I stared at the blinking cursor on the monitor as it mocked me, a large span of empty space beneath it. I read the last few lines I had written my characters stuck in mid conversation. I pictured them staring at each other stubbornly waiting for the other to make the first move.

My cat rolled around on the floor near my desk, exposing her fluffy belly and looking at me beseechingly. I started to reach out to her but a shuffling behind me stayed my hand. Radec expelled a heavy, impatient breath and I quickly returned my hands to the keyboard.

I forced myself to focus. I knew where I wanted this to go, how I wanted the scene to end up, why couldn't I just get there? My hands hovered over the keyboard as I tried to decide what the characters should say.

Another sound came from behind me. Tak. Tak. Tak.

I stiffened in my seat. Radec was tapping his knife against his armor. The knife was his favorite. It meant his already short patience was running out. It meant I better get writing, or else.

I fought to keep my breathing in check as I frantically searched my brain for a way to continue the scene.

Tak-tak-tak. He tapped faster. For a moment my mind was utterly frozen, then suddenly my fingers were dancing over the keyboard. A snarky comment to diffuse the tension, of course. Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?

Radec returned his knife to its sheath, and I relaxed a little. He put a hand on my shoulder and leaned forward. I could smell the acrid atmosphere of Helghan on him. He squeezed my shoulder, causing a pinch of pain. "It's for your own good." His voice rasped through his respirator.

I barely noticed, my mind already attuned to my writing.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A companion piece to :iconraijen_mule's: piece: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9189270/ :P
She may have a muse, but I have a... motivator. >_>

On a side note, I actually have that shirt. :3