Work Text:
Magpie paced through her room, trying to accumulate words for her diary entry.
"Magpie's Diary, Gris 12, MY207
I want to make it up to Aja. They seemed annoyed, tired… all the bad things, when they said no. I don't… I don't want to impose, ya know? Aja is kind, friendly, shy… I don't want to ruin the friendship that started on such rocky ground. I guess with what happened - what we did - with the sickness the other week… we haven't been the same since."
Magpie sighed before speaking again.
"Aja… I don't know how to explain how I feel about them. Eoin doesn't… He doesn't seem to be on a similar wavelength on this kinda thing. I don't want to be pushy, I don't wanna drive my friends away, especially when it felt like I was fighting tooth and nail just to get Aja to like me platonically. I'll just make things worse, won't I?"
Aja slumped next to Prospero in their quarters before beginning to record.
"Personal Journal Entry, Aja Graves. 12-16-207."
Slowly, but shakily, Aja inhaled then exhaled before speaking.
"I should have said yes to the coffee date. After taking almost a couple of weeks to think about it, I could try to set myself the time to disconnect from all the relationship talk, especially with the science polycule and everything that transpired there. I need to apologise, I've hurt Margaret with what I said. She deserves better. Now I need to go find her… End recording."
Was this the first time Aja had mentioned such feelings? Admitted fault? They weren't totally sure, so distracted by how dire a mistake they'd made, they didn't even have the chance to think about it.
"Personal Journal Entry, Aja Graves. 13-16-207.
I'm about to go talk to Margaret about everything. Most likely apologise too, as it was my words that hurt her. I'll… Come back later with how this goes. End recording."
Aja paused again, taking a shaky breath before knocking on the door of Margaret's quarters.
"Come in?" Was it just them, or did Magpie sound like she was crying?
"It's Aja… are you up for talking at the moment?" Aja tried to remove the shakiness from their voice.
"Sort of… come on in."
Aja slowly walked through the door of Magpie's quarters, before coming face-to-face with the Human-Igbogan hybrid. Their breath was shaky as they looked at her, face grimacing before speaking again.
"Margaret, I-"
"Aja, I'm sorry for offering the coffee on the botany deck. You seemed annoyed that I even asked, and I made things worse. Ever since the sickness, we've both been acting different, and I know that. I just want to make it up to you. I want to at least be at the level of friendship we were before… ya know."
That honestly was not what Aja was expecting.
"Margaret, you don't need to apologise. In fact, I'm the one who should be apologising."
Magpie looked away for a moment. Aja took a deep breath before speaking again.
"I just… It's my fault. As far as things go, I've been really busy and I didn't think on how what I said would affect you."
"It's fine…" Magpie sighed and looked away again. Her eyes filled with tears as she wiped the small amount of missed black lipstick she was wearing off with the back of her hand. Was she really planning on doing this?
"Magpie…" Aja reached out to gently hold Magpie's hand, and the woman's breath hitched at the motion. The counsellor noticed a small smile on her face, and they made an attempt to hold her close.
Did they just call me Magpie? Magpie honestly wanted to lean into Aja. Possibly fall into them, at some stage? No, that wasn't it. It was already awkward enough with the sickness.
"Magpie… would you still want to… do the coffee date in the botany deck?"
Aja knew it was a risky move, after they already had broken the girl's heart. To their surprise, she lay her head on Aja's shoulder, and the counsellor had to resist the urge to stroke her hair a little. Well… Aja did end up giving into the urge, and Magpie seemed to be more relaxed as they did so. She even leant into them a little.
It was then when Aja truly realised the different colours in Magpie's hair. The dark brown of her natural roots, the bleach blonde that has since grown out since she last dyed it, and the darker brown spots from where she had left them. My short brown hair leaves much to be desired, Aja thought. But then again, ever since the academy, and what my mother did… Does she know? Does she know what my mother did?… Does she look at me and see my mother?
"Yeah. I do want to go on the date." Magpie's voice ripped Aja from their spiral of distress, and they gazed at her, a small dazed smile on their face.
"This time tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Tomorrow. See you then, Magpie?"
At Aja's words, Magpie blushed.
"Y-yeah. See ya then, Aja."
14th of Grissom, Martian Year 207 - Botany Deck of the Erebus
Magpie noticed Aja standing under the shade of one of the closest trees to the entry of the Botany Deck. Smoothing the creases of her dress, she walked towards them, small bouquet of flowers behind her back.
"Um… Hi?" Magpie's voice was shaky as she spoke.
"Hey, Magpie. Um… Yeah I'm sorry. About everything."
"Aja, we did this yesterday. It's fine." Magpie tried to replace the remaining heartbreak in her voice with hope.
"Is it, though? I know I hurt you."
"Aja." Magpie gasped a bit. "It's okay. Don't worry about it."
Aja looked Magpie in the eyes, inhaling and exhaling before speaking.
"So… shall we go get coffee?"
Aja hoped their smile was visible.
"Yeah, let's go do that, but one more thing…"
Magpie leaned in a bit, hesitant but hopeful. To her surprise, Aja leaned in too.
"Magpie's diary, Gris 14, MY207"
Magpie blushed before squealing uncontrollably for an extended period of time.
"Things feel okay again. I think things are looking up. Today was… really really good."
Magpie blushed again, before heading further into her quarters to reapply her lipstick, smiling all the way.
"Personal Journal Entry, Aja Graves. 14-16-207.
I made the right call, asking Magpie out for the coffee date."
Aja themself blushed a little more, wiping the remnants of Magpie's black lipstick off their mouth and face.
"Today was… amazing. I'm glad Magpie exists… End recording."