Lavender & Ice

17. Answers

She stood silent, wondering if she truly wanted to know the answer to that. "Are you still being forced to keep me here?" She whispered.

"I was never forced to bring you here, Shima."

She turned to look up at him, catching her breath when she realized how much closer to her he had come. "No?" She whispered.

"They would not let you stay in the medical tent so I chose to bring you here."

She felt like there was a little more to that story, but also felt like he wasn't lying to her. She wasn't sure what to think.

"I'm not... I don't know..." she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "...why? Why do you help me? You were angry when you brought me here, I know you were. You keep getting frustrated with me. I..." She paused. Any moment now her resolve would break and the tears would flow yet again. Before she crash landed on this planet she always considered herself level headed, now she was an emotional roller coaster. It was exhausting.

"Yes. I was angry." She tensed at his words, sucking in a breath. "But for reasons I can't yet explain to you. You wouldn't understand them yet. You have much to learn." He stood next to her now, placing his hand on the back of the chair that was beside her. "And yes, you did things that frustrated me, and I would also get frustrated at this whole situation on occasion, but I was never angry at you. Especially not now, not since we..."

He paused and she wasn't sure if it was because he didn't know what to say or because he stopped himself from saying it. She slowly and timidly turned to look up at him, finding that he was already staring at her. "Since....?" She urged him to continue.

He cleared his throat and took a step away from her. "You proved yourself to be somewhat useful, and not entirely cumbersome." He looked away from her and brought out two plates, forks, and cloth napkins.

"Are you saying I'm growing on you, Kietnan?" she smiled.

"I do not know what this "greo-wing on you" means. Explain."

She chuckled low and shook her head. "Let's try your food before it gets too cold." She scooped a helping into each of their plates before she sat, motioning for him to sit as well.

She poked a chunk of meat with her fork and took a bite. Before she could think better of it, a loud, low moan escaped her lips as she closed her eyes in content bliss. "Kietnan, that is..." she finished the piece and swallowed. "That is really, really good." She said softly, savoring the flavor in her mouth.

She opened her eyes, stabbing another piece with her fork and bringing it to her mouth before pausing midair. She looked over at Kietnan, who hadn't touched his food. His hand was clenching his fork and he was staring down at her, his entire body looked tense.

She tried to place the look on his face as she slowly brought the fork the rest of the way into her mouth, she was deep in thought as her mouth slowly wrapped around the piece of meat and pulled the fork out from between her lips, all the while holding his stare. When she heard a quiet but deep growl like sound move its way from his chest to his throat, recognition hit her like a brick. She dropped her fork with a clang on the table and quickly looked down, following its movement. Oh my... did I just. Does he think I did that on purpose?! Wait... did he... did he like it? 

She dared a quick glance in his direction but quickly returned her eyes to the table when she saw he was still staring at her, still tense. She grabbed her water mug and guzzled for a few seconds, suddenly in desperate need for refreshment. She sat the mug back down at the table and stared at it for a moment. She sensed no movement from him but was afraid to look in his direction again.