Chapter 47: Love
Entry 48:
Day 75:
The sea just continues to get rougher and rougher. It is nearly always overcast and the howling wind and booming thunder is a near constant noise in the back ground. Thanks to Una we have been able to navigate around the worst of the rain but the sea is extremely choppy and the ship sways to a degree that makes it hard to walk. It's easy to see the difference between Felisha and her crew, who have their sea legs, and the rest of us, who do not. Merry in particular has trouble remaining stable on her fake feet and prefers to spend her day fishing for ingredients for Kelsey. Even TNA has trouble adjusting to the weather. They may not be bothered by the ship swaying because they spend most of their time in the air anyway but the strong gusts have made them more cautious about flying too high. But Tally by far has been having the worst time dealing with the changing weather.
"Big bro!" Sis shouted to me as she clung to the rigging in the high wind. "We need you in our room!"
"What is it?! I'm kinda busy!" The strong wind and swaying of the ship made it difficult to concentrate on swabbing the deck between showers. "Can it wait?!"
"No it can't!" Sis shouted back.
I looked over to Veronica. Merry had already left to go fishing, so we were short handed as is, so Veronica was giving me a glare telling me not to go. But I couldn't just ignore Sis, what if it was something important. "Sorry, I'll be right back!" I dropped my mop and ran to our room despite Veronica's protests. Once I was inside it was clear Tally had been throwing up again. There does not seem to be anything wrong with her, she is just not handling the weather well. At the time she was laying on the bed trying to sleep. I feel sorry for Tally but unfortunately there is not a whole lot that can be done. "What is it?" I asked.
"Tally wants you to take care of her." Abigail explained.
This was unusual. While Tally usually makes demands of me while I am in the room, she has never had one of her sisters come and get me. Moreover it seems that I was requested instead of demanded, her sickened state making her more mild mannered. However, before I could make a decision one way or the other, Felisha barged into the room. "What is the meaning of this?! You have a job to do!"
"Tally's not feeling well." I answered. "I was just called to check on her."
"She has nine sisters that don't work!" Felisha retorted. "Have them take care of her!"
"We have!" Annie interjected. "She just asked for big bro to help!"
"He has a job to do! This trip ain't free. He can either work or…"
"What the hell is your problem?!" Sis shouted as she flew in Felisha's face. "Big bro can help take care of her!"
"That isn't his job!"
"So if we did his job would you shut the fuck up?!" Sis retorted.
"Oooo, Sis is mad!" Nip giggled.
"Quiet!" Sis shouted at her sister before going back to staring down Felisha. "Well?"
Felisha raised an eyebrow. Sis's behavior aside, nothing so far has gotten TNA to do anything constructive around the ship and it was no secret this was driving Felisha crazy. "You will actually do the work? No tricks?"
"No promises!" Su giggled.
"I will handle them." Sis declared after glaring at her sister. "Do we have a deal or not?"
Felisha leered at Sis for a while before giving a quick chuckle. "Very well, it will be worth it just to see you imps do some work."
"Fine!" Sis quickly turned to her sisters. "You heard her! Get to work!"
"I don't wanna!" Ina whined.
"Too bad!"
"Do we have too?" Doe asked.
"Yes!"
"Fuck that!" Sara shouted.
"Fuck you!"
"I like that option!" Tiki giggled.
"Now!"
Under Sis's commands the other members were eventually forced out of the room to finish my work. I was left alone with Tally as she quietly lays on the bed. I don't mind caring for Tally but I wasn't quite sure what to do while she rested. With no other ideas I simply crawled onto the bed and sat next to her. After sitting next to her for a moment, Tally opened her eyes and softly smiled at me. "Big bro." She slowly closed her eyes again as she tired and rolled on her side to snuggle up next to me. As she slept with her head in my lap it was easy to see that her stomach was becoming an increasingly prevalent feature on her body, I don't think it will be too much longer until I can feel my daughters moving around inside.
For a while I just ran my fingers through her hair or gently rubbed her horns but as the ship continued to sway and the rain would come and go Tally eventually got sick again. She groaned for a moment and before I realized what was going on she threw up in my lap. Of course I did not like her throwing up in my lap but I could not get mad at her under the circumstances. I just had to hold the bucket for her until she was finished and then change my pants.
"Why did I have to get pregnant?" Tally groaned as I wiped her mouth. "I'm tired of being sick and hungry all the time." This was the first time Tally ever expressed displeasure about being pregnant. It seems that being sick can eventually exhaust even TNA's energy.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked.
"Could you make me a bath?" Tally softly asked. "The hot water helps."
'Could you?' It's still not something I am used to hearing from Tally. If she was feeling better it would simply be 'make me a bath!' I was finally beginning to understand just how much the weather was affecting her. Regardless, there was a problem: "How would I run you a hot bath?"
"Just ask Kelly, she knows what to do." A simple straightforward answer and they seem to have nicknamed Kelsey Kelly.
I opened the hatch leading down below and asked Kelsey about it. Apparently Kelsey has been asked to do this a number of times since we started traveling with them because she readily prepared some water that was heated from her cooking fire and handed it up to me one pot full at a time. The bath tub was just a wash bin that TNA must have swiped at some point; it was just barely big enough for Tally to lay in. Once the bath was ready, per Tally's request, I helped her undress and lowered her into the bath myself. She just laid there for a while and let the hot water relax her body as she finally began to regain some of her energy. "Thanks big bro. Now…" Tally raised up and raised her wings to expose her back. "…wash my back." So much for asking nicely. Oh well, I was glad she was feeling better.
I took a rag, dipped it in the warm water, and began to wash Tally. Her smooth skin and petite body was extremely easy to wash and her ticklish wings fluttered as I ran the rag over them. She wasn't dirty but it also helped make her feel better. After I was done washing her back I figured I would take the opportunity to give her a back message. As I slowly worked the tension out of her shoulders she became putty in my hands. "Does that feel good?" I did not need to ask. She let out more than enough relaxed sighs to let me know.
"Yeah," Tally said as she gave another long sigh, "I'm really glad I asked for you. You do anything I ask without complaining."
"Don't your sisters take care of you?" I asked, Sis brags enough about taking care of her after all.
"They do, but most of 'em whine the whole time." Another straight forward answer. "It was making my head hurt so I asked for you."
"Is that so?" As I finished messaging Tally's back I figured there was only one logical direction to take this. We were alone and she did request me specifically, plus I have been trying to be a bit more proactive at these kinds of things. I reached my hands around and messaged her breasts. "You sure this is not why you wanted me?"
I knew Tally was going to yelp from surprise when I suddenly touched her in such a sensitive area, but I was not expecting her reaction. "B-big bro, please stop. I don't feel good, we can do it later."
"Oh!" I quickly took my hands off her. "I'm sorry! I just…" She really wasn't feeling well, I was not expecting her to turn me down.
"It's weird for me too." Tally laid back in the water as she continued what I was saying. "But I did not call you to do you, or to tease you. I want you to take care of me. I want…" Tally became flustered. "…more than those things."
"Why's that?" I kinda just blurted this out, but I did want to know.
Tally became even more flustered and averted her eyes. "…Keep taking care of me and I'll tell you."
After that I spent the day taking care of her. Everything that she needed I did for her, some of those things were less than pleasant. By the end of the day the sea had calmed down somewhat and it was easier for Tally to rest. Finally not queasy from the sea sickness and changing weather Tally was quick to fall asleep, but before she did she kept her promise. She snuggled up next to me and quietly muttered: 'I love you, big bro.' before drifting off to sleep. Hearing those words warmed my heart. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead before replying with: "I love you too, Tally." I am fond of all of TNA but to think this one would be the first to get those words out of me. First aside from Merry that is. In my old world it would be considered… improper to say that you love more than one person at a time. But here I am and I know what I feel. There is enough room in my heart.
Sometime later, Merry returned from her fishing trip and entered the room. "How is she doing?" Merry quietly asked as she joined us on the bed.
"She's still asleep." I softly replied as I continued to stroke Tally's hair. "But I think she is feeling better."
With Merry sitting so Tally was between us, she also began to slowly stroke Tally's head. "That's good. I was worried when I saw the others working."
"And how well is that going?" I could not help but chuckle at the thought.
"Not well of course." Merry giggled. "But better than you might think. They are putting in honest effort but they don't stop to consider that they might be bad at anything they do; it has become quite the spectacle for the crew. By the way darling, if TNA asks, you are to tell them you are responsible for a lot more than you actually are. They may pay for it later but the crew is taking advantage of their efforts."
"I'll try to remember." I chuckle before putting my attention back on the sleeping Tally. As I stroked Tally's hair I was reassured that the feelings I have for Tally are real just as the ones I have for Merry. It actually puts me in a bit of an awkward spot. I know that Merry and I have had an understanding regarding TNA for a while but I don't think I had ever straight out asked her: "What do you think of TNA?"
"What do I think of them?" Merry's expression became a bit sullen, I think she knew where I was going with this. "Well, I would be lying if I said I did not want you all to myself." But after a moment she brightens up again. "But they are fun to have around, so I like them. Living together with you and them makes all the loneliness I once felt seem like just a bad dream. I am still getting used to having sex with them, but I must admit it is kinda nice to have a partner that will just take me on pure impulse."
Yeah, that's right. 'Take her on pure impulse,' she said. "I-is that something you want?" I stammered.
Merry giggled as she watched me become flustered. "Maybe~." I may not be an impulsive person but I'll be sure to remember that. "Anyway darling," Merry quickly brought me back on subject, "how do you feel about them? Do you love them?" I was not prepared for Merry to ask me so directly. I practically jumped out of my skin and she just giggled in response. "You don't have to act so surprised, darling. You've always gotten along with TNA and you've been doting on Tally in particular since you got back from having her checked on." After giving me a moment to calm down she goes back to stroking Tally's hair. "They are important to me too, darling. After all, I have lived with them just as long as I have lived with you. Even if they get annoying at times I still consider them family." Merry clasps her hands and gives a delighted laugh. "They make great practice for when our daughters will be born don't you think?" Merry certainly seemed delighted to use TNA as practice for her parenting skills, I guess at this point I should have expected that but I was still glad to hear it. However, a moment later Merry made a pouting grimace. "Just don't forget you loved me first."
This girl, she gets so jealous. I could not help but laugh as I placed my hand on her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. "I won't, and even if I love others I will always love you."
"Hey now," Merry retorted as she playfully pressed her forehead to mine, "I'm not giving you permission to get together with more women, just TNA."
After that Merry and I just rested until the other members of TNA finished their work and joined us. They were exhausted and quickly fell asleep.
