Christmas Date

Posted on Tue Jun 1st, 2021 @ 11:26am by Petty Officer, 3rd Class Lottie Daglish

Mission: Mission 4 - Eden
Location: Crew Quarters
Timeline: Day 151 20:45
1120 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Ellie was always happy to see Lottie, and today was no exception. The date they'd arranged had taken what felt like an age to arrive, as did everything Ellie was looking forward to. As she approached Lottie's quarters, she resisted the urge to skip the rest of the way. Instead, she calmly walked up to the door, pressing the chime mounted on the panel next to the door. Everything about space travel seemed so utilitarian to Ellie, but at the same time, she reminded herself that Atlantis wasn't a cruise liner. As she waited, Ellie brushed a couple of hairs off the open buttoned shirt she was wearing.

Lottie looked up at the alarm clock she and her roommate kept on the shelf and frowned as she realised that she was running late after studying. She looked down at her PJ bottoms and a vest top and giggled, this was certainly not the right clothes for a date or anyone with some common sense to see her in. "Come in." She called pressing the door release. "I am nowhere near ready. I lost track of time." She revealed pointing at herself and just how late she was running. She was not even sure she had any civilian clothes handy. Why could she not be the prepared one?

As the door opened to reveal Lottie in her unprepared state, Ellie couldn't help giggling. She stepped over the threshold and leaned against the bunk which took up most of the floor space in the NX-class' shared quarters, watching as Lottie searched for something to wear on their date.

"I mean, we could always get a take out...?" Ellie suggested a suggestive grin on her face.

Lottie rolled her eyes at the suggestive grin on the Marine's face. How was it possible to look like that hen she looked like she did. "My roommate will be back around 21:00." The nurse mused frowning at how spaced she had gotten. It was not like her at all especially when she had been looking forward to something almost normal. "I am so sorry. I was studying something for my exams if we ever get back to earth and just spaced." it was not like it was a normal Christmas at all. Any other time, a date at Christmas would not be normal but here it practically normal compared to things that had happened in the last three months since they had been flung to who knows where.

Ellie smiled, tilting her head slightly and admiring the other woman's figure. "Hey, you don't need to apologise, Lottie, your studying's important. I used to stay up until stupid o'clock in the morning practising playing my guitar and writing songs, then I'd end up falling asleep in lessons the next day"

"It is not exactly something that will be useful or recognised anywhere. We are not getting home any time soon." She reminded with a shrug. "That sounds like you were a bad student or you did not have the right type of teacher." She had not realised that the woman played the guitar. "You should get involved Elegy. He was lamenting about wanting to play music in mess last week."

Ellie nodded and gave the suggestion some thought, perhaps they could set up a band? Band practice would be something a few people could get involved with, and there was the potential of performing for the crew too. In the times they were in at the moment, it could well be a much needed morale booster. The cogs began turning in Ellie's head, and she already began formulating ideas.

"You know, that isn't a bad idea. I haven't played my guitar for a while and it'd be nice to play it with someone other than myself. If I can set something up with him, would you come and watch?" Ellie responded, brushing some of her hair out of her face.

Lottie smirked and gave up looking for clothes for a moment and shrugged. She was really surprised that the scientist had not tracked her down and stolen her musical instrument if she was honest but if she could push the pair together, she could cheer up and make two people happy at ones. The ultimate two birds, one stone as the old saying went. “You really should contact him and talk about it. I am sure he would love to know there is an instrument onboard other than pots and pans to play the drums on.” She said with a bit of a grin. It would be nice to hear something different from what the ship had onboard.

It had been a long time since the MACO had been on a date, and if she was honest, it and Lottie were all she'd thought about since the rendezvous had been agreed to. A large part of her was really excited, but a smaller part of Ellie was also worried she might screw things up because it had been so long. Determined, Ellie did her best to push those remaining nagging doubts to the back of her mind.

"Yeah, I will. Are you still trying to decide what to wear or are you ready to go?" Ellie asked, moving away from the bunk in anticipation of their departure.

“Not in the slightest. Give me two moments.” Lottie looked down at her pajama bottoms and shook her head quickly. She was nowhere near prepared but grabbed a skirt, tights and a jumper and disappeared into the bathroom. Coming out a few minutes later she looked relieved that its colour matched and she looked respectable. “Ready. I am not normally that unprepared.” She assured smiling.

Ellie smiled, approving of Lottie's choice of attire. There was something about that beautiful, radiating smile which the MACO couldn't put her finger on.

"Hey, it's fine, I'm just as bad, or rather I can be. Shall we get a move on before the chef thinks we aren't coming?" Ellie suggested, pressing the button to open the door before gesturing for Lottie to depart ahead of her. Although very much with the times, Ellie was also quite traditionalist with certain things too.

“Chef?” The woman raised her eye brow as she moved out her quarters. What had the woman planned?

Ellie smiled and tapped her nose, before beginning the walk towards their destination. "I'd love to answer your question dear Lottie, but I don't like spoiling surprises. You'll have to wait and see" Ellie replied.

The nurse frowned but followed quietly intrigued by what had been planned seeing there was not much available onboard. "Lead the way then." She shrugged smiling. Not much she could say to that other than get them there for her surprise.