Logs:A Kiss of Forgiveness

From From Dusk till Jawn
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Content Warning

discussion of blood and bathing in it, vampire Kiss,

Cast

Finley Adams, Calamity

Setting

Digital space and Finley' apartment

Log

Finley:: Hey...


Calamity:: what


F:: I'm really sorry. I know I messed up and that you probably never want to talk to me again. I'll leave you alone if you want me to.


C::i dont want u to leave me alone

C:: but whyd u tell her

C:: its my thing


F:: I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I just really wanted you two to be friends. She was psychic before she became like me, and she had a really hard time with it... I knew she'd be excited to have a psychic friend. I should have told you first. I'm sorry.


C:: wed probably be friends anyway

C:: and id probably said yes if u asked

C:: just like

C:: i dunno

C:: dont do it again or whatever


F:: I won't.

F:: I'm really sorry.


C:: sorry i yelled at u

C:: and swore at u


F :: I deserved it.


C:: no u didnt

C:: not in front of everyone like that


F:: I did. I was stupid and messed up.

F:: I’ll do better.

F:: I’m sorry.


C:: do u wanna go get ice cream?


F:: Are you sure? You really want to hang out?


C:: oh wait u

C:: cant eat it

C:: sorry

C:: but yeah


F:: No I don't mind that!

F:: But... wait

F:: Um. Maybe not tonight

F:: But I really want to!


C:: why not tonight?

C:: i mean if ur working thats fine i can get it myself and hang out

C::at the hospital or whatever


F:: No I'm not working... it's hard to explain

F:: I don't look myself right now. I don't know if I want you to see me like this. Its weird.

C:: …

C:: are u okay?


F:: Yeah, I'm fine. I just... sometimes I look different.


C:: okay?


F:: Its weird and embarrassing.


C:: we dont have to get ice cream


F:: I have ice cream in my freezer still and I'd really, really like to see you but... I don't want to freak you out.

F:: Or for you to... see me different or something.


C:: ur my friend i dont care what u look like

C:: i look like shit 80% of the time anyway

C:: its not a big deal


F:: I don't look like shit... kind of the opposite.


C:: what did u like put makeup on or something? or is it a weird thing where u look extra not dead?

C:: now i wanna see :P


F:: Not makeup. Ugh. It's complicated.


C:: okay now i REALLY wanna see

C:: im coming over

C:: cant stop me


F:: Calamity!! >_<


C:: byeeeee <3


F:: Wait! :(

F:: You have to promise not to laugh or be weirded out.


C:: promise :P

C:: unless its really weird

C:: but i didn't freak out about the whole teeth thing, did i?


F:: I guess, yeah…

Calamity texts Finley when they get to zher apartment. They're a little out of breath, like they've been running, and their hoodie is tied around their waist, revealing an oversized, if clean, t-shirt and their wiry arms.

They shift from foot to foot as they wait, looking up and down the street with some suspicion. Like they're not quite comfortable.


The front door of the apartment is pulled open a few moments later and Calamity is ushered into the hallway. Finley is wearing a mask, and had a hoodie on with the hood pulled up to cover zher head. The only thing really showing is zher eyes, which zhe's keeping downcast and trying to avoid looking directly at Calamity. Still... it looks like they are wearing make up--their skin is less pale and sickly, eyes bright and... surprisingly pretty, rather than sunken. Is zhe wearing mascara??? "U-um. H-hey," zhe mutters, voice soft and very nervous. But... despite the anxious stutter, there's no significant lisp.


"...Hey." It's not like Calamity's doing much looking, at the moment. Reconnecting with a friend after you've cursed them out is kinda a stressful event, and Calamity shuffles their feet a little, staring at the floor.

"Thanks...for letting me come over." A glance up. And then a second, and their eyes narrow. "You are wearing makeup - aren't you?" Their voice is a low hiss in the hallway.


Finley grimaces, quickly turning away and tugging the hood down further over zher face. "N-no... Um. It's fine. Just... come on..." Zhe opens the door and hurries down the stairs into the basement apartment.


Calamity follows keeping a bit of distance between them, and makes sure to shut the apartment door behind. Once they're down the stairs they tug their sweatshirt from around their waist and slip it back on, though they don't zip it up yet.

"So...?" They haven't flopped themselves on the couch like they usually do, instead standing at the foot of the stairs and shifting back and forth slowly.


The windows, as usual when Calamity comes over, has been uncovered.

"S-so...?" Zhe rubs zher arm, still half turned away. "Um. There's ice cream in the freezer. Help yourself."


"Not what I mean -" They cut off, their voice a little harsh. "Sorry." And they turn away, toward the kitchen.


"Oh." Zhe stares at the floor, arms crossing over zher chest. "Um. What did you mean? I--do you want me to say I'm sorry more? I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry... Or... is it--you want to see?" Zhe grimaces.


"No you - you don't have'ta say you're sorry. I already feel enough like shit about it." Calamity huffs and pulls the freezer door open with a little force.

"What's up with your face?"


Zhe lets out a soft strangled noise of anxiety, hands lifting to rub over zher face. "Mmm... fine. Um..." A soft breath is puffed out, and zhe tugs the hood back to show zher hair. Which looks shiny and a deep chocolate brown rather than zher usual stringy, limp dull hair. Zhe hesitates, fingertips lingering over the mask, before pulling that away too.

No teeth. Just soft, full, perfectly pink lips against pale porcelain skin. It's... honestly kind of eerie how perfectly symmetrical and Pretty zhe looks. Like a life size china doll. The only 'flaw' is a faint scar that connects from zher upper lip to zher nose, but even it doesn't diminish the beauty.

Finley looks absolutely miserable, still staring intently at the floor. "I didn't think anyone would ever want to see me again so I--I didn't think you'd want to see me, or I wouldn't have done it, but it won't go away for a couple nights, so..."


Calamity blinks a few times, but doesn't react with fear, or disgust, or confusion. A little mild curiosity, though, sure.

"...Huh. Is that...if you hate it why d'you do it?"


"I was experimenting." Finley glances up tentatively, giving Calamity a hopeful look when they don't react too poorly. "Um. I do that. Experiment. With blood."


Calamity can't quite keep a grimace off their face at that. "And...you gotta look...pretty? To do that?"


"Oh--well--sort of? If I do certain sort of experiments..." Zhe grimaces. "It's weird. I don't want to... gross you out...?" Zhe doesn't seem to mind talking about it, just worried about what Calamity will make of it.


"Okay but I wanna know, though." They pull a pint from the fridge and don't bother with a bowl, though again they're a little tentative as they return to the living room. And still don't seem to be entirely looking at Finley - only short glances before they look away again.


Zhe sighs, rubbing at zher cheek nervously. "Um... So... I have this special, um, magic? That I can do. Not many others can do it. It's like... something passed down in my bloodline. Um. The person th-that made me into a vampire could do it too. W-we... Um. Can make ourselves pretty. Like this. If we bathe in blood. Er--our own blood," zhe quickly assures. "But um... I like... trying to blend science with the magic? To... try to change myself, in other ways. A-and it's worked! It's... just a really slow process. It takes a lot of trial and error..."


"...You take baths in your own blood. To try an'...change shit about yourself?" They speak slowly, looking maybe a little disgusted, but it hasn't put them off the ice cream at all.

And they still look pretty fuckin' curious.

"What...other ways can you change yourself? An' why don't you like looking all pretty like that?"


Finley bobs zher head a bit in reply. "Mm, yeah. Um... I've learned how to control my hunger, through the baths. I... I guess part of it is kind of, um, immersion therapy? Bathing in blood to... get yourself used to resisting blood? But--I also feel different. It's kind of weird. But I can also make myself harder to notice, if I wanted--or I can... well, I can change how I look, a little..." Zhe grimaces at that. "But it still always makes me... Pretty. Like this."

Zher mouth opens and closes once, before zhe looks back down at the ground, frowning deeply. "I don't like people looking at me, like this."


Calamity listens quietly, monching on their ice cream (it's got cookie dough).

"Why, you're like...perfect." There's the slightest hint of...something, there. Like they don't get why, but...that they might be a little uncomfortable, with how perfect zhe looks.


"I don't... want to be perfect," Finley murmurs. "I just want to be normal."


"Neither of us get to be normal." It's vehement, and they take a few steps toward Finley, before remembering that, oh yeah, they're not fighting anymore but are they friends?

"And sometimes it fuckin' sucks. But...you're not really that fuckin' normal with your teeth either...?"


That makes Finley's shoulders slump a little. Zhe looks down at the floor, hands clenching at their ams. Zhe looks a little nauseous. "...It's... complicated..."


"I - you don't gotta talk about it. Sorry." Calamity sinks down onto the bottom stair to continue eating. "But like...you're pretty fuckin' cool no matter what you look like, an' you got cool-ass powers, too. Even if you didn't get to pick-em."


Finley stands still for a moment, then steps over to sit down beside them, arms wrapping around zher knees. "Do you..." Finley isn't looking at them, staring instead at the floor. "Do you like me better, like this? Does it scare you less?"


Calamity goes a little still, when zhe gets close. "Nuh uh. I mean sure, the creep factor's down a little, but you're so fuckin' miserable, 'n that's...an' it's weird. You lookin' so perfect an' me like..." They gesture to their ratty sweatshirt, and their worn and faded jeans. Their hastily brushed hair, their pinched and slightly underfed face. The smudge on their cheek they probably don't know about.


"What?" That makes Finley sit up and blink over at them, eyes widening. ...Did zher eyes have those honey-colored flecks in them, before? "O-oh--no, Calamity, I don't want to make you feel that way! You're very cute!"


There's a beat, and Calamity kinda...freezes, a spoonful of ice cream halfway to their open mouth. They blink once, twice, staring directly into those newly bright eyes, and go pink.

"...I...um." They let out a nervous laugh, and shove the spoon into their mouth. "Fanks?" It's muffled by ice cream, but understandable enough.


"I'm serious," Finley murmurs, softer but sincere. Still frowning at them. "You don't need magic to be pretty. Or--um, handsome, if you prefer that? You already are..." Zhe pauses a beat, then quickly looks away, zher own cheeks going rosy. "I don't... mean that in a weird way. I just... um... You shouldn't look down on yourself, Calamity. Or feel inferior. This is... it's just a lie."


"It's...I mean I don't feel...don't look down on myself, or nothin'. But you being all pretty like this's...I kinda like you better th'other way." Calamity's voice drops in volume as they continue speaking.

"'S like I'm looking at a doll. Doesn't look like you, y'know?"


"...I know," Finley agrees, nodding slowly. "I like me better the other way, too. It feels... more honest. More real. It doesn't... feel like me, not really--but... closer, at least..." Zhe reaches into zher hoodie pocket to slip the mask on again, covering at least part of zher face. The hood is tucked up too to cover most of zher hair. "It'll fade in a couple nights. I... I'll try not to do it again, when you're around."


"I mean you can...be however you gotta, around me." Calamity flashes zhem a smile, and like...leans toward them just a little bit. "Promise I won't make it too weird. You definitely don't gotta hide, either. 'M not gonna run away, 'les u want me to."


Finley looks back at them, meeting Calamity's eyes with a near-desperate look. "I really don't want you to..."


"Lets...agree'ta ask, 'fore we tell other people shit about the other?" They don't seem upset, really, not anymore.


Finley bobs zher head quickly. "Okay. I can do that. I will do that. I... I really am sorry, Calamity." Zhe tentatively offers out zher hand to them. "Are we still friends...?"


"...I'm sitting in your apartment, eating your ice cream, 'course we're friends." Calamity sounds cavalier, but the way they slowly reach out to take Finley's hand, and moreover the way they squeeze it, like they're terrified to let go, might say otherwise.


Zhe smiles, wide and bright, clearly seen even with the mask on. "Okay." Zhe scoots a little closer until zher head can rest lightly against Calamity's shoulder, fingers lacing through theirs. "Do you want to stay for a while? We could play more video games."


"Sure, yeah." They're trying so so hard to be casual, and pretend like they didn't just start to melt against zhem, now that physical contact is once again a Thing.

"I uh...might pass the fuck out though, 'm tired as fuck..."


"That's okay," Finley assures. "If... you want to sleep, I don't mind. I just... I might be asleep, if you don't wake up until after dawn. Um. I'll look like a corpse. So just... don't freak out..."


"Ooh..." Calamity looks them over, and nods.

"Hey, can you - do you still have fangs, even though your teeth aren't all sharky and shit?" They blink at zhem, curious.


Finley lifts zher head to look at them, then nods faintly. "Mm, yeah. When I want them. See?" Zhe smiles wide, flashing teeth--which do seem... oddly sharper than normal human teeth, even when zher fangs aren't extended. But then zher mouth opens and zher canines slip down into longer, much sharper fangs.


"Oh shit -" Calamity gasps, and grins wide to match, leaning in just a little in fascination. "Fin that's cool as hell. And like...creepy, but fuckin cool."


Finley giggles, head dipping, though zhe fangs remains for a moment. "R-really? I guess. It's a lot more terrifying the other way, I guess. Cooler this way."


"I mean...it's cool in a different way, I didn't realize that your sharky teeth were different from your actual fangs. Don't think I saw 'em. But yeah. Fuckin' creepy-cool. You can just...make 'em come out whenever?"


Zhe nods, letting the fangs slip away. "Mhm. Yeah. It's just like... stretching? Can do it whenever. I'm glad you think they're cool."


Calamity runs their tongue over their own teeth. "Yeah. Super cool." They open their mouth again, possibly to ask another question, but close it before they make a sound. And take another spoonful of ice cream, looking...thoughtful? Still kinda curious?


"What?" Finley asks, head tilting when Calamity seems to have something on their mind.


"I..." Calamity wrinkles their nose, the pink tinge returning to their cheeks. "Wondering what...it feels like to get bit. Prob'ly pretty bad, right? I mean, 's some sharp-ass teeth..."


"...Oh." Finley blinks, leaning back suddenly. A hint of... guilt? Worry? comes into their eyes. "Um... No, actually... It... feels really good," zhe says awkwardly. "Unless we're really violent about it? But... so long as it's gentle, there's no pain at all."


"...Huh." There's a few seconds of silence while Calamity processes that. "Makes sense, I guess, kinda hard to...get what you need, if it hurt all the time...?" Yeah, they're a little awkward, now.


Finley nods slowly. So very, very awkward. "Um... Yeah. It's kinda a... protection thing. People don't... really remember being bitten. They just remember..." Zher free hand gestures awkwardly. "The good feeling. And--and the wound heals, afterwards, so there's no... marks left behind. Helps us stay hidden."


"...No marks, even? Huh...'s pretty like...supernatural shit, or whatever."

They stand, a little abruptly, and gesture with the now empty ice cream carton.

"Should throw this out..."


"I mean... we are supernatural?" Finley murmurs sheepishly. Zhe blinks as Calamity suddenly stands, releasing their hand. "Oh... Um, yeah. Okay." Zhe looks away, then stands to head to the couch, picking up the controller to turn on the PS4. "So... Dragon Age..?"


"Dragon Age. Sure, yeah..." there's more than a little relief in their voice, at the change in subject.

"And...yeah I know you're supernatural, but...'s a whole lotta stories about vampire shit, but I dunno what's true or not." Because apparently they just can't quite let the subject drop.


"If you have anymore questions, you just gotta ask, Calamity. I trust you." Zhe smiles over at them, then turns back to the tv to turn the game on.


"...Even if they know it's happening, they don't remember? The - the people, I mean. That you..." A vague gesture. So much for a subject change - and they're so much more awkward about this than any of the questions they've asked in the past.


Finley grimaces a bit as Calamity keeps up the topic of feeding, but... answers anyway. "Um... No. Not really. I mean--if they know you bit them, they do? Most people just... they assume something else happened? They explain it away. Because that's easier than assuming you got... bitten by a vampire." Zhe sighs. "Most vampires hunt by... seducing people... and most people just think you had really good sex...? I don't... do that, though. I just--I sneak up on people and grab them and--they just think they fell or had a dizzy spell or something."


"...Oh. That..." Calamity nods with a small grimace. "That...yeah that makes sense. I'll...stop asking questions now, I - you don't look like you actually wanna answer 'em." Their voice is quiet, and they sink down onto the couch, a little bit away from Fin.


"I don't mind, I just... don't want to weird you out," Finley murmurs, shoulders slumping when they shift away.


"I mean it's...all weird. But I'm not gonna like...change my mind about being your friend just 'cause you gotta drink people's blood, or whatever." Calamity shrugs and picks up the other controller.


"Okay." Finley looks over at them for a moment.


It's not so much that Calamity moved away from them, they've just sat down on the couch after throwing the ice cream carton away, but...there's definitely something on their mind relating to Finely and more intimate shit like feeding. That, combined with possibly still shaky ground w/regards to where their friendship is at.


Finley continues to watch Calamity for a moment, which might be kind of creepy, to be honest--but it's so easy for a nosferatu to be creepy. Even while Prettied.

"Are... you... thinking about what it would feel like, to be bitten?" Finley asks uncertainly.


"Well I mean if - if you bit me, I wouldn't wanna just...not know it happened, you know? Or - or if anyone did, I guess, either," Calamity tacks that on at the end, like an afterthought.


Finley's brows crease, distressed at the thought. "I'd never do that to you, Calamity... I'd... I'd never bite you--feed from you." A beat pause, glancing away awkwardly. "Not without permission...


"No that's - I know you wouldn't, I still wouldn't wanna forget it, or anything. 'S why I was asking if it was like...actual some sorta memory wiping or just people's brains tryin' real hard to come up with something that makes sense."


"O-oh--oh, no." Zher head shakes. "No, you don't forget it or anything. It's... pretty noteworthy? People just rationalize it away."


"'Noteworthy', an' 'really good'." Calamity huffs in amusement. "'S not really...tellin' me what it feels like."


Finley puffs out a breath, shoulders hunching a little. "It's... it's like..." Finley stares forward at the TV for a few seconds before continuing. "Your whole body goes... tingly. Like... um, you know how when you stretch sometimes, your whole body just... shudders and your muscles contract and it feels really... good? And after you just... melt. Or... Um, when you listen to a specific song or--or like an ASMR video, and that... shudder ripples over you and you go all goosebumpy? It's like that, but... all over and... even more intense."


"...Huh. Sounds...really good." They quirk a grin at zhem, though it falters after a moment, and they eye Finley with a little concern. "It...it feels that way even if you don't wanna be bit?"


Finley looks at the ground in front of the couch, nodding faintly.


"..Oh...no..." Calamity's face falls still more, and they scoot a little closer. "That's fuckin' shitty. An' unfair."


"It's just... what we are, Calamity. We're monsters, even if we're sometimes really good at pretending to be human," Finley says in a soft voice.


"No - no I was just thinking...what happened to you...even if you didn't want it. I don't think you're a monster, you don't...you're not."


Finley continues staring at the floor. Zhe doesn't argue, but it's clear they don't quite agree with Calamity.

Zhe scoots closer after a moment, leaning sideways against them. "He's dead now. Dead-dead, for good. It's okay."


"Good." Calamity drapes an arm around zhem and hugs them close. "I'd fuckin' hunt him down myself, if not."

there's a moment's pause, while Calamity plays through a bit of the game.

"Would...you ever? Wanna ask permission?"


Finley lets out a content sigh as Calamity hugs zhem, some of the tension easing out of them. Zhe seems quite happy to curl up against Calamity's side, head on their shoulder, legs tucked up against their's. Zhe watches them play, not speaking up again until Calamity does.

Then zhe looks up at them, hesitating a moment. "...Would you... want me to...?"


"I...dunno." Calamity shrugs, and glances down at zhem. "I mean...'m kinda curious? But not enough to make you do somethin' you don't wanna. And...and not now, not while you're...pretty." a beat. "'Les you'd rather do it, like that." Their voice gets increasingly quiet, as they speak, and their heart is hammering in their chest.


The kindred falls quiet again, staring up at Calamity for a few seconds before zher gaze lowers, staring at their chest as if zhe could watch the blood bumping rapidly out from their heart. For the first time, Finley's eyes look... almost predatory. Almost hungry. But zhe seems to catch zhemself, inhaling softly before forcing zhemself to look away, cheeks flushing. "...If it's... something you really... want to try... U-um... O-okay. And--uh, yeah... We can wait, if that's what you prefer."


Calamity blinks, following zher gaze, their pulse increasing just a touch as they kinda realize what zher doing. "Nah, I just...don't want you to think that I'm doin' this just 'cause you look different, y'know?" They sound a little embarrassed.


Zher eyes lift, tentatively, to meet their's. "It's... not because of that, right..?"


"No, I...been thinking about it since you told me what you were."


"...Oh." Finley blink-blinks in surprise. "Really? The thought didn't... scare you at all?"


"I mean yeah, a little, that's why I wanted to know about it." Calamity smirks, and sticks their tongue out.


Finley looks flustered, glancing aside for a moment. "...Okay. W-well... Um... Then... may I? Feed from you? Whenever you're... most comfortable..."


"...Kinda wanna know what it feels like, yeah." They blush now, failing to keep their slightly sarcastic attitude. Their heart is still racing.


Zher fingers curl against zher knees, gripping at their pants legs. "D-do you want to wait? Or...?"


"...D'you?" Their smirk is back.


"No?" Zhe giggles nervously. "So long as it doesn't matter to you... that's what matters to me."


"Nah." Calamity shakes their head with a soft huff of laughter. It's maybe a little nervous. "Where um...where's best?"


Finley turns to face them, fingers gripping against at zher knees. "Um... Where ever you prefer, is fine? I can just bite your wrist, if that's most comfortable for you?"


"Sure yeah." They speak quickly, their hands fluttering over their lap, now, and the arm they hold out is just a touch shaky.


"I won't take much," Finley assures, taking Calamity's hand. Zher eyes meet their's, trying to look reassuring, but... zhe just can't manage to hide the eager, hungry look. Zher other hand lifts to slip the mask off again, showing that fangs are already extended.


"Okay." Their heart flutters, their voice is a few steps higher than usual, but they don't pull their hand away, instead staring at Finley's mouth.


Finley looks down at Calamity's wrist, zher thumb brushing lightly against where their pulse is racing under their skin. Then zhe leans down, mouth closing over skin tightly as the fangs pierce cleanly into their veins.

It's... close to how Finley described it. But how do you really describe the Kiss? It's a sensation one can easily get lost within, ignoring pain and the threat of death to just float in ecstatic limbo.


Calamity shudders, when Finley brushes against their wrist. And then -

"...Oh..." Their mouth forms the word slowly, quietly, a tentative sound in an otherwise quiet room. They take a shuddering breath, and let it out in a sigh, sagging into the couch and leaning into the vampire with zher mouth at their wrist. Eyelids flicker and then close, and another soft sigh escapes their lips as they relax into the bliss of the Kiss.


It doesn't last very long. Perhaps no where near as long as Calamity might want it to, while lost in the bliss. But Finley didn't want to take too much. No way they were going to risk Calamity's health just for a moment of greed.

Less than a minute later Finley's fangs withdraw, but before the Kiss can truly fade zher tongue licks over the bite wound carefully, gently, urging the flesh and skin to reknit. Then another lick, to clear away any remaining smears of blood. Which is... perhaps a weird sensation for Calamity to come back to themself to.

Finley's head lifts a little to watch Calamity intently, zher eyes half lid, looking content and--because they are alas Blushed right now--rather flushed and breathing a little quicker.


"Hah -" Calamity twitches at the sensation of tongue on wrist, their head tipped back onto the couch, eyes still closed. Their hand is limp in Finley's now, and the controller in their other hand slips from their loose grasp to fall to the floor with a thud.

They barely react to that, and ease their head up to regard Finley, blinking slowly.

"'S...not something y'can really describe, is it?" Their speech is a little slurred, and they give Finley a lopsided and lazy grin.


"...No. Not really," Finley murmurs, watching them intently. "How do you... feel? Was it okay...?" Half concerned, half hopeful.


"Yeah," Calamity breathes. "Feel great. Little...woozy, but 's fine." They tip over, melting into Finley's shoulder, looking up at zhem with something akin to adoration.


"That's... natural." Zher arms wrap around them to hold, smiling softly. Until zhe catches the look of adoration. Then Finley pauses, a flicker of guilt passing over zher features. But zhe doesn't let go or pull back, either.


"Wha...?" They catch the guilt and cock their head, pale eyes wide.


"I just... I... I don't want this to change our friendship," Finley says in a soft voice, zher pretty lips tilted down into a soft frown. There's the tiniest bit of blood smudged at the corner of them.


Calamity blinks those pale eyes, pupils dilated in the low light (and that's gotta be the only reason, right?), and reaches up a hand to wipe the blood away with their thumb. "Why...would it?"


Finley blinks, eyes following Calamity's hand a moment before zhe looks to the side. Zher weirdly sharp teeth chew at zher lower lip nervously. "Some people... they almost get... addicted to that feeling. To the Kiss. I... I liked it too, but... I don't... want it to become the reason you like me... Or want to hang out with me."


"It's...I..." It takes a bit of time for Calamity to collect their thoughts, blissed out as they still are. "We're friends b'fore this, so...don't see how it'd change anything. Could see how people wanna come back for more, though, 's..." they trail off with a quiet hum, and give Finley another lopsided smile.


"...Okay," Finley murmurs, so desperate to believe that as truth that zhe doesn't argue at the moment. That's a potential problem for future Finley, right?

Zher arms squeeze around them tighter, pulling them in to lay against zhem. There's even some light touches across their back, gently petting. "Thank you. For trusting me with this. It means a lot that you do..."


Calamity makes no effort to get away, melting into Finley and even nuzzling their shoulder with a sigh as they get comfortable. "Yeah, 'course..." Their eyes close as they nod sleepily.


Finley smiles at them, adoring in zher own way, and not at all because of the Kiss. After a moment zhe places a soft, brief kiss against Calamity's temple. Otherwise zhe seems very content to hold them close until they fall asleep.

The question is, do they fall asleep, and do they sleep until after dawn...


They're asleep before Finley even kisses them, their breathing quiet, their heartbeat so much slower than it was. They probably shift a bit, in the middle of the night, to be the little spoon so they can sleep on their side, but otherwise sleep deeply, waking well after dawn.


Finley is more than happy to be the big spoon and hold the sleeping mortal. ...Let's not talk about how long zhe spends watching them sleep.

Just before dawn Finley slips away, getting a blanket to drape over Calamity, but otherwise leave them on the couch before disappearing into zher bedroom. The door is closed when Calamity wakes up, but there's a note on the coffee table that reads:

I hope you slept well! I'm asleep and won't wake up until sunset. You're welcome to stay if you want to, but you don't have to. Make yourself at home if you stay. If you leave, please lock up when you go. If you plan to return you can take my keys to get back in. I had a good time last night, and I'm really glad you're still my friend. (doodled smiley face and heart)


Calamity doesn't stay - but they do scrawl a heart on the note before they leave.