Awkward

Pain. Years forced their way into Lore’s head as they tried to push the scene they had just witnessed into the darkest recesses of their mind. The Trainer’s brutal demonstration had proven effective. They found themselves outside in the cold, English winter rain. The Hologram appeared beside them as a familiar looking redhead passed by them, an associate Lore recognised but couldn’t place followed a few paces behind.

“Although your handler’s… argument was most convincing, it still took a few years before you were both allowed out of the confines of the Temporal Science’s Guildhall. You’re both about fourteen at this point.” The Hologram warped the city around it and Lore to catch them up with the teens. It waited for them to come to a stop before pausing the playback. “At this point, you are both almost half way through your development; neither of you physically aged too much after twenty six. You both chose names a couple of months after your sixth birthday but this was the first time you used them in public.”
“Is this another test or is this just The Guild letting teens be teens?” Lore’s question barely left their mouth before The Hologram started chuckling.
“They are currently on a dual pronged mission. The main objective is to move around in a non-contemporaneous setting without arousing suspicion with the secondary objective of gathering a dead drop from and intel on a suspected alien agent.” The Hologram waited a moment but after Lore didn’t ask any follow up questions, it restarted the playback.

“Where did they say we were supposed to find them?” Loren’s dark haired associate asked.
“Wow Caitlin… I thought you were supposed to be just as good as me…” Loren scoffed.
“Hang on.” Lore couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing. “That’s Crait?”
“Ah, yes.” The Hologram paused the memory once again. “Before they chose the moniker Crait, they did indeed go by the name Caitlin.”
“Oh.” Lore had many follow up questions but didn’t know how to ask. “I guess I just assumed they were… not that.”
“The accelerated puberty was hard on both of you but more so them.” The Hologram resumed.
Loren continued. “Our intelligence says that our target is supposed to be in that coffee shop in about half an hour. We rushed here so that we could find a vantage point inside and… You already knew all of that and you’re just testing me.”
“I love it when you get all clever with me.” Cait laughed before starting her way to the cafe.

They walked in a playful lockstep; both trying to overtake their opponent while also trying to ensure they blended in, both with a massive grin on their faces. They reached the cafe at the same time, Loren opening the door for Cait. They giggled as they entered. The smell of coffee was stronger than either of them had expected and was much stronger than it had been in their training scenarios. The cafe was louder too. Loren nodded to Cait; they separated, Loren ordering their drinks so as not to break cover and Cait went in search of the best vantage point to continue their mission. A cup of tea and an iced coffee procured, he scanned the room for his partner. She waved him over from the corner.
Cait smiled as she beckoned him over, her waving and sunny demeanour didn’t go unnoticed. “You two are so cute!” A woman in an adjacent booth smiled. “How long have you been dating?” She stopped herself. “None of my business!” She chuckled. “Sorry, I forget how you do things in England sometimes. Anyway, I’ve got to get going, people to see, friends to keep and all that.” Cait thought she seemed rather jolly and out of place but thought nothing of it given the stranger’s accent. “I was supposed to be meeting someone here, to give them this.” She held up a CD. “But since they’re not on time, you have it. I’ve changed my mind. Underground is where it’s at.” She passed the disk over to Cait. “Have a nice day!” And with that, the strange woman was gone.
Loren sidled across to Cait before passing over her drink. “Who was that?”
“Haven’t a clue.” Cait turned the CD case over. The cover showed a series of album lists written on a crumpled sheet of lined paper. She opened it up. “Ren… She must have thought we were the dead drop.”
“What do you mean?” Loren took a sip of his tea, lightly burning the tip of his tongue.
“That woman, the American sounding lady, handed me this CD saying her contact was late, something about staying underground and then she left. Classic dead drop behaviour.” She scanned the tracklist for the information they were after.
“I’d still like to wait and see if anyone else turns up.” Loren shot a sceptical glance. “That’s too easy.”
“Suppose… Plus she said we made a cute couple.” Cait’s statement froze Loren mid sip.
The Hologram suddenly reappeared. “And this is the moment, you two realised you could be more than friends.”

“Sorry, what?” He set his mug down.
“Well, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility, is it? We’re close friends, we’ve known each other for a while…” Cait picked up her drink and held it between them, shielding her rapidly reddening face.
“I suppose not.” Loren spoke softly. “I have to admit, you’re pretty cute when you smile like that.” Cait’s face only grew more red. “We could give it a go and if it doesn’t work out, stay friends?”
Cait gave a bashful nod. “Can I?” She reached out her hand to his.
He took it with a smile before pulling her close. “I think that’s our dead drop.” He whispered in her ear.

The Cafe grew quiet as time froze around them once again. “The mission became a top priority from there. That CD was passed between you but neither of you actually ever listened to it. You did, however, prove that you could complete a mission and foster a relationship successfully.” The Hologram was about to add more but was cut off.
“So Lore and Crait dated?” Lore looked to The Hologram in shock. Its expression told a different story. Complicated.