Seasa stared down at the much too small data pad laid on her desk whilst the other poised a stylus over the blank screen awkwardly. Across from her sat Kai-125, whom stared expectantly at her with child-like wonder.
The entire office had been covered head to toe with Sangheili on small slips of label paper. Printed at the behest of Kai whom had nearly begged Seasa to sit with her in the spare hours of their seemingly unlimited time aboard the Shadow of Intent to teach her the language of Seasa’s people. It was an honorable thing, Seasa had thought at first, further encouraged by both Thel and Miranda to pleasantly pass the time in such unusual circumstances. ‘Time’ past within slip space as their fated arrival drew nearer. But as the count down whittled away, Seasa had come to realize how much she had underestimated Kai’s enthusiasm to learn.
“You have begun to exhaust the items of my office.” Seasa placed the stylus down on the desk, her eyes giving a once over glance at the contents of the room. There wasn’t much in her office to begin with. It was only out of goodwill that Rtas had deigned to spare a space for Seasa to hold her almost annoyingly usual meetings with ONI— and now, Kai.
Kai leaned back into the chair as she traced her eyes over the labels that they had stuck to nearly everything that could be reached in the office. “I wouldn’t say everything.”
Seasa tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Well, there’s the two of us.” Kai gestured to Seasa then herself. “We can start there.”
There was a blank stare in reply. It was not an incorrect presumption. She supposed there were things to work with there. Body parts. Names. Clothing. Armor. Seasa was unsure of the more Human specifics that weren’t outright slurs against Kai’s people, but surely there was enough that she could work with in her own language.
There was a short pause before Seasa picked up the stylus to begin again. She supposed she could start with a name. Carefully she began to write her name. Ensuring to forgo the military attachments from the Covenant. Once finished, the two waited for the label printer to finish spitting out the small piece of paper with clearly written Sangheili. Kai took the paper and stared down at it, with Seasa waiting patiently for her to slowly sound out the name.
“S…S-easa… ‘Waduneh?” Kai looked up from the paper to her teacher.
“Seasa ‘Wadunai.” Seasa corrected. She tapped at the screen, pointing at the symbols that accounted for the specific ‘ai’ at the end of her name. Kai took note of this. Repeating the name over and over again. Eventually, she stood and rounded the desk.
“‘Wadunai.” Kai said again. She began to peel the paper off the backing and paused as she stared down at Seasa who sat quietly. She considered the Sangheili for a moment, before eventually putting the label on top of Seasa’s helmet. Fingers accidentally grazing over her mandibles.
And Seasa stiffened to the touch.
“Oh.” Kai brought her hand back. “My bad.”
It was unlike Seasa to feel so taken aback by the gesture.
“It…” Seasa gave pause. The gesture, seemingly innocent to a Human, was considered intimate. Had it been any other Sangheili, she might have punished them for insubordination. But, Kai was no Sangheili… and even if she had been… Seasa was unsure what she would have done to punish them. Her gaze lingered on Kai for a second too long. As though suddenly noticing this she returned back to the screen laid on her desk. “It… It is no problem.” She poised the stylus over the screen. “Let us continue.”
Kai stood there for a moment. Slightly confused. But, thankfully, turned on her heel and returned to her usual perch.
“So, what would you call me?” there was a smile as she settled back into her seat.
“Hm?” Seasa glanced up at Kai. “What do you mean?”
“You know…” Kai looked around the room, thinking for a moment. “I’d consider you a friend.” Kai gestured to herself. “So what would you call me?” There was a short pause before she crossed her arms over her chest. The smile turned playful. “And don’t just say ghashank’o or t’iiwajo.”
A noise that might have been a laugh escaped Seasa. She began to tap the end of the stylus against the desk. Thinking for a moment. “Ah, perhaps nishum.” She raised her hand and pressed the stylus against the data pad, seriously considering the label.
“Be serious.” Kai rolled her eyes, a slightly disgusted look graced her features. “I’m sure you don’t call Ignatius jir’a’ul.”
“Eya.” Seasa shook her head, mimicking the way that a Human would say ‘no’. “I am his daskalo. But I see him as khuut’a.”
“Daskalo?” Kai raised her brow.
“It is Jiralhanae. In its simplest form, it means mentor.” But Seasa shrugged, mimicking the gesture that Kai would often make. “Ignatius would be a better teacher for such inquiries. There is a deep cultural weight to the word. It is not simply said to any teacher.”
Kai gave a bit of a smirk. “Then hopefully you’ll give me a good one.”
She raised her arm up, and gave it a flex. Her clothes became taut against her muscle. It appeared as if there was no clothing at all in the way every cord of muscle became so obvious to Seasa’s eyes. The way her finely dressed body moved. The tension in the uniform tracing up and over her arms and shoulder. Kai lifted her other hand, a finger traced gently down her wrist up her forearm. Catching against the weave of her uniform.
Seasa watched her. Could feel her hearts thrumming against her chest as Kai traced over her body. The display, innocent in nature, made Seasa feel paralyzed.
It was so unlike her usual self to be left stunned at the sudden display. It was no different to the way her body would flex when training together or when she would display her own strength to her peers. But something deep inside of her felt different to this one. As if Kai was showing off her body to only her.
Is—Is she flirting with me?
“I want to make sure that when they tattoo it on me that it doesn’t say something like cabbage.”
The joke was lost on her, but Seasa couldn’t stop staring at how Kai’s muscles flexed against her clothing. Even if the clothing left a lot to be desired, Seasa was no fool when another Male Sangheili would show off for her back home in desperate hope to acquire her as a mate. But… But Kai was Human! Surely that would change things a little bit?
“Qkhe.” Seasa clamped her mandibles shut. A strange warm feeling spread over her body as she stared at Kai’s blooming smile.
“Huh?” Kai lowered her arm and stared at Seasa. She leaned in to stare at the Sangheili with a curious expression. “What?”
“Nothing. Nothing.” She gestured with her writing hand in a forward and back motion, dismissing her own thoughts and Kai’s worries. As though she was waving away an insect from her food. “What you mean to me… Ah…” Seasa pressed the stylus to the data pad, revisiting the earlier conversation. She began to write, hoping her usual steady hand wouldn’t slip up with all the thoughts in her mind. When finished, they both patiently waited for the printer to spit out another label to add to the growing bounty in her office.
Kai took the paper that had been fed out the little machine’s mouth and stared down at the label.
“Eh… En…” Kai furrowed her brows at the piece of paper. “Youk—Yoo…?”
“Ehnteh-yookoh.” Seasa said the word painfully slowly. Ensuring that Kai would be able to repeat it with ease.
“Ehnteh-yookoh.” Kai repeated. She repeated it several times more. Then, there was a quiet as she stared down at the piece of paper, as though trying to reach into the back of her mind for what this word meant. When no conclusion came, she looked back to Seasa for help. “Never heard of that one.”
Seasa nodded her head as she watched Kai place the sticker over her breast. Where her heart would be.
“It means Loyal Friend.”