Lips

"Who agreed to testify?" Geo asked, his voice filled with surprise.

Thana pursed her lips. "I will not be taking Marea's credit. Ask her yourself. Now come on before it gets any later. The only one who stays up through the night is you," she said as she rolled her eyes before walking out the door. Surprised and confused about the turn of events, I looked to Geo for guidance. He looked just as unsure as I was, but he gave me a small shrug before following after Thana.

I noticed that the main lab was brighter than usual, and when we made it to the center I understood why. Several small lights had been set up around Geo's workbench along with several chairs. The lights emitted a soft orange glow, and with the addition of the chairs around the workbench it almost looked like an industrial style dining room. Very industrial.

Marea was seated in one of the chairs. She smiled warmly at Thana and Geo but you could tell from the circles under her eyes that the last few days had been stressful and restless. She glanced at me, and for a brief moment our eyes met before she turned away. I consider it an improvement over the glares she had given me just days earlier. She stood from her seat as Geo and Thana approached.

"Marea," Geo said softly as he enveloped her in a hug. "Thank you," he whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

"You are lucky I love you... and that you are my only family left," Marea said with a sigh. Geo chuckled in response. As the siblings parted I could see the love and sadness between them. Thana placed a comforting hand on each of them and gave them a small smile. It was the most tender encounter I had seen in this pod, and while I acknowledged its sweetness, I also acknowledged how I was the one looking in from the outside.

"A moment like this should be celebrated," Thana said with a smirk. She walked over to her neatly folded cot and pulled out an unmarked amber bottle from underneath it. You could hear the contents sloshing around inside the bottle as she made her way back to the table. "Let us have a little drink."

Marea smiled and shook her head. "I do not know if that is a good idea, Thana. I have not slept much these past few days. I doubt I could handle much," she said with a tired laugh.

"It is just one," Thana urged before looking to Geo. He gave her a indifferent shrug making Thana's lips purse into a small pout. She sighed in defeat and was about to put the bottle away when my mouth opened as if possessed.

"I will have a drink." The voice sounded odd to me, especially when I realized it was my own. I didn't drink very much back on Earth. As things got closer to the end there wasn't much to celebrate, and I refused to drown my sorrows alone in my apartment, leaving me with a very low tolerance for alcohol.

Thana looked at me, her eyebrows arched in surprise before a devilish smile settled on her face. Geo cleared his throat. "Are you sure, Flora?" he asked. "You are still recovering and the drink is very strong."

I started asking myself why I volunteered for this. Was it to gain Thana's approval? To try and get a little closer to their group? Maybe to forget everything for just a little while? Either way I knew it was too late to back out now as Thana began to pour me a glass. "It's just one drink, Geo," I said with a smile. "I'm sure I will be fine."

He looked at me for a moment as if he was debating on letting me drink or not, but eventually he sighed. "Pour me one as well," he said in defeat.

"I cannot be the only one not drinking. Pour me one, too," Marea said tiredly.

I could see a mischievous twinkle in Thana's eye as she poured the drinks. "To Marea," Geo said as he raised his glass. Thana and I quickly followed suit.

"To Arca," Marea said humbly. I watched as the three of them knocked back their glasses and did the same. As soon as the liquid hit my lips its vapors made my eyes water. I wanted to swallow it as quickly as possible to get rid of the unpleasant sensation, but the alcohol proceeded to burn as is it ran down my throat causing me to sputter. I tried to fan my teary eyes with my hand while exhaling slowly to ease the burn.

After a second I began to cool back down and noticed the three of them chuckling at my reaction. "What is that thing?" I asked accusingly.

"Stillo," Thana said licking her lips.

"Made from potatoes," Geo added. I shivered as the drink began to settle across my limbs like a heavy, warm blanket. "Who agreed to testify, Marea?" he asked.

"Believe it or not it was a doctor on Solis," Marea said as she took another shot. "Sounds like Dr. Rafal and Councilman Eshmun grew up together and have a history. I was not going to pry."

The rest of the conversation faded away as I focused on the feelings coursing through my body. My joints felt warm and loose as I leaned back heavily in my seat. I eyes became hooded as I lazily watched the three of them talk among themselves. I wasn't paying attention to what was being said. Instead I took notice of how the drink made Thana's cheeks slightly flushed, or how Marea smiled wider during those rare moments when she is relaxed.

What really captivated my attention was how Geo's smile rose just a tad higher on the right side of his face whenever something made him laugh. He turned to me and caught me staring. Emboldened by the drink I smirked at him before dropping my gaze. I decided to focus on his long, slender fingers as they tapped against his glass.

I'm not sure how much more time had passed before I felt Geo nudge me awake. "Flora, time to wake up," he whispered. "I am going to take her to her cot. The drink hit her hard," he announced to Thana and Marea. Still happy from the drink, Marea gave me a sympathetic smile whereas Thana gave Geo a controlled nod. I did not know what that nod meant, but in my drunken haze all I knew was that I did not like it.

Geo guided me back to my room, and just he was about to have me lay down I pulled out of his reach.

"Flora, what is wrong?" he worriedly asked.

"Nothing," I hissed.

"It does not seem like nothing," he said carefully. I turned away and refused to answer. Geo matched my stubbornness and refused to back away. After several seconds of intense silence I turned back to glare at him. "What was with that nod?" I huffed. Geo looked confused which only infuriated me more. "You both keep making plans, talking in secret about me. I am not a toy, so just leave me alone!" I said as I collapsed on my cot.

"I do not know what you are talking about, Flora," Geo said gently, trying to calm me down. His tone just made my jaw clench harder.

"Just go back to your cot with Thana and leave me here," I said angrily.

"It is not what you think," Geo growled. His tone startled me, forcing me to look back at him. His eyes were serious as they locked onto mine. After a moment they softened. "It is not what you think," he said softly as he reached out to touch my hand. I felt a shock run through my skin from his touch, the alcohol heightening the sensation. The air felt heavy again as I looked into his eyes. It was like we were the only beings in this world as everything else blurred away. I glanced down to his lips and was hypnotized as I watched them form my name.

"Flora?" Geo asked with concern.

All my inhibitions were gone as I quickly brought my lips up to his. Geo stiffened in surprise but quickly relaxed against me as his hand wrapped around my waist. A small moan escaped my lips as I felt those long slender fingers cup my face as he deepened the kiss.

Suddenly we heard a crash from the main lab and our kiss ended as quickly as it had begun.