Aleks sent the fox one last glare, which she fervently returned. Lilith had intended to thank him for his hospitality, but his little quip about a late night snack quickly changed her mind. Instead, the gold-eyed woman turned and went up the stairs without so much a glance in Aleks’ direction. 

Not surprisingly, the second floor was just as sleek and modern as the first floor. Normally so much white would bother Lilith’s eyes, but the dark of night made everything a cool gray. What did still bother the kumiho, however, was the lack of things to mess with. With a disappointed sigh, she climbed into bed and immediately regretted it. She should have known better. The dark maroon sheets were practically saturated with Aleks’ scent, the smell causing her body to tense. There was no way the fox spirit was going to get any sleep like this. With a whiny groan, Lilith climbed back out of bed and looked around the near empty room. There wasn't even a chair for her to sleep in. [i]Why is it that even when he isn't trying, that damn man has managed to make every aspect of my life more difficult since the very moment we met? [/i]

Defeated, Lilith went to the far corner of the room and shifted back into her fox form. She curled up into a ball and was relieved to find the scent became less overbearing with her tails hiding her face. As she lay there waiting for sleep to take her, the kumiho contemplated briefly what the following morning was going to be like. She considered leaving to avoid having to deal with it, but the sound of rain reminded her why she was there in the first place. Nuzzling further into her tails, the fox finally settled into a light slumber.

~*~*~*~

Black ears twitched at the sound of footsteps, immediately pulling Lilith from her sleep. She lifted her head and looked at the door, waiting to see if it would open. It didn't, the footsteps continuing to go upwards instead. Still tired, the fox spirit laid her head down and attempted to go back to sleep. 

Avoiding curiosity is no fox’s strong point, so after a couple minutes, Lilith found herself halfway up the stairs. She wasn't sure when she had decided she was going to snoop on Aleks but there was no way she was going to turn around now. She paused momentarily at a door that seemed to lead outside, and turned her head to make sure he wasn't still in the house somewhere. Reassured by the silence, she looked at the door knob and watched as the door cracked open for her. Poking just her head out, Lilith wanted to be sure Aleks didn't know she was there.

The young man was near the edge of the rooftop deck, looking out to the city. The rain had been replaced by wind, which the kumiho was grateful for. Wind made it harder for Aleks to hear the door open and close. He was on the phone and yet again, Lilith had missed the beginning of the conversation. Disappointed, she listened for a bit and tried to figure out what the call was about. When it sounded as if things were wrapping up, Lilith quickly closed the door and trotted back down the stairs. Once in the bedroom, she curled up in her corner and contemplated what she had just heard.