a.k.a. Katana

Chapter Twelve

Katana had found spare clothing in one of the many, magical medicine drawers. It was a simple, wrap around robe with buttons. She felt like a child, wearing her dad's shirt. It was clean, soft and warm, though. Next was her hair. She found a comb and pulled all the knots out and let it hang loose so that it could dry.

She scrutinized her image in the bathroom mirror and found it acceptable for someone who had just escaped a burned up slave ship/slash party boat the night before. Just for good measure she scrunched up her nose, squinted her eyes and bared her teeth in the mirror. She made a chomping motion and then laughed to herself. Something about making faces in the mirror had always amused her.

Having little time to continue the activity without passing out from hunger, she turned to leave. As she did, she saw Kokin leaning in the doorway grinning and trying not to laugh and give away his position. She could feel the heat creeping into her face and her cheeks quickly turned a bright shade of red.

Kokin chuckled openly now that she noticed him standing there. She pushed him out of the way and stormed past him. In the past few hours he had seen her drunk, half naked, passed out and now this. Of course he was laughing at her.

He went after her and grabbed her wrist before she could get to the door. She spun around to face him and pulled her hand away. Undeterred, he grabbed her by the arm with his other hand and pulled her to him, embracing her in his arms.

She was surprised by his gesture, but couldn't help relax against the smooth firmness of his chest. His shirt felt soft against her cheek and she could hear his heart beating and the rumbling of his voice as he spoke. "Don't be embarrassed Katana. You're so pretty, even when you make that face."

She wasn't sure what to say. Her mind raced to think of something clever or funny or even just neutral. No words came out of her mouth. She couldn't remember why she wasn't supposed to like him. Something to do with her mother. But her mother was a bajillion light years away, maybe more.

"Katana?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you going to do next?"

"Eat food."

Katana could feel Kokin's laughter deep inside his chest. He stepped back and held her at arm's length. "It's a good idea. But, what I was getting at was, why not come home with me? Let me take care of you...for a little bit anyway." His voice was quiet, sincere and hopeful, his eyes searched her face for an answer.

Katana was still for a long moment while she thought about what he had just said. "I don't see how I couldn't. I can't go back to the hotel and I obviously suck at making my own way." Her thin dark eyebrows furrowed as she spoke the last statement.

"You could go to S'Edga En, where you were supposed to go before you fell into the river. Remember? They would take you in, teach you how to live here or help you get back to your own planet..."

"Oh yeah...I forgot about that." Katana answered. She sat down on one of the clean beds and thought for a moment. She hadn't realized that option was still open to her. But that would mean going to a new place where she didn't know anyone and starting all over again, just so she could go to another new place again later. She was tired of going to new places and doing new things.

Kokin waited as patiently as he could while she sat silently on the bed staring at the floor. It seemed like an entire day had passed before she answered.

"I don't want to go to S'Edga. I want to stay with you, Kokin." She decided out loud. He breathed an audible sigh of relief and pulled her off the bed. "Good! I'll start by feeding you. C'mon."