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+--- Thread: Downtime (/showthread.php?tid=192173)
Downtime - Reeves - 04-19-2022
Fort Ramsey; Ontario System; Independent Worlds; Free Republic Territory
It was a little strange coming here as a guest, but it was something he was getting used to and the last few visits had proved pleasant enough to serve as encouragement. She'd always been quite prompt with answering the door, so the few seconds in terms of waiting he had were spent on clearing his mind. That way when the door opened he could be a blank slate in terms of conversation. Of course this was assuming her mood hadn't swung into a realm of negativity, being the unpredictable pendulum that it was.
As a token of gratitude, he'd managed to get his hands on that fairly expensive brand of booze they shared at the Bombshell. She seemed to enjoy it the last time, even if she didn't remember it. Though he did quietly hope she wasn't going to insist on drinking it now, it was intended to be something she could hold onto for a special occasion. When he heard footsteps on the other side of the door a smile formed on his face instinctively.
As a token of gratitude, he'd managed to get his hands on that fairly expensive brand of booze they shared at the Bombshell. She seemed to enjoy it the last time, even if she didn't remember it. Though he did quietly hope she wasn't going to insist on drinking it now, it was intended to be something she could hold onto for a special occasion. When he heard footsteps on the other side of the door a smile formed on his face instinctively.
RE: Downtime - Erremnart - 04-19-2022
Virginia was dressed in her home clothes - black pants and a red t-shirt and was drying her wet hair in a towel when she heard a knock on the door. She quickly put the white towel back on the rack, checked herself in the mirror on her way to the door, hastily combed her long blonde hair with her fingers and opened the door slightly.
She smirked slightly at Morreti in the doorway, "Hey, don't forget to leave your shoes outside and come in.", she opened the door fully and waited for him to enter before closing it behind him again.
The apartment itself was a slight mess - boxes with other things from Roanoke were placed all over the floor - mostly china, linens, models, and odds and ends from her captain's quarters on Roanoke. Also wafting through the suite was the pungent and aggressive smell of nail polish remover in addition to the usual vanilla scent from her cigarettes and perfume.
Virginia's eyes flicked to the bottle of alcohol Morreti held in his hand and asked with a questioning expression, "What's to be celebrated or washed down?".
She smirked slightly at Morreti in the doorway, "Hey, don't forget to leave your shoes outside and come in.", she opened the door fully and waited for him to enter before closing it behind him again.
The apartment itself was a slight mess - boxes with other things from Roanoke were placed all over the floor - mostly china, linens, models, and odds and ends from her captain's quarters on Roanoke. Also wafting through the suite was the pungent and aggressive smell of nail polish remover in addition to the usual vanilla scent from her cigarettes and perfume.
Virginia's eyes flicked to the bottle of alcohol Morreti held in his hand and asked with a questioning expression, "What's to be celebrated or washed down?".
RE: Downtime - Reeves - 04-19-2022
He nodded at the reminder about his shoes, even if he remembered all the rules from the last time. Once they were off and put to a side neatly he handed her the bottle politely, the deep bronze of the bottle accentuated by a small red ribbon tied around the neck. "It's a gift."
His posture and the look on his face suggested he was feeling slightly chipper, though that was most likely on account of the fact that he was here and had a while to relax. Briefly his eyes went across the room, taking note of all the boxes while his nose was momentarily assaulted. "When's the housewarming party?" He asked with crossed hands a smirk, the way he looked at all the clutter implied a playful sense of disapproval.
While she came up with banter in response he carefully navigated his way to the couch in order to sit down.
His posture and the look on his face suggested he was feeling slightly chipper, though that was most likely on account of the fact that he was here and had a while to relax. Briefly his eyes went across the room, taking note of all the boxes while his nose was momentarily assaulted. "When's the housewarming party?" He asked with crossed hands a smirk, the way he looked at all the clutter implied a playful sense of disapproval.
While she came up with banter in response he carefully navigated his way to the couch in order to sit down.
RE: Downtime - Erremnart - 04-19-2022
Virginia nodded gratefully and set the bottle of alcohol on the kitchen counter before turning back to the seated Morreti, "These things will be here only temporarily until Roanoke is fixed... hopefully it will start soon.", she sighed as she walked over to the coffee table where she closed her own laptop shut. Her blue gaze and attitude marked a great deal of mental fatigue and though she was doing her best, her posture was not quite as proud as it used to be - there was a certain dejection evident in it.
She was about to sit down on the sofa before she gestured with her left hand to wait and went into the bedroom. There was a sound from the bedroom as she opened a drawer and came back into the living room with a credit chip, which she placed in front of Morreti and quietly added, "Twenty thousand credits for my... pure liquid medicine, y'know.", she added in as neutral a tone as she could, not wanting to sound humiliated even though she felt that way. She said the word 'medicine' with obvious disgust in her voice.
She was about to sit down on the sofa before she gestured with her left hand to wait and went into the bedroom. There was a sound from the bedroom as she opened a drawer and came back into the living room with a credit chip, which she placed in front of Morreti and quietly added, "Twenty thousand credits for my... pure liquid medicine, y'know.", she added in as neutral a tone as she could, not wanting to sound humiliated even though she felt that way. She said the word 'medicine' with obvious disgust in her voice.
RE: Downtime - Reeves - 04-20-2022
For a brief few seconds he looked between the chip and her, an unreadable expression his face while his mind processed the situation. Eventually he leaned forward and picked it up, only to then join her in standing and offer it back to her, refusing to accept the money. "You've already honored me with your trust, I don't want or need to be paid back on top of that. Keep it, I think you knew I'd refuse to take it anyway." In contrast to her current behavior, he expressed this things with respect and a degree of affection.
"I don't pity you for your situation, I think you're stronger because of it. And I know you're not used to it, but I take care of my own." He'd said it before but he was saying it again, running the risk of repeating himself one time too many, but if his steadfast repetition didn't make the sincerity clear then his consistency did. There was obviously no inclination to argue over this and her current demeanor was something he'd picked up on, leading him to hope she wasn't going to decide to fight with him and prove stubborn.
"I don't pity you for your situation, I think you're stronger because of it. And I know you're not used to it, but I take care of my own." He'd said it before but he was saying it again, running the risk of repeating himself one time too many, but if his steadfast repetition didn't make the sincerity clear then his consistency did. There was obviously no inclination to argue over this and her current demeanor was something he'd picked up on, leading him to hope she wasn't going to decide to fight with him and prove stubborn.
RE: Downtime - Erremnart - 04-20-2022
Virginia sighed and took the chip from Morreti, "So who's going to pay for my dope? You, the Alliance, the entire LFR?", she quickly asked him a series of questions, but before he could answer them she continued, "Twenty grand is a lot of money, is it... six months of captain's salary?".
She leaned her back against the wall behind her and rested her hands on her chest, the chip still held between the fingers of her left hand, "And please don't tell me I'm 'strong or strong and independent'. I'm not some dreamy c*nt from Manhattan that everyone has to praise for her beauty, strength and independence or else she's depressed and feeling inferior.". She brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face with her right hand and shrugged, "I'm one of the Sirian elite when you think about it...I'm a battlecruiser captain. Though I don't know how many such battlecruisers there are in Sirius, but I'm guessing there aren't more than a thousand in the entire sector. Hell, maybe even less than hundred."
She leaned her back against the wall behind her and rested her hands on her chest, the chip still held between the fingers of her left hand, "And please don't tell me I'm 'strong or strong and independent'. I'm not some dreamy c*nt from Manhattan that everyone has to praise for her beauty, strength and independence or else she's depressed and feeling inferior.". She brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face with her right hand and shrugged, "I'm one of the Sirian elite when you think about it...I'm a battlecruiser captain. Though I don't know how many such battlecruisers there are in Sirius, but I'm guessing there aren't more than a thousand in the entire sector. Hell, maybe even less than hundred."
RE: Downtime - Reeves - 04-20-2022
When the barrage of questions came, he just answered them plainly and maintained that tone of respect throughout. "It's coming out of my pocket, it does mean I'm paying myself less when the funds roll in at month's end. It's not the first time I've cut back on my own provisions, although it's never been for this kind of thing before." Rather than sugarcoating the situation with vague assertions, he clarified where the money was actually coming from. There was every reason to expect that this was expensive, especially since he was starting to purchase more than she needed to just survive, and that it had a tangible impact on his lifestyle as a result. But despite that it appeared to be a sacrifice he was willing to make, and it didn't seem like he was the least bit bothered by the circumstances, nor was he disgusted by her addiction.
"I'm not showering you in praise, I'm just reminding you you're not a damsel and that there's no weakness to be found in me helping you with this. I can tell you're not comfortable with the situation, and I wanted to let you know you have my support. That was all." Silently glad she hadn't decided to argue with him over this and simply took the chip back, he'd offer her a brief but apparently genuine smile before sitting down again.
"I'm not showering you in praise, I'm just reminding you you're not a damsel and that there's no weakness to be found in me helping you with this. I can tell you're not comfortable with the situation, and I wanted to let you know you have my support. That was all." Silently glad she hadn't decided to argue with him over this and simply took the chip back, he'd offer her a brief but apparently genuine smile before sitting down again.
RE: Downtime - Erremnart - 04-20-2022
"You... this... you want to pay out of your own pocket? Do you know how expensive this is?", she asked him two more questions and remained leaning against the living room wall, watching him with her eyes and started thinking out loud, "You want nothing for my accommodation, you want nothing for my very expensive drug, you want nothing for help... Don't you feel a little used?".
She looked out the window briefly at the simulated night in the Fort Ramsey before turning her gaze back to him, "You say I'm not a damsel in distress, but you treat me like one. Everything just... lands in my lap. Little effort, all I have to do is to ask for it.".
She wrung her hands and closed her eyes for a moment to calm her thoughts. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze wandered towards the metal case lying on the coffee table in front of Morreti. Instead of reaching for it and finally lighting a cigarette, she just remained leaning against the wall and closed her eyes again.
She looked out the window briefly at the simulated night in the Fort Ramsey before turning her gaze back to him, "You say I'm not a damsel in distress, but you treat me like one. Everything just... lands in my lap. Little effort, all I have to do is to ask for it.".
She wrung her hands and closed her eyes for a moment to calm her thoughts. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze wandered towards the metal case lying on the coffee table in front of Morreti. Instead of reaching for it and finally lighting a cigarette, she just remained leaning against the wall and closed her eyes again.
RE: Downtime - Reeves - 04-20-2022
Since her questions had caught his attention, he turned and adjusted how he was seated so he could face her and respond. "Of course I know how expensive it is, I asked a source on Pittsburgh the day you opened up about your situation and I've made careful arrangements since then." Before moving on to speak his mind further, he first shook his head in disagreement with her outlook on things. "I don't feel used. I'm the one that offered, I'm the one who wanted to help you and I'm the one that asked and continues to ask for nothing in return. If you're truly compelled to do something in return, then just let me keep being part of your life. I'm happy we can speak to each other the way we do, and that it feels like I'm doing something meaningful, like I'm.. part of something that's significant." Towards the end of that sentence, it seemed like he struggled to put his thoughts and emotions into words, only just barely managing to find a word in the English language that could convey the sentiment.
"I treat you like somebody I care about and it's obvious that's how I feel. You act like you've done nothing to deserve it, but have you considered how important your help is as the Captain of a warship? And on a more personal level how much you're helping me?" The tables were turned now and he was the one asking her questions. The fact she hadn't sat down and joined him urged him to stand up again and join her near the window, wanting to have this conversation as equals in terms of position. Knowing her reservations however, he maintained at least an arm's length of distance and did little or nothing to compromise that.
"I treat you like somebody I care about and it's obvious that's how I feel. You act like you've done nothing to deserve it, but have you considered how important your help is as the Captain of a warship? And on a more personal level how much you're helping me?" The tables were turned now and he was the one asking her questions. The fact she hadn't sat down and joined him urged him to stand up again and join her near the window, wanting to have this conversation as equals in terms of position. Knowing her reservations however, he maintained at least an arm's length of distance and did little or nothing to compromise that.
RE: Downtime - Erremnart - 04-20-2022
Virginia answered him without opening her eyes, and from the posture of her body, she was still alert even though she was only seemingly leaning against the wall. She chuckled briefly before replying, "Captain of the broken ship, I'm currently at a standstill and all I can do is wait. If I were you I wouldn't count on it to be fixed and ready by our action at Toronto station.".
At those words she opened her eyes and looked at him for a long moment, again trying to read Morreti's thoughts from his own face and expression. It was hard to tell if she had found what she was looking for or if she had found nothing, however after a quiet moment she continued to speak, "What are the plans beyond Toronto anyway? Anything I should be prepared for?".
At those words she opened her eyes and looked at him for a long moment, again trying to read Morreti's thoughts from his own face and expression. It was hard to tell if she had found what she was looking for or if she had found nothing, however after a quiet moment she continued to speak, "What are the plans beyond Toronto anyway? Anything I should be prepared for?".