dot.

17: Solitaire Interruption

  It had been a few days since Dot had apologised for hurting Felix, and still there was no sign of Nimue.

  The pair had settled into a comfortable routine of climbing up trees together, listening to Felix talk about everything and nothing, and playing cards with a deck Felix had asked Tiro to buy for them.

  "Do you think we could move the eight up onto the nine? Wait no, they're both reds-" Presently, they were working on trying to win a game of solitaire together. Dot liked this game the most as it meant he wasn't playing against Felix.

  'tern over again' Dot instructed, as he himself was unable to flip the cards.

  "Oh cool, ace of spades. I'll put it up here." Felix then moved the two of spades, which was already showing, on top of it. "Any ideas of what we could do next?"

  Dot shrugged, stretching and yawning as he huddled up closer to Felix. Recently, he had began to feel more and more uncomfortable with physical contact and sharing, but he wanted it now. He'd had a nightmare last night, and craved the comfort.

  What had the dream even been about? He couldn't remember. Probably something about Nimue or Tiro. It wasn't pleasant, having to see the man that had destroyed his leg everyday- but he managed, since Felix was there to act as a barrier between them.

  He wrapped an arm around Dot and moved the seven of clubs on top of the eight of diamonds that he had tried to use earlier before sitting back and sighing. "I think we've lost, Dotty."

  Dot hated it when Felix called him Dotty. Felix found this funny and would take advantage of every opportunity to use the infuriating nickname.

  He hissed at him quietly- not actually meaning to be violent, but wanting Felix to stop calling him that.

  "Okay, okay, I get the picture." He said, ruffling Dot's hair.

  Just then, there was a harsh series of knocks on the door.

  Felix got up to go and greet the knocker, leaving Dot to try and tidy up the cards. "It's probably Tiro," said Felix, "He didn't visit yesterday, so." The door swung open, the voice that followed making Dot freeze.

  "Hello, everybody! Did you miss me?"

...

  Nimue had changed from the last time they had seen her. She had cut her hair to just above the shoulder and had straightened and lightened it, leading to a harsher, less natural look. She was wearing a hot pink top with tassels at the bottom and thin black leggings as opposed to her usual floral dresses, peering at the two through her mascara-laced eyes.

  "Well, are you going to answer?"

  Dot had refused to turn around to look at her at this point, instead staring blankly down to the cards scattered over the floor as his whole body trembled.

  He heard her walk towards him in her clicking high heels, sighing that he was never excited to see her anymore. "You were always so happy when I spent time with you when you were younger. Now I just make you nervous. Why?"

  She held her face uncomfortably close to his just over his shoulder with a wide, cold smile, begging him to answer. "Are you going to tell me?"

  Dot opened and closed his mouth, still completely frozen in shock. She was back? Why? He had been beginning to hope that she would be gone forever.

  "Not even a wave hello?" She cuffed him round the back of the head. "I'm hurt."

  Felix, finally recovered from his initial surprise at her return, ran up to them and pushed her away from him. "Don't hit him."

  "He's mine, I'll do whatever I want-"

  "Don't hit him," Felix repeated, glaring as he stood in between her and her hybrid.

  Nimue paused, genuinely feeling a little upset at the cold welcome. This man who was changing her possession needed to go- but she wasn't stupid. She knew that if she let him go, he'd immediately report her to the police, and that would be the end of her life's work. While the protection and funding from the rich private company that supported her work had helped to protect her up until now, the slightest enquiry from the authorities would send everything she had worked for crashing down.

  After all, that was the reason she made Tiro kill the assistants that tried to run.

  She drummed her fingers on her thigh, carefully considering what her next move should be. Although she had made the official changes to Felix's documents stating that she was going to go through with Plan B, there had so far been no attempt to begin. She would need Tiro's help, but their relationship had been even colder than usual since the cheese grater fiasco. She decided to make up with him first, and then waste no more time before initiating Plan B.

  I  t was too late now to decide not to go through with the plan: Felix's family had already been told that he was dead. A tragic car crash, she had told them, he swerved off the road and lost control. The funeral had been weeks ago.

  "Fine." She stated. "I won't hit him."

  Felix seemed to relax a little at this statement, but Dot remained tense. He still hadn't made any move to look at her, which only made her even more angry.

  He backed away from Nimue and towards Dot, reaching a hand out to hug him but only receiving a sharp hiss in return.

  What?

  Nimue had no idea Dot could make any sound, especially not a hiss. That was aggressive, right? Had he really changed that much in her absence?

  As Felix hurriedly took his hand away from her hybrid, Nimue crossed her arms and pursed her lips, chewing on the inside of her cheek. It was a new habit she had adopted since she had gotten her haircut, since she couldn't really twirl it around her finger as easily anymore.

  Her original plan had been to separate the pair and only reunite them once Plan B was completed, but this behaviour was too curious to ignore. If she left them alone again, would Dot get more and more violent? She had to know.

  They had lost a lot of money from the period where there had been no experiments on Dot, and she knew she really shouldn't delay the to do list any longer, but she'd never forgive herself if she didn't investigate this further.

  With a sigh, a twirl and a quick speedwalk to the door, she left the pair alone again. It was time to make up with Tiro.