Chapter 65 – Lovebirds

Madelyn and Sarah sat snugly on the couch, their fingers intertwined and their heads gently resting against each other. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the television, but neither of them paid it much attention. Madelyn’s tail swayed lazily behind her, the motion reflecting the calm happiness she felt in Sarah’s presence. Everything about the moment felt perfect, like the world had slowed down just for them.

But the sound of approaching footsteps shattered the peace.

Before Madelyn could even register what was happening, her parents walked into the room. Her dad froze mid-step, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the scene before him. Emily, standing just behind him, tilted her head, her expression unreadable.

“Oh,” her dad said after a moment, a teasing edge creeping into his voice. “Did we interrupt something?”

Madelyn’s ears shot straight up, and she practically jumped out of her skin, scrambling to put a bit of distance between herself and Sarah. “I—We—It’s not what it seems!” she stammered, her cheeks burning as she waved her hands nervously, her tail flicking wildly behind her.

Sarah, however, didn’t look the least bit fazed. She watched Madelyn’s frantic reaction with a raised eyebrow, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “Oh?” she said, her tone light but full of playful challenge. Before Madelyn could say another word, Sarah reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her close again, wrapping an arm around her.

Then, to Madelyn’s utter surprise, Sarah leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “Isn’t it?” Sarah said, her grin widening as she glanced between Madelyn and her parents.

Madelyn’s face turned an even deeper shade of red as she stared at Sarah, her amber eyes wide with shock. “Sarah!” she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” Sarah replied innocently, though the sparkle in her green eyes betrayed her amusement. “I’m just being honest.”

Madelyn opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. Instead, she glanced nervously at her parents, unsure of what to expect. Her mom and dad exchanged a look, and for a moment, the room was silent.

Then, to Madelyn’s surprise, Emily smiled warmly. “You don’t need to explain yourselves, sweetie,” she said gently, stepping closer. “We’re just glad to see you happy.”

Jack nodded, though his expression carried a faint smirk that made Madelyn squirm. “Yeah, as long as Sarah’s treating you right, I don’t see a problem here.”

“Dad!” Madelyn groaned, burying her face in her hands as her tail flicked in mortified protest.

Sarah laughed, giving Madelyn a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, Mr. Roth,” she said, her voice confident. “I’d never treat Maddy any way but the best.”

Jack chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” he said, though the amused glint in his eyes didn’t fade. “But next time, maybe let us know if you’re… having a moment.”

“Jack,” Emily said with a sigh, though her tone was light. She turned back to Madelyn and Sarah, her gaze soft. “We’ll be in the kitchen if you need us.”

“Yeah, and please… don’t break the couch,” Jack added with a laugh as he turned to leave, earning a swift smack on the arm from Emily.

“Jack!” Emily scolded, though her tone was more exasperated than angry. She shot a quick apologetic look back at the girls. “Don’t mind him. He thinks he’s funny.”

Madelyn groaned again, her cheeks burning as she buried her face in Sarah’s shoulder. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she mumbled, her voice muffled.

Sarah was laughing softly, clearly more amused than embarrassed. She gave Madelyn a gentle squeeze, resting her chin lightly on top of her head. “Your parents are awesome, Maddy,” she said warmly, her tone full of affection.

“Yeah, they are,” Madelyn said softly, her voice muffled as she leaned into Sarah’s comforting presence. “I’m glad they’re okay with it.”

“Me too,” Sarah replied with a smile, running her fingers lightly over Madelyn’s arm.

Madelyn pulled back just enough to look up at Sarah, her amber eyes flickering with a hint of nervousness. “Do you think Lillian, James, and David will react the same way?” she asked hesitantly.

Sarah tilted her head, considering the question. “Probably,” she said with a reassuring smile. “They’ll definitely tease us about it, especially James. He’ll probably make some jokes about it. But I know Lillian will be fine with it. She’s been really supportive about… well, me being into women.”

Madelyn blinked, her ears perking up. “Lillian knows?” she asked, her tail flicking behind her in surprise.

Sarah nodded, laughing softly. “Yeah. She kind of picks up on things like that. I didn’t even have to say anything—she just knew. One day she came up to me and said, ‘If you ever need someone to talk to about it, I’m here.’ And she’s been great ever since.”

Madelyn’s tail swayed more steadily now, her tension easing slightly. “That sounds like Lillian,” she said, smiling faintly. “She’s always been good at reading people.”

“Exactly,” Sarah said, her tone warm. “So I wouldn’t worry about her. And David? He’ll probably just shrug and go along with it. He’s chill with things like this.”

Madelyn let out a soft sigh, her amber eyes glancing down at their intertwined fingers. “I guess you’re right,” she said quietly.

The two girls stayed curled up on the couch, talking quietly as the comforting aroma of dinner began to fill the air. Madelyn’s nose twitched, her heightened senses picking up the scent of roasted chicken, herbs, and something buttery. Her stomach growled audibly, and she felt her mouth water.

Sarah smirked, glancing at her. “Maddy, it’s like you’re a dog waiting for a treat,” she teased, her voice light and playful.

Madelyn narrowed her eyes in mock offense, baring her teeth with an exaggerated growl. “Very funny,” she said dryly, but her lips quirked into a small smile.

Sarah laughed, leaning closer. “Yeah, super scary, Mads,” she said, poking Madelyn’s nose lightly. “You’ve got me trembling.”

Madelyn let out a soft laugh, the warmth of their banter pushing away the last remnants of her earlier nerves. They stayed like that for a moment longer before the sound of plates being moved in the kitchen caught their attention.

“Come on,” Sarah said, nudging her. “Let’s see if dinner’s ready before you start drooling all over me.”

Madelyn groaned, but she got up, her tail swaying lazily behind her as they headed into the kitchen. Her parents were just finishing setting the table, and the sight of the food made her stomach growl again. Emily glanced up, smiling warmly as the girls entered.

“Sarah, I wanted to ask,” Emily said as she placed a bowl of salad on the table, “are you staying over again tonight?”

Sarah glanced at Madelyn, then back at Emily, her tone polite but hopeful. “I would like to, Mrs. Roth, if you’re okay with it.”

Emily nodded, her smile softening but tinged with a hint of seriousness. “It’s fine, but don’t make it a habit,” she said gently. “I know you and your parents aren’t on the same line at the moment, but avoiding them isn’t the solution, sweetheart.”

Sarah’s smile faltered, and she looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “I know,” she said quietly, her usual confidence dimming. “I just… it’s easier sometimes, you know?”

Madelyn stepped closer to Sarah, her hand brushing lightly against hers in a gesture of silent support. She glanced at her mom, her amber eyes pleading for understanding.

Emily’s expression softened further as she walked over to Sarah, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I get it,” she said gently. “And you’re always welcome here, but promise me you’ll try to talk to them, okay? It doesn’t have to be perfect, but they’re still your family.”

Sarah nodded slowly, her voice small. “I promise.”

Jack, who had been silently arranging drinks on the table, spoke up, his tone light but thoughtful. “And if they give you too much trouble, just let us know. I can have a word with them.”

“Thanks, Mrs. and Mr. Roth,” Sarah said softly, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.

Jack smiled warmly. “No problem, kiddo,” he said, his tone light. “Now, let’s eat before this roast gets cold.”

Dinner passed quickly, the warm atmosphere filled with laughter and light conversation. Jack and Lyra couldn’t resist making a few playful jokes that left Madelyn blushing and Sarah grinning, while Emily’s more gentle teasing helped keep the mood light. The rest of the meal was filled with easy, casual chitchat, the kind that made the evening feel effortless.

After the plates were cleared and the kitchen tidied up, Madelyn and Sarah found themselves back in the living room, playing a co-op platformer game. The hours passed in a blur of laughter and friendly competition, with Madelyn’s tail swaying happily behind her as Sarah teased her about missing jumps or accidentally knocking her character off ledges.

When the clock struck close to bedtime, Madelyn stretched with a yawn, her ears twitching as she glanced at Sarah. “I’m gonna take a shower,” she said, standing up and brushing her fiery red hair behind her shoulder. “You can go after me.”

Sarah grinned, leaning back against the couch with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Or,” she said casually, “I could just join you in the shower, save some water.”

Madelyn froze mid-step, her amber eyes wide as her face turned a brilliant shade of red. “W-What?!” she stammered, her voice cracking slightly.

Sarah burst out laughing, doubling over as Madelyn’s mortified expression only made it funnier. Lyra, perched on the armrest of the couch, clutched her sides and joined in. “Oh, that’s priceless!” the sprite squeaked between peals of laughter. “Stop teasing her so much, Sarah. Poor Maddy looks like she’s about to combust.”

“Relax, Maddy,” Sarah managed between giggles, waving a hand dismissively. “I was joking.” But as her laughter subsided, she added softly to herself, barely above a whisper, “Well… mostly.”

What Sarah didn’t realize was that Madelyn’s sensitive ears picked up the quiet admission. Her already-burning cheeks deepened to an even more vivid red as her mind spun at the implication. She quickly turned away, hoping her expression didn’t give away the fact that she’d heard.

“O-okay, I’m taking a shower now,” Madelyn stammered, her voice shaky as she fled the room. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears. She closed the bathroom door behind her.

Madelyn took a deep breath, leaning back against the bathroom door for a moment as she tried to calm her racing heart. Her cheeks were still warm, and her mind replayed Sarah’s teasing words, followed by that quiet, almost inaudible, “Well… mostly.” The thought sent a flutter through her chest, and she shook her head quickly, trying to focus.

She moved to the sink and looked into the mirror. Her breath caught. Something about her reflection gave her pause. She looked… different. Her skin seemed to have a subtle, radiant glow—not in an artificial way, but as if happiness and life itself were shining through her. Her amber eyes sparkled with a vibrancy she didn’t recognize, and even though she was alone, a soft, natural smile had already settled on her face.

She tilted her head, studying herself. It wasn’t just her appearance—it was how she felt. Despite the chaos of her life—school, her transformation, all the mysteries—there was an undeniable warmth in her chest, a lightness she hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever. She looked… alive. Content. Happy.

Madelyn shook her head, her smile turning sheepish. “You’re overthinking,” she murmured to herself, reaching for the shower knobs. She quickly undressed, ignoring the way her reflection seemed to linger in her thoughts, and stepped under the warm stream of water.

The tension in her muscles melted away as the water poured over her, washing away the remnants of the day. She closed her eyes, letting herself focus on the steady rhythm of the droplets and the soothing heat. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept drifting back to Sarah.

A big, uncontrollable smile spread across her face as she replayed the moment over and over. Sarah had kissed her. Sarah is my girlfriend now. The thought made her heart race all over again, but this time, it wasn’t from nerves. It was pure joy.

She let out a soft laugh, covering her face with her hands even though no one could see her. “She kissed me,” she whispered to herself, the words sounding surreal and wonderful all at once. “I have a girlfriend.” Her tail, now damp and heavy from the water, gave a small, unconscious swish behind her as her thoughts filled with warmth.