Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Mealtime

Kaya woke to the smell of food. Strange. 

No one had cooked for her since she came to the city. Kaya was on her own now. If she didn't cook, she didn't eat. 

Slowly, Kaya blinked her eyes open. Ransom's office. She remembered going to sleep, but why did everything seem different now?  When did someone put a blanket over her?

With a groan, Kaya pushed up on one elbow. The sky outside the windows had gone dark. What time was it?

"You're awake now?" Ransom's low voice floated from somewhere near his desk. 

Kaya turned her head to see. Ransom lifted a bag of expensive take-out and settled it on the table in the middle of the room. 

"Eat with me. You can use the nourishment." 

"Have I been here all afternoon?" Kaya sat up and pressed a palm to one eye. "How long did I sleep?"

"A while. It's almost seven." Ransom unpackaged the take-out, setting containers in a circle so that he and Kaya could both choose what they wanted. "I took the liberty of ordering in, considering today's events." 

Probably smart. Kaya couldn't fault his decision. Today had been... interesting, at best. 

"Why didn't you wake me?" 

"You were sleeping so peacefully." Ransom retrieved silverware from the bag and placed one set facing Kaya. "I hope you won't fault me for wanting to give you a reprieve." 

Funny, how Kaya didn't blame Ransom for keeping things from her or making decisions on her behalf. Had it been anyone else, she might have been irate. Instead, she found she liked the comfort of someone looking out for her. 

"I have a question." Kaya slid to the floor and sat cross-legged beside the low table. 

Ransom nodded. "Go ahead."

"You told me that I wouldn't remember our first date. What did you mean?" 

Ransom arched his eyebrows. "Not what I expected you to ask." 

"Not how I expected you to answer. Stop changing the subject." Kaya stabbed the steak before her with her fork and set about cutting off a bite. 

Ransom sighed. "During the month we stayed in your village, you and I spent quite a lot of time together." 

"Yeah, but those weren't dates." 

"I took you to see fireworks, do you remember? I purchased a stuffed doll for you and I offered you my jacket when you were cold." Ransom pushed his food around in the container that held it. "At the time, I never would have considered it a date, but... over the years, as I've kept watch over you, I think I came to consider it as such." 

Kaya stopped to look up and stare. "You were, like, way older than me at the time." 

"I'm still older than you." Ransom chuckled. "It just doesn't matter as much, since we're both adults. You've always had a certain spark that I couldn't walk away from. Back then... I didn't know it would turn into such a fondness for you." 

"I'm glad it did, though." Kaya stuffed a bite of steak into her mouth before she could say anything more. 

Who knew that her childhood fantasies would become reality? Who knew that her junior high crush would become someone who so adored her? 

There, in the quiet company of the only man she had ever considered, Kaya found that she could finally breathe. With that knowledge came also the fear that his plan might fail, but Kaya chose in that moment to not listen to the negativity her mind fed her. 

Right then, sitting in his office, Kaya was simply a girlfriend having a meal with her boyfriend. She rather liked the thought of that.