SSSD - Snuggle Julie

Maybe it would be rude to muscle in on Ro’s territory, although there’s a zero percent chance of Ro making a move and an equally slim chance of Signe doing anything. These Norwegians seem to have a stronger grasp of propriety and ethics than the people that Alison is used to. Maybe that’s cultural, or maybe this is just a good gang of them. Either way, something like Golda’s halfhearted signaling that she’s open for fun is probably the best that anyone can hope for. Marit and Birgitte are the types to make moves, but these professionals who are in positions of authority over the interns will not initiate anything because they seem to be decent people.

That means that it’s up to Alison and Ro and seize the day.

There’s still plenty of awkward shifting and repositioning, but one thing that Alison has retained from her introductory class to Greek classics is that fortune favors the bold. There’s little room to maneuver, but she manages to arrange herself quite shamelessly, making the most of her limber body. She wraps her arms around Julie, squishes her boobs against the scientist’s arm, and nestles her head on Julie’s shoulder.

“Gosh, it’s cold,” she says before Julie can react.

“It is the Antarctic,” the blonde replies, taken slightly aback.

This position is strange and not totally comfortable for Alison, but the bench seat of a snowcat isn’t designed for this. She’s wedged between them, her front half all over Julie, her torso rotated, and her hindquarters pushed against Signe’s mighty hip. It’s weird.

And it’s not working. Julie is surprised but unbothered. She absently slips her arm around Alison, but there’s no chemistry in it. She’s taking Alison at her word about warmth. It’s not that Alison expects a little close contact to magically turn another woman into a horny maniac, but there’s just not even a spark.

Alison realizes, with irritation, that Julie is a fucking nerd. All she cares about is ice and samples. Everything else, including survival, is a distant second. There’s more, though. The problem is that she doesn’t present like a nerd. She doesn’t need to be a caricature with thick glasses and a goofy voice, but she’s very… Alison stiffens. Then she peers up at Julie intently. Julie notices and looks down at her questioningly. But even like this, face to face, pressed together, she’s not fully engaged. Her mind is elsewhere, but it’s not just that. All the little things that Alison has noticed are adding up. The fact that Julie is a woman, and Norwegian, the cultural differences, their limited time together… all of that made it harder to spot. Julie is not neurotypical.

Alison sighs and breaks eye contact, resting her head on Julie’s shoulder.

Now, she has to rethink everything. Seducing women is different from seducing boys. Boys care about visuals and physical things above all else. Women want intimacy, connection, and attention. Snuggling is good for all three of those things.

Someone like Julie, though? Alison isn’t a total cave-dweller, but it’s not as though she’s an expert on neurodivergence. She doesn’t know what Julie is looking for. Julie’s obviously incredibly high functioning, so that divergence may not be a huge deal. Or it might be a very huge deal. Alison simply doesn’t know. She’s so used to being a powerful empath that being in the dark like this really bothers her.

And it explains a lot. Pretty blondes are everywhere, but Julie stood out to Alison because she was different. Alison must’ve noticed that subconsciously. People tended to fall into profiles. Horny boys, insecure boys. Party-crazy girls, insecure girls. Alison understands all of those quite well and finds them tedious.

Julie is her own thing. Unique.

Not that Alison is so normal; she has at least a little self-awareness.

The discovery of that sample seems to have put a big dent in Julie’s melancholy, and Alison is certain that melancholy is about human connection, maybe with Linda. Julie isn’t a robot; she’s like everyone else and craves connection. She just sees it and thinks about it and goes about it in a way that’s not so mainstream.

Alison’s usual exterior reserve can sometimes be mistaken for timidity, but like Julie, it’s easy for Alison to be misread. She isn’t timid.

Still, it’s hard not to feel as though she might have bitten off more than she can chew. It’s time to find out for sure. Golda was easy. Effortless, even. But if Alison wants Julie to be her conquest, or dare she think it, something more, that will be more difficult. Meri, President of CCL, likes to say “This is gonna be some Ornstein and Smough shit,”, whatever that means, when she’s anticipating something difficult.

Alison can’t ignore Signe completely, so she has to be a part of what comes next. She needs to engage Signe and Julie in conversation about something other than survival, funny metal, or the Outpost. Getting Julie talking about anything relating to love or sex will yield critical information. The only question is what’s the best way to do that?

Softly? Gently and tastefully with normal gossip?

Aggressively? Shamelessly aiming for shock value.