NOVEL NEXT 1.76 – Crush
When the sun started to rise and light began flooding the tent, Thera and Emma were both still there against Maple. She inhaled deep and savored the moment. They were both clean, thanks to Emma. Her arm wrapped around Thera's side and pulled her tight against her. Emma was draped over top of her and around her. She wanted to whisper sweet nothings into either of their ears, only she didn't know any nothings.
It was the best camping trip she'd ever been on, not that she'd been on many. And not that this was entirely a camping trip. But if she knew one thing, it was that what happened in camp, stayed in camp. So she'd just forget about the plant thing, and everything would be fine.
Thera stirred in her arms, and rolled onto her back. Maple took the chance to move her hand up and get one last feel in before they got up. Thera didn't seem to mind, and after a yawn, she wrapped her arms around Maple and pulled her head down to her chest. Her voice was slightly raspy from sleep.
"Good morning. Emma's still inside of me, the little devil."
"Ah—me too. Emma, you pervert."
Maple laughed and pet the gelatinous head that formed between her and Thera. She hadn't noticed until Thera mentioned it, but—that was a good way to wake up, too. Emma laughed mischievously and slid herself out. Thera ran a hand through her, still half asleep.
"I didn't say to pull out."
Emma's eyebrows went up. Oh? Maple felt her slide back inside of Thera, and then she looked at Maple. You too? She read her expression and Maple was soon filled again too. Maple hugged them both close to her. She wanted to stay like this forever.
The moment didn't last. From outside came the crackling of the fire, the sounds of cooking and morning activity in general. Thera took her time getting her clothing and armor back on. Maple was dressed first, but pouted lazily in bed a while longer.
There was a tiny spark within her, and it worried her. She might be starting to like Thera, more than as a passing fling or just someone she and Emma did things with occasionally. A part of her wanted to cling to Thera, receive her love and attention, and—be needy.
The spark of a crush had appeared, and Maple didn't want it. What was she supposed to do with that kind of feeling? Even if Thera reciprocated in that way, she was an adventurer. She'd come and go, and probably didn't want anything too serious.
Her brain was getting ahead of itself. They'd just met—yet they were similar, weren't they? They were both somewhat odd humans—and Thera was really cool, strong, self-determined, hot...Maple liked those qualities, would want to have them herself. She wanted to see Thera's other qualities.
She had Emma, and felt just as strongly about her as usual. That should be enough. This was still only a spark, just large enough to notice. She tried to snuff it out before the feeling grew any larger. Only time would tell if it would work.
Unbeknownst to her, a certain plant may have been going through similar, with newfound feelings even more confusing for it than Maple's own. It would ponder those feelings, deny having them—it was merely a plant—and when that didn't work and the feelings boiled over out of its control...what might it do?
Time would tell.
For now, Maple had the somehow-alive rock and potential loot to distract her. She wondered if Azure Bond would figure out a way to move it, and tried to think of a solution herself. She had none.
Maple and Emma exited their tent right after Thera did. Dort was cooking and nodded to them. His voice had a cheerful morning gruffness to it.
"Good morning! I hope you like eggs. Found dozens of 'em. Dozens!"
Maple glanced at Thera, awkwardly remembering how leaving the same tent probably looked. She didn't seem bothered by it though, and Dort made no comment. And considering how the others caught her last night...
Maple shook the memory off and looked at the basket full of...dozens of eggs. He was frying them and had several ready on a plate.
"Morning. Jeez, how'd you find so many?"
"Likely the same thing making everything so horny, me thinks. Alas told me 'bout it. Grab a plate if ya want any, lass. You too, blue."
Alas, huh? It pained Maple to ponder how much she'd told him, but she decided not to ask. Emma held up a note and helped herself to an egg, snatching it right off the ready plate. Then she did load a few up on her own plate. She savored her food.
Good morning. Thank you!
"Pack up your stuff when you're done eating, and we'll head back to the thing."
Thera addressed them and Maple nodded. That was the not-fun part of camping; unpacking and re-packing each day, and her legs and feet were tired. It was good practice if they did end up going on that trip with Bailey, she supposed.
Shortly after Alas got up and joined them, a deer appeared at the edge of their camp. Maple pointed it out to Emma, and then looked cautiously at Alas. Was she about to witness another murder?
Emma turned to Alas with...expectation. She continued eating without acknowledging them. Then, a second deer appeared, or might the term be a buck in this case, and—mounted the first. Maple laughed and turned away with disgust.
"Oh, ew. Thera was right about the animals."
Emma tugged on Alas's sleeve desperately.
"Hm?"
Emma pointed and made an archer's aiming and shooting motion, complete with her tongue sticking out, followed by a vigorous eating motion. She ended it with a grin and eyebrow wiggle. If Maple interpreted it into words, it'd be: Look, more free food! Do the thing!!
Alas glanced at the two deer and her expression remained neutral.
"I'm not carrying 200 pounds of deer with us. And we don't know how long we'll be here, it could rot before we get back to the city."
Emma's face was a shocked smile for a second, and then turned sad as she rubbed her tummy. Maple laughed.
"Jeez, you're hungry enough to eat a deer?"
Emma shook her head and held up two fingers. She made her lips curve lower and Maple pinched her squishy cheek.
"Aw, poor baby. Hungry enough to eat two deer."
Emma laughed and nodded. Her human understood her so well.
