Starfish

28.2

As the party began to thin out, the hour getting closer to midnight, Ardus found himself in the kitchen again taking down a tall glass of water before turning and finding Nina standing behind him. "Could I bother you for one of those?" She held up her glass, a few half-melted pieces of ice resting on the bottom in a heap.

"Of course," Ardus rinsed and filled her glass, handing it down and watching her swig it all in one drink. 

"Thanks!" She set it on the counter – at her eye-level – and pardoned herself. "I'll take another one of those when I get back." She disappeared and Athe took her place, an armload of empty platters and glasses balanced in his hands. 

"There you are! Take some of these before I drop them." Ardus began stacking things in the sink, relieving Athe's hands. "Where's Doctor Nina?"

"I believe she went to the washroom." Ardus imagined her wandering down his hallway, finding his bedroom and peeking inside. Briefly he wondered if she'd hide there until the last guest left, then mentally admonished himself. Do not be ridiculous!

"I saw you following her around like a baby dryback."

"I was not following-"

"You absolutely were. Don't worry about it, she enjoyed every second of it. Here, you finish these, Boda's helping me clean up." Ardus turned, looking towards the anteroom. Aside from Meem, Boda and a vaguely familiar lab tech wiping busily at a table, the party had cleared out. "Is it that late?"

"It is." Athe stepped out of the kitchen. "Boda! Give me those."

Going back to the dishes, Ardus watched how the water rippled over his newly-lit pores. He re-filled Nina's glass and set it on the counter, busying himself until she came back. Over the water he listened to the conversation in the other room, where Athe and Boda flanked Meem as they cleaned up.

"Meem, have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?"

Ardus heard Meem's musical laugh. "Thank you Athe."

Athe's voice dropped to a lower volume, but Ardus could still hear them. "I mean it, you look absolutely delicious. Doesn't she, Boda?"

"I agree, the silver and green makes you look like a goddess."

"So I was thinking," Athe continued, "what would you say to continuing this party back at our apartment? We could have a few more drinks, go for a night swim, see what happens..."

Looking over his shoulder, Ardus watched Meem look Athe and Boda over before giving a small shrug and a nod, smirking. "Sure, why not?"

With a chuckle and a shake of his head, Ardus lined up the glasses on a rack to dry and quietly bemoaned the party's end. Would I had Athe's courage, but that wasn't his style. Ardus remembered how Timam had caught him late one evening, poring over data tables and obsessing over some minor detail concerning migratory patterns or some such, looking up suddenly as Timam pushed aside his reference material and placed herself on the desk between him and his terminal. 

She was so stubborn, Ardus smiled, so much like me, except she knew how to get what she wanted and not agonize over it. "You are too hard on yourself," she said often, "you press yourself too much for perfection. You should try letting things happen organically, as nature intends." Apparently nature had intended for him to spend the night on the floor, wrapped up in the details of Timam and her attraction. His belly warmed at the memory and Ardus grinned. That was a wonderful night.

"You look like you're having a good time," said a voice behind him, at about his navel. 

Ardus flinched, nearly dropping a glass. "Nina!" He set the glass down in case it slipped again. "You surprised me." Turning he found her reaching for the glass of water.