'I can't believe I kissed her. What's got into me?' Jayson wondered as they
strolled to the kitchens. 'She reads me like a book, it's so hard for me
not to open up to her, but will she want to read my most darkest chapter?'
he worried.
Meia was trying not to touch or lick her lips incase it removed the feeling of his lips from them. 'I can't believe he kissed me! If that was his first ever kiss then I wonder what other natural talents he's got hidden.' Meia speculated, her mind still fuzzy. She heard a soft laugh in her head.
'What's so funny?' she asked Siren.
'You're acting like Orion, it's cute.' Siren replied.
'Hey! That could be an insult you know!' Meia joked.
'Why's that? You're just as love struck as he is.' Siren retorted.
'Maybe.' Meia agreed. 'I wonder what Jayson is thinking.' She wondered.
Jayson noticed Meia glance. 'No! She can't see I'm hiding something from her can she?' he panicked.
'I can't let her know my past, it's too dark and painful to relive. It'd only scare her away. I can't let her go now she's opened my barrier and let the light in.' he told himself.
'Are you okay?' Meia asked breaking the silence.
'Hmm? Yeah sorry, just thinking about something.' He replied.
'Oh? What's that?' she asked sweetly.
'You should know.' He teased.
'Oh be like that then!' she told him in mock annoyance.
'I will.' He relied grinning.
They finally found the kitchen and got a surprise when a small red furry animal jumped out on them with a squeaky growl.
'Hey little buddy we just want something to eat.' Jayson said smiling.
'He's cute.' Meia said bending down to tickle its tummy.
It jumped back and sqrowled.
'I don't think he likes that.' Jayson told her.
'That's because he's not a pet, he's a Moomba.' A voice said behind them.
'A Moomba huh? I always wondered what one looked like.' Meia replied standing up to turn round.
'He's a friend of ours.' The voice said, the dark lithe figure emerging from the shadows.
'Counsellor Kiros?' Jayson asked.
'Just Kiros.' The figure replied smiling, no longer wearing his Estharian robe and instead wearing dark red trousers and a pale gold short-sleeved shirt.
'Off duty huh?' Jayson said grinning.
'Kind of. I was sent to check up on you. You seem not to like to rest much I see, regardless what people tell you.' Kiros replied.
'Hey I was hungry! I can't recover without food.' Jayson retorted.
'And how come you were sent to check up on him? I was there!' Meia added.
'Laguna thought you needed a break.' Kiros explained.
'Hmm' Meia replied slightly pacified.
'So can I get food or not?' Jayson said to the Moomba, which stood defiantly before him.
The Moomba looked up at Kiros who gave a perceptible nod and he then scampered away.
'So just what were you planning on having?' Kiros inquired.
'I don't know, whatever's worth cooking. Why? Want some?' Jayson answered as he wandered over to the food stores.
'I don't see why not. I'm sure whatever you make can't be worse than anything I had in the army.' Kiros replied grinning as he sat at the counter.
'Count me in.' Meia said as she joined Kiros.
Jayson spent a few moments collecting the ingredients to his meal. He put a large frying pan onto the stove and heated some oil in it whilst he diced up some chicken breast and threw that in.
As that cooked he sliced and shredded greens, peppers and carrots and mixed them in with the browned meat. He finished by adding sauce and orange juice stirring and tossing it all together. He then placed it onto some plates and handed them out.
'A mild surprise.' Kiros said as he tasted the stir-fry.
'Oh? In what way?' Jayson asked as he speared a cube of chicken on his fork.
'It's better than I was expecting.' Kiros replied.
'Hey a SeeD has to be able to cook. All part of survival.' Jayson grinned as he tucked into his meal. 'I guess I don't need a comment from Meia.' He said smiling as he watched Meia wolfing down her stir-fry.
'What?!' she said swallowing, her cheeks darkening.
'Nothing, I can see you're enjoying it.' He replied smiling.
They finished their meal and Jayon cleaned up. Before they went to leave Jayson handed a bowl of stir-fry to the Moomba.
'Knock yourself out buddy.' Jayson told it.
The Moomba gave him a quizzical look and tentatively tasted the food.
'Rrr.' It squeaked and continued eating.
'Another satisfied customer.' Jayson said smiling.
'So what's your plans now?' Kiros asked.
'I don't know, I want to do something about Spore but I don't know where to start.' Jayson replied.
'Do you think there's any info in Esthar's library?' Meia asked aloud.
'Hmm maybe but would it be relevant? It's a shame we couldn't get our hands on something older, it'd be less likely to be corrupted by myth.' Jayson replied yawning.
'Well I'll get someone to check for you. But in the meantime get some rest. Meia I hope you'll make sure he goes to bed.' Kiros said giving a friendly nod before he wandered off.
'Ok you heard him. Time to go to bed!' Meia ordered.
'Sure, You coming with me?' Jayson flirted.
'We'll have to see won't we. Now move it!' Meia said giggling.
They made their to Jayson's room stumbling through the door laughing softly. Jayson fumbled around for the light switch, finding it and switching it on as Meia's arms snaked around his waist.
'So you are going to rest then?' she asked.
'Yep. Are you planning on staying to watch over me?' he asked taking hold of her hands leading Meia across the room.
'Maybe.' She murmured.
Jayson slid her hands from his waist to lean down to his bag, unzipping it.
'What are you doing?' she asked.
'Getting us some bedclothes.' Jayson replied pulling out a large black sweater.
'Oh really?' Meia replied smiling.
'Well would you rather be out in the cold or in a warm bed?' Jayson asked her.
'Good point.' Meia agreed.
'There you go that's the best I can do I'm afraid.' He told her handing her the sweater.
'That's okay.' She told him smiling, taking the sweater. 'So you're going to watch then?' she added.
'Sorry.' Jayson coughed embarrassedly, turning round to rummage through his bag as he heard a soft whisper of her clothes being taken off.
He almost jumped as he felt her hands touch his shoulders, spinning round to face her, he nearly choked in shock and nervousness at how good she looked, the sweater coming down to the middle of her shapely bare thighs and clinging in all the right places.
'Stunned I see.' She said grinning and adding 'So aren't you getting changed then?'
'Um yeah.' Jayson coughed, his cheeks flushing. He grabbed a pair of shorts from his back and disappeared into the en suite bathroom returning moments later.
'Very nice.' Meia purred making him blush more. It was then she noticed for the first time the network of scars all over his back.
'Hey, how did you get these?' she asked, softly tracing them with her fingertip.
'Just old injuries as a kid and training wounds.' He replied reaching behind for her hand.
He led her to the bed lifting the covers so she could slide in. Then turning the light off he slipped in beside her, his arms wrapping around her waist as she snuggled closer her back pressing against his body. Her hands moved on top of his as she closed her eyes lulled by his soft heartbeat and the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck.
Jayson closed his eyes, listening to her heartbeat in time with his, surprisingly relaxed and comfortable with the closeness of her, the soothing motions of her fingers sending him to sleep.
Meia was trying not to touch or lick her lips incase it removed the feeling of his lips from them. 'I can't believe he kissed me! If that was his first ever kiss then I wonder what other natural talents he's got hidden.' Meia speculated, her mind still fuzzy. She heard a soft laugh in her head.
'What's so funny?' she asked Siren.
'You're acting like Orion, it's cute.' Siren replied.
'Hey! That could be an insult you know!' Meia joked.
'Why's that? You're just as love struck as he is.' Siren retorted.
'Maybe.' Meia agreed. 'I wonder what Jayson is thinking.' She wondered.
Jayson noticed Meia glance. 'No! She can't see I'm hiding something from her can she?' he panicked.
'I can't let her know my past, it's too dark and painful to relive. It'd only scare her away. I can't let her go now she's opened my barrier and let the light in.' he told himself.
'Are you okay?' Meia asked breaking the silence.
'Hmm? Yeah sorry, just thinking about something.' He replied.
'Oh? What's that?' she asked sweetly.
'You should know.' He teased.
'Oh be like that then!' she told him in mock annoyance.
'I will.' He relied grinning.
They finally found the kitchen and got a surprise when a small red furry animal jumped out on them with a squeaky growl.
'Hey little buddy we just want something to eat.' Jayson said smiling.
'He's cute.' Meia said bending down to tickle its tummy.
It jumped back and sqrowled.
'I don't think he likes that.' Jayson told her.
'That's because he's not a pet, he's a Moomba.' A voice said behind them.
'A Moomba huh? I always wondered what one looked like.' Meia replied standing up to turn round.
'He's a friend of ours.' The voice said, the dark lithe figure emerging from the shadows.
'Counsellor Kiros?' Jayson asked.
'Just Kiros.' The figure replied smiling, no longer wearing his Estharian robe and instead wearing dark red trousers and a pale gold short-sleeved shirt.
'Off duty huh?' Jayson said grinning.
'Kind of. I was sent to check up on you. You seem not to like to rest much I see, regardless what people tell you.' Kiros replied.
'Hey I was hungry! I can't recover without food.' Jayson retorted.
'And how come you were sent to check up on him? I was there!' Meia added.
'Laguna thought you needed a break.' Kiros explained.
'Hmm' Meia replied slightly pacified.
'So can I get food or not?' Jayson said to the Moomba, which stood defiantly before him.
The Moomba looked up at Kiros who gave a perceptible nod and he then scampered away.
'So just what were you planning on having?' Kiros inquired.
'I don't know, whatever's worth cooking. Why? Want some?' Jayson answered as he wandered over to the food stores.
'I don't see why not. I'm sure whatever you make can't be worse than anything I had in the army.' Kiros replied grinning as he sat at the counter.
'Count me in.' Meia said as she joined Kiros.
Jayson spent a few moments collecting the ingredients to his meal. He put a large frying pan onto the stove and heated some oil in it whilst he diced up some chicken breast and threw that in.
As that cooked he sliced and shredded greens, peppers and carrots and mixed them in with the browned meat. He finished by adding sauce and orange juice stirring and tossing it all together. He then placed it onto some plates and handed them out.
'A mild surprise.' Kiros said as he tasted the stir-fry.
'Oh? In what way?' Jayson asked as he speared a cube of chicken on his fork.
'It's better than I was expecting.' Kiros replied.
'Hey a SeeD has to be able to cook. All part of survival.' Jayson grinned as he tucked into his meal. 'I guess I don't need a comment from Meia.' He said smiling as he watched Meia wolfing down her stir-fry.
'What?!' she said swallowing, her cheeks darkening.
'Nothing, I can see you're enjoying it.' He replied smiling.
They finished their meal and Jayon cleaned up. Before they went to leave Jayson handed a bowl of stir-fry to the Moomba.
'Knock yourself out buddy.' Jayson told it.
The Moomba gave him a quizzical look and tentatively tasted the food.
'Rrr.' It squeaked and continued eating.
'Another satisfied customer.' Jayson said smiling.
'So what's your plans now?' Kiros asked.
'I don't know, I want to do something about Spore but I don't know where to start.' Jayson replied.
'Do you think there's any info in Esthar's library?' Meia asked aloud.
'Hmm maybe but would it be relevant? It's a shame we couldn't get our hands on something older, it'd be less likely to be corrupted by myth.' Jayson replied yawning.
'Well I'll get someone to check for you. But in the meantime get some rest. Meia I hope you'll make sure he goes to bed.' Kiros said giving a friendly nod before he wandered off.
'Ok you heard him. Time to go to bed!' Meia ordered.
'Sure, You coming with me?' Jayson flirted.
'We'll have to see won't we. Now move it!' Meia said giggling.
They made their to Jayson's room stumbling through the door laughing softly. Jayson fumbled around for the light switch, finding it and switching it on as Meia's arms snaked around his waist.
'So you are going to rest then?' she asked.
'Yep. Are you planning on staying to watch over me?' he asked taking hold of her hands leading Meia across the room.
'Maybe.' She murmured.
Jayson slid her hands from his waist to lean down to his bag, unzipping it.
'What are you doing?' she asked.
'Getting us some bedclothes.' Jayson replied pulling out a large black sweater.
'Oh really?' Meia replied smiling.
'Well would you rather be out in the cold or in a warm bed?' Jayson asked her.
'Good point.' Meia agreed.
'There you go that's the best I can do I'm afraid.' He told her handing her the sweater.
'That's okay.' She told him smiling, taking the sweater. 'So you're going to watch then?' she added.
'Sorry.' Jayson coughed embarrassedly, turning round to rummage through his bag as he heard a soft whisper of her clothes being taken off.
He almost jumped as he felt her hands touch his shoulders, spinning round to face her, he nearly choked in shock and nervousness at how good she looked, the sweater coming down to the middle of her shapely bare thighs and clinging in all the right places.
'Stunned I see.' She said grinning and adding 'So aren't you getting changed then?'
'Um yeah.' Jayson coughed, his cheeks flushing. He grabbed a pair of shorts from his back and disappeared into the en suite bathroom returning moments later.
'Very nice.' Meia purred making him blush more. It was then she noticed for the first time the network of scars all over his back.
'Hey, how did you get these?' she asked, softly tracing them with her fingertip.
'Just old injuries as a kid and training wounds.' He replied reaching behind for her hand.
He led her to the bed lifting the covers so she could slide in. Then turning the light off he slipped in beside her, his arms wrapping around her waist as she snuggled closer her back pressing against his body. Her hands moved on top of his as she closed her eyes lulled by his soft heartbeat and the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck.
Jayson closed his eyes, listening to her heartbeat in time with his, surprisingly relaxed and comfortable with the closeness of her, the soothing motions of her fingers sending him to sleep.