I slept better than I had in a long time, snuggled up tightly against Jackal, who had his back pressed hard up against the wall but seemed completely unbothered by it as he wrapped his arms around me and nestled his nose into my hair.

If I still had my horns, I’d have probably taken his eye out.

Bastion had wrapped himself around me, with Nightfall sleeping hard up against his back. Although Jackal hadn’t bothered to put any clothing back on, Bastion and Nightfall were wearing the regular nightwear they’d settled on. Nightfall favoured silk boxers that were a similar shade of blue to the robes he’d worn when I met him, whereas Bastion had preferred plain black briefs and a white singlet. I could feel his heat through the cotton as he spooned me tightly.

I stirred lazily, and Bastion greeted me with a kiss on my neck. The others weren’t awake yet, so I kept quiet, but twisted my neck around so I could kiss him good morning. His hand kept firm on my hip, preventing the rest of my body from following suit.

Jackal stirred slightly, his arms tightening around me possessively in his sleep, pulling me out of my kiss.

Bastion’s expression was far from put out, though. I felt it could only be described as mischievous.

I opened my mouth to whisper to him, but he placed his finger against my lips, signalling for me to be silent. I gave him a questioning look, but he kissed my neck again, his finger trailing down my body and back towards my hips.

One of Jackal’s hands clenched on my butt cheek, which distracted me slightly from Bastion’s touch, which wandered further than it had been before.

I felt my whole body light up with want, arching into Jackal’s rock hard abs as Bastion pressed into me from behind. I hooked my ankle affectionately around Bastion’s, trying to pull him even closer. His chest pressed up even tighter against me, crushing Jackal’s hands between our bodies. Jackal just held me tighter in response.

Bastion took advantage of my new pliant position, reaching further around my hip and playing me like a bard with a new guitar.

I shivered as I felt waves of pleasure rush through me, my body relaxing completely, utterly at his mercy.

I was startled then, when Jackal grunted awake and greeted me with a consuming kiss, his tongue claiming my mouth just as Bastion had claimed my core.

I moaned into him, already falling to pieces as he withdrew and took in our positions. He glanced down, then gave me a knowing smirk, raising his hands to cup my jaw and kissed me again, as wave after wave of pleasure rippled through me.

“What are you doing?” Nightfall asked, having been jostled awake himself. “Hmm…”

I felt his eyes watching us, but I barely had the brain cells to respond between Jackal and Bastion’s ministrations.

Bastion moved then, his body taking my frame with him as he hauled me upright into a sitting position. Jackal continued to plunder my mouth with his tongue, one of his hands cupping the back of my head and the other kneading one of my breasts, as Bastion took the other in his left hand, his right still wrapped around me and performing a kind of magic that was beyond any spell that existed in either of the worlds I knew of. Nightfall’s firm hands parted my thighs, finding a steady rhythm that somehow meshed perfectly with the other two.

I lost myself again to the three of them, and for a moment I forgot which world I was in or which body I inhabited. It didn’t matter whether I was a human or a succubus or a quivering jellyfish. By the time they were finished with me, I was utterly boneless.

When I came back to my senses, I was lying cradled in Bastion’s arms as Jackal stroked my hair, watching me with a contented expression. My legs lay across Nightfall’s knees, his thumbs caressing my skin as his hands lay folded atop them.

“You’re back with us?” Nightfall asked, the corner of his mouth turning up.

“I love you guys so much,” I sighed, still barely able to think. “You’re just… amazing.”

Bastion chuckled. “How are you feeling? Do you want anything?”

“I’m all sexed out, if that’s what you’re asking,” I said. “But I’m starving now. Definitely ready for breakfast, if I can get my legs to function enough to actually walk again.”

“You can rest your legs, I can get you food,” Jackal said, clamouring over me and off the bed, but he stumbled into the shelf and knocked over one of James’ anime figurines. It crashed to the floor and split in two, right at the poor cat-girl’s tiny waist. “Oh, Emma! I’m sorry! I broke it!”

Jackal looked genuinely distraught, trying to shove the two pieces back together. I pulled myself out of Bastion’s hold and swung my legs to the floor.

“It’s okay, Jackal,” I said soothingly, but he shook his head.

“No, it’s not… I keep breaking your things. First your couch, now your strange nekokin statue. I’m so sorry.”

“No, I mean, it’s not even mine. It’s James’ collection. All of those things are his.”

The three of them looked along the shelf of figures, most of which were big-busted cat-girls with an artistic wind blowing up their skirts.

“I had wondered why you had these objects,” Nightfall said hesitantly. “But why are his things all over your room?”

“We shared a room,” I shrugged. “I guess I forgot they were there. I’ve kind of gotten used to ignoring them.”

“You shared a room, but what is yours? Is this stuff all his? What about the pictures on the wall?”

There were a couple of movie posters tacked up on the wall, both also James’ choices, although blessedly not of more catgirls. The Dungeons and Dragons one I actually didn’t mind so much, since Chris Pine was front and centre, but James would have to rake me over hot coals before I would admit it out loud.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I don’t like to waste my money on stuff,” I shrugged. “He does, ergo his stuff ended up on display. It’s about as simple as that.”

Jackal frowned at the broken figurine in his hand, looking conflicted about whether or not to feel guilt over breaking James’ stuff.

“Just throw it in the trash,” I said, standing and planting a kiss on his cheek. I picked my robe off the hanger on the back of my bedroom door and wrapped it around myself and pulled on a clean pair of underwear underneath it. I could wait until I had found food before I bothered seeking out more clothing. “You guys can have first crack at the shower. I really need food.”

I left them on still shaky legs and was met with the wonderful smell of cinnamon and butter as I entered the living room.

“What’s that?” I asked, following the wafting smell towards the kitchen, but Bruiser hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap before I got very far. He and James were seated at the kitchen table going over some printed notes, but Bruiser shoved them aside and buried his face in my neck.

“Mmm, Emma, you smell so lovely.”

“Can you guys not at the table? Jeez…”

“What’s the smell? Is someone baking?”

“Brick’s making you cinnamon rolls. He’s been watching cooking videos all morning,” Bruiser explained. “He’ll bring them out when they’re ready, so it’s best not to distract him. Besides, I feel like I haven’t had you in my arms in a long time.”

“Seriously?” James glowered. “I haven’t even finished having my coffee.”

“You’re welcome to take it elsewhere,” Bruiser said, then captured my mouth in a brain-melting kiss.

“No. I’m sick of staying in the office every minute of the day. I’m staying right here.”

Bruiser ignored him, kissing me deeper, before releasing my lips and trailing small, hot kisses down my neck.

“Emma, please?”

I giggled as Bruiser hit a particularly ticklish spot on my neck, but then put my hand over his mouth, creating a barrier between us.

“Stop, Bruiser,” I said.

“Is he bothering you?” Bruiser jerked his head towards James. “Because I’ll happily remove him for you.”

“This is my house!”

“No, sweetheart,” I shook my head. “I’ve just… I’ve had a lot in the last twelve hours or so. Sorry you weren’t there, but I guess I’m all worn out. It is just a bit much. Can you wait for me?”

“As long as you need, my darling,” Bruiser said. “Although selfishly, I hope it won’t be too long.”

I needed to set up a booking calendar or something. Maybe there was an app for that, or an extension to Google Calendars to colour code your lovers. Surely the polyamorous community had figured something out.

I buried my giggle in Bruiser’s neck, wrapping my arms around him, turning to straddle him in his chair and resting my head on his shoulder.

“Emma…” James whined.

“I’m just going to have a rest here until my breakfast is ready.”

“Fine with me,” Bruiser said with satisfaction, folding his arms around me.

I felt James watching me, but closed my eyes and ignored him, focusing instead on the gentle rise and fall of Bruiser’s shoulder with his breathing. I felt warm and safe, like a koala bear.

“Why were you never like this with me?” James asked suddenly. I opened my eyes blearily, having been almost lulled to sleep.

“What?”

“This whole… nymphomaniac, affectionate girlfriend thing,” he said.

“They bring it out in me,” I shrugged. “I don’t think I’ve changed all that much. Other than becoming a little more confident, with their encouragement. Have you ever thought maybe it was just a little hard to get affectionate with you when you were always busy, or maybe I was too tired and annoyed after working all day and spending my free time doing all the chores you refused to do? You were a garbage roommate, James, and a worse boyfriend.”

Almost as if to illustrate my point, Brick came out of the kitchen carrying a plate full of steaming cinnamon rolls. They looked more like scones than the bready rolls in Newtopia, but I didn’t think we actually had any yeast in the cupboard. They smelled absolutely delicious though, and I wanted to stuff the lot of them in my face.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Brick greeted me, kissing me lightly as he placed the plate down in front of me. “I thought you’d be hungry. Let me know if I got them right. I’m still getting the hang of that electric oven.”

I swivelled on Bruiser’s lap and grabbed one off the top of the pile and took a bite. I almost moaned at how good it tasted.

“Brick, you’re amazing. These are perfect.”

He straightened up, smirking with satisfaction. “I’m glad. I will take over as many cooking duties as I can for you, Emma. I would like to learn and bring some of these flavours and techniques back to Newtopia for you. There are so many flavours and kinds of food here that I have never experienced before, and if you choose to live in our world, I do not want you missing out on them.”

“That’s sweet, Brick,” I smiled. “Maybe we could trade in the apothecary idea for a bakery.”

His eyes sparkled with joy at the idea, and he leaned in to kiss me again, his tongue tasting of sweet cinnamon and sugar. Bruiser tightened his hold on my hips as I almost fell off his lap, feeling as melted as the butter on my scone.

“This is what your idea of a perfect fantasy boyfriend is?” James said stiffly, once Brick released me and took another seat by my side. “Guys who cook and clean?”

“What?” I blinked; having forgotten he was even there. “James, that’s the bare minimum to be part of a household. It’s not the reason I love them.”

“But it’s the reason you couldn’t love me.”

He looked deflated and tired, and I was struck again by how odd this must be for him.

“I just… don’t think we were ever going to work out in the long run. Our expectations were very different, and so were our philosophies around money and domesticity. I think we were probably just trying to make it work because I don’t think either of us really knew what we wanted.”

“I just thought you were the only girl I’d ever end up needing,” he said, before sinking into a sullen mood. “I thought you were perfect for me.”

“James, you already had me, and you continued to obsess over other girls whenever a new anime or movie came out.” I rolled my eyes. “I wouldn’t have even minded that much – heck, I’ve still got a thing for Colin Firth’s Mr, Darcy – but it took over so much of your life. You say you think I was perfect for you, but you never wanted to spend any time with me. All the things that were important to you were separate from me, and the parts of our life that did actually cross over were just sources of aggravation. And I’m grateful for what’s come out of it when you brought Newtopia and everyone in it to life, but don’t delude yourself into thinking we were a good couple.”

He sank into silence as I ate another cinnamon roll.

“Speaking of good couples,” Brick cleared his throat awkwardly. “We need to go out today to get more food. I thought you and I could go together and have a date first.”

“You want a date?” I perked up, intrigued. “Where do you want to go?”

“You can show me around town. I’ve only seen between the apartment and the nightclub,” Brick said. “We could explore.”

“Sounds brilliant,” I beamed at him. “It’s been forever since I’ve been on a proper date.”

“Great! We’ll take some of these to go!” Then he tipped several gooey fresh-baked scones directly into my handbag.

“Dude, why would you do that?” James asked, watching in disbelief.

“Your bag is smaller than I thought,” Brick said, looking into my ruined handbag in confusion.

I groaned, taking it off him and salvaging the rolls that I could before tossing the bag in the trash. There was no way that sticky mess was ever coming out.

“Bags don’t work like inventory systems here,” I said, wiping my fingers on a paper towel. “And food doesn’t work the same way either – it doesn’t travel well unless you have a container.”

We’d already gone over the concept of food going off earlier in the week, when Bastion had tried to eat a plate of food that had been on the bench overnight.

“Oh,” Brick said sheepishly. “Sorry. Still getting used to the whole physics of the world being different and all that.”

“It’s fine. How about we buy lunch when we’re out?”