetime, that she could handle, but deciding on whether or not to act, that would tear her apart so having him declare the same thing like her when she had left herself so vulnerable was refreshing. Relaxing a little more she nodded.

"I think both our intentions are very clear Matt. I have never let anyone close like this and it is scary but I want to listen to what my heart or whatever it is that gives me butterflies when you are close by." She was sure that both of them had everything clear between them now.


OFF::

Lieutenant Mattias Constantine
Communications Officer
NX-05 Atlantis

Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery
Comms Operator
NX-05 Atlantis
(PNPC Leroux)

Crewman Finn Jones
Hydroponics Operator
NX-05 Atlantis
(PNPC Leroux)