The Way Old Friends Do

Posted on Sat Jul 1st, 2023 @ 1:29pm by Lieutenant JG Ash Rowe & Lieutenant Magnus Volsung

1,801 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The devil wears tripolymer
Location: Bar
Timeline: Current

ON:

The lounge was crowded, but it usually was when people were in a position to let their hair down. From his table in the corner, the Chief Security Officer of the USS Wolff had a good overview of the people there. He gave a small smile, almost wistful, before looking down at the PADD with the last week's reports on it. He reached for his coffee to sip, frowning as he clearly spotted something that he had to reread. The expression softened when he realised he had missed something, which relaxed him. This mattered to him. Tidy reports, the information easy to digest and to find again should it become necessary.

"Room for another one?" Ash Rowe asked, holding her drink as her hand went to the back of one of the chairs at his table. She at least gave him the opportunity to reply before sitting, remaining standing as she awaited his judgement.

Magnus looked up at her and smiled, giving a quick nod. "Ash, of course...come and sit down," he said, clearing away the PADD easily. No hesitation or lingering thoughts of it needed to be done that moment. Not with Ash there, a person he had gotten to know on his last ship. "You'll need to take a weight off, those pips can be heavy on the collar."

She punched him in the shoulder with a grin at his teasing, sitting herself next to him. "You always look like sundust wouldn't melt in your mouth, and then you come out with something like that."

He chuckled, looking at her with an easy smile. "At least I am not cursing," he said and sipped his coffee. "That already is an improvement, is it not? Although it takes a lot of effort, Ash. Might give myself a stroke holding it back."

"Don't worry on my account," she held a hand up and leant back, chuckling as she shook her head. "I'm not exactly a delicate creature. Anyway, it feels like it's been years, how are you doing?"

Magnus shook his head as well, sipping his coffee. "Same as I always am, one step ahead of my own destruction," he said before he winked. "As well as can be expected, for a man who has passed his summer years. And you, Ash? You look the same as when I last saw you."

"You can say that a few more times if you like," she teased with a smile, shaking her head with a long sigh. "Medical were keeping me hostage. You should do something about those ruffians..."

He frowned at the words before he reached out, to gently grip her shoulder. "I have no power over them. But it is good to see you looking so strong then, if they sank their claws into your flesh."

"That's a good way of putting it," she chuckled, patting his hand warmly. "So...what do I need to know about this ship?"

"It's in one piece," he said, deadpan, before he smiled playfully. "Nothing special yet. Which worries me. I feel I will be making a lot of sacrifices to keep us safe, Allfather protect us."

"Yeah, that is worrying," she agreed with a cynical frown. "If there's no problems I should know about now, it makes you wonder when it's going to hit the fan..."

"Something big..." Magnus said with a weak smile that almost seemed wistful. As if he had already been there, done that and survived it. "And something sudden. But we do what we do, Ash. We stay alive and keep ourselves going."

"Always," she agreed, reaching to tap her drink to his at that. "So, have you already made yourself a nice little altar in your quarters?"

He smiled at that, at her remembering those details about him. "I have, although Odin has not yet given me the wisdom I so desperately need."

"I mean, maybe you're just a little more Loki, you know? Maybe he can sense that," she shrugged with a grin, sitting back to watch him. "This whole sophisticated silver fox thing doesn't have me fooled."

He laughed at that, shaking his head a that. "Sophisticated, is it? Here I thought it was the stress..." he said playfully, his brown eyes warm as he watched her. "I may not fool you or the gods, but by Odin's beard I will fool others..."

"Your secret is safe with me," she assured with a soft laugh, clearly comfortable in his company. "I like the sound of your gods. One for every mood..."

"One for each task," he said with a small smile before he looked down. "I know it is seen as primitive. But I get a lot of comfort in feeling that there's someone on my side when I am standing alone."

"Understandable..." she stretched before letting her arms rest on the table and her chin on her arm. "They say you're never alone in the fleet though..."

He met her eyes before he reached out, offering his hand to her. When she reached to take it, he reached to grip her forearm as he held her eyes. "You are not. You are my sister, my arm is yours. I will not let you face danger alone."

Ash couldn't help but smile at such a raw and honest offering. She could feel that he meant every word of it. She squeezed his arm, watching him with warmth in her eyes. "Damn, you're hot when you get all chivalrous, I love it. I give you the same, although my arm is not this muscular..."

"Your mind is sharp as a knife, I take anything you offer," he said and laughed, letting go of her with warmth. "Besides, you have a way of...having luck at your side. I have seen it in action, I would be a fool not to want that near. The gods favour you, as we'd say at home."

Ash laughed warmly at the words, nodding as she thought on that perspective. "I guess it depends on how you see it...maybe I'm unlucky because I seem to be around chaos so much. Or I'm lucky for somehow getting through it alive. I like your version best. Who would be my god or goddess?"

He laughed at that, considering it for a moment. "I would say that despite what you want to show yourself being...mischievous, easy going...you are a protector at heart. Heimdall. Forever watchful, yet also fretting about the dark to come. A good god for a pilot, with sharp reflexes and great eyesight."

She nodded sagely as he spoke, taking it in with a deep breath. "I'll take that, you make me sound like a credible chief..." she teased.

"You know your own worth," Magnus said quietly, raising an eyebrow to her, before the smile became playful. "If not, I may have to teach you."

"Now that sounds like half a threat," she teased, but with a fond smile as she sipped her drink. "Do you charge for those lessons?"

"A drink, at most," Magnus said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "You are a strong, independent...glorious woman, Ash Rowe. Your spirit is what shines in you. Never tame it."

Ash blushed. She never blushed, but she actually blushed as she looked down, covering her head with her arms as she laughed softly. "Magnus..."

He laughed and reached out to touch her shoulder. "I need no drink, I take satisfaction from seeing your reaction now! Have I truly shocked you so by stating simple truth?"

"Yes!" she looked to him with a warm laugh, the colour still on her cheeks. "You've finally shocked me. And not a lot of people can say that."

Magnus gave her shoulder a squeeze before he let go. "Well, then I have done something unexpected today," he said playfully.

"Can only be a good thing," Ash chuckled, squeezing his hand in return as she smiled. "Seriously, it's good to be on the same ship again."

"It is," he agreed before he nodded, frowning slightly. "I have missed it. But the journey tends to be worth it, with souls meeting up again and again if it is meant to be. Or...you know...people keep sending messages to each other. That works too."

Ash chuckled softly, leaning to push his arm with fondness. "You're such a poet at heart..."

"I come from a line of misunderstood poets," he said with a grin, laughing softly. "And you like it. You like things that are different...and people who are different from what you've experienced before."

"Of course," she shook her head with a warm smile, but serious all the same. "What would I have to learn from someone who was like me? That would be really, really dull."

He held her eyes, taking a slow, but deep breath at the words. "You are a wanderer at heart," he said, his voice quiet despite the noise around them. He regarded her with seriousness, as if seeing her for the first time. In a way, he was, seeing a part of her he hadn't seen before. "I hope that you find what your heart is looking for...whatever it may be."

"Yeah..." she sat back with that, letting out a long sigh, stretching her legs out under the table. "I'm not sure how easy that is," she admitted with a half smile. "I'm looking for the next thing after racing. It's a big hole to fill."

"Ah..." Magnus nodded as he watched her, before he smiled. "Maybe I should teach you how to fight with an axe. Gets the adrenaline up a little bit, I think. I never did offer to teach you before..."

She grinned at that, leaning forward to him with a sparkle in her eye. "You'd do that? Show me how to Viking?" she whispered.

"Yes," Magnus said and gave her a firm nod, holding her eyes. "I will teach you how to use a hand axe. As for the rest...well, I never went Viking, but I can teach you some of the weapons and survival tips."

"You're so modest it's cute. You're the closest thing to a living Viking, you get to call yourself that," she laughed softly, at how blase he was about it.

Magnus chuckled, ducking his head with the blush he felt. "Not many get away with calling me cute, Ash..." he said and met her eyes. "You're lucky you're my favourite."

She spread her hands to the sides as if to say 'all in a day's work', leaning back and casually stretching her legs out and crossing her ankles. "I just say what I see, Magnus, I just say what I see..."

OFF:

Lieutenant Magnus Volsung
Chief Security Officer

&

Lieutenant JG Ash Rowe
Chief Flight Officer

 

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