Recoup (2)

      I don’t know what to say in response. I hadn’t thought about it. Rose is suggesting that perhaps it never really was the Title that drew them to me. Perhaps it was just... me. “It makes sense to a degree, if I really am the center of all of this. But if that could be the case, then perhaps now, more than ever, you should all distance yourselves from me. Resisting your accursed fates is the only way to fight back.”

      They all agree that isn’t happening.

      “But how can you say that? If the feelings you’re all holding are nothing by the byproducts of someone else’s plan, then they aren’t your own. They’re fake.” I try to reason with them. But Rose speaks up again.

      “But what can you do about it? What choice do we have? To simply live our lives denying the feelings we have? Why? All because someone else might have set them in place? Our entire lives were dictated by things outside of our control.”

      “I agree with Rose,” Mimi nods. “What real control do any of us have over the way we feel? You can’t sit here and tell us you are the one who dictates how you feel.”

      “We are the products of an infinite number of variables throughout our lives.” I look towards Kay, dumbfounded at that string of sentence… the most complex I've ever heard from her.

      “But it would be a lie…” I protest.

      The door opens and Charlie enters. She hesitates for a moment, seeing me surrounded by the girls. She’s clearly about to leave, but I invite her in.

      “I, um, just wanted to thank you for saving me, and see how you are doing. I should go.”

      “Don’t be that way. You were severely hurt. How are you doing? How is Abi?”

      “Abiliath will recover. As much of a monster she is, she is still old. So, that said, she’s in another room complaining about not being allowed to get up and roam yet. She was distraught to hear what happened with Domnis.”

      Abruptly, she covers her mouth and a look of anger flits across her face, likely at herself.

      “It’s fine. I mean, it isn’t fine, but you don’t have to walk on eggshells around me.”

      Hesitantly, she sits on the edge of the bed, half turned towards me. “How about you all? How are you doing? Especially you Mimi.”

      “I’m fine, Charlotte. You don’t have to beat yourself up over anything. You tried to save me. I’m grateful.” Mimi punctuates her point with a kiss on Charlie’s cheek.

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      She blushes furiously and looks to defend herself against what just happened, but her words quickly fall short as she notices me staring at her.

      “Um, so you have all made up, yes? That is good, very good. I’m glad to see everyone in their proper places. Zero is an ass. I mean, not you, Zero, the current one." Charlotte spits out, uncharacteristically twirling her fingers.

      “Yes. He was the First Knight when I arrived to this world. I banished him after he challenged me and I won.”

      “I see. No wonder Zero’s personality changed so quickly. I mean, I could tell he wasn’t the same person, but I damn near went mad being the only one who could tell. I started to doubt everything. Eventually, I slowly started to realize that you came back to me, to us. I mean, you came back for them, the Valkyries.” She looks away as her cheeks reddened.

      “Look… Charlie, I don’t really understand these girls here. I think they’re crazy, personally. I do want you to know, though, I was never using your feelings or anything. Trust me, I’m not upset that you can’t see me the way you once did. Knowing I’m a woman now changes everything.”

      “Ah. Um… it does change a lot of things.” She speaks up.

      The other girls look at me with pity. Gods, it takes everything to hold back when that look is directed at me.

      “Oh. Um, that’s not what I meant. I-” Charlotte waves her hands about, getting far more flustered than usual. It’s rare to see her like this. “What I mean is… you are better um…fit for my…” She gives a little cough and whispers the end too low for me to hear.

      “I couldn’t hear what you said. I’m sorry.”

      She is blushing furiously now. She grips her knees tight and looks at the ground. “I was saying that… I was so perturbed to have finally liked a man. I kept thinking maybe I hadn’t known myself as well as I thought. But as you are now, you actually um… are more aligned with my actual tastes.”

      I tilt my head at her in confusion. “As clueless as ever.” Rose seems dejected.

      “Stupid.” Mimi pulls me from my corner and shoves me at Charlie. I don’t even have a chance to do anything because of how fast she is. Before I know it, I’m in Charlie’s arms. Her misty eyes look me over. Her red-tinted cheeks meet with a wry smile.

      She gives a side eyed-look at the others before returning to me. I feel incredibly bashful being in her arms, looking up into her beautiful blue eyes.

      “What I meant to say is…” She tilts my chin up and kisses me.

      Her lips are soft and cracked, but they feel divine. I sink deeper into her embrace and become more forceful with my kiss. Her lips part and my tongue finds its way in. It’s only the need to breathe that causes me to separate from her. I hear one of the girls behind me give a long whistle.

      Charlie seems to finally come back to reality and pushes me away quickly. “Ah. No. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.”

      “Five then?” Kay questions with a yawn.

      I let my head fall into my hands. “Guys. This is too surreal. How in the hell is this real life right now?”

      I fall backward onto the bed. Rose hovers over me and lets sweet promises drip from her lips. “Then let us enjoy our possible final night together in fantasy, Eve.”

      At that, all the girls come together around me. I don’t know how I will make it out of this alive. Each woman begins to remove articles of clothing one by one. Occasionally, hands come out of nowhere to strip me down.

      Amongst giggles and ragged breaths, amongst love and lust, my night fades away.