𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴

𝘙𝘶𝘪𝘯

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"It was just a night-stand- you can't be mad at me for leaving," 

"You-you," the girl blubbered. 

"Sorry sweetheart. At least you have the memory."

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Cole winked at the pilot as he stepped off the ship onto the platform below. Her glazed eyes begged him to say something but he just heaved his bag over his shoulder and stalked from the ship to the floating platform. But he stopped when he heard her footsteps running after her. 

"You still need to pay for your travel," she said, gathering herself better now. 

He looked at her dead in the eyes and laughed. "I believe I already did, Cee," he smirked slightly. 

The girl's face bloomed into a deep shade of red. She stuttered, trying to think of something to say to make him pay. 

"Unless you'd like to take this matter to court and have me explain why I believe I shouldn't pay," he offered. His smirk widened as the girl shook her head, the red spreading down her neck. Her sweater had been pulled far up her neck for multiple reasons, some because of Cole, but when she noticed him staring at it, she fidgeted with her sweater. 

"N- no," she managed and turned, walking back to her ship, tail between legs.

"I couldn't imagine you to be with the likes of that kind," a man from the patio around the floating bar called to him. Cole sighed a little, managing to keep his posture the same as before and walked over to the man.  "Seeing as you are a respectable-looking man,"

He laughed and placed his bag down in front of him after crossing the bridge between islands. "I look like a respectable-looking man?" he questioned.

"Anyone from below does," he gruffed when he said 'below'. Cole tried not to stiffen at the hostility towards his homeland, he knew people would view him, and his homeland, that way. They were at war, after all. If one could call it a war.

"Well, then your kind will find us a very different people once you get to know us," he said. "Especially where I come from below."

"I assume not a well-bred place when you're hanging with her kind," he said. 

Cole's tail twitched under his shirt, and even though he knew his jacket covered it, he still clasped his arms behind his back and rocked on his feet. 

"Not all are lucky enough to be royalty below," was all he could say before picking up his bag and brushing past the man to the inside of the pub.

He knew it would take a while to get used to the hostility of the Upwards, but he was already harder than he first imagined. He was...not accepted. Anywhere. Nor was the pilot. 

He paid for his room and climbed the stairs, making sure to enforce his training of not putting that bounce in his step climbing the stairs. He made it successfully to his new room without causing suspicion to arise, and he opened the door with a flick of the key on the pad.