The Voice I Was Given.

Vanilla and Sea Salt

        River was beginning to become very irritable. He thought that it was because he needed to actually hunt, but he didn't actually want to go out and hunt. It couldn't be because he was cooped up. Again, as long as he had all the necessities, he didn't want to travel long distances or go on a chase. Then, he realized what it was. River was very, very touch-starved. He didn't want to push Hypatia away from him. So, he just hid how much he wanted to hug her before she left and how he wanted to keep her close to him. But he could hardly stand it. He needed to hold her; know that she was real.

When she came home, Hypatia went straight to the kitchen. River followed her inside there, watching her cook for a few minutes. He loved the look of concentration that was on her face as she cooked. Her focus was unmatched. River knew that he had to do it. He came up from behind her, wrapping his arms around her stomach and burying his face into the crook of her neck, sighing. Hypatia didn't even flinch.

"Hey, big guy. You good?" she asked.

He made a slight nod of his head. She smelled good. It was sweet, dark, and rich, but not in a sickly way. He was intoxicated by the smell and breathed it in deeply. Whatever she was making smelled like her too.

"I'm sorry to make you let go, but I need to grab some sugar from the cabinet."

River grumbled but obliged, sitting dejectedly on the ground. Hypatia turned around and grabbed a big blue bag out of a cabinet. When she turned around, she began to laugh hysterically. She dropped the bag on the ground and slowly sat down, leaning against her counters to keep from laying on the ground. Tears streamed down her face and River began to get worried about her. He huffed, snorting hot air out of his nose. Hypatia finally composed herself, getting unsteadily to her feet.

"River, you looked like a rejected dog. And you somehow got a ton of flour across your face. Seriously, are you okay? You've been acting strange ever since Grace came by." Hypatia was still gasping, tear-streaks on her face.

Turning away, River crossed his arms. He didn't understand why she found his rejection so funny. Of course he wasn't okay. She'd enchanted him, and he couldn't enchant her. He covered his heavy heart with anger, just because it felt more natural to be angry than sad. Then, he felt Hypatia's hand on his shoulder and turned towards her, unable to stay angry for long. She took his hands into her own and looked up at him with sympathetic eyes. It was almost like they were having a conversation that only they could hear. Hypatia could read River like a magazine now, almost able to have a conversation with him without River having to pull out his whiteboard.

"Listen, River, I can tell that there's something bothering you. And it's much deeper than your injuries." She took a deep breath. "Here, how about you help me with the cookies?"

Even though River had no idea what cookies were, he decided that he would help as she directed. After Hypatia had River wash his hands, he helped her find, measure, and mix ingredients. River quickly got addicted to chocolate, eating nearly half the bag before Hypatia snatched it away from him.

"How do you do it?" she asked suddenly.

River tilted his head.

She sighed. "I swear, I'm gonna teach you sign language. Okay, how do you always smell so nice and keep a good figure with how much you eat?"

A shrug was the only answer that River gave her. Then, he grinned from ear to ear and began to sign in ASL.

I already know ASL. I learned from a book I found in a shipwreck. You just never asked.

"You've been writing on a whiteboard this entire time when you could've just been talking in ASL to me?!" she demanded.

Well, I can't talk so...It technically wouldn't be talking.

Glaring at River, Hypatia held her fist up with only her little finger up and tapped her forehead. Idiot.

River snickered. I don't even know what I smell like, and I think that you definitely smell better than me.

"You smell like the ocean, but not like a fish. It's a fresh smell, and kind of salty. I like it." Hypatia placed the bowl of dough in front of River. "Here, start rolling them like I showed you and I'm gonna put on some music."

Nodding, River busied himself with trying to get the dough into perfect spheres. Of course, Hypatia had told River that he didn't need to worry about making them perfect, but it was fun for him. Hypatia was pressing some buttons on a speaker, and then the sound of Cheap Thrills filled the air.

Come on, come on, turn the radio on.

It's Friday Night and I won't be long

Gotta do my hair, I put my make up on

It's Friday night and I won't be long.

River already knew that this was Hypatia's favorite song. He'd seen her listening to it over and over on her screen as she worked on her laptop at night. But now, she was humming along to it, as if hearing outside of her earbuds was filling her with an energy that couldn't be contained. River could also feel the energy coming from her, and it was contagious. He could feel this music inside of his heart, rather than just hear it in his head.

Til I hit the dance floor

Hit the dance floor

I got all I need

No I ain't got cash

I ain't got cash

But I got you baby

Then, Hypatia began to sing along with the music.

Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight

Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight

But I don't need no money

As long as I can feel the beat

I don't need no money

As long as I keep dancing.

She was twirling through the kitchen now, looking beautiful with her messy bun and freckled face.

I love you, River signed.

But he made sure that she didn't see.