Lana and Blaine enjoyed their shower. Kent sat on the toilet lid while the humans got clean. They were still working on ways to build his confidence. Lana still found his eyes beautiful and full of love just as she did the first day he opened them. She couldn't wait until she could see confidence there as well.
Blaine helped her to their room, noticing Paul was asleep. Having her comfortable in their bed, Blaine stepped out to let everyone know they would be resting for the night and see if anything would be needed before they went to sleep. He found the others at the table pouring over the materials on the planet. He heard them discussing monsters quietly as he rounded the corner.
Dobin looked up and smiled, "is Lana resting?"
Blaine nodded, "we're going to sleep soon but I wanted to see if you guys needed anything first. I noticed Paul was already asleep."
Jessy had a worried expression on his face, "he screamed as if in pain while you were in the shower. By the time we got there, he was like that. We're hoping it's nothing serious."
Blaine nodded then looked over Chekof's shoulder, "what are you guys looking at?"
"Well," Karlen said, "We've taken out the three monsters in this area. We are trying to decide where to go next. We figured while you guys rested, we'd come up with some ideas then run them by you guys in the morning after breakfast."
Blaine smiled, "sounds great. Are you guys good on snacks for the night? Let me refill the water tank after we showered."
He did so as he listened to the replies for each with varying responses which all equated to there being enough out for them to snack on before bed.
"The biggest problem, according to this map, is the strong monsters are not near plants which takes away one of Lana's biggest strengths. That predictability she gets from them makes her more formidable."
"We just need to support her more when she has those weak points," Chekof responded.
Jessy chimed in, "we need to do a better job of supporting her. She chose us for a reason."
"We chose this group as the leaders," Blaine corrected, "the strongest of us."
"But why was Almin, a level 6 sent away while Dobin, at level-5 was asked to stay? Is it because he's her twin?" Jessy asked.
"No. It's because Dobin has strengths his badge cannot detect. Just as Sam, as a level-0, is a strong martial artist, Dobin has his own strengths. The badge only measures MC, not other skills a person may possess. If Sam were just a bit better with his martial arts, he would have been asked to stay as well."
Jessy looked confused. He grew up in a world where the number on the badge was everything. If the number was low, it meant the person was weak. Period. There was no debate.
Dobin cleared his throat and looked at Jessie, "lack of opportunity does not equate to weakness. My sister and I grew up in an orphanage where they experimented on us."
"You're orphans?!" Jessy was shocked.
Dobin continued, "we have no memory of being experimented on, ourselves. My sister did everything she could to protect us. She was always strong. I think, potentially, they got us in the night while we slept, and they erased the memory of what they did to us."
Karlen raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Noone even noticed, listening intently to Dobin's words. They had never heard him speak about this period in his life.
"When we were 10, they moved us to the attic, but they had free access to us for four or five years as we slept. They could have injected us with anything,"
Dobin said with a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice.
"I did everything I could to not care about those around me, just my sister. She always cared. It wasn't until recently that I understood my not-care attitude also harmed her. I put a distance in there I never intended."
Dobin took a deep breath, "the point is, you don't know a person's background. Providing them with an opportunity to grow may show you a level of strength you never imagined."
Jessy nodded, "I apologize. I guess there are some problems with this society…"
"I'm not asking for an apology. I'm asking you to do better." Dobin interrupted him.
Blaine put his hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder while staring at the man who drips arrogance, "there is a reason these twins are where they are now. I would suggest you not… harm them in any way."
With that, Blaine said goodnight to everyone and joined Lana in their bedroom. He closed the door softly behind him in case she was already asleep. As he approached, however, he noticed she had a pot that she was just withering a plant from.
Lana smiled up at Blaine as she saw him, putting the pot away in her bracelet.
"Are the guys getting along alright?"
With a nod, he removed his clothes down to his usual sleep attire and climbed in beside her.
"I'm more worried about you. How are you feeling. You just treated your pain, didn't you?"
Lana giggled, "I'll be fine by morning."
She snuggled up to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Are you sure? That thing was pretty strong…"
She leaned up to look at his face. He was staring at the ceiling as if he were reliving seeing her in the cave with her face twisted in excruciating agony. She had the overwhelming need to show him she was fine, to break him out of the event that happened just hours ago. She climbed over him, straddling him and placed a hand on either side of his head.
"You know what I'm capable of. I'm okay," she looked deep into his amazing sapphire-blue eyes, "we are no longer in that cave. We are safe in our shelter. We are in a nice comfy bed with a cozy blanket."
Blaine's voice cracked with distress, "I could have lost you today…"
"My Love, there is potential to lose me every day and… I… you... We can't live with that fear."
She moved her hands under his head to force him to meet her eyes.
"We already told each other we only have right now. That hasn't changed. That cannot change. I love you and I want to spend as much time with you as I can because tomorrow is not promised."
Blaine looked deep into her eyes and knew she was right. The reality for him was the level he cared for her terrified him. He reached up and tenderly caressed her cheek. She leaned into his hand with closed eyes and a smile.
A few moments earlier, Kent lay curled up on the pillow in the crook between Lana's neck and shoulder, nestled under her golden hair. He was quite content. Then, suddenly, with no warning, his mommy-blanket moved.
They talked, then mommy moved again.
He realized they were doing that again. He covered his eyes with his tentacles not wanting to see it. He simply wanted to go to sleep. They started making sounds that got louder and louder. His pillow kept moving with the motion they were making.
Mommy, I'm trying to sleep here! Kent thought as a more rhythmic motion began.
Kent settled in and began drifting off. The movement increased and the sounds further disrupted his attempts to sleep.
Mommy, do you too have to be so loud?
As if on queue, mommy said "oh yes" in a funny way. Mommy started shaking and Kent sighed. He knew he'd be able to get some sleep soon.
Mommy lay by daddy and Kent wrapped her up in the blanket all cozy. He curled up in her hair and was asleep in moment.
Lana chuckled softly as Kent settled down, "we kept Kent awake while we did that, poor guy."
Blaine snuggled up to her tightly, securely, wrapped his arm around her as if she was the only important thing in the world. He kissed her shoulder, "is he asleep now?"
She sighed in contentment, "yes, he's settled own now. I think maybe we should see if we can find like a noise-canceling cat bed or something."
"Of course. He needs to be comfortable as well."
Lana sighed with a blissful smile on her face, "Blaine… Thank you. For loving me."
He chuckled softly in her ear, "how can I not. You are perfection in my eyes. There is nothing more important than your happiness."
Her smile grew bigger and soon her breathing changed, more rhythmic. She was asleep. He turned out their light stones and soon fell asleep as well.