The pod swims off

Ten minutes passed, and you were slightly disappointed that neither of the orcas returned to at least say goodbye. You glanced over at Tori, who was lying down on the ground, just trying to relax. "I think they're gone for now," you said.

"Well, we can come back next year, and see if Naomi still wants to try land life. That's how it goes sometimes," Tori said as she turned to look at you. "It's still a curse, and there's not always a direct reward involved, but reuniting a family is pretty rewarding too, don't you think? Just because you don't get a ton of kisses from a mommy orca or anything... which, they're kisses from my lips anyway! You want some kisses? I'll give you some kisses."

You laughed and lay down by Tori. "Maybe I don't need one, maybe you do for being the hero right at the end. You, at times, did all the heavy lifting."

Tori bit her bottom lip as she looked into your eyes. "...Maybe I do need one. I'll take a reward for once!"

You leaned in close to Tori, noses touching for a brief moment before you pulled her in for a gentle and heartfelt kiss. Even though you'd just been locking lips with her minutes earlier when Naomi was in her body, and earlier with Leo, you realized this was the first time you'd kissed Tori, unfiltered and unobstructed, in your life. It was such a wild change from how you'd once thought of her! You and she had played many roles for one another since childhood, supporting one another in just about everything. But you'd never really thought of her in a romantic way before, even as you two dated other people in school you'd always still just kept that friendly bond, which did lead to plenty of jealousy from others who didn't understand your connection. Even to this day, with Andrea in particular, that jealousy persisted. ...Maybe you really should just realize what's right in front of you.

Tori put her hand on your cheek through the kiss, sustaining it as long as she could. This was a revelation for her too--either she'd tried to deny her own feelings for your wellbeing with Andrea, or she'd just been too shy to admit anything whenever she hadn't been channeling, it was clear to her as well that you were just as special to her. The fact that you'd been so cooperative--even suggesting channeling opportunities--solidified the truth in Tori's mind: she would be an utter fool to let you go. This was her moment to win you over for good, and even if every channeled version of her showed you the best night of your life, that wouldn't mean anything if she tried to suppress her feelings when she was by herself in her body.

Tori smiled as she rested her forehead against you. "Hey, so... I think I love you. I already did, in so many ways for all the time we'd known each other. But this one... it's the big one, Pete."

"I..." You paused for a moment, as your brain reminded you that you had a romantic partner already, one you did love still! But, not as much as Tori. "I love you too. I love every version of you I've met so far, but I wouldn't trade the version of you that's right here. I'll have to talk to Andrea later and tell her it's over, but I'll suffer through that call when the time comes."

Wiping a tear from her eye but still smiling brightly, Tori leans in for yet another kiss. Despite the cold and the breeze, the kisses felt like they transported you to some warm, still sanctuary that only you and Tori knew about. But after one large gust of wind almost picked up Tori in her still ridiculously oversized wetsuit like a sail, Tori and you realized the absurdity of how things at your spot under the bridge, laughing about it. Tori sat back down next to you, grabbing the backpack she'd remembered to bring back with her so she would have fitting clothes, and luckily for her it had been waterproof. "Keep an eye out, would you?"

You nodded and watched for anyone coming and going through the passage under the bridge as Tori slipped into the shadows just long enough to get out of the wetsuit and put on some drier, more suitable clothes. They were still a little big on her, since you bought them without knowing how the day would unfold, but they were a step up--and crucially, they were dry!

Tori wandered back toward you, putting the rest of her things in the backpack and then wrapping her arms around you. "Mmm, it's nice to be able to do this. Now, it's still pretty early, and my channeling quota is complete for the day, so it's just willful channels only until tomorrow. You wanna keep wandering the city, maybe get some real food and not a tiny bowl of hotel cereal? We could do it like an actual couple, although..."

You blinked. "Although what?"

"I think police are probably gonna be looking for a muscly woman and her accomplice! It was orca theft, after all!"

You rubbed your neck. You forgot about how you did technically assist in a few crimes today, even if the result was a slightly better world.

"So, if you ask me," Tori said as she walked out from under the bridge into the sunlight, "There's two options. One, we take our chances and hope nobody recognizes you from the security footage on TV since everyone's focused on the orca-girl mystery. It's like if Bigfoot hung out with some regular guy named Daryl, I doubt anyone would care about making a Daryl spotting. Still, that's a gamble. Or..."

You quirked your eyebrows as you looked at the grinning Tori, knowing where she was going with her train of thought. "Or we try the willful channeling again."

Tori nodded. "This time, though, we could have a little fun with my body in the process. I'd let you make all the shape decisions and stuff when you channel into me, but I would have to insist on no glasses again. Still, I know that's a sudden change to the trajectory of the day yet again, so if you want to take a chance and just wander the city some more, I'm up for either option."