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[The holodeck, huh? His lips curl a little at that, and he adjusts his jacket — beat up but holding up, fancy that; the thing was made out of liquid steel or something — and makes his way over to the usual place. There's a lot of hologram rooms, but he knows the right one.

It gave him time to think, walking. Sometimes, sometimes, he'd think about LB. There's a fucking plethora of things that haunt him and even more things to make him angry or sad or suddenly and professionally cold and neutral, but hey — people like Heather and Murphy and all the castaways here help make him happier. LB was definitely on the list.

So yeah, hanging out isn't a problem. Even if he's starting to have a few problems with it. Mostly, his face burning a little red; Alex was never good with the ladies, it's true, but it's hardly why he's starting to recoil mentally around her.

Blame it on the dreams. God, the dreams. Why is he even going there? Stuck on a killer ship after your life is ground up into powder, and you're having dreams about boning your friends.

No, no no, even thinking it like that makes him uncomfortable.

OH HEY THERE YOU ARE, LB. He clears his throat and smiles, shoving the whole thing out of his mind like he usually's so good at. Sort of. Kind of. Not at all.]

I - uh. Didn't keep you, did I?

[The sound of his footsteps alone were enough to alert LB of Alex's presence. It sounded a little ridiculous on paper, but there were certain intricacies to footsteps -- the volume of the weight, the timing, the pattern of it all -- that made it one of the most difficult parts of mimicking a person, since she typically wasn't around a person long enough to get their jive down perfectly. However, being around Alex enough, the particular sound of his soles hitting the floor was enough to get her excited. Nervous, but excited nevertheless.

So when he enters the holodeck she set up, LB returns his smile, though her hands are behind her back, shoddily obscuring something within them. It wasn't like she had pockets, and even if it was funny teasing Alex about her other hiding spot, it might have been too much for him if she actually pulled it out of her cleavage in front of him.]

Heeheehee, I haven't been waiting long at all.

[Her smile broadens as she excitedly hoists herself by her tiptoes briefly.]

But hey, I got you something! [Bringing one of her hands around to her front, she displays the worn down looking box of cards.] You've been keeping yourself out of trouble, so I don't know if you still want it, but...

I'm always out of trouble.

[Said jokingly, teasing himself more than anything.

At the gift, he brightens up, like he's totally regressed 10 years to a kid getting something for Christmas, because hell yeah — cards. Having a set of his own to pass the time is great, especially when he gets so restless as it is; always have, always probably will. It doesn't help that he has moments where he genuinely blanks out, because let's face it: a guy with as much brain trauma as him tends to have technical difficulties like that, with only themselves for company. It's why he likes to wander more often than not.]

You really got some?

[Still smiling, he takes the box in one hand, flipping it over and back forward.]

You sure? You might wanna play a game with someone if you're feeling jittery. Helps to keep your mind elsewhere.

[LB gives him a pointed glare at that comment, though there's a glint of amusement in her own eyes. Even if his life seemed to be relatively calm lately, there was a period of time where worrying about his problems was such a common practice that it actually distracted her from her own problems. But then she always was an escapist.

Seeing Alex's positive reaction to her present, though, is infectious. Part of her was worried that he didn't need it anymore, but just the feeling of knowing she got something right was nice, especially considering it was someone she really cared about.]

Mmm-hmm! Hahahaha! [Though LB could hardly believe it when she stumbled upon it herself.]

Of course I'm sure, or I wouldn't have given it to you. Anyway, the last place I want to be, when I'm - ah - "jittery" is in my room.

[That, and with so many people either disappearing or being sent back to their home, in all of her time on the Tranquility, she was constantly afraid that she was going to be the next to go. Even if LB really didn't want to leave, she really wanted to at least give Alex something he could enjoy even without her there.

Now she just had to work up the nerve to try to hug him and try to make it not be weird. The latter part being the bigger challenge, in her eyes, that fed into the former problem.]

But-- I'm glad you like it?

[His smile creases, widens a bit. He looks genuine. Sometimes he forgets he's actually not that old at all; somedays he feels older than Murphy (watch the old man huff and puff about that comparison). It's easy to forget he's supposed to be just starting his life on his own, getting a steady job, dating.]

It's been a long ass time since I got a gift from someone. 'Course I like it.

[He actually sounds younger than his age for once, all pleasant and... honored? Maybe honored. LB may have doubts about the cleanliness of her soul, but Alex didn't give a royal fuck about the inky blemishes she probably visualized there.

Whatever. He's got some pretty ugly tar-colored stains on his very being, too.

He looks up at her with that less-tired smile still in place.]

Thanks, LB. It means a lot.

[That people care. He's gotten used to the sounds of people caring. She may feel she's been inadequately around when he needed her, but she's been around more than a lot of people in his old life.

It's plenty enough.]

Edited 2013-06-22 05:02 (UTC)

Yeah -- eeheehee -- of course.

[His earnest appreciation, along with that really cute expression, was enough to cause LB to feel flustered all over again. Still, her eyes meets his for a little while, before she ducks her head down modestly, not wanting to stare for too long.

Considering her circumstances, she didn't expect to find a way to make herself be magically sane again, but being around Alex never made her feel as weird as she thought herself to be. Even from the beginning, he had been nothing but kind and understanding toward her, so bringing him even the slightest bit of happiness felt like a major accomplishment for LB.

At a bit of a loss for what to do next, she looks back up at him and wonders if that was the right moment to do what she really wanted to.

Or should she wait until he was about to leave? But then that might come out of the blue, making the whole thing really awkward, and that wasn't what LB wanted.

And hey, she had only hugged a couple of relative strangers after the jump, what if she could still hurt him?

She shakes her head with a low mutter of a giggle as she reprimands herself for once again over-complicating things. It was just a hug, how hard could it be?

Finally gathering enough nerve, LB sighs lightly as she extends her arms and takes a step forward as she attempts to gently wrap Alex in a hug; hopefully a non-lethal one.]

[He just sorta'

stands there

confuddled.

It's not like he never got hugs — Elle and Josh loved hugs, and frankly, he gets by on the hugging aboard the ship. Heather, Murphy... Annie and Chase... Yeah, he's gotten hugs before. But this? This was unexpected, especially because LB seemed so nervous before, like attempting a great feat. And even more confusing, Alex wasn't sure — if she even liked hugs.

Also the whole 'dreaming of you' thing, and this hitting close to home.

He flusters, standing very, very still for a moment or two.

Eventually, he slowly reaches his arms around, brow furrowed, and hugs her back. It's not unwelcoming, not unkind; it's a worried sort of touch, an attempt to comfort and secure, in case she needed that.]

... LB? Are you okay?

Did something happen?

[Okay, so he worries that maybe she needs comfort.

He worries a lot, y'know.]

[She inhales shortly after she hugs him, still nervous of how he might react to it. So when he doesn't really do anything at all for the first couple of seconds and then seemed concerned for her afterward? LB was sure she fucked something up.

Shaking her head at Alex's questioning, she loosens her grip from under his arms, directing her eyes away from him.]

No -- eeheehee -- not really, I-- [Just really wanted to try to hug you, but then that would be guilt-tripping him, wouldn't it?] -- sorry.

[Suddenly worried about what she might have done, she glances back up to his face.] Are you all right?

[He smiles, not looking threatened or anything, but he can't help but worry; it's encoded into his DNA by now. He just keeps his hands on her shoulders, supportive, even after she lets go a little.]

No, no, it's nothing to be sorry about.

I just — I wasn't sure if something was wrong.

...

You were just hugging to hug? Nothing serious happened?

[LB why whatchu doing missy]

[After his reassurance, LB's anxiety subsides a little (not completely, because this was LB we were talking about) as she takes a brief glance at one of Alex's hand on her shoulders. It was a little funny, really. She was the more handsy one -- even if she had to suppress a lot of her urges -- but yet she was the one standing still this time.]

Ahaha... yes? [She smiles sheepishly, while her shoulders shrug.] Maybe it's kind of weird, but I, uh, I didn't really know that I could until recently.

[Or at least do it without some serious repercussions for the other person.]

[He blinks at her, caught off guard a bit by the reply.]

You weren't sure if you could hug?

[He shakes his head and scoffs, and for all the flustering he does, he's entirely calm and soft and quiet when he reaches back and pulls her close again into a hug. It must suck, thinking like that. He knows enough about her that it's just plain tragic, her answer and obvious nervousness. Even Alex wasn't that bad, and the kid had a landslide of issues like a damn magazine rack.

He feels her hair tickle his cheek, and smiles a little.]

Geez, LB, you were worried?

Looks like you're doing alright to me.

[No time to be a nervous kid on a playground; there's someone who needs a little reassurance here, after all.]

[Now it was LB's turn to be startled as he pulls her to him, still the slightest bit anxious about what it could possibly do to him, but relaxes when he continues to speak to her. Even if she had hugged a couple of people, to test out the lethality of even a casual embrace, this really was the first time she had gotten to do this -- in a very long time -- to someone she really cared about.

After a few moments pass, she ducks her head a little, pressing her body a little closer to his. Feeling a little more confident, one gloved hand reaches behind Alex's back, soothing it in short, slow motions.]

I told you it was weird. [Her chest vibrates with a short, quiet bout of laughter.] I was just-- well... I was more worried about you.

[Okay, the soothing motions make him turn red all over again. He remembers the dreams and wills the images to go away; nooooo no no, don't be a creep, Alex, don't think like that while you're trying to comfort her. But he doesn't move away, because if this is what she needs to be less afraid of herself, he can do that.]

Worried about me?

[Oblivious to how he was feeling, LB continues to glide her and over his back. If this was acceptable toward strangers that she was trying to kill, it was fine toward people she actually liked.

...Right? Regardless, it felt nice to hold a person this long without them going limp after a few seconds.]

Yeah... I could kill people like this, you know.

[As ridiculous as it sounded, this was the one thing she was hesitant to admit to people. At least with her other powers, it came with her suit, but that made her feel as if she were something a little off from human.

She inhales his scent, letting out a long breath shortly afterward.]

Wasn't really sure if I could control it, until very recently.

[snort.]

LB, just for future reference — don't tell people you could kill them in a hug while you're hugging them.

[Not that he seems all that beat up about it.

He swallows hard, keeping his hands on her shoulder blades, not letting them move a single inch; men are total pigs, he thinks, what is wrong with me? Come on, Shepherd, stop thinking about images like that. This isn't that at all. It's just a hug from someone who considers you a friend.

A-ahem.]

I think you're controlling it — really well.

[touching my back

her thin fingers probing around shoulder blades, brushing sweetly

are those her boobs, is that's whats pressing like that

i'm an awful person i'm going to hell

what is wrong with my virgin body]

Edited 2013-06-30 08:16 (UTC)

[His response gets a giggle out of her, but LB still has enough sense to pull herself back a bit -- a little more gracefully this time. However, before pulling away completely, her fingers slide to the cheeks of Alex's face, letting them linger there as she briefly smiles at him.]

Sorry -- heeheeheee -- but at least I made sure that you would be okay.

[Looking at his face for so long, though, LB starts to think about just how easy it would be to lean in just a little bit and--

--no, that wouldn't be good at all; she was probably pushing it with the hugging thing, as it was. Plus, LB still wasn't sure if he even liked her that way. Right, let's just keep the hands there before any other ideas start to form.]

But, uh, yeah! Heehee, thanks for putting up with it anyway.

Feeling her face flush again, she drops her hands to her sides

[He steps back when her hands leave, and -- thank jesus, he's still got enough self-control not to make his even more awkward below the belt; god, god, this is not how he expected this meeting to go. He can't stop the red from burning his cheeks as he turns a little away, trying to play casual. Elle had never made him so anxious, but she was natural, she was just a fixture in his life back then that felt like it had a familial belonging. He never questioned her holding him when he was pissed, or touching his shoulders.

He never dreamed about having sex with her, either, or feeling like her touch would melt him into a pathetic little manpuddle. Nononono, stop it, just stop it.

The poker deck is still gripped in his hand.]

So -- you --

Card game?

[Master at the english language, this one. He holds up the gift she'd given, willing himself to ignore some well-overdue hormones raging behind a friendly, thin smile. Just fight the instinct away, man.]

[LB is so lost in her own distracting thoughts, that she doesn't immediately hear Alex's question. When she hears his voice though, her head snaps up, eyes widened in a startled manner.

Right, stop thinking about how much you want to make out with him, LB. He probably just thinks of you as a friend.]

Huh?

[After a few more blinks pass, her eyes wander to the cards and she's able to guess what he was probably asking about.]

Oh, ah, sure! Heeheehee? Got anything in mind to play specifically?

[At least this is redirecting them. Yes. Good. At ease, soldier.]

That -- depends, what kinda' card games do you know? I know a good amount, I guess.

[Yes, this is a good diversionary tactic!

Glancing up, the side of a finger strokes her lip as she thinks of everything she knows.]

I know Solitaire, but -- heeheehee -- that would defeat the purpose having two people play. Go Fish too... and I guess a little bit of poker.

But it's not like we have a lot to play for... eheheheh.

[Suddenly her lips quirk into a teasing smirk.]

Well, unless we're playing for clothes.

[Which... she wasn't completely against, now that she thinks about it.

Well, so much for that diversion.]

[Alex struggles to keep his face from turning red at that. Even if he wasn't completely stricken about how he thought of her more and more lately, he definitely wasn't about to show her his torso -- Alex wasn't one to care about looks, but for some reason, the idea of slowly removing clothes versus him revealing the ugly scar on his chest made him feel downright self-conscious. He totally wants to see her naked. Oh, jesus, Alex, you want to see your friend naked.]

We could play War.

[It slips out and then he feels stupid; she's been on the battlefield.]

I mean -- not War. It's called War. But there's nothing really all that special about it. It's good for... taking up time while people talk?

[Yes, let's talk. Talkin's good.]

[A dubious look passes through her eyes at the name of the game Alex suggested. But right, this was card games they were talking about. So even before he corrects himself, her brows relax while she tries to think of she knew the game at all or not.]

I'm not sure if I know that one -- heheh -- is it particularly hard to figure out?

Nah, it's pretty easy. [He chokes down the schoolboy nervousness for a grin, looking over to the holodeck for a second; oh, right, we're here. He wanders over, thin fingers hovering over the dials and buttons.] Any kinda' background you want in particular? So we don't have to stare at the walls, I mean.

Oh, okay -- haha -- we can try it out, then.

[She returns his smile, before lowering herself to a sitting position, raising her knees to her chin. LB turns her head to the side when Alex speaks to her, shoulders rising after processing his question.]

I don't really have a preference.

[Oh, right, she should probably come up with something. He was trying to do something nice for her, right?]

But, ah, I always wanted to see a city?

[ — oh.

Blink.]

A city?

[Yeah, it's not what Alex expected. Then again, he was used to being at least from a small town; not very often did he get to journey out toward a big city. Television served as his temporary look out on the world. Regardless, he seems pleasant when he asks, because a place like that? He could figure it out. He'd think of something.]

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