A Night Like No Other

Posted on Wed Aug 2nd, 2023 @ 3:05pm by Warrant Officer Iryna Voznyuk & Staff Sergeant Nathanial "Nate" Cusack

Mission: Sojurn
Location: Relea
Timeline: 337
4867 words - 9.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Iryna was happy as she looked out across the planet from within what was feeling like a very private space within the restaurant and bar that they had been in for what felt like days but had been hours. First they had eaten, then danced and now Iryna was just watching the world moving below. It was beautiful and the snow and ice just added to the mood and contemplation. Inside it was tropical aided by the trees around them and outside it was cold and white. It was easy to compare and that had led to her comparing more about how that night was more different that any other.

The sofa seating near the open fireplace had been just as Nate had envisaged for this portion of the date. What he hadn't anticipated was how quiet the place would remain, having assumed that the view alone would have made it exceedingly popular with the onrush of tourists the festival enticed, but the lunch rush just hadn't occurred. Now, still a few hours out from the potential for an evening frenzy, there seemed no reason to be in a hurry to move. Sprawled back on the couch, one arm draped along the back of it whilst his bend leg served as a decent coaster for his beer-approximation, the only interruption to his own surveillance was the occasional glance sideways to enjoy how relaxed his company seemed. So far, he hadn't screwed up this gesture. It was a minor miracle.

Iryna turned from staring out the window to take in her companion and grinned. The sun was close to setting so she was glad they were there to watch it setting across an alien world. She quickly moved across the space to sit next to him. “This is really nice.” She assured quietly leaning to kiss his cheek gently.

His stomach full and a couple of decent brews under his belt, Nate was the most relaxed he'd been in a while. There was a temptation towards complacency, of course, the creeping potential for smugness to get the better of him and the celebration of early victory to backfire in his face, but he felt good. He'd tried to do something right and, for once, the universe hadn't conspired to ruin it on him. His outstretched arm curled around her and pulled Iryna in, permission to linger despite it being a very public declaration of tenderness. "Yeah, I guess this place isn't so bad if you can watch the snow fall from some place warm."

“With good company.” Iryna added with a grin at his arm curled around her. This was safe, they were touching and it was in public that would not lead to anything. “This was a really nice idea, Nate. Thank you.” She was truly thankful that he was making an effort and she was making an effort to try to be more into something more stable.

A dip of his head to the side took the gratitude without protest but also without much idea what else to do with it. It flustered him marginally, enough that it took a moment's staring out of the window for Nate to find his next words, but at the very least it prompted a quieter intimacy that almost mimicked heartfelt sentiment. "Won't be too much longer and it'll be soggy toast-substitute in the messhall, seemed like an idea to make the most of something more fitting." The fingers of his outstretched arm traced a lazing circle around her shoulder. "At least it's a start, something closer to what you deserve hopefully."

"It is very much a start of something I hope for you too. You deserve something like this too." She prompted hoping he realised that he was worthy of something slower too. "I do not mind the mess hall... its food. But tonight has been good. What would you like to do now? Dance? Go for a walk?" She wondered quietly not wanting to disrupt the intimate quietness of just them. It had been lovely and certainly not something she had enjoyed in years. Being a female marine people expected one thing from you which was tough when you did not want to fit that mould.

"Your choice," Nate found himself saying with sincerity. He'd made no effort to hide the fact that the frozen planet held very little appeal for him in terms of sight-seeing but that wasn't the point of this. He wasn't quite ready to apologise to Jamesson yet, despite the creeping suspicion that he probably should, and he'd barely got a word in edgewise when he'd tried to smooth things over with Calanthe. Trying to do the right thing by Iryna seemed like his best shot and if that meant freezing his balls solid, then so be it. "Name your poison."

“One dance and then I am taking you somewhere.” She said putting from the couch to stand up. She turned to offer both hands to him to pull him up. The music that was playing was a soft music but she did not need music to dance if she was honest.

They had certainly proven that often enough. With a groan that was slightly exaggerated, Nate allowed himself to be heaved upwards and lead towards the dancefloor, offering a crooked smile as she twirled herself and then settled into what was fast becoming a very natural stance for both of them. "I'm going to have to find a way to capture some of these tunes to take with us, the playlist could use some beefing up."

“Very much.” She whispered looking up at him grinning. “I am sure there will be an exchange of cultural banks.” She added whispered ever so slightly closer to him to lay her head on his shoulder. It felt natural and it was unusual for her to feel like that. Things did not come naturally to her in the slightest but this did. He softened some of her rough edges.

There was something to be said about distance and how much easier it made certain things. Vulnerability wasn't Nate's strong suit but there was a sense of calm that made it okay to participate in something for his own pleasure, for no other reason than he wanted to because it made him feel better. No long-range telescope pinning him beneath its scrutiny, or the incessant narrative that painted him incapable of meaningful contribution, let alone allow any room for him to be a decent prospect for companionship. He was here because he enjoyed her company and, for some reason he was still coming to terms with, she didn't find his objectionable. It was far simpler to indulge in that knowing that he didn't have to justify it to anyone. He moved his head just enough so that his chin settled into her hair and closed his eyes.

The moment lasted until the music ended and Iryna pulled away smiling despite how relaxing it felt just there swaying to the music. “You are right we definitely need to get that music.” She laughed and leaned up to kiss him softly taking the initiative to do it and to seize the moment.

As had become his habit, Nate returned the kiss but toed the line by eventually smiling into it, a mischief that was going to wind up getting him slapped sooner rather than later. "You trying to invite me into your escape pod again, ma'am?"

“Always but I do think it does not belong to me. Definitely the other crew's pod. I just use it for sloppy attempts at seducing.” She said smiling and shaking her head at the man.

That earned her a pair of raised eyebrows that, from her current vantage, weren't likely to be noticeable outside the accompanying incredulous mischief in Nate's tone. "Are you saying you lured me there with intent?"

“I do not think I intended anything particular there of all places as I was wasted but I had started the night wanting that.” The redness of cheeks gave away how much they admittance had cost her.

"Ah, right, but not with Cusack." His tone was teasing, not to mention somewhat circumspect. Given their track record at that point, he wouldn't have blamed her for placing him at the bottom of the pile. As it was, it was taking a degree of soul-searching for him to admit to prior attraction as any sort of motivation for the amount of shit he'd given her.

“Anyone would have done that night.” She shrugged but the blush did not disappear. “But I am glad you found me dark and twisted that night.” It had been the soul searching and retrospect she had needed to get herself to admit that she was worth more.

"You're telling me the barrel would have scraped that low?" Now he was absolutely gunning for a punch in the arm, but that kind of affection was familiar and made navigating the rest of it slightly easier. Nate grinned into her hair. "And there I was being all gallant like a fool."

“Would not be here if you had been that man that night.” She pointed out poking his arm. “You are attractive and I am sure it would have been a good night but would’ve I regretted it the night morning most likely.”

Nate opened his mouth to shoot back a typical remark and opted, instead, to pause for a moment. She had a point. As much as it hadn't worked out, spending time with Calanthe had provided at least some perspective on what interpersonal intimacy was like under current conditions. There wasn't anywhere to go if things turned sour. "Yeah, same probably." It was an uncomfortable admission. "Not because of the company," he hastened to add, "But just...the shit it stirs up afterwards."

The woman smiled softly and leant up caressing his jaw. It was how she had had always hoped a date would have gone or at the very least been allowed to have something of the bedroom. There was only so much connection you could have there. It was it conflict to the current situation. “I much prefer this.” She said tugging him back for table to finish off drinks and gather their coats.

Nate risked a dubious expression, as if weighing up a night of meaningful connection against the bump and grind of physical gratification was somehow a difficult choice, but his eyes sparkled with the mischief of it and he thought better than to actually vocalise until the temptation got too much. "I mean, you say that now..."

“I do. I don’t want to just screw you and that be it.” The woman said simply pulling on her jacket not at all sure that her words were having the right effect even as the Realians who had been looking after them all afternoon came over to say bye.

Just to prove he was a man who could be taught, Nate recognised the tension behind Iryna's tone and held both hands up in submission. "It's not a requirement, I promise the idea behind a lunch date wasn't to have an argument about sex." Very aware that they weren't technically alone, Nate regarded the Realian staff out of the corner of his eye and lowered his volume. "So, where are we off to?"

“Let’s go for a walk in one of those inclosed gardens. We never really got to explore it last time.” She said softly as she she offered a smile and a wave to the staff as they had paid early and headed towards the lift. “I thought you might enjoy the heat.” She said quietly.

"Certainly spent enough time experiencing it." The wry quip didn't count as a protest though, even if Nate didn't really picture himself as being much of a gardener, as such. He enjoyed camping well enough, and the simplistic pace of getting back to nature, but more in the untamed wilderness aspect than neat rows of pretty flowers. If he'd been honest, he hadn't really pegged Voznyuk as a petunias and begonias kind of woman either but Nate was the first to admit he should be the last to judge in that sense. He stuck out his elbow, submitting to the choice at least because he'd insisted. "Lead on, m'lady."

“You do not need to. We can cut this short and just go back to hotel?” She said quietly as they stepped into the lift. She did not take his arm but she did stare at him carefully as she she tried to work out what he wanted from her.

A pointed look was followed by the renewed insistence of an equally pointy elbow. "Stop second-guessing yourself," he chided, sincere yet with some effort to curb the lecture. "You want a garden stroll, we take a garden stroll. We may enjoy it, we may wind up deciding Realians have terrible taste in landscaping, maybe we'll get attacked by giant ice bees. We won't know until we try and we won't get another opportunity to check." It was, Nate realised, the most mature he'd sounded in a long time but part of his recent ruminations had been a determination, if Iryna was used to being the last consideration in her own personal life, to at least do better than these other bastards she kept referring to. "At any rate, I need to walk off this free-loading food-baby who seems to have taken up residence." He patted his stomach, winked at her and offered his arm one last time.

Iryna took the offered arm holding on tightly as the lift opened and the chill hit them instantly. Iryna stepped out and closed her eyes for a moment she was somewhere else cold and snowy. She had to admit though that she preferred this planet but it brought up memories of home. “Okay.” She said simply leading the way to the green house that she had seen in the way in.

A curse just beneath his breath was adequate reminder of Nate's ongoing failed love affair with the climate. If he'd been in the mood for poetic thinking, he might have realised it was just another indication of the ways in which they were polar opposites, though Nate was slowly coming to the conclusion there may be less evidence of that than he'd originally assumed. He squinted as a blast of icy wind made his eyes water and stretched an arm around her shoulders as much for his own comfort as hers. "Tropical beaches. Next time, I vote we get kidnapped by sentient coconuts."

“I quite enjoyed the beach when we were on Babel world. Got to lie there in the sunshine before King got killed.” The woman commented smiling at just his cold he looked. They were different but there was a lot of similarities where it mattered. “Got a bit of a tan. All faded now but way nice to not be quite as pale but I will pass on the request to Gerhard. See if he had make it happen.” she commented ducking into walk way.

"Well, some of us spent that whole time hauled up with food poisoning, if I recall," Nate muttered, not as capable of looking back on that particular experience with any fondness, particularly considering what came next. Being taken out of the equation, unable to act, by something as ridiculous as a stubbornly insistent intestinal parasite was just the kind of weak fortitude his father liked to harp on about.

The greenhouse was not the one they had gone to before but it was just as big. It looked empty inside as it was a lull between lunch and dinner but that did not stop Iryna stepping into the air lock between the two door. It had lockers just inside for coats which quickly were put inside to dry off and leaving them with only the option to go inside.

Relinquishing a layer felt like the least intuitive thing to do but Nate had to admit that the temperature controls inside were better than he'd hoped for. It seemed reasonable to assume that plants native to an ice planet would require freezing temperatures to survive but maybe that was the point of these gardens. Maybe these weren't native plants. Flexing his hands to return some feeling, he then slipped one into Iryna's with the casual comfort of one perfectly willing to be seen like that with her in public and screwed up his nose at the smell. "It's very...minty in here."

The woman nodded. “It very much does smell minty. Almost herbal. Definitely not flowery like the one we went to before.” She felt out of place in her dress as they stepped out and she took in the other people around them. His hand steadied her as she felt self-conscious. “Maybe this is for food?” She suggested wondering if there were signs or places to find information.

"Could be," Nate agreed, no rush to pretend he was an expert. The pair of them were a little over-dressed for this exploration but, unlike Iryna, Nate didn't appear outwardly fussed. His appearance didn't seem to be one of the many things the marine was touchy about, there was nothing insincere about the way he confidently occupied a space with the quietly commanding authority of one who projected a right to be there. He certainly had no compunction about bending to stick his face into a bush.

"Okay, it's not that one," he grimaced, rising quickly. "God, why would anyone breed something that smells like sweaty ballsacks."

Iryna watched interested as she started trying to investigate where the smell was coming from. “They have the death smelling plant on Earth.” She reminded quietly having seen it once on display in London Kew Garden.

"But you're not supposed to eat that," he reminded her of their current theory regarding this particular garden. "Mind you," he added as he wandered to keep up, "I don't suppose eating sweaty ballsacks is completely off some people's agenda." The size of his grin anticipated the incoming retaliation without any apology.

The brunette shrugged as she moved to another planet and lent over a little to sniff. It was not quite as fluid with the dress length but she managed it just. “Not this one. But it’s sweet.” She explained trying to sum it up.

She was, Nate surmised, becoming altogether too conditioned to him if she wasn't even shooting him warning glances that she hoped nobody else noticed. He'd been dragged through the void of space by the grappling hook of those glares, silenced beyond all hope by the ferocious promise behind them. They weren't so far removed from their old dynamic that Cusack had forgotten how good she was at making him regret opening his mouth.

He kind of missed that. Nate wasn't sure what that said about him.

"If we find one that smells like a cheeseburger, would it be poor form to steal a cutting?"

The woman glanced around and made a face. “I am sure if you asked they would arrange it.” She teased standing up straight to look around better. It would be nice to have something that smelled similar to something from Earth.

"I don't think they'll be inclined to do me any favours any time soon," Nate muttered, casting a sideways glance at a pair of Realians wandering down the other side. To their credit, they didn't seem to be paying the pair of humans much attention and, having made it through the meal relatively unscathed too, Nate was beginning to relax his expectations that the entire planet had his face plastered over various blacklists.

Iryna rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Never know.” She said simply moving to the next plant. “Found it.” She declared not even having to lean over to check as the air suddenly turned minty. It was refreshing and spicy all at the same time.

Nate shoved his hands in his pockets, glanced around in case anyone was paying attention to him appreciating flowers, and sighed with resignation as he bent down and promptly got a nose-full. The temptation to sneeze became overwhelming but, stubborn to the core, he fended it off with a gritting of his teeth. "Okay, now it just smells like toothpaste."

Iryna laughed at the expression on his face and shook her head moving on to where a Relaian was standing on a box giving a talk to a few people milling arounf. The Realian noticed that Iryna was listening and clicked a device so the clicks and dolphin sounds translated into something that could be understood. "A lot of the herbs here are used in natural remedies..."

Watching her wander over, Nate made no rush to join the group, intent instead to smile faintly at Iryna's apparent interest whilst lingering a moment longer to consider the toothpaste plant. He was no expert but surely the planet wasn't so reliant on its technology that it was without its own food production, and that sounded like something worth tapping into unless they wanted to eat plant-burgers for the rest of forever. Crouching down, Nate regarded the plant a moment and then reached out to rub one of the leaves, holding it up to his nose to sniff just as he'd done with his grandmother's mint plant when he was a kid.

“Some are used for hygiene whilst ones further in are anticoagulants and antibiotics.” The tour guide carried on explaining which interested Iryna. She knew that the ship had a supply of stuff from the future ship but if they had other options that would be interesting.

And some are used to smell like breath mints, Nate thought to himself, rolling the leaf around in his fingers to crush more of the oil onto his skin. It was slightly sticky and, in greater quantities, a little pungent. Screwing up his nose, the marine sprinkled the leafy remains into the garden bed and, careful not to touch his trousers with his messy fingers, placed both hands onto his knees to rise.

And promptly regretted his last beer.

The wave of dizziness abated quickly enough and left the confused Staff Sergeant convinced for a moment that he was finally showing signs of age. With a shake of his head to clear it, Nate wandered to catch up with the group, and more specifically, his date.

Iryna grinned and slid her hand into his as he joined her. “You good? You look pale?” She wondered softly as she half listened to the speech about the herbs in the green house. If they could get cuttings there was so much potential.

"Absolutely peachy," Nate replied, in between a squirm of his nostrils to ward off yet another sneeze. Reaching up to pinch his nose, he grimaced as he inadvertently smeared more of the minty oil over its tip and then switched to rubbing at it with the back of his hand. "Smells like a grandmother's armpit in here though."

Iryna leant up and wiped the rest of the oil off his nose and smirked. The oil was sticky but soon disappeared as she wiped her hands. It had a refreshing sensation. “Come on. Let’s get back to hotel room. See if we can find you an antihistamine.” She could not blame the man as it was certainly an acquired sense of smell that required working in there for long hours.

"I'm fine," he swished his hand at her, ostensibly to bat it away but in the end it resembled more a limp and sorry attempt at swatting an insect. Distracted by the sneeze that just wouldn't eventuate, Nate added in a strained tone, "Learn anything useful?" Giving up after ten minutes didn't sit well with his stubbornness, not when she'd already expressed a degree of insecurity for suggesting the exploration in the first place. Besides, if there was a different kind of breakfast in it for him, Nate was on board for deeper investigation.

Iryna gave him a look but shrugged. She had offered and he had declined so that was where they were at with it. “Antibiotics, anticoagulants, something similar to a laughing gas is created by some of the plants.” She whispered as the man went into another type of medical use for one of the plants.

"Do any of them taste like actual, proper cheeseburgers though?" There was no feasible way that he could have eaten anything more after the lunch he'd put away and Nate found himself suddenly contemplating the potential for exploring the perfect composition of patty to bacon and cheese on a planet capable of whisking up food out of thin air. "We should get cheeseburgers while we're here."

“Don’t you start.” Iryna said as she let out a sneeze herself. She frowned at the sensation but shook it away, alien pollen was bound to cause an effect.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but it's hot in here." Through squinted eyes, Nate tried to focus on the other marine and, far less blasé now that he realised she was suffering too, he frowned. "Maybe we should take a break. Laughing gas is one thing but maybe we shouldn't risk finding the one that promotes spontaneous combustion."

“Come on then. Fresh air this way.” She encouraged letting out another sneeze before laughing. “Alien pollen is no joke.”

Slightly bemused, Nate held out a hand to encase hers in a slightly sticky yet pleasantly minty embrace. "Is there anything on this planet not actively out to give me a bad time?" With a twirl reminiscent of their earlier dancing, Nate spun Iryna in such a way as to wind up with his arm draped over her shoulder as they braced for the sudden change in temperature. "Present company excepted, of course."

“Of course, I want to show you a very good time.” The woman declared dreamily as she grabbed both jackets and thrust his towards him.

Though not the first time the dynamic between them had swung back around to a more suggestive intent, Nate was nevertheless thrown for a moment and simply stood there, staring at his jacket in her outstretched hand as if it was made of marshmallow, or possibly live wasps. A scrunching of his face forced his eyes closed for a moment and then he squinted one open to instead stare at his...companion? Partner? Girlfriend? What do I call her? "You," Nate decided, "are very confusing."

Iryna was not sure what she had said that had left him dumbstruck and just staring at her before he closed his eyes. She looked almost as confused. "And that has changed recently?" She wondered still holding out the jacket to him trying to get him to put it on.

Thinking for a moment, Nate dipped his head to concede her point. "Touché." Finally taking his coat, he slipped it on and then snuck a hand into hers to lead the way out. "Women, in general, are confusing, and you are an exemplar amongst women so it makes sense." No sooner had the words left his mouth, Nate realised that actually what it didn't do was make sense. The blast of cold air to the face left him feeling sheepish and he pulled them immediately towards the shelter of the buildings before asking, "Did you actually want to head back?" An impish thought flashed as mischief across his eyes. "Or were you planning on showing me a good time somewhere else?"

"Do you want me to change and make sense?" She grinned at him as he tugged on her hand leading her towards the building shelter. It left her momentum smacking into him with a laugh. "Maybe somewhere else another time." She said seeing the mischief in his eyes.

He regarded her for a moment, his expression clearly somewhat of a pantomime of disgruntled consideration, and then Nate extended an index finger to tap against her nose. "You're a dreadful tease, do you know that?"

"I know." She said softly. "I am sorry. It is how I've... protected myself." She admitted taking a deep breath enjoying the sensation of fresh cold air. It was biting but made her feel alive.

"Lucky for you," Nate replied, dropping her hand to sling his arm across her shoulders, once again dressing up the desire for closeness behind a gentlemanly concern for her warmth, "I'm a big fan of a protected Voznyuk. I mean, we've got her this far, right?" The remark niggled at him, a fingertip stirred into the dark cloud to entice it to spread once more. In a gesture that sought to distract himself, but also became the first of its kind out in the public view, Nate pressed a kiss to Iryna's temple and murmured, "Let's just get in out of the cold, you can conjure me a magic coffee out of thin air and I'll sit on your couch and behave myself."