4/6/99

You unlock the door and go into room E16.

Room E16

Contents:

Elasia

Obvious exits:

Out

You come in from the Elevator Lounge.

Elasia is thankfully awake this time, sprawled on the couch with a massive stack of paperwork and a contentedly purring kitten. She beams as you show up, "Hello love, miracle of miracles."

Niko grins crookedly as he comes into the room. "Yeah, yeah. I know I was gone really late last night, sorry about that. Figured that maybe you might want to see me, a little." He sprawls on the ground next to the couch, after claiming a quick kiss, then absently ruffles the kitten's fur.

Elasia returns the kiss gently, then ruffling your overlong curls fondly. "It's been a while since we've had a chance to spend much time together lately, yeah. I've missed you."

Niko inquires, expression apologetic, "I do have to go back at some point to finish up some stuff, but it can wait. Maybe I can steal you away from your work for a little?"

Elasia settles the papers aside with a nod, "For you love, of course. I've just been catching up on it since you've been so busy, I think the folks downstairs think I'm aiming for promotion at this rate." She grins, "Where to?"

Niko clambers to his feet to settle next to you on the couch, scooping up the kitten as he does so. "Wherever you like, or stay here, or whatever. As long as you're there, that's what matters."

Elasia shifts closer to you, insinuating herself close against you with a quiet sigh. "Oh, it's nice to have you here love. I'm up for anything, I can even cook you something if you like?"

Niko settles his arms lightly around you, with a shake of his head. "Maybe in a bit. I think I'd rather just enjoy this for a little." He kisses your cheek, then inquires, "How was your day?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Elasia smiles all the more fondly at that, "I think enjoying this sounds like a good idea." She shrugs slightly, "I have had better. Things are a bit hectic at work, but not too terribly. How about you?"

Niko tips a hand back and forth. "Paperwork is paperwork. I had a nice chat with Clara this morning. She did have my skates." He pauses a beat, then adds, fairly casually, "She's going to fix my arm, too. It got a little messed up from the breaking and all, but it'll be fine. Figured letting you know might be nice, though."

"Fix your arm?" Elasia echoes, looking somewhat worried, "What's wrong?"

Niko sighs very quietly. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He gives you a gentle squeeze. "Not a lot," he replies. "Just a little nerve damage, like before. But Clara can fix it. Got started on it today, even."

Elasia has great faith in Clara it seems, as she settles back into you. "Clara's gotten quite good at putting you back together," she agrees with a half smile.

Niko relaxes just a bit, curling to rest his cheek against your hair. "Well, yeah," he agrees. "But I think maybe I'll just be evil and not let her get any more practice at that for a while. Call me crazy, but I'd just rather not -need- to be fixed."

"I'd rather you not need to be fixed as well," Elasia agrees quietly, her voice rather small and somewhat un-Ela-like.

Niko pauses a moment at your tone. "Hon, but I'm fine, now. And I'm going to be careful, I promise. I really don't want you to worry. I'm going to stay off the skates, except when I'm actively -skating-, that sort of thing."

"Certainly if you could at least avoid using them on -stairs- in the future, it might be good for your health." Elasia brushes at your uniform jacket with careful fingers.

Niko nods firmly at that. "No stairs, hon, promise." He muffles a snicker. "Uh, I guess this would be a bad time, though, to mention how neat I think the new stairs are, huh?"

Elasia chokes back a laugh and pokes you in the ribs, "They are lovely, but if you so much as -think- of skating down those... I am not certain what I will do, but it will involve me cutting off your brownie supply."

Niko makes a noise that very neatly combines and ack and a snicker. Reaching for your hand to prevent any further rib-poking, he says, "I wasn't even remotely thinking of that, love. Too much potential for bad stuff. But speaking of your brownies..."

Elasia allows her hand to be captured, smiling up at you. The last garners lifted brows, "Speaking of brownies."

Niko, expression rather like Pen's when someone is talking about treats, inquires, "Any chance you could make some? Pretty please? I've been talking about them downstairs, see. It doesn't have to be right away, just sometime."

Elasia grins to that, nodding. She's not about to object, she loves the excuse to cook. "When you escape my clutches again tonight I'll toss together a couple batches, you can take them in tomorrow."

Niko claims a kiss at that. "Hon, that'd be just great. You'll have a bunch of instant friends if you do that. I really appreciate it."

Elasia is more than game to have a kiss claimed, looking rather pleased. She's been Niko-deprived of late it seems. "I enjoy cooking, and bribing your co-workers seems like a really laudable excuse."

Niko cuddles a little closer to you, with a broad grin. "Well, yeah. And brownies are more laudable--especially -your- brownies, they're really incredible." He pauses to pick up the kitten, petting her into a blissfully purring state.

Elasia grins at Scutter's reaction, as it so closely mirrors her own blissful state in your presence. Great, Niko's good with women and cats. "I'm glad you like them, love, I certainly anjoy making them. After all, the batter must be taste-tested and all." She winks impishly.

Niko says quickly, "Hey, y'know, maybe I should just stay up here. Work's not -that- important, after all..." He grins roguishly, then. "I could help? The results'd be contributing to Security morale, after all..."

Elasia hmpfs softly in mock indignation, grinning, "Oh yeah, you're nowhere to be found for an age unless you're broken into submission and then I'm supposed to let you have brownie batter?"

Despite the fact that it's mock-indignation, it still works quite nicely to inspire some very real guilt. "I -am- sorry, hon. There's just been so much to do with this new job. Maybe I can try to swing a day off? Not the way Riley does it, of course," he adds hastily. "Or at least I could try to get my hours switched around so that we're home at the same time. That really doesn't seem unreasonable."

Elasia shakes her head slightly, reaching up to push back several escaped curls. "You're the one in the situation, not me. I don't want you to make things difficult for yourself, I understand how work can be. It's okay love, really. I shouldn't haveve even joked about it. I was just rather lonesome last night."

Niko leans closer for a gentle kiss. "I'm sorry," he repeats, though he doesn't sound -quite- as guilty. "Things were just a little crazy, that's all. It was taking me a little longer to get stuff done. But I'm here now, at least? Only stayed half an hour late. And I don't really -have- to go back; I can catch up tomorrow." Yeah. He's whipped. Whu-pah!

Elasia returns the kiss, shaking her head. "No, going back's fine, having to catch up later would be bad. I don't want you to get overworked again."

Niko murmurs, shifting to pillow his head in your lap, "I'd -rather- be up here. But I guess I knew what I was getting into when I took the job. It'll just take a little longer to adjust."

Elasia brushes lightly at your curls, setting them into artful dissaray. "Is it getting better at all?"

Niko's nod is barely perceptible. He likes it when you play with his hair, even though it's annoying when anybody else does. "Yeah, it is. I'm starting to pick up the knack of it, even if typing's weird because of my hand. But Clara's fixing that, so it'll get better, and then I'll be set."

Elasia then sets about reversing her work all but a curl at a time. She enjoys playing with your hair, it's poofy. "I guess there's no typing substitute?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Typing substitute? What, like nutra-sweet for sugar? "I don't think so, no. I'm getting the knack of adapting, though. No big deal. Nother week or two and I probably wouldn't even be noticing it." He reaches up to tweak at one of your own curls. This hair-playing is contagious.

Like the cool keyboard I used to have with the inch by inch keys. Elasia nods to that though, grinning findly down at you as she settles your curls to dissaray once more. "I look forward to when things settle down, then."

Niko, with a firm nod, says, "So do I. Then... who knows, maybe we could actually manage to get married." Okay, it's not the smoothest of segues. "I'll try to nag Riley about it next time I see him."

A half-flicker of hope sparks in Ela's dark eyes at that, "That would be...a wonderful thing indeed."

Niko looks just a little sheepish. "I haven't forgotten, hon. Really. I was -going- to ask him the evening that he went off on vacation, and everything just got kind of bizarre after that. But maybe we'll have a couple days of relative sanity, and we can tie the knot." Literally.

With a cheerfully sunny laugh, Elasia brushes your hair back, grinning. "Love, as much lunacy as you folks have down there, I'm not going to complain that you don't have an opportunity for such things."

Niko shakes his head, though his smile is fond. "But, see, I should -make- the opportunity. It's not like this is a little thing that we're talking about, after all. It's us. It matters. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to bug Riley about it. I'll try, at least. Promise."

"Better snag him early," Elasia says quietly, looking somewhat amused, "I spotted his name on the offworld list this morning, leaving around lunchtime. Although he must not be going far, he's listed to return twelve hours later."

Niko's brows lift at that, but he manages to bite back a vaguely exasperated sigh. "Nice to be in the loop," he murmurs. "Yeah. Early. Okay, thanks for the tip, hon. I'll try to catch him, then."

Elasia shrugs slightly, "I don't know if anybody's supposed to know, really. I only spotted it because I recognized the ID number as being vaguely familiar. He was only registered under his initials."

Niko's brows incline a bit further. "Did you happen to notice where he was going?" he inquires.

"It didn't say," Elasia looks quite sheepish indeed now. "I looked, I will admit to terrible curiosity, it's an evil thing at times, but I was wondering."

Niko shakes his head, with a crooked grin at that. "Nah, hon, it wasn't evil. Curiosity can be a good thing, as long as it doesn't involve reading Thomas Kuhn. I'm curious, too. Probably not my business, though. Ah, well."

"Thomas Kuhn?" Yes, Elasia has been confused. She does however tap lightly at your ear, the one with the radio. "You can always ask if you like. He doesn't have to answer."

Niko shakes his head. "It isn't that important, just curiosity." With a faint grin, he adds, "Kya and I were talking about Thomas Kuhn this afternoon. He's that guy who wrote the book I tore apart sophomore year. Not a very good book."

She may not remember the name, but Ela remembers the death of the book. "Ohhh." She chuckles quietly. "I remember that. There wasn't enough of that book left to send home to its family."

Niko nods his agreement to that. "Oh, yeah. It was very cathartic, though. As evil as that book was, I swear, I should've burned it after I ripped it apart."

Careful fingers begin braiding curls together and Ela chuckles, "Cathartic is important." She glances at the clock, looking saddened, "When did you have to go back?"

Niko replies, not looking like he's going to move any time soon, "Whenever I decide to go back. I should only need an hour or so, so it's not that big a deal." After a brief pause, he adds, "Eating sometime soon might not b a bad thing, though."

"Want me to make something?" Ela asks, although she doesn't look over likely to move anytime soon either. "Foodwould be good."

Niko nods to that. "Eventually, I'd appreciate it, yeah. Or I could lend a hand, if you like. Helping's good." He absently reaches to tease at a kitten-ear with one finger. Poor, abused kitten.

Elasia snags a pillow, sliding it under your head as she slides out from beneath. "Any preferences, love?"

Niko gets to his feet to trail after you. He's still good at following. "Whatever's easy. Easy is good. I can still help, if you like."

Elasia stifles a yawn, moving to rummage in the fridge for a few moments. "Easy, hrm, easy... Hello, easy food, leap out, bite me in the nose."

Niko eyes the kitten. She hasn't bitten in the past, but... no, no, kittens are not food. Moving to stand behind you, chin resting lightly on your shoulder, he offers, "I could run downstairs, too, or to the pavilion. That'd be easy."

Elasia shakes her head, tugging out a couple of plastic containers. "Nah, I can just reheat leftovers if you don't mind? It's easy. And it's lemon chicken with rice..."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko brightens at that. "Lemon chicken with rice sounds good. Very tasty." He snags dishes and such, the better to set the table.

Elasia tucks the containers in the warmer, programming it almost absently. Poke, poke, hummmmm. She smiles at you, going to pull cans from the fridge. "Thank you love."

Niko shakes his head as he folds himself into the seat that has since become his. "No problem, hon. It's easy enough to do."

Beeeeeep. As the microwave finishes, Elasia snags the containers, bringing them to the table. Sliding into her own chair she smiles sheepishly, "Not exactly fine presentation, but it's been a day."

Niko grins as he tucks severing spoons into the containers. "Hon, it's food, you're here. That's what matters to me. And after we can go back to the couch, or curl up in bed and watch the holo, or whatever you like. I told Kayce I wasn't going to come back this evening. I'll just go in a bit early tomorrow."

Elasia blinks several times at that last, although she seems by no means displeased. "Really?" Oh my how painfully hopeful she sounds at that, even as she gestures for you to serve yourself. "Curling up sounds terribly pleasant."

Niko dishes out a fair amount of food, though he leaves plenty for you. A hint of guilt crossing his face at your hopeful tone, he says, "I'm staying here, hon, unless some bizarre disaster drags me away, kicking and screaming. I'd rather be with you. I've been away too much."

Elasia acquires food of her own, making sure to get lemon slime on the rice. It sounds bad, it tastes great, snicker not. She looks a bit sheepish at the guilty look, once again resolving to make no complaint. "You could use an evening to relax, love."

Niko nods his agreement to that as he starts to make inroads on his meal. "An evening to relax with -you-, yeah. That sounds absolutely wonderful. No place I'd rather be." He munches for a moment, then allows, "Oh, sure, the kitten can stay, too."

Elasia grins at that, scooping up a bite of her own meal. "I'm sure she'll be glad to hear it. Or rather, perhaps you should ask her if you're permitted to stay. She does, after all, own the place."

Niko glances over towards the snoozing. "I'll bribe her," he decides. "Lots of petting, maybe a treat. She'll let me stay."

Elasia chuckles in between bites, shaking her head in amusement. "She will, yes, even without the bribes. She adores you."

Niko's shoulders lift in a brief shrug, but his grin is pleased. "I'm nice to her, when I bother to grace her with my presence. 'sides, she's a good cat."

Elasia nods to that, settling aside her fork for a moment in exchange for her soda. "She is a wonderful kitty. And I cannot thank you enough for bringing her home. There is nothing quite like a cat to make someplace a home."

Niko's smile is fond. "I'm glad she worked out so well, hon. Glad we have her, too. If nothing else, I know that you're not alone when work gets crazy, even though I'd still rather be here."

Elasia smiles at that, crossing her arms with artless grace and resting against the table, her feet tucked beneath the chair. She looks younger than she is, half-smiling in bemused contentment. "She is good company certainly, quite the listener. Just beware your shoelaces."

Niko regards you for a moment, a brief smile crossing his face. As if he can't help himself, he leans forward to kiss you. "You really are beautiful," he says softly. He does, however, cast a brief glance at his boots. No laces. He's safe.

Elasia returns the kiss, looking quite thrilled indeed, although she blushes slightly at the compliment. "I think you got hit harder on the head than you realize, dear."

Niko shakes his head at that, with a broad grin. "Of course not, hon. That'd be the case if I -didn't- think you were beautiful. You are, after all. Makes me wonder how I got so lucky."

Elasia just shakes her head, grinning as she settles her plate aside. "I'm going to have to keep you dearheart, if for no other reason that I could find nobody else to flatter me so terribly."

Niko moves to snag your plate, taking advantage of the fact that he has to move closer to you to snag another kiss. "It's terrible flattery? I'll have to try harder, then. I should at least flatter -well-."

Elasia returns the kiss, plus interest a credit card company wouldn't mind. "No, you flatter well, it's only in comparison that I appear terrible."

Niko's grin as he moves to clean up is decidedly silly. "Of course not, hon, because every word that I say is the absolute truth. Knights can't lie--especially not to their ladies."

Elasia is entirely willing to let you clean up, she's tired, sitting in the chair is nice, as is watching you in uniform. Ooh la la. "Blind knight then, but a cute one."

Niko grins over his shoulder as he stows dishes. "Hey, I could use that as an excuse for breaking things, at least. You're still gorgeous, though, even if you won't admit it. Some things are true whether you believe them or not."

Elasia just shakes her head, looking amused. "Thank you for getting the dishes, love. I appreciate it terribly."

Niko comes back over to the table. "No problem, love. It's only fair. You cooked, after all." Maybe you didn't cook -tonight-, but cooking was done. "Besides, it's not that much work, and I just pushed paper and such."

"I didn't cook. I warmed, it's different." Elasia climbs to her feet as you return. "Still, appreciated any way or another."

Niko moves to put his arms around you, with a chipper smile. He's not at work. He's happy. "So where to now, my appreciative love? The couch, the bed...?" And he even manages that last suggestion without a winkwink-esque look.

Niko moves to put his arms around you, with a chipper smile. He's not at work. He's happy. "So where to now, my appreciative love? The couch, the bed...?" And he even manages that last suggestion without a winkwink-esque look.

Elasia laughs softly, wrapping her arms around you in return and squeezing you close into a hug. "The bed perhaps? There's more room." That's her only reason, really. She stifles a half yawn, looking sheepish. That might be another reason.

Niko moves a bit away from you, then, with a sudden, wicked grin, scoops you into his arms, the better to carry you the whoppingly short distance to the bed. "As you wish," he replies, settling you atop the bed with a smile. Yes, he powerposed, but it was a -suave- powerpose.

Elasia cannot quite restrain a slightly startled cry, although she quickly looks delighted, reaching up to link her arms around your neck for the brief journey. As she's deposited on the bed she grins up at you, "My hero?"

Niko pauses to tug off his boots and his uniform jacket before he joins you on the bed. "Your hero," he replies equably, stealing a kiss before he curl up next to you. He rummages for the holo remote, which, miracle of miracles, he offers to you. He -must- be feeling guilty.

Elasia kicks off her shoes, curling up beneath the blankets of the bed. She shakes her head to the proffered remote, "No but thanks." She reaches up to remove the tie from her hair, letting it spill across her pillow. "I'm not a talented clicker."

Niko takes a moment to watch you and your hair before he pulls back the hand with the remote. "If you don't want to watch it, hon, that's fine, too. We could--I know, this is amazing--talk, instead."

Elasia laughs softly, her eyes all but dancing as she regards you. "A wild and crazy idea there, are you sure they won't come to take us away to the looney bin?"

Niko grins as he stows the remote and then curls up against you. "But, see, everybody here is crazy. You have to be, to stick around here. So we fit right in, hm?"

"I suppose we do at that," Elasia murmurs, sounding entirely pleased. She edges up to add a row of gently kisses to the inside curve of your neck before relaxing back. "The building certainly seems to have more than its fair share of lunatics. But it's a gentle lunacy."

Niko's head rises and falls in a brief nod. "Oh, sure, yeah, for the most part. It seems like a pretty good place, though, lunacy aside. Or maybe because of the lunacy. Makes life exciting, at least."

Elasia settles in close, using your shoulder as a pillow, her hair now spilling across you instead. "Certainly it is rarely dull. The hall was quite exciting this morning in fact, lots of people running around, alarms going off. And then of course we were told nothing had occured. Very overexcited nothing I tell you." She yawns delicately.

Niko pauses at that. "Huh. Didn't see anything about alarms at work. I'll have to check tomorrow." He kisses your cheek, then, murmuring, "Why don't you catch some sleep, love? You sound tired."

"But," Elasia sounds torn, she is, in fact, exceptionally tired. However... "But you're here."

Niko offers, "I can stay here til you get to sleep, then head back down to finish up that work, so maybe I'll be able to sneak out on time tomorrow, how's that?"

Elasia curls in closer, ending up with half a handful of your shirt, but murmuring her agreement. "On time tomorrow'd be nice. I could actually cook maybe. Or we could go skating. Not on stairs."

Niko murmurs, voice quiet and fairly soothing, "Not on stairs, no way, hon. We can go to the park, or something like that. Spend a little time together, that'll be nice."

Elasia murmurs quiet agreement, half smiling as she settles down to sleep. "Wonderful idea, very nice.." And her words all but trail off as her breathing evens and she drifts into sleep with alacrity despite the early hour.

Niko remains next to you long enough to assure himself that you are sleeping deeply enough that his departure will not wake you, then gets carefully to his feet and makes his way from the room. Really.


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