Only Human

Enkidu actually looked as surprised as I felt.

“I…don’t know why I said that.” I covered my mouth.

“Yes, you do.” Enkidu replied matter-of-factly. “Every word we speak has meaning; you mean you are confused by the O’o.” He reached over with one hand, and tilted my chin up. “You cared very much for him, did you not?”

I found that I liked the feeling of Enkidu’s soft touch on my chin. He hadn’t really touched me besides that initial contact with the sponge that freaked the crap out of me. I had been so terrified at the time that I hadn’t stopped to really listen to him; that he doesn’t mean me any harm.

I considered my next words as carefully as I could. “What happens if Gilgamesh finds out you aren’t…slaving me?” I asked.

“I already told Gilgamesh I have bedded you in front of the O’o, and that is why he was missing, and you are so upset.” Enkidu shrugged.

“Oh,” I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. “Jerk,” I turned away, and folded my arms on my knees. Then something occurred to me, and I looked back at him. “Why didn’t you?”

Enkidu walked over to where he kept the salve, and came back. “Why didn’t I what?”

I feel like I’m saying this word a lot lately. “Why didn’t you rape me in front of Samael? It seems like the captor’s thing to do.”

Enkidu made a vague, bored, groan. “We went over this. You are very attractive, but I have no-“

“Desire to rut with me, fine. What the hell does that mean?” I folded my arms.

Enkidu’s shoulders slumped. “Are you very stupid?”

I puckered my lips at him, and glared.

“That is not an answer.” Enkidu held the sponge up to my face, and dabbed at some scrapes on my feet and ankles.

“No, I am not very stupid.” I smacked his hand, and heard the sponge go squish against my leg. The honey aloe salve ran down to my heel, but both of us ignored it. “Now answer my question. If I’m so attractive, why don’t you just ravage me, and get it over with? That’s your job, isnt’ it?”

Enkidu didn't even dignify that with a response, just lifted my foot onto his leg, and wiped at the running salve.

I squinted at his face, and watched him taking such gentle care of my foot when something occurred to me. “You don't get off on the whole screams-of-torture thing, do you?”

Enkidu sighed, and looked up at me. “Why do you persist in this?”

“Because Gilgamesh is an O’o raping rat bastard, and you’re like a big teddy bear, taking care of my leg, and being all “I don’t want to rut with you”, and stuff.” I declared.

Enkidu’s expression fell in confused thought. “What is teddy bear?”

“Nevermind, I just meant you’re being nice to me.” I pointed out then waited for him to reply.

Enkidu’s sponge hand had stopped moving, another hand on my ankle, holding it on his thigh, a third hand rubbed the brige of his nose as he squinted in annoyance, and the forth drummed its four fingers on his opposite leg from my foot.

“Woman, you try my patience with your questions, and babbling.” Enkidu finally said, and switched my feet, and his posture.

I let out a loud gasp. “You want me to be willing.” I proclaimed triumphantly.

I expected Enkidu to give me another confused, scrunched up expressions, but instead, he simply replied. “Yes.”

“You really don't get your jollies off on hurting people?” I slumped. “Not that I want you to, but…I heard stories.”

“From children, no doubt.” Enkidu was right, I’d heard it from Daisy how Rock Spiders act.

“Well…yes, actually.” I relaxed, more out of guilt as I’d misjudged Enkidu from second one.

Enkidu finished sponging my feet, and set the gooey salve aside to grab a small roll of some kind of cloth. “You’re not used to walking around barefoot.” He wrapped first one foot, then the other in a manner that covered the scrapes, and padded my feet. “Humans are such fragile, assumed creatures.”

I almost took offense to that, except he was right. I never walk around barefoot, not even in my own apartment, and I had assumed all of gilgamesh’s people are like him.

Enkidu ripped the fabric to tie it off, and after stashing the roll away, stared at me for a few seconds before standing up with a sigh.

“You…still want to fight for my freedom?” I asked.

“Of course.” Enkidu placed the sponge and dish on a table, his back to me.

I started to feel uncomfortably warm in my feet. “My feet are getting hot.”

“It is the salve; it warms as it heals.” Enkidu explained, turning back to me, looking weary. “Why?”

I shifted my feet, and started to consider. “You say it’s honey aloe, right? Is that all, no medication in it?”

Enkidu shook his head. “No. Why?” His voice and expression started to look annoyed again.

I shrugged, and shook my head. “No reason, just wondering if it was edible is all.”

Enkidu’s brow knitted together slightly. He thought for a couple of seconds then said somewhat reluctantly. “Yes…I suppose so.”

I nodded, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. “Me, I like honey, but aloe always makes me think of cough syrup. Do you like the taste of aloe?”

Enkidu looked at me like I was crazy for a couple of seconds, then his face pulled back, and he blinked at me, his head leaning forward slightly.

I just sat here, and smiled.

Enkidu picked up the jar, the sponge falling out, and slowly walked toward me. “No, aloe is sour, but the honey overpowers it.”

“Heeey,” I crossed my legs. “Do you sit around, and eat that stuff?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Enkidu knelt one legs on the bed, looking down at me.

I reached over, and took the jar from his hand, dipping a finger into it. It smelled sweet like honey, but I touched the tip of my tongue to my finger, very aware of Enkidu’s constant gaze on me, the salve tasted like apple cider vinegar. I shook my head. “Mm no, not my taste.”

Enkidu leaned forward, his lips parting slightly. His tongue touched gingerly to my finger, and I swear all four of his pupils dilated at once.

I smiled, and let him gently close his teeth on my finger, his tongue inside his mouth rubbing on it before he closed his lips, and I slid my finger out.

It just went on from there.

I watched him breathing, sleeping actually – personally, I felt like taking a nap, too. Enkidu has stamina I didn’t know I could keep up with, and honestly, I thought I was going to have a heart attack, but here I am, and I feel like shit.

What are you dooooiiiing? I mouthed, and slapped my hands to my face.

Enkidu snorted in his sleep. I watched, expecting him to wake up, and make some remark, but he stayed asleep.

“Enkidu meh!”

I gasped, and ducked down behind his substantial body.

Enkidu rolled onto his side, completely blocking view of me from the doorway, and replied in a weary, exhausted, if not slightly whiny voice.

The deep voice got closer as whoever-it-was came in.

“pretend to be asleep.” Enkidu whispered.

I closed my eyes, and tried to keep my breathing even. I heard their conversation, and even felt a hand on my leg. Enkidu roared, and I heard a choked sound before a heavy thud.

“You can open your eyes, if you wish.” Enkidu’s weight returned to the bed next to me.

“What will I see?” I asked.

Enkidu sighed. “Don’t open your eyes,” His weight was gone again, and I heard a sliding sound before he threw something out of the room. “Now you can open your eyes, if you wish.”

I slowly opened one eyes, and saw blood stains streaked across the floor to the door.

“Did you have to do that?” I asked incredulously as Enkidu returned to the bed.

“Yes.” Enkidu laid back down. “Unless you rather I allowed him to take you.”

I didn’t need to think about that, just shook my head. “No, and thank you.”

Enkidu took a deep breath.

“You have the instincts of a parent.” I laid on my side to face him. “I bet you would be a good father.”

Enkidu sat up, but didn’t reply.

“I have a son,” I offered conversationally. “Pëyo,” I hummed. “He’s only two, but he’s so smart already.” I sighed, and smiled. “He told me to take a vacation, just like my adult friends did.”

Enkidu didn’t reply.

“I have a friend, too, Mora, who’s having her babies soon,” I couldn’t help the excitement. “She’s serpetina, you see, and they need a lot of people there when they give birth; mostly to catch.”

That got a snort out of Enkidu.

“I didn't give birth to Pëyo, though. I can’t have children anymore.” I sat up, and hugged my legs.

Enkidu turned to me. “You cannot?”

I shook my head. “No,” I shifted a bit. “You see, I had a lover – what’s it – oh, Ampawma, or Hercules Beetle.”

Enkidu nodded. “I know Ampawma; they are aggressive, and care neither for war or peace, are territorial, and mate for life.”

I nodded. “That’s Able. We were going to have a baby – I’d just been through a string of bad relationships, and thought my life would finally turn around. The doctor said I could carry, that Ampawma grubs are malleable, and birth would be easy.” I had to pause, and think about the life that was lost because of one doctor’s bad advice.

“The child did not survive.” Enkidu said.

“Suffocated. The grub grew too big, and my womb ruptured. Too much was lost that day.” I had to take a couple of slow breaths.

Enkidu looked confused. “But you have a son you did not give birth to.”

I nodded. “I was captured by Weaver ants, and was put to work in the nursery. One baby boy was born, and I was ordered to destroy him. I wasn’t about to kill a baby, and had befriended the slave king, Kaito, so we made a plan to escape, and take the baby with us. We made it, and I thought we would live happily ever after.”

Enkidu watched me. “It was not to be?”

I shook my head. “No. The baby eats sugar, he still does; it’s a large part of his diet, but we were out. Kaito went to get some, and…” I sighed. “The shop keeper saw him leave, but all that was found was a torn bag of sugar around the corner.”

Enkidu nodded. “I know the people of whom you speak.”

“The nest I had been held captive in was empty. Friends and police searched for days, but no one found any clues, or indications where the Weavers had gone, or whether Kaito was still alive.”

“They would not kill their only breeding male.” Enkidu said with some confidence. “Your Kaito may still be alive.”

I didn't dare hope, just listened to Enkidu as I laid back down, thoughts of Pëyo on my mind now.

Enkidu got up, and walked to the table where he kept the salve. “Your wounds will need only one more treatment.”

“Oh dear,” A slightly accented voice said as a spider just taller than Enkidu came in, and clucked his tongue in disapproval. “Enkidu, what have you done? Oh well, Kashim’s trouble’s are over. Hello my dear.” He nodded to me.

I didn't say anything; I knew very well whom this was, but not what he wants.

Enkidu walked over, and got a hold of the back of my neck.

“OW! Hey, let go!” I reached to grab his arm.

“You will speak to Gilgamesh!” He barked.