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The first thing she notices is that smile. Bright. So bright, that she can’t help but smile back and wave. The smile grows and the smile jogs over to her.
Words are coming out of her mouth. But it’s kind of hard to register the smile’s words with the smile in her face. Kal’tsit nods pretending she understands everything. Satisfied, the smile walks away.
All she’s left with is this awful tight sensation in her chest. Puzzled, Kal’tsit just kind of shuffles away before anyone notices that she’s been standing there for a few minutes.
~
She can’t help but notice the eyes. Ruby red orbs that seem to pierce through every wall anyone has erected.
Which explains why she is currently at the back of the lunch line.
Those rubies tend to attract a lot of attention around here. Can’t say she likes it, but it isn’t inconveniencing her, so she won’t complain. Well. More like she can’t complain.
The moment the line moves up she bumps into the person in front of her. She mumbles a sorry until she’s met with another smile. It isn’t as dazzling as her smile, but it is still nice. Friends aren’t exactly her forte. Oripathy research is.
The vulpo woman sticks out her pale hand. Kal’tsit vaguely hears a name.
“I’m sorry what was that again?”
She grabs Kal’tsit’s hand and begins shaking it. Kal’tsit eyes grow wide at the sudden contact. But before she can jerk it away the vulpo pulls her closer placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Name’s Lily! You?”
Kal’tsit is having trouble responding not used to this immediate contact. Luckily, her brain rewires itself in time.
“Kal’tsit.”
Ouch. Even she can hear the bite in her voice. Well, there goes another potential friend.
Except for the vulpo, Lily, Kal’tsit should call her Lily. Lily either doesn’t notice or cares. She just smiles and loops an arm around her shoulder.
“Well Kal’tsit! Wanna eat lunch together.”
Kal’tsit simply shrugs in response. Why not.
~
Oh, her hair is soft. Very soft. And blonde. Yes, it is blonde.
Trying her best to calm her beating heart she continues to play with the hair’s hair. After all the hair is asleep. Which means the hair won’t notice the mess Kal’tsit made of it.
To be fair, it’s hard not to play with. And. And. She sees other people doing it all the time. So, it’s fine if she plays with it a little. Time’s relative anyway. An hour or two feels like a minute to her. Thus, it is a minute.
Satisfied with her train of logic she continues to play with the hair.
But, she feels uncomfortable. She whips her head around. The office is empty no should be here. She still can’t shake off this feeling.
Shaking her head her hands go back to touching the hair.
It’s another hour before she finally gets her fill and leaves. Content, she lets out a sigh and smiles. No major incident today, all the work is finished, and she got to touch something soft and adorable. Now, if only this uncomfortable feeling would leave today would be perfect.
The moment she rounds the corner she stops walking. Straining her ears, Kal’tsit could hear shallow breathes.
Pivoting on her heels she immediately pokes her head around the corner.
Kal’tsit is mortified.
She sees the biggest shit-eating grin on Lily’s face.
~
“Soooooo… The doctor huh?”
“Say a fucking word and I will gut you with my scissors.”
Lily laughs. In her face of all things. Kal’tsit can’t stop the heat rising in her cheeks.
Lily laughs even harder and she’s even clutching her sides. Kal’tsit reaches into her pocket feeling around for her scissors. Kal’tsit finally grabs ahold of the scissors slamming them onto the canteen table. Lily seems unfazed as her laughter begins to die down.
“Oh, man Kal’tsit! Look behind you~!”
Whipping her head around she is mortified to see the smile, eye, and hair hesitantly smiling at her.
The smile, eye, hair person is chuckling nervously. She’s oh god. She’s staring at the pair of scissors.
Kal’tsit begins to stammer out excuses, apologies, anything really to distract or at least justify why she had a pair of scissors in her pocket.
The doctor just smiles and asks.
“May I sit here?”
Kal’tsit can only vigorously nod her head trying in vain to prevent her heart from beating.
Words are said, conversation is exchanged, and Kal’tsit can’t remember anything except the smell of their hair. And their face.
All she’s left with is this nice warm fuzzy feeling. And Lily’s shit-eating grin.
“So… Want some help?”
Kal’tsit tries to fight back her blush and fails. She simply nods her head, while pocketing her scissors.