Into The Mind Of A Human (Al-an POV)

Learning

I laid down as time passed, the odd red haired woman had now fallen asleep on my back, I could feel the soft patter of her heart as she rested there, her hands softly holding onto my spines as a smile had peeked on her lips.

It was...interesting in the very least.

I heavily sighed as I tried to roll my eyes, not that I had any but still. "Damn it." I whispered with a slight growl, trying to keep my tail from wagging.

My mind was telling me to push her off but...there was an odd feeling entering my body, I knew a lot about these human emotions, but for mine there was no explanation. It wasn't hatred or disgust or rarely happiness like I was use to.

I didn't like this feeling. It was mushy and weird. Like rotten snow...can snow rot? Because if snow browns in color what else would it be called?

Brown snow?

Ah but...that would be quite irritating to call it either of them as snow isn't a flora or creature of any kind. Simply water. And water cannot rot. It can get dirtied though which might make it seem like rot.

I shook away my thoughts. Why is my mind always trying to evaluate things? I stared down at the woman as I leaned closer. I could hear it better; her heartbeat. For once it wasn't to my annoyance and somewhat calming in a way.

I queried; what might a human heart feel like in my grasp.

I leaned my hand down and gently touched her torso where the heartbeat came from.

Suddenly, she rose up and in a quick flash she smacked my hand away, her cheeks turning a crimson red. "O-Oh--It's...just you X-Cross." She mutters out as she placed her hand on her chest softly sighing.

I could her heart rate pick up before slowing down to a normal pace as I stared at her chest. I turnt away trying to calm myself, I enjoyed hearts a little...too much. I already had much of a heart collection that I hid in the snow so Robin couldn't find it. But I never knew upper torsos were that squishy. I might have to ask Robin about it since the red haired mortal is mostly relatable to her. "No need to be so startled." I scoffed a little as I looked back at her, noticing something familiar in her look.

"...Bad dream?" I muttered as I stared down at her, trying not to let myself be seen more vulnerable.

She softly nodded as she looked down, her eyes dimmed as her beautiful crystal-like eyes had turned dull.

I seethed in anger as I watched. Though this was a familiar emotion to be it was strange to have it towards someone else's reason. My metallic hand softly caressed her cheek as I turnt my head, not wanting to see her saddened face. "Nothing will get away with hurting you anymore got it?" I muttered as I peeked over at her.

Her eyes shone with joy as she nodded a lot, getting up and jumping onto my back.

"OoF-" I looked over at her, who had a now apologetic face. "Sorry--" She squeaked out in her small voice, hiding her face in my back as her cheeks turned a gentle reddish shade. "I'm guessing thats your way of saying you're ready to leave this dump?" I chuckled darkly as I looked around.

She gasped. "It's not a dump!" She huffed a bit, crossing her arms to show her dislike towards my statement. "You didn't deny that you wanted to leave, so tecnically its dumpy enough." I teased, looking at her as she was giving me a small glare. It wasn't even intimidating as it was entertaining. She wrapped her arms around my torso and shivered as I opened the door, I started to release a body heat from my body to warm her, levitating over a blanket from the inside of the medical bay.

Quartz softly smiled as she snuggled her face against my back. I could feel her heart as I tried not to make a peep, my colors trying to shift as I forced my emotions down yet again. Keeping a grey color.

I walked out, going against the winds that tried to pick up while making sure the red haired mortal was fine. My spikes along my back laid down against my body to make sure that they didn't make her uncomfortable.

"Why did I even care?" I thought to myself. I sighed as I soon passed through the small blizzard. I quickly shook off the snow buildup in my horns and hooves; tapping my front hooves against the ground.

Quartz had slid off my back, seeing the pengwings as she held out her hands and picked up a little pup. "What are you doing?" I muttered as my colored turned a soft purple as I walked over. "Look!" She giggled as she shoved one of the fluffy stupidly cute lil shits.

Yes. I'm still salty about being put in a pengwing. I'm not apologizing.

I stared at it as I turned a soft red. "Why is it looking at me like that?" I lowly hissed in an echoy tone. Like a ghost. Sometimes that tended to happen.

"I think it likes you." Quartz snickered as her eyes sparkled, Why the fuck did it sparkle??

My colors flashed a pink as I quickly forced it away with my grey glow and a throat clearing. "It's just a stupid pup. It doesn't know what like even means." I stared at her.

"We need to work on your grumpiness." Quartz huffs, puffing up her cheeks angrily before then she smiled. Oh no.

She had an idea.

"What the hell are you--" I didn't even finish my sentence before the pengwing was shoved in my face I could feel the fluff and the little heartbeat of the creature. I froze as I turned a yellow color of surprise, and an orange of annoyance.

She softly giggled as she pulled away the pengwing. "There. A kiss." She smiled confidently as she gently patted the feeble creature. "How was that even a kiss? I got eyeball mucus on my face." I muttered as I tried to wipe the mucus off with my metallic hand, only to get it on both my face and hand. I growled in irritance, turning a even deeper orange. "Oh right..." she stared at the beak as she turned it around and slams against my face. "Ow-" I growled at her as I got up and turnt towards the water. Damn it. Now I had both mucus and a beak slammed against my face.

I snarled to myself. I then soon noticed something; I growled at the mortal...

I groaned as I placed my hand on my head. I didn't mean to. Damn my easily angered self. She only wanted to cheer me up. Most likely from what happened last night... tch.

"Hey--" I looked behind me. But she wasn't there-

I froze as my colors flashed a red and orange color. Where did she go?! She doesn't even know this place. Fuck. Fuck fuck. I'm such a dumbass! I frantically looked around before I heard a familiar scream. I perked up, immediately running over as I let out a large echoy ghost-like roar.

The large Snowstalker stopped when hearing the sound, turning towards me. Wait...did I just roar? I shook my head. Focus X-Cross. Saving Quartz.

I launched myself at the Stalker and smacked them away easily with my horns. I noticed something odd about the stalker, crystals were growing across their leg, as if encasing it. I stared for a while... what the hell?

I looked over at Quartz, who was curled up, her body had crystals growing on it in certain spots, the exact same crystals as well. "...Quartz?" I questioned, looking down at her. She curled up more, staring at me as she softly squeaked, she had a cut from the snowstalker most likely. "...Hey..." I knelt down in front of her. "I...I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to snarl at you like that..." I softly spoke, touching her cheek. "Can I start over?...I'll try to be a less...angry friend."

I felt a sharp pain as crystals started to form on my arm after touching Quartz, but after she leaned closer it stopped. It started to break off like small shards as the pain dissipated.

Quartz shook her head as she rested her head on my chest. "I like you just the way you are." She then grinned. "But we do need to work on your grumpiness."

"Does this include more fluff in the face?" I moved my head back as I tilted it to the side in curiosity.

"Maaaybe." She then crawled up into my back, wincing from her wound.

"Lets head to my friend's place before we do anything more. She has a lot of medkits its like they randomly appear in a box every ten minutes." I chuckled as I nudged Quartz's forehead. "But I'm not letting her know about you, the words I'll hear will be all mushy and shit."

"I think I should make a curse jar for you." The mortal spoke up as she giggled.