Star Trek: Starbase 777 - ┃lounge-right

Upon a stone-tiled floor there was a bonfire in a square brick raised firepit surrounded by comfy armchairs, and a stall giving away free hot chocolate, tea and coffee, as well as the ingredients to make smores.

He walked up to the bonfire and took the liberty of starting to make himself a smore, standing next to the warm fire, appreciating the beautiful surroundings.

They stayed closer to the walls, grabbing the fresh cup of coffee and adding half-and-half and some sugar to it to their liking. Cottonball jumped out of Grivix's arms and started to crawl onto their shoulder.

He noticed someone holding a chicken...wait a chicken? Curious, he took his smore and made his way over to Grivix, head tilted to the side in curiousity, his face a picture of excitement. "Is that an Earth chicken?"

First thing they saw was a suddenly large shadow approaching to their location. Grivix slightly grimanced before slowly turning around. Holy shit. They had expected people normally being taller than them, but this crewman was... TALL. Cottonball didn't seem to react too much, except staring at St'eve through one of her eyes. "Uhm... Yes it's a Terran chicken..."

He cooed, leaning down slightly to get a good look at Cottonball, and reaching out a hand, before pulling it back slightly, looking up at Grivix in a silent question of 'may I pet?'

[D] Though Grivix was extremely hesitant at first (due to being intimidated), they eventually found themself having a nice chat with St'eve. Cottonball seemed to enjoy the time too, of course she enjoyed having free pets. They stayed by the fire for a while too before departing. Maybe this was a new friend perhaps?

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T'she had found a seat by the fire, and some Vulcanoid safe hot chocolate (as sadly, their mulled wine was a thing of the past), and seemed to be much more comfortable with the heat of the fire on their skin. A small smile graced their face, steady, muted, and they took a sip of the warm drink in their hands.

Five's attention shifted cautiously across the room. The room was warm, and it was much more comfortable than being cold. Wasn't too crowded, either. They sat in another chair, happy to have the coffee to keep their hands warm as well.

It seemed that again, T'she was to be joined by someone else. They found that they were not alone, and that they did not necessarily mind it that much. even if they were quite solitary usually. In the end, they looked over at the person sat near them, and decided to actually greet them. "Hello." Their voice was quiet, only slightly louder than the noise of the room around them.

They raised their head as they were addressed, allowing the other their attention, albeit somewhat reluctantly. "...Hello," they greeted somewhat awkwardly in turn. They both were quiet. Well...they didn't want to be rude. "...Are you enjoying the ball?" ...that's one way to start a conversation.

T'she seemed to think rather intently on their answer, whether they were enjoying the ball in the first place. After all, things like enjoyment were quite subjective -- not to mention illogical -- so in the end, they settled on something rather noncommittal. "I have not regretted my choice to come to this event. I have not seen you before, however, so it is a pleasure to meet you.'

Fives tipped their head in curiosity as they looked over at the other person. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, I guess." ...They broke their stream of thought with a swig of coffee. "It's loud. The ball. I didn't expect it to be, for some reason. I guess that's my mistake. Wishful thinking." Now they felt as if they were rambling out loud...how annoying.

"It is rather loud... I do not know whether I can handle it. It is... a failure... on my part. I should be more resilient. But yet... loud events have always caused me struggle." The nurse sighed before they shook their head, taking a quick drink of their hot chocolate, staring down into the dark liquid before they spoke again. "I never introduced myself. I apologise. I am T'she Tamura."

Fives hummed in acknowledgement, turning their attention to their own mug. They found eye contact difficult, especially when engaging in such stiff conversation. "Five of Eight," they answered, sinking down a little bit in their seat. In a weird way, the similarities that were making themselves apparent were almost comforting. They didn't feel the need to smile or make themself seem approachable. "It's not your fault. It's whatever officer decided it'd be a great idea to have a party going for...however many days straight. Genius plan," they muttered sarcastically. "I'm not a fan of the loud noise either."

Eye contact had always been hard for them as well. They always preferred to keep their eyes on their work, or failing that, keep their eyes on their hands. Really, they liked to keep themself small, which could be hard, given their height. "I suppose it makes sense, that there would be an event at this time of year... I wish it was quieter... however... that would make it more palatable." They closed their eyes and relaxed -- or at least attempted to relax -- in the chair where they sat.

"More palatable," he echoed. "Yeah. That's one way to describe it. What's this even for, anyway? Holiday spirit? Morale?" Events like this seemed so pointless to them. Maybe it was because of their disconnection to the crew in general, their lack of motivation to go out and seek events such as this. To mingle and make friends...and whatever the fuck. "I think I'm just here for the coffee before my next shift." ..they made a face. "I don't even really like coffee."

"I think it is a celebration of the season. Which... is logical. After all, the turning of the year is celebrated in many cultures. Besides. There have been many studies which proclaim the benefits of breaks and parties such as this... something about 'resetting the mind'." T'she rambled out loud for a while. In fact, some of the reasons that they spouted were the very reasons why they attended. They believed that they needed a small break. "Would you prefer hot chocolate? It is... sweet. And well... not tea... but it is... quite good."

"I can't do sweets. Besides, the caffeine wakes me up," they muttered into their mug. "So it's worth enduring the bitter taste. Are there really studies that show that? I suppose it makes sense. Means some time off from work, so I'm not complaining too much, I guess." Fives shrugged. "That's why you're here, I assume? Break to 'reset your mind'?"

T'she nodded, after all, they needed a break. They needed some rest from the constant worst that could be thrown at them. After all, many times, people only came to the medical bay when they were feeling their worst. "I... needed a break. And... I needed to wear a kimono at something with more positive connotations." The second reason was much more personal, but to T'she, it made sense.

His expression, or at least his gaze, seemed to soften. "I see." He didn't want to pry into this person's personal life. Who was he to do so, after all? It would be rude. "What do you work in, if you don't mind my asking?" Great, be the guy to bring up work at a holiday party. Way to go, Fives, they thought somewhat indignantly.

"I am a nurse on Starbase 777. I have served Starfleet for 10 years. What about yourself?" T'she did not mind talking about work. After all, they took pride in what they did. They took pride in their position, and they took pride in their ability to help people. They glanced over at Five for a moment, and waited patiently for an answer. They were actually making small talk! Or at least... they were trying to.

They nodded, leaning back. They felt bad for considering wasting their coffee, but they were almost finished with it, so they'd just have to hope it wouldn't get cold. "Operations. Served for...13 years...? I'm not with Starfleet, though." Their perception of time had always been somewhat skewed. Maybe it was because there was no real way to indicate time passing here besides stardates, and they never bothered to care. "I just got transferred recently, 's probably why you haven't seen me."

T'she nodded, listening intently. They could understand the reasoning behind the disconnect with time. After all, they themself did not know when one day ended and another began. Time all seemed to flow together like thick syrup -- there was no differentiation, it was nothing like the life of their youth, the rising and setting of the sun. "I transferred recently as well, if I am being honest. I... believe I have been on base for at most... 2 months? Medical keeps me busy more often than not..."

"Two months is longer than I have been here, at least." Fives shrugged it off, resting their chin in the palm of their hand. She was starting to get tired. She resisted the urge to press further about work, instead thought for a second. What else was there even to talk about around here? "..I wish I'd remembered we had to dress up for this. I don't have anything presentable besides dress uniform.."

"That is fair. This is one of the few formal kimono that still fit me. If I did not have this I would be wearing my dress uniform as well." Of course, there was much more to it than that, at least, from T'she's point of view. They had been preparing since the ball was announced, they had ordered the hair accessory specifically for the event, they had even tested their lipstick to make sure it was still in date. Really, they did not know why they were spending so much time and energy on this, but they had been. "Is there anything specific that you enjoy doing? When you are off shift I mean. I apologise if the question is too personal. I struggle with 'small talk'"

"No, I get it. I have a hard time with it too. I'm glad one of us acknowledged that much.." Fives quite literally waved it off, finishing their coffee and setting the mug aside. Outside of their shift.. what? They slept, mostly. Stayed decently active to keep themself in shape. But they couldn't think of anything they enjoyed doing. Everything seemed to just be sucked into the ever-present void that lived inside of her, draining her of memory, feeling, everything that could make her whole. Her expression faltered momentarily, and she averted her gaze. "I suppose I haven't found anything that's stuck, even after all my time. What about you?"

T'she watched their conversation partner closely, rather concerned by the way that they seemed to be acting, their own face softened -- at least, as much as they were able to manage, and they nodded quite solemnly. "I drink tea. Perhaps that is it. I do not have much time to myself, but I quite enjoy tea." They smiled gently before they made a simple offer. "If you would like some tea, I would be happy to give you some at some point."

Fives raised their attention to T'she once their mask was back up, feeling the metaphorical hole in their chest lessen. In a way, it was almost comforting. 'I don't do much, but this is enough'. And the small things they had to themself were enough. "That sounds really nice," they said, the creases of their eye suggesting a faint smile of their own. "I think I'd like that."

T'she nodded once more, rather excited-- at least as much as they usually were -- about the concept of sharing tea with someone else. It was something that they rarely got to do after all. They did not often talk to others. To them, Tea was a very important thing, almost ritualistic in its own strange way. They made tea for themself every night after their shift, they made tea for themself every morning when they woke up. "Send me a message... when you feel like you need some tea. And... tell me if you have any preferences. I do ask that if you like sugar, that you bring your own, as I will not risk ingesting any."

His smile seemed to widen in the slightest, before he cleared his throat and returned to his neutral front. Truth be told, he was nervous. He didn't spend time with other people often. He was worried he wouldn't do something right, or would say something rude or inappropriate. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe— "Okay," he said. "I'll do that. I don't drink it much, so...if you have any suggestions, I can try them when I have some time for myself."

"Green tea is always a good place to start. I know a blend that tastes just slightly of caramel. The possibilities are endless when it comes to green tea... though I have a particular love of matcha and that is... somewhat hard to prepare." T'she explained, voice even, even if they were rambling on and on about tea of all things. They just hoped that their conversation partner -- someone who might even be a new friend -- did not mind their own eccentricities too much. With a quick motion, they raised their cup of hot chocolate to their lips, only to find that there was nothing there. And so, with a sigh, they got ready to leave the lounge and find something else to drink. "I apologise. But I must take my leave now. It was a pleasure meeting you." They bowed their head slightly before they got up and left the lounge.

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Walking to the lounge, having been drawn by a plesant looking fire, he grabbed an inviting looking mug of hot coco, before looking around and quickly pouring some Romulan ale from a flask in his purse in, stashing it back in as soon as it was empty, before holding the mug up to his nose and taking a long sip, enjoying the warmth.

Mishkanaa walked towards the lounge as well, grabbing the sweetest, whipped cream colored mug of hot chocolate that she could find. After all, she needed to enjoy the spirit of the season! And that meant hot chocolate! "Nokkul!!! I thought I saw you earlier! So I followed you here... wait that seems a little weird... let me try again." Mish scrunched her nose up for a moment before she spoke again. "Hello! It's good to see you!"

He whipped his head around as soon as he heard Mishkanaa's voice, eyes going wide and bouncing on his heels before running up to Mish. "MISH OH MY GOD YOU LOOK STUNNING! I MISSED YOUR FACE FRIEND!" He said like an excited puppy, grinning from ear to ear. It had not been long since they last hung out but he missed his bestie. He laughed at her comment, eyes squinting in mirthful humor. "I would have absolutely done the same thing if the situation was reversed! How are you doing bestie?!"

Mishkanaa absolutely beamed, even if she did not yell back, she looked absolutely overjoyed to see one of her best friends. "I'm glad you like the outfit! It took forever to decide what to wear!! I love your makeup though! It looks so nice!" She was speaking fast and holding her cup of cocoa, looking up at her friend with eyes bright and full of happiness.

"You like it? I've been trying to learn some makeup skills, this.." He said gesturing to his face. "...Was try four..." He looked her in the eye for a beat before laughing. "The previous three made me look like a clown! So have you been living into the festivities?" He said, before taking a sip of his coco and wincing slightly...that ale was strong.

"You should have told me that you were trying to do makeup! I could have helped!! I specialise in what they call 'e girl' makeup, which kind of fits with the whole aesthetic I've got going on! But I'm enjoying myself! This cocoa is absolutely sublime I have to say. What about you? Are you having fun?" Mishkanaa finished speaking as she tilted her head slightly to the side, some of her hair falling in front of her face before she moved it back behind her ear.

"Oh my gosh yes! I met this really really hot Reman earlier, I met Snek's Uncle, and then needed a break so I headed back to Rapture to workout. This has been fun, but I think I'll be glad when we get back underway to be honest. What about you?" He said, taking a long sip of his coco.

"I've been kind of lost really. I feel almost like I've wasted my time, but at the same time I've been just watching everyone else and drinking my cocoa, it's been really fun I have to say!" Mish explained. She had stuck to the edges of the ball for most of it, as she felt just a little self conscious about one thing or another, but in the end, she knew that she had enjoyed herself to the fullest.

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"Awh, I'm sorry you felt lost, but I'm glad you had some fun! A little bit same here too though, I feel out of my depth here...I like how uh tight knit it is on the ship." He said, missing the familiar environment and friendly faces of Rapture, he was very glad he was ending his time here with his friend though.

The helmsman nodded before she took another sip of her cocoa. "It's a lot different... being on a base that you don't know. Like... you grow up on one, you spend all your time there, and there might be so so many people but you know so many of them, but then you go on another base and you just feel so small... at least. That's what it feels like to me. Ah! I don't think I ever mentioned! I grew up on a star base not unlike this one here!"

"Oh, thats awesome! This must be at least a little familiar then! I can see that though." He said, finishing his cocoa. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think I am ready to go back, least of all to get out of this outfit!" He said with a chuckle.

"I think I'm about ready to leave as well, these heels are killing me I do have to say. Though it was nice being tall!" She finished up her own cocoa and laughed when she noticed that there was some whipped cream on her nose. Of course, it was wiped away soon after, and soon enough, she was looking to the door, ready to leave. "Shall we leave together then?"

"If you ever want to feel tall, all you have to do is ask! I love giving piggyback rides!" He said with a laugh, watching her wipe away the whipped cream, before crouching down, offering her a ride. "This way you won't have to walk in those heels all the way back to the ship!"

She thought a moment before she decided to take him up on his offer. It was harmless, and her feet really were hurting after all the standing that she had been doing. And so, she got on, resting her head against his shoulder and trying her hardest not to fall asleep. "Thank you so much for this!"

He grinned widely, loving that his friend trusted him enough to carry her. "No problem! Hold on!" He said as he walked to the door...what a sight they must be, one might think it was some Orion ritual, but really it was just the two friends being dorky green beans.

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