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Niko unfastens his uniform jacket as he comes into the room, a long, drawn-out sigh announcing his arrival. Of course, the sigh is quiet, on the off chance that you're asleep, but it's still a sigh.

Elasia is in fact not asleep, but is seated on one end of the couch, the coffee table a pile of official looking documents in various stages of being stapled together. She glances up, a hint of questioning worry in her expression. "Everything okay?"

Niko nods, tugging off the jacket and stretching out on the other end of the couch. "Fine. But questions... evil. Tim--the new guy--he's very nice, but he had questions about -everything-. And there's another one coming tomorrow."

Elasia continues her repetetive process of fastening one sheet to another and setting it in one of a multitude of stacks. "Everything? And I take it there's no convenient manual just to foist him off on?"

Niko shakes his head, shifting to a spot where he can watch you. "No manual. At least I knew most of the answers." With a muffled snicker, he adds, "And he plays softball, and he's -good-. He's going to make the rest of us look even worse."

Elasia manages at last to get to a stopping place in her exceptionally tedious task and sets aside stapler and papers in favor of curling up to you. "Still though, once he settles in, and the others, will it mean more time for you to have off? Fewer doubled shifts?"

Niko seems much happier to have the stapling be done. Slipping his arms around you, he nods. "More time off, fewer doubled shifts. It will be very good. So the questions were worth it. And who knows," he adds optimistically. "Maybe we'll win a game." He pauses a beat, then shakes his head. "Nah. Not unless the others play, too."

Elasia can't quite stifle a quiet laugh at that, nuzzling into the embrace. "And what would you guys -do- if you won? I think it would ruin the fun."

Niko nods his agreement to that, with a quiet chuckle that is likely more felt than heard. "I think," he decides, "That the world would end if we won. So I'll just have to hope that the other recruits are just as horrible at softball as everybody but poor Tim."

Elasia murmurs quiet agreement, resting one hand gently on your chest. "There are some who call him...Tim." There's a brief pause. "I'm sure they'll be just awful. And the world can continue to spin away time into the void."

Niko is, by the way, wearing the puffin t-shirt you got him for his birthday, under the uniform jacket. "I certainly -hope- so," he says, with a quick grin. "Hey, how was your day? Did you meet my sister? I've got another one, apparently--she's here, in the Complex."

Elasia cannot quite help but pause and blink a moment, "-More- family?" Perhaps she is to startled by this to give answer to the condition of her day.

Niko mmhmms absently, leaning closer to give you a quick kiss. "This one's Edreeni. Name's... Coriander, something like that. I don't think I've got any -more- family I don't know about, though." With a faint grin, he adds, "Riley's sister, really. She's actually related to him, just the different half from mine."

Elasia's brows knit a moment as the presented name sparks some hint of memeory, although it does actualize itself. She looks rather pleased by the kiss. "The more the merrier I suppose. It's nice to have people."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko makes another vague noise of agreement. "People are good, yes. That brings the count up to... seven sisters and three brothers. I think. Goodness, we've got our own softball team, and then some."

Elasia shakes her head slightly, laughing softly. "Lunacy indeed. Still, it might come in handy some day. If you ever have a sudden need to engage in sports."

Niko nods his agreement, subtly edging -just- a bit closer to you. For warmth. Yeah. "Imagine if we all got in the same room. That would be a little frightening." He grins, then. "So how -was- your day?"

Elasia does not seem to object to the edging closer, instead resting her head against your shoulder with a barely aspirated sigh. "Frightening indeed. But vastly amusing certainly." There's a pause, "It was all right I suppose. Kind of chaotic, nothing out of the ordinary."

Niko rests his head lightly against yours, apparently content with the world. "Amusing is good, and chaotic is... well, normal around here, I guess. So nothing too bizarre, hm? Oh," he adds, lifting his head just long enough to peer towards the closet. "Do you know where I stuck my dress togs?"

"It's in the back, behind my dress gear," Elasia answers in a reserved tone. "The boots are on the top shelf."

Niko wrinkles his nose. Perhaps he was hoping he'd managed to lose it. "Oh. Okay, thanks." And now his sigh is somewhat less than thrilled. "Had to happen sometime, I guess."

Elasia glances up at you briefly, "What'll you need it for?" Her words are soft.

Niko curls around you a bit more. "I have to look official. Apparently these don't cut it." He plucks lightly at the sleeve of his discarded jacket.

Elasia looks rather pleased to be curled around, relaxing into the comforting embrace. "Not official enough? Whatever for? You're not going to have to wear it all the time, are you? Not that I'd mind -personally-, but I'd think it would drive you nuts."

Niko acks very quietly. "Not all the time, no, thank goodness. I hope. That would just be evil. It's just for an afternoon, I think. Still not quite sure what it's all about, but Kath said to make sure I knew where they were. Of course," he adds thoughtfully, "She also said something about makeup, so one never can tell."

Elasia pauses a moment in her efforts to relax against you. "Why am I afraid of Kathlyn some days? She seems to have a decidedly amusing world outlook."

Niko shifts his hand to rub your back lightly, perhaps in an effort to speed that relaxation. "Kath's fine, love. She just likes to torment me is all. I seem to attract torment somehow. No worries."

And that does help, the day's excessive efforts being banished somewhat by the hand on her back, Ela relaxes further. "You're very tormentable. Nice people often are. But then Kathlyn's a gifted tormentor."

Niko nods his agreement, still lightly rubbing your back, fingers smoothing gently over any tense spots. "Kathlyn is. Maybe she'll turn her attentions to Tim, though. She already started picking on him the day he got here--told him that Riley liked to be called 'sir'. Poor guy."

And there's a host of tense spots. Elasia may not often discuss it, but her job has its lunatic days as well. She relaxes still further. "Yack, that is cruel. For both parties involved." She offers a grin, "Maybe she just enjoys picking on the new folks. Shan ought to go ahead and haul her off somewhere, it'd do her worlds of good."

Niko nods a prompt agreement to that. "He should. As much as those two carry on, they'd make a great couple." After a pause, he offers, "I could give you a proper backrub, if you like? Though it would involve moving, I'm afraid."

Elasia weighs the potential involved, not altogether certain. "As wonderful as that sounds, being curled up with you is -awfully- nice." She mmrhmms, "He, as they say, 'has it bad', endquote. I was in the Atrium when he was discussing it with someone else. Vasty entertaining."

Niko leans closer to claim another kiss. "Whatever you decide, love. I'm perfectly happy like this, but I wouldn't mind giving you a backrub, either." After a brief pause, he murmurs, "I wonder if she knows that."

Elasia is more than willing to hand over kisses. Niko must have a lot of claimchecks. "This is nice. Warm and comfortable, and it doesn't entail moving. Moving is evil and should be abolished." She shrugs a shoulder, "Who's to say?"

Niko suggests, a hint of humor in his voice, "Maybe see if you can get someone to put it to the Council, see if they can abolish moving. Some of the people on this floor would find that a really good thing, I think."

Elasia chuckles quietly, the laughter bubbling up whether she approves or not. "The Council well might. Especially if the new Chairman's looking for points."

Niko shifts just a bit, still just as close but in a slightly better position to get at some of those tense spots on your back. He, after all, is allowed to move. But then he pauses. "New Chairman? Do we have one, then? I was playing tour guide and question-answerer all day, after all."

"Not yet," Elasia says quietly, the trepidation in her words all but covered by the comfort of knots easing. "But soon enough, any day now."

Niko asks softly, hands pausing for just a moment before resuming their motion, "Wouldn't that be a good thing, though?"

"It depends on who wins, love." Elasia's tone is quiet. "It could be messy."

Niko considers that. "Another decree," he decides. "Only the good guys are allowed to win. No mess allowed."

Elasia laughs softly, grinning at the idea. "Now that I'd like to see them argue out. They're all good guys in their own minds."

Niko ponders for a moment or two. "All right," he says finally. "But I didn't say they would go by their own minds. Someone else has to decide. But not me," he adds quickly.

Elasia offers a wry grin, "I wouldn't exactly relish the task either. I'm afraid however, the forces of evil may be winning this election. They outnumber the good guys in the list of folks in the running."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko shakes his head very slowly. "Well, perhaps we'll get a streak of good luck, something like that." And then it's as if the chime triggers a mental segue. He says, perhaps a bit abruptly, "Clara's going to ask you to teach her how to cook, by the way. I told her I'd warn you."

Elasia blinks a couple of times at that, but seems pleased. She smiles, "That should be vastly entertaining certainly. Any particular reason? Or did she just get tired of the dining hall?"

Niko squints for a moment, trying to remember. "Uh... something about it being a good thing to know? Maybe she wants to be able to cook Hellenic for Riley, I don't know. I think she's sick of the dining hall, though, yeah. Some of their food isn't too bad, though. Just kind of institutionalized is all. Or maybe that's just the folks who make some of it." He finally stops rubbing your back, instead nestling close. "Anyway, she's going to ask. And I didn't ask her about the bone thing, as Tim kept me occupied all day. Maybe tomorrow."

Elasia mmhmms quietly in understanding as she shifts a bit to end up more or less in your lap. "It does sound like fun though, I'd be happy to show her what I know." She pauses, "You sound tired, hon."

Niko seems quite pleased to have you in his lap, and slips his arms a little more firmly around you. "Trapped," he murmurs. "Now you can't escape. And Clara'll be happy about the cooking. And I -am- tired. So many questions."

Elasia peers at you a moment with a fond expression. "Niko, I've been trapped for a long time. How far could I go when you have my heart?" She moves to steal a kiss of her own. "Why don't we climb into bed then, hmmm?"

See, even a macho guy like Niko can't help but awww at such a comment, a sudden smile crossing his face--one that is both delighted and anticipatory. "Bed sounds good," he agrees. And then, o grievous sin, he powerposes, lifting you into his arms as he gets to his feet. Very suave.

Elasia does not object. Gee, big surprise? In fact she looks quite delighted, resting her head against your shoulder. See, she's getting out of having to move. "Definately a knight in shining armor. If I weren't already head over heels in love with you, this would have done it."

Niko heads over to the bed and gently places you on it. "Then I'll have to do that more often," he decides, with a quick grin. Sliding next to you, he adds, "And I love you, too, of course. More than anything. More than yesterday." He pauses, perhaps trying to decide if his statement made sense, then gives up making sense as a lost cause.

Elasia eases up against you as you slide in alongside. "I wasn't looking forward to moving," she explains. "A long day indeed. Spent half of it hauling boxes about, the embassy's having to move quarters. The election and all." She chuckles, "And I love you more than yesterday, and I'll most likely love you all the more tomorrow."

Niko frowns just a bit at the first part of your statement. "Poor love," he murmurs, fumbling for blankets. "Though if you get a nicer place to work, that would be.... nice." Descriptive, isn't he? With a bright grin for the last, he says, "Maybe I'll ask you tomorrow, and we can find out."

"It will be nice when we get it all arranged. But then I rather liked our old offices. But politics will be played." Elasia chuckles quietly, "Things are just so much more intense here. I think I will really enjoy getting away a bit, aside from the obvious pleasure of spending time with you."

Niko, with a muffled yawn, inquires, "Did you get a chance to ask about some time off, speaking on that? Anya's said that she'll be nice, as long as I get the new folks settled in first."

Elasia mmhmms as she tugs a blanket edge up a bit further. "I asked about it, they said it wouldn't be a problem. I can have some time off after we're moved. I'll be un-needed during the actual election proceedings and all."

Niko curls closer to you. "Good," he decides. "Everything will work out, then. We just need to figure out -when-, and we'll be set."

"Just let me know when you get the new people settled. I've given notice, I can get out very easily now." Elasia settles into a position comfortable for sleep. "So at your convenience."

Niko murmurs, "Tomorrow. That'd be nice." With a quiet chuckle, he shakes his head, then offers, "Maybe... three days? Four, tops. Everybody will be in by then, and Kayce has said he'll help steer the new folk while we're gone."

"Tomorrow would be nice," Elasia agrees almost wistfully. "Anything to get out of moving boxes of paperwork again. And to get away..." She relaxes still further against you. "Three days, or four, that's not too terribly long."

Niko mumbles a vague assent. "We can manage that long. After all, Tim can't have -too- many more questions, and the boxes have to end sometime, and then we'll be able to run off by ourselves and ignore the rest of the world. I'll even," he adds--oh, the sacrifice! "Turn off my comm-unit." Of course, there's still the radio.

Elasia laughs softly, her reply still heavily laden with wistfulness. "Ignoring the rest of the world sounds terribly nice. No comm-units, no people hammering on the door, no boxes, no arguments..."

Niko offers tentatively, "Maybe I could try to get more than a day, if you like? I'm not sure--it might involve waiting a little longer--but I could try."

Elasia shakes her head slightly, "That's all right love. I don't want you to get in any trouble or anything. It's fine."

"Wouldn't get in trouble," Niko says thoughtfully, though he's obviously starting to drift off. "Might get laughed at by somebody, but no trouble. Maybe Shan will take Kath somewhere, next. He can borrow the--thing." Oops, he almost gave something away, didn't he?

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Elasia is not sure she wants to know what Niko would be loaning Shan of all people. "Depends on the time you can get, love." She's sounding sleepy as well. "We'll see."

Niko echoes drowily, "We'll see. Think it's bedtime, love. Morning comes... well, no, s'morning. G'night." He pauses a beat, struck by the peculiar oddness of those two sentences together, then adds, "Love you. Sleep well."

Elasia doesn't bother to stifle a sleepy snicker, "Love you too, sweet dreams n'all."

[Simple deleted a pose. Basically, Niko sleeps.]

Elasia snoozes very shortly thereafter as well, quite talented at sleeping also. She does so curled up quite tightly against you however, and does not move.

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