Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 25: brought to you by a chagrined sheep in a tiger's den

Next time on "Awkward Romance": Does a first kiss count if it happens when you're drowning? What about a 'Ghost' scene, only instead of pottery, it's cutting onions? Standard anime romance scene.

Ugh, I don't wanna be awake right now.

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Orson looked at Neara, his face frozen. He'd long since stopped walking and stood there. His chest heaved as if he fought for breath, but his features betrayed nothing.

Neara glared at him as hard as she could, keeping every muscle in her face scrunched tight.

"Neara... it's not that bad..." Shay wheezed.

"Like hell it's not." she muttered, refusing to move.

Parker stopped in his tracks. While it was normal to make threats toward prey beastmen, he'd never heard a female attack one like that. He curled his arms protectively around Shay, grateful for his docile mate, even if she snapped at him sometimes.

"I..." Orson scratched at his arms. "I'm sorry, Neara."

Neara let out a breath and softened her look. Barely. "It's fine... I mean, it's not fine, and you shouldn't fight with him again but... thanks for acknowledging that."

Orson's mouth twisted in some emotion Neara couldn't pinpoint and he walked towards the house. "I'll... get some medicine for her cough."

The stone house swam into view, Shay's eyes too full of tears to notice the details. The coughs came faster and deeper now and with every fit that passed, Parker's arms tightened around her.

Neara noticed. "Parker, give her some room to breathe. She's not going anywhere."

His grip loosened marginally.

Winston wasn't in the home when Neara walked in. Orson crouched by the fire stirring something in his stone pot that gave off medicinal fumes. Possibly mint? "Where's...all this coming from?"

He gestured towards his sack and said nothing.

"Ok..." She checked both bedrooms, but there was no trace of Winston. "You can bring her back here, Parker. The bed's soft."

Parker strode through the opening and gingerly tapped the bedding with his foot. His face curled into a happy smile and he sank onto the bed still holding Shay. "Wow! This is so soft! These grasses are amazing! Your guardian is a great provider!"

Shay slumped off of Parker's chest onto the thick furs. The sunlight-warmed fluff felt great against her battered body and she snuggled into it, still trying to suppress her coughs.

"Drink this." Orson brought a long tube of black liquid that smelled familiar. "I've included the honey Parker brought." He raised an eyebrow at the purring beastman. "I cut off the sections with your teeth marks and spit. You can eat that by yourself."

Parker's eyes shot open and he bounded into a crouch, tail lashing the air behind him.

"Orson, can you please help me get some fish for soup?" Neara grabbed his forearm and dragged him outside. "Seriously, what is your problem? Do you not like Parker or something?"

"What Clan are you from, that you don't understand the relationship between predator and prey?" He held a hand to his face and studied hers.

"Um..."

"Merpeople." He snapped his fingers. "That would explain it. You're the only beastmen in that area besides Eagle, right? That explains your beau... pale skin."