*Bit's perspective*
As I made my way slowly from the kitchen, I'm trying to make some sense of last night's events.
'Okay, let's see. After the battle, we retired to the base to celebrate. I remember that clearly. Then Brad brought out a few drinks while the Doc was helping Jamie with the cooking. I remember Brad offering me a bottle of beer, and then Leena stole it from me.'
I groaned as I began to recall what happened after that.
'That's right, now I remember. After dinner, we all sat around the briefing room with the drinks. I think I was at my fourth when things began to get really blurry. Truth and dare. That's right. Jamie suggested that we play 'Truth and Dare'. Damn Jamie!' I cursed my young friend as I grabbed at my head, trying to tame the violent headache returning to wreak havoc on me.
'And then things got really frisky...man, God damn it, why can't I remember what happened next,' my thoughts went blurry as Brad walked past with a huge grin upon his face. He winked at me as if he knew something I didn't, and when I groaned in annoyance, he snickered.
"Having fun there, Cloud?" He asked as he turned to face me. I completely ignored his question.
"Is Leena up yet?" I asked, attempting to sound as casual. To be completely honest, I was absolutely freaking inside. I had one hell of a headache, and the last thing I felt like doing was facing the fiery red head. Matter of fact, it actually scared me.
"I don't know; I haven't seen her. But you can go to her room, if you're lucky; you might be able to join her for an early morning shower," he laughed as I glared at him, or at least, attempted to. "That is if she doesn't smash your face in first!"
"That's not funny, Brad. I mean it, stop laughing," I tried to stop Brad from laughing, but the guy was practically choking on his tears. 'Note to self,' I thought 'never trust Brad with my personal secrets ever again'.
"Alright, okay well, I've got a date in a couple of hours, so I'll see you soon," Brad managed to contain himself while he spoke, but I knew he was pissing himself on the inside.
"Oh, another date with Pierce, I see. I thought you said it wasn't serious?" I tried to give Brad a little of his own medicine, and it was actually working. Brad looked shocked at first, but then attempted to put on his macho face and act as if was nothing.
"We're only going out for lunch and stuff, nothing serious, at least, not yet," he grinned evilly at me and I scrunched my face up in disgust.
"If you ask me, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to jump into bed with that," I jeered, pointing at my comrade. It was then that Brad went berserk. His face went completely red and he tensed up his muscles, as if trying to frighten me.
"Take that back, you little shit face!" He commanded. His booming voice rung in my head, but I managed to stand my ground.
"Hell no, come on seriously Brad, who do you think you are? The male interpretation of Madonna, or something?" I laughed at my little comeback. 'Way to go, Bit. That'll show him whose boss.' But that simply drove Brad over the edge of sanity...if he wasn't already there to start with.
"Come here you little..."
"Brad, Bit...what are you two doing?" A feminine voice interrupted Brad's death threat. We both looked around to see Leena standing at the hallway entrance. I couldn't help but stare at her. She had grown up a lot over the last few years, not only physically, but mentally also. She was serious, without going too overboard and she seemed to be more able to make mature choices, not only for her, but for others also. But she had never lost her wit and charm. Ever since Naomi stayed with us for a year and a half, she seemed to calm down a little, but I think it was the fact that there was another female around the base that did Leena a world of good.
I was suddenly brought out of my thoughts by Brad walking off. Before he left us, he whispered quietly in my ear.
"Good luck Bit, you're going to need it!"
I watched in silence as he walked out of view, leaving me and Leena standing in the middle of the hallway. We stood in absolute silence for the next five minutes, not even looking at one another. Slowly, I turned around to face my friend. I couldn't think of what to say to her. At that very instant, about a million different, yet inappropriate ideas rushed through my head.
'Wow, Leena, what did you think of last night, huh? Was I hot or what?'
'Mmmm...What's the deal with this headache, I feel like shit!'
'Hey, is that cookies I smell from the oven?'
'Dumb idiot,' I screamed mentally at myself. 'Those are fantastic ideas for a conversation. Why don't you simply ask her to jump back into the sack with you? I'm sure she'll appreciate that!' I held my head in my hands. My head hurts!
"Bit, are you alright," my mind suddenly went blank as a small, warm hand rested on top of my own. I looked up and straight into the bright violet eyes of Leena Toros.
"I fine," I stuttered, completely without any thought at all. "I mean, I'm fine, Leena." My mind seemed to laugh at me, 'hahaha loser!'
Leena really looked concerned. Her eyes narrowed as she looked my tired and aching form over. While she was trying to figure out if I was okay or not, I had time to study her. I had know her for nearly eight years, and this was the first time that I actually had a decent look at her for more then just a pilots point of view. Sure, I had walked in on her in the shower a few times and had the uneventful job of sorting the laundry, but after last night, I was looking at her from a different point of view. And it wasn't that bad.
She had grown up. She was a woman, and now that I think about it, quite a beautiful one at that. She was taller, now about 5'9" and her body had filled out more. She now wore clothes that complemented this athletic and curvaceous figure. With her waist long red hair and cute purple eyes, she had turned out a woman that any man would be proud to have by his side. 'Did you say any man, Bit? Could you possibly be one of them?'
"Bit...Bit? Are you there? Hello, Bit," I was brought out of my interesting thoughts by Leena once again looking over at me.
"Yeah," my voice came out croaky 'where in the hell did that come from?' "I was just thinking about something."
"Oh really," she smiled gently, causing me to swallow hard. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts while I go get a Panadol. My head is absolutely killing me," I laughed as I saw rub her temples.
"You and me both. I guess that drinking last night really didn't do..." I suddenly stopped as I realised how far I was taking this. Leena's eyes suddenly opened, but instead of looking directly at me, she turned away in the direction of the kitchen.
"Yeah, well, I ummm...I have to go. See you later, okay?" She didn't even wait for my reply, as she darted off to the kitchen.
My eyes seemed to follow her down the hallway, "yeah, sure," I whispered.
I turned my back and continued down the hallway, in silence.
As I made my way slowly from the kitchen, I'm trying to make some sense of last night's events.
'Okay, let's see. After the battle, we retired to the base to celebrate. I remember that clearly. Then Brad brought out a few drinks while the Doc was helping Jamie with the cooking. I remember Brad offering me a bottle of beer, and then Leena stole it from me.'
I groaned as I began to recall what happened after that.
'That's right, now I remember. After dinner, we all sat around the briefing room with the drinks. I think I was at my fourth when things began to get really blurry. Truth and dare. That's right. Jamie suggested that we play 'Truth and Dare'. Damn Jamie!' I cursed my young friend as I grabbed at my head, trying to tame the violent headache returning to wreak havoc on me.
'And then things got really frisky...man, God damn it, why can't I remember what happened next,' my thoughts went blurry as Brad walked past with a huge grin upon his face. He winked at me as if he knew something I didn't, and when I groaned in annoyance, he snickered.
"Having fun there, Cloud?" He asked as he turned to face me. I completely ignored his question.
"Is Leena up yet?" I asked, attempting to sound as casual. To be completely honest, I was absolutely freaking inside. I had one hell of a headache, and the last thing I felt like doing was facing the fiery red head. Matter of fact, it actually scared me.
"I don't know; I haven't seen her. But you can go to her room, if you're lucky; you might be able to join her for an early morning shower," he laughed as I glared at him, or at least, attempted to. "That is if she doesn't smash your face in first!"
"That's not funny, Brad. I mean it, stop laughing," I tried to stop Brad from laughing, but the guy was practically choking on his tears. 'Note to self,' I thought 'never trust Brad with my personal secrets ever again'.
"Alright, okay well, I've got a date in a couple of hours, so I'll see you soon," Brad managed to contain himself while he spoke, but I knew he was pissing himself on the inside.
"Oh, another date with Pierce, I see. I thought you said it wasn't serious?" I tried to give Brad a little of his own medicine, and it was actually working. Brad looked shocked at first, but then attempted to put on his macho face and act as if was nothing.
"We're only going out for lunch and stuff, nothing serious, at least, not yet," he grinned evilly at me and I scrunched my face up in disgust.
"If you ask me, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to jump into bed with that," I jeered, pointing at my comrade. It was then that Brad went berserk. His face went completely red and he tensed up his muscles, as if trying to frighten me.
"Take that back, you little shit face!" He commanded. His booming voice rung in my head, but I managed to stand my ground.
"Hell no, come on seriously Brad, who do you think you are? The male interpretation of Madonna, or something?" I laughed at my little comeback. 'Way to go, Bit. That'll show him whose boss.' But that simply drove Brad over the edge of sanity...if he wasn't already there to start with.
"Come here you little..."
"Brad, Bit...what are you two doing?" A feminine voice interrupted Brad's death threat. We both looked around to see Leena standing at the hallway entrance. I couldn't help but stare at her. She had grown up a lot over the last few years, not only physically, but mentally also. She was serious, without going too overboard and she seemed to be more able to make mature choices, not only for her, but for others also. But she had never lost her wit and charm. Ever since Naomi stayed with us for a year and a half, she seemed to calm down a little, but I think it was the fact that there was another female around the base that did Leena a world of good.
I was suddenly brought out of my thoughts by Brad walking off. Before he left us, he whispered quietly in my ear.
"Good luck Bit, you're going to need it!"
I watched in silence as he walked out of view, leaving me and Leena standing in the middle of the hallway. We stood in absolute silence for the next five minutes, not even looking at one another. Slowly, I turned around to face my friend. I couldn't think of what to say to her. At that very instant, about a million different, yet inappropriate ideas rushed through my head.
'Wow, Leena, what did you think of last night, huh? Was I hot or what?'
'Mmmm...What's the deal with this headache, I feel like shit!'
'Hey, is that cookies I smell from the oven?'
'Dumb idiot,' I screamed mentally at myself. 'Those are fantastic ideas for a conversation. Why don't you simply ask her to jump back into the sack with you? I'm sure she'll appreciate that!' I held my head in my hands. My head hurts!
"Bit, are you alright," my mind suddenly went blank as a small, warm hand rested on top of my own. I looked up and straight into the bright violet eyes of Leena Toros.
"I fine," I stuttered, completely without any thought at all. "I mean, I'm fine, Leena." My mind seemed to laugh at me, 'hahaha loser!'
Leena really looked concerned. Her eyes narrowed as she looked my tired and aching form over. While she was trying to figure out if I was okay or not, I had time to study her. I had know her for nearly eight years, and this was the first time that I actually had a decent look at her for more then just a pilots point of view. Sure, I had walked in on her in the shower a few times and had the uneventful job of sorting the laundry, but after last night, I was looking at her from a different point of view. And it wasn't that bad.
She had grown up. She was a woman, and now that I think about it, quite a beautiful one at that. She was taller, now about 5'9" and her body had filled out more. She now wore clothes that complemented this athletic and curvaceous figure. With her waist long red hair and cute purple eyes, she had turned out a woman that any man would be proud to have by his side. 'Did you say any man, Bit? Could you possibly be one of them?'
"Bit...Bit? Are you there? Hello, Bit," I was brought out of my interesting thoughts by Leena once again looking over at me.
"Yeah," my voice came out croaky 'where in the hell did that come from?' "I was just thinking about something."
"Oh really," she smiled gently, causing me to swallow hard. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts while I go get a Panadol. My head is absolutely killing me," I laughed as I saw rub her temples.
"You and me both. I guess that drinking last night really didn't do..." I suddenly stopped as I realised how far I was taking this. Leena's eyes suddenly opened, but instead of looking directly at me, she turned away in the direction of the kitchen.
"Yeah, well, I ummm...I have to go. See you later, okay?" She didn't even wait for my reply, as she darted off to the kitchen.
My eyes seemed to follow her down the hallway, "yeah, sure," I whispered.
I turned my back and continued down the hallway, in silence.