109 Boundaries

He was on to Brianna's room. He didn't want to be there. 

He raised his hand and rapped his knuckles on the door. A second later he opened the door and she stood in front of him, neck craned up just to lock eyes with him. 

"Hi," she greeted.

"Hello," Vixen chuckled, ruffling her hair again. 

"Aish!" Brianna groaned, patting her hair, "what's the point of doing my hair if you're just going to ruin it for me again?" 

"If you know that then why do your hair?" Vixen shrugged, "You make it hard on yourself Bri."

"Because somehow my brain always thinks you're going to change," Brianna chuckled, "seems I'm wrong every time haha."

"You're going to keep on being wrong too-" Vixen smiled. He parked his cart by the table and turned around to face Brianna, his eyes locking with hers, "My mind doesn't change tha easily."

They stayed in contact for a moment and Brianna let out a choppy sigh. Vixen smiled and turned back around, unloading the food on the cart. Carefully he unloaded the cup of orange juice then placed down her pancakes and the napkins and her utensils. Seconds after he was on the ground, sitting in front of the table.

"Come here and eat," Vixen called out.

"You're so weird," Brianna rested her hand on his head, ruffling it just like he did to her, then rested her head on his for a moment, "it's annoying." She flinched when she spelt the scent on him. 

"Not the first I've heard that," Vixen grinned, he shook his head to get her off. "Especially not from you."

He pulled out his phone and opened his favorite game. It hadn't been played in 3 days.

"How mean…" Brianna pouted, she got off him and sat down beside him. "Scoot over."

"Who, me?" Vixen cocked his head, his eyes not trailign from his game, "and no. Just go sit on your side."

"You're supposed to be satisfying me, not have your eyes glued to that game of yours," Brianna sighed. "I might have to file a complaint." 

Vixen flinched, his eyes dashing to hers immediately. They held no sign of anxiousness or surprise and stared into her blue eyes with an unshakable focus. 

Her ears heated.

"You know better than to do that," Vixen muttered, his violet eyes lighting up. 

Brianna blushed, turning away from Vixen immediately. His face was scary. The way his eyes stared into hers, the way his black hair fell across his face, his demeanor… everything about him put her on edge. "Yea… I know."

"Are you ok Vixen?" Brianna asked.

Vixen didn't even bat an eye at her question.

"It's this week isn't it?"

To that he flinched. To that he looked up at her, to that he frowned.

"She left this week right? How-" Brianna continued. She hadn't looked up at him yet but she could feel his eyes upon her. They had an intensity and she didn't want to face, nonetheless look up to. 

"We're not going to talk about this," Vixen interrupted, turning back to his phone.

"I smelt it on you. Lilacs. She hated that scent the most," Brianna continued, taking a bite out of her pancake.

She flinched, Vixen's phone was placed on the table.

"Brianna…" Vixen's voice wavered.

"Vixen, it's been years. Why are you still like this?" Brianna muttered, putting down her fork and looking up at Vixen. "Why haven't you forgotten yet? Why haven't you let go?"

Vixen's jaw clenched and violet eyes gleamed. "I could say the same for you,"

"Vixen! It's been more than 9 years since you last saw her and 12 since the incident," Brianna pressed. 

"Oh so now you're keeping count," Vixen rolled his eyes, his jaw clenching again. 

"VIXEN FOR GOODNESS SAKE WAKE UP!" Brianna snapped, her face twisting in anger and frustration, "SHE'S GONE ALREADY!" 

"SHUT UP!" Vixen bellowed, his hand slamming into the table.

Brianna jumped.

Vixen stared into her eye, every moment they remained in contact, degrading her without a word. "You have no right to tell me what to do and what not to do. Take your own advice. I didn't ask for it and I won't use it. Let's keep it that way."

There was no motion involved but with that word, a line had been drawn. Brianna was far on the other side.

"Is it wrong for me to be like this? IS IT WRONG FOR ME TO BE WORRIED?! Three days Vixen. IT'S BEEN THREE DAYS SINCE YOU SLEPT IN THE STAFF DORM!" Brianna yelled, tears forming at the tip of her eyes. "WHERE IN THE WORLD HAVE YOU BEEN?!" 

Vixen picked his game back up. "Away from the dorm. Away from father," he looked up at Brianna, "have you been tracking me?"

"That's not the issue here. Don't try to change the topic," Brianna snapped back.

"So what should we talk about then?" VIxen's thick eyebrows rose and he lifted his phone up, tipping it to the side. "How you keep overstepping your boundaries and wondering about things that have absolutely nothing to do with you?"

Brianna flinched, her heart taking a stab. "Please just forget about her. Every year, on this week, you leave. You disappear somewhere and stay there each night and everyone is forced to keep quiet despite you being missing just because you return each morning."

"Eat you food. It's getting cold," Vixen nodded to her food. 

"No. You will talk to me this time because it's getting out of hand,"

Vixen sighed and locked eyes with her. "What is? Your jealousy?"

Before she could reply he looked away. She trembled in anger.

"What happened this morning?"

"I woke up and began this cycle again?" Vixen sighed, "are you going to talk about me being late because I was here on time. Exactly at the minute I was needed. What more do you have to complain about?"

"The entire building Vixen. The ENTIRE BUILDING is behind an hour because of you this morning," Brianna scolded, "what are you thinking?!"

Vixen remained silent.

"I could hear the rushing down the hallways as soon as I woke up,"

"I'm sure that's not the only place you got your information from."

"Vixen. You set back everyone. The system could be flooded with complaints today and we won't have anything to do but just apologize and bow our heads. What the fuck are you doing to forget that?!" Brianna pressed. 

Vixen's stoic face broke into a chuckle. "Isn't it pathetic?"

"What?" Brinna cocked her head, "I swear if you're trying to stop me from talking-"

"Shut up and let me finish my sentence," Vixen snapped, his eyes flashing a warning at Brianna. 

Her lips pursed against each other in one squiggly line. A result of her annoyance showing through. 

"Isn't it pathetic?" Vixen repeated, "how in such a big place, out of the thousands of people here, I am in control of the time system and announcements? Why do I have to lead a place that hates my every soul and being? You're behind by an hour? I'm behind by years. Years that should have been spent outside these gates."

"You want to chase after her, don't you?" Brianna smiled painfully, her lips quivering. 

Vixen noticed. He knew how to answer.

Vixen locked yes with her. "What do you think?"

He didn't want to answer.

Brianna bit her lip. "You need to stop this. Stop wearing that shampoo. Stop remembering the scent of lemons. Please just forget."

He knew the answer. 

"Do you think she's the reason why I won't chose you?"

He didn't want to answer.

A tear fell down Brianna's cheeks. "N-no. I know I don't stand a chance so please stop worrying about that. The issue is how you're DRAGGING EVERYBODY DOWN WITH YOU?!"

Vixen's finger began tapping on the table rhythmically. He was tired of the conversation, he wanted to leave. He was growing impatient. He should have listened to his gut. He should have never come today.

"Answer me Vixen. What's your excuse now? What are you going to beat around the bush with again," Brianna muttered, her fingers curling into a fist.

"I'm fascinated at the fact that you think this is a conversation. I'm even more fascinated ath the thought that you think you have control over my actions," Vixen smiled. 

It was so fake that Brianna could literally see the drawing lines around them.

"Haha. What makes you think that I'm going to sit here and talk to you about this? I already said my mind. I'm not a recorder, I don't have a reply button so don't try to push it. Beating around the bush? That's only possible if we have something to talk about," Vixen chuckled.

"Vixen-"

SNAP

"VIXEN THIS VIXEN THAT. CAN YOU SHUT UP FOR A MOMENT! WHAT DO YOU EVEN WANT FROM ME?! YOU TELL ME TO STOP WHAT YOU CAN'T EVEN TAKE YOUR ADVICE," Vixen yelled, "it's fucking pathetic Brianna. What are you even going to do with the things I tell you? Tell them to my father? Bullshit. I'm not wasting my time here if this is what you're going to force me to talk about."