#suehm

“Rehks!!” Kaemon shrieked.

The former assassin was shoved into a large cage in the back of a cart. They flashed an awkward, sad smile. It was a failed attempt at their usual cocky grin.

“C’mon Kae’ I’ve gotten out of worse!” She called back, trying to hide how terribly they were shaking.

Kaemon shook off the guards who were trying to drag her to the cage, and she ran up to the bars.

“I’m going to get you out of here.” She looked around widely, desperately.

“Kaemon.” Rehks grabbed her hand from outside the bars, looking into her eyes, “I’m going to get out of here. I’m not going down that easily, trust me.”

“I’ll try.” She replied before bolting from the scene, running in the direction the rest of the rebels had already fled.

Then she was gone, and Rehks was alone again.

“Well,” they thought, “Time to keep that promise.”

They let themselves be whisked away by the rickety cart, but as it stumbled across the road she got to work. She finagled a small pocket dagger from her back pocket and marched to the metal door. It was chained shut.

“Easy.” She murmured as she absentmindedly looked around to assure herself that she wasn’t being watched.

They quickly fidgeted with the lock, suddenly succeeding, forcing the cage open. She tumbled out onto the dusty wooden road, cursing at the clumsiness. The cage slammed.

Dammit. They’d know now.

Sure enough, the cart slowed. Rehks watched in anxious anticipation as she attempted to get up from the ground that they had fallen so heavily upon. It felt like their ankle was sprained or something.

“You rebel bastards don’t know how to just stay put do ya?” The guard’s hood had fallen from their head in frustration.

They marched towards the struggling icari, infuriated and steaming. The soldier was short, strong, and their scraggly beard accentuated their apparent constant anger. The guard threw themselves atop Rehks, pressing a dagger to their neck.

“Now, are you gonna cooperate with me, or are you gonna make me do this the hard way?” They growled.

Rehks smiled, the cockiness began to show, they had a plan, “Aren’t you on strict orders to bring me in alive?”

“Yes, but they said nothing about how alive you needed to be-!”

They were quickly cut off by Rehks’ spitting into their face, some getting into their mouth. The soldier sputtered, enraged, but it gave Rehks enough time to stab into the thigh of the guard, hopefully immobilizing them. As they cried out, Rehks weaseled away from their grasp, kicking as they went.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t had their wing-extenders on her, so they had no choice but to limp away a s fast as they could. Luckily, although they were out of practice, they were still a grade a (former) assassin. She could get out of tough scrapes.

As she jogged away, the best she could given her injury, they remarked to herself how oddly much more nerve racking this capture was. Usually it was no big deal. They had truly been in worse predicaments, she had stared death in the eyes and challenged them to take their best shot. This was an easy win, yet why was her heart pounding so fast? Why were they so shaky?

“Hey, umm, Rehklayask?”

There was no response, the recovering assassin was laying face down on the couch, likely asleep.

“I made you something.”

They were not asleep.

Rehks perked up, “Why?” She scoffed.

“Uh, well I had extra, so I figured I’d offer.” Suehm explained, slightly embarrassed, “Not to mention, you’re a guest, so it’s only kind.”

They raised an eyebrow, obviously not understanding, “Why?”

Suehm sighed, “Do you want it, or not?”

“No.” She replied immediately but then held up a finger, “Wait no. I’m-… I’m thinking.”

Suehm rolled her eyes, setting the treat down on a small table nearby.

“Yes.” They finally concluded, “I do want it.”

“Great. Well, it’s right there.”

Rehks reached for it, but faltered. Deciding that she didn’t want to seem desperate she didn’t take it and instead crossed her arms, and laid her head on the couch’s arm rest. She laid her head back, closed her eyes, … but then thrust them open and tilted her head far back. She was now face to face with the baked good.

It smelled warm. They weren’t sure how that was possible. They turned over to grab it and test if it was as warm as it smelled. It was.

Would it taste as warm as it smelled?

Rehks decided that the only way to test that theory would be to consume it. So, they did.

It was warm.

As they continued to eat it, their eyes narrowed, brushing against the bandage that was wrapped around her head.

………

“What’s your favorite food, Rehksie?”

“I dunno, I don’t think I have one.”

“Oh c’mon, of course you do! Like, what’s your favorite thing that your parents have ever made?”

“They don’t… the cook makes some good stuff I guess, but food is just food, ya know?”

They stopped smiling.

“Your parents don’t cook? You’ve never had any freshly baked stuff?”

“No-… no- not really… Why is this so important to you?”

“It’s not… I just… that sucks.”

“It’s fine.”

……….

“What do ya think?” Suehmleu called from the kitchen where she was cleaning up, “I think I might have added more sugar than you would like, but-!”

“It’s fine.” Rehks cut her off, “I- I mean it’s good. I mean-…”

They didn’t look to the kitchen, but they heard that Suehm had stopped cleaning for a moment.

“Tha- thank you. Thank you is what I mean.”

The thing was far too sweet for her taste, and the texture was slightly off putting. Yet, it was the best thing she had ever tasted. They had listened to Suehm prepare the whole thing, and had even heard it as it was being baked in the hearth. She knew every bit of love that had been put into it.

“You’re welcome.”