- Malikah was exhausted, so much so that even his fur seemed to droop despite being post-shower. Very recently he had started a new job after his classes in an effort to prepare for his upcoming Senior year. It seemed smart to start saving now, especially as getting spare change from his parents was starting to become harder and harder. In addition, getting a job had also been a sort of pact with Avelyn; she wanted to move out of the dorms and working alongside his best friend sounded genuinely fun.
Like most nights recently said best friend was over, her pink fur easily lost in the Cassie-Aten-Smolder household. With his sibling asleep in the other bed across the droom, Malikah very gently climbed into his own, Avelyn passed out on the temporary cot set up in the gap between the wall. Cassie adored the Grimm-Nixie so it was pretty easy to get permission for Avelyn to sleep over. His mom also sympathized greatly with the anti-dorm vibes and was more than happy to offer the girl respite in their home.
Drowsily, the boy's eye lids slowly closed as he replayed his day at work in his head. Pretty soon he would stop remembering his lessons all together and just memorize the PLUs...
When he came to again, there was something much warmer and much heavier attached to his side. "Huh," he murmured groggily under his breath, expecting it to be one of his younger siblings. Instead of a shock of navy however, the touch under his hand was a bit scaly, and Malikah settled back into the bed contently when he realized it was Avelyn. For a moment his heart pounded in his chest, but after some long, deep breaths he began to relax.
He adored having his best friend around, and he appreciated that at times he could off her what she never really had. Mostly family and, well, an arm and tail to cuddle at night. With a smile he moved just slightly enough that they were still close but not touching inappropriately, not wanting to violate her space even as she drifted closer in her sleep. For some reason he really did not feel the need to disturb her, even though she was tucked up near his body.
Tossing his other arm high above her head, the Imp hybrid stared at the ceiling for a long while, claws gently clicking together. Maybe when Avelyn got her own apartment, he could ask to move in with her too? The hybrid quickly blinked away the thought, a bit of a red flush rising to his cheeks in the dark. He needed to get through school first. This coming school year would be interesting after all. He had yet to decide what his major was as home body who likes museums wasn't an acceptable profession, and at that thought, anxiety rose to his chest again. Most of his siblings knew what they wanted to do and were already taking the appropriate classes. Nurses, paralegals...
Quickly, to scare the anxious jitters away so he could sleep again, he pulled his bed quilt over the two them. Before he closed his eyes once more, he stole a glance of Avelyn and couldn't help to smile. He'd have to tell her she drooled sometimes.
Hobo Pixi
