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Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno

The Theurgy proved to be an interesting ship, or perhaps she should say an interesting trio of ships. Everything fit seamlessly together, she couldn't tell when she walked into another vector, but she was well aware of her incredible capacity to split into three and fight in unison. She had to give the Federation credit for having made an incredible battle ship.

For a battleship though, it sure felt comfortable. The architects must've gone through great measures to make the inhabitants of the ship feel less like they were on a vessel of war and more on a nice Federation-sponsored cruise. She had heard of this Below Decks, a lounge meant for more traditional preparation of foods, and if she was right, it was just about time for the third meal cycle of the day, dinner. She was curious to see what the living ship held in store for her, and also unwilling to be alone with her thoughts this evening. So she made her way towards Below Decks, to eat and entertain herself.

When she finally found herself in the doorway of the lounge, she was not disappointed. This was high class, relative to her former assignment. After three years of solitary confinement on the Resolve, she suppose her standards had dropped to rock bottom. The smell of food wafted in the air and it was actually pleasant, it made her find her appetite once more.

She hadn't intended to grab herself a large meal, but she did. She had to try a little of everything, and something in the back of her mind insisted that it may not be there the next time she wants it. Moments later, she found herself sitting in the middle of the room, at a table by herself, taking the time to savor the taste of Zabu steak. She hadn't had a real one in so long. She sighed and smiled bright and warm. She won't say things are looking up yet, but she could probably fool herself into thinking it.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #1 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN: @FollowTomorrow

There was a lot on Keval's mind to say the least.

He had been appointed the ship's new chief intelligence officer based partially on his own merits and partially on his past of being with Starfleet Special Operations back during the war, aside from the Theurgy's executive officer-he was the most logical candiate he guessed.

Keval had gone over the materials that Miss Ravenholm had presented to him until he felt that his antenna was going to fall off at which point he realized what he'd really been feeling was hunger and he left his new officer, which was being kind to call it that in all reality, to go off in search of something before realizing that the only place that he could think of was the ship's lounge, "Below Decks".

As he walked the corridors, his mind was still awash with everything that had happened over the past few days-he'd finally made it home only to find out that the universe was about to be put to the torch by a conspiracy that hardly anyone knew of yet cared for, the only home that he had was now so much particle drift and atomized matter and a man that he called family was dead.

What a way to start off a month.

Keval shook his head as he stepped into the lounge and gathered a good sized meal and then started to look for a place to sit himself when he saw a familiar face sitting in the middle of the room;

Zelosa.

For a moment, he actually considered not bothering her since this was the first time in the entire time that they had served together that she'd actually looked to be at peace and happy, a graceful smile creasing the features of the elegant cardassian woman.

But there was a question on Keval's mind that he actually wanted to ask before he simply gave up on something that always sat in the back of his mind and the thought of broaching the subject with Zelosa actually scared him because she knew him...but she was also one of the extremely few people, now a mere four at most, that he actually could trust and if he couldn't trust her with this...

Keval squared back his shoulders and approached the table before asking in a respectable tone, "Is this seat taken?"

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #2 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno

She actually failed to notice Keval making his way to her, she was so engrossed in good food. When he asked, she looked up and paused, her eyebrows raised and her smile still on her face. Before her was Keval ch'Rayya, one of her crewmates and a friend. She had the impression, but didn't want to fully admit, he might have thought of her as more than that. She pushed it out of her mind.

“Well, since you asked so politely, I suppose I could share.” She teased. Today, he seemed...troubled? Who wasn't, after what they had collectively gone through. She supposed she could probe him a little over a good meal, just to see if he's well enough.
“Did you seek me out on purpose, or did you just so happen to come upon me at dinner time and thought it'd be nice to have a date?” She continued to tease. She was fond enough of Keval, so he had the special privilege of being the object of her 'bullying'. “Sneaky way to get a date, you know." Her smile never faded, and she wasn't about to leave her Zabu steak alone either. Very little would keep her and good food apart.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #3 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN: @FollowTomorrow

When Zelosa said that he could, he sat down his own tray of food...

...but when she started to tease him and used the word "date", Keval's face actually turned a deeper shade of blue as his antenna went to the sides just a bit-the andorian version of a blush.

"I..um...was actually getting tired of looking over the things that was recovered from the starbase by young miss Ravenholm at which point my body reminded me that I had missed almost two whole meals." he admitted before looking into her dark eyes and giving her a little bit of a smile. "So I came to the only place on the entire ship that I knew for certain had good food and then I saw you."

He gave her an honest smile, not one of the usual ones like Krystal or Leon or even A'vura would get, but one that he only used with Zelosa because of the respect that he had for her mixed with another feeling but after a few seconds it became a bit more of a reserved kind. "I did have another reason that I have been trying to figure out how to work with if you will?"

He leaned back and looked at her for a moment, his light blue eyes studying her as he took in her fully before reaching to pick up his drink because his throat went dry as he tried to think of a way to approach what was on his mind.

"I wish however that you wouldn't tease me about dates though..." he finally said, taking another pull from his mug, trying to hide how nervous he was feeling.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #4 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno

“Then I won't tease you.” She admitted her ceasefire. She missed banter, but if she really wanted it, she'd have to get it someplace else. Keval was sweet, she'd rather keep her friendship with him than indulge her momentary impulse to bother him.

Anotehr part of her mind keyed in on his words. He didn't want to be teased about dates. That sort of insecurity could indicate that he has feelings for her. Or, she decided to think, that he was far too respectful to suggest that he'd slide in and steal a date, like she had teased. A convincing lie it was, she was good at those.

In a more genuine voice, she began again, “You have another reason, and I have two ears. You are free to talk to me about it, under one condition.” She allowed her voice to turn sharp, her eyebrow ridges raised as if she was about to scold him. “If we talk, you must eat. Skipping your meals is not the way to take care of yourself, and I ought not hear you doing it much more often." She smiled, her face returning to it's jovial setting. She promised she wouldn't tease, but this wasn't teasing. This was quite the honest demand that she hoped he'd take seriously.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #5 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN: @FollowTomorrow

When she made a comment about not teasing him, Keval gently reached out and took her closest hand into his, ignoring how warm her hand was or how it made him feel. "I wasn't saying stop to teasing me, Zelosa, just...stopping about teasing me about the date part." he said in a soft but warm tone as he looked at her, giving her hand a warm squeeze before gently letting go of the hand. "

He then listened to her next words and slowly nodded in agreement to them. "Alright, it's a fair cop as the old saying goes." he said before picking up a carrot and popping it into his mouth to give himself some time to think before he even tried to broach the subject that was on his mind and after swallowing, he nodded. "I'm trying to take my new duties seriously, something about all of this is making my molars hurt..." he commented as he looked around the room slowly before his bright blue eyes came to rest on her and he motioned with his fork, "And before you make some quip about how we have doctors that could help me with that-you know exactly what I mean young miss." he added in a teasing tone of his own.

Keval then ate a little bit more of his food, his mind still trying to figure out how to broach the subject when in the end he simply looked over at Zelosa and asked "Zelosa, how honest can I be with you really...out of all the people that I can trust, you're pretty high up there and have been for quite some time now...but I'm feeling the need to be honest with you."

If anything the usually confident and jovial Andorian was almost..shy in how he was talking, a first for him of sorts. "Sorry if this is coming out of the blue like this but I figured with everything that's been happening, I should be honest about something."

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #6 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno
Her hand was, unfortunately, not warm. It was cold, as she tends to be. She sapped the pleasant warmth from him. He, like Suq, was touchy. He just liked to touch and be touched is all. It probably helps ground him in much the same way it does for Efrosians. She ignored the bit about dating. He was being respectful—even if he would not use the name Ejek like she preferred. Culture barrier.

She smiled when he poked fun at her in return. He had countered her words before she said them. Maybe she was getting too predictable. Too rusty, she thought.

As he chewed the cud, so to speak, she was quiet. She didn't want to interrupt him as he thought. After all, she still had a steak to attend to. He was acting shy, but of course, this unusual change in behavior could almost be expected from such a shocking series of events.

She tucked away the 'coming out of the blue' comment from the Andorian. Surely, that would be an entertaining quip to another audience, maybe not one so serious.
“Feel free to be honest. You know I don't share secrets.” She lied. She shares secrets—just not this one. She had the feeling that patient confidentiality would apply here, considering the strange behavior. Perhaps Keval was about to reveal that he suffers from horrible nightmares, or is hearing voices.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #7 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN:  @FollowTomorrow

Keval took a deep breath and then in a quieter voice said "Ejek...for the past few years I have been so, dedicated I think is the right word for it, to getting us home that I really haven't thought about my own feelings on things and I've kept fears and dreams and concerns and so much more to myself that when I saw eighty four, I was just so...relieved that our nightmare was over and that maybe I could...could just be myself again."

He lowered his bright eyes to his mug for a moment, his antenna was twitching ever so slightly as he tried to understand the emotions that were swirling around in his head. "When everything started happening back on the starbase, I wasn't scared or concerned or anything because I knew that in lieu of Kendrick and Leon not be accessible, you all needed me and I always put you all before me...I wanted to keep you all safe and not just because I was the man in charge of security and tactical or the second officer, but because it was because I cared about you all, we had our little family and I wasn't going to let you down."

He moved his eyes up to her face, taking in those grey eyes of hers and tried to wonder why he hadn't been this honest with her before. "I want to say something but I'm scared to, me...the one person that you know that never hesitates to speak his mind or back up someone when they need it or charge head first into battle to save someone...is scared of admitting something...of saying something.."

He then found himself drawn more to her eyes, "One thing I can admit is that without you, I think that I would've gone mad long before now...thank you for being there..."

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #8 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno

Keval could be so sentimental. He was making a lot of eye contact, this meant a lot to him. She paused her eating to meet his eyes, smiling until he's delivered his last words. He appears to think of her as a bastion, an anchor in the storm. Many people do, as a counselor, and more recently as a friend too. This was emotions deeper than friendship though.

Surely, Keval was growing attached, displaying the bond that patient and therapist are expected to form. She took it as a compliment to her skills. She never was the one to do anything poorly. She took a deep breath and sighed, which was all she needed to collect her thoughts again.

"Keval...it is good you are honest with your feelings. They may be tough to share, but that you face them is important for you. I can appreciate the struggle you must be going through right now to be honest with yourself, with me. I don't think you are any less strong or honest just because it's hard this time. Do not feel that your efforts are for nothing.

"That said, I think you underestimate your strength. After all, I was not there with you at the starbase. I did not hold your hand onto the Theurgy. You're handling your new duties exceptionally well, as you usually do. The only thing I do for you is listen. And urge you to eat, Keval." She pointed at his food with her fork, insisting he nourish himself.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #9 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN: @FollowTomorrow

Keval nodded as he listened to Zelosa's words and when she motioned for him to eat more, he picked up his fork and knife before starting to carve into his own steak, spearing a juicy bite before he started to chew on it.

As he ate his mind went back to the woman next to him as he thought about everything that they had been through-she had listened to him about the nightmares he had following being stuck in the escape pod following the destruction of the Athena during Operation Return and the painful memories of watching his fellow operators in Ti'julk  and Rocky Tenzil die horribly during what little he could actually tell her about his time with "Looking Glass".

As he took another bite he realized that she was like an anchor for him and during times like the fighting before they lost the Resolve, he had tried to be her anchor too...even though at times he wished that he could be much more then he was and at that moment, he had never felt more conflicted in his entire life and considering the life that he had lead up to that point was not small potatos at all as he took in her graceful and poised figure and enjoyed how the light cast her in the right amount of shadows...he wasn't a poetic soul but he did apprecate the smaller things in life.

"Ejek, have I ever told you that I find you a very engaging and witty person? Someone that I can actually have conversations with where I don't have to *BE* someone else like how I feel that I have to with my friends like Leon and Jimmy for example." Keval offered up in a soft tone to her as he looked her in the face. "Just the thought of your quiet, intelligent strength has calmed quite a few of my inner storms and for that, you have my entire and complete unspoken thanks, I've told you things that I can't really tell anyone else such as the story about what happened to my two fellow officers during that one mission..."

Keval stopped and set down his silverware before directing all of his attention to her. "I couldn't help but be vague about that one, Ejek, because it was a special operations mission behind Dominion lines and I told you about what happened to Ti'julk and Rocky because I knew that without a question that I could trust you that much and you have rewarded my faith in you so much that it makes my heart swell." he went onto explain before giving her another real and actual smile, the kind of smile that actually reached his eyes and was much more warmer then most. "I wish that I could tell you more about that mission but even with everything going on here I can't."

Keval then motioned at his plate of food, "I will keep eating but I just wanted to say that before I continued, among a great many things that I owe you, my dear Ejek, that was high on the list."

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #10 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno
Ejek was pleased to see Keval heed her words. He was easy to take care of, she didn't have to fight or argue to make him see reason. It was a rare trait, one she appreciated. She ate her own steak in silence, letting the blue man collect his thoughts while she did the same.

It made her uncomfortable to know that this may be a conversation about attraction and romance, rather than one about friendship. She kept pushing the thought away, but it kept coming back as she reflected on what he'd said so far. Everyone thought they liked Ejek that way, everyone just looked at her and assumed that she'd be their mate if they said the right things and she hated it. She hated that people wanted her and pined for her without ever knowing who she was, what she was like. Hell, even her best friends aboard the Resolve never really knew where she came from and why she was the way she was. She didn't want pity, which was the risk she'd take if she explained herself. So she never did, and she never grew close, and so she'd never run the risk of getting her heart broken. So why did it hurt so much when she thought about Keval crushing on her?

Her face had grown more and more thoughtful instead of smiley. His voice interrupted her before she could grow too grim though. She paused her eating and met his eyes again. Her gentle smile returned. He had a lot to feel thankful about, and the flattery certainly helped.

“I understand that you can't talk much about the mission Keval. I won't make you do that. When you're ready to share, you will, and I will be there for you.

I can't help but feel like you're trying to say something.” She ventured out on thin ice. She'd finally decided that if she left this conversation without finding out what the Andorian thought, she'd be up all night wondering. “Is there something else on your mind that you wanted to talk about...?”

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #11 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN: @FollowTomorrow


Keval had noticed Zelosa's face had grown more and more thoughtful, the look in her eyes had a shadow in it that he himself had an all too familiar to him and as he in turn listened to her comments about the mission and why he couldn't talk about it, giving him yet another reason to respect her.

Keval gently pushed his meal away from him so that he could interlace his hands in front of him on the table where his plate had been, his face was pensive for a moment before he slowly nodded. "I will agree to that, Ejek, and I want to talk about it but you also have to understand that mission was one of the most difficult things that I had ever been apart of in my life up to that point and I knew some of my fellow officers involved in it." he started to explain before his face grew just a little bit more pensive. "I'm not responsible for people dying and I accept that there are some things that I cannot change...still it is hard to talk about it because of some things but I will remember what you have offered today."

After saying his piece, Keval went to pick up his mug to take a drink when Zelosa asked if there was something else on his mind and his hand stopped in mid-motion, shaking slightly which he fought to get back under control before he pulled his hand back as he realized that he had been beating around the bush just a little bit...or more then just a little bit.

The andorian swallowed for a moment before he slowly nodded his head, "Yes there is something else on my mind that I want to talk about but it's something that I've been debating on saying for the last few years but I was afraid to because it's a matter that I really haven't touched on in a very long time." he started to explain as he turned to face her fully, taking in her face fully. "Now before I begin I ask you to let me get what I need to say out before I chicken out again...so please bear with me."

Keval closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to help him focus before he opened them again and said "I have been hiding how I really feel for about someone for a while now, it's not a crush or anything like that but something that had genuinely came into being over the course of spending a lot of time with this person...an attraction born out of her kindness and intelligence but I've always been too afraid to say anything because while I portray to the rest of the universe one person, she has drawn the real person who I am out time and time again and I feel comfortable around her."

He then fixed his eyes onto Zelosa's face and studied her for a moment, "I never asked her out because I was afraid of the heartbreak, sure I tried to ask Krystal out once or thrice and it went completely over her head...but this one person I would like to get to know better as two people and not two officers on a ship on the run, to find out what she likes to read or eat or listen to...to see if she prefers the artists of the Hebitian era of her people's artist heritage or something more recent." he continued, his eyes never leaving her face or her eyes.

Keval then allowed himself a moment to chuckle just a little bit but the noise was mirthless and had no real positive feeling behind it. "I pined for a chance to tell her how I feel even if it meant opening myself up to the heart ache and break, to let her know that she's not alone and if she ever needed someone to go to that would just hold her when the nightmares hit in the night or someone to punch when she was angry, then she would know that she could come to me and I would hold her or let her hit me without a second thought or hesitation because I would've earned that right, that privilege from her."

Keval then gently reached out and took one of Ejek's hands into his and squeezed it gently, "I am tried of hiding a want to get to know someone special, Ejek, but I know for certain it's not a crush because crushing on someone implies that you are wanting to make that singular person your's." he explained further, his voice soft and warm and hiding nothing from the cardassian woman. "No, this is a sign of affection...of an interest that I hope she can find as refreshing and happy."

He then gently let go of her hand, all the while never taking his eyes off of her face as his voice was steady. "But also by that same token, I won't push her and I won't make her accept my feelings but she knows that they are there and that won't change how I feel about her as a friend or a person that I've come to trust over the last few years...but if she's willing to try then I will risk the heart ache with her but if not, then I will respect that decision as I have always respected *HER*."

Keval then gave Zelosa another one of his real smiles and waited.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #12 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno

Now it was Keval's turn to talk, and her turn to consider. She set her elbows on the table, folding her hands in front of her face. It allowed her to conceal part of her face, as she was sure she didn't actually want to hear the answer to her own question.

She could hear fear, hesitation in his voice. He reiterated the same story about his life, that he was hidden to all other people, except this time it was in third person. The reference to artists was hamfisted too. He expressed that he was willing to...be punched when angry. Surprisingly immature for someone of his age. He reached for her hand, and for his sake he let her hold it. She didn't like to be touched much, but she'd forgo her own comforts to allow this man to talk on.

Really though, this sealed it. It had confirmed everything she had feared. Yes, Keval was genuine, but she didn't believe it anymore. Slowly, she took her hand from his.

“Keval, I need to be honest with you. You, as an adult, need to know something.” She began. This was her first line of defense, a well-practiced line. It sounded genuine when she delivered it.
“As a therapist, it is my duty to form bonds with my patients. This is done so that they feel comfortable, safe, able to open up about their pains. It is not done as a form of manipulation in any way. What this can sometimes result in is a powerful response in the patient that often looks and feels just like love. It's called transference, and it happens quite often.

The fact of the matter is your feelings right now are a result of your loneliness. In this talk alone, you have mentioned multiple times that you don't have anyone you feel you can open up to, except for me. You have friends, but you seem to think poorly of them, as you've described them to me.” She started, it was a gentle let down. So far. She had an anger in her that began to bubble up a long time ago, and she was just now finding the words that would cut deep enough.

“I am not interested in a relationship with you. So far, you've demonstrated that you're willing to be a door mat for my sake and that is quite possibly the most unhealthy, boring, one-way relationship dynamic I could possibly think of. I've seen many unhealthy relationships in my career and I'm quite sure that I'm qualified to say that. You've belittled your own friends to me, showing me that you'd easily do the same about me the moment I no longer fulfilled your unrealistic expectations of perfection you project on me. You've expressed a willingness to do anything for me, hold me or let me punch you. That's not emotional support, that's being a rag-doll. You constantly express you cannot be yourself to anyone else—because you choose not to share that with anyone else. You make that choice, not them. To top it all off, you only know me in the context of counseling. Outside of that, you know nothing except that I have a pretty face and nice tits.” She spoke, with the same gentle, calm tone she had been using earlier. The viciousness was undeserved and she knew it, but this reflexive rage was well beyond her control now. She probably wouldn't even be able to do damage control later—phasers were set to kill today.

“I expect after this you will express some sort of pathetic comment that sounds much like you're trying to accept this rejection with grace, but it'll be false. It'll be done in the hopes that I'll magically see the error of my ways, take pity on the sad, heartbroken Andorian who has nobody to rely on or trust, and date you anyways. The other option is that you'll continue to force the issue on me, thinking perhaps you can 'fix' me if you just 'love me hard enough'. I should warn you if that happens I will think nothing of requesting a restraining order on you.” Keval didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to have this therapist-patient relationship destroyed so thoroughly. Why did she always do this?

“I do not love you Keval. This will not change, so don't try to change it. You are alone because you have pushed away all your possible friends on the Resolve, because you apparently think you are better than they, and that they do not deserve the same respect you offer me. There are many, many officers and crewmen that are intelligent, witty, and kind—the only three traits you seem to know I have. I hope you take this rejection as your motivation to do better on the Theurgy in building your social circle, because you desperately need it.”
There it was. The last of her wrath. Keval didn't deserve any of this, and it was her deepest hope that he receive counseling from someone after this. For the sake of his adjustment, he'd need it, especially after what she did.

She hated herself for having done this, but she had no more power to stop this than she did to stop two planets from colliding. She accused him of pushing others away, well, she was correct, but the pot and the kettle are both black here.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #13 –
[Keval ch'Rayya| "Below Decks" | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] ATTN: @FollowTomorrow

Keval listened to Zelosa, he felt the rage and hurt from the other person and listened to everything that she said.

But he wasn't prepared for the venom.

He had been prepared for a lot of the things but some of what she was saying wasn't entirely true-he did have friends that survived the Resolve like Leon, Jimmy, Krystal, and Neko to name four...maybe Tarsi but she was always a hard one to read.

As for him pushing all of his friends away because he thought that he was better then them...now that one he tried to honestly figure out as she attacked his friendships once again and the...

Something deeply within Keval actually broke, for the first time since his Zhavey died and his late lover, he actually and fully felt sad and broken but not because of the reasons why that Zelosa had just stated but he knew fully what he had to do...and he did not like it one instant.

When he did speak again, it was in a tone that was just as cold and hard as the ice that his homeworld was known for as his jaw clenched hard for a moment as he tried to keep the words from coming forward but he also knew that he couldn't hold them back-she had done the one thing that no one in his life had actually done to him before and he felt very raw because of it.

"I have heard your words but I want you to understand four very distinct things wrong with what you just said." he said, his eyes that once showed a deep respect for the cardassian woman was now cold and angry, filled with a pure rage that he had never wished anyone to see. "Number one being you're attack on my friend and accusing me of pushing them away is completely and utterly wrong as my friends have become my family and I would gladly die for any number of them and as a matter of fact I died when they told me that Kendrick was dead. So your little tirade against them was uncalled for and hateful."

His expression became even colder and more filled with anger but his tone did not reflect any of that when he spoke. "Secondly I do not and nor have I *EVER* felt that I was better then anyone, if I felt that way then I would be no better then the Vorta that ordered Ti'julk and Rocky to be used to test a fucking Thalanon weapon in front of me...I had to stand there and watch as they became nothing more then fucking piles of dust in front of me." he stated like he was reading a report but the infliction in his voice was there. "For you to *ACCUSE* me of such a thing hurts me more then you could even begin to imagine."

Keval then got up slowly, his body posture kept under a tight control but his hands were shaking to the point that he had to clench his hands as the others at the tables around them started to to notice that something was wrong which drew several concerned looks from even the security officers that were on their lunch breaks.

"Thirdly I never said that I was *IN LOVE* with you, you *ASSUMED* that all on your lonesome and I know for a fact that as of right now not only is my feelings towards of any kind gone but also a lot of other things." He said, his voice dipping into a much colder range as he then forced himself to look her dead in the eyes. "I never thought you were a pretty face and a pair of tits, I had more *RESPECT* for you then that and now I can see that respect was never given back to me despite how much I gave to you."

Keval's expression then went from controlled rage to sadness but his eyes and tone stayed the same. "I want you to consider this, I held you once in the up most respect for you as an officer...as a person...and as a friend and I *AGONIZED* over telling you how I felt because I have dealt with heartache before." he said before he shook his head for a second before fixing his gaze on her again. "Now none of that is there. I will not be pursuing you or anything of the bullshit that you just accused me of doing, I will be mourning the loss of my respect and friendship with you because I would've gladly taken phaser blast for you...but now I can only pity who ever does."

He then let out a very dark chuckle, "I actually pity whoever could actually love you if this is the way that you treat those who *WAS* your friends, Zelosa Ejek, and I didn't deserve *ANY* of that BULLSHIT that you just pulled..."

Whatever Keval was about to say next he found that he couldn't say as he was hurting that much on an emotional level and it was evident as a rare sight started to occur;

He, an Andorian, was crying.

It took a lot to make one of his people break down in a public place, but sure enough he could feel the tears slid from his eyes and down his face which only made his anger even more real and raw...

As the wet drops splattered against the table top, he clenched his hands as he fought down his first urge which was to do physical harm onto someone who didn't deserve it as his hands started to flex hard as he closed his eyes tightly to try and get his emotions under control.

But he couldn't.

Keval opened up his eyes again and fixed Zelosa with a look that showed just how raw he was...just how much her words had torn him apart.

"I want you to remember this day, Zelosa Ejek, because this is the day that you lost a friend." he said simply, his voice now completely and utterly devoid of emotion. "I don't want to know you, I want nothing to do with you, it would take an act of Q for me to acknowledge you ever again let alone talk to you...you're dead to me."

And with that, Keval simply turned around without looking back at her and left the room without a second look back.

Re: Day 02 [1800 hrs.] Surprise Dinner for Two

Reply #14 –
[ Zelosa Ejek | Below Decks | Deck 28 ]Attn: @DocReno

She made him cry.

She didn't have an emotional response to that, because she didn't have any clue how to process it. She'd lost many friends before, many family members. Loss like that had a feeling, a numbed out feeling that she was used to. This one was different.

This felt more...void. She had nothing to feel as she watched Keval's pain. It's like there should have been an emotion there, and it wasn't coming up. She didn't want it to. She came here to have dinner, be happy, enjoy herself, not to...do whatever it is she does. People were staring, the spotlight was on her, but she didn't mind that very much. She let Keval yell and have his fit, because he should. She deserved this. She'd expect any normal, sane individual to do just this. Outwardly, she showed no signs of her thoughts.

She had friends, like Keval was. They were at arm's-length though. She didn't let them in much closer than she had the Andorian in. After reflecting on what she had said, she knew some things were true, but not all. Keval had only ever dismissed his friends in front of her this evening. He didn't know her very well, or at all really. Everything indicated that he was very much not ready for an adult relationship yet. Still, much of what she said really was uncalled for. This was perhaps the most venomous she'd been to someone in a very long time.

She did not respond to him. She didn't have anything to say or any expression to give as their eyes met, for what may be the last time. He was very emotional, and she was almost Vulcan in her...emptiness. She would remember this day, but it would have to share the space in her mind with many, many more days just like this. He turned to leave, and she did not call out to him to stop him. The room became more empty than if twenty people had left. She heard whispers, but didn't listen to them.

She lifted another bit of steak to her mouth, but it just didn't taste the same anymore.

-Fin
 
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