Yes... and No

“Yes… you did this.” Zac plainly said with taking his eyes off the woman.

Blackfire’s lungs filled with air and her mouth readying for the insults to come forth, but Zac kept going.

“But… I don’t blame you.”

“You insignificant litt…., Wait What?” Blackfire muttered as the hot air left her sails. Her face was priceless as her mind was trying to find the proper 'gear' to be in to handled this.

“Blackfire… I saw you on the camera. I saw what you did with that odd spray can before talking to Layla." Zac explained, not caring what she thought about him 'spying' on her. Deal with that later.

Blackfire started to puff up and get ready for another angry bout, but Zac wasn’t going to let her get started. Honestly, he had experience with this from his Ex; if she got going she was hard to stop and better to just let her wear herself out. If he kept up his own pace though, well, that was easier to manage. Make Blackfire keep up with HIM instead.

“I saw how you looked after you came back from your little, trip. And I saw how you tried to make yourself look more… presentable for my daughter. Was it that spray on mixture or something else that said Layla off? Don’t know, seems reasonable. But you did that to be..., well I believe trying to be nice towards her, not out of malice. Or your own ego.”

“So while you messed up; it wasn’t because you were trying to do it. And I’m partially to blame for not thinking about it till now. Kinda had my mind elsewhere. So…, I don’t hold it against you. I just ask you be a little careful around Layla from now on, okay?” Zac offered her, leaving her with that opening to make her own stance on the topic.

Blackfire brought a clenched hand to her chin, thinking. Her eyes moving off to the side in thought. Before she let out a long sigh that trailed off.

“Fiiiiiine. Just another thing to worry about. Throw it on the pile. More limitations on top of everything else.” She said with closed eyes and a shrug.

“I mean… where you going to do anything with a lot of smell or odor to it? You don’t seem like a perfume kind of gal.” Zac stated with a small grin as he moved to check the pot.

“Only the finest and most delicate ones.” Blackfire said with a smirk, puffing up with a bit of pride over what was 'good' enough for her, “Though given we are in the boonies, I’m not likely to find any that fit to my caliber. And the closest commercial zone that could have something like that is sectors away.... short of piracy.”

“Please no. I'd rather not risk Layla.... or our only ship." Zac said, worried about what else she might do before moving on, "So no big loss then huh?”

“No… but it’s the principle damn it.” Came the grumble, as the alien relaxed her stance, “I do suppose I’ll have to look at the air filters and scrubbers…, perhaps rig up something with an oxygen mask if she ever needs to leave the ship”

“You’d do that?” Zac asked, turning to stare at the princess. He hadn't expected her to be this... helpful.

“I don’t like Having to do it mind you…, but between you panicking over your daughter sounding like she’s trying to eject a lung,” Blackfire weakly raised up one hand, before raising up the other, “And doing some extra maintenance work… well. Seems like a no brainer to me.”

“Granted, I will be showing you how to do all this yourself, minion. After all, I can’t be doing labor all day. And you’re used to that aren’t you?” She said with a coy small smile as she leaned over the counter a bit more.

“Yeah yeah…, I hear yah.” Zac said, taking his own turn at rolling his eyes, before giving her a weak smile, “Thank you though. For that help..., and trying to cover up for my daughter. Just next time maybe change clothes.”

“I’ll have to huh… shame, kinda wanted to keep this on. Oh well.” Blackfire said as she changed just one finger with energy.

With a flick of her wrist, her finger easily sliced through the zipper of her jacket. Freed from the restraining material, her chest bounced a bit as they moved back into their natural positions. She took a bit of pride from causing the look Zac's face and how quickly he made himself busy with the soup. Always fun to get people to stumble like that with just her looks.

“So hey, *cough*," Zac started. He wasn't a shy virgin but being around someone this foward and giving out THIS mixed signals was... probably not good for his heart. "I appreciate what you did for her, but why did you cover up around Layla…, or come back in the first place?”

“Why the hell DID I do that? She's just a fucking kid from this stupid man.... AGGGGGGGGGGGH” Part of her mind screamed. Her physical self just shrugged as she shifted her weight a bit.

“Well I realized I probably couldn’t leave either of you alone for as long as I wanted to. Would I even have a ship when I got back? The little menace could have started a chain reaction or something. Or you trying to get it moving and slam it into another ship.” She explained.

That... was pretty true. Layla was quite inquisitive if left alone. Her mom had been so mad when she wanted to see what would happen if she put dishwaser soap in the tub..., the entire bottle. For himself..., well trying to move the ship had been something that floated past his mind but given everything else on hand, kinda didn't factor into anything just yet. Left alone for a few hours, maybe he could have been dumb.

“As for covering…," Blackfire went on, drawing his attention again," Well I do have an image to maintain. I’m a bad girl Zac. A villian, a warlord, a queen, and a mighty warrior...., also while not being shy about showing off what she has been blessed with." She leaned a bit more to tease him more before leaning back up. "BUT I am not a floozie that doesn't care about what she is or isn't wearing, along with who is or isn't around her. Geeze, the things some people wear around kids. I DO have a line..., even if it's semi burnt in the ground and I keep remaking it.”

“And you baring your almost burnt away top that barely hanging on when it's just the two of us?” Zac asked.

“Oh dear minion...," he could swear Blackfire almost purred those words out, "Just reminding you of what was promised to you…., that you’ll never get. I said I’m bad girl ‘dear’. It's also just funny to see you flustered.”

"So glad I can provide amusement to you...." Zac complained but still had a half smile, "Anyway... here you go."

Blackfire had a small cup put in front of her, full of the soup and noodles. More trash food that wouldn't suit her pallet and yet.... it did smell good. And what was this small bottle of brownish dust next to it? She grabbed it carefully and held it up to the light for a better look.

"It's cinnamon. Or at least a small amount of it. I remember the deal, I do the cooking, you play nice; and in return you get some cinnamon to sprinkles on your food." Zac said as he went to the fridge to get some juice, putting two cups on a small tray, "Look I don't know if that's going to taste well, haven't tried it with soup myself. I suggest using only a small amount with a spoonful of the soup."

"....I'll keep that in mind. But it's nice to know you are going to uphold your end of the bargain." Blackfire said as she took the cup and bottle over to the table to start eating.

Zac just shrugged as he started to make his way with the tray off to Layla's room. There was however something that just popped in his mind, something to tell the princess. He doubled back and leaned around the entry way to call back to her.

"Hey... I also wouldn't try eating the cinnamon by itself, it kinda doesn't work out too well went swallowed by itself. Got it?"

"HMMM! Yeah. Sure! Got it. Just... go see to your spawn already." Blackfire called back, turning her head just a bit to yell at him as her back was facing him.

Zac just shrugged and went on his way. It was weird though, her voice sounded a bit muffled. Blackfire though waited a minute or two before moving towards the kitchen sink, tryin to spit out the large glob of cinnamon she had tried to shallow. GOD it just absorbed all the moisture in her mouth and just tasted NOTHING like it actually did from the pancakes.

"....Did he trick me now?" The princess muttered, as she took a small spoonful of that soup and put a few shakes of cinnamon on it. She slowly sipped it, added another shake, and sipped again.

"...., mmm much better." She said to herself, as she got into a pattern of shaking some spice for each spoonful.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.