Cassiopeia plopped down on her couch, apple-cheeked and exhausted. It had been a long day, clearing the thin layer of snow from what felt like kilometers of wooden walkways and spreading ice-melt granules. It had been a cloudy day, and one of the few days in almost a week that the temperature had briefly risen above freezing.
The heat in Cassiopeia's home, a small metal hovercraft with two levels, was on a timer, but she couldn't feel it through her layers of clothes. Cassiopeia's waist-length green hair was braided and wrapped around her head under a fluffy hat with ear flaps, the same bright crimson as her eyes; her overcoat had a gray plaid pattern that she thought made her look like a bum, but it was so warm that she didn't mind. Underneath that she wore a sweatshirt, a thermal shirt, and a pair of jeans, specially modified with snap buttons so she could pull open the crotch in emergencies.
As usual, Cassiopeia's bladder was achingly full. Winter was the first half of the busy season at the docking yard, she hadn't had time to stop and pee since her lunchtime. After resting for a few seconds, Cassiopeia figured it was time to pull off her layers and finally have a pee. She had to clench up to keep from leaking as she sat up, and as she stood to start taking off her layers, she realized that she'd forgotten to put back the jug of ice melt crystals. The jug wasn't far away, and neither was the supply shed, so she readjusted her hat and plodded back out into the still, cold evening.
Though it was only half-past five in the afternoon, it felt much later. The sky was dark, with bright, subtly blue lights illuminating the walkways at regular intervals. The snow from the week before covered the ground between the walkways in uneven drifts, providing an eerie half twilight. The thin scattering of weekend hovercrafts, nestled in their stalls around the yard, had their own exterior lights.
Before Cassiopeia knew it, she'd sighted the bright pink of the ice-melt crystals. As she locked the shed back up after returning it, her bladder spasmed. She pushed her legs together and took a deep breath: her hovercraft was only a two-minute walk away. If she could just-
"H-hi, Cassiopeia!"
Cassiopeia jumped and almost wet herself right there. It wouldn't be too bad if she did, she told herself desperately. It was Friday, and apart from her regular appointment with Azri the next morning, she had nowhere to be over the weekend and plenty of time to wash her clothes.
Cassiopeia turned around. The voice behind her had been feminine, but she didn't quite recognize it until she saw the pale catlike ears.
"Saoirse?" Cassiopeia's stomach dropped, and her face heated rapidly as she pressed her legs together to prevent a leak. Saoirse's face was as red as Cassiopeia's felt, contrasting her bright hazel-green eyes and pale wavy hair, cut neatly at jaw-length. She was underdressed for the cold, wearing a zipped-up dark hoodie over a heather gray t-shirt, faded khaki pants, and a plain pair of tennis shoes. The temperature was already dropping now that it was dark, and Saoirse was shivering slightly, her catlike ears back a little. She had a backpack slung over her shoulder, and Cassiopeia wondered if she had a place to stay that night. "What are you doing out here?"
"I c-came to see you," said Saoirse. They stood there for a long moment, staring at each other, until the urge to pee hit Cassiopeia again. She tried to clench up again, but this time it wasn't stopping. Thinking quickly, Cassiopeia unzipped her outer coat, slung it around Saoirse's shoulders, and ducked under the nearest walkway. She spread her feet, yanking on both sides of the crotch of her jeans. She wasn't wearing underwear, but still didn't quite make it before all the snap buttons had opened. Cassiopeia's flow started as a hissing trickle, echoing under the walkway while she pulled the crotch of her pants open wider.
"Thanks," said Saoirse's voice. "But...aren't you cold now?"
