Posted by Mar. Captain Malcolm “Astro” Dawkins (Flight Leader) in [Alt-Timeline] Date Night?

Posted by Mar. Captain Eleanor “Iron Lady” Carnegie (Recon Squadron CO/Pilot) in [Alt-Timeline] Date Night?

Posted by Mar. Captain Malcolm “Astro” Dawkins (Flight Leader) in [Alt-Timeline] Date Night?
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It was 1800. Eleanor checked her chronometer again as she paced around her quarters. During her lunch break she had unpacked her bags, and made sure that everything was in its rightful place, in the eventuality that they would come back to her quarters. The room was not decorated yet, but they had just boarded the ship so she was sure that was to be expected.

She had left her station at 1700, taken a quick shower, and had spent the next hour anxiously pacing around. And now, it was 1800 and she hadn’t even started to get dressed yet. It had been a long time since she had last felt this nervous, and she couldn’t figure out why. It was just a date. Like others she had been on in the past. But something in her mind really didn’t want to screw this one up.

Finally, she chose a pair of blue jeans, a pair of black Converse-like shoes and a simple light shirt with a floral pattern. She pulled her hair up in a ponytail and put on the contact lenses her brother had gifted her at the start of her previous assignment. For a moment, the full color of the world overwhelmed her, and Eleanor allowed herself a minute for her mind to adjust. Taking a small brown leather bag from her closet, she placed the contact’s box inside and placed the small satchel across her torso, just in case she needed to take them off. Carnegie was sure her brother was not going to send her a third pair if she lost this one.

Eleanor checked her chronometer for the nth time. 1825. She could feel her heart thumping inside her ribcage. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she waited for the door chime to ring.

Eleanor

The afternoon had been stressful as hell. First it was his slot two pilot complaining about Simulator access not being cleared and Astro having to remind the brand new First Lieutenant that, regardless of where they went, she should be thankful the Quartermaster had berthings waiting for her when she got here… much less having codes already in the system for Simulator time… that she didn’t need… cause they just finished a frackin’ 22 hour unit transfer mission… in actual frackin’ craft. He swore he heard her cussing him out as she walked off but Malcolm didn’t give a flyin’ flip today. Then it was trying to deal with a half dozen inquires into who the jackass was that backed into the damn bulkhead on arrival and had the XO pissed beyond measure. Astro had listened to the young O-5 chewing the head off the Recon Bird’s Crew Chief as he was going to lunch and, while cute, he sure as hell didn’t wanna cross the woman.

It was a quarter to six when Malcolm hit his door and tore out of his uniform faster than he ever had. In and out of the shower, shaved and dressed with all but shoes by the time the chrono chimed 18:00. Lacing up his favorite pair of sneakers, Malcolm stood and slipped the dark leather belt into the loops of his favorite pair of faded blue jeans then tucked in the tail of a dark red Marine Corps polo. He fixed his hair three times before he liked what he saw and after brushing his teeth, just in case, he strode out the door at 15 after the hour.

Dawkins reached Eleanor’s quarters with just over four minutes to spare, but the last thing he wanted to look like was desperate… so he waited. An agonizing two minutes later, he took a deep breath and hit the chime. 18:29hrs

Malcolm

And then, the chime rang. He’s here! Eleanor’s heart beat faster than ever, as she jumped off the edge of her bed and to her feet, and almost ran to the door, before realizing that she could simply ask him to come in.

Fumbling with the buttons on the pad next to the door, struggling with a task that would be way simpler if her hands weren’t shaking so much, Carnegie finally managed to open the door.

As the doors slid open, Eleanor smiled brightly at the fighter pilot standing on the other side of the doorstep. Her cheeks flushed almost instantly and her voice squeaked as she said

“Hi!”

Eleanor

Malcolm smiled a beaming smile as the door opened and he turned his eyes down slightly to meet hers. “Hi… you look cute.” He closed his eyes for a moment and then quickly stammered. “I… um… I meant you look great. Are you… can I…” His naturally dark skin couldn’t hide his blush and he sighed with a soft smile of exasperation. “… damn it…are you ready to go?” He chuckled softly at his exasperation and gave a slight point of his thumb toward the rest of the ship. “I… um… hope you like baseball… I had an idea as to where to go but its… um… its up to you. God…” His blush brightened. “… I’m not usually like this… I’m… I’m sorry.”

Malcolm

Eleanor’s face held an idiot smile the whole time Malcolm spoke. God he was cute. She just couldn’t help it.

“I do.” She finally said, smiling brightly. “I… I used to play it in high school actually.” Her face blushed brighter. If it was even possible, the smile widened in her face. She wanted to tell him that she knew he was not like this all the time. She wanted to make some sarcastic remark about him needing alcohol to talk to her. But every word in her mind seemed to be washed away by how enthralled Eleanor was by him.

“Um…” She finally started, stepping outside the doors and allowing them to close behind her. “You look cute too.” Her face was bright pink. “Shall we go?”

Eleanor

Malcolm, for the first time in his life, totally botched on what to do next. He saw Eleanor move to step through the door, saw her step through, saw it close… and yet… it never dawned on him to actually move until her chest was nearly against his. Looking down into her eyes, his heart skipped a beat and for a moment he completely forgot what he was doing.

Looking up to meet his gaze, Eleanor’s expression was half inquisitive, half wishful. She tried to balance herself between the door and her date so as not to touch either, when…

Then, with no warning or thought otherwise, Malcolm leaned the few inches between them and kissed her. It was a soft, slow, gentle kiss and as they touched, Eleanor could feel the trembling Aviator steady at her touch. After God knows how long, Dawkins broke the kiss and smiled like the biggest idiot in the Sector. “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.”

The kiss surprised Eleanor but she quickly leaned into it. Her hands settling around his neck, as she slowly closed the space between them. As they broke the kiss, she smiled at Malcolm’s words, shyly looking downwards not wanting him to see the bright blush that lit up her cheeks. “Me too…” Were the only words she could muster.

Offering his right elbow, he smiled steady for the first time. “Shall we?”

Malcolm

“Yes, please.” Carnegie said as she took Malcolm’s elbow and walked with him. “So, Baseball, huh?” She quipped, her spirits back at feeling a little more confident. “That’s a risky choice to take a girl to.” Eleanor said with a wink as they walked. “Who are we going to watch?”

Eleanor

Malcolm smiled and couldn’t help but flex his arm a little as Eleanor’s hand found his elbow. “Actually, Halcyon’s Holo Suites have a sports package that let’s you go to games that have recently been played and give you the option to go without knowing the score. And…” He smiled down to her as they walked. “… My ‘Stros’ opened the season two weeks ago in Pittsburgh… so I thought we could catch a Pirates game. You can even get a jersey if ya’ want.” Dawkins winked as they walked, hoping the thoughtful planning impressed the little brunette on his arm.

Malcolm

Eleanor’s eyes widened as if she was a little girl who wanted an ice cream. “Are you serious!?” She held back the urge of jumping up and down, but her fingers dug into Malcolm’s arm forcing him to stop. “We’re watching the Pirates? At The Park? Oh my God!!!” Suddenly, her arms came flying around Malcolm’s neck with enough force to throw him down. Her lips crashed on his before he had the chance to say anything.

Though surprised, Malcolm relished in the kiss… his hands on the small of her back pulling her close. It was an incredible kiss that he didn’t want to end. The whole time, all Malcolm could think was that this night was off to a VERY good start!

Finally, with a wide smile on her face, Eleanor let the fighter pilot go, before saying excitedly. “I don’t need to get a jersey. I’ve got plenty. Wait here.” And with that, Carnegie ran down the hall they had just came in from.

For the first time, Malcolm stood… happily content in watching Eleanor’s butt bounce away from him as she ran back to her quarters. He walked slowly back toward her quarters, hoping that the closed distance would mean less time he had to spend without her.

It didn’t take five minutes for Eleanor to show back up, Pirates ball cap on and an old worn out baseball glove in her hand. Looking back at Malcolm, she said apologetically. “I haven’t been to a Pirates game in almost fifteen years. My brothers used to take me when I was a kid… Generally they left me alone in our parents’ box. Please take me to the regular crowd… I’ve always wanted to do that but never got the chance.”

Eleanor

Dawkins laughed. “I can’t even imagine! I had always wanted to see a game from a box… but Mom did good to get my sister and I tickets a couple times a year.” As they walked, he continued. “I mean, once I started Varsity in high school, we’d get to go to a few games and I even got to throw out a First Pitch after we took State my Senior Year.” He shrugged with a smile. “Joys of being the starting Pitcher I guess.”

“Oh wow!” Eleanor seemed genuinely impressed with Malcolm’s story. “You got to do more than I ever did!” She chuckled. “Well… we can do half and half if you want… half in whatever seats you have planned for us, half in a box… although I can tell you, it’s not that exciting. I usually just hung out alone because my brothers would leave me to do their ’thing’…” Carnegie added the air quotes “…with their dates or their friends and I was the little sister… it gets pretty lonely in there. I used to wish I could be cheering in the crowd.” She shrugged. “One time I even left… and couldn’t find my brothers at the end of the game… had to call dad’s shuttle pilot to come and get me. Andy and Tommy were grounded, mom was crying the whole time… and we never went to another game without an adult.”

Malcolm moved his right hand so Eleanor could see his shiny yet modest State Championship Baseball ring on his ring finger. “Only piece of real jewelry I’ve ever owned. Mom couldn’t afford both of us getting Class rings, so when we took State… I told her to get my little sister her’s… the school would get me… something… and they did. Pretty nice huh?”

Malcolm

It was gut punch. For the first time, Eleanor realized just how different Malcolm’s upbringing had been from hers. Not that Carnegie was used to having everything she wanted, but not being able to afford something had never been a problem for her. She took his hand and looked at the ring. “That’s beautiful.” Her tone was genuine. Looking back up into his eyes, Malcolm would be able to see a remnant of sympathy in her gaze.

“I’m sorry…” She finally said. “I never realized… I can’t even imagine what must have been like for you growing up…”

Eleanor