Their tea was finished in relative silence then, Luca watching the women with a distinct placidity to his features. The girls, however, looked more into the fluid in their cups than at one another. Purity and EJ squeezed one another's hands as they sat and drank, sipping their tea, each one searching for comfort within the other. EJ's other hand found its way to Est's, after she had finished her tea; Esthrielle swapped the hand she held her cup with to take the ghoul's palm in hers.

Then, Luca was up, on his feet, brushing off the trench coat he had been wearing all night. Wordlessly, he gave the trio a nod, then excused himself. They were left to their own devices. Almost as soon as Luca closed the door, Purity spoke up. "Wow... God, this is serious, huh? Like... No, that was dumb to say. It's been serious since... As long as I can remember, to be honest. Serious for all of us. We've been just dealt shit hands on repeat, huh?"

"But now... talking about... attacking Tsang? Trying to sabotage the company itself? I mean, frankly, those fuckers deserve nothing more than a mouth full of silver pellets, but..." She allowed the silence to subsume whatever she would have followed with. Esthrielle, instead, spoke then - taking residence in the vacancy Purity had made. "But? Look, the Knights have the means, right? Tsang is just one company."

One company that ruled Vitus, and practically the entire UNAC, EJ thought to herself. She wasn't the only one, judging by Purity's shift of expression, but the pinkette didn't offer retort. Now was EJ's turn to speak, giving her friend and her lover another squeeze to steel herself and them as she interjected. "Just one company... Sure, yeah. But you know what they're capable of. This whole city is their fucking citadel, their kingdom... And in that shitty tower, only up at the top, is the guy who would actually have to go down to stop all of this. A-And, uh, even then... Even then, what would happen to people like me? Without Tsang, it would be-"

Esthrielle put up a finger with her free hand, stopping EJ in her tracks. Esper James dutifully shut the fuck up, eyes wide, looking intently to the cyborg at her side. Est's tone when she spoke was sharp as the edge of a silvered blade, and twice as hard. "People like you will be fine, EJ. Luca's anything but a monster... He won't start setting up camps as soon as that ancient bastard at the top of the tower kicks the bucket. The Knights will pull out of Vitus; the crusade will be over. There won't be any reason to hurt anyone else."

Despite her conviction, the words didn't ring as true as was intended. EJ doubted that the Knights would simply leave, when they had been whipped into a froth about how soulless and evil the undead were. It was a miracle that she had even made it into one of their compounds in one piece, with her consciousness still in-tact. She was pretty certain, back in that car when they had first arrived, that she'd get perforated like a cheese grater before setting foot inside.

Purity's turn. "Well, if all you guys wanna do is kill Tsang, then what's with the rest of it? The fire-bombings? The assassinations? The terror attacks? Your 'Knights' don't really seem the type to peacefully pick up and go, once it's all said and done." Her brows furrowed, her expression skeptical at best; at worst, it was a scowl. Esthrielle opened her mouth to reply, but found no words could come - she, instead, looked down into her empty teacup. Purity harrumphed with grim satisfaction before going on.

"Anyways. Regardless of if the Knights are gonna kill everyone in Vitus or not, we're stuck here now. There's no chance of escape, so we may as well work with your people, Est. EJ? Get ready for bed. Big day tomorrow; gotta remember, Est and her kind probably work during the daylight hours, so we should at least try to rest." Purity's expression softened a few steps as she turned to her lover, using the grip on her hand to pull EJ in for a hug.

EJ went with it, her diminutive figure swaddled up in Purity's more buxom physique. Her living lover's warmth still surprised the little ghoul; still made her want to cling as long as she could. Being second-living had its perks, but the craving for warmth offset the potential to ignore great cold. She nodded against Purity, head resting on the other woman's breasts, letting her eyes shut in the embrace.

Esthrielle let go of EJ's hand and stood, promptly turning on a heel and strutting over to one of the unattended wardrobes. She threw it open while E and P cuddled, taking two fistfuls of black cloth after a moment of inspection. The cloth was then tossed to the two women at the table. Est grinned wryly as the garments landed against their intended marks, the Wayward planting fists upon her hips. "There. If you're gonna be in the convent for a few days, which it sounds like you are, then you two should get used to dressing the part. No more street clothes."

This snapped EJ and Puri from their snuggle, the taller of the two looking down at the ebon robes which were draped over the blonde's head and torso. She pulled the robes free with her off-hand, looking down at them in her grip. Purity gasped loudly, eyes snapping to attention and saucer-like width, then shooting over to where Est smugly stood. "No. Really? Oh my God. We're gonna dress like nuns, with real nun habits? Oh, fuck, this is... This is like a porno. If not for everything else, y'know, but still. Oh-ho-ho, wow... Okay, okay, yeah." Further platitudes were offered as Purity felt excitement rise from the ashes of despair and bitterness, letting go of EJ's hands to better inspect the habit.

EJ, meanwhile, lingered for a few moments more - eyes closed, mouth shut, heart calm, face smooshed into a pair of soft, warm tits. It was a great way to be, in all honesty... But then the word 'porno' was uttered, and she came alive again. Why was Purity talking about porn in a time like this? Did she find some dishonest nun's porn stash? Was it something on her phon- Oh. "Oh shit... We've g-gotta dress in... Nun habits. Wow... That... Yeah, that is pretty, uh... Smutty." She held her tongue, so as not to spill the beans that she had read some stuff that went exactly like this.

Purity was on her feet in an instant, beginning to strip down without prompting. Est's face was painted with shock as she realized what Purity was doing, but she didn't speak up. Didn't try to stop the pinkette at all. Considering Puri's past, there are plenty of people who would happily pay for this sort of thing; here she was, getting it for free. 'Better to drink it all in than look away', was what she told herself, at least. Some distant thought nagged at her, in the back of her mind, that the convent was a holy place. Maybe taking such a sexual tone was going against the intent of the Convent as a whole.

But, fuck it. Better to live while you're alive, right?

More justification. Esthrielle both daren't look away, and didn't want to think too long on any of it.

Purity's clothes were discarded into a messy pile beside one of the beds, completely disregarded. All of them, in fact; her bra and panties, too, were slipped free and cast away. They weren't necessary right now, or so thought the club darling; besides, it would be more fun to be full-nude beneath the habit. The main robe was donned, and then the headpiece, Purity adjusting it so that the bangs and framing locks of her trademark hime cut were still visible. It took her even longer than it normally would have, if only so she could put on a show for all in attendance.

EJ felt her breath catch, and the dead thumping of her heart quicken at the display. Sure, she and Puri had become intimate plenty of times at this point - what was it, five? - but, still... Seeing her girlfriend's body like this, seeing her acting so confidently, so suggestively... It was exciting. Exciting in a way that she hadn't really had since the whole thing at Judas's house, with Esthrielle, and that fucking cat. God, she was glad that cat was dead.

Cat? Maybe a cat. Maybe something else. If Tsang could make the second-living, if they had such advanced biotech to grow organs and resurrect the dead, why couldn't they make a monster? That concept didn't sit super well with Esper James, honestly, but those thoughts were pushed away when Purity took the loose cloth of her habit and tugged it behind herself.

In an instant, Purity's entire body, from the neck down - the curve of her bust, the swell of her thighs, even the gentle tone of her tummy - was outlined like she was vacuum-sealed into the robe. Est whistled from across the room, her brain similarly mush at the sight of Puri making a mockery of her religion's traditional garb. "Wow, Puri, sheesh. I've, uh... I never had a thing for any of the other nuns here, y'know, but... Wow. God damn. Maybe I'm starting to get why there's such a fetish in the West for this kind of thing, hahaha...!"

Puri simply winked in response to Est's compliment, her soft pink lips, as nearly as bubblegum-coloured as her hair, curling into a wicked smirk. She turned to observe EJ, to see her reaction: the blonde's mouth was agape, her eyes glued to Purity like a fly on a trap. It was adorable, if you were into seeing that kind of reaction. Thankfully? Purity was - it had been exactly what she wanted. "Oh, Eee-Jayyy...~ I've been such a naughty girl, hahaha... I think I need to atone for my sins. Get on my knees and pray. Give penance, receive salvation. Care to help a girl out?"

EJ felt herself come alive once again, this time between her thighs as much as in her chest. She nodded as quickly as her body allowed, all too eager to do whatever Purity wanted. Anything to get her hands on her girlfriend... Anything at all. Briefly, she considered that maybe, after all, this wasn't the time nor place for this sort of thing. But then, more forcefully than her trepidation, another thought barged in. Maybe this would be the last time they'd get the opportunity to make love, or even be suggestive. Maybe this would be their last chance to flirt. And, hell... When was she going to get a chance to screw her beautiful girlfriend in a genuine convent, ever again? Even if they did live long, full lives, this wasn't the sort of thing you passed up.

Purity put out her right hand to the chair-bound ghoulette, beckoning with her forefinger slowly, teasingly. She puckered her lips up and whimpered playfully, lids drooping to give her better half some lethal bedroom eyes. As she waited for EJ to rise from her chair, however, Purity also looked to Est - giving her the exact same treatment, with vocal encouragement. "Ohhhhh, Esthrielle... Sister Esthrielle, hahaha... You're here to oversee my penance, aren't you? Make sure I'm a good girl from now on? Repent for my sins? C'mere... Don't be shy. I see you staring, sister..."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

It was Est's turn to go speechless, fumbling over her words, the blatant nature of the invitation mingling with absolute shock that it had been given at all. Sure, she had been staring, it was true. She had even, undeniably, said something aloud about how hot Purity was. But, ugh... They hadn't even discussed this sort of thing! It had never come up between the three of them! The idea of... Of being anything more than friends, even if that included 'friends with benefits'? It was daunting. She made to step towards Purity, but that ghostly feeling of God himself staring down at her stayed her feet. For now.

Turmoil raged within the Wayward's mind, and showed on her face. Where first there had been naught but a blush, the more she contemplated it, the more it ate away at her, causing her brow to furrow. Nuns were... holy women. Briefly, a convent back in Venice came to mind - and with it, her initiation ceremony. Being made to learn her vows... The concept of 'marriage' to Jesus... She, herself, was only honorarily a nun. Recruits for the crusade had been inducted into respective nunneries or monastic orders, based on their place of birth.

Reveries of women in black cloth ripped through her brain like a spray of hot, damning lead. And yet... With those memories came a sense of doubt. She had devoted herself to Luca and her adoptive father, first and foremost. In all her time in Italia, she had never really been inclined towards theology. God seemed so far away, and now, here? He felt closer than ever before, and he was not happy with what he saw.

EJ spoke up as her legs drew her to a stand, slowly going to make her way to Purity - not out of hesitance, but out of a desire to let the moment go on for a bit longer. "E-Est, uh... I think Purity's right. Surely, a s-senior sister needs to discipline her junior, right? Ha-ha-ha... I mean, d-don't if you don't want to. We're not gonna be mad at you..." While the concept of a nun-themed threesome with the other women had Esper James feral beneath the skin, her head still played host to the same sort of thoughts as Est's.

Purity had never really showed any of that kind of consideration to Esthrielle... She had never mentioned it to EJ, certainly. And EJ had felt awful about even considering it - after the night with Judas, the concept of trying anything with Est seemed like it overstepped at least twenty boundaries. It had never seemed to be an option, for any of them, for myriad reasons. And yet, here they were, with Purity taking the initiative. Purity, the most unknown of the variables at play, making the first move.

Frankly, Esper James was into it. She knew Est. Vaguely, she remembered the feeling of those steel fangs in her neck and shoulder... Remembered the feeling of Est's warm, sweat-limned torso against her own tepid flesh. Remembered the sound of her breathing and whining. She couldn't help but get a little turned on by the concept of getting those things all over again, but now, with ideally enthusiastic consent. She looked over to the hesitant Italian, offering as warm and welcoming a smile as she could.

The ghoulish fangs didn't help.

Est's scowl began to subside, replaced with trepidation - intimidation, even. A single bead of sweat formed at her brow as she thought it over, put on the spot to lead them though it. Seeing Esper James's bare flesh... Est's ocular prosthetics clung to the ghoul's body inthe same way the blonde clung to Purity. Esthrielle's stomach felt tight; her throat had grown a new lump. There was a certain sort of emotion that was brought to the fore: somewhere between grief and, to her own surprise, excitement.

'Was this exciting?', she wondered. She couldn't simply put certain thoughts and memories aside... but, at the same time, the sight of EJ and Purity there, watching and waiting, it helped her forget. Helped her push those painful glimpses away, momentarily locking them up. She wanted to be able to acknowledge that, if things were different? This would have been a dream to her. Two beautiful women she had quickly grown close to, inviting her formally (as formally as one did with such things) to screw? In a perfect world, one without all this awfulness, nothing would have been better. Esthrielle sighed.

Purity's mischief-dripping smile began to fade, a knife returning to its sheath. Her face turned from seductive to sad as Est's hesitation lasted, moments more akin to hours in the relative silence of the room. EJ's face, too, veered from excited to apologetic. Her blonde brow-arches turned inward, adorning herself with the expression of a parent telling their child that Santa will be late this year. "Ah... Est? You don't... You don't have to, y'know. We aren't g-gonna be, uh, mad..."Her apologetic smile wavered for a moment once silence returned, but Purity was quick to add on.

"Yeah! Esthrielle, I... I was thinking that, recently, we've all been one stroke of bad luck away from getting caught. Getting hunted down and killed. If this is in any way offensive, just lemme know, I... Offending you is the last thing I want to do." She opened her mouth once again, going to tack on further words of reassurance, but they weren't necessary. Est sighed deeply, the pained, thoughtful look on her face washed away by the spring rain of her friends' concern. If, of course, 'friends' was even the right term to use for the two sluts she was confronted by.

"F-Fine. Fine. You're kinda right, Purity... EJ and I already got fucked over once. The three of us are pretty much one bad move from a game over, hahaha... So fine. I gotta, ahaha, warn you - my experience in this department is all from porn. So... I'll do my best. Just help me figure out what to do..." In her head, she fought a war to keep it quiet that this was her first time. Everything up until this point didn't count. They hadn't been keeping score - why would she? Her first time, then. Time to take the leap.

Purity and EJ both felt a wash of relief flood their chest, hearts' flames quenched by the calming deluge of consent. Purity gave her ass an anticipatory wiggle, her mirth returning hand-in-hand with her lust; EJ simply offered back that trademark needle-toothed smile, bright eyes and all. Her deadened heart had been pounding out a marching beat, but now that Est had given the green light, she was faced with a new re-realization: oh, they were gonna have sex. All three of them. Oh God. That set her cardiac snare a-rap-tap-tapping to a new, far preferable rhythm.

Est began to move, silently offering her acceptance, her building eagerness to play. When she came to the other two, one arm was slung around EJ, the other around Purity. Caught up in the moment as she was, her hands were anything but shy: synthetic fingers searching for anywhere they could take handfuls of the other two. It felt almost shockingly good to the Wayward - last time she had been in a situation like this, especially with EJ, it had been tinged with a permanent sort of trauma. Here? Now? Taking back her own agency, and still being offered this treatment?

It was cathartic. She smiled from ear to ear, then, getting up on her tip-toes to kiss Purity hard on the lips. As for EJ, however, she pulled the girl in. EJ was dragged between Purity's and Esthrielle's own torsos and kept there firmly, urged to drink of their warmth and softness. Esper James was anything but upset about this new development. She took it upon herself to drop to her knees, now level with both womens' waistlines. Purity, too, was eager to acquiesce: first, the kiss was pure, but powerfully-given. It only took a second or two for twin tongues to get involved.

The scent of myrrh and frankincense in the air from the hallway's censers played backdrop to the shampoo and bodywash of the bathhouse. Esthrielle let go of EJ to put both hands on Purity, sandwiching the submissive blonde's head between the still-standing pair, and Purity simply giggled in response. She broke the kiss, looking down at Esthrielle with feigned innocence, though the naivety was anything but genuine.

"Ohhh, sister Esthrielle... You're so aggressive... You've really been needing this, haven't you? Been needing to take this role... Tell your junior sisters what to do, please! Here, let's take this to the bed... It'll be easier for us to, ahaha, pray there..." She moved to pull away, drifting towards the bed, staying just out-of-reach to the Wayward as she went. Est grabbed EJ by the shoulder and dragged her to a stand, then shoved her towards the bed; steel fangs were on display as she looked over her new playmates, grinning so wide her face felt it may snap in half.

"Oh, God, yes... You're so right, sister Purity. EJ? Strip. Go on; we'll wait. And then, once we're all ready, I'll be happy to instruct the both of you on how to properly worship." Esthrielle's confidence was at least ninety-percent bluster. She'd never been in this sort of position before, being shuffled into a dominant, instructive role. All her life, she had been the one being instructed - sexually or otherwise. She was treading new waters here, but she had certainly seen enough of Vitus's midday TV programming to get the gist of it.

Purity placed herself gingerly on the bed, going to watch as EJ stripped down. Esper James, by contrast, stopped at the edge of the bed. She could feel something old and familiar course through her veins, toggling switches in her brain, setting her demeanor to one of blind obedience. Someone could've told her she was made of putty, and she would have agreed. The old obedience, while free of Judas's vampiric influence, was to her every bit the needle entering a track-laden arm. A warm glow bloomed in her sternum, her stomach, and her loins.

It felt right to be told what to do by someone like Est - someone who claimed to be acting in her best interest. Someone who was, presumably, telling her what to do only to help her. Her hands trembled; her knees wobbled like a newborn fawn. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes anew, she was nude, suffering the lust-drenched observation of her two partners-to-be. She gasped when she realized her own bareness, dressed in naught but what she was born in. Despite the embarrassment of it, her bravest warrior twitched in a single, crude salute to its general.

Est's grin would have fit perfectly upon the face of a shark. She nodded in approval, beckoning EJ closer with the prompt curl-uncurl of her left hand's fingers. "Good. You're a quick learner, Esper James... We'll make a proper nun out of you yet. Sister Purity? Pull up your habit. I've got a... heheh, great idea of how you can start your penance. And then lean forward, over the bed. If we were on the floor, you'd be put to kneel... But thankfully, we've got a bed here. Convenient." While she awaited compliance, Est shimmied herself out of her own clothes, throwing them off by where EJ and Purity's own were piled.

Purity's sounds of mirth as she complied nearly came out in a cackle. Thank God, everything was going exactly as she had hoped. Now, she just hoped Est tasted good...