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“Well, what the heck? That was supposed to be my Christmas gift to you,” she said, pouting. “I couldn’t think of any actual gift to give you.”
“Good. I don’t need anything.” the words felt somehow hollow. Because I did want, did need, something from her. But it was more than I could ever hope to get. She was leaving soon. “But that being said, I do have a small gift for you.”
I reached into my pocket, taking out an old, folded piece of paper. It was worn, and had stains from various kitchen substances on it. Not the shiniest of gifts, but one I thought she’d appreciate. I may not have been a human, but I understood the tradition of giving gifts to loved ones at Christmas.
Loved ones...
No. Don’t think about it.
Sophie took the piece of paper with a quizzical look, unfolding it.
I moved closer, looking down at the paper with her.
“It’s my doucefeuille recipe. Shelly had her own recipe when I started working here, but I’ve improved upon it. I know they’re your favourite...”
“You should have told me you were the one making them,” she whispered, still staring down at the paper.
“Why?” I asked, honestly confused.
She jerked her face up to meet my gaze.
“So that I could have thanked you for making them for me! I know you had to come in early to make them just for me!”
I shrugged. It hadn’t occurred to me to tell her that I had come in early to specially make them for her. My part in things didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she got to enjoy them. That she was happy.
“You’re crying,” I stated, balking. I must have made a mistake with this whole gift thing. “Is it wrong? This is the first Christmas gift I’ve ever given...”
But that just made her tears worse. Before I knew what was happening, which was pretty shocking, considering my primed soldier’s senses, Sophie had launched forward, throwing her arms around my waist and burying her face in my chest.
I stood stock still, totally bewildered as to what was happening and what I should do about it. But instinct made me wrap my arms around her, drawing her close, heat coursing between us. My species didn’t cry, but I knew that it happened when humans were upset. I didn’t like that whatever I’d done had made Sophie sad.
“Say the word and I’ll toss the recipe into the waste disposal unit,” I murmured, bending my snout to her hair. Soaking in her scent, I forced down a deep groan. Having her in my arms like this was making my chest ache.
“Don’t you dare,” Sophie said, her words muffled by her face’s placement directly against my chest. A moment later she pulled back slightly, tipping her face up to mine once more. I slipped a hand to her face, tracing the hot wet tracks the tears had made down her skin with the pad of my thumb.
“Then what’s wrong?” If she liked the gift, she shouldn’t be crying like this. Right? I really am less intelligent than I’d once thought. All my genetic modifications, all my training, mean nothing now.
“What’s wrong is that I have feelings for you, and I don’t want to leave!”
I blinked, the only movement from my shocked body. Her words reverberated in my chest, echoing everywhere. Then my hand grew firm against her jaw, my other arm pulling her even closer.
“You don’t have to.”
Those words came before my thoughts could even catch up. I had no idea how the logistics of that could work. Her work contract had ended, and her room rental likely would soon, too. But, by the Empire, I’d even move her into my place if she’d accept that to keep her from leaving. I’d find her a job myself, or quit so she could have my position and try to different work myself. Whatever it took, I’d fucking do it. Now that I knew she wanted to stay.
That she wanted me.
There had been tension between us. Flashes of what I’d thought could be interest from her. But a soft, lovely human like her wasn’t going to jump into the arms of a terrifying Chimera. Or so I’d thought. But then her earlier words came back to me – words about spending Christmas with the ones you cared about.
And the one I cared about? It was Sophie. She’d filled every part of my life with her bright joy, her endless loveliness. The thought of losing her now was a grief I had never experienced in all my years of life.
“I don’t have to leave?” she said, sniffing.
“No,” I said, more a growl than a word. “In fact, I’m going to insist you don’t go, now.” I paused for a moment, wondering if I should plunge forward into the next words. But of course I would. I was a Chimera. And Chimeras didn’t hesitate when it mattered most. “Because I’m falling in love with you.”
“Why are you only telling me this now!” she cried, raising her hands to either side of my snout.
“I’ve felt something for you for a long time,” I said honestly. I’d been attracted to her pretty much from the moment we’d met. “But I never wanted to pressure you, or cross any professional boundaries. And I always thought you’d be leaving.” I wasn’t technically her superior, but I knew there were power dynamics at play because I’d been training her. And outside of that, I was much larger than her, and certainly much stronger.
