Coauthored by Acewing13, Ikate Keda Studios
???? A.D., Twelve hours after the raid on Gluck
Aboard Daheim One
Joan walked through the ship, a concerned frown on her face. They had just gotten back to the Dalheim, and she had spent the last few hours with Jacob and Miranda, before having a talk with them about how she was going to spend the night out with some friends, and how she would still be on the ship, just not in their room. If that was okay with them. Miranda demanded several stories be read to her before hand, but Jacob liked the idea of being a grown up, there to make sure Miranda was safe.
Still, what she was about to do made her feel all sorts of funny feelings. She never felt like this any other time she was going to spend a night at a guys house. Probably because back then the reason why was simple. Get laid. There was no confusion. No one relied on her for anything, and she was free to do what she wanted. Still, she felt nervous, so she stopped outside a door that she knew wouldn’t help, but at the same time, would somehow help. She knocked. “ ‘ey Beatrix… Mind if ah pop by a few? Ah wanna talk wif ya…”
“Come on in,” Bee said, “I hope it’s not too rude to not come and open the door though.”
“Ya ‘urt yer arm,” Joan said, letting herself into Beatrix’s room, looking at her laying on the bed. “Not yer legs. Ya lazy,” She smiled, running her fingers through her own hair. “Also, right dere,” She pointed at where Bee’s head was. “Right dere was where ‘e was when ah kissed ‘im, if ya wan’ed ta know,” She offered, helping herself to the desk chair. “ ‘ow’s da one ‘anded life trea’in ya?” She asked simply.
“Oh, really?” Bee asked with an answering smile, “I should get my pillow framed. Anyway, besides fantasizing about my OTP, I’m doing good. Kinda missing the use of my left arm though,” she continued, looking at her injured limb.
“Well, dey stitched ya up,” Joan smiled, leaning forward. “You’ll be righ’ as rain ‘fore we ‘ave go’en ta da next leg o’ da mission,” She said, running her hands along her Pajama pants. “So… Wha is wif dis ‘ole, OTP fing?” Joan asked. “Ah mean, ah nevah met a woman in me life ‘oo would frow anovah woman at someone like Juan, ya get what I mean?” She asked, looking at Beatrix. “Dun ya git lonely?”
“Ehh, yes and no,” Beatrix said, shrugging as she thought what exactly to say. “Do I miss the embrace of a man? Of course, but if I ever get too antsy, I can deal with it when we get to a port. Plenty of other non-SWATed brothels to visit. Relationship wise, I got a long-distance boyfriend, but we usually just talk over emails and turned-based strategy games at this point.”
“You ‘ave a boyfriend?!” Joan asked, her jaw dropping at the revelation. “Wha ‘e look like?! Wha’s ‘is name?! Ya can’ ‘orture me in not tell us dis!”
“Oh, his name is Julian Cross,” Bee said, pulling her PD off the nearby table and pulling up her picture gallery before handing it to the other woman.
Joan looked at the picture, then paused, her brows furrowing as she looked through the pictures. “Dis… is ‘im?” She asked, looking at Beatrix. “Are ya yankin me leg er somefing?”
“What?” Beatrix asked, leaning over to double check that she had selected the right photo album. “Yeah, that’s us at a restaurant before heading to a dance.”
Joan was silent, looking between the pad and Beatrix. “Wow… Ah just fought… ya know,” She said, handing back the PD and scrunching up her brow. “Ah’m ‘eading to Juan’s room, to spend da night,” She quickly said, trying to change the subject.
“Oooh,” Bee said, her own relationship forgotten for the moment. “You gonna get it on tonight?”
“No,” Joan quickly retorted, frowning. “Nuffin like dat, just… Maybeh some… ‘eavy pettin?” She asked, leaning back into the chair. “If, ya know, ah don’ panic in leave ‘fore dat.”
“Huh,” Beatrix said, before shrugging. “Seems like a reasonable next step. No reason to panic though. You’re both responsible adults, so you can decide when to stop. I’m assuming you’ve already gone over this with Juan?”
“No,” Joan sighed. “Ah don’t fink ‘e would mind?”
Bee blinked a few times before asking, “Did or did you not you tell Juan that tonight’s sleepover would not include sex?” Joan just stared at Beatrix silently, who responded by facepalming. “Make sure to bring that up before things get too serious, okay? I think he’ll be fine with it, but it’s better to clear that up before you guys get in bed, alright?”
“Ah’ll be sure tah stop ‘im if fings go too fast,” Joan said simply. “Ah’m not da greatest at dealing wif relationships anymore. Ah kin tell a guy tah stop no problem, in ah kin ‘urt em if dey ignore it,” She added, crossing her arms.
Beatrix sighed as she held up her hands in surrender. “I guess that works,” she said. “So, if you’re not worried about things going too far, what are you worried about?”
“Ah dun know... “ Joan shrugged. “Ah just… ‘aven’t been in dis game fer ovah a decade. Ah dun know ‘ow tah approach dis much anymore,” She explained. “Ah mean, ‘ow does ya like… suggest it okay tah git touchy wifout seemin like an ‘ore?” She asked.
Bee opened her mouth to answer, but stopped when Joan finished her sentence. “You just had to put that qualifier on the end, didn’t you?’ she asked, before shaking her head. “I mean, best thing to do would be to talk about it ahead of time, but since we’re not doing that and I’m pretty sure Juan’s not the one that’s really worried about going too far, just ask him to follow your lead? You set the mark and if he goes beyond it, say so. Just don’t bite his hand off or anything, unless he deserves it.”
“Ah s’pose,” Joan said, looking around the room for a moment. “Ah fink ah gots an idea, but does ya ‘ave anyfing good ta snack on? Ah only ‘ad dem sweets fer kids, ya know?” She asked, standing up.
“What, like popcorn?” Beatrix asked, “You guys watching a movie or something?”
“Ah fought dat would be a good way tah get close,” Joan shrugged. “Ah’m willin ta go at dis, but ah’m not gonna go at it fast.” She said with a nod. “Ah wanna make sure ah kin salvage what relationship ah got if fings go bad.”
“I like it,” Bee said, standing up and walking over to a shelf. “I got some popcorn here,” she continued, pulling out a few bags. “What flavor do you want?”
“Anyfing tah keep our ‘and busy fer a bit,” Joan said, taking a deep breath. “When dey’re done, ah’ll do somefing. Ah dun know wha yet, but ah’ll do somefing.”
“Just don’t forget to tell me all about it,” Beatrix said, grinning as she handed over a couple of bags of butter popcorn.
Joan took one, leaving the rest with Beatrix. “If yer good, maybe ah will,” Joan winked, slipping out of the room, and turning towards Juan’s with even more concern building up. Regardless… She knew she needed something.
???? A.D., Twelve hours after the raid on Gluck
Aboard Daheim One
Joan walked through the ship, a concerned frown on her face. They had just gotten back to the Dalheim, and she had spent the last few hours with Jacob and Miranda, before having a talk with them about how she was going to spend the night out with some friends, and how she would still be on the ship, just not in their room. If that was okay with them. Miranda demanded several stories be read to her before hand, but Jacob liked the idea of being a grown up, there to make sure Miranda was safe.
Still, what she was about to do made her feel all sorts of funny feelings. She never felt like this any other time she was going to spend a night at a guys house. Probably because back then the reason why was simple. Get laid. There was no confusion. No one relied on her for anything, and she was free to do what she wanted. Still, she felt nervous, so she stopped outside a door that she knew wouldn’t help, but at the same time, would somehow help. She knocked. “ ‘ey Beatrix… Mind if ah pop by a few? Ah wanna talk wif ya…”
“Come on in,” Bee said, “I hope it’s not too rude to not come and open the door though.”
“Ya ‘urt yer arm,” Joan said, letting herself into Beatrix’s room, looking at her laying on the bed. “Not yer legs. Ya lazy,” She smiled, running her fingers through her own hair. “Also, right dere,” She pointed at where Bee’s head was. “Right dere was where ‘e was when ah kissed ‘im, if ya wan’ed ta know,” She offered, helping herself to the desk chair. “ ‘ow’s da one ‘anded life trea’in ya?” She asked simply.
“Oh, really?” Bee asked with an answering smile, “I should get my pillow framed. Anyway, besides fantasizing about my OTP, I’m doing good. Kinda missing the use of my left arm though,” she continued, looking at her injured limb.
“Well, dey stitched ya up,” Joan smiled, leaning forward. “You’ll be righ’ as rain ‘fore we ‘ave go’en ta da next leg o’ da mission,” She said, running her hands along her Pajama pants. “So… Wha is wif dis ‘ole, OTP fing?” Joan asked. “Ah mean, ah nevah met a woman in me life ‘oo would frow anovah woman at someone like Juan, ya get what I mean?” She asked, looking at Beatrix. “Dun ya git lonely?”
“Ehh, yes and no,” Beatrix said, shrugging as she thought what exactly to say. “Do I miss the embrace of a man? Of course, but if I ever get too antsy, I can deal with it when we get to a port. Plenty of other non-SWATed brothels to visit. Relationship wise, I got a long-distance boyfriend, but we usually just talk over emails and turned-based strategy games at this point.”
“You ‘ave a boyfriend?!” Joan asked, her jaw dropping at the revelation. “Wha ‘e look like?! Wha’s ‘is name?! Ya can’ ‘orture me in not tell us dis!”
“Oh, his name is Julian Cross,” Bee said, pulling her PD off the nearby table and pulling up her picture gallery before handing it to the other woman.
Joan looked at the picture, then paused, her brows furrowing as she looked through the pictures. “Dis… is ‘im?” She asked, looking at Beatrix. “Are ya yankin me leg er somefing?”
“What?” Beatrix asked, leaning over to double check that she had selected the right photo album. “Yeah, that’s us at a restaurant before heading to a dance.”
Joan was silent, looking between the pad and Beatrix. “Wow… Ah just fought… ya know,” She said, handing back the PD and scrunching up her brow. “Ah’m ‘eading to Juan’s room, to spend da night,” She quickly said, trying to change the subject.
“Oooh,” Bee said, her own relationship forgotten for the moment. “You gonna get it on tonight?”
“No,” Joan quickly retorted, frowning. “Nuffin like dat, just… Maybeh some… ‘eavy pettin?” She asked, leaning back into the chair. “If, ya know, ah don’ panic in leave ‘fore dat.”
“Huh,” Beatrix said, before shrugging. “Seems like a reasonable next step. No reason to panic though. You’re both responsible adults, so you can decide when to stop. I’m assuming you’ve already gone over this with Juan?”
“No,” Joan sighed. “Ah don’t fink ‘e would mind?”
Bee blinked a few times before asking, “Did or did you not you tell Juan that tonight’s sleepover would not include sex?” Joan just stared at Beatrix silently, who responded by facepalming. “Make sure to bring that up before things get too serious, okay? I think he’ll be fine with it, but it’s better to clear that up before you guys get in bed, alright?”
“Ah’ll be sure tah stop ‘im if fings go too fast,” Joan said simply. “Ah’m not da greatest at dealing wif relationships anymore. Ah kin tell a guy tah stop no problem, in ah kin ‘urt em if dey ignore it,” She added, crossing her arms.
Beatrix sighed as she held up her hands in surrender. “I guess that works,” she said. “So, if you’re not worried about things going too far, what are you worried about?”
“Ah dun know... “ Joan shrugged. “Ah just… ‘aven’t been in dis game fer ovah a decade. Ah dun know ‘ow tah approach dis much anymore,” She explained. “Ah mean, ‘ow does ya like… suggest it okay tah git touchy wifout seemin like an ‘ore?” She asked.
Bee opened her mouth to answer, but stopped when Joan finished her sentence. “You just had to put that qualifier on the end, didn’t you?’ she asked, before shaking her head. “I mean, best thing to do would be to talk about it ahead of time, but since we’re not doing that and I’m pretty sure Juan’s not the one that’s really worried about going too far, just ask him to follow your lead? You set the mark and if he goes beyond it, say so. Just don’t bite his hand off or anything, unless he deserves it.”
“Ah s’pose,” Joan said, looking around the room for a moment. “Ah fink ah gots an idea, but does ya ‘ave anyfing good ta snack on? Ah only ‘ad dem sweets fer kids, ya know?” She asked, standing up.
“What, like popcorn?” Beatrix asked, “You guys watching a movie or something?”
“Ah fought dat would be a good way tah get close,” Joan shrugged. “Ah’m willin ta go at dis, but ah’m not gonna go at it fast.” She said with a nod. “Ah wanna make sure ah kin salvage what relationship ah got if fings go bad.”
“I like it,” Bee said, standing up and walking over to a shelf. “I got some popcorn here,” she continued, pulling out a few bags. “What flavor do you want?”
“Anyfing tah keep our ‘and busy fer a bit,” Joan said, taking a deep breath. “When dey’re done, ah’ll do somefing. Ah dun know wha yet, but ah’ll do somefing.”
“Just don’t forget to tell me all about it,” Beatrix said, grinning as she handed over a couple of bags of butter popcorn.
Joan took one, leaving the rest with Beatrix. “If yer good, maybe ah will,” Joan winked, slipping out of the room, and turning towards Juan’s with even more concern building up. Regardless… She knew she needed something.