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Thicker Than Blood

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Pt.7 – Lavender Dreams

It was Saturday.

Grace tried to wake you in the morning but you feigned sleep, so she simply left for work. You couldn't look at her – you just didn't have the stomach for it. Last night was fresh in your mind, playing over and over, curling up deeper under those lavender-scented blankets. It felt safe but you knew it wouldn't last long. At least there was one thing that you could relish: the fact that you didn't have to work this weekend, otherwise you'd be out of a job.

Lucky you.

Eventually, you got up, patted down your disheveled hair, and sighed, looking down at your clothes. Now that the house was empty, a piece of you yearned for some form of contact. You didn't want to lie to yourself… but you wanted her around again. This apartment was shaped as a mirror image of yours, with only one thing missing that truly made it feel like a home – it was her. You lowered your gaze and furrowed your brows, trying to understand what sort of emotions were going through that thick head of yours. It seemed like you could grasp it with your fingertips, but as soon as you could touch it, it slipped away. You were lost for what seemed like forever in a misty haze. The thoughts continued until your stomach rumbled – hunger had come with a vengeance. Guess it must be that time.

Your body hunched itself as you made your way towards the kitchen, feeling the pangs take their course. There was an omelet and some greens stuffed inside a plastic container, which must have been sitting there for some time. A note was stuck on top that read, “Here's some breakfast, Vincent. Enjoy~"

The “J" was dotted with some kind of heart. “Ouch." You thought out loud, crumpling the paper as you placed the container in the microwave. Two minutes and a piercing BEEP meant the food was done, resigning yourself to the kitchen in silence.

There wasn't much you felt like doing, or rather the feeling of what to do with yourself, so you spent most of your time looking around at some of the things she decorated her house with. The place was tidy and well-kept, mainly the spots you chose to venture. Every time you peered over your shoulder, you'd see the doorway to her room: just looking at it awakened a blend of various feelings that you weren't comfortable with. It was as if a wild, untamed side of the house loomed behind it, taunting you every chance it had.

Ten o'clock.

You sat on the couch, wrapped in the blanket. You didn't touch the games or the movies.

Ten-fifteen.

You just stared at the doorway like a deer in headlights, still and silent.

Ten-twenty.

A fire rose inside you. You had to know how she felt… Y __ou were going into th_ at_ room.

With your hand on the doorknob, a twist and push was all it took. The door swung by itself slowly, almost as if your entrance was expected: hesitation took form, then, you stepped inside. Everything was still the same as you last remembered it, now in broad daylight instead of the dark outlines of the night; the clothes, the trash, the bed… You prowled the room with your direction dead set towards the bed. The room smelled like flowers – More of that lavender? She must have sprayed some kind of air freshener to mask the scent, but curiosity pulled you deeper into the beast's den. The loose clothes that clung to your body were easy to take off, letting them blend in with the other piles on the floor.

What were you doing..?

You placed yourself on the bed, laying there in the same spot, naked in her room. Part of you thought yourself a madman for even having the gall to go through with this, yet your determination kept you going. What was she thinking? How did she feel? You closed your eyes, taking in a deep breath and there it was – the smell came back to you. Her mattress was still full of it. You turned over, sniffing the bed like some kind of hound, the scent alone getting you off with each whiff. Your nose traced down further and further, until you reached the spot.

That wet spot where her sex flowed: you were absorbed by it, the smell surged through your body with a newly-awakened spirit. Your hand was on your shaft while your face was buried in the mattress. Before you even knew it, you came.

Hot breaths and pants muddled your voice until you realized the trance was over, seeing the stain you left next to hers. Part of you was ashamed, another wanted more. Was this how she felt around you? You knew that dogs had a keener sense of smell, but this..? Did the smell of you alone send her into lust-filled spirals? You had never felt like this in your life; craving, hungry, primal. That's when the loneliness set in – it wasn't the same without her.

You felt just as dirty as before.

You did your best to catch your breath before grabbing some more tissues, wiping the stain over and over, then you set off to the bathroom. You don't know how long you stood in the shower, watching the water spiral into the drain – It seemed you never found the answer to your question, only more questions.

Just how far did this rabbit hole go?===================================================================================================================================

Pt.8 – Shift

The smell of warm lavender and honey steamed out of the bathroom as you exited the shower, drying off the rest of your hair on one of the spare towels. It probably never got this much use since you had never seen anyone stay over at Grace's apartment. That thought stuck with you for some time, looking at the wet fabric: how many people visited her? How many days did she spend inside this place, all by herself? Even if the words stung to say, you certainly hoped the answer wasn't “just the times you've been here." It left a sinking feeling in your chest: hell, you of all people understood how much it sucked to wake up to the same empty rooms and pretend things were alright. It definitely wasn't something you were proud of either…

You walked towards the kitchen, freshly clothed, holding onto the damp towel in your hands before deciding to drape it over a kitchen chair, if only for a moment. The day had become static at the strike of noon, the faint sounds of birds chirping outside let you know that time was still constant. Dust particles danced in the air, sometimes illuminating in the rays of light that peeked from the curtains. The couch had crumbs on it, no doubt from last night, but it must have been a while since it got brushed of fur. It was a build up of “the little things," like the ones you completely ignored in your apartment, which became bigger problems if given time.

Maybe she could use the help…

Your hand snatched the damp towel and headed for the closet near the bathroom. Every apartment came with a spare closet to store cleaning supplies, as well as a knock-off brand washer and dryer. Looks like she even had a vacuum and a couple bottles of all-purpose cleaner. You tossed the towel into the washer and got to work; scrubbing, wiping, and cleaning most of the stuff in the main areas. You kept your focus on the meat of the house, ignoring the thought of picking up her room, especially after… you didn't want to think about it.

Even so, you made the choice now in your head – you didn't want Grace to feel the same way you did.

It was past three o'clock. Your fingers were busy scrubbing the drip pans on the stove top, the blackened charcoal remains taking an incredible amount of force, making that repetitive motion feel more like a workout than a chore. You felt your best when you were busy, or at least, when you weren't idle – the rhythmic motions putting your mind at ease with a sense of purpose behind them. Good thing they taught me some useful. The sour after-thought traced back to your parent's house, how much they loved to keep it clean and tidy for the multitude of guests that came over. Your mother raised you to always take care of these sorts of things – “A clean house is a happy house."

That's when the door to the apartment unlocked, opening with a cheery voice behind.

“Hey Vincen- Oh my!.

The place instantly smelled like a mix between clean and too clean, with a window cracked open to allow fresh air inside. You raised your arm to wipe a bit of sweat off your brow, then waved to the astonished woman that stood in the doorway, still in her work casuals.

“Hey…" you said, talking between breaths, “I'm just finishing up… Thought I'd pitch in…"

“Y-You know you didn't need to!" She didn't know whether to congratulate you or be concerned, taking inventory of the apartment before bringing her gaze back to you.

“It's the least I can do…" You fanned your hand in the air, as if trying to pass off the compliment somewhere else. “You would've… done the same for me…" Part of you was glad she couldn't enter your apartment, with how much cleaning you've neglected.

“Ohh~ Thank you, Vincent!"

Grace quickly rushed over to you to give you a big hug, her massive paws lifted your body into the air and pressed tightly into that chest of hers. She was almost like a living blanket that could crush you, if you weren't careful enough. She took a deep breath, letting out a soft sigh while squeezing tighter on your body- Need… Air… Breathe… You poked whatever you could with a finger before letting go, excusing herself and taking a paw to gently dust off the fur on her chest and collar. The blush still remained on her face – Yep, same old Grace.

“So," you continued after she let you down, a deep exhale left your body, “had a good day?"

“Y-Yeah," her eyes drifted to the stove you were working on, then back to you, “a lot better, now."

The compliment sparked your face with warmth: it felt good to hear that, almost too good since you failed to keep that smirk off your face. Her face was no different, those chestnut eyes kept their attention on you and her body wiggled in place, except for her tail, the spastic thing.

“Oh!" Grace lit up, with what must have been a revelation, reaching into the small purse of hers to grab a thin rectangular box and showing it in front of you with earnest. The box had a worn cover on it, but the picture was something you weren't familiar with – “Stary Days" was written in big yellow letters.

“I finally got this back from my co-worker. It's my favorite movie of all time." She gleefully turned it in her hands, like a steering wheel, “I thought we could watch it later tonight. It's… kind of sappy, but I really, really think you'd like it."

You knew you weren't going to pass the offer, but you stood there, putting a hand near your chin as if you were contemplating every available option. She scuttled closer to you, those puppy dog eyes ready to win over your heart – Once again, they broke the facade with ease.

“Yeah. That'd be great!" You peppered in a little bit of enthusiasm at the end, mostly for her but partially for yourself, too.

Her favorite movie, huh? It was a strange to think you'd be interested in it, since you were never into movies, but you thought it might be a good idea. Grace brought the movie back to her chest, letting out a small squeak of joy, before bouncing to her room. You had to admit, it was kind of cute to see her like that. Whenever she talked about those weird shows or games she enjoyed so much, her personality did a complete flip, giving her this child-like energy and confidence you admired. Looks like you deserved a pat on the back.

You did good, Vincent. You did good.

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Pt.9 – Clouds of Air

After you were done putting away the rest of the cleaning supplies, you decided to sink into the couch with a small thump, letting the cushions form to your body. You briefly thought about taking another shower but decided against it – there was no sense in wasting more of her clothes. Grace came out of the room, clad in her usual lounge-wear, sporting a look like she was ready for a day full of events. It caught you by surprise, unintentionally letting out a loud snicker: the way her paws rested on her hips like some kind of caped crusader, only this one was skipping the traditional outfit for something a little more relaxing.

“What?" Her face immediately raised with concern as her ears dropped slightly.

“It's- It's nothing, I swear." One hand tried to cover your face, hiding your smile with little success.

“Hmph!" The sour expression pouted back to you, crossing her arms in her chest.

You let out a sigh and got up from the couch, making your way to console what basically looked like a stuffed animal with an angry face. You thought about it for a second, then decided to raise your hand up high near the top of Grace's head: eventually she gave in and leaned forward, closing her eyes and allowing you to pet and scratch her head, the tail behind her clearly showing she enjoyed it. You knew there wasn't any real anger from her – she was just playful. That got you thinking about how she was at work… What would that even look like? You put the thought to rest and lowered your hand, watching as her eyes came back to life with that smile drawn across her muzzle.

“So, uhh, what do you wanna do, Vincent?" That cheery voice was back, revitalized by your efforts.

“Well," you walked back to the couch, barely seeing the indent where you last sat and claiming the spot again, “I'm kind of tired… but hey, it's up to you." The cleaning didn't look like a lot of work but your muscles were starting to say otherwise.

She brought a digit to her cheek, prodding it rhythmically until she spoke, “We could just… chill?"

“Mmm," you closed your eyes, leaning your head back, “that sounds nice…"

You heard footsteps on the carpet, then a shift in weight on the couch, then silence. The calm sounds of the outside world were right next to you, breezes drifting over your shoulder. Minutes passed, sitting there in the room, idly letting the time go by. You wondered if you should say something, slowly opening your eyes to find Grace on the opposite end of the couch, her bubbly face looking in your direction.

“Something wrong?" she asked without hesitation.

“What? N-No, I just…"

Nothing was wrong at all. In fact, things were more peaceful than they had ever been. But that was all because of her: you owed it to Grace for helping you out, more than just cleaning her apartment – that was the cheap way out.

You took a deep breath before answering, “I just want to say thanks."

She was puzzled at first, then decided on modesty, “Vincent, it's oka-"

“I know it is, and I really, really appreciate that." Anxiety was building in your chest, tugging on your heart. You knew you had to say it, “I've just been in a bad spot for a while… and all these thoughts in my head keep- they keep coming back..

Your breath left your body, sinking deeper into the cushions of the couch. Grace sat there motionless, taking in your words with an attentive stare. After a few seconds had passed, you continued.

“What I'm really trying to say is, thank you. If it wasn't for you…"

You can say it

“…I don't know what I would've done."

Those last words left a bitter taste in your mouth. You looked down to your knees, ashamed to admit what you felt that day when she brought you into her place: she was a blessing in disguise and you didn't want to take her for granted. You still had your own weird thoughts about her, and vice versa, but maybe this could help clear some of the air between you two. Grace was a really good friend, better than anyone you knew – You didn't want to ruin what you two had.

You were stuck in your thoughts for longer than you knew, only noticing her right beside you when you raised your head. She simply wrapped her arms around you, comforting you the best way she knew how: that warm sensation, in the calm silence, gave you clarity, helped you to see what her intentions were – she just wanted to be there for you. The Saint Bernard leaned in, the tufts of fur sticking out from her chest, pressed on to you, letting you listen to a faint sound… a rhythm.

Thu-Thump. Thu-Thump. Thu-Thump.

It was the beat of her heart: soothing and hypnotic, it lulled you to truly feel her presence. Your muscles eased themselves, almost numb to the previous work you had done, slumping into her just as you would your own bed. Then, you closed your eyes.

Five o'clock.

You two had been there on the couch for some time, laying yourself on top of her – it made sense, after all, since she almost took up the entire length. There was a certain ease to her body, the fur underneath her clothes made it seem like a better couch or some kind of memory foam.

Grace peered from above, pressing her chest down to get a better view of you. “You okay?"

You looked back to her, smiling, “Yeah. A lot better now."

She placed one of her paws near your head, twirling some of your hair, before placing it back on her chest. The two of you continued your relaxation in harmony, letting the day pass by without a care in the world – this was true peace at mind.