Lesson 35- No sneaking treats without permission.

I wake up early on my second night off. Probably because I went to bed early. I take the chance to have an ‘everything shower.’ I wash and condition my hair, even making sure to leave the conditioner in for the recommended amount of time. I use a face mask, shave my legs and exfoliate using a body scrub that looks way fancier than anything I would normally buy for myself. I use a body lotion that smells like pomegranate. Basically, I do every single shower related self care task I can possibly think of. Partially as a way to kill time and partially because I am feeling kind of restless. It’s a nice day outside and I wish I could go out for a walk or something but I can’t so I’m going to take care of myself some other way. It’s a good thing working at the bar is such an active job or I’d probably get lazy and sit around all the time. I wrap myself up in a fluffy towel and peek my head out of the bathroom. I forgot to bring clothes with me. I should be fine though, I don’t think that anyone would be at work yet, not even Torin. I dash across the hall and to my room where I get dressed. Actually, I change into another pair of comfortable pyjamas. I’m not working, I don’t see any reason why I would need to be properly dressed while sitting around in what is essentially my home, at least for now.

Next I decide to wander down to the bar to see if the dust sprites have behaved themselves. I’m fairly sure that Jane would have let me know if they were dancing all over the bar again. I’m delighted to see that it’s still spotless. I bet Laura will be thrilled. A creaking sound draws my attention and I turn around to see the trapdoor push up and open.
“Hey Jane. Are you having a nice day?” I say conversationally. She purrs loudly.
“Great. I’m gonna go find a snack. Did you want anything?” I offer. The purring continues and I interpret that as a yes.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can find.” I promise. I make my way to the kitchen and rifle through the cupboard. I feel sort of guilty. I hope Kyle doesn’t catch me in here. I’m sure that Torin wouldn’t mind, and technically it’s his permission that I need. But I’m sure that even he would agree that the kitchen is Kyle’s baby, even if it is Torin’s territory. I end up finding an apple and a mini packet of pretzels. I take both items to the bar and sit on the floor by the trapdoor to eat. Is it weird that I’m hanging out with some unknown and potentially dangerous shadow creature? I guess I just like having the company, even if I do have to carry most of the conversation.
I start with the apple so I can pretend that I make healthy eating decisions. I eat everything but the core which I offer to Jane. When she purrs I drop it into the black void in the floor beside me. The pretzels I split with Jane. One for me, one for her. I only have a few left when I hear Torin arriving. There’s a heavy thud in the hall, then the sound of knocking. Probably on my bedroom door.
“I’M IN HERE!” I call out to him. Torin steps through the doorway and stares at the sight of me on the floor. I’ve just dropped Jane another pretzel.
“Don’t tell Kyle, I raided the kitchen. Are you hungry?” I ask, offering him the packet. He shakes his head, apparently stunned into silence. I finish the last pretzel then offer the empty packet to Jane who reaches out of the floor and takes it from me.
“Thanks Jane.” I say cheerfully and she purrs. Torin is still standing over me, blinking and confused.
“I… Uh… Packages. You have packages. I brought them, they’re in the hall.” He informs me, but his eyes are lingering on the trap door. I jump to my feet.
“Awesome!” I turn to close the trap door but Jane beats me to it and closes it herself.
“Later Jane.” I brush past Torin into the hall where a rather large box sits totally overflowing with other smaller boxes and packages. I might have gotten a little carried away. But hey, I lost basically everything I own, I’m allowed to go a little shopping crazy, right?

I reach for the box, but Torin gestures for me to leave it.
“I’ll get it. It’s heavy.” He mumbles. Yeah that’s fair.
“Thanks.” I smile and open my bedroom door.
“Just put it anywhere. I’m going to sit and open packages for a while. Want to help?” I offer. I don’t know about him, but I think that opening packages is fun, even if I had to pay for them myself. It’s like presents to me, from me!
“Okay.” he agrees. I can’t tell if he actually WANTS to sit and open packages with me or if he’s just being polite, but if I tell him he doesn’t HAVE to he will probably think I don’t want him here and leave, so I’ll just have to assume that if he really hates it he will say something eventually… I hope. We spend a few minutes opening packages. I put on my new watch, put my new alarm clock on my shelf and unpack my new craft supplies. Torin pulls out the tablet and I put on a pretty new case with galaxy patterns all over it and just a little bit of sparkle. I unpack a few more outfits and some more shoes and of course, a laundry hamper for my dirty clothes. I love express shipping. By the time we’re done, the floor is covered in boxes and packages scattered everywhere.
“Oops, we made a bit of a mess.” I joke and Torin cracks a slight smile.
“But this place looks better. Less empty. I don’t mean the boxes.” He adds and I laugh.
“That’s true.” I start to crawl around the floor gathering up packages, boxes, plastic wrappers and miscellaneous bits of cardboard and packing foam that somehow seem to take up more space than any of the items I actually purchased. I pile them all into the large box that Torin used to bring them in here. I wonder if Jane likes boxes?
“You missed one.” He comments.
“Huh?” I turn just in time to see him picking up my one unpacked shopping bag, it isn’t from today but from Laura’s initial shopping spree. It’s the bag of underwear that I didn’t unpack because I didn’t want to leave it sitting out on a shelf.
“Wait, don’t!” I start to say, but it’s too late. Torin has been helping me open packages, so he doesn’t hesitate to reach into the bag and pull out the first thing he grabs. A pair of my underwear. On the bright side, they’re new and I haven’t even worn them yet. But still… This is a little awkward.

I take it back. This isn’t awkward, it’s hilarious. Torin drops the underwear into the bag and thrusts it into my arms.
“SORRY!” He half yells. This is the loudest and most expressive reaction I’ve seen from him so far. He looks horrified and forget the hint of pink I saw on his ears when he was bashful about his office. His ears and his cheeks are flushed now because he is actually full on BLUSHING. It’s impossible for me to be awkward when he is so embarrassed.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” I force out between giggles.
“I didn’t want to leave them on the shelf like my other clothing and I don’t have any drawers or anything. So I left them in the bag.” I explain, trying and failing to force a straight face.
“I… I’ll be in my office.” Torin stammers out and practically runs from the room. I can’t help it. I burst out laughing.