To Live Her Life

It had been 4 days since the commander “incident.”

That night, Youri had taken Oceané's groggy body back to his apartment and put her clothes and all into the bath tub. Mayine had found and brought an Arabic woman along and she had taken care of Oceané from there. The next morning she woke up feeling sick, both Youri and she knew it was bound to happen though. It was one of those things. Where a person can feel a cold coming on, and sure enough... they get sick with a cold or the flu.

It took 4 long days of heightening fevers, coughs, chills, all-nighters without sleep, amongst many other things for her to actually get better.

Youri was allowed to stay with her the first 2 days, as did Mayine. He was given a “free slide” those two days so that he wasn't made to go to work and leave her there alone for basically 20 hours a day. She couldn't talk due to a sore/ hoarse throat but she did listen to their conversations. Taking in everything the two were saying at her bedside and when elsewhere in the tiny room around her. After all, she wasn't sleeping much despite being extremely tired. She even picked up a few things that she asked Mayine about when Youri wasn't around on the 3rd and 4th day of her sick spell. Mayine also went as far as teaching her a few random, yet simple, phrases in Ukrainian. Although it was a guaranteed that she wouldn't be able to understand a word of what he may say back as a response to her simple phrases.

Meanwhile, Mayine had also been secretly teaching Youri a few choice things in the Arabic language. It was forbidden of course, Youri's learning the language without permission that is. (And it makes a person wonder, why?) It was also frowned upon; knowing how to speak the Arabic language. And could result in imprisonment and death if taken as seriously as possible in the Ukrainian court of law. Learning or speaking the different dialect was seen as a sort of mutiny, or like turning your back on your own country, to the military's personal. Possibly in the most serve case, as turning alliance over to the “enemy” nation even.

No one really cared to understand that knowing the language might be able to be used to their advantage... Like a spy sorta thing, secretly understanding the words and such instead of just relying on a single translator.

After getting better, Oceané had to start “reporting” to her new job; actually its more like jobs, plural. Youri had long since disappeared to work as she slept, so Mayine snuck into the apartment building to wake her up and take her towards the kitchen.

Mayine shook her awake and watched quietly as she sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. She was still exhausted, that much is for sure; but she wasn't about to complain. Mayine grabbed a simple dark purple colored ballet necked shirt dress and handed the wad of fabric to her. It was plain, simple, yet apparently in fashion elsewhere in the world. Oceané knew nothing about fashion, same with Mayine except for what he's heard various Ukrainian women speaking about. Nurse women to be specific. These wore all the “fashionable” clothes around base, heck if they are going to war they are at least going to look good... or so their thoughts went. (Cue the rolling of the eyes.)

Oceané took the clothing and padded her way quickly towards the bathroom which was thankfully empty. She didn't make a sound as she walked or shut the door. Immediately after locking the door she dropped the blanket she had around herself as well as pulled off the shirt she was in, one of Youri's. It was white and had red around the sleeve endings, hem and collar of the shirt. It smelled of him and she savored the smell, bringing the bundle to her nose and taking a long whiff before letting it go for the time being. She loved the smell, his smell, and smiled as she thought about it. It was indescribable really; a bit of coffee, smoke, vanilla (from her most likely) and that metallic/oily smell that if found around machine shops and such.

She bit down on her lower lip while looking at herself in the mirror a split moment. She was only in her underwear and a bra, a real bra which she was given, not just the strapless stretchable cloth she had been used to. To her the new bra it was extremely uncomfortable and she wanted to just take it off but wouldn't dare. She wasn't too fond of the new piece of clothing, though for some reason it made her feel grown up in a way. Sadly.

Shaking her head to rid it of the thoughts swimming through her brain, she pulled the dress over her head and down her body. It reached past her knees but to her it wasn't long enough.

Sometime while she was sick Youri hadstolen taken her clothes. The ones she had been wearing the day she met him and the ones that she actually owned included. He hid them or something... That included her scarf and abaya, both of which she needed. Oceané was beyond annoyed with him. Couldn't he just understand that and as well as comprehend why she was upset with him? Accept what she did? Apparently not since she stood there without them both. Plus she hadn't actually seen him much...which also had a huge effect on her annoyance.

Creaking open the door after using the rest room and washing off her face, she peaked out. Mayine stood in the kitchen getting food. The coast had to be clear if he were to dare doing such a thing.

She nibbled on a small pre-packaged bag of dry cereal as Mayine led her towards the kitchen, the main kitchen where real food was served and not just snack rations in the apartment's kitchen. It was already dinner time. (She had been on a strange sleeping/ biological schedule since coming to this place she was in currently.) She cut up vegetables and cooked pasta until everything was ready. Her hand had been cut and burnt through in the process too. Mayine worked along side her and kept her company as did a few other younger and much older looking Arabian women. She didn't talk much because she was concerned about getting done on time and doing it right, yet she listened carefully to everything the others spoke about when Ukrainians weren't around the vicinity.

She learned more in those few hours about what was happening and why they were at the base than in the whole time she had been there. She even figured out, pieced things together, when they talked about a majority of their people being found dead. They were probably killed on the spot. Slaughtered.

Oceané was lucky she had been saved and she knew that fact at the moment.

Around 6 or so (by estimate) the food was served cafeteria style.

Oceané and the others stayed behind in the kitchen to restock when needed and then clean up after the soldiers had eaten. Oceané begrudgingly got the grueling task of dish washing since she was not “allowed” to be around other men. Not only because of Youri, whom she saw literally get furious and shake with anger (much like her father and brothers had in the past) as she looked briefly up at another man the other day when she had been sick and he took her to the doctor. Yeah, the doctor was the guy... Mayine also wasn't too keen on the idea of people seeing her, and to be honest neither was she.

She just wanted things to be normal, this new guys actually giving her attention, unwanted attention, was new to her. She was used to being in the background. Being invisible unless whenever she had done something wrong, then she seemed to be noticed. But not like she was being noticed now anyways...

She just was starting to come to grips with the idea of not all men using women as their punching bag, slaves and maids...

Oceané had just begun the dish washing when Youri snuck up behind her. It was a prime opportunity for him in that moment. He left the line to slip unnoticed back into the kitchen. Mayine saw him, smirked and shook his head after telling him quickly where she was at in the back of the kitchen area. Youri ran up to her in a rush and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around as he lift her up into the air. She squealed in surprise and splashed a bunch of water all over his face and clothes as a reaction. Giggling she looked up at his playful glare before looking down and blushing madly.

Youri was soaked now, his face and growing hair was dripping with water but he didn't care. He spun her around twice more while holding her in his arms bridal style; then ended dramatically by putting her back on her feet.

No one said a word. Youri and Oceané just stared at each other a moment before they both spoke at the same exact time.

"مرحبا" Youri spoke in Arabic. Oceané however spoke in Ukrainian: “привіт..” Both said “Hi.”

Youri burst out laughing at the ironic-ness of the situation. He had figured he wouldimpress surprise her by speaking her own language. Even a simple “hi” was something to take notice of. However, he wasn't expecting for her to say the same in his language... 'Wait, did I hear her right? Or was I imagining it.' He thought to himself.

Oceané blushed hearing him speak something she finally understood. It sent these sort of shivers and tingles down her spine making her blush like crazy in embarrassment. Although she had little to be embarrassed about now anyways.

Still, at the same time, Mayine stood back behind. Watching beyond amusement at the two of them. The two childish acting kids in front of him.

He learned he was older than them both despite not really looking like it. They reminded him of how he and his young deceased wife acted once upon a time. Only difference being (unlike Youri and Oceané) Mayine and his wife actually understood the other and they also grew up around each other all their lives. She died a few years earlier, on his 18th birthday. She was coming with his parents back home from a shopping trip in the city...they never made it home.

The thought didn't upset him, surprisingly it made him happy. Oceané was different from a majority of girls, okay almost every girl, though she had full reason to be. He saw how she squirmed under peoples stare, how she was uncomfortable in clothes others would think were outdated and just...too plain.

She is a pretty girl though.

Oceané looked up and to the side to see Mayine smirking.

“ماذا؟" (What?) Oceané asked, giggling as she looked over at him. Mayine was one Arabic man she didn't feel afraid of, that she wouldn't cover behind nor refuse to look at in the eye. He wouldn't let her because he wasn't a supporter of those practices...

“ Oceanéلا شيء" (Nothing Oceané) Mayine spoke as he chuckled, shaking his head to this side and back s few times. He just watched as Youri and her smiled and glanced at each other a moment, then both eventually went at the dishes. Only clanks and running water was heard.

The silence took over...but the silence was comforting.