=Later that Night=
Alice had just finished making dinner, Everyone was eating their fill and casually talking amongst themselves at the dinner table, making jokes. Alice watched them with a smile. These guys sure were something.. As everyone was finishing up, Alice noted the absence of Cashew and wondered where he might be. She traveled up to his room and knocked.
"Cash? Are you absorbed in your books again?"
The door opens and Cashew is red in the face. "I just read the most exhilarating book! What a rollercoaster! Gosh, I need to do something with all this energy!" Cashew pauses. "Wanna make out?" He says as he holds Alice by her waist, making her blush like crazy.
Alice shyly diverts her eyes away as she shyly kisses Cashew. Cashew responds eagerly and kisses her passionately. As Cashew's hands begin to wander, their moment is interrupted with a low growl. Alice pulls away quickly and looks over and sees Cole, obviously jealous of what was going on.
Alice, still red in the face, covers her face. "I uh.. Forgot to say that dinner was ready." She tells Cashew as she runs away.
Cashew and Cole lock eyes as she runs off. "Uh…Those books you gave me-"
"Save it." Cole cuts Cashew off. "I see you getting your filthy hands on my Alice again, you may not have any when I'm done with you.." He threatens as he walks off.
Cashew swallows hard. He knew he should've been frightened, but he still couldn't help but feel a thrill when he encountered the panther male..
XXXXXXX
It was around midnight when Cole woke up from a dream he didn't particularly like. He clutches himself while breathing erratically, he all but runs over to Alice's room and opens her door hurriedly, and sighs as he sees her sleeping peacefully hugging one of her stuffed animals. Cole slipped into her bed and shook her lightly.
"mmm..Cole…? What time is it..?"
"Alice..I need you.." He said in a shaky breath.
Alice rubbed her eyes and looked at him with sleepy eyes. "Need me for wha..?"
He snaked into her arms. "You need to hold me, now." He said shakingly. "Hold me as though my escape would mean the doom of everything." His voice grows soft, shaky, almost as if he was afraid of something, he tightens his hold on his love. "Hold me.. So that I cannot breathe."
Alice holds him tightly, snuggling into his chest sleepily.
"Yes..Your embrace is the only thing that makes me feel safe.. Or sane.." he snuggles into her.
"Are you okay?" She asks.
"My thoughts.. They like to play little tricks on me.. They sometimes make me think that.. You'll leave, run away from me… resent me even.." He admits. Alice looks at him sympathetically. "I could..never leave you…" She admits shyly.
Cole looks into her blue eyes as if searching for any hint of doubt. When he sees nothing but love and adoration in her eyes, he leans in and kisses her tenderly, shocked, Alice almost pulls away, but instead, she kisses him back with eager passion and runs her fingers through his hair, making him purr. Cole soon falls asleep while Alice stays up a bit longer making sure he is okay.
Alice leans in and pecks his cheek as she finds him peacefully sleeping, and soon falls asleep herself.
=Early in the morning=
Cole is the first to wake up, he looks and sees Alice snuggled into him, the straps of her nightgown were lowered enough to see a bit of her chest, she was sleeping peacefully. Cole ran his fingers through her silky black hair, making her sigh happily. He grew a small smile as he watched his love sleep. She looked cute when sleeping… He looked from her closed eyes to her plump lips and remembers how tender and soft they were, unable to resist, he traces his thumb around them, feeling how soft they were. Cole suddenly feels an urge to nibble on her lips, he growls lowly as he inches closer to her until she begins to stir.
"mmm..Morning Cole." Alice greets sleepily. "Are you feeling okay?" She asks as she remembers Cole's episode last night.
Cole nuzzled into her and kissed her neck. "I am now that I'm with you.." He teased as he continued his affections.
Alice blushed like a mad man and looked away, amusing the panther male.
"I..should go make breakfast for everyone.." She muttered.
Cole growled and held her by her waist. "Just humor me for a little longer…" He said in her ear, making her shiver.
"Only for a few minutes then." She said and allowed Cole to snuggle into her.
Well, a few minutes became thirty, thirty turned into an hour, soon Alice had a knock at her door.
"Anon won't shut up about breakfast, just saying. Take your time.. er, or not I don't care.." It was Volks.
"I'll come out!" Alice said as she tried to get up, but Cole held her down, seemingly playfully, which was new from him, this made her giggle.
"Cole, you had more than enough time, I have to make breakfast now."
Cole finally let up after a few more minutes. "Why don't you come join us at the table today, you never do.." Alice pointed out.
Cole was ready to reject, but after seeing her doe eyes, he couldn't turn her down and agreed.
Alice and Cole went into the kitchen and began to cook together, which Alice appreciated. Together they made scrambled eggs with sausages, nothing too complicated. As Alice served breakfast, she called everyone and they all sat and noticed Cole's presence.
Silence.
You could probably hear a pin drop due to the piercing silence the room was in. Alice began to wonder if the guys were even trying to get along with him, yeah he did do some questionable things in the past, but he wasn't threatening them now was he? Before Alice could leave the table out of her feeling like she messed up, a voice spoke up directing the conversation at Cole.
"Hey. I was wondering if you wanted to head to a poetry slam later today, it's underground so there won't be a lot of people. But remember the accepted sign you like something is to snap." it was Poe, still trying to be friends with Cole. this made her heart swell up as at least someone was trying.
Alice looked at Cole who wanted to say no, but he noticed the look Alice was giving him and took a breath. "Sure." He just said.
"Hey Cole, those books I borrowed from you are great. I had no idea you were into those types of things." Cashew spoke up as he nibbled at his eggs.
Cole quirked a brow at him. 'Into that type of thing?' what did that mean? What books did he accidentally give him?
"Oh, you borrowed books from him? What kind?" Alice asked.
Cashew turned red. "A-ah.. they're um.. Horror books, yeah.." He stammered.
Alice looked confused but thought nothing of it. Breakfast went on with Cashew and Poe being the only ones drumming up a conversation with the panther male. After a very awkward breakfast, everyone went off to watch tv in the living room.
=With Cole=
Cole was left alone with Poe, he was muttering poetry that Cole was genuinely impressed with but he wouldn't say it aloud.
"Hey, you into poetry?"
Cole shrugged. "Poetry is something I never indulged in. but I don't hate it." He admits. He didn't know why he was being open with this emo magpie, but for some reason, he felt like it was okay.
Poe slid a little closer to Cole. "Poetry is something I've always been into. You should try it."
Cole nodded and said nothing. Poetry was definitely something he would not try. He didn't see any point in himself trying, but he didn't really mind reading it.
"I'm not going to stop giving Alice poetry if this whole thing is about." He said to him.
Cole looked at him with glaring eyes. Poe didn't flinch though. "You don't scare me either. If I'm to die then so be it, I'll die knowing that I've given her all that I am." He said as he began to walk away. "By the way, the poetry slam is at three if you're still interested." He said as he walked off.
Cole's eyes slightly widened as he stared at the magpie boy walk away. Not afraid to die? That was new to him. He then smirked slightly. He was going to have fun playing around with his new target.
XXXXXXXXX
Cole was somehow roped into going to a poetry slam with Poe. Meanwhile, Alice got to spend her day with Volks. Lucky bastard. As he heard each poet give their piece, he didn't really snap along with the other patrons, mainly because he wasn't impressed. He had heard better, he thought as he looked at Poe who looked stone-faced. Did he think the same? Or was he playing the 'I'm interested but I won't show' it card? Wait, why did he care? He was after his love, why would he care what he thought?
After an hour of hearing poetry, Poe and Cole walked out of the slam, Poe looked at Cole with curiosity.
"So, did you enjoy the slam?"
Cole shrugged. "It was alright. I've heard better poetry." He said looking into Poe's eyes.
Poe noticed the intense glance. "Oh? Pray tell who has captured your eye?"
Cole looked away with a subtle smile. "No one special.."
Poe hummed as he noted the look on his face. This is going well.
"I'm assuming you want to hurry home to try and find Alice?"
Cole stole a glance at Poe, how the hell could he read him so well? Cole's always so stoned face. This guy was…so interesting. He was going to be so fun to toy around with..
"I'll drive then. I can get us home faster."
Cole tossed the car keys at Poe as he caught it, the drive home was fine. The two shared a few poems that had interested them either from the slam or just from looking around. Cole wouldn't say, but Poe's way with poetry was different from what he's read before. Other than that, it was silent. Oddly enough, it was a comforting silence. Cole hated it. For some reason, this magpie boy was understanding him. He seemed to have understood his feelings and defied his attempts at threatening him. Just who was this guy and why did he feel this way?
