Chapter Text
Sunlight makes its way through the cracks in the blinds iof their bedroom window.
“Feebi chupi! Feebiii!”
The shrill noise of an excited cube sounds through the quiet bedroom one early morning. Phoebe unravels herself from her lover’s arms and the sheets as she sits up to check on her small lookalike.
Behind her, Nini had nestled against her back and is still soundly asleep just like her human twin, gently snoring and deeply asleep.
At the foot of the bed, the blonde cube was jumping up and down with excited squeaks.
“What’s gotten into you today? Come back to sleep, Pibi, we don’t have to wake up early today.” She lays back down with a small grumble, patting her belly to beckon her small friend to rest with her.
Pibi stays still for a moment before softly hopping over and nestling on top of her. But instead of closing her eyes to sleep, the cube stares at her with sad eyes, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. “Feebi chupi...” she mumbles.
Phoebe gently pats the cube’s head. “What’s wrong, little one?”
Just after asking, Pibi raised one of her stubby little arms, in her hand a familiar looking bar of soap. The bar of soap she had used to ‘clean’ Nini’s horns some time ago.
The Acolyte remembers now; she promised the cube to teach her how to properly care for her partner’s horns. A sweet giggle escapes her as she squeezes the cube against her chest. “Don’t worry, dear, I didn’t forget. I will show you later, but for now let me sleep a little bit longer.”
“Feebi chupi!” The cube lets out an excited noise and proceeds to snuggle between her owners to rest some more.
Phoebe looks at her with a gentle smile before covering them both under the blanket again.
“Okay, listen carefully now, Pibi.” Phoebe starts seriously. They are seated at the living room table; both cubes are placed on a pillow on the table for more comfort and accessibility. “Horns are very sensitive and needs meticulous care under specific conditions.”
“Feebi chupi ...” the blonde one mumbles, seemingly listening along intently.
“Let me show you.” With that, Phoebe pulls the pillow Nini is seated on towards herself, and the dozing Cube let out a startled sound at being disturbed from her nap. “Come here, Pibi.”
The blonde Cube quickly hops off of her pillow and waddles over to her owner, stopping right next to her partner and giving her an affectionate nuzzle before turning her attention back to Phoebe.
“Love that you two are still getting along so well.” the Acolyte giggles.
“Now look here.” Her hands reach out to the tired cube and gently move her hair away from the horns to give more visible space to work with.
“Hmmm.” The cube hums, relaxing into her pillow again.
Pibi rises up as much as she can in her position and tries to look at what her owner is trying to show her. “You see the horns are made of keratin and don’t have their own blood supply anymore. They need to be moisturized more than washed.” She starts her explanation.
Her cube lookalike looks on with interest, or at least, that’s what Phoebe believes she can read in that expression. She can only hope her little friend is understanding what’s being taught.
Reaching down to the floor, Phoebe pulls up a toiletry bag filled with a few gadgets and products she will need.
“Okay, I brought everything we will need today. These things can be found in the bathroom cabinets, but I don’t want you to ever get them yourself, you understand that?” She speaks in a serious tone and looks at the cube intently. “If you want to help Nini, then please let me know and I will get everything down for you, okay?”
“Feebi! Feebi chupi!” The cube voices its agreement. (She hopes.)
“Okay then. We start by cleaning the horns a little bit.” Taking out a pack of wet wipes, she pulls out two of them, one for each horn. “You have to rub the horns with these, gently.” Demonstrating what she is saying, she softly wipes the tissue over one horn, removing any grime or grease.
Nini lets out an appreciative sound and pushes her body up a bit to get more contact. “Hehe, you like that, Nini? Here, give it a try too, Pibi.” She hands another wipe to the cube and points towards the other horn.
“Feebi..” hesitantly the cube reaches out to her partner with her ball-like hand and rubs over it, a bit too rough in her movements still.
“Hmm...” Zani grumbles sightly.
“No no, gentle.” Phoebe interjects and grabs the cube's hand. She removes the other’s pressure and shows her the moves in a slow patter. “Like this, okay?”
Letting go of the little hand again, she watches Pibi continue wiping with the shown motions, and it makes the other mumble pleased.
“This is it, good job!” Phoebe cheers. The cube wiggles with excitement. She continues to wipe along the horn, not sure when to stop. Rhythmic motions up and down the length of the horn make Nini slowly lose her cubic shape, almost looking like she is melting into her bedding. “Hm hmm...” the horned cube mumbles.
“Well looks like someone is enjoying themselves.” Phoebe smiles gently; really, both seem to enjoy the whole ordeal when Pibi’s wide smile is an indicator. “Let’s keep going then.” With that, the blonde cube stops wiping, despite the displeased grumbles of her partner, and turns back to her.
Opening the bag again, she takes out a soft washing cloth, a sheet of thick paper and a tube of moisturizer originally made for nail care. But after many attempts and errors, Zani had figured out that this is by far the most efficient one.
“I know, you won’t be able to squeeze the tube with your hands very well. So, I came up with a plan.” She places the paper down in front of them and uncaps the tube, holding it out to Pibi.
“Here, take this.” The cube does not need to be told twice and takes it from the human’s hands. “Now, you squeeze a bit of it onto the sheet, but only a little bit.” (She hopes, the cube knows what “a little bit” is.)
Pibi looks at her owner in confusion, then at the tube and squeezes. Hard. A big amount of cream comes out of the tube’s opening. “Okay! That’s enough!” Phoebe interrupts quickly, reaching for the cube’s hands and interrupting it from squeezing out more.
But the mess was already done. Phoebe shakes her head, closing the tube in her hands again. She really should have known better.
“Feebi chupi?” a small voice calls from in front of her.
Pibi sits there looking at her, her big eyes filled with confusion and worry, as if she knows something is wrong, but she isn’t certain of what. Next to her, Nini opened her eyes again, also looking at her.
Looking at those adorable faces, she could never be angry at them. “Oh you, you did nothing wrong.” She reaches out and pets the blonde cube softly, who lets out happy mumbles in return.
“Let us continue with what we have.” Phoebe looks at the big amount of lotion on the paper. Hmm, maybe she will have to treat Zani’s horns today as well after all. She can’t let any of this go to waste; it’s expensive after all.
Grabbing the washing cloth, she shows it to Pibi. “Now, we dip this into the cream and then slowly massage it in.” gently she daps the cloth in, adding a little amount onto it and reaches for the horn she had wiped earlier; big oval eyes following her every move.
She removes Nini’s hair from the base of her horns as much as she can and starts gently applying the moisturizer. “Mmmhh...” the silver haired cube relaxed again, enjoying the feeling.
“You start at the base and then slowly move along its length, alright Pibi?” Finishing up her task, she offers the cloth to her lookalike.
Pibi grabs it enthusiastically and immediately tries to reach for Nini’s other horn.
“Not so fast, little lady.” The cube stops instantly and looks at her owner questioningly. “Remember how I did it.”
“Feebi...” The cube turns back around and reaches out to dip the cloth in cream again, her little ball-like hand shaking slightly as she tries to only get a small amount like Phoebe had done.
After succeeding, she reaches out for Nini again, looking at her owner for permission again before she starts after an encouraging nod. Slowly she also starts applying the moisturizer, far more careful than Phoebe had expected her to be able to.
But when Nini lets out appreciative hums again, Pibi grows bolder and moves her hand with more purpose, interchanging between the horns and reaching from base to tip.
And Phoebe? She looks on with affection at her two little friends. These little creatures that rolled into their lives a year ago suddenly and without any explanation and have stayed here ever since.
She expected this to turn into a disaster, to clean up splatters from every surface of their living room, and to have to bathe two grumpy cubes. But instead, Pibi turned out to be a faster learner than she thought.
I guess Phoebe thinks I have to give her more credit. She really understands more than I thought she would.
Suddenly, two strong arms wrap around her, and a chin rests on her shoulder. “I really expected a warzone to happen when you told me you would teach her how to help Nini.”
Phoebe turns her head to catch a glimpse of her wife, ruffled hair and still tired eyes after a midday nap on her rare day off. “Do you have so little faith in me? Of course I would keep them in check!” She huffs, mockingly offended.
Zani raises her head and looks at her for a moment before planting a kiss on her forehead.
“I would never expect anything less of you, miss Acolyte.” a smile on her face as she looks down on Phoebe. “The woman who could probably talk a rampaging Kerasaur in Septimont into calming down and having a snack with her instead can make anything possible.”
“Oh you!” the blonde giggles.
“I am serious, I don’t know anyone who can better deal with people, or echoes, or even children. Let alone cubes. You really are far better than you think you are, love.” Zani says lowly; her eyes are full of gentle love.
Phoebe turns around fully to face her partner, the horned woman’s arms unraveling from her shoulders but still staying close, and they look at each other for a moment.
Their lips meet in a slow kiss. No desire, no rush. Just the two of them enjoying the moment between each other.
“Have I ever mentioned that I love you?” Phoebe mumbles against the other’s lips.
“Maybe once or twice, but I don’t mind the reminder.” Zani whispers back to her.
Resting their foreheads against each other and closing their eyes, they bask in each other’s comforting presence in this peaceful moment.
.
.
.
“FEEBI CHUPI!” A shrill yelp from one of the cubes breaks their moment and they spin around in worry.
Before them on the table, Pibi had been thrown over by Nini, who is now trying to climb on top of her partner for whatever reason. The blonde cube’s arms wiggle around frantically.
“Nini no! Get off of her!” Zani yells and immediately jumps forward to separate them.
Letting out a joyous laugh from her seat, Phoebe watches them squabble.
This is her little, strange family, and she wouldn’t change it for the world.
Thanks be to Imperator above, wherever they may be now.