My body feels light, warm, and fuzzy. Am I dreaming? In front of me sat a white bunny, as big as an elephant, and the space around us was covered in mountains of snow.
"Hello, my sweet vessel, my name is Milli. We have been together since your birth, but today is our first formal introduction." The voice was coming from the rabbit, but its mouth remained still.
"Am I dreaming?"
A soft chuckle came from the being in front of me.
"If this were a dream, then simply asking that question would bring about its end." Her answer made sense, but I decided to pinch myself just in case... Yeah, I felt that.
"I feel like you have reached a point of happiness in your life. I am glad, for that is the reason I brought you to this timeline."
"You... you're really a rabbit?! It wasn't a metaphor??" I just realized I forgot to read the book Smoke gave me! Zai has been so distracting!
"Yes, child... but I am curious, are you really as happy as you could be? Are there any choices you regret?" She inquired. I thought for a moment and said,
"I think... I'm happy with all my choices because they led up to where I am today."
"Wonderful! But... I want you to experience different possibilities and return to me. Then I can truly trust that answer. If your mind is unchanged, then I'll know what the truth is."
"What?" As soon as those words left my lips, I hit the ground hard and found my hands were bound in the metal restraints the Qon had used on me, and I was stuck in the same spot I had first arrived on Earth, with my leg pushed out of the socket, just as I remembered.
I... just traveled to the past. I struggled to get to the porch, and just like before, RJ found me, looking down at me in an apathetic manner but helping me anyway.
~"I'll have to interfere a little to make this work. So show me a different story, and if you find this tale less favorable... I'll return you to where you were."~
I felt my memories fading... as if the past six months never happened, all I could recall was some force urging me to be with RJ. He was cold at first, but soon he gave me my own room and even bought clothes for me, making me feel completely welcome.
A few days passed, and another person joined our household... Zai... I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him or even speak to him.
He was good-looking, among the most beautiful people I've ever seen, but there was something about him that repelled me.
So I stayed away when he was in the room, and let him and RJ spend time alone whenever possible.
It was a little lonely, but I was happy RJ had someone he could sincerely smile with.
They seemed to get along well, always having heated conversations and playing games together.
One evening RJ caught me sitting alone on the back porch.
"What are you doing?" he remarked coldly.
I was startled since I hadn't heard him behind me and laughed awkwardly.
"I'm just getting some fresh air," I admitted.
He clicked his tongue, rolled his eyes, and went back inside.
Did I annoy him somehow?
RJ soon returned with a fleece blanket that he dropped over my head.
"Don't stay out too long. It gets chilly at night," he muttered, then he left me once again.
I was stunned, then I wrapped the blanket around myself. It was warm and smelled like fresh linen.
He's so hard to read.
After only a week, Zai left.
I was surprised when I came downstairs to RJ sitting alone, with a mug of coffee in hand.
He looked vaguely melancholy, and I found myself wishing I knew how to comfort him.
"Where's Zai?" I inquired.
He glanced up at me and shrugged.
"He has some business in another province... he never really sticks around long, but he'll be back before you know it," he replied, while sipping his drink.
I sat on the couch next to him, slightly happy that we had time alone again.
"What are your plans for the day?" I asked, while trying to mask my excitement.
"I'm going to go for a walk... then get some food," RJ replied calmly.
I lightly nudged his shoulder and said,
"Oh, can I come?"
His lips parted, and he stared at me for what felt like an eternity. All the attention made my face get hot, so I looked away.
"Sure," he mumbled. I looked up at him, but his gaze was fixed on his coffee cup.
Days later, I found RJ reading on his phone, sitting alone at the kitchen table, so I sat beside him.
"What are you reading?" I asked... when he didn't respond, I said, "I'm going to make coffee, speak up if you want some."
"I do," he answered finally, so I turned on the coffee maker.
"Do you want cream and sugar?"
"What's the point of drinking coffee if it doesn't make you suffer?" I handed him his mug and sat in the chair next to his, "I'm reading through some employee data, Valin sent me." I was surprised he answered.
"Who's Valin?" I inquired, and he scoffed, saying,
"My menace of a little brother... hopefully you never meet him."
"Is he really that bad?" I inquired.
"... It's just better for you, not to meet him."
After that, he was silent for a while, just drinking and sipping his coffee.
So I left the room; it was getting too awkward. I checked my email to see if IIC had realized I was alive yet... sadly, there was nothing in my inbox.
The next day, when I came downstairs, RJ was watching a thriller in the living room. His face wore no expression, and just thinking about a movie brought back memories I longed to erase.
"Do you want to watch?" he called out at me, without even looking in my direction.
"No... thank you."
I walked past him, and then he said,
"How did you do it?" I paused in my steps and turned to him, confused.
"Do what?"
".... Never mind."
He seemingly lost interest in the conversation and went back to watching TV. I can't watch a movie with him, but I can cook him a big meal, and as soon as my documentation comes in, I can start working... or I can go back home.
I roasted a chicken, baked potatoes, and lemon-glazed carrots. I also made lemonade. He joined me for dinner but offered neither compliments nor complaints... except for complaining that the lemonade wasn't alcoholic.
The next morning, RJ was waiting just outside my room. I almost jumped out of my skin, but then he patted my head and said,
"Thank you for the meal..." he said before walking away.
Is it just me, or was that weird? I looked up a recipe for Eggs Benedict and worked hard to cook it perfectly, so it matched the image on the website, but when RJ cut into the eggs and saw the runny yolk, he said,
"Eww," and pushed the plate away, then went to the hutch and drank a bottle of red wine for breakfast instead. I was actually looking forward to another thank you... I guess that was hoping for too much.
"Do you want to take a walk with me?" RJ offered while wiping his mouth with his sleeve and placing the empty bottle down.
I was busy throwing away the leftovers, but when he spoke, I looked away from the trash can in surprise and practically jumped for joy,
"Absolutely!" My enthusiasm made him frown.
We walked through a dirt path, leading from his house into a nearby forest. RJ didn't say anything for the first few minutes, but he was still the one to break the ice,
"How long do you intend on staying?" My heart panicked... I thought this was him being nice... but this is actually him telling me that my departure is overdue.
"I'm sorry... I'll leave as soon as I get ID... so I can put my name on a lease... I'll get money somehow too," I mumbled, hanging my head, hoping the nerves wouldn't bring me to tears.
If I cry now, I'd feel like I was being manipulative... he's done enough for me.
"Don't apologize... and when did I tell you to leave?"
I lifted my face to look at him, and he once again patted my head, breaking his stony face with a slight smile.
"Silly," he murmured.
The way he said that final word was unexpectedly affectionate, then he removed his hand and said,
" You can stay as long as you want, Snowe." While looking up at the sky.
He then turned around and walked back to the house, leaving me to trail after him. I went back to my room and checked my laptop after being disappointed by my email once again.
I decided to look up current events.
That's when there was a knock on my door. The door was open, but RJ was knocking regardless.
"Would you be okay with some company?" he asked.
I then noticed he had his own laptop under his arm.
I nodded, then he sat down beside me on my bed and opened up his computer. He played soft music through the laptop speakers while looking at a screen full of sequences of numbers and letters over a black background.
I kept reading but occasionally glanced in his direction. RJ's eyes stayed glued to his screen, and he typed in codes that I couldn't possibly ever understand. Even though he wasn't talking, this felt better than sitting alone.
He was already eating cereal when I entered the kitchen the next morning, so I joined him instead of cooking again.
Yesterday's Benedict mistake slightly traumatized me, anyway.
"You haven't been to Earth long... Is there anything that you want to do?" RJ asked, flipping his phone face down and giving me his full attention.
"I... I'm not sure. What do people usually do for fun?" I asked.
He grinned before making a suggestion.
His answer surprised me.
Karaoke.
I'd never been, but I heard of it.
Even on Infaniya, we had a few Karaoke bars; I'd just never been allowed to go to one.
That night we went out.
He led me to a private room.
There was a table full of food and alcohol, and I got to hear RJ sing; he was pretty decent.
I never expected to see this side of him.
He invited me to sing a duet with him, somehow finding a classic song that I actually knew.
We harmonized effortlessly, and seemingly intent on getting drunk, he added Bane to our drinks.
Not much later, the room was spinning, and my body was hot, so I had to sit down in the booth to catch my breath.
RJ sat next to me, calm. He didn't look intoxicated at all.
"Now tell me... How are you hiding your thoughts from me? Who are you really?" His serious tone sobered me up, but I still felt dizzy, so I lay my head on the table and said,
"What the heck are you talking about?" Before falling into a deep sleep.