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Text begins to crawl down the black screen. Some rock song that's vaguely familiar, the kind you'd hear playing in the speakers of a store, rings throughout the room. Castorice feels the tip of an elongated ear twitch. The movie's credits roll onwards with little fanfare.
"That was interesting." Castorice concludes, reaching for the remote. The song cutting off and silence taking its place.
"More like a disaster. Not even in a so-bad-it's-good kind of way." To her left, Cipher rises from her half-slouched lounge. "I almost feel bad for the actors, especially during that kissing scene."
"I didn't think anything was wrong with it." Out of all the complaints Castorice has that was probably the biggest non-issue to her.
"Oh please, anyone who's actually made out with someone could tell how uncomfortable they both were." Cipher stretches her arms above her head. The motion riding up the edge of her tank top and exposing a sliver of her stomach.
"I suppose I wouldn't know then." Castorice quickly averts her gaze.
"You're pulling my tail." Cipher scoffs, her feline tail thumping against the couch in a way she assumes to be intentional.
"I'm really not." Castorice deadpans, the effect dampened by the heat budding to the surface of her cheeks.
"How? I mean you're so-" Cipher gestures to the lady sitting next to her as if that actually explains anything. "Next you're going to tell me not a single person has tried to ask you out."
"Not really? My sister and I were home schooled so we didn't actually know many people our age." There might have been a couple of moments where people tried to flirt with Castorice. Maybe, she's not entirely sure. But they were people she had only spoken to three times at best.
"Right, how could I forget? You're even more of a princess than Agy is." Cipher leans back against the couch. An excited glimmer shines within her clear blue eyes that's matched by her grin."Do you want to?"
"Do I want to what?" Castorice scoots a little away from her, having a bad feeling about this.
"Try kissing." And she was right to be wary. Cipher licks her lips. That small, swift movement instantly drawing the other's eye.
"With… you?" If Castorice's face was hot before, it's burning now. The heat reaching all the way to the base of her neck.
"Sure. Nothing like practicing with one of your girl friends." Cipher half shrugs as if this is a completely normal and common thing between friends.
Castorice finds herself essentially blue screening at that. Not just because of the offer itself but because of the issues it could cause. Her eyes briefly flicker over to the hall that leads to their rooms. Where Aglaea sits in her's, working away.
She's pretty confident that Aglaea and Cipher are dating. The two of them have never said such, nor have they kissed or anything like that in front of her. However they very openly flirt with one another. She always just assumed they're particular about PDA. Polite enough to keep their hands to themselves in front of others. The same can't always be said for Cipher's tail.
"What would- Wouldn't that upset Aglaea?" Castorice has a hard time believing the Dolosian would actually cheat on anyone. Sure she's playful and cheeky and a tease but also far more considerate than she seems.
"You think Agy would be mad?" Cipher does not share her concerns at all. More bemused by the possibility than anything else.
Castorice will admit to only the Titans that she has thought about kissing Cipher before. She would have to be attracted to men not to. The cat's androgynous features and her charismatic wit would make any lesbian swoon. Hell it'd probably make even straight girls question their sexuality.
But Castorice self-indulgently thinking about kissing her is completely different from Cipher actually kissing her. She would never dare do that to Aglaea or anyone for that matter. Although isn't the fact that Cipher is offering at all already cheating? Or maybe she's been wrong this whole time and they aren't actually dating.
"Okay." Castorice makes a mental note to tell Aglaea about this later. Either it really isn't the big deal she fears it is or things are about to get awkward around here in the coming days.
Cipher turns to face her, knees bumping against Castorice's. Her tail rises high behind her. Something the shorter has come to learn means she's excited. Castorice isn't sure if that makes her feel better or worse about this whole thing.
Cipher cups her face, tracing her jawline with her thumb. Simultaneously leaning forward and urging Castorice closer until their foreheads are pressed together. Seeing someone this close is admittedly a bit awkward. Not quite as romantic as it looks from the third person viewpoint. But the proximity, the faint brush of Cipher's breath against her lips, and the feel of her hair tickling her skin is.
"You're so tense." The thumb tracing her jaw stops at her chin. A quiet rumbling starts to stir in the back of Cipher's throat. "Having second thoughts?"
"I don't know what to do." Castorice's fingers flex against where they rest on her own lap, uncertain of whether to hold her partner or leave them as is.
"Just close your eyes and do whatever feels right." Cipher nuzzles against her, soft purrs growing more audible. "Relax, it's only a kiss."
That's a lot easier said than done. But also shows always make this look so easy. Inexperience does often make things seem far more intimidating than they actually are. Made worse when you have a tendency to overthink things.
Castorice tries her best to do as she's told. Closing her eyes makes her far more aware of their proximity. Cipher's purring sounds even louder but she can't tell if it actually increased in volume or it's just because of her sight being cut off. Which ever the case, the sound does help soothe her nerves.
Her shoulders jump at the sensation of air being blown against her lips. Castorice squeals and Cipher snickers. She's about to pull away and scold the cheeky cat when she feels lips brush against her own. A chaste yet lingering kiss. Castorice gasps, her heart quickening between her ribs.
It's a strange sensation. Especially because she can feel the faint vibrations of Cipher's purrs. Strange yet pleasant and makes Castorice want to be even closer to her. So she follows her instinct and adjusts. Practically climbing onto Cipher's lap, pulling a surprised mrrp out of her, and wraps her arms around the cat's shoulders.
Cipher readily adapts by holding Castorice by the waist. A rumble begins to form in the latter's chest as well, making the former smile against her. It's also the only warning she gets before teeth pull at her lower lip. The rumble within Castorice's chest grows deeper. More of a growl than a purr. Yet instead of taking the warning for what it is, Cipher grows more insistent. Bodies pressed flush together. So close that it's as if they're trying to meld together.
A harder press against Castorice's lip is accompanied by a sharp sting. She pulls away, tongue slipping out to catch a small bead of copper. She's lightheaded and completely breathless. Cipher isn't faring much better. Her pupils have dilated in the same way a cat's does just before they pounce. Her chest steadily but noticeably contracting.
The two of them simply sit there and stare at one another, catching their breath. It also allows Castorice to process what had just happened. Her elongated ears rapidly heating up. That didn't feel casual at all. Doubly so since they're still clinging tight to one another. Cipher's fingers are pressing into her waist in a way that seems almost possessive. Or maybe that's just her inexperience rearing its head again.
The click of a door opening rings throughout the shared apartment. Castorice scrambles back away from Cipher. The cat blinks. She turns and Castorice follows the direction of her gaze to see Aglaea pausing at the entrance of the hall.
She glances between the two on the couch, eyes squinting. Aglaea isn't wearing her glasses, but even without them it's not hard to notice that something happened between them. It is blatantly obvious between how Castorice is cowering against the edge of the couch and Cipher in contrast sits smug and satisfied.
"Hey Agy. Finally decided to crawl out of your cave?" Cipher casually greets as if she hadn't just sent Castorice to heaven.
Aglaea doesn't answer. Instead she focuses her attention on Castorice who is nervously winding her fingers together. She walks towards the couch with a purpose, her completely blank expression making it impossible to tell what it is.
Castorice hitches her breath when Aglaea sits down beside her. Her lip trembles when the tailor grabs her by the chin to force her to keep her head forward. This close Aglaea can clearly make out the redness to her cheeks and how swollen her lips have become.
"Was Cifera too rough with you?" Aglaea wipes her thumb against the small bead of blood forming. Knowing the culprit is the cat's sharpened canines.
"Um… No?" Castorice meekly, confusedly answers. She's not sure how to interpret this reaction at all.
It doesn't help that Aglaea clicks her tongue. Castorice struggles to think of something- anything to say. There's no getting out of this. They've basically been caught in the act. Guilt clutches at Castorice's insides. She shouldn't have agreed to do this. It was a stupid idea. She shouldn't have-
Her eyes snap as wide open as they possibly can be. Her whole body pulls taut as a tongue swipes against her bloodied lip. Aglaea holds her gaze as she kisses her. Mind going completely blank. Castorice grabs her arm for the pure sake of having something to hold onto. Whimpering when Aglaea's tongue slips between her parted lips.
Castorice snaps her eyes shut. If Cipher is the epitome example of a handsome woman then Aglaea is Mnestia reincarnated as a human. It had taken her poor heart so long to be able to look either of them in the eye without panicking. Aglaea especially because her subtle, polite smiles never failed to make her heart race. It still does, shes just learned to grow used to that reaction. Now after she's finally started to stop being such a useless lesbian, she's suddenly being kissed by her two maybe-sorta-kinda crushes. What is a girl supposed to do in this situation aside from go along with it?
She experimentally presses her tongue against Aglaea's and is rewarded with a pleased hum. It loosens the tension wound within Castorice's shoulders. She tries her best to match the tailor's pace. Allows Aglaea to guide the tilt of her head.
Castorice slides her hands up the tailor's arms. She feels more than hears Aglaea sigh against her. She's so soft and warm that it reignites her purring. Her dragon blood urging her to give into greed and take more.
When they separate it's with a pop. Castorice instinctively tries to lean back in, only to be denied by the hand still holding her chin. Aglaea wordlessly apologies by planting a chaste kiss against her cheek. Though it feels more like having a treat dangled in front of her, just out of reach, than anything else.
"Hm, see, that's what a proper kiss looks like." Cipher's teasing lilt makes her head snap towards it. At some point the cat had moved to sprawl against the coffee table. Head propped up by an arm and a satisfied smile revealing the point of a fang.
"You could do more than just watch you know." Aglaea taunts, gliding her hand from Castorice's chin to rest against her nape instead.
"And miss out on the free show?" Cipher's tail wags. Her gaze locks onto Castorice, pupils thinning into slits. "Tempting."
Her chest grows hot. If Castorice were to melt at this very moment she would not at all be surprised. Pinned down on both sides by the cat's hungry stare and the hand gently yet firmly caressing her nape. It's to the point where she starts to question if this is actually a dream.
"I thought you two were dating." Dream or not, Castorice needs to be sure. To know what exactly is happening here and if she should dare hope.
"We are. Haven't exactly been subtle about it." Cipher pushes herself upright, crossing one leg over the other.
"Then why…" So Castorice was right. Which only serves to make her even more confused.
"Cifera…" Aglaea calls to her with a scolding tone. One that never fails to make the cat's ears tilt low. "You didn't tell her."
"Not my fault she was being so cute. You wouldn't have been able to resist either." Cipher looks away from them both. Her tail curls around her waist to rest against her lap.
Aglaea silently stares her down. The tip of the cat's tail thumps against her own leg. She caves and glances back at the tailor from the corner of her eye. The two of them hold each other's gaze for a prolonged moment. Aglaea tilts her head and raises a brow. Cipher turns to more properly face her with a half shrug. A wordless conversation passing through them that Castorice cannot discern.
The hand against her nape slides lower, pinkie slipping underneath the collar of her shirt. Castorice straightens with her back going stiff. Her nervousness rearing back up despite the gentle smile being directed at her.
"Cas, would you like to go out with us this weekend?" It would be an innocuous question if Aglaea were to ask it in any other circumstances.
"As in a date?" Right now Castorice feels as if she's being propositioned. How else do you interpret it when the one asking had just made out with you?
"I told you we should've been more upfront with her." Across from them, Cipher shoots her girlfriend a half-hearted glare. Everything about her exuding an "I told you so" energy.
"How long have you two been flirting with me?" Surely it can't have been that long. Castorice won't deny that she's socially stunted but surely she isn't that oblivious.
"We discussed it after living with you for about a month I believe." Aglaea isn't entirely sure. It's been nearly a year since they all started cohabiting after all.
Castorice rapidly scours through her memories to discern what signs she had missed. Noting Aglaea's casual touches, always feeling the need to put her hand on her when they're close enough. How Cipher often gifted her snacks or any cute trinkets she could get her hands on without prompting. How they'd both so frequently invite her out with them whenever they made plans to do something.
"Oh, I am stupid." Castorice lets her head fall into her hands. The tips of her ears burning with embarrassment. She really is that oblivious.
"You're not stupid. You're just not used to receiving this kind of attention, is all." Aglaea's gentle lull manages to get her to peek between her fingers.
The two pairs of soft gazes- one a vibrant blue, and the other a washed out green- strike deep into Castorice's heart. She had been so convinced that they only had eyes for each other that she somehow failed to notice this until now.
"So is that a yes or no?" Cipher leans forward from her perch at the edge of the table. An excited swish of her tail.
"Yes, it's a yes." Castorice smiles, an excited kind of nervousness blooming within her. Seems dreams really do come true.