Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)

Chapter 475 - Responsibilities Won’t Always Fit In Ways That They Hide All Your Bits

***[POV: Severely Underdressed Citra]***

Rimecoat people just smartly move out of the way as I run by with a little protégé on my back. It’s almost cute... that change from surprise in their stance, to *ignoring* me.

While pinning themselves against walls or hopping back into a junction path while I aim for the backmost freight lift down here. It’s out of the way when it comes to the undercroft, but one of the closest elevators to the stairwell.

> And it works with the keycard I have, still! <

Some of these routes were narrow enough that my shoulders could sometimes brush both walls. But luckily most were high enough that I didn’t have to canine crawl with Zoé holding on.

At least, until I reach the place where I can’t continue any further *this* way. Standard size doors... ugh, it’s like they were built to stop me from moving freely in this giant form!

Lowering myself to the cold polished concrete, I let her slide off first. She stumbled a bit - her legs had been clamped around a horse-sized wolf’s ribcage for several minutes.

Yet, she caught herself against the wall without jostling my son too much. Good kid.

The shift back was quick enough, bones finding their much shorter natural human state. Which is honestly still weird to me, considering I spent more years getting smaller and *growing* fur in my old body rather than losing it.

That same bit of ridiculous steam that happens now swirled around me as I crouched down. What I’d been wearing before I’d shifted earlier was now scattered into shreds of rag and thread.

> I wonder if people are going to pick them up. Ugh, I wonder if they’re going to treat it like these humans do their holy relics... <

As I stood and stretched out my neck, I consider that the only silver lining is that the dupatta I might return was still upstairs. I hadn’t brought that down with me, knowing that this sort of thing was a possibility.

In any case, I don’t regret the loss of the clothing this time. Since I got to see this.

"...Oh. Uh. Oh."

Zoé was making an admirable effort to look at absolutely anything other than me. The floor, the way we just came, a different part of the floor on the other side of me, and finally just the pup’s pouch sitting on her while a hand shades her eyes.

> Well, isn’t that just adorable? <

"Transformations do tend to eat one’s wardrobe. But we don’t always have time to remove our clothes, hm?"

"Yes. I uhm, I know it happens. I just-"

"You *can* look at me. I’m not embarrassed. And I know you like a certain boy, so I won’t even mistake the admiration you show for something else. Or tease you."

"You’re-"

Her head tilted up and eyes flicked over the hand almost involuntarily before she turned herself completely.

"I-it’s just a lot... there. And it feels like... like walking in on my mom or sister changing? I don’t want to look at that."

Ah. That kind of reaction. I guess I understand it... from what little Helene understood. But in the first place, I’m not sure I was ever bothered or thought much about my own Queen Mother in her natural human state?

> You also really do get used to servants seeing you in phases of undress. When no one else is treating it like a big deal, it’s hard to build your own tension around a thing. <

"Well, you can do as you wish. Just keep in mind that - while I understand there are appropriate times for all sorts of things - our bodies are not intended to fill us with shame. No matter what form they take."

Meeting my eyes in an awkwardly focused way so she can try to see nothing else, she undid the harness on her and began to hand Asha back over to me. But she doesn’t end her shedding when I take the straps.

The girl, almost as tall as me, starts quickly tugging off the tan colored hoodie she was wearing... to reveal a rather plain white tee underneath that contrasts with her darker skin... and causes me to take a step back from her in jest.

Mostly in jest.

"...Were my words so effective that you wanted to strip down immediately to make me feel heard? That was not really-"

"No! I’m... urgh, just... just take it."

The garment was warm from her body, my system’s sense of things told me. And it smelled faintly of the plain soap that I found has been regularly distributed in the undercroft. As well as something I think I’m going to identify as... sweet smoke.

Kind of like what you *think* barbeque should taste like? Interesting. Reminds me that I’m hungry and also makes me realize that the Sandhowl general scent must have something to do with fiery things?

> Mateo was wildfire ash, after all. And I guess I *should* check in with Dr. Lang on the deal with- <

"Are you just going to touch it or wear it?"

"Huh. Do you really want me to try and wear this?"

"It’s better than nothing, right? Aren’t there guards up ahead that will see you?"

"Why yes, there are. But..."

Instead of explaining, showing was worth thousands of words that could fall from my lips. Also I’d rather see the look on her face after this!

One arm through one side, one arm through the other after changing the hands holding the harness with my son inside. I suppose I could have sat him down or handed him back over, but I didn’t want to let him go again right now.

Zipping up the slim-fit jacked was a bit of strain across my chest. Which is apparently something she did *not* think through.

It came down to near mid-thigh on her, I’d noticed. When tugged down all the way. Tugging for me only shows off that it is a bit shy of covering anything down below. Considering it has several inches of extra travel around my bust that is hiking it all up.

"...Uhm..."

"I appreciate the thought, but it’s subjectively worse, isn’t it? At least before... anyone that stared would mostly be looking up here. And rightfully so."

"Just take it off, please. I’m sorry I tried helping!"

Reattaching the harness with Asha to her - since I still haven’t adjusted for me - I clamp my grip on her startled shoulder with one hand and point us forward.

"Oh don’t be such a spoilsport. You just have to walk directly in front of me, hm? No big deal."

"...Fine."

Before she can open the door, I put my hand over the gap between it and the frame. Taking a deep breath and sigh, I realize that fun is fun - but there are things I need to say to feel like I’m upholding my responsibilities as an adult.

"Zoé. I put you in an unfair position earlier that I should not have. Asking you to protect a child when you are one yourself."

"I’m not a-"

"You are. And that is not an insult, but a fact."

> One that I didn’t really do well with myself, a few years past her age. So I’m probably stepping clumsily around landmines here. <

"Regardless of how well you handled it back there, I’ve made it clear to you before, I think. That I do believe the biggest reason adults exist is to protect the young that they should foster."

My hand pulls away from the steel and presses on her forehead softly, for just a second, before moving up and patting her hair with its interesting texture. And forgetting what I was talking about until she interrupts me.

"Headpats, really?"

Well, I may be going a bit too far with the system’s little Mentor role. But I have a feeling it only gave me the option because I already saw her quite quickly as someone to protect and guide.

"A lot of things are probably pushing you to act like more of an adult right now. I shouldn’t be one of them. And I’m ashamed that I was. And that I may do it again."

She didn’t have something to say back to that. Though I feel like it was not the sullen quiet of a teenager being told something they don’t want to hear, so much as the kind someone of any age takes when they are sorting things out.

"You need to know that you shouldn’t excuse us for doing it. Okay?"

"Hm."

A simple verbalization. Like she was still working out whether the indirect apology made her feel respected or small.

"Kyrie is going to kill me... isn’t she?"

"No...? Why would she?"

"My jacket smells like me... I wasn’t thinking about that!"

Ah. Or maybe she’s just thinking about too many things at once.

"I know. You’re just a kid in over her head, after all."

"...Give me my clothing back."

It takes everything in me not to laugh behind her back. Literally. But I think my humor can still be heard in my voice.

"After I get myself a new set of them. Come on, lets go up."