Nonfatal Attraction

Posted on Mon Apr 19th, 2021 @ 8:18pm by The Narrator & James Thomson & Daiyu
Edited on on Sat Apr 24th, 2021 @ 3:56pm

Mission: Six Days to Santo
Location: Galley | Fortune's Echo
Timeline: Day 24 - Afternoon (right after "It Ain't My Fault"

Guided by James' firm but gentle hand from the cargo area, Daiyu allowed herself to be led away from the crew. Alison, Chloe, even Doctor Karen in her quiet way were all insisting that Daiyu had done something she had not. It was all so...so... so confusing. And none or them seemed confused. No, they looked at her with self-assured disdain. Was that why they mistrusted her? She didn't have anywhere near the same self-assurance they did? Certainty would be like a warm blanket on a cold day.

"We'll go to the galley," she blurted to James once they were alone. "Alison said I need to help. I can make food." She shook her head as more of a plan began to form. "No. First take me to my airponics room. I'll harvest what's edible and then make a grand meal for the Captain's return!"

A smile crossed her scarred face as she clapped her hands in excitement. The gesture made the bathrobe she wore slide off her shoulders. Though she'd managed to catch it before revealing anything traditionally risque, the larger scars across her shoulders were briefly visible like jagged vines on her skin. Her face lit up in horror, knowing James had seen her shame.

James froze for a moment, waiting for Daiyu to lash out, but when it became clear she wouldn't he cleared his throat. He reached forwards and gently pulled the fabric of Daiyu's robe back up her shoulders sealing the gesture with an awkward, yet gentle, pat. As he considered what might have caused the scars James felt himself growing angry but worked to push the feeling down. "The galley ain't gonna' come to us", he joked offering the warmest smile he could provide. He hoped it was enough.

"True..." Daiyu said. "I'll be just a second." She ducked into the airponics bay, which was really a converted storage room, and plucked whatever looked ripe. Ingredients could be sorted out later. Fortunately the bathrobe had deep woolen pockets.

"Ready," Daiyu beamed as she nearly skipped to the galley leaving James to follow.

Once she made it to the cook's area, Daiyu briefly found herself at a loss. No one had let her back here before. Nothing was arranged like it had been in the Monastery's larder. This... this might be a bigger chore than she'd anticipated.

"Um... do you have any ideas?" Daiyu asked. "What does the captain like to eat?"

James thought for a moment. "Chicken is his favourite, but he also likes steak, you're good to go with just about anything green and he's partial to lemon meringue pie, but I suppose any pie outta' do", he listed off quickly, "I doubt we got most of that, but I'm sure anything you rustle up will be appreciated, ain't like Alden to turn his nose up at a nice gesture" he finished followed by a lazy shrug.

"Well..." Daiyu said by way of assessing the larder. "We have dried meat. So, formerly steak?" She frowned, a facial gesture that twisted her scars yet made her seem more human all the same. "I suppose I could do something with that..."

The dried meat was easily set aside as she rooted around for more food stuffs. "I can mix it with some of my herbs and such, but that alone is just a snack. We need something more for a meal." Daiyu blinked and mumbled as she puzzled through the task. "Captain is a big man... big men get hungry..."

Daiyu turned her dark eyes onto James. "What do you like when you're hungry? Spiced meat, chopped veggies, and...?"

"I ain't the best person to be asking that, scrappy," James scoffed through a smile, "I'll eat just about anything, food's food. What about potatoes? Do we get any potatoes? We could mash them, or roast them, or both? As for veggies, whatever we've got will do" he suggested. "Trust me, he's gunna' be real happy that you cooked for him, it ain't gonna matter what you're offering up" he reassured.

"Good," she said with relief as she began dicing up some vegetables on a cutting board. "I've been trying to earn my keep. He's done so much for me already..." Abruptly she stopped. Turning to James with knife still in hand, Daiyu stared at James with her eyes spread wide. "I owe you as well. Father Johns never hurt me, but he sent me away after..." She trailed off as memories of bloodshed returned to her that she preferred to avoid. "Men always say I'm ugly... repulsive... creepy..." She cocked her head to one side, probing James with her almond eyes as her bangs draped across her scarred cheek. "But Captain doesn't say those things. Neither do you." Her voice had fallen pensive, soft, almost tender. "You say I'm scrappy. What's scrappy?"

"Those men were pigs, my mama woulda whooped my arse if she had ever heard talk to a lady like that" James frowned. He knew he was uncouth most of the time, but no harm was ever meant unless intended. He wondered, quickly, what Daiyu had been like before she had been traumatised. Probably one of the good ones, he guessed, the thought made him angry. "Scrappy being determined, not backing down. You look out for yourself, so Scrappy" he explained with a shrug like it was obvious.

Daiyu felt the burning around her eyes that always preceded tears. But this time it wasn't sad feelings that caused the burn. It was... what was this delightful feeling? Why did it make her want to cry? The knife dropped from her hand and clattered onto the floor.

"Oops," she said, but made no move to retrieve it. "Do you mind?"

James quickly collected the knife with a roll of his eyes. She could have easily grabbed it but he didn't have the stomach to push it, it was kind of nice sharing a few calm moments with the woman.

While James moved to get the knife, Daiyu sucked in a deep breath and prepared herself for a great risk. This man James was a good man and kin to a great man. He did not pity her. No, James even... admired her. The very thought sent Daiyu's breast aflutter.

And that was why she let her robe slip off her naked shoulders and drop across her bare hips onto the floor. Scars, burns, and signs of reconstructive surgery stood out in stark relief to her otherwise soft, olive-complected flesh. It took everything within her not to tremble under such intense vulnerability, but this was what women did when they wished to honor a man, wasn't it?

"Am I..." Daiyu stammered at saying the next word, but buried beneath her ocean of fear at James' potential reaction, there was a seed of hope. If he admired her, then that meant he could see past her scars to the person behind them. But how far would he see? "... pleasing?"

James shifted uncomfortably for a moment before reaching down for Daiyu's robe and pulling it back up, his eyes fixed firmly on her own, "You don't gotta' do that to please anyone here, Scrappy" he told her, barely above a whisper as he gently patted her once again covered shoulders.

"Trust me when I say that what counts most on this tin can is this" he told her as he placed a hand over her heart, "Alden- we, don't want you to do anything that doesn't make you happy and I don't think that makes you happy, am I right?" He asked, he tone uncharacteristically gentle. Alden was rubbing off on him.

The tears came then.

"I don't know who I am," Daiyu said through her weeping. "Before the Monastery, there was...pain. Fear and pain and blood." She gasped as she fought for air between sobs. "Before that...light? Bright sunlight. Passion. And love."

The feeling of James' hand over her heart made it beat all the faster. Never had a man, at least to her recollection, touch her so. Slowly, Daiyu lowered his hand to cup her breast through her robe. Sensations shot through her body from head to toe, from heart to...

Daiyu knew in her mind that fornication was a sin, but right now she wanted nothing more.

"I know I am not pleasing, but I want to know love again. Please show me love." She finally stopped crying, though her breathing never settled. It was a different sort of passion awakening in her now, one that sent her hand to James' chest as if to keep him from running away and leaving her to wallow in confirmation of her worst fears. Her voice was a hoarse whisper as she begged. "Please."

James found himself stunned into silence. He froze momentarily as the gears in his brain worked overtime to find a way out of their situation. He couldn't give her what she wanted and he certainly didn't want her to leave her thinking she repulsed him. Still wordless he withdraws his hand and placed both his hands on her shoulder, pushing her back gently and meeting her gaze with his own searching one.

"What..." Daiyu let out a gasp, her question caught fast in her throat.

Before Daiyu could react James leant forwards and drew her into a hug. He hugged her firmly like he had Lauren before he left with Alden and the Echo. The reassuring kind that you shared only with family and close friends, the ones that always promised comfort and familiarity. The kind of love he felt Daiyu needed to know.

"You don't need to do that to know love," he murmured into the petite woman's hair.

Daiyu melted into James' strong arms. His manly musk teased her nose and fanned the flame of her desire. And when he spoke, his tender words drifting through her hair on moist, husky breath, it sparked the fire. She wanted to do something, but she did not fully know what.

Still tucked into James' embrace, Daiyu slid her hand down to his beltline. "I want you to take me," she whispered back. Giving his belt buckle a tug, she asked, "Do you not want me?" Her voice cracked despite her best efforts to keep it strong and level.

James reacted on impulse, his hand reaching down to grab Daiyu's before yanking it away and putting a step between them, "No" he said firmly, "Aside from the fact you're lacking the parts that get me giddy, this is mighty inappropriate" he explained, his tone now softer. "But just because I don't want you like... that", he blushed, "It don't mean I don't like you at all, just that I don't want to bump uglies with you"

He sighed, rubbing his free hand across his face, "I'm sorry that I can't give you what you want, but hopefully you'd be happy to settle on friendship?" he asked, a tad hopefully. Despite the difficulties, he found himself regularly amused by Daiyu's antics, he'd never met anyone with such candour, "You're beautiful and I'm flattered, but I can't give you what you're asking for".

"You're sly..." Understanding came over Daiyu's face. "Fornication is a sin anyway. I'm sorry..." She pulled up her robe and tightly wrapped it back around her body. Giving her back to him, Daiyu whispered, "Only a sly man would be kind to me..." Tears began to shed. Was Father Johns sly? Was... "Is Captain Alden sly too?" she asked louder.

James huffed and rolled his eyes, "Now, you don't have to go saying it like that, ain't nothing wrong liking what I like. That also ain't why I'm being kind, I'm being kind cause you ain't never done anything to bother me. I got no reason to be mean" he grumbled softly.

"And Alden ain't 'sly', as you put it," he explained. "Even if he was he's been nothing but helpful to you since you joined our merry band" he added defensively, being mindful not to come across assertive. "Now, are we gonna' go rustle up a meal fit for our Captain? He's gonna be mighty hungry when he gets back" he suggested, smiling awkwardly.

Daiyu nodded, properly chastised. "I understand. Yes, let's get back to the meal preparation." She began mincing the pocketful of herbs and vegetables she'd brought, but soon cut her finger. "Ow!" she exclaimed through the fingertip she'd thrust into her mouth.

"C'mere, Scrappy," James said, a little curtly but through concern rather than assertiveness. "Lemme see." Maybe it hadn't been such a great idea to let the young woman have a sharp knife, but food prep was kinda tough without it. He reached for the first aid kit stuck there in a overt position on the galley wall. "Lemme see?" He asked rather than ordered this time.

"I am bleeding," Daiyu said in a monotone. "You would touch my blood?" The thought chilled her and she had no idea why. Her breathing escalated to the point of fear. "That...that is more intimate than fornicating."

James frowned for a second, but noted the change in Daiyu's tone (and not for the first time). He was starting to see a pattern - well, the existence of one at least if not the relevance or context - and so bit back his immediate words and considered his response more carefully.

"I don't need to touch the blood," he pointed out, gently. "I just want to make sure you didn't cut too deep. And then, y'know, put a band-aid over the cut."

"Don't worry, I can do it myself," Daiyu said, clearly offended. "You may go now."

There was a frown followed by a pursing of lips and then James nodded. "Okay," he agreed, and gently tossed the first-aid kit to the young woman. His brain turned the questions about blood and intimacy, but he didn't ask. Some things he was probably better off not knowing right now. James stepped away. "You just let me know when you want my help to cook the meal." He stopped and turned back to face Daiyu and mustered up a bright smile. "Okay, Scrappy?"

Daiyu grunted a response and went on with vigorously chopping the ingredients before throwing them together into the oven. Long after James left, Daiyu would go on to burn the batch and start all over. This was for Alden. That's all it would ever have to be.