The sun rose over Dragon Hive like it always did.
Golden light spilled across stacked walkways and iron bridges. Markets opened their shutters. Steam rose from food stalls. Merchants laughed, argued, bartered. Children ran past with bags slung over their shoulders.
From the outside, everything looked... normal.
Peaceful.
Alive.
Inside Burajiru's apartment
Burajiru lay on his bed, turned toward the wall.
His eyes were wide open.
"...Huh," he muttered quietly.
"I didn't sleep at all again, this is the fifth night."
It's gotta be because of her, damn why didn't I just stay sleep. This all feels too much liek a dream.
He sat up, rubbed his face, stared at the floor for a moment longer than necessary. Something felt off, like a thought he couldn't shake loose.
Why did I make things complicated...
He stood, showered, dressed in his uniform without thinking, movements automatic. When he stepped outside.
Plum was already there.
He blinked.
Her posture relaxed instead of tight. Her eyes clear instead of hollow.
"I'm hungry," she said plainly.
"Feed me."
Burajitu "Oh um, theres no school today so I was planning on hanging out with some friends."
Plum "Oh you mean the stray cats?"
Burajiru eyes fell to shame "...Yeah."
Plum "Okay, maybe later."
Burajiru stared for half a second.
"........Ya know what, come on, lets do it."
They were back in his apartment before either of them questioned it.
Plum straddled him easily, familiar now. When she leaned in, Burajiru tensed, but didn't pull away. Her teeth pressed lightly against his neck, and warmth spread through him as his Abi responded.
Energy flowed.
Plum exhaled slowly.
When she finally leaned back, she looked... satisfied. Like someone who had just finished a full meal after years of hunger.
"...Wow," she said softly.
"You taste really good."
Burajiru looked away, ears warm.
"Uh. Thanks. I guess."
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She sat back on the bed, stretching, eyes half-lidded.
"So," Plum said, curious now.
"What's your Abi source?"
"Imagination," Burajiru replied.
"...More specifically, re-imagination."
Her eyes widened.
"Woah. That sounds amazing."
He froze.
No one had ever said that.
"...It's a work in progress," he said quickly.
"So you can imagine anything?"
"Yes," he said, then corrected himself.
"But I'm better at reworking things that already exist."
Plum tilted her head.
"Like the fire sword."
"Exactly."
She leaned closer, elbows on her knees, face near his.
"Can you imagine something for me?"
His breath caught.
"Yeah. What?"
"I don't know," she said, smiling.
"Surprise me."
He swallowed, thought for a moment.
"...What do you like?"
"The moon."
"...The moon, huh."
He closed his right hand.
When he opened it again, a small, pale cookie rested in his hand, softly glowing, shaped like a crescent.
Plum gasped.
"Is that... a moon cookie?"
"Try it."
She bit into it.
Her reaction was immediate.
"...That's so good," she said, devouring the rest without hesitation.
"I want more."
"It tastes that way because it's made of my Abi," Burajiru said.
She stared at him.
"...You're actually hot, I bet you've got abs.."
"What?......I mean I do have abs."
She stood, stepping closer, standing right in front of him.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked trying to avoid eye contact.
Her eyes glowed faintly orange.
"What's wrong?" she said softly.
"I can look away if you want."
His heart was racing now.
Red Abi flickered faintly around him.
"...No," he said.
"...I just—"
He stopped.
Didn't know how to finish the sentence.
The silence stretched.
Not awkward.
Charged.
Unanswered.
Plum slides her arms across his arm, and he grabs her ass. His heart races, and suddenly his bear canines grow. Plum's lion canines grow as well.
Burajiru couldn't resist; something in his spirit was hungering for her. He pulled her close and began to kiss her, aggressively. His abi flowed out, and hers flowed out too. She pulled away.
Burajiru is breathing heavily, his eyes wide, mouth slightly open. Plum asks, "You like me, don't you?"
Burajiru stammers, "I... I..... I.... do."
She takes his hand and says, "I like you too, but unfortunately, this will be our last day together."
She pulled away and layed across his bed.
Burajiru asks, "Why?"
Plum replied, "You said after this week, I'd have to find somebody else to munch on. Those were your exact words."
Plum looked as if she was thinking, "Maybe Roxer's abi will taste better."
Burajiru couldn't stand the thought of her eating Roxer's abi. "No, you can't eat his abi."
Plum asked"Why not?"
Burajiru stumbles, "Because, umm, you probably won't even like it, it'll taste abusive and bitter."
Plum twirled her finger through her hair "Are you saying you're not an absuive man?"
Burajiru "Hell no, I'm a lot of things but i don't abuse women, I don't think I wond them either. when it's all said an done I decend from the Afro tribe, my main roots are rockers but hiphop runs through my veins too."
Plum 'I don't know what any of that means muffin head."
Burajiru "It means I don't believe in that alpha nonsense, that shit is goofy as hell."
Plum says, "Well, I don't have much of a choice." She walks off toward the door, her hips slightly swaying. Burajiru watches her. She turns back to him, places her hand on the doorknob, slightly opens the door, but it slams shut.
Burajiru stod there "Wait."
Plum asks, "Wait for what? I got my last meal from you. I should leave now."
Burajiru pleads, "No, don't leave."
Plum asks, "Why not? I have to go to Roxer to see what his abi tastes like."
Burajiru says, "Just hold on."
Plum insists, "Please get out of my way." Her teeth sharpen, and her nails grew.
Burajiru noticed she was becoming angry. He steps aside and says, "Okay."
Burajiru continues, "I was going to say you can eat my abi. I know I said only a week, but I don't know, I'm not sure what's happening to me. I didn't sleep all night thinking about you...." he struggles to finish his words.
Plum's hand is still on the door. Burajiru says, "You can go to Roxer if you want. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I just...."
Plum releases her hand form the door nob.
Plum walks up to him and hugs him. Burajiru hugs her back. Plum says, "When I look into your eyes, I see the burning sun, and your abi's power is like that of might grizzly bear. You're like a sun bear, even your touch warms my very soul, my Sun Bear feeding is keeping me alive."
A tear came down her face.
Burajiru said to himself.
Is this the right thing to do? But I don't know why the shortface bear in me wnat to devour her.
Burajiru lifts her up and carries her to his bedroom, lays her on the bed, and kisses her. The kiss was agressive and passionate like two sould who have been longing for shared touch for eons.
Mid-kiss, he says, "You can have as much abi as you want."
Plum asks blusing, "For how long?"
Burajiru replies, "For as long as you want."
Plum asks, "What about forever?"
Burajiru didn't know how to respond. Plum says, "I'm sorry, too soon?"
Burajiru says, "Don't be sorry." Burajiru kisses her again.