Interlude – Not a word
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek
Post Details
::ON::
Arrienye sat there in her office, feeling numb. It was now over three hours since the incident with her cousin, but she hardly felt like moving or going back to her quarters. Her thoughts kept drifting back to her argument with Maiell. They'd never truly argued before this. Of course, they'd had their fair share of heated discussions, but neither had ever spoken of the hurtful things. The things one thought were just faded memories, unable to harm anymore than thinking of the time you scraped your knee as a child could. Things locked away inside of you, never to be spoken of again; left to gather dust.
No.
They'd never spoken of those; even disturbing the dust to catch a glimpse of the ugliness underneath was off limits between them. Or at least it was until tonight.
Bending forward in her seat, she rested her elbows against her knees and her face in her palms. Letting out a long, tired sigh, she absentmindedly rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingertips in the hope of relieving some tension. It didn't help, of course. Instead it just remained a habit she had obtained during some other trying time in her life.
Arrienye lost track of time and only shook away from her thoughts when the doors opened suddenly. Looking up, she couldn't hold in a sign as the tall, strongly built figure of Saren met her at the door. He stopped, looking as surprised as he undoubtedly was at seeing the Head of Security in her office so late.
"Arrain," he greeted her once he'd regained his composure.
"Ullhan," t'Merek returned, half-heartedly and with a delicate nod. He could see her eyes were slightly bloodshot, but dry. She didn't question his presence, since she knew her office doors opened for certain personnel at designated hours so they could put in their reports for her to sign off on in the morning. His presence also served as a reminder that her current time and place in the Universe wasn't a bad dream. Still, in some strange way, she found the sight of him soothing. Though she knew the emotion was there simply due to her emotionally vulnerable state, Arrienye embraced it.
The moment of mutual consideration was broke as Saren took a step forward, the soft taps of his heavy boots against the floor ripping through the silence. It was strange, a man his size making so little noise, Arrienye noticed.
"My shift report," he said simply, and t'Merek motioned for him to leave it on her desk. He nodded, complying as he his eyes on her.
Her mind already accepting the thought that he had left her office after completing his objective for being there, Arrienye visibly startled when his voice came again, though much softer this time. "Are you alright, t'Merek?"
The genuine concern she felt in his deep, familiar voice made her close her eyes, as if drinking it in for a moment.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice loyal, betraying nothing.
Saren said nothing in return, but out of the corner of her eye she caught him nodding.
"Have a good night, Arrain," he said finally and turned to leave. The sight stirred something inside Arrienye; something that felt too close to panic for her to be comfortable admitting. Before her mind could take control, she looked up from her seat at his retreating form.
"Saren!" She called and he stopped, turning almost too quickly and for a split second, he appeared uncomfortable, but recovered.
Arrienye caught herself then, but it was too late. Her eyes caught his, which were dark yet full of worry, as well as a hint of hope. As they looked at one another she found herself at a loss for words and unsure of how to proceed. His eyes adopted a dose of inquiry as silence came over the room. He didn't speak, simply waiting for her to continue.
Arrienye opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She tried again, but nothing happened. Starting to look and feel like a fish out of water, she gave up. Saren then began to look slightly amused by this new Arrienye and for that moment she hated him. As if seeing this, he dropped his gaze to the floor. Still distrustful of her voice, Arrienye let her gaze wander from Saren to the chair a few feet from her. He caught it and raised an eyebrow.
Arrienye looked away, running her fingers through her hair and feeling like quite the fool for letting him see her like this. Whether he was feeling overconfident or truly concerned, Arrienye didn't know, but Saren walked over to the chair and sat down. She sighed, looking up at him expectantly. ~Now the questions will come,~ she thought regrettably.
And then, true enough, Saren shifting, opening his mouth to speak. t'Merek looked away again, a twinge of disappointment pulling at her insides. But then she noticed the silence and looked up. His mouth was closed and he just looked at her. Intrigued, Arrienye leaned back in her seat, resting her arm on the desk between them. The silence continued and then Saren moved again, this time taking his hand from his lap and tentatively resting it on her forearm. Arrienye held her breath as they touched. The faded feeling of his hand through the material of her uniform jacket seemed to bring her back a sense of reality that was not at all pleasant, yet oddly comforting.
Suddenly, she got the irresistible urge to move, which she surrendered to. Sliding her arm back towards herself, she felt Saren's touch slip away. He looked at her, now even more concerned with the realization that he'd stepped over the line. As she stood, he followed.
"Arrain, I..." he began, his head bowed to her.
"Thank you," she suddenly said, interrupting. as their eyes met for the final time that evening, she continued to speak after a brief, but undoubtedly meaningful pause,"for your punctuality in handing in your report."
He suppressed a small smile and merely nodded in gratitude at her words. Arrienye nodded back.
"Dismissed," she said, starting to gather up her things from the desk. She didn't look up to see him leave.
::OFF::
Post by
Arrain Arrienye t'Merek
Head of Security
Romulan Consulate
with
Ullhan Saren i-Rhehivje
Gai'Shian officer
NPCed by Maja (t'Merek)
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek
Post Details
| Title | Not a word | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek | |
| Posted | Sun Aug 01, 2010 @ 3:17pm | |
| Location | Romulan Consulate - t'Merek's office | |
| Timeline | After 'DRAMA!' |
Arrienye sat there in her office, feeling numb. It was now over three hours since the incident with her cousin, but she hardly felt like moving or going back to her quarters. Her thoughts kept drifting back to her argument with Maiell. They'd never truly argued before this. Of course, they'd had their fair share of heated discussions, but neither had ever spoken of the hurtful things. The things one thought were just faded memories, unable to harm anymore than thinking of the time you scraped your knee as a child could. Things locked away inside of you, never to be spoken of again; left to gather dust.
No.
They'd never spoken of those; even disturbing the dust to catch a glimpse of the ugliness underneath was off limits between them. Or at least it was until tonight.
Bending forward in her seat, she rested her elbows against her knees and her face in her palms. Letting out a long, tired sigh, she absentmindedly rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingertips in the hope of relieving some tension. It didn't help, of course. Instead it just remained a habit she had obtained during some other trying time in her life.
Arrienye lost track of time and only shook away from her thoughts when the doors opened suddenly. Looking up, she couldn't hold in a sign as the tall, strongly built figure of Saren met her at the door. He stopped, looking as surprised as he undoubtedly was at seeing the Head of Security in her office so late.
"Arrain," he greeted her once he'd regained his composure.
"Ullhan," t'Merek returned, half-heartedly and with a delicate nod. He could see her eyes were slightly bloodshot, but dry. She didn't question his presence, since she knew her office doors opened for certain personnel at designated hours so they could put in their reports for her to sign off on in the morning. His presence also served as a reminder that her current time and place in the Universe wasn't a bad dream. Still, in some strange way, she found the sight of him soothing. Though she knew the emotion was there simply due to her emotionally vulnerable state, Arrienye embraced it.
The moment of mutual consideration was broke as Saren took a step forward, the soft taps of his heavy boots against the floor ripping through the silence. It was strange, a man his size making so little noise, Arrienye noticed.
"My shift report," he said simply, and t'Merek motioned for him to leave it on her desk. He nodded, complying as he his eyes on her.
Her mind already accepting the thought that he had left her office after completing his objective for being there, Arrienye visibly startled when his voice came again, though much softer this time. "Are you alright, t'Merek?"
The genuine concern she felt in his deep, familiar voice made her close her eyes, as if drinking it in for a moment.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice loyal, betraying nothing.
Saren said nothing in return, but out of the corner of her eye she caught him nodding.
"Have a good night, Arrain," he said finally and turned to leave. The sight stirred something inside Arrienye; something that felt too close to panic for her to be comfortable admitting. Before her mind could take control, she looked up from her seat at his retreating form.
"Saren!" She called and he stopped, turning almost too quickly and for a split second, he appeared uncomfortable, but recovered.
Arrienye caught herself then, but it was too late. Her eyes caught his, which were dark yet full of worry, as well as a hint of hope. As they looked at one another she found herself at a loss for words and unsure of how to proceed. His eyes adopted a dose of inquiry as silence came over the room. He didn't speak, simply waiting for her to continue.
Arrienye opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She tried again, but nothing happened. Starting to look and feel like a fish out of water, she gave up. Saren then began to look slightly amused by this new Arrienye and for that moment she hated him. As if seeing this, he dropped his gaze to the floor. Still distrustful of her voice, Arrienye let her gaze wander from Saren to the chair a few feet from her. He caught it and raised an eyebrow.
Arrienye looked away, running her fingers through her hair and feeling like quite the fool for letting him see her like this. Whether he was feeling overconfident or truly concerned, Arrienye didn't know, but Saren walked over to the chair and sat down. She sighed, looking up at him expectantly. ~Now the questions will come,~ she thought regrettably.
And then, true enough, Saren shifting, opening his mouth to speak. t'Merek looked away again, a twinge of disappointment pulling at her insides. But then she noticed the silence and looked up. His mouth was closed and he just looked at her. Intrigued, Arrienye leaned back in her seat, resting her arm on the desk between them. The silence continued and then Saren moved again, this time taking his hand from his lap and tentatively resting it on her forearm. Arrienye held her breath as they touched. The faded feeling of his hand through the material of her uniform jacket seemed to bring her back a sense of reality that was not at all pleasant, yet oddly comforting.
Suddenly, she got the irresistible urge to move, which she surrendered to. Sliding her arm back towards herself, she felt Saren's touch slip away. He looked at her, now even more concerned with the realization that he'd stepped over the line. As she stood, he followed.
"Arrain, I..." he began, his head bowed to her.
"Thank you," she suddenly said, interrupting. as their eyes met for the final time that evening, she continued to speak after a brief, but undoubtedly meaningful pause,"for your punctuality in handing in your report."
He suppressed a small smile and merely nodded in gratitude at her words. Arrienye nodded back.
"Dismissed," she said, starting to gather up her things from the desk. She didn't look up to see him leave.
::OFF::
Post by
Arrain Arrienye t'Merek
Head of Security
Romulan Consulate
with
Ullhan Saren i-Rhehivje
Gai'Shian officer
NPCed by Maja (t'Merek)