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Her pink tongue pokes out between her teeth as she pries up a tricky bit, and then disappears back into her mouth. She sets the conductor chip on the table and glances up at me. "I do like it here, actually."
I frown. "You…do?"
She nods, concentrating in her work. "It's a little run-down, sure, but it's cozy and tucked away from everything. You're hidden. No one bothers you. I really like that." Her tone takes on a wistful quality. "It feels safe here."
Her answer surprises me. Most of my scrap clients gripe about how remote I am, how unconnected, how inhospitable. They don't realize that's part of the charm of this location. "I like it for the same reasons," I admit. "I like being left alone."
"So what's in the rest of the station?" she asks. "Is it all wrecked or are there usable rooms?"
I shrug. I've never thought much about it. I have enough space for my needs and haven't considered expanding beyond that. "Some of the halls and rooms need more fixing than it's worth bothering with, but there's more livable space, I guess. A lot of the rooms are just filled with trash. Stuff left behind, or old scrap that has no value and no place to put it."
Sophie glances up at me, and our eyes meet again. It makes me feel uncomfortably aware of how close she is…but I also like it. "Why do you keep that stuff, then?"
"What do you mean?"
She gestures at our surroundings with the pliers. "Just toss it all into space."
I can feel my mouth curve in a wry smile. "And hit it all when I pilot the shuttle?"
Her pink-brown mouth falls open. "Oh." Her cheeks flush, and then she giggles, the sound embarrassed. "I'm such a dumbass."
"You are not. You have just not grown up in space like I have. All the junk—trash or otherwise—must go somewhere. There are trash haulers, but they can't come here because it's a hidden location. Plus, asteroids." I shrug. "I could haul a load out to the nearest garbage ship for a pick-up…I just haven't. Hasn't been a need to." She toys with the pliers, not looking at me, and I continue. "It was not a stupid question, Sophie."
Her smile is shy. "Trash haulers, huh?"
I nod. "They have routes on the major shipping lanes, yes." Why are we talking about trash of all things? But for some reason, it's an enjoyable conversation. Maybe because it's with her. Everything with Sophie feels…better.
Kef me. Why am I even thinking like that?
"Well, if the trash is there for a reason, I guess I won't try cleaning anything else up. It's just…a tidy place makes me happy, you know?" She shrugs, such a fluid, delicate gesture that I memorize it so I can jerk off to it later like the sick male I am.
"You can clean up. I don't mind." Sleipnir's head jerks up and I try to gentle my voice. I guess that came out gruffer than I imagined. "I'll show you around tomorrow morning. What's safe to muck around in and what's not."
"You really don't mind?"
I really don't, I want to say. How have I gone so quickly from hating that she was dumped on my doorstep to craving her presence? "It's fine."
Her expression brightens. "Well, it'll give me something to do other than read my book for the billionth time in a row."
"That many, huh?"
Sophie chuckles. "Maybe just eighteen. But I've memorized entire passages at this point and it's getting a little tiring. I like staying busy." She bites her lip, her white teeth stark against that fascinating mouth. "Do you…do you think they're coming back for me?"
I can't seem to stop staring at her mouth. It's ever so slightly wet, from where she bit the plumpest part of her lip. I think of all the filthy things I've heard about humans, how they like to put their mouths on each other without plas-film barriers for hygiene. How they're addicted to sex, how they'll just lick anything you put in front of them. All of that's clearly not true, but Sophie's mouth makes me wonder if she'd put her mouth on me…someday…
"Jerrok?"
I jerk backward, nearly knocking over my stool in my haste. "What?"
Sleipnir growls, and Sophie puts a hand on his head. "The va Sithai brothers? You think they'll come back for me?" Her expression grows a little melancholy. "I know I'm not very important in the scheme of things, but I like to hope that they're somewhat reliable, for all that they're pirates." She bites her lip again. "Do they keep their promises? I guess that's what I'm asking."
I grunt to hide my embarrassment at being caught in a trance while staring at her keffing mouth. "I think they'll come back for that beast." I gesture at her pet.
