David was working quietly when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Mmm?" he hummed grumpily.
"Cheer up. I've brought you a visitor," he heard, in the unmistakable voice of his mentor.
"Please, not now, sir," he protested.
"Yes, now. You need company, and I have matters to discuss with certain people."
"I don't need company," David said in between sneezes.
"Yes, you do. No arguments." The gray-haired Grisha beckoned to a teenage Corporalnik of about David's own age who had been standing awkwardly by the door. She came over.
"Um... h-hi."
"Hello," replied the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, not that he usually looked at girls. "Genya Safin," she smiled, extending her hand.
"D-David Kostyk," he said, shaking it and trying to regain some composure while hopelessly frazzled and unable to look at anything other than his work for fear of cracking up out of sheer nervousness.
The third person in the room adjusted the sleeves of his blue kefta and turned to leave. "Unfortunately, I have things I must attend to. I might see you two again in a few hours."
"Mhm," David nodded.
"See you later then," Genya responded.
The older Grisha left, ducking as he went through the door.
"So what's that?" Genya asked, gesturing to David's project.
"Uh- what?"
"What you were working on before Commander Ivanovich and I came in."
"Oh, that? Nothing much."
"Doesn't look like nothing."
"Most people wouldn't understand it."
"Try me." Genya smirked.
"No."
"No?"
"Just- no."
"Fine," Genya said, resigned. "Has anyone ever told you that you're terrible at making small talk?"
"Yes. Many people, many times."
"You should work on it."
"Sorry."
"Don't be."
"Do you really want to know what I was working on?"
"I do, David."
"It's a communications device. For talking to people."
"Interesting."
"You think so?" David's eyes lit up.
"Yes, I do."
"Everyone who knows what it is, besides you and Commander Ivanovich, thinks it'll never work."
"Don't listen to them."
"Thank you."
"You're beautiful when you smile."
"Am I?"
"You are."
"You're beautiful all the time."
Genya sighed. "David, please."
"It's true."
"It's not."
"Genya, just believe me."
"If you say so."
"Mhm." David turned back to his work. The two remained in companionable silence for a while.
"David?" Genya said after about an hour.
"Hmm?"
"I've got to go now."
"Oh."
Genya pulled him away from his project and into a hug. He stiffened, but loosened up after about a second and wrapped his arms around her. "Can we be friends?" she asked.
"Maybe."
She pulled away gently. "I really should go now. I hope we can meet again soon," she smiled. She left, pausing at the door to say a last "Goodbye, David."
David waved and turned back to his work, far happier than he had been an hour before.