Page 25 of Human Reform
“That’s quite the smile,” a familiar deep voice broke into my thoughts.
I hadn’t even realized I was smiling.
Aeon stood near the entrance to my quarters, his imposing figure blocking the doorway.The scars on his forearms caught the moonlight, a permanent reminder of what we’d endured.
“Just… recalling a successful day of system diagnostics,” I replied, trying to straighten my face into its usual neutral expression.
Aeon crossed his arms, his blue eyes knowing.“The same way I used to ‘successfully calibrate medical equipment’ whenever I spent time with Olivia?”
Heat crept up my neck.“I don’t know what you?—”
“Save it,” he interrupted, his voice holding no judgment, just understanding.“I recognize the symptoms from a mile away.”
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.“It’s unprofessional.A complication we can’t afford right now.”
“You think I don’t remember saying those exact words?”Aeon chuckled, a sound that would have been unthinkable during the war years.“The moment I laid eyes on Olivia, everything changed.”
“She makes me feel… happiness,” I admitted, the word still unfamiliar in my mouth.“It’s irrational and potentially compromising, but?—”
“But you can’t imagine not having it now,” he finished.
I nodded, leaning against the wall of my quarters.“How did you navigate this?”
“Poorly, at first,” Aeon admitted.“Take it slow.Don’t let it compromise the mission.But, Daxon…” He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder.“Don’t fight it, either.Let her see the real you.That’s what turned Olivia’s fears into something else.”
“And if she still leaves when we’ve fixed the code?”The thought created a physical ache in my chest.
“Then at least you’ll know you didn’t hide behind protocol and logic when something real was offered to you.”
I considered his words, nodding finally.“Thank you.”
“Get some rest,” he said, stepping aside to let me enter my quarters.
Rest, however, proved impossible.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw storm-gray ones looking back at me.I imagined my hands tracing the curves of her body, memorizing every inch like secret architecture.I could almost feel her pulse beneath my fingers and hear her breathing quicken.
I woke with the twin suns’ first rays slanting through my window, my heart pounding as if I’d been running.Dreams of storm-gray eyes and soft lips lingered, making my chest tighten with an unfamiliar ache of anticipation.I didn’t methodically rise and prepare for the day like I’d done countless times before meeting Alora.Instead, I launched myself from my bed, driven by an impulse I couldn’t name.
The shower lasted barely two minutes.I dressed in record time, yanking on my black tactical pants and fitted T-shirt emblazoned with Planet Alpha’s emblem.My fingers fumbled with the boots’ fasteners—something that had never happened before.What was this urgency?The need to see her face?
I practically sprinted across the dew-dampened stone paths that connected our settlement, dodging early risers who gave me curious glances.My usual measured stride was nowhere to be found.The humid jungle air clung to my skin as I moved between our buildings, their metal and composite facades gleaming against the backdrop of emerald vegetation.
When I reached her suite, I paused, suddenly conscious of my racing heart.I took a breath, keyed in the access code, and stepped inside.
Alora stood by the window, her long dark hair gathered in a french braid.The morning light illuminated her pale skin and the faint freckles across her nose.When she turned and smiled at me—truly smiled—my knees nearly buckled.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice still carrying that slight huskiness of recent sleep.“Someone’s eager today.”
“I…” My vocabulary seemed to desert me.“I wanted to ensure you were properly situated for today’s work.”
Her eyebrow arched.“At sunrise?”
Heat flooded my face.“Efficiency is critical.”
“Mmm-hmm.”Her knowing smile made something twist pleasantly in my stomach.
As we walked to the security center, I found myself standing closer to her than necessary, my hand occasionally brushing against hers.Each accidental touch sent electricity through my veins, intensifying the magnetic pull I felt toward her.I kept scanning our surroundings, strangely alert to any potential threats.Mine to protect,something primal inside me whispered.
The thought startled me.Two days ago, I’d never met this woman.Now I couldn’t imagine her not being at my side.More disconcerting was the realization that since we’d kissed, I hadn’t experienced a single violent episode—no uncontrollable rage and no memory lapses.
