Old meets new

Posted on 25 Nov 2020 @ 12:17pm by Civilian Eddie Reynolds

Mission: R&R - after facing the Planet Killer
Location: Starbase 308
Timeline: R&R after the good times roll
2377 words - 4.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

"So Eddie these mates of yours. They are older?" Bok asked as they stood waiting.

"A couple are. I met them in one of the arcades," the blond answered looking at the door impatiently.

"Do you think Tia is actually going to show?" the Bolian asked.

"Well I invited her. True said she's being all boring and staying put in her quarters. I mean what do you want me to do, go over there and drag her here?" he asked.

"Tia would kick your butt," Bok laughed.

Eddie raised an eyebrow. He hoped he didn't have to find that out. She had another 5 minutes he decided.

Tia peeked shyly around the corner of the corridor to view Eddie and his friends for a moment first before she moved forward. One of them saw her though, so there was no use hiding. "Hi," she said to them as she approached. Her reddish brown hair was braided down her back and she had on comfortable shoes and a simple one piece outfit with a draped sweater over the top.

"Hey," Eddie said. She looked different. Like she was protecting herself. Dressing safe and conservative.

"Hi Tia," Bok smiled at her. "Great stuff you made it.

Shall we then? Ive got a ton of lat I've been saving up from my allowance. Lets go spend some."

Eddie cast him a look and then looked down as her measly small handful of lat. He pocketed a couple of pieces to save for later.

"So I lived here for a few months you know while dad and mum ... erm divorced and dad was awaiting his new command. So I know all the good spots," he said confidently. Bok might have more to spend but he had more experience.

"First stop Ruddi's. Oh by the goddesses you have never tasted a milkshake like theres," he said happily leading them into the promonade. "And so many flavours.

What's with you anyway? Tia why you been hiding," he said suddenly.

She glanced at Eddie. "You didn't tell them?" She didn't quite know what to say. "We uh, had an argument. And I just thought it would be better for both of us to figure things out on our own for a bit." She shrugged and followed after the rest of them.

"When did we have an argument?" Eddie stopped walking and turned round confused.

"The last time we saw each other we went to see a film. I don't remember any argument."

"You two are hilarious," the Bolian rolled his eyes. "Eddie that the place," he indicated a diner with neon lighting and old fashioned signs. There was 3 people waving.

"No, before that. You know, the argument," she wiggled her eyes at him. "In our secret spot?" Surely he was not this thick.

"Oh your calling "that" an argument," Eddie said in disbelief.

"Secret spot?" Bok asked very curious now. "You two have a secret spot. What happens in ... this secret spot?"

Ignoring Bok she turned to him again. "Well, I was trying to be nice. Letting them know I shot you on purpose isn't exactly great for your image. And don't guys care about that?"

"You shot Eddie?" There blue friend said his mouth opening in a huge O.

"It's a long story," she sighed. "I thought I was protecting him from a mad woman that I thought might try to kidnap both of us."

"You didn't need to protect me from anything," Eddie said annoyed. "She had more of a hostage with me and if you had just run when I told you too the whole shooting me thing would never have needed to happen."

"I know she would have which is why I thought she shouldn't take you, " Tia answered getting upset again.

The blue teens head bobbed back from the direction of Tia to Eddie and Tia and back to Eddie again. Then the blond just glared, decided he was likely getting nowhere and turned around stomping into the diner.

"I'm getting a milkshake," he stated.

Bok laughed and nudged Tia before following him in. "So you guys, you really do fancy each other. Secret spots, protecting each other, silly arguments ... your so cute."

"Maybe I shouldn't have come. He doesn't understand at all. Boys!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Bok said simply. "Just come and get a milkshake and calm down. He winds you up, you wind him up. Its only because you like each other."

"Eddie,"

"My man your back ..."

"Hey Kev, Jazon ...

"And me," a taller girl twirled him round and grinned before planting a big kiss on his mouth.

"Oh crap .." Bok muttered.

Tia's eyes not only went wide, her pupils narrowed to tiny pricks as she stared at what had just happened. She knew Eddie was embarrassed about what had happened but she'd not let herself believe that things between them were completely over. She knew they were far too young to think about a lot of relationship stuff, but she'd bonded to him and had believed that in time things between them would grow. For the first time real doubt clouded her vision. She had been really stupid to come along on this trip.

Eddie was caught between a very familiar person in front of him rather happy to see him and suddenly the familiar presence of Tia really not happy. He lurched back feeling like he had just been punched in the gut.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me?" the other girl asked.

"Yes but .... things are a bit dif ... owww," he said hand rubbing his stomach.

"Eddie why don't you introduce us," Bok stepped in.

"Right .. right, Holly, Kev, Jazon this is Bok and Tia. Boks a friend from the ship and Tia ... Tia is ... well its compli"

"His future wife," Bok finished.

Tia's mouth fell open at this exclamation but she decided it would take too much time to explain and it wasn't the other girl's business anyway. "Hello," she said softly, wondering if she could slip out still.

Holly looked at Eddie incredulously and walked forward looking her over. "Hello," she said.

"Bok," the Bolian said holding his hand out and shaking hers. "May I say its a pleasure. Shall we all get a booth? Eddie, why don't you and Tia get some drinks. It will give you time to finish talking about what you were talking about before we got here. I can keep Holly and her friends company."

Bok figured it gave them a chance to sort out what ever domestic was happening.

Tia risked a glance at Eddie who she figured was probably pretty embarrassed about all this. "You don't have to get me anything but I can help you carry them," Tia said following along after Eddie. "Old friends of yours I take it? From before Andromeda?"

"Yes old friends. And Holly is the ... well the girl I told you about kissed me. Before I left last time.

And your getting a milkshake and staying put," He said firmly. "True said you needed to get out and about. So stop being so grumpy and enjoy yourself.

Oh and Id appreciate it if you would stop spilling everything to Bok too," he said simply.

Tia frowned, she wasn't going to be ordered around by him. "So you only invited me to please True? And I thought you'd embarrassed by what happened so I called it an argument. You're the one who wouldn't play along. I don't like lying. "

"Why do you assume that by me saying True said you needed to get out and about that I only invited you to please True and didn't have the same concerns?" Eddie said insulted.

"And you really didn't need to say anything about that at all under the guise of argument or other. Why did you assume I would go running around and tell everyone that you shot me in the first place.

You say you did it to protect me, ok I'm a little upset about things but why would I go around making you look bad for protecting me?"

He really didn't get woman at all.

She thought about arguing with him again but she felt like it would just go around and around so she stopped and asked one simple question which she thought might help her to look beyond everything that had happened so far. "Alright, I'll apologize for everything, i just need to know one thing. Do you like me? I mean, as more than a friend?"

"Tia," Eddie said quietly. "I once told you I was going to ask you out and that all the guys like you. If I didn't like you .... you know more than a friend .... I wouldn't have told you that. I was testing the water to you know .... ask you out.

But you basically friend zoned me so I am trying to do just the friend thing in respect to what you wanted. Yet you just got really upset not to mention jealous, when Hol just kissed me. So I'm confused as hell."

Eddie turned to the counter hearing a cough. He had turned beet red anyway and needed to look away right now. This was a very awkward conversation.

"It don't get any easier my dears whatever your age believe me," an amused waitress said sagely. "Anyway what will it be?"

"One .. two ... ermm," he forced himself to turn back to Tia. "Are you staying and having a milkshake?"

"Umm, yes. Strawberry please." This was not the place to continue the conversation. But at least now she knew why he was so confused. Being a friend didn't make him someone she wasn't interested in dating, she would explain that to him. She just wanted to take it slow. But if he was going to run around kissing other girls then she supposed that she needed to say they were dating so he couldn't.

"Two chocolate and one strawberry milkshakes please," he asked the waitress sliding over some Latium.

"Come on they are not that bad. Try and have some fun," He said sensing her unease.

The waitress slide over the drinks and Eddie picked up his and Boks leaving her to carry her own.

"If it helps," the Waitress lowered her voice to her, "That other girl. She's kissed a fair few boys in here. I wouldn't get upset sweetheart. And hes not bought her a drink has he?" she winked at her.

That was true, but she frowned at the woman and left. It wasn't any of her business. "Thanks for the milkshake. I had intended to pay for it myself. " she said when she caught up to Eddie.

Eddie just felt like everything he did was always going to be wrong in her book. "Why not just buy the next round?" he tried to suggest diplomatically.

"No," Tia responded. "I sincerely meant thank you. That was really nice, especially after the way I've behaved. I'm sorry. I guess I've been a bit jealous. "

Eddie stopped and looked at her. Part of him was happy. First of all he was bang on with the identifying the emotion. That meant he was getting better at all this empath stuff.

Also ... He liked her. If she was jealous. That meant she liked him. Well at least on some level. Was it just because of this link or because they were friends. Or was there something more here?

Part of him was not sure how he was supposed to handle the admission though and he could hear his dad in his head .. not literally for a change but still he was saying, "Be a gentleman. Always be a gentleman."

"Dad says that people have base emotions. Ones they can't help sometimes. That your supposed to ignore a lot of peoples emotions. Its rude to pry. But I'm involved here. I caused that reaction so I need some clarity," he told her. "Do you like me? As in more than a friend?"

Tia nodded. "Yes," she said softly looking him right in the eyes. "We should probably get back to the others before these melt though." And without another word she walked off, wondering what Eddie was thinking.

"No no wait Tia," Eddie said a smile running up his face. "What does that ... I mean ..." he looked unsure ... "Okay so where does that leave things? Are you my girlfriend now?" he asked.

"I . . ." she started to say, but that smile was something she'd rarely seen on Eddie's face, especially lately. "Yes, if you want. But you have to promise me something. This is all really confusing for me, this bond, these feelings. I just want to get to know you and take things slow. Can you be patient with me?"

"Its not if I want. Its if you want that," Eddie said. "And I know its confusing. Unfortunately I feel other peoples emotions. And I'm confused with this bond too. But I'm going on I .. well I liked you before this bond thing happened. So I figure my ... Liking of you is not down to the bond," he said. "I mean is real. Not a ... by product of that bond. But yeah okay slow .."

"Yeah, I don't think the bond can make you like someone. It just connects two people." She didn't offer up anymore of an explanation. "Anyway," Tia whispered. "Everyone is staring at us."

"So let them," Eddie shrugged. "Your more important to me than the opinions of the rest of them. I'd rather sort things out now when we are talking to each other. And its none of their business is it?"

"No." Tia answered. Honestly she didn't really have anything else to say on the matter, unless he did. She ignored the looks they were getting. "So . . .?"

"So lets go have a milkshake and when we get some time just you and me and your ready we can go on a proper date," he suggested smiling.

"Okay," Tia answered him, sipping her milkshake. The thought of a date simultaneously terrified and excited her. Then again, they'd already spent time alone and would it really be any different anyway? She shrugged and followed after him, happy that things had come to a mend in her eyes.

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