Encounters

Chapter Five

Cassandra awoke the mext morning to slow, soft breathing from beside her. Amitiel's hand was still gently cupping the back of her neck under her hair, the other was tucked beneath his ear and his tail lay over them both. She studied him in the warm light that filtered through her golden blinds. His skin seemed to glow softly and she noticed his eyes slanted up slightly at the corners giving him a pixie look, especially combined with the delicate point of the one ear she could see. His mouth curved into a lazy smile as she watched him and he sighed almost contentedly. Whether he felt her gaze, or the light playing across his face she didn't know, but his eyes opened slowly and he blinked sleepily at her. They were navy in the dim room.

"Morning" she said, softly.

"G'mrning." Amitiel murmured, then stretched, cat-like and caught his fingers around her hair. "Oops. I am sorry."

"It's okay. The length annoys even me sometimes."

He pulled gently at a curl before letting it spring back. "You should never cut it, Cassandra" he told her, his voice low and sleepy still.

For something to say, she asked; "What was that tune you were humming last night?"

He looked surprised, then frowned as though trying to remember. "It is an old song that my mother used to sing" he said, after a moment. "I do not remember the words, just the tune. It used to comfort me when I was afraid."

"I can't imagine you being scared, Amitiel" she said, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

"It is only recently I have truly felt it" he replied, almost too quietly to hear. He looked so sad all of a sudden, and Cassandra wanted to hug him close and tell him everything would be fine, but she wasn't entirely sure how he'd react. He'd never been very tactile with her. 'Not true' said a little voice in her head. She reined her thoughts away from that and settled for reaching out and brushing her fingertips over his cheek. His skin was soft and still warm from sleep, although he had lain on top of her quilt. A light pink colour rose in his cheeks and Cassandra fought an urge to laugh. She was feeling too affectionate towards him at the moment to tease him but he read the laughter in her eyes and wrinkled his nose, blushing deeper. She laughed out loud now, earning a playful swat.

"Hey - ouch. You violent thing." She sat up and flung the quilt over him then swung her legs out of bed. "I have the advantage, short stuff. You're lucky I'd rather have a coffee than retaliate."

"Pah!" came Amitiel's voice from somewhere under the quilt he was fighting with. "They fall harder if they are bigger." His head appeared, hair ruffled. "That was not right, was it?"

She laughed and helped him untangle himself. "No, but it was close enough." His eyes travelled over her, darkening as he took in the one shoulder her (very short, now she came to think of it) tee shirt had slipped off and her bare legs and feet. Cassandra suddenly remembered how his tail had felt wrapped around her waist, silky, surprisingly strong yet flexible. She felt herself blush as her fertile imagination kicked into gear again and was surprised as Amitiel's cheeks turned pink too. He looked away.

"Er...Breakfast?" She asked, trying for a light tone as she swung on her dressing gown.

"If you are offering?" Hopeful.

"How does pancakes and coffee sound?"

"Heavenly."

*

A huge stack of pancakes and a pot of freshly ground coffee later, they were sitting on opposite sides of the little square table. It was a dull sort of day and the wind roared outside the cosy kitchen. Cassandra watched Amitiel polish off his fifth pancake. He had held his knife and fork too close to the ends and had sticky syrup all over his fingers. She giggled as he tried, without much success, to wipe it away. She got up to dampen a clean cloth and when she turned from the sink, found him watching her.