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The polish caves were were unusually quiet. Nobody has filled the room with their talking, no work has been done, only one lonely red panda lays on his bed, tail swishing in boredom and irritation. Ewroon has nothing to do, so he lays and thinks—sometimes out loud so that his voice echos against the walls, making the cold cave feel more alive. Nothing can change the sinking feeling inside of him, though.
Ewroon has had many years of manipulating, backstabbing, and using other people for his own gain. It's not often that he gets… attached. Until now. It seemed that all he could think about was his 'best friend', a girl he found annoying but also thrilling. Every moment with her was a good one, even if they were fighting—especially when they were fighting.
At first Ewroon started the friendship with her to get something, but honestly she had nothing for him to take. She leeched off of other people and barely had any fortune of her own. There was no reason for Ewroon to stick around unless it was feelings-based. He hated it. He hated feeling for her. He especially hated that now she had a 'boyfriend'. Her attention was divided, not solely on Ewroon, like he secretly wanted.
A groan escaped Ewroon as he fell back into the same thoughts that had been swirling around his mind for days. He kicked his paws against the bed, looking like a child throwing a tantrum. He felt like a child—a stupid emotional idoit.
Behind him there was the ringing notes of someone using the warp stone. He didn't bother looking, it was probably Graf coming for more building resources. He wouldn't be bothered.
"BESTIEEE!!" Katie's shrill voice echoed through the cave, making Ewroon's ears stand up. He rolled over to look at her, a frown on his face. He did not reciprocate to excitement.
Katie made her way over to him, looking too happy for Ewroon's dampened mood. Katie noticed the flick of his tail and his screwed up expression quickly. "What's wrong, best friend?" She took one more slow step, almost hesitant. Her eyes followed his tail once more. Oh how tempting it was to touch that thick fluff. It was practically taunting her.
Ewroon groaned dramatically once more, staring at the stalactites on the roof of the cave. "Nothing, bestie…" He threw an arm over his face, voice muffled now, "what do you want from me?" He said with the air of someone who just lost a close relative.
Katie sat on the edge of his bed, one leg crossing over the other as she got comfortable. She watched his pathetic show with humor, a little smile on her lips. "Come on, why pout?" She couldn't help herself, she reached out, fingers running through the soft fur of his tail.
Almost immediately, Ewroon sat up, clutching his tail to his torso with disbelief. "How dare you touch my tail!" He exclaimed, sniffling tears that absolutely weren't there. He pet his tail as if it were wounded by her soft touch.
"Sorry sorry," Katie chuckled, placing her hands back in her lap, "It's just, you're cute. Like, because you're a panda, I mean. You looked soft."
"Just because one is soft does not mean you may touch!" He reprimanded her, turning back onto his side to pout more, clutching his tail close. "I can't believe you'd take my dignity like that. I am not a dog."
"So dramatic." Katie scooted closer once more, already planning her next 'attack' on his dignity. "Are you going to tell me why you're in a mood, or no?" She asked, leaning over him just slightly.
"Go away, Kate." He responded, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He tucked his head away into his pillow, only his ears sticking out. His hood hung loose around his neck, allowing his firey red hair to poke out.
Katie smirked, seeing her chance to get him again. She raised a hand, placing it on one of his fuzzy ears, feeling the warmth between her fingers. This time there wasn't as large of a response. Ewroon burrowed further into his pillow, his shoulders pulling up. He desperately tried not to lean into the touch.
"It's okay because you're my dog." Katie mumbled, her other hand finding its way back to his tail, stroking it slowly with her finger tips. She watched Ewroon's back, seeing his breath hitch and then go out shakily. The power she had over him was incredible. As it grew quiet once more, she slid onto her side slowly, laying behind him, acting as the big spoon—partially because his bed was only barely big enough for two people huddled up on their side. Ewroon's breathing slowed and Katie's arm fell over his waist against his stomach.
A soft grumble came from Ewroon, breaking the peaceful silence,"This is fucking depressing." He made no move to pull away or complain any more.
"How so?" Katie felt his paw wrap around her hand, holding it there against his stomach. It was just a little gesture, but it meant so much, warming Katie's insides like a hot tea.
"I'm a guy." He stated, "I should be the big spoon. You're making me look like a wife. I'm not a wife." His tail flicked once more—not exactly in annoyance but more to have a reason to wrap it around her legs behind him.
Katie laughed quietly, "Well someone's gotta be the wife, and it's not me." She responded, tugging on his ear, making him whine in protest.
"It's neither of us because we're not getting married." This time his tail flicked for real, sharp and angry. His paw clenched around hers harder than he meant to. He barely noticed, though, too busy focusing on how his thoughts spiraled in his head.
Katie watched his tail, the bright colors flying side to side. "Does that make you sad? Because if you want to get married, I better start planning a ceremony. It's gotta be a whole thing." She added a light joking tone to her words.
Ewroon stayed silent. His eyes still trained on the bed across from his. There was no way she'd get him to admit anything, he was strong. He was a manipulator, after all. He was usually the person to pull things out of peoples, not the other way around.
"Ewroon..?" Katies voice is lowered now, "Why are you sad?" She asks, though she has creeping suspicion. She sits up just slightly so that she could see Ewroon's face, which is still scrunched up with frustration. He looks up at her, tilting his head to meet her eyes.
"You like me." She stated, not a question. It wasn't a surprise. He was actually pretty ovboius about it, but shed always just passed it off as some manipulation tactic of his and not real feelings. Her grip on him didn't loosen, she didn't pull away, she just sat watching him.
"Huh?!" Ewroon jumped to denying like it was his second nature. He pulled his paw away from hers, sitting up as much as he could with her almost ontop of him. "Why the hell would you think that? Just because people say we're a married couple doesn't mean I like you! It's all rumors!" His defense was loud and obvious. It made Katie laugh.
"Wow." She covered her mouth, laughing hard now, "You could've done without half of the defense right there." She shook her head at him.
Ewroon's tail whipped as he watched her, "I'm telling the truth…" his voice lowered, the tension in his body coming down just slightly. "You don't seem disgusted at the thought that I might… like you." His tone was almost curious.
Katie stopped laughing, her hand dropping. "I guess not." She pondered, "I guess… well, I guess we'll have to figure out who has to wear the dress, eh?" She grinned a little, her intentions obvious now. The admission of mutual feelings made Ewroon's chest feel like something had exploded inside of it. The goop of his soft heart was smeared everywhere in a grousome display of affection. It felt awful, but also weirdly good.
Before Ewroon could hide himself again, Katie lowered herself right on top of him, her hands propping her chin up on his chest, eyes shining. "You're blushing, you know." She pokes his soft cheek.
Ewroon is speechless. This all happened much too quick. At her poke, his nose scrunches up instinctively, whiskers moving with his face. "You are too." He reached out, using the pad of his finger to poke her back, right on her little mouse nose. His lips curled just slightly, "Got you."
Katie giggled at him, grabbing his finger. "Were you really sad because you like me?" She asked, tilting her head curiously. Ewroon wished to fight harder, but her big blue eyes were much too powerful. Everything about her—the way she blinked, the way she smiled at him, the way she looked at him—made him weak. She was his Achilles heel.
The only way to keep his voice stable was to advert his eyes as he spoke, his brain plotting to betray him at any moment. "I wouldn't say I like you…" He trailed off, catching a glimpse of her smile widening. He almost choked on his own spit, "Well… Yeah, I like you. Fine. That's not why I was sad though!" He felt like a school girl confessing his feelings, it was humiliating.
"Oh really?" Katie mused, grabbing Ewroon's chin, slowly turning his head so that their eyes met, "I can tell when you lie, you know. It's written all over your face." Her fingers pinched his cheek gently, tugging on the tufts of fur there. "You might be a mitoman, but you become a little puppy when with me…" Katie shifted to sit up, looming over him, her hands holding his shoulders tightly in a way that makes all of the thoughts drain from Ewroon's brain. Maybe he really is a puppy.
Ewroon blinks at her slowly, the pounding in his chest becoming distracting. Katie above him was making it about twenty times worse. He knew that he couldn't control whatever came out of his mouth next. "I was mad that I loved you. Also I was thinking about kissing you. Also i was thinking about your stupid fuckass government implant boyfriend." He spit the last sentence out, the words tasting sour on his tongue, bringing back his feelings from minutes before.
"Are you jealous, Ewroon?" Katie grins smugly, "Because you seem jealous…"
"You know im jealous." Ewroon bit back. He silently thanked the universe that she didn't speak to anything else he'd just said. He wasn't particularly ready to open that can of worms.
Katie lowered herself until her lips were just about to brush against his ear. She spoke quietly, "There's no need to be jealous, Ewroon…" Her hand came to his cheek, making him shiver, "You're not the only one who can manipulate… you think I'd really date some mute? He doesn't talk.. he doesn't hang out with me.. he's a bad boyfriend, really. Honestly, it was all a fabricated lie to get something out of you… this." She poked his chest right where his heart ran its laps. "I don't think anyone loves their 'bestie' as much as you do. You're obvious."
Katie's admission didn't make Ewroon feel hurt… or disgusted—or anything of the things he probably should feel at the moment. Instead he falls twice as hard. Katie isn't stupidly innocent, she's like him. A sweet face, sweet voice, but full of secrets. "You played me into confessing to you.." Ewroon mumbled, a slow smirk coming over his lips, "Damn, Kate. You're sick."
The evil grin that had sat on Katie's face melted into a softer smile. Her head tilted, ginger hair falling over part of her face, "Yes.." She pulled her face away just slightly to look into his eyes, "But, I'm not all evil… I just happened to come up with an awesome plan." She shrugged. Ewroon laughed, one paw coming to cover his face. Well, maybe Katie wasn't exactly like him, she still had that little ball of good in her heart. He was slightly thankful for that. The sweet, soft piece of her was what he liked most, but he'd never admit it out loud.
"I see. Well, your plan worked." He said.
"I even got you to admit you want to kiss me."
God damn it. Ewroon groaned and hid his face in his paws, turning his head away from her. So, they hadn't been able to skip over that part, great. He had to face his own blabbering mouth. "Forget I said that… I slipped up, Katie." He practically whined his words out.
"So you don't want to?" Katie asks, the hand that still laid on his chest slowly sliding up to his chin.
His eyes widen at her words, "Are you offering…"
Her expression turns playful, "Well, seeing as you don't want one—"
"Katie!" Ewroon grabbed her wrist, his heart fluttering at her evil teasing, "I want it! If you're offering that is—please Kate?" He tried to do the thing she always does—the puppy dog eyes. It doesn't work as well on a full grown man.
Katie tilted his chin up with her finger. "Yeah yeah, you're cute." She leaned down, watching him hold his breath, "You're acting like this is your first kiss." She whispered just as their lips connected, letting silence fill the space between them. Ewroon melted. He felt like a puddle of red goop below Katie, pathetic and much unlike his usual self. It felt amazing. He was in the arms of someone he liked—loved, whatever—and the world finally felt somewhat peaceful. Katie's hand was on his ear, scatching the base of it like he was some pet. He was no better than a pet, as he leaned into it, trying to get closer to her touch and lips at the same time. He failed, accidentally pulling away as he craned into her hand.
Katie laughed at him and his domestic behavior. She didn't stop though, instead she started to do the same to the other ear, scratching both at the same time. "Where's your dignity now, stupid panda." She asked, watching his eyes close in pure bliss, head falling back on the pillow.
"In the fucking gutter." He managed to mumble out. If he really were a pet right now, he'd be a house cat, purring in her hand. His bushy tail came behind her, gently swaying against her back. Katie looked behind her, seeing what was touching her. She smiled, using her elbow to pull the fluff into her arms. Ewroon allowed her to touch, too immersed in heaven to care.
"It's like cotton candy." Katie mumbled, more to herself than Ewroon. His tail had always been something she'd been curious of. It looked soft—and it was. She'd use it as a pillow if Ewroon wouldn't complain the entire time. She lowered herself, still petting him and still holding his tail. Her head met his chest, resting there quietly, listening to his slow, deep heartbeats.
Ewroon reciprocated immediately, his leg coming up and over her body, causing him to roll onto his side. He held onto her, nuzzled into her hair between her much to big ears. "I love you, Kate." His voice was almost inaudible, but Katie caught it, his words going to her heart, sinking in like a balm.
"I love you, Ewroon." She sighed, closing her eyes peacefully.