I need to quickly use retrocognition to figure out something. I seek out the absence of time in a moment between moments, a place between spaces, in the non. Entering thinkspace while time is slowed, I try to recall the last few minutes. Right, let’s see. What did I agree to? I had intended to ask Farzee for instead of whatever she offered, to drop the dirt on Illy. Instead, she didn’t confirm the withdrawal of her offer, she was completely unsubtle in her continued flirting by saying she looked forward to my rubbing, and had gotten herself basically to the point of toplessness with clothing shapechanging, at least as far as what’s visible from her position laying face down on the couch.
I did say the horribly stupid line, “I’m all yours,” but that wasn’t me agreeing to anything. Honestly, I don’t think either of us are going to honor our bargain. I know I’m going to avoid ever being in a room alone with her. Still, my end is contingent on her meeting her end, err, that sounds ominous. I mean, my offer is contingent upon her meaningfully showing that she’s going to *not* do something. So I can withhold it for quite a while before even thinking of having to honor it. I’m pretty sure she’ll slip up at some point. I’ll just have Illy privately contact me immediately if she does, and then I’ll drop my dismissal on Farzee like a sack of hot potatoes. Or a bag of rocks? A truckload of cement? I dunno, some metaphor, well, simile.
Okay okay nothing exactly has changed. Let’s just snap back to reality. The plan hasn’t changed. I—. Illy looks so pretty, but she’s sitting so ladylike, prim and proper, appearing so demure. It feels like a facade. I suppose it could be. If she’s putting on the air of being something like a Lady-in-waiting or a queen-to-be or something. I’m not sure who the performance would be for. Kinzul assuredly knows her daughter exceedingly well, if they’ve apparently already talked about, koff, the event. Her party has seen Illy’s more natural states. Wait. Is this for Lil? Or— for me?
Sending privately telepathically to Iylynila, I praise her, “Hey Illy, I just wanted to say that dress looks absolutely stunning, it’s amazing. It looks gorgeous upon you, and, well, you know I find you ravishing. I just figured you should know. In, um, in case you felt like you had to get my attention or anything. You don’t. I told you, you’re a dummy and I love you. If I can do anything to make you more comfy, or help you relax, let me know.”
There’s a bit of a gasp of relief across our private wavelength as Illy remarks, “Oh thank gods! I didn’t know how long I’d be able to keep this crap up.” In a very obvious tone, she adds a query, “You really think all that about lil’ ol’ me?”
I snirk, and cough at the mixed snorting, smirking laugh, as I approach Veril while shaking my head telepathically incredulously at Illy. My response is, “Of course I do you goof. You’re not going to pull one over on me, fishing for compliments. You are absolutely brilliant of course, but you’re going to have to step up your game if you want to keep playing in private like this. Remember, I’ve had Teuila and Luni in my head for years. I feel like it’s only since around the time we were dying on Can’Z’aas when they really started laying into the teasing of that nature though.”
Veril, as he thought he might, moans at my ministrations as I’m giving him a half backrub while applying the permanency enhancement enchantment. I definitely blush about it, but I don’t want to make the guy self-conscious, so I don’t make it an issue. Illy squirms in her seat at hearing it. Farzee looks disappointed upon hearing Veril’s moan, and Induul looks disdainful upon hearing it. Miraina continues to pretend to nap, or she might actually be napping. Lil looses a single giggle then quickly mutes himself, holding it in. Kinzul manages to look regal and passive, as if she’d observed nothing.
Deciding to tease Illy, I send privately her way, “So I was right. The sounds were part of the experience that was missing at first.”
Illy’s beautiful, heavenly cheeks within her pitch-black countenance redden to a deep crimson hue. Hopefully I didn’t strike too hard with that tease. She’s not saying anything back. She’s already told her mother, erm, I think. Unless Kinzul was pulling one of those, “no I didn’t know, but you just admitted it to me,” moments. Gulp. Well, it’s not like I’ve described the event mentally. I’m going to stop alluding to it now though. I sense devious energy from Kinzul’s telepathic wavelength, but I’m pretty certain she’s toying with me.
Veril actually pouts when his enchantment’s permanency solidifies and I have to ask him to swap out for Lil. I’ll go for Kinzul after Lil, then Farzee, then myself, then Illy, then Induul, then Miraina. I think that’s all of us, right? Yeah, eight slots, eight people. Lil’s permanency enchantment flies by in a flash, and his muscles are pretty much putty in my hands by this point, even though I’ve only been half-arsing it. He’s been getting a half massage for almost ten minutes at a time basically every hour all morning.
Moving on to Lady Kinzul, because of her statuesque nature, and her amazonian height, I’m able to reach enough of her cranium, neck, and back, while she sits up, holding Pawn in her lap. It does mean that half the time, I’m buried under a massive cascade of her hair, when it tries to settle back into place majestically. I keep setting it gently to the side, not wanting to presumptuously toss it in front of one of her shoulders, but it’s like it wants to envelop me. I’m almost certain she’s doing it to mess with me, after hearing me talk about playing games with Illy. Uh, crap, hopefully I didn’t come across as insulting to Illy with the step up her game remark. Nah, Lady Kinzul’s heard basically my every thought for several days straight. She knows that even if I’m thinking or teasing something, I only have the best intentions for those I love.
Alright, Farzee’s up, and there’s a bit of an attempt to hide an upset sneer at having been displaced to the early-middle of the pack where Miraina’s spot would have been. She does situate herself, where the only way I can get to the parts of her back that I need to half the time is to straddle her rather spectacular, pert, full bum, annoyingly. I’d rather not be getting up, and going back to straddling it near the end of every line of runes, so I try to hide my huffed sigh and just mount the one position available to reach her whole back.
Also, while trying not to be too obvious about it, and seeing what she can get away with after Veris’s moans, Farzee lets loose a series of quiet, pleased moans during the permanency enchantment process. I’m not sure if she was quiet enough that no one heard, or if everyone’s pretending to have not heard, because of how extremely sensual her moans started to get in the last quarter of the enchantment process as I neared her lower back. I tried to make sure I couldn’t sense Induul at all during it, because I did not want to know if he was entering a jealous rage. I’m not fully sure what their deal is, but I figure I’d better let him know.
Privately to Induul, I comment, “I apologize if, uh, Farzee is going overboard with her bid for my attention. I don’t have eyes for her, or intention to act on her advances. You heard about her attempt to claim me as a prize. I hope it isn’t insulting to share my lack of motive with you. I’d just rather not have you for an enemy, and I figure clarifying things before any silly schoolyard drama can start might head that off at the pass. Hopefully.”
I don’t receive word back, but that’s probably for the better. I’m trying not to let my mind comment on how absolutely exquisite, soft, and smooth Farzee felt. I just said not to comment on that, brain. Right. Uh, anyway. Who next? Oh, myself. Uh oh.
Farzee offers aloud for everyone to hear, “If you’re enchanting yourself next, you might as well stay seated right there, all the other spots are taken after all.”
The dirty minx. Crafty, cunning, smart, bugger it all to heck. Now I’ll look like an ass if I ask someone else to get up. Illy flashes me a frown, and I share one back. Still, it’s just eight minutes of me sitting perfectly still, and while Farzee is attempting to get a rise out of me, or at least a specific bodypart, I don’t have that biology, so it’s not a concern. Still, it’s a heck of a pleasant heiny, a taut tushy. Uh, dangit, I’m playing headgames with myself for her. Blargh. I need to sprint out of here with Illy when this session is over.
Speaking of Illy, I can hear her heartbeat quicken from all the way over here when she realizes she’s up next, because Induul took the second to last spot, and Pawn got traded the last spot. Or it might be my silent sonar picking up her heartbeat. Either way, each step closer I get to her, Illy’s heart picks up the pace until it’s pounding like a jackhammer.
Iylynila really psyches herself out about this stuff. Wayyy too many trashy romance novels. But it’s cute all the same. I’m really enamored of her. I’m pretty positive she wouldn’t have anywhere near the interest in me that she does if it weren’t for her trashy romance novels. Ugh, my title of Hero probably helped flip a trigger for her, and maybe Teuila’s position of knight. Things like just talking with Prinrin about the hero of a story and their romantic plots or partners, or the shining knight upon some blessed steed.
I need to not second guess it. Iylynila and I shared something, and continue to share things, and be interested in each other. There’s no reason to do the what-ifs, because they didn’t. That scenario isn’t this Illy. This Illy spreads out where Veril and Lil had been, our Illy, the one who is real, and enjoys reading, uh, stuff with Prinny. She tries the same ploy Farzee had tried, but she doesn’t quite have the bulk from front to back, or shoulder to shoulder that made it necessary for me to sit atop Farzee. I’ll humor her though, and let her know about it privately telepathically, just to tease her a little, but also to let her know that I want to do it, that she’s not forcing me. Maybe that’ll help boost her ego a bit.
Of course Illy would try to turn around my attempt to compliment her and admit my happiness to be close to her, into a far too salacious tease about wanting her bum. Huff. My face hurts from grinning too hard as I shake my head. The time goes by too fast, even though Illy doesn’t make the overt moans like Farzee, she does squeak or make little peeps occasionally when I manage to caress a tender area upon her back. It strikes me that part of the reason Veril might have moaned, and that Illy is so tender, is because they were part of Sponge using his Latent on me, to save me from the broken ribs.
Even my bruises are gone at this point, due to the wrathful explosion of dragonforce from earlier. Querying, in private telepathy, I ask Illy about hers. Her answer is, “Actually, a couple of hours ago, everything just stopped hurting. No bruises, no soreness, no stiffness, nothing. You do that Schism, um, Reggie?”
She’s still getting used to the fact that our private wavelength is private, and she likes to use my name, as it feels more intimate to her, when we’re in private. It’s cute. Responding teasingly, I offer, “What, you think I’m that hooked on you, that I learned an entirely new kind of magic, and healed you up from afar? Some sexy, brilliant, funny lady that I’m totally not lovey dovey with has sure got a pretty high opinion of herself.”
Iylynila snorts a laugh and reaches an arm behind her to swat me while I’m enchanting her with runes. I tell her to hold still for the enchantment process but, while laughing across our telepathic wavelength, she quips, “If you want me to not move then don’t make me want to slap you ya jerk. But, um. Thank you. I don’t know how you did it, but thanks.”
Pouting, I try to receive her thanks as best I can while explaining, “I’m not a hundred percent sure if I did, but I do know that an effton of my dragonforce disappeared after that little explosion in the den. My bruises are gone, your bruises were gone about the same time. Maybe? I wonder if anyone else that took on Sponge’s Latent for me is healed. Veril was moaning, but it sounded like pleasure, not pain from touching bruised ribs. Oh, speaking of my dragonforce, $%!7”
Illy’s pulse quickens, but not in a good way. Her worry for me starts to skyrocket as I wrap up her enchantment permanency. I try to assuage her fears, “It’s okay, it’s okay, There’s a fraction left, and affection seems to slow down its loss. Before you try to turn that into asking me if it’s a ploy and implying stuff, I swear I’m not running a bit on you to try to get more snugglin’ or snoggin’. I am a little bit worried that the affection might be draining the dragonforce of those I connect to though, to keep mine going. I—. I wouldn’t want to risk you Illy. I do honestly care about your wellbeing. Like I said, I love you ya dummy.”
Illy’s tease takes a different, less playful or romantic tack, “So you don’t want to risk my dragonforce, but up next is Induul, and you’re totally okay leaving him a spent husk huh? Cold Schism, ruthless.”
Illy can’t keep her humor masked on our private telepathic wavelength though, so it’s like she laughs at her own joke before I have a chance to worriedly react. I flash her an eyeroll, but then wink as I move away from her. I have a stupendous amount of desire to remain there with my hands upon her well-sculpted back, and the luxuriously smooth midnight-black skin thereupon. I just have to remind myself that as long as I survive, Illy and I will probably spend time sharing affection while she still has interest in me. Maybe. Hopefully. On to Induul’s turn though sadly.
Induul, for his part, just grunts at first, then once or twice during the enchantment. No words spoken, but there is a, um, shift of his hips at one point, while he’s laying face down. I’m not about to make fun of someone for possible involuntary responses in general, but especially not when I’ve got a whammy that has me putting my brain’s foot in its mouth every few hours thinking about or seeing Errissa.
In my own private thinkspace, I chuckle when Miraina “wakes up,” right on cue, and I’d swear the cute little goober winked at me while she was pretending to rub sleep out of her eyes. Sharp as a tack that young lady. Well, Pawn might not be as young as she appears. Prinrin is short as hell, and is one of the older dragons. Eh, whatever age she is, she’s smart, and a life saver. She’s got youthful energy, and plays the child role, so unless she tells me otherwise, that’s the assumption under which I’ll operate.
Miraina only fidgets from ticklishness once or twice, giggling, as I set up her final subnetwork’s permanency. Even that, at this point, the cynic in me is slightly suspicious of, wondering just how thorough her role might be. Still, adorable kid that I wish all the best for. I—. I really don’t want to imagine anything bad happening to any of these people. They’re a new family for me. Complete with grumpy, jealous older brothers like Induul over there.
The Paradox Dormir, knowing that no large groups are directly scheduled next, hang around, uneasily chatting. Farzee is looking for her opportunity to get me alone. Illy’s hoping the rest of the Dormir leave, so that we can be alone, and Pawn goes zooming off after Kinzul gives her an errand to run, telepathically in private. Veril and Lil are both completely oblivious to the hints Illy and Farzee are pushing, trying to get the rest of everyone to leave, as they chat and laugh happily.
Induul remains pretty quiet, as he studies the new group dynamic, now that Farzee’s manipulativeness has been on full display. He also might apparently be going through withdrawal soon? I’ve heard that can be rough. Uh, somewhere, someone— someone told me that, right? Or is that more knowledge that I shouldn’t have? Blargh, regardless, I think I’m going to sneak off, and just ask Illy to meet me somewhere when I get to the edge of our telepathic range. I’ve still got to seek out Xayla and Ixeyla, though I think I might know where they might be. Then, at some point, I’m hoping I’ll have a repeat performance while wandering around, thinking of Spymaster. If I do, I’ll end up running into her. I could have asked Lady Kinzul to arrange a specific time, but I wasn’t sure of everything I was going to do today.
I quietly announce, “I’ve got supplies to clean up, and, um, an explosion to find reparations for, and two more subnetworks to do privately tonight. Thank you everyone for your patience. I’ll be around if you need me, it won’t be hard to either catch my telepathic range at this point, or find Pawn zooming around into and out of your ranges, to pass a message on.”
Privately to Illy, I offer, “If you think you might still maybe be interested in some private time together, I’m sure you could think of some reason to get your mother to go on a walk with you to catch up, and then find me after you’re free,” in singsong lilting cadence across our telepathic wavelength, I stretch out syllables as I add, “I’ll be waiting.”
A snorted laugh across our private wavelength ends with the reply, “You crimson smurf, you little gremlin. You just can’t wait to get me alone, can you? Playing it off like you aren’t itching for that private time, and itching for my—. Well, I’m sure you can use your imagination to come up with something.”
I choke on a laugh after I’ve gotten a ways down the hallway, back towards the den. That was pretty overt by Iylynila’s standards. I hope we can actually just find some time to hang out, and talk, maybe verbally spar a bit with some teasing flirtation and stuff. I’m not going to try to monopolize her time though. I’ve still got to check in with my inner circle, love up on them, find Ixeyla and Xayla, and later find Errissa. I guess we’ll see how things play out.