Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He’d always made an effort to get to class early, especially on the first day. Part of it was making sure he got a good seat; contrary to what some people might have thought, he didn’t want to be in the front row. He didn’t like getting called on, and he certainly didn’t like getting called out for doodling instead of taking notes. Another part was trying to make a good impression; he wanted the teachers to like him, and seeing him sitting there when he got in was a good way to help show he actually did care about the material, despite what the aforementioned doodling might suggest. But the real reason, and why he kept trying to get in early after that first day? If he got there early enough, he got an empty classroom to sit in, read, and decompress for at least a few minutes.

Unfortunately, it seemed like he wasn’t quite early enough for that last goal. As he turned the corner, he saw the door closing; looks like someone beat him to it. Still, he figured, he might as well go in. Best case scenario, it’d be someone like him, and they could both share the peaceful quiet of an effectively empty classroom. If not, well, it wasn’t like he was totally asocial. He had friends. Some of them were even people he knew in real life.

His train of thought abruptly ground to a halt when he opened the door, before he could even begin to walk in. No, a more accurate metaphor was that it had derailed and toppled off a jagged mountain road. The girl - no, the woman - who’d gone in ahead of him wasn’t anything like him. She might well be his polar opposite. She stood at least a head taller than him, if not moreso, and was so muscular that he could see the definition in her arms and legs at a glance. And a glance was all he could spare, because his eyes were immediately drawn to her shirt, and the fact that it was currently up around her head, being used to soak the sweat from her brow. Which meant everything from her neck and below was exposed, covered only in a sweat-soaked sports bra.

Under ordinary circumstances, he’d probably be staring at her breasts. Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn’t be in front of this gorgeous mountain of a woman. Which is why his eyes were instead drawn instantly and completely to her stomach, and the perfect abs just barely visible beneath her dusky skin. She had a full six pack, the definition of each individual muscle obvious even without the sheen from the sweat glistening over them. He watched, hypnotized, as they tensed and contracted with each breath she took, with each movement as she dried herself off. She looked like a bronze sculpture come to life, a Greek goddess from an alternate reality where they were built like the Greek gods.

She’d also started to lower her shirt; his eyes were instantly drawn to the movement, and met her dark eyes on the way. They seemed to gleam with mischief, and her lips spread slowly into a smirk “Like what you see?” she asked.

He made a very masculine noise that didn’t at all sound like ‘meep,’ and turned his now-pink face away. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s cool,” she replied, eyes warming and lips spreading to a genuine smile. “Guys leer at my tits all the time without ‘em being on display. At least you weren’t being a creep about it.”

“I wasn’t staring at your breasts,” he yelped, face so red he could feel it.

Her smile vanished almost instantly, eyes narrowing and lips quirking into a frown. “Seriously?” She shook her head, hands on her hips. “C’mon, I kinda liked the fact that you owned up to it and apologized. I can respect that, y’know? Don’t go all chickenshit on me now.”

“I really wasn’t,” he mumbled. His entire face was hot now; he’d be surprised if he wasn’t purple. She raised an eyebrow, and he buried his face in his hands. “Looking at your abs,” he mumbled.

She blinked, then burst out laughing, a raucous guffaw that made his stomach drop out from under him. When she saw him sinking down into himself, she shook her head, wiping away a stray tear. “Sorry, sorry. I just wasn’t expecting that. I’m not making fun of you or anything.” A warm smile spread across her entire face, eyes like hot chocolate half-lidded as she regarded him. “It’s kinda cool you can admit that, y’know?”

He, once again, made a very masculine noise, mumbled a quick thanks, and slid bonelessly into the nearest seat. He quietly pulled out the book he’d been reading, steadying himself as he tried to focus on the words. It wasn’t until he heard the scrape of the chair that he realized she’d sat down next to him. She was close enough that when he breathed in, he could smell the heady, salty scent of her sweat, mingling with rather than covered by lavender and vanilla. So,” she asked, “whatcha reading?”

He quietly held up the book, holding it open less to let her read the cover and more as a shield he’d placed between them. He was certain she was going to make fun of him again. But when he peeked over it, she seemed genuinely intrigued.

“Fellowship of the Ring? I loved that movie. Wish they’d done more with the badass elf chick, though.” Her lips then split into a wide grin. “How’s the novelization hold up?”

He bit his tongue, holding back his kneejerk response. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

She laughed again. “Totally. Oh, man, you should see the look on your face, though.”

He rolled his eyes, but despite himself, he felt the first hints of a smile beginning. “So, you’ve really never read it?”

She shook her head. “I’ve thought about it, but it always seemed so long. C’mon, sell it to me. How’s it compare to the movies?”

“Well-“

———

Back in middle school, he’d usually made a beeline straight for the nearest empty table, gulped down his food, and then took off for the library. For the first couple of days, he felt like that was going to be the same for high school. But apparently looks were going to be deceiving. Mainly because, before he could reach that island of peace in a sea of chaos, she noticed him.

“Hey!” she called out, so loudly he couldn’t pretend he hadn’t heard her even. She was grinning, eyes bright and warm, as she waved her powerful arms over her head. “Over here! Come sit with us!”

Us, in this case, was well over a dozen other athletic girls, the smallest of whom looked like she could still look him in the eye if she weren’t sitting. Most of them were engrossed in conversation with each other, but that still meant he had the attention of four or five attractive young women, all of whom were looking him over with various degrees of interest. One on one, it’d be intimidating; together, it felt like he was about to be dissected. Nevertheless, he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if he turned and ran. So he took a deep breath, steeling himself, and made his way over to the table, sitting in the seat she’d left clear next to herself.

A blonde girl with a ponytail raised an eyebrow, and turned to her friend. “New boyfriend, Ash?”

He felt his guts clenching, but she just laughed. “Nothing like that. We just sit next to each other in math. He’s cool, though.”

“Yeah? Welcome to the chaos, new kid. Don’t worry, we don’t bite.”

“I do!” A dark-haired girl with half a dozen piercings exclaimed.

“You better not,” a redhead with close-cropped hair grumbled, wrapping an arm around the other girl’s hip.

The group surrounding him rapidly disintegrated into banter, laughing and cajoling each other, leaving him feeling somewhere between the eye of the hurricane and the kid in the corner at a party. The few times he felt like he had something to say, the conversation quickly moved on. But only a couple of minutes had passed before he noticed there was now a second outlier: The aforementioned Ash. Even as he started folding in on himself again, she looked around briefly, then zeroed in the pierced girl. “Hey, Monica,” she interjected, “what’s that new series you were telling me about?”

“Oh, the Wayfarers?” She rustled into her backpack, pulling out a beaten up book with a cover depicting something resembling a metal squid in a sea of stars. “I’ve only been trying to get you to read it for half a year, miss Movie Only.”

“I’ve never heard of that series,” he mumbled, mostly to himself. But it was loud enough that she heard him; piercing blue eyes bored into his, and for a brief moment, he wondered if he shouldn’t have said anything at all. Then she smiled the predatory smile of a proselytizer who’d just heard someone mention he’d never heard of this Jesus fellow. “Really?” she asked, in a tone somewhere between disbelief and excitement. “Oh, you’re missing out. She’s got some of the best world-building I’ve read, and the way her characters interact… here, lemme read you the cheese argument.”

“Cheese argument?” he asked, mostly to himself, as the surprisingly bombastic young woman began to perform a one woman dramatic recital.

The rest of lunch went on in a similar vein; whenever he’d get isolated from the conversation, Ash would find some way to hook him back in, bringing up a girl’s summer vacation somewhere fascinating, or a game they’d played, or something else that drew him back into the conversation. Soon, the interactions began to feel more natural, and he felt comfortable enough to interject himself into the conversation when it felt appropriate instead of just hiding behind his tray. It was still a lot more energy than he was used to, and they shared a language of in-jokes and references he had no common ground with. But it was probably the nicest time he’d had sitting with strangers, certainly the nicest in a school cafeteria.

It wasn’t until the bell rang that he realized how quickly time had been passing. But once he did, he wondered if there was a short in the system. It felt like things had gone by in the blink of an eye. As everyone began to pack up and clear out, he turned to Ash, a bashful smile on his face. “Thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it. The team is a lot,” she said, like the master of understatement she apparently was, “but they’re the best friends I’ve ever had. You’re gonna sit with us again tomorrow, yeah?”

He thought for a moment, then nodded. “I’d like that,” he said.

She grinned at his reply.

———

He did a double-take when he saw her. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe she’d be in the library; even if that wasn’t a shitty thing to think in general, it definitely wasn’t true for her. She might not be an avid reader, but she’d read a couple of the books he recommended to her, and after Monica had managed to bully both of them into reading that series of hers concurrently, they’d started chatting about it. No, the thing he couldn’t believe was the look on her face. She was almost never without that infectious, heartwarming smile of hers; right now, she looked frustrated, almost miserable. She was glaring at the pile of books on her table, as if she could burn a hole in it with her eyes. Needless to say, it wasn’t working.

He almost didn’t want to disturb her. He wasn’t sure she wanted to be disturbed. But he also didn’t want to leave. Finally, he made up his mind, heading over to her, and clearing his throat. “Hey, Ash,” he asked, “are you okay?”

She looked up with a start, and her expression instantly softened. “Hey, Brian. How’s you end up doing on the test?”

“B. I missed the last question entirely,” he admitted. “I’m not sure what I was going wrong, but I went completely on the wrong track.”

“Aced it,” she mumbled.

“Really? Congratulations!”

“The hell do you mean, ‘really,’ she growled, eyes gleaming like polished bronze. “I’m not dumb.”

He felt like she’d punched him, and like he deserved it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean-“

She huffed, waving him off. “It’s cool. I know you didn’t. I’m just in a crappy mood. Didn’t mean to take it out in you.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes up to meet his. “You know how to find a paper’s worth of information on a guy who barely exists and doesn’t matter?” she asked.

He blinked. “I might need some context for this,” he said, pulling out the chair next to her and taking a seat.

“So, I’m in this computer class. Learning to program looked like fun, didn’t see anything else I wanted to do with that elective slot, I gave it a go. Turns out the teacher got his license out of a cereal box,” she spat. “It’s been a month, and we’ve barely touched a computer. All we do is learn boring crap, and about half of it doesn’t have anything to do with anything. He gave us this big essay about computer history, and we don’t even get to choose the fun stuff!” She then slammed her fist on the table, teeth bared. “So I get some nobody who’s got one line about him on Wikipedia, and I gotta swing that into twenty pages!”

He realized, at some point, that his jaw was hanging open at the utter inanity of what she was saying. She looked up at him, then laughed sardonically. “Yeah, that was my face yesterday. Now I’m trying to find something, anything, about this nobody, I’ve got one paragraph. I dunno what I’m gonna do, Brian. Can I change electives?” She started to stand up. “I’m gonna go see if I can change electives.”

“I think it’s too late in the quarter,” he said, and she plopped back in her seat. “Anyway, that really sucks, and I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know,” she grumbled, burying her face in her hands. “I’ve never failed a class before,” she mumbled. “Mom’s gonna kill me.”

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. I think I can help, actually.”

She looked up at him, eyes wide and shining. “No shit?”

“First thing’s first,” he said, grabbing a piece of paper. “Let’s go over wherever you did find about this guy. Then we’ll see what we can find out about whatever it was that he worked on. Hopefully, we’ll just be able to write about that and bullshit about that.”

“You think that’ll work?” she asked.

“If this guy’s as obscure as you say he is,” he assured her, “then your teacher won’t be able to check either. Sounds like he just got this guy’s name off of a list somewhere. Other than that? Well, then it’s time for more of the fine art of bullshitting.”

She looked at him, resting her face on one hand. “You’re kinda cool when you get all fired up like this, y’know?”

He snapped out of his reverie as his stomach sailed into his lungs. “R-really?”

She nodded. “I like it. Hope I get to see more of it. Alright,” she said, before he could process that last statement, cracking her knuckles, “you’ve got me all fired up too now. So, computer guy. His name’s-“

———

Brian didn’t know what hit him. One moment, he was walking down the hall, minding his own business; the next, it felt like someone tackled him. The world span around and around, as strong arms pressed him into stronger abs and - he noticed to his shock, disbelief, and embarrassment - a softer firmness somewhere above them. His breaths were tinged with lavender and vanilla, and only the barest hint of her own heady, salty scent. Finally, the whirlwind of muscle and other things he’d been caught in abated, leaving him dizzy and off-balance. As he struggled to regain his footing, he looked up into Ash’s gleefully grinning face.

“I take it you passed?” he asked, still in a daze.

“B-!” she cheered, with the kind of enthusiasm someone would normally use when they got accepted into their dream school. “He didn’t like all the focus on punch cards, but screw him!”

“I’m really glad,” he replied.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” she said, hugging him again. This time, it was his face that got pressed into the soft firmness of her breasts, a fact that he only really appreciated in the abstract because his conscious mind was too busy fizzling and popping to properly appreciate it. His face was completely red by the time she released him, which was surprising, because he didn’t feel like he had much blood left in that head. If she noticed any of this, she had the decency not to comment.

“Y-You’dve done th-same for me, r-right?”

“Damn right I would,” she crowed. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not grateful, y’know? You saved my ass, Brian.”

And what an ass he saved, he managed not to say. “Just glad I could help,” he said. “L-Lemme know if you need help again, okay?”

“You know it,” she replied. “Hey, that reminds me, you still having trouble with Quadratics?”

He shrugged. “I’m getting it, slowly but surely.”

“You wanna work on homework together sometime? I bet I could help you get it.”

And there went his stomach again, this time through his shoes. The idea of spending time with her, alone, on a regular basis? “I-I’d like that,” he mumbled. Yeah, he’d like that a lot.

“Awesome! You wanna aim for after school today?”

He nodded, then suddenly shook his head. “Can’t,” he replied, “I’ve got Forensics.” At her intrigued look, he looked away, and mumbled “trying to deal with the whole shy thing.”

“Aw, but it’s cute,” she said, grin widening as his face reddened. “Anyway, I just didn’t know you were into the whole CSI thing.”

He shook his head. “Debate, actually.” She raised an eyebrow, and he exhaled, hard. “I blame Aristotle. Anyway, how about tomorrow?”

She shook her head. “I volunteer every Wednesday. Maybe Thursday?”

“Works for me,” he said.

“Cool,” she said, holding up a fist. “I’m really looking forward to it!”

“That makes two of us,” he replied, as he gingerly bumped it with his own.

———

“Ash, your boyfriend is here!”

She rolled her eyes at the ponytailed blonde, but dashed off the court anyway, bounding up to him so fast he was afraid for a moment she was going to bowl him over. “Brian! Hey, whatcha doing here so late?”

“Forensics,” he mumbled, face still so hot from Sharon’s comment that he felt like he’d spontaneously combusted. It didn’t help that she was so close that the moment he breathed in, he felt his head starting to swim as lavender, vanilla, and sweat filled his lungs and mind. “Anyway, I, um, found this in my backpack,” he said, as he pulled out her physics textbook. A couple sheets of loose leaf paper peeked out from between two pages, her messy handwriting just barely visible at the edges. “I think you must have put it in my pile at lunch.”

She took the book from him, flipped it open, then set it down and wrapped those big, strong arms around him. He could barely breathe; not because of the force, but because he was already dangerously close to tenting his pants just from being held by her, and if he started breathing her in for real, that was it for his burgeoning social life. “God, you’re a lifesaver. My teacher’s such an asshole. ‘Zero homework? Zero grade, zero excuses,’” she recited, voice low and drawn out. Then she laughed, releasing him and letting the sparks inside of his brain begin to flicker away. “Seriously, though, you really didn’t have to come out here. You could’ve just given it back to me tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but then when you made it home you would have been worrying all night.”

“Dude,” she laughed, “have you met me? I wouldn’t have even noticed. Still, thanks. That’s really sweet, y’know?”

His face burned hotter than when Sharon called him her boyfriend. “D-Don’t mention it,” he mumbled.

“Hey, since you’re here, you wanna watch us practice? It’s not as cool as a real game, but it’s still fun to watch.”

Not really, he wanted to say. But somehow, despite looming over him, she could still give puppy dog eyes like the best of them. As he felt those warm brown eyes melting his heart, he realized he’d lost before he started. So he just nodded. “Sure, I’ll give it a go. But, um,” he began, looking at her shyly, “which bases do you need to hit to get a touchdown?”

She boggled for a moment, then glared at him. “You’re just fucking with me, right?”

A smirk spread across his face. “I still owed you from the beginning of the school year,” he replied, as he took a seat in the nearest bleacher. She huffed, shaking her head, then ran off to rejoin the teammates currently on the court.

He’d always thought sports were boring. He wasn’t one of the types who jeered at anyone who liked ‘sportsball,’ but he just didn’t find them interesting. Apparently, his mistake was starting with men’s sports. He could definitely see the appeal, he decided, as he watched ten incredibly fit young women running and leaping and panting and striving. It was hypnotic, the way their bodies moved, the way their muscle tensed and flexed and contracted, the looks of ferocity and exhilaration on their faces. Especially her. There wasn’t a member of Ash’s team he wouldn’t happily watch, but she was the one who he couldn’t look away from. The way she stood tall over even the other players, the way her presence dominated the court, the way she threw herself into the game with a passion and intensity he couldn’t remember ever feeling before… he’d never met anyone like her.

He hadn’t even noticed someone taking a seat next to him, until he felt an elbow bump into his side. He jolted, and looked over to see Sharon staring at him, an exasperated look on her face. “Your girlfriend just scored a three pointer,” she drawled.

He did a double-take. Ash had? When? He’d been watching her the whole time. And, apparently, only her, as opposed to what she was actually doing besides being her mesmerizing self. The moment he realized Sharon was right, he raised both fists in the air, and with genuine excitement, yelled “Go, Ash!” The resulting laughter made him want to curl into a ball, but when he peeked out between his fingers, he saw Ash looking up at him, grinning that infectious grin of hers, waving happily. Despite how embarrassed he felt, he still managed to return both the wave and the smile.

Sharon had a smile of her own, possibly the smuggest he’d ever seen. “Not gonna deny it, huh?”

He blinked, then suddenly realized exactly what she meant. “N-No,” he mumbled, “she’s not- I mean, we’re not-“

Sharon’s smile fell into a frown, and she rolled her eyes. “Uh huh. Just ask her out already, dude. This is just sad. You’re like a pair of giant pandas or something.”

He made the most masculine sounding squeak in the history of squeaks, and anyone who claimed otherwise was a liar. Then, eventually, he turned back to her. “Y-You think she’d say yes?”

Sharon threw up her arms and growled in exasperation.

———

Just ask her out already. Just ask her out already. The words danced around in his head, twisting him around them and tying him up in knots. He’d never asked a girl out before. He’d wanted to, many times. He’d never managed it. Every time he’d tried, it felt like his words melted out of his brain and ran out his ears. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t even make noises that, okay, let’s be honest now, weren’t actually masculine at all. But he was going to do it this time. Really. He was. Absolutely.

As usual, she’d gotten here before him; as usual, he’d gotten here before anyone else. It was just the two of them. Nobody else around. Nobody to see him trip over his words and make an idiot of himself. Except for her, of course.

Just ask her out already. Just ask her out already. The words echoed in his mind, spurring him on. But then he looked over at her, at her gorgeous, garnet-flushed face, her warm brown eyes, at the kind of physique most men would kill for, let alone women, and it felt like he was trying to walk off a cliff. He tried to force out the words, force them out again, but he couldn’t manage to make a sound.

This is just sad, the voice in his head said, and all he could do was agree with it.

Eventually, she noticed him looking at her. “Hey, you alright?” she asked, and he barely held back a whimper. Instead, he just nodded, and darted his eyes to look forward. When he looked back to her, there was a look of mischief across her face. “Hoping for another peek?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows and toying with the hem of her shirt.

If she turned off the lights, he mused, as he pretended he was studying an interesting bit of wood grain on his desk, she could probably read by the light of his face right about now. The smirk that crossed her lips didn’t make things any easier.

“Oh, hey, speaking of my totally amazing muscles, you know my first game is coming up next weekend, right?”

Language centers were still fried, so he just nodded. She’d mentioned it a couple of times, and obviously it had become a major topic among the team when he sat with them.

“You’re gonna come, right?”

He looked back to her, and saw the same hopeful look he’d seen when she’d asked him to stay and watch her practice. Once again, he felt his heart melting at the look. “Okay,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have to,” she began, only for him to shake his head. Then that infectious grin crossed her lips again. “Thanks. It’d really mean a lot to me, y’know?”

He nodded, words still difficult, the wood grain on his desk still so enticing. “Looking forward to it,” he said honestly. Especially watching her play again.

“Yeah? Me too! Don’t worry,” she said, popping her phone out of her pocket and opening it up, “I’ll snag you a ticket.”

“You guys sell tickets?”

She just chuffed as she opened up her calendar to set up a reminder. Then, her eyes went wide, and she turned back to him. “Oh yeah! After the game, the team was gonna throw a Halloween party. You, uh, wanna go together?”

He felt the world drop away from him. He was completely wrong about what she was asking, right? She just meant as a plus one, right? But, somehow, when his brain shut down this time, instead of going silent, it decided to betray him on the way out. “Like, together-together?”

She blinked, looking at him like he’d just started speaking another language. Then, a moment later, her cheeks went solid garnet, and she looked away. The world came back, so fast it felt like it collapsed in on him, knocking the breath from him. He’d just fucked everything up, hadn’t he? Obviously that wasn’t what she meant. Now if he was lucky, she was about to put a hand on his shoulder and start telling him about how great a guy he was, and then make any excuse to never see him again; if not, she was going to start laughing and completely break him.

What he didn’t expect - what he couldn’t expect, but apparently Sharon could - was the way she slowly nodded. A shy little smile crossed her face as she looked back to him, an adorable look unlike anything he’d ever seen on her. “You wanna?” she repeated, voice soft.

He didn’t trust himself to respond without his voice cracking. So he just returned her nod.

The next thing he knew, he was up in the air again, held in those big, strong arms, pressed against hard muscle and firm but distinctly softer breasts. She was laughing, the little bit of his brain that was still functioning noted. “God, I’ve been trying to ask you out for weeks now. How the hell, man? How’d I mess up so badly it wrapped around to perfect?”

“Tell you when I figure out how I did the same thing,” he mumbled.

She almost bawled with laughter as she held him close.

Chapter Text

As muffled music pounded from the house in front of him, he nervously adjusted his visor, which had once again fallen over his eyes. His plume flopped over his face pathetically, and with a sigh, he just pulled the feathers off the silver plastic helmet and slipped them into a pocket in his tabard. Part of him still didn’t believe this was actually happening. Visions of a thousand different scenarios danced though his head, everything from him being the only person in a costume to her pausing from making out with someone in her league to wave at him to her telling him to get lost as she slammed the door in his face. But finally, the door opened. And he felt his heart sink when he realized it wasn’t her answering. He hugged the container of brownies he’d brought in arms clad in silver faux mail, dreading what was about to happen next.

Some of his nightmare scenarios still instantly went out the window. Rose, the redhead with the short-cropped hair, was wearing a blue jumpsuit with silver stripes running up the sides. Most of the others faded as she took one look at him, turned back inside, and yelled “Ash!” at the top of her lungs. And all the rest faded away when he saw her bounding up to him, a fang-mouthed grin on her face, coppery eyes wide and excited. Besides, he realized, as he saw her costume, he didn’t exactly have the brain capacity to worry right now. It was being used for other things.

A top that looked like it had been painted on. Shorts so short her gym uniform covered up more of her legs. Long gloves halfway to her shoulders, long boots halfway to her hips. All of them with the same ruby-scaled motif. It was the kind of costume wet dreams were made of, and it suited her perfectly. Some little part of him also noticed the rest of her accessories: The horned headband, the batlike wings on her back, the short little tail hanging down from her belt, the little claws on each finger and decorating the tips of those boots. The rest of him was noticing the fact that there was nothing between that top and those shorts. Nothing except bands of gold paint that did nothing to hide the definition of her muscles.

When his visor fell over his face again, he didn’t bother to remove it; better to hide the way his jaw had dropped and his face had gone red. He also thanked his lucky stars that he’d gone for the costume with the knee length tabard.

“Told you he’d like it,” Rose stage-whispered to her, loud enough that it was clearly intended for him as well.

Monica, clad in a blue jumpsuit with copper horizontal stripes, just snorted. “Anyone with a pulse would like that,” she snarked.

“You’re just jealous ‘cuz I’m the cosplay queen and you’re just my sexy little court jester,” Rose snarked back.

As the two of them began to bicker, Ash just pushed past them, reaching out to push his helmet back up. “Hey, you. Love the costume. Ooh, and are those brownies?” She held out a hand, and laughed when he tried to put the container into it. “Don’t tempt me. C’mon, let’s get those to the kitchen before I add them to my hoard.”

He made a number of noises that didn’t exactly amount to a reply, but at least got the sentiment across, at least if the warm smile on her face was any guide. He reached out to the outstretched hand, which enveloped his, and let her pull him inside. They moved past a group of costumed teammates and assorted hangers on, some dancing to the music and some trying to two over it, and slipped into the kitchen. He finished rearranging containers and Tupperwares to make room for his offering, then popped the top; once he finished he looked up, and saw Ash leering down at him, fangs removed. “Those look homemade,” she said, a line of drool glistening on her lip. “Are those homemade?”

He nodded. “They’re nothing special, I just like to bake.”

“Music to my ears. Can I have one?”

He plucked one of the corner pieces out, and brought it up to her. He expected that she’d take it; he was absolutely not expecting it when she bit down on it it instead. She chewed happily, little hums of pleasure accompanying each movement of her jaw, then swallowed and bit down again. He was completely frozen, watching the look of ecstasy on her face, unable to pull his hand away even if he wanted to. Finally, the only bite that remained was the one in his fingers. That one, she didn’t bite down on. No, instead, he watched in stunned disbelief as her lips closed over his fingers, her hot tongue slipping between them to hook it out of them.

Her warm brown eyes met his, and he felt her teeth nip gently down on his fingers, tongue slickly curling around each of them one by one. He felt a soft suction as she continued to taste and tease him, saw the corners of her mouth pulling up even as her eyes softened but refused to leave his for a moment. When she bit down again, he gasped, breath shaking; she growled, low and happy, a noise somewhere between satisfaction and desire as his own response only spurred him on.

He didn’t know how long the blond, ponytailed elf had been staring at the two of them, but he deeply, sincerely hoped it wasn’t for too long. Regardless, the moment he noticed her, he jerked back as if he’d been burned, drawing an irritated noise from Ash as he robbed her of her prize. The noise wasn’t directed at him, though; she stared Sharon down, hands on her hips. She wasn’t nearly as intimidated as he‘d been when Ash gave him that look; she just looked from him to her and back, then muttered “fucking finally” as she slunk out the door.

The two of them looked back to each other, then just laughed. “Alright,” Ash said, “let’s get our party on. We got a horror shorts marathon in the basement, games upstairs, and music in the living room. If you wanna go make out, there’s the broom closet and pantry, and if you just wanna mingle, there’s a patio outside.

He nodded along, then suddenly realized exactly what she’d said. “Wait, what?”

“I can’t hear myself talk in the living room, let alone anyone else.”

“N-No, that’s not-“

She winked. “Still, dancing sounds kinda fun right now.” She offered her hand, and asked, “You in?”

He looked up at her and sighed, a dazed smile on his face. “Yeah, I’m in,” he replied, as he took her offered hand, and let her fingers intertwine with his.

———

Hours had gone by in the blink of an eye. They’d danced, they’d chatted, they’d played all kinds of ridiculous games, and when he was completely burned out, they’d slipped into the basement for the horror movie marathon. Ash, being Ash, had loved the hell out of it, watching in glee at every jump scare and creeping terror dozens of depraved minds could come up with. He, on the other hand…

“Tell me when it’s over,” he whimpered, as he buried his face in her shoulder.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, one strong arm wrapped around him, the other stroking his back soothingly. “You’re doing just fine. It’s really sweet of you to stay here with me, y’know? You sure you don’t wanna go outside again?”

He nodded into her. On one hand, he was going to have nightmares for a week, minimum. On the other, there was something about having the piss scared out of him - not literally, thank God - that was actually fun. At least after the monsters went away. Also, odd as it might sound, it was still helping him to recharge his batteries.

And, of course, he’d be willing to go through a hundred of these terrifying little videos if it meant those big, strong arms would be wrapped around him the entire time, holding him tight, enveloping him in warmth and scents of lavender, vanilla, and just a little hint of sweat. Not that he’d ever say any of that out loud.

“Hey,” she eventually murmured, “wanna hear something fun?”

He looked up at her, and nodded.

That mischievous smile slowly crept across her lips. “Kathy and Sue just went upstairs. It’s just you and me now.” Her lips slowly began to part, fake fangs giving the action a distinctly predatory cast. “Want me to stop the video so we can have some fun?” she asked, as she slipped them out of her mouth.

His eyes went wide as he realized the implications of what she was proposing. Once again, he didn’t trust his voice not to crack if he tried to respond. So he just nodded, and she grinned as one hand slid across the couch to the remote, ending the parade of nightmares and leaving them alone in the darkness.

“I’ve never, um,” he began, only for her to touch a finger to his lips.

“I kinda figured,” she said, not even a hint of judgment in her voice. “It’s okay. I’ll take care of you.” Then one of her hands stroked his cheek, gently angling his face to meet hers, and she pressed her lips to his.

It felt like he’d been struck by lighting in the best way possible.

Her lips sought his out again and again, soft, gentle kisses that only lasted a few moments, but with barely a moment between them. Before he knew it, he’d started kissing her back, slowly, haltingly, trembling with each kiss. But despite that, as their lips moved together, each kiss slowly began to linger for longer and longer. It felt like each one was filling his heart, which he’d never even realized was empty before, flooding it with something he couldn’t get enough of even as he felt like he’d been filled to the point of bursting. He heard himself moan, and felt his face grow hot, but then felt her fingers curl into his hair, and every trace of self-consciousness was brushed away by her affectionate touch. Eventually, she leaned back, guiding him on top of her, and he felt her hot tongue start to slip into his mouth. He let her in without a second thought, let her caress his mouth, and start to guide his eyes into a delicate, playful dance.

At some point, her other arm had slipped into his tabard, groping blindly as she searched for the space between faux mail and hose. Once she found it, she began to glide it up his back, pulling him against her as she traced plastic claws and silky cloth across his bare back in a way that made him tremble and shiver. His own hands gingerly flitted across her body, with no idea where exactly he should or even could touch. The answer to that second question quickly became obvious: She wasn’t stopping him. Even when he ran his trembling hands over her red-scaled top, or cupped her firm, round, muscular rear, she only growled that low, happy growl she’d made earlier, coiling her fingers in his hair and squeezing down hard enough to make him gasp in delight.

Then, finally, both could and should aligned, as his hands found the strong muscles of her arms, and began to trace their swell. She chuffed in amusement, but once again made no moves to stop him, letting him slowly travel from flexor to bicep to deltoid and back down her triceps, feeling - reveling in - the sheer strength in those arms of hers. After a while, slowly made his way down her back, fondling half a dozen different muscles he didn’t know the names of, giving his attention to each in turn. Then finally, he began to curve them around her sides and to that hard belly that had caught his eye almost two months ago. She growled again when he first made contact, running his fingers through the grooves between each steely abdominal muscle, sinking her teeth into his lower lip and tugging it as she pulled back. “You’ve wanted to get your hands on those since the day we met, huh?”

He nodded, face flushed less with embarrassment at being called out and more excitement at the hunger in her voice.

“Everything you dreamed they’d be?”

“More,” he whispered, as he caressed her well-defined stomach, marveling at the feeling of power as she wriggled at his touches.

By the time he realized she’d started to take a more active role, she’d already rolled on top of him, straddling his legs as her own hands started to glide up his shirt. Each touch set his nerves alight, the feeling of her gloved hands on his stomach almost ticklish in its intensity. When she finished her journey up to his now-exposed chest, digging her fingers into him, he gasped in pleasure; when she went on to pinch and tug at his nipples, he mewled in surprise and delight. With each passing moment, her kisses grew longer and more aggressive, tongue seeking his out to wrestle it for dominance. He didn’t stand a chance, of course, but it was a fight he’d gladly lose again and again just so he could keep experiencing it.

Then, slowly, one of her hands started to slide back down his stomach, crossing the hem of his hose and continuing downward. He jolted as her fingers first brushed his groin, and moaned, voice shaking, when she started to caress him, to feel exactly how hard she’d made him. Then her hand traveled back up, until she reached the hem of his hose for a second time. She pulled away from his lips once again, and her eyes, somewhere between warmth and hunger, met his. “Want me to stop?” she asked, waiting patiently as his storm-tossed brain struggled with the next response. Slowly, he shook his head, reaching a hand from the muscles he was happily worshiping to hers, guiding her beneath his waistband.

“You’re so wet,” she growled, as she started to brush the tip of his foreskin, slick with his arousal. “This is really all from me, huh?” she murmured, as she started to slide his foreskin back, setting his nerves ablaze as she ran her fingers across his soaked glans and shaft with a tenderness he’d never shown himself. “That’s so hot,” she purred, as she cupped him against her palm, fondling him, exploring the way her electrifying touch made him moan and gasp and writhe. He hadn’t thought he could get harder than she’d already made him; right now, if felt like he was about to burst, like any movement could be the one to bring him over the edge. But even as she marveled at the way he twitched and pulsed with each movement, she maintained control, never quite giving him that last little push he needed. Until, finally, he felt her palm surrounding his glans, gently squeezing as her fingers pressed into the soft tissue beneath, pushing him back and pulling him forward as she languidly fucked him with her hand.

He’d never experienced anything like this. Masturbation was a pale imitation, a shadow of the sensation she was unleashing on him. It felt so good he couldn’t bear it, so intimate he never wanted it to stop. He wanted so desperately to return the favor, but he was so overwhelmed that he couldn’t even reach up to her. His hands clenched fruitlessly against the sofa cushions, unable to find purchase; it wasn’t until he felt her other hand, the one not bathing him in bliss, that he had anything to hold into. He desperately grasped at her, both hands holding on tight to hers, like a drowning man desperately grasping at the only lifeline he had. And he felt her squeeze him back, heard her whisper soothingly in his ear as she continued to pump him, as the first paroxysm of bliss sent him spasming. He exhaled, unable to even voice his cries of bliss, as his hips thrust into her hand and her hand continued to guide him through the white fire of the first orgasm anyone had ever given him. Then, finally, the sensation became so powerful that it hurt, his body spasming and writhing at her touch; then, and only then, did her movements slow as she started to guide him back down to the earth.

He watched her, completely spent, as she pulled her hand from his hose, slick and shiny and covered in pearly white. His jaw dropped as her warm brown eyes met his, and her tongue ran through the pool in her palm, licking her glove clean with a sigh of bliss. Then he felt her big strong arms wrap around him, pulling him back on top of her as she wiggled herself into the crevice of the couch. “You okay?” she asked him, as if she hadn’t just given him the greatest sexual experience of his life so far; when he mustered the will to nod, she murmured, “I’m glad. I wanna keep doing this, y’know? Me and you. I like you.”

“Me too,” he managed to mumble, and she squeezed him tight. Then, slowly, he felt himself start to drift off, lulled to sleep by the feeling of her big strong arms, the familiar, comforting scents of lavender, vanilla, and sweat, and the sound of her heartbeat.

Chapter Text

I didn’t mean to wake you up, she said. I’m just going for a morning run, she said. You can come along if you want, she said. It’ll be fun, she said.

Brian regretted everything. Why was he doing this again?

“C’mon, you got this!” she called to him, as he huffed and panted, forcing his aching body forward. “You’re doing amazing! Just a little more!”

Oh, right, he thought, as he met her warm brown eyes and gave Ash a pitiful attempt at a smile. Because the most amazing woman he’d ever met was cheering him on. Every time he started to flag, she was there to give him the motivation he needed to keep pushing himself just that little bit longer. It helped that she wasn’t just bullshitting him; he really was almost done. With that particular interval, at least.

“And… Break!” she exclaimed, and he gasped in relief as he started walking. She, on the other hand, took off like a shot; she was sprinting down the road so fast he could barely keep his eyes on her. It was the solution she’d come up with when he asked her if he was just going to slow her down; he got a walk break, she got high intensity interval training, then when she got back they’d start jogging together again, cheering him on the entire time. He had no idea how she had the energy to do it; he hadn’t been able to speak since a couple of minutes in. Just watching her was an inspiration; the way her words warmed his heart, flooding him with warm fuzzy feelings, was enough motivation to keep pushing himself.

Watching her ass move as she ran away and her breasts bounce as she ran back towards him didn’t hurt, either.

“Okay,” she announced, after she sprinted back to him, “last one. You got this, Brian. I’m so proud of you.”

His face flushed in ways that had nothing to do with exercise as he jogged alongside her, letting the cadence of her voice spur him on. Just one more, he thought. One more, and he was done. Sure he didn’t have anything left, and sure, his body felt like someone was pouring molten steel into it, but…

His jaw dropped. He was surprised it didn’t go all the way to the floor, given that apparently he’d stopped living in reality all of a sudden. Apparently, she’d realized that mere words weren’t going to be enough to motivate him to finish this last interval. That’s the only reason he could think of for why she’d lifted up her sports bra, showing off a pair of modest, perky breasts that perfectly complimented her physique. She didn’t expose herself for long, but even a moment was enough for him to burn the image of her sweat-beaded curves into his brain. Then she slipped the soaked cloth over her chocolatey nipples, but not quite down to where it had been before, exposing just enough of their swell that he couldn’t help but envision the rest. “Think you got one more in you?” she asked, a shy smile slipping across her garnet-flushed face.

He somehow managed to nod. With everything running through his head right now, fatigue and exhaustion were the last things on his mind. He was too busy wondering if the clouds of steam around him were really just his breaths, or if he was so red he’d started steaming. Or if his ‘no longer in reality’ hypothesis was confirmed, and it had started shooting out his ears. Either way, he felt like he could go at least another mile. Or a thousand.

“Good,” she murmured, “‘cuz I’ve got a reward for you when you’re all done.”

Forget a thousand, he thought, as he jogged along with her; he was about to go flying to the moon.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, once he’d finished his last interval, and walked long enough to recover the breath exercise and her efforts at motivation had robbed him of.

“Good,” he decided. “Exhausted and sore, but good. Thanks, Ash. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“You totally could have,” she replied. “Still, glad you had a good time. Now,” she murmured, “about that reward…” And all that time he spent catching his breath was abruptly wasted as she scooped him up in those big strong arms, pressed her lips to his, and proceeded to steal it all over again. “Wanna do this again?” she whispered, lips so close to his that he could feel the heat of her breath. She grinned when he nodded, then squeezed him tight and brushed her lips against his, letting her hot tongue begin to slowly slip into his mouth.

He regretted nothing.

———

His heart sunk as her expression slowly darkened, each little icon she read through only making her seem more frustrated. Then, finally, she set the rulebook down, and gave him a smile that didn’t reach her irritated eyes. “Hey, uh, Brian? I think you and I might have a different view of what kinda game counts as ‘easy.’”

He looked at the partially set up board, the dozens of laid out cards. “This is one of the lightest games I have,” he mumbled.

“I don’t doubt it,” she replied. When she saw his downturned expression, she sighed, and put a hand on his shoulder. “Look, you’ve been doing this for years, right?” When he tentatively nodded, she continued, “so you already know a lot of the basic ideas, even if you don’t know the rules of a game.” She tapped one of the cards. “You see bricks and wreathes, you can guess what it means. Me? I’m coming in blind. It’s like going from arithmetic to Algebra 2.”

He sighed. “That’s fair, I guess.”

She tousled his hair. “I’m not saying never. Just maybe start me off with something with a little less rules, y’know?”

He thought for a few seconds. “Okay, how about this one? It’s a pretty straightforward drafting game.”

She looked it over, then shrugged. “It’s pretty, at least. Alright, c’mon, walk me through it.”

The first game, of course, ended predictably; he held back the best he could, she noticed and glowered at him, he crushed her like a bug. The second ended much the same way. She was a good sport about it, at least. The third, on the other hand, was when things started to get interesting.

“Hold on,” he said, as she snapped up one of the dice, “there’s nowhere you can actually put that.”

She tapped a spot on her board. “Here’s good.”

“Yeah, but see that little six on the board? If you put that die next to it, you can’t put anything in it, so you won’t complete your board.”

“I know,” she replied.

“Then why-“

“You want it more,” she said with a smirk. “I play it, I lose a point. You play it, you get six. Sometimes you gotta play defense, Brian.”

The next round, she snatched up another red six, rolled it, then shrugged as she set the red one back in the box. Then she grabbed the red five, set it in place, and passed the box back to him. He looked at the junk he was left with, then back to her; his eye twitched, but she just winked. “I don’t have to get the most points, you just have to get the least.”

“It’s a bad habit if you ever end up playing three or four,” he replied, fighting down the feeling of frustration bubbling inside of him. It wasn’t like she was doing anything wrong; he just wasn’t used to this level of aggression.

She just smirked. “Don’t care, just wanna kick your cute little ass.”

In the end, he still managed to eke out a win, but it was the lowest score he’d ever gotten, and so close he kind of just wanted to award her a moral victory.

“Alright,” she cheered, “I’m starting to get the hang of this. One more, okay?”

“Sure, one more round. After that, you want to try something more cooperative?”

She cocked her head to the side, and gave him a wry look. “Do I look like a cooperative kind of gal?” she asked.

“With or without the basketball uniform?”

She snorted. “Fine, fine, you got me. In that case, you wanna be shirts?” She then grinned, and pulled the hem of her shirt up, exposing just a hint of her muscled stomach. “Or skins?”

———

“We’re gonna get caught,” he mumbled.

“We’re not gonna get caught,” she whispered in his ear, hand playing at the hem of his shirt. Her fingers teased at his flesh, sending little shivers through his body, not quite enough to make him burst out laughing, but enough that he felt like he was right in the verge when she touched him just right. “I come here all the time,” she purred, “and I’ve never had any trouble.”

He gasped as her teeth brushed against his earlobe, only to snap back to sudden clarity as he comprehended what she just said. “Wait,” he asked, looking at her with a dumbfounded look, “you do what now?”

She huffed, garnet spreading across her cheeks. “A really good workout gets me going, y’know? Sometimes I gotta sneak in here and rub one out to make it home.”

His own face was even more flushed hers, which just didn’t seem fair somehow. He couldn’t help but imagine her, hands down her shorts, gasping and panting and growling as the shape of her hand moved faster and faster. He stammered, trying to find words; when none came, he took a deep breath, then tried again. “How often?” he managed to ask.

“Not every time,” she whispered, her embarrassment fading at the sight of his, “but enough. Why? You wanna watch?”

He struggled to even find the words to respond, much less say them. But part of him had no difficulty coming up with a response. She noticed. And judging by the smile spreading across her face, she approved.

“Mmm, you like that, huh,” she asked, as she curled the fingers of her of he’d hand around his cheek, caressing his hot face. Her warm brown eyes met his, and her lips parted into a wicked grin. “You wanna watch me come, Brian?”

He gulped, then barely managed to nod.

“Mmm, I like that. I like when you let me know how much you want me. You got guts. I dunno if I’m feeling it right now, though,” she said, the hunger in her eyes her face putting the lie to her statement. “You wanna help me get there?”

He felt so hot he was surprised he hadn’t spontaneously combusted, so hard he was surprised he hadn’t burst in other ways. “I’d like that,” he managed to whisper. “Show me what to do.”

She took his trembling hands in hers, squeezing them gently, pressing her lips into his knuckles one by one. Then she pulled them low, slipping them under her shirt, resting them against her damp, firm stomach. He instantly began to fondle her, delighting in the soft smooth skin and dense muscle beneath, feeling the way her breath flexed and compressed those incredible, powerful muscles. Her warm brown eyes met his, and she looked down at his hands, then flicked her eyes back up to his. It took him a moment to get the hint, but when he did, he slowly started to follow her muscles up, shirt dragging up her body as he went. He gulped as he felt skin covered by cloth once more, the fabric of her sports bra sodden from her afternoon exertions. He’d seen her a couple of times by now, she wasn’t at all shy about showing off, but so far, he’d never had the guts to take that next step. But this time, he steeled himself, then began to gently slip his fingers beneath the elastic band at the bottom. He looked to her for approval; when she nodded, he began to move his shaking hands beneath the tight fabric of her sports bra.

Her skin was so soft. That was the first thing he noticed. He couldn’t get over just how soft they were, how smooth, how silky. He wanted - needed - to keep touching them, stroking them, gliding his hands up and down them. She bit her lip and sighed happily, quietly moaning when he began to circle his fingers inward, and finally made contact with her almost satiny chocolate brown areola. He marveled as they began to contract at his touch, stiffening as he tugged and pulled at them, seemingly responding to the slightest touch. He was enthralled by her, his hands completely overcome with the physical pleasure of just touching her.

Then, Ash took one of his hands in hers. “You can be a little rougher,” she growled, as she pressed her fingers into his, pushed his palm into her breast, then squeezed down, gasping as she forced him to grasp her. He was shocked at how firm they were just beneath that softness, the contrast creating a malleability that put him in mind of some amazing toy. He held back a giggle as he continued to play with them, watching how they bounced and compressed as he squeezed and manipulated them. It took him quite a while to notice the way she was watching him; honestly, if she hadn’t started chuckling, he probably never would have. He squeaked and froze, face absolutely crimson, but she just grinned and tousled his hair. “God, you’re just so damn cute. As his face went completely crimson, she leaned down and kissed him. “Take your time,” she whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”

With her approval, he went back to his play. However, while it’d be a lie to say he’d gotten over his initial awe - he didn’t know if he ever would - he’d been shocked enough that he could actually function now. Sometimes. If he wasn’t looking directly at them. Instead, he watched her face, observing her reactions as he squeezed and caressed and tweaked her. When she looked uncomfortable, he eased up; when she sank her teeth into her lower lip or sighed in bliss, he tried to repeat whatever it was that he’d just done. It wasn’t a quick process, but as time went on, he started getting a lot more of the latter reactions than the former. Her breath had grown ragged, and he even got an occasional moan out of her.

“You’re really good at this,” she eventually growled, after a particularly deep moan that left her legs trembling. “You sure you haven’t done this before?”

He shook his head. “I’ve never even seen a woman topless before you. Well, nobody whose last name wasn’t .jpg. I just like making you feel good.”

She burst out laughing. “Guess you’re just a natural,” she said. Then she hooked her fingers into his hair, pulling him into a long, deep kiss, and whispered, “you wanna get a better view?”

By the time he realized what she’d intended, she’d already started pulling him down, dragging his face against her soft skin, letting him taste her salty sweat on his lips. She nestled him between those firm, dusky breasts, then began to wrap her arms around him, cradling against her chest. The scent of sweat was overpowering, only a hint of lavender and vanilla beneath the thick, heady aroma that made his head swim and tinged every breath with her. He parted his lips, stroking his tongue against her smooth, slippery skin, savoring the salty taste of her sweat building on his tongue with each lick. Each lick brought him closer and closer to the center of one of those soft yet delightfully firm breasts; eventually, as the texture beneath his tongue changed from soft to almost satiny, and he felt the very edge of her areola brush against his upper lip. He exhaled, breath shaking; her arms then pressed him into her breast, and as he felt her compress against him, he wrapped his lips around her stiff nipple and began to suckle.

She hissed in pain at first, and he jolted, but she ran her fingers through his hair, and whispered, “I’m okay, just a little bit gentler.” When he tried again, he didn’t get much reaction at all; it took a little experimentation, but eventually, he managed to get a gasp of delight from her. She began to stroke him in earnest, sighing and gasping and moaning, breath growing more and more ragged as he continued to suckle her. Her arms squeezed him tight, enveloping him in the overpowering fragrances of vanilla, lavender, and sweat, and a heat that felt like it should be burning him alive. His heart was pounding out of his chest, but strangely, he didn’t feel anxious. No, it was so soothing, so relaxing, that the entire world seemed to slip away, leaving only her, and him in her arms.

He barely noticed her arm sliding down his back, caressing his spine, sending shivers through his core. The snap of her waistband was almost entirely disregarded. But the slow, slick, wet noise cut through his consciousness like a knife, as did the heady, musky scent just beneath the smell of her body, a primal fragrance that made his already-achingly hard cock feel like he was about to burst. She panted like an animal, rapid, ragged gasps occasionally interrupting for just a moment, tinged with the occasional growling whisper of a half-formed word. There was only one that he could understand, one that made its way into his consciousness and wrapped around it so tightly he couldn’t imagine not understanding it. “Don’t stop,” she gasped over and over. “F-f-fuck, do whatever you wanna do, just don’t stop.”

He felt the fingers of his left arm sliding down the pumping muscles of her right, feeling the rapid flexing and twitching as her own fingers worked. He couldn’t stop himself from continuing the trip, couldn’t pull his fingers away from her waistband as he felt her hand working just beneath. She made no move to stop him, which just encouraged his descent; he pushed them beneath her waistband, finally coming to rest when his palm rested against the back of her hand. He could feel dense hair beneath his fingertips, coated with something slick and wet; when his fingers met hers, they were completely soaked in it. Then, heart pounding so hard he could feel the blood rushing in his ears, he followed them just a little further, brushing against the soft, soaked, searingly hot flesh they pumped in and out of.

Her entire body jolted when he made contact, arm pressing him against her so hard it hurt. Her breath in a forceful gasp so hard he could feel her diaphragm pulse; when he glanced up at her face, her mouth was open in a silent scream, the corners of her lips showing it was one of joy. Her hand trenbled and shook briefly, then began to pump back into her faster than ever, wetting his fingers with spatters of her sexual fluids. Her hips began to grind against their hands, tremors running up her legs as she fucked herself against her hand, pressing against his for just that little bit more support and force. He could feel her weight against him, feel her pressing down on him; he knew she was mostly holding herself up, otherwise he’d be on the ground, but it still felt like she was clinging to him for dear life.

Then, the tiniest hint of her voice, a low, guttural moan barely louder than a whisper, finally escaped despite her efforts to hold it back, and with a quick, fluid hiss, he felt a jet of hot liquid spray through the gap between her fingers and over his. His eyes opened wide, but he didn’t - couldn’t - move away, even after another jet, then a third, erupted from within her. By the time she finished coming, both of their hands were completely drenched; her legs shook as she finally popped her fingers out of herself with a wet squelch, then wrapped both arms around him and clung to him, laughing almost silently. “H-haven’t come that hard in… fuck, I dunno. God… Brian, that felt so good. Omigod… so, so good.”

He held her, unable to even try to speak, as her laughter slowed, and she clung to him, squeezing his face against her sweat-soaked body, letting him listen to her pounding heart. Until, finally, she pulled away, looking down at his awed face with an expression he could only describe as adoration. Then, slowly, he brought his soaked fingers to his lips; as she looked on, he tasted the thick, musky, salty fluids clinging to his fingers. He didn’t know if it’s something he’d like on its own, but from her, knowing where it had come from, remembering her muted cries as she’d sprayed him? It may as well have been the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.

“God,” she sighed, as her looked down at her pants, “I’m a total mess. He then saw her eyes shift, and notice exactly what part of him she was now looking at. Slowly, his gaze rose back up her body; their eyes met the moment he reached her face again. “That’s right,” she growled, “you never did get to come, did you?”

“You don’t have to-“ was as far as he got before his pants dropped around his knees, and she gripped his achingly hard cock and began to pump.

“No way am I gonna owe you,” she growled. “So, which did you like better - my tits, my abs, or my bush?”

“I - hah - I have to choose!?” he gasped, as his vision began to grow hazy.

“Can’t really aim for more than one place at a time,” she purred, as she slowed her movements, pulling him away from the edge. “Now c’mon, hurry up and pick. Otherwise,” she growled, as she started pumping him faster and faster, making him groan in bliss, “I’m gonna end up making the choice for you.” Then she began to slow down again, a sultry look in her eyes. “Or is that what you want?” she asked. “Want me to decide where you get to come?”

He didn’t even have to think for a moment before nodding to her. “Please,” he moaned, unable to hold back his voice. “I - ah - I r-really like that idea.”

“God, you’re just so damn cute,” she growled, as she began to rub his glans against the firm musculature of her stomach. “C’mon, come for me. I want you to get it a~l~l over my abs,” she purred. Her nimble fingers continued to pump him even as she slid his cock all around her sweat-soaked abs, the ridges of muscle adding a sensation he’d never dreamed of to the experience. He tried to hold back, to savor the experience as long as he could, but she wasn’t having any of it; she pressed her lips back to his, muffling his building moans, until he felt a burst of pleasure as intense as the first time she’d gotten him off erupting from deep inside of him. Her other arm wrapped around his back, holding him tight against her bare breasts as he spasmed, as jet after jet gushed from him to coat her hard stomach.

She chuckled, long and low, as he shook and trembled, each slow, languid pump of her hand seemingly drawing yet another pulse from deeper inside of him than he new was possible. Until, finally, as the intensity grew to a painful level, she stopped masturbating him and simply started rubbing his aching, over-sensitive cock against her dark skin. When she pulled her lips from his, the two of them looked down at her abs, now almost completely adorned with a thin, pearlescent sheen of semen. “Wow, you really came a lot,” she remarked, as she started stroking her own stomach, smearing herself with his sexual fluids, coming back with her fingers and palm glistening. “I made all that, huh? God that’s sexy.” Then, one by one, she licked her fingertips clean, chuckling at his gape-mouthed expression, then winking as she began to lick her palm like a cat cleaning herself.

“You’re the one who’s sexy,” he mumbled, as he just came to terms with exactly what he’d witnessed.

“Aw, c’mon, we can both be sexy together,” she purred. “Alright, c’mon, let’s get a move on. I think I can make it home before I gotta finger myself raw thinking about that. You?” she asked, as if the choking noise he made wasn’t answer enough.

“I-Yeah,” he mumbled, as he struggled to slip his pants over his rapidly-hardening cock. He had no idea he could even get hard again that quickly, but the mental image of her pumping her fingers into herself was apparently just that inspiring.

She looked at the tent in his pants with naked desire, then her lips slowly curled into a smirk. “You know, I learned to drive stick,” she murmured. “I got an automatic, but I bet I could figure it out really quick.”

He blinked a couple of times, before suddenly realizing the implication. “I-Is that safe?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’m a good driver, and I don’t need to take my eyes off the road. So how about it? Wanna take the back way and have some fun?”

He only hesitated for a few moments before nodding once again.

Chapter Text

“No way! You’ve never been to the Harvest Festival?”

Brian held the phone away from his ear, wincing at the volume of her reaction. From how shocked she’d been, it was like he’d just he’d never eaten pizza or played with himself. “No,” he replied, “This will be my first time going.”

“But it’s… it’s the Harvest Festival,” she exclaimed. “It’s the best thing the city puts on all year! They’ve got rides and games and music and a whole damn haunted house. Like, an actual house, Brian. They get it all spooky every year, and-“

“I know,” he sighed. “I always wanted to go, but dad’s not good with crowds, and mom’s got issues with loud noises, Will’s dad never wanted to drive that far, so, um… I guess what I’m saying is I kinda never had anyone to go with.”

Ash went silent. “Brian,” she finally said, “We are fixing this. You got me, you got the team, we’re making this the best festival you’ve ever been to and ever will go to. I’m gonna call Sue, and we’re gonna get the word out. We’re all gonna go out there today and show you the time of your life.”

“Um…” he started, then hesitated, and stopped. “That sounds really nice,” he said instead.

Ash, it seemed, wasn’t fooled. “What’s up? C’mon, you know you can tell me stuff, right?”

“I was actually kinda hoping we could just go together,” he mumbled. “You know, the two of us? Like… a date?” he whispered.

Ash burst out laughing. “You know I’m into you, right? You don’t have to be shy about asking me out anymore. You already got me.”

“I know,” he mumbled. “But-“

“God you’re cute,” she growled. “Makes me wanna just eat you a~l~l up. Anyway,” she continued, as of she hadn’t just made him tent his pants, “a date sounds awesome. I’m in. Want me to swing by around eleven so we can get lunch at the Festival? Busan Burrito’s got a truck there, if you’ve never had it-“

“Give me a little credit,” he replied.

“Hah. Good to know you’re not totally deprived. So, see you then?”

“I can’t wait.”

———

“So,” she asked between bites of a burrito so full of bulgogi it was almost bursting, “where to first? Today’s yours, Brian. Whatever you wanna do, I’m yours.”

He almost choked on a mouthful of firecracker chicken as that mental image made its way through its mind. Judging from the smirk on Ash’s face, it was wholly intentional. Once he’d recovered his composure enough to swallow, he shrugged, and said, “do you mind if we just walk through and take a look around first?”

“Nah, that’s fine with me,” she replied, slipping her unoccupied hand into his and giving him a squeeze. “I kinda like doing a walkthrough first anyway. See what’s changed, y’know?”

It was amazing, he managed to think with what small parts of his brain weren’t sparking and fizzing, how much effect such a small gesture had on him. He’d never been to the festival, but he’d been to other fairs and carnivals, and this one wasn’t too much different from the others. But the feeling of warmth, the faint but still noticeable scents of vanilla, lavender, and just a little residual sweat from her morning workout, the laughter and joy ringing in his ear? That felt like it changed everything. He could barely notice anything else going on around him; it was all being experienced through a haze of ‘I’m on a date.’

Well, up until they passed by a stage being manned - and womaned, he thought, as he noticed the werewolf on base - by a quartet of classic movie monsters who were rocking their hearts out. That kind of drew his attention back to the real world. Turns out Dracula knows how to shred. Adam was wasted on the keyboard, though; everyone knows Frankenstein’s Monster ought to play the drums.

By the time they finished their set, he and Ash had finished their burritos; the two of them clapped and cheered along with the gathered crowd, then headed back on their path as the Quartet slipped off. “I love those guys,” Ash said to him, as she grabbed his hand again. “You know the Invisible Man is engaged to Sharon’s uncle?”

“Really?” He shook his head, and replied, “I can’t imagine seeing that guy with anyone.”

Ash shot him a look, eyebrow raising, then slapped her face and groaned. “That was bad, Brian.”

“No,” Brian said, letting a smile creep across his face, “it’s a work in progress.”

“Don’t quit your day job,” she replied, trying - but failing - to fight the one creeping across hers.

Before he could reply, his arm jolted as he tried to step forward and found himself clinging to an immovable object. Ash had stopped, frozen to the spot; when he looked up at her face, he saw her eyes wide and almost twinkling with joy. Following her gaze, he saw exactly what she was looking at: A carnival hoop game, orange and purple lights flashing, a massive stuffed bulldog that would be larger than him if he sat in the same position front and center. But not just any bulldog: Its fur was red, a pair of plush horns jutted from its brow, and there was a huge black cape, complete with oversized collar, trailing from its back.

“Oh. My God,” she squealed, a noise he’d never even imagined she could make. “Brian, it’s so cute!”

“I didn’t know you liked bulldogs,” he said, as he looked at the adorable monstrosity.

“Hate ‘em,” she said, a sad smile on her face. “The poor things have so many health problems. You know they can’t even breed on their own anymore? I can’t stand seeing ‘em waddling and wheezing, not knowing they could’ve had a real life if their momma snuck out and found herself nice beagle before they got her with the turkey baster. But this guy’s made of fluff, so he’s never gonna get hip dysplasia. Isn’t that right, big guy?” she asked the oversized toy, as she walked forward, tugging Brian along. “I’m gonna win him, Brian,” she vowed. “I’m gonna take him home and snuggle him forever.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. The moment the teen manning the game - probably Ash’s age, maybe a year younger - saw her, his eyes went wide. “No!” he shouted, jabbing a finger at her. “Not again! Never again! You’re banned.”

“The fuck?” she growled, dropping Brian’s hand and stomping forward, fists clenched at her sides.”

“Y-You’re banned,” he stuttered, folding his arms over his chest, eventually, after a couple of failed attempts. “That stunt last year was the last straw. You’re not allowed to play anymore. O-or you can, I guess,” he stammered, as her expression darkened, “but you’re not getting any more prizes.”

“Aw, c’mon,” she pleaded, “I’m just gonna win the one. You can’t put that fellow out there and not let me win him.”

“You should have thought of that before you cleaned us out last year,” he said.

Brian looked at the bulldog, then back to the bemused, saddened look spreading across his girlfriend’s face. “How much for a game?” he asked.

Ash looked down at him, and tousled his hair. “That’s really sweet of you,” she mumbled, “but you don’t have to waste your tickets on me like that.”

“I want to,” he replied. “So, how much.”

“Two tickets a play,” the young man replied.

Brian pulled two tickets off the string he’d paid for, and slapped them on the table. Taking the ball in his hand, he closed his eyes, moving and shifting into the position he remembered Ash taking after she’d gotten fouled. His eyes then snapped open, focusing on the net, making it his everything. Silently, he tossed his first shot.

“I can’t believe I didn’t get a single basket,” he mumbled, as he trudged off, head hung low. Sure, he’d never actually thrown before, but he’d been watching her, and he was pretty sure he’d done everything right.

“It’s okay,” she said, as she grabbed his hand once again, this time slipping her arm around his first. “It was really sweet of you to try.” Then she bent down, planting her lips on his, giving him a long, slow kiss that melted away his frustrations. “Sometimes it really is the thought that counts. So, where to next?”

Brian shrugged, and looked back to the fair’s main path. “Further and worse?” he asked.

“Worse ain’t gonna happen when I’m around,” she promised.

———

Ash lied.

“It’s not real,” he mumbled to himself, squeezing her hand like a lifeline. “It’s not real,” he mumbled again, taking a step forward, then immediately springing back as he saw the chasm beneath him even as he felt the study plexiglass. “It’s not real,” he muttered over and over as he shifted his weight, shuffling across the yawning abyss beneath him, the only thing between him and the multi-level house’s foundations - which flickered with eerie green and violet lights - an all too thin layer of material he couldn’t see.

Finally, he made it to the solid wood on the other side, gasping and panting, blood slowly returning to his face. Ash’s big, strong arms wrapped around him, the familiar scents of lavender, vanilla, and sweat enveloping him and soothing him. “You did it, Brian,” she murmured to him, voice soft and kind. “How do you feel?”

“Never again,” he moaned, as the two of them made their way towards the wooden door, sunlight streaming from beneath it. “Never again.”

That was when the blood-stained clown lurched out at them, cackling with menace, gleaming knife plunging towards his chest. He squeaked a very manly squeak as his heart leapt up into his throat and then tumbled down into his guts, threatening to spill out through his bladder. But then he saw the look on the poor clown’s face, as he took a step back, and despite himself, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Do you fucking mind?” Ash growled, the low, menacing rumble of an angry grizzly. “He’s done. You can see he’s done. Don’t do that kind of crap.”

“S-Sorry,” the clown mumbled, as he shuffled back into the shadowy nook he’d been hiding in. “Enjoy the rest of the festival.”

“Screw you, clown,” she growled again, as she lead Brian off into the sunlight.

“Poor guy,” Brian laughed, as they slipped outside. “I think he was more scared of you than I was of him.”

“Good,” she grumbled. “The jackass should have read the room. So,” she said, voice softening, “aside from that, what’d you think?”

“It was one of the worst things I’ve ever been through,” he told her. “I hated it so much. Same time next year?”

She burst out laughing. “I dunno what I’m going to do with you, Brian.”

“I’m sure I’ll like it,” he replied. Then it was his turn to stop, frozen, rooted to the spot. There it was, in the booth across from them, the one festooned with question marks and a giant novelty scale with massive numbers ending with a red ‘TILT.’ It was green instead of red, it had plush bolts on its neck instead of horns, and it wore a ragged back coat instead of a cape. It was also much more reasonably sized, the kind of thing he could carry under his arm instead of having to sit it next to him. But still, the exact same bulldog, just in a different scale and costume.

Guess your weight within twenty pounds. Guess your age within three years. Guess your height within two inches. He looked at the fellow manning the booth, currently arguing with a blonde soccer mom, then back to Ash, who hadn’t quite noticed. Quietly, he slipped off his glasses, tucking them into his back pocket, then tousled his hair, and began to slouch and fold in on himself. He then widened his eyes with glee, and pointed to the man. “C’mon, Miss S!” he squeaked up at Ash, dragging her jolt by jolt towards the booth, “I wanna play!”

She looked down at him, dumbfounded, then back to the man at the booth, who’d finally waved away the fuming soccer mom as he saw an actual customer. “Alright, step right up. Height, weight, or age.”

“Age,” he grumbled, putting on deep, breathy rumble like a kid trying to sound like an adult, and slapping down a trio of tickets. “C’mon, m-dude, you’re never gonna guess.”

“Sorry kid,” the man said, “but you’re not fooling me. I’m gonna say… ten. How’d I do?”

“Fourteen,” he said in his normal voice, slipping his school ID out of his pocket and holding it up for the man to peer at quizzically.

Ash just gaped at him, and he chuckled at the look on her face. “Don’t play Avalon with me,” he boasted. “You’re going to lose.”

“Damn, kid,” the man at the booth chuckled, “you got me good. Okay, gonna try for one of the big ticket items?” he asked, gesturing to the child-sized plush zombie front end center at his booth. “Stump me three times and it’s yours.”

Brian shook his head as he slipped his glasses back on, and pointed to the plush bulldog. A couple of failed attempts to cajole him later, and he handed the green beast to Ash, an apologetic smile spreading across his face. “I know it’s not the one you wanted,” he began, “but-“

He didn’t get to finish, of course. His face was already pressed into her chest, big, strong arms squeezing him tight.

———

She hadn’t let go of the bulldog the entire time they’d been there. Not when they’d gone on rides, not when they’d stopped to listen to music, not when they’d tried the couple of games she hadn’t been banned from. “I still want to know how you managed that,” he told her.

“Sue’s fault,” she replied. “She’s the one who kept egging us on. And, uh, that was before Rose and Monica got together, so Monica was showing off for a couple of the JV girls, and… look,” she said, throwing the hand not cradling the bulldog in the air, “the whole thing’s an overreaction anyway.”

“Uh huh.”

“C’mon,” she grumbled, “I’m you’re girlfriend, you gotta stick up for me.”

“Uh huh,” he said again, a little smile on his face as she glared at him with exasperation. Without warning, she pressed her lips to his, tongue slipping between them, fingers curling into his hair as she kissed him. Sparks danced between his ears, and any further thoughts of snarking or teasing slipped away as his brain dissolved into fog once again. “Sorry,” he mumbled, when she pulled away, “was I saying something?”

“Must’ve been dumb, whatever it was. So,” she continued, tugging him along, “what’d you think?”

“You’re the best kisser ever,” he mumbled, still a little dazed.

She chuckled. “About the festival, Brian.”

“Oh. Right. I really had a great time. I’m kinda sad I didn’t do this before. But… you know what? I’m also kind of glad my first time here was with you.”

“Yeah?” She squeezed his hand. “That’s sweet. Me, I kinda wish you’d come here before.” When he looked at her, a cocky grin slipped across her face. “Then you’d know how much more fun I made it, y’know?”

“So, ready to head out?” he asked.

“Nah,” she replied, as she tugged on his arm, “not quite yet. There’s one last thing I wanna do with you before we go. C’mon, we’re almost there.”

Brian looked up as they finally reached where she’d been pulling him: The base of the festival’s Ferris Wheel. Orange, green, and purple lights had just begun to click on, and distorted calliope music, an admirable but futile attempt at making the tamest ride in the festival seem eerie, blared from its speakers.

“Um… Ash?” he said, hesitantly. “I’m really not a fan of Ferris wheels. They’re, um…”

“Kind of lame?” she asked. When he nodded, a hint of a grin spread across her lips. “Yeah, I get you,” she said. “Normally I’m on the same page. But once you get to the top? There’s no better place to watch the sunset in the whole festival. And, uh,” she mumbled, a hint of garnet spreading across her cheeks, “this one’s kinda special. I think you’re gonna like it.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked, as he went along with Ash and climbed into the skull-shaped two-person gondola. “Does it suddenly go fast? Are there acrobats dressed up like monsters?”

“Nah, nothing like that,” she said, as she took a seat across from him. “It’s all in the skull design. You saw how cool they look from the outside, right?”

Brian nodded.

“That’s because the windows are all one way glass.”

“…Oh,” he mumbled, finally putting two and two together as the girl operating the ride winked and gave them a thumbs up. Then she closed the gondola door, and once again, his body was enveloped by the feeling of her strength, and the heady mixed scents of lavender, vanilla, sweat, and the slightest hint of something primal and musky beneath them. Her lips found his, parting them, letting her tongue slip inside his mouth, leaving him sighing in bliss as she caressed it and wrestled it. “Y-you might be right,” he managed to mumble, between the kisses.

“Yeah?” she murmured, hands beginning to slip beneath his shirt, roaming up and down his back, making his whole body tremble. “Good. ‘Cuz I still gotta pay you back for getting me this cutie.”

“You don’t have to do that,” he whispered to her, as he sent his hands crawling up her shirt, etching the feeling of those powerful muscles, glistening with the sweat of their long day, into his memories.

“I know,” she replied. “But I wanna.” Then his fingertips found her sports bra, and hers began to dip beneath his waistband, and her lips found his once more, dissolving the last vestiges of thought in his overwhelmed mind into sparks.

They never did end up watching the sunset. Oh well, he somehow managed to think, as their gondola, accompanied by the titters of the girl manning the ride, rose up into the night sky. There’s always next year.

Chapter Text

“Hey, cutie!”

Brian jolted up from the Algebra textbook he’d had his nose buried in, nearly leaping up from his seat. Then a smile slowly spread across his lips as he recognized Ash’s voice, and looked up at her warm, smiling face. “Oh, hey,” he finally said, as he closed the book and slipped it into his desk. “You all ready for the big test.”

“You know it. Everything okay?” she asked him, as she flopped down into the seat next to him. “You got a real thousand yard stare going in there.”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’m just so exhausted. I was up all night doing some last minute studying. I’m pretty sure I’ve got the inverse function stuff down now, but…”

“You’re gonna do great,” she promised him.

“Hope so,” he yawned. “Sorry. The real problem’s going to be the rest of the day. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to make it through History without dozing off halfway through. We’re not even at the Revolutionary War yet.”

“Oh no,” Ash sighed, putting a hand to her face, “you’ve got Mrs. Rooks, don’t you?” When he confirmed with a nod, she just sighed. “It’s not getting any more better when the bullets start flying. She loves her colonialism, but man, she cannot make it fun. Oh! Y’know she threatened to flunk anyone who even mentioned Lin-Manuel Miranda in her earshot?”

Brian couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Somehow, I’m not surprised. Did she end up doing it?”

Ash shook her head. “All bark, no bite. Kathy took it as a challenge, and once she got away with it…” She just chuckled and shook her head. “Let’s just say the whole class was in on it by the end of the year. I thought she was gonna pop a vein or something. Anyway,” she continued, “if you really can’t deal right now, you wanna skip?”

Lightning shot through his veins, leaving a trail of ice behind him. “No I couldn’t do that,” he mumbled.

Ash seemed taken aback by the horrified look on his face. Then, slowly, that infectious grin of hers started spreading. “You’re never skipped before, have you?” she asked, a mischievous purr to her voice.

“I can’t believe you have,” he replied.

Ash shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not gonna skip if I’ve got homework or a test. But just bailing on a boring class? Why not?”

“I don’t want to flunk out,” he mumbled. “Besides, my parents would kill me.”

“You know we’re allowed to, right?”

He looked at her, aghast. “No we’re not,” he yelped. “Didn’t you read the school rules?Three undecided absences is an automatic failure for the quarter. I could get kicked off the Forensics team. You could get kicked off your team too.”

Ash shook her head and chuckled. “See, you’re looking at it the wrong way. You only fail after three, right?” When he slowly nodded, her grin widened. “See? They’re just telling you not to do it too much. If you weren’t supposed to do it once or twice, they’d flunk you after the first one. Or it’d be per year. They’re basically telling you to go for it.”

Brian just started at her, mouth gaping open. “T-That’s… you know that’s not how it works, right?”

“Why not?” she asked, giving him a wink. “Worked for me. Besides, I’m gonna come too. If we get in trouble, I’ll take the fall. C’mon, wouldn’t m you rather spend some time with me than learning some crap Broadway’s taught you better?”

He started to shake his head. She started to stretch, leaning back, letting the hem of her shirt ride up her body. His eyes were instantly drawn to her bronze skin, beaded with sweat, and to the powerful abdominal muscles so clearly obvious beneath them. “Not fair,” he mumbled. “You’re not allowed to do that when I’m trying to say no to you.”

“Disagree,” she replied, a smug grin plastered across her face. “So,” she asked, leaning forward conspiratorially, “you in?”

He sighed at her. “Can I think about it?” he asked, as if he hadn’t already made up his mind.

“Take your time,” she replied, as if she didn’t know he’d already made up his mind either.

———

“God, I am fucking fried,” Ash moaned, as the bell signaled their repressive and the two of them trudged off together. “I think I’m gonna bail even if you’re sticking around. I’ve got that computer class next, and… yeah, not gonna happen today.”

“I feel you,” Brian replied.

“Sure, if you wanna,” she purred, laughing as his face went red. “C’mon, last call. You in?”

“I’m in,” Brian sighed, as he followed behind her, cruising in her wake as she weaved through the throngs of students rushing from one class to the next. “Um, what did you have in mind, anyway?”

She shrugged. “I’m not much of a planning kinda girl. How about you? We’ve got the whole city to ourselves, more or less.”

“Well,” he hedged, “Season of Mists was sold out all weekend. Want to see if they’ve got a matinee?”

“That’s the new Superhero movie, right?”

“Same company, different product,” he corrected her. “But yeah, that’s the one. You’ve never seen the first three?”

Ash shook her head. “Don’t worry about me, though,” she replied, as they finally made their way out one of the myriad side doors and slipped into the school’s parking lot. “I’m not the kinda girl who freaks out about spoilers, y’know? I’d rather watch ‘em out of order if it means I get to do it with you.”

“That’s really sweet of you,” he replied, a bit of pinkness on his face. “Um, you wanna go down to the mall and make a… a date of it?”

“Ooh, an all day skip, huh? Living dangerously. I like it.” When she noticed the blush continuing to spread, she gave him an affectionately exasperated look, and tousled his hair, “C’mon, you’re not still having trouble with the whole date thing are you?”

He looked sheepishly at her. “I’m still getting used to the idea of, you know, asking you out,” he mumbled.

“You’re so cute. Yes, I’m totally gonna call us playing hooky together a date. Okay?”

“Okay,” he mumbled, as they reached her car. “Hey, um… shouldn’t there he some security guy running up to us and demanding to see our pass, or a teacher or a hallway monitor? Or… well, something?”

“I told you,” Ash said, a hint of smugness in her voice as she clicked down on her fob, “two skips a quarter. It’s basically an obligation, y’know?”

“That’s totally not how it works,” he grumbled, despite all evidence to the contrary.

———

“Alright, I admit it, he’s got a point. The sunsets are bloody marvelous, you old bastard.” On the screen, Lucifer leaned back, resting his scarred back against the beach chair, the camera panning up to the appropriately-magnificent Australian sunset. “Satisfied?” he asked, as the credits began to roll.

“Kay, I’m hooked,” Ash told him, as she began to rise up from her seat. “Wanna marathon the others? How many are there again?”

“Two,” Brian replied, as he reached out, snagged her shirt, and gave it a tug. “They did the third as a mini-series. So, where do you think you’re going?”

“Post-credit scene?” she asked, flopping back into her seat.

“Post-credit scene,” he confirmed.

“Aw, but the credits are so long and boring,” she whined. “C’mon, let’s just watch it on YouTube.”

“They don’t have to be boring,” someone said. It couldn’t have been him. He didn’t say things like that, even if he thought them. But it was in his voice, and Ash raised an eyebrow and looked at him like he said it.

“Wow, Brian,” Ash murmured, “you think you know a guy. What was that about ‘oh no, not the rules’ this morning?”

“You’re a bad influence,” he murmured in response, leaning across his seat to her, only to be intercepted by her palm.

“Excuse me,” she growled, low and sultry, “but I’ll have you know that I am the best influence.” Then she slid her fingers across his cheek, gripping the back of his head, and pushed his face to meet her lips. He sighed in bliss as he melted into her rough kiss, parting his lips, letting her tongue slip into his mouth. Slowly, but with an inexorable firmness, she let it wind around his, caressing him until she was satisfied enough to part. Her teeth dragged against his lower lip as she pulled back, then brought her lips to his again, each kiss long seconds of bliss separated by that brief burst of sweet pain. Her other hand had already slipped up the hem of his shirt, fingers dragging across his skin hard enough to leave marks; meanwhile, he’d embraced her with both arms, holding on for dear life as she kissed him and gouged after him with abandon. The mixed fragrance of lavender, vanilla, and her sweat filled each shaking breath, that familiar, comforting scent pushing away any lingering doubts he’d had, any fears of what might happen if someone looked over at them as she mauled him.

It wasn’t until her fingers started to slip lower that those fears managed to overwhelm his lustful need for her. He felt like he almost jumped out of his skin when he felt her fingers brush the edge of his groin; before she could go any further, he slid a hand that had started crossing from her back to her ribs over her muscular arm, and gripped at her wrist. It took her a moment to realize what happened, but once she did, she pulled back immediately, a concerned look in her eyes. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Y-Yeah,” he whispered. “But, um, can we keep it above the belt? Y-you know, while we’re in the theatre?”

“Such a rule-follower,” she chuckled. “Yeah, don’t worry, Brian. I told you, I’m not gonna do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

“Thanks,” he whispered. Then, before he could say more, she returned her lips to his, this time sending both hands up his shirt. For a brief moment, he wondered why he’d thought that restriction going to make things any less intense. Then Ash began to dig her fingers into the soft flesh of his stomach, and he found it hard to think of anything at all. Or, for that matter, to return the gesture, slipping his own hands up under her shirt and caressing those strong, incredible abs of hers. It was hard to do anything but let the sensation, painful but oh so sweet at the same time, wash over him. He gasped and moaned into her mouth, kisses muffling the cries of blissful pain he’d otherwise be making. It hurt, but it hurt so good that he didn’t care, he didn’t want it to stop. He barely held back his cries as she slowly crawled them up his body, scratching and digging at him as she went. Until finally, with a happy hum so soaked with lust that it sent a jolt running down his stomach and into his groin, she made her way to his nipples.

He’d never thought of his own nipples as a sexual organ. Hers? Well, obviously. But whether she found his as enticing as he found hers, or just was having some fun with him, either way, she was teaching him things he never knew about his body. In complete contrast to a few moments earlier, she started out slow, playfully slow, teasing him with her fingertips. He couldn’t resist sighing as she circled them, brushed her fingers across them, gently tugged and teased at him again and again. When she began to tickle him, the jolts of pleasure were so intense he could barely hold back a very masculine giggle. He was so engrossed in the sensation that it took him a second to realize she’d stopped kissing him, and he still didn’t realize what was coming until he saw her lips split into a predatory grin. That was all the warning he got before she sank her teeth into his neck and squeezed down with both thumbs at the same time. He barely managed to keep himself from crying out, and even then, the loud gasp he’d made probably would have drawn attention from the other stragglers if the music had been any quieter.

It wasn’t the kind of pleasure he was going to come from. He didn’t know if it was possible for him to come like this, to do anything more than mark his underwear with his ever-growing arousal. It felt like if she just reached her fingers downwards, if she gave him even a moment’s attention, that’d be all it took. But she’d respected his request, and that touch never came. Instead she continued toying with him, rolling his nipples in her fingers, sinking her teeth into his throat, hurting him so good he could barely stand it. His own clumsy attempts at returning the favor only drew more lustful aggression, ramping up the intensity until he was afraid she was going to actually hurt him. But she never once did; whenever he actually m winced, or made a noise more cry of pain than moan of pleasure, she forced herself to pull back just that little bit. In a way, that was almost worse; it meant there was no release, whether pleasurable or him begging for respite. Then, right as he wasn’t sure if he could stand it any longer, a scream of blood-curdling agony interrupted their reverie. The two pulled apart, looking up at the screen, at the scene of hellish torture that had just replaced the credits.

“Yess, bad boy,” the demon now on thee screen growled. “Take his medicine. Like a mann.”

An elbow jabbed into Brian’s side; when he looked over, there was a garnet flush on Ash’s face, but also a mischievous grin. “I get why you wanted to stay,” she murmured to him. “Should I be taking notes?”

In the end, he wound up having to watch it on YouTube after all; he was too busy burying his face in his hands to watch anything after that.

———

“In the air, there’s a feeling… of Chri~stmas…”

“It. Is. November!” Brian growled up at the food court speakers. “Barely at they,” he added, crumpling his wrapper angrily as they continued to mock him with their saccharine cheer.

“You tell ‘em, Brian,” Ash laughed, tousling his hair when he flushed and folded his arms across his chest.

“I still say they shouldn’t start with the Christmas music until December,” he grumbled to himself, sitting in a totally defiant posture that didn’t remotely resemble a pout.

“No arguments here,” she said, as she tossed the vestiges of her lunch into the nearest trash can. “So, where were you thinking next? Wanna go bowling?”

Brian shook his head. “Not my game. Wanna go get some gummies from the candy store?”

“Mmm, now you’re speaking my language.” As the two of them pushed in their seats and headed off, Ash’s arm wrapping around his, she looked down at him and cleared her throat. “Hey, uh, thanks,” she mumbled.

“You’ll treat next time, right?”

Ash laughed, nodding. “You know that’s not what I meant, though. I mean this. All this. Coming out here with me on an impulse, skipping class, spending the day together. I know it’s not your thing, but-“

“I had fun,” he said. “I’m glad you talked me into it.”

“Yeah?” A grin spread across her lips, and she squeezed his hand in hers. “I’m glad you let me.”

“We’re not doing it again until next quarter, though,” he warned her. “I never want to be down to my last unexcused absence if I can avoid it.”

“Yeah, that’s fair,” she admitted. “I like that compromise. So, some time next month?”

Brian shrugged. “Sure. Let’s plan something out next time, okay? If I’m going to be a rebel, I’d like to be one with a cause.”

“C’mon, Brian,” she moaned, “you’re gonna take all the fun out of it. So, what time do you have to be home before someone starts freaking out?”

“Mom usually gets home around four,” he said. “So as long as I beat her there…”

“Cool, that’s longer than I thought. So,” she purred, “wanna go get that candy, find a quiet corner, and play Lady and the Tramp with some sour straws?”

“You are the best influence,” he mumbled, pinkness steadily spreading across his cheeks.

“Damn right I am.”

Chapter Text

Brian shifted from side to side, trying in vain to shake out the butterflies slowly filling his stomach. He knew she was the one who’d invited him over, he knew he was a little early, he knew this was both the right building and apartment number. But he still couldn’t shake the fear that he was in the wrong place and that she was waiting for him and getting frustrated. And, of course, all the other ones: That her family would hate him, that they’d chase him away and tell her to never see him again, that his dad would wait until she was taking care of something and then show him his shotgun collection and describe in detail what he was going to do to him if he touched his ‘little’ girl…

Then the door creaked open, and Brian felt his guts fall through his stomach. He didn’t have to worry about Ash’s dad threatening him with a shotgun. Ash’s dad didn’t need one. Brian knew Ash didn’t just tower over him because he was short; she would have been tall for a man, let alone a woman. But as he looked up, and up, and up at the mountain of a man, all muscle and sinew, he both knew exactly where she got it from, and didn’t have a doubt at in his mind that this man, staring down at him with a look so cold he could feel his heart freezing on the spot, thought of her as his little girl with no hint of irony. For a few moments, the man towering over him just stared, those dark eyes boring into Brian’s soul, while Brian tried and failed to breathe. Then, a crack split open his craggy face, spreading into a wide smile. “You must be Brian,” he boomed, slapping one massive hand onto Brian’s shoulder, almost toppling him over. “C’mon in,” he said, leading Brian in like he had a choice in the matter. “You’re a little early, she’s still out for her morning run. Can I get you anything? You drink coffee yet?”

Brian shook his head. “N-No sir,” he mumbled.

He bellowed with laughter. “Don’t sir me, kid, you’re gonna give me a fat head. Call me Joe. Soda, juice?”

“W-Water would be fine,” Brian mumbled.

“Suit yourself. Anyway, feel free to take a seat anywhere,” he said, gesturing to a couch and mismatched pair of loveseats around a coffee table. “She’ll be back any minute now.”

Brian slumped into the nearest loveseat, letting the breath he’d been holding drain out of his body. A disgruntled ‘prrt’ let him know he’d chosen poorly; when he looked over, he saw a marmalade tabby sitting on its haunches, staring at him with unblinking yellow eyes, the message of ‘you’re in my spot’ unmistakable. Taking the hint, he scooted to the other cushion; the cat hopped up into its seat, padded at the cushion a bit, then thought better of it and pawed into his lap. He reached out a hand and cautiously stroked the soft orange fur; a few moments later it was curled up, buzzing away as he petted it.

“Looks like you made a friend,” Ash’s dad rumbled as he handed him a liter jar filled to the brim with ice water, and thumped a bowl of cut veggies down. “Don’t worry, everyone else has already cleared out. I’m just holding down the fort until she gets back.”

“I… um… thanks?” he mumbled. “I-I promise I won’t, um-“

“Look, kid, let’s make a deal,” he rumbled. “You don’t tell and I won’t ask. Got it?”

“Yes s-um, Mr.-“

“Joe,” he said again, amusement in his voice.

“Y-Yes, Mr. Joe - um…”

“Work on it, kid,” he laughed, still chuckling as he slipped off.

Brian silently sipped at his water, trailing his fingers through marmalade fur and letting the soft animal’s buzzing center him. Until, finally, the sound of a door clicking open cut through the quiet. “I’m back!” Ash called as she trotted in, nothing but a black sports bra and athletic sweats covering her broad, muscular form. She only to stop and let a smile melt across her face. “Brian, you’re early! Couldn’t wait to see me, huh?”

“Not that early,” he mumbled.

She scoffed, then slipped her phone out of her pocket, and hummed to herself. “Guess not. Should’ve guessed you were gonna be punctual,” she grumbled affectionately, then slipped into the kitchenette. Water filled a cup and was emptied just as quickly, then filled it again a second time; Ash then flopped down next to him, clunking her equally-large jar onto the table surface, then leaning over and pressing her lips into his. “Hey, cutie,” she murmured once she parted from him, her breath hot against his lips, the scent of her sweat overpowering but not even a little bit unwelcome. “Glad you could make it.”

“Couldn’t you have waited five minutes?”came the booming groan as her dad thumped his way from the other room towards the door heading out.

“I know I’m not hearing you whine after what I walked in on yesterday,” she snapped. “Besides, weren’t you supposed to be meeting mom like ten minutes ago?”

Her dad rolled his eyes, jingling a set of keys before hanging it on a set of hooks by the door. “Not my fault I raised a scatterbrain.”

“You raised me,” she grumbled, garnet spreading across her cheeks. “It’s always your fault. But, uh, thanks. Now get out of here,” she growled, waving the hand not around Brian’s shoulder at him. “Everyone’s waiting.”

“You see how she treats me?” he boomed at Brian, before chuckling long and low. “Don’t you let her walk all over you, kid. It’s way too late for me.”

“Go!” she huffed. “Love you, dad.”

“Love you too,” he called, as he thumped out, slamming the door behind him.

Brian blinked, still shellshocked, still petting the cat welded to his lap. Ash took one look at him, and burst out laughing. “You should be glad my mom took my brothers with her,” she murmured soothingly in his ear, tousling his hair gently. “Imagine three of him.”

Brian imagined that for a moment, then slowly shook his head. “Can I not?”

“Aw, you don’t like my family?” she asked, unable to keep the smile off her face long enough to make him stammer.

“He’s great, but… it was kind of getting charged by a bear and then offered a plate of cookies.”

“Aw, he brought out the cookies?” she whined, then laughed. “I get it, I love them to pieces, but they are a lot. Mom’s worse, if you can believe it. So,” she murmured, “now that everyone’s gone, you wanna go back to my room and have some fun?”

———

This is not what he thought she meant by going back to her room for some fun.

“Don’t you dare. Don’t you fucking dare.”

He certainly wasn’t complaining, though.

“Brian, don’t you fucking-“

Brian fucking dared. The blue shell launched off like a rocket, swirling around her Inkling before diving in for the kill. She growled in frustration as Link shot past her, followed closely by a trio of other cartoony racers. “C’mon, I thought you were cool,” she grumbled, as her Inkling shot back off after them. “Blue shells are bullshit.”

“You’re only saying that…” he began, then gritted his teeth and leaned his shoulder into her warm, muscular body as Link skittered around a corner, almost nailing a banana peel. “…because you were in first,” he continued.

“That’s my point,” she growled. “They just punish you for being good.”

“If you don’t like the power ups… Hah, nice try!” he crowed, as a green shell burst against his own banana, “…what was I? Right. If you don’t like the power ups, this is the wrong racing game.”

“I like most of ‘em,” she grumbled. “And the levels are cool. Just that one damn shell, y’know?”

“Yeah! The Final Lap!”

Brian licked at his lips, leaning forward as he sailed over the watery track, barely recognizing the fact that he’d pulled away from Ash. He missed the feeling of her warm, sweaty form against his, but he was in the zone, and he couldn’t stop now. He was in it to win it, and even the gorgeous woman next to him wasn’t going to stop him.

“Hey Bri~an…”

Okay, he might be wrong. His eyes flicked over to her screen, to the spiky blue shell in her item box. “I thought you said you hated those.”

“Oh, I do,” she hummed. “But you’re okay with ‘em. Besides,” she said, as she launched it, “turnabout is fair play.”

He couldn’t fight the smile crossing his lips. “You know why I’m okay with them?” he asked. Then right before it made its descent, he slammed his finger on the item button, launching him out of the blast radius and across the finish line. “I can dodge ‘em.”

“Oh, bullshit!” she growled, tossing her controller on the bed and folding her arms. as he laughed and pumped his. When he leaned over to her, she huffed, scowling, then cracked a smile and kissed him. “Smug bastard,” she grumbled. Then, she pulled back, grabbing her sports bra with one hand, pulling it over her broad shoulders and letting her modest, perky breasts bounce free of their confinement. As Brian watched, unable to look away, she hefted it over her head then tossed it, sending it sailing into her laundry hamper. Then, after a couple of moments, she cleared her throat, laughing as he jumped and his face went pink. “Enjoying your prizes?” she asked.

“Y-Yeah,” he mumbled. “Um, can I…?”

“Nope,” she said smugly, as she wrapped her arms around the back of his head, pressing the warm, sweaty skin into his face, a single, velvety nipple dragging against his lips. “Don’t you dare,” she growled, as his lip started to part to it. He could feel his head starting to swim as she teased him, dragging the soft flesh across his face, rubbing what she’d forbidden him from having against him, forcing him to breathe though his nose and then filling each breath with the heady smell of her sweat. “All you won was me taking my top off,” she growled, low and lustful. “You wanna touch ‘em? Lick ‘em? Suck ‘em? Well, then let’s see if you can do that again.”

“…This is because of that goddamn blue shell, isn’t it?” he whimpered through his lips, as he sat stone-still and stone-hard.

“Nah,” she lied, “just how the game works. So, you up for round two yet?”

“…Do you even have to ask?”

“I always ask, Brian,” she murmured, cradling his head and giving his forehead a kiss. “I love making you say yes.”

“Then yeah. But, um… c-can you put a sheet on or something? I’m not going to be able to concentrate with you… like that.”

“Mmm, okay,” she murmured, letting him go. Then she grabbed one shoulder, twisting his body against her, resting the back of his head against her breasts and wrapping those big, strong arms around him. “You’re my ‘or something,’” she whispered in his ear, then giving it a little nip. Then she grabbed her controller, holding it as she snuggled against him. “Ready when you are,” she purred.

———

For some reason, his game had immediately taken a nose dive after he’d beaten Ash that first time. He’d eventually managed to earn her sweatpants, but not until she’d stripped him of everything but his own underwear. Which she’d insisted upon removing herself once she won the deciding race, despite his mumbled protests and reddening face. He hadn’t protested too hard, of course. He’d have done the exact same thing if he’d been the one to win.

Neither of them had put anything else on since then, and it was wonderful. Okay, sure, he felt so exposed it was like the entire world was watching him instead of his girlfriend. Especially when he’d had to run to their bathroom, terrified that at many moment one of her family members who’d left them alone for the day would come home early, see him streaking around their apartment, and toss him out on his bare ass. But there was also an incredible intimacy to it, to just lying there, reading together, one article of clothing between them. Something about it, about feeling the heat of her skin against his, taking in the scent of her with every breath, feeling her own breaths lifting him each time she exhaled and letting him sink into her each time she inhaled, made him feel closer to her than he had their first time together.

The fact that she hadn’t stopped playing with him except for those brief breaks helped, of course.

“Is that okay?” she murmured once again, as her fingertips brushed across his glans, pointer circling the tip and thumb toying with the crown.

“Y-Yeah,” he managed to whisper in response. “Feels… feels so good.”

She asked him every time she changed what she was doing, every time she varied the long, slow stimulation she’d been inflicting on him. Sometimes she’d gently pump his foreskin, sometimes she’d pinch and tug at his glans, sometimes she’d tug at his base, fingers pushing into his groin to touch him as deeply as possible. Each time, she made sure he was okay with it, that it felt good to him. Then she’d keep touching him, keep pleasuring him, the only sound in the room his gasps and groans, her gentle breathing, and the wispy sound of pages fluttering each time one of them turned to the next one. She wasn’t trying to make him come, or even bring him to the edge and keep him from going over. She was just using his body as a toy, fidgeting with him almost idly as she read.

“Do you like this?” she finally whispered in his ear, breath scorching hot. When he started to nod, she nipped at his earlobe, hot tongue slipping across it. “I don’t wanna know if it’s okay,” she murmured. “I wanna know if you like it.”

“So much,” he gasped in response. “I’ve never… never…”

“I know,” she assured him.

Brian shook his head, trying to get the words out. “Never… never played with myself like this either,” he eventually managed.

“Really” she asked, something between curiosity and hunger in his voice. “C’mon, I wanna know exactly what you mean.”

“I… I always make myself come,” he admitted. “I’ve never just…”

“You’ve never just masturbated for the fun of it?” she asked, voice smoldering. “Just played with this sexy cock of yours, letting yourself feel how good it feels, not wanting it to end?”

He shook his head.

“Mmm, Brian,” she growled, “you don’t know what you’re missing. Y’know, sometimes I do my homework with one hand.”

“S-Seriously?” he gasped.

“C’mon,” she pouted, “don’t say it like that.” She’d set her book down at some point, and had started stroking his face, fingers curling across his cheeks and beneath his chin. “I’m not getting off to quadratics if that’s what you’re wondering,” she whispered, her sultry voice cracking into a laugh at the idea. “It’s just soothing, y’know? Feels nice. Helps me not get so stressed out. Then when I’m done, I’ve got a nice reward all ready and waiting for me to give it to myself.”

“How the hell are you this sexy?” he mumbled.

“Aw, c’mon, Brian,” she mumbled, breath hot in his ear, “you’re gonna make me blush.”

“Some - hah - s-something’s got to,” he moaned, sinking his teeth into his lip. She’d started going a little faster now, no longer just toying with him. She still wasn’t masturbating him, not really, but there was intent there, not just idle amusement.

“Mmm, you like making me blush, huh?” she asked.

Brian managed to nod. “You’re s-so cute when you blush,” he whispered.

He could feel the heat building up behind him; he didn’t have to turn to know garnet had begun to spread across her cheeks. “God, it’s so hot how into me you are,” she murmured in his ear, letting her hot breath waft over him. “It makes me wanna do a~l~l kinds of things to you, just to see how much you’re gonna like it.” Her fingers had begun to brush his lips now, slipping between them; he let them part, let her slide one finger and then another into his mouth, gently sinking his teeth into her knuckles. She hummed happily, fingers stroking his tongue, winding it between them; her other hand had began to pick up speed again, moving him from sensual to sexual bit by bit, so slowly it was almost painful. “Mmm, you like that idea?” she asked, heat in her voice. “You like being my toy?”

“S-So much.”

“Good boy,” she growled, sending a jolt of lighting through his body. “Hey, Brian, you wanna come for me?” she asked. “Because I wanna make you come.”

“Yes please,” he gasped, writhing, hands searching for something to cling to. She pulled her hand from his face, then gathered up one then the other in hers, guiding the first to cling to her sinewy wrist as she masturbated him, clasping the second and gripping it to it. He squeezed her tight, hanging on like she was his lifeline, gasping in deep breaths filled with the heady mingling scents of her sweat and ever-building arousal, exhaling in long, shaking gasps every time she made him feel amazing in a new way.

“Come for me,” she growled in his ear, a noise filled with deep, primal need. “Come for me, Brian. Lemme lick it all up.”

There was nothing he could do to even try to hold back after that. Pleasure erupted from deep inside of him, surging through his body and bursting out of him with so much force that it felt like he was being turned inside-out. He cried out, a strangled mewl of pleasure he could barely give voice to, hips jolting as another pulse, then another, wracked his body. He gripped her so tight he left pale marks in her arms, clinging to her strength like it was the only thing in the world. Then, finally, with one last pulse, he collapsed back onto her body, her warmth, her surprisingly-soft muscles a perfect cushion to hold his weary form. He held back a giggle as her hand slowed and his body shook with each pump, until finally he began to push her hand away, and she pulled it, palm completely coated in his semen, from his spent cock.

“Brian,” she growled, pitch raising in appreciation, “it’s so much. Do you save this all up for me?”

He managed to shake his head. “You’re just amazing.”

“God, you just can’t stop, can you?” she asked, a hint of that adorable shyness in her voice. Then she lifted it to her lips, the wet sound of her tongue lapping at it piercing even his post-orgasmic haze. He wasn’t going to be able to get it up again for at least a few minutes; the fact that her happy, blissful hums as she licked up every last pearly drop proved it. If that couldn’t beat his refractory period, nothing in the world could.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have long to enjoy his post-orgasmic bliss; the sound of her phone launched both of them out of their cuddly torpor. Ash cursed as she grasped at the phone, nearly dropping it; she then lifted it to her ear and, with a level of self control that surprised him, barely even growled “hello?” into it. “Yeah? Good, glad you’re enjoying yourselves. Uh-huh? Yeah? Well, I’m not complaining. Okay, see you then. Yeah, sure. Sounds great. Whatever, just text me the menu when you get there.”

She then huffed, dropping the phone on her bed, and began to slowly creep her hands down Brian’s abdomen. “That was dad,” she murmured in his ear, mischief in her voice. “They’re having too much fun to come home. They’re heading to the Aquarium, and might even get dinner while they’re out. You know what that means?” she growled, hunger in her voice.

“W-We’ve got the place to ourselves for a little longer?” he guessed.

“Nope,” she purred, fingers digging into his groin. “For hours.”

“I… We do have to do homework at some point,” he mumbled reluctantly. “In a while, though?” he suggested hopefully.

“That’s fine.” She kissed his earlobe, sinking her teeth into it, then whispered “wanna try it my way?”

“Yes please,” he gasped, as her fingers slowly, sensually, started to toy with him once again.

“That’s my boyfriend,” she murmured. “For now… I wanna see how long it takes you to get hard again. Lemme know if it’s too much, okay?”

“I will,” he promised, as he melted into her arms, bathed in the pleasure of her gentle touch.

Chapter Text

Brian had thought that he was finally getting used to lunch with the team. That, despite how much energy they had, how frequently they dissolved into chaos, he was managing to interact with them without using his girlfriend as training wheels. Then Lauren, normally the closest thing the team had to a quiet girl, stood up abruptly, cleared her throat, and in an accent that sounded like someone had once had a posh British accent described to them, began to chant, “Remembah! Remembah! The Fifth of Novembah!”

Brian blinked, dumbfounded, as the others - in varying degrees of enthusiasm from glee to phoning it in - began to answer, “the gunpowder treason and plot.”

“Ah know of no reason!”

“Why gunpowder treason…”

“Should EVAH be forgot!” they chanted in union. Then, the team dissolved into clapping and cheering and Lauren shouted “see you all tonight!” over the din.

Brian turned to Ash, one of the more enthusiastic participants, and mumbled, “did we get annexed by Canada in the middle of the night?”

She burst out laughing. “Okay, it’s a bit of a long story, but-“

“I do know who Guy Fawkes is.”

“Smartass,” she huffed. “So, back when I was a freshman, there was a senior - Kate? Yeah, Kate - who moved here from England when she was a freshman. Story is, was shocked nobody celebrated Guy Fawkes Day.”

“No, she was just lonely,” Monica interjected.

“Who’s telling this story?” Ash asked. “Anyway, the point is, she invited the whole team over to her backyard and held a bonfire. Then she did it again the next year, and now it’s just a thing. It’s fun. We all go back to someone’s place, bring snacks, toast marshmallows, set off fireworks, set a Guy on fire… Not a real guy,” she laughed, waving her hands, when she saw the look on Brian’s face.

“Mmm, I dunno about that,” Sharon interjected, a playful look on her face.

“Don’t you dare,” Ash growled.

“See, we’ve got a new tradition now,” she continued, wrapping an arm around Kathy’s shoulder, as Ash buried her face in her hands. “Setting Ash’s boyfriend on fire. Guess that means it’s your turn.”

“It’s not a tradition, it’s an accident,” Kathy grumbled. “I put him out before he got burned, too.” She folded her arms, and huffed, “I dunno why he got so mad.”

“I told you I forgave you,” Ash sighed. “He was an asshole anyway.”

“And what about Craig?”

“He set himself on fire,” Ash growled, dragging her hands down her face. “I told him not to throw it in.”

“Anyway,” Sharon said, patting him on the shoulder, “the point is, if you’re coming out tonight, maybe wear something you’re not going to miss.”

“Oh, and bring some aloe!” Casey, one of the sophomores, laughed.

“And write a last will and testament!” Monica suggested.

“Nobody is setting Brian on fire!” Ash shouted over the laughter, wrapping her arms around him protectively. “Don’t worry,” she murmured, “I’m gonna protect you from these crazy people. You, uh, you are gonna come, right?”

“I… um… maybe? I’m a little concerned for my own safety.”

“Think of it as your trial by fire,” Sharon suggested, provoking another wave of laughter from the table.

———

Brian was one of the last to arrive at Lauren’s home, a rambler on the edge of the suburbs with a massive back yard open into the forest. The cool November air, normally so quiet and peaceful, was already alive with laughter, conversation, and the crackling, popping sounds of the bonfire. It felt like there were as many people here as the Halloween party: The team, the junior varsity girls, friends, significant others, and possibly other classmates who hadn’t wanted to miss out on the chance to party.

There were a lot of things Brian liked about Ash. Her smile, her playfulness, her confidence, and, let’s be honest here, the entirety of her body. But right now, the one that most readily came to mind was her height. He didn’t even have to look for her; even if he didn’t hear her laughter booming over the din of the party, it’s impossible to miss the woman standing a full head over all the girls around her.

“Hey, you,” Ash murmured, embracing him the moment he trotted up to her. “I didn’t know if you were gonna make it out here tonight.”

“I didn’t either,” he admitted. “I brought thematically-appropriate cookies,” he continued, raising the plate of shortbread with little jam-filled hearts punched into them.

She took a deep whiff of them, then wiped the line of drool off her lip. “God, you’re the best,” she murmured, then grabbed his hand and dragged him towards a large table, decorated with sodas, chips, and various forms of pastry. “C’mon, let’s go set ‘em on the snack table. Then I don’t have to feel bad about snagging some.”

The cookies slotted neatly into the treat-laden table, next to a half-full bowl of potato chips and two trays of brownies. As Ash grabbed them a pair of plates, he looked around at the options; most of it was all storebought, but the brownies were clearly made with love. He’d already snagged one by the time Ash returned, and was in the process of happily devouring the mass of fudgy goodness.

“Take a second,” she suggested, as she slipped him a plate. “Take three if you want.”

“I couldn’t,” he began, only for her to scoff dismissively.

“You made cookies, Brian,” she told him. “You don’t need to feel guilty about hogging whatever you want when you bring something like that. Speaking of,” she said, grabbing a handful of the jam-filled cookies, “I brought you, so-“

“It doesn’t work like that,” he laughed.

“Yeah? Well I won’t tell if you don’t,” she said, scooping one of them into her mouth. “Mmm! Oh, wow, these are so good.”

“It’s just a recipe from online,” he mumbled, looking away as he finished the brownie in his hand, and picked up a second.

She put the hand not holding her snack-laden plate on his shoulder, and gripped him firmly. “Brian,” she huffed, “you can be good at things. I like it. It’s sexy.”

Despite himself, he felt a little smile creeping across his reddening face. “Sorry,” he mumbled again, “I’ll-“

“No being sorry,” she huffed, reaching down to tousle his hair. “You’d laugh at me if I said I was just okay at basketball, right?”

“Yeah, but you’re amazing.”

“That’s my point,” she said, smiling down at him, chocolate brown eyes filled with warmth. “So I wanna hear you say it now: ‘I’m awesome at baking.’”

“I’m awesome at baking,” he mumbled up at her.

“Louder!” she shouted.

A couple of the others were now looking over to see what the commotion was. He looked away, unable to keep the crimson from spreading across his face. But, despite himself, he took a deep breath, and said, in a conversational tone, “I’m awesome at baking.”

“Oh really?” Rose hummed, peeking over his shoulder at the snack table. “What did you make?”

“Here, try ‘em,” Ash said, as she handed her one of the jam-filled shortbreads.

She crunched down on it, then began to slowly chew, eyes closing as she savored the cookie. “Mmm, you’re not kidding. Babe,” she called out, “babe, you gotta try these!”

Soon, he was surrounded by half a dozen young women and a couple of young men, all happily crunching away at his cookies, while Ash squeezed his shoulder each time he mumbled a quiet thanks at their compliments.

“You’re a hell of a baker,” Monica hummed.“You might be as good as Sue. Ooh! You two should do a bake-off! So, have you had her brownies yet?” When he nodded, she continued, “they’re so good, aren’t they? Just go easy on the ones from the left tray,” she said, a wicked grin crossing her pierced lips. “The right tray’s safe, but she goes hea~vy on the edibles.”

Brian’s chewing slowed. He unconsciously gulped, swallowing the last remnants of the brownie he’d been working on, the third one that Ash had convinced him to take. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, “but the what?”

———

“You dosed my fucking boyfriend,” Ash growled, fire in her eyes, as she loomed over the pitiful, apologetic Sue.

“I’m so sorry!” she cried out once again. “I put a sign up and everything.”

“That sign!?” she yelled, jabbing at the crumpled paper lying in the dirt beneath the table, trampled by at least half a dozen feet. “Is that the sign you’re talking about?”

“I’m so, so, sorry,” she cried, burying her face in her hands.

“Yeah, that would have really helped him if he’d had a tree nut allergy!” she shouted, fists clenching and unclenching as she ground a foot into the dirt. “You remember Jane, right? You remember her going for a ride to the goddamn hospital last year because some dumbass couldn’t label her treats!?”

“Ash, it’s okay,” he mumbled, grabbing her shirt.

“It’s not okay,” she grumbled, gritting her teeth and clenching her eyes shut. “I promised I was gonna take care of you, and-“

“Nobody’s set me on fire,” he reminded her. “I’m okay. Just, you know…”

“Blazed out of your goddamn mind?” Monica suggested.

“Ooh, the tradition has been saved!” Rose laughed, pumping a fist, only to freeze at the look on Ash’s face and quietly lower it.

Brian, on the other hand, burst out laughing so hard he nearly toppled over. “I-It…” then he dissolved into laughter again. Finally, managed to hold back another laugh long enough to get out the words “it really is okay. I’m not… I’m not hurt. It’s just a dumb t-thing…” He held back another snicker, then continued, “just a dumb thing that happened at a party.”

“I promise I’ll be more careful next time,” Sue promised Ash, tears in her eyes. “I really will.”

She sighed, rubbing her face. “Look, this is not okay, and I am not gonna forgive you even if he is, but I’m done yelling at you. You fucked up, don’t do it again. Now get the hell away from me,” she growled, and Sue retreated, mumbling apologies the entire way. “Now,” she huffed, “what am I gonna do with you?”

“I can think of a few things,” he murmured, clinging to her tight, pressing his face into her and inhaling deeply. The soothing scents of lavender, vanilla, and sweat curled through his brain like waves of glimmering violet and indigo smoke, leaving him sighing in bliss, breath catching as he inhaled once again. “My girlfriend smells so good,” he whispered.

“God, you’re a mess,” she sighed, pushing him off of her. “I’m not gonna take advantage of you while you’re like this, Brian,” she told him.

“Even if I want you to?” he murmured, eyes half-lidded, teeth gently sinking into his lip. “I trust you.”

“Goddammit,” she growled, “do not tempt me like this, Brian.” She then put a hand on his face and pushed him away, silencing his next response. “Look, for now, we’re getting some real food and water into you. After that…”

She hadn’t trailed off, but Brian wasn’t in any mood to listen. He’d just found something much more amazing to focus on. He stared helplessly, a smile spreading across his face, at the crackling flames of the bonfire. He didn’t know what it was, he didn’t know if he could explain it, but it was like the roar and crackle of the fire was leaving trails in his eyes, burning into his brain, or possibly his very soul.

“Come on,” she huffed, tugging at his arm, dragging him away from the bonfire. He tried to keep it in his sights, but she grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, maneuvering him back to the table, clinging to him with one hand as she loaded up another plate, this time with chips, salsa, and crudités. “Eat,” she ordered him, and he brought a dry chip to his mouth.

He almost dropped it in surprise. It tasted amazing. He’d never tasted anything like this before. He didn’t know he could taste anything like this. It was like his taste buds had been broken for his entire life, and now they were surging with life for the first time ever. But that wasn’t even the best part. No, that was the bursts of silvery light, like diamonds exploding outward and flickering away, every time his tongue made contact with the salty chip. His mouth began to slow; time around him began to slow, until he was in a single frozen moment of crunchy heaven.

“Uh, Brian? You okay there? You, uh, just kind of started chewing weird slow there for a second.”

And then it passed. “I need to taste everything,” he told her, eyes wild.

“…What.”

“I’m experiencing synesthesia,” he said. “When I bit into that chip, there were diamonds. I need to try everything and see what kind of shapes they taste like.”

“…Seriously?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Instead of answering, he scooped up some salsa onto another chip, and then bit down once again. It was like lightning was crackling across his vision, between green and red but not in the way that made brown. He rolled his tongue rolled in his mouth, coating it in every drop of salsa he could, as his own personal fireworks display exploded in front of him. “I. Need. To. Taste. Everything,” he gasped, once he’d recovered from the experience.

“You are a cartoon character, you know that?” she huffed. “How am I in a relationship with someone who walked off the set of some old PSA?”

“Excuse me,” he laughed, “but if people told me drugs were like this I’d have tried them years ago. Ooh, is there any fruit?” he asked, tugging at her arm and examining the snack table. “I need to try something sweet.”

“Lemme see what I can get you,” she sighed, looking around the table, not daring to let go of him for a moment.

———

The two of them snuggled by the fire, one of Ash’s big, strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, the other resting in the grass at her side, idly flicking at the dewy night grass. He nuzzled his face into her shirt, inhaling deeply once again, letting waves of violet and indigo smoke ripple through him. Ash just sighed, letting go of the grass and reaching up to scratch his scalp, chuckling mirthlessly as a little moan of bliss escaped from his lips. “A fucking cartoon character,” she grumbled again.

“You could be,” he sighed, as he melted against her powerful, muscular body.

Garnet flushed across her cheeks as she got the double entendre. “Stoned Brian does not get to make choices for sober Brian,” she said for perhaps the dozenth time that night. “Seriously, how the hell are you like this? Like, I’ve been high. This isn’t how it worked.” He just shrugged, and she reached over to caress his cheek, a little smile crossing her lips as he nibbled at her fingertip. “So what do I taste like?”

“Sunshine,” he answered honestly. “Golden ripples of sunshine bursting every time I taste your sweat. I wanna lick you all over,” he whispered to her. “You’re almost as good as pineapple.”

“I wish I could get a video of this,” she mumbled to herself, as she continued to hold him against her. Sharon, who’d been passing by, cleared her throat, and Ash jabbed a finger at her. “I will literally end you,” she growled. “Spread the word: Anyone actually takes videos of him, I will end them.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, as Sharon slipped off a little quicker than the casualness of her step would suggest. “I probably don’t actually want to remember any of this, even though I know I’m going to. I’m not sure I’m ever going to be able to look you in the eyes again. I’m sorry,” he mumbled, folding in on himself.

“Oh, good,” she mumbled, “you’ve gone introspective. No, really,” she assured him, “that is good. I can deal with introspective. Look, it really is okay. I’m not even gonna say I forgive you, because I’m not blaming you for any of this. It’s not your fault. It’s just… I really care about you, okay?” She squeezed him, and rest her head on his shoulder. “I know this was basically harmless, and you’re having fun, but this is way too close to being really scary. Like, God, I wasn’t just flipping out about Jane to make Sue feel bad, y’know? This is fucking me up.”

Ice shot through the haze of his mind. “I’m so sorry,” he mumbled. “I-“

She shook her head. “Like I said, it’s okay, and it’s not your fault. You just get why I’m having trouble being sexy back at you, right?”

He nodded. “It’s not your fault either, though. You know that, right?”

“Sure it is,” she grumbled, turning away. “I bought you here. I didn’t keep a good enough eye out. I’m the big strong scary one, that’s my job.”

This time, he was the one who squeezed her tight. “I didn’t set myself on fire, did I?” When she burst out laughing, he nuzzled his face into her side again. “You’re taking care of me, getting me water, keeping me from walking into things when I keep thinking I can slow time. And you’re keeping me from making too big an idiot of myself.”

“No I’m not,” she chuckled.

“I… I did say too big,” he mumbled, feeling the heat spreading over his face. “Anyway, the point is, you’re the best big scary protective girlfriend I could ask for.”

“Thanks,” she finally said, tousling his hair again. “And you know what? You really are adorable when you’re stoned.” A wide, happy smile began to spread across his face, before she whispered in his ear, “I kinda want to see you like this again sometime. Y’know, on your own terms.”

He managed to bite down the flirtatious comment he felt slipping out of his mouth. Before he find any kind of response he was half with, though, their conversation was interrupted by a piercing, howling shriek and the spray of sparks. “Ooh, hey, the fireworks are starting. Go synesthesia at ‘em,” she said, a little smile crossing her lips, then fading when she had to dig her fingers into his shoulder to keep him from getting up. “From here, Brian.”

Brian tried to respond, to apologize, but his eyes were once again pulled from her by shimmer, shifting light. This time, it was a spray of sparks shooting up into the sky, flickering and dancing like a waterfall of molten metal. He could feel the ridiculous smile spreading across his his face, the look of childish glee. But he couldn’t stop himself from staring at them, couldn’t fight back the sheer bliss of the experience. He curled his body against Ash, drinking in her warmth, breathing in her scent, and just let himself enjoy the beauty of the display.

He oohed and ahhed as Roman candles launched balls of flame into the sky, leaving trails of iridescent radiance burned into his eyes. He winced and closed his eyes when the light from the firecrackers left after-images in them. And he cheered when the human-sized figure in a cheap plastic mask was thrown into the flames, trying to ignore the way his eyes kept swearing it was actually moving. “That, um, that is just…”

“Just some Guy,” she promised him. “Burning someone alive is for the championships.”

“No fucking with the stoned guy please,” he mumbled.

“No promises.”

The two kept cuddling together, watching the fireworks and cremation of the poor effigy, until the last semblance of a human being had crumbled away. Then Ash rose up, stretching her back, holding onto Brian’s hand affectionately as much as protectively. “Hey,” she asked, “you think you’re up for sparklers?”

“Yes please,” he breathed, as his eyes began to flit around as one team member after another went for the sparklers Lauren had offered, touching them together to spread their flickering glow between them.

“Nevermind,” she grumbled. “I’m just gonna get some for me. You can watch, though.”

“Spoilsport.”

“I thought you didn’t want to get set on fire.”

———

The two of them drove home mostly in silence; well, as silent as the car could get with the dulcet tones of one of Ash’s metal albums blasting away. Brian’s energy had finally started fading shortly before they’d left, and now he was clinging to the last few embers. Everything else was replaced only by a vague, burnt-out sense of fatigue. It was hard for him to keep his eyes open, despite her choice of music, let alone hold up his end of their conversation.

She didn’t seem to mind, though. When she kept glancing over at him, there was an affectionate smile on her face, a warm little smile spreading every time she managed to catch his eyes flickering towards imaginary fireworks.

Truth be told, he wished he wasn’t like this right now. He wanted to keep telling her about all the things he’d seen, dissecting the way he’d been feeling. But that, he supposed, would have to wait until tomorrow morning, when she dragged him out for their morning run.

“Hey,” she finally whispered to him, as she pulled into his driveway, “we’re here.”

“Thanks,” he yawned, as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “You’re okay. I mean I’m okay. You’re the best.”

She laughed. “You’re the cutest zombie I’ve ever seen. Go get some sleep, okay?”

He nodded. “I will. Thank you again. For everything.”

“Thanks for coming. It was… it was something. But I had fun.”

As he started sliding out the door, she cleared her throat. “Hey, uh, Brian?” Garnet started to spread across her face, as she asked, “Do you still have the whole synesthesia thing going on right now?”

He shrugged. “Just a little. Why?”

She shoved a handful of soft, damp green cloth into his hand, mumbling, “you know, just in case you want to experiment.” He looked at her, uncomprehending, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

He looked at the cloth, saw the crumpled elastic waistband, the loop of a leg hole. “W-When did you…”

“Had to piss before we left, and you know, I just went for it. Y-You don’t have to-“

He jammed the hand holding them into his pocket, face so hot he swore it was glowing in the dark. “I… I’ll… Um, I’ll-“

“Y-Yeah,” she managed. “You, uh… yeah. See you tomorrow?”

“Y-Yeah, see you then,” he managed. “Text me when you get home?”

“I will. En-enjoy,” she stammered, then, as if she suddenly realized exactly what she’d both done and said, she slammed the car door behind him, and zoomed off into the night.

For well over a minute, he stood there, completely frozen, trying to reconcile himself with what just happened. Then he slipped into the dark, quiet house, trembling and shaking at every little noise. It was only once he heard his parents’ snores that the tension melted away; if he had to tell his parents he’d accidentally gotten high, or if they’d noticed that bulge in his pocket, or the one in his pants… well, he was just glad they trusted him enough to sleep. Finally, he made in back to his room, unfolding her gift, checking to see if she’d actually given him what he thought she had. A damp pair of green boy shorts, old and well-worn, a little wet spot directly between the two leg-holes.

“Well,” Brian finally mumbled to himself, once his brain accepted that this was in fact the reality he lived in, “I’m sure as hell not getting any sleep tonight.”

Chapter Text

He was quiet. He was careful. It wasn’t enough. Before he even made it hallway down the stairs, his parents’ door opened, and his bleary-eyed mom leaned out the door, a sheet clutched to her chest. “You’re up early,” she yawned. “You did set your clock back on Sunday, didn’t you?”

He nodded quickly. “Y-Yeah, I did. Ash is coming early to take me to school today. We’re, um, going to go get breakfast together before.”

She yawned again, blinking some of the sleep out of her eyes. “Is that what they call it nowadays?”

“N-No,” he mumbled, “we… we’re not-“

“Brian,” she sighed, “I was your age once, you know. You’re proof enough of that. Believe me, I’m okay with you two spending time… getting breakfast. It’s a lot less stupid than how I spent time with your father.”

Brian blinked, then the mental image began to curl its way through his brain, burning every brain cell it touched. “Jesus Christ, mom,” he moaned, hitting a hand to his forehead.

“I’m just saying, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you-“

“We’re not- I’m not- Mom, please just drop it?”

“Alright,” she yawned, slinking back into her room. “You two be safe. Oh,” she said, popping her head back out, “when’s she going to be picking you up?”

“Um… any minute now?” he mumbled.

“Good.” A sly smile crossed her tired face as she announced, “I’m going to treat your father to breakfast in bed. I’d suggest you wait for her outside.”

Brian could feel his throat constricting as he realized the implication. “W-Why the hell would you even…!”

“Next time don’t wake me up,” she replied, shutting the door behind her, leaving Brian gathering his things as fast as humanly possible. When Ash finally arrived, he was sitting on his porch, hands on his face, brain desperately begging for a nice, soothing glass of bleach.

“Hey, cutie,” she called, chipper as ever, despite the fact that it was still basically pitch black outside. “Hey, uh, you okay?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, as he slipped into her car. “Mom caught me sneaking out.”

“Crap. Did you get busted?”

Brian shook his head. “Worse. She thought she busted us. And she was understanding.”

“Um… oh. Ooh, yeah, I get what you mean,” she chuckled. “Nothing like parents trying to give the sex talk to make you wish you were an orphan.”

“No, there’s nothing like parents over sharing to make me wish I was an orphan,” he shuddered.

She patted his shoulder sympathetically. “So,” she asked, once they’d left his neighborhood, “you wanna tell me where we’re going?”

“S-Sorry, I’ve got the directions pulled up on my phone,” responded. “We’re taking the freeway to the cliffs. Theres a nice gentle four mile loop that’s still got enough of an elevation to give us an amazing view.”

“Gentle isn’t exactly my kinda exercise, Brian,” she chuckled, as she turned up the raucous metal she’d had nearly silent in his drove off on the empty streets. “Just because I haven’t done this before doesn’t mean you’ve gotta baby me, y‘know?”

Silently, he texted her the picture he’d taken last summer vacation, which he’d queued up in his photo album last night, anticipating this exact conversation. When she hit a light, she pulled it up on her phone, then burst out laughing. ‘Over 250 people are rescued from the depths of the Grand Canyon each year,’ the sign proclaimed, over the picture of a fit blonde man in an orange hoodie. ‘Most of them look like him.’

“Alright, alright, point taken. I’ll let you be gentle with me, then we can warm up to the rough stuff, okay?”

Brian felt sparks fly in his brain; between the two sets of intrusive mental images he’d had to deal with this morning, well, his brain had well and thoroughly got to experience the full depth of human emotion. “A-Anyway,” he coughed, “we’ve only got until math ends to actually get to school, and I don’t really want to rush. We can try something longer on the weekend.”

“I still can’t believe… fuck you, get off my ass and go around!” she yelled, flipping off the car seat that had decided to tailgate the only other car on the road. “Heh, sorry. Anyway, I can’t believe you’re the one who suggested we skip.”

“I guess you’re just a bad influence,” he replied. “Besides-“

“Excuse me,” she murmured, sinking her fingertips into his inner thigh, “but I thought we agreed I was the best influence?”

“T-Two things can be true at the same time,” he gasped, as her fingers slowly slid up his leg.

“This okay?” she asked, voice low and filled with heat. When he nodded, he felt her fingers running over his ever-hardening erection, teasing and flying with him as she sought out his waistband. “So, what were you saying?” She asked, as the sound of her unzipping his pants cut through the din of her heavy metal. “Y’know, besides?”

“I… Uh… I wanna…” he stammered, trying to remember the words he was saying, even as her fingers began to toy with him through his plain cotton underwear.

“You wanna…?”

“M-make things fair,” he managed. “We - uh - we skipped the others, b-but-“

Ash was laughing so hard she couldn’t even keep fondling him. “Brian,” she finally managed, “You’re so cute I don’t know how you’re real.” He felt his face going hot and turned away, only to gasp when her fingers began to slip through the fly of his underwear. “I’d say I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you,” she murmured, as she traced his rapidly-hardening flesh with one hand, the other on the wheel, “but I think we both know that’s a lie.”

———

By the time they arrived, the first traces of orange had begun to warm the cool, dark horizon, all but the very brightest stars already faded. Long, eerie shadows poured out from the forest, spilling across the parking lot. The first time he’d seen them like this, it had chilled him to the core; now, it was a welcome sight. It meant he’d started his hike at just the right time.

But not the right temperature, he thought, as the early morning chill managed to pierce through three layers of clothing. Ash, who’d apparently decided sweats and a hoodie were enough for this endeavor, shivered alongside him. “D-Damn,” she chattered, “you go out like this on the regular? I’m kinda impressed.”

Brian shook his head. “We only go hiking once or twice a month,” he replied. “This kind of hike? Maybe twice a year.”

“Yeah, still impressed,” she replied. “I’m the kind of crazy who goes running in January, and I’m kinda wondering if we should just go back to the car and fool around for a couple of hours.” She smiled when she saw the pitiful look on his face, and tousled his hair under his own hood. “I didn’t say I was gonna,” she said, stepping towards the trailhead. “Just thinking out loud.”

“It’s okay. I’m just really excited about this,” he explained, as they began to make their way through the dimly lit trail, their voices and the crunch of gravel beneath their feet still the only noises to be heard. “I’ve wanted to go hiking with you since, well, since the first time we went running together.”

“You mean the first time you realized I’d let you see my tits when nobody was watching?” she asked, winking as his cheeks grew hot.

“T-That wasn’t…” he started to mumble, only for her to reach out and touch his nose.

“You’re so cute,” she murmured. “Brian, you know I’m your girlfriend, right? I told you, I think it’s hot that you’re into me. You don’t have to be ashamed. You look at what you want, you touch what you want. If I don’t want you to, I’ll let you know.”

“I know,” he mumbled. “You’re just… well… you’re my first girlfriend. I’m still getting used to the idea that I can just… just touch your butt whenever I want to.”

“Okay, but you remember I was playing with your dick the whole drive up, right?”

“I know,” he repeated, face only going hotter, “I just-“

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the feeling of rough wool dragged across his bare skin, her gloved hand slipping beneath long underwear, sweats, and hiking pants to caress him. “Try thinking of it as making things fair,” she said, winking. “I know you like doing that.”

He took a deep breath, then reached out his own gloved hand to cup her rounded, shapely ass. He gently squeezed the firm muscular flesh with his own gloved hand, marveled at the strength in those powerful gluteal muscles as they trudged up the hill together. He could feel them tense and flex with each step, pushing away his fingers each time she exerted them, welcoming them back when her weight shifted to the other leg.

She chuckled as his squeeze went from cautious to playful to inquisitive, slipping her gloved hand onto his and patting it against her. “You know you can go further, right?” she asked.

Brian shook his head. “I don’t wanna trip you,” he explained. “It’s too dim to play around too much anyway. This is good enough for now.”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” she groaned, the disappointment in her voice palpable. “Oh well, my ass will still be here when we’re done hiking.” She then grabbed his hand, entwining her fingers with his, and smiled softly. “How about this? This okay for hiking?”

“Perfect,” he mumbled, returning her squeeze.

———

“Thought you… said this… was gentle,” Ash puffed, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“Mod… moderately… gentle,” he managed to gasp out, before unhooking his mouthpiece and gulping at his water. “Steeper than… I thought.”

“You okay?” she asked, looking over at his pink face, for once not because of something she’d done to him.

He nodded to her, taking a deep breath, then coughing it out. “You?”

“Uh huh. Just, y’know…”

“Diff… different than… you’re used to?” he suggested.

“Mmm, sounds right,” Ash replied, before taking a long gulp from her water bottle. “Fun, though. We there yet?”

“Almost,” he admitted. “One more hill.”

“Oh. Cool.”

The two walked together in relative silence, the quiet of the trail now disturbed not just by their rough footsteps and panting, but by the chirps and tweets of what few birds had decided this was their south. He was surprised at how comfortable the quiet felt. It wasn’t that they didn’t have anything to say, it’s that he didn’t feel like he needed to try and make conversation with her. An icy twinge ran through his tired chest as he wondered if she felt the same comfort; the warm, reassuring smile she gave him when she saw him looking at her, the little squeeze she gave his hand, was all the answer he needed. His body had warmed up from the exertion some time ago, but he could still feel a new wave of warmth curling through him when he saw that smile.

Finally, the slope of the trail began to ease, slowly curving from that very clearly moderate curve to something gentler and gentler. The trees they’d been walking through, so thick and tall, had begun to clear as well, letting them see more and more of the vibrant orange light pushing away the blues of the night sky with rich purples and reds. Finally - as if he’d somehow managed to plan it - they left the hiking trail, arriving at the scenic overlook he’d promised her, just as the first slice of amber radiance peeked over the bay and dyed the water with its light.

“Wow,” she hummed, squeezing his hand, staring off into the distance. “Brian, you weren’t kidding. This is amazing.”

“Glad I… got to… hah… share it,” he puffed, breath still not quite recovered from their shared ordeal.

“I’m gonna be honest,” she admitted “I didn’t know if it was gonna be worth it. I mean, spending time with you, sure, but, y’know. But… yeah. I’d do this again,” she sighed, squeezing him again.

For long minutes, the two of them stood there, quietly watching as the sun made its way over the horizon, the first hints of cerulean starting to peek through between the dark blues of night and the orange hues of dawn. Then, he slipped his hand from hers, and - with a surge of mental effort and the memory of her assurances in his mind - he slipped his glove from his hand, and shoved it beneath her waistband. Cool, smooth skin greeted him, beneath it the soft firmness of her powerful muscles obvious to even the most casual of touches. Not that he was touching her casually; just like before, he’d started with caution, but soon had begun to grope at her inquisitively, trying to see if he could make out all the different muscles that she’d been working this whole way up. He couldn’t, but there was no same in trying.

“Told you,” she murmured, slipping off her own glove and sliding it beneath his layers, “I like how into me you are.”

“Y-Yeah?” he whispered, trying and failing to fight back the flush playing across his cheeks.

She didn’t answer. Not with her words. Instead, she grabbed his wrist, sliding his hand over the globe of her ass, then the curve of her hip, into the first dense curls adorning her pubic mound. She looked him in the eyes as he continued his journey on his own, curling his fingers through her tangled bush until he reached the smooth skin beneath, and nodded. “Yeah,” she whispered, both an answer and her approval. “I - f-fuck,” she hissed, as his fingers began to brush over her engorged labia, the first time he’d touched her without her assisting him. “Fuck,” she murmured again, as he ran a finger over her entrance, soaked with sweat and just a hint of something slicker. “It makes me so hot, knowing how bad you want me,” she growled. “And how bad I want you too.”

His trembling hand, the one not slowly caressing her beneath her clothes, reached out to her wrist as well. He shook as he guided her across his hip, down to his achingly hard cock. Then, once she’d gripped him, once she’d begun to toy with him, he let go of her hand, and curled his fingers in her hair. He craned his neck up to her, and she lowered her lips to his, hot breath washing over his cold face, tongue slipping into his mouth. She dug her fingers into his shoulder, holding onto him tight, the two of them panting and gasping as they kissed and touched each other.

Ash wasn’t just soaked with sweat anymore. Her dense bush was so slick with her arousal that he didn’t even have to put his fingers against her entrance to feel it now. She was so hot it felt like heat was radiating from inside of her, an intoxicating sensation in the chill of the morning, one he couldn’t stop feeling. Gently, his trembling fingers parted her, slipped into her, extended inside of her. She squeezed down on him so tightly he wasn’t sure how he could go in any further, but slowly, gently, continued to push into her until his knuckles pressed into her labia. He inhaled deeply, head swimming as his nose filled with her scent, then slowly drew them out, following the technique she’d showed him when she’d let him watch her come.

“Grind ‘em against me,” she growled. “Inside me, there’s… yeah, yeah,” she gasped, as his fingers brushed rough, spongy flesh. “That’s it. In and out but don’t move ‘em off me. F-Fuck,” she gasped, “a-a little slower, I’m still warming up, but just like that.” Then she growled with hunger, sucking his lower lip into her mouth, biting down before slipping her tongue back into his mouth and curling it against his own. She’d started moving too, pumping and caressing him, fingertips running up and down his shaft as she slid down his foreskin. It felt so good he couldn’t hold back a moan, and struggled to remain focused on her pleasure. But he managed to hold on, pushing aside his pleasure to focus on hers. She rewarded him with another lust-filled growl, and redoubled her efforts to pleasure him.

Slowly, their movements began to build in intensity. She coached him between her kisses, telling her when to speed up, warning him when he was going too fast. But soon, his fingers were moving as fast as they did when he played with himself, pumping in and out of her fast enough to decorate her boyshorts with spatters of her sexual fluids. He came still first. There wasn’t any question it was going to happen; she was so incredibly good at pleasuring him, and he was still learning to fight back the pleasure when she pushed him over the edge. He moaned and gasped into her leering mouth as she moved her hand faster and faster, clinging to her for dear life pleasure wracked his body.

He could barely focus on anything, let alone his developing sexual skills; nevertheless, even as his movements became clumsy and unfocused, he forced himself to keep going, to keep caressing her, rubbing her inner walls. He sucked in one last trembling breath, filled with her musky fragrance, then cried out in bliss, letting his orgasm wash over him, filling her hand with his semen once more. When his eyes regained their focus, he saw her staring into them, a look of satisfaction obvious even through the building haze. Like always, she licked his semen from her hand; unlike always, her movements were shaky, her breath trembling as her tongue darted across her palm. “G-Gonna come soon,” she hissed, once she’d licked up the last traces of his ejaculation. “S-So good. You make me feel so good. I… God, I’m gonna squirt again, Brian. You’re gonna make me soak my pants. Don’t stop,” she growled, preempting his startled movements. “Just - fuck - slow down for a second.”

As his movements went from the intensity they’d reached when he came to back at his original level, she began to wriggle her pants down, exposing herself to the icy air and the rising sun. He looked down, staring in awe at her thick brown curls, at his - his - fingers vanishing inside of her, shiny and wet with her clinging fluids, then up at her face, teeth gritted, eyes unfocused and wild. “F-Fuck, Brian,” she growled, “I’m gonna…” She clamped down on her so hard it hurt, pulsing faster and faster with each movement, until finally, with a guttural cry, her fingers dug into him, clinging to him with enough of her weight that he could barely keep standing, and spray after spray of wetness soaked his hand.

Her shaking hand finally released him and grabbed his wrist, pulling him from her with a wet, squelching pop, letting her drop to her trembling knees. She laughed, gasping for breath, face stuck in a wild, blissful, open-mouthed smile. She looked up at him, those chocolate brown eyes of hers shining with warmth and joy. She seemed to almost be waiting for something; she chuckled as he finally realized how soaked his hand was, but she couldn’t keep that happy smile from broadening as she watched him savor her thick, musky, tangy taste.

———

“I… I dunno how I made it back down,” Ash murmured, fingers curling through Brian’s hair, as the two of them took their first steps back into the parking lot. “My legs were shaking so hard. You… wow, you make me feel amazing.”

“You do too,” he murmured. “A-and not just, you know-“

“I know,” she replied, shaking her sweat-soaked hair. “Boy do I know. I had so much fun this morning, even before we got to the top.”

“Me too,” he replied. “I’m so happy whenever I’m with you.”

“C-C’mon,” she mumbled, “you’re gonna make me blush.”

“There’s nobody else around,” he replied, then pressed his lips to her garnet-tinged cheek. “Can we do this again?”

“You gotta ask?” she laughed, as she unlocked the car. “I mean it, though. You make me come so hard, but… I think I kinda would’ve been happy just watching the sunrise too, y’know?”

“No orgasms next time?” he asked, once he’d put on his seatbelt and shut his door.

“Let’s not talk crazy talk,” she said playfully, as the metal started up again and her car ground its way back down the mountain trail. “Unless you really wanna,” she finally mumbled, hesitatingly.

He looked over at her, at the garnet radiance spread across her face, and felt his heart swelling. He shook his head, then kissed his finger and tapped her cheek. “I like how into me you are too.”

Chapter Text

The first week had been awful. The second week hadn’t been nearly so bad. He’d started thinking, at some point, that he could actually do this. That he and Ash could end up running together, maybe even running events. Obviously he wouldn’t be able to compete with her, but the idea of seeing her warm smile waiting for him at the finish line, hearing her cheer for him, tell him how proud she was of him? He was almost starting to look forward to the idea.

Then he started week three.

“Why twice… as long?” he finally manage to her after they finished the first of two - two! - three-minute runs. Normally, she’d have dashed off, but at his question, she stopped in her tracks, matching pace with his exhausted, struggling steps.

“You gotta push yourself,” she said, matter-of-factly. “Just doing the same run over and over isn’t gonna help.”

“But twice?” he asked her. “Why twice?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t write the app, Brian. I don’t remember how I got started when when I was a kid. This is the best I’ve got.” She then sighed, looking over at him, and mumbled, “if you don’t wanna do this, don’t. I don’t mind if you wanna be my cute little couch potato.”

“I do want to,” he lied. When she glared at him, lips slowly curling into a disappointed scowl, he sighed - which dissolved into a small coughing fit - and looked away. “Want to… run with you,” he managed. “I just… just want to… start there. Why… why don’t we… have bionics yet?”

She laughed, and slapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah, I can get behind that. It is gonna get easier, Brian,” she promised him. “Your body’s getting stronger every time. In a few weeks, you’re gonna get to bitch and moan about a two mile run, not a little three minute jog.”

He gave a playful sob was a little more genuine than he’d like. “Oh God,” he gasped, “why would you even tell me that?”

“You’re gonna get there,” she promised again. “In a few months, you’re gonna look back and wonder how you put up with your own whining.”

“Mean,” he huffed, managing to laugh a little.

“So~rry,” she chuckled. “Alright, I gotta run. You sure you’re okay?”

He nodded. “Y-Yeah. See you for the next one,” he called out to her, as she sprinted off into the distance.

———

Brian was not okay.

It wasn’t even the second three minute run that had done him in. It was the second minute and a half run, the one he’d done over a dozen times last week, the one he was actually kind of okay with. One minute Ash had been cheering him on; she’d told him he had this, he turned his head to return that infectious grin of hers. The next, his brain informed him that gravity had become optional; the moment after that, that it not optional after all. He barely managed to throw his hands in front of him in time to catch his face, then he slammed roughly into the sidewalk, waves of pain jolting through both arms and crashing into his shoulders even as red-hot jolts of it tore through his hands, arms, and legs. A cry tore itself from his lungs, slowly dissolving into a whimper as he tried to grab at his wounds with his wounds and accomplished nothing but making himself hurt worse.

“Brian!” Ash was already on him. She’d stopped the moment she heard him and realized he wasn’t beside her; she’d instantly descended to her knees, eyes wide with horror. “Brian,” she cried, “Brian, look at me, okay? I need you to speak to me.”

“Ow,” he groaned, as he tried to push himself to his knees, hissing at the pain from every part of him involved in the process. He glanced back at where his foot had landed, over the tiny little corner of sidewalk, jutting up and peeking over the next square, that had sent him tumbling. He tripped over that? Then when he heard Ash’s frantic breathing, he managed to look her in the eyes, and mumbled, “does ow count?”

When she saw him look up at him, she sighed, not a hint of relief in her posture. “Good,” she mumbled, “that doesn’t sound like a concussion. I don’t see a bump,” she continued, peering at his face, looking him in the eyes, running her hands across him. Then, only when she finished, did some of the tension leave her body, some of the horror on her face melt away. “God, Brian, I’m so sorry. C’mere,” she said, as she slipped her hands under him. “I’ve got you.”

“I think… ow… I can walk back,” he told her.

“Brian,” she mumbled, “you’re a mess. Look, you’re bleeding everywhere.”

He looked down, and immediately wished he hadn’t. His legs and knees were shiny and raw, glistening with a slow ooze of blood that welled up from his torn skin. His arms and hands were even worse off; it wasn’t deep, not by any means, but there was so much of it. There were rocks and gravel sticking - hopefully - onto him, dust and debris coating the injuries like red mud He felt his stomach whirl at the sight of his own blood, and looked away, back to his girlfriend’s compassionate eyes. “O-Okay,” he mumbled, “definitely a mess. I still think I can walk back. You don’t have to-“

She tossed him over her shoulder like he was a bag of potatoes. “I know,” she said. “But I want to. You’re hurt. Just let me do this one little thing for you. Okay?”

“Okay,” he sighed, as he let his weight fall on her, let him relax against her powerful back, burying his face in her muscular shoulder. He took a deep, Ash-scented breath, the sharp, salty, heady smell of her sweat with barely a hint of lavender or vanilla left, and tried to ignore the throbbing. “Thanks,” he murmured.

“You’re hurt,” she mumbled again. Then, faster than he’d seen her off the court, she began to sprint. “Hold on,” she promised him, as she ran like his life depended on it, “I’m gonna take care of you.”

“I know you are,” he whispered, as he let himself go limp, snuggling against her as her powerful legs thundered across the neighborhood streets. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

———

Cats have no sense of dignity or medical necessity. That’s the lesson he learned when, as the moment she laid him on her couch, the marmalade cat he’d made friends with hopped up, curled up on his chest, and - deciding he hadn’t been injured enough - began to grip his chest with its claws. He winced at the feeling of little needles picking at his flesh, but the buzzing was actually kind of soothing, so he didn’t try too hard to wiggle away from the affectionate animal.

“You made a friend,” Ash murmured, as she rinsed out the blood-dampened cloth she’d been stroking across his wounds, dipping it in a bucket of water and twisting it, dipping it and twisting it, until the water ran with just a hint of rusty pink tinge. Then, she dipped it into a second bucket, soaking up warm, soapy water, and began to tenderly trace it across his scraped-up leg. Brian winced at the initial contact, struggling not to pull away, relaxing once the soft cloth and warm water flowed across him, washing away the blood, dust, and bacteria, leaving behind red, raw, abraded skin. He sighed softly, relaxing, just letting her take care of him, letting the throbbing slowly face as she worked on his injuries.

“God,” she sniffed, “you’re such a mess. I’m really sorry, Brian. I-fuck. I’m so sorry.”

He looked up at her then, and almost recoiled when he saw her face. Her lips were clenched together, trembling, and whenever she looked away from one of thr masses of abrasions, her eyes squeezed tight. She wasn’t crying, but she was closer to it than he’d ever seen her.

“Ash?” When she didn’t meet his gaze, he called her name again. “Ash? What’s going on?”

“‘S my fault you got hurt,” she mumbled. “I wasn’t watching where we were going.”

“I tripped on a little bit of uneven sidewalk,” he said, incredulously. “I feel like that’s not really something you needed to look out for.”

“I still saw it,” she growled. “I told myself, ‘we should go around,’ but I didn’t want to make you run through the grass, and-“

“I probably would have tripped over a root or something,” he laughed. “This is all on me.”

Strangely, instead of easing the look of misery on her face, it made her whole body jerk. “Ash?” She looked away, and he reached out to touch her. “What’s really going on, Ash?”

“You told me I was pushing you too hard, I kept pushing,” she sniffed. “I should’ve listened.”

“I’m really not hurt that bad,” he said. “My shoulders have stopped hurting, so-“

She clenched her fists, water dribbling from the cloth between her fingers. “You could’ve been. I’ve seen some bad running injuries, Brian. You could’ve gotten a concussion, or broken your wrists, or… fuck, I once saw a girl’s knee cap when she took a bad tumble down a bad patch of road.”

He felt a wave of nausea pass over him, and shoved it down, reaching out to stroke her face. She pulled away from him, but when he kept groping for her, she sighed and relented, letting him stroke her cheek. “I didn’t,” he reminded her. “It looks a lot worse than it actually is.”

“Not if I don’t get all this crap out of you before you get an infection,” she grumbled, rubbing the cloth across his torn-up leg.

“Ash, look at me.” Those warm brown eyes met his, and he stroked her chin. “I’m going to be okay. I just got scraped up really bad. And you’re taking care of me.”

She huffed, something close to a chuckle, then went back to cleaning him. “Still my fault,” she mumbled. “I don’t like seeing you hurting because of me.”

“I told you, I tripped. It wasn’t your fault,” he assured her.

“You listened to me instead of your body,” she grumbled, clenching her fists again. “You have any idea how many accidents happen because someone kept pushing after they were tired? I made you feel like you were letting me down if you didn’t keep running. I made fun of you for it.”

“I’ve never felt like I couldn’t say no. You always check in with me and ask me if I’m sure. Besides,” he mumbled, heat radiating across his face, “I-I don’t really mind when you tease me a little.”

“Okay, but still, if I wasn’t pushing you-“

“Then I wouldn’t be doing this at all,” he interjected. “I couldn’t do this if I didn’t have you cheering for me. Knowing you believe in me? It’s the best motivation I’ve ever had.”

“Even better than my tits?” she chuckled.

“…You know what? Yeah. D-Don’t get me wrong,” he said, face going pink again, “you’re so sexy I can’t believe it sometimes, but if I just taped a picture of some naked woman to my glasses it wouldn’t help.”

“Yeah, your dumb ass would go flying the first time you hit a curb,” she laughed. Then she winced, looking away, and mumbled, “sorry.”

“It’s okay, it was funny.”

They were quiet for a while, only the sounds of water splashing and slopping and her cat purring away breaking the silence. Then, finally, she took a deep breath. “You remember Guy Fawkes Day?”

“I will never, ever forget it,” he grumbled.

Ash laughed a little at that, then paused from her cleaning and rested her head against his chest, ignoring the yowl of protest from the marmalade cat. “I feel like a weirdo for dating this, but… I kinda liked being the big strong girl who was keeping you safe, y’know? It’s… it was sweet. I kinda got a reputation with the team: You need help, Ash has your back. When someone gets sick, or hurt, or some guy won’t take no for an answer, I’m there. I punched Rose’s sperm donor in the face, y’know,” she said, looking over at him and laughing at the wide-eyed look he gave her.

“I assume he deserved it?” he finally said.

“Oh yeah.”

“Then, good.”

“Yeah, that’s a whole story,” she chuckled. Then she slowly cleaned her cloth once again, taking a deep breath when she finished. “I’ve never had a guy who let me take care of him before you. I like it. I like it when you trust me. I like seeing your cute little smiles. But I fucked up,” she spat, with surprising vehemence. “I don’t like seeing you hurt, and knowing I’m the one who got you hurt? It makes me feel like shit.”

“You didn’t,” he assured her. When she inhaled sharply, he reached out, putting a finger to her lips. “I don’t like you blaming yourself for this. Look, you know what I really like the idea of?”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Running a race with my big, strong, amazingly athletic girlfriend, watching her s-sexy butt as she zooms off into the distance, and knowing when I finally get to the finish line, she’s going to be cheering for me and waiting to scoop me up in her arms.” He reached out, caressing her cheek again, and murmured, “I want you to push me, Ash. You’re not forcing this on me. I want to run with you. Even if sometimes I trip and hurt myself in the process.” Then he pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers.

She sighed softly, running her hands through his hair, kissing him with more tenderness than he’d ever experienced from her. She didn’t part his lips with hers, she didn’t slip her tongue into his mouth, she didn’t nip and nibble at him. Instead, her kisses were soft, almost chaste, slow presses of her lips to his. When he parted his lips, she followed his lead, tongues meeting between their mouths and mingling, softly caressing each other with almost shockingly slow affection. When their lips parted, she kept the kiss going, but by gently suckling his lip, pulling it just between hers. Her hands roamed through his hair, sending tingles through his scalp and down his spine, fingers tensing and flexing as she resisted the urge to pull.

“I like it,” he whispered to her, and her fingers tightened against his scalp. “I-I like it when you’re rough with me,” he admitted. Then, and only then, did her kisses start to grow confident, vigorous, hungry. Lips and teeth and tongue toyed with his mouth, her fiery kisses finally recovering a hint of fish wild passion he’d come to expect - no, need - from her. He moaned softly into her mouth, gasping as her fingers started roaming again, covering his body with the sensation of her touch. He missed it. He wanted it. He needed it. And as she continued to roam her hands over the uninjured flesh of his body, avoiding any injuries, he cried out into her mouth, the pleasure she’d begun to inflict on him overwhelming in their intensity.

Before things could go any further - and based on how her hand started to trail down him, they would have gone much further indeed - she managed to pull away, a hint of garnet on her cheeks. “Okay,” she eventually sighed. “But you gotta listen to your body from now on, okay?”

“I trust you-“ he began.

“Don’t,” she growled. “I’m not you. I don’t know when you’re just sore or when you’re tired and hurting. You need a day? We can take a day. You think this is too hard? We can repeat a week, try pushing again next week. This is for us, Brian. We’ve got all the time in the world. We finally get you running a 5K in May? I know some runs we can sign up for. Okay?”

“Okay,” he promised.

“Good. Now… uh, you remember how I said I don’t like you hurting because of me?”

“Yes…?”

She took a new, clean cloth, held it against a bottle, and poured until it was saturated with yellowish-brown. “I’m not gonna like this part very much.”

———

“This…this really isn’t necessary,” Brian mumbled, face luminescent, trying not to meet anyone’s gaze. Fortunately, they were some of the first to arrive; unfortunately, some was the operative term.

“I know,” Ash murmured, as she carried him over her shoulder, hefting him like a sack of potatoes. “But you’re still hurting. Just to Math, I promise.”

”Just to math,” he sighed. “Are you sure we have to take the rest of the week off? I-“

”You don’t make time to rest your body,” she huffed, “it’ll make the time for you to take care of it. If - If - you heal up okay, we’ll start again Monday. Otherwise, you’re gonna chill and let this heal, okay?”

”Okay,” he eventually replied.

“Man, are you two already at it?” Monica asked, as she trotted over to them. “Save it for - whoa!” she yelped, as she saw the thick, reddish brown scabs covering his arms and legs. “Holy crap, Ash,” she said, thrusting a finger at his injuries, “what the hell did you do to him!?”

Ash shuddered, a jolt running through her big, strong body. Brian, on the other hand, saw red. “She took care of me after I took a really bad tumble,” he growled, a tone entirely unlike a kitten experiencing food aggression no matter what anyone said.

”O-Oh yeah?” she asked. “Sorry, I was just joking. You know, kinky sex stuff?”

”W-Well that’s okay then,” he stammered, the mental image plowing through his train of thought like it had just suddenly appeared at a level junction moving at top speed. “Oh, hey,” he called out, as Ash carted him away, “can you tell Rose I’m sorry about her dad?”

”Fucker deserved it,” she growled, eyes flickering towards Ash as soon as she’d seen folded across her chest.

“I know,” he assured her. “That’s what I’m sorry about.”

”Oh! Heh, cool. I’ll pass it along. So,” she asked, trotting alongside Ash, “what are you two getting up to in the mornings that’ll get you this scraped up anyway?”

“Well,” Brian began, “how familiar are you with all the different running programs?”

Chapter Text

The girl was staring at him again. He’d noticed her when he walked in; how could he not? She was one of the most gorgeous girls he’d ever seen, a lithe, toned beauty with a heart-shaped face who he wouldn’t describe as his dream girl only because he didn’t dream that big. Also, because God both loved and hated him, she’d decided to rock a leather jacket that looked painted on, and pair of tights that showed off exactly how toned those calves of hers were. He’d tried not to stare, and he’d managed not to gawk, but she’d still noticed him. He’d immediately gone pink to his ears and turned away, but when he looked back, she was still staring. Eventually she turned back to the shelves of games, flicking idly through them; when he glanced over again, he made eye contact with her.

He was bad at facial expressions. And body language. And, let’s be honest, at girls in general. Not everyone could be Brian, who was so good with them that he managed to snag one of the most popular girls in school, who was so far out of his league that Captain Nemo would find it excessive. Regardless, he still didn’t think she was angry at him. He laughed at the idea that she was checking him out; some dreams are just too far out there. But her gaze was getting more intense each time he caught her staring, and it was starting to make him increasingly uncomfortable. So he moved over to the next shelf, examining the new releases, holding the empty boxes up like a shield against the intensity of her gaze.

“Alex?”

He jolted at the sound of his name, then almost toppled over, eyes springing wide open in surprise. She wasn’t over at the other shelves anymore. She was there. Right in front of him. Meeting his gaze with warm, friendly eyes. “You’re Alex, aren’t you?” she asked, voice smooth and smoky, curling through his ears and doing things to his brain.

“Y-Um-Yes…?”

She laughed, a sultry, smoldering melody that sent a shiver through him. “I thought that was you. I didn’t know for sure, but I hoped it was. You haven’t changed at all.” Then, a sad little smile crossed her lips. “But you don’t have a clue who I am, do you?”

He stared at her gorgeous, heart-shaped face like a deer caught in the headlights, then suddenly realized she’d asked him a question. “N-No, I’m really sorry,” he mumbled, lowering his head. “I… uh,

“That’s okay,” she murmured in that incredible smoldering voice of hers. “Kathy. It’s so good to see you again.”

Kathy. Kathy. He wracked his brain, trying to remember who the hell he knew by that name. He was about to write the whole thing off as mistaken identity, then he saw her enticingly soft-looking lips quirking into a frown. A frown he’d seen so many times back in elementary school. “K-Kat!?” he yelped. Kat the Brat, the terror of second grade.

Her face lit up, a smile spreading across it like wildfire, warm and intense and threatening to swallow him up. “You remember me!” she sighed.

That was an understatement. They’d fought constantly. He’d made fun of her for being obsessed with mermaids, she’d made fun of him for being obsessed with dinosaurs, and it had all spiraled from there. She called him weird and gross, made fun of almost everything he did, even ruined projects he’d been working on whenever the teacher wasn’t looking. She’d been a regular feature in his nightmares even after he switched schools in third grade, until he’d finally gotten over her some time in fourth. And now here she was, smiling at him like the sun had decided today was his day to get its full shine, and everyone around him had to put up with whatever corona was left.

“W-Why…” he mumbled, taking a step back.

She took a step forward, dark eyes smoldering with something he couldn’t place. “I remember you used to write the most beautiful poetry,” she murmured, a strange heat to her voice. “I loved it when you’d read it in class.”

She what? She made fun of him for it! Didn’t she? He couldn’t remember if that was one of the things she’d made fin of him for, actually. “I-I… s-sometimes,” he stammered. “I don’t, um, have any projects, so it’s just when I’m bored, but-“

“Really?” Somehow, her smile grew even brighter. “That’s wonderful. I… well, nevermind. So, how have you been? What have you been up to?”

“Just, y-you know, school and… s-stuff,” he mumbled. He felt his gut twisting into knots, ice pumping itself through his veins. She was close enough that he swore he could feel the warmth radiating off of her, smell a faint hint of her perfume, and it made him feel like he wanted to jump out of his skin. Her eyes fixed on him, boring into him; he felt like he was in the middle of a nature documentary, and here was the hungry tiger about to snap up its prey. “W-what about you?”

She hummed, long and low. “I’m playing basketball now. We’re doing really well so far this year. Playing video games, of course. I remember you were so into them.” Of course you did, came the thought that slithered into his brain, you always made fun of me for it. “I bet you could recommend me something really fun.”

“I… um… yeah, maybe. What, uh, system?”

That was the last thing of substance the two of them said to each other; he completely jumped into that nice, safe topic, and they didn’t stop discussing the merits of various games, what they were playing, their favorite moments and fights and music, for what felt like barely a moment but which apparently took up all the time he had at the store. He heard his father clear his throat, looked up at the entrance to the store, then almost jumped as he turned back to Kathy. “S-Sorry,” he mumbled, “I gotta go. You, um, you think you’ve got what you need?”

“No,” she sighed, “but it’ll do. Bye, Alex,” she mumbled, “I’m so glad I got to see you again.”

“Y-Yeah,” he mumbled. “Me too.” And, somehow, he meant it. Then, faster than a walk but not quite a run, he left the game store, and that strange, gorgeous girl, a sad little pout on her lips.

———

“You know she was hitting on you, right?”

Alex laughed, shaking his head. “She wasn’t hitting on me,” he assured Brian. “She hated me. ‘Alex, Alex, makes me so sick.’ That’s what she used to sing at me.”

Was this what it was like for Sharon, he wondered. “No, Alex, I’m serious. She remembered your poetry from something like half her life ago. And she complimented you on it. And you said she looked happier than when you recognized her when you said you were still writing it?”

“Okay, so she likes my poetry,” he grumbled. “So what?”

“Alex,” he sighed, “tell me what kind of face she made when you recognized her again?”

“Okay, so she smiled,” Alex grumbled, in nearly the same tone. “So what?”

“That wasn’t just smile you described,” Brian replied. “That was how I look at Ash when she’s at practice. And she smiled harder. Then you talked about video games?”

“Yeah? I was just helping her pick out a new game.”

“For half an hour,” Brian stressed. “You two spent half an hour laughing and chatting about your mutual hobby. You didn’t even notice your dad coming in.”

Alex looked away, mumbling something.

“Okay, fine, whatever,” Brian huffed, waving his teammate off. “Let’s pretend she wasn’t hitting on you. She still clearly wanted to keep talking. Did you get her number?”

Alex thumped his head into the large round table their group shared, and ground his head into it. “Nope.”

“Email?” Another head-shake. “Trade Steam accounts?” and another. “Come on, she spent how long telling you she’s into like three of the same multiplayer games you’re into?”

“‘M not good with girls,” he mumbled, lifting up his face to bury his hands in them. “You really think… I mean, she used to hate me…”

Brian sighed, patting his teammate on the back. “Don’t stress out about it,” he replied. “But if you ever see her again? At least get her account, okay?”

———

“Hey, you,” he whispered to Ash, “is Kathy okay?”

Kathy was very clearly not okay. Her lunch was sitting next to her face, getting cold, while she laid her head on the table and stared a thousand yard stare. Sharon and Monica were patting her and consoling her, actions about as effective at getting a response as if they’d started poking a corpse with a stick.

“Hey, cutie,” she whispered back. “No, she had a real bad night last night. She met an old crush of hers, and, uh, apparently she came on way too strong. Scared the shit out of the poor guy. He ran away with his tail between his legs.”

“Oh.” Something about that tickled at his mind, but he pushed it away. He looked at Kathy, then back to Ash, and shrugged. “Maybe it’s for the best, though. I mean, you scare the shit out of me too, but I found out I like it.”

She laughed, and tousled his hair. “Yeah, that’s what I told her. If the guy can’t appreciate how sexy she is, well, that’s on him.”

“And I told you to fuck off,” Kathy snapped, the first reaction she’d shown. “Sorry. But,” she growled wordlessly, then grumbled. “fuck, Ash, you should have seen him. He was so fucking cute! He’s got that adorable pudgy kitten thing going on, and I just wanna pet his tummy! And he still writes poetry! I should’ve just grabbed him and thrown him over my shoulder and…” Then she slammed her head back into the table, narrowly avoiding brushing her dark, spiky hair in her mashed potatoes, growling in frustration once more.

There was that weird tickling at his brain again, like he was trying to remember something but didn’t even know what he was trying to remember. “Is there anything I can do?” Brian asked.

“There’s nothing anyone can do for me,” Kathy moaned, slamming her head into the table a couple more times. “Just dig a hole and bury me in it.”

“I’m not much of a digger, but I’ll give your eulogy.”

“Here lies Kathy, biggest fuckup in the world,” she grumbled. “Fuck, he’s even into all the same games as I am! I should have asked him for his Steam name,” she spat.

And there it was. Everything suddenly made sense. “So, um, by any chance, was his name Alex?”

Slowly, Kathy began to raise her head up from where she’d made a valiant attempt to crack it through the table. “What do you know,” she ground out, looming towards him.

Brian shifted backwards; Ash could be a little scary, but she was much sexier than she was scary. Here in the comfort of his own head, and nowhere else, he’d admit Kathy was also sexy. But she was definitely much scarier than she was sexy. “He’s in my creative writing class,” he managed to mumble. “And, uh, on the forensics team.

Sharon, empty tray in one hand, slapped the other down on her shoulder. “Ooh, you hear that, Kathy? Mystery boy doesn’t have to be a mystery anymore. You wanna go pick him up and carry him over, or should I?”

Her tan skin was now the color of a ripe tomato. “I’ll fucking end you,” she growled. “If you fuck this up for me, I will end you. Hey,” she snarled, as Sharon laughed and trotted off to bus her trash, “I’m not nice like Ash or Monica. Don’t fuck with me! Hey!”

———

“So you’ll never guess who I had lunch with today,” he hummed, strutting up to Alex with an almost-painfully smug expression on his face.

“I know you had lunch with today,” Alex huffed. “You don’t have to brag, everyone knows who you’re dating.”

“W-Wha-no, I’m not bragging. Do I brag?” he asked, suddenly unsure of himself.

“You’re always going on about her,” Alex grumbled. “It’s kind of a lot, you know.”

“I just like her,” he mumbled. “I’m not trying to…”

“Anyway” Alex continued without sparing him a glance, “are you up for a drill? I need to practice the whole Lincoln-Douglas thing again before the competition.”

“Sure, b-but-“ he said, holding up a hand, “but I didn’t mean Ash. I mean, yeah, I did have lunch with Ash, but…”

Alex had his fists on his hips, and was looking at Brian with a long-suffering expression. Then, finally, he sighed. “Fine, who’d you have lunch with?”

“Kathy!” he almost yelled. “I had lunch with Kathy!”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Look, I’m not in the mood, okay? I told you that in confidence. If you’re gonna make fun of me…”

“She goes here, Alex. Hell, she’s the team’s point guard.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you didn’t recognize her.”

“…I don’t go to games,” he mumbled to himself. “Or go to parties. Or… look, the only person I know is on the team is Ash, and that’s because she’s, well… her.”

“Really? You’ve never met Sharon?”

“Wait, Sharon’s on the team? I thought she was too busy with the whole Queen Bee thing.” Then he threw up his hands, and huffed, “look, we’re getting sidetracked. S-She’s really here?”

“Yeah,” Brian said, unable to hold back the excitement building in his voice. “Just come sit at our table tomorrow, she’ll be there. She’s waiting for you, Alex.”

Alex blinked, then blinked again, and finally paled. “I can’t just do that,” he mumbled, burying his face in his hands. “She’s gonna think I’m some kind of stalker, and she’s going to get the whole team to hate me, and that means the whole school is going to hate me, and…”

“…Or, she’s going to throw you over her shoulder and carry you off to her lair,” Brian laughed.

“Don’t make fun of me,” he growled. “Look at me,” he continued, grabbing his belly and shaking it. “Did you see her, Brian? God, she’s like a ten thousand. Why the hell would she be interested in some tubby loser like me?”

He contemplated telling her she wanted to pet his tummy like he was an oversized kitten, but decided against it. If he was scared off before, that little detail would probably make him run screaming. “You’ve seen me, right? And Ash?”

“Miracles happen, Brian,” he grumbled. “That doesn’t mean I should count on one.”

“Look,” he finally said, “she was as upset as you were when she thought she scared you off. I don’t know how to make it any clearer: She wants to talk to you.”

“If that’s true,” he mumbled, “why are you the one telling me I should do it? Look, I-I’ll think about it,” Alex lied, turning away in a vain attempt to keep Brian from seeing the lie on his face. “Now, um, you still up for that set?”

Brian managed to just clench his teeth. He didn’t grab his hair and try to pull it out. But it was a near thing.

———

“Why is she like this?” Ash growled, toweling the sweat from her hair as she stormed through the gym door and over to the fountain.

“Gee,” Sharon drawled, “I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be to see two people so clearly into each other convinced the other one isn’t. Hey, how long did it take you to ask Brian out?” she asked, almost sneering. “Oh, wait, wasn’t he the one who ended up asking you out?”

“Mutual fuckup,” Ash mumbled, a bit of garnet spreading across her cheeks.

“Kinky.”

“Shut it. Anyway, we were already friends, y’know? She won’t even talk to this guy. Like, she was so upset she left without getting his info,” Ash growled, waving her hands in frustration, “and now that she knows where he is, she won’t go ask for it. And she fucking threatened me when I said I’d do it.”

“Wrangling pandas is a dirty, thankless job,” Sharon commiserated, patting Ash on the back.

“I could just pick her up,” Ash huffed. “Like, I could toss her over my shoulder like Brian and carry her over to the forensics room.”

“Ooh, you’re doing what to him now?” Sharon asked, leaning forward with her arms behind her back.

“N-None of your damn business,” she huffed. “Figured Monica would’ve told you by now anyway.”

“She doesn’t appreciate my need to listen to the pulse of school society,” she sighed, holding her hand to her heart.

“You mean she’s not a gossip,” Ash grumbled. “Anyway, I should just do it. Sure she’ll kick and fuss, but-“

“She will literally stab you.” When Ash chuckled and bent down for a drink, Sharon tugged on her jersey, and cleared her throat. “You only think I’m kidding. She’s taking sculpture this semester, you know. You’d should probably assume she’s got a fettling knife on her at all times.”

“It’s a little late anyway,” Brian called to the two of them, as he headed across the gym. “Forensics is over for the night.”

“Hey, cutie,” Ash called to him. “Missed you. So how’d it go on your end?”

Brian looked her in her warm brown eyes, so full of vain hope, then shook his head sadly, “You ever meet someone who makes you question how much of a pain in the ass you must be to deal with?”

“No, I hang around people who make me realize what a treat I am to deal with,” she laughed, elbowing Sharon in the side. “So, no-go?”

Brian shook his head. “He’s convinced himself that not only is she not into him, she couldn’t possibly be into him, and in fact she’s so not into him that if he so much as talks to her that she’s going to go full mean girl on him.”

Sharon burst out laughing. “I’ve never seen someone less of a mean girl than Kathy. Like, don’t get me wrong, she can be a bitch, but she’s the in your face kinda bitch.”

“Yeah, apparently he’s afraid of that too,” Brian sighed. “She used to pick on him in second grade.”

“Oh. My God.” Sharon’s eyes were open wide, and she had her hands across her open mouth, holding back something that could be a laugh or a squeal. “She actually did the ‘pick on you because I like you’ thing? Oh, that’s so cute! I can just see little tsundere Kathy running around in her twintails and thigh-highs!”

Brian paused, contemplating that image, struggling to hold back his laughter. Ash had already failed, almost coughing up the water she’d drunk. “S-So,” he managed to ask, “is there a next step?”

Sharon, once she’d finished drinking, wiped her lips and shrugged. “You can lead two pandas to water but you can’t make ‘em fuck. Honestly,” she grumbled, “they’re kinda pissing me off. Ash is right: You two were just dumb. This is willful. I kinda want to give up and let nature take its course.”

“Well I’m not giving up that easy,” Ash growled. “I hate seeing Kathy like that.”

“You want my advice?” Sharon asked, walking back towards the door. “Give ‘em a few days, see what happens. They probably of just need some time to settle into the idea.”

———

They didn’t. Kathy was still moping the next day. And the next. When Brian saw Alex at in his creative writing class, he looked even worse. He’d say neither of them had even tried to talk to the other, but it was worse: They had, then chickened out without even seeing the other. Which had only made the two of them mope harder.

“I’m telling you,” Sharon sighed, as they walked together after lunch, “right now the best thing we can do is leave it.”

“I don’t wanna do that,” Ash growled. “She’s our friend, and I hate seeing her hurting like this. Brian, you’re with me, right?”

Brian looked between the two of them, Sharon’s exasperated expression, Ash’s pleading one. There wasn’t any contest. “Yeah, I’m in. Do you have any ideas?”

“This is going to end in tears,” Sharon warned them.

“I’m still kinda tempted to just toss her over my shoulder and drag her to his next class or something,” Ash admitted.

“Let me amend that,” Sharon replied. “This is going to end in tears and bloodshed.”

“We could just get them in the same place at the same time,” Brian suggested. “Then they’d have to talk.”

“Or run away,” Sharon said. “You know that’s an option, right?”

“Look,” Ash muttered, “if you’re not gonna help…”

“No no, at this point I’m too invested in seeing this trainwreck. So, whatcha thinking?”

Brian scratched at his hair, then like a bolt of lightning, an idea shot through him. “You know, it doesn’t actually have to be a room. She tell you what they were talking about for half an hour?”

———

“I’m glad you could make it,” Brian said over the headset, as the two of them waited for the countdown. “Ash is still learning, but Sharon said she’s scary-good at this game.”

Alex blinked, then whistled, shaking his head slowly. “You got two of the most popular girls in school to play CS with us?Holy crap, Brian, what kind of life do you live?”

“You know they’re all really friendly, right?” As the two of them raced off towards the bomb target, Brian cleared his throat, “you should come sit with us.”

“Yeah, not gonna lie,” he replied, “that sounds like my personal hell.”

“Being surrounded by female athletes is your personal hell? Jesus,” he chuckled, “I can’t imagine how nice your heaven is.”

“They’re loud, they talk fast, they’re into stuff I find tedious and vice-versa, and I don’t know any of them,” he said, ticking down his fingers for his own benefit. “That’s a sensory overload waiting to happen.”

Brian was quiet for a moment; he heard something like ‘…doing this again?’ but he couldn’t quite make it out. “Yes,” he finally sighed, “I’m sure you and Crescent Rose would have nothing to talk about.”

“W-Wait, she’s on the team!?”

“Her girlfriend is,” Brian replied. “Seriously, they’re good people. You’d like them. And you’d make Kathy happy.”

“C’mon, I told you I’d go talk to her,” he sighed. “I just haven’t - aw shit!” he cried out, as he went from full health to almost dead before he even saw his attacker. “Where the hell did you - and I’m dead,” he sighed. “Think you can handle it?”

“Terrorists Win,” the game swiftly announced.

“Guess not. Alright, miss scary good,” he said, cracking his knuckles, “let’s see if you can do it again.”

———

Sharon was good, Alex would give her that. She wasn’t good enough to carry Ash, though. He and Brian had ended up winning ten of the sixteen matches, which was more than he thought a 1v2 would do. “So, wanna do another set?” he asked.

“A-Actually,” Brian stammered, “I was kind of hoping we could switch things up. I, um, I’ve been missing Ash, so-“

“Ah, I see how it is,” he sniffed, pretending to choke back tears. “Go on, but considering how good Sharon is, I have no doubt we’ll be bask her again soon enough.

The game started again soon enough; once the voice chat was open, he cleared his throat. “You’re, ah, Sharon, right? You’re really good at this. How long have you been playing, anyway?”

There was silence from the other player. Then, a low growl, beautiful in its ferocity. “Oh, those motherfuckers.”

He froze. “K-Kat? I… B-Brian said you were Sharon,” he mumbled helplessly. “I didn’t-“

“I know,” she growled. “They told me you were Sharon too. Fucking bitch is probably in on it.”

“I… I’m…”

The game dropped abruptly; his teammate had quit. For a few moments, he looked at the screen, paralyzed, completely dumbfounded by what had just happened. Then a window popped up on his screen, the warning ‘Message from a user that is not your friend’ emblazoned at the top, a single blurred-out word beneath. No, he saw, once he accepted it; a ten-digit number. His hand moved on its own, grabbing his phone, dialing them in. It rang once, and only once, before her voice, sullen and frustrated but still beautiful, answered. “I’m going to commit murder tomorrow,” she growled. “Wanna be my alibi?”

“…No?”

She clicked her tongue. “Damn. Oh well. Hey, you.”

“Hey,” he squeaked. “U-Um, did you mean what you said-“

“About killing them?”

“N-No, about my poetry.”

The other end of the line was silent, more than a couple seconds passed. “I always looked forward to hearing it,” she admitted. “They were so good. Like, so much better than anything I could do. But it was also just how earnest you were. You… You just bounced when you got a chance to share something beautiful you made. Fuck, I thought you were the coolest kid in the world.”

He blinked, completely dumbfounded. “W-Wha…? I… I thought you hated me.”

“Why, because we used to tease each other?" She snorted. "I remember you face as good as you got, Alex. Remember when you drew that T-Rex eating mer-me? I cried when I got home.”

“I… I actually had nightmares about you,” he mumbled. "Like, for a year."

The line went silent again. “Fu~ck me. No wonder you didn’t come to my birthday party. I was gonna kiss you, you know."

Alex's brain felt like someone had just dipped it in liquid nitrogen and smashed it with a hammer. When he couldn’t even think of the words to respond, she sighed, long and deep. “Look, I was going through some shit in elementary school. Some serious fucking shit. I… It’s not an excuse. But it is an explanation. The stuff I did to you? I thought that was how you showed someone you cared about them.”

Ice flowed down his body, clenching around his guts. “That’s… horrible,” he whispered.

He heard a sniffle coming from the other end. “Therapy helped. Alateen. But… fuck, I thought you were showing me back. I thought we were having fun together. I… I told everyone you were my boyfriend.”

“Wait,” he yelped, “that’s why everyone kept saying you were my girlfriend!? I thought they were just picking on me!”

“I’m so sorry,” she sniffled. “I… Fuck, if I’d known that was how you felt, I’d have just run instead of trying to talk to you. I-“

“I... I had fun today,” he admitted. “A-And… and on Monday too. I…”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I… I felt like such an idiot when I ran off without any way to get back in touch with you.”

She laughed, sniffling again. “I thought I’d scared you off by flirting too hard.”

And now he felt like a hole had opened beneath him, sucking out his guts. “Y-You… you really… um…”

“Oh yeah,” she murmured, her sultry voice smoldering.

“…Why?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked, an utterly uncalled-for sincerity in her voice. “You’re cute-“

“No I’m not-“

She huffed, “You are totally cute. And you write poetry. C'mon, Alex, that's already enough to give it a try. And that was before you made me laugh for, like, half an hour. Fuck yeah I was flirting with you.”

Alex’s head span. This was so far from anything he thought he was going to hear that his mind couldn’t even handle it. Unfortunately, it seemed she’d confused his failure to try and get his brain functioning again for a more negative reaction. “S-Sorry,” she mumbled. “I… I can just go, you don’t have to-“

“I…” he began, and she stopped. “I don’t know how to… girl.” She burst out laughing at that, a simmering melody that made did things to him. “But, u-um, I, uh, didn’t mind the flirting? Maybe? Now that I’m thinking about it and realizing Brian was right and a gorgeous girl was actually t-“ Abruptly, his brain caught up with his mouth, and he realized exactly what he’d just said.

“You think I’m gorgeous?” she murmured.

He squeaked in response.

“Gonna assume that’s a yes,” she purred, and dear lord what a noise that was. “Don’t worry, I like that.”

Words were hard. That’s the only coherent thought Alex could manage right now.

“Look,” she eventually sighed, “this whole thing? It was a shit-show. I’m beyond pissed, I’m fucking furious. And I dunno about you, but I can’t do this any more tonight.” Then she went quiet, and, after a few moments, continued, “wanna try tomorrow?”

“L-Like, on a date?”

“If you want.”

He closed his eyes, forcing the words out. “I’ve never actually been on a date before.”

“Well,” she replied, “I’ve never been on a date with you before. Wanna meet at the mall and we can both play it by ear?”

It took a while before the words came, when he finally realized she probably couldn’t tell that he was nodding his head.

———

“Hey, cutie!” Ash called, trotting up to him and embracing him outside the cafeteria doors. “How was history?”

“Still on the Revolutionary War,” he sighed, slipping his hand into hers as the two of them walked in together. “Comp Sci?”

“I wish we were on the Revolutionary War,” she grumbled. Then she froze, squeezing his hand tightly. He looked up at her, then followed her gaze. Alex was at their table, looking like a deer frozen in the headlights. One of Kathy’s arms was around his shoulders, the other was angrily gesticulating at a nonplussed Sharon. He couldn’t quite make out what she was saying, but he could tell that the word ‘fuck’ featured prominently.

“You,” she growled, when she saw them out of the corner of her eyes. “I am going to end you motherfuckers. I told you not to fuck with me, and what did you do?”

“Fucked with you,” Ash hummed, a smirk gliding across her face. “You’re welcome.”

She growled, a low animal noise, then Alex patted her on the back and she sighed. “Thanks,” she grumbled. “Now don’t you fucking dare do it again, you hear me?”

Chapter Text

“Brian brought cookies!”

Objectively, he knew it was a cheer of excitement. But it sounded like a battle cry. No, a battle cry implied just that: A battle, a clash between people who could at least defend themselves. This was the whoop of a raiding party descending upon a helpless village… or, rather, a helpless villager.

He was almost instantly surrounded by tall, beautiful women, faces flushed, dripping with sweat, panting for breath and grinning with wild-eyed glee. It was the kind of mental image that was either going to give birth to wet dreams or wet nightmares, and he didn’t know which. But, surprisingly, they managed to show a little bit of restraint. Once they surrounded him, they waited impatiently for shaking hands to peel the lid off the storage container, and most of them even waited for him to pass the cookies out.

Ash didn’t, but that was okay. She paid him with a kiss.

“Ooh, are these snickerdoodles!?”

“These are s~o good, Brian!”

“You made these!?”

“Ohmigod, this is just what I needed.”

“Ash, this one’s a keeper!”

“You know, if you ever decide you don’t want him…”

“My fucking boyfriend,” she growled at the hungry horde, wrapping an arm around his stomach protectively. He ignored the laughter from the throng of basketball players, stroking the other one as it snaked around his chest to snag another cookie, dragging it to her drool-rimmed mouth. “God,” she mumbled, between crunches, “I’m so lucky to have you.”

“You’re lucky to have me?” he laughed, trailing his fingers up her arm, feeling her powerful musculature as he went.

“Yep!” One of the girls - he couldn’t tell which - chirped.

Oh yeah.”

“Totally!”

“Fuck all you bitches,” she grumbled, huffing at the laughter her response provoked. “But yeah. I am. God, I wish I could bake like you do. Or even half as good.”

He finished trailing up the broad muscles of her shoulder, now gently caressing her neck and cheek. “So, um, you do know that’s a thing you can actually do, right?”

“Bullshit,” she murmured, as she rubbed her sweat-soaked cheek against the palm of his hand.

“I’m being serious,” he assured her. “Mostly I just follow recipes I get online. I-It’s how dad taught me to bake. Find a recipe, follow it like it’s gospel, toss it and find another one if it sucks. You, um, you want to bake with me sometime?”

She sighed happily at his touch, moving her lips to his ear. “I’d love that,” she whispered, before nipping at his earlobe. “Your place or mine?”

“I don’t care whose place,” Sharon grumbled, “just get a damn room.”

“Not my fault you’re having a dry spell,” Ash chuckled.

“Yes, that’s why I don’t want to watch you two make out on the blacktop,” she huffed.

“Or you could be the one who gets a room,” Rose interjected, as she wrapped her arms around Monica and kissed her so passionately that Brian felt guilty watching them.

As the three of them began to squabble, Ash sighed, shook her head, and squeezed him tight with both arms. “So?”

“You, uh, you wanna come over on Thursday?” he asked. “My… my parents have this month’s big date night scheduled then, s-so…”

“Just you and me, the whole place to ourselves?” She hummed, low and sultry, heat in her voice. “Well if I wasn’t in before…”

Brian gulped. “W-We are actually going to bake, right?”

She thought for a moment. “Well, I do like you a lot, but I also like cookies. Guess we’ll have to play it by ear,” she purred, as she began to nibble at him again.

———

Brian wasn’t used to seeing Ash without a top yet. He still couldn’t think about anything else if he even saw her bare breasts out of the corner of his eye; the mere glimpse of her them, modest in size but perfect for her athletic frame, instantly derailed any thoughts he’d been having until he acknowledged the two much more important things now on his mind. Even in a sports bra, it was hard to look away from her, from those thick, rippling muscles contracting and flexing with each breath she took. Hell, he could barely keep his hands off them when given half a chance. But while he wasn’t used to her, he was used to not being used to her. He had just accepted the idea that seeing Ash in anything less than a winter coat was going to hijack his brain, and that was okay because she’d told him it was okay.

What he was not used to, on the other hand, was having his brain hijacked by the fact that she was wearing a top, one actually more concealing than her sports bra. And yet here they were: Him gawking openly at his girlfriend, who was looking down at him with smoldering eyes and a smile on her face. “Like my outfit?” she asked, planting her hands on her jeans and spinning in place, the waist of her apron gently flapping as she turned, the bib almost, but not quite, following suit. Aside from it, she was stripped to the waist; her heavily-muscled back, her broad shoulders, the tone of her obliques, and more than a little bit of her breasts; all were completely exposed to the chilly afternoon air.

He stammered, trying to come up with words. He failed miserably. Finally, he managed to mumble the word, “Rose?”

“Got it in one,” she murmured, as she stepped forward, wrapping her big, strong arms around him, and leaning down for the a kiss. “She told me it’d drive you crazy,” she whispered, once their lips finally parted.

“I… I don’t know if we’re going to get much baking done,” he mumbled, eyes still drawn to the lines between cloth and skin, concealing so little of her, and yet so much.

“No way,” she laughed, pushing past him and through the open door. “I’m hyped about this, Brian. I’ve been waiting for this all day.”

Brian shrugged. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

She paused, looking over her shoulder. “Aw, and here I hoped you were gonna fight with me a little harder,” she teased.

“W-Well, I did pick out a cinnamon roll recipe for today,” he replied. “It’s… well, it’s a pretty simple recipe, a lot of work with your hands, and, um…” Brian coughed, then mumbled, “takes over an hour to proof.”

“And by proof you mean…?”

“You know… leaving it alone and, um, doing other things while it rests?”

“Other things, huh?” she murmured, putting her hands in her hips. “Dessert with built-in make-out time?” She tsked. “That’s a little forward, Brian.”

“W-We could always do homework instead,” he mumbled.

She chuffed, shaking her head. “Who said I was complaining? I like it when you let me know how bad you want me. And you wanting me bad enough to schedule it in? Mmm, that’s kinda sexy, you know?”

“I… I hoped you’d think so,” he mumbled. “So, um, you wanna go ahead and get started?”

“Damn right I do,” she hummed. “So. Cinnamon rolls. Where do we get started?”

“The kitchen,” he said, grabbing at her belt and stopping her. “You’re heading to the guest room.”

“You’ve got a guest room?” she whistled. “Hmm, maybe I should stay over sometime. You like that idea, Brian?”

By the time Brian got his brain working again, Ash had made her way to the kitchen. She laughed as he sputtered and trotted up after her, giving him a little kiss on the cheek when he got her the mixing bowl. “You start assembling wet ingredients as I get them?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure. Just simple measuring and pouring, right?”

“Mostly, although the milk - half a cup - needs to be scalded.” As she stared down at him, he cleared his throat. “Just microwave it thirty seconds at a time until hit hits 83.”

“Can do,” she confirmed, as she half-filled the measuring cup.

“From the meniscus,” he called to her, as he grabbed sugar and yeast from the pantry.

“Got it. Hey, I thought you said we were doing wet first,” she said, as he slipped the bag of sugar into the counter.

“Sugar’s weird like that.”

“Ah, sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he told her, “ask any questions you need to. Anyway, I need to go grab a couple of eggs from the chickens. Back in a second.”

“Hold on a second,” Ash exclaimed. “You’ve got chickens!?”

“J-Just a few,” he mumbled. “We’re zoned for them. That’s, um, kind of how I got into baking. I woke up one day and realized I was sick of omelettes, and mom asked what we were going to do with all the eggs, and-“

“How long have you had chickens!?” she asked, a hint of laughter in her voice. “How did I never know you had chickens!?”

“Since I was five,” he admitted. “I, um, I was really into dinosaurs when I was a kid, and asked mom and dad for a pet dinosaur for my birthday, and I didn’t take ‘they’re extinct’ for an answer, so-“

“Oh my God,” she laughed, “you are the biggest dork in the world.” He flushed and turned away, but she grabbed him and dragged him into a hug. “I love how dorky you are, Brian. God, you’re just so cute.”

“T-thanks?”

“So,” she asked, almost bouncing, “can I meet them?” Then, in a quieter, hopeful tone, “Can I pet them?”

“Y-Yeah, sure. C’mon,” he said, as he took her hand, leading her to the back yard. “So, the really beautiful orange and red one is Deinonychus the Fourth, she’s my favorite. The black one is Tyrannosaurus the Third, this buff one is Spinosaurus the Fifth…”

“You cannot be real,” Ash chuckled, squeezing his hand to her chest. “How the hell are you real?”

———

“530… and, whoops, that’s 538. Lemme just get a little off the top there and… perfect,” Brian breathed. “536 grams of flour.”

“That is, uh, awfully precise,” Ash said, as she peered at the pile of flour he was weighing.

“Ash,” Brian began, “do you know what the secret to a really good bake is?”

“Hmm… Is it lo~ve?” she crooned.

Brian shook his head. “Science.”

“Science?”

“Science,” he confirmed. “Cooking is art. As long as you’ve got the technique down, you can play around all you want. But baking? Baking is a science. Accurately reproducing a specific set of steps to achieve a consistent result. Every ingredient has a purpose. Too much flour means too much gluten, which means they’ll get crumbly. Too little and they won’t have enough structure to rise, and they’ll be soggy.”

Ash nodded along with his explanation. “You’re gonna do amazing next year in chemistry,” she hummed, pausing to tousle his hair. “So, what’s next?”

“Next,” he replied, as he hefted the bowl of flour they’d measured together, “we’re going to stir the dry ingredients into the wet until they’re just barely combined, then let them rest for five minutes. I’ll pour and you stir?”

“Hold on,” she mumbled, lips quirking into a frown, “his long are we going to stir them?”

“Until just barely combined,” he replied.

“No, I got that,” she huffed. “But how long is that? What do I set the timer for?”

He looked at her, dumbfounded, then light dawned. “So, um, maybe it’s more of an alchemy,” he mumbled, cheeks flushing.

“Uh huh. Which is why we measure it down to the gram,” she chuckled, before leaning down to kiss his cheek. “Alright, mister alchemist, ready when you are.”

A few minutes later, Ash had paused to wipe the sweat from her forehead. “That is a lot more work than I thought it’d be,” she puffed. “So, how’s that looking?”

“Looking good,” he said. “Okay, now we’re going to let it rest for five minutes,” he said, setting a timer, “and let the flour finish soaking up the wet ingredients. I’m going go ahead and flour the cutting board,” he continued, dusting his hands, in the flour he’d set aside, “and um… no, stop!” he yelled, grabbing her arm as she ran a finger through the dough.

She looked down at the floury handprint on her arm, then back at him. “What? I just wanted to taste it,” she grumbled. “Y’know, see how it’s coming along.”

“We literally just put raw eggs in there,” he groaned. “You know what salmonella is, right?”

“They’re your chickens,” she pointed out.

“That doesn’t mean it’s safe,” he replied. “I don’t want you to get sick.”

“Fi~ne,” she huffed, shaking her finger.

“Not back into the bowl!”

She looked over at him, and a little smile started to cross her lips. “Got it,” she said, swiping her finger across Brian’s nose. “There,” she said, voice full of undeserved pride. “No more batter.”

He blinked, then tried to look at the tip of his nose, only giving himself a little bit of eye strain. Ash laughed, wiping at it, only succeeding in getting some on his cheek as well. “Okay,” she laughed, “hold still. Third time’s the-“

He reached out with a flour-coated hand, palming her face, leaving a white handprint across her bronze skin. She looked at him between his fingers, blinking her warm brown eyes slowly. “I think I can take it from here,” he said.

“Okay,” she growled, dragging her hands through the flour, “but you do know this means war, right?”

He flicked his fingers at her, coating her apron with a puff of powder, a smirk across his lips. “I have not yet begun to fight,” he intoned.

Then, as one, the two lunged for each other, flour-coated fingers outstretched. Again and again they swiped at each other, or for the flour he’d set aside for the next baking step but which was now being used for a very different purpose. He tossed a little cloud of it across her abs before she could swing her body away; she matched the print on her face with one on his. She got his hair, and he got her side. He left one on an apron-covered breast, a perfect indentation where he squeezed her; she grabbed his rear with both hands, leaving a pair of lightly-dusted handprints on each pocket of his jeans. Then he craned his neck up to meet her, and she pressed her lips against his, and soon they’d begun to kiss each other with desperate need, unable to separate themselves for a moment. Their hands roamed across the other’s body, each caress and grope leaving ever-fainter white streaks and specks, until all the flour was gone, and the only thing that remained was their desperate touches and hungry kisses.

And, of course, the sound of the timer.

———

“We’re… oh God,” Brian gasped, “we’re going to make such a mess.

“I told you,” Ash growled, as she rolled his nipple in her sticky fingers, “I’m going to clean e~ver~y~thing up.”

They’d managed - somehow - to return to the wet dough, to knead it and squeeze it into the right consistency. Then they’d put on top of the refrigerator, safe, warm, and out of the way, and gone to make the filling before returning to each other. Ash, however, hadn’t listened to Brian when he told her how much butter to soften. She’d softened twice as much. She grinned when he asked her why, when she added twice the sugar, twice the cinnamon, twice the salt. He was kind of expecting it when she slipped her fingers into the sweetened paste, dabbing a droplet on his nose. He wasn’t expecting it when she kissed him, tongue sliding against him, licking it off his skin. Or when she dragged her fingers across his neck and bit down on him, slowly, sensually licking away every grain of brown sugar and cinnamon. Or when she’d pulled his shirt off, faster then he could, and started to mark his clavicle.

He gasped, gripping her hair, as she gently sucked at his nipple, tongue flicking and rolling against him as she tasted the cinnamon sweetness she’d painted him with. She nipped at him, sending waves of sweet pain pulsing through his chest, then suckled again, replacing it with an agonizingly intense jolt of pleasure. He cried out as she continued teasing and tormenting him, not knowing if she was just toying with him or if she hadn’t quite cleaned all the sticky mixture off yet. Then, the moment he was clean, she painted the other one with her finger, and moved to it instead. He moaned as he curled his fingers in her hair, cheeks flushing at how desperate the sound was, growing even hotter at her answering, ravenous growl. She alternated again, then a second time, attacking him with a ravenous intensity that left him trembling and shaking. Then, just when he was starting to feel like it was too much, she popped her lip from him, looking up at him, and murmured, “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah,” he gasped, “but, um, starting to get a little sore.”

“Fine with me,” she growled, dragging her fingers down his ribs and across his stomach. “I’ve got a lot more Brian left.” Then she sank her teeth into the flesh of his chest, into the first of the lines she’d marked into him, and, glancing up at him, began to lick her way down.

His body was her playground. That’s what he was discovering. He’d rarely experimented with himself sexually, and even then it was things like different grips or playing with his balls. But Ash? She had fun with all of him. He’d never realized how good his stomach could make him feel until she’d kissed it so gently, then sank her teeth into it and made him gasp. He hadn’t thought of armpits as a sexual organ, until she’d lifted up his arm, smeared it with cinnamon sugar, and licked it clean while he laughed and squirmed. The blades of his shoulders, the length of his spine, the bones of his wrist; he had no idea they could feel so good until Ash had shown him otherwise. It was like she knew his body better than he did, or maybe just that she wanted to know it, wanted to know him in a way more intimate than he’d ever experienced.

He jumped when he heard the sounds of his zipper, felt the fingers of the hand she’d left clean dragging down his underwear, brushing against his achingly hard cock. “W-Wait,” he mewled, pushing at her head as she inspected him, so close he could feel her hot breath wafting over him. “I-I’m not…”

“I will never do anything you don’t want me to do,” she murmured, looking up at him with those warm brown eyes of hers, a look of softness instead of the heat he expected. “You trust me, right?”

He looked down at her, trembling, and slowly nodded.

“I will never, ever betray that trust,” she promised him. Then she slowly continued to pull down his pants, leaving him completely exposed to her, feeling more exposed than he’d ever been from her proximity. Gently, so gently, she grabbed his leg, lifting it, pulling it aside. Then the slick, gritty sensation of her fingers, coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture, dragged across his inner thigh, down to his knee, and back up again. Then, as he clung to her for support, she dragged her teeth across the flesh of his thigh, kissing and nibbling and sucking her way up and down his leg. Occasionally, her hair would tickle him, or her face would brush against him, or she’d otherwise make contact. But she never did betray his trust, never tried to force the issue. Even when she finally started touching him, slowly stroking him, humming happily as he jolted and spasmed and came, she just caught his ejaculation in that already-sticky hand, not even parting her lips until she’d finished masturbating him. It was only after she’d stood back up that she rubbed her hand into a fist, mixing his semen and the last remnants of the filling she’d had, and licked her hand clean.

“So good,” she murmured, as she licked the last of the residue off her hand, like a tigress cleaning herself. “Y’know, when you’re ready? I wouldn’t mind sucking this off of you whenever you wanted.”

That should have made him happy, but instead, he felt his guts twisting up. “I’m sorry,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve got to be the only guy in the world who’d actually turn down a blow job.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Ash murmured, not a trace of heat in her voice. “I told you, I’m okay taking things as slow as you need. There is nothing wrong with you. Okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered, letting himself smile. “You really-“

“Really,” she promised. “Take your time. Besides, I’m kinda enjoying getting a chance to really savor you, you know?”

”T-Thank you,” he managed to mumble, as heat bloomed across his face. “So, um, I’m… I need to check on the rise,” he stammered, emphasizing the word need, “but then, um-“

In response, she grabbed the tie on her apron, pulling it, letting it drop to the ground. “I’m all yours,” she murmured.

Still a while left, he thought to himself, as he looked at the rising dough. Plenty of time. Then he dipped his fingers in the extra filling she’d made, squeezed and rolled his hand, and placed his palm against her stomach.

Ash burst out laughing. “How did I ever guess?” she asked. “Well, go on then,” she murmured, curling her fingers in his hair as he dropped to his knees, and inhaled a cocktail of scents that made his head swim: Lavender and vanilla, cinnamon and sugar, sweat and sexual musk. Then, wrapping his arms around her hips, he parted his lips, and began to let his tongue and teeth play across each and every one of her powerful abdominal muscles. Wordless cries of pleasure and lust filled the air, gasps and growls and incoherent whispers. He savored each inch of her abdomen, kissing her, biting her, licking her, eventually nuzzling her once he was satisfied with his work. Then, with a sheepish shrug, he spread his fingers and grabbed at her abdomen a second time.

“Wha… again?” she asked him, eyebrow raised, amusement in her voice.

“You do things your way,” he mumbled, trying in vain to fight the heat away from his face, “and I’ll do mine.”

“Alright,” she chuckled, “take your time. Just don’t forget I’ve got other muscles too.”

“Trust me,” he sighed, slipping his hands down the back of her jeans, “I won’t.” Then he sunk the fingers of both hands - clean and sticky - into her gluteal muscles, and squeezed.

———

“Sho good,” Ash moaned, chewing almost as slowly as he had when he’d been dosed. “Mg’d, Bwyn,” she mumbled, then swallowed and cleared her throat. “Oh my God, Brian,” she repeated, “these are so good.”

As hot dough, gooey cinnamon, and just enough sticky frosting to enhance rather then drown out the taste played across his tongue, he couldn’t help but nod at her assessment. “They really are best straight from the oven,” he sighed.

“I still can’t believe I helped make these,” she murmured.

“Welcome to how I feel after a run,” Brian laughed.

“Okay, but, like, that’s just biology. This is magic,” she breathed, before taking another massive bite.

“You do remember what the secret ingredient is,” he said.

“Mgk,” came her muffled response.

“Science.”

She gulped down the oversized, half-chewed bite, then lowered her eyes and crossed his arms. “Alchemy is a form of magic,” she replied.

He shook his head. “It’s the precursor to chemistry. Just, you know…”

“With magic in it,” she huffed. “You think there’s some amount of cat hair a girl can eat that’ll turn her into a catgirl without magic?”

It took him a second to answer, and not just because he was chewing on a more reasonable bite of cinnamon roll. “Okay, but that might just be the properties of the ingredients, like fluxweed destabilizing their morphology, and-“

“A property of… the ma~gi~cal ingredients?” she sang, a smug smile spreading across her face.”

“Okay, but turning into deliciousness is just a property of these ingredients,” he fired back. “Which are all scientific.”

Ash chuffed, shaking her head. “Sorry, but I’m a witch now, Brian. You’ve inducted me into your magic circle. So,” she purred, “when do your parents get home from their date night, anyway?”

“Oh, ever since I turned fourteen date night means I see them tomorrow morning,” he replied.

“Huh. You don’t get lonely?” she asked.

He shook his head. “It’s just overnight, and I’m glad they trust me enough to do it.”

“Well, maybe one of these Thursdays I can keep you company?” she asked.

Sparks popped and flew through his brain; he was surprised he managed to whisper, “Maybe?”

“Unfortunately I gotta get home at some point this time,” she said, “but I did tell my folks I was probably gonna stay for dinner. So, wanna get our homework out of the way, then maybe spend some more time out back?”

“You want to go pet the dinosaurs again?” he asked.

“Mmm, kinda. Really, I was hoping I could go pet your cock.”

Brian choked, at the double entendre, coughing crumbs of cinnamon sugar. “N-no, they’re all girls. They don’t need a rooster to lay eggs, just-“

He saw the wicked smile spreading across her face, widening into a grin as heat bloomed through his cheeks. “…Oh.”

Chapter Text

Brian mumbled incoherently as he slapped at his phone, trying to silence the blaring machine. Finally he gave up, yawning and stretching, pulling himself up, and just grabbing it. Once he managed to silence it, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, then noticed the stream of notifications. Two missed calls, and over a dozen text messages. He felt a wave of ice crash through his body; did he miss their run? Then he saw that all of them were from last night. Sheepishly, he began to scroll through the texts. Well, at first. His face just got redder and redder as he kept going. Well, Brian thought, with whatever brain cells he had left that weren’t filled with shooting sparks, that’s a hell of a thing to wake up to. He took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself, then gave her a call back.

“Hey, cutie,” she yawned. “You’re up early.”

“Sorry, did I wake you?” he asked. “I just got your… your m-messages. I fell asleep.”

“Yeah, I figured. No, I‘ve been up for a little bit now. Letting myself ease into the morning, y’know?” She took a long sip of something, and sighed happily. “High intensity training is a bitch without coffee.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” he replied, shaking his head at the idea of trying to cram in anything more than their morning run. “Anyway, this is when I always wake up. More or less. I get up with the chickens, you know. Dinosaurs get angry if they don’t get breakfast.”

Ash chuckled. “And I’ll take your word for that. Those girls were total sweethearts to me.”

“They were fed. And, um, they’ve got good taste,” he mumbled. “S-so, um, were you really…”

“Thinking about you touching me and fingering myself into a messy puddle?” she asked, voice low and smoldering. “What do you think, Brian?”

For a moment, all he could do was stammer. Then, as she laughed, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to reclaim his brain from the fireworks popping inside of his mind. “You’re giving me a lot of credit I don’t deserve if you think I can think right now,” he eventually mumbled.

She burst out laughing again. “You’re way too much fun to tease, Brian.”

“S-So you didn’t actually-“

“C’mon, Brian,” she purred, “You know I did. You’re so goddamn sexy. Honestly? That’s kinda how I go to sleep most nights.”

He had no words, no possible response to that revelation. Certainly not the words, “yeah, me too,” which slipped out of his mouth. He only realized what he said a moment later, at which point he almost dropped the phone.

Before he could even stammer, though, he heard the low, hungry growl that was her response. “God, that makes me so hot.”

“R-Really?” he managed to day in a very impressively masculine way and not all a whispered squeak.

“Damn right it does,” she huffed. “My boyfriend thinking sexy thoughts about me? Getting off to me? Rubbing his sexy cock while wishing I was there? I like it,” she growled. “I like you.”

“I… I know,” he mumbled. “Just-“

“You wanna listen?” she asked, voice low and sultry. “Will you actually believe me if I let you listen?”

It was not fair for her to be doing this to him first thing in the morning. “D-Don’t you, um, don’t you need to do your training?” he managed to ask. “And then get ready?”

“Aw, you had to remind me,” she chuffed. She hummed a little bit, thinking to herself, then sighed. “Yeah, I don’t have time to get myself off, get my morning crap done, and make it to our run on time. Oh well,” she sighed. “I got myself a~l~l worked up thinking about it too.”

“W-Wait,” someone said. He didn’t think it was him, but it was his voice, so he might be wrong.

“Mmm?”

“I… I don’t have anywhere to be besides school,” he said. “And, um, I get ready the night before. D-Do you… want to, um, listen to me?”

“Gimme a second to go find my headphones,” she growled, voice smoldering.

“That’s fine, I gotta feed my dinosaurs anyway. After that… y-you just let me know when you’re ready.”

“This is not going to help with me being all worked up,” she sighed.

“I don’t have to-“

“Feed your dinosaurs,” she growled. “Oh, and, uh, Brian?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“My program lasts twenty minutes,” she purred. “Think you can keep yourself going that long?”

He did.

———

“God,” Ash huffed, “I thought pop quizzes went the way of the dinosaurs. What even was that?”

While she was shuffling off, Brian was trembling, face pale. “You saw the way he was looking at us, right?” he mumbled. “He’s totally trying to get us for skipping.”

“Seriously?” Ash chuffed, shaking her head. “Brian, he’s not that petty. Now, Mr. Bauer…”

“We can never skip again,” he mumbled.

“C’mon,” she said, as they walked to their lockers together, “let’s say you’re right. He’s still gonna forget at some point. Then we’re home free.”

Brian shook his head. “Teachers never forget, Ash. The Pop Quiz that kills my GPA is always going to be there, waiting.”

“Don’t worry,” she promised, “I’ll keep you safe. Remember, it’s always the front left tire that went flat.” Then her phone began to chime; she quickly snagged it, nearly dropping it, and a wide smile began to spread across her face. “So, speaking of weekend trips…”

Brian blinked at the segue. “I’m confused.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, waving he’d hand. “I thought everyone knew that joke. So, weekend trips. Some of the girls and I were gonna planning to go out of town for the weekend and all chip in on a cabin. It was gonna be girls only, but Kathy’s got the van and she decided she’s not going if Alex isn’t going. I just got the go-ahead to bring you too. So, uh, you in?”

It was a good thing he was already had his train of thought derailed by Ash’s sense of humor, he managed to think. If he’d had anything of actual value in his brain, it’d probably be gone forever. “Like, this weekend? A… a couple hours from now this weekend?”

“You learn to roll with it,” she chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. “Sorry, that text was me just getting the good news.”

“I… I need to text my mom and dad,” Brian mumbled. “I don’t know if they’re even going to let me. And I’ve gotta pack but-“

“Breathe,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around him, pressing his face into her chest and squashing her breasts against him. If she wanted him to breathe, he reflected, she couldn’t have picked a worse way to try and get him to do it. Not that he minded, of course. “Look, you can say no if you don’t wanna. I won’t be upset. This is super last minute. Like, more than the normal embraceable chaos.”

“I do,” he whispered, wriggling his head so he could get air, then breathing in the soothing scents of lavender, vanilla, and sweat. “That’s why I’m freaking out. I… I don’t even know if I can, and-.”

“Look, I got my car, I don’t need the van. If we show up a couple hours late, that’s okay. Right now, you just check in with your parents. Okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered. “Thanks.”

“I’m the one who ought to be thanking you,” she replied. “I’ve been waiting for a chance to do something like this with you. And, uh,” she muttered, “I kinda lost the coin toss to see who has to put up with Sue’s snoring.”

———

Will there be a chaperone?

Brian looked at the message again, for perhaps the dozenth time. Technically, Sue was eighteen, and she’d claim to be responsible for them if anyone asked. She was also about as far from a chaperone as he could imagine. At least the others would just let him get into his own trouble instead of foisting it on him. For a few moments, he considered lying, pretending the team’s coach was going to accompany them, or that someone’s theoretically responsible older sister was tagging along. Lauren had one of those, didn’t she? But he quickly pushed the idea aside; if his parents didn’t get him, the guilt would.

No, mom.
Just us.

Are you and Ash going to be sharing a room?

Alex is going to be there.

That’s not an answer.
Don’t try to trick your mother.
I taught you everything you know, but I didn’t teach you everything I know.

Probably.
We don’t have to.
Or I can get a cot.

Call me.

With a trembling hand, Brian raised the phone, tapping his mother’s contact icon, waiting like a prisoner condemned as it rang. “Hey mom,” he mumbled, his words carrying away what air was left in his body, leaving him feeling like a balloon collapsing in on itself.

“Thank you for being honest with me,” she said, voice slow and strained. “I want you to know that I’m very proud of you for not trying to lie to me. We’ve raised a good kid.”

“…But,” he mumbled.

His mom sighed. “You two are very serious, aren’t you?”

He felt heat creep up his face as he nodded. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I’ve never met anyone like her. I’ve, uh, never really met anyone interested in me like her either,” he mumbled.

“Which is normal for your age, Brian,” she replied. “This, on the other hand… how long have you known this girl? Since the start of the school year? And you’ve only been together since, what, mid-October?”

“We, um, our first date was on Halloween, so…”

“Don’t you think you two are moving awfully quickly?” When he didn’t respond, she sighed again. “I know you’re infatuated with her, Brian. I just worry. This is a big step you’re taking, in so many ways. I don’t want you to put yourself in danger, or do something you’re going to regret.”

“We’re not-“

“So you say, but the two of you, alone, sleeping together? I was a teenager myself, remember? I know things can happen that we weren’t prepared for. I… Brian, I love you so much, and I’m so glad I had you. If I was offered a chance to change anything, I wouldn’t. But if I was offered a way to still have you but five years ago instead? Oh, I would take her choice in a heartbeat.”

“S-So,” he asked, feeling the last vestiges of hope crumbling away, “is that a no?”

She was silent for so long Brian wondered if the call had dropped, so long some rule-following part of him was starting to worry about being late to class. Finally, she responded. “Brian, why did you ask me and not your father? You know he’d say yes, right?”

“I didn’t want to make you two fight over me,” he mumbled. “If he says yes but you’d have said no-“

“God, how did I manage to make you?” she mumbled. “Look, I… I don’t want to punish you for showing me I can trust you. So I’m going to reward that by trusting you again. You can go out with Ash and her team this weekend. Just… don’t fuck it up, okay?”

“I won’t!” he exhaled, body trembling as the tension poured out of him. “Thank you so much. I promise, I’ll be safe, I won’t do anything I shouldn’t, I-“

“I know,” she said, the smile evident in her voice. “I’m so glad you’re my son.”

“Thanks, mom. I’m glad your my mom too.”

“I mean that in both senses of the word, by the way,” she grumbled. “I can’t even imagine how much harder this would be if you were my daughter going off with your boyfriend and his team.”

Brian burst out laughing. “I, um, I don’t think that’d make a difference. I did show you a picture of her, right? If she wanted to try something, I don’t think I could stop her.” Which was the first lie he’d told during the whole conversation; he knew he couldn’t stop her.

She was silent for a moment. “Brian, honey, did I ever tell you that there’s such a thing as being too honest?”

———

Mom said yes, he’d texted her. He was pretty sure he’d just imagined hearing the faint whoop of joy that sounded like it was coming from halfway across the school, but the sad thing was, he couldn’t be sure. Then a surge of texts had set his phone buzzing, and it had barely paused since. At first he’d just thought she was being her usual excitable self; she went a bit stream of consciousness sometimes during their conversations. But it still hadn’t stopped when class had started. He’d eventually gone crimson at the way his classmates kept glancing over because of the constant buzzing, but when he’d reached in his pocket to turn vibration off, his teacher had snatched the phone out of his hand, chucked it in a drawer, and raked him over the coals for over a minute about him texting in class.

It wasn’t until class ended that he’d finally been able to check. Ash’s name was there, obviously. So was Alex’s. But most of the messages were from numbers he didn’t recognize, almost all local. He had a feeling, of course. But he waited until he got to the cafeteria to confirm it.

He barely even got a few steps in before she’d scooped him up, laughing and whirling with him in her arms, completely ignoring the whistles, laughs, and ribbing
from their peers. His face was probably putting on hints of purple by the time she let him down and scooped him into a full-body hug, but the look of sheer joy on her face was enough to push the feelings of mortification away. Mostly.

“Hey, you,” she murmured, kissing him with surprising tenderness given the force of her reaction. “Got your text.”

“I, uh, thought I heard you cheering,” he mumbled.

“Oh, yeah, probably,” she laughed, scratching the back of her head. “I, uh, got a little excited. Got a lecture, didn’t care. Oh my God, Brian, you’ve got no idea how excited I am!”

He looked around at the students bustling through the cafeteria, many of whom were still occasionally glancing at them. “I think I might have a guess,” he laughed.

“Nope!” she cheered. “You only think you know. I am positively chill right now compared to how I wanna be.”

He blinked. “Holy crap, Ash.” As she burst out laughing, he felt the stream of buzzes once again, and looked down at his phone so do a sigh. “So why am I getting a thousand alerts per minute?” he asked. “I’m not sure I’m exaggerating, by the way.”

“Oh, uh, that’s my fault,” she admitted. “I added you to the team’s group chat. Y’know, for planning, logistics, ideas, stuff like that.”

“Is there any way I can not be on it?” he asked.

She waved her hand at his phone dismissively. “Just put us on snooze,” she said. “That’s what I do.”

“So,” he said, while doing just that, “think you could walk me through who everyone is?”

Before she could respond, his phone began to explode with notifications again. He looked at it quizzically, then opened the messages from the unknown local number.

OMG!!
Brian!!
U know Monica never went to The Long Con!!
WTF!?
Ash said she didn’t either
Her I get
She’s almost a normie
But Monica!?
We gotta fix it!!
U bring Ash
Getting us rooms
U get tickets
There’s a group discount right!?
6
Ill talk to Alex
Kathy’s coming too!
Shut up bitch ur coming!
Don’t read my screen!
Ill stab u first!
Mine’s bigger!

“Well,” Ash said, slowly, “I think that one’s probably Rose.

———

Brian felt his phone buzz once again, and braced for impact. Everyone had been texting him all day; he had half a dozen new conversations with individual team members, half a dozen other little group chats, and his dad had gotten in on it too. But this time, there was only three buzzes, one after the other; afterwards, the phone went silent.

He checked the notification; it was from Ash. He could feel the smile creeping across his face as he opened it, only for if to abruptly vanish, replaced by a look of stunned disbelief. It wasn’t text. Well, two of the messages were. But the third - or, rather, the first - was a picture.

She was smiling. He couldn’t see her eyes, but he didn’t need to in order to know it was genuine. Not with the way it had spread across the rest of her face. It was also, from what he could tell, all she was wearing. She wasn’t wearing a top, that was obvious. A bottom he wasn’t so sure about, but given the way he could see the very beginning of her pubic curls peeking up at the edge of the picture, he would be surprised if she was. Either way, only thing keeping them both from being felons was her fingers were held, technically but not practically preserving her decency. Fingers which, he noticed, were glistening wet, with sticky strands clinging to them and stretching across the little spaces between them.

Thinking of you, the first text message said. Can’t wait until tonight, said the second.

Me neither, he texted her back. Once he’d managed to pick his phone up off the ground, that is. And his jaw.

Chapter Text

“Hey, cutie. We’re here.”

Brian yawned, stretching, bumping his hands into the patchy fabric of Ash’s car’s roof. He blinked a couple of times, remembered where he was, and felt a clench in his guts. “Aw, crap, how long have I been out?”

“Just the last twenty minutes or so,” she assured him. “You almost made it off the highway.”

“I’m really sorry,” he mumbled, as he unbuckled his seat belt and let it slide away. “I promised I’d stay up, but-“

She gently cupped his cheek, turning him to face her, and leaned in to kiss him. “You warned me you always fall asleep on long trips,” she said. “And you got me through most of it.” A little smile slowly curled across her lips. “Besides, sleepy Brian is the cutest conversationalist ever.”

“Cute in a kitten way, or in an admitting I like it when you d-decide where I get to c-come way?” he asked, feeling his cheeks starting to head up.

She brushed her fingers through his hair. “You’re the one who told me two things can be true at once,” she purred.

“I, uh, I don’t suppose you’re willing to tell me exactly what I said,” he mumbled, failing to fight back the heat spreading across his cheeks as usual.

“No, but you might find out later,” she murmured, touching a finger to his nose. Then, like a switch was flipped, she popped open the door and began to wiggle out. “C’mon, I needed to be out of this car, like, an hour ago. I gotta stretch my legs.

Brian blinked through the sudden mood whiplash, then opened his own door and slid out after her. As he stretched, shutting the door, he felt her strong, warm arms envelop him from behind. He sighed with bliss, leaning into them and looking up at her. “Thanks,” he murmured. “For driving, for inviting me along, for… everything.”

“Thanks for coming,” she answered, before pressing her lips to his forehead. “I’m really glad we could do this together, y’know? Now let’s go check out the cabin.”

He stepped out of her embrace, following her to the back to get his suitcase. As she popped the trunk, though, she paused, a hint of garnet across her cheeks. “Hey, uh, Brian? I think I forgot to put my toy away.”

As he adjusted himself and zipped back up, Briw paused to silently thank whoever or whatever might be listening that no other stragglers else had arrived at the same time as them. He might never be able to live it down.

———

He honestly had no idea what he was about to walk into. He was fairly certain that, all fantasies to the contrary, nobody was going to be in just underwear nor tickle-fighting. But that’s about as far as he’d gotten. Turns out the answer was ‘basically just lunch, but Monica and Rose were in animal-themed onesies.’ Otter and red panda, respectively, if he wasn’t mistaken. They weren’t the only ones in pajamas, but they were the only ones not in practical pajamas. Regardless, the rest was basically lunch round two: The same high-energy banter, laughter, and cajoling, periodically forming into little clusters of conversation, before returning back to the primordial sea of chaos from whence it came.

“Glad you two finally made it,” Sharon called, as the two slipped into the cabin. “I was worried we were going to need to send out a search party.”

“Not my fault you all just gave up and let me invite him today,” she grumbled.

“I told you I was okay with it,” Sharon replied, pointing a finger at Sue. “She’s the one who said no boyfriends.”

“I-I said no such thing,” she stammered, glaring at Sharon. “I said traditionally we don’t invite boys along.”

“It’s a dumb rule,” Kathy grumbled, as she reached up and scratched Alex under the chin. “Those two,” she said, flicking her gaze to Monica and Rose, “have been all over each other since they hooked up.”

“I brought Joan everywhere when we were still together,” Lauren chimed in. “No SOs is one thing, but no boyfriends is kinda…”

“It is a different energy,” Alma, one of the substitutes, chimed in. “I-I’m not saying it’s a problem,” she continued, as Ash raised an eyebrow and Kathy glared at her, “just-“

“You’re just mad I got a reprieve,” Ash chuckled.

“She’s so bad,” Alma whined, clasping her hands together. “Brian, why did do this to me?”

“I’m not that bad,” Sue grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It’s not Brian’s fault Sue snores hard enough to give me nightmares,” Ash laughed.

“I am not that bad!” Sue shrieked, laughter erupting from all around her.

“Brian, I never told you this story, did I?” she asked. When he shook his head, she wrapped his arm around his shoulder, waving her other hand. “So, first time we were at an away game, I didn’t know any better. Got to sleep just fine. Then, I started dreaming I was getting chased down the street by a bear.”

“You are such a liar,” Sue huffed, crossing her arms.

“Then when I woke up,” she continued, heedless of Sue’s denials, “I went full fight or flight because that bastard was still roaring! It was even louder when I-“

Her story was cut off abruptly when a cushion slammed into her face. Sue stood, lips quirked into a frown, arm extended like an Olympian who’d just finished throwing her discus. “Stop telling lies,” she grumbled.

Ash’s arm dropped from Brian’s shoulder, reaching up to grip the offending cushion. “Bitch,” she growled, “I just got here. Can I have like five minutes before I have to put up with your bullshit?”

“Shouldn’t have spent time dissing me in front of the new girls,” she snapped, waving at the couple of JV students who’d come up with them.

“If I wasn’t in such a good mood…”

“You think I’m afraid to throw down with you?” Sue asked, wriggling another cushion from behind Sharon’s back.

“Oh shit,” Sharon mumbled, scrambling to get out of the way. “Duck and cover, people. Round whatever the fuck.”

“Do we have to?” Kathy asked, wrapping her arms around Alex protectively. “I finally convinced this guy sexy pillow fights aren’t real.”

“I never said I believed the underwear thing,” he mumbled, trying to hide his face in his hands.

Ash glanced around the room, at her teammates and various looks of amusement and exasperation, then back to Sue. “Look,” she sighed, “I just wanna chill with my friends and my boyfriend. You wanna throw down? Let’s just go one on one on Monday.”

“Oh, I see how it is,” she laughed. “Scared I’m gonna knock you on your ass in front of Brian?”

Brian patted her on the back; when she looked down at him, trying to fight back a scowl, he craned his neck up to kiss her. “Kick her ass, baby,” he murmured, “I got your flower.”

She blinked at the non-sequitur, but accepted the kiss happily, then turned back to Sue, and gripped her cushion like a flail. “You asked for this,” she growled, striding forward, the plush fabric descending like the fist of an angry god, plowing Sue into the ground. Then she rose back up, fire in her eyes, pillow clenched in a fist like an excuse as she swung it at Ash’s face.

Eventually, once all the furniture had been tipped back up and put in its original location, the two were laughing about it. They were even sitting together, lounging next to each other on a couch, squabbling over a bowl of chips while Ash held a damp cloth to Sue’s eyebrow. It was one of the strangest things Brian had seen, and he clearly wasn’t alone. Alex, who’d been separated from Kathy when she dived out of the way of the two gladiators, sullenly passed Brian back his phone, snagging the bowl of popcorn from him in trade. “Hollywood lied to me,” he sighed. “That wasn’t sexy at all.”

Brian just shook his head. “It always does, doesn’t it?”

“You don’t get to complain,” Rose huffed, impatiently kicking her legs as she waited for her turn. “You just thought they were a thing that happened. I thought they were a thing that’d happen to me.”

Brian looked over at her, and silently grabbed the popcorn, passing it from a grumbling Alex to her. He didn’t grumble too hard, though. He could also tell she clearly needed it more than they did.

———

“Hey, cutie,” Ash yawned, stretching so much that he could see her abs peeking beneath the hem of her shirt, “you wanna get ready to turn in?”

He looked to Rose, then to Monica, who’d gotten in on his passing and playing when Kathy had dragged Alex off to their shared room. “You two going to be alright?” he asked. “I can leave my phone.”

“That’s okay, we probably ought to be getting to bed too,” Monica replied. “I had fun, but, uh, I think it’s time for some two-player games.”

“She means sex,” Rose stage-whispered, as she stood from the table, reaching for Monica’s outstretched hand.

“Babe, really?” Monica grumbled, standing and taking her girlfriend’s hand, then hooking her arm in Rose’s. “For all you know I wanted to play that firework thing you love so much.”

“Did you?” Rose asked, the two of them somehow both dragging the other to their shared room. “Because if you’re up for some Hanabi first-“

“Nope,” Monica laughed, pulling the door shut behind them, “but you could at least-“

Ash elbowed Brian gently, a little smirk on her face. “Earth to Brian,” she murmured. “The cute girls are gone now. You may return to earth.”

“S-Sorry,” he whispered. “Just, um-“

Ash chuckled knowingly, locking her arm with his. “Don’t worry, you weren’t being a creep about it. You didn’t drool, for one.”

He felt the heat blooming over his face as he let her pull him back to their room together. “Is it weird that I was kind of thinking about asking them if I could borrow Hanabi?” he asked. “I think you’d like it.”

“Were you really?” she asked him, as she shut the door behind them. “Y’know if it was anyone but you I’d call bullshit, but after the abs versus tits thing…”

“I-It’s not the only thing I was thinking about,” he admitted.

“Boys,” Ash pretended to grumble, the smile across her face and playfulness to her tone so blatant even he didn’t question if she was actually upset. “Then again,” she continued, pulling off her shirt with one hand, “maybe I shouldn’t complain about you checking out stuff you find sexy. Who knows what would have happened if you could keep your eyes off my abs?”

“I’m glad you’re so understanding,” he mumbled, while he entirely proved her point.

She looked down at him, saw where he was looking, then laughed. “Speaking of, you like the pillow fight? Was it as sexy as you dreamed?”

He shook his head. “Honestly, I think you may have ruined pillow fights for me,” he admitted. “Do you two-“

“So, there’s, uh, a bit of a rivalry,” Ash mumbled, rubbing the back of her head. “Long story short, I made varsity a year early, and I was the one who started with Kate last year. She’s never really gotten over it. We’re friends, but-“

“Sometimes she picks fights?” he asked.

“She tries to,” Ash grumbled. “I usually don’t let it get to me, but-“

He felt a weight building in his chest. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I shouldn’t have encouraged it.”

Ash tousled his hair. “Not your fault. Honestly, I’ve been wanting to smack her in the face since she dosed you.”

“I’m pretty sure it was actually an accident.”

“Oh, if I thought it was on purpose, I would not have waited this long. Anyway,” she continued, “I’m sorry I ruined sexy girl on girl pillow fights for you. Want me to make it up to you?”

“How were you thi-“ was as far as he got before she smacked him upside the head with one of the bed pillows. There was barely any force behind it, just a playful thump across his face. He shook it off, then looked back up at her. “Really?” he asked. “How is that making it up to me?”

“Tell you after you take off your shirt,” she purred, the heat behind it making it sound almost like a growl instead.

“…Um, what now?”

“I got you,” she explained, “so you have to take off something.”

“Hold on,” he mumbled, holding up a hand. “So every time one of us hits the other we lose an article of clothing?”

She hummed to herself, scratching her scalp as she thought. “Mmm, let’s say every time you feel like you got beaten,” she eventually said.

He thought about that for a second, and immediately noticed the flaw. “What keeps one of us from just lying and keeping their clothes on, then?”

“You’ve clearly never played a strip game,” Ash laughed. “The goal isn’t to stay clothed and get me naked. It’s to get us both naked and have a good time doing it. So, sound like a-“

That was when he got her. He’d snuck the pillow off the bed while she’d looked away to think; she’d been too busy thinking about getting him naked to notice him preparing. She looked at the pillow he’d swung around her and into her face dispassionately, then slowly turned to him. “Now you’re getting it,” she laughed, as she hooked her sports bra, peeled it off, and started swinging it around her finger. He assumed she was, at least; it looked like she was, but she was currently topless, and so he couldn’t exactly trust his eyes to do anything but stare at those perfectly-proportioned breasts of hers. He wasn’t prepared for her to toss the bra directly into his face, nor to follow it up with another thump the moment he’d gotten it off. Silently, he undid his belt, handing it to her.

It took him a long time to get her naked. She stripped him down quickly, the first time he could recall ever being fully undressed in her presence. She, on the other hand, either wasn’t being quite honest about the goal of the game, or just didn’t know when she was beaten. Or, perhaps, was making him work for her nudity. He didn’t mind, he discovered. It was actually a lot of fun flailing at her with a pair of pillows, trying to send their fluffy surfaces into her enough for her to finally admit she was beaten. It made him appreciate those victories, when she peeled off her jeans, or kicked off her shoes, even more.

His final victory came when he faked her out by tossing the pillow from one hand to the other, swinging after she’d swung hers and whiffed it where she thought he’d be swinging it. By the time she’d regained her balance, he’d already hit her in the face with it, just hard enough for her to be surprised when he pulled it away. “Got me,” she murmured, as her fingers gripped the wristband of her cobalt blue boy shirts. She bent forward, bare breasts hanging free, abs working and contracting from her almost glacial descent, then slowly, ever so slowly, began to wriggle them down.

As the first hints of her pubic curls began to spring free, Brian cleared his throat. “C-can, um, can I do it?” he managed to ask.

Slowly, she began to rise back up, breasts returning to their natural shape, abs releasing the weight of her torso. “Go for it,” she murmured. “You earned that victory.”

Brian dropped to his trembling knees, fingers tracing against Ash’s hips, digging into the hem of her boy shorts. They were wet, he noticed. Not soaked or saturated, but there was a noticeable wet spot between her legs, the scent of sexual musk obvious even through the fabric. He gulped and slowly began to pull them down, hands trembling as he revealed her inch by shaking inch. He’d never been so close before, so close he swore he could feel the heat radiating from her, so close he just bend forward and bury his face in her. He glanced up, saw her warm brown eyes looking down at him, a little smile on her face as she watched him discovering her. He inhaled deeply, as much to breathe in the heady scent of her musk as to ready himself, then gave them one last tug, revealing then snapping strands of sticky wetness that clung between her and that wet spot.

This close, and with her this aroused, there was nothing hidden. He stared openly, unable to turn away even if he was willing to. She was flushed garnet, swollen with arousal, glistening with so much wetness thst he was surprised she wasn’t dripping. He inhaled deeply again, head swimming as the scent of her, with no vanilla nor lavender to dilute it, filled his lungs, then continued his descent, peeling her panties down her legs, staring openly at her slightly parted labia, at the hints of warm pink peeking from inside of her. He was so hard it almost hurt, so hard it felt like he was going to burst if she touched him, or even moved in a way that sent a breeze along him. All pretense abandoned now, he sat and stared, watching her move and shift, wiggle her legs, show herself off for him. With slow, trembling hands, he reached out, fingers making their first contact with her springy, wiry hair, the first droplets of the glistening fluids soaking her starting to cling to his fingers.

Then she hit him with a pillow again.

When he’d pushed himself back to his hands and knees, he saw a shy smile on her garnet-flushed face, just a hint of mischief to it. “Never said it was over just because we both got naked,” she murmured. “You wanted a sexy pillow fight, remember? Why end it just when it started to get good?” Then, as his trembling hands groped for the pillow he had been using, she turned back to the bed, parting her legs slightly and bending down, hijacking his brain with the sight of her exposure. When she stood back up, she had the comforter in both hands, slowly waving it at him like he was a bull and it was her capote, the movements doing amazing things to her bare body.

“That’s not fair,” he mumbled, taking a step back, still reeling as his brain tried to process the sight of this tall, muscular, gorgeous woman, naked as the day she was born, advancing on him with hunger in her eyes.

“Totally fair,” she purred. Then she pounced, pushing him to the ground, pressing down on him with her strength and weight. She wrapped him while he struggled to break free, until finally he was completely helpless, trapped beneath her and the comforter. “Going to complain?” she asked, folding her her arms on his chest, bending down to steal a kiss from him.

“Just pointing it out,” he mumbled, as he returned her kiss, then craned his neck to give her the next.

———

Somehow, he hadn’t stopped kissing her. He didn’t know how. His ragged, shaking breaths were barely enough to support those kisses; each time he brought his lips back to her mouth, he felt like he had to part almost immediately for another trembling breath. He was so close now he couldn’t stand it, couldn’t understand how her nimble fingers, pumping and stroking and pinching and pressing, hadn’t sent him over the edge yet. He didn’t understand how he could his fingers pressing into her and fingers pressed into her labia and buried inside of her, wriggling them against her vice-like inner walls as she bucked and writhed and clamped down on him. Yet, somehow, he managed to endure, to return her kisses, to return her pleasure, to desperately cling to his plateau so this wouldn’t end.

The pretense of the comforter had been abandoned at some point. It was crumpled up and thrown to the side, nothing between the two of them now. How they’d made it to the bed, he wasn’t sure. But there they were, her still on top of him, pressing him into the mattress with her soft, sweaty, muscular body, pinning him so he couldn’t even try to escape. Not that he would ever, ever want to, he thought, as he kissed her desperately, moaning into her mouth as her fingers nearly sent him over the edge. She growled in response, sinking her teeth into his lip, writhing and pressing herself into his other hand, grinding herself against both sets of eager fingers as she slowly teased him until the tremors stopped and he was ready for her to bring him to the edge again.

This time, she was the one who came first. She seemed surprised by it, the way her eyes widened, the way her mouth gaped open in a long, low cry. Her inner walls had started to contract around his fingers, pulse after pulse running through the strong muscles, faster and faster, until her hips were moving with it. She let him go and dug her fingers into his hair, eyes unfocused, gasping as she rode his fingers so hard they were starting to ache. Still, he pushed through the fatigue, desperately stroking her labia with one hand while he pumped the other in and out of her, unwilling to slow down for a moment. She cried out once again, long and low, then jammed her tongue in his mouth, kissing him ravenously as a spray of sexual fluids soaked his hands and hips and calf. He didn’t stop for a moment, letting her ride out her orgasm as long as he could, even through the throbbing heat in his arms, even as she soaked him again and again, even as she bit down on his lips and tongue so hard they ached. Then, finally, she collapsed bonelessly on top of him, laughing in bliss as he popped his fingers from her and wrapped his arms around her.

He didn’t even have a moment before he felt her start to rub herself again. For a brief moment, he was confused; then he felt wet, slick fingers wrap around him again, pumping him with a ferocity she hadn’t had a moment ago. She wasn’t playing around anymore; he could see the hunger in her eyes, the pure animal need. Then, before he could come from her rapid motions and the knowledge of exactly what she’d just lubricated him with, a wicked smile crossed he’d face. She slowed, not quite releasing him, and began to pull herself back up, abs shifting and contracting as she moved without moving her hands from him. Then she reached down, pressing the fingers of her other hand deep inside of her, rubbing and wriggling and making herself gasp with bliss. For a moment, he thought she wanted him to come to the sight of her. Then she slowly leaned back down, that wicked smile only inches from his, and pressed her soaked fingers into his lips. He dutifully parted them, sucking on her fingers and winding his tongue around them, letting the slick, musky, tangy fluids coat his tongue. Her returning to that rapid pace was just a formality at that point; with the taste of her in his mouth, she probably could have drawn the same overwhelming surge of pleasure from him using the slow, playful movements she’d been using just seconds before.

When he finally returned to full awareness, he was in her arms, face nestled in her bare breasts, spent, sticky cock pressed into her abs. She’d managed to grab the comforter at some point, nestling it over them, pressing it into them and sealing in their warmth. It felt like there was no space between them, no air at all, just comforter and the two of them. She’d pressed him into her so thoroughly that there wasn’t anywhere his skin could be touching hers they it wasn’t.

“Hey, you,” she whispered, as she felt him starting to stir, looking down at him with warm, sleepy eyes before sighing in bliss. “You’re getting so good at this I can’t believe you already make me feel this good. Like…” Then she trailed off, the heat from her face evident even with him nestled into her chest.

“Go ahead,” he yawned, pushing back the haze of sleep to wrap his own arms around her. “Whatever you want to say, I’m okay.”

“F-Fine,” she mumbled. “Just don’t get weird about it, okay? You, um, you make me come harder with your hands than anyone I’ve ever been with. Like, I didn’t know hands could feel better than, um… b-but yours do,” she stammered. “And, like, you’re still learning. Like, God, Brian, this is still just you learning.”

“I have a good teacher,” he murmured.

“You mean that too,” she sighed. “Like… like you actually listen to me,” she stammered. “Like, when I told you not to touch my clit? That I like indirect better? Holy shit, Brian, you touch me better than I touch myself.”

“W-Why wouldn’t I listen to you?” he asked, dumbfounded.

“Don’t even fucking ask,” she grumbled, squeezing him tight. “A-Anyway, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do the whole ‘comparing you’ thing, b-but-“

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “I… I don’t think I’d like it if you did it often, but, um, I can handle the occasional ‘how the hell are you better than my exes?’”

“You’re too good for me,” she sighed. “I don’t deserve you.”

“I don’t deserve you either, so we’re even,” he whispered, before kissing one dark nipple.

“Fi~ne,” she huffed, squeezing his face into her, humming happily as he began to suckle. “You, um, you wanna keep doing that?” she asked.

“You want me to?” he asked in response.

“Fuck yes,” she sighed. “Just don’t mind if I fall asleep, okay? It’s… like, it’s turning me on like anything, but I just came so hard, and it’s kinda just soothing too, so I’m probably gonna doze off before I wanna come again.”

“I might be able to fall asleep like this,” he whispered. “If I don’t get hard again first.”

In response, she reached down, gripping him gently, slowly rubbing his soft, sticky cock in her hand. “I’ll take care of it if you can’t,” she murmured.

“You’re the best,” he whispered.

“No, you are,” she whispered back.

Then, like they’d planned it, the two of them murmured in unison. “Two things can be true at once.”

Soft, sleepy laughter filled the room as the two of them dozed off together, nestled in each other’s arms.

Chapter Text

“…Then another festival, and another smithy, and two more festivals, and two more smithies…”

Monica and Rose had also driven up on their own, rather than cramming into the van with everyone else. He figured it was either so they could get some time for themselves, or because, much like him and Ash, they’d had to leave at an inconvenient time.

“C’mon, stop already,” Ash moaned, “I’m already dead.”

Turns out it was because they’d filled the trunk with what he wasn’t entirely sure was Rose’s entire game collection instead of all she could fit. It was her last ditch effort to get as many teammates as possible to come with them to the Long Con. He’d agreed to help with the demoing for anyone who was interested; in practical terms, that meant he got to teach Ash yet more of his old favorites.

“No more plus actions,” he assured her. “Anyway, I’m going to remodel this gold into a province, then buy another province and a gold.”

She looked at her hand full of cards, then sighed. “Alright, let’s see where this mess ends up. Market, market, market, market, market, smithy. And, fuck, just a copper? Really? That’s seven, then. Alright, I’m just gonna get another duchy.” She huffed, tossing her remaining hand into her discard pile.

“Want some advice?” he asked.

Ash shook her head as she counted out the next five cards. “Nah, but thanks for asking. I gotta figure this kinda stuff out on my own, you know? If you just tell me the answer I’m not gonna learn anything from it.”

He shrugged. “I got taught how to play when I was just learning. There’s nothing wrong with a little advice.”

She frowned at him, then sighed, and slid her head against her shoulder, a little smile on her face. “Okay, showoff. What am I doing wrong, then?”

“Showoff?” he sputtered, then noticed the playful look on her face. “Okay, so here’s my question: What are you drawing to?”

“Uh, my deck,” she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Okay, but what’s in your deck?” he asked. “If you started with ten cards instead of five, you’d still just have seven when the game starts. You’re counting a lot on just collecting one coin at a time.”

She looked at him, deep in thought. “Mulligan?” she asked. When he nodded, she took the duchy and placed it back on the stack, then took a gold and dropped it in her deck. She looked at him warily, wondering if she was making the right call; he nodded, and she half-heartedly pumped her fist.

The next round, he looked down at his cards, and just set them aside. “Pass.”

“You better not be taking it easy on me,” she growled. “I don’t wanna win against someone who isn’t playing his best.”

“I-I’m not taking it easy on you, I just had a bad draw.”

She folded her arms, and raised an eyebrow. So he took the cards out of the discard pile, and spread them out. “See?” He said, pointing to the single smithy, single silver, and trio of land cards. “I might - might - be able to draw into eight, but this is an Engine deck. I’d probably just spoil next turn’s draw.”

She grumbled, but there was a little smile on her face. “Thanks,” she eventually said. “I hate it when guys act like they’re doing me a favor by giving me a win I didn’t earn.” She leaned over the table, pressing her lips into his, lifting up her middle finger at Sharon’s call for them to take it to their room. As he let the crimson fade from his face, he heard the sounds of cards fluttering against the table. “And hey, looks like you were right,” she said. “Got me a province after all. Maybe I’m gonna get you this time.”

“Nope, game’s over.” The jitter in his hands had stopped the moment he picked his cards back up, and he laid the five cards down with complete confidence. “Remodeling a province into a province - don’t look at me like that, it’s a valid strategy - and buying another province. That’s the last two.”

She folded her arms and glared half-heartedly at him. “I want my kiss back,” she grumbled.

This time, he shifted his body over the table, aiming to plant one on her cheek. Before he could reach her, though, she grasped his face, meeting his lips with her own, slipping her tongue into his mouth. He sighed with bliss as she kissed him hungrily, nipping at his lips and caressing his tongue with her own; when she started to push him down, though, he quickly broke away. “Not on the cards,” he gasped, like she’d tried to crush a small animal beneath her muscular body.

She threw her hands up into the air, then stood from her seat, stomped over to him, and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Better?” she asked.

“Much better,” he said, proudly, ignoring the gagging noises Sharon was making.

“Bitch,” Ash growled, “you also have a room! We need the table, you can snack in her room.” Then, with a long, exaggerated sigh, she grabbed his face with both hands, and pressed her lips back to his. His heart pounded as his breaths were filled with the scent of lavender and vanilla, as his mouth was teased and toyed with by his eager lover. Her tongue swirled inside his mouth, wrestling his or caressing it as she saw fit, and each time she parted for breath, a jolt of lightning wracked across his lower lip as she sank her teeth into it, dragged it back with her for just a moment to leave him longing for her return. When she finally finished, parting from him with a look of satisfaction on her face, his glasses were so fogged he could barely see it.

He still wasn’t used to her kisses, and he hoped he never would be. “Was… was that a punishment or a reward?” he asked.

“Did that feel like a punishment?” she murmured, shaking her head. “Anyway, I’m enjoying the game, don’t get me wrong, I’m just kinda tired of getting my ass beaten. So,” she purred, a wicked smile crossing her lips, “wanna have pity on Sharon, go back to our room, and have a different kind of fun?”

Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. Unfortunately, his treacherous mouth wasn’t actually listening to his brain. “Do you want to try it with a handicap?” he heard himself ask. “You start eight-two, I start six-four?”

She just stared at him, blinking in disbelief. “Did you just turn down a chance to make out to play more board games?”

“…Yes?” he admitted. “I’m as surprised as you.”

She burst out laughing. “Sure,” she finally said, with a shrug, “we can give it a try. You think that’ll make a difference?”

“If not, we can always go back to makeouts.”

“Mmm, okay. Let’s give it a shot.”

He won again, of course, but not by nearly as much. And really, he thought, as she moaned with bliss as he reached his hands up her shirt, the two of them stumbling back to their room together, if they were having a good time, weren’t they both winners?

He didn’t say it, of course. He knew what her response would be.

———

“C‘mon,” Ash called up to him, “get me a good one!”

Brian had never been apple picking before. He wasn’t quite sure this was how it worked. But nobody around them seemed to be complaining, so he just gripped her neck with his knees and stretched, reaching for a juicy-looking apple hanging on a branch at the very top of the small tree. She gripped him right as he leaned forward, plucking one from the extended branch, then tossing it into the basket hanging he’d playfully rested on her head. After he’d exhausted the nearby branches, he leaned back, resting his weight fully on her shoulders. “Got some,” he called down to her. “Two trees down there’s some really red ones.”

“We are the best at apple picking!” she cheered, squeezing his legs in lieu of pumping her fists. He didn’t dispute this, despite the fact that they were filling one basket together in the time everyone else was filling their own. Well, not everyone, he thought, as Alex and Kathy strolled past, arms linked as they held one basket.

“How’s the weather up there,” Alex called to him.

“Dreamy!” he called down.

Kathy, on the other hand, was looking from happy girlfriend to happy boyfriend and back. Alex, you want a ride?” she asked.

“Are you sure-“ he asked, drawing back at her glare. “I mean, Ash is a lot bigger than you, a-and I’m a lot bigger than Brian, and-“

Kathy was already bending down, pushing her head between Alex’s legs. “I might not be a big girl like her,” she replied, as she stood up, lifting him like a squat bar, “but I can carry your cute ass around.” Then she looked up at him, at the crimson spreading across his face. “Did that give you got a boner?”

Alex stammered for a moment, finally squeaking out, “why would you ask that out loud?”

She shrugged. “Anyway,” she growled, “I didn’t say I minded. How about?” she asked Ash, a smug smirk crossing her face. “Boner against your neck?”

“I’m not going to embarrass my boyfriend by responding to that,” Ash scoffed.

“So yes?”

“Just ignore her,” Ash called up to him.

“I am wearing a skirt!” Rose shrieked, as Monica, upon seeing the four of them, swooped for her.”

“That’s not a no!” Monica laughed, looming towards her girlfriend, hands outstretched, periodically snapping at towards Rose’s bare thighs.

“If I say no will you stop?” Rose growled, swinging her hands to slap Monica’s away.”

“Babe, you say the word and I’ll go right back to the apples,” she murmured.

Rose huffed, then murmured, “just checking. You still gotta earn it.”

“Damn right I’m gonna earn it,” she crowed, diving at Rose, who shrieked in surprise once more.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Sharon mumbled, rubbing her forehead. Then, in a voice so small he could barely hear it, “I have got to get laid.”

———

The cabin was filled with the sweet smell of apples and the soft sound of metal scraping against fleshy fruit, split up only by the chop, chop, chop as he cut the finished ones down to size. Then, quietly, “c’mon, c’mon, c’mon…” Brian looked over, pausing his chopping; he might put a lot of himself into his cooking, but never in a figurine way. Ash was glaring down at another apple, a long emerald strand of peel curling from it, enough that he’d genuinely believe it was in one piece. Was this the time she was going to get it?

“Fuck!” she growled, as the peel went spiraling to the ground. Not this time, then. She grumbled to herself, looking over at him, garnet just touching her cheeks. “I am going to get this,” she swore.

“I believe you,” he said.

“You just gotta be patient,” Kathy said, as she placed another perfectly-peeled apple in his bowl, waiting for him to chop it. “Bet you Brian know what I’m talking about. Brian, I know you can peel an apple.”

“Nope,” he replied cheerfully, going back to his chopping. “I’ve never gotten the peel off in one piece before. Usually I don’t even make it halfway.”

She blinked, peering at him quizzically. “You’re joking, right?” she eventually asked.

“I’m a baker, not a fighter,” he replied. “My knife skills are pretty sub-par. Oh, I can debone a chicken, though.”

Ash nodded, then froze. “Wait. Brian, you don’t cut up the dinosaurs, do you?”

“Of course I do,” he laughed. “How could I let anyone else do it?”

“Oh my God,” she groaned, burying her face in her hands, “I’m dating a cannibal.”

“I believe the term you’re looking for is serial killer,” Alex interjected. “Unless you’re calling Brian a chicken.”

“Keep up, Alex,” Kathy replied, as she began working on another apple, “she’s saying he’s a theropod.”

“Brianonychus,” Alex muttered, scratching his chin. “Yeah, I can see it.”

“Nerd,” Kathy yelled, before whipping her head around and kissing him before he had a chance to take it as a bad thing.

“Who used theropod instead of dinosaur,” he asked, between their kisses.

“Okay, but seriously,” Ash asked, looking aghast, “do you actually eat them?”

“Someone has to.” When he met her horrified gaze, he looked away, shaking his head sadly. “Ash, I love those chickens. I can’t just let them get turned into dog food when they’re too old to keep laying. So, um, ever since I’ve been old enough, I’ve handled as much of their… their last days as I can. I make the funeral stew, bake a loaf, we all eat it and talk about them…”

“See?” Alex mumbled. “That’s all serial killer stuff. Cannibals don’t do that kind of thing.

Kathy of all people was the one to pat his shoulder. “You know, I always say if you can’t look a pig in the eye while eating a BLT, you should just go vegetarian.”

“Um, have you actually-“ Alex mumbled.

“Yep. Went down to a pig farm, looked the cutest piglet in the eye,” then her voice took on a solemn tone, “and I told it, ‘Hey, baby, this is a mama sandwich. You’re gonna be this tasty one day.’”

“What the fuck even are you people,” Ash moaned into her hands.

“A-Anyway,” Brian mumbled, “you know the phrase ‘you are what you eat?’ That’s the funeral stew. Now they’ll always live on as a part of me.”

“Brian,” Ash groaned, looking up at him, “how far does this go? Are you make Ash stew one of these days?”

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Kathy crooned “‘Brian, will you let me be with you forever?’”

“A-Anyway, I’m done with this set of apples,” he mumbled. “You, um, you wanna learn how to make a pie?”

She nodded, slowly, then narrowed her eyes. “This is you trying to fatten me up, isn’t it?” she asked. “Dammit, I’m going to make a will as soon as I get home. Gonna be cremated. I’m not gonna let you weirdos cook and eat me.”

“I’m not going to eat you,” he sighed.

“Dump him,” Sharon called from the doorway, as she and several of the others made their way back in from an evening walk. “Sorry, Brian, I really did like you, but that’s just not even negotiable.”

———

“C’mon, last minute! You got this, Brian! You’re almost there!”

Brian simply nodded; he didn’t have the ability to speak right now. His lungs ached with the effort of pulling the freezing morning air into them, and his muscles burned with the effort of lifting his leaden legs and driving them forward. Every step was torture, like his legs had been set ablaze ten minutes ago and were nothing but charred cinders, curling smoke, and a suspiciously intact nervous system that could still feel everything. He wanted to collapse into a pile, to just give up, to nestle in those big strong arms and let her carry him back to the cabin.

There were only three things keeping him going right now. The first was her cheering, the way she believed in him even if he couldn’t believe in himself. The second and third were fully on display in the dim pre-dawn twilight, constantly drawing his eye to him every time he caught a glimpse of them. Her bare breasts bounced with every bounding step she took, rock head nipples tracing a curve up and down, left and right, never quite the same path twice. And he could probably trace out their exact path at this point, from how little he’d managed to look away. He only looked away at all because half a dozen pratfalls and one near encounter with a tree had disabused him of the notion that he could navigate out of the corner of his eye.

She still wasn’t enough to actually distract him from the feeling of running. But she was enough to distract him from some of it, enough that he could push through the rest. Whenever he thought he didn’t have anything more to give, one way or the others, she’d give him the encouragement he needed to just go a little more, to push past this hill, or suck in another lung-freezing breath, or wipe the sweat from his face if just to get a better look. And so it had continued, minute after agonizing minute, burning through everything he had to just keep going.

Finally, just as it felt like he had nothing left to give, like he’d been hollowed out completely, he heard her voice like a clarion call through the burning, freezing fog of his mind. “That’s twenty! Brian, you did it! All that’s left is the cooldown! Just gotta walk it off now!”

He almost fell over with how abruptly he switched from jogging to walking. He felt like he ought have; then he could have stopped. But as his legs throbbed and burned, as he gulped in lungful after icy lungful of air, he looked over at the proud, beaming face of his girlfriend, and the ghost of a smile crossed his lips. Slowly, ever so slowly, he raised his arms into the air, pumping his fists in slow motion. Her hand lashed out, catching one of them, fist bumping against his as she cheered with glee.

She hadn’t put her top down, he noticed. Even though the sun had just started peeking over the horizon, golden light dappling her skin through the branches and stubbornly clinging leaves, illuminating each bead of sweat adorning her bare breasts. When she noticed him noticing, she just winked and gave her shoulders a little eye-poppingly sexy shake, sending those little beads flying. “Don’t tell me you want me to put ‘em away now,” she murmured. “Not when you just earned one hell of a reward. That was a mile and a half of running, Brian. Sure, you walked some, but-“

“Seriously?” When she nodded, he shook his head. “Never ran… one before… met you… always walked…” he puffed, breath still evading him. “Don’t believe…”

She held her pedometer in front of one bare breast, ensuring he actually read it. 2.12, it said. She clicked it a few times, showing the amount run and walked; take out the warmup and the breaks and he’d still run 1.56 miles. “Wow,” he gasped. Had he really done that?

”Yeah, feels amazing, doesn’t it? Do you think back when we first started you’d ever get this far?”

Brian just shook his head. Then the sight of her half-naked form caught his eye again, and Ash laughed as he froze mid-gesture. “Hey… top down?” he asked, reluctantly. “Don’t want… go jail…”

She gave him a wry look. “Well aren’t you sweet? Don’t worry, I have it on good authority nobody comes out here this early in the morning.”

“Whose?” he asked.

“Monica’s,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “Apparently this is, like, the spot girls sneak down to so they can fool around before they’re ready to bunk together.”

“Am I… violating… sacred… lesbian… makeout spot?” he asked.

“C’mon, Brian,” she chuckled, elbowing him in the side, “I though you were too cool for bi erasure. Anyway,” she continued, “I might not be much of a hiker, but I’ve been trail running all by my lonesome for years. I’ve gotten pretty good at telling if someone else is out there with me.”

“…Topless?” he managed to ask.

“That’s your special treat,” she purred. “Why, you like the idea of me running around half-naked without you?”

He shook his head. “Wanna watch,” he gasped. “Like watching.”

“Mmm, you seem like such a sweet guy, but there’s some hardcore pervert buried in there, huh?” Then Brian’s body jolted as he felt fingers gripping his aching rear, squeezing him with a surprising amount of force, slipping between his cheeks and brushing his crack through his shorts. “Good. I’d feel guilty if I was totally corrupting you.”

“Not corrupted,” he managed, between slowing breaths. “Seduced.”

“Yeah? Mmm, I kinda like that. You like it when I seduce you, Brian?”

“God yes,” he puffed. “You have… to ask.. after Friday?”

Ash burst out laughing, the sound of her delight making him wonder if she was even winded. When she finally stopped laughing, she just kissed the side of his sweat-soaked head. “You’re so damn cute,” she told him, and just like he did every time she told him that, he felt his face go red.

“So,” Ash eventually said, after he’d finished catching his breath, “how are you feeling?”

“Amazing,” he admitted. “It feels unbelievable. Thank you. I really couldn’t have done this without you.”

“You mean without my tits,” she teased.

“Let’s give your abs some of the credit,” he replied, caressing the sweat-soaked muscles, feeling the laughter rippling through them.

“Alright, alright, we’ll call it a package deal. Speaking of package,” she murmured, as she gripped his own slender stomach and and started to maneuver him behind a nearby tree. “You ready for your reward?” she asked, as her hand slipped down, tugging at the elastic of his waistband.

His heart felt like it was pounding harder than when he was running. Anyone could catch them; the sun was already rising, and more sane morning joggers than them would be out any minute. But when he looked into her smoldering brown eyes, he felt all the resolve melt out of him. “Please,” he gasped; the moment he gave his consent, she locked her lips to his, tongue slipping between his lips, hungrily exploring his mouth and stealing what breath he’d managed to recover. One big strong arm gripped his wrist, pulling his hands one by one to her chilly breasts and hard nipples; the other continued to press against his body as she gripped and toyed with his rapidly-hardening cock. Sweat tinged with lavender and vanilla filled every breath he took, above even the scents of the forest and the cool morning breeze. A finger slipped beneath his foreskin, circling his glans; when she pulled it away, he could feel it slick and wet as it rejoined the others. He gasped at the sensation, body trembling, heart pounding with the intense wrongness of what the two of them were doing, out there almost in the open. But if this was wrong, he thought, he really didn’t care about being right.

“I love it when you come for me,” Ash murmured between kisses, as her movements quickened, her hand pumping him harder and harder with each passing moment. “Come for me,” she commanded. “I wanna feel you come in my hand. C’mon, Brian. Don’t hold back.” She didn’t have to tell him twice. Brian felt his body give up any pretense of dragging things out, felt an overwhelming burst of pleasure tear through him, erupting from deep inside of him. He gave a strangled gasp, muffled by Ash’s hungry mouth as she kissed him hard and deep, the scent of her body, of lavender, vanilla, and hard-earned sweat filling his lungs. He sank his fingers into the smooth, cool flesh of her breasts, twitching with each pulse of his orgasm, the feeling of the firmness just beneath her soft skin feeding into the pleasure he was wracked with until he could barely stand. Then, as his body shook with aftershocks, she finally pulled her hand away, once again cleaning the semen from herself with her tongue.

“That… oh my God…”

And then her hand went right back to where it was before, slow, languid movements gently building up the intensity once more. Every time she pushed him a little too hard, and his body started trembling, she’d slow down just a little more; eventually, she’d managed to get him hard a second time. And once she had, all pretense of mercy stopped. She toyed with him gleefully, teasing him right up to the agonizing edge, then stopping just before he felt a second eruption building inside of him, leaving him throbbingly hard and aching for more. He gasped, he moaned, he mewled, and he begged, but she was having too much fun with him. Eventually, she once again silenced his cries, lips pressing against his, tongue licking at his with the same slow, sensual movements she was using to play with him. She just chuckled as he continued to voice something between objection and plea into her mouth, but whatever she interpreted it as, the answer was simply continuing her fingers’ agonizingly sweet dance across him.

Then, finally, possessed by some whim known only to her, she let him come. It was so sudden he couldn’t even brace for it; one moment he the little conscious part of his mind remaining knew she was going to edge him again, and the next she kept going, finally sending him over the edge into the burning bliss beneath. He didn’t know if this was the hardest she’d made him come, but he knew he’d just come harder than he had their first time together. Once again, his voice was insufficient to express his pleasure, and all he could do was gasp into her waiting mouth. He came so hard he could feel his legs failing him, feel her strong arm swoop beneath his trembling rear and catch him before he could hit the ground. All he could do was rest in those big strong arms, enveloped in the scent of lavender, vanilla, and sweat, until his body stopped trembling and some semblance of consciousness returned to him, and he watched her clean her hand once more.

I love how you make me feel, he tried to say. But the only words that came out were “love… you.” And a feeling of icy terror instantly cut through the post-orgasmic bliss, his hands coming to his mouth as rapidly as her eyes flashed open wide, jaw dropping in disbelief. For a brief moment, once again, it felt like the world had dropped out from under him.

Then she laughed and laughed, her freshly-cleaned hand pressing into her face, her arm pressing his face to her breasts. “Holy shit, Brian, you’re… what am I even gonna do with you?” she laughed, face garnet but cheeks raised in a wide smile. “How… how the hell am I gonna tell anyone this is the first time we said we loved each other!?”

He blinked, not quite sure he’d heard he’d correctly. But before he could ask for clarification, she silenced him with a kiss; when she pulled away, her laughter had stopped, but her smile was still there. “Love you too, you giant dork. But, uh, if anyone asks?” She looked away, and mumbled, “it was right after we finished running. Okay?”

“Won’t tell a soul otherwise,” he mumbled back.

Chapter Text

“I love you,” she’d written, in a little grey bubble, shining on the luminescent screen of his phone. He’d just begun to drift off to sleep after two long, exhausting days when he heard the chime, but he still scrambled to grab at it the moment he heard her text. He yawned, blinked blearily, and felt his face light up almost as bright as the screen as he read those three words. Without a second thought, he swiped it open, touched her brilliantly beaming face, and held the phone to his ear as it rang.

“Hey, cutie,” she murmured, yawning as she answered. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“I wasn’t quite asleep,” he said. “And it’s okay. If I didn’t want you to be able to say goodnight, I could just take you off my do not disturb exceptions.

“Aw, I’m one of your exceptions?” He could hear the happiness in her voice.

“Of course you are,” he murmured. “If you want to send me a good night text, I want to receive it.”

“And a good night sext?” she asked, a playful tone in her voice not quite hiding an undercurrent of heat.

“I definitely want one of those,” he mumbled.

“Mmm, be careful what you wish for, Brian,” she murmured. “I dunno if you’ve realized it yet, but, uh, I am a very horny girl.”

“H-Hadn’t noticed,” he mumbled, letting the sparks flutter through his mind like they always did when his girlfriend talked about sexy things with him. “So, um… what are you wearing?”

She burst out laughing. “Really? C’mon, that’s so corny, Brian. Besides, after Friday, you know the answer.”

“A smile?” he whispered, the memories of her naked form still etched into his mind.

“Not when I don’t have my boyfriend in my arms,” she murmured. “But close. A nice, warm, cozy blanket.”

“I’m, um, kind of a pajamas guy,” he admitted, “but… I could be persuaded otherwise?”

“Mmm, you seemed to like it on Friday.” Her breaths had started getting a little quicker, a little deeper. “All snuggled up with me, your skin against mine, warm and cozy in my arms.”

“Y-Yeah,” he mumbled, trying to ignore the sensation of himself getting harder, “but you’re, well, you. My pillow isn’t nearly as sexy as you are. It doesn’t have big strong muscles like you do.”

“You really love my muscles, huh?” she asked.

“God yes,” he murmured. “I love how it feels when you wrap those big, strong arms around me, and just pull me against you.”

“Yeah?” Her breath was definitely faster now, a little ragged. “Tell me what else you love,” she growled.

Okay, Brian thought, as he shimmied down his bottoms, we’re doing this. Then he gripped himself, slowly pumping, as he mumbled the words “your abs, of course. They’re, um, they’re just so amazing. I love when you let me touch them, just, feel how strong you are. A-and your thighs too. You’re just so strong, your muscles are so, so powerful and thick. You could probably crush a watermelon no sweat.”

She burst out laughing, and he felt his face growing hot. Before he could feel too bad, though, he heard the slick, wet noise of fingers slowly slipping into her. “Never tried it,” she murmured. “But I will if you want me to. You wanna watch me crush a watermelon for you, Brian?”

“Holy fuck you’d actually do it?” he gasped, fingers tracing up and down himself like hers did, trying to match her movements and rhythm.

“Damn right I would,” she chuckled. “Mmm, that’s actually kinda hot. I like the idea of you getting off on me showing off. You like watching what I can do?”

“I can’t watch anyone else on the court,” he admitted. “I just stare at you the whole time I’m watching your games. F-fuck, I love watching the way your body moves.”

“That’s so fucking hot,” she growled. “Hey, you know what I like watching?”

“W-What?” he gasped, her growl sending shivers though his spine and arousal through his body.

“Watching you when you’re concentrating,” she purred. “Like, when you’re doing your homework, or playing a game, and you’re just - mmm - looking at it like your brain is running a million miles a minute, like it’s the only - f-fuck - only thing in the world. I… God, I saw you doing that when you were fingering me once, and I almost came right there.”

“S-Seriously?” he asked.

“I, uh, I don’t mean that’s all I love, y’know?” Her voice was lower now, coming out in sultry, husky growls, breaths ragged with list and desire. “I love your smile. I love how your entire face goes pink when I when I make you blush. God, I can’t get enough of your blush,” she gasped. “Mmm, I love that slim, slender body of yours too. Like, don’t make me choose one part. I just love the way the whole thing wriggles when I run my fingers all over you. I, uh, I love the way you smell after you go running with me,” she admitted. “It’s kind of embarrassing, but I just wanna press my nose to you and, uh… yeah. But, uh, the look is definitely the sexiest.” She groaned, the sound of her fingers slick and wet inside of her building faster and faster. “W-When you looked at me like I was the only thing in the world? Like the world could just crash down all around us and you’d still be trying to make me come over and over? F-Fuck, Brian. You have no idea how sexy that is.”

“I think - oh f-fuck,” he groaned, trying to pump himself to match her, realizing how quickly he was going to come if he did. “I, um, I might have some idea,” he gasped.

“Gonna come,” she growled into the phone. “Brian, I’m gonna come. I - fuck Brian, are you close? l can hear you getting off to me. S-So fucking sexy.

“I am,” he gasped. “Almost there.”

“Come for me,” she growled. “Wanna come together. C-come for me, Brian.”

“I’m coming,” he gasped, as pleasure burst from deep within him, hips trembling and body shaking as the sound of her cries and his memories of her orgasmic beauty sending him over the edge. “L-Love you,” he cried out, as the burst of pleasure erupted from him, leaving him trembling and shaking, unable to do anything but gasp for breath and listen to her own gasps matching his.

“Love you too, you big dork,” she murmured. “F-Fuck, that was just what I needed.”

“Me too,” he whispered as he began to doze off once again.

———

“I love you,” he’d written, on a piece of paper that he’d slipped into her locker door. He stuck tape to it, so it’d catch on the inside of her locker door, so it wouldn’t just vanish into the detritus on the floor of her messy locker.

He wasn’t sure it had worked, not until he felt strong, powerful arms seizing him from behind, lifting him into the air, happy laughter filling his ears. “You got my letter?” he managed to ask, before she turned him around, pressing her lips to his, kissing him with wild abandon in the middle of the hall.

“You don’t even know how much I needed that,” she almost bawled. “I - fuck, Brian, I’m so sick of that asshole,” she growled, as she set him down. “He caught me doodling, because of course I can’t pay attention to his useless ass, and he just lectured me in front of the whole class about how I shouldn’t take electives if I don’t value the material, and I can’t just expect to coast on my athleticism. And all I wanted to say was, fuck you, dude, the material is really interesting, you just suck as a teacher.” She was waving her hands at this point. “Like, I’m never going to be a valedictorian, but I’m on the fucking honor roll. I’m not coasting on anything.”

“I’m honestly surprised you didn’t say anything,” he mumbled. “What an asshole.”

“Did you really just call a teacher an asshole?” she asked, holding back a laugh.

“Of course not,” he replied. “He’s just a mushroom growing in the teacher’s chair.”

This time she did laugh, unable to hold it back. “Yeah, that’s fair.” She sighed, reaching down for his hand; he grabbed it, squeezing it between her own. “He’s not worth it” she finally said. “Sure it’d be satisfying to tell him I’ll pay attention when he gives me something to pay attention to, but what’s it gonna help? Detention just means I’m giving him more of my life instead of spending it with my team, or volunteering, or with you. I just gotta hold out until the end of the quarter. I’m already doing everything to just get switch to the other teacher next semester. Then he can just fucking rot for all I care.”

He reached up to wrap his arms around her, pressing his lips to hers. She returned his kiss, sighing happily as he ran his fingers through her hair. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I dunno what I’d do without you.”

“Be amazing?” he asked, and she burst out laughing.

“It’s easier to be amazing when I know you’ve got my back,” she said. “Alright, I gotta get to my next class, and I know you gotta run too. I just wanted to say thanks. You’re good to me. See you at lunch?”

“Wouldn’t miss if for the world.”

———

“I love you,” she’d written, in the margin of his math notes, as they’d worked on their homework together. He didn’t know when she’d managed it, but he was sure he’d given her a lot of opportunities. Because of her, he was finally starting to get Algebra II, but he still struggled, his brain burning with the effort of juggling a dozen different formulas and variables with each problem. Each problem he focused on was a chance for her to write those three words, to express her love for him while he was completely distracted, then wait for him to notice it some time in the future. That time was now, as they sat next to each other, listening to their teacher lecture them while scrawling on the board.

He looked over to her, met her warm brown eyes, then looked back to the note. “I love you too,” he whispered.

“Something to say to the class?” came the voice from the front of the room.

“N-No Mr. Konig,” he stammered, trying to sink into his chair. It felt like the entire class was laughing at him, with one noticeable exception.

“It’s my fault, Mr. Konig,” Ash announced. “I didn’t understand what you meant there,” she said, gesturing to the board, “so I asked him if he could explain it.”

“You. Asked for help.” Mr. Konig stated, raising an eyebrow. “You.”

“Yes sir,” she repeated, force behind her voice.

“Mmm. Next time, please just raise your hand,” he said, as he went back to the whiteboard, looking back at the class disapprovingly. “I will be happy to explain anything you do not understand. I would be ecstatic if one of you would actually ask me when you needed help for once instead of waiting to reveal your ignorance on your tests. Now, where was I? Ah, yes…”

She’d drawn a heart around the words “I love you too” while he wasn’t looking. When he looked back to her, she winked, then gestured to the whiteboard with her nose. He silently looked back at it, then down fo his notes, and jotted down the words “I love you” in response to hers. Eventually, he felt the paper move, then come back, the words “I love you too, too,” beneath his declaration.

“I love you like fresh meat loves salt,” he wrote, then passed it back to her. He saw her raise an eyebrow out of the corner of his eye, then slowly turn to him; he gestured at the whiteboard with his nose, and she huffed, scribbled, and slid the paper back.

“I love you enough to not hold the idea that you think that’s romantic against you,” she’d written.

He held back a snicker, writing the words “I love you even though you’re a philistine,” and passing it back. When he saw it again, she’d written “I love you even though you’re a giant dork.” Then she’d crossed out ‘even though,’ writing the word ‘because’ above it. “I love you because you’re a giant,” he wrote in response.

Back and forth they went, margins rapidly filling with tiny handwritten statements of adoration, until he had to flip his page early just so he could continue. Until, a grizzled hand came down on the paper, and Mr. Konig cleared his throat. “If you two are taking such thorough notes,” he said, “then surely you will have no issues walking me through the solution to the problems I have written on the board, hmm?”

“Yes Mr. Konig,” Ash said and Brian stammered. The two walked up in front of the class, Brian trying not to listen to the giggles and snickers behind them. With shaking hands, he uncapped the marker, glancing towards Ash. “You got this,” she mouthed.

His brain burned with the effort of juggling a dozen formulas and variables, numbers and letters pouring out of his marker and onto the whiteboard. He clenched his eyes shut, fighting to keep his marker from trembling, struggling to go through all the steps she’d walked him through last afternoon. Then, finally, with a deep breath, he underlined his answer, and capped the marker.

“Mmm. Very good, you two. Either you are paying attention, or you are making up for your failure to do so by sacrificing your time after class. Either way, you may be seated. Oh,” he called, as the two went to sit down, “and while I am appreciative that you chose not do disrupt my class, please canoodle on your own time.”

“Yes, Mr. Konig,” Ash replied, loudly enough to drown out the squeak that passed as his attempt to do so.

“And what are you laughing at?” he asked the class, silencing the quiet titters and snickers. “Steven, if you feel like you are in a secure enough position in this class to mock others, I suggest you prove it on the whiteboard. Matthew, if you find his predicament funny, wait until you see what I have planned for you when he finishes. Anyone else want to join in the hijinks? No? At your leisure, Steven,” he barked.

“I love you enough to write one last note even though he scares the hell out of me,” Brian wrote in the margins of Ash’s notes, as the two of them sag back down together. He didn’t bother glancing back.

———

“I love you,” he’d written, on a note he’d taped to the cardboard box holding the pumpkin pie he’d handed her before they left on Wednesday, beneath paper decorated with prints of autumn leaves. He’d told her in person, of course, but he wanted her to see it when she opened the box. He loved the idea of leaving her that little surprise, just waiting for her to notice if.

He wished he could see the look on her face, the happy smile when she saw it, the infectiously joyful grin when she opened it. Would she press it to her chest like he did the note she slipped into his backpack yesterday? Would she grab him and hug him and tell him how happy she was to see it? Would he get a little text right as he was falling asleep, a photograph of a matching note in her own handwriting? He wasn’t sure, but he’d be thinking about it a lot.

“Last chance, Brian,” she murmured in his ear, big strong arms wrapped around him. “My brothers and mom have been dying to meet you. You won’t believe how good my dad’s turkey stew is, either.”

“I can’t wait to try it,” he promised her. “But, you know, they’re family, and-“

“I punched Rose’s family in the face,” she growled. “You don’t have to put up with their shit just because they share your blood. So did my appendix, but I don’t miss that asshole at all.”

Brian laughed. “Thanks. That means a lot. And, um, maybe I’ll take you up on it next year?”

She kissed him, slowly, tongue caressing him, soothing the feelings of dread that had been building all day. “Call me and I’ll come in swinging,” she promised.

“Thank you,” he said, as he headed for the parking lot, where his mom was already waiting for him.

“Thank you,” was the first thing she said to him, when he slipped into the car next to her. “I know this is hard for you, but-“

“Ash invited me over,” he said simply.

“I figured she would,” his mom sighed. “I… look, believe me, I know. But dad isn’t going to live forever. He loves you, you know. They’re… they’re family,” she finally said, unable to come up with anything more substantive.

“Ash has a funny metaphor about family,” Brian replied, eventually, as the two drove home together in uncomfortable silence. “You ever have appendicitis?”

“Just one more, okay?” she sighed. “Next year, you can go off and have Thanksgiving with her, or your friends, or anyone you want. Okay? I’ll prepare them for the idea.”

“You promise?” he asked.

“I promise,” she replied. “Oh, what did that pony you used to watch say? Cross my hoof and hope to fly?”

“Stick a cupcake in my eye,” he chuckled mirthlessly. “I’m sorry, mom. I wish I could just grin and bear it, but-“

“Don’t you dare,” she sighed. “Next year, I hope you and your girlfriend have a wonderful thanksgiving.”

When they opened the door, Brian’s dad gripped his wife’s wrist with white knuckles, a fake grin plastered across his face. “Honey,” he managed to say, “your father made it safe and sound. He hates what I’ve done with the living room. And the kitchen. And the food. And… Can you please go spend some time with him while I find a paper bag to breathe into?”

“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled, kissing him. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise. I love you so much.”

“Brian,” his dad said, putting a hand on his shoulder, “if you need help sneaking in…”

“I gotta pull the bandaid off,” he sighed, as he trudged into the house, like a prisoner condemned.

“Well there’s my favorite niece,” came the booming voice, followed by raucous laughter.

“Hi, grandpa,” Brian mumbled, as the big man grabbed his hand, squeezing him so hard it felt like his bones were popping.

“So, I heard your balls finally dropped. Tell me about this girlfriend of yours,” he ordered. “When do I get to meet her?”

Never, he didn’t say. If it was up to me, you’d never know she existed, he didn’t say. He just smiled a fake smile, made his excuses, and silently longed for turkey stew, cuddly cats, and the comforting scents of lavender and vanilla.

———

“I love you,” said the note on his bed. “That’s why I booked you a hotel for Friday. Enjoy your convention. I’ll deal with dad. You tried. Thank you.”

“Thanks, mom,” he whispered, clutching the note to his chest. “Love you too.”

Chapter Text

Brian’s eyes fluttered open, the feeling of soft lips pressing against his gently beckoning him back into the waking world. Slowly, the world around him began to come into focus. A seatbelt around his chest, rough cushions beneath his body, his girlfriend’s smiling face in front of him. “Hey, sleepyhead,” she murmured. “You want to get a little bit of shut-eye then join me in line?”

He yawned, shaking his head. “No, I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t okay with you saying yes,” she huffed. “Besides, I know you had a hard couple of days.”

“Thank you,” he said, as he unbuckled his belt, “but I’m okay. I… I want to be with you,” he admitted, wriggling out of the seat and then heading around to the driver’s side.

She took his hand the moment he reached her, holding it up to her lips, giving it a long kiss. “You wanna talk about it?” she asked.

“Not right now,” he mumbled.

“Okay. Wanna tell me why it’s called the Long Con, then?”

He didn’t know the answer, because nobody did. Everyone had their own answer, even the organizers. The joke was that they’d come up with a bunch of ideas to justify the name, gotten drunk, and forgotten which was the real one. He’d discussed several of the prominent ones with Ash as they stood together in the massive line, already winding around the block even with the sun just peeking over the horizon. “…Anyway, I always liked the idea that it’s an admission. The entire thing apparently started as an excuse for a bunch of geeks to hang out with their friends for Thanksgiving, but calling it a convention let them do things like rent spaces and take out business loans. Then it just kind of spiraled from there.

Ash nodded, humming contemplatively. “So are you sure it isn’t just because it runs until Monday?”

“I-I mean, that is one of the theories people like to throw around,” he replied, “but it’s kind of…”

“Boring?” she asked.

“Anticlimactic.”

“So, boring.”

He shook his head. “Finding out they drew if out of a scrabble bag would be a boring, but at least there’d be something there.”

“Brian,” she chuckled, “I play a game where you throw a ball into a basket, and they called it basketball. People just aren’t all that creative.”

“Suck all the romance out of it, why don’t you,” he grumbled.

“Why are you complaining?” she asked, a playful smirk on her face. “You know I give you all the romance I suck up.” Then she kissed him, low and slow, while he sighed and melted into her arms.

“I suppose that’s okay,” he mumbled.

The loud sound of a throat being cleared made him blink; he looked, and saw that the line had moved about half a block in the time they’d been snuggling. He tried to fight back the pinkness spreading across his face as he pulled Ash along; she just followed, shaking her head. “We are gonna get there when we get there,” she grumbled. “Why are we even waiting, anyway? Shouldn’t there be a will call? Is that why it’s the Long Con? It’s a con the there’s such a long line?”

“This is the will call,” he explained. “You, uh, don’t want to see how long the line to get in at the gate is.”

Ash looked back at the throng behind them, then whistled. “I will take your word for it,” she said. “So, whatcha thinking when we get in?”

“Well, I definitely want to check out the music and visuals,” he replied. “Most of those are going to be at night, though. There’s a couple of game design panels I wanted to see, maybe do some shopping, but, um, those are usually things I do on Saturday. I’ve only been here on Friday once so far, and I basically stayed in the game room until it was time for dad to pick me up.”

“So, basically just a big game date?” she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“Yeah, um, something like that,” he mumbled, looking up at her face, devoid of her usual infectious grin. A feeling of grim certainty wrapping around his chest. “You don’t like the idea, do you?”

“Hey, c’mon, gimme a chance to try it first,” she whispered, running her fingers through his scalp. “I really do want to do this with you, Brian. I just, y’know, might not be able to do the whole game room thing the way you can. Is that okay,” she asked him, giving his hand a squeeze.

“Yeah,” he replied, pressing her fingers to his lips. “If you need to go do your thing, I understand. You’re, um, you’re still going to be here, though?”

“Damn right I am,” she purred, tugging him as the line moves along. “I promise, the worst I’m gonna do is go check out the harbor. But I’m gonna try, okay?”

“Thanks,” he whispered to her. “You really are the best.”

“I try,” she laughed, tousling his hair.

———

“Okay,” Ash muttered, as she slowly gathered up blue wooden tokens, laying them alongside her combat robots, “I have officially hit my limit.”

“I warned you this one was a lot,” he mumbled. “I told you we should have played something, um…”

“Less convoluted?” she asked.

“More arithmetic and less Algebra 2,” he replied. “This one’s kind of a complex one.”

“Kind of?” she asked, looking aghast. “They get worse?”

He pointed to a pair of boxes decorated with pastoral scenes, one in a cave. “Intro to calculus” he replied. “Metaphorically speaking.”

“Oh,” she said, eyes widening. “And, uh, does that mean multivariable is around here somewhere then?”

“We call those 18XX,” he replied, a little smile on his lips.

“Anyway,” she mumbled, “you just lit up when you saw this one getting set up, and I didn’t want you to give up playing what you wanted. So, I figured I’d give it a try, y’know?”

“I want to do this with you,” he reminded her. “I’m not playing the ones I am with you just because you’re still learning. They’re games I like.”

“Just not the ones you like the best,” she mumbled.

“I like all of them,” he assured her. “No, really. Sometimes I’m in the mood for party games, sometimes I’m in the mood for a game you have to plan your entire day around.”

“…Entire day?” she mumbled.

“Some day I need to introduce you to war games,” Brian laughed. “N-not playing them,” he added, when he saw the look on her face. “I don’t like them either. A-Anyway,” he continued, “if you want to go do something else…”

“I do,” she yawned. “Brian, I love you, but we’ve been at this for six hours, and I need a brain break. I’m gonna go check in and take a nap, then get some lunch. You got your phone charged?”

“Um, a, a nap sounds kind of nice right now,” he replied.

She shook her head. “You don’t have to-“

“Board games,” Brian said, holding up one hand, then held up the other. “Naked cuddles.” Then he shifted his body, tilting the naked cuddles hand down almost to the ground.

She burst out laughing, grabbing his board games hand. “Okay, you,” she murmured, “just don’t expect me to be too sexy right now.”

“You’re always sexy,” he murmured, nipping at her fingers.

“So, uh, I think I’m seeing a new side of you,” she murmured, as they stood together in the lobby. “It’s kinda cool, Brian.”

“You, um, you think so?”

“I know so,” she yawned. “I love how cute you are with your little stammer,” she continued, tickling him under his chin, “and I hope I never stop making you blush,” she murmured, fingers crawling down his chest, “but I can kinda get behind confident, in his element Brian too.”

“You, um, you can?” he asked, fighting back the head radiating from his face as he took the card keys from the bored, indifferent receptionist.

She answered by sinking her fingers into his ass and pinching him hard. “Damn right I can,” she murmured. “Yeah, we’re gonna be doing this the whole way up,” she called to a trio giving them the stink-eye as they waited for the elevator together, who decided they’d wait for the next one. The two of them laughed together, then she drew him close, bending down to kiss him. “I dunno when I fell in love with you,” she murmured, between kisses. “But I knew I wanted you in my life when you told me you were checking out my abs.”

“You don’t mind that’s not who I usually am?” he asked her, as they walked arm in arm, down to their room together.

“No way,” she laughed. “I love how cute you are! I just don’t think I’d love it nearly so much if there wasn’t a little more to you than that, y’know? Makes you interesting,” she said, as she unlocked the door, and pulled him in. “Means I don’t have to worry about squishing you.”

“You c-can totally squish me any time you want to,” he managed to almost get out without a stammer.

“Easy, you,” she laughed. “I told you I don’t have much sexy in me right now. Or, y’know, I do, it’s just under all this sleepy,” she yawned, before tossing her t-shirt and wriggling out of her jeans. “Don’t worry,” she purred, as she crawled into bed, “I bet it’ll all come flowing out when I’m done napping.”

“I thought you were okay with me napping,” he replied, as he stripped off his own clothes. “How am I supposed to get to sleep now?”

She reached out, grabbing him, pulling him into her tight embrace. “I’m sure you’ll find a way,” she murmured, pressing her lips to his, gently caressing his tongue with hers as she slipped it between his lips. “Me? I got myself a sexy, dorky body pillow. And I’m gonna snuggle it so good.”

———

Bright lights flashed all around them, luminescent shapes forming in the wafting fog. Loud, chiptune-themes music blared and chirped, decades-old tunes twisted until they could carry a beat worth dancing to. Sweat dripped down Brian’s face and dampened his clothing, hard but steady breaths filling his aching body. He’d never danced this long before; he’d usually dance a set at most, then go relax and let the music blast through him instead of moving him. But he hadn’t stopped yet, and the set was almost over.

And Ash hadn’t slowed down for a moment. Those few times he’d been able to tear his eyes away from the artwork that was her dancing form, the look on her face had been almost blissful. If he’d been his element before, at the game tables, this was her in hers: Motion, rhythm, kinesthetics. She moved as gracefully as she did on the court, but instead of being purposeful, trying for a goal, all she was doing was enjoying herself; both in the sense of having a good time, and enjoying everything that made her the amazing woman she was.

The fact that she was finding that joy here, to the sounds of games that had been old when the two of them were born? That was maybe a little dumbfounding.

Eventually, as the set came to an end, as the audience cheered and applauded, Ash one of the loudest of all, she finally whistled and wiped the sweat from herself. “Holy crap,” she mumbled, “that was amazing. Like, God, the energy was just…” she gestured with her hands, unable to find the words, then laughed. “I dunno if I can go back to living room raves and high school proms, Brian. You might have ruined me.”

“You’ve never been out to a dance like this before?” he eventually managed to ask between breaths.

She shook her head. “Clubs card, and the ones who don’t? Yeah,” she chuckled, shaking her head, “that’s a red flag. The couple times I tried to go to a rave it always felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there, y’know? Like, ‘who the fuck invited the high schooler?’ or something.”

“Well,” Brian panted, “I’m so happy I was able to share this with you. But, um-“

“Water?” she asked.

He nodded frantically. “So much water.”

“Do you wanna go back for another set?” he asked her, once they’d finished hydrating. “They go all night long.”

“Mmm, kinda,” she replied. “But also kinda not? Party or not, I usually try to get to bed the same day I wake up, y’know?”

Brian shrugged. “I like crossing over during conventions, but we can try it your way. There’s still Saturday,” he said, holding up a hand as Ash began to protest, “and Sunday if we want to call out on Monday.”

“Weren’t you the one just saying we could never skip again?” she asked.

“I, um, I mean like calling in sick,” he mumbled. “My dad already told me he’d get one of his coworkers to do it if I needed to. He’s, um, really happy I’m spending so much time with you,” Brian mumbled. “He says whenever you’re ready to meet him… oh, but, um, no pressure. He’s the one who said no pressure.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet of him. I wouldn’t mind, y’know,” she said, squeezing his hand in hers. “So, more dancing tomorrow or Saturday. What do you wanna do tonight?” she asked, a mischievous smile creeping across her lips.

“I think you know what I want to do with you,” he murmured, as he reached up to kiss her.

They couldn’t get back to their hotel room fast enough. He was already stripping off his sweat-soaked clothes the moment the door latched; she didn’t even wait that long. By the time he finished kicking off his shoes, she’d already tossed her soaked purple sports bra; when he looked over, he got a face full of boy shorts as she flicked them at him. She was on him before he’d gotten them off his eyes, lifting him up, pressing him against her hot, sweaty body, tossing him into bed with her. “God, I think that got me more worked up than practice,” she growled. “I wanna come so bad, Brian.”

“I can help you with that,” he whispered, as he buried his fingers in her sweaty hair and pulled her into a kiss. She seemed surprised for a moment, not quite comprehending that he’d taken the initiative, but then a low, lustful growl wound itself from her throat, and she returned his kiss with almost violent ferocity. She nipped at him, sinking her teeth into his lips and cheeks, then slipping her tongue back into his mouth and wrestling against his with slow but intense vigor. Her fingers began to roam up and down his body again, touching him in places he’d still never touched himself sexually, exploring his body like it was the first time she’d discovered it. He gasped and moaned at her touch, returning it with his own lustful need to explore her, but all he was able to do was respond to her own ferocious affection.

She was the one who’d started biting first. There wasn’t any real question that she would be. The surprising thing was that he reciprocated. She’d sunk he’d teeth into his shoulder, and he’d cradled her head in his hands, savoring the sweet pain of her teeth nipping at his flesh, the warmth of her hot tongue as she lapped up the beads of sweat he was coated with like cinnamon sugar. Desperate for some way to muffle his cries, he’d grabbed her wrist and bit down on one muscular bicep, savoring the gasp of surprise and the lustful growl she’d made. They’d wrestled briefly, seeing who got to bite and who had to be bitten, and while she’d won handily, she was a gracious winner; she gasped and moaned in bliss as he nibbled on her nipples, before biting down on his chest and sending waves of pain and pleasure through his body.

He was the one who’d started sniffing, though, breathing in the thick, salty fragrance of her sweat, tinged with the ever-present fragrances of lavender and vanilla. She laughed when she felt his breaths on him, but before he could even contemplate embarrassment, she’d pressed her nose into his scalp and inhaled deeply, then growled like a hungry animal. And animals were what he felt like: Fingers dragging down each other’s bodies, sniffing and biting and licking their ways up and down each other, coming together briefly for passionate, ravenous kisses before returning to their explorations. He’d never felt so primal, so atavistic, and he loved it. He loved her, her scent, her smell, the feel of her body against his, her heat against his, the way she made him hurt so good. He couldn’t stop experiencing her. He didn’t want to stop experiencing her.

H-Hey,” she growled, sinking her fingers into his hair, gripping him right, “you’re, uh, getting a little close there. Y’know what I mean, right?”

Brian blinked, and went so red he was surprised he wasn’t glowing. At some point in their passionate frenzy, he’d wound up nibbling his way up her inner thigh. Now, he was now so close that he could feel her heat, feel the brush of her thick pubic hair, dripping with arousal, against his cheek. The scent of her heady musk was overwhelming, making his head swim, consuming his thoughts and leaving him aching with need for her. If he tilted his head, he wouldn’t just be looking at her, he’d be peeking inside of her.

He tilted his head, and stared in awe.

She’d begun to mumble something, uncharacteristically shy. Something about how he didn’t have to do things he wasn’t ready for. But he knew, at that moment, he didn’t want to stop experiencing her. He bit down on the muscle of her inner thigh, taking a deep breath of the musky, heady fragrance that had been building around her, and slowly began to taste his way up her inner thigh.

“F-Fuck,” she growled, as she realized his intention. “Brian, you… I know Sharon thought she was being funny, but you really don’t have to-“

“Can I?” he whispered up at her, looking up at her warm brown eyes, at the deep look of concern etched into her features.

“You don’t owe me this,” she told him. “You don’t have to reward me for spending today with you. And I don’t want you to… to feel guilty you did something you weren’t ready for, just because-“

He pushed back the electric sparks of terror he felt, then reached up and put his finger to her lips, the ones he wasn’t on the verge of kissing. “Can I?” he asked again. “I… I want to do this. So can I? Please?”

She chuffed, looking down at him, unable to hold back the smile creeping across her face. “Only you, Brian,” she laughed. “Only you’d beg me to let you go down on me. C-C’mon, then,” she mumbled, stroking his face, leaning back to keep her weight off of him. “I… oh fuck,” she hissed, as he pressed his lips to hers, and gave her the kiss he’d been dreaming about for nearly a month.

He only had the vaguest clue what he was doing, just little bits of common sense like not using his teeth. But following those little bits of common sense was still enough that she didn’t have a single complaint. She’d whisper for him to go faster, or slower, to curl his tongue against her inner walls or lick up and down her labia or kiss her again and again and again. But he’d learned enough from fingering he’d that he never made her wince, or push him away, or ask him to stop doing something entirely. When she asked him to do something differently, it was with the gasping voice of a woman trying to reach the throes of pleasure, not a disappointed one trying to guide her partner into actually making her feel something.

Slowly, as Ash’s fingers curled though his hair, the nervousness beginning to fade, replaced with something else entirely: Desire. He’d never wanted anyone or anything as badly as he wanted her in this moment. He didn’t want to stop tasting her musky, tangy flavor, or stop feeling his tongue against the silky flesh hidden within her. Every breath he took was filled with her heady fragrance, every movement of his tongue with her growing cries of and lust. He let her overwhelm him, let her push away anything but his desire for her, his need to give her as much pleasure as he possibly could. Even as his jaw ached and his tongue burned, he couldn’t bring himself to pull away from her for even a moment.

“F-Fuck,” she finally began to growl, “I’m getting so close. “If, um, if you’re g-gentle,” she murmured, “then, um, I think some direct would push me over. C-Can you… oh, fuck,” she gasped, as his slow, gentle tongue began to lick her engorged clit, pressing softly into her and filling her with enough pleasure to leave her shaking. “Fuck, Brian, just like that. Don’t stop, okay?” she growled, as her hips began to spasm, pelvis grinding herself into his face, trembling as pleasure wracked and shook her. “D-Don’t… fuck, Brian, I’m gonna…!”

“I’ve got you,” he promised, kissing her, wrapping his arms around her thighs. And she put this promise to the test. She cried out in ecstasy, pressing her muscular body against his, pinning him with trembling legs as pleasure wracked and shook her. He gripped her as tight as he could, burying his face in her, trying to keep her from slipping away from him, let her ride through the first orgasm he’d ever given her in this new, incredible intimate way. His tongue flicked and licked and teased her through her orgasms, through her contractions and pulses, until she couldn’t stand another touch. Then, slowly, her movements began to return to normal, one final, almost guttural cry as she collapsed, almost boneless, on top of him.

“T-That… Oh my God,” she moaned, “Brian, that was so fucking good. I can’t… I just can’t believe how you make me feel,” she laughed, pressing her inner thighs together, rubbing them like she could draw out a hint of that pleasure he’d given her. “God, Brian, how did you do that?”

“I listened?” he suggested, and she burst out laughing.

“The best,” she growled, as she pulled him up to meet her, the wrapped her arms around him. “The fucking best.”

“So, uh, that was absolutely something you deserve to be rewarded for,” she eventually groaned, as she lay languidly against the bed, Brian still snuggled against her. “I, uh, just don’t think I can feel my legs right now, and I’m about to pass out. Is, um, is that okay?” she asked. “Like, if I had anything - anything - left, I’d be sucking your soul out of your cock right now, but-“

“It’s okay,” he assured her, then mumbled, “I’m, um, not totally sure I’m ready for that?”

Ash just stared at him, blinking slowly. “You. Cannot. Be. Real,” she groaned, before squeezing him back against her chest. “You know how I said I was gonna wait until you’re ready? Reciprocating oral doesn’t count.” she ground out. “Tomorrow, I am going to suck that cock of yours until you see stars. Do you understand?”

“C-Crystal,” he mumbled.

She sighed and stroked him, a ridiculous smile crossing her face. “C’mere,” she murmured to him, and he wiggled his way up to her, snuggling under the hotel covers. Once he reached her, she planted a kiss on his lips, a happy smile spreading across her face. “Love you,” she murmured. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

“Love you too,” he whispered, kissing her in response. “Thanks for coming.”

“With your tongue game?” she sighed, squeezing him tight. “Yeah, that’s not gonna be much of a worry.”

Chapter Text

He still wasn’t used to the luxury of waking up to Ash’s kisses. She was so gentle with him, so patient as he slowly stirred and began to respond. It thrilled him every time she did it, without leaving his heart pounding or his head throbbing from the startled shock of a rougher awakening. Compared to the harsh cries of an alarm clock, there was no basis of comparison. It had been his favorite way to wake up; he thought it’d always be his favorite way to wake up.

He may or may not have been right. It depended on whether or not he counted this as being kissed awake or not.

She’d started kissing him around his stomach, slowly making her way down, caressing him like he had something there to play with the way she had her six pack. She hadn’t gone straight for his groin; instead, she’d trailed off, luxuriating her way around his hips, covering his inner thighs with affectionate kisses and little love nips. He honestly still thought he was dreaming, that he was just having an amazing fantasy. When it had stopped, he’d started to settle back out of the little bit of awareness that had started building. Then he felt her fingers peel back his foreskin, and her hot breath wafting over him, surrounding him, enveloping him. She was slow, so slow; for a moment his sleepy brain was worried she was hesitating, that she was forcing herself to do this. Then he felt rather than heard the lustful growl as she wrapped her lips around him, the trembling sigh of bliss that sent a quiver up his spine. She was savoring him, he’d realized. And if he hadn’t woken up with morning wood, that would have been enough to get him there.

He’d never felt anything so amazing in his entire life. Her mouth was so hot, and wet in a way her hand never was, even when she’d coated him with her sexual fluids to get him off. Every movement of her tongue felt torturously good, so good he didn’t know if he could stand it. Quite frankly, he couldn’t; it kept feeling so good it hurt, so good he writhed and gripped at her hair, not sure if he wanted to pull her off of him or beg her to never leave. But the agonizing intensity quickly subsided; Ash had realized she was going too hard for him, and had slowed down to an almost glacial pace. Lips and tongue gently caressed him, rolling up and down him, hints of faint suction abating whenever it became too much, building whenever he needed more. Then, after he started to get used to these impossibly pleasurable new sensations, she’d slowly build up the intensity, just to the point where it’d start hurting again, then back down to something he could enjoy.

The only reason he hadn’t come yet was because she hadn’t let him. Every time he got close, every time he started to feel himself nearing his plateau, she slowed down, back to an almost glacial pace. Then once he was no longer in danger of ending her fun, she went right back to it. Sometimes she’d tease him, happily licking up and down his length, sending little bolts of lightning through him with every movement of his tongue. Sometimes she’d savor him, wrapping her lips around his glans, winding her tongue back and forth and all around him until he was nearly screaming from the feeling of overwhelming ecstasy. Then she’d go back to fucking him with her face, lips pressing into him and tongue sliding against him, leaving him helplessly crying out as he clung to her hair for dear life.

When he finally came, it was less something he expected and more an inevitability. The pleasure she’s been building up, the bliss she’d been inflicting on him, was so much that even her skillful mouth could no longer hold back the tide. He cried her name, hips shaking and quivering, entire body trembling as the overwhelming surge of ecstasy crashed over him and out him, into her waiting mouth. She hummed happily when he came, licking at his glans with each pulse erupting from him, swallowing it all down happily with a look of utter bliss in her eyes. She didn’t stop until his trembling, shaking body was fully spent, not even a drip left for her to coax out of him. Then, and only then, did she pop him out of her mouth, and hum once again as she swallowed hard.

“God, you taste so good,” she murmured up at him, warm brown eyes meeting his disbelieving gaze. No, not just warm; the look in her eyes was smolderingly hot, an intensity of desire rare even for her. “I love your cock,” she growled, each word punctuated by a lap of her tongue as she licked up his length. “I love how it looks. I love how it smells,” she sighed, breathing deeply, eyes closing as a blissful smile crossed her lips. “I love how it feels in my mouth,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his aching glans and kissing him until he started fo shake. When he cried out from the feeling of her tongue winding around him, she popped her lips from him, and growled, “I love the cute little noises you make when I suck on it. God, I’m so glad you let me finally do this,” she sighed, and for all the world look like she meant it.

“What was that,” he managed to mumble, “about only me begging to… oh fuck,” he gasped, as she began to take him back into her mouth again.

“Was I begging?” she asked, once she’d released him. “I don’t think I was begging, Brian. No, I think I was thanking you, and rewarding you for giving me what I’d been so patiently waiting for.” Then she took him back into her mouth again, slowly licking him through the agony of his refractory period and back to full hardness. “Told you I was going to suck you dry,” she murmured, once he’d looked down in shock at the fact that he was already hard again, barely a few minutes after he’d come so hard it felt like he was going to pass out. Then she began to press herself down his length, pausing briefly to acclimate both of them, until she’d somehow swallowed him whole. When she looked up at him, brown eyes meeting his disbelieving gaze, he didn’t think for a moment she wasn’t going to live up to that promise.

“You, uh, you okay there?” she eventually asked his comatose form, twitching occasionally as the aftershocks wracked his body.

“Didn’t think… literally… suck out soul,” he eventually mumbled.

“Well, now you know better,” Ash chuckled, then yawned, stretching, shaking the sweat from her brow. It was a sight he wished he could enjoy, but that required functioning brain cells that weren’t currently bathed in a sea of ecstasy. “God, you’ve got the most suckable cock, you know that?”

“I am becoming aware,” he mumbled, trying in vain to rise up after her in either sense of the word.

“So, what’s today’s itinerary?” she asked, eventually giving up and wrapping her arms around his insensate form. “You told me there’s some panels you wanted to go to, right?”

“Afternoon,” he replied. “What about you?”

“I’m with you,” she murmured. “I told you, I was going to try this thing.”

“You can do your own thing,” he assured her. “I won’t be upset.”

“And I’ll go try some things if I feel like I can’t keep gaming,” she replied. “But if you build in some brain breaks, I can probably make it to the afternoon panels, and then it’s easy to get to dancing.”

“We can go shopping too,” he offered. “I’m not sure how much you’re going to get out of that, but…”

She waved her hand up and down. “Not much of a shopping kind of girl, but I’m interested in seeing what they’ve got. Think they’ve got some Aliens stuff?”

“I mean, there’s a board game, so-“

“No shit?” she asked, excitement in her eyes. “Hey, you wanna go do that first? Then maybe we can try the steampunk army game again.”

“As soon as my legs start working again,” he mumbled.

“That’s fine,” she murmured, hugging him tight. “So, tell me about this Aliens game,” she demanded gleefully. “What kind of game is it? Can you get infected? Ooh, can I be Vasquez?”

———

“You know I used to dream about this?” Kathy asked him, as the fingers of one hand entwined with his, and the other brushed through his haur. “Not like, you know…” she trailed off, waving her arms at, well, everything. The leather jacket carelessly tossed over a hotel chair; the heaps of clothing littered around the room; the tied-off condom dangling from the rim of the trash can, the only one she hadn’t been able to land perfectly. “I was eight, I didn’t know what people meant when they said sleeping together. But I had dreams where I’d wake up next to you,” she murmured. “I liked them.”

If he wasn’t a complete idiot, he would have said literally anything besides, “I had a couple of nightmares like that.” If only he wasn’t a complete idiot.

She froze, dark eyes widening, and for a moment he felt his guts drop through the bed they were sharing. Then, in a cold voice, she growled, “That’s because I’m a scary lady.” Then her narrowed lips cracked into a smile, and soon, she was laughing so hard she had to let go of his hair to wipe her eyes. He slowly felt his guts unclenching, not entirely convinced she wasn’t laughing at him, but she never did release his hand. “Fuck, I really did a number on you, huh?” she eventually managed to ask.

“If, uh, if it, um, helps?” he mumbled, meeting those warm, dark eyes of hers, “I think in retrospect they might have been my introduction to the concept of wet nightmares.”

She burst out laughed again, pressing her forehead to his, and before long, he started laughing along with her. He couldn’t not; even ignoring the release of tension, the sultry, scorching hot melody of her laugh demanded some sort of reaction, and he physically could not get another erection right now. “So,” she finally asked, “was I everything you’d been afraid I’d be?”

“God no,” he murmured. “You’re so far beyond amazing I don’t think the English language has enough superlatives for me to describe you.”

She pressed her lips to his, sighing in bliss. “You’re so sweet to me.”

“Well,” he mumbled, between her slow kisses, “it’s not like I’m lying.”

She pulled back briefly, a smug look spreading across her face. “I am pretty awesome, aren’t I?”

“I’m sorry,” he asked, “but in what world are you only ‘pretty’ awesome?”

“Don’t overdo it,” she mumbled, thumping her forehead against his, cheeks so close he could feel the red starting to stain her tan skin. He couldn’t see the grin on her face, but he could feel it without even a modicum of effort. “I have a hard time taking compliments. I never used to get a lot.”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, reaching the hand she wasn’t holding to stroke her naked form, as innocently as he could actually stroke a gorgeous naked woman.

“It’s the opposite of your fault,” she murmured, squeezing down on his hand, pressing her lips to his ear. “You didn’t do it, you’re making it better.”

“Still,” he began, only for her to press a finger to his lips. “How about ‘I know how you feel?’” he asked, once she released him.

“Definitely not okay,” she growled. “I’ll go beat the compliments out of people who owe you them later.”

“Please don’t,” he sighed. Then, slowly, he began to move his fingers from soothing to affectionate, caressing her lean, muscular abdomen. “So, what happens if I do keep complimenting you?”

“Depends on if I think you’re bullshitting me or not,” she sighed, wriggling herself against his hand. “If I do, I might have to punch you. I like you, so it don’t be hard.”

“I will keep that in mind,” he muttered. Then he slipped his hand around the toned muscles of her back, stroking up and down her spine. “But what if I’m not?” he asked.

“I have to find out if you can go another round,” she growled, bearing down on him, pressing herself against him, hand sliding down his neck to grip his shoulder.

“Kathy,” he mumbled. “I will die. I will literally die.”

“That’s what I said the first time I did burpees. Now feel my ass,” she purred, as he did just that, marveling at the incredible strength beneath that smooth, cool skin. “You see?”

“I don’t think that’s how my penis works,” he sighed. After a few moments, he was proven write; if stroking that gorgeous rear while his gorgeous girlfriend was rubbing herself against him wasn’t going to do it, he was down and out for now. “Look, if you’re still in the mood…”

“I am,” she replied, “but I can wait for what I really want. Hey, how about this,” she continued, as she rolled onto her side, pulling him on top of her, pressing his face against one exquisite breast. “Let’s cuddle for a little more, because we both need more cuddles. Then we’ll go down to the arcade, and you can show me some more of those weird dinosaur games you love.”

“Weird dinosaur-“ he sputtered. “Kathy, they’re classics. They-“

“Meanwhile,” she murmured, ignoring his complaints, “I’m gonna put on that jean skirt you’re nuts about, and my jacket. And nothing else,” she growled, clicking her teeth against his ear. “Well, okay, socks and shoes. But you get what I’m going for. As soon as you can do something about that, you let me know.”

“I’m going to wake up and be in a cold, lonely bed all by myself any minute now,” he muttered. Then he gasped in surprise as she wiggled her head down and sank her teeth into his neck. “I guess not.”

“Nope,” she laughed, “you’re stuck with me.”

“And I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he sighed, letting his face split into a smile.

———

She forced the image building inside of her mind from it, growling in frustration as she felt the heat that had been building inside of her start to fade along with it. She didn’t care how far gone she was, how close she was to coming, she wasn’t about to start getting off to her bestie’s boyfriend. No matter how cute his stupid little blush was when… no, focus, she growled to herself, as she pressed her fingers deep inside of her, drawing them out over the spongy flesh just inside of her. Another mental image has already started to take shape; silently, she pushed away anything Brian-like about it, forcing it to resolve into someone simpler, more generic. Cute boy, cute glasses, cute little blush, big, cute eyes staring at her in rapt attention as she raced across the basketball court.

Unfortunately, all she managed to do was create a different mental image: Her mystery man’s body slowly resolved itself into a chubby one, generic cute blush with an adorable kittenish look. She pulled her fingers out of herself, grimacing at the sensation of emptiness, but if Ash’s boyfriend was off-limits, Kathy’s was doubly so. Ash would be disappointed. Kathy would be furious. She was mostly - mostly - joking about the whole pottery knife thing, but…

Sharon sighed, wiping her fingers against her covers, leaving a trail of sexual arousal she knew she’d have to cover up before she left. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew she was crushing on both of them the same way she’d crushed on Rose back when Monica had first dragged her cute little ass to have lunch with the team. But it wasn’t the kind of crush that the person it was on could satisfy. Because that would require her to be Ash, or Kathy, or maybe Monica, and she couldn’t be any of those people. All she could be was Sharon, and Sharon couldn’t have what Ash had with Brian because Sharon wasn’t Ash.

She wrapped her arms around her knees and pressed them to her chest, trying not to think about how much she hated how introspective she was. Then she’d get introspective about it, and start thinking about how she didn’t actually hate it, she just…

“What the fuck is wrong with my brain?” she murmured to herself. “All I want to do is come and go back to sleep. Why am I like this?”

Well, that wasn’t in the cards today, Sharon finally realized. Not right now, at least. So she sighed, stretched, and forced herself out of bed, slowly lurching towards her chest of drawers. Then, a thought crossed her mind. It was a ridiculous thought, but she hadn’t had any better ones in a while. Instead of her chest of drawers, she went to her closet, flipping through dresses and winter coats until she found what she was looking for. A green tunic, brown breeches, and a green cloak to tie the whole thing together. Ears and boots didn’t take long to find; her bow she considered, but ultimately decided against. She didn’t have a clue what byzantine safety precautions they’d take against the costume weaponry, and it wasn’t worth it anyway.

Sharon was gone. That badass elven ranger she’d dressed up as for Halloween, the one she’d always wanted to play before she’d given up on finding a group without someone who made her skin crawl, stared back. Confident, sexy, a hunter. She could do this.

Sharon silently pulled her phone off her bed, plucking it from her charger, fingers already dancing across her screen. A few minutes later, she’d called; a few minutes after that, she’d made it to the head of the queue. “Hey, do you still have tickets available? Yeah, I know. How about a day pass. Yeah? How much are we looking at.”

Chapter Text

“Holy crap, is that Sharon?”

Brian looked over to the tabletop tables and blinked a couple of times. “Looks like it,” he replied. “That’s her Halloween costume. Is… is she okay?” he asked, as he noticed the scowl on her face, her fists clenching together, her refusal to look at the people talking around her, just the table in front of her.

Ash clicked her tongue. “Shit, I’ve seen that look before. C’mon, she’s about to blow her top.”

“Sharon blows her top?” he asked. She’d been sarcastic, snarky, even exasperated, but she’d always seemed about as even-tempered as Ash.

“She’s basically a volcano,” Ash explained, as they slid around the packed tables. “She doesn’t blow often, but get her under enough pressure, and there’s not gonna be any survivors.”

“…Just saying,” the woman on her left sneered, “if you’re not going to at least read the rulebook-“

“This was supposed to be an intro game,” Sharon ground out, fingers clenching and unclenching like she had the woman’s skinny neck in them.

“Yes, but don’t you think it’s inconsiderate to not at least read through the player’s handbook?” the woman on her left sniffed. “If we have to keep stopping and explaining everything to you, we’re not going to be having any fun.”

The other three players at the table, an older fellow behind the screen and a couple of guys that looked about Sharon’s age, were looking around uncomfortably, trying not to make eye contact with the woman who’d taken on the role of their champion. ‘I’m sorry,’ one of them mouthed, but if she’d seen it, she wasn’t reacting.

“All we’re saying,” the man on her right wheedled, “is that maybe there are other games more suitable for a… a novice. I’ve heard wonderful things about some rules light systems. You know, there’s this podcast I listened to-“

“If I wanted to learn to play one of those,” she growled, “I’d be doing it.”

“Of course you would,” he interrupted, “but I just don’t know if you’re up for something of this complexity. Now-“

“I’ve tried Fifth Edition,” she growled, the pencil she had in her hand starting to creak. “I thought there were a couple of little differences I could just-“

“Who does she think she’s trying to fool,” came a snicker from an adjacent table. Brian saw the speaker getting elbowed by the person setting next to him, heard him mutter “it’s just a joke, lighten up,” at several unamused faces. But Sharon didn’t, and that looked like the last straw. She was uncoiling from her slouch, her blonde hair reminding him of all too much of a rising plume of smoke. He could see the pair she was next to blanching, and he couldn’t blame them. Even seated, she was imposing as anything; she wasn’t as tall as Ash, wasn’t built like Ash, but she was closer to Ash than Kathy, and that wasn’t remotely a slight towards Kathy. She was wasted as an elf; she needed to cosplay with full plate and a spear.

Before the low growl building in her throat could become words, Brian called out to her. Her head whipped around, the look on her face one that was probably going to give him nightmares. He pushed down the thought that they might not be wholly unenjoyable ones, then called out, “Sharon!” once again. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you! I didn’t realize you were busy, but if there’s still some room at your table…”

“Actually,” she growled, standing, snatching her character sheet off the table, and striding over to him and Ash in almost a single fluid motion, “I was just leaving.”

“Sorry,” he whispered to her, as they made their way out of the tabletop table. “Everyone’s normally so welcoming, I-“

“I don’t know who you’re trying to fool,” she snarled, matching the sneered cadence from the table next to hers. He almost tumbled backwards, and she grumbled the words “like kicking a puppy. Sorry, Brian,” she sighed, as Ash folded her arms and glowered down at her. “I’m pissed off at those three, and you just touched the same nerve.”

Brian blinked, looking at her in confusion, almost stumbling over one of the ubiquitous trash cans that Ash had to navigate him around. “Wait, who’s the third-“

“You’re thinking of the wrong two,” she scoffed. “I’m used to assholes, Brian. Assholes are the background radiation of my life. I’m sick of the people who sit back and let them shit on me. You know, ‘I’m sorry,’” she whimpered, pretending to hide behind her half-crumpled character sheet. “I was just thinking how he’d probably try to come up to me afterwards, and say how he’s sorry I had a bad experience, but the tabletop community is so nice, and…” She dropped her hands to the side, and shook her head.

It was like an icicle just struck Brian in the spine. He closed his eyes, hands wrapping around his chest, trying not to cringe so hard he curled in on himself. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I-I didn’t mean it like that. I-“

“You’re cool,” Sharon sighed, patting his shoulder. “I know if you were there you wouldn’t have let them shit on me like that.”

And now he felt like he came up to Ash’s knees instead of her chest.

“Nah,” Ash said, slapping his back, oblivious to his internal turmoil, “my boy’s got guts.”

Nope, he was so tiny she could crush him with a single stomp, like a bug. And he’d deserve it.

“So,” he heard Ash call, from a distance, “got any other plans?”

“Nah,” she sighed, “this was a dumb idea. I’m just going to go home, cut my losses.”

“Aw, c’mon, don’t let those guys spoil your fun,” Ash began.

“I, uh, I’ve got some friends who play,” Brian mumbled. “Do you want me to try to run a game for you?”

“You run games?” the two of them asked, almost in unison.

“I’ve never done it before,” he admitted, “but I used to play with my dad, and then back in middle school.”

“Cool. What time were you thinking?” she asked, loosening her death grip on her crumpled character sheet.

“Oh, um, I wasn’t thinking today,” he replied. “I-I’ve got to get some players, prepare a campaign, all kinds of stuff.”

“Well, you’ve got two,” Ash cheered. “Hey, maybe we could do a game just us girls?”

“I’d be interested in meeting Brian’s friends,” Sharon said nonchalantly.

Ash blinked, and narrowed her eyes. “No…”

“Bitch, do not with me right now,” she growled in response.

Ash slapped both hands to her mouth, holding back the laughter. “No fucking way!”

Sharon had gone completely crimson, glaring daggers at Ash. He looked between them, scratched his head, and decided it was some kind of in-joke. “A-Anyway,” he interjected, before the two could find some pillows, “Ash and I were going to go hit the board game library. Do you want to come?”

She shook her head. “Nah, but thanks anyway. The kind of stuff you guys play bores me to tears.”

Brian thought for a moment. “You know, I could send Alex a text, see if he and Kathy are up for some party games.”

Sharon raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to assume you don’t mean Never Have I Ever.”

Brian shook his head, phone already in hand. “Let me tell you about Avalon.”

“Wait, hold on,” Ash exclaimed, “isn’t that the game you told me never to play with you?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” he replied, as he sent Alex the directions.

———

They didn’t play Avalon. Alex had joined with Ash in vetoing it, and while Kathy had been on his side, they’d poisoned the well enough that Monica and Rose had sided with the two of them. Instead, they’d all ended up crowding around a table, cards face down, stacks of coins in front of each of them.

“I’m the King,” he announced proudly, waiting to see if anyone would call his bluff.

“No, I’m definitely the King,” Sharon replied, folding her arms and glaring at him.

“I, um, I think I’m the King?” Ash replied, holding up a hand. She saw the looks from the other two, then slid it slowly down, shaking her head. “Nevermind. I’m not going to call.”

Brian sighed, flipping over the thief, paying a forfeit to the bank. He then noticed the smug look on Sharon’s face as she revealed the witch. “You’ve got too many coins there,” she crowed. “Someone has to keep you honest.”

“Okay, but you still have to pay your fine,” he replied, gesturing to the courthouse.

“Oh, no, say it isn’t so,” she monotoned, looking at the card she’d flipped. “Sucks to be… mmm, you’ve got the most right now, right Alex?”

“Leave my boyfriend alone,” Kathy demanded. “Just for that, gimme your card. You can be the Fool for a while.”

Sharon grumbled as she handed over the card, watching Kathy with eyes like a hawk as she swapped them - or not - under the table. Then she took her card back, thought for a moment, then blinked. “You’re lying, bitch.”

“Call my bluff,” Kathy sneered.

“Oh, I will. I’m still the witch,” she laughed, reaching for Alex’s coins, “and you’re just a bitch.”

The two stared each other off, until Kathy huffed and folded her arms. “Fine. Next time I’m gonna do it, though,” she cautioned.

“Yeah, yeah. Over to you, Ash.”

“Maybe I am the King…?” she asked. “Yeah, I’m the King.”

“No you’re not,” Monica, lounging against Rose in N7 combat armor, called. “I’m the King!”

The two looked at their cards: Ash was the Queen, and Monica was the Bishop. “C’mon, if you thought you were the king, why didn’t you call last time?” she asked, folding her arms.

“Oh, I know who the King is,” she smirked. “I just forgot who I was. Renegade’s gotta Renegade,” she laughed, as Ash folded her arms, then elbowed her girlfriend, who’d dressed up in a black and white uniform reminiscent of a jumpsuit. “C’mon, babe, your turn.”

“Well, I’ve got to be the King then,” Rose replied, taking her three coins. Then Monica tapped her on the shoulder, grinned, and swiped two of them from her. “Bitch,” she snapped, before going in for a kiss.

“Well I’m definitely the Jailer,” Alex replied, impressively managing not to look at the two girls making out next to him, only to freeze as he saw the wicked grin on Kathy’s face. “You aren’t actually the Fool, are you?” he sighed.

“Nope!” she cheered, turning it over, and scooping up all the fines. “Which means I’m one away from winning!”

“Two away,” Brian retorted, as he snagged a coin from both her and Alex.

“Four away when it’s my turn,” Monica sang.

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” she grumbled, as Kathy went to swap cards with Monica. Only to scowl as Sharon snagged hers in return.

“I’m definitely still the Queen,” Ash sighed, grabbing another two coins.

“And I’m still the King,” Rose cheered, as she took her three.

“Not for long you’re not,” Alex replied, rubbing his hands together, a little smile starting to cross his mouth. Then Monica swapped her card with his - or not - and the smile left his face.

Brian was mostly watching the game, mostly trying to keep in mind who had what where. But really, he was watching Sharon. She growled and she fumed and she huffed, but there was a lift to her cheeks and a crinkle to her eyes she wasn’t able to hide. He breathed a sigh of relief; it looked like she was having a good time after all.

Then Ash - who nobody had been paying attention to since they found out she had the Queen - collected her thirteenth coin, and Sharon threw her card - still the witch, he noted - at her. But she was smiling when she did it.

———

Alex and Kathy had been the first to depart, heading off back to the labyrinthine arcade that Brian had periodically walked past, taken one look at, and kept waking past. A couple of rounds of conducting seances and matching elaborate cards to one-sentence stories later, Monica and Rose had called it quits; Monica told him Rose had a shoot, Rose said Monica wanted to go sneak into the 18+ panels. Really, he figured they were probably just running back to their room, but he wasn’t to call them on it. Which left him, Ash, and Sharon, who was starting to look increasingly in uncomfortable in her position as third wheel.

“H-Hey, want to go check out the Music Room?” he asked, as he noticed her starting to come to a decision. “There’s an artist I really like doing a set soon.”

“If you’re asking me to dance,” Ash laughed, then I’m totally in. How about you, Sharon?”

She shrugged, and mumbled, “I don’t have anywhere else to be.”

Unfortunately, Brian had misunderstood the timing; one band had just finished their set, but the one he was looking forward to wouldn’t be there for another twenty minutes. Instead, a third band, more experimental, had the stage. Low, slow drum music, an almost eerie vibe to it, echoed from their speakers, the lights more reminiscent of a science fiction series’ token horror episode than the show he’d come to expect.

“I can’t do this,” Ash muttered, as she folded her arms over her chest a few minutes in. “God, trying to dance to this is making my muscles hurt. I gotta get out of here. How about you two?” she asked.

Brian looked over at Sharon, who was slowly moving her body, a blissful smile on her face, then back to Ash. “Do you mind if I keep her company?” he asked.

“No way!” she cheered. “Knock yourself out. Me? I’m going to go see about getting something to snack on.”

Sharon was silent for a while, just enjoying the music moving through her, almost hypnotized by the haunting melody. Then, once Brian’s slow, hesitant movements had become something smoother, she turned to him, slowly opening her eyes. “How’d you two get together, anyway?”

He blinked, then mumbled, “I thought she told you. I, uh, kind of took your advice? Mostly it was her, though. I just-“

She shook her head. “No, I got that part. It’s so cute it’s a little annoying. I mean why’d she bring you to sit with us?”

“Oh! Um…” he looked away, face going hit; her raucous laughter didn’t make him feel any less mortified.

“That bad, huh? Come on,” she pleaded, “she won’t tell me. She just says she thought you were cool.”

“She, um, caught me checking her out,” he mumbled. “I-I apologized, and, um, she said it was cool I could admit it.”

Sharon raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”

“T-That’s-“

“Bullshit,” she sighed, turning away from him mid-groove. “Ash gets checked out all the time, guys apologize once in a while.”

He mumbled quietly, too quietly for her to hear him over the music, but a smirk started to glide across her face. “Ooh, now I’ve got to hear this.”

“I told her I wasn’t looking at her t-breasts,” he mumbled, “I was looking at her abs.”

She blinked, then burst out laughing. “Oh, oh my God. Yeah, that’s so Ash. No wonder she wouldn’t tell me. That’s… Wow.”

“Please don’t tell her I told you,” he mumbled.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she laughed, “the ship has sailed on that one. I’ve got a statute of limitations of one month for making fun of people, and that’s two.”

“They, um, they made a rule?” he asked.

“I knew, right?” She laughed again, shaking her head, blonde ponytail waving like the crack of a whip. “I just took it as a challenge.”

They danced together in silence, still not quite comfortable, for a few more minutes. Then when he looked over again, he saw her staring. “I’m just thinking about how cute you two are together,” she eventually said. “I love seeing the dumb look she gets whenever she sees you. She’s totally head over heels,” she told him. “Like, I’ve seen her into a guy before. But she is crazy about you.”

“Y-You, um, you thi-“ he began, freezing when she began to narrow her eyes. “Nevermind. Yeah, I’m in love with her too,” he admitted. “I’ve never met anyone I’ve felt like this about before.”

“She hasn’t either,” Sharon replied. “I’d tell you to treat her right, but honesty? I think you know how lucky you got.”

“I.. Yeah,” he said, nodding. “I’m an unbelievably lucky guy.”

“Don’t you dare forget it,” she cautioned him. Then, a little smile crossed her face. “Hey, wanna know a secret?”

Brian slowly nodded.

“She’s unbelievably lucky to have you too.”

———

The two staggered from the dance room, laughing and panting, Brian barely able to keep up with them. “Oh my God,” Sharon whooped, “that was so fucking awesome!”

“I know, right!? Tell me you can go back to Lauren’s fucking living room.”

“How dare you!?” Sharon gasped, pressing her hands to her ample chest. “Bitch, you know I’m not that bad of a liar.”

The two burst out laughing again, strolling through the mostly-empty halls, little groups still scattered about it. “Okay,” Sharon sighed, “I really got to get going. Some of us didn’t book hotel rooms.”

“You want to crash in ours?” Ash asked.

“Nah, I only bought a day pass,” she replied. “Besides, I don’t want to listen to you trying to fuck quietly.”

He began to stammer, only for Ash to clear her throat and rest an arm on his shoulder. “Who says we’d be quiet?” she asked.

“Jesus Christ, Ash,” he mumbled, hoping he wasn’t managing to light up the entire convention hall with his face.

“Yeah, that offer just went from no to hell no,” she grumbled, sticking her tongue out. “Okay, don’t keep the neighbors up too late.”

“Want to video chat so you can make sure?” Ash called, laughing as Sharon flipped her off.

Once the two of them made it back to the elevator, Ash wrapped an arm around him, leaning in for a kiss. “I noticed you couldn’t keep your eyes off Sharon,” Ash murmured in his ear.

He felt the blood running cold in his veins, pooling at his feet. “N-No,” he protested, “I didn’t… I’d never… I mean…”

She kissed him again, silencing his babbling, running her fingers through his hair. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” she murmured. “I know I can trust you, and I know I got you. What I mean is, everyone else was having a good time. But you? You were making sure she had a good time. That was really sweet. You’re a good person, Brian.”

He sighed, looking away from her. “You’re wrong,” he mumbled. “I… I did it because I guilty.”

Ash leaned back, looking down at him, concern in her eyes.

“L-Last time I tried tabletop? It… it didn’t end well,” he sighed. “And… And it’s my fault. One of our players, he was being a total ass to the DM. Always second guessing him, browbeating him, rules lawyering whenever it made him look good. And… I did what Sharon said those guys did. I just watched it happen and I didn’t say anything. He… he just canceled, said he wasn’t having fun anymore. And-“

Ash folded her arms, looking down at him with a cool expression. “That’s not cool, Brian.”

“I know,” he mumbled. “Believe me, I know.”

“Would you do it again?” she asked.

“No! I… I don’t think so,” he admitted, “I-“

“If you don’t think you would, then you wouldn’t” Ash assured him, her expression softening. “I know you, Brian. The guy who told me he was staring at my abs when I told him it was okay he was staring at my tits? The guy who asked me if we were going to the Halloween party as a date?” She shook her head, chucking. “Don’t tell me standing up for a friend is harder than that.”

“That’s the problem,” he mumbled. “It felt like I’d be standing up against a friend too.”

“You stood up to me when I was ripping Sue a new one,” she replied, stroking his cheek. “Remember?”

“I… I guess so,” he mumbled.

“Besides,” Ash continued, “if what you’re telling me is, ‘I did a bad thing and so I’m trying to make up for it,’ well, that’s pretty sweet too.”

The two of them barely made it into their hotel room before Ash had her arms around him, looking down at him with hunger in her eyes. It took everything he could to hold up a hand. “C-Can we wait a minute?” he asked. “I… I want to get in touch with my friends before I forget.”

“Sure, take your time,” Ash murmured, as she began stripping off. “Just remember there’s gonna be a naked girl playing with herself next to you the whole time you’re doing it.”

“Weren’t you happy I was trying to help Sharon!?” he yelped, as he slid open the phone.

“Oh, I am,” she murmured, the sounds of skin against skin already filling their room. “I just want you to help her quick.”

With shaking hands, Brian opened up a contact whose last message had been sent months ago. Hey, he wrote, I’m starting another gaming group and I thought of you, he texted. There was no response, but he wasn’t expecting one. I’m planning to DM if you just want to play. Still no response. I’m sorry, he added. I should have stood up to him for you. I should have told him he was being an asshole. I’m sorry.

Still no response. Brian sighed, backing out of his conversation, opening a much more recent one. Hey, he texted Will, I’m starting another gaming group. Do you think you’d like to play?

Sure! came the almost immediately reply. Where, when, and who?

Still working that out, he typed in response. Then, tearing his eyes away from the sight of his girlfriend pleasuring herself, he took a deep breath, and wrote I’ll keep you posted, okay?

Sure thing.

Oh, one more thing, he added, right before putting the phone away and joining her. Don’t tell Mike.

———

Sharon quietly rubbed herself, a muffled sigh the only noise she’d allow herself to make. She didn’t think her parents would hear her, but one never knew, and she didn’t need another lecture about wasting her time, ruining herself for a real relationship, or whatever bullshit they wanted to come up with because they didn’t want to act like it was sinful but couldn’t stop thinking it was sinful. “I have got to stop being so fucking introspective,” she sighed, as she spread herself, raising her ass in the air, letting the cool night air blow over her while she imagined she was brave enough to have moved her bed in front of the window instead of as far from it as possible.

That was a nice fantasy, she thought to herself, as she felt the heat building inside of her, felt arousal start to drip out of her, matting her wispy golden hair. But it needed something. Maybe… ah, she thought, how about a cute boy? He’d see her like that, her ass in the air, legs spread, everything exposed. He could see her spreading herself open, see her… her… fuck, this was her head, she was going to call it a cunt if she wanted to. He’d see her rubbing her c-cunt, she forced herself to think, see her spreading it just for him. As she slipped two fingers deep into herself, slowly drawing them up her inner walls, she imagined the look on his cute little face. He’d be blushing so hard. Would he touch her? She wondered. No, she thought, her lips curling into a wicked smile, as a jolt of pleasure ran through her, hips trembling at the thought. No, he’d be a gentleman. He’d wait for her to notice him. To beckon him. She gasped at the mental image of her, fingers curling at him instead of at her abdomen, at the little puppy dog expression he’d have as he followed her in, as he got behind her, all aching and hard, and…

Sharon paused for a moment, about to plunge her fingers deep into herself once again. No, she decided, he was a goddamn gentleman. Which meant he’d press his face to her, she thought, as she soaked her fingers in her own wetness, and began to smear it around her labia. She wouldn’t have to ask, she wouldn’t have to suck his cock first, he wouldn’t freak out when she took off her panties and demand she ‘shave her shit,’ like he hadn’t kept telling her how sexy her blonde hair was and joking about whether the carpet matched the drapes the whole time they’d been dating, and…

…Fuck, girl, dial it back, she thought, as she imagined her gentleman again. She imagined him whispering sweet nothings in her ear as she curled her fingers around her earlobe. How she was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. How he’d fallen in love with her the moment he saw her abs, and he couldn’t get enough of them. She dragged her fingers, the ones not brushing over her inner labia, down her body, dragged them across her abdomen. Would he lick them? No, she wasn’t in the mood for monsterfucking, she wanted something that could actually happen. He’d caress them, she decided, rubbing her hand over her stomach, squeezing and scratching her belly, even as her other hand began to build up speed, setting her nerves aflame with each touch, each stroke. Mmm. Maybe he’d rub his cock on it, she thought, as she stuck her fingers deep into herself again, coating them in her wetness, tracing two fingers across her stomach. It tickled, but it tickled in a way that made her clench inside, and she bit down on her lip to hold back a moan. It was so weird, but it was so sexy, and she couldn’t stop imagining it, even when she realized he probably would have to be contortionist to pull it off. He’d just do them separately, but there’s no reason she couldn’t imagine both sensations together, like a pair of memories entwining into one greater whole.

She was close now, the heat inside of her building to a raging flame. It felt like she was being lit ablaze by it, pleasure not so much surging through her as enveloping her, filling her body with bliss. She could feel herself beginning to clamp down, pulses wracking her body, jolting and quivering with every contraction. She bit down on the pillow now, mewling with pleasure, burying her face into it so nobody could hear her ecstatic cries. It felt so good she couldn’t stand it, so good all she wanted do was let go and let the aftershocks wrack her. But she kept going, pushing through the almost agonizing bliss, letting another cry of bliss erupt from deep inside of her, letting her fingers draw ever moment of pleasure they could out of her twitching, shaking body.

It wasn’t until she’d finished, when she’d cleaned her hand off on her own stomach and bush, then collapsed into a boneless heap, that she realized she knew whose face her gentleman had. It wasn’t him, she had enough self control, he’d had a different body with some actual meat on it, rich black hair and cinnamon skin because that was a sexy as hell combination. But the face? Yeah. All Brian.

“Goddammit,,” she sighed to herself, as she started touching herself again, “you are not making this easy on me.

Chapter Text

“Now what do you think you’re doing up this early?”

Brian froze at the sound of the rumbling voice and slow, heavy heavy footsteps, like thunder crashing behind him. Then, without turning around, he mumbled the words, “just out for a morning run, grandpa.”

“Can’t believe you’re wasting your time on that crap,” his grandfather spat. “First you spend the entire goddamn weekend playing games, and now this. Go pump some iron, do something worth bragging about instead of killing your damn knees. You know you’re never gonna get a girl with that scrawny little body of yours, right?”

“I have a girlfriend,” he mumbled, as he continued towards the door. Just a few more feet.

“Yeah, one you’re ashamed to let me meet,” he snapped. “Probably some gold-digging slut who’s going to trick you into paying her child support for the rest of your life. I can see right through them, you know. I learned my lesson.”

“She isn’t…” Brian began, then ground his teeth and forced down the response, pushing back the vision of Ash crossing her arms and looking down at him. If she was here, if his grandma were here, that’d be one thing. But just him? It wasn’t worth it. All he had to do was get out the door. Friday morning, Grandpa woul be on a plane back to Hell, or wherever it was he was living nowadays. All Brian had to do now was get out the door.

“Don’t you sass me,” he growled. “If I talked that way to my granddaddy, he’d have stripped my hide. You’re too soft,” he spat, flecks of spittle spattering against Brian’s ear. “Your mom and dad spoiled you rotten. Hey!” he growled, steely fingers sinking into Brian’s wrist as he reached the door. “I’m still talking to you.”

“Ash is waiting for me,” he mumbled, trying not to flinch.

“Ash?” he sneered. “What the hell kind of name is that for a girl!? Jesus Christ, you really are my granddaughter, aren’t you!?”

Brian breathed deeply. Grey rock, he thought to himself. Grey rock. “I need to go now,” he mumbled.

“Whatever. Have fun with your boyfriend,” he sneered. “Oh, and don’t dawdle after school. You already skipped out on everything else, you’re not skipping poker night.”

For a moment, Brian hesitated. Poker night was the one time of the year grandpa was, well, his grandpa. He actually put on a veneer of friendliness, as long as he and his cousins didn’t win too much. But then he pulled his wrist out of his grandfather’s hand. “I-I’m going to… to Ash’s game tonight,” he said, as he slipped out the front door. “I promised I’d be there.”

“Well tell her you screwed up!” he shouted after him. “One goddamn night a year, Brian! It’s not too much to ask, is it!?” He felt the fingers groping for his shoulder again, but he wasn’t fast enough to find purchase. “You really don’t give a shit about your family, do you!? Family ought to mean something! But you’d really just throw us all away for some whore, huh!?”

There were so many things he wanted to say. But all he could manage, without his voice breaking, was a “Bye, grandpa.” He dashed off into the twilight, running the whole way to the trail he and Ash liked to meet at, trying not to listen to the screams of rage, the vicious barbs, the threats both veiled and blatant. He failed. He didn’t have a hope of succeeding. But he didn’t react, he didn’t give his grandfather the satisfaction, and if that’s all he could do, then that’s all he could do.

“Hey cutie,” Ash murmured as he dived into her big, strong arms, pressing his face to her chest. “Did you run the whole way here?”

He nodded into her arms. “I should be fine,” he whispered.

“C’mon, Brian, that was like a third of today’s run already.”

He shook his head again. “I… I’m okay,” he lied.

She smiled down at him, kind enough not to call him on it. Then she squeezed him tight, and murmured, “I’m proud of you. Whatever that old bastard says, I’m proud of you.”

As they walked off together onto the trail, her warmup, his breather, she ran her hand down his back. “Hey, you ready for tonight?” she asked.

The image of his happy cousins and grandfather, shuffling cards, knocking over chips, briefly surfaced in his mind. But he didn’t even need to see the look of barely-contained fury behind grandpa’s smile when he took the old man’s last blue chip to push that vision away. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he promised.

———

Strong hands grabbed Brian from behind, hauling him backwards, into an empty classroom. Ice wrapped around his chest; his heart was now pounding so fast that without that additional layer of reinforcement his ribs would probably break. He instinctively struggled, to no avail; the crushing grip now holding him could probably break his bones easier than he could escape from it. His captor flipped him around, leaving him staring at the man’s broad, chiseled chest, the muscle definition obvious beneath his basketball uniform. “You’re Ash’s new boyfriend, right?” the man boomed, so loud it felt like his voice was shaking Brian’s bones.

He looked up, and up, and up to the man, almost as tall as his girlfriend - and holy crap, he thought, what percentile even was she? - to steely blue eyes that looked like they were staring through him. “Y-Yeah,” he managed to say.

For a moment, the big man just looked at Brian, letting Brian’s bloodstream slowly freeze under that terrifying look. Then a wide smile spread across his broad, stubbled face. “Man, it’s nice to meet you,” he boomed, as he slapped Brian on the shoulder so hard he stumbled. His eyes then went wide, mumbling, “sorry, man,” as he helped Brian regain his balance. “But yeah, it’s so nice to finally meet you. I’m Craig.”

“You’re Craig,” Brian said. It was less a question and more an acknowledgement; he did not have the cognitive facilities to inquire as to whether or not this was the case, only to accept that this was his new reality.

“Yup!” he replied proudly. Then, in a quieter mumble, still louder then his speaking voice, “Hey, uh, so does that mean she still talks about me?”

“She said you set yourself on fire,” someone said. Not him. He wouldn’t have said something that dumb.

But Craig just boomed with laughter, rubbing the back of his head, tossing his shaggy blonde mane to and fro. He… he was blushing. “I, uh, I guess I kinda did,” he mumbled. “Yeah, so, lesson learned, don’t throw fireworks into the fire, even if it is sick as hell.”

“I will keep that in mind,” Brian managed to reply.

“Good. Good, yeah, don’t do that,” he chuckled. “You, uh, you didn’t get set on fire, did you? ‘Cuz, uh, when they were putting aloe on me, I remember her saying ‘not again,’ and then, uh, what’s the tiny one’s name?”

Brian blinked. There was nobody to whom they name could be applied. “…Kathy?” he eventually asked.

“Yeah!” He shouted, snapping his fingers. “Kathy, that’s it! She started talking about how it was a tradition now! Anyway, I did get some cool scars out of it, but, uh, still, would not recommend.”

“So, um, are you here to kidnap me?” he eventually asked.

“Huh! Oh, yeah! Yep, kidnapping it is,” he said, nodding away. Then, he knelt down, and whispered. “They, uh, they did go through the whole thing with you, right? ‘Cuz, uh, I was still JV last year, and, uh, I did not quite understand what was happening. God, I almost knocked out my Captain,” he laughed, scratching the back of his head again.

Oh my God, Brian thought to himself, Ash dated a himbo. “N-No,” he mumbled, holding his arms behind his back and locking his wrists together, “they briefed me on the whole thing.”

Craig looked at him, cocking his head to the side, then slapped his forehead. “Aw, man! The rope! I forgot the rope! Um, hey,” he mumbled, looking down at Brian, “you don’t, uh…”

He slowly shook his head. “I don’t habitually carry rope on me,” he replied.

“Dammit,” Craig huffed, looking around the room like he was hoping one of the teachers was practicing illicit bondage. “Okay, hold on a second,” he mumbled, reaching into his backpack, pulling out a lengthy leather belt. He began to wrap it around Brian’s wrists, tugging at it once he had it fully looped. “You okay there?” he asked. “Ever since that one time with Jenny we’ve been carrying belt cutters, but, uh, I don’t want to have to use it if I don’t have to.”

He wiggled his fingers, shifting his arms, and nodded. “I’m good.”

“Cool. Okay, let’s get to the court, man! Uh, I mean, um… prisoner, march!” he boomed, shoving Brian so gently he felt like Craig was trying to handle a teacup. “That, uh, that wasn’t too rough, was it?”

“Im fine,” Brian mumbled.

———

“So, uh, how did you too meet, anyway?” Craig asked him, as the two sat next to each other on the sidelines.

Brian looked over at the big man, at the innocent smile on his handsome face, and sighed. “Math class,” he mumbled. He was not going to explain the abs thing to her ex.

“Oh yeah? God, she’s so smart,” Craig sighed. “Like, she used to try and tutor me, you know?”

“She does that for me too,” he mumbled, trying to ignore the sting in his guts.

“Yeah? Man, she really knows her shit. But, uh, you got to be pretty smart too, right? If you’re in the same class as her?”

He shrugged. “People tell me that,” he hedged. “I’d still be struggling for a B without her.”

Craig laughed, patting him on the shoulder. “Don’t be so humble, man! I could barely get a B with her help. She got so pissed at me when I got a C.”

“Really?” he asked. That didn’t sound like Ash. She always let him know how proud she was of him.

“Well, I probably should have been keeping up with the homework,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s, uh, that’s kind of why we broke up.”

That also didn’t quite sound like Ash, but thinking that sent little twinges in the back of his mind: Are you sure? they asked him.

Craig took his silence as an excuse to keep talking. “So, uh, does she still like it when-“

“Is this a sex thing?” Brian asked, trying to hold back the exasperation. He didn’t do a good job, but that’s okay; he didn’t try very hard.

Craig blinked. “Nah, I wouldn’t do that to you. That’s, uh, that’s… man, what’s the asshole’s name again?” he asked, snapping his fingers. “Anyway, he tried to pull that shit, I told him to fuck off. But uh, if you want some advice…”

He shook his head.

“Yeah,” Craig laughed, “I don’t blame you. Nah, I was wondering if she still likes it when you make her things. Um, I’m gonna assume you have, but-“

“I have,” he replied. “We-we’ve actually baked together a couple of times.”

“Really!?” Craig slapped his forehead. “Damn, I kinda wish I’d asked. Not, you know… but, like, back when we were together, I was taking home ec, and she always liked it when I’d give her whatever I’d made. Like, no matter how janky-ass it was, it’d make her smile. You know, as long as I wasn’t half-assing it. I wonder what would have happened if… well, it doesn’t matter,” he chuckled. “Trust me, Brian, I wish you two the very best.”

Brian looked at his face, trying to see any hint of deceptiveness. But if there was anything beneath Craig’s surface than more Craig, he couldn’t see it. “Thanks,” he mumbled. “That means a lot.”

“Dude, I loved the hell out of that girl,” he laughed. “She deserves to be as happy as I am. She uh, she is happy, right?”

“You bastard!” Ash yelled cheerfully from across the auditorium. “How dare you kidnap my beloved? I’ll take it out of your hide!” When he looked up at her, smiling sheepishly, her entire face lit up. “I’ll save you, darling!”

“Yeah,” Brian mumbled, “yeah, she is.”

“I’m so happy for you two,” he whispered. Then, he stood, stabbing at her with his finger. “You, uh… you hypocrite! You kidnapped my gi-beloved,” he growled, pointing at a black-haired slip of a girl whose black lips spread into a wide grin when he gestured to her. She was, Brian noticed with a blush, not tied the way he was; over her black crop-top and mini-skirt, she’d been elaborately bound in purple rope. “That’s not c- I mean, return her at once, and perhaps your beloved shall be spared!”

Across the auditorium, the two varsity teams hurled insults and challenges at each other, each demanding the return of their loved ones with various degree of enthusiasm. Well, he noticed, the ones who actually had loved ones were getting into it. Kathy looked downright terrifying as she promised every drop of Alex’s blood she’d would be shed a thousandfold, and Monica was chewing the scenery while Rose pleaded for her rescue. And then there was Sharon, completely phoning it in, one hand over her face, as the Men’s varsity team bandied about a cardboard cutout of Aidan Turner. It could have been worse, he noted. One of the guys was pretending to be incredibly distraught about a blowup doll dressed like a princess, complete with hennin and veil.

Eventually, they ‘negotiated’ a free-throw competition for the exchange of the prisoners. One by one, they were paired up, one by one either one or both prisoners were exchanged. The fate of those left behind appeared to be up to whimsy. When Monica’s third shot bounced in and her competitor’s went in with a swoosh, Rose was carted back to the men’s side of the sidelines, wailing and pleading the entire way. When Kathy won Alex’s freedom, she ‘forced’ the young man she’d ‘kidnapped’ to her knees, and as the crowd laughed raucously, used him as a footrest. And when Sharon took one look at the earnest young man across from her, back at the pitiful young man next to her, and tossed her ball with one hand at the backstop?

“Off with his head! Off with his head! Off with his head!”

“No, my beloved,” Sharon wailed in monotone, as Aidan’s cardboard head was snapped off his posterboard neck. And… wow, either blow-up doll guy is a really good actor, or… nope, Brian thought, as the man wept while Lauren walked off with a cut-out of Gal Gadot and his ‘beloved’ slowly deflated, he was just going to assume this was all an elaborate performance.

Then it was down to the star attractions, the team’s aces. Everyone was silent as Ash and Craig made their way to the foul line. Everyone, of course, except for the four of them.

“I’m gonna rescue you!” Ash called to him from the line. “Believe in me, my beloved!”

“I believe in you!” he called back, letting a little smile cross his face. He’d never admit it, but this was kind of fun, especially now that everyone was looking at the two athletes and ignoring the prisoners.

Okay, he thought, ignoring him, as the bound girl wailed pitifully, doing her damnedest to heave her tiny bosom. “Save me, my beloved!” You don’t know how they’ve tortured me!”

“You know it, baby girl!” Craig shouted back. “Uh, I mean, I’ll save you, my darling!”

With thunderous cheers, Ash’s ball swooshed through the net. He assumed the next set of cheers were for Craig, but Brian couldn’t look away from her, from the far too serious look on her face for such a silly little game, from the way she moved and shifted herself back into position. Two more sets of cheers rung out, and then a fifth. Ash had won his freedom; now the only question was if Craig would win his girlfriend’s. Brian glanced over at him, and saw the same kind of serious look on his face, walls of muscles shifting like tectonic plates as he lined up the shot. Then, as he began to move, Ash yelled the word “squirrel!” so loud it made Brian wince all the way from the sidelines.

Craig didn’t drop the ball. He jolted not held onto it, then sighed, and tossed it through the net. “Come on,” he huffed, “that’s not going to work again.”

“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” she laughed, as she beckoned Brian to her. “How many times did it work?”

“I, uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mumbled, ears turning pink, as he waved to his bound girlfriend.

Brian looked over to the dark-haired girl, saw her strutting her way across the auditorium, then trotted into it himself, trying not to think of all the people watching him. He fell into Ash’s arms once he reached her, trying to go for a hug, only afterwards realizing he was still bound. She caught him in those big, strong arms, hugging him tight as the audience cheered and wolf-whistled. He tried not to blush. He failed. But he didn’t even try not to smile.

“Hey, cutie,” she whispered to him, working at the belt he was still in as they walked. “Thanks for being such a model prisoner.”

“Glad to be of service. So, uh, why was this…” If his arms were free, he’d have waved them, but as it was, he just shrugged and gave up. “Why was this?”

She shrugged. “No idea. It’s just a thing at this point. First game in December, men’s or women’s, that’s our little ritual. It’s fun, though. Um, hey,” she mumbled sheepishly,” “I’m sorry you got stuck with Craig. I specifically told them not to put you two together, but, uh, shows how well they listen.”

“That’s okay,” he assured her. “I was afraid he was going to threaten me, or try to scare me away from you, but he was actually really nice. Like, way too nice,” he muttered. “He’s, um…”

“What happens when humans and golden retrievers breed?” she quipped, and Brian couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Look, I gotta get on the court, but do you want me to drive you home after the game, and we can, uh, chat?”

“Yeah, sure,” he whispered. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” she whispered back, kissing him as she ran off to the assembling starters.

He took a seat behind Sharon, waiting in the sidelines, the sixth starter out of five. She looked back, a little smile across her face. “I’m glad they didn’t execute you.”

“Me too. Sorry about Kili.”

She shrugged. “There’s twelve more where he came from. Thirteen if you count Bilbo, although Smaug will kill me if I try anything.”

“So, uh… Craig’s girlfriend,” Brian began, looking back at the two of them as they snuggled in the bleachers, Craig’s big fingers delicately stroking her long black hair. She was still - still! - in the rope. “Why did you guys…”

Sharon chuckled. “Oh, we didn’t. She came that way. Girl is kind of a freak.” She then leaned back, and whispered, “why, were you hoping to get gift-wrapped?”

“N-No comment,” he mumbled.

Sharon blinked, then leaned back even further. “Wow, you think you know a guy. I gotta tell Ash.”

“Please don’t,” he mumbled.

“Totally will!” she laughed. “Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”

———

“Hey,” Ash murmured, wrapping her big, strong arms around him, bathing him in the fragrance of lavender, vanilla, and a whole game’s worth of sweat. He pressed her face to her, settling against her soaked jersey, sighing happily as she held him close. “So, you wanna talk about it?”

Brian shrugged. “Like I said, he didn’t say anything bad,” he assured her. “I mean, he did tell me you’d broken up with him over math homework, but-“

“Of course he did,” Ash sighed, as she walked him to her car. “Look, him and me? We worked for a while. But we just… we fell into a rut,” was what she eventually settled on. “Then when I realized how goddamn bored I was, he… he just wanted to stay in his rut. He was happy in the rut. I need someone who’d support me, and sometimes that means pushing me. He wanted someone who’d enable him. The math thing was just the last straw.”

Brian nodded. “And I do that?”

She burst out laughing. “God yes, Brian. Didn’t I just spend a third of the weekend playing that stupid game with the robots with you?” A wry smile slowly spread over her lips. “Hey, I was getting kinda good by the end, wasn’t I?”

“Kind of,” he teased. “Like I’m kind of getting good at running.”

“Anyway,” she murmured, “that’s one of the things I love about you. Look, no matter how good I get, even if I get as good as you, I’m not gonna suggest we go pick up a new board game. That’s not how my mind works. But,” she continued, stroking his hair, “that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them when you suggest them. And, uh, that’s something I need. I need someone who doesn’t think like me, who’s gonna get bored of my rut. And who’s gonna let me drag him out of his and go running. O-Or apple picking,” she said quickly. “I told you that you can be my cute little couch potato if you need to.”

He felt the smile spreading across his face, the warmth building inside of him, and leaned against her as they walked. “So you don’t mind that I’m never going to be able to keep up with you the way he could? Like-“

“Like the homework?” she asked. When he nodded, she inhaled deeply, running her hands through his hair again. “Look, you know the difference between you and the running and Craig and the homework? Sometimes you bitch, sometimes you fuss, but you never, never make me feel like I’m wasting my time. That means a lot, Brian. And, uh,” she began, and a moment later, he was in those big strong arms, blinking in surprise as she carried him. “Y’know I love that I can do this to you, right?” she asked.

“I hadn’t noticed,” he sighed, as he curled against her, his shield against the cool night air.

“I tried the my size guy,” she laughed. “Fun size is so much better.”

“Do you want to know what else he told me?” Brian asked her, once they reached her car, and she set him down.

She nodded. “Sure, go ahead.”

“He said he hoped you were happy, and he wished us the best. And I really think he meant it,” he added, as he opened the door.

She smiled as she got into the driver’s seat. “Typical Craig. He really is just a big dumb dog in a person suit. I hope he’s happy too. He’s a good guy.” Then she touched a finger to his nose, and murmured, “but you? You’re my good guy.”

His face was starting to ache from how wide he was smiling. Then, as she started the car, he cleared his throat. “So, uh, he also told me you really liked it when he nibbled on your-“

“That motherfucker!” she snapped, eyes flicking over to him. When she saw the look on his face, the anger left her, lips quirking into a frown. “He didn’t tell you anything, did he?”

“Nope!” Brian cheered. “He told me it’d be weird and gross to do that unless I asked. So, uh, where did you like to be nibbled?” he asked, smile splitting into a grin.

She glowered at him, then reached back to the key, turning the car off. “Wanna find out?” she asked.

———

All the lights in Brian’s home were out by the time he got home. He’d well and truly missed the annual poker game with his cousins, and he felt a bit of wistfulness at that idea. But when he considered the time he and Ash had spent together, well, it’s not like he regretted his choice.

“See you tomorrow, cutie,” Ash murmured, as she kissed him once more, big, strong arms wrapped around him. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he sighed blissfully, as he slowly, hesitatingly, pulled his lips from herself. Then, slowly, he headed up the path to his darkened home, looking back as she slipped back into her seat and drove off.

“So, that’s your girlfriend, huh?” came the gruff voice the moment Brian walked through the door. “You actually did good, kid. I’m a little impressed.”

Brian nearly toppled over, eyes wide, barely maintaining control of his aching bladder. “Holy shit, were you just sitting in the dark waiting for me!? How long have you even been here!?”

“Way too long,” he snapped. “And what else do I have to do? You skipped out on poker night, ruined it for everyone. Anyway, she’s definitely got the hips, and you know what they say, the darker the berry…”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Brian hissed, “please stop talking!”

“Don’t you talk to me like that,” he growled. “I’m being nice, aren’t I? Jesus, I told you I approved of her, you ungrateful brat.”

“I do not have the goddamn words,” Brian mumbled, as he went for the stairs. “Or the goddamn crayons.”

“You watch your goddamn mouth,” his grandpa growled, as he grabbed Brian with that steely grip of his. “You are not too old for me to take over my knee.”

Brian sighed, then inhaled deeply. “Look, I need to get ready for bed. I’ve got school tomorrow. So-“

“No,” his grandpa snarled, squeezing down on him, “What you need to do is, you need to sit down with your goddamn grandpa and talk about this attitude of yours. Look,” he grumbled, loosening his grip, “I get it, you got enough blood to think with one head and it’s all you can think with. But we’re your family, Brian. And you just abandoned us. I’m only here for a week or so,” he mumbled. “I just wanted this one little thing.”

For a moment, Brian felt his guts clenching, grinding with guilt. “I’m sorry,” he sighed. “Look, I’ve got school tomorrow morning, but… look, I picked up some new games for Ash and me. I know they’re not poker, but… do you want to play something tomorrow?”

“And why the fuck would I want to play one of those sissy loser games?” his grandpa snapped. “Besides, if you wanted to try that shit, you should have been home tonight.”

And there it went. “Fine,” he muttered, heading back up the stairs. “Goodnight, grandpa. We can try to figure out something tomorrow, but-“

“I am not done talking to you!” the old man snarled, reaching out to grab him again. “

But Brian lurched forwards, up the stairs, leaving him to grasp at air. “But I’m done with you,” he managed to say, with more confidence than he felt. ‘Proud of you,’ he heard in his head. Then he cleared his throat, as his grandpa inhaled, the firmness in his voice cutting off whatever reply there would have been. “Have a good flight on Friday, and text me when you get home. Please… don’t make me block your number.”

His grandpa didn’t respond. His grandpa didn’t follow him.

Chapter Text

Brian looked down at the notification on his phone, taking a deep breath to steel himself. Let me know when you make it home, he wrote. I do love you, grandpa. Then he put the conversation on silent; he’d deal with the response on his own time. And wouldn’t you know it, there was already a little blue dot next to it. Without giving it more than that little glance, he slipped the phone back into his pocket, and looked back up to his mother and father. “So you’re sure you don’t mind?” he asked.

His dad slowly sipped his coffee, blinking in confusion. “Why would we mind?” he asked, as he set his cup down. “I mean, you two have been sharing rooms for a couple of weeks now. That ship has sailed, buddy.”

“That’s kind of what I meant,” he mumbled, between bites of omelette. “I haven’t spent this weekend or last weekend here, and-“

“Trust me,” his dad laughed, “I know how it is. You’re young, you’re in love, you can’t get enough of each other. I’d rather know where you two are than have you sneaking out behind our backs. Besides, this is just overnight, right?”

Brian nodded. “Yeah, it’s another one of those team traditions. I told her the peak wasn’t until the fourteenth, but-“

“Well, that just means you can do it again just the two of you,” he suggested. “Anyway, you’re going to spend Saturday with us?”

Brian nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”

“Then I’ve got nothing to complain about,” he replied, a smile stretching across his bearded face. “What about you, honey?”

“Honestly, after this past week, I could use a night to ourselves,” she murmured, tracing her fingers up her husband’s back. Brian looked away until the sound of kissing stopped, turning back when she cleared her throat. “Brian, I don’t care what my dad said to you, because he’s wrong. He was wrong when I was your age, and he’s wrong now. Family means being happy that you’ve got your own life, and are spending time with the people you care about. I want to be a part of your life, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to have a life. Okay?”

“Okay,” he mumbled. “Um, do you guys want to… I don’t know, go out to a museum tomorrow afternoon? Just the three of us?”

“I would love that,” his mom smiled. “Just let us know when you’re on the way home, okay?”

“I will,” he promised, as I love you guys.”

“Love you too,” his dad replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the dinosaurs. Oh, uh, don’t tell your mom,” he stage-whispered, while she huffed in frustration, “but if you two need that call-out for chronic illness and fatigue on the fourteenth?”

“You’re going to get your license revoked,” his mom grumbled.

“Come on,” his dad laughed, “that’s the kind of thing I’d get a wrist slap for. Besides, I wouldn’t do it, too obvious. Doctor Oak said she’d cover for my kid if I’ll cover for…”

His mom’s glare could have melted stone. “You’re trading sick notes?” she ground out.

“I, uh, I’m just going to go catch the bus,” Brian mumbled, as he sprinted for the door.

———

“Hey, Brian,” Ash murmured, nudging him gently. “We’re here.”

“Not asleep,” he mumbled, yawning and stretching. “Made it this time.”

“Mmm, okay, but you were getting awfully dozy there,” she said, as she unbuckled her belt. “You’d just started telling me you were going to catch me a Geminid.”

“Sorry,” he sighed, as he slipped out of the car. “I don’t know why I’m like this. I’m really afraid of what’s going to happen when I start to drive.”

“Don’t worry,” she laughed, as she headed over to the trunk, “you’re only going to fall asleep at the wheel once.”

“Not funny,” Brian grumbled. “Hey, can I help carry things?”

“I got it,” Ash assured him, “but if you’d like. Here, you take the tent,” she said, passing it to him, “and I’ve got the rest. Anyway, there’s a solution, you know.”

“Don’t drive?” he asked.

“I don’t mind driving you places,” Ash told him, as she hefted their overnight supplies over her shoulder. “It’d be way harder for me to play with you while you drove anyway.”

“But then I could try it,” he mumbled to her, as the two headed off up the grassy hill, lit by the oranges and purples of the setting sun, already starting to brush the horizon. “I, um, I kind of like the idea of spending a long trip getting you off.”

“Well aren’t you sweet?” she murmured. “I’m gonna hold you to that once you’ve got a license, Brian.”

“Technically, don’t I just need a permit?” he asked. “You’ve got a license, so-“

She shook her head. “There’s an age thing. Sorry, but that fantasy’s gonna be a fantasy for a while. Doesn’t mean you can’t spend tonight getting me off, though,” she whispered, nipping at his ear. “I know I’m gonna return the favor.”

“I, um, I’m not saying I’m not interested, but isn’t this going to be a party?”

“Yep! First naked party of the school year,” she laughed. “The orgy is optional of course, but- Brian, I’m kidding,” she laughed, as she saw face going nearly luminescent. “Some of us try to stay up for the whole meteor shower, but most of us are going to turn in before then, then get up closer to two when it really gets good. That means we won’t be missed if we decide to slip into our tent together.”

“I think I’d like that,” he whispered, as he reached out for her unencumbered hand, slipping his into hers, quietly walking alongside her. It wasn’t long before they heard the loud sounds of laughter and bickering, saw a little plume of smoke starting to rise above the horizon. A dozen tents had already been set up, half a dozen more were already in some state of readiness; a large turnout, but not the largest he’d seen. Girls and the occasional boyfriend were chattering and playing and relaxing, all around the beginnings of what looked to be either a large campfire or a small bonfire. As the two of them began to head into the group, waving to their friends, he jolted to a stop as Kathy darted out in front of him, a sly smile on her face. “Pay the toll,” she demanded.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding,” Ash grumbled.

“No ticket no entry,” she replied, folding her arms.

“That’s not how it works, bitch,” she sighed, setting their bag down. She unzipped it, slipped a tinned apple pie out, and handed it to her. “You just want first crack at the Brian dessert, don’t you?”

“No comment,” Kathy replied, as she slipped away, heading towards a folding table laden with baked goods. “Set up wherever you want, don’t listen to the jealous bitches.”

Before either of them could ask, a makeshift sign staked into the ground caught Brian’s eye. He headed over to it, heat blooming across his face once he was close enough to read the words. On it were two arrows, one pointing left, one pointing right. “Orgasms,” the first said, “No Orgasms,” the second cautioned.

“Oh my God,” Ash groaned, “I’m going to have words with whoever put that up.” Then, sighing and shaking her head, she turned to Brian. “Okay, you wanna go get started on the snacking, and I’ll go set up the tent?”

Brian shook his still-pink face. “N-No, I’ve got it. You can-“

“That’s right,” she replied, “you’ve probably spent more time in tents than I have. Alright, wanna do it together?”

“Well, we have to set up the tent first,” came his response, almost unbidden.

Ash blinked, resting an arm around his shoulder. “That was a dirty joke. Did you just tell a dirty joke?”

“I think so?”

“Mmm, you’re getting kinda bold. I like it,” she murmured, giving his ear another nip. “Save some of that for tonight, okay?”

“I’ll do my best,” he promised, as the two of them headed off to the camp sites on the left.

———

“They could still hear him screaming, like nothing human had ever screamed. Then they heard him laughing, like nothing human had ever laughed. Then it a~l~l went quiet,” Monica whispered. “Until there was a thump, thump, thump on the door. ‘Let me in John,’ his voice said. But it wasn’t him. It was like someone had taken his words and put them together into a new sentence. ‘Let me in Sarah let me in,’” Monica intoned in a strange and horrible cadence. “Let me in Brian!’”

“Aw, leave him alone,” Ash huffed, as he whimpered softly and pressed his face to her soft chest. One of her big strong arms was wrapped around him, and she squeezed him as Monica cackled. “C’mon, you know he’s bad with scary stories.” She’d been slowly munching on a muffin the entire time Monica had been telling her story; he could hear the sounds of her chewing, swallowing, and taking the smallest little bites. It was oddly comforting, in a weird way. Maybe because nothing could really be that wrong if Ash, his oasis, was relaxed enough to savor a meal.

“Something scraped down the door, like knives along the wooden panels. Thump. Thump. Thump. Scra~pe. Thump. Thump. Thump. Scra~pe. ‘John let me in let me in,’” she intoned again; if someone had told Brian that he was listening to a chopped up recording of Monica instead of her imitating one, he’d have believed them. “Then it went silent. They all huddled together, cowering against the wall, trying not to make a sound. Then they heard it again. But it wasn’t coming from the front door. It was coming from the back. Thump. Thump. Thump. Scra~pe. ‘Let me in in in in in.’ Slowly, Sarah looked at her friends. ‘Did anyone lock the window?’ she asked. And that’s when they heard it, from the bedroom door. Thump. Thump. Thump. Scrape.”

That was when Ash tossed the muffin she’d been working on as hard as she could without letting him go. “LE-Ow, what the fuck!?” Rose yelped, the loud raspy shriek she’d begun suddenly cut off by the sound of a dull thump, followed by laughter and scatters. Here’s. When Brian slowly peeled his face away from Ash, he saw Rose standing at the edge of the firelight, a sad little pout on her face, brushing crumbs off her forehead.

“You know we all agreed no stupid gimmicks.” Ash grumbled, murmurs of agreement all around them.

“Excuse me,” Monica snapped, “but that was an awesome gimmick.”

“Maybe in the 20th Century,” she snapped back, more murmured agreements joining in.

“If I’m going to piss my panties,” Sharon interjected, “I want it to be because the story was that scary, not because your girlfriend’s a screamer.”

“I didn’t know we had a panty pissing connoisseur here,” Rose snapped back.

“Bitch, shut the fuck up,” Sharon growled, folding her arms and slumping back to her seat as laughter echoed all around her.

“Bet you Alex could make her wet her pants without my help, though,” Kathy said, putting a shoulder on his shoulder, as he tried to shrink down against the ground. “He’s real scary, not fake scary.”

“I’m totally scary,” Monica huffed, as she made her way to the pouting Rose, linking her arm with her girlfriend’s.

“Then prove it,” Kathy jeered.

“Nah, I’m done with you philistines,” she shouted, waving a hand dismissively. “Besides, it’s time to get to bed anyway. Right, babe?”

“I’m so exhausted,” Rose chirped, completely unconvincingly.

“Don’t get too loud,” Sue called after them, as they headed back to their tent.

“No promises!” Rose called back.

The two stayed for one last story; Lauren completely failed to deliver, and he didn’t mind a bit. Then Ash yawned, stretched, and murmured, “I could do with some shut-eye too,” as she stood and offered him a hand.

“Who do you think you’re fooling?” Sue jeered.

“Jealous bitch says what?” Ash snapped. She got a middle finger in response. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. C’mon, Brian. Let’s go get some rest.”

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep for a while,” he said honesty. His heart was still pounding from Monica’s tale, even if he wasn’t anticipating the real reason they were going back to their tent.

“Good,” Ash murmured back, as they made their back.

She was on him the moment they’d zipped the flap up, pressing her lips to his, slipping her hands under his jacket and shirt. He clung to her, sighing into her mouth as her tongue slipped into his, as she pulled both jacket and shirt up, exposing him to the cool night air. “I’ve been thinking about this all night,” she murmured, between kisses. “I’ve been thinking about how much I wanted you, all the things I wanted to do to you?”

“What kind of things?” he gasped, as she ran her hands across his bare chest, the feeling of her skin on his sending warmth curling through his insides.

“Lemme show you,” she growled. Then she sank her teeth into his neck, a new jolt of intensity that made him struggle not to cry out, to just gasp at the sensation of her nibbling her way across him. She’d begin to dig her fingers into his bare chest, leaving him wincing at the flash of pain but sighing at how good that pain felt. He felt himself leaning into her touch, even as he twitched and winced with each rake of her short-trimmed nails. Soon, shirt wasn’t enough; she’d started reaching into his pants, gouging at his hips and inner thighs with abandon, little happy growls each time his body twisted away from her to make it stop, then twisted back towards her because that’s not what he actually wanted. “You this, don’t you?” she growled, and even if he hadn’t been rock hard there’s no way he could even pretend to disagree.

“Well hey there,” she murmured, once she noticed his erection. “Is this all for me?” She asked, gripping him, sending lightning through his body as she held his hard cock in her strong hand. “Yeah, you really missed me, huh?”

“After - oh wow - after last w-weekend?” he managed to mumble, an impressive feat considering how amazing Ash’s hand felt right now. “It’s so - mmm - so hard going back to… to just masturbating.”

“God, I know,” she sighed, as her skilled fingers circled and stroked him, sending streamers of pleasure through him with each nimble movement. “You make me come so hard. I just feel like I’m aching for you the whole time I play with myself.”

“Can I - mmm - can I help you with that?” he whispered.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she murmured. Then she let him go, leaving him cold and aching for her touch, as she threw her clothing onto the canvas floor. Then she grabbed him, pressing her warm, muscular body to his, wrapping him in her big strong arms and pulling him to the blow up mattress he’d brought for the trip. He grabbed their blanket, pulling it over them, letting her warmth drive away the chill of the night. Their hands roamed over each other, their bodies writhed against each other, indulging in the intoxicating feeling of skin against skin. He ran his fingers along the lines of her muscles, her shoulders, her back, her legs, marveling at the feeling of power he could feel with each movement. She, on the other hand, continued to drag her fingers into his skin, leaving him gasping and whimpering with each trail she left in him. Their approaches were so different, and yet the purpose was the same: Touch their partner as much as possible, glide their skin across each other’s, feel them as completely as possible. He could feel the telltale prickle of her thick bush against him, feel the heat of her warming him. If either of them wanted to, if she just moved a little, they’d be united in a way he’d never experienced before.

He wondered if she’d felt tempted, if that was why she paused from rubbing herself against him, moved that heat and warmth and slick wetness soaking through her hair, raising her hips up and away from him. He mewled pitifully as she withdrew from him, her warm body now almost completely gone, leaving him cold and desperate for the touch of her skin again. But he could feel her shifting, turning around, moving herself backwards on their shared bed. Until he felt her legs on either side of his head, her thighs brushing his ears. “You know what else I missed?” she murmured.

He couldn’t even see the nose on his face, let alone her, but in his mind’s eye, he knew exactly where he was looking. He could picture the powerful muscles of her inner thighs, her untamed jungle, the tiny little sliver of pink hidden inside her copper skin. He could feel her heat radiating onto his face, smell her heady, musky fragrance, barely a hint of lavender, vanilla, or sweat accompanying it. She must be right above him, he realized. If he reached out with his tongue, he could probably taste that tangy intoxicatingly heady, flavor. “I can guess,” he sighed softly, enthralled by the promise of praises awaiting him.

“I want to know that you want this,” she murmured, legs trembling slightly. “Tell me that you want this, Brian. O-Or…”

He didn’t answer with his words. Instead, he groped blindly, grabbing a muscular thigh with each hand, pulling her downward. He was right: She had been right above him. And now, she was pressed into him, the weight of her muscular body pressing him into the camping pillow and the bed, so heavy he could barely move his jaw. He kissed her, the hot, silky flesh pressing into him, sliding his tongue up and inside of her. She tasted so good, so sexy, that he couldn’t resist moaning into her. Then, his body shivering in delight, he began to lick.

“Guess… oh fuck,” she growled. “Guess I got my answer.”

He pressed his hand into her abdomen, clenched it into a fist, and dragged his thumb up. He could feel her as she laughed, feel her legs tensing, feel her quivering against him.

“You, uh, you can breath down, r-right?” she gasped.

Another thumbs up. Every breath he took was tinged with her, filled with her heat, filled with her musk, but she’d wiggled her amazing, muscular ass into a position where she wasn’t suffocating him. Just crushing him, not painfully, but enough that he knew, without a doubt, that there was no way he could possibly escape without her permission. Not that he didn’t want it, he thought, as he ran his tongue up and down her silky petals, lapping up that rich, heady taste like a dying man gulping from an oasis. On the contrary; he didn’t want to be anywhere else. He couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Not when he could let himself enjoy the feeling of her on top of him, his hands wandering up and down her magnificent body, her sexual fluids running down his throat as he licked, kissed, and suckled her. Not when he could lose himself in the feeling of her grinding herself against him as she gasped and groaned with pleasure.

He was wrong, of course. Because where he was before wasn’t where he was a moment later, when her weight began to shift, her trembling body slowly lounging across his. Soft breasts pressed into the tops of his thighs, then she wiggled and shifted a little more, until her lips brushed against him. She slowly kissed him, tenderly and gently, letting her hot breath waft over him each time he interrupted her kisses by making her gasp or growl. Then her soft lips parted, brushing against his foreskin, gripping it, slipping it down, hot tongue slipping him into her waiting mouth. He moaned against her, nuzzling her thighs and pubic mound as she descended down him at an almost agonizingly slow pace, until he could feel himself brushing against her soft palate. Then she stopped, taking a long, ragged breath that sent heat down his length and chills down his spine. He gripped her hips, pressing his face back into her, and began to lick once more; slowly, her hot tongue began to trail up and down him as well.

It felt so good he could barely stand it, so good that he couldn’t concentrate on what he was doing. But every time he paused, every time he let himself give into his own pleasure instead of focusing on hers, she stopped. He mewled pitifully the first time, and she answered with a low chuckle that did incredible things to him; the next times, he immediately got the hint and returned to her. She, on the other hand, never stopped toying with him unless it was a conscious decision. Even when her body started to spasm, even when she ground herself against his face, pressing him into the bed so hard it felt like she was crushing him, she just wrapped her lips around him tight and ground her trembling tongue against him, using him to muffle her cries of bliss into a quiet moan. And every time he got close to coming, she stopped teasing him with her tongue, pausing where she was until the rush of pleasure faded to something more manageable, licking up whatever little droplets he’d managed to release before teasing and tormenting him once again.

He didn’t know how long the two of them spent together in the darkness, her clamping down on his tongue and squeezing his skull between her thighs, him tossed almost over the edge then dragged back from his release. Time had lost all meaning; all that mattered was the feeling of her muscular ass pressing into him, the heady scent of her sex enveloping him, the feeling of her tongue and mouth teasing him. He knew they’d set an alarm for two, just in case they’d forgotten in their post-orgasmic bliss, but unless it went off, they could have been there for a few minutes or a few hours and he wouldn’t have known any differently. He ached, jaw and tongue burning, cock throbbing with the desperate need for release, and his face was completely soaked in sweat and her. It didn’t matter, though. It was like running, just something he had to push through. All that mattered was the pleasure she gave him, and the euphoria he felt each time her body quivered and spasmed and she soaked his face once again.

He hadn’t realized when she’d decided to have mercy on him at first. He thought she’d just decided to tease him a little closer to the edge than normal, give him a little more moments of mind-blowing pleasure before pausing to keep the fun going. It wasn’t until he felt his orgasm building past the point of no return that he realized she was finally giving him his reward. She started building up the pace, grinding him against the roof of her mouth and sucking on him, almost pushing him to the point where it felt too good for him to enjoy it. But she’d learned how hard she could push him, and she was keeping him right at that point, letting the pleasure build to an intensity that felt like he was drowning in it. He pressed his face into her as hard as he could, because he knew he couldn’t hold back his cries; as his hips spasmed and rocked, and white hot pleasure burst deep inside of him, filling him to his fingers and toes snd rocketing back out of him into her waiting mouth, his muffled cries were silenced by the weight of her muscular body as it pressed down into him.

When he finally recovered, gasping and panting for breath, she’d turned around again. He was wrapped in those big, strong arms, one hand reaching up from across his chest to caress his soaked face. He laughed quietly, between ragged gasps, until he could finally do anything but just enjoy the feeling of pleasure still curling its way through his spent body. Then, finally, he pressed a hand to his face, wiping the mix of sweat and sexual fluids he’d been coated with, then wiggled in her arms until he could feel her breasts against his chest and her own shaky breaths against his face. He kissed her softly, her lips spreading into a wide smile, and whispered, “I love you.”

“Love you too,” she murmured, her voice quiet and soft. “See you in a few?”

“I can’t wait,” he sighed, as he closed his eyes, letting the sound of her slowing breaths lull him to sleep.

———

A cacophony of alarm clocks jolted the two of them awake; his heart felt like it was about to pound out of his chest by the time the dozen chimes, bells, chirps, and songs finally died down. On one hand, he mused, as he waited for his heart to slow, everyone setting their alarm to the exact same time is actually a good way to wake up. On the other, it’s also the worst way to wake up.

“You know we could just stay here,” she yawned, squeezing him like a body pillow. “Nice warm bed. Nice warm boyfriend. Who needs some dumb space rocks?”

“You were so excited to do this with me,” he murmured back. “And I’m really excited to do this with you too.”

“I know, I know,” she grumbled. “That was before I realized I’d have to move.”

“We’re just gonna spend an hour or so, right?” he asked, as he glided his hand up the muscles of her back and over her broad shoulders to rub the sleep from his eyes. “Then right back to the nice warm bed and the nice warm girlfriend?”

“I guess,” she huffed, as she slowly, reluctantly let him go, spreading her arms in a stretch. “Okay, but you first. Get my PJs?”

“You’re joking, right?” he asked.

“Boys run hot,” she yawned. “I’m a girl. I need warmth.”

“Most girls can’t bench their boyfriends,” he replied. “You’re way warmer than I am.”

“Okay, but I’m lazier,” she mumbled.

He squeezed her muscular rear. “Star athlete,” he said, then patted his own shoulder. “Will probably run two miles soon.”

“Goddammit, stop making sense,” she groaned, as she slipped from the warm covers, which he immediately nestled in. She growled at his brazen display, then the sound of rustling cloth filled the tent. Then with a huff, she dropped his clothes on his face.

“Thank you,” he crooned, as he slipped his clothing under the covers, wiggling back into them, miraculously without releasing all the warmth. Then he slipped out from under them, careful not to turn them over and release all the body heat they’d built up, and grasped at the barely-visible shadow of her hand. She returned his grip, and the two slowly trudged out of the tent, into the freezing night air, pressing red paper to the flashlights on his phone and following its dim radiance to an isolated patch of grass a small distance away from the tents. She laid down a towel and curled up on top of it, then he turned off the light and nestled in her arms.

“Thanks for doing this with me,” they said, almost in unison, then laughed together. “But seriously,” Ash murmured, “I’ve never had a guy I could do this with before.”

“You’re lying to make me feel like a good boyfriend, right?” he asked. “Like, you’re not actually being serious with me, are you?”

She chuckled, long and low. “I kinda wish I was. But,” she continued, “I’m kinda glad I’m not, y’know?”

“Not really,” he sighed. “You know how you hate just getting handed a win?”

She burst out laughing, squeezing him tight. “Don’t worry,” she murmured, “you’re not just the best by default.” Then she shifted, raising the arm he wasn’t snuggled in to point at the sky. “Ooh! There’s one!”

Brian looked where the faint shadow of her finger was pointing, at the disappearing trail of light, then noticed another a ways to the left. “There’s another,” he whispered, pointing to it, smile broadening as he heard the quiet hum of appreciation as they watched the meteors streak by together.

“You know, I’ve always been more fantasy than sci-fi,” he admitted. “Stargazing was never really something I got into before.”

“Oh yeah?” The two of them were quiet for a bit, watching the stars twinkling overhead, waiting for the next little streak of light through the darkness. “How about now?”

“I can see the appeal,” he murmured. “Want to do this more often?”

“Watch the stars, cuddle under the night sky, or go make out in a tent?”

“Yes,” he replied, pressing his head to one soft breast, listening to her heartbeat.

“All of the above, huh?” she asked. “You know, the peak’s going to be on the 14th. Think we can find a way do do this again, just you and me?”

“Dr. Oak has already promised us sick notes,” he assured her.

“Hah, that’s awesome. A-and, um, maybe when it’s warmer, we can try backpacking together or something?”

“That sounds wonderful,” he sighed. “Where are you thinking?”

“Well…”

It was a long time before the meteor shower began to slow, a long time before their conversation, broken up only by cries of excitement and fingers rising into the sky, came to an end. But at the same time, as they slowly made their way back to the tent, it felt like no time at all had passed. He’d almost expected the blankets to still be warm when they curled underneath them again, pressing their nude bodies together once more, him nestling into her big, strong arms and filling his breaths with hints of lavender, vanilla, and sweat.

“Hey,” he murmured, as he listened to her heartbeat once again, felt it lulling him to sleep once more, “I loved this.”

“Me too,” she yawned, squeezing him to her like a body pillow. “I love you. I wanna do this again next year too.”

“Can we find a way to do this after you graduate?” he asked, eyes fluttering closed, breaths slowing.

“Promise,” she murmured.

“Can you sit oh my face again?” he heard himself say, internal censor no longer functional as his brain drifted off. He felt his face heating up, just a little, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.”

“You have to ask?” she yawned. Then, after a few moments, “is that how you wanna wake up tomorrow?”

He tried to answer, but the words wouldn’t come, so he just nodded, smiling softly at the idea.

“God I love you,” she sighed. “See you tomorrow, cutie.”

“Night, sexy,” came his automatic reply.

Chapter Text

Frost decorated the windows of his home, and a faint dusting of snow adorned the grass outside, more drifting down by the moment. Not enough to close the school, but enough to send the two of them home early; unfortunately, not enough to keep the snowplows from sending them back in tomorrow. Which, of course, meant not enough to ignore their homework and just enjoy the day. Not that he minded, he thought to himself, as he laid a mug of hot cocoa on the coffee table in front of Ash, then another one in front of himself. For some reason, he mused, as his girlfriend stretched to the point he could see a hint of her abs peeking beneath her shirt, he didn’t really mind doing homework anymore. At least nothing they could do together.

As Ash finished stretching, picked the cocoa, took a deep sip, and hummed happily, a deep noise of satisfaction that sent his heart racing. “Lemme guess,” she teased, “nothing special?”

He shook his head. “Just something I threw together.”

“Uh huh.” She looked at him, eyes warm and half-lidded, and murmured, “Y’know, you’re gonna make some lucky lady feel like she’s the happiest person alive.”

“You think so?” he mumbled, taking a sip of his own cocoa.

She rested her head against his shoulder, and curled her fingers in his hair. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure.”

“…Oh,” he whispered, cheeks burning.

She just chuckled. “You’re still really bad with compliments, Huh? It’s a good thing you’re cute. So, wanna get to work? The faster we get things taken care of,” she growled in his ear, “the more time we’ll have afterwards for other things.”

”Other things?” he replied. “Well, I have been meaning to introduce you to another game…”

”C’mon,” she huffed, “You gotta try harder than that to make me mad.

Brian just laughed, snuggling into her, savoring her warmth and the feeling of her strong arm resting on him. Then, finally, he cleared his throat. “…You know,” he mumbled, “my mom’s working late today, and my dad doesn’t get home until six.”

“Oh yeah?” He felt her teeth sink softly into his earlobe, felt her hot tongue run along the edge of it. “That’s a long time from now. You wanna hold off on the homework for a bit?”

He shivered at the feeling of her tongue against his skin, her breath wafting over his ear, then nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered, “I think I’d like that. You know, if you’re okay with it? I, uh, didn’t bring you here to-“

“Brian,” she growled, “I love you, but you’re too sweet to be real sometimes.” She silenced any response he might have with her lips, tongue slipping into his mouth, stealing away any trace of protest or assurance. “I come pre-seduced,” she murmured, dragging her teeth across his lower lip, before returning her lips to his, pressing her body against his, resting both hands against his head and curling her fingers in his hair. He let his lips part with a blissful sigh, inviting her in once more; this time, however, she was content to simply tease him, pulling his lower lip between her teeth, slipping just her hot tongue into his mouth for just a moment before pulling away, to begin again. When he finally mewled in pitiful displeasure, she chuffed, and accepted his invitation; rather than giving in, though, she just played with him more. Instead of long, sensual kisses, she slipped her tongue into his mouth just long enough to leave him desperate for more, shallowly caressing his lips and mouth before drawing back, then returning her lips to his and beginning the play anew. When he tried to linger, she grew more aggressive; she began to nip at his lips when she pulled back, or sank her teeth into his tongue just hard enough to make him gasp. Her hot breath, sweet with the smell of chocolate, came out in ragged pants, an animal noise that sent shivers down his spine and tied his stomach in knots. “You get it? I want you. I always want you. You want to take a break from homework to ask me to suck you off? Consider it sucked.”

”I - oh fuck - I’ll try to keep that in mind,” he gasped, as she pressed her lips back fo his and began to kiss him in ear ear.

His hands roamed up and down the dense muscles defining her body, marveling at the tense snd flex of them as she grappled with him and toyed with him. He stroked the curve and swell of her arms and marveled at the tense and flex of the muscles of her back, then, like a treat he’d been putting off for far too long, slipped his hands up her shirt and began to caress her powerful abs. She chuffed again, amused at his undying fascination with them, then pulled her lips from his, and brushed them against his ear. “I told you, I love how into me you are,” she growled. “Makes me feel sexy.”

“Good, he murmured, as he started to run his hands further up her shirt, “because you are. I’ve never met anyone else like you,” he said, voice starting to shake. “I’ve never met anyone so beautiful.”

“C’mon,” she mumbled, “if you say mushy crap like that you’re gonna make me all embarrassed.”

You’re not good with compliments either, he didn’t point out. Instead, he whispered, “Sorry,” as he slipped his fingers under her sports bra, marveling at the mix of softness and firmness beneath his fingers before pulling it up for better access, “you just have to deal with being gorgeous.”

“So goddamn cute,” she growled, as she gripped her shirt and pulled it off in one smooth motion, then did the same with her sports bra. As he began to fondle her half-naked form in earnest, she began to run her fingers through his hair, sending tingles of pleasure rippling through his scalp and onward. Her movements were getting more aggressive again; even as he continued squeezing her, she pressed herself into him, maneuvering on top of him, letting her breasts dangle into his hands as her lips met his. Once she was completed on top of him, she forced her tongue into his mouth, eagerly sliding against his, swirling and flicking with an aggression he’d rarely seen even at he’d most lustful. But rather than overwhelmed by her assault, he felt warm bliss that seemed to swell inside his heart more and more with each passing moment. He ached for her, so hard it almost hurt; as she straddled him, her hips wriggled against him, pressing her heat into him, in a display that made it clear she noticed it too.

He gasped in shock and bliss as her heat began to drag up and down his length. She looked him in the eyes, then slowly directed her gaze downwards, to where she was rubbing herself against him. There was a little wet spot in his jeans, slowly marking the trail she was grinding up and down in his khakis. “I wanna make you come with my cunt,” she murmured, as she wriggled her hips against his achingly hard cock, only four - he assumed - layers of thin fabric separating the two of them. She tossed her head back, a ragged breath sending her body quivering; when she met his gaze, her eyes were half-lidded and filled with warmth and desire. “I know you’re not ready for me to fuck you, and I promise, I don’t mind. But can I make you come, Brian?”

“Please,” he whispered to her, and that was all she needed. She released him, gripping the back of her shirt, tearing it off and tossing it to the side. She then gripped the waistband of her pants, shimmying them down, leaving them around her knees, nothing but her dressed in nothing but a pair of plain, slightly see-through white cotton panties, modestly cut not quite enough to conceal the little tufts of coarse bush that peeked through the waistband and leg holes. The wet spot that had adorned her jeans was even larger, rendering them even more translucent; he could see just a hint of her beneath them, a little indentation marking her entrance. He could still imagine the first time he’d seen it, glistening and wet, that perfect sliver of pink hidden beneath her bronze skin. That sight, that thought was so tantalizing he hadn’t even realized he was completely enthralled until she waved a hand in front of his eyes. “Sorry,” he mumbled, abruptly turning away from her.

Her hand cupped his cheek softly, and she tilted his face back to her. “You’re my boyfriend, Brian. I like it when you stare at me. Makes me feel all sexy. But, uh, you’re definitely overdressed for the occasion.”

He went completely red when he realized what she meant; he started to slide down his own garments, only for her to grip his hand and shake her head. “Don’t tempt me,” she growled. “I promise I’m gonna go at your pace, but I dunno if I can hold back if you just offer that sexy cock to me right now.”

For a brief moment, Brian steeled himself, trying to gather up the nerve to disregard her warning. But he felt his stomach dropping like he was standing on a tightrope over the abyss; trembling hands released his underpants, just sliding his own khakis down to match her stare of undress. “Sorry,” he mumbled again; before he could finish, her lips met his, pushing away the gnawing in his gut.

When she pulled away, there was a soft smile on her lips. “I told you,” she murmured, “we take this as slow as you need to.” Then, her eyes began to trace down his form, licking her lips, wandering over his scrawny body like he did her divine physique. She started lowering herself down, her powerful abdomen pressing against his stomach, her chocolatey nipples dragging across his bare chest. He gasped at the sensation, at her warmth; his arms moved almost on their own, wrapping around her tight to keep her from slipping away. In response, she press her teeth into his ear, slowly nipping her way down his jaw and neck. He clung to her desperately, but she still slipped her way through his arms, his attempts to hold her like trying to hole back the tide. Instead, he resigned himself to just caressing her warm body as she slowly marked a trail of bites down his body.

She hasn’t even touched his cock yet, he thought, as he gasped and writhed at the overwhelming sensation she was inflicting on him. But he was anticipating it so badly that it felt almost like their first time together. The little busts of pain so sweet he didn’t know if he wanted them to stop or keep going, that paradoxical, soft and firm sensation of her bare breasts pressing into him as she slid her way down his exposed body, the feeling of her powerful muscles tensing and flexing under his fingers as he dragged them up and down her own half-naked form; they left him aching for her, almost begging her for more. Each bite left his body trembling; each time she released him, he didn’t know if he ached more from her teeth or from their absence. By the time she bit down on his stomach, he was so hard he was afraid that if she went any lower he’d burst; when she started climbing back up him, he genuinely wondered if he could last until she got back up him. She wasn’t even touching him below the waist, he thought helplessly. How could she make him feel so good?

He was about to found out. Once again, he felt the heat of her entrance pressed against him; this time, he gulped as he realized how very thin those two remaining layers of fabric felt. His entire body trembled the moment she made contact; she was so swelteringly hot against him that even with the chilly, frost-coated window behind them, he was sweating. She was like his own personal heating pad, or hot water bottle, except that neither of those things could feel nearly as good as she felt against him. She looked him in the eyes as she wiggled her hips, lining herself up with him, letting him feel that heat directly against the head of his cock, letting him feel that little gap as she parted around him, only kept from enveloping him by those two, oh so thin, layers of cloth. Then slowly, agonizingly slowly, she dragged herself down his achingly hard length, until she reached his base, then slowly slid herself back up again.

It was bliss. He didn’t know if it felt as good as when she sucked his cock, but it was so much better than anything else. Each time she slid up and down him, it felt like her slick, soaked underwear was lighting his nervous system on fire. The moment she first moved after each journey, when he caught on her, when it felt like he was going to slip inside of her cloth be damned, was so incredible it was mind-blowing. He couldn’t hold back a breathy gasp with each intimate caress of her against him; he sucked in rattling, gasping breaths, crying out with pleasure in a rhythm matching the pace she was setting. A pace that slowly began to pick up as rusty yet confident movements became smoother, more skillful. She had a cocky smirk on her face, a look that she somehow managed to keep each time she groaned in pleasure at the feeling of him against her, him catching and almost entering her.

He wasn’t going to be able to last long. They’d been working on his endurance, her edging not just stretching out each experience but helping him slowly letting him last longer. But this was so new and so exciting that he could feel his hips starting to buck after barely a minute. “I don’t… don’t w-wanna stop,” she purred, as she felt his hips starting to spasm, felt his fingers digging into her as he struggled futilely away from his plateau.

“D-Don’t want you to stop,” he gasped. “But… G-Gonna…”

“T-Told you,” she growled, voice shaking, “I wanna make you come. So come for me, Brian. Get my panties all sticky and messy, so I can feel you the whole rest of the day.”

He couldn’t resist a command like that. He cried out in bliss as the sensation of her soaked underwear and the searing heat beneath pushed him over the edge, the bliss too much for his body to endure. He felt himself moving, felt his hips shake and jolt as pleasure erupted from deep inside of him. She pressed herself against him, joining his cries as her own hips jolted, grinding frantically against his glans, milking pulse after pulse of semen from him with her trembling movements. Her body pressed against him hard, soft flesh and powerful muscles pushing against his body, crushing him into the couch. Her eyes never left his, even as the two of them could barely focus, even as her mouth hung open and she cried out in bliss. Only when both of them finished, when the last aftershocks left his body, did she move away. Or, rather, move closer; she pressed her lips to his, and began to blissfully, shakily, laugh into his mouth with each long, deep kiss.

Eventually, she pulled herself from him, and the two looked down at the mess they’d made together. His underwear was totally soaked through; he had no idea how much of it was him and how much was her. Nor did he know how much of the slickness staining her panties was from him. For a moment, he felt panic start to set in; had he somehow come inside of her? But she saw the terrified look in his eyes, and tenderly stroked him. “You’re fine,” she whispered. “Trust me, I was being careful. Besides-“

The two of them instantly froze when they heard the click of the front door. They moved as one, Ash diving for her shirt, Brian yanking up his pants. That, unfortunately, was all they had time for; the door swung open well before they had time to actually get dressed. They froze, looking like a pair of deer caught in the headlights, as his mother, still in her business dress, took two steps in, then froze, eyes narrowing.

“I didn’t know you had a sister,” she whispered to him, as she crossed her arms over her breasts, covering up the tight shirt that blatantly showed off the fact that she hadn’t managed to reach her sports bra.

“He doesn’t,” the woman replied, lips curving softly. “But I like the flattery.”

Brian, on the other hand, just stared in disbelief. “M-Mom!? You said you were working late today!”

“That was this morning,” she said, as she finished heading into the front hallway, hanging up her badge. “I got an early dismissal due to the inclement weather. I take it this is Ash?”

“Y-Yeah, mom,” he replied, turning back to his garnet-cheeked girlfriend. “Ash, this is my mom.”

Ash, who’d evidently recovered a lot faster than him, waved, trying to look confident despite her garnet cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. J!”

She slowly looked Ash up and down, examining her like a bug under a microscope. After what seemed like an hour but was probably less than a minute, she inclined her head slightly. “Likewise,” she replied. “I’m going to go lie down; I had a nightmarish commute, I deserve a nap. Condoms are in the medicine cabinet, don’t make too much noise, and try to clean up before my husband gets home.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, mom!” Brian yelled. “We’re not-“

Ash, on the other hand, just laughed. “Don’t worry, Mrs. J, I’m on the pill.”

His face didn’t go red; it went completely white. “What the fuck, Ash!?”

Brian’s mother’s eyes bored into hers for a moment; then softened. “I knew I liked you. Don’t do anything I’d do,” she said, as she headed up the stairs.

“Don’t you mean wouldn’t do, Mrs. J?”

Brian’s mother paused. “How old are you, dear?”

“Seventeen next month,” Ash replied.

“Then you’ve already done a better job than I did at your age,” she said, as she slipped off into the upstairs hallway, leaving the two alone.

“Ash… just… why?” He mumbled.

She just chuckled. “She wasn’t gonna believe either of us, might as well make sure she wasn’t worried. By the way,” she began, mischief in her eyes, “I wasn’t lying either. Just, y’know, something to think about.”

Sparks sizzled and popped inside of Brian’s skull. “Don’t think I’m gonna think about anything else for a while,” he whimpered.

She laughed, and tousled his hair. “You’re so cute I dunno what to do with you sometimes.” Then, her lips started to curl into a wicked grin, one that didn’t quite hide the way her lips were trembling. “Uh, hey,” she whispered, voice shaky.

He looked at her, suddenly wary. “Yeah?”

She put her lips up to his ear. “I wasn’t kidding about coming pre-seduced. When you’re ready, you just let me know.” Then, with a gentle nip of his earlobe, she pulled away, face garnet and smile wide. “No pressure,” she added, as she moved to grab her discarded sports bra, and started adjusting her jeans back over her soaked underwear.

He didn’t know when, or if, he’d be able to respond. Maybe after they were done with their homework? Maybe after his heart finished beating out of his chest?

Chapter Text

“That… That isn’t someone I know, is it?”

Brian huffed, peering up at Ash while simultaneously looking down his glasses, a feat which was a little hard to achieve but was worth it regardless. He then sighed as he noted the look on her normally-jovial features, eyes wide and mouth hanging open, and set the chicken carcass down on the cutting board. “Just from the farmer’s market,” he assured her. “I promise, if I’m ever making funeral stew, I’ll warn you first.”

Instantly, the look of horror faded, although not entirely. “I still can’t believe you do that,” she muttered.

He shrugged. “Blame whoever introduced a chicken limit in the zoning. Anyway, do you want to handle the meat or the veggies?”

“Definitely the veggies. I’m, uh, not really comfortable working with raw meat like this,” she said, flipping her apron at him, chuckling when he froze completely, cheeks going red as he stared openly. “C’mon,” she murmured, just a hint of garnet on her own cheeks, “how many times have you seen me by now?”

“Last summer I went on a trip to the Grand Canyon,” he mumbled, pushing his brain back into functionality, “and I still felt as much awe the day I left as the first time I saw it.”

An unamused look spread across her face. “Yeah, just what every girl wants her fun bits compared to.”

And there went his train of thought again. “Th-That’s not - I didn’t…” he began to stammer, only to be cut off by a long, slow kiss from Ash, her tongue slipping between his lips and teasing at his until he gave up and returned the kiss, careful not to actually touch her with his hands. He may not have handled the meat yet, but he couldn’t think of a worse way to end the evening than accidentally touching her with a hand contaminated with raw chicken. “So, um, not that I don’t really, really appreciate the kisses,” he eventually said, once he’d managed to part from her, “but we really need to get started if we’re going to get everything done before my parents get here.”

“Spoilsport,” she pretended to grumble, winking and sticking her tongue out at him. “But yeah, I really don’t want your mom to walk in on us again. I still can’t believe she didn’t chase me out of here.”

“She’s cool like that,” Brian replied, as he pulled away from Ash, grabbing a boning knife from the block, and heading back to the cutting board. “So how long have you been cooking for?” he asked, as the sounds of slicing and scrubbing filled the kitchen.

“Oh, my dad and I have been cooking together since I was a little girl,” Ash said, while she scrubbed the carrots and potatoes. “Mostly it’s just me bringing him things, prepping ingredients, stuff like that. We’ve been doing actual cooking since I started high school, though. You?”

“I got started with funeral stew,” he said, as he popped the chicken’s leg bones from its hips and began separating them from the body. “I still mostly stick to baking. It just makes sense to me. Soups, stews, curries, they’re all kind of exceptions.”

“That’s because you’re an alchemist,” she laughed, moving to the cutting board he’d laid out next to his, laying out the root vegetables.

“Oh, and eggs,” he continued, ignoring her attempts to bait him back into a magic or science debate again. “Omelettes, frittatas, quiche, carbonara… I’ve gotten a lot of practice cooking eggs.”

“Care of magical creatures ” she said, nodding sagely as she started to chop; he just huffed. “Stew?”

“Like, egg drop soup?” he asked.

Ash shook her head. “Nah, stew. My dad makes it for us all the time. It’s one of the first things we made together for real. Maybe I’ll make it for you some time.”

“I’d like that,” he replied. “That sounds-“ then Brian did a double-take. “Did you peel those?”

“That’s where all the vitamins are,” she huffed, between chops.

“Not the potatoes,” he replied, pointing to the gold-skinned cubes she’d finished with. “The carrots. You didn’t peel them.”

Ash raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got a veggie brush. They’re good.”

“But they’re going to get all bitter,” he protested.

“You ever try it?” He was silent, and a smirk crept across her face. “You said you’d handle the meat and I’d handle the veggies. Don’t backseat cook.”

“I’ll trust you,” he sighed, struggling to do just that.

“Y’know, you’re really good at that,” she commented, as he looked over at his cutting board, while he scraped the meat from the chicken’s bones.

Brian shrugged. “Just a lot of practice.”

“You go through that many chickens?” she asked, a hint of horror returning to his voice.

“No,” he laughed, “they usually last three years. I kind of use guys like this as a chance to practice. I want to give them my best, you know what I mean?”

“I love this man,” she muttered to herself. “I love this man, I love this man, I love this man…”

Soon, the last easily-accessible scraps of chicken had been scraped away, the bones stowed in a freezer bag, the vegetables chopped, the herbs and garlic minced. He’d finished first, because he had less to do; by the time she was done, he’d already started browning the meat. “Hey, cutie,” she said, as she set the veggies to the side, “you ready to swap?”

He nodded, passing her the wooden spoon he’d been using. “Sure, I’ll get started on the bread. You got this?”

She nodded, taking the spoon, setting it to the side, and grabbing a pair of tongs. He blinked, then threw up his hands, hiding the smile on his face by turning to gather his ingredients. A moment later, he jumped as he felt a sharp pinch on his rear; Ash whistled innocently when he looked back go her, then snapped him again when he turned back around.

“Hey, why are you turning on the other oven?” she asked, as he began to preheat the large oven below the stove. She pointed a finger at the smaller one, and said, “I already set that one.”

“For the bread,” he replied, blinking in confusion. “That one’s for the stew.”

“Wait, hold on, what now?” she asked, scratching her head.

“…You don’t bake your stews?”

“…You do?”

“Well, yeah,” he replied. “You don’t have to stir it, and you don’t have to worry about burning it.”

“Yeah, but how’s it going to thicken?” she asked. “Not gonna lie, that’s kinda weird, Brian.”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who cooks her stew on a stove,” he grumbled.

“No, see, that’s normal,” Ash replied. “Look, any movie where you see a stew it’s gonna be bubbling away on a stovetop.”

“That’s because they’re only concerned with how it looks.” He sniffed. “I kind of consider ‘movies do it this way’ to be evidence for my position. I mean, tell me how well they do with sports movies.” He took it as a concession when her only response was to set aside her now-dirty tongs and kiss him until he stopped struggling. “An-anyway,” he murmured, as her lips parted from his, “um, it’s what the… the recipe says to do.”

“Fi~ne,” she grumbled, as she went back to the browning meat, “but if you ruin my first real impression with some watery stew, I’m gonna say I told you so.”

“It’s okay,” he promised her, as he began to assemble the dough, “it’s going to be good. Besides, my parents already like you. You don’t have to prove anything.”

“Maybe not,” she huffed, as she began to take our the first batch of meat, “but I would like your mom to not think of me trying to hide the big old stain on mg panties when she sees me.”

“Fair point,” he mumbled, pinkness spreading across his cheeks.

He finished the bread before she finished with the stew; she was still in front of the stove when he headed over with the bowl of pale dough. “Coming through,” he mumbled, as he squeezed her powerfully-muscled ass, slipping the bowl onto the furthest burner from hers.

“You just got flour all over my ass, didn’t you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow when he shook his head.

“I promise I didn’t,” he said, as he slipped back around her, squeezing her with both hands now that they were free.

“Uh huh.” She then reached back, stroking her rear, raising a hand decorated with pasty white. “What’s this, then?”

“Dough, of course.”

She sighed, rolling her eyes. “Hey, I’m almost done with the veggies. What’s after this part?”

“Veggies are next,” he replied, “then just deglaze, add the flour, stock, and cooked meat, and put it in the oven and wait for the bread to rise.”

“Cool. Sounds like I’m almost done then.”

“Do we admit there’s a point to making oven stew?” he asked.

“Sorry, can’t hear you,” she replied. “Too busy with the meat.”

Brian laughed as he went over to wash the dough off his hands; after scrubbing thoroughly, he went back over to her, gripping her ass with both hands, making her jump. “Working with hot stuff here,” she called, wiggling her hips at him playfully.

“S-So am I,” he managed to reply.

“Oh my God,” she growled, as she started to pluck the last pieces of chicken from the pot, “why are you so damn cute?” Then, once she’d scooped the onions and carrots into the pot, she looked over her shoulder, eyes half-lidded. “Did I say stop?”

Brian pressed both hands into the round, firm globes of her rear, squeezing down on her, kneading his fingers into her. She sighed happily as she occasionally stirred the veggies, wiggling against his hands, leaning forward to give him more access. Slowly, he got more daring as well; one hand starting to explore the rest of her, slipping around her hips and beneath her apron, the other gliding around the globe of her rear, beginning to brush at her inner thighs. But when the two started converging, when his fingers started to make contact with her thick pubic hair, that she jolted. “H-Hey, um, I really hate to do this to you…”

Brian pulled away like he’d been shocked. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just, uh, you were working with raw meat earlier, and…”

“I washed my hands really well,” he promised her. “Remember? Before I started working with the bread? Then after I was done?”

She sighed, lowering her head. “I know, but it’s just, y’know, a thing for me. I… I had a really bad experience once, and, uh-“

He reached out to hug her, wrapping his arms around her strong abdomen. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “I… I can’t imagine I’d feel comfortable working with raw meat again if I-“

“Oh, no,” she chuckled, “it wasn’t raw meat goo. See, my family? We’re a bunch of pepper-heads. I, uh, I cleaned my hands very thoroughly after chopping, but…”

“Jesus Christ,” he whispered, wincing so hard it felt like his testicles were trying to escape into his abdominal cavity. “Please tell me it was just jalapenos or something.”

She exhaled, long and slow. “Scotch bonnets,” she eventually said.

Nope. Now he was wincing so hard it felt like his testicles were trying to escape into his abdominal cavity.

“A-Anyway,” she continued, “I trust you, but…”

“…Yeah, no, point taken,” he mumbled, still holding her. Then slowly, he began to descend, nuzzling his face across her naked back, nipping his way down her bare behind. “Well,” he murmured, barely a quiver in his voice, “I haven’t been taste-testing anything…”

“Well, I suppose that’s okay then,” she sighed, as she spread her legs gently, leaning forward a little more, presenting herself to him. He dropped to his knees, and for a moment he stared helplessly at her, at the thick, dark jungle between her legs, the little bronze pucker of her anus, the perfect little cleft just barely visible between the tufts of her hair. He couldn’t look away, couldn’t stop memorizing every detail while she hummed quietly and stirred at the vegetables. Then he slid forward, pressing his face to her, kissing her, nuzzling her, experiencing her. He nibbled his way up and down her, pressed his lips to her, gently probed at the perfect line of labia with his tongue, letting her thick, tangy juices coat it. Then slowly, he slipped into her, curling it around her inner walls while she groaned and growled and gripped the counter with one hand to steady herself. “This is… fuck… really distracting,” she gasped, as he nuzzled between her cheeks, tongue sliding up and down her entrance.

Brian paused, not quite pulling away, just pressing his lips to her so she could feel him as much as she could hear him. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked.

“Fuck no,” she growled, voice low and sultry, as she continued stirring, grounding herself with the browning vegetables as he went back to her. He didn’t stop when she went to stir in the garlic, or deglaze the bottom into the broth. He didn’t stop as she mixed the meat and remaining veggies back in, watched it start to bubble. He did stop when she just watched it boil, teasing her with the tip of his tongue until she huffed, covered the pot, and put it into the upper oven. But when she’d finished, he went right back to her, filling his mind with her heady flavor, her musky scent, and her low, passionate growls. He wrapped his arms around her legs, burying his face in her, savoring her like he’d been starving for her. It wasn’t until the chime of the timer signifying the rise was complete that he let her go, and even then, it was only a brief respite.

“Should - oh my God - should we do homework?” she asked, at some point.

“Probably,” he acknowledged. Then he put his face right back where it belonged, and that was the last he heard of it.

———

“You really don’t have to do this,” he told her, as he scrubbed at the kitchen floor, digging his fingers into what looked like a squashed raisin he’d missed the last time he cleaned up.

“I’m the one who made a mess,” she mumbled, face more flushed than his. “I’m going to clean it.”

“Yeah, but I’m the one who decided the floor looked gross and wanted to do a more thorough cleaning,” he replied. “Besides, my parents are going to be home soon, and you’re still…”

“Do you want me in my clothes?” she asked, bouncing her naked hip against his clothed one.

“N-Not even a little, but…”

“It’s fine,” she said, waving him off. “I don’t mind doing a little scrubbing, y’know? Besides, I bet your parents are gonna love coming home to a nice clean kitchen instance of a mess.”

“In that case,” he asked, “do you want to get started on the dishes and counters? Really, it’s fine, this is all my mess now.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Ash eventually replied, as she stood up, stretched, and headed over to where they’d been working. “You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty close to done anyway,” he assured her. After a few minutes, he looked back up, taking a moment to admire her as she washed the dishes, humming happily, muscles shifting as she scrubbed and danced her hips. “H-Hey,” he finally mumbled, “thanks. For, well, all of this.”

“I’m the one who ought to be thanking you,” she murmured, almost singing. “I mean, you made me come like a goddamn freight rain. God, I still feel like I’m having aftershocks.”

“I-I meant for the whole ‘making dinner for my family’ thing,” he managed to reply.

“I know,” she replied, “but I also meant for helping me make a killer first - or second - impression. I love you, Brian. I really want your parents to like me.”

“They’re going to love you,” he promised, as he scrubbed the last bit of easily-cleanable grime from the floor. “Alright, I’m basically done. Did you want me to-“

The click of the door cut him off. His eyes went wide as he turned to the front door, then back to Ash’s exposed ass. “Bathroom!” he hissed, grabbing the bag she’d placed her clothes in and tossing them to her. “Go go go!”

“Love you,” she whispered back, as she bounded for the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind her with only moments to spare.”

“We’re home!” Brian’s dad called from the doorway. “I know we’re a little early. If you two need some more time…”

“N-No,” Brian called back, waving at his parents as they made their way in. “Things should be ready right about…”

The chimes of two timers began to go off, and Brian almost leapt out of his skin. He raced to the ovens, pulling out the - delicious-smelling - stew and bread, setting them on the stove to rest. By the time he was done, Ash was already there, an uncharacteristically shy look on her face, garnet on her cheeks. He darted to her side, slipping his right arm in her left. His eyes widened as he noticed the tag of her shirt sticking out from her back; he silently prayed nobody else would notice. Then he turned to his parents, smiling as he slipped his hand into hers. “Mom, Dad, this is Ash.”

She reached out her hand, and Brian’s dad took it, looking up at her with a wide smile on his face. “It’s great to finally meet you,” he said, shaking her hand. “Brian’s told me so many things about you. It’s like you’re already part of the family.”

“Thanks, Doc,” she mumbled, a little bit of a smile on her lips as well. “He’s told me a lot about you guys too.”

For a moment Brian tensed, but his dad just laughed. “Only good things, I hope. So, are you staying for dinner? It smells really great. My kid’s becoming such a good cook. You know-“

“Actually,” Brian interrupted, “she helped make it.”

“Really?” he asked, excitement in his voice. “Oh, I knew I liked you. Brian, you need to hold onto this one. Anyway, I’m going to go set the table. I’m really looking forward to trying it.”

As he headed for the dining room, Brian’s mom met Ash’s eyes, then reached back to her neck, wiggling her own shirt tag; Ash froze, going fully garnet, as she slowly reached up to the back of her shirt and felt it. Brian’s mom then huffed, rolled her eyes, and let a little smile creep over her face.

“So, uh, I know the night is young,” his dad called, “but will you be staying the night? We’ve got the guest room all ready-“

“Honey,” his mom asked, as she made their way after him, “why would she be sleeping in the guest room?”

After a moment, he replied, “I just figured they might like a little privacy,” he told his wife, as they locked hands and continued into the dining room. “It’s embarrassing to spend the night on the same floor as your parents, after all.”

“Did you?” she asked. “Because if you’re trying to save face-“

As the two of them joked with each other, Brian looked up at Ash, and shrugged. “Meet the family?”

“I like them,” she murmured down to him, before bending down to give him a kiss. “I think we’re going to get along just fine.” Then she made her way back to the kitchen, Brian in tow, then together, dinner in hot-mitted hand, they made their way to the now-set table.

Chapter Text

“In the air, there’s a feeling… of Chri~stmas…”

“God I’m sick of that song,” Brian grumbled, pressing his hands against his ears as he walked past Lauren’s open window to the back of her pickup.

“Aw, don’t be such a grinch,” Ash cheered, bumping him with her hip. “I kinda like it. It’s not ‘I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus,’ y’know?”

“At least its not about festive date rape,” Rose interjected, as she hefted a bag of colorful tubes over her shoulder. “There’s nothing like hearing a girl asking ‘what’s in this drink?’ to make you appreciate Jimmy Boyd.”

“Okay, point,” she replied, as she grabbed what seemed like a pallet of small cardboard boxes. “Hey, Brian, you got the last two?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” he replied, as he hefted a stack of boxes under each arm. “I don’t think I can carry a third, though. So, North Pole is the auditorium, right?”

“Yeah, but we’re going to Santa’s Workshop,” Ash replied, as she started heading off, leaving him to trot behind her. “You know, the theatre?”

“Right, sorry, I forgot,” he mumbled, once he’d caught up.

“You’re cool. It’s your first time, after all.” She then tilted down, like she wasn’t carrying at least sixty pounds of cardboard, probably more, and gave him a kiss on the head. “Thanks for doing this with us.”

“Yeah, sure, not a problem,” he replied, as he tilted up to kiss her back. “I’ve always wanted to do something like this.”

“You’re gonna be an elf, right?” Rose asked, as she slowed to his other side. “I wanted to be a reindeer, but I don’t think I could pull it off. We can’t all be giant sexy muscle-ladies like Ash.”

“Please don’t call my girlfriend a giant sexy muscle-lady,” he mumbled, while desperately trying not to imagine her, in significantly less, calling Ash, also in significantly less, exactly that.

“Yeah, please don’t break my boyfriend’s brain,” Ash chuckled, bumping him with her hip again. “Besides, you know your girlfriend would get mad at me if she heard you saying crap like that.”

“She doesn’t mind if I look as long as I don’t touch,” Rose sang. “Anyway, Brian. Elf?”

“Elf,” he mumbled, as the sparks slowly stopped popping in his brain. “I can’t pull off Reindeer either, and there’s no way I’d even try for a Santa.”

“He’s too shy and cute,” Ash murmured, bumping up against him once again. “Y’know, I’m actually going to be one of the Santas this year.”

“Really?” Rose asked, jaw dropping. “Oh, man, I feel sorry for all of the other reindeer.”

“Shouldn’t have laughed and called me names,” she replied automatically, laughing at her own joke. “Sharon’s my ball and chain?” she asked, as they made their way into the front door of the festively-decorated theatre, up to the first of half a dozen stations, several team members and hangers on already getting to work.

“Bitch,” Sharon drawled, as she held out her arms to Ash, “you’re my ball and chain. Kate promised I could have the beard.”

“No way,” she huffed, as she passed her the boxes, “I wanna be Mister Claus.”

Sharon stuck her tongue out as she grabbed them. “Too bad. I asked her, and we both know I can rock the beard better.”

“Mommy, Mama, stop fighting,” Rose whined, clasping her hands to her chest. “You’re scaring your little elves.”

“Fine, you win this year,” Ash huffed, as she took and hefted his boxes onto Sharon’s arms, watching her grit her teeth at the new weight. “C’mon, Brian,” she said, patting him on the shoulder, “we’ve got a lot to carry before we can get started on the fun stuff.”

Monica paused midway through unfolding a box, rolling her eyes at . “Yes, this is totally the fun stuff.”

Ash just grinned that infectious grin of hers, leading him off back to the parking lot.

———

Brian looked like an idiot.

He wasn’t surprised he looked like an idiot. It was hard not to look like an idiot in a green tunic with red tassels, even if you weren’t trying - and miserably failing - to rock a floppy green hat. But that didn’t change the fact that he did, in fact, look like a total idiot. And was about to go out in front of, his friends, his peers, and people from all around the area, and look like an idiot in front of them. He could feel heat spreading across the face at the thought of people looking at him in this outfit, pointing at him, laughing at him. His stomach was already clenching at the thought of it.

The worst part was how short the damn thing was. He thought he’d accidentally picked up a girls’ cut when the outfit had only come halfway down his thighs. Then he saw the boyfriend of one of the bench players adjusting his tunic, also halfway down his thighs. At least the leggings were optional, he thought, looking at the gaudy, green and red striped garments before folding them back up. There were worse things than showing off his legs, no matter how counter-intuitive that might feel.

Like a condemned man walking to his death, Brian slowly made his way out of the dressing room, back to the Workshop, back to people who - at least - would be suffering the fate of looking like idiots with him. Then he slipped out the door, looking down at his bare thighs and ridiculous shoes, trying to remind himself that he’d volunteered for this. Needless to say, he bumped into someone less than a dozen feet out of the dressing room. Luckily for him, that person was Ash. “Oh, hey, I was just coming to find you,” she said, as she helped him regain his balance.

He was going to respond. Really, he was. Then he started lifting his head, and he was instantly captivated. He looked up, and up, and up the tight black leather boots, tightly clinging to her muscular calves and the bottoms of her thighs, white fur continuing the journey to right where his own tunic ended. Her tight skirt started not too far above it, hemmed with a strip of white fur about the same length as the strip of muscular calf left bare by the dress, leaving the rest of her gorgeous body looking almost like it had been painted red. He never did get past the neckline on his own; two red-gloves fingers pushed his chin up, past the last layer of white fur, past her mischievous little green-lipped smile, until he met her amused gaze. “Like what you see?” she asked.

There were a million ways he could have said exactly how much he liked what he saw. Unfortunately,” I didn’t think you could wear something that sexy on school grounds,” was not one of them.

Ash just laughed, stroking those velvet-gloved red fingers over his chin and cheek. “They do if they know what’s good for them,” she murmured. “This is consistently one of our biggest fundraisers each year. Do I like knowing I’m why some dad’s gonna be stuffing his stocking tonight?” she asked, shaking her head, “No, but-“

“Please never say that again,” he begged her, with such desperate sincerely that she burst out laughing.

“Anyway,” she said, wiping a test from her cheek, “we do good work, and if dressing sexy is the price I gotta pay to make a difference in some little kid’s life, well, that’s not much at all. And besides,” she murmured, toying with the hem of her skirt, “I really like seeing the look on your face when I wear it.”

“That’s good,” he mumbled, trying not to drool, “because I really like seeing you in it too.”

“Mmm, you’re so sweet. You know, I really like your costume too,” she murmured.

He looked down, then looked back up. “Have you seen my costume?” he asked.

She laughed, then bent down to kiss him. “You’re so goddamn cute,” she whispered. “I just wanna sneak off somewhere and give you a little Christmas cheer. Mmm, that reminds me,” she said, as she began to toy with her white fur, “what do you think I’ve got under here? Give you a hint: It’s not panties.”

Before he could respond, a bearded Rose in a significantly-more practical - which meant still ridiculously sexy - Santa dress stormed over. “Bitch, I will not lose this event to the Track and Field team. If you don’t put underwear on right this second…”

“Chill, Mrs. Grinch,” Ash laughed, flipping her skirt and flashing her green boy shorts at them. “I’m not Kate.”

“Thank Heaven for small favors,” she grumbled. “I’ve already had to remind Monica that if anyone gets flashed by a reindeer this year that we’ll have hell to pay.”

“Make her wear tights,” Ash suggested.

“Way ahead of you,” Sharon sighed. “Next year, remind me that the Santa costume isn’t worth the responsibility.”

“No dice,” Ash laughed. “I’m not doing this by myself, and you think I can trust Lauren to remind everyone to wear underpants?”

“Why not just make Brian your Santa?” she asked. “You two would be such a saccharine couple that everyone’s heart will grow three sizes.”

“Yeah, but then I can’t make him my personal elf,” Ash replied, as she wrapped her velvet-gloved arm around his shoulders. “You wanna come help me out?” she asked.

“I’d follow you to the North Pole and back,” he heard himself murmur.

———

Brian’s first thought was that he had chosen poorly. He could have wrapped presents. He could have sold cookies. He could have done any of a dozen other things. But instead, he’d followed his heart - and cock - instead of his brain, and he’d wound up in one of the most front-and-center roles in the entire process. But he’d quickly realized the advantage of working with Ash: Nobody gave a shit about him.

It wasn’t just her costume, either, he realized. She laughed like her belly was a bowl full of jelly instead of a washboard carved out of solid titanium. She smiled warm, genuine smiles at all the little kids who came up to see her, even the ones who weren’t instantly charmed by her. She pouted playfully at the ones who said they didn’t want to see Mrs. Claus, then turned to their parents, and said things like, “c’mon, that’s not very Christmassy of you,” or “tell you what, how about a fistbump from Santa instead,” when their parents tried to make them sit on her lap anyway. He couldn’t stop smiling as he watched her work, and given that he could barely take his eyes off of her, that meant a lot of smiling.

“And what do you want for Christmas, little one?” she asked one small boy, whose eyes went absolutely wide when he saw her, and hadn’t narrowed at all since.

“Can I have you?” he asked, and she burst out laughing. Brian snapped the picture mid-laugh, a look of hope on the little boy’s face.

Sadly - for the kid, not for him - that hope was soon crushed. “I’m afraid I’ve already got a boyfriend,” she told the little boy, before tapping on his nose, “but if you keep being so sweet and cute, I’m sure you’ll find a Mrs. Claus of your very own. Anything else? We’ve got eight different choices this year if you’re interested.”

“Nope,” he mumbled, glumly, as he slid from her lap, “just you.”

Brian nodded sympathetically; that’s all he wanted for Christmas too. But he slipped one of the purple presents from the table, and passed it to him. “She loves animals,” he whispered conspiratorially; the little boy’s eyes lit up, and he gave Brian’s knee a hug before running back to his parents.

“Aw, you’re such a sweetheart,” she quietly murmured to him, before waving up the next child.

This one, a little older than the previous one, cleared his throat. “Don’t you mean you have a husband?” the boy asked, crossing his little arms. “You know, Santa Claus?” Ash’s eyes shifted conspiratorially, then she put her finger to her lip; the little boy’s eyes went wide again. “I’m telling Santa!” he shouted, as he hopped off of her, one mother following in hot pursuit; Brian shrugged sympathetically, offering the other a choice of gift for the boy, who was now storming his way towards Sharon. He couldn’t quite hear her response, but based on the way the horrified little kid ran away, Sharon trying to hold back a laugh as she called to him, he imagined he’d just had his little life ruined.

“Santa isn’t real,” the next little girl said, stomping her little feet. “You can’t be married to him because he isn’t real.”

“Of course he’s real,” Brian interjected. “He was born in the 3rd Century in Turkey.”

“Turkeys aren’t real either,” she growled, folding her little arms while her parents held back their own laughter. But she let Ash get a picture of her, then on the way out, looked up at him, worry in her eyes, and asked, “are turkeys real?”

On and on they came, a stream of children ranging from adorable to miserable, happily sitting in Ash’s lap to kicking and screaming while Ash promised she would never touch them without consent. All while Brian watched, and took pictures, and handed out presents in eight different colors of wrapping paper or palmed the one their parents gave him and handed it to their child a short bit later, and helped her however else she needed it. He wasn’t sure when he realized he’d chosen perfectly; that he didn’t want to be anywhere else. It certainly was long before the kids stopped coming.

———

Ash guzzled the bottle of water he’d handed her, wiping the droplets from her face, sighing in relief. “Didn’t realize how hard that’d be,” she rasped. “So much talking. So much laughing.”

“You think you have it bad?” Sharon mumbled, as she drank her own bottle of water. “Try yelling Ho Ho Ho. You want the beard? Take it.”

“Nah,” Ash laughed, “I think Mrs. Claus has all the fun.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” Sharon grumbled. “I had to explain to a five year old what an open relationship was thanks to you two.”

“Oh my God,” she gasped, holding a hand to her mouth, “is that what you did to that poor little boy. Oh, his parents are going to kill us.”

“They seemed okay enough,” Sharon replied, waving her hand. “Besides, it’s not as bad as the time Kate got her beard pulled off, and tearfully explained she was born Saint Nicole.”

“Oh, God, I forgot about that,” she laughed. “I thought his mom was going to burst a blood vessel. Alright,” she yawned, “do you still need me and Brian to hell with clean-up?”

Sharon shook her head. “The Reindeer got it covered. Get changed, get out of here, go enjoy the Christmas season.”

The two headed into their respective changing rooms, snd Brian quickly doffed the elf costume, all too happy to see the end of it. He was surprised when Ash was already done by the time he got out. He was even more surprised to see that she was still in her costume. “Oh, this is mine,” she told him, as they walked off together, hand in velvet-gloved hand.

“So, um, I could see you in this… any time I wanted?” he asked.

“Mmm, depends,” she murmured. “Can I see you in a cute little elf costume whenever I want?”

He considered for a moment, then sighed. “Okay, but we’ve gotta get one that isn’t so dorky.”

“Aw, but that’s part of the appeal!” she whined, as they made their way back out into the chilly evening air.

“Okay,” he mumbled helplessly, “but at least one that’s not so short?”

“That’s the rest of the appeal,” came her reply.

It wasn’t until they’d gotten into the car that she finally handed him a gift box, wrapped in green, the color of miscellaneous toys. “Happy early Holidays!” she cheered, still not turning the car on yet. “Go ahead and open it, then we can go home.”

Not one to resist a gift, Brian carefully unwrapped the present, opening the plain cardboard box, slipping its contents into his hands. A pair of forest green boy shorts, similar to the ones she’d given him back in November, the ones he’d… experimented with synesthesia with. No wet spot this time, just a faint hint of moisture that felt like a thin layer of sweat. He looked at them, dumbfounded, then abruptly realized what she’d shown Sharon earlier today.

“So that entire time?” he mumbled, sparks flying in his brain.

“Nah, I didn’t want to flash a five year old,” she replied. “I took them off while you changed. So,” she continued, voice husky, “do you like it?”

“I think I just might be getting into the holiday spirit after all,” he mumbled, gliding a hand up her naked thighs.

They didn’t make it home for quite some time.

Chapter Text

“Oh my goodness! You must be Brian! I’m so sorry, you poor dear. You’re just cursed with punctuality, aren’t you?”

Brian did not have to look up at Ash’s mom. He could look her right in her warm brown eyes, see the gentle smile on her timeless face - somewhere between his mom’s age and his grandma’s age but damned if he knew exactly where - dead on. If it wasn’t for those eyes, and the shape of that warm smile, he would wonder if this really was Ash’s mom. For how little she resembled her daughter, he still wouldn’t be surprised to find out she was his step-mom.

“Sh-she, um, she’s not here?” he asked, shifting his feet and wringing his hands. He’d checked the time on his phone; he was here right on the dot.

“I’m afraid not, dear,” she said sympathetically, running a hand through mid-length brown hair, as her smile faded into an expression he’d charitably describe as frustrated but would much more accurately described as mildly miffed. “She and that man of mine went out to the garden store for one last set of bulbs. I warned them not to dawdle like they always do, but… well, no helping it. Come in, come in,” she said, waving for him to follow. “Do you drink coffee yet?”

“I’m okay with water,” he mumbled, as he followed her into Ash’s foyer slash living room.

“Nonsense,” she huffed, as she made her way into the kitchenette. “Soda? Tea? I make a mean chai, I promise you’ll love it. Or maybe something a little harder? I don’t judge, dear.”

Did Ash’s mom just offer him beer? “T-Tea sounds lovely,” he mumbled, as he took a seat on the couch. The cat was already waiting, tail quirked into a happy question mark shape; the moment he sat down, it pawed up on his lap, pausing only to punch him in the stomach with its head until he petted it, then started stabbing him with its little finger-needles as it curled up on him. He sighed, petting the happy animal, which buzzed and rumbled and made every attempt to meld with his body it seemed physically capable of. A moment later, it was like the sun shining through the floor-length windows had gone out. A massive hand crashed down on each shoulder, and behind him, a deep voice rumbled, “so you’re the guy dating our sister.”

Slowly, Brian turned around, looking up, and up, and up, at the two massive boys - no, men - standing behind him. Them, Brian could instantly see the relationship. They were - somehow - actually shorter than her, although they still towered over him. Both were built like linebackers, solid slabs of muscle that together he was not surprised could blot out the sun. Honestly, he felt like two was overkill. One could blot out the sun all on his own.

“Y-Yeah,” he mumbled, silently counting the moments until Ash arrived. “B-Brian. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, Buh-Brian,” one of them rumbled. The other one laughed. It was not a kind laugh. “So,” he said, squeezing down just a little harder, not enough to hurt but enough to remind him he could,anyone taken you aside and told you the rules for dating Ash yet?”

“You know,” the other one rumbled, squeezing down the same way, “mom loves to garden. We’re always digging in the back yard. So-“

There was a scraping noise from the kitchenette, talon-like fingernails digging into the wall, a white-knuckled hand clenching against it. “Boys?”

Both instantly froze, releasing him, putting their hands behind their back. Slowly, their mother’s warm, smiling face peeked around the corner. He didn’t know why it felt like her eyes were glowing red; they were the exact same warm shade of brown as Ash’s. There was precisely nothing predatory about that warm smile of hers, even as she gently parted her lips to show off her gleaming teeth. But somehow, he couldn’t shake either of those impressions. Especially not when they took another step back at the sight of her. “Boys,” she repeated, “you’d better not be threatening your sister’s boyfriend.”

“No, mom,” one of them mumbled.

“We’re just teasing him, mom,” the other one mumbled.

“No you’re not,” she said, an ironclad fact of the universe. “You’re apologizing to him.”

“Sorry,” the two of them muttered in unison.

“Really,” she huffed, “I know I raised you better than that. Now sit down, make him feel welcome, and maybe, just maybe, I won’t tell your sister about your nonsense.”

“Sorry, Brian,” one of them said, as he took a seat on his left.

“Nothing personal,” the other one said, as he took a seat on his right.

“We just thought it’d be funny,” the first one added, the second one nodding along.

“And was it?” came their mother’s call from the other room.

“No, mom,” they mumbled, hanging their heads.

“That’s okay,” Brian lied, as he tried to will his heart to slow its beat.

“So, uh, Ash said you two met in math class?” the one on the right asked. “But aren’t you our age?”

That was about when Brian’s brain stopped functioning altogether. “…Yes?”

“Wow,” the one on the left said, “you must be really smart.”

“Hey, maybe you could tutor us sometime,” the one on the left joked. “You’d probably be way nicer than Ash.”

“So, I heard you’ve been teaching Ash a lot of new games,” the one on the right cut in. “You pick up the new Metroid game yet?”

“Oh, t-that’s not really my kind of game,” he mumbled.

“Yeah? More of an FPS kind of guy?” the one on the left asked.

“T-Tabletop, actually,” he replied.

“Wait, like Monopoly?” the one on the right asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nah, like Slay the Spire, but on paper, right?” the one on the left interjected. “God, I played the shit out of that game.”

“Wait, they make tabletop video games?” Brian asked. “I mean, I know they’ve got ports of some, but-“

“Oh man, you sound like dad,” the one on the left said, as he took out his phone, “lemme show you what you’re missing.”

When Ash finally arrived with a “cheerful sorry I’m late! Dad’s fault!” it was to him pinned between the two of them, one with a long-suffering look on his face and folded arms, the other excitedly leaning over his shoulder.

“Ash, why’d you bring home another Dan?” the one on his right huffed. “They’re being dorks together.”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who has a Herosona,” Ash laughed. “What’d you call your schtick again, Leo?”

“It’s called a Quirk,” Leo grumbled, folding his arms.

Meanwhile, the one on the left - Dan - jabbed a finger at a green, yellow, and pink flower. “C’mon, you gotta pick that one.”

“I’m almost dead, though,” he said, hovering his finger over a waffle. “I need actual healing. He then blinked, and turned to the door. “Hi Ash!” Brian called, “sorry, we’re about to fight the first boss.”

“Dude, this one buffs your healing” Dan replied, pointing back at the flower. “As long as you don’t screw up, it’s gonna be way better in the long run.”

“Well you three seem to be getting along,” she said, a smile spreading across her face.

“He’s cool!” Dan laughed. “Really bad at this, but he’s cool.”

“Give me a break,” Brian grumbled. “I bet Ash can kick your ass in Dominion.”

“Oh, I am in,” he laughed. “What’s Dominion?”

———

Brian huffed and puffed, trying to wipe the sweat from his brow; all he managed to do was streak cold mud across his face. His legs ached from kneeling in the cold ground, and his back and arms ached from digging in it. It felt like he was barely making any progress at all, certainly not compared to anyone else working out here. But even though most of his body was completely done with this, even though his aching body was begging him to quit, there was one thing still keeping him going.

“You’re doing a good job,” Ash murmured, as she reached over and gently knocked the rapidly-chilling dirt from his forehead, before digging her own spade in next to him. “Thank you for being a part of this, Brian.”

“Not a… problem,” he puffed, as he laid aside another spadeful of dirt, in the furrow he’d been working at.

“I mean it,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his earlobe, and giving him a surreptitious nip. “This is such a big thing for the family, y’know?”

“Didn’t… know that,” he puffed again, continuing to dig at the cold, hard, but not quite frozen dirt.

“Yeah,” Ash continued, “mom and dad actually got together because of her gardening. Their first date? That dumbass picked some of her and her mom’s own flowers to try and give ‘em as a gift,” Ash laughed, nodding to her dad, who was digging with her brothers elsewhere in the little yard. “God, she tore him a new one.”

“And they… dated?” he managed to ask, eyes wide.

“Well,” Ash chuckled, “he started off apologizing, but she wouldn’t hear any of it. Slammed the door in his face. The next day, he came back with a bunch of flowers, this time in little planters, and volunteered to fix what he’d done. She says that’s why she gave him a second try. ‘It takes a big man to say he’s sorry,’” Ash quoted, “‘but it takes a real man to ask how he can help.’ So yeah, that was their real first date.”

“That’s sweet,” he puffed, digging up one last scoop of dirt. “Think this… is deep… enough?”

Ash looked down into the trough, reached down into it, then nodded. “Yeah, that’s how deep I’ve been doing it. Anyway, I’m not so much for it myself, but I still help out whenever she decides she wants to play Green Goddess and change up her garden. It’s really important to her.”

“Good first… ‘pression?” he managed to ask her, as he struggled up to his knees.

“You are making an amazing first impression, dear,” Ash’s mom said, as she headed over to them, a massive glass of water in one hand, a wet - and steaming - washcloth in the other.

“Oh, M-Mom,” Ash began, only for her to hold up a hand and cut her off.

“Ash, sweetheart, I don’t care if your young man is trying to butter me up so I’ll like him.” She held both the cloth and the glass to him, and said, “the fact that you’re willing to put in the effort to impress me is what’s impressive. You’ve got my approval.”

“Thanks,” Brian managed, as he took both eagerly, mopping some of the cold dirt from his hands and face, sighing as the heat soothed his soul, then passed it back and gulped down about half the glass of water so fast he felt his stomach reel.

“Easy there,” she said, patting him on the back. “You can take your time. I don’t have anywhere else to be.”

“Thank you,” he coughed, wiping water from his face, sighing as he realized he’d just ended up making more mud.

“No, thank you,” Ash’s mom replied, a very Ash-like smile on her face. “My daughter picked a good one.” She then turned to Ash, and clicked her tongue. “About time,” she huffed.

“C’mon, Mom,” Ash sighed, garnet on her earth-dusted cheeks, “can we not?”

“I’m just saying, you hold onto this one,” her mom said, as she went back for the baskets of bulbs, carrying one back over. “Lord knows if you’ll ever find another like him.”

“I, uh, I plan to,” Ash murmured, garnet spreading across her entire face, as she reached out and grabbed Brian’s muddy hand with her own dirty one.

“Good girl,” her mom said, then offered the box of bulbs. “Trade you,” she said; Brian handed her the glass he’d finished, then the two of them took the bulbs from her together. “Remember, four inches apart, no less, and for the love of God, pointy side up.”

“One time,” Ash grumbled, as she opened up the basket of little oniony bulbs. “One fucking time.”

“No, sweetheart, you did it one fucking time,” her mom said, glaring towards the rest of her family, her eyes objectively not lighting up with a gleam of eerie red light, no matter how appropriate Brian’s mind thought it should be for them to. “Alright, I need to go make sure they’re not going to ruin my garden again. You two have everything handled?”

“Yeah, mom,” Ash replied, as the two of them knelt back at the trough and started to plant bulbs. “So, up for… mmm… maybe two more of these?”

“Yes,” Brian lied, already feeling his muscles crying out for mercy. “I certainly am.”

———

By the time they were finished, the sun was dipping below the horizon, and Brian’s everything hurt. It hurt for to move. It hurt to not move. It hurt to breathe. He swore it hurt to blink. Did he feel an incredible sense of accomplishment? Yes. Did he feel warmth running through his body every time Ash looked at him with pride, and her family looked at him with approval? Yes. Was it worth it?

“Love you,” Ash murmured, as she pressed her lips to his, one arm around his back as she helped him follow the rest of her family inside. “I know I say it a lot, but I want you to know how much I mean it. I love the hell out of you, Brian.”

Yes. Fine. Maybe was worth it, he thought, as he continued to head in, only to stop and stare. He’d expected the family to all be waiting inside, but they were all heading out the opposite door. Ash’s mom paused when they came in, waving to the others, then put her hands together. “Sweetheart,” she said, “that man of mine has got it into his head that we need to go out and try that new Thai place tonight. We were going to invite you along, but I know Brian’s been working hard. Why don’t you two relax, and we’ll just order everything to go and then eat like a family when we’re back.”

Ash blinked. “Isn’t that place like half an hour away?”

She nodded. “Each way. It’ll be about an hour. Is that too long until dinner?”

Brian could see the hints of garnet starting to cross Ash’s cheeks. “N-No, Mom,” Ash mumbled, shaking her head. “If, uh, if we get hungry, we can just snack a bit. Thanks, mom.”

“Don’t mention it,” she replied, smiling cheerfully. “Just take a look at the menu and text me what you want when you get a chance,” she said, as she headed out the door.

“Ash…?” Brian asked, an eyebrow raising. “did your mom really just offer to leave us alone for an hour?”

“She did,” Ash whispered, eyes open wide as the sound of a lock rattled in the keyhole, and the sound of feet ascending stairs faded away. “She, uh, she has literally never done that before. Dad, sure, but mom?” She whistled, shaking her head slowly. “She really, really likes you.”

“I think the feeling’s mutual,” he replied. “Um, so-“

Ash’s shirt was already fluttering to the floor, her pants around her ankles. “Brian? We’ve only got an hour until they get back, and I have been needing you since the moment I realized you weren’t gonna quit halfway through.”

“Okay then,” he mumbled, as his eyes were helplessly drawn to her gorgeous naked form, slowly fumbling with his own clothes. He hissed in pain as he started to undress, his aching muscles struggling to pull them off of him. He didn’t have to try for long.

“You worked really hard,” Ash growled, as she gripped his wrists, slowly lifting up his arms. “Let me take care of you, okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered, as he relaxed and stopped struggling, sighing as her warm hands gripped the hem of his cold, sweat-soaked shirt and tossed it over his head. He started to lower his arms, only to freeze as he realized she’d started gripping him again. “Uh, Ash?”

“You remember what I told you way back when?” she murmured. “About loving how you smell after you run with me?” Then she buried her face beneath his arm, pressing her nose to him, sniffing deeply, greedily, gulping down the smell of his sweat, then exhaling a long, ragged gasp once she’d filled her lungs, only to start again the moment she’d finished. He struggled not to laugh as she nuzzled at him, sighing blissfully, before moving beneath his other arm and starting all over again. “God,” she sighed, “you smell even better right now. Maybe it’s just ‘cuz you really worked up a sweat?” she asked, before burying her face in the crook of his neck. “No, that’s not it. I think it’s because you’re so goddamn sexy,” she growled, before sinking her teeth in him; he gasped in surprise, curling his fingers in her hair, trying not to moan too hard as she bit her way across his chest, sniffing at him all the while. “My manly little dork.”

“Ash - Oh my God,” he hissed, as she sank her teeth into one of his nipples, still aching from the cold. “Ash, I’m filthy,” he protested, ineffectually.

“So?” she asked, as she bit down on him again, then buried her face in his chest and inhaled “I’m not using my tongue, am I?”

“I’ve - fffuck - I’ve been out in the garden all day,” he protested again, trying in vain to push her face way. “I’m all covered in dirt.”

“Don’t care,” she growled, as she dropped to both knees, eyes finally on her achingly hard prize. “Mmm, look how hard you are,” she gasped, as she gripped him, stroking him with one hand as she pulled back his foreskin. “Look how wet you are,” she groaned, as she inhaled deeply, a tremor wracking her body as her eyes went hazy. “God, Brian, let me have this,” she whispered, between sniffs. “Please let me have this. I want you so bad.”

“Okay,” he whispered, as he looked down at the naked desire on her face, the sheer hunger for him; of all the things she could need, that hunger was for him. He couldn’t say anything else; he couldn’t deny her, not with that look on her face. “Just, I do need to wash off at some point.”

“You just leave that to me,” she growled, as she nuzzled him, smearing her cheek and lips with his precum, gasping in bliss then inhaling once more. “God, I almost don’t wanna suck you off,” she sighed. “Almost,” she clarified, before he could protest. Then slowly, agonizingly slowly, her tongue began to spiral down him, licking up every drop of wetness her ravenous frenzy had released from him, breathing him in the entire time. Only once she’d finished cleaning him off did she finally take him into her mouth, looking up at him with those ravenous eyes, lips slowly swallowing him up until he reached her soft pallet. Then with an almost-intoxicated look of bliss, she wrapped those big, strong arms of hers around his legs, and began to push her head forward and back, taking him deeper and deeper so slowly he could barely stand it.

He could barely even think as she kept going, pausing occasionally, swallowing up more and more of him with each movement. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before, less suction and more a tight squeeze around him, clenching down on him in ways that lit his entire nervous system ablaze. She was so hot, so wet, that each time she released him he felt almost like he was back outside in the cold dry air again. But each time, she went a little further, until, as he looked down in disbelief, she pressed her nose to his groin. She looked up at him, met his disbelieving and barely focused gaze, raising her eyebrows, a look on her face he swore was pride. Then he felt what must have been her swallowing, but to the pleasure-filled haze of his mind, felt like she’d somehow managed to send him to heaven. He cried out, and she quickly released him, pulling back to just holding him in her mouth; he was already coming by the time she’d started licking him again, crying out and trembling with every movement of her tongue as he struggled not to white out from sheer pleasure.

“S-Sorry,” he managed to mutter, as she pulled herself up, her big, strong arms never once releasing her.

“For?” she asked, as she licked her lips, and curled her fingers in his hair. She nodded to the garments still around her ankles, and said, God, Brian, look at my undies. I made a puddle. If I didn’t have those under me, I’d have made a mess on the floor. I’m so goddamn horny I can barely think.”

He almost offered to take care of her, then he looked down at his dirt-stained hands, and went crimson.

“Yeah,” she chuckled, “I’m gonna need to wait until you’re nice and clean. You wanna clean up with me, Brian?” she asked.

“Desperately,” he whispered.

She just laughed, and lead him by the hand to the small bathroom, the shower barely - just barely - big enough for two. She caressed his aching body as the water spattered against the tub, then pulled him in once steam began to billow, interposition herself between him and it when he hissed at the sudden thermal shock. But soon, the two had switched places; she held him in her arms as he rest against her powerful, muscular form, letting the water pour down on his aching muscles.

“Don’t you even try to scrub yourself,” Ash murmured, as he collapsed against her, his weight fully and easily supported by her. “Okay? You just leave everything to me.”

“Okay,” he sighed, as she began to run her hands up and down his aching body, splashing water against his bare skin and washing away the dirt and sweat he’d been covered in.

He gave up on trying not to moan; they were the only ones there, he didn’t need to hide his pleasure from her. So he let her coax moans and sighs from him, first with her bare hands, then again after coating them in a thick wash smelling of lavender and vanilla. He held her as she scrubbed his aching limbs, he pressed his face against her as she cleaned his chest and stomach, he gasped as she wandered up and down his back and rear. Then, with a playful smile, she started pulling back his foreskin again, lips widening into a grin as she rubbed him with fingers just barely adorned with bubbles. She didn’t stop after she’d finished cleaning him, of course. She kept playing with him, running her fingers up and down his length, pumping him, looking down into his hazy eyes as he pressed his face to her chest and moaned in ecstasy. “I kinda want you to come again,” she growled, as he felt himself getting ready to do just that. “What do you think, Brian? You wanna come again?”

“What about-“ he began.

“Me?” she interrupted. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna take you up on that. But I wanna make you come first. So, where do you want to come, Brian? Bush? Abs? Tits? Somewhere else? I want you to choose this time.”

“Abs,” he gasped, as she slowed just in time to keep him on the edge. “Abs, please.”

“Mmm, good boy. I love how much you love ‘em,” she growled, as she began to pump him faster and faster, rubbing his throbbing cock against the springy muscle, grinning wickedly as he groped at her powerful body so he could hold on. “Such a good boy,” she growled as he felt the burst of pleasure finally overwhelm him, the second orgasm of the night erupting from him with so much force he nearly dropped to his ass. “And you gave me so much,” she sighed, as she reached down, dipping her fingers into the semen glistening on her muscular abdomen, sticking out her tongue and painting it with him. Then, as he watched in surprise, she turned off the water, then dipped her finger into it again. This time she drew it up, wetting her fingers and smearing herself again and again, painting a trail from her abdomen up to her left breast. “You like it?” she asked, as she began to circle her breast, leaving a perfect little flower drawn in his ejaculate.

“I don’t understand how you’re this sexy,” he murmured. “Um, you’re going to wash that off before your family gets home, right?”

She shrugged. “Figure I’d see how well it dries. We’ve got almost half an hour left. For now… you ever get a girl off with a showerhead?” she asked, as she pressed it into his hand.

Brian shook his head.

“Wanna learn?” she asked, as she turned the water back on.

“Absolutely,” he breathed, as he started to run the stream up one shapely, muscular leg.

Chapter Text

He wished he could say this was the dumbest mistake he’d ever made. Tragically, it didn’t even scrape the surface of all the stupid bullshit he’d done in his life. But as his trembling legs slowly dragged him forward, somehow he couldn’t think of any worse than checking Theatre instead of Theatre Tech. Sure, he’d roleplayed for a while, but that was in a little bitty group setting, not in front of a class full of people, to say nothing of what would happen if he ended up getting dragooned into an actual play. It felt like his body was weighted down with icy chains, like they’d hooked each of his organs and were tugging them out of his back. Yet his legs kept moving, his fear of getting in trouble for being late somehow overcoming his fear of literally everything else about this experience.

Then he saw something - or rather, someone - who tipped the scales. He’d never seen a woman as tall as her before, or a woman as muscular. She was dressed for the chilly September weather, but he could still see the muscles of her calves and… other muscles straining the blue denim of her jeans, her biceps and broad shoulders visible beneath her thin green sweater. A blonde braid, like woven gold, poured down her back, bobbing and dancing hypnotically as she walked towards the same theatre he was headed to. He was frozen, rooted to the spot as she slipped in; he was frozen for a few seconds more until he felt a hand clap his shoulder, a pitying look meeting his stunned expression. “Forget it, freshie,” the older boy said. “It’s not worth the heartbreak.”

“I-I didn’t… I wasn’t…” he started stammering, unable to even bring his thoughts into something coherent enough to deny them.

The other boy just laughed, and patted his shoulder. “Look, everyone has a crush on Sharon. Fact of life. But guys like us? We’re not even on her radar. Best to just accept that it’s never going to happen and move on. Hey,” the other boy said, giving him a shove, “best not to be late. I’ve heard Ms. Hisan’s a real stickler for punctuality.”

He stumbled along into the theatre, just barely beating the bell, the teacher’s stern, dark eyes fixating on him briefly before she cleared her throat. “You may sit anywhere you’d like,” she began. “You will not be there for long. Theatre is a class as much about doing as listening and watching, and you may expect to do each and every day.”

He slipped onto the nearest seat, not wanting to draw any further ire, then heard the words, “hey, haven’t seen you before,” in a low feminine alto. He slowly turned, and there she was, somehow more beautiful than he’d imagined from seeing her from behind. “You’re a freshman, right?” she drawled, quiet but not so quiet he couldn’t hear her. He didn’t manage any words, just a nod. But that was enough for her. “Cool,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m Sharon. Nice to meet you.”

With a trembling hand, he took it, struggling to speak. She looked at him for a second, narrowed her eyes, then shrugged her shoulders and smiled sympathetically. “A little shy, huh? Don’t worry, you’ll get over that in no time.”

He most emphatically would not, but, unfortunately, telling her that would require him to speak. So he just forced a smile onto his lips, eyes flicking back to the teacher lecturing them.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” she snickered. “I hear Hisan’s a real stone cold bitch. Alright, talk to you later, new kid.”

He flicked his eyes over at her occasionally - he couldn’t not - but each time he did, she was staring up at the little stage, watching the teacher’s animated movements. The moment, it appeared, was lost. So he just shrugged it off, took notes, and silently prayed he wouldn’t get called on to do one of those improv sketches his teacher kept bringing up.

God might have been listening. He’d never know. Unfortunately, Sharon wasn’t. When she was called up to stage and asked to pick a partner, she didn’t hesitate for a moment. “Hey, new kid, you in?” she asked. He wanted to shake his head, give in to the icy terror clenching in his guts, but the idea of everyone seeing him backing down frightened him far worse. So he stood up, walked down with her to the stage, trying to quiet his heart as it slammed against his rib cage. Then he saw the look of fury on her face as she stomped forward, one finger extended. “You bastard!” she growled, a low, furious noise, “how could you betray me like that!?”

He stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights. “I-I’d never-“ he stammered, only to he abruptly cut off.

“Break!” Mrs. Hisan said. “Remember, ‘yes and.’ You just shut your partner down. Sure, she can get a sketch out of that, but you’re making it harder on her. Alright, try again!”

He wracked his brain for a moment, trying to think of an appropriate response. None came. What did come, on the other hand, was years of DMing experience. “Betray you!?” he asked, drawing on his very best Black Knight voice, “you dog of a mad King! Surely you can see his wickedness, and yet you continue to follow him? You say I have betrayed you, i say I have dashed back from the precipice of madness!”

Sharon blinked, her lips quirking into a frown; she hadn’t been expecting this reply. Nobody had. But as little laughs and giggles flittered in, and he felt his face grow pale, a smirk began to cross her lips. “Watch your tongue, knave. The King’s a good man. God picked him to lead us.”

“You claim that God has chosen for our village to starve while he gorges?” he asked, incredulously.

“We all have to make sacrifices,” she huffed. “Do you want to see this kingdom overrun by Orcs?”

This time he was the one to blink. If he’d had the entire year to guess her response, he would never have predicted it’d include the word ‘Orc.’ “What use is there worrying about Orcs when soon you will defend only skeletons? He will damn us all.”

Sharon clenched her hands into fists, teeth bared. “We don’t just owe him our duty. We owe him our loyalty and faith. Doesn’t our path m mean anything to you?”

“An oath has two sides,” he replied, folding his arms. “He has broken his first.”

“Fine,” she growled, as she gripped an imaginary sword. “If you won’t listen to reason, you’ll listen to steel.”

“And scene!” Ms. Hisan shouted. “Excellent work, you two! Very unorthodox, but very creative. Now-“

As the two of them went back to their seats, him struggling to breathe at a normal pace instead of hyperventilating, she patted him on the shoulder. “Nice work, new kid. Sorry I got my Lord of the Rings in your Game of Thrones.”

“Dungeons and Dragons, actually,” he muttered, trying not to let the teacher overhear them.

“Really?” she asked, flipping her ponytail in one hand. “I’ve always been trying to find a group for that.”

“I, uh, I was in one,” he mumbled, “but-“

“Trust me,” she grumbled, “I understand that all too well. So, you got a name, new kid?”

“Y-Yeah,” he stammered. “It’s-“

———

“Will,” Brian ground out, trying to ignore the flashing behind his eyes, “what was the one thing I told you not to do?”

“…Invite Mike?” he mumbled, back pressed against the chair as hard as it would go.

“And what did you do?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

“Okay, so I know this looks bad, but-“

“Will,” Brian growled, “do you remember why we stopped playing in the first place?”

“I know,” Will mumbled, “but look, he had a lot of stuff going on, and-“

“Sam ended the game because he was miserable,” Brian interjected, his hands clenching into fists. “Because Mike made him miserable. How do you think he’s going to react when he sees him?”

“Look, I know,” Will sighed. “But he’s sorry. He really is. A-And he’s going to be on his best behavior. Can’t you just give him one more chance? He…” Will lowered his head, sinking his teeth into his lip. “he needs this, Brian. He’s been so lonely lately. He doesn’t have a lot of friends; I’m like all he’s got.”

I wonder why, Brian didn’t say. “I’m not going to give him another chance,” Brian started, holding up a hand before Will could respond. “It’s entirely up to Sam. So you’re going to take him downstairs, he’s going to apologize, and then if Sam says it’s okay, then he can stay. But if he isn’t on his best behavior-“

“Thank you,” Will whispered. “Thank you so much. I promise, if he acts up, I’ll tell him to leave myself.”

“You better,” Brian grumbled. The two of them then headed back to Brian’s doorstep, where Mike stood there, tapping his feet, whistling an off-key time. “One chance,” he told him, holding up a finger before Mike could say anything. “And only if Sam says yes. Got it?”

“Yessir,” Mike cheerfully replied, a grin on his face. “I’ve really looking forward to this. I promise, I’m not going to let you down.”

“You’d better not,” Brian grumbled, quiet enough for plausible deniability if called out on it, loud enough so that he knew both of them would here. “Sam’s already downstairs, he’s agreed to help Ash with her character sheet. Will, you get to explain why he’s here. I’ve got to finish up the snacks while we wait for everyone else.”

Brian sighed as the two headed down the stairs, chattering happily as they went. He hated to do this to Sam. He especially hated to do this without being there for Sam. He felt like his stomach was folding in on itself, but he silently reminded himself that Ash was down there, and she wouldn’t put up with Mike’s bullshit if he was lying about turning over a new leaf. It wasn’t like he was lying; he had pretzels baking, and Sharon and Alma should be here any minute. But really, the truth was that he didn’t want to see either of the two of them right now. This was supposed to be his chance to give his girlfriend and her - their - friends a chance to have a good experience with something he loved. But he was already dreading how this afternoon was going to go.

As luck would have it, the pretzels were done right as the doorbell chimes. “One second,” he called, as he frantically pulled the tray from the hot oven. Then he dashed over to the door, opening it, looking up at the cool expression and smiling face, respectively, of Sharon and Alma. “Hey, thanks for doing this,” Sharon said, as the two of them stepped in. “Did, um, did you two bring everything?”

“Nope!” Alma chirped cheerfully, as she held out a nearly-blank character sheet. “I totally got lost trying to make a character. This is way more complex than Skyrim. Um, Is that gonna be a problem?”

Sharon turned to her, eyes narrowing; for a moment it looked like was she about to say something, then she sighed and passed her a fully-filled, care-worn character sheet covered in doodles. “Here,” she huffed. “I know what I’m doing, kind of. I’ll just fill this one in as we go.”

Alma looked at it, then back to Sharon, brow furrowed. “I don’t know what a star elf is, but I don’t want to be one. I want to be human.”

“Well, next time you’ll call someone and ask for help,” Sharon growled. “Unless we’re the first ones here…”

“You’re the last,” Brian told them, while transferring hot pretzels to a bowl. “Um, if you’d like, we can wait for her to finish, but-“

Sharon shook her head. “Dungeons and Dragons, hold the douchebags? I’ve been waiting years for this game. When do we get started?”

———

He looked up when he heard three sets of footsteps coming down the stairs; he felt his jaw almost drop when he saw who was coming. Sure, he’d been flabbergasted when he saw Ash sitting at his table waving at him, but everyone knew she and Brian were dating now. But her? Sharon? And yet here she was, in his friend’s basement, character sheet and dice in hand. He’d had this dream before; it was probably the least realistic dream he’d had about her, and that included the one where she’d snuck into his room in nothing but a leather corset and…

“You’re drooling,” Mike stage-whispered at him; he felt heat bloom across his face and turn his ears crimson, then wiped a hand against his face; it came away dry. He paused to glare at Mike, then turned back to Sharon, who thankfully hadn’t seemed to notice.

On the other hand, she had noticed him. “Oh, hey,” she said, the pinnacle of nonchalance, as she slipped around the table and flopped down next to him. “Man, I did not put two and two together. How’ve you been, anyway? It’s been like a month since the last time we did a skit together.”

“Good!” he squeaked. “N-No, I mean I’ve been good. I, uh-“

“Relax”, she chuckled, “I get it. We should do a reading together soon, though. You’ve got nicer diction than most of the bozos in class.”

Mike guffawed for a moment. Just a moment. Then he caught her eyes, and immediately went silent. “So, what are you playing?” she asked.

“I’m a devil-pact warlock,” Mike crowed. “Condemned for sins not my own, I-“

“That’s nice,” Sharon said, in a tone of voice so patronizing he briefly wondered if Mike’s Warlock was going to switch to a Sharon pact. “So?”

“Oh, um, Dragonborn Cleric,” he mumbled. “O-Of Bahamut.”

“Scalie!” Mike coughed. “Excuse me, I need some water.”

“Oh, really?” she asked. “Cool. Apparently I’m a Paladin of Bahamut. We can be bashing buddies. Like Mormons, but with… uh…” She looked down at her character sheet. “Well, with something big and violent.”

“You forgot to pick your weapon?” he asked.

“Nah, this is Alma’s character sheet,” she said, jamming her thumb at the younger girl, who was currently chattering at Ash and Brian. “I figured I’d fill stuff in while I played, figure it out when I need it.”

“Yeah, that’s fair,” Mike sneered. “You know, I could totally help you fill that in. I’m really good at optimizing.”

Sharon snorted. “You try too hard.”

“J-Just being friendly,” Mike grumbled, slouching over, trying to hide the red creeping over him. “You don’t have to-“

Sharon folded her arms, and looked down her nose at him. “I’ve been ‘Friendlied’ since I was in a training bra,” she drawled. “I have zero interest in getting hit on at a D&D game.”

Not even on her radar, he heard in the back of his mind.

Before Mike could say anything else, Brian cleared his throat. “Mike,” he said, “one chance, remember?”

“I didn’t even do anything,” he grumbled, gripping his dice and rolling them around in his hands.

He looked at the irritated Sharon, now facing straight forward with her eyes still narrowed, and the sullen Mike, muttering to himself, and tried to fight the knots creeping up his guts. He was starting to regret the whole thing.

———

“I roll diplomacy!” Mike yelled, cutting him off, already tossing the die. “Twelve plus six is eighteen!”

Brian blinked, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “The orc looks down at the die, uncomprehending, a scowl crossing his face. He seems to be angry that you’ve interrupted him to toss a piece of wood around.”

“Come on, what the fuck, man!?” Mike snapped. “You know that’s not what I was doing.”

“I told you,” Brian sighed, “you have to declare your action and then roll for it.”

“You let her get away with it,” he grumbled, pointing at Alma.

“First, she’s learning. Second, I still ask her what she’d trying to do.” Third, he didn’t say, she’s actually been improving since Sam started helping her. He was beyond grateful; ever since he found out she’d watched precisely one single YouTube on how to play in preparation, he’d been helping her. Genuinely helping her as opposed to the ‘you should do this!’ from Mike.

“‘Enough talk!’” Ash spat, in a guttural vocal fry. “‘Diplomacy has failed. He has chosen violence.’ I raise my axe, and I bellow…”

“‘I’ve come for your cock!’” half the table said in unison: Ash roaring it; Sharon drawling it, a hand on her forehead; Alma cheering it happily.

“Please, for the love of fuck,” Mike moaned, “get a new battle cry.”

“No thanks,” Ash chuckled. “I’ve got a schtick now.”

“But it’s so fucking dumb,” he grumbled. “I don’t know why you think it’s such a good battle cry.”

Ash raised an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t be afraid if I ran at you with an axe threatening to take your dick?” she chuckled. “And Ceniza’s got a foot on me and tusks like a boar. The day you think of something scarier than that, I’ll take your advice.”

Brian knew she wouldn’t. While the first time she’d bellowed it he’d nearly laughed himself sick, he’d quickly realized the double meaning. How could he not, when she looked directly at him, a little smirk on her face. The joke had worn off some time ago, but he still hadn’t stopped getting weird tingly feelings from her battle cry.

“Just let her play her character the way she wants,” Sam cut in.

“So,” she asked, “can I roll intimidate?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” he replied.

“Are you kidding?” Mike whined. “That’s exactly what you just busted my balls for.”

“She told me her action and then asked if she should roll,” Brian groaned, massaging his temples. “You just told me you were rolling. I still don’t know what you wanted to do.”

“Use diplomacy on the Orc,” he sneered. “Jesus, are you going to make me lift weights for strength checks next?”

“Ooh, can we do that?” Ash teased, as she rolled her die. “I’d be the best at strength checks. Fifteen plus one, sixteen.”

“Okay, it’s brave, but it’s outnumbered, so I’m calling this a difficult. The Orc doesn’t understand exactly what you’re saying, but it sees the axe and goes mint when it hears the word ‘cock.’ You hear it whine something along the lines of ‘I don’t get paid enough for this,’ and it’s running for it.”

“Another combat wasted,” Mike grumbled, folding his arms, while Brian rubbed his forehead. “Maybe there’s some good loot at least.”

Brian rolled the dice. “In its haste, it didn’t close its money pouch. There’s half a dozen scattered silver,” he said, and Mike threw up his arms. He wished he could do the same.

The most frustrating thing was, if they just cut Mike from the equation, everything was going perfectly. He’d been concerned when all three of the guys stared at Sharon like, well, like he stared at Ash when she lifted up her shirt, but after she’d told off Mike, the other two had behaved. She and Sam were getting along, whenever he could spare time from Alma’s chattering and questions, and she and Will had even found a way to make their backgrounds work together. And for all of Alma’s failure to actually prepare, she was a damn good player as long as someone else told her what she needed to roll and whether what she wanted to do was possible. Hell, she’d come up with a couple of truly clever clever ideas, like using a minor illusion to trick a group of goblins into thinking one of their weight-sensitive pit traps hadn’t triggered then luring them into it. Mike, of course, had asked why they hadn’t gotten a save.

He was starting to wish that Mike would just fuck up already. But so far, he hadn’t really done anything he could actually point to and say ‘that was your one chance.’ Mike hadn’t tried to drag him into a fifteen minute argument, he hadn’t tried to browbeat him or anyone else. He’d fuss and fume and whine and bitch, but always a single line, maybe two, then he’d drop it. In and of itself, nothing he’d done would even be an issue. It was the sheer quantity of those gripes and complaints, the constant bad attitude, that left Brian feeling like he was being nibbled to death by ducks.

He wasn’t the only one getting frustrated. There was Ash, of course; he swore the other reason why she kept her battle cry up was to piss him off. She kept shooting eyes at him, mouthing ‘are you okay?’ or making a little throat-slitting gesture; so far, he’d nodded and shaken his head regardless. Alma was starting to quiet down, her cheerful little chirps now further and fewer between. Sharon, on the other hand, was in that state he recognized from back at the Long Con, eyes staring straight ahead, hands clenching and unclenching. And Will kept mouthing ‘I’m sorry,’ or “he’s trying.

It was Sam who finally ended up breaking. It was right before the boss fight, when the goblin leader was squealing threats and bolstering her flagging followers. Naturally, Alma had asked what they were saying; she’d been taking advantage of her proficiency with the goblin language to spy and strategize. He hadn’t had any real clue what to tell her, so he’d just made up something that sounded good about stolen lands, stolen food, starving children. He wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

“‘This is the first I’ve heard of any of this,’ I tell her, looking sympathetic. ‘They told us that you’d raised their farms, pillaging and plundering. Please, tell me your side of the story.’”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Mike had grumbled, “just get on with it.”

Brian cleared his throat. “I’m going to need you to roll diplomacy. She’s not inclined to listen to an elf, let alone one who’s been killing her people.”

Alma rolled, nearly dropping the die, peering at it quizzically. “Thirteen plus… No, not proficiency. So fourteen. That’s not going to do it, is it?”

Brian shook his head. “‘You just want us to let down our guard!’ she squeaks. ‘You care nothing for my kind. My brothers’ and sisters’ bodies are proof enough.”

“‘And how many brothers and sisters have you slain?’ I ask,” Alma continued. “‘But that doesn’t mean I won’t hear you out. If you won’t trust my words, trust my actions,’ I say, then I toss my bow aside.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Mike moaned again, “are we playing D&D or Fallout!?”

“Just let her play her character!” Sharon snapped. “What’s your problem anyway?”

“My problem is that I’ve been looking forward to an actual fight all night,” Mike growled, “and the Disney Princess here is trying to take it away!”

“I’m neutral good, which means I’m devoted to helping others, not killing them,” Alma huffed. “Why are you like this?”

“Wh-Your favored enemy is goblinoids!” he snapped. “You should want to cut them all down!”

“Clearly she’s misunderstood their plight,” Alma chirped. “So, let’s see…”

“Fuck it,” he snapped, “I blast the goblin leader. That’s me playing my character.”

Alma’s jaw dropped. “I tackle him,” she said, die already in her hand.

“Oh, enough with this bullshit,” Mike groaned. “Fine, I’m going to blast her instead. I’m going to yell ‘Traitor!’ and-“

“No you fucking aren’t,” Sam finally snapped.

“Dude, don’t tell me how to play my character,” he replied. “She’s playing with the hellfire, man.”

“If you do this, I’m officially withdrawing my permission,” Sam ground out.

“Wh-th-that’s metagaming!” he wailed. “You can’t-“

“I don’t care,” Sam said, folding his arms.

“Why are you taking her side, anyway?” he whined. “She can barely play. She’s been begging you for help all night. Do you l want to get your dick wet that badly?”

“And you’re done,” Sam replied, snapping his fingers. “Permission withdrawn.”

“You can’t-“ he began, only to abruptly go quiet when Sharon started uncoiling from her slouch, fists clenched and jaw set.

“If I hear one more goddamn word from you,” she snarled, “one more goddamn word, I am going to shove your own dice bag up your ass and roll up a new character with you. You have been riding my friend’s ass this entire night and shitting on my other two friends almost nonstop. I am fucking furious at every last person who said they were going to give you a chance, with the possible exception of Brian, because he reaped what he fucking sowed.”

He saw Will pale, and was pretty sure he had as well. “I told Will not to invite him,” Brian mumbled helplessly.

“You should have followed through,” she snapped. “Point is,” she continued, turning back to Mike, “I want you fucking gone, asshole.” He opened his mouth to snap back a reply; before he could, Sharon reached out with one shaking fist, snatched his dice bag, and held it so tight her knuckles paled. She raised an eyebrow. “Call my fucking bluff.”

He looked around helplessly, from Ash’s cool face, to Sam’s stony glare, to Alma’s sad little frown, to Brian’s stern look. Finally, he looked to Will.

“Hey, Mike?” he finally said. “I think you need to go.”

———

‘I am fucking furious at every last person who said they were going to give you a chance,’ she’d said. It played in his head again and again, like a record skipping and restarting. He’d just wanted to be kind. To let bygones be bygones. Mike had been his friend, before that bullshit. He’d fucked up. He should have listened, but…

They’d been getting along so well before that, too. He’d almost had a little bit of hope kindling, thinking that maybe she’d want to actually spend more time with him. Pie in the sky dreams had spiraled from there, things he’d never thought were possible, but… well, all of that was gone now. If she even spoke to him again, he’d be flabbergasted.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” she said, the moment he walked in. Turns out he got to be flabbergasted. “I… I was really pissed off, you know? But not at you. It’s not your fault.”

“If I hadn’t said he could come…” he trailed off, trying to look at her, unable to make eye contact.

“Yeah, well, everyone fucks up,” she replied. “At least you fucked up trying to be a good friend. There’s a lot of fuckups who can’t even claim that.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled. “I-I really am sorry I didn’t say anything earlier.”

“Yeah, well, I probably could have gotten pissed an hour ago and saved everyone some grief,” she replied. “At least you weren’t a total coward like that other guy.”

“Will’s not so bad,” he sighed. “He’s just… he’s too kind for his own good.”

“No,” Sharon replied, “he’s too nice for his own good. Kind is the way you were helping Alma the whole night. That was really sweet of you, Sam.”

“It really wasn’t a big deal,” Sam said. “She’s actually a lot of fun to game with. Once she knows what she’s doing, she’s going to be a DM’s dream.”

“Oh really,” Sharon murmured, conspiratorially. “You know, I could put in a good word…”

Sam felt himself flush to his ears. “P-Please don’t,” he mumbled. “She’s really sweet, but… it’d feel like dating my kid sister, you know what I mean?”

“Totally get it,” Sharon laughed. “Alma’s a real acquired taste. So, I guess that means you’re still on the market?”

He nodded. There was a tiny bit of him that wondered at the phrasing; he squashed it immediately. That was too dumb for words.

“Cool. Hey,” she said, leaning forward, a little closer than he felt comfortable with but in a very pleasant way, so close that he could smell her perfume with each breath. “you wanna do our skit together? We had great chemistry when we were doing the whole Wrath of Bahamut thing together. Much better than the long-lost half-siblings thing.”

“I’d like that,” he mumbled, feeling a warmth spreading through his chest. “I had fun too. I’m sorry things weren’t better.”

“That’s what next game is for,” she replied. “What,” she asked, when his eyebrows raised, “you didn’t think that douchebag was going to make me leave, did you? He’s gone, so I’m sticking around.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he sighed. “Do, um, do you need me to talk to Will?”

“Nah,” she replied, a little smile crossing her face, “I’m feeling magnanimous. One more chance?” she said, offering her hand. “For someone who actually deserved it?”

“One more chance,” Sam replied, taking it and shaking it, barely even trembling a little.

———

Sharon bit down on her lip to silence her moans, fingers tracing just barely inside of her, circling and teasing and stroking the fire raging inside of her. Another mysterious stranger fantasy, she’d decided. Another nice sweet gentleman who was going to lick her just how she wanted to be licked, without any complaint or demand. She gently brushed her clit with soaked fingers as she imagined his tongue against her, swirled them inside of herself as she imagined him licking her deeper, needing her, desperate for her.

Faces were coming to her unbidden again. Brian’s adorable little blush, his glasses fogged with heat as he eagerly pleased her. No. Alex’s kittenish little smile, so happy to get a chance to taste her. No. Coppery skin and an infectious grin and… fuck no. Her brain was really fucking sexually frustrated if it was throwing women at her. Then another face came to her eyes, completely unbidden. Slight, almost feminine features. Skin a little darker than Ash’s, hair short and curly and looking so damn fun to tug. Glasses, different than Brian’s, fogging up just as much. Yeah, she thought, she could do this.

She imagined pressing herself into Sam’s adorable face. Grinding her blonde bush against his lips, as she rubbed herself against her hand. He’d be a gentleman, wouldn’t he? He’d lick her so eagerly, so hungrily. He wouldn’t complain about the weight of her muscle pressing down on his jaw, or the way her hair tickled his nose and lips. She imagined his cute little shy smile as he begged her to keep letting him eat her, as he begged her to come on his tongue. God, there was something about that idea that really did it for her. She tried to hold back ragged breaths as she ground herself against her hand, as she rubbed herself with her fingertips, as she felt the heat inside of her building to another overwhelming surge of sexual pleasure. “Sam,” she whispered, and that whisper pushed her over the edge, sent pleasure wracking her body, made her entire body shake and spasm as she came again and again.

Yeah, she thought, once she’d finished, slowly stroking herself through the aftershocks. She could work with this.

Chapter Text

Brian bounced between his legs, trying to shake the ever-accumulating horde of butterflies out of his guts. He didn’t think this was something he’d have to worry about for half a year. Hell, he didn’t think this was something he’d have to worry about until Junior year before he met Ash. But the last day before winter break was the school’s Snow Ball, which meant Brian got to experience his very first formal dance the exact same calendar year he started high school. Somehow, that didn’t seem quite fair to him. Then again, he was only going because he was dating Ash, so maybe this was just karma catching up to him.

He didn’t know why he was so nervous. This wasn’t like Halloween, where he had no idea if she was going to back out. But for some reason, he couldn’t shake the butterflies out of his stomach. It was worse than meeting her dad, because at least then he had some valid fears, even if they were ultimately unsound. But here, all he could do was worry and shift, shift and worry, until it felt like he was so full of flapping wings and fluttering bodies that he was going to burst.

Then the door opened, and as one, they took flight, leaving him feeling like he was going to burst in a very different way. She had a shy little smile on her face, garnet on her cheeks. But there wasn’t any reason for her to. She looked breathtaking. He’d briefly wondered if she was going to wear a dress; he knew she wasn’t averse to skirts, but he’d never seen her go all the way before. And now he never wanted to. Because the outfit she was wearing, a pencil skirt, blazer, and vest combo that made him suspect Rose was involved at some point, was the only piece of formalwear he ever wanted to see her in. She’d even worn stockings, complete with snowflake lace, and a tie, a royal blue that matched the lipstick she was wearing. Once again, he found himself in the enviable position of being frozen to the spot, staring at her openly, aware that his face was slowly growing hotter and hotter and with no way to stop it.

“I’d ask if you like what you see,” she murmured, “but I can kinda guess. You wanna keep staring for a bit?” she asked, a smile spreading across her face, “or you wanna get going so you can see if I remembered to wear undies today?”

Brian gulped. “I don’t know how I’m going to get through this,” he whimpered.

She took his hand, lifted it to her lips, and pressed them to it. “How do you think?” she whispered, as she parted her lips and gently bit down, making him hiss in shock at the sudden burst of intensely sweet pain. “With me, of course.” She slipped down the stairs, pulling him after her, pausing periodically to nip at him whenever he tarried too long, whenever he stared a moment too long, but stopping whenever he enjoyed the sensation of being nipped at a bit too much. Until, finally, she’d managed to lure him to the car, almost shoving him into his seat before slipping to the other side with a giggle. “C’mon, Brian,” she murmured, “this isn’t even the appetizer yet. This is, like, snacking before the meal.”

“W-What’s the appetizer?” he mumbled, trying to bring himself back to reality as his hands fumbled at the belt.

“Pictures,” she replied cheerfully, as she turned on the car, symphonic metal carols blasting from her radio as she hit the road. “We’re gonna meet up with the others to get some group photos taken first.”

“O-Oh,” he sighed, trying not to sound disappointed.

Evidently, he failed. “Aw, I’m sorry,” she chuckled, “I got your hopes up, huh? Nah, see, let’s call those… damn, what is it again? Yeah, let’s call ‘em amuse-bouches,” she continued, pronouncing the words like muse and pooch. “Y’know, little chances to go please one of our mouths,” she growled, making sure he got the implication.

“We are so going to get caught,” he mumbled, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Depends on what you mean by caught,” she replied. “You mean someone’s gonna walk in on us? Nah, I’m careful. Remember, I’ve been, uh, cooling off after school for two years now. Are they gonna know?” She flicked her eyes to him, and chuckled. “Oh yeah, they’re gonna know.”

For a brief moment, Brian wondered what she meant. Then he looked down at his right hand, at the little blue lip prints and smudges she’d marked him with. He slowly turned to her, saw the wicked grin on her blue-smudged lips. “So, uh, you wanna guess how long it took me to find lipstick that was gonna leave prints easily?”

“I have no idea,” he mumbled. “They don’t leave prints?”

“Nah, they’re designed not to,” she huffed. “It took me too damn long to find a cheap kind that looked good on me,l,” she grumbled, as she reached her right hand to his left, pulling his hand to his, kissing him once again. “But so worth it.”

By the time they stopped at one of the local parks, a large green space with a full length basketball court the team apparently used during the summer, his fingers and forearms were well-marked. So was the left side of his neck, from when a red light had been a little too long for Ash’s taste. And his left ear. His lips hadn’t been marked yet, but it was only a matter of time, and he was genuinely worried about whether they’d end up staining his suit. But not too worried, he though, as she marked his right cheek once once they got out and started heading over.

“Go Brian!” Kathy called, the moment she saw the two of them walking up. “Alex, do you want me to buy some lipstick?”

Alex looked at Brian, eyes widening, then gulped, looking back to the hungry expression on his girlfriend’s face. “M-Maybe UV lipstick?” he suggested.

“Aw, you don’t want everyone to see that you’re mine?”

He paused for a moment. “Maybe different colors?” he’d suggested.

Sharon, on the other hand, just stared at the two of them. “You, uh, you do know your parents are probably going to hang those on your walls, right?”

Ash nodded, slowly, staring back. “That’s their problem. So,” she continued, “this is new. Are you two…”

Sharon looked down at the shell-shocked Sam, then shrugged. “I just found out that nobody had asked this cutie to the dance. Can you believe it?” A mischievous smirk then slid across her lips. “Who knows where the night will take us, though.”

“Good luck,” Brian whispered to Sam, who looked like he didn’t know if he should be going pale or blushing so his face was trying to do both.

“Brian, I already rolled a seven on a six sided die,” he whispered back. “I don’t think where I am luck can reach me anymore.”

———

“In the air, there’s a feeling… of Chri~stmas…”

“You know,” Brian sighed, as they walked together beneath chintzy snowflake decorations on their way to the cafeteria, “I think I might finally be getting used to this song.”

“Really?” Ash asked.

He shook his head. “No, still awful.”

Ash burst out laughing, and gave his hand a squeeze. “You’re kinda ridiculous, Brian,” she said, as she lifted his marked hand to her lips and nibbled at him once again, sending sparks shooting up his arm and blood rushing down his body. “Never change.”

“I’ll do my best,” he replied, as he gave her hand a squeeze. “So, um, I’ve never done this before, and I’m not sure what we do now. Are we going to be dancing, or-“

“Dancing’s in the gym,” she replied. “The cafeteria’s for sitting, snacking, and chatting. I figured we’d go hang with everyone for a little while, hit up the dance floor…” Then she sank her teeth into his wrist, leaving a pair of blue mark and making him shiver at the sweet little burst of pain, and murmured, “maybe take some us time.”

“It… fuck… it feels like you’re being really aggressive tonight,” he mumbled.

Ash shrugged. “Maybe. I gotta admit, every time I mark you, it makes me want to give you some more. You, uh, you don’t mind, right? I, uh, I can-“

He shook his head. “Not even a little. It’s… it’s actually really turning me on,” he mumbled. “Like, you’re so incredibly sexy all the time, but…”

“I get it,” she laughed. “I kinda want to show you off, y’know? It’s like, it’s not prom, and it’s not homecoming, but it’s close, and… this is the first chance I really get to show everyone that you’re mine.”

“What about the kidnapping?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she chuckled, “but that’s kind of a gag. Like, you saw Sharon and her hobbit, yeah? Best friends are fair game too.”

He then took a deep breath, and mumbled, “hey, are you sure you wanna do this? I… I don’t want people to make fun of you for-“

She jammed her lips against his mouth, tongue curling against his, one hand squeezed in hers, the other hanging limp as her fingers twisted in his hair. By the time he knew what was happening, he was against the wall, pressed into the white faux bricks by her immense strength. When she finally pulled away, he was gasping for breath, glasses fogged, jaw hanging loose as much out of surprise as a reaction to her kisses. “You are mine,” she growled, “and I wanna shout it from the rooftops. Okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered.

“Now, uh, I gotta go reapply my makeup,” she mumbled, looking at his smudged face, “but why don’t you go ahead, get me some snacks, and save a place for me. Okay?”

“Okay,” he sighed, as he struggled to will his legs to move. “Can, um, can I just sit down for a minute though?”

She laughed, and patted his head. “Tell you what. I’ll go get the snacks, you just go let everyone know where I am, okay?”

He nodded again, slowly making his way to the cafeteria, quickly finding the team’s cluster of tables. And, as it turns out, finding trouble as well.

“…So, I’m going to warn you one more time,” Sharon growled, “if I see your fucking face again, I’m going to pull it off and put it in my purse.”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” the handsome young man in the literal tuxedo replied, voice sweet as honey. “You wouldn’t want anyone to hear you threatening me, would you? That’s the kind of thing people have gotten in serious trouble for.”

“Do I look like I give a shit?” she asked, folding her arms. “Call my bluff.”

He took a step back at the vehemence in her voice, trying to play it off into a half-step. It was obvious when Brian saw it, maybe not from the front, though. “Look,” he wheedled, “all I want to do is talk to Ash.”

Brian felt a shiver run through his spine. He’d met her sophomore ex, Craig. He hadn’t heard anything about the freshman ex, though. This guy was her first boyfriend?

“As I recall,” Sue growled, clenching her hands into fists, “she told you she never wanted to see you again.”

He held up his hands. “I admit, Mistakes were made, but now is a perfect time to try again. Winter’s a wonderful time for new beginnings.”

“Winter’s a lovely time for a funeral,” Rose growled. “Now go away.”

“Tsk. So incredibly rude,” he sniffed. “I’ve never done anything to you. I don’t understand why you’re treating me so poorly.”

“He really doesn’t think we can see through his bullshit,” Monica said, patting his shoulder. “Babe, I think he thinks we’d stupid.”

Rose shook her head. “No, I just think he’s stupid.”

All of them laughed at that; he could see Tom’s hands bunching into fists, then uncurling to smooth his pants. “Look, I can see I’m not wanted here. Just let me know where she’s gone off to…”

“I know where she is,” someone said. It couldn’t have been him. He didn’t have the guts to say something like that. But the handsome asshole was staring at him now, so apparently he was doing this.

He stalked up to Brian, a sickening smile across his face, puffing out his chest, spreading his arms wide. Then looking down at Brian, he smirked, and sneered “nice lipstick.”

That was the first glimmer of confidence felt. ‘Really?’ he wanted to shout. ‘That’s what you pick? The fact that my girlfriend has been visibly all over me?’ But that was a little beyond him, so he just let the first hint of a smile play across his face. “Thanks. Ash gave it to me.”

The girls oohed and giggled; he could they were playing it up, but he wanted to thank him. Her ex, on the other hand… did he just grimace? “So, um, Ash,” he mumbled, desperately clinging to the momentum. “She’s, um, let’s say she’s cleaning up.” Oh wow, and that was a wince. Meanwhile, Brian was in the middle of learning a valuable lesson: Giant and terrifying athletes or not, nobody could ooh like a pack of teenage girls.

“Holy crap, Brian,” Sharon drawled, “already? Don’t you ever give that girl a break?”

As laughter rang out all around him, Brian cleared his throat. “Did you need to give her a message…” he’d started to say, then he paused. He genuinely didn’t know the guy’s name. “Who are you again?”

He looked like he’d just been punched in the gut. Then his lips twisted into a smirk. “I’m Tom. Her-“

“Who?” he asked. He’d literally never heard her mention that name before.

“Her first boyfriend,” he snarled, hands balled into fists. “In every sense of the word.”

Brian just blinked. He got the implication, of course, but he’d already known she’d had other partners before him, and after seeing Craig, well, if he was going to be jealous of anyone it was going to be the guy who was one hammer away from being the next Thor. Besides, there was something else he was curious about now. “Really?” he asked, genuinely curious. “She, um, she’s literally never mentioned you.”

Now he looked like Brian had slapped his face. For a moment, he looked like he was struggling to say something, but before he could, he froze, face paling, taking a step back. “Hi, Tom!” Kathy chirped, as she headed towards the table, Alex in tow. She… oh dear lord, Brian thought, she had on black lipstick now. And so did Alex. Everywhere. “How are the scars healing up?”

He was gone by the time Brian looked back. Kathy’s smile curled into a scowl. “Yeah, you better run, bitch,” she growled.

“Jesus,” Sam breathed, looking at Brian in awe, “how the hell did you just do that?”

Brian shrugged. “I’ll tell you if I ever figure it out.”

It was a few more minutes before Ash finally arrived, a tray laden with snacks in her arms. “Don’t worry, it’s for every-“ she’d begun, only to slow, and scowl. “Oh you bitch,” she grumbled at Kathy.

“What?” she asked, smiling an onyx smile. “It was a good idea.”

“Yeah, but it was mine,” she grumbled, setting down the tray and folding her arms. “Now it’s just gonna be a thing.”

She shrugged. “Not my problem. Oh, dog-fucker dropped by to say hi. He ran when he saw me.”

Ash’s entire body tensed, and if he thought she’d been scowling before… He was almost scared of that look on her face. “Brian,” she growled, the low rumble of an earthquake, “did he bother you?”

He shook his head. “He’s more of a tryhard than Mike.”

Ash burst out laughing, wrapping her big, strong arms around him. “He really is, isn’t he?” She held him for a moment, murmured, “Love you,” then let him go, taking a tasty looking bite of brownie and holding it up to his blue-smudged lips. “Let me know if he’s a problem again, okay?”

“I will,” he promised, then opened his mouth, nipping down on her fingers as she fed him the first of their snacks.

———

As chintzy snowflakes danced from the gym rafters, and slow jazzy Christmas carols filled the air, the two of them danced hand in hand, Ash guiding him with another hand at his hip. There was no question in either of their minds who would lead, even if this hadn’t been his first time dancing. She smiled down at him, meeting his gaze, then slowly, she lowered her lips to his ear. “Y’know, after that time in the Long Con, this is honestly kinda boring.”

“Maybe thinking of it the wrong way,” he suggested, as he followed her lead, glancing down to make sure he didn’t step on her feet. “You’re thinking of it as a dance.”

She blinked, blue-decorated lip dropping slightly. Uh… yeah?”

“It’s not,” he replied. “That was a dance.”

After a moment, Ash finally started chuckling. “Okay, now this I gotta hear. What are we doing right now, huh?”

“Cuddling while shuffling,” he whispered. “And-,” he continued, as she burst out laughing, “and, everyone’s watching us doing it.”

“I love you,” she murmured, bending down to press her lips to his. “You’ve got such a cool way of thinking about things.”

He shrugged. “Outsider’s perspective?”

“Or you’ve just got a fun, sexy brain,” she suggested. “I love that brain, y’know?”

“And I love you too,” he replied.

People were staring at them, he noticed. Mostly out of curiosity. There were a couple who whispered to their partners, or laughed, or pointed conspiratorially, and a few who outright scowled when they saw him. But mostly, when he caught their eyes, and they didn’t look away and pretend they weren’t looking? They’d smile, or nod, or mouth ‘good luck.’ And more than a couple looked at him, then at Ash’s lipstick, then pointed excitedly or whispered to their partners in a very different way than that first group. It was… honestly, it was nice.

“So, this is going to sound weird,” Brian began.

“Go on,” she replied, “tell me about your outsider’s perspective.”

“Shouldn’t, I don’t know, shouldn’t we be having some sort of showdown with the mean girls where they sneer at you for dating a dorky freshman? I-I don’t want them to,” he stammered, but-

Ash chuckled. “So, Brian, I think you’re a little confused. That kind of crap? Yeah, sometimes it happens. But, well, that kind of popularity jockeying?” She shook her head slowly. “We’re not a part of that. Nobody wants to fight the entire goddamn team, and we stick together.”

“You’re basically herbivorous megafauna,” he realized. “Depositing popularity from space to space without any care for the ecology of fear social carnivores create.”

“Huh. Yeah, I can see it,” she admitted. “We don’t really have time to waste with that kind of crap. I’d rather hang out with that cute dork who thinks my abs are hot than spend the time worrying about what people are gonna say.” After a moment, she then chuckled again, and murmuring, “See, that’s what I mean about your brain. God, I love the way you think.”

He craned his neck up to her, planting a kiss on her lips the moment she bent down. “Thanks,” he replied. “I know, but I really like when you say it.”

The two danced in comfortable silence for a bit longer, before Ash cleared her throat. “Hey, uh, do you… do you want to talk about…”

He reached up, pressing a finger to her blue lips. “I don’t.” When she bit her lip, he stroked her cheek, and shook his head. “I don’t mean I want to talk about him later, or I don’t want to talk about him because I’m feeling weird about him. I mean I’m perfectly happy just… not thinking about him. He’s a waste of time.”

She grinned, warm and bright, then turned her head to kiss his fingers one by one. “God I love you,” she sighed. “I mean it, Brian. Like, I’m so lucky to have you.”

Brian held back a laugh, but couldn’t avoid making a little snort. “Ash? I feel like won the lottery when I’m with you. Like, you are so amazing, and I’m-“

“If the next words out of your mouth aren’t ‘also amazing…’” she growled playfully.

“Then what?” he whispered up at her.

“I’m gonna have to show you how much you mean to me,” she growled, licking her lips.

“P-Please don’t reward my inferiority complex with blowjobs,” he mumbled.

She burst out laughing again. “Okay, Brian,” she eventually replied, “in that case, every time you put yourself down, I’m waiting another ten minutes to drag you into the far away bathroom. Including that one,” she added, a smirk on her face.

Ten minutes later, he still hadn’t done it again.

———

Blue kisses covered Brian’s hands, spiraling their way down his arms, spread across Brian’s shoulders, and trailed down Brian’s neck. His shirt hung open, revealing the blue smudges adorned his chest, little blue divots marking where she’d bit down the first time, little blue tooth marks pressed into his nipples where she’d kept biting. There was blue smeared and smushed beneath his arms, blue kisses and blue bite marks running up and down both sides of his ribs. Blue lip prints spread around his stomach and navel, nests of blue kisses enveloping each hip bone. Blue circled his groin, blue marked his inner thighs, and if he looked over his shoulder into a mirror he’d probably see countless little blue smudges and divots all across his naked ass.

Faint blue marks adorned Ash’s hungry face, marking her cheeks, her jaws and her neck, twice removed from their original source. She’d paused there, re-applying her lipstick once again, looking up at him with a wide blue smile. “Tell me the truth,” she murmured, “you’ve got a new favorite color, don’t you?”

“I don’t know,” he managed to mumble. “I… I kind of want to try it with some others. L-Like…” he gasped as she made her first blue mark on his groin, a circle of blue tooth marks just above his achingly hard cock, then stammered, “l-like that green you wore with the Santa costume. A-and, um, okay, I don’t know how to say this, but…”

“Be honest,” she murmured.

“After seeing Kathy and Alex, I… oh my god,” he whispered, as she bit down on him again. “I-I wanna try matte black. And, um-“

“Brian,” she said softly, “do you just want to come up with a bunch of colors so I keep doing this to you?”

He shook his head. “I want to see what looks best so you can keep doing it to me. The - mmm - the two are entirely unrelated.”

She smiled up at him, then began to kiss her way up his shaft. “Y’know, I love it when you insist on telling me you’re a different kind of perv than I thought you were,” she growled. “It’s so goddamn cute.”

“You’re so goddamn sexy,” he breathed, as she kissed her way back down him.

“Mmm, you say the sweetest things,” she purred. Then she gently pressed her teeth into his foreskin, leaving him holding onto the bathroom stall to desperately keep himself standing, marking him and marking him again and again as he tried not to cry out in bliss. “You like that?” she asked, as she pulled back. “I, uh, kind of looked it up online,” she mumbled, cheeks garnet.

“Ash,” he whispered, breath trembling, “I don’t know what felt more amazing. That, finding out you did research on how to pleasure me.”

“I love you,” she said simply, before pulling him back and sliding her tongue around his glans. “I wanna make you feel as good as I possibly can.”

“I might die,” he warned her. “You make me feel so good already. I don’t know if I can take more.”

“Don’t worry,” she murmured, “I’ll blow you back to life.” Then she pressed her teeth right beneath his glans, rubbing him between her teeth so gently he wasn’t even sure she was leaving blue marks. It felt amazing, and a little bit exciting, knowing how careful she was being not to hurt him, how easily she could if she wanted to.

“Believe you,” he gasped, as she smeared him against her cheek, letting a sticky stand trail from him to her until she stretched out her tongue and licked herself clean. “I… fuck, Ash, I believe you could.”

“Oh Yeah?” she growled, looking up at him, pressing her nails into his hips. “That’s kinda disappointing, Brian.” Then she ran her lips down him, leaving a streak of blue marking him right at the base of his glans. “I want you to know I can.” Then she pressed herself down him again, another mark about a third of the way down, then halfway down, taking him deeper and deeper with each go.

He gasped and curled his fingers in her hair, legs shaking, trying to hold on, trying to prolong the feeling of bliss. When it felt like he was getting too close, when he could feel himself throbbing in her mouth, she paused, breaking, waiting for him to cool down. Then she started over, marking him a little lower than the first attempt, but much higher than the last. Her lips and his cock were both one blue smear at this point, a mix of blue-tinged fluids soaking him, running down his groin to his testicles. He started to wonder if she was ever going to let him come, if she was going to keep her here until she made it to his base without his spasming body giving up and finally letting him come. But eventually, she pressed her lips to his groin, kissing a blue circle into his pubic mound, teasing him with her tongue before she finally pulled back. “Hey, you didn’t come that time,” she whispered, a little cheer without any voice someone might overhear. “Mmm, you’re really getting good at holding out,” she murmured. “You’re gonna make me come so hard on your cock some day.”

“Wanna try that,” he sighed.

She looked up at him, blinking. “Here? Now?”

He shook his head. “Not now,” he mumbled. “But… soon.”

“Take your time, Brian,” she murmured. “I’m not gonna stop sucking your cock just because we’re fucking. Okay?”

He nodded.

“Good boy,” she growled. “For now, let’s see if you can do it again.”

He couldn’t. He was on the verge of coming by the time she’d pressed her lips to his groin, giving him another kiss with his cock held in her throat. The feeling of heat, of constriction, of disbelief that she was choosing his cock over air, however briefly, left him so close he was about to burst. When she swallowed, when she started tugging at him with the muscles of her throat, it felt like she was keeping her word: She was genuinely sucking the soul out of him. He had to bite down on his arm to avoid screaming as she gulped at him, a feeling of such intense, agonizing ecstasy that he couldn’t even think. It felt like he was whiting out, like everything he had was pouring out into her, down her throat and into her belly. If she hadn’t been holding him up, arms wrapped around him and face pressing into him, he probably would have collapsed. Instead, he managed to hold himself upright until she pulled off of him, coughing as saliva dribbled from her mouth, a look of sheer joy on her face. Then he collapsed, quietly laughing with his arm still pressed against his mouth as Ash guided him to the ground.

“Remember,” she murmured, “your turn next. Ah ah ah,” she cautioned him, as he reached for her to return the favor immediately. “We gotta get back, Brian. People are gonna wonder where we went. Or they’ll know.”

“I thought that… oh my God,” he gasped. “Thought that you wanted people to know we were sneaking off together. That’s what the lipstick was for.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want them to think I’m blowing you,” she explained. “Then someone’s gonna try and catch us, and then I’d have to stop.”

Brian nodded. “Okay, that makes sense. Um, do you want me to clean up?” he asked, as he pulled up his pants. “My shirt’s little sheer, I think you can kinda guess…”

She shook her head before going over to the sink to wash her face. “That’s enough for plausible deniability,” she explained. Besides, I really wanna see how much blue I can get on you before we’re done.”

“I think I’d like that,” he murmured, as he buttoned up his shirt.

She clicked her tongue. “There you go with the just thinking and not knowing again,” she huffed. “I’m really gonna have to work on that.

———

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, kissing her, leaving the ghost of a blue smudge on her cheek. “Just gotta go to a bathroom by myself for a change.”

“Not so loud,” Ash whispered, cheeks going completely garnet.

“I mean without any male friends of mine,” he replied, shooting her a smirk. See how you like it, he thought.

“Jackass,” she huffed, voice warm, a smile on her lips. “Hurry back, okay?”

“Promise.” Brian then stood and began to make his way across the cafeteria, pausing to snicker as he saw the half dozen or so couples sporting similar designs to him and Ash but in different colors. Which of them was the trendsetter, he wondered: Them or Kathy and Alex? Either way, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. Well, pride in Ash; he was just the canvas, not the artist.

He was really glad that he’d made a beeline to the urinal, relieving himself before anything else. If the door had slammed open behind him even a few seconds later, he might have wet his pants. Instead he just jolted, slowly turning his head to see exactly who he’d expected. Tom was standing there, his handsome face twisted in a smirk. “Can you just give me a second?” he asked. “I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

“Do you have any idea how pathetic you look running around with that lipstick all over your face?” he asked.

Nope, looks like they’re doing this while he’s urinating.

“I’m just saying,” he sneered, “it comes off as really insecure. Like you need everyone to see that she’s been touching you to believe it. I guess you know nobody does, right?”

Brian sighed. “I just want to wait until I put my cock away. Is that really too much to ask?”

“Hey, how do my sloppy seconds feel, huh?” he growled. “Do you like it? Knowing you’ll never do anything I didn’t do first?”

“Do you like being a cuckold?” Brian heard himself ask. He had no idea where it came from. Was it the lipstick he was covered in? The fact that he’d already come like three times tonight and didn’t know if he could keep refracting? Refractorying? Whatever. Either way, he had no shits to spare Tom; if he had, he’d be on the toilet.

Apparently, that caught him off-guard. “What the fuck did you just call me?” he hissed, hands clenching into fists.

He looked over at Tom, and felt… nothing. Sure he was big, but Brian’s brothers could make a wish with him. “Look, here’s the thing, Tim.”

“Tom,” he snapped.

“Whatever. I actually don’t care what you did first. Because whatever it was? You weren’t good enough for her.” He looked like Brian had slapped him again. Before he could respond, Brian kept going. “Who did what first? It’s sore loser talk. It’s what you say to cheer yourself up when someone else stomps you. Yeah, I know she’s had sex before. But-“

“Aw, are you jealous?” he sneered.

Projecting like an entire cinema, Brian thought. “But right now,” he continued, “I’m the one with blue lipstick in his boxers.”

“Y… you’re full of shit,” Tom growled.

Brian unbuttoned the bottom button of his shirt in response, showing off the blue kisses dipping below his waistband. “I can go lower, but I really don’t want to.”

Tom paled when he saw the marks. Then he went red, fists clenched so hard his knuckles were white. For a moment, Brian was afraid he’d gone too far. That he’d pushed Tom to the breaking point, that he was about to get his face shoved through a bathroom mirror. But when Tom broke, he broke. He stood there, fists clenched, less livid and more like he was about to throw up. Brian wanted to feel satisfaction at that. But all he could feel was pity. While he reeled, Brian sighed, buttoning up his shirt. “Look, this has been… a thing, okay? But Ash is waiting for me.”

Unlike you, he didn’t say. But judging from the inarticulate scream of rage and pain from the bathroom as he walked back, he didn’t have to.

Chapter Text

“Alright, ladies,” Brian yawned, as he opened the door of the coop, “breakfast is ready.”

Four happily clucking dinosaurs stalked out one by one, tilting their little heads at the feast of table scraps and pellets he’d prepared for them. One by one, three of them began to pick and peck at their meal; Deinonychus, ever the opportunist, had immediately snagged a bundle of last night’s noodles and run off with them to keep them away from her surrogate sisters. He watched their antics, pausing to stroke them when they came up to him, or more accurately came near him. It was while he was in the middle of this little part of his morning ritual, giving Megalosaurus’ tail feathers an extra long scratch, that the phone began to rang. He briefly wondered who’d call him at this hour, then immediately realized he knew exactly who’d call him at this hour, and slipped his phone out of his pocket and up to his ear. “Morning, Ash,” he yawned.

“Morning, cutie,” she yawned back. “Aw, now you’ve got me doing it. So, how’s your winter break so far?”

Brian shrugged, a gesture he knew didn’t make sense while on the phone but which he couldn’t exactly stop himself from doing. “So far, it’s a morning, which means feeding time for dinosaurs. I imagine it’ll start kicking in once we’re done with our morning run, though.”

He’d started to say something else, only to be cut off as she chuckled softly. “So, about that,” she began.

“Did something come up?” he asked her.

“So, yes and no,” she replied. “I picked up
up some extra hours volunteering over the break, but that’s not going to interfere with our morning run. I was wondering if you wanted to put it off, though. N-Not cancel,” she quickly said, before he could ask otherwise. “Just, maybe put it off until ten or so?”

“Yeah, sure,” he replied, as he gave Spinosaurus a little scratch beneath her wing. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s a good thing, not a bad thing,” she assured him. “I just have a little surprise for you, that’s all.”

“I like good surprises.” After a moment of thought, he asked, “Is it a sexy good surprise?”

“Nope!” She replied happily. “About as un-sexy as good surprises get while they’re still good.”

“I have no idea what I’m getting myself into,” he mumbled, “but I’m kind of nervous now.”

Ash laughed long and hard. “You’re really kinda a perv once you let your guard down, aren’t you?”

“Kind of?” he asked, and she just laughed again.

“So,” she eventually murmured, “I’d normally be getting ready for school, but I’ve got nothing to do but kill time right now. You wanna try for a sexy surprise after all?”

“Not in front of the dinosaurs,” he gasped, putting on his best cry of outrage.

“You, uh, you wanna go ahead and give me a call back when you get back to your room, then?” she asked.

“No,” he replied, “I’m basically done. They’re not that hard to care for. So, um, what are you wearing… I guess?”

“I’m still in bed,” she murmured, the sound of rustling and shifting cloth plain beneath her voice. “What do you think I’m wearing?”

“Your blankets?” he asked, as he climbed the stairs as fast as he could without risking waking his parents up.

“Nope,” she purred, “I just pulled those off. Right now? Just a big happy smile. How about you?”

“Ask me again in about thirty seconds,” he whispered, as he raced back into his room on his tiptoes.

———

Brian had wondered what Ash’s surprise was going to be. Were they going to go get a quick hike in before the hours she’d picked up? No, that didn’t make any sense, that’d be for the morning. Did she have some fun new location picked out for them to go running in? That also didn’t really make much sense to him, since they could have just gone there in the morning too. Was it a cute little shop she’d wanted to take him to? Maybe a little brunch place? He didn’t know, but as he made his way toward the civic center, his mind whirled with all of the possibilities.

Then he saw the army of dogs. Well, army might be an exaggeration. There were still more than half a dozen of them, all sitting or milling in various degrees of chill ranging from total to still pretty chill. Not a one of them was even what he’d call a medium dog; the the smallest was still several dozen pounds of golden floof and trailing feathers, while the largest was a brindle-coated beauty who looked like they had horse somewhere in its ancestry. All of them were wearing reflective yellow doggie vests emblazoned with “Adopt Me!” And standing in the middle of all of them, four leashes in one hand, four leashes in the other, was Ash.

“Hey, cutie!” Ash called to him, the moment she saw him; she gave him a half-hearted wave, but she clearly didn’t want to move things enough to risk disturbing the dogs. “Do you like your surprise?”

“Are… Are these all from the shelter?” he asked, as he slowly approached. One by one, ears began to perk up; one by one, dogs moved to meet him halfway.

“Got it in one,” she replied, the powerful muscles of her arms tensing as her charges approached him. “I wish it was all of ‘em, of course, but we got a lot more where this came from. These guys, though? They’re my special needs boys and girls. They need a whole lot of walking or running, and that means every Wednesday I’m the girl who takes ‘em for a big old Ash-sized run. Isn’t that right,” she cooed at what looked like eighty pounds of pure muscle with a heart-shaped head and a face like a cheerful Jack-o-lantern.

At some point while she was talking, the dogs had surrounded him. Over half a dozen wet noses had begun to sniff at him, over half a dozen happy tongues had begun to loll from wide canine mouths or slurp at his hands. He reached gingerly to pet them, and they happily curled their heads against his hands as they jockeyed for his touch. “Aw, they like you,” she said.

“So, we’re going to go for a run with these doghemoths?” Brian asked, as he scratched a shaggy black and white dire wolf, who’d thumped against his leg and was currently in the process of trying to push him over at a glacially slow pace. “Where are we going to take them?”

“I usually take ‘em around the city,” she said. “It’s good for socializing ‘em, and it’s good advertising the shelter. People see a pack of these lugs all running together, they take note. I don’t mean to brag,” she bragged, “but everyone here came into the shelter after our first date.”

“That’s amazing,” he murmured. “You’re amazing.”

She waved a hand, getting a curious look from a droopy-faced lump of brown and cream-colored fluff. “It’s good numbers, especially for big dogs, but not the best out there. Which is why I’m gonna be running with ‘em every day. I’m not going to ask you to do that with me, but do you want to make this our run on your running days?”

Brian looked down at eight massive canine smiles, then up at the ninth. “I’d love to,” he said genuinely. “Do you want me to take one of them?”

“Yeah, sure!” She held up her hand, wiggling a leash into pinched fingers. “Why don’t you go with Cenobia,” she suggested, gesturing with her chin at a brown, black-muzzled dog, approximately the size of a bear, who looked like it had started melting at some point. “She’s the sweetest old lady you’re ever going to meet, even though she’s like two years old.”

Brian gingerly took the leash, reaching out to pet said not-old old lady. She snuffled at his hand, dragged her entire tongue across it, then sat there with her tongue lolling out, waiting patiently. “I’m sorry,” he told her. “I don’t know how anyone could have given you up.”

“Don’t fall in love,” Ash warned him.

“I-I wasn’t planning to,” he started to mumble. She peered down at him, and despite himself, he turned away. “I really wasn’t…”

“Lemme save you some heartache and tell you what I got told a few weeks in. ‘You can’t adopt ‘em all,’” she recited, ‘so get someone else to adopt ‘em.” Besides, I dunno if she’ll eat your dinosaurs or not.”

“Are you an apex predator?” he asked the massive creature. She looked at him uncomprehendingly, tongue lolling from her dropping mouth. “I don’t think you’re an apex predator.”

“Brian, you at least gotta wait until you meet the puppies,” she chuckled.

Brian’s eyes went wide. “There are puppies too?”

The massive dog gave a low, baleful chuff, big brown eyes staring down the path, then back to the two of them.

“Yeah, she’s got the right idea,” Ash huffed. “C’mon, let’s get our run on, then I’ll see if I can get you in to help socialize ‘em.”

———

Slowly, Brian trudged down the city streets, shuffling towards the green letters of the cafe like a dying man towards an oasis. As usual for a Monday, that had been the longest he’d ever run; unusually for a Monday, he’d been occasionally yanked around by a horse in a dog costume who didn’t understand his rhythm. Neither of those were things he’d complain about, but his body was not happy with either fact. He was sore, he was exhausted, and he was soaked with sweat, a state which he’d discovered got more unpleasant with each degree the temperature went down.

Ash had gone back to the animal shelter with the dogs, where she promised to do her best to get him back there. He’d promised to get her something hot and caffeinated as a pick me up while she did. He wasn’t what sure what; she’d neglected to tell him. Did she trust him to know her tastes? Was she ambivalent as long as it was hot and caffeinated? He wasn’t sure, but he’d figure it out once he saw the menu.

At least, that was the plan, up until he opened the door. But the moment after he’d let the warm, aromatic air waft over him, and finished wiping the fog off his glasses, he’d frozen in surprise. Objectively, he knew that the women he was spending most of his time with were old enough to have part-time jobs. He still wasn’t prepared to see Sharon peering down at him from across the counter, an amused smirk slipping across her face. “Think long and hard about what kind of milk you want,” she drawled.

“Yeah, um, whole is fine,” he mumbled. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Yeah, mostly Wednesdays and weekends,” she replied. “Someone’s gotta keep my bestie in liquid chocolate. Speaking of, she give you an order?”

Brian shook his head. “I was just going to get her a chai. Does that happen regularly?”

Sharon laughed and nodded. “Every time someone besides Ash is doing a drink run, they realize she forgot to order. Mostly because I’m already making her mocha by the time she gets to the counter. She’s pretty predictable if nobody pushes her out of her comfort zone. Good thinking on the chai, though. Of course,” she continued, leaning forward conspiratorially, “you could always get one of each and let her pick if you really want to win some boyfriend points. You know, as long as you’re okay with a chai.”

“Yeah, I am,” he replied. “That seems… manipulative, somehow.”

Sharon shrugged. “I say asking her bestie what she wants is thoughtful, but you do you.”

“I’ll go with the mocha and chai,” he eventually said, slipping the cash from his wallet, then looking for a seat to wait. There were a fair number available, but he decided to go for one in a mostly isolated corner of the cafe. There were a number of reasons why it appealed to him; in this case, though, the biggest was the company.

Sam jolted up from his laptop as someone sat down at his table, then a smile lit up his delicate face as he realized it wasn’t just some random stranger. “Hey, how’s winter break treating you?” he asked.

“I got to pet so many dogs,” Brian replied, “and apparently there are puppies.”

“That sounds equal parts adorable and terrifying,” he replied. “I’ve mostly just been chilling here, paying admission one hot cocoa at a time, hanging out with Sharon whenever she’s not too busy. I don’t think we’ve talked this much since, well, our entire year before the game. She’s really cool,” he sighed.

“Aw, thanks,” Sharon drawled, a cup in hand, and Sam almost jumped out of his skin. “Speaking of, here’s your top-up, Put it on your tab?”

“TThanks,” Sam mumbled, a smile on his wine-tinged face, as he took it from her and set it down next to him. Then he noticed the design she’d drawn in it, and his entire face went fully wine red. “I wish she wouldn’t tease me like that,” he mumbled, once she was safely back at the counter.

Brian looked at the heart in her foam and blinked. No, wait, not quite a heart. Was that… yeah, that long T shape looked exactly like a thong. She’d put an ass in his cocoa. The two of them looked up at her at one; she winked, then went back to cleaning.

“Are you sure she’s just teasing you?” Brian asked. “Because, um-“

“Yeah, she’s just being playful,” he mumbled, so far in denial Brian wanted to warn him to watch for crocodiles.

“Okay, but you two went to the Snow Ball together,” Brian said.

“Because nobody else was going to ask me,” he replied.

“But how many other people do you think asked her?” he asked. “Plus she called you cute. And she literally said she’d be interested in seeing where the night took you two.”

“Brian, come on,” he mumbled, face pressed into his hand, “do you really think a girl like her-“

“I’m dating her bestie,” Brian sighed. “Look, maybe you should ask her to dinner or something. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“She laughs at me and tells me that she’d rather suck off a goat?” he whimpered. “Like, this is not a hypothetical. She’s done that to someone.”

Brian blinked. That… that sounded like something Sharon might say, but not to someone she liked. “And did this person ask her out in a pleasant and respectful way?”

“Um, no,” he admitted, “he asked if they could bang sometime.”

“Are you going to do that?” Brian asked, looking down his glasses at Sam.

He shook his head emphatically. “B-but I… I really don’t think she’s-“

“Here’s your chai latte,” Sharon growled, thumping down a go cup in front of Brian, a skull staring up at him in the foam. “Sorry it’s not as good as the alien combat robot makes it.”

“Alien combat robot?” he mumbled, trying not to make eye contact with her. He could see her glare even at a glance.

“I’ve been her bestie since she was in middle school,” Sharon drawled, “and her mom hasn’t aged a fucking day. Sam,” she then chirped, a smile spreading across her face, “you want to go out for dinner when I get off tonight?”

He sputtered a word that sounded like “go out?”

“Yup. You and me, on a date. A romantic one,” she drawled, just in case there was any ambiguity left. “

Sam inclined his head in a way that might be a nod and might be his neck failing to support his head.

“Awesome,” she said, patting him on the shoulder, then leaning down to give his forehead a kiss. Brian swore he could see clouds of steam starting to spray out of his ears. “Don’t worry, my treat.” Then she turned to Brian, slipping into his field of view so he could see her glare, as she set the mocha down. “I appreciate the thought,” she huffed, glare softening, “but that’s my schtick. Don’t you dare try to take it.”

———

Brian paused to catch his breath, leaning with one arm against the set of cages he’d been cleaning. He considered wiping the sweat from his brow, then he glanced down at the disposable apron and gloves he was wearing, and decided discretion was the better part of not getting a cocktail of animal waste and chemicals across his face. So he just shook head, a token gesture if there ever was one, and just sighed. “Almost done,” he mumbled to himself.

“You’re doing such a good job, sweetie,” the older woman, probably his grandmother’s age, who was supervising him said. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone your age work so hard without complaint. Are you trying to impress your girlfriend?”

Brian shrugged. “I have chickens,” he replied. “Compared to them, these guys don’t smell that bad.”

“Oh, a farm boy,” she murmured, voice sweet and fruity. “Maybe you should come by more often. The shelter could use someone like you around here.”

“I, um, I’ll keep that in mind for when I’m older,” he mumbled, blinking and trying not to frown. She… she wasn’t, was she? “I’m not allowed to volunteer on school days yet.”

“Oh, my, I’m so sorry,” she gasped. “You just seemed so mature. Anyway,” she continued, back in a conversational tone, “they’re always looking for more volunteers, and I’m sure that won’t change in a couple of years.”

“Maybe,” he began, “but Ash won’t be working here by then, though, so…”

Her expression instantly cooled. “That’s a shame,” she grumbled, as she went back to her own cages.

“Hey, cutie,” Ash called, a few minutes later. “I got you in on handling. Mind stripping down while I watch?” As he flushed and peeled off his protective clothing, she turned to the older woman. “I’ll take him from here, Mrs. M.”

“You two have fun now,” she sighed, as they headed out.

The moment the door clicked closed, Ash whispered in his ear, “Hey, uh, she wasn’t being… weird to you, was she?”

Brian thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Not really. Maybe a little, you know, ‘you should work here more often,’ but-“

“Goddammit, Mrs. M,” Ash growled, putting her hand over her face.

“-B-But she stopped when she found out I was underage,” he assured her.

“Brian, if she does that shit again, you let me know,” she growled, hands clenching into fists. “I don’t let people do that shit, you don’t either.”

He wanted to protest for a moment. Then, unbidden, an image curled its way into his brain: His grandpa telling her, to her face, what he thought of her hips. “I will keep that in mind,” he shuddered.

“Good. Alright, wash up, we got some delicate business next.”

“You mean puppy handling?” he gasped, scrubbing his hands and face like he was about to go from chickens to cooking.

So, uh, I wasn’t able to get us on puppy duty,” she warned him. “Frank and Zoe said they’d duel us for the privilege, and, uh, not my energy level today. But y’know who I did get us a chance with?” she said, as she opened the door to a mid-sized room with a number of cages resting on the floor, as well as a number of climbing spaces.

The squeaking started the moment he walked in. Over a dozen little faces were looking at him from their cages, little paws reaching to him, little teeth gleaming as their owners cried piteously. Once the door shut, Ash began to walk around the room, opening the cages one by one, freeing their tiny mewing inhabitants. Black, white, orange, and brown; streaked, striped, and solid; the kittens were loose in the socialization room. And he was at the epicenter of their curious wobbling exploration.

“Thai isn’t just fun and games,” Ash cautioned him, as he slowly, carefully dropped to his knees, letting the mewing mass surround and begin to paw at him. “We’re trying to get these little cuties used to people. So we gotta handle ‘em gently all over their bodies, play with ‘em with different toys and in different ways, cuddle ‘em and hold ‘em… you’re not listening to a word I’m saying,” she chuckled, as a little tortoiseshell kitten pawed up on his chest, squealing for attention.”

“I have to cuddle all the kittens,” Brian murmured, as he scooped the little tortie up in both arms, rolling its - her, he remembered, torties are all girls - on her back. “And I have to tickle all their tummies,” he sighed, as he began to rub the soft kitten fur while she squealed in a way he wasn’t sure was approving but also wasn’t sure was disapproving. “Sorry,” he whispered to her, as he stroked her nose, “it’s the rules.”

“God, you are so fucking cute,” Ash sighed, as she scooped up a tiny kitten of her own, running her fingers over its fluffy black body. “You are too,” she told it, as it wiggled its paws at her nose. “But he’s cuter.”

“Don’t tell lies,” Brian murmured, as he scratched her under the chin and around her cheeks. He then blinked, and started to hold up the kitten, a hand on each side.

“Support his legs,” Ash cautioned him.

Brian shifted one hand under the kitten’s legs, then blinked again, and turned to Ash curiously. “Him? She’s a tortie.”

“Trust me,” Ash laughed, “we were as surprised as you. But yeah, little bitty fuzzball’s gonna have little bitty fuzzballs for a while.”

“Wow. You’re a shiny,” he crooned to the little cat. “But Ash, look,” he said, showing off the fuzzy little tummy, at the little blotch of white on his chest. “He’s got a heart!”

“Yeah, we’ve been calling him Valentine,” Ash replied. “It’s totally adorable,” she said, as she pressed her face into the fuzzy tummy and nuzzled. “Aren’t you adorable?”

Brian moved his face next to Valentine; Ash laughed, nuzzling him too. “I love you, you know that? I’d just gotten over how special this little guy is.”

“No,” Brian gasped, pulling the surprised kitten away with a squeak, and cradling him in his arms. “How could this little guy stop being special?”

“You met Halloween yet?” she asked, maneuvering her charge until he could see her stomach. “She’s got a face.”

“Valentine is still cuter,” he grumbled, as he stroked his little tail, ignoring the squeal of outrage. “Rules are rules,” Brian murmured to him, before scratching his indignant little nose.

“And you’re even cuter,” she said, before stealing a kiss from his lips, both kittens now squeaking indignantly.

“Not in front of the babies,” he gasped, putting a hand in front of the little tortie’s eyes.

“C’mon,” Ash huffed, “you’re interfering with his socialization.”

Brian peered up at her. “Making out in front of the kittens helps socialize them?”

She shrugged. “Can’t hurt, though,” she said, pressing her lips to his, then drawing away as he tried to return the kiss. “Unless we neglect our kitten duties. Tell you what: Each time we‘re done with a care task, you wanna smooch for a bit?”

“Well if I wasn’t motivated before…” he murmured, as he played with the kitten’s sharp little toes and tiny little beans. “You hear that, little guy? You’re gonna help me get kisses.”

“Don’t you mean he’s standing between you and kisses?” she asked, as she began to stroke her own kitten’s belly.

Brian shrugged. “I could look at it that way,” he admitted. “But if we weren’t here playing with these guys I’d still be dealing with the cages, so-“

She pressed her lips to his once again, tongue slipping into his mouth. “God, I love you,” she sighed. “I love how you think about the world.”

Brian blinked through the haze of fogged glasses. “I thought I had to successfully complete a care task.”

Ash yowled, long, low, and convincingly enough that several of the kittens peered up at her with their little heads tilted to the side, then gave him a lazy wink.

“…Can I ask Rose for some advice?” he eventually managed to mumble, once his brain was working again.

“Depends,” she purred, nipping at his ear. “You think it’s something I haven’t asked?”

Chapter Text

Brian had been nervous the first time he went to one of the team’s big parties, the one on Halloween. He was less nervous, but still nervous, when he’d been to the Guy Fawkes’ Day one. He wasn’t really nervous about going out camping for the Geminid shower, at least not before the spooky stories had started. But tonight? Tonight was worse than all of them and the Snow Ball put together. Every step felt restrained. He felt like he was all tied up in knots. Like he was being constricted, the breath squeezed out of him. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for everything that was about to come, then, finally, knocked at the door.

“Brian?” Monica asked, as she peered down at him. “What the hell are you doing here? You know the Little Christmas Party is at Sue’s place, right?”

“Mine!” Rose shouted. “Mine mine mine mine mine!” she continued, as she dashed past Monica, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him in. “Hey, I’m so glad you could make it. I’ve been waiting for a chance to do something like this so bad. You got the stuff?”

He nodded, holding up a bag. “One for you, one for me.”

“Ooh, quality,” she said, as she took it and peered into it. “Okay, down into the basement, then take off everything.”

“Ev-everything?” he whimpered.

“Everything?” Monica growled, folding her arms.

“Bitch, I’m gay. If anyone needs to be worried, it’s me.” She then turned back to him, and nodded. “Everything. You want do this, we’re doing this right.”

“Okay,” Monica sighed, as she followed the two down the stairs, “now I’ve got to know. What, exactly, are we doing?”

“Wrapping Ash’s Christmas present,” Rose huffed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Hey, you don’t mind seeing his dick, do you? I could really use a helping hand here.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Monica asked. “I’m totally curious. Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she grumbled, as Rose folded her arms and glowered. “You ever see Ash pissed? I want none of that. I just wanna see it, that’s all.”

“Do I get any say in this?” Brian asked, as he slowly tugged at his clothes with shaking hands. “Part of why I asked you is, well…”

“I have zero sexual interest in anything male adjacent?” Rose asked. When he nodded, she shrugged. “I might be the Cosplay Queen, but I’m usually the bunny, and for both our sakes, I want her to spot me.”

“Wait,” Monica gasped, hands going to her face. “You mean…”

Rose took out the spool of high quality silk ribbon, and grinned wickedly. “To Ash, all wrapped up with a little bow.”

Monica looked at the ribbon, eyes open wide, then back at Brian, a grin matching her girlfriend’s. “Babe, this is the best Christmas present you’ve ever given me.”

“I’m warning you,” Rose growled, “I will ban you if you misbehave.”

“And risk you accidentally making his arms fall off?” Monica gasped. “No. No way.”

“Then remember you’re both taken, and be a professional,” Rose growled. Then a smirk crossed her face. “Besides,” she purred, as she reached back into the bag, pulling out a second spool, “remember what he said? One for him and one for me.”

“Brian,” Monica sighed, “if it wouldn’t get me smacked by two different sexy ladies, I’d kiss you right now.”

“Please, for the love of God, don’t,” he mumbled, trying to suppress all physiological reactions as Rose slowly began to drape him in ribbon, Monica leering and offering corrections when appropriate.

———

“Hey, you,” Ash murmured, as she wrapped her arms around him. “Love the costume.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, struggling not to scratch at the elf outfit he’d picked up for himself. “M-Me too,” he eventually managed, once he’d finally dragged his eyes away from that Santa costume she’d worn again. Yes, he confirmed, she did in fact have the green lipstick again too.

“It’s a shame you weren’t able to make the drive over with me,” she murmured. “I wanted to spread a little Christmas cheer, y’know? So, everything okay?”

Brian nodded. “Y-Yeah, I, um, I just, I had to pick up a… um, a l-last minute Christmas present.”

“Oh?” she asked, peering down at him quizzically. “Aw, don’t tell me you forgot about the party. You can admit if you forgot to get me something, y’know. I won’t get mad, I promise.”

Brian shook his head. “I… actually, um, I got you a second present,” he whispered. “For after the party.”

“Ooh, that’s why you’re so shy right now,” she murmured, scratching him under the chin. “Well, I can’t wait to open it.”

“I can’t either,” he sighed, trying not to tremble at the idea. “M-My parents got us one too.”

“Oh yeah?” Ash asked, a wicked smile curling across her face. “Is it them having a date night?”

He nodded, unable to get the words out.

“Don’t worry,” she murmured, “I’ll be patient. I’m not gonna drag you outta here to get started on our own celebration.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, as he took her hand in his, after quickly checking to make sure ribbon wasn’t peeking out of his long green sleeves.

“So,” she said, as she lead him inside, “there’s a gingerbread decorating race going on in like fifteen minutes, and I wanna beat Sue this year. After that, same old same old, although I think it’s Christmas movies and not horror. Dunno, depends on if anyone left Kathy alone downstairs.”

“Alex isn’t with her?” he asked. “He’s almost as scared of horror movies as I am.”

“Mmm, okay, but do you think she’s gonna let that stop her,” she asked, “or do you think she’s gonna snuggle him like I did.”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and it’s Nightmare,” he mumbled.

“You know, I have never actually… c’mon,” she laughed, shaking her head at his horrified expression, “I’m totally joking. So, wanna drop off your goodies in the kitchen then go find some mistletoe for a few minutes?”

“Sounds like a plan,” he replied, as he followed her in, only to bump into her when she abruptly stopped. She stared at Sharon. Sharon glared at her. Sam, wine red and sweating, tried not to make eye contact. His arms were tentatively wrapped around her waist; her arms were very firmly draped over his shoulders. There was not very much of a candy cane held in his lips, while Sharon’s mouth was frozen, nose nearly touching his, about to make it just a little shorter.

“What?” Sharon asked, slowly crunching at what she’d already eaten, not even a hint of shame, “Don’t even pretend this is the worst thing you’ve caught me doing.”

Quietly, Brian set his the on the table, then turned to the smirking Ash. “fucking finally,” they shouted in unison. Then they heading back out the door, ignoring her curses and threats.

———

“Alright, ladies and otherwise,” Lauren shouted, clapping her hands. “It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! It’s present time, round three! Remember, no embarrassing the happy couples! They’re our entertainment, you gotta be nice or they won’t do it again.

Everyone had gathered for the main event; they’d tried to hold it in the living room, but it had been so crowded they’d wound up in her backyard instead. There were three main rounds of gift exchange: First, a white elephant round, where Ash wound up with a bunch of socks decorated like pizza toppings, and he got a set of chintzy kitchen tools; second, group gifts, like a big box of liqueur chocolates that he was expressly not allowed to sneak one of. Then, finally, the ‘real’ gifts, where couples and a few close friends exchanged presents while everyone watched.

Brian laughed along with everyone else when Alex and Kathy both opened up printed receipts for the exact same game. He’d cheered when Sharon gave Sam a set of purple, potion-themed dice, and silenced his stammered apologies with a long kiss that seemed to melt the poor guys brain. Then, finally, it was his and Ash’s turn.

“I didn’t really know what to get you,” Brian mumbled. “I had all kinds of ideas, but none of them really seemed to fit. I thought about getting us a game to play, but that was kind of a present for me. I thought about making you something delicious, but I’d do that for you anyway. So, um,” he finished mumbling, as he held the gift up for her.

“Whatever it is,” she murmured, “I’m going to love it.” Then she started to tear open the wrapping paper, revealing a moderately sized box inside; the kind he could fit under one arm. When she opened it, her jaw dropped, and tears began to well in her eyes. “How the hell did you even think of this?” she asked, as she pulled the black, shiny stuffed bulldog, face completely eyeless, a long, barbed tail draped from the end of its spine. It was the same brand as the one he’d won for her, well over a month ago, the exact same size.

“I remembered how much you loved it, and I decided everyone needs a friend, and then I started looking online and it turns out there’s a while set. When I saw that one, I knew it had to be it. Do you like-“

She was on him before he could finish his sentence, arms wrapped around him, lips pressed against his. As the girls hooted and cheered, the two of them kissed, Ash wetting his face with her tears. “God I love you,” she sighed, when she finally pulled away. “Like, it’s so… It’s so thoughtful,” was what she finally settled on. I’m… uh, I’m really hoping you feel the same way,” she mumbled, cheeks stained with garnet, as she passed him an envelope, the kind a gift card would fit into.

Brian opened the envelope, pulling out and briefly reading through the Christmas card she’d put in; he’d read it later, but he didn’t want to hold things up. Instead, he took the little gift card holder out, slipped it open, and shook the card inside. It was not a gift card. It had a picture of a breathtaking vista on it. ‘America the Beautiful,’ it said on the top. ‘Annual,’ it said on the bottom.

“S-So, I kind of feel like this might be one of those gifts for me,” she mumbled. “Hell, it’s in my name, because you’re technically admitted for free. But, uh, when we were talking about going backpacking together? It made me so happy. I love the idea of just going wherever we want, whenever we can, and spending the night under the stars, just you and me. I can’t stop thinking about it.” She tilted her head down and looked up at him, a shy look on her garnet face. “So that’s my present, and that’s my promise. When it’s nice and warm, you just let me know, and I’ll take you there. Wanna go across the country for spring break? I’ll drive you. Wanna spend every weekend on a different trail around here? I’m in. I love you, Brian. And I-“

This time, she couldn’t finish her sentence. He wrapped his arms around her, one stroking her hair, one as leverage to press himself against her. He could barely even hear the hooting and cheering now. All he could hear was her almost bawling with laughter.

———

“So this is your room, huh,” Ash murmured, as he turned on the lights. She looked over it, at trio of bookshelves against his walls, filled with books and games; the desk against the window, mostly clean except for a few assorted cans and bottles he hadn’t brought down; the couple of scattered posters on the walls, mostly freebies from something he’d picked up. “I like it, Brian. It’s very you. Aw, and who’s this,” she murmured, as she picked up an unreasonably large stuffed green dragon, about the size of a border collie, laying at the side of his bed.

“That’s, um, Ember,” he mumbled. “I’ve had her since I was a kid. You should have seen her next to me,” he laughed, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t think I have any printed pictures, but-“

“Aww, I totally wanna see baby Brian pictures. Hey, don’t give me that look,” she murmured, tousling his hair. “I’ll reciprocate. Man, I was such a tiny little baby.”

“S-So,” Brian mumbled, “would you mind, um, putting her in the closet. I… I don’t want to-“

“Aww, is she gonna be jealous?” Ash asked.

He shook his head. “G-Get her …messy. And, um, this is gonna sound weird but… it’d be like fooling around in front of your cat. I have to put a sheet over her when I…”

“Nah, I get it,” she chuckled, as she slipped the dragon into his closet. “I gotta turn the bulldog around. So,” she murmured, “what’s my second Christmas present?”

Brian gulped, took a deep breath, and with trembling hands, grabbed the back of the ridiculous elf outfit he’d worn for her, and pulled it off. Her eyes went wide as he dropped his pants and underwear, standing almost naked in front of her, and yet also not at all. With Monica’s help, Rose had tied him in what she called a karada, then added embellishments. Ribbon coiled up and down his arms, up and down his legs, up and down his body. Rose had wanted to wrap his cock, Monica asked how he was going to use the bathroom, and they’d relented. Instead, there was a bow tied just at the top of his pubic mound, loose ends dangling down to just below his penis. “I-I’m ready,” he mumbled. “I… I want to… to…”

Ash looked down at him, looking him over, warmth in her eyes, a soft smile on her face. “I’m not gonna second guess you,” she murmured. “I’m not gonna try to talk you out of this. I’m just going to ask you, one time: Are you sure?”

He nodded, unable to say the words, unwilling to wait until he could force them out to respond.

“Okay,” she murmured, as she began to slice her hands down his naked body, leaving him trembling at each slow, sensual touch. “If you want this to stop, any time, I’ll stop,” she murmured, as she slipped her fingers beneath the ribbon, caressing the incredibly sensitive skin beneath. “You get nervous? Say the word. You have second thoughts? Say the word. Tonight is going to be all about you, okay?”

He shook his head. “I want it to be about us,” he whispered.

A smile spread across her lips. “God, you’re too sweet to be real.” Then she pressed her lips to his, fingers curling in his hair, tongue slipping into his mouth. “Then take my clothes off,” she growled, between kisses. “I know you like this costume, but I wanna feel you against me, and I don’t want anything, no matter how cute or sexy, to get in the way. Okay?”

Brian nodded, his hands trembling, as he worked at the belt holding on her skirt, at the suit clinging to her body. As she worked at his ribbons, he slowly peeled down her long gloves, exposing the powerful muscles of her arms, flexing and tensing as she worked on the ribbon. He popped them off one by one, waiting for her to release the ribbon first; once he’d finished, he looked at the frustrated expression on her face, and stifled a snicker. “Rose warned me the knots might shift,” he said. “I’ve got a pair of safety scissors in my pocket for getting them off.

“Rose did this to you?” Ash asked, nothing more than curiosity in his voice.

“Y-Yeah,” he mumbled. “Monica helped. W-We didn’t-“

“I know,” she assured him, as she crouched down and retrieved the scissors. “I trust you, Brian. I was just thinking maybe I should ask them for a how-do guide.”

“I-I wouldn’t mind,” he mumbled, as he snuggled against her hot, muscular body, sighing as her hands roamed across him, as the scissors snipped at his bonds. “This feels incredible.”

“Yeah? I’ll bet. You’re all sensitive now, huh?” she asked, as she slipped her fingers beneath the ribbon a second time, tracing the patterns of ribbon clinging to his skin even as she freed him from it. “Nice and warm, too. Mmm, you want me to learn to tie you up, then leave you walking around with this under your clothes again?”

“P-Please,” he whispered, trying not to moan at the intensity of her touch. Then he remembered there wasn’t anyone who could hear him right now, and moaned the next time the cool metal brushed against his skin, liberating him and stripping him all at once.

Finally, Ash stood back, admiring her handiwork. Brian was completely naked now, not even a scrap of fabric left. He’d been naked in front of her before, but something about how, about the tattered remains of the ribbon she’d piled up, the way she’d cut and pulled it from her, made him feel more exposed than he ever had before. She, on the other hand, still wore those black leather boots, riding up to the midway point of her thighs, clinging to her muscular legs like body paint. He followed them up, then gulped, and whispered “can you keep them on?”

“For you? Absolutely,” she murmured, as she stepped forward, wrapping those big strong arms around him again, pressing him against her and letting him breathe in the intoxicating fragrance of lavender, vanilla, and a growing hint of sweat. She was shaking, he noticed. Her body was trembling as she held him, as she maneuvered him onto the bed, as she climbed on top of him. “You want me to come, right?” she whispered.

Brian nodded emphatically. “I know I’m going to suck at this, but-“

“You aren’t going to suck,” She whispered, pressing her fingers to his lips, biting her lips as he began to nibble on her fingertips. “You’re going to be new. You’re not going to know what you’re doing. You might not be able to hold back very long. And all of that? It’s okay. That’s what being new means: You gotta learn. I don’t care if I don’t come the first time. But you do, right?” He nodded emphatically. “Well, then, if you wanna make me come?” She leaned down, dragging her breasts across his body, pressing her lips into his chest and kissing her way up to his ear. “Then all you gotta do is remember the four Fs.”

“W-What are the four Fs,” he whispered back.

“Foreplay. Foreplay. Foreplay. And foreplay,” she purred, as he began to laugh, a mad little sound that was closer to a release of tension than any real humor. “You wanna get me to the point where I can’t not come. Where the moment we do this, I’m gonna be struggling not to come all over your hard, sexy cock. You okay with that? You okay waiting a little while so I can come all over your adorable face and be aching for you to just fill my goddamn cunt already?”

“Desperately,” he murmured.

“You really mean that,” she sighed. “God, how did I get so lucky?” Then she knelt up, wet strands briefly connecting the two of them before breaking and dripping down on him, and positioned herself over his lips. She slowly descended, pressing her weight against him, leaving him to look helplessly up at her, at her incredible bush, her magnificent abs, perfect breasts and her gorgeous, smiling face. He paused briefly to inhale her heady, musky fragrance, feeling his body spasm as arousal swept through him, then slowly, he began to nibble at her slick, soaked lips, nuzzling her, kissing her, losing himself in her.

He didn’t know how long he’d been eating her when she finally tapped out. How long he’d been coating his tongue in her thick, tart fluids. How long he’d been letting the silky feeling of her delight his tongue and lips. Time had lost all meaning to the two of them; it was still night, and nobody had come home, but aside from that, it could have been hours. His jaw and tongue ached from the exterior, his skull ached from the pressure of her thighs squeezing him and her muscular body pressing down on him, and his cock ached from how incredibly hard her cries of ecstasy had gotten him. She’d teased him periodically, rubbing his gland, pumping his shaft, tickling her fingers up and down his length. But mostly, she’d just enjoyed him, and he’d just enjoyed her enjoying him, and that was enough. Until, finally, she’d come enough; she’d cried out, twisting her fingers in his hair, looking down at him in shocked disbelief as her legs began to tremble. Then, finally, she popped herself from his face, laughing and trembling, struggling not to fall over. “G-God, you’re so good at that.”

“It’s because want to make you come,” Brian murmured. “I love listening to you, and watching you, and knowing it’s because I made of happen.”

“I love how enthusiastic you get,” she sighed. “I love looking down at the big happy smile you’ve got going whenever you’re underneath me. Y’know, I always wondered what it’d look like without me in the way. Guess it’s time to find out,” she said, as she lifted herself up again, sliding back down his body, grinding herself against him and leaving a smeared trail of her sexual fluids. “Last call,” she murmured.

“I want you to take-“

She pressed her finger against his mouth again. “No,” she murmured. “You gotta say it right. ‘I want you to teach me. You’re not losing anything. You’re not giving up anything. You are about to have a whole new experience. That’s all.”

“Will you teach me?” he asked her.

“I’d be honored,” she murmured, as she began to descend once again, reaching out a hand to line herself up with him. He felt the tickle of her pubic hair, then the slick wetness almost dripping from her, then the soft, silky touch of her scorching-hot labia as she pressed against him. For a brief moment, she held him there, rubbing herself against him, the silky texture almost maddeningly intense. Then she continued her descent, and he slipped inside of her, into the feeling of absolute bliss.

Their first time together, he’d felt like masturbation was a pale imitation of what he’d experienced. Now, he knew the truth: Even that was just a little shadow of what he was experiencing now. He’d never felt anything like her. The closest he’d come was when she’d deep-throated him, but even that felt underwhelming now. She was so incredibly hot and so wet after their marathon session that it felt like he was melting inside of her, more and more with each tiny fraction of an inch that she’d enveloped. But he didn’t even have words to describe the feeling of being enveloped, feeling her all around him, pressing against him. It was like she was holding him, deep inside of her, welcoming him and embracing him and clinging to him so he’d never leave her, never be apart from her. When her groin finally pressed against his, he looked at where they were joined with wide eyes, lips parted, trying to make sense of a feeling too intense and intimate to ever fully understand.

“God, I knew you’d make the cutest faces,” Ash moaned, as she shifted her hips against him, still holding him inside of her as she bent down to kiss him, wrapping her arms around him and letting her tongue gently slip inside of his mouth.

“H-How do you feel?” he asked, when she eventually pulled her lips from his, arms still around him, legs still embracing him.

“That’s my line,” she murmured, as she slowly began to rock her hips, the feeling of her grip on him shifting in ways that left him gasping. “Well?”

“So good,” he groaned. “I don’t have the words to describe how good you feel.”

“Aww, you’re gonna make me blush,” she mumbled. “Y’know how I feel, Brian?” When he shook his head, she bit her lip, then growled the words, “full. Full of Brian. God, that’s such an amazing feeling. So, you ready to feel even better?”

“I don’t understand how,” he whispered. Then she started to move, oh so slowly, and he understood exactly what she meant. Soaking in her, in her heat and wetness and incredible grip, had been breathtaking. But when she started moving her hips up and down, dragging herself against him, pressing herself back down on him? It was mind blowing. He could barely even manage to look up at her, to remove his fingers from where he’d dug into his bedsheets and grip her muscular hips and rear. Each thrust felt like bliss, like the entire world had faded into the background and all he could feel was her. The feeling of her breasts dangling against him and her wrists pressing down on his, the smell of her body and her sex, the sound of her panting and moaning and growling; they were all background noise compared to this one incredible moment.

He couldn’t last; he knew he couldn’t last. Even if she was a goddess at edging him, he didn’t even have the ability to comprehend what was happening to him, let alone push it back. She had realized that too; rather than starting and stopping, she’d started picking up the pace, the feeling of unimaginable bliss rising to a fever pitch as he clung to her for dear life. “Finger me,” she gasped, grabbing his arm and pulling it down to her soaked pubic mound, fingers automatically moving to rub just above her engorged clit and grind her against himself. “F-Fuck, Brian, just like that, she groaned, as she frantically fucked him, racing his orgasm with the help of his fingers. “M-Move your hips,” she moaned, as he began to press himself against her, more automatically than with any actual control. “Direct,” she pleaded, letting his fingers lower, rubbing her clit against his shaft, while she threw her head back and gasped in ecstasy. Then, “don’t stop,” she begged him. “Whatever you do, don’t stop.”

His orgasm was an inevitability. He couldn’t stop the onrushing wave of mind-blowing pleasure that crashed over him any more than he could the tide. But neither did he stop the rest of his movements. Even as pleasure more intense and intimate than anything he’d ever experienced crashes down on him, washing his consciousness away, he kept moving his fingers, kept moving his hips. His movements were clumsy, barely more than automatic. But, apparently, that was what she’d needed. The moment the first jet erupted from inside of him, splashing into her, she clamped down on him. Each shaking, trembling thrust the two of them managed felt like it made her contract again, squeezing faster and faster, like she was milking him, draining every drop from him. Her arms wrapped around him, and his arms - the arm not frantically fingering her - wrapped around her, pulling him against her as she slammed her hips down on him. Dimly, as sensation finally tore away the last vestiges of his conscious mind, he could hear her screaming in ecstasy. Then all he could hear was her gasping, ragged laughter, matching his as they held each other helplessly.

“God, that was amazing,” Ash whispered, as she held him, body still trembling, the top of his flaccid cock still nestled just inside her soaked, searingly hot entrance. “Like, holy fuck, Brian, I’m not joking. I came so hard I saw stars.”

“I can’t really take credit,” he mumbled, nuzzling her cheek. “I don’t know if I lasted a minute. I-“

“Who ate me until I was throbbing for that cock of yours?” she asked. “Who rubbed my cunt so damn good I almost squirted? And who didn’t stop moving his cute little hips even after he filled my cunt up?”

“Okay,” he mumbled, “but-“

She silenced him with another long, sensual kiss, tongue pinning his until he gave up trying to escape. “No buts. You made me come. Your first time, Brian, and you made me come. God,” she sighed, as she pulled herself from him, a little pearlescent steam dribbling from inside of her and catching in her bush, “I’m so fucking lucky.”

“You know it’s mutual, right?” he murmured. “Like, I’ve never been so sure I won the girlfriend lottery.”

“You totally didn’t,” she huffed, giving her ass a shake. “Nope, don’t interrupt. Lotteries are all luck, Brian. You won, fuck, I dunno, girlfriend baccarat?”

Brian couldn’t help but laugh at the mental image. “Um, hey, where are you going?” he asked, as she headed for the door.

“Gotta piss,” she replied. “It’s good hygiene. And I just gotta piss,” she laughed. “After that, I think I want to put that sexy cock in my mouth, lick it until you can get it up again, and go for round two. Practice makes perfect, right?”

“I can’t believe you say things like that and then deny I won the girlfriend lottery,” Brian mumbled sullenly. “Hey, um, Ash?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” he murmured. “Like, even if I just go to sleep right now, I’m never going to forget tonight. It was beyond anything I could have imagined.”

“That’s because you have low expectations,” she laughed, as she lingered in the doorway. “Brian, you think this was amazing? Think of this like your first time playing a new game. Things are only gonna get better from here.” Then she slipped out into the dark hallway, and he curled the blankets around him, smiling so hard his face hurt.

Chapter Text

The strangest thing about sex, Brian realized, was how normal life felt after having it. There were a lot of words he could use to describe his first time: Amazing, mind-blowing, breathtaking, so incredibly intimate he didn’t have words to describe it. But, curiously, there was one he couldn’t: Life-changing. Because life felt basically the same yesterday as it did today. Objectively, that was reasonable. He hadn’t thought he was going to undergo some mystical transformation into a True Man the moment he’d ejaculated inside of his girlfriend, or that some secret cabal of Elder Men were going to collect him, pat him on the back, and initiate him into their sacred order.

It would have been nice, though.

It was while he was contemplating this development, or, rather, this lack of a development, that he noticed Ash was looking up at him. “Mmm, hey cutie,” she yawned, raising her strong, muscular arms into the air, shifting and wriggling and flexing those powerful muscles of hers in the most incredible ways. She had one bleary eyes cracked open, and a smile played across her face as she watched him watching her stretch. “Enjoying the show?”

He flushed, almost turning away, then remembered he’d been inside of this woman less than half a day ago, snd nodded sheepishly. “Yeah. I love watching you. You have the most amazing body.”

“Mmm, you say the sweetest things,” she murmured. “So, what are you thinking about?”

Brian looked down at her, at her gorgeous form, and shrugged. “I’m not sure I can really describe it,” he said.

“Wondering why you feel the same even though the world told you that you ought to be a whole new person?” she asked. When he blinked, tilting his head to the side like a kitten, she burst out laughing. “Been there, done that. Wanna talk about it?”

Brian shrugged. “I think you just said everything I was thinking about. Like, please don’t get me wrong, I want to do it again, like, as much as possible, but-“

“That’s why I said it’s like a new game,” she said. “It’s not even a new hobby, ‘cuz we already had cooperative orgasming as a hobby. It might be your new favorite game, and, uh, trust me, I don’t mind,” she murmured, languidly stretching in a way that left her legs spread wide, “but like I said, that doesn’t mean it’s the only one I’ll ever want to play again.”

“Is that a not so subtle invitation to go down on you?” he asked.

Ash chuckled, curling her fingers in his hair. “Mmm, if you want, I’m never gonna say no. Not quite what I had in mind, though.”

“What did you have in mind?” he asked.

“Well,” she murmured, “I was thinking maybe I’d drag you back out of your crisis over a lack of an existential crisis and into my nice warm arms. Maybe have a nice slow start to the day instead of diving in?”

“I’m really not-“

“Shh,” she said, raising her arms up to him. “You’re thinking before the sun gets up, that totally counts as a crisis.”

Brian laughed, lowering his body and letting her wrap those big, strong arms of hers around him, pulling her against her warm body. He sighed as her legs wrapped around him, pinning him against her, enveloping him in heat and the faint scents of vanilla and lavender, and the traces of sweat, musk, and sex. There was something intensely soothing about it, the kind of soothing that was going to lull him back to sleep of her wasn’t careful. “Dinosaurs,” he mumbled. “Running.”

“I have alarms set,” she promised. “And I’m gonna keep talking to you. So, you want to tell me a little more about how you’re feeling? Or you just wanna cuddle and think about what we’re gonna do with the rest of our morning?”

Brian shrugged. “I’m still working on those feelings,” he mumbled. “Want to make some morning plans?”

She nodded, taking the opportunity to press her lips into his neck, then her teeth. She chuckled as he trembled, the sensation sending shivers through his body, then brought her lips back up to his ears. “Well, my folks are going to be getting started on making Christmas dinner around one or two. So, I was thinking…”

It was a long time before they finally separated; even after Ash’s alarm started going off, she held him while he wiggled and struggled, only eventually releasing him while he pleaded for the poor hungry dinosaurs. But once she was up, stretching and yawning in the most hypnotic fashion, she was up. Before he could look away long enough to start moving, she’d grabbed his hand; before he could put on a stitch of clothing, she’d dragged him from the room. He tried to protest, but she kissed him into silence; “the dinosaurs are waiting,” she murmured. “We don’t wanna keep ‘em, do we?”

“But it’s freezing out there,” he mumbled quietly, as she pulled him down the stairs.

“Guess we gotta snuggle to conserve body heat” she replied, winking back at him.

“My neighbors are going to see us,” he mumbled quietly, as they reached the landing together.

“Nah, you got a nice big fence. Besides,” she noted, pointing at the still-shaded windows, “it’s still dark. Nobody’s gonna be out and about.”

Something seemed off about that; he wasn’t quite sure what, though. Not until the two of them finally made their way to the sliding glass doors. Then they paused, watching the torrents of rain pouring down from the sky, like his entire back yard was caught in a waterfall.

“So, maybe no run this morning,” Ash mumbled, as she slid open the door, and started to head out.

“H-Hey, don’t you want to put something on?” he asked. “It’s pouring out there. And, I will reiterate, freezing.”

Ash shrugged. “Good way to wake up, and I don’t wanna get my clothes cold and wet. C’mon,” she murmured, as she dragged him by the hand, “you’re not made of sugar, are you?”

“Let me go get an umbrella at least,” he sighed, as he turned back. “We don’t want the dinosaur chow to get wet.”

———

“You are the worst influence,” Brian mumbled, shivering and chattering under his blanket, Ash’s warm body wrapped around his.

“That’s fair,” she muttered, body occasionally trembling as she tried to press every inch of skin she could against him. “But I still say we wouldn’t have been any less cold and wet if we’d worn something out there.”

“Like a raincoat?” he mumbled. “You don’t think a raincoat would have helped?”

She shrugged. “We’ll never know. Unless you wanna go back out in that.”

Brian shook his head emphatically. “Not unless we have to,” he mumbled. “Do you think it’s gonna let up before you have to get home?”

She shrugged. “The weather app says it’s a coinflip. So, no running, no driving until this crap dies down a little. You wanna play something, or…?”

“Or?” he asked, as if he didn’t already know the answer.

“You wanna take a nice, hot shower to warm up and then go for round three?”

“That sounds perfect,” he murmured, as he cuddled against her. “When we’re you thinking?”

She answered by scooping him into her arms, standing in one single movement. “Now good for you?” she asked.

“As long as I don’t have to walk,” he murmured, snuggling against her as she chuffed and strolled naked through his home, pushing open the bathroom door with her foot. The two cuddled together as water as icy as anything outside poured down from the shower, until finally blessedly warm steam began to billow from the tub. Then she stepped in, letting the water pour down the two of them, sighing in bliss as she slowly helped him down.

For a few minutes, the two luxuriated together, letting the water pour over them. Then Brian felt Ash’s hands roaming up and down his body, settling in his hair. He let her maneuver his face to her lips, sighing as she pressed them to his forehead, water rubbing in rivulets down her hair and dribbling onto his face. He gasped as she brushed her lips against his ears, parting them to nibble around the edge, then down his neck. She caressed his scalp with both hands, breaths growing hot and fast as she covered his face in her kisses, teasing his lips briefly before pulling away to return to his cheeks, or nose, or neck. When she finally did have mercy on him, brushing her lips against his, sucking his lower lip into her mouth, he was already at her mercy. He responded to her kisses however she coaxed him, letting her tongue wind around his, letting her suck it into her mouth and gently gnaw at him, kissing her whenever she initiated and gasping in hot steamy air with ragged breaths whenever she wanted to nip at his lips and tongue once more.

Slowly, one of her hands began to trail down his body, brushing droplets off his chest and abdomen one by one, until her strong fingers finally began to trace across her prize. “Mmm, is this all for me?” she asked, smile broadening as he trembled at her touch.

“Always,” he gasped, both surprised and not at how easily she still coaxed him to the point where he was throbbing with need for her, how quickly her fingers circling and stroking him got him ready for her.

“God, I love the faces you make,” she murmured, as she slowly toyed with him, before grabbing his hair and pulling his lips back to hers. “So,” she growled, between kisses, “so fucking sexy. You ready, Brian? You ready to get me all wet and aching for that sexy cock of yours?” He nodded, beginning his descent down her body. She didn’t release his hair, though; instead, she gripped it, forcing his face back to her. “And where do you think you’re going?” she asked. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Sorry,” he whispered, as he began to kiss her neck, feeling her sigh with bliss as he began to nip at her and slurp at the water running down her like little streams.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, as he kissed his way down to her left breast, burying his face in her chest and nuzzling her as both arms wrapped around his head and water down her face. “Remember, new game, not the only game.”

“I won’t forget,” he promised, before he took one of her hard nipples between his lips and began to suckle. She growled and gasped at the sensation, squeezing down until she’d pressed his face into her chest, filling his breaths with the barest hints of lavender and vanilla that hadn’t been washed away. Her heart pounded in his ears, her breaths growing ragged as he suckled her, letting his lips and teeth play at the satiny flesh of her areola, fingertips stroking and gripping her bare breasts wherever his mouth wasn’t. By the time he moved on again, kneeling in the tub and pressing his face against her magnificent abdomen, she was panting and trembling, trailing her fingers across him.

“Good boy,” she murmured, once he buried his face in her abdomen, caressing the strong, almost springy muscles with his face. “Of course I don’t even have to ask you to stay here, do I?”

Brian shook his head. As tempting as it was to move further, to follow the intoxicating hint of her musky fragrance until every breath he took was filled with it, he never could bring himself to tear away from her muscles too quickly. He had to show his appreciation for them, to show her how much he adored them. She chuckled as he kissed each powerful muscles one by one, dragged his tongue in the water running down her, nuzzled her and nibbled her while she struggled not to laugh. He pressed his mouth to her hot skin to suck up each droplet clinging to her that he could find; it was a Sisyphean task, but as she began to finally laugh, he knew it was one he’d have thanked the Greek Gods for providing.

Eventually, it was her who finally pushed his head lower, pressing her legs into his shoulders and wrapping them around his neck. “You feel how wet you got me?,” she growled, as she gripped his hair and wiggled him into place. He did; it might have just been water pouring down her thick bush, running in streams from her hair, but the moment he touched her, he could feel the slicker wetness of her sexual fluids still soaking her entrance. She left his face glistening even from moving him through her, lips smeared with her sexual fluids wherever the water hadn’t washed them away. She wanted him so badly that he was surprised she could stand; as he wrapped his arms around her hips and began to kiss, he silently promised he’d give her everything that she was hoping for.

“Stop teasing me,” she eventually groaned, and he obeyed; his tongue began to wind its way through her inner labia, already slick with her arousal, only getting slicker as his tongue caressed her. “C-Can you put a finger in?” she asked, and he obliged, easily slipping a finger into her soaking hot depths, followed, with a little more difficulty, by a second. Each time she gave him a command he followed it; each time she begged him he granted her wish. Soon, she was squeezing down on him so hard it felt almost like she was trying to crush him, hips shaking and trembling as he licked wherever he could get his mouth without removing her fingers, ass pressing against the shower wall for support. He could feel her starting to clamp down faster and faster, hear her sucking in air and exhaling in ragged gasps. “I’m close,” she gasped, as her hips jolted so hard he was almost pulled out of her. But before he could finish pushing her over the edge, she shook her head, grabbed his wrist, and growled, “Fuck me.”

“Tell me how,” he whispered to her, as he stood back up.

“First,” she growled, “you thank God that you got yourself a tall girlfriend.” Then she grabbed him, angling him up, sliding him against her slick entrance. He gasped at the shock of the feeling as she began to wiggle him into her, until she’d pressed her pubic mound against his groin and stomach, angling so she could grind on him with each thrust. “Then,” she growled, gripping his shoulders, gazing down into his wide eyes, “you hold on for dear life.” Then she started moving, a slow, rhythmic wiggle of her body that lit his nerves aflame, and he did exactly as she suggested. As the water poured over them, his arms roamed up and down her back, seizing whatever leverage he could find to press himself deep into her, grind himself against her inner depths. But as his legs started to ache, as he struggled not to slip, it soon became evident that this was her show, and he was there to enjoy it.

This was the longest he’d ever lasted, some part of him realized, as Ash continued to fuck him, gasping and moaning at the feeling of him inside of her, more her sex toy than an active participant. It felt good, amazingly good, but it wasn’t the same level of overwhelmingly, mind-blowingly intense it had been before. Was it just the awkwardness of the position? Or was he managing to actually learn what he was doing well enough to pleasure his girlfriend?

Evidently, at some point, she’d realized the same thing. “H-Hey,” she groaned, “is this doing it for you?”

He nodded. “Feels amazing. Just, um - oh fuck - a little awkward.”

“Want to - mmm - try something else?” she asked. And before he could respond, she’d slipped off of him with a wet noise, and turned around, pressing her muscular ass against him. He gasped in shock again as she started rubbing those surprisingly soft, springy cheeks against him, hand reaching down to guide him between the slicked curls of her entrance and inside of her once more. For a few moments, he wasn’t sure he could fit; she felt so tight he didn’t know if he could push in without hurting her. But then she finished maneuvering her, pressing her ass against his hips, and holy fuck, he was not getting better nearly as fast as he thought. She clamped down on him so hard it hurt, but in the best way he’d ever been hurt, even more than when she’d bitten him.

“If you move right now…” he gasped, unable to finish the sentence before she started shifting her hips.

“I’m - oh fuck - almost there, Brian,” she growled. “Come in me. Don’t hold back.” Then she pushed him against the wall, rocking her hips against his groin, moaning long and low as he tried futilely for hold out for even a minute in this new position, crying out in bliss as he filled her for the third time in less than a day.

“I’m going to get better at that,” he eventually promised her, as he sulked in the bottom of the shower, once he’d recovered enough to speak.

“Kinda scared that’s gonna be true,” she murmured, as she knelt next to him, stroking her hair with one hand while she rinsed herself with the other. “I almost squirted, Brian.”

“R-Really?” he asked, looking at her warm smiling face. “I… maybe I just need to keep finding more awkward sexual positions?”

“I’d rather you get used to coming your cute little brains out in the ones that feel good for you,” she laughed. “Now, you gonna stop getting mopey about just making your girlfriend come on that sexy cock of yours and not, I dunno, whatever the fuck yours hoping for?”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, as he slowly stood back up.

“Brian,” she growled, as she offered him a hand, “if I hear one more apology outta you…”

“I’m sorry,” he laughed. “I won’t do it again.”

She glared down at him, a playful scowl on her face. “You just want me to try and find a sexy way to punish you,” she growled.

“…Well I hadn’t before,” he admitted.

“Just for that, mister, I’m not gonna let you dry me off,” she huffed, as she turned off the shower and headed out.

“W-Wait,” he gasped, “let’s not do things we’re going to regret.”

———

There’s been mudslides in the area, the text from his mother said. We’re waiting for an all clear to come home. I’m sorry.

Don’t die please, he texted back. I’d rather see you tomorrow than at a wake.

How did I raise such a morbid child? came her response. I love you, Brian. Be safe.

I love you too, mom, he texted back.

“Bad news?” Ash asked.

“Mom and dad went to a hotel up in the mountains,” he replied. “Apparently there’s been some massive flooding because of all the water.”

“Aw, c’mon, really?” she grumbled. “Shouldn’t they have checked the forecast?”

Brian shrugged. “They booked this in advance weeks ago,” he replied. “Besides, today is kind of an order out and watch Hogfather kind of day. Tomorrow’s the big fancy feast.”

She huffed, shaking her head, then after a moment, looked down at him. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I don’t think I’m up for round four,” he mumbled, crossing his legs.

Ash sighed, and tousled his hair. “I love you. Just want you know that.”

“W-Why are you saying it like that?” he asked.

“Well, here’s what I’m thinking,” Ash continued, ignoring him. “I’m thinking dad always makes way too much for Christmas dinner, which means we got an extra place. You wanna do Christmas Eve at my place, and Christmas at yours?”

He held up his hand, slipping his phone back out of his pocket. Can I go to Ash’s for dinner? he asked.

Absolutely, his mother replied. We’ll come get you when you’re done.

He paused, then turned back to her. “This is a massive imposition,” he began, “but-“

“Already texted dad,” Ash replied. Her phone then chimed, and she looked down at it. “He says he can fit three.”

Do you guys want to come when you get the all clear? he asked.

That’s a massive imposition, his mom replied.

Brian laughed, then texted, I said the same thing. They’ve got room for three, mom. Wanna meet my girlfriend’s family?

There was no response for a while, long enough that Ash wrapped an arm around him and started petting him. Then, finally, came her response: If it’s really okay.

Can’t wait to see you there,” he texted back, then curled up in his girlfriend’s arms as they watched the storm rage just outside the windows, the only thing on their bodies a warm blanket and each other.

Chapter Text

“In the air, there’s a feeling… of Chri~stmas…”

“One more day,” Brian sighed to himself. “One more day, and I won’t have to hear it again for an entire year.”

“Mmm, I don’t know about that,” Ash murmured, sipping at a mug of hot cocoa with one hand and squeezing Brian with the other. “I’m totally gonna play it for you when you least expect it.”

“I got him with it on January 7th last year,” his mom laughed, as she cuddled against her husband on the other couch, reclining on him much the same way Brian was reclining on Ash. “I told him it was Orthodox Christmas. Oh, you should have seen the look on his face.”

“You really shouldn’t tease him like that,” his dad cautioned the two. Then he put a hand to his mouth, and stage whispered “Saint Patrick’s Day two years ago.”

“Just let me hate the damn song in peace,” he grumbled, as he crossed his arm and rested his head against his girlfriend’s chest. “I don’t do this to you guys.”

“But it’s so good!” all three of them replied in near-unison, laughing once they realized what they’d done. “C’mon, Brian,” Ash murmured, tousling his hair, “it’s one of the classics for a reason. There’s so much worse out there.”

“It’s like a weird Christmas dirge,” he grumbled. “Can we please just skip to the next song?”

“Such a grinch,” his mother huffed, as she slapped for the remote.

“Hold on,” Ash said, setting her cup of cocoa down on the side table. “Brian, got a deal for you. She’s gonna skip the song, but in exchange…”

“Keep playing it,” he mumbled, feeling heat spreading across his face.

“No, no,” his mother said, a smirk playing across her lips, “let her speak.”

“No baby pictures,” Brian moaned, putting his hand over his face.

“Brian, you don’t have anything to be ashamed of,” his dad assured him. “You were the cutest baby I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s not like you’ve got some image to protect,” Ash grumbled. “You’re still too cute for words. Besides, you already saw mine.”

“I maintain that those were of a different baby,” Brian replied, reaching down to adjust the covers to hide his radiantly-glowing face. “You could not possibly have been that little.”

“I told you,” she huffed, “I was like a month and a half early. Remember the weird alien Ash pictures?”

“I maintain that was because your mom was an alien combat robot,” Brian replied, a smile slowly creeping across his face.

“If Sharon doesn’t stop getting people to call my mom that,” Ash grumbled, “I’m gonna start showing off pictures of her Princess phase.”

“Surprisingly, that doesn’t make me want to give you access to embarrassing pictures of me,” he mumbled. Then he blinked as his brain caught up to his mouth. “Okay, but seriously, Sharon had a-“

Brian barely managed to turn his shivering gasp into a feigned snicker as Ash’s hand trailed up his chest. She gently gripped his chin, turning him to look up at her, lower lip pushed out in a surprisingly convincing puppy expression. “Please?” she begged him. “I just wanna see how cute you used to be.”

“Okay,” he sighed, unable to muster the will to resist with his heart leaking down his rib cage. As his mom pumped her fist, he held up a hand. “No naked baby pictures,” he demanded.

“Aw, but why? It’s not like I hav-“ she began, then froze, cheeks so hot Brian could feel them even with his head against her chest. She mumbled something incoherently, still as a board, while Brian tried to look anywhere else except his parents and wrapped the blanket around himself tighter.

“Trust me,” his mother sighed, as she pushed herself out of her husband’s lap, “at this point, we would be concerned if you hadn’t seen our son naked.” As Ash started to stammer an apology, she cleared her throat. “There will be no follow-ups. Failure to comply will result in my husband and I using pet names around each other for the rest of the visit.” She locked eyes with both of them, and narrowed her eyes. “We have ones with multiple compound words.”

“I don’t want to know,” Brian moaned. “I didn’t even want to know that I didn’t want to know.”

“Is it weird that I kinda want to know?” Ash whispered in his ear.

“I don’t know, my peachy-creamy cookie-cake,” his dad called to her as she headed upstairs, “I don’t think they deserve that kind of treatment.”

Ash blinked, head slowly tilting to the side. “Curiosity withdrawn.” When Brian’s mom descended down the stairs, she slowly nodded, and tonelessly muttered, “there will be no follow-ups.”

“Smart girl,” she replied, as she passed the two of them a dusty binder. “We’ve got a lot more on the photo player, but those are the best of the best.”

Brian mumbled and grumbled, sinking deeper into his blanket, only for Ash to effortlessly pull it down. “Oh. My. God,” she cried, as she held the binder so they both could see the tiny, pudgy, slightly squished infant staring back, “how were you that cute?”

“I look like Winston Churchill got into a car accident,” he grumbled, folding his arms.

“Brian? You are literally the cutest baby I’ve ever seen, and I have cousins. Oh, and your little squished alien head!” she squealed, like he was another bulldog in the series. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you kept these from me.”

“Wait until you see him when he was two,” his mother suggested. “That’s when he got his first pair of glasses.”

“Brian,” Ash said seriously, “I need for you to hold this album for me. I am going to squeeze you so hard, and I can’t do that if I’m holding this.”

“Why me?” he mumbled, as he held the album as his girlfriend oohed and awwed over him.

His dad shrugged. “Sorry, Brian, but sometimes, you just have to get snuggled by the woman you love and called adorable. It’s a hard cross to bear, but I have faith that you’ll get through this.”

Brian grumbled to himself silently, face hot, desperately fighting the smile off his lips.

———

“Okay, the top oven timer went off,” Ash announced. “Turn it down to 325?”

Brian’s mother nodded. “Perfect. Thank you, Ash. Darling, how are the roots?” she called.

“Peeled, chopped, and seasoned,” he replied. “Potatoes excepted, of course.”

“Still can’t believe you peel them,” she grumbled quietly to Brian as she passed by him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “How about you, cutie?”

“The rolls are on their rise,” he confirmed, “and the pie is in the bottom oven. Mom, how are the sprouts?”

“Chopped, garlicked, oiled, and waiting,” his mother replied. “That’s everything for phase one of the Christmas dinner. Everyone is dismissed, we’ll reconvene in an hour. Thank you, Ash.”

“No thanks for your beloved son and devoted husband?” his father asked, as he followed her out of the kitchen.

“Your thanks is getting to eat,” she huffed. “Ash is a guest.”

As they playfully bickered, Ash’s big strong arms wrapped around Brian from behind. “Gotta admit,” she murmured in his ear, “this whole phases business? It’s totally brilliant. Way better than the chaos at my place.”

“Oh, that’s because this is just phase one,” he laughed, as he leaned back against her powerful body, resting his head against one of her firm breasts. “Phase two is when the fun really begins. Everyone’s always almost crashing into each other. And don’t get me started on phase three.”

“Mmm, I still think it’s probably better than one giant phase,” she replied. “So, whatcha wanna do now? It’s an hour until phase two starts, right?”

Brian shrugged. “Sometimes we all go play something, sometimes we all relax on their own. It depends on how much energy everyone’s got and how much they need to conserve.”

“Aw, little introvert family,” Ash murmured. “You guys are so sweet together.”

“I know you call them barely-controlled chaos,” Brian began, “but-“

“Excuse me?” she huffed. “Did I ever imply they were even barely controlled?”

Brian snickered, and reached up to pet Ash’s face. “I still really enjoy spending time with them. As high energy as they might be.”

“I’m enjoying this too,” she murmured. “So, you wanna go cuddle up on the couch?”

“Sounds lovely,” he replied. “Um, we are just going to cuddle, though, right? M-My parents are up and about, so-“

“Take it easy,” she laughed. “I’m just gonna snuggle with you. I don’t plan on taking anything off.”

Technically, Brian thought, she hadn’t lied. But the moment his mom had called down the stairs and said they were taking a nap, Ash’s definition of snuggle had changed dramatically. There was something on TV, he had no idea what, because he couldn’t focus on it enough to actually commit any details to memory. He was far too busy being distracted by his girlfriend’s hands roaming up and down his body, slipping beneath his shirt and down his pants.

“Thought you said,” he whispered, trying not to gasp at the sensation of her fingertips brushing his chest, “that we were just snuggling.”

“Well,” she whispered back, “I’m not sure what you consider snuggling to be, but-“

“Something that… that isn’t going to make me m~moan loud enough for my parents to h-hear me,” he mumbled, sinking his teeth into his lower lip, trying not to make any sounds higher than a whisper.

Well,” she whispered back, “I think this counts. You’re not gonna moan, are you?” she asked. He could hear the smirk in her voice, even if he couldn’t see it; he could feel it in the shape of her lips as she pressed them into his ear, as she let her hot breath waft over the back of his neck. “You’re gonna stay quiet for me?”

“I… I really don’t think this is fair,” he gasped, quietly, voicelessly, struggling to hold back any more overt signs of pleasure.

“Mmm, gonna disagree,” she whispered in his ear, before running her tongue along it, then digging the fingers of both hands into his chest. “Do you want me to stop?”

Brian shook his head. “J-Just, maybe a little less pinching?”

“Dunno what you mean,” she quietly chuckled, as she rolled his nipples in her fingers, sending spikes of sweet pain throbbing through his body. “That’s clearly not pinching.”

“D-Disagree,” he whispered.

She paused what she was doing, whispering in his ear, letting her hot breath play across his skin. “You want me to stop?”

“I said a little less,” he huffed.

“Mmm, okay. But maybe,” she murmured, as her hands began to crawl down his chest, “I want to try pinching somewhere else?”

“Please don’t make me come,” he quietly begged her.

“Aw, you know I’d never do anything you don’t want me to do,” she murmured, as she slipped her hands into his waistband, playing her fingertips along the base of his already-erect cock. “I promise, no orgasms. But, uh, are you sure you don’t wanna be a little more specific?” she hissed, as she began to slowly pump him with one hand, the other cupping his scrotum.

“Please don’t edge me either,” he gasped, barely holding back his voice. “I don’t want to try and make dinner while aching for you.”

“There we go,” she whispered, as she started circling just beneath his glans with one fingertip. “Now tell me what you want, Brian.”

“I want you… to play with me,” he whispered, pressing his fingers into his mouth to further muffle himself. “I want you to make me your toy,” he quietly begged her. “Like when we drive, or-“

“I want that too,” she whispered in his ear, running one hand back up his stomach, the other playing up and down his shaft, far too gently for him to ever really come from it, but enough that it felt like her fingertips were lighting him ablaze. “I’m not gonna stop playing with you until I get bored, Brian,” she murmured, nipping at his ear, as he held back a moan. “Is that okay?”

Brian, once he recovered enough mental capability to speak, reached a hand up to her face, stroking her soft, incredibly hot cheek. Was she also blushing, he wondered. “P-Please don’t stop.”

“You warn me if you’re starting to go past me just playing with you, okay?” she whispered. “I never want to do anything you don’t want me to do.”

“I will,” he promised. “D-Do you want me to…?”

She silently grabbed one of his hands, wiggling it behind her back. It was a little awkward, but with some finagling, he eventually felt it brushing against the thick curls of her bush, the slick wetness already soaking them. “You don’t even have to finger me,” she whispered. “Just pet me. Okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered back, as he began to run his fingers against her slick skin, a finger trailing between her inner labia. “Hey, Ash? I love you,” he whispered.

“Love you too,” she quietly growled, panting in his ear. “Now slow down a little, or this is gonna go places you don’t want it to.”

———

“That last slice of pie?” Ash moaned, “oh, that was a mistake.”

“I did warn you,” he mumbled, as he curled against her on the couch, blanket wrapped around both of them. “Now, that roast beef, on the other hand…”

“Well, who’s the one who made that incredible Yorkshire pudding?” she asked. “God, I wanna eat that every Christmas now.”

“Let’s just say we’re both the agents of our own destruction and leave it at that,” he sighed.

“Alright, you two,” Brian’s mother called, “are you all ready for presents?”

“Wait, didn’t you say we already did presents?” Ash asked. “You know, when I got here this morning?”

Brian shook his head. “We do little presents in the morning. It’s a holdover from when I was a kid. Stocking stuffers, small toys, things like that. We always do one big present after Christmas dinner, though.”

“It’s the only way we could get him to sit still through Christmas dinner,” his dad laughed. “Otherwise he’d eat the entire contents of his stocking and bounce off the walls while claiming he wasn’t hungry.”

“To be fair,” Brian interjected, “I wasn’t hungry. I ate the contents of my stocking, remember?”

“Aw, now I feel bad I didn’t get you two anything,” Ash mumbled, squeezing Brian gently and turning her head down.

“You got us a place at your family’s table,” Brian’s mom pointed out.

“That’s not-“

“It absolutely is,” she interrupted.

Brian cleared his throat. “So, mom, I wasn’t able to get this on my own, but dad helped me out.” He handed her a wrapped package, about the size of Ash’s arm. “Dad,” he continued, passing one to him, “I wasn’t able to get this on my own, but mom helped.”

The two opened their gifts together, his dad laughing as he saw the amber-filled bottle decorated with a beehive; his mom nodding appreciatively as she saw the auburn-filled bottle decorated with a three-masted ship. “Don’t drink it all in one place, okay?”

“I’d never waste this,” his mom huffed, as she looked at the bottle approvingly.

“I’ll savor it,” his dad promised. “Now, your turn. This is kind of a gift from both of us,” he said, as he hefted the pair of large packages over, setting them down in front of the couple. “And, technically, it’s a gift for both of you.”

The two looked at each other, then each moved to open a package. Paper tore and boxes opened, and Brian’s eyes widened as he looked down into the package. In his, a box containing a top of the line tent, designed for four - or for one very tall girl who didn’t want to spend all of her time stooping. In hers, a 3-season sleeping bag, designed for two people to share. “Guys, this is… this is amazing,” he mumbled. “How did-“

“We saw your pass,” Brian’s mom admitted. “You really ought to keep that in your wallet for safekeeping. Anyway, we, well, we want to make sure you two are safe and comfortable out there when you go camping,” she continued. “I want you two to have all kinds of amazing adventures together, okay? And, if you’re thinking about it, bring us back some pictures?”

“We will,” Brian promised, lifting himself off of Ash, going to hug the two of them. “Thank you so much, mom and dad. I love you two.”

“We love you too, Brian,” his dad replied. “Whatever your plans are going to be, when you figure it out, want to run them past us?”

“I will,” he promised, settling back against Ash, cuddling into her warm embrace.

“So,” his mom asked, “who’s up for some Christmas games?”

“You teach me the rules,” Ash replied, “and I’m in.”

———

“Brian?” Ash muttered, as they slunk their way into the guest room, “Your mom is hardcore.”

“Yeah, she plays for keeps,” he admitted. “Dad’s probably better, he just plays for fun with newbies. But yeah, I’m super glad Avalon takes five at minimum.”

“Isn’t that the game you’re not allowed to play?” she asked.

He nodded. “I don’t play social deduction games with mom. She’s way better at them than I am.”

“I’m scared,” Ash mumbled playfully, pretending to cling to him for support. “Should I be scared?”

“I mean, she’s also been able to tell when I’m lying my entire life,” he admitted. “Anyway, thanks for playing anyway. I know it was a little rough, but-“

“Brian,” she huffed, “playing all three of you was like the time little six year old me challenged a college girl to some one on one. There’s pictures, by the way.”

“Can I see them?” he asked.

“I mean, I saw Brian in his glasses. Anyway,” she continued, “I’m not saying it wasn’t fun, but-“

“Maybe back to two player for a while?” he asked.

Ash nodded. “So, uh, this is unrelated, but I really, really want you inside me right now,” she murmured. “Is that a thing that can happen? Or are you still too full of roast beef?”

Brian froze, brain abruptly shifting gears. “I, um, I… yes?”

Ash laughed, bending down to kiss him, lips parting, tongue slipping into his mouth. “You don’t have to,” she murmured, once they’d finally managed to pull away.

“Can we, um, maybe try something gentle?” he asked. “I’m kind of worn out, and-“

“Mmm, you wanna try something I read online?” Ash asked.

“Ah, the most terrifying phrase in the English language,” he replied, as he began to strip off his clothes.

“Worse than ‘hold my beer and watch this?” she asked, clothing already drifting to the ground.

Brian nodded emphatically. “Yes, absolutely. There’s only so dumb one person can be. The internet? The internet is crowdsourced stupidity.”

Ash burst out laughing, and tousled his hair. “You’ve got a real way with words. C’mon,” she murmured, as she slipped into her, “I’ve always wanted to give this a try. I promise it’s not gonna break your cock.”

“This is, without a doubt, the worst you’ve ever sold an idea,” he muttered, as he slipped into bed after her.

Ash’s big strong arms wrapped around him, her lips pressing against his; he worried he’d have to ask her not to use her tongue, but apparently she’d either intuited it wasn’t a great idea, or was having the same worries about queasiness he was. Instead, the two gently kissed, little pops of lips against lips, less intimately than the first time they’d kissed, but strangely also intensely intimate. Her hands roamed up his back slowly, fingers not digging into him, just caressing his bare skin, sending soothing ripples of pleasure through his body. He began to follow suit, tracing the lines of her back muscles, slowly savoring each inch of her bare skin. She sighed deeply, a sweet, quiet noise of pleasure; instead of increasing the intensity, however, she just kept touching him so softly that he could barely stand it, that it almost felt like he was at the edge of being tickled.

He didn’t know when he’d gotten hard. He didn’t know when she’d gotten so wet she smeared her sexual fluids against him when they shifted their legs, when the heat from her entrance began to radiate so hot he could feel her warmth without touching her. But when her breaths began to grow ragged, she whispered, "are you ready for me?"

“Completely,” he murmured. “Just tell me what to do.”

“Come to me,” she whispered, as she spread her legs, beckoning him into her. “Slowly,” she whispered, as he began to rub his achingly hard cock against her. “Ah, um, just a little lower,” she gasped, as he rubbed his cock against her silky inner labia, trying to hold back a cry at how damn good her body felt. “But, uh, okay, wow, we’re gonna do something with that,” she murmured, biting her lip, as he slipped against her soaking entrance until he finally found his way inside of her. Inch by inch, millimeter by millimeter, she welcomed him into her, heat and wetness and that amazingly tight grip enveloping more and more of him, until he was finally in. “Okay,” she murmured, “now don’t move.”

For long seconds, he lay there, pressed against her, deep inside of her, feeling the little twitches of movement from deep inside of her. Then, finally, he whispered, “so, what am I waiting for?”

“Oh, you just can’t move,” she murmured, as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips to his once again. “That’s it.”

“I don’t understand,” Brian mumbled, blinking in confusion.

“It’s, uh, something I saw online,” she repeated. “Like, girls do this because they convinced themselves this isn’t sex-“

“This is absolutely sex,” he laughed.

“Totally. But, like, apparently God’s vision is based on movement? Like a dinosaur?”

Brian shook his head. “That’s been disproven years ago.”

“God or dinosaurs?” Ash asked, holding her face totally straight just long enough for him to sigh, then kissed him again. “That’s cool. I love dating a dino-dork. Anyway,” she continued, “feels really nice, doesn’t it?”

“It feels amazing,” Brian sighed. “Like, I don’t think it’s something I can come from, but…” honestly, it felt like he was melting inside of her, held gently in her vaginal muscles, bathed in her heat and wetness. “…But I don’t want you to stop,” he gasped, trying to hold back a moan as she twitched just a little, hold back giving voice to the deep, intimate pleasure of just being inside of her.

“Yeah,” she murmured, “I like it too. Definitely not replacing moving, but it’s really intimate. Like I’m just snuggling your cock in my cunt.” She wiggled a little, drawing a spasm from his body, the pleasure so intense that it felt almost like she was fucking him. “Man, I bet I could fall asleep like this.”

“Do you want to?” he asked.

She met his gaze, then a smile slowly played across her face. “Nope,” she replied. “You know what I do wanna do?” she asked. Before Brian could answer, he felt a surge of pleasure rush through him, from his base to his glans as she squeezed down on him. “What I wanna do,” she murmured, another powerful squeeze gripping him then releasing him, “is see if I can make that sexy cock of yours come fill me up without having to move any muscles but my vaginal ones. So?”

“No - oh my God - no complaints on my end,” he gasped, as a wave of intense pleasure wracked his body as she clamped down on him once again.

As it turns out, she couldn’t. As incredible as it felt, as intensely, intimately erotic as her squeezes felt, as much as it felt like his entire body was being bathed in the pleasure of being held in her, gripped by her, damn near juiced by her, it wasn’t the kind of thing that he could come from. Not yet, at least. But as her slow, gentle movements finally pushed him over the edge, as he had to bite down on his arm to avoid crying out when the pleasure finally became so intense that it overwhelmed him, the little part of him that was still conscious decided it was the kind of experiment he’d want to keep repeating.

It wasn’t until she whispered “good,” in his ear that he realized he’d said that last part out loud. Or that he was still inside of her, held in her grip, bathed in her heat and wetness. “‘Cuz I’m not done with our little experiment yet,” she murmured, giving him one last little squeeze, making him spasm as the intensity of the sensation went over the edge to agony. “You rest,” she murmured, holding him gently, dragging her lips across his face and kissing him softly. “Me?” she whispered, between kisses, “I’m gonna hold you here until you’re ready for the next go-round.”

The internet, Brian discovered, is a place of both wonders and terrors.

“So which am I?” she asked, laughing softly when he realized he’d said that out loud.

“Do I have to choose?” he asked.

She didn’t stop laughing for quite some time. She didn’t let him sleep for far longer.

Chapter Text

It all started because Ash’s was bored. “I love you,” she’d said, “but if I have to spend one more day cooped up indoors I’m going to start bouncing off the walls.”

He didn’t blame her, of course. The rain may have slowed, but the winter storm was hanging on like a bad cold, and felt just about as dreary. “I’m not really sure I want to go running in this,” he’d told her. “I already had one bad slip and fall, and after our little dinosaur-feeding escapades…”

“Okay, then you wanna try going to the gym?” she’d asked. “I think I just need to get a really good workout in, y’know?”

Brian had agreed, but he’d been unable to agree convincingly enough for her to not fold her arms and glare down at him. “I’m just not a gym person,” he admitted. “I love running with you outdoors, but indoors all I can think about is my muscles aching and how much time I have left. You can’t even distract me without getting kicked out.”

She’d sighed, tousling his hair when she saw the look on his face. “Yeah, I get that,” she muttered. “Maybe I’ll go out and get a workout in, then I’ll come back and you can lick the sweat off my abs?”

He should have said yes. He’d wanted to say yes. But some strange little impulse had taken over instead. “Want to see if there’s something fun and physical we could do together?” he’d asked.

It was too early to go dancing, and there was nowhere to go dancing that would actually let them in. Squash seemed about as tedious as just being on a treadmill. Ice skating seemed like it might be fun, and they’d almost decided on it. Then Ash had found an advertisement for an introduction to climbing class. “Wanna give it a go?” she’d asked.

Like a fool, Brian had said yes. Which is why he was staring up at the giant wall, somewhere between five and ten thousand times his height, staring at a dizzying array of colorful corbels ranging from faux rocks to decorations resembling anything from hands to fossils to numbers. None of them, he noted, were even the size of a stepstool rung; most weren’t even big enough for him to plant a foot on them.

Brian looked back to Ash, at her warm, confident smile. “I’ve got you,” she promised. “Remember, this is just falling practice. We’re not even going to the top of this thing yet.

Brian gulped, hands trembling, as he gripped at the two holds nearest the sign. He started to step, only for their teacher to clear his throat. “Remember, the first step is checking your harness, but the second step is signaling your partner. You never want to assume your partner is ready.”

Brian barely was able to voice the words, “on belay?”

He felt a reassuring little tug on his harness, a little jolt of pressure letting him know Ash had the thin little line that would be theoretically saving him from injury or death as tight as she could without dragging him up the cliff. “Belay on,” she called.

He closed his eyes. “C-Climbing,” he called to her, putting a step on the wall, jolting abruptly when he remembered that he needed to wait.

“Climb on,” she called back to him. “You got this, Brian.”

Brian pushed himself up, slowly, tentatively, trembling feet pressing to confirm each foothold’s stability before moving to the next one, gripping each handhold so hard his knuckles went white before trying to balance with it. Finally, he looked down, confirming he’d managed to ascend about half the length of the wall. “Okay,” he mumbled, breathing deeply. Then, “Take!”

“I gotcha,” Ash called, another reassuring jolt.

“F-Falling,” he said, in an authoritative and manly tone of voice, as he leapt from the wall. He didn’t even have a chance to brace for impact before he felt himself jolt in his harness, dangling like a dead yo-yo limp on one of Ash’s long fingers.

“Told you I got you,” Ash called up to him. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah,” he called back down to her, smiling as he saw the confident look on her face, the way her warm brown eyes were looking at nothing but him. With a bit of effort, he reached out and grabbed the wall, dragging himself to it once more. “Not so bad,” he mumbled to himself, breaths fast and shallow. “Not nearly as bad as I thought it was gonna be.”

“We get that a lot,” the teacher called. “Okay, we’re going to do a couple more practice falls. Start climbing, just call falling this time. Okay?”

“Got it,” Brian called, a little more confidence in his voice. A confidence which grew when Brian took a step, called out “falling!” and dropped, just a little jolt once again. And again when he didn’t call anything at all, just pretending he slipped from one foothold to another. And once more when he just peeked down at her, pretending to be finding a foothold, seeing her warm brown eyes locked on him, watching his every movement with intensity that would have been terrifying the first time they met. But now, it made him feel warmth radiating through his body, like the harness around him was just an extension of those big strong arms of hers, wrapping around him even over twice their combined height up in the air. He was safe. He was secure. He was loved and protected. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

By the time he made it back down, most of his nervousness had faded away. He still felt the little jolt in his guts whenever he shifted from one foothold to the other in midair, but the knowledge that no matter what he did, the woman he loved would keep him safe, made those little jolts less terrifying and more little bursts of adrenaline. Of course, then they switched positions, and it all came crashing back down on him, an ocean of ice threatening to wash him away the moment she gripped the wall, looked back at him, and called, "On belay?"

He took a deep breath, pulling out all slack in the rope, holding it with shaking hands. "H-Hey," he mumbled to his teacher, "um, am I.. am I going to be able to stop her?"

"Top-roping in here?" he replied. "Absolutely. I wouldn't get my twelve year old niece to belay her, but the anchors should have enough friction, and we've got grigris on all our top-roping walls. Make sure to keep taking up her slack, and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.”

"Right," Brian exhaled. "Belay on," he called to Ash, who was standing there patiently, one foot on the wall, waiting for him.

"Climbing," she called back to him. "I trust you."

He wished that reassured him. All it did was make the weight in his hands even heavier. "C-Climb on," he called.

The moment he'd given her the signal, she was off like a shot. Brian wanted to watch in awe at her movements, at the flex and contraction of her powerful biceps, at the shifting muscles of her back, at the way her strong legs seemed to fling her up the wall. But as much as he wanted to admire her, as much as he wanted to just stare at her beautiful, powerful body as she conquered the wall he’d struggled with effortlessly, it was all he could do to keep up with her. “Up slide break,” he muttered to himself over and over as he tried to keep up with her. “Up slide break up slide break up slide-“

“Stop!” the teacher called, when Ash was only a third of a way up the wall. For a moment, he was afraid the big man was about to castigate him. But he helped him take the slack from the rope, then called up to Ash. “You’re going too fast for him to keep up,” he called. “Did you see all that slack? You need to make sure you’re going at a speed he can handle.”

“Sorry!” she called down.

“That’s why we’re teaching you two,” their teacher called back up. He patted Brian on the shoulder, and said, “remember to let her know if you need her to slow down. She’s counting on you to catch her, and that means you have to be able to catch her. Good job holding the rope, though.”

“You told me to never take my hand off the brake strand,” Brian replied.

“I did,” their teacher acknowledged. “I tell that to a lot of people multiple times, especially when they’re getting frazzled. Are you okay? It can be a tough skill to learn.”

Brian kept his eyes fixated on Ash, fighting the urge to look away. “She’s also new,” he mumbled.

Their teacher shrugged. “Everyone learns at their own pace,” he replied. “I did it wrong the first few times myself. Alright,” he then called up to Ash, “time to learn to fall. Remember, check in first time!”

“Take!” Ash called down to Brian, looking down at him with the same confident smile he saw on her face when she was belaying him. No, it anything it was more confident. Like she truly believed he wouldn’t - couldn’t - fuck this up.

“Gotcha,” he called up to her, breathing deeply, bracing himself for her next move.

“Falling!” she called, as she let herself go, jolting his arms with the weight of her very tiny fall. But through the miracle of the anchor and the carabiner, he held her tight.

“I got you,” he murmured up to her, as she dangled in the air, smiling down at him happily.

“See! Nothing to worry about as long as I’ve got you,” she called back down, as she fumbled for the holds, and held herself against the wall once again. “Okay, climbing again. Ready for me?”

Brian nodded. "Climb on,” he called once more.

———

The two had spent well over an hour in the little artificial alcove studded with nearly a dozen different short climbing trails, or problems as their teacher had called them. By the end of it, Brian was as exhausted as he’d ever been, like he’d just finished going mano a mango with Ash’s mother’s garden. The amazing thing, in his mind, was how tired Ash looked right now. She’d decided to push the harder problems, jumping from Intros to 5.8 in the blink of an eye. But she’d been struggling with this 5.9 for a half dozen attempts, and they were not going well. Sweat soaked the athletic shirt she’d worn, ran in rivulets down her forehead, forced her to wince and blink or rest against the wall to rub it from her eyes. “Dammit,” she growled, with surprising forcefulness, “I just can’t do that one damn cross over.”

“Can I make an observation?” he finally asked. “I know you said you wanted to figure it out yourself, but-“

Ash huffed, and shook her head. “Knock yourself out,” she grumbled.

“You keep losing your balance on that one step,” he replied, pointing up at a smooth, round hold that looked almost like someone had stuck a pink u-bend in the wall. “There’s no real place for you to grip, though. Have you considered maybe it’s not the right one?”

She looked up at the wall, shaking her head. “Where else would I cross over?” she asked.

Brian pointed up a little bit higher, at a set of small pink stones. “I think you can probably try at that point,” he suggested.

Ash blinked, tilting her head to the side, then shook it. “No dice,” Ash replied. “It’s a little too far for me to reach.”

He looked at it carefully. “I think you could do it if you kept all your weight on that one hold, then stretched really hard. Like that,” he continued, pointing up to the tall walls, where a young woman significantly shorter then Ash was crossing two holds using exactly that kind of technique.

Ash watched the climbing woman, then nodded. “Sure, I’ll give that a try. You got one more belay in you?” she asked.

Brian nodded. “Kick its ass, baby.”

“You got my flour,” Ash chuckled, pressing herself against the wall and looking up. “On belay?”

“Belay on,” he replied, pulling out the slack.

“Climbing,” she called, as she braced herself.

“Climb on,” he called to her, as she began to pull herself up the wall, grip by grip. He watched her, dutifully taking her slack, never keeping his eyes off her, watching her for yet another slip off this tricky wall. Finally, she reached the foothold he’d pointed out, gripping the small handholds just above it, reaching out her leg. She silently groped at it with her foot, struggling to lean just far enough to hook it. “A little higher,” he called, as she finally shifted enough, only to just miss it. “You’ve got this, Ash! I believe in you! Just a little higher, okay? That’s it,” he called, as her toe skimmed it, “just one more try.”

“Take!” she called, and he pulled the rest of the slack from the rope, letting her rest against the wall. “Fuck, Brian, I’m gonna lose my balance,” she huffed.

“What about putting your hand on that little pink hold?” he asked, pointing to a tiny sliver of pink just above her.

“You kidding?” she asked. “I can’t pull on that.”

“You don’t have to,” he replied. “Just balance off of it for long enough to hook the wall. We’re supposed to be mainly using our legs anyway.”

Ash blinked. “First time I heard of that,” she grumbled down at him.

Brian looked up at her curiously. “Our teacher went over it several times.”

“Not denying that possibility,” she huffed. “Okay, I’m gonna give this son of a bitch one last go. You got me, Brian?”

He nodded. “Climb on!”

It would have been nice if that was the miracle, the trick that gave her victory over her pastel pink nemesis. But while she was able to make contact with the other hold, she slipped and tumbled from the wall halfway through shifting her weight over. “Dammit,” she grumbled, “my arms hurt too bad to keep squeezing. Okay, I’m done. Uh, ready to lower,” she called down to him, once she’d planted her feet firmly against the wall.

“Lowering,” he called, as he helped her slowly descend. “Um, you’re supposed to-“

“Off belay,” she sighed, as she stood and shook her arms, rubbing the pumped muscle gently.

“Belay is off,” he said, releasing his grip and moving to help her with her harness. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Just a bit of a pisser, that’s all. I hate giving up.”

Brian considered for a moment. “Well, we could always get a membership. Then we wouldn’t have to give up, we’d just be subbing out for a little while.”

“You really had fun?” she asked him, as the two made their way back to the front entrance.

“I did,” he replied. “It was scary as hell at first, but once I got used to it, it’s a lot more fun than any gym experience I’ve had. Kind of like playing a game with my body.”

Ash nodded. “Yeah, I get that. It’s not basketball, but it’s definitely a lot more thinking involved than running.”

“Also,” he whispered in her ear, “I really liked the feeling of you holding me up in the air like that. It, um, it felt nice. Just being able to relax and know you had me.”

“Oh really?” she murmured, nipping at his ear. “Y’know, you in that harness? It kinda reminded me of you in that ribbon.”

“You, um, you want me to do that again sometime?” he mumbled.

“Hell yeah I do,” she growled softly in his ear. “Mmm, you, me, a cute harness and nothing else? What do you think?”

Brian took a deep breath, and pointed to the shoo by the entrance. “I think they’re selling climbing rope in multiple tens of meters.”

“Mmm, I love how you think,” she growled.

“If we get a membership, we’ll have just started a hobby where we can explain why we have that in our closet,” he continued.

“Not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment,” she murmured. “But I think you just sold me on a pass.”

As the two headed up to the register, climbing rope in tow, their teacher, now manning the counter, cleared his throat. “So, I’m really going to strongly recommend against that.”

“I… um… I don’t know what you-“ Brian began, face starting to turn crimson.

The big man shook his head. “Lead climbing is a lot harder than top-rope. You’re going to want to get good at climbing and belaying before you switch over.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Ash said, cool as a cucumber.

“Apropos of nothing,” he continued, “Climbing rope is scratchy, it’s got a ton of give, and it’s too thick for good not work. Now, if I were going to buy some general purpose rope, I’d pick up some braided nylon at the hardware store across the block. Get it in a nice bright color, and nobody who isn’t really familiar with rope will be able to tell the difference. It’s what my husband uses.”

The two of them paused, peering at each other, peering back at him. “Um, thanks…?” Brian finally chanced.

“Look, you two,” their teacher sighed, “I’d rather lose the sale than let newbie climbers buy the wrong kind of equipment and get hurt. That doesn’t just mean for its intended purpose.”

Ash hummed, then nodded. “I like this guy. Maybe I should get a membership after all?”

———

"The most important thing," the male voice on Ash's laptop said, "is to keep checking in. Don’t just talk to her; touch her, move her, and interact with her. And above all, listen to her. If she’s telling you something’s wrong, you stop, and you get her out of there. She’s trusting you to keep her safe. Now, my assistant and I are going to give you a quick anatomy lesson, so you'll know the most important things to look out for."

"Mmm, I love it when you look out for my anatomy," the female voice on Ash's laptop purred.

Ash stared at her laptop screen with the same kind of intensity she'd been watching him with while she'd been belaying him, the same total, laser-like focus. Brian sat in her lap, but she barely paid any attention to him. No, he thought, as she held his hand, running her fingers along his wrist, gently probing him and flexing him like he was a toy while the handsome man on the video did the same to his blonde assistant, that wasn't quite true. It was just that she wasn't letting anything, even him, distract her from him. She barely even reacted when he reached up to stroke her face, when he ran his hand down her neck, and murmured, "I trust you."

It took her close to a minute to finally respond. "I know," she mumbled, as she ran her fingers between his hip and groin, sending tingles through his body. "That's why we're watching this all the way through. 'Cuz I wanna deserve that trust."

The two sat in silence, watching the pair on the screen, Brian even managing to focus on the man periodically instead of his completely nude assistant, or the warmth of Ash's body against his, the feeling of resting against her powerful muscles. Occasionally, he'd point out some interesting ideas, and for the most part, she'd respond with a hum or a nod or some expression of interest. But always, she watched the screen with eyes like a hawk.

"Hey," he finally asked, when the video ended, "do you want to do this? I mean-"

"I do," she said, voice firm. "I've just never done this before, y'know? And it's actually dangerous if I do it wrong. I love you, y'know? I wanna keep you safe. But," she murmured, "I also wanna tie you up and play with you while you're totally helpless and can't resist me."

Brian laughed. "In what world can I resist you?" he asked.

"Shush," Ash grumbled. After a few minutes, she turned to him "Um, hey," she mumbled, "Do you not wanna do this? I mean, uh, we don't have to-"

"Ash," he said patiently, "I ran around in a ribbon karada all night less than a week ago because I wanted to be your Christmas present. Yes, I absolutely want to do this with you."

"Okay," she murmured, a smile crossing her face. "You okay being patient with me while I learn?"

"Always," Brian replied.

"Cool. Okay then," she sighed, "you wanna stand up and I'll start one of his follow-along videos?"

"Do you want to?" he asked. "Or do you want to watch a couple more videos first?"

"I love you," she murmured, as she put the next video - one on basic knots - on. Then the next, and the next, Brian sometimes cuddling in Ash's arms, sometimes being used as her toy just as the man onscreen used - and was occasionally used by - his lovely assistants. Until, finally, she smiled, tousling his hair, and navigated to the actual how-to guides. "Okay," she murmured, "I'm ready."

Brian shivered as the rope tickled his neck when Ash laid it over him, surprisingly little weight for something so weighty. Her hands gently roamed across his body, soft and warm, her strong fingers brushing against him and drawing sighs from him whenever she pressed into him to tie a knot. She roamed her way down his chest, a knot at his sternum, a knot above his navel, a knot right at the top of his groin. The two of them watched as the rigger was affectionately dragged in front of the camera by the green-haired assistant, and Brian sighed in bliss as Ash gently guided the rope between his testicles, oh so carefully tying a knot and guiding it to rest against his perineum. She held him then, guiding the rope up his back, pressing him to her firm breasts as she snuggled against him and guided the rope through the initial knots.

Then, gazing into his eyes when she wasn't glancing back at the laptop, she began to weave the rope around his chest, snuggling him against her with each pull. He gasped at the sensation, the feeling of her fingertips and the soft nylon rope rubbing against his nipples, the ropes vibrating against his body as she jolted and pulled at them. The sensation only grew more intense as she snuggled him again, crossing the ropes back over, holding him tight in those strong arms of hers as fingers and rope glided over his skin, dug into him, pulled at him. His body felt so warm, each touch lighting his nerves aflame as the rope pulled against him tighter and tighter, as her hands stroked and caressed him while she tied him. By the time she'd finished the final diamond tie, his body was trembling; he struggled not to collapse against her.

"You okay?" she asked, as she paused momentarily.

"So much better than okay," he sighed back, shivering when she began to run her hands over his sensitive body, checking for discoloration or numbness.

"Okay," she murmured, grabbing a second piece of rope. "Then give me those wrists of yours," she continued, mousing over to a picture of the green-haired assistant smiling while she bit down on a rope gag, "because it's time for the next video."

It was amazing how good it felt, Brian thought, as Ash raised his praying hands over his head, tilting them behind his back. It was uncomfortable, to be sure; he was getting a deeper stretch here than he'd done in a while. But it wasn't the bad kind of uncomfortable, the kind Ash was so carefully watching out for. And the way her warm eyes met his, so full of concern, the way she'd softly murmured, "are you okay?" and "how's that feel," and "do you need a break"? It felt intimate in a way perhaps on the same level as sex, but entirely different.

"Okay," Ash finally murmured, as she pulled at the ties, slipping her fingers in and around him, "that's that. How are you feeling?"

It was hard to answer through the rope gag. But she seemed to accept his low, happy moan as a good enough answer.

"Mmm, Brian, do you have any idea how sexy you look right now?" she asked, as she began to run her fingers up and down his chest, jiggling the ropes of his body tie, chuckling as he gasped at the feeling of that extra knot vibrating against him. She pressed her lips to his forehead, kissing him softly. "My favorite toy," she growled in his ear, before sinking her teeth into him, leaving him gasping in surprised bliss. "God, Brian, I love you so much. I... I never even thought of doing this before you invited me over with that ribbon of yours, y'know? And here you are, trusting me, just letting me do whatever I want to you."

He nodded to her, sighing happily; "I love you too," he tried to reply.

Slowly, Ash walked around his body, looking at him contemplatively. "Hmm," she said, "how much time do you think we're gonna have until your parents get home?"

"Six," he tried to mumble. "Sex," is how it came out.

"Oh?" Ash laughed, reaching down and grabbing his cock. "Aren't you demanding?" she asked. "I guess you're right, though," she sighed, as she began to rub her absolutely soaked entrance against him. "We don't have a lot of time left." Then she slipped away, smiling at the mewl of dissatisfaction he made. "Guess I better use it however I want to," she murmured. "Now," she said, as she slowly nibbled her way down his body, occasionally pressing her nose to him and inhaling deeply, "how exactly should I do that?"

He couldn't see it when her lips made contact with him. He couldn't watch her suck him into her mouth, wrap her tongue around him and lick, watch himself disappear into her throat. Not from how he'd been restrained. But somehow, that only made things better.

Chapter Text

Ten weeks ago, if someone had asked Brian whether he thought he was ever going to participate in a race, he would have shrugged and asked if they minded him walking. Nine weeks ago, he would have asked if they were insane. Well unless they were Ash, then he would probably have mumbled about whether or not she’d let him touch her bare breasts afterwards, because nine week ago Brian no idea what having a girlfriend was actually like. A month ago? He’d accepted when she asked him to sign up, with the warning that he absolutely didn’t think it was physically possible for him to get there in time.

Today?

“You ready?” Ash murmured to him, as the two of them made their way down the frost-dusted sidewalk, making their way to the nature preserve hosting the annual Taiga Tail run.

“I think so,” he admitted, not wanting to lie one way or the other. “I mean, technically I’m still on week eight, so-“

Ash raised their hands, his clasped in hers, to his chilly lips. “Walking doesn’t mean you failed,” she reminded him. “Quitting means you failed. If you gotta stop a mile in and walk the other two and change, then I’m still gonna be proud of you, okay?”

“Okay,” he sighed, pressing his cold lips against her warm hand. “I’m still going to feel like I failed, though.”

“Yeah, well, I’m gonna get really grumpy with you if I hear you calling my boyfriend a failure,” she grumbled. “Might have to do some unkind things to you.”

Brian felt a shiver run through his body, one that had nothing to do with the bitter cold chilling him through his jacket, as he remembered last night. “Please don’t encourage my inferiority complex with kinky rope play,” he mumbled.

“C’mon, Brian,” she huffed, “give me some credit. See, I was thinking I could always tie you up nice and tight, get myself off while you watch…” A smirk then ran across her lips as she saw the anticipation building in his eyes. “Then I’d untie you, go home, and let you just ache for me.”

“Message received loud and clear,” he muttered. “Sorry, I-“

Ash chuckled and tousled his hair. “I get it, y’know? It’s hard feeling like your best isn’t gonna be enough. But you don’t have to heat yourself up over it. You just keep practicing and do better next time. Besides,” she continued, squeezing his hand gently, “this is just for fun, remember? If you have to walk, you’ll do your first 5K another race.”

Brian squeezed her hand back. “Thanks,” he eventually replied, as the two of them continued on their walk. “I wouldn’t be doing this without you.”

Ash shrugged. “Who knows?” she said. “You might’ve gone for it on your own.”

He shook his head. “Maybe, just maybe, maybe I would have started climbing on my own. It is unlikely some circumstances would have made me start running, but I’ll say it’s possible. But if it wasn’t for you,” he said, trying and failing to shiver, “there is no way in hell I would be out in this freezing weather getting ready to run my ass off.”

“Told you that jacket wasn’t going to be enough for you,” she grumbled. “What happened to mister layers, huh?”

“I always get too hot when I run in layers,” he mumbled. “I figured I was going to get hot enough on the run that this would be fine. Kinda forgot we were walking.”

"You mean after I texted you and reminded you to dress warm because we were walking?" she asked him. "Or when I said, 'hey, I dunno if that jacket's gonna be enough for you,' and you said-"

Brian grumbled to himself, another shiver running through his body. Ash just sighed, holding their hands up to his lips again. He felt her wiggling and snuffling; it wasn't long after that when he felt her let go of his hand, and felt warmth and weight drape over his shoulders. Her coat was so warm, like she'd draped herself over his body instead of cloth, and the surprised breath he took filled his nose with hints of lavender and vanilla, and a much heavier scent of her sweat. He looked over to her, now in nothing more protective than a long-sleeved athletic shirt, and shook his head. "Ash, you can't-"

"Don't worry about me," she replied. "I was planning on taking that off when I got to the starting line anyway. I can tough it out a little. Besides, I already warmed up with some interval training."

"Still can't believe you consider that a warmup," he mumbled. "Ash, you really don't have to do this. I'm going to be okay. I just-"

"Brian," she huffed, "your lips are chattering. I got my muscles to keep me warm. Now you got 'em warming you up too."

"I'm swimming in this thing," he pointed out; she wasn't just taller than him, she was broader as well, and even though her breasts were fairly small for her size, she still had actual mass on her chest. It looked like she'd thrown a sleeping bag over him.

"Is it down to your ankles?" she asked. When he pointedly refused to answer, she looked down her nose at him, and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Take the coat, Brian. I love you. I wanna take care of you, even if it's only because you didn't listen to your girlfriend, the experienced runner, about how to dress for a race."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, lowering his head. "I just don't want you to suffer because I screwed up."

She scratched her chin for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "Tell you what, Brian. Gimme your jacket, and we'll call it even."

He looked up at her, trying to see some sign of playfulness in her eyes. But all he saw was sincerity. "Ash," he patiently stated, "do you see how big this thing is on me?"

She just waved a hand at him. "I'll make it work." When he continued looking up at her, she crossed her arms. "Jacket or quit your bitching."

With a sigh, Brian wiggled out of his jacket, keeping the warm, ludicrously baggy coat around him, and passed Ash his own jacket. For a moment, he watched with bated breath, wondering how she was going to try to fit one of those big strong arms in his skinny sleeves. Then she draped it over her back, wrapping the sleeves around her neck, like she was wearing an ascot, or a cravat, or maybe just a jaunty scarf. "It's, um, it's actually really sexy on you," Brian admitted.

"You're just saying that because you wanna fuck me in it," she replied.

"...Okay, but isn't that the definition of sexy?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "Okay, lemme answer that with a question: What would you not wanna fuck me in?"

He considered that, really considered it, for a moment. Armor? No, if they could find a way to make that work that would probably be sexier than lingerie. A poofy pink princess dress? Not if she didn’t want to wear it, but if she was strutting around confidently… Maybe some kind of weird designer outfit? In the end, he settled on, “a fursuit.”

“Uh, a what?” she asked, tilting her head to the side slightly. It took her far, far too long to start cracking up.

———

"Okay," Ash said to him, as they stood at the crossroads, "this is your last call. They're really friendly on downgrading, Brian. I can run this with you no sweat."

"That's the problem," he sighed. "No sweat. You said you've been doing the 10K every year, and you've been doing it with the team the last two. I don't want you to have to hold back from doing something you love with your friends because of me."

"You're also something I love doing," she purred, rubbing her fingers up his chin, making him shiver for the first time since he'd put on her warm, heavy coat. "I don't mind, Brian. Promise."

"I'll be okay," he assured her. "I can do this on my own. I can," he huffed, when he saw the look on her face.

She looked away, a sheepish expression on her face. "Just saying, you haven't really been running without some titties as boosters except when you had dogs to make up for the difference."

Brian snorted, and waved her off, heading down the lane to the starting line. "Look, go run. Have fun. I'll be rooting for you at the finish line."

"Or the other way around," she called after him, as she waved and started heading in the opposite direction, to the 10K starting line.

Brian considered for a moment whether she could really run twice as fast as him for twice the distance. Then he wondered if he just woke up stupid today. "Or the other way around," he called back.

It wasn't long before the sound of dozens of overlapping voices began to rise above the cool, peaceful sounds of winter, and he found himself approaching a surprisingly massive crowd for this cold a morning this late in December. He tried not to push back the feeling of his guts flipping in circles, the feeling of ice running down his spine. Just for fun, he reminded himself. All of this is for fun. Just a nice fun run in the middle of the winter. Nobody was going to make fun of him for not being able to finish the race.

"Mommy!" a young boy in a backpack called, "he's wearing a clown jacket! Is he a clown!?"

"Ssh," came the replying whisper. "His boyfriend probably gave him that. It's not nice to stare."

Well, Brian thought, as he felt what little confidence he had drain away, it could be worse. Sure he was wrong, but at least it wasn't like Ash's asshole ex was here to taunt him or something.

"Hey, man, how’s it going?” came the massive, booming voice from way above him. Nope, thought Brian, as he looked up, and up, and up, to see the handsome, stubbly face of Craig beaming down at him like a dog recognizing someone who’d once given them a sausage. "Didn't know you were gonna be running this thing. That's cool, man! First time?"

Brian slowly nodded, trying to insert this massive dose of unexpected enthusiasm into his preparations. "Ash and I have been running together since Halloween. I'm finally at the point where I can run a 5K."

"Really?" Craig's face lit up in an enormous smile. "Aw, that's awesome, man! You know, she asked me if I could teach her to run too,” he said, gesturing to the tiny black-haired girl next to him, wearing a long black cape over a long black coat.

“I just wanna spend time with him,” she admitted, a cheerful smile on her black lips. “Running I can take or leave.”

“So,” Craig continued, “You and Ash doing this one together?"

Brian shook his head, feeling a pang in his guts that he forced away. "She's doing the 10K with the team. She asked if I wanted her to come with, but-"

"Really?” Craig’s girlfriend asked, wrapping her arms against Craig’s thick waist and looking at Brian with awe. “There’s no way I could do this without him.”

“No way I’d ever leave you by your lonesome, baby girl,” Craig boomed in an affectionate way that Brian suspected was the himbo equivalent of a murmur, tousling her long black hair while she smiled up at him with her eyes closed in blissful rapture. Once again, Brian felt a little pang, once again he shoved it aside; Ash wanted to run with him, and he’s the one who said no. Apparently, though, Craig mistook the look on his face for something he could assist with. "You, uh, you want us to run with you, man?" he asked. "It's easier when you've got some company."

Absolutely not, he didn’t say. Instead, Brian shook his head again. "It’s not like I’m totally by myself,” he said, stroking the heavy coat over him. “Honestly, I think I'd do better by myself. Thanks, though."

"Don't mention it!" Craig replied, patting him on the shoulder with surprising gentleness. "Okay, you got this, Brian. And hey, next year, maybe you'll run the 10K with her?"

Brian imagined the idea of trying to run twice as far as he was about to run. Then as his brain started to recoil, he added Ash into the mental picture. "Hope so," he admitted.

"Dude," Craig cheered, pumping his fist, "you set your mind to it, and you're there!"

———

The first half mile wasn't too bad. It was a much bumpier trail than he was used to, with higher elevation, but it was still so much easier than it had been a month ago. The air was crisp and clean, the only sounds around were the plodding and shuffling of his fellow runners, and the view was positively breathtaking even though the fallen leaves and bare trees meant the only real greenery came in the form of pine trees. Sometime when it was warmer, he promised himself, when it was green and he was going to come back here with Ash, and they were going to go see this entire thing from top to bottom and back up another side of the trail. For that first half mile, it really felt like he was going to make it.

The second half mile was when it started getting tough. Even after two months of running, or thereabouts, he wasn't at the point where a mile run was just something he could do without a second thought. That cool, crisp air was starting to ache when he pulled it into his lungs, and he could feel his legs and feet starting to protest the path he had chosen. But that was normal, and so he just pushed it away. All he had to do was do this three more times, he thought to himself, around the three quarters of a mile marker. All he had to do was do this two more times, he updated himself to thinking, once he'd reached the brightly colored marker proclaiming that he'd reached the first mile.

The third half mile, he really missed Ash. This was the point where he'd started flagging without her, the point where she'd really start cheering for him, or give him a peek of her bare breasts. He wiggled the coat up to his nose, taking a deep breath, imagining her voice. You've got this, she'd say to him. I believe in you, she'd cheer. Then she'd lift up her sports bra, small and soft yet so incredibly firm breasts bouncing in the frigid air. He could almost see it in his mind's eye, he thought. He'd watched her bouncing enough to burn those bouncing breasts into memory. Even though he'd groped them and suckled them and rubbed himself off against them, they were still just as hypnotizing, just as motivating as the first time.

Then he almost stumbled over a tree root, and he remembered he really ought to be watching the road. He was basically halfway done, after all. All he had to do was do the entire thing all over again. Easy, right?

No, he realized, somewhere around the fourth half mile, it was not easy. His body was now so exhausted that it felt like he was being pelted with lead, which then somehow clung to him and kept slowing him down. His lungs were burning, his body was aching, but the worst part was Ash’s coat. The warmth that had felt so good before, that had filled his body and driven away the icy chill was now oppressively hot, a portable sauna enveloping his body. He struggled with it at first, stubbornly holding it closed, squeezing it to his body and breathing in the scent of Ash still clinging to it. When it became clear that wasn’t an option, he let it drape it open, clinging to his arms and shoulders but flapping in the breeze behind him, letting blessedly cool air chill his aching, swelteringly hot body. When that too became too hot, he tried draping it over one shoulder, tying it around his neck, tying it around his waist. The bulk of it rendered all of these impractical solutions; eventually, he managed to fold it and put it around his waist, but it felt like it cost him what little momentum he had left to get it working. He wished Ash were here, and not just because he could give her the damn coat.

But, once again, he pushed that pang away. He’d see her soon, one finish line or the other, and more importantly, she’d have just finished being amazing. Besides, running on fumes or not, he was still moving forward at a jogging pace, if barely, and that was what mattered to him.

It was fifth half mile when he finally saw Craig and his girlfriend again. They’d taken off ahead of him like a shot; now the two of them were walking together, for certain definitions of walk. His steps had a kind of nervous energy that made him look like he was bouncing, kind of like him look like a dog at the end of his leash, her trudging with the kind of exhaustion Brian felt.

“C’mon, baby girl,” he called to her. “You got this! Just a little bit more, okay? You can make it!”

“Tired,” she mumbled. “Ran too fast. Hurts.”

Craig scratched his head, looking down at his slowly shuffling girlfriend. “Okay, uh, we taking weakness leaving the body hurts, or body telling you something’s wrong hurts?”

“Tired hurts,” she panted, waving an arm. “Go. I’ll catch up.”

“No way, baby doll, I’m not gonna leave you,” he promised. “Just take a minute, okay? You got this.”

“Want me to walk with her?” he heard his voice calling. As one, the two looked up; Craig with a look of bemused surprise, her with a look of surprised bemusement. “Could use a break anyway.” Truth be told, he almost desperately wanted him to say yes just so he’d have an excuse.

From the look on her face, she was feeling the same way. But before she could respond, Craig hugged her and shook his head, smiling. “Nah, I got her. But thanks, you’re a real bro.”

He heard her quietly sigh, “one full minute of walking, okay?” as he ran past. He thought he saw Craig nod, but he couldn’t sure. Then he was gone, up the next lump in the bumpy hilly trail, and they were swiftly out of earshot.

He couldn’t finish the sixth half mile. He thought he could at the beginning, when the runner’s high had kicked in. Then he’d blown through it all on one long, long, long hill that still somehow wasn’t the full half mile. The lead was now molten, sending throbbing fiery waves through him wherever it struck, then clumping around his legs, until if felt like each agonizing step was him trying to lift a ton of metal. He shuffled like a walking corpse, pretending he was jogging, honestly just pumping his arms and legs at a pace barely faster than a walk. Everything hurt, even parts that he wasn’t using, even parts without actual nerve endings like his hair. The cold, crisp air, so soothing before, felt like inhaling icy needles, and the scenery was now just brown melding with brown, almost as dreary as running on a treadmill.

The worst part is, he thought, as he fought himself to keep moving, fought to delay the inevitable, that if he’d just gone a little further, he could probably have finished. If he could see the finish line, could see Ash waiting there, calling to him, waving, then he could run to her. He could almost hear her voice, cheerful and happy, welcoming her.

“Brian!”

Just like that. Huh. Now he was hallucinating. He didn’t know that was part of a runner’s high.

“Hey, Brian!”

Okay, he thought, was she able to see him but he just couldn’t see her?

He’d been hearing the sounds of other runners running up on him for a while; the boy who’d asked if he was a clown had cheered at him when his mother had passed Brian. Then, abruptly, one set of those rapid plodding steps from behind him began to slow. “Hey, cutie,” she said, grinning that infectious grin of hers, so bright he couldn’t help but smile, as she marched his pace. “Miss me?”

“What,” was all he could ask with the complete lack of breath he had left. “Done?” he asked again.

“So, uh, I forgot to check the route,” she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. “Remember the big rain storm? The normal 10K trail isn’t safe, so they looped us around. We’ve got the same finish line.”

“Ash!” Sue called, as she zoomed past her. “You better not give up!”

“Found someone I’d rather run with,” she called back. “Take the win.”

Brian shook his head. “No. Won’t-“

“I’ve been waiting for this the moment I found out we were looping,” she murmured. “I got my run, Brian. I don’t care about coming in firs. This is for fun, remember?”

“You too are so cute I’m gonna barf,” Kathy called, as she dashed past the two. “I’m gonna tell Alex it’s your fault when I make him run!”

“See you lovebirds at the finish,” Sharon called, as she streaked past.

“Have fun!” Ash called to them, as she continued jogging at his speed. “So, you gonna fight me on this?”

Brian shook his head. “How close?” he asked.

“There’s my six mile marker,” she said. “We’re almost there. You got this? Remember, just for fun. We can walk the rest if you need to.”

He looked over at her, looking for that bouncing desperation he’d seen in Craig. Either he was way out of sorts, or she meant it. “Less than a quieter mile?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Kay. I… I got this,” he panted.

Ash peered back for a moment, then, with a mischievous grin, lifted her top for just a moment. “You got this,” she murmured. “And even if you don’t? I’m super proud of you.”

“Thanks,” he gasped, heat blooming over his frigid face. “Maybe I’ll fly there.”

———

The seventh half mile shouldn’t have existed. Five kilometers is three miles and change. But his watch pedometer confirmed it: When he damn near toppled across the finish line, saved only by Ash’s quick reactions, it said 3.5 miles. “Wish I’d… fuck… known that,” he gasped as he stood there panting and gasping, legs trembling with the mere effort of standing.

“Y’know what that means, right?” She asked. When he shook his head, she wrapped those big strong arms around him, pressing him to her sweat-soaked chest, a brief view of her beaming, grinning face the last thing he saw before he was pressed into her athletic shirt. “You didn’t just do it, you went above and beyond! Brian, you almost ran a 6K!”

“Why’d I… do that?” he mumbled. Then he nuzzled her firm breasts, and was enlightened. “Right. Girlfriend.”

“I’m so proud of you,” she sighed, as she clung to him, letting him take the weight off his throbbing, burning legs by leaning against her. “Okay,” she said, holding her water to his lips, “you gotta get back walking. Trust me, you do not wanna stop right now. Five minute walk?” she asked, when she saw his miserable face.

“No,” he grumbled, as he let her go, taking her hand. “Five… five minute… shuffle.”

“Five minute shuffle,” she laughed. “How are you feeling?” she asked, as he trudged aimlessly, and she followed him. “Aside from the obvious.”

“Hair hurts,” he patted. “Didn’t… know it… could hurt.”

Ash burst out laughing. “Aw, I’m sorry. But, y’know, aside from the obvious.”

“Like a… a dream,” he eventually panted. “Couldn’t… ever… run that.”

“But you did,” she murmured, squeezing his hand. “And if you wanna stop there? You’ll still have done something amazing.”

“You ran… 10K,” he managed to say. “Five’s not… that great.”

“No,” she huffed, “You don’t compare yourself to anyone else, okay? I’ve been doing this for a decade. You’re you. I think it’s amazing I manage to play that dumb robot game even if you always stomp me.”

“That’s fair,” he panted. “Done with… walk yet?”

She shook her head. “I’ll tell you when you’re done walking. Then we do some static stretching. Then you’re done.”

“Wanna do ten,” he panted, once they’d finished their cooldown and started stretching. “Next year.”

“It’s gonna be a lot of work,” she warned him. “You’re okay with that?”

Brian nodded. “As long as you help me.”

“Damn right I will,” she replied, as a shiver ran through her body. “Whew. Why is it colder than in the morning?” she asked.

“Sweat,” he pointed out. “Want your coat?”

She shook her head. “I’m good. You need it more than I do, or you’re gonna in a second.”

“Yours,” he replied. “I should’ve brought something better.”

“Brian, really, it’s-“

He interrupted her by scooping off the coat, holding it up to her. “You’re cold. Take it.”

She looked down at him and sighed. Then a mischievous smile crossed her lips. “Okay,” she said; before he could react, she’d pressed her plush ass against him, wiggling into his stretch and grabbing his leg. He almost yelped in surprise as she grabbed the other one, then hoisted him into the air, now pressing him between the tree and her plush ass.

“Ash, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, more out of confirmation than an actual desire for explanation.

“Compromise,” she told him. “Give me the jacket, then hold on tight.”

Brian blinked, sighed, and handed her the jacket. “You’re ridiculous, you know that, right?”

“Excuse you,” she huffed, as she slipped one sleeve in, then threw it across her back and boyfriend, catching the other. “I am a very practical woman.”

“Ridiculously practical m,” he admitted, as he buried his face in her neck, sighing as he collapsed into her, into her warmth and strength.”

“…Is still practical,” she chuckled. “Okay, you comfy? Need a little more of a leg stretch? She offered, as she adjusted his legs.

“That… wow. Okay. Yeah, I did need that,” he replied. “So, um, home?”

Ash shook her head. “We always go out to the mall afterwards for ice cream and a movie. You’re cordially invited,” she chuckled.

“Ice cream?” he asked.

“Ice cream,” she confirmed. “You in?”

“Sure, he sighed. “As long as it means I don’t have to move.”

“Well, I wasn’t planning to carry you in the mall,” she replied. “But hey, guess sometimes plans gotta change.”

As the two of them headed off together, Brian’s tired eye glanced towards the finish line. He almost dropped off of Ash when he saw them crossing. Craig had finally made it to the end, his girlfriend in tow. Or, rather, on his back, bundled up in her warm cape, eyes closed with a little blissful smile on her face. She opened her eyes briefly, saw him looking at her, and a dreamy smile crossed her lips. “It’s great when they’re tall,” she mouthed.

“You okay there?” Ash asked, looking up at him as he clung to her once again.

“I am,” he replied. “Just appreciating how big and strong you are.”

“Funny,” she chuckled, “here I was being glad my boyfriend’s tiny and cute.”

Chapter Text

He'd fallen asleep exhausted, his body worn out by the running he'd done yesterday. His legs were trembling when he'd climbed the stairs, which was to be expected. What wasn't expected was how tired the rest of him was; his arms were shaking, his back felt like his upper body weighted a hundred pounds more than it did and he was used to, and his chest ached like he'd had a coughing fit. He felt like he'd fallen asleep the moment he hit the pillow.

He'd woken up worse. It felt like he hadn't slept a wink, like he'd been tossing or turning - or, more likely, throbbing and aching - all night. His body didn't quite feel as exhausted as it had, which was good. Unfortunately, all that meant is that he woke up aching. He wasn't a stranger to feeling sore after a workout, not after dating Ash. But he wasn’t used to it feeling like he had a case of the flu. It felt like someone had balled up barbed wire and jammed it in his muscles, aching when he didn’t move and aching much worse when he did. Hell, until he took his temperature, he was worried that he did have the flu; the feeling of heat was apparently just him feeling hot rather than him being hot.

It was only then, after he confirmed he was just suffering and not dying, that he finally checked his phone. That was when he discovered well over a hundred notifications left waiting for him. Most were not from Ash, although she was the most-represented individual. No, most were from damn near everyone else on his contact list: His parents, Alex and Sam, everyone on the team. Most were some degree of where are you and call your girlfriend. He gulped as he saw the string of notifications from her, then picked up the phone and did just that.

“Your mom told me you were sleeping in,” Ash answered, not even waiting for his hello. “Sorry I went all panic mode. I’ve just never had you not answer me after the sun’s up, y’know? You’re always up with the dinosaurs.”

Brian blinked. Holy crap, it was a sliver after ten. He didn’t know if he’d slept this late since he was out of diapers.

You okay?” she asked, the concern evident in her voice.

“Not really,” he yawned. “I feel like I got run over by a truck, but without the cheat skill. Like, I haven’t felt this bad since I caught an early flu.”

“Aw, you pushed yourself really hard yesterday, huh,” she murmured. “I’m sorry you’re hurting, Brian.”

“Not your fault,” he replied. “I’m the one who did it.”

“Mmm, I’m not gonna argue with you, but I’m still responsible,” she replied. “No, hold on,” she interjected, as he tried to deny her statement. “Doesn’t matter why you’ve got a workout hangover. I’m kinda your personal trainer, and more importantly, I’m your girlfriend who doesn’t like to see you hurting when she can help. That means it’s my responsibility to take care of you.”

“As much as I like the idea of you taking care of me,” Brian replied, “Weren’t you going to go hang out with the team today?”

“Yeah, but we’re meeting up at like three or so,” she replied. “That’s plenty of time to take care of you. Okay?”

“Okay,” he eventually said. “I’m not going to fight if you want to help me not feel like crap.”

“Mmm, you might,” she admitted. “See, you know what the best way to not ache so bad when you’ve got a workout hangover?”

Brian sighed. "Well, I'm guessing the answer isn't sex."

———

Just because the answer wasn’t sex didn’t mean it wasn’t sexy.

“It's like I told you," Ash said, as the two of them walked down the stairs of the local rec center, the smell of chlorine obvious and abundant even from out here, "the best way to deal with all those muscle aches is exercise. But we also don't wanna risk making it worse, y'know? Lucky for us, swimming is full-body, low impact, and relaxing too."

Brian nodded along, doing his best to listen. He really was. But, well, it was kind of hard to concentrate on anything Ash was saying. Not when she was walking around in a swimsuit. Objectively, he knew this was silly. Brian regularly saw her naked. Hell, she usually worked out in much more revealing outfits. But the moment he saw her in the ruby red triathlon suit she was strutting around in, he couldn’t look away. He didn’t know what it was about it: The way it clung so tight to her body, almost like it had been painted on, like she was wandering around naked? How it seemed to mold to each muscle, almost emphasizing them, while still calling attention to her powerful arms and legs? The practicality, the confidence in her body needed to pick the best swimsuit instead of the showiest? He wasn’t sure what it was, but he was hooked by it.

At some point, she’d out a hand on her hip, a long-suffering look on her face. “So, you listen to anything I’ve been saying?” she asked.

"Get sore to feel less sore,” he responded, managing to peel his eyes away from her.

Ash just she sighed and tousled his hair. “You’re damn lucky you’re cute,” she grumbled, not even bothering to hide the smile on her face. “Anyway, we’re gonna take it easy with some nice slow laps. We’re not starting a swimming program here. If you’re getting sore, slow down, okay?”

Brown nodded. “Would now be the time to mention I don't know how to swim?" he asked. He was surprised he was able to wait long enough for her eyes to go wide and her jaw to drop before he couldn't keep a straight face anymore.

"Look," she huffed, "if you don't wanna see me in a swimsuit anymore...”

"I absolutely want to keep seeing you in that swimsuit," he responded without a second thought. “Please let me keep seeing you in that swimsuit.”

“Better keep up, then,” she murmured, as she strutted towards the lap lanes with long, exaggerated strides, the sheer, sleek fabric covering her rear pulling taught and tight against her with every step.

Brian may have been joking about not knowing how to swim, but there was a hint of truth to it as well. Oh, he could tread water for a long time, and propel himself through the water. But after watching Ash’s smooth, graceful movements, her entire body seeming to effortlessly cut through the water, his own ungainly movements reminded him of some kind of drowning animal. If he was trying to keep up with her, he’d be feeling mortified right now at how bad of a job he was doing in comparison to her. But even if the goal of the day wasn’t easy exercise, he wasn’t actually slowing her down. Unlike running, she could just swim around him every time they passed, cheering him on breathlessly or giving him a little tap as she jetted past him. Plus, he thought, as he watched the movements of her legs and rear through his goggles, he couldn’t beat the view.

“Okay,” she finally said, once he reached the end of another slow, leisurely lap, “break time.” Then she pulled herself out of the pool, water pouring off of her tight red suit, then turned and offered him a hand. She smiled when he took it, pulling him up, not letting as she lead him over to the hot tub. He sighed as the hot water enveloped him, driving away the icy chill of the pool, bubbling over his sore and aching muscles and soothing both the aches and fatigue he’d built up. “So,” she asked, as she pulled him into her lap and wrapped her arms around him in a loose, gentle hug, “how are you feeling?”

“Still hurts,” he admitted. “But I think it does hurt less?”

“Good!” she cheered. “Yeah, this is my go-to for when I push myself too hard and need to relax. A nice swim, soak in the hot tub, repeat until I’m good sore. It’s good cross-training, too.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re so amazing,” he replied, leaning back against her.

“Aw, c’mon,” she mumbled, “I’m not that good.”

“You’re like a fish in the water,” Brian replied. “I’ve never seen anyone swim as beautifully as you have.”

“Yeah, well, you clearly don’t watch a lot of swimming,” she mumbled. “I’m not saying I’m an amateur or anything, but it’s definitely just cross-training, not something I’m good at.”

“Disagree,” he said, as he reached up to stroke her warm cheeks. “You just have to deal with being amazing.”

“When’d you get all suave?” she asked, tousling his hair. “You keep flattering me like that, I’m gonna get a big head.”

“Oh, no,” he sighed, “not more to kiss.”

Ash chuckled and squeezed him, resting her head on his shoulders. “Y’know, I really love how into me you get,” she sighed. “Like, I know I’m good. But when I see the look in you eyes? See you staring at me in awe as much as drooling over me? It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.”

“Does it count if I drool over the fact that you’re awe-inspiring?” he asked.

“I’m gonna count it,” she replied. “There’s a big difference between you staring at my legs ‘cuz they’re long and sexy, and wanting to watch me crush a watermelon.”

“Life goals,” he sighed, as he reached into the water and started to stroke her hips and thighs.

“So, uh, reminds me, you know what else is really good for sore muscles?” she asked.

“Based on the fact rubbing you is the reminder,” Brian replied, “I’m going to guess massage.”

Ash pressed her thumbs into Brian’s shoulders, and started to gently apply pressure, circling her fingers into the muscles of his shoulders. “Got it in one. C’mon, let’s go down one level,” she said, as she pushed herself from the hot tub stairs, immersing him up to his neck. He sighed at the feeling of warmth and heat surrounding him, then at the feeling of her strong hands gripping him, fingers in his sore and aching muscles. She squeezed and pulled at him much more gently then he’d expected, while still reaching much deeper than he’d imagined those kinds of gentle movements could reach; while at first the movements only made him ache worse, each time she moved on he felt a lingering feeling of ease, like his body had been squeezed tight in ways he never knew if was holding itself until it stopped. Given the fact that they were both in public, he struggled to hold back vocalizing the feeling; given the fact that her hands were very strong and she was very skilled, he wasn’t able to do a good job of it.

At least it’s clear that tie noises he’s making aren’t sensual, he thought. At least until he saw an of elderly trio sharing the hot tub with them scowling at him. “Massage,” he mumbled sheepishly, face hotter than even the water had been getting it. They did not seem to care.

“Don’t worry about them,” Ash murmured in his ear. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”

He looked over at the steadily growing scowls, then back up to Ash. “Okay,” he whispered. “Starting to feel really uncomfortable, though.”

Ash glared over at the three. “You mind?” she growled. When they looked mortified but angrier, she just huffed, grabbed Brian’s rapidly-reddening face, and tilted him up to meet her lips. At first, he was almost frozen while she gave him a long, sensual kiss, the sounds of grumbling and scoffing freezing his guts even through the water. But after a few moments, he began to return her kiss, first slowly, then eagerly. He didn’t know if it was because they were ruining his recovery day, because one of them had growled something about Ash’s ‘goddamn attitude’ in a very grandfatherly way, or if he was just too worn out to have any fucks to give. But the two of them laughed together as they stormed out of the hot tub, and before strong hands had found his aching body once again, and resumed her tireless work.

———

“I can’t believe we got kicked out,” Ash growled, as she raced down the highway, metal blasting from her speakers. “Like, dude, you caught those assholes in a lie, and you’re still gonna kick us out? What kind of bullshit is excessive PDA, anyway?”

“At least that couple vouched for us,” Brian mumbled, face crimson, heart pounding out of his chest. “I don’t even want to think of what would have happened if they’d believed we were having sex.”

“God, I know,” she growled, before cutting across two lanes of traffic for the exit she’d nearly missed. “Fuck off!” she shouted at the honking car, then huffed and squeezed the wheel with white knuckles.Like, at least come up with a believable lie, like I’m playing with your cock or something.”

“Hey, um, could you…” Brian began to mumble, fingers starting to dig into the armrests.

“Yeah, sorry,” she grumbled, as she tapped on her breaks, cutting a fifth of her speed. “Anyway, at least it’s just the ‘don’t do it again and don’t come back until tomorrow’ kind of getting kicked out. Not like those assholes.”

“They should have eaten way longer than a month,” Brian muttered. “Like, that’s the kind of thing that could get us arrested.”

“Yeah, well, I’ll take a victory when we get it,” she huffed. “Honestly, I’m just mad they ruined your day.”

“I’m doing okay,” Brian lied. He was still aching like anything, and the confrontation with the lifeguard and fear of getting arrested, let alone banned, had left him so tense that he’d felt almost like he’d undone all the progress he’d made. He knew that wasn’t the case; now that the tension was slowly draining away, he felt much more relaxed than he had this morning. It was still an awful feeling, though.

“You’re such a bad liar,” Ash growled. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?” she eventually mumbled.I didn’t mean to-“

“I mean, I did start kissing you back,” he said. “Would I have done it again?” He thought for a moment, remembering the feeling of her lips on his, the wave of confidence he felt when she’d been all over him without any shame whatsoever. “Honestly? Yeah,” he admitted.

Ash chuckled glumly, a hand drifting from the wheel to his knee. “I’m still sorry,” she said. “That was helping you, and-“

“Helped,” he replied.

“Fine. Still feel bad I got pissed and screwed it up for us,” she mumbled.

After a few minutes of silent driving, she flicked her gaze over to him. “You wanna keep going?” she asked.

“Another Rec Center?” he asked.

“If you like. Personally,” she murmured, “I was thinking maybe something a little more private.”

“I’ve seen your shower,” Brian replied, “and my tub isn’t really any bigger. Unless you know someone with a hot tub…”

She shook her head. “But we don’t need to use it together,” she replied. “You want a nice, warm, wet massage, Brian?”

After barely a moment’s thought, he nodded. “I don’t think I’ll ever say no to anything you offer containing the words ‘warm’ and ‘wet’.”

“I’m gonna take that as a challenge,” she chuckled.

The moment they’d gotten to his place and shut the door, she’d grabbed his wrist. “Strip,” she commanded him.

“Here?” he asked.

“Here,” she confirmed, as she pulled her coat off in one smooth motion, revealing the only thing she’d worn beneath it was that ruby swimsuit. “Then up those stairs,” she continued, as she headed to the closet to hang it up.

“Mind if I put my clothes in the wash?” he asked her, as he shimmied out of his pants; unlike her, he’d fully changed on his way out.

“Yup,” she replied. When he started heading towards the laundry room, she grabbed him again. “I said I minded,” she huffed. “I’ll take care of everything. You just get up those stairs, let me watch that sexy little ass of yours, get the water running, and go on in.”

Brian was breathless by the time he reached the top of the stairs, and it had nothing to do with his athleticism or lack thereof. He didn’t know why, but that command from Ash - the tone of her voice, the way she’d refused to grant him the little consolation he’d asked for - left his heart pounding, and sparks dancing down his chest. He stirred the rising water with nervous energy, waiting for the heat to get to the level he liked it; once it did, he slipped into the bath, waiting with bated breath for Ash to arrive.

She kept him waiting for much longer than he thought she would, to the point he was starting to get nervous something had happened to her. Turns out she was just building up anticipation. Once the water level had risen to the point where he’d turned it off, she slowly sauntered in, still wearing nothing but that ruby swimsuit. She knelt on the bath mat, looming over him, a hungry look in her eyes. Then she reached out with one hand, angling his chin up so he was looking her in the eyes instead of at her abs beneath the red fabric, and pressed her lips to his. Like usual, he parted his lips to welcome her tongue, only to almost wiggle back in confusion when he felt a jet of water squirt onto his mouth. She kept him for just a moment, long enough to fill his mouth, then pulled back, a wicked smile on her face, waving a bottle of water in her other hand. “Gotta hydrate,” she murmured, before taking a long swig, and moving her lips back to his. He didn’t pull away.

It was a while before they’d finished the bottle together, kiss after kiss flooding his mouth with cool water barely warmed by her own heat. Each time after the first, she’d lingered, nibbling his lips, caressing his tongue with hers, pressing her forehead or nose to his. It felt so bizarre that a little bit of him still wanted to recoil, but he pressed away that impulse, reaching for her each time she took too long. There was something so intimate about it, something deeply soothing. He didn’t know if he could do it with anything but water, but as it was, when the bottle was empty, he felt almost disappointed.

But not for long. She reached out to him once again, this time with both of her hands, guiding him back until he was almost fully immersed, only his head and the tops of his shoulders above the water. “Lemme take care of you, okay?” she murmured to him, letting her hands slowly glide up and down his chest. He sighed at the blissful feeling of skin against skin, softer and warmer than ever because of the still-warm water. He shivered as her fingertips traced up and down his sides, sending little trails of sensation that lingered until it felt almost like both sides of his body were lit aflame. She glided her hands around his stomach, a soothing feeling that made his cares and tension just melt away. She smiled at the way he twitched and writhed as she brushed them across his hips, so sensitive right now that he spasmed time she went too close to his hipbones. And she chuckled as he whined with need as she slipped right past his groin without a moment’s notice, dragging her close-cropped nails across his inner thighs. “Now, whatever could you need?” she asked him, a smug look on her face, barely concealed heat in her voice.

“I need you to touch me,” he told her. “Can you touch me?”

“I am touching you,” she murmured, hands now digging gently into the backs of his knees. “Tell me what you need,” she repeated, with a bit more force, a bit more head.

“Please touch my cock,” he begged her.

“Mmm, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” she asked, as she brushed him with a single finger, watching him with almost intense interest as he bobbed and bounced with each touch of her finger. “Huh, it’s kinda buoyant,” she remarked, playing with him like he was an actual toy instead of just calling him one. “Didn’t know they floated like that, either,” she hummed. “Y’know, this is kinda fun, Brian. You mind?”

“You are so adorable right now,” he murmured, as the feeling of her fingers against him sent jolts of pleasure running up his body. “You’ve really never tried playing with a guy underwater before?”

She shook her head. “I’ve never been with someone who just let me have fun with them before you,” she admitted. “You just let me do whatever I want to you.”

“That’s - oh my God - because I trust you,” he replied. “I know whatever you want to do, you’re - mmm - going to take care of me.”

“You sure about that?” she asked, a wicked grin crossing her lips as she started pumping him. “Oh, wow, it floats even better when it’s hard.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t going to hurt me,” he gasped. “I, um, I like it sometimes. When you bite me, or-“

She dug her fingers into his inner thigh, the sudden shock of sweet pain drawing a gasp from him. “I get you,” she murmured. “God, I love that you’re mine, Brian. My toy. My plaything. My boyfriend,” she growled, as she started rubbing him faster and faster, the intense feelings of pleasure, of aching need for her, building with each moment. “You wanna come for me, Brian?” she asked. “You want me to take care of you and make you come?”

He nodded, gasping and panting as she stared into his eyes, ravenous hunger in them. Then, in the back of his mind, he heard her growl, ‘tell me what you need.’ “Can I - mmm - can I come in you?” he begged her.

Ash slowed her movements, looking down at him, her wicked smile broadening. “I don’t think I can make it work in this suit,” she admitted. “Lemme just take this off, and-“ But before she could finish, he shook his head vehemently, and she burst out laughing. “You really wanted to fuck me in this all day, didn’t you?” she asked.

“Was there - oh fuck - was there any doubt?” he asked. “You’re so incredibly sexy.”

“And you’re so goddamn cute,” she growled, as she took one step, then the other, into the tub. “Hold still, okay?” she asked, as she gingerly lowered herself down, one hand gripping the tub, the other planted against the wall so firmly he could see the tension in her muscles. Once she managed to position herself above him, knees gripping his sides, she released the tub, putting a hand on his shoulder; the other then slipped into the water, grabbing him, rubbing him against that ruby red swimsuit he couldn’t keep his eyes off of. It was even closer to her than when they’d dry-humped, now only a single, incredibly smooth layer between them. It felt almost - almost like he could push into it, into her, just a little bit. But each time she ground herself against him, he slipped away, leaving him yearning for more. And each time she came back to him, grinding herself against him, pressing him into her, her eyes growing hazy as she stared into his and let him savor the sensation of that smooth, almost slick material against him.

It took forever for him to get close, so long the water had lost all its heat. The two were panting for breath together, the sweat running down their bodies obvious even in the tub. And he didn’t mind for one moment. It felt so good it almost hurt, so good he almost couldn’t stand it. It felt like she’d been edging him, not quite giving him what he needed even though he was so desperate for it, and even though she was so desperate for him that under ordinary circumstances she wouldn’t have been able to hold back. She, on the other hand, had no such issues; he’d lost track of how many times she’d spasmed against him, crying out in bliss, grinding herself frantically while he held himself and rubbed against her suit. By the time he finally felt his own orgasm building, her face was flushed garnet, and her desperate cries had almost become one long wail of ecstasy. The residue of chlorine scented with lavender and vanilla filled his lungs, then he whispered the words, “I’m coming.” And as his hips shook and his body rocked against hers, as he coated the front of suit with his orgasm, she cried out once more, frantically grinding against him to draw out their mutual orgasm, before finally sinking down into him in a boneless heap.

———

“You know you don’t have to keep taking care of me, right?” he asked her, as her fingers dragged against his scalp, lather coating his hair.

“You feeling one hundred percent yet?” she asked. When he shook his head, she chuffed, and murmured, “then I’m gonna keep doing it.”

“Okay,” he sighed, as he melted against her now-naked body, letting her touch work its magic. “Just, you know, wanted to make sure you knew that.”

“I appreciate it,” she murmured back, “but it doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop.”

“Will you let me return the favor when you’re feeling crummy?” he asked.

“I love that you’re asking that like it’s a favor I’m doing you,” she chuckled. When he started tapping his feet, she huffed, and said, “yeah, Brian, you can take care of me when I need it too.”

“Speaking of,” he asked, “how are you for time? I, uh, haven’t had a phone anywhere near me for a while.”

“Oh, I set some alarms,” she replied. “Hey, you wanna come with?”

“I thought you were just going to spend some time with the team,” he admitted. “You know, separate time?”

Ash shrugged. “You’re sore, they’ll understand. Besides, we only got a little winter break left, y’know? Then it’s homework and reasonable bedtimes and all that crap.”

“If it’s really not a big deal,” he replied. “So,” he eventually said, “swimsuit sex. Add it to the repertoire?”

“Brian,” she murmured, “I’m gonna need to buy me a sex swimsuit. Y’know, one I can squirt in without it all running down my thighs. And one you can get that nice hard cock into.”

“I have mixed feelings about us managing to start a sex toy collection,” he mumbled, as she finished washing the last of the soap from his body. “Switch?”

“Well I don’t,” she chuckled, as she stood there, waiting as he turned around. Instead she just closed her eyes, smiling, as he filled his hand with shampoo. “Sorry, Brian, turns out you got a kinky one.”

“I, um, I think I’m okay with that,” he mumbled. “It’s a little overwhelming sometimes, but-“

“Just ‘cuz we fucked doesn’t mean I’m not gonna take things at your pace anymore,” she promised him. “And, uh, if you’ve got things you wanna try? I’ll give almost any of ‘em a go at least once.”

Brian blinked. “I thought we established that with the swimsuit thing.”

“Aw, you’re so adorable,” she purred. “You really thought that was your idea?”

Brian slowly nodded. “I was the one who asked you to keep wearing it.”

A mischievous smirk slipped across her lips. “Brian, why do you think I didn’t take it off in the first place?”

Chapter Text

Brian didn’t drop to his knees. He didn’t know how, but he managed it. But the intent was definitely there. His entire body sagged almost as much as his soul had; his knees shook with the weight of his leaden body, his arms dropped uselessly to his sides, his mouth hung open in a silent cry of anguish. “What have they done to you?” he mumbled, unable to find the strength to wail.

Ash tilted her head to the side, looking down at him like he’d gone insane. Which, to be fair, he had. Catatonia is one of the results on the madness tables, after all, some little part of his brain that was still functional chimed in. “Uh, Brian? You okay there? It’s, uh, it’s still a museum.”

He slowly turned to her, jaw still hanging open, despair only building at her bemused nonchalance. “It’s all wrong,” he said.

“I see dinosaurs,” she replied, pointing to the hall full of exhibits, at the massive tyrannosaurus fossil serving as the first room's centerpiece. “We came here to see the dinosaurs, right?”

“They’re in the same area as the mammoths,” he replied, pointing to the massive elephantine fossil almost at the front of the hall. “That’s paleontology’s greatest sin.”

Ash raised an eyebrow. “Worse than trying to argue young earth crap?”

“I did say sin,” Brian mumbled. “I’d say that rises to the level of apostasy.”

Ash chuckled, and gave his hair a tousle. “So, I get that whatever this place looked like before, you’re nostalgic for it. But, uh, this looks really cool, Brian. You wanna maybe go give it a chance with me?”

“They got rid of the Burgess Shale exhibit,” he mumbled. “Like, this entire thing used to start with the ancient oceans, and they had this big chunk of the shale with all these little tiny creatures. There was this one I really loved, a little guy that didn't exist anywhere before or since. Just a tiny little slice of time. I wanted to show you the hallucigenia so much, and now..."

Ash patted him on the shoulder, a hint of a smile on her face. “C’mon, let’s not think like that. Maybe it’s all the way in the back? Looks like they’re doing now to then instead of then to now. Wanna go find out?” she asked, offering her hand.

“That makes no sense at all,” he grumbled, as he took her hand, following her in.

Ash scoffed. “Sure it does. What kind of time traveler starts with the beginning?”

It wasn’t long before Ash went from trying to cheer him up to trying to drag him around, zooming through the exhibits like a four year old who’s just learned giant birds used to walk the Earth. No, not quite like a four year old; four year olds don’t read everything before they excitedly share their newfound knowledge.

“Oh my God,” she gasped, eyes and mouth wide, “look how big this guy was! Like, this was a sloth,” she asked, pointing up at the massive, bear-like skeleton looming over them. “The little guys who sometimes starve with food in their stomachs. Those sloths.”

“I raise dinosaurs,” he replied, the first hints of a smile on his face.

“Brian, this isn’t a crocodile,” she exclaimed only a little later, pointing to what was, to all appearances, the skeleton of a very ancient crocodile. “No, really,” she pointed out, on the plaque describing it as a member of class amphibia rather than reptilia. “This guy’s closer to a frog than an alligator.”

“Oh, convergent evolution,” Brian said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “We were just learning about that in biology. Apparently there’s a lot of animals that aren’t as closely related as people thought they were.

Ash thought for a moment, then burst out laughing. When he looked up at her curiously, she waved her hand. “Just imagining finding out my brothers are adopted and they just look related. I think maybe I’m gonna tell them that tonight.”

Brian shook his head. “But if you do, please don’t tell them I had anything to do with it.”

“Brian!” she called, less than a minute afterwards, pointing to a little skeleton preserved in rock, “this dinosaur had feathers!”

“It’s a theropod, right?” he asked, as he followed her to the exhibit.

“Yeah, but this one actually had them. Like, not his species, but this actual dinosaur,” she said, pointing to tiny little fossilized filaments. “He was orange, probably. And he had stripes on his tail.”

That one he’d never actually known before. “Okay, how can they tell?”

“They found little bitty fossilized organelles,” she read from the plaque. “They’re orange in modern birds, so, that’s they’re guess.”

“That’s actually really cool,” he mumbled to himself, only to see Ash looming down over him, a widening smile on her face.

“So, worth giving this whole thing a try?” she asked.

“I admit nothing,” Brian mumbled, trying to fight back a smile of his own. Ash just chuffed and lead him on to the next exhibit. Then the next and the next. It was actually surprising how much her enthusiasm and excitement had made him forget about the earlier disappointment, the pain from of a piece of his childhood being torn away slowly but surely fading. It wasn't just that, along with her, he was learning things he hadn't known before; that was certainly a part of it, though. But seeing Ash genuinely enjoying herself here and now, and not just going along with it for his sake? It left warmth filling his chest and a smile slowly spreading across his face. Would she have enjoyed the other exhibit more? Probably, although that might - might - just be his biases. Here and now, though, this was what there was, and this is what she was having fun with.

"Brian! Hey, Brian!" Ash was pointing now, eyes wide and a broad smile on her face. A few rooms away, there was a faint bit of blue light; if he squinted, he could just barely see a slab of stone. "It's that thing you wanted to show me! The Burgess Shale exhibit, right?"

This time, he was the one moving Ash, dragging her past the origins of land animals and fossil lab, to the origins of life and biodiversity. With just a little bit of effort, he was able to find it; the tiny little fossil, with its spiked legs and weird, almost mushroom-shaped head. "There it is," he murmured quietly, squeezing her hand. "Hallucigenia sparsa."

Ash looked at the little fossil, whistling. "It's kinda cute," she said, peering at the plaque. "Possible ancestor of the molting animals, huh?"

Brain slowly turned his head to her, then back to the little fossil, slowly reading it. "Wait, they had it upside down?"

"Hey, look, they got little models!" she called, pointing at what he'd thought was an old and familiar scene. But nothing there was as he remembered it, least of all the little hallucigenia, standing on its tiny clawed feet, spines proudly extending, worm-like head seeming to stare mockingly at him.

"I think I want to go home now," Brian mumbled, folding his arms around his chest.

———

"Man, you really loved that little guy, huh?" Ash asked, as the two of them walked back to the main rotunda. "You really wanna go home?" she asked.

Brian shook his head. "Not really. I do want to get this jacket off, though," he replied. "I'm getting way too hot in this thing."

"Yeah, that's fair," Ash replied, as she pointed to the coat check. "Wanna go drop it off then go see the modern animals?"

Brian shrugged. "I was kind of hoping to go see our ancestors, but-"

"Aw, but I wanna see that weird devil deer Kathy was talking about," Ash grumbled. "They got way more animals than they do at the zoo."

"Okay, want to do that first, then hit early humans, and finish it up with the ocean?" he asked, as they entered the almost-barren coat check, a small room filled with lockers.

"Sounds like a plan," she replied, as they walked past the first row, everything used up, and looked in the back. A few hadn't been taken yet; Brian hung his jacket on the hook, shut the door, and slipped some change from his pocket to lock it behind him. It was only after he finished that he saw the look on Ash's face, mischievous and full of hunger. The moment she noticed him noticing her, she slammed her hand into the closed locker, crouching down at him, moving until her nose was almost touching his. "So you wanna hear something cool?" she asked.

Brian gulped. "Maybe?"

She pressed her lips to his cheek, slowly kissing her way up until she reached his ear. "There's no line of sight in here," she whispered. "Nobody can see us, and nobody's even close to us."

"There's security cameras," Brian hissed, pointing up to the dome on the ceiling.

"So?" she whispered, sinking her teeth into his earlobe and sending a shiver down his spine. "They don't check those unless something happens."

Brian shook his head. "I'm not going to have sex with you in the middle of the museum."

"Well aren't you bold," she chuckled. "Don't worry, not what I was planning. Nothing that'd get us sent to juvie if we're caught. Just a little bit of fun that might get us scolded."

"We just got kicked out of the pool," he mumbled, trying not to make a noise as she used the opportunity his response had given her to nip and nibble at his ear. His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest, and it wasn't all from anxiety at getting caught.

After one last nip, which tore a little gasp from him, she brought her lips back to his ear, hot breath wafting over him. "Didn't you just say you wanted to go anyway?"

"Just admitted I didn't really-" he mumbled, only to be silenced by her pointer finger, the others tracing the lines of his chin, up and down and up again, sending little sparks of pleasure through his body.

"Tell me no," she growled, quietly. "I'm not gonna do anything you don't want me to do. But I want you to tell me you don't want to do this. Otherwise, don't try and talk me out of it."

"D-Do you promise we're just going to make out?" he asked her. "Nothing that'll get us in real trouble?"

"Promise," she purred, as she pulled her lips from his ear, and brushed them against his own waiting lips. “I told you,” she murmured, between gentle kisses, “I’m never gonna do anything you don’t want me to do.”

Her kisses may have started out gentle, but they didn’t stay that way for long. Soon her hands were pressing his wrists to the locker, holding him helpless as she pushed her tongue into his mouth, rubbing and circling his, winding her way around his mouth at a sensual place but with inexorable force. He panted for breath each time she pulled away, gasping when she nipped at him the moment they parted, stifling moans when she forced her lips against his despite his - extremely - token attempts to struggle. “God I love you,” she growled, when she pulled away once again, sinking her teeth into his cheek. “God I want you so much,” she murmured, as she returned her lips to his, pressing her body against his, squeezing him tight against the wooden lockers. He couldn’t escape even if he wanted to, and he didn’t want to even a little.

When she finally withdrew, his glasses were fogged, and a trail of drool ran down his mouth, hanging open breathlessly after her furious affection. He could feel heat blooming all over his face, feel himself so hard that he was pressing against his jeans so hard he ached. “God, you’re so damn cute,” she murmured, reaching up to gently close his jaw, wipe the drool from his lips. “You okay there?” she asked.

“I think I might really be getting into this whole kissing in public thing,” Brian whispered. “Um, so-“

“Whatever you’re thinking,” Ash murmured, “the answer is no. I’m not done playing with you yet. And I still really wanna go see that vampire deer,” she chuckled.

“I, um, I was just gonna ask if you wanted to do it again,” he admitted.

“You better believe I do,” she growled, as she took his hand and lead him back into the museum.

It was the first time she’d kissed him in the museum, but it wasn’t remotely the last. In the hall of animals, there was another isolated little niche, appropriately enough about animals keeping warm. Without warning, she pressed him into an exhibit-less section of wall, shushing him when he startled, kissing him with the same intensity and need that she had when they were well and truly isolated. If he’d thought his heart was beating out of his chest before, this time it felt like he was going to burst; he was so nervous about someone catching them in the act, but it didn’t stop him from returning her affection, from whispering, between her kisses, not to stop. It wasn’t until the sound of footsteps tore them apart, almost jumping at the sound, that they stopped; if they hadn’t heard someone walking past, he didn’t know when they would have. She quietly checked to make sure the coast was clear, then she straightened out his glasses and wiping his face before they walked out together. But she kissed him on the cheek and took his hand, already looking for the next alcove.
The early humans and ancestors thereof was mostly a straight shot. But he managed to find a spot where it opened up, a nice isolated corner with nobody around. He wound up fully in the corner at that point, Ash shielding him from sight with her big, strong body, hands nestled in his scalp and tilting her up so she could cover his face with kisses. She actively slipped her lips away from his, chuckling when he tried to kiss her in return; instead she kissed her way across his forehead, dragging her teeth and tongue over him, sending little bursts of sensation that almost made him moan running through his body. His trembling breaths were filled with the scent of lavender, vanilla, and just the tiniest hint of her sweat, and the heat of her body left him warmer than his jacket had.

There were no real isolated corners in the ocean exhibit; the cases were almost all see-through, and there weren’t any real places where they could get enough cover from the few people wandering through the museum in the middle of the morning. But one of the connecting hallways had a bend in it, and as far as they were concerned, it still counted. This time, she was too busy keeping an eye out to really get into it; instead, he was the one to kiss her with abandon, while she glanced around as best she could while still responding to his kisses, meeting her tongue with his. They didn’t linger there for long, just long enough for him to get a little growl from her, for her to lose focus and push him against the wall once again. Then she jolted back at the sound of footsteps, mumbled a quick apology, and dragged him on his way right before some unsuspecting soul turned the bend they were enjoying. He counted it as a victory on his part; the idea that he’d made her lose focus, even so briefly, filled his stomach with warmth.

“So,” Ash murmured, once they’d finished with all the halls on the bottom floor and begun to climb the stairs, “we gonna hit every exhibit in the museum?”

Brian shook his head. “Sorry, we’re just going to have to be satisfied with the bottom floor,” he replied. “The top floor… yeah, not a good idea.”

“Aw, you sure?” Ash pleaded, as their footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell. “I’m not saying we gotta make out in the gift shops or anything… well, maybe a quick little kiss,” she admitted. “But I’m enjoying this, y’know? It’s sexy as hell. I won’t if you don’t wanna, but…”

Brian didn’t respond with words. Instead, as they reached the landing, he opened the door to the second floor. He slowly reached out a finger, pointing to the hall across from them, dozens of terrariums visible within even from where they were standing. “Hall of Insects,” the sign above the door said.

Ash blinked, then sighed deeply, body sagging, head gently shaking. “Yeah, that’s fair,” she mumbled. “Okay, everything but the insect zoo?”

“I don’t really feel comfortable in the forensics room either,” he replied. “The, um, the other kind. They’re a little too recent, and, um, there’s some body horror stuff there too.”

“Okay, fine,” she grumbled. “Wanna go make out in front of the diamonds?”

“Too crowded,” he replied. “Besides, I’d much rather kiss in front of the space rocks. It’s like making out… while the universe is watching.”

“You’re such a dork,” she laughed, as she lead him to the hall of geology and minerals.

“And you love it?” he asked.

“And I love it,” she growled, eyes already searching for the next little hidden spot.

Chapter Text

Yep “Hey, come on in! You two are the first ones here. Thanks again for helping out.”

“Thanks for hosting this,” Monica said, as she and Rose stepped into Brian’s family home. “You’re a total lifesaver. Gwen’s been begging mom and dad to let to hold a New Years party since her first semester.” She nodded to Ash, and said, “You really picked a good one.”

“Trust me,” she murmured, squeezing his shoulder, “I know.”

“It’s, um, it’s really not a big deal,” Brian mumbled. “My parents were actually thrilled when I suggested the idea. Mom’s job always holds a big New Years party, but they’ve just started getting comfortable leaving me on my own.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I could stand a boring adult party either,” Rose said. “I’d have to be drunk or stoned to stand it, and they won’t actually let me do it.”

“Oh, I wanted to,” he admitted, “but they don’t let anyone under 21 in.”

“I’m surprised they never tried to get you a babysitter,” Ash said. “That’s what my folks always did when they wanted to go out for a holiday party, up until I was old enough to watch my brothers.”

Brian shrugged. “Apparently I almost died when I was three and they never tried again.” All three of them were now staring at him in shock, and he felt his face growing hot. “It’s not like I remember it,” he mumbled, as Ash wrapped her arms around him. "It's just the not even slightly funny version of a funny story at this point."

Ash rest her head on her shoulder. “Still scary to find out I almost missed out on being the happiest I’ve ever been,” she murmured.

“Well, what happened?” Monica asked. Did you try to play Superman or something?”

He shook his head. “Nothing that dramatic. I just got a cord tangled around my neck when I was supposed to be napping. Then I told mom the truth after the babysitter said nothing happened."

Rose whistled, shaking her head. “You think you know a guy. I’m regretting helping you with that outfit now,” she teased.

“Well, I’m sure not,” Ash purred. “I might have to hit you two up for more tips.”

The two blinked, then smiles slowly spread across their faces. “Details, now,” Monica demanded.

“Bitch, I never said I was gonna kiss and tell,” Ash huffed. “You know Brian’s shy.”

“Bri~an,” Monica hummed, sidestepping Ash to leer down at him, “wanna give me permission to teach your girlfriend things that’ll make your toes curl?”

“Don’t phrase it like you’re going to demonstrate,” Rose growled, folding her arms.

“C-Can, um, can we talk and work?” Brian asked. “I know the party isn’t until tomorrow, but we’ve got a lot of setup to take care of.”

“Fine,” Monica sighed, as she grabbed a spool of golden fabric, tossing it to Rose, then grabbing a silver one. “So, why’d you have us come today?” she asked. “Even if we’re going all out, it’s just gonna be a few hours.”

“I’m planning on having a couple of friends over for board games at eleven,” Brian admitted. “You know, some guys from the forensic team. Ash suggested I take advantage of the opportunity, and-“

“And you didn’t invite us?” Monica gasped, doing an almost convincing impression of someone looking distraught. “I can’t believe you, Brian.”

“It was kind of spur of the moment,” he mumbled. “I was just about to invite you.”

“Go easy on him,” Ash cautioned. “He’s new to this whole spontaneity thing.”

“Hey, you mind if I invite some of my friends from the anime club?” Rose asked. “There’s a few who I’ve got hooked, but not enough to reel them in to a con.”

Brian shook his head. “The more the merrier,” he replied. “Just make sure they know it ends at five, okay? That’ll give us enough time to clean up, and-“

“Uh, why would they be leaving?” Monica asked. “Bring ‘em to New Years.”

“Is that okay?” he asked the three of them. “I know it’s the team’s party, not mine, but-“

“Host’s prerogative,” Ash replied. “Besides, it can’t be any worse than when Kate invited the football team.”

“In her defense,” Rose chimed in, “Lucy was the one who didn’t ask before going around inviting everyone.”

Monica snorted. “Yeah, but she’d been here three years. You’d think she’d have learned we call it soccer by now. Alright, so, I’m starting to get inspired now. Crossover party? Oversized meeples, resource-themed snacks, sets of twenty-point victory chips everywhere?”

“Shame we didn’t do this a couple years ago,” Ash replied. “Twenty sided dice would have worked.

“Two twenties and something else rolling a two?” he suggested.

Monica shook her head. “That’d be 20202. What about a twenty and two normal dice on a two?”

“Babe, I love you,” Rose grumbled, “but if I ever hear you call them normal dice again you’re getting sexiled.”

Monica just snorted. “Don’t make me call that bluff. You’re never gonna be able to make it longer than I can. Anyway,” she continued, pausing to stick her tongue out when Rose put her hands on her hips, “I’ve got ideas. No, I’ve got visions. Who else is on decoration duties?”

“Sharon’s out picking up supplies,” Ash replied, “and Kathy’s going to be here whenever she rolls out of bed.”

“Typical,” she huffed. “Okay, I’ll let Sharon know what I need.”

Brian’s phone chimed. “Actually, could you text Kathy?” Brian asked, as he looked down at it. “It looks like she and Alex are actually on their way.”

Monica shook her head slowly. “Holy crap, Kathy’s found a positive influence. Babe, I gotta get my sister to buy us some lottery tickets.”

“What are we going to do with those?” Rose asked. “Money’s not going to be much use after the demons invade because hell froze over.”

———

"That's the last of them," Sharon said, as she tied off a gold, black, and silver trio of dice on the light fixture in Brian's dining room.

"You are so tall it's amazing," Sam whispered, as he watched her work. "Or maybe you're just amazing."

"Thanks!" she called back, looking over her shoulder. "I grew me myself."

Sam went a deep wine red, and Brian patted him on the shoulder. "It took me forever to not feel weird about telling Ash how amazing I thought she was too."

"I keep telling him I like it," Sharon huffed, as she went over to him and rubbed her hand down his back. "Alright, so, what's next on the happy hit parade? Anything else you need my amazing tallness for?"

As Sam buried his face in his hands, Brian shook his head. "No, you guys are amazing. I didn't think we could get decorated this fast, especially not with Monica's decorating plans."

"Trust me," Kathy said, as she headed out of the kitchen, "we're all used to dealing with Monica going auteur on us. All done in the kitchen, by the way."

"Thanks. So, um, I think that means we're done," Brian said. "Do you-"

"Cool," Kathy said, as she grabbed Alex's hand the moment he walked in, heading out towards the front door. "Taking this guy back to my place. See you guys tomorrow."

"Pray for me," Alex called, a wide smile on his face.

"I, um, I was going to..." Brian mumbled, then just waved as they headed out. "So, um, do any of you want to-"

Sharon shrugged. "I had fun with you guys, but I don't think I can play games twice in a row. Anything else you had in mind?"

"Want to just hang out?" Ash asked.

"We're doing that tomorrow too," she replied, shaking her head. "Sam, you want to go out to a movie, just you and me?" Her voice took on a sultry tone as she murmured, "Alone? In the dark?"

He looked to Brian pleadingly, and he nodded. "See you guys tomorrow."

"Well, you've still got us," Monica said. "Just chilling sounds fine with me. I could use a break from home."

Which is how the four of them wound up in Brian's living room, him with his head in Ash's lap on one couch, Rose draping her body across Monica's on the other. Ash idly stroked his hair as her friends - no, he thought, their friends - chatted with them; at first he felt his face heating up, but after a few minutes of nobody complaining or even remarking on the show of affection, he'd just started letting it happen. It was such a cozy feeling, his head against the almost plush relaxed muscle of her thighs, her fingers trailing through his hair and leaving little waves of sensation. Soon, his eyelids had started growing heavy, and he'd struggled to keep them open, remaining an active participant in the conversation.

It did not go unnoticed. "Aw, are we boring you?" Monica finally asked, as his input reached three full seconds of lag. "And here I thought you liked sci-fi."

"N-No," he mumbled, shaking his head. "I mean, I do. Just, um, really soothing."

"He's had a rough week," Ash murmured, as she continued to wind her fingers through his hair and against his scalp. "First 5K, first time rock climbing, found out his favorite ancient animal was a weird worm-thing instead of a weirder worm-thing..."

"Not my favorite," he grumbled. "That's... um, that's probably deinonychus. Favorite Paleozoic, though."

"I like that you've got your favorites divided up by era." Rose laughed.

"And period," he admitted. "Not eon, though. Divided it for a reason."

"Okay," Monica asked, leaning forward as much as she could without displacing Rose, "now I gotta know: What's your favorite for this era?"

"Ash," he murmured. Then he realized what he'd said, and went completely crimson.

After a second when they realized exactly what he said, Monica and Rose both oohed, then burst out laughing. Ash ignored them entirely, looking down at him, a smile spreading across her garnet-dusted cheeks. "C'mon, Brian, you're gonna make me blush," she murmured, like she wasn't already doing that. "Do I rank above chickens?" she asked, the garnet only spreading further when he reluctantly nodded after barely a moment of thought.

Rose was blinking in confusion at this point. "Wait, what do you mean, chickens?"

Monica gave her girlfriend a side-eye. "Babe, how do you not know he has chickens? Didn't you hear them clucking out back?"

"No!" she exclaimed, aghast. "Brian, how long have you had chickens! How come we never knew you had chickens?"

Ash just burst out laughing. "That's what I said when I found out about them."

"I knew he had chickens," Monica interjected. "Not before you did," she continued, turning to Ash. "But he was talking about them a couple of times. How did you not hear this?"

"Details," Rose huffed, waving a hand. Then she turned to Brian, pulling off of Monica, eyes almost gleaming. "Brian, can I go pet your chickens?"

"No," Ash and Monica said in unison, as Monica grabbed Rose and pulled her back down. "My body pillow. You're not going anywhere."

"Maybe in a little bit?" Brian suggested, as Ash's fingers slowly lulled him from the peak of his embarrassment back to bliss. It was hypnotizing, the smooth and regular movements of her fingers against his scalp. Despite himself, he yawned, drawing another laugh from the girls. "Might need to, um, either ask Ash to stop, or take a little nap."

"Big rule of girlfriends," Rose said, as she reached up and grabbed Monica's hand. "When they start petting you, they don't get to stop."

"Okay, but I didn't actually start petting you," Monica huffed.

"Lies," Rose murmured, as she stroked her hair with Monica's hand, laughing when Monica planted her palm in her face. "Tricked you!" she cheered. "That's definitely petting."

"On what planet am I petting you right now?" Monica grumbled.

As the two teased each other, Ash looked down to Brian once again, kissed her fingers, and planted them on his lips. He felt a smile creeping across her face as she murmured, "get a little rest, okay? You earned it. I promise I'll wake you before too long."

He nodded, closing his eyes, the only thing in his mind right now the feeling of her fingers against his skin. Before he knew it, he'd drifted away, lulled to sleep by her touch.

———

"Are you two sure you don't want the guest room?" Brian asked, as Monica and Rose began to pack up.

Monica shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but we've gotta get back to my place. Gwen doesn't know how to give Weirdo his medicine."

"No," Rose patiently explained to the two of them, "Gwen doesn't want to give Weirdo his medicine. It's really not hard. I give it to him all the time."

"Either way," Monica continued, "she's as useless as Brian's nipples, no offense Brian, so we've gotta get out of here. See you two tomorrow!" she called, as the two of them headed out.

Ash gave Brian's chest a squeeze once they were gone. "Your nipples are totally useful," she purred. "Okay, just you and me, Brian. What do you wanna do with ourselves?"

They were both naked before Monica and Rose had driven away, Ash's hands eagerly roaming up and down his body, his hands immediately going for her left breast and her abdomen. "Dunno - mmm - dunno why I asked," Ash murmured, between kisses.

"I could - mmm - do something else," Brian protested. "Like - mmf! - like games, or reading, or-"

"I don't mind," Ash promised him, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "Brian, I want you as bad as you want me, maybe more. Remember? Don't feel bad about wanting to fuck me."

“It’s just not the only thing I want to do with you,” he replied. “That’s all.”

A warm smile spread across her face. “I know. Trust me, I know. I know you love me when I’ve got my clothes on too.”

“As long as that’s clear,” he murmured, before burying his face in her chest, letting his lips brush across one of her satiny, dusky nipples, already hardening at the contact.

She gasped when he began to suckle her, running her fingers through his hair and down his back. She growled when he began to gently nibble, a noise of pure pleasure and need rather than pain, fingers clenching against him as he began to tug and tweak her other breast. “Gonna leave a puddle on that floor we just cleaned if we don’t get to your bed,” she sighed, pressing her lips to his forehead.

“That’d be worth cleaning up again,” he replied, before moving to her left breast, his hand switching to her right, heedless of her warning.

“It’s also gonna be hard for you to get your cock in me from this angle,” she murmured. That, on the other hand. That got his attention. The two quickly headed up the stairs together, Brian trailing behind Ash, watching her climb, utterly enraptured. The movement of her leg muscles, the bounce and shift of her muscular ass, the little peeks he got between her legs as she lifted them; he didn’t know what to focus on, so he just ended up trying to capture the entire view. Ash just laughed, giving him a little wiggle, continuing leading him until they’d both crawled into his bed together.

“I’m already wet enough to take you,” Ash murmured, “but I’m definitely gonna need some foreplay if you want me to get there. You wanna… hah, dunno why I ask,” she chuckled, as he was already making his way down her muscular body, inhaling the rising fragrance of her heady musk with every breath. She spread her legs for him, letting him kneel in front of her and bury his face in her thick curls; once he’d had a chance to inhaled deeply, to breathe in her intoxicating fragrance until he’d grown hard from it, she wrapped them around his head, pressing his face into her already-dripping entrance. “God I love you so much,” she gasped, as he pressed her lips to her, giving her a deep kiss before lapping at the tangy fluids already starting to coat his lips. “I love how good you are at that. Fuck, Brian, you know what you’re doing, so do whatever you want down there as long as you don’t stop.”

Brian obliged her, savoring each sensual taste he took of her, each breath that filled his nose and lungs with her. His tongue curled up and down her inner labia, drinking in the musky tang of her sexual fluids, flooding his mind with desire. He had both arms around her thighs at this point, quickly going from the point where she was pushing her into him to the point where she was thrashing and shaking and he had to hold on for dear life. She begged him not to stop, growling and crying half-formed words and expressions of love and bliss, until she’s completely soaked his face in her. He just kicked it off happily, then went right back to what he was doing, letting her ride through one orgasm and straight into the next.

“Oh, fuck,” Ash eventually growled, once she’d managed to achieve some form of coherence between her cries of bliss, “I need you in me now.” Brian was quick to oblige, but she was quicker. She grabbed him by the shoulders, almost dragging him up to her, one hand immediately grasping him the moment he settled between her legs, guiding him into her. The two of them both gasped at the sensation of his glans pushing between her soft inner labia, parting her, filling her, coming to rest against her. He was still for long moments, just letting himself become accustomed to the sensation of heat, the feeling of her soaking him with her wetness, the tight grip she held him in. She didn’t make it easy for him, squeezing him each time he thought he was getting used to the feeling, making him twitch and tremble as she clamped down on him over and over. But eventually, even with her toying with him, he managed to cool down enough that he wasn’t afraid he was going to come the first time he thrust into her. Then she started playing with herself, rubbing her fingers over her labia and around his cock, and once again, he started to feel that struggle.

“I’m gonna come any minute now,” Ash growled, as she toyed with herself, meeting his gaze with half-lidded eyes. “I already came like half a dozen times. But if you start fucking me now, I’m gonna come again. Mmm, you like that “ she growled, sinking her teeth into her lip as he started to move. “I can feel you twitch inside me, y’know. When I say something that turns you on. I can feel you starting to pulse before you come, too. God, I love your cock in me,” she moaned, squeezing down on him, drowning him in the sensation of absolute bliss as her grip tightened. “Fuck, Brian, I’m gonna come so hard for you. You’re so good to me. Don’t stop, okay? I don’t know if you can hold out for long, and I don’t care. Just don’t fucking stop,” she pleaded.

“I won’t,” he gasped, breath ragged and trembling. “Won’t stop,” he continued, as he pushed himself as deep into her as he could, dragging himself against her only to push in again. “Love you,” Brian whispered. “Ash, I love you so much.”

“You’re such a sweetheart,” she sighed, as she wrapped her fingers in his hair, craning her neck down to him, meeting his lips. “Come in me,” she eventually begged him, as he slowly fucked her, as she came against him once again, legs squeezing him against her, refusing to let him leave. “Come on me. I need it so bad.”

Brian held out for as long as he could, longer than he ever had before. But eventually, he finally reached his limit. He cried out in bliss as the feeling of pleasure burst from deep inside of him, erupting from him with so much force he could barely keep thrusting, barely keep riding through the orgasm to make sure Ash could ride through hers as well. But somehow, as his body shook and spasmed, he kept his hips moving, accelerating until he heard a deep, strangled cry from Ash. Her legs clamped down on him hard, and he felt a spray erupting from her, soaking him, her sexual fluids dribbling down him as he kept moving until the pleasure was too much for him to even push himself against her without a paroxysm of sweet agony wracking his spent cock. Then he collapsed against her, gasping for breath and laughing in bliss, her legs still wrapped tight around him.

It was a few minutes before he tried to move, a few minutes before he realized he was stuck. Not his cock, of course; everything down there was in good working order. But Ash’s legs were still pressing into his ass, locking him against her, refusing to give any ground. “Um, Ash?” he eventually asked.

“Stop trying to pull out,” Ash murmured, wrapping her arms around him. “I want you right where you are.”

Brian blinked, then nodded. “I don’t mind,” he said, as he relaxed against her, letting his body collapse into her warm embrace. “Um, how long did you want to-“

“Can we stay like this?” she asked, voice uncharacteristically quiet. “You and me? Just spend the night like this?” When he didn’t respond, heat bloomed across her face, hot enough for him to feel. “Sorry, I dunno what’s going on. I just…”

“I, um, I don’t know if I can sleep like this,” Brian mumbled. “But we can try. Is everything okay?”

“Think I’m just realizing how close winter break is to being over,” she admitted. “We’ve spent so much time together these last two weeks. I don’t wanna go back to just seeing each other at school and when we can grab some time together.”

“Don’t forget the weekends,” he reminded her. “A-And we can keep doing our homework together, of course. And-“

“I know,” she sighed. “I just am really gonna miss being able to just say ‘hey, let’s spend the day together’ whenever I want to.”

“We’ve got our one skip next quarter,” he reminded her. “Anyway, Ash? I’m not going anywhere, okay? I love you.”

“Promise?” she asked, a quaver in her voice. “That you’re not gonna go anywhere, I mean.”

“Not without you,” he promised her.

“Okay,” she sighed, squeezing him tight, then letting her legs part. “I love you.”

Brian slowly reached out, grabbing her legs, pulling them back around him. “I never said I didn’t want to try to sleep like this. I do. I don’t know if I can, but…”

“Well,” she murmured, as grabbed the sheets and pulled them over his back, “If you’re okay giving it a try, I’m sure as hell in.”

“I thought I was in,” Brian replied.

“Nevermind,” Ash grumbled, only to immediately clamp down on him again when he tried to move out of her. “C’mon, you know I didn’t actually mean that.”

Chapter Text

Brian woke up to the feeling of hot breath against his ear, and a warm hand gently gripping him. “Morning, cutie. Mmm, is this all for me?”

He blinked a couple of times, still not entirely convinced he wasn’t dreaming. “What time is it?” he finally asked.

“Little before sunrise,” she yawned. “I haven’t checked the clock, but it’s still dark out there.”

Brian blinked again, letting that information sink in. “Yeah, sure,” he murmured. “I’ve gotta feed the…” he began, only to gasp at the sensation of a hand gripping his ass, and his glans brushing against her sticky, achingly hot entrance. “…gotta feed the dinosaurs - of fuck - sooner or later,” he groaned, as she slowly - agonizingly slowly - guided him into her. “Make some breakfast for you, get ready for the party,” he continued to mumble, as she continued to press him into her, guiding her down into her soaking warmth until he felt his groin pressing against her.

“Y’know, if you don’t think we have time to do this…” she murmured, stroking his face and back.

“Just - mmm - just doing some mental math,” he sighed, before pressing his lips against hers. “I think we’ve got enough time.”

“Good,” she growled, as she wrapped her legs around his hips and began to press him against her, releasing him just enough for him to pull maybe halfway out of her, then gripping and driving him into her again at that same agonizingly slow pace. It was almost painfully intense, the way she firmly pressed him back into her inch by inch, letting him completely and fully savor the feeling of being inside of her; at times, he even felt tempted to pick up the pace himself, thrusting himself into her at the sort of frantic pace she picked up when she knew he was about to come and just wanted to make him come harder. But when he met her sleepy, warm, and playfully smug gaze, he just let her keep guiding him, setting the pace of their sex as easily as if she’d been on top. It wasn’t like he wasn’t enjoying this, after all. In fact, that kind of slow but intense stimulation felt so amazing he was almost wishing it wouldn’t end.

Of course, that didn’t mean he was a passive partner. Instead, he used the opportunity being under Ash’s control gave him to his fullest, letting his hands wander over her, stealing kisses from her or pressing his lips into her neck and breasts at his own leisure. He luxuriated in the feeling of her soft breasts and hard abdominal muscles, covered her in kisses much the same way she did, nibbled at her ears and throat and shoulders until she gasped and panted for more. It was surprisingly fun, taking the chance to just play with her the way she played with him. Of course, it was even better when she finally grabbed his hair and forced him to kiss her properly, reminding him exactly who was in charge; he sighed in bliss when her powerful arms gripped him, holding him down into her, reveling in the prize his teasing had warned him.

Orgasm was a feeling of inevitability rather than suddenness; he could feel the heat and pressure inside of him building steadily. With each slow, sensual movement, each touch and kiss and squeeze and press, he felt their intimacy bringing him closer and closer to the breaking point, dragging him over the edge so slowly it felt like he’d never orgasm, but also like if she stopped for a moment she’d just leave him a soaked mess. He couldn’t stop himself from crying out in bliss at the nearness of the sensation; was so overwhelming he couldn’t even find the words to speak. All he could do was gasping as his body shook, as the sensation finally built to the point where the pleasure reached orgasmic rather than merely unbelievable. Her eyes met his, her lips sinking into her teeth, and her hands flew to his, grabbing him and pulling him to rest fully in her embrace once more. “Come in me,” she growled, less a command than a plea; not that it was necessary, of course. There was nothing else he could do, nothing else he could even imagine doing.

“D-Did you-“ he finally asked her, close to a minute later, when he was able to think of anything but the feeling of her warmth, the smell of sweat and their mixed sexual fluids, the feeling of her body crushing him to her.

She nodded. “I was almost there when you same,” she murmured. “Y’know, the feeling of you pulsing in me when you come? That warmth filling me up? God, it’s so good. I dunno if I could come from just that, if I wasn’t my already close, but… Brian, holy crap, I love you and I love your cock.”

“I love you too,” he whispered back. “And, um, I don’t think I can subdivide that, because, like, the way your body feels? It’s so amazing. You’re so amazing.”

“Can’t tell if you’re trying to flatter me,” she murmured, “or if you’re just too shy to say ‘cunt.’” She then looked him in the eyes, a smirk crossing his face. “Well? Go ahead and say it. If you can.”

“L-Love your c-cunt,” he mumbled, face completely crimson. “So there.”

Ash burst out laughing, snuggling him to her. “God, you’re so cute, and I love you so much it makes my heart heart.”

They lay there for a few more minutes, before Ash started wiggling impatiently. “Okay, sun’s starting to get bright now. Time to shower, feed the chickens, and get the snacks ready to bake?”

“Um, actually,” Brian mumbled, “there’s one thing I’d kind of like to talk to you about first. It’s, um, it’s a little weird, but-“

“You just spent the night trying to sleep with your cock in me because I asked you to,” she murmured, squeezing him tight. “Trust me, Brian, right now, weird isn’t a word in my vocabulary.”

“So, about that fursuit,” he teased her, laughing as her eyes opened wide. “Careful, Ash. You might be kinky, but I spend way too much time on the internet.”

“Fine,” she grumbled, “but you better be careful. You pick the wrong thing, and I might say yes just to spite you. So, what were you thinking about?”

“Well…”

———

“Do you ever just have the feeling that you’re showing up hours early and the hosts are going to get pissed off at you and tell you not to come back?” Sam asked, as he nervously paced back and forth in front of the door.

“Nope,” Sharon drawled. “For one thing, we’re late. For another, that would require me to have a sense of shame. If I show up early to the party, I tell them they got their invitation wrong.”

“Wait, do you really-“ he mumbled, only for Sharon to wink.

“Seriously, relax. Those are the decorations we put up,” she said, gesturing to the exterior lights, festooned in ribbons in black, silver, and gold and three different dice. “Remember? Monica’s idea? Because Brian’s doing a game party in the morning and letting the g-his friends stay?”

“Rose’s friends too,” Sam replied. “I, well, I kind of didn’t invite any of my friends, but-“

Sharon wrapped her arms around him, pressing his face into her ample chest. “If they sided with that shithead over you and Will, they’re not worth it.”

By the time he stopped feeling like steam was spraying from his ears, the door had clicked open, Ash looking down from inside at the two of them. “C’mon in,” she said, waving them in. “We’ve got party games up in the living room and a couple of Brian’s kind of game in the basement.”

“I suppose that’s why you’re on door duty?” Sharon asked, as she kicked off her shoes.

“Nah, Brian’s on deck.” She hummed, then turned her head to the side. “Y’know, we just started this round, so we could probably slot you in. You wanna to give it a try? It took a bit for me to get into, but Alma got it quick enough.”

Sharon thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Pass. Sam, if you want in, go for it. Me? I wanna see what kind of party games Brian’s got going on. This time.”

“I could go for a party game,” Sam admitted. “A little tension breaker.”

“Aw, are you feeling tense?” Sharon asked, as Ash headed back downstairs. “I could help you with that.” She laughed as heat bloomed across his face, stroking his cheek and giving him a kiss. “You’re so easy,” she murmured, as her affection only left him redder.

The two of them headed into Brian’s living room, until Sharon abruptly stopped, narrowing her eyes in that way Sam had come to realize was confusion and not annoyance. “So, uh, what are you two doing here?” she asked. “Don’t tell me Ash actually invited you.”

For a moment, Sam was confused; he recognized Monica and Rose, and was vaguely familiar with most of the other students there. All of them seemed closer to his crowd than Sharon’s. But then, as one, the two gigantic and nearly-identical young men he recognized from a couple of his classes looked up from a set of ornately-decorated cards and shook their heads. “Rose invited me,” the one on the left said.

Rose waved from behind a screen like a DM’s, depicting an ornate manor. “Leo’s in my anime club,” she chirped. “Oops, sorry, I’m not supposed to talk.”

“It’s okay, Babe,” Monica assured her. “It’s not in-game so it’s okay.”

“I’m just crashing the party,” Dan added in. “It’s not fair for Leo to get to come when I can’t. Brian agreed with me.”

Leo snorted. “He just kowtowed for the mom points. Anyway, it’s your fault you’re a giant dork with no social life.”

Dan scoffed, folding his arms. “C’mon, mister anime club, you think you’ve got room to talk?”

“You know the difference between you and me?” Leo asked. “I’m a giant dork with a giant dorky social life, now, c’mon,” he continued, waving his hand over the cards, “you’re holding up the game. I wanna find out whodunnit.”

Sharon looked around the table, then to Rose. “I’ve got no idea what you’re doing, but I’m guessing it’s too late to deal us in.”

Everyone, including Sam, nodded or gave their affirmatives. “It’s one of those games where you’d basically have to restart to add new players.”

“Besides,” Monica chimed in, “we’re maxed out. We’re either going to need to split or pick a different game after this one.”

Sharon nodded, then took Sam’s hand again. “Aw, what a shame. Guess we’re gonna have to find something else to do for… uh, how long does this game take?”

“Probably half an hour longer,” Rose replied, “depending on whether or not these dumbasses can actually start guessing my clues already.”

“That’s about the game, so you’re being a bad ghost now,” Monica said, closing her eyes and planting a kiss on Rose’s cheek when she huffed and crossed her arms.

“Well, I guess we’ll find you in half an hour or so,” Sharon said, as she dragged Sam into the kitchen, his heart pounding faster with every step. “So,” she murmured, stroking his cheek, a smile slowly spreading across her lips, “snacks and then makeouts, or make outs and then snacks?”

Butterflies flooded Sam’s stomach, as well as various other areas. Unfortunately, practical concerns won out first. “You… you do remember how we got walked in on last time, right?” When her smile only grew wider, he took a step back reflexively. “…You do remember, right?”

“Oh, I totally remember,” she purred. “But remember that thing about a sense of shame?”

“You said some really colorful things last time for someone who doesn’t have any shame,” he muttered.

“You’re gonna be quiet now,” she grumbled, the smile on her face wide enough that even he knew she was just teasing him, “and because I think you’re cute as fuck, you get to decide how I’m gonna silence you.”

He made a small, confused noise, matching the small, confused way he was feeling right now, as his eyes went from her hands to her lips to her magnificent chest. Apparently, settling his gaze there either counted as a choice, or he never had one to begin with. Not that he was going to complain as she, wrapped her arms around his head, bending him down to nestle his increasingly-crimson face in her breasts. “I knew you were going to pick them,” she teased.

They didn’t manage to get any snacks until the game was already over.

———

“Holy crap,” Alex mumbled, trying to push back the skittery feeling going up and down his nerves, “are there always this many people?”

“You were at Little Christmas,” Kathy replied, wrapping an arm around his waist. He sighed as the feeling of her warmth and pressure of her strong arms pushed away the feelings of tension. “I don’t know why you’re so surprised.”

“Yeah, but that’s Christmas, he muttered. “Besides, there’s way more people here than last time.”

“Yeah, but they’re all nerds,” Kathy pointed out. “You’re among your own kind now.”

When she pointed that out, Alex looked - really looked - at the throng milling about Brian’s living room. Sure, there were the looming basketball players, their various hangers-on, and a few of the ‘someone invited us’ crowd he’d seen before at the Christmas party. But in addition to them, most of the forensics team was here as well, land others he didn’t recognize who would have looked quite out of place at previous parties. And it looked like, despite what he’d have expected, everyone was getting along. Not just coexisting, but actually interacting. Talking about things. Being friendly.

“So, hold on,” he heard Sue ask a young man almost as big as she was, who he’d have sworn belonged on the men’s team if he hadn’t seen him running around in a different anime shirt every day, “they start with a guy without superpowers, and they give him superpowers? The hell is that about? He should’ve been, I don’t know, running around in a giant robot or something.”

“Okay, but that’s just his origin story,” he pleaded with her. “It’s like how Doctor Strange didn’t start with his magic.”

“Yeah, but everyone knows Iron Man is way cooler,” she grumbled. “Oh, or had him learn to be an assassin like my girl.”

“Okay, so now I’ve gotta tell you about their teacher,” he continued, heedless of him and Kathy passing by.

“But it’s a shout-out to the classics,” he heard Yui, one of the sophomores in forensics, excitedly explaining to a skeptical-looking Lauren. “See, lemme find it for you. They’re based on uniforms from the pilot. That’s why they did the change-over when they introduced the Enterprise!”

“Oh yeah?” she asked, peering down at her screen. “Huh, that’s actually pretty cool. I never watched the old stuff.”

Yui waved her hand up and down. “Eh, it’s really hit or miss. But you really ought to watch the Menagerie. You’re going to get so many references that way. Like, when I saw Talos IV? Oh, I squealed!”

“Alright, sell me on it,” Lauren said, a smile on her face, as she looked down at the tiny but enthusiastic girl. “Tell me what I’ll appreciate a little better.”

“No way!” he overheard Casey gasp. “I thought I was the only one! How long have you been going?”

“I mean, Muay Thai? A little over a year now,” Hugo, the guy who spent twenty minutes chatting about games with him every day on their bus ride, replied. “I, uh, I wanted to be a ninja when I was like six, so my mom and dad sent me to a McDojo once a week,” he mumbled. “Then I finally started doing some research, and, uh… yeah, done with that bullshit.”

“Oh, that’s awful,” she laughed. “I actually started going two years ago, when I started getting serious about basketball. I heard that a lot of players do some martial arts for cross-training. You know, explosive movements, endurance, stuff like that.”

“Huh,” he replied, scratching the back of his head. “You think it works in reverse? Like, I could go out to the court and start slamming dunks?”

“Only one way to find out,” she laughed. “You want to go one vee one?”

“Okay, so hear me out,” he began. “Have you ever heard of chess-boxing?”

All around them, media’s natural enemies were having conversations, ranging from hobbies to school to just about anything. “Was my entire life a lie?” he mumbled to himself.

“You did think sexy underwear fights were real,” Kathy chimed in. “Guess this is what happens when your interests get mainstream.”

“I guess so,” he replied. “I’m totally not complaining, though.”

“Uh huh?” Kathy leaned over him, a grin spreading across her face. “You’re not mad that you’re not special?”

He shrugged, then laughed. “Maybe a little. I wouldn’t have agonized nearly so much over trying to talk to you again if I’d, well…”

“…Realized you could just talk to me and I wouldn’t call you a nerd and pants you?” she asked. When he nodded, she squeezed her arm around his shoulders. “Well, like I tell little second grade me, better late than never. Besides, I’m not complaining about his things have turned out.”

“Me neither,” he replied, tentatively venturing a hand down her back, brushing it across the hem of her jeans.

She glared at him, a scowl spreading across her face; “the fuck are you doing?” she asked. Before he could stammer an apology, she grabbed his hand and lodged it firmly in her rear pocket. “Much better. None of that hoverhands bullshit.”

“S-Sorry,” he replied, somewhere between a laugh and a mumble. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You better,” she grumbled. “So, wanna go be free among your people?”

He tentatively squeezed her rear, then a little more forcefully when she bumped him with her hip. “I’m happy where I am,” he replied. “So, want to hijack Casey’s conversation to something more fun?”

“Dick move,” Kathy huffed. “Then again, Case’s been a bit of a bitch lately. Let’s go take her down a peg.”

“Hey, Hugo!” he called, waving at his friend, whose eyes lit up at their arrival. “Haven’t seen you since the break! What’d you pick up this sale?”

———

“Two minute warning,” Sharon called out, voice loud enough to be heard over the din. “Music off, television to the goddamn countdown!”

It had been about half an hour until midnight when the hosts had just vanished. “Brian and I are going to be, uh, celebrating by ourselves,” Ash had whispered in her ear. “Can you handle things for… uh, I dunno, a while?”

“You can’t keep it in your shorts for a little longer?” she’d asked.

Ash whispered in Sharon’s ear, and she’d felt her eyebrows rising. “Wow,” she’d replied, “you picked a real romantic, Ash. And a real perv at that.”

“I know,” she sighed, a smile spread wide across her face. “I love it. So, can you?”

“Go have your fun,” Sharon had replied, matching Ash’s smile. “I’ll hold down the fort.”

Which is why she - and Sam, she supposed - were now in charge of wrangling the main event of a New Year’s Eve party with somewhere between a third and half again as many guests as usual. Which hasn’t actually that bad a process, given how much the party seemed to be managing itself. Oh, there’s been a few hiccups, like when some asshole had tried getting grabby with Alma, and Will nearly got his nose broken trying to stand up for her before she’d squeezed the asshole’s fist until he cried. Or when they’d caught Casey’s - now former - bestie trying to hassle Brian’s chickens. But for the most part, this was actually a surprisingly good mix. “This was such a smart idea,” she told Sam, as they walked arm in arm. “We need to do this again next year.”

“So you can help with more hookups?” he’d chuckled.

“Yui’s a bit shy,” she’d whispered to Lauren when the girl who’d been talking to her literally all night had finally had to dash to the bathroom, “so she asked me to ask you if you could be her New Years’ kiss.” And now Lauren was eyeing the tiny girl like she was literally going to eat her alive, while Yui kept glancing at the clock with both terror and excitement, face growing redder by the moment.

“I heard Casey mumble ‘God he’s so cute,’” she’d whispered at the fellow she’d kept checking out the ass of. “I heard Hugo mumble, ‘God she’s so sexy,’” she’d whispered to Casey in return. Now they were holding hands and watching the timer together, giddy smiles on their faces.

“Just fucking kiss him,” she’d groaned in Alma’s ear, after far too long watching her smiling at Will with bashful enthusiasm and waggling her eyebrows while he looked at her more and more longingly. “Not - nevermind,” she groaned, when the perpetually peppy girl had damn near tackled the poor kid and pressed her lips to his. She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of them since, but judging from the muffled kissing noises and she’d heard from the walk-in pantry - and who the hell had one of those? - things were going okay on that end too.

She had actively tried to separate Sue and Leo. It hadn’t worked. “Bitch,” she hissed, “when do you turn eighteen again?”

“April,” she replied, a smirk on her face. “And Leo here is gonna be fifteen in January.”

“Carry on,” she’d huffed. They had; they were still holding hands even now, watching the timer hit one minute left.

”I prefer to think of it as sowing the seeds of some Happy New Years,” she drawled.

“Have you, um, have you ever thought about just letting things happen on their own?” Sam asked her, as he poured out a glass of what had been labeled with a soaked-off sparkling grape juice label and helpfully marked ‘contents may have fermented’. “I, um, I kind of liked just getting asked out by you,” he admitted.

“And how many times did I have to do it before it stuck?” she asked Sam. The crimson blooming across his delicate cheeks was an admission as far as she was concerned. “Okay,” she then called out, taking her glass in one hand and him in the other, “time to start shouting numbers.”

“Ten!” shouted Casey and Hugo, smiles wide across their faces.

“Nine,” Yui whispered, craning up her neck as Lauren started to lean close.

“Eight,” Sue and Leo called together, standing nose to nose.

“Seven,” she heard from the kitchen, where a mix of about a dozen geeks and JV girls were frantically trying to pair up for the big kiss.

“Six,” came the answering call from the couples who’d come together on their own over the course of the party.

“Five,” she heard from the closet, a little off-cue.

“Four,” she and Sam called together, her hand on his cheek, his hand on hers.

“Three,” Alex yelped, as Kathy scooped him up.

“Two,” Dan cheered, a young man with the sunset behind him counting down with him on his phone.

“One,” Monica and Rose mumbled, lips already locked together.

Then as one, they all cheered, “Happy New Year!” Before Sam could even finish, she was on him; before she’d finished pressing her lips to his, he’d begin kissing her back. All around them came the sounds of cheering, of hooting and hollering, of happy couples and the happily single celebrating together. Phones chimed, glasses clinked, and noisemakers sounded; then after a minute, she pulled herself from Sam, glasses fogged and face flushed, and sipped from his glass of absolutely just grape juice. “Hope we can do this again next year,” she whispered in his ear, before returning to his lips, bubbles still popping on her tongue.

“No arguments here,” she heard Kathy say from behind her. “Any resolutions?”

“Get laid,” she drawled. “Sam, you wanna help me with that? We’re already on our fourth date, you know.”

“Aw, you’re gonna break him,” Kathy laughed, as he started sputtering.

“Ah, naïveté,” Alex sighed, still suspended in midair, running his hand across his girlfriend’s cheek. “I remember when I was that embarrassed by the idea of sex.”

Kathy snorted. “Don’t pretend you’re not.”

“I’m getting a little better,” he mumbled.

“Are you?” she asked. “Because as soon as I find Ash and Brian and say Happy New Year, maybe talk about the next time we’re doing this, we’re totally sneaking off to fuck. So,” she continued, as Alex proved himself a liar by going fully crimson, “you two see the hosts around?”

Sam only went redder, while Sharon just smirked, a smug look on her face, growing smugger and smugger at Kathy’s ever-building exasperation.

———

“Three - fffuck - three minutes left, Brian,” came the muffled voice from on top of him, barely audible with the sound of her thighs pressed against his ears. Even with his mind soaked in her scent and her taste and her heat and her arousal, it cut through the pathways of his mind. His legs instantly started wiggling as he pushed at her thighs, like trying to push against solid steel pinning him to her. Nevertheless, she responded, lifting herself from his drenched face, trailing her dripping labia across his sweat-wreathed chest. His jaw ached with her weight, his tongue burned with exhaustion from getting her off, and it left him so hard she didn’t have any issue slipping him into that scorching heat once she’d straddled him. “You gonna steer?” she asked. “This is your moment.”

Right, he thought to himself. He’d admitted to her, this morning, that he’d picked up a weird little New Years tradition of his own. “So, my parents started turning in early instead of staying up late a couple years ago. I, um, I was up until midnight all by myself, and I started thinking about New Years kisses, and-“

“Breathe,” she’d whispered to him, as she stroked his hair. “I’m not gonna judge you, remember? Besides, I think I get it, and that’s kinda cute. Getting yourself off at the stroke of midnight?”

He nodded. “I know we’re hosting the party,” he’d mumbled, “and I know that means we’re responsible, but-“

“I’ll see if someone else can take over,” she’d promised him. “Between Sharon, Lauren, and Monica, someone’s gonna say yes.”

Sharon had, and so the two had slipped away to Brian’s bedroom, Ash almost immediately taking her favorite position: Pressing down on his face. He’d eaten her with abandon, desperately trying to make her come as many times as he could, getting her as close as possible for the last moments of the New Year. And now here she was, straddling him, him buried deep inside of her, slowly building him up towards what he knew was going to be a mind-blowing climax for both of them. The only question was if he could time it correctly.

“Together,” he begged her. And so her hands snaked up his stomach and chest, down his arms to meet his, and she’d begun to slowly move. He pressed his feet into the bed, lifting himself to meet her, burying himself as deep in her as he could. Quickly, he realized this was probably a terrible idea. She felt so good, so hot, her grip so perfectly accommodating and squeezing him, that with only a week of practice, he was still having trouble holding out for too long. With him adding to that, moving with her? He didn’t know if he could make it a minute. “Slow down,” he finally hissed, when he felt the pressure building too fast; she obliged, slowing down, leaving him to breathe a sigh of relief as he felt the pleasure rushing over start to subside.

The second attempt, she was the one following his pace. Rather than fucking him, she pressed her hips against him when they rose up to meet hers, wriggled her hips when he was buried in her and guided her body to make sure he didn’t slip out of her when he pulled back. She bit her lip when he began to rock himself against her faster and faster, exhaled quiet, ragged breaths when he slowed down. “Not sure I’m gonna be able to come on command here,” she murmured, as she pulled his hand to her mouth and bit down, sending shivers through his body. “Is that gonna be okay?”

“I’d rather come together,” he admitted. “But, you know, if we can-“

“I got it,” she chuckled. “Touch me,” she commanded him, releasing his left hand while squeezing down on his right. “I’ll let you know if it’s too fast.”

Brian obliged, curling his fingers in her thick bush, stroking the soft skin beneath. She bit her lip to hold back a moan when he squeezed her labia against him, gasping and growling as he kept stroking her. “Getting close,” she whispered, as the clock reached a minute left. “I think I can keep coming if you get me off, though. Your show, Brian, she gasped. “Tell me - ffuck - how you want me to come.”

“Don’t know if I can hold off if you come,” he whispered in her ear, fingers slowing down. “When you clamp down on me? It’s gonna make me come. I’m already… fuck, I don’t think I can do this,” he whimpered, as he felt her inner walls contract around him, even though he’d slowed to a stop.

“Practice makes perfect,” she murmured, her body quivering as they sat together in near-stillness. “Thirty seconds, Brian. Think you can make it?”

“Going to try,” he answered, as he started moving his hips again, slowly and sensually, hands rubbing her much more quickly. He gasped at the feeling of her contracting again, of her squeezing him, almost milking him, a burst of sheer intense pleasure he could barely hold back. Less than half a minute, he reminded himself. Less than twenty seconds now. All he had to do was hold out against the sheer intensity of the pleasure he was feeling, the bliss of being inside of her. He tried to frantically think of anything else, anything but the scent of the woman he loved, the feeling of her, the way she’d begun to pulse around him, pressing her lips into his to muffle their cries as his fingers and cock finally pushed her over the edge. Come on, he thought to himself, all I have to do is hold on for just a little bit longer, and-

“This is for fun,” she reminded him, as the seconds counted down, as he felt pleasure crashing through his efforts to contain it, a tidal wave of fiery bliss. “Don’t make it not fun.” Then her lips met hers again, and he sighed, surrendering to the feeling of pleasure. By the time his phone called out the number “seven!” he could already feel the rush of ecstasy overwhelming him; by “four!” he could feel himself coming, feel himself flooding Ash as she clamped down on him over and over, like her body was trying to drain him dry. He almost collapsed into her, but some deep, desperate impulse kept him moving, drawing out her pleasure even as his own grew so intense he could barely keep moving. Eventually, he finally did collapse, beneath her own collapsing body, completely spent, post-orgasmic bliss a faint shadow of its normal intense high. Shame twisted in his guts, knotting its way up his stomach and into his heart. He still couldn’t last long enough, he tried not to think. But it was so hard not to. “Sorry,” he mumbled, despite his efforts not to, fighting too hard not to curl into a ball to do anything else.

“Hey,” Ash murmured, kissing his sweaty brow. “That was pretty damn close for your first attempt, y’know? Besides,” she continued, a look of bliss on her face, “I started coming last year and just finished. That’s some amazing sex, y’know?”

Brian sighed, unable to fight back the smile growing over his face. “Yeah, I suppose,” he mumbled. “I still feel a little bad, but-“

“Brian, I told you: All that matters is we both have fun. And, uh, I know I did,” she murmured, before finally pulling herself from him with a delightfully wet noise.

“I had fun,” Brian admitted, as he took her offered hand. “Thank you for doing this ridiculous thing with me.”

“Trust me,” she purred, “I am not regretting it. And hey, look at it this way,” she continued, as she grabbed one of the wet towels they’d prepared, and began to sensually scrub herself off, “that just means we’re gonna do better next year.”

“You think so?” he asked, the smile on his face now so wide his face hurt.

“Well, I’m sure as hell not going anywhere.”

———

“Trust me,” his adoring girlfriend murmured, “I am not complaining that you lasted through the goddamn countdown.”

“I know,” Brian replied, unable to hold back the smile on his face. “I just want to get it exact, you know?”

“Oh, trust me,” Ash huffed, “I know. But y’know what? It’s only our second try. We’re gonna get this.”

“Same time next year?” he asked, as he started mopping himself off.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure as hell not going anywhere.”

———

“Well, I say that totally counts,” his beloved fiancée murmured. “You started coming in one year, you finished in the next. Sure, it wasn’t right on the dot, but-“

“Yeah, but now it’s my holy grail, you know?” Brian admitted.

“God, you’re so damn cute,” Ash murmured, running her fingers down his face. “You better watch out, or I might have to put a ring on you.”

“Oh, no, imagine that,” Brian laughed. “Anyway, I don’t feel bad about it or anything, I just-“

“Yeah, yeah,” she huffed. “Well, I guess I’ll see you next year?”

“Not just next year,” he whined, and she laughed so hard she almost toppled off of him.

“Trust me, cutie, I’m sure as hell not going anywhere.”

———

“Aw, don’t get mad at her,” his adoring wife huffed. “Not her fault she woke up hungry. Is it, baby?” she asked, as she held their tiny perfect daughter to her chest.

“I know, I just wish she could have slept for five more minutes,” Brian huffed.

“Gonna have to get used to it,” Ash chuckled. “These things have a mind of their own, y’know?”

“I know,” he sighed in bliss, as he wrapped the two most important women in his life in his arms. “I’m not mad at you, little lady. No I’m not,” he murmured, as he stroked her tiny little scalp, and listened to her muffled coos.

“Don’t worry,” Ash murmured, “she’ll probably be sleeping through the night again next year. And if not? Well, there’s always the year after. We’re gonna manage it again, Brian.”

“Promise?” he asked her.

“C’mon, you still gotta ask? You ought to know this by now: I’m sure as hell not going anywhere.”

Chapter Text

“…And so then you just plug the whole thing back into the original theta,” Yui continued, “and you’ve solved the equation. Make sense?”

“It really does,” Lauren murmured, licking her lips as she stared down at the pink-faced Yui. “You’re so smart, and you’re so good at teaching me. Speaking of,” she growled, “if you want me to teach you a couple things next week…”

“Please break me in half.” Yui whispered quietly, but not so quietly Lauren didn’t overhear her.

“Aw, just in half?” she asked, a wide grin spreading across her lips, as Yui went completely red. “We’ve got a whole week, kitten.”

Ash cleared her throat. “Don’t make me tap the sign,” she said, gesturing to a folded paper display. ‘No Makeouts In The Library’, it read in big block letters, with ‘they will kick us out’ scrawled below. “Besides, if Brian and I can keep our hands off each other, you can too.”

“I wasn’t going to do anything,” Lauren grumbled. “Yet.”

“You kind of ruined math for anyone who needed help with it,” Brian pointed out, as Yui squeaked quietly, a balloon with the air running out of her, a trio of bench players and a couple of his crew looking at her in various degrees of exasperation and jealousy.

“I’ll take care of it,” Ash sighed. “Too bad if you needed trig, though.”

One of the students, who he recognized from his forensics team, moved to stand up. The girl next to him, a bench player, took him by the sleeve, and he looked down at her. When she nodded, he went completely red, then nearly tripped over himself sitting back down. “I’ll wait,” he mumbled.

Brian was surprised how quickly doing his homework with Ash had grown into something that had basically taken over half the library during lunches or after school and before clubs. Sharon and Sam had started showing up as soon as they’d gotten back, Alex and Kathy within a week, a couple of their friends a week later, and by February, soon it seemed like the entire team was attending… as was anyone who wanted a shot with them. Then came Valentine’s Day, when the dating had first officially been a part of it, and things had just spiraled from there.

“Let me stop you,” he heard Sharon drawl at a blushing young bespectacled student. “We’re both taken,” she said, pointing to herself and Sue, “she’s gay,” she continued, pointing to one of the JV students, who waved happily, “and they’re taken and gay,” she finished, pointing to Monica and Rose, who were snuggling against each other.

“I’m bi,” Monica snapped.

“Don’t get his hopes up,” Sharon snapped back.

“For you, I can be gay,” she added, a smile on her pierced lips.

“Sorry,” Sharon continued, as the student sagged, “nobody here for physics this week is looking for anything but tutoring. We’d still love the help, and trust me, you sticking around even without anyone to flirt with is gonna be a good way to get some attention, but-“

As he was about to sit down, a sad little smile on his face, Mary, one of the JV girls from another table, stood up. “So if you’re in physics, you’re done with chemistry, right? How’d you do?”

“I, uh, I was in AP,” he mumbled. “Aced it.”

“Cool,” she chirped, “I could use some help. C’mon,” she continued, patting the chair next to her, “this is your audition. You teach me some chemistry, and I’ll see if we’ve got some.”

As the blushing young man pushed up his glasses and took the offered seat, Ash nudged him. “Well, he’s not an asshole, at least. Think he’s got what it takes?”

Brian shrugged. “He sat down next to her, didn’t he? Sometimes, that really is all it takes.”

“I dunno,” she murmured, “he didn’t say anything about her abs.”

Brian snorted, only a hint of crimson on his cheeks. “Well, we can’t all come up with the perfect icebreaker.”

An hour later, when the librarian started pointedly looking at the clock and clearing her throat, he was still engrossed in conversation with Mary, who was now flipping her long red hair. “Guess he’s got it after all,” Ash murmured to him. Then she stood up and cleared her throat. “Alright, ten minute warning. Then get your asses out of here, and don’t even think about homework for the next week. Oh yeah, Brian’s not gonna be hosting games at his house this weekend, and roleplaying isn’t until three weekends from now, ‘cuz we are out of here, and we are not gonna be back until we gotta.”

“Have fun in the ass end of nowhere,” Sharon called to her, waving.

“Oh, you know it,” Ash chuckled, as she took Brian by the hand. “You ready to go, cutie?”

“I’ve been looking forward to this since last year,” he replied.

“Good,” she murmured, pressing her lips to his. “That makes two of us.”

———

“So, um, do you have any thoughts on Spring Break plans?” Alex asked, as he and Kathy walked down the street together, her strong hand gripping his with a gentleness that still surprised him months later. “Because I’ve never really, erm, done anything for spring break before. I’ve had ideas, of course, but-“

“Dunno why you think I have,” Kathy replied, shrugging. “I just do the same thing every year.”

“Really? What’s that?” he asked.

“Tell you when we get home,” she replied, a hint of a mischievous lilt in her smoldering voice. “Trust me, you’ll like it.”

“I mean, is it a concert thing? Because I did like going out to those shows with you,” he continued, more babbling out of nervousness than any real intention of guessing. “Or, hm, do you just go wandering around town? Because I’ve never really seen a lot of places around here. I’m, well, I was, a little bit of a homebody, so-“

Kathy just whistled, squeezing Alex’s hand as his guesses grew increasingly outlandish. It was maddening, but then again, that was part of her charm, he supposed. She didn’t say a single word until they’d not just gotten to her home, but descended the steps to her little basement ‘apartment.’ Then, and only then, did she turn to him, her dark eyes radiating hunger and heat. “So, you wanna know why we waited until I got home?” she finally asked, as she unzipped her leather jacket and tossed it aside.

“With bated breath,” he replied, watching, unable to look away, as she rapidly stripped down.

“Dork. Anyway, here’s the deal,” Kathy said, as she tossed her bra into the rapidly-growing heap of clothing, leaving Alex unable, once again, to tear his eyes from her petite and incredibly perky breasts. “I got a busy fucking life. Homework, the team, music, all kinds of crap. And you, of course.”

“Sorry if I’m taking up too much of your time,” he mumbled, as she stepped out of her tight jeans.

“Don’t be like that,” she murmured, pressing his face into the bare breasts he hadn’t been able to look away from. “I love everything I do but the homework. Doesn’t mean I don’t need a break, though. So,” she continued, as she dropped and tossed her panties in one smooth movement, “from today until fuck if I know, maybe this Sunday, and maybe Sunday, I’m not gonna wear a damn thing, and I’m not gonna do a damn thing except what I wanna do. You’re part of that,” she murmured, her voice smoldering with so much heat he was afraid he’d catch aflame.

He was almost completely enraptured by her lithe, muscular, gorgeous form, but practical concerns still snuck into his ever-babbling brain. “So, what do you do about food?” he asked. “Dinner sounds like a challenge.”

“I got a microwave and a mini-fridge,” she laughed. “Dad’s not gonna let me starve.”

“He doesn’t mind that you’re taking a vacation from, well, civilization?” he managed to ask.

“You’re kidding, right? He and Angela love a vacation from me almost as much as I do one from them. Hell,” she laughed, “I bet they’re gonna be running around as naked as I am up there when she gets home.”

And wasn’t that an unpleasant image, he thought. But at least it wasn’t one he had to hold onto long; the sight of his girlfriend, completely naked and unashamed, was still enough to drive out almost any thoughts he might have. “I just need to text mom and let her know I’ll technically be in town,” he replied. “She did tell me it was okay if I wanted to go off somewhere with you this week, so she shouldn’t mind.”

“Hope she wasn’t expecting pictures,” Kathy laughed. “You’re overdressed, by the way.”

Alex managed to wriggle out of his clothing while still texting his mother, only lying a little bit about their plans. After all, he was going to be staying with his girlfriend, and she was going to be handling room and board. She neither had to, nor probably wanted to, know it was going to be Kathy’s basement. “I might want to go somewhere at some point,” he said, “but-“

“Oh, I’ll convince you otherwise,” she promised, voice low and smoky. He immediately believed her.

“So, um, what now?” he asked, as the two of them stood in her ‘living room,’ the only clothing between them his glasses.

“So far, it’s been one of two options,” she replied. “Either I get started on my game backlog, or…”

“Or?” he asked, when it became clear no continuation was forthcoming until he did.

“I spend a full day fingering myself raw,” she growled, nipping at his ear. “So? Which one are you up for?”

Alex had no idea what possessed him to ask, “why not both,” but it was worth it to see the look on her face. “So, are you familiar with the term ‘Free Use’?”

“If you’re asking if you can eat me while I play,” she growled, “then hell fucking yes. You have no idea how many times I’ve gotten off to this idea.”

“I’m amenable to that,” he murmured, reaching out to stroke her, sending a shiver up her spine.

“Get on the bed,” she growled, lip firmly gripped between her teeth. “I’ll be right there.”

“You are going to return the favor, right?” he asked, as he laid down, watching as she almost bounced across the room, grabbing her controller, turning on her computer, getting her link ready to go. “I mean, at some point?”

“Alex, if you do this for me,” she murmured, “there’s not a lot I won’t try for you.”

“I think I’m looking forward to spring break,” Alex said, as Kathy began to descend.

“I know I am,” she laughed, as she pressed herself into his waiting, eager face. “Hey,” she gasped, as he began to taste her, “love you.”

His own response was too muffled to be understood, but based on how her thighs pressed into his cheeks, she apparently got the gist of it.

———

“All aboard!”

The two of them raced across the grey concrete platform, their footsteps drowned out by the rumble of the suitcases trailing behind them. Even with its wheels, his arm burned with the force of trying to move it; with Sharon dragging him, it felt almost like he was being torn in half. But icy terror so cold it twisted through the heat of his burning legs spurred him on almost as much as his girlfriend’s steely grip; the vision of the train puffing away from the station right as they dashed up on it had already fixed in his mind. More visions had begun to spiral: The two of them cuddled up long into the night, waiting for a train that never came; the two of them trudging away, dejected and defeated, their entire itinerary in shambles. If he’d had any breath to laugh with, he would have laughed at the one where she loomed over him and cursed him so fiercely his mind couldn’t even imagine what she was saying; he knew in his heart that was nonsense, but apparently that fear was still lurking deep within his gut.

But either they were just fast enough, or the conductor had pity on them, because they were able to race aboard the train with only minimal issue. With shaking hands, he passed the conductor his ticket; with steady hands, Sharon passed hers, then reached for her card. The conductor held up a hand; she looked back at their monstrously large bags, he just shook his head and pointed to the door. Neither of them were in the mood to argue with his generosity.

“Told you we’d get there on time,” Sharon laughed, as the two of them collapsed into their seats, luggage safely stowed, right as the train began to move. His lungs burned too hard for him to answer; all he could do was nod and wait for the fire racing through his body to cool. “You know,” she continued, “I think maybe Ash has the right idea. You want to start running with me when we get back? After a few months, a little sprint like that is going to be a piece of cake.”

Little? He wanted to ask. They’d sprinted like a quarter of a mile. But he was too out of breath to do anything but huff in surprise. Then he looked at his girlfriend, really looked; she was just barely glowing with sweat and flushed with exertion, panting but still fully coherent. He looked down at his own trembling, aching legs, felt his pounding heart, and quietly nodded.

“Cool.” She gently squeezed his hand, a smile spreading across her face. “Hey,” she said, after letting him rest for a minute, “Glad you suggested this.”

“Glad you… said yes,” he puffed, with the little bit of wind he’d been able to catch. “Wanted… travel… with you.”

“Yeah, but there’s a difference between wanting to do something, and asking me to run away on a week long ‘fuck planning’ adventure.” She turned to him, planting a kiss on his cheek, and rested her head on his shoulder. “It was sexy as anything, Sam.”

“Know you… like things… off the… cuff,” he panted, still trying to catch his breath from their mad sprint, a hint of a flush still managing to bloom across his cheeks. “Besides… always… wanted… travel. You’re my… hotel… ticket.”

She laughed, slithering her arm around his back and squeezing his hip. “Man, I really did a number on you, huh? Sorry. You were right, I shouldn’t have stopped for ice cream.”

“S’okay,” he managed to pant, leaning heavily against her. “Was good.”

“Hey,” she eventually asked, “why don’t you take a little rest? Catch your breath, maybe take a nap. I don’t mind. I kind of wanted to watch the scenery anyway.”

“I’ll watch too,” he managed.

“Yeah, but I’ve got the window seat,” she pointed out.

In lieu of a response, he lifted himself up a little, looking past her. Then his eyes flickered to her magnificent chest, and she burst out laughing. “Okay, point. You know, you’ve got some hardcore perv to you too. Glad it’s finally coming out.”

“Glad you like it,” he replied, a little smile crossing his sweat-soaked face. “I was scared you’d be grossed out.”

“Oh, trust me,” she murmured, running her free hand up his thigh, “I am not even a little grossed out by you. In fact,” she said, as her fingers started to trace his waistband, “It’s actually kind of a relief having someone I don’t have to worry about weirding out with how horny I am.”

Despite himself, Sam flushed, both from the memories and from the way she’d started blatantly fondling his stomach with the hand wrapped around him, nails scraping across his belly, sending heat blooming through his core. “We’re in public,” he whispered, breath already quickening once again.

“That’s why my hand’s not going down your pants,” she murmured, voice growing low and sultry. “You want me to stop?”

“He shook his head rapidly. “Just so we’re clear,” he mumbled, face almost as hot as he felt inside.

“You know,” she growled, hunger in her voice, “there’s some other advantages to an entire week unsupervised. You want to try some other kinds of adventures?”

“So much,” he mumbled, teeth biting down hard on his lip, trying to ignore the feeling of pleasure blooming deep inside of him. He had no idea how he could still be so sensitive to her touch, and yet there he was, trying not to moan as she toyed with him in a way that was - legally, at least - within the bounds of decency.

“Tomorrow, we really gotta get a sleeper car,” she murmured, as she watched his face. “You have no idea how much I wish I could make you come right now.”

“I can guess,” he replied, somewhere between a laugh and a gasp.

“Well, for now, I had a thought. While we’re watching the scenery, why don’t you start thinking of some fun things to do when we get there, and I’ll think of some fun things to do when we check in. Then tomorrow, we can switch.”

“Sounds good,” he ground out, barely holding back another moan.

“Good boy,” she murmured, turning back towards the window, stretching and contorting to leave her hand on him without looking away from the scenery they were flying past, leaving him struggling to do the same. “Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?”

He nodded. “Hey,” he managed to mumble, “just want you to know I love you.”

“Trust me, I know,” she whispered back. After a moment, she turned back to him briefly, then laughed at the look on his face. “Love you too, Sam,” she murmured, a hint of pink on her face, as she turned back to the window, twisted just enough to never have to let him go.

———

“Alright,” Ash said, as she slammed the trunk of her car, “one last check.”

Brian looked through the hatchback of their rental car - how her mom finagled Ash as a secondary driver, he’d never know - then back to his checklist. “Tent; sleeping bag; tarp; folding table and chairs; emergency blanket; climbing rope; ‘climbing’ rope; bag full of clothes, checked last night; suitcase full of miscellaneous supplies, checked last night; bag full of cooking supplies, checked this morning; water, non-perishable snacks.” Then he rapidly tapped his pants, noting, “Wallet in my pocket, phone in my other pocket, and chargers in my back pocket. Anything I’m forgetting?”

“Yeah, shit, hold on,” Ash grumbled, as she dashed back to her apartment. Brian waited patiently, then burst out laughing when he saw what she was carrying: Two large watermelons, one under each arm.

“You really remembered?” he asked, a smile spreading across his face.

“Damn right I did,” she chuckled. “How many months have you been waiting for this again?”

“Too damn many,” he laughed. “I love you so much.”

“God you’re adorable,” she laughed back. “Love you too, dork. So, wanna get this show on the road?”

Brian already had the door open, hopping into the rental car. “Ready when you are,” he replied.

“Cool. So, uh, where too first?” she asked, as she put the car into gear, and began to head off towards the highway.

“Wait, you don’t remember?” he asked. “I texted you the entire itinerary.”

“Forwarded it to my folks, then deleted it,” she replied without a second thought. “I told you, Brian, you let me know where to drive, and I’ll take you there. All I care about is I’m with you.”

Brian felt warmth pulse deep inside of him, pulsing over him so hard it almost ached. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you,” he murmured. “Anyway, we’re starting off on the highway. I’ll tell you where to go from there.”

“Thanks. And sure you do,” she laughed. “Watch the stars, cuddle under the night sky, then go make out in a tent.”

“Just in a tent?” he asked, feigning disappointment.

“Depends on who else is around,” she murmured, running her hand over his, squeezing him tight. “You ought to know by now that I’m up for playing outdoors.”

Months ago, he probably would have been left stammering, he thought to himself. Instead, he gently brushed his fingers up her bare thigh, teasing at the hem of her athletic shorts. “Do you want me to tell you?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I wanna be surprised, y’know? I, uh, I kinda like the idea of never knowing which site’s gonna be the one where I get to go hiking in just my boots.”

“You’re too sexy to be real,” he murmured. “So, um, are you going to be disappointed if there aren’t any? There are,” he quickly clarified, “but there’s only so much I can do to predict how popular a site’s going to be.”

“Well, in that case,” she murmured, a smile crossing her face. “I guess we’ll just have to try again in the summer.”

“You don’t mind doing this with me again in a few months?” he asked.

“Brian?” A bloom of garnet spread across her cheeks. “I don’t wanna jinx things, but, uh, I’ve got a feeling I’m gonna be doing this with you until we’re old and grey.”

“Love you,” he murmured, pulling his hand from her thigh and reaching up to her cheek.

“Love you too,” she murmured back, sliding her hand across his thigh, toying with his zipper as they merged into the highway. Then on they went, the sun slowly descending behind them, still lighting their way as they zoomed off towards the horizon.