Surviving

[shooterofbullet]

"Let's have what you've made," I said happily, having smelled it as soon as I walked in. "It looks wonderful. I hope you found everything you needed. Perhaps later I'll show you what some of these tools are for."

We kept chatting through the meal as I told her about the buildings around here. I'd found her near the town's main cathedral, though there were two others. I wasn't particularly religious, but I'd always loved going in to see the pictographic stories in the beautiful stained glass, the carvings around the hall, and of course the great pillars of light pouring in. I told her about the festival tomorrow, all the music and dancing. She seemed to like the idea.

I helped clean up a little bit, but she wouldn't let me do much. She was a whiz in the home, and it gave me a great comfort to forget my widowdom for this lovely young lady. Just her being there brought every part of me into alert, as if I could capture each moment before it happened.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle had a nice evening with Travis finding him good company and not at all a mean brute like she'd worried. When she bade him goodnight it was to take another bath in his lovely bathroom and to go to her room to read herself to sleep. He politely told her goodnight and didn't follow her. The night was uneventful and she slept peacefully awakening grateful she'd decided not to flee after the first night's awkwardness.

She came into the cooking room to smell the scents of Travis's cooking. He was using flame on top of a unit she'd heard of before but never used. It was a hub atop an oven. The ovens her people used were small and usually outdoors, made from stone. And, when they cooked over an open flame it was also often outdoors, barbequing over a fire. This was novel to Avrielle and she came up beside him to watch the process, eager to learn.

 

[shooterofbullet]

She watched me cooking for a moment, and I smiled, enjoying her company. Was it wrong that she filled a role I needed so badly? Perhaps, but I would enjoy having her there while it lasted.

I smiled, watching her examine the elements that were off. I explained to her how the gas worked, about the tank embedded in the wall behind the stove, and how it was operated safely. It was only invented fifty years before, so even expert chefs often worried about blowing themselves up with one at first, though it was catching on. The oven was a traditional wood one, and the heat could be redirected to the stovetop if she didn't want to use the gas.

I cooked the pan portion of the meal, soften vegetables to their perfect state, still a little crunchy.

"This is often what I make first, before I even know what I'm cooking. I find it a little passé, but my guests always love it, no matter what I make."

I looked up at my pantry, wondering what I should add to it. I wasn't used to finishing proper meals, being a bit of an undereater.

 

[slippedhalo]

"Would you like me to help?" Avrielle asked, wondering if he was someone who enjoyed help in the kitchen or preferred to cook alone. She'd known some of each in her lifetime. "It smells lovely." She still wasn't sure what to talk about with this man and the fact that one of their very first conversations was had in the nude was still something she had to try hard not to think about and get all embarrassed over.

 

[shooterofbullet]

"Thank you. And yes, I'd love a little help. What do you think would go well with these?" I nodded toward the pan.

"I was thinking about chicken, maybe throwing in curry... what do you think?"

What I'd done the night before had been practically unforgivable, but this girl seemed to let it roll off her back. She was such an agreeable little thing; I kept feeling the urge to flirt, seduce, but I held it back as much as I could. I wondered if she could pick up on that, as I flipped the pan contents.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle shrugged at the funny word he used and simply added a little insight she did know, "Corrrie? I am not sure but I do think chicken would be nice in there. Do you like spicy food? I could help you to spice it up a little." she said, and slowly they got into sharing ideas about cooking and meal preparation together. The day was starting to go pretty well. The meal they'd completed had been declared a success by both of them as well.

After their meal Travis looked a little lost in thought and Avrielle wondered if she should leave him on his own to meditate for a while. "I thought I'd have a walk, get to know the area better. Would you like to come with me, Travis? You look like...I don't know, I will understand if you need alone time.
"

 

[shooterofbullet]

"That might be quite nice actually," I told her. "I get so lonely here, ever since my wife died. I always go on walks just to be around people, even if they're strangers. The one thing I never like being is alone."

It felt strange to say these words to someone. I had spoken with a few clergymen about my feelings, and they essentially told me to turn to God. It hadn't helped.

 

[slippedhalo]

"Then, by all means, join me. You can show me around." Avrielle said with a smile.

 

[shooterofbullet]

As we walked, I showed her the market and all the crazy things there. She was fascinated with the wares and exotic foods, which were always an interest of mine too. We saw both churches and their lovely gardens. At the second one, I just had to stop in.

I showed her around in the church garden, explaining about plants that I knew, telling her what few I had back home, behind my house. I had kept it up all these years, because it as one part of my wife I couldn't let go.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

I turned and was enchanted for a moment, almost staring at how her beauty looked in the garden. Her red hair was like the finest flower in the garden, and I told her so, feeling a tad guilty for having thought it.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle had enjoyed their day together, especially the gardens. After he explained some of the plants she told him what her people called them and what some of the medicinal and potions-making uses for a lot of them were. She was pleased to see he found it as interesting as she did. It made her feel good to have expertise in something after feeling so foolish and useless for so long. Her homeless days had been a dark period in her life and Avrielle hoped she could use this time with Travis to better herself so she'd never go back to life on the streets again.

He told her he thought she looked beautiful as she stood amongst the vines and flowers and she blushed at the compliment. "Among my people a red-haired child is good luck, especially a girl. But, I have read that sometimes among your people red hair is seen as an oddity, even ugly. It surprises and pleases me that you don't find me revolting." she said taking his hand as they walked home together. The temperature was dropping and she could sense another storm in the air. With a shiver she said softly, "It will be cold tonight, raining some more, the skies will light up...Do you think this winter will be as bad as last? My people were trapped in the Kozax mountains for three weeks and by the end had nearly run out of food and water...How do you valley folk fare in winter storms?"

 

[shooterofbullet]

We talked a long time, and she told me interesting properties of plants I already knew, just not as well as her. Her knowledge was extensive, and I could tell that someday she could make a real living off it, if people only knew. She even knew how to make tinctures, boiling down what was inside them, and it worked like a charm. It was wonderful hearing her talk about it, her confidence shining through. She had so many worries though, and she expressed them to me openly.

"I can't predict the weather," I told her a little forlornly. "Perhaps if I were a farmer. In this town we have stores, basically food and supply keeps, and they bulk up before the winter with product. Mostly everyone gets their food there, even the monks."

I couldn't reassure her about the family up in the mountains, so I tried to change the subject.

"And yes, some people seem to dislike red hair. But alot of people, myself included, see it as a unique and beautiful feature. The way the sun bounces through your hair, it looks warm and soft, as a woman should be."

I turned away a moment, not wanting her to see my eyes and guess the lust I had for her.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle saw him turn away shyly and she suspected he felt deep shame about his behavior before he truly had gotten to know her. She kept up step with his pace despite her more diminutive stature and she took his hand once more, tugging him to move with her to continue walking. She said nothing for a while and they walked on, holding hands, in silence. Then, she said, "You've been very lonely for very long." not really a question, she saw it in everything he said and did. He was socially awkward but more because he longed for company than for any antisocial reason. "I will stay with you until you no longer want me to." Avrielle decided aloud.

 

[shooterofbullet]

I looked down at her, then straight forward again. As we walked I considered her words, not replying until we reached my home again.

"You can stay with me as long as you need. I really do enjoy having you around," I said, brushin a hair from her face. "I want you to be comfortable here. Don't worry about alleviating my loneliness; your company is enough."

I felt my spirit twist, my words truthful, except when I said what would be enough. There would always be a burning hole inside me, killing me slowly, and love would always be the answer, but I could expect nothing like that from such an innocent girl.

We went inside, and as I looked at her, I was unsure what to do. I usually read in the afternoons, when I wasn't working.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle waited to see what Travis would do once they were inside. He looked still quite lost. Something in her felt like touching him, letting him know she would be there for him in a way he could understand even without words. He strolled through the library, his hand out to stroke the spine of a book he looked for...She slipped between him and the shelf, standing on tiptoe, she kissed his lips. When he startled at first she found his response amusing and giggled. But, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her closer for another deeper kiss. She relaxed in his arms and let it happen. It was nice. When they'd come up for air, breathless from the unexpected make-out session she panted, "Would you like to take a bath? With me? I'll wash your hair."

 

[shooterofbullet]

She'd surprised me, and I felt my compulsions let go in a sudden flurry, my body automatically reacting before I could think. I was lost in the passion of the moment, somehow reassured by it. I felt my guilt subside for a moment, to make way for these new, mutual feelings of affection.

When she asked me to take a bath, I looked at her a moment, almost unable to answer.

"Y- Yes," my words stumbled, a smile striking me. "And I'll help with yours."

I almost stopped myself, almost went back on it, but once she led me to the washing room, I found myself running the hot water. I made no effort to remove my clothes, somehow in denial, as if I were pouring the bath just for her.

 

[slippedhalo]

Instead of taking her clothes off first and having to feel ogled Avrielle moved to help Travis out of his. Once he was naked she smiled up at him, gesturing for him to enter the bath first. Then, she began to disrobe, his eyes upon her feeling less like an intrusion now that she felt she had some understanding of his loneliness and how pretty he found her to be. She moved to sit in the tub space left over when he made room for her, sighing as she adjusted to the warmth of the water.

 

[shooterofbullet]

She had already felt me naked, so there was no reason why I should feel nervous beeing seen naked, but I still was. It was a relief to get my semi-erection under the water, where it couldn't embarass me. She stepped into the bath, turning up the warm water, making it rise some. I dunked my head a moment, loving the steamy water on my face.

I tried not to stare at her beauty, but once she was in the water, mostly obscured by the bending of light, we exchanged a very pleasant look, our eyes meeting comfortably, each of us smiling.

I hoped she couldn't tell that I was completely hard for her, under the tiny rippling waves.

 

[slippedhalo]

She spoke softly in the room where her voice bounced too harshly off the tiles for her ears to like the sound of and asked, "Would you like me to wash you, Travis?"

 

[shooterofbullet]

"Yes, please," I stuttered, knowing her hands were about to be on me. "Unless you'd like to be washed first."

A washcloth and a bar of soap sat next to the tub, with shampoos specially made here in town, that wouldn't dry hair out. I told her about them, and how they were made.

 

[slippedhalo]

It was interesting to learn about where the shampoos and soaps came from and how they were made. Avrielle chose something less flowery and more musky for Travis and ran her fingers through his hair, soaping it up with shampoo. She had him turn and lean backward into her lap as she rinsed his hair out carefully just as she would if he were a small child. Only as he looked up at her, her small breasts poised just above his face while he looked up at her longingly, it was something Avrielle hadn't anticipated, the sensations it made her feel down below were surprising as well. She wanted to kiss him. Leaning down, she listened to her own body's cues and kissed Travis lightly.

 

[shooterofbullet]

(wow... back to 3rd person! bad habit of mine.)

He looked up at her beautiful body, her soft gaze making him unabashed. She was so ginger with him, her fingers delicate. When she leaned down to kiss him, he closed his eyes, not moving forward, but accepting it, enjoying it.

When her lips didn't pull away, he leaned up slightly, brushing her long red hair out of both their faces for a moment, and kissed her more firmly. He could feel himself going very hard as he turned slightly, facing her in the tub as they kissed again, barely breaking liplock.

 

[slippedhalo]

The kiss was slow, tender, and then grew in intensity and got very exciting. They were so close now and Avrielle felt her lips part for his tongue which found its way inside and massaged the roof of her mouth until she met it with her own...

 

[shooterofbullet]

As their tongues met, he rolled over completely, sitting on his knees between her legs. His hands went to the sides of the tub, simply moving his head as they kissed. He felt very sexually aggressive, wanting to put his hands on her soft young body, wanting her hands to touch his, even just his shoulders.

The moment lasted and lasted as they kissed, maybe for a minute, maybe for ten. It was hard for him to tell as hidden parts of him came out for the first time in years. He moaned slightly into her lips, scared that she would realize what was happening and leave. But she had initiated it, so he slowly grew closer, his inhibition melting quickly.

 

[slippedhalo]

Avrielle broke the kiss and looked into Travis's eyes. She sensed the change in the mood this time and yet wasn't truly afraid like before. It was strange, she was more curious than scared and parts of her felt warm and slippery, throbbing and wanting more. With a sigh she gave in and succumbed to more kissing, her body pressed to the edge of the tub as Travis was now skin to skin with her, making her tingle in ways she'd never before felt.

 

[shooterofbullet]

He could feel her warmth, even in the hot tub water, distinct and comforting. Her nipples were pressed against him, aroused under the water, and he could feel her body move involuntarily. The feel of a woman, as young as she was, made him feel different. She wasn't afraid anymore, making him feel guilty about these feelings, but rather she seemed to embrace them with an unforseen eagerness.

He felt an arm going into the water, around her, to pull her closer, careful not to touch her anywhere that would scare her. She was like an opening flower to him.