There's nothing like a good lie-down after you've had a nice meal. And the weather's too nice for you not to soak in some rays with your love~!
"Hey, hey, Kaina!" You giggle as you pat the space on the large towel you've set down, a towel so large it's more like an oversized bedsheet. "Come on and lie down with me~!"
Hesitantly, your love does just that. She sets down her long limbs gingerly, turning to eye you as you take out the bottle of sunscreen you'd prepared for this exact moment. The moment when you get to rub sunscreen all over your love's back~!
And her front too!
"Are we sunbathing then?"
"Sure are! Girls like us need to get some rays. I mean, I don't tan but - "
"I do not tan either," Kaina shrugs.
"Well, it's still therapeutic~!" You cheer out. "Come on, rub sunscreen on my body already, Kaina~!"
And just like that, you pat your smooth tummy, beckoning Kaina with an inviting gesture. Kaina swallows, her throat bobbing slightly as she picks up the bottle of sunscreen and crawls over to you.
"Hee~! Don't be shy; I don't bite~!" You tease as Kaina squirts some sunscreen into her trembling hand. Then you let out a squeak as Kaina's hand touches your soft belly.
So cold! And slippery!
"Alice feels soft..." Kaina murmurs as she starts rubbing sunscreen all across your curvy body. "So squishy..."
Ah, this feels so good. So good, so good~! You're getting rubbed down by your love! Ah, you almost wish that you could take off your swimsuit… Hmm…
"Hey, Kaina, how do you feel about sunbathing naked?" You idly ask.
"I don't like the idea," Kaina replies as she rubs your belly, her fingers trailing around the slight divot of your navel.
"We could feel the sun on our entire bodies though!" You point out. "You've already seen me naked too; remember our first date when I stripped down for you in that lingerie store?"
"… That was in a more private setting though. This beach is a more public area. I understand that there is a nudity taboo..." Kaina says, her tone halting. Careful.
Oh. You think you know where she's going with this.
"You just don't want other people to see me naked, do you?" You ask curiously now, turning to stare into Kaina's eyes.
"… Yes," Kaina whispers. "I don't like the idea of other people seeing your body right now. I don't… I do not know why, but I know I don't like it."
You actually feel Kaina press down a little harder on your skin as she says those last words. The firmness of her hands… It causes you to shiver. Someone's being a little protective, eh? A bit possessive even?
Honestly, you get it.
You're possessive and obsessive too, after all.
"Why don't you like the idea of other people seeing me naked?" You ask, genuinely curious now.
"They might try to do things to you, Alice," Kaina replies evenly.
"But I've got you here to protect me though, Kaina. Are you saying you wouldn't protect me from anyone who tried to do bad things to me?" You ask.
Kaina pauses in her ministrations, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Hmm..."
"Don't you want to see me naked again?" You wink, grinning playfully. "I don't mind getting naked for you… Don't you want to feel up all of my body…?"
That's enough to break Kaina of her prodigious self-control. "I can touch every part of you?"
"Every part of me. As much as you'd like. To your heart's content," you promise.
"… Okay."
"And do you want to get naked too?" You ask.
"… No. Somebody has to remain clothed to chase off any villains who might try to spy on us," Kaina says.
And she wants to be the one to chase off those villains! Hee~!
"I wouldn't have it any other way!" You cheer.
You really wouldn't. Honestly, you're a bit relieved. Not just because Kaina's a cool, stalwart protector who'll absolutely keep you safe! No, it's because Kaina'll be keeping her own swimsuit on too. Gosh, the idea of some pervert aside from yourself seeing Kaina in the nude…
… Ooh, just the thought makes you mad. You wouldn't mind seeing Kaina in more revealing clothing, but the sight of Kaina's nude, supple form?
That's a sight that's reserved for you and you alone. She's too good for these garbage people who infest the world. She's too pure, too ethereal. They'd just drag her down and ruin her. Taint her in all the wrong ways with their filthy eyes, and grasping hands.
Your pets and toys are an exception to what you're about to promise. They're just pets and toys, and you have to get naked to play with them. But aside from the people in your little group? This is your vow.
You'll kill anyone who lusts after your beloved Kaina. Kill them as slowly and painfully as you can. They'll die screaming by inches before you're finished with them…
"Alice are you..."
"Oh right, sorry. Got lost in my thoughts again!" You say as you start tugging at your bikini top. Actually...
"Hey, Kaina, why don't you strip me? I think I can't get this clasp undone..." You pick at your top, pretending to fiddle with the clasp at your back. "And then you can rub me down, all over… And I can do the same to you once I'm naked!"
"… Okay." Kaina's slender fingers quickly unclasp your top, peeling it off of your breasts. They bounce, round fleshy globes that quiver once they've been exposed to the air. You smirk from above your creamy cleavage, and press your arms together to emphasize the swell of your chest.
"Like what you see~?" You tease.
"Soft..." Kaina murmurs, seemingly entranced by the sight of your boobs. "And I can..."
"You need to get my top too, right? Be gentle though~! I'm sensitive..." You coo, beckon Kaina forward.
Your love's wonderfully shy and hesitant as she reaches down. You shiver as the cold sunscreen splashes in between your cleavage, puddling near your breastbone. Gosh, that's super cold~! But Kaina's hands are warm and supple~!
"Hyan~!" You sigh as Kaina fondles your boobs. Her touches are light at first, but she gets more entranced as she continues fondling you. Her fingers start squeezing deeper into the yielding flesh of your tits. It feels nice~!
"Alice is so squishy..." Kaina marvels at the feeling of your breasts, even as she continues to work sunscreen against the pliable mounds. "Nnh..."
Gosh, you're getting wet down there now… You bite down on your lip, shifting your thighs nervously. Now's not the time to get turned on; you were trying to avoid thinking about sexy things, you wanted to take things slow…
But you also want Kaina to molest your titties some more! You specifically grew these out just so cute girls like Kaina could motorboat and suck on them! The perfect set of breasts for the perfect kind of girl to admire! Like Kaina!
"I… I think I'm done..." Kaina withdraws her hands from your breasts. Your creamy skin's all greasy now, covered in the slick UV-blocking gel. It lends your skin a slight sheen, a bit of a reflective coating in the light.
"Alright, now I'll get you. But… I'm not going to use my hands~!" You exclaim cheerfully. You swipe the sunscreen bottle out of Kaina's hands…
… And gleefully squirt its contents in between your breasts. Kaina's eyes widen as you take her arm and press it right inside the crevice of your breasts.
"Alice…?"
"… Hee~! Is it okay if I do this, Kaina?" You ask, sticking out your tongue playfully. "Sorry for not asking permission before, but I wanted to give you a little bit of a surprise~!"
"Okay..."
Yay!
And with that, you start using your breasts as improvised loofas. You hum as you work Kaina's arm between your tits, sliding the entire length of your body up and down the smooth expanse of Kaina's limb. Kaina's breath becomes a bit ragged; her cheeks start to flush as you continue, er, 'applying' sunscreen.
"I'm going to have to get your other arm and your legs too… And your face and back~!" You exclaim. Ah, this is the best. Servicing your love with the body you've so lovingly cultivated is the best~! Yes, you do want Kaina to use your sexy bod however she wants…!
"Okay..." Kaina whispers breathlessly. "Can you… Can you get my face next then…?"
My, my~! Someone's being more adventurous than they otherwise might.
"Of course! Come here!" You say, patting the tops of your breasts invitingly.
"Nnh~!" Kaina bends down to crawl right on top of you, and in a swift motion, your love firmly plants her face in between your breasts. You grin, patting her glossy blonde hair as she motorboats you, pressing herself right in between your sinfully soft titties. "So soft~! So warm… Smells like sunscreen and Alice..."
Hwah~! The feeling of Kaina's warm breath against your breastbone? How she's actually reached up with her hands to grip your tits, her palms teasing the sensitive pink peaks of your nipples?
This is the best, the best~!
You're so happy you got to do something like this today~! Ah~! You'll use yourself as an impromptu pillow for Kaina whenever she likes from now on! Cute girls like her really are the best. Cuddling your love to your chest like this…
Wait, is she dozing off again?
"Kaina, hey. Hey Kaina..."
"Feels so nice…" Kaina sighs happily. "Wanna stay like this a bit longer..."
Aw…!
"Well, alright then," you say, fondness welling up in your heart. "Just five minutes though, alright? We've got to soak in some rays and the sun will go down in a bit after all!"
"Okay."
--
Of course, you can't just soak in the sun all day long. As fun as it is to lie here, basking in the sun's rays with your love by your side?
"Do you want to talk about something?"
You've never been one for idleness.
"Talk?" Kaina shifts, adjusts her sunglasses, turns to look at you. "About what?"
"About anything, really? It's going to be a while before the sun sets," you say, turning over so you can start tanning your bare back. Your boobs squish as you lie on your belly, and prop your chin up with your arms.
"One moment. My coworker had me prepare a list of topics for moments like this." You hear Kaina roll over and reach for her phone. "Ah. I see. Topics of conversation include… Hobbies. Favorite colors. Favorite types of music. Favorite kinds of food..."
"Hmm..." You hum. "We could try talking about our feelings, maybe?"
"… Feelings?" You turn to lie on your side now so you can gaze at Kaina's gorgeous face. She, too, has turned to lay on her side so she can look at you. "Why our feelings?"
"Feelings, emotion… There was actually something I wanted to ask you."
"Ask me?"
"Kaina, what exactly do you feel when you look at me?" You ask seriously. "I know you're attracted to me but… What exactly is it that you think you're feeling?"
"I don't follow," Kaina admits, shaking her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Alice. I'm deficient in these matters..."
"No, it's okay. It's just..." You pause, groping for words. "Hmm. Let me try to break it down for you… What parts of me do you like? Physical parts, personality traits..."
"I like how soft you are when I touch you," Kaina instantly replies. "And how warm your body is. And how nice you smell. Objectively, your physical appearance is particularly pleasing to the eye as well. Your hair color and eye color are striking."
"Well, I do try," you chuckle, feeling a little flattered by Kaina's blunt praise.
"Your eyes… I like how expressive your eyes are. When I look at you, it's easy for me to tell whether or not you're… Happy, or sad just by looking at your eyes," Kaina continues to say. "I find it difficult to tell what most people are feeling, but not for you. I like that. And I like… I like how happy you are."
"You like how happy I am?" You repeat.
"Mmh," Kaina's head bobs up and down. Her lips twitch into a shy smile. "… You're happy. You're content with your life. That's the first thing I noticed about you. You're always smiling. And they're good smiles. Warm, like Mitsuko's. They make me feel… It doesn't feel as cold when..."
Ah. The pieces begin to click together in your head.
"Is that why you agreed to come with me on that first date?" You probe.
"I think so."
"And did you want to spend more time with me because you wanted to feel happy too? Were you hoping that my happiness would rub off on you?"
"… Maybe. It doesn't feel cold and empty when I'm with you..." Kaina squirms at the attention you're giving her.
Cold and empty, huh? That causes a pit to start forming in your stomach. Oh, you do not like where this is going.
"Kaina, what's it normally like for you when you're not with me?" You tentatively ask.
"It's… Cold all the time. Nobody looks at me unless I'm at work. Nobody… Talks to me unless I'm at work. And work's… Work. There's no time for thought at work. No space for feeling. Which is alright; at least I don't feel..." Your love closes her eyes. Which is good. It means she can't see the absolute horror that's crept across your own face now.
What the hell has this city been doing to your poor love? What the absolute ass has her life been like before you came into the picture?
"Is it okay if you describe the cold, empty feeling you have some more?" You prod.
"It feels… Heavy. Like something hurts inside me. Except I'm fine. And I feel tired all the time. Except I'm not tired. It feels..."
"Like nothing you do matters," you finish in a soft tone of voice. You know this feeling. You know it all too well. It plagued you in your corporate days, plagued you before you Fell...
"… Yes."
"Kaina, do you have any friends you talk to? Any relatives? Anyone at all besides me?" You ask.
"Everybody's gone," Kaina shakes her head slowly. "Mother's gone. Mitsuko's gone. Mitsuko's mother… We don't talk anymore."
"There's really nobody else?" You say, a bit of desperation filling your voice now. There can't seriously be nobody else, she mentioned her coworkers earlier...
"Coworkers are nice. St- I mean, Max. She… Tries. Invites me over for sleepovers. Tries to include me when she makes jokes I don't understand." Kaina shrugs helplessly. "But she doesn't understand me. And I don't understand her. And I have to keep working..."
"Why?"
"I made a promise. I have to keep that promise. Mitsuko and I… We wanted to make a world where everybody was happy and nobody cried," Kaina whispers. "And work's… Better. I don't have to think when I'm at work. Not really."
You squeeze your eyes shut now, tears welling into your own eyes. Your poor, forlorn love. So sad, but... So pure. She shines so very brightly despite the grime that constantly works its way up from this wretched world to taint her soul.
No real human attachments, no connections, obviously depressed out of her mind, and still she tries to make the world a better place. Fights with all of the might and raw power in her soul. What a pure, selfless dream. The idea of a world where everybody is happy and nobody cries? It's a laughable dream. A child's promise.
And yet, here Kaina is, grasping at that dream and trying to make it a reality, one step at a time, with all of the determination she can muster within her little heart. Years later, Infinity Princess remains a towering paragon, the incorruptible hero, a shining beacon of hope and justice…
While Kaina Shikinami was left to wither on the vine. You know this story. You know this story well.
This is what you went through a lifetime ago, before your Fall. Except where you broke, Kaina still endures. For now at least.
You can't help but fall in love with Kaina even more after this revelation. She's just… So sad and cute. You just want to hug her, and tell her everything will be okay…
"Alice, why are you crying?" Kaina starts, noticing the tears trailing down your cheeks.
"Would you believe me if I said it was some sand?" You sniff, wiping at the corners of your eyes. Damn it; you're supposed to be above crying like this...
"I wouldn't; that would be a lie. There's no breeze… Alice, what's wrong?" Kaina asks, scooching a bit closer to you. "Did I make you sad? I'm sorry, I didn't..."
"Kaina, sweetie, you didn't make me sad. Not directly. I'm just… I'm sad because I care about you. And you've obviously been sad yourself for a while, so that's making me sad. I figured that must've been the case, but I didn't think it would be that awful!" You cry out.
Because it is terrible what's happened to Kaina. What Kaina's inflicted on herself. What circumstance has inflicted on Kaina.
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"No. Do not apologize, do you hear me? You have done nothing wrong. You have done absolutely nothing wrong," you say, reaching out to touch Kaina's shoulder, your eyes boring into hers. "You have done nothing wrong. You do not need to apologize for anything. In fact… Thank you."
"Thanks? For what?" Kaina asks, bewildered.
"Thank you for opening up to me and telling me how you feel," you sniff. "It… It means a lot to me. More than you might know. Thank you for trusting me this much. Okay?"
Honestly. You can't help but fall even further in love with Kaina because of all this. What a terrible, beautiful revelation to be beholden to…
"Okay..."
"And I'll make you a promise now, alright?" You pledge. "I promise that when you're with me, you'll never have to feel cold and empty ever again."
"You promise?"
You extend your pinkie, giving Kaina as serious a stare as you can manage. "Pinkie swear. I'll tell you a secret, Kaina. I don't make promises lightly because I always keep my promises. So if I make you a promise, you can trust me always to keep that promise, no matter what."
"… Mitsuko said the same thing..." Kaina nods, then extends her own pinkie, hooking it around yours. "Okay. I trust you."
It's a childish thing, the thing you're doing. Swearing using your pinkies? That's something only schoolchildren do. Still, there's a certain magic to the promises made between small children. There's magic to be found around hotspots of strong emotion.
So maybe there's a kind of special magic in the promise you've just made with Kaina. Maybe it's alright if you let yourself believe that's the case, just for a bit.
"Alice?" You hear Kaina ask after a brief moment of silence.
"Yes, Kaina?" You say.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, go for it."
"Why do you care about me so much? Why do you… Why do you feel sad when I feel sad? What is it that you're feeling when you look at me? What do you see?" Kaina asks.
There's so much you see when you look at Kaina, at her gorgeous eyes, her face…
"I see the cutest girl in the world and the coolest girl in the world."
Kaina blinks owlishly. "I don't… I don't understand."
"I'll walk you through the physical side of things first. Kaina, you are aware that you're ridiculously beautiful, right?"
"… I am?" Kaina looks a bit confused.
Oh gosh, she doesn't even know how freakin' beautiful she looks. Well. That's fine. You'll happily extol your love's virtues to her beautiful face. Anything to make her feel better about herself. Anything at all.
"Okay, first of all, your skin's gorgeous," you say, reaching out to poke Kaina's cheek with the tip of your finger. She flinches at the sudden contact. "You talk about how I'm soft and smooth; I have to moisturize and do all kinds of other things to get my skin this way. Do you do that?"
"… No..."
"And yet your skin's softer than mine is. It is actually free of any blemishes. No spots, no scars, nothing but perfect, pale skin. And then there's your hair and nails. Your nails are amazing, and so is your hair. It's actually like golden silk, it's that nice to the touch, and it practically shines in the sunlight. Your figure's also amazing. You're taller and thinner than I am but that works great for you. You look like a freakin' fairy, did you know that? It's almost inhuman how pretty your body is and how great your proportions are. And then there's your face!"
"My… Face…?" Kaina asks dumbly, reaching up to touch a finger to her face.
"Your cheekbones are amazing. Your lips are amazing. Your teeth are immaculate. Your eyelashes are so perfect and delicate; it is actually unfair. Your eyes are gorgeous. Did you know they're not actually solid green all the way through? You have these little flecks in your irises; they almost look like gold when light reflects off of them. And then there's your expression."
"… I don't have any expression on my face. When I was younger, people..." Kaina protests weakly.
"Those people are morons whose opinions are trash," you cheerfully reply. "Kaina, are you aware that your resting face is so freakin' cool? It's like your eyes shine with determination. The way your jaw's set, the way your mouth is set, the way your eyes literally glitter? You look like you're a warrior-princess, out to slay some dragons."
"… Oh..." Kaina blinks, even as you continue ranting.
"And then you open your mouth, and it turns out you're actually shy and socially awkward. I had to teach you how to operate an automated burger kiosk. Do you understand how much that gap moe shaved years off of my heart? The juxtaposition of looking at this cool girl who looked like she could fight the entire city with a hand tied behind her back having that much difficulty with something so basic? It just… Gosh, I couldn't help but fall in love with you even more. And then. And then!" You continue.
"And then…?"
"And then I got to know you more, and it turns out you're ridiculously earnest too!" You continue monologing, just rambling on and on about all the things you love about Kaina. "Do you know how ridiculously smooth you are sometimes? Like the line you dropped earlier about how you wanted to spend the whole day looking at me. Or the way you princess-carried me."
Kaina's gone silent now; she's just looking at you with a bit of a surprised expression on her face. It's like you're upending her worldview and her viewpoints by going on this rant.
"The point is, you're so honest, and it's so obvious you're trying so hard to make these dates we go on work... Do you know how difficult it is to find someone willing to put the effort in for something like that?"
"But I'm… I do not have experience in these matters, and I..." Kaina protests. Not that you're having any of it! Not even your love gets to badmouth herself!
"You don't have experience, but you're trying your damn best! And you're quick to learn! You let me explain things to you, you're willing to explain things to me, and you're willing to take things in stride. We communicate, we talk, and we always end up having a great time. Like right now, here on this beautiful beach that you found."
"Oh..."
"So when I put it like that, isn't it obvious that I'd care about you? That I'd think that you're the absolute coolest, cutest girl in the world? Isn't it obvious that of course, I'd want to get to know you even better?" You roll your eyes, a bit miffed by your love's refusal to accept her status as Best Girl in your heart.
"… I see it now. I had not even..." Kaina blinks as she reevaluates her self-image. "So you see me as… Cool."
"Yes!" You say.
"And cute."
"Yes! I do! Even now you're all cute! Because you're a cool, cute girl who doesn't realize how cool and cute she is! Who didn't realize until a girl who likes her had to point that out to her!" You throw your hands up in the air. The gap moe is honestly unreal with Kaina, good gosh.
"… But I'm just..." Kaina stutters, going red. "I'm just Kaina… Kaina can't… Can't do anything..."
"Yes! You're Kaina! And in my eyes? Kaina Shikinami is the coolest and the cutest girl ever," you say sincerely. "Kaina Shikinami can do anything!"
"So then… Then..." Kaina swallows, closing her eyes. "… Alice, what exactly is it that you feel..."
"That I like you, you dummy! And I want to make you happy!" You reply.
"Is… Is like similar to… Love?" Kaina asks.
Oh boy. She's popping the L word now. That? That's something you wanted to save for your surprise towards the end of the evening...
"It can be, sure. Why are you asking now?" You respond.
"… Love… If what you feel is like, then… Alice, what does it feel like to… To be in love?" Kaina brings up hesitantly. "And do you… Is…?"
Gosh, that's a loaded question. How the heck are you going to respond?
--