4/13/99

Riley pads in, looking perhaps a little un-thrilled. This is easily accounted for by the fact he's wearing the evil dress uniform. Waving he snags his messages. "Afternoon."

Niko looks up from a troublesome form with a lifted hand, then does a mild doubletake at the presence of the evil dress uniform. "Hiya, boss." He refrains from adding 'you look pretty today', despite the fact that his player is sorely tempted.

Riley shuffles briefly through the messages, performing his standard edit and delete upon them. "Anyhing crazy going on? I've been stuck downstairs all morning."

Niko shakes his head. "Nah, nothing too crazy--or, rather, nothing out of the ordinary, lunacy-wise. Fluffies are just being themselves." That last is said with a brief glance to the comm, as if he's expecting it to poke him or something.

Riley ahhs in understanding, chuckling as he goes to filch a soda. "I think they're required to be. Is everything okay elsewise? Outside of work and all? Getting any sleep?"

Niko nods amiably to that. "Oh, sure. Everything's just fine, and sleep, and all. Ela and I even managed a few decisions about the wedding, oh, the horror." He grins rather roguishly, adding, "That reminds me, I need to check the met reports at some point, see what the weather's going to be like. And I got pictures of my new niece, too, very good stuff." With a wave towards the gray envelope half-hidden under a few random papers, Niko beams, ever the proud uncle.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Riley grins at the letter inspired beaming, pausing in his would be exodous to ask pleadingly, "Can I see?" Pictures are good things.

Niko was just -waiting- for the opportunity to show off these pictures. If anything, his grin widens as he snags the envelope and thumbs through the pictures. "This is the best of the lot, I think," he says, offering one. And, in fact, it's a revoltingly adorable picture, the fluffy-haired toddler twins holding their baby sister. And maybe Sochos looks somewhat less than thrilled with the baby, but it's still a really cute picture.

Riley accepts the picture carefully, fingers held so as not to smudge the edges. Grinning at it he shakes his head, "I'm pretty sure that's not legal, for kids to be that cute." He offers the picture back with equal care.

Niko grins as he tucks the picture back in the envelope. "Hey, I'd arrest them and bring them back with me, but somehow I think their folks would object, even as often as Nacippe's threatened to mail Sochos to me."

"To -mail- Sochos?" Riley seems to find this enormously amusing, "Wouldn't that annoy the post office?"

Niko nods to that, dark eyes shining with mirth. "Not to mention annoying Sochos, yeah. I don't think he'd take too well to being stuffed in a box and shipped off-planet."

Riley snickers softly, leaning idly against his door, "Do you blame him? I don't think shipping would agree much with me either."

Niko says pragmatically, "Riley, they don't really make boxes big enough to ship you. I see the point, though. It would be, uh, rather unpleasant."

Riley snickers quietly, "I'm sure they could use one of those big shipping containers." He nods, "Certainly not the best way to travel. Although a shipping container'd have more room than most of those seats at least. I swear, that courier I took to Terra must have been designed for Stilvani."

Niko's brows lift fractionally. "Oh, that's where you went? Doesn't sound like a very pleasant trip, then."

Riley nods amiably, "It was time for my review. Standard being hauled unceremoniously before various high-muckety-mucks and answering exceptionally random questions. Still, this year's was less tedious than usual. Probably because a board of the powers that be was a lot less scary than the prospect of meeting Clara's mother afterwards."

Niko bites back on a grin at that, as he tucks the envelope into a shirt pocket, where it can garner doubletakes from folks who haven't yet figured out that his sister is evil. "I feel for you. Meeting a parent, that's scary stuff, yeah."

"Just hope Ela's mother doesn't hit on you," Riley replies with an amused headshake. "It's frightening."

Niko blinks several times, with a strangled little squawk. "She -hit- on you? But... you're -Clara's-, and she's Clara's -mom-." And that's just wrong.

Riley would seem to agree from the rather disturbed look on his face, "I -think- she was just trying to pick on me. But still, after an overclocked jump through hyper, then my review, it was just far too scary."

Niko nods emphatically to that. "Holy cow, even without the rest of the stuff, it's bad. Yack. That's just disturbing. And to think that I'm worried about Ela's dad asking me questions." Of course, if Ela's dad hits on him, Niko will win the 'disturbing things done by parents of SOs' contest.

"I got the questions from Niles, almighty maker of fudge." Riley shakes his head in wry amusement, "That part is pretty evil, but right after a review, it didn't seem so bad. Maybe we can get a bunch of people to berate you with random questions before you meet Ela's parents."

Niko shakes his head at that, lips quirking in amusement. "Uh, gee, as -fun- as that sounds, really, I think I'll pass. Thanks for the thought, though. Really. It's nice to know that you're looking out for me like that."

Riley snickers softly, shaking his head. "Hey, you have been deprived of the evils of an older brother all your life. I am simply making up for that sad lack in your life. How will you ever be properly abused?"

Niko rolls his eyes at that. "I've got four younger sisters, Riley. Abuse was a way of life in the Casymed house." A SecOff coming in to catch that last statement gives Niko an odd look, which elicits some snickering and a garbled attempt to explain. It's not -his- fault, it's Riley's fault!

Riley stifles a laugh, evil is still good even if it's inadvertant. "Ah, but the evil of older siblings is different, as well I know. Being in the middle is truly terrifying, trust me on this one."

Niko, as the SecOff ducks back out, very likely to spread tales of the aforementioned abuse, nods dolefully. "Yeah, well, now I -am- in the middle, I just don't know half of them. And you've got it easy," he adds, mostly teasing. "As least you don't have Evvy as an -older- sister. Oh, the horror."

Riley stifles a laugh behind one hand, "I would attempt to go on about how much worse it was when she was little, but she probably is just as awful now, with this whole theory about how she needs to make up for time missed and all."

Niko shakes his head to that, looking rather amused. "Well, I don't know how she was then, but I guess she's not -too- bad, now, but maybe because she's not here and all. That whole proximity thing."

Riley looks thoughtful for a moment, then offering with all apparent seriousness, "I could ask her to be the one to give you and Ela the ride home? Then you could see?"

Niko just looks at you for a moment. "That's not funny," he says, though a grin is breaking through despite his best efforts. "That's not even remotely funny. Besides," he adds, "It'd involve rearrangement and such, too much work. You've got enough to do."

Riley sighs as if in great dismay, "And here I was hoping to provide an -educational- experience, as kind of a wedding gift. I swear, young people these days, just not enough torment in their lives."

Niko crumples up one of the blank papers and lobs it at you. "Maybe some other time," he says, with a grin. "I don't know that I want to traumatize Ela -too- badly on the honeymoon. Meeting the folks in Mathraki's going to be insane enough, poor lady."

Riley attempts to duck, but is not quick enough and gets be-thwacked. Snickering he straightens up. "Yeah, one dose of insanity per trip. And getting married's pretty stressful too, I'm told. Very scary and all that."

Niko shakes his head at that. "Yeah, but we're going to try to avoid all the difficult stuff, make it simple, that sort of thing. That'll make it a lot easier, no stress at all." Maybe he's living in some sort of dreamworld, that he's imagining no stress.

Riley looks in fact rather dubious about this idea of no stress, and perhaps a little confused. "Isn't the whole getting married thing the stressful part? Not all the trappings."

Nikoblinks at that. "But I want to get married. I mean, Ela's already said yes, she's not going to change her mind at the last minute or anything, right?"

Riley shakes his head, shrugging, "No, I'm sure she won't. I dunno, I've never been married. It always just seems like that's what people say."

Niko ponders that for a long moment. "Stavros didn't seem stressed at all, but he's also a stick-in-the-mud and all." With a shrug, he adds, "Guess I'll find out, huh? Then I'll tell you."

Riley grins in a rather amused fashion, "Won't do me much good, I guess. Clara won't marry me. And I'm hardly about to marry anybody -else-..."

Niko nods to that. "Except Ela and me, yeah," he quips. "The whole group marriage thing. Clara'll come around, I'll bet. One big happy family." He can't manage the straight face any longer, though, and snickers.

Riley stifles a snicker, albeit badly. "I dunno', somehow I don't know if the scandal wouldn't be too terrifying." He pauses a moment, "Good thing Anya hasn't seen you today. Or I assume she hasn't."

Niko pauses a beat, confused, then ahs and lifts a hand to tug at his hair. "Yeah, she hasn't, not yet. I've managed to avoid her." He shakes his head rather ruefully. "I'm putting in more effort avoiding her than it would take to get the haircut. It's more fun this way, though."

Riley just shakes his head, looking amused. "Just be careful. If she catches you looking like that she'll shear you like a sheep."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

A random SecOff grins up from watching the monitors. "Hey, you could always wear it up with pins like the women do, Nick," he calls, then lets out a snickering wolf-whistle before automatically ducking.

Niko acks quietly at that. "Shearing? That sounds bad, Ela wouldn't like that." He rolls his eyes at Mr. Random, making use of another paper projectile.

Riley can't help but consider Niko's hair a moment, "Or maybe pull the curls out a bit and try and braid them back? It would be striking certainly."

Niko looks likely to do that. Really. He rolls his eyes at Riley, saying, "Thanks for the thought, but I don't think that's quite the fashion statement I want to make."

Riley grins in decided amusement, "Then get it clipped pretty soon, oh sheep, lest thee be sheared. And she'll take pictures. This is the voice of experience speaking."

Niko tugs at his overlong hair for a moment, then shakes his head, also looking rather amused. "Pictures, of course. I would expect nothing less, from Anya. Maybe I'll be able to do it this afternoon. Uh, do you know when she works today?"

Riley glances at his watch a moment, "Not for almost four hours, you have plenty of time to at least borrow a hat."

Niko passes a hand across his forehead in mock-relief. "Good. That's plenty of time, yeah. It's just easy to forget, that's all."

Riley snickers quietly, snagging a pile of papers. "I know. Being caught out once is enough however. Good luck." He moves to head officewards.

Niko lifts a hand as he turns back to the paperwork. "Sure, thanks. Don't work too hard."

Riley pauses at the door, harrumphing in amusement, "Take that advice yourself, Nick."

Riley walks towards the Chief Addison's Office.

Riley has left.

[Lots of time passes.]

Clara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has arrived.

G'ben arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

G'ben has arrived.

Niko is busily plugging away at paperwork, the comm headset tucked atop his terminal so that it looks like the machine is answering calls. Maybe that's how he prefers it. The new arrivals distract him enough that he turns and lifts a hand in greeting. "Hiya, Clara. Hey, kiddo. What's up?"

Clara comes in leading a rather scruffed up G'ben, obviously amused about something. "The sky?" she responds, giving Niko an evaluative look. "I like the hair. Anya's going to tackle you and shave it all off, though. Is the Chief in?"

G'ben pauses, glancing around, counting softly to himself. He promptly hides behind Clara.

Niko grins at Clara's comment. "That's what Ri--ack." That's as he catches sight of his chrono. "She's going to be here soon, I'd best finish up and get out of here. I don't want to be a sheep, after all. Yeah, he's in, go ahead." G'ben's hiding gets a puzzled look, and Niko observes, tone gentling somewhat, "We don't eat kids here. No worries."

"I told you that," Clara murmurs down at G'ben, grin widening. "Come on now, where's that brave lad that I saw in Medbay?" Niko gets a quick wink. "Good luck. And thanks," she adds before heading towards the be-doome'ed door and knocks.

You communicated "Clara's coming in, boss, with a kid. Of the human variety, that is, not a baby goat." to Riley.

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "I would seriously worry if she had a goat."

G'ben snorts at Niko's comment, not looking particularly reassured. He glances up at Clara sagely as he trails after her. "I /am/ brave. Here, ain't i?"

The light by the door handle changes from red to green.

Somewhere, somehow, a paisley light taunts the pathetic light by the door handle.

Clara chuckles and opens the door, nodding. "Here you are, yes. And into the lion's den, we go. Hopefully, the lion has fudge, hmm?"

Clara walks towards the Chief Addison's Office.

Clara has left.

G'ben moves towards the Chief Addison's Office.

G'ben has left.

The light feels unloved.

The light needs a makeover.

[More time passes.]

Clara walks here from the Chief Addison's Office.

Clara has arrived.

Innocuous Penguin> G'ben moves towards the Security Central.

Innocuous Penguin> G'ben has left.

G'ben here from the Chief Addison's Office.

G'ben has arrived.

Niko puts aside the comm as the parade exits Riley's office, casting a wary look to his chrono and murmuring about the joys of folks being late and obnoxiously talkative fluffheaded diplomats. "Oh... Clara, can I steal you for just a second?" He starts to fumble the gray envelope out of his jacket pocket. "Want to show you something." And his broad grin suggests that the gray envelope contains a good thing.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Clara comes out of the office, blushing slightly, but laughing quietly at something. "Well, yes, I think so too. But sometimes he's my boss, too." She blinks up at Niko, then grins and heads on over to peer at the paper. "Sure. Mister G'ben here and I are headed down to the java quarter, but we can spare a moment. What's up?"

Niko offers a charming grin. "G'ben, yeah, hi. It'll just take a moment, no worries. I just wanted to show off this, before I skeedle." And 'this' would be, of course, the picture he showed Riley earlier--the revoltingly adorable picture of his nephew and nieces, the fluffy-haired twins holding the baby. And even if Sochos looks somewhat less than thrilled with his baby sister, it's still a cute picture.

G'ben stands on tiptoe to get a look at the picture. He doesn't look particularly impressed. "Hi, SecOff," he mumbles in return to the greeting.

Dingdingdingding! That would be Clara's biological clock again as she simply melts at the picture. "Awwww...oh, Niko, they're -precious-. Oh, you'll have to take tons of pictures on your honeymoon, please?"

Niko supplies to G'ben, "It's Niko, though you can call me that if you'd rather." (He can call me Flower if he wants to.) Clara's comment elicits an absolutely tickled grin. "Of course, of course. It takes too long for the family to ship 'em to me, after all--so much easier if I take them myself." After a brief pause, he adds, "Speaking on that, thanks for the offer of the boat, Clara. Ela and I are really looking forward to the chance to get away for a little."

"Or Lieutenant Commander Casymed," Clara adds to G'ben with a grin. "See? Navy ranks take forever to say. Mine's -lots- easier." She nods at Niko affably. "Think nothing of it. Just enjoy her, and take good care of her." Presumably, she means the boat.

G'ben nods slightly, eleven-year-old eyes on Nick's sidearm. "Niko then." He glances up at Nick, misunderstanding slightly. "Ain't legal shipping kids." He pauses as Clara speaks, and nods again. "Niko."

Niko blinks at Clara, his brief grin suggesting that he's got a 'her' other than the boat in mind. Turning to G'ben, he blinks once more. "Uh... no, kid, I meant a boat. A sailboat--Clara--er, Dr. Aleron's boat. She's letting my fiancee and me borrow it, after we get married."

G'ben blinks a few times. "You said it takes too long for the family to ship ya /boats/?"

Clara squeezes G'ben's shoulder lightly and grins. "I'll let Niko tell you about it, G'ben. I have to get something from Medbay. You come get me when you're ready to go, all right?" she offers, and slips out the door.

Clara heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has left.

Niko considers for a moment or two, apparently mentally replaying the conversation. "No, no," he says, with a grin. "I meant pictures--of my nieces and nephew." He flashes the picture again, as he's got the opportunity. "These guys. Pictures of them, not actual children."

G'ben ohhhhs, waving after Clara. "Pictures are better. Not as noisy." He glances over the picture, shaking his head. "Don't look too tough."

Niko's brows lift fractionally. "Well, they aren't, not especially, but the older two aren't quite three, and the youngest was just born, so I guess that's expected."

G'ben sees almost every kid as competition, and now he nods in satisfaction. "No threat." He glances up at Niko curiously. "You got kids?"

Niko shakes his head. "Nah," he says, tucking away the picture without comment to the presence or absence of threat inherent in his family. "Too busy for kids. Pictures are less work," he adds, with a crooked grin.

G'ben snickers. "Quieter too. Ain't gotta feed pictures either." He pauses before inquiring, "Clara's got a real live boat? With engines?"

Niko grins at that, and nods. "She has a boat, yup. I don't think it's alive, though," he teases gently. "And I'm not sure about the engines. It's a sailboat, see."

G'ben rolls his eyes at the alive comment. "Aw, that's no fun. Sails don't purr."

"No fun," Niko echoes, tone full of surprise. "Kid, you ever spend any time on a sailboat? There's nothing like it, with the wind and the sun. You want purring, you can take a cat along." Or a Zaeltan, yes, Ali. "Sailboats are the best, though." No, he's not biased at all.

G'ben shakes his head. "Never seen a boat. Just in pictures. If it ain't got engines..." He shrugs. (Oh no, Niko's found somebody /he/ can call 'kid'!)

Aliana arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Aliana has arrived.

Niko echoes the headshake. "Never seen a boat," he murmurs. "What a world. Look, someday when I've actually got enough extra money, I'll have a boat. And then, if you want, I'll take you on it, and you'll be able to see what it's like, and why sailboats are superior." He can try. He glances at his chrono and grimaces, then nods amiably to Aliana. "Hey, y'need something?"

G'ben brightens somewhat. "Deal. I'll want to." He glances over at Ali, and gives a wave, recognizing her.

Aliana pads in, stopping at the OOD's desk and pulling out a sheaf of papers from her pack. She looks over with a grin as she holds them up. "I was asked to deliever these to ya'll...Have an inbasket?" G'ben is spotted with a broad grin, 'Hey there...Did you discover how fish work?"

Niko grins at G'ben, then sighs mournfully at the sight of the paperwork. "Uh... yeah, it's in here somewhere." He leans over to the next desk, rummaging, and finally unearths a basket. "There y'go, thanks. Is it anything interesting."

G'ben pauses to think back, and finally nods. "Yep. Gills and osm... os-mo-sis. Didn't have to cut one up either."

Aliana debates for a moment...see if she answers, that is an admission she skimmed through them...but then noone said she couldn't skim. She shakes her head with a rueful grin, "Just lots of numbers and letters...I think someone got bored." G'ben's comment elicits a a relieved smile. "I bet the fish were relieved to hear that...can you tell me what os-mo-sis is?"

Niko says, with a wrinkle of his nose, "We get lots of numbers and letters. Thanks, though." He settles back against the chair, listening for the answer with a grin.

G'ben nods confidently, rattling off, "Osmosis is the diffusion of fluid through a semip... semiper... a membrane until ya got the same amount of fluid on both sides." He pauses, then adds, "Had to look that one up. Y'know they got a big book that tells ya what every word in the whole /world/ means?"

Niko supplies absently, as he starts to rummage through paperwork once more, "Semi-permeable."

Aliana nods her head as she reaches for her small notebook. Flipping to an empty page, she makes a few notes before asking,'You mean the dictionary?'

G'ben points to Niko. "What he said. Semi-permanentable." He nods to Ali. "Dict-ion-ary. Biggest book I ever did see. Librarian showed it to me."

Aliana glances at Niko, eyebrow raised questioningly, "Permeable or Permanentable?" Inquiring minds want to know.

Niko looks up with a faint grin. "Permeable." He spells it, for good measure.

Roland arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Roland has arrived.

Aliana smiles her thanks as she finishes writing, "The Dictionary is veru very helpful, yes'

Roland wanders in, about to pull the line again when he spots the boy in subject. "Oh there you are."

G'ben blushes slightly. "Per-me-a-ble. Right." Grimacing, he gives Roland a half-wave, saying defensively, "Wasn't in trouble!"

Niko tacks on to G'ben's words, "Sorry if you've been looking for him, DeMario. He hasn't been any trouble, just chatting and all."

Roland nods. "I know," he says casually and hands the boy the photo. "Here, they got your good side."

Aliana turns at Rolands voice and offers him a grin, "Hey you."

G'ben blinks, taking the photo, and frowns, ripping it up. "Who took a picture of me??"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko looks over briefly, but he seems intent on finishing up his final chunk of paperwork, so he can flee Security.

Roland offers Ali a grin and a wave and shrugs down at G'ben. "They," he explains.

G'ben shakes his head, but he moves quickly on. "Addison's nice," he informs Roland. "He gave me fudge, and he let me pet his dog, and he's gonna get me in school."

Roland nods his head. "Lt. Commander was it? Did he punish the mean mud puddle that beat you up also?"

Uh-oh, Niko was too late. Play the ominous music. Anya shows up.

Niko's brows lift fractionally at Roland's words. "Actually, Pen made Comman--erk," He spots Anya, and rather overcasually ducks behind G'ben, attempting to put the kid between himself and Anya.

G'ben blinks, shrinking back. "Noooo... Wasn't a mud puddle." He glances thoughtfully over his shoulder toward Riley's office, and ends up blinking at Nick.

But Niko was also too slow. Anya has been warned see. She's carrying a scary pair of clippers. You could shear a sheep with these. Or Niko, "Now Casymed, are you going to hold still, or do I need the sheepdip?"

Niko straightens very slowly, eyeing the clippers with distaste. "Come on, Anya, give me a break," he wheedles. "I'll go get it done right now." Never mind that he's been saying that for weeks.

Roland blinks down at G'ben then looks confusedly at Niko and Anya.

Aliana eyewidens as she sees the shears, then offers, 'I can cut hair...I cut Roland's and he looked alright after.'

Anya gestures to various other Secoffs, who with amused glee begin to descend on their XO. "You'd been warned, Iolytus. In respect for you impending wedding I will not shave you bald, but this is for your own good."

G'ben eyes Anya warily- after all, he's between her and Nick, and he's got even longer hair. "She's scary," he notes quietly to Niko.

Niko makes a rather strangled sound as he is captured, somewhere between outrage and amusement. "Hey, now! Using the clippers are bad enough, but lay off the -name-." G'ben's comment elicits a muffled snicker. "She likes raspberries. Raspberries are good."

Aliana settles back to watch with no small amount of amusement.

Anya fires up the clippers, they make a really scary roaring noise. Nodding her thanks to her helpers she dives in to attempt to trim the offending locks. "Don't move too much. Although you would look cute with a reverse mohawk, really."

Aliana advices solemnly,'I think you hade best sit very still, Niko.'

No need to tell Niko to hold still. Once the clippers are turned on, he freezes, apparently recognizing the evil inherent in that sound. "My folks would have a duck if you did that to me, Anya."

G'ben gives Nick a look that clearly says 'better you than me', moving to join Roland and Ali. It mutters to Aliana, "... know SecOffs..."

"I wouldn't do it on -purpose-," Of course she wouldn't. Anya is sweetness and light. Really. She does however trim Niko's hair with the efficency of a sheep farmer humming a song about silly sheep and bags of wool and large knives and lampchops for dinner.

Aliana chuckles softly, She mutters to G'ben, "... are... exactly...more..."

G'ben nods dubiously. "Right. Why's she cutting Niko's hair? He's got neat hair."

Aliana hmmms, 'That you would have to ask Anya...He just got a promotion, I think...So perhaps it is some sort of requirement..Must have one's head shaved?'

Niko mumbles, "But I don't even like pork chops." Once the haircut is complete, however, he lifts a hand to explore the result. Yup, he's still got curls on top, Ela won't hurt him. "Thanks, Anya--ack, no, no shaving it, Ali. Ela'd be really annoyed, she told me."

Anya steps back, regarding her work with devious amusement. "You'll do. Much better. You were starting to look like you had a small animal lurking on your head. I was getting paranoid."

G'ben wrinkles his nose. "Thought promotions're supposed to be a good thing."

Aliana hmms, 'I am not sure, G'ben...Mostly they involve lots and lots of work.'

Niko says innocently, "Well, see, I did have a small animal lurking on my head. It ran away before you got here, lucky for it." At the promotion-related commentary, he nods, getting to his feet to snag a broom, the better to rid the floor of his hair. "Lots of work."

G'ben nods, concluding, "Promotions're a Bad Thing."

Anya snaps off her clippers, tucking them back away in a drawer, smiling innocently.

Niko eyes the drawer and inquires, as he disposes of the hair, "Do you have anything else scary in there, Anya?"

Aliana sighs as she settles her pack onto her shoulders, offering a wave before she slips out, "See ya around!"

Aliana heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Aliana has left.

G'ben glances after Ali, and, upon hearing Niko, is pretty sure he doesn't want to know the answer, and sidles toward the door out, giving a half-hearted wave.

Niko lifts a hand after the kid, still mostly watching Anya the Evil.

Anya rummages in the drawer, "Some chocolate bars, a giant water gun, um, one of those foam guns.

G'ben does a 180. "Chocolate?"

Niko snickers at the mention of the guns. "I've gotta get me one of those," he decides. "Self-defense. I'm off so that Ela can point and laugh, have a nice evening, folks."

Anya nods to the question, tugging out a chocolate bar and offering it to G'ben. "Yeah, to bribe the Chief with. Want one?" She nods to Niko, "Have fun."

G'ben takes the bar with a grin. "Thanks! You're not as scary as you look." With that blithe statement, he heads out.

G'ben heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

G'ben has left.

Niko pauses, and snickers at G'ben. "Ah, naive youth. He'll learn." And then he flees, before something gets thrown at him.

[Travelspam home deleted.]

Elasia is sprawled on the couch, leafing through some disturbing catalog of white dresses. She smiles up at you as you enter, "Hello, love. I like the haircut."

Niko moves to plunk down next to you. "I didn't flee quickly enough," he says, managing to be both doleful and amused. "Anya got me with the clippers." He leans over to snag a kiss, then indicates a particularly horrible dress. "Ooh, I think you should wear -that- one." Yes, he's joking.

Elasia utilizes the magazine to thwack you lightly, looking amused. "I realized I had no idea what to look for. One of the people at work lent me this. Some of these are really terrifying." She reaches up to play lightly with a curl. "Well my sheep, at least you're not bald."

Niko nods firmly to that. "Got lots of little hairs tickling my neck, though. And she said that the only reason she didn't shave my head was the wedding. So maybe we should renew our vows every several months or something, to keep my hair safe from Anya's evil clippers."

"Or you could actually try getting a haircut?" Elasis suggests with a grin, reaching to dust the hairs from your neck.

Niko snickers at that, shifting to snitch the magazine and pillow his head in your lap. "Aww, hon, that's too -easy-. It's fun to hide from Anya. -Haircuts- aren't fun. Besides, everybody enjoyed jumping on me and all."

"Jumping on you?" Okay, Ela sounds a bit alarmed at that, although she acks as you snag the magazine. Grinning she sets about dusting through your hair, "See anything in the magazine you like?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko nods, with another snicker. "To keep me from getting away, I guess. And Anya called me -Iolytus-. I swear, I never should've told anybody my name, and I shoulda gotten to the records somehow." He starts to page through the dress. "Mmmm, this one, very nice." Naturally, it's very tight. "You'd look really incredible in that. Might have trouble walking, though."

Elasia just regards the magazine askance, "Niko, it leaves -nothing- to the imagination. And we're getting married by a -lake-."

Niko ponders that for a moment. "Yeah, I guess imagining would be more fun," he quips. After a moment, he asks, "What does a lake have to do with it? The lake isn't going to care what you're wearing."

Elasia laughs softly, still running her fingers through your hair. "No, but I don't want to hike down to it in a dress that's been spray painted on.

Niko grins wickedly, brows waggling in a rather exaggerated manner. "Aww, but spray paint would be -really- comfortable." Shaking his head, he adds, "You'd better pick it out for yourself, hon. You're going to be beautiful, no matter what you wear, 'cause you're my Ela."

Elasia sighs in a decidedly lovesick fashion, "Niko, it's not fair to tag a comment that makes me fall in love with you all over again right after one that deserves to get you thwapped."

Niko shifts upwards long enough to kiss you. "What?" he inquires innocently. "Spray paint -wouldn't- be comfortable?" He settles back once more, with a pleased grin. "I'm glad you liked the comment, though. Seemed like the right thing to say."

Elasia returns the kiss, although she does add a soft thwap to your shoulder. "Nope, not comfortable. Besides, I'm supposed to be wearing a white dress, not pink. And if I wore spray paint I'd be such a bright red it would come out pink."

Niko mock-sniffles. "Aww, but it'd look really -good-. And you're beating me already. Yeesh. I guess I should be glad that you're leaving the bat in the closet, though," he adds thoughtfully. "I think it's next to the skates. I've got to start skating again, once I get a lot more unbusy."

"As long as you don't skate down anymore stairs," Elasia adds with a bemused grin. "Otherwise it sounds like a good idea. Relaxing and all. And something I can tag along for sometimes."

Niko muffles a snicker, shaking his head. "No stair-skating, promise. And it'd be great if you came, too, yeah. Having company when I go skating is wonderful, lots of fun. Maybe we can take them to Hellas, and see how much Mom squawks."

Elasia grins rather brightly, "Would I be deemed evil, having coverted you over to some dark side if we did that?"

Niko shakes his head, looking rather amused. "No, of course not. Mom already likes you. But, see, she -knows- me, and would probably think that me on skates is a really dangerous thing."

"You on skates -is- a really dangerous thing," Elasia points out teasingly. "She'd be right."

Niko rolls his eyes at that. "I only fell badly the once," he protests, with a grin. "And I've had the things for over eight months. I was due a breakage during that time -anyway-."

Elasia grins, leaning down to steal a kiss. "I just have to pick on you love. It's required. -Someone- has to after all."

Niko hmphs softly, though he's obviously amused, and returns the kiss. "What do you call having a scary lady cut my hair against my will? -That's- picking on me."

"Yes, it is." Ela agrees in decided amusement, "Anya is a great aid in my ongoing campaign."

Niko exhales, a long, drawn-out sigh. "I should've known. I guess I'm lucky that I just escaped with a haircut, then. It could've been a lot worse."

Elasia resumes her carefuly combing out of your poor abused hair. "Yeah, it could have. Just remember, we wouldn't do these things if we didn't love you."

Niko corrects, with a grin, "Anya loves -tormenting- me. She had fun chopping off my hair, I swear. Threatened to give me a reverse mohawk. Wouldn't -that- have been festive for the wedding?"

"We could have painted a black stripe down the back of your whites, and you could have gone as a negative image skunk?" Elasia is -so- helpful.

Niko dissolves into snickering at that. "Uhhh, no, bad idea. Laundry would kick me if I painted my clothes again. And that wouldn't be a good way to start a honeymoon."

Elasia snickers quietly, "Especially dress whites, I'm sure that'd be impossible to clean." Ela rummages again for the magazine, "Speaking of white..."

Niko bites back on a sudden yawn. "I'm going to stay out of that," he suggests, with a grin. "Maybe you could go shopping with Clara or something. Or maybe my sister. They'd be a lot better at coming up with something suitable than I would."

Elasia notes the yawn with a fond smile, "Sleepy love?" The magazine is settled aside for now.

Niko's head bobs in a brief nod. "A little. I stayed at work too long--again. Figured I'd leave earlier if I got there earlier, but it didn't quite work that way. Was there... ugh, too long. Sleep would probably be a good thing."

Elasia slides hands beneath your shoulders, gently urging you up, "Let's get you to bed then, love. You could use the sleep. I'll curl up with you."

Niko gets to his feet with a sigh. "Okay, if you're going to bed, I guess I'll go, too. It's a lot more comfortable there, though." Still mumbling about sleep and laps and haircuts, he heads for the couch, ridding himself of excess clothing as he does so.

Elasia climbs to her feet after you, moving to change into an oversized t-shirt and pajama shorts. She makes sure to steer you to the bed, rather than the couch. "It'll be cozy in the bed."

Niko nods as he pulls on pajama-type-stuffs and clambers under the covers. "Cozy, yeah. You'll be there, and I'll be a heater, and it'll be good."

Elasia follows after you, climbing under the quilts after you to snuggle in close, worse than the kitten. "Hey, I can't help it if you exude heat well."

Niko bites back on another, massive yawn. "It's a guy thing," he mumbles, with a grin. He kisses you lightly, draping an arm over you. "I don't mind. Keeps you close and all, that's nice."

Elasia returns the kiss, chuckling quietly. Half clutching at your shirt with a sleepy hand she just nods. "Like being close. Sleep well, love. Dream well."

Niko nuzzles against you, already almost asleep. "Love you. Have happy dreams."

"You're here," Elasia murmurs sleepily, "I live a happy dream." And with that she half-drifts off.


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