Monkey Business in Gravesfield 9 - or 'A Tale of a Saiyan, a Basilisk, and a Human' (Post-DBZ Xenoverse x Pre-Finale The Owl House, Saiyan!OC)
I had to give it to Masha, they chose the finest place to get this 'party' started.
While it was indeed one of those unused houses in the old district of Gravesfield, the quality of it was sufficient enough to not risk the floor falling under our feet. As we set ourself in what looked to have been the main bedroom due to the large bed in it, we prepared for what Masha had called a 'Spooky Night' by preparing a few interesting games for us to play.
No Ouija Board as 'they had a freaky situation' with Vee a while back, something that the girl rapidly confirmed while paling at the mention of that particular day, but the presence of an empty 'bottle of dares' felt like an absurd way to spearhead the spooky party itself.
Between the three of us, it also felt extremely limited, but there was no complaining as the 'first ten dares would be actually truths'. So yes, it was Masha's attempt to make this a game of Truth or Dare but with another name. Why? I couldn't tell on the spot. So I was fine when the bottle was soon spinning in the middle of our circle, and it landed first with Vee. The second spin finished to be Masha, so they were subjected to the first question.
"Did you set up this party night because of us or was there another reason?"
That was actually an unexpected question, and one that actually got an embarrassed look out of Masha.
"Well, I guess I just wanted to spend time with you both, but since you are so stubborn, I decided to use this as a pretext to get things mended up."
"There's not much to mend since nothing is broken," I assured, Vee nodding and the non-binary girl... frowned. "You don't believe us?"
"Actions speak louder than words, Jay. You two have been avoiding one another and that's not 'normal'."
I deflated at that rebuttal, while Vee appeared quite uneasy as it was Masha's turn to spin the bottle. And it landed back to Vee.
"Why do you avoid Jay?"
"I-I am not," Vee argued back. "I have been... busy."
"Busy for him, but not for me," Masha rebuked flatly, eyes narrowing. "Seriously, the truth."
"...Fine, I guess it's just... I feel a bit threatened by him. It's not- it's not like he actually threatened me but-"
"You feel like I can vaporize you for making the smallest mistake," I guessed, the girl huffing.
"Yes! I just- I know you are not bad, but you... you know why we are at odds."
"And that is?" Masha interrupted, growing impatient. "Seriously, what could get two of my best friends act up like this?"
I actually felt irked by Masha's decision to put me at the same level as Vee. I had no issue in being considered 'one of their friends', but 'best friend' was something Masha usually used to indicate me because we had years and years of friendship on our backs. Their bond with Vee was less-developed.
Part of me wanted to just shrug it away, but it's been a while since this has been happening and while Vee looked ready to quietly agree in not telling them the truth, I actually felt tired after weeks of this intense back and forth.
"The issue is because we both love you."
"Yes- JAY!" Vee was quick to realize what I just said, but I wasn't done talking just yet even as Masha appeared stunned by my honesty.
"We have been at this for a while, but the truth is, Masha, that we both want to get somewhere with our bond. The thing is that we both want to be with you, and this really makes any friendly interactions nigh-impossible because-"
"You feel like you are at war with one another." Masha interrupted, frowning at the correct guess as we nodded at them. "But I thought you two were just at odds because you loved each other."
"What?!" Vee jumped up, face burning red. "He is nice and all, but that- that doesn't mean that I- I think he is... you know!"
"Masha, we are not just crushing on you, we are in love with you," The clarification I delivered seemed to further press this to their mind. The non-binary girl pulled back, looking unsure for a moment and then frowning right back at me. "What?"
"You like Vee too."
My lips twitched. "That's not- I am just trying to-"
"You have a tendency to deflect to other topics when it's not convenient to you, Jay. This habit you still have and you already made that point clear enough."
"Did I, or-"
"Do you- Do you like me?"
Vee's voice cut through the little quarrel I was having with Masha, causing us both to look at her and for me to find myself in the spotlight over it. I wouldn't say I was completely sure of this myself between dealing with the rivalry and other awkward dealings over with the relationship I had with Vee but...
"I suppose you are nice enough I would see you as... you 'know'."
She slowly nodded at this, smirking a bit at my use of her verbal tick, but then frowned as she realized something. "How... how about this: we both come clean about our respective secrets and then we deal with what Masha thinks and feels about all of it. Okay?"
The plan was solid but-
"Jay already told me his secret, so... it is actually your turn, Vee."
"B-But I don't know," The fellow girl huffed. "So?"
...
"Stuff happened a year ago that saw me turned in an alien race that can rely on power-ups to either destroy or save planets."
"Oh-" Vee appeared very confused by this extremely curt response, and Masha scoffed.
"Jay, the full truth."
I rolled my eyes, but I came clean over the full situation. Vee's eyes were wide open, but instead of nervousness the girl appeared outright giddy at asking and questioning what happened in my adventures.
When compared to Masha's own reaction, Vee was more positive over it as she inquired over all sorts of things. It was somewhat nice to be subjected to this kind of 'fawning', but it sure felt awkward when it was all happening in front of Masha-
Who was happily eating from their bag of popcorns while watching all of this unfold. It was almost like Masha not only 'wanted' this, but that she was encouraging for more.
After I was done talking, it was Vee's turn and... she 'removed' her disguise as she shifted in her real form.
"I am not human, but I am a magic-eating creature known as a basilisk. I was created by a very bad person but I have managed to escape him, I got adopted by Ms. Noceda and... well, that's Vee."
...
"You are not a monster," Masha pointed out and I nodded.
"You look like a cute noodle."
The non-binary girl snorted and nodded in agreement.
"W-Wait, I am a slimy snake-like creature -"
"You are cute, and trust me when I say that no amount of details can make you any less than that." I interrupted flatly, making Vee pause, then tense up and... her lower lip started to quiver.
The hugging and the crying was not what I had expected, but it was what kicked off the rest of the party to be less about talking over what was to come next, which proved to be some tentative 'dating' among the three of us, some more story-telling and then it was time to go to sleep.
Masha actually settled in the middle of the old bed, daring us to just rest there and 'cuddle up' with them. Nothing weird happened as we were just hugging and sleeping. But the real issue came the next day as... Masha had woken up earlier than the rest of us, and had plotted something to get a funny scene going.
I remember waking up with the feeling of having someone hugging me tightly, and I thought it had been Masha due to their last position last night, but as I felt something coil tighter around my legs, I realized that it wasn't the non-binary moron.
Vee, still in her basilisk form, had decided to turn in a cuddle-snek in her slumber. And I had been the unfortunate target of such unconscious move. It didn't help that she was smiling like a moron, nuzzling on my chest from time to time and...
Masha was looking at us with a shit-eating grin.
"Masha-"
"Shhh, she can wake up~."
"Masha, this is stupid," I groaned, pausing as I felt Vee nuzzle against my chest, smiling and all. "Wake her up."
"No, you both look cute~," They rebuked, picking up their phone and recording us. "This is so going to be good blackmail material."
"Jerk."
"Dorks," The non-binary girl replied mirthfully.
This was not how I expected our 'love story' to begin but... at least Vee is getting the most out of that.
AN
Sleepover... is successful!
Next time, a planned date between Vee and Jay may go into an awkward direction due to the arrival of someone from Jay's past.