"Gasp!"
Sierra's eyes snapped open.
A blurry wall filled her vision as she lay on her side, her head pounding like a watermelon wrapped in rubber bands.
Huh? Why am I on the ground?
She thought while she pushed herself up, lifting her head from the floor and looking around the now-familiar room. Confusion lingered in her eyes when a knock came from the door tucked into the corner, turning her head at breakneck speed.
"Sierraaa? Hurry up! C'mon, we still gotta buy a few more things!"
Ikade's voice carried through the door. Sierra shook her head once before answering.
"Uhh—yeah, I'll be out in a bit!
No response followed—she stood and moved toward the mirror, turning slightly to glance herself over. The pressure in her head eased with each passing second.
The librei was dressed in a comfy, festive knitted sweater, washed a deep red with white flowers embroidered throughout it. long enough to sneak past her shorts and cover part of her fingers. The hood rested over her head, her tufts poking up through the fabric.
A blue rim lined the hood, adding a splash of color alongside the other accents scattered across the sweater.
Shaking her head again, she looked to her left and out the window. A slice of the city stretched out before her—one side of the street lined with houses, the other opening into the heart of the city. She lifted her wrist, her bracelet flickering on as a screen shimmered into view above it.
What day is it…? Oh…December twenty-fifth.
Sierra lowered her hand and moved quickly to the door, pulling it open in one smooth pull. The chatter of people immediately filled her ears while she headed down the stairs, her fluffy shoes padding her every step.
She stopped in front of a wall, turned left after a few steps and headed toward the kitchens. There, she spotted her friends cooking, pots and pans clattering together while the smell of real food filled her lungs.
"Ahem—have any of you seen Ikade?"
She said, scanning the room until a short haired librei responded.
"In the pantry, oh and—" The woman looked her way, pointing a at her spoon with one hand planted on her hip.
"It's Kaede—Ka-e-de! Mhmm?"
Even with the correction, the smile on her face never wavered.
"Yeah yeah..."
Sierra muttered, rolling her eyes. She slipped past the stoves and took a right toward the pantry. When she opened the door, she spotted Ikade grabbing a few bags, standing beside someone sorting through rows of canned goods.
Her feline friend stopped and glanced over her shoulder, a smile spreading across her soft features.
"Ready?"
The gentle voice brushed against Sierra's ears. She answered with a small nod before moving past, cutting right into the archway that framed the entry on one side and the dining room on the other. Ikade's friend turned back and offered a brief bow or wave, the stone wall sat between them, cutting the space in half.
They passed the front door and chilly air brushed against her skin, which she ignored while Ikade hummed a quiet tune.
Her car sat at a slight angle. Sierra unlocked it, then tapped a button on the door for the other to unlock before hopping inside.
A moment later, Ikade slid in and shut the door, pulling her seatbelt on. Sierra shifted the car into neutral and slipped the keys in, turned the engine over a couple times. The engine coughed for a moment before cranking on.
She let it idle for a few dozen seconds when soft music began to play, then eased it into first and rolled toward the gate, which opened with surprising speed.
Once they cleared the entryway, she glanced at her feline companion.
"Where we going?"
Sierra asked.
"To the market! We forgot a few things, hehe."
With that, they pulled onto the road, slipping into the flow of moving traffic. The drive took about twenty minutes, the city gradually spreading around them with festive lighting. the streets, storefronts and crossings blurred past the windows.
By the time they arrived, the parking lot was packed with cars, the underground faring slightly better.
Sierra eased into a spot after a slow crawl through the lanes, cars idled and doors slammed shut around them. Outside, the noise of the city bled through the car—voices and all, cutting her car off and putting it in first, then pulling the handbrake.
"Hey."
Sierra hummed in response while unbuckling her seatbelt, rolling her feet after the exhausted drive.
Ikade dug into her purse, her fingers fumbling for a moment before pulling out a simply wrapped box. nothing flashy, nothing particularly discreet—holding it carefully in both hands.
The librei's gaze shifted between the box and Ikade, the question clear in her eyes.
"An early gift..." Ikade muttered, meeting Sierra's stare.
"I didn't want you to think I forgot about you, okay? We always buy what we want, so I didn't know what to get you and I—I…I just…here..."
The words spilled out all at once. Her fluffy ears twitched erratically before she seemed to deflate like a said balloon, sagging her shoulders as she held the small box out.
"I couldn't think of anything… so, um…"
"Its okay, see?"
Sierra said, leaning her head to one side, the small smile on her face calming Ikade.
"I don't need anything else—I already have everything I need"
She tugged gently at the red ribbon, loosening it before opening the box with care.
Inside, resting on a soft plush cushion, laid a ring—a golden ring.
Its surface held a flower, detailed far beyond anything ordinary. Four layered petals overlapped like a bun, colored blue, purple, and pink, while the smallest hints of green framed them with the smallest touches of green nestled around them.
"Beautiful..."
Sierra slid it onto her index finger, rubbing her thumb gently along the flower, a quiet bout of contentment settled in her chest.
Ikade sighed in relief, her shoulders lowering again with a small smile.
"Thanks, Kaede."
Before the feline could respond, Sierra closed the gap and pulled her into a warm hug, rubbing the small of Ikade's back.
"Yeah..."
"Thank you...."
""Thank you for saving me...""