Tick Tock (on hold)

Tick Tock

Sighing, my eyes wandered up the wall to the ceiling and I spun in my swivel computer chair. The internet shut down again for the seemingly hundredth time tonight. I muttered a few choice words for how I felt, and stood up. It was about time for me to get to bed.  

I stretched and rubbed my eyes. Dark mascara came off onto my hands, and I sighed. I was going to call my bestfriend, Gryffin, on Skype. My boss was getting real cranky lately, and it seemed only he could cheer me up.  At least tomorrow's the last day.

I groaned at the time. It couldn't be 2 in the morning.. I scowled. Gryf would probably be out partying anyway. He seemed like a bird or something, never staying still. Literally. 

I actually, by complete accident, I swear, walked in on him in bed getting it on with some blondie.  

I only wanted to borrow a movie from him. He keeps all the good ones under his bed so I wouldn't take them.  

I sighed some more and padded down the hall to the bathroom. I needed a fucking late night shower. 

I passed a mirror and halted. What I saw made me sad. My eyes were bloodshot, and my normally piercing icy blue eyes were glazed over. Vessels stretched out over the not so white whites of my eyes. Purple bags hung under my long lashes. My forehead was creased in lines from stress. My cheeks were sunken in, and my full, deep red hair was lanky and flat. I groaned and rubbed my forehead vigorously.

Seriously Ember? my subconscious told me. I just sighed.

I started to turn away when something caught my eye. I looked back and gasped. What the fuck? 

My face stared back at me, lips twitching. I reached up and touched my trembling lip. There was no movement in the mirror. My heart quickened and the face smiled. MY face smiled. Only I didn't. 

The grin stretched out painfully, up to my ears and splitting my skin. Blood trickled down my face in the mirror, and I felt liquid on my cheeks. I touched it, and to my relief were only tears of fear. My face hadn't cracked open. 

I turn and fled to my bathroom, swiftly closing and locking the door. My chest heaved and I spun around, aware of the mirror over the vanity. I smeared toothpaste and soap all over it, and flipped it open to the medicine cabinet. I breathed relief.  

I turned on the water to heat up, and slid to the cold, tile floor. I tugged on my hair, a nervous habit. I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed. Deep breaths. I sucked in a lungful of air and stood up, gripping the sink. 

My back muscles twitched. I'd have to go get that checked out soon. I pulled off my shirt and stood in only a black bra and jeans.  

Enjoying the warmness of the room, I tested the water. It was just my temperature. I stripped down to nothing and stepped under the flow of the water.  

Almost immediately, I calmed. I let the water run down my back and flattening my hair to my neck. I closed my eyes, and relaxed for the first time in days. 

I think I really deserved this shower after non stop work.  

I shampoo and condition swiftly, letting foam drip down to my feet. 

Soon, my skin was soft and I felt comfortable. I already shaved and I was tired.  

That's enough for tonight, my subconscious told me. I sighed and turned off the shower's source. I towel dried my hair until it was only damp, and dried my body off.  

Wrapping the towel around me, I stepped out of the shower and made sure to stay clear of the foggy mirror.  

Water dripped down my breasts, and I pulled the towel tighter when I heard scratching at the door. Good thing you locked it, my subconscious murmured. Lip quivering I unlocked it, and breathed another sigh of relief.  

It was only Cruize. The cute siberian husky tilted him head and his long, red tongue rolled out. I giggled at his innocence, and bent down, holding the towel in place, scratching his head. Long streaks of black, grey, and silver ran down his soft white coat to his tail. I was going to call him Boots, because his white legs faded to grey, and to black at his paws. Only when I saw his coat, he reminded me of a finish line off of a racetrack or something, and the name Cruize popped in my head.  

One look in his warm, dark brown eyes, and I was hooked. I took him home that night, and he fell asleep in my arms. 

My heart wanted to cry at how innocent and vulnerable he seemed.

Tonight, it was quite the opposite. I didn't know what was in that mirror, and it scared me. He seemed to sense it, because he was on his feet and looking up at me. I shuffled forward, and his head tilted a bit to the side. Fucking adorable. 

He walked behind me and nudged my legs, making me stumble. I couldn't even scowl. His claws went click click click that would have drove me crazy, but tonight, it was soothing. I knew he was right behind me, nudging me along. 

I collapsed on my bed, not even caring that I had no clothes on. 

Cruize jumped on the bed, and I bounced a bit. He wasn't as small as he used to be.  

The towel was falling off underneath me, and I took no hesitation to throw it off onto the floor. Cruize wiggled under the blankets, crawled back up, gripped it in his teeth, and dragged it over my body. I wasn't stupefied, he's done it before.  

I sighed and he squirmed into my arms. Cruize faced the opposite way, so his nails didn't dig into my skin. His fur tickled my smooth skin, and I buried my face in his shoulder, him already sound asleep like that first night he came home.  

He would keep me safe tonight.  

Of that, I had no doubt. 

I drifted off to a dreamless sleep, the warmth of Cruize's body holding me to earth.