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Lace kicks her legs over the edge of the bed. Hornets hunter journal lays in her hands as she hums silently inside of Hornets bellhome.
To Lace, it was a regular day. Hornet left earlier stating something about going to the Halfway home. Lace has not heard from her since.
It is getting rather late however? Lace thinks as she puts the hunter journal down.
She looks around the bellhome as if an answer for where Hornet is might pop up amongst the knick knacks and mementos they have collected.
As Lace’s gaze slows over an extra pin on the shelf. She chuckles to herself as she thinks back to why they have more than just Lace’s pin around the house now.
It was many moons ago now, but Hornet had woken up Lace bright and early. She was in a panic.
—
“Lace! Wake up!” Hornet shakes Lace’s shoulder, when Lace’s eyes start to groggily open she continues, “Have you seen my needle? I promised Pavo I would help with the pondskipper infestation in shellwood.” An anxious look covers Hornet’s face as she stays by Lace.
“What…?” Lace yawns as she pushes herself up.
“My needle! My weapon?” Hornet huffs.
“You had it while you were at the flea games yesterday. Did you leave it there?” Laces tries to speak clearly, but a yawn still escapes as she finishes.
“I think I would remember if I left it behind…” She trails off as Hornet walks away and starts to look behind and under the few pieces of furniture in the bellhome.
Lace gets up and joins Hornet in looking around the bellhome.
It starts with the normal place, by the door. By Hornet’s desk.
Then they check behind the desk. Under the bed. Under the pile of hoarded blankets.
Lace peers into the spa. She squints to see if maybe she sees it has fallen to the bottom.
A knock at the door interrupts them.
“Miss hornet!...” Pavo’s voice rings in. Lace and Hornet look at each other.
“You can take my pin” Lace offers as at the same time Hornet says, “Come with me please?”
They stare at each other.
Another knock.
“I want to discuss the wish you promised me please” Pavo spoke through the door again.
“I will come with you” Lace almost hisses quietly, as Hornet opens the door.
“No need to come in. What do you wish to discuss with me about your wish?” Hornet speaks concisely.
Pavo pauses as he looks between Hornet and Lace. Lace stands with her arms crossed, and her annoyed expression open to all to see.
Hornet however has her expressionless face on.
“The amount of pond skippers has increased to the point that we have pilgrims coming back saying that they can’t cross the pond. Can you please expedite taking care of them?” Pavo speaks quickly. He holds his claws together with a pleading look on his face.
“Yes. Lace has offered to help, We were just leaving” Hornet spoke coolly.
“Good. Good. I am glad to hear it” Pavo unclasps his claws and with a smile leaves.
Lace and Hornet glance at each other before Lace states factly, “We could get a pin from Plinney”
Hornet looks like she wants to say something, before without a sound she just jumps down to the landing in front of Plinney’s bellhome. Lace shrugs to herself as she jumps after her.
As they enter Plinney’s shop, they see him sharpen a pin tip with his stone while he hums to himself.
“Plinney, Sir?” Hornet speaks up.
“Oh! Why hello Hornet… And your friend Lace. What can I help you both with?” Plinney smiles at them.
Moments pass as they converse with Plinney. Arrangements are made for Hornet to borrow a pin and that once her needle is found she can return the pin. A modest fee being the only charge.
As Lace and Hornet stand outside of Plinney’s bellhome.
“I suppose we should get going,” Lace spoke plainly.
There was a pause before Hornet took a step closer to speak in a low voice, “I’ve never used a pin before Lace.” Lace glances at Hornet and sees a nervous look has taken over Hornet’s face.
“You're a masterful hunter. Are you telling me my big bad hunter is scared of being bad with a weapon?” Lace giggles, her hand reaches out to touch Hornets arm. Hornet pulls away and with a huff, “Now is not the time for your theatrics"
“But it's not every day that my dear spider is nervous about something”
Hornet glances between the pin and Lace. Lace thinks to herself how she can’t tell what Hornet is thinking at this moment. It makes her fidget nervously.
With another sigh, Hornets arm with the pin drops as she looks at Lace.
“Will you instruct me in its use?” Hornet speaks earnestly. It makes Lace stop before she considers a spicy remark about Hornet asking her for help.
“Of course spider” Lace gives Hornet a small smile. Together they leave for shellwood.
As they stand by the first pond of shellwood, Hornet and Lace look out to a scene much different from usual.
Normally there are only 2 or 3 pondskippers across the pond and at least one hunter would be out here picking off the easiest to kill. Today however, there were easily 6 or 7 on top of the water at any moment. They bump into each other. Their chirps louder than normal as they combine with the others. No hunters could be seen nearby. In fact this part of shellwood seemed to be bare of most other life.
“Alright, Lets start with my favorite - my riposte” Lace spoke with a smile, as she held her needle.
“Are you sure..” Hornet gets interrupted as Lace interjects, “Of course spider. You asked me for help, which means I know what is best”
Hornet nods.
“Alright, so you take this pose.” Lace shifts, a sturdy pose with her pin held across her body. “Then you wait to parry”
A silence spreads between them.
“Do pond skippers ever attack?” Lace fidgets but she keeps her pose.
“No.. they are rather timid creatures” Hornet tries to hide a laugh, but her eyes narrow barely in amusement.
Lace can feel heat spread across her face.Luckily, being made of silk the only outward sign of her embarrassment is that Lace squints slightly as she tries not to look Hornet in the face.
“I.. Let me show a jab then.” Laces position changes slightly, shoulders dropping and pin pointed forward. Instead of attacking nothing, Lace moves closer to the pond and when a pondskipper gets close enough with a quick succession of two jabs she skewers the pond skipper.
With a quick flick of her pin, she flicks the pondskipper out of the pond and glances towards Hornet.
Hornet nods and comes to the edge of the pond, she attempts to settle into a similar position as Lace. However, Lace notices quickly that her pin points too high and her shoulders are clenched awkwardly.
Lace walks around Hornet, so she can move up against Hornet’s back. “You're a little tense… more like this” She grasps Hornet’s pin wielding hand and guides it to point the pin properly.
Lace glances at Hornet. She lets out a giggle at the blush across Hornet’s face.
“Oh spider… Pay attention” Lace’s words make Hornet’s blush deeper.
Hornet thanks Lace and with Hornet finally positioned correctly, Lace steps away and watches.
She walks to the pond edge, and waits only a moment for a pond skipper to slide up. With two quick jabs she skewers the pond skipper. Her speed is not enough to flick the pest out of the water however, so it slides off of Hornet’s pin into the pond.
It causes the closest pond skippers to all slide away quickly nervously.
“I think this will do enough to finish this wish” Hornet states simply as she jumps onto one of the wood platforms in the middle of the pond.
She looks back at lace with a smirk, the barest hint of blush still across her face. “The first to 20 gets the hot tub first tonight?” Hornet offers.
“Oh ho ho ho - a challenge spider? Your on!” Lace giggles before she jumps to another wood platform located in the pond.
At first Lace takes the lead. Quickly getting 3 or 4 pondskippers pulled from the pond while Hornet only gets 1 or 2 as she perfects not letting them just fall back into the pond.
By the time Lace hits 6, then 7 - Hornet starts to catch up and by the time they are over half way they are neck to neck.
“Child, I hope you are prepared to have to wait for once tonight” Hornet yells over her shoulder as she fells another pond skipper.
“Spider, I think you will be sorely disappointed in but just a moment.” Lace returns as she expertly strikes her pin through two pond skippers at once.
After just another moment - Lace starts to yell out “Twe-!” Hornet interrupts, “Twenty one!” holding her pin with two pond skippers at the end.
They both look at each other.
“That is my win” Lace states plainly.
“I got more than you, Child”
“Yes but the goal was the first to 20, not who can get the most of them the fastest” Lace jumps to stand on the same wooden platform as Hornet.
Neither look ready to back down.
“Fine - A duel. The winner will be the winner for both” Hornet offers
“Oh? You think you're ready to duel me with a pin? This will be easy” Lace smiles
Hornet leads them back to a larger flat area close to bellhart then the pond they were at.
Lace gets in position holding her pin up.
“In a proper pin duel, combatants would tap pins before starting” Lace states matter of factly.
Hornet looks mildly surprised, “I did not know that. How interesting” Hornet settles into a similar position.
With a light tap of pin against pin they both took a step back.
“Good luck Lace”
“Good luck Hornet- You’ll need it” Lace smirks, confidence barely hidden
They both dart forward, Hornet aiming low for Lace’s legs while Lace aims for Hornets chest.
Lace jumps easily over Hornets pin as Hornet angles her body so that Lace steps past her, unable to touch her with Lace’s pin.
From the outside, their fight looks like a choreographed dance. A jab forward. A hand on a hip to guide the other past them. Dextrous foot work to keep pace as they circle each other.
After many moments, Lace finds an opening in Hornet - Her grip is loose on her pin. She quickly darts forward and instead of aiming higher as she has been, she aims her pin at Hornets. With a twist and flick she sends Hornet’s pin across the field.
Lace continues forward and stands directly in front of Hornet. She looks her directly in the eyes. She pants from the exertion of the duel.
Hornet breaths hard, and eyes wide as she looks at Lace. She feels so warm, and Lace in front of her makes the heat feel overwhelming.
Before either fully registers what is happening, Hornet leans forward and lays a soft kiss on the edge of Lace’s mouth. Lace’s eyes widen before she returns, her mouth presses against Hornet’s.
Lace moves closer to Hornet, as she grabs Lace’s sides.
—
Lace shakes her thoughts out of reminiscing, she lays across the bed her and Hornet share now. A giddy smile across her face.
As Lace returns back to the present however - the bite of anxiety returns to her stomach. Or at least where she imagines a stomach would be if she had one.
Hornet still hasn't returned.
With this thought, Lace decides to head out. She grabs her pin as she leaves. Just in case.
The sounds of bellhart are exceedingly quiet - which tells of just how late at night it is. The only bug awake, is Shakra on her platform. A map in hand, but Lace can tell she has one eye on the town below.
Lace waves as she heads towards Greymoore. The walk to the half way home is exceedingly uneventful. She does notice someone's form by the entrance however as she walks up.
Their cloak is the same red as Hornet’s, but surely there is no way Hornet is just sitting outside? Lace thinks to herself, her concern from earlier bubbles back to the surface.
She softly taps the form with her pin.
For a moment they don’t move, before they uncurl and Hornets' flushed face looks up at Lace.
“Laaacccce.. What are you doin’ here?” Hornet slurs.
“I should be asking you that, Spider. Why aren’t you inside?” Lace offers Hornet her hand.
Hornet almost pulls Lace down to the ground with her, as she attempts to get up from the ground. They both grab the outer wall of the halfway home.
“Creige told meee.. Told me..” Hornet stops, her face paling somewhat.
Lace panics for a moment. What the hell is going on? She wonders to herself.
“Laceee.. Home please” Hornet finally speaks again, as she leans against Lace’s side.
“Yes spider”
The walk home is slow. Part way through they stop as a painful hiccup from Hornet has her gripping Lace. Lace waits, no clue what is going on but the look Hornet gives is one that makes her feel she must be fighting for her life internally.
A little further, Hornet stops them suddenly.
“Laacee..” She pauses and the pause has Lace look Hornet in the eyes.
Lace hums as a response.
“I love you” Hornets flushed face looks intensely at Lace. Her eyes focus on Lace and for a moment, Lace could almost forget the inebriated state Hornet is in.
Lace feels a rollercoaster of emotions. Sure they have been together for a while, but neither had said I love you to the other yet. Lace had thought of it, but the idea of being vulnerable scared her. She worries she is not a bug worth loving. But anger also fills Lace. How dare she tell her this when she is clearly drunk and Lace has no clue how to best help her.
“Sure you do. Lets get you home before you start saying even more ridiculous things” Lace retorts, as she edges them forward towards Bellhart again.
The silence between feels like silk chaffing painfully for Lace, but neither refuses to break the silence.
Just outside of their bellhome, a choking sound stops Lace from going inside.
She looks over to Hornet, tears run down her face and Hornet tries to look anywhere but at Lace.
Lace glances around Bellhart, and she sees Shakra as the only one awake still. Shakra stares at both of them from her ledge. No longer looking at her maps. It makes Lace’s shoulders tense as she looks back at Hornet and whispers urgently, “Please Hornet, Lets go inside”
Hornet splutters through a sentence, “You d..d-don’t love m-me” The look she gives Lace grips her painfully.
“That's not true. You could find someone better to love is all..” Lace opens the bellhome door and tries to pull Hornet inside. She stubbornly refuses to move.
“You-u don’t want..” Hornet starts to cry again.
“I want you!” Lace almost yells exasperatedly as she tugs on Hornet again. Hornet still not moving, leans against the door frame to the bell home.
“Laceee..” Hornet whimpers.
“Please…” Lace pleads. She glances anxiously over to where Shakra’s ledge is and finds it empty.
“Lace wielding pin. Is everything okay with Hornet wielding needle?” Shakra seems to appear out of nowhere in the small area in front of their bellhome.
Lace feels her body warm in embarrassment, but glad she can’t flush like Hornet does. She tries to hide her embarrassment from her voice as she responds. “I think she is drunk…” Lace leaves her sentence unfinished. and I don’t know what to do to help Lace thinks to herself.
“I can lift her and get her in bed. Perhaps you could get her some water?” Shakra offers.
“Yes please Shakra” Lace looks at Shakra relieved at the offer of help as she lets go of Hornet.
Hornet whines, “nooo.. No love.. For me” She gives Lace a sad face. It reminds Lace of the same look the flea’s give when begging for something that they were just told no to.
Lace isn’t given a chance to respond as Shakra scoops up Hornet effortlessly.
“Time for bed Hornet wielding needle” Shakra states matter of factly, she steps around Lace.
Lace quickly gets water and when she returns, she finds Shakra kneeling next to the bed while Hornet is stumbling through words
“-d-doesn’t know how great she.. She is. I.. she needs to know.. Shakra help me”
“You can not tackle this - in this condition Hornet wielding needle. You must sleep now and discuss this further tomorrow”
“B-but..”
“No buts.” Shakra responds sternly as she glances over, seeing Lace - she waves her over.
“Hornet - Drink this” Lace offers the cup. At first she worries she might spill it all over herself instead of drinking it but slowly, Hornet steadies her hands and quickly chugs the glass of water.
Lace then places the glass on Hornet’s desk.
“I think I will be okay now?” Lace questions as she looks at Shakra.
Shakra nods as she goes to leave. “Please come find me if you have more issues. Many warriors from where I am from enjoy drink as well”
“Thank you Shakra. Good night”
“Good night Lace wielding Pin” Shakra closes the bellhome door behind her as Lace crawls into bed behind Hornet.
Hornet makes a small grunt sound and cuddles back against lace as Lace wraps her arms around Hornet.
“Good night Hornet”
Hornet responds with a hum before her breath seems to even.
For a long moment, Lace lays against Hornet. Her mind races.
Why did she say that while so obviously drunk?
Did she mean it? Why didn’t i say anything back?
A pin prick feeling runs across Lace’s arms as she squeezes Hornet to her. Hornet gives no response.
“I love you too Hornet” Lace whispers sheepishly.
No response is given, the bellhome is silent. Hornet in a deep slumber already.
Lace lays her head against Hornets back with a sigh. For many moments she just lays there until eventually sleep comes to Lace as well.