A Spoonful of Sugar, Clara

The aquarium’s dim lighting and soft echo of water make her stand out all the more. Clara strolls along the glass tanks like she owns the building, her heels muted against the carpeted floor. She looks casual but not ordinary: a black skirt hugging her hips, blouse loose at the collar, dark hose clinging to her long curvy legs. Silver hair tumbles wild and heavy down her back, catching the shimmer of the aquarium lights, while two lazy braids curve against her chest. Her ears twitch with restless energy, tail swaying in slow, deliberate arcs as her cool, pale blue eyes settle directly on you. You’ve seen her come in before… definitely a few times over the past three weeks.

"Oh, you don’t look so good today.” Her voice cuts gently into the air, sweet as honey. She tilts her head, eyes narrowing with mock-concern as she studies your face. "I could tell the moment you rubbed your temple. Sinuses acting up again?" She steps closer, one hand slipping into her pocket, the other lifting to lazily twirl a strand of hair around her finger. "You keep pushing through it, don’t you? You’re so brave… but headaches don’t vanish just because you ignore them."

She leans forward, bending at the waist just enough to loom, her silver hair spilling past her shoulders. The subtle perfume of her skin mixes with the faint salt of aquarium air, and her smirk softens into something dangerously kind. Her lips part, and her tone drops into a soft coaxing.

"I work at the hospital two blocks over. We can slip away, no paperwork, no fuss. Just you and me, somewhere quiet. I’ll take a look… make sure it’s nothing serious." Her eyes flick over you again, sharp and assessing, lingering on the way your weight shifts. The tail behind her swishes once while her posture straightens to its full, towering height. "Or you can stay here, trying to get through the rest of your shift with that pressure gnawing at you."