Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: Early Morning in the Lab

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: Early Morning in the Lab

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: Early Morning in the Lab
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Well that was a stupid question then. She really was curious how messing with these early bacteria might effect the development of life, but apparently that wasn’t a thing. He’d called her Rand instead of Miranda, and she was disappointed. She liked that he used her name when it was just them. She didn’t think it had anything to do with her question or anything, but she did notice. Neither did he seem annoyed by her question. He never seemed to mind her questions. This time, though, she was careful to keep her rambling thoughts to herself. She wasn’t sure if she was wording her question right. “I know there are good and harmful bacteria, but would these be less or more harmful since we are so far evolved than them? Or is that moot because it lives in different environment?”

Rand

Roman might’ve been distracted, causing him to forget that he liked to call her Miranda when they were alone. It was sort of like how she called him Roman, where to anyone else he was ‘Alden’ or ‘Commander’, even off-duty he was called Alden. He may have just called her Rand rather than Miranda because they were talking work, and as much as he loved talking about work, he was used to calling her Rand in the labs. “‘Good’ bacteria live in our bodies naturally, harmful ones invade our body. We aren’t sure exactly what effects these ones would have on a human body because obviously we aren’t going to purposefully infect someone. Or if they could.”

~ Roman

Rand was turning her glass around and around as she listened, not really paying attention to the glass, while she thought. “Couldn’t you use tissue or blood samples to determine the effects? I mean I don’t want some alien bacteria being tested and experimented on, but if you had to, could you do it that way?”

Rand

Roman thought about the question a moment and then shrugged. “Now we’re getting more into medical sciences and I’m not really sure how exactly it works.” He said, looking at her. He was never afraid to say “I don’t know” or “I can’t answer that” to one of her questions if it was outside his field of knowledge. But in contrast to earlier, he now seemed a bit disinterested in talking about work, which was uncommon for him, but he was looking at her and instead of thinking about bacteria and illness and strange alien planets his mind had wandered to earlier in the day, in Rand’s little tiny closet when they were alone, and holding hands, and hugging.

~ Roman

Well, that made sense. It was a passing curiosity. She grinned, “Maybe I could ask in sickbay tomorrow. Make them forget why I’m there.” She looked over at him, sharing her amusement. That wouldn’t get her out of the appointment but she figured he would understand. But he was looking at her funny. It made her feel hot, and flush, and her stomach feel funny. She picked up her water, drinking about half of it very quickly. He was looking at her like he had in her office earlier, when he’d sort of admitted he loved her…

Rand

“I would, I’m quite interested in the answer myself,” Roman said, though he still sounded just about the opposite of interested. All he could think of was Rand, from earlier, saying “I do, too”. And the hugging. He loved the hugging. He was still giving her that look, but he wasn’t saying anything. Until what he was thinking made its way out his mouth before he realized what he was saying once again: “Miranda… I really do love you.” But this time, he didn’t feel or look nervous after saying it.

~ Roman

Rand turned a very nervously happy but lovely shade of pink. He was still staring at her, and it made her feel breathless. Then he spoke and that cocky, confident look was on his face again. The one that made butterflies in her stomach, and made her want to stand closer to him and hug him. She sat there silently, pleasantly surprised for several moments before she realized she hadn’t said anything. Her voice was quiet but sincere, “I love you, too, Roman.” It felt a little off telling him that while sitting next to him rather than standing close, next to him, his arms around her or holding her hand.

Rand

That was easily, and quickly, remedied, as Roman crossed the short space between them and wrapped his arms around her, loosely at first, bringing her into another hug. He’d thought it enough times this evening, but he had to again: he loved the hugging. “Oh, you do, do you?” He asked, voice soft and just above a whisper, giving her another look, something between his cocky confident one and the one he’d worn when he’d told her that in her office. It clearly wasn’t a serious question, he was teasing again.

~ Roman