Ferry of Woe [malexmale]

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Alexion was a good cook.

His food was filled with so many tastes that for a second, I wasn't sure how to react. There was a slight tang to it, but the warm mild tastes of vegetables, barley, and lamb mixed in the thick broth. He'd even baked bread and stuck it in the oven before cutting it up into small pieces, putting it on a plate in front of me as I ate at the counter.

The unfortunate part was that my stomach cramped at the suddenly assault of so much food all at once combined with it actually being filling food. I was used to eating maybe once or twice a week, usually fruits I bought in town or loaves of bread Cerberus brought over. It was probably a shock to my body to eat so much at once.

I ate in silence, though, taking a sip of warm tea that Alexion had also taken the liberty of brewing. I probably shouldn't have eaten his food in case it was poisoned, but the smell of it was too alluring and it's not like it'd kill me anyway.

That still brought me to the questions buzzing around in my head.

How did Alexion end up in the Acheron river?

Why was he here?

Why hadn't he killed me yet?

I wanted to ask, but I wasn't sure how. It sounded okay in my mind, but so did half the things that I managed to blurt out and somehow people still looked at me oddly. It makes me regret ever opening my mouth. So, I remained quiet as I watched Alexion eat from his own bowl as he leaned back on the counter, eyes narrowed to look out the window across from him over the counter, not that there was anything interesting outside. It was just black sand that stretched off into dunes that eventually became steep mountains and cliffs.

He wasn't speaking either. Was he also uncomfortable?

"Are you going to kill me?" I forced myself to ask at last. Alexion didn't answer me. Either he didn't hear me or he didn't care to answer. I set my bowl down and retreated from the kitchen. It was probably a stupid thing to give Alexion my back, but I found myself not really caring again. Yet, he still didn't attack me. I went to my room and started to sit at my desk, but an odd feeling came over me. I cocked my head, frowning in confusion as my stomach lurched. I grasped at my stomach, leaning over my desk, taking in deep, shaking breathes. It felt like my stomach was rising into my throat.

And then I vomited. I hunched over and puked on the floor, eyes watering at the force of it. I gasped once I was finished, legs wobbling and threatening to give out on me. I hadn't vomited in so long that I forgot what it felt like. It was the worst sensation in the world. The burning acid in my throat, the horrid taste in my mouth, the way my stomach trembled.

"What the heck," Alexion demanded, coming into the room and making me grimace, "You were serious before about not eating, weren't you?" I could only muster an unsteady nod. Alexion sighed in frustration and waved his hand out, making the mess on the floor vanish. I let go of the chair to make my way to the bed, but as soon as I lost the support, my knees buckled and I almost crashed to the floor, but Alexion caught me under the arms.

"Jeez, all right. Here we go." He caught me off guard by the way he scooped me up in his arms like I weighed absolutely nothing. I probably didn't weigh that much. I couldn't be bothered to check my weight. I just knew I could poke my ribs without any trouble.

The odd sensation of being carried by someone three times my size was also interesting. His muscles were hard, tensing around me as he lifted what little weight I had. The muscles in his chest bunched and rippled. There was an interesting scent of him. Aside from the wet smell clinging from what had to be a shower, there was a natural earthy scent to him. It was stronger, and more masculine, than the scent Blaine carried. Blaine smelled more like herbs. Alexion smelled like fresh soil and pine and leaves.