The Little Blue Pitcher

Under this Tree

Orion's face fell, and I could only mutter, "Please, we can talk about this some other time." he nodded, and I shivered at the thought of my mother. We were walking southwards, towards the rural area of Salt Lake.

I was getting tired and weak again, and the events of the day were weighing heavily on me. we had reached the edge of the city, and I couldn't handle it anymore. I fell to the ground under a small tree, and instantly, Orion set my stuff down and caught me before I'd fallen, laying me softly in the grass.

He laid down next to me and I laid my head on his chest. He was so warm I couldn't help but cuddle up to him. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Orion. I've been kicked out of my own house. Not that I liked the house much, but still." I complained. He consoled me by rubbing my back, and we talked about other things to keep our minds off it.

We got to know each other well. From favorite color to worst memory to where we want to be in five years, etc. "Why didn't you go in the house with me?" I asked him randomly. "Well, just because I'm a genie doesn't mean that others can't see me." he answered honestly. I shook my head.

"You're still going to keep this whole genie gig up, huh?" I asked, and he shrugged, which was about the worst answer you could give someone. We laid there in silence after that, just watching the sky pass us. Every once in a while, Orion would point out a constellation that he knew and he'd explain it to me. It was the most entertaining thing ever, listening to him be passionate. 

After a while, I had drifted off to sleep, but I could still feel his soft eyes, piercing my skull and sifting through my thoughts. I felt his hand brush my hair out of my face, in the gentlest way that a human could ever treat another. I felt so loved in his arms.

I was awaken by gentle tapping on the arm. It was Orion, and he had a worried look on his face. When I touched my face, tears were streaming down it, staining everywhere they touched. He used his eyes to ask me if I was okay.

"I don't know, I'm just worrying. We can't spend every night under this tree, sleeping like it's our home. I don't have a home anymore. You need to get to yours. I have no idea what I'm going to do anymore." I rambled, flailing my arms in gestures as I cried, and sitting up to face Orion more clearly.

He sat up with me, and held me by the shoulders, which instantly calmed me. "Let's just try to get you calmed down, yeah? You can't accomplish anything while you're flustered. How about this: describe your dream house to me." he asked, looking me earnestly in the eye. I raised an eyebrow at him, sniffling, "Are you serious?"