Page 66 of Emerald

Eventually, my own exhaustion catches up to me. The aches and pains from the battle still throb in the background, but they feel distant now, muted by the warmth and comfort of Olivia's presence.

I let my eyes close, my limbs settling more comfortably around zha. I'm not used to this. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it. But as I feel myself drifting off, I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, I don't hate it.

Sleep pulls me at me slowly, and the last thing I see before I slip into unconsciousness is the tiny human still resting against me, zha's breath soft and even, zha's body warm against mine. My skin flickers one last time, a soft, contented glow of orange before everything fades to black.

For the first time in a long while, I sleep without dreaming.

21

Olivia

Iwakeuptothe most glorious pressure and then I come to myself enough to realize it’s because I’m lying on top of Kroaicho. I brace for a reaction, but there is no answering anger.

Oddly enough, the pressure loosens something within my chest, and although he’s restricting my movement, I feel like I can breathe better.

It takes me back to the hugs my mum once gave me and that feeling of safety. I don’t understand what the difference is between this, and being touched in other ways, but I don’t pull away from it. There’s not that visceral reaction that has hounded me from my first memories.

It’s… nice.

The arousal surges again, of course, but I ignore it. That’s not what this is about. Instead, I focus on the pressure of his arms on my back. The steady rise and fall of his chest as he sleeps under me. The oddly slow pace of his beating heart.

It’s easily a third of the speed of my own and at first that worries me, but then I start counting it, the sound lulling me into peaceful drifting.

I’m not sure how much time passes before he starts shifting under me. I shift my head so I can look up at his oddly curved neck. He stiffens and straightens his head, bright pink eyes popping open in alarm, limbs squeezing me just a little too tight.

He blinks once, twice, then relaxes again.

“How are you feeling?” I ask him.

“Mostly healed,” he replies, and my eyebrows shoot up.

“Truly? Those wounds were deep last night. I really should have figured out a way to dress them, but it was just too much and I—”

“No need,” he says, interrupting me. “All they needed was for me to sleep.”

I snort. “You are so strange.”

His skin lights up in his outraged purple, but it’s muted so I know he isn’t particularly offended. “You are the strangest creature here, Olivia. Probably on the whole planet.”

I clack my teeth together, mimicking what he does with his tusks when I am being particularly vexing and his skin lights up to his amused white.

“I didn’t expect you to return,” he tells me, skin shifting to blue.

I take a moment to appreciate just how obvious emotions are with him, then respond. “I didn’t either,” I admit.

I pull in a deep breath, then speak again. “Are you really going to keep me here?

For the first time, I see something other than irritation or frustration flare on his skin. Some odd mix of pink and purple I’ve never seen before.

"No," he breathes out, closing his glowing eyes.

I feel a pang of something in my chest—something unfamiliar. It's not anger, not irritation. It's softer and gentler, and I don't know what to do with it.

"Why do you want to find other humans so badly?" he asks, voice quiet and lacking his usual irritation.

"I just… I don't want to be alone," I say in a whisper, surprising myself. " I never thought I would, but I miss being part of something.”

His skin lights up blue again. "But you're not alone. I'm here."

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