02-05-2026, 10:33 PM
The steak came off the grill medium rare, exactly as Robin had asked. A perfect char. And there was a pot on the table with sauteed mushrooms, also in garlic butter. She loaded up the steak with them and took a piece of the foil-wrapped corn. It was still too hot to eat so it would have to wait. Glancing over to the gazebo she saw that Mara hadn't joined them. Aeryn called to her "Is there anything you want me to bring you back?" The Bandaran shoveled entirely too much pasta salad into her mouth and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
This is affecting her way more than she wants to let on.
The purple-haired nurse considered what to do. Leave her be? Maybe. Some people didn't respond well to being prodded emotionally, and openly dealing with feelings wasn't something that the Security Chief was used to.
So don't prod. If she wants to talk she'll talk. Just be there if she wants to.
The nurse popped a piece of steak in her mouth, grabbed a bottle of cola with her free hand, gave Aeryn a back in a second maybe look, and walked back to the gazebo. She wasn't sure that the redhead had seen Mara wipe her eyes, and it didn't seem like a good idea to start talking about it while people were standing around. If everyone suddenly started crowding the Bandaran then she'd likely put her tough shield wall back up. She might do it anyway, and that was fine. It wasn't Robin's way to pry.
"Hey," the smaller woman said to Mara as she hopped up on the table and sat next to her, feet on the bench. She handed Mara the fresh cola to replace the one she'd been drinking. "You know, my parents would have kicked my ass for sitting like this," she joked. "Especially in a swimsuit."
She paused. "You OK?"
== Tag Mara ==
This is affecting her way more than she wants to let on.
The purple-haired nurse considered what to do. Leave her be? Maybe. Some people didn't respond well to being prodded emotionally, and openly dealing with feelings wasn't something that the Security Chief was used to.
So don't prod. If she wants to talk she'll talk. Just be there if she wants to.
The nurse popped a piece of steak in her mouth, grabbed a bottle of cola with her free hand, gave Aeryn a back in a second maybe look, and walked back to the gazebo. She wasn't sure that the redhead had seen Mara wipe her eyes, and it didn't seem like a good idea to start talking about it while people were standing around. If everyone suddenly started crowding the Bandaran then she'd likely put her tough shield wall back up. She might do it anyway, and that was fine. It wasn't Robin's way to pry.
"Hey," the smaller woman said to Mara as she hopped up on the table and sat next to her, feet on the bench. She handed Mara the fresh cola to replace the one she'd been drinking. "You know, my parents would have kicked my ass for sitting like this," she joked. "Especially in a swimsuit."
She paused. "You OK?"
== Tag Mara ==