Callie's Heroes

PART V - LIVING THE MOMENT

Pixyl’s laugh and gentle ribbing of Callie served to greatly lighten the mood. Callie could tell there was still some sub-surface anger towards the Major on the part of Pixyl, but suspected their private conversation to come, and the passage of some time, would smooth everything over. This was good. Callie really liked Celeste. Unlike the other officers, she was always relaxed and felt more like one of them, perhaps because she was also one of the first-generation camp recruits. Or maybe it was because she tolerated her mischief-making. The others just seemed to have a stoic professionalism that kept them a little unapproachable on a personal level, even when they would let their guard down.

Speaking of making mischief …

“So, do you have someone you’re thinking about asking for Midsummer?” Callie casually asked, almost whistling innocently at the question.

“I’ve already arranged to spend the time with …” Celeste started to mindlessly answer, before catching herself just before the big reveal. “You sneaky little …”

Laughing, Callie snapped her fingers. “Damn! I almost got it.”

“You mind your own business!” the Major growled with her own laugh. “When did you even learn about Midsummer?”

“Ambria, Pixyl and Pama told me about it last week, and shared the Fae story of its origins. At least the history about the hook-up part of the holiday.”

“Of course it was Ambria.” Celeste rolled her eyes and looked back into the glade, where the Faun was seated next to the fakefire chatting with Cheena.

“Hey! Remember, she has standards!” Callie said in defense of her friend. “It’s not like she’s hooked up with anyone else. Well, maybe the twins. Probably Moka for sure.”

Shaking her head in disbelief, the Major stood. “I’ll be heading back to camp soon. I know a few have talked about spending the night here, but you all need to come back. We’re probably going to do Xera’s review of the mission right after breakfast again, and it would be good if everyone was rested. Pixyl, Olin said you’re going to hit Silver, but you need to sleep well for that to happen.” She glanced at Callie. “I mean it, actual sleep!”

Grudgingly, Pixyl nodded. It would stink to be so close, and then miss it because she was awake all night, even if the likely reason for being awake was probably worth it.

“Callie, I’m curious, how close are you to Silver?” Celeste asked.

“I was BRONZE.688 this morning,” Callie replied. “With today’s fight, I might get it next week, but more likely the week after.”

“Week six is when most everyone reaches Silver, so you’re right on schedule.”

That actually made Callie quite happy. She’d been worried that she was falling behind. Jesca and Shul’an would for sure reach Silver before the break for Midsummer, and Thucax was surprisingly just a little bit ahead of her, so it was a bit of a friendly race to see who made it first.

“How close are you to Platinum?” Callie asked the Major, out of return curiosity, remembering Lena had mentioned she was Gold Tier.

“Close! Really close! I was at .983 this morning. It’s possible, with today’s mission, I could make it before Midsummer. For sure I’ll make it in the next few weeks. Progress really slows once you reach Gold, because you tend to develop patterns and habits, so learning new things becomes more difficult.”

“That’s great!” Callie squealed, truly excited for the Major. “If you do make it, we’ll have to add you to the party that we’re throwing for Master Trainer Thorn. Vonn too, for that matter, since she also just hit Platinum.”

“As long as we don’t overshadow Thorn. Getting to Topaz is an amazing accomplishment, especially for a Beastkin, and it needs to be the focus.”

Callie nodded in understanding, making a mental note to let Jesca know about those that just made Platinum. As the organizer of the party, she’d figure out a good way to recognize everyone without diminishing Thorn’s big achievement.

Soon the Major departed, once again leaving Callie and Pixyl alone in the bioluminescent darkness. As they found each others’ eyes, the last of the cold, prickly aura Pixyl had put up against Celeste almost immediately melted away.

“Hi,” Callie said quietly, her brain scrambling to come up with something profound to say, and failing magnificently.

“Hi,” Pixyl replied, failing as well.

After a long moment, Pixyl simply rushed at Callie, the two of them locking lips like it was their first time all over again. Callie fell to her back, or maybe Pixyl pushed her down, and the Pixie straddled her torso, lips still attached. The kiss was eager and passionate and full of fire, as if trying to make up for lost time. In a sense, they were.

Finally sitting up, still straddling Callie, Pixyl tore her shoulder armor off, the Scufrow making its Velcro-like tearing sound, before she tossed it aside. Next came the leather bodywrap, likewise torn open and added to the pile. She unbuttoned the clasp of her tunic above the wings, and then pulled the bottom out of where it was tucked in.

“Wait,” Callie whispered, a soft giggle in her voice, “there’s others around.”

Pixyl had started to lift the shirt off, but stopped at the warning, a tiny bit of a pout on her face. Instead, she reached under and behind, unclasping her binder, pulling it away and likewise adding it to the growing pile of discarded items. Pixyl charged back in, again locking lips with Callie.

With the Pixie leaning over, her tunic hanging loosely, Callie’s hands instinctively reached up and under the cloth, cupping Pixyl’s breasts. The Fae’s skin was passionately hot, and the Pixie gasped for a brief moment at the sensitive touch, before returning her attention to Callie’s lips.

Callie squeezed and brushed her thumbs against each of Pixyl’s nipples, awkwardly groping like she was in high school again. She wanted to embrace and pull Pixyl close. Hell, she wanted to get Pixyl’s clothes off, as well as her own. Her mind kept competing with itself, though, debating between ‘enjoy the moment’ and ‘now’s not the time’ and ‘is this really a good idea’. None of those thoughts were emerging as the clear winner of that argument, so she simply groped around like a dork.

“T-T-Touch my back. Where the wings meet,” Pixyl whispered between whispered breaths.

“What? Doesn’t that hurt?”

Fearful of hurting her, Callie had so far resisted fully embracing Pixyl and pulling her tightly close. She had never forgotten that first-day lesson where she accidentally hit the base of Xera’s wing, sending them sprawling in pain. In fact, even after four weeks living together, Callie had never even touched Pixyl’s wings, worried it was a crass invasion and about their sensitivity, despite being so curious about what they might feel like. The only contact she’d ever had with them was when she’d been hit in the face during Pixyl’s quintuple skill reveal.

“It’s fine. Just do it lightly,” Pixyl whispered gasping breathy kisses. “I’ll guide you.”

Not arguing, Callie slid one hand around, forcefully pulling Pixyl close at the same time. Carefully, she brushed a finger against the base of Pixyl’s wings, instantly feeling the strong flying-muscles in the Pixie’s back clench and quiver. Pixyl suddenly squeaked and pulled away from the kiss. Her eyes now opened wide in surprise, and then glee, before she again dove for Callie.

Utterly mystified by the reaction, Callie repeated the move, this time spreading her fingers and rubbing down both sides of where the wings met. Pixyl’s entire body seemed to tighten, and she gasped in shock before falling forward. Her eyes became unfocused and she opened her mouth, panting into Callie’s ear as she moaned.

“Do it again,” Pixyl whispered with a heavy breath, a tiny inflection of pleading in her words.

This time, Callie brought up her other hand, using the forefingers on each to run her nails lightly down either side of the intensely-sensitive area. Pixyl spasmed in shock this time, squeaking into Callie’s ear as her breath caught for a moment, before breathing out white-hot air. Callie didn’t really understand how this was working, this was all strange biology to her, but clearly the base of Pixyl’s wings were an erogenous zone if handled delicately, and it was obvious the effect it was having. Callie was as turned on as the Pixie though, and she opened herself to the sexual energy being created around her.

“Again! A little harder,” Pixyl groaned, something between begging and demanding.

Not daring to question, Callie simply followed the directions, repeating the motion, this time pressing her fingernails slightly harder. Pixyl spasmed, jerked herself upright and gasped in surprise, eyes wide as she blankly gazed skywards, trying to hold in any sounds. Callie could feel the muscles of Pixyl’s back and body tightening even more, and her wings seemed to vibrate faster than imaginable; fast enough they actually hummed. The Pixie then looked down at her, slightly panting, and then leaned forward again. Grabbing Callie’s pigtails in each fist, she moved her lips close, almost touching, but not quite. Pixyl’s eyes were wild with passion and desire, almost seeming alight.

“Do it again!” she growled, this time almost a savage, primal order, before slamming her mouth over Callie’s and pulling hard on her hair.

Callie repeated the motion with her fingers, but this time, using two on each hand. Her nails scraped down the obviously sensitive base of Pixyl’s wings, maybe even leaving a mark impossible to see in the darkness. But this time, she didn’t stop at a single motion, she kept going, maintaining the pressure and adding a repeating rhythm.

Pixyl’s body quivered and shook, wings humming and vibrating in a low drone like a dragonfly’s, as they started to glow faintly magenta with raw sexual energy. She ground and rocked her pelvis against Callie’s armored stomach, pressing hard, in time with the hot exhales of breath she pushed into Callie’s lungs, synchronized to Callie’s deft touches.

It took only a few groaning breaths more, and there was a final staccato series of jerks, before Pixyl’s body stiffened. She held her breath, the ecstasy of release finally overtaking, her fingers entwined in Callie’s hair, making tighter and tighter fists. Callie didn’t care her hair was being pulled so hard, in fact it just made her feel more entwined in the moment, happily drowning in Pixyl’s moment of orgasmic passion.

Finally breaking the seal between their mouths, Pixyl fell forward again, her body going limp as she panted hot breath heavily into Callie’s pointed ear, slowly releasing and untangling her grip. Her wings ceased their humming and seemed to slowly deflate, eventually folding flat and pinning Callie’s hands into place against her back. Callie just hugged tighter. They lay there, wrapped in the Pixie’s embracing afterglow as the tiny Fae’s panting slowed and her wings spread out over them both like a blanket.

Callie understood full well what had actually happened, yet part of her brain was still trying to understand how such a simple touch could cause this reaction, some Tinker-nerd analysis trying to make sense of something so wonderful. At the same time, it was a stark reminder that she was in a different world, and that she wanted to, no, she needed to, know every square centimeter of Pixyl’s strange, magnificent body.

Callie wasn’t sure how long they laid there, but did distinctly hear the whooshing sound of Juniper’s teleport returning from the trip to camp, having dropped off the Major and others. Pixyl’s panting had eventually slowed to normal as she finally caught her breath, and now she was simply lying on Callie’s chest, eyes closed, and making happy little purring noises.

The intimate moment with Pixyl was bringing up a lot of introspective thoughts for Callie, despite its brevity. It had been a long time since she had been with anyone. She’d had a lot of one-nighters and short-term things when she was first at college, and even a couple bathroom hookups when out clubbing. But then her junior year came with a sort-of-casual but steady ‘friends-with-benefits’ relationship with a girl named Morgan, which eventually turned into something serious her senior year, and they were both working to find jobs that would allow them to live together. But when her dad died, something changed between them. Callie needed to move back home, and before long, the relationship with Morgan had simply fizzled away from neglect. Since then, she’d been on two first dates, both were disasters, and she had plain given up. She knew she hadn’t really been ready to be with someone new, and was content to be happy with solitude for the foreseeable future. What these thoughts and memories really meant, Callie wasn’t sure, except maybe to put what had happened into some kind of odd perspective, and maybe signal it was time to rethink things.

As her head raced through it, though, there were a lot of reasons springing to mind why getting serious with Pixyl was a bad idea. In either four or eight weeks they’d be separated as they were sent off to war, which was the most-prominent. Or she could be whisked back home unexpectedly, even if a growing part of her didn’t really want to go back and was becoming comfortable thinking of this world as her new home. Or a relationship could so fuck with her head that she’d end up distracted from training, even if following the Major’s rules. Still, did it matter? Or was it just more important to live in the moment while you could?

Another happy little trilling moan came from Pixyl as she wriggled into a more-comfortable position, seeming to purr even deeper. Callie looked down her chest, seeing only the Pixie’s hair, oddly colored by the bioluminescent rainbows around them. As Callie breathed, Pixyl rose and fell, dozing a bit now as the post-sex endorphins slowly waned. Callie smiled at the sight, and at the memory of what had just happened, then at the anticipation of more memories that would come, and then even had the passing thought of an eventual future together. She realized the only thing holding her back was her own fears and worried thoughts of ‘what if’. The future was unwritten, and anything could happen, so you had to embrace the now. If the last month had taught her anything, it was that.

To hell with it!

“I love you, too.”