Haunting From Deck D

Posted on Wed Nov 11th, 2020 @ 3:44pm by Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Deck E - Officer Quarters
Timeline: Day 39, Month 2, Year 0 22:30
2546 words - 5.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Duncan had finally left her quarters after nearly falling asleep sat on the floor telling stories about growing up on a ship where his mother only kept half gravity. It was so nice that Lexi did not have the heart to kick him out until he declared that he needed his beauty sleep if he was going to make friends with marines tomorrow after being the hero that day to them. Lexi waved lazily as he left before looking at Mattias.

“I can see why you put up with his antics. He is going to break a natives heart.” She commented thinking she knew Duncan better and by extension Mattias now.

"Duncan is a good person, that much I know. Poor guy could use a break now and then - I know he fights with his inner demons like we all do, but nobody said he couldn't get some help from his friends. That's where we come in," Matt explained what he suspected Lexi already knew. "Darru's experiment might be a good thing for him. It'll set him up on a date," he smiled, thinking of the hilarity that would doubtlessly ensue. "Everyone deserves a little love and intimacy, don't you think?"

She could imagine that demons for everyone were just being made worse by the knowledge of knowing that they had met everyone they were going to meet for the rest of their lives potentially. "How do you know he has not already been on it?" Lexi grinned teasingly at him. She had already had hers and it had been hilarious but she was refusing to let him know who or when just to keep teasing him.

"I guess that's true," Matt narrowed his eyes in suspicion, studying the look on her face. "I've been voted off the island, as it were, from Darru's experiment. But I hope you had a good time on your date? Did you at least exchange numbers? Do you kiss on the first date? The mind boggles," he teased in return.

Lexi grinned and leant out with her weakened arm and stroke his hair first before cupping his cheek. “It was hilarious. I had no idea what was going on but he is fully aware my dance card is full.” She assured quietly. She was teasing him but never wanted to take it so far he doubted her for a moment.

"Well communicated," the reply came. "You're good at that sort of thing, Lexi. As a matter of fact, you might even consider pursuing a career in it. If you're lucky, you might get assigned to one of the premier deep space starships and get blasted halfway across the known universe with seventy of your closest friends."

Lexi smiled brighter at him. If she was to be blasted anywhere with anyone it would be the group of people that she was with bow. They were the best of the best, physically, mentally and with enough heart to over come anything. “It is like you can read the future.” Lexi teased just a little. She really could not imagine herself anywhere but there.

"Heh, I think I'll leave the soothsayers to their work, Lexi," Matt squeezed his girlfriend with one arm. "Even if I had the opportunity to see the future, I don't think I would, you know? It's a bit like reading the last chapter of a book first before reading the rest of it. Sometimes, not knowing what's ahead makes you enjoy the moment more. Plus, causality and time travel and anything related to it really hurts my brain."

Lexi grinned ruefully. She loved a good time travel novel and the complex ideas involved. She still loved the Earth classic doctor who but she was not at the stage where she could ever admit that to him. The only hint was the tardis that was on the top shelf among her other knick and knacks.

"Well, now I have a question for you since we're in the question asking mood," Constantine walked over and sat down in the padded chair in the corner. "And you have to promise to answer truthfully, okay?"

He wanted her to be honest? She looked away confused as she took in all the options that it could be. Fine if he wanted the truth she would give him the truth. "Sure." She said keeping

"If you could have a superpower of any kind, what would it be and why would you choose it? Oh, and for bonus points, pick your origin story," Matt chuckled as he studied Lexi's face for her reaction.

"You are a jerk." She whispered shaking her head. There she was thinking and the worse and he was trying to mess with her. He really was a geek at heart she suspected thinking on his question. "Well, I have an origin story already. What is better than real life." She sat up a little straighter and put on a dramatic voice. "Shot in the shoulder and left for dead but our newest superhero uses her Premonitions.... no too cliques telekinesis to avenge herself and her fallen comrades."

"Telekinesis?" Constantine scrunched his nose and pulled a face. "Kind of middle-ish on the list of superpowers, don't you think?"

"Okay what about you smart alec." She muttered with a shake of her head.

"Well, we've already knocked time travel, fortune telling, scrying, and voodoo off the list, so what does that leave? Hmm," Mattias rubbed his beard as he mulled over the question. "Flying is too cliche, super-speed would be cool, but useless on a practical level. Life is pretty good in the twenty-second century, so I might go a little outside of the box. The ability to seamlessly communicate with any living being or piece of technology would be really cool, but I can think of something even better."

His list was very small she had to admit with a wryly smile. "Not much but that is a good start." She grinned.

Mattias reached out and pulled Lexi into a one-armed embrace, shifting his weight to allow her just enough space to get comfortable with the two of them piled into a chair designed for one. "It's obvious, my superpower would be I could eat anything I want without putting on unwanted weight. Ooh, or maybe even the ability to do laundry instantaneously. I'd be the most popular guy on the ship, no doubt!"

Lifting herself from the deep groove of the cushion she placed her free hand on his shoulder, squeezed it gently as the last of the distance was closed between them as she settled into the chair as well. She kissed his cheek softly settling into the closeness. "You would be until my telekinesis was revealed. Engineers would love me. Being able to hold stuff and make there lives easy. "

Taking a deep breath, Mattias laid his head gently against Lexi's shoulder and released a contented sigh. With his eyes closed, he relaxed even further when she kissed him, taking great care not to ruin the moment with a misplaced word or careless action. "Well, I'll settle for being able to hold you instead," he squeezed lightly as he spoke. "I'm sorry if I made it sound like there was something serious I wanted to talk about just now. I didn't mean to be misleading, okay?"

"Oh I know now my tummy has stopped twisting. Would not blame you though if you wanted to have that talk. The last couple of weeks have been trying." She whispered enjoying being squeezed close to him. His sigh made her smile and relax more, she loved being that close to him and wished it could be the normal thing. "I am glad you are here even if you mock my telekinesis." She teased just a little.

"Telekinesis and instant laundry, quite a duo," Constantine chuckled as his smile spread to his eyes. "So what's on the docket tomorrow for everyone's favorite superheroine? Any trouble to get into? Mischief to manage? Or are we working on our public persona and staying on our best behavior?"

Lexi was hoping it was going to be her last day of being off before she could get back to doing what she did best. She had nothing other than laundry now that she was feeling stronger and trying to get her head around things better. "Best behaviour. I still have to rest up and try and get my arm back to normal along with laundry and focusing on being able to go in the comm centre again." She mused softly.

"Oh, now that's exciting. I might have someone to keep me company at work finally. But on a serious note, I could definitely use a second set of eyes on the stuff we're working on. You ever get to the point where you look back at your own work and kinda question your own sanity?" The rhetorical question hung in the air for a moment. "Yeah, it's kinda getting to that point now. The worst part is - I can't even pretend to blame anybody else - I can only blame myself. And what good is an officer when he or she can't delegate," Matt grinned.

Lexi shook her head at him and leant in kissing the grin away. "I will be back soon. Within the week." She assured not wanting to give him false hope but she was pretty sure she could get herself fit enough for the doctor to give her clearance. "I cannot leave you to your own devices for much longer. We have enough people losing sanity." She whispered loving the closeness of this even if she did worry for her chair.

"Honestly, I'm amazed at how well everyone is doing given the circumstances. Deep down, I'm a bit worried that everyone is just shoving all of their worries and fears deep down and suppressing them. To be clear, I'm not blaming them - it's the natural thing to do - but I am still concerned. We could do with some good news or a morale boost soon." Though his eyes were open, Mattias's gaze was unfocused as he contemplated the invisible toll exacted on the crew. After a moment, he blinked and returned his attention to his seatmate. "Thank you, while we're on the subject - I am thankful that we work together so well. Whether it be personally or professionally. I got really lucky that our paths crossed."

"You are thankful for me? You sweet summer child." She said quoting a phrase from a book that she enjoyed and shook her head. "You are not the lucky one at all." She assured knowing that his thoughts easily reflected her own but she was starting to see the toil that he spoke about all over his face. "How can I help with your worries and fears. What do you need?" She asked honesty.

At first, Mattias did not respond, choosing instead to revel in the closeness of his favorite person and the warmth that came from being cared for and cared about. Teetering dangerously close to tears, he smiled softly and gathered himself before beginning to speak. "You do so much for me, and that's why I'm thankful. The only thing I can really ask you for is to keep on caring. Not only about me, but about everyone. At the end of this journey, no matter when or where it is, it'll be the little things that add up to tell the story. Whether it was all worth it or not."

"Course I care. And I do not know if I have a heart big enough for everyone when you fill it so much." The whispered words were cheesy but true. She was starting to feel more and more like herself so expressing herself was becoming easier. The signs of someone being close to the edge were not lost on her at all and she found herself slowly rising from the couch offering both her hands to bring him to his feet.

"I love you Lexi O'Connery," Mattias spoke as he took the outstretched hands and stood to his feet. "I hope you're alright with that."

Lexi smiled and tugged him to her. "Only if you are as I love you back." The woman stopped dead and looked at him surprised at her own words. They had come out without her even thinking about it. Was that how it was when you truly felt it?

Knowing the significance of the phrase Lexi had uttered, Mattias took a small step forward and wrapped his arms around her, giving his girlfriend a tight squeeze before using his height advantage to kiss the top of her head. "Well that settles that, dunnit?" Constantine's grin spread from ear to ear.

She sighed happily at being wrapped up into his arms. "Without a doubt." She assured breathing in the familiarness before pulling back to see his grin. It settled and changed everything. "What are you thinking?" She inquired sweetly, wondering just what emotions might be burbling under the surface of his mind now.

"Funny you should mention that," Mattias gave her another squeeze. "I'm trying not to think too much. I'm just enjoying the moment. There will be time for thinking later."

Lexi stayed quiet for a long moment before she finally looked up at him. "I am thinking just how nice this is. How much I really enjoy all of this." She admitted. There was time for more thinking later but she wanted to share how she was feeling right then and there. It was just to nice to not to.

Still basking in the warmth of a requited confession, Mattias swayed ever so gently like a giant pendulum, rocking both of them back and forth as they orbited around each other in a slow dance. In defiance of the Vrav doing all they could to drive a wedge between every member of the Atlantis' crew, instead of isolating and refusing to make a connection out of a fear of loss, the two of them had quickly grown closer together. Focusing on the positives made the concept of an eighty year, multi-generational journey across the galaxy seem a little less daunting.

An audible vibration emanating from Constantine's jacket pocket interrupted the serenity of the moment, but Mattias ignored it and did his best to remain in the moment. Lexi just pressed a kiss to his lips before stepping back with a small yawn. "I am thinking I need to go to bed before I fall asleep standing up. Are you staying or going?" She knew which one she preferred but they were taking things slow and it was doing them both good.

"I would love to stay, but I have been summoned," Mattias retrieved the PADD from his jacket pocket and waved it in the air. "Ensign Nascimento needs some help with something, so I'd better go see what he needs. I'll see you tomorrow morning, though. I promise."

Lexi looked a little disappointed for a moment before she stepped back and nodded. “I will see you then.” She murmured stroking a finger along his cheek before leaning kissing him gently. “Do not get into to much trouble with him.” She grinned.