| Homesick |
| Summary: | Temperance is homesick and Alexander comes in for the rescue. Also, Evandreus and Sitka ask for a picture. |
| Date: | 2.24.2041 |
| Related Logs: | None. |
| Players: |
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Raptor Berthings
The Raptor squadron pilots and ECO's call this place home.
Berths line the walls with a locker between each one. A table and chairs sit in the center and there is a hatch to the Pilots Head, which connects to the Viper Squadron Berthings.
Alexander is sitting quietly with his curtain open in his off duties reading a book on Fleet life. Everything he has been reading relates to life in the Fleet or how to do work within the Fleet these days. He flips a page as he makes a soft, "Hm…" sound. Though his eyes never leave the book.
Temperance is lying in her own bunk, with the curtains closed. When she hears someone making a noise, she reaches out and peeks down at the rest of the room, with scrunched and sleepy eyes. "Muuurpfle," she says, but that can't be right. "Fleeeeeergfhle," she tries again, frowning at her in ability to make her tongue work. "Lights," she finally manages to get out, ducking back behind the curtain. "Too bright."
As there is the sound of vowel movements happening that can only be attributed to the drunk or those just waking up a certain former actor looks up to see what is going on in Temperance's bunk. The curtain on the other hand blocks Alexander's view but finally when she says the word light there is a small grin that comes to the man's face, "I'd offer to turn them off for you but then I wouldn't be able to read I am afraid."
Temperance peeks back out from behind the curtain, squinting down again, her hair thick and rumpled. "M'brain's more 'portant," she mumbles, an Aerilon accent clear through her mumbling. "'less you're readin' a medbook on how'ta fix brains." Giving up on sleep, she swings her legs out of the bunk, and hangs them there for a minute before jumping down to the floor. She sways undsteadily when she gets there and looks down at herself - she's got clothes on, but it appears that at some point during the night, she had perhaps Too Much Fun, because her tank top is ripped and torn in certain places. Her shorts, at least, are fine. "You were in the Ring," Temperance says bluntly, reaching behind her to steady herself on the bunks. "M'brothers watched that movie every day fer a year." She eyes him dubiously.
"I was in the Ring." And then Alexander tilts his head slightly taking on a heavy and specific regional accent that he used for the film and his ability to speak is scarily spot on, "Aye, twas 'n 'he Ring. Frakkin' learnt tae fight and jaw a' live't wit good folk. Aerilon 's a good place tae be with 'onest folk and decent clean life." Then just as casually he slips back into his Caprican accent, "I do miss Aerilon though. It was a good place to live and the people were very kind to me there. In fact, I might go back some day. I'm Ensign Alexander Aurelia by the way and you are?"
Temperance blinks at him for a moment when he does the accent, and when he asks who she is, she smiles a slow, lazy smile. "I'm ready'ta make ou' with ya, is what I am," she says with a laugh. "H'ain't 'eard sounds of home in so long, 'cept outta few girls 'ere'nthere. Ain't th'same." She sighs and stretches, adding as she does so, "Temperance o'Sullivan, an' glad ta greet ya." She waits a beat and then adds, "Ensign, too."
Alexander looks over at Temperance for a moment and he gives the woman a wink, a playful one, it is also a slightly cheeky wink, "Well, only if you mean to go through with that offer." There is a pause as he closes his book to better look at Temperance and he places the book down on his bunk before he stands so that he can get a good look at the woman, "Though I must say your shirt is telling me you seem very serious about this." Alexander is playing along with this game and he is flirting back but then again he always does, "Question is do you think you can handle the reality or would you prefer the fantasy?"
Temperance eyes him for a moment, and crinkles her nose at him. "Ain't go' some movie star fan'asy, iffn' that's what yer thinkin'. Always been too pratical fer that. But then again don't really matter. In my 'pinion," she says coyly, taking a couple of steps toward him with a slightly dimpled smile, "Iffn' yer talkin' 'nough fer me ta hear yer voice, ain't doin' it right a'tall." Once she's much closer to him, she cocks her head to one side. "Bathroom firs'?"
Alexander watches as Temperance moves near and as she gets suddenly coy and the ensign looks amused, honored, and grateful all at the same time. "Well, if you need to go to the bathroom go ahead please." Alexander says kindly as he watches the bombshell in front of him. "Though you might want to change your shirt, really, it is a bit torn. I'd hate for you to get a draft and get sick as a result." Alexander continues to watch Temperance as he tries to both flirt with and feel out this new woman in front of him at the same time.
Strangest movie star Temperance could ever have imagined meeting. She cocks her head to the other side, and just stares at him for a moment, thinking hard. "Lights off, m'bunk, five minutes?" she finally says with a grin. She moves to walk away, and head for the…head. "Don' worry 'bout m'shirt, bunk's warm," she calls behind her. But then she adds softly, "Ya remind me of 'ome."
Alexander waits for Temperance and he is trying to figure out how to best move around this because he has a standing rule that he leaves his fans with the fantasy of him and never the reality. As he waits he takes a moment to think of his next best option and so he moves into his bunk and he devises a clever little plan. He has a series of things that were recently sent to him from his host family back on Aerilon, that is, the family who he stayed with while he was doing research. There is a number of things all from back home, some music files which he begins to play from his portable media player that he has hooked small speakers to so that the music can be heard, softly. He places some candy that is a nostalgic favorite among adults from Aerilon as well as a series of photographs of different parts of Aerilon. Though the best part might be the few cans of ginger ale that he places on the table. This ginger ale can only be found on Aerilon and he has four cans waiting. There is also a book about famous Aerilonians on the table. As a general rule Alexander does not live the playboy lifestyle because it keeps him out of trouble with the media and because it isn't his way.
Temperance comes back from the bathroom, feeling much more alive. Her teeth are newly brushed, she doesn't have to pee, and she must have splashed water on her face, because her eyes aren't quite so sleepy anymore. She walks in looking up to her bunk expecting him to be there, but he's not, and her attention shifts over to his bunk. The music, the candy, the /pop/…she takes a step forward, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. "You…this's from 'ome," she whispers lightly. "My Pa, he plays tha' song fer my Ma…where did ya get this?" she asks in a hushed voice, turning to him with huge eyes in disbelief. "This's fer me?"
Alexander nods his head, "I thought you might like this. I have some other things as well. When I lived on Aerilon I stayed with a kind family who I've stayed in touch with. We regularly send each other gifts and we keep each other up to date on what is going on back home." He grins sheepishly to Temperance, "I've got a canned pudding saved for soltice that they sent me. The rum kind." Alexander listens to the music, "As for the song, well, it is one I fell in love with when I lived on Aerilon. My host Father could play the song on a violin and while I couldn't play it myself I loved to listen to him sing and play." He offers a ginger ale to Temperance, "Maybe you and I could talk about Aerilon for a bit?" For a Caprican the actor seems completely bias free when it comes to the Colonies. "I do miss it you know and I thought you might appreciate all of this more than I do since it has a deeper meaning to you than to me. I hope it isn't to much?"
Temperance is so completely confused - she was not counting on this at all. "N-no," she says quickly, sitting down next to him and accepting the ginger ale. "No, it's not too much," she shakes her head. "I jus'…hmm." She cuts herself off and laughs. "Ya wanna talk 'bout home?" An eyebrow raising, she shifts to face him better, an impish expression on her face. "Tell ya wha'. Let's trade. I'll give ya one thing 'bout home fer one kiss." Mischievous smirk.
Alexander considers because he will be more than willing to give a beautiful woman a kiss if he can get to know her better. Most celebritie want to use their fame to woo women but Alexander is a bit skittish when it comes to that. All it takes is one bad woman and his career is over and his fortune is lost. Alexander is also more of a quiet artistic sort with a sympathetic and kind hearted soul with occasional bits of mirth and humor thrown in. "One kiss, huh?" Alexander says, "Well, if you and I are going to kiss I believe the best way to do this is by standing. What do you think?" Alexander says as he stands in order to best address this new proposition because if he is going to kiss Temperance it will be a movie star, fairy tale kind of kiss, mostly because he has had a lot of practice on screen and because he knows what the audience and his co-stars like.
Temperance gives him a funny look, but stands up anyway. Very, very strange man. Unexpected, anyway, if not strange. "Alrigh'," she says with a big wide grin, "Kiss firs', or story tellin'? Wha' ya wanna know?" Looking around her to make sure no one else is in here, she leans out, stretches, and flips the light switch off. The pain in her head is /so/ much better this way.
As the lights are now suddenly off and the music plays softly arms reach around Temperance and he pulls himself toward the redhead and he stops just in front of her face so she can clearly feel the electricity and energy coming from his face to hers. A few moments after pausing he dips Temperance back in the dark and he kisses Temperance in a sweet but apparently passionate kiss on his part as one arm is around the small of her back and the other hand is holding the back of her neck to keep her from falling. It is impossible to tell if Alexander is acting or enjoying this but that is the fantasy of all of this and he is attempting to give Temperance the fantasy. After a few moments of lingering he pulls Temperance back up and turns the lights back on as he sets himself down at his seat, "A kiss has been given. So perhaps you could tell me about you and your family?" His words are kind and soft though as he waits to see what Temperance does next.
It's a very wonderful kiss, an incredible moment. And if Temperance was anyone else, this would probably be all she'd ever wanted. But she's not. And it's not. She's still drunk, she's dizzy with homesickness, and she just wanted to lose herself in that. She wanted someone to kiss her, hard and rough, to make her forget. When Alex dips her back, she keeps kissing him, but when he raises her up, she smiles at him sadly. Choosing not to comment at all on what happened, she looks back at him with eyes that are far more sober and lucid now. "Seven brothers," she replies. "Ma an' Pa. Everyone but me an' Ma worked th'mines. They were m'whole world."
Alexander for his part is trying to be an utter gentleman in all of this and as he is kissed a few more time the actor doesn't protest and he gives her one or two more kisses. If anything Alexander is good at reading people and he is starting to put together the lonely and homesick bits and this makes him work even harder to be a gentleman but accomidating, "I had four siblings myself. My sister is here, Lieutenant Aurelia in Medical." Alexander says, "So your parents were hard working people?" Alexander says as he opens one of the bottles of ginger ale which he slides over to Temperance, "Are you close with your parents?" Alexander asks almost rhetorically.
Temperance accepts the bottle and takes a gulp, rolling her eyes and moaning under her breath at the taste. Home! "Was close ta my Pa," she admits with a rueful smile. "Ma an' I spent all'r time together, but we jus' didn't understand each other, I think." She shrugs. Pausing for a moment, she stands up and smiles sadly at him. "Listen, I…I'm still bit woozy after las' night, an' I'm thinkin' I woke up bit crazy today. Don't normallly extor' men fer kisses, much less those what been in the movies." Cringing apologetically, she gestures to all the things he's got out. "'Preciate everythin' ya put out fer me here. I jus'…" It's clear she's embarrassed down to her toes. "I should probably go get cleaned up," she murmurs.
Alexander shakes his head and he says to Temperance in soft and understanding tones, "There is no shame in missing home or wanting someone to kiss. Sometimes those are the things we need to get through a difficult night." Alexander looks at everything on the table, "I'll make sure that all of this gets to your bunk. I think I have a bag somewhere around here to put it in." A beat, "But please, don't appologize or feel embarrassed." The new Ensign smiles as he studies Temperance, "Though when you feel ready I'd like to hear more about your family and about Aerilon."
Temperance grins at him after the offer of the Aerilon stuff. "I'd love tha', the bags an' the talk," she replies. "An' I understand wha' yer sayin', but I'm still feelin' little embarrassed alls th'same." She laughs at herself, and moves over towards her bunk, climbing up. "I'ma lay down fer a minute or two, try an' sort m'head." Looking down, that awful shirt registers again, and she groans to herself. One of the top five most embarrassing moments in her life, definitely.
Alexander says, "Just please, don't be. I've had women do many other embarrassing things. One woman held up a sign that said be the father of my children and she took her top off. That was the oddest sixty year old woman I have ever met." Alexander shakes his head, "This o a scale from one to ten was nothing." Alexander stands and he gets a bag from his bunk from which he places different things from Aerilon into the bag and he places the bag in the corner of Temperances bunk, "I should also get some rest. Though I look forward to speaking with you later. Before you go back to sleep you may want to finish your ginger ale, I'm not sure it will stay fizzy now that it has been opened. " This is Alexander's way of showing his concern for Temperance. With that the ensign moves to his own bunk as he pulls his boots off and he pulls the curtain almost shut before he looks at Temperance with a smile, "Goodnight."
And with that Alexander's curtain is closed.
Evandreus bounces into Raptor Berths from across the corridor, jumping right up to Alex' bunk and— well, not quite climbing in with the guy, but he at least opens the curtain up again. "Dude, dude," he greets, the first 'dude' being a greeting, the second a sort of appelation. "I need a favor real quick."
A dark-haired pilot in his blues ambles in, not too far behind Evan. You might almost say they arrived together. But waitaminute, that ain't no raptor driver. It's the Captain of the dog and pony show, in fact, aka the Snow Petrels. And he looks like he's on a mission, if a grudging one, by the way he loiters near the door and plucks at his uniform jacket.
Temperance hears all the new people come in, and pokes her head out over her covers to look down at them. "M' name's Temperance," she yells out in a woozy sort of way. "I'm an ensign," she adds thoughtfully.
Alexander looks back at Temperance bunk as she tells him who she is and he mouths the name to himself, this is of course after Evan has snapped his curtain back and Alexander pauses for a moment to meet the enthusiasm, "What can I do for you?" Alexander asks as he looks over at the Captain as he enters and this gets the ensign to sit up pulling his curtain back to look at both Evandreus and Sitka. He blinks and looks at them both as he attempts to figure out exactly what is going on here and if these two people being in here are related.
Evandreus peels away from Alex' bunk once the guy's been called to action, heading to this own locker and opening it, stepping up on the bottom edge of it to reach up to the top shelf and take down a clunker of a camera after the self-developing variety, old but evidently kept in good repair. He removes the lens cap and makes sure the thing is on and humming properly, "You should be used to this by now, huh? We just want a picture," he explains, finally. "Before we get back to Picon. So Shivers can send it on to his daughter. She's a big fan," he adds with a grin. "So get in close, you two…" he guides them, lifting one hand to wave Shiv in toward Alex's bunk.
Sitka clears his throat quietly before stepping further inside. His eyes briefly scan across Temperance's bunk when the young woman speaks up, then return to the actor being roused from what was meant to be his beauty sleep. One presumes. "I'd really appreciate it, Mr. Aurelius-" He gets Alexander's name wrong, naturally. "-if you wouldn't mind. She is." A big fan. "You know what they're like at that age." Evandreus is the recipient of a darting smile that's both gratitude and mild awkwardness as he shuffles in closer.
Alexander stands up, "Oh, that would be my utter pleasure. If you want I can sign it for you after it is developed?" Lexi quickly puts himself together as he makes sure he looks good in his uniform and he quickly throws on his green jacket which he buttons up to look his best for the picture. Alexander looks over at Sika, "What sort of picture would you like, sir?" The ensign asks utterly willing to help out with this and then he pauses and he reaches back into his bunk and he pulls out a small cloth bear that is brown, "Here, for your daughter. It was made for me by a fan. His name is Stanley and he has traveled with me everywhere though I think Stanley needs a home with your daughter."
"O'Sullivan," Temperance murmurs some more, her head peeking out mournfully from behind her curtain. "Ensign Temperance O'Sullivan." She watches the exchange between all three and raises an eyebrow. "Defini'ely top five," she mumbles.
The bear's given a bit of an odd look, though it's politely accepted by the Captain in spite of the fact that, "She's fourteen." Offered a bit glibly. "An autograph would be great, actually. We'd, uh, better hold still.." No, he doesn't sling an arm around the poor man, though he does tuck the bear under one arm, and shove his hands into the pockets of his blues trousers, and step in a little closer before turning to face the camera.
"Go on, go on, pretend like you like one another," Evan grins from behind the camera, waving Shiv in all the closer and then steadying the camera with both hands and adjusting the views. "One.. two… three… cheese!" he goads them into a set of smiles, if he's able, then the flash goes off and a moment later the camera's churning out a glossy slat of paper surrounded by a less glossy paper setting. Which, carefully taken by the paper edge, Evan waves about just a little before stepping closer to hand it off to Shiv. "Glad to help, dude," he tells the guy, "Now I gotta run and get on deck," he adds, getting the cap back on the camera and shutting it down, getting it back up on its shelf before the locker's slammed shut and he flashes the room another bright grin, "Later, y'all!" And he's out.
Alexander looks back at Temperance's book, "Goodnight Temperance." Yes, he does use her first name. "And sweet dreams." The actor on the other hand is used to taking photos and he puts his arm around Sitka's shoulder. From the pose he takes the picture would seem to show that the two would know each other well, but, a photo is only one moment in time and the former actor knows how to sell himself in that moment. "Fourteen. I'll keep that in mind. I have a few photos of myself with Stanely around the Colonies I can give you to go with him so she knows where he has been."
Well, that's what you call a hit and run picture. The viper jock looks a little ruffled about the gills when it's all said and done, and though he stiffens slightly, he doesn't protest the arm around his shoulder. "Appreciate it, Evan," he murmurs to the other pilot, accepting the finished photograph and turning it over in his hand a couple of times. The actor even gets a small smile. "And thanks for humouring me, Mr. Aurelius. I've got a shift to make, but if you wouldn't mind signing it for me, and dropping it off in my bunk next door, when you have a chance." The polaroid is handed over, and his gaze lingers on the man for a few thoughtful seconds before he turns and heads for the hatch. "Take it easy, Ensign." That's probably for Temperance, whom he passes on his way out.