In the wrong place at the wrong time

The second you saw he was only wearing a towel you had dropped the chopsticks and covered your eyes with your hands, squeezing them shut as well. "Sweet fucking troll wriggling jegus Aarush!" You heard the bathroom door shut and peek between your fingers to find you were alone in the kitchen once more. If anyone ever asked, you would admittedly deny that you had seen Aarush completely naked for half a second. Phobee broke you from your trance by smacking your arm with one of her paws (the claws were retracted this time thank glob). You smile at the dragon and finish feeding her, then walk to the bathroom door, squeezing your eyes shut just in case.

"Aarush? I'm going to make an educated guess and say you wanted to put your clothes in the dryer."

Oh how fucken stupid of you. You should have called out to make sure she was not there. You are a idiot. You bang your head agenst the wall. You. Are. A. Fucken. Idiot. When you hear her voice again. You freeze.

Ummm... Y-Yeah...

You open the door a crack so you could hand her the clothes.

S-Sorry...

Your eyes remain shut but you are able to take the clothes from him. When the door closes again you think its safe to open your eyes. "Uh no its ok um shit happens." Really? Shit happens that was your response. Wow. "I um I didn't see anything if that makes you feel better." You would never never NEVER admit that you saw anything. NEVER. "I'll um go put these in the dryer..."

You hurry down the stairs that lead to the boat dock. Tucked under the stairs were the washer and dryer, so you stick his clothes in the later and set it to work.

You sit there waiting for your clothes. You don't really have much to do other then just wait. You fiddle a bit with your hands, your fingers, your nails. You trace the design of your tattoos on your arm. You clench your hand around your arm.

You try to puzzle out what has been going on. Okay, you were flushed for her. That was simple. You were suffering under the side effects of a new ability to your chucklevoodoos okay, that you understood. What you did not understand was why you could suddenly see the dead as if they were standing right next to you as real as any living troll. Your stomach flopped when you thought of what you had seen in the ocean. Okay maybe it wasn't a good idea to puzzle this out yet.

Your skin prickles a bit as your fever spikes. You feel like shit. As fun as it was, you regret Dragon ridding.

You sit on the edge of the deck, dipping your feet in the water. Minnows were trying to nibble at your toes, but you would always wiggle them to scare them off. You sighed, you'd fallen too quickly for Aarush. You were still the stupid girl you were two sweeps ago. You lean back on the wood, closing your eyes as you waited for the dryer. Two blinks of the eye later and the buzzer was ringing. You propped yourself up, maybe you'd nodded off for a few minutes. You yawn and grab the warm and dry clothes from the machine and take them upstairs. You knock twice on the bathroom door and shut your eyes. "Ok your clothes are dry."

You open the door a crack and stick out your arm to grab the clothes.

Thanks...

You take your time. You don't want to freak out again. You pull on your pants but leave your shirt off. You know your fevers. You are going to go hot and cold for the next few days. By tomorrow you hope you can head back to your hive, it might be the safest for both you and her. You come out of the bathroom with your shirt on your shoulder.

Sorry for troubling you... I'll be ready to go tomrrow...

You blink a few times. He was leaving tomorrow... Perhaps he was regretting kissing you. "You've been no trouble, Aarush. Really." You manage a smile to hide the sadness in your eyes. "Um, I might have a spare coon that I can set up, but its a little on the smaller size. I'm sure you'd be more comfortable in the coon than on the couch. Um, if you'd, ah excuse me I need to get some work done..." You hurry up the stairs and into your small study. Oh calm yourself down he had to leave sometime. But it gave you less time to ask him about that kiss... You take a deep breath, rubbing your arms. Work. You always felt better doing your work. You sat at your desk, which within fifteen minutes was covered in papers of sketches and ideas, with a notebook quickly filling with four repeating letters- A, C, G, and T, the four building blocks of genetics.

You watch her go. A part of you did not want to leave, but you had to. Your ansestor's journals were in your hive. Maybe he had written about this. You sigh softly and sit down on the couch. You did not want to trubble her while she was working... So you desided that maybe some simple exercises would be fine for you to do. By exercises you don't meen physical.

You walk outside as to not disterb her and clear a place on the sand, smoothing it flat with your foot. You haven't done this in a while, but you still remember how to draw a circle. You just hope what ever happens stays in the circle. Around the outside you take a stick and mark in different runes in the sand. After you had completed the circle to your likening you step in it and take a breath. The circle worked as a protection agenst any sprints that might try to attack as you work to renew your protections agenst evil spirits. You haven't had to do this since your wriggler days but with all that has happened you think it might be a good idea.

You take a breath as you step in. It feels different inside the circle, calmer. Under your breath you start to recite a prayer to the Wicked Ones for them to grant you protection. Defensive things were not your forté. You had to do everything by the book in order to get any result.

You work nonstop, completely absorbed in your work. You only realize its time to eat when your stomach begins to ache from hunger. Sighing, you stand, rolling your aching wrists. Your fingers were ink and graphite stained, with smudges of both on your neck and ears from where you had rubbed your skin. Yawning, you went downstairs and opened up the windows, letting in the cool ocean breeze. You start cooking without a plan in mind, as per usual. But you end up making flaky pastry, which makes you think of pasties, so you end up making five pasties. You wrap up three and put them in the fridge, then put the other two on plates, quickly setting the table. You opened the front door, you hadn't found Aarush in the hive so he must be outside. You spot him on the beach and cup your hands around your mouth.

"AARUSH! DINNERS READY!"

You had finished long before dinner time and had fallen asleep on the sand. It was rather peaceful out here in her island. But the bad thing about spending the day out in the moons light sleeping is that you end up with a high fever and sand in places again. You had ment to come in ages ago, but you were exausted after resiteing the whole damn prayer you just fell asleep on the sand.

You grogaly stand up and stumble for the hive. Fuck your head pounded like you had nothing to drink in weeks, or that you had too much to drink the night before. You can't deside witch is worce. You brush the sand off yourself with the shirt as you walk inside, hopeing that she wouldn't notice how hot you were.-

"I hope you like pastry, beef, potatoes and carrots and-" You stop mid sentence, turning to see Aarush looking pretty awful. "Are you alright?" That was a stupid question he obviously was not alright. His face was flushed with fever again, and when you helped him to his seat at the table you could feel the heat coming off of him. You bring him a glass of cool water, along with the fever reducing medicine. You felt horrible for not checking on him earlier, but you were just so consumed by your work. It was hard to take a break from it.

"After dinner I'll get the coon set up so you can have a good nights rest..." You sit yourself, chewing on your lip. "Are you sure you can travel? Your fever is back..." You needed to stop worrying over him, you weren't a lusus and he was old enough to make his own choices.

I'll be fine...

You down the water and the medicine first after she helps you to a seat. You just know how to keep over doing it.

Don't really want to go... As kind as you have to me... And how I feel about you... But... Something is very wrong with my 'voodoos... I got all my books and things at my hive... Last thing I want to do is... Hurt you...

If you blanked out and hurt her. You don't think you will ever forgive yourself. The thought just twisted your stomach and turned the food you were picking on to lead.

...I wish I could stay...

Stay here and forget about being a laughssasin and help Eisire with her work or protect her from pirates... Any thing just to stay by her side.

Your eyes widen slightly. Your mouth was full of food, giving you a moment to think. You're going to have to ask him as casually as possible. You can do that. You swallowed and shifted in your seat, rubbing your neck and making the graphite smears worse. "Is there anything I can do to help? And y-you don't have to worry about hurting me, I'm a big girl I can defend myself." You smile reassuringly, then glanced at your food, busying yourself with peeling back the pastry to reach the meat.

"Um... Forgive me for prying but... Um... How do you feel about me?" You blushed, refusing to meet his eye or look up at him.

You think her offer to help over for amoment before she drops the next question. You scratch the back of your head.

I'll admit it... I feel flush for you Princess. I know I have no right to... Considering I almost culled ya...

You pause a moment fiddling with your food.

I don't even know if it is safe for my morail to be around me when I get back...I don't know how to explaine it... Something just FEELS off... The last thing I want to do is hurt you...

You fumble for the words. How can you explaine what you bearly understand yourself. You sigh and run your fingers threw your hair.

Sorry... I'm not so good at explaining things...

You eat as he talks, it was better for you to keep your mouth full instead of saying something stupid. But your mind is reeling, part of you cannot accept that there is a troll who felt flushed for you. You had told him you had a split personality, but he was in a feverish state at the time, perhaps it didn't sink in? But all you can manage to say was this- "You shouldn't call me princess... I doubt I am worthy of that title." Well at least you had said something.

You listened to him quietly, your concern growing. And it showed on your face, in your knitted eyebrows and in your eyes. You did not have the mask of apathy your ancestor wore. "Perhaps having time to think will help... Perhaps you've stumbled upon some kind of new voodoo ability?" You theoried.

Then, quiet for a moment. "Y-you're flushed for me?"

Only saying the truth... You are a Princess.

You smile slightly. She was a Princess not only becouse of blood color, but of how she just was... You didn't know why, the nickname just seemed to fit her. Your little Princess. Oh by the misahahs you are feeling so possessive of her, like she had been your mate' for sweeps.

You could be right... Sometimes folk find out they have... Different variations as they grow on older... But I'm eleven sweeps, I shoulden't be gaining any new 'voodoos...

You were troubled and confused about that. You place your hand over your bandaged eye. You really hope you can figure this out. Maybe you kind find something in your Ansestor's earlier journals... Before he stared to go insane.

You nod when she mentions your flush. You are a bit nervous about what she would say next. You don't really trust yourself to speek. It was like your throat had closed up tight. You just nod and play with your food.

You've been eating so you wouldn't say anything moronic, but your plate is empty now. You blush when he says you are a princess. It was nice to be called that in a non sarcastic or malicious manner... You mumble a 'thank you' and pick up your plate, moving to the kitchen sink and washing it as he talks about his abilities. You place the wet plate on the little drying rack you have then turn, leaning against the counter. "Maybe you're a late bloomer or something?" You had hit the maturation phase a little later than other seadwellers, you'd been pretty flat chested until you were a little over 6, and your dorsal fin still wasn't fully developed. That thing itched like crazy sometimes, but of course there was always that one spot on your back that you couldn't reach.

Your stomach churns at his silence, your eyes widening at his nod. Say something Eis. Come on say SOMETHING.

"Um, I should really go get that spare coon ready for you!" Ok, you said something. Your voice was a lot higher than normal but at least you managed to speak. You hurried up the stairs and to the spare room you had. The door was a little jammed so you had to slam your shoulder against the wood to get it to open. It was full of boxes really, mainly old junk you didn't use and clothes that didn't fit anymore. You stack the boxes neatly against one wall, opening the window to air the room. The old coon is collapsible, and once assembled you connect it to the piping and fill it with sopor. You sat in the middle of the floor for a moment, thinking quietly and a little puffed out.

You smile a bit. She flustered so easily, you hoped that it didn't meen you were reading this all wrong. You finished eating and take your time cleaning your plate. You really do not want to leave. It was nice out here on the island, you think you could get used to the warmer weather given time. You deside to clean up the rest of the kitchen as well, she might fuss about it later when she finds out but you were just giving her some space. Once finished there you went to find her.

You sure that 'coon will fit?

You smile at her, teasing her a bit before you sat down next to her.

Do you want to come with me tomrrow? I meen, I could use your help trying to figure out what has been going on...

You jump a little when he enters, then return his smile. You found yourself thinking that he had a lovely smile. "Perhaps, if you don't move around in your sleep and if you keep your knees tucked in." You had considered offering him your coon and for you to sleep in the smaller one, but then you remembered that currently your room was rather messy with clothes piled in a chair and a huge stack of romance novels right by your coon.

You blink twice as you repeat his question in your head. "Um, okay. I'd be more than happy to help! I'd need to be home before the next evening though, I have a client coming to pick up their order and I cannot be late for that."

Its alright... If it dosent fit I'll just wash up and crash on the couch.

You smile as you hear her agree to come with you the next day.

It shoulden't be that hard. I can drop you back off here when ever you need.

You lean agenst her a bit as you watch the coon fill. It felt good to be close to her. You hum a bit to yourself as you wait before speaking again.

Maybe after you are done with your client.... I can take ya out somewhere nice for dinner.

You smile at her blushing a bit. It had been forever since you asked someone out on a red-date. You've had a couple if hate-dates, but nothing that really turned to anything solid. You hoped that she'd like the idea.

You smile in answer, closing your eyes when he leans against you and resting your head on his shoulder. This was nice, you could nod off right here if you wanted to. He was warmer than you, first because he was lower on the hemospectrum than you and because he was still running a fever. Your fins fluttered a little as he hummed, but his next statement completely caught you off guard. You sat up suddenly, almost smacking him with the top of your head as you do. Your face turned pink and you glanced away as you 'um'ed and 'ah'ed.

But, you surprised yourself. "Yeah, I'd like that."

I'll be sure to get a reservation when we get to my hive. I got stacks of food magazines and menus...

And dishes, and Faygo bottles, and that couch that needed to be cleaned. You sort of get this face, where you just smile and hug her while you are panicking on the inside. Your hive was a mess. You didn't have a lusus to look after you any more... Fuck.

So any type of food you prefer?

You gently play with her hair. It was nice the way she died it. You wondered what she thought of your shaggy lime dyed mane.

Your curl up against him, hiding your stupid grin in his chest. A few nights ago, he was seconds from driving a knife through your neck. Now you were hopelessly flushed for him. Quadrants were weird in that way. A quiet purr sparked in your chest as he played with your hair. "I'm good with anything, just no fish or seafood... I'm allergic." It was the stupidest thing, and you wondered if the universe was screwing with you by making you a SEAdweller that was allergic to SEAfood.

You yawned, tired. You stood and shut the window and the metal shutters, as the sun was slowly starting to rise. "We should both get some rest. Goodday, Aarush, I hope you sleep well." Before you could chicken out, you planted a quick kiss on his cheek before heading for your room across the hall.

Alright I'll remember that...

You say with a nod. Well if seafood was out of the question, you wonder how she would feel about steak. You would figure out a place to go. A yawn crosses your face as she stands to close the shutters. Already the sun was coming up. You stand up as she says good day... And smile as she gives you a kiss. Before she leaves however you pull her closer to you and bend slightly to touch her lips with yours.

Good day Princess.

Damnit you wanted to crawl into a coon with her. You dreaded the daymares that still may come. You hesitate letting her go, but you do. You don't want to make her feel rushed or hurried in your relationship.

You blushed when he kisses you. You were going to have to stop blushing when he treated you like this. You go to your room, closing the door behind you. You cover your mouth, giggling from excitement. You had a date. Oh glob what would you wear?! Ok deep breaths. You pulled on your pajamas, which was really just an over-sized and sopor stained shirt. After unbraiding your hair you sat halfway in your coon, reading as you fell asleep. But, as per usual, you had barely read one chapter before falling asleep and slipping into your coon.