When Hyacinth comes home to her new apartment for the first time after a long day at university, it's to the sight of moving bots just finishing dropping off the last of her stuff and moving furniture into place. The full-immersion VR pod her parents gave her is safely hooked up in the pod room, her bed is in her bedroom, she has chairs and a desk and some bookshelves. Clothes are mostly still in boxes, waiting to be hung up in the closet. Holovid and a cozy chair occupy the living room. She doesn't have any food in the small kitchen yet.
Sable stretches, her taller frame taking up more of the bed. "Goodness that was quite the conversation. Lots of hugs ready on demand."
"It sure was. Let me just get all nice and snuggled up with you, and then I'll pass back to Sin."
Hibiscus carefully settles herself against Sable, laying back against her to be cuddled as the little spoon.
Sable squeezes Hibiscus tightly, drapes a wing over her, kisses the top of her head, and nods.
Hyacinth makes a low unhappy noise, but cuddles into the wing and Sable's soft touch.
Sable strokes Sin's hair tenderly, soft and warm and caring. "Yeah, the first time knowingly being out of front is always a trip, and even more so if a bunch of plans get made at the time. Valid to be a little rattled." She presses kisses up and down the back and top of Sin's head.
"Really wish she hadn't just... swanned in and taken over."
Hyacinth exhales.
"I love you."
Sable nods and keeps petting Hyacinth gently, fingers scritching softly from the tips of her ears down the back of her scalp and up again.
"Love you too. And that'll be something to talk with her about later."
Her tail wraps snugly around Hyacinth's waist.
Hyacinth closes her eyes, and toggles her meditation just enough to slip into a light, airy trance focused on Sable's gentle motions through her hair.
"mmmmmmmmmm..."
Smooth stroke after gentle scritch after soft caress, Sable lovingly does what she can to ease the tension and strain out of Hyacinth. She murmurs soft affection in her ears and pets her tenderly and holds her so close.
Hibiscus gently wraps her up in the feeling of warmth and safety, pushing the emotions toward her but not insisting on them.
It's strange, being two.
But maybe she could get used to it.
"... could you snuggle me under the covers and bring me something simple to eat?" Hyacinth asks. "Supper's probably started..."
"I could probably scare up a plate of bread and cheese if I sweet-talk Jorem, and definitely a glass of water. Enough to tide you over until you're up for supper proper, at the very least."
She leans down and kisses the top of Sin's head.
"You're quite good yourself, and rather enjoyable to be good to."
She presses one more kiss to Sin's head, and then heads downstairs.
"Evening, Jorem," she greets the innkeeper.
"Hyacinth needs a bit before she's ready to come down. Could I trouble you for some bread and cheese and two glasses of water to tide us over until then?"
He nods. "Gladly. just a mo'."
He bustles in the kitchen for a moment, then brings out a tray with everything Sable asked for.
"Here you go, lass. Hope your lady-love feels better soon."
"Thanks, Jorem. Best innkeeper and best inn I've stayed at yet."
She heads back upstairs.
It's not immediately obvious who's running the body when Sable comes up; the foxgirl is sitting cross-legged at the head of the bed with her eyes closed, her ears twitching every few moments.
Adorable.
"Would you cuties like to split some bread and cheese with me to tide us over until we're up for heading down?"
"I think we're good to head down, actually," says Hibiscus. Then she flips a coin she's holding in two fingers over to the other side.
Her tone shifts, gets softer. "But I won't say no to bread and cheese. Um, we've been practicing listening and swapping."