Who is the Alien now?

Chapter 16

Hi guys!
Sorry for being late: we walked 20 kilometers today and we were too tired to think about posting. However, you, dear readers motivated us to post a chapter. We hope that everything is okay in your country. Do not forget to wear your mask!
Without other things to say, enjoy the chapter!
Lots of love
Siripoppo

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Ael's POV

Her pink lips carefully touch the white cup and finally reach the warm liquid. Her pupils dilate a bit and a small shudder goes through her body. After the first gulp, my fragile mate takes another one and so on until the cup is empty. She slowly raises her head and when her eyes meet mine, I catch sight of all the feelings lying in them. Fear, hope, confusion, gratitude and what seems to be love. Can it be ? Will she ever consider loving me ?

Her sincere smile pulls me out of my observation. I wish that one day she'll be kissing me gleefully. But the path to this dream will be demanding and full of ups and downs.

After a while, Athanasia ends up breaking the silence.

"Can you explain me what happened back there Ael ?  Please."

As I recall the moment she said she wanted to paint the doorbell, I launch into the explanation of the ruckus.

"Since we spend quite some time looking for our mate in the universe, we stay on the ship long enough. Problem is: the rooms are all alike. I'm going to tell you one of our most famous legends.

Once upon a time two mates, both Matters, lived on the ship. The girl despised the guy because he used to bully her when she was little. Because of the law they had to live together but the girl was deadly scared of him. She couldn't be in the same room as him without shedding tears. Not a single day went by without the boy yelling at her, pleading her to forgive him. The only thing that kept the girl sane was painting. She always painted, she painted everything, every object and corner of the room with application.

But the day arrived when there was nothing left to paint in the apartment and when she ran out of paint. She couldn't find any paint tube on the ship. The young girl sat outside, near the door and cried tirelessly because she knew that her cure to insanity was no longer present and that she'll be alone again with her thoughts. As she was crying her eyes out, the door opened and her mate came out. She gazed at him imagining what his next action might be. The boy was as terrified as her: he loved her so much but knew that the mere sound of his voice would scare her away. To solve the problem, he'd bought a couple of paint tubes in a shop located in the depths of the ship.

In front of her widened eyes, he opened one tube and painted a smiley face. The girl smiled and took the tube from the boy's hands to write "Hahaha" below. Painting together brought them closer and the girl finally started loving me and even accepted him as her mate. Since this day, the household has been happy and all traces of screams or cries were gone.

This legend established a sort of tradition: each newly mated couple paints their doorbell to indicate their new status. So, when you said this in the coffee shop people were delighted because it's always good news when two people get mated to each other."

As I was coming to the end of the legend, I couldn't help but stare at my mate.

"It's a really cute story." She states

"Indeed." I answer, not knowing what to add.

In the back of my mind, a voice whispers: "I wish it will also happen to us."

The silence becomes more and more heavy as time goes by. Suddenly, as if she was sick of waiting, she screams something that leaves me speechless and that will change both our lives for sure.

"What are we waiting for ? Let's paint this freaking doorbell !!"