Tangent - I Don't Know Why I Like You But I Do
FINALLY I've finished the last of the fics from this poll! Stay tuned for a second poll with the other 5 romancables! This was an interesting write, it was fun to try to get into Tangent's head. Hope y'all enjoy! Details below the pic, fic below the cut!
Name: I Don't Know Why I Like You But I Do Pairing: Tangent x Sol Warning: Some angst, em-dashes (fuck AI) Word Count: 1653 Description: Tangent pines over Sol, despite her best attempts PLEASE NOTE: Fem!Sol
Tangent worked tirelessly, as was typical of her augment, to complete the work Instance had set for her that day. A simple analysis of the microscopic changes between two sunbaskers caught and killed at different times of the year. It was something she could have done in her sleep at twelve, but somehow, at the ripe age of eighteen, she was thoroughly distracted. All because these stupid little creatures had been named by Sol.
Sol, who had been Tangent’s closest - and sometimes only - confidant since landing on Vertumna. The happy-go-lucky girl who seemed to get along with everyone, who’d somehow grown up to be emotionally intelligent in a way Tangent seemed to lack for herself. And, to Tangent’s chagrin, distractingly attractive.
Somehow Tang brute-forced herself through the rest of her task, then packed up in record time before heading to the bar with a few of her colleagues from the lab. They were chipper and loud and, more often than not, annoying, but it gave her a semblance of work-life balance that didn’t revolve around the same six people from her childhood.
Marz was the only tolerable one of that original bunch, save for Sol. She was interesting and made an effort to actually maintain her friendship with Tangent, which was nice, Tang decided long ago, because it meant she didn’t need to go out of her way herself. Anemone had always been insufferably high-energy, and that energy only shifted to a brutish standoffishness once the Heliopause landed on Vertumna and she fell in with the soldier crowd. Cal and Tammy had always been attached at the hip, too close and too in love to let anyone else in.
Tangent’s own brother, Dysthymia, was the sorest disappointment. So ruled by his own feelings, yet distinctly unaware of how his actions would reflect on the colony as a whole. He was selfish, rash, and his lack of fear made him as reckless with his own life as he was with everyone else’s.
And Sol. Tangent didn’t know what it was, but as much as she’d tried distancing herself from her lifelong distraction, Sol always brought her back in. She was kind and friendly and had no right to be as intriguing as she was. She was the first person Tang noticed upon entering the bar.
She was standing behind the bar as always, slinging drinks with ease as she held up what seemed to be several conversations between different patrons. In the few months since the bar had opened, Sol seemed to have become its life-force.
One of the lab techs Tangent usually hung out with called her out for staring as they sat down.
“Just ask her out already,” he said, and Tang could only scoff.
“We’re just friends,” she replied, far too quickly to be believable. The tech just snorted, then pulled out a deck of cards. He began shuffling and dealing among the group, a small pile landing in front of Tangent that she barely noticed in favor of looking back at Sol. The girl waved, and Tang just nodded back.
“I’ll believe that when you stop staring.”
“I’ve stopped,” Tang said, checking her hand before placing the cards back on the table.
“For now,” one of the other techs teased.
Tangent rolled her eyes. “Shall we play? Or are your juvenile comments too entertaining to let go of?”
The first tech raised his hands in defense. “Sorry, sorry. You’re just always looking at her. Every time we come in, you seem distracted.”
“I don’t get distracted.”
“Of course, not, Tang,” the second tech said.
“But,” the first said again. “You should definitely ask her out.”
Tang frowned. “I have neither the time nor the wherewithal to entertain a relationship right now,” she pointed out. Then she looked at Sol again, wondering if it would really be that hard to balance. “And I doubt she’d say yes.”
“Wanna bet on that?” the second tech said. The group all let out low “oohs” as Tangent’s attention was grasped.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said. And then, “how much?”
“Twenty-five kudos,” the tech said.
The “oohs” were louder this time. Tangent glanced at the bar to make sure they weren’t so obvious. Sol seemed none the wiser. “If I lose, I’ll approach her. If she doesn’t agree to go out, which I know she won’t, you’ll send me twenty-five kudos.”
“And if she does, which she obviously will,” the tech replied. “You’ll owe each of us five.”
The group of five techs all whooped, and Tangent shook her head, feeling foolish for succumbing to their childish teasing. “Fine,” she agreed.
It was not fine, she decided, as she approached the bar after losing terribly. But a bet was a bet, and her sense of honor had her holding up her end of the deal.
Tangent pulled up the menu on her holopalm as she waited to get to the front of the line, hoping that seeing the names of the cocktails would give her the courage to strike up a conversation. Unfortunately, Sol’s beaming face was looking back at her from beside the list - a marketing tactic, Tangent figured. It did not make things any easier.
“Tang, hey!” Sol said as the shorter woman approached the bar. “What can I get for you?”
“A round of six of our usual,” Tangent replied, nodding to her table, each member watching the exchange with obvious intent. “And I was wondering if you’d join me for a drink next time you’re not working here?”
Sol looked positively incandescent. “Of course!” she said. “I’ve been wanting to catch up, I’ve missed hanging out.”
Tang’s eyes widened, but she nodded, playing it off as shock at Sol’s enthusiasm more than anything else. In truth, though, she was surprised Sol wanted to spend any time with her, especially with how busy both women were these days. Sol, working in the bar and any other odd job she could get her hands on, and Tang with her and Chief Engineer Instance’s project for Governor Lum.
“Lovely,” Tang said, then stepped aside as a vaguely familiar man stepped up to place an order. Sol took it with practiced ease and gave Tangent an apologetic smile, one that said, ‘we’ll talk later.’
Tangent returned to her seat and pulled up her kudos transfer page, sending out five to each of her companions.
“Not a word,” she warned, a scowl on her face at her obvious loss.
She wasn’t even sure why she was so upset. Sol was a friend of hers, of course the two would hang out and catch up. But it seemed charged with the energy implied by Tang’s colleagues. Did they know something she didn’t? The possibility of anything more seemed futile and, frankly, unwanted. Tangent didn’t like Sol like that. She didn’t like anyone like that. Right?
Because Sol was cheery and friendly and simply too much to handle. They were incompatible on a fundamental level. That’s what Tang kept telling herself as she readied for her not-date with Sol a week later. Of course, she had to put in some hours at the lab first, but there was no harm in being prepared.
And of course, Sol looked radiant as ever as she approached Tangent later that night in the lab.
“I knew I’d find you here,” Sol said. Tangent checked the time and scolded herself for staying in the lab well past the time she told Sol they should meet at the bar. Tang started hastily putting away her work.
“My apologies,” she said quickly. “I’ll understand if you’d rather not catch up, I--”
“Don’t be silly,” Sol cut her off, smiling. “I can’t blame you for doing your work. I admire your dedication.”
Tang’s mind went blank for a split-second, something that didn’t happen very often. “Thank you,” she replied, because that was the right thing to say. “I’ll just be a moment.”
And she was, and they went to the bar, and it was like old times before life got in the way. Tang ordered a slice of cake and some wine to start, but she barely picked at it the whole time, only focused on Sol instead. She wanted her wits about her, she told herself, because stars knew she was susceptible to losing focus with Sol around. The teal-haired woman had a way of getting her to open up, to talk animatedly about her projects and still come out interested on the other side. She didn’t even leave when Tangent bumped over her juice, instead laughing it off and rushing to help clean up. Tangent was mortified, but it didn’t hurt so bad when Sol was there.
It barely even bothered Tang that Sol seemed blissfully unaware of the goings-on between the engineering and administration wings, the brewing tension between them as the project raised in stakes. After all, how could she know? Tang was sworn to secrecy, and Doctor Instance... Tang didn’t want to think about it.
But all these traits that annoyed Tangent in other people - over-excitement, ignorance, talkativeness - seemed so endearing when it came to Sol. It felt useless to long for more, yet here Tangent was, walking back to her quarters with Sol on her arm, ready to see what the rest of the night held for the two of them, an ache in her chest begging her to ask Sol to stay forever. Tang told herself she’d be fine if there was little more than deep conversation. She’d be fine if it was something entirely casual that they never spoke about again. But deep down, she knew that despite not knowing why exactly she liked Sol so much, she still did. And she wanted to do something about it. She just wouldn’t let herself. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
And then the door to her quarters closed, and Sol kissed her.
The rest, as they say, was history.
