inthebiblicalsense | TLV IC Inbox

"I think you have guessed exactly why," Jedao says, grinning.

"As for being an open book, well, we'll work on it."

That is definitely something he's tried to work on. He's not the best at hiding his reactions or lying about most anything.

"That'd be a trial worse than boot camp. Or this. This is hard to beat, but it would be difficult."

"Look, if we fail, all it means is you now have a new way of hitting on people, which is to challenge them to strip poker and then lose," Jedao points out optimistically. Success or failure all depends on your objective, after all.

Abel hadn't necessarily been expecting him to say that, both eyes opening and staring at him. His mouth opens to say something, but nothing comes out for much longer than he intended.

"You know, I wasn't expecting that, but you obviously don't know me very well if you think I'd be up for asking anyone to play strip poker without embarrassing myself." While it would probably be very fun, that's a little too bold.

Jedao laughs a little, but not meanly; he's mostly laughing at himself.

"Well, I don't know you. Fair enough. But it never hurts to have another strategy in your back pocket. Not to mention, embarrassing yourself can actually be a very good tactic for putting other self-conscious people at ease."

Jedao has a special talent for being earnest and Machiavellian at the same time.

"I just had a conversation with Fitz about this the other night. And I wouldn't say I'm self-conscious, just..." Not all that confident that he's not going to fuck it up. Or be laughed at. "I'm untested. And perhaps with how everyone seems to be on board, instead of being inviting, it's like i've jumped a few difficulty levels with how comfortable everyone seems." And he's just not.

How did they get here anyways? He's laid up and sick and here Jedao is talking to him about pulling techniques.

"It's alright," Jedao says softly. "I didn't kiss anybody for most of a year, when I got here. I was absolutely dying because everyone here is so hot, but..."

He shakes his head.

"I wasn't ready. You don't need to rush yourself just because your new neighbors are, ah, enthusiastic."

Abel is thankful that he isn't quite at that level, but there is definitely some worry about getting into something ill advised. Admitting it to anyone is difficult, but he'd started talking about it at least. It was helping. "I wouldn't say I'm where you were at, just. I've got some baggage that feels a little uncomfortable bringing with me even into something casual. Not that I haven't already, but we talked about it. At least, started to." After the fact, when it became apparent to him that he probably should after Cain had given too much out, but still. He was trying.

The other in we is left unsaid, he's got enough of his own personal business flying around the network if his death is at all public like he's sure it will be. He had been in the library for god sake. "You think the Admiral does it on purpose? Like, that can't be a coincidence."

He doesn't ask about 'we'.

"What part of it? You mean the visitors?"

There is a little bit of a smile peaking through, shaking his head. It's not that serious Jedao.

"No. How hot everyone on board is. Do you think he's got good taste?"

"Oh." Jedao laughs at himself, blushes a little.

"I don't know. I felt the same way when I was with the Kel - the military, in my world. I think he - gravitates towards a lot of dramatic personalities. Movers and shakers and driven people. There's a magnetism to that."

"There are definitely some interesting personalities that pop up in the military. What did you do there?" Because he can definitely agree with that statement. Magnetism indeed.

"I was a navigator and an Engineer. When you were assigned a team the ship became your responsibility to maintain. I think that was my favorite part."

"I was a general," Jedao says quietly.

"Tell me about your ship?"

Well that was a much higher rank than he'd ever had the chance to speak with. It makes him wonder what kind of stories he might be able to tell, though he's definitely not going to ask. His own stories weren't usually all that appropriate for a retelling. Nothing really fun about war in space if he was being honest.

"The Reliant. She wasn't anything special aside from the Alien tech they snuck on board, but I did get her pretty finely tuned to my liking before she was lost. Two manned short-range Starfighter, same as every other team had. I don't think we even had the resources to try and produce something new with how many ships we'd been losing in the fleet."

Like a little needlemoth, he muses.

"Alien tech?" he asks.

"If we were in my cabin I could show you a draft of her. It's mostly done aside from little edits here and there." and honestly he'd probably always keep it open for edit, just so he could keep it close. He hadn't even had the time to give her a good look over in the chaos of the trip and subsequent crash. He owed their lives to the Reliant.

"A jump drive. I wasn't aware it was on board until recently. Top secret, instant teleportation across great distances, useful but rough for the pilot. I don't think humans were really meant to be able to use it."

Mothdrives aren't instantaneous, so that's something. Jedao resolves to pry further some other time when Abel isn't feeling like garbage.

"Would you rather go back there? Only I might have to call someone stronger to carry you in a way that feels dignified when you're conscious."

"I can make the trip tomorrow probably, take the lift. Don't really feel like doing a lot right now and I'd prefer to do it by myself." Though he is a little curious why he was brought here instead of his own room.

"Is there a reason why I'm in here anyways?"

"I...well, we didn't know each other. I didn't want to take you there if it wasn't comforting, and if it was comforting, then...I wasn't sure a stranger being there, without permission, would be...good."

That makes sense. He supposes it was nice that at least something was done for his own comfort. "My room is small, but it doesn't really hurt me like I've heard some people's cabin's do." A little cramped for space, but at least familiar if not nostalgic in that 'I left but this was at least the only place I could be myself' kind of way. It had been a shelter and a work space for so long even if the door that went nowhere was there as if his father could come knock any minute.

"But I can appreciate your approach, I was just curious."

"I overthink things a lot," Jedao admits. "If you want to go back there now, I can call somebody. Zerxus maybe. He could probably lift four guys our size at once."

Might be a nice moment on a very shitty day.

"You say that as if it's a strange thing to do." He teases, knowing that he does the same thing. It wasn't uncommon to see him walking the hall with a distant look on his face. He's going to run into someone one of these days and it's going to be embarrassing. He had almost tripped over Pyotr that one day in the hall, but at least he'd said something before it happened.

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll just wait until tomorrow, go myself. A walk would do me good if I can manage. Maybe I can find some other reason to be toted around though, I'll have to remember his name."

"He's so hot," Jedao confirms, sagely. "He's the guy with the curly horns."

Abel must have at least seen him around in the dining hall a few times.

"Is there anybody you want me to call in the meantime, to come see you? Or just let them know how you're doing?"

"I think I have seen him around. Took me a minute to get passed the horns. But, sixty-seconds isn't that long."

His expression shifts at the next question, absently biting the scar on his lower lip as he thinks about it.

He hadn't had anyone to really call before. He'd like to think they wouldn't mind, that it was important to let them know. Quietly, he glances around before realizing his communicator is still in his pocket, checking it. He tries to keep the look of relief off his face but, there is a message there already, Fitz.

"I'll, um...I'll reach out myself, when you leave? I should probably try and sleep, but I don't get much anyways, so it might take me a while." He can send some things out, or finalize that gym notice he'd been working on. It might be a good idea to check the network too. He hadn't done that yet.

There was some hope in his mind that this had passed through the ship quietly, but it won't take long for him to realize that it definitely hadn't. He's not going to actually go to sleep for hours after this and end up exhausting himself most likely.

"Is that a gentle for me to give you some privacy now?" Jedao asks, but wryly, not offended in the slightest.

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