Lucas
She was glowing with satisfaction and I could see it even if her back was to me. I had given her my pelt after she had taken a proper bath, shooing me out of the shed. The cotton dress she had been wearing was wet and in shreds courtesy of me. I might have gone overboard but she had stopped me before I could get to the triangle at her thighs. How she had managed to succeed in convincing me to let her up was beyond me. In the state I had been in, the shed would have burnt down to ashes without me noticing.
Once I was dressed, I tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around in a small circle.
“You are dressed and I'm still in this,” she pointed to my pelt which was tied snugly above her breasts, the ends of it getting to the middle of her hips. The flesh there was marked with my red streaks from where I had squeezed her too hard.
“I left bruises on you. I apologize.”
She looked down at herself, adjusting her legs sideways to examine the extent of my brutality. She winced, sighting a raw spot behind her knees and I felt guilty. The red bruise looked like an ugly tattoo and it seemed out of place on her milky flesh.
“Horny animal,” she murmured, brushing a finger over the scrape. A smile spread across my lips as I walked towards her but she raised a hand to keep me at bay. The other hand held my pelt in place.
“No. You are not coming an inch close to me until I am secured in clothes. Besides, I have something to say. I want to thank you–”
“You don't need to thank me, Miatta. I would do it anytime.” I winked at her and she blanched, her brows disappearing into her hair.
“Get your mind out of the gutters, you pompous pig! I didn't mean. . . well, argh! Just let me finish! I need to say it and get it off my conscience.” She took a deep breath, in and out, forming words to use.
“I wanted to thank you,” she began again, “for saving me, for speaking to your father on my behalf. I do not deserve your kind thoughtfulness but I am grateful that you extended it towards me.”
I was shocked by her genuine words. Before then, I was not aware that Miatta knew any words that were not insults or sarcastic. I was buying it until she ruined it with her next words:
“There, I said it. Wear it around your neck or memorize those words because I’m never saying them ever again.”
Well, it was stupid of me to think that she could change overnight just because I had spent a few minutes with her in a tub. She was still the Miatta I had met on that faithful day, confident and not capable of concealing what she thought about anyone. I didn't want her to change but knowing that she might change because of something I did both scared and pleased me.
“Now back to my clothes situation, what are you going to do about it? Addy just gave me that dress and you ruined it, you—”
“—horny animal?” I completed for her, grinning down at me. She walked to me, taking her time and I waited to know what she was up to. She stood before me and placed her palms on my chest, dragging it down slowly and before I could utter a word, she tucked a firm fist into my stomach.
“Miatta!” I roared, chasing her around the room to exact my revenge. She slipped under my big and clumsy arms, her quick feet keeping me from getting a grip on her. She moved like a trained warrior, crouching low and dodging me carefully.
“Too slow,” she taunted me and threw her arms up in victory, forgetting that she had only my pelt on. The fur-like garment fell off her lithe frame, pooling at her feet. I had my first glance of her entire naked body as she shrieked, dragging it over her body again. The show was over and it sucked, my wolf drooping its ears.
“Can I have some clothes now that you have gotten what you wanted?”
I got to my bed in four strides and picked up a folded piece of clothing. I had asked a slave to bring it in while we were in the bath shed and I wondered what she would think.
“Let me know if I got something you want,” I said and handed the clothes to her. She squinted at me suspiciously and unfolded the blue material, allowing the hems to sink to the floor. When she raised her eyes to mine, tears swam freely in them.
Miatta
It was beautiful, fit for a queen in fact. The dress was a lavender satin affair, its long sleeves light and warm. It was decorated with white lacy designs that started from the waistline and ran down to the hem that almost swept the floor. The smooth texture of the dress reminded me of a similar one my mother loved to wear at festivals. But she was Luna and deserved such beautiful things, not I, who had been reduced to a mere slave.
“Miatta, do you. . . is it not to your liking?” Lucas inquired, worry furrowing his brows.
“It’s. . .oh my God, Lucas! I don't deserve to wear this. It’s so beautiful and soft and. . . and I'm not worthy to put it on. Please have it.” I walked back to him, with the dress in my arms. It was too pretty, a gift that was selfless of him. He didn't touch it, clasping his hands behind him.
“Put it on, Miatta and then, if you don't like how it looks, you can give it back to me.” He sounded hurt and I caught a tear running down my cheek. I nodded, choosing to obey for once. He gave me his back, creating some privacy for me. The dress came with inbuilt bra cups and I stepped into it, pulling it over my body. It sat snugly on me, perfectly my size but once I had it on, I could not reach the zipper.
“Lucas. . . a little help?”
He was behind me in a heartbeat, his ever-warm fingers resting at the base of my zipper. I stood ramrod straight as he dragged the zip upwards until he was done. He took my hand and spun me around in a twirl to face him.
“Well?” he asked impatiently. I stepped into his comfort zone and looped my arms around his neck, leaning in. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed me closer.
“Lucas, I am never taking this dress off. Get ready to get tired of seeing me in it.”