Odin's Prize

Seclusion

Blatant

Advance weaponry of ancient forest greens regards me with an unobstructed view making my already warm skin flush with heat.

"You heal very fast." Odin's low toned words of observation flow out while he opens a drawer of the dresser taking out some clothes. The hem of the nightgown falling over my waist coming to rest just below my knees. The material is white cotton softness, a stark comparison to Odin's eyes right now that hold a hue of the green on the verge of turning, twisting into the black.

The trail of his vision, hitting just below my knees, hitting the back of my calves, caressing the ankle until holding on my bare feet. "There's a pair of slippers on your half of the closet if you find the floors to cold for your feet."

"Thank you. My feet are a little cold." Odin walking by has his arm brushing against the fabric of the nightgown across my chest, a faint breath of air escaping out from my mouth with that barely there contact that seems as if it was by accident.

Odin's small exhale of breath lets out slowly, cautiously from his lungs. He doesn't turn around, and for that I'm grateful. Opening what must be my half of the closet, he reaches down and picks up a pair of moccasins; I've seen them in my pack before, most of the time it's the smaller pups wearing them until they become juveniles and stop wearing them all together.

It's deerskin suede on the outside and fur lining the inside. On the top decorated in brilliant shades of blue smooth glass beads. Slipping them on, they fit perfectly, hugging my feet.

"They're beautiful, thank you, Odin." Now it's Odin that looks down momentarily, before those eyes once again assail my flesh, palming vision against my ankle, smoothing up my calve, stopping just below my knee until the material of my dress prohibits the feel of eyes on skin.

"You're welcome." His words hold a faint tinting blush to them while a heat creeps along cheekbones. The fibers in his face stretching lightly to pull the edges of his lips upwards into an Odin smile.

"I'm going to clean up; I put a pot of chili on, my sister had it already made for us. It just needs to warm up. We can eat together when I'm finished with cleaning myself. Feel free to explore around; this is your home just as much as it is mine." He turns to go into the bathroom that still holds the steam of the shower I just came out.

Before stepping inside the room, with his back to me, he holds himself gripping the wooden door frame. "I'm thankful you're here, Charlie." Not another word spoken before the door closes behind him, the sound of water turning on has me exhale a lungful of air.

Looking now into the closet that he left open is an assortment of my clothes. Sweaters, shirts, pants, all hung up neatly on my half. Looking at Odin's half, he has his clothing hanging up. He doesn't possess as much as me, just a few simple pairs of pants, shirts and one pair of dress up slacks. He does have one button down long sleeve shirt; a tie hangs up with it. It looks iron ready no creases in it at all. Looking down he has a few shoes but again nothing like my half displays.

Closing the closet door back up, looking into all the dresser draws all my stuff is in there. How did I not know they were missing? Going to bed, it would fit two bodies comfortably, laying side by side. Looking into the bedside drawer, it's empty nothing inside it. Going to the other side of the bed is several journals. Pencils of different colors in various stages of use line the bottom of the drawer and over the top the used journals. Picking the very top one up, turning the pages is me staring back. Page after page of various poses some of the pictures not finished, some just an outline sketch as if he might come back and complete the image he was drawing some day. Just a scribble on the page of a hand, or the way my calf curves up from my ankle.