(no subject)

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya glanced across the desk to quirk an eyebrow at her sister. She wasn't exactly surprised at what she'd just heard, but she did have to rag a bit. It was her sisterly duty. "Do I really think who'll want to go out to dinner?"

Maya snapped a rubber band across the distance between them then sighed "Dilan, or his group. I'm not picky and rumor says they're fun."

"He was being polite, Maya." she sighed, opening the next file in the pile at her elbow. They were winding down in her office after close. Just a quick review for tomorrows appointments, then they'd be headed home. "Besides, what happened to...Sam? No, wait, Alex wasn't it? Guy this weekend."

Maya made a face and added a sticky note to her own file "All hands, no brains, no fun." she summed up. "At least I could handle him, but still. I like to feel I'm a little more than a warm body..."

"Well, the weekends learning tennis helped with that at least?" Aya offered optimistically "Acclimation. Want me to go ruin his life for being a sod?"

"Hey, my love life is not part of a science project!" Maya squealed and seriously considering throwing a shoe instead of a rubber band. "Keep your scientific observations to yourself okay? Say, I don't know, I got used to him? And no. He'll ruin it himself the way he goes after blonds with money. Some angry husband will get their hands on him..."

Aya tried to diplomatically hide her smile, but failed as the edge of the file flopped down "Well, glad to know you got used to him. Maybe you should try new lessons for the weekend?" she offered "And I really would have fun. You never let me have the talk with your boys anymore."

"I get so much more use out of them when you don't. Marlin finally moved back by the way. I believe he wants to make an offering of his first born, a little girl by the way, to ensure his safety." Maya had run out of files now and was slowly folding a notes sheet into...something. Origami hodgepodge?

Aya tilted her head and thought that over "Well, I don't need a baby girl at the moment, and I bet she makes them very happy. How about we invite them to dinner sometime and I just get to act dumb over the baby. Think that'll reassure him?" she really didn't mind Marlin...all grown up and safely engaged elsewhere. He'd been a hellion as a teen.

"Hmmm, that might work." Maya agreed. "Anyway, back to the original topic. I haven't seen him in the hospital lately...think something drastic happened? The whole lot of apprentices didn't seem too happy that night..."

Aya sighed, closed her last file, and let her feet slip off the desk where she'd propped them "I think he's an intelligent man who has his own facilities and doesn't live here like we do. If you see him again, ask, don't speculate pointlessly." Aya just...didn't like rumor. She'd never picked up on gossiping, as much as Maya loved it. "Though, if he does stop by and you want...I can discuss your need to acclimate with him..." she almost made it through the door and into the hall.

The shoes hit her as the door gave under her elbow, and Aya laughed and dramatically tumbled to the ground outside. Maya seriously contemplated adding a kick or two out of sheer embarrassment, but she settled for slipping her own shoes on and huffing out into the hospital hallway.

Comments

[sliceitwithwind]

"Yeah." Dilan says, but doesn't elaborate. The grin probably speaks for itself.

[mitochondriaaya]

She arched an eyebrow at the grin, then shrugged and placed her order. So much for that line of conversation?

...

...

...

"Does it taste like you dancing, or what a good moonlit dance looks like to an observer?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"It's - not that simple." Dilan says, "It's - frankly, it just is. I can't explain anything I sense very well."

[mitochondriaaya]

"At least you're not mitochondrial." she pointed out cheerfully "Pair that with synesthetia and I imagine it'd be hard to think straight, much less talk about what anything is like." she imagined, vaguely, it'd be like information overload. Hell, it was like that already somedays, but adding...crossed perceptions? A kalediscope nightmare.

"So...tell me why you're studying us? Is that why you knew who we were the other night?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"I'm studying your species to try to improve the life of everyone on the planet." Dilan says, "I knew who you and Maya were because you're beautiful."

He likes beautiful women.

[mitochondriaaya]

She was a little taken aback at the simple compliment, it showed on her face for a moment. "Oh. Thank you." Maya heard things like that all the time? Aya was less used to it.

"What kind of applications are you researching?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Right now it's pretty much research for the sake of itself. Gathering knowledge, and we'll figure out what can be done with it after we've chewed on the data for a while."

[mitochondriaaya]

She nodded, more to herself than him, and curled her hands around the mug of coffee that was poured for her. "Hmm, any questions then?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"You're not one of my research assistants." Dilan says with a shake of his head, "Do you think your sister would be willing to have a meal with me sometime, too?"

[mitochondriaaya]

"But I like to help." she sighed, over the coffee mug after her first sip.

"Don't hesitate to ask if anything occurs to you in the future." that said, she chuckled quietly. "I'm sure she'd be delighted. You've caught her attention you see..."

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan smiles at her, "Cool. You're both rather well respected."

[mitochondriaaya]

She...was having a really hard time figuring out this meal. It wasn't romantic, despite the beautiful comment, though now they were to 'respected' it seemed. He didn't want to know anything about her it seemed. It wasn't a working meal either, he didn't want to talk about work? He kept shutting down conversation lines on her and it was frustrating. And probably her fault. Maya would have found something to talk about for more than two comments.

Aya had to conclude that this was probably a payment meal, for helping.

She tucked her feet up next to her on the seat and leaned comfortably against the side of the booth while she waited on food. "If you do go to a meal with her, don't touch her unless she offers please."

[sliceitwithwind]

He glances up and sees her face, then admits, "I got less than half an hour of sleep last night, Aya. My brain isn't exactly firing on all cylinders right now. Coherent conversation is a little bit past me."

He nods, then, "Got it. Thanks for letting me know, I tend to be a casual-contact kind of guy. Are you also someone who doesn't care for casual contact?"

[mitochondriaaya]

"Oh Life Dilan! You should be trying to snag a few hours rest..." she straightened, sheer worry for him replacing the confused frustration on her face. "Are you going home after this?" she wasn't going to argue that food wasn't important, but afterward, sleep?

"And...I'm sorry. I'm used to killing conversations and not realizing it. I was just trying to figure out what I'd done. As for your question..." she slowly relaxed back sideways, thinking on how best to answer it. "No. I crave it. I avoid it with those who confuse Maya and I though."

[sliceitwithwind]

"After I eat, yes." Dilan says firmly, "Braig is probably on his way here now." his smile is lopsided and apologetic, "I don't think in straight lines, and when I'm tired it's easier to go flitting from one subject to another like a moth on speed.

"How's this for a compromise? I won't touch you unless I'm certain it's you, but you have my permission for as much casual contact as you want, whenever you see me. And I'll let Braig know the same, so he won't touch Maya by accident."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Straight lines are incredibly overrated." she assured him "I hope you sleep well, you did some pretty intense work today."

The food arrived and Aya began to munch a little as she listened to the terms. She was taken aback all over again by them honestly. She'd really figured seeing Dilan in more than passing was a once off. Still..."That's...incredibly generous. I'm not sure if I'll remember to take you up on it, and I'll have to inform Maya, but thank you."

[sliceitwithwind]

"Least I can do." Dilan says with a shrug, "I like touching people. That's a Dilan thing, not a species thing, but still. I like touching people, I like pretty people, I don't like upsetting people.

"...I sound like a sleep deprived moron."

[mitochondriaaya]

"No, you sound exhausted and earnest." she admitted, wondering if he was going to get all the way through a meal. "A combination you manage to pull off rather well."

[sliceitwithwind]

"...Well, that makes sense." Dilan says after a minute. "I have lots of practise. If I pass out, Nan has Braig's number."

[mitochondriaaya]

"...I guess that's a good thing?" she admitted sheepishly, not exactly sure she should be endorsing people being exhausted often enough to be 'practiced'. Then again, she had to honestly admit she'd do the same.

"Right. Try not to fall into your food. Egg is hell to get out of the lungs."

[sliceitwithwind]

"It's a thing, anyway." Dilan admits, laughing at himself, "I promise that if I fall asleep I'll lean sideways."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Good, I think I could only manage to slow you..." she laughed as well, under no illusion that she could catch him and hold him for any length of time.

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan smiles at her, fairly sweetly, and kind of blisses out into an eating-zen state.

Which lasts until his plate is clear, at which point he topples over to the left and quietly passes out.

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya jumped as he started his slow topple, then watched with wide, curious eyes. He wasn't hurt after all...it was just very, very surreal to actually have someone fall asleep at a meal. it left her a little at a loss for what to do too. did she box up what was left of order and leave it at his elbow? Wait until he was picked up?

Oh, yeah, talk to Nan! Nan had his ride's number. That was a start.

And settling the check, they owed him after all.

Nan was happy to place the call for her. And after that, Aya settled in for boxing up the remainder of breakfast.

[sliceitwithwind]

Braig shows up without a ride, but with what is probably the largest human Aya has ever seen.

They just don't tend to come in Aeleus' size. Not naturally. "Dude. Hey. You're - uh. A Brea."

He got that much, anyway.