CHAPTER 6

Bare It All

F or the first time in his life, Vrixiel was grateful for a toilet. The simple nanotech had not only brought tears of happiness to his niela but had also given him time to rein in his desire. Before, he’d nearly broken the door down in his haste to get naked with Trixie. Now, he was satisfied with simply tracing her beauty with his hands as the dome cleansed them both. This was a time to relish every moment, not rush the most special night cycle in his existence.

His niela ’s reaction to the toilet had also served as a reminder that anything Vrixiel considered normal could be strange-looking to her. That applied to him as well. What if his appearance, once he was free of all clothes, proved too different from what she was used to? If she gave his dick that wide-eyed look from earlier coupled with, What is that?! , he would lose his feathers from embarrassment. Vrixiel had to take things slowly for both their sakes.

Not that they were making progress at any speed; he had yet to solve the mystery of the tiny zipper at the back of her one-piece clothing. Trixie had given him the honor to undress her, but on his knees behind her, he had no idea how to do that. He tapped the purple zipper head several times, but it wouldn’t start lowering.

Her chortle echoed in the cleansing chamber. “You have to pull the zipper down with your fingers. Slowly and gently, please. It took forever to make this jumpsuit.”

“Ah.” How was he going to achieve that? Not only were his fingers huge compared to the primitive zipper, but his hands were somewhat shaky as well.

“Do you want me to do it? The zipper is quite small.”

“No.” He was a decorated soldier, having survived countless battles in too many star systems to keep count. He would not let some ancient technology defeat him. “Stay still. I’ve got this.”

“Roger that.” She sounded somewhat tense now, though.

“Have no fear, bean. I’m simply going to unsheathe a claw and hook it in the zipper head.” There, he’d done it! The little offender was in his grasp. Now to pull it down…

“I’m not afraid,” his niela said softly. “I’m okay, Vrixiel, but are you ? ”

He stopped with the zipper lowered halfway. “What makes you ask that?”

“For starters, your wings are restless.” She pointed at the green appendages partially closed around her. “You also sound off. Am I wrong?”

How could she read him so well already? Vrixiel’s free hand curled into a fist against his thigh. Admitting weakness was damn hard, but he would never lie to his niela . Nor to another person. His Gaenthian honor would not let him.

“You’re right. I’m nervous.”

“Oh.” She started to turn around but reconsidered. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Goddess, he didn’t know. But Trixie not looking at his insecure expression made it easier. Was that why she had chosen to keep facing the cleansing dome?

“I can understand if you don’t feel like sharing,” she said gently. “Trust takes time. You don’t have to tell me anything now. But, if that is going to help, I can go first.”

Vrixiel wasn’t sure what to say. He just stood there, kneeling behind her. Before he could make up his mind, Trixie spoke again.

“I believe in fated mates wholeheartedly. Still, I worry. Will you grow to love me, an alien in your eyes with a culture so different from yours? What if our values clash? What if…” Her voice went unsteady, and she took a deep breath .

Vrixiel’s wings closed around her instinctively, as if there were a physical threat he could protect her from. “ Niela , you don’t have to say more.”

“No, I want to.” She ran her fingers down his feathers, soothing him without even knowing. “You make me feel comfortable and willing to spill all the beans.” He heard a smile in her tone. “It’s strange because I don’t know you, but it feels as if I do. Now I completely understand the heroines in my books.”

Vrixiel wasn’t sure which books she meant, but he knew the feeling she was describing. He too felt as though they knew each other from before. Odd as that might be, it gave him a sense of security. Like he could tell her anything in a few words, and she would understand him straight away, no lengthy explanations needed. No risk of him being misunderstood.

“The thing is,” Trixie continued, “I have health issues.” Another deep breath in. “Scoliosis and lordosis. They cause daily pain in my back.”

Vrixiel wrapped his arms around his niela from behind. He didn't want her in pain. If he could take every single ache of hers away, he would. But at this moment all he was capable of doing was listen and offer Trixie comforting.

She put her hands on his forearms and relaxed back against him on a shaky sigh. “What this means is that I’m limited in the things I can do. I can’t stay standing for long, which means cooking and cleaning have to be kept short. Lengthy walks are not doable. I also can’t stay sitting for more than an hour without getting lower back pain, which turns long flights into a nightmare.”

As she ran her hands along his forearms, Trixie kept going. “Carrying heavy things is a no-no. I must do stretching exercises daily, or I’m fucked… And this is the short version of my physical limitations, Vrixiel. Would you be able to handle that every single day?”

His hearts squeezed at the thought of his niela in such debilitating pain. If there was something Gaenthian or another advanced race’s technology could do to improve her condition, he vowed to find it. Even if there wasn't, his answer would not change.

“My special bean,” he hugged Trixie tight, “everything you just described is part of you. Now that I have found you, I cannot be without you in my life. I cannot be happy without you here, with me. Every single day.”

Trixie spun around and threw her arms around his neck. He hugged her back with both his arms and wings, his hearts soaring. They stood like that for some time, wrapped in each other in comfortable silence.

“Jeez, I got so emotional,” she said eventually, still clinging to him but her tone now lighthearted. “How did we end up here from getting naked?”

Vrixiel pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head. “We are baring everything, it appears: not just our bodies but also our souls.” At least, she had made the first step. “If you allow us to continue, I will bare it all to you, niela . You will learn of my secret fear.”And he prayed to the Goddess that Trixie would accept him as he was.

She leaned back a fraction to meet his gaze. A gentle smile was playing on her lips. “Let’s get out of these clothes.”