Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Categories
- 965 All Categories
- 17 Games
- 1 aw2-mapbp
- 365 Richland
- SDHSR
- 4 two-detroits
- 96 aw2e-dvfp
- 53 ISS Tsiolkovsky
- 82 Fury
- Urban Shadows
- 24 LadyB
- 11 AnR
- 4 Junk World 2.0
- 68 PnR
- 23 DRYH
- Jeffland
- The Few
- 11 Other
- 11 General
- 576 Complete
- 12 burning-empires
- 8 aota-jam
- 17 Uncharted Worlds
- Uncharted
- 23 nullptr-veil
- 9 ajax-motw
- 2 tqy-am
- 52 NOVA
- 11 Serene Apocalypse
- jenn-soti
- 63 SWAW
- 13 Blades
- 2 Fall Of Magic
- 12 Generations
- 25 LA Monsters
- tqy
- 32 nupocalypse
- 120 Snowpocalypse
- 136 Junkworld XIII
- 27 Big Maul
- 6 ESC
- 1 Murderous Ghosts
- 17 ANN_pilot
[In and Out] Hickory Dickory Tick Tock (2.2)
Trevian, you wake up in a tangle of limbs, with a full bladder. Reggie's phone is making an old-timey "Ahoooohgah!" alarm tone, and she's just stirring...
It's eight AM. You've got plenty of time to catch the breakfast the Matthews insisted you pay attention to, and eleven hours before Tandy will be expecting you to sweep her off to the fundraiser in your "new" vintage suit. There's a return trip to the Holt Center and a three-hour drive in there somewhere, too.
Reggie is spooned up against you, warm and delicious. What do you do?
Comments
I spend a moment looking at her. She took off her ears before going to sleep. She's no less beautiful in that quirky way of hers. I kiss her face a couple times, then slip out of bed. I guess we're going jogging now, so I wash my hands and face, but shower will be after. If she isn't getting up (I left the alarm going off), then I'll nudge her gently and help her out.
As we're getting up, I'll throw on my shorts and shoes, get ready to go out into the crisp mountain air and jog. This will be something new. I'm looking forward to seeing how fast she is. And, you know, watching her as she runs, since I imagine that will be nice.
Reggie's eyes open when you kiss her, and she greets you with a sleepy "G'morning." She washes her face, pulls her hair back into a ponytail and puts on a pair of tight capri-length running pants and a sports bra, followed by a pink hoodie. She has fancy running shoes with sensors that talk to her phone.
Soon enough, with a wave to Carlos and Charles and a few fellow guests including the piano-playing woman from the night before, you're out on the smooth trail that meanders through the woods behind the Inn. Reggie stretches. She knows you're watching and likes it, she's even showing off a little bit. It is a truly fine sight, Trev. Truly fine.
When you're both ready, it's time to run. She matches her pace to yours for the first few miles, but just as you begin to tire, she seems to find her wind. "I'm going to give it some gas for a little, Trev..." And she's off. There was no challenge in her tone, just a joyful desire for speed.
What do you do?
Dang. I figured she'd kick my ass, but she's gonna up and leave me? I'll pick up the pace, stick with her even though I'm getting all sweaty and breathing hard. I used to do wind sprints! Why am I such a punk now?
I will not ask her to slow down. I'm just gonna keep up.
I'm not asking her to take a break. I just wanna keep her in view.
Shit.
Glad it's just one trail.
The sight of Reggie's ass and legs motivates you to keep her in view, and you manage it. At one point, you find that you're running alongside a doe, her graceful gait matching you as she darts through the trees. The crisp fall air is champagne for your lungs. You find your rhythm, so different for longer runs than for wind sprints, and it becomes just about you and Reggie and the leaves and the air, and it's almost a disappointment when the trail makes its last curve back, bringing the Inn into view.
Reggie slows to a walk, cooling down. She's sweating, her skin glowing and a touch flushed. "That was a good run, Trev. I could get used to having deer in my running group!" She comes you for a sweaty kiss. "Shower, food?"
I nod, tired and worn. Sex last night, running in the AM. I'm going to need to get my ass in shape to keep with my new... girlfriend? With Reggie. I tromp slowly up the stairs to our room and head into the shower. I need food to recuperate. No sexytimes in the shower, I think.
Trev, Reggie does join you in the shower. It still stays mostly about getting clean, although there are a few little moments of mutual teasing. Once you've gotten the sweat and sleep and the lingering sex washed off, it's time to dress and eat.
Carlos and Charles greet you. Carlos says, with a smile, "Did you two sleep well last night?" Charles asks how you want your eggs and heads through the swinging doors into the kitchen to get your breakfast. There are rolls and fresh butter and pitchers of milk and juice on a sideboard.
Okay, yes. There is some play in the shower. I can't help some of it. It's mostly her fault.
At breakfast, I ask for eggs over easy and some bacon. Trevvy loves him some bacon! Carlos' question gets a smirk out of me and I shake my head no, reaching over for Reggie's hand. The food's delish here. "We really need to make this a thing, Reggie. You've picked an amazing spot."
You and Reggie chat easily with your hosts while you eat. And eat. Eggs over easy, (scrambled for Reggie), thick slices of bacon, spicy-sweet sausage patties, crispy hash browns. Remembering Mr. Matthews' suggestion, you try the thick, fresh milk, and it doesn't disappoint.
"The Matthews' send their regards, by the way, we met them at that amazing restaurant last night. I really love it down here. We ran with a deer this morning!" When you talk about making this a thing, she nods. "Yes, for sure."
Your phone buzzes. It's Tandy.
Having fun? Don't forget, we need to leave the apartment by 7, so don't get lost on
the way home. Hope you're ready to DANCE!
Reggie's eagerness is delightful. We enjoy the rest of breakfast, and as we're finishing, I ask, "Wanna head out to the museum now, or in a little while?"
I also send a reply to Tandy.
To: Tandy Got it. Oh ye of little faith. Will see you in a few hours. I'll have my dancin shoes ON! Trev"If we have time, I'd really like to porch-sit for a while. We should check out and bring our stuff with us when we go, don't you think?" Your little planner stands up and stretches happily. To your hosts, she says, "Thank you so much. My tummy is very content right now."
You head upstairs to pack before moving out to the sweet autumn morning light and the big rocking chairs on the porch. Reggie looks over at you. "Trev, I have a dark secret."
I give a look, "Ah. The truth comes out. Alright. Spill."
She reaches into her purse and pulls out a leather case.
"I... am dying for a smoke." She opens the case and pulls out a cigarette and a lighter. "There. I said it." She lights up as a honking V of Canada geese heads past to the southeast, toward their winter condos in South Carolina.
My mouth twitches a little frown, just a hint. It's not like I haven't dated smokers. We are in North Carolina. Even though nobody's allowed to smoke in bars, it's still a thing at parties and in pre-club hangouts. You know, when people get together to drink cheaper liquor before going out.
"I smoke weed." I admit. "Like a fiend." I shrug, "Different strokes."
Funny, I usually taste smoker's breath on girls. She hides it well.
"I haven't had one since I got down here. I don't smoke much, really. Exam stress and when the endorphins really get flowing. Like, say, the last sixteen hours." She reaches over to stroke your head softly.
I get up from the rocking chair and squeeze her shoulder as I walk past, heading inside, "I'll carry our bags down to the car. Enjoy the smoke, and we can head out in a bit."
You're back at the Holt Center. No man on the porch today, and a different but equally bored Work-Study student at the desk. This one's some flavor of jock, a big young man already losing his high-school football trim. "Sign in the Guest Book," delivered in a flat monotone.
Between your entries from yesterday and right now, there's one name. From about 15 minutes ago. The scrawl is barely legible, but it reads, "Toby Hanson."
We sign in, then make a beeline for the computer. Once we're out of the front room, I whisper, "Fucking Roddik. I bet he snagged my drive." I'm heading right back to Eve's room, moving the velvet rope and checking on the computer. Fifteen minutes. Fifteen fucking minutes!
The velvet rope is already unhitched. And Roddik hasn't left with your drive.
There she is. Wait, she?
"Abby. What a pleasure meeting you in the flesh."
"Fucking Roddik..." Except my tone isn't as hateful as it was earlier. "Are you stealing my thumb drive?" Holy shit, Toby is a girl. Roddik is fucking hot.
"Ooh! There's a thumb drive? I was still looking around." She turns and spots it. "This one?" She pulls it out of the computer.
Trevian, what do you do?
Shit. I wonder if I could've tricked her and... no. No, she would've gotten it regardless. "Yeah, that one." Now she's got my only thumb drive. This quest is really important, but I'm not going to, you know, beat up Toby over it. Maybe if Toby was a dude. I know, it's very sexist.
"No. Not that one." Reggie stalks forward. She's maybe four inches shorter than Toby, but seems very determined. "You're not leaving here with that. Abb... Trev has a date with his roomie tonight, and we don't have time to fuck with you." You recall Reggie mentioning krav maga lessons. Or something.
"Oh? Bring it, little girl." She holds the thumb drive up over her head, like it's a game of keepaway.
No girls... don't fight.
"Hey, we could work something out, you know." I offer. I doubt it'll work, but I gotta try. "There's a shitton of data on that. That's my drive. But possession's nine tenths of... well, we're all breaking in here, right?" I don't know where I'm going exactly. I look back at Reggie. "What if we all work together and break the code, then split it? After, we go our separate ways."
The two women look at you like you're crazy. Reggie reaches for the arm Toby has up in the air, and Toby pushes her with the other hand. Then, it's on. Like Donkey Kong.
Trevian, this is not a chick-fight you're watching, nor is it one of those almost-balletic choreographed cinematic affairs. This is two women with some actual training in self defense trying to take or hold possession of something important to them. Toby has reach and size, but Reggie is clearly quicker.
The first exchange is fast. Reggie delivers a quick one-two to Toby's midsection, and Toby responds by hooking her leg around Reggie's, throwing your elf to the ground. Reggie scoots back and gets to her feet while the taller girl shifts to get her balance back under her. Reggie lashes out with a quick, vicious kick that catches Toby in the hip. Even though she's wincing from the pain, Toby manages to catch the foot. With a twist and a push, she sends Reggie back to the floor.
That move right there? You'll notice I said Toby caught Reggie's foot. It was instinct, you guess, born of whatever martial arts training she's had. To do that, though, she had to open her hands. One of which was, as you remember, holding the thumb drive. Which falls to the floor, unnoticed by either of the very focused women.
Toby's closest to it. If she notices you going for it, she'll probably be able to snag it first. What do you do?
Down lil T! This is not sexytimes!
I'm grabbing that drive, that's what. I'll snag it and just take off. Toby will chase me, probably. It should end the fight. I hope.
Toby's closer, but she's also distracted, so she's just going to roll her base dice.
Mom was a Marine (3d6)
(Rolled: 3d6. Rolls: 6, 2, 6. Total: 14)
That drive's the "ball" and I'm about to steal it. I'm grabbing while scrambling, then continuing to move on out. Just like playin' ball.
I used to be a Baller (3d6)
(Rolled: 3d6. Rolls: 1, 5, 2. Total: 8)
Toby catches your sudden movement and her head snaps toward the spot you're heading for. She bends down and snatches up the drive before you cross the space, but Reggie barrels into her with a tackle before she fully straightens. They both knock into you Trev, and the three of you are briefly a pile on the floor, with you on the bottom. They roll off quickly, though, and stand to face each other. As you stand, you realize that your ankle turned under you as you fell. You recognize from your experience with injuries on the court that it's not serious, but it's going to ache for a day or so.
Reggie's blood is clearly still up, but she manages to calm down enough to engage her planning brain. "Trev, you said it should take about four hours to get all the data onto a drive, right? And we passed one of those McHackspaces in Hickory yesterday that was, what? About twenty minutes from here? It's 10:15. Say we're back and have a drive plugged in by 11:15. That should still give us barely enough time for you to get home, change, and be ready for your thing with Tandy." She looks at Toby, then adds. "And if we take her with us, she can't mess with the hard drive here while we're gone." Toby sneers, but you can tell she's hurting, favoring the hip that Reggie kicked.
What do you do?
(Rolled: 1d6. Rolls: 5. Total: 5)
Oh shit, that hurts. No, no, it's not so bad. I don't even need to limp on it. I'm alright.
"C'mon, Tobes." I can't believe she's a girl. I mean, yeah, voice mod on the chat channel back inna day, but I never thought she was. "We could get arrested here. Even worse, we could trash Eve's room. Seriously, we'll share the data. Even stevens. If you figure it out before us, then good for you, right? You move up the leaderboard and Wey-Yu loves you. But if we keep fighting, it's on the news, neither of us get shit, and some yahoo noob will waltz in and snaggit."
Plus, you know, we trash Eve's room! That's really not cool.
Toby looks between you and Reggie. "Fine. Don't want to trash Eve's stuff. I'll come with you to get another drive, but then I take off with the one that's already full."
Aw, man! That's my Bud Drive! Margie'd be pissed.
Well, not really. I doubt she even remembers giving it to me.
I glance at Reg. If she doesn't object, I answer, "Promise you don't call the cops on us or any bullshit, and we've got a deal." Man, this is cutting it close with Tandy.
Agreement reached, you're in the car on the way to the McHackerspace (that's how people refer to the string of converted garages and lofts that have been set up for DIYers and enthusiasts by non-profits and co-ops across the country). Once there, it's surprisingly difficult to find a drive that's back-compatible—your Bud Drive must've been among the last crop that were released into the wild. Then, a greybeard that calls himself Sloppy Jim wears a very old IWW t-shirt finally hears what you're looking for. He starts opening drawers in the big parts organizer by his workspace. "Ah!" With a crooked grin, he tosses you this.
"That should work, dudes!" He scratches his head with a tiny screwdriver.
"Domo!" I cry with excitement. We swap come cred, since these hacker-spaces deal in effort trade, then I look to Toby, "You want a ride back, right? How's the hip?"
Toby scowls. "Hurts like a sonofabitch. Your girlfriend kicks like a mule." She thinks for a second. "That's not right. Mules kick backwards. Your girlfriend kicks like... an ass-backwards mule." She's still not satisfied with that, clearly, but she doesn't try again. "And yeah, I need a ride back. My bike's there."
Once you're in the car with some music on, Reggie tries to make conversation. "Toby, where are you from?" You actually have that information from the packet Tonya gave you, but it's a useful opener. You make a mental note to mention to Tonya that "Sex" might have been a good data point to include in the little dossiers.
"Atlanta. Where I live now. I'm from upstate New York." She answers reflexively, then scowls again, like she's been tricked.
After a minute, Toby starts reaching into the inner pocket of her jacket. "Fuck it. Anyone want to smoke up?"
"Hell yeah!" I answer, not even looking at Reggie. "My girlfriend". I notice she didn't object. heh heh. I think I prefer "my elf". But that's a private thing. Between me, her and a love goddess.
"Atlanta's right on top of a backbone, no wonder you've got no delay." I offer some gamer chatter. "Reggie's thinking about coming down here for school. I live in the Tri. Shit, Tobes, we could almost do an old school LAN party. How'd you figure out to come here?"
Toby expertly rolls a fat joint and lights it, holding the smoke in for a few seconds before exhaling and passing it up. You notice that Reggie's toke is a little shallow, but she does take a pull before handing it over to you.
"Yeah, let's have a fucking sleepover, Abby. This little trip doesn't mean I'm not going to wipe your ass. Like I usually do."
I suck in a big hit. It's good weed, fills my lungs with a heady mix. I exhale after a moment, pass it back, "Sure sure, Tobes. I know all bets are off once we get back to your bike. I assume it's a motorcycle. Cool. And the quest is a shitton of money, so I get that we're not buddies. But, you know, back inna day, we used to raid the hell out of shit."
I glance at her in the rear view, "You remember the Haunted Halls instance? That was some shit, you know?" Damn, her eyes are incredible. And that cocky little smile I want to wipe off her face.
Focus, Lil T! Tobes burned you once. Reg in the car with you. Bad thoughts. Bad, bad thoughts.
"Yeah, the 10-Man version, before they nerfed it? Wiped it clean the first time, it was some kinda record." She pauses for another hit. "That was then..."
You're driving through the front entrance of the Center, passing the Museum of Appalachian Folkways. Do you mention your Gift Shop idea to Toby?
Hell no, I don't mention the gift shop to Toby.
I take the joint back from Reggie, and before I take another hit, I finish, "And this is now. It's cool. Maybe after this is all over, we can raid together, or even better, all get together for drinks. Gratz on the Wey Yu sponsorship, that's awesome." I take a puff or two, pull us into a parking spot.
Toby seems to thaw just a little at your relentless onslaught of not being a dick. "Sure, drinks. And because I'm gonna win, I guess I'm buying."
With that, she heads to a heavily customized late-model superbike that looks like it maybe started as a Suzuki, but probably would be very confused if you could ask it about its parentage. Helmet on, she starts the bike and roars past just as you're getting out of the car.
You walk back past the bored jock, who is now the napping jock, with no problem, and minutes later the drive is plugged in and copying. It is 11:14. Reggie nailed it.
So, here's a thing. With no finesse, it will take four hours to copy the data to your "new" Domo Kun thumb drive. That has you leaving at 3:15, with a three-hour drive. 6:15 back to drop Reggie off, another fifteen minutes to your apartment, if the lights go right. I'm going to offer a roll.
You're not going to screw up the basic transfer of data, but... if you roll your Tinkerer Trait and make better than a 11, you can drop the final transfer time by ten minutes for each 1 you beat that 11 by. Result of 12 = 3:05, what have you. Feel free to make a case for a bonus die if you like. And tell me about what you do.
I watch her leave. Relief, and the enjoyment of seeing a pretty girl's butt, mix in my head for a moment. Then I'm heading inside.
You know, this is the second time around, and of course I'm rolling it around in my head what we need. I recall that the file structure for these old Windows machines were set up to break out programs from pictures and videos. I'll slice off the file to programs and files first, then personal stuff next. Then I drag files over as two different data copies. If need be, I can pull it as soon as the files sans personal stuff is done. It feels weird, but I want both.
Tinkerer (sans bonus die)
(Rolled: 3d6. Rolls: 5, 1, 4. Total: 10)
Tinkerer (bonus die)
(Rolled: 1d6. Rolls: 5. Total: 5)
That 5 replaces my 1 I originally rolled, so it's a 14. I shave off half an hour!
Let's go to gift shop!
That's 30 minutes off your time, Trev. Much less stressful, yes?
Reggie gives you a quick kiss after you get things set up. "Gift shop!"
It should be about a ten-minute walk from here, or you can get back in the car. How do you get there?
"Let's walk there. It's so nice out." We have time. I just worry about someone else coming along.
It's a beautiful day, and the path that leads from her to the museum winds along gently rolling, wooded land. The autumn foliage is in its full stride. A curious cardinal seems to follow you, flitting from branch to branch. Just a few steps into the trip, Reggie's hand slips into yours comfortably.
"Such a pretty day! Trev, is it weird that I got into a fight with Toby? That's not me, usually, but I was so mad!"
You find yourself at the museum entrance. The gift shop is right there by the door of course. Lots of craft stuff, kits for kids to build and make things. A few beautifully made hammered dulcimers sit with fiddles and handmade wooden flutes and whistles. Along the left wall are a few shelves of books, mostly coffee-table affairs and cookbooks. Then, just past that, media. Blu-Ray 4.0 disks and slim memory cards with recorded performances and movies. And then a thing you would never have expected to see.
Mountain Festival
Special-Edition Unlockable Content for Twilight Solstice
All proceeds benefit The Holt Center
There are a few dozen copies. $50 each. It looks as if this was released a few years ago.
As we're walking, I reach out to take her hand for a bit. Not the whole time, but some of it. She asks about Toby, I shrug, "Oh, I hate Roddik. And Tobes pissed me off a few years ago, but you know, this is real world. I try to give jerks a break when I see them face-to-face."
I put an arm around her, "That said, it was really cool seeing you fight for our honor, Reggie. Also, it was a little hot... speaking of which, didn't you say you got with a girl or two? How'd that happen?"
When we get to the shop, find the blue ray, I nearly crap my pants. That's... did she plan on this? How did it go so long out here in the wild? I've never heard of this unlockable. I smirk at Reggie, "Wish we could buy the whole thing. I can snag one for each of us, of course. Expense account. Maybe one for Tandy? Should we grab a few extra, use them as bargaining chips later? Fifty a pop is steep for me, but well, it's a big quest. What does my elf think?" I'm talking low, of course. Not gonna advertise this.
Reggie punches you in the arm when you tell her the fight was hot. Not too hard, but you feel it, for sure. When you ask about her and other girls, she laughs. "What a shock! A twenty-something man wants to hear more about the hot girl-on-girl action! I tell you what, I'll describe it in full, shocking detail next time you go down on me."
I chuckle when she punches me, rub it a little, for show. "We have a deal. I can't imagine a better time to hear all about your sapphic experiences."
"Ooh. Sapphic! So you're an educated pervert..."
You're looking at the TSol Unlockable. The back says something like "Inspired by the traditions and folkways of the Appalachians, Mountain Festival brings new items, creatures, and content to the world's most popular Immersive Gaming Experience! Available only through the Holt Center for Appalachian Studies."
"Someone made a mistake, Trev. This isn't on their online store. There was no way for anyone to know this was here, without coming in. And it's from two years ago. I wonder if Eve was planning ahead to something like the Mad Dragon quest, and just incorporated this in when she started coding?" She puts on her thinking face. "No point trying to buy them out, I bet they have pallets of these stored somewhere. Why don't we take half of them, just in case we need them? I'm sure M-T will reimburse us. Hey, we should ask for a corporate credit line!"
As we see the gift shop around the bend, I waggle my eyebrows at Reggie, "I'd hate to think my formative years spent reading girl-on-girl smut was wasted."
-------------
Inside the shop, I nod, "I can afford a couple, but the rest would need to be, I dunno, expense account or something." Assuming we can do this, we'll grab six, and... I dunno hang out for a bit in the shop?
I figure we've got an hour to kill. I'm totes looking for a quickie in the woods. Because I'd love to check that off my bucket list. "Hey, Reggie, ever done it in the woods?" Maybe I'll get my fill of her lesbiannic panic stories right the hell now.
"I'm pretty much a city girl. Tell me more about this 'doing it in the woods' you mention. I'm intrigued." So anyway, yeah... she's totally into it. You've got a blanket in the car, right? Why don't you tell me about the spot you found, Trevian? And about how things start out for the two of you.
As we're walking back towards the car, I'm picking out spots. "You see, Reggie. We backwoods yokels didn't use to have these fancy schmancy beds and breakfasts... es. Bed and Breakfasts? Ah yes, B and Bees. When we had the urge to get it on with a particularly hot partner, we would take them out to the only privacy we could find. Which it so happens, is a place not unlike here, which we call 'the woods'." I'm talking all teaacherly and scientific. I think she'll play along.
There was a spot near a little creek I spied, well off the path, which is dead, but better safe than sorry, you know. Shit, I wish we could skinny dip in a lake. That's some fun stuff right there. I'll mention it some other time. Right now, I've got a beautiful and curious girl and a whole set of woods to explore.
I pull the blanket out of the trunk, it was stuck under my bag with my Spalding leather basketball and my hit tops and extra shorts and all that. I hold it up for her observation, "Now, we're not animals. We do lie down a nice blanket, for the special people. Like you." I take her hand and give her a big smile.
Holy shit, I'm into this girl. I kinda wish I was taking her out on this big dancing date.
Reggie listens intently, nodding at all the right spots, asking the occasional question. "So, these are, how did you say it, woods?" When you say, "Special people, like you," she raises an eyebrow.
You make your way to the spot you noticed and lay the blanket down on a soft bed of fallen leaves. The air has warmed a bit in the noontime sun, cool instead of chilly. The creek chuckles happily.
"Professor, is this the part where we get naked?" She doesn't wait for your answer, she's already unbuttoning her shirt.
"Why yes, it certainly is." I answer as I pull my shirt over my head and drop it to the side, then push my shorts and boxer-briefs down in one go. I bend down and push off my shoes and socks, and fish out a condom, lay it on the blanket as I sit down.
"I know you told me not to say this, but you're really, really beautiful, Reggie." I recline and watch her undress. Or strip, whatever.
Reggie gives you that smile. "You're allowed one a day, Trevian. And now, professor, I believe you were about to teach me something about how you backwoods yokels... get it on?" She lies down on the blanket.
I hunger for that smile. I see it sometimes before I go to sleep now. Usually on her face. Sometimes, I just see the corners of her mouth turning up, like some huge zoomed-in close-up.
I drop into my best "down home" accent, "Well, Miss, if'n you set on down an lay back, I'll git to the lovin' on ya." I join her on the blanket, starting off lying beside her, kissing, feeling her body with my right hand. Her tummy's so nice and tight.
Reggie arches her back a little, pushing her firm stomach up to press against your hand. She's giggling a little around your kiss.
A cool breeze, so different from the current of an air-conditioner or fan, brushes against your skin, raising goosebumps and carrying the faint, ghostly sound of a loon pausing at a distant lake, on its way to overwinter in the coastal estuaries. Reggie shivers, partly from the breeze and the haunting call, and partly from your touch. "Oh. Trev."
I know I said I was going down on her, to encourage her to tell me about her girl-on-girl action, but that's so far from my mind right now. She's so pretty, and this moment feels special. I'm ready, she is, too. I put on the condom, roll over on top of her, reach down and ease myself inside. I was right, she is wet from this. Damn, she's such a little minx!
My elbow support my weight as I bend down to kiss her. This will be nice and slow, making love. Out in nature, nothing between us. "Reggie." Nothing more, just her name. She's enough.
It is slow and sweet, Reggie moving beneath you with desire but little urgency. The woods welcome you, the sounds of your lovemaking joining with the creek and the birds and the rustling of animals in the undergrowth. After Reggie reaches her first shuddering climax, she begins to urge more speed, more force, with her hips raising and her hands pulling down on your ass. It is not long before she comes again, and you along with her. After, she leans up to bring you into a deep kiss before you roll off of her, then her head turns, and she says, "Oh..." When you follow her gaze, you see this fellow watching you with curiosity.
This time is my second favorite. Not that I'm ranking things or anything (the elf ears BJ is tops, don't tell anyone), but the nice, slow lovemaking is so great because we're so connected. No jokes, no nervousness, no sense of competition. Just Reggie and me, in nature.
Afterwards, when we see that fox, I'm a little speechless for a bit. I just stare at it. Is it a sign maybe? As it turns and leaves, I clean up a little and start dressing. "Reggie." I say it without looking at her, "You're really awesome."
Reggie finishes dressing. "You are too, Trev. I'm really happy right now." She stretches up on her tiptoes to give you a kiss on the nose. "I really want to win this thing, Trev. I mean, even more than I did before. But... I feel like I've already won, just having time with you. I guess we owe Eve for that."
I throw my shirt over my head, then say, "Alright, now you're making me blush." I pick up the blanket and toss my condom in a little Kroger's grocery baggie, because seriously, who wants to find that on a nature hike, you know?
We'll walk hand-in-hand back towards the museum, canoodling, and chatting. "Hey, what're you doing while I'm out with Tandy? Got any plans? Catching a movie or playing TSol or anything?"
"Do you want me to wait for you to dig into this Mountain Festival stuff? I mean, if there's any sort of script you want run on the stuff from Eve's computer, I should be able to do that? What do you call it, a diff? To see what's changed in the Peace of Ages code? Otherwise, I might catch the new Hayden Byerly movie. The reboot of the John Wick franchise."
I snicker. She's had a thing for Byerly for like three years now. "Go see the movie, Reg. We can run the diff together later, or I'll run it after the Tandy thing. I worry a bit that Tobes will sew the fields with salt once she figures out what the deal is, but well, she'll trash whatever. I'm going dancing, you should see the movie."
Reggie quirks a lopsided grin. "Okay, I'll watch the movie..." She swings her hand in yours as you walk back to Eve's childhood home. "Trev, screw Roddik or Toby, or whatever. I think we've got a real chance! Rama said we were the first to get here..."
The hand swinging is completely adorable. I don't fight it at all. "True, and that's awesome. But any PoA advantage we had, Tobes has, too. And Tobes has a team backing her up, so they'll splice that shit up quick. I mean... we're still a step ahead of her. But just barely."
It's weird. I don't plan on winning this quest. I want to win it, but like Reggie said, I've already got something pretty wonderful going on. We can waste the last bit of time before the thumb drive copy is over chatting about the game. Interesting how little I've played this week.
"I think we have an advantage Toby doesn't. We give a shit about each other. She really only cares about winning. WE are our secret weapon... Is that too much to say, too soon? I mean, you've been this sort of abstract part of my life for a while now, but..."
"It isn't too much to say. I feel the same way, Reggie." I look over at her, no smiles, not kidding, "You're really important to me. I hope we win, but I'm having fun doing this with you no matter how it turns out."
The rest of the day goes smoothly. The drive has all of the data in plenty of time, and your trip home takes you through fantastic fall weather. You stop at an Exxon-Mobil-Shell station with a convenience store attached and that most delightful of treats, a smoker outside. Explaining to Reggie that there is no barbecue like gas-station barbecue, you grab a vinegary pulled-pork sandwich for both of you and two bottles of Cheerwine, which has miraculously survived the last twenty-five years of consolidation and buy-outs in the soft drink world, and goes just right with the barbecue.
You drop Reggie off at the Carolina Inn with a few spare minutes to make out, and you're back at the apartment in plenty of time to take a leisurely shower and get dressed for the big fundraiser.
—End Scene—