Page 33 of Trove’s Purpose

“How’s it compare to what you’ve tried so far?” Trove asked, a smug grin on his face that told her he already knew very well it didn't.

“This is amazing,” Chee admitted, smiling back at him. “And I really haven’t been paying much attention to what I’ve been eating, honestly. The food so far has been good, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not here for the food.”

“You seem to be very focused on what you are here for.”

Chee nodded and deliberately took another, big, bite so she didn't have to answer the obvious, probing not-question.

Trove didn't miss her dodge either and he chuckled. “Fair enough. Keep your secrets then. I’m only curious, I’m not trying to pry.”

Chee shook her head before swallowing and saying, “It’s not that I’m trying to keep it a secret or anything. It’s just…”

“You don’t feel comfortable telling me.”

She made a face. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he waved away her apology. “We are still, essentially, strangers. It would be odd if you did want to share every single thing about yourself with me.”

She frowned, looking at her partially eaten skewer. “But we are… mates. Right? I mean, doesn’t that mean I should want to share all that with you?”

“Being destined to be mates doesn’t mean we have to necessarily be fused to each other.” Trove shrugged, ripping off a bite of meat, fangs glinting in the light. “Besides, you don’t feel triggered to bond with me at all, do you?”

Chee winced guiltily. “I’m sorry.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because I should want to be bonded with you, shouldn’t I? I mean, that’s how this is supposed to work. I’ve read up on it. We’re supposed to take one look at each other and – boom! Instant chemistry. Or something.”

“That’s how it works for me,” Trove pointed out. “You’re human, Chee. You’re different from me. I wouldn’t feel pressured about it if I were you. I’m happy being your friend.”

Chee started in surprise, whipping her head around to look at him. “You are?”

“Naturally! I think we can be great friends. I need some competition at the shooting range. Void knows those blind fools on my ship can’t do it. Sorbet and Tebros are good, but they’re not at my level. And Rok? I don’t think he could aim if you held his arms for him.”

Chee chuckled. “You’re not mad you got hustled?”

“Hustled? Oh, you mean how you pretended to not know what you were doing so you could force me to the spa? I think I’ll live.”

Chee laughed this time. He just sounded so tragic. Dramatic. Like he truly was hanging on by a thread. He was ridiculous in the best kind of way.

Trove finished off his last skewer and, licking his fingers, tossed the basket into a chute that she recognized as trash. Or, actually, she was pretty sure it was recycling. Most everything was recycled if it could be. It just saved credz overall.

“Here. Want this?” Chee asked, holding her basket with the last skewer in it out to Trove.

He looked at it, surprised. “Are you sure? You’re full?”

Chee nodded, still holding her second skewer that still had two pieces of meat on it. And she wasn’t sure she should finish those. But she was going to. It was too tasty to waste.

“Thanks,” Trove took the basket and skewer and, in the time it took her to finish her last two pieces, ate the whole thing. He held out the basket for her to drop her empty skewer onto, then he put the whole thing in the recycling chute as she licked her fingers clean.

No napkins or anything was crazy. She wasn’t sure if that was an alien thing or if the guy at the stall just didn't give them out. But the food was good enough that she was willing to overlook their absence as she licked away the last of the grease on her fingers.

“You were right,” she said, licking her lips as she wiped her hands on her pants. “That rigtail meat is really good.”

“Right?” Trove beamed. “That’s been my favorite for a while. Almost reminds me of the good parts of home.”

“Did you grow up on your home planet?” She asked, already knowing the answer.

“I did,” he said, confirming it. “I’ve been living out in space for the majority of my life though. It’s been so long since I’ve been to Turv, and I really have no desire to go back. We have… Well, I’d call it an unwritten rule. We don’t take any jobs that would bring us back to one of our home planets. It’s just better to avoid it.”