<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://s300.photobucket.com/user/SociallyToxicBeauty/media/f9baa897-e285-4e2a-92b5-e0eb263a67ea.jpg.html"></a><a class="postlink" href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/SociallyToxicBeauty/f9baa897-e285-4e2a-92b5-e0eb263a67ea.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/><br/><span style="color: #408000"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">Alida</span></span></span></div><br/><br/>Izu stared at Alida with annoyance and crossed his arms over his chest. Alida huffed at that, irritated that Izu was acting defensive when she was just being honest.<span style="color: #BF0000">"What do you want me to do Alida? Write down every single questions I could think to ask you? We both know I'm not the kind of person who just sits down and talks for hours. I don't like that touchy-feely bullshit,"</span>Izu stated bluntly, causing Alida to give a small flinch as he moved closer to her. She felt stupid for flinching and then looked up defiantly towards Izu's.<br/><br/>Her firm stance immediately wilted at Izu's next words,<span style="color: #BF0000"> "However...I guess we could take some time to...figure out more about each other?" </span>Alida relaxed some, happy to hear that Izu was willing to get to know her and give her the chance to know him, but she still felt slightly irritated. If Izu thought that Alida would just forgive him right off the bat, well...he was probably right, but she was going to try her best to stay angry. He couldn't just pretend that what he did was some form of communication! He couldn't just get angry at her and jump her bones because of it. She was fine with his aggression, it wouldn't be Izu otherwise--but he was not about to take their sex and turn it into a weapon to display his upset! He just wasn't allowed!<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF0000">"I'll start...How old are you...?"</span>Izu asked, pulling Alida from her mental rant. She blinked owlishly at him for a moment as she tried to think. The weather in Izu's world confused her sense of time and she could not determine how many summers had exactly passed. She was either 23 or 24 summers old, but she didn't know which in Izu's world.<br/><br/>She pondered for a moment what her age was and finally decided on 24. After all, even if she wasn't, she was about to be.<span style="color: #408000">"Alida 24 summers,"</span>she finally stated, suddenly shy.<span style="color: #408000">"Izu?"</span>she asked, wanting to know his age as well. She assumed he was at least a year older than her, but had not thought anything of it before. She edged a little closer to Izu, desiring a bit of warmth from him now that her anger had softened. Her clothes provided her some shield against the chill in the room, but Izu always radiated heat. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest, listening to the strong and steady rhythm of his heart.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000">"Izu can't do that,"</span>she mumbled, nuzzling her face against him. Izu's actions had confused her and she still felt a bit confused.<span style="color: #408000">"Alida scared and Izu angry---Izu attack Alida, but Alida not understand," </span>she elaborated. For all intents and purposes, as far as Alida was concerned, Izu had attacked her--even if it wasn't physically painful, it had overwhelmed her mentally.<span style="color: #408000">"Alida just wanted to run. Alida not want to leave Izu--Alida tried to help..."</span>Her arms tightened around Izu as she tried to express herself. Izu may not have been touchy-feely, but she knew he was listening. He rarely ignored what she was saying, even when he was trying to.<br/><br/>While now Alida knew that the noise earlier had simply been one of Izu's many contraptions, she had not known that at the time. She had, quite genuinely, thought they were going to be attacked and die. She had a natural aversion to loud noises, but it had only gotten worse after the attack on her home. All of her instincts had been telling her to run and hide, but she had fought those instincts in order to stay with Izu in hopes of somehow saving them both.<span style="color: #408000"> "Alida's home..." </span>she started but seemed to become overwhelmed by her own words. She pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself and looked at the floor,<span style="color: #408000">"Alida's home attacked...Alida not know what happened...just fire and screaming...then...Alida woke up here,"</span>she finally admitted.<br/><br/><span style="color: #408000">"Alida thought...Alida thought Izu's home attacked..." </span>she said softly, finally looking up at Izu.<span style="color: #408000">"Alida sorry..." </span>