It was late at night, and Blue found himself unable to sleep. Beside him, Wobbles was… well, wobbling in a slow, sleepy rhythm, their quiet snores a comforting sound in the stillness. But Blue couldn't seem to settle down. Something about the cool night air made him restless.
Deciding to take a little midnight walk, Blue scuttled around the village. The homes and shops he passed were mostly dark, save for a few dim lights flickering through the windows. He recognized each familiar building and even the faint scents drifting through the air—the smell of baked goods lingering near the bakery, the earthy smell by the smithy.
As he wandered, though, a soft noise caught his attention. It sounded like a voice, though one that seemed… strained? Curious and a little concerned, Blue followed the sound, scuttling closer until he realized it was coming from the bakery.
The noise grew louder as he approached, sounding more like groans now. Blue tilted his head, wondering if someone was having trouble with a late-night baking project. Maybe they're groaning from exhaustion? he thought, amused at the idea.
Driven by curiosity, he slipped through a small hole he'd used before to enter the bakery, quietly making his way across the floor. But as he entered the main kitchen, he froze. The sounds were clearer now—soft, breathy noises that didn't sound like someone tired or in pain but… something else. He couldn't quite place it, but they were… different.
Blue scuttled behind a cabinet, cautiously peeking around the corner. He spotted one of the women from the village, sitting on the floor behind the counter, her face flushed and eyes closed, lost in her own world. She seemed to be… comforting herself in some way, though Blue wasn't sure why she'd choose the middle of the bakery to do it.
Maybe humans in this world have strange ways of relaxing when they're alone? he wondered, feeling both awkward and intrigued. He thought about leaving, not wanting to intrude, but as he turned, his tail accidentally brushed against a nearby cabinet, knocking over a small tin that clattered to the floor.
The noise echoed in the quiet room, and the woman's eyes snapped open, her face flushing an even deeper red as she frantically looked around. Her gaze landed on Blue, who stood frozen, unsure of what to do.
For a moment, they just stared at each other, Blue's tiny form caught like a deer in the headlights. The woman quickly scrambled to stand, her hands reaching down to pull her lowered pants up from her ankles, the sight of her entrance bare and open to see, brushing herself off and muttering something he couldn't hear, clearly flustered. As she turned to fix her clothes, Blue felt his face warm up in a way he hadn't felt before. His exoskeleton almost tingled.
He quickly scuttled out of sight, mentally scolding himself for intruding. I really need to be more careful with these nighttime adventures, he thought. Humans in this world are… adventurous to say the least.