Blooming Love

Zara could feel her heart starting to race, more with what Reiner had just told her than his actions a few minutes ago.

"Why is my heart racing so hard? He just casually told me he was interested in me is all. I'm sure he's just kidding around, would that sadistic guy even mean anything like that?" She thought to herself.

Zara looked at the feather that Reiner had put in her hand. It was a very large feather, thick and grey, but surprisingly very light for such a large feather. As Zara studied it more, she thought it to be a very beautiful gesture.

"One would think that even though you hate females, you wouldn't be a very romantic guy. But you're actually very soft hearted aren't you? Can I ask why you have such disdain for the females here?" Zara asked, but would Reiner even answer? He was always so serious that it didn't seem likely that he would.

Silence.

Of course he wouldn't answer, if it was something that had hurt him before he wasn't going to bring it up with someone that he just met a few days ago.

Nervously looking to change the subject, "Er um why don't you help me peel potatoes for tonight's dinner! Potatoes always go with everything!"

"Hmm" Reiner replied.

Zara and Reiner sat together on the stone flood of the home peeling potatoes in silence. Suddenly Reiner accidentally cut his finger with the knife.

"Your finger!" Scrambling to get something to bandage it up with Zara said, "don't worry! I know first aid, I'll get that finger bandaged up in no time!"

"It's just a cut." Reiner said.

"But it could get infected, just stay still and let me clean it."

Zara brought with her some clean water and some cloth bandages with her and began working on Reiners finger.

"How peculiar, does she not know Beastmen heal five times faster than females? Half an hour from now and there wouldn't be an injury on my finger anymore. Why is she putting so much time into this? Could she actually...."

"There! All done!" Zara said proudly.

Reiner placed his finger close to his face where he could see that Zara had indeed bandaged it up nice and tidy for him.

Seeing this he let out a faint smile.

"Oh?! Was it me or did I just see Reiner almost smile? No, he's probably just looking for a way to tease me again, although it would be nice....." Zara thought.

"I wonder if in the future I could actually be with him...although I doubt Reiner would ever come to feel that way about me, he's not Ayan in that aspect." She started laughing to herself about the weird things she was imagining.

She couldn't imagine having one husband, let alone two!

"But if I could, would I?" She asked herself.

She looked over her should at Reiner who was still closely studying his bandaged up finger. Maybe, just maybe, one day she might be able to.

"My female! Look at all the herbs I brought you! I even found a rabbit on the way here for you! Aren't you happy?" Ayan asked looking for praise.

"Yes, you did an amazing job!" Zara said happily.

Ayan looked over at Reiner who was still looking at his bandaged finger.

"He cut his finger while helping me peel potatoes." Zara explained.

"You really do have bird brains, don't you.?" Ayan asked with a frown.

"Hmph, mutt."