He grumbled as if irritated with me but for some reason refused to disengage.
“Sorry that I don’t know the name of every terrifying beast on this planet,” he muttered. “I’m still getting used to the whole living-with-aliens thing. And yes, I know thatI’man alien in this situation. By the way, why were you awake? Don’t tell me I screamed loudly enough to wake you up…”
There was no point in lying.
“I do not think anyone else heard you. I did because I was awake, staring at your hut,” I explained.
Assistant 23 stilled. “Oh,” he said in a high, tight voice. “That’s really creepy.”
“Yes,” I agreed.
Then Assistant 23 did something unexpected. He laughed.
The musical sound sent a trill of sensation through my spine, all the way down the length of my tail. Feelings swarmed in my chest, and I could not suppress my outward fascination. I felt my pupils dilate as I stared at him.
“W-what?” he asked.
“I liked that sound you made.”
He seemed incredulous. “My laugh?”
I continued to stare, utterly fixated on him. If only I could watch him laugh without the tinted screen hiding his face. If I were bolder and more callous, I would have ripped it off without a second thought, but Assistant 23 would not enjoy that. I did not want him to be frightened of me.
“You, uh… you are pretty creepy, aren’t you?” Assistant 23 mused.
“I have been informed of this.”
“Even by other Maeleons?” he asked, surprised.
“Yes. They are honest. And apparently, I am creepy.”
Assistant 23’s hand flew to his face shield as he tried to hold back another laugh. It came out as a choked sound, as if he were biting back his amusement.
“Then this is normal for you? Staring at people?” He paused. “Whoelsedo you stare at?”
Was that simple curiosity in his voice? Or was it the slightest hint of jealousy?
“You seem unaware of this fact, but you have been the object of my fascination for many moons,” I admitted. “Did you not notice that I sit next to you at every feast?”
Assistant 23 did not reply, and his body went still, as if he had frozen to the ground. Then he rubbed his arms and said, “Hey, uh, can we walk and talk? We should get back to the village.”
“Did my comment make you uncomfortable?” I asked.
“N-no. Well, a little. But…”
“But?”
He waved his gloved hands. “Forget I said anything. Let’s just go.”
A hint of hesitation lingered in his voice, as if he had more to say but held himself back.
A distant Gulgin released another well-timed bellow. Assistant 23’s shoulders jerked at the booming sound, and he shrank in on himself, as if he were not small enough.
After shaking it off with a sigh, he turned to Kookee and patted the beast’s fur.
“Come on, Kookee,” he mumbled.
I watched the interaction with a sharp jolt of envy. It probably felt nice to be patted by him. If only I were a fluffy Pandar instead of a scaly Maeleon.