The Kiss

Linden lay there awkwardly, being caressed until she fell into a deep sleep.

He slightly lifted his head to look at her, feeling a surge of gratitude as he admired her butterfly-wing-like black eyelashes, thinking of the large bed she had bought for him.

Linden wanted to kiss her cheek; she truly was adorable.

Occasionally, he thought she might be the kindest human in the world.

After all, many of his kind expelled from human communities had returned mutilated, missing ears or tails, and females sometimes even breasts. Yet, in some twisted way, he felt fortunate since a disability would mean an inability to work or survive.

His kind had their own graveyard on Earth, a place to end life if it became unbearable.

`

Elders had always warned him never to trust humans, so he remained on the level of feeling lucky—after all, those of his kind bought by female humans rarely faced expulsion.

Females were considered the gentler of the humans, with atrocities like dismemberment being less common among those under their care.

Seraphina, with her high social standing, lack of quirks, and non-violent nature, was a blessing.

The thought of being intimate with her felt like happiness, even if they hadn't gone that far yet.

He worried about her delicate frame compared to his; could he possibly hurt her?

`

Drifting in and out of sleep until she awoke, Linden quickly got up to prepare breakfast.

With practiced ease, he bought fresh ingredients, having everything ready by the time she appeared. Seraphina nodded in approval, sipping freshly ground soy milk across from him. Noticing his clumsy handling of the small bowl, she, in a good mood, purchased a set of dining ware designed just for him.

Instant delivery brought a large bowl with paw prints and matching plates to their door. She filled a bowl with soy milk and plated his food, kissing his forehead tenderly, advising him to eat well and stay healthy.

`

Medical care for his kind was exorbitantly expensive. Despite their resilience, illness could quickly become fatal.

Linden, having cost her three hundred thousand international dollars, was her most prized possession; she couldn't bear to lose him.

`

Receiving a kiss on the forehead and new dining ware, even adorned with the dog motifs he disliked, made Linden's tail wag ecstatically.

Seraphina wrapped an arm around his neck, the collar slightly in the way. She lifted his chin gently, admiring his handsome features, his honest and unadorned attractiveness.

At the market, she had assessed his physical attributes, finding him adequately endowed.

Now, seeing him, emotions clear in his deep grey eyes, she realized he was indeed a living being, his happiness transparent.

`

Seraphina wrapped her arms around Linden's neck, bestowing a gentle kiss on the corner of his lips before her tongue playfully grazed his.

Linden, instinctively cradling her face in his palm, showcased the superior agility of his tongue, effortlessly curling around hers in a tender dance of exploration.

Despite her attempts to lead, she found herself outmatched by his natural finesse. His kissing, though initially clumsy, quickly surpassed her own skills, leaving her breathless and weak-kneed with the intensity of their embrace.

`

Pushing him away gently, Seraphina intended to take a moment's respite.

She had thought to head to work, only to remember it was the weekend.

Instead, she found solace and amusement in his lap, engaging in affectionate exchanges that spanned the morning.

`

Previously, her leisure time was predominantly occupied with gaming, particularly one involving land development and construction.

This game, a voracious consumer of time, often saw her playing from dawn till noon. High rankings in her city models could earn substantial in-game currency, enabling the expansion into new districts and the discovery of unique elements like fishponds and terraced fields.

Emerging from her room at midday to find Linden cooking, Seraphina was reminded of the importance of handmade food within her cultural heritage—a testament to the Chinese pursuit of culinary excellence that once made the Eurasian continent, her ancestral home, a culinary epicenter, now an unnamed region in the name of equality.

`

Unfortunately, Seraphina's own attempts at cooking could only be described as catastrophic, her creations inedible despite the precise algorithms provided by modern technology.

Such moments brought fleeting thoughts of her mother, a skilled cook, into her mind.

Emotions in the third-tier residential area where she lived were muted, the concepts of love and longing rarely considered.

She shied away from dwelling on the past, her memories fragmented and painful, a source of headache rather than comfort.

`

Fortunately, Linden's culinary skills were more than satisfactory, making Seraphina increasingly feel that her investment in him was well worth it.

`

Linden, often lost in thought while Seraphina was away, would lounge on the sofa, pondering when it might be appropriate to broach the subject of visiting his family.

He endeavored to endear himself to her, hoping that winning her affection might grant him the chance to see his sister again.

`

Impatience getting the better of him, he ventured, "Miss Seraphina, do you have a family?"

Her casual response, "Humans become independent at eighteen," left him momentarily speechless, feeling as though his query had been blocked.

Seraphina, picking up on something, inquired, "Are you looking to provide for your family?"

Having seen records indicating Linden had never fathered offspring, she knew she wasn't dealing with "second-hand goods," yet his mention of a sister suggested a depth of familial bonds she hadn't anticipated.

Among his kind, it seemed, family ties remained strong beyond adulthood.

`

"Uh-huh," Linden admitted, speaking of his sister. Realizing he might have pressed too soon for such personal concessions, he sensed Seraphina's displeasure.

She ate in silence, foregoing their usual playful interactions to retreat into her room, immersing herself once more in her architectural designs and occasionally updating her website with gaming tips.

Seraphina was acutely aware of her own solitude, finding little meaning in these activities, yet resigned to the human condition of leading a life focused on self-fulfillment, a practice that had persisted for centuries.

`

Linden returned to the kitchen to craft a pudding, a sweet gesture of his growing affection for Seraphina. Standing at her bedroom door, he hesitated, debating whether to disturb her tranquility with an offer of dessert.

After a moment's pause, he gently pushed the door open, stepping into a realm where 4D holographic projections floated in the air, showcasing the intricate Chinese residences Seraphina had meticulously constructed in her game. The virtual structures, with their ornate beams and curved eaves, reflected a world of beauty and tradition.

Setting the pudding down, he stole a glance at the magnificent creations before complimenting, "What you've made is truly beautiful." Though he didn't fully grasp the essence of her architectural marvels, the undeniable beauty they exuded was palpable.

`

Seraphina looked up, her eyebrows arching in mild surprise at his praise. Then, with a flick of her hand, she reconfigured the room, pushing the bed and wardrobe against the walls to make space.

She asked him to transform into his wolf form, and she nestled against him, immersing herself in the seemingly endless game.

Resting on one of Linden's forepaws, she felt his breath gently ruffling her hair as his other paw gently secured her by the waist, drawing her close into the warmth of his fur.

`

"What are these in the game? Why is there a sunset, and what's the water beyond the cities?" Linden inquired, curiosity coloring his tone. Seraphina chuckled, "Don't you know the sea?"

`

She explained how the sea, despite years of tectonic shifts and climate changes, remained a dominant part of their blue planet's ecosystem, having shrunk but still vast and majestic.

Linden understood; the blue expanse he had glimpsed through the spacecraft's porthole during his journey to Earth was the sea itself.

`

Born on a planet far smaller than Earth, where the best of his kind could mimic humans in both appearance and thought, Linden found himself an outlier. Unable to fully retract his ears and tail, he was exiled to Earth, becoming part of the relentless stream of slaves sent to serve humanity.

Confused and powerless against this enslavement system, he was too young to defy his homeworld or to stand against the might of human weaponry.

`

Reminiscing about the arduous journey and his arrival on Earth, Linden's thoughts wandered to his sister, also exiled with him.

The word "family" in his lexicon signified dependence and love, a concept he cherished deeply.

Tenderly nuzzling Seraphina's neck and shoulders with his nose, he offered a gesture of comfort and affection. However, her puzzled look met his, as he lay down beside her, yawning widely, the embodiment of contentment and readiness to drift into sleep.