Another Way

Chapter 44: Glow

Sue blinked once, then again, trying to focus her eyes. The tent was shrouded in shade, but if the lit-up patch of canvas near its top was anything to go by, the day had long since arrived. And yet, to Sue's surprise, she appeared to be the only one awake. Her mom's closed eyes might have been turned towards her, but there was nothing in her mind beyond formless warmth. Ditto with Comet, but facing his mom instead.

Miraculously, neither Sue nor Lilly had fallen off the bed overnight. Not for the lack of trying, though—if not for the leafy girl using her girlfriend's arm as a pillow, Sue would've definitely slipped off. Fortunately, her crush had her yet again, the thought lighting a smile on the Forest Guardian's half-asleep face. The aching and soreness coming from her legs undercut that sensation somewhat, but not enough for Sue to be forced to do something about it here and now. Instead, she was down to snooze, or at least daydream.

Anything to end her night on a less unpleasant note.

And so, her cheek returned to its rightful spot on Lilly's chest. Even if the planty girl didn't breathe the way Sue did, the faint scent in the air, the warmth pouring out of her body, and the blurry love tangling in her asleep mind made her more comfortable than any pillow Sue could think of. Okay, almost any pillow, Lilly's chest was regrettably not that soft.

With Sue's eyes closed, rest crept its way through her fast. Her perpetually distracted mind quietened, her breathing slowed, her awareness dimmed to make up for the ever-brighter sun. Before she could cross the boundary of unawareness, however, a quiet voice reached her physical ears. A whisper and whistle simultaneously, each sound an outpouring of affection. Despite Sue's best efforts at falling asleep, feeling her cheek being stroked re-ignited her earlier smile. Lilly noticed and asked her something, but before Sue could figure out what was said, another sleepy bundle of limbs joined the fray.

Joy's creaky, roar-like yawn filled the tent with a stretch. And then, she opened her eyes and froze, finding herself nestled up beside someone she barely knew. Her startle disabused Sue of any hopes of getting more rest, but before the Forest Guardian could speak up and explain the situation, the metal girl fell foul to a force far greater than either she or her mom.

Namely, gravity, brought on by her maw sliding off the edge of the bedding.

Without hesitation, Lilly jerked her whole body and grabbed the girl mid-fall, the accompanying whistle stirring everyone still asleep out of their rest. Once Joy was back on the bed and nervously trying to hold her mom, though, Sue figured it was high time to disentangle herself from Lilly and at least sit up. Couldn't give her daughter the affection she deserved with just one arm, after all.

A few awkward moments later, Sue was sitting in the center of the bed with Joy huddled up on her lap and Twinkle clinging to her midriff. Her injuries chimed in at being disturbed, but soreness aside, she felt fine. And now that they had all unceremoniously woken up, it was time to put her magical creature brain to use.

And my magical creature arms, of course.

"Good morning Joy, good morning Twinkle, good morning Lilly." Even with her earlier practice, establishing three mental links at the same time took some effort. Hearing their words and seeing their faces light up with understanding was worth all the struggle in the world, though.

"Mom!" Joy squeaked out before reaching her arms to be picked up. Once that need was fulfilled, questions replaced it. "S-s-sleep nice mom?" the girl murmured, and looked over at the plant girl sitting beside them. "Wh-wh-who name?" She hadn't forgotten their previous interaction, getting snatched from the arms of one mom and brought to the other, but knew very little about the green person beyond them having made her mom happy.