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Charthur sat, fingers interlocked, on the side of the bed, facing the door. The wait was killing her.
The room wasn't helping. Luxury had always made her uncomfortable, and this room was suffocating in it. Ornate vases sat on elaborate wooden desks made of presumably rare and expensive wood. The wallpaper glittered slightly, flecks of gold woven into its fabric. The bed itself, far too soft and plush for Charthur's taste, was draped with <<insertlink "exceedingly fine">> (and flame-retardant -- something Jasmaby had required since kittenhood)<<endinsertlink>> sheets.
The temptation to <<reviselink bolt "bolt">> was overwhelming. <<revision bolt>><<becomes>> (The window wasn't even that far away, and a single story was barely a fall at all.)<<endrevision>>
Still, she sat, and [[waited]].She wrung her hands. This was important. She needed to make this work. So she would. No matter how it felt. She needed to make it work, because...
As if on cue, Jasmaby entered, pushing aside the heavy door with a hip while carrying a glass of water in each hand. He stepped neatly over to Charthur and handed her a glass. It was <<insertlink "frigid">>, and immediately soothing<<endinsertlink>>.
"Drink, dear. Something to assuade your nerves," he stated simply.
Charthur...
[[...drank the water.|drank]]
[[...refused it.|refused]]Charthur nodded gratefully, and gulped down the icy <<insertlink "water">> (for once, Charthur felt like something stronger... but Jasmaby had insisted this would work better with her sober)<<endinsertlink>>. The chill hit her stomach, causing her to shiver, releasing some of the tension she had been holding.
Jasmaby moved one paw to her shoulder. His fingers traveled towards her back, found a muscle, and pressed into it firmly, the heat relaxing it. Charthur sighed, unable to resist. Jasmaby leaned over slightly, letting his chin brush against the top of her ear.
"Very good, dear. Now, shall we begin?" he asked, sweetly.
Charthur...
[[...nodded.|nodded]]
[[...stared straight ahead.|stared]]Charthur shook her head, snarling slightly. "I'm fine, no matter what you think, I don't have need to take a drink," she grumbled, moving to put the water on the bedside table. She released the glass, only several inches too early, dropping it directly onto the floor instead, where it shattered.
Charthur stared at the shattered glass, and felt Jasmaby looming behind her. "Oops?" she tried.
"Here," Jasmaby said with undisguised annoyance as he forced the second glass into her hands. "Have mine instead, then."
Charthur [[drank|luke warm]].
Charthur nodded. She would make this work. She could face this. She would conquer her fear. She had to.
"Excellent," Jasmaby said, sounding proud. <<display "it's time">>Charthur stared straight ahead. The fear, the anxiety were building already. How could she not screw this up? What if she ruined this?
Still. There was no escape. Time to face her fate.
"I'll take that as a yes," Jasmaby said to her. <<display "it's time">>Charthur gulped down the glass of water. It was hot enough for tea, just without the actual tea, but Charthur forced it down anyway. It helped, just a little.
"Now then," Jasmaby said, patting Charthur on the back. "Are you ready to begin?"
Charthur...
[[...nodded.|nodded]]
[[...stared straight ahead.|stared]]He reached into his pocket. "You'll be fine," he reassured her, as he pulled his compact and held it out at arm's length.
"This is known as a 'selfie', darling," he explained sarcastically, "And you'll be happy to know it has a tremendously high survivation rate."
Charthur stared at the horrible, <<insertlink "orange">> (the exact orange of Jasmaby's fur; a custom job, but Jasmaby insisted it was worth it) <<endinsertlink>> device. She could feel the sweat forming on her brow, trickling down her temples. Her stomach was turning.
She had to [[do this]].She had to do this.
It was just a photo.
All she had to face the camera, and... and...
And...
No. She couldn't do this.
Charthur...
[[...made an excuse.|excuse]]
[[...made a run for it.|run]]"Ahaha," she blurted out. "I can't do this now, and that's the truth. A dental appointment, for this tooth," she stammered out. She hopped down off the edge of the bed, only for Jasmaby to hook a paw into her collar and yank her back.
"Nice try, love, but this is for your own good," Jasmaby told her, just a hint of edge in his voice. He wrapped his arm around his shoulder, pinning her place.
Charthur could only [[watch]] in horror as he swiped in his security glyph.Charthur made a move to sprint from the room, but Jasmaby was faster, throwing an arm around Charthur and pinning her in place before she could even hop down off the bed.
"Nice try, love, but this is for your own good," Jasmaby told her, just a hint of edge in his voice. He wrapped his arm around his shoulder, pinning her place.
Charthur could only [[watch]] in horror as he swiped in his security glyph.The compact unlocked.
Jasmaby swiped over to the camera app.
He prepared to [[tap it]]."I want to," Charthur said softly.
"That's my brave dear." Jasmaby leaned down to plant <<insertlink "a kiss on her cheek">> (it wasn't fair, the way the warmth of his breath, his lips, his kiss, blended in with the heat of her blush)<<endinsertlink>>. "You'll be fine. We'll work through this together."
"Well then," he continued, "no time like the presence." With that, he tapped the camera app. The device's screen flickered, then displayed the two of them, sitting on the edge of the bed, Charthur staring up into her own eyes, her face, so small on the screen...
Charthur...
[[...panicked.|panic]]"I don't want to," Charthur said.
"Oh," Jasmaby responded. He paused for a moment. "I suppose I was speaking rhistorically. More precitely, you have to do this if I want you to, and I do."
Charthur let her lip curl into a snarl, but Jasmaby cut her off. "Now, now. This is for both of us." His tone softened, and the arm wrapped around her moved to the small of her back.
"I'm sorry, dearest. But the realty is, whereever I go, there are cameras. So if we want to be able to go out in public, we need to address this."
Charthur let out a huff. He was right, annoyingly so.
There wasn't anything to do but [[nod in agreement]]."Other way!" Charthur blurted out, her voice cracking. "Other way!"
Before she had realized it, she had thrown one arm in front of her face, tugging her cap down as low as it would go. She had burrowed into Jasmaby's side. She had found herself curling into ball, doing her best not to exist.
"Turn it..." she made a feeble twirling gesture with one finger. "The screen... do it the other way."
It was too late. Charthur [[turned inward]].Charthur nodded. Barely visibly, but it still counted.
Jasmaby's paw, still perched on her back, moved in a soothing, circular motion. "I know you don't want to feel like this." The paw paused. Jasmaby tilted his chin back slightly. "And I know //I// want a girlfriend I can show off without her putting a bag on her head."
Charthur shot back, "That was a joke."
"No it wasn't," Jasmaby said. "So. Let's at least attest to helping you deal with this problem, okay?
Charthur...
[[...agreed.|agreement]]
[[...proposed The Idea again.|The Idea]]"Finally," Jasmaby said, giving her a few comforting pats on the back.
"Well then," he continued, "no time like the presence." With that, he tapped the camera app. The device's screen flickered, then displayed the two of them, sitting on the edge of the bed, Charthur staring up into her own eyes, her face, so small on the screen...
Charthur...
[[...panicked.|panic]]Jasmaby had shot down this suggestion before, but maybe time had helped her see the reason of it.
"What if..." she started.
"No, we can't beat up everyone who owns a camera, lovely," Jasmaby interrupted. He waggled his compact at her. "That's literally everyone these days. We'd have to beat up all of Dewclaw."
"Alone, perhaps, we might falter; but to work together, our odds..."
"Are we going to take this selfie or not?" Jasmaby spit out, steel in his voice.
Charthur [[agreed|agreement]] to it.
(Oh well, it was worth a try.)
<<replacelink>>This is a thing <<gains>>and another thing <<gains>> and one more thing.<<endreplacelink>>
A <<insertlink "test">><<gains>>and <<insertlink "another">> <<gains>>and <<insertlink "a third one">><<gains>>and a fourth.<<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>>
A <<insertlink "test">>. <<gains>>Seems to be <<insertlink "working">>. <<gains>>That's good.<<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>>
A <<replacelink "test">>. <<gains>>Seems to be <<replacelink "working">>. <<gains>>That's good.<<endreplacelink>><<endreplacelink>>
A <<insertlink "test">>. Seems to be <<insertlink "working">><<gains>>. That's good<<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>>.Charthur cringed, the heat of shame gripping the back of her neck, paralyzing her.
What a wretched feeling. //What a wretched way to behave,// came her thoughts.
She hated this. Hated feeling so pathetic. //Hated being so pathetic.// Hated //looking// so pathetic. Unable to hide it, unable to fight it.
The thought that someone might see her <<insertlink "like this">> //(like she really was)//<<endinsertlink>> ate at her gut.
She couldn't beat this. She couldn't now, and never would. //She would always//, wait, wait wait wait....
Charthur [[realized]] something.<<insertlink "The thought that someone might see her like this.">><<insertlink "\n\nThe thought that someone //might// see her like this?">><<insertlink "\n\nJasmaby.">><<insertlink "\n\nJasmaby was seeing her like this right now.">><<insertlink "\n\nHow had she overlooked that?">><<insertlink "\n\nWas it possible...">><<insertlink " ...that she really did trust him?">><<insertlink "\n\nShe looked at him, desperate not to know, but ever so slightly more desperate to see him.">><<insertlink "\n\nHe was looking down at her. Concerned. Slightly sad, maybe.">><<insertlink "\n\nBut there was no pity in his eyes. There was...">><<insertlink " well...">><<insertlink "\n\nLove.">><<insertlink " And she saw herself reflected there.">><<insertlink "\n\n...">>
She could [[do this|ready]] after all.<<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>><<endinsertlink>>Charthur took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, breathed in, listened to the beating of her heart. She heard the racing of her blood through her veins. She willed calm, and found it.
She opened her eyes, and found her center.
"A small attack, quick to recede. Let's take this photo, as we agreed."
Jasmaby smiled, softly but widely.
"Good," and then after a moment, "I'm here for you."
"I know." She took his hand in hers, and squeezed.
"Well then," Jasmaby <<insertlink "coughed">> (the slightest blush on his cheek? So unfair, that his fur disguised blushes while hers highlighted them)<<endinsertlink>>, "let's try that again."
He held the compact aloft -- facing the other way this time.
"Say cheese!"
[["''...cheese.''"|cheese]][[CLICK|click]]And just like that, it was over.
Jasmaby brought the compact back down in from of him and pulled up the photo excitedly. Charthur peered over, and...
...hated what she saw. But it was her hate, and that was okay. Looking at herself, she could feel a pit forming in her stomach, but she, Charthur, was still here. She could make this work.
"Oh, you look good in this!" Jasmaby chirped.
"No, I don't," Charthur grumbled, but said <<insertlink "nothing more">> (It was taking her a little while to come up with a good rhyme for "erase." "Delete," maybe?)<<endinsertlink>>.
"No, you really don't," Jasmaby agreed. "You look like death, but in a bad way." Charthur opened her mouth to speak, but Jasmaby leaned over and stared directly into her eyes. "This photo captures not a fractal of your true beauty." With that, he planted a kiss on the bridge of her nose.
"Shut up," Charthur shot back, but she couldn't fight the smile lifting her cheeks.
Things were going to be [[okay|disaster]].Charthur breathed in, hearing the sounds of the market muffled through the window, the birds chirping, Jasmaby saying, "This //is// a good one of me, actually. This is definitely going on [[Bweeter|THE DISASTER]],"The center of the vase exploded, ceramic shards hurtling in every direction, the heavy fragments cutting grooves as they impacted the table and wall. In the same moment, the wall behind the vase erupted a plume of plaster, gold flecks mingling with tiny slivers of orange plastic. A few sparks of electricity jumped from the hole in the wall, as the cloud of dust spread throughout the room, the last sounds of debris bouncing off the floor died down.
Charthur completed the follow-through of her pitch.
With a sense of growing horror, she turned back at Jasmaby, whose face showed only mild surprise, still staring placidly down at the compact-shaped hole in his hands.
Charthur stood [[absolutely still]].For a time, there was no sound except that of dust settling lightly on the furniture and a few shards of the vase settling where they had landed. There was a moment of silence, and then one final piece oscillated off the table and hit the ground with a tinkle.
Charthur's ear twitched reflexively. In that instant, Jasmaby was suddenly facing her, his expression still frozen.
Nothing else for it, Charthur shrugged, and rattled off, "You always said that phone was trash; go buy another, you've got the cash."
Jasmaby said nothing, but his eyes had narrowed. Charthur considered her options, and decided...
[[...to make her last stand.|last stand]]
[[...to recalculate the distance between herself and the window.|window]]Charthur dropped into a battle stance, and...
<<display "Sunny">>Charthur figured if she hit the pane with her shoulder and twisted in the air, she could probably...
<<display "Sunny">>...but a moment later, Jasmaby screwed up his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No... no, it's fine..." he said, holding up his other hand. "I understand you can't always represtrict yourself when..."
He sighed, and looked off to the side. "Fame is a burden. Always subject to the appreview of the crowd. Every random strandger feeling as if you are somehow oblidebted to them." He leaned back and ran a paw through his flower. "For impecculate individuals such as myself, this is hardly a concern," he sighed again, leaning forward to rest his chin on his paw, still staring off into space. "But poor Sunny... popularity weighs on them so... and now, because of me... you..."
With that, he lapsed into silence. Charthur [[sat down]] next to him.Charthur sat, the softness of the mattress bringing the two tigers closer together. They leaned on each other, and sat with their thoughts for a while.
"Sorry about your compact," Charthur said.
"Really, it's fine. I didn't like that model much anyway." Jasmaby responded, putting an arm around her shoulder, still staring off into the distance.
"Well..." Charthur smiled up at him. "No harm, no foul, then."
The arm tightened, suddenly putting Charthur into a headlock. Without looking at her, Jasmaby snarled, all his teeth showing at once. "That //was// my favorite //vase//, though."
"Another, you, could surely, buy" Charthur started, but Jasmaby cut her off.
"You //will// be making this up to me," the headlock suddenly eased, and the anger on Jasmaby's face melted into the much more menacing expression of an idea crossing his mind. "...and I know how," he concluded.
Charthur swallowed the lump in her throat, and tried to [[imagine]] what he might mean...Charthur cringed, a full-body cringe that caused her to lean over into Jasmaby's side. She clenched her jaw, and forced the tips of her claws into each palm.
Jasmaby looked down at her, and now embarrassment blossomed on top of the anxiety.
"Charthur. Sweetheart. We don't have to do this if you don't want to."
Charthur said...
[["...I want to."|want to]]
[["...I don't want to."|don't want to]]!TO BE CONTINUED
([[epilogue]])Her compact buzzed, shifting across the workspace slightly. Kid Neon eyed it with disdain. Another distraction, and always in the middle of the most delicate work.
She used one finger to slide the device over to her. Charthur. Ah, well... in that case.
She picked up the compact and swiped in her glyph. "Hey, Charthur, what's up?"
Charthur's tone was immediately recognizable; the overly polite tones of someone who just happens to need tech support. "A little favor, to help me atone; can you get stuff from Jas's phone?"
Kid Neon sighed. "You need me to pull the data from a broken compact?"
"...yes," Charthur said, a bit nervously.
"No," she stated. "It's impossible."
Charthur sounded slightly annoyed at this. "I don't mean to beg, or mean to pry; but Kid Neon will not even try?"
Kid Neon tucked her own compact into the crook of her shoulder and went back to studying a delicate bit of circuitry. "If you or Jasmaby broke that compact, that drive is destroyed, memory gone. End of story."
"...please?" Charthur asked. Ugggh. Her secret weapon. There was [[no resisting it]].Kid Neon put the circuitry back down. "...fine. Bring it over, I'll do what I can."
There was silence on the other end, before Charthur switched back to her polite voice, "Ah... just one more detail to add, I fear. Maybe instead, you could come here?"
"Why?" Kid Neon asked, suspicious.
Another beat of silence, before Charthur declared, "We've... uh... got... something good to munch! So won't you join us, tomorrow, for lunch?"
Kid Neon rolled her eyes. "What's the real reason?"
"...you're right. On this, I shouldn't stall. The compact //might// be embedded in the wall..."
Kid Neon flicked to [[hang up]] the call. She fumed for a while, pretending to continue her work, before saying to herself, "I don't know if I even have time to go out for lunch, not with all--"
Chip, sitting idly on a nearby shelf, interrupted with a tiny, chirpy melody. "BZZT. CALENDAR UPDATED."
She turned to her robot. "I said, I don't know--"
Chip replayed the melody, louder. "BZZT. CALENDAR UPDATED."
"You know we need to finish this before--"
Chip replayed the melody loud enough to vibrate the metal shelf they were on, emphasizing the tinniness of it. "BZZZZZZT. CALENDAR. UPDATED."
"Ugh, fine," Kid Neon threw her hands in the air. "Remind me to bring along an adapter cable for ashes so I can plug you directly into the crater."
"BZZT. REMINDER SET."
Kid Neon sat at her workbench, unmoving for a minute. Then, quietly, she added, "And while you're at it, run a search for 'dessert recipes, easy, quick'."
!THE END