Lobster Hut, Thursday evening

[future_sandworm]

Leto was quite certain that Triela would show up, despite her obvious nervousness about this dinner. She was too proud not to. He also suspected that she had suggested seafood to make him a little uneasy, but it didn't quite work. The Fremen did keep fish to protect their water reserves, after all, even if they tasted differently than those from the sea.

Lobsters, however. Leto wrinkled his nose a little as he looked through the menu, waiting for Triela.

[For one, obviously.]

Comments

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela had, uncharacteristically, spent some time trying to decide what to wear and how to do her hair. Ultimately, though, she'd just reminded herself repeatedly that it was a simple dinner with a friend and nothing more, so she wore one of her usual suits and had her hair up in pigtails.

She arrived precisely one minute before the time they'd handwavily agreed upon. When she spotted Leto she headed straight toward him. "Good evening," she nodded.

[future_sandworm]

"Good evening, Triela," Leto said, smiling at her. He rose from his chair and gestured for her to take a seat. Out of concern for his own well-being he did not compliment her on her appearance.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Leto had an admirable sense of self-preservation. Not that she would have objected, precisely, because it would have been nothing but the truth, but she would have been a bit uncomfortable. She slid into the chair with a smooth sort of grace.

"Have you been waiting long?" Not that she cared, precisely, but it was a polite thing to ask.

[future_sandworm]

"No, I just arrived," he replied, offering her a menu. "So, you said you had been here before. What do you recommend?"

It couldn't be worse than root beer.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"The one time I was here I had some pasta. It wasn't bad." She was going to try something different today.

[future_sandworm]

Leto nodded. "Who did you go with?" He looked up over the menu and smiled at Triela.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Karla. I told her I'd treat her to dinner." And Triela had an Agency credit card. And they'd wanted to talk about some private stuff, but she wasn't going to mention that.

[future_sandworm]

Leto wasn't going to be that nosy. "So you and Karla are friends too?" he asked, eyes on the menu now.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I've been teaching her about guns, helping her figure out how her Craft works with modern technology." Yes, they were, but Triela didn't feel like putting it that way to Leto. Which was a sign of her discomfort around him.

[future_sandworm]

"That counts like friends, right?" He smiled and raised an eyebrow at Triela.

[sorry for the delay, some friends showed up]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I suppose you could put it that way," Triela allowed.

[No worries! Friends are a good thing, after all!]

[future_sandworm]

"I meant in the same way as we are friends." His eyes were on the menu again.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela was glad he was looking at the menu because that made her tense ever so slightly. "I don't recall you ever coming to me to learn how to use a gun."

Yeah, that was a bit of a dodge, and a rather obvious one, but things weren't that simple with Leto...

[future_sandworm]

"No, but you are practising how to use a knife. But is that an offer to try and improve my shooting skills?" He smiled.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"If you want to learn, I'll teach you." Triela half-hoped that being on ground where she was the expert she wouldn't feel so nervous.

[future_sandworm]

Perhaps, although that might depend on several factors.

"I know the basics," he said cheerfully.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"About like I know the basics with a blade?" she suggested. Enough to use her enhancements to hold her own against relatively skilled opponents...

[future_sandworm]

He shrugged. "Perhaps a little more. What would you like to eat?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

She frowned at the menu. "I think I'm going to try the lobster. It's not something we eat very much back home..." She cocked her head. "What about you?"

[future_sandworm]

He hesitated for a moment. "Are they really good?"

[bedtime!]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela shrugged. "It depends. I've never been a huge fan, but I'm feeling adventurous." It actually felt good to be the one in the know. What do you know? She did feel less nervous.

[Sleep well!]

[future_sandworm]

"Well, I suppose celebrating your recovery is reason enough for being adventurous." Even if he was suspicious of the lobsters. "I'll try that too."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela grinned a bit. It was nice to think he was reacting to her instead of the other way around for once.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked conversationally.

[future_sandworm]

"Oh, the usual. Classes, socialising. And you?" He gave a tiny wave to the waiter to signal that they were ready to order.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"The same," Triela sighed. "I can't go back on active duty until they finish all the replacements." She was really annoyed by that.