8/14/99

Tara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Tara has arrived.

Niko is working on some paperwork, maybe a leetle bit tired. He's singing as he's working, though, under his breath. The bit of a twang that he gives the music doesn't quite work with his accent. "Many brave men have fallen, their brothers to join, in the hunt for the dangerous pork tenderloin."

Tara slips in, hands carefully behind her back as she approaches the reception desk. Grinning, she calls, "Oh, Niiiikoooo. Niko Caaaasymed..."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

"He's not here," Niko calls, looking over his shoulder with a hint of a grin. "Gone home to his wife. Sorry, try back another time."

Tara snickers quietly. "Oh poo. I guess I'll have to take his birthday present back then." She sighs dramatically, eyes twinkling.

Niko's brows lift just a bit at that. "Hey, now, folks aren't supposed to tell that it's my birthday," he protests, with a laugh. He's got a little bit of confetti still caught in his hair, though, so somebody apparently attacked him already.

Tara's mouth quirks. "I've got loudmouthed connections. So how old are you now, Niko?" Bringing her hands up, she drops a wrapped box on the reception desk.

Tara sets a package down on the desk.

Long, flat, and narrow, this box is wrapped in eye-blinding scarlet paper. A bright blue ribbon snakes its way around it in a spiral, doubling back beneath and around the package to form a fluffy bow on top. Can you hear that little voice, begging, 'Unwrap me'!

"Seven and a half," Niko replies, deadpan. "Well, if you're on Idchavius II. Twenty-four, yere. I'm getting olllld." Yes, he's kidding. He all but winces at the paper. "Ouch. Wow, that's bright. Thanks, you really didn't have to do this."

Tara snickers. "Still but a babe then," she winks, then grins sheepishly. "Greer picked out the paper. You're welcome." She shrugs easily. "Nope, I didn't, but I keep having these weird moods these days. Besides, you can consider it a 'thank you' of sorts for getting me to take Greer outside."

Niko finally does reach to snag the present. "You're welcome," he says, a bit quizzically. "Going outside is good."

Hmmm. Now it's a long, flat, narrow, plain cardboard box. Maybe you should 'open' it?

Ooooh, goodies! Two items reside in the box- A manila folder opens to reveal papers detailing a one-year renewable membership at the Sparkling Diamond Resort of Linnae for Iolytus Nikolaos and Elasia Iakovu Casymed. A brochure details the resort's amenities- mountain climbing, horseback riding, swimming, skiing, a full gym including an Olympic-sized pool, lots of shops filled with everything from clothes to silly souvenirs, restaurants, and much much more. Below the folder is a neatly folded T-shirt, airbrushed in metallic gray to resemble armor. It's printed in glossy black with the words 'Have a good knight!'.

Tara leans on the desk with folded arms, eyes twinkling as she watches the unwrapping. "Indeed. Greer got herself a new best friend, and her imagined one has all but disappeared."

Niko pulls out the t-shirt, first, and all but dissolves snickering. As it is airbrushed to look like armor, and has 'Have a good knight!' printed on it, no wonder he likes it. "Hah, much more comfortable than armor, thanks. As he opens the envelope, though, he blinks. "Tara... wow, this is amazing."

Tara smiles, pleased, and gives a little shrug.. "I take it it's acceptable then? I don't know what Elasia likes, but I figured a real mountain might appeal to ya. They've got hang-gliding too, if I remember correctly," she ads with a chuckle. "Plenty of ways to break yourself."

Niko looks just a bit sheepish at that. "It's wonderful, but, uh, actually I've sworn off on breaking myself. I can stick to the stuff that's less likely to make me need a regenerator, though."

Tara laughs, "I'm just teasing you, Niko. I figure by now you've learned all sorts of ways to avoid the breakage factor."

"You'd be surprised," Niko says drolly, gaze flicking back to the brochure once more. "Still, this is amazing, Tara--really, a lot more than you should've done. Thank you."

Tara shakes her head with a slight smile. "We had fun getting it all together. You're more than welcome." Her eyes flick toward the office door. "That brother of yours available? Got a box for him too."

Niko considers for a moment, then says, "I can see that he gets it, if you like."

Tara's eyebrows rise, then she nods, dropping a second package on the desk. "And you'll let me know if he liked it or not? No fudging if he doesn't?"

Tara sets the Gift down carefully.

Niko lifts his head in a nod that scatters a bit of confetti onto his shoulders. "Sure, will do. Or maybe he'll get back to you."

Tara snickers, eyeing the confetti with amusement. "You've very colorful dandruff, Niko." She nods with a smile. "I appreciate that. Greer's quite anxious about it. She wanted," she notes with a chuckle, "To get him a moose. Everybody needs mooses, she says. Your brother-in-law's influence, I'm afraid."

Niko looks decidedly confused for a very long moment. "Uh. Okay, Stavros is not a moose person, and there's no way you'd meet him," he murmurs. "Oh, Tarrant?" A clue! A clue! "He likes mooses... moose... meese?"

Tara laughs, shaking her head. "He gave her this too-cute stuffed moose, and now she's hooked on 'em. You should see what she's done to my computer- dancing moose all over the background screen."

Niko mutters, with a stifled laugh, "Speaking of people who are seven and a half--Tarrant, that is. Not Greer. Cute kid. Will you thank her for picking out the paper, for me?"

Tara grins. "Yes, Greer's only six. I daresay she'll pass Tarrant in the age category. Hopefully not for a long time though." The grin warms somewhat at the compliment to her daughter. "Of course. She'll be thrilled that you, uh, liked it."

Niko folds the paper neatly--he unwrapped the thing neatly, see--and even tucks it in the box. "There. Now I can show Ela, too."

Tara grins. "Awwww, that's sweet. You gotta have a son just so I can have my own Niko."

Niko's brows skyrocket at that, though he quirks a bit of a grin. "Uh, just for the record, if Ela and I have a son, we get to keep him."

Tara grins, eyebrows waggling. "Not after he starts dating." Yes, she's joking.

Niko can't quite help but laugh at that. "Uh, yeah, okay. So you want Ela'n'me to have a son so he can date Greer, I hope? Right? 'cause the hypothetical kidlet is just a -little- young for you, Tara, seeing as how he's not even considered, let alone conceived."

Tara cocks her head, pretending to consider that. "That'd work. Any kid of yours would likely be most gracious to his mother-in-law. Still, I'd be fifty when he was twenty... that's not such a bad match." She grins evilly.

Niko shakes his head quickly, sending more confetti to the ground. People are going to be so thrilled with him. "As tempting as that sounds, as much as I'm sure he'd go for you, maybe let him get born before you have his life set out for him?" Yeah, he's amused.

Tara grins. "Oh, I suppose so. I'll just hover in the background a lot til he's old enough."

Niko shakes his head a little more slowly this time. "Yeah, but what if--whenever it is we -do- have a kid--Ela and I have a daughter?"

Tara's mouth quirks. "My, you -are- behind on the gossip. I like girls too, Niko."

Niko's brows incline very slowly. Not that there's anything wrong with that. He doesn't -say- that, mind, and probably isn't even thinking that. "Oh," he murmurs, nonplussed. "Well, uh, yeah. Whatever the kid wants."

Tara beams. "Niko, you're so very fun to tease. You make it so easy."

So Tara's a tease and Niko's easy. Greeat. His grandmother will be so proud. "Uh, you're welcome? Glad you're having fun, at least."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Tara chuckles softly. "I'm sorry, Niko. I'm starting to relax around you. Who woulda ever thunk it?"

Niko shakes his head, with a grin that holds just a hint of rue. "Uh, not me? Glad you are, though. Having people unrelaxed isn't a good thing, after all. Well, depends on the person, I guess."

Tara's mouth quirks. "And the circumstances, yes. Look at it this way- I'm less likely to try and shoot you should the occasion ever arise that you come after me."

"And I do appreciate that," Niko says slowly. "Having been shot in the past, I have to say that it's definitely not a good thing. Though I have to say, I hope you don't actually do anything that would mean I'd have to come after you. That'd be awkward."

Tara gazes at you for a moment, then smiles with a shake of her head. "I sincerely doubt it'd come to that, Niko. At least, not as long as you're assigned here."

Niko says amiably, after a moment's pause, "Forever, then, I guess. I'm hardly likely to leave, after all. I've made it past the time that people usually go nuts and flee off to somewhere else."

Tara grins, almost in relief. "You've no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

Niko looks just a little bit puzzled at that. "Uh, good? Glad you want me here, I guess. It's convenient and all. Handy."

Tara chuckles. "See, you're here. And Chief Addison is here. And I'm not going to play games anymore in his territory. So there's no chance of you and I having... business conflicts."

"Good," Niko says, actually serious about that. "The fewer people to play games, the better. Well, except softball. Softball doesn't count." Nope, he can't really stay serious today.

Tara nods at the first part of that, then grins. "Softball, eh? Hmmmm. Sports. Greer'd benefit from sports. No, no, I take that back. She hates getting dirty, Maybe I can get her into swimming classes," she muses, then pulls herself back from her thoughts. "Softball is an awful lot of fun, long as it's casual," she agrees.

Niko, with a snicker, observes, "It can't be anything but with this bunch, as lousy as most of us are. It's fun to lose with style, at least. Swimming's good, though, yeah. Can't get dirty swimming."

Tara grins. "I'll have to make sure..." She blinks. "This bunch?" She glances around. "Security folks?"

Niko nods amiably. "We play softball, when we can manage the time. Lots of fun. Everybody but Tim is... well, less than amazing."

Tara drums her fingers on the desk. "Tim, Tim... have I met him yet? Well, at least you've got one decent player. Who do you play against?"

Niko takes a moment to look around the room, and Kaycen murmurs, "He went home almost two hours ago." This causes Niko to look at his chrono and ack quietly. "Uh, whoever feels like playing us? Folks from the Academy, local businesses, diplomats--that's a trip, especially when they coordinate their clothing. But I really should get going. I've, uh, been here longer than I should, and I need to get home."

Tara pauses, then snickers. "Did it again, didn't I? I'm great at keeping work from getting done." She winks, turning toward the door with a wave. "Y'all oughta play an Underground team. That'd be entertaining. Happy birthday again, Niko."

Niko starts to gather up paperwork and such. "Yeah, but, see, we don't mean -literally- stealing second," he quips. "Besides... Security? We're hardly popular down there. Have a good evening, though, and thanks for the stuff."

Tara laughs merrily at the quip. "Oh, I mean the kids down there. It'd do 'em good if they saw that Security folks aren't the sadistic monsters they think y'all are. You should've heard the crazy rumors about my arrest that I heard when I got back." She gives a cheerful wave before ducking out. "You too, Niko. You're welcome! It was fun buying for ya."

Tara heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Tara has left.

[Niko goes to the general housing hub.]

You knock on a door.

Riley calls, "Huh? Splatter? C'min..."

You unlock the door and go into room 0.

Room S4

Contents:

Riley

Obvious exits:

Out

You come in from the Housing Hub.

Niko, humming the song about dangerous pork tenderloins under his breath--that's got to be a weird combination--comes bearing gifts--one on chartreuse, one in kind of neon green, and, uh, whatever else Security folks might have sent via him. "Hey, Riley, how're you doing? Happy birthday. You've got to try not being stuck in bed on our birthday, huh?"

Riley is, yes, behaving and is hence in bed, although he's dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt. He offers a very vague wave indeed. He looks, yes, paranoid. But then wouldn't you after days of 'Splatter Splatter'? A fairly good-sized package is on the table, with the word 'Niko's gift, stop moving it!' printed on it in big yellow letters. "Hey Nick, yeah, you'd think I'd learn, huh? How goes it?"

You set the package down carefully.

"Pretty good, pretty good. Kath threw confetti at me, that was an adventure." And, in fact, he's still got the stuff in his hair, and on his shoulders, and in his uniform. She must've thrown a lot of confetti. He settles down the various presents, adding, "You look like you've been having a rough time of it, if y'don't mind my saying so."

"They don't believe me," Riley explains in almost a hushed whisper. "They don't -understand-," he adds. "I can -hear- it." He attempts to gesture to the table. "The scary box is for you, by the way. It's scary. But I asked Ela first."

Niko settles to a seat, looking a little confused. "Not that I don't believe you, Riley, but you have to admit that it's a little weird. Has it changed at all?" He eyes the scary box just a bit warily. An exploding head? "Asking Ela's good," he murmurs. "Uh, why don't you open something first?" He slides over the chartreuse present. "This is from Tara Valentine, of all people."

"It's gotten louder, but that's it. Louder's not good really. They don't quit." Riley peersat said box, brows dropping in a vaguely bemused expression. "Will it explode? Or should it wait until they decide if I'm sane or not..."

Niko frowns just a bit. "Louder's bad," he observes. Brilliant guy. That last statement garners his attention, and he really looks just a bit unthrilled. "Hey, you're sane, Riley." Otherwise -he- has to take your job, and that's the last thing he wants. "Uh, I don't think it'll explode, no. Mine didn't, at least. It was actually pretty neat."

"I know I'm sane," Riley agrees in a tired fashion, absnetly rubbing at one eye. "But the esteemed medical types don't seem to think so. They think the fact I can hear music makes me loony. It's -not- just in my head. I -swear-..." He peers at the box and agreeably sets about attempting to unwrap it, despite a decided lack of fine motor control.

Niko murmurs, sounding a little puzzled, "I don't think I've ever heard that hearing music makes a person crazy. Not that my experience in that is particularly vast or anything, but still." He shakes his head, then. "Y'want me to just leave this stuff, and go let you get some rest?"

Riley unwraps the package, revealing a long, tall, narrow box of stiff cardboard.

Riley opens the box, and revealed is... Nestled carefully in pink tissue paper is a long glass bottle resting on a stand of dark cherry wood. Within the bottle rests an artfully crafted wooden ship. Its three masts hold rectangular cloth sails, and along its bow is painted the words 'H.M.S. Bounty'. Tiny model sailors, as if frozen in time, occupy the decks in the midst of their seamanly tasks. The bottom of the stand is inscribed with 'G.V. - Tanerra 11, 2805'. Below the ship, almost lost in the tissue paper, is a book. The dustcover, gold and red in oriental designs, bears the words 'Kama Sutra'... but a peek inside reveals it's a cookbook featuring Italian food.

Riley manages to get the paper off the box, as well as the top, although it takes some doing. "Oooh," Then there's a pause, "Oh -dear-..." He stifles a ragged snicker, shifting through the paper. "Clara'll be distressed."

Niko peers around. "Huh? What'll distress Clara? The ship? That's nifty. Distressing?" No, he doesn't see the scary book.

Riley pokes at the book in a gentle fashion, "That other women are giving me disturbing books..." There's a pause as he opens the cover and frowns, "Oh, um, not disturbing, never mind."

First it's disturbing, now it's not disturbing. Maybe you -are- nuts. Niko doesn't say anything, though, instead craning around to peer at the book. He does a bit of a doubletake at the title on the jacket, but then he snickers. "Okay, that's just amusing--well, since I didn't get it, at least."

Riley tilts the book open to indicate the interior, "It seems to be a cookbook, and not a random sex book. Unless it's sexual positions involving pasta or something."

Niko leans against the back of the chair, stifling a snicker as he nods. "That," he observes, "Would be weird. All slimy and wriggly and such." He adds, "She asked me to let her know how you liked 'em. Can I tell her it was a success?"

"Yeah, please pass on my thanks? If I don't get out of here first that is," Riley replies in a bemused tone. Considering he's currently considered insane, that might be a while. He rubs absently at one ear again. "Very friendly."

Niko snags the neon green box, then--this one being relatively large, and slides it over. "All right, then, the next one. This one's from me, and I didn't ask Clara about it first, even if it -is- a little scary."

Riley's brows lift in a bemused fashion at that, and he sets about peeling off paper. It takes him a while, but he's patient. "I mainly had to ask Ela to make sure you didn't already have what I gotcha'. She didn't seem to think you did."

Niko nods amiably. "She'd know, if anybody does," he observes. With a pause, he adds, "For that matter, you might have this, so I probably -should- have asked Clara. Oh, well. You can never have too many." Too many... big guns? This one is worthy of taking a nap. It's a gun, but it's obviously a toy, as it's ludicrously massive, and all kinds of bright colors. It seems to be one of those squirt guns with the amazing distance and the huge refillable tanks that one can wear on one's back. These seem to be able to contain anything, from water to paint to... hey, maybe even chocolate syrup. There's also, oddly, a package tucked in with the gun. Looking closer, one might notice that it's concentrated vanishing ink, in a particularly garish shade of green.

Riley's eyes widen in obvious delight as the package is unwrapped, "Oooh, Niko, you have delivered unto me the instrument of my revenge." He can't help but snicker in a decidedly amused fashion. "Clara keeps using a much smaller one of these on me when I'm sleeping. Revenge is so -terribly- sweet..."

Niko observes, with a grin, "You could probably get her with this one from your office--well, if there weren't walls in the way." He pauses a beat, then. "When you're asleep? That seems kind of mean. Shouldn't you, uh, sleep when you're sleeping? Otherwise they call it 'awake,'" With a wicked little grin, he adds, "I've got one of these, too, though, and I'm trying to talk Kayce into getting one. Once the weather gets a little bit warmer, we can take 'em outside or something." Yes, he's an overgrown kid. "Glad you like it, though."

"Clara likes practical jokes," RIley attempts to explain, looking rather bemused. He taps lightly at the gun. "Warmer weather'd be good. Heck, I could set up in the window in the place upstairs and take pot shots at folks in the Pavilion if I ever decide to go truly to the dark side." He grins in a bemused fashion and gestures to the other package. "Open yours?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

"Oooh, windows." Niko obviously hadn't thought of that, and grins rather wickedly. "That could be -fun-." He shrugs amiably at the explanation, then snags his gift (and not shags it, eek, typos), with a snicker for the note on it before he finally unwraps it.

Inside the package is...well, it's a thing. It's not quite a skateboard, although that's it's nearest relative. Two small platforms have straps for the feet, and are connected by a bar. Hoverpads are located on either end where wheels would traditionally be. It seems propulsion is achieved by shifting ones feet in the foot holds, causing them to twist and effect steering. Riley just looks sheepish, "Clara'll kick me for giving you something else to break yourself on, but it just looked so nifty and youish."

Niko just stares at the thing for a moment. "Oh, -wow-," he murmurs. He takes out the skateboard-thingy for a moment, expression almost reverent. "This thing... Riley, it's -amazing-." He looks up from it, then. "You asked Ela about this? And she said it was okay?"

"Yep, cause see, you can go down stairs -safely- on that, no wheels," Riley sounds decidedly amused. "Okay, a little more safely at least. She says to ask that you only leap off small cliffs on it though."

Niko murmurs, all innocence, "I can go down stairs just fine on wheels. I just don't any more, that's all." He is, yes, itching to try the thing, but he puts it back in its box. "Thanks, Riley. This is amazing, really. And I'll keep away from all but the small cliffs, yeah."

Riley stifles a rueful chuckle, shaking his head. "Stairs are bad for your wheels anyhow. N'send your trucks out of alignment vicious too."

"Yeah, well, seeing as how I don't skate down stairs any more," Niko says, with a grin, "It doesn't really matter. This is still neat, though. Much less potential for hurting myself."

"And it goes better over grass," Riley murmurs in a bemused fashion, stifling a quiet cough. "Which there is outside, or so they tell me."

Niko nods a rather rueful agreement. "Yeah, there is." He pauses a moment, then asks, "Y'need anything, Riley? Food, or anything like that? It doesn't take anything for me to run and get it."

"Nah, but I appreciate the offer. S'already been a full day for you and all, eh? Why doncha' go relax and have fun?" Riley offers a sheepishly apologetic smile.

Niko lifts his shoulders in a brief shrug, with half a nod. "Ela's probably wondering where I am," he admits. "But you'll give me a buzz if you need anything?" He gestures vaguely towards his ear, and, presumably, the security radio there.

Riley murmurs quiet agreement, "Thanks Nick, for everything. I really appreciate you coming by and everything, I can't say how much."

"It's got to be deadly boring in here," Niko says, with a rueful grin. "'sides, I don't mind coming. Kayce'll be out there," he adds, with a gesture to the door. "If you want more company."

Riley grins sheepishly, "Yeah, not exactly high adventure. But between the mental soundtrack and various books, I survive. I may pester him later. Have fun, Nick."

Niko gathers up the hoverboard, whatever it's called, and his own package from Tara, getting to his feet. "Yeah, you too, Riley. Have a good night. And happy birthday, eh?" With that, and a lifted hand, he ducks out of the room, a bit of confetti in his wake.

[Niko goes home.]

"Honey, I'm home." Niko pads into the room, surprisingly enough, with the birthday gifts from Riley and Tara, as well as whatever else folks would give him. Probably butterscotch syrup or something from Kath.

Elasia is in the kitchen, and various bustling noises are ensuing from the depths of said location. A brightly colored box os on the coffee table, as well as what appears to be a giant brownie with, 'Happy Birthday Niko' on it in blue script. "Hello love," she calls, poking her head out and grinning. "Have a nice day?"

Niko pauses a beat as he notices the brownie. "Oooh, wow. Yum. This looks amazing. Pretty good day, yeah. Got a pretty good haul," he adds, in a lightly jesting tone. He tucks the gifts on a table, adding amiably, "How about you?"

You set the present down.

Elasia meanders out of the kitchen, followed by wafting smells of cooking food. She pads over to attempt to claim a kiss, "And happy birthday to you. It's been good. Hectic, but good."

Niko lifts you up in a hug as well. "Good's good," he says cheerfully. "Wow, that smells good." One arm still around you, he rummages in the box o' Tarapresent to offer the envelope. "Check this out--it's for both of us, though I don't know how much time we're going to have to use it."

Elasia's brows furrow slightly, but she does open said envelope, half-leaning against you just to abuse the closeness. "You smell dinner. Lemon-lamb rolls. If they turned out right that is. And rice and grilled asparagus. I cheated and skeedled out of work a bit early."

Said envelope--which is actually a folder, Niko misspoke himself--reveals papers detailing a one-year renewable membership at the Sparkling Diamond Resort of Linnae for Iolytus Nikolaos and Elasia Iakovu Casymed. A brochure details the resort's amenities- mountain climbing, horseback riding, swimming, skiing, a full gym including an Olympic-sized pool, lots of shops filled with everything from clothes to silly souvenirs, restaurants, and much much more. Niko, though, wraps an arm around you, apparently liking this closeness thing, too. "If it tastes half as wonderful as it sounds and smells," he says cheerfully, "Then it'll be wonderful."

Elasia looks decidedly pleased at said folder before offering it back to you, "It looks lovely dear, that's a wonderful gift indeed.

Elasia looks decidedly pleased at said folder before offering it back to you, "It looks lovely dear, that's a wonderful gift indeed." The praise goes over well also, and she offers you a smile, "We'll see I guess. It's nearly done."

Niko tucks back the folder. Hey, now he's got both hands free. The better to hug you with, my dear? Pretty much, yup. "So I'm going to have to let you go when it's done? Too bad it won't take a -little- longer."

Elasia shifts into the hug with a softly pleased sigh. "I'm sure it could be convinced to wait. But don't you want to open your present first?" She offers you an innocent look.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko, for a moment, and with a wicked grin, reaches towards one of the buttons on your jacket, assuming it's got buttons and they're fastened. Hey, it'd be a nice present. Then he chuckles, and reaches for the other gift, though he keeps an arm around you, which makes opening kind of interesting.

Elasia hmphs softly in a decidedly bemused fashion, although she doesn't correct the move, instead she awaits gift unwrapment, "-After- the one in paper, dear."

Niko eventually does manage the paper on the paper gift, though, with the whole one-handed-because-he's-got-an-arm-around-you thing, it's a neat trick. He manages it eventually, though. Yay.

Inside said package are three things. On top is a bright yellow t-shirt. -Really- bright. It depicts a rather confused looking duck in armor, sitting in a wheelchair. Oh dear. Beneath that is a chess set. But not just any chess set. It's been made of some odd sort of polished wood. The black pieces are various diplomats, as well as various smugglers and bad guys. The white pieces are various members of security. Oh dear again. The third item's relatively simple, a jar of butterscotch syrup. Ela just looks innocent.

Niko pulls out the shirt, first, finally slipping his arm from around you, the better to use a hand to shade his eyes. "That's great," he says, with a broad grin and quite a lot of snickering. "The folks downstairs will love it." He locates the chess set, then, and a quiet "oh" escapes him. He never did get around to getting his own set, see. "Ela, this is -incredible-. Wow. How in the world did you manage it?" Of course, he, too, grins at the butterscotch syrup, and rather broadly. Happy birthday, indeed.

Elasia can't help but look pleased at the reaction, grinning in return. "There's this neat old guy in the Java Quarter that carves them. I just had to track down pictures of everybody. That's why Kath has her hand up like that, the only one I could find she was trying to block the camera."

Niko takes a moment to poke around the chess set, oohing and ahhing--and, in the case of Kath's piece, snickering--over various ones, then turns back to claim another hug. "Wonderful gifts, hon. Thank you." And, no, he doesn't try to start claiming his next present. Not yet, at least.

Elasia snuggles into the hug, seeming quiet pleased. "Your brother commed me this morning, although I am not -certain- he was entirely aware. Something about exploding teenagers? He seemed to think it would be good to ask about your gift in advance. It was vastly entertaining."

Niko leans down to kiss the top of your head, with a broad grin and a glance towards that gift. "Yeah, he said you said it was okay. You don't mind it? Really? I mean, it -is- awfully neat, and I'll be careful..."

"Love, I don't mind, honest. You should still do things like that, just with the care of a sane person," Elasia chuckles in a quiet fashion. "Just trying to figure out what he was talking about was amusingly tricky. 'It's a thing, and it goes woosh' just doesn't cut it."

Niko assures you, sounding just a bit relieved, "I'll be careful, love. It'll take a while to figure the trick of it, anyway--and, like Riley said, this works on grass. Much softer landings." With a pause, he adds, good humor just a touch dimmed, "He's been having a rough time of it, I think. Poor guy."

Elasia nods thoughtfully, shifting in to snuggle a bit close. "He looked like he could use some sleep. We got it worked out though. And softer landings are key and wonderful."

Niko un-hugs just enough that he can go over to the couch, doing his best to urge you with him--and maybe, hopefully, even to his lap. Laps are good things. "Yeah, well," he murmurs. "The folks in Medbay will figure out what's going on, and then he'll be fine. It's just a shame he has to feel badly on his birthday."

Elasia is more than willing to head to the couch, and slides quite contentedly into your lap, resting her head against your shoulder with a softly contented sigh. "Maybe after he escapes, we could all go out to dinner, or I could cook, something like that."

Niko slips his arms around you, then, holding you close. "Now that sounds like a really good idea," he says, with a grin. "Then Riley could try -real- Hellenic cooking. The stuff down in the pavilion is okay, but it can't hold a candle to your cooking." Gee, wonder which option Niko wants.

Elasia grins in a decidedly bemused fashion up at you, but she settles back down with a soft sigh. "And we could invite Clara as well, yes? It would be good to see her for more than a few moments."

Niko nods amiably. What's he going to do, say no? He's got you in his lap, and there's that butterscotch syrup over there. He's hardly going to do anything but agree. Besides, it's not that tough to say yes to this. "Yeah, Clara, Clara'd be fun, too." And if he were extremely cruel OOCly, he'd suggest inviting Corian and Tarrant as well, so that you could go nuts with alts.

Elasia can conviniently be called away, leaving single alt in the room. Sneakiness is good. She sighs again in a pleased fashion, absently nuzzling your neck. She has a Niko, life is good. "Besides, it'd be fun."

"Loads of fun," Niko agrees cheerfully. He pauses a moment, then, with a glance towards the kitchen, inquires, "Can that keep for a while, maybe?"

Elasia offers you a decidedly innocent but evil look and nods, "Of course. It'll be just fine where it is."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

And if you thought Niko looked cheerful before, that's nothing. It's definitely the "little kid got what he wanted for Christmas" deal, though, considering what he's going to be getting, that somehow seems vastly wrong. He starts for that jacket, then pauses, visibly remembering. "Oh. Tara Valentine wants us to have a son, hopefully for her daughter instead of for her. That would just be disturbing."

Elasia's brows drop in some confusion, "That woman has a child? Oh -dear-..."

Niko blinks for a moment. "I didn't tell you about her? Huh, must've slipped my mind. She looks maybe six or so, and I really think she's illegally cute. Bet Tara'd get annoyed if I tossed the kid in the brig, though. Her name's Greer."

Elasia sighs softly, half-grinning, "Most kids are cute." Yes, this is a woman who's biological clock is ticking. "It's required."

Niko snaps his fingers. "That reminds me, got new pictures of the twins and Charis, kind of a birthday present from Nacippe. They're still downstairs, though." Fortunately for the aforementioned biological clock. "I'll have to bring them up tomorrow."

Elasia sighs quietly in relief. She doesn't mean to be relieved, but said clock is terribly battered, and she's hoping to avoid further torment. "Tomorrow, certainly."

"So when we do have a kid," Niko concludes, finally getting back to his point--and your jacket, though this is probably not the best time to be bringing this up, as it were, "We need to have a boy. I'll write that down somewhere," he adds, half in jest.

Elasia is more than willing to have you get back to the jacket, as she nuzzles your neck once more. "Whenever we manage that, yes. Considering how things are..."

Niko does his best to divest both you and himself of various jacketage. "Yeah," he agrees, a touch ruefully. "I don't know," he adds, pausing from the de-clothing and slipping his arms lightly around you. "When's all that going to change, though, really?"

Elasia sighs quietly, although it's a far less contented sigh than before, and she snuggles into your arms. "I don't know, that's the problem. It seems it's always going to be chaotic."

Niko says quietly, hugging you a little closer, "I can't change how my job is, hon, and I don't know that it's going to change on its own. I guess, well, at some point we've just got to decide some things." How's that for vague?

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Elasia's answer isn't much help either, is it?

Not especially, no. "I've, uh, been doing some thinking about it," Niko says slowly. "Clara and I talked about it a little--more in the context of her having a kid, but since my situation's kind of like Riley's, it got me thinking, I guess."

"Thinking?" Elasia echoes, and she doesn't even tease about security goons not being able to think. "Along what lines, if you don't mind me asking?"

Niko is quiet for a long moment. "Well," he says, still rather slowly, "For one, whether it'd be fair to the kid, to have it. I could probably cut back on my hours some, but I don't know how much, and I don't know how much of that you'd be able to do, either." He's quiet for another couple moments. "Thing is, I'm trying to be logical about this, but that doesn't really seem to work. I'd still really like a kid, whether it'd be the right thing to do or not."

Elasia sighs quietly, settling against you. "You've got a point though, about time and all, and our decided lack of it. Neither of us exactly spends much time around the house as it stands."

"Do... do you think we shouldn't, then?" Aww. Niko really doesn't sound at all happy with that suggestion. Scutter could look after the baby. Yeah!

"We -shouldn't- I suppose, but I still want to terribly...Niko, I just don't know. I want to do the right thing, but I want children..." Ela's quiet, absently fiddling with your shirt.

Niko's arms tighten around you for a moment. "Well," he says, voice very quiet, "I can maybe talk to Riley once he's back on his feet--" And not hearing music all the time. "Then I can see how much I'd be able to cut back. And my sister's over at Bakaretsu, now." He told you this, really. "She could come look after the kid, sometimes, maybe. That'd help. And maybe, if you do end up getting that promotion..."

"We'll have to see, yes," Elasia sighs quietly again, only sniffling slightly as she cuddles in your lap. She can still lapsit at least, even if kids aren't exaclty horizon looming. She likes your lap. "Time will tell, it always does."

Niko does catch that sniffle, and hugs you close, lightly kissing your temple. "Hey, it'll be okay," he reassures. Sniffling's bad. It can lead to crying, which is worse. "We'll figure something out, hon. Really. We will. It'll happen. It just might take a little time, that's all."

Elasia isn't going to cry though, not right now. She's not given to random spates of teariness, this is the joy of being a diplomat. Just the one sniffle. Besides, being reassured helps. "And anything worth having is worth waiting for. Everything will be just fine. Besides, we're young yet."

"That's right," Niko agrees, still reassuring. He's good at that. "Matter of fact," he adds, "I got told today that I'm seven and a half. That's kind of young for kids anyway, huh?"

Elasia can't help but laugh delightedly at that, glancing up at you with amusement in her eyes. "Seven and a half, goodness, I think I'm robbing the cradle. You're awfully -tall- for your age, hmm?"

Niko nods innocently. "Very tall," he agrees, with a brief but decidedly wicked grin. "And mature for my age, too, yup. Really. Besides, robbing the cradle's fun." Stuff his player didn't imagine he'd be saying.

Elasia hmphs in a decidedly amused fashion, trailing her hand lightly down your chest, "Oh -is- it now, maybe you could demonstrate this for me?"

Niko pretends to ponder this, as if it really is a difficult question. "I -guess- so," he says finally, though his put-upon sigh is patently false. "If it were anybody else asking, no way, but I guess, for you, I can make an exception." And he leans down to steal a kiss, then.

Elasia returns the kiss, pluss change, plus a tip, and even a couple of the really good mints. "Good" she all but purrs afterwards, and with a wave, dims the lights. Look! Real fade to black!

Wow, mints! And a fade to black, Desmond would be proud. Though he'd probably prefer a fade-to-orange. "See?" Niko murmurs, eventually. "Robbing the cradle. Lots of fun."

"Okay, okay, I see your point," Elasia has to agree with a decidedly pleased chuckle. She seems loathe to move now, it's been a long day and she's comfortable. "I'll add that to my list of fun and festive things."

Niko bites back on a sudden yawn. Yes, it's been a long day for him as well, as he's not -usually- the type to fall asleep immediately. "See, that kind of list is a good thing," he decides aloud. "And finding more stuff for it is better. We'll have to keep looking for more stuff."

Elasia snuggles in close, far too out of it to recall dinner or such things. "We've the rest of our lives," she murmurs sleepily. "To keep adding to the list."

Niko steals a quick kiss. He doesn't steak it, no, what a weird typo. (Would you like some A-1 with your kiss?) "Want to just sleep here?" he inquires. "I could carry you back to the bed." And he does sound awake enough to do that, fortunately.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Breaking both you and himself at the same time, after all, would be a badness.

Elasia sighs softly and begins to slip to her feet, "I can walk," she murmurs in a ruefully smused tone. "As lovely as being carried would be...Sorry, it's just been a hectic day downstairs. They're trying to draw up new legislation regarding budgeting."

Niko gets to his feet as well and follows, slipping an arm around you in the process. "Sounds like a bad day," he murmurs. "Poor hon. I'm sorry."

Elasia stretches up to swipe a kiss before sliding into the bed and beneath the covers. "It was a lovely day though, all's well that ends well, and all."

Niko curls up under the covers with you, that last bit of confetti finding its way into the bed as well. From there, it will try to take over the world. "Glad you liked the ending, at least," he murmurs. "-I- sure did. Sleep well, okay, hon? Love you."

Yay confetti taking over the world! Elasia snuggles in close with a soft sigh, "Happy birthday again love," and with that she's shortly asleep.


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