[M] Galactic Engagement (Ushima and AngelDellaNotte)

[Ushima]

Michael was floating on his back in the unit’s pool. “Ah this is nice.”

“Hey flyboy?” Harlow called out, causing Michael to turn around and face the lounging ace. “What’s the resort’s policy on no tops?”

Lillian came out of the cabin, drink in hand. “Keep your clothes on. We don’t want to attract too much attention.”

Michael smirked, sensing his moment. “Oh we wouldn’t have to worry about. She’d scare everyone away.” Harlow did a spit take and Lillian erupted into giggles.

“They lad finally scores a point.” The bodyguard took a spot next to Harlow. “You’ve trained him well.”

Harlow faked whipping tears from her eyes. “I’m so proud. Seems like I’ve rubbed off on him.”

“That isn’t the only thing you want to rub off.” Both woman laughed, clearly enjoying themselves with the copious amounts of alcohol. Michael made a note to fix himself a drink later. He started a backstroke down the length of the pool. It was calm now. The joking and laughing did well to release the tension building up in him a little bit. A soft smile spread across his face as he basked in the sunlight and water.

“She fell!” Harlow’s elated laughter pierced his thoughts causing Michael to float normally. Lillian’s giggles joined in.

“Hope you know how to swim!” Michael said as he watched Ashira’s head emerge from the water. A flash of red scuttling across the tiles, green flapping in the wind behind it. A furry creature sat upon the waterfall unit. Red fur and horn, four deceptively stumpy legs. Big ears and eyes and short cotton tail. “Hey little guy.” Swimming over to the side Michael pulled himself out of the water. Right in front of the lounge chairs, flashing the increasingly drunk women his damp chest.

Harlow let out a wolf whistle. “Got anything tighter?” Michael’s face flushed a dark crimson as he tugged up his shorts a little. Grabbing his towel off a lounger he wiped himself down quickly. “Do the floss! Oof!” Michael shut Harlow up by throwing the towel in her face.

Casually, he didn’t want to spook the guy, Michael approached the ball of red fluff. He could feel Ashira’s eyes on him as he moved. “What you got there buddy?” The creature looked up at him as he crouched down with big, friendly eyes. His tiny tail wiggled excitedly. When Michael was low enough the red bandit jumped up into his arms. The green fabric came up over Michael’s head. Shaking his head it fell from his head and hung over his shoulder. “Well, well, well I know what this is.” Raising a hand tickled the creature’s belly, causing him to let go of what Michael could now see is a scarf. His left hand grabbed the scarf, holding it away. His right arm held the creature to his chest.

Walking back over to the lounger Michael set the scarf down next to Lillian. Now with two limbs he stroked the creature. “This is an Oleran. Harmless little critters. You can find them all around here. But this is a rarity. They don’t normally get this close to people. Actually it almost never happens. Olerans are quite agile and have insane reaction time. Some scientists claim they can even predict another’s moves to avoid them. Hmm I wonder?”

Lillian lowered a pair of sunglasses and looked at Michael. “Wonder what?”

“Well there’s an old wives tale. When Arturia was setting up and the eleven planets were just blossoming frontiers.” Michael’s finger scratched under the Oleran’s chin. “It a folk tale that Olerans only get close to humans when there’s a presence of true love or when someone’s heart needs guidance.” The Oleran turned in Michael’s lap to look in Ashira’s direction, nose and tail twitching. “But that can’t be true remember? Only one of use is getting married.”

[AngelDellaNotte]

The water was cool but not uncomfortably, Ashira looked around the pool area seeing everyone but her properly dressed. She was the only one in the pool still in her travel clothes. Everyone was easy and joking about her falling in the pool. It was nice to have this, had she been back home servants would be coming out of the woodwork to 'rescue' the princess from the pool. It made her think of a time when she had been six when she and Casper were playing. There had been a similar chase ending with her in a pond. Everyone had freaked out but then again Ashira didn't know how to swim yet. Now though no one moved to her aid. Not that she needed it. It was nice to just be normal. Almost like they were just a group of friends having a good time.

Ashira gave Michael a light splash when he joked about her knowing how to swim. After the pond event Casper had been determined to teach his little sister how to swim. Ashira had really enjoyed it and spent most of her school years on the swim team. She watched him move to get out of the pool not wanting to admit that she was admiring how the water dripped off his muscles. She wasn't alone in her gazing as Harlow and Lillian watched as well.

Ashira swam to the edge of the pool pulling herself out as well, thankfully Harlow was too distracted with Michael to mention the shear white shirt she was wearing that left nothing to the imagination as to what kind of bra Ashira was wearing. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her shoulders doing a fair job hiding her chest area. She moved closer to Michael listening as he described the Oleran. The legend about them was interesting. Ashira had always thought of Arthurians being war mongers and didn't think they had things like this. She kept her distance at first not wanting to scare the creature off. “Perhaps it is here because of Harlow's inability to get a date.” Ashira teased, looking over to the red faced drunk woman. She had brought out a sandwich along with her drinks. Ashira reached over to her and pulled the lettuce off the sandwich getting a grunt from Harlow.

She then sat down next to Michael holding the lettuce out to the Oleran. The creature sniffed at it then jumped from Michael's lap, across Ashira's lounge and onto Harlow's chest. “See, I told you.” Ashira said. The Oleran reached up to the sandwich and pulled the ham inside of it out then jumped back to Ashira's lap settling down to eat the meat. “Or not.” She said, afraid at first to touch it. When she did though she scratched behind its ear causing the creature to make a sound that was a cross between a purr and a groan.

“Hey my sandwich!” Halrow said, looking down seeing there was only bread and tomato left. “And I have no problem getting a date. I just have been busy lately. No time for dating.”

“Sure hotshot, lets go make some more.” Lillian said, helping Harlow up. She had no intention of letting Harlow stumble through making sandwiches. Arthurian liquor was stronger than Yoran liquor and the only thing Harlow was going to have was a nap. She helped the pilot up and into the house.

[Ushima]

Michael scratched the side of his head. "Yeah they are also carnivores. Scavengers really. Who'd have thought?" Michael watched the two drunken ladies bicker about sandwiches. The little Oleran sat and ate happily in Ashira's lap. The great creature of legend that guides and blessed people on the path to eternal love and happiness. All that aside, all the drama packed away, the feelings of inevitable emotional destruction, Michael was getting to a sense of peace within his heart and mind. Two days to relax would do him some good. Do them all some good honestly. But now he was a loss for words. There wasn't a rule about who spoke first but Michael wanted to. To break the silence himself and somehow prove he was strong enough to move forward. The Oleran, satisfied with its meal, let out a tiny burp and curled into Ashira's lap for a nap. Settling itself it's body did a final comfortable shiver before stilling and evening it's breathing. Michael had a thought to find out if it was male or female. He didn't want to keep calling it an it the entire time it was in their company. "Adorable thing isn't it? I've seen many exotic animals but this is the first time I'm seeing an Oleran in person. I think it likes you." Michael thought he was being lame but at least he wasn't talking about the weather. What the two didn't see, caught up in their moment of relaxation, was Lillian in the doorway snapping a picture of the two, a small mile on her face. Going back inside she sat in a chair across from Harlow who was laying on the couch. Flipping through the contacts on her personal device she hit Ashira's contact info and sent the picture two her. The picture was nice, the two of them sitting on the same lounger, Michael wet and shirtless made it almost racy if Ashira hadn't been in her regular clothes. Tiny furry animal made them both have genuine smiles on their faces. No matter how things turned out she'd at least have a fond memory to hold on to.

[AngelDellaNotte]

Looking down at the sleeping creature in her lap Ashira smiled as she gently rubbed it's ear. The Oleran cooed in it's sleep seeming to enjoy it. “She is very cute.” Ashira said, seeing a puzzled look on Michael's face. “I noticed when she stole from Harlow. Pets were never really my thing. Caspar had a few dogs but I never really attached to anything. My mom's cats were a pain in the ass always breaking things. I think they enjoyed being assholes.” Ashira said, still stroking the Oleran's ears enjoying herself how soft it was. The little red creature seemed to be letting off heat, it was very noticeable with it sitting in her lap.

“That story about the Olerans, do you believe in stuff like that?” Ashira said, “I've always been a woman of science. Myths like this were always just entertaining stories. Though a part of me always wanted to believe. But somethings just aren't meant to me.” She didn't say it aloud but she wasn't speaking about stores and myths. This was the tap dance they always did. Neither of them ever said what they were really feeling. The teased and skirted around the subject. The closer they got to Arthuria the more Ashira knew what she had to do. The problem was there was a war between her heart and mind. She looked down at the Oleran not wanting to make eye contact with Michael.

[Ushima]

Did he believe? “A part of me does. These little ones don’t like being near people and rarely ever get like this. There has to be a reason for it.” Reaching for the Oleran Michael pet its head. It was so soft. “But that story about love? There’s no way to actually prove that. I think it is something old Arturians came up with while out on the fringes. Long before the war.” Michael sighed and laid back on the lounge chair, looking up at the sky. “The stupid fucking war. I can’t wait for it to be over so our people can heal.”



“Hey guys!” Lillian’s voice called out to the two of them. “Harlow and I are going shopping. She didn’t have time to pack a bag before we spirited her away. We’ll grab some food too.”



Michael raised his arm and waved them off. And now he was alone with Ashira and a sleeping Oleran. He had something he wanted to say. Wanted to say. She did too, he could tell. But it was hard. Men in general had a hard time talking about their feelings and what was on their mind. How does one tell the princess of another nation, who was marrying someone else, marrying your friend’s younger brother, you were falling in love with her? They didn’t have a manual for this. His dad failed to mention that in one of his talks when he was growing up. Mother didn’t have some story to warn him about falling in love with women he shouldn’t.



Sitting up with a small groan, he had been comfortable laying down, he turned to face Ashira. “Hey. We need to talk.” Even hearing himself say those words made his stomach drop. Reaching down he pulled the Oleran from her lap, placing it behind him. The little one whined a bit but once it was set back down it quieted down, his backed up against him to share his warmth. Michael, tentatively, took Ashira’s hand. “This is some mess we found ourselves in.” A small, sad smile spread across his face. Only now does he realize how ridiculous this seemed, talking while still in his shorts. But it was either now when they had the chance to be alone. “One day I’m living life as normal and next thing I’m meeting this incredible woman. Beautiful. Strong. Smart. And it’s the one girl I shouldn’t be falling in love with but I can’t help it. You’re amazing and even though at the end of this hellish ride we have to part ways I can’t stop my thoughts turning to you. But I hate this cold air between us.” His thumb brushed across her hand gently. He could feel the corners of his eyes start to water, welling up with emotion. “We need to get past this. We need to be ok again. I Can’t have us like this.”

[AngelDellaNotte]

Love, someone finally said the word aloud. But what did that mean? She knew the definition of the word but what did it mean for them? They both had been skirting around it the entire trip. Ashira didn't know what she felt. No that was a lie. She knew what she felt. The hard part was settling it with what she should feel. She wanted things to go back to what it was like in the beginning when they were just having fun. Ashira stood up and paced a couple feet from Michael then turned to face him. “We.... I can't. Michael....” Ashira said pausing and not knowing what to say let alone what she felt. “Damn it Michael I don't know. I don't know anything. What I feel, what I should do. What we can do to make this right.” Ashira nearly shouted. It startled the Oleran awake, the little creature jumped up and bounded over to a chair on the other side of the pool resuming it's nap.

“I'm always the one with the plan. The one who know just what to do. Damnit that's my job.” Ashira said, breaking down and crying.

[Ushima]

"Feelings don't care about plans Ashira." Michael replied. He doubted any of them planned for this to happen. The princess from another nation was not meant to fall in love with someone like him. And she was so far out of his grasp many would call him insane for even thinking about catching feelings. "They crash in and sweep everyone away." Glancing at the Oleran across the pool he could tell it eyeing them. One curious large black eye was flicking between him and Ashira. Almost as if it had a vested interest in the two of them. In whatever...this was. Standing up he moved over to Ashira. He couldn't stand to see her like this. Tears were not something he liked on her face, any woman's face. "Hey come on. It'll be ok." Tentatively, he reached out and took hold of her face. Gently using his thumbs he wiped her tears away. "No tears princess. We both know how this ends don't we?" They wouldn't subject millions. Ashira was too noble, too good. One of the reasons he loved her. Loyalty and sense of duty, doing what was right. A cold breeze passed by them causing goosebumps to form on his back but he did not move. Michael continued to rub Ashira's cheek soothingly with his right thumb. All the world around them disappeared. He didn't even realize how close his face was to hers but he wasn't going to pull away until she smiled again. "Its ok. It will all be ok."

[AngelDellaNotte]

She briefly stiffened when she felt his arms around her then relaxed feeling him wipe away her tears. She rested her head on his shoulder. That was when the dam just broke and she found herself sobbing into his chest. Her fingers clutched at the towel he had draped over his shoulders. She stood there for several minutes just letting everything out. Ashira wasn't one to often show her emotions. Something Caspar always told her wasn't good. After her failed engagement when she finally pulled out of the depression he had taken her to something called a rage room. It basically was a room with a lot of junk in it. He then gave her a sledge hammer and told her to let her frustration out. By the end of the day Ashira was feeling much better and ready to put Edmund behind her. When she felt she had no more tears left she pulled back looking up at Michael knowing her face had to be red and puffy but he didn't care. True to Caspar's words she felt better.

Not thinking about anything, just letting her body move on her own she brushed her hands across his chest then leaned up into him kissing him.

[Ushima]

His body stiffened when Ashira kissed him. But only for a moment. Heat rushed through him as the sensation of Ashira's lips overtook him. This shouldn't happen. This couldn't happen. But it was. Even if it was for a moment. Here in this place he could let himself have this moment. Isolated away from the problems of the world for a little bit. Away from the eyes of their two companions for several hours. Self-indulgent? Sure. Self-destructive in the future? More than likely. Michael wasn't thinking anything along those lines at this moment. All that concerned him was the beautiful girl in his arms kissing him. Breaking the kiss for air Michael pulled back to look at her. Face flushed and eyes half closed. The most beautiful thing he's ever seen. So he said it. "You're beautiful." Leaning back in he kissed her again.

Michael gently moved Ashira towards the building. He doubted either of them wanted Lillian and Harlow to walk in on them like this. Inside at least they'd have some privacy. So gently lifting Ashira up, never breaking the kiss, he walked inside. It was a little difficult but he managed it. The Oleran slipped into the unit and found a nice vent to curl up by and be warm. Inside the master bedroom Michael set Ashira down. Reaching over to the glass wall he brought up the control panel. Orange icons appeared. Touching the glass Michael pressed an orange rectangle and slid it down. The glass around them darkened providing some privacy, so no one from outside could look in. Now safe inside Michael took Ashira in his arms again, wrapping her in a loving hug and rubbing her back, burying his face in her neck and giving it some gentle pecks.

[AngelDellaNotte]

Ashira just stopped thinking, she knew what she was doing was wrong but didn't care. She just turned her mind off letting her body make the choices. She would deal with the consequences of this later. When Michael picked her up she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist, kissing at his neck as he moved them inside. A whimper escaped her lips when he set her down and a pout came to her face. It was short lived as he returned after darkening the windows. Placing her arms around his neck again she brushed her fingers through his wet hair. Then took several steps back pulling him with her. She kept going until her legs hit the edge of the bed and fell back into it. Her clothes were still wet but right now she didn't care.