Thus began their terrible ritual.

Folinic and Suzuran would go about their days as though nothing — nothing at all — was transpiring between them behind closed doors. The Feline and Vulpo tended to patients, and assisted aboard the landship, and reported to Dr. Kal'tsit as though they weren't sucking face on a nightly basis. Yes… by day, operators Folinic and Suzuran acted as normal. They cared for the ship, and the ship cared for them in return.

But by night…

"Tee-hee~!"

Suzuran giggled in Folinic's embrace. The older woman had her right where she wanted her: straddling her lap, so that she could better kiss Suzuran's neck and collarbone, drawing forth sweet and savory laughter from the young one. Suzuran's laughter — like her little moans, and sighs of pleasure — were more than enough to heal the overworked medical operator of all her worries and stresses. Indeed, little Suzuran was the ultimate stress relief toy… so long as Folinic took care not to leave any "evidence" of her misdeeds behind…

"You're so fidgety tonight," Folinic told her, smiling as she planted another kiss against Suzuran's neck. It was something of an erogenous zone for the little Vulpo, who squirmed and writhed with utter delight beneath the Feline's ministrations.

"M-Miss Folinic…!" Suzuran clenched an eye shut, her lips wobbling into a happy smile as she kept herself atop the medical operator. She straddled Folinic's lap as if she belonged there — and as far as she was concerned, she did. There was little else that Suzuran adored other than spending time with Folinic like this.

"Miss Folinic what?" The doctor's lips curled into a soft smile. Her cheeks were flushed red, as were Suzuran's very own. She couldn't believe that their relationship had escalated to such a point. Perhaps, Folinic thought, this was still a very lovely dream more than anything else…

"Miss Folinic…" Suzuran tried to speak as evenly as she could, despite the circumstances. She shook like a leaf, like she was nervous, or working through another one of those forbidden sensations deep inside her core. "I feel… good… I feel… so good…" She told her. Folinic smiled.

"I like making you feel good," she whispered to the little fox, keeping her hands on Suzuran's thighs while the Vulpo remained front and center on her lap. "Lisa…"

"M-Miss Folinic…"

Suzuran's breathing grew… heavy. Folinic knew what would happen next. It would be the same thing as always. They would put their hands on one another, devour one another, before the two went their separate ways. They knew it was wrong, and yet…

"Louisa…" Suzuran whispered. Huskily; her tone was low, and it would be surprisingly sensual if Folinic hadn't grown used to the arousing manner in which Suzuran spoke her first name. Instead, it was simply sensual — she loved hearing Suzuran say her name like that. It turned her on more than anything else she could think of.

It almost was enough to make her drop her inhibitions completely. Almost… but not quite enough. She didn't want to take things that far with Suzuran. Kissing, however… kissing was more than enough for the two of them. It would do the job.

For now.

"Come here…" Folinic told her, sweetly. And she did.

Suzuran dipped inward, pushing her soft little lips up against Folinic's very own. They kissed just like that, in one another's embrace, with Folinic's arms wrapped around the little fox, and with Suzuran's fingers tracing invisible shapes against Folinic's chest. They loved to simply put their hands on one another. Every simple touch, platonic as though they may have seemed, now carried with them an undercurrent of forbiddenness to it. Unspoken knowledge that they were being very, very bad girls.

"Mmh…" Suzuran whimpered softly as she kissed Folinic diligently, passionately. She'd become a remarkable kisser in their short time together, and Folinic had also become more adept in the art of making out. She gently squeezed Suzuran against her own body, keeping her lips pressed up against Suzuran's like she was starving — and in a way, she was.

A moan slipped from Folinic's mouth as well, spilling into Suzuran's own. The poor little fox could hardly keep her tails under control. All nine appendages thrashing this way and that, causing her to jitter and shudder even more so than she typically might have. Folinic didn't mind, of course. She thought it was adorable. That, and she had ways of calming those tails down… starting with dragging her palms against the fuzz and the fur of those tails.

"Hahhh…"

Folinic was right: Suzuran was fidgety tonight, to say nothing of the young girl's greed. She pushed up against Folinic with such assertion that she almost bowled the Feline medic over, and so Folinic had to match the little fox beat for beat. Smooch by smooch, push by push.

Folinic drank her up. The heat radiating from the Vulpo was almost intoxicating in and of itself. Like all the comfort and warmth in this world had localized itself into a singular entity: Suzuran herself.

Weakly, and with a certain reverence, Folinic parted her lips even more so, allowing Suzuran to be the aggressor in their tongue battle. The little fox pushed her warm and wet little tongue into Folinic's mouth, sliding it between the older woman's lips and humming with delight as she explored the inner recesses of the cat girl's maw. Suzuran's tiny dagger of a tongue darted out and teased Folinic's lower teeth and gums, giving the both of them a passionate and ticklish sensation.

And then, just as quickly as the assault had commenced, Suzuran pulled back with a sudden gasp!

"Haah…!" The fox's cheeks were burning red, if Folinic didn't know any better, she might have thought that there really were hearts in Suzuran's eyes. "Louisaaaa…~"

Folinic laughed gently, reaching up to caress the little darling's cheek, tenderly, and carefully, like she would shatter into a million little pieces if Folinic was ever rough with the poor thing. "It's okay, Lisa… I'm here, sweetheart. How are you feeling? Do you want to take a break? If you're feeling overstimulated, we can—"

"No!" Suzuran shook her head forcefully, but slowly enough that anyone else would think she was drunk. "I… am going… numb, Miss Folinic…"

"Numb?" Folinic furrowed her brow. Suzuran nodded this time.

"I feel like my chest… my heart…" She whimpered, looking down at the space between them. What little space there was, anyway. "I'm scared, Miss Folinic…"

"Scared? Why, sweetie?" Folinic frowned with worry, putting her hand to Suzuran's reddened forehead. More out of habit than anything else. "Do you feel sick?"

Suzuran thought for a moment before responding. When she did, she was staring directly at Folinic's lips.

"I don't want to be a kid anymore," she said, almost bitterly, "I want to be an adult. With… with you, Louisa. I feel… lovesick… if that makes sense."

"Oh, Lisa…" Folinic's frown only deepened. "I'm sorry, I can't do anything more for you, Lisa. I shouldn't even be kissing you or holding you like this. My mind's so scattered… and I don't see this ending well for either of us if we keep going," she told her.

"I know that," Suzuran said, "but I don't care…"

"I care, Lisa…"

"Hmph…"

"Lisa, come on…" Folinic placed a finger against Suzuran's cheek to better direct her gaze, but Suzuran wasn't having any of it. She looked off to the side now, in a huff, clearly pouty and with her mood plummeting by the second.

"Mm." Suzuran narrowed her eyes as she looked at something else in the room. A concerning mood swing if ever there was one. Folinic couldn't remember any other instance in which Suzuran acted like this. Was she really so bad an influence on the little Vulpo?

"Lisa, look at me. Lisa…" Folinic cupped Suzuran's cheek, and she felt the immense warmth of her skin course through her fingertips like a flowing river. "Lisa, sweetie?"

Suzuran gulped, finally letting her eyes settle over Folinic's. She tried to be mad — she really put a valiant effort here — but Folinic's warm gaze, and even warmer smile, served to melt any reservations that Suzuran was feeling in this moment.

"I want to make you happy," Folinic said honestly, "that's all I've ever wanted for you, Lisa. But… not like this. Oh, Lisa, not like this…" She leaned in and planted a sweet and soothing kiss against Suzuran's forehead, and the little fox's tails started swaying again.

"I'm willing to wait," Folinic whispered, causing Suzuran's fox ears to perk up curiously.

"Willing to… wait?" She asked. And Folinic was happy to answer.

"I'm willing to wait… for you to become… an adult," Folinic found herself saying. She surprised even herself with such a dangerous utterance. But once it left her lips, Suzuran seemed to light up. Our Light, growing brighter.

"Really…?" Suzuran asked. She gulped nervously. "That'll take… a long time… Miss Folinic… for me to become an adult. And for us to do adult things…"

"But I'll gladly wait," she assured Suzuran, keeping her almost knowing smile. "I don't want us to rush into anything. And I don't want you to get hurt. I think it's better this way… don't you?" Suzuran was suddenly unsure. Folinic's words sounded wise on their own, but Suzuran was thinking far from logically, with Folinic being so close, and so intimate with her.

"I won't get hurt," Suzuran promised, "I want more, Miss Folinic…"

Folinic shook her head sadly. "I can just give you kisses, Lisa. That's all."

"...kisses everywhere?"

"L—"

She's cut off before she can finish saying her name. In a surprising show of strength, Suzuran succeeds in shoving Folinic over, so that she's lying on her back atop the bed they resided on. In just a flash, Suzuran was straddling the Feline and pinning her down — albeit gently, if only because of how small she was — to the mattress. She smiles when she sees Folinic's eyes go wide with shock.

"Lisa!" Folinic exclaimed. And Suzuran's expression changed to one of amusement, and barely-muted lust.

"Yes…?" She asked, once again staring hard at the older woman's lips, parted as they were in the surprise that she felt. Folinic gulped.

"I think it's about time I went back to my…" Folinic started to say, before she trailed off. She felt enchanted, suddenly, as she looked into Suzuran's eyes. Grassy green hues, like all the life and vigor of the earth; like she held it all with her gaze. She seemed almost deific, Folinic thought, as she looked up at the little Vulpo pressing her down, down to the bed beneath them.

"Open your mouth," Suzuran told her, before adding a "please, Louisa…"

"My…" Folinic shuddered, but she obliged the little goddess. Her lips parted further, and she felt Suzuran's little hands grasp at her cheeks, holding her tenderly as she received another blessing. A sweet and savory blessing; a kiss to the lips, deep and impassioned and like she was trying to find life and essence in Folinic's mouth — or perhaps, an offering to said goddess.

"Ahh…~!" Folinic was the one to whimper this time. She lay there, feeling somehow helpless beneath the shorter and younger Vulpo girl. Weakly, Folinic put her hands on Suzuran's bottom, just below her mess of writhing tails, and she found herself… exploring the young one's body, just a little bit. In no forbidden nature, simply an exploratory one. Though that in and of itself was rather ill-advised, given all their differences…

Suzuran pulled her face away from Folinic's without warning, but she kept her hands on the older woman's cheeks, running her thumbs along the delicate surface of Folinic's light, delicate skin. Neither of them knew it then, but as Folinic looked up at her new goddess, she felt… scared. A little terrified. This was danger, she knew. This was wrong. And yet, if it felt so wrong… then why…

"I'll give you what you want… Louisa," Suzuran whispered. She looked down at Folinic and she smiled, perhaps knowingly, perhaps ruefully. Indeed, they had irrevocably ruined their relationship… but Suzuran didn't care. She cared for nothing except feeding this new addiction.

Back to the forbidden waters. Suzuran dove in with another deep kiss, finding Folinic's tongue with her own and wrestling it for dominance — although Folinic was hardly putting up a fight here. She was beginning to submit herself to Suzuran; to anything the little fox wanted.

There was a back and forth — a push and pull, like the rocking of a sailboat — to their motions. It was almost like they were dancing, Suzuran and Folinic, like this. So much unspoken, so much unsaid, but this was their best method of communication. Everything wrong with their bodies, and everything that felt too good to describe with any common language. Their divine offerings to one another were more than enough. And Suzuran's kisses were hot, like there was fire on her lips, as she peppered the surface of Folinic's skin; her collarbone and her neck and the bosom she loved to embrace so dearly. Folinic gasped, clenching her eyes shut, suppressing her girlish squeals and moans as best she could… but it was all for naught.

The degrees of separation — the pretense of the walls between what she was actively engaging in, and what she was allowing Suzuran to do to her — were collapsing; crumbling. The more she drooled, the more these walls would melt away. Until nothing would remain, not even their clothes. Yet it was already too late for them.

"Open," Suzuran commanded. And Folinic obeyed. With her mouth open, Folinic half-expects Suzuran to kiss her intimately again… but that's not quite what happens this time.

Instead, Suzuran hovers her face above Folinic's own, and then she starts… drooling, really. A thin, transparent trail of saliva — glistening in the light as it fell, like water from the heavens — slowly dripped and dribbled into Folinic's open mouth, her eyes wide with surprise as she just… took it. Like a good girl.

"Ahhh…"

She could hardly bear to look up at Suzuran now. She knew that she was responsible for this transformation, if only a little bit. Suzuran's eyes were half open with a despicable lust. An ill-placed wanting. With her mouth open the manner it was, she continued to drool into Folinic's open and receptive mouth, essentially feeding the older woman more and more of that lifewater.

"Good," Suzuran muttered, watching her own saliva run down Folinic's lips and chin, soaking into the collar of her disheveled work uniform. "Drink me… this is your water, Louisa. Do you want some more…?"

Wordlessly, Folinic nodded. All thoughts escaped the empire of her precious head. Nodding desperately was all she could… do. Nod, and keep her mouth open, for more Suzuran.

"Good," the little fox repeated, her lips curling into a happy smile. "Hahaha… you make me so happy, Miss Folinic… Louisa… if you want more… I'll give you everything…"

Another step closer to the line. Or maybe they'd already crossed the line? Folinic didn't know. She didn't know anything anymore. Everything was fuzzy. Everything was warm, and comfortable, and wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Her mouth was open, and it was wrong. Suzuran was drooling into her mouth, and kissing her everywhere, and it was wrong.

She was going to drown, she realized. In affection. In saliva. In… Suzuran.

"Now stay put… I'm going to give you something else, Louisa… do you want it?"

More mindless nodding. Her eyes were cloudy, now. Maybe she was crying a little. She couldn't tell, what with all the fluids already at play here.

"Good… hahaha… get ready, Louisa… I'm not gonna stop… treating you like this. I know how much you like it… and I like it too much to stop. I'm sorry," Suzuran mumbled, her lips stained from her own drooling. Drip, drip, drip. And so it went… Folinic was going to drown. She would never again resurface, steeped as she was in their shared sin. Suzuran had pulled her too far down. She had pulled Suzuran too far down. Together, this is where they would be. Trapped beneath one another, only ever coming up for a split second… for air. And then it was back to drowning in each other's bodies.

There was no saving them now.

…but they didn't want to be saved.