Her Eyes

Fifteen

Esmae and Nikolaos returned home from their short shopping spree. Well, it was more of Nikolaos admiring the decorative pillows, blankets, and lights he bought for the house and Esmae following him around, carrying the large dumpling stuffie he bought for her.

Esmae and Lan exchanged numbers before they left and Lan made sure to send her a picture of the food she and Lukas ate in the food court, Esmae begging Nikolaos to go there together once she saw it.

Nikolaos was pleased with the new friend Esmae made and even more pleased to see that the girl's partner was Greek. He and Lukas hit it off immediately, the two laughing over stories and cultural similarities they understood from years in Greece. It was the fastest friendship Nikolaos had ever made, and he thanked Esmae's existence for it even happening.

Esmae grunted as she placed the heavy shopping bags on the floor. She wanted to help Nikolaos carry them in, though he denied it the first time, saying they were heavy, and he could do it alone. He gave up on declining her assistance when Esmae stood in front of the open door to the house, refusing to move until he allowed her to carry a few.

She regretted her stubbornness slightly when she felt how heavy the bags were, not knowing that the difference between Nikolaos and her strength was far too big of a gap to measure easily.

Nikolaos chuckled at her tired figure from the dining table, seemingly fine from the haul they brought in and ready to organize it all before resting until the evening. So, to her disdain, he unpacked the newly bought goods, laying them out on the large carpet by the living room.

She sat on the couch with a sigh, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. She heard rustling around her, Nikolaos putting everything away, and felt the dumpling stuffie he bought for her placed in her arms. She snuggled with it immediately, letting out a long sigh as her muscles relaxed.

Nikolaos moved silently around the cottage, adjusting the pillows on the couches and screwing in new lightbulbs where the previous died. It didn't take him long to finish placing everything away and he returned to Esmae, who was in the same position as before, hunched over as she hugged the dumpling.

He kneeled by her sitting figure, her eyes opening at his presence and flittering around his face. "Hey," he whispered, earning a hum, "are you tired?" he asked, brushing stray curls away from her face. She closed her eyes again, nodding once silently.

"Let's get you changed into something more comfortable first, and then I'll let you nap until dinner, yeah?" he said, rubbing her temple as she nestled into his touch, letting out light breaths and sighs. She nodded faintly, feeling immensely tired, and allowed Nikolaos to carry her, the stuffie hanging on weakly in her hand.

He climbed up the stairs, sat her down on the bed, and chose loose lounge pants and one of his hoodies, handing it to Esmae to change in. He learned very quickly when Esmae became a human that she didn't like the feeling of tight pants around her legs. She complained that it was constraining, and she couldn't breathe in them, so he only bought her loose pants to wear.

"Remember the class I told you about? I'll have to be alone for around two hours, but if you're hungry for a snack, there's chocolate in the bag over there," he pointed to the small bag across the room near the window, "just don't eat too much of it; I don't want your stomach to hurt later."

Nikolaos spoke to the tired girl so softly, his deep octaves making her more lethargic each time they entered her ears. "Okay," she agreed, not caring much for the delightful treat anyway. He chuckled once more before leaning close and pressing a firm kiss on her forehead, loving the way she shivered under his touch.

How cute.

"We'll have giouvétsi for dinner," he added, watching her eyes open at the food and the small smile he always adored gracing her face. He kissed her again, this time on the lips, before leaving her and heading to his office and turning on the computer to join the class.