Strings of Fate

Aaron 4- Talking and teasing “I wasn't sure it was you at first, but I don’t know anyone else who falls asleep in a club.” Penelope says. My eyes fly open as | feel her dropping down onto the couch beside me. She’s sweating a little from the stage lights but she still smells like the ocean. | have to fight not to sniff at her. | always liked the beach. Tonight her hair is in a braid resting over her left shoulder. | nod to confirm my identity and she snorts out a laugh.

“I was right, just as quiet as a person. Although | guess maybe you don’t mind my company since you're not a cat today?” She adds, her words a question. | give a slight nod. Can she tell how awkward | feel right now? I'm usually fairly comfortable with my silence, but something about Penelope makesfeel like | should be trying harder to answer.

“That's great. | was worried I've been bothering you. My teachers always told| don’t know when to keep my mouth shut and leave well enough alone.” | raise an eyebrow and she just laughs.

“Yeah, | know. She toldto talk less so | went out and decided to make a living with my voice. | always did like to be contrary.” She jokes. Penelope chatters atfor a while longer, tellingabout her music and how she hopes she can make a proper living with it one day. She admits that she struggles a bit right now and that she occasionally has to borrow money from her parents to cover her bills.

“Thankfully they're really supportive and don’t mind that I'm a bit of a mess.” She concludes.

“You're not a mess.” | mutter quietly.

“He speaks! And here | was starting to think you really didn’t talk.” She says with a smile. Her face falls as she glances at her phone.

“I should probably be heading hthough. | drove here at least. | used to take the bus and that was the worst.” She adds. My protective streak flares up. She used to take the bus this. late at night? Alone? That can’t be safe! She stands to leave and | find myself getting to my feet as well. Penelope looks atstrangely for a minute.

“You look kind of upset.” She says slowly. Then shakes her head.

1/4 Aaron 4- Talking and teasing “No, wait. Not upset. Worried. Are you worried aboutAaron?” She asks and | nod.

“Oh, well that's real sweet of you. I'm fine though. I'm parked right out front.” She promises. | stare flatly at her and offer her my arm. I'm about to drop it when | remember that she probably doesn’t know what the gesture means to Shifters, but before | get the chance, she places her hand on my arm.

“Are you going to walkto my car? What a gentleman!” She says cheerfully. We head out. together, Penelope waves and says goodbye to all the staff as we leave. James waggles his eyebrows at us on the way out. She rolls her eyes.

“Ignore him. He likes to tease everyone. | think he enjoys his job far too much.” She complains. We stop at an old looking silver car. It’s small but seems serviceable enough. Penelope squeezes my arm gently, thanks me, then gets in her vehicle and drives away, leavingto stare after her.

Just like the previous week, Sunday night | have a little more energy since I've had a couple nights rest. | manage to stay awake for Penelope's entire performance, although once again people try to approach me. | end up closing my eyes while | listen just so that people won't. try to talk with me. | could cin my feline form but | don’t want to. | suppose there is ONE person | don’t want to drive away.

“Hello again sleepyhead.” Penelope greetsafter the show. My eyes fly open but | don’t bother to or react her assumption that | was sleeping. Does it really matter if she knows if I'm awake or not? It doesn’t seem to affect whether she approachesor not. | give her a nod as a greeting then internally kick myself. Is it really that hard to just say hello? At very least | could try to smile or give skind of encouraging sign. | know I'm fairly unapproachable, but | should be capable of at least that much! She drops into the seat beside me.

“So, | was wondering what kind of job you have that has you so tired all the time.” She promptscuriously. | try to think of the best way to describe my job that would make sense to a non-Shifter.

“Personal security.” Is the answer | end up going with. Penelope raises an eyebrow and looks.

atspeculatively.

“That does seem like something you'd be good at. Who do you do security for? Or am | not 2/4 Aaron 4- Talking and teasing allowed to ask that?” She asks curiously.

“Alpha Ryann.” | respond. | don’t know if she even knows who that is but at least it's an answer.

“Hm, | don’t know a lot about Shifters, but | know your Alphas are super important right? So | guess your job is super important too. | bet you're good at it, they wouldn't pick you if you weren't.” She thinks aloud. I shrug.

“Volunteered.” | comment.

“You picked your assignment? That's nice. | guess that means you like your job, or at least. you have sgoal in choosing it.” She falls silent for a minute and seems to be thinking something through.

“I've heard a lot of weird stories about Shifter packs in the past. What's that like? Oh, | hope I’m not annoying you. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Although something tellsyou never talk unless you actually want to.” Ah, so she is taking a page out of Alpha Ryann’s book and asking questions | can’t answer with a nod. Oddly enough I find | don’t mind answering Penelope. | try to think of an accurate answer. It's sweet that she’s concerned about my pack given all the rumours she probably hears about Shifters, we ARE pretty private.

But | think back to Alpha Ryann force feedingcake and pesteringinto relaxing whenever possible and how Alpha Kane dotes on her, his sister and their adopted child Kiara. They treatlike | belong there, like my own family does. | don’t want her to think poorly of them.

“A large, noisy family.” | conclude and she smiles brightly at me.

“That actually sounds kind of nice. | don’t have any siblings, just my parents. My house was always really quiet.

Hey if your work isn’t the problem then why are you so tired all the time?” She continues her interrogation. I'm not sure | know the answer to that question. myself so | just shrug.

“Insomnia?” | answer, although it comes out like a question. Penelope laughs..

suppose that’s as good an.explanation as any.” She bites her lip for a second before continuing.

3/4 ens provaury wants to get nand get srest. | didn’t mean to keep her.

“I'll walk you to your car.” | get to my feet and offer my arm to her. She looks oddly disappointed.

“I meant... Well, | suppose it doesn’t matter. Thanks, that would be nice.” She lingers at her car, not unlocking it right away.

“I didn’t mean | wanted to ditch our conversation.” She comments, hesitating. | don’t know what she wants, but she said she was hungry, She should go.

“Go. Eat.” | insist. She nods but her shoulders fall and | know I've somehow said the wrong thing. Shit, | need to fix this. | don’t know what to do, but as she givesa slight smile goodbye I let a small smile of my own slip out. Hers grows in response and she seems to straighten up again.

“I'll see you next time!” | stand and stare after her car for entirely too long after she has. driven away.

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