Open Heart and Affirmations

No one had realized how exhausted Nix truly was. Though Sheeva and Ju'Shal had woken up, they both agreed to leave Nix be after trying several times to shake her awake. The woman would retaliate by clinging to Ju'Shal tighter and groaning while rubbing her face against the Wolf-Kin's fluffy neck.

While Ju'Shal gently rubbed Nix's back with a happy smile, the rest of the people in the room were busy going over the follow-up tests on Jennifer's new prosthetics.

"Do you feel any sort of pain or discomfort? Nix was very forward about making sure you speak the truth." Sheeva whispered to Jennifer as she eyed the tablet and tapped on some letters.

"Just how strange it feels. It almost feels like I haven't even lost my arm." Jennifer awed silently, clenching her robotic hand before lifting each finger individually.

"System says she is receiving it properly. We should wait until Nix wakes up before further tests." Rishad whispered to Sheeva with an affirming nod.

"It will be fine. Mother will go over it if there is any issues we cannot solve. Jennifer, go ahead with your duties for now. Message one of us as soon as something feels off." Sheeva ordered with a soft smile and hugging her tablet.

"Oh they'll be fine. I wanna watch this some more." Jennifer cooed softly as she looked back at Nix and Ju'Shal.

With the two being by the desk, Ju'Shal couldn't hear the teasing words Jennifer spoke. She was happily in her own world leaning her head against Nix's as she rubbed the woman's arm. Her free hand was busy holding her own tail down to prevent it from thudding against the floor in fear that Nix would wake up. Getting an idea, Drevid ushered Sheeva to go over and tell the two something. It took some time to convince Sheeva to finally go over with a pout, receiving some slight chuckles to erupt from the 6 around her.

Finally stepping to the two, Sheeva bent down to Ju'Shal's ear to whisper. "Go and take Nix to the bed for proper rest. Mommy hasn't slept this long in a long time, so make sure she stays in bed."

Ju'Shal's tail suddenly poofed as her ears shot straight up. Her heard beat loud in her ears as she eyed the Fox-Kin, who was now making her way back to the group to usher Drevid and Jennifer out. This sudden progression was not something the Wolf-Kin was mentally prepared for. As she looked back down at Nix, she could only swallow a bit and release her tail.

It took a few moments to finally scoop the woman into her arms before awkwardly standing as carefully as she could. She stood there staring down at Nix's peaceful form for a long while. As strong as this woman was, she was so light in her arms. Her lightly tanned flesh that lined the faint muscles Nix grew during her training was tempting in Ju'Shal's mind. Those thin, pink lips, her long lashes that covered the woman's ruby eyes over the fading bags that had formed from lack of sleep, it drove the Wolf-Kin crazier the longer she stared.

It wasn't until Sheeva cleared her throat that Ju'Shal realized she was still standing in the room with the others. To embarrassed to look at them, she walked as quickly yet carefully as she could to the room that had been cleared for Nix. Pressing her back against it to push it open, she caught a glimpse of Sheeva's pout, as well as Jennifer's and Drevid's proud smiles. For some reason, she felt the two looking at her was forming a pressure she almost couldn't handle. She kicked the door closed silently after giving the two a small bow with her head in respect. She wasn't imagining it, those two looked like proud parents as she closed the door. Didn't they already have a son?

Ju'Shal shook these thoughts away as she eyed Nix's new room. A small lamp that was made by Nix lit the room in a dim violet, allowing her to see the bed on the other side of the room with the nightstand holding said lamp that stood at arms length from the head of the bed. A bookshelf stood against the wall at the foot of the bed, leaving the sizable bedroom in heavy need of decorations to make up for the empty space.

Ju'Shal took a few breaths to eye the bed before swallowing once more to encourage herself. Finally adjusting Nix a little, she made her way over to lay the sleeping woman carefully on the bed. It had much better material compared to the beds Ju'Shal slept in before. The previously undisturbed bed was lined with a soft cloth fabric, with a fuzzy wool blanket covering up to the fuzzy pelt pillow. She could see Nix greatly appreciated fuzzy comfort in her sleep, making Ju'Shal blush heavily as the feeling of Nix curling up against her was refreshed quickly in her mind.

After moving the blanket back over the sleeping figure, she felt a tug on her shirt. Looking up, the Wolf-Kin found Nix had opened her red eyes a bit with a soft smile. Nix's tired eyes caused Ju'Shal to freeze as if she was caught doing something bad. Even under such a heavy spell, Nix could see the Wolf-Kin's embarrassment so clearly under the dim violet light. Nix had always found Ju'Shal quite alluring as the strong hunter that fed the village. Such a strong woman couldn't help by keep her eye more than the others had. Nix felt this was a dream, so she took control of said dream by patting on the bed with a warm smile.

Ju'Shal hesitated at first. This was definitely the point of no return. If she accepted the invitation and misread the room, she would probably be reprimanded pretty badly. But how could she give up such an opportunity?

Swallowing once more, she lifted the covers and slowly slipped under to join Nix. Thanks to the size of the bed, she found it easy to relax on the comfortable mattress next to woman who immediately wrapped her arms around her fuzzy stomach with Nix's face resting in Ju'Shal's chest and nuzzling against her. Ju'Shal's heart raced quickly in her chest, but her embarrassment was swept away as she felt Nix's heavy heartbeats on her stomach.

The two stayed locked together in silence for a long time. Even the whispers of conversation couldn't be heard by them in the quickly heated room. The twos legs had long interlocked with eachother, with Nix's toes barely touching the Wolf-Kin's shins at her longest stretch. It wasn't until Nix finally realized she in fact, was not dreaming that she finally broke the silence with a faint whisper.

"Thank you, Ju'Shal."

"Wh-what for Nix?" Ju'Shal sputtered softly at the sudden words that filled her ears. Her furred hand gently rubbed Nix's clothed back as her tail swung happily against the bed.

"For everything. Listening to my selfish requests, being a shoulder to lean on, even staying by my side through all of this. It's been-"

"Shh, it's alright. There's no need to thank me. Though I wish you'd listen sometimes, I'll always be here if you fall." Ju'Shal could feel the tears building up in Nix's eyes, quickly silencing the poor woman's words before those tears brought up her own.

A silence descended on the room as Nix sobbed quietly into Ju'Shal's chest. All the pent up anger and sadness was unleashed against the Wolf-Kin as she clutched at her back. Ju'Shal kept reassuring the woman with comforting words and gentle rubs on her back. It hurt her deeply to see Nix like this in her arms, more so than any wound or grief she felt in the past. It was then Lad'Vik's words talked softly in her mind about these very symptoms, how when she felt this that she should tell the person she holds this pain for how she feels before it's to late to tell them.

She thought over and over quickly how she should bring it up, but Nix interrupted her thoughts as she let out a heavy sigh and pulled her head back to look into the Wolf-Kin's eyes with a look she'd never seen from Nix before.

"You know, back when I lost my Karen all those years ago, I did everything I could to forget. Be it burying myself in my work, stepping into the front lines in hopes I would meet her sooner, even trying to find peace in a bottle that always emptied. I was so scared of opening my heart up again and losing someone I truly cherished." Nix whispered as she stroked the Wolf's neck fur and lost the focus in her eyes and looking back into her own past.

Ju'Shal remained silent, fearing any words would ruin this moment. Instead, her own hand came up to gently hold Nix's cheek as she gave a reassuring smile. Nix's hand then came up to hold Ju'Shal's as she continued while closing her eyes.

"When I first got here, I felt so lost. My dream of finding Karen again in the after-life shattered as I faced my new reality. Though I was happy to receive a request from Mother Moon, I couldn't help but feel how weary my heart was once again. Even as I looked over the hopeful looks of the villagers, the pain that haunted my heart felt like chains that weighed me down. When we lost those people during the ambush, I just, lost it suddenly. There was nothing infront of me, just the pure rage I thought I'd long forgotten. Even as I treated Jennifer of her wounds, I could feel my hands shaking for the first time in a while."

Ju'Shal couldn't help but give Nix a kiss on the forehead, trying to calm Nix's fluctuating emotions as the woman threatened to force more tears from those sad red eyes. This gave Nix the comfort she needed as she looked back up at Ju'Shal.

"Just when I wanted to throw my emotions away again, you suddenly held me. I could tell you were worse than I was, but you still comforted me before anyone else had the heart to. Then, I could feel it. Every look and touch felt much warmer and comforting from you than anyone else. My heart started to feel lighter, while the rage I thought would take me quelled into the sadness I could finally show to everyone. Ju'Shal, you-"

Ju'Shal couldn't stand it anymore. Though Nix would usually have a way with her words, Ju'Shal could feel Nix's stumbling to find new ways to describe how she was feeling was making the woman repeat the same things on a different way. It was to cute, to sweet, to loving. Her lips found Nix's in a gentle kiss, cutting the woman off to bring back that familiar silence.

The kiss felt electrifying. Tears welled up in Nix's eyes as she felt the chains that had been weighing her down finally released from her heart. Her body melted against Ju'Shal as she leaned into the kiss and gripped the Wolf tight, fearing the woman would leave her. Any feeling of discomfort of being around this taller woman, any thought to push her away, everything that told her to hold her emotions in, it all melted away into the kiss. Ju'Shal couldn't help but grip at Nix's back and thigh as well, scraping that soft flesh and making Nix let out a cute gasp to break the kiss.

"S-sorry, forgot to-" Ju'Shal jumped and tried to speak, but was met with Nix's finger to her lips.

"It's fine, it doesn't hurt." Nix reasurred the worried Wolf with a tone that made Ju'Shal's mind go blank.

Normally, these words would make Ju'Shal fall into worry and make her conscious about her claws. Though she would probably trim them later, the look Nix gave her made a deep heat rise in her chest and between her legs. She would leave the worrying about the woman's condition for later. It was do or die for Ju'Shal now, and she wasn't about to waste a moment.

Ju'Shal brought Nix back in for a deeper kiss, lust and heat quickly rising from the two as they clutched to eachother in a beast like longing. Ju'Shal then rolled Nix onto her back and breaking the kiss to bring her head back up to look down at the woman. Those eyes that beckoned her closer, the lick of those tantalizing lips from her sugar-like tongue. Ju'Shal could feel her fur stand on end as she looked to this woman for one last affirmation.

Nix didn't give her affirmation until after she reached over to the lamp on the nightstand. After pressing on the glass bottom, a silent whirr was heard and a deeper silence baring down on the panting figures. Ju'Shal raised her brow as she looked around the violet cascaded surroundings.

"Those claws are sharp. I don't want the others thinking you're killing me in here dear." Nix's voice echoed in Ju'Shal's ears, causing her to shudder.

After a second, she realized Nix caused the silence in the room with that lamp. No longer could she hear the voices or the patter of metal and cloth feet in the next room, just a silence that made the woman so much more inviting. Looking back down, she found Nix biting her lip and gesturing for Ju'Shal with the curl of her finger.

That was all the Wolf-Kin needed. She quickly leaned down to kiss Nix's neck to release a sudden gasp from her. That sweet moan that echoed about the empty room enticed Ju'Shal's furred hand to grab at her clothed breast and give it a testing squeeze. Nix's sudden arch of her back and louder moans showed how weak Nix was to her touch, making her motions more aggressive and her kisses rougher on the girls neck.

Though the two were exhausted, they readied themselves for a long night they were sure they would never forget.