| “Claire-chan? Do you have your keys?” | |
| She murmurs something unintelligible words softly and fishes through her bag, before bringing forth her keys proudly. | |
| “Thanks,” With her still hanging on my arm, I unlock the door, “Thanks again Barlier-san for helping me bring her back.” | |
| She just hums in response. | |
| The door is opened from within, Catherine standing there as she eyes us over, “You guys are back early?” | |
| “Who are you?” | |
| Claire gasps, “Catherine! This is Catherine.” | |
| Barlier-san looks annoyed that Claire considered that an answer. | |
| “She’s practically my sister. Did I never introduce you…?” | |
| “Uhhh, hi?” Catherine stands there awkwardly, as she tries to not grimace too much. “You’re Claire’s friend?” | |
| “You have a sister Claire-chan?” | |
| “Almost, we aren’t related by blood.” At least Claire’s words are less slurred now. “Sorry.” | |
| Barlier-san sighs, “It’s nice to finally meet you I guess?” | |
| “Ughh, likewise? Is Claire okay?” | |
| “Yah, idiot drank too much too fast, the walk sobered her up quickly.” | |
| “Meaning…” Claire's sobered up? | |
| “She can get off you, she was exaggerating most of the time.” Barlier-san chastises Claire. | |
| Claire makes an act of looking offended, “I never!” | |
| “What?” She was faking? | |
| Barlier-san just sighs, “Whatever you made it here, see you at school next week. I’m going to go back.” | |
| “Thanks Pepi! Make sure you find Loretta.” | |
| She blushes slightly, “Good. Night.” And she makes her exit quickly. | |
| “Are you okay?” Does she even need to hold me still? | |
| I mean she doesn’t have to stop- | |
| “Sorta… goodness… I… that did hit me rather hard… but the walk did help. I just wanted to leave…” | |
| “You two want to come in?” | |
| “I don’t ne-” | |
| “Pleassssse?” Claire whispers into my ear. Oh god I am never going to get used to that. | |
| “FiNe.” | |
| This is fine. | |
| She pretty much drags me in. | |
| “Do you want water Claire?” Catherine asks,already moving towards the kitchenette. | |
| “Please…” | |
| “Come on Claire-chan, let’s sit down.” | |
| She just murmurs in agreement and I guide her to the sofa to sit down. She practically melts into me again once we land. | |
| “Rod was rude…” She pouts. | |
| Yah… that was… | |
| “Sorry he said that stuff to you.” I try to console her. | |
| “Hrmmm? Me? It’s you he was rude too, he was much too forward!… you’re mine .” | |
| I miss the cool air from outside. | |
| “I’m sure he wasn’t…” I mean I did not like how he was looking at me- | |
| Claire tightens around me again, very possessively as if Rod-san could show up again to challenge her claim at any moment. | |
| What makes me so special? | |
| What am I even doing? I spent the whole day just being… there, but did I really do anything? | |
| God I didn’t even do anything when we were at the bar… I should have paid more attention, maybe I could have been more useful- | |
| “Rei?” | |
| That’s a dangerous tone. | |
| I’m going to say yes. | |
| “Ah… yes Claire-chan?” | |
| “Can you stay the night?” | |
| “I… I-” | |
| She reddens, as if she just realizes what she asked, “Oh god, I’m sorry Rei, I didn’t mean it like that… I just… it’s lonely, and the drink is still affecting me please don’t feel like you have to-” | |
| Oh no, she is spiraling. It’s not a big deal? Right? I can do at least this for her. Just sleep here. | |
| Whatever she needs. | |
| I can at least try to be the perfect girl for her. | |
| I won’t fuck this up. | |
| “Yes” I cut her off. | |
| She stops, there is a look as she tries to focus on me, read into my answer. “Are you sure?” She asks and puts her hand on my cheek. | |
| She is so gentle. | |
| “Yes.” I say again. | |
| She smiles, “Thank you my love.” She leans in, guides my face with the hand on my face and kisses me softly on the lips. It’s not fierce, but it is heavy with emotion. And… wow… | |
| As she pulls away there is a lingering smell of strawberries and vanilla. | |
| She looks sleepy. It’s not that late, but it has been a long day. Catherine brings Claire a glass of water and she drinks it diligently. Once done she sighs and leans back into me. | |
| “Claire-chan?” | |
| “I should have some clothes you can sleep in.” | |
| “Oh, okay…” | |
| … | |
| “Claire?” | |
| She nods, “Yes. Yes…” She rises reluctantly and moves slowly to her closet, plucking out a few articles and bringing them to me, a simple t-shirt and shorts. | |
| “There are extra toothbrushes in the cabinet in our washroom.” Catherine chimes from the side of the room. | |
| “Uh sure.” | |
| It doesn’t take too long to change and clean up when I come back… | |
| Oh she is wearing a gown… | |
| How does it hang so loosely, yet show off so much… and her legs … | |
| I feel stuck in front of the door, Claire smiles and moves past me to enter the washroom next. But she also gives me a peck on the cheek on the way. | |
| oh | |
| Oh | |
| I feel like I have stepped into another life. It just feels so intimate but so casual? | |
| Domestic? | |
| Like I’m her wife. | |
| Oh god. | |
| I startle as the door opens behind me and Claire comes back, she pulls me along to the bed and we both sit down. | |
| … | |
| I’m going to also need blankets to sleep on the sofa.. | |
| “Umm, Claire-chan? Where are your extra blankets?” | |
| “Hrmm?” | |
| “Umm… I need my own blanket? | |
| She grabs a handful of the blanket on the bed and lifts it. | |
| … | |
| She… | |
| “Claire!” | |
| “We don’t have extra blankets…” | |
| “But… that would mean…” | |
| She pulls on my arm gently, “Please?” | |
| Oh god. | |
| I have to swallow. | |
| She… | |
| She wants to share a bed. | |
| She is blushing slightly, she looks so longing, she must still be feeling the drink a bit but there is no way I can tell her no. I can’t, I’m just incapable. | |
| So I just nod. | |
| She smiles and gives me another kiss on the cheek. She pulls me further into the bed. We lay down, I feel so stiff but she just relaxes and leans into me. She weaves her arms around my body and pulls me in. | |
| I don’t know what to do? | |
| Am I supposed to… | |
| “Just relax Rei.” She says softly, I can feel her nestle her head into my shoulder. “Just relax, we are just sleeping…” She tapers off… has she already fallen asleep? | |
| “Claire?” | |
| “Claire?” I try one more time, I don't want to wake her, but she just mumbles softly. She really just fell asleep. | |
| She looks so serene, her face so vulnerable and peaceful. But I need… | |
| “Catherine-san?” I try to hush shout over her. “Catherine-san!?” | |
| “What?” | |
| “Can you pass me my phone? It’s on my clothes.” | |
| There is a sound of agreement and I can hear her move. | |
| “Wow… ughh, I don’t want to hear anything okay…? | |
| Oh god, “Please just give me the phone?” | |
| “Fine, here.” I can at least move one arm pretty freely and I take it from her, I can feel a slight shift from Claire, but she doesn’t say anything. | |
| “Thanks.” | |
| I can hear her just returning to her side of the room. | |
| Now I just need… | |
| This is hard with one hand. | |
| Hey Misha, I’m spending the night at Claire-chan’s | |
| That was fast | |
| That’s not happening | |
| Get your head out of the gutter | |
| There is no way I can tell her I am sharing a bed with Claire. | |
| Oh God I am sharing a bed… | |
| Calm down, don’t be an idiot, you can’t let yourself space out every time you realize it again. | |
| I’m just… | |
| Sharing a bed with… | |
| Claire… | |
| Claire… | |
| Oh god I am so fucked. |