Vol 5, Chapter XIII— Tungsten, Titanium, and Trust

I woke up with a sense of mission, as if I had a furnace roaring inside me, producing a heat comparable to the tiny, soft furnace tightly pressed to my side. Of course, all that restlessness was replaced with another kind of restlessness as soon as I looked to my right and my senses took her in, her shape in the low light of a day whose sun hasn’t cleared the horizon yet that passed through the curtains, her sounds in the silence of the early morning, and her wildflowers and Summer scent mixed with our combined sweats from last night and my own lavender. Abby has this adorable way of snoring, a low, soft, high-pitched moany sound at the end of what was otherwise an almost silent exhale that tickled my chest. Hmm, pause, inhale, exhale, hmm, repeat.

“Fufufu!”

It’s kinda strange. For how much I appreciate Abby’s scent that reminds me of the hottest season of the year, it felt a bit strange that I didn’t like that season one bit besides the fact that it allowed for Abby and I to just be together and enjoy our time worry free.

Well, mostly worry free.

Today, I had planned to go out and see rings and get price estimates.

As if sensing my thoughts of leaving, Abby shifted, further snuggling herself against me, the ultimate picture of clinginess, even in her sleep. It was as if she was afraid that the bed would swallow me whole if she didn’t.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I thought, pulling her closer, Abby’s mouth latching on me like a baby to its mother. “Not yet anyway.”

My arm—the one I had used as Abby’s pillow—had long gone numb, but I hesitated to move it. I didn’t want to disturb her and risk break the preciousness of these quiet moments. Her golden tanned skin rested against my pale one, a source of heat I found comforting even if it was already quite warm in our bedroom.

I gently combed her hair with my free hand and traced her crisp tan lines, Abby shifting the leg she had between mine to now completely enveloping my waist and pulling herself closer to me, and then I trailed said hand to meet the one she had just moved to just under the breast she wasn’t suckling on. I was already having enough of a hard time not just initiating something and just let her sleep a bit more, so I didn’t need any more temptations.

Was it the right hand, or the left hand?

I reminded myself that it was right hand first, and then left hand once we get married, which made me play a bit with her right hand ring finger before entangling my hand with hers.

Abby then stirred again, giving me a tiny nibble before her mouth detached from me, making me wince in surprise. I think I heard her mumble my name. I was really curious what she was dreaming about as she had quite the nice expression on her face and was moving about more than usual, although to be fair, I too was touching her more than usual so it could all be cause and effect.

I attempted a quiet stretch, but my body had different plans as usual. It started producing very gratifying loud pops here and there, my hips, toes, elbows and shoulders being the loudest as usual. This small movement accidently made my hand go land on her waist, right at a spot Abby is particularly ticklish. Her body shook, and she stirred awake, her eyes semi-closed but already glistening more than stars locking with mine.

“You’re awake, wifey,” she purred with a smile that already promised mischief. That word, that affectionate nickname that had caused my heart to swell with complicated feelings now mostly just filled it with joy and lightness. “Hi there.”

I greeted her words before giving Abby her morning kiss and then getting mine in return. She then shifted her body, lifting it partially up and over me before dropping her chest over mine, making the heat I was already feeling swell even more. She could be the biggest tease when she wasn’t even trying. In fact, she was the biggest tease when she wasn’t trying.

“It’s still too early for us to go on our morning run silly, so to back to sleep,” she hummed, staying in that partial half on top of me as if it was the most natural and comfortable position. I was quite sure she could feel my heart beating against hers with how she was making me feel.

Yes, idiot, that’s why she’s so comfortably on top of you like that.

“I would if you weren’t clinging to me like a very effective, very adorable straight jacket,” I told her, tapping her rear.

“Hey, since I drive you crazy, I should also restrain you, right?” she giggled, tapping my choker right over the silver heart. I only realised I had mine on—and Abby hers—on that moment, it being so natural around my neck that it might as well be part of it.

We stayed like that, none of us wishing to move despite all of my talk and the two halves of me tugging to each side, the wolf Violet wanting to pounce Abby, and the dove Violet wanting to stay snuggling. Eventually though, wolf Violet got the upper hand when Abby locked eyes with me and, reading what was going on in my mind, smiled at me with a naughty look and blew me a kiss.

“Are you going to move, or should I start making plans for being stuck here until noon?” I asked, trying to play it cool.

“I think I’ll start pestering you now,” she said, as if she hadn’t been doing that ever since she woke up.

Before I could move, she disappeared under the sheets with a giggle, deciding to attack since I seemed to be trying to hold back.

In the end, we didn’t go on our morning run because “we got distracted with a different form of cardio,” as Abby put once she had regained her breath after we were done. Teaches her to be cheeky.

Still, it was a wonderful start of the day, so I was feeling light as a feather as I stepped out leaving Abby at home with Sophie. We were all supportive of her, but Abby alone was more supportive than us all together. It made me wonder how life would be and have been were I to have had one. I suppose technically I have one now under the form of Sophie, and I’m not talking about just as my future official sister-in-law. The amount of times that girl has worried about me, scolded me, supported me, helped me with chores and even made sure Abby and I took breaks during our study sessions and had something to eat during said breaks, among other things, were countless at this point.

I still don’t know how to handle having her praising me while touching me though…

It’s always a bit strange getting a warm, fluttery feeling when that happens and it’s not Abby being the provider. I guess that just goes to show how much I’ve come to like—or rather, love, Sophie in my life. Quite the turn around in a year, huh? It’d be nice if Vanessa had a similar development towards me.

Bah! Forget that!

I had just arrived to the same jewellery store Miss Maple had taught us about rings, and so, I had better things to worry about.

I smoothed my dress, made sure I still had my purse hanging by my hip, my wide-brim sunhat on my other hand, and stepped in.

Immediately I felt a bit overwhelmed. I had never been to a jewellery store, and honestly, glimpsing at one of the glass cases and seeing stuff priced two or three times more than my household monthly budget, if not more, was kinda dizzying.

I’m so, so glad Abby is such a modest, down-to-earth girl despite having an affluential background!

That thought made me want to spoil her even more once I got home. I’d be sure to get her some jam-filled doughnuts on my way home.

“Good morning Miss,” the clerk greeted with a professional smile. “Welcome to my store! Feel free to look around and let me know if you need or are looking for anything in particular.”

“A-actually, I am,” I stammered, walking up to his desk. I placed my hat and purse on top of the glass surface and took out a small paper on which I had written the specifications of what I was looking for. I began explaining him that I was looking for information on rings that had to meet certain criteria.

First of all, it had to serve as both an engagement ring and a wedding band with a simple design.

Secondly, Abby was always bouncing around when not around me while I, with so far zero professional prospects, did a lot of housekeeping, so it needed to be resilient first and foremost.

Lastly, as much as I felt a bit ashamed for saying it, it had to be affordable.

The man hummed once I was done, his reply coming almost immediately.

“Sounds like you’re looking for titanium or tungsten rings,” he said. “Titanium is lighter and you can get a very good quality one relatively cheap, especially if you buy a ‘For Him and for Her’ set. Tungsten is heavier, but nearly indestructible. My son is in the army and I remember him saying that they use tungsten in ammo to pierce tanks, so if it can go through tank armour, you can imagine how tough it is. It should be around the same price as a titanium ring of equal quality.”

Tungsten did catch my attention with how tough it sounded, however…

“Won’t tungsten be harder to get it engraved?” I asked.

“On one hand, yes, but there are tools for that. It also means the engraving won’t fade as much, if at all, with time from being put on or taken off if needed. Say Miss, I know it’s rude, but you look quite young. Could I ask your age?”

“Oh, erm, I’m nineteen,” I said, hoping that it sounded old enough to not sound weird that I was there asking about wedding rings but young enough that it didn’t sound like the lie it was.

“Looks like my first guess was right,” he smiled, pleased to have guessed my age. He then grabbed a piece of paper and began writing some stuff and numbers down as he looked at a computer monitor. With a bit of exercise, I saw that he was doing a budget for the two types of metal in what seemed like the lowest price, the highest price, and what looked like the average price for each. It took him a bit to start talking again, but I waited in silence. “What would you like engraved? There’s not much space, so if you want it to be legible, it needs to be a short message.”

“…Would ‘Yours Forever’ followed by our initials be doable?” I asked.

“Oh yes, it would,” he assured me. “Just last month, I sold one with ‘Our Greatest Adventure’ engraved on the inside, so your idea is perfectly possible to do, young Miss.”

He then handed me the card he had written the prices down on. Just as I had initially thought, he had written down the prices for each ring and at the bottom how much the engraving would cost. It could get a bit expensive, but nothing that a month of working part-time couldn’t afford, so it was actually quite affordable, in a way.

He then told me that, once we had decided what we’d be getting, me and my boyfriend could come and pick the rings and sizes if we didn’t know them already.

“Oh, erm… I want it to be a surprise, actually,” I said, omitting the fact that it was a girl I was getting the rings for.

He was very amused by it, saying it would be a wonderful surprise. Still, he told me as he pointed to two hand mannequins he had by his monitor, that would make it harder for me to get my boyfriend’s ring size.

I stared at them for a moment, finding that the smaller hand was somewhat close to Abby’s hand size. Without thinking, I reached out and entangled my fingers with it as I thought about how I would get Abby’s ring size. Just as I did that, I noticed how a finger in particular had a spot that felt exactly how Abby’s ring finger felt.

“It’s this size,” I told him, tapping the number that indicated the size.

He stared at my face for a second before pointing out that the hand I was pointing at was a feminine hand, forcing me to finally clarify that the other ring was in fact for a girl. Honestly, I wished I had clarified it sooner, not because I was embarrassed to share that information—I was, but that’s beside the point right now, but because the nice man got flustered and apologised for having assumed it was for a boyfriend.

After that bit of mess was over, he still recommended me to get the measurement by using a piece of string while Abby is asleep, I thanked him for all his help, and I was out of the store, still a bit embarrassed, but in a great mood.

As I walked by one of my favourite clothing stores, I noticed a big sign that hadn’t been there a couple of days before when Abby and I came to the mall to get something to eat while out on a date. They were running a sale. Not a big one, but one that gave me pause. I had seen a few A-line skirts I had quite liked last month and that they still had in stock apparently, but didn’t get them because at the time I thought that I didn’t have a use for them. Now that I had Sophie’s recital however, I was thinking that maybe I should get one so I was dressed a bit more formal. My allowance had also gone up ever since dad started his new job under Will, so it’s not like I was hurting for cash either, quite the opposite in fact.

…Oh, what the hell! Just a look won’t hurt.

The first skirt I grabbed was one that was white and pleated, each fold having about five fingers of width, with big navy-blue roses and leaves scattered around the fabric. I do love a nice floral pattern, and the fact that this skirt also had two hidden pockets in the pleats that were quite deep was a great plus.

The second skirt was a bit longer, in a nice carmine colour, also pleated, these being smaller at about two or two and a half fingers of width, a black leather belt with a silver belt buckle. It also had hidden pockets, but these only managed to fit my fingers in before bottoming out. I didn’t have many reds in my wardrobe, but I had things that’d go well with it, so it’d open up new possibilities.

Lastly, it was a forest green skirt that, while straight-line, had the hem cut in a wavy motion, reminding me of the bud of a flower. It had no pockets and it was fastened by a long string. I couldn’t remember owning anything green, but I did have stuff that would work great with it, so it’d make a fine additions to my wardrobe too.

I also spotted and white formal shirt with a glossy finish that was half-priced, so I grabbed that one too. I did have my white uniform shirt, but that one was cheap cotton and polyester, this one was twill, much, much nicer.

I tried them on, having liked them all. They all accentuated my waist and hip flair, giving me a very nice curve there. I mean, I had a nice curve there now, unlike two years ago, but you get my meaning. It made the gentle rounding of my waist into my hips pop out a bit more.

…Damnit! Which one do I pick?

Whenever in doubt, I ask Abby. I had to go through the process of changing into each one all over again, but I did, taking photos with me wearing each one of them from different angles and sending them to her with their price tag before asking which one should I buy. I watched the read signal getting ticked on and her answer came swiftly.

“I’ll pay half of it, so buy them all. Sis asks for you to let her borrow one of them tonight, preferably the red one.”

I blinked at the phone, thinking about calling her, but she had me beat as my phone became alive, moving in my hand and flashing her name and photo on the screen.

“Abby, hi. I—”

“Just last month alone you spent about half the total that those three skirts cost in treats and dates for me, while I only got you a couple of stuff, and again, that’s just last month alone, so shut up and let me spoil you this time.”

“…Ok,” I mumbled, having been completely beat.

“Ok, good,” she chirped from the other side. “Oh, and Violet?”

“Yes?”

“Strawberry.”

“Strawberry, got it,” I laughed, not surprised that she knew I was stopping by her favourite bakery.

And just like her favourite doughnuts, this conversation was short, sweet, and hit the spot, so I now had three new beautiful skirts and a shirt once I paid for them.

As I waited for my turn to pay at the register, I noticed another thing they had on a sale. It was a “get two, pay one” kind of deal for underwear, but it seemed like it was solely on thongs and G-strings.

I could buy them, but I’d still be overpaying for the amount of fabric I’d be getting.

Not that I’d ever buy, or even wear, such things. Abby did have to wear them way back when her mum forced her to wear that tight dress so that Abby wasn’t showing panty lines, so I guess they do have some use. She has never worn them again though, at least as far as I’m aware of, they just sit in our underwear drawers, taking space. Were they even comfortable? I never tried, but I always thought they’d feel like getting a wedgy, and I was already getting one from walking around and sweating.

Hmm… Maybe they are comfortable, at least for some… still, they might be too breeze for me.

It’s not that I don’t have and wear some that are more mature and provocative, but they still offer full coverage… at least material-wise they do…

Aren’t I just being just a prude?

Nothing wrong with that, I’m allowed my own preferences and comfort zones, but I suddenly felt like I couldn’t criticize that kind of stuff that much when some of the stuff I wear ends up showing about just as much anyway. And maybe the fact that they were breezy would help me tolerate the heat better? It’s one of the things I hate the most during Summer is sweaty clothes, especially underwear. It just feels so gross having that clinging to my skin.

“Thank you for your purchase! Have a nice day!” the cashier said.

In the end, I didn’t buy them, but I made a mental note to one of these days ask Abby about her experience wearing those. I wasn’t interested in buying them, at least not yet—the time with Abby told me to never say never after all, I just wanted a different perspective to possibly challenge my own perceptions. That was after all one of the best aspects of dating someone with a different background, life experience, and personality, and who will not judge you for being different.