A Tie

From his touseled hair and the fact that he was only wearing a pair of loose pants, it was obvious that he had been sleeping before he rushed into the office. I could feel my face begin to burn as I shamelessly glanced at his bare chest. I had expected that with his tall and lanky frame he would look thin, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that he was actually more lean. While not bulky due to lighter gravity, the muscles in his arms and chest were well defined from his work. My eyes continued to trail down past his abs to the slight v just above his loose waistband.

Realizing that I was openly ogling him I quickly shifted my eyes back to his face. I was relieved when I realized he didn't notice what I had done as he was busy looking about the office trying to find the source of what made me scream.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he rushed up beside me. His eyes were intense as he began to examine me, and as much as I wanted to look away, I was afraid of where my eyes would end up.

"I- I'm fine," I managed to mumble out.

He eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Are you sure? You look flushed. Has your fever come back?" he asked as he brought his hand up to my forehead. His cool touch made me shiver with pleasure, making me instantly recoil and push his hand away.

He looked at me confused. "No, it hasn't come back. I was just excited." I internally cringed at my word choice knowing that I had technically meant it both ways. What has gotten into me? I fear that this chemical imbalance might be more hazardous to my health and work than the red macula.

"You were excited?" he asked. "About what?"

"About my experiment," I said. "My seeds have sprouted." Despite everything I couldn't help but smile at the thought of my little seedlings emerging. I'm a proud mama.

Geo looked shocked but instantly smiled. "Really? That is amazing! What has sprouted so far?"

"I'm not sure. Nera said she would send me a report soon," I sighed. "I wish I was able to be there."

"I know," he said sadly. "But I have one more bit of good news for you. Because your fever has stayed down and you have been healing nicely, I can give you the next round of vaccines tonight. You will be one step closer getting out of isolation," he said with an encouraging smile.

"As much as I enjoy the lab, I am looking forward to seeing the sporos and continuing my work," I said with a wistful smile. "I am not looking forward to the needles though!"

"I will be quick," he promised with a laugh.

"I do believe this means we tied and you now owe me an explaination for how I got into your lab on Nova," I said with a smirk.

"The bet was to see who had the best results within two weeks. Considering I completed my experiment and provided a finished product, that makes me the winner. Your seedlings have not provided any fruit," he cockily said.

My eyes narrowed and my lips pursed with mild annoyance. "Reviving plant species that have been extinct for thousands of years should merit some consideration don't you think? And it should come as no surprise that my experiment will run longer since I am constrained by growth cycles and time."

The smirk on his face grew, a devilish glint in his eye. "I did not know that I was going to be able to complete my experiment in such a period of short time. There was a possibility it would have taken longer. In the end you agreed to the bet."

"I plead a case of hibernation brain," I said in annoyance. Seeing how pleased Geo was with himself and our debate I was fighting the urge to smile.

He pretended to give my arguement thought. "I suppose you were still recovering from waking up and the illness just before we made the bet, and reviving ancient species is a big feat. It seems only fair that we call this bet a tie," he said as he flashed me a smile.

"I appreciate the consideration," I teased. "So, when will we share our secrets?"

"Tonight. We can give you your next round of vaccines and celebrate you success as well. Besides, I need rest and a clear head before I tell you how I got you to Nova."

"Don't forget to bring a shirt," I said with a smirk.

Geo looked confused for a moment before glancing down at himself. I could see a tinge of pink rise on his face as he cleared his throat. "Ah, yes. I will be sure to wear one. Until then how about we keep the screaming down to a minimum unless it is a real emergency?"

"Agreed," I laughed.

There was a moment of silence between us as we held each other's gaze. For a moment I felt calm and warm. It was the closest I had felt to being comfortable in a long time. Suddenly the feeling went cold when I remembered the conversation I overheard last night. The comfort I feel could just be an illusion, ready to break the moment I am not of use. I mentally chided myself for how easily I let myself feel this way around him. Why did it have to feel so natural?

Geo must have noticed a shift in me because he took a step back. "I should get back to bed," Geo said at last. "I will see you later tonight."

I gave a weak smile and nodded. He returned the smile, but I could detect a hint of sadness in his eyes as he left. How am I going to manage getting through tonight?