01-11-2025, 01:30 PM
Eddie smiled as she continued to tease and began to wonder why he was so reserved at returning it. They had a good time last night. He was at least sure he had, and her demeanor this morning led him to believe she had as well. There was no reason why he shouldn't. Even if he misread a cue or something, she always seemed to push him a little more with a slight touch here or a simple gesture there.
It was Rhi's question that changed that, a simple question opening up a moment of clarity. Most thought the life of a soldier to be exciting - full of adventure. But it was not. It was dull routine, day after day. Wake up, morning calisthenics, breakfast, check equipment, duty, lunch, more duty, rec time, dinner, bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. It was exceedingly boring. Even on leave, his unit would go to the same bar, talk to the same people, and do the same things. It was why Eddie sought change - it was why he was cultivating other options.
Last night, Eddie had broken the routine. He had gone to a club he never would have gone to before. He had allowed himself to be taken in by a complete stranger, and then he went home with her. They hadn't been on a date. Even now, he barely knew the woman behind him. He had let himself go last night, and he liked it. The answer to her question was simple. The most adventurous thing he had ever done had been the night he had just had.
Sleep had erased that adventurous spirit, resetting him to his default. This combined with the lack of knowledge of how to deal with the morning after, made Eddie hesitant to move further. Eddie wasn't sure anything was going to come of this. He had no idea if Rhi was interested more in a nightly fling. Even if he was okay with going farther with her, he wasn't sure where she stood. He wasn't sure he wanted to ask, but still, he knew she was trying to get something out of him. Some sort of reaction to push him out of his comfort zone - to take that risk again, and now that Eddie understood his reservation, he found that he wanted to do so.
Eddie put down the knife and made sure the stove was off before turning around to face her. Her question, unanswered, lingered in the air as he put his hand on her waist and pulled her into him. The kiss he gave her was more than the one he had given her earlier, if not as passionate as what they shared the night before. Regardless of how things went right now, he was grateful to Rhi - grateful she had challenged him in a way he hadn't understood before. His hands, at her waist traveled lightly, but mostly just pulled her closer. Right now, he wanted to feel her there, but deeper down, he knew he wanted more than that. Risk - he wanted the risk. This time the risk would be whether or not she chose to continue.
It was Rhi's question that changed that, a simple question opening up a moment of clarity. Most thought the life of a soldier to be exciting - full of adventure. But it was not. It was dull routine, day after day. Wake up, morning calisthenics, breakfast, check equipment, duty, lunch, more duty, rec time, dinner, bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. It was exceedingly boring. Even on leave, his unit would go to the same bar, talk to the same people, and do the same things. It was why Eddie sought change - it was why he was cultivating other options.
Last night, Eddie had broken the routine. He had gone to a club he never would have gone to before. He had allowed himself to be taken in by a complete stranger, and then he went home with her. They hadn't been on a date. Even now, he barely knew the woman behind him. He had let himself go last night, and he liked it. The answer to her question was simple. The most adventurous thing he had ever done had been the night he had just had.
Sleep had erased that adventurous spirit, resetting him to his default. This combined with the lack of knowledge of how to deal with the morning after, made Eddie hesitant to move further. Eddie wasn't sure anything was going to come of this. He had no idea if Rhi was interested more in a nightly fling. Even if he was okay with going farther with her, he wasn't sure where she stood. He wasn't sure he wanted to ask, but still, he knew she was trying to get something out of him. Some sort of reaction to push him out of his comfort zone - to take that risk again, and now that Eddie understood his reservation, he found that he wanted to do so.
Eddie put down the knife and made sure the stove was off before turning around to face her. Her question, unanswered, lingered in the air as he put his hand on her waist and pulled her into him. The kiss he gave her was more than the one he had given her earlier, if not as passionate as what they shared the night before. Regardless of how things went right now, he was grateful to Rhi - grateful she had challenged him in a way he hadn't understood before. His hands, at her waist traveled lightly, but mostly just pulled her closer. Right now, he wanted to feel her there, but deeper down, he knew he wanted more than that. Risk - he wanted the risk. This time the risk would be whether or not she chose to continue.