( Closed starter for @ryderastrea )
The back and forth between Earth and Dolnoh was a little disconcerting to Daniel - he was enjoying both places well enough, but it did take some adjusting to be so regularly alternating between a setting where he could show his true appearance and talk about a fair number of things openly when he wasn't on the Prosperity, and one where he had to make sure he was sformed and didn't talk about anything alien anyplace he might be overheard. Still, he was taking it well enough in stride - leagues better than he'd been the last time he'd been on Earth in any case. In retrospect, it sort of felt like he'd hardly said a thing off the ship back then, for fear of letting slip something he shouldn't. He was much more comfortable now, but there were still some things that were better discussed on the ship, or otherwise saved for the next stop on Dolnoh... which was how he'd found himself anxiously awaiting the crew's next stop on the outpost planet for the last few days.
The time had come at last, and he'd been quick to ask Ryder on a date. Options were somewhat limited on Dolnoh as compared to planets like Kraysha or Kor'Sel'Koo, but there was still plenty to do - he'd ultimately asked his boyfriend on a date to the planetarium, deciding it to be the best balance of trying something novel that still invited conversation - and with minimal risk of slipping and falling in the process. Even without the risk of falling, he was still a little nervous, but he did his best to shake that as he waited for Ryder. Unsurprisingly, he ended up fidgeting anyway, fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt - had he dressed up too much for a planetarium date? Not enough? The answer to both of those questions was probably 'no', but he couldn't help but worry anyway. Still, it was progress that he was able to divert his attention to being a little nervous about that, instead of very nervous about what was soon to come... or maybe he was still rather nervous about that, as well.
"Oh - hello!" He stopped fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt at once as Ryder appeared in his field of vision, nerves somehow seeming to both dissipate and amplify at once. He stepped forward to kiss his boyfriend hello. Likely a better greeting than the hello he'd given before, which had somehow come out sounding a little surprised despite this being the location and time the two of them had decided to meet. He felt himself relaxing at that, which was good - it wouldn't be fair to Ryder to be nervous all through their date. "You look beautiful," he said after he pulled away, smile crossing his lips as he held out a hand for Ryder to take. "Are you ready to go?" It felt like a dumb question, but better to check now than to start leaving the ship if there was still anything Ryder needed here before heading off to the Stronghold's planetarium.












