Chapter 9: Afterglow

As Toriel finally came up for air, she gazed down at the athletic woman, who was still rubbing her sore throat, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. Toriel's face softened, and she reached out to gently brush a strand of hair behind the athletic woman's ear. The woman's eyes met Toriel's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Toriel's gaze then drifted to the blonde, who was still slumped against the wall, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling with slow, labored breaths. Toriel's expression turned gentle, and she walked over to the blonde, sitting down beside her on the bench. She wrapped a comforting arm around the blonde's shoulders, and the blonde's head lolled onto Toriel's shoulder, her body sagging in exhaustion. The athletic woman watched the scene with a mix of emotions, her eyes lingering on Toriel's gentle expression. She seemed to relax a little, her shoulders sagging as she realized that Toriel wasn't just a demanding and intense person, but also someone who could be kind and caring. As the blonde drifted off into a light sleep, Toriel carefully extracted herself from under the blonde's head and stood up, her eyes meeting the athletic woman's once again. This time, Toriel's expression was more subdued, and she smiled softly at the woman. "I'm sorry if I was a bit... rough," Toriel said, her voice low and gentle. The athletic woman shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "You were... intense," she replied, her voice husky. Toriel chuckled, a low, throaty sound. "That's one way to put it," she said. As Toriel began to gather her things, the blonde stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She gazed up at Toriel, a soft smile on her face, and Toriel's heart swelled with affection. "Hey," the blonde said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hey," Toriel replied, smiling down at her. The athletic woman watched the exchange, a pang of... something... in her chest. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she felt a sense of longing, a sense of connection to Toriel and the other two women. As Toriel finished gathering her scrubs and lab coat, she pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled down her phone number. "In case you two want to... do it again sometime," she said, her face flushing slightly. The blonde and the athletic woman exchanged a glance, and then nodded in unison. Toriel smiled, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. With a final glance at the two women, Toriel turned and left the locker room, her heart still racing from the encounter. She felt a little embarrassed, a little flushed, but ultimately, she was happy. She couldn't wait to see what the future held for her and the three women she had just met. As she walked out of the locker room, Toriel felt a sense of freedom, a sense of release. She knew that she had just experienced something special, something that she would never forget. And as she disappeared into the hallway, she couldn't help but wonder what other adventures lay ahead.