෴Raz෴
෴Sia෴
෴෴෴ ෴෴෴ ෴෴෴
The cool pulse of Hex’s power woke him from his doze. For a moment Raz didn’t realize what had woken him, until he heard her fall into bed with a soft grunt.
He headed into her room to see her curled up on the bed. She looked like she’d been through hell. He crouched down next to the bed. “Do you want some company or some space?”
She answered by pulling him toward the bed. They lay there spooning for a while before she started crying. Raz comforted her as best he could. Eventually, the tears dried, and she just lay there occasionally sobbing. Sometime later, she told Raz what had happened.
“The worst part is, I understand why they’re suspicious! A self-contained encrypted data burst fob is a super sketchy thing to have in my line of work.”
She sniffled quietly for a moment before continuing. “I’m sure it’s not over. I fooled him today, but eventually, they’re going to circle around to that fob and want to know what the fuck it’s all about.”
Raz cleared his throat. “What is it for?”
“Oh, it's just a way to send a quick top priority message to M—my other employer, when he’s needed on-site, or if he should avoid the location.”
“I know this is going to sound crazy, but what would they do if you just told them the truth?”
She laughed, a short bitter sound. “Trust me. That would not go well. Maybe in normal times it would only be a big deal and get me fired. Right now, I don’t want to find out what they’d do.”
“So how did you fool him? You said he can always tell if someone is lying.”
“Yeah, it's spooky. He can even tell if someone is lying, and they don’t know it's a lie! I have no idea how that works. As for how to beat him, for raw lie detection, you just can't. So I made sure I could tell a truth that would justify how hard I was fighting telling it to them, and discourage further questions.”
She turned over and kissed him. “Oh yeah, by the way, you’re my sugar daddy now.”
He frowned. “That’s not funny. Don’t let him being an asshole mess with us.”
She looked at him with a deadly serious expression. “I’m not kidding. I’d heard something about this from Triton last year, but now that I’m feeling it, he must have been downplaying the effect. When I let him ‘discover’ that my boyfriend spends a lot of money on me, gives me cash for living expenses and such, I felt something shift.”
Raz looked at her with concern. “What did you feel shifting?”
She cocked her head to the side with an insouciant grin. “I felt it shift from being technically true, because I’d just made it happen, to actually, all the way, true.”
“I’m not following you. What do you mean all the way true?” he asked.
“Just what I said. It was technically true before, but now, even though I can recall setting it all up just to be technically true enough to fool him, in my heart, it is true now.”
He looked at her with deep concern. “I think that’s going to be a problem. I don’t have an income right now. Even all that money in the bag will run out if I need to keep giving it to you to keep our relationship going.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think that will be a problem as long as I’m working, or at least have money. Because the actual truth included that I gave you the money I earned, and you gave me some of it back with rules, giving you my money for you to give me back enough to live on feels right.”
He put his hand to her cheek. “No. This is wrong. Whether intentionally or not, he’s fucked with your head. We need to figure out how to fix you. After that, we need to kill that motherfucker and make sure he doesn’t do it to anyone else!”
She gave him a sweet but sad smile. “I know this is going to sound weird, but I don’t want it fixed. It all feels right to me. Honestly, nothing has ever felt more right. “
Is there any known ability for fixing or reversing mental influence?
He pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m just worried that this is going to somehow mess up what we have, and I really don’t like the idea of him just messing with your head like this.”
[There may be higher levels of abilities that would allow this, but nothing I can find or access right now.]
Damn. We’ve got to find a way to fix this.
She shook her head. “I know you’re worried, and part of me can see why. But the truth is, it all feels right to me, normal even. And yet, it also feels great, kind of awesome to be honest.”
He blinked. “Awesome?”
She licked her lips and smiled. “Just thinking about giving you my money, and having you give me back some of that money for what I need, is somehow one of the biggest turn-ons I’ve had in my life.” She shivered and wiggled her hips a bit against him as she did. “I think creating the illusion that it was all kind of a sex thing, made that part real too.”
“But you didn’t choose it!”
“Honey, I didn’t choose a lot of things in my life. I didn’t choose for hormones to run wild when I hit puberty and make me feel like my body was out of my control for years. I didn’t choose to get exposed to a bunch of improperly packaged catalyst and die a lot before Midnight helped me get stabilized. I didn’t really choose to become a mercenary, so much as get an ability that would be easier turned to crime, or mercenary work, than legit income.”
She pulled on his forearm to bring him in closer. “I didn’t choose to lose my sister and have to become the legal guardian to her kids.” She paused, as though trying to find the words.
“I don’t regret those choices. I know you don’t like him, but Midnight is trying to make the world a better place. I’m glad to be able to take care of my kids and my parents, without it taking up my whole life. I made those choices, but in every case, the options were so clear I might as well not have had a choice.”
Raz chuckled. “That’s just because you’re a good person. A lot of people would have seen those choices very differently.”
She smiled and kissed his arm. “When I think about it, the only major decision I’ve made in the last decade, that was completely for my own, personal, self-satisfaction and the advancement of my desires, was to date you.”
She pulled him close and whispered in his ear. “So maybe it’s weird, but if I had to choose someone to have a weird, kinky circular relationship with. Where I work to earn money, then give it to you, then work for you, to earn some of it back, I’d choose you.” She shuddered briefly as she finished speaking.
She suddenly giggled. “Oooh. Just thinking that through was kinda hot.”
Probably not the time to admit that it sounds weirdly kind of hot to me too.
“Well, you’re right. That does sound kinky. If you want to play that out it’s ok with me.”
“Not play. You can call it play if you want, it’s gonna feel real to me.” She insisted.
She shuddered and wiggled her hips again. “But that’s not all. I was just trying to imagine telling you no, if you asked me to bring in another aspect to fool around. I can’t do it. I don’t even think I can make myself want to say no to that.”
“What do you mean? Can’t say no? Can’t imagine saying no?” Raz’s head was still reeling from the rapid-fire revelations she’d dropped on him.
“Both. Apparently, the idea that you can get me to bring other aspects into the bedroom is apparently now canon in our lives. I’m trying to think through a scenario where I would even want to resist the idea, and it’s just not happening. Even in my head, if you say you want Tris and Nona at the same time, or any other combination, that is happening, pretty much whenever you want. It’s like I found a whole new hot button I never even knew I had.”
She kissed his arm again and then pulled his hand onto her chest. “Honestly, just talking about all this is getting me worked up.”
He tried to resist thinking about that. She pressed her ass back against him. “I can feel that the idea is not so terrible to you,” she said in a low alluring tone. “Who should I bring in?”
“No one!” he protested. Seeing her hurt expression, he continued. “It’s not a terrible thing. It is so really not an idea I am opposed to. To be honest, I love the idea. What guy wouldn't? But I’m trying to keep in mind that you should get to choose these things, not have your asshole boss mess with your reality during some psychotic lie detector session!” he replied. “You’re a great girlfriend and I like you the way you are–I mean were.”
She shrugged. “Well, I'll tell you what. You feel free to work on how to fix that, but only in your spare time. In the meantime, I plan on showing you just how good of a girlfriend I can be. Besides, it’s not like I wasn’t willing to do it before. Now I’m just, you know, more than willing.”
“Ok, I’ll take you up on that, provided that you let me try to fix it if I can figure out how.”
She twisted around and started pulling off her clothes. “Ok, but right now we’ve started something I’d like to explore further, and it feels like you’re on the same page there.” She glanced down and licked her lips. “And if not, I’m just going to have to persuade you.”
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He tried to answer, but she cut him off with a kiss. They filled the room with soft sounds and urgent movements, but there was no more talking after that.
*** *** ***
Later, as she snored softly, Raz lay there caught between two competing thought processes.
Well shit. If she’s like this just thinking about this whole sugar daddy and extra aspects thing, I’m going to have to work extra hard not to get sucked into her new world.
[It seemed to me that she sucked you into her world with great efficacy.]
Oh great. Mr. ‘Doesn't have humor’ popping oral jokes now?
[I can use a joke you could think up. I just don’t find things funny yet.]
Yet? That sounds like a whole other conversation. But right now, I need to focus on how to get her mind unfucked.
[Yes, because the two of you have ensured that it is now far too late for her body.]
Oh my god, just stop. Just because I could think it doesn’t mean I would necessarily say it. Anyway, as I was going to say, the other thing is I need to get finished dealing with Overload, and choose an ability with some teeth.
[Getting a look at this man’s tree might shed some light on how it was done.]
That sounds like a good idea, except for one thing. She clearly knows the overall situation better than I do. If she thinks it’s so important to keep me away from WD40 that she’ll get a little brain fried to avoid that happening, I have to assume there’s a pretty good reason. Anything less would be making what happened to her for nothing.
The feeling of agreement flowed through his consciousness.
So we need a way to do it, that doesn't put both her and me at risk, and preferably that doesn't carry the risk of just making everything worse.
[The notes I have found that even touch on such ideas imply that without powerful ancillary supporting abilities, all influence abilities tend toward being blunt instruments, as likely to induce psychosis or backlash as function, especially in the longer term.]
This doesn’t seem like a blunt instrument. It seems like a very detailed and warped world view that’s been imposed upon her.
[It’s possible that this falls within some other realm of abilities than influence.]
Yeah, it sounds almost like by saying it; it became not just true, but more true. Do you know of any abilities that could work at a reality-altering level like that?
[No, and you’re thinking it but reluctant to say it, so I will articulate this idea.]
[What if this is something she wanted already, at some level, and this encounter at work simply empowered and unfettered this part of her?]
Obviously, I can’t deny the possibility. But that doesn't matter. She didn’t choose to live this way, so if I can fix her so she gets the choice, I want that.
[You’re also reluctant to admit that realistically, you may have to back-burner this goal until we find the right ability]
Even if that’s true, it’s not right to leave her like this. Also, you can be a real jerk sometimes.
[Only because I’m you.]
While thinking about how the truth hurts, Raz dozed off. His last coherent thoughts were to wonder how she managed to come up with her plan and have props ready for it at a moment’s notice.
*** *** ***
The scent of coffee and bacon greeted Raz when he woke. Before he could even pull on some shorts, the energy display caught his eye.
[Energy: 89/?]
[Overload level 3 <0> (energy costs increased ~30%, energy gain unavailable.)]
Still losing energy overnight. Gotta get rid of Overload. Why is it taking so long?
[Better yet, don’t do things that give you Overload.]
[You should know that Overload above level 3 is listed as, and described as, a fatal condition.]
Why wouldn’t you have told me that?
[Would knowing that have helped you?]
Uh, probably not.
[And that’s why.]
He wandered into the kitchen to find Sia in an apron at the stove cooking. She danced in front of the stove, humming to herself, her hair bouncing back and forth in a counterpoint to the smooth motions of her hips.
She sang a few words from a song he didn't recognize and then put the cooking implements down. Without interrupting her dance, she reached up and pulled down two plates from the cupboard and then reached down to get forks from a drawer.
Raz thought about saying something, but the sight of Sia’s sensual motions, dancing in the kitchen mostly naked, seemed to have robbed him of most other thoughts. Her leisurely swaying movements reminded him of the way her sexy teasing had grown into a raw passion the night before. He felt that anything he said would spoil the effortless natural allure of the events unfolding before him.
She danced and spun her way toward the table with the plates and forks raised high above her head. Then she caught sight of Raz in the doorway. Her dancing ground to a halt as she dropped the plates.
Without a thought, Raz reacted. He leaped forward in the sudden slow-time. His arms and legs pushed off the wall and floor to launch himself from the doorway. From the corner of the counter, he pushed off again for more speed. The same counter provided a vertical foothold to push off again. Every muscle screamed in protest at the sudden demand for speeds above his normal maximum. When one of his barefoot steps lost traction he used the other foot’s forward press to impart a spin into his dive forward. Inches before the breakfast dishes hit the floor, Raz snatched them out of the air and pulled them in toward his body. The fast vector change of the plates spun the forks up and off them. Raz twisted his head and caught both the utensils between his teeth. An instant later he landed on the floor with a hard thump and an ominous clank from the plates as they smacked against each other. He slid another foot before coming to a stop.
The slow time ended, leaving him laying there with a pair of plates pressed against his chest and two forks caught in his mouth. Raz lifted the plates to check for cracks, then looked up. This was when he suddenly realized that his slide had come to a stop with his head on the floor. His shoulders pressed against her ankles, facing upward, between Sia’s feet. She bent over, the loosely tied apron falling away from her in the process. He looked up at the shocked expression on Sia’s face. “—ood or-ing” he said around the cutlery.
She recovered from her surprise and grinned down at him. “Ooh, nice moves on that save babe. You sure you didn’t get a reflex or speed boost ability you forgot to mention?”
He transferred the plates to his chest so he could pull the forks from his mouth. “Nope, just something about the perception upgrades that lets me see the world in a sort of slow motion. I can’t really move any faster than my maximum speed, I just get the chance to peg out the speed I have, and still, sort of have time to think my moves through.” He struggled to keep eye contact with her while so easily able to look up the apron.
She saw where he was looking. “You’re the one guy in the world that doesn’t have to sneak a peek up my dress you know.” she said with a laugh. “Here, take a closer look.”
She crouched down in place, to take the plates from him. She then stood up as though nothing was amiss and set the plates down on the table.
Raz got to his feet and put the forks on the table. “I don’t think I’ve seen you cook in just an apron before.”
She giggled. “I woke up feeling kinda sexy.” she winked at him “No idea why that might be. I was just going to cook naked, but then the bacon kept telling me how that was a bad idea.“ She did a quick pirouette, sending the apron flying around her like a reversed cape. “So you know, compromise!”
He looked at the stove and then back at her. “You nailed it.”
She dished up eggs onto both plates. “Also, I cook breakfast naked all the time. I’m kinda lazy about getting dressed if I’m just making a pile of food for my selves.” she winked again. “It’s just not sexy those times.”
This is fucked up. Yesterday I would have just sat back and enjoyed the show. Now I can't help wondering if this is more new shit I need to be trying to fix.
They sat down to eat, and Raz asked the question that had been on his mind since last night. “So, was that fob thing all they were upset about?”
Her carefree expression faded. She put the piece of bacon back on her plate. “No. Unfortunately, not. That suit I had you wear, well lets just say I was very wrong about it not being missed for a long time.”
Sudden worry and regret rushed through him. “Well crap. Losing it is my fault then. Do you think he’d accept a replacement?”
She frowned. “I sure hope so, since I’m going to have to get one, and hope he doesn’t realize it is a replacement.” She looked across the table at him. “And don’t feel bad. You’re worth infinitely more than the suit to me, and there’s no question that you’d have been seriously injured or worse, without it.”
“No argument there. That thing saved my ass big time. I want to help. What’s the plan?”
“Not so much a plan as a goal. I’ll have to talk to the guy who made them and see how much another one will cost, assuming he’s willing to make one at all.”
“This would be the guy who only works for stacks of materials and favors, or something like that?”
“I don’t know about stacks, but yeah, that’s him. Last time the materials were small enough to fit in a small travel case.”
Raz finished his eggs in silence. Before he started on the bacon, he verbalized something he’d been wondering about. “So how can this guy be so picky, and so expensive?”
She shrugged. Her shrug set her upper body in motion behind the small apron, attracting Raz’s gaze before he could even try not to look. She caught him peeking and smiled. Her expression told him how much she liked him appreciating what he saw of her. “I guess it's kind of a monopoly. The guy has an easily monetized ability, and no one else sells anything like the things he can make.”
“That must be nice. Is he hard to get a hold of?”
Sia grabbed his plate the second he’d picked up the last piece of bacon off it and took it to the sink. “Nah, It’s a bit of a trip, but we can head over there this afternoon.”
At least she hasn’t said anything about that sugar daddy nonsense. Maybe she just needed a good night’s sleep to get her head on straight.
“So he’s local? That’s lucky.”
“Ehh, not really but sort of?”
“So mysterious. Do you think we have time to get me some more clothing? As much as the eternal gym rat look is comfy, I feel like it’s going to get old, and not exactly blend in some places.”
She looked him up and down. “Have you got any special requests? Or is the going out part important?”
“Nah, just rather get some real clothing if we’ve got the time. Not that I don’t appreciate the clean sweats, I’m just feeling a bit—” He grinned at his own thought. “Frumpy.”
She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Hey now, I wear sweats sometimes. Are you calling me frumpy?”
He made a point to look her mostly bare body up and down. “There is literally nothing frumpy about you. Besides, you know sweatpants look good on you. And just sweatpants look even better.” he said with an exaggerated leer.
“Good answer.” She untied the top string holding the front of the apron up over her chest. It fell down to her waist, revealing more of her. Raz managed to keep eye contact, but it was a struggle.
“That is an unfair distraction.” He protested.
She smiled and deliberately shook her shoulders. “Well, I’m just thinking. We could go shopping, and spend the day driving all over town and looking for what you need.” She got up and started clearing the table.
“Yes, I’m hoping it doesn't take all day though.” he agreed.
“Or, you could take me back to bed, and I can pick up a few outfits I know you’ll like while we do something way more fun than being stuck in traffic.”
Another aspect appeared at the sink and started washing the dishes. She was fully clothed, but with her back turned he couldn't be sure if it was Nona or Ivy. Sia untied the apron and let it fall to the floor as she headed for the bedroom. “You coming?” she called out over her shoulder.
He suppressed a smile. “Well ok. But only because you know I hate being stuck in traffic.” He turned to her aspect washing the dishes. “This is some next level multitasking you know.”
“Oh I know,” she answered with a smile in her voice.
“And I’m going to hold you to the clothing being something I’d like.”
“I hope so.” Her tone was disconcertingly subservient.
This is terrible. If only I knew if this was new or something in her all along, I’d at least know what I need to do about it.
With that, he headed back to the bedroom.