Thinking back to a week ago, you smile at this unique opportunity. You had been approached by none other than Valkyrae herself, to become 100 Thieves first ttrpg focused content creator.
You had a modest consistent following of about two thousand. With about six hundred people watching your streams on a regular basis. And those numbers were steadily rising. Only six months of streaming as a ttrpg content creator with a specialization in DnD, and here you were, testing your chemistry with people from 100 Thieves. And a few of their friends.
Your parents were confused by your hobby, which was turning into a part-time job. They were supportive of your trying. But they did not understand being a content creator. On top of that, you were 32, almost 33. Old to begin starting an entertainment career. But it had initially been a whim to help fill your free time.
Then the email came. It took you more than a little convincing that it was real. But it was legit.
Now you were settling in to begin the first of a six-stream series to determine whether you would be a good fit. Today was session zero. Rolling stats, final adjustments to backstories, agreeing on different safety tools. All the normal things for any decent session zero.
You check over your stream settings, camera, and the online tool you had taken to using. You had a good thing with the tool. The company was the first sponsor you had been approached by. And it worked very well. Although, it didn't have any voice chat capabilities.
So, you signed into Discord. You saw an invite from CouRage, one of the 100 Thieves members you were going to DM for. The other members were Tinakitten, Fuslie, Kyedee, Valkyrae and Brookeab. With Kkatamina, Araisaki and Pokimane being the only non 100 Thieves members, besides you.
It made sense that they would bring in a few people from outside the org to play. Especially considering how often they play with others. They would want to make sure that you could meld well with people from outside the org.
"Hey, y/n." Rae said, being the first to notice your arrival.
"Hi, Rae." You reply, trying to not let your blush come through your voice. You had a slight crush on the Philippina, in a slightly parasocial way.
"Rae," Another feminine voice chimed in. "You didn't say they had a cute voice."
"I really didn't think it was important, Aria." Rae told her. "Anyway, you ready, y/n?"
"I just have one more thing to do." You tell her. "I'd like to make sure that the online gaming tool works well for all of you. Just so we have it all established before the streams start."
Once all the streamers are signed into the tool, you all begin your respectful streams. You guide them through character creation, provide information about your homebrew world and establish tools to use.
Within a few minutes of starting, the streamers had given their followers your handle on YouTube. And that proved to be helpful to you. Because after that you had double the followers. And almost triple the current viewers.
Two and half hours later found you closing the stream. It had been a blast. They had all been very welcoming to you. Although, Aria, Leslie and Poki had seemed to be a bit flirty during the session. Although that could've been just their way of being playful and trying to entertain the audiences.
Your phone begins ringing on your desk. Looking at it, you don't recognize the number. But you weren't sure it wasn't something important, so you answer it.
"Hello?" You say.
"Hey, y/n." You hear Poki's voice. "Rae gave me your number. I hope that's ok."
"Yeah." You reply. "That's fine. What's up?"
"You're from St. Louis, right?" She asks, with a slight flirty tone in her voice.
"That's right." You tell her, blushing a bit at her tone. "Why?"
"Well, I'm gunna be in town in a couple of days." She explains. "And I was wondering if you had any recommendations on where to stay? And what to check out?"
You think for a few seconds before you give her a few places to stay.
"And if you want a fun place to visit," You tell her in a mock conspiratorial tone. "Check out Lone Elk Park. It's a hidden treasure."
"Oh, yeah?" She draws out. "What is it?"
"Well, it's kind of like a nature reserve." You explain. "Think Yellowstone. But on a smaller scale. And without the big predators. You don't even have to leave your car. The big attractions are the elk and bison herds. But they also have deer, turkey, coyotes and a slew of other native Missouri animals. Plus, the area it was made on has some historical importance."
"Like what?" Poki seems interested. Or at least was pretending to be.
"There are a few structures in the park that were munitions depots during WW1, I think. WW2."
"Well, then," Poki draws out, almost seductively. "Sounds like a date. See you then."
"Yeah." You say without thinking, before clocking her tone. "Wait,. What?"
But she had already hung up. You sit for a few moments, staring at your phone.
Surely, she just meant platonically. You think. Right?
You save her number and put your phone down. With a sigh, you get up and put that conflict out of your mind,
Your stomach growls loudly. You roll your eyes at not having brought snacks for the stream. You'd been streaming long enough to know better than to not have some sort of snack and drinks when you stream.
As you get to the door of your bedroom, you hear your phone buzz. Going back, you see that you have a text. From Rae.
Hey, I hope it's okay that I gave Poki your number.
Yeah. It's fine. Just had a nice little chat with her.
Oh yeah? About what? 😊
She was wanting some suggestions about St. Louis stuff. And I gave my two cents.
Well, just so you know, she was VERY impressed with you. When she comes, I'm sure that you two will have lots of fun together.
What do you mean?
You'll see. If my suspicions are right, you'll really enjoy yourselves. TTYL
You look over the conversation in confusion. What is happening?
Your stomach makes its emptiness known with a vengeance before you could think about it further.
You stop by the living room to catch up with your parents. Ever since COVID, you had to cut certain losses and move back in with them. They ask about the stream. You tell them that it went better than you could've hoped.
As you rummage through the fridge for a snack, your phone buzzes in your pocket. It was an alert from your Twitter. You made it to the top. You were now trending. You let a loud 'whoop' in excitement.
Wow. You think. That didn't take long.
You went from being relatively unknown to almost top trending. Streaming with famous people certainly has it's perks.
"What's going on in here?" Your mom calls out, entering the kitchen. "Everything ok?"
"Yeah, mom." You say, barely able to keep still. "I am trending on Twitter now."
She makes a confused face. "I don't know what that means. Is that good?"
"It's really good." You explain. "It means that I'm getting exposure. And so far, everyone is saying good things about the stream."
"Oh." She says, still not completely understanding. "I'm proud of you, honey."
"Thanks, mom." You pull her into a hug. "If this keeps going this well, I will be able to stop working at the dollar store."
"Well, don't make any decisions until you have something to replace the job you have now." She cautions.
Rolling your eyes at the obviousness of her statement, you look her dead in the eye. "I wasn't thinking about quitting immediately, mom. Notice I said, 'If this keeps going well,'? As in 'It isn't good enough yet, but it MIGHT end up going that well.'"
"Just don't give up the job you have until you have something concrete." She continues, as if you hadn't clarified. "You need to have money coming in. If you quit now, then you won't have any income. And that will just hurt you."
"Mom, are you not listening?" You ask, now getting annoyed. "I'm not quitting any time soon. If, and I stress IF, I quit, I'll have something else lined up before I do. So please stop talking like I'm about to just up and quit over one good stream."
"Just make sure that you have something lined up first." She ignores your attempts to assure her.
"Jeaz, mom." You start, now really starting to get annoyed. "You are not listening at all. We're just talking in circles. I say that I won't quit until I have something. You keep saying not to quit until I have something. If you aren't going to add something new to this conversation, then I'm ending it here."
You head towards your room with your acquired apple. This was always how conversations about your future went with your mom went. She would ignore any and all evidence that you have held a few jobs. Not any that had a good lane of advancement. But better than one of your sisters, who never had a job where she actually worked.
But still decent jobs. Ones that at least had stability. Until a series of bad luck. Getting the flu with no insurance to go to even urgent care. Followed by your car dying on your way in to work.
Now you had a sucky job. Minimum wage. Twenty hours a week. Coworkers who never do their jobs.
But streaming helped make up some of the difference. And you enjoyed it. Let's you adjust around your official job. But also share your DnD ideas. And make friends while you're at it.
You were hoping that streaming panned out well. If you got into 100 Thieves, then you would have moved up.
You know that you were acting like a teenager, but you were tired of not receiving any recognition of what you've achieved. You have found some level of success as a streamer. You haven't hit the top. You still have to grow your channel. But you've done well.
Sitting down infront of your computer again, you pull up Twitch. You click onto Emiru when you see that she's streaming.
She's really cute. You think.
"Yeah. I saw them playing." Emiru was saying to her audience. "Y/n seems cool. Don't really know anything about them. Poki said that they were pretty good.
She reads her chat for a few minutes. Your eyes scan the Kirby pile. As you take in the pile, something catches your attention.
Is that what I think it is?
"I saw Poki made a character that was into women." Emi responds to someone. "No. I don't think her girlfriend was anything like me."
It is. She has a vibrator out. Somewhat hidden in the Kirbys. Not as out as Leslie's, but still out.
"What are you talking about, bro?" Emi groans at the chatter. "Her character's girlfriend was nothing like me. And even if she was, then it was coincidence. If that's the case, so what?"
You take your eyes off the toy, a smirk on your face.
Oh, she's blushing. Well, Poki is daddy.
You smile as you thought about that stream. Hyoon and Aria had visited Emi. They cosplayed some anime characters. Or at least you thought they were anime characters.
But you thought back to the stream you just finished doing yourself. When Poki had described her characters girlfriend, all you could think is that it sounded exactly like the one and only Emiru. You were glad that someone noticed your channeling of the Chinese woman.
You've had speculations that the pair might have a thing for each other. But didn't know either of them well enough to know for sure.
Glad that people were talking about the stream, you decide that it was time for bed. You had had a big day. And have another busy day tomorrow. Something tells you that you are going to be very busy for the foreseeable future.
You curl into bed. Your head swimming with everything that happened that day, not knowing that your life was going to change in a couple of days. A great adventure is about to begin.
You stood near the baggage claim in the airport. The day after the stream Poki asked if you would pick her up when she arrived. You had woken up early, knowing that her plane would land around 9 AM.
You had spent the day before cleaning out your truck. Couldn't make a bad first impression in person by having a filthy truck. So, you pulled all of the limited trash out. Then you vacuumed and shampooed the interior. Once satisfied by the inside, you washed and waxed the outside. While the vehicle itself was a used, older truck, you wanted to give the idea that you took care of it, and by extension yourself.
This morning, you picked out your nicest casual clothes. You wanted to look nice, but not like you were trying to hit on her. Your shower was thorough. Scrubbed your body clean, scrubbed again to smell nice, washed and styled your hair, shaved every inch of your body. Generally making yourself as presentable as possible.
Your breath hitched slightly when you spot her walking up to the baggage claim. Her shirt was a light blue. It fitted her enough to tease her chest, but not draw too much attention to it. Her skirt went down to just above her knees. Leaving her calves and shins showing. White sneakers and a pair of purple socks completed her outfit.
She smiles when she sees you. Rushing up to you, she immediately threw her arms around your neck in a hug.
"Hi." She says, excitedly. "It's soooooo great to finally meet you in person."
"You, too, Poki." You reply while trying to keep yourself from blushing too much. "You look great."
"This?" She says while stepping back and gesturing to her outfit. "This is just something I threw on for the flight."
"Well, if that's what you consider nothing, people would probably pass out if you actually dressed up." You compliment.
What am I doing? You think to yourself. I am bordering into flirting territory.
"Aaawwww." The Moroccan streamer gushes. "You're so sweet. Help me grab my bags?"
"Yeah." You agree while checking yourself. "But you'll have to point out which ones are yours. So I don't grab some randos stuff."
She nods before turning to the belt of bags coming from the plane. It takes the two of you a bit to gather all her bags. It always astounds you how much women and femme presenting people pack for a relatively short trip.
"Do you think my stuff will fit in your car?" Poki asks, seemingly reading at least part of your mind.
"Shouldn't be a problem." You assure her. "I have a truck. So, everything should fit in the bed."
Eyeing up your casual button up shirt and well-fitting jeans, she gives you a calculating look.
"You don't really strike me as the type of person to have a truck." She observes. "Maybe some sort of town car or something."
"Well," You respond with a smile. "I like to go camping and the like. Occasionally helping friends and family move. Can't really do that with a car as easily. And my job doesn't really pay well enough for multiple vehicle payments."
"OMG." The streamer exclaims. "It's been so long since I've been camping. The last time, the cabins were so cute."
You chuckle to yourself.
"What's so funny?" She pouts at your amusement.
"It's just that you are such a city girl." You laugh. "We have two different definitions of camping. When I say it, I mean down a log road. No electricity, no plumbing, just nature and what you bring with you. Not really surviving off the land, but at the mercy of the elements. Truely communing with nature."
"No showers? Ew." Her disgust was slightly forced. "And you like that?"
Both of you exit the building with Poki's luggage. You begin leading her to your truck.
"Yeah." You smile at her. "Being away from the issues of civilization. No work drama. No family bullshit. Just peace. Seeing the stars without the light pollution. The smell of a wood fire. Cooking over said fire. The flavors are amazing."
She gazes at you with an expression that you couldn't read.
"You really love it, don't you?" Her tone has a note of awe that you're not used to.
"Um..." You stammer. "Yeah."
"How did you get into it?" She asks.
"I guess mostly my dad." You decide to be honest. "Even though he had some archaic beliefs and ideas, it was one of the few things we did together."
"Tell me about him?" Came the request.
You fall silent for a time. Collecting your thoughts and consider what to share.
"We weren't what you would call...in agreement on most things." You grimace as you think back. "We never really argued. But he believed in more conservative ideas. White should only be with whites. LGBTQIA+ folks were abominations. Shit like that. He wasn't insane, calling for their deaths. Just disagreed with it."
"But we would go hunting. I learned the beauty of nature. And one of the few times that my father wasn't a grumpy old man." You finish.
"You talk like he's dead or something." You can hear a level of hesitation in her voice.
"Because he is." You plainly state. "Back in 2020. Cancer"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." You tell her, stopping at the bed of your truck. "While my father wasn't evil, he wasn't a saint. I've had my time to grieve. He had his good traits and bad. Sadly, his bad traits caused a rift between us. And that helped lessen the blow of his death."
You load her bags into the bed. You loved your father. But couldn't deny the way he was. He was a bigot.
"So," Poki said, trying to strike up the conversation again. "We have time to visit Lone Elk Park?"
"Depends on your plans while you're in town." You tell her.
"I'm free today," She shoots back.
"Let's get you checked into your hotel." Scratching your chin in thought, you calculate timing. "Then we might have time to get out there and do a circuit or two."
The two of you begin chatting about everything and nothing. After checking into her hotel room, she climbs back into the passenger seat.
"Let's do this." She smirks as she places a hand on your thigh.
Oh my god. Why is she putting her hand on my thigh? That can NOT be an accident. Rae said something about us having a good time. What is going on?
Pulling out of the parking lot, you mentally try to focus on your route from the hotel.
"What's this park like?" Poki asks innocently, as if she didn't even realize what she was doing.
"Well, my family and I like calling it the Drive Through Zoo." You try to ignore the way her thumb is intimately rubbing your inner thigh. "You can drive through the entire thing. There are a few picnic areas. A bird sanctuary. A few towers where you can take in the view."
You begin to rattle off information off the top of your head. Your nerves and focusing on driving causes you to stutter a few times. But that just amuses Poki.
It takes about forty-five minutes to get to the park. The pair of you fill the time with telling each other about your pasts. Despite the distraction of her hand on you, you find yourself absolutely enthralled by the woman in your passenger seat.
While you see her streaming persona, you see that it is just a portion of who she is. Like she just portioned out part of her to be what the public sees. Not lying to her audience. Just keeping a certain appearance that is fit for the public. Keeping a degree of separation while letting her followers know some of her.
"And Emi looked so adorably flustered." Poki finishes telling you about the first time she hung out with Emiru. "It was so cute."
"Yeah." You chuckle along, pulling off the highway. "She has gotten flustered over you a few times on stream."
You consider your next question carefully. You didn't want to press too hard, but when would you get a chance like this again?
"So, you really like Emi, huh?" You ask, looking at her out of the corner of your eye.
"Emi is really awesome." The woman says with a slight blush on her face, making her look even cuter than normal. "She always does so great with the cosplays. She somehow makes everyone look great. And she pulls off wearing jammies on stream so well."
The last part was said almost to herself. You note that away for later.
"So, how are you single?" She asks, almost giving you whiplash from the speed of her reversal. "I mean, you're attractive, smart, funny, really good at what you do. How is it that you're not with someone?"
"I just haven't had much luck." You don't lie but aren't completely honest. "Between work and streaming, the few people I've tried dating just didn't pan out."
You weren't ready to admit that you were a chickenshit when it comes to romance. Always terrified that the other person just could not care about you. You wanted to tell Poki, or Imane as she told you to call her. But that old insecurity made you keep the truth from her.
You're approaching the sign to the park now. So, you point it out to her to distract her. You succeed. For a few moments.
"You didn't start streaming until a few months ago." Imane points out. "Surely you've dated someone before that."
Chancing a look at her, you see nothing but earnest curiosity. Something about her expression tells you that you can trust her. But you're terrified by the truth.
You take a deep breath, bracing yourself for embarrassment.
"No." You admit. "Because I've been too scared."
"Scared of what?" She gently pushes.
"That no one could be interested in me." Your quietly respond.
She remains silent. Letting you gather your thoughts. She silently takes your free hand, giving it a squeeze to show that she's listening.
"I know that I'm not attractive." You say as you pull the truck to a stop, as far to the side as you can. "I'm a nerd. And there are other things. Autism, for example. While I'm considered high functioning, I know that a lot of people would have too many issues with it."
"Then there's my gender identity." You continue, feeling a surge of emotions. "Too many people would have issues with dating someone who is nonbinary. Especially when there aren't any 'obvious' parts of my presentation. It's all too much for most people. So, I keep to myself. Don't even try."
She stares at you, but you keep your eyes locked on a tree. You don't see the tears in her eyes at your confession. You see one of her hands enter your field of vision to cup the left side of your face. She gently turns your face to look at her.
"Those things are important." She says. "They are part of you. But they don't make you unlovable. If someone has issues with your autism or gender identity, then that's on them. Not you. I know that I don't know you that well, but you are a good person from what I've seen."
You fight the urge to break eye contact. The desire to look into her eyes was for once greater than the uncomfortable feeling.
You notice that her face is closer than it was when she first turned yours to her. Her eyes glance down to your lips. Then back to your eyes. For a moment, you don't recognize the silent question.
Then you surge forward.
The moment your lips make contact, it feels like electricity courses from the point of contact.
Her lips are soft. You couldn't compare them with anything if you wanted to. Her tongue tentavely asks for entrance. Entrance that you gladly grant.
You don't know how long you sit there, kissing this beautiful woman. But the blaring of a horn breaks you from your gentle exploration of each other.
Pulling away from each other, you gaze into Imane's eyes for a moment. But a car pulling up next to your truck causes you to turn your attention from her.
"Get the fuck outta the way, dumbass." The driver shouts at you before speeding off.
"Jackass." You mutter. "There is a speed limit in here you inconsiderate fuck."
Imane chuckles. "To be honest, we probably shouldn't have stopped."
"Yeah, maybe." You concede.
You begin driving again. Your free hand remains joined with Imane's.
The nagging feeling that you aren't good enough remains in the back of your mind. But you keep it forced down. Something about Imane causes you to want to believe her. Maybe it is just wishful thinking. Or maybe that she keeps looking over at you with eyes that are filled with stars, an anime like twinkle.
After several minutes, you spot the first of the major attractions. The heard of bison were coming up to the road.
"Oh my god." Imane gasps. "They're huge and fluffy. But why do they have those clumps of fur hanging around them?"
"They shed some of their fur for the summer." You say with a smile at her amazement. "They grow thicker fur during the winter. Then shed it when it becomes too warm."
"How do you know that?" Imane turns to look at you.
"Spent a lot of time on my own. Plus, pure curiosity."
The herd slowly moves on. You begin moving along again.
The next couple of hours went great. The elk herd made an appearance. As well as several deer, turkeys and just about every other animal Missouri has to offer. Even a small pack of coyotes showed up.
After completing the circuit of the park, you find a place to grab a bite to eat.
The entire time you couldn't get the impromptu make out session out of your mind. What did it mean? Did she mean what she said? Did this make you a couple?
As you pull into the parking lot of the hotel to drop off Imane, she looks over to you.
"You wanna come up?" She asks shyly.
"Yeah." Came your eager answer. "I mean, if you want."
The trip up to her room was filled with excitement. Part way up, Imane surprises you by practically pinning you against the wall of the elevator. She presses her lips to yours. You kiss her back.
Your hands travel from her arms up to her face. You gently cup her face, relishing the smooth texture. The scent of her hair, the taste of her mouth, it was overwhelming your senses. But it was for once a good way of being overwhelmed.
When the doors open, she pulls away slightly. She takes one of your hands in her. You stop several times to make out against a wall. It took you longer than it normally would to reach her room.
She quickly pulls out her key to unlock the door. She throws herself at you as you both enter the spacious and comfortable room.
You feel the back of your knees hit the bed. With a mischievous smirk, she pushes you back onto the bed.
She crawls up the bed until she's face to face with you. Your impatience won over your control as you grab the back of her neck and pull her down for a series of passionate kisses.
Your hands travel a trembling path to her small waist. You didn't hold her, wanting to let her have control. But you couldn't keep your hands to yourself.
You feel her lower her core to your crotch. She starts grinding herself against you, causing both of you to groan into each other's mouths.
Your pants are feeling tight. But you didn't care. All that matters is the woman above you. Her hands move to your chest. Resting them there, she increases the pace that she grinds.
"Imane." You gasp, feeling yourself get close to your release.
"It's ok." She murmurs into your ear. "I'm close too. Just let go."
With that, your hands shoot to her hips. Your own hips jerk upwards into her as your orgasm washes over you. You feel her tense up at the friction. Through your hands, you feel her body shaking. Her mouth hanging open in a silent groan.
After a moment, she collapses. Rolling to the side, she pants, a blissful look on her face.
"Wow." She says.
"Yeah." You reply, still recovering. "I didn't know that you would... you know... without more direct..."
"Yeah. It's been a while for me." She admits.
That settles into your mind as the orgasmic fog clears. You begin feeling your old insecurities resurfacing. Thoughts lay siege to your mind.
"Hey." She rolls over so she is laying half on you. "Your thoughts are awfully loud."
You try to battle the panic down. But you feel a panic attack threatening to overwhelm you. Your breath becomes labored. Your heart begins pounding even harder than it had mere moments ago.
"Hey, hey." Imane takes one of your hands and places it on her chest. "Feel my breathing. Mimic it. Match it. Let calmness take root. Let calmness take root. Let calmness take root."
You force your breathing to match hers. And begin to repeat the mantra. Slowly, you calm. Feeling her warm skin, her steady breathing and heartbeat helps give you a sense of serenity.
Once you calmed down, you look over to Imane, still laying half on you like a weighted blanket. Her eyes were locked on you.
"Thank you." You mutter.
"What was going through your mind?" She sounds almost hesitant.
"Same old insecurities." You tell her.
"But what brought it on?" Her concerned eyes bore into yours, begging you to open up.
"What you said about it being a while." You begin to draw circles on her back, finding a new stim that you liked. "Led my thoughts down a spiral. Questioning wether I was actually good. If it was just because it's of how long it's been for you."
"Listen." She tells you. "While we didn't do much, it was great. And not just because it's been a while. The time aspect meant that it was quick. But the intensity was purely because of you. You were gentle. Didn't push. And I...well, I really like you."
"You... you do?" You couldn't stop the stammer.
"Yeah." Her cheeks gain a blush at her admission. "I can't say it's more than that. But I can say that I want to see where this goes. If you're willing, that is."
"I am." You say with all the certainty in you. "But we live so far apart. I'm not sure about how that will affect our potential relationship."
"I'm sure we can make something work." She says. "Plus, when the test streams work out, you might be able to move to L.A."
Something about the conviction in her voice makes you believe in her words. More than that, you find yourself wanting to believe.
"Can I kiss you, Imane?" You ask shyly.
Her face lights up at your question. And she eagerly nods. So, you lean forward to meet her lips with your own. You don't immediately notice that your fingers still on her back. Finding yet another favorite stim.
You find yourself in an airport for the second time in less than a month. The DnD streams had proven successful enough that, even though the campaign wasn't over, the powers that be at 100 Thieves decided to take you on for a probationary period. You weren't officially part of the org, but they decided to see how you worked with the rest of the folks in person.
The fourth session saw the party showing sympathy for a tribe of kobolds that had been displaced by lizardfolk. They had fought side by side with the kobolds to retake their home. The kobolds had showered them with gratitude.
"Y/n." You heard an excited shout.
You barely had time to take in the sight of Imane running up to you before she was throwing herself into your arms, wrapping her legs around your waist. She gave you a series of kisses around your face.
The two of you hadn't seen each other face to face since the Moroccan streamer left St. Louis. But you had talked to each other every day since she left. Phone calls, texts, video calls. Every way you both could think of to talk.
You hadn't gone any further in your physical relationship than that first encounter. But you had done more of the same. Gently exploring each other's bodies. And just being in the other's space. You both teared up when it was time for her to return home.
"God, Imane. Give a bit more warning next time." You jokingly admonish her.
"Sorry." She says as she puts her feet back on the ground. "I just really missed you."
"It's fine." You assure her. "I missed you, too. While the calls and everything helps, it just hasn't been the same, not being able to hold you."
"Aww." A feminine voice says from next to you.
You look over to see Ariasaki standing there. Her expression was like she had just witnessed the cutest thing she'd ever seen.
Her outfit left little to the imagination. A tank top hugged her upper body and showed off her famous cleavage. While the skintight yoga pants revealed her hips and legs amazing way. Her makeup was subtle, complementing her natural beauty.
You blush deeply as Imane giggled at her friend. The Asian woman laughed from her stomach.
"You two are far too cute together." She wheazed. "I don't think I've seen this cute since Tina walked in on Leslie and Rae...."
"I don't think we have to tell other people's business." Imane cuts her off.
You look between the two women. Their expressions were playful. But somewhat serious undertones from Imane.
"Whoops." Aria laughs, but still nods in agreement. "Ready to see how 100T puts up their guests?"
"Sure." You speak.
You couldn't but wonder what Tina saw Leslie and Rae doing. Your mind went to the gutter for a minute. The resulting mental image made you blush a bit.
"If you want to know, ask those three." Imane tells you. "Just know that we support them in everything they do."
They led you out of the airport after grabbing your luggage. You gladly hold Imane's hand as you walk out with Aria in the lead.
"You know," Imane whispers to you. "If the two of you decide to have some fun, I wouldn't mind. Especially if I get to be involved."
"Imane!!!" You gasp, absolutely shocked at her joke. "That's such a guy thing to say. Lol"
"You saying Aria isn't hot?" Came the counter.
"I didn't say that." You back track slightly. "I'm just saying that is like... every guy's fantasy. Getting the ok from his hot girlfriend to hook up with another woman. And have her be involved."
"So, you wouldn't turn down the opportunity?" Imane looks at you with amusement.
"Why are you asking?" You ask.
"Maybe we're close." She says. "You don't have to do anything if you don't want to. Just know, if you're honest about it, I don't mind you seeing other people. And Aria is one of the best people I know."
You stare at her with your mouth hanging open. It takes her hand holding yours that lets her know you stopped in your tracks. Your shocked eyes looking at her clues you into the fact that you couldn't quite believe what you heard.
"What?" She questions.
"You're serious right now?" You quickly clarify. "I mean, you're poly or just open?"
"A little of both." She shrugs, as if she didn't just drop a bomb on you. "I know it's possible to love more than just one person. I know I can. Plus, as long as all parties involved are honest and safe about it, there shouldn't be too many problems."
You think it over in your head. Logically, you know that it makes evolutionary sense for males of a species to have multiple partners. And humans aren't exactly from a monogamous part of the tree of life.
"Hey, lovebirds." Aria calls back when she notices the two of you had fallen behind. "You coming?"
"We're coming." Imane answers for you both. "We can talk later?"
"Yeah. Shouldn't be a problem." You reply.
The three of you climb into Imane's car. When Imane makes to get into the front passenger seat, Aria stops her.
"Guests should get shot gun." Aria smirks with a suggestive eye wiggle.
"Oh." Imane smiles back at her friend. "Of course, just save some of them for later. We do have a session."
You nervously get into the passenger seat. Aria beams at you from the driver. She proceeds to pull out of the parking spot and begins to make her way out of the lot.
"So, have been to L.A. before?" She asks you.
"No, actually." You tell her. "In fact, other than a school trip to the Gulf of Mexico via Alabama's coast, I've never really been out of the general St. Louis area. But I didn't really get to do much of the tourist stuff. We had been pretty much booked the entire time."
"So, you never got to travel?" Came the incredulous response.
"Not really." You speak. "Other than a bit more local trips, couldn't really afford to travel. I came from a bit of a poor family. We lived comfortably. But not comfortable enough to go on any trips to any major tourist destinations. We did more camping and the like. Cheap things."
"They really love camping." Imane says from the back seat. "They know a lot about nature."
"Not a lot." You deny but couldn't help a little surge of confidence from her praise. "I had a lot of free time. Picked up stuff through osmosis."
"You know stuff that most others don't." Imane doubles down. "You're just being modest."
Aria pulls onto the highway.
"What do you do for fun?" She asks.
"Well, I do a lot of DnD stuff, honestly." You tell her. "Researching things for sessions and future campaigns."
"Yeah. But that is your job." Aria says with a touch of confusion. "You're a DnD content creator."
"I really enjoy DnD." You smile.
"What drew you to it?"
You consider your answer for several moments.
"Well, I've always enjoyed sci-fi and fantasy." You say. "They allow you to escape reality for a time. And games let you live a different life from the safety of your home. RPGs in particular."
"But those things aren't real life." She looks a little confused at your answer. "How can those be entertaining?"
"They're entertaining because they're not real life." You counter. "I must live real life. I don't want to see it as much in my entertainment. Kinda like if you're an accountant, you don't necessarily crunch numbers in your free time."
"You can have aspects of real life in fiction." You continue. "Sometimes there are metaphors that can give you alternate points of view."
"Like what?" She doesn't ask like it's an interrogation, more genuine curiosity.
"An example that jumps to mind is an episode of the original Star Trek." You think about the episode and your wording. It dealt with two people from the same planet. They have the same coloration. But mirrored. One of them is black on the left and white on the right. The other is black on the right and white on the left."
"Two different races of the same species. The society had reached space travel with racism still being part of their culture. The small difference being the basis of the self-induced destruction of their home world. A perfect case of the destructive nature of racism."
"Another example is from Star Trek Deep Space 9." You bring up a new case. "The character Jadzia Dax is actually two beings that merge identities. One is the host to the other. The captain of the show, Sisko, had known the previous host, Kurson Dax. Sisko takes the change in stride. An early example of what could be metaphorical trans issues."
"And that's not even getting into Tolkien's message about dangers of technological and industrial advancement without check." You conclude your impromptu TedTalk.
"Wow." Aria exhales. "I didn't realize that fiction could be so complex."
"Yeah." Imane says. "Told you they're smart. They see things that I don't think I would've noticed."
"You could've." You quickly assure. "It's all there. For anyone to notice if you pay attention."
Before long, the car is pulling into the parking lot of the hotel 100 Thieves booked for your stay. It looked genuinely nice from the outside. But you would reserve judgement for when you see the room. Not that you doubted the money the org had. But this sort of thing comes down to who was working at the hotel.
"Mind a bit of company?" Imane asks in an overly innocent tone.
"Not at all." You grin at her, grabbing some of your luggage from the trunk of the car.
Imane grabs some of the luggage you couldn't. Aria surprises you by grabbing some as well. She just smirks at you.
You check in at the front desk. Continuing to chat with the girls, you go up to your room.
When you enter the room, you're surprised at the cozy atmosphere. A small desk occupies one corner of the room. The king-sized bed takes up the center of the wall and room. A dresser and T.V. take up the wall across from the bed. A sitting area takes up the remaining portion of the main room. An opulent bathroom nearly makes your jaw drop.
When you exit the bathroom, your jaw does in fact drop. Sitting on the bed are both women. Aria had shed the tank top. Her amazing chest at once makes you begin to harden.
Imane was straddling Aria's lap. The Asian woman's hands had landed on Imane's ass under the skirt, where they gently kneaded the soft flesh. The pair were engaged in a slow, sensual kiss as Imane's hands roamed up and down Aria's back.
Imane breaks the kiss to look at you. Her lust filled eyes lock on yours as Aria attacks her neck. The resulting gasp was soft but needy.
"Join us?" Imane whispers to you.
You slowly approach the bed. Imane takes one of your hands and encourages you to sit next to the pair. Aria pulls away from Imane's neck to turn to you. She wraps a hand around the back of your neck and pulls you into a kiss.
Her tongue comes out to demand entrance to your mouth. Unlike your first encounter with Imane, Aria was more insistent. More dominate. And that sent a rush through you, causing you to instantly grant her to explore your mouth.
Imane begins to undo the buttons on your shirt. Her lips greeting each inch of skin exposed to her. As a nipple comes out, she latches onto it, biting it lightly before licking to soothe.
You gasp into Aria's mouth. This causes the woman to smirk into the kiss. Her mouth moves from yours to travel your jaw. Eventually, she reaches your earlobe. She nibbles there for a moment before seductively whispering in your ear.
"Do you like what we're doing?"
All you can do is nod slightly. Your entire body is trembling. They've barely done anything, and you feel like you are on fire.
"Tell us what you want, pet." The last word almost makes you cum on the spot. "What do you need?"
"My pants..." You pant to her, barely able to form words. "Too tight... I need... I..."
Imane had exposed your left nipple at this point. She had started giving it the same treatment as the right. But now she was also playing with the right between her talented fingers.
They both pull away in perfect tandem causing you to whine at the loss of touch. If you were more in control of your faculties, you'd question how they so perfectly move coordinated. But you were too far gone to think about it too much.
Together, they stand up. You gaze at them, silently begging them to return to their touching.
"Strip." Aria says in the most authoritative voice she's used yet.
Your hands rush to your shirt. Fumbling in your aroused state, you feel frustrated. You quickly give up. Instead, you grab the shirt on either side of the buttons and rip it open. Throwing it to the side, you quickly undo your pants. But stumble even more while trying to pull them down.
"Hey." Imane says quietly, putting her hands over yours as she kneels. "Let me help."
Your hands fall to the side as she urges you to raise your hips. She gently pulls your pants and underwear down together. Your member pops out.
"Look at this." Imane wraps her hand around it and gives it a couple of strokes.
You knew that you were average sized. But you couldn't help a flash of nerves as the two gorgeous women looked at it. Your current state of arousal and Imane still playing with it eases the fear.
"Do you have any preferred ways that you want us to address it?" Aria asks, momentarily breaking her dominate character.
"Clit." You say, still panting.
"Well..." She says with the dominance back. ".. you have a gorgeous clit."
Imane takes you into her mouth. She bobs her head a few times before Aria takes control again.
"Stop." She orders Imane. "And you, get further up on the bed and lay down."
As soon as Imane moves back, you scurry to follow the orders as she sheds the last of her clothing. Once you were in position, Aria straddles you. She reaches down to give your clit a few strokes.
"Are you ready to put this pretty thing to work, pet?" She asks.
"Yes, mistress." You automatically respond.
"Good pet." Aria purrs as she lowers herself onto you.
You groan as she envelopes you. Your hands shoot to her generous hips. More just holding her than trying to control her movements. The feeling helps ground you.
She grabs your hands. She pins them above your head. She starts to raise and lower herself on your clit.
"Keep your hands here, pet." She tells you.
You nod your head, silent other than small gasps.
"Use your words, pets." She tells you.
"Yes, mistress." You pant to her.
Her pace slowly ramps up. Soon the room is filled with the sounds of flesh colliding. She begins to moan loudly as your hips start to move up to meet her bounces.
"Your clit feels so good, pet." Aria moans at you.
Imane lays down beside you. One of her hands moves to play with Aria's clit. She then leans in to kiss you. You instinctively return the kiss.
"You're both so gorgeous doing that." Aria pants as she keeps up her pace while gazing down at the two of you. "Oh god. I'm getting close."
She leans down and joins the make out session. The new position allows your clit to hit new places it could not before.
You feel Imane's hand leave the two bodies that surround it. You then hear a loud smack. This apparently was enough to send Aria over the edge.
She screams into your mouth. Her inner walls clench down around you. The spasms feel like buzzing that covers your entire length.
That combined with Imane latching onto your pulse point makes you erupt into the woman above you. You'd never cum so hard or so much in your entire life. This seems to cause Aria to have an even bigger second orgasm just as the first ends.
Aria collapses on your chest, panting. Her descent just controlled enough to for her head to land on the opposite side of yours from Imane.
For her part, Imane gently begins kissing your mouth. The hand that had spanked Aria rubbing soothing circles on the Asian woman's back. The ministrations helping ease both of you down without demanding.
Once you recovered enough, you notice that Aria had before you. Barely. She had taken over kissing Imane while you struggle to get control over your breathing.
A realization comes to you as you watch. You knew you had grown fond of Imane during your time together. A fondness that had grown while the two of you kept up with each other. But it wasn't just a simple fondness now.
You were in love with her.
But this conflicted with the fondness that you felt coming for Aria. It wasn't as intense as it was with Imane. But it felt like it did when you and Imane kissed on the road in Lone Elk.
Is Imane right about loving more than one person at a time? Do I love Aria? Could I? Just as important, could I keep a long-distance relationship with two women at the same time?
"You are thinking loudly again." Imane tells you.
"Sorry." You say as you focus on your breathing to help calm the rising emotions.
"What's going on in that mind of yours?" Aria asks.
"Just came to a realization." You gather your courage and make the dive. "I love you, Imane."
"I love you, too, y/n." Imane says as her face lights up.
You take her hand and give it a kiss on the palm. You then take Aria's hand and give it the same treatment.
"I can't say that I feel the same for you, Aria." You see her face drop before you continue. "But I feel like I could get there easily."
She perks up at that. She considers her wording before she replies.
"I think I feel the same way." She admits.
The three of you lay together. Comfortable chatter and cuddles fill the thirty minutes before a phone starts ringing. You all find your phones. It was Imane's.
"It's Hyoon." She says, answering the call. "Hey, Hyoon. What's up?.... Shit. I'll be there in forty-five minutes. I got caught up welcoming y/n to L.A." She smirks at you while she says the last part, she hangs up the phone. "Got a cooking stream with Hyoon today. I got to run."
She kisses you on the cheek. Then she goes into the bathroom and gets cleaned up before darting out the door. Leaving you alone with Aria.
"What plans you got today?" She asks, still curled up against you.
"Well, I'm going to have to meet with folks from 100 Thieves." You think over your schedule and check the time on your phone. "I don't have anything else to do today. I have to get there soon, though."
"It shouldn't take too long." She rolls over and gets to her feet to begin dressing again. "They really seem to like you. I think you're practically in already."
You get distracted by her pulling her leggings up over her ass. She took a little too much time doing it for it to appear natural. The 'struggle' causes her cheeks to jiggle hypnotically. Once they were up, her words register in your mind.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah." She says with confidence, she turns to place a kiss on your lips. "You've been really good. The audience loves you. You mesh well with all of them so far. And you're cute as hell."
"You know you don't have to flatter me to seduce me, right?" You say with a blush covering your face.
"Yeah, I figured." She chuckles. "But it isn't just flattery. It's the truth."
She crawls on top of you again. Her lips claim yours in a passionate kiss. Your tongues clash in a battle, one that you didn't really want to win. Just the sensation of the woman's lips and body connecting with yours is more than you could have hoped for.
Her hand gripping your hair keeps your head in place as she pulls away. Her eyes lock on yours.
"But if you don't want to blow it, get up and get ready." She husks. "Don't keep them waiting around."
"Yes, mistress." You immediately reply.
"Oh, you're going to be fun to have around." She quips as she hops off the bed once more.
You get up and grab your clothes. Following Aria into the bathroom, she turns on the shower. She beckons you to join her in bathing.
Nothing more than intimate kissing and innocent touching occurs. You wash each other. Just enjoying the closeness of a person, you just started a relationship with. It was new to you, granted. But it was an experience you would cherish for the rest of your life.
Once cleaned and dressed in the best clothes that you packed, you walk to Aria's car. The ride was spent engaging in conversation. You learned that Aria had never had toasted ravioli. Which you found unacceptable.
"If you're ever in St. Louis, we are getting some." You declare. "It's one of the tastiest things out there. A real St. Louis staple."
"I might be convinced to try it." Aria hums. "You'd have to hook me up. Although, it sounds like I'll have to diet and exercise heavily before and after. I'm already fat."
"What?!" You look at her in utter shock. "You aren't fat at all. In fact, you look damn perfect."
"Thanks." She says with a blush spreading across her face. "A lot of people say that. But most of them just want to get in my pants."
"Your pants do do great things for your ass." You flirt. "I wonder what they'd do for mine."
She smirks as she reaches over and rubs your crotch.
"Well, your friend here would look great in leggings." She says.
It was your turn to blush.
The rest of the trip was filled with chatter and flirtations. But, before you were ready, Aria pulls into the parking lot of the 100 Thieves compound.
"Here we are." Aria says. "Knock them dead, baddie. You got my number. Give me a call when you're done if I'm not here."
"Sure thing." You reply.
With the paperwork you need, you turn and head into the building. The reception ares was spacious. The receptionist was an attractive masc lesbian. She smiles up at you as you approach.
"Hi, what brings you in?" She greets.
"Hi." You reply. "I'm y/n. Got a meeting with CouRage. I'm hopefully the new ttrpg content creator."
She checks her computer. After a few clicks, she finds what she needed.
"Ok, got you here." She says. "Let me give him a call to tell him that you're here. You can take a seat over there."
You take a seat as she dials her phone. After a couple of minutes, she hangs up.
"He'll be out in a minute." The woman tells you.
"Thank you." You say.
It takes five minutes for CouRage to come out.
"Hey, y/n." He greets you, sticking out his hand. "Nice to finally meet you."
"Hi, CouRage." You reply, shaking his hand. "Same to you."
He seemed personable enough. But you knew that already. The sessions had been going well. And you had spoken a number of times outside of the streams.
Imane pulls into the driveway of Jodi and John's house. The couple had invited you as well as Michael and Lilly for a triple date. So far, only Imane's close friends knew the two of you were together. Both of your audiences were suspicious, but neither of you either confirmed or denied anything. This hadn't stopped the rumor mill, however.
It didn't help that you moved in with Imane. In the first three days, the Moroccan woman had revealed her submissive side. She had a maid outfit that she wore your first night living with her. It surprised you how much you enjoyed it.
"Michael and Lilly are already here." Imane observes. "I think you'll like them. They're poly, too."
"Really?" You ask her. "You ever tried dating one of them?"
"Well, Michael isn't really my type." She explains. "And Lilly prefers the extra appendage. Not that we haven't had some fun. Just never dated."
"I see." You mull that over as you approach the house.
Jodi answers the door after the second time Imane knocks. Her outfit is comprised of a long-sleeved green shirt and a pair of cream-colored pants. The entire thing compliments her figure without being overly provocative.
"Imane, hi!!" Jodie exclaims excitedly, hugging her friend.
"Hey, Jodi." Imane returns the hug. "This is y/n. Y/n, this is Jodi.
"Hiya." You say. "If I got a greeting like that, I would've hit the jackpot."
"Well, keep coming around and you might." Jodi teases. "Just a heads up, Emma came to town. She didn't have any plans tonight, so I invited her."
"Emma Langevin?" You ask.
"Yeah." The dark-haired woman replies with a light blush.
"Cool." You primp yourself slightly.
Imane catches your actions. She swats your hands away from adjusting your blouse.
"You look great, baby." She chides lovingly.
Even with the short amount of time, you've easily fallen into terms of endearment. You had moments in public where you had to check yourselves. Hugging, kissing, hand holding. All the things your autism didn't like. But with Imane, it didn't bother you as much.
Jodi steps aside and motions for you both to follow. As she leads you and Imane down the hall to the dining room, your eyes are drawn to her backside. While her hips weren't as wide as Imane's, her ass was just as firm. And full. And swaying.
You quickly check yourself as the three of you enter your destination. John, Michael, Lilly and Emma were sitting around the table. Although John seemed engrossed in his phone, ignoring his guests.
How rude. You think to yourself.
"John!" Jodi scolds. "We have company, baby."
"'kay." John mutters, not looking up.
"Don't you want to meet Imane's new partner?" She tries again.
"Whatever you want, baby." He replies.
"We all have Covid," Michael tries to help. "And Jodi has cancer."
"Cool." Was the only response.
John the stands and leaves the room. Eyes glued to the device in his hands.
"Is that normal?" You cautiously ask.
"Didn't use to be." Jodi says.
The sadness in her voice breaks your heart. The devastation in her face nearly destroys you. You wanting to go over to her and hug her tight. But that wasn't your place. You're a stranger to her.
You glance away. Your eyes land on Emma. The Brooklyn woman looked ready to kill. Like she had just watched John beat Jodi.
"You okay, Jodi?" You hear Lilly ask.
Everyone in the room looks at the woman, You watch as she shakes herself.
"Hell, yeah." Her voice is cheery, but even you could see the pain in her eyes. "Might not be what we planned, but we can still have fun."
"Could still be a triple date." Emma offered, then quickly followed up when she realized what she said. "If you want. No pressure."
Both women blush. Jodi seems to actually cheer up at that. Though she tried to downplay it.
"I'd like that." Jodi replies.
"Yay!!" Lilly cheers. "Triple queer date."
"Um..." You stammer. "I don't mean to pry, but aren't you cishet, Michael?"
"Cis? Yes." Michael tells you. "But I've been known to dabble in non-hetro behavior."
"Non-hetro behavior?" You try out the term. "I like that."
"Right?" He says with a smile.
The six of you sit down to eat and talk. You quickly found yourself pulled into the group, as if you had been one of theirs for years. Jokes flew across the table.
You notice Michael and Lilly check their phones from time to time. They'd type out a quick message. Then look at the other. You assume they were having a private conversation between themselves. The fact that Lilly blushes at the latest message from Michael confirms your suspicions.
You find yourself admiring Lillys beauty. Physically, she was thinner than you were typically attracted to. But she was cute. And her personality drew you in. Her petite frame, unique voice and obviously loving nature had you intrigued.
Your attention shifted to Emma. She had her hair up in pigtails. Her outfit was easily the most provocative in the room. Though, you were sure that it was fairly conservative for L.A. And New York as well. You force yourself not to stare at her cleavage, which was on display through the mesh of their top. Personality wise, you found her very hot. But you also had a thing for direct and dominant women.
Then, there was your hostess. Jodi had cheered up considerably by this point. But you could still see the stress of what had happened. You couldn't place why you felt the need to comfort her so strongly.
You liked her of course. But you hadn't even known her for five minutes before the incident with John. But you wanted to do something for her.
But what could you do?
What would be too much? Or too little?
Well, there is what she mentioned in her last stream....
"Hey, Jodi." You start. "You ever get that opossum issue taken care of?"
"You know about that?" She asked in a surprised voice.
"We watched your stream yesterday." Imane clarifies.
"Oh." Jodi glances towards where John had disappeared, before focusing on you again. "No. Not yet. Haven't had the opportunity to deal with it."
"Mind if I take a look?" You ask.
"You think you could do something about it?" She looked a little hesitant.
"I'll have to check both state and local laws." You explain. "I know of a few different ways to handle it. Both lethal and non-lethal. Depending on laws, I could capture the pest alive and relocate it."
She ponders it for a few moments. Before smiling.
"Yeah. Let me show you where it is."
She gets up. As you follow suit, the others do as well. Jodi leads all of you to the basement. The majority of the basement had been finished. You see a second living room. As well as a small gym set up. But a room in the basement wasn't finished.
"I think it's been getting in here." Jodi tells you, motioning to a window.
Going over to the window, you notice that there was a considerable amount of damage. A hole had been made in the sill. It was definitely enough for an opossum to come through.
Some droppings were on the floor. You crouch down to examine it.
"Certainly, looks like it could be an opossum." You say. "I can probably take care of the individual that's been bothering you. However, you'll have to get the window fixed."
"Why would it be coming in, though?" Imane asks. "Doesn't look like there's any food in here."
"Could just be coming in to get away from the heat." You explain. "Between that and avoiding predation. Those blankets over there would make a nice, cozy nest. If I was an opossum, I'd definitely like to bed here."
You pull out your phone. Doing a quick check, you get a baseline understanding of the California laws about dealing with pest animals. You frown slightly. Then begin weighing your options.
"So, here are your options." You say to Jodi. "According to California law, either catch and release on site. Or I can put them down quickly and painlessly. We won't be able to release them in another location."
Jodi looks at you. Her eyes say what she thinks. She still considers it carefully.
"Now, if you decide to release them, the fact that they get captured could make them too afraid to come back. They might realize that this space isn't safe for them. Which could give you time to fix the hole before they come back."
"Let's do that, then." Jodi says. "I don't want to kill them if I can keep from it."
"Alright." You say to her. "I can swing by and set a couple cage traps to catch them. Just in case there are multiple."
"Sounds good." Jodi smiles, seemingly relieved that the animals won't be harmed. "What all do you need?"
"Well, I just need the traps and a bit of cat or dog food for bait." You tell her. "But most any type of food will do. The smellier, the better. After that, it's just about time."
"Okay, tomorrow it is." Jodi confirms.
With that, the group moves back upstairs. Imane catches your eye. She hangs back from the group slightly. You follow suit.
"It's really sweet that your helping Jodi." She tells you.
"I wouldn't say that." You say. "She needs some help. And I can offer that help. Anyone would help."
"Maybe." Imane thinks for a moment. "But you saw how John was. He's been like that for a while now. I was hoping this triple date would pull him out of his ass."
"You don't think he's cheating or something, do you?" You ask. "You know him better than I do."
"No." She says sternly. "He might be acting like an ass right now, but he is not like that. He isn't malicious."
"What do you think is going on with him, then?" You felt a touch of tears well up in your eyes.
"I'm not sure." She admits. "But I think he just... fell out of love with Jodi."
"What?!?!" You quickly check your volume at Imane's wince. "How could anyone fall out of love with Jodi? She's amazing."
"She really is." Imane says it with a smirk. "But it just happens like that."
You step closer to the woman who has changed your life so much in the last three months. Taking her hands, you stare into her eyes.
"If I ever begin acting like that, I hereby give you permission to beat the ever-loving shit out of me." You tell her. "I might not be an expert at relationships, but THAT is something I never want to be."
Imane smiles at your declaration. Her eyes fill with tears. You see her bottom lip begin to tremble. You can feel the movement in her hands as well.
And this makes you start to panic.
Your thoughts begin the familiar spiral. You can feel the self-doubt claw at you.
But it clears when Imane surges forward and kisses you. Her arms snake around your waist. She continues to kiss you. It's chaste. Sweet. You feel like she is trying to tell you something through the kiss. If only you could pin down what it was.
"You're the best, baby." She praises as she pulls away slightly, resting her forehead against yours. "I don't think you'd do something like that. But it is great that you are considerate enough to establish this boundary."
"I just don't ever want to take you for granted." You tell her. "As much as it hurts, I'd rather just rip the band aid off. Especially if treating you like John is treating Jodi is the alternative. I never want to hurt you. I love you, Imane."
"I love you too, baby."
Her smile is radiant. It's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. Well, maybe tied with her face when she's in the middle of an earth-shattering orgasm. But it's still a sight seared into your mind.
But another thought creeps into your mind. Something that had been nagging at the back of your thoughts all evening so fat.
"Babe, I have to ask you something." You say. "It's a social thing. And I mostly want to check if it's just my imagination."
"Go ahead." Grants the curly haired woman.
"It's actually about Jodi." You begin.
"Oh." She smirks at you in a way that tells you that her mind had started down a path. "You like her?"
"Yeah, but that isn't it." You say, not picking up on her insinuation. "Do you think that she might like Emma?"
"Well, duh." Imane laughs. "They've been dancing around it for like a whole year now."
"Really?" You ask. "But if John's been acting like he has and they both like each other, why doesn't Jodi leave him. And getting with Emma?"
"Sometimes what's familiar is less scary than the 'ifs' and 'maybes'." Imane remains patient with your social stumbling. "Like how you stick to your established routines. It took you a while to work them out when you moved in with me. But now you've firmly established them. And are flourishing.
"Same more or less applies to Jodi and John. Their relationship is familiar to them. And they find comfort in the 'routine' that is their relationship. Maybe one of them will wake up and realize that their routine isn't working soon. Hopefully, peacefully. But maybe in the blaze of glory, as it were."
"So, the thought of breaking up could be as upsetting as the thought of breaking my routine is for me." You complete the line of thought. "God, relationships are tough."
"But worth it." Imane pulls you into a hug.
You return the hug before placing a kiss on Imane's lips. These small gestures just as intense for you as the conversation.
It still bothered you that Jodi could stay with someone who fell out of love with her. She deserved so much more than to be ignored like that. She deserved to be loved. As loved as you feel from Imane. And are well on the way to feeling from Aria.
Jodi seemed, from the little you've come to know her, to have so much love to give. So much energy that needs direction. You decided then and there that you will find some way to make sure that she gets what she needs and deserves.
Little did either you or Imane know that your conversation was overheard.
Jodi had come back when she realized that the two of you weren't with the group. But hearing the conversation, she felt the teats build up in her eyes. The sight of the two of you sharing such a tender moment caused them to fall. A sob rips from her chest before she could stop it.
Turning, you and Imane spot Jodi on the stairs. You felt your stomach drop. You had an inclination that it wouldn't be good for her to hear what all you said.
"Jodi?" Imane cautiously calls out to the Chinese woman.
Jodi shakily gets up from her crouched position. Approaching you, she keeps her eyes downcast until she stands directly in front of you. Only then did she look up to you. First to Imane, then to you.
"I'm sorry, Jodi." You say before she could say anything. "We shouldn't have been saying anything. Especially in your home. And where you could hear us."
"Don't be sorry." She manages to reply. "You're right. John and I haven't been good for a long time. At least, not as a couple. I still love him. But not as a girlfriend loves a boyfriend. I've been trying to make it work. But it isn't."
"I've been so desperately trying to hide how bad it's gotten. Been trying everything I can think of to save our relationship. I thought a triple date would help spark his interest again. But he just...ignores everything outside that fucking phone."
As her tears start falling even harder, you give in to the feeling that you've had since you first laid eyes on her. You move in, wrapping your arms around her. And just hold her. No demands. No pressure on Jodie. Just the offer to hold her while she cries. An offer of comfort and support.
And her sobs redouble. Her arms shoot around your neck. If it wasn't for the fact that both of you were facing each other, she'd be strangling you with how strongly her shaking arms hold onto you. Her tears land on your shirt. You can feel the wet patch growing on your shoulder.
All three of you stand in silence, outside of Jodi's sobs. It takes nearly ten minutes for Jodi to calm down enough to pull away. But she pauses when she's able to look into your eyes. You stare back. Her brown eyes are full of pain. But there's something else bubbling beneath the surface.
Her eyes dart to your mouth as she slowly leans back in. This time, her lips lightly connect with yours. Then you crash back into her lips, just as she begins to pull away again. All of the emotions come through as you kiss each other. All the pain and gratitude from Jodi. The desire to comfort and help from you. And a mutual attraction from both of you.
Then, she pulls away sharply. Her eyes dart between you and Imane. Fear joins the pain. Along with guilt. You can read the thoughts she's having, to your surprise. And you weren't the only one.
"It's okay, Jodi." Imane says from behind you. "We're in an open relationship. If you want, and they're interested, I wouldn't be opposed to you two being together. Romantically or sexually."
You nod along with your girlfriend. Not able to take your eyes from Jodi in the moment.
Jodi's eyes dart to the stairs. A million different thoughts and emotions flash across her face. You pick out that they're conflicting with each other. You can make a snap decision. Taking her hands, you catch her eyes again.
"Don't make any choice here and now." You tell her. "You have to determine how you want to move forward. First with John. Then there is the matter of Emma."
Her eyes widen at your last statement. You offer her what you hope is a comforting smile.
"Yeah, I picked up on that." You tell her. "Can't say that I blame you. She's gorgeous."
"But that is something that you have to decide how you want to proceed with it. If you want anything more than friendship with me, then you'll have to solve those two things first and foremost. I have enough issues that will affect any relationship we have. Imane can attest to that."
That elicits a chuckle from the Asian woman in front of you. But she nods. With a sniffle, she pulls herself together.
Once everyone was ready, the three of you make your way upstairs.
You find everyone else in the living room. Lilly and Michael were laughing at something that Emma had just said. This causes the woman to flip them both off playfully.
"There you guys are." Michael says as he spots your group coming in. "What were you doing for so long?"
"Just figuring the best placement of the traps." You quickly cover. "Thinking one would be more than enough inside. One by the door. But have another just outside the window. Help associate the window with bad."
You sit down in a comfy looking chair across the coffee table from Emma. Imane sits in your lap before you've even fully seated yourself.
"What brought up Emma flipping you two off?" Jodi asks the couple.
"I don't know." Lilly says innocently, though there was an undercurrent of mischief in her tone. "Must be that New York 'tude."
"Or the fact that you suggested that New York is not the center of the universe." Emma snarkily replies. "Which is obvious bull shit."
"Well, everyone knows that L.A. is the place to be." Michael laughs. "Who wants to go to New York?"
"Other than the attractive people, L.A. isn't that great." You chime in.
"Thank you." Emma says.
"Now if you want a good place to go, St. Louis is the ONLY place to go." You smile in a 'my hometown is the best hometown' way. "There isn't anywhere else in all of existence and time that is anywhere near as good."
"What?" Lilly shrieks. "With all the gang violence?"
"That's one of the best things." You step up to the challenge. "You go to the corner store, and you never know what you're going to see. A gang fight? A crackhead looking to score offering morally gray favors in return for a couple of quarters? Or maybe a fire and brimstone preacher who is getting the beat down for his behavior towards little ones. It's always an adventure."
"Not sure if I'd describe that as an adventure, baby." Imane says with a mocking concern in her voice. "If anything, it would be scary. Plus, I heard that New York isn't any better."
"Yeah, but New York has Wall Street." Is your counter argument. " And that place is the center and source of all evil in America."
"And the pastor isn't?" Emma questions.
"Don't get me wrong," Follow up. "The church in all of it's forms is pretty full of corruption. But they hide it. And... maybe you have a point on that. At least the douche canoes on Wall Street are more up front and honest about their greed."
"Can we agree on 50/50 on which place is best?" Asks the woman of the dual-colored hair.
"40/60." You counter.
"30/70 in New York's favor."
"40/60 in St. Louis' favor or no dice." Standing firm in the way only an offspring of a conservative can, you stare into her eyes without flinching.
The two of you have a staring contest that is only broken by Imane sliding her hand to your crotch. She gently strokes in the most subtle way she could muster. A gasp leaves you before you could stop it.
"Are you ok, y/n?" Lilly smirks from her spot on the loveseat next to Michael.
"Yeah." You squeak out. "Just thinking about the work I have to do for the next couple of streams."