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Tabitha Wilde had been stood up.
That was a problem on its own. She should have expected Mordred would flake on her. She should have never trusted a wretch like him to keep his word.
But since she was here, she wouldn't be passing up the chance to drink her sorrows away.
And she'd done so. Perhaps past her usual limit. No, definitely past her usual limit if she was a blubbering, screaming mess like she was now.
She scrabbled at the door with her claws, as if she'd forgotten how doors worked.
"Hey! Let me back in, you maggots! I'm a paying customer!" Tabitha yowled.
She knew that if she just waltzed back in, they'd just kick her back out.
So she nails-on-a-chalkboarded the glass doors of the bar, hoping somebody would let her in.
But to no avail. She sat on the sidewalk, ginger-furred tail curled around her legs as she tried not to let any patrons see her crying.
The scratches on her body bled and stung, her wine-red dress in tatters from the bar fight that had gotten her kicked out.
Part of Tabitha's rage towards her being kicked out was that her opponent was still inside like nothing happened. She hated him, she wanted to finish the job.
Her face was pressed into her propped up knees, so she hardly noticed when someone approached her.
"Tabitha?"
The voice was gentle, a hopeful lilt underneath the layers of surprise. A tall, broad man crouched in front of her, long black wings tucked against his back. His expression was warmly concerned, though he remained a foot away from Tabitha as if trying to give her space.
Of all the dumb birds, it had to be Sammy Harris.
"Are you alright, my dear?" he asked. "What are you doing out here alone? And, oh...your beautiful dress! Your skin! What villain has dared to lay hands on you in such an uncouth manner?! I swear I shall bring them to justice posthaste!"
This was great luck! Sammy had just been out on a walk downtown in an attempt to combat his horrible loneliness and the aching longing in his chest. He hadn't expected to actually run into anyone, much less the cute feline princess he had been fawning over with the other birds for a while now. Although finding her in this sorry state was despairing; what on earth had happened to leave her so forlorn?
The small feathers around his eyes fluffed with indignation. This simply would not do. Whoever had hurt this poor lady would never hear the end of Sammy's wrath once he found them!
Tabitha's head shot up at the sound of Sammy's voice, and she swiftly wiped away her tears. But there was no hiding her emotions from him right now. She was a painfully honest drunk.
The streaked mascara on her face wasn't doing her any favors, either.
"Sammyyyyy!" She shot from her place on the ground, wobbling a bit.
She leaned forward, using Sammy's body for support, as she struggled to stop more tears from pouring down her face.
"I've always wondered what your name is short for, I've had a few guesses." She chattered. "Samuel? Samwise? Samson? It doesn't matter. I dunno why I'm babbling on."
But she did know, because as soon as Sammy asked Tabitha a question she laughed. She'd been trying to avoid having to give an answer.
"Oh, you wanna know why I'm outside? I got kicked out!" She chirped, almost proudly. "For starting a fight! But he deserved it, I'll tell you."
She waved a sharp-nailed finger near Sammy's face, gripping an arm with her other hand in an attempt to not fall.
"A nasty little wretch like him deserved what he got for trying to put his hands where they didn't belong!" She snarled. "He deserved to have his eyes torn out for looking at me the way he did. I could feel him watching before he even sauntered over!"
It wasn't anybody she knew. She'd have probably reacted even more violently if it was.
But right now, she seemed pretty content oversharing just how miserable her evening was shaping up to the first poor soul to approach her.
Honestly, and she was painfully honest in this state, Sammy was probably one of the better options to come across her.
"And of course, none of this would have happened if that lying beast had just came when he said he would instead of leaving me here."
She pushed herself off of Sammy, stumbling past him and nearly into the road.
"I'm going home. Maybe I'll have a hangover so bad that I just forget everything that happened."
She nearly tripped over her own feet, swaying to one side uncontrollably. Had she lost her shoes sometime in the fight? She didn't seem to care.
Sammy jumped up as soon as Tabitha did, hurrying over to gently guide her by the arms back to the sidewalk. "Did someone dare lay their hands on you...?!" he gasped indignantly. "How dare anyone attempt such a thing?! You wait right outside, my dear, and I will make sure that villain knows to never show his face in this town again!"
...Was what he wanted to do, but Tabitha was struggling so hard to stay standing and was so dangerously wavering into the streets that Sammy was genuinely worried about leaving her alone. He wasn't entirely convinced she would actually stay put until he got back, and he would never forgive himself if he let her get hit by a car. Or worse, kidnapped by some other nefarious do-badder!
"You are in no state to get yourself home," he insisted. "Come, let me walk you back. Did you say someone left you here? How ghastly ! No one knows how to treat a woman these days! Fear not, my love, I shall be your escort for the night."
Tabitha...surprisingly didn't put up a fight as she was guided back to the sidewalk, even though part of her was screaming to wrestle her arms away from Sammy and disappear into the night.
She couldn't look him in the eyes, though. The idea of someone trying to care for her after the night she'd been having was almost laughable.
But this was Sammy, whose cruelty was purely reserved for those that had done diabolical acts. Everyone else was treated to his usual chivalry, and normally Tabitha preened under such treatment.
But now...
"O-Okay." She whimpered.
Whimpered. What a pathetic fucking sound. How dare she let herself drink into an uncontrollable vulnerability?
"It's my own fault, though." She giggled sadly. "I should have known better than to trust him at his word."
She glanced back inside the bar, then started trying to walk away again. This time with Sammy in tow.
"How lucky for me that I have an escort after all."
She tried to sound sarcastic, to at least add some bite to the genuineness of her words, but her heart wasn't in it.
It didn't matter how much bite managed to make it into Tabitha's words, because regardless, Sammy couldn't help but puff out his chest proudly at the praise, the feathers of his wings fluffing out in excitement.
Tabitha was a difficult person to please. It seemed no matter how kind, earnest, or polite Sammy was, she had never really wanted anything to do with him. Still, he knew there was a soft side hidden somewhere under her prickly outer shell, and Sammy was determined to get to it one way or another.
(One way. Only one way. There was no other way after the first way, which was "love and patience.")
He offered her his arm with a bright smile, though it faded as he took in her expression. "...What happened?" he finally asked.
Tabitha took his arm, interlocking it with her own as they walked.
She sniffled, deciding to start from the beginning.
"I was supposed to be on a date with Mordred. You know him. Fickle wretch, that one. He didn't show up." She began.
She'd put in effort for nothing. She never wore makeup. But Primrose had been begging to let her do Tabitha's face for months, so she caved. Nothing crazy, just mascara and some lipstick.
"So I got to drinking, which is what we'd been planning to do when he got here. But he didn't. And so I drank until I was a sobbing mess. And then...well, you've seen the aftermath."
She'd already shared more than she wanted to before. She cackled, but there wasn't any mirth to the sound. "And then I got kicked out, but the one who tried to grope me got off scott free! I won't be going back there, absolutely not. And I won't be letting myself get as drunk as I am again, either. God forbid I ever let someone see how I really feel."
Subconsciously, she leaned against Sammy's arm as they walked. Her hair was a tangled mane, and a few sharp twigs poked into Sammy's arm, but it wasn't painful.
"There's worse company to be around, I suppose." She mumbled. "At least I know you won't try to have your way with me when we're alone."
Her green eyes widened for a split second, her tail fur fluffing out, but she relaxed quickly after.
"No, you wouldn't. Because then your earlier statement was just an empty threat. And I don't think anything you say could be empty, no matter how hard you try."
"I would never," Sammy insisted immediately, wanting to make sure Tabitha knew he could never take advantage of a vulnerable woman before he addressed anything else. What kind of monster would he be if he were to hurt anyone in such a vulgar way?
That wasn't love. Love was patient and gentle. Love was reciprocated. If Tabitha told him to never touch her or talk to her ever again, he would respect that and leave her be.
...But it was Mordred who stood Tabitha up?
Sammy frowned, reaching into his pocket with his free hand to retrieve his phone. He was about to give his friend a piece of his mind. "How could he have done such a cruel thing to you? Rest assured, my dear, I will make sure he knows what a grave mistake he has made in abandoning you tonight! He had a responsibility to care for you."
Sighing, he shook his head, trying to open his phone with one hand. "He will know of my disappointment! To abandon a beautiful woman after promising your company to her is a horrid act!"
"I know." Tabitha muttered, sticking her tongue out a little as she yawned. It was getting late, wasn't it? "But it's nice to hear you say it."
Her smile was almost light and airy. It wasn't meant to be. It was supposed to be smug. Nobody could escape Sammy's wrath when he had them in his sights, especially not people he considered his friends.
By all means, she should be smug for calling an attack dog on someone who should have been there for her.
But she wasn't. She was just...happy.
Blissful, even. She hadn't let go of Sammy's arm since they started walking, which probably wasn't doing him any favors while he attempted to give Mordred a piece of his mind.
But he wasn't asking her to let go yet, so it was free game.
"Eh, it's not so bad." She hummed. "Don't get me wrong, the wretch deserves to feel miserable. But..."
She trailed off, wrinkled her nose, and let out a tiny sneeze. One some called a kitten sneeze.
And then she giggled. "Sorry, what were we talking about?"
Did she sneeze her entire brain out in one fell swoop? Or was she just putting on an act? It was hard to tell from the outside.
Part of Tabitha was trying to kick some sobriety into herself, but to no avail.
At least it was getting a little easier to walk, though.
"Oh, right." She recalled her earlier statement.
"I was going to say something corny like 'but it wasn't so bad, because you came to save the day.' But, I dunno, maybe some of the corniness was real. Thanks, I guess."
Sammy couldn't help a wide smile, his face warming at the acknowledgment that Tabitha was grateful for his help. He wasn't about to question why she was suddenly being so open and gentle; it probably had something to do with her drinking, now that he thought about it.
"You are most welcome, my dear," he cooed, wings flapping twice involuntarily out of sheer excitement. He resumed trying to get to Mordred's contact in his phone with one hand, unwilling to make Tabitha release his arm for any reason. He was managing, somehow, though it was slow going. "I could never simply leave you by yourself in this seedy city after you have already been attacked by such a beast."
It suddenly occurred to him that he had offered to walk Tabitha home, but he didn't actually know where she lived . Were they going the right way?
"Are we...heading in the correct direction to your place of residence, my sweet?" he asked. "I'm afraid I've never learned your address."
"I dunno! I forgot we were actually going anywhere." Tabitha blurted out with a cackle.
"Would it be easier if we just hung out at your place for a little instead? My sisters probably won't be home until later, anyway." She told him. "I don't like being in the house alone, gives me the jeebies."
It was so easy just to give up valuable information like that when she was drunk.
If it had been anyone else, she would have tried to run off on her own again.
But maybe it wasn't just the alcohol talking. Maybe Sammy just had an energy that was easy to share things around.
He'd already said he wouldn't take advantage of her, and of all the others she knew he was one of the more trustworthy.
...No, what is she kidding, it's definitely just the alcohol. Why else is she clinging to Sammy in such a way?
She barely even clung to Willow or Mercy that way, when they were younger!
"You should have known better than to trust the guidance of someone with more booze than blood in her system right now." She cackled again.
If he found out that she was enjoying just wandering in the night together, despite being utterly lost, she would die .
Sammy couldn't help a fond smile as he walked with Tabitha. She had such a magnetic charm about her even in moments such as this; there was something so comforting to him about a woman who wasn't afraid to speak her mind, who was upfront and direct when she was unhappy. She didn't want to be alone in her home, so she wouldn't be!
All Sammy ever wanted was to make his beloved happy . While that should have made relationships with Primrose or Heather easy, considering all they had wanted was to make him happy, he had learned through his failed partnership with Heather that when neither party was willing to be honest about their miseries, the relationship was doomed to fail.
Tabitha wasn't like that. She wasn't afraid to loudly announce when she hated you and everything you stood for. It was refreshing, somehow; Sammy didn't have to guess and hope he was making her happy and doing the right thing for her, only to discover he had selfishly been forcing her into a situation that made her miserable.
It took him a moment to realize he still hadn't responded to Tabitha. "My apologies, I seem to have gotten lost in thought. Yes, of course we may move to my home instead! There is plenty of room for you to rest. You are free to stay as long as you must."
At last, he had managed to get to his contacts list on his phone! Now he just had to call Mordred and tell him how despicable it was of him to abandon a lady on her special night. Huffing in frustration, feathers rising indignantly, he tapped the call button, placing the phone on speaker just in case Tabitha wanted to throw in some choice words of her own.
"Do not worry, my dear. I will ensure the man who hurt you knows full well the mistake he has made!"
Tabitha giggled mischievously, as if it had been part of her evil plan all along to get herself invited to Sammy's home.
She hadn't been lying about being too scared to be home alone, though. She always felt vulnerable, even when with other people, and that multiplied tenfold when she was by herself. It felt like no lock was strong enough, no window too barred.
Tabitha had been banking on her outing with Mordred being long enough to make up for her sisters being absent. Mercy or Willow would have texted her if they were home. And so far they hadn't.
It was so...strange just how safe Tabitha felt right now. Physically, emotionally, she was blurting out information she never told anyone but her sisters left and right. Even stuff she never told them.
Sammy was just...a beacon of protection to her, it seemed. Clinging to him like he'd drift away if she let go as they walked, first aimlessly and then with purpose, to his home.
A home she was sure would feel just as safe as the man that lived in it.
"I'll try to hold my tongue for a bit." She hummed, letting Sammy in on her little plan. "And then catch him unaware. You can hear his stupid grin when you've caught him off-guard."
Tabitha knew Mordred well. They were partners in everything but romance, and this was going to be their first official date.
There would never be a second attempt. She'd tolerate his company, it was fun to make such a monstrous-looking person like him absolutely squirm, but any genuine love she felt for him was promptly stepped on and tossed in the trash.
Sammy's phone buzzed for quite a bit. Tabitha could guess why. It was late, and Mordred was likely getting ready for bed if not completely asleep already.
But he did answer.
"Sammyyy! Good evening, my friend. Why are you calling me so late, is something the matter?"
Tabitha covered her mouth, desperate to go through with her initial plan, but immediately dropped it.
"You're on the chopping block now, wretch!"
"Tabitha? Why do you have Sammy's phone? Did you...?"
The phone's mic crackled as Mordred sighed.
"Oh. Shit."
"Is that all you have to say for yourself?"
"Any apology I could offer you would go unbelieved, wouldn't it? What have you been telling him?"
"The truth, no thanks to you. I got kicked out of the bar. I'm sure Sammy would love to tell you what exact circumstances would cause me to get into a bar fight."
She twirled a lock of her hair. "I'm not looking for apologies, anyways. I'm more than happy just to air my grievances and move on. This relationship was over before it could even begin, and I'm not even all that mad."
"How...noble of you?"
"Thanks, I try."
"No you don't."
"No I don't."
Sammy felt his temper flare at the casual tone of Mordred's voice. How dare he?! An innocent woman he had promised to accompany for drinks had been accosted and he didn't even seem to care?!
"You vile creature!" he hissed into the phone. "You promised your heart and your time to your lovely lady, only to abandon her in her time of need! You were supposed to protect her, and instead, you allowed another disgusting man to assault her! Have you no shame?! Have you no care?! What do you have to say for yourself?!"
Indignation kept rising higher and higher; Sammy forced himself to walk slower so his longer legs didn't drag Tabitha down the street.
"And to think you didn't even plan to arrive late!" he continued furiously. "If I had not come across her, she would have been left to herself, drunk and alone in a city full of horrid men! Would you have been able to live with yourself if something happened?! How dare you! And again I say, how dare you!"
Tabitha all but swooned as Sammy allowed his anger over the situation to bleed into every aspect of his person. His voice, the pace of his footsteps, the fire in his eyes.
She'd never appreciated him more than she did right now.
"What?! Honestly, from the bottom of my soul, I had no idea that would happen to her!"
"But you should have! Everyone wants a piece of the catgirl, trust me." Tabitha spat out like it was sour. "Unfortunately for them, this one has the claws to boot."
"A-And that's exactly why I didn't even think about it! I didn't remember the outing was tonight, really and truly!"
"You've lost your chance for me to believe you. Sorry, not sorry. I'm just happy Sammy found me at all."
"And I am, too! Really, I owe him for this. And you! I'll make this up to you somehow."
"Sure you will. You can make it up to me by letting this conversation hang over you while you sleep. Imagine what your 'honest mistake' could have meant for me."
She rubbed the side of her face against Sammy's arm. "It's only marginally better that you probably did just forget. I'd cook you into a hearty stew if I found out ditching me was intentional."
She didn't believe him either way. His intentions didn't stop the fact that something extremely bad could have happened to her either way.
"And I totally believe you would! This entire exchange has been mortifying." Mordred stammered. "I would never want you to get hurt because of something I did. Or, rather, didn't do. This goes for everyone I know! And I know you know it's true. You're the same as me in that regard."
"Good. Have a miserable night."
Then she reached over and hung up the call.
"There." She said, sounding a bit tired. Maybe even a little sad.
Her hand moved to absentmindedly stroke the feathers on Sammy's face.
"I hope he gets a cramp in his leg when he stretches in the morning." She giggled. One of her more empty insults. "Thank you for that. Seeing you angry is something else."
Sammy glared down at his phone for a moment after Tabitha hung up, a small, pleased coo rumbling in his throat as she stroked his feathers. He flapped his wings a few times in excitement, quickly tucking them back against his back. He would never want to accidentally hit Tabitha with his wings in his excitement!
"To think he could have possibly forgotten about an evening with you," Sammy huffed, tucking his phone back in his pocket and patting Tabitha's hand on his arm gently. "If it were me, I would never have stopped thinking of our promised date. I would count down the days, the hours, the seconds until I could see your face. I would allow nothing to distract me from arriving right on time--nay, arriving early! Nothing less would do for my beloved."
He hesitated, cheeks warming. "Ah--I apologize, my dear, that was too forward. I don't mean to frighten you."
Tabitha giggled when Sammy's wings began to flap, and she sighed contentedly against his arm as she listened to his insistence that he would not have treated her the same as Mordred if this had been their date.
It was most certainly the alcohol's fault for making her say everything she meant. No less what she told him in reply.
"No reason why it can't be you."
Her other hand was permanently near his face now, sorry.
He'd made a cute noise, her ears had all but perked at the sound, and his feathers were soft anyways.
Tabitha shrugged her shoulders as she continued. "I'm newly single, after all."
A sober Tabitha might have said something about sticking it to Mordred by dating the first person that came to her in her hour of need.
But that would sound like she was only wanting to date Sammy because it would get one over on somebody else.
And...it wasn't, she'll just say that.
"It's nice to be fawned over..." She mused, her claws gently stroking Sammy's feathers still.
"And with you, it doesn't sound like you're being a kiss-up. Y'know? You're probably one of the most trustworthy guys I know. I probably said that already. Sorry. But it's true."
Sammy could feel every one of his feathers fluff in embarrassment. On instinct, another coo slipped out of his mouth as he failed to fight down a giddy smile.
A voice in the back of his mind warned him to be careful. Tabitha was clearly not sober, and the last thing he wanted was to entrap her in a relationship while her mind was still too cloudy to properly consent. It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of him to trick a lady, after all.
But he was enjoying her company. And he would be lying if he said her confession didn't spark a fire of glee in his chest.
"You flatter me, my dear," he cooed, not bothering to try and force down the grin on his face. "I am most pleased you find me trustworthy. It is my great honor to make you feel safe in your time of need."
Let's see...how much longer of a walk was it back to his home? Probably not too long, right? He almost caught himself slowing down just as an excuse to spend more time with Tabitha. It was... refreshing, to spend time with her.
"...You look lovely, by the way," he added softly, eyes locked on Tabitha's face. "Always, of course. But you seem to be glowing even more than usual tonight."
"You think I'm lovely now, you should've seen me before I lost half my dress to a bar fight."
Tabitha giggled again, green eyes darting away as a blush came to her freckled cheeks.
"...But thank you." She said quietly. "You aren't half bad yourself."
She was starting to get tired, but her legs were mostly working on autopilot at this point. If she tried to get any closer to Sammy than she was right then, it'd be a tripping hazard.
She was already trying to keep her tail from curling around one of his legs.
If he stumbled because of her, she'd go down with him. Then they'd be in a foul mood, and it would be all her fault.
Hopefully Sammy wasn't planning on leaving Tabitha to her own devices, once they got to his home. She'd gotten to used to being literally wrapped around his arm.
But she'd already said she didn't want to be alone. Tabitha had a feeling Sammy probably would make good on his offer to keep her company.
Maybe they could watch a movie or something until she felt ready to go home. That sounded good.
"This is just a guess, but...do you like Disney movies?"
She'd be poking her fingers together if both hands weren't occupied.
Time for another lore drop, apparently. Tabitha felt like she was oversharing a lot, and it made her somewhat uncomfortable.
But also, it was surprisingly nice to share things about herself. It was like she'd been keeping an entire person under lock and key.
"When I was little, I used to get super homesick. And one of the only ways to make me feel better was to, like, watch 101 Dalmatians with my sisters." She mumbled, trying to keep her voice clear despite half of her face being pressed into Sammy.
She had to commend him for his tolerance. She'd thought he would have told her to let go by now.
"And drink pineapple juice out of champagne glasses, but we don't have to do that part." She continued, before her eyes widened in realization.
"N-Not that I'm asking to spend the night! Just, I dunno, ‘til one of my sisters says they're home. Sorry."
"Oh, I love Disney!" Sammy exclaimed. "Tales of true love and dashing heroes are my favorite stories. I suppose that's rather predictable of me, isn't it?"
He chuckled, unphased by Tabitha's closeness. It was nice, being so close to someone. He had felt so deeply lonely without anyone to pour endless amounts of love and affection on.
Not that he would begin unloading all of that on Tabitha, of course. He already felt guilty enough for enjoying her touch when she was obviously completely wast
"I'm afraid I don't have pineapple juice, but I do have lemonade," he offered. "Would that suffice as our movie night beverage?"
"It would." Tabitha beamed. "I'm honestly happy you're even offering a substitute."
Let alone agreeing to watch a baby movie for babies with her. She knows Disney movies are supposed to be for everyone, but sometimes she feels like she should have outgrown them.
Especially the ones involving talking animals. But as a talking animal herself, more or less, it was probably predictable of her to enjoy them the same way it might be for Sammy to enjoy movies like that as a whole.
"I'll be sure to tell Mercy and Willow where I am. Maybe not a summary of the situation, though, I don't want them to worry too much."
That, and she was wondering if they would try to rush and retrieve her if they heard about it.
Which...
Why would that be a problem?
Tabitha wasn't seriously hoping she could crash at Sammy's place, right?
Maybe she just really wanted to watch that movie.
Yeah...
"You are more than welcome to stay with me until they get home," Sammy assured. "If you get tired, you may sleep in my room until your sisters arrive. The door locks."
The last thing he would ever want was to make Tabitha feel unsafe with him. Especially after the harrowing evening she'd already had.
He felt himself scowl again just thinking of what Mordred had nearly allowed to happen. And his only excuse was that he forgot? Sammy once believed they were fellows united by love! Had he been wrong to believe so?
At least Tabitha was safe now. Sammy swore in his heart he wouldn't let anyone hurt her again.
"Have you eaten, my dear?" he asked suddenly. "Would you like to stop to pick up a meal on the way to my home?"
Tabitha nodded, finally giving Sammy his arm back while she went to text her sisters.
The whole left side of her body was cold from her warm skin hitting the air. It made her tail fluff out for just a moment.
"I...appreciate it. Thank you. Though, I will say, I don't think I'll be locking it." She pocketed her phone. "I wouldn't want somebody barring me access from my own room, and I do trust you. So..."
She decided to let that hang in the air a bit, a soft smile on her face, before it widened and she animatedly clutched her stomach.
"I could kill a burger right now. I ate at the bar, but it was just like...bar snacks. Mozzarella sticks, mostly. You get the picture."
She bonked his arm with her forehead, trying not to immediately latch back onto it. Surely she's made it go numb already.
"And then it's movie time. Maybe we'd actually be able to hear it over my stomach if we grabbed something." She teased.
Her smile dropped to something else, something almost timid.
"And, uh, I'll pay for my stuff." She decided.
"I've already been taking advantage of your kindness enough for one night. You didn't have to do any of it, and you did. And I feel stupid constantly thanking you for it, I don't thank people, but I'm really grateful. So..."
Another 'so' that she would be leaving to drift like a paper on the wind.
Were they actually meant to go anywhere? Maybe. But Tabitha was drunk and sleepy and way too preoccupied with thoughts of getting some munchies and a frankly much-needed cuddle session.
Sammy's gonna need to amputate his arm at some point from lack of blood flow.
Sammy caught himself saddened when Tabitha released his arm. It felt...cold, now. He left it hovering in the air for a moment in case she wanted to take it back before finally lowering it to his side.
"Let's get you a cheeseburger, then!" he decided. "...I'm honored that you trust me, my dear. Truly. Please, do not worry about having to repay me or anything! I am more than happy to take care of you tonight or any night. No beautiful woman shall go hungry or unprotected on my watch!"
The two continued on their way to Sammy's home, stopping by a restaurant on the way for some fast food.
Sometime during the trek, Tabitha's arms had snaked themselves around Sammy's.
Maybe she'd just lost an already unsteady battle between what she wanted to do and what she thought Sammy might prefer.
Maybe she paid a little too much attention to how sad he got when she parted from him.
Either way, they had finally arrived. Tabitha had managed to find the self control to not devour her bacon cheeseburger the second it was handed to her.
Her top priority was finding a paper plate to assemble her 'girl dinner' on while Sammy got their lemonades and the movie set up.
However, her cheerful smile dropped when she looked down at what remained of her poor dress.
Curling her tail around one leg anxiously, she turned to Sammy.
"Hey, um...do you have a shirt I can borrow, maybe? And some shorts? I'll get 'em back to you, I just..."
She giggled halfheartedly. "Need to get comfy, y'know? Not a movie night if you aren't all jammied up."
Ew, gross, was she five? Who called pajamas 'jammies' anymore?
Sammy looked up from pouring a glass of lemonade, smiling. "Oh, of course! My bedroom is upstairs, the first door on the left. You may feel free to take anything you like! I have several cardigans you may find appealing."
He couldn't have been more thrilled. Not only had Tabitha trusted him enough to follow him home, not only had she trusted him enough to want to watch a movie with him, but she even trusted him enough to want to wear his clothes? How sweet she was! He would have to get her a glass of water for her troubles.
"Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly. "And the bathroom is across the hall from my room! You may feel free to freshen up as much as you need. Would you like a fresh towel?"
"I would love that." Tabitha replied, humming to herself as she practically skipped upstairs. 'Practically' because, even with her tail for balance, she was painfully wobbly.
She'd taken her food with her, likely so it wouldn't cool down and become near-inedible in the time it took for her to finish.
A quick shower and perusal of Sammy's closet later, she returned downstairs.
Tabitha had found a pair of dark green shorts, with a drawstring so they weren't in danger of slipping off. She paired them with a light pink cardigan that was slightly fuzzy and almost completely swallowed her.
She looked like a sour gummy watermelon, and wore a grin so wide it showed off her sharp teeth.
What little of her legs were exposed were littered with what surely was at least half a box of bandages, with her arms likely a similar state.
Scrapes and cuts from the fight, most definitely. Good idea to have showered, then. Now they wouldn't be infected.
The bandages would probably be hellish to remove from her fuzzy limbs later, but she'd live.
Everything finally ready, she collapsed next to Sammy on the couch before wiggling around so that she was properly curled up.
Sitting on her knees, tail curled around her legs, arms crossed so her hands were tucked into her shirt, and leaning towards Sammy's side.
This would likely change later, but it was her starting position for the evening.
Sammy smiled fondly at her, content to let Tabitha arrange herself around him however she liked. He tried to stay as still as possible, carefully reaching for the remote to start the movie.
"Are you comfortable now, my dear?" he asked. "I hope the water pressure wasn't too hard for you...are you itchy at all? Is there anything else I can get for you to improve your stay?"
"I'm perfect." Tabitha replied simply, squishing herself even closer.
She hadn't bothered to wash her hair, it was clean anyway if not a little unkempt, so thankfully Sammy's side wasn't wet or anything.
Tabitha stayed mostly curled up, hands to herself for the time being, but as she nuzzled her cheeks into the shirt she was borrowing...she began to purr.
And then she rubbed her cheek against Sammy affectionately, eyes closed.
She was trying not to fall asleep, and failing.
Sammy went as still as possible, not wanting to disturb Tabitha as she was resting. She clearly needed the sleep; she'd had a long day, and the last thing she needed was for Sammy to jostle her awake just as she was getting comfortable.
He couldn't help but smile to himself, growing sleepier himself from the combination of Tabitha's rhythmic purring and the warmth of another person pressed against him. How long had it been since he'd been so close to someone...? Was it Heather?
Sammy held back a shudder. He didn't want to make the same mistakes with Tabitha. She would tell him if she was upset, wouldn't she...?
...Or was the alcohol impairing her mind too much?
Would they go back to staying at a distance when this night was over? It was likely, but...Sammy didn't want to believe this was all because Tabitha was drunk. Surely there was some small part of her that genuinely cared for and trusted him, right?
...Right?
Growing more forlorn, Sammy sank further into the couch, still trying not to disturb his date. Was she asleep already? A lady shouldn't sleep on the couch. He'd have to move her to his bed for the night when he was sure she wouldn't wake up at the slightest movement.
Eventually Tabitha's purring died down, and she went mostly limp.
Sammy was able to pick her up with ease, and on reflex she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
She didn't move again until he tried to place her in his bed.
Though she didn't fight him when he removed her arms from him, she made a slight noise of displeasure and a sleepy little pout.
Eyes closed, mouth slightly ajar in her sleep, her hands started grabbing at the empty space on the mattress by her side.
She stopped grabbing when he laid next to her, arms wrapping around his torso and a smile on her face.