CitrusArms

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

Yumeiko quietly marked Miyuki's tense tone of voice, noting to herself that she should not dawdle. She could sense the other's tension in her voice. If she rushed what she was doing, however, then it would just have to be done again.

Though her voice was tense, the lack of physical fussing let Yumeiko continue with care.

As she moved closer, to work on Miyuki's hair, Miyuki's question caused her combing to slow for just a moment. "You slept through all that?" Yumeiko sounded shocked. "Er, well... that's why I said I came to check on you. Our fleet engaged with a dreadful enemy, after climbing into orbit."

She continued her combing, but there was something different in her touch; the memory of the enemy disturbed her. "Do you remember the destruction, Miyuki? The end of the old world."

"It's the same enemy. The same remnants that were fought on the surface, just to defend our home and future - again. They're out here, too." It wasn't the future she'd hoped for. It meant there would be more fighting. She could keep herself and her shrine on Earth, but with the way the battle had gone, the fleet needed support. How many more would they have lost, without her?

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

Miyuki consented and Yumeiko turned herself more fully onto the bed. One leg dangled off, her toes just touching the floor, while the other lay in front of her, bent such that her foot almost dangled off the end of the bed, too. As the tails were laid down in front of her, she gathered them tenderly and lay them over her thigh - as many as she could - before forming a comb of hardlight and starting to brush them.

Hardlight was not a natural power of hers. It wasn't like her actual sacred powers, which she had used to change clothes earlier. It came from the ship - from her communion with it, with the Aevon that made it possible. It had its advantages, too. She could feel with it, she could mold and shape it.

What was sacred anymore, anyway?

Wasn't that... her decision, now?

"Yes, yes. I'll be quick." As Yumeiko worked through the tangled, unkempt fur, the comb she used shifted and changed. The teeth of the tool would grow coarser or finer according to how much resistance Miyuki's fur was putting up at any point in time. Despite saying she would do this swiftly, she took her time, making sure to comb the black fur thoroughly and get any possible sign of matting out.

She was still wearing the line cook getup? The priestess tossed the headband and apron aside gradually as she went through Miyuki's tails, each disappearing as soon as it was out of sight.

Yumeiko pulled herself further onto the bed as she finished with the tails, sitting closer to Miyuki's back. She carefully arranged the black fox's tails around herself as she moved on to combing her hair. "It's all very tangled, so it's taking a bit of time. I hope you don't mind too much."

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

"Mmm... mnn?" Yumeiko nuzzled her face more into the soft comfort, at first, as her eyes fluttered open. They closed again as her hand wandered away, over the alluring form she rested agai-

Her eyes shot open and she pushed herself partially upright, attention rapidly appraising the situation. It didn't take her long to realize what she'd been doing - what she'd been grabbing - and her face flushed a deep red. She turned away with a soft yelp, one hand flying up to cover her face while the other held herself upright, "Miyuki, I'm so sorry! I-I, ah..."

She took a moment or two, calming herself and her racing heart before she turned partially over her shoulder, "you were, comfortable." The hand lowered from her mouth to her chest, she pushed herself up to a sitting position at the side of the bed as she calmed herself. "Please, excuse, ah, my reach." With a guilty fondness, she recalled the warm, soft comfort, but shook herself of the memory. It was ill-gotten.

Her tails flopped lazily across the bed, despite herself. Yumeiko turned after a moment, recalling something she'd noticed earlier - yes, indeed. Miyuki's hair and fur were still unkempt.

She turned away again, still blushing brightly despite being the offender. "Uh-mm, thank you for indulging me. I've been," she thought back on how she'd conducted herself since entering the room. Demanding it be cleaned, pushing Miyuki to do so, all in the name of a clean shrine. Eating with her, but only to feel more normal. Checking in on her welfare, but ultimately, truly, seeking company, "maybe a little selfish."

She took a deeper, steadying breath, before she picked herself up to turn at the hips, committing her body enough she could fully face Miyuki, "would you indulge me again? You," Her eyes trailed over the other fox, a smile softening her after hesitation, "need a little grooming; I'd like to comb you."

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

A cute little squeak would welcome the arms sweeping her off of her feet and against a generous bosom. "Wh-, hey, I can.. walk..." her protests died as she rested her body into the voluptuous frame that cradled her. As she looked up, she saw the change in Miyuki's demeanor. A combination of embarrassments colored her cheeks, not least of which was the one that had her leaning her head into the tender, soft warmth.

"Arigato..."

She focused on the warmth and comfort, the sensations that rooted her to her body. She clung to her lazily, taking in her scent and feeling as much of the warmth she could offer as she could, before-

Yumeiko let out a small yelp as the sensations were torn away from her, only to be replaced by a soft, cloudy pad full of the scents she'd just been absorbing. She turned sluggishly over in the bed to watch Miyuki disappear behind the partitions. She groaned softly, instead making do with the scents and soft fluffiness of the bedding of her more-than-a-guest. Maybe more-than-a-guest. She was too disoriented to know more certainly.

If Miyuki weren't here...

---

The ship felt her absence, though things still ran. Her token aesthetic was replaced by a more generic design - the little anime icons of her face no longer appeared next to menu options, replaced instead with a plain dot, or something more locally significant. Interactions became more generic, less familiar and individual. Crew that knew what they were doing took charge.

After a few hours, Yumeiko stirred. The ship was keeping a watchful orbit over Earth in her absence, floating gently after completing post-combat operations. Her eyes opened slowly to see the ceiling that was certainly not her own quarters. The branches of the Core Tree were visible where she usually slept.

The scent still enveloped her. The priestess took a great heave of the comfort into her lungs as she turned into the nearest pillowy goodness surrounding her, gathering it into her face, heedless of where it might have come from.

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

Miyuki's sentiment earned a soft smile from Yumeiko as she set the dirty dishes away. As she lifted her hand to will the machine into motion, however, her body faltered. Her footing shifted slightly, catching a pitch in her weight before her hand braced herself against the counter. A breath was all she allowed herself before she pushed herself to remain upright and working - what would happen if she passed out, or something similar? She had to maintain her presence of mind.

"Yes, I do," said fondly, it had come out with less oomph than she had wanted, betraying her fatigue. Instead of willing the machine into motion, she used the holographic interface, the same as anyone else. It took less effort, that way. She leaned against the counter a moment, breathing and focusing her mind on staying in her body.

When she felt gathered enough, she righted herself. She didn't seem physically off, but Miyuki could surely tell she was struggling.

She shook her head slowly, blinking herself back into focus. This hadn't happened before. Of course, the ship had never been so strained - depleted shields, field recovery operations, processing battlefield debris and casualties, coordinating with the rest of the fleet. All that, on top of now teaching Miyuki basic housekeeping and trying to relax after a battle. She had never been so strained, or had so much power and extended body to distribute it through available to her directly.

"I think I," she stepped away from the counter, her body and mind suddenly demanding rest, "need to, lay down."

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

Hehe, alright.

It's so good to play these two again~!

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

Oh hoh? Have I stumped the great Xalt? You're normally so swift! Hehehe.

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

Ooh, good. Miyuki was not so possessed by hunger that she might reach to take Yumeiko's helping. The blonde relaxed a bit as she finished her meal, her ears slightly less attentive. She ate rather calmly, especially compared to Miyuki. She wasn't one to make many noises, usually, but something about the meal was quite satisfying to her.

Yumeiko paused her chopsticks in her mouth as she heard the question.

What had she come for, today? The priestess gave a thoughtful hum as she grabbed another shrimp. "Well, uh," she considered her answer as she took another bite.

She thought about it hard, for a moment. "I came to check on you, if you'd been hurt in the impacts." She had been concerned for the other's safety, but that wasn't all. She'd wanted someone to eat with, but that wasn't the root of it.

"But, if I'm honest, I guess," she stared at her rice, an ounce of hesitation, "I wanted to stop being a Goddess, for a moment." She nodded softly, satisfied with her answer before she continued eating. It didn't take her much longer to finish her portion, and as she set her chopsticks down, she stilled again.

"Maybe I haven't exactly acted accordingly. It's hard to put it down, after so long." She rose, then, and gathered their bowls and chopsticks to take them to be washed. It was just a matter of putting them up in the proper place.

Before she stepped away from the table, Yumeiko laid a hand gently on Miyuki's shoulder. "Thank you for enjoying my cooking so heartily." She gave the yokai a tender smile and a gentle squeeze before padding off to the galley with the dishes.

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

What was that prayer? It was Yumeiko's turn to offer up a bewildered look, but Miyuki was too busy eating to notice. The priestess took a moment to watch the other fox eat, astonished both by the ferocity, the speed with which she consumed the meal in front of her, but also the speed at which she showed table manners.

And not a grain of rice was wasted.

She'd been so engrossed in watching Miyuki eat that she'd barely taken a bite of her own meal. Yumeiko glanced quickly between their settings and started gobbling down some of her own food before Miyuki might think to begin reaching beyond her place setting. If the way she ate was any indication, Miyuki was not someone to fight with over food. Best to eat her fill before it became a problem.

Where Miyuki went through her rice first, Yumeiko ate a balance as she went. She did not strain to meet Miyuki's pace, but she ate, perhaps, a little faster than she might have otherwise. She did not grab a balance of rice and shrimp, but instead ate a morsel of rice, then a shrimp, then a another morsel or two, creating a balance in the end before she would commit her mouthful and continue. She braced to fend off Miyuki's chopsticks, if the other should decide to try her meal defenses.

Then again, Miyuki sounded so delighted with the food, Yumeiko felt compelled.

While she chewed a mouthful, the priestess found a smaller bowl at the table and put together a helping of her own rice, and shrimp she'd yet to eat, which she passed across to Miyuki as the other ran out of food.

Foxes in SPAAAAAAAACE (Xaltwind and CitrusArms)

The look of gentle bewilderment did not escape her, and she supposed it must have seemed ridiculous, to anyone who would place her on a pedestal, to see her dressed this way, doing something so domestic as cooking or cleaning. Yet, "am I not allowed to enjoy cooking, Miyuki?" She gave the other a playful huff as she passed.

And then Miyuki revealed something about herself.

The noise she made had been completely unexpected. And rather adorable, at that. Yumeiko was barely able to follow the yokai's movement to the table, where she sat and waited to be allowed to eat.

Where had all that bravado gone, then? Yumeiko was careful to smile kindly, though part of her wanted to smirk. She could appreciate the restraint shown, despite Miyuki's obvious appetite.

Now was not the time, however.

Miyuki should understand. "You know what comes first."

Yumeiko put her hands together, bowed her head over the food, and offered thanks before the meal. Then, she gave Miyuki a smile and nod before beginning to eat, herself.