STRESS RELIEF
Katie was about to turn off the light and go to bed when there was a knock on the door. It was already late into the ship's sleep cycle, which made her pause.
"Uh, yes?"
"It's Allura."
"Oh, come in."
In walked the Princess, wearing an ensemble of lace lingerie and high heels, the kind only seen in magazines and never in real life. Katie's jaw went slack.
"P-P-Princess?"
Said woman walked all the way into Katie's personal space, towering above the shorter, younger girl.
"Please, Pidge. There's no need for formality. Not tonight. Just call me Allura."
Katie took a step back and gulped loudly.
Undeterred, Allura smiled and took a step forward. "Or anything else, if that pleases you."
Still looking quite confused, Katie tried to take another step back, only to find her calves colliding with the edge of her bed.
"Uh—what's going on?"
Once again, Allura approached Katie with a gentle smile. "I'm here to relieve your stress."
Without any other resource, Katie fell back onto her bed. "R-r-relieve?"
The Princess looked pensive for a second before her expression shifted to recognition.
"Oh! You don't know."
Katie shook her head with more force than strictly necessary.
"Very well, then." Allura shifted her weight to one leg and put a hand on her hip. "Allow me to elucidate.
"You see, when soldiers are deployed to far, desolate places for too long, their mental state begins deteriorating. Solitude and isolation can have a very negative effect on morality. In order to combat the issue and reduce its impact, the armed forces hire and designate companions meant to take care of—how can I put this—certain needs."
Despite what to most people would have been a rather clear explanation, Katie simply stared blankly at the Princess.
Placing a finger to her lips, Allura hummed thoughtfully. "You know. When you are alone for far too long, certain unfulfilled desires can put a strain on your mind."
Katie's eyes widened comically.
"S-s-s-se-sex! You mean sex!"
Allura clapped her hands together and smiled widely, flashing her perfect, white teeth. "Yes!"
"N-no. No, thanks." Katie scurried back on the mattress until her head hit the wall. "I mean, you're a very attractive lady and whatnot, but I'm fine, I assure you."
Still undeterred, the Princess approached the bed. She adopted a feline, graceful crawl in order to traverse the distance between her and the shorter boy.
Katie yelped.
"Oh, Pidge, there's no need to act coy. I've seen how you look at me when you think I'm unaware."
"Y-yes, well... You got me?" Katie shrugged and quickly tried to push herself up the wall. "Still, I couldn't ask such a thing from you, Princess."
"Oh, nonsense. I'm doing this of my own volition."
As Allura came closer, Katie scurried around toward the head of the bed in order to maintain some distance.
"Wait, wait." The younger girl held her open hands toward the Princess. "Didn't you just say we should hire people to do this?"
Daintily adopting a seiza sitting position, Allura finally stopped her pursuit. "Well, the problem is that we don't know anyone trustworthy we can hire. Therefore, it falls to me. As your sovereign, commander and benefactor, I am responsible for all the upkeep of my soldiers. Noblesse Oblige, if you will."
It was a sound argument, even if Katie had to work up from a premise completely alien to her.
Being rational was not always a boon. While she pondered Allura's words, the caramel skinned woman was already upon her.
By the time Katie broke out of her thoughts, she was already overwhelmed by warmth and softness, not to mention the most exquisite scent assaulting her nose.
It then took her a second to realize that Allura's hand was wandering south.
Panicked, she tried to push the intruding appendage away and shouted, "No!"
She had been too late, though. A look of understanding crossed the other woman's face.
"Oh," Allura said simply.
Katie's eyes glassed over almost instantly, the frustration of being discovered obvious on her features. She tried to free herself from the older woman's arms, but their delicate grace belied their strength.
"Shh, shh," Allura cooed. "It's fine."
"Is it?!" Katie turned an enraged glare toward the Princess.
"Yes," Allura said, completely unfazed by the girl's rage. "I see now that you needed far more from me than I first thought. Your secret is safe with me, Pidge. I shall take it to my grave."
Katie pouted angrily. Her worries were somewhat assuaged by the older woman's words, but she was still upset. The Princess had basically forced her to reveal her secret.
"There's no need to go that far," Katie said after a moment. "I'm planning to tell the guys at some point. Just not yet."
"I understand," Allura said, grabbing one of the younger girl's hands and intertwining their fingers.
After a minute or so, the Princess began running her fingers along Pidge's brown locks.
"You know," Katie said suddenly, "I'm tempted to accept your offer out of spite."
The Princess smiled and continued her ministrations. "You may."
"I also want to call you mean names for being so pushy."
Allura giggled cutely. "You may, Pidge."
"It's Katie. My real name."
Touching Katie's cheek with one hand and guiding the girl's face toward her own, Allura whispered, "It's a beautiful name."
Their lips met in a heated but gentle kiss. It did not last long, but when they parted, Katie was already breathing heavily.
"It's not fair."
"What isn't?" Allura asked.
"That I forgive you just like that. I've been dreaming of this for so long. And you're too damn pretty. It's so not fair."
In response, the Princess giggled cutely again.
Katie pouted.
"We should get started, then. Before I have to go to the others."
Turning her head away, the younger girl said under her breath, "Must you?"
"Yes. But you and I share something special. I'm the only one who knows your secret. So, come on, no more pouting." Allura ran her fingertips lightly along Katie's exposed neck. The girl shuddered at the contact.
"Fine," Katie muttered after a moment.
Allura made sure that her Green Paladin was thoroughly spent and was left with no stress whatsoever. For her part, Katie had the best sleep of her life that night.
The following morning, Allura was standing on the command podium when Lance came up behind her. He playfully pinched one of her buttocks.
"Hey, beautifu—"
Faster than the strike of a cobra, the Princess captured his wrist and twisted it in a rather unnatural way. If looks could kill, Allura's glare would have instantly vaporized the guy.
"Ow, ow, ow. What the hell?"
In response, she leaned forward, her face stopping just inches away from his. She twisted his hand a tiny bit more and her glare grew even more intense, somehow.
"Agh! Okay, okay! I get it! Don't mix work and pleasure!"
Allura nodded and huffed as she released Lance. Without a backward glance, she returned to her regal posture in the middle of the command deck. No such incidents reoccurred.
FIN