Chapter 14 Poppy
Poppy
The next morning, I felt completely at ease.
A long-held tension in my chest had evaporated overnight. Waking up in Viol’s arms filled me with serenity I didn’t know was possible for someone as anxious as me. But even my anxiety seemed quieter than normal, like Viol’s presence kept it in check.
As we slowly roused, bathed in soft morning light, we smiled at each other. Viol kissed my forehead. I giggled, overcome with joy first thing in the morning. Heck, I would’ve assumed I was still in a dream if I didn’t have to pee so badly.
“Screw breakfast,” Viol said, carding his fingers through my bedhead. “Let’s stay here all day. You and me.” He pressed a series of kisses to my forehead and temple. “Just the two of us.”
I smiled. “We can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Because your family and my friends are all nosy,” I reminded him. “They’ll wonder where we are, then barge in.”
Viol groaned. “Shit, you’re right. There’s no privacy with these people. Guess we need to make a public appearance to stave ‘em off, huh?”
“There seems to be no choice,” I agreed, trying not to burst into another laughing fit.
Viol grinned as he peeled back the blankets and rolled out of bed. “What’s with you this morning? You’re so giggly.”
I remained sprawled in bed. I stretched out my arms and legs, then shuddered at the pleasant feeling that followed.
“I’m just happy,” I said.
Viol looked glad to hear it. He gave me a fond look, then helped me out of bed. “C’mon. Let’s get you dressed. Although, uh, I guess you’re wearing more of my clothes today.”
I perked up. I was suddenly grateful all my belongings were back at the hotel, because I loved wearing Viol’s clothes.
But then I remembered the other important thing I’d left behind.
“Ah,” I said, turning to Viol. “My suitcase.”
“Oh, right. Let me check on it.”
As he opened the bedroom door, my suitcase—which had been leaning against it—fell on the floor. He picked it up with one hand and carried it inside the room.
“Huh. Somebody at the hotel must’ve delivered it to our room overnight.” He blushed. “My room? Our room.”
I giggled, then sank to the floor beside the suitcase, eager to open it up. “Come here, Viol. There’s something I want to show you.”
Raising a curious brow, Viol stood next to me and watched as I undid the zipper.
I pulled out an old stuffed bear. Then a beanbag-style plushie in the shape of a cat.
Viol’s eyes slowly widened as I unloaded my suitcase, filling the space around me with plush toys.
“Poppy, are these all yours?” he murmured. I heard the fascination and intrigue in his voice—as a plushie hoarder, he couldn’t help but be interested.
“Yes, I brought them from home. I’ve been collecting them since I... moved to the city.” I paused. “And, actually... I brought them here for you. As a gift.”
“Wh-what? For me?” Viol almost shouted. “You don’t have to do that! I—I have enough.”
I gave him a wry look, which melted his bravado instantly. He huffed and picked up the beanbag-style cat, squishing the plastic beads between his fingers.
“This guy is pretty cute,” he mumbled. “But not as cute as you, Poppy.”
“It’s not a competition,” I said with a laugh.
As I continued to empty the suitcase, Viol picked up each new plushie with childlike wonder. Soon he couldn’t keep the grin off his face anymore. After each greeting, he patted their heads and placed them gently on the floor until we were surrounded by a fortress of plush toys.
Finally, there was only one left in my suitcase.
“Viol,” I said softly.
He faced me. “Yeah?”
My hand slipped into the dark clamshell suitcase and gingerly grasped the ancient toy. Its fur felt familiar beneath my fingers. I pulled it out slowly and held it in front of Viol.
For a few seconds, he didn’t breathe. He could only stare in shock at his old friend.
“Wolfy?” he whispered.
Wolfy’s fur had yellowed with age and washing, and he looked rough around the seams, but he was the same plushie that Viol had introduced me to years ago—the same Wolfy that had been Viol’s companion since before I even met him.
I nodded and smiled, then handed him over.
Viol stared wide-eyed at the plushie like he was seeing a ghost. He was speechless for a few silent moments. He swallowed audibly, choked up, as he pressed Wolfy to his chest.
“You kept him this whole time?” Viol asked in a hoarse rasp.
“Of course. I had to keep him safe.”
“Poppy...” Viol sniffled, rubbing his arm against his eyes. “Thank you. That... really means a lot to me.”
“I’m just glad I got to reunite you.”
Viol let out a wet laugh, then crushed me into a hug with Wolfy squeezed between our chests. I could practically feel Viol’s love and gratitude radiating off him in waves. We stayed in that position until my stomach growled.
“Oops,” I said.
Staving off his tears, Viol grinned and stood up. “C’mon, let’s eat. But we’ve gotta get dressed first.”
“Um... I know I have my suitcase back, but is it okay if I still wear your clothes?” I asked. My heart raced faster at the idea. Every passing second filled me with more excitement.
He blushed. “Fuckin’ obviously. Let’s see...”
First, Viol carefully placed Wolfy on the bed. Then he headed for his dresser. He picked out an oversized gray t-shirt, black cargo pants, and of course, a fresh pair of briefs. We both needed new underwear after last night.
My face got warm thinking about it.
Viol and I had been intimate for the second time in our lives—and it was the first after a very, very long separation. My heart felt so full and happy that I could barely contain it. I wanted to run around. I wanted to roll in the grass. I wanted to wag my tail at full speed...
Suddenly, I was low to the ground, and Viol’s clothes lay limp in a pile around my feet.
Or rather, my paws.
Viol turned around and frowned. “Poppy? Where’d you—” He noticed me when he glanced down, then snorted in amusement. “Oh, I see. Looks like I picked out an outfit for nothing.”
“Sorry. I couldn’t help it,” I said, ducking my head as my tail wagged.
Viol crouched down to my eye level and ran his hands through my fur. I closed my eyes, whining softly at how nice it felt. His hands were so big and warm... His touch made me feel safe in any form I took.
“You’re so damn cute, you know that?” Viol mumbled. “The cutest wolf in the world.”
I shuffled my front paws, embarrassed but pleased at his praise.
He scratched beneath my chin, then stood back upright. “Wanna grab breakfast?”
“Yes!” Then I paused and flicked back my ears. “Oh, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can shift back right now...”
Viol shrugged. “Who said anything about shifting? Human, wolf—I love you in every shape, Poppy.”
My pelt rippled as every hair stood on end. Whimpering again, I rubbed against Viol’s leg, thumping my tail back and forth. He chuckled and smoothed a hand along my flank.
“Besides,” Viol went on, “you can still wolf down a stack of pancakes.”
I laughed at his silly joke, which made him grin wider. Viol tended to hide his goofy side from his family, so I felt special when he shared it with me.
Still bursting with fuzzy joy, I padded alongside Viol as we headed down to the kitchen together.
Even before we reached the main floor, the casual sounds of family life floated over to my ears.
It filled me with warmth and comfort, like sipping hot chocolate on a chilly day.
It put a spring in my step as we approached the kitchen.
A few couples were scattered around the breakfast bar.
Cobalt and Crimson were cooking together while Muzo and Taylor watched the kids.
Alaric and Jade sipped their teas at the counter.
Rorik and Saffron seemed to be overseeing the cooks—Rorik was watching the chefs’ technique closely, while Saffron prepared to sneak the first bite of any given food.
As I stepped inside, Rorik’s nose twitched. He swung towards me. “Poppy?”
My tail wagged and I rushed forward to greet him. “Good morning, Rorik!”
He hesitated before leaning down to pet my head. My friend’s expression was confused, but relaxed.
Beside Rorik, Saffron grinned down at me. He was quick to bend down and join his mate in petting my fur.
Normally, it was considered awkward or rude for one shifter to be in a different form than their peers, but in this case, it felt natural. Nobody seemed judgmental, only curious. Not for the first time, I was deeply grateful that the Chromatimaeus family had always accepted me.
“Hey, this is kinda fun,” Saffron remarked, ruffling the fur on my withers. “Guys, should we get a dog?”
“No,” Cobalt, Crimson, Jade, and Alaric said simultaneously.
“Why not?” Muzo asked, oblivious.
Taylor stifled a laugh while Viol snorted in amusement.
When I glanced back at Viol, he still looked as content as he had in the bedroom. The dark aura he usually kept wrapped around his body was gone, and in the kitchen’s morning light, he glowed like a sunlit shard of deep purple fluorite. Seeing him happy kept my tail—and my heart—beating fast.
As everyone returned to their rhythm, my omega friends flocked around me.
We drifted towards the couch in the babysitting zone, but before we could all sit down, something unusual happened.
Namely, Viol wordlessly took a seat beside me as I hopped on the couch, and looped his arm around my shoulder.
Taylor and Rorik stared in wide-eyed silence.
Alaric’s jaw dropped so low it nearly fell into his tea.
Muzo had no idea what was going on. He slipped into his jackal form and leapt onto the cushion on my other side, brushing Viol’s hand as he nuzzled up to me.
Muzo had always been fond of Viol, and never frightened of him, so it filled me with fuzzy joy to cuddle up against both my friend and my mate.
A shiver rippled beneath my pelt.
Viol was my mate, wasn’t he? He’d said so himself last night...