By The Way, Baby
By The Way, Baby
Summary: I got promoted, you got promoted, wanna get married or should we just break it off? Lex & Ramiro come to a decision late at night, well past the unfortunate engagement with cylon centurions on home turf.
Date: 70 ACH
Related Logs: We Just Say Hooah & Smash & Grab & They Train Snipers To Think & Boarded
Players:
Lex..Ramiro..

Battlestar Pacifica, Deck 9, Storage, 70 ACH

Having left Lex a note to meet him in a private place, Ramiro makes his way to one of the storage rooms that they've spoken with eachother from time to time. Dressed in his off duties, he leans against the wall inside quietly, waiting for her.

What does one do after a rousing game of snipe guard duty with a side of explosive trolling? One has as good a shower as one can get in these parts, and one retreats, in sweats, to one of the few private spaced on the ship. It just so happens that this time, Lex, now a PFC has an invitation from Ramiro, now an Ensign.

When the door opens, Ramiro raises his eyes to her. His arms are folded and there's a soft look on his face. The line in the sand drawn, it's time for them to have their conversation. A few hours have passed since the attack on the Genesis.

Lex pulls the hatch closed behind her, and secures it without looking back. Her eyes are on Ramiro as she approaches. It's funny how just a few hours can change things so much. She slows as she comes closer, then stops. She takes one last step in, to bring her very well within his personal space, standing so close they almost touch. She looks up. She studies his eyes for a moment. "Congratulations are most definitely in order. Your p—" Pause. Do not mention dead parents and pride. "You did good."

Ramiro looks down to her with a nod and a small, weak smile. "Thanks…you too." He says. Taking in a deep breath, he exhales to the side and locks eyes with her. "I should have probably had that conversation with you a week or so ago, when I was first asked by Gaelan…"

"Thank you." Lex's chin comes up a little, and her eyes lock with Ramiro's. It's her traditional look, the one that hides what she's thinking. It's the face she settles into just before a battle, usually as soon as her boots hit the floor with her armor on, except this time she's got only the cotton of her clothing to protect her parts. "You could have, but it wouldn't change the options."

"No it wouldn't…" Ramiro replies, standing in front of her. It seems the both of them are assuming close, but neutral postures, not quite knowing how to break the ice. "I guess I'll start…" He says, scratching the back of his neck. "…you should know before hand. I believe in marriage for life. I believe abortion is against the law. So…this is a serious decision for me. We're good together Lex, and I don't know what you've decided or even if you have, but I don't want you to consider this if you don't love me."

This is a bit like stepping to the edge of a cliff to base jump with a chute… and you're not sure if it was packed by Mitch, the extreme sports instructor or Bob, the hot dog vendor on the corner. It helps if you're crazy, but ultimately it doesn't matter, because you're going to jump anyway. But do you scream on the way down? This is the question at hand. "I've never…" The abortion thing throws her brain for a little loop. Blue eyes stay on Ramiro's. She blinks twice, then says, "Do you love me." It might have once been a question, but it's almost a flat statement. It's not even quite a demand.

"I think it's better if I don't answer that question." Ramiro replies to her. "I don't want to push you in either direction." He pauses, swallowing. "We're adults…" He shakes his head a little, then shrugs. "…so I guess since we don't get a second shot at this or since it's a fairly permanent decision, we gotta air it all out right?" He looks to her. "I'd be your boss from time to time. If you became pregnant I wouldn't sign the okay to have the child aborted. Yes, I'm very religious and I would beg you to respect that. You don't have to partake except for during the service, because I would want it to be on the Destiny on the official temple there." He watches her eyes. "But I would be by your side for anything. Part of me feels it would be feeling our way through the dark, but the other part of me is anchored to the idea of us." He pauses. "You know me. I just feel compelled to tell you all the rough things going in. I asked you to tell me how you felt, and if you don't want this I promise you…I'd never hate you."

Those words never would have come out of her mouth if Ramiro hasn't been promoted to Ensign. She's a little horrified to have even asked, which only shows a little bit in her eyes. No, check that. There's a slight flare of her nostrils as she sucks in a breath through her nose. "This is like one of those briefings you get where you know you're missing some high points, but it's above your pay grade and so maybe you don't really want to know. Stop bringing up abortion." That last seems a bit vehement for the rest of the sentence, and she continues on, after a brief pause, "You've already got my respect. We're marines. We're already committed to defending each other. Ceremonies are a formality. The likelihood of us both living through the next five years is pretty slim, and I don't want to go back to staying on my side of the aisle when I can't sleep at night." She glances away first, then takes a step back. It's definitely warm in here.

Ramiro reaches out, taking her hand. "Nico…" He says quietly. "Frak I know this is awkward and probably just a lot more of that complication you didn't want in the first place but…" He pauses. "…what if we do survive the next five years? For me, the ceremony wouldn't be a formality. It would be a statement. I need you to understand, I wouldn't do this lightly." He pauses. "I want you to look me in the face and tell me what you want to do. This isn't something that can be walked away from after the war if we survive." He pauses. "Do you love me? Do you feel deep inside that I'm the person you would not only want but hope to grow old with if we make it that far? I need you to be sure."

For Lex, everything is a shade of grey. The only absolutes in her life are orders and things having to do with bombs, and even there if you frak up you're probably dead and who's going to yell about it? Her eyes return to Ramiro as he takes her hand. She looks first to his hand on hers, then his eyes again. She steps in close again, and she curls her other arm around his neck, across his shoulders. "You need me to decide, and you'll be fine either way? It doesn't work like that, Dane. I can't be sure. I don't think about growing old. I think about making it through today. Today, just like yesterday, and every day since I walked up to you in that bar, I want you. That's all I know. I'm not good at tomorrow. The morning after usually finds me sneaking out a frakkin' window. This fatass boat doesn't have any windows. And there are no guarantees. Ever." And then, because she's close enough, and he might say something that sends her the other way, Nico slides her hand up the back of his neck, and she kisses Ramiro.

Ramiro leans down into the kiss, softly brushing his lips over hers and placing his hand on hers. With two hands then on the back of his neck, he closes his eyes and shares the long, lingering kiss. Eventually breaking it, he keeps his eyes closed, leaning his forehead against hers. "I'm asking for tomorrow until one of us dies. Nomatter what." He pauses. "But only if you're sure that you love me Lex." He pauses. "Because I do." He pauses, letting that sink in. "I don't want you doing this because you'd miss me otherwise."

"There's no frakkin' better reason to do anything, Dane." Nico's sure of that at least. "You're my family. You are it. I let you cry in front of me." Probably she wasn't meant to bring that up. "And I didn't leave the room. I let you do that thing you like to do." You know that thing. "I physically miss you when our duties don't cross. I enjoy being on missions with you. I saved you from a land mine even though I couldn't see shit and had about a thirty percent chance of blowing us both up. I washed mummy water out of my hair for you. I think I swallowed some. I tolerate your massive fundamentalist attitude, I didn't ask you the specifics of rituals that happen in the temple of the Goddess of Love which you slept in, I would consider changing my last name. And I didn't punch you in the face for springing this on me, uh, yesterday. If that's not love." She frowns. "I don't know what is."

Ramiro smiles after she plasters the rant in his face. She has alot of good points. A few of them receive slightly raised eyebrows and a small grin to follow. He then nods slowly, wrapping his arms to rest behind the back of her head. He swallows. "So then say it." Ramiro says quietly, looking into her eyes. "Because, Nico, I do love you, and if you love me…I want to make you my wife."

Top ten phrases Nico Lex never expected to hear before she ingested a lot of hallucinogenic mushrooms. That's too long, let's go with top 3: 3) Your brother didn't really join the marines, he ran off with a cult of gay perm worshippers, 2) I keep my llama in my other pants, and 1) I want to make you my wife. Because, what. Srsly. Nico closes her eyes for a moment, and then opens them. One can almost see her wheels turning. It's just like diffusing a bomb. Take a deep breath, and do your thing. "… I've only even said that to my momma maybe twice." It's just not something her family says. It's just not something she says. Out loud. To someone's face. When they're conscious. "And one of those times, I was pretty sure she was dying, so…" This has to be the most awkward moment in history. Lex tiptoes, and leans in really close, to whisper in Ramiro's ear. "Ok." C'mon, Nico. You can do it! "I … love you, Dane Ramiro." Whew. Said it.

Ramiro pauses for a moment, his cheek brushing against hers. Closing his eyes as he hears the words, what almost matters to him more is her explanation as to the force behind them. That's all he needs to know. Letting out a breath to ease the nervousness, he takes her face in his hands and gives her a long, soft, and slightly hungry kiss. Saying no more, he stands there in place kissing her softly.

Hey, you say that little L word and you get kisses for it. If that Pavlovian thing works, Lex might be able to vocalize that one little four letter word more often, though it's sure to take a lot of training. Technically, they could get really busted for making with the smoochies in a supply closet without any rings on fingers. Does Lex think about this? No, no, not really. It's more fun kissing the religious boy in the closet. Thinking is for people who don't have marine tongue in their mouth. Piss off, brain. Wait. "Nico Ramiro?"

"Yeah…" Ramiro replies, pulling back from her a little bit, a coy smile on his face. "…whatcha think about that?" He says, kissing her softly again, but not pressing too close so that it'd be easy for her to speak. "I'll let the Chaplain and our CO know…"

Oh, good. Now everyone gets to know. You're not just dating, you're getting married. Cue flood of everyone wanting to comment. Oh, yes. Battlestar life. "… Ok." Definitely going to have to do some studying so as not to think about these things. Avoidance is best pursued ass deep in textbooks. "How soon, do you think, we'll do it?"

Ramiro holds her quietly for a moment. "I'll have to make arrangements with the temple on the Destiny and you'll have to prep your side of things with the chaplains so that you're familiar with the ceremony." Ramiro admits. "I've been given 48 hours of leave once we're out of condition two to move all of my things. I…really don't know. It's gonna probably come pretty quick though." He pauses. "You're ready for all of this?"

"No." Lex breathes out and slides her hands from his shoulders to run them through her hair. "I adapt." She leans in to give him a quick kiss. "I don't have to memorize anything do…" She holds up a hand. "Let it be a surprise. I'll handle it." Plus it's better if she doesn't know what's coming. Do it fast. No anesthesia. "Wait, is there any chastity before this—no. Do not tell me." She shakes her head. "Ok, I'm going to… hit the rack. I'm going, and we'll take care of this. Soon. I'll make an appointment with the Captain." Greje. Oh sweet merciful Zeus.

"Allright." Ramiro steals one more kiss before moving to follow her out of the storage room. Their hair isn't messed up, it won't get too many looks although soon things might make sense. Grinning behind her back, he walks her to the door with his hands on her hips and leans over her, opening the door.

Lex shakes her head slightly. "This better happen fast. You're off limits until we're married." She grunts softly under her breath. "And I'm not even drunk…" Maybe that would help! No, no wait. No it wouldn't. "I'm going to need you to stop being off limits very soon." Nothing to see here, folks. Just two marines coming out of a storage closet. Yep.

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