Nykkyo Kyhana lay on his back, relaxed in the sweet exhaustion that comes after.
He surveyed the room, illuminated by the nightstand lamp turned low. It was the bedroom in the
apartment above the house in Queens. The window was open and mild, late-April night air
wafted in, now and then carrying with it a trace of diesel fumes. He could hear the noise of the
City -- that of traffic, the muffled sound of a television down the block ... the occasional siren.
Suki lay under his left arm, clutching him. He stroked her bicep and contemplated
her yellow-brown skin. Nyk pressed his lips to the top of her head and inhaled the scent of her
hair. She snuggled against him. "Mmm," she said.
"Mmm?"
She drew in a deep breath. "Mmmmmm... My whole body is perfectly relaxed. If I close my
eyes, I'll be asleep. Mmm..."
"I hope you can keep those beautiful eyes open for a little while. I love gazing into them."
"I'm trying."
"Are you happy?"
"Uh-unh."
"No?"
"Uh-UNH." She kissed his cheek. "I'm deliriously happy. Oh, Nykkyo -- when I'm in
your arms -- I truly have no cares."
"Wouldn't you like to have this for the rest of your life?"
"Who wouldn't?"
"Then marry me."
"Is that the only way I can have it?"
"...no... of course not."
"Nykkyo, I swore an oath I'd never marry again."
"And, I've sworn oaths I've broken." He kissed the top of her head. "To think all this
started with a simple question about miso soup."
"It was the first thing you asked me."
"No -- the first thing I asked you was if you were Japanese."
"I told you I was an American."
"Then I said you had beautiful eyes."
"And then I ran away -- like a scared rabbit."
"Was I really so frightening?" he asked.
"Terrifying." She ran her hand along his arm.
"What did I do to frighten you?"
She smiled. "What you said about my eyes ... I guess you didn't realize it's a
notorious pickup line."
"Pickup?"
"Yes -- I thought you were going to hit on me.'"
"Oh, no, Suki. I wouldn't do that."
"I know -- but I didn't know it then." She pulled herself against him and let out a
contented sigh. "Bon'noka, Nykkyo." She closed her eyes.
Nyk felt her legs twitch as she drifted toward sleep. He brushed
aside some of her hair and gazed at her face. Her breathing became deep and regular. A tear
formed and ran down his cheek.
Morning light waked Nyk. Suki still lay clutching him. He kissed her cheek and she
cracked open her eyes. "Bon'matina," he said.
"Bon'matina."
"Suki, what did I do to make you think I'd hurt you?"
"What?"
"What did I do or say to make you believe I'd strike you. I'd never harm you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Last night -- you said when we first met, you feared I'd hit you."
"Oh... I said I thought you might be trying to hit on me." She giggled. "Have you
been worrying about that?" She kissed his cheek. "It's an expression. I thought you were trying
to ... you know, to pick me up."
His mouth made an O. "I understand. You thought maybe I was paying you a hollow
compliment, in the hope you might lower your guard and perhaps consent to sexual activity."
"Yeah ... that's the ... sort of thing I thought might happen."
"Forgive me. I have much to learn of Earth mating practices -- it's not a topic
covered in my training."
"Nykkyo -- on your world, how would two people approach each other?"
"Well, if two people were attracted to each other, one might ask the other if they
cared to make love."
"Just like that?"
"Oh, yes. We're quite direct about such things. You always know where you stand
with another Floran, and we know no means no. The odds are the answer would be yes." Suki
shook her head. "We have different notions of love and fidelity than here on Earth. But, I'm not
like that. Perhaps it's one reason I feel more comfortable here than on my homeworld. I'm quite a
bit more reserved than a typical Floran. I must know someone and care for them before I can
engage in intimacy."
"How would you get to know someone?"
"Do you mean, how would I attempt to make someone my friend?" He thought, then
said, "I might start by paying a compliment."
"Like telling a girl she has pretty eyes?"
He smiled. "Yes -- but only if she really did."
