I got no feedback from he first chapter, but people read it...so I guess that's a good thing...Here's the second chapter of Return and Renew. Read a review please!!!
Chapter 2
Alyssa opened the door to her apartment and walked inside. Without even closing the door behind her, she hurried into the back, going through a door which could only be guess as leading to her room. Zen-Aku sighed and walked in, closing the door behind himself. He looked around. It was quite a spacious apartment containing two rooms, the room he was standing in and the back room, which was Alyssa's bedroom. The room Zen-Aku was in was decked out with living room and kitchen in all. The kitchen was complete with a stove, oven, microwave, sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, and freezer with a table in the middle of it all to eat on. Past the table and towards where Zen-Aku was standing, the living room was comprised of a TV, with a couch, sofa, and coffee table sitting opposite of it and a reading lamp in between the couch and sofa. As Zen-Aku finished examined the big though ordinary room, Alyssa had returned, wearing a pink t-shirt with a white tiger on it and holding Zen-Aku's cloak.
Zen-Aku chuckled softly but immediately turned it into a cough when Alyssa looked curiously at him. 'Typical…for her to be wearing something like that…' Zen-Aku thought, looking at her shirt and smiling behind his mask as Alyssa turned and headed towards a coat rack. "I'm not staying…" Zen-Aku called to her as she made to put his cloak on the rack, his smile fading.
Alyssa turned, disappointment etched on her face. "Oh…" She walked over to Zen-Aku and handed him his cloak, which he took. "But…you haven't eaten anything, have you? It's pretty late it I doubt you can just walk into a restaurant to get something to eat…" She fell silent at the look Zen-Aku was giving her.
"I am an Org…I do not require food…" He said in a snarl.
"But I thought-"
"I do not require food…!" Zen-Aku snarled again.
Alyssa cringed and took a step back, looking at the ground.
"I don't even know why I thought that you could help…" Zen-Aku grumbled, turning with cloak in hand, reaching for the doorknob to leave. No sooner did he grasp the handle, his stomach gave a loud growl.
Alyssa blinked, then frowned, placing her hands on her hips in an indignant fashion. "What was that?"
Zen-Aku turned, looking embarrassed. "Nothing…I…uh…" There was another growl.
Alyssa pointed to the couch. "Sit!" She commanded.
"But I-" Zen-Aku was cut off by the glare Alyssa was giving him. "Yes ma'am…" He said, and trudged over to the couch and sitting in it, placing his cloak on the arm rest.
After he sat down, Alyssa walked off into the kitchen and rummaged around in the refrigerator as Zen-Aku watched her. He sighed and placed his face in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. That was just embarrassing, a duke org being pushed around by a lowly human. He thought he would just die right there in shame. That was until a sizzling sound and a wonderful smell came from the kitchen. He looked up to see Alyssa with her back to him, cooking over the stove. What ever she was making was unseen to Zen-Aku but it smelled great and made his stomach growl again. He had been traveling for the last year and had not eaten the past week. Within the next 30 minutes, Alyssa came back over with a big plate of a variety of meat and vegetables, setting it down on the coffee table in front of Zen-Aku.
"I didn't know what you ate…so I just made a little of…" Alyssa paused as Zen-Aku unlatched a clasp on his mask, opening it, and wolfed down the food through the opening in his mask. "…everything…"
Alyssa watched Zen-Aku as he continued to eat with a mixture of disgust and amusement on her face. When Zen-Aku finally finished, she smiled slightly. Zen-Aku set the plate down with a satisfied sigh, licking his lips and closing the clasp on his mask. He was still a little hungry but at least it was at a reasonable level.
Alyssa gave an amused giggle and bent down to collect his empty plate. "There's a bathroom in back. Go start getting washed up, I'll join you in a second to help."
Zen-Aku stood up with a snarl. Staying for dinner was one thing, but this is where Zen-Aku had to draw the line. "To help?! What makes you think I'll allow you to help me bathe?!"
"What makes you think I'll be willing to let you on your own, giving you the chance to escape?!" Alyssa shot back, her face falling.
"Escape?!" Zen-Aku repeated, anger spiking within him. "Now I'm some sort of captive?!"
"Yes! Now go!" Alyssa said sternly, pointing to the bathroom. She was kidding about him being a captive, of course, but was taken aback when Zen-Aku stomped off in the direction she was pointing. "I was joking…" Alyssa said in a quiet and astonished voice, but not loud enough for Zen-Aku to hear. Alyssa then heard the sound of running water after a while and figured that Zen-Aku had actually did what she said and went to bathe himself. Alyssa walked into the kitchen and washed the plate Zen-Aku had cleaned, then storing it in the dishwasher. She then went towards the bathroom and heard the water still running through the closed door. She gave a tentative knock.
"Come in…" Zen-Aku grumbled.
Alyssa opened the door and was stunned to see Zen-Aku actually sitting in the tub, facing away from the door, already scrubbing himself clean. His armor was discarded and placed in a neat pile near the door. He was completely stripped of his armor, save for his mask, and was sitting in the water Alyssa walked silently and hesitantly over to Zen-Aku and looked down into the tub. The water already had a faint shade of brown. Alyssa grimaced. Zen-Aku must be incredibly filthy to make the water this dirty by a few moments of cleaning, and to make matters worse, he was wearing one of her favorite towels around his waist to give himself some decency. Alyssa sighed and knelt down in front of the tub.
She was having second doubts about this and was wondering why they came up now and not before. She picked up one of the wash cloths that were sitting next to the sink, applied soap to it, and dipped it in the water before scrubbing down on Zen-Aku's back. Zen-Aku gave a small grunt as he straightened his back, the scrubbing having a positive effect on him. There was the sound of shifting water, making Alyssa look down between Zen-Aku's back and the tubs side and was startled to see a tail there, wagging from side to side, a positive reaction. After a moments pause, Alyssa continued to scrub his back.
It was a while before Zen-Aku spoke. "…Thanks…"
Alyssa looked up in puzzlement. "For what?"
"For treating me so nicely…" Zen-Aku muttered quickly, as if trying to get something unpleasant over with quickly.
"Oh…well…it's nothing…" Alyssa said, blushing slightly as she moved to his shoulders. "If anything…I should be thanking you for saving me from those bikers…"
Zen-Aku shrugged. "It was the right thing to do…isn't that what you rangers kept preaching…"
"I wouldn't go so far as to call it preaching…" Alyssa said, moving over to remove the stopper on the drain to let the murky water drain out, replaced the stopper, and turned on the tap, allowing the tub to refill itself.
"Whatever…" Zen-Aku grunted, using the fresh water to rinse the soap from his front that he had applied himself.
Alyssa got up and turned off the tap when the tub was filled. "Rinse yourself off and dry yourself…I'll leave some clothes for you to wear at the door…just consider yourself lucky that Cole keeps forgetting his clothes here and hope they fit you…I'll take your armor and…wash them some how…"
Zen-Aku gave another grunt and submerged himself in the water, ridding himself of the soap on his body.
Alyssa turned and gathered up Zen-Aku's armor and exiting the bathroom. She got a plastic tub and filled it with water, then just dumped the armor in, letting it soak. She then went into her room to fetch some of Cole's clothing she kept in a bag, hoping to remember to give it back next time he visited. She then laid it on the inside of the bathroom door and went to wait on the couch, turning on the TV. It was several minutes before Zen-Aku came out. Alyssa looked up from the program she was watching to look at Zen-Aku. He was now wearing a red t-shirt with a golden lion on it that just barely fit him with a pair of jeans that surprised Alyssa since they actually seemed to fit on him.
"I feel so…so…defenseless wearing this…how do you humans stand just wearing this…?" Zen-Aku asked, pulling at the shirt on him.
"We manage…" Alyssa said with a smile. "I'm glad they actually fit you…"
Zen-Aku made no comment, making Alyssa feel that, if given the need, he would have walked out nude if he had to…
Alyssa looked at Zen-Aku, who was standing awkwardly, his tail hanging limp behind him. "Sit down…" She said, patting the seat next to her.
Zen-Aku considered for a moment before giving in and sitting next to Alyssa, moving his tail out of the way so he wouldn't sit on it.
"Why don't you take your mask off too…it doesn't look to comfortable keeping it on all the time…"
Zen-Aku shook his head and remained sitting there.
Alyssa was about to try and get him to take his mask off when a clock chimed midnight. Alyssa jumped to her feet. She had to get to school tomorrow and if she didn't get some sleep, she wouldn't be able to keep up with the kids. "Um…the couch is all I can offer you…" She said quietly, watching Zen-Aku for a reaction, but he merely shrugged.
Alyssa waited to see if he would say anything else and when he didn't she bade him goodnight was walked off to her room. The sensible part of her was telling the kick him out of the house now so he couldn't cause trouble as she slept, but the other part said that if he was there to cause trouble, he would've done it already…
