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Author's Note: This one takes place at the same time as "A Very Toofy Christmas".
There's a few references to things from that, but nothing of consequence if you don't want to read it.
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"Up." A voice commanded, and a rude finger jabbed into the side of Bubbles' face. Instead of groaning and rolling over, the neko burst into tears and yanked the blanket up and over her head. Or rather, she attempted to. With one arm in a sling, and the other lethargic and weak she just managed to get into a tangle of twisted sheets.
One yellow eye peeked out of the haphazard mess, she made an extremely snotty sound as she took a deep sniff. She had been looking forward to today since it had been announced a week ago, and now she... Couldn't. Sharhalla's disapproval if she so much as stepped out of her bedroom would be immeasurable.
The one who had poked her, leaned their head down. Black and matted hair tumbling down around Bubbles' face as they came practically nose-to-nose. Ninaein let out annoyed growl, "Do you... Have a... Cold?"
She let out a pathetic sob and nodded.
"Fuck's sake, Bubbles!" Nina yelled and flopped backwards onto the bed, making the entire mattress shake. The other neko kicked her feet in the air in frustration and punched beside her twice.
She sniffled, and spoke hoarsely, "She didn't mean it!"
"Stop. Talking." Nina said crossly, "Obviously, she's not an idiot. Bubbles has to stay home and miss the fucking festival, where she promised to fuck her Nina. If she gets too sick and it infects her arm... Nina not forgive herself if Bubbles loses her arm."
"Wanna play." Bubbles said, before breaking off into a coughing fit. The same pathetic cough that had kept her up all night, thinking about this particular confrontation.
The thief sat up quickly, rubbing tiredly at her face. Bubbles noticed what they were wearing, and felt even guiltier. Whilst Ninaein's hair was still the mess that it always was, she wasn't wearing her usual garb of leather and fur that informed people messing with her was probably a death wish.
Instead, the neko was wearing one of Edric's dresses. A bright red thing which had a slit all the way down one side. The impracticality of wearing something so sensual in the winter partially offset by a firestone necklace dangling between breasts that were bigger than Bubbles'.
Around one of Ninaein's wrists was a twisted cord bracelet that Bubbles hadn't seen before. It was a traditional nekan thing, a promise bracelet. The cord was made of blonde hair twisted and woven painstakingly into smooth strands, that then had a sequence of small and colourful stones looped into it. Representing their clans and tribes.
Bubbles coughed, and forced herself to speak despite the burning in her throat, "Is that my hair?"
Nina glanced at her and gave an innocent smile, "Some of it. Rest is Ninaein's."
"Stalker." Bubbles glowered, before breaking off into a coughing fit that had her rolling onto her side and curling into a ball. Begging it to just stop.
She felt the other neko gently brushing her hair, and quietly humming the song that Bubbles had written for her. Not promising anything, not reassuring her, just quietly sitting by and being calming. Among all of Bubbles' lovers... She had to admit that Ninaein was the one that knew her best.
Not that it was surprising, coming from a literal stalker.
She groaned, throat rasping, and tried to sit up. Nina grabbed her shoulder, and fluffed her pillows with the other hand, before lifting her over to sit against them. The neko sat beside her, and held her cheek silently. Bubbles leaned into the touch and instinctively tried to purr, breaking off into another cough.
The thief sighed, and took off her firestone necklace, before placing it around Bubbles neck. The moment the glowing red little rocks touched her chest, she was filled with a gentle warmth. Nina nuzzled her nose and stood up, "Getting honey tea. Bubbles... Stay. Not allowed out of bed."
She tried to growl, but ended up coughing into her hands. She looked up at her girlfriend with watery eyes and gave a small nod.
Almost as soon as the other neko left the room, Bubbles was surprised as she heard a massive thud, and the unmistakable flick of a knife. Her ears twitched, but as stuffy as they were she couldn't make out the exact words.
What she could make out, was that Ninaein was whispering to someone, threatening them.
Bubbles rolled her eyes, and pulled back the blanket. She touched her feet to the cold ground, her tail going straight up in the air at the blistering touch. She grabbed the blanket, pulling it up to her chin, and shuffled to the doorway.
She found Kaia lying on the ground, arm twisted behind her back, and one of Nina's knees on her spine. The succubus' tail had the sharp point pressed to the neko's throat, but the thief had a knife positioned to go through Kaia's spine.
Bubbles spoke raspily, "Enough. She's sick. Does she have to make you all behave?"
The catgirl fell against the doorway from the effort, sweating and glaring at the two of them. Ninaein made an annoyed snarl and stood up, storming off to the kitchen without another word. The succubus sat up, putting a hand to her chest and looking embarrassed, "Whoo... That was... Well, I came."
Bubbles rolled her eyes and turned to go back to her room. She heard the succubus' bare feet behind her as she followed. The catgirl crawled into bed, and tried to shuffle into a comfortable sitting position, again. With the sling, it was difficult.
Kaia took the blanket from her, tossing it up into the air to lie it down against her smoothly, before tucking it in and under her arms. The succubus delicately lifted the slung arm as she did.
The neko looked into those deep red and caring eyes, and sighed, "Nina... Is worried... Gonna need to help her, today."
"I'd agree." Kaia nodded hesitantly, "But... I'm kinda not going to be home, today."
"Huh?"
The succubus sighed, "I'll be escorting a young lord to the festival, this afternoon. A way of proving to his father that I am adequate to handle his son's affairs. You and Ninaein were going to the festival, so I thought you'd be distracted if I told you."
"Kaia got new job." Bubbles gave a small and timid smile, "He cute?"
"Not really." The succubus lied through her teeth, the swish of her tail telling of the exciting prospect.
The neko half-coughed and half-laughed, "He's rude, isn't it?"
"So rude." Kaia grinned at her, "He even threatened to slap me for speaking out of turn."
"He touch my Kaia, he fucking die." Bubbles snarled, albeit with a wheeze.
The succubus rolled her eyes, "Obviously. There is a line, and I won't let him cross it. Threats I enjoy. Actions, not so much. I belong to you, Mistress Kitten."
Bubbles shivered at the private name, and then smiled slowly, "If lord behave badly... Kaia could offer present to Nina. Give her something to take out anger on."
"She wouldn't care, sorry." Kaia laughed and shook her head, "I'll just report him to the temple. Our empress doesn't tolerate abuse. Lord or not, he cannot harm an exotic. But... I am a succubus. It is not kind to only be gentle with me. I live for the roughness."
The neko nodded tiredly, suddenly feeling utterly exhausted. She felt her eyes starting to close all on their own, and her head lolling to the side. Leathery hands grasped her, sliding her down further into the bed and retucking the blanket around her neck.