𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆

 heyooo,  just  wanted  to  announce  that  i'm  indeed  alive  and  i'll  start  doing  my  drafts  on  this  account  right  neowwwww  .  .  hehe.  but  also  like  this  for  a  starter  ?  might  even give  you  one  of  my  new  babs.  <3  thank  you♡ 

“  maybe  minsun  has  unfinished  business  …  ”  he  mused  aloud,  not  with  any  concrete  theory–-  just  an  assumption  born  from  instinct.  from  experience,  river  knew  that,  sooner  or  later,  answers  had  a  way  of  revealing  themselves.  “  what?  i’m  not  just  saying  that–-  it’s  true!  ”  he  protested,  the  words  lightened  with  a  laugh  that  faded  just  as  quickly  as  it  came.  silence  settled  between  them,  easy  and  unforced,  the  faint  rustle  beneath  his  feet  serving  as  a  gentle  kind  of  white  noise.  when  dahee  spoke  again,  her  words  lingered,  echoing  in  his  mind.  a  faint,  lopsided  smile  tugged  at  his  lips.  “  yeah, maybe  that’s  why  …  ”  he  murmured,  voice  softened  to  barely  more  than  a  whisper.  “  besides,  the  moon  would  n e v e r  abandon  you  …  and  neither  will  i.  ”

           a  smile  tugs  at  her  lips  as  she  nods  slowly,  "  she  does,  indeed.  i  think  she  just  wants  justice  .  .  for  the  most  part.  and  honestly  ?  i  spent  most  of  my  life  in  denial  that  i  had  to  be  the  one  to  do  it  for  her,  but  now  .  .  now  i  just  want  to  be  strong  enough  to  make  it  happen.  "  having  river  by  her  side  made  that  goal  less  daunting—  most  battles  she'd  faced  would've  ended  the  same  way  her  predecessor's  did  if  not  for  him.  her  heart  skips  at  his  words,  "  promise  ?  "  dahee  teases  lightly,  a  grin  spreading  across  her  face,  "  you'll  always  be  my  knight  in  shining  armor.  "  once  again,  her  hand  finds  his  cheek,  thumb  brushing  carefully  over  his  skin  while  avoiding  the  scratches.  "  i'm  so  thankful  you  exist,  you  know  that,  right  ?  "

౨ৎ ⋆｡˚                       roles reversed and soon back into play as she ( once again ) took the lead —- ❛ i’m just super irresistible , right ?! ❜ flush on her own cheeks as she caught the questioning gaze of one of the employees . ah shit , they totes knew . so embarrassing . quickly dipping her head , a flurry of coy notions emanating from cherry pout as they fled the cafè like wanted criminals . probably wouldn’t have even been deemed suspicious if sora hadn’t made a song and dance about it . heh , oopsie ? a squeeze of femmes hand quickly to showcase her adoration , ❛ i’d do anything to make it special for you . you deserve it and so much more . ❜ that was the cheesiest thing she’d ever said , but she was going with it ! the heat pooled moreso in her abdomen with every step closer to her dormitory —- the wonders that awaited them when they’d be alone . tingling sensation as she jumbled her keys before stepping into a room that looked like a y2k bomb had exploded within .. ❛ did you want a drink ? ❜ alcoholic , coffee based or a taste of her own sweet elixir .. preferably the latter should a repeat of their prior predicament have anything to do with it . a bite of her lip , gaze half lidded —- they can quench their thirst after , right ?

           "  that  you  are,  among  many  things.  "  the  words  slipped  out  without  even  a  moment  of  hesitation,  her  voice  steady,  oblivious  and  therefore  unbothered  by  the  stares  from  employees  around  them.  all  she  cared  about  was  the  person  walking  beside  her.  "  really  ?  i  don't  think  i  deserve  it  though,  i've  done  nothing.  "  it  wasn't  said  to  fish  for  compliments  or  seek  validation—  dahee  truly  believed  it.  she'd  never  thought  of  herself  as  special,  but  hearing  sora  say  it  made  her  start  to  see  herself  in  a  different  light,  which  felt  like  its  own  quiet  blessing.  years  of  being  avoided,  left  out,  and  uninvited  had  shaped  her  into  someone  who  carried  that  belief.  it  was  always  amusing  to  see  sora's  dorm  compared  to  her  own  room,  the  minimalist  and  maximalist  contrast  almost  comical.  now  with  privacy  settling  around  them,  her  heart  fluttered  as  she  sank  into  the  bean  bag.  "  huh  ?  oh—  "  pulled  out  of  her  spiraling  thoughts  and  nerves,  she  nodded,  "  yeah,  sure  ?  maybe  soda  or—  well—  should  we  get  some  alcohol  in  our  system  ?  "  wasn’t  much  of  a  drinker,  but  dahee  figured  she  could  use  some  liquid  courage.  "  to  you  know,  celebrate  this  day  ?  "  she  added  quickly,  trying  to  mask  how  her  nerves  were  creeping  up  again.

gaze  locked  with  hers  and  he's  listening  attentively  to  how  she'd  behave  if  she  was  the  one  with  fangs,  curious  about  her  words  and  then  she's  mentioning  the  whole  party  scenario,  causing  a  snort  of  amusement  to  take  appearance.   "  be  careful,  dahee-ah   ...   you're  making  me  think  it  could've  been  you  now.  "   there's  a  mischievous  glint  in  both  his  eyes,  not  completely  striking  out  the  chance  of  it  having  been  the  woman  in  front  of  him   —-   there  was  a  reason  as  to  why  he  had  invited  her  here,  not  just  to  expand  his  knowledge  on  the  topic  but,  also  to  study  if  she  perhaps  had  a  hidden  agenda.   "  do  you  know  if  they  just  loose  control   ?   if  the  hunger  gets  so  immense  they  just  have  to  feed  ?  "   questioning  once  more,  chuckling  then  as  his  realizes  just  how  many  things  he  had  been  asking.   "  it's  okay  if  you  need  to  take  a  break  in  between,  i  tend  to  spiral  when  i  first  start  talking.  "   very  unlike  his  typical  demeanor  at  school,  his  podcast  being  his  safety  circle  of  opening  up  without  needing  many  prying  eyes  or  opinions  by  others.

 true  to  her  shy  nature,  she  stifled  a  giggle  behind  her  palm  before  raising  both  hands  in  mock  defense.  "  i  could  never  do  such  a  thing.  these  teeth  are  too  dull  for  that.  "  she  flashed  her  pearly  whites,  her  fangs  retracted  of  course.  a  fleeting  smile  tugged  at  her  pink-painted  lips  as  she  remembered  the  night  she'd  fed  on  him.  "  for  sure,  they  often  lose  control  when  they're  either  too  into  the  person,  or,  well,  the  kind  of  blood  they  have.  some  just  taste  better  than  others,  as  certain  accounts  have  pointed  out.  "  with  a  small  nod,  she  added,  "  and  also  when  they're  feeding  for  the  first  few  times.  "  she  admitted,  enjoying  the  chance  to  share  more  of  her  lifelong  fascination.  tilting  her  head,  she  asked  suddenly,  "  do  you  think  you'd  make  a  good  vampire,  oppa  ?  i'm  curious  how  you  see  yourself.  "  her  eyes  lingered  on  his  face  as  she  waited  for  his  answer,  intent  on  making  the  most  of  every  second  she  had  with  him. " and you can answer this off the record, since we're taking a break. "

they’d been sat in the palace grounds while waiting for dusk to dwindle and the navy blanket allude their weary thoughts . only wanted to attend the wooded area when necessary . ❛ you sure you ready to do this ? ❜ taking a stand , she held out her hand for dahee and offered an encouraging smile , ❛ i don’t know what’s gonna be more scary .. this whole situation or the prospect that slenderman could appear ! you see any suss af notes or static .. we are leaving ! ❜ —- keep the jokes flowing to calm dear friends nerves .

 "  okay,  anyways,  lead  the  way.  i'm  guessing  it's  one  of  those  things  where  we'll  know  we're  in  the  right  place  once  we  see  it  ?  "  dahee  asked,  flashlight  beam  sweeping  through  the  trees  as  the  night  deepened,  the  air  pricking  at  her  skin  as  they  ventured  further  into  the  woods,  knowing  the  blood  moon  would  soon  reveal  itself.

౨ৎ ⋆｡˚                       anxiety masking pretty visage as she bit down slightly on lower tier . ❛ i truly have no idea —- it popped into my head and i .. ❜ more unspoken visions flooded minds eye —- a crystallised palace , surrounded by a navy blanket with glistening diamonds ; the night sky from a solar level . a haze like blurred static echoing as she heard screams that sounded much like her own tone before a clouded foresight of the blood moon pulsed throughout her entire being . dahee’s voice snapping her out of it , almost violently . ❛ i - uh .. y - yeah —- we should probably prep now ! ❜ never one to skip a beat or stutter and stumble over her words . usually so properly spoken . caught her off guard . ❛ forgive me , i felt like i had someone else’s memory within . ❜ almost as though an arrow was pointing toward the altar , she felt guided by an unknown presence , ❛ i believe i know where to go . do you have everything you need ? it’s a little walk from here .. ❜

            dahee  figures  she  and  areum  were  in  the  same  boat,  not  knowing  how  or  why  they  knew  certain  things,  just  that  they  did.  "  no  worries,  i  know—  my  mind's  been  all  over  the  place  too.  and  now  knowing  there's  going  to  be  a  blood  moon,  it  makes  so  much  sense.  "  with  what  she's  learned  about  minsun  and  her  connection  to  the  blood  moon,  it  wasn't  a  shock  that  dahee  was  also  affected.  "  sure,  let's  go  !  although,  it's  not  midnight  yet  .  .  shouldn't  we  wait  it  out  first  ?  i  don't  know,  maybe  bring  some  camping  equipment  ?  "  because  really,  who  knew  how  long  they'd  be  out  there,  judging  by  her  past  blood  moon  adventures  with  sora.  "  i  can't  believe  these  keep  happening  lately,  it  used  to  be  once  every  hundred  years.  i  wonder  why  there's  been  so  many  of  them.  "  she  sighs,  slipping  her  things  into  her  bag  and  pushing  up  from  the  café  table.  "  come  on,  i  think  we'll  have  time  to  swing  by  my  house  to  grab  some  camping  gear.  "  thank  goodness  her  dad  and  siblings  were  avid  campers.

however,  dohyun  couldn't  quite  tear  his  eyes  away  with the  golden  irises  staring  at  him,  it  was  mesmerizing  in  the  most  beautiful  way  and  male  figured  he'd  have  to  ask  dahee  if  her  eyes  had  ever  done  that  before   —-   her  question  and  the  hand  resting  at  his  cheek,  however, pulls  him  out  of  his  trailing  thoughts,  drawing  a  chuckle  from  plush  lips  and  makes  him  lean  forward  to  press  the  softest  of  kisses  against  opposite  petals.   "  i  know  what  you  mean  and  i'd  be  delighted  to  do  it  with  you  again,  in  the  near  future.  "   nose  nudges  to  hers  at  the  last  four  words,  tossing  the  paper  to  the  coffee  table  after  having  removed  the  remaining  on  dahee's  bosom.   "  it  is  weird  you  saw  nothing  but,  i  doubt  it's  meant  negatively.  "   allowing  an  arm  to  wrap  around  her  shoulders  to  embrace  her  to  his  side,  churn  of  his  cheek  resting  atop  of  the  crown  of  her  head.   "  your  eyes   ...   they're  a  golden  color  right  now,  i've  only  seen  that  on  two  other  vampires  before.  "   voice  is  soft  as  it  leaves  his  lips,  not  wanting  to  overwhelm  dahee  with  delving  into  more  lore  of  their  species  but,  it  did  make  him  curious.

 when  he  mentions  her  eye  color  changing,  hers  widen  instantly,  "  they  are  ?!  huh  .  .  "  sitting  all  the  way  up  now,  she  grabs  one  of  their  phones  tossed  carelessly  on  the  coffee  table  during  their  earlier  intense  encounter,  using  the  screen  as  a  makeshift  mirror.  spotting  the  flecks  of  gold  catching  in  the  light  of  her  irises,  dahee  gasps,  "  w-woah  .  .  that's  .  .  i've  never  seen  that  happen  before.  it's  kind  of  .  .  cool,  really.  "  instead  of  fear,  fascination  takes  over  as  always.  "  i  wonder  if  this  happens  whenever  i—  uh—  i  mean,  whenever  i  feel  something  good  ?  "  and  they  both  knew  exactly  the  kind  of  feelings  orgasms  could  stir.  her  attention  flickers  back  to  him  at  his  mention  of  two  other  vampires,  head  tilting  with  curiosity,  "  two  other  vampires  ?  who  were  the  two  vampires  you've  seen  this  happen  to  ?  "  only  then  does  she  realize  she's  still  completely  bare,  her  cheeks  turning  red  in  embarrassment,  "  but  also,  i-  i  should  probably  put  on  some  clothes  again  .  .  no  ?  "

Nana them went to her room to pick out a swimsuit for Dahee before coming back and handing her a cute bikini that was pink with yellow flowers decorating it..

as soon as she sees the bikini, her cheeks color, " oh- okay, i've never worn anything like this. i hope it fits me well. " she comments, holding up the two-piece swimsuit.

may  shook  her  head  and  stepped  in  closer,  wrapping  the  other  in  a  warm  hug.  “  i’m  taking  you  to  the  spa  tomorrow–-  full  nine  yards.  you  need  some  distraction.  ”  she  murmured,  her  voice  much  softer  now.  at  the  question,  her  expression  softened  further,  a  smile  tugging  at  her  lips.  “  you  know  i  was  in  japan  for  a  while,  right?  just  got  back  and  wanted  to  check  in  on  you.  ”  she  wasn’t  about  to  drop  the  bomb  just  yet.

            sometimes,  dahee  wonders  what  she  did  right  to  deserve  someone  like  may  in  her  life.  returning  her  hug,  she  laughs  softly,  "  really  ?  ah,  you  spoil  me  so  much  unnie,  seriously.  "  giving  her  another  squeeze  before  pulling  back  just  enough  to  meet  her  gaze,  she  tilts  her  head,  "  you  were,  yes.  i  thought  you  weren't  going  to  stay  long  but  you  did.  did  something  happen  ?  "  her  brows  knit  together,  concern  flickering  in  her  expression.

linking  her  arm  with  dahee’s,  inori  listened  intently,  concern  tightening  her  features.  being  followed  was  terrifying–-  especially  for  a  young  woman  or  honestly  for  anyone.  “  what?  well …  it’s  two  of  us  now,  so  maybe  they  won’t  try  anything.  ”  she  said,  thinking  aloud  as  her  eyes  scanned  their  surroundings  for  a  way  to  blend  into  a  larger  crowd.  “  how  long  have  they  been  tailing  you?  ”  she  asked,  voice  lower  now,  more  serious.

          "  i  truly  hope  they  don't  try  anything  .  .  "  she  responds,  the  unease  settling  deeper  as  her  mind  picks  apart  every  possible  reason  for  being  targeted.  it  couldn't  be  random,  could  it  ?  were  these  people  ones  who  had  somehow  learned  about  her  secret  ?  or  was  it  simply  bad  luck  that  put  her  in  their  sights  ?  "  ever  since  i  got  off  the  train  to  meet  you  here.  it  was  a  long  walk,  and  i  was  even  taking  side  streets,  but,  they  were  following  me  the  whole  way.  they're  outside,  right  now.  "  

౨ৎ ⋆｡˚                       stopped i m m e d i a t e l y under dahee’s guidance —- would never push such limits . her own mind a haze at what had just occurred betwixt them . nothing prepared for the next request , doll features flickering up to others beautiful visage , eager pout forming into the sweetest of smiles . ❛ m - my home ? ❜ like roles had been reversed —- the usual chatterbox , now a stuttering mess . cradled cheek , butterflies erupting . a multitude of sensations and emotions amalgamated within & she couldn’t help but twist her face , angling to press the tenderest peck against silken palm . ❛ anything for you .. ❜ those ruby optics like a hypnotic guise , couldn’t stop herself gaze as she leaned up once more to press lingering kiss , only to pull away and grab femmes hand , interlacing their fingers . a quick side step out of the shared washroom , swollen lips , daze visage & messy hair ; wouldn’t take a genius to put two and two together . quickly swooping up her stuff , she was eager to get back home . ❛ stay with me tonight .. ❜ she spoke softly as they made their way out of the cafè .

            waking  up  that  day,  dahee  would  have  never  expected  her  birthday  to  turn  out  like  this.  it  started  off  pretty  normal,  a  birthday  breakfast  of  seaweed  soup  courtesy  of  her  mother,  followed  by  some  greetings  by  her  brothers  and  extra  allowance  from  her  father.  she  was  never  much  one  to  make  a  big  deal  out  of  her  special  day,  but  somehow  having  sora,  especially  in  this  way,  was  something  straight  out  of  her  daydream  come  true.  a  hum  of  both  contentment  and  pleasure  escapes  her  as  soon  as  their  lips  meet  again,  "  alright,  let's  go.  "  she  breathes  against  sora's  lips,  straightening  herself  out  after  as  if  they  hadn't  just  shared  that  moment  inside  the  bathroom  stall.  as  they  head  out,  dahee  keeps  her  gaze  low,  avoiding  all  eye  contact  with  the  cafe's  employees.  sora's  question  makes  her  stomach  churn  in  the  best  way,  and  she  doesn't  hesitate  to  answer,  "  okay,  yeah—  i'll—  i'll  stay  tonight.  "  as  if  the  role  of  a  stuttering  mess  had  been  passed  back  to  her,  she  smiles  at  the  other  female.  "  thank  you  for  making  my  birthday  so  special,  sora  ya,  "  she  says  softly,  giving  her  hand  a  squeeze  as  they  make  their  way  back  to  her  dorm.

 blinking  the  moment  her  lips  brushed  his  cheek,  sitting  there  like  he  just  got  slapped  with  a  pop  quiz  he  wasn't  ready  for.  ❛  uh,  yeah  ..  10.30.  got  it  ..  totally  cool,  totally  fine  !  ❜  clearing  his  throat,  trying  not  to  grin  too  much  as  he  watched  her  bounce  off  like  it  was  nothing.  meanwhile  he  was  short  circuiting  over  one  kiss  to  the  face.  dragging  a  hand  down  his  face,  muttering  under  his  breath.  ❛  she's  gonna  get  me  caught.  not  by  the  cameras,  not  by  the  guards  ..  just,  emotionally.  ❜  then  he  stood,  brushing  nonexistent  dust  off  his  pants,  already  mentally  preparing  for  their  little  heist  like  it  was  the  dumbest  genius  idea  they  ever  had.  because  it  was  and  he  was  fully  in,  especially  when  it  was  for  dahee.

            at  10:23  p.m.  sharp,  dahee  downs  her  freshly  made  iced  coffee.  with  her  recurring  nightmares  every  night  for  the  past  10+  years,  the  female  has  long  accepted  the  fact  that  her  and  sleep  aren't  ever  going  to  be  besties.  she  then  rises  a  bit  from  her  gaming  chair,  mid-ARAM  match  (  league  nerd  alert  )  just  to  check,  "  where  is  he  ?  "  she  mutters  out,  tugging  at  the  blackout  curtain  to  peek  outside.  the  street  below  her  apartment  building  is  empty,  so  she  drops  back  into  her  seat,  only  to  perk  up  at  the  sound  of  a  motor  revving.  she  knows  that  sound.  sure  enough,  minjun's  bike  pulls  up  in  front  of  her  building,  and  a  grin  spreads  across  her  face.  waving  eagerly  through  the  window  and  holding  up  a  hand  to  signal  him  to  wait,  she  scrambles  to  get  ready,  adrenaline  already  building  for  their  little  mission  impossible  for  the  night.

 groaning  softly,  more  from  the  fact  that  he  could  never  say  no  to  her  than  anything  else.  ❛  you  are  gonna  be  the  death  of  me  ..  ❜  muttering,  wrapping  an  arm  around  her  shoulder.  ❛  alright,  fine.  you  are  in.  but  if  you  get  caught,  i'm  telling  everyone  you  acted  alone.  ❜  teasing  didn't  last  long  though,  not  when  her  stomach  decided  to  make  its  own  opinion  known.  his  brows  quirked  as  he  glanced  down  at  her.  ❛  oh  ?  that  was  war  cry  level.  okay,  come  on.  i  know  a  place.  ❜  a  second  passes.  ❛  ..  or,  if  you  are  serious  about  the  stealing  part,  we  could  make  it  a  little  training  run.  something  small.  just  a  snack  sized  crime.  ❜  his  gaze  was  playful,  the  idea  already  forming  faster  than  he  could  stop  it.  god  help  him,  he  was  turning  her  into  an  accomplice  and  worse,  he  liked  it.

            a  wide  grin  spreads  across  her  face  when  minjun  finally  relents  and  lets  her  tag  along  on  his  missions,  "  okay,  you've  got  yourself  a  deal,  sir.  "  she  nods  with  exaggerated  enthusiasm,  clearly  thrilled  by  the  thought,  "  i  love  that  !  like  those  tutorials  you  get  at  the  start  of  a  new  game  ?  "  trust  her  to  relate  everything  back  to  gaming—  a  beloved  pastime  for  her  introverted,  hermit-like  self.  "  well,  in  that  case,  i–  we–  should  get  dressed  !  "  she  leans  in  to  plant  a  loud,  unapologetic  smooch  on  his  lips  before  rolling  off  the  bed  with  more  energy  than  she's  shown  in  ages,  scrambling  to  find  the  clothes  discarded  across  his  bedroom  floor.  "  by  the  way,  is  uncle  ever  around  ?  "  she  finally  asks  about  his  father,  having  crossed  paths  with  the  man  countless  times  when  they  were  kids.

 smiling,  eyes  still  half  lidded  from  the  kiss,  caught  in  that  warm,  quiet  daze  her  touch  always  left  him  in.  her  hand  on  his  cheek,  the  way  she  said  his  name,  soft  and  a  little  nervous,  was  enough  to  make  his  heart  skip  in  a  way  he  would  never  admit  out  loud.  ❛  hmm  ?  ❜  murmuring  first,  leaning  into  her  palm  just  a  little,  lips  brushing  against  hers  one  last  time  before  he  pulled  back  enough  to  actually  look  at  her  face.  his  hand  finds  her  waist,  holding  it  gently  as  he  teases.  ❛  you  are  blushing  like  you  are  about  to  propose  or  confess  a  crime.  ❜  a  small  chuckle  follows,  but  he  softens  quickly,  thumb  rubbing  slow  circles  at  her  side  now.  ❛  ask  me  anything,  dahee.  i'm  all  yours.  ❜

"you like feeling like you're melting?" cocks his head to the side slightly with his comment. couldn't say the same, honestly. but jasper always preferred the darkness. did that have to do with his wolf ancestry? probably not. he just hated being outside. "nah, no curfew." jasper laughs as if it was the most crazy thing in the world. "you do know i'm like . . . grown, right?" narrows his eyes with a smirk. "but yeah. a movie sounds nice."

            desperately curious about the reason behind his remarks but too wary of exposing herself, dahee chooses the safest route . . evasion. she breezes past his comment about her ' melting ' like it was nothing. " oh, right. you are grown. sometimes i forget. " she fires back with a squint and a teasing smirk of her own, rising from her seat slowly. " what should we watch ? something vintage, maybe ? old-school fantasy ? . . " she sets up the bait, side eyeing him.

"  a  bug  bite,  i  suppose  ...  "   words  is  almost  mumbled  out  as  mind  started  to  think  back  on  the  possible  bugs  making  such  a  mark,  which  was  when  her  falling  to  the  ground  interrupts  his  line  of  thoughts.   "  shit,  are  you  okay  —-  "   without  thinking,  sooho  is  standing  from  the  bedside  and  moving  toward  her  but  is  stopped  by  the  cable  of  his  iv  connected  in  his  hand   ;   motion  making  him  wince  in  pain  and  yet  he's  reaching  out  with  his  unattached  hand  to  offer  help  but  dahee  was  already  back  on  her  feet  again.   "  yah,  you're  worrying  me  again  now,  miss.  "   referring  to  her  refusal  of  eating  earlier,  now  being  dizzy  out  of  nowhere  and  sooho  felt  like  there  was  details  being  left  out  for  his  span  of  knowledge  about  it  all.   "  will  you  do  me  a  favor  and  have  a  nurse  inspect  you  ?  "   sitting  at  the  edge  of  the  bed,  having  reached  out  anyway  and  wrapping  digits  around  her  hand,  pad  of  thumb  brushing  along  her  hand,  distinct  worry  in  tone  of  voice  and  his  eyes  weren't  hiding  it  either.

 the  nurse's  entrance  snaps  her  upright,  and  dahee  greets  her  with  a  polite  bow.  '  i'm  going  to  need  you  to  let  go  of  your  boyfriend's  hand,  ma'am.  '  and  just  like  that,  her  ears  are  burning,  her  brain  momentarily  buffering.  "  oh  !  no—  "  suddenly  finding  herself  without  the  ability  to  form  sentences,  she  lets  go  of  his  hand  in  a  hurry,  "  i'll  .  .  be  right  back,  okay  ?  "  comes  her  flustered  farewell,  voice  barely  above  a  murmur  as  she  offers  him  a  sheepish  smile  and  scurries  out.  not  to  the  nurse's  station,  as  she'd  claimed,  but  to  find  a  quiet  corner  where  she  could  sneak  a  sip  from  the  vials  she'd  pocketed  earlier.