Private Finished Yes Or No?

As the sun peeked through the clouds Ria closed her eyes for a second and just felt the sun on her skin. She glanced at Ain and for a second observed how the sunlight played in his hair, only to turn her gaze away in confusion. This place did something to her. When she left Ria needed to be with her own thoughts and analyze this time. And she needed to start studying sign language. Certainly internet had a lot of good sources.

Of course Ain hadn't researched it, Ria wanted to hit herself for asking such a stupid question. He couldn't communicate properly, read or be near most people without them fearing him. Even if he tried researching his curse it must've been increasingly hard. It had been insensitive to ask that.
"I cannot identify curses, but the island has many specialists who can. Although several of them cost quite a lot of money..."

Ria had eaten quite the heavy breakfast, but she had to eat a lot in her pixan form to maintain her muscle mass. So she was slowly getting hungry. Just as I she awknowledged it Ain put his boots back on and stood up, gesturing towards the cabin. Ria had no idea exactly how long they had been sitting outside but perhaps he was getting hungry as well. Ria should've had doubts about entering the cabin with Ain, but she had already spent a night with him in it. And if Ain tried anything Ria could always beat him senseless and flee.
Ria began standing up but Ain offered her his hand, and made her stop. She looked at his hand perhaps slightly too long but eventually took it and let Ain help her up. Ria kept her feet bare and put her shoes in her bag. She followed Ain over to the cabin.
"I brought with me some snacks. I can share them with you."

As Ain shook his head Ria was confused for a moment, what was he saying no about? He didn't want to use a specialist? Why? Was it an issue with the costs?
"It will be very hard to break the curse if we do not know kind it is. If a wrong method of removal is used it...it could be lethal."
Ria swallowed slightly at the thought of Ain perishing over a fail attempt of removing the curse and her ears drooped a bit. She would not let that happen. But she was also hesitant to use her own finances for it. Ria had used up all her savings for removing a curse from her sister, and she had just begun saving up again. Ain's was a more serious case, it could take Ria more than couple of months to save up.
"Well, where there's a will there's a way, as the saying goes."

Ria noticed Ain's ears perk a bit at the mention of snacks and the corners of her mouths twitched a bit, since she recognized the reaction from herself and others of her kind. Ain made the sign for please and Ria gave in and smiled a bit.
"I have plenty, I need to consume quite a lot of calories to uphold muscle mass."
Ria stepped in and had to squint to see well in the cottage, but Ain seemed to walk into the kitchen with no hesitation. Did Ain have night vision or something? Ria was starting to think so.

Ria saw Ain point at the lanterns, most probably telling her to light them if she wished. Ria did indeed want to light them and looked up, she would not reach in this form. Ria pulled out her human shape charm and slipped it on. In a blink of an eye Ria grew into her human form. Her clothes were meant for shifters and grew with her, but in this form they hugged Ria's curves more. Ria didn't pay any attention to such things, she had just picked the most convenient attire.
Ria started lighting some lanterns, only enough so she could see better. Ria didn't feel uncomfortable or awkward like last time, mundane tasks such as this helped her keep her head straight and in the right place.

Ria walked over to the table and set her bag on the floor next to it. From the bag she lifted some of her snacks, some beef jerky and two sub sandwiches plus some candy. For starters, at least. Ria had a lot more still in her bag.
"If you have not eaten snacks like these before tell me if you don't like something. And feel free to taste test."

Ria did not notice the looks Ain was directing at her, as she was still midst lighying the lanterns. Ria decided to stay in this form for now, if she remained in Pixan form she'd surely end up eating all the snacks she brought with her. Her appetite was tremendous in her other form, which made no logical sense to Ria. She was much bigger in this form, and yet she gained weight much more easily.
Ria turned towards Ain and noted the cups of tea, nodding a bit as thank you. She went and sat in the seat she had sat before, Ria had only been here once before and already she felt somehow...cozy at that spot.

Ria started sipping her tea as Ain sat down, and took one of the sandwiches for herself. Ain took his part and made the sign for a thank you. Ria smiled slightly and nodded.
"You're welcome. At least now I can pay you back for offering me shelter last time."
Ria bit into her sandwich and ate with good appetite, taking rather big bites. Ria wasn't exactly a messy eater but some crumbs fell on the front of her shirt that she then brushed off onto the table. She took an absent glance at Ain and kept her eyes on him for a second, seeing as he was concentrated on eating. It was nice, to be on eye level with him. Without realizing it Ria kept watching Ain as they both ate in mutual silence.

Ria had been a bit dzed while gazing upon Ain, but she was slapped back to reality when Ain met her eyes. Ria blushed just slightly, thinking he had relized she had been staring. But instead he just gestured to the snacks Ria had brought and nodded, probably as a thank you. Ria was relieved, he had not noticed, thankfully. Ria nodded back and looked away briefly, embarrassed by her own staring. Ria made a notion of the fact that Ain seemed to have a preference for the mint flavoured candies, and he also faintly had the scent of mint on him at other times. Ria usually didn't make such keen observations about people. But something about Ain made her want to pay attention.
Ria decided to keep in mind that Ain liked mint.

Time passed in silence as Ria kept drinking and eating, and stealing glances at Ain. This time gave her mind freedom to wander, and of course it wandered over to try and figure out her confusion and feelings. Ria had never experienced emotional attraction towards anyone. Physical attraction, sure. It was a simple biological reaction to want to have sex, and Ria wasn't a virgin. To her parents' horror, but they didn't know about it, yet. Only Jii did, and she had promised to keep it a secret. Ria would never be forgiven for losing her virginity to a Northener.
But with Ain it wasn't that simple. Naturally she felt attracted to him physically, Ria found many men attractive in that sense, it was only healthy, but the emotional attraction was a first. Ria barely recognized it, which was why she was confused. She wasn't sure if that was really it.

Ria observed Ain with slight confusion as Ain shook his head slightly to himself, he seemed to be in deep thought. Ria wanted to ask him what was on his mind, wanted to hear his voice. Ria could somehow imagine it, from hearing Ain's laughter and other such noises he could let out. But Ria wanted to talk to him, wanted to hear him answer her...
Ria realized she was being very greedy and sighed a bit, rubbing her neck a bit. She was a woman of her word, she would help Ain break his curse in any way she could. But it couldn't be just because Ria wanted to hear Ain's voice. That would make it too personal.

Ria finished drinking her tea and leaned back a bit, looking around her in the cabin. It was a cozy place, and really did remind Ria of home. She looked at Ain, Ria suspected he spent most of his time alone. Ria wasn't that much of a social creature, but even she needed to communicate with others to stay sharp. Under the table Ria, without realizing it, slid her feet forward a bit so they nearly touched Ain's.
"How long have you lived here Ain? If you want to answer use the same method as when showing your age."

Ain showed Ria five fingers and she felt small ache in her again, when she was reminded of Ain's age. But Ria pushed that aside, she had done enough self-pity. Instead she looked at Ain with disbelief, he had really spent 50 years living on his own in the forbidden forest? Did anyone besides her even know he was here? Well, naturally that woman Celeste probably did. She had taken care of him, after all. She had said they were friends. But what if they were more?
Somehow that thought made Ria irritated. Small frown formed on her brow but that was nothing new, Ria frowned a lot.
"So you have spent 50 years alone? That's...well, unfortunate, to say the least. You don't get any visitors? Aside from me, that is."
Ria felt awkward, she wasn't exactly the best at consoling.

As Ain dropped the candy Ria also began to look for it by peering under the table, trying to see if it had rolled over to her side. She didn't see a candy, but instead she felt Ain's hand touch her bare foot. Ria let out a small surprised gasp and jumped up, knocking over her backpack in the process. Ria's magic theory notebook, a big pile of snacks and her tazer all rolled out of it. Ria groaned a bit as she looked at the mess.
"Ugh, I'm sorry. I will clean this up."
Ria bend down and reached for the tazer first, to hide it away.