Worth A Thousand Words

Posted on Sun Oct 25th, 2020 @ 10:04pm by Ensign Duncan McManus

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Duncan's Quarters
Timeline: Day 65, Month 3, Year 15:00
1306 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Darcy bounced on her toes a bit outside Duncan's quarters, an object clutched close to her as she pressed the chime and waited for him to answer. As soon as the doors opened she smiled cheerfully and spoke, "Hello. I brought you something, to thank you for the popcorn. I figured food probably wasn't the best way to repay you since we should probably ration that given that we don't know what we're facing, but I had this." She held it out to him. "And I thought you might enjoy reading it. I wrote it, just for fun, and for some reason brought it with me. Now it's like one of the few things we actually have to read and I feel sorry for all of us because while I'm sure it amuses me. It might not everyone. It's a book. I guess you could figure that out for yourself. Tell me what you think?"

Duncan stood there in just his boxers clearly having just woken up as he stood there confused about what was going on and what was now in his hands. "I... Hello Darcy." He murmured stepping back a few steps to let her into his quarters. "I have just woken up." He had been on duty overnight so had gotten off early on Alpha shift to try and catch up some of his sleep. "One second." He whispered moving to find something to put on to cover up just a bit.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I should have realized you might have a different schedule than me. I can come back later? Or you can just read that when you have some free time and I'll let you go back to sleep," she moved to turn away and leave his quarters that she'd just stepped into.

"No. Please come in." He mumbled from inside his tee-shirt. As he tugged it all down he realised that she practically out the door. "Please stay." He requested sitting down on the bed patting the space next to him. Duncan was glad she was there even if he was grumpy and sleepy, he had not had the chance to tell her that the cat might be out of the bag in regards to them.

"Were you about to get up or do you need more sleep?" Darcy tentatively asked, remaining inside but not making herself comfortable yet. "Have you had breakfast? I could bring you something?"

"I have no idea really." Duncan glanced up at the clock and noticed he had, had about five hours or so sleep. He could do with more but he was not going to complain really when it was better than some days. "No, I came straight to bed as they were not serving food when I got off around 10. It is fine. I eat very little some days." He scrubbed at his face and then hair trying to wake up enough to have a proper conversation.

Darcy smiled. It was kinda cute, him being not very awake. She was tempted to just push him back into bed and tuck him in. "I'll be back in five minutes with some coffee and food." she promised him and turned to leave once more. Actually she really didn't know what he liked to eat but most people preferred a bit of protein and carbs for breakfast so maybe she'd find some eggs and toast to bring him with his coffee. Five minutes later she was pressing the chime on his door again with her elbow as her arms were currently holding items.

Duncan was confused as the woman disappeared from his quarters and considered for a moment to just curl back up again and sleep but the door chimed again before he decided. Rising he took in the tray and smelt the food, his stomach telling him which one he really wanted after all. “You really did not need to do this but I really appreciate it.” He took the tray from her putting it down on his desk. He might be able to wake up a bit better now.

"I didn't mind. And you might not have eaten otherwise. Some people have a way of not taking care of themselves when they are distracted by work . . . or other things." She gave no clue as to what those other things might be. "May I sit?"

"I eat eventually." He murmured glancing back at her with a more awake grin now. All he needed in the mornings was a few minutes to adjust and some coffee and he would be alright. It was his routine and he was a nightmare without it. "Make yourself at home." He assured sitting in his chair holding the mug of coffee like it was something more precious than bean juice.

Darcy slipped off her shoes and sat down on his bed, pulling her feet up under her. "Uhuh." She responded. "It just so happens I'm good at nagging people." She smiled. "So . . . do you have to work soon or do you have plans?" She cocked her head to the side a little bit watching him. "I thought maybe we could find something to do that wasn't routine."

"I have no idea really what time of day it is." He mumbled taking a few bitter sips with a smile. It was good coffee and just how he liked it. an ex had once described his coffee black like his soul and sometimes he believed it and others just believed he had good taste. "I would like that though. Any thoughts on what it is?" He murmured trying to think on something that they could do on a ship that they had been on for seven months or so.

She shrugged. "It's a starship so we can't do too much. Maybe a tour of the places I don't normally get to see? The tiny spaces where not a lot of people go? We could have a picnic?"

"Ohh." The man suddenly remembered something. "How are you in zero-G?" He wondered thoughts forming in his head. It was a secrete known to only a few on the ship but he was more than willing to share its existence to impress a pretty girl. Kind of shallow of him but he wanted to keep trying with her even if people were now suspecting.

"Uh, I handled it okay. Wasn't my first love but I didn't lose my lunch or anything. Why?" She eyed him warily wondering what he could possibly be thinking and where they could go with those types of suits on.

"There is a secrete spot on the ship where you can experience it without having to wear suits." He revealed shovelling the egg into his mouth. "It is nearly Christmas so it is your present." He winked wickedly at her. No one was really letting on that it was so close to Christmas but there was excitement with people trying to organise presents for people they were close to onboard.

Darcy raised her eyebrows at this. "Really? Alright, I'm game." She hadn't honestly thought about Christmas or getting anything for anyone. It made her blush slightly that someone had been thinking of her. Now she had to reciprocate. What was she going to do

"Of course. Like you said cannot give ya food but I can give you an experience not many people have had on the ship." The only people he knew, knew of the sweet plot was the Chief Engineer, Mattias and Lexi so it was a very small group. It was not like he needed to book the space as he knew everyone else would be on watch right now.

"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or scared out of my wits, I'm willing to follow you blindly into this," she grinned. "Lead the way."