Shining 2

 Aizawa gave the cold, frightened lady his bed and lay as comfortably as he could by the fire for the rest of the night. The embers glowed faintly and he stared moodily into the hearth, his mind filled with questions as to who she could be. He never slept well after he woke from that recurring nightmare anyway, so he was able to keep a watchful eye on her until morning. She was quiet and barely stirred from the fetal position she curled up in when she collapsed onto his mattress. He got the impression that she was utterly exhausted, from exposure to the elements and the scare she'd gotten. She slept so soundly that she didn't wake when he raked up the fire to cook breakfast, only opening her eyes when he added a strong tea to bubbling water in two cups. The smell was pungent as it wafted through the small home.

Elly coughed once and stiffened, jerking upright in a fashion he knew all too well. "Where?!"

"I took you in off the beach last night." He spoke calmly as he stirred the tea. "Remember?"

"Someone stole my clothes," she said simply, tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear. He saw upon closer inspection that they were quite tiny. Her hair covered them when it was left to swing free, but when she'd brushed it back he noticed. She sat, somewhat hesitant, when he waved her over to his rough-hewn table. As likely she might, as well, seeing as she was only wearing his shirt. It covered her to her knees but she was still nude underneath, and from the way she was acting she felt very vulnerable and underdressed.

"So." He drew up a chair and passed a cup to her. "How did this happen? Why were you - ahhhh. Without clothes?"

"I got turned around," she admitted with a wry smile as she sipped the strong brew. "Was swept up into this area from the big storm a few days ago. I'm alone, so I was trying to be careful and I guess I wasn't. I still don't know where I am."

<i>Makes sense, if vaguely,</i> he reflected. <i>She gets swept out to sea, thrown up on the beach and is soaking wet so takes her clothes off to dry. Someone steals them - the locals aren't too moral around here -- and that's when we met.</i>

He told her the name of the village nearby but was met with was no recognition. "So, a shipwreck?" Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "There were no other survivors?"

"I'm completely alone." She managed to look sadder than she already was. "I didn't hear or see anyone."

"No debris, though, either."

"All I know is that I was swept away from the group I was with."

"Hnf." He caught himself staring more than once at the pale lady, eyes drawn to her smooth, white neck and her long, graceful fingers. Aizawa had never been in this much close contact with a woman, besides his mother when he was little. He squashed down the unsettling memories that tried to slip free at the thought and instead concentrated on resolving the issues around her so she could leave. Things weren't adding up as well as he liked, and there was a strange aura of mystery about her that seemed like it could be dangerous.

Elly was just as observant and stared at him from over the rim of her cup as he fidgeted in his seat. The scruffy man was obviously interested in her, but what was strange was he never tried anything remotely sexual. She knew from experience that when men saw her naked, they pursued. This one, though, was holding back even though he saw her nude and she then <i>slept in his bed</i>, and that intrigued her.

"Why did you help me?"

He raised his eyebrows at the question. "You were naked and freezing cold. My family -" Here he stopped and shook his head curtly, once. "I can't stand by and let someone suffer."

"Damn decent of you," she murmured.

"It's the least anyone can do for another." Aizawa grunted and turned around to check the eggs he set previously aside to boil. He took a slab of bread from a basket hanging overhead and tore it in two, then set the eggs in smaller cups for them to eat.

"Are you by yourself out here?"

He tapped the spoon on the eggshell, cracking it open. "Yes." The shell dropped inside the egg when he scooped and he swore under his breath. "Always have been," he added curtly.

"Well... I don't have anyone, either." Elly dropped her eyes to pick at her breakfast. "That's the reason I was trying to get away, to go somewhere new."

He snorted. "Well, this <i>is</i> somewhere new. If we get you dressed, you can go into town and see if you can get work. Hopefully you'll find a room, too."

She jumped a little, startled by his suggestion. "Oh! I thought, um. Do you need help? Here? I'm more comfortable near the water, and I'm good at household chores."

He stared directly into her eyes, a little shocked again at how very large and soft they were. "You want to stay with me."

"Well, yes." She held up a hand and he was touched to see it was trembling slightly, though he instantly cursed himself for being weak upon noticing. "I don't trust a lot of people. I want to find my clothes, but I don't want to live there."

Aizawa stood and walked around to her side of the table, bending down until he was an inch away from her face with their noses almost touching. He stayed that way for a long, awkward moment, deliberately trying to scare her off. When she didn't move he felt oddly proud, and his heart began to race when she lifted her chin, a hard gleam shining in those dark, expressive eyes.

"You're certain you trust me?"

"Do you trust <i>me</i>?" She shrugged. "Trust comes with time. I can show you what I know, however, and you can see if we'll be fit to work together."