The Morning After

Posted on Tue Oct 22nd, 2024 @ 2:34pm by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

1,180 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Zai's Quarters | USS Arcadia
Timeline: Current

ON:

Zai groaned as he opened his eyes. There was a momentary panic as he started at the grey tritanium and white light. "I'm dead!" He groaned as the pain shot through his head. "No...not dead...should be though." He closed his eyes and then opened them again only to realize that he was on the floor his legs propped up on the coffee table. His head felt as it had been ripped open and his stomach turned.

As if she'd heard his body, Adrianna silently pushed a bowl over to him. She was face down on the floor, groaning with her head, "buongiorno, Bello." She raised her head a little. She knew how to rid hangovers, but it had been a while and part of her felt that the pain was karma for not taking care of the body. She just about managed to get to her feet, replicating aspirin, water and coffee for the pair of them.

"Why...am I not dead. I swear it's been ages since I drank this much." He rolled onto his side feeling the acid taste of the alcohol. "I feel like I've been hit with antimatter, repeatedly."

"Che può essere organizzato," she groaned, meaning 'that could be arranged', she started drinking her coffee, knowing that she wouldn't be much use in communication until then. That and she'd remain rather silent not wanting to give away her absolute flaw to Zai willingly. She rested her head on the back of the sofa and groaned rubbing her fingers to her temple praying the aspirin would be fast acting.

Zai managed to get the aspirin down and in light of the fact that they'd had so much to drink he did have coffee. It was a day off but...he still needed to check on a few things and he did have an appointment with the Counselor. He grinned. "The last time I got this drunk was at the Academy after..." He coughed. "Well it was a long time ago."

Adrianna genuinely smiled and nodded. She remembered out drinking a lot of people at the academy. She shrugged a little and chuckled. It was strange how she could understand languages, but not speak them before coffee, "Academy-- that what it for, hm?"

"Yes if you're not Fang. If you are it's all about study and being serious." He sighed. He looked at her. "I can't believe we mixed all that alcohol." He snorted. "Thank the Gods I don't have to work today otherwise something might get crossed."

Adrianna looked to her watch and groaned, "fortunato bastardo." At least because she was head of her department she could be late. Plus they were docket so it was a little less pressure. "Fang seems-- he must have fun side."

Zai laughed. "When he lets his guard down. But usually it takes a lot of coaxing. The last time he really let loose was the night before my graduation. He broke so many Academy rules I was afraid he was a clone." He laughed. "It was...fun." He sighed. "But his serious side is...fun too. From the crinkles around his eyes when he's really thinking to when he falls asleep at the office with paperwork stuck everywhere." He smiled. "He's not coherent in the morning and its so fun to distract him when he's meditating because he has this growl when he's frustrated." Zai's head fell back on the sofa. "He also has this...wicked scent, bergamot, citrus, and dark forest. Gives these vibes like dangerous yet full of depth. It takes over all your senses."

Adrianna lifted her head off of the back of the sofa and looked to Zai with a knowing look. She knew the tone; she knew the phraseology. Zai was smitten, maybe even in love. She'd never really doubted the Zai in terms of Fang, but she had been cautious because of how convenient a few details were. Adrianna smiled and nodded, silently.

He sat up as if catching himself. "But we're not here to talk about Fang." He coughed a little. "Are you doing okay?"

She waved him off, nodding, finishing her coffee, "we were not, but now we are. He know?"

"About what?"

Adrianna raised a brow, "that you love him."

The room was silent for a long moment. "Fang and I are friends." There was another pause. "He deserves better."

"It not about deserving," she smiled, "tell him. I promise it will end in your favour."

He snorted. "Fang is in love with a memory of someone who died a long time ago out of necessity. There is no room for anything or anyone else." Suddenly Zai felt sad. "Ugh. Now I want to drink again."

"Ipocrita--" she stuttered finding the translation to standard, even though it was comically near enough the same. She called out, "computer: traduci ipocrita?"

"Hypocrite," came the reply from the computer.

Adrianna rolled her eyes at the stupidity for the language faux pas, and also feeling like the computer may have been mocking her, before looking back to Zai, "this is not your decision to make. It is his. Trust me. Tell him. It will be well received. I'd be willing to bet my darkest secrets on it."

Zai grinned. "I'll think about that. A tempting offer." Zai finished the last of his coffee. "Ugh...now I have to get ready to drop into engineering to sign a few upgrades and then off to the jolly counselor, a promise to your adopted brother." He growled. "I'm not good with feelings so I have to go to feeling school."

"It is a fun club though," she gestured to herself, "I'm the president of the bad at feelings club."

"Excellent." He laughed. "I'm in good company." He stood and walked over to a small cubby. He brought out a box. "I'm depressed enough to reveal my biggest secret. No telling, okay?"

Adrianna nodded, looking over curiously.

He smiled and touched the box reverently. "When I need a pick me up I sniff this." He opened the box and inside was a leather jacket. He pulled it out and inhaled. The familiar scent of bergamot, citrus, and dark forest wrapped around him like a blanket bringing a smile to his face. "I stole it when I was at the academy."

Adrianna chuckled, "I just gave Vance his back. Along with his cologne." She stood up and stepped over, putting a hand on Zai's shoulder, "tell him before it is too late." There was a sadness and warning in her tone. Perhaps it was regret, but Adrianna felt substantially better that morning about things with Vance.

"I'll try. But what if things change?"

"What if they don't?" She asked, leaving the question hang there for a moment, "if you are true friends, it won't matter anyway-- which you clearly are. I can threaten you and say I will tell him if you don't-- but I don't make those threats anymore. Well... Unless you're an engineer... Wait..." She smirked, lightening the mood, "tell him. You cannot lose."

OFF:

 

RSS Feed