Be More Chill

Zyta was leaning more and more towards the direction that this was a bad idea.
Zyta was changing yet another fan to a computer as she was even more stressed than usual, and that meant that she was tighter than a bolt on the structures of a skyscraper. And the fact that new moon was almost here again didn't help with Zyta's headache.
But Zyta had already agreed to hang out with Rigel and even if Zyta wasn't bound by her promises she wouldn't have backed down. Her pride, or more like stubborness, didn't allow that.
Why did she have to to take hanging out so damn seriously? Zyta was even annoying herself at this point.
Zyta began muttering angrily to herself, and almost too roughly closed the bottom of the laptop. Now its owner could game again all they wanted, and hopefully the computer would stay alive for a few more years. Zyta could tell there was something wrong with its processor as well, but she had only been paid for fixing the fan so Zyta allowed herself to be petty.

It was time to leave work, and Zyta slipped to the backroom and took her time changing clothes. Was she stalling? Maybe. Zyta always felt unsure when she attempted something new and this was definitely new, actually having plans outside work, involving other people. It happened so rarely for her. Pathetic, yes, but Zyta was content with her hermit lifestyle. More or less. And she could always get a cat, right?
Zyta had gotten a new burn today, a customer hadn't mentioned their phone was lined with iron and Zyta had almost dropped it to the floor when receiving it. But burns were nothing new, Zyta's arms and hands were full of burn scars, and the burn was properly treated and her hand was firmly bandaged.
Zyta pulled on her black jeans and army green t-shirt, fidgeting with its hem that was coming apart. She would have to go buy new clothes at some point.
Just the thought of having to clothes shop irritated Zyta, and with a huff she slammed her locker shut.

Zyta said a quick goodbye to her boss, who was going to work all through the night. Zyta paused, and took five minutes to make him some coffee before she left. She'd have to start working more nights, Zyta's boss was even more burdened than her. He was a real dwarf, unlike Zyta, and she really admired the man.
Zyta stepped outside the shop, squeezing the straps of her old leather backpack. She looked around, looking around for Rigel. Zyta was pretty sure she was late, she had taken her sweet time, after all. Maybe Rigel had already left, gotten tired of waiting. That thought made Zyta equal amounts disappointed and relieved.

Suddenly hearing Rigel's voice behind her made Zyta jump and let out a small "Eep!" sound of surprise. Fuck, why did she have to be so damn jumpy?!
Zyta quickly spun around, lowkey glaring at Rigel due to being irritated with both herself and him.
"Jesus Christ, you scared me!"
Zyta said, and pretty quickly stopped her glaring and her expression turned to something between her neutral tired-looking face and a pout with a hint of embarrassment. But Zyta took a small breath and returned Rigel's wave. No need to be too rude even if he had just spooked the shit out of her, probably not on purpose.
"Um, and hi...Where on Earth did you appear from? Well, I guess it doesn't matter."
Zyta shrugged a bit, if Rigel had a teleporting or warping ability or such she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear about it. This place had been just...so much and Zyta felt like she needed a break from all sorts of crazy powers.
"Anyway, uh, I don't really...know this place. Like, I know the way to the teleporters, but that's it. So...lead the way?"
Was this how you did this? Or was Zyta supposed to make small talk? Fuck, she sucked at small talk. She always ended up saying something rude or just downright awkward.

Up? Zyta looked in the direction Rigel pointed at, and didn't see but the rafters and the ceiling. Had he been flying? Floating? Sitting on one of those rafters?
Whatever it was Zyta didn't ask, just let out a small "Oh" sound and looked back down on Rigel. On him and that grin, which made Zyta weirdly anxious. Like she should've told him to wipe it off his face. She didn't though, there was no reason, and it would've been too rude even from Zyta.

"Stiff is my nature just like relaxed is yours."
Zyta said, maybe with slight annoyance. Rigel wasn't the first one to tell Zyta those things. Many people before had noticed her seriousness and how much of a tightass she was. And Zyta was fine being how she was, it got things done and it kept her life in check and maintained order. Zyta liked order and when things were in place so was she.
Though this, going out with Rigel to hang out, was a quirk in the pattern. But even then Zyta couldn't think of the possibility that it would've been anything beyond platonic, she wasn't even aware of how other people could see it or what time of the year it was. Valentines day wasn't exactly on Zyta's list of priorities.

The way people looked at Zyta curiously after greeting Rigel made her nervous, and she looked strictly down every time that happened.
"Yeah, I can see that..."
Zyta answered and glanced at Rigel. She wasn't surprised he had such a reputation, Rigel was the type of person people seemed to like. The complete opposite of Zyta.
"Doesn't it...get annoying? The attention and other people, I mean."
Zyta couldn't help but ask, she didn't dislike people, but more often than not their insincerity and faked smiles and assumptions made her feel irritated and tired. Zyta could never fake a smile, or lie, and she hated it when other people did it.

Rigel's philosophy made and didn't make sense to Zyta. She understood the mechanic, if you do good things to people they feel compelled to do the same to you. But she didn't understand how Rigel could actually manage to live by it, be friendly to so many people, even ones he barely knew. Like Zyta.
"That...I suppose if it's you then it makes sense. You are strangely friendly."
Zyta admitted, and looked down when yet another stranger looked at her. If she looked back Zyta knew she'd glare and she didn't want to be that rude.

Pizza. That was a food Zyta liked, she often had ordered it to her workplace and eaten it with other hand while doing repairs with the other. It was fast and filling and after eating one whole pizza Zyta could survive with coffee for the rest of the night and day.
Although this pizza place didn't seem like an ordinary one. But was anything normal in this place?

Naturally Zyta was a bit startled for a short moment because of Tony's appearance, but more than that she wondered if the owner was aware that a person named Tony owning a pizza place was kind of a cliche trope.
Nevertheless Zyta nodded at the alien and received the menu. After making sure any parts keeping it together weren't iron she held it and opened it. Some options were normal enough, some had ingredients Zyta had never heard about. But in the end Zyta took what she always took, what had least risk and was pretty boring.
"I will just have a Margherita, please."

Rigel's statement naturally irritated Zyta, and she narrowed her eyes slightly at him. But at least she didn't glare, and just muttered something about Margherita not being purely for that demographic, that was idiotic. Nevertheless Zyta followed Rigel to a booth, and for a moment her eyes diverted to the window where they could see people walking by. But the people could see them as well, and Zyta felt slightly anxious to be on display like this. But she didn't say anything, just sat down.

Zyta barely acknowledged her pizza, since she was too busy staring at Rigel's mountain of food. She had never seen a stake that thick. And what was that meat? Zyta felt full and a bit nauseous just imagining eating all of that, and thus she directed her attention to her own pizza. It was nice and scarce, simple. Just...like her, actually. That was a slightly sad realization to make. But Zyta ignored her thoughts and carefully detached one slice and began eating.

"After this? Um..."
Zyta first chewed her food and swallowed before answering, glancing out of the window briefly.
"I don't really know. I don't know what kind of places the station has. And my boss said not just anyone can get in to see the spaceships getting built and repaired."
That was really the only thing that interested Zyta in the station currently, she really wanted to see a spaceship, perhaps touch or even take apart ones engine.