Ricca felt the bed creak. Lemmie moved quietly and was quite light, for her size, but she couldn't keep the bed from squeaking and shifting as she stood...
 "Where are you going?" Her voice was softer than she had expected, coming out of her own throat...
 "I thought you were asleep." Lemmie's voice was the same as always. A little crisp around the edges. A little cold.
 Ricca sat up, a blanket pooling around her waist. Lemmie ignored her. She was stretching. "Well?"
 "Well what?" She yawned, revealing sharp white teeth, a curled pink tounge... 
 "Well? Where are you going?"
 "Home, of course." She pulled her underwear, a pale tan, over one grey foot, then the other.
 "Home?" Ricca almost squeaked it, pulling the blanket up to her snout. "But... why?"
 Lemmie spared her a backwards glance, her green eyes unconcerned. "To go to sleep."
 "But..." Ricca attempted a sad look, but it didn't work, as usual - Lemmie just looked away. "I don't want you to go yet..."
 "Poor kitten." Lemmie stood. The tiger-stripe lunged, hugging her tight, and the other paused for a moment. "What do you want?" Lemmie finally asked, confused.
 "I want you to stay."
 The grey cat sighed and sat back down on the bed. "Here I am. I'm staying. Happy?"
 Ricca nodded, smiling wide. "Very.” She clung to her, nuzzling at the short grey fur of her neck and smiling. Lemmie let her, and looked out the window. The stars were out, and daylight seemed so far away...
 “What do you get from this?” She finally asked.
 “From what?” Ricca kissed her softly on the cheek.
 “This.” Lemmie gestured vaugely. “Whatever you want to call it. Whatever you’re doing now.”
 Ricca pulled away for a second, suddenly sad, then hugged the other girl even tighter. “I get lonely when you leave,” She whispered softly into Lemmie’s ear. “Don’t you get lonely?”
 They grey cat looked down into her lap and shook her head. “I’m used to being alone. I spent my childhood that way.”
 Ricca kissed her again, softly, and Lemmie flicked an ear in mock annoyance. “But, that doesn’t mean you don’t get lonely...”
 Lemmie shrugged. “I guess. Maybe I just don’t notice it any more. Or maybe,” she added, elbowing Ricca lightly in the stomach, “I’m just not a big baby about it...”
 Ricca gave a little sniffle, clinging to her lover even tighter. “So you do get lonely sometimes?”
 Lemmie was quiet for a moment. “I think I may be lonely all the time,” She finally said, her voice unusually soft.
 The other girl looked away, hurt. “All the time?” Lemmie shrugged. “Even now? With me holding you?” She shrugged again, looking away.