hand-held weaponry. A bow. I eventually decide on a small, lightweight sword. For someone my size, it is little more than a stick with which to poke and irritate. But it is light enough that Kim will be able to wield it easily, and the sides are slightly curved and dangerous. Pleased, I sharpen the blade to razor sharpness and sheathe it once more. I return to my noodles and set two bowls in the warmer, since Kim is still asleep, and head out to do the rounds on my farm.
Farming is not how I imagined it would be when I started. I check the maintenance logs on the bots, check my crop ratios and estimated timelines for harvest, and run a scan on the temperatures and health of the meat-stock. Then, the farm more or less takes care of itself…which leaves me with a lot of spare time.
Hobbies. I consider what Kim said. I need hobbies. She is right that I still spend all my time waiting for war, waiting for things to be taken from me. Waiting to have to fight for what is mine. But all has been peaceful and quiet these last few years and I think the violent gladiator who killed his master has been forgotten by all.
I hope.
Now I can focus on new things. On the future. On Kim, my beautiful, fragile human mate. On wooing her. I decide to watch more human videos. Perhaps some of the ones with the mating rituals will show how a female likes to be courted, since it is clear that praxiian methods leave much to be desired.
I head for my entertainment room and flip through the vids I’ve procured. There is one I have not watched that seems particularly promising, and so I click it on and watch.
Right away, it becomes obvious that this is not a vid about courting practices. It is a mating video, pure and simple. The female, dressed in a ridiculous costume, simpers at the male’s bedside and when he pulls out his cock, she drops to her knees and begins to suck on it with loud, enthusiastic noises. I cross my arms and snort as I watch this unrealistic mating ritual. I do not know much about Kim, but I know if I pulled my cock out, she would not drop to her knees and suck on me, no matter how much I might dream of such a thing. Likely, she would run away screaming instead.
This is useless.
A soft throat clears behind me, and my ears go back.
Kef me. Why does Kim have such terrible timing? I fight back a groan of frustration as I hastily click the vid off and turn around to greet her. “Good morning. Or good afternoon,” I correct, since it is past lunchtime.
Kim looks better than she did this morning, the puffiness gone from around her eyes and her hair is smoothed into a knot at the base of her neck. She still wears her clothing from yesterday, though it is wrinkled and stained, and I make a mental note to get her new things to wear.
…provided she stays, of course.
Because now Kim is watching me with a most suspicious look on her face. “Why were you watching porn? Human porn?”
25
KIM
It’s interesting to watch Nassakth’s reaction. His face is slightly furry so he doesn’t exactly blush, but his ears go flat and his tail flicks wildly when I catch him watching the smutty vids. I’m not angry about it, because it’s not like we’re a real couple. He’s a guy, and guys are into porn. It’s the fact that he’s watching humans go at it that makes me a little suspicious.
“It is…not what it looks like.”
I cross my arms. “It looks like human porn.”
He hesitates, and then his big shoulders slump. “I was hoping to learn human courting techniques, but I do not think there is anything applicable to be found in those types of vids.”
I soften at that. Nassakth always tells me what he’s thinking, even if he knows I won’t like it. I appreciate his honesty. He’s said several times that he wants this to be a real mating at some point, so of course it makes sense that he’s watching something like that to pick up tips. “Yeah, those aren’t about courting as much as they’re about…fornicating.”
The praxiian’s fluffy tail swishes. “I noticed.”
“You could have asked me.”
I could swear the fur ruff—his mane—prickles just a little, as if standing upright. His expression grows stiff.