Page 39 of Cozy Prisons
Daxus didn’t answer as images of all the ways she’d driven him off rolled through his head. Using the bots and house systems in such a creative way was brilliant.
At first, he’d been furious, but with several rotations to think on it, he was impressed. He wished he could talk to her about it. His only hope was that if he stood here long enough, she'd notice and finally agree to speak.
Utharium must have enjoyed the sound of his own voice because he kept talking, even though Daxus wasn’t contributing to the conversation.
“If you won’t approach, and she’s not coming out, then you’re at a stalemate.”
“Your grasp of the obvious is ingenious,” Daxus snapped.
This time, Utharium ignored him. “If I were in the middle of this situation, I’d seek out the help of other humans. They came to Nataly’s aid when she sent out that message. Maybe they’d be willing to help you if you were able to communicate your concerns.”
He scoffed. “They won’t help me. All the humans hate me now.”
Utharium sounded a negative rattle. “They don’t hate you. They’re upset with you on Nataly’s behalf.”
“The result is the same; they still won’t speak to me,” Daxus said. “I tried to talk to Ula about her bot, and Illea wouldn’t even let me finish my sentence.”
“Go to Sima,” Utharium suggested.
For the first time since Utharium showed up, Daxus felt something other than frustration. “Why Sima?”
“Everyone says she’s very good at talking,” Utharium said. “She might be able to help you find the right words to use with Nataly.”
“Your idea has merit," Daxus said. He looked down the path that would lead to Sima’s domicile and then back at Nataly’s.
“I don’t have any duties at the moment,” Utharium said, sinking down to sit on the ground near the digger. “I think I’ll rest here for a while.”
It was Utharium's way of saying he'd remain where he was to help if Nataly needed it. Having the male stay within sight of Nataly's domicile was pointless and unnecessary, but Daxus wasthankful. Without Utharium, he wasn't sure he'd be able to walk away.
Daxus sounded a rumble of agreement. “Thank you, Utharium,” he said, before rushing off.
“Daxus, what are you doing here?” Sima asked without moving out of the way of the door. It was clear he wasn’t welcome.
“I’ve heard you are the person the other humans come to when they need to talk about their emotions,” he said.
He watched her face closely for any sign of a negative reaction. If she expressed pity or contempt, he would leave.
Not that staying guaranteed she’d speak to him, but leaving or recieving a dismissal was preferable to being vulnerable to this human.
“I’m a good listener,” Sima said slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. “Are you here to ask me to talk to Nataly?”
He sounded a negative rumble. “I’m here to talk to you about Nataly.”
Sima crossed her arms and tilted her head. Was that a challenging posture?
“What about her?”
Yes, it was a challenging posture.
“I’m worried about her,” he began. Sima shook her head and stepped back. He spoke fast before the door could slide shut in his face. “I need you to teach me.”
Sima put out a hand, making the door retreat. “Teach you what?”
“Teach me how to see the universe from Nataly’s point of view.”
“Why would you want to do that?” Sima asked. “Aren’t you the one who didn’t think her opinion should matter?”
“That’s not what I meant to do!” he burst out, sounding a frustrated rattle. “Help me understand why keeping secrets and being stubborn is more important than living.”
