Unbecoming Humans

Chapter 24

Content warning: This chapter contains mild adult themes.

I watched as a long knife sank ever deeper into Nima's chest. A bloodied hand gripped the blade. My eyes followed up the long arm attached to the hand and found my mother's face. She was cackling maniacally as she watched the blood ooze from Nima's chest.

I awoke with a start, sweating and breathing heavily. Nima was leaning over me with one hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her brow furrowed with worry.

"I'm fine." I wasn't sure which of us I was trying to convince. "It was just a bad dream."

"You were thrashing in your sleep," Nima informed me. "I was trying to wake you, but you wouldn't stop."

"I'm sorry I woke you," I told her, pushing the hair that had fallen around her face behind her ear. My voice was shaky and rough with sleep.

"Aria, you're not alright. You're shaking!" Nima exclaimed, gathering me into her arms. I wanted to assure her that I was fine, but I started crying instead. I think it surprised me as much as it did her.

"You died!" I choked out through heavy sobs. I felt ridiculous for my outburst, but I couldn't stop it.

"It's okay, Aria," Nima said, stroking my hair and my back in an attempt to console me. "I'm fine. I'm right here," she whispered in my ear, rocking me back and forth. She held me like that until my sobs subsided into an occasional hiccup.

"I'm sorry," I said, as I wiped my nose on my sleeve. "I'm never this emotional. I don't know what came over me."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Aria. I l-" Her face froze for a moment, and I was afraid she might be going into a seizure or something. "I'm here for you," she finished at last, smoothing her shirt nervously. I furrowed my brow at her odd behavior, but made no mention of it.

"How are you feeling?" I changed the subject.

"Really great, actually," she replied, stretching her limbs out.

"Really?"

"Really," Nima nodded.

"That's incredible. No one has ever recovered from the second treatment so quickly," I said with admiration.

"Well, they didn't have you," She bumped my shoulder with hers and gave me a coy smile that made my breath catch in my throat. She giggled at her own wit.

"Well, if you're up for it, we should go out for a run, before they catch me in your bed." I rolled out from under the covers and stretched. She ogled me shamelessly as I did it, and I held the pose a little longer than necessary to give her a good show. I let my arms fall back down to my sides, which seemed to snap her back from whatever she was daydreaming about. She let out a heavy sigh.

"You're such a spoil sport. Can't we just stay in here all day?" she whined. I chuckled.

"I'm sure the attendants would love that," I said walking around to her side of the bed. I leaned over resting my hands on the bed on either side of her. Our faces were only a few inches apart.

"And you know," I said in a husky, seductive tone, "there are plenty of other places for 'sport' in this place." I walked away towards my own bedroom, flashing a smoldering look over my shoulder as I stepped out of Nima's room into the hallway. I only got a glimpse of her face, but I could tell that she was blushing furiously.

The rest of the weekend went by too quickly. Nima and I agreed that it was best if we kept our distance for the weekend to avoid suspicion, and to get some work done.