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“ One chore, taken off your duty roster - dealer’s choice!”
“ No way.”
“ Is that the best you got to offer?”
“ A day of chores then? C’mon ladies!”
“ Make it worth our time Chapel.”
“ Okay, okay - one day of chores, plus, whoever wins, uh..gets to swap out a leave day for one on the other person’s schedule! Get an extra day, get to see family or a partner without having to squabble over schedules..”
“Christine, why do you even want to do this –”
“Hm, I could use that to make up that missed date with that cute ensign – ow!”
Ortegas dramatically cradled her arm where Uhura had pinched it. Chapel tried not to snicker into her whisky glass.
The group of three had been shooting the breeze at the local waterhole – a girls night, if you will. Chapel enjoyed hanging out with the two of them, sharing laughs and eyerolls over what goes on their trusted ship. She found ground with them both – sharing Ortegas’ smart humour and boisterous ways, and appreciation for Uhura’s kindness and quiet intellect – and off hours at the bar was a great way to blow off steam. In fact, most of the ship thought so. It’d started picking up, crowds of bodies baring off-duty clothes and laughter booming around the room, music coming out from a speaker somewhere.
Everyone was here. Including Lieutenant La’an Sing. Chapel had immediately noticed her slink in through the doors, and had been watching her quietly nursing her glass of vodka (because of course that was what she was drinking) alone at her table. She didn’t get up. She didn’t do much of anything, besides occasionally lifting her head from her electronic duty roster pad to look out into the room with what Chapel thought was a silent look of wanting, lingering on the smiling groups of friends.
And not once did she lift that stringent, expression of furrowed formality. Which got Chapel thinking. What would happen...if someone could finally break that veneer?
“C’mon, you guys don’t think I can do it?! One quick line, and you both can be walking on easy street!”
“Okay, wait, so...if you loose and fail to make La’an smile – because of course you will because it’s La’an – do Uhura and I both get out of a day of chores?”
Uhura sighed again, leaning over her fruity pink cosmo to look more directly at her friend “I reiterate – why, again, do you want to do this? I mean..La’an’s an amazing Starfleet officer, but..trying to go up and make easy conversation with her is kind of like sticking your hand in a dark hole and having a fifty percent chance a wild animal might bite you.”
“And I’m pretty sure La’an bites ten times harder then any animal.” Ortegas added.
Chapel snorted. She flicked her gaze over again to the table. She was an easy splotch of red to spot - one of the few still wearing their uniform after hours - and was still tied to her seat, hiding behind the glass at her lips. Chapel eyed the white cheeks, the sharp black wings decorating the dark eyes. It made her wonder how much time this polished, no-nonsense girl spends in the mirror in the morning, trying to get the deadly look just right.
“Call it...” Chapel murmured, quirking her head “..a scientist’s curiosity..”
“I heard that killed the cat you know.”
“ And that’s probably the better outcome to bet on..”
Chapel ignored her friends and continued to watch, feeling almost pulled in. La’an must’ve picked up on the intrusion, because then, pointed brown eyes suddenly crashed right into hers. Chapel perked up, realizing La’an was now staring back, wary. A lull and then –
Chapel smiled. La’an paused – and then her brow slowly drew together before, altogether, quickly looking away. Chapel dropped into a frown.
Ortegas snorted into her own beer “And if that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is.”
Beside her, Uhura bit into her grin. Chapel huffed, straightening up.
“Ye of little faith.” She said, regaining her grin “Means nothing – she just needs a little warming up. And I can charm the pants off of a store mannequin. So, who’s in? Best offer, a full roster of the other person’s chores goes to the losing team. Going once, going twice...”
“Sold.” Ortegas decidedly slammed down her palm. Uhura sighed just as Chapel cheered, sticking her hand out to her friend.
“A well-made choice, Top Gun.”
Orteags smiled at the affectionate nickname, giving a hearty shake “I’m giving you thirty-five minutes Chapel, and I have to be able to see the smile on Singh. No half-ass smirk or anything – a full smile. Oh, and when you’re mopping up the holloway deck, try not to leave any spots so it doesn’t taint my record.”
“And try not to puke when you’re gunna be cleaning out bedpans.” Chapel smirked back. She slid out of the booth and dusted off her leather jacket, tossing back her hair “How do I look?”
“Like an overly confident lion tamer about to get their head ripped off.” Uhura told her, raising a brow “What’re you even going to say to her as an opener?”
“A master never reveals their secrets.” Chapel winked, which earned her more eye-rolls “And don’t worry, I already got a plan. So watch and learn ladies – see you on the other side.”
With that dramatic exit, Chapel spun on her heels and was off. She could feel her friends eyes lingering on her back as she walked off, trying to keep their muttering low.
Chapel paid no attention. Instead, she zero’d her sights on La’an. She was fast approaching her table – but, knowing the lieutenant, if she saw her approaching within the line of sight, she might just get up and leave to avoid having a conversation. She had to approach out of sight. Zigzagging around fellow bar patrons, Chapel fell in line behind La’an. Her head was already down, now intently going over something on the tablet in her hand – probably the duty roster – and seemed unaware.
Chapel took in a breath, relishing in the electric thrill in her chest for what might happen. Game on.
A step away from La’an, Chapel opened her mouth –
“If you’re trying to sneak up on someone, you’ve already done a piss-poor job.”
The curt words stopped Chapel in her path. Then she grinned, a near chuckle escaping. She took the final step up to the table, grasping onto the back of the free chair to swing herself around.
“I guess that’s what I get for trying to sneak up on someone trained in mortal combat, huh?”
In a blink, the dark eyes find her own blues. They sear into her – an internal scan, Chapel figured, to try and figure out just what she was up to and if it was safe. They were so deep, so intense, Chapel felt almost as if she was being held by the throat.
There were secrets there. Chapel knew it. And she was dying to figure them out.
La’an must’ve decided it was safe, thankfully, because Chapel watched the staunch shoulders drop down ever so slightly. Phew.
“...I was never trained in mortal combat.” She muttered, turning back to her tablet that showed a screen full of wordy paragraphs, and not the list of duties the nurse was expecting “What do you want?”
“Stand down Commander.” Chapel smiled, plopping herself down “I only wanted a chat. This is a social bar after all, in case you forgot.”
La’an snorted, clearly not buying it. She didn’t even bother to look up from her tablet.
“And what about your little girl gang over there?” She didn’t even need to gesture for Chapel to know she was talking about her friends across the bar “Are they not stimulating enough that you had to go looking for outcasts? Or did they kick you out?”
“Surprisingly, they’ve held onto me. I just thought..I might offer up a chat, but there’s no pressure to say yes if you’re not interested. I also..wanted to check in with you after the Gorn attack, because every time I’ve tired to hunt you down just to double check your vitals, you mysteriously disappear..”
La’an froze up slightly, as was expected. Chapel didn’t want to steer the conversation into painful territory, but this was her just her way in. After all, she wasn’t being totally untruthful – she had been meaning to check in with La’an after the injury she sustained from the impact. During that horrible, terrifying attack and finding bloody pools on the ship’s floor, when she’d had a second to finally look back for La’an as she’d promised, she’d fled. Even without sustaining outside injuries and repeatedly saying she was fine, Chapel wasn’t all the way convinced until she’d at least done a scan.
But La’an was a stubborn one.
“..Frankly, I’m not sure what made you think I’d ever want a conversation filled with dull small talk and questions that pretend we’re interested in each other’s lives. I think I’ll pass.” Finally, La’an lifted her gaze from up over her tablet, locking eyes “..And as I’ve repeatedly told you, I’m fine.”
“Hey, I’m a nurse, and my first priority is the patient – you took a pretty bad crash during that attack, and I’m not satisfied until I can at least read off some data results. The last thing I want is you falling through the med-bay doors because your brain is hemorrhaging.”
“...You like to see hard proof of results.” La’an murmured, the sharp edge noticeably retracting from her voice “..I suppose I can understand that. If you really must do a scan, then I can follow you –”
“Don’t worry about it doll – I’ll book you in for an in-person visit later.” Chapel quickly reeled her back in from leaving the table, trying on another smile “As for your other complaint, we don’t have to talk about any of that crap. For one, we can talk about that thick text your combing through that isn’t the duty roster I expected.”
“And you just assumed it was something work related?”
“I mean..so goes the rumour that ensigns have seen you haunting the ship at night, sleep-working.”
“ Hilarious - that’s a new one. Forgive me, for thinking you were smarter then to listen to rumours, Nurse Chapel..”
“Is that a denial?”
“... I’m never working in my sleep, just...when I can’t fall asleep. But I am conscious!”
Chapel couldn’t help her grin “You’re a hard worker, that’s clear as day – and hey, when you’re doing something you really love, your dream job, it’s hard to even want to go to bed at night..”
The immediate response, was quiet, which was odd with someone as dangerous of a tongue as La’an’s. Chapel glanced up from crossing her legs to see the other woman leaning back in her chair, arms folded, and in return, watching her with the same amount of curiosity.
“Starfleet has been my dream for a long time. I am committed to it’s mission and work, and I don’t want to waste any time lollygagging on other things.”
“And so you don’t. Like I said, when you’re livin’ the life..”
“And is that how you feel?..”
“Getting to work up front and close with a variety of people and species – documenting every peculiar bodily reaction and situation, something new every day to keep me on my toes – is something I could’ve only hoped for. I could do with a couple less death-defying scenarios and angry alien neighbouring attacks, but no job is without it’s downsides. This five-year mission, to explore possibility – what more could a girl want?”
“...I should say that, despite your..eccentric beside manor and quirks – like telling the Commander that a side affect of surgery might feel like giving birth out of her mouth – ”
“I still stand by that.”
La’an rolled her eyes, and it shouldn’t make Chapel feel as amused as it did.
“– despite that, I see you work diligently. You are...very competent at your job.”
“Competent? Wow, I’m blushing. Mind if I get that in writing?” She teased. Very quick, and very quietly, Chapel watched a tiny scoff escape between the pink lips. But...the corners did not lift.
Chapel bit into her cheek. What would it take to crack this girl? It only made her itch more to find out.
“Alright, since it isn’t a duty roster, just what is that slog of paragraphs you’re running through?”
“What makes you so interested?”
Back to defensive. The arms were still crossed, gaze a dagger. Chapel did her best to remain neutral, if not with a smile.
“Hey, maybe I can put in a good word for you, if don’t want to only be known as the work-a-holic.”
Another eye roll. But, the arms slid down – lowering the wall as she quietly straightened up.
“..It’s part of my classical readings. 21 st century Earth literature, if that interests you..”
“Orwell?”
La’an’s brow shot up and Chapel tried her best not to grin. That was generally the reaction she got when she told people she had her hand in classic lit. She’s honestly not even sure what the others expect her to be into in her down time.
“..No, but I see you’re familiar. Why Orwell?”
“Just seemed like it could be your thing. What is it then?”
“I’m not so into the political allegory.” La’an dismissed “It’s.. Call Of The Wild. A rather simple book in structure, but, it was a book I enjoyed when I was younger and still do..”
“A bit of a rough one. A powerful story, but not exactly for kids or animal lovers.”
“Yes, well, not if you were anything like my child self, evidently..” La’an murmured, going for another sip of her vodka “..I know something of adapting to survive; the themes remain universal. There’s something of solace, in Buck’s journey..”
It was almost heartbreaking, the way someone could ascribe that kind of violence to their childhood. Chapel mulled, left watching La’an. The lowered lights of the bar left a fuzzy haze around her, gently highlighting the sharp jawline. If looks could kill, La’an would win every time – but, it only made Chapel want to pull back the curtain. Now though, wasn’t the time – unless the blonde wanted her head to be brutally ripped off.
“What?..”
“Nothing.” Chapel quickly snapped back, a shake of her head as she tossed back her hair “You ever read Frankenstein?”
“..Yes.” La’an’s voice was almost too quiet to hear the surprise in it "It's another one of my favourites..”
“Talk about universal themes.” Chapel smiled, perching her chin on her propped-up hands “I still get chills whenever I re-read it.”
“Why’d you read it?”
“What? Am I not allowed to be an intellectual?” Chapel grinned further at the look of annoyance she got in return.
“ I mean, well -...you’re right. I’m sorry. That was..an impolite ask.”
“S’ok. I read it because, well, you’re looking at the Nerd of Genes. The idea we could resurrect any living thing into consciousness – I mean..it’s still a dream the Federation and even the rest of us are trying to reach. It’s a fascinating idea that makes my blood tremble every time I think about it and the things we could do.”
“But there are consequences to it.”
“Ah, the Catch-22.” Blue eyes glistening, this is where Chapel leaned in, voice lowering just a drop “..People like to think science is all just cold, hard lines – fact or fiction, truth and make-pretend. But, it’s always more then that. One simple genome..and a whole world of possibilities line up. Maybe we can mess around such as Victor did, but, should we as scientists, know better even at the cost of scientific advancement? We can create life, but...we are not free to abandon it. Again, science isn’t just fact sheets and genomes – humanity is just as intertwined in it as it is with everything else.”
“Nurse Chapel..” La’an remarked, and then, there, Chapel saw the corner of her mouth quirk “what a speech.”
She gleamed back. Unfortunately, a mere bemused pull of her lips wasn’t going to do it, if she was going to follow Ortegas rules. She very quickly flicked her eyes to the side to glimpse her friends – watching them in their booth just as intently, animated whispers between them. Ortegas lifted her hand to pretend to wave before Uhura snatched it and held her down. Chapel held down a scoff, bringing her gaze back just a fast before La’an caught on.
“I aim to impress. Why did it earn a favourite from you?”
Any lightness in La’an’s tone, suddenly vanished. A cloud glazed over dark eyes. She paused before answering, fingers tapping along the casing of her tablet, but Chapel held on. She knew there’d be an answer.
“...It’s as you said.” Her tone had noticeably dropped, and with that accent humming quietly underneath the noise of loud crowds, it could almost be deadly “Universal themes – there’s many ways one can relate to it..”
“..Huh.” Chapel straightened herself up “Adventures and misdeeds, regrets, sure, that’s all there, though I feel like most people wouldn’t be able to see themselves without some kind of hero starring in it..”
“I am no hero.” La’an snapped with no room to argue “And anyone needing to constantly see themselves as such, isn’t either.”
“You saved us from the Gorn attack.” Chapel countered just as quick “Without your knowledge and forethought we all would’ve been goners by now.”
A huff. Almost a laugh, but it was too dry – to empty, to hold anything in it. Her arms tightened around her chest, levelling her eyes to the nurse’s.
“That’s survival, is all. Labelling it heroism is just denying that factor.”
“Can it be both?..”
La’an paused again. Chapel felt the air between grow thicker, both of them holding careful gazes on the other. She could hear her blood rushing, her heart starting to pick up. In the back of her mind, she was worried La’an, with her razor-sharp senses, could hear it.
“..If you’d been through survival as I have, you wouldn’t be asking. Moral, upright characters needn’t make a book great – I want to hear a story, not be babysat by a fairytale. Besides, the good actions the characters try to make only lead to downfall. Victor thinks he’s making a monumental breakthrough for society, and that very thing he makes only ends up killing him. The monster, by either trying to do the moral thing or finally receive the love he craves, just gets him hurt. So, in time, they both have to do whatever it takes to defend themselves from each other so that they themselves can live..”
“..Survival.” Chapel murmured “But..while we can talk about Doctor Frank’s actions all damn day, the monster’s actions at least don’t start off wrong. Despite how he was born, he just wants to be accepted, to be loved – the most human thing of all.”
Quiet. The bar noise grew even louder, and the air thicker. Chapel watched La’an swallow tightly. Wordlessly she reached for her vodka glass, take a heavy swig, and place it back down in a seamless swoop. Chapel was impressed (and aroused?) but she’d have to leave that for later. Because those deep, dark eyes were pouring into hers and the smooth, malt accent came over –
“Perhaps, or is it the need to survive stronger – a call for violence and destruction to fill the gaping need in all of us?..”
And that’s when Chapel grinned.
“See, now that can be both – duality, such as having a hardass security officer who lives and breaths Starfleet also having a soft spot for classic lit.”
“And a very intelligent Starfleet nurse having an equally smart mouth?”
It was so quick and seamless – Chapel couldn’t help it. The clap of laughter jumped out of her, clumsy and genuine, all but startling the nearby engineer ensigns off of the bar. Shaking her head as she brought her gaze up, she tried to stifle the laughter still trying to escape to little success.
“..That’s a good one.” Chapel admitted, unable to hold down her grin “I’ll have to stop by medbay for some ointment for that burn..”
As rare as it was to even get a conversation out of the staunch commander, it was all-the-rarer to get such a searing joke (honestly, a burn Chapel is willing to take any day of the week). And so, she couldn’t expect more then that when she looks back at the woman on the other side of the table –
She’s smiling. She’s smiling. There wasn’t even an attempt to try and hide it meaning all Chapel could do was sit there and bask. The quiet lips had softly lifted up, humble and shy, and you could see the way it actually lit up those deep browns and just faintly, a very light pink dusting the peek of her thin cheeks. The heaviness, the clouded air that’d linked itself to La’an’s trauma and followed her everywhere, it’d faded away and for a second – she was the brightest glowing thing on this whole damn ship.
Chapel could only gape. And grin. A slew of thoughts bombarded her all at once like how the hell this was the first time she’d ever gotten to see her smile and how beautiful she was and how she wanted to break the neck of whatever it was that made La’an think that she couldn’t feel light, and, frankly, the last thought was that she had in fact won the bet.
By watching her, it was clear that the best part wasn’t rubbing her victory in her friends’ faces.
That’s when she realizes she hasn’t actually said something for a minute. But La’an was still watching her with lingering lightness, diluted but present, and like she might say something else instead –
“Holy shit she actually – ow!”
Both heads whipped across the room. Chapel felt her stomach hit her feet when she saw her friends openly oggling them, Ortegas wincing after Uhura had (yet again) pinched her. They quickly tried to look away in caught-shame, but very obviously staring off elsewhere with embarrassed red cheeks wasn’t exactly a convincing cover. They’d been found.
Those assholes -
Chapel snapped her head back to La’an, her best attempt to cover already on her lips, but it was too late. Any lightness had disappeared, snuffed out, as La’an’s eyes widened and Chapel was hit not with the anger she was expecting, but hurt.
It was normal to see La’an fierce and ready to chew off the heads of those in her path. What crushed Chapel, was the completely crestfallen look of realization – thinking that she’d been had and any kindness the nurse had offered was fake. Chapel wanted to say a million things at once, explain it all away, but it instead left her stuttering.
“La’an I – it’s not – I didn’t –”
Heavy brown eyes snapped at her and this time, they were to kill. Narrowed and pointed and molten with anger, her fingers curling white-knuckled around her tablet. This was different then the sharp annoyance at a clueless ensign or overly friendly coworker.
And Chapel knew she’d fucked up.
There was a loud scrape of chair legs against the floor and La’an was rushing across the bar, shoulders smacking into those who didn’t need her demand of ‘move!’. Chapel bolted up just as fast, foot nearly wrapping around the chair and causing her to trip.
“La’an wait! Wait!”
Chapel ran after without any idea of what to say but just knowing she couldn’t let her go. She hurriedly dodged bar patrons, ducking trays carrying drinks. She made it through and out the exit; thankfully, at this late hour on off-duty, most of the halls were empty, so she was quick to catch up to the red shirt hastily walking away from her.
“La’an! Wait!”
“Leave me alone Chapel!” La’an threatened, voice notably tight “If you know what’s good for you!”
“I’ve never followed by that rule, you kidding me?! Look, just – ” picking up speed, Chapel took a leap and jumped right in La’an’s path, nearly causing a collision “just let me explain –”
“I don’t need an explanation!” La’an hissed at her, glaring right through the blonde like a dagger “I’ve been the subject to many bullying stunts growing up alright, you don’t need to explain anything to me! So get out of my way –”
“No! It-it wasn’t like that, swear, I…..well...okay, maybe it was something I put my friends up to but it’s not what you think –”
“Really? What was the prank then, let me guess – have your friends time me to see how long the social outcast can last in a quote ‘normal’ conversation? Learn my secrets to prank me later?! Or, be chummy so I feel accepted into your little girl group and then when I expect it the least, you lock me up to one of the infirmary beds?!”
“Okay, first of all, we don’t even keep locks on the med-bay beds, and two...what the hell kind of bullying initiatives were you forced through??”
“You got a third?!” La’an dodged the question, raised brow and tightly crossed arms spelling out that there’d better be an answer fast.
Chapel paused. Within the next millisecond, she had to decide just how much she wanted to lean into the truth. ‘Cause saying the actual reason out loud felt kind of….ridiculous. A bit of a dent to her cool n’ collect aura, at least, plus the very real prospect that La’an would get rather mad at her. But Chapel also knew, that her chances trying to get a lie past La’an’s bloodhound senses were slim. She could see right through her.
And, deep down, she also knew that by fibbing her way out of this, she risked alienating La’an even more. Possibly for good. That quiet smile shining across the dim bar table flashed in her mind - another dismissal, and La’an would shield it away even further. That’s the last thing Chapel wanted.
She wanted to see it all the time.
“Well?!”
Chapel took in a breath. Parted her lips and found the words simply falling out -
“I..I just...I wanted to see you smile..”
No reaction. La’an could only blink back at her, completely side-swept. Chapel awkwardly bit into her tongue, strangled by the silent air. Finally,
“…..What?!”
The blonde sighed. She tried to ignore the blush rushing to her cheeks, nervously brushing her hair from her eyes.
“That-that was it. I wanted to make you smile. I bet I could, and Ortegas and Uhura bet I couldn’t. Well, mostly just Ortegas, but, whatever, it..it sounds dumb, saying it out loud, but..but..”
Another sigh, Chapel left gesturing with her hands uselessly. There was no out for her now; all she could do was own it. La’an’s brow only went higher and higher in disbelief, straightening herself up to the stammering nurse.
“..I guess there isn’t a ‘but.’ I just wanted to see you smile.”
She didn’t say anything more - there was not much more to say, and Chapel knew her own proficiency at talking to cover her nerves that she goes far enough to stick her foot in her mouth. La’an didn’t say anything either, seemingly tounge-tied. Blue eyes nervously held brown, tentative - nor missing, the softness that’d turned the earlier venomous gaze gentle.
“...I don’t know how to respond to that,” La’an admitted quietly “if I’m being honest..”
“..I mean, aren’t you always?” Chapel posed. She got a scoff in return, and an only-slightly-cutting eyeroll. Chapel risked a smile back.
“Well if honesty is the policy..” La’an shuffled uneasily, flicking her eyes around until finally daring to look back - nervous, which Chapel had never seen on the staunch officer before, and she found oddly charming “..why me?..”
“..Call it a scientist’s curiosity?..” Chapel tried a smile, but without knowing it, felt herself turn to something earnest “It’s just..you know, I’ve never seen you even crack one, and I had a thought that..you probably had a really pretty smile. And I think I was right.”
“..And if I was to bet, I’d say that sounds like a line, Nurse Chapel..” La’an murmured, and, shit, that malt accent once more spoken at such a dangerous octave..“What was the bet anyway?”
“Huh? Oh - uh, the loser has to cover the winner’s list of chores for a day. Ortegas can look forward to the glory that is cleaning bedpans.” Chapel answered, taking in a quick breath before she could overthink her next dubious move “I’ll take it, but..I think I already found a better prize from across the table earlier..”
“That’s awful.” La’an shot down. A second, and Chapel caught the mirth glinting in brown eyes. She couldn’t help smiling back. Finally, the officer stepped aside, headed past her. Not really knowing why, Chapel gently caught La’an with two fingers against her wrist.
“La’an, I..”
“It’s fine, Christine..” She eased, and it was most calm she’d sounded all night. Chapel politely smiled back then, pulling her hand away. She expected La’an to keep walking and leave her in the dust, but, instead, she lingered. Those sharp, dark eyes drew the nurse up and down anew, slowing when she caught Chapel’s blues. Chapel felt a shiver ghost over her spine.
“..You know, you aren’t the first person to try that tactic.”
“Lame one-liners?”
“Trying to get me to smile. But..you are the first person who’s attempt actually worked.”
Her heart elatedly slammed against her chest. Now that’s definitely a line.
Now for the first time, any and all quick fire words having completely left her. She was left to blink in surprise, caught in the hold of this thorny and tough-edged woman who had no tolerance for the kind of shenanigans Chapel enjoys, expecting her to spit fire before any kind of flirty line -
And she’s smiling again. Quietly sheathed, Chapel caught the corners of pink lips pulling up at her. A subtle tease mixed in with nervous warmth - waiting on her.
Chapel recognized, she probably looked like a damn fool, grinning in the middle of the hallway at the woman who’d break your nose over her knee if you looked stepped a quarter out of line.
But when La’an was smiling at her like that, she couldn’t give a damn.
La’an left just as swiftly - a curt heel turn, and she was already half-way down the hall, head up and hands tucked behind her back as always. Leaving Chapel there with her heart beating an extra step and that accent reverberating and a million questions running through her head all at once. It made sense then that as she watched La’an leave, she didn’t even hear her friends footsteps broach her from behind.
“Hey, you’re still alive!..” Oretegas said, smile dripping with guilt “Sorry, uh..for that.”
Chapel scoffed internally to herself, gaze still lingering out towards the hall. Uhura then stepped up next to her shoulder.
“More amazing then the fact that La’an didn’t simply kill you in your spot, was that you actually pulled it off. Now you’re chore-free.” She turned to her friend, brow raised “So, uh, your curiosity finally satiated?..”
Without even glancing over, Chapel’s grin simply grew wider.
“..Actually, I think it’s anything but…”