Ronan
Aanya and I followed Aunt Mae and Uncle Korath into our home, Lani in Aanya's arms. It felt weird to think of Aunt Mae and Uncle Korath's house as home– I was rarely there growing up and now I stayed in the barracks when I was planetside.
"Welcome to our home. I'll organise a room for you both." Aunt Mae moved to leave, but I stopped her.
"Wait! Aanya, would you like to stay with me in a room or separately?" I asked, shoulders squared and braced for her answer. Stars, I wanted her with me. But I couldn't have everything I wanted. She was forced to be with me for weeks. Now, she had a choice. I'd always make sure she could have as many choices as possible.
"Um, with you would be better?" her voice went high. "I mean, together, with taking care of Lani and all, um, if you want?"
"I do. Want that, I mean." My chest tightened. Stars, why were all my words coming out so awkward?
"Would you be able to set up a crib for Lani in the room for us?" Aanya asked Aunt Mae.
Aunt Mae tilted her head, confused. "Are you sure you wouldn't like her separately in a nursery?"
"Well, erm," Aanya bit her lip. "It's just that I haven't been apart from Lani this whole time and I don't think I could bear her being so far away..." Aanya trailed off.
I agreed. I hated that I was unconscious for those three weeks we travelled, basically leaving Aanya without help to care for Lani or herself. I was a failure. For stars sake, I was a starsdamned commander! And I couldn't protect her.
"I can get that crib sorted." My voice came out in a rumble.
"That would be great." Aanya beamed up at me, making me feel even more like a worthless eel. Of course, I could procure a crib. She must think so little of me if she thought I couldn't even provide them a crib. And she wouldn't be wrong– she saw me at my worst, incapable self. But she'd never have to again.
"Anyways, I'll set up your room and we'll let you both get settled– we have much to discuss." Aunt Mae motioned at Uncle Korath to follow her as she left the room.
"Um, thank you, ma'am!" Aanya called after her, a bit at a loss for words to say.
That left Aanya, Lani, and I. Our little family.
I cleared my throat. "Are you hungry?"
"Yes, please. Anything's better than what the lizardmen fed us," Aanya quipped.
I led her to the kitchen.
"Sit, please." I held out the chair for her. "I can hold Lani, if that's alright?" She'd been holding her the entire time.
"Please do." Aanya winced, rubbing her lower back. "I love her, but she's getting heavier by the day."
I helped Aanya untie Lani and marvelled at Lani's little wings. I tied her to my front and placed a gentle hand on her back. Her eyes blinked open and she babbled at me, awake.
"I'll make some food for you both, I'll be quick," I told Aanya as she sat at the table. She deserved to relax. She let out a pleased sigh before stiffening.
"Wait, no, I can help you! You don't need to cook for me, I can help." She moved to stand, but I stopped her with an arm on her hand.
"I rested long enough, I can do this," I attempted a joke about me being out of it for three weeks.
"You didn't rest, you were unconscious. Hurt. I didn't know if you'd wake up. CARREN told me you probably wouldn't. God, I was so scared." Aanya shivered.
My shoulder twinged with pain at the memory. We 100% weren't at joking level about that right now, noted. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been hurt and left you to–"
Aanya shook her head, cutting me off. "You were hurt because I distracted you."
No, I am a trained soldier. I shouldn't have let myself get distracted enough to be incapacitated.
"But it's all good, we all survived," Aanya finished.
Was it all good, though? I ducked my head and got to cooking my favourite dinner, hoping that it'd be alright for human physiology. We'd have to go to Krono to know more.
"While that's cooking, Lani need food too, right?" I looked down at her little face. She babbled at me nonsensically in her youngling way. Adorable.
And now I knew she was, in fact, Kier's daughter. She had his nose. Well, as much as a baby's face could resemble her father.
"I'll use the fabricator for her formula this time, but it'll make sure we order real formula for the future," I told Aanya as I programmed the fabricator.
Aanya tilted her head to the side, frowning. "What's the fabricator?"
"Right, apologies, I forget that you don't know." I frowned. I had to stop assuming Aanya knew all the things I took for granted. "A fabricator can fabricate anything you want, which is perfect for ships. But it's lower quality than real food, or real products. So I want to buy Lani formula not made through the fabricator, but this formula won't harm her or anything like that."
"I know you'd never harm her," Aanya said softly.
I fixed Lani's bottle, not meeting Aanya's gaze. I fed Lani her bottle and burped her, just like Aanya had taught me in the cell.
It had been three weeks for Aanya since we were imprisoned, but for me it felt like just yesterday that we were trapped with those bastards.
I finished up cooking and plated the meals, entertaining Lani throughout.
"Here's a vobu sirloin with breha and trefil." I pointed each food out to Aanya.
"Here, I'll take Lani back while we eat. This probably sounds dumb, but I miss holding her. She was tied to me for most of those three weeks and–"
"You don't need to explain yourself." I was already untying her. Whatever Aanya wanted, I'd do my best to make happen.
I sat across from Aanya with a plate of food for myself as well. I froze.
"You don't have any dietary restrictions, yes? I just went on autopilot and made this but–"
"No, nothing. I eat everything." Aanya smiled, setting my worries at ease. "The spicier the better," she grinned.
"Noted," I nodded, waiting for her to start.
"Ah, the trefil's like asparagus. And oh my God, delicious, the vobu's like steak. Yummy." She moaned in her appreciation.
My dick stiffened at the sound.
"I'm glad you like it," I said, voice stiff.
She scooped up the breha and took a big bite. "The breha is the best, buttery and fluffy and scrumptious."
She moaned some more. I shifted in my seat. Stars, I had to think about anything else right now.
Aanya swallowed her food and gave me a blinding smile. "Thank you, it's delicious. I think you could feed me cardboard right now and I'd be happy, especially after weeks with only water."
That killed any arousal I felt, thinking of her starving. "Right. How did you survive without food? I thought you ate three times a day?"
"I definitely lost some weight. And I was reaching the end of how long a human can live without food. But I don't know how I miraculously healed, like that doctor, Krono, said." She ate some more breha.
"This is just like mashed potato at home, but a different colour. So good. Makes me a bit homesick, actually. Jeez, I really miss home. Wish I could go back," she sighed. "Everything's so different. But that's enough of that, you don't want to hear about Earth." She waved a hand.
"No, please, tell me more about Earth and potato." I did my best to pronounce the unfamiliar words.
Aanya laughed at my mispronunciation and went on about all the different ways she liked this potato prepared.
But, my thoughts wouldn't settle. This marriage isn't going to work– she wants to go home. My life isn't suitable for a female, I'm a commander and I'm always gone with my men.
Why would she want to stay with me after everything that had happened?
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Writing these emotional chapters is >>>
Any thoughts on what'll happen now that the Tribunal's over?
Comments and votes are much appreciated.
Virtually yours,
Ro