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The comforters and pillows on her bed somehow felt heavier than they did a couple hours ago. Taco wasn't sure just how long she'd been rotting away in her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she let her past consume her every thought, but it had been long enough to hear the lock click on her hotel door.
Microphone seemed to have been returning from her outing with Soap. Taco had no problem with Soap, the two seemed to have made up in some way after the events of S2, but Soap held some strong distrust towards her. Or at least, that's what Taco felt it was, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
A muttered 'sheesh' took her out of her thoughts as she heard the door close with a click. "How long have you been lying there?" Microphone questioned with a mildly concerned tone, tossing her bag aside as she walked over to peer down at Taco.
The smaller object sighed, forcing herself up into a sitting position. "Not long enough to be of concern, I assure you." She said, but she could tell Microphone didn't believe her for one second. Which was fair, she was still in the same position she'd been in since this morning. Which was roughly four hours ago now.
A heavier weight joined beside her as Microphone sat down, her hand ruffling the lettuce on Taco's head as she smiled. "These moping periods are getting worse, you should really get up and do something." She said with an attempt of teasing, hoping to lighten whatever mood Taco had going on. But the smaller object seemed to shrink slightly in response.
Taco had hoped she wasn't getting worse, but Mic's words seemed to prove the opposite. She knew she'd been hiding away more often than not, after the Mepad incident she just hadn't felt.. the same. It was like the events of S2 came crashing all down at once, forcing her back into the mindset she'd worked so hard to crawl out of.
Mic gently let her hand stay resting upon Taco as she leaned down slightly. "You okay?" her voice dropped into a whisper. When no response was returned she let silence fill the void. She knew Taco had a lot on her mind, and wanted to do anything she could to try and help her. But she wasn't.. the best when it came to comforting people, the most she could do was listen to their problems and offer what advice she had.
Soap was a lot better when it came to advice, but it didn't matter regardless as Taco wasn't one to openly seek help. Never had been.
"Y'know." Mic clicked her tongue. "I was talking to Soap earlier about having a sleepover tonight, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you joined!" She said, trying to hype Taco up to the idea of the three of them hanging out.
Instead the smaller object just felt a little nervous. She wasn't sure how she felt facing Soap at any time, nonetheless when she was quite the mess she was now!
"I'm.. not sure if I'm in an ideal position to face her," She said awkwardly, letting her legs swing a little off the bed.
"Face? C'mon Taco she's your friend too," Microphone offered comfortingly, nudging Taco slightly. When Taco didn't seem to budge or say anything she added on.
"There'll be alcohollll, and we'll be binge watching those stupid drama shows." Microphone said with a grin, leaving Taco desperately trying to fight back the smile that formed. Mic knew how much she adored dramatic television that had little to no plot, but enough problems to kill the average object.
"Very well, you've persuaded me." She said as she leaned slightly against Mic, the two sharing a short laugh.
"Lucky me." Mic grinned, pulling out her phone to text Soap. Now she hoped Soap would be on board with the idea, she wanted the two to get along so badly. But the more she tried to force it, the more strained and awkward it felt for the three of them. Maybe this would be a good starting point. "You should clean up," she gave Taco a small glance, who seemed to get slightly offended in response.
"Are you insinuating I smell bad?" Taco grumbled as she hopped off the bed, although she wasn't actually annoyed. She probably didn't smell great after lying in the same position for four hours on end.
She left the shared space and entered the bathroom with a sigh, reaching up to flick on the light switch. The cold floor below her feet woke her up slightly as she walked in and over to the mirror; Taco looked.. less than ideal, something she would quickly fix no doubt. She tugged a stool over and hopped up.
A quick splash of cold water left her sighing with a light shiver, a stark contrast to how clammy she felt mere moments ago. Forcing oneself out of bed was more difficult than she used to think. Back in the day that was.
Each day it felt harder to force herself to do such basic tasks, and shamefully she noticed herself skipping out on them any chance she got. Thank the heavens for Microphone, forcing her out of her depressive state and dragging her out into social situations. Such as tonight.
A sleepover sounded fun, mostly due to the idea of drinking away any of her remaining problems. Not that either of them would allow her to do that, they seemed to care about her. At least Mic did.
Taco wasn't sure where she stood with Soap.
The mirror felt like it was staring back into her nearly lifeless eyes as the water slowly dripped down her face, wetting the countertop as she just leaned against the cold sink. Not moving, barely blinking, allowing her thoughts to take over for a moment.
"Taco," Mic's voice broke her out of her trance, Taco stiffening up and nearly falling off the stool. Warm hands held her shoulders still, followed by a familiarly warm chuckle.
"Maybe we should head over early? Soap said she didn't mind you joining us."
Taco wondered just how much Microphone begged over those texts to let her to join, surely Soap wouldn't have agreed without some sort of pressure, would she? Nevermind that. Taco nodded slowly as she slipped a hand towel off the counter and patted her face dry. Heading over early would prevent her thoughts from spiraling any further.
"Soap already has some drinks over there, if you want to head over I'll grab us something to eat." Mic said as she started to walk out of the bathroom, her corded tail swishing behind her as Taco hopped off the stool.
"Head over without you?" The words stumbled out of her mouth before she could think, Microphone pausing to look back with a soft expression. "Soap won't bite if you knock on the door without me," She laughed a little, a light huff escaping Taco in response.
"Of course. It's just.. not my preferred option." The smaller object followed Mic out of the bathroom, not exactly wanting to head over without her. The idea alone sounded awkward, she didn't want to imagine how it would actually feel. Thankfully Mic seemed to pick up on this, smiling as she took Taco's hand into her own and lead her down the hall.
The hotel's kitchen was quiet, seeing as it was later in the evening now. OJ and Paper were amongst the stove and countertops cooking together, some sort of video playing on their laptop as the two seemed to be enjoying themselves. Microphone dug quietly through the cabinets to gather up the perfect snacks for the evening, meanwhile Taco stood around awkwardly. She always felt a little out of place within the hotel.
"Alright, Soap's waiting for us. She's pretty excited for tonight," Mic said as her cord tail gently curled around Taco's wrist, gently pulling her along as she taller object's hands were full. Taco didn't argue, following her dear friend down the dimly lit hallway, listening closely to the muffled discussions happening on the other side of the thin walls. The two reached Soap's hotel door, Mic taking initiative and knocking on the door, rocking slightly on her feet as she was more than excited to see her other friend.
Microphone was much more excited for the evening than Taco was, not to say Taco wasn't at all she was just.. nervous. As she'd stated many times now. The outcome of the night was a mystery to her, one that she wasn't sure if she was looking forward to figuring out.
The door opened, revealing a beautifully clean hotel room and a smiling object on the other side. "Mic!" Soap exclaimed as the two shared a hug, a peaceful smile forming on Taco's face at the sight of the two getting along. At least Microphone would be happy tonight, and to her, that was all that mattered.
Soap pulled back and looked down at the smaller object with a welcoming look, the door was pushed slightly open as the two were motioned to enter. Mic happily stepped in and set the snacks down on the neatly made bed, two bottles of some seemingly fancy wine resting on the bedside table. Taco assumed it must've been quite the expense, did Soap have an expensive taste in drinks? Noted.
"How're you feeling Taco?" Soap suddenly asked, trying to be soft but Taco jolted a bit anyways. She wasn't quite expecting any questions to be thrown her way.
"Ah! Uh, less than satisfactory but nothing to concern yourself over" Her response felt awkward as she fidgeted with her hands, trying for a smile.
"She's been moping all day," Mic chimed in, a sputtering protest escaping Taco as she shook her head.
"Not moping Microphone! Just admiring the scenic view from our bedroom window, from the comfort of my mattress." Soap gave Taco a light bump to the shoulder, a friendly gesture nonetheless. Mic and Soap seemed to share a knowing look as they exchanged a small giggle.
Lovely. Do tell if the rest of the evening would look similar to this teasing she was getting.
The door shut with a light click, Soap flicking off the main light before stepping over and smoothing out her comforter,climbing up onto the soft bed. Microphone didn't hesitate before joining her, nudging her friend playfully as the television screen flicked on. Taco felt a little out of place amongst the other two's playful gestures, she walked over silently to the bed and climbed up. Taco attempted to keep a respectful distance between her and the other two objects, although it was rather pointless as she quickly felt Mic tug on her arm and pull her between the other two.
"Relax Taco, tonight's for fun! No moping allowed," Her voice was playfully scolding, Soap seeming to reflect the attitude as she popped the cork off of one of the bottles of wine.
"Agreed, lighten up! When was the last time you had fun?" Soap questioned as she poured a glass of wine and offered it to Taco.
The smaller object sat up and brushed herself off, taking the wineglass with care into her hands.
"That would depend on your definition of fun, I quite enjoy my peaceful evenings."
Taco stared down at the smooth red liquid for a moment, perhaps contemplating what choices had led her to this exact moment. She wouldn't allow herself to dull the evening the other two seemed so excited for, so she tilted the glass towards herself a took a sip of the beverage. The wineglass lowered as she lightly smacked her lips a couple times. "Expensive taste I see, Soap. The velvety undertones are strong so to speak." She said, quite enjoying the drink.
Soap and Mic shared a soft laugh in return, Taco's expression returning to a sour glare. "I see you two have no respect for my genius input." Taco tried to remain stern, but she turned away so she could hide the growing grin on her face. Mic lightly smacked her shoulder with a snort, setting down as Soap flicked through a variety of show options.
To her, it made no sense why the others found her way of speaking so amusing. Probably had something to do with her accent, or her choice of words which were unusual to the average object. Regardless at least she could mildly amuse the other two instead of feeling like she was constantly dragging them down.
The room was dim as the only light source was the warm bedside lamp, and the gentle glow of the setting sun from outside the window. Taco's eyes gently danced over it as she watched its beams leak through the trees like a painting, a scene she didn't want to quite look away from.
"Nope no scenery watching or whatever you called it!" Soap's hand waved in front of her face, earning a mild snort from the smaller object. "We're watching these silly drama shows for you after all," Mic chimed in.
"and Mic, but she won't admit it." Soap said as she tilted the wineglass towards her lips, a playful look on her face as Mic smacked her shoulder lightly. Taco couldn't deny the warm feeling in her heart of being between two of her dear friends, albeit she felt a little short compared to the two's heights but that was besides the point.
"You were the one to suggest it, were you not?" Taco chimed in against Mic, downing more of the wine slowly. "I don't appreciate this teaming!" Microphone argued back with a snort of laughter.
-
Hushed giggles and murmurs filled the room for the next hour or two, the warmth of alcohol and conversations drowning out any previous thoughts or worry Taco had. In fact, she couldn't quite focus on anything else from before, her vision focused half on the show and half on the two beside her as they talked back and forth. Microphone seemed more entranced in the show than Taco herself was, seeming to criticize and gasp at anything that happened, Soap bouncing off of her with the same level of enthusiasm. Taco thought that maybe she could sit there forever, listening to the excitement flow out of their mouths as their energy was perfectly matched, warm laughter filling her heart and allowing her a moments of peace.
Or maybe it was just all the alcohol getting to their heads.
By now it could have been either or, Taco definitely felt the buzz throughout her bloodstream and tingling on her skin. That mixing with how late it was now, there was no doubt any sort of logical choices were far out of the question now. She lightly twirled the half empty wine glass in her hand, she was barely on her second drink; compared to Soap's third, and perhaps Mic second? She might've lost count. Taco was a slow drinker when it came to wine, she preferred to savor the smooth taste of such an expensive treat.
It was surprising how fast Soap seemed to drink, maybe she had something weighing down her mind. Microphone on the other hand was no surprise, she had always drank rather quickly when it came to any beverage, it was one of the first things Taco noticed whenever they caught a meal together.
That being said it was no surprise when Mic excused herself to the bathroom for a moment, slipping off the bed with a slight stumble. Taco followed her figure out of the room, watching the door shut quietly. Then it was just her and Soap on the bed.
One would imagine it would've been awkward, given their history and Taco's previous anxiety towards the taller object. But surprisingly the quiet air was peaceful, welcoming almost as Taco kept her gaze on the television screen. "Chalk could do so much better." Soap suddenly spoke up as she took a sip of her wine, speaking about the drama show playing before them. Taco nearly shot up, a bit more excited than she should have been. "That's what I'm saying! Surely she must know her own worth this far into the season."
Soap let out a small chuckle at Taco's enthusiasm towards the show, nodding her head in response. "You'd think," A light clink was heard as Soap set her wineglass down on the bedside counter, her movements not going unnoticed by Taco as she seemed to scoot closer.
That was interesting.
A warm hand suddenly rested on her leg, Soap not even sparing her a glance as she did so. Taco suddenly felt like her hands were too clammy, a bit shaky as she struggled to hold her wineglass. Why was Soap's closeness messing with her so much? Surely it was the alcohol and nothing else. She attempted to reel herself back in, to instead redirect to focus onto the mess that was the television program in front of them. But her attention was taken as Soap gently took the wine glass out of her hands and set it onto the beside counter as well.
"I don't really want you spilling that onto my sheets, I just washed them," She commented calmly, seeming to have noticed Taco's rather shaky hands. Taco snorted lightly.
"Haven't you always 'just washed them'?" Her hands made a motion that mimicked quotations marks in the air, attempting for a smug look. Soap finally looked away the screen and down at the shorter object with a chuckle, a smirk playing on her face as her hand closer to Taco suddenly lifted to play with her leafy fillings. "Quiet you."
To both of their surprise, Taco did actually quiet down rather quickly. She was more distracted by the feeling of Soap's hand gently playing with the corner of her lettuce, Soap's gaze back on the television screen while Taco's mind was completely elsewhere. It was weird to have somebody else other than Mic touch her with such gentle care, matter of fact, why was Soap so close? Not that she was complaining so to speak, she was enjoying her presence more than she wanted to admit. So much so that she was looking at the pink object more than she was the screen, her gaze carefully dancing over features that she might've previously skipped over.
Surely Soap would never have normally let her this close without the influence of alcohol, nor would Taco have been this close without the first drink she'd downed. Perhaps she should enjoy the experience while it was still here.
A snicker caught her attention, Soap's gaze was suddenly on her, again. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She questioned curiously, Taco felt a light shiver run through her body as she awkwardly chuckled and yanked away the eye contact. "No. What?" Her voice came out so painfully awkward Taco considered fleeing the room for just a moment. Along with her hands, her entire body was lightly buzzing and shaking, seemingly from nerves.
"Gods Taco, are you a lightweight? You're shaking like a leaf!" Soap giggled as she lightly ruffled Taco's head, god the amount of affection was only making Taco's head spin even more. It was so much more than she was used to, at most she'd get a hug or so from Mic with an affection gesture rarely.
"I-I am nothing of sorts!" Protests spilled out of Taco's mouth as she tried to nudge Soap, although it was so light she just seemed like she was shifting her arm at most. "More-so I'm not as familiar with such- forward displays of affection as you may be." She added on, but her words seemed to intrigue Soap in a way as she leaned slightly forward.
"Really? I would've thought you and Mic were all.. chummy behind closed doors," Soap's lighthearted giggle didn't go unnoticed by the smaller object. What in the heavens was that suppose to mean?
"She is rather affectionate, not as much as you may assume." Was Soap always this close? In fact her face was right up against her own by now, a dangerously curious look present that made Taco's nerves tingle lightly. But she couldn't help but wonder just what was on the other girl's mind, it must've been something interesting for her to be practically leaned up against her. "..something on your mind Soap?"
"Hm.. nothingg," Soap finally leaned back, giving Taco some much needed breathing room. But of course her moment of peace only lasted a second before she nearly choked on air at Soap's next question.
"You and Mic ever kissed?" It was so painfully casual Taco swore she heard her incorrectly for a moment.
.
"pardon?" Taco cleared her throat.
"Y'know? I kinda always thought you guys might've." Soap's gaze was back on the television, but Taco could tell the other was paying absolutely no attention to the show playing. Her mind was still reeling to catch up to such an outrageously bold question. And Soap had the nerve to call her a lightweight.
"..w-we've done no such thing, why do you ask?" She couldn't help the curiosity that flooded through her. Why did Soap even care??
"Really? Wow," Soap's voice had some genuine surprise in it, "not even once?" A small smile flickered over Soap's expression, somewhat similar to a teasing look but still having bits of genuine curiosity in there.
"No, have you?" Taco wasn't even sure.. why she was asking. Or why she cared, but regardless the words came flooding out of her mouth anyways. Was that something Mic was okay with? She honestly had no idea she was even.. into women, although it didn't surprise Taco much. Microphone always seemed to lack conversations centering around romance and especially men. Granted, there weren't many desirable men present on the island.
"Just once," Soap's casual voice was almost enough to make Taco scream.
"Once?? I-" Taco swallowed.
"..I wasn't aware that was an option."
Soap snorted lightly, her expression now amused as she turned to fully face Taco. "Kissing Mic or kissing women?" Her voice had hints of snark sprinkled in there, Taco could see the mischievous look playing on her face.
Soap's amusement and overall playful attitude was contagious, Taco had to bite her lip to prevent a stupid smile from breaking out.
"Kissing Mic you imbecile." She chuckled dryly, barely able to fight back the grin that was forming. Where was this charged atmosphere going? It was similar to one she'd felt with Microphone before in the past, albeit for passing moments before Mic always managed to slip away before anything could really happen. Not that Taco knew what she wanted to happen, just that she knew something might've. Now her attention was fully on the way Soap was eyeing the closed bathroom door, what could she possibly have had in mind?
"Y'know we've probably got a couple minutes before Mic comes back." Soap commented with an open ended tone, leaving the statement up for interpretation. Taco questioned just for a moment what Soap was hinting at, but given the conversation they had just shared it surely meant one thing, right? Regardless she felt the need to play dumb, to protect herself and maybe to mess with the other woman just a bit.
Taco shifted her position slightly, feeling her weight dip into the soft mattress below as she did so. "And what are you insinuating?"
Soap stared her down with a mischievous look, she'd seen it before while her and Mic play fought previously. Taco gave one last glance to the bathroom door; it wasn't like they were going to do anything technically wrong, not in the slightest. So she let out a light huff and scooted closer to Soap, who in return leaned down and tilted Taco's chin up.
It was possibly the softest, chastest kiss she'd ever had. Granted she hadn't actually kissed anyone before, perhaps she would have never given her first one to Soap if it weren't for the alcohol clouding both of their heads. It wasn't bad, in fact it was quite enjoyable. She felt herself break the kiss for a moment to gather air, a stuttered sound of surprise escaping her as Soap pulled her back in for a second one.
Taco allowed her eyes to fall completely shut and lose herself to the soft sensation, one of her hands lowering to rest on Soap's leg while her other one lingered off to the side.
It was so peaceful that Taco didn't even hear the sound of the toilet flushing through the thin wall of the bathroom, nor the sound of the door clicking open.
Microphone brushed her hands off onto her sides, looking over and freezing up slightly as she saw both of her friends just.. making out on the bed. Now she was certain these two didn't get along very well, what could she have possibly missed within the past 10 minutes?
"What did I miss?" Mic chuckled dryly as she stared for a moment. Soap pulled back a little too calmly as Taco jolted at the familiar voice. Oh god.
Taco's hands felt clammy and shaky as she whipped her head back to look at Mic, a 'deer in headlights' look plastered onto her already nervous face. "Microphone!" She grinned as she clasped her hands together.
"Nothing you can't join in on," Soap said with an eager smile, Taco now whipped her head to look at Soap. She couldn't tell if her head was spinning from the nerves, the thoughts running through her head or how many times she'd whipped her head around. But Mic didn't seem angry or anything, she wasn't sure why she would have. A weight settled onto the bed on the other side of her, Microphone sitting next to her and looking at Soap with a small grin.
"oh heavens." Taco's voice was barely audible as Microphone leaned over and pressed a quick peck to Soap's lips, followed by a longer kiss. Taco huffed lightly as she was slightly squished between the two, their giggles echoing through her head as she inhaled deeply to keep herself grounded in the moment. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but it wasn't bad at least. Why she was simply sitting there instead of moving out of the way or saying something, she wasn't quite sure.
A moment later and the other two pulled away, Soap's laugh filling the air like a melody Taco didn't realize she enjoyed. Suddenly she felt a hand on her face, tilting her to look towards the source. Mic was urging her with a smile. "So where's my kiss?" Her voice was so horrifically sweet that Taco felt her brain short circuit.
"Aah- haha of course!" Taco nervously laughed out loud, subconsciously leaning back for a moment as Mic's soft gaze burned right into her soul. Suddenly she was missing the days where she used to be feared, because now she felt like a ball of nerves. A muffled gasp escaped her as Mic's lips were suddenly against hers, leaving her frozen for just a moment. Wide eyes stared back at Microphone as she leaned back breaking the kiss.
"She didn't look like that for me," Soap snorted, earning a sputtered sound from Taco as she quickly elbowed her in the chest. "Quiet!" Taco hissed out, desperately pulling herself together with a shaky inhale. This time she was the first to engage as she eagerly pulled Mic back in for a second kiss, a more passionate touch to it as she felt Mic smile against her. The feeling of Mic's mouth against hers, and now Soap's hand resting on her head was like an addicting drug. She had never gotten this much affection in her life, and now she never wanted to go back. Her eagerness must have been obvious in the way she was pushing herself against Mic, body shaking slightly as she carelessly pushed herself.
Microphone's hands were suddenly on her shoulders and gently pushing her away as she broke the kiss. "You okay?" Her voice was sweet and filled with giggles, probably concerned with how crimson Taco's face seemed, along with how she was shaking.
"-of course, why do you ask?" Taco's voice was so out of breath she had to take a second before speaking, the sound of laughter once again filling her head. This was one addicting humiliation ritual.
"Maybe she needs a break," Soap nudged her lightly, stealing away Mic for yet another kiss. Taco would've protested about wanting more, if she had the air to do so. Instead she allowed herself to indulge in the feeling of warmth, the affection she'd desperately craved for years. Taco allowed her eyes to fall shut as she leaned against the other two, perhaps losing track of time for just a moment or two.
Not that the other two seemed to mind, being too busy enjoying the taste of each other she assumed.
She felt herself slip slightly and nearly fall forward, jolting into a sitting position that caused the other two to break their kiss.
"Tired?" Mic questioned curiously, in response Taco nodded.
"The alcohol must be running its course," Taco's voice was tired as she flopped back onto the bed, the plushy pillow catching her head as she sighed.
"Lightweightttt," Soap sang out as Microphone giggled in response. Taco shot her a glare and kicked her in the side as hard as she could with a drowsy mind. Nonsense, she refused to accept the label of lightweight, it was surely the late hours of the night. Or even the type of wine. Her eyes fell closed again, a simple mistake as she heard a hushed whisper escape Microphone, followed by laughter that was too mischievous for her liking.
Quickly she opened her eyes, but was startled by the feeling of both Soap and Microphone giving her a peck on each kiss. She sputtered and swatted the two away desperately. "You two are the worst!" She hissed with laughter.
One would think Taco would've gotten tired of hearing the other two snicker, but it was addicting in a weird sort of way.
"Alright, I'm tired" Soap said as she cleared the bed of any remotes, snacks or anything else that would linger in the way. Mic let her arms stretch over her head with an exhausted exhale. "Same." She then lied down next to Taco, who opened her eyes just to share a smile.
"Of course you put yourself in the middle," Soap said sarcastically, lying on the other side of Taco.
"I have an acquired taste for sleeping spots." Taco responded in a "matter-of-factly" tone; earning herself one last smack from Soap.
The only thing better than the earlier affection was the feeling of the other two cuddled against her, Mic's arm stretched across her over to Soap and one of Soap's hands finding its way back to her leafy toppings. Now that she had a taste for what could be, she was sure she would be attending more of these hangouts Mic invited her too. In fact she regretted not agreeing to it sooner. This beat her earlier view enjoying by a substantial amount!
The room plunged into a welcoming darkness as Soap flicked off the bedside lamp, the warm atmosphere making it easy for Taco to settle down. It was a nice change compared to her other sleeping nights.
Excluding the hushed whispers and giggles that did not go unnoticed, seeing as she was right between the two.
"you missed Chalk getting back with Letter," Soap's hushed voice was right against Taco's right ear.
"no way." Mic snorted. "I thought she was going to get with Potion? She can do so much better," her voice was equally as quiet as Soap's. Not at all.
"that's what we said!"
Taco grumbled into the dark room.
"Please consider actually sleeping." Taco commented with a grumpy tone.
Soap and Microphone's giggles were even sweeter right against her ears, something she could surely get used to hearing more.
"no promises," Soap pressed one last kiss to her side, a small huff in response as her cheeks hurt from smiling.