Azalia makes sure the hab closes behind her, before walking over and sitting on the couch. Her vines shifting around to release Raven from the blanket they’d previously formed. “How does my little cutie feel? Do you want anything sweetie?” One vine wiggles under Raven’s chin, giving little scritches.

Raven lets out little buzzes as she crawls around Azalia’s lap, heading over to the edge, and starting to poke the couch curiously. Pausing for a moment, before flopping down onto the fluff, and starting to giggle wildly. Only being stopped by an eventual slight growling in her stomach. “Hungry, food please!” 

“Alright sweetie, I’ll make you a sandwich, I’ve heard of a dressing called ‘honey mustard’ which is usually used on salads, but I bet it would work really well as a spread. I’ll just get something together with good, and tasty, stuff just for you.” Azalia slowly steps away from Raven for a moment, pulling a soft and fuzzy, bright pink, blanket off of one of her chairs slowly creeping back to the couch, where Raven is eyeing her curiously. 

Quickly swooping down, Azalia’s vines unravel around the girl, making sure she can’t skitter away, before pulling her into Azalia’s vines for a moment. Quickly and carefully wrapping Raven up in the blanket to contain her for now.

“Honey! Honey!” Raven chirps out, bouncing up and down inside her little bundle of comfort. Her hands wiggling their way to the edge, to start stimming on it, watching Azalia with the same interest that being mere inches away from a star would warrant.

Azalia turns on the stove before getting some chicken from the compiler. She hums happily while putting it into a bowl with some of the dressing, moving it some before transferring it to the heated pan. She then gets a couple slices of bacon before cooking them in another pan, adding the sound of sizzling as a couple vines put some bread into a toaster. Once everything is cooked, she begins spreading some excess dressing onto the bun, before putting the bacon and chicken together, and melting a bit of cheese on top. 

Once she’s finished, Azalia walks over, and picks up Raven with a grin. “Sorry for any wait, sweetie, I hope you like it.” She sits where Raven had been laid down, getting into a comfortable position, before tapping Raven on her cheek.

Raven blinks a few times at the tap, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Getting another tap on her cheek by the vine, as it drags her mouth to open up, the sandwich being placed just close enough to allow her to lean in and take a bite.

As she bites into the meal, the taste of course is absolutely exquisite, and levels more complex than any other meal she’d had in possibly her entire life. It’s not like she could pull any memories for comparison back, further than being taken home from the nice cafe.

Azalia steadily waits for the swallow, making sure that Raven chews well, before giving her another bite. “I’m glad you like it Raven, I’ll be sure to look up other fun meals to make here.” Once the sandwich is done, she lifts a cup of lemonade up for Raven to sip from, before she grabs a napkin to playfully wipe her wards mouth clean.

Raven tilts her head back alongside the lemonade, greedily and excitedly gulping down every drop that she’s able to get her hands on. The excess of her haste starts to openly dribble down the sides of her cheeks as she drinks.

As soon as the cup is pulled away from her, without missing a beat her head swings up to face Azalia. Looking up at her incomprehensibly beautiful caretaker, without not but awe and appreciation. “Thank youuuuuu!”

“You are very welcome Raven, thank you for being so sweet, and polite.” Azalia leans down, and plants a kiss right on Raven’s forehead, the napkin darting to dry up little bits of lemonade that spilled. “Now that you have eaten, I’m sure all you want is even more cuddles, but let's add a bit more to it. I’ll put something fun on, and then we will steadily increase the vine on skin contact you are receiving, does that sound fun?”

Raven giggles, a grin finding its way across her face as she flops forward deeper into Azalia’s lap. Her fingers dancing around the edges of her blanket cocoon, wiggling her way on top of her caretaker's lap, if only to maximize the amount of vine to skin contact she can get while still bundled up. “Cuddle now!”

Azlia laughs, and runs a vine down Raven’s cheek, and neck. “Of course sweetie, we will start our cuddle game right away.” She lets the vine wiggle under Raven’s top from the neck, slowly tracing down her arm. Looping around Raven like she’s preparing to puppet the girl.

As Azalia’s vines make contact, spreading out from every inch of contact is nothing short of complete euphoria, and relaxation. The blanket slowly being peeled away from her form, allowing the girl to roll all the way into Azalia’s vines, rather than having to tolerate a barrier from the absolutely world shattering feeling of comfort contact provides.

Azalia runs her vines down Raven’s arms, while some more wiggle along Raven’s cheeks. “Oh, my little bee likes it when we touch?” She lets some of her vines twirl around Raven’s feet, and up her legs. “Let me know if anything is too much, sweetie.”

As each of her limbs are restricted. Raven starts to kick her arms and legs, giggling and flailing as her hands grab down on the edges of her caretaker's vines. "Up! Up!" She wiggles her way around, using her torso to prop herself up against Azalia’s chest.

Azalia grins, giving up on holding back in the slightest, and shifts Raven up higher. “Alright alright, let’s just get you all comfy.” A few vines slide around Raven’s back, rubbing little circles as she holds her ward in such a way that they can stare at each other. “You are so very cute, and precious, the way you beg for attention, and cuddles, and just existing as well.”

Raven simply starts to buzz happily, nestling her head into the vines that are bundled around enough to support her neck. Her eyes wide, as she looks ever deeper into Azalia’s, the rippling fractalized expanse, mixing with little flakes of golden color enrapturing her thoughts ever more. 

“And just like that you so easily lose yourself in my eyes. I know it is partially the drugs, but you are making it very difficult to hold myself back from doing something against your prior wishes.” Azalia leans forward, resting her forehead against Raven’s, simply staring into her ward’s eyes. The idea of adoption had come to mind several times in the past, and been written off due to lack of connection, but holding Raven Azalia couldn’t help but feel a hunger. 

A desire to pin this adorable creature down, leash her, train her to be the most adorable bee on this ship. Still she bites this craving back, the knowledge of Crimson’s wishes in particular helping her follow through.

Time is a concept that begins to mean frighteningly little to Raven as Azalia’s words and rhythm flow through her. All of the concepts and meanings of each being lost, but still deep down understanding the level of implicit care that they carry in both tone and intent. 

Even after eye contact is broken, the embrace of her affini's nest of vines goats her forward. To nuzzle deeper into her protector, and search for different flowers to rub her face into, the simple concept of the importance of pollination still burrowed deep in her head.

Azalia simply turns the TV to a show about terran bees before leaning back, and allowing her vines to explore every inch of Raven’s body. They wiggle under her dress and feel along her legs, sides, back, chest. Even Raven’s face is met with flowers giving her little ‘kisses’ of affection, not letting any inch of her ward go without attention.

*********************************

Crim’s eye lazily cracks open, her head flowing from side to side despite each movement and attempt at thought feeling as heavy as a ton of bricks to pull fourth.

Trying herself to sit up, Crim finds her arms and legs are both wrapped in slowly moving vines. Each little attempt to wiggle her way out only increases the stimulation, and leads her to collapse back down into the nest of vines. Confused about how exactly she got here, and what is happening. "Raven? Azalia!"

There are some shifting vines before Crim is lifted up in front of Azalia. “Oh, sorry little one, I have been helping Raven have her requested class J relaxation. How are you feeling? I hope it hasn’t been too much on you… If you were able to tell. I’m not really sure how much really bled through your system though.”

Crim blinks a few times, a smile sliding onto her face, overjoyed to realize that she's not alone, before reaching out and tapping Azalia’s mask. Confirming the fact that this is indeed her caretaker through the sparks of warmth that touching her elicits. "Hiiiiiii…"

Azalia giggles, and reaches out to tap Crim’s nose. “Hiiiiii, I’m glad to see a smile on your face. I had to really work on getting Raven caught up with everything you wanted done.” She shifts some vines around, making sure Crim is comfortably seated. “So, did you have a nice sleep, Crim?”

Crim nods slightly, letting out a little yawn as her nose is tapped. Allowing herself to be leaned further into Azalia’s lap, even if she doesn’t really fully comprehend what the affini is talking about regarding Raven. “Sleeeb good.”

“Raven was not prepared for just how many body mod choices you made, and she was super worried when she woke up here. Luckily I was able to give her the whole run down of what you wanted done. So, now that you are awake, what would you like to do today?”

Crim blinks a few times, slowly pulling enough of her brain together to remember the restaurant that they’d gone to, that had bramble. Rolling over onto her back and looking up at Azalia with the widest glassy eyes that she could manage. “Beeeple!”

Azalia laughs at herself as she continues to pet Crim. “Of course, that was a stupid question. Do you want to go to the restaurant, or do you want to go check out that small beeple hive at the park? Both are valid choices to make, and I’ll help you get ready for either.”

“bramble! bramble!” Crim giggles, bouncing up and down as she leans into the pets, grabbing onto the vines under her and beginning to play with them. 

“Alright, bramble it is.” Azalia walks over to Crim’s room, looking through her drawers, before pulling out the second pink bee dress, with fuzz around the neck and wrists. Adding to the more floretlike appearance. “Here we go, this with some cute thigh highs, and I bet bramble will be all over you.” She grins wildly, starting to dress Crim up.

Crim easily slips out of her pajamas, and into the new dress. Immediately starting to wiggle around when she’s inside of it, just to watch the fluff bounce up and down, over and over. As Azalia slips a pair of black and yellow tube socks onto each leg, before slipping her into a pair of comfortable pink and black shoes rather than the more clunky, and probable to make her trip, steel toed boots she normally wears.

Once she is dressed, Azalia pulls out her datapad and snaps a few pictures, figuring this will be her only chance to see Crim like this, without a lot of pouting beforehand. “You are just so precious, I just know bramble will be the cutest cuddle bug with you while we eat.” One of her vines rubs Crim’s arm lightly. “Would you like to walk, or have me carry you?”

Crim takes a few wobbly steps forward without Azalia, having a hard time balancing herself, before going back to Azalia’s side and grabbing onto her vines. Starting to tug on one as she looks up at the affini, with the most pouting expression she can muster. “Up please!”

Azalia giggles a little, taking no end of enjoyment in this, while shaking her head quickly lifting Crim off the ground. “You are still pretty high on class Js, so walking may be a little trouble. You can still crawl easily I bet, and cuddles will feel fantastic.” She begins rocking Crim as she begins their walk.

Once she’s up in her little hammock of vines, Crim immediately flops over. Yawning, and debating simply taking another nap while they head to see bramble, especially considering how warm Azalia’s vines feel up against her skin.

As the pair pass out of Azalia’s hab, and into the halls. Crim lets out a little squeak, mostly due to the amount of audible foot traffic in the halls. Burrowing her head down into the neck fluff, and curling up against Azalia’s chest just to make sure no one can see her body. The shame of her physical appearance still nestled deep in the core of her being.

Several vines wrap around Crim to hide her more. “Don’t worry, what little they can see is just some cute beeple stripes. I promise to do my best to hide you from view.” Azalia brushes Crim’s hair lightly before spreading up her gait a little, keeping a fairly fast pace on their way.

Crim buzzes lightly as the vines wrap down around her, her breathing starting to slowly level out as she allows Azalia’s rhythm to guide her through it. 

Before she even is aware of their arrival, Azalia slows to a halt inside the Honey Pot. The fairly light breakfast crowds mostly situated around the corners of the restaurant, while bramble sleepily buzzes around and takes their orders.

Azalia shuffles into a booth, shifting Crim around a little bit while keeping her mostly hidden. “Alright Crim, is there anything different you want this time around? They have a lot of options that I think you would really like.”

Crim slowly crawls up to the edge of Azalia’s vines. Glancing down at the hexagonal table, and the menu with annoyingly small text making it difficult to read. "Uh… honey, and soft please?" She points down at one of the pictures on the menu that appears to be a large breakfast combination with hexagonal pancakes. Keeping her back pressed up against Azalia’s chest, and using as pleading of a voice as possible.

Azalia nods, turning to look over at the approaching beeple. “Hello bramble, Crim would really like the fluffy hive pancakes with honey. Then when you are done would you mind coming over to cuddle? Crim really wanted to have some, while she is on Js.”

"Of course Mizz Azalia! I'll just need to go tell my Mistress!" bramble buzzes lightly, jotting down Crim’s order as excitedly as a half asleep beeple can. Quickly turning on his heels, and scurrying off into the back room.

Once bramble is gone, Crim slumps down. Eyes locked on the doorway the beeple went through, as she impatiently awaits the return of both her food, and the nice beeple, who cuddled her last time. 

Azalia brushes her vines through Crim’s hair, hoping to keep the girl from trying to lunge out of her vines, toward the door. “Don’t worry, your food and cuddle buddy will be back soon.” She lets a few vines wind down Crim’s arms. “You really are quite easy to read, just put a bee in front, and there goes little Crim’s attention.”

Crim’s face turns a bright red, very reminiscent of her name in both heat, and intensity. Thumping her hands down against Azalia’s vines, and puffing her cheeks out as they continue their wait. "Bees are cool!" 

“Bees are very cool, and they are something worth getting distracted by.” The vines wiggle against Crim’s neck playfully. “And I personally can’t wait for your changes, you will be so fun to cuddle.” Azalia grins before looking around to make sure nobody is looking, then she playfully pulls Crim out to plant a kiss on her ward’s forehead.

Crim squeaks as she’s moved around out of Azalia’s lap, starting to buzz and squirm more intensely as she’s kissed. A flood of embarrassment washing over her, pushing herself away from Azalia slightly to pout despite how nice her caretaker's vines feel up against her skin. 

Azalia swoons slightly, pretending to be hurt as she pulls Crim back in, wrapping her vines around to hide Crim again. “You and Raven certainly are an interesting pair, it’s only been a couple days, and I already am fascinated by both of you.” She begins to lazily pet Crim, while watching the door to the kitchen for Crim’s food and bramble.

Crim starts to buzz as she’s placed back down in Azalia’s lap, eyes going back to impatiently awaiting bramble’s return. The second the door opens back up, Crim hops up on all fours. Watching as bramble waddles his way out of the back with the large tray of food for Crim. “bramble!” She waves excitedly, if only for a moment forgetting about her lack of coverings. “bramble, bramble, bramble!”

bramble smiles over at Crim, before buzzing up to put food on the table. “Here are your pancakes, my mistress will be over to bring your drinks in a minute.” He soon buzzes into Azalia’s lap, yawning lightly before cuddling up into Crim. “Hello Crim, it’s good to see you again.”

Crim’s smile goes massively wide, wrapping her arms around the beeple and actually getting to feel exactly how soft his fluff is, against her now far more exposed skin. Unable to help but clamp her arms down, and start buzzing, and nuzzling absentmindedly. Simply assuming that Azalia will take care of the food, so she can focus more on the four armed hug bramble is giving her. “Hiiii!”

Azalia drizzles honey over the pancakes, before cutting them into bite sized chunks. Once everything is cut small enough to not risk a choking hazard, she begins to use her vines to guide Crim through eating without distracting her from bramble.

bramble nuzzles into Crim’s own hug with a wide chittering smile. “You feel more comfortable without that outfit, though you were still comfy before.” He buzzles lightly, making sure to stay below Crim’s mouth, so Azalia could work on feeding her.

Crim takes small snippy bites of the meal, letting little squeaks of joy out, and snuggling down on bramble harder, with each. Always holding him just tight enough to feel secure, without trapping the beeple if he needs to get up, and go help another table. 

Azalia quietly gives Crim the last of the pancakes, letting her move fully into cuddling the cute beeple. She runs her vines down each of their backs while glancing over at Ipheon as they walk over with a glass of honey-lemon tea.

“So, what was that about not looking for a floret? Because it looks like you’ve grown rather attached already.” Ipheon laughs lightly, putting the tea down next to Azalia, and sitting down to start petting bramble herself. “I mean I can’t blame you if she’s this cute all the time.”

“I wouldn’t say no, but Crim and Raven have a bit more complicated wants and needs.” Azalia shakes her head, a warm smile on her face as she continues to pet Crim. “We have a cute little pluribus who wants to be a cute bee after all, along with their roommate who just wants to relax, and be taken care of.”

“Ah, so a conflict of interests.” Ipheon nods ever so slightly as she looks over Crim’s form, processing this new information. “Well at least it seems you will have more than enough time to figure out what will work for them, in the long term, and bramble has already gotten quite excited for when you two decide to visit. So any time she may be feeling down, feel free to come over.”

“Thank you Ipheon, Crim is very unhappy with their body, and Raven seems to be fine as long as Crim is happy. Getting to cuddle bramble is a big high point for Crim, so getting the invitation really does mean a lot.” Azalia gently pets Crim, and bramble some more, wrapping her vines around the pair, and smiling as Crim seems to curl around the beeple.

“Of course, I’m glad that she’s getting what she needs to feel more secure.” Ipheon reaches out, petting bramble and Crim silently for several minutes. Watching with the utmost fascination at how gentle, and affectionate, a non-domesticated sophont is being with her floret. “And bramble loves having a buddy for all of his naps.”

“I’m glad, while Crim was excited that first day to get everything set up, I had a feeling she was getting worn out, and getting to meet a beeple really made her day.” Azalia quietly pulls out her datapad to take a few pictures of Crim and bramble. “She wants to try and live on a hive moon, but if it is too overwhelming, I think I can talk her into finding peace in the beeple hive here on the Equabloom.”

Ipheon nods slightly, standing up and looking at another group that’s walking in and taking a seat. “Well if she does end up staying on the hive moon, I know me and bramble will miss her, but be happy that she found a hive she fits with.” She gives bramble a few parting pets, happy to see the pair now both fully asleep and having a nap. “Just tell me whenever you’re ready to go home, and I’ll come grab bramble.”