warm me up [ open ] and breathe me

[jimeeena]

[ Ena looked at the PADDs scattered across the small table in the library. Commander Harness had given Ena some of her theories and Jimena 'd yoinked some of the notes Deven had been working on as well. Half of the things here she could only just begin to understand and yet there was one thing that all these theories and equations had in common...

Comments

[10_forward]

[It wasn't all that hard to find her, once he figured out that his notes were missing. He didn't really see how they could be helpful at all since they were only half-completed, but after the last week of forced vacations, he figured she just needed something to work on.

Which of course brought her- and therefore him- to the library.

He did seem, though, to have this impeccable timing... He stepped inside just in time to hear her soft, troubled voice making its way through the quiet in the room- "Oh god..."

It was a pretty god bet what she had realized at that point.]

Are you okay, love?

[jimeeena]

[ She whirls around at the sound of his voice and just stares at him for a moment. Her pulse is thundering in her ears and there's a slight burning sensation behind her eyes that she hates. She swallows and bites her lip, taking in a shaky breath. ]

Dev...

[ His name is just a whisper on her lips and she looks at him a bit helplessly, wrapping her arms around her middle. ]

I--... I don't know what I'm doing anymore.

[10_forward]

[It was obvious she was hurting- a blind person could have seen it. He came up behind her and slid his arms around her shoulders, leaning into her comfortingly.]

What were you doing before?

[jimeeena]

[ Ena clutches at Deven's arms and leans back into his embrace, closing her eyes as thoughts turn over and over again in her head. ]

Trying to get home. But I'm not sure I want to leave.

[aeruginous]

[ it would be nice to find something to read without a stupid little note from julian on it. gaila was searching for her sanity in the library and came upon her friend. it was immediately apparent something was wrong, so she approached slowly, putting holoprogram guides out of her mind. ]

Jim?

[jimeeena]

[ Ena looks up at Gaila, a bit shocked. She didn't think anyone was in here. But then she gives her a tremulous smile, trying to hide the fact that she was more than a little shaken up. ]

Hey.

[aeruginous]

What are you working on?

[ she picked up a padd, hoping to ease into some light conversation, but it didn't take long for her to realise that wasn't such a good idea. ]

... Oh.

[jimeeena]

Yeah...

[ She looks down and to the side, sitting down heavily. ]

[canyonsiniowa]

[ Great minds think alike, apparently, beyond the sex boundary. He sank down in front of her with his own PADD. He didn't say anything but look rather. He felt he didn't need to say anything. They were the same person. She'd know. ]

[jimeeena]

[ She looks up at Jim as she white knuckles the PADD she's holding on to. She's not sure what she should say, part of her just wanting to scream at the unfairness of it all and rant to the man she considered a brother while the other part of her, the part that saw him as a fellow captain more than the family they'd become, almost couldn't say what was on her mind. She had her duties and so did he.

She looks down and sighs before slumping into a chair. ]

How do you deal with it? Knowing you're going to leave almost everyone behind?

[canyonsiniowa]

I treat it like I treat life period. You're going to have to say good-bye to everyone eventually. Enjoy friendships while you can.

[jimeeena]

... And the people that are more than friends?

[only_a_gul]

I did not expect to see you in here, Captain...

[He emerged from behind a stack, a text tucked under his arm.]

[jimeeena]

[ She freezes momentarily and takes a deep breath before turning to face Dukat. She does the Kirk eyebrow at him as she shoves away the realizations she just had. The tumult of emotions isn't completely gone though as she throws a half-assed retort at him. ]

I never thought I'd see you of all people in a library. I was wondering if you could even read.

[only_a_gul]

Well enough to use a drinks replicator.

[Was his riposte. He smirked and moved closer to her table.]

May I?

[He didn't wait for her response, and sat down anyway.]

Don't tell anyone, but I find reading a relaxing past-time. Especially the histories. "The History of the Roman Empire"

[He showed her the title.]

I thought it might be interesting to learn more about Earth's spotty past. I'm told the Crusades are extremely enlightening.

[jimeeena]

[ She looks down at him with a frown. ]

The Crusades were extremely bloody is more like it. And I didn't say you could sit at my table.

[ She lets out a huff and clenches her jaw as she starts to gather up her PADDs. ]

You know what? Forget it. I'll move.