#yeah homegal is dense af but she didn't have many lesbians hitting on her before cut her some slack

[hel-phoenyx]

Ether is @noa-de-cajou 's character, Xingtzao the Almighty GF's and Agathe is @thal-ent 's

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Morning coffee in the kitchens of the Shabbatai Empire, let's be honest, nothing compares to that. And by morning I mean "before dawn". Full moon woke me up and now that it's over I am tired and cranky and craving a big old steak.

But Xingtzao said no steak on mornings so I had to settle with coffee. At least I can digest it, that could be worse. I wonder if Allegra can drink that safely. I should ask her.

Let's not derail. So, I am in the kitchens of the Empire, before everyone will come storming in and probably screams because I look like a bear out of hibernation, and am probably as grumpy. I don't have time to stay there, not as much as I would want to, but it's fine. When the first people start coming in, I'll just change resting places and go sleep in what was the harem before.

But first, coffee. Aaaaaah, it feels good to drink something hot.

Movement catches my eye when I put my empty cup down. I jump on my feet, expecting one of the chiefs ready to kick me out, but instead of a cook, I find myself in the presence of an elf-lady, dark-skinned with purple hair, looking as surprised to see me here as I am.

I lift an eyebrow. What is the empress consort doing here that early in the morning?

"Something the matter, Ether?"

She blinks. Before, probably, winking. We can't tell with that eyepatch, not really, but there is some subtle change of her expression when she does one, or the other.

And currently, the smile I'm seeing is probably a proof she's not just blinking.

"You know, Lycarn, she says with that smile, you have a very pretty butt. It is too bad you have to sit on it, want to sit on me instead?~"

Oh no, not again.

She is in one of those moments where she doesn't make sense. That's unnerving, I'm not gonna lie. What does she want with my butt? And why sitting on her? I'm probably at least twenty kilograms heavier than her, this will be deadly...

Rolling my eyes, I put my cup back and sighs, not even looking in her general direction.

"I kinda have to sit if I want to rest, Ether. And no, I won't.... Sit on you. That would crush you, and I don't want to hurt you."

As infuriating as she is especially in those moments, I guess seeing her in pain creates that ache in my heart. It's even worse since Savannah's death. I suppose it's because I want to protect the girl she went to Niwloedd with.

Ether blinks, this time, but I don't give her the opportunity to answer. The first cooks enter the kitchen and I sprint out, clearly not in the mood for unwanted social interaction.

***

I'm tanning under the sun of the imperial gardens, or trying, at the very least. The combo of my moon-cursed nature, my fair skin and my powers makes it difficult not to get sunburnt. But feeling the sun on my skin is soothing, especially after a full moon.

The maid brought me a tea. She did not stick around that much, but the tea and the anole time taste wonderfully. Servants seem to avoid me, from the most part. I don't know if it's because of the big bad wolf, the resting bitch face, or the fact that I am clearly from the north, with very Inky facial features.

Hate of Ink Republic is strong here. I wonder how Ether is doing, when they drag Faloi Frosilæn in the mud like they do.

Speaking of the devil, there she is. She also carries a cup of tea, and her clothing is far more revealing than mine. Her skin probably supports sunrays better than mine. Lucky bitch.

I turn away my gaze, because I'm envious, and not because she flaunts her belly and hips, mind you. But she still comes near me and sit down under my tree, with her cup in one hand and a book in the other.

"A sunbath sounds good. Mind if I join you?"

"Oh, not at all. Needed a break from the whole consort thing?"

"You have no idea. Ai... I mean Xingtzao is tired of me, I believe. For her defense, me playing footsies under the table is not the best way to allow her to concentrate."

I roll my eyes when she waggles her eyebrows, hardly keeping my smile in check.

"None of your stinky toes near me, milady, or I'll bite them off pronto."

"I would joke about that but I saw your teeth from up close and I certainly do not want them near my toes. Somewhere else, maybe....~~~~~"

And there she is again. Seriously? Second time this day!

"I'm still infectious, Ether. You do not want to be a werewolf on top of everything."

"That wasn't what I meant-"

"What then? Don't tell me having the equivalent of a second period is attractive, because I won't believe you."

I said that under the tone of a joke, but I've never been more serious. I'm used to my curse, I lived with it for almost forty years now, but I don't want anyone suffering under it.

That curse killed Mythras searching for a remedy. Twice. No one should ever undergo that.

Ether sighs. But, and I'm thanking her for that, she keeps silent. She just opens her book and lean on me to drink her tea.

I let her put her head on my shoulder. Afternoon nap is better shared, after all.

***

"What's with Ether these days?"

Agathe lifts her head, turning in my general direction. It's the time of the week I help her preening her wings, and at the same time, brush her long, jet-black hair; we often use those hours to talk about our life in the castle, as first concubine and, well, partner of the first concubine. Usually it's just anecdotes shared about the other officials, Xingtzao or the diplomats seeking an audience, but today a more urgent subject is haunting my thoughts and it's dark-skinned, pointy-eared and eerily handsome.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's been some days since she started saying nonsense. Like she wants me to bite her, or, that my father stole stars, or... I'm not gonna cite all of it, I add while Agathe just bursts out laughing. Funny, huh?"

"Oh, yes, very funny indeed, my love. And she started talking like that since..."

I take a moment to think.

".... Three or four days, I believe? Well, she already didn't make that much sense back on Niwloedd, but it's worse now. What's with her?"

Agathe snickers a little, while guiding my hand on a very unyielding feather on top of her wing.

"Who knows, my moon. Maybe you should ask her directly."

And I fold, because Agathe's feathers are soft and her hand even softer and her voice when she call me by that petname the softest and I forget what we were talking about.

***

A visit of the Immortal King in Shabbatai is not exactly common, rare enough for the whole staff to freak out, but if I'm being honest, I probably saw Baku more than Xingtzao herself even though he had to pretext something official to explain getting out of his cave.

So now we're just sitting around a table, me drinking my coffee and him making the pastries even regret being baked. His sweet tooth seems to be difficult to follow for the cooks. That's probably why the cake on the table is a classic Mandate one.

The invasion of the King in the kitchens would not be a bloody one, but it was certainly noteworthy. It took every last drop of Agathe's persuasion power to make the cooks let him bake.

I don't mind at all. I missed his pastries.

"Settling well in Shabbatai, I see, he says with a smile when a maid braver than the others waves in our direction. That's good."

"Yeah, it's not my usual environment, but I'm doing well. I wouldn't go anywhere else anyway. Agathe is there and I don't intend to live without her, and she won't leave without Ether and Xingtzao."

"How is Ether, by the way? I haven't see her since the wedding. Lamia sends her regards."

"She's still alive?"

"Black magic does wonders. She does look significantly older now, but that never stopped her from living. I think handing the crown to Daiyei helped her organism recover."

He sighs.

"I wish Lina was awarded the same luxury. But well, no need to dwell on that. Nothing happened between you and Xingtzao since my last visit?"

I shrug, taking another pastry from the plate.

"No, and it's not like I'm pursuing her. She already has her hands full with Ether, I don't want to add to the mess. Plus, I don't know how to flirt with ladies. I already don't know how I got Agathe."

A smile grew on his lips, a little teasing.

"Oh, I have my ideas. Speaking of, isn't that her with Ether coming our way?"

I turn around in the direction he points, and sure enough, there is Agathe, strolling hand in hand with Ether in the garden. They seem to have noticed us, since Agathe points towards Baku with uncertainty while Ether reassures us.

Black mages auras, I guess. Agathe told me mine is contrebalanced with pure white, more and more prominent the less I use my powers, but Baku has his constantly activated, not that he wants to. So the aura must reflect that.

Nonetheless, the two women still approach us, and Agathe salutes Baku with a polite reverence while Ether waves toward us.

"Lycarn, sir, I wasn't expecting to find you here!"

"We're just sunbathing. Is Xingtzao seeking me? Or you want to join us, perhaps?"

"Don't worry! I already just met the sun, says Ether while winking in my direction. My day is lighted enough as it is!"

Again?! And in front of my mentor of all people, are you fucking serious, girl?? Worst is both Agathe and Baku started snickering and this is just driving me crazy.

With the coldest stare I can get, I turn towards Ether and cross my arms in front of my chest, trying not to let the sudden bloodlust show because this one is werewolf-induced.

I mean, no other reason for me to want to claw at her skin and hear her whimper in pleas- pain under my tongue, right?

"Ether, I am a godsdamn moon mage, I cannot shine upon you with sun powers! Please refrain from saying nonsense when we are in public!"

Baku's eyes widen. Probably because he's afraid I'm gonna lash out. No time for him to interject, though, because Agathe, probably animated by the same thoughts, just takes Ether hand and starts sprinting towards the place. Ether has to stop her wing from getting caught in the door, but aside from that, they're quickly out of my sight, finally allowing me to relax.

I let out an exasperated sigh in front of Baku's doubtful expression.

"Seriously! I tolerated that when we were alone, but in public is too much!"

Baku bites the inside of his cheek.

"....... That's not the first time?"

"Not at all, I grunted. She's like this since weeks. I enjoy her company, don't get me wrong, and otherwise she is really pleasurable to be around, but that I really don't get. Why must she always spout nonsense??"

"............. Girl."

"What?"

Baku puts his head in one of his hands, leaving me dumbfounded and unable to understand.

"You really were not exaggerating, you don't know how to flirt with ladies."

***

I'm sat on one of the softest pillows of the most comfortable room of the harem, probably the best place I could find to nap, but no way for me to stop feeling restless.

This is starting to get really, really fucking annoying. First Agathe, then Baku, and now Xingtzao coming in to tell me to pay more attention to Ether's behaviour, and for what?! So I can continue to not understand how the fuck she's acting?

This is unnerving. And not because the more time passes and the more I feel stupid. Like there is a social clue I didn't get. But what moondamned social clue brings that kind of behavior-

Luckily, I'm not entirely alone in the room. A cat is sleeping at my feet, beautiful, black with white spots. Cats were the only creatures not afraid of me, I never quite knew why. Baku says it's because Moon is a cat and they probably wanted to soothe the curse or something. I don't know.

My hand goes through the fur of the kitty, and he starts purring, showing me his belly. That calms me down a little.

"You're a lucky bastard, you know that, I say to the little feline still purring. You don't have things to understand in this palace."

The cat tilts his head toward me, eyes still closed. I take it as an invitation to continue talking.

"I mean, not understanding is a thing, but when everyone acts like I should get it... It's alienating. I'm starting to get angry at Ether for no reason. I don't want to, you know."

Silence, only broke by the cat's tiny meow. I sigh.

"She's really pretty and all, and... Kind-hearted, too. Like a doctor is. I don't mind the nonsense, really, I can bear being annoyed. But these days I'm not annoyed, I'm angry. And it hurts. Because she kinda stopped, and.... I don't want her to stop?"

A tail around my wrist guides my hands further on the cat's belly. I laugh a little.

"You sure know how to express what you want, little buddy. I wish it was that easy."

The cat paws me. I laugh some more.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, less talking, more petting. Jeez, you cats really are pushy creatures."

I start petting again, and the cat purr some more. His fur is so soft under my fingers, like Agathe's feathers. Or her skin. I wonder if Ether's would be soft too. For now, I only felt her hair against my cheek, and a glimpse of her when she brushes past me to meet Xingtzao. This is not enough to know.

My free hand linger on my hips, where only the light fabric on my dress rest. Usually, when I do that, I picture Agathe's hands in it's place, or Xingtzao's. Strangely, today, my mind doesn't picture a dark, adorned with deep blue nails hand, or the one, fairer, of my empress. No, the tone I picture is warm, and the texture rough as must be fingers that grip a scalpel so long a day.

I stop. Reluctantly, surprisingly, but I don't need more confusion.

"I really don't get what I feel, you know. I never was angry that often, and it's not like back then at the blood moon. It's not a.... Destructive anger. I want to put my hands on her, sure, but I don't want to see any blood or guts or gore, or... I see us fighting, but she's on top of me, even though I'm stronger than her, and I like that. Like when I'm with Agathe, but with Ether's usual provocations and insolence and... And..."

I stop in my tracks. Not because thr words stopped coming, I still have plenty. Rather because in the entrance of the harem is a familiar face, and the red covering her cheeks is severely clashing with the purple of her hair.

My skin suddenly feel way too uncomfortable for me. Without talking about my dress.

".......... Ether?"

She doesn't move a finger, still blushing like a tomato. And the more time passes, the more heat burns under my cheeks.

"You..... You heard that?"

She nods at a supersonic speed, still mute. The cat rolls over, eyes still close, tail wagging as if he was mocking me. But insolent felines are the last of my preoccupations right now.

I clear my throat, trying to take back some sort of composure.

"What.... Are you doing here?"

She steps forward, closing the door behind her. Her cheeks are still red. Moon be damned, I'm so embarrassed. Me and my big mouth...

"I... Well, Agathe told me to seek you, and that you were at the harem. I didn't mean to... You know. Hear that."

"Sorry. I'll keep my thoughts for myself, next time."

"No! This is not what I-"

She takes a big breath, before sitting in front of me, on the same pillow. Her strands of hair are pulled under her fingers like rats' tails. That must hurt. But judging by what I just said, I'd better refrain myself from taking her hair out of her hands.

"I mean. Uh. You can continue to think out loud, I don't want to stop you, and..."

She close her eyes, before letting her hair go and taking my hand in her.

"What I meant to tel' you is, well, that I really, really like you, Lycarn. Like a lot. But I'm not good at expressing it, or saying it clearly, and lately I was under the impression you were uncomfortable with my heavy flirting, and like, I don't want that, so I stopped, but..."

I stopped listening somewhere in the monologue.

Heavy flirting.

So many things made more sense now. Like Agathe telling me to talk to her. Or Baku saying I don't know how to flirt with women. Or Xingtzao's teasing smile.

But most importantly, there is those little words lost somewhere in the flow. Like you. Ether likes me. Ether likes me maybe like she likes Agathe, or Xingtzao, or on her own terms, I don't know. Ether likes me and hearing that makes my heart beat a little faster.

I squeeze her hand, making her shut up.

"Ether."

She blinks.

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

For some seconds, damning seconds, she is a bit taken aback. But something seems to light in her eyes after that time, and her insolent smile is back on her lips, with her left hand, the cold one, finding it's way to my cheek.

"Since it's asked so politely, who am I to refuse."

Her head tilts toward me. And when her lips meet mine, when I finally feel the warmth of her body through my dress, I can't help but thinking maybe I was not angry at all.

On the corner of the room, I see the cat hide, giving us some privacy. I don't remember cats being able to have such red eyes.

I stopped thinking seconds after.