29. Ell-rom

29

ELL-ROM

E ll-rom stepped out of the bathroom and shuffled to one of the chairs while leaning heavily on his walker. Without Jasmine to observe him, he felt less pressured to perform.

He chuckled as he sat down. That's why he needed her around. Well, that and many other things. Like those sweet kisses earlier, her body pressed against his…

No, none of that.

At any moment, the door could open, and Gertrude would come in with his breakfast. He couldn't greet her with a tent forming in his loose blue pants.

Think of other things .

Like what?

His head was full of Jasmine, her smiling eyes, her soft lips, her alluring scent…

A knock at the door preceded its opening, and Julian entered carrying a tray.

"Good morning." The medic put the tray on the bedside table. "I hear that congratulations are in order. You managed the bathroom all by yourself today." He rolled the table to Ell-rom's chair and adjusted the height.

"Thank you. It felt good to regain some independence."

"I bet." Julian sat down on the other chair. "Do you mind if I join you for coffee?"

Ell-rom looked at the tray, confused by the question. "Am I allowed coffee?"

"Think of it as a reward for your bathroom achievement." Julian reached for a rounded container, and when he unscrewed the top, the rich aroma of coffee filled the small room.

"I love the smell," Ell-rom admitted. "I'm not sure about the taste, though. Jasmine let me take a sip from her cup, and I wasn't impressed. It smells better than it tastes."

Julian smiled knowingly. "Everyone takes their coffee differently. Jasmine likes cream and sugar in hers, or milk in the case of specialty coffees, but I have a feeling you will like it black." He poured a small quantity into a cup and handed it to Ell-rom. "Try it."

He took a small, experimental sip. "It's a little bitter, but I like the flavor." He took another sip and put the cup down. "Why is Bridget concerned about me drinking this beverage?"

"Coffee is a stimulant." Julian poured some into his own cup. "Some people are more sensitive to it than others, and coffee makes them jittery and affects their ability to fall asleep."

Ell-rom lifted the cup to his lips. "Then I should drink a lot of it. Maybe I'll be less sleepy."

"You need your sleep, and you need to eat. Both are important for your recovery."

It was a clear command to start eating, and Ell-rom obeyed, lifting the fork and spearing a lovely-looking piece of fruit with it. There was no name in Kra-ell for it, so if he asked Julian what it was, the translation device would just call it fruit.

He popped it into his mouth and nearly groaned with pleasure. It was sweet and tart at the same time, and the texture was soft but not too much so.

Julian smiled. "I'm glad you are enjoying the fruit."

"I really need to start learning Earth's language. There are many things that the teardrop can't translate."

The medic smiled again. "There is no such thing as an Earth language. There are many different ones. Even where you come from, there are at least two languages I know of. The gods and the Kra-ell don't speak the same language."

"I see." Ell-rom nodded. "I still don't remember much, but I should have realized that."

"It's not at all self-explanatory." Julian took another sip of his coffee. "If I found myself on an alien planet, I would probably assume that everyone spoke the same language even if my memory was intact. Your memory problem makes things even harder for you. You are like a child learning everything from scratch." He put his cup down. "But just so you know, you are lucky to have retained use of your language and basic skills like self-grooming, using utensils, and all the other things that we take for granted as adults. Some people who recover from a coma, especially after a brain trauma, have to relearn everything, like babies."

Ell-rom winced and put his fork down. "I feel like that in some respects." He swallowed. "Intimacy is the most difficult part for me. Jasmine is a grown woman, and I'm like a young boy who doesn't know what to do. I don't know what I am allowed to do and what I am not, and what is considered acceptable and what is not."

Julian canted his head. "I'm sure that Jasmine will tell you what she allows and what she doesn't. It's her responsibility to set limits."

That wasn't helpful.

"I don't want to be in a position where she needs to tell me that something I did was unacceptable. I need to know the rules."

Julian sighed. "The rules are very individual. What's okay for one person might not be okay for another."

"Can you give me general guidelines? Think back to when you were a boy just starting out. What were the rules that you were taught by your elders?"

Julian frowned. "I was taught that the most important rule was to seek consent, and that I shouldn't assume that consent for one thing translated to consent for other things. Sometimes, a female will be okay with a kiss, but she won't be okay with intimate touching. You need to make sure that your touch is welcome."

"That's obvious to me. My concerns are much more basic than that. How do I know what to do with my hands when she indicates her willingness to be touched? Is it normal to feel so overwhelmed by sensation? What if I get so excited that I empty my seed into my pants? Will Jasmine be mortified, offended, think badly of me?"

It was embarrassing to ask the medic these kinds of questions, but it was better than asking Jasmine or trying to guess.

Julian was quiet for a long moment. "I'll start with your last question, which is easier to answer. Jasmine won't think badly of you if you ejaculate in your pants, and she will probably feel flattered because she got you so excited. That being said, premature ejaculation is mostly a juvenile problem, but then, you are like a juvenile because you lack experience. Jasmine cares about you deeply, and she's a kind and easygoing female. She will understand and not judge you for it."

That was a big relief. "Thank you. That's very helpful."

"You are welcome." Julian took another sip of coffee, probably to buy himself time to think. "As for your specific concerns, I'll start with the basics. It's completely normal to feel overwhelmed at first. Your body is experiencing new sensations, and it can take time to adjust. The key is to take things slow and to communicate with your partner about what feels good and what doesn't."

He went on to explain various aspects of physical intimacy, from anatomy to techniques, while maintaining a professional, matter-of-fact tone that helped ease Ell-rom's embarrassment.

"Remember," Julian said, "intimacy is about connection, not perfection. It's okay to be nervous, to make mistakes, and to laugh together. In fact, those moments of vulnerability can bring you closer."

Ell-rom felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He still had much to learn, but making mistakes and fumbling around no longer scared him as much as it had before Julian explained that it was part of the fun.

"Thank you. I appreciate your no-nonsense, nonjudgmental explanation."

"You are most welcome." The medic leaned closer over the table. "My best advice to you is don't be shy, and share your concerns with Jasmine."

Ell-rom nodded and then rubbed the back of his neck. "I also need some information on using my fangs. Bridget explained the different kinds of venoms, the aggressive one and the aphrodisiac one, but I don't know how and when it is appropriate to use my fangs."

Julian smiled. "I will demystify it for you. By the way, did my mother explain what a Dormant is?"

Ell-rom shook his head. "Not that I remember. Maybe she did, and I forgot. I don't really trust my memory."

"That's okay," Julian said. "I'll explain it again."