Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Hyrushi Residence - Immigration of New Possibilities

Posted by Civilian Capall McKenzie (Colonial Intelligence Agent) in Hyrushi Residence - Immigration of New Possibilities

Posted by Civilian Caitlyn Dillon (Director, The House Sanctuary) in Hyrushi Residence - Immigration of New Possibilities
Posted by… suppressed (13) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
He guided her gently to the glass and then said “Speaking of… I have everything prepared, I just have to assemble it. Would you like to move to the kitchen while I make the rolls? You may sample as I go. Decide if you want to flee before I serve.” and chuckled softly.

Hyrushi

“I would like that very much.” She took a sip of her glass before standing. Reluctantly, she let go of his hand and slid her hand up his arm, so he could lead her to the kitchen. She remembered the layout of his penthouse, but not exactly where every object was. She didn’t mind trusting him to guide her at all. Surprisingly, even though she’d been nervous the day before, she realized she hadn’t felt that instinctual fear that she usually felt in trusting someone else.

She sighed wistfully at the feel of his sleeve, “I wish I could tell you that you look handsome, Kenzo, but all I can say is that your blazer feels very nice.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

“Trust me, I do.” he said with a slightly flirty inflection in his words. “And I will say that you look absolutely breathtaking this evening.”

Caitlyn laughed at the obvious playfulness. “Thank you. Alathide, she was a seamstress in Scotland. She mostly did alterations, but she made this for me for tonight. She’s planning to open a shop, but she wants to try and make her own designs.”

He led her to the island in the kitchen and helped her up on one of the stools, a gentle touch of his hand to the small of her back as he guided her to the seat. He set her wine glass down, took her hand and guided it to the stem; his fingers linger on hers for a moment before he stepped away and took off his blazer. As he pulled on an apron, he said “Tonight we will have miso soup to begin with, my great grandmother’s recipe. Then gyoza, japanese dumplings, made from the recipue of the family of my assistant, Ms. Fen. Her family has owned a restaurant in a small town for over five hundred years. Then we will have assorted sashimi, maki rolls, and for dessert- green tea ice cream. Is that acceptable, Chef?” he asked as the sounds of the kitchen came to life.

Hyrushi

That light touch on her back had an odd effect on her. It was not at all unpleasant; it made her close her eyes and just experience it for a moment. Her ears followed him as he moved around the kitchen. “That all sounds wonderful. I always thought that family recipes were much better than anything a professional chef could create. They have a personality and character all their own. That can’t be replicated in a commercial kitchen. That takes time, tradition, passion, and love.” She turned the stem of her glass as she listened. The sounds of the kitchen delighted her. Even if she didn’t know where anything was in the room, she felt at home. “Ah, so that is why you said Ms Fen must know who I was?”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

He took the lid off the miso and the earthy, salty, aroma of tofu and seaweed and mushroom wafted through the kitchen. “Ms. Fen is nott just my aid. She also teaches Culinart Art at the university. Had she wished, she could have been an amazing chef. That is why I am sure she knew who you are.” He stirred the soup and then said “I know chefs like to sample as they go. Would you like me to give you samples of what I am doing? Or just wait for us to sit and eat?”

Hyrushi

“The University teaches culinary arts? I wasn’t aware. She must be very talented if she teaches. And very patient.” Caitlyn sat up a little more at that. She had guest lectured a few times at culinary schools. She had always enjoyed it.

The soup smelled delightful. No matter the culture, soup always made her think of cool days and warm blankets. “Oh no, I’m not the chef tonight, you are. As good as that smells though, I am eager to try it. Though I will be patient if you wish.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Kenzo took a spoon and dipped it in the soup, making sure to get a bit of the seaweed and tofu. He blew on it gently and then turned to Caitlyn. “Here, try.” and without thinking about it set two fingers under her chin and slowly put the spoon to her lips. For just a split second, his fingertips brushed her bottom lip and he slowly pulled the spoon back.

“Appealing?” he asked, momentarily unaware of the intimacy of the past few seconds.

Hyrushi

Caitlyn had reached for the spoon, but it didn’t end up in her hand. Instead he fed her. Caitlyn was not unaware of the intimacy or the sparks the tingled as he brushed her lip. She tasted the soup, it was very good. She was absolutely still, her heart racing enough to be noticed. “Extremely.” Caitlyn wasn’t sure if she meant the soup or the man.

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Kenzo turned and almost missed the moment… but then he felt her sudden and intense reaction. He stood rigid, his back to her, and black eyes stared straight ahead for a brief second, and then he said “Caitlyn… I sincerely apologize if what just happened made you uncomfortable. I didn’t think… no, that isn’t correct… what I mean is I didn’t analyze or plan that. It simply… happened.” He turned and looked at her. “Honestly, my only thought was that I didn’t want to spill anything by handing you the spoon. My… doing that… it was more… well… ‘natural’… ‘instinctual’… than intentional. And if I overstepped I am truly sorry.”

Hyrushi

Caitlyn was almost crestfallen when he apologized. She understood why, and for the millionth time she cursed Gavin and what he had done to her. Her face gazed at him, and her hand reached out and settled on his arm unerringly. “Please don’t apologize, Kenzo. You haven’t overstepped, truly.” She hated he was apologizing for a moment that, for her, was quite extraordinary and pleasant. Perhaps he didn’t experience the same way. “I was … surprised, but not uncomfortable.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

His hand found hers and rested on it for some time. He then said “Nor was I.” softly, his fingers lightly moving back and forth on the back of her hand. “And please do not think that I did not feel… something. Because I did. I only want you to know that I will respect any boundaries you have… now or in the future. And at no time should you ever feel obligated to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.” He looked at her for a long time in silence and then said “You are a most remarkable woman, Caitlyn. And I find that I very drawn to you. But never will I impose myself or my will on you. In any form.”

Hyrushi

There were things she was feeling, that she wanted to express, but too many hard lessons on keeping quiet tied her tongue. She was unaware that as an empath Kenzo could sense it. She had met many species, but had no in depth experience with someone who was. She wanted to explain that she didn’t feel threatened by him at all, except that she was as drawn to him as he was to her. That he felt trustworthy and safe to be around, but that she was still learning to trust her own judgment again. How could she trust anything after she had married a monster without seeing what he was. That she had not dated, at all since Gavin. That there were triggers to her trauma that she didn’t even know about because she hadn’t even wanted to date anyone, until him. That she was excited and thrilled and happy to be here with him. “I believe you,” she hoped, some how, those three words conveyed what she wasn’t able to express.

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Kenzo said “Good. And I am smiling.” and he was. He took a breath and then said “Caitlyn… I told you that I am an empath. That part of me can sense what you are feeling. I do not, not will I, use that ability to pry or to monitor you. But… your emotions are like body language to me. It is part of the conversation when we speak. I have trained very hard to keep my abilities under control and to use them minimally. But they are still there. So in the interests of clarity and open, honest communication… I want you to know I can feel what you feel. Not as intently as if I fully opened that connection, but I can feel the hesitation tied to the past… and I do not begrudge you that hesitation. I can also feel that you are happy to be here… happy to be with me. And that means a great deal to me. I want you to feel comfortable. To feel safe. Because you are. On that I give you my word.” He took a breath. “If there is ever anything you want to say to me, but cannot put it into words, simply tell me to feel you. That will tell me more than anything. Is that acceptable to you?”

Hyrushi

She didn’t answer right away. She was thinking over everything he said. There was no worry or uneasy over what he said he could do. It seemed a simple solution to what could sometimes seem an insurmountable obstacle. She was certainly willing to try. If they were to continue for any length of time, his ability to feel her feelings was a part of him. She would never accept only a part of him. “It is. That… that actually makes me feel… more confident.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Hyrushi exhaled slightly and said “Then that is how we shall proceed. Now… dinner. I am going to prepare the maki rolls first. They will have tuna, scallion, cucumber, and avocado wrapped in nori, and the sushi rice will be on the outside. It will be topped with masago. The other roll is spicy scallop. First I am slicing the cucumber.” She could hear the sound of his knife on the cutting board. It sounded sure, precise, and oddly proficient.

The sound of the knife slicing through the cucumber and the crisp thunk as it touched the board was a pleasant sound for Caitlyn. It brought back memories, pleasant ones from when she started school. She’d loved to cook, but she hadn’t been a chef yet. She’d watched with fascination the way the master chefs had wielded their knives with such speed and precision. “A Teppanyaki chef came to the Academy once and taught us about turning cooking into a performance. That a culinary experience wasn’t just about the flavor of the final dish, but the experience from choosing the ingredients all the way to the final taste.”

As he made the rolls, he told her step by step what he was doing. He told her he had made the sushi rice with rice vinegar, the traditional way. As he prepared pieces, he offered Caitlyn samples of the ingredients. Slightly hesitant at first, he fed her just as he had the first time; each time his touch lingering just long enough to convey his growing attraction to her. Not in a carnal sense, either. He was intrigued by her… she impressed him, and that far more than just surface beauty. She possessed a strength that he wasn’t sure she was aware of. And despite her past, perhaps even ‘to’ spite it, she was there… in his home… in his kitchen… eating food he had prepared specifically for her. And none of that was lost on Kenzo.

Hyrushi

She listened intently as he told her how he was preparing the food. She asked questions and commented. She could discuss food and culinary arts for days without end, but she enjoyed just having a conversation with him more. She found herself anticipating each time he prepared a new piece, knowing he was going to offer. She felt giddy and told herself she was being silly, but that feeling didn’t go away. There was an intimacy, much deeper than the physical, teasing at forming. It urged her to be breathless and tugged a private smile to her lips.

She liked him. He was reserved without being secretive, and didn’t mind that she was as well. He didn’t push for details she wasn’t ready to express. If he was curious about what had happened to her, it wasn’t the morbid twisted type of curiosity of people who thrived on the pain of others. He was formal, but not in a standoffish way. She had a sense of respect from him. There was also a softening of those formalities as well that made her heart race. She wondered what he would be like if he was ever comfortable enough to let go of the formality and completely relax around her.

Her arms were folded in front of her on the edge of the counter as she listened to him move around the kitchen. She was not quite lost in her thoughts when her comm went off. It startled her, she’d forgotten about it and checking in. She flushed, amused and surprised at herself. She quietly and quickly replied, and then thought it would be a good idea to let Capall know, if it was alright with him and not inconvenient, that she would be later than she expected. A couple extra hours.

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Capall replied that that would be fine, and in fact to just call when she was ready; the time didn’t matter. As long as she was comfortable… and she always had someone a simple comm away.

Capall McKenzie

She thanked him, told him she was comfortable, and promised to tell him when she was ready to leave.

Kenzo remained silent while she sent and recieved her messages. When she finished, he said “I trust you have found no reason to ask to be extracted? I know the wasabi is powerful, but I didn’t think I had used that much.” The soft smile on his face was audible in his speech.

Hyrushi

Laughter bubbled out of her. “No. No, not at all. The opposite in fact.” She took a sip of her wine. “And I had to apologize. I forgot to check in.” A testament to how comfortable she felt.

“As for the wasabi, I enjoy spicy food. I will admit that, though, that wasabi is something I have only ever been able to tolerate in small amounts. After that my nose runs, my eyes weep, and I sneeze. But I enjoy the added complexity the wasabi offers.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary