Free to Feel [Temporarily (??) Discontinued]

Chapter 38

That morning Catherine slept in.

It wasn't a think she usually did. From her very childhood she had taught herself to wake up to the sound of the alarm, and it did her well as she was rarely late to school or the University or any other important meeting. What also helped was that staying up all night was not her habit either. Her body was begging her to go to sleep after midnight, and despite staying up until three in the morning occasionally, when watching a particularly interesting movie or reading an interesting book, she preferred to go to sleep at around midnight.

However, that morning she slept past the alarm and past the repeat of the alarm five minutes later. She didn't even hear it in her sleep, far too deep. The alarm rang for the third time and was ready to go again when someone turned it off, rather fearfully and uncertainly, as if unused to turning of the touching the phone.

So when Catherine finally opened her eyes and yawned, the sun was already high. She didn't move, peacefully observing Heather's sleeping form. Having stayed up for longer than ever before, he, too, had ignored the alarm and continued sleeping in his owner's arms. It was always curious how they cuddled one another in their rest and how neither of them had anything against it.

Cat found her hand under Heather's head, or more specifically, under his cheek. Her lips forming a tiny smile, she gently rubbed his cheek, feeling a tiny bump in his jaw where the broken bone had grown together. Just like that, a small grimace of pain ruined the peaceful charms and the guy opened his eyes, blinking in confusion.

"Oh. Sorry." Catherine muttered and went to pull her hand away, yet the guy just muttered something and snuggled into her touch, hugging her even closer. His eyes closed again, but this time only for a few moments, just enough time for Cat to wonder if he had gone back to sleep. However, he looped up at her again, smiling back.

"Good morning, Mistress." He muttered and yawned. Cat clicked her tongue when she heard how he called her. Even though now he was, thankfully, doing it more rarely, it still managed to pull at those heartstrings that she had hoped would never be pulled on again.

"You know you don't have to call me that." She cooed and shook her head, then gently rubbed his hair. Heather paused, then let out a rather irritated huff and tucked his head under her chin. Catherine beamed at the feeling of his warm breathing against her skin, it sent shivers down her spine, and while she wasn't really sure it was a good sign, she enjoyed it nonetheless.

"You've promised me we would have that conversation today." He muttered quietly, but the words made Cat's heart skip a beat. Oh yeah... The conversation about his claims that he was enjoying his life as a slave. She didn't think he was lying per say, he wasn't a very good liar after all. However, she couldn't believe him either. It was just that... She couldn't.

"Well, I'm here now if you want to talk." She replied and soothingly rubbed his back. The guy sighed and pulled away from her just enough to be able to connect tha gaze or his silver-like eyes with hers. The momentary silence lasted for much longer than Catherine has wanted it to as her friend was searching for the words one last time.

"Alright." He muttered and cleared his throat, then nervously bit his lip. "Alright. I... I don't think I want to be freed along with every other slave."

"Well, if slavery does become illegal, you'll have to get free one way or another." Cat replied calmly, watching as his nose curled up in slight anger. "And I don't think we can make slavery legal in some cases, and illegal in others. It's either everyone is free or nobody is."

"But I... I know we should get rid of slavery!" Heather huffed and sat up, staring at her as if he was trying to communicate with his eyes. "I know it's for the best. I know that Raven and Maya and Sam and-and everyone else, the deserve to be free."