Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be. Get used to it.
Routine
His eyes were numb. His fingers were numb. God, his brain was numb by now… but he wasn't about to give up. Hands flying over the keyboard, soft clicks brought up countless wellsprings of info matching his search – it would take hours to go through them! Sighing, the weary man leaned back in his seat and resigned himself to the legions of work he was submitting himself to.
Tap. Tap.
The soft sound of footsteps walking towards him brought a faint smile to his face. She would be here, as usual, trying to coax him away from the station and into the real world. Once it didn't even faze him. Once he reluctantly stepped away. Once he was almost eager to walk away. And once, her gift of thoughtfulness was reason enough to push back his chair and step into her world.
The steamy scent of cocoa pulled his gaze towards the figure walking towards him, a gentle smile on her face.
"Brought you something," she teased, setting one of her two mugs down on the console. They both knew that she did this every time he lost happened to lose himself to his past habit of working nonstop. Picking up the cup gratefully, he brought it cautiously to his lips as he sipped the searing liquid that slid smoothly down his throat in a cascade of chocolaty goodness.
Giggling at the reverent look on her boyfriend's face, Ashley leaned forward and pressed a control. The screen before them blanked out and turned to a screensaver of a revolving signet – the sign of the Megaship.
"How long have you been working?" she demanded. He answered, playing along with the questions she would always ask him.
That continued, until they had finished their cocoa and he had relaxed from the tense state of worry he was always in before she intervened.
"Thanks," he mumbled, as she took his now empty mug.
She merely smiled, walking away as she always did, leaving him wondering and wishing and wanting.
But she'd be back later, tugging on him to go somewhere with the rest of the team. Imploring him to get out of his chair and do something. She always would.
Author's Note: Oh. My. Gosh… I ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE AN AUTHOR'S NOT AT THE BEGINNING! grin
ReviewResponses
Mel, You know, I never thought of that Udonna-Madonna thing… whatever. In case you're still counting knuckles, there seems to be 30 days in April. Just an FYI. :P
Star Fata, I don't know… I just kind of threw some stuff down on the keyboard and… that's what came out of it! Glad it's realistic!
AH/AS, I don't think this really qualifies as soon, but… I tried. And I finished another theme! grin
Jessica01, Glad you liked! Thanks for reviewing!
Phantom Rogue, They should have just made something at the end of each episode for, like, five minutes about what happened between Andros and Ashley – because, you know, there're the best couple that didn't get much action! (I mean, Tommy and Kim kissed way more than once and Jen and Wes actually said "I love you.") … That's actually a really good idea:)