Sorry for delays; classes, funds and family are my excuses, check out Sabere Commander, John Storm, Preacher of Kepler, CT-117 and Kiliani for great readable fics

Perception

Derek's POV

"Alright I get it, very funny, ha-ha, now pull it together…come on!"

Derek's pleas falls on deaf ears however as the Marines in the room continue to laugh themselves into hysteria. Though the prospect of getting into trouble is still present they couldn't help it. They did all they could to get Derek and Alasha together on a good date and now she, in Knott's words, "came back for more."

"Guys come on!" Derek shouts, "I seriously need some help."

"Hang on, hang on," Johnathan chuckles as he wipes tears from his eyes, "just tell us…what did your parents say when they found out you were dating an older woman?"

Derek's face starts burning, "she isn't that old…I think they're ok with it as long as she isn't like…ten years older than me."

"So in other words," chimes in Jade, "Alasha is pushing the limit."

That is all that is needed to send Tray howling again, with the squad following not long after.

Derek slaps his hand over his face in clear agitation. Some days he's thankful for these guys, other days he wants to strangle them.

"Guys this is serious!"

"Oh we know," nods a chuckling Knott, "it's just important to note though that while you were still crawling and needed diaper changes she was already walking and talking."

The comparison only spurs on the laughter to a whole new level while Derek slowly dies of humiliation.

"Does she know?" a still giggling Mi asks, "Like, what do their customs say about this?"

Derek didn't want to answer, but everyone's eyes are on him…might as well just get it over with.

"Here…older females are seen as more valuable to peruse so-" that's as far as he got before the laughter drowns him out again.

Alasha POV

"He's that inexperienced?"

"He isn't inexperienced Guisha, he's from another world."

This causes the younger Sangheili to snort, "Does that makes it any better?"

Alasha could only look out the window they are standing next to and look over the land. The grassy plains are relatively flat before becoming hills and then evolving into the surrounding mountains. The village position close to the Keep consists mostly of dome shaped structures filled with varying people from families of warriors to the few merchants and trader shops. A tall tower is in the center of it all but has long since become abandoned, that was the holy temple where people would gather to hear the words of the prophets. Now it's nothing more than an empty shell reminding them of their deception and shame, a building that her father is planning on demolishing in the near future.

Alasha found it hard to believe at first. Their very faith, being manipulated like puppets for nearly a thousand years and maybe more. It certainly struck their pride greatly.

She wonders if courting an alien would be anywhere along those lines.

That spare thought brings her back as she turns to Guisha.

"Has Calron returned yet?" she questions.

Guisha nods, "He followed Busras and reports he is now residing in the village."

This causes Alasha's hearts to stop beating for a moment before expressing her surprise.

"In the village?" she asks to make sure she heard correctly, "What is he still doing here? I would have thought he left."

Guisha growls in turn, "apparently he doesn't need a reason to stay…and I already talked to the scribe, he says that my threatening him to leave could warrant a war."

There is brief silence between the females until Alasha breaks it, "You didn't…"

"I only asked," Guisha says defensively, "I learned a long time ago not to get into fights with powerful males."

That was true, Guisha hadn't had as many suitors as Alasha, but her hot-headed reputation has made her the most feared female in the entire fiefdom.

Alasha finally allows her snarl to escape and starts pacing around the room.

This is getting out of hand, no doubt Busras is staying so that he can spy on Alasha and see Derek for himself. Since he isn't doing anything wrong she can't force him to leave, nor can she allow him to see Derek without making the Quas Family look like a laughing stock.

"This is bad," she finally says as she turns to Guisha, "what shall we do?"

Guisha blinks momentarily before turning to the Keep daughter, "we?"

"Yes!" she cries in exasperation, "you're the only one I talk to about this besides Derek."

"Then speak with him," Guisha advises, "see what he thinks."

Alasha is already shaking her head, "he only knows some of our customs that I taught him and I don't want to get him involved in my troubles any further."

"You are the one who said he is still your suitor," Guisha points out.

"I know," Alasha says as she rubs her eyes, "everything happened so fast and to be precise he didn't end the courtship last night, he just brought me back home."

"Regardless, you should speak with him," she then points outside, "especially since there is a well-trained swordsman waiting to spill his blood as soon as he steps outside of his base."

Alasha pauses once again and reminisces that. Derek being killed, murdered, his cold-lifeless body on the ground with blood pooling around him.

His blood which will stain her hands.

He may have ask to court her, but she may very have asked him to risk his life.

She growls again, this time more savagely. The first male in a long time that she could enjoy being with may very well be killed by her own doing.

"What am I going to do?" she asks again desperately.

"Why don't you use one of the guards and have him pretend to be Derek?" Guisha asks, "Busras would go away after that, yes?"

Alasha shakes her head, "I told Busras that Derek came from far away and no doubt the people in the village will confirm the identity of any guard I choose."

"A traveling merchant then," Guisha rectifies, "somebody new who the people won't know."

"But I said Derek is a warrior," Alasha finally sits down and places her face in her hands, suddenly feely very self-conscious and fearful, "Guisha Derek sees me as his friend, how will he look at me now when he realizes I all but guaranteed his death?"

Guisha couldn't answer, she didn't have an answer. The situation is certainly bleak; on one hand Derek Heath will die if he is seen in public. On the other hand if Alasha is seen without a suitor she will be proclaimed a liar and will immediately be courted by Busras.

She found the whole thing to be rather idiotic, especially since it was an alien who started it. She honestly thinks everything would be resolved if they allow Busras to slay the human.

But then…what of Alasha? As sickening as it may seem, she appears to have formed an attachment to the human. Not enough for a relationship but enough to cause her to worry for him.

Guisha silently glances at Alasha who still looks sick with worry. She couldn't bear to see her friend like this and decides to shift the subject to something else. Maybe something humorous, but what? Then it came to her.

She quietly walk forward and took a seat next to Alasha, the female doesn't even acknowledge her arrival until she opens her mandibles.

"How does Derek feel about courting you again?"

Derek's POV

"We did not!"

"Oh come on!" Mi cries jubilantly, forsaking her hatred for aliens as she continues speaking, "Knott said so himself that you two left for a little…alone time."

By this time Derek has lost all will to argue and just sits down on his bed and sighs heavily. Well his friends aren't going to be so much help this time apparently. He probably should just figure this all out on his own. They were all extremely lucky that they didn't get in trouble for the first date, no telling what the officers will do when they hear that Derek and Alasha are still in a relationship. He can probably count on not getting another "have fun" pass from the Major.

He sucks in another deep breath as he stands and starts walking out the door with the guy's laughter following him out.

He steps into the blistering heat of the morning and glances around. Camp seems to be busy as usual; Marines sunbathing on top of warthogs, the few pilots on hand are playing cards and the men in full combat armor are standing at the gate, occasionally cursing the heat with loud voices for everyone to hear.

Derek walks down the stairs and instantly feels eyes on him. He looks to the left to see a couple of Marines huddled together as they share a smoke, however they all pause in their activity to regard him with curious eyes and smirks.

The dance was two nights ago but people are still talking about it. Or rather they're talking about one particular couple.

Derek was an unknown green Marine who just came out of basics and hadn't been around long enough to get to know the people. But by now everyone knows him due to the video posted online, a wasted Private who asked a freaking alien out to a dance. Everyone who watched it found it beyond entertaining, probably the best thing to have ever happen since the camp's creation. It gradually faded when the dance came about, people had more important things to discuss like who is going out with who and what could they get away without being stopped by a MP.

Everybody received the shock of their lives when Derek arrived with Alasha by his side. Even though most people on base didn't know what the Keep Lord's daughter looked like they had their suspicion, maybe they felt a sort of commanding aura coming off of her. In the end though they shrugged it off the best they could and decided not to let it intrude on what could be the most fun the Marines would indulge in while in camp Rojas.

After the dance though Derek has had a run in with multiple groups of people who makes their feelings pretty clear on the matter. One group believes it is all an elaborate prank and still laughs about it as a joke. Another greatly disapproves of it, people like Mi who has come to despise the aliens no matter who they are. Third are, for a lack of better words, naturalists who has a "live and let live" policy. And last is a group who simply finds the whole thing disturbing and made sure Derek realized that.

Derek walks around the barracks and into its shade before he puts his back to the wall and slides down, thinking in deep thoughts.

Never in his whole life did he think he would face such a dilemma. He knew getting drunk would get him to do stupid things but he had no idea it would be taken this far. Now he has to go on pretending to be Alasha's human boyfriend for who knows how long, she wasn't real clear on the time tables yet. She also advised that he stayed inside the wire as much as possible, which is easy enough since everyone knew the local Sangheili population isn't exactly welcoming of the human's presence.

Why is he doing this? Does he really owe her that much? She's a Sangheili, a freaking alien who his parents now must think he is dating.

He runs a hand over his face as images as the strange girl keeps dancing in his eyes. She is so different, there shouldn't be a spark between them, so why does he feel so…so…

Alasha POV

"Confused?" Guisha questions.

Alasha nods her head, "unfortunately."

"But…but…he's an alien!" Guisha finally gets out, "you shouldn't be having these…feelings."

From Guisha's relatively young mind such things doesn't seem possible simply because they are so different from one another. She has always viewed the world in shades of black and white and as such made this no exception. She has lived keeping people in three specific categories; friends, enemies and tolerable people. Alasha is a friend obviously, and normally a human would be seen as a enemy. Now though she is being asked to see the human as being friendly, more specifically her friend.

The fact that Alasha seems to have already done so with no challenge is a bit unnerving to her.

Alasha's cheeks flushes indigo as she tries to explain herself.

"He is still a sentient being Guisha," she says, "he talks, he has feelings and he is so…very…what's the word?"

"…attractive?" Guisha suggests.

"I do not feel attracted to him!" Alasha roars, but the mortification is clearly noticeable in her voice.

Derek's POV

Is it attraction? He wonders as he rubs his chin.

When they first met…and when they were dancing he took notice of her body and he just…spaced out. Even now he shifts uncomfortably as he remembers her curvy body, her tough yet smooth skin and the brief but alluring gentleness in her eyes when she isn't angry.

Alluring?

Derek throws his head back and groans.

"I seriously need help."

"I agree."

Derek immediately sits up and looks to his left.

Standing not too far away is Mi with her arms crossed as she observes the young man before her. She silently arrived just moments ago and heard Derek's audible confession before making her presence known.

Derek, not in the mood for another laughing fit, turns away towards the opposite direction as he considers getting up and moving.

"I don't have any more funny stories to tell," he informs her.

Mi couldn't help the grin that forms on her face as she speaks.

"You sure?" she talks as she walks forward and sits down next to him, "how about some tales about your life on the farm?"

Derek gives her a glare, "cheap shot."

She huffs at this before looking straight ahead. The two Marines fall silent, neither speaking. A few minutes roll by when Derek finally glances at her curiously.

"So…" he begins.

"Shut up," is Mi's reply, not bothering to even look at him.

Derek holds up his hands defensively, "I just-"

"I know," Mi answers with a bit of annoyance, "I'm trying to help you."

A heartbeat of silence follows before Derek asks, "with what?"

"Using manure to grow flowers," she finally gives him a scowl, "I'm trying to figure out what to tell you so please be quite until I figure it out," she finishes before looking away again.

"Alright," Derek says uncertainly and decides to lean back against the building again. Not like there is anything else he could do.

He counts off a full five minutes before Mi sighs.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you," she says.

"Well thanks for the awesome advice," Derek replies in exasperation as he crosses his arms, "maybe if you grunt I'll learn how to become an Admiral."

Mi's response is a hard punch to his kidney.

"Owwww!" Derek cries as he clutches his side, "what was that for?"

"Since when did you become so gusty?" Mi instead questions.

Derek opens his mouth to reply but then closes it. When did he become gutsy? Not by action but by words. He would occasionally take part in the usual banter with the squad but he would never make an outright accusation or used heavy sarcasm with people more powerful than him like Johnathan or Mi, NCOs to be precise. No matter how much he would want to or how funny his words would be, he just didn't want to risk offending them.

But now though…what's change? Only one thing comes to mind.

"Probably my life," Derek answers, "living in fear of my potential girlfriend getting offended and ripping out my spine haunts my thoughts. Not to mention what the rest of you jarheads will do with my remains when she's done."

Mi smiles again, "you sound like a combat veteran."

Derek snorts at that. He knew he'd be facing challenges and potential death in the military even if the war is over, but he never would have imagined a scenario quite like this.

Mi finally sits up straight and regains Derek's attention, "so explain exactly how will this whole, quote on quote, boyfriend and girlfriend act is supposed to go."

Derek shrugs, "All I know is that since I didn't say the courtship was over we are still…an item I suppose," he tries his best to ignore the grin on Mi's face, "so until this guy who is looking to marry her is gone I'm her cover up."

"I can see that going well," Mi's smirk however fades as she scoots closer to Derek, "tell me straight Heath," he looks her in the eyes when he hears the seriousness in her tone.

"How serious are things between you two?"

She asks in a rather bland voice but he can just detect the hint of disgust underlying her tone. Date or no date, Mi still has a score with the Sangheilis. Truth be told Derek is surprised they are still friends despite that. If this could be considered a friendship.

Derek shrugs again, "I don't know…it's just…weird I guess…"

Mi continues to look him over, "well do you want things to go further?"

Go further? Does she mean…Derek reflects on the touches, the brief hug, her face coming closer….

"I'll take that idiotic blissful look on your face as a yes," Mi suddenly says, breaking Derek from his thoughts.

Instantly the young man's face turns a shade of red, "Mi! I didn't mean-I don't-I-I-"

Mi holds up a hand, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

Derek could only flex his fingers in agitation, frustrated with the whole thing. Not at Mi specifically but more with his own confused reactions and thoughts. Ever since he met Alasha nothing seems to be certain anymore.

Mi for her part has a scowl on her face as she speaks, "I can't really say there's a direct way to get a woman to like you," she then jerks a thumb at him, "especially someone like you, but there are some things you can try."

Derek is now gaping at her, too stun, embarrassed and insulted to really form a coherent thought.

"I'm going to guess you just want to have a good time with her but not too much of a good time, right?" she asks further.

Derek's stilled face answers for him.

"Right, anyway," Mi continues, "I won't speak for the whole of the female population, seeing how there are different girls with different...types out there, I'd suggest you go with the old-fashion approach, seems to be your speed and her style."

"Old fashion?" Derek finally chokes out but face still having a pink residue.

"Right farmer brown," Mi continues as she holds up three fingers, "these are the priority steps you need to remember."

Derek nods rather enthusiastically. He isn't sure what he is going to get but at the moment he'll take any kind of advice.

"One: all girls like to be cherished."

"Cherished?" Derek asks as if it's a foreign word.

"Show us you really do think the world of us," Mi says and looks Derek square in the eye, "that we're appreciated, you acknowledge what we do for you as you would have done for us."

Derek slowly nods his head, makes sense.

"Second is strength," Mi seems to put more emphasis on this and even looks Derek up and down, "do your best with this one seeing how you're a toothpick compared to her."

"Really?" Derek asks, clearly affronted and wondering if she is being serious.

"Girls like strong guys," Mi continues, "just as long as it doesn't go to your head and you start thumping your chest every few minutes. And not just that, but when times get tough they need someone to lean on for support, to help her stand and be strong."

Derek considers this. Can he do that for Alasha? Be there for her? It's worth a shot he suppose.

"Lastly, and this may very well be key in all serious relationships," she holds up a finger unnecessarily, "is faithfulness."

She is met with a blank stare.

"Come on," she jousts the Private a little, "how many movies have you seen when the girl or the guy is betrayed by the one that they love and you see the whole heartbreaking montage?"

"Umm…" Derek hums to himself. His movie genres often varies between war flicks and adventure with a bit of cartoons thrown into the mix.

"Well that's what most girls want," Mi says when Derek doesn't respond, "they want a guy who will stand with them and not just take off for the new hot girl that appears at random moments. Relationships are a bond, you share secrets, hopes and dreams with this person, more so than anyone else and you for sure don't just take off and leave them hanging, especially when times get rough. You need to hang in there through thick and thin."

Derek stares at Mi for a moment. This is a new side of her he hasn't seen before. She is usually gung ho and tough, the very aspect of a Marine who ignore all feminist restraints. She doesn't look like one who would watch cheesy romance movies, but for all he knows she is only using movie references for his understanding. What if this is actually her own personal experience of a love life?

He then thinks upon what he has learned. Cherishment, strength and Faith. It does sound like the standards for any common relationship, his parents surely followed that one to a T. But what about him? If he goes down this path with this advice then it will surely look like he is seeking Alasha out for a girlfriend.

He breathes heavily through his nose.

He's just covering for a friend, that is it and that is all.

He then nods his towards his comrade, "Thanks Mi, I'll remember that."

"Good," the Sergeant than stands and dust some dirt off her pants, "than you should survive long enough to suffer some more terrible joking from the rest of us," she then turns a leaves a rather snubbed Derek behind her, "see you later boot."

Alasha POV

"He won't want to be that forward would he?" Guisha asks with mild concern, "he could give you a disease, maybe even parasites."

"Guisha will you be serious!" Alasha snaps at the younger female.

"I am serious," Guisha murmurs as she folds her arms and sits back on the bed and continues to regard Alasha who has return to pacing.

"If you are forgetting," Alasha says with clear scorn in her voice, "Derek is an alien and probably doesn't want to be in a courtship no more than I do."

"But he did request to court you," Guisha point out.

"He was absent of his senses at the time," Alasha defends.

"But the day before you were all but singing praises for such a…fun night you had," Guisha couldn't completely restrain the teasing in her voice as she says this.

"I…I did enjoy it," Alasha admits with some embarrassment before shaking her head, "but that was it. I enjoy talking to him, that is all."

"And dancing apparently," Guisha continues.

Alasha finally releases an agitated snarl, finally recognizing the fact that Guisha won't relent with this assault on Alasha's chaotic mind. She glances at the young female with a harden look before speaking.

"Is there a point to all of this?" she asks as she looks Guisha square in the eye, "what are you striving to get me to see Guisha?"

The youngster finally allows her grin to fade a bit and falls silent. Alasha can already tell what she is going to say next. Despite her head strong demeanor, Guisha is actually quite sensitive, especially when it came to talking about her own personal feelings.

"I'm just…worried about you sometimes," Guisha finally admits with a shrug.

Alasha cocks her head to the side, "Worried about what? Hardly anything has happened here to have warrant that."

"It's just…the human," Guisha continues hesitantly, "are you sure he isn't going to harm you."

"I'm certain of it," Alasha answers almost instantly, "he would never even think of it."

"Why?" Guisha asks with obvious suspicion.

"Because…because he knows I am stronger and more powerful than he is," Alasha answers with a sure nod.

Guisha doesn't look convinced and why shouldn't she? Alasha may be an adult now but if their practice spars have proven anything it's that she is poorly coordinated and doesn't possess the hardness of a warrior. She is brave though and kind, just like the old Keep Mistress who was always the diplomatic one of the Keep and Alasha is growing up to be just like her.

There is something else as well. Alasha spoke with such assurance of the human's intention and it is there where the root of her concerns lies.

"How close are you really with Derek?" She asks next.

Alasha is starting to understand exactly where this is heading now.

"We're friends Guisha," she says a little firmly, "nothing more, nothing less."

"Are you sure?" the younger presses.

"Yes," Alasha huffs a little, "what makes you think otherwise?"

"Because this is the only courtship which seems to have left you in such good grace," Guisha comments, "If Busras wasn't here would you have sought after Derek eventually?"

Alasha opens but then closes her mandibles. She honestly didn't know. She really did enjoy speaking with Derek, maybe she would have sought him out a few times but never in the way Guisha is implying.

"The humans are our allies now Guisha," Alasha says, "We need to acknowledge it and improve on it."

"Even to the point of love?" Guisha asks.

"Guisha!" Alasha astonishes with a heated face, "I-"

"I'm just telling you how it looks to me Alasha," breaks in Guisha, "this will be how others will see it as well," she gets off the bed and moves closer to the older female, "are you prepared for that? People will say you truly are interested in the human," she pauses and looks Alasha in the eye, "and I'm starting to wonder if that is true myself."

Alasha could only stare and not speak for a moment. How will her people react to this? Not warmly that is for sure. They hold the humans in scorn, they were once enemies after all and had only allied themselves with them for no other reason than survival.

But then it doesn't fully explain her own feelings. How she is thinking of the human more and how now they are to continue on with this charade. She is annoyed by this but at the same time…excited.

Derek has proven to be kind, gentle and generally fun to be with it, at least to her. She could have a full conversation with him about anything it seems and he will listen. He is obviously a better substitute then when compared with Busras.

Still, love? She shakes her head. Surely not.

"I am interested in him as a companion Guisha and that is all," she says firmly before deciding to end the conversation as she moves past her secret sibling, "all notions of love aren't involved."

Guisha watches Alasha exit the room and proceeds downstairs, probably for dinner.

"So you say," Guisha mutters to herself and decides follows her friend out.