Chapter 817

A bit of silent contemplation later and the girls decided to leave. They decided to head towards Jara’s compound. Regardless of their final destination they still needed to fly somewhat nearby and even with Kat’s speed that was going to take a while. On the ground it was harder to tell but the mountain was HUGE and the distances between the compound were not small. It would take someone at normal walking speed about half a day to get between two adjacent compounds.

As they were flying though. Kat came to a decision. *I think we should visit Jara. If I’m entirely honest I already feel like we should tell Zuhra despite Apep’s wishes. I think it’s best if we go to Jara and get the most comprehensive second opinion we can get. I believe she wants the best for both of them so she should be fairly unbiased about things. Then we can... well we can take things from there.*

[Why do you think it’s so imperative we tell Zuhra? I’m not saying we shouldn’t talk to Jara first but... well... I can see why Apep would keep it all hidden.]

*True but I’m starting to feel like Apep should be taking this journey with Zuhra. Not have us take it behind her back. I mean... we didn’t just jump straight into a relationship. Despite your crush, if we weren’t friends I doubt it would have really gone anywhere. I couldn’t have just said ‘well she’s pretty so I don’t mind dating her’ I had to get to the point where I care more about your happiness then my own.*

Kat could already feel the slight discomfort Lily was trying to hide. *Don’t even think about it Lily. You can feel my own feelings on the matter. I’m VERY happy with this arrangement and I don’t even want you to pretend you don’t also have the same thoughts. You’ve proven quite a few times that you think MY feelings are more important than you own. This seems to just be how it works. So do not take my admission of that fact as a problem.*

[Sorry. I just... I still worry even with the link. I mean... it would have been nice if you were sexually attracted to me... I mean. I have no problems with how things turned out but... but I can’t help but worry I’m getting more out of this then you are sometimes...]

*Lily. We’ve been over this before. But just so that we’re clear.* “I would suffer through truly horrible scenarios to keep you happy. It is not a hardship in the slightest to be dating you and I love you. Even if not the way I think a girlfriend should,” said Kat allowed to make sure her truth curse was in full effect. *Having you happy and by my side is something that makes ME happy.*

.....

*And I just think... that for Apep and Zuhra to really see if this will work out... well I feel like we should be bringing them both in on these adventures. Apep should be the one meeting figures from Zuhra’s past. Learning more about her. I feel like maybe if they both went through it all together they’d be closer and it might even help Zuhra with some closure. To... perhaps not quite put these people behind her...

But by introducing Apep she could be telling her friends and family that she’s moved on. A lie perhaps, but one that could become true in time. Acting out the part of someone with something to live for long enough... and maybe she’ll start to live for herself once again. I wonder if they have psychologists though... I’m going to assume not because Jara’s not so poor a boss to watch Zuhra as she is and not help... unless she offered and got turned down.*

Things were silent across their mental connection for a while after Kat finished. She could feel Lily’s roiling emotions but didn’t interrupt. Lily was trying to deal with both being inordinately pleased by Kat’s words and uncomfortable with how much she perceived she was getting from Kat. Perhaps Kat could have made the argument she was getting just as much, if not more, from Lily... but Kat also knew Lily would simply deny it. Apparently, a lifelong companion willing to help with your job doesn’t count as ‘enough’ for whatever arbitrary reason.

[Yeah that makes sense. I guess I can see why you’d want to bring Zuhra in... and when you put it that way... I guess that is a big part of a relationship. Learning about each other... even if we seem to be stuck on the same conversation...] thought Lily as she suppressed her own internal issues for the moment.

Kat rolled her eyes. A gesture which could probably be shown through the connection, but for the moment, Kat was glad Lily couldn’t see. After that comment there was mostly silence. With them both on the same page, and Lily trying to battle her own feelings, there really wasn’t much to talk about. Kat, for her part, thought Lily should be dealing with those feelings of inadequacy and inequal treatment. Lily wasn’t really thinking about the silence. She was trying to reconcile her divergent thoughts.

If Kat approved of things as they were, then was it really her place to feel guilty about anything? Kat was happy. Lily was happy... most of the time. Really it was a win-win situation. If Kat’s words were true, as she KNEW they had to be, Kat could not be in a better situation. Lily didn’t have the benefit of her own truth curse to confirm it but years of repressed feelings all pointed to these recent week and a bit being the best of her life. She had magic, an awesome girlfriend, and she hadn’t been socially destroyed by her best friend for a second time.

The issue of course, was with just how well things had gone. She felt almost like an imposter. As if such good things weren’t meant to happen to her. There should be an issue. There should be some crack in the fa?ade preventing it from being an idyllic wonderland. Well... the inconvenient truth is she’d found that crack. It was her own inability to believe she deserved the rewards she’d been giving. The picture wasn’t broken. She was. A harsh view perhaps, but one Lily couldn’t keep from resonating strongly within her.

By the time the pair arrived at the front gate Lily wasn’t really any better off. Realising the source of her problem didn’t really solve it. If anything it made things a little worse to realise she was the source of her own discontent in what should be an perfect moment in her life. Flying was nice and all but apparently it gave her too much time to think about dumb things. Still, she was at Jara’s now and she could put on a mostly true smile and walk in. The guards were the same two they saw last time, so a quick show of the papers and they were in.

Kat noticed Lily’s issues, but waited. They walked around to the outer greenhouse doors and showed their papers once again. This time it took slightly longer, the guards not recognising them on site. It was no trouble though and they continued inside. Kat watching and listening carefully. Once they were out of sight of the guards, Kat stopped Lily in place with her tail, leading her to pitch forward slightly.

Kat of course, swooped in to catch Lily and then pulled her in for a kiss. This one was not gentle. Kat used her superior strength, even in such a small part of her body, to force her tongue into Lily’s mouth. Letting it roam around and press Lily’s own down around and to the side. Lily could barely breathe. Her mind struggling to hold back the rush of joy and lust. Lily lost track of time, unable to properly think throughout the event.

Kat pulled back eventually, knowing that Lily did need to breathe at some point. Lily just stood there dazed for a few moments, wide smile splitting her face. Kat then started to carefully lead Lily along the path with her tail, as Lily wasn’t quite grounded enough to walk by herself. Kat couldn’t help but lick her lips while watching Lily, which of course didn’t help Lily’s attempts at clawing her way back to sanity.

*Why didn’t I do that while we were flying around? Well she was in her Memphis form but I probably could have just pet her behind the ears or something. Why find reasonable arguments and slowly allow Lily to realise that I love her when I can just kiss her like that. So much less work... and so much more satisfying. What a way to get rid of her nasty doubts. I’ll need to make sure I make extensive use of this technique in the future.*

And well. If Kat was beaming her own bright smile, one that said there was nothing greater in the world? Well. Lily wasn’t quite coherent enough to notice. So it could be a secret of her own a little longer.