Sionn was in so much trouble. Even he couldn’t deny that, no matter how fervently he might insist his innocence. Being guilty- or not, as was the actuality- wasn’t the problem here. The problem was that the moment he’d heard the sound of voices raised in anger, he’d jumped through the nearest window to hide. That’s not the whole truth, He reminded himself as he debated his options. Whatever had the crowd so outraged would most likely be pinned on him if he was nearby, so he’d made sure he wasn’t. Doing this by climbing to the locked second story window was where he’d gone wrong. Of course you pick the locked one. There were closer windows, open ones, but you pick the one that actually meant you were doing something wrong. Once inside the room, curtains closed behind him, he snuffed the lantern and listened.
The sounds of the crowd passed, and Sionn’s shoulders slumped in relief. He lifted his hands back to the lantern, poised to relight it, when his ear twitched. It was soft, barely audible, but Sionn had heard the gentle whoosh of slow water movement. Stiffening, Sionn began to panic anew, and mentally lambasted himself. You picked the occupied room. You are in so many more levels of trouble.
Holding himself perfectly still, Sionn flicked his gaze around the room. Despite the darkness, Sionn clearly saw the clothes draped on the bed. Clothing he should have noticed when he first arrived in the room, but he had been too busy trying to get off the street. The most incriminating piece of clothing lay underneath the others. Hoping he was wrong— he had every reason to be, after all— Sionn picked it up. A corset.
His suspicions confirmed, Sionn’s mental tirade continued. Oh no, Sionn. You wandered into a woman’s room! While she was bathing, considering that water noise and these clothes. Humans are particular about that! Closing his eyes as he beat himself up, Sionn almost didn’t notice the return of the water sounds. Ears twitching anew, Sionn opened his eyes. Turning his head towards the corner of the room, he squinted to make out the shape. Seeing in the dark just didn’t come as naturally in this form. A screen? There were a few soft rustles, and a faint clank, but Sionn didn’t have very long to process those noises. The screen he was peering intently at whooshed away, and the figure in front of him swung something in his general direction.
Sionn hopped to the side, dodging with a measure of ease. While his night vision only afforded him general silhouettes, that seemed to be more than the woman had. Realizing he was still holding the corset, Sionn dropped it like it was on fire. “I—” He started to defend himself, but had to duck another swing as she followed his voice. What was she even swinging at him? Keeping his voice hushed as he backed away, Sionn gave it another attempt. “Wait, I—”
She swung again, and this time he took a risk and tried catching it. Sionn felt the sting of the heavy blow hit his hands, and though pain shot up his arms in a scatter of sparks, he closed his hands around the— squinting, Sionn focused on what was in his hands. Iron poker. She’d grabbed an iron poker from somewhere, and started swinging it at him, without even waiting for an explanation!
Sionn couldn’t help but beam, impressed. She was clever. Still, best not to let her see him grinning like a fool, no matter if the darkness might hide it. Wiping the infatuated smile off his face, Sionn tightened his grip on the poker as she tried to yank it away. She almost got it free, the force of her pull nearly lifting him from his feet. As she moved closer, Sionn realized something. Not only could he see the vaguest outline of her face, but she smelled extremely nice. He couldn’t quite place it, though it tickled the back of his mind like a feather. There was a musty soap scent over her natural one, muddling the fragrance.
Still, she didn’t smell like any other human he’d encountered. It surely couldn’t be more dangerous to place a little trust in her, when she was already swinging a poker at him. How much more trouble can I get into in one night? Gathering his courage with a deep breath, Sionn tugged on the poker to keep her from regaining control of it. If she got it back, she’d just keep swinging, and he’d never have any chance of her actually listening to him.
“Hey!” His tone was urgent, though the volume remained hushed. “I’m not a danger, I swear. I was trying to hunker down!” The figure stilled, her attempts to get the poker back halting, at least temporarily. Sionn felt a premature rush of relief, but at least she hadn’t instantly written him off. “There was an agitated crowd outside, and I knew I’d get blamed if I stuck around. I panicked. The light was dim, I didn’t realize this room was occupied, I’m sorry.”
As he finished his plea, Sionn remembered what she’d been doing when he’d snuck into her room. Bathing. Inwardly, he winced. That wasn’t going to earn him any favors, since all he’d have to do is look down and he’d see more than she’d like. No wonder I’m being attacked. He stared with determination into the shadowy planes of her face, hoping to prove himself.
“You aren’t human, are you?”
Her voice was a shock. Literal fissures of exhilaration went skittering across his skin, and Sionn gaped open mouthed at her. Her. It’s her. No wonder her scent had calmed him— behind the soap it was even painfully faintly familiar. Stamping out the rush of giddy elation, Sionn fought hard to keep his voice normal as he replied.
“No, not really.” Sionn’s tone was no longer hesitant. He didn’t know very much about her, but he knew she was kind. Far too kind to hurt him.
Sionn was right, and the iron poker lowered. She retained her grip on it, showing she was still wary, and Sionn felt his heart beat quicker with pride. Something about how slowly she was offering her trust made him proud, both of her for not being swayed completely by pretty words, and in himself for having earned it in any measure. He let go, hoping to encourage that trust, and took a step back. His tail swishing eagerly behind him was the only indication of the joy he couldn’t quite suppress.
“I—” Sionn started, only to be interrupted.
“I understand the need to hide, so I won’t hold… this,” Letting go of the poker with one hand, she waved it in an expansive gesture, “Against you, but you need to leave. I’m sorry.”
Sionn stared at her, open-mouthed, for a long and confused moment. Finally, with a nervous swallow, he gave a nod. Backing up, one step at a time, Sionn slowly turned towards the window. There was a certain emptiness inside him, threatening to open wide and swallow him whole. To be sent away without even a chance to truly know her, it ached. Realizing with a start that he knew where she was, what she most likely still looked like, Sionn decided to find her tomorrow.
Sionn pushed aside the curtains, and a sliver of moonlight drifted past him into the room. He paused for a moment, nearly overcome with the desire to turn around. He wanted to see her, truly, for the first time since their meeting, but instead, he braced his foot against the windowsill, and dropped out.
He landed silently in the alleyway between the Inn and the next building over, and stuck close to the wall. Ears twitching, Sionn listened to see if there was still any sign of the commotion in the streets. Things seemed to have calmed down, and he crept out of the alley until he was facing the back street. Making the effort to walk calmly, and shortening his stride to hopefully appear like he belonged, Sionn walked along the dirt road. Faintly, even as most of his mind mulled over what had just happened, he wondered what the dirt might feel like against his paws, rather than below the boots that encased his feet.
Things were so much easier as a fox.
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