Posted by Commander Jennifer Wallace (acting Commanding Officer) in Side Sim: Lounge - Invitation

Posted by Ensign Viyara Nazeen (Scientist) in Side Sim: Lounge - Invitation

Posted by Commander Jennifer Wallace (Executive Officer) in Side Sim: Lounge - Invitation
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Jenn picked up the last of the fries and nodded slightly. “That could be fun. Sure, why not.” She smiled, watching Viyara. Something had shifted in getting to know the woman a little better, and Jennifer found that the fuzzy butterflies that had filled her upon meeting Viyara had faded somewhat, leaving her with more of a warm happiness and a hope for a long friendship.

Wallace, XO

OOC: No worries :)

IC:
Rising to her feet, Viyara reached for Jenn’s hand and pulled the other woman to her feet and then started to lead the way out of the Lounge while doing her best to make sure that she wouldn’t bump into the table. “What do you feel more like? Holodeck or Arboretum?” she asked with a wide grin as she headed towards the dorr, still holding Jenn’s hand.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

bump :)

“Let’s go for the Arboretum,” Jenn replied, carefully extracting her hand from Viyara’s grip and crossing her arms, tucking her hands under her armpits as she followed after the other woman. “I like plants…” she trailed off. As they walked through the corridor, Jenn straightened her posture, folding her hands behind her back.

Wallace, XO

When Jenn pulled her hand away, Viyara had meant to say nothing, but the way she crossed her arms and that her voice trailed off … Something was wrong and she wanted to know what was going on. For a brief moment Viyara quickened her step to get slightly ahead of Jenn and then turned around and stopped in the middle of the corridor. “What’s wrong? Did I do something to upset you?” she asked with sincere concern in her voice and expression.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

“Oh… no,” Jenn brought her hand up to the back of her head, embarrassed now. “Nothing you did, not really. I just don’t really do…” she brought her hands in front of herself and looked down at her hands, her face feeling warm, “hand touching…” She glanced around, glad there was no one else passing by. “That sort of thing, it makes my hands feel clammy and uncomfortable. With anyone. I wouldn’t even let my parents hold my hands as a kid.” She reached up to push her spectacles up, then slid her arms into a crossed position, giving Viyara a slightly nervous chuckle.

Wallace, XO

Viyara smiled warmly at Jenn, hoping to ease the other woman’s discomfort. “We all have things we don’t like. Parts of our body we don’t want anyone or only certain people to touch or only in the right moment or a special way. So no hand touching it is,” she said gently and then continued, “I’m sorry I did something you don’t like. And I’m sorry if I ever forget in the future. I don’t always stop to think before I act or say something.”

Turning again so she was facing in the same direction as Jenn, Viyara started walking towards the Arboretum again. After a moment or two she asked in a low voice so that only Jenn would hear, “Is there anything else you don’t like? Or maybe something you like a lot?”

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

Jenn relaxed, relieved at the response she got. “It’s fine. Most people don’t mind that kind of contact, so it was a fair assumption to make.” Letting her shoulders sag, she uncrossed her arms and slid her hands behind her back again, clasping them together to prevent herself from fidgeting as they walked. Viyara’s follow-up question gave Jenn pause, and it was a few moments before she found the words to reply. “I mean, there’s the usual places no one wants to be touched,” she replied with a wink, then continued, “but in general it’s just my hands-touching-hands that I’m weird about. And spicy food, if that counts. I cannot handle spice.”

“Good to know,” Viyara grinned, deciding not to reply to the first part of Jenn’s answer. Being touched in certain places without consent was something she didn’t want to think about. Not now, and not ever, really.

She stopped in the corridor and held her hands out in front of herself, fingers splayed and palms facing towards her face. She shrugged, then looked at Viyara. “In terms of what I enjoy? I do like physical contact as long as hands aren’t touching one another for an extended period. Hugs, sitting and leaning against someone. And hair. I have a weird love of hair. Braiding and styling my hair, styling other people’s hair. Just burying my hands in someone’s hair…” she shrugged, then kept walking, folding her hands behind her back again.

• Wallace

Turning her head so that she was looking at Jenn, Viyara replied with a mischievous grin, “Feel free to do with mine whatever you like.” She playfully nudged her shoulder against Jenn’s as she pushed some of the darker thoughts and memories, that had crept up on her, towards the very back of her mind; back into the dresser where she visualised those memories lived in a locked drawer.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist