Cincin looked up from the white fluffy bed next to the artificial tree. She meowed in welcome, winding around my legs. I stroked her as I sat on the ground. Cincin immediately planted her furry behind on my lap and demanded pets like the goddess she was.
I frowned at her fuzzy head; she didn’t even flick her ears. Rather, she started purring and kneading my thigh. I was now stuck. I generally tried not to put myself in this position, but there was nothing for it now. According to the cultural law of Earth, I had to remain in place until Cincin moved.
I opened my travel container and ripped off a piece of flatbread before scooping up some Talvian grain. The purple grains clung to the bread and were covered in a light sauce that had a tangy, sweet taste.
Alternating between eating and petting the fluffy cat, I looked around the office, my eyes landing on the trinkets. The built-in shelf was full of all different things; some I recognized, others not so much. The orange leaf in a clear stasis chamber was from Lidaysia. The sidlis valued leaves, and they were their on-planet currency as well as Coalition units. The glowing pink stone was from Luxmanioa. I’d never been but had seen images of the lush planet, full of stones that glowed with different harmonies.
My fingers sank into Cincin’s fur, and she purred even louder. I leaned back, my eyes wandering over Monqilcolnen’s treasures. Some were valuable, but most seemed like trinkets he’d randomly picked up, like that stylus. It wasn’t even a nice one. It looked like a basic student one, like the ones the academy handed out. Perhaps he’d saved it from his school years.
Cincin meowed when I stopped petting her.
“My apologies,” I told her.
She gave me a golden-eyed glare, though when I started petting her once again, she resumed her previous position. My eyes closed as her calming purr sank into me. Seth often talked about how Lucy relaxed him, and it was something I agreed with. I didn’t love to be touched outside of fucking, but sometimes I got lonely for a friend or companion. A furry cat to snuggle with would fulfill that need, and it would just be fun to play with one.
I settled more firmly against the cat tree. I would stay for a few more minutes or at least until Cincin moved. Just a few more minutes.
Chapter 7
What are you doing to me?
I dragged a hand over my face. It had been a long day. Normally, I wouldn’t be on Command the entire day, but Urgg and Talvax had been doing something, leaving me in charge. I hadn’t even gotten to check on Cincin. Sometimes she came with me to Command because she liked to ride on my shoulders, and I couldn’t move her. But this morning, she’d been happily napping in her bed.
My office door opened, and I paused in the doorway, soul thrashing against my ribs. Wyn was asleep on the floor. He was resting against Cincin’s tree with her curled up on his lap. His pink braid hung over his narrow shoulder, his eyes restlessly moved beneath his lids, and his full lips were open, just slightly.
Slowly, I approached, my tail thrashing. He looked so small and delicate sitting there, and more than that—he looked like he belonged. This, right here, was the place for him. In my office. With my cat. I crouched beside him, my hands curled into fists on my thighs. The urge to sweep him into my arms and snuggle him dashed through me. I easily suppressed it. I often had this urge whenever I saw him. Something about Wyn made me wish to hold him and never let him go.
I was a physically affectionate person with my cousins, parents, and the few close friends I had. If Wyn had allowed me and he hadn’t been directly beneath me in his current position, I would’ve asked for permissions. But it would be inappropriate for me to attempt anything with the power imbalance between us, even if my instinct didn’t demand I waited.
“Wyn,” I whispered.
He didn’t stir.
I loathed to wake him. Besides, he was quite trapped under Cincin.
Straightening, I snagged a blanket from my couch—one I usually reserved for my snuggle time with Cincin. She was a needy creature who demanded attention all day long, and I granted it to her, as she deserved.
With careful movements, as to not disturb Cincin, who glared at me, I covered Wyn. I stared at him for a moment before allowing myself to gently pull his silky braid from beneath the blanket. I wouldn’t touch him more than that, no matter how much I craved to feel his scales against mine.
I moved to my desk, taking a seat. I could hardly leave Cincin in here all night nor could I shift her off his lap, so I would have to wait. I started with the most important report, my eyes occasionally flicking toward Wyn. I was merely checking to see if Cincin had moved, nothing more.
My neck creaked, sending stabbing pains down my spine, as I woke up with a frown. I blurrily looked around. Where was I? This wasn’t my bunk. My eyes widened, and my pulse skyrocketed when my gaze landed on Monqilcolnen, who was asleep at his desk with his head on his hand. An impossibly soft blanket covered me, and Cincin was perched in her tree, asleep with her feet in the air.
What was happening?
Memories finally pierced the fog of exhaustion. I’d fallen asleep in Monqilcolnen’s office. Hours ago. I shouldn’t have been here, to say the least, and certainly not for this long. I’d been foolish to come in here simply because I’d wanted to spend time with Cincin. The commander had to be upset with me, right?
I fingered the blanket covering me. It hadn’t been there when I fell asleep. Monqilcolnen had to have placed it on me. Why, though? He didn’t care about me. He wasn’t cruel, even if he did repeat a story I hated frequently, but he didn’t strike me as kind either. In fact most of the time, Monqilcolnen acted like nothing truly mattered to him.
Blank. That was how I would honestly describe him.
I needed to get out of here. I stood, folded the blanket as neatly as possible so it was a perfect square, and went to gather my things from lunch, but they had vanished. Monqilcolnen had already collected them, I assumed. I began to flee, but at the last second, I peeked back at him and was met with golden eyes. He lifted an eyebrow, and I ducked my head and raced out.
“Please?” Seth asked, and I fought a groan, rocking Bobbinvoxlyn in my arms. “Urgg is threatening to teach me. You know they’ll pummel me and Kal will freak out.”
“I can’t teach you with my hand. Doctor Qinlin said no hand-to-hand combat class.”
“But you can come. Mindy is going to teach me, but if you're there it will be easier.”
