Better half

For White Truffle it was another ordinary day with her wife. The two of them hiked until they found the perfect rocky outcrop to fish from. The top of the outcrop was blanketed with soft, green grass and a spattering of pink and white wild flowers. Euclid sat down on the edge of the outcrop with her feet and tail dangling over the calm water below.

White Truffle unsheathed her fishing pole from the sheath she had carried over her shoulder. She sat down in her wife’s lap and rigged up a lure, hook and float on the end of the line. Casting the line out into the water. Enjoying the serenity of the wilderness. The bird calls. The water lapping. The warmth and comfort of her demigoddess wife’s fluffy arms.

White Truffle was almost lulled to sleep before her ears perked at the snapping of twigs. Euclid’s upper lip curled up. Flashing her jagged teeth. The Demigoddess of Protection and Pride growled. White Truffle pet her wife’s arm.

“Easy, babe. It’s probably some small creature. If I’m wrong, I know you’ll protect me.”

She was not some helpless experiment used to track monsters like she was at the hero’s lab. If she ran into a monster out here, the problem would be destroyed by one blow from Euclid’s dragon tail, those jagged blue fangs, large horns or crushing paws.

White Truffle kissed her wife and pushed herself up out of Euclid’s lap with a sigh.

“I’ll check it out. Here. Hold the pole. If a fish bites, reel it in like we practised, m’kay?”

“Kay.” Euclid nodded.

“Good girl.”

White Truffle set off into the treeline and saw two very oddly dressed individuals. The citizens in these quieter parts of this afterlife would not have recognized the colourful spandex, but she did.  

She did not blame them. The two who came to fetch her were not jerks. Unlike her ex- boss and other members of the team that she thought she had forgotten about. Those days were behind her. White Truffle liked this life. A simple life with her monsterous wife.

White Truffle strolled away from the heroes in the orange and purple spandex body suits and capes with confidence. Coming face to face with her wife. Euclid was hunched over on her hands and knees. Awaiting a boop on the nose from the smaller female. Her wife had an enormous fish in her maw. Which made White Truffle laugh and grimace. Her stomach turned over. Those teeth were terrifying! Euclid was always bringing her dead things or parts of dead things as gifts. The fish flopped a couple of times before its bones emitted a sickening crunch like glasses breaking and it stilled.

“Gift?” Euclid tilted her head.

“What is that?”

“Fish.”

“I see. Eh, thank you? I-I’m not hungry at the moment. I’ll...um...eat it later?”

Euclid dropped the fish into her paws and kissed the feline on the cheek. White Truffle blushed and while her wife wagged her tail, the feline wiped the fish juices and her wife’s drool off her cheek with the sleeve of her baggy hoodie.

When White Truffle looked over her shoulder, she was surprised that the two heroes were still standing there. Most people ran away by now. Except the local villagers. They advised heroes against fighting Euclid, but most heroes were too prideful to listen.

“Carry on with your business. There is nothing to see here.” White Truffle picked up her fishing pole. Surprised that Euclid had not snapped it in half with her paws. White Truffle restrung the line and tackle. Looking out at the mountains on the horizon to clear her mind.

“We’re sorry. We realize how important you were to catching those monsters and villains.” The one in the purple bodysuit and cape stepped forward until Euclid growled.

“Pfft. You must be pretty desperate if you came all the way out here to find me.” White Truffle rolled her eyes. She squeaked with surprise and dropped her fishing pole when her wife wrapped her paw around her and pulled White Truffle back into her lap.

“You regret how we parted. I understand.”

“But-”

“I listened to you. Now please leave me to sip on my wine and wander the woods. I’m not going back unless it is on my own terms. As you can see, I am extremely busy.” White Truffle said firmly, waving from behind the safety of her wife’s gigantic arm. Her glasses fogged from a combination of her breath and tears.The only thing White Truffle missed about the big city was investigating cases. Not many of those with Euclid.

The heroes could do nothing but watch the demi-goddess who obscured their ex-team mate from their field of view. Euclid was indifferent. Not speaking. Nuzzling her wife.

Euclid was a sweetie, but the demigoddess was also possessive and powerful. They did not need to know that. White Truffle did not owe her ex-team any explanation for how she ended up going from someone who analysed villains until her team left her to perish to a kind scavenger with a dedicated wife and a simple life with a cabin in the mountains where she could snuggle with Euclid and explore her hobbies to her heart’s content.

While White Truffle did not blame them for begging, she did not forgive them for leaving her to die. Though, without their cowardice, she would not have met the love of her life. The feline considered letting Euclid fight and respawn them since she enjoyed doing so.

You are better than that, White Truffle. She told herself. Damn, I was having a great day until they showed up.

White Truffle listened to them turn and walk away in defeat. That brought her some catharism. She wondered if they were lying about needing her expertise.

“Let’s go home, babe.” She yawned. “I’ve had enough fishing for today. I want some snuggles.”

White Truffle did not need to tell her wife twice. Euclid cradled her small wife in one arm and the giant fish under the other, all the way home.