10-07-2016, 11:37 PM
Every day, Belle would wake in the early evening, head across the street to work, and rush through her route. She arrived back at the Midnight Rose in the wee hours of the morning, clocked out, slept, then woke up a scant few hours later to head to Garnet Street to train. She'd return hours later, exhausted, collapse into bed, and the cycle would repeat. It had become routine.
She knew it wasn't healthy. The grueling schedule left little time to relax, much less have any fun. The one night a week that she had off was usually spent trying to catch up on her mounting sleep debt. Sometimes, when she woke in the morning, eyes burning from the simulated sun, vestiges of sleep still wrapping its seductive fingers around her, Belle pondered quitting. Just give up, a little voice would whisper in her ear. Take this one extra day off. What's the harm? She'd close her eyes again. The memory of Lily's shrouded body being loaded into an ambulance would flash by. Sometimes, in the uneasy period between sleeping and waking, she thought that the ambulance was a hearse.
That would get her up.
Lily had been back at work for about three weeks, now. Her first day back, Jack had taken her off the poles and made her his personal secretary. Belle wasn't sure what he needed one for - he had never seemed particularly swamped or pressed for time. Maybe, like Belle, he felt some degree of responsibility towards her, or was trying to protect Lily in his own way. The idea of Jack being noble was alien, but to be fair, hardly the weirdest thing Belle had had to experience lately.
Still, with Lily back, things were at last settling down into something that resembled normalcy. And yet, not a day passed that Belle didn't think about that night, and not a time that she did when she didn't feel a twisting in her gut, a sick pang of guilt that mixed in with a foul coil of anger.
She had told Yuki that she wanted to protect people, and that was the truth - but it wasn't the whole truth.
The truth was, she wanted to find those men. Truth was, she wanted to hurt them.
Belle tried in vain to pick up a sushi roll with Yuki's provided chopsticks. She had been attempting to get the hang of the utensils, but their mastery still eluded her. They could still recognize me, she mulled as she chased sushi around her plate with the sticks. And then Lily might get hurt even worse. Maybe I need a mask or something.
The front buzzer sounded. Across the table, Yuki glanced up, her expression hovering somewhere between exasperation and resignation. She locked eyes with Belle, then looked down, expertly plucking food off her own plate. 'Fine,' she seemed to be saying.
Belle rose, grunting at the soreness in her muscles, and padded through the house to the front door. She peered through the peep hole, squinting. Recognizing the blurry form in the near distance she breathed a relieved sigh, opening the door and walking across the short path to the outer wall's gate where Nalia was waiting, holding a lunch bag.
"You don't know how much I need this," Belle said as she snatched the bag through the bars.
"Chopsticks?" Nalia asked as Belle pulled open the bag.
"Chopsticks," Belle confirmed, hurriedly pulling out one half of a peanut butter sandwich and sinking her teeth in. "Oh Jesus,” she moaned around a mouthful. “You're a lifesaver."
Nalia smiled, her tail twitching. As Belle watched it, still chewing, something occured to her. “And you're still a catgirl,” she added, voice muffled, mulling over this fact with a slight frown.
Nalia's smile faltered. “Uhm. Yes, I am.” A tilt of the head, ears twitching. “Exactly how hard did she hit you today?”
“Hardy har har,” Belle muttered, swallowing. Admittedly, Belle hadn't known Nalia for very long – Hell, she had only found out her name a few weeks ago, the same night they had 'been together'... Still, she had been around long enough to know that the girl changed her look several times a week. “It's just usually you're different by now.”
Nalia smirked. She was wearing a simple white sundress. With a spin, she pinched the hem of her skirt and lifted it halfway up her thigh.“I thought you liked it,” she teased.
“I, er-.” Belle could feel her cheeks burning. She shot a nervous glance over her shoulder. “I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.”
“You're thinking about it too hard.”
Belle snorted. “That's a new one.” She gazed upward, towards the 'noonday' lamps that illuminated the tier. “The old lady tells me I don't think enough, you tell me I think too much.” She 'hrm'ed grumpily. “I wonder which one of you is right.”
A hand touched her cheek, bringing her eyes back down. Moving to wrap around the back of her neck, Nalia's hand pulled Belle into the bars. Cold steel pressed against her cheeks as the woman's warm lips met her's. Smell of vanilla, taste of peanut butter. Nalia was right – she did think about things too much.
Nalia lingered before parting. “Okay,” Belle breathed after catching her breath. “Maybe you're right.”
Nalia rolled her eyes. She didn't even seem winded. “Just maybe?” she asked, watching as Belle took another bite of her sandwich. A moment of silence, then: “Well, since you brought it up: I actually might be different the next time you see me.”
Belle paused in mid-chew. Swallowed. “Oh. Yeah?”
“Client,” Nalia elaborated. “They hired me for a week! I guess they have some pretty specific needs.” She must have seen Belle's face, because she didn't continue further. “Sorry,” she said at last, looking guilty. “I didn't mean-”
“It's cool,” Belle cut her off. She couldn't stand that look. “Seriously! It's not like we're more than friends.”
Friends that shared intimate nights together. A friend whose body Belle's touch was exquisitely familiar with. Friends that kissed.
Tangled sheets. Sweaty skin. Scent of vanilla.
Peanut butter. Belle took another bite.
Nalia raised an eyebrow. “You're fine, then?”
Belle waved it off. “Of course I am. You gotta do what you gotta do, right?”
“Right,” Nalia said, eyes boring into her. “You're sure? I don't have to take the job...”
Belle smirked. “Now who's overthinking things?”
Nalia blinked, then snickered. “Fine. You're fine.” Her tail swished, ears twitching as she turned. “I'll see you around. Try not to let Missus Yuki beat you up too bad.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Belle answered, staring as she walked away. It wasn't as if she wasn't going to ever see her again. When Nalia was done with whatever it was she was doing, she'd show up again.
Ugh. I'm such a fucking dork.
Belle put what remained of her sandwich back in the bag and headed inside. Yuki was still at the table, sipping tea. Most of the sushi was still on her plate.
Belle sat down and pulled open the lunch bag. In addition to the sandwich there was a Corellian red pear, which Belle grabbed and took a bite out of. The juice burst on her tongue.
“So,” Yuki said, smirking ear to ear. “You're a lesbian.”
Belle immediately choked. She coughed and sputtered until Mister Pickles ran up, delivering heavy-pawed smacks against her back that dislodged the offending bit of pear. Belle gasped for breath, sitting back, wiping flecks of spit off her lips as Yuki cackled. “S-son of a bitch,” she wheezed. “What – No, sorry, Pickles, not you.”
Her cheeks felt like branding irons. “Are you spying on me?” she demanded.
“Don't flatter yourself,” Yuki chuckled. “You're just easy to overhear. All those smacking noises.”
“You ... heard that?” Belle felt like she could die on the spot and she wouldn't really mind. She sank back, wishing she could phase through the ground.
“My senses are stronger than the average person's. I know everything that happens in my home.” Yuki sipped her tea. Paused. “Also Mister Pickles was watching you and told me everything.”
Belle glared at the dog. “Traitor.”
Mister Pickles barked.
“So, what now?” Belle grumbled. “Are you going to lecture me on how immoral I am or something?”
“What? No. I don't care what you do with people for your ... jollies.”
Belle slapped the table with a hand, causing the plates to jump, and leaned over. “Then why even bring it up?!”
“Are you kidding?” Yuki's smirk widened. “Your reaction was priceless.”
She knew it wasn't healthy. The grueling schedule left little time to relax, much less have any fun. The one night a week that she had off was usually spent trying to catch up on her mounting sleep debt. Sometimes, when she woke in the morning, eyes burning from the simulated sun, vestiges of sleep still wrapping its seductive fingers around her, Belle pondered quitting. Just give up, a little voice would whisper in her ear. Take this one extra day off. What's the harm? She'd close her eyes again. The memory of Lily's shrouded body being loaded into an ambulance would flash by. Sometimes, in the uneasy period between sleeping and waking, she thought that the ambulance was a hearse.
That would get her up.
Lily had been back at work for about three weeks, now. Her first day back, Jack had taken her off the poles and made her his personal secretary. Belle wasn't sure what he needed one for - he had never seemed particularly swamped or pressed for time. Maybe, like Belle, he felt some degree of responsibility towards her, or was trying to protect Lily in his own way. The idea of Jack being noble was alien, but to be fair, hardly the weirdest thing Belle had had to experience lately.
Still, with Lily back, things were at last settling down into something that resembled normalcy. And yet, not a day passed that Belle didn't think about that night, and not a time that she did when she didn't feel a twisting in her gut, a sick pang of guilt that mixed in with a foul coil of anger.
She had told Yuki that she wanted to protect people, and that was the truth - but it wasn't the whole truth.
The truth was, she wanted to find those men. Truth was, she wanted to hurt them.
Belle tried in vain to pick up a sushi roll with Yuki's provided chopsticks. She had been attempting to get the hang of the utensils, but their mastery still eluded her. They could still recognize me, she mulled as she chased sushi around her plate with the sticks. And then Lily might get hurt even worse. Maybe I need a mask or something.
The front buzzer sounded. Across the table, Yuki glanced up, her expression hovering somewhere between exasperation and resignation. She locked eyes with Belle, then looked down, expertly plucking food off her own plate. 'Fine,' she seemed to be saying.
Belle rose, grunting at the soreness in her muscles, and padded through the house to the front door. She peered through the peep hole, squinting. Recognizing the blurry form in the near distance she breathed a relieved sigh, opening the door and walking across the short path to the outer wall's gate where Nalia was waiting, holding a lunch bag.
"You don't know how much I need this," Belle said as she snatched the bag through the bars.
"Chopsticks?" Nalia asked as Belle pulled open the bag.
"Chopsticks," Belle confirmed, hurriedly pulling out one half of a peanut butter sandwich and sinking her teeth in. "Oh Jesus,” she moaned around a mouthful. “You're a lifesaver."
Nalia smiled, her tail twitching. As Belle watched it, still chewing, something occured to her. “And you're still a catgirl,” she added, voice muffled, mulling over this fact with a slight frown.
Nalia's smile faltered. “Uhm. Yes, I am.” A tilt of the head, ears twitching. “Exactly how hard did she hit you today?”
“Hardy har har,” Belle muttered, swallowing. Admittedly, Belle hadn't known Nalia for very long – Hell, she had only found out her name a few weeks ago, the same night they had 'been together'... Still, she had been around long enough to know that the girl changed her look several times a week. “It's just usually you're different by now.”
Nalia smirked. She was wearing a simple white sundress. With a spin, she pinched the hem of her skirt and lifted it halfway up her thigh.“I thought you liked it,” she teased.
“I, er-.” Belle could feel her cheeks burning. She shot a nervous glance over her shoulder. “I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.”
“You're thinking about it too hard.”
Belle snorted. “That's a new one.” She gazed upward, towards the 'noonday' lamps that illuminated the tier. “The old lady tells me I don't think enough, you tell me I think too much.” She 'hrm'ed grumpily. “I wonder which one of you is right.”
A hand touched her cheek, bringing her eyes back down. Moving to wrap around the back of her neck, Nalia's hand pulled Belle into the bars. Cold steel pressed against her cheeks as the woman's warm lips met her's. Smell of vanilla, taste of peanut butter. Nalia was right – she did think about things too much.
Nalia lingered before parting. “Okay,” Belle breathed after catching her breath. “Maybe you're right.”
Nalia rolled her eyes. She didn't even seem winded. “Just maybe?” she asked, watching as Belle took another bite of her sandwich. A moment of silence, then: “Well, since you brought it up: I actually might be different the next time you see me.”
Belle paused in mid-chew. Swallowed. “Oh. Yeah?”
“Client,” Nalia elaborated. “They hired me for a week! I guess they have some pretty specific needs.” She must have seen Belle's face, because she didn't continue further. “Sorry,” she said at last, looking guilty. “I didn't mean-”
“It's cool,” Belle cut her off. She couldn't stand that look. “Seriously! It's not like we're more than friends.”
Friends that shared intimate nights together. A friend whose body Belle's touch was exquisitely familiar with. Friends that kissed.
Tangled sheets. Sweaty skin. Scent of vanilla.
Peanut butter. Belle took another bite.
Nalia raised an eyebrow. “You're fine, then?”
Belle waved it off. “Of course I am. You gotta do what you gotta do, right?”
“Right,” Nalia said, eyes boring into her. “You're sure? I don't have to take the job...”
Belle smirked. “Now who's overthinking things?”
Nalia blinked, then snickered. “Fine. You're fine.” Her tail swished, ears twitching as she turned. “I'll see you around. Try not to let Missus Yuki beat you up too bad.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Belle answered, staring as she walked away. It wasn't as if she wasn't going to ever see her again. When Nalia was done with whatever it was she was doing, she'd show up again.
Ugh. I'm such a fucking dork.
Belle put what remained of her sandwich back in the bag and headed inside. Yuki was still at the table, sipping tea. Most of the sushi was still on her plate.
Belle sat down and pulled open the lunch bag. In addition to the sandwich there was a Corellian red pear, which Belle grabbed and took a bite out of. The juice burst on her tongue.
“So,” Yuki said, smirking ear to ear. “You're a lesbian.”
Belle immediately choked. She coughed and sputtered until Mister Pickles ran up, delivering heavy-pawed smacks against her back that dislodged the offending bit of pear. Belle gasped for breath, sitting back, wiping flecks of spit off her lips as Yuki cackled. “S-son of a bitch,” she wheezed. “What – No, sorry, Pickles, not you.”
Her cheeks felt like branding irons. “Are you spying on me?” she demanded.
“Don't flatter yourself,” Yuki chuckled. “You're just easy to overhear. All those smacking noises.”
“You ... heard that?” Belle felt like she could die on the spot and she wouldn't really mind. She sank back, wishing she could phase through the ground.
“My senses are stronger than the average person's. I know everything that happens in my home.” Yuki sipped her tea. Paused. “Also Mister Pickles was watching you and told me everything.”
Belle glared at the dog. “Traitor.”
Mister Pickles barked.
“So, what now?” Belle grumbled. “Are you going to lecture me on how immoral I am or something?”
“What? No. I don't care what you do with people for your ... jollies.”
Belle slapped the table with a hand, causing the plates to jump, and leaned over. “Then why even bring it up?!”
“Are you kidding?” Yuki's smirk widened. “Your reaction was priceless.”
Uh oh. Those boys got me all tingly...
![[Image: ezgif-1-a370e630e1.gif]](https://s7.postimg.cc/elmiaogd7/ezgif-1-a370e630e1.gif)
I must calm it.
I must calm it.