Data Dragon Danika 205 Blood Over Water

She remembered the shocked look on his face when she dragged herself out in just a towel, and her blush renewed, but she s.h.i.+vered. She automatically reached out to pull up the menus and check her health, but this was real life. She shook her head. She was too tired. She was too embarra.s.sed.

She slid back into the warm water to warm up, and then dragged herself back out once more to dry off and dress. Except, she hadn't been thinking clearly, and she'd grabbed a set of pajamas instead of regular clothes. She looked in the mirror and considered not going out again.

After a minute she sighed. She told herself that if he could still like her after seeing her at her worst, she wouldn't ever have anything to worry about. Her chin lifted. Especially not the kind of stupid accusation her father had made. What could s.h.i.+nichi possibly use her for anyway? He had a career people could only dream of, he could probably have pretty much any woman he wanted, and even his game character was higher leveled than hers.

Danika opened the door and scooted out to face him nervously. s.h.i.+nichi took one look at her and laughed. She blushed again and crossed her arms over her chest to cover the words that her earlier actions had made ridiculous. This pajama s.h.i.+rt declared its contents top secret.

He reached out and pulled her over to him and lifted her into his lap, and wrapped himself around her. She didn't react at first, because she was too surprised, but after a moment she relaxed into his warmth, until he asked quietly, "Are you ok?"

She sighed. "I'm fine, I'm really tired, and I'm really embarra.s.sed that you had to see… uh… everything."

He ran his hand down her back. It felt great, even if it wasn't quite as great as being petted as a cat.

"You don't seriously think I'm going to complain about having seen almost everything do you?" he questioned a little incredulously.

She buried her face more firmly against his shoulder and mumbled, "I screamed and threw my phone too."

"Your phone is dead and I couldn't find your charger," s.h.i.+nichi told her without commenting on her behavior.

That made her laugh though and she withdrew far enough to look up at him and informed him, "It's obviously too cute for you."

"What?" he asked blankly.

She slid off of his lap and out of his embrace a bit regretfully, and scooted over to the table that held her screens where he'd left her phone. She pushed the toes of the little dragon figurine that held the device cables in its flexible tail and its arms snapped open and she dropped her phone into its grasp. It flashed its notification that charging had begun.

"I see," he said with a grin. But then his grin faded and he said hesitantly, "Danika?"

She sighed, but raised her eyebrows and waited.

"Your father said that you must hate him because he's the reason you can't walk?" s.h.i.+nichi questioned worriedly.

Danika stared at him blankly. "That's ridiculous?" she said finally. "I think you must have misunderstood."

He grabbed her hand and shook his head. "There's definitely a misunderstanding between you two, but I'm certain that that's what he said."

She got angry all over again. Her father avoided talking to her for so long, and when he did finally call he had the nerve to suggest that a man who would date her would be using her for something. But he'd told s.h.i.+nichi something so ridiculous, something that he'd never even hinted to her. She'd have called him back and screamed at him some more if he dared to answer, but s.h.i.+nichi stopped her.

"Danika, don't. I'm sorry, I didn't know if I should tell you. But at least eat something and let your phone charge first. It shut down before he ended the call." After she nodded he added worriedly, "And when you do talk, try not to start yelling at each other, I think you really need to talk."

"He's the one who won't talk to me!" she protested angrily. "I've tried and tried and tried, but he acts like he can't even bear to look at me anymore! That's why I moved out!"

"Halfway across the world?" s.h.i.+nichi questioned wryly.

"He only lives across town," Danika grumbled. She looked at his startled expression and sighed. "I'll explain my weird family while we eat."

The food and drinks were already luke warm when they started eating, but Danika was too tired to warm them up. She told him about how her parents were both mixed race, and the weirdest coincidence that drew them together was that they were the same mix of nationalities. And how they'd met because they'd both gone overseas from their respective countries to the same University in Europe.

By the time she finished describing the extent of her extended family, s.h.i.+nichi was stunned. This girl who lived alone in such an isolated looking comfort zone had relatives everywhere. Canada, Russia, Australia, Malaysia, it was like she was talking about the habitats of migratory birds.

By the time she'd finished outlining the places her various aunts, uncles, and cousins had scattered to, Danika was ready to pa.s.s out. She was warm, tucked up against s.h.i.+nichi's side, full, and exhausted. So of course that's when her phone woke up and announced that it was time to log in for the morning meeting of the sixth.

Danika groaned. "I need to log in to work."

"Call in," s.h.i.+nichi suggested worriedly.

"I need to at least attend the meeting, so my quest will get looked over today. I want to make it available for Shrubbery as soon as possible," she insisted.

He blinked at her, and then he covered his face with his hands and laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh. "s.h.i.+nichi?" she asked worriedly.

He dropped his hands and kissed her. Then he leaned his forehead against hers and asked, "Should I go to work or wait for you to get done with your meeting?"

"I'll probably fall asleep the minute it ends," she admitted guiltily.

"I'll go then, but call me first when you wake up?" he asked plaintively. "Even before you call your dad back?" She flinched and her brows knotted. "Danika?"

Danika nodded. "I'll call you first," she agreed.

"Why don't you ask him if he'd like to meet me, and start there, instead of… instead, since he lives close enough," s.h.i.+nichi suggested hesitantly.

Her mouth dropped open, and her expression of utter surprise made him want to laugh. Her phone repeated its reminder and she nodded.

s.h.i.+nichi's eyes crinkled with amus.e.m.e.nt until she told him as she pulled herself into the VR-medi pod, "OK, and you might as well keep that key so you can lock the door when you go, I've got a spare."