Page 5 of Folds
“Will any of this work?”
I survey the foods on offer. I am used to apples and pears, which are commonly grown in this part of Oregon. The yellow fruit is new to me, but I can probably eat it.
“That,” I say, pointing, and Trisha nods before fetching a knife. She separates the fruit into slices and offers one to me on a plate, then thinks better of it and cuts the fruit into even smaller pieces, much closer to the size of my hands, before sliding the plate across the table.
It’s such a thoughtful gesture that I’m genuinely caught off guard. I didn’t think humans were quite so… considerate, I suppose. Thoughtful. They always seem to be bumbling about without regard for anything around them, but Trisha is measured and even, like she carefully weighs what to do before doing it.
“Thank you,” I tell her as I grab a piece of fruit. Once I put it in my mouth, though, there’s an explosion of flavor. It’s sweet and tart, with a unique bite I’ve never tasted before.
“Nectarine,” Trisha explains. “They’re not super fresh because they have to be shipped here, but once it ripens, it’s pretty great.”
I nod to agree, my mouth stuffed full of this “nectarine.” Quite delicious.
After I’ve eaten some of that, Trisha repeats this with the carrot, chopping off a few small pieces for me.
“I’m going to start cooking for myself,” she says. “Will it bother you?”
I wrinkle my nose, thinking of thesausageshe mentioned, but don’t say what I’m thinking. She was kind enough to provide fresh produce for me, after all.
“It’s fine.”
With a bright smile, Trisha turns to her fridge and withdraws her ingredients. I sit on the counter as I eat and watch her, fascinated by her movements. She flows through the world like water, smoothly flitting from one task to the next. I feel like I’m in a trance as she turns her sausages, and I’m only dimly aware of the acrid scent of cooking meat.
Then she comes back to the counter with her plate and sits on a stool to eat in companionable silence. I truly don’t mind her company, this human, and I am certain now I have no reason to fear her.
A lovely creature.
trisha
I find Selvanar fascinating. When he’s finished eating his carrot and nectarine, he sits back and pats his naked belly in a way that’s distinctly satisfied. He’s so… pretty with his sparkly skin and toned body. It’s also pretty hard to stop staring at his junk, which is, upon examining his full form, fairly big in comparison to his overall size. I have the bizarre and intrusive thought that ifIwere a fairy and only six inches tall, I’d absolutely do him.
But that’s silly. Not only are we nowhere near the same size, but I don’t even think he’d be interested in me. He’s the king of a hive, after all. And he’s going back as soon as his wing heals.
Even with his little arrogant attitude, though, I find him charming.
“Dr. Pierson called in sick today, so I’ll just be hanging around the house,” I tell him over my shoulder as I clean up the dishes. “I’m not sure what you’d like to do with your time while you’re here.”
Selvanar cocks his head. “Do with my time? I plan to heal. And I will probably need to eat a lot so that can happen.”
I shrug. “Not like that’s a big imposition. Maybe we should go shopping so we can pick out some foods that will work for you?”
“Shopping?” His brows crease.
“Yes.”
His face shows exactly how distasteful he finds that suggestion. “There will be so many humans.”
“There will be, sure. But you’ll be with me, and then you can choose the things you want for yourself.”
The fairy considers my proposition in silence for a few moments before he sighs and nods.
“Alright. I will go do this shopping with you. But you must put me on your shoulder.”
I stare at him. “On my shoulder?”
“So that nobody steps on me.” He scoffs. “Clumsy, you lot.”
That’s fair. And at the store, everyone’s in a rush with their big carts.
