Prompt: A does something in an attempt to be cute. B merely finds it annoying.

All the good things belong to Monolith Soft, but I found Vandham a girlfriend (under a rock). And may I add, keyboardsmashDecember 1stsqueee.

Lila looked down the length of her sofa. The Commander was sitting by the far corner, frowning at his comm device. She watched as he swiped the screen, frowned harder, and swiped back. He did it again. Swipe, frown, swipe, frown. It was like watching a ping pong match played by a single player. Lila wiggled her toes against his stomach, but he didn't glance at her. He didn't even give her foot an absentminded pat, although he did grunt gently.

She sighed. It was going to be one of those evenings. A few hours of silent concentration followed by a quick if smoldering kiss and a "see ya when I see ya." She didn't mind the quiet when she had her own paperwork to finish. But for once she was caught up on that, probably because business at the Sakuraba Auxiliary Skell Refueling Station 1.02 had been strangely slow this past week. She had her suspicions, ones she didn't want to ask Jack about, but that didn't mean she wanted to take up a vow of silence either. She lifted her own comm device, but looked at it without enthusiasm. She guessed she'd knock off another sudoku puzzle or three before seeing if he'd suddenly grown chatty.

She felt a gentle tap on one toe and looked up with a smile. Jack's attention was still fixed on whatever was making him frown. No fake innocence. Lila shook here head. Must have imagined it. She curled her toes a little against his thigh and lifted her comm device.

Another tap. No mistaking it. Lila looked carefully over the edge of her electronics. Still no notice from Jack. However, a small set of smoky ears peaked just past the edge of his lap. Lila gave one big toe an experimental and provocative wiggle. The clumsy response came after a short delay. A tiny paw swiped at her digit. Janey must have woken up.

Lila smiled. The kitten had wedged herself between Jack and the sofa arm shortly after he'd arrived. She'd needed a boost up, one that Jack had given her without needing to be given more than one or two sharp mews. Then she'd settled down for a nap in the safest spot on Mira. But apparently the cat had woken refreshed and was now as bored as Lila.

Lila pulled her feet back and twisted them sideways, flat against the sofa cushion but still pressed against Jack, then quickly flicked one foot upward. Nothing. Too crude. Janey's ears flicked, but she wasn't going to be drawn out that easily. Lila lowered the foot slowly, then carefully crawled her toes up the side of Jack's outer thigh. She carefully made a few scratching noises with her toenails against the heavy material of his pants. Her cunning was rewarded. Her big toe hadn't crested when Janey had broken cover and grabbed for it. Lila flexed her foot sharply and Janey had twitched back, into Jack's lap. The kitten had scrambled back up, draping herself over his leg to get at the escaping prey of Lila's foot.

A gruff snort sounded. Lila's feet were shoved away so firmly that it was either spin to a sitting position or roll off the sofa. Lila chose to sit upright, thank you. Janey was deposited in her lap directly after that. "I gotta go." With those words, Jack walked out the station office door, leaving two nonplussed creatures on the sofa.

"You started it," Lila muttered at the cat. Janey had hopped off Lila's lap as soon as Vandham had left. Typical. When he was around, they pretended to like each other, but Lila knew that Janey was only her friend because Lila could open cans. Janey started washing her face imprecisely, unconcerned about the change in the room. Whatever had happened, Janey knew, as cats always know, that she was perfect and therefore not to blame.

XcxcxcxcxcxcxcxcFridaysqueexcxcxcxcxcxcx

Lila narrowed her eyes and willed herself not to chicken out. Cup of coffee in hand, she walked toward Vandham. She couldn't have timed it more perfectly. There he was, middle of the Administrative Alley, pacing from one meeting to another. He'd just turned away from a crowd of Wrothians and Meredith employees (Lila sniffed a little at the competition). He didn't look up from his comm device until she was almost in front of him, although his shiny new adjutant H.B. had already hissed something unimportant at her.

He managed to roll his eyes only slightly. "Lila, now is not a good time."

"Brought you coffee."

"My hands are kind of full now."

"That's why you have an assistant. Hold this, thanks." Lila handed the coffee to H.B. without looking away from Vandham. "Call it an apology coffee. You won't need as much sugar."

"Lila…."

"We have time, Jack." She leaned into him, placing one hand on his chest. "We finally have time. Remind me of that whenever you need to." She kept her face friendly, but her heart was hammering. The quirk of a smile on his face emboldened her to reach up and stroke his jaw gently. He pressed her hand awkwardly, comm device still in his grip. Then she pushed off his chest lightly and stepped back, a broad grin on her face. "Hope you have time to drink it while it's still hot. I'll see ya …"

"… when I see ya."

a/n: And then disaster, heartbreak, and a Ma-non with a crowbar happen. At least she didn't say, "I wish every day could be like this." This may be the start of an arc, or it might just be a day in the life. I am being coy.

I really am working on Wolf and Duna
Really I am
One slow page at a time
At least I've gotten them to Sylvalum
When I get them to Cauldros I'll put stuff up again.