“Tell me, why does your face turn red sometimes?” Vanera asked me as we both walked together in the darkness of the night, on our way back to my outpost. We had spent the entire day yesterday watching the remaining movies and discussing the jokes within it and anything else she was confused about. Sometimes as we talked yesterday, I would find her purring very softly. It made me feel strange. To hear her purr. I often wondered what I had said or done to trigger it… for research purposes of course. When Vanera asked me the question, I could immediately feel the blood rush to my cheeks and I tried to look away from her so she wouldn’t see. It did not work. Vanera let out a short gasp. “See! Like right now! Why does it do that?” she asked while pointing at my red cheeks and switching her position to get a better look at my blushing face. There was now no escape from her curious eyes, there was no way to hide my face now that she was intrigued by it. She wouldn’t stop unless I gave an actual answer. “Well, uh... “ I started, “Uhm. H-Humans’ faces turn r-red when they uh… they get…” I trailed off for a second, trying hard in my mind to find some sort of way to get out of this situation. “When they get what? Ill? What do they get to make their faces turn as red as a Shank’s eye?” she asked persistently. “When we get… nervous?” I finally answered, hoping she’d accept that and not press further. She did. “Nervous?” Vanera repeated, a bit unbelievingly. “Why is your face red now then? Do you have the nervousness?” “I-I-I uh-” “Am I making you nervous?” “Y-yes, no, I uh, I uhm, n-no.” I tried to clarify, but I kept choking on my words and tripping over my own tongue. I felt as if I would die of embarrassment. “L-l-look, it can mean uh, people are nerv-nervous. But it can also mean, uhm, other things.” “Like?” I rubbed my shoulder nervously. “Li-like uh… I guess embarrassment. And-and uh, very rarely, I guess th-their faces could also become red be-because of…” I didn’t want to finish. I prayed and prayed in my mind that something would keep me from finishing this sentence. Something -- anything! “Because of…?” Vanera repeated, urging for me to continue. “becauseofloveorsomethingIguessIdon'tknow.” I mumbled as I scratched the back of my neck, knowing well that she couldn’t hear me but also hoping that she’d have guessed what I said and would drop the needless pursuit. “I did not-” Before Vanera finished, gunshots started to echo throughout the forest and flashes of yellow shun off in the far distance. And to follow the gunshots, the forest was brought to life with Fallen shouting and chatter. Almost immediately, Vanera’s two left arms were in front of my body -- hailing me to a halt -- and she had her arc rifle, which she always carried around with her on her back, in her upper right hand. “Go to your hideout.” Vanera said with a serious tone in her voice. “What? What about you-” “I will follow close behind.” I nodded and said okay before we took off, running hastily yet silently to my nearby outpost. Once we were there I opened the door and walked in, holding it open for Vanera. But she did not enter, instead she just stood outside and was staring into the darkness of the forest before her. “Stay.” she said as if it were an order and I was a part of the Fallen ranks. “Stay?” I echoed, “What do you mean stay? Yes, WE stay. Me and you. Get inside, Vanera, quick.” I pleaded. “No.” she turned to face me. “I am a warrior of my people. I cannot stand idle while… fighting is happening. I must aid.” “Wh-what? What do you mean you need to aid?” “I will not cower as my people die.” she told me with cold eyes before running out into the Forest. For a moment, I stood there in silence: dumbfounded as to what had just happened before my eyes. But then I remembered the situation and I snapped myself out of my shocked trance. Swiftly, I turned to face the inside of my room and began to scan it for something particular. Then I saw it, lying atop of the dusty shelf above my desk was the old pocket knife Vanera had discovered the first time she came here. I grabbed it and looked at it in my hand, wondering if I had even the heart to use it if I needed to. But then I remembered who I would be doing it for: Vanera. And for Vanera, I would do anything. So I clenched the knife in my hand and ran out the door.