"She's quite a serious person, isn't she?" Carol questions, glancing up at Steve that stands beside her. "I've never actually seen her smile."
Steve smirks, tearing his gaze away from you and looking down at her. "Well, she grew up being taught that emotion was a weakness," he explains as they stare at you from across the room. "Guess it just stuck with her. But she's a great fighter."
"And she can hear everything you say about her," you say, lifting your head to look at them. "Because she has ear and you two can't whisper to save your lives."
Carol's mouth drops open at your sass and chuckles. "You seem busy so we're just gonna..." She points to the door before pushing Steve's shoulder to move.
You drop your pen to the table and lean back in your seat with your arms folded over your chest. "You're really gonna leave without asking me the questions you're dying to ask?" you ask with a stone hard expression on your face as she turns around to face you again.
Steve clears his throat before patting Carol on the back and walking out the room. "I need your help," she simply says, slowly making her way towards you. Tilting your head to the side, you wait for her to carry on speaking. "There is a planet in the galaxy that constantly being invaded. I want to help the people defend their land. But I need help," she explains, sitting in the chair opposite you. "I'm told that you're an amazing fighter."
"You want me to help you fight an alien invasion on a planet I know nothing about?" you question, licking your lips as you stare at her. "Just because people have told you I'm a good fighter?"
She narrows her eyes at her, stunned by the extensive lack of emotion on your face and in your eyes. "You know, most people would be happy to hear a compliment like that," she says, smirking at you as she hopes to invoke something in you.
"Do I get bonus points if I act like I care what people think about me?" you question, raising your eyebrow at her. She lets out a small chuckle at you as she leans back in her chair. "I'll help you if you need it."
She smiles at you as she crosses her legs. "Don't you mean you'll be happy to help?" You only glare at her tease, making her smile innocently at you.
It took a few days to get everything in order for the space journey. Carol spent a lot of time with you, going over plans, training and talking. Mostly talking. She wanted to know why you were so emotionless and made it her personal mission to try and get something out of you. A laugh or a smile. Anything would do.
"Can I ask you a question?" she asks as you load things onto the ship you'd use for the trip. Looking up at her, you place a bag in your hand on the ground as you nod to her. "What kind of childhood did you have that made you have zero emotion?"
Staring at her, you lick your lips before sighing. "It's a long story," you simply mutter, looking back at the ground. "Like Steve said, I was taught the emotions are a weakness. I was taught how to push them aside, forget about them and focus on my job," you explain, looking back up at her. "Eventually, it became second nature to not feel anything. Not mention easier. Not emotional attachments mean no heartache."
She frowns as you pick the bag back up and walk towards the ship. "What a boring life," she says, walking beside you. "I mean, you're missing out on a lot of stuff."
"Like what?"
"Like laughing. That feeling like you're going to pee in your pants because you're laughing so much because of a joke that someone said," she explains with a bright smile on her face. You raise your eyebrows at her as she stares at you in shock. "Do you even know what a joke is?"
Sighing as you place the bag in its place on the ship, you look back at Carol and place your hands on your hips. "No, but I'm sure you going to tell me."
She bounces excitedly in her spot and smiles up at you. "Okay, I've got the perfect one. What do you do if someone thinks that an onion is the only food that can make them cry?" she asks, her smile widening as she tries to suppress a laugh. "Throw a coconut at their face," she laughs out, stopping when you don't even blink.
"Anything can make a person cry if you throw it at their face, Carol," you say, folding your arms over your chest as she gives you a tired look.
"Oh come on. That was funny," she says, poking your arm. "It was supposed to make you laugh," she whines, making you roll your eyes at her and step away from her finger poking into your arm.
"Well, I'm not," you say, walking away from her and out the ship. As you think about the joke she told, you can't feel a weird sensation work its way inside your body as the side of your mouth lifts.
That night when you were packing the last things for the trip, your gaze is lifted when you hear Carol walk into the room with two mugs in her hands. "Brought you this because trust me, you're going to miss it while we're gone," she says, placing the mug on the table in front of you.
Picking it up, the smell of coffee floods your nose as you bring the mug up to your lips. Your eyes stare at Carol as she indulges in her drink. You can't help but think about the past few days you've spent with her and all the times she's tried to get an emotion out of you.
It's actually quite sweet how she has tried everything to make you laugh. She told joke after joke and showed you pictures of puppies and kittens. But the thing that you noticed the most was how she constantly kept her eyes on you, waiting for any hint of emotion.
She places her mug on the table quite roughly, snapping you out of your thoughts and staring at her. "Did I enter an alternate universe or did you just crack a smile for me?" she questions, her smile shining brightly on her face.
Realizing that you are indeed smiling at her, you shrug your shoulder as you lower your eyes. "Shut up," you chuckle, taking a sip of the coffee in your hands.
"And a laugh? What did I do to get so much out of you?" she questions, jumping up and down in her seat.
"Maybe it's that joke about the coconut you told me."
