Valin's POV
1. Xena Auria
I was just another say. Our daily training had ended so I was in my room doing crunches under increased gravity when a staff member I'd never met, entered. The maid who brought our dinner before had an air of depression and misery around her. With this new one, I could see there was still life in her countenance. She had amber locs, tan skin, brown freckles, and bright violet eyes. I wish I knew her exact feelings but I gave up empathy for my vow. I could always feel all the motions of whoever was near me, it was stressful. Especially when I had to fight someone who was frightened of me, it'd feel like I was looking at myself trembling in fear.
"You're having steak and potatoes, tonight." She informed me. Conveniently leaving out the fact that the food was dry and had absolutely no seasoning. Then she turned to leave,
"Wait... What's your name?" I called. She paused and then turned to me to reply,
"Xena." I approached her to get a better look at her face.
"You're pretty cute, Xena." Her eyes widened and then she laughed and patted my head.
"Thank you, you're cute too." Then she left, leaving me sitting on the floor confused... I recorded our interactions in my notebook and thought hard about her reaction... the only conclusion I could come to is, that she doesn't think I'm attractive. Or maybe she didn't notice I was flirting. Maybe my approach was too passive...
The next day when she came in I was doing commandos in the corner. Once I noticed her I flipped onto my feet and returned the gravity to normal so she wouldn't be crushed.
"You're always working out." She commented, setting my food down on the table in my corner,
"No I'm not, in the morning I study physics, in the afternoon math or music, and at night I exercise." I corrected.
"Oh, my bad. You're so grown up, with a schedule and everything." She remarked mockingly, so I frowned at her and said,
"I'm not a child. How old are you?" She made an odd face... maybe my tone offended her but it's hard for me to monitor my tone.
"I'm 10..." She answered, so I approached her again. This time I pulled my hair back and stood only 1 foot apart.
"I'm 7... you're barely even an adult, and you're not that much older than me at all." She pouted and said,
"Well... you're short... and you have such a baby face, it's hard not to." I grabbed her hand and pulled it against my chest. Then I leaned in towards her, causing our faces to be a mere few inches apart,
"Do I still seem like a child when we're in this position?" That's when she pulled away and practically ran from the room. So I took a few bites of the food she left and went back to my daily routine. I don't even need to eat again yet and the food is so bland I won't be able to finish it... It seems I was too aggressive this time.
After that, she left the food at on my desk and ran out without speaking to me, we only got meals twice a week and the next 5 times she visited me she got away as quickly as she could... which was annoying. I liked having a new person to talk to. I began sketching the faces she made each time I saw her in my notebook since there were no conversations to analyze, and then I compared those expressions to the ones in my psychology book, I want to understand her better. On the 6th encounter, I created an emerald door behind her as soon as she entered. I had been sweating so this time I was topless and her expressions were more extreme than usual. "Xena... the way you look at me seems different today." She was breathing heavily with her back to the door and in a panic, she even dropped the food she was delivering onto my floor.
"Don't come near me!" Xena yelled, and I shrugged and said,
"Fine." before opening the door, allowing her to stumble out. She had a dumbfounded expression and stared at me for several seconds before picking herself up and leaving.
Two days later she entered my room and I was reading. I expected her to leave soon but instead, she sat next to me on my bed and said,
"Wh-what are you reading?"
"It's too complicated for you to understand," I answered. She pouted,
"You don't know that!" I closed the book and turned to her smiling, while creating a door to block my entrance, as I said,
"I can show you something, more interesting than this book." I could see her temperature rising beneath her skin, and her pupils dilating.
"What can you show me?" She whispered so I pulled her up onto her feet and held her waist till there was no space between us.
"I'm taller than you now." Her temperature rose even higher, and she wiggled against me.
"You... um... you... are po..pok... I mean I can... feel." I lightly kissed her ear and whispered
"Did you forget how to speak?" As I started unbuttoning her blouse. Xena grabbed my hands, she was shaking.
"We shouldn't," She argued weakly, that's when there was a knock at my door. I attempted to ignore it, undoing one more button but when the knocks continued I opened it to see my older brother, Zai. She ran out of the room as if a wild beast was chasing her and I sighed again. I was happy to help Zai, but I wish his timing were better. When I saw her again she was acting more cautious around me. Today I was lying on my bed, face up and I stayed as still as possible so she'd feel more comfortable.
"That's a new hairclip," I noted as she was turning to leave. "Gold looks good on you." She took a deep breath and said,
"Why are you always flirting with me?"
"Bored," I admitted. "You're more attractive than the people they usually send to feed us... and younger." My honesty made her frown,
"Oh... I thought... maybe there was something special about me..." That's when I got out of bed and said,
"You are special... you're attractive and close to my age." She scoffed so then I said, "You like butterflies and lavender... and you're much too kind to be working in the glass palace. You are a gentle and soft-hearted person, you intrigue me." That's when her eyes met mine and she whispered.
"I don't have a choice but to be here." I created the door again, successfully soundproofing my room, and said,
"Do you want to talk about it?" I sat back on my bed and pat the spot next to me. Then she sat beside me and went on about how impoverished her family was and how working in the palace with the Chosen Ones was a last resort for her.
"I know how often maids die here... but dying would be better than going back to a home that's filled with nothing." She concluded and I nodded because I understood,
"You are brave to be here for your family," As soon as I said this she kissed me. Triggering a domino effect of no return. I tried out a few things I'd only read in books with her, and she clung to me as if she wanted us to become one being.
"Oh no... what time is it? I'll get in trouble if they figure out where I am." She commented worriedly, though her legs were still clasped around me. So to ease her worry, I used my powers to create a tunnel from my room and transport her back into the maid quarters unnoticed underground. 3 Days later she brought the food delivery as if everything was normal. She always had one tray of food when she entered my room so I knew she had begun visiting me last, since our first encounter. It's hard to know if it's because she wanted to spend time with me, without neglecting her duties, if she was dreading seeing me, or if it's because I was the only brother that paid her any attention.
"Hey, Xena... looks like you got back to your room on time." Her face was as red as a cherry as she turned to me and said,
"...What did you do to me?... I can't stop thinking about you... do you have some type of mind control ability?" She mumbled. I rolled my eyes, bringing the door up to give us privacy
"Maybe you've just fallen for me?" I insisted instead, then I stood in front of her, held her waist, and kissed her... She bit her lip and replied softly,
"I can stay longer this time." Xena then initiated the kisses and tugged at the strings of my pants. To assist I tore open her shirt and lifted her dress. But we were interrupted today as well and she rushed away flustered. Still, every attempt to be with her after that went smoothly, allowing me to pass multiple dull hours inside of her, learning more and more each time.
There were days when she'd visit me when it wasn't time for food. She'd claim it was just to clean but would sit and talk with me. Today happened to be one of those days,
"So what is your family like?" Xena asked while putting her cleaning supplies to the side.
"My family..." I closed the book I was reading and looked up at the ceiling. "I had 2 sisters and a brother. I am the youngest so they all helped to take care of me... My older brother was an Earth user, I ended up learning some things while watching him. So everyone thought I was a prodigy, my sisters called me Star, or Brilliant and my brother even began teaching me on purpose. My parents... I imagine they were normal. They had a hard time showing us all equal attention but they did try, and I always ended up getting the most. My sisters couldn't resist butting into other people's business. Whenever they saw injustice they spoke out. I wish I knew them longer..." A wave of sadness fell over me but I tried to shake it off,
"My mom always found a way to provide for us. I couldn't stuff myself but there was never a day I went hungry, thanks to her. That was until my brother got sick. She was always the type to get things done, whatever she set her mind to. She's my idol." After she said this she placed her hand on mine. "I regretted having to work here... until I met you." Her statement made my heart feel warm so I had to remind myself that she meant nothing by it.
"... I still regret what led to me being here but... I do like being around you. It makes the days easier." I replied. Xena then kissed my cheek, a second later she kissed my lips and then embraced me. Being held by her was the only thing that kept me from breaking down into tears, after reminiscing about my family. It's my fault they're not here anymore... We stayed together until she had to leave.
Living in the palace was always miserable, yet being with her made many nights better. Once my brothers Raijian and Zaikiel were banished the days became even more uneventful... A year had passed, and then the distraction Xena provided wasn't enough anymore. I realized just how much their presence impacted my life so I prepared to leave for Earth.
"I can't go with you," Xena announced after I told her my plans.
"So?" I replied, and even without empathy I could tell she was hurt but I didn't care.
"If I leave my family will be in trouble... but I don't want to be apart from you."
"I don't remember asking you to come with me." She started to cry a bit so I pet her back to comfort her.
"What I mean is, I don't want you to go! I'll miss you!" She admitted finally. After spending multiple nights with me, she adapted to my bluntness, and once I understood what she meant I was moved. I had never expected her to miss me... so, at that moment, I stopped packing and kissed her, while pushing her towards the bed, and this time, having sex with her as if there was no time limit until she begged me for a break. But even then she clung to me, kissing me and whispering in a trembling voice that she loved me and didn't want me to go. In her desperation to hold onto me, she fell asleep in my bed and I left for Earth before she woke up. She liked me more than I was expecting... but I can't be with her, she can't leave and I must leave... it's not meant to be. Her feelings moved me though, that's probably the most unexpected part of all. In the end, she is my first girlfriend.
It wasn't easy to find Jey and Zai because they weren't with Markis, Jey's older brother. The three of them had a disagreement. Whatever the argument was about prompted Jey to run away from his brother's house and venture out on his own with Zai at his side as support... It would have been nice if their argument could've waited until after I got here...