Misplaced Princess Redux (Closed for FireyIce)

[Opensesame54321]

By the end of class, Dusty was feeling better about herself. Every time that they would sit to talk and take a break, Yvonne would grab an ice pack thingy. It helped to ease the pain and swelling in her hip. She managed to learn a bit about Yvonne too. The girl had a boyfriend named Clive back in England that she missed. He was supposed to be coming over for a visit but in the meantime she really missed him.

The time seemed to pass by quickly and soon she was thanking the girl for a pleasant day. It seemed strange to leave and not plan on coming back to pick Dom back up. She stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the apartment and picked up some things. She wanted to have a nice dinner waiting for him when he got home.

Back at the apartment, she cleaned things up a bit, and glanced through a magazine that she had picked up at the grocery store before she began fixing the meal - baked lemon chicken, English peas, canned biscuits and a nice fruit salad that could double as a dessert. This was all relatively simple, and one of the few dishes that she could prepare without screwing up.

It was a bit after 8pm when she started setting the table for dinner. A key in the lock told her that Dom had arrived. He seemed a bit wary as he asked how her day went. Smiling, she answered.

"A lot better than yesterday. Yvonne is very nice. I like her. She's a really good teacher. You know, she's got a boyfriend back in England named Clive. Misses him something terrible, though she hopes that he will come over for a visit soon.

"And I like yoga. To tell the truth, I'm actually pretty good at it. I'm very limber already - must be from all the sex." She grinned cheekily at him. "By the time you wash your hands, supper should be on the table. It's one of the few things that I can actually make. There are only about 3 or 4 dishes that I can make that are edible and lemon chicken is one of them."

While he went to wash up, she got the food on the table.

 

[FireyIce]

Dom was surprised on two fronts: the first was the fact that Dusty cooked, the second; that she was feeling much better than yesterday. He listened as she mentioned a brief recap on her day and that she enjoyed yoga. The comment about her limberness from possibly being due to the sex that she had, gave him a slight chuckle.

He walked over and washed up, coming back and seeing the meal that was prepared for him. “This looks delicious,” Dom mentioned to Dusty as he sat down. “Thank you for cooking,” He added as he waited for her to sit down before taking a bite of the chicken. “I’m glad your day has gone well. I will add on to that news by letting you know that your new class and start time will be at noon tomorrow. Yvonne is going to try to do a later time with you as well,” He said between bites, “Though I told her not to worry too much about it.”

There were a few moments where the only sounds consisted of the silverware on the plates and the consumption of food and drink. It wasn’t until close to after that, Dom broke the semi-silence, “How did your etiquette class go?” He inquired. Dom was a bit worried about that part, though he wasn’t sure why. As far as he knew, Dusty could rewrite just about any form of royal protocol that she just didn’t feel like doing.

As they finished eating, Dom began to clear off the table and do the dishes. “So, what are we doing tonight?” He asked, wondering how much of a pleasant mood that she was in. There was a small hint that she wasn’t as affectionate as she would have normally been. Perhaps she was a bit sore still from her body getting use to working out that didn’t involve sex.

 

[Opensesame54321]

This looks delicious. Thank you for cooking

"Well, I make no guarantees. Sometimes it turns out all right, and sometimes it can be dry and a bit chewy. Really, the two things that I can fix are this and spaghetti with meat sauce from a jar. Which is why I usually eat out. I can do Mac and cheese from a box but everything else that I try doesn't seem to turn out very well. I can do pizza from a box, or a frozen dinner sometime. Though I think that you will note that they all seem to have some things in common, like a box and someone else preparing it."

She tried a bite. For once, the chicken had turned out pretty good and she munched as she listened to his news.

"So, just what is this new class?"

How did your etiquette class go?”

She shrugged. "Ok. Kinda stuffy, though I know what you're doing. Kinda trying to un-Americanize me and get me used to all that silly protocol stuff. Some of that stuff is just plain silly, though I wouldn't say anything like that to Yvonne. I pretended that I found it immensely interesting."

The meal finished, Dom cleared off the table and did the dishes. For some reason, she was uncomfortable talking to him. It was strange, but since starting at the Claw, it was more like he had become teacher than lover or boyfriend or protector.

So, what are we doing tonight?

"Um. Let's talk after you're through."

She sat on the couch, feet curled under her, and waited for him to join her.

"Dom, I started my period today so I really don't feel amorous tonight. And, well..." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I hurt my hip yesterday. In class. I mean, it was my own fault. I mean, my own clumsiness. I fell on my fist. I felt stupid and was embarrassed and I didn't tell you. And Yvonne noticed that I was favoring it and asked me. She wanted to know why I didn't tell you and I... Well, anyway, she kinda got on to me for not telling you." Another deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just a big goof up and I'm the least likely princess material that you could ever be saddled with."

 

[FireyIce]

He listened to her replies as they ate. Some did seem concerning, while others didn’t. Before they finished eating he pointed out that the class was the same skill level class she was in, just at a later start time. He figured this would help her with not being too displeased with waking up, at least in her eyes, early in the morning. It would also allow him to spend a bit more time making sure she was alright, both on Earth and from any threats from The Void.

Once he heard the comment about him trying to de-Americanize her, he looked a bit displeased. “The purpose isn’t to de-Americanize you. The purpose is to make you more regal. Simple things like how you stand, whether you’re slouching or not, will say a lot to your people. You could essentially set the tone of how the world will be run based on your actions,” Dom pointed out earlier in the meal before they finished.

Once everything was cleaned up, he sat down next to her on the couch. He listened to her talk about the fact that she was on her period, which didn’t bother him, though the news of her hip did. “Dusty, I don’t blame Yvonne for giving you a hard time. Even if you weren’t who you are, if you were just someone normal, I would expect the same result that she gave you. It isn’t being overprotective as much as it is making sure that you’re OK,” Dom said as he ran his hand across her face. “Safety is the most important thing to all of my students. My class that I was hard on yesterday, the one that you saw, I made sure that I didn’t do anything that would risk hurting them. That’s also why they got a massage, so that they could make sure nothing was wrong,” Dom tried to explain.

Dom wasn’t sure if the expression on his face was sad or disappointed, though he felt that he should kind of clear things up. “This is why we’re here. This is why we’re waiting, unless something dire happens, so that you can make mistakes. So that you can decide what kind of leader you want to be. If you think that the day should start when you wake up, you can do that. If you want every other day to be a party, you can do that. Don’t think about it as being de-Americanized, think of it as being able to have options to lead how you would like to lead.” Though it was a bit of a longer speech than he cared for, Dom hoped that the words were something she would take to heart.

As soon as he finished with his speaking, he noticed the sun was going down and the darkness was creeping up. He got up, walked over to the window and closed the curtain. As he walked back, he took off his shirt and let his wings come out. “Perhaps playing with these will make you feel better?” He inquired as he sat back down next to her.

 

[Opensesame54321]

The purpose isn’t to de-Americanize you. The purpose is to make you more regal. Simple things like how you stand, whether you’re slouching or not, will say a lot to your people. You could essentially set the tone of how the world will be run based on your actions

She nodded her understanding. After they finished and the kitchen had been cleaned up, he joined her on the couch.

Dusty, I don’t blame Yvonne for giving you a hard time. Even if you weren’t who you are, if you were just someone normal, I would expect the same result that she gave you. It isn’t being overprotective as much as it is making sure that you’re OK

His hand brushed softly against her face but she noticed the worried look on his face.

Safety is the most important thing to all of my students. My class that I was hard on yesterday, the one that you saw, I made sure that I didn’t do anything that would risk hurting them. That’s also why they got a massage, so that they could make sure nothing was wrong

"I'm sorry, Dom. I should have told you. I guess that I was embarrassed at how stupid I was to hurt myself. At just how unregal I really am. At just how unlike a princess I am. I know that you are trying your best to make me better. And I really do appreciate it. Thank you."

This is why we’re here. This is why we’re waiting, unless something dire happens, so that you can make mistakes. So that you can decide what kind of leader you want to be. If you think that the day should start when you wake up, you can do that. If you want every other day to be a party, you can do that. Don’t think about it as being de-Americanized, think of it as being able to have options to lead how you would like to lead.

He closed the curtains and took off his shirt, spreading his wings out before sitting on the couch beside her.

Perhaps playing with these will make you feel better?

She shook her head and leaned into him. "Actually, if you don't mind, I would just like you to hold me. I feel like a fat, ugly slug tonight. Tomorrow will be better. And, just so you know, I really did appreciate the change in classes. And I really do like Yvonne. And I really like the class. And when you put it the way that you did, I realize that I really have a lot of work to do. Thank you."

She snuggled up against him, his arm around her. She could hear his heartbeat, the warmth of his skin somehow comforting. She drifted off to sleep.