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"It’s time to wake up, Pipsqueak."
A familiar voice breaks you out of your slumber and you loathe its deliverance as those words mean your hours of curling up on your warm and comfortable bed has come to end. Still groggy, you protest through reluctant groans and retreat even further into a fetal position, adamant to stay in your blanket cocoon. Then suddenly, cold air greets you along with the blinding ray of sun, shining down above you and all of Skyhaven, waiting for you to start your day. At the foot of your bed stands someone who's also waiting, blanket in her arms and an all too known menacing smile on her face.
"Wakey wakey, my little sunny apple."
You feel a fuzzy feeling rise in your chest, bringing heat to your face. Every time you see her figure and those bright, violet eyes, you couldn't help but be washed over by a sense of comfort. She will always feel like home to you. Sitting up, you simply rub your eyes before letting out a yawn.
"Good morning, jiejie."
"Mornin', meimei," she smiles back as she walks over to you. Chuckling at the state of your bedhead, she brushes some wild strays away from your forehead. "Your hair's a mess. go take a shower, pip."
Still lamenting being torn from the sweet embrace of sleep, you decide to take revenge. you reach up and wrap your arms around her neck, hugging her with the intent of dragging her down to bed with you.
"Jiejie, my legs are broken. I can't get out of bed it seems."
The other person only laughs, her broad and tall build completely unaffected by your ploys even with gravity playing to your advantage. However, she was kind enough to lower herself with you, bending down enough until her hands are on the mattress to each side of you.
"That so?" she tsks dramatically, playing along with your little act like she always does. "Now that's a problem. we can't have our very best hunter be out of commission just like that, now can we?"
Then, she places her hands under your knees and hoists you up, carrying you with ease.
"Maybe they just need a little more time to wake up? A refreshing cold shower should do the trick, yeah?" she lands playful smacks on the side of your thighs, pretending as if she's booting up your muscles.
You couldn't help but laugh and wriggle in her hold as she carries you out of your room. You rest your head against the crook of her neck, arms wrapped around her strong shoulders. A light, crisp scent reminiscent of honey apples and white flowers wafts through your nose as you slowly wake up, and you notice that the ends of her hair, tossed in a casual wolfcut, are still slightly damp.
"Did you wash your hair earlier, jiejie?"
"Yeah, and you're lucky I didn't call you out to join me for my morning workout. Your legs might have actually given up by noon then."
Arriving at the bathroom, she sets you down and tousles your messy hair. Quietly, she scans your face, still plump from a sound sleep, and you notice that her eyes soften as her lips curl into an endeared smile.
"Go ahead and wash up. Breakfast will be ready when you're done."
You love your jiejie. You always have. She has been there for you through all of your life— in fact, she's the one constant you've ever known.
But recently, more often than not, you can't help but wonder about what sort of love your affection has truly bloomed into. Stepping into the shower, you let warm water lather your body and ease away the tension in your muscles, yet the thoughts in your mind are firmly planted, refusing to be washed away. The same woman who’s always been your source of comfort has gradually become someone who consumes your heart in whichever way she desires. With little effort from her, you find yourself laughing, crying, yearning…
Yearning?
Your body stiffens with the abrupt thought, your face flushing at the realization. There is no doubt in the world that Caela is the most important person to you. The months you spent apart— with the belief that she was gone forever— were the darkest times in your life. Nothing could describe the void you felt in the deepest part of your core; in fact you’re still recovering enough now. However, you’d still gladly accept things as they are now, no matter how frustrating or complicated, than to lose her ever again.
You feel your mind drifting into memory lane, replaying all the memories from your childhood to the present. Not wanting these thoughts to weigh you down and keep you captive forever, you let out a big sigh as you turn off the shower. Stepping out of the bathroom with your hair still damp, you head into the kitchen with hopes that your mind will feel more at ease after a hearty, delicious meal.
A warm, captivating aroma greets you the moment you turn the corner, and you happily inhale the familiar scent of homey spices. Caela stands in front of the stove, humming idly as she flips something over in a skillet with seasoned movements. Hearing your footsteps, she turns around and immediately pauses. You see her radiant, amethyst eyes widen just slightly as she looks you up and down. An amused grin appears on her face and your jiejie could only sigh.
“Pip. Is that my shirt?” she quirks an eyebrow. You’re so elated at her resigned expression that you almost don’t notice her gaze trailing all over your body, taking in the view of you wearing nothing but her shirt. Almost.
“What if it is?” you reply, a smug expression adorning your face, skin still dewy from washing up. “You’re the one who says that we should share everything, jiejie.”
The other woman chuckles and you could feel the vibration of her voice make its way straight into your being, butterflies floating from your stomach. Starting a one-sided battle all on your own (as you often do), you suddenly decide that you won’t be the only one burdened by these fluttering feelings. You take up an innocent demeanor as you make your way towards her, flaunting off your bare skin that isn’t covered by the shirt you stole. Though you do try to share everything, the size difference between you and Caela makes it that her shirts fit you like a mini dress. You subtly flaunt your bare, pretty legs and make no move to stop the shirt from sliding down your shoulder. Once you’re next to your target, you slip yourself under her arm and wrap your hands around her waist, pressing against her toned body. For your final attack, you look up at her with big round eyes, your soft lips pouting lightly. With a practiced rhythm you coo out in your special tone: a voice that’s playful but not too sweet, and whiny enough to elicit a reaction out of her. It was a tone you’ve developed specifically for Caela over the years you’ve grown together, not using it for anyone else other than your beloved jiejie.
“I’m hungry, jiejie. Aren’t you going to take care of me?”
Caela is a smart, calculating woman. She’s always excelled at reading the room and maneuvering the situation into her favor; she’s able to establish her place and coordinate others before anyone realizes what she was doing. Ever since she joined the Farspace Fleet as their colonel, her prowess only increased, and with it the stoic mask she constantly wears has only become more impenetrable, harder to read. Her reactions happen in a split second but to you, that’s more than enough time to read what you want to know.
You notice that she’s gone quiet, the sound of the pan sizzling being the only thing filling the air. You notice how her gaze darkens, how she subtly stares at your lips, then your neck, down to your exposed collarbone. From this angle, you know full well that she has the perfect view to see down your shirt; to get a full look at your soft, pert breasts pressing against her torso. You notice how her body tenses up, how her arm hovers over you and her hand clenches into a soft fist. As if she wants to hold you but doesn’t dare to. As if she’s afraid to love you in the way that she truly wants to.
But then she regains her composure, and pats the top of your head like she normally does. She feigns that your provocations do not affect her, but her hand that slid down to graze your cheek lingers for just a little too long, and it gives her away.
“Don’t I always take care of you, pipsqueak?” She smiles and averts her gaze, shifting her body to create some distance between you two. “Help me set the table. The scallion pancakes are almost done.”
And so your morning carries on. You both fall into the routine of sitting together at the table, the TV idly casting news in the background during mealtime. Your jiejie starts chattering as she always does, sharing with you updates regarding the latest plane models and throwing out ideas about how you two should spend your day. But you weren’t listening to any of that. Instead you’re staring at her in a dreamy haze. You’re captivated by her well-defined biceps, enhanced by the baggy tank top she’s wearing. You notice that her nails are short and neat as she brings food to her lips. Scanning her face, you take note of her dark, thick eyebrows that accentuate her face so well. Because you’ve been spending more time outside lately, her freckles are darker and you think that it adds to her charm even more.
Sunlight flickers and catches onto the necklace that you gave her, its silver chain adorning her neck, the pendant dangling right in front of her well-endowed chest. Unconsciously, you take a hard swallow.
When did the jiejie you know and love turn into such a fine woman?
You’re snapped back to reality when you sense a worried gaze falling on you.
“Pip, are you okay?” She asks with concern as she leans in closer, her hand reaching out to gently press on your face. “Why is your face so red, is it too spicy or something?”
Embarrassed, you don’t meet her eyes and try to steady your voice. “I’m fine. I think I bit into a whole pepper because someone didn’t chop them up well enough.”
Your response only earns the roll of her pretty eyes and a playful pinch to your cheek before she settles down across from you again. You try to focus on the conversation at hand but other thoughts preoccupy your mind. It’s clear that your feelings are no longer just innocent, childlike adoration. Instead, something deeper and greedier has taken root in your heart. You wonder about how to navigate these complex feelings that have blossomed for the first time, fueling the desire to claim the woman before you as your own, wholeheartedly.
In serious contemplation, you rest your hand on your chin as you look at Caela with stubborn desire in your eyes.
Should you try to conquer Colonel Xia?