"This is beautiful." Hope said as she wandered around looking at everything then smelling the fragrant blooms.
It certainly looked more like a home.
"I wanted you to feel welcome."
Viper didn't work this magic but he would have if he'd been more creative. Males didn't decorate their homes, it was usually the female.
"I asked Acris to help." Viper admitted.
"It's lovely. Is this your home?" Hope pointed to a large image of the Campir plain, and Viper nodded. "Tell me about your planet." She asked as she sat on the new overstuffed chair.
Viper liked that Hope was talking to him, and not in anger, as he sat down beside her.
"Anguis is much like your desert, though a bit more lush. The flowers blossom at various times of year but they are the most glorious after the wet season. They cover the landscape with carpets of purple, blue and red." Viper recalled a particularly memorable view it had been a wondrous sight just like the female in front of him. "We have oceans too. They are a clear azure blue just like your eyes."
"You're a charmer aren't you?" Hope stated with a smile. "You have two moons!" She exclaimed as she glanced at another image.
Viper nodded.
"We do. There's a tiny bird," Viper pinched his fingers to show her its size, "that comes out only when the two moons are high and the flowers are in bloom. They zip about from flower to flower almost faster than the eye can see."
"Oh that's sounds like the humming birds we have on Earth. I always thought it would be neat to have one as a pet but something like that would never survive or be happy in a cage." Hope mused as she smelled a cactus blossom on the side table where they sat.
"So true."
Viper imagined his Hope was one of those beautiful creatures that couldn't survive caged. It made him sad. He didn't want to trap her with this mating, but he also couldn't fathom letting her go either.
"We have attempted to collect many of your animals." Viper told his reluctant mate.
It was such a tragedy the way the Morbo destroyed an entire planet by the time they were through.
"Really?! Thank you." Hope gave him a genuine smile.
It lit up her entire face, making Viper's hearts beat so fast they nearly burst in his chest. Then she grimaced, and it was crushing.
"It's so sad to think of all the things that are going to be lost. I don't know what we'd do if the Anguis didn't help us."
"We have been there ourselves."
Viper ran his hand over her arm in a comforting gesture. Hope didn't pull away, in fact she leaned into him as she nodded in understanding. He reveled in the simple touch. It made him want to tug her closer. But he'd promised her he wouldn't, in fact he was probably breaking that oath even now, though Hope allowed it.
"I am sorry I couldn't stop the invasion."
Hope squeezed his hand as she looked up at him with her big clear blue eyes.
"Viper it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself please." She yawned and looked towards the bed.
"Go to sleep I will sleep here."
As much as it pained him, Viper would give Hope her space, in hopes that she'd forgive him and see that he truly didn't mean to harm her. Plus there was no way he could share that bed with Hope. He'd wake up in the night to find he'd pinned her beneath him. It was all he could do to keep his hand off her now.
Hope climbed into bed and snuggled into the pillows as Viper reclined in the comfy chair, stretching his feet onto the footrest. Hope rolled to her side to face him.
"What's that thing?" She pointed to the entertainment unit.
"It plays music, shows images, all sorts of things.".
"Play something, please"
Viper thought for a minute then put on his favorite flute music. It was calming thought hauntingly sad, a bit like his mood.
Viper was trying to stay positive. He'd just never had something he wanted so desperately, that was completely out of his control. He'd always been ambitious and generally anything he set his sights on he achieved. But this wasn't a battle to be conquered or quarry he could hunt. Winning over Hope would be altogether different, and if she still didn't want him in return, then there was nothing he could do.
Looking at Hope Viper thought about what her name meant. He hoped Hope would give him a chance. Talking with her like this had to be a step in the right direction. He'd never spent much time talking with female outside his family, certainly not one he wanted to impress.
"Thank you for finding my friends." Hope cast him a sweet smile, turning him inside out.
"No need to thank me. Ophidian is my friend, and I'd be lost without our camaraderie."
It was true even though he was pissed about how Ophidian dealt with Hope, the male was still like a brother.