Chapter 28 - Thinking (can be dangerous)

Ekyt woke up, shaking his head. The paradise that was Angel Island was even better with someone like Linda-Su with him. But something was tearing at him…That self-doubt that was drilled into his head for so long…For once, instead of the rock-solid guardian he normally looked like, he seemed…intimidated. Much to Linda’s surprise, he sat up, staring intently at a waterfall. “Are you okay?” She asked. He jumped, spinning around to see who the attacker was. “Oh, so you’re feeling better, good!” she said teasingly. “I wish I could answer your question.” He said. “What…oh.” She was sure he had been unconscious (See last ish- NG) when she had said that.

“The truth is, I’m totally clueless. I’m as innocent as I seem. Right now, the question on my mind is…are you sure I’m what you want.” Linda had to stop for a second to make sure she heard him right. “What?” “Are you sure I’m good enough…” Ekyt said, more timidly than he wanted. “I wouldn’t be sitting here with you if I wasn’t sure. After what you’ve done for me…you should be asking if I’m good enough for you.” Ekyt didn’t change his area of focus. “I did what anyone would have done for who they…loved. The fight was never about my pride, I don’t have any. It was about what you wanted. If you had said you loved Staph (Linda was forcibly engaged to him), then I would have given up. I know I don’t belong here…” Ekyt said simply, gesturing at the lush green paradise. “But even knowing that, I’d sacrifice just about everything to stay…” Linda stood up next to him. “You really don’t give yourself any credit. And you should.” Ekyt grinned ruefully, while limping pathetically toward the waterfall. “Damn, forgot my swim trunks.” He said feebly. Linda shook her head in mock wonder. “You know, you don’t have to be shy in front of me.” “No, but I shouldn’t be naked in front of you either.” “Damn, why not?” Linda said jokingly. “You sure you’re okay? I mean, I can give you your privacy here, and I can stick around. I’ll just go rest my eyes. I was up all night, keeping an eye on you.”

Linda laid down on Ekyt’s coat. She smiled at his somehow youthful embarrassment at her joking suggestion. He is as innocent as he seems she thought fondly. He took the good-natured teasing well. It seemed like he was mechanical in his responses to her. Mechanical, but sweet. She rolled over to look at the bright day-time sky. It always seemed the weather was perfect. She fell asleep to thoughts of her goofy human friend. She just wasn’t sure if “boy” should be in front of “friend.”

Once he was sure he was out of site, he stripped his clothes off and walked under the waterfall, cleaning himself up. The water felt great against his cuts and bruises. He bent down to the pool of clear water at the base of the waterfall, cupping hands and lapping it up greedily. As he knelt in the clear pool, he realized just how much it meant to him that Linda would keep an eye on him all night. And how bad he felt about passing out, just as she was at her most vulnerable. Not that the choice had been his. She cared for him, the best he could guess. This was his first…relationship? Was that the right word? Suddenly angry, he batted his reflection in the water. That was mature. But still…I don’t understand anything! Nothing makes sense! Maybe I’m even more of a whackbag than I thought! If she still cares, after the fact that I’m a complete dolt when it comes to anything romantic, then that’s a special girl. Not that I didn’t already know that. Putting those thoughts behind him, he scrubbed himself clean.

Drying himself off with some giant leaf off a plant that looked like a palm tree, Ekyt looked at his clothes. His shirt was beyond hope, and his pants were ripped in a way that might be suggestive. Still, he wasn’t going to walk around in his underwear. He pulled them on, wishing he could cover up with his coat. It was habit-forming, wearing that coat He felt naked with out it. Then he realized that Linda had it, and those feelings vanished instantly.

Ekyt sat next to her, not wanting to leave her. He felt he had to return the favor. He sat still, until he heard a sound. He creapt toward it. He jumped back as a knife slashed him across the stomach. He grabbed the arm holding the knife and snapped the wrist of the offender. He threw the knife into a rock, where it stuck, blade-first. The echidna with the knife ran, cradling his arm. Ekyt watched dispassionately, before walking over to the knife. He brought his foot down hard across the handle, snapping the blade off. Wrapping the remains of his shirt across his new cut, Ekyt sat back down. Linda stirred, and laid her head on his chest.

Fake sleeping routine. I want to see his reaction… Ekyt, however, didn’t have one. He simply laid still, even when she put her arms around his neck. Finally, she sat up. “You are incredible!” she said enthusiastically. “You didn’t even move when I did that! And where’d that cut come from?” “Some loser attacked while you got your nap in. I think I broke his wrist.” “Good!” Linda responded viciously.

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