Anger. Frustration. Doubt. And most of all, betrayal. She felt like she was taken advantage of, a feeling she had experienced far too much in her short life. But unlike all the other times she was faced with such a challenge, she at least had the ability to free herself from it. This time she couldn't. This guy, this beast, this alien needed her. As much as he didn't want to admit it, his survival relied solely on her. But, again, he'd never admit it! Instead he preferred to give her the cold shoulder.
I hate pride, she thought bitterly as she swept up the sand off of the basement's concrete floor.
Second week in and Rae had no idea what to do now. Her vacation time was up and she had called in sick… again. Now her position at work was beginning to be questioned, but she couldn't help it! Could she really trust that her home wouldn't be burnt to a crisp when she returned from her shift? It was bad enough that she needed to provide for two people, but now she was also working with a very bored alien that was meant to be very active.
Thankfully there was about a 5-mile radius from the property to the closest residents and businesses of the town, so there was literally nothing to worry about. With no one around to be bothered and plenty for him to enjoy outside, it was probably the perfect place for him to stay. Bad news was the weather was not having any of it. It had gone from frigid temperatures to pouring rain that never ceased to stop, each storm seemingly rolling into the next. Today was an exception, but it still wasn't all that pretty out after the intense showers that had taken place the other night.
If she was being honest, she hated this time of season, it was so mucky there was absolutely nothing to do but stay indoors. Not even Chase wanted to go outside and that was saying something. He was always an outdoors cat, never to the point of fearing that he might not return, but enough that he would make enemies with the small wildlife community, mainly the squirrels and chipmunks, though there was that old skunk, Chase's old nemesis, hanging around here somewhere.
The black and white weasel apparently did not appreciate Chase's curious advances the first time they had crossed paths and ever since, she had to be careful going outside in fear she would meet it up close. The garden beds she had tried to keep up had turned into a literal bed for that pest. Rae was pretty certain it was trying to purposefully provoke Chase, subtly letting him know he was trespassing in his territory and taking care to rub it in his face. Boys be boys, and she was really starting to get a clear picture of that.
Her thoughts immediately went back to her archenemy at the moment and she groaned. Her life was never going to be normal again, not that it ever was, but now her version of normal living had come to a screeching halt thanks to a particular alien. She was playing his game now.
All too late, she realized that she much preferred his grumpy side than his restless one. At least before he would just stay in his room and avoid her, but now he was like a walking time bomb that could go off at any second and she was certain one of her ornaments or picture frames would pay the price. Just the other day he broke her favorite vase whilst tormenting poor Chase. That pretty much did it for her.
Resisting the itching desire to yell and throw whatever she could at him, she recalled her father's patience. She never knew anyone in the world to be so composed and even-tempered as he was. Even on her worst days, he was considerate and took the time to see things from her point of view. Could you not also do the same for him? she could almost hear her father's words.
So she did, or at least she tried.
Just yesterday she had decided it was time to introduce him to a new outlet to use that volatile energy on. So she had him follow her over to the basement door, waving her arm for him to follow her down the steep wooden steps. His growling figure grew silent as they entered her workout space. Down here was where she kept the bench press, weights, some yoga mats, a pull-up bar, a couple of resistance bands, and in the far end of the spacious room was her old well-acquainted friend, the punching bag.
He was completely oblivious to the purpose of it which came as a surprise, but then she reminded herself of his kind's vast technology. It was highly likely that this was something almost prehistoric to him.
"It's called a punching bag," she answered his wordless inquiry. "That pretty much defines its purpose too."
He silently watched as she moved to stand before the large sand-filled sack. She stood in a fighting stance, her fists raised. With sudden quickness her torso twisted as her right arm struck out. Her fist connected solidly with the object. The force of her hit made the bag sway.
"This is where you relieve your anger and frustration," she grunted, swiftly striking again, only this time with her left. The chain shuddered as the bag took the brunt of her blow. Having made her point, she placed her hand on the bag's smooth canvas surface, helping to cease its movement before stepping back to give the big guy some room. "Give it a try," she nodded towards it.
She shivered in the present, as she was brought back to that quaking moment.
His mass, which was already big, seemed to grow as his body swelled and hardened into the monstrous predator he was. She could remember his hands flaring at his sides until they curled into large fists so tight, his knuckles popped. Then without warning his whole body lunged forward with immense power, so great that she felt more than heard the impact. The bag literally swung, almost coming down from the hook she had it chained to.
The beast of an alien stood in frozen animation, his left arm still extended impressively in that formidable pose.
It was almost like a flashback. Self-consciously she reached up and felt her jaw. How did her mandible not shatter under such a vicious blow? She swallowed. "Okay, well… um you know what to do with it now so uh…. I'll be upstairs if you need me."
He just looked over his shoulder and watched her as she fumbled with her words.
Thinking about it now, however, she should have stood her ground and waited for a 'thank you' or some other form of gratitude, instead of his stoic gaze. Maybe it was just her experience, but most men seemed to be selfish creatures. She knew there was some good out there, like her father, but they were hard to come by. And for some reason she had to save and patch up the most arrogant, and selfish, and brooding of them all.
She tried to be attentive and bolstering to nurse him back to health, but apparently that meant nothing to him. No, instead, here she finds herself yet again, cleaning up his mess! Flustered with her swirling emotions, she swept the floor with more vigor, gathering up what remained of her punching bag; a pile of tattered canvas and sand now.
The longer she cleaned, the more she pondered over it. There was no way his fists could do this. She could only conclude that in anger he lashed out with his claws. And left the mess to his maid, she thought resentfully.
And then for no reason at all, a question popped into her head. Why was he angry? She didn't know the complete answer, but she probably had a gist of it. Then, out of the blue, a new thought came to her. He'll never get to see his family again. And just like that her resentment towards him evaporated out of thin air. Does he have a wife? Kids? Are they waiting for him? She didn't even know how old he was. He couldn't be an old-timer if he looked like that, but he was an alien. Perhaps age wasn't as much of a factor to building muscle as it was here.
She shook her head, dispelling the images that were forming in her mind. She wanted to stay angry and hold onto the misery he put her under, but that wasn't her. It didn't matter how many times he upset her, the life she had now was nothing in comparison to the anguish she experienced years ago. He may be difficult and overbearing at times, but she could still find contentment. It would just take time and patience.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Fishing it out, she turned the screen on and saw a text notification. She smiled seeing it was from Naomi. Always checking on me.
Naomi: How's the head? When ur available to do so, would love to hang out. Maybe the mall?
Rae chuckled and texted in response.
Rae: Would love that too.
Maybe the weekend? But then her mind went to the big guy. Taking a moment to consider it, she sent the text before she changed her mind.
Rae: I think I can spare a couple hours tomorrow. Does that work for you?
It wasn't a minute later when she got an answer.
Naomi: Oh I will make it work!
Rae smirked, shaking her head. Naomi's eagerness could be felt through the phone, but she couldn't say she didn't feel the same way. She needed to get out of the house and away from any responsibilities. Speaking of which, she noticed the time. Time to feed the beast.
The days on this planet were so short. How could one do anything with such a short span of time? Perhaps that was the need for humans to produce artificial light in their homes, to extend the day as much as possible. Frankly, Tomak didn't rely on such things as his eyes were perfectly adapted to seeing in the dark.
Opening up the panel on his gauntlet, he inspected it once more. A growl bubbled forth from his chest as he fiddled with the wiring. It was in poor condition and although he doubted it would ever work again, he still held onto hope. Paya willing, this could be the only source for him to contact his clan. But unfortunately, he was limited to the tools he had.
Perhaps the female had something he could use, but again there was an issue with that. He doubted the little spitfire would be willing to cooperate if the scathing look he received from her this morning was any indicator. No one, not even members of his own clan would dare to challenge him as she had. She may not have uttered a word, but her eyes said everything he needed to know. Even her scent warned him.
An excited shudder had pulsed through his body at the prospect of a fight, but she did nothing. And unfortunately, their honor code protected her now. She was untouchable.
Just thinking of the little female made him uneasy. Had it not been a feeling he knew too well, he might have wondered if he was ill. This nagging sensation was usually his conscience warning him, but how could it have any correlation to the human? Honor meant everything to the yautja and what she did for him was very honorable. And yet you have not shown her such in return.
And there it was.
It felt wrong to show honor to prey, but in the time he has spent with her, despite his anger and fierce opposition to her presence, she had shown more honor than he had. Just the notion sent him to his feet with a snarl, tossing the device on the bed. Prey was showing more honor than an Elite warrior. It was distasteful.
He sat on the end of the pallet and tried to relax. These were the exact same thoughts that disturbed him yesterday. In this dangerous frame of mind, he had broken out in a blind rage and destroyed the training equipment she had introduced him to. What had become of his self-control? Did Vash'ti really strip him of that as well? Such rash actions were not becoming of a warrior and worse still, he dishonored the human female again.
Lowering himself onto the wooden floor, he sat in his usual position for meditation. He needed to clear his mind and focus. Usually the white noise of his environment was an immense help. Breathing deeply and allowing his lungs to fully expand and contract, an increase in the atmospheric elements flooded to his brain, helping him feel a sense of tranquility. The persistent alarm of his inner voice quieted into nonexistence. A satisfied sigh escaped him.
In this calm state, he allowed his thoughts to drift back to the little female. What did she have to gain from these forced circumstances? Protection? He snorted. It was unlikely. If she had the strength of a vydral, she was more than capable of handling herself. She did seem afraid of the authorities of this planet however, so the idea was not astray, at least not until he learned more. It was doubtful he would discover anything soon. He found it incredibly difficult to speak to prey. Not prey, he corrected himself. Her actions exalted her above that.
So, if protection was not her intent, what were her motives? She lost more with him being here. She lost food, supplies, her pallet, and a sense of security. He knew she feared him, he could sense how tense she would become when he approached, so what was the point of all of this? It was hard to imagine that everything she did was out of honor. Her species was known for lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, the list went on for all their dishonorable acts. But, he acknowledged that this didn't constitute the attitudes of all humans. There had to at least be a few of the planet's inhabitants that held some dignity and a sense of good morals. And there was the possibility that he was living with one of those individuals.
Even after thoroughly thinking the matter through, Tomak was still left discontented.
Light knocking yanked his attention away from meditating to the wooden door. "Food's ready, whenever you want it."
This could wait, he decided.
Rising to his feet he took a few long strides before reaching the barrier that stood in between them. He had hoped the female was still on the other side of the door. He wanted to witness her expression to his appearance, it never ceased to amuse him. Upon opening it however, he had come to find that she had already moved on. In fact, instead of waiting for him in the kitchen, like she normally did, she was nowhere to be found.
The sudden sound of metal scraping against a surface seized his awareness. Silently moving closer to where the sound had emanated from, he found himself peering into the adjacent room. And there she was, already eating her food.
He was aware she would take a seat at the small table on occasion to eat, but as long as she was content and away from him, that had never mattered.
Remembering his own meal, Tomak returned to the kitchen area and retrieved his plate. He turned to leave, his original intent to sit in his room and away from her, like he always had. As he took another step, the urge to look back in the direction of the female became overwhelming. He wordlessly watched from the side as she moved the food around her plate with one hand, while resting her head against the fist of the other. Her body language told him that was not happy. It was too bad she didn't have a companion to lift her spirits.
About to turn away, he paused mid-action. He didn't know why seeing her sitting all by herself bothered him. Possibly it was due to how he had been treating her as of late, with cold acknowledgement. She saved his life, that much was true, and what has he done in return? Nothing.
Had another yautja done the same, he would be bound by honor to show his gratitude for their actions. Although she wasn't yautja, she had shown a great deal of honor on his behalf. Tomak released a heavy sigh.
An idea flickered through his mind, but he was disturbed by it. A hunter sitting with a prey-like species. It did not matter if she was prey or not, it still felt inappropriate. To sit and mingle with her would reflect on himself, his ideals, his strength, his worth, but it would also reciprocate a great deal of honor to her as well. The tension in his shoulders lessened as he reminded himself that it was just the two of them. It would not be as if his whole clan were watching him keep company with this... huma- Rae, he could imagine her lecturing him.
After informing the big guy, she gathered her own food and sat down at the table to tuck in. She mixed the chicken and rice together a few times, her mind straying as she tried to come up with a plan of action for her job.
She was the first face you would see, walking into a dental office, and although it wasn't overly complicated and everyone on the team was so nice, she just wasn't feeling it anymore. This was a common problem for Rae, never really knowing what she wanted to do. Hence, that was the reason why she had changed careers four times in the past couple years. She would figure it out eventually, it was just going to be a while.
Her fork picked up a piece of chicken that was slathered in the red sauce, bringing it to her mouth, she chewed thoughtfully. Not a moment later she coughed; the hot spice hit the back of her throat. Maybe that was a bit too much curry paste, she realized. Resisting the urge to get up and add more tomato sauce to the batch, she brought her drink up to her mouth. As she did, a large shadow was cast over her. She froze, swallowing tensely as she glanced up at the large body near her.
What now? she wanted to ask. Before she could voice her question, she watched in complete bewilderment as he pulled out the chair directly in front of her. Without even the slightest hesitancy, he seated himself, the chair creaking loudly in protest and his knees brushing up against her own. Nervously, she lowered her drink and pushed her chair back a bit to give them both room.
She looked at him with wide eyes, expecting him to explain his unusual behavior, but instead, he leaned forward over his food and hungrily ate. Undecided about how to go about asking what he was up to, she resorted to a simpler approach. "Big Guy," she greeted with a nod.
He lifted his head from his dinner and grunted, meeting her gaze, "Rae."
Did he- did he just…? Her mouth fell open. He said her name! He actually, for the first time, said her name and it wasn't a butchered pronunciation! He had such a hard time saying other words, but for some reason, when it came to her name, it was as if he had said it all his life. Was she finally past the days of being referred to as 'female?' God she hoped so. Realizing she probably looked like an idiot with her mouth agape like a fish, she promptly shut it, anticipating with much zeal that he'd say something else.
When he continued eating though, a stupid smile crept over her facial features. This was something Rae had never expected to see, and as much as she was enjoying it, she couldn't help but ask. "Do you have a fever?"
"Fffever?" he looked at her, tilting his head.
"Yeah," she smirked, "you must be sick if you're talking to me."
Tomak sat completely rigid in the rickety chair. He couldn't follow her words, they made no sense. He felt fine! Was this a joke?
Lacking a response from him, and feeling a little self-conscious under his unblinking gaze, she cleared her throat and moved the conversation along. "So, what are you doing here?" she turned her face down, acting as if she were focused on moving the food around her plate, while intentionally avoiding his penetrating eyes. He chuffed as if it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world.
"Eatting," was his short reply.
Her smirk returned. No duh. What's your plan here, Big Guy? When she shifted her fork again, she peeked up at him, seeing that he was intent on finishing his food. Did he normally eat so fast? Maybe he thinks I'm going to interrupt again. Her lips tightly withheld her growing amusement at the situation. Suppressing her bombarding questions, she took a bite of her own food.
This was too weird. Did she enter a whole new reality?
As the seconds ticked by, her intrigue got the best of her. In between bites she would catch glimpses of the powerful warrior. The way he sat, all tall and proud, back straight, shoulders only slightly stooped forward. On the downward trip, she forced her eyes to skip down his chest to where he rested his thick forearms. They mainly remained like walls of protection around his food, as if shielding it from anyone stupid enough to make a grab for it. Maybe in his youth some had. She had so many questions about him. So many curiosities about himself, his people, his home. And did his people really only eat meat?
Now seeing the diminishing slab of meat served before him, she became increasingly fascinated with his mouth, or more specifically, his mandibles and their usage in the eating process. She watched with great interest as those large tusks stabbed the smaller pieces of beef, bringing them into his mouth which made quick work, his sharp teeth shredding the meat before scarfing it down completely. She was so absorbed with his mouth, it hadn't registered yet that she was staring. Suddenly the show was over and he growled softly. Her eyes suddenly flicked up to his, and she immediately felt embarrassed.
He rumbled, noting how her eyes dropped almost submissively, recognizing her error. It pleased him.
"Sorry, I just… I've never seen you eat before." He grunted, hopefully accepting her apology as he went right back to his meal as if nothing happened. She felt it would be wise if she did the same.
Frankly, Tomak didn't mind her watching; there was no harm to it, but she had made it increasingly obvious as time went on. In fact, he too thought it was interesting how she ate. No mandibles to assist keeping the food in her mouth, instead she had smooth plain cheeks that would expand to hold whatever amount she decided to put in. Very alien indeed.
After he finished his steak, instead of returning the dish, he remained seated, oddly curious of the substance she was eating. It was partly meat from what he could tell, but it was covered in an orange-red paste that he could not identify. Blood maybe? And there were also these tiny brown pieces that supported the bloody meat, which she also shoveled generously onto her miniature utensil.
Rae felt a little awkward that he hadn't left yet, but much to her relief, she noticed that he was observing her food more so than her. "Do you want to try some?" The question surprised her as much as it did him. He snapped his head back up to look at her, the jerking motion making his curtained dreads sway. As was per usual, he didn't respond, so Rae took the leap and made the decision for him, scooping up a piece of chicken and depositing it on his empty plate.
He watched it carefully, contemplating whether or not to consume the foreign food. For the third time today, his curiosity got the better of him, again outweighing his caution. Picking up the spicy chicken in between his claws, he tilted his head back and dropped it in his carnivorous mouth. After he did, he felt something almost burning inside of his mouth. He growled, flicking his head back and forth as if that would remove the taste. It didn't work. He glared at her and roared, which sent her to her feet. "Ttry to poissson mme!"
She knew exactly what he needed and hurried off to pour a glass of milk. Not even bothering to put the milk carton back in the fridge, she quickly ran back, somehow managing not to spill the contents of the glass as she hastily handed it to him. "Here this will help!"
He snarled, snatching the cup before looking down at the white liquid substance, "That poisson too?!"
Rae frowned, "Oh sure, cuz I eat poison! What you're experiencing is called spice, but I guess if you want to blame the human then go right ahead!" She spun around, leaving him to fend for himself.
Tomak watched her go. He looked back down at the liquid she gave him and hesitantly lifted it to his mouth. The white substance easily washed down his throat, lessening the burning sensation immensely. Placing the glass back down on the table, he growled low, now angry with himself. The sole purpose of sitting with her was to show gratitude, but now he realized he had buried himself deeper in his debt to her.
A deep growl echoed from the dining area.
How could he be so foolish? But he was aware it was not just his fault. Females could be so confusing, especially of a different species. When she first offered to share her food, he froze. Amongst his kind, a female would only share food in the interest of mating. But the moment she offered, he looked into her eyes and it didn't appear that that was her intent at all. Their cultures were so vastly different, it was proving to be more of a barrier than anything else.
It was no excuse.
Resisting the desire to do exactly what he had done every other day, he trailed after her. She was easy enough to find as he tracked her to the bedroom. Once he entered she glanced up at him.
"I was just coming in here to grab some things, then it's all yours," she dug through her drawers a bit faster.
Perhaps he was getting used to her after all. He could already detect a variation to her voice pattern. She sounded distant and detached. Upset. Walking over to the pallet, he picked up his mask and placed it snugly to his face.
Having found her pajamas, Rae hastily made for her exit, giving a generous amount of space between them as she circled around him, trying with all her self-discipline to not look at the broad-shouldered alien that was silently observing her as he stood motionless in the center of the room. She had just managed to reach the door when she was stopped by his voice.
"Stay."
Her hand faltered at the doorknob, unsure if she heard that right. But she didn't dare face him, acutely aware of her emotional state. She was still rallying from his prior accusations. Sure, the curry was hotter than even she herself liked, and sure, he probably wasn't accustomed to that kind of taste, which now as she thought this over, started to make her rethink her response to him. But it still didn't change how quick he was to turn against her! You would think that after a couple weeks of providing for him and monitoring his health, that he would have an understanding of how she felt towards him. Why would she thwart all the effort she put into healing him if her plan in the end was to just kill him off?! Her forehead practically leaned against the door as she spoke her next words, "What do you want from me?"
He watched her shoulders hunch as she awaited his answer. He stared at the space between her shoulder blades. She really was a small thing. "Nothing," he rumbled, keeping his volume low.
The sound of his voice oddly reminded her of the distant sounds of a thunderstorm, which was both soothing and yet not. She sighed, finally granting him a full view to her face as she turned to address him. She folded her arms, eyebrows arched in disbelief. "You want nothing."
"Yes," he nodded.
Rae frowned, shaking her head with a confused shrug. "Well, you wanted me to stay. Why?"
He shifted his upper body, almost uncomfortably, his masked face turning to look in the general direction of her bare wall.
Whatever it was, he was avoiding it. "Well?"
He grumbled something incoherently.
"I didn't catch that."
Tomak clenched and unclenched his fists. Why was he acting like a pathetic youngblood with a wounded pride?!
As Rae watched him have a silent internal battle, a new concept festered in her mind and it actually made sense. "Are you trying to apologize? Is that what this is?"
He stood stoically, his muscles somehow looking more solid as he tensed.
He wasn't going to answer that. And of course he wasn't, she felt she could practically drown in the never-ending sea that was his testosterone-driven pride. The big guy must have had some incentive to try and make peace during dinner. So what was his angle? There was always a purpose to what he did. That's when she began putting it together. Him joining her for dinner, the usage of her name, the terrible apology. The puzzle became crystal clear, and it angered her. "So that's why you sat with me at the table, was it? Because you pity me?" she scowled.
Pity. Now that was a term he recognized exceedingly. He met her eyes, seeing a fire in them. "Not pity, honor. Wish to show respect. Wish to show you honor."
Show me honor? She flung her arms up in bafflement. "Why all of a sudden do you care? What's changed?"
He was quiet at first only carefully replying, "I was angry. With myself, with you, with everything, but I have had time to meditate and I wish to make amends."
She slowed her whirling thoughts. "So what you're saying is, that, that wasn't you before? You're…" she used his words, "more honorable than that?"
"Yes," he nodded deeply.
She eyed him carefully, analyzing him. He seemed to be telling the truth, in fact this was probably the farthest she ever got with him, in terms of communicating, but she needed assurance. "How do I know that things will be different between us?" She crossed her arms.
"Trust," was his simple answer.
Rae lowered her eyes from the lenses of his mask, as she smiled doubtfully. He wanted her to trust him. She hugged herself tighter. If he was being truthful and he really did want to make amends, then this could be what she needed to be able to leave him alone here without worrying. This wouldn't be an easy run though. He had already demonstrated how stubborn he could be, what if nothing changed at all? Or, she thought it over, what if he really is more honorable? She already knew what her father would have done. Shifting her weight, she nodded in agreement. "Are we starting from the beginning, then?"
She watched vigilantly as his clawed hands reached up to his face, unhooking the tubes and pulling the uniquely shaped mask away from him. Oddly enough, she had come to find that she preferred his face over the metallic, emotionless face covering. She could never get past those lenses. Now eyes on the other hand, those she could read, those she could connect with.
But when his glowing amber eyes met hers directly and with a determination she had not seen before, she felt a tingling sensation start in her spine and travel up to her scalp. She breathed evenly, tucking her chin in as she repositioned her body. Was this what his prey felt like? It was awful. She tried her best to ignore the wave of anxiety that was passing over her, reminding herself that he wanted her trust just as much as she wanted his. Trust goes both ways, she repeated to herself like a mantra. Trust goes both ways.
Tomak could sense her fear. Even as slight as it was, it was present. That would have to go if they were to make any progress, so just this once he allowed himself to do something he swore he would never do again for this female. He purred.
The deep vibrations of his purr were specifically designed to draw a female closer, to guide them to their warmth and comfort. Though that wasn't his intention now, he hoped it would at least convey his attempt at peace. She would have no reason to fear retaliation from him.
And maybe it was the soothing familiar purr, who was she kidding, of course it was his big cat purr. It gave her the confidence to push away from the door and press onward to stand directly in front of him. Her head came up to the base of his pecs, maybe just below the sternum. He really was massive.
Taking a steadying breath, she examined him more closely. It was unquestionable, the first thing someone would think when they saw just an image of this beast was, 'Damn, wouldn't want to see that up close,' but there was another side to him than being a predator. He could absolutely take her out if he wanted to, but that was if he wanted to. He wasn't some mindless monster. He was a living, breathing, intelligent being, who happened to have a knack for being intimidating and deadly, but only when he chose to be. This big beast was currently purring like a house cat, a very big and scaly house cat. He wasn't even making a move to touch her, with as close as she was. Gradually, this pushed away any doubts that she had built up in defense. "Alright, Big Guy. I trust you." She stuck her hand out toward him.
The way he looked almost disconcerted by her hand, had her chest bubbling with amusement, which also helped with the nerves. Unable to resist the small laugh she grinned up at him, "It's a weird human thing. We shake hands. It's a sign of trust."
Tilting his head, looking the most unsure he probably ever had in his life, he reached out and carefully held her small pale thumb between his large fingers, aware that even with a fraction of his strength he could harm her and began to shake it back and forth. This only made her laugh harder.
"No, no," she giggled, placing her other hand over his, effectively stopping the vigorous yet gentle movement. "Like this," she adjusted her hand, the pads of her fingers gliding across his tough palms, but they were surprisingly softer than the harder exterior on the tops of his hands and arms, a detail she had not paid attention to before. Still, these were working hands, she knew. They were calloused, likely from all the adventures he had been on, traveling the galaxy, hunting dangerous species and handling lethal weapons of mass destruction. This beast in front of her was capable of killing on a scale she couldn't imagine and yet here he was, standing in all his glory, allowing her to hold his hand. She captured her lower lip with her teeth as she thought about how intimate this kind of was when it really shouldn't have been.
Holding his hand properly, she lifted and lowered their joined hands, doing so a couple of times to give him the idea, before daring to catch a brief look at his face. Her heart practically stopped.
He wasn't focused on the motion of their hands, like he should have been, he was looking at her face, his pupils large, which indicated that he was relaxed. The gold rings that encircled his pupils were stunning, something you only saw in certain lizards, but they were not the eyes of an animal.
She bit her lower lip harder, finally releasing his hand. She dropped her gaze instantly and hoped to draw attention elsewhere. "So what do your people do to show trust?"
To her relief, he obliged, lifting his hand vertically and tightening his fingers to form a rock-hard fist. He waited expectantly for her to do the same. Then with a loud thump he collided his fist against his bare chest, crossing his arm diagonally as he did.
Rae mimicked him, trying to capture the same exuberance he did in the action. A smile broke out over her face. "So does this make it official?"
Another deep nod.
She nodded in return. All too quickly an awkward silence enveloped them. She always hated not being quick witted enough to come up with something to avoid moments like these. "Okay, well," she stepped back, her attention moving about the room before landing on the clothes she had discarded by the door. That would be her saving grace.
When in doubt, get out.
"I better get to bed, or in this case, couch," she gestured towards the door. "Um, I'll leave you to do the same." She smiled at him one last time before briskly turning to leave.
Tomak's eyes followed her all the way to the door.
"Goodnight, Big Guy," she called out over her shoulder.
"Tomak."
Her legs stopped working completely and with painstaking slowness, she turned on her heel, wanting to believe she heard what she thought she did. "What?"
"Tomak. Mmyy nname."
Rae wasn't sure how many times she smiled in the last few minutes, but it was more than she had in the past couple weeks. The big guy was full of surprises. "Tomak, huh?"
The consideration in her voice compelled him to remain motionless as he eyed her cautiously, unsure of what she would make of his name. To his amazement, she began to nod her head in an endorsing manner.
"I like it," she flashed him a grin, "It suits you."
Continually observing her mannerisms and filing away her response for future meditation, Tomak stood there stiffly, feeling lost on how to respond to such a compliment.
Just as Rae was closing the door, she took a second to meet his amber eyes once more; they really were a unique color. "Goodnight… Tomak." She heard him make a short low sound of awareness, before she closed the door with a soft click.
Today had started out rather unpleasant, but it looked like tomorrow was panning out to be a new beginning. A fresh start for the both of them.
Author's Note
Funny that I was actually trying to figure out how to make this chapter longer and then out of nowhere I was getting a lot of inspiration and I kept going and when I got to the end, I checked the word count and was stunned. So 6,000+ words this update. You're welcome lol. I hope it's enjoyable. I think I'm a harder critique on myself than anyone else, cuz some of what I write I'm like, "Hmm, that sounded better in my head than typed out. I'm too tired to fix it, I'm just gonna send it in." And then you'd blow me away with your responses. Thank you so much! You are amazing!
So here we are, Tomak and Rae have had a bumpy ride, but let's see where their relationship goes from here! So many different options and SOOOOO many ideas. I'm undecided about whether to include my favorite snippet in the next update or the one after. We'll see ;)
