Anise murmured a few instructions to Reina as I settled onto the cushions. When she knelt to sit across from , I was still trying to find a comfortable position while my mind kept drifting back to... other seating surfaces.
> Her thighs were firm and supple. <
"Is this way of sitting uncomfortable?"
"This is fine."
My voice ca out rougher than intended. Anise’s smile suggested she caught the undertone - and made so probably correct assumptions about what I was thinking of.
"So. Should we pretend that didn’t just happen between you two, or can we acknowledge it? Not that I need the more interesting details."
"I don’t know what you an."
My social composure was fairly stable, even when she said the word ’details’. But I do feel warm... in that way which suggests I may well be blushing. I’m getting used to Helene’s body’s internal temperature and physical changes.
> I wonder how many tis I turned red without noticing it while talking to Kyrie in the past... <
The sound of knuckles knocking on the nice, spotlessly clean wooden table caught my attention. Just a little more serious, the blonde leveled a look at that said I needed a less deflecting answer.
"Citra, your hair was mussed on one side when I ca in there, not to say anything about the positioning you both were in. Your lip is still swollen from where you keep biting it. And you’ve been flexing your fingers with loose energy since we left the boutique."
My hand unconsciously moved up and felt my lips. She was right, and I curse in my native tongue at Vrika for not assigning its regenerative attention to my self damage. It whines in apology and deflates my anger.
> Fine, it’s... fine. I know you’re a bit out of it after that too. I shouldn’t take it out on you. <
"I... we didn’t actually..."
"Oh, I know you didn’t finish anything. There was hardly enough ti for that between two consenting adult won. I’m told the experience is nothing as... to the point as with most n."
"Anise, please!"
She laughed at my mortified expression, but it was with warmth rather than mockery. Which might be expected of soone who offered their private space for... private things. But she seed to give up the teasing for a while and do sothing on her phone.
While I cald down I gave a good look at the edges of my vision. The system was suspiciously inert, considering it has had a habit of pushing toward connecting with Kyrie. No pulsing blue glows were to be found, just the static symbols as usual.
Reina returned with a tray of green colored tea and various small appetizers, setting them down one after another while explaining their nas and ingredients. She provided another graceful bow before departing.
Both of us sip at the roasted, nutty flavored drink that we were told was lower in caffeine than the other options. Sothing that Anise requested for us in her murmur earlier because she said I didn’t need any more stimulating...
"You might not want to hear this, but soone needed to give you two an opportunity. The way you’ve been circling each other was already getting painful to watch - and I’ve only seen you both on three separate occasions since I’ve t you."
"We weren’t circling."
I quickly defend, even as I would ascribe the sa description to it. Even as I wonder... just what was done or said by Kyrie Voss in view of this woman, that brought her to such a conclusion.
"No? Then what would you call it?"
I reached for one of the pickled vegetables, buying ti to think. The purple colored eggplant mostly tasted only like the vinegar and salt to at first. Though it did grow its own unique earthy taste on the finish.
> Every encounter had been so charged in one way or another. With a eting point at the center, where she has already rapidly been drawn into while I... spiral. Yes, spiral. It might be semantics, but that’s the word I would use! <
"Like I told you before, I call it... complicated."
"Mmm. Of course. And now?"
"Now it’s even more complicated. Thank you."
"You know, in my line of work, people co to for clothes all the ti. For their special occasions as well as their everyday lives. So, I see a lot of relationships."
Anise poured more tea for both of us, the ritual looking movents giving her ti to study my face as I watched her serve. Because of that, I could see that she knew I was a little too interested in her speech.
And that I was mildly annoyed when she played the ’stuffing my face between talking points’ move. Though the way she reacted to the taste, I don’t think she’s a fan of carrots. Did she punish herself intentionally or pick up the wrong one?
"There are the ones that work effortlessly, the ones that don’t no matter how much people try, and the ones that could work if the two would just stop getting in their own way."
"And I assu you are telling this because we fall into the third category in your eyes?"
"Oh, definitely. You two have enough positive and negative chemistry reactions going on to power the city grid... but you’re also both so busy protecting yourselves that you can’t see what’s right in front of you."
I took another sip of the green tea she’d poured, letting its toasted warmth replace the mont of cold that entered . I know how much she ans well - and I have nothing against her for trying to ’talk sense’ into .
> But she has no idea what’s right ’behind’ . Or what’s ahead for . <
The city in my mindscape grows covered with the sa cold I feel. Ri covered buildings, snow covered streets. Hanging icicles and just all of the inhospitality I can let my imagination of winter to muster.
Vrika whines softly as I sit down next to the black wolf. Throwing my arm around it and touching my other hand onto my stomach. All in Helene’s form for the first ti in a little while. Because it’s the way that I’ll be dealing with all of this.
It’s because I don’t like feeling this way towards others that I usually go find a cave to hide in. Setting the cup down and spinning it carefully, I sigh and shoot her as kind a look as I can right now.
"Things are not that simple."
"They never are. But it probably doesn’t have to be as complicated as either of you are making it. Look what happened when you just spent a short bit of ti together. What was wrong with it?"
Reina returned with the main courses while I really gave her question deep thought. The presentation was beautiful on the large black ceramic dishes that they used in house. Elegant arrangents of many of the sa things we ate before.
Sitting there artfully, almost too perfect to eat. However, my stomach growled audibly enough that the woman across the table frowned at . I reached for the chopsticks, actually grateful for the distraction of the food.
> I don’t have to think about her skin or how soft her hair against the back of my hand was.
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