Morning

Sunlight arrived on schedule, like a kept promise, spilling across the two girls’ bed.

Their clothes had slid askew, like wilting petals, last night’s messy postures to blame.

The sun, fed up, went for the redhead’s bare skin, gilding it like gold leaf, shaming her with shine.

Its plan failed; her lashes stayed shut, her breath steady, sleep pooling like still water.

Even so, the warmth pricked, a sand-grain of discomfort under silk.

Mmm~

She grumbled first, then lifted her lids, like a cat roused by a stray beam.

— That idiot forgot to close the curtains last night...

She cursed in her heart, then drew in morning air, cool as river mist.

Science nags that dawn air is bad—photosynthesis only just starting and all that—but Alicia breathed for mood, not medicine.

She lowered her gaze to the little one in her arms; the urge to tease rose like steam.

— With a face that bullyable, who could resist? Not big sis’s fault.

Her slender hands slid to Ling’s soft belly, and pinched, catching a neat ribbon of fluff.

— Seems I’ve plumped this little one up a touch... better than air and bones; a hint of chub is adorable.

Too skinny is wrong; too plump is wrong; Ling sat right in the middle, and Alicia crowned herself a nurturing prodigy.

But the pinch didn’t make Ling budge; she snuffled twice, then burrowed deeper into Alicia like a warm mole.

— Too cute.

She’d gone to sleep with her back turned, yet woke facing Alicia; conscious tsun, unconscious cuddle, an unexpectedly sweet blend.

Enough play, though; let laziness root now, and it’ll vine over their days.

They were long-lived yokai, after all; surely they couldn’t rot like moss forever.

A shiver ran through her; she sat up from the quilts, leaned on the headboard, and shook the little bundle.

Up and at ’em!

She didn’t threaten; the little one rubbed her eyes, reached by habit to hug Alicia, and instead clutched a pair of legs.

Smooth enough to be a pillow, yet the mismatch jolted her.

Big sis turned into legs!

Thwack! A clean hand-chop landed.

What nonsense? I’m right here!

Low blood pressure meant low brainpower at wake-up; Alicia chalked it up to morning fog.

She had ways to fix it, but she held back; this dozy version was too precious to banish.

Rub rub~~

Hm?

While she pondered how to handle this Dummy Ling, a small hand kneaded her own belly.

She looked down; the pouting face and kneading grip hit like forbidden candy, and her nose tingled dangerously.

Bang—! The door crashed open at the worst time; who else but the Ninety Nine Maiden?

Yo... ah, seems I picked the worst moment.

She had some self-awareness; seeing Alicia at the headboard, hand on Ling, Jiu Jiu regretted barging in without knocking.

Alicia didn’t mind; she was up, Ling’s morning fog was lifting, and business beckoned like a temple drum.

Hey, Miss Dragon King... right?

The flustered Ninety Nine Maiden snapped to and answered at once.

Yeah, that’s me, but just call me Jiu Jiu. “Miss Dragon King” feels stiff.

The truth wasn’t modesty; to her, “Dragon King” plus “miss” watered down majesty, so Jiu Jiu worked better.

Mm. Then, Jiu Jiu, what brings you so early?

Ah! Right, I almost forgot. Your goal was to ally with the Dragonfolk, yeah?

Mm. Call it an alliance; that works.

And you—specifically you—beat most of the dragons, didn’t you?

Most are convinced now. A whole pack lost to one person; even sore losers can’t spin that.

Alicia nodded. The dragons had bent; what remained was ritual and form.

Really all set?

She asked again; this scatterbrained Dragon King didn’t inspire confidence.

Jiu Jiu thumped a chest fuller than Alicia’s; waves rose and fell like a stormed bay.

Of course! Absolutely no problem! And if we wrap it today, barbecue tonight!