Caged With The Alien Warrior

43.

Aanya

We finished eating and, despite my protests, Ronan cleared up too. I mean, it would only be fair if I cleaned up since he cooked. But he wouldn't have it.

It turned out being for the best because it looked like the dishwasher thing ate our plates, so I had no clue how that worked. I think if I tried, it would eat my fingers.

Ronan's aunt came by and asked to spend some time with Lani, so she was off with her while Ronan gave me a tour of the grounds.

Wowza.

This place was huge. Rather sparsely decorated, but that was better than it being over the top. And the technology? It was so different from Earth.

We made it back down to the main floor, talking about the differences when Ronan handed me a tablet-looking thing. "Here's a datapad. Please order yourself a wardrobe."

I looked down at the datapad and then blanched when I saw the prices. "I– I can't. I might not be able to read your language, but I see all the zeros on these prices. I don't need anything like this, really."

"I want you to have the best. I assure you, I have enough credits, if you're concerned. I earn a good salary in the military and I haven't had the need to spend much of it."

I shook my head, no. "But I can't accept all this. It's too much. I can't afford this..."

Ronan frowned. "Please, do this for me."

"I'll get a job or something here. Be able to pay for my clothes?" I raised a brow. That was an option, right?

He frowned harder, serious. "You need clothes now– and for Lani as well."

Definitely avoided answering that question.

Hesitantly, I picked out the bare minimum of clothes that I'd need along with some selections for Lani.

"What's outside like? Can we go see?" I asked to change the subject as I set down the datapad.

"Of course." Ronan nodded, opening the door for me.

As we walked outside, the twin suns were setting. My little excuse to change the topic turned into something more as I really appreciated where I was right now.

I walked ahead and Ronan trailed behind me as I took in the fresh air. It felt so, so good to be able to be outside after being trapped for so long. I went over to the grass and almost fell to my knees, wanting to just feel the goddamn dirt beneath my fingers.

"Are you alright?" Ronan asked as he knelt next to me, looking at me with concern.

"Hm?" I blinked at him. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ronan's hand ghosted my cheek. "You're crying, though."

I was crying? I brought my hand to my cheek, feeling the wetness there. I hadn't let myself cry in so long.

I wiped away the tears.

"What are your human marriage customs?" Ronan asked, probably because of my tears.

I let out a surprised laugh at his abrupt question, but stood and answered.

"I'd probably have a nondenominational wedding, I'm not really religious. There's an aisle and the groom is waiting at the end of the aisle. All your friends and family are there. You exchange vows, maybe some readings, and it ends with a kiss. It's so many more steps than getting married here and I'm probably boring you– why do you want to know?" I sniffed, and wiped away at any residual tears.

Thinking about all this made me wish I'd done the whole shebang with Ronan. But this marriage is just fake, there's no way this could actually work. Ronan's an alien and I'm a human- I just want to go home. To what's safe and familiar.

I had to remember that.

"What is this kiss?" he sounded out the unfamiliar word, not answering my question.

My cheeks heated. "What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head.

"What is a kiss? We don't have these and the word is unfamiliar to me, my translator isn't working," Ronan explained earnestly.

"Oh. But, but we've kissed before?" I spluttered, voice going high.

He just looked even more confused.

Suddenly, understanding dawned on me. Ronan literally didn't know what a kiss was. This whole time I thought that Ronan hadn't wanted to kiss me so I kissed him before we tried to escape. Memories hit me.

With adrenaline pumping through my veins, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to one last desperate kiss.

Our first and last kiss.

A kiss that said that he was worth it to me. That he was everything to me.

I felt his surprise in the kiss, the rigidity of his frame, but I wrapped myself around him and kissed him with everything I had in me. He relaxed, leaning into the kiss. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close.

Heart pounding, I twined my hands around his neck and desperately tried to memorise the feel of his soft lips, the press of his body against mine. A tear escaped, rolling down my cheek.

I pulled away and crawled into the vent, not waiting to see his reaction.

I thought that he didn't kiss me before because he wanted to keep things impersonal. But maybe Rhodinians literally didn't kiss?

I cleared my throat, flustered at remembering the kiss and the thought of explaining a kiss.

"On Earth, kisses have different meanings. Some kiss platonically, romantically. When people get married, they mean it, um, romantically," I fumbled through the explanation. "A kiss is when we press our lips together." I finished, breathless.

Ronan stepped closer. "When our lips touch, that is a kiss?" he clarified.

My chest heated with his closeness. "Yes," I breathed.

His hand came up to cup my cheek, hand calloused but so gentle. I sucked in a soft breath as my every last nerve ending came alive at his touch. My eyes flickered between his lips and his bright eyes. I leaned in closer...

✶ ☾ ✶

AUTHOR'S NOTE

EEEEEK HERE'S A LIL CLIFFHANGER... whaddya think is gonna happen next? 

Comments and votes are much appreciated.

Virtually yours,

Ro