What did she think he wanted to hear? Maybe how nothing was wrong and he was just imagining things? Maybe he wanted to know that she still wanted to
be with him and that her actions were completely unrelated. And maybe...just maybe he wanted to hear that she was going to stop the little game she
was playing with him and just...just admit to him what was really going on. This just wasn't Maleah. So stuck in her denial of him
that she wasn't budging, at all, on something that meant so little. Well, not that their sex meant nothing to him. It wasn't that at all. The sex
wasn't the problem. It was the fact that...SHE was different. And Analu couldn't, for the LIFE of him, tell what was causing this change in her. He'd
seen her tired, he'd seen her angry, he'd seen her...at her lowest, just as she had seen him. But nothing was like this. Her devotion to him, her
desire for him, nothing in their life made an impact on any of that. Even...his mood swings and the lashing out didn't sway her from being utterly
loyal. There was never a way that she'd responded that had made him feel...disregarded. Not until that moment.
"I'm not arguing with you, Maleah." Her entire name left his lips as she sighed in exasperation. She knew the truth. The truth was that Analu was JUST
starting up. His scowl and that soured pout were only warning signs when it came to just how bad things could really get. And "bad" was an
understatement lately. When life was good, it was good. Fights and arguments between them weren't that often, but when they hit, it was like a
hurricane. Lately, Analu's anger came in bursts, uncontrollable and unpredictable. The smallest things brought them on and Maleah...well, she
weathered the storm and loved him in spite of himself after it. Even then, Analu could feel his breath coming out in huffs, his glare becoming more
and more dangerous.
Opening his mouth to rebut, he felt Maleah's hand on his cheek, stopping his voice in his throat. He wanted to shrug her hand from him, but as usual,
her touched had the intensity in his eyes simmering as he stared at her. Her lips touched his, an unfair tease, before she began to speak again.
Frowning again, he nodded at her words, feeling the unmistakable "burden" in her words. So, that was what sex was with him? A "task"? Something that
she needed to prepare just to do?! His lip curled in anger as he drew away from her.
"No. Sleep." He mumbled as he pushed the covers back from himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Don't worry about it. Rest."
By the Gods, he was annoying this morning! Nothing was wrong, she simply wanted a little shut eye before the day started. She still loved him, she
still cared, and she was still more than willing to go round for round with him in the bed that they shared...just not now. Why was he making
such a big deal out of something so small?...Not that making love to him wasn't meaningful, but she never would have imagined that he�d lose it
over sex. Then again, he was losing it on plenty of the small things now a days...Damn the stress the Pueo put on him. She knew that was what
was behind this and like all of the other times, she would overlook it.
She didn't want to argue with him. Not at all. And while his words said that he wasn't arguing, she knew he was going to start if she did. She wasn't
alert enough for one of his tantrums this morning, and she definitely wasn't in any mood be be sensitive to his feelings. He was already riled up
enough without her throwing some smart ass comment into the argument so she figured she'd stop while she was ahead. She leaned into him, giving him a
small kiss as she tried to make a deal with him that would leave them both happy. She failed.
His voice was flat as he told her no. That she was free to sleep. She might have been relieved if he hadn't have made it sound like he didn't give a
shit if she woke up. "Lu...-," She uttered his name as he pulled away from her, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Analu, come on-," She
sighed. She still wanted him to stay! She still wanted him near her, his body keeping her warm like no comforter ever could. But now it was his turn
to say no. "Analu, please don't be like this-," but he was gone walking out of the bedroom and closing the door a little harder than he had to.
You must do what you are ordered; for yourself and for your ohana.
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