Catharsis
#5 of K and M
Alrighty, well, finally got over a little bit of a stumbling block with plot work in this story. And yes, I am fully aware that I am being a tease with this story, but trust me, it will pay off in the end. Besides, this story is about dealing with memories, not jumping right into the fun part. Still, the fun part comes next, I promise.
Let me know what you think of this one, and, as always, I hope you enjoy it.
The smooth white ceiling should have been unremarkable. And on any other day, it would have been. But tonight, as the rain drummed on the roof and walls of the bedroom, Michiko found the faint swirling patterns left by the painters to be oddly entrancing. Which ordinarily would have been something she could appreciate. But not when she had spent the last hour or so staring up at it, listening to the storm. It wasn't that the bed wasn't comfortable, because it was, even more so because of the faint whiff of earthy cinnamon coming from the sheets. That was also part of the problem, and she knew it. As tired as she was, as mixed up as her emotions had become today, hard as she tried, she couldn't sleep. Her mind kept running over everything that had happened, until everything was jumbled up.
She remembered sitting in her car in the parking lot, trying to decide if she could justify imposing on Kael, and that seemed to lead directly into her driving over to Andy's place after class. Her memories of the drive seemed to make the journey in the storm after that last forever, which she preferred to reliving the awful moment she had found out the truth about Andy and their relationship. But she couldn't stop from seeing it, over and over again. It made her heart clench, the heaviness of threatened tears rising in her chest, like bands were being tightened around her. It was like probing a wound, seeing how bad it was, and how much it hurt. She couldn't stop thinking about it, despite the pain. And then...
Reaching up with one hand, the panda fox brushed her lips, smiling at the faint tingling sensation that the memory of Kael's lips against hers brought. The echoes of his taste still lingered, dancing in and out of her memories of the day, no matter how many times she ran that wonderful moment through her head. Of course, the fact that the flannel sheets, warm and soft against her fur, carried the scent of the wolf didn't exactly help her rest either. The hungry thing that had awoken in her when he had told her how he felt about her was still there, pacing around the edges of her conscious thoughts, never quite letting her settle down, knowing the object of its unfulfilled desires was only a few feet away. She wanted to feel that again, the warm rush brought on by his muzzle meeting hers, the sweetness of his kiss.
Sighing, Michiko rolled over onto her side, looking away from the unhelpful ceiling and looked at the closet door instead, where her skirt, shirt, and jacket were hanging on borrowed hangers, drying out from the rain. It was necessary, she knew, since her clothes had still been soaked through when she had turned in for the night, and trying to sleep in damp clothes was a nonstarter, even if she had been in her own bed. Even so, the knowledge that she was lying in his bed, wearing only her panties made calming down very difficult. Fantasy images kept drifting through her mind every time she came near to dropping off to sleep; images of Kael appearing at the doorway and sliding into bed with her. Of kissing him again, and feeling his arms enclose her, pulling her against him. Of their clothes joining those hanging by the closet... The flare of heat that accompanied that wonderful thought centered itself rather lower down than her heart and she sighed in quiet frustration. Oh hell, better just to admit it and be done with it... The image of her and Kael having sex and falling asleep in the afterglow made her shiver with anticipation, the warmth and desire brought on by the idea building steadily within her. But she also knew it wasn't going to happen. Not that way, at least. Even if it occurred to Kael to come to the bedroom like that, which she honestly doubted, he wouldn't do it.
Even knowing that it wasn't going to happen, she still couldn't help but wonder how it might go. She had been having fantasies about him since freshman year of high school, just adolescent ideas at first, driven by the ridiculous notions that teen magazines went on and on about. And then, as she had been introduced to romance novels, the fantasies had gotten more vivid and detailed, if not very much more realistic. But, of all the numerous fantasies she had had over the years, she had to wonder just which one would be closest to the truth, if any of them ever could be. Would he be the sort of aggressive, take charge lover that some of the romance novels said was ideal, someone to whom she would surrender? Since he was a knight; muscular, strong and fierce, someone she had seen take on several larger fighters at the same time and win, she could see it. Or would he be the sort of romantic, gentle lover that she didn't really believe existed; one who could make her melt into his every touch, as the more flowery novels put it. Knowing the sort of person he was, she could almost believe that too. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, she finally sat up, swinging her legs over to the side of the bed. Another sigh made her realize how dry her mouth had become, her tongue feeling thick and heavy. The alarm clock said it was just after eleven and she licked her lips. Being thirsty didn't help much either...
Pushing herself to her feet, she walked to the door and opened it, pausing on the threshold as a thought suddenly occurred to her. Looking down at herself, she bit her lip in apprehension. Since her plan had to been to spend the night having sex with Andy, she was not wearing her usual undergarments. Instead, she had opted for a pair of panties that she had specially ordered; mostly lace, shaped to show off her extra assets while accentuating her womanly hips, with a matching bra that revealed much more of her than not, only her habits of modesty having led her to choose a style with a solid opaque strip that covered her most intimate places. For a few moments, while she had been undressing before lying down, she had considered wearing her bra to bed as well, not feeling too comfortable with the idea of being almost naked here, but, while the lacey garment was designed to be alluring, it was not designed to be comfortable, and the collection of gossamer lace lay on the floor, over near her clothes.
If she went out there dressed like this, that thin strip of solid cloth would be the only thing standing between her showing everything to Kael. She was already completely topless, and that alone seemed a little intimate for the current state of their relationship. Then again... so what? She knew what she wanted from the handsome wolf, so what did it matter, in the end, if he saw her like this? Why shouldn't he see her dressed in nothing but sexy underwear? But even more than that, she knew that, if he did see her like this, it wouldn't change anything. He had already proven that he had control over himself. If only I had the same control... Shaking her head at her temptations, she walked back over to the closet and touched her shirt, finding that it was mostly dry, feeling merely cool to the touch, rather than damp. Sliding it over her head, the panda fox pulled it down and looked at herself again. The shirt itself was almost a crop top, the lower hem a few inches above her panties, and though it had a deep cut around her neck, showing plenty of cleavage, at least she wouldn't be flashing her breasts.
Squaring her shoulders, Michiko walked out to the end of the short hall, pausing at the entryway for a moment. The living room was dark, lit with the occasional distant flash of lightning, but she could still clearly pick out the wolf lying on the couch, his light colored fur standing out even in the dimness. To her surprise, he had taken off his t-shirt, revealing the expanse of his toned, white furred chest. One hand was behind his head, the other resting on his chest, and he did not appear to have the same trouble she did, his chest rising and falling in a calm, slow rhythm. Of course he didn't. Insomnia was the province of the troubled and conflicted, not someone who had no reason to be anything other than at peace. But, as she stood there, taking in the sight of her friend's sleeping form, she realized she was smiling. She had seen him shirtless plenty of times, since they both enjoyed swimming, and she had never felt like this. This, was somehow very different than that, her eyes somehow noticing the definition of every muscle, from the curve of his pecs down to his six pack. Damn. Even just lying there sleeping, he is sexy.
Shaking her head, she continued on into the kitchen, picking up a glass from the counter by the sink where it was drying and quietly filling it with water from the tap. When she had drunk her fill, she put the cup back where she had found it, upside down so it would dry, and turned back, intending to go back to the bedroom and hopefully to sleep. She had only taken a few steps before she froze, staring. Though he lay back and breathed like he was sleeping, she saw the gleam of his very blue eyes in the reflected light from outside. He was awake after all, and his eyes were locked on her, unabashedly staring, watching her as she walked. Pausing for a moment, she prepared for the hot flush of embarrassment, and she felt heat alright, but... It didn't make her want to cover up, or run for the bedroom to hide. It wasn't even the flaring heat of arousal. Rather, it started somewhere around her heart, swelling outward, making her white tipped ring tail wag, and that surprised her. Walking slowly, very deliberately not making any attempt to conceal herself, she headed for the part of the couch where his feet were, the wolf obligingly pulling them up to give her space.
"Forgive me for staring, Michiko." He said softly, his voice warm. "But I could not ignore such beauty, and I could not bear to deprive myself of seeing such a sight." Now, she felt the heat of the blush run through her and she smiled sheepishly as she sat down.
"I thought you were sleeping." She replied, and it was his turn to smile.
"I have found that unexpectedly difficult tonight." The wolf replied, his eyes very clearly on her own, not breaking the horizon, despite her revealing clothes. "Though I don't seem to be the only one."
"I can't seem to drop off either." Michiko admitted, looking away from him. "I keep thinking about what happened today. About what Andy did. And..." She paused for a moment, then continued, looking back towards his face. "And about you."
"I am sorry about that." Kael replied, frowning slightly. "I didn't want to cause you trouble."
"Heh. It isn't that." She said, chuckling at how absurd the whole situation was. He always seemed too good to be true. "Mostly, its that I can't believe that I am doubting how I feel, and what I want." Cocking his head in the usual canine manner, he sat up, looking at her in confusion. "Kael, you can't possibly know how... hard it is to doubt how I think I feel about you."
"You might be surprised." He said, looking down at his lap and tapping his fingers together. At her questioning glance, he leaned back, breathing out a noisy breath, his ears folding back. "Do you remember what I told you about knight training?"
"What part?" She asked, surprised at the turn the conversation was taking.
"After we master the basics, we begin to train and practice with leather sacks filled with sand draped across our shoulders, and weight belts strapped to our arms and legs, to simulate fighting with armor. We would do it for hours, weighed down so even the smallest motion is an effort. By the time we were done training at the end of the day, we could barely move, barely keep standing." The wolf knight paused then, seeming lost in memories. "It got easier, as we grew stronger, until we no longer felt the weight. That is how I have felt for a long time, when I thought about you. Weighed down, everything an effort, because you didn't know, you couldn't know. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid that you wouldn't feel the same. Eventually, I got used to the weight that I was carrying around, and I could accept that I couldn't tell you."
"Kael..." She said, reaching out and putting one crimson gloved hand on his arm. He smiled, putting his own hand over hers, his touch electrifying.
"I thought for a while that it had gone away, and I would never have to face telling you. But..." He chuckled softly. "Its funny, how you can get so used to something that you don't notice it, but its so obvious to someone else." At her perplexed expression, he continued. "You asked me once, why Dan and I broke things off. We were at dinner one day, and he told me that he thought he was falling in love with me, but that was also the problem. I didn't understand what he meant, and he explained that he wished, really and truly, that I could love him back. I tried to tell him that I could, that I did, and that I didn't know what he was talking about. And then he told me it was very clear that I was in love with someone else... that I was in love with you. He told me to stop playing around, and tell you, but, by then, you were dating Andy, and I didn't want to come between you."
"And now you have told me, and I had to go and mess it up by not being sure." The panda-fox replied, her own ears folding back in shame as she realized the magnitude of what was going unsaid between them, the pain that they both had been feeling without knowing it. It made her heart soar, and yet, it also made her ache.
"No." He stated, gently squeezing her hand. "Its better this way. This way, no matter where things go, I will know its real. Its out in the open now."
"Damnit." She said softly as a broad grin spread over her features, making him grin in reply. "You really are not making this easy, you know."
"Sorry." He said, not sounding sorry at all. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the rain that still drummed on the outside of the building. Then, Michiko felt a yawn force its way up her throat, and she allowed it to happen, surprised. Why was this making her feel sleepy? It should only have cast more doubt on her feelings. Finally, she looked at Kael again, feeling the warm something that she had felt upon seeing that he was looking at her settle deep in her chest once more, as if the embers of a campfire were blazing there. An idea came to her a moment later, accompanied with an incredible calm sense of certainty.
"Kael," she began and he looked at her once more. "Would you do something for me, if I asked?"
"Almost certainly." He replied, and she hesitated a moment longer before taking the plunge and stating her desire.
"Come to bed with me." She said, and she saw the conflict in his beautiful eyes once more. But, before he could speak, before he could voice the protest that she knew he would feel obligated to make, she continued. "I promise, I won't do anything to push you anywhere. I just...I want to be held, just for a while."
"...Why are you asking me for that?" He inquired, his hand trembling slightly on hers.
"Because..." Michiko replied, looking down at her lap for a moment. "Because I don't know if I have ever lain in someone's arms, without wondering how they feel about me. Because I think I have wanted that in particular since I started to fantasize about you. Because you make me feel safe. And because...well, because I know I can trust you, and that is something I need right now. Besides, I think we both need this."
"Then yes, I will." He replied, and she was surprised to see the bashful smile return to his lips at his words. Nodding decisively, Michiko rose to her feet, feeling the wolf rise with her. He started to move towards the bedroom, then stopped suddenly, his head cocked as if he just realized what he had heard and she moved up beside him, finding him with a questioning look on his face. "Wait... You fantasize about me?"
"Yes, yes I do." Michiko said, laughing at the expression on his face, the wolf clearly surprised and flattered by the notion. "It might surprise you to know that just about every girl I have met does."
"Really?" he asked, and she nodded, taking his hand, and pulling him gently onward towards the bedroom. "Huh. I guess I just never thought about that." Of course he hasn't.
"Maybe I will tell you some, if we end up going there." She said, crossing the threshold to the bedroom. Once they were both inside, she shut the door once more, and crossed to the bed, pushing the covers back and sitting down on the edge once more. Kael remained standing by the door for a moment, taking a deep breath, then, he reached down and unbuttoned his shorts. As he let them fall, revealing that he wore dark blue boxer shorts beneath them, the panda-fox felt a sudden warm heat flood her entire body, a shiver making her fur stand on end. Michiko was surprised by the move, her eyes widening, her heart picking up its pace as he stepped out of the cloth at his feet, and now the hot flare of arousal surged to life in her loins. It wasn't that he had done it like a strip tease, clearly just getting comfortable instead. But now, only a single, thin layer of cloth apiece lay between them, and... Holy shit, I'm about to lie down with him, what the hell am I doing?
Swallowing against the uncertain panic that threatened to well up in her even as her sheath began to stiffen, the sight of the wolf undressing made the hungry thing inside her sit up and take notice, her tail wiggling slightly as he moved to sit beside her on the bed. For a few moments, the pair sat still, side by side, Michiko taking the time to take some deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. Of course, since the air was filled with the spicy scent of the wolf, breathing deep didn't actually help very much. Seemingly oblivious to her distress, Kael scooted back from the edge, coming to rest so he was lying on his side facing her, lounging comfortably. For a moment, just a moment, she allowed herself to admire the enticing view, wondering if this might just be a mistake. Then, knowing it was too late to pull back from the situation now, the hybrid girl moved so she was lying in a similar position, her back to the wolf, half hoping that he would take the hint, and half that he would maintain the distance between them.
A moment later, any such thoughts went right out of her head as the wolf slid himself forward to the middle of the mattress, and she shivered again as the distance between them closed. Oh gods, she wanted him to pull her close, exactly like she had dreamed about, to feel him enfold her in his embrace, but he did nothing of the kind. With a touch so gentle she wondered at first if it was really there, the wolf laid one warm hand on her side, just above her hips, his fingers settling into the strip of bare fur. And there he paused, just a touch, no more, allowing her to make the next move. The feeling of his hand upon her fur, the knowledge of how close he was, meant that there was only one move she would possibly make. Shifting herself backward, she slid towards the center as well, until she felt the contact of his form against her, and now he moved, shifting so they were nestled together, his broad muscular chest to her back, his legs resting against hers, even their tails lying against one another. And now the hand that rested on her side moved, sliding forward to her belly instead, sending another shiver down her spine. The sensation of this, the feeling of his body against her made the shiver rebound and come shooting back upward, her tail giving another wiggle and flick as they lay.
But still, her heart was hammering in her chest, and she bit her lip, wondering if she dared go a step further. On the one hand, this was more than she had ever dared hope to have happen with him. She wanted more than simply sleeping against him, as pleasant as that was going to be. She knew she was pushing it as it was, and it would most certainly not be fair to ask Kael to endure more than the temptation he had to feel already. The real question was, could she bear it? Could she stand to go that last step and no further? Only one way to find out...
Before she could reconsider, she reached down, seizing the edge of her shirt, drawing it upward, back over her head, and tossed it in the direction of the closet, leaving her topless once more. She caught the change in scent coming from the wolf, a faint electric note of excitement accompanying his ears folding back in surprise. But, though the hungry thing inside her purred in contentment at her behavior, she knew instantly nothing untoward was going to happen. A moment later, she shifted herself that last little bit backward, pressing against Kael's warm body, reveling in the sensation of the wolf's thick white fur mingling with the orange bordered crimson of her back. Even as she moved, Kael's hand gently urged her closer, the wolf moving in unison with her, melding their bodies as close as they could, just as she had hoped he would. Then, as they grew still, the hand on her abdomen moved, slowly but steadily, tracing the borders of the white patch, and stroking through her soft red and orange pelt, from just under her ribs to the top of her panties, and then back up. His touch really was electrifying, but also strangely calming, making her feel like she was completely enveloped by him. She could scent the indefinable note of desire in his aroma, and she yearned for his touch to become anything but innocent, but this was infinitely better.
Finally, Kael's chin came to rest between her ears and another thrilling shiver shot down the length of her spine. It really sunk in in that moment; she and Kael were spooning like lovers, and though they both wanted to be that very thing, they wouldn't. Not tonight. Heat seemed to suffuse her whole body, and she suddenly felt like she was melting, pressing back into his touch, welcoming every little detail of the feeling. She even welcomed the quiver of arousal that passed through her at the sheer, wonderful intimacy of being spooned by him, but that small quiver of sensation was all she would allow. A moment later, as his idly trailing hand became still once more, she laid her hand on top of his, lacing her fingers through his, making him shiver as well as she drew the hand upward, holding it in place over her heart. She was already so warm she wouldn't need the covers, the heavy drowsy sensation that was so welcome overwhelming the last lingering vestiges of doubt. It was worth it to take that last step, to risk the temptation; even more so to have her trust validated.
"Thank you, Kael." She whispered, another yawn bringing a haze of sleepy fog into her mind. He couldn't know everything that she was thanking him for, the magnitude of her gratefulness, but that didn't seem to matter either.
"No, thank you, Michiko." He whispered back into the gathering fog, gently nuzzling his chin against the top of her head, the gesture of affection bringing a smile to her muzzle. The bedroom was fading quickly in her sight, and she allowed her eyes to close at last, a quiet sort of certainty taking shape in her heart. There was no doubt left in her when she thought of the wolf who held her so tenderly against him. The thought was the last before she dropped into sleep, and no matter what happened tomorrow, she would have this memory. I do love him...
***
People always said waking up was an instant thing. Like flipping a switch; one second sleeping, the next awake. For most people, they might even be right, but the members of all nocturnal, or semi-nocturnal species knew that that really was a matter of timing. Before sunset was hard as all hell for nocturns, as they liked to call themselves, and for species like foxes, before noon was like getting up before dawn for most species; possible, but difficult. Michiko had always had issues with mornings too, another legacy from her vulpine father. It always took a while for her to rise out of dreamland far enough to actually start waking up before midday, consciousness more of a process than a binary. Most of the time, that was a big problem, requiring multiple alarms, cold water in the shower and lots of caffeine to allow her mind to function much before lunch. But some days...some days it was a blessing, the process being pleasant in itself.
The first sign that her mind was moving out of her dreams and towards waking up was the sudden lack of images. She had been dreaming about something... all disjointed images and concepts that made no sense. And then, all of a sudden, they were gone. That really was like somebody had thrown a switch. Suddenly, all she saw was a sort of dim reddish haze, which conveyed... something. It was something her still mostly asleep mind couldn't quite make out. It probably wasn't important. The warm red that filled her vision was accompanied a moment later by a spicy sort of aroma, a warm scent that started to wake her conscious mind more fully, but that seemed to fit the general theme of things. Besides, the spicy scent was calming in the extreme, almost turning her mind's upward progress around, sending her back towards dreamland. The combination of spicy scent and warmth was so unbelievably pleasant that she didn't want to fight the inertia of sleep.
But, gradually, as she drifted comfortably, little details started filling themselves in, her mind putting things together slowly. First was the realization that it wasn't just the color that was warm. She felt like she was covered by a warm blanket, no, warmer even than that. It was like she was lying against a pillow with a heater inside it. Then, with an abruptness that would have startled her if it hadn't felt SO good, she felt a touch trailing through her fur. It was gentle, slow and somehow exciting and comforting at the same time. It traced through the fur of her belly, then slowly up onto her side, just above her hips and now her mind was rising to consciousness more quickly, the mire of warm comfort slackening in the wake of that wonderful touch. Then, a shiver ran deliciously down the length of her spine as the touch changed, narrowing almost, becoming even more gentle as it traced up her side to her shoulder. Then, she opened her eyes, a broad smile coming to her lips as the fingers trailed back down her side, this time not stopping and continuing down to her hips, and further, down the outside of her thigh.
Letting out a sigh of satisfaction at the wonderful sensation, she pressed backward into the embrace of the person lying with her, rubbing the top of her head into his chin. She could practically feel his smile, and she looked down the length of her body, blinking in the sunlight shining on her face, finding the white fur of the hand tracing her side to be practically glowing, which fit somehow. Michiko lazily followed the progress of Kael's fingers with her eyes as they traced through her fur on their way back up to her shoulder, then down the length of her arm, spreading out as they reached her hand, gently lacing through her fingers and she allowed them to close her hand in their grasp for a moment. Then, her mind finally woke to the reality of the situation and her heart sped up more than a little. She was lying in the arms of her best friend, almost completely naked, in his apartment, in his bed.
Slowly, with no small amount of trepidation, the panda fox shifted, turning her head so she could look over her shoulder, finding Kael looking at her with an expression on his face that she couldn't quite read. It was admiration, affection, and something else... Incredulity? Amazement? Her smile growing even broader, she turned over the rest of the way so she faced him, reluctantly unlacing their fingers as she did so. When surprise entered his gaze, she moved without thinking, their lips meeting once more in a soft, light kiss.
"Good morning, Kael." She whispered, pleased to see his ears twitch forward and his tail wriggle against hers at her action.
"Good morning Michiko." He replied, his own smile broadening as her hands landed on his chest, gently tracing through the expanse of white fur before her and his scent intensified slightly.
Looking into his eyes, she tried to guess what he was thinking that would match the amazement she could see in his eyes, but she could also see the muscles in his neck tensing up, and she could almost swear that he swallowed nervously. Then, finally, her mind woke up enough to realize why. The one and only thing she was wearing was the thin, lacey pair of underwear cut specially to accommodate her extra assets, and the handsome wolf, decent and polite to a fault, was trying not to look at her bare chest, the strain showing. It surprised her that it had taken her this long to realize she was showing off everything except her most intimate parts, the lack of clothing feeling so right she hadn't noticed. On one hand, she knew she should be horrified at her lack of modesty, and more, that Kael could see nearly everything, and that the small amount of cloth meant that it wouldn't take a genius to imagine what she still covered. But, on the other, she wanted him to see everything. She felt totally comfortable with him, so comfortable she doubted she would feel embarrassed if she were to lose the panties and lie there completely nude. And then, she realized how very unfair she was being. Knight or not, extraordinary self control or not, she knew Kael desired her, and she knew how he would feel when his control slipped. Smiling, she shifted forward, pressing her bare chest against his, nestling in close against him and she could almost hear his relief when he let out a slow breath when she was out of his gaze. Nuzzling his neck, Michiko elicited a sigh from his throat.
"I guess there is no escaping reality." He whispered and the non-sequitur took her aback, enough that she shifted back far enough to look at his face. He looked like he couldn't believe what was happening, and that made no sense to her. Seeing her questioning expression, he smiled ruefully and continued. "When I woke up this morning, I thought that there was no way that last night had actually happened. It had to have been a dream, and when I woke up, you wouldn't be here. I knew that when I opened my eyes, I would be alone and I would be left only with a memory of the dream, like so many others. And then..." He paused, meeting her aspen green eyes and she felt herself melt at the look of amazed desire in his piercing blue gaze. "Then, I opened my eyes to find a goddess asleep in my arms and I couldn't believe it. I'm still not sure I do."
"Well, we will just have to see about that, won't we?" Michiko asked, moving into another kiss, this time deep, filled with affection, their arms pulling each other tight. Coming from anyone else, that description might have been corny, or had come off as trying too hard. But coming from Kael, it meant the world, because she knew he meant it. The kiss went on for a long span, followed by another that allowed their tongues to mingle in their muzzles, their hands roaming freely across their backs, and gods, it felt so good. She felt no desire to fight the hungry feeling in her, the flaring heat that surged through her and she finally broke the kiss, panting a shuddering breath as her sheath stiffened, stretching the alluring panties she wore, and she felt the growing bulge in the wolf's boxers press against her at nearly the same moment. Go on, The hungry voice commanded in her mind. You both want this. Do it.
And that, oddly, put the brakes on the rush of sensation. She could see the raw, hungry desire in the wolf's eyes, could see the conflict in his gaze. He did want this. He wanted it so bad that it hurt, she knew, because she felt the same way. But still, what had stopped them the night before still hung over them. She needed to be done, fully and completely finished with Andy before this could happen. If she didn't, they would regret doing it, and they both knew it. Managing a slight smile, she backed up, letting go of the tight embrace.
"Gods, this is hard." She whispered, closing her eyes, her breath shuddering as she tried to calm down, slowly mastering herself.
"Oh, you have no idea." He replied and her grin widened slightly; she could feel just how hard he was, the double entendre fitting the situation perfectly, making her chuckle.
"Oh, I think I do." She replied, opening her eyes to find relief and regret in her friend's eyes. Giving a regretful sigh, the panda-fox shifted backward towards the edge of the bed, unabashedly giving the wolf the consolation of a nice long look at the length of her body, a look that the wolf took without hesitation, the clear offer all the permission he needed. "We have to get up, or I am not going to be able to stop."
"As you wish, my lady." Kael said, her ears flicking back slightly in surprise at the small change in the honorific he used for her. The depth of meaning behind it almost made her move in the other direction, the desire to throw caution to the wind and dive back into the embrace of the handsome wolf almost overpowering, and to hell with the consequences. Touché, Kael. Managing to turn away and put her paws on the floor, she stretched, feeling the wolf's gaze drinking in the languid stretch, the scent of his arousal intensifying. Getting up, she walked to the bathroom to do something about her sleep mussed fur, the wolf getting up as well as she entered the attached room.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she realized she needed more work than she had thought, her hair and fur tangled and matted until it looked like she had rolled in a bramble patch. Grimacing, she took up the brush on the counter and began running it through her fur, teasing it back into something approaching normality. She knew that she couldn't get it back to perfect without a shower, but that was more of a project than she wanted to engage in this early in the day, and certainly not when she had only the one set of clothes with her. When her fur was at least brushed out, she did the same to her hair, teasing out a few knots and coaxing it back straight. While she was brushing out another length of her fiery orange tresses, she considered braiding it to get it under control, but again, that was work she didn't really want to do so early. She was just about finished with her hair and moving down to her long ringed tail when she heard a heavy knock at the door to the condo and she froze. Somehow, she knew who it was, knew that the horrible events of yesterday were about to come crashing down on her once more, butting their way into her warm, comfortable morning. Hurrying back out into the bedroom as she heard the front door creak, she quickly slipped her way into her bra, and had her shirt in her hands when her heart lurched.
"Hey, Kael." A familiar voice said and Michiko felt her hands clench into involuntary fists, clenching her shirt almost into a rope in her grasp. It was Andy. Of course he would be out looking for her, he had the bet to win after all. To her own surprise, she felt not sadness or horror at his voice. Rather, the burning embers of anger kindled to life within. She was done with being hurt by him and what he had done.
"Andy." Kael acknowledged, the cold edge in his voice surprising even her. She had never heard him sound like that, not once in their long friendship. And yet, she could imagine the narrowing of his eyes beneath the dignified mask he presented most of the time, the tenseness she knew he would be feeling. And then, belatedly, she remembered Kael's promise to give Andy a beating next time he saw him and she hurried to dress the rest of the way. Not that she thought he would actually attack Andy, his sense of honor wouldn't allow it. But still...
"Listen, I'm looking for Michiko." Andy said, his tone of voice showing he hadn't noticed the ice in the wolf's tone. Slipping the skirt back around her middle over the shirt and clasping it closed, the hybrid girl headed out of the bedroom and down the short hall, intending to stop the confrontation before it happened, but the design of the condo made it so that she was out of sight of the door, though she could see Kael quite clearly. He was wearing shorts and a T shirt again, but she barely noticed, seeing the tension in his frame, his self control at work once more, his tail low, still, all too clearly under tight rein. "We had a...disagreement last night, and I want to explain things to her. She isn't answering her phone, and I was wondering if she was here." Kael was silent for a moment, his fingers tapping on the door as if he was thinking over his answer and what he said surprised her.
"She doesn't want to see you." Kael finally stated, which was absolutely true, but not what she had expected. He was giving her the opportunity to deal with this in her own way, on her own terms.
"So she is here!" Andy said, apparently not listening to what the wolf said either, and she was surprised to see the lynx's tufted ears appear over the wolf's shoulder as he tried to enter the condo. Kael easily pushed him back with his one free hand, and she could see every muscle in his body tense up at the same time. The hybrid girl knew it was taking all of her friend's considerable self control not to punch the feline. "Come on man, I need to see her!!"
"She told me what you did." Kael said slowly, and she heard the threatening echo of a deep growl in his words, and though he had only barely moved, suddenly, his stance was not that of the normal, kind, polite wolf she had accidentally fallen in love with. It was subtle at first, a lowering of the ears, a raising of the hackles, hands curling into fists, but suddenly, it was as if someone else was standing there. And for the first time, she was truly aware of something that she had always known in the back of her mind. For all of his polite, courtly manners, for all of his dignity and kindness, Kael was still a wolf, an apex predator, and more than that, one honed to the peak of skill in war. Suddenly, it was not Kael, the gentle wolf standing there; instead, in his place, it was Sir Kael, Knight of Mastira, holding himself in check before what he all too clearly considered an enemy. "Understand that the only reason I am not beating you into a bloody pulp right now, is that I was trained to give opponents a chance to back off."
"Hey man, y-you...you don't understand. Its not like that." Andy said, his voice quavering, the tone still ingratiating, and suddenly, the embers of rage within Michiko flared into flame and she stepped forward into view, laying a gentle hand on the wolf's arm. When he saw her, Andy's face lit up in a grin, one almost of triumph. "Michiko, tell him..."
"Tell him what, Andy?" She snarled, the tone of her voice dropping the smug smile off his lips. "That you asked me out on a dare? That you were going to break up with me the second you won your little bet, so you wouldn't have to be around a freak like me?" At his flabbergasted look, she snorted in disgust. "Oh yeah, I heard everything."
"Its not like that, Michiko, I swear!" He said, and she could see the panic rising in his eyes. "I wasn't going to break up with you. It was just what I had to say to Darren. You know how he is." Andy's attempt at deflection made her own lips curl. How could she ever have fallen for his bull? "Its just how guys are, you know?" The smile on his muzzle, obviously intended to be winning, failed utterly to impress her, and the fact that he thought she would be so easy to win over was the last straw.
"Speak for yourself, you..." Kael snarled, his right hand cocked back a fist, obviously having had enough.
"Kael, don't." Michiko commanded evenly, the lack of emotion in her own voice surprising her. When the wolf very slowly lowered his fist back down to his side Andy's grin grew, becoming more than a little smug once again. What happened next happened so fast she didn't even realize she had done it. The loud smack of her open-handed slap wiping the grin off the lynx's face seemed to echo off the walls of the condo complex. The slap rocked the lynx so hard he almost fell over, his head snapping to the left and he staggered. "That, was for bragging to your friends about what you were doing." The outraged expression on his face made the next blow all the more satisfying. The lynx's eyes went wide and he grunted, doubling over as her kick connected with his groin. Andy slumped down to his knees, clutching at his family jewels, gasping. "And that, is for calling me a freak."
"Well struck, my lady." Kael commented, a satisfied grin accompanying his tense muscles visibly relaxing.
"Goodbye, Andy." Michiko said, turning her back on the lynx as he coughed and groaned in pain. She had taken two steps away from the door, when she heard his strangled voice once more.
"You shouldn't have done that. I'll go to the police for this." He gasped and she turned to look at him, the look of petty triumph on his face making her want to go back and pound on him again but this time, it was Kael that stopped her, the wolf stepping between them and crouching down so he was face to face with the lynx.
"And tell them what?" The knight asked, staring the lynx down. The feline blinked after a moment, looking away. "That you were assaulted by your ex-girlfriend at the house of one of her friends?"
"Girlfriend," Andy emphasized weakly, trying to snarl, but the quaver in his voice made it clear even he didn't believe it. "And its the truth."
"Right, sure." Kael said dismissively. "She assaulted you, after you attempted to force your way into my home. The home of a Knight of Mastira, who are renowned for their integrity and honor, and in which your EX-girlfriend, a point I would say she made very clear, sought refuge after running away from you. Just how do you suppose the police are going to react to that scenario, hmmm?" The humiliated lynx shook his head, looking down and setting his jaw. Shaking his head, Kael continued. "Tell you what, Andy. I'm going to do you a favor and pretend you were never here. I suggest you haul your bruised ego off my porch and go home." The wolf rose to his feet and started to close the door, but turned back instead, almost as an afterthought. "Oh, and in case its unclear. Don't ever come to my home again." Andy nodded, not looking up at either of them as Kael shut the door.
"Well," Kael said when the door had shut, turning the deadbolt before turning to look at her with an expression that was full of admiration. "I never expected that."
"Why not?" Michiko asked, feeling more than half like laughing at the sheer joy that accompanied the light sensation in her heart. It was like a weight had been lifted from her. And now that it was gone, she couldn't believe she had lived with it for as long as she had, without truly knowing it was there. Looking back, it had been the source of her doubts, the reason why she had thought to make the broken plans she had. Now, it was gone and she felt so different, her spirits soaring.
"You have always been so nice." He said and she grinned. "Still, he deserved what he got."
"Yes he did." She confirmed, then, in the lightness of her mood, she suddenly stepped up to the wolf once more, backing him into the door. "And you, deserve this." With that, she kissed him once more, a hard, deep kiss, full of desire. He returned the kiss with equal fire, almost clutching her to him. When they finally broke off for air once more, he let out a long breath like his heart had been hammering as hard as hers.
"You know, one of these times, I'm not going to be able to control myself anymore." He said and her grin widened mischievously as she pulled him in for another kiss like the first, making her intentions obvious.
"Good." She said, wrapping her arms around him, letting her hands roam freely under his shirt, pulling up on its lower edge. "Don't..."