Some old wounds never truly heal, and bleed again at the slightest word.

George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

Enchanted Forest

Puss would never admit it, but she didn't mind being human. Sure, it felt a bit strange to wear skin but it was nice to get back into the habit of communicating with humans. And stealing from humans. She had always enjoyed that. It was good to know she could still rely on old habits to get by. Well, old habits, smarts, and of course, her fantastic breasts. The cat nearly had forgotten how easily men fell over themselves at the sight of a naked woman. Absently adjusting them through the neck hole of her hooded vest, she hardly noticed the fairy fluttering up behind her.

"You're a girl again!"

"Woman, actually." Puss arched a brow as she turned to face the little blonde.

She watched with interest as Tinker Bell rolled her shoulders. That simple action sucked her wings in and the redhead wondered if they would have any value on the black market. Fairies had always been a mysterious sort, a bit hoity toity and dull for the cat's taste and she had absolutely no qualms about planning for she and the blonde's inevitable...parting of ways.

Tink didn't notice the glimmer of deviousness in Puss' eyes. She just adjusted the strap of her satchel. "And you have clothes! Thank you."

The redhead grinned impishly and gave the fairy a spin. She hadn't missed how Tinker Bell had avoided looking at her, how the little bug had looked anywhere but where Puss wanted her to during their last meeting. Worse, she had only touched her in safe, appropriate places and frankly, that kind of modesty was bad for Puss' ego. Hazel eyes cast a glance over her shoulder. Hands on her hips, she raked her gaze over the blonde's form encouragingly. "Well? Do you like?"

Tinker Bell nodded with a hint of puzzled amusement. "You look great."

"So the clothes will suffice?"

"Sure," the blonde shrugged. True, the skirt was more of a slip and the cat really needed to be wearing a tunic under the vest to avoid being considered indecent, but it was a step up from nudity. The lack of boots was bit of surprise as well. She noticed they were propped up against the tree, polished to perfection.

Puss licked her eye tooth and resisted the urge to scowl at the casual dismissal. Tugging open the laces at her sternum, she smirked at the freshly bared skin before she turned to face the fairy. Hands clasped, she subtly pushed her voluptuous breasts together to show them off. "I'm glad. Never can tell what will offend a Master's sensibilities."

Tinker Bell's features tightened a touch. She decided not to press the issue, however, because Puss struck her as the stubborn type. Delicate fingers reached into her satchel. "I brought lunch."

"Oh," Unable to stop the amused, patronizing smile that crossed her mouth, Puss shook her head. "That's not necessary. I can feed meself, mate."

Tinker Bell dropped her gaze to the bag. Fiddling with it, and feeling rather foolish, she licked her lips. "Oh."

Curious, the cat slunk up to her. Her thumb found the blonde's bottom lip and she ran her nail over it. The fairy blushed as the redhead tilted her chin up. Puss squinted at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" She shook her head. "I just thought-"

"I would continue to use you?"

Tink's green eyes snapped to the woman's. Appalled and admittedly a bit flustered, she snapped, "You weren't using me! I wanted to help you."

Puss shrugged, not really understanding how that mattered. The blonde carefully pulled her hand away, pressing a kiss to the back of her dirty fingers with a simper. The action was strange, but certainly not unwelcome, so the cat allowed it.

"I was hoping we could get to know each other better?" The fairy held up a blueberry scone and grinned. "Come on, I know you like them."

"Oh?" A fine ginger brow arched as the cat's smirk widened. Taking the pastry, she considered the peace offering. There was really no harm in letting the little bug get her jollies. She could always lie. "Very well. I'm an open book, love."

Tinker Bell beamed. It lit up her whole face and Puss had to resist the urge to flinch at the genuine eagerness of it. The blonde didn't notice the hesitance in her companion's eyes. "Really?"

With a firm nod, the cat settled, cross legged on the grass beside her boots. Flexing her scratched up toes in the soft cool dirt, she leaned back against a tree trunk. As she bit into the scone, Puss waved an almost condescending hand. "Go on then."

Tinker Bell grinned and moved to sit by her side. With her short legs tucked beside her, she began to pull out her lunch. A bundle of grapes, a roll and a few pieces of cheese. Puss eyed the latter with interest, but merely took another bite of her pastry as the fairy plucked a grape from its vine. "So…I've never met a shapeshifter before."

"Congrats, then."

Amused, the fairy shrugged. "I know there are some, but I haven't met them."

"No, you lot seem to just have dogs." Puss wrinkled her nose with distaste. Picking out a blueberry from her scone, she innocently let it fall between her tits. As she made a show of fishing it out, she drawled, "Trust me when I say they ain't worth your time, fairy wings."

Tink blushed at the nickname- and admittedly at how suggestively the cat had taken to showing off her breasts. As she tucked a strand of pale blonde hair behind her ear, she teased, "Oh? You're not biased, are you? Being a cat and all?"

The redhead scoffed. Licking a bit of juice from her finger, Puss hummed with a shrug. "Maybe."

"Are you the only cat in the Enchanted Forest?"

She shrugged again and took another bite of her scone. As she chewed, she debated whether or not to lie. After a moment, the shapeshifter decided on neutral ground. "Probably."

"Does that mean you're not from around here?" Tink shifted a bit closer to her. Leaning forward on her hands, she peered at the cat's disinterested features with unmasked curiosity. "Are you from another realm? I've never met anyone-"

"Yes, I am," Puss cut her off, voice brisk. Features pinched, she shoved the rest of her scone in her mouth. Chewing obnoxiously, the cat ignored how Tinker Bell's face softened, how her green eyes became sympathetic and knowing and completely ignored the quiet "oh," of consolation the fairy offered. Instead, the redhead brushed the crumbs from her hands and sat up. Leaning over her long legs, she stretched her arms out and rolled her shoulders. Her back cracked. With a sigh, the cat offered her a limp smile. "I've been here long enough to consider meself a native, lass."

"And how long is that?"

"Decades."

Thin blonde brows rose. She would have guessed Boots was thirty years old at the most. Then again, she supposed something similar could have been said about herself. "Really?"

"Mhm." A wistful smile crossed Puss' lips. It tasted bitter. "When I arrived the King was but a boy."

"Have you always been able to change your shape?" Tinker Bell's gaze flickered down to where the cat's breasts were dotted with blue stains.

The redhead nodded. "For as long as I can remember."

"Are you terribly upset with me?" Tink fiddled with one of her grapes. Unable to meet the cat's inquiring eyes, she paused a moment before she went on, "For asking you to stay human?"

"It's a common enough request." Puss shrugged. "It's not ideal but it's hardly an inconvenience."

"Well, what do you usually do when you're human?'

Proud, the cat puffed out her chest. She pretended not to notice when Tinker Bell's gaze flickered down to her chest once more (or the blush that lined the fairy's cheeks) as she boasted, "I've done lots of things. I've sailed with pirates, lived with kings…"

"Wow." Enrapt, the blonde blinked. As she shook her head, a faint, shameful chuckle left her. "I barely ever get to spend time outside the Veil."

A displeased frown tugged at Puss' lips. "So I've noticed."

"What's it like? Having that kind of freedom?"

The cat snickered at her naiveté. "What makes you think I had any freedom?"

The fairy blinked. Full lips parted in a an awkward silent stammer, before she managed, "I just assumed-"

Puss sighed. She leaned toward her and stole a kiss from the pretty plump mouth. She hadn't just been flattering when she called Tinker Bell beautiful. Puss didn't see the harm in having some fun with the little bug while she paid her debt. True, the fairy had expressed some hesitation when it came to the illicit kind of fun Puss typically liked to have, but the cat couldn't resist a little teasing. There was the promise of after after all. There was no harm in giving the bug the vapors. Getting her all hot and bothered like modest folk were prone to do when faced with anything outside their comfort zone. Puss didn't have much experience with fairies, but the redhead had heard enough to know it was probably unwise to trifle with them… but the temptation was just too hard to resist. Tink was too adorable, with her wide green eyes and eager to please disposition. The little blonde was practically begging for it.

The cat licked the fairy's lips and shook her head in a fond manner at Tinker Bell's shaky gasp. Thumbing the blonde's bottom lip, she teased, "You're sweet, Tinkahbell. Almost too sweet for your own good."

The blonde struggled to find her voice. It was hard to think of anything other than the easy, gentle scrape of the cat's nail against her mouth. Of how Puss kept looking at it, licking her lips and biting them like she could hardly resist tasting her again… it made the fairy feel heady and warm. With a fierce blush coloring her cheeks, she pulled her chin from the redhead's palm. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Maybe for a fairy," Puss replied. She swiped her tongue over her left eye tooth and resisted the urge to scowl. She had really thought the little bug would be spreading her legs after that one.

Unaware of the redhead's frustration, Tinker Bell grinned with pride. "I am a fairy."

"And you enjoy it?" The cat asked with a hint of impugning disinterest. She couldn't imagine anything more boring than being a prim and proper little proletariat.

"I haven't finished my training yet but…" Tinker Bell beamed once more. It was a bright, honest expression and Puss couldn't decide whether to be disgusted or intrigued by it, so she settled on pity. Still the cat kept quiet as the fairy gushed, "Helping people, changing their lives; I can't think of anything more wonderful."

"Right..." The redhead let the word drag out. "Well, good luck with that."

Tink chose to ignore the mockery in the cat's voice. Letting some doubt slip into her own, she squinted. "Have you really sailed with pirates?"

A firm nod. "Yes."

Tink moved toward her and taunted, "And lived with a king?"

"The King," Puss corrected. The arrogance fell from her tone. Rubbing the back of her neck, she shrugged. "Before he got the crown."

The fairy arched a brow. Suspicion, and frankly more than a bit of misgiving, filled her airy voice, "You knew King Leopold?"

The ginger refused to meet the blonde's gaze. Stomach and voice a bit tight, she tugged the bottom of her vest down to cover more of her pale stomach, "He went by Leo when I knew him."

Tinker Bell frowned at the cat's reaction. A bit nervous, she barely managed to keep the waver out of her words, "Were you in love?"

The thought frightened her. The idea that Puss could have had love before her, that there was competition for the cat's heart. That she would never have it completely to herself. It was petty and selfish, but the fear was real. The relief at Puss' scoff was almost enough to make her cry. Her whole body relaxed, her shoulders falling and her breath easing from her lungs as the woman explained tersely.

"Ew, no." Puss curled her lip back in disgust. "He was just a boy when I met him…" She swallowed, unable to stop herself from adding, "But he was my boy."

Tinker Bell shuffled a bit closer. The cat's eyes snapped to hers and the blonde paused at the redness that lined her hazel eyes. Hesitant, the fairy set a gentle hand on her love's knee. "He was your owner?"

Puss clenched her jaw but nodded.

The fairy's lips pursed and her brows came together as she shook her head. "Why aren't you with him now?"

A bitter chuckle left the cat. She put her hand over Tink's. Her fingers were longer, a bit thicker and considerably more dirty. "Let's just say the dear Queen Eva didn't take too kindly after she found out I could turn into a woman with such glorious breasts…" Puss shot her a saucy, lopsided grin that (unbeknownst to the cat herself) came off incredibly strained. "So I was asked to leave."

The blonde didn't share her mirth. "Oh Boots, that's horrible."

"That's life." Puss waved a dismissive hand. The other remained firmly in the fairy's grasp. Her smaller fingers rubbed at the back of her scarred hand. They were distractingly soft. "Love is one of man's most temporary emotions. It doesn't make them bad, just untrustworthy."

Her words, her casual posture, her limp knowing tone- all of them made Tinker Bell's stomach ache. Firm, she shook her head. "You're wrong. People can love indefinitely."

"I haven't seen it."

"I'll show you," the fairy ignored the surprised blink and pressed, "I promise."

A smirk drifted across the cat's face. Tink was sober, her expression grave and quite frankly, Puss was amused. She shook her head. "Don't make promises you can't keep, fairy wings."

"I will keep it." The blonde paused at the woman's obvious doubt. With a hint of it herself, the fairy leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the redhead's cheek.

Puss arched a brow at her sudden affection. The same smirk lined her mouth, but her eyes danced. "I thought you wanted to keep things chaste?"

Pleased, but a little embarrassed, Tink blushed. "There's more than one type of love. Like your love for Leopold. It wasn't sexual was it?"

A laugh was knocked from the cat. It was genuine and husky, coming from the back of her throat as she shook her head. Her long red hair brushed Tinker Bell's face. It smelt like mud and stagnant water mixed with grass. "Not even slightly."

"Exactly." The fairy slipped a piece of the long ginger mop behind her companion's ear. A careful thumb traced the missing notch along the shell of it. "And maybe, one day, we can be physical but not right now. Right now we should love each other for who we are, not our bodies."

"You're throwing this love word around a lot." Puss wrinkled her nose playfully before she let her cheek rest against the bark of the tree. Pulling her boots into her lap, she continued, "You don't even know me."

"I know enough."

"Do you?"

"I'd like to learn more." At the cat's obvious displeasure, she went on, "But not today. Do you have any questions for me?"

A crooked grin tugged at the corner of the cat's mouth. "Does that boss of yours know you're here?"

Tink turned her chin up and refused to meet the cat's taunting gaze. "I didn't see the point in troubling Blue with my whereabouts. All my tasks are done for the day, I'm free to do as I like."

The cat fell back once more. Idly scratching her back on the bark of the tree, she cocked a brow. "If that's true, why do you sound so nervous, pretty girl?" She toed gently at the back of Tinker Bell's hand. "Think she'd disapprove?"

"What's there to disapprove of? I'm allowed to have friends." Again, the blonde's fingers returned to the edge of her leafy skirt. Absently plucking a near invisible dandelion fluff from it, she pretended not to notice the how dirty her true love's feet were.

Puss let out a snort of laughter. "Not outside the veil you're not."

With a bright, curious smile, the fairy tilted her head. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." The cat crossed her arms behind her head. "She's a bit of a control freak, yeah?"

Tinker Bell shrugged. "More of a perfectionist."

Puss hummed. Her gaze flickered over the petite woman's pristine blonde curls and her perfectly accented headpiece and offered a sarcastic, "And I suppose you ain't?"

"I prefer a bit of leeway, yes."

The two shared an amused smirk. The forest around them was peaceful. The sun was warm and the birds were twittering about. The stillness (and how Puss closed her eyes to rest against the tree) gave the fairy a boost of confidence. Tink crawled a bit closer to her. She didn't want to startle her, but curiosity got the better of her; they had been close before. Too close and too intimate for a first meeting, but the blonde had been fixated on Puss' face. Too fixated on her searching hazel eyes and kiss bruised mouth to care about looking anywhere else. Tinker Bell's movements paused as the redhead peeked an eye open at her.

A bit sheepishly, Tink sat back. At the redhead's curious, but not disapproving glance, the blonde blushed. Puss offered her a crooked smirk and settled back once more. Tink didn't waste the opportunity, her eyes drifted over the taller woman's form. None of the fairyfolk had a body like hers. Some of the dresses gave the illusion of cleavage but even they paled somewhat in comparison to the cat's natural form. Puss was supple, all wide hips and full breasts. Her arms and legs were long and lean, freckled, with the odd scar from a hard life outdoors. Tinker Bell had never seen a body quite like it. It was interesting. Unique. So unlike all the pristine petite bodies she was used to. A curious hand rose and hovered above the redhead's pale, dirt smudged knee.

The cat eyed the fairy's eager, shy expression and subtly bent it, easing her knee into the blonde's waiting touch. Tink broke out a wide grin and began to caress the bare skin with interest. Puss didn't wear tights and with how her legs were splayed, it was obvious she didn't bother with knickers either. The fairy swallowed and gently ran her fingernails from the redhead's knee to her shin and back up.

"Is it strange for you?" She thumbed a thin line of puckered skin on her true love's calf. Fairies didn't scar... "Being in this body?"

"A bit, yeah." Puss shrugged and tried to play her arousal off as nonchalantly as possible. Her grip on her boots tightened. The fairy's touch was shy and tender and it made the cat want to ravish her. "My senses are a bit more muted but me eyesight's better, taste too."

Hazel eyes fell to Tink's mouth.

The fairy blushed. "Oh."

"What?" The woman tilted her head. Perplexed by the blonde's sudden hesitance, she sat up.

"Nothing!" Tink pulled her hand away only to have it snatched up by the cat.

The redhead placed it a bit higher up on her bare thigh. "Why'd you stop?"

"I- I don't want-"

Puss pouted, batting her eyes like a sad kitten. "I thought you liked petting me?"

"I do." Tinker Bell paused. Biting her lip, she shook her head. "It's just different now that you're…"

The cat barely resisted the urge to flinch. A bit insulted and a bit indignant, Puss began to pull on her boots with a sneer. "I thought you said you wanted me like this-"

"I do! I do like this form! It's...wonderful," The blonde told her, taking in her true love's body with a hint of breathlessness. "I'm just not sure I should touch you like that."

"Why not? It felt good. Here, let me show you…" Puss leaned forward. A steady hand crept up the fairy's leg and Tink leapt away from her. Insult turned to confusion as the little blonde began to pace.

The fairy wrung her hands. "That's really not necessary."

A shocked, unsure laugh left the cat. "But you were the one who-"

"I know I did." Tinker Bell rolled her shoulders. Her wings sprouted from her back and the woman stood. "It was wrong of me."

Puss almost rolled her eyes. This was exactly why she avoided modest people; too many hang ups. Worse, she couldn't help but feel… rejected. Tink had been so innocent and so gentle with her and her sudden revulsion felt like a slap in the face. They hadn't even started the fun stuff yet and the little fairy was acting like they'd just had a go in the grass. Shaking her head, Puss watched with hurt, angry eyes as the stupid bug covered her face in her hands. "Why? We both enjoyed it, why was it wrong?"

"I don't want to do this until you're free." Tink bit her lip as the cat straightened. Quick feet approached her and she slipped her hands into the redhead's before the cat could do anything else with them. Panicked and pale, she pleaded, "Can't I just absolve you of your debt?"

Disgusted, Puss shook her head. "No! I want to honor it!"

"Then we will." The blonde offered her hands a light squeeze and a tiny smile. "But we can't be physical until then, alright?"

Her hazel eyes fell to the ground. Shoulders rolling with agitation, the cat reminded her, "You were the one who touched me."

Tinker Bell echoed her companion's scowl. "I said I was sorry."

The cat shrugged, a bit embarrassed to be begging for affection. "It's fine." She forced a devious smile. Cupping the fairy's tiny hand with less claws than she would have liked, the redhead reminded her, "We never discussed what it is I could do for you, Mistress Bell."

"Call me-"

Puss shot her a mocking smile. "Perhaps after the deed is done and the debt is repaid-"

"Please." The blonde offered the taller woman a hopeful, somewhat pitiful smile.

"Fine. Tinkahbell," Puss reaffirmed with a softer smirk. "What can I do for you, fairy wings? Be honest now. What is it you want?"

"I don't know…I mean, fairies aren't really supposed to want for anything…"

The cat hummed. "Well…may I take a guess? It's kind of my area of expertise."

Pleased the playfulness had returned to the cat's tone, Tinker Bell smirked. "You think I'm that predictable?"

"Of course! Everyone is, love." A bold wink. "Now…you're a loner, obviously a little touch starved…affection starved, too, I bet. Probably not a lot of boy fairies around to get your jollies with." Puss paused and clinked her ankles together. "Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever so much as heard of a male fairy." She shook her head. "Pity. So…how about a man? A human man, I mean. I could get you a husband or a lay…just tell me what you like."

Tinker Bell faltered. Sad and a bit uncomfortable that was how her true love viewed her, that she presented herself in such a desperate manner, she shook her head. "I…I'm not really interested in a man."

"Oh?" An intrigued brow rose as a devilish, crooked smile crossed the cat's mouth. "Well, I'd offer my services but it seems you have some hang ups about boundaries and respect, so perhaps I could find you a nice little piece for the night, hm?"

"I don't want anyone for the night." Tink felt her face flush and crossed her arms. Defensive, she snapped, "I don't want anyone. I'm not looking for…that."

The cat blinked with genuine surprise. None of the signals the blonde had sent her suggested Puss was wrong; Tinker Bell reeked of loneliness. "What about romance?"

"Not right now," Tink rushed, tilting her body away from the cat.

Puss eyed her with trepidation. She didn't understand why the little bug was suddenly so offended. She had touched her, rebuffed her and was now acting as though Puss had just hung her out to dry. As if the cat was the one who had lead her on. "Oh? Well, something else then? What do you pine for? Wealth, perhaps? A home of your own?"

"I can do that myself." The fairy grinned and pulled out a wand.

Visibly disturbed, the cat took a step back. Pointing at the thin wooden wand, she asked where the blonde had been keeping it.

Tink rolled her eyes. With a swish of her wand, the ground shook and parted. A shriek left the cat as she leapt behind her Master. From the safety of the fairy's back, she peeked over her shoulder (something the cat had to bend to do) as the tree she called home grew, its roots moving and twisting before it settled once more.

Puss tilted her head, but kept her hands tight on the back of the leafy green dress the blonde was so fond of. She wrinkled her nose as the tip of Tink's long gossamer wing swiped across her cheek. Unimpressed, Puss needlessly told her, "It looks the same."

The fairy rolled her eyes. "Why don't you go press the knot just below the opening I made for you?"

Humming, the shapeshifter did just that. The tree shook once more before the trunk fell in. With a glance over her shoulder, and a bit endeared by the blonde's excited gesturing, she poked her head inside. A narrow staircase sat inside. Curious, she followed it down to a room. A room that had most certainly not been there before. The floor and walls were made of dirt, as was the ceiling. It was also surprisingly large and well lit by sunlight; although the cat had no idea where it was coming from. It seemed as though it was seeping in through the grass above.

The fairy sauntered in behind her, smug and knowing. Behind her back, she crossed her arms and waited for the cat to find fault in her work. To her surprise, the criticism didn't come.

"Alright," Puss admitted, nodding her approval. "You've got some tricks up that frilly little sleeve of yours, I'll give you that."

"So, you like it?" Tink asked with a grin. Her wings fluttered behind her. "You'll stay?"

The cat blinked with obvious surprise. She pointed toward the dirt floor. "What, this is for me?"

Tinker Bell smiled and tucked her wand away. "Of course it is."

Puss' gaze flickered around the room. It wasn't much, but it was more than anyone had ever offered her before. She was used to a pillow or a barn...this was something else entirely. With a sniff, the cat lifted a shoulder. "It'll do for now."

Rolling her eyes, Tink shrunk down. "I've got to get going. Blue'll have my wings if I miss curfew again."

The redhead didn't say anything as the little bug fluttered off. Just touched the wall and smiled.

A/N: Huge shout out to my wonderful Beta, Allison. She's amazing.