Charming Girl

“I’m not tryin’ to push you into doing stuff, or anything,” Kelly lied, reaching over to carefully smooth out the way those shaggy blue bangs laid across Emily’s brow. “Just, like—we’re all gonna be involved with Brian. I want us to be on the same page.”

“Right. Yeah,” Emily nodded distractedly. “Same page is good.”

Kelly only just barely managed to suppress a positively villainous smile. After what felt like an entire weekend of her womanly wiles running up against the guarded wall of Brian being defensive, and then patiently carrying an innocent and confused Stephanie through her sexual awakening… toying with Emily was way too easy. The petite Latina might as well have been a teenage boy fresh into puberty for the way she pretended not to ogle Kelly’s body, and those wide eyes seemed to fixate on certain assets in particular.

“You had your first time with Brian last night,” Kelly pointed out. “I know that was important to you. But… Emily, there’s three of us girls, and only one Brian to go around. That’s like, a major resource scarcity, and each of us have needs, you know?”

“I… yeah,” Emily’s expression fell. “That’s…”

“Speaking as Brian’s girlfriend,” Kelly continued, “I’m not gonna tolerate any drama bullshit. Brian’s not gonna want to deal with us fighting or being jealous all the time or petty to each other. No one wants to deal with that. Right?”

“Yeah,” Emily agreed with an uneasy look. “But—”

“So—easy solution,” Kelly cut her off. “We share. Threesomes, foursomes if all of us are in the mood. It worked like a charm last night, didn’t it? Everyone had a great time. If you—”

“‘Worked like a charm,’” Emily snorted. “More like, the charm power or whatever wants that. Wants us to like, fit together without squabbling, like an anime harem. That’s not reality. It’s changing us, it’s—”

“Do you want us all fucking squabbling and at each other’s throats?” Kelly sighed. “Alright, fine—you’re actually gonna make me say it. Emily. Kitten. Will you go out with me, be my girlfriend?”

“Will... I what?!” Emily choked.

“I want you to be my girlfriend,” Kelly said. “Just like Brian’s my boyfriend. Our boyfriend. Have things kind of, uh, official between you and I like that. We can start dating, see where things take us. How does that sound?”

Unable to plausibly keep arching her back in a stretch, Kelly opted to instead cross her hands overtop her stomach as if she was nervously anticipating Emily’s response. It was the most subtle way she could use the position of her arms to slightly squeeze her breasts together, and the motion didn’t escape Emily’s notice. The girl’s dark eyes dropped down towards those enormous titties and failed to look away for several unsteady breaths.

“Wait, uh, what about, what about Stephanie?!” Emily finally protested in a weak voice. “You like, said that you and her—”

“I’m also going to ask Stephanie to be my girlfriend,” Kelly explained, deciding to be completely honest. “No offense, but like, I’m not super close to you just yet. That’s why I can just up and ask you out like this. With Stephanie… I’m gonna like, wine and dine her, make sure that everything about the moment’s just right so that she absolutely says yes.”

“She’ll say yes to you no matter what,” Emily pointed out. “If you think about it. The way she—”

“I get it,” Kelly shrugged, allowing her bosom to bounce. “She probably would. Doesn’t change how I feel about it. I mean, Brian would’ve said yes to you no matter what back when you were both awkward teenage fucks.”

“That’s—no, that’s completely, totally different!” Emily shook her head in adamant denial.

“Uh, no? Not really?” Kelly smirked. “If he was a teenage guy without oneitus, and he didn’t have a girlfriend—expressing any interest and just asking him out would’ve worked. Why would a guy be single if he didn’t have to be?”

“I mean, yeah, but—what if he said no?” Emily scowled. “Couldn’t take that chance. At all.”

“Okay, so you do get it—that’s my feelings for Steph, right now,” Kelly said. “Again, no offense—it’s a little scary asking you out and having you just change topics to avoid answering, but like, if Steph did that? Fuck, I would be pretty devastated.”

“I didn’t really mean to, uh,” Emily fidgeted. “W-wow, you’re, like, really into Stephanie, huh?”

“I’m really into Brian, too,” Kelly clarified. “Just. It’s complicated. It’s real fuckin’ complicated with, y’know, my trust issues with guys, and how will he react to finding out about the rest of my past, and… it’s messy. Brian and Stephanie, they’re both what I need, you’re probably all what I need. But, right now, where I’m at in my life? I need Steph more than anything. She’s this... hopeless little bundle of hope and optimism and love, and I feel like I need her to help me open up to the rest of… everything. Also, she tastes amazing.”

“Yeah, she does—um, she is pretty great,” Emily nodded. “I’m glad. Happy for you, and all. But, like, if you have her, if you have her and Brian… why the fuck would you want me?”

“Do you really want to know?” Kelly asked, teasing fingertips along her own navel. “Once you know, there’s no going back.”

“Uhhmm…” Emily swallowed.

“I honestly love feeling like I’m slowly corrupting Stephanie,” Kelly admitted, lifting both hands to clutch at her giant breasts and then tweaking her nipples, pinching and tugging upon them. “Turns me on so fucking much. But at the same time, I don’t think this kind of degenerate mindset’s ever really gonna come to her naturally. And, that’s okay! I don’t think I really want that for Steph. Not really. You, though?”

Kelly stepped forward, pressing herself into Emily’s personal space.

“You’re a kinky little bitch, just like me. I can tell. I can see it in your eyes, and I can smell how turned on you’ve gotten just from watching me talk. You’re watching me play with myself, and you like it. You want more.”

“No, I was just!” Emily meekly protested, holding up her hands. “Kelly, I, uh, I don’t think I’m into girls!

“You’ve only been telling yourself that because you only had eyes for Brian,” Kelly countered.

“Yeah? So?!” Emily blushed, backing against the wall as Kelly took another step forward. “What’s wrong with—”

“Uh, so, I’m Brian’s girl,” Kelly said. “One of his girls. One of his belongings. Just think of me as an extension of him, as part of the physical attraction you have for him. Will you make out with me after I’ve blown him? Help lap up the cum he shoots all over me? I totally get it, you’re not gay. Whatever goes on between us—it’s just the harem charm’s fault, okay?”

“That… that doesn’t even make sense!” Emily sputtered. “It wouldn’t justify—”

“Then, why can’t you take your eyes off my tits, huh?” Kelly demanded. “I’m attracted to you, I like you, and I put myself way out there asking you to be my girlfriend! I’m bending over backwards here tryin’ to help you justify your painfully fuckin’ obvious bicurious feelings and make things smoother for you. Emily, are you my gonna be my girl, or do I need to go take a cold fucking shower and start second-guessing myself?”

“Kelly, I—” Emily visibly wavered with indecision.

Deciding to go for broke and play one of the oldest tricks in her repertoire, Kelly forced herself to stop blinking. After several incredibly tense moments of silence, she felt her eyes begin to water—in simple biological response to being exposed to the air—and Emily’s expression softened right away at seeing tears form. Jesus, no way. Really? That one hasn’t worked on anyone since I was like, eleven.

“Alright,” Emily conceded, taking a deep breath. “I can... try this. I guess. If Brian’s cool with us—”

Kelly leaned in and pressed her naked body up against the girl, smothering pert, pillowy shapes right into Emily’s face in the guise of an overly emotional embrace. She almost felt bad playing dirty, but she meant a surprising amount of every crazy thing she said. Also, seducing the lovestruck-for-Brian girl with the complex about her breasts was getting Kelly so fucking hot that she decided she cared less and less about rationalizing her questionable actions.

Then Kelly gasped, because with a wet sensation and gentle nibble Emily was all at once trying to pull as much silky flesh into her mouth as she could manage. The Latina let out a whimpering groan and suckled, releasing that awkward stranglehold she’d put on her inhibitions and eagerly playing across Kelly’s swollen nipple with her tongue and teeth. Her trembling body undulating with need, Emily reached around to grasp, squeeze, and fondle the plush shape of Kelly’s ass with fervid desperation, while Kelly let the graceful line of her lip finally curve into a wicked smile.

“No, no—I’ve stayed in hotels before, it’s just, I never checked out of a hotel before,” Megan admitted with a chuckle. “Everything’s already paid, so you just get all your stuff, leave the key on the dresser, and you know… leave.”

“It’s polite to check out at the front desk when you leave!” Rebecca laughed. “Everyone does it. It’s responsible.”

“You realize no one does that, right?” Megan goaded her on. “People aren’t responsible, that would be a total pain in the butt.”

“Th-they are so!” Rebecca’s protest sounded feeble even to herself. “People are responsible all the time! Loads of times! They’re adults, of course they’re going to check out when they leave. For all you know, they could be charging you for an extra day by mistake, or something.”

After taking Megan to the front desk to check out—with Megan giving her a strange look the entire while—the girls had made a trip to their respective vehicles in the parking lot of the Sherriot before ultimately deciding to leave them parked there. The hotel Brian was staying in and the convention center itself was only a few blocks away, and there was no way of knowing if they’d find free spaces for their cars any closer than they already were. It’s a beautiful morning for a walk!

So far, she’d decided that Megan was quite a character. During the short distance traveling together across the city sidewalks they were already bantering back and forth just like Rebecca was used to doing with Emily, who she’d known for years. I just bet Emily and Megan would get along famously! The pair idly watched the hustle and bustle morning traffic of the city as they walked, an occasional odd look the only reminder that Rebecca was dressed in her viking linens.

“Hey, I really meant what I said before,” Megan said. “About siding with Stephanie. She’s the sweetest girl and would never get into a fight for no reason like that. Not over anything. Even trying to get her to speak up properly in class is like, impossible. She’s not just like, soft-spoken, she’s terminally shy. I don’t have any idea what all happened or what’s been going on—but whatever it is, she’s not in the wrong. Okay?”

“I think… that she’s had quite the weekend,” Rebecca remarked, feeling a little uneasy. “It’s been crazy.”

The predicament she’d first discovered Stephanie in had been far worse than a squabble in a hotel hallway, and Rebecca knew her lingering impression of the pink-haired girl would always be one that triggered her protective instincts. But, how on Earth did she get all tangled up between the mess between Brian, Chloe, and Emily?! Did Emily run into her again after—

“Well, I guess that’s AnimeCon for ya!” Megan let out a wistful sigh. “AnimeCon; where every day is a holiday, and every meal a banquet!”

“Every formation is a parade, every paycheck a fortune!” Rebecca recited in agreement, giving Megan a surprised look.”

“You like James Carpenter’s Alien Things?!” Megan exclaimed.

“No,” Rebecca refuted. “I love James Carpenter’s Alien Things. It’s one of the greatest movies ever made.”

“Are you—are you single?!” Megan dramatically lifted her hands to her own cheeks. “How have we never met before?!”

“That’s AnimeCon for you!” Rebecca teased, gesturing across the street. “Here, this crosswalk. My friend Brian always reserves a spot right across from the con.”

“Pssh, lucky,” Megan huffed. “He must book super early, everywhere this close was already taken by the time I even thought to go online.

“There’s always next year!”

“True, true. Definitely and absolutely coming next year,” Megan swore. “Like, I can’t stop thinking about all the cosplays I want to do. Are you coming next year? Have you been to AnimeCon before?”

“I was here last year,” Rebecca said as the crosswalk signal flashed and they hurried to cross.

“Me too!” Megan said. “Last year was my first, but this year was my first time cosplaying, so this is my first real AnimeCon. You know? I had my Pandape dress. Your outfit’s from Skygrim, right?”

“Outfit?” Rebecca asked with a playful expression. “Miss Megan—these are my clothes!”

“Right, right,” Megan laughed. “Of course. My mistake.”

Rebecca led her off the sidewalk and through a small gate that led over into the inner courtyard pool area that hotel wrapped around. The cabana-style aesthetic was as charming as ever to Rebecca, and just like last year she inwardly chided herself for not remembering to pack a swimsuit. There was room to swim, there was a jacuzzi alcove, and plenty of reclining loungers in and out of the shade for relaxing or sunbathing.

“Yep yep yep,” Megan smacked her lips. “Getting this hotel next year. This is nice.”

“The Sherriot you just came from had an indoor pool!” Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Here, this way, this way. His room’s right over here.”

“Totally not even the same! Although—yeah, ugh. People here are littering, throwing junk in the bushes—tsk tsk!” Megan babbled on. “Like, don’t get me wrong, my room and my car are this total mess, but when people just freaking toss their garbage anywhere in public—”

“Oh, goodness,” Rebecca frowned, noticing what looked like a lanyard strap caught amidst the small branches of one of the shrubs of the decorative plants that surrounded the fenced-in pool area. “I forgot all about this!”

“Forgot about what?” Megan asked.

The heavyset girl blinked in surprise as Rebecca stepped off of the concrete walkway that went along beside all of the first-floor hotel rooms and waded into the bushes.

“Oh, I didn’t mean—” Megan laughed. “I totally didn’t mean you had to go pick it up, or anything. I’m sure the hotel staff go through to clean up random—”

“No, I think Chloe threw something over here last night,” Rebecca recalled, carefully leaning over some of the plants so that she could reach for the discarded item. “She was throwing this awful fit, right here outside Brian’s room.”

“That… sounds like her,” Megan remarked. “What is it?”

“It’s someone’s AnimeCon badge,” Rebecca observed, lifting the lanyard up to take a better look. “Maybe it’s Chloe’s? Or Brian’s? Maybe when—ouch!”

“You okay?”

“You bit me!” Rebecca accused with a cute pout, singling out a wooden token that had been hidden just behind the dangling convention pass. “I pull you out of the bushes, and you bite me?!”

“What bit you?” Megan asked.

“It’s this silly little… um,” Rebecca froze in place, eyes darting around her in bewilderment. Something significant had changed, but it wasn’t her surroundings or anything around her. Almost as if… Taking a deep breath, Rebecca closed her eyes, centered herself, and—like a hidden door within had been revealed, her mind opened up into the shadowy expanse of ancient forest.

Inwardly frowning, Rebecca turned the strange sensory experience over and over in her mind. Some concepts seemed to immediately evoke some startling and visceral visuals, like the reddish-brown upon deep tan shades of tree bark. Other ideas seemed to remain in the dark of the ethereal, eons-old tree canopy, in the dark and just beyond her grasp. The standing trunks of the forest were immense, thick things, gnarled and streaked through in robust streaks of oak and chestnut. The dark copse of trees stretched out in every direction across her mindscape, and the looming shapes blocked out almost every strand of sunlight, preventing new forest growth.

As a girl with an unusually strong intuitive sense, Rebecca recognized the forest interpretation as being representative of herself almost at once. My ways of thinking can be… rigid, yes, but… aw, geez!

“Rebecca?” Megan asked. “What is it? You okay?”

Setting aside her new friend's concerns for the moment, Rebecca ventured deeper within the dark forest of her mind. She could sense there were secrets hidden within, sexy things, exciting things, interesting discoveries to explore painted within her subconscious almost like—Rebecca jolted to a full stop. The first thing to stumble across, just behind a twisted thicket of especially vibrant trees, was Emily. Emily flowed across the ground in a winding stream.

All Rebecca could do for a few moments was stare at the unnatural blue waters for a moment as she struggled to comprehend why the little creek immediately evoked the familiar presence of Emily, while bearing no actual visual likeness or personification of the girl at all. Rebecca could simply feel that it was Emily, she knew it, she could feel it right down through the chestnut-colored old roots that drew nourishment along the banks of the stream.

Yep, that’s definitely Emily somehow, Rebecca quirked her head and smiled. Weird.

Emily seemed to slosh with mild alarm at the sudden intrusion.

There were other fascinating things to investigate just beyond the stream that was Emily—foreign flashes of brightly colored light that seemed to dance in the murky dark like will o’ wisps. Rebecca could feel them, whoever they were, and pink light twinkled and flickered at her beyond the distant trees as if in response to her arrival. Something red just downstream was causing the blue water to hiss and sputter into a steamy roil. Rebecca was just about to attempt pushing her presence in their direction when Megan interrupted again.

“Rebecca? Rebecca?” Megan called, sounding genuinely worried now. “Are you… alright? Rebecca?”

“Sorry!” Rebecca’s eyes fluttered back open and she gave Megan a drowsy smile. “I think… I was just dream-walking? Somehow?”

“Dream-walking?” Megan echoed in surprise.

“Yeah,” Rebecca nodded slowly. “It was… neat. I’m still there, kinda.”

“Huh,” Megan blinked. “Dream-walking? I… guess that’s cool?”

“Sorry,” Rebecca laughed, putting on a sheepish face. “I can be weird. I think… I think we should go knock and see if everyone’s awake.”

Turning a peculiar look in the direction of Brian’s hotel room door, Rebecca hefted the lanyard up and began to pick her way out of the decorative bushes. Emily… I know you’re in there! You have so much gosh darn explaining to do!

“A new hand touches the beacon!” Emily intoned, jolting upright.

“What the fuck?” Kelly disengaged, hugging her arms in close to her chest and rubbed them up and down as gooseflesh began to appear. “The... fuck was that?”

“You… you felt that, right?” Emily asked, feeling her face color. “Something just happened. Someone just—wait a minute, have you never played Skygrim before?!”

“No…?” Kelly stared. “I mean, no I’ve never played Skygrim. I definitely felt something really weird.”

“Yeah, um. It was like…” Emily made a sheepish face, trying not to gawk at Kelly’s bodacious figure or acknowledge the reality of what they’d been getting up to mere moments ago.

I mean, it’s—it’s a big deal, alright?! Emily had felt a tug of actual fucking magic on her astral being or whatever—her first time experiencing something mystical without Stephanie’s aid. Naturally the first thing that immediately jumped to mind was to blurt out a joke about it. Fuck me!

It was fucking embarrassing, it almost made things even more super weird between them, and worse yet, Brian was the only one who would’ve ever even gotten her stupid reference in the first place! Whatever the magic interruption was, though, she could still feel it. Feel... something. It wasn’t much, but it was definitely there, a weird sort of… bolstering presence. Like some part of her psyche had been drooping down unnoticed, until someone else happened by completely out of the blue and propped it back up into place. Uplifting? Steadying? Some kinda weird… uh… support?

“Uhmm,” Emily took a cautious step away from Kelly. “You still feel it too, right?”

“Yeah,” Kelly gave her a serious nod. “I still do; it’s still there. Whatever it is. Feels like... tight shoelaces.”

“Feels like… what?” Emily cocked her head in confusion, unable to follow her line of thought.”

“Shoelaces,” Kelly repeated. “Like, when they’re not untied, per se, but they loosen up over the course of a day? You stop, untie, and then retie them, so that they’re all snug and tight again. It’s that kind of feeling, but like… on my soul?”

“Huh,” Emily said with a thoughtful expression. “Yeah. I was gonna say it feels more like we’re receiving some kind of passive buff.”

“Sure, okay,” Kelly shrugged. “But, no one but you knows what the hell that means. Shoelaces works. People get shoelaces.”

“Uh, it’s…” Emily made a face. “Passive buff. Like in a game, err, a fantasy game, you could have a character in your party whose power or whatever gives the rest of the party this tiny stat bonus, without anyone actually having to do anything.”

“So, someone in our party just came into their powers?” Kelly guessed. “It’s not you—it definitely doesn’t feel like you. Doesn’t feel like Brian, either, exactly. S’not Stephanie.”

“Feels like… a hug,” Emily scrunched up her face as she tried to identify what she was experiencing. “Like if someone could actually send you a hug from a long distance away, this is exactly what it’d feel like. It’s almost like...”

“Tight shoelaces,” Kelly disagreed.

“Actually, it feels… kinda like—it’s Rebecca!” Emily realized, jumping and making a dash for the door. Straining up on her tippytoes, Emily was just barely able to line her eye up with the door’s peephole. “Rebecca’s here!”

“She is?” Kelly asked, glancing over.

A scant moment later, someone gently knocked on the door.

“She is!” Emily exclaimed in excitement. “Oh my God it is Rebecca! It’s one hundred percent absolutely Rebecca hugging both of us. Hugging both of us from the inside. She must have found the charm from wherever Chloe tossed it! Rebecca just entered the harem!”

Emily found herself almost overwhelmed at the prospect. The persistent hug buff or whatever it was just felt so completely goddamned Rebecca that it just seemed to click and make sense. She wasn’t sure she could identify exactly what the feeling was or pin down what it was doing, but it definitely reminded her of Rebecca. It was that very familiar moral support Rebecca feeling.

Much like the time Emily had to go to the tax office for stuff, and Rebecca offered to go along with her. Rebecca hadn’t even had to speak up when Emily talked with the tax lady about whatever stupid thing she was supposed to clear up, but the simple presence of her friend being there in the background had provided that extra reassurance and confidence when Emily was feeling anxious.

“Rebecca?” Kelly quirked her lip as if she wasn’t sure what to make of the news. “Your other friend from last night?”

“Yeah, she’s—she’s good people,” Emily assured her. Totally not even complaining because a persistent Rebecca buff is fucking awesome, but how the heck is her power or whatever already working?! Where’s MY superpowers? I mean, hell, she hasn’t even—wait, she’s never kissed Brian, right? Right?! “We… we need her on our side. She’s good.”

“Okay,” Kelly frowned. “I guess. Should we get dressed?”

“Good morning Rebecca!” Emily exclaimed as she opened up the door just a fraction and peeked around the edge. To her surprise, behind and to the side of her familiar friend there was another girl, a heavyset girl that Emily didn’t recognize. “Uhhhh, hey, we’re not dressed, but if you can give us just a second—”

“Hiiiii!” Rebecca greeted with a sleepy wave of the hand. She was wearing a perplexed, quizzical smile. “Good morning! Is… something weird going on with you guys?”

Stephanie almost tripped, stumbling over her own feet as part of her mind opened up to a chestnut-streaked forest of wide, sturdy trunks and ancient limbs, and the pink-haired girl nearly dropped the drink-carrier containing the coffees and hot cocoas.

“Whoa, there,” Brian remarked, steadying her free hand. “You alright?”

Having collected their order, the two were rather leisurely threading their way back through the city towards the hotel. Brian carried a take-out bag bulging with the cartons of their breakfast along with two rolled-up copies of the Gazette in one hand, while he held Stephanie’s hand with the other. She’d opted to carry their drinks, carefully hugging the carrier against her body.

“Yep!” Stephanie said with a weak smile. “Sorry. I’m feeling a bit… lightheaded.”

Lightheaded didn’t quite begin to describe what was actually going on, and Stephanie’s pupils dilated wide as she grappled with her fledgling sixth sense. Something—someone—had entered the network of intimate connections that tied Stephanie’s emotions to the others. It didn’t feel like an intruder, either. Rather than alarm and terror, she felt the sentiment of greeting a friendly face, of welcoming someone who really belonged into the fold.

Brown? Stephanie pondered, stretching out her senses. Her color is brown, and she’s… I can’t quite tell what her thema is? Roots? Branches?

Whoever it was, her flavor was comforting and reassuring. This new girl was wide open to them emotionally, seemed to be someone who could immediately be identified by the psychological equivalent of a pair of open arms. Safety. Love, support, immediate and enduring friendship. But, who is it?!

Um. Hello? Hi there! Stephanie tried to broadcast. The link that tied them all together didn’t seem to be compatible with expressing words or ideas, but the gist of Stephanie emoting a welcome seemed to be conveyed. There was a distinct impression that this new girl was turning her attention towards her, and Stephanie felt her transmit back bemused curiosity.

“Steph?” Brian interrupted, tugging her to a stop.

“Hmm?” Stephanie jolted back to awareness.

“You alright?” Brian gave her a look of concern. “Asked if you wanted me to carry the drinks, but you kind of zoned out.”

“Oh—sorry!” Stephanie blurted out, giving his hand a squeeze. “Hah, I was just—my head was miles away there for a second! Lost in thought. I’m fine, I can carry them.”

“Let’s get back and get some breakfast in you,” Brian said. “Probably shouldn’t have let you run with me on an empty stomach like that.”

“I’m fine!” Stephanie promised, sharing her smile with him again. “I mean… okay, I’m a little bit hungry…”

“You’re cute when you’re hungry,” Brian observed with a grin. “Emily gets ravenous for food. Then she eats like, less than half a portion and just sits back rubbing her belly moaning ohhh why did you let me stuff myself, I’m such a pig ohhhh I’m gonna hurrrl.”

Stephanie couldn’t help but break into laughter at his Emily impersonation.

“Chloe would get quiet when she was hungry,” Brian continued. “Not good quiet, either. Pissy quiet, there’s a problem and why haven’t you noticed what the problem is yet sort of quiet. Got me into serious trouble a few times early on in the relationship. Before I started to always, like, mentally track how long it’d been since she’d had a meal.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Stephanie retorted, shaking her head, furrowing her brow, and pursing her lips. “I really can’t believe her!”

“Thanks,” Brian said with honest appreciation. “I’m, uh. I really don’t mean to keep bringing her up, but for the longest time it’s like there’s a lot I need to get off my chest about her, and there wasn’t anyone that it was safe to talk to about it. Not even Emily. Because she’d get… weird upset whenever I brought stuff like that up. Though, I guess Emily being upset makes more and more sense now.”

“She loves you,” Stephanie affirmed, feeling her kinship with Emily growing stronger even as she felt more and more disappointed with Chloe. “We all love you.”

“Whoa there,” Brian chuckled. “Better watch that kind of talk around Kelly.”

“Kelly loves you, too,” Stephanie insisted, making a cute face and sticking out her tongue. “She knows she does.”

The pair of lovers walked across the last stretch of city block in companionable silence, having the good fortune to have a crosswalk signal halt traffic to allow them across the moment they arrived at the curb. Stephanie felt incredibly pleased just going around with him and soaking up conversation, these casual moments and conversation that she’d never realized she needed in her life but now craved more and more of. As silly as it was, when they stepped off the sidewalk and through the small exterior courtyard gate of Brian’s hotel, Stephanie was almost wishing they could spend more time just walking around together.

“Worried about that whole thing with Kelly, too,” Brian admitted as they strode along the walkway beside the hotel’s pool area towards their room. “I absolutely want to help her out with her living situation still, just. Also, it’s kind of like I’m just imposing my solution on her. Yanking her out of her comfort zone, forcing her to rely on some guy she hardly even knows at all—”

“We’re going to make it work,” Stephanie said. “We will. It’s, it’s just like in an anime! Where the protagonist is suddenly pushed into living arrangements with a beautiful girl.”

“Sort of like us meeting by you falling on top of me?” Brian arched an eyebrow. “Or, yesterday when I walked in on you and Kelly making out—”

“I didn’t fall, Megan pushed me!” Stephanie protested with a giggle. “I, I really liked how that ended up, though!”

“Oh, yeah?” Brian challenged, giving her a teasing look.

“Brian, I...” Stephanie drew in a deep breath. Think, think! How do I say it, um, um, how would KELLY put this?

“Brian—” Stephanie gently bit her lower lip and looked up at him with a certain heat in her eyes. “I really want to sit on your face.”

FortySixtyFour

Huge thank you to my supporters for making my writing possible! Aihnman, alethiophile, andy may phan, Angel Sworn, Anonguy, Aodean, Bill Johnson, Brian Czisny, Caleb, Chris, Conner Nay, Davin Taddeo, faraday, Garen McGhee, godoffaer, I. Ronical, jb qspam, Jeanie6754, jmundt33a, Joel Robinson, Julius Cheeser, JustAChair, Kibbleguy, KingofClubs8129, Kimu Taka, kognar, Lety Does Stuff, Luke Mofford, Miss Stephanie, Montugar, MountHermon, Mundane, NyarlathotepB, Overlord_Grimm, Paul Wirtz, Phillip Rayne, QuietDistress, Scarnem, Th1Alchemyst, The Epitome of Eccentricity, TiAM325, Tomas Wood, venef, Vowron Prime, William Foster, YellowLotr and especially Foxy!