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Usually, I would wake up quickly. My mind was always fast to its alert state. But I found myself blinking slow and groggy, my mind still foggy with the memories of sleep. I couldn't remember my dreams -- I rarely did. Just the impression of a vulpine smile following me wherever I went. I really liked that smile.
It was the presence of that same grin now that pulled me finally into the world of awareness. Reynard was sitting in a chair by the bed I found myself in, and while he held a book in his hands, his eyes were on me and not the text. I always thought he was very handsome, and right now was no exception!
I tried to grin back at him, but the fond look on his face was replaced by a concerned expression as I did so. While my body was slow to respond right now, my mind was very much in its stride. I hated to see him look sad or worried, especially over me. I really liked his face and it looked best when he was happy.
"Are you alright, Takeo?"
"'m fine..." I mumbled out, slowly pulling myself to an upright position in the bed, before asking, "Where are we? Where are the girls?"
Reynard sat his book down on the table by the bed and gave a sweeping hand around the room. "This is our room. I have secured us sanctuary here from Shirana. Unfortunately, there was only one bed!" The grin was back now. I was glad to see it!! Reynard didn't seem like himself when he wasn't smiling at me like that. I liked him best when he was himself, with me.
"As for the girls," he continued, "they are all back at the house now with other teachers. They're determined to keep their cover."
"That's smart," I said with a nod, "I suppose you're sure we're safe here?"
"Like I said... Sanctuary."
At these words, a rabbit hopped out from under the bed and made its way to the door, before turning back to us with an expectant look. Reynard's grin turned predatory for a moment, before he sighed in frustration.
"Unfortunately, the rabbits have also been granted sanctuary."
"Why are there rabbits?"
Reynard shrugged as he let it out of our room. "You'll have to ask Shirana and Lia that... And maybe Francois?"
I blinked, trying to remember who was who. "The...backpack?"
No answers were forthcoming from Reynard, who was staring longingly down the hallway, and so I turned my attention back to the room. There was in fact only one bed. There was also a nightstand, the chair that Reynard had been lounging in only moments before, and a dresser. There wasn't much else left.
"Big house like this and only one bed?" I asked with a smirk.
The tips of Reynard's ears turned red, like his hair, but he didn't back down. "I mean, we're not taking Andy's bed. Who knows what she's got in there anyway."
I threw the blankets off of me with as much force as I could muster. Despite the fact that I had gotten what might very well be the most restful sleep I've had since I came to Mortalia, if not in my life!!!, my body didn't quite feel as recharged as I was used to. But once the sheets were back, I could tell that I'd been cleaned, and my clothes changed... This was a welcome difference.
I tried to stand up from the bed but my legs apparently weren't awake yet, and I stumbled my way down to a face plant on the ground.
Reynard didn't even try to pretend like he wasn't laughing at me, even as I watched his feet move closer to inspect me, making sure I was okay.
"Takeo... Do you want to keep kissing the floor, or wouldn't you rather kiss me?"
I couldn't tell if I was successful in hiding my blush. I wasn't always when he said those kinds of things to me, which is why he said them. He laughed at me again, so I assumed I must be beet red.
"I'd rather put my mouth on some food," I said as he helped me up. It was a lie though! I loved Reynard a lot, and I smiled when he kept my hand in his, even when I was upright again.
"Well then, let's go find dinner."
The rabbits, even though THEY WERE SAFE, steered clear of us for the rest of that night.