A First Date
Posted on Sat 28th Jul, 2018 @ 10:54pm by Lieutenant Commander Alora Baro & Lieutenant Anjohl Gaden MD
Edited on on Thu 2nd Aug, 2018 @ 3:30pm
1,116 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Oblivion
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: MD 03, 1900
Part 1:
It had been a while since Gaden had been on a date. All the way back to his Senior year at the Academy. He had been somewhat surprised that he'd had the courage to ask and that she had said yes. But, ever since they'd met for dinner, he had enjoyed he company immensely, he'd wondered if there might be something more. Or, he at least wondered if there was potential for it. So, he had invited her to an evening in Paris, or at least the holodeck version of it. A nice relaxing evening with dinner at the Eifel Tower.
He stood by the doors of the holodeck wearing a charcoal gray suit and blue silk shirt waiting for her to arrive.
Alora, this time, wore a civilian outfit as well, a gem like brown top under a purple jacket with brown trim and dark brown pants with black boots.
A little nervous she smiled as she came closer, it had been a while since she'd made time to date properly. Felt a little out of practice. "Good to remember we do have not uniforms in our closets..." She joked.
He smiled good-naturedly, "I know what you mean, our uniforms aren't exactly high-fashion. I'm not even sure if they are low-fashion. And you look nice in yours. I've only been to Paris a few times, but I think if I were to live any place on Earth, I'd live there. What about you?"
Baro smiled, "I remember many trips there as a cadet, Earth culture has so much variety it was a lot of fun to experience. It was my first time away from home, Paris, New Orleans all one could want." A memory floated to the surface, "I remember once a friend got us to bungee off the Eiffel Tower..." Then she thought to explain, "Not in real life, they wouldn't let us so we did it in the holodeck. More fun than I expected." She smiled fondly at the memory.
"Bungee jumping off the Eiffel Tower, that must have been an incredible rush. I would do that in the holodeck for sure. In real life, I, uh don't know if I'd have the... the em, guts to do so."
Alora laughed, "I'll have to take you some time, in the holodeck of course..."
Then he punched in some commands in a small console and the doors opened up. "After you," he said.
She smiled over at him as she entered the holodeck, already old, familiar sights and smells greeted her.
It was a late spring evening with the barest hint of a breeze. They were about a block away from their destination, "I wasn't sure whether you'd want to walk around or not," he stated, "so I set it up so we'd be close. But, if you want to walk around later, after dinner, we should have time. You know, if you want to." He rolled his eyes at his own statement, "geez, did that sound lame?"
Alora laughed, but it was a gentle one not mocking, "Don't worry about it, not like I have much practice dating either, at least lately. So how about this I won't judge any awkward thing you may do if you'll grant me the same courtesy?" She said smiling over at him as they walked through the Parisian summer night.
That brought a smile to Gaden's face. "I can live with that," he said,"I haven't dated since, well it was a long time ago. So, it looks like we are in the same boat. So, would you like to take a walk after dinner."
Alora smiled, "Ah the streets of Paris..." She said with a smile, "I think we can just point our feet in a direction and come across something interesting, the water, an art gallery, who knows?" She smiled, she planned things all day and to be honest it was hard to find an area of Paris that wouldn't be interesting, "What do you like to see?" She asked curiously, trying to get to know him better.
"Well, I'm something of an artist. A not very good one, but still an artist. I like to sketch. Like I said, I'm not all that good but I have a pretty good eye for it. I'd love to see a gallery. Not a museum, though that would be okay, but something local and out of the way. What about you?"
"That sounds nice, I can't draw to save my own life but I do a bit of sculpting in wood. Kept me from trying to take everything apart so I think my parents were happy to encourage it..." She smiled at the moment as she looked over at Gaden, "I'm always happy to poke in the nooks and crannies of a place and Paris has always had..." She moved forward and spun around her arms out before stopping to look at him again, "a unique atmosphere." The memories were coming back of late night walks from her cadet days. She learned much outside the classroom as well.
He followed her with his eyes throughout her entire performance."Well, it would be nice to visit the real Paris again someday. Of all the places on Earth, it's my favorite. Uh, has anyone told you recently that you're cute?"
Alora smiled, "Not lately, sometimes I'm referred to as a pain in the butt but since it was my younger sister I'm not sure her opinion counts." Then she pretended to get thoughtful, "Just cute huh? Not wildly beautiful? Shame..." She said in mock sadness, her eyes alight with a gentle humor. She was pleased about the comment and just being a bit silly, she looked up at him, "Then I suppose you're cute too." There was humor but a ring of truth in her voice. She lied badly so didn't tend to bother and nor did she mind telling him. He seemed a gentle sort and she felt comfortable, sometimes a feeling worth its weight in gold. It didn't hurt that he was cute and she had his chest in her memory.
He cocked his head to one side, "Family can be notoriously biased," he opined, "and I think that's true in your case. I don't think that you're a pain in the butt at all. I thank you for the compliment by the way, and for the record, I think you're more than cute."
Alora smiled and interlocked her arm with his, "And you Sir have good taste, shall we?" She gestured to the cafe they'd been ambling toward.
TBC
By on Tue 31st Jul, 2018 @ 12:42am
Thank you! Nicely done dating scene. A bit of awkwardness, and then overcoming that. Very believable date!