Author's Note: This chapter focus on Droite and an OC from Together!. If you haven't read that, there isn't really a point in reading this chapter. But if you want to anyway, Alyssa is a girl with a dark sense of humor who started dating Droite in the first story.

Babysitting! Part 1!

Alyssa stretched her thin arms high into the air as she walked through her neighborhood. The houses were packed in tight, layered heavily. Children ran by playing, and various loud, drunk townspeople wandered in and out of various establishments. She liked the lower quarter; it was lively and exciting.

She had grown up in the noble house of Luscher; things were always stuffy and restrictive. When she was sixteen, she had joined the royal academy in a bid for freedom. Now, she preferred the freedom of lower-class life.

A few drunken ladies busted out of the door of a tavern; Alyssa smiled and waved at them. She hummed to herself as she climbed the steps around the back side of the building. Her home was above a local lesbian tavern.

She opened the door to her home, took a few steps, then froze, completely petrified.

Alyssa wasn't sure why she chose to stay perfectly still; it's not like the little girl would forget she was there. Susie blinked a few times, also sitting perfectly still and staring at the blonde scientist who had just entered the small apartment.

"Droite!?" she called out, not breaking eye contact from the little girl.

The knight wandered into the room, fully armored. Droite's green hair hung down, loose and lightly wavy, with bangs swept across her forehead. On her right shoulder was a single, pink shoulder pad. Her arms were otherwise exposed. The rest of her uniform was a white dress, with a single pink heart embroidered onto her chest.

"Sorry, I have to go back to the castle for a little; one of my ladies messed up some paperwork."

The knight was the captain of Estelle's all-female royal guard, responsible for the safety of her and her family. Droite liked the power and pay-grade, but hated the uniform that Estelle had chosen. Just as she bolted by, Alyssa reached a hand up and snatched her ear.

"Um– dear, why is Estelle's daughter here?"

The knight rubbed the back of her head and gave a sheepish grin. Alyssa squeezed a little tighter, forcing a wince and a shudder from the other girl. The scientist grew concerned at the other girl's overly excited face– there was a child watching.

"I may have told Estelle that we'd watch her over the weekend."

Alyssa released the knight's ear. "The whole weekend?" she questioned, glancing over at the confused little girl.

"Yeah, did I forget to tell you?"

"I certainly haven't heard anything about this," Alyssa responded, her eyes squinting in anger.

"I guess you're going to have to punish me later?"

The researcher reached out and pulled Droite's ear up to her. "Cut it out! Not in front of that kid, alright?" she whispered, releasing her again.

Droite nodded sheepishly, then reached down and lifted up Alyssa's left hand. She kissed the silver band that wrapped around the scientist's ring finger. "Sorry, I'll be back soon, just play with her or something," the green-haired girl suggested.

Alyssa nodded awkwardly as her wife left the room. The blonde glanced back to the little girl, who continued to sit and stare.

There home was small; a little two bedroom apartment above her favorite tavern. It was a little rundown, but still warm and cozy. Their main room had a small kitchen along the wall and a little wooden table. Tucked in the corner was a big comfy sofa and a chair; the same one that used to sit in the lab. Their cluttered little bedroom laid just beyond it; Alyssa hoped that Droite had remembered to lock all the drawers on their nightstand. The other side had a little home office.

It wasn't the nicest place; there weren't a ton of places that were welcoming for lesbian couples, even if one was a knight captain and the other ran the imperial laboratories. But she was still happy to live in married bliss with her wife.

There were a lot of people who came out and got married after Estelle and Rita, but Zaphias still wasn't the kindest place to them. Alyssa knew that Estelle was working hard at protecting their rights; there were even a few cases of the council trying to take away property from newly married couples. In the end, most gay couples ended up having to live near already established taverns or in the campus of Advancing Dawn's University, which thanks to Rita was fully accepting.

Alyssa released a sigh and sat down on their couch, directly across from Susie. The little girl just stared at her silently, gripping tight onto her stuffed rabbit.

"So, um," Alyssa started, "is there anything you want to do?"

The little girl jumped and little shook her head quickly, nervously blushing. Alyssa just continued to awkwardly stare at her.

"Uh, alright," she eventually responded. The scientist raised her hand up and began to bite at her thumbnail.

"My mommy says biting my nails is bad."

Alyssa glanced down into the little girl's serious expression.

"Really? Did you know that the nerve that controls your heart rate can be disrupted by breathing on your thumb. It's a trick that can help in awkward or uncomfortable situations–," the blonde started to respond.

"I– I don't know what any of that means," the little girl interrupted, nuzzling her face against the rabbit.

Alyssa released an uncomfortable chuckle, then started to rub at the back of her neck. After a few seconds, she started to nervously bite at her thumbnail again. The two sat in an awkward and nervous silence. Eventually Alyssa began to tap her foot against the ground. It was almost thirty minutes before Alyssa tried to speak again.

"Um, do you want anything to drink?"

Susie rapidly shook her head again, blushing.

Alyssa rolled her blue eyes at the sight; she realized that she was dealing with a tiny Rita. "So, um, what's with the rabbit?"

Little turquoise eyes met hers. "Um, she's Annie Rabbit."

"Uh– cute name. Did you come up with it?"

"No um, my mom did."

"Oh, so Estelle–,"

"No, Rita."

Alyssa covered her mouth to keep her laughter from bursting from her mouth. "Really? When was this?"

"When she was little. She told me Miss Rabbit used to protect her, now she's here to protect me!"

Her sinister laugh echoed forth. Alyssa slapped at her thigh, trying to contain the laughter. "That's too much!" she choked out through laughter. She kept imagining the serious, confident researcher clutching the rabbit like a safety blanket.

Susie just stared at her confused. Eventually the scientist calmed down, wiping a little tear from her eye. "That– thanks Susie. Uh– why don't you tell me more about your mom?"

The little girl finally looked a little confident, nodding seriously. "I love Mom. She's really nice."

"Yeah?"

"She didn't before, but now she hugs me all the time, and kisses my forehead."

Alyssa held in another snicker.

"Oh, oh, oh, and she always calls me her little angel."

Another round of raucous laughter started. This time, the door swung open in the middle of it. Droite stepped into the room, raising an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?" she questioned, unfastening the plates on her armor.

"Oh, Susie here was just telling me about Rita. Like how she hugs and kisses her; and how she calls Susie 'her little angel.'"

Gauche lifted Susie up; the little girl immediately clung around her neck. "How sweet. Do you like your Mom?"

Susie smiled brightly and nodded. "Mhm, auntie Droite. I love her!"

"How nice," Droite responded, sitting down in the chair.

The little girl was more comfortable with Droite– they actually spent a fair amount of time together because the knight had to escort Estelle. Alyssa just stared at her wife, gently holding the little girl with a smile.

"Really?" Alyssa questioned from across from her. "You don't think that's hilarious?"

Droite scowled a little. "Of course not. It seems like Rita is a pretty good mother."

"I– yeah, I guess," Alyssa responded, crossing her arms. When she glanced back over, she saw the little girl starting to nod off. Droite gently cupped the back of her head and stood up.

"Where's she sleeping anyway?"

With a gentle smile, Droite gently rocked the girl. "In the bed with me; Estelle said she might have nightmares."

"Can we really all fit–,"

"I think it's best if you sleep on the couch," Droite interrupted with a scowl.

"What?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Droite glared at her. "What do you think you're laughing at? That she has a loving mother?"

"Well– I–,"

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow."

Alyssa watched as her wife stormed out of the room. The blonde collapsed down onto the couch, rolling over onto her back. Droite hadn't mentioned it, but Alyssa knew that her wife wanted to adopt a child. But the prospect of becoming a mother was absolutely terrifying to the scientist. She had no idea how to interact with children, let alone raise one.

She closed her eyes, attempting to find sleep while thinking of a way to tell Droite.