Work Text:
I awoke somewhere unfamiliar. Red and black damask all over the walls, an obscenely large television, rows of physical media lining it. I was slumped over a very large armrest and my back was aching. I straightened up and stretched out the back pain, yawning. My stretch was interrupted by a warmth in my lap.
Teigra’s feet.
Oh, Olynna, grant me mercy. The white wine had gotten me into this situation, and I had to extract myself from it. I had fulfilled my role in caring for her in crisis, and any further was breaching ethical guidelines as a professional.
A small sound set my heart thudding, and I looked at her face. We hadn’t removed her makeup last night – the endeavour seemed dangerous at that point – and it had faded and smeared. The smoky eye had faded, the natural arch of her eyebrow more apparent against bronze skin. Brown hair framed her face across the arm rest.
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head quickly. She had no reason to suspect I was attracted to women, so I could keep this within bounds even as she pushed them and made her fascination with me difficult to dismiss as professional curiosity. I called to mind, involuntarily, the soft hums she had made as I undid her hair that had made me gasp, the wine emboldening me to savour the silky texture. I could still feel it, how she'd looked at me with half-open eyes. I didn't want to move.
A shiver ran across my shoulders. I shouldn’t even have been considering staying.
There was the consideration, however, that distress didn’t necessarily vanish with sleep.
I placed my hand back on her foot and picked up the remote control, flicking it to Infidelity. I could always turn it off when she awakened. She needn’t know of my guilty pleasures. The volume was also quiet, so it wouldn’t disturb her.
“Mhm, good morning, Sophia,” she drawled.
My thumb forced the next channel button down quickly. A documentary about how packaged meals were made was on the next channel.
Teigra held her hand out to me. “May you assist me, darling? I have rather an awful back-ache.”
My hand extended without meeting her eye, as she pulled herself up on it. Her skin was cool and lingered for longer than necessary. She had already pulled herself up. Her feet were still in my lap for a long moment, before she took them down to the floor.
“Robot, prepare a continental breakfast for two, please.”
Oh, no. I couldn’t stay. There were boundaries to maintain.
“That’s a kind offer, but I really must –”
Teigra’s head whipped around, staring me directly in the eyes. I couldn’t tell which part of her was in control. “It is not an offer, darling. You cared for me, and I will care for you.”
I tapped my watch. “My shift at the clinic begins in a half hour.”
Teigra smiled. “Then you had best eat quickly.”