"GUH."
With all the swagger and grace of a fawn on an ice rink, Lava collapsed, and fell onto the futon.
"It's. So. Damn. Cold."
Of course, Nian sure didn't seem to think so. She sat at the vanity table at the end of the room, smiling at the sight of her lover in the mirror. She had a mischievous sort of look plastered on her face seemingly at all times - one that Lava just had to get used to before she went insane - and she continued brushing the tiny scraps of metal out of her hair.
She was lucky, in all honesty. She'd just come back from a particularly close call in the engineering department. Lava might have been concerned, just like she was concerned the first four or five times that Nian returned with metal sticking out of places where metal should not be sticking out of, but she'd gotten used to it by now. Plus, Nian never seemed to care. Despite her laissez-faire attitude when it came to almost anything, she did take metallurgy seriously. She knew that she would be alright, in the end.
Lava picked her head up from the futon, remaining prone and looking hard at Nian at the other end of the room. "I said: I'm cold."
"Are you?" Nian pursed her lips, pretending to be vastly more interested in the jewelry sitting on the vanity. "Hmm. I think then, you should turn up the heater, riiiight?"
She smiled. Nian could see it, in the vanity mirror. She knew what she was doing. Lava immediately scrunched up her face, in a similar manner to when she catches a whiff of her dear sister's cooking. Pride be damned, she was going to get the attention that she felt she deserved.
"Get over here," Lava demanded, pouting cutely.
"Nuh-uh," said Nian.
"What the hell do you mean nuh-uh?!"
"I said nuh-uh~" Nian turned her head, finally, to look directly at Lava lying on the futon behind her. She relished the expression on her lover's face. That expression of confusion, and irritation.
"Why not?" asked Lava.
"I'm busy!" She gestured to the hair brush in her opposite hand. "And besides, I have work to do afterwards. You always love to cuddle me until you fall asleep. And then I can't move." Upon hearing that, Lava's cheeks tinged a deep red color. She chewed on her lip, knowing full well that she'd like to prove Nian wrong, but she knew she couldn't. She was totally right.
"Well it's not my fault you're so comfortable to be with," Lava mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." She swung her legs off the side, and she came up to Nian meekly. "At least let me brush your hair."
"Oh?" She held the hair brush out for the purple-haired Sarkaz to take. "Very well. Go on ahead~"
"And wipe that smug look off your face," Lava muttered, already getting started on brushing her girlfriend's hair. She winced at the tiny scraps of metal that were still clinging amidst her locks, no doubt from some explosion that Nian was way too close to. Lava knew very well the dangers of working in such conditions. With Arts, or otherwise. "I wish you'd be more careful, you know."
Nian closed her eyes, leaning back to let Lava get at her locks. "I know," she said, "for what it's worth, I don't want to worry you. I just… you know! Want to make sure that the engineering department of Rhodes Island really knows what the hell they're doing. It's because of them that we're all doing fine."
"Them, and the medical department," Lava added. She thought of her sister, Hibiscus, and all the work that she did in her field of medical science - for those with and without originium infection. Yet nothing could get past Nian.
"You're thinking of your sister again, aren't you?" she asked, smiling knowingly. Lava nodded, seeing no reason to hide her thoughts. Nian reached up, taking hold of Lava's hand as it rested on her shoulder. "You're so easy to read. Like a beginner's guide."
"A beginner's guide to what?" Lava asked.
"A beginner's guide to handling your moody girlfriend," Nian posed.
"I'm not moody. I just think a lot of thoughts. I worry a lot."
"Well, stop worrying. Everything is going to be fine." She craned her neck to look up at Lava, smiling. Optimistic. "And yes - that's a promise."
Lava started to frown. But then, seeing that dopey look on Nian's face… her lips curled up into a soft smile. Leaning down, she kissed Nian over the nose, giving her a tiny and affectionate peck.
"Mmhmhm~ what did I do to deserve that?"
"You're cute," Lava said simply.
"Aww. You always make it so hard to get back to work, you know…"
"Then don't go. I still want cuddles." Lava tried to look threatening. "Cuddle me. That's an order."
"Did you forget I'm older than you?" Nian snickered. "You can't order me around. Then again," she paused, "that's another reason why you're such a needy girl~"
Lava tossed the hairbrush onto the vanity table, wordlessly. She watched as Nian stood up, turned around, and put her hands on her hips. Warm, welcoming, comforting, calming… the Sarkaz didn't know how she did it, but somehow just feeling Nian's hot hands on her hips was enough to melt her worries away - if only for a moment.
"I…"
Nian hushed her, with a gentle kiss. She locked lips with Lava, pulling her just a little bit closer. Lava hummed with a pleasant surprise, pressing her body up against Nian's. She ached for more warmth - the warmth that Nian always provided for her.
Nian sighed happily, and she pressed her forehead against Lava's own. "You were right. You're so cold… why are you so cold?"
Lava scoffed. "Did you think I was lying?"
"I thought you were making up an excuse to keep me all to yourself."
"Do I need an excuse?"
"Ha. Good point." She leaned in, and nuzzled her nose against Lava's, holding her arms and keeping her locked in place. Lava clenched her eyes shut and whined with indignance.
"You're so dumb and annoying," she said.
Nian grinned. "I love you, too!"
"Don't just say something like that s-so suddenly!" Lava shook her head. It's only a few moments later that both girls are nestled together on the futon, with Lava wrapping herself tightly around her lover just like she said she would. Nian giggled, keeping herself snuggled atop Lava as much as she wanted. Her arms were wrapped around her waist, serving as some kind of incubator; the heat that radiated off of Nian was soothing, and incredible. She could turn up the heat, or keep it steady. Whatever Lava needed to fall asleep, or be happy.
"I promise I won't take long," Lava mumbled tiredly, letting her eyes drift shut.
"Don't worry about that," Nian assured, kissing Lava over the cheek, "you take all the time you need, babe."
"Don't call me babe… it's embarrassing…" Lava blushed, looking irritated even with her eyes closed.
"You're younger than me. And super adorable," Nian added, "that means I reserve the right to call you my babe~" Nian made a kissing noise for the sole purpose of bothering Lava, and it seemed to work.
"Besides," she added, "it looks like my schedule just cleared up for the rest of the evening…"
"Ha… nice…" Lava yawned. She took it all in. Nian's scent, like burnt toast and molten metal. Under normal circumstances, it would have been unbearable. Now, it smelled like love. Her love.
She hummed - moaned, really - at the feeling of Nian's fingers in her hair. Tangling in her locks, as she patted her head. She shifted, slightly, to allow Nian room to keep going. She'd never admit it outright, especially since Nian would tease endlessly about it, but she loved head pats. Especially those from Nian, what with her hot hands, and soothing touch.
"You want more, baby?" Nian asked, grinning.
"Mm." Lava mumbled.
"Hmm? I didn't quite catch that…"
"Shut up and keep snuggling me," Lava half-commanded, half-mumbled, "and turn up the heat a little bit…" And of course, Nian could only laugh and oblige her needy lover, up until she fell into a warm and soothing slumber.
Hibiscus sighed, as she finished wrapping the bandages around Vermeil's arm.
"Now then," said the Sarkaz medic, "what have we learned today?"
"Hunt better," was the little Lupo's immediate response. Hibiscus shook her head, frowning.
"Hunt in pairs, Vermeil, even when you think it's going to be a piece of cake!"
Vermeil gave Hibiscus a quizzical look. "I wasn't hunting a piece of cake, I was hunting a wild boar. They taste very different."
"Oh, never mind!" Hibiscus gestured to the door. "We're finished for today. Rest that arm, okay?" She watched Vermeil leave, just in time for her phone to buzz with a new notification. And when she checked it, she squealed.
It was a selfie from Nian. She was laying in bed, with Hibiscus's younger sister sleeping soundly beside her, snuggled up and looking truly serene. Nian looked so sure of herself, which was typical, but what was truly special was the look of utter bliss on Lava's face. The total bliss that was painted on her features. It brought warmth to Hibiscus to see her dear little sister in such a state. She was happy that Nian made her so happy.
She always falls asleep so easily in my arms! read the photo's caption. Hibiscus beamed, sending back just a simple three-word reply:
I ship it.
