1.33 – Talk

No content warning needed, probably. It is a continuation of the previous chapter, but in a more wholesome talking about it and recovering way now.

Maple let Emma rest on top of her like a warm, soapy blanket. She ran her fingers through her noodly hair until she calmed down, and at that point, Emma squirmed and became a bit handsy. Rachel was out, so some lewdness was fine, but...

"Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to if you don't want, but you can tell me anything. You know that, right? I want to be here for you."

Sometimes, it felt as if Emma used sex and being silly as a distraction. Maple didn't want to pry or force her, but she couldn't ignore what was going on. She also still didn't know much about her girlfriend's past. Like why she had been all alone in that cave.

Any time she asked, she never wanted to talk about it. It's a long story. Maybe another day. The secrets of my past are too strong for you, lover.

Emma turned her head face down on Maple's chest and didn't move. If that was her answer, then so be it, but Maple could at least cheer her up. She wiggled her fingers in her hair and wondered if it tickled.

Emma tilted her head up just enough for her eyes to peek out, and then lunged, going for a kiss. Maple giggled and gave her a kiss on her head. Another diversion, then—

Emma sat up, her torso formed while the rest of her body melted around Maple's lap, and pulled out her notebook. Over half the pages were used by now. They'd need to start buying this world's paper soon.

Are you sure? It makes me sad.

"Of course I'm sure. Sometimes talking about things helps, right? I don't want you to be sad. Actually, have you ever done that before? Talk about something that's making you sad? I don't know how much you used to communicate..."

Maple sat up on the bed with the wall against her back. Emma moved to one side of Maple's lap and leaned against her. The notebook stayed in front of the both of them, letting Emma write while Maple read in real time.

Not really. My previous solids told me things, but I never wrote until meeting you.

"It should help. I think. If you wanted to try it. Were you, um, trying to confront something in your dream? Sasha told me you asked for one with her Skill."

The Slime nodded and nervousness grew inside Maple. What if she made it worse somehow? She wasn't a [Therapist], if this world even had such a class. Working through old trauma could easily backfire. On the other hand, handling it alone wasn't any better.

She kissed Emma's cheek while she wrote and got a smile in return. Could she just kiss it better if it went poorly?

Old memories. And I don't want you to die. Or be taken away.

"I'm not going to die, silly—"

Emma turned and gave her a don't bullshit me glare.

"I mean—not for a while, at least. I'd hope."

So you admit it.

"That I'll die one day?"

She almost laughed, but such a deep sorrow covered Emma's face that she hugged her instead.

"That's a long ways away. I had—I have my whole life ahead of me. And I'll spend it growing old with you. If you don't get tired of me before then."

Maple tried to break the habit of thinking of her life as already over. It was just different now, not over. Ending up somewhere drastically different than you expected was part of life. Not usually so literally, but she still had a life ahead of her. In some ways, it was better here. She had Emma.

A squishy headbutt met her face. Of course she wouldn't get tired of her, and how dare she insinuate otherwise.

I am old already.

"Yeah? How old?"

Decades.

She shrugged, genuinely lacking an exact number.

"Hmm..."

Maybe...40 years before I found that cave. Then I slept. At least 10 years. Maybe 50.

"You were there all alone for that long?"

Emma nodded and Maple stared at her girlfriend. Even the low estimate was—horrible. And was she really over twice her age?

I don't think I age like solids do. I'm going to live forever and everyone will die again. What's the point?

"Aw. Emma..."

She pulled her tight against her, unsure of what to say. Reassure her that Slimes probably did die someday? She had managed to kill that one that attacked her, but saying that was uh...

And also only half of the problem. The other half was plain loss. Maple had, fortunately, not lost any loved ones yet. Not in the typical way. She might never see anyone she used to know ever again—but they hadn't died.

"I like having fun with you, even if I will die someday. I'm sure you could die too, even if only from an accident or something. And then I would be sad. That's how it is for everyone. Those fun moments are the point. And they're worth that risk. To me, anyway. Sorry..."

They weren't great words, but she was trying.

"Um, I said it for the first time earlier, while you were asleep, so I don't know if you heard but...I love you. You know? Is that too soon? If it is, I'm—"

Lips pressing against hers cut her off. Emma pulled back with a grin and shook her head. She went to write, but then hesitated.

Maple's heart skipped a beat. She hesitated. It had been too soon. Or she just wasn't ready to say it herself. That was fine. She kept her face composed. Feeling awkward or sad while Emma was trying to process much heavier feelings would be wrong.

"It's okay, you don't need to force yourself."

Emma's eyes widened and she vigorously shook her head. That wasn't it at all. She turned her head away and thrust out her hand, three fingers extended. Then her eyes rolled to the side, to peek.

"Hm? Oh, I know this. I-L-U, right? I love you."

She traced the letters on Emma's hand, and Emma gave an assertive nod. That's right, woman. And don't you forget it. Maple felt a little guilty about the relief she felt, but she smiled and made the same sign with her own hand.

I learned it from my first solid...her name was Mabel.

"Oh."

It'd been her thing with someone else first. Maple tried to reframe that thought. The hand sign was special to her, and now she was willing to share it. That was good, right? She cleared her voice.

"Um, what was she like? If you wanted to talk about her, I mean..."

Emma smirked and grabbed Maple's cheek.

Jealous?

"Noo, I was just asking..."

More transparent than a Slime. Maple looked away, embarrassed. Emma silently laughed at her Human.

She was tiny. Like a sister?

"Oh, I see."

An entirely different kind of relationship. Emma mirthfully teased her some more, patting her head and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Joy from seeing that goofy grin overpowered the awkwardness Maple felt.

Fear not, silly Human. I love you. You are my first and only romantic love.

Butterflies went through Maple. That was the first time either had said it, and reading it from her for the first time made her blush. She laughed and had to say it again.

"I love you too. Aren't we in like, an open relationship, though?"

Maple raised an eyebrow and Emma waved that off.

Just sex.

"I guess so. By the way, it sounds like not even you know a lot about your own species. Did you um, have parents or something? How were you born?"

She shrugged.

One day I just was. I didn't know anything back then. Several years before I ended up with Mabel.

"It sounds difficult. Maybe we could learn more about Slimes together sometime?"

That giant library in town might have something. There were a lot of things she was curious about. Like how she seemed to have some kind of spatial storage inside of herself. Emma was still one of the more alien forms of life she'd encountered so far.

Maybe.

"Well anyway, what was this Mabel like? Her name's so similar, that's funny. Was she nice?"

Emma nodded enthusiastically and started the story from the beginning. Reliving it was easier this time. There were still pensive moments, but she shared the memories that made her happy and Maple was right there laughing with her.

When she got to part where she was sold into slavery, Maple was the one crying this time. Emma swatted at her.

"That's so sad though. You never saw Mabel again?"

Nope, that was the last time.

"And no wonder you don't like bathhouses. That's—traumatic. If you were in my world, you'd be going to therapy and stuff."

Maple wiped her face. She felt bad about crying when she was supposed to be helping—but it was awful. Even with only a summary of what happened at the bathhouse. Her poor blue baby.

Evil places, I tell you. What's therapy?

"It's like how you get help for traumatic events like that, and for mental illness. They talk and uh have you do CBT and stuff."

Cock and ball torture?

Maple's face contorted into a frown and she laughed out loud.

"What? No! You silly goo ball. Who taught you about that?"

Charlotte.

Of course it was Charlotte. Come to think of it, that Arachnid hadn't seen her futa cock yet. That would be fun. They should send her a letter soon.

"It stands for cognitive behavioral therapy. They uh, I don't know what they have you do actually."

Emma's face was still laughing, but she did seem to think about it seriously for a moment before nodding sagely.

I thought I might be sick, but I've never been sick. Unlike you weak solids.

Her squishy finger poked Maple's side.

"Oh yeah? Think you're better than us, punk?"

Maple tried tickling her and Emma asserted her superiority by demonstrating how much more ticklish solids were.

Rachel walked in at that moment and covered her eyes until she realized they weren't doing anything.

"It was just a tickle fight. Hey Rachel, did you know Emma's never been sick because she's a Slime? That's so unfair huh?"

"Really? That's lucky of her. I wonder if being a Soap Slime in particular has something to do with it?"

"Oh yeah, huh. Hey, do you know anything about Slimes? Like how long they live, where they come from, how they work, and such? Emma doesn't know much about her own kind."

Emma tensed up. Would they be finding out so soon?

"Sorry, should I have not asked?"

It's fine.

Rachel pushed her glasses up and cleared her throat. Emma listened intently; she was interested, but also anxious.

"I don't know much either, unfortunately, but evolved ones like Emma are especially rare. In the wild, they act closer to animals and keeping them as pets was common until some push-back happened because, yet again, it turned out they're a people. Or can evolve to be a person. The details are iffy, but I mean look at Emma. Anyway, their biology is mostly magical and they form around large concentrations of mana, similar to golems. I don't know much more than that."

Seemed like she mostly knew sociological side of things, but it was good they put a stop to that practice. What Emma described at the bathhouse was slavery.

"Hm, interesting. Hey uh, do you mind if we don't do the dream thing tonight? We were kind of having a moment."

Emma tried to wave that it was fine and they didn't need to cancel on her behalf, but Rachel ignored the gestures.

"That's what I came to ask actually. That's fine. Neither of us were in any kind of rush. I'll let Sasha know. I won't be back for a couple of hours, so have all the moments you need."

"Thanks, Rachel. See? It's no big deal. You'll be there with us another night."

Maple rubbed her girlfriend's head and Emma folded her arms. Rachel left and Emma met her Human's eyes. They hadn't gone through all of the Slime's history by far, but writing it out took a while. It occurred to Maple that it might be better to do it in a dream next time, so that Emma could use her speech bubbles. If she wanted.

"Did talking about it help? We can talk more if you want."

She shook her head and gave Maple a kiss. Her eyes still looked tired, but overall she looked like some of the weight had been lifted off of her.

That's enough for now. Thank you. Can I tell you the rest another night?

"Of course. I know it's hard, and painful, so just—I'm your partner. You don't have to do it alone, okay?"

Emma nodded and squeezed her Human tight. Maple hadn't had any idea how much was troubling her. She hoped the talk actually helped. Emma licked some of the wetness off her face while Maple laughed and pushed her away. She turned serious for a moment and wrote.

You too.

"I know. You already help me so much. I want to do the same for you."

She nodded and then a lewd smirk crossed her face as she wrote another line. Her other hand was already undoing Maple's bra.

Rachel won't be back for a while....

"You little pervert. Just how many times are we going to do it today?"

Maple laughed and felt her girlfriend slip inside her clothes once again.