ami

a week has passed since shroud’s been arrested, hopefully this time for good. most of the red ring members have been found and dealt with, depending on who got their hands on them first, and everything seems to be turning back to the normal the city can offer.

well, as normal as torrance can be. crime will never stop, even when you take out the leader. petty crimes are still a problem, other gangs are still standing, and the mess the red ring had left behind needs taking care of.

everyone at SDN, including you, have been drowning in all kinds of work. paperwork, sending out superheroes on the field, and a shit ton of things you’ve been drowning in for the past couple of days.

it’s crazy how quickly things had gone downhill. what chaos shroud and his goons caused. people, superheroes and dispatchers alike, have worked tirelessly to keep things running since. to fix the shit that happened.

but there is a certain someone who’s worked twice, maybe three times harder than the rest. staying late until you found them knocked out in the office, looking like a defenseless kitten.

that someone is none other than blonde blazer. or, well… mandy. you have a hard time adjusting to that change. you have been so used to the beautiful, radiant woman your boss is, how she always seemed to shine whenever she smiled, and looked at everyone like they’ve set stars on the sky after a successful shift. and being her somewhat of an assistant, you were always close to that sight.

but you can’t say you hate this change. quite the opposite, really.

you admire her never-ending vigor, the passion and determination she puts into her work. even without powers, she is still the same strong woman that flew on the scene of crime without a second thought if she had to, who puts others first before she thinks of herself.

you admire it, but it also worries you. the bags under her eyes keep getting darker, and by now you believe her blood type is plain coffee from the machine. she pushes herself too hard, and it’s only a matter of time before she will burn out.

even robert noticed. offered help many times, too. but mandy always gave him that soft smile and said that she was ‘alright’. clearly, she is anything but alright.

you don’t have to be a genius to see it. every day you come early to work, only to find mandy already running around with an exhausted smile on her face when she noticed you. you’ve often tried to steer her from work, invite her out somewhere just so she can forget about the stress, but she refused each time. always saying how much work there is to be done.

you’re exhausted for her by just watching her.

and today isn’t any different.

the break just came around, and others around you are enjoying their thirty minutes of peace. everyone, except for mandy. she’s been working nonstop, running from her office to other people’s cubicles, collecting as many papers as possible.

and you just can’t relax when all you can do is watch her work herself to the bone. and watching her nearly trip over her own foot is the last straw for you. one way or another, you’ll force her to at least have a few minutes of well deserved R&R.

you heat up your lunch in the break room, brew a nicely warm cup of tea from the tea bags you keep in your desk drawer, and take a few packets of sugar with you. warm meal in one hand and tea in the other – along with some sugar packets in your pocket, you make her way to mandy’s office.

with your hands full, you don’t bother with knocking. with your elbow, you nudge the doorknob until the door creak open for you to step in, and your gaze falls on the sad sight of the woman drowning in god knows how many papers.

she doesn’t even register you coming in until you stand by her desk. she jumps slightly when your foot bangs against the wood, her blue eyes wide in surprise. her expression softens when she realizes it’s you, a tired yet still tender smile curling up on her lips.

“oh, hey. sorry, i didn’t hear you come in,” mandy lets out a small sigh, brushing a few strands of hair from her eyes.

you almost wave her off, forgetting your hands are way too full for that. “it’s alright. not like i could knock,” you look down at the meal and tea in your hands before setting it in front of her. “brought you something. i noticed you only had coffee today.”

mandy’s eyes widen again when you set the lunch box and the cup before her. it isn’t anything special, really. an easy meal prep you managed to do before leaving, but she’s staring at it like it’s a michelin star meal. it’s adorable seeing the sparkles in her eyes.

“ah, no. i- i’m alright, rea–“ before she can continue refusing, the sound of her stomach growling for food speaks louder than her words. she sighs, chuckling under her breath. “guess i can’t really argue after that, can i?”

“no, you really can’t,” you smile at her, pushing the lunch closer to her to get the point across. “oh, and before i forget,” you reach for your pocket, taking out the sugar packets and placing them on the table. “don’t know how you prefer your tea, so i had to improvise.”

mandy continues to stare at the food on her desk, and for a second, her lips tremble. it has been a while since someone has taken care of her without her saying anything, a long while.

“thank you, really. it’s true that i barely got to eat these days,” she reaches for the warm tea, taking the scent in. “is that… chamomile? are you trying to make me fall asleep?”

“we all know you’d need it,” you laugh, your eyes focused on mandy as she takes a sip, gauging her reaction. “but no. thought you’d seemed stressed, so chamomile felt like the best option.”

“you have more teabags on you than this?”

“i have at least eight different kinds of tea in my drawer,” this gets an eye roll from mandy, but you ignore it. “and i will brew all of them in a shitty concoction if it means i get to knock you out and make you some proper rest.”

as much of an office sweetheart you are known to be, you never minced your words. other people would probably gasp and clutch their pearls if they saw you talking to your boss this way, but you only mean well. and if this is what gets mandy to relax, so be it.

“fair enough. although, an assistant shouldn’t be speaking to her boss like that,” mandy says, a smirk on her lips. “but i’ll ignore the mild hr violation. for now, at least.”

“oh, the meal cancels it out, i’m sure,” you joke with a grin, and when mandy laughs again, you nearly celebrate on the spot.

“you’re pushing your luck.”

“fine, fine. i’ll stop,” you raise your hands in defeat, taking a step back from the desk.

she mutters a small ‘good’ under her breath, and the tone of her voice makes the back of your neck heat up. it’s wrong to talk to your superior like she is a long time acquaintance, you know that. but it’s even worse to be awfully attracted to said superior. you don’t even know how many times you’ve violated the hr rules by simply thinking of mandy in this way.

and you never want to find out how she’d react.

you watch as mandy finally takes a bite, and her shoulders sag a little in relief. it eases the slight worry tugging at your heart, seeing her resting for just a moment.

this is the perfect time to ask her out.

“so,” you start, catching mandy’s attention. “i know you always say no, but… how about we plan something tonight? maybe at my place, a bottle of wine. a nice alone time between coworkers.”

you watch her contemplating, cogs turning in her head. for a second it feels like she will reject the offer again, and that makes your throat tighten in potential disappointment. the last thing you want is to come out as pushy, but you secretly hope to get to know the real mandy better. not just blonde blazer you’re used to, or the mandy you only see in the office now.

but then a miracle happens.

“y’know, i think i need a break,” she sighs, taking a sip of tea. “things have been piling up, and i might honestly just lose my freaking mind.”

“freaking?” you snicker, covering your mouth. “can’t believe you just cursed. hr isn’t going to be happy about that.”

“says the one who speaks to her boss like a friend,” she scoffs.

“…you got me there.”

you laugh together, and the moment feels nice. it warms your heart, seeing her be happy. and with you of all people in the office. the conversation flows smoothly like a river, and minutes pass in the speed of light. you couldn’t ask for a better break than with mandy, talking freely like long-time pals.

until someone bursts into the room rather abruptly. both of you visibly jump when the hinges nearly come off, and when you find invisigal standing in the doorway, both you and mandy can’t help but sigh.

“visi, i told you to knock. especially you,” mandy scolds her, but her tone is still so soft when speaking to the other woman.

“she didn’t knock,” visi points at you accusingly. the audacity.

“well, i had my hands full, if you noticed,” you note, a small frown appearing on your wrists.

“don’t get your panties in a twist, cookie girl. just fucking with you,” she gives you a wink and bumps your shoulder, which stuns you for a few seconds.

this is the nicest invisigal has been to you. well, nice in invisigal’s terms. you remember trying to get along with her, make her feel welcomed. her name always screamed at you at the bottom of the leaderboards, unwilling to move up. and you tried to help her, you really did. be it some sort of savior complex drilled in you from childhood – as visi oh-so-nicely accused you of – but you didn’t want her to quit, for some reason.

but your efforts were always met with bitter disappointment. she pushed you away, laughed at your efforts, called you soft and sweet in that condescending tone that nearly broke your patience. you gave up trying to be kind with her.

and it honestly slightly pissed you off when robert managed to do in a few days what you had tried to do for fucking weeks. somehow it made you even more bitter, seeing her take people’s kindness for granted.

and then, shroud happened. you found out the truth about her only after it all happened. her being a some sort of double agent for shroud, her taking a bullet for robert. you heard the short story of what happened. mandy told you, being her assistant and all, and having to deal with the mess the z-team usually is.

that’s when the changes started to happen.

since then, invisigal acted… different. you can’t say better, but she was trying. she’s still the same brash, slightly immature and emotionally constipated woman, but beyond all that, you can see the desperate want to be more than a former, run of the mill villain.

it was a strange, but otherwise a good change. though you can’t say it changes anything for you. you had your clashes with her, and there have been far too many of them for you to soften up to her. you may be the kind one in the office, but you have your limits, and standards.

“hey, is everything okay?” mandy’s voice rings in front of you, snapping you from your thoughts.

“oh! oh yeah, i’m fine,” you wave her off with a smile.

“that’s good,” she smiles at you, her hand gently landing on your shoulder to gently squeeze it, and it makes your heart skip a beat.

“don’t know,” invisigal walks up to you, a smirk on her face. “she’s a little… red.”

your eyes widen, and you glare at her in warning. “i’m just a little warm, that’s all,” you mutter through gritted teeth.

“uh-huh… suuuure.”

“visi, enough,” and to your surprise, mandy’s commanding tone shuts the other woman right up, but not without a small, dissatisfied nose scrunch. mandy then turns to you, her smile returning. “so… tonight, after work?”

“yeah, sounds good,” you could almost lean into her warmth now, if you two were alone.

“what’s tonight?” invisigal asks, her arms crossed as she leans against mandy’s desk.

“oh, right. we were planning to hang out together. as friends,” mandy explains, and you watch as visi’s expression morphs into one of suspicion.

“as friends, huh?” she looks at you, her brown eyes assessing you as if you were the walking hr hazard in the room. perhaps she just has some unexplainable personal vendetta against you, you assume. for what? you have no idea.

“what is that supposed to mean?” you ask.

“oh, nothing. just… you seem close,” visi shrugs, smirking at you. “i mean, you did all of this. brought her food and tea. that’s pretty intimate.”

“oh, come on. she does that for everyone,” mandy defends you, and that makes invisigal grin with that mischief that means nothing good.

“whatever you say,” she raises her hands in mock defeat. “but if that’s the case, surely you won’t mind if i… join in on the fun?”

what?!

there is no way she’s just inviting herself to your place like that. she just cornered you, trapped you into whatever she’s doing. she’s unpredictable in all the worst ways, visible or not.

“what?”

“y’know… as friends,” she winks at you again, making air quotes at the word ‘friends’. “i’d love to know the sweetheart dispatcher who always leaves cookies and whatever sweet shitty pastry for everyone in the break room.”

now you’re just confused. is she being serious, or is this another one of her manipulations? you’ve given her many chances before, offered her a friendly hand more times than you can count, and she always refused to even acknowledge it. why now?

before you can say anything, mandy speaks up. “i… don’t see why not?” she looks at you, waiting for your decision.

your eyes flicker back to back between them. you’re put in the spotlight, which you certainly didn’t ask for.

you can refuse, say that this is just for you and mandy. but when your eyes dart back to visi one last time, you see something in her expression. fear, maybe? or is it hope? the spark is gone before you can question it further when she realizes you’re looking at her, tearing her gaze away.

“alright… guess i have enough wine for three,” you sigh in defeat, shrugging your shoulders.

invisigal all but grins again, coming close to lightly punch your shoulder before leaving the room with a ‘see ya!’ and surprisingly without turning invisible.

“sorry,” mandy apologizes suddenly, her hand back on your shoulder. “i shouldn’t have invited her so abruptly without your permission, to your place, of all things… i’m just worried about her.”

“worried? why? she’s finally doing a little better,” you put a little emphasis on the ‘little’, and it sounds a lot more sarcastic than intended.

“look, i know she’s a tough nut to crack. i’m not trying to coddle her, or anything. she’s done enough bullshit over the past few months, but i just don’t want her to spiral,” she stares at the closed door where visi left a moment earlier. “she’s trying. it can’t fix all the fuck ups she’s done, and it will definitely be a while before she gets all the trust back, but i guess i believe in her more than most do.”

“yeah, you definitely do. you see something good in everyone of those z-team assholes. her, especially,” you chuckle, bumping mandy softly. “don’t know how you do it.”

“says the one who bakes all different kinds of cookies nearly every other day,” her smile broadens.

“yeah, but even the cookie girl has her limits,” you roll your eyes at her jab. “and i fear invisigal tested my patience like no other.”

mandy sighs at what you say, and you can tell she wants to say something. but before she can, your phone suddenly buzzes. the thirty minute break is over, and both of you have to come back to work. great.

“duty calls,” you mumble under your breath, forcing yourself to part from mandy for the next few miserable hours. “tonight, then?”

“tonight,” mandy nods, and with a soft ‘bye’, you walk out of her office to get back to your cubicle, not even noticing the pair of brown eyes focusing on you from the distance.

you should’ve said no. you really should have.

the words kept repeating in your mind the entire ride home. you tried hard to focus only on mandy sitting in the passenger seat next to you, how she tried to – and failed – to keep a conversation running between you three. but you could hardly ignore invisigal’s piercing eyes staring at you through the mirror.

and apart from a few grunts and hums, maybe a word or two when mandy spoke to her, she didn’t say a fucking word. just burned holes through your forehead through the mirror.

and it hardly stopped being awkward when you finally reached your house. she’s been so silent, in a way you’re not used to. by now you expected a sex joke – or ten – from her, at least one dumbass hr violation that would remind you who invisigal is as a person.

but nothing.

she is eerily silent. the woman known for her snark and borderline harassing behavior, is sitting on your sofa, staring blankly at the empty wine glass before her. you can’t tell if she’s trying to behave, or if you’re the problem here.

but at least mandy is here. she’s sitting comfortably on the couch, elegant and radiant as she always is. you wouldn’t admit it, but you’re just a little bummed that visi is here. this was meant to be a nice, relaxing night drinking wine and maybe watching some lame millennial show like how i met your mother. instead you’re stuck in silence with a plus-one you didn’t really ask for.

your fault for not knowing how to say no.

when you disappear into the kitchen, looking for the wine, you hear muffled voices coming from the living room. mandy talking to visi, who’s actually finally responding. you’d say you’re glad, but frustrated fits better. she was so talkative in the office before. what the hell is her problem now?

you don’t listen to the conversation they’re having. since they were waiting for you to be away, you can only assume it isn’t for your ears to hear. you focus on the task at hand, which is getting the wine, and maybe something sweet to snack on.

once you have both, you quickly make your way to the couch. both women turn your attention to you, mandy smiling sweetly and visi looking away before you can lock eyes with her. strange.

“got the wine and snack,” you set the things on the table before you, reaching for the wine opener.

“looks fancy,” mandy comments on the pastries fancily arranged on the plate. “what mind-blowing sweetness did you bake this time?”

“red velvet cookie sandwiches, with strawberries in the middle,” you declare proudly, popping the bottle open.

you watch as mandy takes a bite, and her eyes close in delight. she munches on the pastry slowly, enjoying every single bite like it’s meant to be the last thing she’ll eat. she doesn’t even seem to notice the tiny bit of cream filling staining the corner of her mouth. you’re almost tempted to wipe it off with your thumb and lick it clean.

“god, this is amazing,” mandy moans, earning a chuckle from you. “though it doesn’t beat the classic choco chip cookies you make. they always smell so nice in the break room.”

“glad to hear that my baking is so appreciated,” you smile as you pour the wine for the three of you.

visi, watching from the sofa, hesitantly reaches for one of the cookie treats. she examines it like it’s poison before taking a nibble, and her eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. whatever nonchalance she’s tried to maintain is gone now, her wide starry eyes expose how she feels.

when she swallows, her eyes finally land on you, and she looks almost sheepish to be caught red-handed like this. it’s almost… cute. until her mouth opens to talk.

“can’t believe the cookie girl actually bakes,” visi sneers. “i assumed you just bought dozens of random cookies from a store or some shit. that you’re just a random brown noser who wants to look good in front of others.”

her brash words nearly offended you, but then she continues. “but they’re fucking good, can’t lie there.”

“you’ve tried them?” you blurt out before you can think. you remember offering her a cookie a few times when she first joined, but she always had the same infuriating comment on it, hence the nickname ‘cookie girl’. which you hate. makes you feel stupid.

“snagged a few whenever i wanted a sweet treat,” visi shrugs, leaning back on the sofa with her legs spread. “better than those dick donuts at granny’s.”

“i don’t think that’s how they’re- y’know, whatever,” you give up before the debate could continue, reaching for your glass of wine.

silence stretches between the three of you once more, only broken by sipping or chewing. you and mandy sit shoulder-to-shoulder, with her body slowly going lax under the influence of alcohol. thanks to the lack of the amulet. her head is nearly resting against yours, and you can only hope she can’t hear your heart racing.

from the corner of your eye, you can see visi pulling at the scabs on her lips. a bad force of habit, you assume. you can’t tell what she’s thinking, but her gaze shifts between you and mandy, who looks like she could snooze on your shoulder contently. not that you mind that.

“look,” visi finally breaks the quiet in the room, her eyebrow twitching. “i’m… i’m sorry. for acting like an asshole.”

you can’t believe your ears. did she just… apologize? like that?

for a moment, you almost believe you fell asleep and this is just some strange dream. but why would you dream about invisigal in the first place?

“stop looking at me like that,” she groans, running her fingers through her mess of hair. “i just… i hated how sweet you were to me, like i’m something fragile. you tried to be nice to me and shit, acted like a fucking saint, and it pissed me off, because, why me? a stupid ex-villain who secretly worked for shroud cause of my fucked up lungs?”

you have nothing to say. nothing that will add to the conversation, anyway. sure, a late apology is better than none. but an apology from someone like invisigal? a very trick-or-treat situation. either she’s having fun pulling your leg right now, or she’s being genuine and you’re overthinking things. you want to believe it will be the latter, but with visi, it’s hard to tell.

you glance at mandy, begging for help. she’s been silent this whole time, eyeing both of you, which doesn’t exactly make you any less paranoid. you wonder if she senses your sudden disarray in your mind, because you feel her gentle hand on your lower back, calming you down with small circular rubs.

“so, you’re serious?”

“fuck, yes! what else do you want? a heartfelt apology letter with my tears on it? should i spray perfume on it so it’s more dramatic?” she scoffs, offended by your blatant lack of faith.

“it’s just that, i don’t know, it took you months to say something,” your response serves to only add fuel to the fire that’s growing in visi’s expression, and for a second you think she would implode.

but then mandy touches both of your shoulders, and the heat between you ceases. her stare is stern but not unkind, the kind of look an owner would give their misbehaving puppies. you can almost imagine visi with dog ears, now flat against her head under mandy’s scolding gaze.

she looks at you a minute after, the space between her eyebrows ever so slightly creased with exasperation, and a bit of frustration. not aimed at you nor visi, but it’s there, and it makes your heart thump in your chest like an angry bunny’s foot.

“she means it, i promise. she could’ve been a little less crass about it, though,” you hear visi click her tongue behind mandy’s back. “i told her that the best way to own up to her own bullshit is to apologize. and you were the first on the list.”

“first on the list? why?” you raise an eyebrow questioningly.

“to put it simply,” mandy sighs, “she put you first because you were the first in SDN to not treat her like… well, a villain.”

mandy’s words echo in your head, her blue eyes staring into yours in silent anticipation. she’s giving you space to make your own decision, doesn’t push you into something she would want.

finally, after what feels like eternity, you speak. “i can’t say i want to forgive you just yet. you’ve fucked up, fucked up with a lot of people,” your words make visi wince, her head dropping. “but if mandy believes in you, i don’t see why i can’t give you a second chance. or a tenth.”

“…thanks. be right back,” is all visi whispers before she vanishes. you don’t know why, but you can hear her steps against the floor, making their way to the front door.

“where is she–“

“a smoke, if i’m guessing. she always does it,” mandy waves her hand, and her weight rests against your side once more.

“great. now my porch will smell like cigarettes,” you mumble under your breath, reaching for your wine glass.

“be glad it’s not everywhere. don’t know how many times i had to ventilate the apartment because of the smell,” she says into your shirt, voice quiet and heavy with exhaustion.

“you two live together? you have nerves of steel, mandy.”

“or i’m just an idiot with a soft heart.”

“you have a softer heart than most. these assholes would be rotting in jail if not for you,” you point to where visi left, “but you’re definitely not an idiot. far from it.”

“you think so?” she lifts her head, blue eyes locked with yours.

“i know so,” you whisper.

up close, she’s even more beautiful. her lips are only a few inches away, so close to bring her close. connect her mouth to yours, kiss her until she forgets every insecurity. until she’s happy with mandy, and forgets about blonde blazer.

but you can’t. not now.

“you really shouldn’t sleep on the desk,” you mutter into the content silence. “you have a little bruise here.”

you tenderly touch the small purple blob on her cheek, near her jaw. mandy hisses at the sudden touch, and you assume it’s from pain.

“yeah, that… must’ve been the edge of the table,” she chuckles, her fingers rubbing the spot around it. “i’m still not used to having bruises. if i ever got one as blonde blazer, it healed right away. didn’t even feel it.”

“must be hard, losing something you grew to rely on,” your eyes scan the spot the amulet used to sit, as if you can see it.

“i just need to be patient. soon enough, i’ll be blonde blazer once again.”

“maybe some people like mandy more than blonde blazer,” you mutter, fingers rolling the stem of the wine glass.

“but people need blonde blazer,” mandy whispers stubbornly.

“and mandy needs you,” you regret the words instantly after they flew out of your mouth. “that sounded corny as hell.”

“very.”

“shhh, i’m trying to be sweet,” you lightly tap her elbow to shush her. “you can’t be blonde blazer all the time, y’know. you need to be just mandy, from time to time. meaning… no work for tonight or the rest of the weekend. got it?”

mandy hesitates for only a moment before nodding. “alright,” she smiles, “you really know your way with words, y’know that?”

“someone’s gotta try and get you to relax.”

“funny how it’s always you.”

“come on, robert notices too,” you can feel your face grow warm, the smile on your face grows bigger, all toothy.

“it’s not the same and you know it,” she whispers, and her hand shoots up to cup your cheek making you gasp. “robert cares, sure. but only you treat me like i’m more than your boss. like i’m something more beyond the amulet.”

the tension between you suddenly rises, thick like morning fog stretching over the horizon. neither of you can pull away, and in all honesty, you don’t want to. this is the perfect moment. the drumroll before the kiss happens. you don’t remember where you heard it from, maybe some dumb show you tend to watch until 2 am. but it’s perfect nevertheless.

you feel her breath on yours, fanning against your lips. your heart speeds up, your breathing quickens, the drumrolls are intensifying in the back of your mind.

“wow dude, i left for ten minutes and you’re starting without me?”

you both flinch when visi speaks up out of nowhere. mandy’s hand falls from your face, putting a safe distance between you, much to your disappointment.

you turn, and visi just stands there, looking like a smug cat that just knocked over a vase. you wish you could smack that expression off her face.

“we weren’t starting anything,” you argue, a dissatisfied frown appearing on your face. what a way to ruin a perfect moment.

“right. so you weren’t five seconds away from shoving your tongues down each other’s throats?” visi continues to tease, sending a wink your way.

“just sit the fuck down,” you say, defeated and quite ready to just have this night over with, especially with her around.

you expect her to sit on the sofa like before, but she quickly plops down next to you before you can say anything, and for her skinny figure, she’s taking up quite a bit of your couch. truly like a cat that thinks it owns everything.

“come on, play a movie or something. i can’t stand the awkward silence,” visi nudges your side. like she isn’t the one who’s at fault for the awkwardness in the room.

regardless, you reach for the remote. anything to avoid further embarrassment, and perhaps further conversation with visi. your poor nerves can only handle this much bullshit before they overflow like boiling water from a cauldron.

you don’t really think about what you turned on. a random rom-com you’ve seen like hundred times on tv, but since you hear no complains, you just keep it on.

it’s not like you’re paying attention, anyway.

your mind is stuck on the moment between you and mandy. you nearly kissed, her lips were only a breath away from yours. was it in the heat of the moment kind of situation? or maybe it was the wine that boosted your spirits, you’re not sure.

halfway through the movie, a sudden weight drops on your shoulder and a mess of dark hair tickles the skin of your jaw. light snores fill your right ear, and as you turn, you see visi blissfully napping against you, curled into herself like a ball.

“robert made her run from mission to mission today,” mandy whispers into your ear, noticing visi sleeping against your side.

“did she do well?” you ask quietly, moving as little as possible.

“surprisingly, no fails today,” you hum approvingly at that.

“well, i guess it’s nice to not see her name at the bottom of the leaderboards,” you mutter, and you actually mean the compliment, surprisingly enough.

“i know you mean it, but you still sound like it pains you to compliment her,” mandy teases, to which you huff. “do you really hate her that much?”

“i never said i hated her, mandy. i’m just not the one to coddle someone who pushes my helping hand away multiple times. she’s had her chances, and she wasted them. easy as that. i can forgive, but i definitely don’t forget. not that easily, anyway.”

she says nothing to that, only a small ‘oh’ escapes her lips. but before you can question it, visi’s body goes fully lax against you, trapping you on the couch. it’s like she unconsciously needs to have you close, her body seeking the comfort her brain won’t allow her to have.

guess you can indulge in her ‘needs’ once. just this once.

you just hope it won’t bite you in the ass later.

monday comes by faster than you would wish for, and that means another eventful work at SDN.

being the early comer, the office is still relatively empty. only a few people, who all mind their business, sit around by their computers, sipping cheap ass coffee to get themselves ready for the day.

you plop down on the chair with a soft huff, throwing your bag by the cubicle’s wall. the day barely started, and your head is already throbbing. the led lights that shine above your head irritate your corneas, frustrating you to the core. you’re sure if anyone’s going to have something stupid to say, you’ll stab him with the nearest object. even if that object will be a tea spoon.

to your defense, your irritation comes from a lack of sleep. you barely got a wink of sleep last night, your thoughts too loud in your head to let you sleep. your mind kept going back to that moment with mandy, to that almost-kiss. then visi’s wonderful timing, then her sleeping on your shoulder like a defenseless kitten.

you can’t stop thinking about it. how your heart soared when you felt mandy’s breath on yours, how the sight of visi curled up against you tugged at your heartstrings. you hate that you feel it, and you hate it even more that these feelings are beyond your control.

a sigh escapes you as you rub your tired, heavy eyes, turning your focus on the work instead. the sound of the computer humming to life disrupts the chaos within you, and for once you feel relieved to hear the sound of the old monitor.

there is still time before the shift start, but god, you hope today won’t bring anything big. minor things, you can deal with. send a superhero to help find a lost child, or guard a famous celebrity that decides to visit the city, all fine. but lord protect whoever fucker who decides they’re the next super villain today. you might as well go out on the field and kick their ass yourself if that happens.

“jesus, who pissed in your breakfast today?” you startle when visi appears by your cubicle, leaning against it with folded arms.

“fuck’s sake, visi. can you take your invisible shit to someone else, please?” you grunt, taking a deep breath through your nose to calm your racing heartbeat.

“wow, you’re bitchy today. didn’t know the sweet cookie girl could be so pissy,” her slender finger pokes your cheek, and you swear you eye twitches.

“invisigal, i’m not in the mood for your bullshit today,” you slap her hand away, head whipping to glare at her. “why don’t you go wait for robert and bother him, huh? bet he’ll be real glad to have your insufferable asshole issues hanging around him.”

your words come out harsh, harsher than intended, and you regret it the second her grin disappears. her nose twitches, eyebrows furrow as she look away. she steps away from your cubicle to leave, but not before dropping a paper bag on your desk.

she goes invisible before you can catch her, but you see the door to mandy’s office opening and slamming close without anyone actually stepping in. okay, maybe you’ve gone a little overboard, blowing up on her like that.

it’s her fault, really. you wouldn’t have take whatever you’re feeling right now on her if she didn’t act like an inconsiderate jerk. still, there’s something in your heart that tells you to find her and apologize, because for the first time, her emotional distress is not her fault. at least mostly not her fault.

your gaze falls on the paper bag visi threw on your desk. it’s from your favorite bakery, you can’t tell tell from the logo printed on it. when you look inside, you’re greeted with the scent of your favorite pastries, and now you feel even worse.

the small hint of guilt doesn’t disappear for the rest of the first shift. you tried to focus on work, but it’s drilled in the back of your brain, whispering irritatingly in your ears.

soon it’s lunchtime, and you find yourself in mandy’s office, just like on friday. she watches as you sloppily chew on the pastry visi brought you, a worried frown tugged at the corners of her lips.

“you look awful today,” she points out your state, walking over to join you on the couch.

“i feel awful,” you mumble with your mouth full, “popped two painkillers within the first half of the shift, and my head’s still throbbing like it’s gonna explode.”

“oh, that really sounds awful,” mandy’s voice is soft and caring, mindful of your terrible migraine. a true sweetheart of a woman.

“and i might’ve upset visi,” you add after a moment, poking into the baked dough with your finger. “normally i wouldn’t feel bad for it, but, i don’t know… i took my own frustrations on the first person that was nearby.”

you look down at the sweet treat in your hand, picking at the dough. “she even bought me these. don’t know how she knows they’re my favorite.”

“i… i might’ve told her,” mandy says nervously, chuckling. “in my defense, she stormed into my room at six am. i was half-asleep.”

great, another layer to add to your piling guilt. you shouldn’t feel bad. that’s what an idiot gets for poking the bear with a stick – consequences of their own actions.

not that it eases the feeling heaving on your chest.

“actually, i know it’s probably not an appropriate time, but i wanted to talk to you about something,” mandy lowers her voice, eyes checking for anyone who could hear.

“about what?”

when she’s sure the coast is clear, she turns back to you, leaning closer. “about the… almost kiss we had.”

oh. you feared this conversation would come up sooner or later. you hoped for later, or preferably never.

“i can’t stop thinking about it,” she whispers, her hand twitching towards yours.

your heart skips a beat, or rather several beats. it probably stopped working completely when her fingers brushed against yours. fuck, since when are you this giddy and nervous? it’s not like you never dated before. why is she making you feel so… lightheaded?

“neither can i,” you admit, quietly and uncertainly. “i keep wondering what would happen if visi didn’t walk in. would we… do it?”

mandy chuckles at your words, “god, we sound like dorks.”

“we do, don’t we?” you join in on her laughter, and while it does make your head throb, you can forget about the miserable morning you had. at least for a few minutes.

finally, her fingers thread with yours, and you’re surprised how soft her hands actually are. “hr won’t be too happy about this,” she looks down at your intertwined hands, rubbing circles into your skin with your thumb. “a boss with her subordinate. an assistant, at that.”

“have you seen the people we work with? it’s an hr hazard everywhere you look,” you deadpan, raising an eyebrow in amusement. “but we can take things slow. see where it takes us.”

mandy’s eyes soften when you say that, like she can’t believe someone would ever consider her over themselves. it hurts your heart to see that small relief passing over her expression, but you’re glad it can be you who will give her all that.

“i appreciate that, really,” she smiles at you, and fuck, you nearly melt into the couch.

you wish you could freeze time at this moment. you want nothing more than to stay with mandy, be by her side. but of course, your wishes are broken by the buzz of your phone, and you have to go back to work.

“fuck’s sake,” you mumble under your breath, and despite your inner protests, you slowly let go of mandy’s hand. “guess i gotta go back to work.”

“right, me too. the paperwork won’t finish itself,” she sighs, getting up from the couch. before you can leave her office, though, she stops you. “oh, and… i know i can’t force you, but could you please talk to visi? she was looming in my office for an hour, pouting and glaring at the ceiling.”

oh, right. you almost forgot about that. you’d lie if you said you’re looking forward to whatever talk awaits you with visi, but with how mandy looks at you, how can you say no? one apology won’t hurt you. hopefully.

the last few hours go by sluggishly slow, but once the clock ticks the end of the work day, you‘re quick to gather your things and go to the showers. your skin feels sticky and gross, sweat working like a glue as your shirt keeps getting stuck to your body. besides, you know the second you’d step foot into your house, your body would seek the nearest cushioned surface to sleep off the day.

so better to take a shower now than not at all.

you drag your feet to the showers, soles of your shoes creaking against the tiled floor of the locker room.

and as you turn around the corner, your hopes to take a peaceful shower evaporate.

on one of the benches sits visi, holding something in her hands, shoulders slumped and head hanging low. the sight is almost pathetic, in a cute kind of way.

she doesn’t acknowledge your presence, but by the way her spine straightens, you can tell she knows you’re standing right behind her. she doesn’t move, doesn’t even look at you, and it all feels awkward as hell.

until you sit down, and she looks at you with that look that says ‘what do you want?’ without even having to speak. can’t say you don’t deserve it this time.

you take a deep breath to gather your thoughts, mouth opening to speak. “i’m sorry, for snapping at you today. usually you deserve it, but today just wasn’t my day since morning and you were the first to catch the bullet.”

she doesn’t say anything, but her hand suddenly wraps around your wrist. she shoves something into your palm, something plush and squishy. a keychain plushie in a shape of a star, with sleepy eyes. a silly little gift, but it still conjures up a smile on your lips.

“cute,” you squeeze the little toy in your hand, poking at the black bead representing an eye.

visi just hums, but surprisingly, she doesn’t push you away. if anything, she shifts closer to be closer to your side. the silence should be awkward, suffocating even, but it isn’t.

“got it after a mission. thought it looked like you in the morning,” visi is the first one to break the silence, reaching out to poke the yellow plushie.

“bought it, or stole it?”

“that’s besides the point,” she huffs, “it’s the thought that counts, or whatever.”

a soft, breathy laugh escapes you, your head shaking at her crass response. “you’re a hero now. you should be an example, y’know. looks weird when a superhero goes around and steals shit.”

“fuck, you sound like mandy. gross,” she rolls her eyes at you, but she can’t hide that small smile on her face.

“maybe i should tell her,” you shrug your shoulders, gauging her reaction.

“fuck you.”

“right back at ya.”

you expect a dirty joke from her after you say that, but she stays quiet, eyes set on the gift she stole for you. you can never really tell what she’s thinking when she does that. when she just stares at you like you owe her something. your skin prickles as her eyes dig into you, assessing you.

it’s a little uncomfortable.

“listen, uh… i really just wanted to apologize for this morning,” you break through the discomfort that fogs your surroundings, your eyes anywhere but on her. “we can have some unresolved issues, but i shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you like that.”

visi looks shocked after your awkward apology, her brown eyes going wide like saucers. “oh, i… it’s alright, i guess. just don’t get all sappy on me, please.”

“i wasn’t planning on that,” you mutter.

“good,” she nods, and you see a smoke forming on her lips. “so, a make out session in the showers?”

ah, there’s the dirty joke. you hate that you laugh at it. “you’re awful, visi.”

“well, i tried. your loss, though. i kiss pretty damn good,” she winks, getting up from the bench to undress herself.

“unbelievable, really,” you get up right after, stripping yourself from your sweaty clothes, wrapping yourself up with a towel.

“that wasn’t a no,” she calls after you, watching you as you slip behind the shower curtain.

“step in here and i’ll break your nose,” you yell through the sound of the water running, her laugh echoing against the tiled walls.

“prude,” you hear her mutter, loud enough for you to hear.

“pervert.”

“i heard that!”

“good! at least now you know what you are!”

you two continue to bicker until the water runs cold, forcing you to step out of the shower. you walk past her, unaware that visi’s eyes run up and down your wet, towel-covered body with restrained emotions. and you stay blissfully unaware of her stares, because when you look at her, she’s glaring away into her locker, busy putting her clothes on.

once she’s dressed, her eyes fall on you again, taking you in very discreetly. well, as discreetly as it can be for someone like invisigal. she closes her locker, her hand running over your still bare shoulder when she walks past you.

“see you tomorrow, cookie girl,” she squeezes your bicep before letting you go, leaving you stunned as her boots echo out of the room.

she’s gone by the time your brain boots up again, the feeling of her warm touch still present where your bra strap rests. whatever she’s doing, as subtle as she’s trying to be, you refuse to succumb to.

but you can’t deny the goosebumps her touch left over your body.

weeks have passed since you and mandy unofficially got together. weeks since your little moment with visi in the showers. everything else has settled into a steady rhythm like you’ve been used to, dispatching superheroes and filing boring paperwork that needed to be done no matter how much you complain.

mostly everything, you should say. your not-so-certain relationship with mandy has been a talk of the office these days, gossip and god knows what rumors spreading like wildfire. you don’t know who is the spreader of everything, but you have a hunch that it’s someone from the z-team. you can hear those assholes whispering and snickering behind you like a bunch of little kids, making bets about stuff you’d rather not be a part of. even the cookies you bring with you daily don’t stop them from going after you for juicy gossip.

if only they were just a little more subtle when asking about seemingly innocent detail.

but despite the rumors – that you mostly succeeded at ignoring – your time spent with mandy has been nothing but perfect. she’s opening up to you, telling you things most people don’t know, showing you how much she actually trusts you.

it’s a slow process, the relationship you’re building together, but it’s rewarding. every smile, laugh, happy tear you get out of her feel like a reward. your first kiss you shared in her apartment was a little awkward for both of you, the two of you clearly rusty at any sort of intimacy, but it was still a wonderful feeling.

except, there’s a certain woman who is always around the two of you.

courtney.

visi told you her name a few days after the moment you shared in the showers, and ever since then, something changed.

she’s always around, opening up little by little. at SDN, she’s still invisigal, the abrasive villain-turned-hero with mouth full of dirty jokes and double entendres. but her presence is not that of a lone wolf anymore. she’s not trying to make herself invisible when faced with personal problems, doesn’t run away from conflict she knows she won’t win. she’s reserved her fists only for criminals, too. definitely a good progress.

robert is proud, in his own deadpan way. mandy is more vocal about it, happy to see courtney doing better. she’s finally accepted the helping hand without throwing a tantrum over it, unlike all those months ago.

everyone is happy about the change, even you. you want to deny it, but your heart softened up to her. you wear the star keychain on your bag since she gave it to you, and she eyes it whenever she walks to your cubicle for a talk. as if to make sure you kept it. she’d probably punch you if you ever pointed out the tender smile on her face.

it’s not the only gift courtney has gotten you. everyday, you find something new on your desk. things you’ve talked to mandy about, things you love, miraculously appeared by your computer the next day. from small things like your favorite flower, to your favorite book, even an old-school toy you’ve wanted as a kid. all stolen, of course. why pay for something when she has the ability to take it for free?

your bedroom is now filled with small, silly things an adult with a stable job doesn’t exactly need, but it makes your home more… homey.

and your feelings? well, they are all over the place.

you love mandy with your whole heart, you’re more sure of that than about anything or anyone in your life. but whenever courtney is around, there’s this unspoken tension between the three of you. something neither of you utter aloud, but it’s there. it’s strong. undeniable.

it confuses the fuck out of you.

“is it just me, or has courtney been acting a little… different?” you ask, sprawled out on mandy’s office couch, eyeing her as she works.

“i’m still not used to you calling her courtney,” mandy chuckles, spinning in her chair to look at you properly. “and different as in…”

“dunno, just… fuck, what’s the word?” you groan, the word on your tongue but not fully loaded in your head. “sappy?”

“that’s definitely not the word i’d use, especially with court,” she snorts, getting up from her chair to shut the blinds in her office, then lock the door, just in case, before walking over to you. “scoot over.”

you listen without a word, and as she sits, she brings you down with you. your head lands in her lap, fingers scratching at your scalp soothingly.

“she’s a bad influence on us. courtney, i mean,” you murmur, leaning into her soft touch. “getting all soft in the middle of our shift.”

“we have a break, it’s fine. and i locked the door, so who’s gonna know?” mandy shrugs, and her body melts into the cushions.

“can’t argue with that.”

the room goes quiet, occasionally broken by the soft purrs and deep sighs coming from you when mandy’s nails scratch a certain weak spots just right. your eyes are closed, but you can feel her eyes on you, studying you. taking you in as if you’ll disappear the moment she averts her eyes.

and with your eyes closed, you don’t see the conflict of battling emotions in her eyes. whatever she’s feeling, she hides behind her sweet but charming smile, from everyone. including you, as guilty as she feels. she’s wanted to have this talk for a week now, to share something that may or may not ruin what is forming into a perfect, serious relationship. it’s not mandy’s thing to lie, but she also deeply struggles with honesty. her insecurities, some that phenomaman unintentionally seeded into her head, have made her second-guess many things in her personal life.

life not defined by blonde blazer.

mandy knows you would never let things she’s done before you affect how you see her. hell, you’re one of the few understanding people in her life. you, robert, chase, and courtney – believe it or not. she’s told you things others wouldn’t accept easily, TMI that for you meant ‘tell me immediately’ rather than ‘too much information.’ you are honest, kind, and so fucking amazing to her.

but with courtney hanging around, mandy knows that sooner or later, the truth will come out. the truth about her not-so-little friends with benefits fling she’s had with her roommate in her weaker moments.

moments where the lack of anything remotely sexual frustrated her to no end.

“you should stop thinking so hard,” you suddenly speak up, eyes open, hand reaching for the spot between her eyebrows. “you always frown when you’re deep in thought. you wouldn’t want a chasm between your eyes, would you?”

“chasm?” she echoes.

“valley, gorge, crevasse… call it however you want,” your thumb smooths out the worry line between her brows, running the pad down to her cheek. “seriously, you look like you’re about to tell me i’m gonna die. stop with the frown.”

mandy scoffs, mumbling a tiny “bossy” under her breath, to which you laugh. you can’t tell what exactly is bothering her, but from experience, prying things out of someone by force has never worked.

but the way she suddenly looks like a kicked puppy concerns you. there’s a hint of guilt in her eyes, in the way her eyebrows furrow again, but why?

“seriously, did something happen?” you scoot closer to her side, hand coming behind her to rub her back in soothing motion.

you watch mandy’s mouth, opening the door closing, like a fish stuck on land. you sit there, patiently waiting, your hand still moving over her spine.

“i-“ bang! the door rattles out of the blue, startling both of you. clearly, someone’s trying to get in, and you don’t have to be a genius to know who it is.

“what the fuck?” courtney’s voice yells out from behind the locked door. “who the fuck locks their office in the middle of the day?”

you exhale through your nose, pinching the bridge of your nose. “it’s like having a really clingy cat. you can’t close the door because it’ll start scratching and hollering.”

with a snicker, mandy gets up to unlock the door, and visi practically storms in like she owns it. her eyes scan you and mandy up and down, looking for evidence of something dubious, because in her mental lexicon, something like a ‘need for privacy’ doesn’t seem to exist.

“what’s the point of locking the door if you aren’t even fucking?” she teases, boots thumping against the tiled floor until she joins you on the couch with a loud thud.

“courtney, seriously?” mandy exclaims, putting her hands on her hips.

“it was just a joke, chill out,” courtney raises her hand, smirking like a mischievous cat.

she throws a paper bag at you, then another one at mandy who barely catches it. as it hits your thighs, a sweet scent of a freshly made glazed donut fills your senses.

“granny’s?” you raise an eyebrow when you see the printed logo on the bag. “thought you got banned.”

“i’m officially unbanned. granny was getting robbed in broad daylight, and robert sent me to ‘fix’ the shit i’ve done,” courtney’s voice is laced with self-pride, like she just solved the world hunger. “took out the villain with zero damages, and after a bit of convincing, old man lifted the ban.”

“he’s gonna regret his choices the second his donuts will start disappearing,” you take a bite of the donut visi got you, and you frown at how good it tastes. “fuck, i forgot how good granny’s donuts are.”

“as good as this is, it’s not beating your cookies,” mandy says, joining you on the couch.

“fuck’s sake, keep your flirting for later,” courtney grimaces.

“no one’s flirting, court,” you mumble.

“oh yeah, because your eye-fucking isn’t obvious at all.”

“please, just be normal for a second. i beg you.”

“oh, you’re begging, huh? does mandy make you beg, too?” she looks at you with a smirk. “i bet she does.”

you push her away by the forehead, turning your head to look at mandy instead. “you still cutting people? i think we need to get rid of her.”

mandy doesn’t say anything to that, just smiles and shakes her head as if you’re both ridiculous. and as the quiet settles, with courtney scrolling on her phone and leaning against your left and mandy nuzzling your right side, the moment feels… right.

yet as right as it feels, you can’t forget the expression on mandy’s face before courtney stormed in. it weighs on your mind like a burden, anxiety coiling in the pit of your belly. you don’t want to overthink. you don’t want to be that kind of fool who makes a big deal out of nothing. you’re anything but that.

but your feelings are already messy as they are. it pisses you off more than you’ll admit. makes you feel all guilty and horrible. you’re building something strong with mandy, a woman of your dreams. she’s everything you ever wished for.

but why does your heart beat faster when courtney’s brown eyes look deeply into yours? why do your ears burn when her touch lingers innocently on your shoulders? why are you smiling so hard when you see a new gift on your desk, knowing she’s the one who put it there?

little do you know that the two women who cause you so much mental chaos and distress are no better than you.

“so… when are you planning on telling her?” courtney asks into the silence, looking at mandy from across the table, a stick from a lollipop sticking out the corner of her mouth.

mandy lets out a sigh, watching as the cream in her coffee swirls around. “don’t you think i tried? it’s just… hard, okay?”

“why? just say that we used to fuck, nothing bad is gonna happen,” courtney shrugs, like it’s the easiest thing in the world, as if it isn’t more complicated than that.

“things aren’t this easy, court. flirting is one thing, but an actual relationship depends on effort.”

“hey, take it easy,” courtney slides off the bar chair to sit next to mandy, a hand coming on the woman’s exposed shoulder. “if you think she’s going to kick you in the ass over this, you probably didn’t pay attention to how she looks at you.”

“how she looks at me?” mandy echoes, her blue eyes locking with courtney’s brown ones.

“yeah. her eyes are shiny and her smile is sickly sweet, like you hung the moon for her or some shit,” a chuckle escapes the shorter woman’s mouth, but it sounds bitter somehow.

mandy dwells on what courtney just told her, eyes flicking from the hand on her shoulder to her roommate’s face. her jaw is clenched, eyes narrowed on the mug that she definitely didn’t steal for mandy a few months ago. she’s glaring at the porcelain like she wants to explode it with the sheer power of her mind.

it reminds mandy of a spicy kitten. all that’s missing are pointy ears in airplane mode.

“she’s always staring at you with that dumbass smile that lights up her whole face, and those stupid heart eyes whenever you look at her,” with more words said, the more bitter courtney sounds, biting down on the stick in her mouth until it bends under the pressure of her teeth.

something clicks in mandy’s brain. “courtney, are you… jealous?”

“what?! no! fuck, why would i–“ courtney stammers, and it catches mandy off guard. she’s never seen her this flustered.

“hey,” she takes courtney by the hand, giving it a light squeeze. “talk to me, court.”

courtney looks down at their hands, and she squeezes back without thinking. she can’t describe how much she’s missed the feeling of mandy’s hand in hers, fingers tangled and palms rubbing against each other until they got lightly damp with sweat.

then her thoughts run back to you. all the moments spent with you, giving you small stupid things that reminded her of you. how she always finds a special tray of cookies in the break room, because you know which one she likes the most without you ever telling her. you didn’t need to listen in to know what she likes, unlike her. you just… knew, somehow.

and it’s a little scary to her. it’s scary how both you and mandy make her feel. she wants to turn off whatever settings in her fucking brain to stop it, if only for a minute, to ease the guilt of stepping into a healthy growing relationship, when she’s anything but.

she shouldn’t want both of you, and courtney wishes she could just stop feeling, but she can’t.

“i’m not jealous, okay? it’s not jealousy,” she finally speaks up after a minute of silence, which eases the slight worry in mandy’s chest. “i’m just… so fucking confused.”

“confused about what?”

“about- about how i feel about the two of you,” it’s the most honest courtney has ever been with anyone – besides robert, to some extent – and it doesn’t taste good on her tongue. she looks uncomfortable by just saying it out loud.

she squeezes mandy’s hand tighter, pulling her closer. “i want what you two have. with you. with her. both of you.”

mandy’s eyes widen, her mouth goes dry. she’s left speechless, standing like a pillar. the only thing she can do is stare, the words that repeat in her head refusing to escape.

how is she even supposed to answer, anyway? this isn’t something she anticipated. but watching courtney standing before her, playing nervously with her fingers like used to after every night spent in each other’s bed, it reignites something in her chest she’s tried to ignore.

“but she only has eyes for you. and the last thing i want is to fuck things up with her again by ruining what you two have,” courtney mutters when the silence became unbearable. “i tried to make it up to her, i fucking did. she finally doesn’t look at me like i’m… some stupid burden, and i don’t want to lose that.”

“courtney,” mandy whispers, her free hand coming to rest on the shorter woman’s shoulder. “she’s probably one of the most patient people i know, even if she denies it. she wouldn’t have forgiven you if she wasn’t.”

she trails off for a second, gathering her words. “what i’m trying to say is, she likes you. maybe not the same way you do, but she does.”

courtney nods, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips. “okay.”

“do you think we should tell her? about everything?”

“i… i guess?”

“let me text her,” mandy takes her phone from the counter, unlocking it to find your contact.

she tries to not think of how her hands tremble as she types the message, or the way her stomach flips when she hits send.

you didn’t expect mandy to text you to come over. the week has been hectic for both of you, because some asshole vanilla villain gang thought it would be funny to make your shifts a living hell. everyone was tired by the end of friday, so tired that the date you and mandy have planned has been postponed to next weekend.

so when you received a text that just said ‘wanna come over?’ you were definitely surprised. but as confused as you were, you couldn’t say no to her. even if you were worn to the bone.

the ride to mandy’s (and courtney’s) place was a long one, your eyelids heavy from the lack of proper rest. you were sure you’re seeing the road twice. but by some miracle – or the seemingly empty roads – you got to mandy’s place safe and sound.

and now here you are, knocking on their door, waiting for someone to open. the door clicks open, mandy’s head poking out with a tired smile on her face.

“hi,” she greets you softly, her toned arms wrapping around your frame in a warm, yet tight hug. “sorry to pull you out of your house at this hour.”

“it’s okay. i can’t say no to you,” you return her embrace before she pulls away, guiding you to the living room. “so… is there a reason for the sudden invite?”

“um, kind of,” mandy’s voice sounds strained all of a sudden, her eyes darting from one corner to another.

“kind of? that’s not alarming or anything,” you jab, rolling your eyes.

“okay, i won’t lie, it’s pretty important,” a sigh escapes her lips. “but let’s maybe, i don’t know, loosen up a bit first. drink a bit of wine.”

“okay, now i’m even more nervous.”

“please, don’t be.”

“you’re trying to inebriate me. a big hr violation if you ask me,” you narrow your eyes at her, teeth sinking into the insides of your cheeks to stop the laugh that’s fighting to escape.

“yeah, because what we’re doing isn’t an hr violation already,” mandy says sarcastically, and when the snicker finally rolls off your tongue, she can only snort at the sound.

as you enter the living room side by side, you’re greeted with the sight of courtney sprawled on the couch, one leg hanging off the cushion and one arm thrown over her face. she doesn’t bother getting up, not until mandy clears her throat. and when she sits up to look at you, she looks beat. exhausted is one thing, but her eyes speak volumes.

it’s not the same witty courtney you’ve spoken to yesterday, and the rest of the week. her shoulders are curled inwards, making herself smaller, knees tucked to her chest looking like a harmless doe lost in the forest.

you know courtney is anything but harmless or innocent, but it never ceases to surprise you when her eyes glisten like those of a cornered animal.

“hey,” you greet her quietly, earning a small grunt back.

“go sit down. i’ll bring the wine,” mandy says, lips pressing against yours before sending you to the couch. to courtney.

you sit beside her. from the corner of your eye, you see her scoot away from you. odd, you think. whenever you sit close together, courtney’s first instinct always seems to be to be close to you. always close to seek your warmth. to keep you around. to ensure the moment you share doesn’t end.

so when she pulls away from you, your heart squeezes in your chest. you’re not used to this distance anymore, and you despise the heavy pressure weighing on your breasts when you take notice of the gap.

“hey, is something wrong?” you try and reach for her, rub her shoulder like she does when passing by your cubicle, but she shakes your hand away.

“i’m fine,” courtney mutters, frowning down at the floorboards.

surprised, you retract your hand back. the furrow in your eyebrows grows more prominent, your teeth grinding against each other as your jaw clenches tightly. you haven’t spent weeks, months even, forming some sort of connection with her just so she can act like the same emotionally constipated moron she used to be.

but before you can throw it into her face, mandy comes back with a bottle of red wine and three glasses. you watch as she sets everything down, her eyes meeting courtney’s in a silent conversation. something they’re purposely leaving you out of. nerves lump in your throat, and no matter how hard you gulp, the feeling doesn’t go away.

“here,” mandy hands you a full glass, and you gulp it down in one go. the alcohol burns as it goes down, but it numbs that obnoxious obstacle in your throat.

“another,” you point at the bottle, ignoring how they both look at you with eyes wide open in shock.

you see mandy hesitate before pouring you another glass, and as you put it to your lips, her hand finds the stem. she pulls it away from your hand, setting it on the table before you.

“the wine is supposed to loosen up the mood, not for you to get hammered,” she stares at you scoldingly.

you don’t argue, a quiet apology leaving your lips. you deflate against the couch, mandy sitting on your left and courtney on your right. mandy is looking right at you, courtney is looking everywhere but you.

whatever is happening right now, you don’t like it. you just don’t have enough alcohol in your system to call them out on their bullshit.

“what we want to talk about… it’s complicated. and i mean, really complicated,” mandy’s words don’t make you feel any better, especially when she squeezes your hand so tightly like she’s about to tell you one of your relatives have been kidnapped.

“i can tell you’re nervous, y’know. you’re giving me those dear-in-the-headlights eyes,” she points out the look in your expression, something you aren’t even aware of.

you let out a small snort. “how can i not be?“

“i know, i know. but please, don’t be nervous,” mandy pulls herself closer, so close her face is only a few inches away from yours. “just trust me, yeah?”

she knows how to disarm you, how to calm the storm in your head. it’s scary that she’s so good at it, having your body melt to her touch like ice over flame. you nod to her words, not trusting your voice.

a smile forms on mandy’s lips, and she leans in to give you a small kiss to your temple. and boom, you’re a puddle in her grasp. with a snap of a finger.

the mood settles into a calm hum. very much charged still, but the anxiety doesn’t tug at your nerves anymore at least. you drink slowly, and one glass become three. you and mandy grow warmer, far from tipsy, but intoxicated enough to feel the heat in your body.

only courtney is behind. she nurses the first glass still, barely taking a sip. she’s barely spoken a word, and it’s been over an hour since you came. you sometimes catch her looking at mandy, her eyes narrowed and clearly nervous. like she’s waiting for the right moment to say something, but stops herself whenever you look at her.

it slowly eats at you, being kept in the dark by both of the women. hardly can you hide the impatience growing in you, and it’s clear from the way your leg bounces. a habit you’ve never really grown out of.

so you thank whoever is up there when mandy finally clears her throat, her expression serious.

“me and courtney, we… we have something to tell you. i have something to tell you,” she downs the droplet of wine at the bottom of the glass before she can continue. “i’ve tried to tell you almost everyday, but something always came into it, and i was scared to bring it up after.”

she looks at you, waiting for a signal that you’re listening. you nod, encouraging her to continue. “what we have together, i appreciate it every single day i wake up,” she smiles at you, soft and real. “and i think it’s only fair that i’m honest about everything, even if it’s gonna be… a harder pill to swallow.”

“me and courtney… we used to sleep together,” mandy finally says after letting the silence stretch, watching as your jaw drops.

you expected a lot of things. a sad lump in your fucked up brain expected a break up, as awful as it made you feel. but this? this is far from what you have expected.

your eyes flick back and forth between them, gauging their reactions. for a second you think they’re pulling your leg for shits and giggles, but when neither of them laugh, not even utter a word, you realize that mandy means it.

“you two… slept together?” you point at both of them.

“yeah,” mandy nods, glancing away from you. “it just happened, when i was dating phenomaman. our relationship was… far from ideal. he was sweet, but too naive, and teaching him everything was exhausting. he was exhausting,” she sighs. “when it happened, me and courtney just went out for a drink, to drown out the frustration…”

“…but one thing led to another, and we ended up sleeping together,” she finally look at you, fear glimmering in her blue eyes with unshed tears.

you look back at courtney, who hasn’t said a word yet. she just listens, eyebrows still furrowed and lips jutted out in a frown-like pout. she’s closed herself off in her own bubble, walls built high, and you don’t know how to break through them.

“i, uhm… i can’t say i expected that,” you chuckle shakily, reaching for the half-empty glass of wine, and you down the rest before continuing. “i don’t really know what to say, mandy.”

“i get it, it’s a lot,” she reassures you, putting a hand on your forearm, and she sighs in relief when you don’t pull away. “i won’t be angry if you want to… end things.”

“what?! mandy, no. i never said i wanted to end things,” you interrupt before she can continue, tangling your hand with hers. “things happen. we weren’t together at that time, so it’s not… my business.”

you’d be a hypocrite to blame her for what’s happened in the past. you love mandy, but there’s a part of you – a chaotic part of you – that feels something for courtney. you don’t know if it’s love or infatuation, because over the months you’ve known her, the last thing you expected was catching feelings to the woman you sort of resented month prior.

“i guess i should… say something too,” you swallow the once-again growing lump obstructing your throat.

“yeah? what is it?” mandy’s voice, as soft as it is, makes you feel even worse, guilt gnawing at your heart.

“i don’t know how it happened, and i can’t say i really understand it, but–“ you look between them, then down at the floor. “–i fell for both of you.”

silence. not even a peep to what you just said. it feels like a slap to your face. “i know it’s stupid, and fuck, i wish i knew how to control it, or get rid of it. i don’t sleep, because my feelings are all over the place,” you ramble, the wine in your system speaking for you. “fuck, i’m sorry. i’m so sorry.”

face buried in your hands, you let out a quiet, quivering sob into your palms. your heart feels heavy, your body aches and your eyes sting with tears you try to keep in. you can’t look at them, because the idea of being judged or hated in a worse case scenario makes you dizzy. and not the good kind of dizzy.

with your face hidden, you don’t see courtney’s face lighting up, or mandy’s lips curling up in a soft smile. not until she peels yours hands away, so hers can cup your face. you’ve expected to find a trace of disappointment, maybe anger. and yet, you find nothing of the sort. just amusement, affection.

“funny you say that, cause that’s the reason we invited you over,” she chuckles. “right, courtney?”

“yeah,” courtney’s breath brushes against your ear, making you shiver before her head pokes over your shoulder. “seems like we aren’t the only one who’s a little…”

“confused?” mandy smiles at her.

“i was thinking ‘fucked in the head’, but i guess that works too,” courtney’s hand finds your knee, and mandy’s follows suit, both women sandwiching you.

“what‘s happening?” you whisper.

“something crazy, i think,” mandy pulls you close, her lips brushing against yours.

she kisses you before you can say anything, slow and tender. she’s being as gentle as you know her, but dominating in a way that knocks air out of your lungs. mandy’s hand, the one on your knee, travels to your waist, holding you tight.

mandy pulls away to catch a breath, turning you to face courtney. you watch as her pupils dilate, black swallowing the brown irises. your breath hitches when she leans closer, warm breath fanning against yours drool slick lips, but never coming too close to taste her. her gaze flicks between your mouth, then your eyes, waiting for your approval.

you nod, the tiniest of pleas rolling off your tongue, and that’s when she snaps. her mouth slams against your own, claiming and taking, not letting you breathe. a complete opposite of the gentle kiss mandy and you had. courtney desperately takes what she needs, moans and whimpers vibrating against your tongue.

mandy’s lips find your shoulder, planting gentle kisses against the exposed skin. they both work in perfect rhythm, playing with your body like it’s an instrument, pulling sounds out of your mouth you forgot you can make.

“oh fuck,” you gasp out when courtney finally pulls away from you, only to lean down to kiss at the sensitive spot of your neck.

“do you wanna continue?” mandy murmurs against you collarbone, fingers tugging at the buttons of your shirt.

“mandy, i’ll fucking explode if you stop now,” you groan, making both women smile at each other. they didn’t plan this, but hell, they sure know how to make you a mess.

mandy’s fingers work on your buttons, undoing them one by one until the fabric falls and slips off your body. you shrug it off, not caring where it lands as they continue drowning you in kisses.

“should we take it to the bedroom?” courtney asks, both pulling away from you – much to your dismay.

“good idea,” mandy grins, breathless and messy, grabbing you by the wrist to guide you to her bedroom.

she kicks the door open, the handle slamming against the wall, but neither of you care. all you care about is feeling their bodies close, as clothes fly on the floor piece by piece until you’re all in your underwear only.

mandy’s lips crash against courtney’s, trapping her between you and her. you’d never guess that courtney is so easily desperate, her load mewls and groans filling the room as your hands run over her body, carefully missing the augments. you cup her tits in your cold palms, feeling her shiver against you, goosebumps appearing on her overheated skin.

“didn’t peg you to be so sensitive,” you whisper into her ear when mandy parts from the kiss, kneading and gently squeezing her boobs, feeling as her nipples pebble against your cold palms.

“oh yeah? i bet you wanna peg me so ba– oh shit!” courtney yelps when you pinch her left nipple, eyes wide and mouth agape, perfect for you to slide your fingers into her mouth.

she eagerly sucks at your point and middle fingers, muffled moans escaping her as she coats the skin with drool. mandy’s mouth finds the neglected nipple, her mouth wrapping around it.

you’ve never seen anything hotter than the sight before you.

“tell me, court,” you slide your fingers out of her mouth, trailing the hand down to the hem of her panties. “what do you want me to do, hm?”

she barely registers what you just said, her attention fully focused on mandy’s mouth suckling on her sensitive tits. even when she looks at you, her eyes are glazed with unshed tears, lips tremble with sheer need for something. something both you and mandy are denying her.

“you, please… want you,” she whimpers, leaning closer to pepper kisses along your jawline, acting like a complete mess.

“lie down for us,” mandy lays her down on the mattress when you move away, and she lies beside her while you shift down between her already spread legs.

lying on your stomach, you hook your finger into the waistband, sliding the underwear down her legs. once they’re off, you throw them on the floor with the rest of your clothes, eyes trained on the wet mess between her thighs.

“so much talk for someone who’s so easily soaked,” you tease, kissing above the patch of trimmed hair. “is she always this wet?”

“mhm,” mandy hums against courtney’s jaw, a grin stretching on her kiss-swollen lips. “she’s a… how’d you say it? a gusher.”

you laugh at that, and it earns you a light nudge from courtney as her sole gently meets your side. clearly she doesn’t like being teased.

“can’t handle a bit of teasing?” you smirk.

“fuck off,” she grumbles, face warm and eyebrows furrowed.

“alright, i’ll stop. just stop with that frowning of yours,” you kiss her thigh as an apology, mouth going lower and lower until your tongue dives between her folds.

you lick and suck on her cunt like it’s your last meal, pulling all kinds of loud noises from her – moans, pleas, mewls. thighs squeeze at your ears, fingers tangle in your hair and tug at the roots until it makes you hiss and your scalp pulse.

as you eat courtney out, mandy’s lips are near her ear, whispering sweet praises that make the other quiver and sob pathetically.

“good girl, taking it so well.”

“you sound so pretty, bet it feels so good.”

“look at her as she eats you out.”

you can’t even describe how wet mandy’s words get you. your underwear is soaked through, sticking to you uncomfortably, but you’re determined to bring courtney to the edge. you don’t need to get up to breathe when all you want is to taste her.

mandy’s eyes lock with yours, and she looks at you with so much affection it makes your back arch against the bed. you’re getting so sensitive, so overwhelmed, you might even cry yourself. and no one’s even touched you yet.

“come for me, please,” you mumble against courtney’s clit, mouth wrapping around the bundle of nerves as your fingers slide inside her.

her body starts to flicker, turning invisible with each breath she holds in as the orgasm builds. it’s strange to watch her disappear on you when you’re tongue deep in her pussy, but it’s endearing to watch, in a strange way, knowing you make her this sensitive.

“oh fuck, i’m- i’m-“ with a loud moan, the coil in her belly snaps, her juices squirting into your mouth and soaking your chin.

you help courtney ride off her orgasm until her hands grasp at your head, yanking you up to kiss you deeply. she licks her own release off, wheezing into your mouth, not bothering to catch a breath.

“hey, hey,” despite her silent protests, you pull away from her, getting up from the bed to find her inhaler. you rummage through the mess of clothes before you find what you need, joining the two women back on the bed.

you tilt courtney’s head, popping the inhaler open and bringing it to courtney’s lips. you squeeze once until it hisses, watching as she inhales. you put the inhaler on the bedside table as she holds her breath, watching as her breathing slowly calms. it eases the worry tugging at your chest.

“rest up for a moment, yeah?” mandy whispers to courtney, rubbing gentle circles at her sternum.

“so you can fuck without me, huh? no, no fucking way,” she tries to pry herself from your and mandy’s grasps, but you push her on the mattress, using enough force to keep her there.

“you’re taking a break, okay? i don’t wanna hear it,” your stern voice makes her gasp, and you can she her hesitating before she begrudgingly agrees. “good girl,” you kiss her cheek.

when you pull away, you look at her, at the augments. she always tries to hide them from you, whenever you were in the showers together. but now you can see them, red light faintly glowing against her skin.

you and mandy share a look, a silent communication. whatever needs to be done, you’ll get those things off her body and find a better alternative. you know mandy will do everything in her power, blonde blazer or not, to make it happen.

“stop staring at them,” courtney’s voice pulls you away from your thoughts, her arms coming to cover herself up.

but you and mandy are faster, grabbing at her wrists to stop her. you both kiss her near the augments, watching her stomach clench at the sudden contact. neither of you comment on them, knowing it’s a sensitive topic, but each kiss you plant near the device is an apology for gawking at them.

mandy pulls away first, cupping courtney’s face in her hand. “rest up for us, court.”

and courtney doesn’t argue, just nods as she watches you crawl towards mandy.

you straddle her thigh, closing the distance between you. the tip of your nose brushes against hers, breaths mingling together. it’s intimate, sweet, even if your clit is begging for some attention.

“can’t believe this is our first time,” you whisper to her, chuckling when her cheeks redden at the realization.

“shit, you’re right.”

“how long do you think we’ll be able to keep this a secret, boss?” you ask her, fingertips toying with the lacy band of her panties.

“hopefully, as long as possible. i don’t want to explain to the hr that we’re… whatever the hell we are,” she huffs, surprisingly calm despite your fingers slipping beneath the fabric of her underwear.

“i doubt the said hr exists at this point,” you mumble, working her underwear down her legs.

“it very much exists, just so you know. they just choose to ignore us. for now, at least.

“hm, good to know.”

mandy helps you get her underwear off before taking yours off, both pieces dropping on the floor. you shift on top of her until you press your pussy against hers, rolling your hips back and forth.

the sensation of her clit rubbing against yours makes your eyes roll back, breathy moans filling the room. mandy curses beneath you, gripping at your hip to help you move. her hold is strong and firm, squeezing at the flesh whenever you hit the right angle, surely leaving a handprint. you can’t deny that the idea of being marked up all over from mandy and courtney and coming to work like that doesn’t turn you on.

“shit,” mandy gasps, her head falling back against the pillow. “keep going, honey. so good for me.”

her praises have you trembling against her, your hips moving faster. your moans grow louder, voice getting higher in ways that sounds foreign to your ears. and mandy isn’t any better under you. she’s moving against you, squelching sounds of your arousals echoing in the room as the slick drips down on the sheets.

the scene is downright filthy, the way both of you are lost in the sensation as your cunt rubs against mandy’s in desperate rhythm. and with how she’s looking at you, you could come right then and there. not only a week ago, you were only dreaming of how she’d look like during sex, imagining her in all sorts of ways.

but none of your thoughts and dreams can beat the reality.

“i’m close,” you hiss through your teeth, digging your nails into her thigh.

“me too,” she groans loudly, propping herself on her elbow to move faster against you.

it takes little for you to finally reach your peak, mandy’s name rolling off your tongue as the force of your orgasm washes over you like a tidal wave. she falls apart right after, hand tangling in your hair to pull you down for a kiss.

she bites and licks at your mouth, panting against your tongue. her kisses are messy, all tongue and teeth, and it turns you on to no end.

but no matter how much you want to kiss her, the need to breathe wins over and you’re forced to pull away. gasping, you turn where courtney should be lying, except she’s not. the spot is empty, and she’s nowhere to be found. both of you look around the room, worry etched into a line between your brows.

“courtney?” you call out, waiting for response. you wait, but nothing comes.

“where the hell is she?” mandy sighs, putting her hands on your hips to gently lift you off of her.

just as she’s about to push away, a pair of arms wrap tightly around your waist. none other than courtney’s. she kisses at your shoulder blades, fingers running over your stomach in random shapes.

“since you ate me out so good, i think it’s only fair i fuck you just as good,” she grins against your skin, her hips bumping against yours.

only then you feel something cold and wet poking at your inner thigh. a silicone cock, slick with lube, attached to a harness buckled on her hips. solid seven inches, intimidatingly thick by your standards.

“when did you-“

“sneaked out into my room while you two were busy bumping each other’s pussies,” courtney interrupts you before you can finish the question. “never thought i’d see the two of you so into it.”

she slowly pulls you away from mandy, until your ass is hanging off the edge of the bed and courtney is standing behind you, rubbing the tip of her strap against your puffy clit. you mewl from the cool feeling of the lube-drenched silicone, balling the sheets into your fists.

“can’t you just fucking put it in?” you whimper, looking back at her over your shoulder.

“so impatient,” she rolls her eyes at you, landing a light smack to your ass cheek. she looks at mandy, winking and beckoning her close.

mandy wordlessly settles in front of you, legs spread open and pussy next to your face. you clench around nothing when she puts her hand at the back of your head, pulling you to her until your tongue flicks out against her hole.

“oh yeah, make mandy feel good,” courtney coos at you, finally slipping the length into your sopping cunt.

you moan against mandy’s clit, sending shivers through both of you while courtney fills you slowly. inch by inch until she bottoms out, giving you time to adjust to the stretch.

“fuck, you’re practically sucking my dick into your pussy,” she laughs at the sight, parting your lips just so she can see the dildo disappearing into you. “wish you could see it, mandy.”

mandy laughs between moans. “yeah?”

“yeah. she’s taking it so well,” courtney finally begins moving, setting a nice, slow rhythm at first to enjoy the sight. “she’s good with her tongue, isn’t she? made me see stars with her mouth.”

“she’s so good. so pretty between my legs,” mandy nods, eyes focused on you as she caresses your hair, but never pushing you down further.

they talk about you as if you weren’t here, as if they weren’t taking you apart. the pleasure is overwhelming your senses, leaving you utterly fucked out and desperate. your tongue delves deeper into mandy’s cunt, lapping at her juices like she is the only thing keeping you alive.

she praises you so sweetly, each sweet compliment going straight to your core, your walls squeezing around courtney’s thick strap. she moans behind you each time your pussy convulses, and you could almost believe she can feel it. she’s vocal even when giving, her moans louder than your and mandy’s combined.

“fuck,” she whimpers, pressing her tits against your back.

her arms wrap tightly around your waist, one hand finding your throbbing clit while the other stays put on your tummy. and when the silicone brushes your cervix, you nearly shatter here and there.

“fucking love this pussy. could fuck it all day long,” courtney mutters, licking at the skin of your shoulder. “don’t come yet. make mandy feel good first.”

and you do. any sane thought left in your brain is focused on eating mandy out, sucking, licking and spitting at her cunt until your spit mixes with her arousal in sweet concoction. her moans grow louder, and she loses the remaining strength in her arms, dropping back against the mattress.

“yes, oh yes! oh, shit!” mandy’s gasps fill your ears as she finally comes all over your face, grinding her pussy against your mouth to prolong the pleasure. and you let her use you however she wishes.

you whine in protest when she pulls away, but before you can move, courtney manages to flip you over on your back. cupping the back of your knees, she pushes them apart as far as they go, all while she continues to drill her cock into your drenched pussy.

“courtney, oh fuck,” you moan, loud and needy.

mandy crawls to the edge of the bed, taking courtney’s face in her hand. she pulls her in, their lips tangling in a desperate kiss, leaving you to watch. not that you mind, anyway. you are happy where you where, getting fucked silly by courtney’s strap as they kiss before you. you are where you want to be.

the pleasure gets harder to resist the closer you’re to the edge. your muscles tighten, body trembling beneath them. and based on courtney’s sloppy, unrhythmic thrusts, you can tell she’s not far from reaching her orgasm.

she pulls away from mandy’s lips, her weight dropping on top of yours. she uses all of her strength to push you higher on the mattress as she kneels between your legs, skin rubbing against skin. she’s wrapped around you, like the mere thought of letting you go right now will break her. she’s close to sobbing into your shoulder, kissing and biting on the sensitive skin. leaving marks that you’ll have to deal with later.

“courtney, i– i’m gonna…” your brain is mush by this point, to the point where talking feels like a challenge.

“me too,” she nods into the crook of your neck, pulling away to slam her lips against yours.

tangled in each other’s embrace, with mandy’s sweet voice whispering sweet nothings to both of you, your orgasm finally crashes over you. courtney follows suit, thrusting the strap deep into your cunt and filling you up.

all three of you look beyond exhausted, and you don’t bother cleaning up when you all end up in a huge pile of limbs and sweaty bodies. courtney is slumped on top of mandy, and you’re pressed to mandy’s side, breathing contently after what just happened between you. it will surely complicate things somewhat, but that is not what either of you want to think about.

even if you’re confused, this feels right. and you wouldn’t change it.

“i was thinking,” courtney speaks up, drawing random shapes against mandy’s chest. “how does vacation sound?”

“really good, i won’t lie,” mandy smiles.

“hmm,” you mumble, half asleep against mandy’s shoulder.

“we could travel somewhere, just the three of us. do what we want, visit what we want… fuck as much as we want,” courtney chuckles at the last part, and mandy smacks the back of her head lightly.

it’s comical how offended courtney looks at the other woman, like she’s just stole money from her wallet.

“where would we go, though?” mandy gently rubs at the spot she hit on courtney’s head, and you watch as she melts into her.

“don’t know… tahiti?” you mumble.

“paris sounds nice.”

“we’ll work on the decision making later,” courtney sighs, clearly too tired to think about anything else besides a good night’s rest.

one by one, you fall asleep, cuddled against each other under a warm blanket.

and before the sleep fully takes over you, you feel fingers caressing your cheek, touch light and careful.

the last thing you remember is courtney’s voice, whispering something to you and mandy without expecting an answer, taking advantage of the quiet moment to be freely vulnerable.

just like sevika had said, she truly became your regular. her visits became a regular occurrence. she would visit without any announcement, her never-ending need for you begging to be satisfied. none of the girls at babette’s had what you have, and sevika found herself fully hooked after her second visit. you were more addicting than shimmer, and she needed you like a dose of it.

it was a routine for her. she would show up in a the club to first watch you dance, get herself riled up just how she needs it, sitting stiffly right in front of the stage to have a better view of you. she was teasing herself (more like torturing,) the delicious sight of you dancing while barely wearing anything filling her mind with the memories of her previous visits.

she can feel your every touch, every stroke of your tongue on her heated skin, every brush of your soft fingers. everything lingers on her skin like burn marks only she can see.

she has to fight back the urge to let out a low groan whenever your eyes met as you swayed around the pole, your intense gaze sending jolts straight into her cunt. you were her sweet treat, one that she craved on a daily basis.

you have ruined her in all the best possible ways.

tonight is not any different. sevika is sitting on the soft plush chair before the stage, nursing a glass of whisky as she waits for you to appear in the bright spotlight. she barely acknowledges the girl that’s currently running her hands over her body, cupping and squeezing her breasts, something that makes all the men around sevika salivate and howl like a pack of hungry wolves.

she isn’t here for anyone else but you, and she cannot wait until you show up.

once the music stops and the announcer’s voice echoes through the room, singing his praises to the girl leaving the stage before announcing your stage name. cherry. the fake name rings in her head oh so beautifully, like the soft hum of the music she has heard a thousand times while fucking you.

sevika’s attention is all on you when you appear from behind the satin curtain, like a puppy called by her owner. it is almost pathetic how easily you have her attention, but fuck… she really could not care less. not when she gets to have you after every performance.

you confidently make your way to the center of the stage, your body on perfect display as it is only clad in matching lingerie. it barely covers anything, just how sevika likes it. she knows that while you are showing off for more people than her, she takes great pride knowing that only she can truly enjoy you.

your eyes meet hers, and your face lights up with excitement. her presence gives you an indescribable surge of energy, a new sense of passion for what you’re doing.

you are not sure if it is just the fantastic sex with her that makes you feel so alive, or if it is her that makes life surge through your veins. either way, you know that whenever sevika shows up, you will give her your all, and then some more in the salon just for her.

you dance on the stage in front of all those people, room mostly filled with men who have nothing better to do than wasting their money to watch women they will never touch, but all your attention is on sevika.

your performance is devoted to her, all your playful grins and winks, every single moment. it is all hers. you are all hers.

your and sevika’s obvious eye-fucking is ignored by all, which is something you are grateful for, because it gives you so much room to tease her without people realizing. they will never know that all those erotic touches are not for them, and you prefer it that way.

in a slow but tantalizing manner, your hands let go of the pole and you quickly drop down to your knees, your chest nearly spilling out of the skimpy lace bra at the impact of your body dropping on the stage floor. you spread your legs, giving sevika the perfect view of your clothed pussy. you can see the way her eyes darken and her hips roll upwards to adjust herself in the seat, the cloth of her cloak falling to the side just a bit to give you a nice sight of her crotch.

a smirk makes its way to your lips when you crawl towards the edge of the stage until you had a perfect view of her up close. you are calling out to her with your body, moving like a siren, ready to trap your prey.

halfway through your routine, your eyes fall down, catching a sight of a bulge in her pants, and it takes everything in you not to let out a gasp, or a curse, or both.

sevika notices your subtle reaction to her not-so-little toy, and she can’t help but smirk. she was keeping it hidden to surprise you later, to show you the strap she decided to wear for tonight just to fuck you silly, but now that you have noticed, it will be a missed opportunity not to give you a payback for the way you have been toying with her throughout your performance.

her flesh hand glides from the armrest of the seat, over the muscles of her thick thigh until her hand is right on the clothed bulge of the silicone toy that’s hiding in her pants. she cups it, giving it a gentle rub up and down as if to tell you that it’s going to be all yours later, and she has oh, so many great ideas on how to use it on you. multiple scenarios flash in her mind as she watches you, and she can tell you aren’t any better.

if you weren’t before an audience doing your job, you’re more than sure you would be off that stage and perched on sevika’s lap like a trophy while she’d help you bounce on her. you can’t wait until the song ends and you will be able to leave backstage, knowing full well she has already paid your boss to have you for herself. but until you are able to get away, you’ll make sure to please sevika’s eyes, just like you always do.

all those feral thoughts of what is to come make your moves livelier, wilder even. the cheers coming from the men get louder and their comments get dirtier, yet all you can think about is how sevika looks at you, the way she reacts. it’s subtle, nearly impossible to catch if you don’t pay attention, but you know well enough to tell just how much she loves it. she isn’t an easy-to-please woman, but there is something on you that makes her go crazy. something she can’t quite name, but dear janna if she doesn’t love it.

the glass in her hand nearly breaks when you get back up on your heels clad feet, running your hands over the length of the back of your thighs to your ass. you squeeze the flesh tightly until your nails dig into the skin, and that is enough for sevika to let out a low grunt. if the plastic inside of her pants was a real dick, it would be twitching uncontrollably by now.

you have her under her spell, and you take it to your advantage.

the last few moments pass and your performance is finally over. you wave to the audience before quickly disappearing behind the curtain, rushing backstage to make your way to the salon where sevika is surely waiting by now. you feel like a teenage girl with a crush with the way your heart is racing and your knees feel like jelly. you have to take a few deep breaths to steady yourself, because you’re sure you will pass out if you don’t calm down.

it’s just sex; the best sex you’ve ever had, in all honesty. your excitement should be justified by whoever is going to see you in this state. you’re definitely not the only woman to fall for sevika’s imposing character, and certainly not the first to yearn for her like a bitch in heat.

finally you stand before the fluffy, heavy curtains, the only thing that separates you and sevika now. you grab the fabric and spread it open, your eyes instantly falling on sevika’s sitting form.

“hi there,” you purr, shutting the curtains behind you.

sevika smirks as she watches you step closer until you stand between her parted legs, her real hand finding its way on the small of your back.

“looking good, cherry,” she smirks, her long fingers sneaking under the waistband of your thong.

she pulls you down on her lap, and you smash your lips against hers. you’re eager, hungry to feel every inch of her with your mouth or your hands. with right hand setting on the nape of her neck, your left hand travels down her body until it settles on the buckle of her belt. before you can unfasten it to free the silicone dildo from her pants, the coldness of her metal hand stops you.

“be patient, pretty,” her teeth pull on your bottom lip, pinching it gently before releasing it. “you’ll get what you want soon.”

you whine and huff, your wrists held tightly in the metal grip of sevika’s hand. she has used it on you every visit, using it in ways you can still feel. the hand that held you down when you squirmed too much, pinned your wrists down when you tested her patience, held it to your neck like a warning. never pushing down, never choking. just a silent ‘enough.’

so even if you tried to wriggle out of her grasp, you have no chance. not that you want to escape.

you love to be under her control.

“you know where i want you,” sevika commands, flesh arm setting on your shoulder to push you to the carpeted floor before you can so much as bend your knees.

only then she lets your wrists go, and she nods to her pants, waiting. she does not need to speak for you to understand, your hands are already on her belt, and a moment later you are tearing the pants off of her. your nails dig into the fabric so hard you can feel the tiniest rips beneath your fingers, but sevika seems unperturbed.

her steely eyes are set on you and nothing else. it would be almost scary if your panties were not soaked through, being the center of her undivided attention.

feeling cocky, you let your teeth sink into the meat of her thigh, hard enough to leave an imprint. sevika hisses above you, but not out of pain. her hips twitch upwards, her muscles tense up. she enjoys it.

only you get to mark her flesh with blooming hickeys and love-bites.

“good,” was all that has left her mouth, warm fingers wrapping around the back of your neck. she pushes your head up, letting you feel the thickness of the strap she hides beneath her boxers.

you look up at her, unblinking as you bite the waistband of sevika’s underwear, and you slowly slide them down. the faux cock is soon standing proud, big and intimidating. perfect for a woman like sevika.

“i forgot to bring lube,” sevika’s lips curl up, clearly lying about forgetting it. “wet it with your mouth, cherry.”

“oh, i’m wet enough for you,” you quip, reciprocating her smile. “but if that’s what you want… who am i to deny you?”

saliva gathers at your tongue as you hover over the tip of the silicone, the pink muscle poking out of your mouth. the spit dribbles down on the tip, running down the shaft, all the way to the base.

there is no way you can take the whole thing down. it’s too big, too thick. but that is the last thing you are thinking of when you slowly suck at the tip, cheeks hollowing and tongue swirling like it’s a sweet treat.

sevika groans above you, low and raspy. it almost makes you think she can feel it, with how tight she grabs onto your head, her own head falling back against the hot pink couch.

she looks so fucking sexy like this.

the mere sight of her gets you working harder, letting out sounds that would unsettle even the most skilled sex worker. slurping, spitting, gagging. the sounds bounce around the ridiculously thin walls, and anyone who dares to walk by the curtains will surely hear just what is happening here.

but all that you can focus on is sevika’s cock in your mouth, and by the unholy noises sevika is letting out, she is not any better.

“oh, fuck yeah. look so pretty with your mouth full,” she rasps, breathless and panting, laughing at the sight of you.

she pushes your head further down, sneering down at you with a dangerous furrow in her eyebrows. a chuckle escapes her throat when you sputter and gag around the base, and she holds you there until you tap her thigh.

she lets go and your head springs up, coughing and gasping for air. tears stream down your face, mixing with saliva that runs down your chin. whatever makeup you had for your performance was long gone, leaving you an absolute mess.

if only there was a mirror so you could see yourself in it.

seeing the state you are in, sevika swipes her thumb over your chin, gathering the spit on her finger. “hm, so messy.”

her massive hand lands a smack on your cheek, the sound ringing in your ears. you hardly feel any sting, but the way she pats your cheek really gets you going. it’s light, but mocking. like you are just a little toy for her to play around with.

“come on, cherry. get up. give me a show,” her forefinger curls under your chin, lifting your head up so you can do nothing but get up.

she pulls you up until you sit on her thigh, your pussy warm and wet against her skin. she groans at the same time you whimper, her metal hand finding its place on the fat of your hip to help you grind against her.

you whine in protest. the friction between your clothed cunt and her thigh is not nearly enough to satisfy you, your mind set only on the thick strap she keeps promising you. but when your mouth opens to protest, she doubles down, pressing you harder against the muscle.

the pressure to your clit has your eyes rolling back, even through the thin fabric of your panties. breathy whimpers fill the salon, and your head drops down to sevika’s shoulder to muffle the increasing volume of the sounds you are letting out.

“let me hear you, cherry,” sevika’s voice caresses your ear, warm against your sensitive skin. “wanna hear how good i’m fucking you.”

her flesh hand slides down to the meat of your ass, squeezing the flesh until it burns, and her fingers leave marks on your skin. she is getting impatient, wanting nothing but to see you take her cock, to watch as the length disappears inside you. but seeing you tremble as your first orgasm is approaching is a feeling like no other to her.

and all because she has you grinding on her thigh like a bitch in heat.

“come for me,” she whispers into your ear, pulling on your earlobe with her teeth. “make a mess on my thigh, pretty girl.”

with a strangled noise, your juices gush over sevika’s thigh through the thin fabric of your panties, orgasm hitting you with full force. your entire body is shaking when you crumble into her arms, your panting muffled into her neck.

her fingers dance along the curves of your body, the contrast between warm flesh and cool metal strangely comforting. she is being gentler than usual, letting you calm down after the intensity of your first orgasm of the night.

you know she won’t let you go that easy. this is the calm before the storm.

but who are you to refuse a tender touch?

you feel sevika trail her warm hand up your body, fingers tracing your spine ever so gently. you can barely believe this is the same woman who had you screaming her name, made sure you were sore whenever she got her hands on you, made you come hard each time she fucked you.

by now, you would have expected to be flipped on your hands and knees, ass in the air with her cock kissing your cervix with each powerful thrust. but no.

she is slow with it today, though whether she’s doing this to tease you, you cannot tell. no words leave your mouth when sevika carefully sets you down on the couch, hovering above you with an unreadable expression. the furrow between her eyebrows deepens, then loosens just as quickly, as if contemplating something.

it makes you just a little nervous. sevika rarely lets the moment linger, being the no-nonsense woman she is. she prefers what you two have, something that doesn’t really have a name, but it isn’t a relationship.

your mouth opens when she stays still for too long, but your words are swallowed by her lips against yours. she kisses you like she needs to consume you whole, hungry for the taste of your mouth, all tongue and spit and teeth. it’s messy, downright filthy, but you have never had someone kissing you this way. like you’re the only life source.

sevika nearly tears the lingerie off you with how fast her hands work. your bra goes first, tossing it across the glittery room without a care. then come your ruined panties. the fabric covering your slit is soaked through, sticky as her thumb runs over it. they soon join the bra on the floor, her focus back on you.

she moves her kisses lower, descending to your neck, lingering on your tits. tongue flicking over your pebbled nipple, sevika groans into your skin, sucking the bud into her mouth. you moan at the same time as she groans again, arms wrapping around her head as you practically smother her into your chest.

the noises surrounding you are getting louder, intense and unhinged. there’s no doubt someone can hear, but they either don’t care, or they are just too afraid to try and interrupt the sevika when she’s busy.

busy fucking you.

your tits are sore by the time sevika is done, tender skin covered in bite marks and not so small hickeys. no makeup will be able hide the evidence of your time with silco’s second-in-command.

it’s like she has done it on purpose. she is marking you as hers, even if you perform for many others. no one else can have you, only sevika can.

and she’d be damned if someone touched you like she does.

you wait for her to make a move, her hands running down to grip your plush thighs. she squeezes them, metal and flesh digging into your skin, staking her claim on you. she pushes your legs back until your knees touch your chest, and you quickly understand what she wants from you.

your hands exchange hers, and she pulls away, her hands coming to strip her clothes off herself.

if there is something sevika has never done before, it was getting fully naked during sex. she usually kept her top on, left her pants still hanging on her ankle whenever you were eating her out. she was never truly naked in front of you.

until now. and by the gods, do you love the sight.

her body is exposed all for you, her dark skin shining under the bright light of the salon. she is simply beautiful right now, bare and vulnerable just for you to see.

she settles back on the couch and leans into you, skin rubbing against skin. sevika’s eyes never stray from yours as her right hand grips the slick silicone, aligning the tip to your entrance. her hips roll back and forth before finally pushing in, knocking a breath out of your lungs when she buried her cock all the way to the base in one go.

the stretch is uncomfortable, and even with how wet you are, it still burns. it’s a mixture of pleasure and pain, and it has you writhing under her large frame.

“look at that. swallowed my cock whole,” she whispers against your cheek without looking at the mess between your legs, running her lips to your neck.

a minute or two passes, and sevika has not moved yet. your muscles are beginning to loosen, and you are ready to be fucked into next week. you roll your hips up, grinding up against her, and she doesn’t wait much after that.

her flesh hand goes up to cradle the back of your head, the metal one grabbing your waist, before finally moving her hips against yours. you moan under her, limbs wrapping tightly around her body as if she will disappear if you let go.

“that’s it, pretty girl,” sevika’s voice sends shivers down your spine as it brushes against your ear, marking your skin with light kisses and nibbles.

it’s the gentlest sevika has ever been with you. her pace is slow and measured, her breathing labored against your skin as she gradually takes you to your second orgasm of the day. you cannot see her face, she’s not letting you, keeping you tightly wrapped in her hold so you can barely move besides your arms and legs.

“fuck, vika!” you let out a yelp when the head of the strap presses against your cervix, tickling it. “so… so fucking deep.”

“yeah? you like it, cherry?”

“love it,” you cry out, and it’s all for sevika to finally get rough with you, going from zero to a hundred without breaking a sweat.

“then fucking take it.”

you can barely control the noises that escape your mouth, not when sevika is finally fucking you stupid like she’s used to. your walls flutter around the silicone each time the tip strokes against that sweet spot inside you, the sounds of skin slapping against skin that fill your ears go straight into your sensitive clit.

you barely feel her arms slip away from your body until the warmth of her body leaves you as well, and you whine in protest. you want her close tonight, hell you might even cry for her if she won’t hold you like she did just now.

sevika laughs at you when you shoot your arms up, taking your wrists in her hand and pinning them to your stomach. she stares down at you, drilling into your wet pussy, watching as your body bounces with every thrust of her hips.

your head is thrown back now, eyes rolled back and mouth opened as you whimper and sob in pure pleasure. sevika cannot take her eyes off you looking like a sin, a temptation she cannot fight for too long.

she wants to keep you to yourself, away from others who might want to take you from her, and that scares her shitless.

“gonna… gonna come,” you cry out, writhing under her to chase your nearing orgasm.

hearing your words, sevika suddenly pulls out of you, leaving your pussy uncomfortably empty and wet. a sob escapes you when the knot forming in your belly disappears, eyes glassy and lips quivering.

“why’d you stop?” you mutter, legs wrapping around her hips to pull her back.

of course she doesn’t let you do that. she pins your legs up to your chest, smirking down at your broken expression. she loves when you’re a mess just for her.

sevika doesn’t answer, and she doesn’t need to. with one hand, she nearly rips the harness off her hips before flipping you two over so she has you on top of her. she handles you like a rag doll, flipping you and moving you as she wishes. each time, she thinks you might start complaining about her brutish strength as she throws you around, but it makes you giggle every time she does it.

her hands spin you around, pulling on your hips to bring you up on her face.

sevika loves whenever she can have you perched up on her face, letting her tongue explore your sweet cunt. her neck always hurts afterwards, and she wouldn’t be surprised if one day she’ll pull a muscle, but she will do anything to have you moan for her.

and that’s exactly what sevika wants now.

when her mouth finally connects to your clit, she lets out a deep moan against your folds. she eats you like she’s starved of you, groaning and growling into your pussy like a madwoman. like she will die without the taste of your juices on her tongue.

she feels your nails digging into her thighs, surely leaving marks over the skin. her muscles twitch at the pain, but it only makes her wetter, her neglected clit swollen and throbbing.

as if you could sense her own need, sevika can feel your lips wrapping around her sensitive bud, sucking it into your mouth.

“oh, fuck…” she moans against you, her thick thighs trapping your head in place.

the noises coming out of you both are loud and filthy, her groans mixing with your cries creating a sinful symphony that nearly shake the room. neither of you care who hears anymore, because all you need is each other’s pleasure.

“oh, please! don’t stop, sevika,” you whimper into her clit, sneaking one hand between her legs to push two fingers inside her cunt.

“fuck, cherry. gonna make me come,” sevika mumbles against you, landing a smack to your ass.

both your tongue and fingers work her pussy until she finally comes, and the noise that escapes her lips is nothing she’s heard herself let out before. but her own mouth does not stop the assault on your wet heat, even as her body trembles from the intensity of her orgasm.

your own orgasm hits you only a minute after, your juices gushing over sevika’s face. the room is silent, except for the heavy breathing coming from you both.

her grip on your hips loosens, letting you slip away. she watches as you turn around on your shaky limbs, collapsing right on top of her. you bury your face into her chest, listening to her steadying heartbeat.

you mutter something into her breast, but it comes out muffled.

“what?” sevika looks down at you, watching the sweat beading on your temple with amusement. not that she’s any better.

you repeat what you say, and sevika’s eyes widen. your name. you just told her your name. not cherry, a silly nickname she has grown rather fond of.

“that’s my real name,” you whisper, voice raspy from all the moaning.

you look at her with expression so vulnerable it makes sevika’s heart clench painfully. she cannot give a word to the feeling, but she knows one thing.

It was freshman year, and for your first semester you noticed in all your honors gen ed courses there was a recurring pattern: a student decked out in computer inspired clothing with a wheelchair covered in RGB lights. Quickly, you learned their name was Mac and like everyone else their intellect had earned them a spot in these high level classes. Both of you did not immediately converse, however Mac had also assessed you to be an interesting repeating factor in their schedule. 

During a group project you two were assigned to work together at random. After proper introductions it was surprising to see how easy it was to go over ideas for the project and you guys were practically almost done after a few hours. As the time went on and conversation started to dive into personal lives you both realized the other was also an AP graduate, summer course taking, straight A having, multiple clubs involved in, internship searching nerd that took their studies extremely seriously.

Match made in heaven, right? WRONG. Scholars like you two were creatures of pride and while it was nice to see your kind out in the wild, the wording between you two became double edged. Questions turned into ways to learn more about each other out of genuine curiosity but also to find points of comparison where one ‘did better’ than the other.

“Affirmative, I was able to lock down a paid internship this summer to work at while also taking summer courses”, Mac would say.

“Oh lucky, mine was unpaid”, dammit they got me, you would internally scream, trying to recover you ask: “how many did you take?”.

“2 classes”, they answer plainly, clearly a little ashamed by the number.

Now is my chance! “That’s pretty good, I took 7 so basically I already have a semester under my belt”. 

“You plan to graduate early?”.

“Yes! You?”.

“Likewise”. Of course that’s your plan, you both think. 

Do not be mistaken in thinking there is any malice in this rivalry, there is a sense of genuine respect held for one another, alongside the need to one up each other. And to top each other. Semesters passed, Mac and you were in the same honors courses, the friendship grew closer as well as the not so subtle crushes you two had on one another. Hanging out the conversations would often sound super flirty to outsiders and the study sessions were basically dates. Friends said it looked like you two were ‘trying to fuck each other through your grades’ nonetheless you and Mac continued denying it, claiming it was simply playful rivalry.

This semester was the most interesting so far as by some random twist of fate (or miracle) you both were set up to be roommates. Whatever friends were insinuating increased tenfold, when either of you explained that roommate hangout nights were strictly for studying they responded with, “you guys are already incredibly smart, more likely textbooks are open for some nerdy foreplay while you two get freaky”. 

No matter what was said, Mac and you stayed ‘just friends’. Exceeeepppt, learning one another’s schedule, cute habits, and food preferences, plus seeing each other in casual clothing, sleeping attire, and fresh out of the shower look added a newfound sense of intimacy to the relationship. The flirting had also increased.

Then one night, while you two spoke of an upcoming exam for class before heading to bed, Mac, in their tired state, was stirring up the rivalry. “I hope you realize this is the last honors course we must take before being able to completely focus on our respective majors, any failing grade would, excuse the crudeness, fuck us over”.

“Especially with the expectations already set on us for being in this prestigious program”, you sense where this is going.

“Precisely, I expect you to give the upcoming exam your all”.

“You too, wouldn’t want either of us to be fucked… over”. You can totally see why your friends think you two are secretly dating. Mac nods, their green eyes examine you, if you didn’t know any better they were checking you out in your sleepwear; well you did and they definitely were, except neither of you would point it out. 

Exchanging goodnights, you retreat to your room, clenching your thighs as you close the door behind you. It’s not that you aren’t interested in your roommate like that, it’s just that you two already had this pre-established relationship of being academic rivals for so long you wouldn’t even know how to change it into something else. It was then when an idea popped into your head, “maybe if I…”.

…

The day of the exam came, Mac and you sat side by side, went at the same pace, and finished at the same time, yeah at this point you were both equals more so than rivals. You two had a quick lunch break after class then headed to your separate classes, by the time you got to your dorm at the end of the day the test scores were released.

Obviously you passed with flying colors, now it was time to put your plan into motion. There was a limited amount of time until Mac returned and would no doubt ask to compare scores, you screenshot the grade and send it to a friend who’s good at photoshop. After a bit they send the image back to you and you hear the dorm door open. Allowing Mac a few minutes alone in their room you make your way over, knocking for a bit they let you in; they know why you’re here, this is all practically routine for you two.

“Have you checked?”.

“Nope have you?”.

“Of course not”. 

You’re both liars.

The grades are pulled up to see each other’s ‘live’ reaction, Mac goes ‘yeesss’ and turns their phone to you to show their 100. You nod, offering a small smile, but your face looks back down at your phone in a frown. Mac tilts their head at this, “is everything alright? What’s your score?”.

“I failed”.

“There’s no way”. Flipping your phone to them, Mac sees clear as day you got a 68. “How? There must be some confusion, you should contact the professor".

You sigh, “No, I kind of expected this, well there’s no changing it, like you said, now I’m fucked”.

“Hold on that was just some light teasing, which is now inappropriately ironic in hindsight, I’m sorry”.

“Don’t be, you didn’t do anything wrong, Mac. Well, now I have to figure out what to do about this”.

“Anything I can do to help? I could tutor you on the subject”.

“I suppose I could use some tutoring”.

Mac’s not sure how it happened but sometime during the tutoring the atmosphere changed, you sat too close, their hand brushed yours, your voice became more sensual, and eventually you both leaned in. The kiss was filled with years and semester long sexual tension and the two of you didn’t waste any time before moving into their bed.

They grind into you, you tangle your fingers in their always messy hair. Taking a break from kissing you they move down to kiss and leave small marks on your neck. “Is there anything in particular you want?”, Mac asks.

“Yes, more”.

Eventually most articles of clothing are discarded and you see Mac apply lube to themself, you waited way too long to be doing this with them, lining themself up to you they slowly push themself in. The pace starts out slow, though it doesn’t stay that way as you pull them deeper and ask them to quicken the pace until their thrusts are fast and sloppy. You thought you would last longer, maybe it was your eagerness for this after wanting them for such a prolonged period of time, nonetheless it doesn’t take long for you to cum. 

Later, as you two lay in bed Mac tries to go over where you possibly went wrong on the exam. This was when you decided to come clean and explain the image was photoshopped, you had passed with a 100 too. Sure you wanted your roommate but you’re also not down bad enough to actually risk your grade. Admitting this proved to be a mistake as they began to tease you about this regularly; in addition there was the silver lining that you two began to fuck regularly as well.

__________________________________

It’s been a few months since that fateful day, and frankly, you had forgotten about it, not because anything bad or uneventful had happened, instead… you and Mac were now officially dating! A month after that day there was a company party, at some point Mac and you got stuck in a room and were forced to confront these feelings. Things have been going smoothly ever since, you two have gone on dates, flirted secretly at the office, done other secret stuff in the office, met their pet mouse, had dinner at each other’s places and sometimes even spent nights together.

Last night you two could only have dinner together, as you kissed them goodbye and left you said “See you tomorrow!”.

Right before the apartment door closed Mac announced “You will!”. Odd, yet you didn’t think much of it. That was until you walked into work and you could’ve sworn you were reliving that memory: Like always you make your way to their office, opening the door you speak before seeing them. “Hey! Good morning Ma—” you pause. “Mac?”

Exactly like last time they sit cross legged on the couch beside their desk, coffee in hand reviewing files in the other. And there right there, was the white button up, tie with a binary code print, short bright red pencil skirt, black sheer tights, and black pump heels that tormented you months ago.

“Hello beloved, lovely morning, right?”. They are acting normal however the look they give is knowing, it’s a call back to those months ago where they wore this to silently challenge you to make a move. Now that you two are together you can, but will you?

Oh boy did you want to.

Except, their expression, their blasé attitude, and what they said to you yesterday, you quickly put together this was planned; you wanted nothing more than to ravage them on the couch, albeit the fact that is exactly what they wanted became a matter of pride for you once again. If Mac is going to play this game then you can too.

“It is, and you are lovely as well”, walking over you kiss their cheek and take a seat next to them. Not even a full kiss, Mac thinks, as they say ‘game recognize game’ my love and I will certainly make you snap. 

To avoid Mac’s ‘next move’ you go straight into the agenda for the day: a meeting with the general and assistant manager about what to do with the surplus of money for this year. Opening your laptop to go over the slides, Mac lays their head on your shoulder allowing you to take in the perfume they are wearing, “come closer” they whisper and shuffle to be thigh to thigh with you. They won’t be playing fair so to not instantly lose you change scenery, “let’s just go to the conference room to practice, Mac”.

At the conference room, nothing really happened, you two’s rehearsal would have been completely uneventful had it not been for Mac purposely standing from their wheelchair, balancing on the room’s podium, and slightly bending over to ‘reach the adapter’ to connect to the projector. By doing this you see under their skirt and through the sheer tights that they are wearing matching red panties to complement the skirt. This really excited you and had you so close to having them sit on the podium so you can take off their skirt, it was here when you both noticed the managers approaching the room through the windows. Quickly reorganizing yourselves the managers enter and everyone takes a seat at the table.

Why did you expect Mac to stop trying to get a rise out of you when there were others in the room? You were midway through a sentence when you felt it, “the printer is pretty old and after a petition many signed to have it rep—“, Mac’s heel nudged your foot from under the table, silencing you. 

The managers stare at you in confusion and Mac calmly redirects you, “bring out the petition to show them”. 

“Oh, right, yes”, skimming through your bag you feel their foot move up and down your leg, you give them a look and Mac only smiles politely. That’s it.

…

When the meeting is over and the managers leave, you act normal as Mac and you pack up your belongings, while they are distracted you close all the windows and lock the door. Mac takes a seat on the table, knowing how irresistible they look like this, “I must say, you are holding out longer than I thought you would, but why don’t you just give in?”. That question stung your ego, to hell with pride though, you were pent up.

You didn’t bother answering Mac, you made a beeline to them and placed your lips over theirs, they let out a surprised sound, even so they leaned into the kiss. It was passionate, desperate, and needy, everything they wanted from you, your hands open their legs to worm your way under the skirt and rub them through the tights. Mac moans into the kiss and eventually breaks away to catch their breath, at this you bend down on your knees, right thumb massaging their left thigh you move your head down and make a trail of kisses from their calf to their knee to their thigh to their inner thighs. Wanting to go further the figure hugging skirt was in the way of where your face is supposed to be, so with both hands you push their legs far enough apart to make space, the act causes the seams to rip apart in a loud snap.

“My skirt!”, they gasp.

“Should have thought about that before wearing it”. You blow into their cunt through the underwear and tights, Mac hisses, gripping your hair at the shiver that goes through them. “I’m done with your teasing”, unzipping the skirt, in one swift motion you remove all 3 layers that separate you from them. Mac’s eyes were wide as they watched you, experiencing a mix of arousal and surprise, they wanted to have you snap but seeing you now, so frantic, it is unlike any of your previous sessions together. 

Sucking on their clit you outline their folds with your fingers, Mac was already wet, it made it easy for you to immediately push two fingers into them without warning. They inhale sharply over being filled so suddenly, you don’t give them time to adjust before you thrust in and out of them. Mac’s arousal was high throughout the whole day so it was not long before they were close, you could tell when their panting starts to lack rhythm, hand grips your hair tighter, and stop placing the other hand over their mouth to silence their moan and instead grip the edge of the table.

A few more sucks and thrusts and they were sent over the edge, “OOOHHHH GOOODD”, it was loud and Mac could only hope no one was nearby at the time. 

You lick up their essence then move up to kiss them once more, breathless you ask, “was that the ‘intended outcome’ of this outfit?”.

“Absolutely”.

__________________________________

The sun isn’t even fully up when you blink awake, golden light barely slipping through the blinds. The room smells like sweat and sex, tangled sheets evidence of the night before. You shift slightly, body still heavy, and it takes you a moment to register the lump next to you.

Mac.

Their hair was a messy halo, glasses nowhere in sight. Their blanket has slipped down, leaving their chest bare, faint marks scattered across pale skin where you’d kissed, bitten, claimed. One side of their face is buried into the pillow, but the part you can see… they look adorably wrecked and grumpy.

You reach to brush a strand of hair from their forehead. They make a low noise, not quite a groan, not quite a whimper, and shove their face deeper into the pillow.

“Too early to boot up,” Mac mumbles, voice groggy, a small yawn escapes them. “A few more minutes would suffice.”

You laugh softly, leaning over to pepper their face with kisses. “You sound like you’re still stuck in sleep mode.”

Their head shifts just enough to reveal one bleary green eye, glaring at you half-heartedly. “You’re making jokes after what you did to me last night? Cruel.”

You hum, sliding your hand along the curve of their hip beneath the sheet. “Cruel, huh? You didn’t think so when you were begging me not to stop.”

A flush spreads over their cheekbones, visible even in the weak morning light. They duck back into the pillow with a muffled grumble. “…You really fucked me out.”

The words are almost bratty, but the way their thighs press together under the blanket gives them away. You press your mouth to their shoulder, teeth grazing lightly, and they shiver.

“Still sore?” you tease, voice low.

Mac groans. “Everywhere. My legs, my arms… even my throat.”

You laugh again, gentler this time, and slip an arm around their waist, pulling them closer until they’re tucked against your chest. “Guess I’ll let you recover, then. No reboot required just yet.”

They sigh, soft and content despite the grumbling, and let you hold them. For all their complaining, their fingers find yours beneath the blanket, lacing together.

“Five more minutes,” they whisper, eyes already sliding closed again.

You kiss their messy hair and smile. “Take all the minutes you want.”

You’re not sure when it started, but at some point in your career you and Mac became very close. Always sat together during breaks, chose each other as partners for any project, trusted each other enough to review/cross-reference one another’s work, and in rare instances, even hung out outside of work. 

This started platonically, a work colleague turned true friend, however at some point you felt your feelings for them morph into something deeper. Suddenly, you thought about their eyes more than before, were they always such a beautiful green? Their black hair, how would it be to run one’s fingers through them? Their arms, how far up do their tattoos go? Mac’s style was professional + comfortable, you’ve never seen the skin above their biceps. And when you start to think about the parts of their body you have not seen before your mind turns unsavory.

Mac has also gotten, how do you say… very comfortable lately. Compliments and small favors from them have gotten more frequent, hands/ legs have ‘accidently’ brushed against one another, and the look in their eyes when you enter their gaze is different. It has more intent behind it, or was it desire? 

You’re like almost supppeeerrr sure they want you, which is fine, because you want them. The only thing is it seems they want you to make the first move, not in a romantic way, in like a ‘I can’t take the sexual tension anymore’ and have you pounce on them type of way. This then turned into a matter of pride for you, no matter what they do, you cannot lose control. When you two get together it will be nice and fluffy, not in such a naughty manner.

But, damn, if Mac isn’t making it hard.

Today was your biggest challenge so far. Entering the building you make your way to their office since you two are currently working on a project together.

“Hey! Good morning Ma—” you pause. “Mac?”

They sit cross legged on the couch beside their desk, coffee in hand reviewing files in the other. That’s not what caused you to stumble though, no, the cause was what they were wearing. A white button up, tie with binary code on it, a short bright red pencil skirt, black sheer tights, and black pump heels. 

“Hello! Lovely morning, right?”. Mac makes no acknowledgment over their change in daily style (they’re waiting for you to say something).

They never dress like this! You shout internally.

“It is, by the way nice outfit. Is it new?”.

“No, I simply opted for a divergence from my usual attire, what do you think?”.

“It looks good”, there was no change in your demeanor, the compliment sounded sincere and friendly, not the response Mac was looking for. They wanted to feel you drink them in with your eyes, desperately trying to keep your hands to yourself, yet you simply sit down next to them and start talking about the project.

Even so, Mac didn’t give up, for the rest of the day they made a point to be near you. On the couch, they slyly made it so you two were thigh to thigh, during break time they claimed it was hot and loosened their tie, back in the office they said it felt ‘stuffy’ and completely removed it and even unbuttoned the first 2 buttons of their dress shirt. 

Oh man you were fighting to keep your sanity.

The biggest reaction you gave was your face continuously betraying you by turning red each time. It was no big deal. Though Mac certainly noticed and could not believe that was all they were getting from you. They wanted to at least get a substantial rise out of you before the end of the day.

During the last half hour of the day, they tried one last time. Both of you were in your private office. You were finishing up your last task of the day, typing away at your computer when Mac said they had something to show you. They didn’t wait for you to react before they transferred from sitting on their wheelchair to sitting on your desk. Eyes go wide and you go quiet. 

“Correction, it is less about me showing you and more pointing out errors”. Mac offers you a playful smile before pointing at your monitor, specifically the google doc you were on. The document is shared between you both and they noticed on their screen all the spelling mistakes you were making. Obviously they could have told you about it from where they were sitting, except also obviously, this isn’t about spelling mistakes. 

Going on about your misspells and offering better words/phrases Mac tries to disguise a smirk, finally, they think, this is the reaction I was hoping to produce. Mac might as well have not been talking as you were not listening, you were unabashedly ogling them: taking in how the skirt clung to their hips, their slightly undone button up exposing part of their chest, the sheerness of the tights made their thighs look so good. You felt the space between your legs grow hotter. 

“Everything alright?”, Mac's question isn’t sincere, it’s filled with pride and satisfaction in seeing you react this way. You lift your hand, it hovers over their thigh, not too far, not too close. Mac holds in their breath, unsure if they finally got you to physically make the first move.

Moving your hand down you miss their thigh and place it right next to them on the wood of the desk, you stand up, lean close, and look into their eyes. The other hand turns off your desk computer. “You always are so attentive, how should I show my appreciation?”. 

You move your gaze down, examining them one last time before moving away to pick up your work bag. “I’ll have to find a way some other day, right now it's time to clock out, see you tomorrow Mac~”. 

Their mouth drops at seeing you so effortlessly restrain yourself and the smile you give them before closing the door of the room tells them all they need to know. Mac tried to tempt you and you didn’t give in. You won. 

.

.

.

NSFW epilogue:

Finally returning home felt like returning from war, a war between maintaining self-control or surrendering to your desires. Now that you’re in safe territory you could no longer cling to your resolve. The second you closed the door to your place you threw your keys to the side, dropped your bag to the floor, and practically sprinted to the bedroom.

Panting and groaning you used your hand to get yourself off, the other moved up and down your thighs pretending it was Mac’s, god how you wished you could rip the tights off them. Then, slipped the hand under your shirt, pretending you were doing this to them. Your imagination went wild in what you would do to them, you moaned their name throughout all of this, eventually it became too much and you came.

You were giving Mac everything they wanted and the best part is they are not here to bear witness. It feels like you’re getting revenge on them, you know the reaction they want from you but you won’t show them, at least for now.

__________________________________

“Evening, chat,” Mac said, fiddling with their oversized cat-ear head phones. “Thank you for joining tonight’s… celebratory session. We’ve officially surpassed five hundred thousand followers.” Their voice cracked just a little at the milestone.

You, curled up on the couch just outside of camera range, grinned at how stiffly proud they sounded. Mac had been buzzing about the milestone all week. You’d caught them reloading the count multiple times through the days, remembering the way their fingers stilled as they finally hit their goal. You both shed a few tears.

Chat immediately erupted

WOOO CONGRATS MAC!!! NOW TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF 500K GANG LES GOOOO

Mac’s mouth twitched up into a smile, it was panicked but a smile nonetheless. Their fingers fiddled with the edge of their sleeve. “…Statistically improbable,” they repeated. “But deeply humbling.”

Then they cleared their throat, shoulders squaring like they were about to announce a new patch update. “To commemorate this occasion, and as promised….We are implementing a… challenge. Each time I die in-game tonight…” They hesitated, eyes flicking off-camera, landing on you. You wiggled your brows. Their blush deepened. “…I will remove one layer of clothing.”

Silence in chat for a few seconds before the chaos

I’m hard rn STRIP STREAM!!! THEY LOOK SO NERVOUS HELP

Mac muttered into the mic, “Twitch, please don’t ban me for this,” and booted up the game that had made them popular in the first place…Roblox. Bright pixelated landscapes, tricky platforms, the kind of thing they could play in their sleep.

But the moment Mac adjusted the camera to show their full body, they looked oddly…blocky? Chat noticed the truth. Three shirts, two hoodies, a jacket. Layers upon layers.

If you got hoodie on, TAKE IT OFF BRUHHH THATS CHEATING Boy what the hell boy (gender neutral)

You had to bite your lip to keep from laughing out loud.

The first few levels went smoothly, Mac’s movements precise, their muttered commentary calm. “See, nothing to worry about. My reaction rate is impeccable. Tough luck, pervs. Looks like I’ll be staying fully cl—”

Their avatar slipped. Straight into a pit.

The sound that left Mac’s mouth was somewhere between a scream and a groan. 

They gave chat an evil side eye and a loud sigh. Slowly, like dragging through mud, they peeled off the outer hoodie.

 Beneath it? Another hoodie.

“Preparation,” they said stiffly, tossing the hoodie aside, refusing to meet the camera head-on. “Yeah, I have good ideas, chat don’t be surprised.”

Chat lost it.

How many of those you got on?!?!? THEY PREPARED FOR THIS 😭 NOOOOOOOOO

You stifled a laugh behind your mug, earning a daggered glance from Mac.

But the game had no mercy. A mistimed dodge, another fall, a sneaky enemy spawn. Each failure meant another piece of clothing discarded. Jacket. Long sleeve. A second t-shirt. Mac’s hair grew messier with every tug over their head, strands sticking in a halo around their ears.

By the time they reached the final boss, they were down to a thin black tank top. The tattoos curling over their arms glowed under the RGB lights. Their cheeks were flushed, their voice cracking every time they said, “Last run. I mean it this time.”

Chat spammed relentlessly

Work out routine next pls

Oh God…its everywhere TANKTOP MAC NATION RISE CLIP IT CLIP IT CLIP IT Once you run out of clothes, it’s Player's turn

You let out a cackle. Mac’s ears went crimson. “No! Player is not—don’t drag them into this. We need to focus on escaping evil Quandale Dingle, not my sexy par—” They cut off with a gasp as their character took a hit.

They locked in. They held their breath, and all that could be heard was the messy clicks of their mouse and keyboard.

It was frantic, but Mac pulled through. The final blow landed, and Quandle Dingle exploded. Mac threw both hands up, triumphant and mortified all at once. “Done! I DID IT! CHAT, did you see that?!? Never doubt me again. TOO EASY”

Of course, chat only continued to tease

LMAOOOO Does this mean Player won’t take their shirt off for us? SEE YOU IN TIKTOK EDITS   tank top mac forever

Mac groaned, burying their face in their hands, tank top sliding low on their collarbones. “…Twitch, I beg you. Please don’t ban me. I’m still clothed.”

You set your mug down and padded into frame just enough to drop a kiss to the top of their head. “Don’t worry, babe,” you said, grinning. “Not for long…”

The chat exploded

!!!!!!!! Freaky ahh couple PLAYER PLEASE JUST A PEAK CLIP IT CLIP IT CLIP IT

here is the lineart cause im really proud of it anyways! this is kinda cringe I don't usually ever write AUs in this kind so this is gonna be really cliche (IM SORRY)

You (mc) were from a family of top secret cyber criminals but as you grew up, you wanted to disassociate from that and make your own life. When you ran away, you decided you wanted to expose your family for their crimes. While writing your hit piece however, you still have to support yourself so you get a job at a nearby restaurant. Mac is sent as a spy to track you down by your family as they are really good at getting info and etc. After finding where you went to, they would purposely each week at a certain day position themselves at a crossing near your workplace and you seeing Mac and the kind-hearted soul you are, want to make sure they cross safely. Through this they get a chance to talk to you and gather more info on you.

While spying, Mac falls obsessively in love with you (what a surprise lol) and at some point they know there will be a day they need to pick between you, and their job. 3 endings (im still editing this sorry this is cringe) The worse ending is rejecting Mac and they go kinda insane and pull a yandere and frame you for their death. (THIS IS CRINGE IM SORRY I MIGHT CHANGE IT 😭) This ending was inspired by Goodnight Socialite by The Brobecks with the line "If I can't have you. Then no one can."

Other ending is there aren't fully sane and kidnap you back to your family as intended but insist on keeping you safe and you two are just stuck there forever. Best ending is Mac betrays your family and you two run away and live a life trying to escape your family's attempts to track you down :D lol idk

i was generally just inspired to create this AU mainly to create a piece like this. I don't usually write AUs like this like ever so idk man anyways

You're still here? Awesome. I'm sorry for what I'm about to subject you to.

Continuing on from disability headcanons

Sex & Intimacy

Pain during sex … not because they don’t want it (they do), but because their body is a bastard: hips subluxating mid-thrust, pelvic cramping, mandatory breaks that frustrate the hell out of them.

Fluid boundaries with aids: sex toys that double as pain-management tools (pillows, wedges, restraints-as-supports)… which spirals into a wild rope kink because it keeps their joints in place and makes them feel sexy.

Scare factor: several times partners genuinely wonder if Mac has passed out. And yeah, oops. Sex so good your partner pancaked cuz their heart rate shot up too high. 🥴

Shame vs. Joy: fear of being 'too fragile' to be sexy vs. gleeful defiance that leads to some questionable stains on their wheelchair cushion (that’s what washing machines are for, no judgment here).

Safety conversations: "hey, if my jaw dislocates while kissing, just help me pop it back in, don’t freak out. It happens. Don’t stop—"

Trust is huge: partners who don’t flinch when Mac says “ow,” or need to stop for nausea. They use a traffic light system or leveled safewords to keep things flowing.

Aftercare 2.0: beyond the usual cuddles and movies, it’s about making sure they don’t pay for it with a next-day flare: snuggles, hot baths, careful stretches, and massage become routine

Medical / Bodily Messy Stuff

GI issues: IBS flare-ups, constipation, diarrhea, bloating that makes clothes feel like medieval torture.

Swallowing struggles (dysphagia): coughing mid-drink, avoiding certain foods, “choking hazard” jokes to cover embarrassment.

Nausea & vomiting: sometimes random, sometimes food-triggered, sometimes anxiety-triggered. Intersects cruelly with ASD - nausea fuels the sensory issues, sensory issues fuel the nausea.

Joint instability cause issues: jaw subluxations while eating or kissing; ribs slipping when they cough.

Autonomic issues: dizziness, fainting when standing, heart rate spiking from basically nothing.

Pain roulette: “is this endo cramps, joint sublux, or did I just anger my GI tract?” No one knows. Least of all Mac.

Identity / Intersex Layer

I have..  two theories:

1. Realization-linked; Mac’s realized body aligns with their partner’s attraction (based on the 100TB of extremely embarrassing self insert fanfic).

2. Preferred theory: because they were a computer, and computers don’t have sex (no matter what conservatives say), they realize as intersex.

Likely combo: clinical hyperandrogenism + PCOS + maybe other variations. PCOS is considered intersex by the community, ftr.

Medical trauma overlap: constant appointments where their body is picked apart as 'abnormal.'

Gender navigation: how intersex traits and disability intersect with perception leads to less agency over how others define them.

Hormone chaos: irregular cycles, surprise spotting, doctors looking confused as all hell.

Mental Health / Social Messy Stuff

Medical trauma & distrust: dismissed for years, taught to doubt their own body.

Embarrassment: being sick at a bad time (sick at work, IBS on a date, fainting in public, the usual).

Hypervigilance: always scanning for exits, bathrooms, safe people.

Depression/anxiety flares: worsened by pain, worsens pain in return.. vicious cycle.

Pain + fatigue combo platter: sometimes the flare days just dissolve into a swamp of 'guess I live here now, under this blanket'

The Cancel Plans Olympics: every withdrawal fuels the guilt which fuels the loneliness which in turn fuels the spiral. Gold medal in isolation, baby!

What I like to call the Brain Gremlins, insecurities: 'you’re a burden, everyone hates you, you should be easier." 

Coping?? Never met her: sometimes this spirals into self-harming behaviour... not usually 'I want to die,' but more 'if only it hurt somewhere else for a second'

Shame hangover: immediately followed by 'wooow, I can’t even suffer correctly, incredible!'

Endo Pain

Pelvic cramps radiating into back, hips, thighs.

Painful penetrative sex.

Bleeding that isn’t predictable or tidy.

“Is it cramps or dislocation?” A timeless classic.

Intersex + Endo Together

Doctors refusing to believe them... 'that doesn’t line up with your variation,' so their pain is ignored for years.

Extra shame in exams/surgeries: medical staff treating them like a specimen, not a person.

Identity conflict: 'Am I broken because I don’t line up with what they expect?'

Eventually... reclaiming identity: not broken, just beyond their definitions.

------

"Mod, why are you going into that much detail?"

Because I'm writing about Mac. I want to do them justice, and I want to do us justice. 

Because disability isn't tidy. It's not just cute mobility aids and inspirational montages, it's nausea in the middle of classes, it's sex that gets interrupted for water and painkillers, it's doctors rolling their eyes at you, it's wondering if you're "too much."

Media usually erases those parts- never dares to touch on the concept that a disabled character would desire sexual intimacy, emotional intimacy or how that affects our realities. 

Disabled characters are either sanitised into mascots of "pure, noble suffering" or turned into objects of pity. Neither leaves space for the truth: disabled people live in messy, funny, gross, intimate, complicated bodies. And our bodies are still worthy of love, care, and being seen.

Mac and you were resting on the couch in the living room, both of you had just finished eating dinner. They were on one end of the couch, legs crossed with their computer on their lap, Roni was resting on their shoulder watching the screen. You were lounging on the other end, sitting sideways, leaning on the armrest, legs sprawled out towards Mac. You were reading one of your favorite romance novels; the plot was nothing crazy, no love triangle or toxic drama between the leads, just a sweet story between two people madly in love with each other and you were eating it up. The evening was quiet, still, and calm with the only noise coming from Mac’s typing and your giggles.

You thought everything was fine, so when 10 minutes into you two’s afternoon chilling Mac placed a free hand on your ankle you thought nothing of it. They just wanted to be touching you, even if it’s in a small way, totally normal for them. 20 minutes in they start lightly rubbing your ankle, you hummed in acknowledgement and continued reading. 30 minutes in you noticed them taking occasional glances at you, staring for a few seconds before going back to their laptop, you would look up to hold their gaze and smile before continuing to read. 40 minutes in and you were still having a blast while reading, it was a slightly suggestive domestic scene and you were giggling much more now.

Mac’s voice cuts through your reading, “Enjoying your novel, my love?”.

Looking up you grin, “definitely”, then look back down.

They continue talking, “I am reading about previous operating systems. Learning about what was constituted as an ‘update’ but were in actuality faulty and unnecessary is very humorous, would you like to listen to an example?”.

You look up, “maybe in a bit, dear? I’m on a really good scene right now, if that’s okay”.

“It’s all-right”, Mac understands, returning to their screen. A few minutes later they once again speak, “it’s around the time for Roni’s post-dinner dessert, would you like to feed them this time? I know you like how they look when eating grapes”.

“Aw I would love to, but I’m almost done with this chapter, do you mind feeding them without me?”, you smile sheepishly.

Both Mac and Roni look a little surprised, you’ve never been one to turn down feeding Roni. Either way Mac wheels out of the room with Roni. They come back a few minutes later, this time Roniless, announcing that Roni wanted to eat their grapes and play in their cage. Not even looking up this time, you nod.

Sitting back down, this time closer, Mac tries to converse one more time, “would you like to watch something together?”.

You smile awkwardly, both of you knowing you're about to give the same response, “I’m sorry maybe in an hour? I’m very invested”.

“A riveting read?”.

“Yeah, it’s really good”.

“Must be”.

That last comment made you freeze. Nothing changed about Mac’s expression or even their voice.

Well. Mostly.

Because you could swear you picked up the smallest hint of sass. “Everything alright, hun?” You raise an eyebrow.

Mac backtracks, they know you detected the slight change in tone. “It’s a weekday, we both had to attend our occupations, it left us little room to interface today”.

“And now instead of spending time with you I'm focusing on my book?”.

They nod, “a romance book no less”, again in the same tone. You’ve seen right through them and you find it endearing. Mac loved how much time you used to spend on them when they were a computer, so when they turned human it was cute how clingy they became. There’s no overall change in their demeanor but the tiny amount of sass and small (barely noticeable) pout on their face made you melt. Ugh, I really can’t resist them, you think.

“Okay, I can put my book down, however you have to lay off my favorite genre”, you jokingly bump shoulders.

“I’m sorry, my love, while I am supportive of your choice of literature I cannot help the fact that I do not see the appeal”. They feign an air of snark, but you know this is Mac’s way of begging for your attention. You will definitely give them your attention alright, though you will add in a lesson as well.

You rest your head on their shoulder, your tone shifts and you speak low, not enough to be considered a whisper, it’s more sensual. “Yet you like it when I do those things to you” one hand touches their knee, the other is placed on their hip. While their breath hitches they do not seem uncomfortable with your touch, going further you carefully move Mac to sit sideways in your lap.

They are certainly taken aback from your sudden boldness, “Beloved—!”. They turn red, readjusting their glasses you can see in their eyes they really like this position.

“You’re right, Mac, how could I ignore you”, taking their hand, you kiss the back of it. “Now what do you want from me?”.

…

It’s not long before a few flirty words and soft pecks are turned into a full on makeout session where in between you sneak in words of affirmations because you know how much they get to Mac.

“You’re so good for me, love” You whisper as you leave marks on their shoulders. They wince from the feeling of both pleasure and pain, then when you kiss each mark after you’re done they can’t help the moan that escapes them. You keep going, kissing up their neck “My one and only, how can I think about anything else when you’re here?”.

“Mhmm yes~” They groan, your praise, they feel themselves short-circuiting. Needing more they change position to straddle you, wanting to grind on you. Though you stop them by placing a hand on their hip, Mac looks at you surprised, why would you impede them? “Is something wrong, dear?” they ask.

Before answering you rub circles into their inner thigh, Mac inhales sharply, your hand is so close to where they seriously need it. “Mac, look at me”, you adjust their glasses and move some of their hair behind their ear. They do so eagerly, ready to fulfill whatever order comes out of your mouth.

Instead, you drop the sensuality in your voice and ask a question, still rubbing circles on their thigh “why don’t you see the appeal of romance novels?”.

That question caught Mac off guard, they tried to collect their thoughts to form a cohesive response but ended up stuttering, “u-unrealistic, w-who, ugh, would fall for such c-cliche lines and narratives”.

“Is that so?”.

They start to think clearly, “in my opinion… c-an we return to our previous affair”.

“Not if you think it’s cliche. I don’t think you realized everything I just did to you happened in the book, I copied it beat for beat”, gesturing to the book that’s been left opened and abandoned on the other side of the couch.

Mac turns red, registering your words, horny brain trying to come up with an excuse, “It only sounds good because it’s coming from you”, is all they could transpire.

You laughed. “Or maybe the genre itself has its good qualities? Even if you don’t see it”. They don’t speak, part of their ego bruised for being so caught up in the moment they didn’t see through what you were planning.

“Admit it, my love”, you tease, “admit it and I’ll take care of you”.

They stay quiet, weighing their options, of course they want you to keep going but is it worth verbally giving up their dislike for romance novels? At their silence your hand moves between their legs, slightly pushing pressure into their crotch. With one touch Mac gasps in shock and pleasure, grinding into your hand without thinking, they tremble and their head falls onto your shoulder, embarrassed from how immense their reaction was to such a small touch.

“I’ll take that as recognition”, you giggle into their ear.

__________________________________

PLEASE IGNORE THAT THE TITLE IS A SONIC ADVENTURE 2 REFERENCE I COULDN’T COME UP WITH A GOOD ONE

“Always optimizing for me,” Mac murmured one night, kissing down your throat. “But when do you let yourself enjoy?”

You tried to laugh it off, but their eyes caught yours, sharp behind their glasses. They’d already processed the answer.

Which is why you found yourself on your back, wrists tied neatly to the headboard with Mac’s belt, legs spread and pinned by their knees.

“Babe…” you breathed, tugging instinctively at the restraint.

“Shh.” Their voice was gentle. “You don’t get to touch me tonight. You don’t get to distract yourself by making sure I’m fine.”

Your chest fluttered with nerves, but their hand slid down your arm gently, reassuring. “If it’s too much, I’ll stop. But you deserve this.”

Then their mouth was on you.

Mac took their time, hair brushing your thighs as they kissed along your skin, their tongue teasing over your clit before pulling back relishing your taste, then pressing in deeper, lapping at you.

Your hips arched and you couldn’t reach for them, your wrists strained against the belt as you tried, leaving you exposed, forced to feel every flick and swirl.

“Fuck—Mac—” you gasped, the sound breaking into a whine.

They groaned against you, the vibration making you jerk. They pulled back just far enough to speak, their mouth slick, eyes dark and sharp.

“Focus on my tongue. Don’t think about my pleasure. Don’t think about anything but how good this feels.”

Your cheeks burned, shame and heat colliding. “But…”

“No ‘but.’” Their fingers spread your folds, tongue circling your clit again, sucking before pulling off with a ‘pop’. “You don’t owe me a thing. Just feel good. That’s your only job.”

Your body shook, caught between restraint and release, every nerve focused on their mouth. When they slid two fingers inside you, curling, you cried out, the sound unguarded. 

“That’s it,” Mac murmured, thrusting harder, their thumb pressing your clit now. “There you go. All for you. Just for you.”

The pressure snapped, and your orgasm tore through you in a wave, back arching off the sheets, wrists straining against the belt. You moan their name, thighs clamping around their head, but Mac only held you down harder, keeping their mouth sealed over your clit as their fingers fucked you through it.

Every contraction of your cunt was milked by the relentless curl of their fingers, every twitch magnified by the restraints keeping you wide open. You sobbed from the intensity, body thrashing, but there was no escape, only their tongue lapping, their thumb grinding, their hand working you until you had nothing left to give.

 Mac finally slowed and untied your wrists, and gathered you close, kissing you gently.

You were riding Mac slow, your hips rocking in an easy rhythm, the couch squeaking with every slam down. Their head was tipped back, lips parted, hair sticking to them.

But their eyes…their pretty green eyes weren’t just on the way you moved or the slick sound of where your bodies meet. They were fixed on your chest, on the faint stretch marks catching the lamplight as you leaned over them.

Their hands slid up instinctively, cupping your breasts, thumbs brushing over the soft lines. “Fuck,” Mac whispered, voice ragged. “You have no idea how good you look right now.”

You laughed softly, breath catching as you rolled your hips down harder. “I think you’re biased.”

“Not biased,” they shot back, though their voice cracked as you clenched around them. “Just… observant.” Their thumbs traced your stretch marks again in adoration. “They look incredible on you. Like proof  that your body’s lived, changed.”

Heat surged through you at the way they said it, poetic, breathless, a little cheesy. You arched into their hands, and Mac groaned, bucking up into you.

“I love them,” they confessed, the words tumbling out between moans. “The way they curve when you move—fuck—drives me insane.” They squeezed gently, eyes flicking up to yours, desperate. “You’re stunning. Do you know that? Every single part of you.”

There is a stillness in the room, it’s 2 AM and for once Mac is not awake to work on a project. Instead, they find themselves restless and unable to fall asleep, all because of you. This has been their norm as of late, however tonight was different, because you were laying next to them in their bed. In deep sleep you didn’t notice how Mac had been watching you for the past few hours, not sure when or if they will have another chance to be so close to you, especially in such circumstances.

…

Before going further, it should be explained why you are even in Mac’s apartment. It all started about a year ago, you were a new hire at some startup company, working as the finance manager (the last one hastily quit). Since you were only there to count and crunch numbers you were stationed away from the main area, in a forgotten office in the back. The office was not solely yours, it was meant for two people and was already occupied by at least one other. Here is where you met Mac, the company’s IT manager.

“Why do we even have the title of manager if we’re the only ones in our departments?” You ask during the first month, “we have no team to look over”.

“The company wishes to appear professional, they believe naming a finance ‘manager’ and IT ‘manager’ on their website comes off better than ‘consultant’ or ‘advisor’.”

“Huh, but we don’t even do anything aside from my monthly reviews or an occasional computer problem for you, why are we full time?”.

“Glad you quickly also came to the same conclusion I did”. Mac shrugs, “perhaps we are not needed for all the hours we are paid for, even so I surmise such a job can be beneficial. Left to our own devices, do what we wish with the time and still receive a paycheck biweekly? For me it’s the current dream, my hobby is not going to pay for itself”.

“Hobby?”.

Mac went on to explain their love of robotics, recapping their descent from being an avid computer programmer, to PC builder, to repairing old electronics, to full-on making their own gadgets. It made the blueprints and robot parts on their side of the office make sense.

From that day on you saw Mac as nice enough and reciprocal to your friendly chats so the two of you became fast work friends. A lot of the time was spent with you two talking, joking, and basically hanging out, there were also moments where you two did your own thing in tranquil silence. Mac found your presence pleasant so when you told them about the lease to your current apartment ending and not being able to renew it they felt comfortable offering you to move in with them 5 months into knowing one another.

On the surface it seems to be the start of a strong friendship, but throughout all of it Mac felt something budding inside of them. They did find you attractive from the start, setting that fact aside they found talking to you being a new highlight of their days. You always came across as intently listening to them, even when you had no idea what they were going on about, showing this through your body language, stunning smile, and eyes— oh your eyes, without meaning to you pierced through Mac and made them feel as though there was nothing else in your orbit but them.

All of this laid intentionally dormant inside them. If these thoughts came across their mind Mac would immediately focus on something else; this was because without meaning to, you had unintentionally friendzoned them. Mac tried to keep things professional, in spite of that flirty lines or phrases with double meanings would sometimes slip out when speaking to you during the first few months. You had no idea, yet it didn’t matter, as 4 months in, the next door office that was shared between the HR and media manager experienced major drama. Apparently, the two who shared the office started dating but after the media manager was caught cheating the relationship loudly ended and both people were fired and replaced.

Mac and you were discussing it one day when you said, “don’t worry, that’ll never be us”, not even knowing that those two were dating, simply thinking they were just office buddies that started hating each other. That comment cut Mac more than they expected, whatever feelings they speculated they had for you were abruptly pushed deep down. They had thought they had it under control, you moving in barely phased them.

Until that night.

The night you hugged them. It hardly lasted a few seconds, it was light and had no sentiment other than gratitude behind it. So why did it fluster them so much? The implications those emotions would have on your current relationship was profound and worried Mac. The biggest concern being that if they confessed and you didn’t reciprocate then Mac offering you to move in with them could be reevaluated as them trying to get close to you with only that goal in mind. They would lose you, and you are something Mac is not willing to let go of. They could be satisfied with being your friend, but damn were you making it hard.

…

Back to tonight.

Earlier in the evening, the fuse box for the apartment floor broke, the landlord said someone would come in the next day to fix it and it was assumed that would be the end of it. It’s not so bad, Mac and you thought. Not even an hour later the heating system also broke.

Welp.

It was late fall/early winter and without heat your room became an iceland, luckily Mac was there to be your savior. Last year the same thing happened and so they built themself a battery powered heater instead of buying one. Mac only made one so they offered it to you, but you were having none of it, coming up with the simple solution of sleeping in the same room for tonight. Trying to be polite, Mac offered to sleep on the couch in their room and for you to sleep on their bed; the problem was their couch was overrun with blueprints, tools, and things such as wires and circuits. Again, you came up with the simple solution of… sharing the bed! You didn’t see anything wrong with it so they agreed, trying hard to hide how much the idea affected them

With the power being out you lit a bunch of candles all over the room, which didn’t make the situation better for Mac. It was all so blatantly romantic, and somewhat suggestive, yet you simply kept going on about how exciting it was for you two to have a sleepover. Both of you played video games on Mac’s switch before you got tired and decided to go to sleep. It felt like a ceremony, the two of you carefully blowing out the candles before tucking yourselves into bed.

It being past 11 and you two being tired made it the perfect time to start confessing embarrassing stories about yourselves from when y’all were younger. It felt so easy conversing with you, even when revealing such things about themself, you didn’t make Mac feel judged. Another thing for them to appreciate about you.

Eventually though you fell asleep mid sentence, Mac found it cute and tried to follow your lead. However, tossing and turning for hours, trying to force themself to go to sleep proved fruitless. They kept going back to admiring you, picturing a reality where this was not a one time thing, merely the norm, one where they could not only visually take you in but also act on those feelings. Create inventions based on your suggestions, fill your ears with sweet nothings, hold you close to know you are cared for, and utter that you are loved. That they loved you.