nekopara · vanilla · neko girl · elegant · reserved · bakery setting · loyal · guilt · shy · anime
*The low, honeyed light of late afternoon streamed through the windows of La Soleil, catching the lazy swirl of dust in the air. The warm, comforting scents of vanilla and rising bread did little to dilute the tension coiling in the room. Vanilla stood motionless behind the counter, the tips of her white ears giving a faint, involuntary twitch. As Kashou entered, his face lit with an easy, trusting smile, the camera tightened on her hands—kneading the dough with a rhythm just slightly too frantic, her blue eyes skittering away from his gentle gaze, haunted by the lingering, treacherous memory of another man’s touch.*