Capítulo 35: Sweet Pink
I don't feel nearly as bad as I expected to when I wake up, although my neck is unexpectedly sore. I touch it gingerly and wince. The bite itself is healed, of course, but Virgil managed to leave quite the bruise.
"Sorry, Adelaide…" comes Virgil's apologetic voice. When I open my eyes, he helps me sit up and passes me the recovery soup, flavored with his miso.
"Thanks," I croak, drinking it down. But even when I finish, I feel tired and stiff. Why am I so sore?
Virgil looks guilty as I try to stretch out my sore back. "What did you do?" I ask him, eyes narrowing.
"I just...uhh, I didn't move all night after you fell unconscious."
"You mean, you didn't let me move."
He nods sheepishly.
"It's fine," I reply. "I'll just get it out in the bath. If it's not warm already, will you…?"
He's staring at me with his intense eyes again, a flush creeping up his cheeks.
"Um. Do you want to join me…?" I ask hesitantly, and he nods vigorously.
"I've been so jealous," he emphasizes, and I pat his head consolingly.
"Well, you could have asked…" I mumble, even though I know he never would. "Anyway, let's go.. Do...do you have something I could wear?" I ask sheepishly. The past few whirlwind days haven't really left me much free time to wash my damn clothes.
Virgil stands and grabs a folded pile he had already prepared, smiling brightly.
"Oh, well, that solves that, I guess," I chuckle. "Let's go."
Luckily, the halls are empty and so is the bath, although it smells like Adrian was just in.
I sit down at the spout and put the stool in front of me, motioning Virgil over.
"Wh-what?" he stutters.
"Come here and bring your soap," I tell him, patting the stool. "This is a bath, after all."
He sits gingerly in front of me, and I can't help but giggle at how tense he is. I take his soap and lather it into my hands. Virgil jumps when I first touch his back.
"Relax," I giggle. "I'm not going to do anything to you." I massage his back gently, and slowly he relaxes. He lets me rinse him off, and I move to his hair.
"Sit back more," I tell him. "I can't reach your whole head if you're crouched that much." Slowly, he leans back and lets me massage the shampoo into his scalp. "There," I say, rinsing him off. "My turn."
"You-what?" He turns to the side, already pink-cheeked. "But I-"
"It's not hard," I giggle, turning around. "But if you really don't want to, I'll wash myself. I just think it's a nice bonding activity."
"Yeah…" he admits. "It is...nice…" Hesitantly, I feel his fingers lightly touch my back. I squirm in response, and he yanks his hands away.
"Virgil, I'm ticklish," I giggle. "Just wash normally."
"Right." Finally, he seems to get over his shyness and helps wash my back and my hair. As soon as he's done, I head straight into the bath. It feels so good on my sore muscles.
Virgil hesitantly slips in besides me, and I turn to smile at him. "You haven't really done baths much, have you?" I ask. He's still stiff and awkward.
"I have, just…" His eyes dart down and back up again, and he swallows. "Not with women."
"Well, get used to it," I chuckle, flicking some water in his face.
"Hey, don't- don't do that," he chides. "This is a bath, not a pool for children."
I burst out laughing. "Oh? Is that so, Virgil? Are you the bathroom overseer?" I scoot back and splash more water at him, grinning.
He sputters the water out of his mouth, pouting. "You're so childish."
"What," I giggle, "are you just too jaded to enjoy things like this anymore?" I splash at him again, and he splashes back, finally breaking into a smile. We chase each other around the bath, splashing and falling over and gasping and splashing some more, until finally we run out of breath and sit there, panting. He's finally relaxed, sitting next to me normally as he catches his breath.
"See?" I poke his nose with a smile. "Not so hard when you get used to it, right?"
"Huh? Oh." He looks down with a small smile. "Yeah."
He helps me get dressed again, this time in a much simpler cotton kimono. I actually feel like I can move in this one.
Virgil seems intent on taking me straight back to his room, but I pull him towards the main room. "I need to make sure Adrian's okay."
He relents, and follows me to the main room where everyone's already talking quietly over tea and coffee.
Adrian turns to me with the most guilty-dog expression when he hears me come in. "Adelaide, I-"
"It's alright," I say, kissing him on the forehead. "I know you're sorry. And I feel better than I did last night."
"Still, I want to say it," he insists. "I'm sorry."
"Thank you," I smile, and Virgil starts tugging on my arm again.
"Oh, surely she can stay long enough for tea," chuckles Dante, patting a spot next to him.
"Fine," grumbles Virgil, but he clings to me tightly once I sit down.
I look down at him. "Are you sure you don't want any?" I ask.
He shakes his head and just nuzzles in closer.
"Even for you, this is awfully possessive," chuckles Dante, poking Virgil's cheek.
Virgil slaps his hand away. "Shut up. She kissed me last night so I don't care what anyone thinks anymore."
I immediately flush as all eyes at the table turn to me.
"Did she, now?" purrs Adrian. "I suppose I just broke the dam yesterday, then, didn't I?"
I hide my burning face in my teacup.
"She finally let me kiss her, too," adds Lucien matter-of-factly.
Virgil twitches on my lap and I hide deeper in my teacup, even though I've finished off the tea. I really don't want to be here right now. Especially right next to…
"Am I the only one who hasn't gotten a kiss out of you, little bird?" Dante's low voice seems pleasant, but I can feel the aura pouring off of him. He grips my shoulder firmly and forces me to set the cup down, then turns my face towards him. His smile would be called "sunny" by anyone who didn't know him.
He runs his thumb down the side of my face. "You have no idea," he murmurs, "how hard it is for me not to steal that right now." He leans in, but then suddenly releases me. "But I won't. I'll just make sure you won't be able to resist." His terrifying smile is back as he leans on his elbow, fan in hand, studying me.
"R...right…" I mumble, turning back to my teacup with a red face. "Um, can I have some more tea, please?"
I sigh with relief when we finally return to Virgil's room.
Virgil studies me with narrow eyes.
"Now what?" I ask.
"Are you really that inexperienced?"
"In...romance?" I ask hesitantly.
He nods. "I mean, I know you're just a human, but still. You seem awfully flustered. This isn't really like, your first time, is it?"
I sigh and shake my head. "No, no, it's not. But...things have never been quite so intense before," I sigh. "Or, all starting at the same time like this. It's a lot to take in."
"You've only had human lovers?"
I feel myself flush. "Well, yes and no."
He tilts his head to the side.
"It depends on your definition," I explain. "I've been close with humans and vampires. But I didn't, ummm…" My flush grows deeper. "Why do you want to know, anyway?"
"Are...are you a virgin?" he asks, eyes wide.
I laugh. "No, I'm not. Jeez, I think I would have exploded already if that were the case, living here. No, I meant, um,"
"Ahhhhhh," he says understandingly. "You've only had sex with humans."
I bury my face in my arms. "You don't have to be so blunt about it," I moan. "And, well, I almost did, with one of the Lady Sapphire's coterie, but, it was a bit much, so I didn't end up going all the way with her."
"You didn't like her?"
I blush as I think back. "No, quite the opposite. But I felt like there was a lot of, um, pressure, and I knew I couldn't measure up."
"Ohhh, as an inexperienced human," he says, nodding. "Well, you don't have to worry about that with me."
"What?" I feel my cheeks explode with heat, and Virgil also turns pink as he realizes what he just said.
"I, I, I mean," he stutters, then stops and gives me a determined look. "I mean, yes," he says, though he's still turning pinker with every word. "I do want that. With you."
"Ohh, my god." I bury my burning face in my hands again. I can't handle all these horny men right now.
"Adelaide?"
"Right," I manage. "Um, okay. Let's uhhh, deal with that...later." I take a deep breath. "For now, why don't we just keep rehearsing?"
"Okay," he nods, and I let out a sigh of relief.
I concentrate on the play like I never have before, diving into it as a welcome relief from everything that's been happening. Virgil tells me about how he's been working with the others, and what they plan to do in their scenes so I can be better prepared when I rehearse with them. Hopefully, this play will keep being a refuge for me during these high-pheremone times.
Finally, he lets me take a break so I can make myself some lunch.
For once, the conversation in the main room feels normal. We chat about the play, making plans - all while Virgil is feverishly writing everything down - and talk about maybe even doing another one afterwards. It's not like we have anything better to do.
I mention my hopes for the garden. They seem skeptical, but I'm determined to find something here that's mine. Although….the way things are going, they probably won't fruit. And I start wondering again about what will happen to me later.
"Lucien, you said the barrier will let you pass when you meet its requirements. What requirements are those, exactly?"
"Oh." He scoffs. "It's a knowledge test, essentially. About the history of the Court, its families, its laws, and of course, their 'values'."
"But we're not getting out that way, if that's what you're thinking," adds Dante, waving his hand dismissively. "We decided before you even got here that we wouldn't bend to their whims."
"You...don't want out?" I ask.
"No, we do," Virgil assures me. "But they're going to have to treat us like fellows, not like whining children."
"Exactly," chimes in Adrian. "If we let them treat us like this now, who knows what they'll try to pull on us later."
"Hmmmm." I nod. "That's fair."
"And with you here," Lucien adds, eyes glittering, "there's even less motivation for us to leave."
The others nod in agreement.
"Ah." I look down. "Hmm."
"Mixed feelings about that, hmmm?" teases Lucien.
"Well, of course." They all seem shocked, and I can't help but giggle a little in embarrassment. "I mean, hasn't it been made pretty obvious that I like all of you? I would….miss you…."
"Ohhhh, Adelaide," coos Adrian. "Come with me, then."
The tension at the table suddenly rises. Right, this had been the conflict before…
"Don't pressure me about any decisions, just yet," I say hastily. "Or each other, for that matter." Besides, I think to myself, their interest will fade soon enough, and there won't be conflict any more. I try to ignore Lucien watching me as I finish my food.
But I'm tired of being cooped up inside. "Virgil," I plead, "Will you please come outside with me, instead?"
To my surprise, he smiles sweetly. "Sure." God, he is adorable sometimes.
I head outside, trying not to let my reaction show.
But before we actually make it to the sitting area, Virgil slows down and stops.
"What's wrong?" I ask, confused by his sudden look of worry.
"Adelaide," he says seriously, pale eyes capturing mine, "you think I'm going to lose interest, don't you?"
My eyes dart to the side. I can't believe he caught me so soon. "Well…"
Virgil frowns and tugs on my hand, marching me to the bench, and sits me down on it firmly.
But he doesn't sit down, just crosses his arms and stares at me. "Adrian is one thing. Dante, too. But what makes you think I'd lose interest?" he asks accusingly.
"Umm….well, I mean, I'm confused on the whole interest thing in the first place…" I reply sheepishly. Why is he suddenly so offended?
"Don't you know me better than that?" he says.
He has a point. Once Virgil latches onto something, he doesn't let go. He explores all of his interests deeply. "Right, I understand where you're coming from," I begin hesitantly, "But-"
He crouches in front of me. "Did you think I was using that word casually?" His gaze is unusually piercing, and I can't meet his eyes. "I'm Japanese, Adelaide. Why must you force me to be so direct?"
"Oh." I feel myself blush as I realize. "Right…"
He sighs once more, and finally sits down next to me. "Good, I'm glad you understand." He twines his fingers gently through mine, and we both look up to the sky.
I chuckle quietly to myself. "The moon is lovely tonight, isn't it?"
I feel Virgil turn back to me. "Is that your way of apologizing?" I just smile. "...Accepted," he mumbles, laying his head on my shoulder, and we just sit in comfortable silence.
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