Roomates

Posted on Thu Sep 22nd, 2022 @ 9:36am by Petty Officer 1st Class Tia Smithy(Kosugi)

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Gladiator
Timeline: After Attempted Apology
1161 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

//ON//

She wandered aimlessly through the corridors, Tia not really paying attention to where she was going. Her hours were up for working but yet she didn't want to go to her quarters. She was sharing it with one of the other petty officers who's name she couldn't think of at the moment. Maybe the girl's name was Ashley, Ashley Tyrone? Tia was hesitant in making a connection with the girl, she didn't want to bond with someone, who would maybe end up disappearing? Or Tia disappear on her? Tia caught sight of her image in a reflective surface, noticing that she had several streaks of dirt across her forehead, cheek and also her nose. Tia gasped, she was a fright!

Sure Tia wasn't one who bothered getting made up and really dressy but, she did like to try to clean up as best as she could. And her dirty face and mussed up hair was intolerable! There was no way she could allow herself to stay looking like this! Tia quickly headed towards her quarters to get changed out of her dirty uniform. Tia stepped inside her quarters, only to find it mostly dark and the sound of some quiet crying.

"Uh, Ashley? Is there something wrong?" Tia deciding to step outside of her own woes and focus on something else, well someone else. Heck if Evalyn had taken the time out to help her, why shouldn't Tia do the same?

Tia carefully walked over to the corner where Ashley sat curled up on her own bed, sniffling into a handkerchief, Tia sitting gingerly upon the edge of the mattress. "So... what's up Buttercup?" venturing a rather awkward beginning of a possible conversation.

"Er say what?" Ashley's sniffles stopped for a moment, though her breathing was slightly hitching from her sobs. She lowered her handkerchief down to literally stare at Tia, with rather wide eyes. "You- you're actually talking to me?"

"Well duh, yes I am, you know I could go back to my side of the room and leave you alone-" Tia found that her hand was grabbed by Ashley. to prevent her from leaving.

"No! Please stay!" Ashley gasped out. "I can't believe you are talking with me." wiping the tears away from her face with the back of her free hand.

"Now hey , I'll talk with you but, you need to let go, I am not liking this. I prefer having my hands free?" Tia offering an apologetic shrug and an attmempted wry smile. It was a lopsided smile being half successful. "So what is going on that is making you cry? This room is becoming a swamp rather quickly." making another awkward joke.

Ashley stared at Tia once more, "Was that-humor?" her dark brown eyes growing rather wide at this unexpected revelations.

Tia snorted, "Look I asked you a quesrion, what was making you cry earlier? Have you been hurt?" she looked up towards the ceiling, "Computer, raise the lights by fifty percent. "

The computer complying with Tia's order. The fiery engineer then took a quick look at Ashley, making certain there wasn't any signs of bruising of any kind.

"Look, I am okay, nothing happened to me physically. Gosh, why are you so intense?" Ashley exclaimed. "I was crying 'cause I broke up with my boyfriend. It wasn't a pleasant break up. I caught him with another woman. So we got into a fight and well he said some rotten things to me. And.. And they hurt."

Tia huffed, "Okay, that was it? Don't let a jerk get under your skin, if he can't appreciate you, someone who is nice-"

"You think I am nice? I thought you hated me!" Ashley looking like she wanted to embrace Tia.

Tia snapped out, "Stay there, no glomping!"

Ashley stared at the engineer. "I can see why they call you Spitfire. You are just so... Fiery!" a bit of a smile the signs of her crying disappearing, except for the damp eyelashes. "Is it true you took down two Marines? At the same time?"

Tia winced, this wasn't going to go away anytime soon was it. "No, I was drunk and I took them on one at a time. Not at the same time."

"Still, what you did-" Ashley was interrupted by Tia.

"What I did was stupid. I should have kept my cool but, I have been very angry as of late. And no I don't want to talk about it. I just want a shower to clean up and maybe get some sleep. And I wouldn't be able to sleep if you were sniffling." Tia said gruffly.

"Well okay then, I want you to know I like you." Ashley responded, "You are nice even if you are prickly."

Tia shot a glare at Ashley. "Just... right now let me get a shower, and we'll talk later. I feel very grimy."

"That would be a great idea to do. maybe we can talk about men and what things you like to wear when out on a date?" Ashley began.

"No not right now, and I am not going to make any promises." Tia growled. She then said. "Well goodnight Ashley" then Tia making a hasty retreat into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Ashley just watched as Tia left the main area, and giggled. Her room mate actually spoke to her! And it made her feel better. Gone were her thoughts about her former boyfriend. Instead she had a possible new friend she could work on.

Meanwhile Tia just groaned with her head under the shower, she just caused herself some trouble, she had to be nice to Ashley. Though Tia she could count this as a necessary evil, she had a reason to do this and actually have some real sleep. Oh well what's done is done, you can't put the genie back into the bottle.

Once Tia was done wtih her shower, she dressed for bed and stepped out to find Ashley smiling at her, keeping her distance.

"I wanted to say goodnight and thanks for talking with me. Sweet dreams, Tia." Ashley said, she then climbed beneath her covers and turned her back towards Tia, to give her roomy some privacy.

Tia sighed, she was having a feeling that this wasn't going to be the same, with her just coming into sleep. Nope she had to show her nice side and now, Ashley wasn't going to give up. Tia though did find it slightly funny, she actually wasn't minding at all, well for the moment anyway. Slipping beneath her own covers, Tia called out. "Lights out computer." the room being plunged into darkness except for a low light in the corner where it wouldn't disturb her or Ashley. Tia wanted to avoid having a stubbed toe.

One more glance towards where Ashley lay seeming to peacefully be sleeping, Tia gave a smile in the dark, and nestled down slipping into a peaceful slumber.

END