Bluebird's Schadenfreude Mode

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane sat on the couch aboard the Bluebird, as he did pretty much all of the time that he and Rawnie weren't off shooting people. Dressel was an interesting enough planet, but he wasn't here to sightsee. He was here to see a man about a ship. Specifically his own ship. More specifically making Bluebird into an implement of explosive destruction.​

​

Not really feeling all that patient, the Chiss walked into his room, up to his bed, and poked the blonde girl.​

​

"Looking cute when you're asleep doesn't excuse the fact that I need you to wake up."​

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[member='Rawnie Tal'verda'] [member='Rusty']​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Icy blue eyes snapped open to glare at the chiss. She lay curled up, blankets pulled up to her chest, wearing nothing but her undergarments. He was so lucky she didn't sleep in the nude. Honestly, one of these days, she'd do it, just so he'd learn not to bug her when she was trying to catch some Z's.

"Do you have coffee?" she asked groggily, "If not, beat it."

She closed her eyes again, rolled over and went back to sleep.

...Wait. Did he call her cute?

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane rolled his eyes as Rawnie curled back up to sleep.​

​

"Noooooo... I love nursing a massive headache in the morning."​

​

The Chiss poked her again.​

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"I have coffee for you if you put some pants on and get out of bed."​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The blonde growled and threw the covers off, glaring up at him. She was really not a morning person...

"Fine!" she snapped, "pants."

Just pants. He didn't say she'd have to actually get dressed. She rolled out of bed, ran a hand through her hair as she yawned, then proceeded to put on some pants, just as he told her to.

"There. Pants. Out of bed. Just as you wanted. Now, get me some coffee."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane smirked at the fact that she'd taken him literally. The fact that Rawnie was mostly naked in front of him didn't really make him react much. She'd been sleeping, and that was how she slept. Whatever. It didn't register in his brain completely.​

​

"Okay, then, Icy... You wanna actually follow me into the kitchen, or is this the part where I pick you up and drop you in front of the coffee machine?"​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

In answer, the Mando opened her arms to him.

"If you want to carry me around, you will be getting no complaints from me."

Yes. Mornings were tough for her. Especially after last night. She'd contacted her brother and had a nice long argument that went well into the wee hours of morning. Good times, sibling rivalries.

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane walked over and somewhat awkwardly picked Rawnie up, holding her more like a blanket he'd just folded than a girl. He smirked as he walked into the kitchen and gently sat her down on the counter.​

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"That gave a somewhat better meaning to 'picking up chicks'. You want sugar in your coffee?"​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

He was so awkward in the way he held her. Like he was afraid of actually touching her. She gave him a "look" when he set her down. Disappointment. She rather enjoyed making him squirm. Too bad.

"Sugar, yeah. Thanks."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Rawnie had a weird expression on her face as Lorane looked at her. He put her cup of coffee on the counter, and then hopped up to sit next to her, with a small look of confusion. Not exactly a normal expression on his face, either.​

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"So... Did I manage to screw up something in the last ten minutes, or was I supposed to ask you about the shouting match you had with my Holonet transceiver last night?"​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

She was about to take a sip of her coffee when he asked that question.

"Don't."
Her warning was clear. She didn't want to discuss it. Still, she did look guilty. He wasn't supposed to have heard it. She thought she'd been quiet, but she supposed her emotions did sometimes get the better of her. She could recall a few times that her pitch increased to a screech. Not very attractive.

"Sorry if I woke you last night."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

The doctor shrugged as he reached up to ruffle Rawnie's already-tousled hair. "No" was probably code for either Corrin or Zandra, and he wasn't sure he wanted to get involved with either one's problems.​

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"You didn't wake me up. I was sitting in my office trying to put something together. I played a drinking game against myself and lost."​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

She made a face when he tousled her hair. She hated that, but at the same time, she never said anything in complaint about it.

"I... see. Well, sorry for being loud anyway."

She'd have to be more careful next time. No need to drag him into her stupid family drama. What little was left of her family, that is.

"You feeling alright? You probably got less sleep than me."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane smiled crookedly at the face Rawnie made, and then it grew a little wider at her question.​

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"Imagine working eighteen hours a day, and then filling up four more hours with messing around with pieces of machinery and guns. That was med school for me. This feels almost... nostalgic."​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

She took a long sip of her coffee, amazed at how different it tasted with sugar added. The flavor of plain coffee wasn't great, but Rawnie still enjoyed it for the exotic aroma. Now with sugar, she could enjoy it for the taste as well.

"I couldn't do it," she admitted, "I enjoy my sleep too much. So, what? You crashed at your desk? Can't be good for you back."

And here she was, taking his bed from him...

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane waved off Rawnie's concern as he took a long drink of his coffee.​

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"It's not that bad. Plenty of healthy ways to sleep sitting at a desk. 'Sides, I've always been a bit of an insomniac."​

​

He did the teasing smile that was almost always a good way to annoy the blonde girl.​

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"And unless you want me sleeping in the bed with you, it's okay. I'm not gonna kick you out of the bed."​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

She really wanted to hate that smile. She really did. But something about it just made her smile back.

"It wouldn't be the first time I shared a bed with a guy," she shrugged, "Besides, if it makes you uncomfortable, I sleep better on the floor anyway, to tell you the truth."

She could play back, give him a punch to the shoulder, tease him. But she didn't. She just sat there next to him on the counter, sipping her coffee.

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane raised an eyebrow as he downed the rest of his coffee and put the cup to the side.​

​

"I might be awkward around you, sometimes, but I'm not uncomfortable. I've just never lived around other people for long periods of time. Especially friendly people."​

​

He put a hand on Rawnie's shoulder, trying to figure out how to nonchalantly hint that he liked her. There wasn't really a nonchalant way for him, though. He was pretty blunt.​

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"In case you're wondering, I do like you, by the way. I'm just horrible at talking to other people."​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The blonde could be a little... dense when it came to understanding people socially. She really didn't talk to many people. Not unless she absolutely had to. And here she was, having full conversations with someone. On a regular basis. This was weird. His hand on her shoulder made her almost jump out of her skin. He was looking at her now. Why?

Oh.
She blinked, set her nearly finished cup aside as well.

"Well, that's no secret!" she blurted out, "Of course you like me. We wouldn't be friends if you didn't like me."

...Okay, so maybe she hadn't quite gotten the hint.

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lorane sighed and gently banged his head against a wall. His voice came out almost inaudible.​

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"Rawnie, I'd kiss you if I didn't think it'd make this awkward."​

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He reached over and poured himself another cup of coffee, feeling like a total idiot.​

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[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The blonde was glad she hadn't been drinking anything when he said that, because she would have spit hot coffee everywhere.

"me'ven?!"

Her voice went a pitch higher than she'd anticipated, but the surprise caught her like a slap to the face. Was this a joke? If it was, she'd knock his sense of humor right out of him!

"Say that again. I think I misheard you."

What in this sad, lonely Galaxy could make him... actually like her? Okay, so she liked him. That was one thing. But someone actually liking her? Like, real her? That was something new.

[member="Doctor Azure"]