Tampering with devotion.

Stalker-ish (4)

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Stalker-ish (4)

I tug at the end of my turquoise top and butterfly-pattern palazzo pants. Gemini had a new set of clothes ready for me, a hairbrush and comb, moisturizers, a toothbrush, and even amber vanilla captured mist- one of my favorites. He seriously came in clutch for me. Like the one that did for us, someone else had told Dune where we were, and helped them reach the scene quicker. A certain paranoid outcast.

As for Zion: he’s been keeping peeping eyes away and questions down until I'd woken up. I give myself a double thumbs up and push some hair out of my face. It’s braided back, leading a path down to my knees. Yes, my arms hurt for sure and I am super tired for an entirely different reason now, but I like it. I move some to the front. I turn around and shake them out, then back to my shoulders when I flip my head up and neatly gather them, tying them with multiple, red hair ties.

It’s been thirty minutes, I think, and I am now showered, shaven, and clothed. Sure enough, Gemini was fully conscious when Zion and I were talking, and quick to move. His hand was already covering my own before I could register anything else about him or the bind. Although it was as if his touch became tiger balm, it had sizzled the unknown connection away the longer he held onto me, the stir caused by those feeling detached from me, dispelling me from a fog that had no exit. His divided irises zeroed in on me and my injuries, lingering longer on the injuries, which helped bring me back to reality.

I step out of the bathroom, and at the same time Zion slides the curtain, back in his usual drip; gray shirt, dark jeans, and new gloves. I could tell they were new because these had his initials on the wrists in gray, cursive letters. He was adjusting one of them until he looked up at me and stopped. I ball my fists, hitting them against the sides of my thighs and looking anywhere else besides his face. I smack my lips, “How’d you even manage to keep those on? You were in a gown.”

“When there’s a will, there’s a way.”

I roll my eyes, “Sure. So, how long was that?”

He pats himself down for his warp. “It’s on the bed.” I gesture behind him, “You heard when I said go, right? After I finished my hair?”

“Yep,” he looks at the time. After the specialists had come and gone, and I was free to go, we timed me to see how long it took for me to put on my clothes, just for the heck of it. He bet that it would take me twenty-five, I bet at least eleven minutes. “Fourteen minutes. So, it’s my win.”

“No, it’s mine.” I squint my eyes at him, then slowly raise a closed fist. He catches my gaze and action, “B, T, L, then.”

“Bring it.”

We start in unison, "Bas, Ti, Ly-”

“I have your warp,” Gemini announces behind me. I jump and spin around to face him and his outstretched hand that holds my warp.

“Geez, Louise!” I whined, even though I hadn’t finished the chant, I was holding my arms close to me and my hip was jutting out to make an S shape for Basilisk. I whip my head back at Zion to see him holding up his forefingers to the sides of his head and his mouth wide. Lycan. I suck my teeth. “Whatever. Anyway, hemna Gemini. Thanks for this and the clothes.”

“They compliment you well.” He steps closer, twirling the end of one of the two braids I'd left out between his fingers before letting it slip back onto my shoulder. Mkay, that makes my cheeks a bit hot, not going to lie there. I move to stand beside him and take his hand, turning my hand palm facing up and intertwining our fingers. With what I’m sure was a stupid grin I comment, “We need to get you a bell.” Gemini drops his head and rubs the bridge of his nose softly, not hiding his amusement. I had used this joke before, back in Myst Creake, although I partly meant it then, and now. His thumb rubs over my knuckles. “You look good, too, by the way. At least one of us didn’t need to end up needing medical attention.”