***
We had the whole crew in dream training today. Shiv and Lillian took on the zombie traps, up in the main area. Sophia and I are crawling through the escape tunnel.
I fasten Shiv's mechanism to the trap door and pump the gas through.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay with this?" I asked Sophia.
Sophia nodded. "I'm not killing him. I'm just not stopping you from doing it. I saw the cages in your memories, he does deserve it." She paused for a moment. "I was wrong before. About the mugger. You may have engineered the situation, but they still chose to mug us. I could stay in the academy, or even return to the convent. But I don't want that. I want to be active, to be with you. Which probably means accepting a degree of violence in my life."
I sigh. "If you are going to follow me out here then that's probably true. I'm learning a lot about myself lately. It turns out I have a certain degree of amorality. Gestalt thinks that I'm not entirely human."
[More than human.]
"Sorry, more than human, they said."
Sophia gives me a puzzled look. "More? What does that mean?" She asked.
"Neither of us know." I said.
We finished off the raid. It was successful.
We are almost ready to go.
***
I'm still stuck cycling mana in Mana and Rifts class. As painfully slow as it is, I'm making progress. Very slow progress. I have just about enough control to cast my own Light Orb without using the bracers.
Those are still banned from this class.
Of course, the light orb was the size of a beach ball and blinded half the class. But it was stable!
Success!
***
Lunch was interesting.
The whole class was with us. Honestly, the class is really vibing together. I know I don't spend quite as much time with the boy side, but they are chill for the most part. Even Bronson is entertaining in his own way.
It was some sort of pick-and-mix platter situation going on. Lots of crackers, cheeses, and fruits. I am, of course, sitting next to Sophia, and Daisy is next to her. Those two have really turned a corner, which might honestly be a little worrying for me.
I did notice Daisy lean into Sophia and whisper something into her ear. Then they both laughed. I stamped down the rise of jealousy in my gut. I'm ninety-nine percent certain I have nothing to worry about there. Ninety percent at least.
After Sophia laughed, she cocked her head, and then got that look in her eye. The one I've only seen twice before. The one that means I'm in trouble.
Did Daisy just feed her an idea on how to fuck with me?
God I hope so.
Sophia takes a grape from the platter in the center of the table, offers it to me in front of everyone, between thumb and forefinger. She smiles lovingly at me. "Eat," she said.
In front of everyone, my cheeks flush immediately. I know what she wants, but I'm not going to just do it, you know. I go to take the grape from her hands.
"No," she said quietly, to be fair, we haven't gained everyone's attention yet. "I said eat."
I close my eyes for a breath, steel myself, and lean forward. Biting the grape that sits between her long, elegant fingers. She gives me the slightest amount of resistance as I pull it away.
I swallow the grape and fidget a little on my seat.
I can see Daisy out of the corner of my eye, smirking. Probably at the fact that I'm biting my lip. The world narrows down to a single point. Sophia is picking up another grape. The act alone causes me to squeeze my thighs together. Hey, it's been a long time since that bath day. That was like two weeks ago. This girl has gotten frustrated again. Especially now, with all the making out.
Sophia brings the grape to me. "Eat," she says, and the lower half of my body pulses with the word.
I lean forward to take the grape. But before I can take a bite, she lowers it. Just enough that I'm going to have to bend down to take it. Not only that, the grape isn't between her thumb and forefinger now; she is offering it to me in her palm, like you would offer food to a dog.
I squirm.
I look at her, tuck a bit of loose hair behind my ear, and lean down to take the grape between my lips. I, of course, make sure to lick her hand while I do so. Two can play at this game.
She gave me a cocked eyebrow, as if to say, 'Oh really?' I think I might of fucked myself.
Hopefully.
The rest of the world disappeared when Sophia reached for another grape. This time, instead of offering the grape to my lips, she held the grape between us. Down on the bench, between our thighs. She looked at me, flashed me that glorious, innocent smile, like butter wouldn't melt, and said, "Eat."
I'm as red as a tomato. I can barely think. I'm so wet, I'm worried I'm going to slip off the bench. Sophia is just smirking at me, like 'How are you going to do this Tangerine?' This bitch thinks I'm here to play?
I took the fork from my plate, held it up. I looked into her eyes and dropped it on the floor. "Oops," I said, with the flattest voice you could imagine.
Then slowly, I wiggle my way under the table – as if to pick it up. Once I am on my knees on the table, I lean forward and take the grape that Sophia is holding between her fingers. But Sophia doesn't let me get away with just that. Her fingers follow the grape, invading my mouth. Inside my mouth, she squeezes the grape until it pops. A burst of flavor. She then wipes her fingers on my tongue, as if to clean them.
It was too much. My hand found itself between my legs. While I normally love my gothic Victorian fit, right now there is so much clothing between me and where I want to be. I bite down on Sophia's fingers out of frustration.
She, of course, takes this as a challenge, and pinches my tongue. Pulling it out of my mouth.
"You all right down there?" said Lillian, and the whole world came crashing back into focus.
Oh shit, both Sophia and I are cherry red. We just did that in front of everyone. We might have gotten a little too into things. Holy shit.
I quickly scrambled up from underneath the table. I hold up the fork and mutter, "I dropped this."
From the corner of my eye, I can see Daisy's with the biggest shit-eating grin across her face. A twinkle in her eye like this went better than she ever expected. I feel like a puppet on her strings.
Which I am totally okay with, more of this, please.
***
Lore nerd class remains boring as shit.
But I did learn a bit about the Academy. Apparently, roughly six hundred years ago, humans turned up in this realm, and it took less than a hundred years for them to blow it to pieces. The Academy was set up by the winners of said wizard war. The stated reason was to stop another war from happening.
The real reason. It's a racket. If you are a Rift Walker, you have to work for the Academy. You are free to do what you want, but the Academy always takes a cut.
The Academy is wizard M.A.D. You can try and get uppity, but if you do then every other Rift Walker fucks you. Without lube.
***
Picked up safe house coins from Maria's office, before bath-time. Which, I got to say, was difficult for me after the lunchtime shenanigans. I am a flustered horny mess. I am going to have to take care of this soon. I might even brave rubbing one out in the toilets, as bad as they smell.
Honestly, I didn't expect to get even more frustrated after getting a girlfriend.
Went to bed a horny, hot mess. The kissing in bed didn't help matters.
***
***