-____________- 2.0

Chapter Twenty-Four

-Tharren-

Tharren picked at his food.  He could hear Austin and Isaac already talking to Siri, and some other men were making their way over.  He looked up to see Siri smiling at them, already finished with her lunch.  She had changed out of her dress, and was now wearing a bright blue Hadalian shirt and some white pants, which she had rolled up so they didn’t drag on the ground.  Siri stood up and walked over to the weapons rack, where she inspected some of the blades, head turned away from the soldiers.  Austin stood up to go join her at the same time Tharren stood.  Tharren caught his eyes and nodded silently.  Austin shot him a quick glare but sat back down.

Tharren walked silently over to Siri, unsure how she was going to react.

“You seem to have the entire camp wrapped around your finger.”  He quipped as he reached her, instantly regretting it as he received one of her glares before she turned back to looking over the swords.

“Go away, Tharren.”

“No, I think we need to talk.”

“There isn’t anything to talk about.”

“Siri,”  Tharren took a breath.  How was he going to win her back?  “Siri, you know I love you.  If you could just let me explain my actions, I-”

“You don’t need to explain them.  I would have done the same thing.  But it doesn’t change anything.”

“Don’t...just hear me out, please.”

Siri slammed a blade onto the rack and turned to him.  “Tharren, I don’t want to talk to you.  I know why you did what you did.  If I were in your place, I would have done the same thing.  Talked to me for information, manipulated me for information, bedded me for information-”

“We were together that night because I love you, and I thought you felt the same.”

“Why is it always about love with you, Tharren?  Love isn’t going to fix anything!  What has it done for you?  What has it done for me?  I loved you, but you broke my heart.  How is that good?”

“Being with you was the first time I’ve felt like...like it meant something.  And to me, it did mean something, and I’m not going to let that something just walk away before I give a fight to keep it.  I never wanted to hurt you, Siri.  I love you.  I just didn’t see any other options.”

“Tharren...”  Siri murmured, “Please stop.”

Tharren ran his fingers through his hair.  “No!  I’m not.  You think that you’re the only one that’s been hurt in this relationship, and that’s not true!  How many times did you insult me, and then storm out of the room?  Did you ever think that might have hurt?  Or how about how I felt, knowing you were with Lewis, kissing him, and getting reading to be his wife?  And even after you did all those things, I still love you.  I’m willing to do almost anything to make this work. How can you say you don’t feel anything anymore?”

Siri furrowed her eyebrows and turned back towards the swords.  “I can, because I don’t.”

“Then kiss me.  Kiss me, and prove to me that you feel nothing, and I’ll leave you alone for the rest of your stay here.”

“I won’t do that, Tharren.  It would be wrong for me to kiss you and feel nothing.”  Siri glanced around nervously, a few of the men from camp were starting to give them curious, interested, or- in Mark’s case- worried glances.

Tharren ignored them.  “You kissed Lewis and felt nothing.  What’s so wrong about doing the same for me?  Humor me, just this once.  Please?  A goodbye kiss.  I never even got the chance for that, since you were sleeping.”

Siri glared at him and rolled her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh.  “Fine.  If it’ll get you to leave me alone afterwards.”

“I wouldn’t dream of bothering you once I was sure I had no chance.”  Tharren replied so solemnly that Siri’s glare weakened a little with a suppressed laugh.

Tharren smiled and cupped her cheek in his hand.  Siri stiffened and turned a pale red color.  He tilted her chin up and kissed her lips lightly.  Siri remained stoic and stiff as a board.  Tharren stepped away and sighed.  

“I told you.  I don’t feel anything anymore.”  Siri mumbled then turned quickly on her heel and began walking towards the rest of camp.

-Siri-

Siri put her hand to her cheek as she walked away.  His hands were so warm, and as soon as he’d touched her, her skin started tingling.  It was stupid, feeling that way from being near to him even after what he’d done.  But letting herself give in and return to Tharren was not acceptable.  Besides, that feeling was bound to fade away eventually, and she could go on with her life.

Siri saw Mark smiling at her from the center of camp.  She forced a smile back and was about to head over to him when that familiarly wonderful tingling started in her shoulder.  She whirled around to see Tharren right behind her, and couldn’t help but lean towards him-a gut reaction.

Before she realized that she was supposed to be over him, Tharren pulled her close and kissed her again.  Her hands automatically twined themselves in his hair in response to his arms around her.  Siri forgot that she was supposed to hold back, loosing herself in Tharren’s familiar scent and taste.  His hands warmed her waist where he held her, and they pulled apart gasping for air.

Siri smiled weakly at Tharren.  “I lied.”

Tharren grinned and tilted her chin up so their lips would meet again.