Lucy fumbled her apartment keys out of her beach bag. Sally was standing behind her trying to keep a laugh in, she wanted a rare invitation inside and didn't want to make fun of Lucy right at the door. Keys finally under control, the door opened. Sally was carrying the bulk of the beach gear so Lucy could fetch her keys better, but she also knew Lucy wasn't rude enough to just have her hand that over at the doorway.

Lucy saw through this and let out a deep sigh, "Fine~, come in."

"Oh why thank you Lucy, you are too kind," Sally's tone was momentarily glib. "So where do you want this stuff, it's kinda sandy. By the door?"

"Yeah that's fine."

Sally put everything in the corner nearest the door, and started taking off her sandals. Lucy followed suit.

"Oh yeah!," Sally said having suddenly remembered something. She reached into the beach bag to pull out a smaller purse that belonged to her. She opened it and pulled out a pair of small glasses. "You nearly forgot these when we left, I picked them up in case you decided to take your contacts out." Sally held them out to Lucy.

Lucy accepted her glasses and took her contacts out. She could hardly see an inch infront of her nose now. She put her normal glasses on and stared briefly at the colored contacts in her hand. She remembered they were evidence she didn't really belong here.

"Something the matter?" Sally piped up.

Jolted back to the present, Lucy let out a stretch with a yawn, "Nyaaaa~". She let her tail back out, Sally did too.

"You always sound so lewd doing that, it's cute."

"Uggh, I'm going to go get this sand off me. I'll be quick."

"Yeah right, I'm coming too, I'm not standing here all sandy while you spend half an hour in the shower day dreaming, besides I have to get something for these skinned elbows you caused."

"S...shower with you?"

"Oh don't say that like I'm going to do anything. It's just us girls here, and it's me besides, I promise I won't do anything weird." Sally looked at Lucy, who still seemed a bit hesitant, Sally decided to use her serious mom-like voice. "Honest, I won't try anything, I just want to get clean and do something about these elbows, you owe me for those at least."

Lucy looked at Sally's skinned elbows and knees, it was pretty bad actually, and she was at least partly to blame. Lucy relented.

"I..okay, I guess if, if we s..showered toghether w..w..we could make sure we're both clean. Over here I guess." Lucy gestured with her head towards the bathroom.

Lucy squeaked the shower on and looked back. Sally wasn't wasting any time, her soppy swimsuit was already half on the floor, she was on one leg with her foot bent back finishing getting her bottom off. Lucy turned red and snapped her attention back to the water.

"Oh come on, didn't you just tell me not to make it weird? You don't see me blushing do you? Lucy have you ever seen anyone naked?"

"I uh, I think the water's ready." Lucy was avoiding eye contact again.

"Haha, fine fine, I'll go ahead and get in and give you a little privacy while you change into your birthday suit. Wouldn't want me to see anything inappropriate," Sally teased. She stepped into the shower and closed the fogged glass door behind her. Lucy untied her swimsuit. She hadn't seen anyone naked before actually, and she was embarrassed it was so obvious. She wondered if she would have reacted any differently if she had. Her swimsuit hit the floor, for a moment she saw herself in the mirror. She thought she saw something and looked closer. Yeah they were there, faint as anything, but those were tan lines forming.

"Boy you sure like your water hot Lucy, you tryin to make ramen?"

Lucy was pulled away from her self-appreciation. "Shut up Sally!" Why had she let her inside again? God that woman was tricky. Lucy opened the shower door and carefully stepped in. She did like her water very hot, but something was off about it today, it stung a little in a way it usually didn't. Lucy winced.

"Yeah I think we caught a little bit of a burn out there, wanna turn that down?" Sally asked.

Lucy realized those probably weren't tan lines after all, those were the burns. "Yeah gimme second." Lucy turned the water down, it was tepid and she hated it, but at least her burns weren't stinging anymore. Lucy looked for her soap but quickly realized Sally must have already taken it. Lucy raised her gaze and sure enough Sally was already lathering up. Why did she find that alluring? Lucy swallowed. Oh yeah, She recalled to herself, I wanted alone time in here, just great, I can't even get shower action without getting cucked! 

"Thanks Lucy, I'll pick up some sunburn ointment while I'm out if you want, save you the trip." Sally tossed Lucy the soap. "Lemme scoot over there and rinse off." Lucy backed up to let Sally by. She felt Sally's slick soapy hip glide by hers, and Sally's tail brushed by her cheek. For a moment time froze. Now she'd seen someone naked and touched them, Lucy couldn't help how that was making her feel, or that her heart was jumping.

"Oops, haha, one butt shower," Sally laughed. "Oh, could you get my back?"

"Sure," Lucy said. It came out as a half moan.

"You alright over there?"

"Yeah just uh, just turn around I've got it," Lucy said regaining her composure. This was just a shower for Sally, Lucy could see that. It was her, it was Lucy, that was making this awkward. Sally was thinking nothing of it, or at least, if she was it was invisible to Lucy. Lucy soaped up Sally's back.

"That should do it, I think you can rinse off now." Lucy managed not to stammer. Sally quickly rinsed herself and looked back at Lucy.

"See slowpoke you haven't even got a little soap on yourself, I'd have been waiting forever if we were showering separately, here let me help." Sally took the soap from her, Lucy turned around saying nothing, she had a lump in her throat that wouldn't let her speak, and she could feel her face burning, maybe if she looked away for minute she could keep it together.

"Yeah I think you burned a little worse than I did, I guess that should be expected, I'll just soap those areas I won't scrub." Sally lathered up Lucy's back and butt like it was just routine. Sally handed the soap back over from Lucy's back. "You don't have to turn around, you look like you could about faint."

Oh god she noticed, she knows, oh no. Lucy took the soap from Sally and heard the door open.

"I'm all done I'm going to dry off, I'll make sure you have a fresh towel."

Lucy took a few breaths and finished cleaning herself off. She could feel the tips of her ears were still hot. She turned off the water after rinsing and stepped out. Sure enough there was a fresh towel there for her. Sally was standing in the bathroom doorway naked.

"I actually didn't plan on being here so I didn't bring a change of clothes. I'm going to need something to wear if you don't mind."

Lucy was genuinely amused but still had to force the laugh through her other feelings, "hehe, I thought you were more prepared than that Sally. Yeah I have some stuff," Lucy said as she dried herself off.

"Lucy these look like they're straight out of a Hot Topic." Sally was wearing a black t-shirt with some sorta Pokémon printed on it and some baggy black pants with functionless buckles scattered about it. "Didn't know you were into nerd goth chic."

"Yes you did."

Sally laughed, "Well thanks, I'll be back." Sally locked the front door before shutting it behind her.

Lucy sighed in relief, finally she'd have a minute to calm herself down. Thoughts were racing through her head a mile a minute. She plopped down on the couch in her pajamas and absent mindedly turned on the television so she'd have some sort of noise, any noise. She was already in her head, lost in thought her surroundings vanished from her notice. Her heart ached a bit, like there was a small hole there. It happened every time Sally left. Sally wasn't exactly over often, she had too much energy for Lucy and it overwhelmed her pretty quickly. Sometimes they'd go months without seeing each other and maybe a day every few weeks if things were going well. The last time she'd been invited into the apartment was almost a year ago. It was always like this after they parted ways though. Always this empty feeling. She'd be back in just a little while, but somehow that wasn't helping. 

Why did she push Sally away so much anyway? Why was she up here? For everything she didn't like about Sally, her life was certainly better than it was at demon Starbucks, and certainly better than that maid job she took at Lucifer's. God that was awful. She remembered she still had that maid outfit for some reason. It didn't even fit her chest properly. Why'd she keep that? Sally wasn't anything like that. She was annoying at times and way too high key sure, but not bad. Would it really be so terrible if she stopped pushing Sally out? She tried to remember when the two of them met, but couldn't recall. Sally always came back though. No matter how much Lucy called her a bitch or pushed her out or would ghost her, Sally came back.

Sally was also her only connection to home. She'd run away after the stress of working for Lucifer. She wanted to go back, it was home, but she was afraid she couldn't stand up for herself and would end up in another shitty job that she hated. Sally was here though. Would it be so bad? Lucy went round and round with the idea, and didn't notice the time ticking away. Sally unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Lucy I can hear that in the hallway! What are you even up to in here? Is that Kuroinu? Did I interrupt something!?"

Lucy's head snapped upward. She hadn't noticed. That was Kuroinu. "No not interrupting a thing!" Lucy fumbled to get the TV off, which of course made it take longer than normal and made her look more suspicious. She scrambled back up to the couch and hugged her knees to her chest. That didn't look anything like she wanted it to. What was Sally going to say, it'd be biting and somewhat truthful at best. A few silent moments ticked by. Sally didn't say anything. Lucy heard Sally set down the items she'd gone out to get. Sally quietly took a seat right next to Lucy.

"Lucy are you okay? You've been acting really strange since we got back from the beach." Sally leaned over, trying her hand at being comforting. Their cheeks touched.

"I think I want to go home Sally. I'm tired of faking it here and hiding and always putting my tail away and covering my eyes up." Lucy's voice cracked.

"I could go with you, you know. If you wanted we could do it together, you wouldn't have to do it alone. I won't ever have to leave if you don't want me to. I'd stay."

Lucy didn't say a word. She thought, she thought and thought, and moments passed. Sally was staying, and waiting. Lucy tried to find the words, but no words would come. Minutes passed, minutes of silence. Lucy slowly turn her head towards Sally. Sally turned towards her. Their lips met behind closed eyes, and that was her answer. It was soft, and warm, Sally was a gentle kisser, she hadn't anticipated that. Lucy's whole body felt warm, and the hole in heart vanished. Lucy couldn't recall feeling like such a complete person. Just as quickly as it came, the physical sensation on her lips suddenly passed. Her lips touched only air now. Sally was gone. It was just Lucy, but she wasn't alone. She could still feel Sally with her, just like she'd said. Lucy finally understood what Sally had been trying to say.

Lucy stood up. She felt different. She didn't know it, but her eyes had brightened a bit, you could just about see the river Styx in them. She was standing straighter. Lucy walked over to her closet with quiet purpose, found her old maid outfit, and put it on. She was filling it out better, the top wasn't quite so loose. She gave the apartment one last purposeful look. She wouldn't be back here again. A conflagration arose from her feet, consumed her, and took her home. The burnt out husk of her apartment left no clues or answers for those that found it.