Staying on Target (Bay)

[Bay]

Bay led her to the bathroom. It was militant and tidy. A single bottle of unscented body wash rested in the corner of the shower box.

"I don't really like the perfumed stuff, I hope that's okay," he pulled a sliding drawer beneath the sink, "Towels are here. If you need anything, let me know." He tried his best to smile and awkwardly patted her shoulder, "I'll go make up a bed for you." He left before Ni could say anything else.

He was half-afraid she would joke around and ask him to stay. The other half was afraid he'd see more bruises.

He went to his sleeping quarters and spent a few minutes rummaging through his clothes. He found a plain white shirt and brown boxer-shorts which he thought would fit Ni, but his lips pulled to the side disapprovingly. He sighed, grabbed a stool, and placed the clothes on top of them just outside the bathroom.

He then went back to the bags of clippings and neatly placed them in a box. He labeled it "Samples. DO NO EAT" and put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. He'd decided to look at them in the morning and began walking back to the ship's two sleeping quarters, each with a triple bunk bed.

Bay pursed his lips for a second and then went on to put fresh sheets in a bed in each room. Bay always felt his ears burn whenever Ni flirted with him, but he'd understand if she didn't want to sleep in a separate room. If she wanted privacy that'd be okay too.

He picked up the tools he had left on the floor and had his NR-5 put them away. He didn't want Ni to trip on them. He sighed and laid back down on his own bed. He felt it was the first time he had to worry about someone else like this, which was nice, in a weird way, but also very tiring. It had only been a few minutes since she'd stepped aboard, and he was exhausted. Was emotional exhaustion a thing? He wasn't sure.

He'd decided to close his eyes for just a second and wait for Ni to finish her shower.