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Kima looked all around the house, which honestly wasn't all that large. There were really only four rooms of any size, two of which were bedrooms. Pike wasn't in either of those, nor was the Gnome in the great room or kitchen. Kima had already knocked on the door to the bath and was just considering whether or not to check the basement when she heard a noise outside.
All things being equal, the paladin hadn't wanted to go down to the basement anyway. Allura used the space as an arcane library, having split most of Whitestone's remaining magical tomes and paraphernalia with Gilmore to keep everything safe. There was some strange stuff down there.
The Arcanist herself had left with Gilmore to Emon to do more research. Something to do with the ziggurat and the deadly magical whatsit down there. Kima shivered. She wanted nothing to do that. With Allie gone, though, she wanted to find Pike.
The cleric in question was outside, having risen to greet the dawn, as she often did now that she had moved in with the paladin and the wizard. That was another thing Kima didn't really understand. Morning people.
Dressed in a light gray tunic that seemed more than a bit too big for her, Pike was tending to the flowers that had begun to bloom. The garment hung below her knees and had slipped off of one shoulder, exposing the Gnome's bare feet and the lightly freckled skin of her back.
Kima walked up and jerked a thumb back toward the house, "I've got a kettle on for tea. We can make some of the strong stuff that Allie thinks she has so well hidden. Is that my tunic?"
Pike turned with a smile, "Tea sounds lovely." She plucked at the fabric of the garment, "Oh, I guess it is. It was in a pile beside the bed, and it was still dark when I got dressed to welcome Sarenrae's light. Is it alright?"
The paladin placed a hand on each of the cleric's shoulders and pulled the younger woman closer. She leaned down so that her dark eyes could look directly into Pike's pale blue ones. Her voice was low when she spoke, "That tunic is mine. Do you understand?"
Pike gulped and nodded, her eyes widening, "Yes, I understand, Kima. I'm sorry. I didn't realize..."
Lips curling into a sneer, the Halfling scoffed, "You mean you didn't think." Then she winked and added, "But you look amazing in it. Also, anything that is mine is yours. I hope you know that, sweetie."
Before Pike could form a response, or even fully remove the expression of confusion mingled with fear on her face, Kima pulled the Gnome in for a hungry, eager, open-mouthed kiss.
Moaning softly at the sudden display of passion, the cleric could only hang on, her arms circling the taller woman's waist. Pike closed her eyes and made way for Kima's invading, but not unwelcome, tongue.
Eventually, they both remembered that they needed to breathe, and the soft, warm, slightly wet sounds of the kiss were replaced by tiny gasps as their lips parted.
"You're mine too, sweetie," Kima said as she touched the tip of her nose to Pike's, then playfully gave it a tiny bite. She lifted a dark-skinned hand and gently caressed the smaller woman's cheek, "I definitely hope you know that."
Letting out another soft gasp, the Gnome nodded, then grinned, "Does that mean that I'm my own also? Since anything that's yours is mine?"
The Halfling's scowl returned, darkening her features, and she shook her head, "No. No way. I only share you with Allie, and she's not here right now."
Pike squeaked, the grin vanishing from her face. She nodded, "I... O-okay. If you say so. I still don't know all the rules of living with you and Allura." Her cheeks turned rosy as she murmured, "I didn't even know there were rules."
Kima's hand clenched into a fist, gripping the fabric of the tunic that loosely covered Pike's body, "Oh there are rules." She gently tugged the cleric toward the house and swatted her bottom with her free hand before letting go of the tunic, "Most of them have to do with stealing Allie's tea. Which we should do before all the water boils away."
The Gnome let out a quiet squeak and she went back inside. She prepared two cups of tea, trying to remember how Kima took hers. She settled on just serving it black, with a bowl of sugar cubes on the side. Cream was still scarce in Whitestone, though farmers were finally getting back to their fields.
As the two sat down together, Pike smiled, "I can never tell when you're kidding."
Narrowing her eyes, the Halfling stirred her tea. She concentrated on the steady movement of the silver spoon for several seconds before she lifted her head, "What in Tal'Dorei would I be kidding about?"
The cleric swallowed nervously and, having forgotten that she had already put sugar in her tea, added three more cubes. Her tongue flicked out across her lips and she gestured toward the paladin, "That, for example?"
Kima set her spoon down on the edge of her saucer. Without taking her eyes from Pike, she took a long sip, savoring the steaming liquid. As she returned the cup to the saucer, she nodded in satisfaction, "I can see why Allie tries to hide that."
She steepled her fingers together, elbows resting on the edge of the table, "Tell me, sweetie, do you want me to be kidding?"
Pike squirmed in her seat, and she set her own cup down, afraid she might spill it, shaking as much as she was, "I really don't know. I've loved getting to know you and Allura much better lately. But you've never been like... this. It's surprising."
The paladin nodded, "I see. I appreciate your honesty. It's been a very long time since I've had a lover so close to my size. You're younger than I am too, though don't tell Allie I ever implied that she was older." Kima grinned, "I'm really not trying to scare you. You've just awakened some things in me that don't necessarily fit into my relationship with Allie. And probably not when all three of us are together."
Pike nodded thoughtfully, finally managing to have a sip of her tea. She reached over and placed a hand on top of Kima's, "But when it's just the two of us?"
The Halfling grinned, "You're strong enough to take rougher treatment. Allie is rather fragile. Again, don't tell her I said so."
The cleric giggled, but nodded, "I promise." Her fingers stroked across the back of Kima's hand, "So where does that leave us? I think you recently claimed me as yours, and said that you wouldn't share me with anyone but Allura. How does all that work?"
Kima flipped her hand over and laced her fingers with Pike's, "It starts with you taking off my tunic and marching into that bedroom."
~~~~~
A few hours later, the bedroom door opened and Allura stepped in. She took a few moments to survey the room before she spoke, "I only have two questions, my loves. Why is my tea out, and why is Pike tied to the bed?"