RIPE & DRAGGERS

CHAPTER 9

Bob woke up at med bay with his left arm wrapped in bandage. He remembered having bruises from playing with that Brahm beast. He raised to inspect his arm and smiled at the thought of wrestling that Lima-giant as he thoroughly enjoyed it.

Then he remembered being touched by Kai.

It was unexplainable.

Just as he smiled at the memory, the door opened and Kai entered.

"Your pet is awake." she said, with those eyes that stings thru his heart.

And then he realized that he gave explicit instructions to take Lima on board Rodrick's ship.

He stepped down from the stretcher and Kai helped him. She grabbed his arm so he could stand straight. Being this near to him made her realized that he's taller than she recognized.

She hand over his t-shirt which he immediately started to put on. Being this close to him she could really examine the guy's upper body, naked in front of her; with his arms raised while pulling down the shirt, gave her enough time to scan it thoroughly.

Bob is not so muscular but he is a bit slender. Good chest, flat stomach and broad shoulders complete the ensemble. A fraction of a second and the verdict is unanimous; the guy is a hunk she thought. And while his arms are raised and struggling to pull down the shirt, she completely lost track of her hands that landed on his body around the rib cage.

Bob twitched at the sensation of her fingers. "Hrmmp.... that tickles." he said complaining, while his face is still covered by the shirt.

She bit her lip in embarrassment and withdrew her hands to her back pockets.

When he finished dressing, Kai can't look at the guy directly and she had to breathe slowly to hide her anxiety. She knows that he's looking at her but if she meets his gaze she would probably flush red again.

She turned her focus on his shirt and found that it's skewed by the left shoulder and she instantly straightened it out. She almost cursed aloud, when she realized that she just pulled her hands back a moment ago and now here they are again touching his body.

"Where is he?" Bob asked, pertaining to Lima.

"In the main hangar, wounds being tended.... just like you said." she replied in a very quiet tone.

Her low voice halted him and his body clenched at the intensity. He has never been this close to an angel before, nor did he ever feel this edgy.

He smiled at the experience.

So this is how it feels.

At the sight of his mischief smirk, Kai slapped him on his cheek. "Let's go moron."

Wow. That was brief.

He followed her, and soon they are in the hatches leading to the hangar. A few steps and they were silent until Kai began to inquire.

"You're human like us, aren't you?"

Bob nodded, and being a junior professor of ancient literature and history, he has a very good idea where this conversation is leading. "Yes I am human, and my brother Gener is also human like you; are you confused?"

"Not really, curious perhaps.... as to why would you be called Runkans."

There it is, he thought. History lesson 101.

He stopped walking and turned to face her. "Our ancestors, before the 1st campaign war erupted, settled a colony in the Runk region. The enemy back then was the Scoltice who started calling us the Runkans; and that's how we 'Earth-lings' are called ever since."