Aberrant: Stargate Universe - By The Way... [Mature] {FIN}

[The Red Man]

This takes place one week after Mr Specialist Goes To Washington. Real-life concert dates have been fudged to protect continuity.

"Alright, troops. Better time today, and you all remembered not to eat beforehand this time." Sgt Declan Perault grinned as he addressed the groaning, sweating Airmen as they finished cooling down and gratefully leaned, sat, or in some cases collapsed onto the floor. He'd volunteered to help some new arrivals to Cheyenne Mountain get fit and acclimatised to the high-altitude post. This particular platoon had been here and briefed-in on the SG project a week now, and had already learned why 'Specialists' got to have that capitalised 'S' that was somehow audible when spoken. Perault wasn't even breathing hard after the 20 klick run, and was barely sweating. And his eyes... well, they were damn grateful he wore Raybans most of the time. Mirrored shades were easier to deal with than the coldly-sparkling quicksilver irises that stripped away a man's humanity and reduced him to a corpse that didn't know it yet. There was something definitely scary about the Sergeant, even though he wasn't a screamer, didn't hardly raise his voice, and didn't so much as look harshly at them. Hell, he seemed downright friendly, but still... They couldn't help but be relieved when he left them to go shower and breakfast.

Dec didn't care about the muttering his sharp ears heard break out behind him as he walked down the corridor. He wasn't too bothered by the fear-stink anymore either. It was an instinctive reaction from humans to him, he knew, as much a part of his changes as his strength and speed. He tucked his Raybans into a pocket: he wore them for practical reasons now, such as when he needed the regular troops to be paying attention to his words rather than freaking out. But when walking around the base, when eating or just chilling out, Dec wasn't trying to hide his nature anymore.

A quick check of his room showed that Kyria had lingered awhile after he'd gotten up, then headed off somewhere. He quickly showered and changed into jeans and a t-shirt, then set about tracking her down, following her scent through the corridors and halls of the base with the unerring precision of a bloodhound. He found her in the pool, idly swimming laps underwater like a slender red-headed dolphin. Dec squatted by the edge of the water and dangled a hand in, splashing loudly a few times to get her attention.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria turned at the feel of the ripples in the water, swimming up to the side of the pool where he was before surfacing. She propped her head on her arms on the side of the pool, feet still kicking lazily beneath her. "Hey you. Done with torturing the new personnel already?"

She effortlessly pulled herself out of the water and turned to sit next to him, the water sluicing off the strange material she wore. She began wringing her hair out over the pool as the eufiber crawled across her skin to go from a bathing suit into a comfortable t-shirt and jeans, complete with shoes and a necklace with the Stargate Earth point-of-origin symbol as a pendant.

[The Red Man]

"Hey!" Dec mock-protested with a smile. "They're the ones that signed up for this. Not my fault that the Air Scouts'll take anyone." He looked at Kyria's profile as she wrung out her hair, admiring the lines of her features.

"So... I got me some leave. Two days leave, to be precise." He said with deceptive offhandedness. "Was thinking we could get the hell outta here and go do something fun, and leave savin' the universe to the others for 48 hours." He grinned at her.

[z028 Riley]

She grinned back at him, still getting the last of the chlorinated liquid out of her hair. She'd grown it a bit longer lately, and it had gone from the strawberry blond it was when she first arrive into a deep almost blood red. Her eyes twinkled as she glanced at him.

"Would this two days of leave happen to involve Thai food? And you do know the mess we're going to come home to, right?" The lilt of her voice was amused and teasing, and with her hair finally dry enough she flipped it back over a shoulder and leaned up against him.

[The Red Man]

"Well, sortin' out the mess will stop you from gettin' bored." Dec deadpannned. "In fact, I think the top brass arrange the messes just to stop us all wanderin' off." He nudged the flame-haired beauty gently as she leaned on him, his teeth flashing in another grin.

"Thai food is on the menu. As is sunshine and song. I've gotten us seats on a trash-hauler flyin' out to the West Coast. Destination's Mountain View, California." Dec patted a pocket on his jeans. "Wheels-up in a couple of hours, and I've already got your leave cleared as well."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria grinned up at him, then snaked herself around to lean up and kiss him. She stood up, tugging him with her and lacing her fingers through his.

"Well, we better go get you packed, then. What's in Mountain View, California? I mean, other than apparently a mountain? Do they have really good Thai food?"

[The Red Man]

"Well according to the 'net, there's a ton of restaurants there. Includin' one that looked good just down the street from the hotel we'll be at." Dec explained as they walked to his quarters. Once there, the sergeant grabbed a duffel bag from under his bed and started to stow clothes in it with practiced efficiency.

"As to what's in Mountain View, well, it has a great view of the Santa Cruz mountains, and is the home of Google. But..." Dec paused for a second, wandering into the bathroom and grabbing his wash kit. "... but what we're going for is the Shoreline Amphitheatre." He smiled at her as he tossed his shampoo bottle into the duffel. "Dinner and a concert, and the next day we can just laze around and see some sights."

[z028 Riley]

She lighted on the bed as he packed, laying on her stomach, kicking her feet up, and propping head on her hands. "Mmmm....that sounds fun. I've never been to a live concert like that before. Do you think we could go diving in the ocean? I've been wanting swim in a sea for a while now."

Her expression was dreamy as she contemplated being away from the mountain for a few days, with music and oceans and Declan. "Is the Ampeitheatre actually on the shoreline?"

[The Red Man]

"The shoreline is a lake's shoreline, but we won't be far from the ocean. We can certainly get to it from there. They've got sailboats and windsurfing on the lake, so that'd be fun to check out." Dec zipped his duffel closed and dumped it on the floor before sitting next to Kyria on the bed, fingers automatically starting to stroke through her deep red hair. He smiled as he looked at the distant, happy expression on her face.

"Glad you like the plan. I was gonna do something a little quieter and tamer, like dinner and a movie down in Colorado Springs, but then I thought: what the hell! Might as well put my pay to good use."

[z028 Riley]

She laughed and leaned into his touch. "Mmm...I keep forgetting we get paid. I mean, I used some of the money to track down Michael, but other than that, there hasn't really been much for me to spend it on. Thai and concert in California sounds perfect for a first date."

Time seemed to slow down as she snuggled in close to him, not by much but just enough for the moment to linger. She was getting better about controlling her new ability, but whenever she felt a strong emotion or was startled, time could bend a little funny until she got it under control again.

[The Red Man]

Declan experienced the strange stretching sensation as his brain and senses tried to reconcile the difference in their perceptions of time versus what time was actually doing. Mentally, he shrugged. It wasn't as though it was unpleasant, time moving slower. Well, not with Kyria snuggled up to him at any rate.

* * * * *

About 8 hours later, the two of them were booked into a decently upmarket hotel and, having left Dec's bag there, were poring over menus in the Golden Siam, a lavishly decorated Thai restaurant. The flight hadn't been anything special: a military transport to Moffet Field carrying troops, mail and equipment, but it had been quick and hassle-free. Dec lounged in his seat, relaxing as he gazed at Kyria from behind his shades while she studied the menu.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria was pouring over the menu, trying to suss out exactly what each item was and what it had in it. She was also trying to whittle her list of things to try down to something that wouldn't have the cooks at the restaurant cooking just for them for the rest of the night. Anything with peanut sauce was a must, though.

The staff and other patrons of Golden Siam were a little more complexly torn, however. On one hand, there was a woman here that was obviously some super model or movie star or something, but no one could figure out exactly which one; on the other hand, her companion was obviously well paid protection and radiated an aura of predatory menace that had all their hind-brains gibbering at them that the food here wasn't that great and while she was hot they didn't have a chance in whatever incorporeal place of punishment they believed to get within five feet of her unless they were the waiting. Even she was debating it.

Eventually the manager himself walked over, smiling nervously and wondering if he was going to make a fool of himself. But she's beautiful and he's dangerous, which means they're probably rich and important. It could be good for business. The last was a plea to his lizard brain to shut up for the next ten minutes. "Welcome to Golden Siam, may I take your drink order?"

[The Red Man]

Dec was happy. It wasn't a familiar feeling, most of the time. What with his Taint issues, dealing with Red kibitzing in his head all the time, and worrying about when the SG command crew were going to decide to lock him up for good, the sergeant spent a lot of his time in a state of grave contemplation. Or brooding, some might call it. But this, here, was happiness. This was something positive. There was a beautiful alien princess (yes, he really did think of her that way) having dinner with him. That was about as good as a date could get. He grinned up at the manager as he came over to the table.

"Uh, yeah, sure. I'll have whatever the house beer is. And the lady here'll have...?" he glanced at Kyria, leaving the question open.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria bit her lip and looked the drink menu over again. " Death's Chocolate Design and a hot chocolate after that, please."

She flashed the manager a smile, pleased with her decision and unaware or uncaring of what that would do to the poor man. Declan's unusual mood was infectious and Kyria wasn't one to need much encouragement to be happy or playful. That added to being out of the mountain and not on a mission for the first time in months, and the young nova was practically glowing with pleasure and good cheer.

[The Red Man]

Mmmhmm. She might make me rethink my stance on sex as 'combat without the thrill of killing someone at the end of it'.

Hey. That's more data than I needed. And besides, weren't you gonna stay quiet for the date?

Aw, whassamatta? Afraid of her hearing your inner serial-killer? Want to protect your 'princess' from me? Red's rusty razor-blade 'voice' laughed. Relax, hero. She's the safest meatsack in the universe where I'm concerned.

Dec ignored that, smiling at Kyria as he ordered Hoi Tod (Oyster tempura), with a Massaman curry to follow. The manager smiled and nodded, stinking of fear but maintaining his professional composure. Which was more than could be said for the quavering waiter, who was trembling as he set down the rich cocktail in front of Kyria. When the time came for him to step around to Dec's side of the table, the poor man almost dropped the beer in the soldier's lap. Luckily, he managed to deliver the drink without spillage before all but fleeing back to the bar. Dec watched him go, face unreadable beneath the sunglasses, then turned his gaze back to Kyria as she ordered, a faint smile curving his mouth.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria belatedly added actual food to her order, getting a peanut Thai dish and an appetizer sampler. The other patrons were watching the two of them intently, some with more success at appearing nonchalant than others.

She smiled back at him and leaned in to ask, "So, what's this concert we're going to? I don't really know much about the music here. What genre of music is going to be?"

[The Red Man]

"Funk-rock-fusion." Dec said after a pull on his beer. "At least, that's what some folks call it. Me? I call it Red Hot Chili Peppers, cuz I'm damned if I've heard anything else quite like them." He smiled back at Kyria.

"They're a band I got into in school, and tonight they're playing the last gig in a world tour at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. It's good music, and since they're such a main act they've usually got great opening artists too. Hope you like 'em." He said with a shy grin as their appetizers began to arrive.

[z028 Riley]

She grinned back at him, "I'm sure it'll be fun. They sound fun, at least. Do we dress up or anything for it?"

There was the usual lull in conversation as they both started in on the first course of food that they'd ordered. Their drinks were refilled with a minimum of spillage from shaking or staring; Kyria's Death's Chocolate Design also appeared. She gave a contented sigh after taking a sip of it and offered the glass to Declan.

"Do you want to try it? It's really good!"

[The Red Man]

"Sure." He smiled, taking the glass and taking a sip. "Not bad." the shaggy-looking soldier told her with a grin as he handed it back. "I thought dessert was supposed to come after the main course though." he teased.

"Chocolate goes with everything." Kyria grinned back. "And it's not like I have to worry about calories." Dec conceded that point with a wry smile and a nod.

"As for dress code, these things are pretty much come-as-you-like. The Chili's are good that way." He took a bite of his oyster tempura. "Mmf. S'good." he gestured to his plate and pushed it a little towards Kyria. "Try some?"

[z028 Riley]

She arched a brow at his come-as-you-like comment, the spark in her eye telling him that that might be a dangerous amount of latitude to give her for the concert.

"Mmm...it smells good." She leaned towards him and deftly speared one of the oysters, taking delicate mincing bites of it as she made drawled out a, "mm...very good. When I was little I would go swimming and catch tuna and eels for the chef. She made the best sushi and stuffed rice balls ever!" She grinned, "And cake. She introduced me to chocolate."

After she was done with the oyster, she rearranged the table so that it was easy for both of them to get to all of the dishes, an unspoken invitation for him to try anything that she had ordered as well. "What's your favorite dessert?"

[The Red Man]

He blinked behind his Raybans, then furrowed his brow in thought. After a second, he chuckled, a low warm sound. "Y'know, I've never thought about that. Chow's always been chow. When I was a kid..." his lips tightened a little, then relaxed as he made a conscious effort to keep things cool. "Well, dessert was rare. And later on in the Army there was all sorts of stuff, but I never really paid attention to dessert. It was just something that went down at the end of the meal." He gave a helpless laugh.

"Damn, I have no idea." His head tilted to one side as he considered her. "I gotta pick something, I guess. So... cinnamon apple strudel. I'd always pick that if it was available." He grinned and took a bite from one of Kyria's plates. "What about you? Chocolate seems to be your thing, but I ain't gonna assume..."

[z028 Riley]

"Mmm....I do love chocolate. My favorite desert?" She was thoughtful, going through the list in her mind while she picked over the appetizer sampler for her next item of the meal. Her eyes lit up as she came across memory, "I know! When I turned ten, Memari - that's the cook - Memari made me this volcano out of petit-fours, chocolate shavings, a volcano-shaped lava cake, and white chocolate icing that she'd colored orange and red. I almost didn't eat it, it was such a work of art. I...uh...got over that after a couple of minutes. It was wonderful."

She snuck another oyster off his platter. "You're turn. Ask me a question." She grinned, waiting.

[The Red Man]

"Hmm." He considered that as he swiped a piece of satay chicken from one of Kyria's plates. "Okay, here's one. What's your favorite kinda music? Did they have music where you're from that you can't find here?"

He regarded her curiously, genuinely interested in what the strange, elfin girl would answer. He'd been trying for a few days to imagine a world where Novas were not only common, but respected and looked up to. Here, he felt like a freak, out of place unless it was around other specialists.

[z028 Riley]

She nodded, "Oh, tons. I mean, there's no novox stars here. Nova entertainers. No psion entertainers, either. There was one singer I loved....she was a 'shifter and would do entire choral pieces herself. She did a concert called 'Sounds of Superstition' that showcased music from the religions that used to exist all over the world. The Gregorian chant piece was amazing, though I think I liked the funeral drums and dirge that she did....um....I don't remember what religion is was from. Somewhere in Africa, I think."

"And tv and computers!" She rolled her eyes. "There's just no comparison. It took me almost an hour of trying to interface with one for Dr. Jackson to finally rescue me and explain that you had to use a keyboard and mouse. I think he's still sorta laughing over that one. Though he did tell me that there's more advanced computers in the world than the ones we get to use on the base. Touch screens and VACI's."

"So, are the Chili Pepper's your favorite band? If so, you have to ask another question, 'cause you already answered this one." She nodded in mock seriousness, "Those are the rules."

[The Red Man]

"Rules, huh? Well, we can't go breakin' the rules." Dec's straight face was somewhat ruined by the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Especially rules that get made up on the spot. Those are the most important kind." He nodded as seriously as Kyria had, then flashed a rare smile. Well, other's might have considered them rare, but Kyria saw plenty of those quick, shy curves of his lips. Especially lately.

"Well yeah, the Chili's are the only band that I single out. I listen to a lot of stuff, but they're the best of the bunch." Dec rubbed at his stubbly jaw, pondering. "Hmm... Next question then. Do you dance? That might be important later."

[z028 Riley]

She blushed. "Um....not so much. I mean, I can move around....but I've never been taught to dance. Is there a particular kind of dance I need to know for this concert? It always just kinda looked like...people bouncing place."

She looked down at her plate, a little worried now, and then looked back up at him from lowered lashes and and bit her lip, "Could you teach me?"

[The Red Man]

"Oh, the concert's a people-bouncin' sort of place." Dec smiled at Kyria. "O' course, it's more fun when there's someone to bounce with. Don't fret there." He reached over at took one of her hands in his, marveling as usual at how delicate and white her skin seemed, knowing that she was as strong as him. "I was thinking we might find a place after to go dancin', if you're interested. I'm no expert, but I've been to a few clubs in my time." He chuckled at that.

"Listen to me. Soundin' like an old fart. I'll teach you what I know, which ain't much. It's just having fun, and you're good at that." His thumb rubbed gently over her knuckles as he smiled at her. "Your turn."

[z028 Riley]

"Dancing would be great." She smiled that dazzling smile of her, distracting half the patrons of the restaurant from their own companions. She let him trace his fingers over her hand, reveling in the sensation and completely oblivious to the world around them. A heartbeat passed before she remember that she was supposed to be thinking of a question to ask him.

"Hmn. If you weren't at the SGC and could do whatever you wanted, wherever you wanted, including off-planet, what would you want to do?"

[The Red Man]

"That's a hard question." Dec pondered, still toying with Kyria's fingers. "The thing is..." His mouth quirked wryly, and he sighed softly. "Thing is, I'm not really sure what I'd do." He peered over his shades at her, his smile turning sad.

"I spent a lot of time thinking, reading, and thinking some more while I was in those psych eval isolation quarters. I saw how even the docs were freaked out by me: not so much because of instinct, but because they had an idea what was going on inside my head." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "That wasn't the only factor. Red was most of my company in there. We spent a lot of time talking, going over shit. And like I said, I did a lot of thinking of my own. Wondering what I'd do if this war was over. If there was no need for me." He took a deep breath.

"The answer is 'I don't have a clue'. I don't even know if I could handle it. Without the focus the SGC and the war gives me, I'd be lost." He kept his voice soft and steady, but his stoic acceptance of what he considered to be the truth was palpable to her. "I am what I am. And I can't see any way to avoid that."

[z028 Riley]

She reached forward and brushed his cheek with her hand, her smile less bubbly and more of the Kyria he'd see reading over past mission briefings or out on missions. "Don't, just make sure that that's who you want to be."

A grin tugged at the edge of smile, "With a universe like this, I don't think you'll ever want for a war to fight or a cause to pursue." She sat back down, letting her hand trail back to his and settle there.

"For me, I think I'd like to be somewhere where I could really build something. I like putting things together and seeing people achieve....I don't know, greatness, maybe? Something that marks their life as theirs and as significant." She chuckled, "I think that's both my fathers in me talking, but I'm getting to be okay with that."

"Your turn."

[The Red Man]

"Okay." Dec smiled, cheered by the lovely nova girl's acceptance of his revelation. "Here's one for ya." He popped a piece of spicy peanut-uncrusted chicken into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before continuing with what he was saying.

"What do you think of this whole situation? The war, the SGC, the constant fuckery-from-on-high, the entire mess having to be kept under wraps because they think people couldn't handle the truth?" he asked her frankly. "Since it strikes me that this could be a unifying force for the planet. All those governments that are part of the IOA are trying to get away with messing with the frontline troops - us - because they're trying to come out ahead of each other in this cold war. If the populace knew, sure they'd panic at first, then they'd be mad because they weren't told... But surely they'd be able to deal with it after that." He shrugged, enjoying the feel of her hand over his. "That's my take anyway. Maybe I'm just sick of the cloak 'n' dagger. That Snake we took prisoner during the D.C. op was oh-so-confident that this Trust was all-powerful mojo that he tried to act like he had diplomatic immunity. I'm not the biggest brain in the Specialists, but I can see a tactical and strategic disadvantage when I see one. This secrecy is working for the goa'uld more than us right now." He took a drink of his beer, shrugged again, and set it down. "So what do you think?"

[z028 Riley]

She drank the last sip of her drink, grinning happily as the manager made another foray into the dining room to give her her hot chocolate. Once he'd beaten a hasty retreat from Declan's gaze, she spoke softly and carefully.

"I've never like the secrecy that the SGC operates in, once I managed to figure out what was going on. My world was mostly transparent, and even then there was a cabal of novas running everything behind the scenes." She shrugged, "Maybe that's not avoidable no matter what you do, but secrecy just breeds fertile ground not only for the abuses of governments, but of corrupt individuals to leverage the fear and paranoia of larger groups to their own personal profit. And usually to detriment of a great number of other people."

She mused and pulled apart a piece of the bread that'd been brought out to them earlier, buttering it with an absent air. "Think about the technology that the SGC has acquired or created in dealing with the Goa'uld and exploring a galaxy that is littered with the leftovers of humanities progenitors and Earth's ancestors. Yes, much of it does have military applications. So does my dinner knife, in the right circumstance. Most of it, however, could absolutely rocket the development of Earth to near the point that my own Earth was at when I was growing up. The Prometheus and the Deadalus are proof enough of that, and that's just in transportation, communication, and life support systems. Think of the medical technology that the SGC uses on a regular basis now. Or the computer systems. And think even more about the advances that could be made with the entire planet's worth of scientists and savants getting a crack at whatever new gadget or bit of technological knowledge that gets brought back through the 'Gate."

He'd obviously touched a nerve....."And this business about keeping people from their families or requiring them to lie about what they do....that's not good for the teams psychologically and just creates an uneccessary layer of complication on top of everything else. Also think about the poverty that exists in your world and the overcrowding. There's entire planets out there devoid of sentient life and more than capable of supporting human colonies. Instead of relocating people from uninhabitable or at least extreme environments here and giving them the chance to literally build a new life for themselves, we keep them in conditions that in this country it is illegal to keep dumb animals in in the name of...what? Archaic paranoia and inappropriate competitive patriotism."

"Environmental pollution is another area that could be at least reduced if not entirely eliminated through even half-assed application of reason to this entire....." She stopped herself, realizing that she was ranting, if even quietly, and that she'd gripped the knife in her hand tightly enough that it was now an unrecognizble twisted piece of silver desperately groaning under the pressure of her fist. She gave him a weak smile, "Sorry. I think it's a bad idea that causes a great number of problems."

[The Red Man]

"Well, good to see I ain't the only one." Dec reached out and gently took the bent and buckled knife from Kyria's hand. Giving her a smile, he quickly and deftly slipped the twisted cutlery into his jacket pocket and offered her his own knife. "But let's talk about this more some other time. When there's stuff around nobody cares if it get's broken." His mercury eyes glinted at her over his shades again. "Maybe that's something we can do together after we win this war for them. Sort out the other messes."

"Anyway, it's your turn." he grinned at her. "And about time for dessert as well."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria took a deep breath and let the tension run out of her. What to ask? Something not quite so serious......

"If you could have chosen what powers you'd have gotten from the Device, what would you have wanted?"

She picked at the remnants of her food, not upset anymore, just more wondering what the restaurant would have to offer for her favorite part of the meal.

[The Red Man]

"Hmm." Dec mulled that one over as the nervous waiter cleared away the plates and brought the dessert menu, placing it before Kyria with the air of a votary laying an offering and before Dec with the air of a rabbit ready to bolt. When they were alone again Declan smiled over at her.

"I'd have liked the device to fix my brain so that I wasn't a basket case, first off." he grinned wryly. "But as to powers? Hell... I'd like to be able to fly. Or have x-ray vision." he chuckled. "Or maybe just be a whole lot smarter, able to soak up know-how like Livy and Gwyn and the rest of you brainiacs." he teased. "Though I have t'admit, I'm reading a lot more than I used to. Using longer words, too. That part ain't so bad: it's like having the lights turned on."

"So there's my ideal power list: I guess at heart I just want to be a flying geek with the ability to see through walls." he grinned over at the lovely red-haired girl. "How about you? You got a wish-list for powers? I mean, it's got to be hard to improve on what you've got." he said, all flirtatious gallantry.

[z028 Riley]

"Hmmnnn....I've always wanted to fly, too. I think most people do, and it was a very common power of novas at home. Other than that? I like being a telepath. The time thing, that's taking a little getting used to." She tapped her chopsticks against her lips in thought. "Hmn, maybe the ability to wake up potential novas, to give them the guaranteed trigger to erupt. That would be pretty awesome. Or the power to control or cure taint, so that novas would be able to explore their potential without always worrying about backlash."

She grinned back at him, setting the chopsticks aside for a spoon and digging into her dessert with obvious enthusiasm. "Your turn."

[The Red Man]

Dec mulled that over. "Yeah, bein' able to cure taint would be awesome. That means that me and Red would be one person again, I guess. That'd take some adjustment, but it'd be worth it."

*Hey, fuck you too. You'd miss me, dude.*

He took a bite of his own dessert as he thought it over, then smiled slyly over his shades at her. "Okay, I got one. Turn-ons and turn-offs. What do you find attractive or unattractive in a guy?" He shrugged, the smile turning into a broad grin. "Or girl, if that's a factor. I ain't gonna assume where you're concerned."

*Do I detect a note of wishful thinkin' there, Dec ol' pal?*

*Shaddup. It was just some repartee.*

*You were fishin' for fantasy material.*

*No I wasn't!*

*Don't try to tell ME there ain't a deep buried lizard-male part of you that doesn't want a sex sandwich with Kyria and... lets see. Livy? That new doc chick with the hot accent? Aradia? One word: Gymnast!. Flexible and can change her appearance.*

*What the fuck are you doin' poking around in my libido, anyway?* Dec was more curious than outraged.

*Where do you think I live next-door to?* Red replied with a machine-gun laugh that three months ago would have made Dec shiver.

[z028 Riley]

She grinned and reached across the table to take his hand in hers. "I like hands. They tell you a lot about the person. What they've done, what their life has been like. How expressive they are. How much they touch and like to be touched." She traced her fingertips over the callouses Declan had accrued from years of weapons training and military pursuits.

Her eyes flicked up, mischievous and teasing, "And yeah, I like girls too. Never seen much of a reason to define someone by their body, unless it's covered in goo or something. That....not so much. Hmn...anything else? I guess, given what I am, that knowing that someone else is genuinely turned on by me, and really does care for me, those are probably the two biggest turn ons that I have."

She was still absently tracing lines over the skin of his palm when she asked, "You?"

[The Red Man]

"Eyes." he said without hesitation, looking into hers. The feel of her fingertips playing over his palm was sufficiently sensual to cause his heartbeat to quicken, a fact which a part of his brain reported in absent fashion. He loved the teasing glint in her blue eyes and the playful smile on her red lips. He fought the urge to lean across and kiss those lips, focussing on what he'd been saying. "I like a pretty pair of eyes. I think they can tell a lot about a person too: they're pretty expressive. What mood they're in, whether they're hiding something or being open, whether they're bold or retiring, whether they trust you or not."

"Confidence is a turn-on, too." He smiled, his other hand coming over to gently stroke hers. "And straightforwardness. I go crazy for women who know what they want, know their own mind, and don't see the need to apologise for it." He twined his fingers around hers, running a calloused thumb over her delicate-seeming knuckles.

"Your turn."

[z028 Riley]

She didn't answer for a moment, instead she made a low rumbling sound that most people wouldn't be able to hear. Almost a purr. She lost herself in the touching of their hands, quite forgetting the baselines around them that were trying to get on with their lives while two godlings courted each other in the midst of them.

"Mmmm...what to ask next?" She lifted his hand to her lips and brushed them over the back of his hand while she contemplated. Her smile deepened enough for the shadow of dimples to show in her cheeks. "It's a bit of cheat, but is there something I haven't asked you that you want to tell me? Or something I should ask you?"