In Which Camaline Shies from the Blunt Explanation

March 28, 1194

"Um... I did something stupid."

Understatement of the year--to the point where Camaline didn't even know where to start aside from that preface. How would Xeta even take it? Hell... how did she even say it?

Xeta, at least, merely tilted her head, a frown of slight concern on her pretty lips. "What did you do?"

God. She didn't think she'd ever had quite so much trouble answering a question in her life. "I went to see Deian."

"Deian?" That frown deepened. Obviously, Camaline had returned... well, in one piece, she supposed, if somewhat altered temporarily. God, she hoped he'd been telling the truth when he'd said 'temporary'! "Why did you want to see Deian?"

"Because... well, because I know you want another baby."

"Oh." Xeta flushed. Shouldn't have said that, maybe. She'd be blaming herself for Camaline's lack of judgment. "Cammie, I don't need another baby--certainly not if it couldn't be yours."

"Regardless, I wanted to see if there was anything that could be done."

"But surely there couldn't have been."

She ought to have thought just that before she'd gone to see that creature. Then, she wouldn't be having this conversation. "Well, it turns out there was something he could do--and of course he did it without asking me first."

"Oh?" Her wife raised an eyebrow. "What was it?"

"He, uh..." Shit. Never before had Camaline been one to shy away from the blunt explanation. She supposed there was a first for everything. "He, er... temporarily--temporarily--uh, reconfigured parts of my anatomy."

She wasn't sure whether or not she wanted that to be enough. Nonetheless, Xeta's eyes lit with realization. "Oh!"

'Oh' indeed. "Pretty much."

"Would you mind if I felt it?"

Camaline blinked. That... certainly hadn't been the first response she'd expected. "I suppose..."

Xeta lept to her feet and drew closer, reaching for the gap between Camaline's legs. An amused grin broke Xeta's face as she felt it--and, in spite of the velvet skirt and the altogether alien nature of it all, Camaline did not find the touch unpleasant.

"Well! Based on my limited experience with these, I'm inclined to say Deian was quite generous."

Beneath her skin, Camaline's flesh burned. "Uh..."

"Ah, I've made you uncomfortable. Sorry." Xeta took her by the arms and planted a kiss to her lips. That did little for the blushing. "I can't believe you did that for me."

"Well, to be fair, he didn't bother to ask before he went ahead and did it."

"Regardless, it was quite the gesture on your part to seek him out in the first place. I hope you know I never would have asked it of you."

"I know." Though, the way those blue eyes sparkled, she couldn't say she would have mind if she had. "Anyway, now that it's happened, uh... what do you think?"

Xeta stepped in again, one hand to Camaline's back, another to her hair. "I think I want to have a baby with you."

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