Everyday Life with Bubbles Ch. 04

Sneaking out of a clingy succugirl's arms on a cold morning gave Bubbles a new appreciation for her own flexibility. The contortions necessary to dodge Kaia's horns, and grabby little mitts, pressed even the neko to her limits.

However, she was eventually tip-toeing over to the nearby window, her boots in one hand, and dress slung over her shoulder. Bubbles took one longing look back at the woman, before she very quietly opened the window and stepped out.

She slipped as soon as her foot hit the frozen roof, causing her to bite her tongue as she did the splits and went sliding towards the gutter. Eyes watering as the morning ice froze and burned her well-used privates.

She just barely caught herself on the gutter, cursing under her breath and managing to pull one boot on. However, before she could get the other in place, she heard a creak and snap and let out a frustrated moan.

The gutter broke free, swinging out over the street, with the neko balancing on one foot inside it. Her arms were pinwheeling as she tried to stay upright, whilst also trying not to make noise to draw attention to herself.

If she was a fantastic neko like the Artema or Toofy, she'd just do a flip and land fully clothed. Unfortunately, Bubbles was just... Bubbles. And she was an idiotic little klutz.

She lost her balance, tumbling backwards.

The neko screamed as she realised what she was falling towards, which turned out to be a terrible idea. She landed face-first, open-mouthed, and naked apart from one boot into the passing cart of dung.

She yanked her head out of the soft and warm material, before bursting into tears at the smell, pawing at her hair and spitting. The driver swung around in his seat in surprise, and she heard Kaia yelling her name.

She sobbed, not even able to rub her cheeks because her hands were covered in shit. All the worst things always happened to her! The neko sadly stepped off the back of the cart, ignoring the driver and slamming her other foot into its boot with a tail-curling squelch.

She stumbled down the road, her filthy dress in hand, sniffling and staring at the ground. She heard people offended by her impropriety, people gagging at the smell, and scrambling to get out of her way.

Kaia might be worried about her. The succubus had heard the scream, and would see the broken gutter. However, Bubbles had been trying to run away from her. She'd let the woman name her, but now she was kinda regretting that.

She had now pretty much done everything that could be done with a succubus, apart from some fetishes around soul sucking and glamours, and she was terrified that she might actually do those, as well. She didn't seem to be very good at telling Kaia, no.

Bubbles knew her life was crap as the stuff covering her, but she wasn't willing to change it. She was scared by what Kaia was offering her, and how it was better than what she had and that she wanted it. However, she was independent, and she needed the succubus to know that.

She'd just been trying to prove that she'd come and go as she liked.

Bubbles poked out her bottom lip and sniffed at her shoulder, before recoiling and falling onto hands and knees. She hacked up a furball into the gutter, full of fishbones and crystallised sugar.

She'd been hoping it had just been horseshit. She might despise the stinky animals that humans loved to ride around on, but at least that would have been okay.

Unfortunately, most houses didn't have plumbing, like Kaia's did.

The smell on Bubbles was the stink of all kinds... But the kinds that could speak. Not pets, not work animals. She'd landed in the godsdamned wastecart, into the contents of a hundred emptied chamberpots.

She hacked another furball, but as she did, a passing cartwheel snagged on her dress. There was a brief pulling of material, and then a horrendous tearing noise as the seams were ripped free and she was left holding nothing but a shit-stained rag.

"Noooo!" Bubbles warbled, staring at what had been one of her favourite dresses.

She'd only changed out of the miner's outfit and into it because Kaia had wanted to play with her in a dress. She wouldn't have given a rattan ass if her pants, that she'd left as Isaac's, had been torn up. The sundress was something else altogether.

Her pale eyes flashed yellow, glowing as her anger boiled up inside her. The neko launched to her feet, focusing all her attention on the cart that had ripped her dress.

She snarled angrily, hands clenching into fists. Her muscles tightened, her cheek began to twitch. The neko growled and turned her head sideways, and then pointed at the lead horse, as she deployed the pent-up spell with all her strength.

A small popping noise, like a paper bag blown up and slammed into a fist, was almost lost beneath the noise of the street. Bubbles grinned as the horse reared up, and then her face dropped as the driver easily got it back under control and they continued on their way, uninterrupted.

Stupid finicky horses. Never scared when you want them to be.

She stomped down the street, tail twitching and claws sliding in and out with irritation. Glaring at everyone who dared to look in her direction, which weren't that many.

She lined up at the public bathhouse, and the receptionist took one look at her and shook their head. She produced a silver tile out of the inside of her cheek, wasting so much of her hard earned silver just to do something she hated, because she'd fallen over.

Hiring an entire pool because she had faeces all over.

The catgirl sank into the hot water, blowing into it angrily as she floated to the bottom of the floor. She sat cross-legged, gently waving her hands to keep her under, as the sludge slowly detached from her.

She snarled as she sat there, hating her life.

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Bubbles moaned to herself as she attempted to dry her ears. The sensitive things were flicking back and forth at the roughness of the towel, refusing to cooperate.

She snarled and flicked her head back and forth violently, trying to fling the water clear. It worked about as well as could be expected. So she went back to padding at her delicate nekomimi.

At least she didn't smell of shit, anymore.

Brushing out her tail had her biting her lip and whimpering. Baths really were the worst thing in the world. She didn't understand humans who wanted to bathe every day, like the lords and ladies, at all. Why would someone willing to submit to this voiden experience?

She squeezed her eyes shut and ruffled the towel up and down her tail, trying not to cry as she did. When it was dry, and felt raw and beaten like a baker's dough, she re-brushed all the hairs flat again.

Bubbles tossed aside the towel angrily, and finally gave a thought to what she was going to do next.

She might not be in heat, but she was still a naked kitty, and this wasn't the nicest part of town. She did have a couple silver coins still tucked away in her mouth. She'd left the rest in the room with the succubus.

She could only really afford something cheap, but she didn't know any cheap tailors with decent clothes. If she wasn't naked, she'd probably actually go and ask Veron where he got his dressed from.

Except Veron always hung out in the worst parts of town, and Bubbles didn't feel like getting pushed into an alley by a thug that she'd have to disarm with a claw to the groin.

How does a naked neko get a dress? She can't go to a nice part of town, because she's naked. They won't let her in the shop, for propriety's sake. She can't go to a nasty part of town, because someone nasty will try and be mean to her, because bastards do what they want.

She could... Maybe rob someone? Steal someone else's dress?

Bubbles didn't want anyone else's dress. She wanted hers, back. She wanted her bloody sundress. She'd saved up for that for nearly a year, scrimping by on thirdfish to afford it. She still remembered how bland and gross it had tasted.

The sundress hadn't come from the marketplace.

It had come from a store you had to walk inside. The market had places where tailors offered poorly fitting clothes for cheap, but their individual stores was where they cut and measured to make something that would feel natural.

Bubbles could squirm out of her sundress easily, and slip into it just as quickly. She could run over the rooftops with all the other nekos, and it wouldn't get in her way. The only reason she'd fall is because she was a klutz.

She sniffled, looking at the shit-stained rag lying nearby.

"Ah, miss?"

She looked up grumpily at the baths' attendant, and bared her fangs as she spoke, "What does she want?"

"Sorry, miss. I'm sure you have had quite the trying day. However, there is a succubus in the reception hall who is quite certain that you are a friend of hers, and she would like to assist you." The woman curtsied, "Her name is Miss Kaia. Would you like us to send her away?"

Bubbles rolled her eyes, "Guess not. She doesn't have clothes for Bubbles by any chance, does she?"

"No, miss."

The neko sighed, tail drooping, "Can... Can Bubbles talk to her in here, then? Away from prying eyes?"

"Of course." The attendant replied, probably thrilled not to have a naked neko engage in a screaming match with a succubus where all the passerby could see them.

Kaia had tracked her down. The succubus was good at that, which was annoying. It was somewhat handy, this time, all things considered. It was still irritating that the woman could find Bubbles any time that she wanted.

Bubbles looked up glumly as the woman strode in.

Kaia was wearing tall and formal leather boots, with a proper lady's dress. Flaring out around her, with all kinds of whites and layered silks. However, Bubbles' ears picked up the soft sound of bare feet on tiles as the succubus walked towards her. The whole thing was just a glamour.

The neko pointed at her dress, "Want fixed."

"That's a lovely greeting, kitten."

Bubbles hissed at her, "Only call her Kitten in private! Other baths. Other ears. Not allowed to use Bubbles' name like that. Not in public."

"You seem to have survived this morning's tumble, intact." Kaia said, sitting down beside her and taking the comb from her hands. The succubus began to brush her hair whilst the yellow eyes glared at them, smiling like they knew a secret.

"Bubbles isn't apologising for sneaking out." She muttered.

The succubus shrugged, "I already told you, k... Kitty? Is that one okay?"

"No."

Kaia rolled her red eyes, "I already told you, Bubbles, that I don't need you to choose me. I've chosen you. There's no need to sneak out. I don't own you, but you do own me. It isn't an equal relationship, and I think I'd be disappointed if it was."

Bubbles smiled as a mean thought occurred to her, "So if she filled the Kaia's empty rooms with men that she wanna fuck, Kaia would have no problem with that?"

"None, whatsoever." Kaia smiled at her, "That... Would be an interesting suggestion, actually. You don't feel like you're in heat, though. Perhaps that's for the best. You can be more circumspect about choosing some partners. Will your ivyk be taking a room?"

"Bubbles is going to burn down ivyk's fucking shed!" She snapped angrily, "Never mention thorny pussy fucker, again!"

"Ah... Can I help?" Kaia smiled sweetly.

Bubble tsk'd and turned her head sharply away from the infuriating succubus. She growled and then sighed and felt her shoulders fall even further, "Leave her monster alone... He just idiot... The Bubbles can't even piss off the Kaia, can she?"

"Being cruel to me, makes me wet, Kitten." The succubus whispered as she brushed her hair.

The neko grimaced and shivered, "Not like. Not like."

Kaia just laughed, "Mmm. Sorry, Kitten."

"Stop it!" Bubbles mewled, sticking out her bottom lip.

"Shall we get breakfast, mistress? Is that better?"

Bubbles pulled at one of her ears in stress, "No. And no to both. She needs a dress. A nice dress. But she can't afford a nice dress. Can Kaia get one from her attic?"

"I'm afraid not. I had your clothing taken to a laundry." Kaia replied as if she hadn't just violated the neko's privacy, "If we can stop by the vaults, I can get some gold to buy you a proper dress. In the mean time, I'm sure we can bribe one of the attendants to lift some clothes for you."

Bubbles growled, "Did Kaia not get the message, this morning? I don't want to be around you."

"No need to be so rude, mistress. I will do whatever you want of me." Kaia replied, as Bubbles realised the woman wasn't just brushing her hair but using it as an excuse to pat her head and not seem like she was.

"Fine. Bubbles will let her buy a dress. She wants her old one back. So... Tailor. Get her something to let her go to tailor, but she doesn't wanna have to see the Kaia." Bubbles replied with irritation.

Kaia kissed her cheek, "As you wish, mistress."

"Not like mistress, either. Just call her Bubbles." She rolled her eyes.

The succubus' tail curled around her waist, and the woman embraced her. Kissing at her cheek as tender hands crept upwards towards her breasts. "I love you, Bubbles."

The neko grabbed her hands and pulled them away, "Stop it. You're really starting to tick her off, clingy succubus!"

"Punish me?" Kaia asked innocently.

Bubbles put her face in her hands and let out a frustrated scream.

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The neko pulled at the pants uncomfortably as she walked into the tailor's shop. Kaia had eventually done what she wanted, acting as a purse to help Bubbles get what she wanted. Which made her feel guilty for running away from the woman.

Unfortunately, the pants that were stolen for her, were human in design. Which meant her tail couldn't get comfortable, at all. Even if she poked a hole in them, the roughness of the fabric was going to bug her.

So she made do, knowing she was about to get something better.

There were two tailors on duty in the shop. One was helping to fit someone behind the door to the left. And from what Bubbles' sensitive ears could tell, they were fitting quite nicely inside the lady in question.

The other tailor was checking over their materials, when she walked in. The human smiled at her and approached quickly, rubbing their hands habitually. She could smell the alcohol cleanser on them. Burning the oils that might damage the fabrics of the cloth.

"How can I help, miss?"

Bubbles hesitated, and then sighed, "Don't... Freak out."

Then, she held up her torn and stained dress from behind her back, and winced.

The tailor had an impressive poker face. She could smell his revulsion, but he made no indication of it. He simply cast an expert eye over the dress, "Oh dear. It isn't just the seams, I'm afraid. The dress is beyond repair."

"She knows." Bubbles whispered, "But... Make new one?"

The man blinked, "Ah. Yes, I could do that for you, miss. It is a design I know well. A nekan style cut from last season's stock. It was popular throughout the city. However, if you would indulge me, I'd like to offer an alternative."

She stuck out her lip and sniffled, "But... Favourite..."

"I will make a new one, in the same style, with a material you select from our stock, if that is your desire." He replied smoothly, "However, I believe that I have another nekan design that you will like even more. It gives even more freedom of movement, especially around the shoulders and hips. Will you indulge an old craftsman?"

Bubbles smiled at him and giggled, "He's her age. She can smell it. Not old. So... What does new dress look like?"

"This way, miss." The man showed her into his work room. It was dominated by a working table, stretching the entire length of one wall. At one end of that was a hand-cranked sewing machine, followed by a space with what looked to the neko to just be random bits of wood of different sizes.

Fabrics of all kinds were laid both atop and beneath the debris, with the odd bit of leather or metal lying nearby. Across the back of the table were various bottles, and a singular trunk that was opened to reveal a dizzying array of needles.

In another corner of the room was a heater of some kind, with piping into the wall. Maybe a boiler of some sort? Beside the heater, though was a well-used cutlass, ready to be drawn.

Behind her was a large multi-tired coat-rack, filled with clothing of all shapes and sizes. The man walked along it, thinking until he found what he wanted. Then he pressed a lever on the floor to rotate the rack, and took down a dress.

He held it up for her to see, "This is the basic design. We'd need to take it in around the hips a little for you, and some other tweaks as well. Would you like to try it on, miss?"

"Bubbles." She whispered, eyes staring at the dress in wonder.

The dress was layered, black and white frills dancing around at mid-thigh height. Making it seem both somewhat regal, and easy to wear for a neko's active lifestyle. Around the waist went a thick and scaled black belt, before ascending up in red and white.

The top half was soft, not silken. Looking more akin to a temple robe than a simple shirt. A black bow tie tied the two aspects together, as well as little black furs around the wrists.

The neko's mouth dropped open, "Want it."

"Perfect. Then we can start the fitting, Miss... Bubbles, was it?"

She rolled her pale yellow eyes. It never ceased to amuse her, how put out by nekan names the other races were. Some nekos had traditional names from the mothertongue, but most just took their names from childhood memories.

She could remember finding her name. She was just a kitten, then. It had been a very long time since she'd pounced into a street parade to pop a bubble.

It wasn't a story she told anyone, anymore.

Bubbles rolled her shoulders and hips, discarding the borrowed clothing and stepped onto the stool in the middle of the room. The tailor coughed nervously and quickly shut the door, trying to preserve his propriety.

She cocked her head, "He knows his friend is fucking other customer, right?"

The tailor sighed and rubbed at his face, "Oh. Is he?"

The human smelled strange. A burst of irritation, but there was a heavyset cloud of jealousy and pain that settled in over the top. The neko wondered if she was right, about him.

"Mmm. She likes it." Bubbles grinned, looking at the blank wall and ears twitching, "The lady likes it from behind. Trying to convince tailor friend to take her butthole. Bubbles never really understood that. But... Bubbles only ever had one, and her monster wasn't very nice to her."

"I... See."

She looked back at the man and grinned, showing off her fangs, "It's hilarious, isn't it? Trying to pretend to fix her dress when he was the one that tore it? Your friend makes bad excuses."

The tailor busied himself with measuring tapes and rods. Coming tantalisingly close to touching the nekan woman, but keeping a noticeable distance from her. Never quite touching her skin.

Bubbles glanced around the room, "No underwear. Do you think her bra will fit properly in new dress?"

"Uh..." The man blinked, swallowing as he looked up as she innocently squeezed and lifted her naked breasts between two arms. "Should be fine, miss."

This new game was a bunch of fun, Bubbles decided. Either she'd end up trying out a human dick, which seemed like paradise after the vines, or she'd end up in a mood to apologise to Kaia, in a way that the succubus would appreciate.

She smiled innocently, putting her arms behind her head, making him start and fall backwards. "Is this better? He can get measurements easier, that way."

"I don't mean to be rude, miss... But are you in -"

She shook her head, "Bubbles not in heat. She just thinks he's cute. And... And she looking for nice boyfriend. One who not mind if she not love him back. You smell... Hurt. Not wanting girlfriend, only connection."