| It's All Good |
| Summary: | Ania runs into Devlin in the hall and the two nuggets discuss classes and their respective uses of what little free time training leaves them. |
| Date: | 31 August 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| The Fourth Floor Hallway |
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| Navy navy everywhere. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #186 |
Devlin is just exiting the Pilot Berths, shutting the hatch behind him so it doesn't slam. He lingers in the hall once he's out there, glancing at the Recruit Berths to one side and the stairway in the other direction. His lips purse, and he reaches up to scratch behind an ear, considering.
And as he stands there considering, someone emerges from the Recruit Berths. Ania, in fact, who seems to be set on autopilot since she has her nose buried in a manual. She moves slowly, almost deliberately, but really it's only slow because she's got her mind elsewhere and is letting her body do everything without thought. She doesn't even look up as she starts to step away, down the hall toward the stairway.
Devlin is looking towards the stairs at the same moment, frowning at them thoughtfully. So he doesn't see Ania until her book bumps his arm and then he turns quickly, sticking out ah and, "Whoa. Ania, hey. Way to bowl a guy over, huh?" His smile is good-natured, though, and, well. Obviously he wasn't really bowled over at all.
"Hmm?" Ania asks, glancing up, blinking with that blank expression of someone who is being yanked back to reality. "Oh! Alex. Did I— I didn't knock you over," she says in an almost confused way, though after a moment, she gives a little soft chuckle and puts her finger into the book, closing it with her finger as a placemarker. "Sorry. I was just reading. Hope I didn't hurt you." The last part is a deadpan joke, probably. There's something subtly different… at one point, the old Ania would have snapped at someone, /anyone/, for being in her way. This Ania? Doesn't jump to that mode.
"No, you didn't. But you should watch out in the hall," Devlin chides gently, "I could've been a captain or something and then where would you be?" He smiles, though and tips his head to peek at the book before asking, "So how's it going?"
"Oh." Ania just stands there for a second, her expression falling. "I uh, well I guess if you were a captain or something, I'd have to salute and all that." It might be an attempt at a lighthearted joke, but it falls short if it is. "Uhm," she mumbles, holding the book up for a second. "I keep reading the same pages over and over but I don't think it's sinking in. I keep getting distracted by my notes for Bannik. What about you? You look… surprisingly well rested. I mean, all this training, keeps us mighty tired."
"Well, yeah. I guess I meant, like…a mean captain, or something," Devlin replies before shrugging, "Anyways. Notes for Bannik?" he seems puzzled by that part, but the question about him looking rested draws a quick flash of a grin that seems almost involuntary, and it takes him a second to temper it to a more normal smile and shrug, "You know. I mean, I'm a little further along than you. And I nap sometimes during the day if I can? Mostly I guess I just sleep really good when I sleep."
Ania grins a little, giving a knowing little expression for a second. "Uh, yeah. Bannik. He's— he's just having some problems with, well, a problem. I was trying to help. It's not like I'm doing any of the real work on it, but he's got a retrofitting problem. Round hole, square peg kinda thing. He's more of an expert than I'll ever be, but it's been kinda fun trying to help. Guess it just makes me feel more useful than doing nothing but drills and simulations and reading."
Devlin grins back at that grin, but seems a little bemused by it, asking, "What?" And then he nods about Bannik, listening curiously. "Oh, that's cool," he offers, "What's it for? Unless it's cars or, like, real basic mechanical stuff I probably couldn't help, and I'm betting it's not a car, or plumbing or anything."
Ania shakes her head. "Missiles," she offers, the one word given in a slightly upbeat tone, contrasting the word itself. Missiles are not shiny happy things. "But mostly, I'm glad I made a friend. He's nice. Thinks he's in over his head, but don't we all?"
"What?" Devlin repeats as she shakes her head, "I'm confused now. But missiles? That's cool," he replies, like all boys finding giant flying explosives pretty awesome even if the circumstances of their being needed are less than ideal. "And yeah, Psyche's big friends with Bannik. I've met him, but we haven't really talked or anything. Just while he was doing the King of the Mountain thing and stuff. And yeah, I doubt he's worse off than us."
Ania asks, "King of the Mountain? Guess I missed that. But he's a good guy." Ania shrugs a bit, tucking her book in against her chest. "It's… silly, really. If he's managing to find his place, it makes me pretty sure I'll manage, too. Somehow. So far I think I'm on track at least."
"Yeah, it was a religious thing," Devlin explains, "A ritual purging of sin, that sort of thing? So for, like, a week, Bannik was treated as a god, basically, and people confessed to him and did what he said and stuff like that, so he took on all the sins of the crew, and then they pushed him down some stairs and pretended they were gonna airlock him as punishment, and it, like…cleansed the whole ship." He shrugs a little and then nods, "But yeah, I'm sure you'll be fine. Classes and stuff going alright?"
Ania winces a bit at mention of him being pushed down stairs, but he seems to have recovered from it since he was alright to her! "Uhm, yeah. Yeah they're… going. I'm used to being top of my class, so it's a little strange to … not be. But I'm giving it my best."
"Well, at least they don't really keep track of that sort of stuff?" Devlin replies, "I mean, it's not like we get grades, exactly. Not for the flying stuff, anyways, I guess for the officer stuff sometimes. But yeah," he nods, though he admits with a crooked smile, "Not that I've ever been tops of any of my classes or anything ever."
Ania can't help but grin a little bit. "Well, we aren't getting /graded/ but I can tell. I'm barely making average as best as I can tell. I did start a bit later than everyone else, though. Besides, do you really want to talk about that or do you want to tell me all about how you're never going to do wrong by Psyche or you might have me to answer to…?"
"Oh," Devlin nods but shrugs, "I mean, yeah, you started a little later, and everybody's sort of at different spots, you know? I wouldn't worry about it. So long as they keep you they must think you're up to it." At the last, he blinks, and then laughs, surprised, "Have you to answer to? I've known her longer than you have!"
Ania smirks a bit. "But clearly she and I are meant to have an epic friendship. The sort they write poems and songs about. The sort that lasts for eternity," she says. "Besides, I wear the same size shoes as her. Clearly I have the advantage. But seriously, you two seem to be getting… pretty close. I just want you to be careful. For her sake and yours. I wouldn't want to see either of you hurt is all."
Devlin laughs at that explanation, and harder at the bit about shoes. "Alright, alright, if you're as into shoes as she is, it's clearly meant to be an epic friendship," he chuckles. At the seriousness, he just smiles and shakes his head, "Nah, don't worry about us," he tells her, unable to quite keep his smile from inching wider still, "We're good."
Ania smiles a bit, though she tries to temper it down to a more neutral expression. Still, the smile shows through. "Good. Just keep it that way. I have all of like four friends now and you guys make up half that. I'm just— One time my friends were dating and when they broke up, we all had to take sides. It wasn't fun is all. I'd rather not do it if I had to. But that won't happen, I'm sure."
Devlin laughs, "Yeah, yeah, I've had that happen before, it's frakking awkward," he agrees, before grinning again and shaking his head some more, "But no, that's not gonna happen. We're really, really good, I promise." Beam. He can't seem to help grinning about it.
Ania playfully rolls her eyes a bit at the last part. "I can see that. And hear it. Often." She's grinning, teasingly. "I mean, not that I'm listening. I just— sometimes I can't sleep and uhm… wow, am I late for PT?"
Devlin blinks and then flushes and laughs, sheepish, and instantly apologetic, "Oh, man, I'm sorry," he replies, "I try to get her to be quiet, but it's kinda tough and we should really just be more considerate and go somewhere else if we're keeping people up. I know it's not cool, I'm sorry. We'll, umm… yeah, do better about that."
Ania's cheeks flush a bit and she shakes her head. "Uh, no. I mean, you aren't keeping anyone up. I don't sleep much is all. But hey, really, good on you guys. I mean might as well be happy while you can, right? Besides, don't let me and my sleeping habits interfere. I'm sure if it was ever the reverse, you'd cut me some slack, right?" But it never is the reverse!
"I mean, you're probably not the only one that can't sleep and stuff, though," Devlin replies, "And it's not very considerate if people can hear real clear, you know? Plus, I mean. I'd rather people didn't listen. I don't think she cares, but. Anyways." He grins then and laughs, "But yeah, we'd totally cut you some slack, of course. We're easy."
Ania laughs a bit, looking down at the floor. "I uhm, I probably should get going, though. I have a lot of studying to get to and I wanted to try and take another crack at the counterweight problem on the deployment system." She reaches up and pushes some of her hair behind an ear and gives a little grin for a moment, almost like she's shy about something. "Don't worry, it's not uh… it's not gonna wake anyone up. And it's not like anyone cares anyway. You guys are cute together. I'm glad you're happy."
"Oh, alright, yeah," Devlin nods quickly, "I kinda forgot I stopped you in the hall and you're probably on your way to somewhere. Sounds like fancy stuff," he adds of the counterweight problem on the deployment system, "Good luck." He grins bit more at the last, and laughs a little, still kind of sheepish but nods, "Well… thanks. And we should hang out. She's just back from Sagittaron and I've been real busy, but… yeah. We'll see you around, anyways. I hope your project keeps going well."
Ania nods. "Thanks. I'll see you later!" she calls out as she turns to head back down the direction she'd started in before knocking into him in the first place. "Yeah. We should hang out. Definitely come find me later, we'll figure out a good time for us all to get together. But I'm gonna scoot for now." She waves, glancing back at him with one last smile and then heads on her way.