The Cross in Our Stars

Chapter 7

About forty pages into their deep dive of their book, Nira finds herself resurfacing from time to time upon the couch, a mere arm's length from Valja. The restlessness in her limbs poked with their needle-like talons at her waning concentration, threatening to further dig into muscles. She shifts in her place, using what's left of the warmth in her hot chocolate to restore the coziness and calm associated with reading. The feeling of agitation from being still for too long is almost impossible to overcome, her limbs wanting to stretch inside a box three sizes too small.

Her companion watches every roll of tense shoulders, the clenching muscles of her jaw, and how she's now gripping the hardback book as if it were a paperback. The atmosphere is relaxing enough, quiet even, yet he could hardly feel at ease while she seemed on edge. Making a note of his page he closes it slowly, eyes watching her uncomfortable form.

"Are you alright?" His voice is gentle, full of concern and free of criticism as brown eyes continue to watch for any signs of offending her by even prying. The copy of his own hardback book is placed on the table next to his half finished hot chocolate. "You don't seem like yourself, Vixen."

She stops all motions, forgetting during her internalized torment that she had an audience. A sigh converts to a groan as she brings the book to her face only to bury it within the pages. She's not even sure what she just read, yet could safely assume it's been the same paragraph for a good five minutes. Nira reemerges, embarrassed yet grateful at his concern for her.

"Sorry. It's just...I didn't have my usual double jog this morning." She bookmarks her page. "Or yesterday." The book is snapped shut. "Or anytime this week." Nira forces herself to gently place the book upon the table. "I'm not allowed to jog in the rain anymore. I got really sick one time."

Valja watches as she unravels the tie holding up her hair, coils of black cascading down her shoulders and back as she rolls her shoulders. The familiarity of her agitation rests on the tip of his tongue. "So how have you compensated?"

"I did some sparring with Josh and Ri–uh, Vivid." As she stretches her neck, her eyes are closed, not wanting to acknowledge her near slip of the tongue. "I want to go all out, but I'm sure they'll get hurt. It's helping, though. But today..." Fists clench and release to fully extend her fingers before closing tightly again, as if trying to squeeze out the tension through her hands. Her eyes open, watching the tight fists. "It was a busy day." Disappointment laced with tiredness seeps into her voice.

If the tension from her body could seep into the very air they breathed, Valja is certain that his lungs would be incapacitated, constricted. It's then that he understood why her current state seems so familiar. He turns to her, the gap between them a little less so in the motion, his voice hushed.

"Is it like coils wrapping around your muscles, almost...calcifying your joints with the lack of strenuous movement? The feeling just suffocates your thoughts, and thus, your concentration." Seeing the surprise on her face, he gives a wry smile. "I assume."

Her mouth flaps like a freshly caught fish on a boat deck at the accuracy. "How...how did you..."

"We Sorans have that same issue." His wide grin is either proud of this fact, or proud he guessed right. "It's why we train hard right at the beginning of the school day, then study after." He leans back in his seat, his grin down to a warm smile before suddenly standing from his seat, startling his date. He starts moving the table far off to the side. "The rain hasn't let up yet, but we can do some wrestling." He starts removing his socks, scrutinizing the now spacious area. "It doesn't rain much on Sor, but when it does, we stay indoors and burn off the pent up energy."

The lack of concentration isn't the only thing stunted in her current self. Thankful for not exposing more than she wanted, Nira just focuses on Valja's suggestion. She genuinely forgot about Valja being full Soran, while also forgetting that her own school schedule changed when she was younger for the very reason as described. If her father hadn't intervened for that change, she's sure to have reduced her home to crumbles.