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The apartment. Ripple disliked the idea of Snow White being there, but she had no reason to refuse access to her friend – her only friend, as she had to remind herself. At least Snow White insisted that they both maintain their mahou shoujo forms for safety. They had both started to make a habit of that in the days since the end of the game.
Safety, huh? Ripple thought as they sat together on her futon, Snow White leaning against her and saying nothing. If I didn't know better, I'd say she has something else in mind. She sighed. Why can't she just leave things alone? I swear, it's – But she did not push her off, did not try to get up and leave. Is this where I am now? Just settling for any scrap of affection that somebody else will throw to me? She grimaced.
"We don't have to ... do ... anything, you know," Snow White said. "This? This is fine, too." They had kissed before. It had been uncomfortable for both of them, especially at first, and neither of them had been in a hurry to try kissing a second time, but it had opened a door that Ripple had started to wish she had managed to keep shut.
That's on me, she admitted to herself before saying, "Well, we don't just have to sit here, either. If you want to do something, don't beat around the bush. Just tell me."
"Are you ... sure? You might not like it." Snow White had the grace to blush. Granted, after everything both of them had seen, very little fazed her, but intimacy still did.
"What did I just say? Don't beat around the bush." Ripple sighed again. "I won't make fun of you. I promise. Just come out and say what you're after, and we'll talk about it."
"I'd ... like to touch you. Is that all right?" Snow White nuzzled up to her.
"Sure. Whatever makes you happy." She shrugged. "I trust you." At least, that's what I keep telling myself. I've never been good at the whole 'trust' thing, have I?
"It's just that –" Snow White hesitated, looking down at the floor. "– I want to touch ... where you're hurt, if that makes any sense. I don't know why. I just ... do."
"Still haven't gotten used to me looking like this, huh?" Ripple shook her head. "If it'll make it more real to you, then ... sure, fine. I don't mind. It doesn't really hurt any more. It just ... doesn't look that great. I mean, I don't mind it, but ... yeah. You know."
"O-Okay. I'll stop if you tell me." Her hands shook a little as her fingertips touched Ripple, tracing the line of her left shoulder down to where her arm ended abruptly. "The ... scar doesn't hurt?" Ripple shook her head again, and Snow White lightly touched the stump of her left arm, tracing the lines of scar tissue that had formed there.
"I'll be honest," Ripple mumbled. "Sometimes, I'll wake up in the middle of the night, and it'll hurt like I still have an arm there. I know it's not 'real' pain, if that makes any sense, but ... it still hurts. Maybe it always will, on some level. It reminds me of everything I've got left to do. I've still got a mission to finish, after all, and –" She paused as Snow White touched the space where her left eye used to be. "That ... hurts sometimes, too. Not the same kind of pain, though. Just a dull ache."
"I don't like that this happened to you," Snow White said, "but ... maybe I like the person you've become because of it? I ... don't really know how to put it. I don't."
"I'm still me," Ripple replied. "I'm just ... a little more honest with myself." Not honest enough. Not by a long shot. "So ... what all do you want to do with this?"
"Just ... let me touch you where you're hurt for a little while. That's all I want."
"All right." Ripple leaned back, taking a deep breath as Snow White explored the places where she was no longer whole. I ... should just tell her I'm bored and make her stop. Shouldn't I? But she did not. It's ... nice, I guess. It's appreciation, sort of, and —
Snow White raised her head to kiss her, eyes half-open, and there was much more heat to it than there was on the first night they had tried it.
END.