This is Even Worse (G/t)

6

Evan couldn't believe how wrong this had become. He saw her push herself up to a standing position again and turn around to grab the box, which he didn't think she would do, and begin walking away from him. She figured she shouldn't let the thing go to waste, even though she didn't want it for herself. Perhaps, someone in her little colony might find use out of it.

With her attitude, Evan didn't expect a 'Thank You' or anything similar, but it would've been nice. He just wanted her happy with him - by him, from him - and there was still so much that he wanted to know... including what Nate had told him... and he realized that he had to take a different approach to get to that point - one he refrained from using at home but knew he could do well. After all... it was genetic.

Frustrated beyond comparison, fighting her own drowsiness, Ayana started stomping her way to the side of the bed to slide onto the floor and make her long way back to the others. However, the heatwave she felt behind her all of a sudden made her freeze in place on an instant. Her mind told her to keep walking, yet her heart and her body said to go back. Plus, the shadow out the side of her left eye was something to worry about. 

"Oh, for crying out loud, what does he want now? Hasn't he done enough?" Ayana thought to herself. Yet, she knew that if she didn't deal with him at that moment, then she definitely would later. "*sigh* Crap." 

So, she spun around to meet her fate... and a waiting hand. However, it was the face that Evan was pulling that was the real shock to her.

He reached out, silently inviting her to come closer like before, but hopefully on some type of amicable terms. To make the deal even more enticing, if it was at all, he even displayed a slight smirk... half-smile... a tiny, full smile? It was a look he only gave to his female classmates as flirtation but nothing more, and the same applied here... for the most part. 

"Ayana... please... There's... There's more to this than you know... or... or maybe you do. I don't know; you're obviously... p-pretty smart. Just... hear me out, okay? St-Stay a little longer, please? I mean... what have you got to lose?"

"You mean besides my dignity, sanity, and whatever else I have left?" she teased to herself. Yet, she knew he was right. She pretty much had nothing of her own... except the cloth on her skin... and the box, and it wasn't like she was going to lose those anytime soon. 

With another exasperated sigh, she approached the titanic teenager once more, slowly and cautiously, taking note of the massive cup of flesh following her and almost grazing her skin. Most likely because of her tiredness, she went closer to Evan than what he expected and what she would've done normally. Within touching distance of the huge human, Ayana slumped into a pillow, sat the box on her lap, and sleepily looked way above to the underside of Evan's head.

Evan watched the girl as she traveled to him, making sure to not make any(more) sudden movements to scare her away... if he could even do that. Once he... assumed she was comfortable, he started his own explanations.

"Well, um... how do I begin?" ...or tried to, at least. 

His heart might as well have been running a marathon on its own, beating so quickly. Ayana could hear it, too, but she was too tired to care. Eventually, confidence came to him in complete thoughts and unnoticed nervousness,

"*inhale, exhale* Like I've already said, I never wanted any more bad stuff to come to you or any of the others. But, I did want to help you... like I promised that I would. Better conditions will be set for you guys 'cause I don't deserve all of this. At least you seem to be comfortable in your rightful place."

As he looked at her, her relaxation was obvious, with her body sinking more and more into the softness under her. It was hard for her to stay awake, but his words kept her attention the whole way through, especially that last comment of his, jolting her back into full focus. 

"Huh," she stated, "but that doesn't explain this freaking... Is this supposed to be a gift or something? For... *yawn* for what? What am I supposed to do with a dried... whatever flower this is?" She re-opened the box to gaze at the brown, hard textured flower trinket Evan gave her. While she believed it was pretty, she just wasn't going to be fazed by a present, especially one so cliche as that. "What? Am I supposed to decorate my cage with this?" she questioned spitefully.

"C-Cage? Wha-? No. Don't even joke about that—" Hearing Ayana address herself in such a fashion saddened the boy. But, seeing how she misinterpreted the gift was kind of funny to him, as well. "—and that's not just any flower." 

The girl was surprised at Evan's next move, gasping as his tree trunk fingers approached her, went in the box, and tore off a petal... to release a sensational aroma that Ayana hadn't familiarized herself with... in over a year. Pinching off another petal with his other hand, Evan made a move and placed it between his lips - its color melting onto them, causing him to lick it off, perhaps a bit too sensually for Ayana's liking... or just enough that she'd never admit. 

"Here," he gently offered with the first piece. "Try it."

Hesitantly, Ayana took the offer and based on her counterpart's enjoyment from it, she decided to sample it herself, though she was still skeptical on what it was. Luckily... and pleasingly to her, it was a treat. A succulent, decadent treat that revitalized her entire system... or maybe that was just the caffeine working automatically. It didn't matter to her. She was too overtaken by its taste to worry. Despite being so hard on the outside, the way it melted inside her was an experience of its own - a shocking one, to her, but not as much as the whole situation itself. The thought stopped her from taking a second bite instantly. 

"You... you gave me a chocolate flower?" she asked, mostly to herself than Evan.

"Yes. After all... you are what you eat, right?" The phrase came out faster than he wanted it to, causing Ayana to just look at him in shock. "Uh... I... I mean... you—No, who am I kidding? I meant what I said - what I'm saying now... and what I said about you before, those months ago. It's all— You're still the same to me, and I wanted to thank you."

The jaw-dropped expression on Ayana's face changed to a puzzled and somewhat concerned one, after hearing that.

"I heard what you did in your interview today... and you pretty much saved me from going to prison, if the story's true. Thanks, but w-why?"