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You unlock the door and go into room E16.
Room E16
Contents:
Scutterbotch
Elasia
Obvious exits:
Out
You come in from the Elevator Lounge.
Niko pads in from the lounge, announcing, "I'm home, I'm not znonked, the world
may officially end."
Elasia is sprawled on the couch, absently brushing the kitten's fur with gentle fingers. As you show up she looks -quite- startled and brightens considerably from her previously pensive mood, "Niko, my goodness, hello love."
Niko heads over to perch on the ground next to the couch, claiming a kiss along
the way. "Well, your hair didn't quite stand on end," he muses, "But it was
close, I think."
Elasia returns the kiss, looking decidedly pleased. She does however reach a
hand up to brush at her hair. "Stand on end? Nope, not quite. It is a
surprise to see you though."
Niko explains, with a sheepish little smile, "I told Kya I was going to come
shock you--by being here. Kind of sad, huh? There's still work to do and all,
but I figured I'd knock off and let you know that I'm able to do something
other than sleep."
Elasia reaches over to brush at your curls with one hand, almost a mirror of
the methid she used on the kitten. "It's good to see you love, up and and
around and all." She grins, "I'll just be glad when you get the hang of this
job.
Niko nods firmly to that, though not so much that your hand is disturbed. "Getting the hang of the job would be really good, yeah." The hair-playing elicits a mused, "Need to get a haircut at some point, too."
Elasia tugs a curl out to its full length, nodding with a chuckle. "You're getting a bit furry for the military, yeah. It makes you look younger."
Niko wrinkles his nose at that, though not without a muffled snicker. "Heaven
forbid. I'm already called junior enough as it is. I'd cut it -all- off, but
I'd look like an idiot."
Elasia makes an excessively displeased ack noise, "Niko, not all of it. It's
wonderful long."
Niko nods amiably, finally scrambling up to join you on the couch, though he
sprawls enough that you can still play with his hair. "Just getting too long
for regs and all. Anya's been making comments about cutting it -for- me, see,
and I want to avoid that if I can."
Elasia shifts the better to get both her hands into your hair, braiding curls
together. "Cutting it short enough for work is one thing, but cutting it all
off... I'd have nothing to -play- with."
Niko's brows waggle briefly, but he keeps that comment to himself. Galahad who?
Instead, he says meekly, "I'll leave enough for you to play with, hon.
Promise."
Elasia leans over to exchange a kiss in return for the hair keeping, "Thank you
love, I'd appreciate it. I like your hair."
Niko beams. "I'll get my hair cut not-too-short more often, if that's what it
gets me."
Elasia laughs softly, reaching over to poke you lightly. "I love you, you're
silly. Silly is just good."
Niko curls his arms around you, with a quick grin. "I love you, too," he
replies. "Couldn't do anything less for such a great lady, putting up with my
schedule evil and all."
Elasia curls into your arms, shaking her head. "I've been a pest about it, I
think that hardly qualifies as putting up with it. Still, we have a date now,
or close enough. Things are looking up."
Niko shakes his head at that. "Hon, you haven't been a pest at all," he says,
kissing your cheek. "You've been great. And we're going to be married soon,
it'll be great. We should probably figure out what we're going to do and all
soon."
Elasia nods to that, smiling at you as she settles back. "True enough, as in
where, when...That kind of thing."
Niko nods at that. "Decisions," he says, with a short laugh. "Should be, uh, fun. I came up with an approximate date, at least, so it's your turn, now."
"Where is tricky," Elasia notes as she settles against you. "Where could we? I
don't know where is allowed."
Niko considers that for a moment. "Uh, not really sure. Maybe out by the lake?
The weather'll still be nice and all, and we don't have to make a lot of
arrangements."
"That sounds lovely, and nobody'd likely object to it. We'd hardly be in the way." Elasia looks absently thoughtful. "We'll have to drag out the meteorology calendar and use that to pick an exact day. Which will rescue us from the worst of actually having to make a decision."
Niko grins at that. "Brilliant, hon. The fewer decisions, the sooner we'll
actually have everything set."
Elasia nods absently, half-smiling thoughtfully. "It shouldn't be too tricky. Just showing up, having the words said, and escaping?"
Niko nods firmly to that. "See, that's what -I'd- like. But Kya looked up weddings and was talking about it being complicated and all."
"But this is -our- wedding." Elasia replies logically, "If -we- don't want it
complicated, can't we make it not complicated?"
Niko considers that for a minute. "Well... yeah, I guess. We can do what we want. We just have to -decide- what we want, I guess."
"Simple," Elasia says thoughtfully, "Simple and to the point. Do you? Yes. Do
you? Yes. You're married."
Niko muffles a snicker at that. "Yeah, that's what I suggested to Kya, only I
made a little addition. Can't have all that kissing practice going to waste,
after all."
"True enough, we -can't- skip out on the making out in public portion of the
program," Elasia agrees, grinning.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Niko looks rather pleased by that. "Just got to practice some more," he says innocently. Then, after a pause, he adds, "Okay, so we know where, we'll be able to pick a better when once we check the met. Uh... clothes, yeah. I'll be wearing the whites, I guess." That being preferable, apparently, to the scary Security dress uniform. Just have to desc 'em.
Elasia nods to that, looking thoughtful, "I guess I need to find an appropriate
dress. I'll have to find some time to go looking.
Niko nods his agreement to that. "Or an inappropriate dress, yeah, whatever you
want to wear." He cuddles you a little closer, inquiring, "Your folks going
to be able to make it?"
Elasia shrugs slightly, "I don't know. They're going to try, but things are
chaotic at home. We'll get to see them when we visit. So either way it's
fine."
Niko nods his agreement to that. "Seeing 'em will be good, yeah, and your sisters. And I can inflict my family on you, too. Uh... just to warn you, Mom's planning some massive dinner with all the family."
Elasia looks just a bit daunted by the idea, but grins, "It sounds like it will be interesting. If I panic I'll just hide under the table."
Niko muffles a snicker. "There'll likely be a horde of small children under the
table. You don't have to remember their names, at least. Heck, I have trouble
keeping them straight sometimes."
Elasia laughs quietly, grinning, "The kids I can probably understand better.
It's the adults I'm afraid of."
Niko grins innocently at that. "I'll be sure to let you know who to avoid and all. It'll be fun! Actually... maybe I'll just let Aunt Thalassa do that."
Elasia shudders slightly, although she does look amused despite her
apprehension. "This is going to be an adventure. I'm just glad we're getting
a couple days to ourselves -first-."
Niko nods at that, curling around you--and, incidentally, taking a moment to
ruffle the kitten's fur. "Getting away alone will be really really wonderful,
yeah." He pauses a beat. "Uh, what're we going to do with her, though?
Somehow, I don't think she'll like the boat. And getting her to Hellas would
be a headache and a half."
Elasia blinks a moment, looking rather worried a moment. "Do you think Clara and Riley would watch her? Or maybe Kaycen? I don't think the trip would be good for her. And then she'd have to go into quarantine when we got back."
Niko nods to that. "Sure, one of them would, I'll bet. We can ask. We can find someone to look after her. We can't have her in quarantine, that'd be bad."
Elasia nods to that, reaching to rub the kitten's ears gently. This is one spoiled cat. "That would be horrible, the poor baby having to be alone."
Niko grins, reaching to pet the spoiled cat as well. "Why don't we ask Kayce
first? Riley and Clara are already helping out with doing the ceremony and
letting us take the boat out and all. 'sides, you keep saying that Kaycen
needs a cat or somebody."
Elasia nods to that, flashing a grin at you, "As long as he gives her -back-..."
Niko settles back against you with a snicker. "I'll make that part of the
agreement." Stealing a kiss, he adds, "Kayce is a really good guy. He worked
the night of the ball, 'ja know that?"
Elasia snuggles a bit closer to you, hmmming softly, "I guess somebody had
to... but still. Does he ever do anything for fun?"
Niko shakes his head. "Don't think so," he says slowly. "He works out in the
rec hall sometimes, but I think that's more to keep in shape than for actual
entertainment."
Elasia hmms softly, "He really does worry me. The poor guy seems so sad."
Niko's arms tighten around you for a moment. "I heard something about some
tragedy that happened when he was younger, but no specifics. Maybe that's
why. He really does need to have fun though, yeah."
"Maybe kittensitting will be a good intro for him to get a cat," Elasia muses
thoughtfully, snuggling into the tightened arms. "Or a hobby...He needs a
friend."
Niko grins at that. "Hey, at least it'll be a way to tell whether he likes 'em or not. If he does, maybe we can get him one, kind of a thankyou for looking after our Scutter." That gets another pet for the spoiled cat.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Scutter's not about to complain. She likes being spoiled. She's a cat. Elasia nods to that, half grinning. "How could he not love Scutter? She's a great kitty. Erm, unless he likes his shoelaces to stay tied of course."
Niko nods at that. "Probably lives in his uniform," Niko predicts. "So he won't have to deal with that, just with her climbing in his boots. That's always an adventure, trying to put on a boot and finding a kitten."
Elasia shifts to scoop Scutter into her arms, holding the poor creature like a
baby. The kitten is obviously accustomed to such torment as she endures it
well, the ear be-scritching and all. "Evil boot inhabiting kitten, yes you
are. See, they're the evil ones, coming along and wanting to put their feet
in your hideyhole."
Niko muffles a snicker at that. "Yeah, I'm evil awful horrible." And abuser of commas. "I disturb poor sleeping kittens, neglect my fiancee, all that."
Elasia chuckles quietly, cuddling the kitten close. Obviously there's a price for being spoiled. "That's okay, you make up for it by being you, love."
Niko grins at that, and hugs you close for a moment. "I love you," he murmurs, resting his head against yours. "You really are wonderful, y'know that?"
Elasia hmphs softly, although she sounds pleased, settling the kitten down to
snuggle in close to you again. "I don't know about that, but as long as
you're happy."
Niko sits up somewhat, tugging at you lightly in an attempt to urge you into
his lap. "You're wonderful," he reiterates, with a grin. "And I'm not just
saying that 'cause I love you. You really are. Kya was going on about you,
too, how you're beautiful and smart and all. And she's right, you are. Not to
mention you make the best brownies on Linnae." Of course, he had to include
the brownies.
Elasia needs little encouragement, she clambers gracefully into your lap,
settling comfortably. "Y'all are loony, has anyone mentioned that?" She can't
help but smile about the brownies however. "I cheat. I don't use that boxed
stuff."
Niko leans back against the couch, now, arms wrapping around you. "Everybody in
this place is loony, but I'm -right-." With a grin, he adds, "Yeah, I know,
that's what makes 'em so good. You ought to teach Clara how to make those, so
Riley can get 'em, too."
Elasia looks somewhat amused at that, although a bit concerned as well. "I
don't know when she'll want to cook again. She torched the wall of their
kitchen."
Niko blinks at that. "Oh... yeah, burning her hand, yeah. Y'think she's going
to stop cooking, then?" Burning stuff generally made chemistry more appealing
to him, after all.
Elasia shrugs lightly, linking her arms lightly around your neck. "I honestly
don't know, but she seemed pretty rattled. I don't think she'll quit for
good, but she may wait a bit."
Niko nods thoughtfully at that. "Least til her hand's better, I'd hope. That'd
make sense. Burning's bad, after all. Do you know how badly the wall was
scorched?"
Elasia shakes her head, "No, but she said the flame was pretty high, a couple
of feet, so goodness only knows."
Niko yacks very quietly. "Feet. That's bad. What the heck did she -do-?"
"A grease fire," Elasia explains quietly, "And then she threw water on it."
Niko shakes his head to that. "That's really -bad-," he reiterates. "Hope they've got a fire extinguisher up there now, or something. Though if she didn't know which kind goes on which fire, that'd be bad."
Elasia nods to that, "I had her call Maintenance after pulling the power on the unit. It was a bit big to just have her smother it."
Niko nods firmly to that. "Oh, yeah. If it was -feet- high, definitely, yeah. She'd be more likely to get hurt worse, that'd be bad."
"I'm just glad things turned out more or less all right." Elasia says quietly.
Niko nods his agreement to that, kissing your cheek. "Definitely, yeah, hon."
He gently scoops up the kitten, settling her in your lap, then inquires, with
one of those awkward segues he does so well, "Anything else we need to come
up with for the wedding, d'you know?"
Great, now it's a nested doll. A kitten on an Ela, and an Ela on a Niko. "Not that I can think of, love. I just need to get a dress."
Niko nods to that. "A dress would be nice. Folks'd probably look at you funny if you showed up without one, though -I- wouldn't really mind, I guess."
Elasia pokes you gently, chuckling. "You're incorrigable. Still, I guess I'll
venture out to the Quarter in the next several days and see if I can find
something simple."
Niko says innocently, "What? I like looking at you. Is that such a bad thing?
Though I think maybe I wouldn't want anybody -else- to see. You're mine,
after all, and I don't really share well. So I guess you should probably find
something."
Elasia grins at you in decided amusement, one hand seeking Scutters ears for a
bescritching. "I'm glad you don't share well, as I'm yours and yours alone."
She nods thoughtfully, "How hard can it be to find a white dress?" Ask a
-stupid- question...
Niko is a guy. Of course he thinks finding clothes is easy. He looks in the closet, or opens a package from a sister, or, at the very worst, harasses laundry. "Yeah, it doesn't seem too tough. I remember my sister took forever to find one, though." With a shrug, he adds, "Oh, and Kya offered to sew one, though where she'd have -time- for something like that is beyond me."
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Elasia nods thoughtfully, "I think traditionally it is supposed to be very
difficult. But then traditionally, so are weddings, and we're looking to
avoid that."
Niko nods firmly. "Avoiding difficult stuff is a good idea. Neither of us
really have time for it, after all. And we'll still be married in the end, no
matter how difficult it isn't."
Elasia smiles at that, nodding. "Besides, we get enough pomp and ceremony
living here as it is. Fancy weddings are for people who do not live in marble
lined lunatic asylums."
Niko grins rather whimsically. "And once we get married," he says, sounding
decidedly pleased, "Then we can get -away- from the marble lined lunatic
asylum for a while."
Elasia sighs in a rather delighted fashion at that, "Getting off by ourselves
for a couple of days. We've never gotten to do that before. Then to get to
visit -home-..."
Niko nods to that. "Sounds perfect. I'm really glad I let Riley talk me into
it. Talk about stupid, I was saying -no- at first." He shakes his head, with
a soft snort for his own idiocy. "It'll be great, seeing the family and all.
Two whole weeks, talk about heaven."
Elasia pokes you lightly. It is, after all, required. "It turned out all right though. And we get two weeks. Two weeks away from all the horrible evil things that this place dishes out on a regular basis."
Niko considers that for a moment. "Do you want to live somewhere else?" he
inquires slowly. "I mean, if you're not happy here, hon... I want you to be
happy."
Elasia shakes her head, "No love, this is what I've always wanted to do after all. It just requires a little time off now and again."
Niko relaxes somewhat, nodding his agreement. "Getting away, yeah, that's good.
This place can kind of get to you after a while."
Elasia nods to that with half-aused ruefulness. "I think that's something of an
understatement, love. Work has gotten...well insane lately. Still, two weeks
off will be wonderful for perspective."
Niko nods firmly to that. "It'll be wonderful anyway, but yeah." He pauses a
beat, inquiring, "Has work been okay? I mean, has there been anything in
particular that's bad?"
"Things have been...Well, I've had a number of presentations lately. It's like I'm being tested, but they aren't telling me the why or wherefor behind any of it. It's gotten worriesome." Elasia shrugs slightly, almost dismissively.
Niko gives you a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure it went fine, though. Do you think
they went okay?"
Elasia looks somewhat sheepish, "I'm not sure, that's the problem. I -think- I
did all right, but nobody will say one way or another. I guess if it had gone
too badly they wouldn't have assigned me more."
Niko blinks, but nods. "Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense, but it's odd that they won't -say- anything. How bizarre. Do you have another one any time soon?" Maybe somewhat unsuccessfully, he bites back on a yawn.
"In a couple of days," Elasia notes the yawn with bemusement, "Maybe it's
time for bed?"
Niko offers a rather sheepish smile. "Yeah, maybe. I was up kind of early and
all, and I'm on early shift tomorrow. I'd really like to stay awake with you,
but I'm afraid you'll -poke- me again." He mock-sniffles, trying
unsuccessfully to look pathetic.
Elasia does indeed poke you again, although she makes up for it by offering a kiss in exchange. "Sleep is a good thing. Mind company?"
Niko starts to rub the bepoked spot, but, no, kisses are being offered, and he's very interested in getting in on the kissing. Practice. He's so virtuous. "Company'd be wonderful," he says, with a bright grin. "That'd be nice, falling asleep with you there. Haven't done that in too long."
Elasia has been very effective at de-virtuing her Niko. She slides from your
lap, kitten in one arm and offering you the other hand up. "It'll be nice and
warm, and altogether a good thing."
Niko gets to his feet and takes your hand. "Yeah, I'm a heater and all, so that
makes sense," he says, with an amused grin.
Elasia heads over for the sleeping area, releasing your hand to drop the kitten onto the bed and then head to the closet to change into pajamage.
Niko changes clothing as well, and scrambles under the covers, nudging gently at the kitten. "You're in -my- spot," he murmurs to her. "C'mere, silly."
Elasia clambers into the bed as well, grinning at the cat displacement. "I'm sorry love, I guess she's gotten used to napping with me."
Niko curls up next to you, settling the kitten into a more convenient place.
"Yeah, but she shouldn't take up that much room, not such a small kitten. I
swear, it defies the laws of physics."
Elasia curls in as close to you as she can manage, "She's a cat. They're
related to men. Both are capable of eating up as much bed space as humanly
possible. And both, inexplicably, are adored by women. Especially adorable
curly haired ones."
Niko quips, nestling against you, "Adorable curly-haired women? Like you? Okay,
I can buy that."
Elasia pokes you lightly in the ribs, replying with a half-drowsy chuckle, "You
know what I meant, oh goon."
Niko nods his agreement, with another stifled yawn. "Yeah, but you're still
adorable. Love you, hon. This is nice, going to sleep like this. Gotta do it
more often." His tone is sleepily rambling.
"Yeah," Elasia agrees in sleepy bemusement, curling in close and settling in
for sleep. "We do. Good night, my Niko."
Niko mumbles a vague goodnight, claiming a kiss before his eyes close. He's not asleep yet, but he's definitely well on his way there.
Elasia all but exudes contentment, curled in, she too is all but asleep.
Niko sleeps, finally, one arm curled over you. Yup. His. That sort of thing.
Awww. It's a kodak moment.