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S. A. A

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I hummed slightly to myself as I dried my hair, looking to myself in the mirror. It had only been a few weeks of being here and I had already tanned slightly: my skin a golder tone that its usual one.

I got up when my hair was fairly dry before making my way to the cupboard, smiling when I opened it and saw my bag- the one I used to take to both school and university. It looked so familiar yet so foreign as though it belonged to me in a former life.

That was the case though.

Earth was, now, a former life; one that I had chosen to forgo. It was a decision that had yet to sink in and I feared for the day when it did; the day I would think back to what I had lost. I would eventually face what I had chosen to give up.

I shook my head at my thoughts as I plucked the bag up before shutting the cupboard door. I hadn't spared a thought to home for a while now and just the mere thought was making me panic, so I decided to steer away from the subject and thought only of where I was headed as I walked out the door.

I made my way down the now-familiar stairs and towards the training hall, humming as I did so. Today was my day off training, but I knew Emut would be there, as usual to his daily routine and that was the very reason I was headed to the hall.

I smiled at the thought of how happy Emut had gotten when looking at the cave to Earth; how in awe he was of it. It was only last night that I had the thought of taking my bag to him and letting him see the various things from Earth.

"Morning, Hanna." Abrax greeted me with a kind smile as he walked along the corridor, his battleaxe strapped to his back.

I smiled back, slowing my steps as we neared each other.

"Morning, Abrax." I said cheerily back to which he let out a small chuckle before raising an eyebrow.

"Looking for Emut, I assume?" He asked inquisitively and I nodded in confirmation, making Abrax smile yet again before he gestured behind.

"He's in the training hall." He directed to which I smiled, letting out a small 'thanks' as I walked past.

I opened the doors to the large training hall, the creak resonating across the hall as I looked around, my eyes landing on Emut's form as his back was to me. Smiling, I made my way over, nudging his arm when I neared.

"Hey!" I greeted him, watching as he turned around, smiling when he noticed who it was.

"Hanna." He greeted, his eyes warm and it was only then that I saw the large cut on his upper arm, the blood trickling down to his hand.

"What happened?!" I let out, dropping my bag callously on the floor and nearing him slightly. The sight of the blood was making me feel faint, but I repressed the urge, turning to meet his gaze sternly. He only shrugged with a small smile, his eyes looking to his wound casually.

"I was training with Abrax a moment ago; it's nothing." He said as though he had to reassure me and I tutted at his words before clasping a hand around his non-injured arm and pulling him along.

"What are you doing?" He asked and I rolled my eyes at his words before gesturing over to the small medicinal room attached to the training room. Emut followed my gaze before letting out a small noise of indignation.

"That's not necessary, I'm fine." He said in protest, but I sighed in exasperation at his words.

"No, you're not. Let me handle this." I finalised before seating him down on the bench in the room, just as he had done once to me. He followed me with his gaze as I looked around in the cupboards for any potential first-aid equipment.

"Where is it?" I muttered to myself when all I could see was indecipherable jars, filled with herbs of some sort that most likely belonged to Arun.

I tensed when I felt the heat of Emut's form behind me as his arm reached over to a cupboard above my head. His words tickled the back of my neck as he spoke.

"Why do you have to handle anything when I'm here?" His words were gentle and I blushed at the sincerity, watching as he picked out the necessary items before speaking.

"Because, I know you would do the same for me." I murmured in response as he stepped back slightly, making me feel cold in his absence. I turned to face him as he nodded at my words.

"Without a doubt, but I swore to protect you." He said simply and I shook my head at his words, recalling what he had told me yesterday. His eyebrows furrowed at this and I moved closer, pushing his shoulders to sit him down to which he complied.

"It shouldn't be like this." I said with a sigh, watching as Emut looked to me in confusion.

"Like what?" He asked as I raised a damp washcloth to his arm, cleaning up the bloodstains on his bicep. His face remained impassive the whole time as I tended to his wound and I shook my head with a sad smile, looking at him.

"You shouldn't have to give your life for anyone as if it meant nothing; you shouldn't have to deprive yourself of your own wishes and you most definitely don't have to hide your pain or wounds because leaders are not allowed to feel pain. You shouldn't have to." I bit out, voicing the words that were in my head for all those that had given up so much for the cause; all the sacrifices they had to make for me.

I felt myself heat up from the hard gaze that Emut gave me in response, his gold eyes almost boring into my soul as though he was searching for something.

"And, what would you have me do instead, Hanna?" He spoke, his voice gentle and I sighed at his question before placing a cotton bud to his arm. He followed my actions as I looked to him. Even in his seated position and me stood in front of him, we were the same height.

"I'd want you to be honest about what you feel, Emut: your pains and your wishes. You shouldn't have to suppress anything." I let out honestly, feeling his shoulder flex under my touch, at my words.

"My wishes lie in the best interests of the group, Hanna. And, as for the pain, there is no torment greater than disappointing those who follow me." He answered and I sighed, letting out a small sad laugh. He frowned slightly at my expression, leaning forward as he spoke again.

"This upsets you." He said in an almost questioning tone to which I nodded, rolling my eyes.

"Of course it does. What kind of question is that?" I asked incredulously, watching as he frowned yet again,

"Why?" He asked simply and I stuttered at the sudden intrusive question, trying hard to meet his unfaltering gaze.

"Why wouldn't I be upset? Am I not allowed to be concerned for you?" I let out finally when I had regained my words. Emut finally looked down and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when his gaze slipped from mine.

"As a defender of the prophecy, I'd argue that I'm supposed to be concerned for you; not the other way around." He remarked with a small smile although it didn't quite meet his eyes and I shook my head in disagreement with his words.

"And, I'd argue back that you're not just a defender, Emut, so stop always thinking as one." I retorted, watching as his gaze snapped up, his warm unreadable eyes on me. He chose not to say anything and I writhed under his stare.

"What is it?" I asked when the silence became too long to which Emut shook his slowly, his eyes not leaving mine.

"You always know the right things to say, don't you, Hanna?" He said, more as a statement than a question and I stilled at his words, watching as he pushed a hand through his hair, regarding me with a warm look. I turned away from his gaze then, focusing on dabbing at the wound on his arm before applying some medicinal paste.

"I'm glad someone thinks I do." I joked with a small laugh, nudging him. He laughed at my words as I placed a small bandage around his arm, sighing in frustration when his bicep flexed, causing the bandage to loosen.

"Sorry, force of habit." He murmured, a smile on his face that showed he definitely wasn't apologetic in the slightest and I rolled my eyes before tying it and standing back to inspect my work.

"Done." I said when I was satisfied with my work. Emut turned to look at my handiwork whilst I placed the medicinal items back into the appropriate cabinets.

"I can see Arun's taught you well." He remarked and I let out a scoff in indignation.

"Oh please, don't praise Arun for my handiwork." I said in a jokingly smug manner to which Emut let out a small laugh.

"Well then I'm glad you were here to help, although I am curious. Isn't it your day off?" He asked, leaning back onto his palms and I cringed at how the bandage stretched with his biceps yet Emut showed no signs of pain.

I internally rolled my eyes at this before processing his words and suddenly remembering why I had come. I smiled excitedly, jumping slightly on the spot.

"Oh, that reminds me, wait a second!" I exclaimed before sprinting out the room, grabbing my bag off the training floor where I had left it and coming back- a huffing mess. I was met with a confused Emut, an eyebrow raised at my strange behaviour.

"Am I supposed to understand any of what just happened?" He remarked and I huffed loudly at his words, waving a hand dismissively before sitting myself beside him. He watched intently as I placed the bag on my lap and looked to him with a smile.

"I've brought something for you." I said simply to which he looked at the bag and back to my face.

"A bag?" He questioned, looking at me and I rolled my eyes at his words, jutting the bag to him further.

"Not the bag, but what's inside it: things from Earth." I let out cheerily, watching as he processed my words before looking to me and then to the bag. I continued sheepishly, shrugging my shoulders.

"I thought you might like to see more of what's out there, like you said. I know it might be a while before you can actually see these places in person, so I hope these things will suffice for now." I rambled to which Emut's gaze snapped back up to mine yet again. And, then he smiled, in a way that made my cheeks tint with red.

"I hardly knew you spent your free time thinking about how to make me happy." He almost teased, but the slight truth in his words made me instinctively nudge him.

"Keep teasing and I'll change that to thinking of ways to kill you." I grumbled out to which he let out an airy laugh.

"Okay, I'll stop, but only because you've succeeded in making me happy and I'd hate to repay that by upsetting you." He surrendered and I made a small noise, turning to face him again.

"You haven't even seen anything in the bag and you're already happy?" I joked, jutting the bag to him which he took from my hands with a shake of his head.

"It's not about the contents, Hanna. I'm happy you're concerned about what I want." He said simply before glancing at the bag, curiously.

I let out a small giggle at this before opening the bag for him and taking out the first item to show him. He looked to it curiously as I splayed it out to him.

"This is my phone." I said almost reminiscently, gazing to the small object that was cold to the touch before pressing the power button. I had turned it off weeks ago to save the remaining battery.

I didn't know why I had done so. Perhaps, to feel as though I could still have the choice of home, if I wished it yet I knew the battery would not last forever. And, I knew when that was gone, the last link to my previous life would be well and truly severed.

I let out a small knowing chuckle when the screen lit up to its usual wallpaper of a starry night. Emut leaned over at this, his warmth palpable beside me.

"How did it do that?" He murmured more so to himself than me and I laughed before handing him the device. He took it, rotating it as if to inspect it and I raised an eyebrow at this before letting out a small sigh.

"Would you like me to unlock it for you?" I asked, watching as he turned to me, his eyebrows furrowed.

"It requires a key?" He asked before inspecting it yet again, most likely for a keyhole. When he found none, he turned to look at me in confusion. I let an amused smirk grace my face before taking the phone out of his hands.

"Who knew the ever perfect Emut would ever need my help?" I muttered, entering the passcode. I had almost forgotten it and I didn't know how to feel about that. Emut let out a small laugh at my words.

"You're enjoying this a little too much, don't you think?" He asked and I nodded with a smile.

"Quite." I said before shuffling closer and showing him the screen. He leaned in then, his arm touching against my own and I was surprised at how smooth it was.

"Well, here you have pictures, the call button and, oh, you also have text if you want to send someone a message." I explained, pointing towards the apps as I spoke. Emut nodded, looking at the phone in concentration.

"And, it can do all that by itself?" He questioned and I nodded, smiling at the awe in his tone.

"Let me show you." I said simply before opening up the camera and facing it towards Emut. He looked confused for a second before smiling slightly. I cursed internally at how good he could look with the camera pointed at such an odd angle.

"So, it functions as a mirror also." He pieced together and I nodded my head with a small shrug.

"Well, kind of, let me show you." I said before taking the picture to which Emut let out a small sound before leaning forward to look at his still image on the phone.

"How did you do that?" He asked in awe and I went back to the camera before pointing to the button to take the picture. He nodded at this before facing the camera to me and taking a picture, all before I could even comprehend it.

"Emut!" I exclaimed, turning to see as he inspected the picture before turning to me, his eyes searing right through me as he looked between the picture and me.

"Beautiful." He muttered more so to himself but I heard the words and I felt the blood rush to my cheeks at his words, losing the words that I was going to say to him. He didn't seem to notice my flustered state and chose, instead, to look back to the bag curiously.

"All these things are from Earth?" He muttered, picking out the items and scanning them. I laughed as he picked up my liquid lipstick, frowning as he looked it over. I moved forward, rummaging through the bag as he placed the lipstick back in.

"You're going to love this." I let out, pulling the item out before checking the shelf life, smiling when the product wasn't to expire for a good while.

"What is it?" He asked as I opened the wrapper before jutting it towards him. He eyed it uncertainly, making me roll my eyes.

"It's called chewing gum; it's a type of food." I explained to which he relented, finally taking it from my hands. I smiled at this before taking my own and bringing it close to my mouth.

"You just chew on it, but don't swallow. Like this." I instructed before popping it into my mouth and chewing. Emut watched intently before following my actions.

I looked to his reaction, noticing how his jaw clenched as he chewed. He smiled after a few moments, turning to look at me.

"It tastes of mint leaves." He commented to which I let out a laugh, nodding my head.

"Yeah, it's peppermint." I replied to which Emut nodded back, his face in thought as he chewed. I let my mind wander back to the last time I had chewed gum, stood in the diner, taking orders around a few months ago.

At that point, I had hardly known the next time I'd be chewing gum would be in the heat of a desert, a muscled male sat beside me. Had I known, would things have been different?

Would I have even ventured into the mirror to become part of such a deathly cause? Or, would I have deemed my career too important?

Before I could delve deeper into my dark thoughts, Emut spoke, his voice breaking through the silence as he stood up slowly.

"I should get going; Demir and Abrax wanted to discuss some battle strategies." Emut said and I turned my gaze to see him fully stood up. I smiled as he inspected his arm again, rotating it slowly with a smirk to which I nudged him playfully before answering.

"That's fine; go ahead." I replied to which he nodded before turning to leave. He stopped when he reached the door, making my eyebrows furrow in confusion. I watched as he slowly turned his head to look at me, smiling.

"Thanks." He said simply, making me all the more confused and I watched as his eyes glinted in amusement at this.

"For what?" I asked, enticed by his eyes that could be likened to liquid gold. He smiled slightly at my words.

"For caring." He said with a shrug before smiling again.

"Oh and for the substandard bandaging." He finished jokingly to which I let out a small stutter of a noise amd Emut let out a small laugh before shaking his head and walking away.

It was only when he was out of sight that I seemingly regained my speech.

"I should have put a bandage around your head because you're clearly delusional, if you viewed it as substandard!". I let out a small sigh when I was met with silence before grabbing my bag in a huff and exiting the room hurriedly.

Maybe I should have spat the gum into his hair