***[POV: Flee First Fox]***
Rolling over on the feel of single-ply, sateen Egyptian cotton - with a thread count higher than the population of so of the smallest shifter kingdoms in my world - made the light that cut through a gap in the curtains lance directly onto my face.
The disorienting brightness triggered mories of the night to my waking brain. Not just the heated breaths and tangled limbs. But practically everything after.
Whispering things I shouldn’t have said. That mont when I kissed between her shoulder blades without thinking. Just because I felt gratitude that she either didn’t hear or didn’t comnt..
> What have I done, Vrika? <
My wolf spirit stretched ’awake’ lazily in my mindscape, radiating a sense of deep contentnt at every one of my choices that made want to scowl. I sat up abruptly, clutching a pillow to my chest as I realized I could hear the sound of running water from her ensuite bathroom.
I’d locked the door - like that would actually keep her out if she wanted in. Of course she has one of those little unlock rods for interior doorknobs. Am I both an idiot and a child!?
My whole body burns with mortification, even though she didn’t make a scene about it at all. Never knocked and demanded to be let in... or scratched at the door and whimpered.
> N-no. That’s not what I wanted or expected out of her, what are you talking about? <
Blue eyes judge so much that I flee into a different blue at the corners of my vision. The checklist glyph in my system interface pulsed, drawing my attention before I could spiral further into the fantasy. Of what I would have done if she’d begged.
| TASK: You Know What To Do |
| TASK COMPLETION ✓ |
| REWARD IMMINENT ⚝ |
Gibberish. Incomprehensible. Utterly coy and I hate it!
Worse is that I do not, in fact, know what - of any of the things I did - that ’cleared’ it. All I know is that I stopped paying attention to it the mont I realized my chance to slip away was dwindling every second I waste.
I needed to move. To get dressed and leave before we had to have so kind of complicated conversation about last night. So I slid out of the sheets and grabbed the first piece of clothing that would make decent for modern society I could see.
Definitely not that camisole over there. A red blouse hung from a chair and I put it on imdiately, not caring that it was not mine. Caring a *little* that it was sort of... tight. And ultimately both items have the sa problem of covering nothing below.
Hasty steps right into her closet and past where she kept the linens turn into a desperate search for shorts or pants. White slacks hung not far in and I all but jumped in them. Luckily I have hips, because her waist is a bit bigger than mine...
But I still have to roll up the ankles because she is taller. Vrika made a snorting sound as I poked my head out of the closet like I was checking both ways on a street.
> Shut up, I know there are clothes in my others stuff but I just want to Stash the whole thing and run, okay?! This was just supposed to be physical. Nothing more. The rest was... exhaustion and hunger? <
I don’t care what it thinks, but I am not here to look like so simpering maiden overco by a night of passion. I may be overreacting, but-
The water. Isn’t making noise anymore. I paused sharply, halfway to the door, and turned my head stutteringly... like my neck was a fast ticking tipiece. Kyrie stood there watching unnervingly, with a plush white towel wrapped around her whole body and another smaller one blotting through her damp hair.
Worst of all, she looked completely unsurprised... to find in panic. In flight. About to disappear without saying goodbye or good morning.
"I slept in the guest room. For what it’s worth. But my shampoo is in here. And... my clothes."
"Oh? That makes sense. I don’t mind. It’s your place. Heading back to my apartnt now."
Standing straight and square as I speak, despite feeling caught *in* her very clothes, brown eyes didn’t leave as she took steps closer with each brief statent I made. Veering toward the closet I’d just left... only after my heart thumped harder than it ever had.
"Going without breakfast?"
"I don’t need you to cook for again."
"I know you don’t need it. You could grab sothing along your way ho. I just thought I would offer. Coffee, then?"
The unhurried tone caught off-guard. I’d expected possessiveness, demands for to stay by her side. Perhaps the sort of dominance I imagined she showed when dealing with her pack’s wolves, after what I’d seen her do to those rogues. Not this... gentle consideration.
"...I don’t want you getting the wrong idea about last night."
Kyrie dropped her towels on a closet hook and was back out very quickly. In an outfit more like the ti we were stuck in that thunderstorm. Black shirt and jogging style pants.
Then she put herself between and the exit without looking at my face. It only occurs to then - for *so* reason - that I could have escaped. Not waited to see what she would co out in...
"Of course. Whatever you say. Does that make it a tea morning? Or a garlic butter one?"
When she turned, orange was wavering like candlelight, betraying her wolf’s feelings. However, an intentional tilt of her head away from exposed her neck more than enough to be noticed by... another werewolf.
> Is she trying to... dare to... no. That’s ridiculous. Why would she... <
My wolf growled softly in my mindscape, frustrated with my denial. But she’s an Alpha - everything about that feels backwards! It has to be a trap. A test.
"Maybe just so milk... as a courtesy to the host before I go."
Hearing myself saying this, I remain too focused on her lips as they curve in a patient smile before she turns away. I barely think of anything else except the details of last night for the next minutes. As Kyrie ground beans with a hand-chanical device before operating her expensive looking coffee machine.
> Won’t let hurry and drink on my own. So petty. <
I avoided the kitchen entirely and lingered by the glass wall, looking down at the city and not thinking about how I look. Eventually I saw her approaching in the reflection, then turned to find her with a steaming white mug filled with dark brown liquid - and a black one filled with cold white.
"Do you miss it?"
"Miss what?"
"Your kingdom. Being a Princess, to more than just . Having many lovers."
My hand paused with the cup halfway to my lips. Of all the kind of things she could have asked about...
"Sotis? But not always in the ways you might think."
She didn’t press for details to my non-answer, simply nodded and sipped her coffee. The silence that ford after should have been awkward, but it wasn’t. And that was sohow worse.
> Because dosticity in her presence growing when I am desperately trying to convince myself I need to leave before I stop wanting to, that’s why. No, you wouldn’t understand. I know. <
When I finished, taking twice as long as I would for the sa amount in this size cup if I was alone, I rinsed out the mug and placed it down in the sink. Trying for finality in my heart, with the clink and thunk it made.
> I an the ceramic on stainless, not noises in my chest, stupid wolf! <
"I should go now."
Still no argunt from her. Just a nod and a gesture toward the private elevator. But when we reached it, because of course she wanted to see off... she pulled a red plastic card from her pocket and held it out with two fingers.
"What’s this?"
"An access key to this private entrance elevator. So you can return without telling anyone. Any ti of day or night."
Finding it hard to refuse when she just holds it there, while taking over my space as if she won’t let leave without it, my fingers brushed hers as I took it. It must be the one Claire talked about ’having made’.
She stepped back after that. Respecting a more *reasonable* personal distance, even though her hand obviously spread out in... a shape. One that seed like she would have rather reached for and made that space between us zero again.
"Goodbye, Kyrie."
"See you soon, Citra."
The elevator doors closed and I sank against the wall in the small space, exhaling slowly. In seconds, I wanted to scream at how right she was.
> I left it all. Nineteen hells, I left it all in her guest room! Including the anti-werewolf... What? Oh... <
Turning my hand over, I activated my | Single Parent Stash | and out popped my purse that my wolf insisted was there. One that I barely rember storing away as I left the guest room last night, with a very short thought about potentially needing *certain* things in there.
"I guess I did need them."
Putting up my hair in beautiful, expensive sapphire cuffs and tilting my head... I take a picture with my phone. Really, where is my head this morning? I’m making so many mistakes.
And I’m smiling so, so much in this blasted photo. Just as I was in the window’s reflection - and probably all morning so far, if I understand myself right.
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