The Defiants, part nine

Sitting on her bed, Skye couldn't remove the image of Devin ogling her naked body in the locker room.

You will be mine.

Those words taunted her. That was the last thing she wanted. And all of it stemming from a lousy one-night stand, both being drunk beyond belief.

She threw herself back, sighing.

Why did he want her so bad anyway? They'd never hung out or even spoken to each over until that night. She hadn't even known of his existence.

But Skye dreaded having to tell Galen about it.

For the most part, she didn't like asking for help. Her father always said asking for help was weak and that she should be able to do anything on her own because no one was coming to save her sorry ass.

And while she understood how wrong he'd been, habits were a bitch to break, especially when they were ingrained since childhood.

Also, she deeply worried her favorite Wanderer would go on a homicidal rampage.

A knock on the door pulled Skye from her spiral. She crawled out of bed, unlocked her door, and opened it.

This time, Galen held four small empty cardboard boxes in his arms. "Pack what you need." He thrust them at her.

Skye blinked, juggling them in her arms, "What? Why?"

"Because you're staying with me."

She huffed, "Nash told you, didn't he?"

"Yes, and now that the apartment buildings are finally ready to go, you're staying in one with me."

She didn't know what to feel. On one hand, Skye appreciated his concern, but she wasn't happy with him bossing her around like she was a two-year-old.

However, she'd been waiting a long time to live in one of those units.

"I was going to tell you about Devin." Skye set the boxes on her bed. "But with how you're acting, I'm glad Nash beat me to the punch."

Galen crossed his arms, "I know."

"So you're aware you're acting like a lunatic?"

"No more than Devin."

Well, at least he was honest. And right. "What about the sleeping arrangements?"

"There are two bedrooms."

Despite what happened last night, she was glad to have her own space. Although this would test their relationship, whatever it was.

"Fine, I'll go, but," Skye scanned her room, "we'll probably have to make multiple trips."

Galen sighed, most likely relieved. "Thank you."

She quickly threw her toiletries and most of her clothes into the boxes, also snagging the basket of sweets he'd brought her. She could come back for the rest later.

Holding two of the four boxes, Skye followed Galen, noticing all the stares. She blushed, trying to ignore them. She knew how the optics looked, though.

He didn't seem to notice or care, the other Wanderers bowing their heads as they passed. Not that she worried about them anyway. Unlike Devin, they respected women and their boundaries.

Skye couldn't help but grin when she saw the lit-up apartment building. It was as if a piece of before had reclaimed its place.

"It's so nice."

Galen paused, turning to face her, "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He smiled, "Good. Bram did an excellent job."

She didn't know who he was, but she would find out and thank him.

They continued inside and up one flight of stairs, the elevator not functioning. It wasn't a shock. Wanderers would have to take the stairs either way.

When Galen opened the door to his new unit, Skye stopped.

It looked almost exactly like an apartment should. A lump formed in her throat, her eyes stinging.

"Are you okay?"

She blinked, "Yeah, it's perfect."

"Now it is."

Skye couldn't look at him, her face heating as she walked into the open living room. There was a couch, a TV, a giant window, and even an electric fireplace. How cozy and romantic.

She spotted two doors, one on each side of the living room, "Which one is mine?"

Galen closed the door, "Whichever. I haven't chosen a room."

She decided on the room to her right. It was closer to the kitchen, and she often got thirsty at night.

Walking in, Skye closed the door, exhaling loudly. She needed a moment to collect herself. Everything was happening so fast that it made her head spin.

The room itself was nice, though. Much bigger than her quarters, although it was bare besides the dresser and bed, which had no sheets.

That wasn't a problem, though. Her other bed was about the same size, so she'd have to swipe her old sheets. And perhaps wash them in the process.

Several trips later, to both of their former quarters, they'd manage to bring everything into the new apartment. Not that either had much in the way of possessions.

Skye stood in the middle of the living, contemplating what to do next as Galen organized the kitchen.

On the one hand, she was tired and wanted to sleep, but her sheets were still in the dryer downstairs, and she wasn't prepared to share a bed with him tonight.

So, Skye sat on the couch and began fiddling with the TV. And hit her feet against what she assumed was a storage container.

She grabbed it and pulled it out, taken aback by what she saw.

Movies. Lots of movies. Skye had loved watching movies since she was two. And none of them appeared to be damaged.

"What are those?"

Skye glanced over her shoulder. "Movies. Blu-rays, too."

Galen raised an eyebrow. "Like your Netflix?"

"Kinda. But that's a streaming service. These are discs."

"That's a lot of them."

She grinned, eyeing the Blu-ray player. "It makes me so happy." And it gave her the unique opportunity to show him what humans were like before their arrival.

***

Humans were obsessed with entertainment.

Standing by the television, Galen watched as Skye examined each disc, inspecting for something he couldn't understand.

Even with all the information he'd gathered about humans before, during, and after their invasion, it never ceased to amaze him what each culture found to be important.

But Galen loved seeing the joy on her face.

And in terms of entertainment, he found movies to be mild and safer than most others, so he wouldn't say anything. Aside from the occasional question, of course.

"I'm amazed that all these discs are still intact." Skye slid the box back underneath the couch. "Not even a scratch!"

It was a wonder how Bram and his team managed not to damage something that delicate during their renovations. However, their new supply of Wanderer tech made things less messy.

Galen smiled, "You better thank Bram when you see him, then."

"I don't know who he is or what he looks like, but will do." She mock-saluted him.

He chuckled. Not many of the humans did. Bram preferred spending his time in his workspace, making or fixing things.

Galen hadn't been so different when he was younger. Although he had a lab and handled artifacts from time to time.

But after many years of being a soldier, he was beginning to yearn for that again. And he knew why.

Skye suddenly yawned, snapping him back to the present. "Tired?"

"Yeah, it's been a long day for me." She rubbed her eyes. "But I need my sheets before going to sleep."

Galen glanced at the wall clock. "They should be done by now."

Nodding, she stood and walked out of the apartment.

He would've followed her, but Jo'dan guarded the main entrance, and the back door required special clearance, so he was confident she was safe from the bastard.

It alarmed Galen how angry he got, though. It'd been years since he felt emotions this intense. And never from rage before.

He paced around, unsure of what to do. His night shift started at midnight, and it was only ten forty-five.

Skye returned, holding a bundle of white fabric, "Well, I'm going to bed now, so goodnight."

"Oh, I will," he grinned, "but sleep well."

"Oh, I will."

When she closed her bedroom door, Galen decided to start his shift, leaving the apartment to eat dinner first.

He found Nash in the dining area outside, grabbing his food and walking over. "What are you doing here by yourself?"

Nash sighed, "Apparently, I'm not allowed to attend girls' night."

Galen laughed, "You poor thing."

"I know, right?"

"Females do want time away from us males sometimes."

"But I'm bored." Nash played with the remains of his food. "Why are you here, though?"

"Night shift, remember?"

"Yeah, my schedule has been so empty that I've been keeping tabs on what you've been doing."

Galen smirked, "Working on your sarcasm, I see."

His eyes twinkled, "Ava likes it for some reason."

"So do Skye and Jessica." He sat up. "Wanna join me?"

"Yes, anything to occupy my attention."

He grinned, "Excellent."