Strings of Fate
97- Purring and problem–solving
My muscles have tensed up and what was a veryfortable position is now very not. This isn’t the
first time we have slept in the same bed, it shouldn’t be so awkward. I suddenly realise that Bemy’s
breathing isn’t slow and deep like I would expect from someone who is asleep or nearly asleep. Also
his arm on my waist is tense again. I’m about to ask what’s wrong, but Bemy beats me to it.
“Something is upsetting you.” He says, his tone is dark. I stammer out a response.
“I just noticed that you’re… well. Maybe I should move away a little bit?” I suggest. Bemy groans.
“That’s why you’re anxious? I’m still on high alert, your difort makes me want to keep. you as
close as possible, but it’s my proximity that’s the problem.” He sounds horrified.. I see his dilemma
though. I’m anxious so he doesn’t want to let go, and his holding so tight is making me anxious.
Although it’s not so much that he’s close as that he is clearly still aroused and I’m awkward. How is this
so embarrassing?
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to react.” I exin quietly, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Bemy is quiet for a minute, still holding me close.
“You’ve never said anything any of the other times.” Hements.
“O–other times?” I ask, confused and sort of horrified. Bemy chuckles behind me.
“Yes other times. Almost every time we’ve shared a bed if I’mpletely honest. You never noticed?”
He sounds amused.
“No I didn’t! My voice is a high pitched squeak.
“I can’t imagine how you haven’t realised until now… But either way it’s not your issue, it’s mine. We
couldy some other way if it’s making you ufortable, you really can just ignore it though. Nothing
has changed.” He assures me. I can’t help but let out an almost. sarcasticugh.
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97- Purring and problem–solving
How is moving supposed to help? I still KNOW. Unless it will help your situation?” I suggest. Bemy
still sounds like he finds the whole situation hrious.
“I doubt it. But you need to sleep. Are you going to stress about this all night now?” He asks and I
cringe a little.
“Probably.” I admit. Bemy lets out a deep breath.
“Okay, well that’s not going to work. You’re exhausted and you need sleep. I have an idea…” he trails
off. He suddenly releases me and climbs out of bed. I’m immediately a little cold as
the air hits my back, he’s left the nket off.
“One second,” he adds. I can hear the soft rustle of his clothes. What is he doing?” A moment
“B–Bemy?” I ask, confused. A warm and furry bodyys down beside me. Oh. It suddenly
clicks in my brain. He’s shifted. Well, I suppose that does fix the awkwardness a bit. I don’t
know how I feel about this as a long term solution, but he’s right that I need sleep and that
we can talk about itter when I’m less of a zombie. I curl up beside him and he almost wraps himself
around me. I can feel his tail on my leg and the warm weight of one of his paws pushed up against my
shoulder. I snuggle in closer and he… purrs? I can’t help but giggle a little and the tension in me drains
away. I focus on the steady purring beside me and it doesn’t take long for my eyes to fall closed.
I wake up in the morning groggy and weirdly sore? I suppose it makes a little sense. I was really tense
and pumped up on adrenaline so my muscles probably got tight. I shudder to think how achey I would
be without the hot bath. Bemy is still wrapped around me in his ck cat form. Now that I think back
on it, I do feel like I was being a little dramaticst night. Then again, I don’t think either of us were our
most calm and reasonable selves. In the daylight, it doesn’t seem real anymore. I can’t believe
someone trashed my ce and threw a rock through my window! I’m going to have to apologise to
Maggie. I know she won’t actually be angry or anything, But I am definitely going to have to pay for that
window, it wouldn’t be
fair otherwise. I sit up, stretching and groaning.
“Ugh, what time is it? I don’t feel like I slept that long.” I grumble. Bemy gives what I can best
interpret as a cat version of a shrug. He then hops down from the bed and stretches deeply, curving his
back then leaning forward. It reminds me a little of some yoga poses I saw
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97- Purring and problem–solving
once. My back certainly doesn’t bend that way. It’s strange, in this form our red thread still exists
obviously, but it sort ofes from underneath him, I suppose a cat’s chest faces the
ground more. I’m so caught up watching Bemy in his feline form that it doesn’t ur to me to look
away when he suddenly changes back in a weird blur of twisting and magic.
“Good morning.” He greets me. I yelp and cover my eyes. Bemyughs.
“My bad. I thought you knew what I was doing and would look away. You did ask a question. How else
was I going to answer you?” A tugging feeling around me tells me that Bemy is grabbing a nket off
the bed.
up,
“It’s safe to look now.” He promises, augh in his tone. He’s wrapped the nket around his waist and
sits on the bed beside me. I have to work not to stare. My word is he is pretty. Seriously, why did I have
to end up with a guy who is so much prettier than me? We just woke he has no right to look this good.
After a minute I realise we are both just sitting on the bed staring at each other. I’m watching him and
he’s watching me watching him. I blush pink and he leans in towards me. I think he’s about to kiss me
but suddenly he leans back. His
gaze darts to the messed up bed then back to me. Instead he reaches out and takes my hand. For a
second I’m confused. Why did he stop? Then I remember how I reactedst time he tried to kiss me in
bed and I freaked out. But this is different… sort of? I’m not lying on my back and not trying to start
anything. Although he is naked…ish. I’m not sure a nket really counts. Still, I appreciate the care he
is taking to respect my boundaries. It helps me feel brave enough to push them a little bit. I lean in and
kiss him. It’s barely more than a peck but Bemy grins at me and uses his free hand to push a strand
of my messy blue hair back behind my ear and out of my face.
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“How are you feeling this morning?” he asks gently. I sigh.