Ruby Stardust (Ruby Rose fanfic)

EIGHT (ISELEN POV)

"Aren't you going to open the boxes?" My mate seems more relaxed now that I'm not crying and points at the table behind her. I get closer smiling shyly, I feel better after our argument because at least she's clear up my doubts although I still have a headache but I don't want her to know. Ruby's doing everything possible to help me adjusting to this situation, even leaving her work earlier to be with me, giving me everything I could wish... I should try to be kinder to her and the truth is that I miss her when she's not here, I'd rather feel her invading my personal space and not staring at me coldly like she did before.

"Flowers?" I ask surprised after lifting the covers. "Where did you find them?"

"I ordered them from Earth, I have no idea what kind of flowers they're or if they're your favourites... They just sent me what they had as fast as possible..." Ruby's voice gets weaker while she watches me sorting green branches into groups according to the length of the stems and flowers according to their colour; I've done it without thinking, out of habit...

"These're gerberas..."

"Nin Dingir... doctor Heze is waiting at the door, she needs to talk to you..." Alrisha's soft voice interrupts my explanation and the angel frowns, she looks obviously upset, before heaving a sigh.

"Tell her to come in, please..." The entrance door opens and the girl with green eyes and blueish hair walks in the apartment followed by two girls dressed in white uniforms.

"I'm sorry to disturb you but I need your approval before I can keep working on this project." Ruby nods and takes the screen she's handing her before moving some steps away and flopping down on the couch, focusing on her read she's not aware of the fact that the scientists are staring at the table with curiosity while Heze looks at my face with her eyes of expert doctor. "How are you doing, Iselen?"

"I'm fine..." the girl with blue hair stares at me raising an eyebrow like she knows I'm lying. I wonder if she sees something on my face that's giving some clues or my shirt has ratted me out again, if it's true that she's able to monitor our heart rate and hormone levels in blood through nanotechnology she must be aware that today has been an stressful day for me and I can't lie. "I have a headache..." I whisper so Ruby can't hear me, I don't want her to believe it's her fault. The doctor gets closer to the table staring at the flowers with curiosity but she slides her fingertips over my wrist carefully like she's checking my pulse and moves one of her devices closer to my index. A little prick and pain vanishes... "Thank you," I whisper again.

"You're welcome but promise me you're going to have a good dinner, oaky? Alrisha told me you only had two small cakes... that's not healthy."

"Of course..." Honestly, I don't know what to think about that computer, I admit she's useful under certain circumstances but that habit of telling everything I do to Heze and Ruby is starting to get on my nerves, I understand she's doing it with good intention, but the feeling of being watched constantly will turn me into a paranoid.

"Here you have, approved and signed. Is something wrong?" Ruby gets closer and looks at us suspiciously.

"I was telling Heze I can't wait to try new fruits and she was recommending me some for dinner. Is there anything similar to strawberries in this ship?" The doctor nods and smiles amused.

"Yes, actually we have something similar... only smaller and the taste is stronger. Alrisha will order a bowl for you tonight... These're beautiful..." She points at the table and her workmates move closer to look over her shoulder with curiosity. "I'm happy our botanists have decided to grow ornamental flowers finally, I know we can't eat them and are useless apart from looking good on a vase but..."

"Of course you can eat them," the four aliens open their eyes shocked and puzzled. "Not all of them, lilies are poisonous, but rose petals and orange blossom are very popular to bake cakes and also to make cosmetics and take care of your skin; zucchini flowers, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, clove and saffron are edible flowers all of them... Also poppy seeds... and you can make herbal tea with lot of them: camomile, dandelion or fennel are wonderful... You can make candies with lilac and lavender... Some chefs add forget-me-not, spring onion or sunflower petals to their salads..." Anunnaki look at each other before fixing their eyes on me, her faces show excitement and happiness at the same time.