#bertconvy

"You should be training with the others."

The voice doesn't startle her, surprisingly. It was almost as if she were expecting it, expecting that trying chiding tone. Hearing it makes a grin appear on her face. She remains in place, unmoving from her spot, doesn't even glance over to her approaching captain.

Pandora had taken an unexcused break from the team's training. All she wanted was a moment to get away from the team, their facility. Even extraterrestrials needed a break and a moment of fresh air, or so was her excuse.

(She liked to break away from the team, see the world when they could. After all this was over, there wouldn't be time to appreciate what was around them. And time was ticking. If she were to be caught, get into trouble, she'd pay the price if it meant she could see the world as a human rather than an alien. She would have loved if they got the chance to explore that cold northern area they were supposed to be going to next.)

"And shouldn't you be to?" Her head turns, finally looking up at Reize who had come to 'lecture' her. "I thought you'd be staying with the others. Keeping an eye on them or are you perhaps skipping practice?"

"That is no way to speak to your leader." There was a trying glare, an attempt at a dark look that had failed. "And, as one, I need to be keeping an eye on all of those on my team." He can't be harsh to her. His tone is different, always different, when it came to speaking to anyone on the team compared to those meddling earthlings.

"So, now you've come to keep an eye on me? I'm being good, I promise that I am, Reize."

"I am supposed to send you back with the others..." His persona begins to waver and he tries his best to keep it up and stay in character. He'd been fine for so long- perhaps just being around her makes him want to be his normal self. He wished he could be. "But, I would like to share something with you before doing so."

There's a curious look in her eyes, her body turning to face him, he has her full attention. He stares at her for a moment, keeping his hands behind his back (had they always been there, hiding? she hadn't noticed).

"Earth customs are rather peculiar when they come to...courting." It's hard trying to find the right words to say, to use. What would an alien say in this moment? Maybe he needs to do more research, he should have. But where would he find anything on this? "They aren't the best and are rather primitive at times, but this planet does have rather interesting gifts."

There's a pause as he moves his hands from out behind his back, revealing what he had been hiding. It's a rather small collection of red roses, five of them, trying to look like a small bouquet as they're wrapped in pretty paper and tied with a ribbon. He really wanted to apologize for not getting more, doing something more but it was hard to get away and even be 'human' for a while when they had a mission to focus on.

Pandora lets out a small gasp, wanting to simply shout out 'roses!' and thank him. But, she holds back; aliens wouldn't know what these were. And if he were trying to keep up this little act even now, so would she.

"And, what do these plants have to do with courting?" She asks, while getting to her feet and taking a step towards her captain. Reize holds out the flowers, letting her take them and watching as she curiously inspects one. A finger gently taps at a petal and it nearly looks like she's about to pluck it off (she doesn't).

"They call them roses. They use it as an expression of their love and affection towards another." Even while trying to play it as Gemini Storm's captain, to be intimidating and fierce, he breaks, just a little. His cheeks redden and deep down, he's really hoping that she likes this sudden gift.

"Interesting..."

"Have they- Do you like them?"

"They're earthling artifacts, I would say no," she waits, watching to see if his expression falls, and it does. She's quick to respond after seeing that look on his face. "But, since they're from you, I will keep them safe."

A smile flashes on his face, though it disappears behind who he's supposed to currently be. "Earth has a saying, if I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk through my garden forever."

"Is that really something Reize would say?" She can't help but ask with a light chuckle. "Sounds too mushy."

"...Perhaps he would, to the right person- alien." Reize shrugs.