"Let me help with that," Thomas tells Dylan as the latter starts to wash the lunch dishes.

This should be interesting to watch. Thomas seems to be feeling guilty about something, and he's never helped with the dishes after we eat before. I'm guessing it's because of his realization that he's been wrong about Nolan these past two years.

Dylan, meanwhile, feels anxious over the offer for some reason. I'm not able to make a guess about the cause behind that, other than it's probably just that Thomas makes him anxious from the events of the past two years. Why there would be a spike of it at an offer to help, I don't know.

When we were discussing about the construction work, Dylan felt a little anxious over Thomas's offer for help, too. Should I ask him about it once Nolan goes down for his nap and Thomas leaves to take the lumber for the docks down to the beach?

"I've got it," Dylan responds.

"What about Nolan?" Thomas asks. "He seems to be a little hyper right now, might need some supervision."

The last few times Dylan and Nolan were over, Nolan's become pretty hyper after lunch. He's not able to last very long right now as he's building up strength, but we've come up with a solution so that he doesn't start splashing around in the bath while we're relaxing.

Well, I came up with a solution and Dylan reluctantly accepted that it works.

"I'm watching him," I tell Thomas as I conjure a trio of orbs of water, each with a small glimmer within them. "Alright, Nolan. Just like before, try to catch one of the orbs. If you can manage to catch one, you can ride Aluci before the bath."

I twist my wrist, and the three orbs begin floating around. Manipulating the orbs doesn't require me to actually gesture, so I drop my hand back down on my lap. The twist is to mark the start of it for Nolan.

To Dylan and Nolan, this is just some spell I learned awhile back for playing with kids. They think the orbs are moving on their own, and I just conjure a new one to keep the count at three if Nolan gets hit by one.

In reality, it's just me conjuring and manipulating orbs that are a fusion of water and light magics. It makes it easier to wear Nolan out by keeping them just barely out of his reach until the end. Every minute or so, I let one splash against him, which delights the kid, especially because the glimmer within the water continues even after the orb breaks.

He does his best to chase after the orbs and just picks himself back up whenever he trips and falls. Chances are, he's forgotten that the reward is getting to ride Aluci, but that's fine. That was just to get him interested in doing it so that he'll try his hardest and wear himself out.

As Dylan and Thomas finish washing the dishes, I let Nolan grab one. The kid examines it as the orb rests in his hands for a few moments… then jumps a little as the orb explodes, splashing him.

"Good job, Nolan," I say as the other two orbs splash onto him, Nolan now decently covered in glimmering water. "Ready for your ride on Aluci?"

Aluci lowers himself beside Nolan, allowing the boy to climb up onto him. Once Nolan is seated and gripping Aluci's fur, the dream beast begins walking around.

"He really just lets people ride him?" Thomas asks as Dylan follows the two for a few moments.

"Mostly children," I say. "Though people who are liked by spirits can if he's feeling like it, or if I ask. That's why he let you the other day, because you're liked by spirits and I asked him."

"Ah," he says as Aluci starts running, pure joy entering Nolan's mind while his father gives up following.

We watch as Aluci runs around for a couple of minutes, then he returns to us and Dylan pulls his son off.

"Does the glimmer-water wash off?" Thomas eyes it. "I ain't too knowledgeable 'bout magic, but some magics can last a long time, right?"

"It'll start fading in a minute," I say. "But yes, it washes off just fine."

Mostly by getting diluted rather than actually washed off.

We head to the bathing station – I still have the outdoor one set up, as I never set up the one in my house – and scrub ourselves clean, then wash what we were wearing. Once that's taken care of and our clothes are set out to dry, we sit down in the bath to relax.

After helping us with the branches, eating a filling meal, and chasing after the orbs, Nolan is nodding off. There was enough food in the meal that both of the other men are sleepy as well, though I feel fine. I still close my eyes to relax a little, listening to the soft sounds of the forest, to the birds chirping in the distance, the spirits lightly playing in the bath, the stream flowing nearby, and the fire crackling a short distance away.

If I focus too much on the sleepiness in the minds of the other three, it'll start lulling me to sleep, so I avoid doing that even if I can't avoid feeling their minds from this range. Nolan has relaxed completely while Dylan has slight discomfort directed at Thomas, and Thomas seems to be thinking over something as he relaxes.

The temptation to peek is strong, but I resist as I relax.

"Come on, Nolan," Dylan softly murmurs after a little while. "Let's get you down for a nap, yeah?"

I peek open an eye to see Dylan pulling his son out of the bath, then drying the two of them off and slipping them back into their pants. Thomas watches for a few moments, before returning to relaxing.

As has become the norm, Aluci walks with Dylan to the cabin. He keeps an eye on the toddler and lets the little guy use him as a pillow during naptime. Dylan's gotten used to his presence now and no longer thinks the wolf is going to eat his son.When Dylan returns, he stands outside of the bath, awkwardness and discomfort in his mind.

"Weren't you going to leave to take the stuff down to the docks while Nolan's napping?" He asks a little tensely.

"I realized that ain't too efficient," Thomas opens his eyes. "There ain't a warpstone at the docks and even if the village ain't that far from it, having to go from the village to the beach, unload everything, then back to the village will take more than an hour. If the magic lessons begin in an hour, then I'll be late for those. Us having our lessons on different days just increases how much of Rowan's time we're taking, so it's better if I ain't late or missing it."

The discomfort Dylan feels seems directed at me more than at Thomas. So he's fine if Thomas knows, but he's not sure… ah, he's not sure how I'd feel about it being said. He doesn't seem annoyed by Thomas's respond, just disappointed.

Thomas does have a good point with his explanation.

"Thomas," I say, and he looks at me. "Dylan and I use the quiet time for sex."

There's surprise and confusion in his mind, and Dylan's own surprise is just as strong.

"You two are having sex?"

"Well," I say. "Getting off with someone else is more pleasurable than doing so alone, we're both consenting adults, and neither of us have other options outside of those two. There's no relationship between us, though. It's purely a way of dealing with our sexual urges in a more pleasurable manner. That's why I'd suggested you take the stuff to the docks… I hadn't thought about how long the full trip would take."

"Oh," he looks between so. "But you ain't dating, you said? Just sex?"

"Yeah," I answer. "Dylan isn't my type, which I was clear about before we started. I'm more into muscular dudes and fully-fledged mages, especially if someone is both."

The slight increase in the attraction to me in Thomas's mind and the slight spike of arousal causes me to remember that he is on the muscular side. I do like checking him out, and I do hope we can be something in the future, but I'm not going to push for it now. He still doesn't fully trust me so there's no chance.

"Thinking 'bout it a bit more," Thomas gets up. "I can probably have the wood unloaded into wagons so the others can take them down. You don't mind if others use the tools, do you?"

"As long as I get them back intact," I state. "Then that's fine."

"Alright," he says. "I'll be back in 'bout an hour."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

We watch as Thomas leaves, and once he's used the warpstone and vanished, I get out of the bath, drying myself off with magic as I do. Dylan joins me in a grassy section close to the bath, a small amount of anxiety still present in his mind.

"You don't mind him knowing?" He asks. "I mean, I don't, but didn't expect that from you."

"I've always been pretty direct about stuff like that," I tell him. "Probably should've asked you first, but it's already happened."

"I don't mind," he starts pulling down his pants as I feel something slightly bitter in his mind, mixed in with amusement. "Thomas and I dated before, y'know," the bitterness increases here. "Though… well, it ain't mattering now. Bet he's jealous, though."

He's got some pretty harsh feelings about whatever happened between them. If the two of them were a couple before Nolan, then did they break up because of Nolan's conception, or before Dylan got with Nolan's mother? Not that it matters to me, since it doesn't seem like the bad blood between them is that bad. And Thomas seems to still care for Dylan at least a little, based on what I can feel in his mind.

Which is no doubt why he tried to get Dylan to put distance between himself and a curse.

I'll keep an eye on them as we work on the cabins, just to make sure nothing happens around me. Though it doesn't seem like there's bad blood about how their relationship ended – just that Dylan's upset it did – that doesn't mean things might not change as they spend more time around each other. It might turn out badly… or things might rekindle between them and I'll have to look outside of the village for a boyfriend.

Right now, though, it's time to enjoy the moment.

Specifically, the one where Dylan's down on his knees, taking my dick into his mouth. He's only done this a few times but seems to enjoy starting off with oral now.

"Oooh," I moan a little as I put a hand on his head and the other on my hip, Dylan's tongue moving around the head of my dick, the only part he's taken in so far. "Mnnnh."

After about a minute of this, Dylan switches to quickly bobbing his head on my dick a couple of times, only taking an inch or so of past the head into his mouth, then slowly taking it a little bit further, then the quick bobs, again and again. This pattern feels pretty good, too, and I rub his head a little as he does this.

I'd really like him to take the whole thing into his mouth, but don't suggest it at all. He's not tried it in the few times he's blown me, so I don't think he's into that. This still feels good even without that and after a minute or so of this, Dylan slowly pulls off, making sure his tongue slides against the underside of my dick as he does.

"Mmmn," I moan a little as he licks down the underside of my dick, reaching my balls, the left of which he starts sucking on. "Oooh!"

As he sucks, licks, and kisses my balls, Dylan gently strokes my dick with his right hand his left firmly holding onto my right thigh. Every ten seconds or so, Dylan looks up and makes eye contact with me, those blue eyes of his filled with the same desire I can feel in his mind. I want to flip him over and slam into his ass, but I hold back.

This feels good, too, and he's enjoying it. After giving each of my nuts plenty of attention, Dylan licks his way back up to the tip of my dick, then takes it back into his mouth and resumes his alternating bobbing pattern. The urge to pull his head forward so that I'm as deep in his mouth as I can go is a little strong, so I move my right hand to his back and rub it a little. His skin is a little firm but soft, and warm.

"Dylan," I moan a little as my hand moves back to his head, Dylan having alternated between my dick and balls a few times now and is currently on the latter. "Getting close."

He returns to sucking my dick, bobbing back and forth quickly this time rather than alternating between that and slowly. When I reach my peak, I let out small grunts with each shot, and Dylan swallows it all.

While he did that the other two times as well, I haven't told him I know he's doing it just for my sake. He likes it when I shoot in his mouth, but he doesn't like it that much according to the feelings in his mind. If he wants to anyway, I won't stop him.

I rub his head some more as he finishes taking care of me, then he pulls off and turns around, shifting so that he's on his hands and knees. A little bit of anxiety enters his mind, mostly separate from the anticipation, hope, desire, and arousal.

He hasn't had anxiety any other time we've done this, outside of what I could tell was clear anxiety about the initial pain before he adjusted to my dick in his ass.

"Everything alright?" I ask.

"Yeah," he answers, hesitation now present in his mind.

"Want me to blow you first?"

He's turned down my offer every time and I can feel the rejection in his mind before he responds.

"Ain't that," he hesitates for a moment, then looks back at me. "That thing you do. Where you use magic to keep yourself from cumming until the second time."

"Don't want me to do it this time?" I ask.

"You said you learned how to do it for others, too?"

"I haven't done it with you," I tell him. "As I said, I only do that for them if they want me to."

"Can you?" He asks. "So I don't the first time, only the second?"

That's a surprising request, I didn't think he'd be comfortable having magic used on him at all. For something like this, well, I guess he's really gotten comfortable with me and my magic use.

There's no second time if there's no first time, just a lot of buildup. Trying to explain how it would actually work would probably just confuse him and it's not important, either. I know what he wants just from that question, and I can do it.

"Sure," I tell him as I generate a gel-like substance to coat my dick with.

Dylan looks forward again and once I've coated my dick in a good enough layer of the lube, I begin to slide it into his ass. While he's still as tight around it as he was the first time, he's loose enough after all of these times that I can slide in all the way without having to pull out or give him time to adjust.

Rather than just sliding in, though, I slide in about an inch, then pull back half of that, then slide in another inch, repeating this over and over. I can feel his own pleasure with each push forward, and his ass squeezing my dick feels amazing to me.

"You good?" I ask once I'm all the way in.

There's no pain in his mind, only slight discomfort and plenty of pleasure. Checking just in case is important, though.

"Yeah," he moans a little. "Start when you want."

"Alright," I adjust my grip on his hips, then begin thrusting.

I quickly reach the sweet spot where it's most pleasurable for Dylan without hurting him, keeping this speed up. After a couple of minutes, I slowly pull back, then thrust deep in. Dylan lets out a grunt when I do and reaches back, putting a hand on my leg. I rub his sides and back as I repeat this a couple of times. He's gained enough meat that it's not uncomfortable to rub him like this and while he's not attractive to me… I still find rubbing him like this enjoyable.

When I notice Dylan starting to get uncomfortable with the harder thrusts, I straighten back up and slide my hands back to his hips. He quickly moves his hand back so that he's bracing himself with both arms rather than just one, and I return to the faster thrusts. He lets out a soft grunt with every thrust I do, and I can feel his pleasure building up.

Focusing on those feelings of his really helps me enjoy this, too. Not that the physical feelings aren't bad, this just heightens it since I can't focus on his looks. Damn, I want to cum right now.

"Fuck," he gasps when I finally pull out of his ass, and he flips onto his back. "I really feel like I need to cum."

"Want me to stop the magic?" I ask. "You'll probably shoot immediately if anything even brushes your dick."

"No," he says. "It ain't that bad."

"Alright," I add a little more conjured gel to my dick. "Let me know if you want me to stop it early."

"Will do."

"Nnnnh," I moan a little as I slide back into him.

Even if he's loosened up a little from the last fucking, he's still pretty tight and it still feels pretty great. Something about this position makes Dylan happier when I'm not as fast, so I make sure to maintain the pace that he prefers, occasionally slowing down a little for a few thrusts. That heightens his feelings of pleasure, which makes it easier for me to enjoy this.

Though he really likes looking into my eyes, at my chest, at my stomach. While I don't feel the same way looking at him, I don't care if he does. Not even when his hands move to my stomach and rub it. That actually feels really good, so I lean forward a little so that he can do it more easily.

After rubbing my stomach for a minute, Dylan switches his right hand to jacking himself off as he continues feeling me, moans and gasps of pleasure escaping him. A small desperation enters his mind, too. He wants to climax now, he really wants to climax. There's some regret, probably at asking me to keep him from doing so.

While he's not quite at that point yet… I stop the magic anyway. We both moan in pleasure as we climax, his ass tightening around me with each shot that blasts out of him. Damn, that feels so good.

I keep leaning over him a little for a minute after, both of us catching our breaths. His face is flushed right now and he's breathing hard. With how built up he became, the shots were pretty strong and there's a lot of extra splatter on his face and upper chest. There's more on his arm and hand, and he's still lightly holding his dick.

His left hand is still on my stomach, and he's rubbing it lightly with his thumb. Based on what I can feel from his mind, it's probably not something he's doing consciously.

That's a new one for him, but it does feel a little good. My ex liked to lightly rub my stomach like that when we were just relaxing in bed or a field or wherever.

The reason I'm waiting right now is mostly for Dylan's sake. He doesn't like it if I pull out immediately after, I think mostly so he can mentally brace himself for it. Once he lets me know he's ready, I pull out, then we clean up and pull our pants back on.

"That was… a lot more than I expected," he says. "I ain't sure I could've lasted longer before asking you to stop, thank the spirits I was there, I guess."

"You weren't," I tell him.

"What?" His face screws up in confusion.

"Ready," I say. "I noticed you were getting uncomfortable with the holdback and decided to stop the magic. Probably should've asked you first, but figured things were enough there."

There's surprise in his mind, but appreciation as well. I made the right choice.

"Thanks," he says.

"No worries," I say. "We've still got time before Thomas returns, so I'm going to make more of the barrier tree slices. Want to watch?"

Dylan's been interested in watching me enchant things, and I don't mind others observing as long as they aren't distracting me. The moment I make the offer, a small bit of excitement enters his mind.

"Sure," he looks at the cabin. "Though I should probably check on Nolan, it's been long enough."

While I know a part of him wants to go straight to watching, he always wants to check on his son, too. Dylan's not that used to not being right there for Nolan's naps.

"He's still passed out," I say. "Aluci says he thinks it'll be about ten to fifteen minutes before he wakes."

"Alright," Dylan glances at the cabin again, then looks at me. "Then I guess I can watch you now."

That's new. He always checks on Nolan, regardless of what I say. Is he getting used to things being as I say they are? The estimation really was from Aluci, though I can tell that the toddler's still asleep on my own even with the distance thanks to my [Empathy] and range.

"Let's get to it, then," I say. "Would you mind grabbing one of the logs from over there? One that's three feet in height, from one of the five-foot trees? I'll set up while you do that."