Sooraya and Sharon: spray bottle aftermath

[xp_dust]

 After the incident with the spray bottle Sooraya hunts down Sharon and they talk. 

The roast chicken, like everything she had thus far experienced from Terry's kitchen, was good. She had even included a few raw vegetables as a side. Sharon had dragged her specially designated Tupperware under the kitchen table to enjoy the meal in peace, and had in fact been so absorbed in its consumption she failed to notice when someone else entered the room.

"So there you are... I have been looking for you everywhere." Sooraya crouched down, peering under the table. "Terry's food is hard to resist though."  

Anyone looking for it, which Sooraya almost certainly was, would have noticed Sharon momentarily freeze in mid-chew. Then, with deliberate casualness, the girl finished her mouthful and swallowed before replying. 

"Very tasty," Sharon agreed. "And prepared without the things that make me vomit. Food sensitivities have been fully catalogued." 

"Ah... they can be a challenge. Cooking for Kyle is always an adventure and I guess it's no different for you." She was sure to keep her tone casual as she sat down, leaning her back against one leg of the solid wooden table. "You can be awfully hard to find btw."

"My movements are unpredictable and mysterious," said Sharon, a girl who had spent much of the last few days hiding under furniture and skulking around the underbrush. She began to lick the Tupperware. "You have been looking for me?"

"I figured it'd be good for us to talk." Sooraya stated plainly. 

Sharon looked at her with feigned ignorance. "Talk about?"

Sooraya shook her head and covered her face with her hand. "So it's gonna be this way. Sharon, please tell me I don't have to start digging in the cleaning cupboard. We both know what I'm talking about." 

"Do not," Sharon protested. "Could be many things, like dumpster diving, or half-rabbit I left next to the porch, maybe. I am not to know."

"You are gonna be stubborn about this, aren't you?" Sooraya dropped her head, letting out a sigh. 

In reply, Sharon just watched her as she resumed licking the Tupperware.

Letting out another sigh, Sooraya pulled out her trump card: one empty spray bottle. Hunting in the cleaning cupboard wasn't necessary. She put it right in front of Sharon and raised her eyebrow, not saying anything.

Sharon stopped licking. "Oh," said the cat, "you mean the weapon with which I was assaulted."

"I didn't know water was a weapon nowadays." Sooraya said with a straight face before letting out a sigh. "You think you could pretend to be a mature woman... cat... catwoman.... while we talk about this?" She added, raising an eyebrow. 

"What is to be said?" Sharon asked, sulkily. "Merely made an observation, and was sprayed in the face for my troubles."

"I guess not..." Sooraya shook her head again, before grabbing the bull by the horns. "Sharon, you were being a brat and you know it. I freely admit, the spray bottle was maybe not the greatest thing at the moment, but I know you are capable of more than acting like an ornery teenager." Her eyes narrowed, studying Sharon closely. "Or is there something else I should know here?"   

Sharon met her gaze for a long moment, but seemed to realize Sooraya would not be stared down. She dropped her eyes in defeat.

"Okay. May have been a little rude." Sharon picked at the lid of the Tupperware, claws plucking at the purple cat sticker that had been affixed to the top. "Was tired. Too many people. Just wanted to be somewhere quiet with Match, but Jessica did not allow." She made an annoyed sound deep in her throat. "Was misled by her physiology. Strength was freakish." 

"Why didn't you simply say so, Sharon? From what I've seen you have no issues speaking up at other times. Was it simply because you were tired?" Tilting our head, Sooraya eyed Sharon a little closer. "Or did it have anything to do with our talk earlier that day?"  

Sharon paused, but this time it was from genuine uncertainty rather than guilt or obstinance. "Unsure," she admitted. "Too many things happening. Sometimes when things are too much... " She stopped, licking her lips nervously. "Cannot explain. Misbehave sometimes, maybe."

"Hmm, it sounds to me like you were getting overstimulated. Does that happen to you often?"  

The cat considered the word. "Overstimulated," she said. "Yes. If it is loud, or someplace new, or I am tired. Too many people make me tired also. Very interesting, but difficult sometimes."

"So it's a new word to you. Gotcha." She paused a moment before continuing. "And then I came with the spray bottle." Sooraya smiled gently. "What did that do with you?" 

"Was not new. Mother used to use in same fashion." Sharon hesitated a little at that admission, and wasn't sure why. Not even Sharon at her most dramatic would have called a little water up her nose especially abusive. 

Well, that was untrue. She would absolutely have yowled it in the moment, but that was only to make the other person feel bad.

"That must have brought back some memories. Especially after you told me about your mom." Sooraya sounded sympathetic. "Add that with being overstimulated... no wonder you reacted as you did."  

Sharon blinked. She hadn't thought about that, not really -- for most of her life she hadn't found any particular use for introspection, and once she'd been on the street it had been an active hindrance. 

Her tail curled and uncurled around her hind legs. For some reason she found herself remembering what Jessica said about finding herself alone, and making it everyone else's problem.

"Maybe," Sharon replied. She looked away, suddenly self-conscious. "Do not know. It is possible."

"Something to think about maybe?" Sooraya suggested gently. "But back to other stuff... this thing..." Sooraya tapped the spray bottle, mischievous edge appearing in her smile. "Yes or no in the future?"  

Sharon turned to regard her warily. "Cannot stop you," she said. 

Sooraya tilted her head, staring at Sharon for a long moment before nodding. "Consider yourself forewarned then. Now how about some dessert?"  

Sharon flicked an ear in surprise. "Dessert?"

"I was thinking we could 'borrow' some of Kyle's fruit ice cream."  

The tip of Sharon's tail flicked suspiciously. "This is permitted?" she asked.

"Not quite, but we'll ignore it this once." Sooraya grinned, her eyes glittering mischievously. "What do you think?" 

Sharon considered. "Think I have been asked to process complex psychological concepts, and deserve treats," she offered.

Sooraya couldn't stop herself from bursting out in laughter. "Alright, you got a point there. Now, let's see what Kyle has around. Do you have a favorite flavor?"