"Oh god..."
This damn sun! It feels like it's just an inch away, blazing, laughing, doing everything in its power to fill the damn bedroom.
Yes, yes! She's awake! You can go away now!
But it remains… Despite her maniacal and desperate flailing of her hand yet to have woken up, akin to flailing a wet piece of parchment with the word 'please' written on it.
God dammit, why the night after he finally snuggled up into her own bed with him. It's been such a long time coming, but apparently she doesn't get to savor this moment.
No, no, no, no, no, no!
She has to wake up bright and early! Such is the will of the sun! Can't sleep in when the moon urged her on to never get any during the night!
"Bleurhg..." she coughs out as she lets her forearm land hard across her eyes. "Why so early?"
Wow, that's one dry mouth she has. Who would've thunk after how much she used it last night? If anything it should be flowing like a waterfall, but apparently not.
The only part on her body that isn't soaked.
Be it sweat, or-
"My throat's dry as a bone," she mumbles out loud as she smacks her tongue and lips together. Like clapping together two old and weathered pieces of sun dried leathers. Not too far off what they actually are, to be honest.
Should probably get up and drink some water to clear that away. She did refill her jug with more water last night, that as much she was responsible to do before he arrived.
A hand grabs onto her shoulder as she rolls away from her partner in bed. It's warm and steady. Not commanding, but urging, because it knows as much as she does that getting out of bed is the last thing she wants to do now. "No, stay," he whispers as he gently rolls her back towards him.
The two share a kiss.
Despite them almost collapsing out of sheer exhaustion last night, the kiss is still just as passionate as it was when he finally arrived so late at night.
Oh it was such a long time since she saw him.
Her heart ached so much.
But now he's here.
But now she has to leave him…
It'll not be for long though, that the two have promised.
Tomorrow they'll live together, tomorrow it'll be official.
Finally! After all this time!
"Yeah, you should probably drink some water," he snickers as she lets go of his lips. He tries to reconstitute them with his tongue, but his are just as dry as hers are. It was like rubbing two grinding stones together during the kiss, but not even the harsh chafing could stop the two from enjoying it more than they could ever dream to.
She pushes him as he shrugs and rolls away to go back to sleep, almost knocking him off the bed. "You're lucky I love you," she snarls through teeth gritted hard as to not reveal her amusement.
He chuckles.
"And don't you dare say 'I know'!" she shouts over her shoulder as she wraps her piece of the cover around her.
"How about 'you too'?"
Dammit…
"...Yes," she sighs in defeat. "You want some water too?"
Finally he begins to stretch the night away through a massive gaping yawn. "I could go for some."
"Then come and pour some yourself."
His stretch is halted just at the peak of comfort, tumbling down into the valley of discomfort like an avalanche speeding down a frictionless slope. "You're kidding, right?"
She winks at him as she sip on her brimming cup of refreshing water. "No." With a whistle, now that she can through her moistened lips, she refills her empty cup yet again.
"Please?" he asks pleadingly, still clinging onto the faint belief that he'll be allowed to stay in the warmth of the soft mattress and comforting blanket. "I'll give you another kiss?"
Tempting, but no.
As if she'd allow him to know that it is tempting as hell to her. She won't allow that kinda power to anyone!
She's the one that's gonna hold that power in this relationship, and that's final!
"You'll give me another kiss alright, but not in the exchange of anything," she states loud and clear. "And don't even think that you can even come close to what I can do to melt you."
She runs her hand over her head, slowly down her neck, with a gentle departure over her shoulder, and down her curves, finally stopping her hand at her hip, which she scoots out to the side. Her mouth bites carefully down on one of the claws on the hand that's occupied with the water, and she tilts her head just a bit as she fans her eyes.
He freezes, gulping loudly while his mouth quivers.
She scoffs a laugh. "You don't have any power here," she teases before taking another drink. "Now I need to clean myself up a bit, if you don't mind."
She lets her cover drop from her upper body, prompting another audible inhale from her bed, but just before it passes her midriff she catches it, and ties it around her waist, making a long flowing dress out of the cover as she walks over to the wash basin on the other side of the wooden dresser drawer.
She won't deny that the reaction from him makes her feel good. She's wanted, and from someone she wants too. The mutual desire hangs thicker than the wet blanket around her waist.
It's been a while for her, and she's glad the feeling is back.
As she begins warming up the water for her cleaning, she hears him finally getting up out of her bed. The loud complaining as the springs finally get some relief is almost deafening, almost drowning out his dramatic huffs and mumbling as he makes his way over to the now half empty jug of water.
He drinks deeply as she begins washing the sweat away from her face. Her mounds, round and perky, sore from last night, she washes off too. She rolls one shoulder. Yup, definitely sore. It'll be a bit difficult having sore shoulders at work, but she'll manage.
"How about lunch?" he asks as he nudges himself next to her to also make use of the hot water from her basin.
She throws some on his face. "You could wait until I'm done, you know?"
"I know," he says with a sly wink.
That...bastard…
"How about that tavern your friend works at, Jy?" Drayk asks after drying his face with a nearby towel. "Tor...something. At her tavern?"
Jyuona nags back the towel from Drayk, leaving him staring at the palms of his paws. "Might have to talk to her about it first. She's not been in the best of moods lately."
"Hm," Drayk answers as he reaches for another towel. "Shame."
"Yes, and it'll be one for you too if you don't even pretend to care for my friends."
"You know that I need at least half an hour and some tea before I can get started in the morning, Jy."
Jyunoa throws a pair of eyebrows raised high over her shoulder as she opens her wardrobe. "Surely didn't need any of that last night."
"That's different though," Drayk defends with a hand thrown just as high as Jyuona's eyebrows.
"If you say so," Jyuona replies with a shrug as she drags an undershirt on. "You're paying for the lunch, by the way?"
Drayk's towel cowered face turns around. "Ok?" his muffled voice asks in rising crescendo. "Why?"
"Because you love me," Jyuona whispers, having sneaked up as Drayk was drying his face. He flinches as he finds her less than an inch from his face, but Jyuona catches his neck, and drags his lips into hers. "Don't you?" she wonders as she retracts her tongue back to her own mouth.
He sighs dramatically, almost melting. "Yes, I do, Jy."
"Great!" she cheers. "Could you bring me my keys at lunch?" she adds as she stops at her front door.
"I will, Jyjy."
Jyuona stops in her step. "No," she throws back with her finger pointing harshly at Drayk.
"Yes, Jyjy."
"No."
"Yes, because you like that name."
And that's why he's not allowed to say it!
"See you at lunch," Jyuona mutters before closing the door behind her.
She scoffs another laugh as she heads down the stairs outside.
Why does she love him so?
/
"Hey! Hey! Come back!"
Ignore.
"You don't look well, friend."
Ignore.
"Do you need help?"
Ignore.
"Isn't that..."
Ignore.
"But...how..."
Ignore.
/
"Tori!"
Is she deaf?
"Tori!" Jyuona repeats, for like the fifth time now, waving her hand in front of the glazed state of Toriel's face.
Finally she blinks, the tiniest indication that she's alive. "Oh...yes? Can I-"
"It's me, Tori," Jyuona informs the clearly confused chef. "How are you, girl?"
Toriel looks down and away as her hand twists hard inside the mug she's cleaning with a piece of cloth.
Oh…
"What's the matter, Tori?" Jyuona pries as she sits down on the bar stool closest to Toriel. "Is it about..." She leans closer with her hand covering the side of her mouth. "The Prince?"
Toriel recoils violently, almost crushing the mug in her hand and gracing Jyuona with one of her ears as she rocks her head from side to side.
Oh shit, it is.
"It's been two months now," Toriel whispers through a sob. "He was to arrive home a month or so ago."
Oh no…
"Tori..."
Bossy's lips begin to retract as her mouth quivers like a scared child's. It radiates out to her shoulders in a matter of seconds, and it's not long after that that Toriel's knees begin to fail her. She collapses onto the bar, her head buried inside her arms as she drags a choking cough.
"It's my fault..." escapes the cavern she's created, and never intend to leave again.
"No, Tori," Jyuona tries to comfort as she leans over her friend with her arms. "You promised me, Tori."
"I'm sorry, Jy," she replies through a heavy sob. "I know I promised, but..."
"Shh, shh, shh," Jyuona hushes gently as she embraces her friend. The few patrons in at this hour be damned! They'll have to wait for a bit now. "I'm here, Tori."
"I'm scared that I don't know. I've been imagining things. Horrible things! I've told myself to stop thinking like that, but I can't! It always comes back! The worry! The guilt! It's always there! I just want to see him, to make sure he's fine, but I don't know where he is!" Toriel leans further into Jyuona shoulder. "What if he's just gone?"
"Tori," Jyuona says sternly. "You promised me. At the mill, you promised me to be strong."
"That was weeks ago..."
"I know, bossy, but there's no time limit on these. I'm sorry, but it's a promise you have to carry on you, Tori." Jyuona puts her forehead against Toriel's. Instantly she feels the gray and muddled aura that she's all too familiar with herself. Too feel it on her best friend now… "It'll be better, but it won't go away," Jyuona says, she has to.
Toriel heaves an exhausted sigh.
"I know, bossy," Jyuona sighs out as well. "But it is what it is now."
I know, Jy," Toriel replies after a quiet beat. "I'll be strong, I promise. I just… I needed to cry a bit. Sorry if I stained your shirt."
Jyuona dusts off her shoulder. "It's no worry, Tori," she smiles encouragingly, tugging at the teared stain with less than a care in the world. "I'll manage."
"Thanks, Jy."
The two friends embrace each other again.
"You'll see him again, Tori."
"..."
"I promise you."
"...Alright, Jy. I trust you."
Jyuona keeps her eyes locked on Toriel's to make sure she isn't lying.
She isn't, but she isn't telling the truth either.
She doesn't know.
Oh...Toriel…
Jyuona's heart hurts seeing Toriel like this. She's supposed to be Jyuona's pillar to lean on! The reverse is...it's so wrong!
What did she do getting herself involved with the Prince like this? Of all monsters to be so foolish, Toriel would be the last one Jyuona would ever image! Damn be that the two are Boss Monsters, even with that, Jyuona couldn't see Toriel ever getting close to the Prince.
Although, if anyone would be able to be an equal to the Prince, it would be Toriel. Jyuona has no doubt about that against her best friend!
Maybe Drayk can help?
He said something about knowing a guy who knew a guy who knew a guard in the castle.
Perhaps he can help.
Jyuona will ask during the lunch.
Oh! She almost forgot!
"Toriel?" she asks carefully. "It might not be the best time to ask...but Drayk suggested him and I eat lunch here. I...we won't if it'll upset you, of course, but perhaps if you see that I can get over...her...then maybe...I don't know?" Jyuona shakes her head hard. No! Focus! Be direct with your best friend!
Jyuona takes a steadying breath through her nose. "Perhaps it'll make you feel better seeing that I can get over something like this, and give hope that you can."
Toriel looks away to the side while awkwardly balling her hands inside her apron. "Maybe… I don't know either."
"Can we at least try?"
Toriel nods after a couple of seconds of silent thinking. "We can try..."
"Will you be fine until the lunch?"
"I think so, Jy." Toriel cocks her head down into the kitchen. "Gonna start with the preparation soon, will give me time to think a bit."
"Think of good things, bossy. Promise me?"
"I will."
Still can't tell if she's lying or not.
It's better than knowing that she's lying, at least.
As good as it can be for Jyuona, considering.
She needs to hurry now, get to her own work. Jyuona would stay if she could, but she made a promise herself to get on better feet, and now that she's finally starting to...this happens...
"I'll see you at lunch then, Tori," Jyuona smiles before heading to the door. It's the best she can do at the moment.
"Yeah…see you, Jy."
/
"Sir, you can't..."
Ignore.
"Could it be?"
Ignore.
"It does look like him."
Ignore.
"Excuse me?"
Ignore.
"Whoa there, friend. How're you feeling?"
Ignore.
"You need a hand there?"
Ignore.
"I don't think you should be outside looking the way you do."
Ignore.
"S-should we call the guards?"
Ignore.
The tavern is visible now.
But Asgore's not even halfway to it.
"Seriously, you should sit down."
No.
"Do you hear me?"
Ignore.
"Hey! I'm trying to help you! Let's head to a station so that you'll be safe."
No.
Need to keep going…
/
"Hey, Kryg!"
Krygino halts in his step. "Make it quick, Jy. I got these plates to get to a table."
Jyuona squeezes herself to the bar counter. The lunch rush is well underway, but she has to make her way through it. "Where's Tori?"
Krygino nods down to the kitchen. "In there."
"How...how is she?"
Krygino hesitates an answer.
"Oh..."
Dammit.
"I've gotten you a table," informs Krygino with a summoned smile. "Just give me a few moments to smooth the backlog, will you?"
Jyuona nods with haste, almost shaking the eyeballs out of her skull. "Yes, of course. Do you want me to go down and talk with her?"
Krygino shakes his head, his ears bending further down behind him with each shake. "No...I'm afraid she's not much for talking now. It's not your fault, Jy. It's not what you and she talked about before, I promise. It's more like...that she has to come to terms with it herself. I think some alone time might do her some good."
"You sure?"
"I have to be, for her."
Jyuona understands, although she's having difficulty accepting it.
Tori…
AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!
It just how Jyuona was! When she lost someone! All the pieces fit, it's all a damn repeat!
She talked with Toriel at the mill though! She promised Jyuona that she'd not go through what Jyuona put herself through!
Although, Jyuona promised she wouldn't put herself through what she did to Toriel...
Jyuona needed some time alone before she could be better though, so perhaps Toriel needs some too. Not too much though, otherwise…
No! No such thoughts!
And Drayk is gonna be here any minute now. Krygino will inform Toriel that Drayk and Jyuona is eating, and then she'll go up and see her best friend being happy, and that will help her get a new perspective, and that will make her feel better, and then she'll be back to her normal self again!
God...freaking...dammit!
Jyuona can't even believe that will happen herself!
She sighs.
"What is such a beautiful monster doing by herself in a place like this?"
He really knows when to pick the worst times to come visit, doesn't he? Although, judging by the horrible time turned fantastic time yesterday, perhaps it's for the better he came now?
Jyuona will just have to stick to her plan and see.
She swivels around on her bar stool to greet Drayk. "Did you lock my door?" she asks suspiciously to keep up appearances.
He produces the key to her front door from his shirt pocket which he spins on one of his claws. "Got it right here."
Jyuona snags it with a quick sleight of her hand. She places it in her own pocket, which she pats.
"Do we have a table?" Drayk wonders as he peers around the packed tavern. "Can't see any vacant ones."
"The owner told me he had one for us," Jyuona answers as she waves to get Krygino's attention. He holds up two fingers, and Jyuona acknowledges with a nod. "Should be ready any moment now."
"It's a very cozy place," Drayk says as he looks around. "I heard the soup the Prince drunk during his parade came from here. Would love to try it!"
Jyuona's eyes shoot over to the kitchen hatch for a brief moment before she realizes and shift them back to Drayk. "Yeah, we'll see if it's on the menu."
After another minute or so of Drayk taking in the surroundings, Krygino arrives with his hands outstretched in a warm welcome. "Your table is on the upper floor," he smiles. "The best one we have."
No, he didn't...
"With the view of the lake?" Jyuona asks in a gasp.
"Of course."
Drayk's ears perk up. "The lake? You can see it from here?"
Krygino leans into Drayk with a sly wink. "Why don't we find out?"
"Lead the way then."
Krygino bows. "Certainly. Please, follow me."
Jyuona puts her hand through Drayk's arm as the two follow Krygino towards the stairs.
"I've been here plenty of times, but I've never actually sat at that table, come to think of it," she thinks out loud as she leans her head against Drayk's shoulder. "It's always been busy, even when there's no one else here. Could be that- Ooh?"
Jyuona's arm almost pops out of her shoulder socket as Drayk plants his feet hard into the floorboards, his neck turned sharp towards the entrance. A large hooded figure steps in carefully, moving as if drained of everything. Drayk follows each lumbering step the figure takes with eyes hardened and mouth dragging back.
"Drayk?"
Jyuona waves her hand in front of Drayk's face which seems to snap him out of it.
"Sorry, Jyuona. It's just..." He turns his eyes back at the hooded figure carefully sitting down on a bar stool and looking back and forth, as if searching for something. "I'm pretty sure that was the monster that refused to move from the stone bench before, remember? Son of a soulless mother, that one is." Drayk shakes his head. "Sorry, Jy. Let's head to the table."
But now it's Drayk's turn to have his arm hook into something immovable. He turns to Jyuona, seeing her face completely drained of color.
"Jy-"
She takes off, elbowing herself through the crowd, and getting angry looks as mugs and plates tip, some even falling down.
Doesn't matter in the damn slightest to Jyuona though!
She grabs the shoulder of the hunched over monster in his darkened robe. It takes her almost throwing her back out, but she manages to get the bar stool he's planted himself on to start turning.
"Where in the goddamn have you..."
Oh my god!
/
This monster…
She...she was there when Toriel first spoke to Asgore!
/
How can this be a Prince?
It's a husk!
No…
Toriel…
She can't see her Prince like this.
Jyuona grits her teeth against the thought.
No!
Who is Jyuona to decide for Toriel?
She throws her arm towards the door.
"Out the door, and behind the tavern," she whispers as loudly as she dares to the husk. "You got it?"
"Have you seen-"
"Just! Do! It!" Jyuona interrupts with a snarl. "She'll be there!"
/
She...will...?
/
"I appreciate you standing up for me, Jyuona," Drayk chuckles as Jyuona hurries back towards him. "You didn't have to make...a...scene…though."
She passes him without even looking.
"Jyuona?"
/
"Toriel!"
It's Jyuona's voice…
No, not now.
Maybe not ever...
Toriel closes the kitchen hatch above her.
"I'm sorry, Jy," she whispers.
/
What the shit?
Why?
Jyuona stamps her foot on the kitchen hatch. By now the entire tavern has stopped, with all looking at her tugging at the handle as hard as she can.
But it refused.
"Open up, Toriel!"
But the hatch is closed tight. Toriel must've locked it.
Idiot! Why-
A hand grabs Jyuona's arm, and she spins her head around to see Drayk looking understandably worried at her. "Jy?" he prods carefully. "Let's just go. We'll find somewhere else to eat, to stop bothering the rest of these guests."
No!
FUCK THE GUESTS!
"He's here!" Jyuona shouts down into the kitchen as loudly as she can. When that doesn't get an answer, she again throws her heel down as hard as she dares. AND THEN SOME! "GET! OUT! OF! THERE! AND! GO! TO! HIM!"
/
He's…
The potato in Toriel's hand explodes as her hands clenches tight.
Here?
She slams the kitchen hatch open with her arm, catching the last glimpse of Jyuona being dragged out the tavern by Drayk and two other rather annoyed patrons.
"Inventory!" is the last Jyuona manages to shout before the door is slammed behind her.
Inventory?
Toriel's eyes shoot wide open, and she snaps her head towards the door leading to the back alley.
Inventory!
/
"The absolute hell was that, Jy?" Drayk pleads, confused and borderline disgusted.
But she can only laugh.
Laugh loud, gaudily guffaw, crassly chortle, soundly snicker.
She wraps her arms around Drayk, diving into his embrace as he stumbles backwards, baffled beyond belief.
She kisses him on his cheek. "Oh, you have no idea how relieved I am, Drayk."
He can only stare as his face cycles through a myriad of emotions.
She locks one in by giving him a peck on his mouth.
It lands on...sorta confused, rather perplexed.
She chuckles again at it.
"I-I'm g-glad to hear that, Jy," Drayk manages to vocalize, despite his tone suggesting the complete opposite. "C-could you explain what just happened?"
Jyuona nods down the street. "We can talk as we walk."
It takes a second before Drayk realizes that he should walk as well.
"Yes?" he asks as he skips to catch up to Jyuona.
She passes the back alley street, subtly glancing into it.
Two Boss Monsters have fallen into each other, collapsed on their respective knees, and are quivering softly while wrapping their neck around the others.
She pushes Drayk forward so that he doesn't see.
Jyuona shouldn't even have too.
It's the bossys' moment now, should be only them now.
Drayk cranes his neck back towards the back alley as a loud collective sob escapes it. Jyuona steals his attention back by opening her mouth slowly.
"It all began when Toriel and I were little kids..."