TAERIC

My thoughts are racing as I pace back and forth outside the house. I had woken up this morning and made my way over to Emara's house, but when I got there, she and all the kit's scents were stale. I knocked on the door, and there was only silence.

I had worried for a moment, thinking that something had happened, but there were no indications someone had broken in or any signs of a struggle. After taking a few moments to calm down, I remembered Emara had mentioned something earlier about going somewhere. I rub my head, trying to recall exactly what she had said, but I can't remember.

They are safe, though. They are safe, right? I stop pacing. What if something had happened while they were out? What if they were in trouble and needed help? I gnaw on the inside of my cheek. Maybe I should go out looking for them just in case. Or is it better if I stay here to wait? I am still having a mental battle when a familiar scent washes over me.

I turn on my heels and take another breath to make sure that I am not imagining before racing in its direction. I come around the other side of the house just as Emara and the rest of the kits are coming into the clearing. My breath whooshes out of me. I look them over. Nothing seems wrong. As my eyes search them, I notice something very different about Emara. Her hair is down, and I haven't seen it that way before. It curls around her face in dark chocolate waves, and as the breeze blows through it, I notice a significant chunk of it that is cut away. A slight blush tinges her cheeks as she looks back at me. She is beautiful.

Emara smiles and waves awkwardly. "I am sorry. I hope we didn't worry you too badly. We had to go to the stalls. I didn't want to bother you with that. I meant to leave a fresh shirt and note to let you know, but I got distracted and forgot. Oh! But we found you some clothes I think might fit!" Emara says, smiling as she grabs a few large shirts to hand them to me. I thank her and take the shirts from her hands, looking down at them. They are an assortment of colors. I have a hard time paying attention to looking them over though, because she smells amazing. Something so intoxicatingly sweet, or maybe citrusy, and something else so entirely her own.

Emara clears her throat. "I am going to get lunch going! I am sure you are hungry. Sorry, again."

I shake my head. All that matters is that they are safe. Of course, I had been worried, but I cared deeply. She is going to save my race, and her delicate nature makes me feel a sense of responsibility. But I am not her mate. I have no attachment to her, and she had none to me. I can't expect her to tell me every little thing.

She starts to pull the cart again, and I come up beside her, silently offering to help. She smiles. "Thanks! You can just put it on the porch. I am going to unload it from there."

I nod and do as she says. There is an assortment of things inside the cart. Some look like metal containers filled with food. They ranged from fruits to meat.

"Oh, that's canned food. These are old, though. We don't have many active factories canning food. A lot of them were converted to making weapons, and lots of the trading was shut down during the wars." She pointed to some lettering on the side of it. "That is the expiration date. These were canned a few years ago, but they still have years to go before they are bad. You would be surprised. Those things could last longer than15 years as long as I keep them in the right conditions."

My eyes widen at Emara's statement, and I continue to look at the different things inside. While a large amount of what was in the cart focused on food, there were also some hygiene items such as a bar of cleanser, as well as a small fire holder Emara had called a candle. I notice a pile of clothing that seems to be more fitting for the kits or Emara. Beside it are some strips of cloth. Maybe they are to be used for cleaning in the kitchen and around the house, as I had seen Emara do? As I go to pick it up, Emara comes up beside me. Seeing what I am doing, she snatches them out of the cart.

"Oh!" she laughs noisily. "I'll get this stuff! You don't need to worry about it." Her cheeks turn pink, and I can sense some sort of embarrassment, but I do not know what can be causing it. She runs inside, and I grab some of the metal food containers. I watch as she goes up the stairs carrying the white strips of cloth. She comes back down moments later, looking a little flushed. She doesn't say a word as she continues to unload the cart, other than an occasional thank you and directions for where to place something.

The kits help as much as they can, but they are a bit distracted. They imagine themselves in some place called "Neverland." It sounds remarkably similar to the planet of Maqarromd, and the inhabitants sounded almost identical to the kit's description of this little creature called "Tinker Bell." I chuckle to myself. It almost made me wonder if the human who wrote the story had been to the planet.

As soon as we are done, Emara pulls out a small fabric bag and pulls out several stacks of paper. She places them inside a wooden box that sits on the mantel of the fireplace. Catching me looking, she smiles. "It's our currency... of sorts. Not worth anything anywhere else, but it gets us things when we trade. If you would like, you can come next time we go to the stalls, I just didn't want to bother you. You have been helping so much as it is."

I smile at her offer and nod. She clears her throat. I can hear her heartbeat pick up its pace, and my smile deepens. "Well, I should get lunch going." She turns and quickly moves to the kitchen.

I follow her, curious about what she would be making. I love to watch her cook. She is very entertaining, and sometimes she would tell me about random and interesting things. I can tell she loves to talk, and I am more than happy to listen.

"Hmm, what sounds good for today?" She picks up a few cans, looking them over.

I spot the fruity spread that she had put on what she had called sandwiches from when I had first come to earth and grab it off the counter. She follows my movement, and I hold it out to her, shooting her a smile.

"Sandwiches again?"

I nod. I loved them. She made the bread and spread herself, and it is delicious.

"Alrighty! Sounds nice and easy." Emara grabs the bread and pulls out a knife to cut the pieces of bread. I watch as she prepares lunch, leaning against the counter. She opens the container containing the spread and takes out a non-serrated knife. "So... you have been here for close to 2 weeks now. Is there a problem with contacting your friends? I am not pushing you out! I actually really enjoy the help and company," she adds quickly, smiling shyly.

I smile over her care to make sure I feel welcomed and not put out, but nod. I have been having trouble. I don't have the tools to repair the transmitter, and I am worried that the signals are not going through. The computer confirms they are being sent, but I have not received any replies or indications it has alerted them.

"Hmm, well, that's okay. You can stick around with me for as long as you need." Emara smiles, and I can feel my throat tighten as I try to swallow. "Do you have anyone waiting for you when you get back? Parents or siblings?"

Grimacing, I shake my head. Both of my parents were dead now.

Emara's eyebrows pull together. "I am sorry. I know what it is like to lose your family. My parents are bother gone too... They were killed by looters. I have been pretty much on my own since then."

My heart tightens hearing she was so alone. I had already suspected her parents had not left her happily, but it broke my heart to hear they were killed.

"I have a few friends around-" Emara continues, "-but it is not like we can spend much time together. What about you?"

I shake my head again. I had a few friends, but most of my energy had been spent on traveling. I had lost one of my closest friends, Eqerkom, because of our efforts to find compatible females.

Eqerkom's father died out of grief not long after losing his wife and daughter, and Eqerkom was left alone. So, Eqerkom put all his focus on helping. I hardly saw him because even before he was in the forces, he was always helping in any way he could. He joined the forces three years before me. During that time, he made it to Moiur rank, right below Captain Deorit.

The passion he had to help Dervidix was admirable. I joined the forces and was put under Captain Deorit and Eqerkom. He came to greet me into the ranks before going on another search. Just two years after I joined the forces, he had been out in search when his ship lost the signal. He never returned. No one knows what happened to him.

It saddens me to know that he would never be able to see Dervidix saved. But I knew he wouldn't want anyone to be upset on his behalf. He would tell us to celebrate in these moments that he had sacrificed his life working towards.

"Well, I would love to be your friend if you will be mine." Emara gives me a grin, and it is like my heart stops beating for a moment. I nod, trying to breathe. I will gladly be friends with her. But I don't know if I can stop myself from wanting more...

Taeric, silly boy.

DON'T YOU DARE STOP YOURSELF FROM WANTING MORE! :)

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