147 She Wants to Play What?

As we ate the seafood spaghetti that I had prepared for us, the television continued to play in the background. Luna had her eyes on the television as she ate, but she also made sure to throw in genuinely sounding compliments for my cooking. It was a nice feeling to have received her compliments, and seeing her smile and laugh like that, it seemed to wash away the worry about her inevitable death in the near future as life itself seemed to drag myself back into this reality and away from my concerns about the future. Seeing her before me right now is all that mattered to me.

After finishing dinner, I reached over for Luna's plate in order to bring hers and mine over to the sink at the same time and do the dishes. Luna at first appeared somewhat confused as to why I had stood up and reached over for her plate, but once she realized what I was doing, she immediately shielded her plate from my hands and shook her head.

"Let me do the dishes," she smiled.

"B-but," I stuttered in my words as she grabbed my plate and piled it onto hers. I watched as she walked over to the kitchen sink, placing the plates gently into the sink so as to make sure that they won't sink before she turned on the water.

"You haven't taken a bath yet, right?" She said as she washed the dishes of the sauce using a sponge with soap. "You should go ahead and do that now. I'll take care of cleaning up."

I looked over and saw that on her face was a determined smile, and after seeing this countenance, I couldn't bring myself to deny her. However, that does not mean my heart wasn't in pain seeing her having to work like this, but... I think if I were to voice my concern to her she would simply get angry. Luna doesn't want to be treated specially because of her disease and she would not accept it because if she does, then that would mean she has given up and succumbed to it. As someone with as strong of a will like her, she would never allow herself to be treated that way.

"If you insist," I sighed and started for my room to retrieve clothing that I will change into once I finish with my bath.

I entered the washroom and place the clothing that I will change out of into the small basket by the frosted glass door. I noticed that Luna's clothes were no where to be found so she must've stored it somewhere else. With a fatigued sigh, I entered the bathing and showering area, stepping foot on the tiled floor that was still wet from Luna's bathing session earlier. Then, I navigated the touch-screen monitor to my presets and allowed the water to fill the bathtub. As it did so, I cleaned my body using the bodywash and my hair using the shampoo before rinsing it all off and soaking in the warm bath water. Upon entering, I felt my muscles unbuckle and relax themselves underneath my skin and sooth my fatigued body of its aches and pains. It was a pretty relaxing and tranquil feeling, yet deep down inside, there was a dark bitterness that was concealed away.

When I finished bathing, I dried myself using my bath towel and dressed myself in my sleepwear which was a cotton T-shirt and sweatpants. I exited the washroom and proceeded to return to the living room where Luna had finished cleaning the dishes and had the plates and bowls set out in the drying rack to dry. As for Luna, she was laying on the couch in a relaxed manner. Her positioning was quite dangerous for me as if I stood at a particular angle, I would be able to see a clear view of her pelvic area. However, I made sure that where I stood that problem would not arise.

"You're finished?" Luna sat up and looked over at me.

"Yeah." I nodded. I had also brushed my teeth earlier when I got out of the bath so I was actually ready to go to sleep. "I think we still have one-time use toothbrushes in the washroom," I said to her. "Let me get you one."

"Thank you," Luna softly chuckled and smiled as her eyes followed me back to the washroom as I searched the drawers for a toothbrush for her.

After I succeeded in locating a toothbrush for her, she returned to the washroom once again to brush her teeth and concluded with her nightly routine as I waited in the living room with the television still on. I turned my head and gazed out the window at the city outside. The skyline was amazingly pretty in the winter for some odd reason. Maybe it's because the lights just appear so cozy?

Once Luna reemerged from the washroom after having finished with her nightly routine, I decided that it was time that I decided on a sleeping arrangement. My plan was for her to sleep on my bed and I'll sleep on the couch in the living room. There's a thin bed sheet on the couch that I had took out when the winter season began for either me or Loriana to cover ourselves with when the temperature got a bit too cold and we want to enjoy the comfortable warmth that a downy bed sheet can provide us. Therefore, sleeping in the living room shouldn't be that bad. It might be a bit cold, but it won't be anything too much to handle.

"I was thinking that you can sleep on my bed in my room," I started speaking. After I finished the first part of my sentence, I looked down and at the couch that I was sitting on. "And I'll sleep here."

"Alevian," she whispered softly. She had her head slightly lowered and when combined with her long bangs, it made it impossible for me to see clearly her current countenance. "Can we go to your room for the moment?"

I was confused as to why she had asked that, but... I don't think there's much harm as to her suggestion. Maybe she was nervous. Maybe she just needed someone to talk to before going to sleep. It is pretty early still with the time being around 11 P.M.

I entered my room with Luna following behind me. Once in my room, I walked over to my computer chair, turned it so that it was facing my bed, and sat down on it. I then gestured for Luna to have a seat on my bed which she did so. However, her long bangs still concealed her facial expression from me, making it difficult for me to read what she was thinking.

"So, um... what is it?" I asked in an awkward manner.

"..."

She remained silent as she sat there on my bed with her long bangs concealing her face. If she wasn't dressed in my shirt and instead in a long white dress that covered most of her already pale skin, I would probably mistaken her for a ghost. However, since she was dressed only in my shirt and also the pair of panties that I had bought earlier tonight from the nearby convenience store, that confirmed to me that she was no ghost and was, in fact, Luna.

As she sat there, I was once again reminded of her beauty. It was one that was of a humble demeanor. It was one that one would probably subconsciously ignore if she was around people like Irina, but when one were to focus simply on her, then they would see the true prize in her beauty. In fact, I might say that her appearance was even better than Irina's. Maybe it has something to do with her mature yet oddly playful aura that so often surrounds her.

"Alevian," she whispered my name once again as she progressed the conversation. "Can you stay here and talk with me until I fall asleep?"

"If you don't mind," I responded since there really wasn't a reason why I would deny this simple request of hers.

"Thank you." She let out a relieved sigh. "You wanna play a game?" She suddenly smiled brightly and looked up at me.

"W-why so sudden?" I was taken back by this sudden change in her demeanor, but seeing that she was back to her playful and energetic self was oddly calming but also quite painful as well. However, the pain was soon numbed as Luna served as the anesthesia herself and distracted my senses and made them focus only on her.

"You know how to play the King's Game?" she asked me with a smile on her face.

"King's Game? Isn't that a party game you play with plenty of people?" Even though I know that there was no one else around, I still pretended to look side to side in search of someone. "There's no one else here but us."

"That's the point," Luna exclaimed in an enthusiastic manner that also translated into her body language. "Let's just do rock-paper-and scissors. Whoever wins will be the king for the round and the loser will have to obey whatever order the king gives."

"Sound's simple enough..." I muttered.

Deep down, I was still wondering whether or not I should play or not. I looked up from the carpet and then into her eyes. I could see that there seemed to be a light shining in her eyes, a light of excitement and fervor. If I were to decline, then it most definitely will cause her to feel down and extinguish this light. So... I guess I have no other choice but to play along.