She was thinking hard about something. While my mate was great at not saying anything she did not mean to, her face said everything. I was certain her thoughts were about my vessel. She liked it well enough that was clear and yet something about it seemed to bother her.
"Bloody hell!" She said as we walked into our private quarters. "This place is bigger than my entire apartment. A whole Troupe could live here comfortably! No kitchen though."
"The sleeping quarters are no place for a kitchen," I say. "There's a small cooling unit for snacks." I gestured towards it. There was also a mini bar. Not that she did anymore than glance at it before her eyes locked on m- Our bed. I knew it was a lot bigger than the standard Human beds. Even so it barely passed for a Stelnubis. Especially one that liked to spread out while resting.
"A Makilu could take off from that thing!" Her voice was quiet. I would have to look up some of those words later.
"Wait until you see a proper bed back home," I laughed.
"They come bigger?"
I smiled at her teasing, "This one is small."
"Oh wow," she said. Her hand ran over the dark brown fabric. Once again those wheels were turning behind her eyes.
She took in the room. The large screen hanging on the wall, the massive couch, and foot rest. The Duplicater that hung over the bar and cooling unit. I rarely drank the beverages from the cooling unit. Instead I indulged in my high end alcohol collection. I wondered briefly is Ana would join me. A table meant for breakfast had been serving as a work desk for me. That would change now. Ana had every right to wake up to food. Once I adjusted to her sleeping patterns. It was common that Stelnubis tended to sleep less than most races so I should be able to get a lock on her sleep schedule. It was my duty to meet her needs.
"I added some Human entertainment to the vid library. The system also has long range abilities so it should be able to pick up some of the broadcasts if something isn't downloaded."
"You have really thought of everything."
I did. I was about to prove that to her even more. "The door on the left leads to the hygiene room. This one here," I said pushing a door open and leading her within, "Is our walk-in closet. The left side is mine. You have the cases in the middle along with the drawers. The back wall and left are yours as well."
She looked into the room with wide eyes. "There is no way I have enough clothes to take all this space. Let alone shoes! When did you have time to do this? Please tell me you did not throw out all your clothes to make room for me?"
The look of outright fear and horror at the idea was clear in her voice and on her face. "I thought Human women always complained about never having enough space for their clothes." I said, trying not to shift on my feet. I knew I was frowning.
Ana's face got pink as a blush rose in her cheeks. "I suppose for most women that would be true. Where I am from most of us do not have many clothes. We have everyday outfits and a few things for special occasions but otherwise..." her voice trailed off. I grunted. It made sense. I knew from other hunters that there were a multitude of Human cultures all with differences. My silence made her continue, "I tend to spend most of my extra on art supplies too and it isn't as if I have a need for a ton of clothes."
"We shall rectify that. I will not have you lacking in anything you need."
"Oh but I really..." she once again trailed off as she looked at me. "But shopping takes..." She tried again and I rose my eyebrows at her. She shifted on her feet now. A small pout forming on her face, "Do we really have to go shopping?"
"We will go shopping." I once again heard that rattling noise that reminded me of the scaled Findu race. This time it rang out of different notes that seemed to clash together slightly. Once again the balk of the sound seemed to be coming from the top of her head.
"Okay..." she said.
My tone softened as she finally agreed. Or at least stopped arguing. "Credits are not a problem. I am a top rank hunter after all and I have amassed some savings." Enough that I could retire tomorrow and never burn through it all in my lifetime. Not to mention the investments I had made over the years. As my mate I would see to it that she had the best of her species. She would have no less than the elites of her people.
I then showed her around the hygiene room that she seemed very impressed by. It only further set in my belief that she had been in a more remote location that was out of the way. After that was done I walked back with her to the hold. I needed her to tell me what needed to go where. Or rather which ones were going in our quarters and which were going to her studio.
As I guided the cart forward with her things I had to know. "Tell me what is wrong. What is displeasing you?"
"Nothing," she said her wide eyes looking at me.
"Does my vessel displease you?" I tried again."
"No! It is clearly well designed and is extreme luxury," her tone was clear. She truly believed that. She truly liked my vessel. So what was bothering her?
"And yet, something is still wrong," I forced my tone to remain light. Even if I was insisting.
She began to chew at her lip. A nervous habit perhaps?
"Speak freely. I will not be upset." I tried for a reassuring tone but I doubted that I managed it. Given the look she leveled on me I knew I had failed. I would have to work on that. It spoke of her distrust in the statement.
"I wouldn't say wrong... It's just that it's very brown," she said. Her face said that may not be exactly what she was trying to say but the statement was not a lie. My whole vessel was sales of light browns, tan, and beige.
"What is wrong with brown? It is a strong natural color." I loved the color brown.
"There is nothing wrong with the color brown. Just... It is very light hued?" She questioned trying to get me to understand. My eyes blinked at her. Not understanding why that would be a problem. Then I noticed it her eyes. They were smaller now than they had been at the station. Her pupils were smaller giving way for more of the green color.
"Necare! Dim the lights," I commanded. A look of relief overtook her features as the lights around us darkened by half. Her eyes opened back up as those pupils expanded. "Now why did you mention the color hue if it was the lights that were the problem?"
"Light hues reflect more light. I don't know how much light you need to be comfortable so it would be easier to add some darker browns and greens to areas. We can place colors as needed to suit both of us that way."
"Why green?"
"It is a complimentary color. You mentioned how brown is a natural color, green is the second most common color in nature where I am from," she shrugged. Okay yes this I could agree to. It was well known that Earth was mostly blue and green. Even if I was not especially happy that she would be adding colors to my walls. Our walls I corrected myself. She had the right to have something that reminded her of home. "I could do a sketch first? Let you get an idea of what I was thinking?" Her words made me realize while I was trying to rationalize her thought process my face had twisted into a snarl.
I wanted to punch myself. So much for not being upset. Even if I was not completely against the idea part of my instincts were. Even so I had no right to challenge her on it. She could paint every single inch of the vessel whatever she desired and I would not be able to do anything about it. Females ruled over the dwelling. In every way that mattered this was our main dwelling.
"Very well," I agreed. Her eyes once again got that look. Again I wasn't sure if I liked it.
"It won't be that bad. You get to take me shopping and I will show you the joy of color combinations."
I grunted in a noncommercial fashion. I did not mind keeping the lights dimmed for her. I could see just fine in both settings. Stelnubis had four eyes for a reason. She rubbed at my lower arm in a soothing fashion. I could only imagine the ways she would ruin my ship. I gave a nod and continued to move her crates.