Alpha Assignment (GL) Chapter 27 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Sunday morning, Quinn's early rising offered her the time to plan a date.

There was a lot she didn't know about the practice - all of her knowledge in human love and 'courting', as they called it in old-time TV shows, came from just that: TV. It left a lot of questions, with no one to ask for answers. Was it still called a date if it wasn't two humans? What denoted the difference between a coffee date and a dinner date? One seemed more serious on TV, but how would Quinn know that they had moved from coffee daters to dinner daters? At what point could you break free of the four sacred places: movie theatre, coffee shop, restaurant and amusement park, and be openly romantic in other public spaces? And... after how many dates was she expected to tell the humans in her life that she was going on dates?

A deep crease in her forehead admonished her in the reflection of her laptop screen, reminding her to relax. This was supposed to be fun, for both her and Remi. And Remi wasn't physically capable of being at ease if she thought Quinn was even slightly off baseline. She blew out a long breath, holding it in a slow stream deliberately until her lungs felt completely empty and scrunched up like used balloons, and clicked 'PAY NOW.' She watched for the email pop-up in the corner to tell her the tickets were confirmed.

Amusement park was completely out of the question, the crowds and intense entertainment might just send Remi into a fainting spell. A coffee shop date felt awkward, and invited staring from all the humans sipping around them while they struggled to maintain a conversation suitable for weaker ears. There was a restaurant Quinn wanted to show Remi, the same from the work dinner, but their reservation system implied it was highly unlikely they would secure a table in the next week or two. Their names were on a waiting list - she had given Remi her surname for the form. It suited her.

Quinn groaned into her fist. Her reflection was mortified, then horrified, then scolding. There was nothing wrong with feeling this way, her feelings were reciprocated! But still a part of her felt guilt when she fantasised about the little woman upstairs. There would always be a power imbalance, and she couldn't allow herself to be ignorant of it. Instead, she forced her mind onto planning for the day ahead.

The movie started at two, and they would want to arrive early to buy popcorn (according to the parents in Quinn's office, the prices were extortionate), and also get into their seats early so that Remi could feel settled (Quinn had purchased four in a row at the very back, to ensure they had ample room), and she would want to get a good parking space in case Remi found the experience distressing and they needed to leave quickly...

"Alphaaa..." a sweet voice called into Quinn's ear. She jumped in her seat, turning to a disshevelled Remi bent over the table corner, leaning her face in close with a sleepy smile.

"I didn't hear you come in," Quinn laughed awkwardly. "And... why are we back to 'Alpha'?"

"Because I said 'Quinn' three times and you didn't react."

"Oh. Sorry."

Remi smiled wider. "It's fine, what were you concentrating so hard on?"

"Planning our date."

"What's a date?” A tilted head brought the topknot to a ninety-degree angle. “Jordan said that before, too."

"It's what humans do with people they like, in a mate-kind-of-way, to spend time together and continue the relationship."

"Oh, and then they get married when they've completed all their dates, right?"

"I don't think there's a set amount... but otherwise I think that's right."

Remi stretched her torso further over the table and her pj top rode up to show a mouth-watering strip of soft tummy. She whispered, chin in palms, "Are we getting married?"

It is unknown where Quinn found the strength not to scream, "YES. PLEASE YES. I ALREADY ADD MY SURNAME TO YOUR NAME ON PAPER AND IN MY HEAD." Instead, she said, "If we were mates, then it would make sense to follow human traditions later." She flushed and looked away, staring through the glass doors into the garden. "My intention was to date to become mates..."

A quiet giggle drew her gaze back. Remi had retreated back across the table.

"When do we do our first date, then?"

Quinn smiled through warm cheeks. "Today. We're going to watch a movie."

The popcorn was extortionate, especially since they bought both flavours, but the image of Remi cradling a cardboard box bigger than her head would remain in her heart forever. They were seat-searching while the lights were still on and the enormous screen was black, and not a single other person had come in to sit, yet.

Remi took the steep steps one at a time, bringing both feet together on each one. Quinn followed behind, carrying a popcorn box in each arm.

They had consumed more popcorn than their bodies could possibly need by the time the adverts began. It was very loud. At the first rippling noise that ran around the darkened room, a small hand snatched Quinn's forearm. After ads for cameras, holidays, and a company that tutors human children in school subjects, the hand relaxed. It stayed pressed to Quinn's skin, though, warm and light and causing a thrum through her body that almost shook the salted popcorn out of her lap. Remi had much preferred the sweet version, so Quinn had taken the opposite.

A couple of people crept in right as the movie was opening with an overhead shot that looked like a bird had filmed it. Even by this point, there couldn't have been more than twenty people in the room with them. Despite her precautions, Quinn had a tiny ball of worry she was able to release at the realisation that they weren't going to have humans anywhere near them for the duration of the film. She glanced at Remi, a quick check before she let herself sink into the story, and found her nibbling on sugary popcorn, eyes lit up and transfixed on the giant screen.

The movie... was a little hard to keep up with. Quinn could only assume she was missing a lot of references, which meant Remi was undoubtedly missing even more. At least her ears had adjusted to the volume by the half-way point.

Much more amazing to Quinn than the acting was the moment Remi lowered her empty popcorn box to rest between her feet. There had to be more sugar and corn inside of her body than blood. Without the container in the way, Remi curled up on her seat and leant into Quinn's arm, never taking her eyes from the screen. Her fingers curled around Quinn's wrist, second hand joining the first.

Quinn shifted under her, to Remi's immediate and visible disappointment, but she wasn't trying to throw her off. The now-free arm slid between Remi and her seat back, taking her waist in a squeezing hold. Remi smiled at the scene on screen and cuddled in closer, wedging herself into Quinn's armpit and resting her cheek on her chest.

Despite the many layers of chunky knitwear that Remi had covered herself with - over a pair of shorts, for unknown reasons, Quinn's fingers had little trouble navigating their way to warm waist skin. With every tickle of the tips of her fingers, Remi shivered, or nuzzled in closer. A reward for Quinn's teasing, an encouragement to keep going. She didn't have Remi's resolve to continue pretending she was interested in the film, she turned away from the screen and pressed a kiss to the crown of her fluffy head. The crown tilted back, lifting a round face, and dark eyes found Quinn's despite limited light.

She wouldn't cause her little one to stretch, so Quinn dipped in deep, curling over Remi and connecting their lips in a searching kiss, exploring plump limps until a tiny poking tongue invited her inside. The moment their tongues met, Quinn's arm around Remi's waist snatched her up and deposited her in her lap. Her own popcorn box was knocked aside and forgotten. Remi's bare knees bumped Quinn's hips and the hands that started at waist-level quickly sank to Remi's behind, squeezing handfuls as they tasted each other. Salty and sweet. Remi's hands were less certain, they clung to Quinn's top, bunching the white material between thin fingers.

Feeling bold - maybe it was the dark of the room, maybe the noise surrounding them drowining out the harsh breaths they puffed into each other's mouths - Quinn took a nip at Remi's plump bottom lip, and felt thighs jump and squeeze against her own in response. She felt, rather than heard, the whine that Remi let loose, and it left Quinn with no other choice but to suck the swollen lip into her mouth an-

The room lit up.

Remi jerked back so fast she almost tipped off the end of Quinn's knees and her bottom lip came free from Quinn's mouth with a wet 'pop.' Their chests were rising and falling in sync, hard and fast. Quinn could only assume their faces were also synchronised: pink and guilty. Remi clambered free of Quinn's seat, crunching over the spilled popcorn on her way to the aisle of steps back down. Quinn followed, glancing about the room for unwanted eyes, but every other movie-goer was either politely watching the credits roll up the screen, or hurrying out as fast as their feet could get them.

Remi began her descent, but hesitated any time a human was closer than ten steps, waiting for them to move along before she continued. It had been the same in the snack queue, always shying away from the oblivious humans.

Progress had been made, though, in Remi's humanity tolerance and their dating checklist.