The final day of Nix’s stay with Sola approached faster than either of the pair had been prepared for. Several days simply being spent quietly together, finishing up with the basics of her physical therapy, Nix finally able to take light jogs down the halls by the end of it all. 

Nix sighs, grabbing her cane, and looking back at the painting Sola has proudly displayed on the wall. The affini standing there, and simply looking at it. Missing the normal excitement that would surround her each and every morning. "So… this is it huh? One more big talk, and then we'll finally know what the rest of my life will look like." 

Sola turns towards Nix, a sad smile on her face. "I'd say we will know what the start of the rest of your life will look like. I am nervous, and excited. Either way it goes, I'll be happy, just to have this lingering stress no longer over us." She kneels down, and pulls Nix into a hug. "Are you ready Nix?"

Nix squeaks, returning the massive woman's hug. "I've been ready! You're the one who's been out of it all morning!" She wiggles around under Sola’s vines, even after all this time finding being pulled into an intimate hug very awkward. "Now lets gooooo, the last thing we wanna have happen, is them thinking we're late because someone can't stop snuggling me!"

Sola nods slightly. "Alright Nix, I'm sorry." She forces herself to let go and stands back up. "Today the only help I will give is in the form of making sure you have step stools to get into seats. Other than that I will be delivering my own report, and as your guardian, making sure it is clear that I believe in your capability for independence."

"Hell yeah let's do this!" Nix gives a little fist pump as she does one last once over of herself. Collar, check, cane, obviously check, blue lizard and flower dress, double check and looking good. And with that, they're off, possibly for the last time as a pair. 

Walking out into the halls, Nix looks over the mural. Smiling and starting to skip between the vines as a game, intent on at the very least intent on enjoying their walk. Hoping it will drag Sola out of her moping. 

Sola watches as Nix skips around the hall. Dirt this is what she'd wanted right, to help Nix heal, and be able to be her own confident person. She shouldn't be acting like this, it's clearly upsetting her, even if the idea of letting Nix go is tearing her up inside. 

Sola carefully follows Nix’s lead. Intent on at the very least playing this game with her, only barely repressing the urge to ask if Nix would like to be carried the rest of the way. To fill the hole that the little teran no longer resting there every day has left. 

“Soooo where is this going to be happening? I’m kinda flying blind here, and realized you never told me!” Nix laughs as they reach the end of the hall. Successful in winning her game of avoiding the flowers on the vines.

“Oh we’re going to be going back to Celosia, she’s the one who has set everything up for today. It’s going to be a pretty large group, but you will be given plenty of personal space.” Sola steps up next to Nix, having given up on the game messing up further back due to how distracted she is. 

“Oh all the way over there.” Nix makes a face, sure she could walk to the other side of this massive ship, and she is very proud of that being a fact, but she really doesn't feel like it. “Can you carry me? I really don’t wanna tire myself out before we get there, and last time we went. I was way too distracted with hiding inside of you, to really know exactly where we’re going.”

Sola’s eyes glimmer a bit of gold on top of her yellow, having to stop herself from lunging in to grab Nix immediately. “O-of course, petal! Here I’ll get myself sorted for travel, give me a moment.” She starts untangling the mass of vines that have tensed up around one another, having to take a moment to collect herself before finally forming Nix’s cubby. “Alright just like normal.”

Nix nods, putting her cane under her arm as Sola picks her up by the waist. Waiting for her to curl up in a comfortable way, before slotting Nix into her chest. “Ah much better, honestly I feel like traveling like this will get us less weird looks than if I was walking anyway.”

“You’re probably right about that, I’ve been ‘beating affini away with a stick’ as you’ve put it, whenever we go out and they see you. Definitely makes traveling around more covenant for my totally not shy best friend.” Sola gently pets Nix, careful not to mess up the girl's hair. Starting to casually walk through the ship. 

Not because she couldn’t go faster, but simply because she doesn’t want to. Every step forward feeling heavier for her, it could either be a step toward never getting to hold Nix like she’s dreamt of, or a step towards Nix’s heart being crushed, and neither outcome she is remotely happy about. She’d tried her best to convince the terran, but with her aversion to any non medicinal xenodrugs, and a medical need to be kept off of anything that would affect, and subsequently damage her motor skills, she’d not been able to show nearly half of what she would have wanted to.

This of course is not lost on Nix, who sees the tense vines around her. Particularly in the fact there is no small hole for her to peek through like normal, as if Sola was trying to get in one last indulgent moment of Nix being hers, and hers alone.

The small pit in her stomach that she’s had since she’s woken up, exploding in size. While her desires haven’t changed since she arrived, Sola is the most important person in her life, and she hates making her feel like this. “Hey… we’re still friends after all this, no matter what. Okay?”

Friends, that word shoots through Sola’s core, nearly making her shudder. Only being repressed out of a need to abstain from jostling Nix around during her ride. “Of course petal, I wouldn’t want a life without you in it.”

After almost half an hour of awkward silence, Sola arrives at the xenobureaucratic branch of the ship. Opening her chest, and letting Nix slide down her vines, and to the ground. “Alright dear, you go in first. I’ll be behind you every step of the way.”

Nix eyes Sola curiously, taking a deep breath in order to settle her nerves. “Well here goes nothing!” And with that, Nix steps up to the door. Letting it slide open in front of her, revealing a very large meeting room.

There are a multitude of affini of all shapes and sizes sitting comfortably. Clearly waiting for the pair's arrival, florets in a majority of the laps with a few notable exceptions. Celosia is at what Nix assumes the ‘head’ of the group, massive stacks of paperwork sitting next to her.

Dinaea is seated in the crowd, perking up at the sight of Nix and Sola. Clearly surprised to see the pair actually show up on time, and not attached to one another.

“Um… uh.” Nix steps into the center of the room. Her eye tracing the group around her, trying to make heads or tails of any of their facial expressions, and making very little headway. Either she is simply too used to Sola, or affini are really that good at hiding emotion when they want to. “Hello everyone, you probably know who I am already, but…” She takes a deep breath, repressing a shudder. “My name is Nix Ave, jump tech forcibly conscripted by the free terranist ship the Free Spirit. Before we go on to anything else.” She bows her head slightly. “Thank you, for coming to save me.”

Sola watches this happen, her jaw nearly dropping off of her face. While she’d seen Nix interacting with people before, the girl had never once been this polite, and more so she couldn’t feel any lies in her ward’s words nor the intent to deceive.

The tension in the room seems to ease slightly, as Nix finishes, looking up at Celosia. “It’s nice to finally see you again Cel, I’m sorry we never got to hang out again. I hope once this is over you would not be opposed.” She smiles slightly, while she’d prepared a speech for today. None of it was getting used, the moment feeling so different in comparison to her expectations.

“Of course dear, it’s good to see you standing on your own.” Celosia looks over at Sola. “And it is good to see that Sola has had such a positive impact on you.”

Sola’s vines shuffle around, her chest cavity filling back and almost immediately tensing up, as she steps up next to Nix. “Honestly, I wish I could take credit for half of the progress Nix has made. While there were bumps at first, once she understood the situation, Nix has been one of the most pleasant wards to ever come through my hab.”

“Ah come on ya big lug, you did plenty. If I’d been met with a less patient affini, I could see things being more sour today.” Nix elbows Sola’s side, looking up in the affini’s eyes for the first time since the dream. “So don’t go selling yourself short, sure this was your first time dealing with a non domesticated terran, but you did great! And anyone who says otherwise will get a word from me!”

Giggling surrounds the pair, several florets having become interested in the display alongside their affini. Dinaea in particular grinning almost too wide for her face to contain, Nix avoids looking at it for too long. Remembering Sola’s face in her dream, and not wanting to see that again, let alone in the waking world.

Sola’s entire body looks nearly ready to fall apart at the seams. Barely holding herself together as her embarrassment at Nix’s compliments is clear not only on her face, but on every flower. “Thank you… petal.” She gently pats Nix, her vine shaking slightly. 

“While I am sure, all of us would love to watch this display for the rest of our time here. In order to spare Sola, I feel we should move on to today's topic of conversation. The request for Nix Ave to be granted independence under the affini compact.” Celosia pulls out a few papers from her pile. “We will be reviewing both Nix’s history, and her recovery on board. Then we will come to a consensus, whatever decision is reached will be final. Does that sound good, little one?”

Nix nods slightly, her face hardening. Of course asking for her consent was a non issue, and clearly just one of many socal tests she’d likely be subjected to during this meeting. “It’s more than fair given the circumstances.” 

“I’m glad you see it that way, Sola has fought hard for this to be the case.” Celosia looks over at Sola, locking eyes with her friend. Nix actually making it to this point without willingly or otherwise requesting domestication, was a genuine surprise to several of Sola’s friends. Celosia most of all, who’d been getting nightly updates on Nix’s behavior. 

“And that’s why she’s my best friend. Well not exactly, but it’s a nice bonus that she’s willing to fight for me like this!” Nix chuckles a bit, rubbing the back of her head as she looks away. Feeling each and every set of eyes in the room locked on her.

“Indeed, and I will continue to advocate for her.” Sola finally back from her feedback loop of embarrassment nods. Taking a step forward in front of Nix. Clearly trying to give the girl a little cover.

“Alright, let us start with your young adulthood, and then move on from there.” Celosia takes a ‘breath’ before starting to read aloud for the room. “Nix Ave went to school at STG through a merit based program for those who wanted to become jump technicians, that unbeknownst to her, had a contract with the terran cosmic navy. Leading to when we arrived in what used to be teran space, Nix was officially conscripted into the cosmic navy.” She pauses looking down at Nix. 

“All of that is accurate, I expected to spend twelve or so years working as a jump technician wherever they put me. Likely on a fraiter of some kind, then once the war started I was given very little choice.” Nix sighs, taking her cane, and tapping her spine. “And when the terran navy figured out about my spine, I was given the quickest cheapest fix they could manage. And even that no doubt would have put me in debt for the rest of my life, after the end of my service if they had anything to say about it.” She snickers bitterly. “But that’s the basics of how I ended up on the Free Spirit.”

“Indeed, the first sticking point today is when the cosmic navy surrendered. I would like to hear from your point of view what had happened.” Celosia simply moves on to the next papers, occasionally glancing at Nix. Avoiding any allowing any emotion or bias to arrive in her tone or behavior. Nix is the ward of Sola, a close friend, but this entire conversation happening in the first place threatened to set a dangerous precedent, unless they could find a loophole, or similar distinction in the paperwork.

“Well my captain, Evan Acion. He didn’t take kindly to the news, I was actually working in the jump room when it happened, I was so relieved, but also very lucky to have my back turned.” Nix shudders slightly, looking down to the side. “One of the other jump techs, they sighed and smiled… that was the last time I ever saw them, I still remember watching eight people tied up and launched out of the ship. That’s when I realized just how much a prisoner I was.”

Nix heard a whimper, but not her own. Looking up, she locked eyes with one of the florets. Who was currently getting a dose of xenodrugs to calm them down, and take them away from the moment by their owner. Forcing her to take pause, not wanting to upset them further.

“I see, so you did not have any chance to escape.” Celosia nods to herself, moving to another stack of papers starting to work her way through it. “We managed to find a few times that the Free Spirit was docked for shore leave. Would you like to explain what you were doing during those times?”

Nix’s eye almost immediately widened, darting to the side, of course this was going to come out. The only thing she’d managed to keep wholly to herself throughout the entirety of her stay. “I… was not allowed off of the ship, it was intended for one of the jump techs to be onboard at all times. In case we needed to make an emergency jump to escape, of course due to the negative bias towards me on the ship. I was always picked to stay onboard, I suspect due to the fact that it was believed that I could be beaten into submission, or would disappear if I was let off. Which… did happen once, I tried about one year ago, right before we lost the last jump tech other than me. I got a private visit from the captain, he… Made it very clear I was only alive so I could be in that room, so that’s where I stayed.”

“I see…” Celosia looks around the room, several of the overseeing affini petting their florets. Trying to take a small amount of comfort during the description of what this poor sophont experienced.

“Then of course, everyone got back on board, the other jump tech was gone, and for the last half a year before my rescue I was entirely alone. Giving me time to… plan.” Nix spat out the last word, everyone in the room knowing exactly what that plan had ended in. “I started scraping for parts in the room, after all. I was the only person alive on the ship who knew what to do with any of it, so I started slowly building a beacon. Something to maybe call for help, honestly I was unsure if it would even work at first.”

“Did your belief in it working change?” Celosia imitates raising an eyebrow. Writing down everything that Nix is telling her, as she keeps working, and reworking, her understanding of the situation in her head. Craving finally having the truth about this situation in her vines. 

“No, but my desperation did. After all, it went from everyone being disposable, to we are stuck with you until we find a replacement. And boy did they like to remind me they were looking for a replacement.” Nix leans a little harder on her cane. Struggling to maintain eye contact with anything but the ground. “Then a week or so before you found me, I started noticing things, it finally pushed me to press the button and call out for anyone to come. Luckily, it did work, unluckily despite it being vague, and hidden the best I could manage, with my limited knowledge. Someone found out, or just had a feeling about me, given the proximity to our arrival to the other ships, I couldn’t really be sure. Honestly, they probably didn’t, if they had they would have thrown me out the airlock, but instead-”

“They locked you inside the jump room.” Celosia finishes the sentence. Sitting up, and pulling out a massive portion of the stack. Nix could only assume this was her notes on what had happened in that room from both before and after Nix had told her everything.

“Indeed, luckily for me. I knew where the pipes were damaged, and I managed to make an improvised explosive. Using pieces of different tools as its payload, in my fear and paranoia I filled it to the brim. After all, I was in that room for a good bit before your ship arrived. I had actually gone in, to stop the ship from making a jump under any circumstances, given I knew it would likely destroy itself if attempted. I was nonetheless caught off guard, by being locked inside.” Nix kicks her foot against the ground, taking a deep breath.

“Then, I was faced with a choice. I screamed at them to not come inside, to leave me alone.” Nix looks up at the group of affini, barely holding back tears as she stands up as tall as she can manage. Her face is hard, with a frown marring it. “I either fire, kill those who come into the room, or I die.”

“And I am so sorry you had to make that choice.” Celosia goes through the notes, making several changes along key details. Happy to see Nix speaking more on the subject at all, and especially without breaking down.

“Now, I did make something for when we got to this part of the conversation. It’s not anything major, but Sola does have it, and can send it to you to be projected.” Nix grips her cane the slightest bit tighter as she watches Sola go, and put her data pad down, on the table. Quickly sending the painting to Celosia, and quickly having it projected in the room.

Just for a moment, the room is silent, everyone simply looking at Nix’s painting. Wondering how this would relate to her case, their florets at least finding it pretty to look at.

“I didn’t know what this was when I started working on it. From the advice of Miss Dinaea, I took up a hobby… painting, specifically interpretive art.” Nix walks up to her painting, for the first time having it seen by anyone except Sola. Feeling as if she’s displaying her greatest scar, for everyone here. “This is simply my emotions at that moment. If you do not mind, that is all I have to say on the matter of what happened in that room.” And with that, the floodgates broke. Nix openly cries in the middle of the room. No longer caring about what would happen next, simply content knowing at the very least, she tried her best, and showed everyone a part of who she is, who she used to be.

Celosia smiles, and looks over the projected painting, hearing the rustling of the rest of the room. "If I may take a crack at interpreting the emotions at play, and feel free to correct me if I miss anything. I see a quiet, reserved girl, pressured by a group that doesn't care about her needs, angry, fearful, and holding it together only through the determination to someday live in peace."

"You can take whatever you want from it. It's not that to me, but who am I, to take away your interpretation." Nix takes a small step back, blinking a few times to get the tears to stop. "To me, it was the emotions I was feeling while I was locked in that room, the fear, the hope, the rage. All of it mixing and bending into one moment, one thing I can never say was a mistake, because no matter how much I regret it, how badly I wish they’d just left me alone, and let you come. Without that moment, I would not be alive." 

Celosia nods, frowning slightly. Genuinely unsure about how this is going to go, looking around the room and seeing a clear dichotomy in the groups involved. “I see… well then, if there is nothing else to add, I believe we have enough to put your status up to a vote Nix. We know your wish is to be independent, so we shall take that into account.” She smiles. “Everyone, I have sent a poll to your pads, please make your votes, and any comments you wish to add.”

Nix gulps, watching as the group around her starts shuffling around. Sentences being thrown around in affini, going right over her head. Most of the tones used didn’t give her much hope.  “Come on Nix… Hold it together. Just a few more minutes and you’re out of here.” She shudders, stepping into Sola’s shadow in order to distract from the fact that she’s the center of attention. 

Sola gently puts a hand on Nix’s shoulder, and gives her a supportive smile. Already having submitted her vote, given her promise. “It will be ok, no matter what.”

After a few minutes of talking in affini, Celosia looks around, seeing the group's votes. Nodding to herself. “Nix Ave, we have come to a conclusion that we all can agree on. You have been through many trials, and a lot of hard times. Your actions draw the decision in multiple directions.” She looks at the pad. “With a vote percentage of 57, you are granted partial rights as an independent sophont. You can of course later choose domestication if it ends up as something you desire, but we trust that you will do the right thing. However, since we all agree that there’s a good case for you needing domestication, we will require you to continue to have consistent check ups, though Sola can do that easily, given I am sure that you will see her plenty.”

Nix freezes, unsure how to respond to this result. Nodding her head a few times. Simply blinking as she tries to get her head on straight. “O-okay! Yeah that sounds perfectly fair to me!” She looks up to Sola, honestly dreading the affini’s reaction to the news more than anything. While this is exactly what she wants, the fact she is hurting Sola by getting it is souring the moment. “Ya ready to go home… Sola?”

Sola smiles sadly, but nods. “Yeah, I am, my friend.” She looks up at Celosia. “I promise, I’ll be checking in with Nix plenty, thank you for treating her case fairly, as always.” She stands up, and keeps a hand on Nix’s shoulder, giving a few of the affini looking at Nix, looks telling them to back off. As soon as Nix and Sola are at the edge of the room, the group begins talking once again.

Once the doors close behind them, Sola shudders a little bit. “I think my rhythm stopped for the entirety of their decision.”

“Yeah, if I didn’t have the collar checking, and making sure that my heart was still beating. I wouldn’t have believed it.” Nix places her hand on the collar, watching as it disengages and falls into her hand. Officially signaling the end of her trial period. “So… going to get my new hab unit set up? That should be less stressful, right?!” She laughs, gripping the collar in her free hand a little tighter. “Who knows, might get this framed! Show it off for guests!” 

Sola nods and weakly smiles. “Yes, I know you wanted to do things alone…but I hope you don’t mind me having… taken the opportunity to have the papers halfway prepared. I can show you how to do the other half and explain what I did.” She rubs Nix’s back. “That and… if you ever want to go somewhere, but don’t want to be seen, I am perfectly willing to come help you.”

“Woooo Sola taxi!” Nix leans into Sola’s side, her legs shaking slightly from the tension. “Speaking of, can ya carry me please? My legs feel like jello, and I feel like if one more affini gives me a weird look today, I’m going to collapse in on myself.”

Sola’s expression immediately shifts into a beaming smile as her body shuffles, unraveling and pulling herself back together much looser, before opening her chest up. “And Nix…forgive me, but I just want to hold you close for a little bit.” Her vines shoot out and pick Nix up, pulling her into the cubby before closing up fully, almost not even letting light in. “Just… say when you want out. I’ve got the paperwork at home, and then we can go through it together.”

Nix squeaks at the far more rapid, and rough, in comparison treatment. Almost finding herself pinned within the small cubby, only barely able to wiggle around enough to reposition herself. “Sola! It’s okay! I’m not gonna disappear the second you let me go!” 

Sola ‘breathes a few times slowly’ “I know… I know, I’m excited, sad, protective, feeling a lot of… feelings right now.” She slows down, loosening up a little bit. “I’m sorry, I think on top of all those feelings, the way several of the others in there who obviously wanted you both to be, and as their floret… they got to me.”

“Wait, that's why the ones who weren’t without florets were there?!” Nix shudders, shaking her head. “Well now I’m very glad the choice ended up being my own. While I’m sure I wouldn’t end up with anyone but you. The idea of a bunch of affini arguing over who would get me, does not sound fun!” She laughs, shaking her head.

Sola giggles a little bit. “Oh, I can assure you some with florets wanted theirs to get a covenant as well. And yes, I had taken care of everything to make sure if you were forced, I would get first dibs… though I would for the sake of it, ask you if you wanted me.” One of Sola’s vine gently rubs Nix’s cheek, as she opens up the peak holes again. “We are almost home by the way.”

“Home… right.” Nix frowns, leaning up against the vines. Sola’s hab isn’t going to be her home anymore. No more waking up to breakfast being made, no more constantly being pestered to talk about her hobbies. Nothing. 

Sola soon enters… her hab unit, and walks over to her dining table, letting Nix out, and depositing her into a seat. “Give me a moment.” She begins to unravel, stopping to pull herself back together, before opening a filing cabinet, and bringing over a packet of papers. “Like I said, I got this started. I’ll show you what kinds of things to look at in paperwork like this, then where you need to sign… and then we can send it in, and you should have your very own hab, it may take a little bit, but it should be ready by late tonight if we get this done soon.” Sola winces. “But…if you want to take your time on it, we can have you sleep over while it is prepared.”

“Hey, let’s just put off sending this in, until morning. Then we’ll go personally, talk to the affini who will be preparing the hab, and then…” Nix looks down at the paperwork, starting to check to make sure everything about the hab will be something she wants. “Then I wouldn’t be opposed to you hanging out with me, at least for a little bit. After all, it would be pretty lonely to break in a new house without anyone over, maybe we could even invite Jason and Pearl!”

Sola giggles and nods, smiling gently. “I would really like that Nix.” She begins pointing out little things in the paperwork, in all reality it is very neatly laid out, such that if Nix hadn’t had help, she could have slowly worked her way through it all. “I added an extra form here, just to make sure you have some exercise equipment, enough to maintain yourself. Your hab will have an automated timer, and just in case of an emergency call if something happens regarding your equipment use.”

“Oooo fancy.” Nix snickers, flopping forward onto the table as she flips through more of the paperwork. Using the pencil Sola provided to fill in her name in the needed spots. “Soooo, lunch! I’m not sure about you, but nearly being sent to be domesticated really works up an appetite!”

“Alright, I actually…while you were sleeping last night, made some pasta and sauce. Let me heat it up and prepare you a plate. Then… how about we watch some TV and relax. Unless you want to do something else, I feel kind of drained after today.”

“No! Nothing else!” Nix laughs, shaking her head as she jots her name down one final time. “No more stress, no more nothing! We will stay inside, we will enjoy watching more painting shows, and we will NOT think about all the eyes on me that will inevitably be around the entire ship now!”

Sola grins, taking a step back. “You just need to say the word and I’ll be your guard bee.” She playfully changes her body around, now looking like an imitation of a rather large beeple, making a funny face for Nix, before breaking down into further laughs. She soon reforms and goes about heating up the food.

“It’s guard dog. I swear one day I’m gonna just get you a massive list of idioms relating to tera.” Nix puts the rest of the documents to the side. Smiling at Sola, happy to see the affini at the very least attempting to be happy for her. “Like I bet if I said, wow it’s raining cats and dogs. You would declare we need to go and save those poor animals, when in reality it just means it’s raining really really hard.”

Sola taps her mask a few times, making it overly obvious that she’s very deeply considering this. "And I may keep messing them up anyway, because I love listening to you explain them." Soon a steaming plate of spaghetti is placed in front of Nix, Sola taking her seat next to Nix and soaking her roots in her nutrient solution.

“Of course you would.” Nix rolls her eye, starting to eat her meal. “At least you don’t make me re-explain them to you.”

At this point, the pair falls silent, occasionally glancing up at one another, before quickly looking back to their meals. Nix finishing the last of her bowl, sighing and leaning back in her seat. “Thanks for the meal Sola. It… sucked!” She laughs, slipping off of her seat and walking around to pat Sola’s side. “But that means you cooked it yourself for me, and that made it all worth it. Although I can say for sure, you’re much better at making breakfast.”

Sola’s vines tighten slightly, pulling back out of her now empty bowl. “After making it the first time I thought it would be easy. I may have been mistaken… or distracted.”

“You forgot the salt, but hey, this is a learning experience!” Nix grabs Sola’s hand, starting to pull the affini behind her toward the couch. “Next time just don’t forget salt, and I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful!”

“I will keep that in mind.” Sola nods to herself, walking over to the couch and flopping down into it. All of her vines untangling into a massive mass aside from her head. 

“Yeesh.” Nix snickers, using the step stool to climb up onto the couch next to her. Okay, operation cheer up massive plant lady is a go. After everything it’s the absolute least she can do. “Hey Sooooola.” She slowly crawls over to the middle of the couch, poking a few of the vines. “I know you’re all sad about… ya know, buuuut.”

Nix quickly climbs into the mass of vines, looking up at Sola’s barely maintained face. “How about you and me…” She clears her throat. “Have one last floret trial, I’ve healed enough now that everything you’d want to try is safe… sooooo what’s the harm in giving you one last chance to sell me on it. Of course while I’m on some light bonding blocker class C’s. Wouldn’t wanna have it be tooo easy after all this time after all.” 

“DEAL!” Nix had never seen the affini be this loud, vines collapsing in on her. Stringing her up in Sola’s grip, the affini quickly slipping the girl's custom collar back around her neck.

“Eep!” Nix pulls her left arm, one of Sola’s vines is wrapped around the entire thing from hand to elbow, right arm? Nope, another vine, this one even threatening to get up to her shoulder, both Pulling her deeper into the mass of vines. “Sola-”

A vine taps against Nix’s mouth, cutting the girl off as a predatory growl comes from behind her. “Not right now little Nix, if you want to really try this. To truly understand what I will give you, you will call me Mistress~”

A shudder through Nix’s entire body. Her cheeks shifting from neutral, to burning bright crimson, there’s no way that she can call Sola that! “I- Uh, stars!”

“Now dear petal, that is adorable, but that’s not what you need to say.” Sola’s vines gently press against Nix. Making sure to hold the girl perfectly still. Preparing several mixes that she’d specifically gotten grafts for, and put together in case Nix was put down the domestication track. 

“This is unfair!” Nix squeaks out, looking at Sola’s injector hovering inches from her flower eye, shaking slightly at the fact she has no idea what that would exactly do to her. “Can you at least tell me what’s in that!”

“Well like you requested, some class C’s to block the bonding response, the strain of class D’s that Jason is on, a personal recommendation, some of the more fun class A’s that you couldn’t have until your physical healing finished. Which I am very proud of you for getting to this point, petal.” Sola gently has a vine press up against Nix’s cheek. “Now just say please Mistress, and we can get started. Okay petal?”

Nix grits her teeth, suddenly regretting this rash course of action. This could only end poorly, or far too well for her to be comfortable with. “Y- yeah, Mistress.” She nearly chokes on the end of her words, the injector quickly sliding into place.

There’s a single quiet moment, the drugs flooding into Nix’s system sending the feeling of ice through her veins. Blossoming into a contradictory warmth along every inch of her body that Sola’s vines are touching. Oh, and they’re moving now, massaging her. “A-ah!” She moans, wiggling around in Sola’s vines again, but this time not attempting to fight it. Instead simply moving to elicit more of this sensation, so this is why Pearl and Jason can never seem to-

Nix loses her train of thought completely, as Sola’s hand comes down on her head. Ruffling her hair, and scattering each and every thought other than the desire to get more of this euphoric affection, to the wind.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment, little Nix.” Sola gently coos out, letting her hand drift down through the girl’s hair. Gently brushing it back into place. “To give you the care you’ve so desperately needed, that I could feel you want.” 

“P-please!” Nix’s arms finally give up the futile fight against Sola’s vines. Finding themselves gently placed at Nix’s sides, not tight enough to be uncomfortable, but to ensure she won’t be able to move them.

“Please what petal?” Sola puntuiates her statement by dragging her hand out of Nix’s hair. Running it along the vine that partially comprised the girl’s spine. Watching as Nix’s back arches, helpless in her predicament, but still attempting to make any amount of space to allow Sola more contact.

“Please Mistress!” Nix virtually shrieks out, her voice shaky with raw desperation. She’d already been incredibly touch starved when it came to intimacy, this alone would have been enough to send her into a stupor, so with the boost of the xenodrugs the girl isn’t even able to tell up from down. Simply knowing that whatever is holding on feels good, indescribably so, and she needs to make sure she gets more of this. “Moooooore~”

Sola shudders at the request, happily obliging as one vine rubs up and down Nix's spine, while another runs along her midriff in little circles, before being joined by another as they curl around Nix's growing chest. "Such a beautiful girl, such a good girl" She has several smaller vines brushing through Nix's hair, while one each coils down her arms and legs, shifting almost like snakes to continue the assault of affection. "I love you Nix, and I will always be here for you" She kisses Nix on the forehead, letting a few vines rub her cheeks.

The very little brain power Nix has fought to keep together, collapses into a pile of needy mush. Words seeming to be such a distant concept, and formulating them to actually communicate even further away than that. Left with little recourse, Nix simply starts making appreciative buzzing noises. As if she was mimicking an actual bee, or static.

Sola smiles and leans in, nuzzling Nix and whispering in her ear, while a vine traces the edge of the other. “If you end up wanting to continue this. Just think about it, Nix Verse, First Floret.” She kisses Nix gently. “My buzzy little lizard bee. Maybe we should talk about those body mods you were considering again, once you’re awake after all this.” 

Sola resumes the full body massage, making sure to pay extra attention to Nix’s newly acquired curves. “You are so beautiful, my special girl. I love you so much.”

Nix lets out an excited buzz, leaning forward to nuzzle back into Sola’s face. Her already decently poor vision blurring further, her head rolling gently to the side, and catching a glance of her painting. Watching as the colors on it seem to ripple and move every second.

Slowly, she turns her hand around and grabs onto Sola’s vines that are holding her in place. Starting to stim on it, enraptured by the texture, and warmth on her skin. That only spreads as she touches it more.

Sola lets her vines wiggle in Nix’s grasp playfully. “Oh does my little floret like stimming with my vines? That is perfectly alright. I want to give my little Nix Verse everything she could ever want.” She begins to rub Nix’s feet with her vines, tracing the bottoms while her other vines trace along her hands. “Such a good girl.”

After a few more minutes of squirming, Nix’s eye drifts shut. Sola’s movements slowing down just enough, to allow her to start drifting a little bit closer back to reality, her fingers tapping along the vines in a pattern similar to music she used to listen to before the war started. 

Sola smiles and gently taps to a similar beat, unsure of what it is, but enjoying it. “Is my little Nix remembering something? Whatever it is, I like it.” She wraps Nix more in her vines, being loose enough that Nix can move within her mass if she wished. “Let’s ride out your high, I want to hear how you felt about all this Nix.” She kisses Nix softly on the forehead, sighing. “I hope this wasn’t too much when you come back.”

After a few minutes of tapping to the tune of this song, it gradually flows into Sola’s natural rhythm. Nix’s eye cracks back open, her head leaning back to look Sola in the eyes. Preparing to give as much insight on her feelings as possible. “You’re pretty.” She giggles starting to squirm lightly, the last few minutes being more or less a blur of pleasure, and need rather than actual memories. 

Sola smiles warmly, sending a fuzzy warmth through Nix without even touching her. “So are you.” She gently rubs Nix’s back and belly. “How do you feel? I didn’t go too hard on you, did I?” She rubs Nix’s cheek. “Your stimming is adorable by the way. I can say I wouldn’t mind just having you do that all the time.”

“Buzzy? I feel like I’m a cloud, being held together by vines.” Nix shudders as the vines slowly slip under her dress. “Focusing is also suuuuuper hard.” She tries to bring her arm up to tap her cheek, only to feel Sola’s vines holding her in place. Immediately giving up on that plan, in exchange for more stimming and more pets.

Sola giggles. “Well, that doesn’t sound too bad. In fact I’d say that at least on the surface, you seemed to enjoy that a lot.” She rubs Nix’s cheek, and keeps up the constant attention. “Just say the word, and I’ll let go. But I’ll keep just enjoying this if you let me.” She shudders happily, feeling Nix press deeper in against her vines. “You are such a precious girl Nix. Also while you were out of it, you started buzzing like a happy beeple. I figured I would ask, have you given body mods any more thought?”

“I’ve been thinking about it every night!” Nix tries to cover her mouth, surprised at her honesty. Only to yet again have her hands kept in place. “I- I mean that, I’ve been considering the horns, and maybe some scales, oh and a tail! Why am I saying all of thisssss!?” She wiggles around, her face crimson from all the sudden admissions. 

“Remember Petal, there’s some Class Ds in your cocktail of xenodrugs. Keeping you honest, speaking your mind, and deepest desires. I mostly asked because the buzzing was absolutely adorable, but so is the idea of adding some more lizard stuff. I bet you the tail would help as a counterbalance, while it may take getting used to, I bet it would make walking easier in the long run.”

“Then it shall be done!” Nix laughs, flopping onto her side. Letting her eye drop shut, grabbing onto Sola’s vines, and even looping her legs around them. “After more sleepy cuddles!”

Sola smiles sweetly, simply leaning back and holding Nix close. “Sleep cuddles are the best cuddles, and that is saying something, because any cuddles with you are the best.” She giggles lightly, before simply quieting down, letting her rhythm simply lul the girl to sleep as she slowly pets Nix.