Nepeta's Ship

Flushed Feathers

John's p.o.v.
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I've should've known.

Jade hasn't been talking to me lately, and when I do see her, she is slumped over books or manuals, her eyes darting across blueprints. I've should've seen the signs. The signs of her breaking.

Now she is here, standing in front me. I don't know what to do, because the silence is heavy. Davesprite told me what happened, what she could've done. I can't imagine her doing something so... Dumb. She stood on the edge of the boat's dock, not knowing how unbeneficial the outcome would be.

Now she is here, and Davesprite is next to her, his hand on her back. I pick up a controller and insert a new game into the console.

"What is it this time? Ghost Busters? Are we restarting the game?" Jade asks me, sounding hopeless.

I smirk up at her. "Crash Bandicoot."

Her eyes widen and Davesprite's mouth curves up a little. "We haven't played that one in a while, let's get to it!" She sits on the ground and crosses her legs.

"That's the spirit." I say, and hand her a controller. From that point on, for about 3 hours, we played nonstop Bandicoot. We would all take turns on each level, and cheer each other on. It made me happy to see Jade's spirits being lifted. It was almost as if the bags under her eyes lifted away too.

Once we felt that we were done, she decided to go off to the ship's kitchen and make the salamanders some food.

"It's omelet night for them! I think they will love it!" She said, grinning from ear to ear.

I grinned back and nodded. "I'm glad you're in the mood! Get to it!" And with that, she left me and Davesprite, skipping away to the upper deck and to the kitchen.   

Davesprite flew to the couch and sat on it. He was glowing a bit brighter than usual, maybe he is happy too. I sat next to him on the couch and set my controller on the table.

"That was nice of you, John." Davesprite tells me, and I look up at him. He isn't looking at me, his gaze is set apon something else.

I scratch behind my head. "Well, you were the one who got her down from the railing in the first place, I should be the one congratulating you. If it weren't for you, Jade would... Jade w-would be.. Gone." My words come out choppy and it was like a brick was dropped in my stomach. Jade would be gone.

Davesprite is silent, and so am I. We sit there for a while, staring down at the floor. His light fades a little, and then grows brighter once again.

"But she isn't gone, and that's all that matters, right?" He pauses, adjusts himself, and lays back again. "She is our backbone, she is your sister basically. We need her more than ever, especially that the time is running nearer and nearer for us to meet our pals and shit. I've done good, I'm not gonna lie about that. But you, John. You are doing great."

It takes me a moment to digest what he is telling me, and I look up at him again. He is facing me this time, and his face.. His face is tinted? Is it hot in here, can sprites feel the heat?

"Davesprite...I..." I stammer. My palms start to sweat and I rub them on my jeans. Why am I so nervous? "You are different, you know."

"What do ya mean? You mean me compared to alpha Dave?"

I nod my head. "You have been through different situations, and you see things differently. Do you see people differently too?"

"What are you trying to say here, John?"

I gulp. "Do you... Do you like Jade?"

The silence between us is thick and suffocating. Davesprite breaks the silence with a laugh that is barely audible. His laugh... His laugh is so much like Dave's but... It's different.

"I don't have feelings for Jade." I hear him shift in his seat and turn to me. I face toward him on the couch and see that he is grinning. His face is even more tinted and he is glowing so bright. He leans toward me and I start to tremble.

His hands are stable on the couch cushion on both sides of my abdomen, and I lean back as his torso is leaning forward. "I have feelings for you." He says, almost as a whisper. He floats above me and I feel so confused, and kind of excited.

"Wait, what-" I start to say but a strand of his hair falls on my forehead and I am lost for words, because he has already stole them. His lips are on mine, and they feel so... They feel... They... Oh my god, what am I doing, I am not a homosexual.

"D-da- no, wai- mmff!" I try to protest but he has my hands pinned above my head against the couch's armrest. My eyes are shut closed and I can't escape this feeling of pleasure.

One of his hands holds onto my waist and he pushes into the kiss more, his soft lips dancing on top of mine. A small and pathetic moan escapes my mouth and I kiss him back shamelessly.

We break apart from the kiss and he looks down at me. His glasses slide off of his nose and a tint of red gleams down at me and I laugh.

"Not so straight, are ya Egbert?"