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Her Own Salvation [Pre-Joe/Ahim]
Aug. 11th, 2011 11:34 amPre-series, set the evening of the day Marv and co. rescue Ahim from the invasion and destruction of planet Famille. Ahim can't sleep. 654 words.
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Her Own Salvation
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When Ahim enters the main room Joe is still awake, reading on the couch.
"You can't sleep?" He asks. He isn't surprised to find that someone has entered the room - his senses are sharp - but his expression does change when he realises it's Ahim of all people. His eyes seem almost concerned.
Ahim sets that aside for the moment; she may be seeing only what she wishes to see.
"Not really," she says, pulling the blanket around herself more firmly as she sits down. The clothes she left Famille with were simply the ones on her back, and the nightshirt Luka has let her borrow for bed is too flimsy to be walking around in by itself. She has a reputation to uphold as a Princess.
At least, she did.
"It's a different place," she continues, "a different bed. I've never slept away from... home, before. I am sure in time I will get used to it." She smiles. "Everything will be fine."
"Ah," Joe replies, an affirmation of sorts. He doesn't look directly at her, but neither does he go back to reading his book. She takes it as an opening.
"Was it the same for you, Joe-san?" Ahim asks. His glance at her is guarded, and so she tries to clarify. "Marvelous-san told me that all of the crew are from various planets invaded by the Zangyack. And that you were the first. I was only wondering..." She trails off, wondering if she has angered him.
"You shouldn't call him Marvelous-san, he'll get big-headed," Joe says softly, with no real intent to chide her. The crooked tilt of his mouth almost suggests he's amused.
He slides forward in his seat, putting the book down with his page firmly marked.
"I'm going to go to bed now too," he says. "Let me walk you back to your room."
Joe doesn't really give Ahim a chance to argue; she finds herself following along behind him, not daring to look up and up at his shoulders, the back of his head. He might feel her eyes on him.
Once they reach her door Joe stops. He seems reluctant to open it when it is her space now. Ahim falters a moment before remembering that there is no-one here now to open doors for her, and they stand on either side of the frame for a moment in silence.
"Do you... want me to... stay, just for a while?" Joe asks awkwardly. Ahim knows his words are innocent, and that he still understands there's a potential underlying context to them. It's precisely why he stumbles over them.
She considers it. She has not known him a full day yet but the idea of him - her hero - watching over her sleep is thrilling. It sets her heart racing, and she clenches the blanket in her fist tightly to her chest to calm it.
There is even the excuse that every day of her life until now she has been protected by a bodyguard outside her bedroom door at night. She could say the guard was actually inside. She could say anything and he would probably believe it.
Ahim doesn't believe in lying.
"No," she says finally, heart sinking as her head praises her for making the right decision. "No. I will be fine on my own. Thank you, Joe-san."
Usually, amongst the others, his face is so difficult to read emotion from. After one day that much has been easy to discern. But Ahim is sure that these moments between just the two of them reveal much more. His expression says he is disappointed by her answer, but after a mere moment when he nods his acceptance and makes to walk away Ahim sees something else flicker there.
He is proud of her for what she just said. Proud that she doesn't need his help.
Perhaps it should make Ahim feel more alone, but a warm feeling wraps itself around her in response, like another layer of blanket. When she lays down this time she falls asleep almost immediately.
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When Ahim enters the main room Joe is still awake, reading on the couch.
"You can't sleep?" He asks. He isn't surprised to find that someone has entered the room - his senses are sharp - but his expression does change when he realises it's Ahim of all people. His eyes seem almost concerned.
Ahim sets that aside for the moment; she may be seeing only what she wishes to see.
"Not really," she says, pulling the blanket around herself more firmly as she sits down. The clothes she left Famille with were simply the ones on her back, and the nightshirt Luka has let her borrow for bed is too flimsy to be walking around in by itself. She has a reputation to uphold as a Princess.
At least, she did.
"It's a different place," she continues, "a different bed. I've never slept away from... home, before. I am sure in time I will get used to it." She smiles. "Everything will be fine."
"Ah," Joe replies, an affirmation of sorts. He doesn't look directly at her, but neither does he go back to reading his book. She takes it as an opening.
"Was it the same for you, Joe-san?" Ahim asks. His glance at her is guarded, and so she tries to clarify. "Marvelous-san told me that all of the crew are from various planets invaded by the Zangyack. And that you were the first. I was only wondering..." She trails off, wondering if she has angered him.
"You shouldn't call him Marvelous-san, he'll get big-headed," Joe says softly, with no real intent to chide her. The crooked tilt of his mouth almost suggests he's amused.
He slides forward in his seat, putting the book down with his page firmly marked.
"I'm going to go to bed now too," he says. "Let me walk you back to your room."
Joe doesn't really give Ahim a chance to argue; she finds herself following along behind him, not daring to look up and up at his shoulders, the back of his head. He might feel her eyes on him.
Once they reach her door Joe stops. He seems reluctant to open it when it is her space now. Ahim falters a moment before remembering that there is no-one here now to open doors for her, and they stand on either side of the frame for a moment in silence.
"Do you... want me to... stay, just for a while?" Joe asks awkwardly. Ahim knows his words are innocent, and that he still understands there's a potential underlying context to them. It's precisely why he stumbles over them.
She considers it. She has not known him a full day yet but the idea of him - her hero - watching over her sleep is thrilling. It sets her heart racing, and she clenches the blanket in her fist tightly to her chest to calm it.
There is even the excuse that every day of her life until now she has been protected by a bodyguard outside her bedroom door at night. She could say the guard was actually inside. She could say anything and he would probably believe it.
Ahim doesn't believe in lying.
"No," she says finally, heart sinking as her head praises her for making the right decision. "No. I will be fine on my own. Thank you, Joe-san."
Usually, amongst the others, his face is so difficult to read emotion from. After one day that much has been easy to discern. But Ahim is sure that these moments between just the two of them reveal much more. His expression says he is disappointed by her answer, but after a mere moment when he nods his acceptance and makes to walk away Ahim sees something else flicker there.
He is proud of her for what she just said. Proud that she doesn't need his help.
Perhaps it should make Ahim feel more alone, but a warm feeling wraps itself around her in response, like another layer of blanket. When she lays down this time she falls asleep almost immediately.
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