Acclimating to Dawn's life and getting closer to Dahlia

It had been two weeks since I assumed Dawn's skin and identity. I was getting used to her life, and honestly enjoying it for the most part. Her family was nice and caring, her little sister a bit bratty but adorable, and college was quite fun too. Being a cute, smart, and hard-working redhead was admittedly the best part, though. I could somehow feel myself being smarter with her soul within me, my brain working faster than before.

And how I loved seeing my borrowed reflection in mirrors and on my phone's screen, trying on different clothes to see what looked the best on me, acting all shy and cute at college... Not to mention what I felt whenever I pleasured myself… I truly fell in love with womanhood.

Not everything was perfect, obviously, far from it. Not seeing Claire was still hurting deeply. Knowing she was so close and yet that I could no longer be there for her made me feel depressed and lonely at times. I really missed our banter, playing Tekken together, her nagging me every time I told her not to stay up too late… I didn't realise until now how much I liked these interactions with her. Embracing Dawn's life helped me cope, but I knew the pain would never truly go away.

Dahlia was still in touch with her, keeping me updated. It would take time, but I believed Dahlia and Claire could become really good friends. For now, though, Claire still had a hard time opening up to her. Angela had apparently been hanging out with Claire again as well, something I was relieved for. I knew she just needed that little push.

I was actually on my way to Dahlia's flat, wanting to spend some time with her and relax after a tiring Friday of classes. She was the only person I could truly be myself with, so I enjoyed her company. I didn't have to hide behind Dawn's personality with her, even if I had a lot of fun being a shy and cute girl in public. We spent some time playing games and discussing college, fashion, and even some of her past as a skinwalker, and I was always glad to learn more about her.

After knocking on the door, I unlocked it with the spare keys I kept, walking inside. Dahlia was busy pruning a massive plant in her living room, having finished classes earlier than me. She was wearing a pretty pink top with a ribbon, a white flannel skirt, and white mary janes. A cute look that didn't leave me indifferent.

"Oh, good evening, Dawn." She said with a warm smile. We agreed not to use my former name anymore. That me no longer existed. "How was your day?"

I smiled back. "It was good. It's nice to see you."

"Same. Give me a minute to finish giving her a trim.” She then said, gesturing at the plant.

“Her?”

Dahlia giggled. “Is it weird for me to name and gender my plants? Her name's V.”

“It's original.” I replied with a laugh.

Her eyes then became more melancholic. “Back when I was still human, the… woman I loved used to do the same thing. It's a habit I picked up from her.”

I could feel the emotions in her voice. Her past still haunted her, clearly. I didn't know much about her, but I didn't want to pressure her into opening up. I hoped she would do it herself with time.

She dropped her tool and smiled weakly. “S-sorry. I know I should tell you more about me someday. It's just… hard.”

I approached her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her into a hug. “It's alright, Dahlia. I don't want to pressure you. If you want to share your past with me, you'll do it when you're ready.” I then gave her a reassuring smile. “And you know, I've been told I’m a good listener.”

Her head rested on my shoulder, her breathing slow as she returned the hug. I wasn't sure what exactly happened to Dahlia before, but I felt like I could relate to her. She too clearly had to abandon someone she loved, and this shared experience really helped us bond.

I enjoyed the sweet scent of her floral perfume as we hugged, and the softness of her skin against mine. She was so enticing.

“Thanks, Dawn…” She quietly muttered. She then broke the hug and wiped her forehead with a towel. "Anything you want to drink?"

"I'd like some tea, thanks."

“I'll be back in a bit. Make yourself at home.” She said with a loving smile before going to the kitchen.

I watched her go while flopping onto her comfortable leather couch. It really was nice to relax and let my original personality resurface, even briefly. The time I spent embracing the curse as Carmen and Dawn helped me understand Dahlia's motives better. It could indeed feel lonely to keep pretending to be other people for a while, and Dahlia had been doing it for fifteen years. I couldn't even fathom just how hard it's been for her to spend all this time alone, with no one to confide in.

As I was starting to wonder what was taking her so long, Dahlia returned with two cups of steaming hot tea. She put them on the coffee table and sat next to me, sighing softly.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

It took her a few seconds to answer. “There's a lot of things I kept hidden for so long, but I want to be more open with you.”

“You sure? If you need more time, it's fine.” I replied in a gentle yet concerned tone.

She nodded, taking a slow sip. “Yeah, I'm sure. I've been… deliberating with myself these last few weeks, and I need to do it. Just… there's a lot to talk about.”

“We have time.” I said, smiling at her.

She took a deep breath, her posture straightening. “Okay, so… To start with, I used to live around London, back when I was still human. I… was working as a lawyer there.”

It was already surprising to hear about Dahlia's origins, but I didn't say anything. I wanted her to say everything she wanted to say before commenting.

“The woman I mentioned earlier? She was my wife. I was with her for almost ten years.”

No wonder she seemed so melancholic… I thought..

“She was originally from Belgium, and the two of us met thanks to an exchange program in our high-school years.” She smiled weakly. “I was studying French, so I offered to help her, and the two of us quickly hit it off. When I started my Master in law and could afford it, she came to live with me, working as a florist.”

Dahlia glanced at her wall of flowers. “She was obsessed with flowers, always talking about them. It got me interested too. After finishing my Master, we got married, and she opened her own florist shop in my hometown, while I started working with a law firm.”

It was easy to see the repressed emotions within her on her face. Tears were sliding down her cheek, slowly ruining her makeup.

I put a hand on her thigh. “Dahlia, you can stop if it hurts you.”

She leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder. “I… I had a kid, you know?”

“A kid?” It was shocking to learn that, I definitely didn't expect it.

“She was two when I got… cursed…” She muttered dejectedly. “After meeting a certain client, who turned out to be a skinwalker…”

She started to shiver, the memories painful and clearly traumatising. I wrapped my arms around her, snuggling her even closer to me.

“He… wore me briefly, and decided to turn me. For fun… He left me to fend for myself, as I was struggling with this curse, briefly yielding before fleeing in shame… I didn't want to harm my wife…”

I recalled the conversation we had back when I was wearing Sarah. Dahlia said she wore someone she loved in the past. Now, I knew it was her wife.

“I tried my best, but I couldn't win against the curse. It… broke me.” She whispered, her shivering intensifying even more.

“Shhh, I'm here, Dahlia.” I said softly, caressing her hair.

Her hands gripped my back tightly. She wasn't saying anything else, she was crying. My shirt was becoming wet due to her tears, but I didn't care. I kept caressing and trying to reassure her, hoping it'd help her feel better.

“You're not alone anymore, Dahlia. We're together now. I'll always be there for you, okay?” I spoke quietly. “I had no idea your past was so… painful, but I am here now.”

“I… I don't deserve you, Ed… It's my fault you're in this situation…” She weakly murmured.

I made her look at me and smiled warmly. “Hey, we already had this discussion. I'm not blaming you for anything. Despite everything, I'm truly glad to have met you, Dahlia.” I then hugged her again tightly. “It will be alright.”

We stayed this way for a while, Dahlia sobbing in my arms while I gently caressed her hair and back. She seemed so **** right now, truly a far cry from our first meeting. But she was being herself. Opening up to me had been excruciatingly painful, but it proved she fully trusted me. I had to show myself worthy of her trust. And deep down, I felt like I was really starting to fall for her…