The Fall

The Morning After

CLAIRE POV

"Hey Sally, did we stop by a bakery last night?" The loud little box that was my phone lay on the pillow next to me, I was bereft of the necessary strength to hold it to my ear. A cruel, enthusiastic pounding in my head was loud enough, and hard enough, for me to acknowledge the possibility that I could have a blackspot or two from the night before. It felt like I had snorted ball bearings and they were tearing through my grey matter like pinballs.

"Not to my memory, but anything is possible. Remember that time we broke into an ice cream shop in Thailand? Why?" By the tenor of her mumbled response she was in a similar shape as myself. Which was definitely not quite human, trying to fit into human dimensions, with predictably painful results.

"There is a container with two slices of chocolate cake on my bed. Come down and share or I'll eat it all. It looks and smells like forty-two..." I left the sentence hanging incomplete, waiting for her to pick up the ends and tie it off..

"...Ahh. The meaning of life." She finished with a laugh, and a groan.

It really did smell like the meaning of life. The same morning sunlight doing it's best to lance my brain through my eyes had warmed the sponge layers, and the wafting scent was doing wonders with my will to live.

"Would love to, but can't. My head is full of hammers, too heavy and full of points to move. Come up to me." Sally tried to argue. I empathised, but there was no way I was going to peel myself off the bed and drag whatever remained up to her.

"It's easier for you to come down... drunk Claire made an extra strong pot of coffee last night that is nice and cold by now." I knew I would have her with the coffee, but still had two game changers up my sleeve.

Sally umm'd and ahh'd with a cadence that suggested she was seriously considering my proposal. I reminded her that I held all the bargaining chips, and I was not the one who cheated at boatmaster.

"Fine. I'll do you the favor of dragging my hungover ass to down you. But given that it is an elevator ride up or down makes no difference. This had better be some damn good cake." Sally actually sounded mad, in the thrall of the after effects that came from bathing one's emotions in an alcohol wash.

"There are also strawberries. And cream." The last two weapons were deployed.

A small silence was followed by a mighty groan and a mighty thump that told me she had rolled off the bed. "On my way."

DATUS INTERRUPTUS

XAVIER POV

The world is pain.

Pillows are nice.

The world is pain.

My pillow was abducted, and it fell in a jarring mess to the next available surface. But let it not be said that I could not adapt to unfavorable situations. For the cool black leather of this couch also felt nice on my face.

"Dude what are you still doing here?" An Alexi sounding voice that was far too loud assaulted my recovery. Then kept assaulting it.

"After ditching me on boys night to fly off without warning last night? Hours later, I was tucked up in bed like a good little boy and you flew into my window, actually into it. So you owe me a new window. Then hooted like anyone could understand you, shifted and continued blathering on about some freaky dreamy vixen mistress, queen of chocolate cake, driving you crazy' whilst buck ass naked. The grand finish was something about a breakfast date and then you face planted and passed out on my couch." Alexi ranted with the mock anger of someone who has been planning the delivery for quite some time. "Seriously Xavier, my window? You live on the other side of the same damned penthouse!"