Project Sirius

It's my Birthday

"No!"

Ezra pry's her head slowly out of my hands and walked back towards the sink.

"What do you mean, No?" I chuckled, sitting back down on the floating barstool .

"I mean absolutely not. Everyone knows once you sleep with a friend it makes things weird."

"Weird how? It's not like it'll be our first time in the same bed."

"We were kids."

"And now we'll just be two big ass kids, that's going to be doing some very naughty stuff."

"Ew". she scowled her face and pointed her finger up. " Again, no."

"Come on, you can't tell me you didn't feel anything just now after that kiss."

"Yeah I did and It felt like a mistake." She pulled out a bucket of lemons and limes and started to slice them through the hydro slicer. A nifty device that can wash and cut, slice or dice your fruits and vegetables in one sitting. Now that I think of it, I’m pretty sure it’s the same equipment Ro used on that Mara officer when he chopping him to bits. "Plus we've already been down this road once. That horrible--"

"I wouldn't say horrible."

"Repulsive drunken night."

"That just also happen to be my birthday."

"It was sloppy and wet, and you kept trying to stick your fingers in my mouth."

"I was complimenting your smile, you really do have a beautiful set of teeth."

Ezra slouched her shoulders and looked at me with a grump. "Don't make this weird, Jonas."

As I stood and reached over the sink for her hands. My fingers graze the bottom of her wrist where I can feel her pulse racing. Indicating that maybe she wanted me far more than she cared to imagine.

"I understand your skepticism, I wasn't completely in control at that particular time in my life. We both know that, clearly now things are better and I feel of everyone I've ever built a connection with, you're by far the most worthy of my time and--

"Don't say love." she pulled back her hand and threw another lime in the slicer.

"I promise I wasn't." a simple grinned appeared across my face. " But you know I do."

I look over at the calendar, marked July 22nd and my grin gets as wide as possible "Plus it's my birthday."

"What? No it's not." Ezra raises her eye brow in disbelief.

I nod my head towards the the holographic reminder " July 22nd." Truth be told. I don’t know my actual birthday. But July 22nd was the day Ezra and her mother permanently welcomed me into their home and lives, and so from that day forward we celebrated it as mines.

Ezra turns her head towards the wall and then looks back at me. " That's two days behind."

"Well in that case, you owe me a present and what better gift could you give me than letting me make up for last years debacle."

"Seriously, that's the card you're going to try and play right now?"

"I wouldn't have to play any card if you just said yes."

As she puts away the hydro slicer and turns to me "I refuse to be some pity s*x for you just because you feel the need to prove something or because you're missing your ex right now and just need something to make you forget she left your sorry ass."

"Ouch! tell me how you really feel." I grab her hand once more, this time I hold it with affirmation. As she stares at her hand wrapped in mines. I tell her with undeniable truth "I'm being forreal, I want you because I do. There's no greater reason than that."

She pauses and looks me in the face " That's the weakest line I've ever heard.”

SLAM

Without warning Mobary, a 12 foot tall extra that looked like a pig in the face with a bad mohawk, rocking a olive beaten colored trench coat, bursts through the door as if he had just seen the devil himself.

"Ack ooh ki ha mai u Ro" he points outside towards something that can't be seen from my angle.

Ezra releases her hand from my embrace. " A nan ma suki?" she replies in a worried tone.

"Va hada." he replies. While this conversation continued most the patrons plus myself simply looked back and forth between the two wondering what was being said.

"O va he!" she waves him away and he takes his leave. " Anyone not drinking needs to leave the establishment, NOW!" she starts to grab empty glasses and bowls from around the bar stand. "You need to leave too, Roanoke is on his way here." she vigorously begins to wipe down seats and sections through out the bar and frantically starts scooting out those too drunk or too cheap to drink.

Although it would have been wise to take her advice I decided why not test fate a little. So instead of doing so I slightly leaned back with one arm on the bar watching as she finishes giving the place a once over to assure there isn't anything out of place, but once her face stops and rests on me her frantic look turns to sheer panic.

I sat there chomping down on some stale mixed nuts and sipping my drink as she walked towards me.

She grabs it out of my hand and moves the bowl of nuts out of my reach "Seriously, do you have some sort of death wish I'm unaware of?"

"Far from it I actually love my life." I grabbed the drink from her hand again and start sipping it once more.

"Then why are you you still here, Jonas?"

"Because you Ezra have yet to answer my question."

"What question? You mean about s*x?"

"No about letting me try and do right by you."

"That was never discussed and seriously Jonas you need to leave."

The door slams open once again this time it actually scared me half to death thinking it might have been Ro himself, but it was just 2 haarvaks stumbling in drunk and hunched over. Though my heart beat rapidly in my chest I couldn't let that fear show on my face, especially since Ezra was freighted enough for the both of us as her eyes stay glued to the door.

"The next person that walks in could be him. " I try to say with a brave smile "I'd answer if I was you."

"Are you clinically insane or having some sort of mental break down right now?"

I whistle a tune and turn around in my chair facing away from her.

"Oh my god you're such a child. " she screams in aggravation. " Okay yes, yes, yes!"

I turn around in my stool and stand up. Her 5'5 frame coming about mid width to my chest. I look down and gently grabbed her chin and lift it up towards my lips and like a delicate flower I simply pecked it.

"I'll swing by your place later this evening."

"Don't forget I don't get off till 2 and won't be home until after 3."

"Hmm don't forget I have a key."

"No, you don't." she says with a puzzled expression.

Between my index and middle finger I show her the key card to her apartment that I swiped off her belt.

"I do now." I smile.

She sucks her teeth. " Back to your old ways I see?"

" Who said I ever stopped?"

She raises her eye brows with a look that meant I better not be up to anything else.

"Make a copy and bring this one to me " she points towards the back door "I'll have Mobary stand out back and wait for you and it's my only copy so please bring it back and don't lose it."

I gave her a flirtacious wink " Yes, ma'am."

Ezra rolled her eyes with a hint of a smile on her face.

That instantly melted away when she saw the bar door open once more. My face nearly froze in place and wondered if I tested fate a little to hard this time.

But once again lady luck shown brightly on me. It was Mobary coming in and taking a seat at the table closest to the door. He gave her a nod and then turned his face towards me, it was stern and hard, covered in warts and a few whiskers by his elongated snout.

"I really don't think that guy likes me very much."

"Who Mobary? He's a gentle giant. The sweetest Gannet you'll ever meet."

"If you say so"

"And I do."

I looked in her eyes and wrapped my arms around her athletic frame. I gave her a gentle smile before I lightly connected her lips on mines once more. After I pulled away she gave my chin a soft tug and bit down on her lips.

"Don't forget to make a copy and..."

"Bring it back, I assure you I can hear and follow orders exceedingly well."

"That fact is still have yet to be proven."

She gives me a smirk and looks away. " You really should get out of here."

"Hmm can the birthday boy get one for the road first?" I puckered up my lips in an attempt to kiss her.

She instead answered with her finger pressed to my mouth . " Belated birthday, first off, and second see you tonight Jonas. " She points to the exit.

I kissed her finger long and slow, then pulled away and gave her a wink before jogging towards the back exit and out of sight.

As I stepped out into the streets of the back alley, the rain was still pouring and with it a heavy and dense fog. I pulled the collar on my jacket up and started walking. While beginning my descent into the industrial wasteland I called my city, a Holographic bulletin popped up beside me. It bounced off of a cracked brick wall that I caught from the corner of my eye. On the static and practically a translucent lime colored screen was an anchor woman in an neon orange blazer delivering an urgent news update, the sound was going in and out, and all I could do was read the bottom subtitles.

WANTED: Quatar M'uklaney in regards to stolen classified information on Moses Corp. Finders fee is 750,000 exco credits for capturing Quatar and an addition 250k credits if verifiable proof that the sensitive documents in his possession hasn't been tampered with or any of its contents distributed to a third party.

"Holy s**t!" I exclaimed, removing my Y2 scanner from my pocket I recorded the image to capture it later for review and possibly processing the bounty.

Jonas? Jonas Plaza ?

The way my name was being called sent chills to my bone and I couldn't unhear it. I walked away from my position without so much as looking back to acknowledge it. Instead I picked up speed and started walking through the now bustling block of extras, occasionally bumping into them and getting a slur of angry unintelligible dialects.

Jonas Plaza, we see you.

I could hear as their pace picked up and was starting to be fast on my heels. My heart raced and I did my best attempt to avoid the name calling out to me. I barged my way through couples holding hands, weaved around vendors and their customers and tripped over street artist and the homeless. As a group of walkers started to make their way across the pedestrian cross-walk I took this as my opportunity to get lost in the crowd. I followed them to the other side of the street and broke off at the corner of the Bolba shop they all entered. Hiding myself along the crevice of the wall and peeking over on the other side of the street, as I watched the un named associates attempt to locate my whereabouts unsuccessfully. I decided I was in the clear and made my move to leave.

"Ello Jonas" a cringley looking fellow stood before me as I turned around.

"Bazoor! I "--before I could even finish my sentence, I was met with a large fist directly to the center of my face. Knocking me back and causing me to black out cold.

"Time to go see Satire now, in it"