25.

Location: Numbuoy Apartments, Level 1, New Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa, EARTH.
Timestamp: October 21st 2552. 17:42 hours.
Unit ID: Shay'est (Female, 6'1") Sangheili, Minor Domo.
Status: Functioning.

Shay'est was entranced by the wondrous device hanging from the wall. Sure, they had broadcast systems similar to this on Sanghelios, but they were used for much more important needs. The humans on this planet seemed to use these systems as a form of basic entertainment. She was baffled that they would use such technology so ungratefully.

She continued to watch until she felt something bump her shoulder, slightly startling her. She turned her head to the right slowly, to find Jacob's head resting on her shoulder. He had fallen asleep. She giggled to herself, but then looked outside. It was dark. Very dark.

"What? When did that happen? How long have we been sitting here? It felt like mere minutes had passed by!" She whispered loudly to Techie.

He looked at her and smirked "That's how television works. You sit here watching for a few moments, and before you know it, hours have passed." He chuckled.

How incredible! Shay'est thought to herself. The humans have invented a time travel device of some sort! They must be far more intelligent than we had initially anticipated. She thought to herself, and then she looked down to Jacob.

He was drooling on her shoulder and had begun to snore, his tongue slightly hanging out of his mouth.

Shay'est giggled, covering her mouth with her left hand. "Or perhaps not…" she whispered to herself, avoiding waking up Jacob from his slumber.

"Sorry?" Techie asked "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. Do not worry." She smiled at him "I think it is time for bed for this one," she said, nudging Jacob slightly, his head bobbed on her shoulder and awoke him, causing him to sit up, eyes half open, and gazing about the room, confused. "Could you please stand guard for us while I put him to bed?" she smiled politely as she asked.

Martin nodded and smiled back. With that, she stood up and clutched Jacob's shoulder. He looked up at her sheepishly with a smile. She blushed and giggled. He sure was an interesting character. Quite adorable indeed. "Time for bed, Jacob."

"Okay, lead the way." He replied, almost muttering it under his breath whilst he attempted to stifle a yawn.

She took his hand in hers, and helped him to his feet. They then proceeded to stumble down the hall together, toward the room they had slept in the night before. Hopefully the bed tonight will be just as comfortable as it was the previous one.

As they reached the bedroom, Shay'est let go of Jacob, confident that he could continue the journey to his bed alone, whilst she closed the door behind them. Once she had done that, and heard the click that confirmed it was closed, she turned around to see Jacob undressing. Her face lit up purple and she started to look away, but stopped suddenly and glanced back at him. He didn't seem to notice she was watching.

She watched him slowly pull his suit down over his shoulders, the moonlight bouncing entrancingly off his flesh. She watched, as the suit fell, almost in slow motion down to his ankles, revealing his boxer shorts he had worn beneath the suit. She felt her heart throb within her chest as she watched him reach down toward his boxers, about to pull them down too.

No matter how much she wanted to look away, she remained fixated on him. She was too embarrassed to watch, but too intoxicated to look away. It felt like she was watching a rat swallow a plasma grenade. Couldn't watch, couldn't look away.

The light that reflected off of his abdominal muscles bounced into her eyes as her mind was engulfed with an ocean of memories that came flooding into her brain from their previous moment in the shower. The feel of his body against hers. The warmth that she felt as they intertwined their bodies together.

Her face grew even further purple at the thoughts and she eventually had to look away. She approached the bed and began to remove her armour also. As she removed her breast piece she ran her finger over the scar she had from the bullet grazing, which Jacob was kind hearted enough to repair. She smiled at the thought of him patching her up like he did. It was a risky move for him, and she couldn't thank him enough for it.

Jacob slid into bed as Shay'est continued to strip. Once she was nude, she slid in beside him, this time shuffling closer to him, and placing a hand on his chest. She pulled up her knee and slid her leg over the top of his, leaning her face in toward his ear.

"Hey Jacob…" she whispered.

"Mm?" he moaned a reply, urging her to continue with what she was about to say.

"I just wanted to say that… Well…" she gently smiled at herself "I wanted to tell you I am very thankful for you helping me. For stitching me up and looking after me, even though I could have been a threat to you. Thank you. I also wanted to say thank you for earlier… You know…" She trailed off and gently planted a kiss on his soft, warm cheek.

She didn't hear a reply from him, so she checked to see if he was listening. She glanced up at his face to find him asleep again. She closed her eyes, giggled and lied back down on the pillow, snuggling against him closer, her head resting over his shoulder, fitting comfortably into place, like a puzzle piece due to the shape of her head and neck.

"In time, dear…" She whispered. "In time…"