Everyday Life with Bubbles Ch. 07

Bubbles did note that Ninaein took both her knife and mask with her before she left, however.

%6%4%6%5%4%D%

She shuffled off the bed and walked over to the window, leaning on the frame and looking out the shutters. The street outside was noisy, and sounded like fun. She could heard multiple bards, drunken fools, and so many, many sellers of various things.

The smells of all the treats outside made her paw weakly at the window, hating the fact that she had got sick and couldn't risk getting any worse. Why did she have to end up breaking her arm and getting home bound? It wasn't fair.

Though, she couldn't deny she was sick. She'd fallen asleep after Ninaein left, but it didn't seem to have been that long. The nekan woman wasn't back with the fun doctor yet, anyways. She doubted that her girlfriend would have trouble tracking him down, even in a city this big. Ninaein was skilled in her chosen profession.

Bubbles toyed with the bottom of her shirt as she stood there half-naked. She hadn't really been exposed like this since she'd lost her dress a few weeks ago. It felt good to have the air between her thighs again, even if it was a brutal winter cold rolling in from the outdoors.

Had it really only been weeks since she'd first met Kaia? Exchanging masturbation for fish? It seemed like an entire lifetime ago. She wasn't the innocent little kitty she was back then. From fearful of a stranger becoming her master, to ruling her own household with her own whims.

Her reverie broke off with a hacking cough, and she stumbled back towards her bed. Falling into it, and on top of the blanket. She grabbed it and carefully rolled herself over until she was lying on her back in a little sausage roll.

The thought of the street food made her pout. She couldn't have sausage rolls or hotdogs. She couldn't have sweet and sour rat skewers or even spun sugar. There was an absolute and literal parade of yummy food just outside the door, and she couldn't have any of it. Just the stupid and foul tasting medicine that was still clinging to her tongue despite having finally dissolved.

She grumpily slid down inside her blanket until her eyes were level with the edge.

With her stuffy ears, and her blocked nose, she didn't notice that she was no longer alone in the room until her guest was right on top of her. As a result, when he kissed the top of her forehead, pitying her, Bubbles greeted him with a deafening shriek, that turned into a coughing fit.

Edric patted her head with one hand and rubbed one of his ears with the other, "Well, I was going to ask if you were feeling any better, but I think I can see."

"Li-little better." She mumbled in embarrassment, "Nina gave her some medicine. Throat not as sore."

He chuckled and nodded, "Quite aware. I had to wait until she left before I approached your room. The medicine was from me. Your neko is quite the possessive woman."

Her ears went down and she hissed, "It was fucking gross! He owes her."

"I'm afraid it's the best of the worst bunch. I couldn't afford to pay an actual healer for an antiviral spell, and that's the best that the alchemist can make." Edric continued patting her head.

Bubbles showed her top layer of teeth with a little snarl, her heart still frantic, and feeling completely put out by the liberties that he was taking with her. She dropped further into her blanket, "Nina wrecked her clothes."

"Yes, I can see the remains of your... Underthings... On the floor." Edric replied nervously, glancing down briefly, "I suppose she thought I would love the opportunity to clothe you at my workshop, once you are feeling better."

Bubbles blinked innocently.

He chuckled, "You love lying by my boiler. I love you. It seems that Ninaein is not completely wrong, on that front. I have been exceptionally busy in the lead-up to the festival, but I expect there will be a bit of a lull in activity. A few easy repairs, but fewer large purchases for a few weeks."

"She loves his dresses, too!"

He turned around and picked up a basket from the floor, "Whilst I do love being known for my work, I also wished to show that I am worth more than that to my little neko, so I went to the festival on your behalf, and may have returned with a few treats."

Bubbles shot into a happy sitting position, pale yellow eyes wide open. "He wins. She's not upset about foul medicine anymore, because he bring her good tastes to make it go away."

The basket had a display of various fruits in it, most of which the catgirl had never even seen before and was hungry to taste. Her mouth watered as her eyes roved over them. The bright red and smooth skin of a pomegranate stood out, and beside it a brilliant yellow object that was curved but thin that she'd never seen.

She reached tentatively for the yellow one, and Edric smiled, "That one is a banana. Apparently it only grows in the Tangles. It's... An odd taste. Have you ever had one before?"

"Nope." She shook her head, and then she froze up.

Bubbles' head tilted back, her eyes widened, and she stared in absolute horror at the dark green object buried just beneath the banana. She let out a keening noise and snatched the green thing.

The neko slung herself out of the bed awkwardly and across the room, moving as quickly as possible to hurl the offensive object through the shutters and into the street. She snapped the window closed after it, and leaned up against the wall, holding her hand to her chest and breathing a sigh of relief.

Edric stared at her, "Hey! Those are expensive! If you didn't like it then -"

"The fuck!" She screeched at him, "You bring... A fucking... Cu... Cu... Thing! Into Bubbles' fucking house!? You monster! Monster! If Nina saw it, she would have fucking killed you! You're lucky that Bubbles didn't piss herself."

He stared at her in confusion, "I beg your pardon?"

She shivered, "Just... No. Never. No."

"Nekos have a problem with cu-"

"Don't fucking say it!" She exclaimed in terror, staring at him.

Edric chuckled softly, "That's... That's a real thing? Nekos can't stand... Uh... The green fruit?"

"Slave food." She growled angrily, "Kitsune forcefed our ancestors. It isn't fear. It is... Sheer fucking hatred. Nekos have magic, always. Which means we remember pieces of ancestors. Remember the... Fucking things. Makes Bubbles remember... Bad things. So many bad things."

His mirth evaporated, and he looked at her in concern, "Are you okay?"

"No." She stated firmly and punched the wall, unable to calm down. Still feeling the visions flashing through her mind. The crisp crunch of the damn thing between her teeth. The laughter as a fox made her choke to death on one. Being batted across the cheeks, being probed below with one.

Bubbles felt her claws instinctively popping in and out as she failed to calm herself.

Her tailor fussed with the basket, and then produced a brain object that looked somewhat like a nut. He cracked it open, and bit the edge of the pulp to taste it, before holding it out towards her, "Here. This is called a tamarind."

She stalked back to the edge of the bed, and took the small object. She glared at him as she licked the inside of the pod, and her eyes widened in surprise. It didn't really taste like a nut. It was sickly sweet, with a touch of sourness to it.

Bubbles devoured it, and then sat back on the edge of the bed, glaring at him. "She still doesn't forgive him. Where do these come from?"

"The trees grow on the slopes of Fanhalla. The volcano to the north." He shrugged, "I've been there. Fanhalla. I was making a dress for a particular lady, and put a little effort into ensuring the best gemstones were part of the design. Beautiful, and insane, place. Half of it is covered in bright sunlight, the rest in ash. It falls, always. Never stopping. At night, you can feel the mountain rumbling."

Her eyes lit up excitedly, trying to picture it, "Sounds beautiful. He has been to many places?"

"A few." Edric nodded, "Fanhalla is most of the way to the desert, so I've even been to your homeland, though I didn't see much there. Endless sands stretching beyond the horizon. The village on the edge... Just a few wooden huts. The only neko willing to talk to strangers was the hooktooth. The others... I never even saw them."

Bubbles smiled at that, "Mmm. They saw you."

"I have no doubt." He chuckled, and picked at the basket before handing her a handful of purple grapes, each one the size of an eyeball.

She popped one into her mouth, "Bubbles always lived here. Never left the city, before. She doesn't want to go to her homeland, not ever. It sounds horrible. She likes the cold, not the heat. If too cold, put on more clothes, light fire. If too hot... Die. Can only get so naked."

"Cold or not, doesn't seem to stop your nakedness." He chuckled, eyeing her breasts.

Bubbles rolled her shoulders, letting the shirt slip from them, and then getting annoyed at her sling and having to awkwardly ruin the sexy image to get rid of the shirt altogether. Once that was done, she smiled at him, "She's played with Nina today. Little with Kaia, too. Was Edric hoping for a turn?"

"Always, my love." He replied casually, without a hint of urgency.

She rolled her eyes, "He gave her nice food. It wasn't just because she's sick. Does he want to fuck her, or not? She hates it when he does this! She can't tell if she's being too aggressive or not. She likes it when he's forward. He laughs at her too much."

"I never wish to purchase you, or to feel like I have." He replied simply and shrugged, "Thus, the decision will always be yours. I adore you, all of you. But I am content with whatever decision it is that you feel the need to make. I will never pounce on you. I'm human, not neko."

She rolled her eyes, "Good. If someone tried pouncing her, she'd try kicking them in the little boys. She doesn't like male nekos. They're all entitled assholes. Always have to be master. She's never taking a catboy lover. Never, ever, ever!"

"Delighted to hear it."

Bubbles glared at him, "Okay. She's going to set the mood, now, and then he's going to fuck her. Is he okay with that?"

Edric chuckled, infuriating her.

She moved over to her drawer and fetched out his present. She glared over at him, holding the precious thing lightly. "Nina told her that he followed, when she bought this. Does he know what it is?"

"Ah." The human said hesitantly, "I did see you go to the mask stall, and to the blacksmith, I'm afraid. To be honest, I thought you were interested in the man behind the anvil, not his wares."

She made a retching noise, "Ew! He's freaking tauran. They all smell so bad. Especially the sweaty ones. Gross. No."

Bubbles sat in Edric's lap and held up the bundle to him. She kissed his cheek, "Happy Halfdark."

The man took it, and undid the ribbon gently, and looked curiously at the item that he found inside. Of all of her lovers, Bubbles had struggled the most at finding a present for the tailor. What do you get a man of reasonable wealth, who has an indecent understanding of fashion?

Unlike most other human males, he didn't have a taste for tobacco. She couldn't have stood it, if he did. However, that meant most of the gifts intended for a middle-lower like himself, were pointless. No snuff boxes, no vespa cases. All pointless.

Having platinum to spend was pointless when she didn't know what to actually spend it on.

So, she had ended up spending almost half her platinum all at once. She hoped her other girlfriends didn't realise how much more she'd spent on Edric than them. It wasn't like she had much of a choice in it.

All that was inside the cloth was two small cufflinks. The main body was made of iron, not even silver, but the plate was overlaid by a very smooth black stone, almost like polished brimstone, but there was a soft and foggy aura to them.

Edric hugged her instantly, "By the goddess. You shouldn't have, Bubbles."

She kissed him excitedly, tail stiffening in the air and her nose crinkling up. She rubbed herself into his chest as he held her, enjoying the close contact, and excited that he had recognised it without her having to tell him about it.

Bubbles whispered, "When he went to Fanhalla did he see the brimstone mines?"

"No." Edric chuckled, leaning back and slipping the cufflinks into the ends of his shirt sleeves, "Only the workers are allowed even near that place. This two slivers are more than I have ever seen in my life. How did you manage to get... Any at all? I would have thought the palace had a monopoly on the trade."

She nodded, "They do. She bought it from the temple. But gift. Not telling price. He just has to be happy. She didn't buy because expensive."

"You bought it, because it is both pretty, and would help protect me against a spellcaster." Edric said appreciatively and hugged her again.

She giggled and kissed his cheek, "Nope. Just the pretty. When was last time that her Edric had a very angry mage in his shop that his customer-fucking tauran partner could not handle?"

"Last week."

Bubbles breathed in sharply, "He what?"

"Crown Princess Saia." He shivered and shook his head, "She was sent by the palace to arrange for the repair of a respectable dress for Princess Artema. If I had to guess, I would say the princess had torn it herself, to make the pursuit of someone easier."

She whined and snuggled into him, "She doesn't like that he does work for the palace. She means... She loves her empress. Toofy has done more for neko than anyone else... But... She's Toofy. She makes Bubbles wanna use the chamberpot."

"Her ladyship has never visited the store." Edric assured her, "But I will be sure to where these beautiful cufflinks, every day."

Bubbles kissed his jaw and smiled, closing her eyes as she leaned into his chest and listened to his heartbeat. She purred contentedly, and pulled up her legs, as she settled in against him.

The catgirl was feeling exhausted, and so much talking meant that the back of her throat felt like she'd swallowed a burr, but she also knew that he was probably jealous of the others... And that she was going to be upset with herself if she missed out on the opportunity. Probably mostly the second one.

She mumbled weakly, "If she said he had to do all the work... Would he be upset with her?"

"All the work?"

"Sex."

He patted her head affectionately, "I don't think that's altogether wise, my miss. If you get worse, with your broken arm... You risk losing it. In which case, your catgirl and dragon lovers would compete to break me into many, many little pieces."

She swivelled, until she was facing him, and dropped her legs either side of him. Pressing her naked form against him, and gave a quiet growl. "Fuck her."

She felt the large thing begin to rise in his pants and purred excitedly, before breaking off into a poorly timed cough. She kissed at his jaw quickly, hoping to distract him from it. To pretend that she was completely fine, so that he would share himself with her.

"This is still a bad idea." Edric mused, but turned his head so that he could draw her tongue into his mouth. He rested his hands against her back, his skin against hers, and pushed up against her. She groaned as she felt his excitement growing, felt the anticipation for his relentless pace.

Undoing his buttons with one hand was easier than she expected. She was developing a skill at that. A little pinch of thumb and forefinger and the things were no longer in her way. Her hand could press against his chest, feeling his heartrate, his desire for her.

"Pants." She growled, before giving a half-cough as she tried to fight it off.

He gently picked her up and laid her down on the bed, brushing back her hair before releasing his pants with the sound of a satisfying thunk against the floor. Bubbles' light yellow eyes glowed in deep excitement as he climbed atop her, and spread her legs for him.

She had been terrified the first time she had seen his shaft, and she still felt apprehension as it rose before her, but her hand went between her legs and played with herself, moistening herself for his delivery. Anything to bring the moment closer.

"Do you need a little assistance, miss?" Edric gave a small laugh and went to ease backwards on the bed. She snagged his wrist and shook her head, dragging him upwards to kiss her. To let her tickle the tops of his teeth with her tongue, feel his beating heart against her own. To feel this moment, of two in one.

She flinched as he stretched her entrance.

Her exhausted body struggled to handle him as he tried to be gentle with her, delicate with her, as he eased his way into her. She forced herself to relax, and for her hips to widen, keeping pace with him as her lover pierced into her.

The neko groaned weakly, reached up and grabbing tiredly onto his collar, kissing him all the harder. Letting him know that she didn't want him to stop, that she wanted all that he had to offer her. That she was gifting herself to him, again.

Edric began to travel backwards, before plunging in deeply. Making her gasp for him, cry for him. Announcing to every neighbour what he was doing for her.

Fireworks exploded outside, lighting up the sky as the festival began in earnest, announced by the empress. A festival of cold, and dark, of rich and poor, of life together. A celebration of all things equal, as the once homeless catgirl was bedded by the regal and influential tailor.

Lights burst inside Bubbles' skull as Edric continued to screw her, panting for her, letting go his polite upbringing and giving in to his animal side. Showing her just how lustful a heart can be, as he took her completely for himself.

A voice cried out, and Bubbles found herself staring at a stranger's face for just a moment, a woman gasping out in her own orgasm. One eye a heart, the other a cross. As if their eyes were the same as Ninaein's symbol for the two nekos.

Her bind spun, trying to realise itself as the world fell away in all directions. She saw herself standing, wrists bound together with red ribbons, overlapping and twisted, pulled in all directions.

She gasped, feeling strange, as they suddenly broke apart, falling away from her in all directions.

She looked in confusion as a neko rose up from the ground in front of her. A woman with silver hair, silver eyes, and silver fur. The woman smiled lopsidedly at her, stepping in close and cupping both her cheeks in her hands.

Bubbles moaned as she felt her lover fucking deeply into her channel, as she kissed the nekan stranger. She felt her every nerve ending igniting, flaring into a passion that she had never felt before. Couldn't have felt before. This wasn't just the approach of her moment, this was sex with something otherworldly, confusing and reserved for the few.

The other woman pulled back gently, "Well... Aren't you just the cutest? She thinks she'll claim you. No hand will harm a hair on your head, little sister. You're hers, now."

Bubbles pulled away in fright, looking to complain, but found herself in her bed, shoulders being thrust into the mattress. Her face tightened up, and she felt the orgasm crash through her.

Her yellow eyes rolled back, and she felt herself fall through the bed, into the welcoming arms of something slender. Delicate fingers cupped her breasts, and a voice whispered in her ear, "Oh, don't be so surprised. Someone has to intervene on your behalf. If it isn't Luna, who else would it be? Eratigan might have released you from your fate... But it will be she who lets you choose your own."

"Own...?" Bubbles grunted, and found herself face-to-face with Edric. He looked at her in concern, "What... Was that?"

She shook her head, too confused. Not understanding.

The neko stared in sudden surprise as she saw the silver-haired woman standing behind her boyfriend. The other neko pressed a finger to her lips, smiling, and moved in behind the tailor. Luna kissed Edric's neck lightly, and Bubbles gasped raggedly as she immediately felt her lover loose his seed into her passageway.