ximilialog | Station Stuff

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Station Stuff

CHARACTERS: Kaidan and YOU
LOCATION: around the station
DATE: post mission idk
CONTENT: post-mission stuff
WARNINGS: drinking and possibly light cursing, nothing too crazy

1. Simulation Room

Maybe it was a little ironic that Kaidan would be going to Purgatory after the most recent mission, but that was what the club in the Citadel was called. He recreated it as best he could on the off-chance other Orbers might want to use the place to hang out and relax. It was a little piece of home he was happy to share with others.

And of course he took advantage of it being there, too. Mostly sitting at the lower bar listening to music and having a drink. Sadly he had to take the drinks from the kitchen first so it wasn't exactly like being back in Purgatory, but it was as close as he could manage.

2. Viewport

The people who knew him best probably guessed that at some point Kaidan would want to find his "thinking place". He had found a point in the station with a large window looking out toward the stars. He brought a seat to the spot, though sometimes he would stand and stare out while reflecting. Not many people passed by here so unless someone was looking for him, he could be here and think alone.

Every mission gave him something to reflect on. This one didn't piss him off nearly as much as the last one, but there were still a lot of things that weighed on his mind.

3. Wildcard

[Sunlit Room, the kitchens, the infirmary. Wherever you may want to run into Kaidan that wasn't covered here! As always, I will match style]

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Walking into this room and finding it already occupied isn't a first for him. Usually people lock it when in
use, but on occasion they leave it open, as if inviting others in. He can imagine why it would be the case now, when he steps inside to find what's pretty much a club past those doors, a place that people would likely enjoy more with company.

He looks around curiously at first, then ventures further inside, eventually finding the steps leading down to the lower bar. On the way, it's easy to spot the familiar face, and his smile widens as he approaches Kaidan.

"I was gonna try for a shuttle ride, but this works just fine for me too," he says, taking a seat next to Kaidan. "Are the drinks real, at least?"

Kaidan smiles when he sees Jim. The two of them haven't had a chance to talk since Scorpion's Bend, and that hardly counted since at the time they had to maintain their cover.

"They should be real," Kaidan replies, "since I brought them here from the kitchen. So..." He folds his hands together and leans on his elbows. "Welcome to the Citadel, or at least a club that's inside the Citadel."

"I do like a man who thinks ahead," he teases. It's not really flirting, only the friendly type, but Kaidan knows he can't help himself. All well-meaning, of course. He helps himself to a glass then, looking around them with an impressed nod. "It looks amazing, I'll give you that. We had a few clubs back in Yorktown, but sometimes I feel like I'm too old for them."

But this is nice— the simulation quieter than it probably was in reality, something that Jim doesn't mind at all.

Yes, Kaidan knows, and he smiles amiably at the friendly flirting. A smile that turns a bit more amused at Jim's comment.

"I wouldn't say you're too old," he argues. "Then again, back home beings like the krogan and asari would come to clubs like this and they can live up to a thousand years. So having a six hundred-year-old krogan at a club wouldn't be strange at all. You'd just be risking things being broken or a fight breaking out."

Zhao knew the exact spot. He knew it was Kaidan's favorite viewport on the station. It was nice and out of the way, quiet. And if Zhao thought of it as "their" spot from time to time, it couldn't be helped. It had a nice memory or two associated with it.

Maybe they'd create another.

The gangster found Kaidan exactly how he thought he would. A serene demeanor in the soldier's posture and a face turned towards thought as he stared out the window into space. Zhao took a moment to appreciate the view himself though he wasn't looking out the window when he stopped to admire. He broke the moment with a soft clearing of his throat and finished closing the space between the two of them.

"Hey, Kai-chan. How's the view today?"

He turned at the noise and smiled when he saw Zhao standing there. He hadn't seen much of the man on the last mission. Kaidan felt like the question was a lead-in to say something flirtatious, like "better now that you're here". Instead, he reached to take Zhao's hand and pull him closer so they could stand side-by-side.

"Peaceful and quiet. Pretty much the opposite of that last mission. I wasn't really expecting to be thrown into another war. Did you fight?"

This was fine. This was good. Zhao squeezed Kaidan's hand firmly at first as if assuring them both the touch was genuine and then lightly as they kept their hands locked together. He sidled up next to Kaidan without complaint and looked out the viewport. His eyes flicked to Kaidan more often than not though. He wasn't that interested in the window's view.

"Yeah. Did my share fair of fighting." And killing as much of the enemy lead ranks as possible. Probably all pointless at this point but at the time he was doing what needed to be done. Water off his back--he wasn't going to dwell on it. "What about you? I didn't catch up to you once the war broke out. I was on Giva..."

Kaidan's smile grew warm and affectionate feeling Zhao squeeze his hand and hold on. He would've been okay with Zhao just being there, but holding hands was definitely better. Kaidan turned his eyes back to the stars, though he did lean in a little closer to Zhao.

"I stayed behind," Kaidan explained, "helping people get to safety. I did enough fighting in the last few missions." He paused to give Zhao an appraising look. "You look like you got through it okay. I'm glad I didn't have to visit you in the infirmary."

"Aha." The sound that came out of Zhao in reply to that was a little sheepish. He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. "You know me... not a fan of infirmary beds."

He glanced at Kaidan and shrugged.

"You missed all the fun. Too bad I didn't get any pictures... I had a wicked pair of wings during the fighting."

A pair that had gotten injured. And he had been in the infirmary a bit because of it. But he decided once the larger cuts and bruises accrued from combat had lessened (or were easy enough to hide) he was out. In other words, he left less than a day in.

"I would've liked to see that," Kaidan chuckled. Imagining Zhao with wings was... interesting, to say the least. Other than that, Kaidan was okay with missing whatever went on in the fight.

"Did you do anything else worth taking pictures of?"

"They were pretty awesome. You know what a phoenix is? Imagine the wings of one of those on me." He said with a shit-eating grin. They were gorgeous and he knew it. No self-doubt here, all cocky glory.

He shrugged at the question. "I got better at the bow? Oh, I got one more thing, too."

Zhao took back his hand so he could go through his pockets. Eventually he brought out a small box. Nothing fancy but he held it out in two hands as he thrust it forward to give to Kaidan.

Kaidan could easily picture Zhao flying around on phoenix wings. The blazing fire suited him perfectly. He didn't regret choosing to stay behind, but he did regret not getting to see Zhao flying around on those fiery wings.

He wasn't expecting to be presented with a gift. Kaidan's smile turned a little sheepish when he took it.

"Thank you." He opened it, curious what might be inside.

When a word got out that there's a bar in the simulation room, and no less but a bar made by Kaidan himself? Oh, Majima had to see this. Curiosity about what a futuristic nightlife could look like.

Also, a good occasion to make good on his promise and bring something to drink. But at first... he gets distracted. By the lights, by the scale. So bottle still in hands he wanders, until he spots The Man at the lower bar.

"Aha! And here I thought I'd found ya on a dance floor"

Kaidan greeted Majima with a warm smile. It was good to see the other man again. They hadn't had much time to talk in a long while. He rose when Majima drew closer, chuckling at the comment.

"Not really fun dancing by myself," he answered. "It's good to see you. How do you like the place?"

Inside was a small pendant on a necklace, nothing fancy, in fact it looking hastily made and low-quality. However, the symbols etched into it were important. The item was magic from Sedorum.

"It's a protection charm," Zhao explained. "It absorbs energy and can redirect it at an enemy. It should be good for a few good hits. Like, around 10 or so according to the seller." He shrugged. "Look, I know you have your fancy glow-trick and all but I just- you know..."

Thought of Kaidan when he came across them and wanted to buy one for him in case of emergency. He had intended to give it to Kaidan during the second half of the mission so Kaidan could use it if needed but they hadn't ever met up then. Now it worked as a more sentimental gift..maybe.

Kaidan knew he was blushing. He and Zhao exchanged gifts before, but this one felt different. He took out the charm so he could examine it more closely. The low-quality design, in a way, made it better: it looked home-made. Kaidan liked that, and liked even more that Zhao would get him this despite Kaidan obviously not needing it.

"Thank you," he managed, putting it on. It didn't feel like enough to express how he felt about this gift, so he leaned in to press a kiss to Zhao's lips.

Well, that reaction was cute and Zhao smiled at the blush on Kaidan's cheeks. He was enveloped in the kiss before he could respond verbally and that was more than welcome to him. He kissed back leisurely, content.

"...Glad you like it, Kai-chan." He drawled in his usual lilt once they separated, a hint of his happiness seeping through the tone despite the cover of cocky slyness.

"I meant old by human standards, you know," he points out, eyebrows arched. "Can't compare myself to a species with a lifespan even twice my own. And anyway, I just mean, you know— not quite as young and reckless as I once was."

And he has kind of grown out of these kinds of places, the loud music, the sweating bodies, the very drunk people. He could probably be persuaded otherwise by the right company, but enjoying this kind of place like this, with less people and less noise, is a whole lot nicer for him.

"So is this a usual haunt for you?"

Kaidan liked to think he could start to tell when Zhao was being casual to cover up certain feelings. He decided to let the other man get away with it without comment. Instead, Kaidan brushed a thumb along Zhao's cheek before resuming position with their hands clasped together.

"I'll have to find something for you on the next mission," he remarked. If that was even possible. They never knew where they were going or what they would face until they were on their way.

"That's a shame," Kaidan remarked with a teasing twist of the lips. "A little recklessness now and then might bring back that youthful vigor."

Kaidan regarded the space around him. "When we go to the Citadel, I sometimes come here to unwind. I figured people on the station might like a place like this, so I decided to put in the program for anyone interested."

"Pretty awesome— to put it lightly. I've never been to a bar this big, ya usually don't get more than two floors. Feels like a whole concert could happen here."

Maybe that was the point, to double as livehouse. He puts the bottle between them, with silly finality to the gestures, and turns around so his back is leaning on the bar.

"So, how many more people ya need to start dancin' ?"

"Shut up!" He laughs, swatting a hand at Kaidan's arm. "I have plenty of vigor left in me, you jerk."

Still grinning in amusement, he looks around the place, following Kaidan's own gaze. There are a few people here, but they're little more than pictures, barely moving but lending a sort of atmosphere to the place. Aside from one or two other humans, he realizes quickly that he knows none of the species here.

"Well, the fact that this station doesn't have a bar is probably a slight oversight, but there aren't that many of us. Something like this would work just fine, I think."

Kaidan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Is that a roundabout way of asking me to dance with you, Majima?"

He laughed at the swat, his eyes still gleaming mischievously. Hey, Jim was the one who brought up age.

"I thought so," Kaidan nodded with pleasure. He hoped more people would come in and enjoy the place, though it was making him feel a little homesick. "We'll still have to bring drinks from the kitchen, but I figured the atmosphere would be enough."

"Oh, it absolutely is!" Majima fakes a little gasp as if how could it be anything else. "Halloween was long time ago, I'm starved for some action on a floor."

He looks around to find glasses before he can start pouring them a generous amount.

"In that case," Kaidan said, reaching for his glass once Majima had poured a generous amount, "I accept. Let's have a drink and then we'll dance. You can change the music from that control panel."

He pointed over to it. The songs were all from his own world and time period at the moment. He would have to get Peter Quill to help him expand on the selection.

"Small matter, easily fixed. You have music for people to dance to, seats for people to lounge in and just talk, and a great view. I can see a place like this becoming very popular here."

Especially when they so often needed distractions from the missions, things to do while they had these lulls back at the station.

"You should let everyone on the station know, make it more of a semi-permanent fixture people can access whenever they feel like it."

"I wanted to test it out first," Kaidan explained. "Make sure I programmed the simulation correctly. And I'll have to ask Peter to help with the music. All the songs are from my world... ah, specifically my time so far."

Which wasn't a bad thing, but he knew people Peter would have good song selections to add.

"Maybe I can tweak some of the simulated characters to dance with people? At least where I come from, people enjoy dancing with asari especially."

"Newt's got some good taste in music, too. And so do I, for the record. We could make a pretty eclectic list for you, even arrange it into themed playlists for people to choose from."

He'd say Peter Quill was a great place to start, though. At the mention of dancing, Jim looked around to the simulated people, pursing his lips.

"Sure. Admittedly, it's not really my thing— dancing with holo forms. But I know some people enjoy it, whether it's for practice or pleasure. Should add some variety to the mix, at least."

He hadn't meant it like that; Peter was just the first person he thought of when it came to music. This is why he had a test run: there were still some kinks to work out.

"It's no substitute for the real thing," Kaidan agreed. "I guess I'm just homesick. I haven't seen the real Citadel in months."

"I think... most of us are homesick, in some way or another," he said with a small smile, sipping on his drink. He looked Kaidan over thoughtfully, then lifted a shoulder. "I'd dance with you. No need for holograms."

"I figured you would offer eventually," Kaidan remarked with a chuckle. "Avina, could you change the music, please? Something good for dancing."

"One moment please," a computerized female voice responded. The music changed to something with more of an upbeat tempo.

"Avina is a VI program on the Citadel," Kaidan explained. "She's used here to control minor parts of the simulation. You can request things like music and lighting changes."

"And you were just going to wait?" He laughed. "God, if you wanted to dance, all you had to do is ask."

He waited for the song to change, nodding in understanding. "We have something similar on board our ships. We just call it 'computer', though. A little less imaginative. Anyway," he said, getting to his feet. "Shall we?"

"I'm a pretty patient guy." He smiled back and rose to his feet. He headed up to the dance floor, waiting for Jim to join him before feeling out the song. He wasn't an amazing dancer, but he was all right. He at least made an effort at moving his feet and body to the music, anyway.

"Yeah, I can tell," he said with a soft laugh, following promptly after Kaidan. Like he'd said, it had been a while since he'd been to a place like this, but the music's not that hard to figure out, and before long he's moving to the beat, encouraging Kaidan to join him and match the pace.

Eventually he fell into a good rhythm with Jim. If it weren't for the simulated patrons, Kaidan could pretend they were back in the real Purgatory. Not as good a the real thing and might just make him miss home more, but it's as close as he can get.

Good thing he never took off his tinted glasses. Never mind the fact that they didn't actually hide shit and he knew it; at least it felt like he had cover whenever his eyes went all soft from the affectionate gesture like the one Kaidan gave him just now. He hummed thoughtfully and turned to look out the window.

"...You know that's not necessary." Not that he would be so rude as to decline a gift. And maybe it was a good sign that Kaidan wanted to get him something. Zhao tried not to think about it too hard, but it was kinda cute.

"This isn't necessary, either," Kaidan pointed out, tapping his new pendant. It was a roll of the dice that they would even be in a place where he could buy something, but he wanted to do it. He wanted to find something special for Zhao.

"It would be nice," he reflected, "if next time we aren't separated. I've missed you a lot these past two missions."

Zhao shrugged and looked away as if he might roll his eyes at Kaidan's words. Not going to admit that it was a big deal or anything important that he had done what he did. Just let him play it off, no harm no foul.

There was a pause before Zhao responded. "Yeah... a nice, easy mission would be nice for a change, too." He laughed it off. "I'd take not being separated any day though. Through hellfire or just a regular ass Tuesday."

He would go along with Zhao pretending his thoughtful gesture was no big deal. They knew going in that they'd be separated the past few missions. Waiting two weeks was lonely; this time it was a little worse because there was no way to communicate with the other side for a while. Kaidan definitely didn't want a repeat of that.

"Through hell or Tuesday," Kaidan echoed with a laugh. "I like that a lot." He turned his gaze away from the stars. "We should take advantage of being together, just in case."

Zhao grinned at the sound of Kaidan's laugh. It was a silly off-handed remark with no thought put into it. But Kaidan liked it. That made him feel nice.

His grin turned sly. "You don't have to tell me twice," he said before he tugged on Kaidan's hand decisively. Not even bothering with a warm-up out here, Zhao began to drag Kaidan away to a more private place to spend time with the other man.

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