In The Works...

Hitomi's face began to turn red the more Tala spoke. She didn't understand why Tala was suddenly freaking out, but it was embarrassing her more and more the more she spoke. Still, this was a good thing right? Tala wasn't like this yesterday. Did she see her as a woman once more?...She should pursue this line. She reached forward again, tracing out a small message. 'Would you like to sleep together again tonight? It was quite nice.' She punctuated her question with a small smile. If she said yes, it would be a win win for certain. She'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy last night. She'd slept very well. That didn't happen often.

She traced out another message quickly. 'Don't blame yourself.' She waited a moment before tracing another message. 'Eisleyn has many problems and people are willing to pay to fix them. Money will come in time.' Again she'd lean forward and press her forehead against Tala's in a gesture of comfort.

"Yer all...so damn loud..." Fey mumbled as she wrapped herself into the handkerchief.

When Hitomi wrote her first words, she would feel Tala's arm instantly stiffen. The red rose from her hands to her neck then to her face, and she would see Tala just staring blankly with constricted pupils.

"....aaaaaa...."

Her voice croaked as it exhaled..


This girl...





She's DEFINITELY going to give me a heart attack some day.


Tala eventually managed to start functioning again. After a hard swallow and covering her mouth, she looked to the side.

"I-if...if you want to," she said meekly. "I-I don't...dislike...iiiiiii...sleeping together."


OH MY GOD JUST SAYING IT OUT LOUD IS KILLING ME! Tala's mind screamed.

It wasn't that she was against sleeping next to Hitomi! Not at all! Last night proved just how close the two could be and how nice it felt to just be next to a friend as you slept. And Hitomi just seemed to sleep so peacefully and she couldn't take that away from her right?

Tala supposed it was years of not having anyone to sleep next to that caused her to suddenly feel bashful about any displays of physical touch. She supposed she'd just get used to it. Oh, and also make sure Hitomi had a pillow to hug so that she didn't chomp on Tala's neck in the middle of the night.

Hitomi also reassured Tala that they could get more money, to which Tala sighed with a nod.

"I suppose you're right," she said. "If we're smart with supplies and get a job right away, we can probably make up what we lost."

She smiled at Hitomi. It was nice to have someone who, even in Tala's screw-ups, was so understanding. If this happened when she was with her old crew, god knows she wouldn't have heard the end of it!

Speaking of old crew...Fey started mumbling.

Tala would raise a finger to Hitomi, telling her to wait a moment, and rushed over to Fey. Fey would feel a rather clumsy and harsh poke to her side.

"Fey? Fey? Are you alive?" Tala asked. "You're alive right? I didn't kill you with that door?"

Hitomi seemed to brighten at Tala's response. It seemed she saw her as a woman after all! That and she was now getting to sleep next to her at night! Like she thought, a win win! She found herself hopping slightly, clasping her hands together tightly before realizing what she'd done and blushing furiously. She could NOT act like this around Tala!!!!!

Well, at least Tala seemed to be a bit cheered up now. Hitomi placed her hands on her hips and nodded. "Mm!" It would be easy to make up what they lost, and Hitomi was quite used to living rough. They would be fine!

Quietly, she watched as Tala made her way over to the fairy. She had to admit, she was a little mystified by its presence. She watched carefully, her eyes widening as Tala began to harshly poke up.

Fey was dreaming again. It was a nice dream where she was alone on a beach with clau-adklsjlsfhdsklfdhsf.

Her eyes shot open as she was suddenly poked by Tala. Her body twitched and, almost on instinct, she turned and bit her finger. Knowing Tala enough to know what came next, Fey quickly buzzed back, dipping slightly from the exhaustion she STILL FELT. "What the HELL you tryin' at wee nyaff?" She hissed, a surge of adrenalin keeping her up for the time being. "Wot? You want me so bad ya gotta start touchin me in mae sleep? Damn pervert is what ya are!" She hugged her body tightly, turning away slightly as she did. "Gods be damned, ya just need tae ask! 'Bout time you came to yer senses. Done with Dick are ya?"

Tala swore she could feel her heart melt when Hitomi hopped the way she did. Even as an adult, she was still so adorable. Oh, if Tala were only taller, she'd just scoop Hitomi up like she had and squeeze her----no, no, no! Tala had to focus! Hugging could wait!!

When Tala started poking Fey, the Incantus reacted, well, just as violently as Tala had expected. Don't let Fey's cute looks fool you, her vocabulary would be enough to put a Saad pirate to shame. And of course, it wasn't long before Fey berated Tala for being a pervert and also whether or not she was done with a certain "Dick".

Now, Tala liked to believe she was a grown adult capable of taking a few poky words with the calmness and demeanor she had gained as a result of maturity in her years and--


"SAY THAT TO MY FACE, YOU DRUNK SPRITZ BALL!" Tala suddenly whined, grabbing Fey by her shirt and hanging her up in the air.

Fey would see a very familiar expression on Tala's face, one of puffed red cheeks and indignant eyes. This was basically Tala's face every time someone teased her before, and it was easy to see her childish sensitivity was still with her to this day about certain things.

"Oi, oi! You're forgetting I'm a hundred times your size and could easily trap you in jar, aren't ya?" Tala said shaking the fairy. "A-and you leave Richard out of this! That was twenty years ago! You think with the alcohol you drink, y-you'd lose enough brain cells to forget that by now!"

She'd start pouting and looking to the side.

"What are you even doing 'round these parts anyways? Aren't you supposed to be with broody-mcbroodster right now?"

Broody-mcbroodster. Heh. NICE. Tala thought to herself.

"AH! I did ya doaty nyaff!" Fey hissed as she was grabbed by the shirt. Tala and Hitomi would see steam coming from her ears as her hands beat against Tala's fingers. "Aye! I'll turn ya into the brat you act like if ya try! Then rabbit over they can take care o ya fer all I care!" Hitomi almost looked a little offended, her own cheeks puffing out. "Oi, don't like at me like that, you wanna be small again?"

Hitomi took a step behind Tala. No way THAT was happening. God why was this fairy so mean?

"Like I'd ferget that bawface. Of all the men ya'd pick, you went fer the ugliest did ya? Ida taken good care o ya. Don't have the parts, but I'm creative yeah?" Fey grinned widely at Tala before using the possible momentary distraction to bite her finger once again.

Her next step?

She flew forward, buzzing right around Tala and slipping into the back of her shirt. "Spose I could ask you the same thing! Guess I need tae teach you a lesson first!" She would feel the wrath of Fey as she began to feel tickles all across her body. Its not the first time she'd done this, and if definitely wouldn't be the last.

Hitomi...didn't know what to do.

Should she...leave them be?

As Fey continued to yell--no, lecture--Tala, the woman started raising up one hand, clapping the tip of her fingers like she was mimicking a mouth while she also mimicked what Fey was saying silently with an annoyed look on her face. When she threatened Hitomi though, Tala scowled and shook her again.

"Hey, she stays out of this!" she said.

But of course, Fey went back to talking about him. Uggghhhh she was never going to live that down was she? Her cheeks puffed up as Fey continued saying she could have easily done better with Fey herself, Tala covered one of her ears and shook her head, red-faced.

"Bwaaaah, Fey, d-d-d-don't say that! That is wrong on SO many levels!! That's like saying I'd date my grand aunt!" she said. She then raised a finger. "And for the record, Richard is an asshole, yes, but hey, he was a good-looking one! If I have to drop everything for a guy, he might as well be hot, rii---OW OW OW!"

Fey had bitten Tala so hard she made Hitomi's nipping feel like a feather brushing her skin. Tala raised her hand, waving it around as she whined even more.

"Aauuuuu, that's not fair!" she complained before Fey grabbed her by the collar.

Almost instantly, a look of horror fell on Tala's face.

"N-now, now, Fey, it was all fun and games! Y-you don't have to--I'm SORRY! PLEASE DON'T--AIEEEEEE!!!"

A shrill scream pierced Hitomi's ears as Fey went inside her shirt and start tickling her. Almost instantly, Tala buckled onto the floor, screaming and laughing at the same time.

"FEY STOOOP! HAHAHAHA! I CAN'T---HAHAHA--I CAN'T BREATHE!" she screamed as she tried to clap at her clothes to snatch the pixie.

Tears started filling her eyes and her face turned even redder, but in between her laughing, she her face just looked horrified beyond all means. She'd turn to Hitomi, stretching out a hand towards her.

"H-HITOMI!! HAHAHAHA! HELP MEEEE! I'M DYIIIING!!!"

From inside of Tala's clothes, she'd hear Fey yelling. "Well I might've shown some mercy if not fer that grand aunt comment!" Tala just wouldn't be able to get a hand on Fey, who zipped all around, even as Tala fell to the floor. "Now, take it all back n MAYBE I'll stop! I've been here for so long and I haven't even heard a luv ya from my favorite nyaff!"

Hitomi was in shock...She couldn't imagine something as tame as tickling being so violent. With Tala reaching out to her crying, Hitomi couldn't help but spring forward and try to help. She DEFINITELY needed to cut off Fey's access on one end, so She slipped herself on top of Tala gently. At least this would give her a better shot at catching the little fairy. Especially since it would keep Tala from moving much.

Fey, on the other hand, saw Hitomi's brave, but DEFINITELY bold move and got a terrible idea in her head. She knew Hitomi was leaning over, waiting for a chance to strike. So. She decided to play a small prank. She casted another illusion. Instead of one, Hitomi suddenly saw TWO small bumps shooting upwards under Tala's clothes.

Hitomi blinked hard, but couldn't find a difference in either. Well, screw it right? She'd just have to grab for both. Her eyes tracked both, waiting for a moment to strike. They hesitated for a moment and her hands grabbed out. Hitomi, with her hands being prosthetic and unfeeling, didn't seem to realize what she was grabbing at first. She leaned forward, trying to see if there was any thrashing under her hand. Suddenly, she felt something push down on her HARD. The shock caused her to up and slid down on Tala, her body pressed tightly against hers. It was only then that Hitomi realized what had happened, and what her current position was. A small squeak could be heard as Hitomi looked directly into Tala's eyes. Her face was turning red in a hurry. She needed to hide. She needed to hide now. Of course, her mind went to the first place she'd found comfort in last night.

Without thinking, Hitomi buried herself into Tala's neck, somehow thinking that this might just make things better for both her and Tala.

Fey, fluttering just above the two was...well shocked to say the least. These two...They were some grade A idiots huh?

"HAHAHA! YOU--HAHA--WERE--AHAHAHAHA--ASLEEP!" Tala laughed as the tickle attack continued, eyes watering and her stomach extremely sore. "HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO!?"

As much as Tala wanted to feel bad for not trying to keep contact with Fey earlier, she was being tickled far too severely to even form proper sentences, let alone guilty thoughts. Hitomi did heed her word over and slowly hovered over her. Fortunately again, the tickling trumped any embarrassment Tala would have felt had this been any other situation and then--

The tickling stopped just as Tala felt Hitomi grab two very different things from what should have been Fey. The torment of tickling was quickly replaced with that of shock, mortification, and just pure horror. Hitomi was basically grabbing at both sides of Tala's chest (well what there was of it anyways).

"A...aaa....aaa..."

Small squeaks from what little air was exiting from Tala's throat filled the air, accompanied by Tala just looking blankly at the ceiling and Hitomi. It had only been a second, but it seemed like forever. It then got worse when Hitomi was suddenly pressed against Tala's body in a...rather suggestive manner.

"H-hi...hitomi...?" Tala squeaked out with teary eyes.

It wasn't long before Hitomi pieced two and two together and basically buried into Tala's neck, causing the latter to only yelp even more.

"...iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..."

Yeah, screw feeling embarrassed about sleeping next to each other, sharing a bath, or the cpr kiss thing, this...THIS was how Tala was going to die.

After minutes of what felt like Tala being paralyzed forever, the flustered woman would force her eyes to clap onto Fey and look at her imploringly. Fey would notice tears form in Tala's eyes as well as a puppy pout that Fey would be all too familiar with.

"Fey...I'm sorry already...please...please help meeee..."

Hitomi's red face was just not going away...She couldn't think. She only wanted to hide. She wished Tala would cover her up like she had before, but...the woman seemed like she was frozen too. Hitomi's brain wouldn't restart, so, there she waited.

Fey, on the other hand, was trying not to laugh. Well, at least until Tala looked at her with those big puppy dog eyes. "H-hey, there's no need tae cry now. I-I-I just thought you'd both be cute taegether yeah?" There was OBVIOUSLY something between them. Fey's intention, though, had definitely just been to mess with them both. At Fey's words, Hitomi only seemed to burrow in deeper. Fey DEFINITELY wasn't helping.

Fey thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose I have a solution. Gimme a moment."

Before that moment could be had, Tala would feel a small pinch on her neck as Hitomi suddenly nipped at her. Hitomi seemed to have no idea what she was even doing, she just wanted some semblance of comfort. Even making Tala move and react just a bit might help...

Much like Hitomi, Fey teasing the two of them being together made Tala's face flare up.

"I-it's not like that! B-besides, I-I'm way too old for her!" Tala said in defense.

Perhaps that wasn't the best defense in her case.

She didn't understand why Fey would even suggest that! Hitomi, despite being an adult, was considerably younger and way cuter than she was. The two hadn't even been friends for that long, let alone romantically interested! Oh, and Tala was married, she guessed that was a thing, too (Richard could drop dead though, to be honest!).

It wasn't that Hitomi wouldn't be nice as a romantic partner. She was sweet, a total badass, and just adorable and--NO NO NO TALA NEEDED TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT. THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS PROFESSIONAL!

Whatever the case, Hitomi only buried deeper into nuzzling Tala making Tala feel a bit more awkward.

Her puppy eyes did manage to get Fey to relent with a solution, but just as Tala was about to hear it, she felt the sharp familiar prick she had the day before.

"Aieeee!"

Tala yelped and almost instantly came to her senses, grabbing Hitomi by the shoulders and pushing her back. Red-faced and teary-eyed, Tala would look at Hitomi in an almost scolding manner.

"Hitomi, what did I say about nipping!?" she squeaked.

And then, realizing she had sounded too harsh, "Wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yell! I--I--!"

Well, she was screwed.