The best kind of trophy - Yautja x Reader

Chapter 8: 'Bonding', also known as 'being annoying'

Max would bet both her kidneys that, judging from the expressions in his eyes, he went through all five stages of grief in the time it took him to come up with a comeback.

"I did not get 'my ass kicked'. Like I said, my previous injuries-"

She didn't even let him finish. Now it was her turn to rest her face in her palm as her lips curled into a devious grin that could easily rival the Cheshire Cat.

"So you didn't prepare well, huh? Shoulda' known better, shouldn't you have? Still sounds like a 'You' problem and a 'win' for my lot"

He crossed his arms in front of his chest, his eyes squinting as his tusks seemed to curl inward. He was on the defensive now, losing his footing, and oh boy, was it glorious to see that beefcake struggle.

He growled quietly, his chest rising and falling with a deep huff as he failed to retaliate to that.

-There, right there; the shrewdness of the human mind.-

-This strange glint in Ax's eyes, the uniquely human way of lips parting and teeth flashing in an ambiguous way that was a threat on any creature's face but a humans. –

-The words were quick, carefully picked and oh so sharp. He had let his defense down, again, and it came right back to bite him, again. She seemed to instinctively know where his sore spots lied, and when and how to pounce on them. And all the while she spoke no lie or threat. It was infuriating. The words were seemingly chosen so delicately that it left him no room to argue. There was no challenge to them that he could respond to with a roar and intimidation. And without an offense there was no reason to lash out, not an honorable one anyhow. –

- He could have easily stood his ground if she had picked another assortment of words, but this left him disarmed. His people rarely sparred with words, and when they did it eventually and always led to an actual sparring since one would actually utter threat or insult at some point. Other species knew of his people's tempers, their reputation, and hence never dared argue, never mind taunt or tease. This was uncharted ground for him. –

-The Ooman had been very sophisticated in her mocking up to this point, and something in him knew from the strange glimmer in her eyes that she was very adept at threading the line of tease and insult, so much so that it must have been natural for her, and that she wouldn't slip, not once, ever. This was likely only the beginning. –

-If he wanted to keep his sanity (and pride), he had to nip this in the bud.-

"Careful Ax" he said.

"If you turn out too great of a bother, perhaps I'll sell you at the next trading hub. Oomans are a rare commodity. You'll likely be bought by a rich collector and kept as a prized possession in a manor or ship for novelties sake. Your people are fond of such cushiony accommodations, are they not? "

-He wasn't lying, he was bluffing. Totally. It would be waste after everything that transpired on the dirt-planet, sure, and something that actually didn't sit quite right with him, but the option was on the table, if at the far end of it.-

- Frankly he had already decided that he'd have to keep her at his side, as a trophy, if you will, but she didn't have to know that yet, and if he wanted to keep the soundness of his mind intact, he ought have her be more cautious of him.-

Max felt her heart jump again, but settled rather quickly as her brain processed just how meek that threat actually sounded, compared to what he could have intimidated her with, at least.

-"Will you though?" she asked, her attention seemingly wavering again as her gaze wandered towards the trophies on the wall.-

-His eyes narrowed-