Humans Are Encountered

Acid Reflux

Zork'ak had run into Wren on xer way to the laboratory.

"Hey, Zor. What are you doing up so late?"

"I routinely speak to Adam on the roof after others have retired to their quarters."

She nodded. "I knew Adam had insomnia. He used to be up walking around all the time on our way up here. I don't know how he does it."

"Why are you not in your quarters?" Zork'ak allowed xemself to look at her. It was the first time they had been alone since xe had told her how xe felt. Xe couldn't help looking at the slope of her nose, the way her hair was pushed back so carelessly. She was beautiful.

"My acid reflux was acting up."

"Your what?"

She touched her chest. "Acid reflux. It makes my chest hurt so I couldn't sleep." The two of them stepped into the laboratory. "I was coming to replicate the components needed to calm it."

"What is 'acid reflux?'"

"Oh, it's where the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs will sometimes leak up into our esophagus."

"This is a problem?" She nodded, sitting down at her bench. "Is this acid not supposed to be in your body?"

"It is. It's in our stomachs."

"I do not see the problem then." Zork'ak leaned against the bench, peaking out of the window. Xe wondered if Adam was on the roof, but when xe looked back at the way the light was dancing on Wren's face, xe couldn't feel the need to leave.

"The esophagus is not protected like the stomach is so the acid will burn the throat."

"You have acid in your body that must be contained to one area?" She nodded. "But it can escape into unprotected areas?"

"Yeah. It's usually a problem with the food you eat. But for some people, like me, it's a chronic problem."

"It is a continuous occurrence that you have acid damaging your esophagus?"

She began pulling materials towards her. "Yeah. It sucks. Burns a hell of a lot."

"It must be dangerous."

She shrugged. Zork'ak was so caught up in her blue eyes, the way her eyelashes dusted her high cheeks as she looked down. "Sometimes the sphincter muscles are just too weak and don't close off what it should."

"I do not understand how your body could evolutionary continue to create this problem."

"I don't know." She turned those eyes on xem, and xe almost stopped breathing. "Why have we not evolved with better eyesight? Because of culture and technology use. Most of the problems with acid reflux are just food."

"Should you not just avoid the food?"

Wren turned on the heating plate, setting a container on top and pouring materials into it. "Or we can just take this little substance, and it all goes away."

"You humans do not understand control or portions do you?"

"You know we don't."

"Oh, yes. The 'eating competitions.' Quite an unnecessary waste."

She laughed. "You won't let the spicy challenge go."

"You all tricked me!"

"We did not." She grinned up at xem. Oh, how xe worried that xer heart would beat so fast it would all together stop.

"You did not tell me that it would burn!"

Wren scraped together the materials, blending them into a thick paste before removing the container from the plate and into the cooling container under the bench.

"You shouldn't blindly follow us." She smiled sweetly, and xe felt a punch in the stomach. Xe had missed her, but it was so hard to be this close to her.

"I suppose I should know better than to trust humans."

"Hey!" She punched xem in the leg. Zork'ak laughed lightly, the smile drifting downward as xe watched her. She reached under the bench and pulled out the container, adding liquid to the substance and drinking it.

"Does that help your reflux?"

She nodded, setting down the container. "It neutralizes the acid." She stood up. "Now, I should be able to sleep."

Zork'ak had yet to move. She was so close to xem now, her upper extremity nearly touching xer own. Xe simply nodded, but Wren did not move.

"I hope that your restorative cycle will be uninterrupted." Xe swallowed against a knot in xer throat.

Wren looked down at the ground, and when she looked up again, Zork'ak actually stopped breathing for a moment. Her blue eyes were so perfectly framed, bright against her pale skin. The moonlight shifted against her sharp features, and nothing crossed Zork'ak mind but how utterly beautiful she was. A dull ache echoed through xer body.

"Zor?"

"Yes?" Xe breathed.

She paused, biting her lower lip before she took a step forward, looping her upper extremities around Zork'ak's frame. Xe returned the hug, lightly touching xer head to her shoulder. The hug lasted longer than expected, but Zork'ak pulled away, unable to bear it. Xe wanted it so much, just to hold her, but not like this. This was almost worse than when xe was avoiding her.

She pulled back slightly, her extremities still brushing against Zork'ak's scales. Her face was still close, too close, and Zork'ak looked away.

"Goodnight." Her voice was so quiet.

Xe stood up, inclining xer head and moving towards the window. "Be well," xe said and shifted to pull xer body out of the laboratory. Xe listened as she retreated, watching her small frame until she turned down the hall.