Friendly Outings. ( rina )

[Anonymous]

Hair clips. Kit poked at one of the blue hair clips in her hair and flicked the other half before examining herself once more in the mirror. Presentable. Maybe a little too girly, but presentable, a nice pair of dress pants - jeans just wouldn’t do - flat boots and a nice white blouse. Kit pulled on her gloves before she left the apartment in the citadel and headed to the elevator to take the long trip to the first floor.

Upside to be a somewhat low ranking Pilot who never did anything.

No one gave you a second look when you wore something somewhat odd to your appearance. Like blue hair clips.

Kit poked at them again.

One of her rare outings by herself she’d come across a relatively interesting looking resaurant in the middle level of Haviah. Seeing as how she only really ever talked to one person when she was out and about who was from mid-level Haviah, she’d asked Bart to accompany her for lunch today. It was an hour before she had to get there, so she was going to take a shuttle to mid-level and then walk the rest of the way.

Which is what she did.

It was a nice walk, the fake wind, the fake lights. It made Kit a little depressed, she’d grown up in Upper Level Haviah, so she’s always found the lower levels a little depressing. The restaurant here had looked so interesting though, besides, it was good to get out of the apartment! Now that she had the inner excuse of company she wouldn’t have a mini internal freak out.

Kit chewed on her lip before she turned towards a large clock on the side of a building. Whoops, three minutes late. Kit picked up her pace and moved faster, weaving in and out of the groups of people before she spotted the little restaurant. Once she got there, she asked a waiter for the table she’d requested and she walked over, spotting Bart in his seat.

Quiet and smiley, Kit gave a wave to her superior and put her hand on the table before sitting down, ducking her head apologetically. “I’m so sorry for being late, I walked here and I thought I would get here sooner!” Unconsciously she poked at the blue hairclips, fixing them so her hair would stay out of her face. “Did I pick a good place? Have you ordered yet?”

The bright smile on her face didn’t leave as she looked at the menu, eyebrows going up in interest when she saw something she liked before she looked across the table towards Bart and gave another big smile. Friendly outings. She liked this feeling, she’d have to do it more often.

[Anonymous]

Bart liked the mid-levels. They were what he had grown up with. The splendor of the upper levels made him uncomfortable and the poverty or the lower levels was just sad. The mid-levels though, those were just right.

Not that the Royal got out much. He couldn't really remember the last time he had gone out to a restaurant for dinner. Let alone asked by a pretty girl. An actual date would have been nice, but Bart was well aware that his sex appeal was pretty much null and going out with a friend wasn't bad. Kit was good company, pretty and sweet. He could do a lot worse for a meal companion.

He had never been to the place Kit had mentioned, but he did know of it. It was supposed to be good and it was a little bit nicer. Not nice enough that he had gotten rid of the 5 o'clock shadow he tended to have growing permanently on his face. But he had brushed his hair, even going to far as to slick it back. Even was wearing a nice black button down shirt, though it was a little tight in the shoulders. He had never really had much of a wardrobe, so he made due with what he had.

Having arrived early, Bart had his datapad out, going over some logs as he waited for Kit to arrive. Didn't hurt to get a bit more of the work out of the way while he waited. When he caught sight of Kit, he stood, smiling at her as he moved to pull her chair out, "Naw. Don't worry about it. I just got here. Besides, it's always worth waiting for a beautiful lady."

Once Kit was seated, Bart took his own seat, taking the time to actually look over the menu, the datapad getting returned to his pocket, "No worries darlin'. I ain't ordered yet. Gotta say the place smells good." And according to the menu, the had salmon. Any place with salmon was good in Bart's book. Salmon and a good beer. It was going to be a good lunch.

It was hard to miss Kit fiddling with her hair clips. She seemed so very aware of them. Which was probably good or Bart would never have noticed them. Giving Kit a lazy smile over his menu, Bart nodded at her hair, "Those new? They look nice." He folded his menu, already settled on the salmon, "You see anything that catches yer eye yet?"

[Anonymous]

What a gentleman. Kit gave a big smile and tucked shifted herself in the seat before she scanned the menu, sucking on her lower lip and taking slow steady breaths. It was a break from routine and Kit kept moving her hands to fiddle with the hair clips, something to distract her. This would be good for her, a break. Her fingers moved from the hairclip and she pushed a bunch of braids over her shoulder as she scanned the menu again.

Her hand went to the clips again while she read the menu and she looked at bart sharply when he commented on the hairclips and she gave a small smile back before lowering her hand back down. “Yes. I thought they’d look nice, and it’s a nice change, usually my hair is falling all over in my face and I didn’t think that would be appropriate for a lunch with my superior.” Kit swallowed and kept one hand on her lap and the other on the menu.

Maybe a salad. With meat. Kit chewed on her lip again and put the menu down before smiling up at Bart. “Well I’ve decided on what I want.” Licking her lips she shifted again and looked around, catching the eye of a waiter and smiling before looking back towards bart. It wasn’t awkward having lunch with him, but it wasn’t something normal for her so Kit looked figity and kept shifting and playing with the hairclips.

“Do you know what you’re going to get? Can we call the waiter? I’m sorry for being so figity. This going out for lunch thing is new for me, usually I just take coffee while I do work at my desk.” Giving an apologetic smile and shifted in her chair again, unable to get comfortable. Taking a breath and nodding she rubbed the back of her neck before giving another smile. “How’s work for you? I imagine it’s harder than mine.”

[Anonymous]

It didn't take a psychic to tell Kit was nervous. Bart didn't really know enough about her to know what the cause of it was. She had invited him, so he was hoping it wasn't him. Maybe she just was awkward being out of the Citadel?

Bart glanced over the menu one more time, making sure he was sure. He was looking forward to it. Spicy salmon, some potatoes and a beer. Life didn't get much better then that. He nodded to Kit, his voice a lazy drawl, "Sure can. I'm all set. Now relax darlin'. I know what ya mean though. I don't tend to eat lunch either."

Left on his own, Bart often forget more then one meal. And sleeping. He didn't do that as often as he should. Always seemed like there was more work that needed to get done. Smiling, Bart gave a little shrug, "Work ain't too bad. Too much of it. Can't ever really seem ta get on top of it." He was actually being bad by coming out to lunch. But he hadn't had a break like this in....well, he actually couldn't remember. So he was allowed. "What about ya? Anything excitin' going on with you? I'm always out of the loop for what's goin' on with everyone."

He paused as the waiter arrived. He allowed Kit to order first before giving the man his own order, handing the menu back. He was glad he wasn't in uniform. People always acted so weird when they realized you were a Pilot.

[Anonymous]

She was touched that Bart had bothered to ask about her. Made her nervous. The only interaction she usually got was... Uninvited in her apartment. This was different. She’d asked Bart out to lunch, it was nice to get out, Kit knew that, it was important to take a breath of air outside of her apartment or office. His drawl distracted her, and she smiled before she tilted her head to the side. A few of the lower caste people had that drawl, before she’d been a Pilot she assumed it was because they were stupid.

It was obviously a false idea, here bart was a Royal, something she would never dream to achieve. Kit was sure she’d die from something before she hit thirty. Licking her lips she gave Bart a small smile before noticing the waiter and placing her order. A chicken salad with a glass of lemonade.

Kit placed her hands on the table and took a breath. Finally answering his question. “What have I been up to?” Kit blushed slightly, ashamed of the fact she was never up to anything. “I.. Nothing. I work. My powers aren’t all that useful, a flashlight could take my job out of the field, so I just do a lot of office work.” That was boring. Stop being so boring!

“I’m afraid I don’t really know what’s going on with anyone else. I mostly keep to myself. I’m a little...” Kit frowned for a moment before frowning, trying to find the word but failing, “ I Have a routine I follow, sort of like OCD. I get nervous when I don’t follow it, like the world is going to implode if I don’t clean my sink or dry out my bathtub.” Kit quickly looked down before clearing her throat and looking up and away. Apparently Kit had a loose tongue, or the way he acted just made her comfortable enough to make her mouth and voice work like a well oiled machine.

[Anonymous]

"Oh hush." Bart had gotten plenty of teasing about the way he spoke when he had been a candidate. But it hadn't really bothered him much and when the teasing had gone to far, well, he had always been big, "Powers don't make a Pilot." Settling back against the booth, he got comfortable, long legs stretched out diagonal under the table, "Lots of us ain't got real impressive powers. Don't mean ya can't do a good job on the field. That's what guns are for."

He wasn't all that surprised to hear that about Kit. It matched up with their few light interactions before this and what he had heard about her. But she was nice and Bart was enjoying himself, "Well, just take a deep breath and let's see if I can't keep your mind off yer bathtub. Ya ever hear about Rats in Space?" It was an old game from their war days.

[Anonymous]

Ducking her head slightly after the hush, Kit was obedient and simply pursed her lips. She could be a human flashlight, Bart could make people sleep. In the end, his was still far more useful than hers unless she could do those weird bursts of light to blind people. Like a flashbang without the bang. Just stun the visually. Disorient them. Kit licked her lips and looked back up at Bart. Right. Guns.

Kit looked down at her hands for a moment before flexing them slowly, giving a quiet polite ‘sorry’ when she nudged his leg with her foot, carefully tucking them under her chair. A wide grin pulled at her lips when he suggested he help keep her mind off her bathtub. She poked at the hairclips before she took a deep breath and gave a nod. The waiter came by and placed the glass of lemonade in front of her and the bottle of beer and an empty glass ( just in case ) in front of Bart.

Giving a polite thank you, Kit turned her teal eyes towards Bart and rose her eyebrows, moving her hand to motion him to continue. “I’d appreciate the help with keeping my mind off my bathtub. Though I already cleaned it today,” Kit’s eyebrow rose slowly though, when Bart mentioned Rats in Space. Her fingers traced the tattoo on her arm while she watched Bart, “I’ve... I don’t know that story.” Of course she knew about the war. Everyone did. She quickly looked down and sipped at the lemonade. “I.. You don’t have to talk about anything that ...” She frowned again and took a breath. “What’s Rats in Space, Bart?”

[Anonymous]

Kit's reaction had Bart giving a small, internal sigh. That always was the problem with spending time with those of lower rank. There was a distance between them that could never quite be bridged, a separation that you could never escape.

He picked up his beer, ignoring the glass. He liked drinking from the bottle. He took a long swig, then gave a short chuckle at Kit's comment, "Aw honey. No need to worry. War ain't a pretty thing, but just like everything else, it ain't all bad. Now, ya ever seen an Edani rat? Those things are like the size of cat. Ain't even kiddin. We used to hate those fuckers. Crawl all over you while ya were tryin' to sleep."

Bart took another drink, "Now, one of the kids I was assigned, kid was a fuckin' genius. Real bright, coulda been an engineer or somethin'. He would build these traps, right, and catch those rats, still alive. And we would take one of those big fuel barrels, fill it with about...this much," Bart held up his fingers, the thumb and pointer finger about an inch apart, "gas in there. Throw the rat in, cover the top with somethin', leave it for a few minutes. Then ya whip that cardboard or whatever off, throw a match in and BOOM! Rats in space." Bart grinned, chuckling a little at the memory. He kinnda missed those days sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Kit rolled her shoulders, looking away, feeling a little awkward for a moment. It was easy to forget they were pilots. That there were lines they she wasn’t allowed to cross. Bart hadn’t mentioned anything, Kit bit her lip gently and took a breath. This was a nice civil lunch. She’d get a warning if she was out of line as an Echo, right?

Taking a breath while he drank his beer, Kit put away the mental rank barrier. The conscious barrier that kept her from saying things or being... Kit visibly relaxed then, closing her eyes and opening them, a surprised look on her face when he called her honey. It ain’t all that bad. Kit winced slightly, no, there were worse things than war. Things that would hit closer to home. While her mind trailed off for a moment, giving a fleeting thought about her sister she gave Bart a blank slightly horrified look when he mentioned the size of the rats.

Even more horror when he mentioned them crawling all over you as you slept. That... Kit shuddered and made a face. The whole thing sounded a little bit like a nightmare, her fingers trailed across the arm with the tattoo and she watched Bart, smiling slightly while being equally grossed out. Rats in Space. “I was honestly expecting something a little more... brutal.” She wanted to ask about the kid, it was at the tip of her tongue and she had to use every measly mental shield she had to keep it from blaring at him. “I... Uh...” Kit bit her lip for a moment, “I like the way you talk. It’s refreshing.”

“So, do you have family?” Kit changed the subject, smiling and taking another drink. Family and Pilots. There were maybe a few pilots who actually got hitched, far too many died too young. Kit couldn’t think of any that had children besides, Remi. “Kids? Wife? Brothers? Sisters?” Kit chewed on her lower lip before she took another drink of lemonade, almost wishing she’d ordered a beer too.  Small talk before the meal came. Kit figited slightly, “I’m sorry for being so nervous. It’s not you, really, I just don’t get out much or talk to people and I’m trying not to put my foot in my mouth because I don’t want you to hate me.”

[Anonymous]

Bart chuckled again, "Now, now. What kinnda monster do ya think I am?" Sure, he had stories that were brutal and terrible and sad. But lunch was no time for those. He could stick to his amusing stories. There was nothing more amusing then blowing rats up. Little furry fuckers deserved it.

He blinked at her comment about his speech, "Refreshin? Ain't think I ever heard anyone tell me that before." Most people assumed his drawl meant he was a moron. He wasn't quite sure what Kit meant by refreshing, but it seemed like it was meant to be a compliment, so he would take it as one.

"Family? Sure. No kids, no wife." He laughed, pausing as their waiter arrived with the food. His salmon looked amazing, the spices from it tickling his nose. He thanked his waiter and picked up his fork, "Got a younger brother and two younger sisters. Oh, and ya know that Vaughan kid? The candidate? Well, my cousin is inna band with them." Bart didn't really like the music much, wasn't his taste at all. But his mother liked to keep him updated on how it was doing.

[Anonymous]

“What!?” Kits head shot up and she stared at him, her eyebrows upwards. “I...I didn’t mean it like that. I just didn’t think war stories could be... Not...” Kit lowered her head, “I don’t see any field work so I’m...” She closed her eyes and then stayed quiet, “I don’t think you’re a monster at all Bart. And your accent. I’m upper caste. I...” Kit pursed her lips, “I like it. It’s different. It’s... Refreshing, to hear someone speak differently. Makes you sound like some rugged cowboy.”

Not that she knew what a rugged cowboy sounded like, but there was a vague idea there and Bart fit the bill. The meal came and Kit shovelled some of the salad into her mouth. It seemed fitting that Bart was an older brother. And she smiled a little, lifting her eyebrows slightly and swallowing her mouthful of food. The Vaughan kid. Kit had heard about that one, the singer fellow. “That’s too bad.” Kit said sympathetically, the band didn’t have a singer, so it couldn’t have been much of a band anymore.

There was a few moments of quiet. Kit drank the rest of her lemonade and quietly poked at her salad. “I’m a middle child, myself. No wife,” She smiled slightly at her bad joke, ” No kids. Older brother, younger sister. I never see them though. It’s not that I don’t have time, I just scare them. The whole... Mind reading thing. Freaks people out.” Teal eyes darted around for a clock, she figited in her chair and reminded herself to relax. Her sink would be there when she got back, it wasn’t like it could grow legs and walk away. “Um...” More things to distract her, “know any drinks to sooth nerves? My sink is calling to me like a siren on the sea,” Not that she’d ever even seen a sea, but it sounded good, “and I need something to drown it out.”

[Anonymous]

"Calm down sweetness. I was just teasin' ya a little. Relax. I don't bite, I promise." Bart smiled at the other girl. She was wound so tight, he should probably stop teasing her. She didn't take it very well. "War ain't all fighting. Lots of it, sure, but don't mean their ain't time to shoot a few fuckin' bastard rats into space."

Bart raised an eyebrow at the cowboy comment, before a pleased smile crossed his face, "Cowboy? Really? I like that sound. Rugged. I can live with that." He would have to remind Roman of that next time he commented on his looks. He was rugged and Roman was just jealous.

Kit was fidgeting and hardly touching her food. Bart's own meal was rapidly vanishing. Everything was delicious and much better then the shitty food at the Citadel. "Yeah. That can be a little rough. People don't always understand." It wasn't a really pleasant topic and Bart was fine with letting it drop.

"Your sink? Well, I can think of a few drinks that'll make ya forget about it. I'll warn ya though, I don't really know many of the fruity ones." Bart didn't like the sweet ones much and tended to avoid them, "I like the simple ones. How are yer thoughts on tequila?" It was a day off, why not get a little drunk. So what if it was only lunch time.

[Anonymous]

There was a quiet moment when she let her head drop down, turning slightly before she tapped her fork at her plate and shoved food into her mouth to chew slowly. Of course his reply to her comment on sounding like a cowboy made her smile, cheeks went a bit more pink and she smiled widely. “Good, it’s suiting.” It was.

Kit gave a dry laugh and pushed a hand through her hair, fixing her hairclips. “Sorry,” Her voice was quiet and she poked at her plate again, eating again. Her mouth was full when she looked up at the mention of tequila. Swallowing she smiled, “I’ve heard stories about it.” Kit ate another fork full of food and waved down a waiter. He wandered by and looked at her expectantly, “two shots of tequila.”

Smiling at Bart, Kit finished off her salad, licked the fork and set it back down. “Care to join me for a drink? I could drink both of them if you don’t want to.” When she finished the waiter dropped them off and she perked up before staring at them. It was only lunch time, but the nagging feeling at the back of her spine about her routine made her wiggle in her chair.”Tell me more about you anyway! Um... Do you... Enjoy your work?”

[Anonymous]

"Well, I really must take ya out ta lunch more often. It's quite flatterin' to the ego." Bart looked quite pleased with himself as he polished off the last of his salmon. To bad there wasn't more, but he still had his potatoes.

Bart never said no to a tequila shot. Personal rule and had yet to fail him yet. He reached over, putting his hand over the shot glasses, "Oh no darlin. That ain't how ya do a tequila shot." He waved to the water, motioning to the shots. The man seemed to understand and came by a moment later with some lime wedges.

Licking the skin between his thumb and forefinger, Bart reached over and snagged the salt, sprinkling it onto the wet area, "There's a pattern here sweetness. Helps kill the burn. Now, lick yer hand and salt it." Passing Kit the salt, he picked up the lime and the tequila in the other, "Alright, yer gonna lick the salt off, take the shot and drink that sucker real fast. Then bite the lime. Got it?"

Once her got her okay, Bart sucked the salt off, threw back the shot and bit into the lime. Slamming down the glass, Bart let out a his breath, "Whoo. So fuckin' good."

[Anonymous]

Kit gave a wide smile. Well, it was good that she managed to make someone feel better! She never thought of herself as one to stroke someone else’s ego, but apparently she was pretty good at it. It didn’t occur to her that a comment on a lower caste accent could make someone feel nice. She did like her accent. Of course she felt a little bad when he waved the waiter over for more things for the tequila.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” her voice went a little quiet and she looked down, feeling a little silly for not knowing how to drink tequila. Kit mirrored Bart and she blushed a little at the pet name. Sweetness. Not even her mother had called her that when she was a child, of course she knew Bart hadn’t meant anything by it, it was the way he talked still, it didn’t keep a little pleased hum in her stomach from it. Sweetness.

Although with the added pleased hum was a more bitter realisation that she didn’t have anyone to call her stupid nicknames. Kit stared at the tequila and the salt on her hand. Yeah she needed this. Licking the salt, she tipped the glass back, swallowed then stuck the lime in her mouth. She didn’t taste the lime but she stuck her tongue out when she was done and placed the lime back on the table.

A few seconds went by before she could taste anything again. “Holy...!” Kit moved her hand to her stomach and she wiggled. “Feels like I just drank something really warm! I’ve never actually had any before. That’s... it’s not... good but...” Kit rubbed her palm against her eye and wiped the saliva off the back of her hand. “That was good.” looked at Bart and pursed her lips. “Got anymore war stories?”

[Anonymous]

"Sorry? What for sweetness?" Bart smiled at Kit, "Ain't no worries. Not many people know how ta drink this stuff right. Don't fret, ya don't wanna get wrinkles on that pretty face."

It was hard to not laugh a little at her reaction. Most people had the same response to their first tequila shot. Bart loved his tequila. Best drink in the world. He would drink just about anything, but tequila shots always had a special place in his heart.

"I'm impressed. Ya took that one like a champ." Bart smiled and raised the shot glass at the waiter, signaling for more, "Well, I ain't got too many more funny war stories. Most of them got that depressin' bite to 'um. Well, there was one time I got shot while takin' a piss, but that's hardly a story for impressin' the ladies with."

[Anonymous]

Praise! Kit beamed and happily wiggled in her chair. Even if it was for downing a shot of tequila. Praise was praise and ... It warmed her up. Praise was a rare thing when you did exactly what you were supposed to do and didn’t bother going the extra mile. Kit wasn’t looking for a promotion, she could barely understand how Bart had time for anything but work. Probably didn’t.

“Shot?” Her face went pale and she stared at Bart. “While peeing?” The waiter brought a second set of shots and Kit took the initiative and downed hers first, licking the salt, taking the shot and sticking a lime wedge between her teeth. A shiver and she shook her head, such a little thing of alcohol and she could feel it in her finger tips.

She stared at her hands for a good few moments, flexing her fingers. Looked like they were giving off a faint glow, which would make sense, considering her ability. Kit held out her hand to Bart, “Is it just me or am I glowing?” She paused before putting her hands to the table, getting distracted by what he said previously, “How do you get shot while peeing? Don’t people usually look for someplace safe before doing that?”

[Anonymous]

Bart had to laugh at that and the waiters expression as he delivered the drinks. Poor man walked in at a strange point in the conversation, "Darlin' I been shot a few times. I ain't never said I was good at my job." It never really helped that Bart always seemed to get himself into some dangerous situations, but that was all part of the job.

Downing his shot, Bart made a pleased sound as the alcohol worked into his system, feeling that warmth spread out through him. Kit drew his attention down to her hands, where she was indeed glowing, "Yup. Yer glowin' alright." Lucky for the people around them, Bart's power didn't leak out when drunk or there everyone would be getting a good nap.

"Well, normally yeah, it's best ta find a safe place. But sometimes their ain't a safe place and other times a place ya think is safe ain't so safe. I wont bother with all the details, but, well, let's just say I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." He laughed, "Wasn't too bad. Shot in the thigh, missed anything important so it just burned like fire. And, ya know, getting found with my pants undone and a hole in me, well, let's just say I was the talk of the camp for a bit."