Owner of a Lonely Heart

[birdical]

Who: Elleru (birdical) & Qubit (superposition)
What: A giant bird and a giant nerd talk about relationships.
When: Late February
Where: The Park
Warnings: Talk about sexuality! Given Elleru's cultural naivety, some of it might be less than PC.


Sitting in the park is nothing new for Elleru, though it's not often she's out and about in her natural form. She's fallen back into it more and more as of late, finding comfort in it; even now, where she could be lying on her back in her upright guise to stare at the sky, she instead cranes her broad neck as high as it will go, watching the stars above. They're the same stars she once watched with Rey, gazing at their seemingly endless number as one or two streaked across the vast void of space. They were beautiful — both the stars and themselves.

She sits on her own now. It's lonely, and that's a feeling she's not accustomed to.

Normally, Elleru would seek out company, true to her gregarious nature; however, she's been trying to face that discomfort head on to better learn about it, and more importantly, how to deal with it. Doing otherwise would be cowardice, she's convinced herself, even if it would be more familiar. She spent most of her life in her colony, surrounded by others of her kind. She had her fellow shifters, practically sisters in their bond; she had the Hen, a kind soul to them all; she had her tryst and her upright she met in secret. She had the town nearby she could watch from a distance, and dream about mingling with the people there. They were a commodity; an interest she could abandon, if she so chose.

But now the uprights are all she has, and losing one who meant so much to her stings in a way she wasn't prepared for. Soothing the ache is harder than anticipated. Maybe she just needs some help after all, she decides. She had encouraged Rey to connect with others; who is she to not do the same in her time of need?

She considers calling the only other person in Anchor who understands her as well as Rey did, but rethinks it when she spots Qubit meandering into the park. They're not as close as she'd like; from what she's observed, he tends to keep his true self away from others. He must know how to deal with being on his own, she thinks.

To that end, she looks his way, her eyes affixed on him in the light of the evening, and warbles invitingly.

Comments

[superposition]

Obviously, Qubit and Elleru have spoken on and off over the past however many months - never about anything of too much consequence, but he's made an effort. Lately he's been pushing himself to get out of the lab more often, devote more of his time to actual people. And while he's still wary of properly opening up to anyone, he's trying to be a little more friendly and forthcoming, at least. These things take time. But if nothing else, he's a good listener.

This evening finds him out for an after-dinner stroll, looking idly at the stars far beyond the dome. The suns haven't set completely, if the slight red tinge to the sky is any indication, but the interior lights have all come on, the occasional lamppost illuminating the footpath.

Elleru in her quadruped form is hard to miss, even if she weren't trying to get his attention. He hasn't failed to notice she's been using that form more and more often lately, which is odd, but he can't say he minds. He's at least as comfortable around aliens as humans, possibly even more so - though having better-defined boundaries between them hasn't hurt, either.

He smiles in response to her warble, approaching her with a casual wave of his hand. "Evening, Elleru. How are things?"