She saw him again when she was out in town with the head chef to help him receive a package of foreign spices. He claimed she will be able to smell their freshness better as a human.
By the beautiful sea at the port, Lily smiled wide, throwing her arms out as the sea wind breezed by. The crates were being unloaded ahead and she waited to be called on the wooden deck splashed with salt water. She inhaled the subtle smell of freshened wood.
"Would blue suit me?" a voice asked by her side.
Lily froze, slowly turning to see him leaning over to her height.
"Please forget about what had transpired."
"Why? I enjoyed hearing someone tell me I can resemble an eggplant. How would I look in blue?"
Lily groaned. He laughed. It sounded mesmerizing with its grounding yet light lilt and it matched the twirl of the bright blue waves.
"Oh, let me guess- Floating around seaweed. Perhaps a tropical fish! I rather like this option."
Lily dropped her head. "Please don't make fun of me."
"My apologies. It's just teasing you is simply too much fun," he answered earnestly.
"Too much fun…." she muttered.
"If it helps, my tailor agreed with you wholeheartedly."
She whipped her head up. "You told him?"
"I tell him everything. From how I sink these ships at night to the ways I lead the bandits legion."
"Oh, very funny." A small smile broke its way through her face.
The head chef with his octopus-like figure turned towards her and stared, and she took this as her cue to do her part.
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"If you'll excuse me, I need to go help my colleague." She walked away but the visitor followed her steps.
"If you don't mind me asking, with what? Looks rather interesting."
"I just need to determine the freshness of some spices with my nose."
"Do humans have enhanced smell?" He sounded positively curious.
"Not exactly. But it does depend on the robot they are being compared with."
They stopped in front of an open crate and before Lily even leaned in to see the tons of orange colored stems, the strong scent wafted out, coating her nose. She inhaled and the deep bitter smell caused a pleased expression to crack her face.
He mirrored her posture, watching her expression with fascination. They were smelling the same spice but it felt like she was somewhere far, and somewhere blissful. "What do you smell?"
"Tickling. Comforting. Notes of honeyed flowers with coziness of the dampened soil." She sniffed it again and again. "And chef, very very fresh!"
The chef clapped his hands, telling the sellers to pack it up. The two straightened up and Lily saw how he was staring at the crate almost longingly as she was feeling.
His green wasn't disharmonious with the blue of the sea behind.
"My observation would be the oceans and the forests. The color blue on you," she specified.
He was quiet before humming. "You really are a charmer."
"Don't take it the wrong way."
"Not taken." He more than happily obliged.