Some say work is exhausting because of the workload itself. For Sapphire, that’s partially true, especially because they insist on keeping a normal-looking, exhausting, human disguise, the one they’ve had since they were born and kept throughout all these years, even after finding out about their own shapeshifting abilities. They think it’s a bit lacking at places and can’t stand looking at themself in the mirror or in any photos. Besides, dealing with people is exhausting, and their job makes it slightly worse.
Arriving home is when they get to be their true self, but tonight they were too tired for it, unlike most other days, especially because of the extra workload; they waddled to bed and took off their work clothes in favor of a pair of comfy, warm sweatpants. It’s loose on the legs and slips easily just as they like for the night. Sleep doesn’t come violently, it comes in waves as their thoughts are gently quieted, their mind soothed, their eyes closing. Their last thought, a burning desire to have someone for them to cuddle with, as they drift off into their dreamscapes.
In the dream, they feel and see themself as their own human disguise, gently floating above an empty street, a familiar one from many days, one they always drove through to reach their workplace… albeit this time slightly different than before. A portal, shimmering indigo and dark purple, gently beckoning, calling them. They slowly, but surely oblige, gently floating themself towards this alien, unfamiliar structure in a facsimile of a place they’re accustomed to.
As they go through, they feel the familiar changes, as well as the fresh air hitting their now fully naked body: four slender arms with an extra pair of pectoral muscles and shoulder blades to sustain them, narrow waist, widened hips containing three legs in a row instead of two, middle leg just as sturdy as their outer ones, a set of male genitalia by their right crotch, a set of female genitalia by their left crotch. Their perfect form, balanced, theirs.
Their body gently floats downwards, their feet and shins touching fresh water and their eyes marveling at the sight of an endless lake and imposing mountain ranges surrounding it. At the center, a familiar silhouette, a friend. Denzel, the purple V’kaar imp in all his naked glory: two heads, four legs in a row, yet also four-armed just like them. He’s turned on his back, probably meditating, as he floats a few inches above the water as well, all four legs neatly crossed, his lower hands resting on their outer legs, his upper hands not visible through this angle.
They walk slowly towards Denzel, water displacing as they walk a familiar three-legged gait, making the imp’s ears perk up then lowering himself to the water and turning around, making the shapeshifter stop in their tracks; he looks a little puzzled at first, but then sympathetic. Words weren’t really needed since Sapphire’s current demeanor told Denzel all he needed to know, and so he walked closer to the exhausted shapeshifter, his rhythmic odds-and-evens gait soothing them slightly.
Denzel reached their four hands out to Sapphire, who soon after holds them gently, the imp’s hands cradling theirs, warm, soothing. “Let’s go somewhere warmer, okay?” “I have an idea.”, the imp says, snapping the fingers on one of his hands and whooshing both of them away into a warm, cozy bedroom. The warm air in the room gently dries up any remainders of the water that once covered their shins and feet, and they can feel a soft rug under their feet. Denzel sits by the bedside, looking at Sapphire and patting his wide lap with his lower right hand, as if saying ‘come here, hun’.
Sapphire obliges, slowly walking towards the imp and awkwardly sitting on his warm lap, resting their back on Denzel’s plump moobs and bellies, blushing quite a bit as they feel the plump sheaths between his legs touch their buttcheeks. Denzel wraps his upper arms around Sapphire’s torso and holding them close, resting their upper right hand around their heart’s area, allowing them to feel each other’s skin; the purple imp’s body soft and yielding despite the strong appearance, with the shapeshifter’s lean, slender, slightly athletic body softly sinking into him, their head slotting right between his heads.
They blush a little, warmth running through their cheeks and surging through their body, warmth also felt from the imp’s body; their heartbeats slowing down, syncing to each other’s, his big hands and fingers soft to the touch, his skin warm and comforting. Denzel can’t help but look lovingly at Sapphire with his right head, closing the eyes on his left head and smiling.
He decides to lay down on the bed, laying Sapphire down along with him, idly drawing circles with one of his fingers around the shapeshifter’s twin navels. Sapphire reaches their upper hands to feel the imp’s upper arms, as they rest their lower arms on his outer left leg and the soft bed sheets respectively, not really wanting to say anything or “ruin the moment together”. Sapphire murmurs a quiet “thank you”, smiling at Denzel’s right head, which promptly gives them a smile and a wink.
Sapphire quietly says “I... I love you...” and instantly flushes red soon after, their cheeks and body becoming a little warmer than before, quickly blurting out “I-I mean as a friend! As a c-close friend!” and pressing their upper palms against their face, groaning in embarrassment. As a response, Denzel gently pets and caresses the shapeshifter’s head, chuckling very softly and replying a “Shhh... I love you too, silly” in stereo.
Sapphire asks a quick “C-can I?” before propping themself up and turning around swiftly, now resting their front against Denzel’s, legs intertwined, hearts beating closer, breaths slowing down and syncing up, heads nestled between each other, the imp’s arms wrapped around the shapeshifter’s, the shapeshifter’s hands gently caressing the imp’s bellies and moobs, their wide hips resting on top of his even wider ones, calming down quite a bit and soon falling asleep on top of Denzel.
Sapphire, now cuddling the soft pillows and bed sheets in their own bedroom, fast asleep, gently wakes up. They asks themself if it was all a dream, which promptly falls flat as they’re able to see Denzel sitting by the side of their bed, looking at them with their left head.
“When can we meet again?”, the shapeshifter asks, a bit sad about having to say goodbye.
“Whenever you wish. Just think of me when you do so.” “Maybe we can have some good fun together~”, the imp replies with a gentle smile and a wink.
A portal, the same shimmering indigo and dark purple, appears behind Denzel as he walks into it, waving slowly at Sapphire with their lower right hand... but right before the portal vanishes, he pops his heads and shoulders out of it for some last words. “About earlier... I mean it.” “I do love you.”, he says, making Sapphire slightly flustered, small tears forming in their eyes. They reply a quiet “I love you so much…”, now propped up in bed, watching as Denzel goes back into the structure, any doubts about their feelings towards him vanishing on thin air like the portal summoned by the big, strong and lovely imp.
All in all, everything seems to have worked out in the end, it looks like; they just need to wish... it will always take them somewhere – or to someone – pleasant.