City of Fire and Ink

The Elephant Marching Band

"You have syrup on your face,"

"And?"

"Aren't you gonna do something about that?"

"Not until I'm done eating my waffle. Otherwise I'll just have to wipe it off again. Unless you feel like licking it off of me."

"Don't tempt me. But then we'd both get distracted and you have someplace to be. Your implant's been blowing up.

"Please don't remind me." The sun pushed through Inez's window, setting the kitchen ablaze in morning light. The gilded haze took the air and sifted us into a space between the cylinders of time where hours and minutes ceased to exist in the glorious bubble of us.

My bones hummed with the aftermath of last night, the memory of intense pleasure still fresh inside my skin. My thighs slid, damp with arousal as I sat on one of the kitchen stools. I couldn't believe what was happening. Inez was cooking for me, naked, after we'd just had mind-blowing sex, and it felt like any other day with my favorite person.

My implant vibrated again and I groaned.

"You should definitely check that."

"The sooner I check it, the sooner I have to leave. And I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you here forever."

"The practical part of me wants to kick you out, but that voice is losing the battle against the thought of us." Inez admitted. She sipped her cup of coffee, hiding the blush growing on her cheeks. "I never thought I'd get to have a morning after with you. I like it."

"Me too." I stretched my arms over my head lazily. "If you quote me on this, I'll make Rio shed all over your pillowcases but you were right."

"Rio already sheds all over my pillowcases so that's a moot point. But no take backsies." Inez's eyes lit up.

"What have I done?!"

"It's too late now. Keep talking sweetheart." The sound of the endearment sent warmth rolling all the way to my toes.

"Honestly if you hadn't confronted me, I would have gone a hell of a lot longer without ever confessing my feelings to you. I thought I'd be tempting fate if I ever told you; that I'd completely ruin our friendship."

"God, you really are a useless gay."

"Shut up. That's old news so no need to gloat about it so much."

"You're welcome love. For being the one with a brain cell."

"You. . . . you. . misa's sake Inez." They just smiled their cheshire cat grin at me. Heat was rushing to my cheeks. "I can't believe you. First you get all grouchy and now you're calling me love? What happened to we're just the bestest of friends."

"I'm over that. Not us being best friends, that's forever, but you signed up for this Seojun. Better enjoy it."

"Oh I'll enjoy it all right. Enjoy demolishing you at League of Legends."

"You couldn't, even if you tried."

A beep from my implant startled me again. For the love of Misa what now? It was a text from Ha Kun. Dominic has decided you all need to be trained in interrogation basics. Get your sorry asses to this address or I'll report you for insurrection myself.

"End of the world?" Inez asked.

"Inevitable." I sighed. "Something about interrogation training."

"Ouch."

"Hopefully it's just PowerPoints." I hoped my joking would disguise my nerves. The perfectly cooked waffle turned to lead in my stomach as I imagined everything that interrogation training could entail.