Chapter 18: New Kind of Warfare
Shress POV
Shress woke up with a yawn escaping her lazily spread mandibles. She sighed in contentment as she languidly stretched. She didn't know why, but as her sluggish thoughts ambled through her mind, she felt as if she had just had the best sleep of her life.
'Maybe it's the bed.'
She buried her head slowly back into the pillow, while shifting her weight around a little to get into a more comfortable position. She felt something against her abdomen and stopped, curiously looking down. Her eyes widened in realization.
There was an arm–a human arm–a muscular, human arm–holding her.
She froze, slowly becoming aware that there was something strange about this setting. Shress tried to push herself backwards in an attempt to distance herself from the limb, but instead met a strong barrier. Carefully, she raised and twisted her hand around; gently touching whatever was blocking her way, feeling the unusual sensation of human fabric.
As she lay there, trying to understand her situation, she soon felt that something was off. Her legs were curled so they could rest on the bed, but she felt something resting against them. Finally, she realized something unsettling: her pillow shuffled.
She touched what she hoped to be a plush cushion, but, instead, she felt something large, warm, and smooth.
'It can't be.'
She knew there was only one way to know for sure. Hesitantly and carefully, she rotated her body and was met by an almost dream-like fantasy. Resting next to her, cuddling her with one arm while supporting her head with the other, was Michael.
The human breathed slowly and evenly with his eyes closed–still asleep.
Shress felt a million emotions taking over her as she lay there. She felt horrified, frightened, and confused, and yet…happiness overruled all of these feelings.
She had hoped and even prayed that Michael wouldn't mind if she snuggled up with him. Now waking in his embrace, as if she was still having that dream. However this was real, all too real. Now here she was, waking up in his embrace, struck with shock and bliss.
Feeling a little daring, she raised her hand and ran her fingers, mindful of her claws, down the Spartan's chest. It was firm and unyielding, but she felt it quiver ever so slightly at her touch. Suddenly, Michael released a relaxed sigh as he lowered his head until it was resting on his arm along with Shress, and she felt his arm pulling her closer to his warm body.
She panicked for a moment before calming herself down. This feeling felt right, so nice–being close to another warm body, especially when that body belonged to someone who she was very fond of.
She allowed a smirk to appear on her features as she rested her head against Michael's, feeling his soft fur tickle her forehead. A comforting blanket of peace settled over her as she enjoyed the warmth of the human's single-armed hug. Her eyes started to droop and she began to fall back asleep when a thought crossed her mind.
'He's asleep; he could be dreaming that he is holding a female of his own kind. How will he react when he awakes to find that he is holding me instead?'
The wretched, intrusive thought was enough to cause Shress to jump out of the bed, breaking Michael's embrace and pulling some of the covers off along with her. She became completely still and silent, waiting for the Spartan to awaken. Instead, the human unconsciously swiped at the section where Shress was lying just before. Shress thought she saw a frown appear on his face when he failed in finding her.
She wished she could return to the original position she was in and continue to enjoy the closeness and comfort Michael had provided, but she reminded herself of her previous thoughts. It pained her to imagine that he was thinking of another female while holding her in his sleeping embrace, but it might be better this way. There would be less trouble if he awoke alone.
She paused as she turned to leave, looking longingly back at the Spartan. He was still, once again, with his hand splayed in the vacant area where Shress's body had been. She didn't want to leave; she wanted to return to him. However, she knew leaving was for the best.
Although she had only done this with male Sangheili in the past, she couldn't help but feel a surge of nervousness as she turned her attention back to the bed and cautiously made her way towards it. Now standing over Michael, who was sleeping and unaware of her presence, she dipped a claw downwards. It slowly twirled his fur in circles, causing the Spartan to let out a soft puff of air, his mouth pulling into a smile.
Shress smiled with confidence, and before she could second guess herself, she leaned down and licked Michael on the cheek. Michael stirred slightly but remained in his slumber, which annoyed Shress. She quickly remembered that she had decided to let the recent ordeal be a secret…even though she desired beyond measure that she could speak to the Spartan about it.
She sighed before ruffling his fur as she turned and walked out. She gave the human a final glance, half way through the door, as she headed towards the fourth room.
Six POV
Six's eyes opened as soon as the door closed and he released the breath he had been holding.
He rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with an arm as he growled, replaying what had just happened in his head.
'Michael, you idiot.'
He should have known that was going to happen, what was he thinking? In the early hour of the morning, or what he had assumed was morning, he awoke to find Shress curled right next to him, even closer than the spot she had fallen asleep in the night before. He had no idea what made him do it. It was almost like acting on instinct; he wrapped her in his arm, lifted her head, gently placed her on his other arm and brought her closer to him than ever before.
He had felt incredibly nervous.
'What if she woke up and was appalled? Would she even be able to look at me after this?'
Despite all these worries, he couldn't help but feel thrilled and comforted having her so close. She smelled of something exotic, something definitely foreign to the human nose. He had mused for a while whether Sangheili women used their own form of perfume or not. Her skin felt like warm leather, yet there was a soft tenderness to it. He had absentmindedly played with her talons for a while, wondering if she used them in combat or the like. However, all of his thinking was halted as he felt Shress begin to stir.
He pretended to be sleeping, thinking it would be best to appear that way, but he secretly observed her, watching for her reaction. He felt her body stiffen and heard easy breathing tense into something close to a gasp. He had considered whether he should try and move away or not when she abruptly calmed down. He was even more surprised when she huddled closer to him and ran her fingers down his chest, which made him shiver at her touch. Feeling bold, he pulled her closer, no longer caring if she thought he was asleep or not. He felt her start to panic for a second, before she calmed again and rested her soft forehead against his, her breathing settled back into a smooth rhythm with both of them at rest.
Six was ready to fall back asleep with her in his arms again when she jerked out of his grip. It took all of his skills and training not to reveal that he was awake. He thought he almost gave it away when he reached for her, but he kept his breathing in check and made sure his eyes remained closed.
He was unsure what Shress was doing, but he felt disappointment start to cloud his mind when he heard her footsteps walk away, heading towards the door. He thought she was leaving, which was why he became puzzled when he heard her pause and was surprised when he heard her returning to the bed.
He became even more confused with what had happened, but he felt comforted when he sensed Shress playing with his hair as she always had. He wasn't sure what it was that she did; he felt a strange warm wetness on his cheek.
Having reached the end of that memory, Six touched the side of his face in question. He felt it–still moist–running down his cheek.
'What was that? Was that a Sangheili version of a kiss?' he wondered.
The thought was enough to cause the Spartan to blush, certainly not a normal reaction for a Spartan.
He rolled over back onto his side as he thought of what had just occurred. 'Did this mean Shress liked the hug or not?'
She was the one who first cuddled close to him last night and when she awoke she panicked a little, but eventually calmed and continued lying alongside him. She appeared to be happy with the sleeping arrangement, but then she leapt away from him.
'Was it a change of heart, or was she still half asleep and unaware of what was happening at the time? Or was she merely experimenting and decided she didn't like the contact?'
The uncertainty, the unknown…Six was trained to handle unknown combat situations. But this? He started to get a headache.
Six punched the mattress in frustration. The bed absorbed the blow but it left a large dent. He sighed and decided he should get up as well. No Spartan had ever been trained to lay around longer than necessary.
He swung his legs over the side, stood up, and stretched. He grimaced as his body protested, his wounds from the many battles on Reach still clearly present. His body was making good progress in healing, but he couldn't help but think about how any doctor would see him as a living miracle. After sustaining countless burns, broken bones and lacerations, he could stand, let alone walk, yet he felt like he wasn't healing fast enough.
The Spartan lumbered stiffly into the restroom and doused his face in cold water. It helped him to become more self-aware as the frigid liquid ran down his face and trailed further down his body. He shivered but was grateful as it helped him wake up. When he faced Shress, he wanted to be clear-headed if she asked any questions.
He chuckled as he realized he was mentally bracing himself as if he was about to be deployed onto a battlefield.
'And in a way I guess I am. Just think of all your training, make the best tactical decision and hope for the best but be prepared for the worst…whatever that may be.'
Feeling his nerves starting to act up again, the Spartan slowly walked out of the restroom and out through the sleeping quarters to the rec room. He needed to have breakfast, and figured Shress would be there as well.
His feet tentatively paced towards the fourth door, his heart starting to beat faster. Why was he feeling like this? When he walked into battle he never felt this way. In fact, he would feel more at ease if he was getting ready for war–at least then he would be armed.
Six hesitated at the door, still wondering why his nerves were acting up. Finally, he pressed the required buttons on the terminal, and the door opened with a subdued whoosh. He walked in to find Shress in the kitchen area of the rec room.
Shress looked up and they locked eyes. Six felt his throat dry and warm blood rise to his cheeks. Shress broke eye contact and quickly looked down, avoiding his gaze.
'Great, another one of those days.'
He walked to the back where Shress was and saw that she was preparing herself a meal, raw meat again. Six wondered if this was all that Sangheili ate, or if it was the only thing in the ship that Shress could stand.
He mused over this as he went to a cupboard to get his own breakfast. Today he felt as if he could stomach something other than bread, which was a relief considering he was starving. He shifted around in the 'breakfast' section, seeing if he could find something that could satiate him.
He examined a box of dehydrated cereal when he smelt the aroma of meat. Self-consciously, he peeked over his shoulder. He watched Shress remove her meal from the microwave and walk to the more furnished area of the room. He thought for a minute before placing the box back and turning to the fridge. He unwrapped a small amount of meat, placed it in the microwave, reheated it and took it out. He couldn't help but feel his mouth beginning to water at the smell, it felt like forever since the last time he had eaten cooked meat, and not the dried-out rubber from the standard MREs.
His nerves relaxing, Six took the food, forgoing a plate, and followed Shress to the furnished section to eat. Without looking, the Spartan sat on the couch and bit into the warm substance. He felt the sweet taste and texture explode in his mouth as he chewed, but he noticed movement in his peripheral vision. He nearly choked when he realized that Shress was sitting on the other side of the couch as well, but she took no notice of him as she concentrated on her own food. Six did the same, and they ate slowly in silence. Aside from the subtle glances they would send to each other, they didn't communicate at all.
Finally, the dreaded moment came when Six finished his steak, and he was left sitting there with nothing to do, while feeling Shress eyeballing him. He shifted his weight and leaned on the arm of the furniture, trying to get as comfortable as he could while listening to the sound of Shress's chewing filling the background. He couldn't help but notice there was a muted, thump-like sound every time she took a bite and wondered how strong her jaws were.
'Probably strong enough to bite my head off if I offend her.'
He suppressed his shudder at the thought and decided he might as well try to open up a conversation with her.
"So…" Six trailed off as he desperately thought of something to say before finally deciding to take a risk and ask what is on his mind. "How was your sleep last night?"
Shress made a sputtering noise, causing some half-chewed chunks of steak to fly out of her mouth as she leaned over slightly. Six tried to give her some privacy by not looking at the dumped meat. He was about to ask if she was feeling alright when she looked up; he was surprised to see anxiety and...something else in her shining silver eyes.
"W-Why do you ask?"
Her sudden stuttering took Six off guard for a bit as he tried to think of a suitable reply. He tried to remain casual.
"I'm just curious, that was your first time sleeping in a human bed, right?" Six asked.
"I…well, it was…nice, I slept well."
'She's not looking up. Does this mean that she didn't like us sleeping together?'
Six pushed those thoughts away as he slowly nodded, deciding to say something a little truthful.
"I had a good night's rest too, it was quite comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable."
"And why would that be?" She blurted out.
Glad she was looking at him again, he offered her a gentle smile.
"I don't know, maybe it's the change in pace. I can't really remember the last time I took a break from the battlefield, not since…"
Six started to lose focus as his eyes suddenly clouded with memories: people, places… a world on fire.
"Michael?"
The voice brought Six back to reality as he looked at Shress, who gave him a concerning look,
"Are you alright?" Shress said tenderly.
Six thought for a moment before nodding and saying, "Yeah, just thinking of something else." He gave his head a quick shake before looking back at her and added, "Sorry, I was saying I haven't taken a break from combat since I arrived on Reach."
Shress nodded before becoming silent. She seemed to be in deep thought before she looked at Six and asked, "How long have you been fighting Michael?"
He gave her a nonchalant shrug.
"Ever since I became a Spartan."
"How long ago was that?" she countered.
Six thought for a moment, running quick calculations in his head and said, "About thirteen years ago. I have no idea how Sangheili would measure that in units."
Shress lightly shook her head before replying, "A year is the span of time it takes for your seasons to complete a cycle, correct?" Six nodded in confirmation, so she continued, "Sangheili measure that span with the passing of the summer seasons on Sanghelios."
Six nodded once more. "It's the same with humans. Despite our colonies having day cycles, we all follow the one span of a year by Earth's standard."
"I am unsure if our span of time is similar," noted Shress, "but if it is, then ten summers seems to be a long time."
"It certainly feels that way," agreed Six as he leaned against the end of the couch, unaware of how this brought him closer to Shress. He looked back at her and asked, "How many years, or summers, of fighting have you performed?"
Shress thought carefully before answering. "Most Sangheili of my age have been in service for seventeen summers." She fell back into her own thoughts before asking another question, "When do humans come of age?"
"Come of age?" Six asked in confusion.
"How many summers must a human have to pass before they are deemed ready for combat?" Shress rephrased.
"A human of eighteen summers is given the choice to join the military or not," explained Six, "but due to the…last few years, almost everybody who is able to fight is drafted into the UNSC."
Shress became suddenly interested. "Do you have a choice on whether you wish to become a warrior or not?"
Six remembered all the reports and lessons he had learned about the Sangheili, and how they lived in a combat-based society. The thought of people wanting to be something other than a warrior must have been a major shock to Shress, so he tried his best to explain the concept to her.
He explained, "Yes, most of the time people are given the choice if they want to be warriors or not. Some people have different ambitions, like wanting to be a cook, or an artist, or a doctor, or a musician and so forth. Basically, it's their choice on how they wish to contribute to our society."
Shress looked down, probably trying to comprehend this new information, before looking back up and saying, "So you chose to be a warrior. Your family, or whoever it was that raised you, didn't influence you to take the path of a soldier?"
Six flashed back to when he was a kid, remembering all those people he had been around when the Covenant came. He had long since forgotten who they were, but he remembered the anger he had felt after witnessing their deaths. It was because of that anger that he had volunteered for the Spartan program.
"More or less," Six finally answered as he looked away, unsure if he should tell the whole story to Shress or not.
Silence now lapsed between them, filled only by the sound of their breathing. Finally, Shress asked, "How many summers are you Michael, twenty-eight summers?"
Six gave an amused grunt before responding, "No, twenty-two summers."
This caused Shress to cock her head to the side as she said, "But...you said humans come of age when they are eighteen summers. If you have been fighting for ten summers, then you should be about twenty-eight seasons. Is this reasoning correct?"
Six gave her a reassuring smile. "Your math isn't wrong, Shress. You got it right, but..." he hesitated a bit. What he was about to tell her was a Spartan secret that no one outside the program knew about. Just mentioning it could have gotten him in trouble. Yet, he wanted to tell Shress. He felt he could tell her anything... well, except for what had happened that morning. But with this...yes, he did trust her.
He let out a small sigh before saying, "Most humans make the decision when they are eighteen summers old. I made mine when I was six summers old."
Shress leaned in slightly as if to get a better view of Six before saying, "You were a youngling when you made your decision?"
He gave a light chuckle. "Yeah, so I suppose you can say I was raised to be a warrior."
"Raised to be a warrior," Shress repeated. "This is similar to Sanghelios. Younglings begin their training when they are born. As infants, they are told the sagas of past champions. As younglings, they are taught to act with dignity and how to handle weapons. Harnessing their combat prowess begins when they pass ten summers, and from there, if they are male, they join the Covenant."
Six wore an amused look on his face as he asked, "So, when are children given the chance to have fun?"
Shress shook her head. "Only when they have time to themselves, which isn't often. And if they are caught playing, running, or fighting pretend battles, usually their teacher steps in and orders them to cease and to act with the pride of a Sangheili."
Six gave her a sly look, "And did you ever get in trouble for this?"
She gave him a cheeky smile in return, "I believe almost every Sangheili child has this flaw, we all have been disciplined in acting with pride and respect."
Six couldn't really picture Shress getting into trouble. Then again, if she had ever been captured by the Covenant, she would have been in really big trouble.
"Were you raised in a similar manner?" Shress asked her next question.
Six couldn't help but smirk, "Just about, but when we were trained, me and the other Spartans, we had to learn how to fight, shoot, swim, drive, fly, how to use certain tech, how to fix things, how to use battle computers, learn advance calculations and various other things all in six summers."
He looked her in the eye as he said, "Remember...after we brought down the Long Night of Solace?" She nodded in confirmation, so he continued, "And remember when I told you I was a lone wolf?"
She thought for a moment before replying, "You said you worked on your own, correct?"
Six nodded back. "Yeah, so that meant I had to learn everything that a team would normally know. Most Spartans finished their training in six summers. It took me six and a half summers to finish because I had to take extra training in...well, basically everything."
Shress was silent for a moment before asking, "And did you have any fun as a child?"
Six thought for a moment before replying back, "Well, our drill instructors did everything they could think of to make us Spartans miserable and during this one training session as we were practicing a hide and evasion technique," he paused to smile, "we noticed the instructors were in the perfect position for an ambush, so…"
Shress's eyes widened.
"You ambushed your own instructors?"
Six laughed, more at the memory than Shress's reaction. "Yeah, we paid for it after that. We had to push a busload of scrap metal up a hill as punishment. It took us all night to do it, but it was worth it."
Shress stilled, looking unsure, which caused Six to laugh.
"Don't tell me we deserved that. The instructors had it coming to them. Ever since day one, they called us boots, sprayed us with dirty water, and hit us upside our heads with stun batons. So when we had a chance to get back at them, well, we took it."
Shress was silent for a while as she gazed at him. When she finally spoke, her voice had a disgusted edge, "I've never heard of instructors doing that to any Sangheili before."
Six shrugged in turn, "Even among humans to do that to kids would have been seen as barbaric. That's why Spartans remained a secret of the UNSC up until 2525, or somewhere around there, when our presence was revealed to the public to help boost morale."
His Sangheili companion thought some more.
"Well we have to defend our honor whenever it is challenged, so I suppose your attack was justified."
The Spartan chuckled before lowering his head, "Well thanks for excusing my actions as honorable, Shress."
This got a laugh out of her, a strange sound that caught Six's attention as he listened to the alien sound. After a few moments, a thought crossed his mind. Not wanting to disturb her small bout of hysterics, he waited until Shress was through laughing before asking, "Shress, how many… summers are you?"
She gave him a broad smile before replying, "I've passed twenty-seven summers."
Six wore a serious expression as he teased, "Wow…that's old."
"Indeed," she said, bowing her head almost modestly. "Not many Covenant soldiers, let alone males, surpass that age."
Six was now at a loss for words, his initial joke seemed to have backfired on him.
'Well, Sangheili honor and respect their elders. It's only logical that to become older is seen as a sort of treat to them'
"I am curious, though," Shress's voice brought Six out of his thinking as he looked back at her, "can you give more detail of how you were trained?"
Six paused. He wondered how many regulations he was willing to break for his alien friend. Spartan training was classified to the highest degree… and yet he could at the very least name some types of training he had undertaken without revealing anything too important.
"Alright." Six said as he made himself more comfortable and looked into her eyes, "Well when I got to the base for training, the first thing we had to do was jump out of an aircraft..."
Shress POV
Shress had no idea how much time had passed, but she didn't care.
She listened to Michael as he told of his upbringing to become a Spartan, a tale that fascinated, confused, and shocked her. She couldn't believe the physical trials that were inflicted upon the young humans and how they had to balance their studies with their physical performances without failing.
What confused her, though, was why Spartans had to undergo hellish training after their transformation. They were already designed to be stronger and smarter; she couldn't understand why they had to go through that kind of demanding training in the first place. She didn't understand why Michael and his fellow Spartans played tricks on their trainers when they knew full well they would always be punished for it. Yet, she found the strangest thing to be that Michael would laugh and smile as he described their punishments–almost as if he enjoyed getting into trouble for a moment of amusement. She could only conclude that it was a human reaction, something she would probably never understand.
She only interrupted Michael's storytelling to ask the occasional question, like what a certain device he used would do or why he decided to perform one action instead of the other. Chief among her inquiries were questions about certain human words and phrases.
They stopped for the occasional break and to prepare their meals. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered how Michael had experimented with her using human cuisines, but her frustration had been enough to inform him that she was carnivorous and had no taste for anything green. She was happy to see Michael eating more. She didn't want to voice it, but his face and body seemed thinner than when they first set out on their journey. He had been steadily regaining his original, full appearance.
They were sitting together on a long piece of furniture as they finished what she supposed was their supper meal. She was well aware she was eating the same meat she had been consuming for the past day, but she loved the taste and texture despite its alien nature. She glanced over at Michael, who was eating meat as well, though not in large quantities like hers, and he also had some greenery decorating the side of his plate.
"How can you bear the taste of that?" Shress finally asked, gesturing towards the green food he was consuming.
Michael finished chewing the food in his mouth before replying, "You mean my vegetables? Humans eat it because it's our primary source of vitamins."
"What are vitamins?" Shress once again questioned.
"It's, uh…it's the things inside vegetables that help keep humans healthy," Six tentatively answered–unsure if she'd understand. "If we wish to survive, we have to have our daily intake of vitamins."
Shress wondered if the Sangheili took vitamins and didn't even realize it. She mused over the possibility of what else could be in their meals that helped keep them alive.
As she thought this through, a daunting thought creeped into her mind. The humans knew more about themselves than the Sangheili did. She didn't know if exercising could help make a Sangheili stronger, or if certain meat would make them healthier, or if being called something like 'boot' could really help motivate her to do her very best at an activity.
The humans had spent centuries studying and learning about themselves and their environment, whereas the Sangheili...all that Shress knew for sure was how to fight and her level of family honor and dignity. Useless information should the unthinkable happen and the Sangheili were left to care for their own welfare and not the Covenant.
Shress finished her mound of meat and placed the empty dish on the small table in front of her. She then leaned back against the furniture, feeling quite full and content. However, it wasn't long before she reopened her eyes and looked back at Michael, seated just a unit away.
The human seemed equally comfortable as he leaned on the side of the furniture piece that poked out, slowly chewing his food, a faraway look in his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking. Was it about the war, their current situation, or her?
As she watched, her eyes started to wander, analyzing his body. He was quite large by human standards, but she was still taller by a few precious units. This would annoy any male, but he didn't seem bothered, or at least he didn't voice it. His skin was light, but she knew how impressionable it was. She wondered if he could change his skin coloration, considering she had seen humans of different colors almost on a regular basis. She then took stock of his body as a whole. His form was so different from a Sangheili, and his strength barely matched that of an average male...yet there was something that drew her to him. Was it his scars, signs of a strong and capable warrior?
She looked away as her thoughts wandered around his appearance. There was something alluring about the human known as a Spartan, but what? Most females would probably regard him as ugly or undesirable compared to a Sangheili warrior. He was an enemy of the Covenant and thus an enemy of Sanghelios, an outcast to most, but now so was she. But the one thing that stood out was that he was an alien, a human being, a creature beneath her. She didn't believe that. He was as capable as any warrior, and he was surprisingly caring–qualities that nearly all of her suitors had lacked. Was that why she was drawn to him? Because he showed her kindness, more than anyone had ever shown her before?
Another question wormed its way into her mind; a question that she had asked before but wanted to again, to see if it had changed. She turned her head around.
"Why did you spare me?"
Michael was on the verge of taking another mouthful of food when he paused and looked her in the eye.
"What?"
She could see the confusion in his eyes so she asked him again.
"When we first met, when we fought, why did you spare me?"
Michael looked down before placing his now-finished dish on the table and looking back at her.
"Well…why not?"
She allowed a small hiss of frustration to escape before continuing.
"I was your enemy, Michael. A Zealot trained and conditioned to annihilate your species. I was a powerful adversary, and, when you had the chance, you didn't kill me. Why?"
Michael glanced down before returning his gaze to hers and said, "The same reason you let me up to fight for my life. Because it just felt like the right and honorable thing to do."
Shress thought about the answer before looking at Michael again.
"Is that all?" she asked inquisitively.
He became silent once more before continuing, "Well, at the time, yes. However, if we were ever in a similar situation again, I wouldn't spare you," he leaned forward and took her hand in his. "I would save you."
Shress could hear the sincerity in his voice, and her heart stopped. Here was her former enemy, someone she had once sworn she would kill. Now, he was her only companion, her only friend, and… something else.
The feeling was confusing and frustrating as she struggled to find a way to voice her thoughts. Just as she was grappling with her emotions, Michael asked, "Shress, are you alright?"
She looked up at him as he gazed at her in concern. "Usually when I take your hand, you start to purr or whatever it is that you do. Is there something wrong?"
Shress felt her mandibles opening, but no words came forth. She felt as if she was trapped, unsure whether to question him about her feelings or steer the conversation towards something else.
"Shress?" Michael pressed again, this time leaning in a little closer. She felt herself becoming nervous upon seeing he was closer to her, but also a sense of excitement seemed to be taking over. It was all too much for her.
She disentangled her hand from his and waited, taking a small step away from where the Spartan was seated.
"I'm just...tired," she finally spoke in a hoarse voice. "If you don't mind, I'm going to sleep now."
Michael had a look of confusion on his face. "Alright, I'll put these dishes away and then I'll join you," he said, starting to stand. But halfway up, he paused and looked up at her. "That is if you want me to join you tonight."
"Of course," she said in a hurried voice, which caused him to give her a strange look. She stuttered, "I-I mean, you're still healing. Of course you can sleep in the bed with me. That is, I mean if you don't want me to be there with you or-uh…we can think of a-I mean, if you want-I will-"
"Shress," Michael calmly interrupted her, gaining her attention. He had a huge grin on his face as he continued, "If it's no trouble, then I will join you tonight."
Shress felt a smile starting to form as she replied, "Yes, of course. I'll...see you then." Before he could say anything else, she quickly turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her.
Once she was alone, she released a held hiss and silently cursed her foolishness.
Why did she freeze like that? Why couldn't she move? Never had she ever experienced something so humiliating in her life. But deep down she actually felt a little afraid. Why did she react the way she did, how was it that Michael had that effect on her?
She pondered this as she walked back to the officer's quarters, still angry with herself. She entered the sleeping quarters and made her way to the bed. Her clothes were worn and full of wrinkles, but she didn't have any spare energy to sew another set of clothing. She laid down on the bed, leaving the blankets on the floor; her clothing was enough to keep her warm for the night. She once again folded her legs and rested her head on a cushion, but she wished she was resting on Micheal's arm.
She released a sigh as she closed her eyes and attempted to relax her breathing, in a vain attempt to sleep. She knew full well that there was too much on her mind that was keeping her awake.
After what felt like several cycles passing, she was ready to release a growl of frustration at her own treacherous thoughts when she heard the door opening and closing. Instantly, she became still, closing her eyes and slowing her breathing. It wasn't long before she heard the soft thumping of footsteps steadily approaching the bed. Shress tried to calm herself, but her pulse quickened with each step.
The footfalls finally fell silent right next to the bed. Shress struggled to remain still as she felt the bed shake. She heard him sigh as he shifted his weight, and then he became still, his breathing coming in slow, easy breaths.
Believing that Michael was now asleep, she released the breath she had been holding and shifted her body around a little, being careful not to disturb the human lying beside her.
Beside her.
She looked over her shoulder at the sleeping form of Michael, her thoughts racing. She wondered if he would wake up and if he did, how he would react to finding her resting so close to him. What if he had been dreaming of holding a human female and, instead, woke up to find her there?
Yet the need to be close to something, the urge of being with another warm being pushed her. She didn't wait for whole units like last time; now she scooted her form closer to Michael, careful not to cause too much seismic activity. She made her way closer to the alien, finally feeling her back gently pressing into his chest, his calm breaths running down her neck.
She felt a smile beginning to mark her face but tensed when she felt Michael move. His arm fell into the same position as that morning, wrapping around her middle and pulling her close to his body. Her pulse quickened before calming down as she gleefully snuggled deeper into the Spartan's one-armed embrace.
She released a sigh of content as she repositioned herself into Michael's folds, turning and resting her head against his chest. She felt the soft fabric rubbing against her head as Michael breathed slowly, and she heard his heart beating gently like a drum. A feeling of bliss started to settle over her, and she felt comfortable enough to fall asleep. However, before she was taken by slumber, a familiar voice cut through the silence.
"Comfortable, are we?"
Shress couldn't stop herself as she felt a slight shiver run through her body. With effort, she forced her eyes to look upwards, and soon her gaze met Michael's softly glinting green eyes.
Shress didn't know what to say, what to do. Should she try to move away, stay where she was, or do something more drastic? Her body seemed locked in its position as if caught in a trap, and her mouth wouldn't form words. All she could do was leave her mandibles wide open, looking foolish and vulnerable.
Michael's grin slowly faded away as he leaned back a little. "Sorry," he said, his voice filled with concern, "I didn't mean to upset you."
Before he could move farther away, Shress shot her arm out and grabbed his shoulder, halting his progress.
"No, you didn't," she found herself saying, "I-it's quite nice."
Michael didn't move, probably as unsure as she was, but a smile soon made its way onto his features. Shress took this as a good sign. She let go of him, turned around, and lay back on her side. "Could you...could you hold me again?" she asked.
Silence and stillness filled the room, causing Shress to wonder if she had made a mistake. That thought was whisked away as Michael scooted closer to her and pulled her against him with one arm. His legs mimicked her folded legs position and gently nudged them behind hers, fitting together almost perfectly. He then placed his other arm close to the top of her, indicating his intentions. She raised her head slightly, allowing Michael to move his arm underneath her as she brought her head back down on the natural pillow. She let out a soft sigh and a gentle hum soon vibrated from her throat.
She heard the human chuckle as he whispered close to the side of her head, "You really like this, don't you?"
Shress became embarrassed again as she tried to think of a response, "Well…I've never been in this position before. It's just something new."
Again Michael chuckled, "I thought you were the one with all the suitors, so none of them ever held you like this?"
Annoyed by his antics, she twisted around carefully, making sure not to break free from his hold, and looked at his face. His smile and mischievous eyes were starting to really irritate her, so why shouldn't she have some fun with him instead?
"Well, I don't know about you and your suitors, Michael," she said in what she hoped was an innocent voice, "but among Sangheili, being with a female in bed usually means doing something more than just holding her."
Soon, she began to laugh at what she saw. Michael's face turned bright red before becoming startlingly pale. His eyes widened, and his jaw opened and closed as if he were struggling to say something but couldn't. She didn't often have the privilege of witnessing such a look of pure shock on a human's face, let alone a Spartan, so she made sure to thoroughly enjoy the moment.
Slowly, Michael began to regain his composure, and Shress's laughter started to subside. Finally, with his original coloring restored, he asked, "So, I take it you've been with a lot of individuals in bed then?"
Shress's smile faded as she looked down, avoiding eye contact with Michael. The truth was, she hadn't been with anyone like that. She couldn't help but feel insecure, knowing that her secret could potentially affect her relationships. It was something she couldn't hide, and it had been a significant obstacle in her search for a mate.
"Not very often, no," Shress responded, but she knew Michael would ask more questions. She attempted to steer the conversation away from herself. "Unlike you, I'm sure. You must have had many partners and fathered numerous offspring by now."
Once the words left her mouth, she instantly wished she could take them back, but it was too late. She kept her eyes averted from Michael as she began to dwell in her own self-misery. For some reason, the thought of Michael being with another woman, and being intimate with her, filled Shress with unknown anger and grief. No doubt, she reminded him of someone else, someone probably more favorable and beautiful than her–a female of his own species.
There was no escaping reality. Shress raised her head to see what he would say, but she was taken aback once more. Michael had once again gone pale, his face turned white, and his mouth hung slightly open in surprise.
He remained silent for a few moments, clearly struggling to find the right words. Eventually, he stuttered out, "Actually, no, no Shress. Spartans aren't allowed to… uh… be intimate with anyone."
Now Shress felt confusion rather than sadness. She tilted her head slightly as she looked at him, questioning. She asked, "Doesn't your military wish to produce more capable warriors like yourself?"
Shress wouldn't have believed it if she was told humans could turn whiter than how bleach Michael had become. It was hilarious watching the near-stoic Spartan losing his poise, but with him doing it so often now, it was starting to become alarming.
Finally, Michael coughed a little as he finally spoke once more, "Spartans were definitely not allowed to do that."
He saw her curious eyes, so he elaborated, "Remember when I told you how Spartans are made?" Shress nodded in confirmation. "Well...we aren't sure how the argumentation really affected us; we have no idea what would happen if we ever…mated with someone or what the results would be." He glanced at her and said, "So, in order to protect ourselves and anyone we may choose as our partners, we aren't allowed to do anything of the likes."
Shress couldn't believe what she was hearing. Here was a being with almost the same problems as she had, but his could possibly be fixed while hers couldn't. However, that didn't eliminate her feelings for him. The fact that he didn't have a mate, for some reason, caused her to smile.
Michael grinned at her as he gently poked her shoulder. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Shress said as she desperately tried to stop smiling. While attempting to suppress her smile, a thought suddenly crept into her mind, sending chills down her spine.
"Michael," she said, trying to gather the courage to look at him, "were you awake this morning?"
She didn't look him in the eye; instead, she stared down at his chest, trying hard to ignore the muscular expanse before her.
"Yes."
She let out a shuddering breath. "Did you feel something...wet?" she couldn't quite describe it as a lick, but she had no idea how else to explain it.
"No," Michael replied.
Shress frowned slightly in puzzlement, but before she could dwell on it for long, she felt a wet, yet warm sensation on the top of her head, causing her to almost forget to breathe. The feeling quickly disappeared, and Michael whispered close to her, "I felt something warm...did you?"
Slowly, Shress nodded her head as she asked, "Is that...a human sign of affection?"
"Yes," Michael replied carefully before asking, "and is it the same thing with a lick?"
Shress felt her throat dry as she finally forced her eyes to look into his. They were quite beautiful, if she had to be truthful. They were often dark, but now they seemed to gleam and were filled with what she interpreted as care and gentleness - a side of a Spartan that she had never seen before.
"Yes," she found herself answering in a near whisper tone almost similar to Michael, "it is."
Michael slowly smiled at her but it faded. Shress began to panic.
'Does this mean he does not feel the same? Does he find my figure unattractive? Does he prefer a human female instead of me? Of course he would, what sensible being wouldn't, then again that would mean me as well.'
Michael finally sighed, "Shress, I just told you that I couldn't mate. Something bad could happen to me." he looked at her with eyes filled with pain. "Or you, and I don't want anything to happen to you."
Shress felt more than touched, she felt something more. She wanted to be with him more than ever now; there was no question…she had developed feelings for this human.
She didn't hesitate as she twisted fully around and gave him a tender one-armed hug. Michael responded in kind with a full embrace as they cuddled together, edging closer to the middle of the bed to give themselves more room.
"It's alright, Michael," she finally said. "I really don't care...as long as I am with you." The words felt right, and her insides filled with joy as she said them. But she felt even more delighted when she saw the smile and happiness in Michael's eyes.
She leaned closer to his face but paused, her muzzle mere units away as she looked into his eyes. In a rather timid and self-conscious voice, she asked, "If you will have me?"
Michael grinned at her before raising himself up slightly and pressing his lips against her cheek once more, this time closer to the opening of her mandibles. He whispered, "Just as long as you'll have me as a suitor."
She smiled at him as she responded, "Agreed." With that, she leaned forward and licked the side of his face, hoping to provide him with the same warmth that he had provided her.
He rolled them back to their original positions, but this time with Shress facing him as she cuddled closer to him, feeling his body against hers and reveling in the warmth he provided.
"This is so… so… comfortable," she finally voiced as she ran her four talons down his chest, simply feeling his muscles, being careful not to cause any damage.
She could hear the smile in Michael's voice as he said, "Shress… can you look up?"
She did and found herself staring into Michael's bright green eyes. She knew he was just as happy as she was, judging by the glint of light in his eyes.
He leaned close to her, appearing nervous. "Can you… pull your mandibles together?"
Shress cocked her head to the side. "Why?"
"I want to try something, something…human," he answered.
Shress was curious about what this human thing could be, but she complied and forced her jaws to move into an unfamiliar formation. She pressed her mandibles together until they were touching, rendering her unable to speak or do anything else for that matter. She glanced at Michael, hoping to glean any hints from him, when he surprised her once more.
Without warning, he moved closer to her and pressed his lips against the center of her newly formed single mouth.
Shress felt her eyes widen in shock and confusion, but soon those feelings melted away as a new emotion took over. Warmth started to fill her body, coursing through her and touching every inch as Michael's gentle lips connected with hers. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, hoping Michael would repeat the action. Michael obliged and reaffirmed this affectionate gesture, causing her to cling to him as he continued to press his lips against hers. They remained locked in this passionate embrace until they were forced to break apart, gasping for much-needed air.
They parted when the action was done; Shress looked at Michael as she asked, "What was that?"
He chuckled lightly, "A kiss, a human show of affection… the first one I have ever given before."
Shress felt thrilled, knowing she was the first to have ever won his affection in such a manner. She nuzzled his neck as she rested her body against his, letting out a sigh and looked up at her new suitor.
He returned the smile and leaned down towards her. Knowing what to expect, Shress pulled her mandibles together once more and gradually welcomed the kiss, allowing the warmth to envelop them once again. They kept their faces together for as long as they could before breaking apart, both breathing heavily. They smiled at each other again before Shress scooted herself back onto Michael's arm, getting more comfortable. Michael followed her lead and rested his head on his arm while moving his body closer to hers. He planted one more kiss on the side of her head before pressing his forehead against hers. They both let out sleepy sighs, finding warmth and comfort in each other.
"Good night, my beautiful Shress," Michael whispered to her.
She felt pure happiness coursing through her. Hardly anyone had seen her as beautiful, and to have Michael say it somehow made it all the more special.
"Good night, my handsome Michael," Shress responded.
The human responded by pulling her, a Sangheili, closer to him. Shress folded herself a little, finding a comfortable position within his embrace. He brought his head to rest close to hers, closing his eyes, but his smile remained present as he held her close to him.
Shress closed her eyes as well, resting her own arm across Michael and holding him in her own embrace. She knew right then, with Michael by her side and both of them holding each other close, it was going to be the best sleep she could have ever asked for.
-Author's/Editor's Note-
I always loved this chapter. -Pyre
