Early afternoon, Bridget rousts and kisses the still sleeping Stinger before heading to shower. She whispers, "You are *wonderful*."
He gives an incomprehensible mumble of what she assumes to be, "You too," and turns over.
While she's getting ready for the day, Stinger hears a knock at the door. "Go away," he grumbles at the intruder.
"Stinger. It's Caine. Get outta bed and let me in."
"Ye're not due to report until the 23rd."
"It IS the 23rd. So get your butt outta bed. What'd you do - stay up and drink all night, old man?"
Stinger mumbles obscenities and stumbles getting his pants on, before letting Caine in and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Plopping down at the table, Caine notices two pillows on the bed and the shower running. Extremely out of the norm for Stinger these days. With a confused look he mouths, "Zooie?!"
In a warning tone, Stinger corrects as he sits on the edge of the bed and leans on his elbows, "Idiot pup. I told you I'd never go for one of those. Bridget's a houseguest. Now, report."
Caine tells him that the list of Jupiter's enemies has grown three fold, that Earth may be ready for 'first contact', and Kiza is becoming serious about the farm boy neighbor.
As Bridget walks out of the bathroom toweling her hair dry and wearing only one of Stinger's button up shirts, she hollers as her sight is obscured by the towel, "I had to borrow one of your shirts, so I could throw my clothes in the auto cleanser."
When her towel moves enough to see a newcomer who is trying very hard not to stare, she startles. Gathering her wits, she wraps the towel around her shoulders and reverts to her usual barreling through the situation. She offers her hand to shake, "Oh, hi. I'm Bridget Thornton. I didn't know Stinger was expecting guests or I'd be more presentable."
"Bridget, this is Lieutenant Caine Wise. He's reporting before visiting his girlfriend on Earth."
"How unexpected to meet someone else who's been to Earth. Nice to meet you, Lieutenant." She says earnestly, as Caine cautiously returns the handshake. The feeling of being extremely under dressed gets the best of her and she kneels behind Stinger on the bed, trying to hide her bare legs.
Caine's face is passive but his words at least sound friendly. "It's good to meet someone who can put up with Stinger here. He's one of the saltiest old soldiers in Aegis."
Stinger seems to take pride in that statement and mumbles, "Damn straight."
She smiles genuinely, relieved the newcomer's focus isn't really on her and he isn't trying to flirt with her in front of Stinger. Placing her hands on Stinger's shoulders and peeking around him, she replies with a giggle, "Oh, he's not that hard to get along with. So far I've found he can be bribed with mead and he hides his care behind his gruffness. He's been quite sweet and watches out for me."
Her answer, despite being contradictory to the visitor's statement, gains her Stinger's approval. She knows because he places his hand on hers and squeezes.
"You must have known each other a while," Caine makes an educated guess.
Both of them smirk and glance at each other, Caine's eyebrows raise and he confirms, "No?"
Bridget answers in her point blank manner, "Since last night."
Caine's eyes widen for the merest instant and his face goes unreadable again, but he says nothing.
"He tried to avoid me, but there was something about him that made me want to be very persistent," she continues.
"That's an understatement," Stinger confesses. "Part of my brain was screaming trouble when she walked up, but the other half, well... "
"Still think I'm trouble?" she teases.
"I know so," Stinger volleys and nudges her cheek with his own.
"I'm gonna finish getting ready for the day. Be back in a bit." Bridget kisses him on the cheek and leisurely makes her escape to the bathroom, trying not to look like she's fleeing.
"My transport leaves soon. Jupiter will be upset if I miss it." Caine gets up to go.
"It was nice to meet you!" she hollers around the partition.
At the door, Stinger whispers to Caine, "She's so hard for me to read. What did you gather from her?"
"You like her already," Caine gently presses.
Stinger just sighs, not wanting to have to use words because his feelings are so muddled right now. Words are too permanent, too concrete. Hard to take back.
"Well, she was nervous around me. She didn't know if she could trust me. But with you she's at ease. Maybe even happy. She hid behind you, like you were her safety net," Caine relays what he noticed with his eyes and nose.
Stinger scratches his chin whiskers in irritation, "She heads out to be a bondservant to Titus in a few days..."
"You ok with that?" Caine sees the concern on his friend's face. Despite knowing the answer, he uses the obvious to prod him to talk.
"No. But I can't do a bloody thing about it. Jupiter's the only one I know with enough pull to get her out of it. But Her Majesty said after the incident that she wanted nothing to do with him, and I wasn't to bring it up ever again. I don't wanna ask her."
"What are his plans for her?"
"She doesn't know yet. Just saw an opportunity to get her son healed."
"Sounds familiar." There's no grudge in Caine's voice as he refers to Stinger's deal for the recode for Kiza.
"Too familiar." Stinger stuffs his hands in his pockets.
"I'll talk to Jupe about it. Let me know if you find anything that will help to bargain for the debt."
Stinger clasps Caine's shoulder in gratitude.
"How do you always end up with the troublesome ones? First you found me, then there was that string of bird splices you watched out for, and now Bridget." Caine asks rhetorically.
"Dunno, pup. You lot all find your way to me some how." Stinger stuffs his hand back in his pocket and lifts his shoulders to emphasize his lack of an answer.
Caine gives Stinger's arm a solid pat and offers, "I'll let you know what I find. Message me when she heads out, ok?"
"Thanks, pup. Will do." Stinger shuts the door and lets out a breath before starting a very late breakfast.
Peeking around the bathroom partition wall, she verifies that Caine is gone before emerging fully dressed. "I smell bacon... yum!"
With a quick glimpse back at her he grouches, "Woman, I better get my shirt back." It's not like she needs the shirt - she's got her own underneath and she's wearing it more like a jacket, undone in the front.
She pulls the collar up around her neck and face and inhales the scent. "It smells like you. I don't know if I want to give it back. Maybe I should keep it until I see you again."
"Just did." He motions 'gimme' with one hand. "That's my best shirt."
"You won't wrestle it from me right now, since your hands are greasy from the bacon. So I get to keep it for a little while longer. ... When is your leave over? And should I put some toast down?"
"The 28th. Get a plate - it's almost done. You're lucky I went shopping yesterday."
She holds a plate out to the wall embedded toaster as she offers, "Let me buy you a few groceries to repay you for meals. Then I'll give you some space. Being around you feels so natural. But I don't want to overstay my welcome either."
"No need." He pulls the bacon off the cooking flame and washes his hands, before taking the plate from her. Setting it down, he pulls her to him. Then he slips his hands into her back pockets and leans against the counter. "You walk into my life like a hurricane, turning everything upside down. And NOW you're worried about overstaying your welcome?"
"Yeah." She wraps her arms around his neck. "Whatever I want, I go after with all I have. But I can be so intense. I don't want to scare you off, now that you've opened up."
"You have, what, one more day planetside?"
"A day and a half at most. Which reminds me, I have to check in - just in case the schedule changes."
"Then you check in, and we spend the rest of our time together like a pair of falling stars. Absolutely dazzling for the short time we have." He nips her ear.
"You're waxing rather poetic for a cantankerous captain," she teasingly compliments while she plays with his hair.
Resting his head on her shoulder and closing his eyes, absorbing in the peace and joy of the moment, he allows himself to open up a little more. "You're starting to resurrect things in me I thought were dead and gone."
To let him know he's safe here, she cradles his head and rocks ever so slightly - until her stomach growls. "Stinger, are we planning to let the food get cold? I'm more fond of you than bacon. And I REALLY like bacon. But feeling this hungry, I think it's starting to approach a tie."
His shoulders shake before an audible hearty deep laugh emerges. Turning his head but still leaning on her, he reaches over to drag the plate of bacon next to her.
She breaks off a couple bites of one of the crunchy pieces and pops one in her mouth making happy "uuuuhm" noises. Not finished with her bite yet, she takes the other piece and offers it to him. He playfully takes it, nibbling her fingers too. They go through all of the bacon that way.
Looking down at him, she notices a spot and laments, "Aw. Crap. I'm going to have to run my shirt through the auto cleanser again. There's grease on it."
"Could be worse."
"I'm keeping your shirt for a while longer now. I need to check in after we eat," she gives an apologetic half smile.
"Got a note sheave?" Stinger asks as she puts on her jacket to leave.
"Nope."
"Here." He shoves a tablet looking device at her. "My confidential contact system can be accessed with it. It can traced to Aegis, but no further. Use the password 'hurricane' and give your message - it WILL get to me."
"What?" she looks perplexed. "How am I gonna remember that?"
"Remember I said you walked into my life like a hurricane. You can remember it without others connecting it to me."
"Do I have to say it just like you? WHOUR ih KEN."
Rubbing the back of his neck he gives a lopsided smile, "No. But it's not a bad impression. ... It will key to how you say it."
She takes his hand, so he knows she's done teasing. "Thanks, hon. It's very sweet and I truly appreciate it. Is this emergency only or can it be used for personal messages, too? I don't want to get you in trouble."
"Both, if we don't abuse it."
"So I can let you know if the ship is leaving earlier, or if I'm running late today."
"Bingo."
"So ... how's it work?"
"You really don't know how a sheave works?" he gives her guff. She just glares in return.
Stinger tuts mildly and steps up behind her so they can both see the screen. Reaching around her, he demonstrates the features of the sheave and how to get the communication system to work.
Now that it's clicked for her, questions start popping into her head one after another. "Do I need a passphrase to get my messages? It would be nice to hear your voice instead of just reading text. Is there a headphone jack? And should we have a backup phrase, if 'hurricane' is compromised? And code names?"
"Whoa, lass. One question at a time. So you're goin' to miss the funny way I talk?"
"The sound of your voice too. I heard you talk to the barkeep and decided I would be happy to hear you talk all day, before I even saw your face. Why do you think I'm making you explain this sheave thing, instead of figuring it out on my own? Not like the thing is complicated." She nuzzles his cheek affectionately and he tickles her side.
"Troublesome," he fusses at her but wraps his arms around her waist. "Your implant will act as headphones and mic. It's wet wired to your brain. So only those who touch the sheave will hear the message as it plays or is recorded."
"How's it catch the voice if we aren't using our voice boxes?"
"You think in your own voice."
Her brows furrow as she processes that. "I'll have to see it to believe it. What about a backup passphrase and nicknames?"
"You're chuffed over this covert stuff, aren't you?" there's mild amusement at her enthusiasm for his need for anonymity.
"I'll need something to occupy my brain. This'll be fun."
"Right. My codename will be 'old codger' and yours 'trouble'."
"You really want me to call you old codger?"
"VERY FEW may call me that. Feel privileged. Alternate passphrase and code for an emergency ..."
"Return My Shirt," she says with finality.
His soft chuckle rumbles in her ear. "I'm starting to think you like my shirt more than you like me."
"It's not as good as you holding me. But it's comforting." She turns around in his arms to face him.
"My shirt isn't coming back, is it?" his tone is resigned.
"I'll get you a replacement." She pinches his cheek sassily then kisses him deeply before he can retort.
"You better, Trouble."
"I have to live up to my moniker. Meet me back at the bar at dusk." She winks as she walks out the door.
Playfully, he slaps her backside before she's out of reach.