Here is a little excerpt from the story I am writing. The main characters are Kam and Trust. Both are about 200 years old, with the looks of an 18 year olds, because of abilities that will be explained later. Hope you enjoy, it is one of the more slow, close contact parts of the plot. More exciting ones to come!
“Closer” Kam whispered “Just a little closer”
“I… don’t think I can” Trust whispered back “I am way past an arms length already"
“I just can’t do it… I’m sorry Kam” at that Trust backed several steps, to exactly Kam’s arm length away, and ran. They had been practicing approaching people, like they normally do at midday break. Trust had been about 13 inches away from Kam, the same place she gets on every other day. Had Kam wanted to hurt her in any way, he could have easily reached out with both lean arms and pulled her slight form towards him. She couldn’t take that risk, just being that close to him threw her mind into overdrive, reeling and rearing, trying to get away, screaming the danger she was in. Kam always exclaimed, when she came back from running, that she had appeared so calm and placid, why had she run? Trust had learned, over hundreds of years of torture, the skill of keeping her emotions cloaked by a serene facial expression.
Trust returned to camp after dark that night. Kam had set up their bedrolls and prepared a dinner of raw fish and berries by the time she came through the shadows. Trust walked slowly into the camp, behind Kam, silently as a doe. It wasn’t until she sat and slurped down the first piece of fish that Kam stood, turned and drew his sword; his feet automatically assuming an on guard position.
“Who is jumpy now?” Trust asked, reaching for out and pinching another strip of fish between her gnarled hands.
“Yes, well I was snuck up on.” Kam stated, joining her for the meal “At least I don’t run for hours, away from those that are right in front of me, and are trusted. “ he did not look at her as he said this, just selected a plump berry out of the bowl and popped it into his grinning mouth.
Trust frowned and slowly returned the fish to the bowl. She folded her hands in her lap and gazed at the ground, Kam was right, she admitted silently to herself. She had no reason to run from him, or anyone, unless they gave her reason to. It had been 31 years since she had touched another person on purpose. 31 years since she had felt someone else’s skin, leaned against them, held their hand. She looked back up at Kam; he was so kind to her, always taking care of her and protecting her. She had known him for so long.
She fluidly stood and took a step around their little picnic towards him. He stopped eating and looked up at her, turning his head to one side, much as a dog does when confused. Trust continued to look at the ground. She took another step, smaller than the last. Then another. She stood right next to him now, he bare toes only inches from his outstretched leg. Trust sunk to the ground, keeping several inches away from his body. Kam turned very slowly to face her, tucking his legs underneath him, watching her closely. She continued to look at the ground, also sitting cross-legged. This was the closest they had ever been, in all the time they traveled together, since they had been children some hundred years ago. Kam lifted his hand and slowly, very cautiously, reached out to her down turned face. He paused an inch from her, wondering what would happen if he continued, but only for a second, then, lightly as he could, he touched his fingers to her scared cheek. She immediately closed her eyes and leaned into his open palm. She started to cry silent tears; they rolled down her face gathering along his hand. Without opening her eyes she reached out and placed her right hand on his knee, Kam smiled in return and lifted his other hand to lift her chin. Her eyes met his; their gaze held for several seconds, both breathing in unison. Kam leaned forward, a breaths width away from her, wondering if she was going to flee. Trust didn’t run, she held his gaze, waiting to see what he would do next. Before she had a chance to consider more, he leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.
Trust held there for a split second, then quickly stood turned and walked back to the other side of the dinner, sitting down exactly where she had been before. Kam blinked, mouth open, still poised from their fleeting kiss, wondering what had just happened. Trust on the other hand, was back to her calm controlled self. The piece of fish she had set down was already in her mouth, as she ate it slowly she smiled.
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