Chapter 794: Chapter 794 In Apep’s Place
“What would you do in Apep’s place?” asked Lily carefully.
Kat paused and couldn’t help but let the thought, well in Apep’s place I’d still be asexual. Part of her wanted to bite down on even that mental response and not let it get to Lily... but Kat let the thought flow. She could practically feel the eye roll coming from Lily as the words went out. “It’s no less true... but I do understand it really isn’t the answer you want...
“Honestly... I think I’d take a similar approach to him. No matter how much you might like to hear that. In case you’ve forgotten, I almost told you to go find someone else. Onl- ok, in large part, due to the fact I can’t lie I was able to be more honest about things. I didn’t really think it was right to tie myself to you when I don’t feel sexual attraction.” Kat felt Lily’s annoyance rising, so she continued, “obviously I don’t feel that way anymore.
“And look. I can SAY it. It would have been wrong for both of us to try and push you away. The thing is though. I had to LEARN that. It wasn’t my first instinct. My first instinct was that because I can’t necessarily give you everything you might want, even if you want to argue that I can in fact offer you everything, I’m not sure I’d have agreed or believe you. Now I’m a bit more inclined to. I can see how much us being together means to you. I can feel that a lot of the details I thought were big, aren’t really in your mind.
“But it’s not like Apep has that sort of perspective. It’s not like I’d have that sort of perspective if I was in Apep’s place. So... I can’t honestly say I’d have done things too differently. Well, I doubt I’d have been quite so cowardly or so ready to summon a demon, but I’d have found someone to trust and investigate. Perhaps I’d be willing to go to my parents about it all first. Or maybe I’d leave a letter for Jara in secret... but I don’t think I’d talk to Zuhra about it. What about you?”
Lily bit her lip. Part of her wanted to say she’d just talk it out with Zuhra. She wanted to say that she wouldn’t make it so complicated. She wanted to say that she’d act without going through intermediaries. The issue was. Unlike Kat who could only really speculate. Lily could already see herself in Apep’s place. She’d been in a similar situation already.
She had continually found reasons not to ask Kat out. Accepting the idea Kat wasn’t interested. Thinking of ways to avoid coming out of the closet to Kat. Continually delaying and delaying any sort of proper reveal. She didn’t even have other friends to try and subtly find out the answers to her question. Heck, she could have asked Gramps and gotten an answer. Yet she never even properly considered the idea, simply dismissed it like so many others.
.....
Lily sighed as she shifted around to burry her head in Kat’s shoulders. Her ears tickled the edge of Kat’s mouth, and Lily tried not to let them twitch everywhere as the soft breath from Kat tickled them. “Ugh... I wish I could say I’d talk about it but I’m apparently incapable of approaching things normally. I mean, I couldn’t just ask you out. No, I had to wait till I was getting a new body and then ask to bind myself to you forever.
“I really don’t know how I managed it looking back. I mean... maybe I was just shooting for the moon? I don’t really think I’d accepted that it would never work... or that I could move past my crush on you... but I can’t really picture my old self properly anymore. I cannot remember what was going through my head that decided this was a good idea. I mean it was the BEST idea, but that’s only with hindsight. I don’t even think going back in time to convince my past self it really would work would do anything.
“So I guess... I guess I’m really just throwing stones at Apep from my nice comfy glass house. I didn’t really think of the ‘noble politics’ angle... and I can’t say I really understand the cultural significance of maids and how appropriate or inappropriate it is to marry someone else’s. I just... maybe I just don’t like it? Or maybe I see too much of myself in Apep’s choice and want to make sure we do well for him?” Lily let out a light huff, “I dunno. This Contract stuff is confusing. I mean... are we obligated to follow it to the letter or do a good job?”
Kat pulled Lily closer and ran her hands along Lily’s back. Said wandering hands were followed by Lily’s tail, poking them as they shifted around Lily’s back. “Personally, I try to do the best I can, but make allowances for malicious compliance. Apep was polite, if clearly quite overwhelmed at the time, and offered us as much support as he felt he could.
“For me... this means a lot. I’ve seen what the alternatives are. I’ve been summoned by people who didn’t really want to. I’ve been summoned by an overly formal Queen. I’ve been summoned by a businessman who was just doing his job. It really is all different. For a lot of them I took a wait and see approach. It also depends on how hard things are.
“Take the first time I participated in that Tournament. I wasn’t really planning to go all out. It just sort of happened. With Green going first and performing well, I felt like I could do it too. Then I ended up with what was basically the easiest challenge ever. If you remember, the thing that caused quite a few issues was when the orbs we had to hold were superheated. For me that was basically a joke. After that I was committed. Well, that and Nira was happy to answer a lot of my questions. Even if Kress is a bit of an ass, three out of four is pretty good,”
Lily rubbed her face further on Kat. “You make it sound so simple.”
“That’s because it is,” said Kat. “This is just a fancy version of a job. Even if it’s what I enjoy doing... you just have to meet your requirements, and go the extra mile when you think about it. I mean, it’s not like I get paid more for a better job... I think? System?”
User Kat is somewhat Correct. It is possible for additional rewards to be handed out by Summoner. It is possible to find ‘rewards’ during Contracts. It is also possible for rewards to be withheld if the Contract is deemed incomplete by D.E.M.O.N.S even if the Summoner accepts the Contract as done.
“You get that Lily?” asked Kat.
“Yes... and I mean... I guess that all makes sense. I imagine the last part is to prevent demons from deceiving people about their contracts... but wait... that doesn’t make sense because demons can fight back and change their contracts... so what’s the difference?” asked Lily.
Altering the Contract to suit the User is different to manipulating the Summoner to believe falsehoods about the Contract.
“I’ll just say I agree with that,” mumbled Lily.
Kat agreed with her girlfriend. It made... enough sense. Seemed a bit of a strange line to draw. “Well... with that out of the way... where do you want to sleep?”
Lily groaned and hugged Kat tightly, “I want to complain and say you should find a proper bed but you’re more than comfy enough for me...” Kat of course rewarded this response with head scratches and Lily confirmed this was the correct answer.
Kat glanced up at the tree and wasn’t terribly impressed. As she scratched Lily’s ears she pondered on how acceptable it would be as a sleeping spot. The answer was not very... but worse came to worst she could hang out in the greenhouse. They surely had some comfy trees. *Hmm... the ground isn’t that bad. The grass is nice and healthy because of the fountain and it’s pretty soft... could be better though.*
[Maybe find a bed then?] was all Lily could offer through the haze of scritches. She had to send that thought mentally as she doubted that she could properly form words at the moment. This lasted for a good while, Kat simply passing the time and Lily enjoying herself immensely. A large part of her was wondering if she would ever need to get intimate with Kat when her cat instincts were strong enough for head scratches to be such a blissful experience.
Eventually the sky started to darken and Kat decided it was time to move and find a proper spot to rest. Lily pouted a bit at the lack of scratches and transformed back into her Memphis form to be carried around. Kat said nothing during the quick dash around the park. Eventually she found a hill that was covered in moss instead of grass. Well, it wasn’t much of a hill, but Kat was able to settle herself down and use the small bump as a pillow. Sleep took Lily quickly and Kat... well she had meditation for times like this.
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