Inside the Car

While Ivaylo made two steps, Paetyn made a couple of her small tippy-taps. For her comfort, he slowed his walking speed with a smile of awe. Before, he never paid attention to that. Now, he is focused on every small detail about her.

Walking the corridor, Ivaylo scanned the surroundings with his eyes. He, the notorious human hater, now hand in hand with a human girl smirked at his employees. With his turquoise glare, he communicated, that nobody dared to bad-mouth his love.

Ivaylo knew, that when this comes out into the public, his family will get wind of it. He was ready to face the aftermath... he was ready to be disinherited. Ivaylo had his own life and a successful career.

He gained more in these few months compared to the previous years. He knows, he now can count on the Chairman and also gained new friends, both Beast Kin and Human. The most important... he found his love.

Ivaylo turned to Paetyn walking with a little, one step behind him, smiling at each other. He led her to the garage and loaded her like a real gentleman into his car... opening and closing the door for her.

Beastman cars are different from the human ones a lot bigger and spacious. Sitting inside she looked around and felt like a small toddler in the front seat. Ivaylo leaned inside to buckle her up personally. It flattered Paetyn.

Ivaylo's tie got loose and freely dangled in the air. Paetyn's eyes got immediately fixed on it. It was the same one she untied that fateful night, when he appeared drunk for the first time in front of her door glaring her down.

So much changed ever since then. His behavior, his stances, his opinions... She never knew his gentlemanly side, just that usual Beastman manners. She closed her eyes and took in the ordinary car smell mixed in with Ivaylo's cologne. It was so different because it pondered to Beastmen's superior noses to not irritate them too much.

Ivaylo was done and was swaying back out and accidentally tickled her with his hair on Paetyn's face. She giggled and as she opened her eyes his face was too close to hers. That heavy breath and loud heartbeat of his, because he was close.

She admired his eyes, which were more animal-like than human, especially the pupils which had a rounded diamond shape and when he got angry they retracted into slits. Sometimes that did make her tremble in fear. They reminded her more of a fox than a wolf. Maybe had some mixed blood or ... she didn't want to think about that part. It made her feel sadness and guilt.

Ivaylo saw that sudden change in mood and got worried. "Am I scaring you?"  That calm, deep, guttural voice, that came out of his mouth made her hair stand up and shiver. It wasn't out of fear, but it sounded so seductive. 

On her lips, a small smile reappeared. "No, I am not. At least not anymore." She didn't want him to worry but it was a little white lie of hers. Paetyn reached out with her hand and tucked Ivaylo's bangs behind his ear the same way, she did as he was at his lowest. Bringing back memories...

Ivaylo walked to the other side getting into the driver's side and Paetyn was following his every move. She looked to the front and didn't see too far. She sat too low, so couldn't even see the hood of the car.

Ivaylo turned to her. "How do you feel... in a car owned by a beast?" She looked down at the waste space in front of her and kicked with her straightened feet. Ivaylo began to laugh and she actually admitted it wasn't her first time in a Beastman's car.

Ivaylo got caught off guard. He worried he triggered some negative memory like her being kidnapped... He remembered what Kay told him. She looked with a bright smile at him. "Of course, I mean Kay's car, which is even bigger..."

Damn, that Beastman again! He felt a little jealous but also relieved. Ivaylo was curious and asked her about that experience. "Ever since he got his driver's license, he worked hard to get his own car and then he was driving me around often. One of the reasons, to keep me safe..."

It was upsetting for Ivaylo since in the past, he was one of the threats Kay was shielding her from. "And who has the prettiest car?!" Paetyn laughed. "Well, of course, my Mister." Ivaylo focused on the road in front of him... "I would prefer if you would call my name."

A second of silence. "My Ivaylo..." Happiness squeezed Ivaylo's heart. "But if his car was bigger, you couldn't really enjoy the ride if you couldn't see anything." Paetyn leaned her head on the window. "That is not true. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Kay took us to an empty parking lot and we had some fun..."

His dirty mind played a trick on Ivaylo. "What?!" His head twisted to Paetyn. She giggled because she intentionally said it that way. "He sat me down on his lap..." The color drained from Ivaylo's face. "... and then he let me drive around while operating the pedals."

Ivaylo couldn't believe he fell for her joke. But still, was jealous. He imagined, how they had fun, and then... she sat in KAY'S LAP. "Do you want to try it with my car?!" Paetyn shut up after that question. He wanted her to sit in his lap? Ivaylo not only took his tiny revenge on her but also longed to have that same experience.

The rest ride home was just small talk. The garage door on the residential building at the Outskirts opened for them. They were back home! Ivaylo behaved the same way... he opened the door for Paetyn and also personally unbuckled her.

What she didn't expect... Ivaylo picked her up with only one arm under her butt. WHY DID HE DO THAT? He closed the door with his foot and one car alarm beep later, he was walking his way to the elevators carrying her on his arm.

"You know, I am fully able to walk the way home by myself?" Her face was red from embarrassment. Pushing the button on the elevator he didn't even look her way. "I just bringing my girl back and plan to cross the threshold as an official couple."

Paetyn hid her face between Ivaylo's shoulder and head, clenching her tiny hands behind on his back. She was so much flustered. In the end, she was glad, that she agreed to meet Ivaylo after the Chairman's pressing.

As the elevator was closing, Ivaylo noticed something... Two glaring orbs in the shadows behind one of the concrete pillars.