Walking Disasters and Me-Cat Has Her Tongue – Ch 29

Walking Disasters and Me-Cat Has Her Tongue – Ch 29

Eventually the charming laughs at my expense calm down and the two women in front of me regain their composure. I, however, still maintain my glare in objection to their actions, although I think the effect is a bit lessened since I'm still redder than a stop sign. Akiko is the first to try picking up conversation again, her soft melodic voice coming out between a couple of still contained laughs, "Oh my~ I know I have said this before, dear, but I do not think I will ever tire of our interactions, or your cuteness~. But we shall be here until the star above returns to the horizon if we continue to enjoy either much longer. Come, I will show you to the kitchens and we can have Gerra make something for you~." Akiko finishes her segue by standing smoothly from the table and waiting for me to rise up to follow her.
I try my best to get my blood flowing in a proper manner, namely to stop flooding my face, as I stand up and give her a nod showing I'm ready. She gives a smile small as she turns and opens the sliding door to my room and steps out for me to cross the threshold. As I do, I turn to give a middle finger to Ios who is still projecting her form which causes her to cross both her arms over her stomach and laugh once again which brings a grin to my face too.
Akiko delights at our antics from what I can tell, as her eyes hold a pleasant glimmer of mirth to them as she closes the door behind us before she turns to offer me her hand. As I look up to give her a questioning look, her eyes squint with just a bit of cheekiness as her voice sings through the air, "Just in case you get separated my dear~ It is such an awfully big estate that you have yet to really peruse through, I do not want you wasting away due to hunger because you failed to see me turn a corner!"
"Uh huh. I'm sure its quite the labyrinth Akiko. It can't possibly be because you enjoy seeing me flustered and like to massage my soft, supple hands now is it~?" I reply in a knowing tone and accusatory eyes. If these two think they can just push me around they got another thing coming! Sure, the last few times I've tried to fight fire with fire it blew up in my face, but that cant happen
every
time, right? Regardless, I take the offered hand so I don't actually get lost, she is kind of right about it being a bit of a maze...
Akiko's smile deepens as we lock our palms together and begins walking forward to navigate us through the indistinct hallways while she gives me a response, "Of course that's part of the reason why my dear~! Didn't spirit Ios and I just confirm how delightful it is to tease you? And your hands are quite the joy to hold as well." Damn it! I didn't think she'd just come out and admit it! My grand plans of payback in shambles yet again, I sigh under my breath and follow this too pretty, cheeky fox woman through her estate.
After a couple minutes of mostly silent walking only broken up by Akiko humming some tune in a
devastatingly
beautiful voice, which is just unfair all around, we end up in front of two larger sliding doors than the rest of the rooms had that I noticed. She grips one doors handle and then heaves it open, and instantly the smell of freshly cooked and seasoned meat, baked bread, and various herbs and floral scents assault my nose and make my mouth water immediately. My stomach also growls somewhat loudly, which embarrasses me a bit more, but the smell of delightful and delicious food bats away any complaints as I close my eyes to imagine what feast awaits me.
Giving me a break from teasing, Akiko simply chuckles at my display before guiding us further into the room that I can now start to make out once open my eyes again. We are walking into a very large, mostly open room that has two long stone counters shaped in an L formation in the center as various shelves and hanging hooks around the walls hold instruments galore. On the far wall from the doorway is an opening to a small, grassy area surrounded by hedges that seems like it could be closed by another set of doors when needed but is open for now to let fresh air inside the room.
A large, inset brick oven sits to our right with its square metal door covering the fire pit glowing faintly around the edges from an ongoing flame. Above it is a semicircular cut space in the bricks, perfect for sliding in bread or a pizza even, as a large wooden spatula with a long ass handle sits against the wall nearby. The long chimney of the food furnace rises up and up, cresting through this rooms extra elongated ceiling and, presumably, past the roof to expel the smoke safely.
Behind the stone counters are several stands and hooks for various cauldrons and stew pots over various controlled fire pits, which seem to have 2 actively being used by the gourmand right now, as their also stone lids gently clank and clatter in a pleasing way from the escaping vapor of boiling liquids below them.
I look off to the left as my fascination increases by the second and notice it that the last half of the room seems to be an overly large pantry, filled with various hung meats, vegetables, fruits, and prepared dough of various shapes and sizes. I begin to question the health aspect of all of this but then remember I'm in magic land and they likely have some kind of preservation formation or something on that whole space to keep everything fresh, clean, and safe to eat.
As I turn my focus back to the center of the room, I realize that the stone counters are mostly stove tops! Like a giant ass hibachi grill! Some spots have slits to allow the smoke from the wood or whatever else they burn in the flames to rise up and mix with the cooking food, while some seem to keep their polished stone like surface to create a uniform flat area to disperse the heat evenly across it. The only part of the counters that seem to be non-cooking related are the very ends, where currently there sits several plates and bowls ready to be used to serve whatever the chef is making.
Speaking of the chef, the reason I realized what the counters were is because Gerra is standing there with a pair of tongs in one hand and a regular sized spatula in another as she flips and moves around various pieces of what look like prime rib steak across one of the slitted grill faces. That would explain the mouthwatering smell that I was blasted with when we walked in I suppose! The sexy cat woman has her tail wrapped around her waist a few times to keep it out of the way, and has a look of deep concentration while she works. I can even feel some Qi move around the room as she performs her craft!
Trying not to disturb her, I continue the survey of the room and notice that beside the brick oven is a smaller brick table pressed up against the wall near it that I had missed earlier, and on there are several loaves of freshly baked bread. Each loaf has three score lines across it, and the tops of them seem to glisten a bit, like they were brushed with butter and herbs during the baking process or directly afterwards. To be honest, I mostly just helped mom make meals and cook meats, she was a
bit
too much of a tyrant when she started baking for me to really enjoy trying it out.
I have to hold myself back from investigating further, with my mouth, since I don't want to be rude, but I catch Akiko's delighted smile as she regards my behavior which makes me smile back at her too. I'm about to tell her how amazing and incredible her kitchen is, when a voice I haven't heard yet shines over the clatter and chaos of an active kitchen. It is low, but not quite as low as my new voice, and there is a definite rasp to it that adds a sexy, rough edge which sends a shiver down my spine. Surprisingly, it also has a southern twang to it like I'm used to hearing from back on Earth. I hear Akiko answer the voice back, as apparently, I was too startled to catch what it said at first, "Not at all Gerra, I hope Amelia and I are not disturbing you from your passion~!" Akiko turns to me and repeats what Gerra, who owns this infinitely attractive voice apparently, said originally to me in a hushed tone, "She asked if we needed anything, my dear but it seems you were too... distracted by
something
to register it~"
I hunch my shoulders up at being caught, the heat rushing to my face as I look up and see Akiko with a devilishly playful smirk give me a wink. Ugh, its just constant today!! Is... Is this my life now? Dear god...
Just to avoid adding fuel to the fire, I give a quick nod and then turn back to watch Gerra work. And wow does she work! She has all that meat cooking on those grills while flitting between the two boiling pots, periodically tasting the contents on a wooden spoon before either nodding or adding in a pinch of this or that spice, and then goes over to the brick oven to check inside its circular opening and then going back to the meats. In between it all, she stops periodically to grab a specific herb or flake of wood from the pantry side of the room and then returns to the fires under the counters to add her pilfered gift to the flames. After a third round of this behavior, where she is in nonstop motion through it all, she gives a satisfied smile at the brick oven and then grabs the large wooden spatula to reach in and pull out another pristine, perfectly baked loaf of bread. She sets it down next to the others and uses a large brush to dab into some kind of mixture in a bowl and then drizzle it on top of the freshly made loaf.
I can only admire the craftsmanship and dedication she has, as even though I enjoy cooking, this level of constant effort would be beyond me. Or, it would have been back on Earth. Not enough prescription drugs in the universe to make
that
Amelia have the required attention span to juggle all of this for who knows how long!
Akiko had pulled out some comfortable wooden chairs for her and I to sit on while we wait, far back enough that we could simply observe the cat woman in her element without getting in her way. I look up to her and ask, "She's incredible! I know a bit about cooking from..." I pause with quick glance over to Gerra, who seems to still be in the cooking trance as she bobs her head to some tune only she can hear, "well, from where I'm from, but she is something else! And all of it smells so divine! I didn't know food
could
even smell this good!"
Akiko gives a warm smile to me as she responds in a slightly louder voice, trying to let me hear it through all the noise of an active kitchen, "Indeed! My sweet Gerra has been a spiritual cook for many decades now, and it has long been her passion. Some may look down on the profession, but those haughty fools are merely upset that they don't get to taste and enjoy such wonderful creations themselves, their jealousy blinding them and their words! Hmph!" She actually looks a bit upset at that, and I think I can reason that its because the thought of someone talking smack to one of her girls is a big no-no for her bottom line.
I reach out and pat her shoulder a couple times while nodding sagely, "It's obvious you are very proud of her, and I'm sure the only opinion she cares about is yours and the other girls. So long as she makes you all happy, I'm positive she could care less about what others say or think. That's how I am when I cook for the people I care about, at least."
My words seem to have an effect on the kitsune, as she leans down to give the side of my head a nuzzle with hers as she says back, "You are right my dear, and very sweet~ I know this is true, as Gerra has said the same in her own words every time the subject is broached, but I cannot deny that the thought of her being looked down on because of what she loves doing drives me to anger sometimes. As if her profession determines her worth, ridiculous! Thankfully, I rarely have to intervene with the worst offenders, as they are quick to apologize after Gerra reveals her real strength and power. At least that part of those awful interactions is enjoyable to the fullest~!" With a few chuckles hidden by a hand as she finishes, we pull back to our respective personal spaces and just enjoy the show for about half an hour as the meal is prepared.
Once it's all done, Gerra takes a few inspections of the now completed dishes, testing the soup one more time, knocking on the bread's exterior and listening for... something... and then she takes a metal pin and drives it into one of the steaks. I once again feel Qi swirling in the air, although its purpose still eludes me, before she nods to herself and then begins to plate the arrangement. She sets aside three plates for now, each having two bowls that are then filled with a generous portion of a thicker, brown soup that seems to have various vegetables and darker bits, meat I would guess, and then a lighter, stock-based soup. She then moves to the meat and places a generous portion on each plate, before moving over to the still warm bread and uses an expertly made bread knife to carve three large slices off the first loaf.
With a beyond satisfied smile, she adds the slices to the plates and then finally looks up to regard the two of us. I glance to my side and notice that even Akiko's mouth is slightly watering! The sight instantly makes me giggle at the image of the always imposing, powerful, lustful creature drooling away, and I even notice her tails begin to wag in excitement too! It's too much! Before I can have my turn at poking a bit of fun for once, Gerra's raspy low voice reaches my ears again as she calls out to Akiko and I, "Don't know what you two are waitin' for, I already did all the hard work for ya! Come and get it while its hot, I'll go tell the other gal's that food is ready. We all eating together Madam, or are you taking this precious bird back to her new nest~?"
Gerra ends with a seductive wink and flick of her triangular pink ears in my direction which makes my heart flutter, and I would
so
be down to spend more time with her, but the thought of extreme socialization right when I have my first ever real meal here in a new world with people I don't know yet is kind of... scary? Okay so maybe not
all
of my brain hangups are sorted out yet... Probably sensing my reluctance, Akiko simply responds for the both of us like the saint she can be sometimes, "I would love to enjoy a meal together with the group, but I must get Amelia back to her room so she can continue to be informed about the workings of things around here. Also, she was lost and alone for a long time so for now I think it would be best to... ease her into social situations. Unless you disagree, my dear? I do not want to speak for you if you have other thoughts on the matter."
I quickly shake my head no, before trying my best to actually talk to Gerra. "N-no, I think that's probably the right call right now. I am super excited to meet you Gerra! Or well, properly meet you? I know we met already back at the front door, but we didn't really talk then because I was too tired and you guys kind of surprised me when you showed up all at once and stuff. Uh.." My mind lags as my thoughts are in a socially awkward scramble. The whole time I'm word vomiting out my introduction, Gerra's eyes just get more and more predatory, like she wants to eat me alive then and there, which is only adding to my slight panic. Trying to avoid that surely wonderful fate, I come up with a plan: do my best to just keep talking.
"Oh! Thank you for the food! It smells wonderful and I can't wait to try it! Just going by watching you work I can tell you are an amazing cook so I'm sure it will be delicious! I mean it must be if even the thought of getting some is making Akiko drool and stuff right? Haha! Okay, again it was nice to meet you, bye!!" Nope nope nope, abort the plan! I make my way in a dash for the door before I feel Akiko grab the sleeve of my dress, stopping my momentum. I look up with heartbroken, pleading wide eyes, trying any trick in the book to let her release me so I can evac out of this disastrous social moment.
She only laughs, her soft voice betraying the cruelty surely hidden underneath, as she pulls me back to stand in front of Gerra. The pink cat woman still has that amused, intense look to her as her low timbre voice echoes around the room, "Well Heavens, arn't you just a fascinating ball of energy miss Amelia~ Sammy was right, you are going to be such a joy to be around! Here darlin, have a little extra for your kind words now and earlier. Don't think these ears of mine are just for show~" She winks once more as she hands another portion of steak to the plate, laughing loudly at my deer in a headlight expression at the continued conversation. I do manage to squeak out a quick "Thank you!" before I turn to look up at my fox warden once more, begging to be let go finally.
By all that is holy, she simply smirks and then steps to my side to wrap Gerra in a tight hug, her matronly voice comes out as she says, "Thank you for your hard work, my dear! And for understanding why I must skip another gathering. You and the others are too kind~" as she then kisses her deeply for a few seconds. Both of their bodies are firmly pressed together, and I can see Akiko's chest almost completely envelope Gerra's as the fox moves an arm around her waist to pull more of the cat woman to her. Akiko's other hand cups Gerra's face, while the feline woman simply hangs her arms over the shoulders of her make out partner in a calm, relaxed display as she tilts her head to make eye contact with me. I see a pink fluffy tail snake up and past Akiko's outer thigh as it moves up to wrap around the base of all of her snow-white tails as it then
squeezes
, eliciting a soft moan from the fox that almost makes me drop my plate of food as my knees nearly give out.
Just as I'm about to remind them that yes, I am in fact still here, they break off their entanglement and then peck a much more chaste kiss on each other's lips before Gerra hands Akiko her food and saunters up to me to presumably go gather the rest of the girls. As she gets up to my side, she tilts her head to give me a wink while licking her lips with her surprisingly long tounge which makes me shudder a little bit. Just as she's about to be fully past me and I'm about to turn to ask Akiko what the fuck that was all about, I see and feel her pink tail come up and gently glide across my cheek, like an actual freaking cat would do when they stride past you! Its nearly too much for my poor brain as I simply stand there for a few seconds short circuiting at the sheer incredulity of it all.
Eventually Akiko boops my nose and brings me back to the land of the living. Shaking my head a few times, while being careful not to lose the plate of heavenly smelling food, I finally get enough wits together to stare up at this erotic fox. "So, was that just to rile me up or does anytime someone cook food they get a make out session that intense? Cause fuck Akiko, you guys seemed nearly ready to tear the clothes off each other right here and now! I'm not trying to say it wasn't hot, but kind of a weird flex right after you said you wanted to ease me into your social group..."
To her credit, Akiko does actually look a little regretful after my admonishing as her vulpine ears lay flat to the side and her tails droop behind her, her soft voice coming out in answer, "I do apologize my dear. Truthfully, I did only mean to give Gerra a reward for all her hard work and her understanding of me skipping yet another meal with the group, as we try to have them somewhat frequently for bonding purposes if nothing else, but she was a bit more...
hungry
than I had anticipated. Her libido is nearly on par with mine, and I fear that she may have also been looking to elicit a reaction out of you as well, which it seems like she procured. I will try to be more considerate in the future and will tell the girls to do so as well." She hangs her head low as she ends her apology, and I almost instantly feel bad for making a big deal out of it to begin with.
I take a moment to process that feeling and what she said before following up, "So you're telling me that
was
you being controlled, at least to a degree? Good lord... *Sigh* Don't bother telling the girls Akiko. It's your house, your relationship, and I'm the one that's butting in and making a big deal about it. Sorry. It just... caught me by surprise would be an understatement. I don't want you guys to have to try and police yourselves just because little old Amelia is too socially awkward to handle people who love each other doing PDA. I'll get used to it all eventually with time and exposure. Probably... If not, I'm sure Ios can find something in the Shop" I end with a shrug. I really was kind of blowing that out of proportion, but that initial shock and failed conversation with Gerra really rattled me it seems.
I look back up to Akiko who has a massive amount of respect and thankfulness behind her violet eyes, her lips showing a huge, kind smile as her tails wag eagerly behind her now. "You are such a wonderful creature my dear. I truly thank the fates that we met, and I cherish your thoughtfulness at every display it occurs. Come, let us retire to your room and then enjoy this meal that Gerra has prepared for us." She uses one of her tails to gently wrap around my waist as we both make our way out of the kitchen, our soft footfalls echoing into the hallway before we once again step inside the threshold to my room to a waiting Ios.

.
!
Cat Has Her Tongue – Ch 29