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Izutsumi hated this. She was just getting used to flavors and textures she didn't like. Trying new things. Getting used to the fact that she'd probably never be fully human ever again. And why was everyone obsessed with the stupidest, most annoying shit? She felt like she was a voice of reason in the room.
No.
That's not entirely true. She could feel herself changing. Not necessarily back to a regular human. But she was changing. She did change. Like the seasons in the little patch of countryside she was in. She sat outside the local inn and became lost in those thoughts.
Those feelings.
Those memories.
“Purrrrrr~”
The memory of her behavior in the Golden Country hit her like a bolt of pure, electrifying regret. If the people back East found out, forget the monsters. She'd never live it down.
She would be cooked. Cooked like the monsters she'd eaten on her past journey. She was lost in thought when she felt a presence behind her. Her hair stood on end she wasn't sure if she'd ever be used to Falin. But she also didn't expect a lot of what had been going on in her life. She felt like she wasn't herself when in the Golden country. Being so openly affectionate, so cat-like. It threw her off.
Especially how nice it felt. It was hard to parse. At first she wasn't sure if it was like mother abd child or cat and human. Or perhaps it was something else? She wasnt an animal. Not fully. And she sure as hell wasnt a toddler. Either way, itvwas giving her a headache. She couldn't help but think of Marcille.
Marcille was so warm and soft. Weird, overbearing, reckless, and annoying. But warm and soft. She was comforting and kind.
Ugh. No way. She groaned.
Izutsumi furiously shook her head to get those errant thoughts out.
“Are you ok, Izutsumi?”
Right. The other one. Laios's dragon sister. Well, not as much of a hybrid anymore but not fully human either. Just as human as her, she supposed. Izutsumi had every reason to distrust her at first, given recent history. Well recent in the grand scheme of things. It wasn't like with those elves where they could say ‘oh that's recent history’ and it's before her mom was even born. But all that was water under the bridge.
Damn long lived races and their soft hands.
Damn oddball magicians and their unearthly beauty. No wonder two people she knew were smitten with her.
Falin noticed Izutsumi's ear flick and seemed almost enamored, curious perhaps. She reached out. Izutsumi looked right at her.
The beast woman blinked at her new guest. Getting a good look at her? She was similar to Tade. But less willing to be tricked into chores.
“Is there something on your mind, Izutsumi?”
“Nothing. I'm fine.”
And yet her eyes betrayed her, looking at Falin's breasts.
So large and firm, yet bouncy, still covered in downy feathers from where the magic lingered. She hissed. Why? Why was she drawn to them? She could never understand sex and why it compelled so many. Maybe it was just one of those things she could pick around or throw away or feed to someone else.
But no. She had learned to at least step outside her comfort zone somewhat. Not for that but rather, looking inward, through the haze of those Golden Country memories. And it wasn't sex or anything so base that compelled her. That simply wasn't for her. Rather, something else drew her in, something hard to articulate, for her specifically. Something she wanted but couldn't admit to. So she decided to put it out of mind and focus on something else. She scoffed and spoke.
“So are you and Marcille lovers?”
Tactful. Delightfully tactful, Izutsumi.
Falin blushed, stunlocked by the bluntness of the statement. It took her a bit to process it. She looked rather dull at first glance to Izutsumi. She didn't exactly notice people that way? Or so she said back during that business with the Succubi.
“Well I mean…No. Not exactly…I mean, yes but I'd say we're deeper than that. It's odd. One of those things you wouldn't say yourself until it's pointed out. And you can't speak up against it. Because it feels right.”
The larger woman smiled, eyes like twin bonfires with the warmth they gave off. She had such a beautiful smile, haunting in a way.
“Why do you ask?”
Falin gave an inquisitive smile, igniting a strange yet familiar sensation in Izutsumi's chest. It was a longing that branched out and tingled in her body. She supposed she could humor the other woman, in her own way. Besides, she had something she wanted to figure out herself as she softly pawed her chest
“So you two probably do all that gross stuff like rabbits in the field,” the beast girl spoke.
Falin scratched her cheek bashfully. They did dance together a few times. She wasn't there for that business with the dungeon rabbits but she had heard enough from her brother and the others. But anything else was a bit personal. She didn't sense any malice from Izutsumi. It was just a bit of attitude, masking something else. The taller woman spoke, bashfully twirling her ash blonde hair. “I mean…that's a crass way to put it. You'd make her blush. What brought this on?”
Izutsumi felt her heart clench in her chest as she chewed her lower lip nervously. What was this? Why was she feeling so timid all of a sudden? It was uncomfortable how her breath was caught in her throat, snagging the words in her larynx like it was a Rocky pit.
Before more words could be shared between the two travelers, a sneeze rang out from around the corner. The voice of the former lord of the dungeon rang in Izutsumi's ears. “Falin? Are you there? Laios was looking for you to help with a cookbook and I needed a break. Oh. Izutsumi. Hey. What brings you here?”
“I…It's nothing,” the beast man put on an aloof facade, trying to hide behind the familiar, using it as an armor of comfort.
And Falin pierced it like an Undyne.
“Izutsumi wants headpats. Isn't that cute?”
The embarrassed cat girl mewled and hissed. “No! I will bite you!”
Marcille prodded more, teasing her former traveling companion. “Huh? Oh. Like how cuddly you were with me in the-”
“STOP IT!” Izutsumi's eyes clenched shut as she bit down like a cat having a tantrum. She didn't feel the need for the kicky feet. Not yet anyway. But we're things to escalate, she might see no other choice.
Marcille yelped but didn't pull away, deciding to let things play out. Fain followed along and started to pet too, nervously at first, but progressing all the same. She didn't give ear stitches. Just gentle strokes.
A scratch behind the ear was all it took to reduce her armor to dust. She slumped against the Elven advisor of Merini, letting the familiar warmth envelope her like a security blanket. All the while, the warmth emanating off Falin as well, it was cozy and inviting. It was like an inn made from love and compassion. A bit saccharine for her if you asked her at any other time. But now? She'd have to think about it later.
Ugh. Why did it have to feel even better than last time? The comfort and familiarity of a bond built over time, from traveling together was an exquisite flavor for her heart.
“May I?” Falin's soft, husky voice joined in. “I always gravitated towards dogs, like my brother, but I can't say I'm not curious.”
Izutsumi scoffed, face as red as the dragon that Falin was once merged with. “Do whatever.”
Marcille, grinned smugly. “Don't say that so flippantly, Tsumi~. Falin might oblige. Right dear?”
“Yeah huh. Head pats are great. It's not everyday that I'm the one giving them out,” Falin smiled softly and warmly, patting the other woman's gear and scratching behind her ear. “I have another idea too but stop me if it's too much.”
“Hey! What the…Purrrrrr~”
Izutsumi clamped a hand over her mouth to silence the purring? But it was to no avail. The childlike wonder of the Chimeric prodigy escaped her lips in a squeal of glee? As if she had just made an amazing breakthrough back at the Magic School.
And that is when she leaned down to kiss Izutsumi on the forehead.
The beast woman's eyes went wide, pupils nearly dilating before her eyes fluttered shut and she purred louder, leaning into the affection. She tried to object but to no avail. She could only assume she had died and reached paradise, the curse of the dungeon lifted and the chains that bound souls to the dungeon long since gone. That was the only explanation that could permeate the fog her mind was now in. That and one other overwhelming thought.
“This is awesome~”
Was this her beast side? Was she doomed to be a slave to it? Did Falin have a similar deal despite being bacon and eggs rather than a full omelet? Dammit, she was hungry now, and Senshi wasn't around to feed her. Plus she didn't want to move from this spot.
“You're really purring now~,” the half-elf spoke with a smirk, a playful lilt in her voice.
And there was that smugness. Fucking Marcille Donato and her magic fingers. And her girlfriend's magic lips. They were less insufferable as a threat. But Izutsumi would live.
Falin spoke up to slow Marcille's roll. “Now now. It's OK if she's embarrassed. You were too when I first gave you headpa-”
The roles flipped in an instant as Marcille sputtered and blushed, playing with her hair this time. Meanwhile, Izutsumi merely smirked, marinating in her own smugness. If she was to suffer such an indignity, why not with friends right?
Beautiful, wonderful, snuggly indignity that made her heart sing and her ears twitched just right.
But nobody needed to know that. Definitely not Laios or Chilchuck or Nemari and her leg kink. It was between Izutsumi and the one most important to her: Izutsumi.
But she supposed, in this instance, as Falin and Marcille droned on like some slapstick married couple, that those two were pretty high in her regards as well.
She purred herself into a nap as she sprawled across Marcille and Falin's laps, happily making biscuits. As sleep slowly took her, she couldn't help but think: “Maybe this ain't half bad after all.”
Maybe, just maybe, the Western world and specifically, these goofy monster eating weirdos who toyed with Lions and dragons…Maybe there were benefits after all.
And she was on board.