Lini Dynasty
1358 Words
Lini DynastyAfter seeing the delegates off, I choose to head straight back home, too tired to continue any of my previous projects. At the same time, my brain has been programmed to avoid the Sectors pathway entirely.
After that awkward exchange with Nathaniel, I am still not sure on how to react to his unexpected proposal. Michael and James are not getting along again, and my brain hurts everytime I recall the last time I tried to directly get in the middle of their fights.
I grab a cucumber juice box from the refrigerator, putting down my head glass on the kitchen counter, before heading to my usual thinking spot: the balcony. It faces out towards the forest and high seas, green and blue laid out before me. It is nice to just take some time once in a while to the nature, especially after a long day of work — though I can hardly consider giving tours to delegates as hard work. The task is still draining, nonetheless.
I stare out at the scenery in front of me for some time, before deciding that it is time to head back in. That is when my gaze fall down to the balcony below mine, and I can caught in the most shocking sight of my entire life.
Healer Histon has never appear more relaxed, looking like he is just enjoying a nice day of sunbath outside. But that is not what alarms me the most.
What perplex my emotions the most is when I realize the state of undress he is in. I mean, completely and inappropriately undressed. So inappropriate that I can see every curve and indents of his muscle which can not usually be seen of when he is in his uniform. I can catch every single detail of his skin with my twenty twenty vision. The only thing that covers him from my unmanageable sight is a piece of old fashioned book, which has somehow been strategically situated on his lap, just enough to cover his . . . genitalia.
The shock comes so suddenly that I can barely register it when I begin to choke, spurring cucumber juice all over the place.
Some of it gets on him, and Healer Histon blinks open his eyes, only to greet his vibrant green eyes with mine.
I am still frozen on the spot.
He seems to intend on greeting me by reflex, before realization finally comes to the state of his undressedness.
He quickly readjust the book on his lap, hastily making sure that it’s not going to drop and entirely expose him.
“Lini!” he exclaims in surprise.
“Healer Histon. What are you doing in my family’s tower?”
“You father permitted me— Wait, how long have you been up there?”
“A while, but I only spotted you just now,” I answer him with no hesitation. “Sorry about the spill. You surprised me,” I admit genuinely.
“It’s alright,” he smiles reassuringly. “I should head in now.”
“I’ll retrieve first so that you can move with ease,” I tell him, before bolting right back into the kitchen, throwing away my juice box.
What. The. Heck. Was that?
Apparently, Healer Huston is not allow me having some time alone with my disarrayed thoughts, because he is heading up to my floor just less than a minute later.
“Healer Histon,” I greet him again when he steps into our main living space. “Good to see you... dressed.”
“Yes, sorry about that. I didn’t really expect anyone to be home so soon.”
“Well, I’m just here for a quick stop. I think I’m gonna head to my lab now.” I am just about to step out, before he stops me.
“You were accompanying the delegates, I heard?” He wants to have an idle chat. Now?
“Affirmative.”
“How did it go?”
“As smooth as expected.” Except for the part with Mark’s outburst, which I had handled pretty well. “Listen, I need to go—”
“Wait, there’s something I need to talk with you. Can you please spare me a minute?”
I contemplate a little bit, before I finally make a decision. “Okay.”
We sit in the living room. I take a sit at my usual spot. I half expect Healer Histon to sit at he sofa next to him, but he chooses to sit next to me instead, so close that his knees brush against mine. I make a move to give some space in between us, but he abruptly places a gentle hand on my fist, stopping me.
“Don’t go,” he mutters, the tone sounding like an order.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m just—”
“Can’t you really tell what’s really going on?” he suddenly asks, his eyes tense, as if testing me.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on, Lini. You can’t possibly be this clueless. It was staged.”
“What is?”
“When you saw me, of course.”
My eyes wide so wide when I hear those words. Unwanted heat starts to spread on my face, and I try so hard to suppress it but—
“Don’t fight it. I know you can feel it, too,” he says, but his words does not make any sense to me.
“W-what? Why would you do such a thing?” I look totally confused in his eyes.
“Can’t you really tell? I did it on purpose so that you’d see me, of course.”
“But what? Why do you want me to see you?”
“Because I feel like I am fighting a losing battle, and I can’t help to be desperate enough to cheat!”
“Cheat? What is there to be cheat about? I don’t understand you, Healer Histon! Why would you—”
“It’s Thomas,” he cuts me. “Or Tom. Whichever you prefer. But can you please stop referring me to my professional name?”
“But I’ve always called you Healer Histon, as a sign of respect. Why do you suddenly want me to change it?”
“Because I can’t help but feel inferior to my rivals, Lini! I am a jealous man! I also want you to call me by my given name.”
I blink fast at him. I never realized that after all this time, he had actually minded me calling him by his professional name.
“Alright then . . . Tom,” I try calling the name, which rolls out of my tongue quite pleasantly. His grip on my hand tightens, if only for a moment.
“That’s all what I asked for,” he smiles charmingly in relief.
“Now Tom, can you please tell me what the heck is going on?”
Tom happily complies.
He tells me about the men. They are fighting of one another, including himself, trying to get my hand in marriage.
I tell him about my disinterest in continue the lineage, but he tells me that it is not it. This is not about children, but about love. They all love me. Nathaniel, Michael, James and him. They all have completely fallen head over heels over me over these past years. But that’s not all. Colton — and even Mark also — have expressed their interests in me and had challenged the others on getting me.
But what irks me the most is when they try to win me over; I’m not some trophy to be won over.
“You’ve got it wrong, Lini. We don’t think of you like that at all,” he assures me.
- Writer
