Finally finding my way back to the right street, I let out a sigh. Gods and goddesses, whoever it is that holds dominion, I am tired. Dealing with Puhak and the competition aside, I've been out on my feet all day. Across roads and up the steps of curbs and broken pavements and concrete squares. Around debris, shops and more.
Only a few more steps to go and I can collapse on the sofa of our unfortunate landlord. Maybe I'll even bugger off up the stairs and nap in one of the beds. Can try each of them, complain one is stiff, the other too soft and then I'll find the right one. Putting my feet up will have to do, however, if Pops wants something of me. Hrurim can wait if he has anything.
The walk to the house ends up beneath my feet and behind me. Two more strides and I'm at the door, a tight fist bangs away at it. The noise I've been trying to ignore becomes all the more blatant as I hit the wood. Am I being loud enough to get over the sounds of their work...?
"Please tell me Pops is at least still-" I start to complain, the door opening to reveal my one living relative. I sigh and step on in, his paw guiding me through and then closing the door back up. I hoist and throw the bag far, letting it smack on whatever. Not like we need to care about its fragility or the house's state.
"Mm, will do." Pops nods, giving my shoulder a pat and a squeeze before he heads off. I watch his quills slip away, triggering my memories with it. The tiredness dominating me otherwise goes away and I head upstairs, drumming a knuckle along the wall. I smack the top post and head around to the bathroom and slip in.
The mirror comes into view and I stare back at myself, unable to find anything pretty about it. I frown as my thoughts go haywire with confusion, an almost painful amount. Never cared before about how I look... So why do I care so much now?
I'm young, but, well, not that young anymore. I've grown into a full woman. I'm not a little girl anymore. Then again, I've not been a little girl since the day it became me and Pops. Things big and small might've changed and come and gone, but it's all the same either way. I grew up a long time ago.
Suppose that is why I feel so weird all of a sudden? I never thought much about what I missed until I saw it firsthand, with Puhak and Mui and their friends serving as my example. It's a wonder, really... Would I have ended up like Mui or her friends in any capacity if Pops was not well... Pops?
"It's uncomfortable to think about." I admit to myself so that I know I am being honest. Letting something like this crawl away to the back of my mind helps no one. Mm, I should go downstairs and actually ask Pops about this whole party thing. See if he'll actually let me go.
I smirk and huff, finding myself all flushed up in an impossible manner. Look at me, all twitchy and fidgety about asking my dad if I can go to a party. Certainly a girl still inside me somewhere. One last dance left in her before she dies completely.
My favoured paw goes through my quills again, and it lands on my suit's zip. My mouth shifts and I get to removing it from my body, emptying its pockets of anything wasteful. I turn my exposed front towards the shower and drag my clothes in with me. Hot water blasts me wet and a hefty breath forces its way through my nose.
The water is clean coming out, and for a moment, it's murky. A grumble rumbles in my throat and I snatch up the homeowner's cleaning tools to get to work on my spines. The grumble breaks out, becoming an incoherent mess of ruminating annoyance. Why am I even doing this!? I can't give two holy damns about what Mui and her friends think!
Still, here I am, scrubbing away at my spike-covered back. Making sure they're as polished as they can ever be. It's a mess, it's all a mess, and I have to clean it up. I have to.
"Why do I care so much all of a sudden...?" I ask myself, unable to get my face out of its scrunch up. My jaw tightens and I slip some of our gracious host's shampoo and conditioner down my back. A gentle rub turning it into a cloud of bubbles that slip and bounce their way down. Leaning backwards into the motion, I close my eyes and reach out for the shower controls, silencing the machine for good.
I throw my head forward, flicking some of the water off. My foot hooks my clothes and I toss the water-heavy one-piece suit into my paws. I dump it into the sink, knowing no one's going to be spitting toothpaste or anything down it for the time being. My grip finds the door handle and I throw it open, stepping out onto the landing and finding myself a towel among the many once neatly stacked ones.
I wrap my body up, keeping it from the gazes of the two men in the house. Regardless of who they are, I still have my dignity to maintain. Friend of the family or not, father or not. Don't matter to me none, no eyes will be seeing my chest or the glorified destination between my legs.
The stairs bang away beneath me and I come out into the living room, bag of stolen cash kicking ahead. It hits the table between a long sofa and two shorter ones, and I bend down to pick it up. My motion shifts and I go to my knees as someone walks in. I glance up and see Pops peeking through the doorframe. His nose sniffs and a ponderous shift moves his mouth.
"Hey... Uh, Pops... Can you come here for a moment?" I ask him, setting myself up on one of the sofas as he finds a spot himself. Keeping my arms and hands busy, I get to sorting my treasure trove of pickpocketed notes. He stays quiet, waiting for me to say something further. But I want to hear him give me a proper answer...
Can he just...?
I straighten out, my eyes bulging with a tick of frustration, "You mentioned before that I could have a moment outside of the job, right?"
"I did." he nods. Whatever doubts either of us might have with our memories becomes irrelevant. Well, at least we can move ahead now. No worries to hold me back or anything alike. He's not a fake enough person with me to go back on his word now. Not while there's something to be proven before he can.
"Well... While I was out getting all this cash like you wanted. I... I ended up speaking to someone." I say, and his rising brow shuts me up.
"A safe someone?" he asks and I nod quick and instant, not stopping in forever.
"Yes, yes. Just some... Just some barber." I answer and he gives me a single slow nod.
"Why is this important?" is all he can likely think to say and I look away, flushing up with the knowledge that this must seem so strange to him. We've already established that I can ask for a moment away from all the work and the hustle of it. Yet, I've never felt more unsure of myself. I've had to watch him through the scope of my rifle with less tense motions shaking my bones. Sticking up my fur...
My button nose wiggles, a sniff flaring it up, "He... Well... He... Uh, he invited me to a party..."
"Hm?" Pops goes, turning his head to present an ear clear for me. My blush darkens, hammering my quiet voice with the same dangers as actual nails might present to my head.
"He invited me to a party!" I spit out, almost shouting it as my hands squeeze my knees.
"You want to go," he says, his tone showing that he has no doubt at all about my wants. My words catch in my throat and they won't come out. I'm forced to nod and nod as fire suddenly rims my eyes. I blink the feeling away and watch him, unable to escape the mess he's caused to my nerves.
Sorting out the money is one thing, but it's too easy to do. It's so mindless that my mind is being pulled to thoughts of him as gravity does the same to a jumping child. Some notes are enough for a snack, others need a bundle to pay for a car- Pops won't go!
"Do you have what you need for this party?" Pops asks and I freeze up, not entirely sure to answer that. What does he mean? Have what I need for this party...? What does that mean? Right answers? Wrong? Is that even possible!?
Pops gets up and moves to the same sofa as me. I flinch and shift away and he shifts closer. His usually straight, stern look goes away, a slight smile on his mouth. A warm thing, not the usual coldness life has taught him to show. He's not Ivahstar, he's Pops.
My Pops.
"I... I have myself..." I mutter and he chuckles, putting a paw on my towelled up knee and caressing it.
"Do you need snacks? An outfit? Some time to go to a parlour or a barber? A lift?" he asks, his age giving him so much more wisdom than I have in regards to the subject. I look away and down, a pout wobbling my lips. I shake my head. His paw pats my knee and he leans ahead, cleaning the table of a chunk of the money.
He puts it back into my hand, rolling it up, "Huh?"
I turn and face him, watching his smile grow as his eyes do something strange, "Make the most of this moment, Princess. I know you've not been able to live the life you really should have, Heiya. Make the most of it."
"R-Right!" I squeak and choke, throwing myself against him and hugging him tight. I giggle, all manner of thoughts going through my head as I wonder how this will go. My first pool- My first party... My very first one!
What... What do I even need to do for a pool party? Puhak kind of invited me out of nowhere, so I imagine it's not going to be a whole lot out of order. Be a bit cruel in a way I am not used to, to suddenly expect me to supply so much. Though, with how much I pulled out of the town's pockets, I'd certainly be able to!
"Dwaaaaaaau, lookie at yous two. So cute and adorbs!" Hrurim cackles, ruining my thoughts and mood.
"GO BACK AND FIX UP THAT CAGE FOR THE STUPID BUG YOU DAMN HUMAN!" I scream, throwing whatever I can at Pops' close friend. Hrurim goes off, his cackling continuing to set me off in a manner that will probably bring the surface down on us. I'll do a whole lot more than what that giant and Nin did to this town at this rate!
Stupid human... Stupid.
I turn around with a huff and a scoff, my arms tightly squeezing up against each other. Pops gets up and finds a broom to clean up my mess. I reach for it initially, more than understanding that it's my mess, but he raises a paw at me. He nods his head towards the money and I nod back, heading to rest my feet again.
Settling back into the sofa, I pull one of its softest cushions over my chest and hold it tight. My wet fur soaks the fur of the cushion and I squeeze it even more so, practically pushing my mouth into it. A shiver of frustration runs out of me and my mind gets back into the zone it needs to be in. My fingers flick through some notes and it all gets back on track...
"What do I need?" I ask myself, a laugh accompanying my renewed blush.