Human Edge

Bruun's lance meeting had... happened. Was that how that was supposed to go?

Moderately recovered, the veteran realizes he's put off lunch and that missing or delayed meals is not consistent with his rules, so his next stop is the mess hall. His thoughts are elsewhere so he doesn't even really process what's on the plate before him -- oh, this is where I sat earlier, huh -- as he begins to eat reflexively.

Felicity made her way through the cafeteria, picking up a tray and loading some food on a plate and a bowl. She was a bit worn out. Looked it too. Unfortunately, she had one more outing to do. For that she would need some energy. Filling a glass of water came next. She rolls her shoulders and then her neck before taking the tray away to find somewhere to sit.

She spots Bruun in a booth and pauses a moment. Just about long enough to see if he looked busy or approachable.

Unlike the last time they'd been together she was just in boots, black spandex short shorts and her usual red hoodie. No hat or a skirt. Her fuzzy black ears and tail were quite obvious.

It was perhaps only random chance that Bruun looked up then and saw Felicity. At first he looks at her like he doesn't even recognize her -- I had... I was thing to talk to her about... Oh!

When he remembers, his face flips to a smile and he waves to the girl to come over. Crap, her name... Like ferocity but nicer... "Felicity!" he calls, perhaps louder than intended as he puffs a little with the pride of remembering. His smile brightens too.

"Eehm, First Surgeant Bruun." Felicity replies, straightening up and approaching with a faint smile. She still didn't know him too well, but he seemed an agreeable veteran. That was a plus.

She stopped just outside the booth, continuing to hold her tray, as she wasn't sure what he wanted. "What can I do for you senor?"

"Oh, just Bruun, please. And sit, if you like. I was going to ask you about something, and seeing you just now it seemed a good time. Unless you're in a rush?"

"Thank you..." Felicity set her tray down and slipped in opposite Bruun. She had some soup, bread and some sort of fruit and nut energy bar.

"No rush, and likewise." She has a quick sip of water as she waited for him to go first.

Bruun looks a bit timid for a moment, recalling it's a sensitive subject, but mostly barrels straight ahead. He's got no training, he's tired, and he's Bruun.

"So I think you and Sti--ah, Sergeant Eklund," he catches himself, "had some trouble initially. I wanted to see if that's gotten better?" The sentence really only sounds like a question at the last moment, as Bruun decides to keep this as simple as possible.

Her shoulders rose and her tail poked up behind her.

"No. We haven't spoken since just after the Major's announcement." Felicity answers somewhat harshly. She takes a deep breath and asks, almost sternly, a couple questions of her own. "Why? Has she said something?"

"Hrm," he grunts softly. "Alright. Things have been busy."

The tail movement catches his eye for a moment but his eyes whip back to Felicity's eyes immediately as he listens to what she's saying. As she finishes, he sighs.

"I ain't gonna get in the middle of your lance's business -- I maybe shouldn't have brought it up at all, but I'm figuring out all this first sergeant business for the first time too..." Bruun shrugs and looks at the table for a moment.

"I'll tell you one thing, and then you can tell me to butt out, no problem." He takes a deep breath, worried for a moment that Felicity may tell him to butt out immediately or just stomp off. He's noticeably relieved when she doesn't.

"Eklund feels bad that things started off so badly for you two. She's trying to figure out a lot of things right now, even more than the rest of us maybe." He pauses, scratching his beard briefly. When he continues, his voice is a little quieter.

"Her words aren't always the best, but that'll get better and so will the rest," he says with quiet confidence.

With a passive expression, Felicity leaned back and listened. As Bruun spoke she became more sympathetic. However, she had one firm condition she'd soon share. She does indeed not stomp off or shout at him.

"I... appreciate you telling me this, si? It's good of you. However." She sits upright. "This needs to be a conversation between her and I. Someone who can't communicate shouldn't be leading a lance." Her stomach rumbled and she patted it, her cheeks turning faintly pink. Nonetheless she pressed on, giving Bruun a hard stare. "She made a big fuss about my appearance after the simulations and I don't like that. Then she was... sarcástica. Sarcastic. Snarky. I don't know exactly, but it felt like that. Yea, okay, I have a tail. So what? I do more than my fair share of work and I know how to pilot. That's all that should matter."