"Did... did you just kiss Tama?!" Saki suddenly spoke up, her tail was erect and her ears perked in astonishment. "What on all of... Why would you do that! One of these days she is going to kill you, Tera!"

  "It's not like that!" Tera said quickly, defending herself. "Tama clearly likes me! She said she likes my breasts and even grabbed them! Right, Tama?"

  I felt my face redden as the realization hit that I might have made a horrible error in judgment. My tail stiffened and my ears curled.

  Saki sighed audibly before shaking her head. "Let's just get to the bottom of this right now. Tama, do you want to spend time alone with Tera, David or Both?" She raised an eyebrow and stared at me.

  My face felt really hot suddenly and I stepped back, almost instinctively at the question.

  On the surface, it was such a simple question. But Saki had told me such things were not allowed in public, only to break her own rule.

  It also didn't help that imagining what David looked like naked actually made me feel weird in a way I both liked a lot and made me uncomfortable.

  Tera, on the other hand, was just another girl. I had seen her body already and it was a lot like my own. Nothing really special there. So I answered honestly, "Tama would want to see David more!"

  Tera utterly deflated like she was a popped balloon and Saki nodded knowingly. "See, Tera, I told you it wasn't like that. Tama just doesn't understand relationships."

  At that, Tera suddenly perked back up and smiled. "You know, Saki, you are right! She doesn't understand relationships. As her guide, it is in all of our best interests to..." Tera took a step forward only to trip over Saki's outstretched foot.

  "Have you learned NOTHING in the last week, Tera! We talked about this for hours!" Saki said indignantly.

  Tera climbed to her knees, after face-planting in the dirt, and took a deep breath. After a moment she spoke, "You are right, but I am not giving up that easily. I have a proposal for you, Tama." She looked completely serious directly at me and I felt my ears flatten in worry.

  I looked between Saki and Tera. Saki was shaking her head at me, saying "don't do it" under her breath.

  Tera glared at her before looking back at me. "Come on, Tama! It's just an offer, and if you don't want to, you can just say no after you hear it!"

  I was uncertain. I looked over at Saki who was still shaking her head no. I opened my mouth to reject Tera but she spoke again.

  "Wait! Before you reject me, let me ask you this. I know you are smarter than Saki thinks you are. I get you are naive, but that doesn't mean you are stupid. Saki is your best friend and she wants what's best for you. But you don't even want to hear or make your own choices at all? That is rather childish, Tama."

  Tera's last word felt like a brick had hit me in the face.

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  I spoke before I had time to think. "Tama wants to hear you out!"

  Tera's smile widened and her eyes lit up. "I am so glad you wish to hear me out! How very adult of you!"

  "Of course Tama is an adult!" I snapped at her, angrily

  She seemed unfazed by me snapping at her and said, "See, Tama, I know you like David, and I mean he is..." She paused, trying to find the right words. "An... interesting person."

  "You mean you treat him like dirt for fun and call him your boyfriend!" Saki said, her voice venomous. "I can't believe you're actually trying this.

  Tera flinched then turned to Saki. "Oh, you want me to stop? Take something else away from me before I had a chance to earn it?!"

  Saki visibly looked like she had been struck and took a step back. She turned her head and looked away, refraining from saying anything else.

  Tera looked guiltily at Saki for a moment before looking back at me.

  I was now glaring at her and my hand was on my dagger. "Tama is going to..." Before I could finish, Tera brought up both hands.

  "It's between me and her. It's not your right to intervene, Tama." She said quickly.

  My mother's dead eyes played in my mind. Slowly, I lowered my hand and nodded. "Continue," I said quietly.

  Tera nodded. "Saki and I had a long chat while you were gone and some stuff came up. She can tell you if she wants. I will leave that up to her. But she promised to leave me alone as long as I didn't go too far. I haven't done anything except a light kiss and talking!"

  I looked at Saki who nodded and mouthed, "I promise I will explain later." I nodded at her. We all had secrets. I didn't hate her for it, she had been trying to protect me and I had fallen for it.

  Tera fully stood, now looking excited. "Please, Tama, see the reason for this. You know I like you. It's clear you don't like me... as much. Because you haven't gotten to know me! But I believe that we can go into an arrangement that will make us both very happy."

  Saki glared at Tera, but said nothing. I looked at Tera suspiciously but nodded.

  She grinned. "Thank you!" she said excitedly. "So, here is my idea. You clearly really like David, right? What if I could make it so David would be your boyfriend? You two would date, and he would be very good friends with you and want to be with you!"

  I paused at that. Despite my best efforts to appear uninterested, her words had struck a chord. David was so cute, and spending more time with him... maybe alone... I felt my cheeks begin to heat up again as I imagined David holding me and giving me head pats.

  Clearly Tera saw my obvious look and she seemed giddy now. "So, the thing is, Tama, David is my boyfriend, so normally, you could never have him." Tera made a sad face at me.

  I felt my heart sink at that. Why did I care.. why couldn't I have him? What did it even mean to have someone?! I felt a sharp pain in my chest like I had been stabbed.

  I looked back up at Tera who smiled sadly at me. "But Tama, not all is lost. David and I would love to be with you as a couple! The three of us."

  I felt anxiety, uncertainty. It seemed too good to be true. I looked over to Saki but she just looked at me and pursed her lips and looked away uncomfortably, her tail between her legs.

  After a moment, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but Tera cut her off. "It was only an offer, Saki. I have done nothing." Saki slowly closed her mouth again, her face neutral.

  As if to make matters more complicated, a voice came from the town. "Hey guys, are we finally heading out! Sorry I slept in!" David's voice sounded wonderful. I turned to watch him jogging towards us. I felt my cheeks getting hot and my breathing quickened, why was I feeling like I was in combat?!

  I had one last shot at this. I needed to know from David himself. "David!" I called out. He had stopped and was panting about a dozen feet from us. I tucked my tail between my legs and looked away. My cheeks felt hot.