The Worst She Could Say is No, Right?

Posted on Tue May 14th, 2024 @ 4:29am by Teevs Dosivi

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Niea IV - Tavafera, West Coast
Timeline: Federation Year 2378
1244 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Teevs took a deep breath as he admired Saphse from afar. It was their lunch break, and she had just finished talking to other supervisors and was now alone. The “dining hall” for the workers was really wherever there was a spot to sit. A handful of the workers were sitting on some rocks in a broad semicircle, various conversations overlapping between them. The meal was lusoma, a rice and meat dish with seasonal orange flowers for spice. Across the cleared area, a catering table had been set up, with a line of workers and supervisors getting food.

Two days had passed since they first arrived at Tafavera, and he couldn't get her out of his mind. The way she held herself with such a confident presence, the respect she got from others, even from other pelareka... he was captivated.

"Just go for it, Teevs! The worst she can say is no!" Povek said, giving Teevs a pat on the back in encouragement. He was a more muscular Lonian on the surveying team, and the lead geologist. His balding head had traces of the copper-brown hair of his youth, wrinkles telling many stories of the life he lived.

Teevs blinked, as if it would distract from the fact that he was staring across the clearing. "The worst she can do is kick me off this project," Teevs countered, giving Povek a sideways glance. He was nervous. Would she even accept his offer?

"Ah, stop it. You're a catch, just don't be a dork."

Teevs looked back to Saphse, his heart fluttering at the sight. "You're right, ok. I'm going to try." After another pat of encouragement from Povek, Teevs stood and tugged at his shirt before finding the courage to make his move. It was just lunch, and he was right, the worst she could say was no. It didn’t stop the nerves in his chest, though. He focused on his studies during school, and immediately after was the Bedia War, so he didn’t get much time to practice his flirting. I can do this, he thought to himself. It was just an invitation to get lunch sometime. With a decisive nod, Teevs walked off toward Saphse.

Povek watched with amusement, wondering how the interaction would go down. There was a very real chance that she would reject him, but he saw the way her eyes lingered on him when they started this project a year ago. Every once in a while, he'd catch her sneaking glances at Teevs, and he knew that the interest was at least a little mutual. "Good, good..." he muttered to himself, watching Teevs get closer. Just a few more steps, and...

The balding Lonian smacked his face with his hand when Teevs walked right past her.

As Teevs was approaching, he got more and more nervous. By the time he was close enough to even get her attention, he felt like he was going to faint, so he rerouted to walk past her and pretend to be interested in some more food. Glancing awkwardly back toward the group, he saw Povek shaking his head in disappointment and gave him a sheepish smile in return. Grabbing some sweets from the table, he turned around to head back.

Povek watched the other Lonian do the walk of shame back to the group. "Coward," he teased, accepting one of the sweets. It wasn't offered to him, rather he was taking it as tax for the lack of action he saw. Taking a bite out of it, he mumbled through the food, "at least you have good taste in sweets."

"Hey!" Teevs moved his hand away in case the balding man went for seconds. "Look, I got nervous."

"Sure, and I'm a Folaran whale," was the grunted reply. "Just be yourself, Teevs. It's seriously not that hard."

Teevs scoffed. "Not that hard? What am I supposed to say?" As if to make a point, he straightened himself toward an imaginary spot, pretending Saphse was standing in front of him, and offered the sweet to the void with his left hand. His other hand pretended to adjust a jacket collar, feigning formality. "Hi there, Miss Trunola, I think you're hot and I want to take you out on a date. Will you join me for a meal at Klevor's?" Klevor's was known for its seafood, and was in the town just south of where the Tafavera landing pad was being constructed.

"Sure."

The feminine voice behind him made Teevs freeze, his eyes wide as he stared at the imaginary person he was practicing with. His face went red as he slowly turned around, seeing none other than Saphse right behind him. He stammered, unsure of what to say and how to justify what he just said. By Thilia, she heard him call her hot. He made sure to keep his gaze lowered, as if that would save him from the embarrassment. "I-I... I'm sorry, ma'am! I-uh- that's not- I..."

Saphse let a faint smirk touch her lips as she watched the man struggle with his words. She saw him pass her earlier and was confused by his sudden redirect, then saw the commotion and decided to investigate. So she heard the entire declaration from Teevs and saw the rather startled expressions from his peers by her presence. "Oh... so you don't want to take me out for a meal?" she asked innocently.

If Teevs' face could get any redder, it would outmatch the red-colored sweet in his hand. "N-no! I do... uh... I mean... i-if that's alright?"

With a smile, Saphse accepted the sweet from his still outstretched hand. "Tonight, at Klevor's. You're buying." Splitting the sweet in half, she put one of the pieces back in his hand before giving him a wink and walking off.

It was a solid minute before Teevs processed what just happened. He stared at the remaining half of the sweet in his hand, his mind reeling in embarrassment and... joy? His heart was racing, but in a good way. "Hooooollllllyyy shit..."

Povek whooped and gave Teevs a smack on the back. The others in the group started laughing. "See?? Easy! Now, don't be all flustered at the date and you'll be fine!"

The smack brought Teevs' attention back as he stumbled a little. "By Thilia, I can't believe she heard me say that." Teevs ran a hand through his hair, nerves clearly settling in. "I called her hot, Povek! She heard me say it! What if she thinks I'm objectifying her??"

"Teevs, calm down!" Povek was beyond amused by this young man. "If she thought that, she wouldn't have accepted your offer. She likes you, Twigs." Despite objections, the nickname had stuck to the young and skinny Lonian. "Just do the dinner date, and see where it goes. The worst that happens is that things will be awkward at the construction site for the next 6 months."

While he had a point, Teevs groaned at the idea of there being awkward tension for such a long time. "Six months?? I would rather serve Lady Sama than deal with post-rejection tensions." Everyone knew that Lady Sama, who just took the throne, was stricter than her predecessor. The rumor was that she was on her fourth servant this year because each one kept messing things up.

Povek grinned. "Then don't fuck up the date, doofus."