Poma

Part 5: Poma-less Office

I sighed into my keyboard, tired and weary. I had not gotten sleep since the night before but the company called me in so late last night during my date with Poma that I had to stay well after the last train to get the system back online. So now I was stuck at the office, since I was here anyways I was still working. Getting my time in before dawn, in hopes of getting home in the morning. I had let Poma know I would not be returning till then, thus a long night stretched before me. It was quiet in the office, the whole floor was empty and I slowly typed away at my keyboard. The seconds turning into minutes, Minutes into Hours, alone the timely lit room lights my only company. I took another bitter shot of my coffee desperately attempting to ward off sleep. 

In the quiet hall, the sudden loud clack of shoes on the polished floors began ringing across the empty office room. I looked up, wondering if the security guard was coming back to check on me. I glanced at the clock but it was far too early for the guards rounds. Maybe something was wrong? I lean back from my desk trying to catch a glimpse of who was coming. There walking towards my desk was Poma, her tail low as she seemed a bit scared walking through the empty hallway.

“Poma?” I call out to her.

Her ears and tail perk up at my voice and her pace quickens. “You’re here!” she says her voice raising a few octaves above her normal.

“I told you I would be home in the morning.”

“But… But I thought of you alone in the office, and it was so cold in the apartment without you.”

I signed accepting what was, with the trains stopped for the night we were both stuck here till the morning, “How did you get into the building? Its locked at night.”

“The wolf lady let me in, she recognized me from the photos you have shown her!” Poma said excitedly, “she seems like such a nice lady and said you always treated her nicely.” A sly smile sneaks across Poma’s face. “Should have known you had a thing for girls with tails.”

“What no!” I say a little flustered, trying my best not to look at her swishing tail moving rapidly behind her. “I just try to do my best to be kind to everyone.”

“I know I know.” She laughed, “I was just teasing. So what are you working on?”

I quickly shook my head to clear it before turning back to my computer as she leaned in, “Well I’m working on the system, it’s gone down twice in three days so we are worried there are some issues with its timing system.” I began to describe what parts of the system I was working on and how I was checking internal parts of the system, testing their reliability to see if any of them were the cause of the shut downs. Half way through my explanation I turned back to look at Poma who was staring blankly into the screen wide eyed. Attempting to absorb all knowledge but retaining none of it.

I stopped talking for a solid minute staring at her, before she blinked a few times and looked at me, “I was listening!” she said.

“It’s okay you don’t have to understand it, honestly I only half understand it myself.”

“Oh I made you some food!” She said pulling out a small container, “not too much because it’s late but something to help you with your strength.”

“You’re the sweetest.” 

Her tail started swinging at full speed at that statement. “Should I grab a chair?” 

“No need,” I say, tapping one of my legs.

She blushed slightly before sitting on the indicated leg, watching me as I worked. Slowly the night continued I felt her weight slowly fall against me, as I worked on my tasks and snacked on the food she brought me. I looked out the window in the far wall, and saw the first slim glimpse of the sun, showing I did not have long left to work before I could return home. As I glanced back at Poma she had fallen asleep leaning against me, her head draped onto my shoulder.

Her long golden hair cascading down my arm.

“Rest well my dear,” as I returned once again to my work.