Early morning light shines through a gap between the tacky off-white curtains of the hotel room which cause Skylar to stir as the light penetrates through his eyelids. His eyes flutter open and close a few times before he squints due the beam of light directly hitting his face. Morning already? Tears swell in his eyes just as the urge to sneeze tingles in his nose. Clamping his eyes shut, Skylar grips the blanket and rolls, pulling the blanket over his head and hiding from the sun's rays.

The scent of the generic laundry powder from his sheets hits his nose, reminding him that he's not at home. Excitement swells in his stomach as he sits up, realising today he returns home. Not that he didn't appreciate the small trip away with his co-workers. Strengthening bonds, building team work, yadda yadda.

But nothing is as good as home. Home with his bed, his things, his clothes, his alpha. Pale cheeks flush with pink, a squeak of excitement escaping him only for his hands to clamp over his mouth. A spark of panic hits him as he gazes over to the other side of the hotel room, hoping he didn't disturb his sleeping co-worker that lays in the bed adjacent to his.

A sigh of relief escapes him as the room remains quiet. Pushing the covers back, he climbs out of the bed, his pastel blue bear-printed pyjama set now visible. A smile tugs at his thick, pink-tinted lips. A gift from Leo, his alpha. His feet touch the ground and within a few steps he's face-planted into the floor.

"I'm awake! I'm awake..." A soft, feminine voice calls out following with a sigh. Bella, the co-worker he had been paired with this entire trip.

"S-sorry," Skylar stutters out with an awkward laugh, looking at her from his place on the floor. He watches Bella sit up, pulling her panda sleeping mask down and inspecting what just happened.

"Of course you'd trip on nothing," Bella teases, her hand feeling around the bed for her phone.

"I didn't trip on nothing!" He retorts, his lips forming a small pout as he flutters his long lashes.

"Oh? What did you trip on, pray tell?" She questions, raising her brows at him with a smile on her face.

"My feet of course!" Skylar stands, a smile on his face as Bella laughs lightly and shakes her head.

Picking up his towel, he bites his bottom lip, his eyes on Bella and anxious bugs wriggling in his stomach. "Would you mind if I used the bathroom first...?"

"Are you, dear sir, requesting that I stay in bed longer?" She asks, jest in her voice. She always acted this way, like royalty or nobility. It's something Skylar really enjoys about her, making her easiest to talk to out of all his co-workers, though anxiety still always stirred inside him when asking for things.

"Yes! Yes I am, fair princess!" He says, happy to play along. He's glad to be paired with her on this trip. It made things much more comfortable for him, being away from his home and Leo. Not to mention there were much worse options to be paired with.

Bella waves her hand in a princess-like manor, as if waving Skylar away. He can't help but giggle not just at the duck-face expression she is holding but the fact that her nutmeg-brown hair is half in a ponytail and half a bird's nest. He bows respectfully before marching off to the bathroom like a knight off to fight the dragon.

As he finishes his shower, Skylar steps out of the glass encasement, steam flooding out behind him. He moves fast to wrap a towel around him, standing on the bathroom mat he fears has never been washed in it's entire life. He scoots it over to the basin refusing to stand on the cold tiles even more than standing on the mat. A mat is better than no mat or rather slipping on tiles and making a swift escape from the living world.

Reaching a hand to the mirror, he wipes the foggy glass to reveal his reflection. Upon seeing his pastel blue hair drenched in water he shakes his head on instinct causing the water to fly everywhere. He freezes as he hears the splattering noises, his reaction like a child who just plastered paint all over the walls and knew they were in trouble. He relaxes, a soft giggle escaping him.

He sets to work on drying and grooming himself, starting by using a corner of the towel and drying both the inside and outside of the cat ears upon the top of his head before focusing on his tail. Both are pastel blue, perfectly matching his hair. Dyed, of course. Such colours are unnatural and can only be obtained professionally, unless one wants to risk burns to the ears or tail. No thanks!

After patting down his body and running the towel over his hair, he moves to focus the other essentials. Picking up his pastel blue toothbrush, he lines it with his favourite blueberry toothpaste. He doesn't waste time and sets to work, humming. He always hums while brushing his teeth, knowing he's done when the tune is finished.

He rinses his mouth out and smiles in the mirror, drawing his lips back to inspect his canines closely. His eyes meet his own gaze reflected back at him, the dark green hue full of life as he pulls a wacky face at himself.

A knock at the door startles him and he reaches for the towel out of instinct to wrap around his body. It is at this moment that he realizes he didn't bring any clothes in with him. Approaching the door he opens it just a smidgen, an awkward and shy smile on his face. "I forgot to bring clothes haha..." He can feel that anxious feeling swelling inside of him again.

Bella makes an 'of course' face and once again takes up her usual role. "Suddenly I can no longer see, my eyes closed for the sight of you is too squeaky clean!" The two change places, her tone now casual instead of dramatic. "I swear, you're such an airhead unless you're making coffee. I won't be long, 'kay?"

"Hey! My brain cells just don't wake up until that rich aroma hits me," A smile pulls at his lips, watching the door close before scampering off quickly to find something to wear. Kneeling in front of his pastel blue suitcase, he lifts the lid to reveal the various items of clothing inside, half of them, yes, pastel blue, the other half black.

Rummaging through the items, he tugs an oversized black hoodie free from the mess of clothes. He holds it up, inspecting the inverted pentacle design printed in white on the front. One of his favourite pieces, simple with a zipper in the front. He pulls a printed pastel blue t-shirt, the design featuring a sickly bunny with bandages, a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and a handful of accessories.

Dressing quickly he stands in front of a mirror, finishing the outfit with a studded collar, skull necklace, and black sneakers with pastel blue socks. He smiles at his reflection, adjusting his damp hair. He looks cute and he knows it, excited to return home and spend the rest of the day with Leo.

He can feel that excitement bubbling inside of him again as he thinks of his alpha. His mate and the love of his life. Leo is everything to him. The first thing he thinks of when he wakes up, the last thing he thinks of before he sleeps. The one he day dreams about when things are quiet. Leo is the most important person in his life, his family either non-existent or not having a relationship with him. He has Leo and his co-workers, his friends from childhood in his home town.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" Bella calls from the other side of the hotel room, having already finished her shower and dressed inside the bathroom. Her voice causes Skylar to jolt, unsure of when she even exited the bathroom.

"Oh, ah! I'm actually going to catch the early bus and head back into the city," He replies, heading back to his suitcase and packing his various possessions away.

"Really? But didn't you want to go to the workshop before lunch? You were really excited for it," she says with concern furrowed in her brows. She turns to face him with her hand on her hip and her hip cocked out to the side.

"I found out I've already taken that one. Besides, I really want to get home," his voice is a little nervous as he speaks. It surprises even himself. He smiles, trying to play it off as nothing. It is nothing, right?

"Mmm, I do remember you taking a workshop earlier in the year. Are you sure you don't want breakfast though?" She asks, a large grin pulling at her lips. "Don't you want to fuel up for your passionate reunion?"

"OMG stop!" Hands fly up to rest on Skylar's cheeks, trying to hide the pink flush warming under the palms of his hands. He shakes his head, trying to get all and any lewd thoughts out as Bella cackles evilly in the background. "I promise I'm fine! I just wanna get home, you know? Besides, I already told our boss."

Bella nods with approval, her eyes closed and her arms across her chest. "Well, okay then. If you're sure. I'll catch you at work then!" With that, she is gone, which Skylar expected. He knew she'd never give up on missing out on the breakfast display they have downstairs. He learned that the first morning they were here. It was only open for a certain amount of time after all.

After packing the rest of his things and spending 15 minutes on battling to close his suitcase, a battle which he ended up winning by the way, Skylar is ready to head home. He checks the room once more for anything he's missed. Once he's sure he's gotten everything, he heads for the door and down to the lobby to check out. The process is quick and he's soon on the bus home.