Chapter 8
Rosie
My first impression is pink. More pink than was in the living room. At least that was broken up by metal tables and the black of the couch. But here it's just all pink.
Pink carpet takes up most of the floor. Pink bedding. Pink pillows. Pink walls. Pink. Pink. Pink.
It isn't until my second pass that I spot the small grey thing on the bed. It's curled up small into a ball, and I think it's another pillow at first. Until it twitches.
I step forward to investigate and sense Rexus stepping into the room behind me. I barely register him putting the suitcases down on the floor by the dresser as I reach for the little fluff ball.
My hand nearly makes contact when it uncurls, and I find myself face to face with a possum. I scream and jump back. It screams and falls down onto its side to play dead.
Same, possum, same.
"W-why is there a possum on my bed?"
Rexus looks between me and the possum before he shrugs. "It's a cat. Human women like cats."
He looks discomforted by my questioning, and I have no clue why. I'm too busy trying to hold it together.
There is a fucking possum on my bed, and the male I'm here to fuck says it's a cat. A fucking cat. Thankfully, it isn't, as I'm seriously allergic to cats.
"I thought you might like the company." He shrugs again and shoves his hands into his pockets. I realize this was him trying to do something nice. "I'll be busy on patrol much of the time."
"Oh," I still don't have words. I have no clue what I'm going to do with a possum. I know nothing about them besides the fact that they supposedly don't carry rabies, eat trash, and play dead. But it's a gift, so I'll do my best to keep the rodent alive. "That was thoughtful of you."
"Yeah, well," he shrugs again, and I get the feeling he is deeply uncomfortable with the gesture. I try to move on. "I'll leave you to get settled."
He starts out of the room and then stops to give me a once over I don't quite understand. He reaches forward to grab something off of the dresser. After looking at it for a moment, he hands it to me.
"I'm programmed in. Message me if you need anything."
And then he's gone. And I'm alone on an alien planet. Alone with something that looks like a tablet had a baby with a blackberry and a possum sleeping on my bed.
What. The. Fuck?