August 1,2022

As promised, Jenny met up with Bai the next day. Jenny did her chores and felt some pride when the girl complimented her house. Jenny had been working on it a lot. She had several smaller mats and her one large one to sit on. There was also the stool Harvey made her and her multitude of baskets. Jenny had even added some flowers to a tall bowl to freshen up the place. Bai commented on her tools and Jenny was more than happy to show them off.

While she gave the girl a tour, Jenny snuck glances at Harvey. She could practically see the flowers blooming around him. Feeling like a third wheel in her own home, Jenny left to go to the river. She had avoided the place despite promising herself to give the stranger more credibility. Since Bai was with her, she felt safer.

If the male tried to harm them in any way, Curtis would know it. Jenny was sure he was around still, but surprisingly didn't feel guilty about using him like that. They checked the traps and Jenny loaded them. She let Harvey answer any questions Bai had.

Jenny was still indecisive about shipping them or not. She really didn't want to put Harvey in that kind of danger, but then again, Harvey wasn't stupid. He knew that Curtis had four stripes and that the snake man had beat the crap out of Parker. Harvey was a grown ma-beast and would make his decisions. Jenny just wanted him to be happy... and alive.

Since Harvey was more than happy to talk to Bai, Jenny did everything a little slower than usual. She constantly looked around for the stranger, but didn't catch sight of him. Using the opportunity, Jenny decided to bathe with her clothes on. She could change them when she got home. She did what she could and Bai joined her.

It was hot and the water did feel cool. Jenny figured Bai was loosening up at least a little. Patting herself on the back for a job well done, Jenny looked away as the girl scrubbed herself and her clothes. Harvey cautiously watched the surroundings as they cleaned up.

Bai got her fake freckles wet and they started to run. Jenny debated about pointing it out, but the girl noticed it dripping off of her. Bai panicked and Jenny kept herself from rolling her eyes. 'How terrible it was to attract some attention,' Jenny thought sarcastically.

Realizing that Bai's anxiety stemmed from her inability to say 'no' properly, or at least partly, Jenny felt a little better about herself. It may have taken falling into another world, but Jenny finally managed to say that word when she wanted to. Her new skill wasn't perfect, but at least it now existed.

Sure, Jenny could understand the girl. She hated unnecessary attention. Then again, Jenny was convinced that the attention she received most of the time was the negative kind. Still, she knew how unpleasant it was to feel people watching her. Jenny decided to think better of the girl, if only slightly.

Bai wanted to hurry up and leave so Jenny sped up. They gathered their goods and Bai tried to cover her face on their way back. Jenny ignored her actions. Harvey mistook them as an issue.

After some back and forth between the two, Jenny zoned out. She looked around, but saw no sign of anything odd or endangering. Since Bai wanted to rush back, Jenny would have to clean the fish at the den. At least she had everything she needed to do so.

Once back, Jenny gave Bai some berries at the girls request. Bai quickly cleaned her mascara smears and started to dot on the berry juice. Jenny ignored her again and watched a starstruck Harvey instead.

Honestly, this guy was such a good catch. He didn't care if Bai was ugly or infertile and still professed his love to her. He had smarts, patience, consideration, and more. And yet... This girl in front of Jenny didn't seem to acknowledge it. Maybe they were too different.

Jenny was already swayed by Simon who was straightforward with his feelings. Harvey was the same way, but Bai wasn't her. Jenny sighed, feeling glum. After changing her clothes, she went out to clean the fish and left the two together in the house. She already felt like a decent wingman. If Harvey couldn't make use of the opportunities she presented to him, then that was on him.

Jenny looked at her fish haul. It was pretty substantial and that improved her mood. She didn't want that much fish and knew Simon wouldn't be keen for it either. Harvey, on the other hand, would love it. She would cook up a batch for him since he could polish off a lot more food than he asked for.

Feeling eyes on her, Jenny hazarded a look. Catching a familiar pair of eyes, Jenny had a small heart attack. She blinked several times, but the jade-haired man was still there. For the sake of her heart and sanity, Jenny looked away and went back to cleaning fish.

After successfully steadying her breathing, Jenny made it a point not to look up. Should she pretend nothing was wrong? She did meet his gaze and pretended not to notice. That was pretty rude of her. Should she say hello?

Jenny finished the fish she was working on. Her hands were covered in scales and fish guts. While dumping the bones and head aside, Jenny worked up the courage to look up. The man was gone. Glancing around hurriedly, Jenny couldn't find his hulking form anywhere.

Letting out the breath she was holding, Jenny promised herself that is she ever had a proper conversation with him, she would convey how creepy it was to stare and stalk like that. While pondering about her growing list of encounters with the stranger, Jenny nimbly finished preparing the fish.

"Why cut them apart?" A gravely voice startled the life out of Jenny. Her bone knife slipped and sliced right through the fish's body, nicking the stone she was using as a table.

Caught completely off guard, Jenny took much longer than necessary to respond. She cleared her throat and forced words out. "The bones and guts need to be removed," Jenny stated tensely.

Jenny watched the man who was casually leaning against her home. He looked picturesque. Well, if he was modeling for a nude painting anyway. By the sheer force of her will, Jenny tried to stop the heat crawling up her neck. She couldn't help it. It wasn't her intention to look, but he caught her off guard. She wasn't guilty. If anything, he was.

"Why?" The stranger asked calmly. His demeanor was that of someone who had all the time in the world. Not a male that could be chased from the city at any moment.

Jenny forcefully relaxed her tense muscles. She replied evenly, "I can't eat the bones or guts, they are dangerous." It felt weird to say with such intensity, but the that was a word the males here understood and responded to. Jenny wasn't ready to give an in depth description of what would happen to her if she consumed them.

The male seemed to think about that. Jenny turned her attention back to the fish she unfortunately butchered. She cut right through the guts and some organs. It was a good thing she had plenty of fish, this one would be no good.

Jenny turned the fish over and tried to salvage some meat. It got bloody and gross. Jenny gave up with a huff. Since the big bad feral was discussing fish cleaning with her, she figured he wasn't an immediate threat. He could've whisked her away at any time, but he didn't. She would take the poor fish corpse to the water to feed some others later.

"Females," the male drawled, "are weak." Jenny stared at the male, waiting patiently. However, he didn't continue. She expected something more than a statement of the obvious. Hell, to him, most of the males would be considered weak. Jenny wasn't offended. Their standards were different and she acknowledged that. Instead, she nodded her head. To him, females must be especially fragile.

Jenny wondered why Harvey wasn't coming out. Surely, he couldn't have been so distracted that he failed hear them talking or to notice this male's scent. 'Wait... Do alligators smell?' Jenny thought. 'Probably. Curtis has one, from what the novel said, so this male should too. They were both reptiles.' Jenny wondered if that was really enough of a similarity to lump them together, but let it go.

Jenny eyed the male with a sideways gaze. She was careful not too look below a certain point. He looked relaxed, the exact opposite of Jenny. She had felt like she was getting more used to the handsome men of this world, but this guy proved her wrong.

His facial features were strong and chiseled. His angles were sharp and defined. Jenny definitely felt he was striking in a both appearance and presence. Despite his lazy and laid back attitude, he commanded attention. Jenny had to put in effort to look away. When she finally succeeded, she simultaneously cursed and thanked the universe.

It seemed that Harvey was finally ready to show himself. He walked stiffly out of the den and carefully approached Jenny, his eyes never leaving the male. The stranger barely paid Harvey a glance before his gaze settled back on Jenny. Feeling a premonition, Jenny shivered. She couldn't speak from a vast pool of experience, but Jenny could tell the male had an interest, even if it wasn't strong. Reading the stranger wasn't easy though and Jenny didn't want to overthink it.

"Why have you come?" Harvey asked, tone strained. Jenny was glad he could ask the hard question that she had wanted to, but couldn't bring herself to do.

The stranger didn't blink and answered in an uninterested tone, "To see the female that didn't run or scream."

Jenny's blood ran cold, then hot, and back to cold again. Should she feel scared? Excited? Confused? She went with the last one.

Harvey's tense muscles went rigid. He eyed the four stripes of the male nervously. If the male took Jenny, he wouldn't even be able to slow this male down. Feeling completely inadequate, Harvey tried to think of something. The male wasn't acting yet and hadn't before. Harvey knew of lizard males only from word of mouth. Their reputation wasn't exactly good.

Harvey decided the only approach he could try was questioning the male. He was willing to talk so far and that was a good sign. "Are you planning to take her away?" Harvey asked directly.

Jenny shot Harvey a look. 'Too direct,' she thought. Before she could guilt him with her expression, the male responded, "Taken females don't last long."

Jenny froze again. He said that nonchalantly and she had a sneaking suspicion that he was speaking from experience. That is a negative answer to Harvey's question right? He didn't want to take her and that was good... So, she should pretend she never heard anything and move on, right?

"You... You took others?" Harvey asked feeling queasy.

'Goddammit Harvey! Don't ask a question like that,' Jenny pleaded in her mind. She was curious too, but damn. She was fine not knowing. Really.

"I tried," the stranger started, "They can't hold their breath long enough." He paused, his voice no longer sounding as rough as the first time Jenny heard him. "They are weak."

Feeling like she would regret this later, Jenny asked, "What happened to them?" Jenny figured they died and she was talking to a killer. She wanted to manage her expectations properly, so she asked the potentially stupid question.

"The first breathed in too much water. I pushed it from her lungs, but her fragile bones cracked. I handed her back to her males," he said without a care. Before Jenny could really break that down in her head, Mr. Gravely Voice continued. "I did not bring the second one into the water, but she screamed too much. I gave her back."

Feeling the stupid giggles coming on, Jenny tried to think of something else to distract herself. 'UTI's, solicitors, a two thousand word essay due in three days...' Feeling a little more grounded, Jenny put her brain cells to work.

From her understanding, he did not kill anyone, but it was close. Obviously, Jenny was lucky to have not been his experimental subject one or two. If she wanted to get him away from her, she just had to scream like the women in horror movies to annoy him. That was comforting knowledge.

Harvey talked some more with the man and Jenny listened intently. The male stopped responding to Harvey at one point and left. Just like that. No goodbye or anything. Just walked away calmly and he didn't come back.

Jenny and Harvey exchanged baffled looks. The male clearly did whatever he pleased, whenever he wanted to. It was surprising he even answered Harvey's questions with that bored and unenthusiastic attitude.

"Are you alright Jenny," Harvey questioned while looking her up and down.

Jenny started giggling. It was time to release the pent up stress. "Yes," she responded. She meant it too. Other than her nerves eating at her, nothing was wrong. Harvey looked worse off then she was.

While she was having her fit, Bai walked out. She took one look at Jenny who was giggling uncontrollably and down at Jenny's hands. Jenny followed her gaze as Bai took a step back. Jenny realized her hands were covered in blood and fish guts and started laughing for real. The poor girl probably thought she was insane and Jenny found that hysterical. She never inspired fear in someone before, but now she can she she had.

Jenny went to wash the nasty stuff off her hands while Harvey explained to Bai what occurred. Jenny took a bowl of water outside and rinsed. She cautiously kept her eyes on her surroundings, but the stranger never came back.

Jenny looked inside at the two who were talking comfortably. She caught Harvey's eye and gave him a thumbs up. It did occur to her that she never explained exactly what that hand language meant, but oh well. Jenny decided to head outside and wash her fish fillets. Mestor came by and Jenny decided to share her wonderful experience of the day. She left out the feral part and exact number of stripes, but suggested that the stranger was stronger than Mestor.

"Are you concerned? If you don't want the male in your family, you can turn him away," Mestor said.

Jenny sighed as she cleaned the last of the fillets. Dumping the dirty water onto the plants, Jenny replied, "He didn't say he was interested." If the stranger did want to be her male, Jenny didn't know what to do. She certainly didn't have any budding feelings for him. It was apparently not easy to swoon for a man who could talk about breaking bones like he's recounting last night's dinner.

"It sounds like he is, but he should make it clear," Mestor stated.

Jenny snorted and refused to look at Mestor. Someone should take his own advice... Then again, maybe he didn't see her that way. She knew the concept of friends was foreign here, but maybe some want that kind of relationship. Was Mestor someone like that?

"I honestly can't tell," Jenny said. Even if she could, she would have a hard time. Would she give the scary male a chance or deny him immediately? She didn't want to piss him off and endanger herself, Simon, or Harvey. But still, could she really tell the guy to court her like a normal male? Maybe she could say that and if he disagreed, she could threaten to annoy the life out of him.

"Jenny... Your family is small," Mestor started. Of course, many males would love that, but they would also want their female safe. "Your guardian is..." Mestor tried hard to think of a nice way to say it. "Not enough and your only male is the same." Mestor said that as lightly as possible.

From all the interactions Mestor has observed, Jenny has a high level of respect for the males around her. That was one of the swaying factors that made Mestor intent on courting her. Originally, Mestor had thought Jenny lacked beauty, but now he didn't really notice. He accepted his own vanity, but felt that it was more important to have a female that was both considerate towards others and a curiosity.

"I know," Jenny responded. Honestly she figured she was doing very well considering she didn't have any world breaking powers or plot armor. Still, she knew better than to test the limits of her luck. She was okay for now, but maybe not in the future. The city offered protection just by being here, but it would fall in the next year or so. That protection will disappear. "I plan to ask Winston to join my family."

Mestor was only somewhat surprised. It wasn't the first time Jenny had spoken of the other male, but it was the first time she had told him about her plans. It made him feel included. With a smile on his face, Mestor tried to probe as gently as possible.

Jenny answered Mestor's inquiries. He essentially said the same thing about Winston being a walking terror. At least Mestor said it much more politely than most. He certainly had a high emotional intelligence and a way with words.

Jenny was able to gauge his opinions. Mestor didn't seem to mind one way or the other. Then again, Jenny wasn't the best at reading others. Especially when she was trying hard not to admire their handsome faces.

Having been shaken up by the gator man, Jenny felt that her threshold for worrying was lower. She survived again and was still fine. If she could handle all of this, she could invite Mestor to eat with them. If he declined to come in, then he probably wasn't interested in her. If someone with a high level of of observation like Mestor accepted, Jenny would take it as a positive sign.

"Do you like fish?" Jenny asked Mestor.

Mestor stood surprised for only a moment before responding, "Yes." He eyed Jenny quizzically, wondering of her intent.

Swallowing the lump that started forming in her throat, Jenny asked, "Would you like to join us for dinner? I have extra." Jenny tried to motion towards the fish to take his attention off of her. She failed.

"Of course!" Mestor realized he answered a little too enthusiastically and felt somewhat embarrassed. He tapered off his eagerness so as to not startle Jenny. He didn't want to appear pushy and wanted Jenny to get used to him.

"That's good then," Jenny responded without looking at Mestor. Considering his reply, Jenny was pretty sure of his intentions. Logically, it was obvious. Emotionally, however, Jenny's low self confidence kept nagging at her. She shushed it and went back to planning dinner.

"Do you need anything else?" Mestor questioned with a sunny smile on his face.

Jenny made the mistake of looking at Mestor and felt she received some critical damage. She babbled about some vegetables and Mestor went to collect them. He took the fish carcasses with him.

She was both relieved that he was gone and a little sad at the loss. Her stupid emotions were conflicting again. Shaking her head at her self-created nonsense, Jenny went to tell Harvey of the additional member to the dinner table. Seeing him having a nice conversation with Bai, Jenny's mood dulled. She conveyed what she needed to and went back outside.

To her surprise, Bai followed Jenny out. No, she shouldn't be surprised by that. Bai clearly wasn't adapting at a fast pace and that much alone time with someone who professed his love to you would be awkward. Very awkward actually. Jenny felt a small twinge of sympathy.