Tarrok looked back into her eyes the whole while. She was so happy, so profoundly content in this moment. It made him feel young again, before he'd turned away from his people. When he could have believed that he could have done anything in the universe.<br/><br/>If only some of his old crew could see him now. Well, actually, forget that one, bad idea. They'd be all bitching about how sentiment only makes a warrior weaker. Technically, they had a point from a very particular point of view. Anyone actually wanted to get at him in particular, they'd have an easier time attacking Aiko. Not like it was a novel concept or anything, he'd done it himself even.<br/><br/>Every single one of them would have missed the point, though. Sure, maybe now he had a vulnerability in the cat girl. Then again, it gave him something that no saiyan could have gained, regardless of how strong they were. Someone was willing to love him, without condition or ulterior motive. Everything back with his people was a power dynamic, it didn't matter how fair or harsh you were to them. Aiko would never turn on him like that, and he didn't want to betray her trust. This feeling, this warmth, was worth whatever price of supposed weakness he had to pay.<br/><br/>Tarrok listened to the little sounds of her breathing, the soft warbles in her purring as she drifted to sleep. Gently, taking care not to wake her, he placed a single kiss atop her head. Then he let his head fall back, and closed his eyes. He focused on the feeling of her skin under his hands, her breathing against his chest and hoped he wouldn't wake to find this some dream.<br/><br/>Good night.