The Brunch Munch looks like a classic diner, with enclosed booths with cushioned seats and tables set out with syrup and honey and jam packets in little wire holders. There's a small specialized flower-console at each table, there to summon food with; there aren't any staff at all in evidence. 

Looking down one of the rows, Audrey can see a nude woman kneeling by one of the tables, being handfed french toast sticks dipped in syrup. She blushes as she catches Audrey's eye, and hestitantly waves.

Audrey waves back, and goes on to the next row.

Which is where she hears a familiar voice in conversation. 

"I'm just saying that I think things would go smoother if you gave classes to all the new arrivals."

A soft, melodious voice contradicts her. 

"It's against the ethos of the Rosethorn Hotel to make anything mandatory. Now, the Blackberry Gardens can do it and does do it, but we generally prefer a more hands-on approach."

Audrey follows the voices around the corner, and waves when Aurica comes into view. 

"Hey, Aurica. And I'm assuming... Ishaza?"

"You would be correct. Come, sit down. Audrey has told me about you."

"She has, has she?"

"Only good things, I assure you."

"Aurica, do you mind?"

"No, you're free to join us."

She sits. "Go on, tell me what Aurica's told you."

"Aurica?"

"When we're together we go by Aurica and Tabs."

"Ah. I see. Well, pleasure to meet you, Tabs."

"Yes, I'm sure. Please, go on."

Ishaza cracks a slight smile. "Sorry. I shouldn't tease. She mostly told me that sex with you was lovely and that you seemed far more confident than her."

"And she's conveniently leaving out the part where I also told her you were uncomfortable with escorts."

"Aurica. Manners."

"Oh, fine. I don't see why I should have to be circuitous."

"I prefer to let people's actions speak for themselves."

"Could we, um, get off this topic?"

"Very well. Aurica, you were saying about classes? And Tabs, you'll want to order I assume - I'll slide out so you can get at the console -"

"Thank you, yes." She slips into the booth as Ishaza slides out, and punches her craving into the console. Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries emerge, just as she desired. 

She digs in, and listens to Aurica and Ishaza's conversation for a bit.

"Basic safety and consent classes would prevent so many of the early fuckups people have here. It's frankly kind of criminal that they don't exist."

"They do exist, you just have to want to go to them. I teach one."

"That's not the point. They should be mandatory."

"The Rosethorn Hotel's wards are up to the task of preventing any serious harm. Some people might be scared, but that's part of the lesson they're learning. And experience is the best teacher."

"You're just going to let these problems happen because you can keep them from doing real damage? That seems negligent."

"If we required safety briefings for everyone, we wouldn't get as many visitors as we do. That matters; Sunaira wants to give as many people as possible a real chance. That means accepting less than perfection."

"A real chance? A real chance at what?"

"The Doors of Night, of course."

"You think Sunaira is qualified to decide who gets what kind of life?"

"Sunaira is an old goddess. She's seen much. And she's never wrong."

"Not exactly increasing my confidence there."

"If you're analyzing it suspiciously then naturally you shouldn't pay attention to a word I say, since I've passed through the Doors of Night myself."

"Point noted."

"So the question I'm hearing here is 'how much is Sunaira willing to trade off chance someone goes through the Doors of Night versus quality of their stay if they didn't.'"

"I don't know, I'm no priestess."

"Gods."

"Seconded."

"Would anyone like to talk about kinks?"

Aurica goes beet red.

"Um... I guess I could. I don't know much about my kinks yet, but - there's some things."

"Oh? Do illuminate me."

"I like handcuffs and overstim play and service and being pegged and praise and cuddles. I uh also enjoy being spanked, lightly. Aurica, you should try that one if you haven't, it hooks into our... deal."

"I... see..."

"Have you tried leash and collar yet? That's a natural extension of handcuffs. And people who like praise often enjoy degradation as well, it's like the two kinks are mirror images of each other."

"I haven't tried leash and collar yet. And... like being called a bitch and a slut and so on? I... kind of enjoyed calling someone else a bitch, but I don't know if I could take it myself."

"Chastity?"

Audrey flushes. "Nnnnno. That does make sense."

Ishaza smiles. "My time is limited, but for your explorations I might be willing to make some."

"I'll... keep that in mind, thank you."

"How about you, Aurica? If you're comfortable sharing, I mean."

"Uhmmmm... Well, we've explored a little, haven't we."

"We have. Anything you'd like to share with the class?"

"I'd like to echo the idea of service kink. I'm... actually really into being Ishaza's maid. Brushing her hair, making her tea, things like that."

"Awwww that's cute. And I could see myself being into it too. I should try that. Maybe with Lily?"

"Who's Lily?"

"She's a, um, play partner of mine. She tops. Very fond of her strapon. I... like her, but she never sticks around after our scenes."

"Sounds like she's shy," says Ishaza. "You should ask her out for coffee after one of your scenes."

"Couldn't it just be that she wants to keep it professional?"

"What harm is there in asking? Worst case she says no."

"I guess that makes sense."

"I'm fairly sure you'll be pleasantly surprised."

"What about you, Ishaza? What are some of your favorite kinks?"

"I like intimacy, sensuality and soft power. Controlling my partner's pleasure and orgasms is something I deeply enjoy. Or having that enforced on me - I am a switch. While I'm into most kinks, I think I most like gentle, tender sex with a lot of foreplay and teasing."

She hesitates. 

"... And I also kink hard on my partner using my previous partner's seed as lube."

"... gosh, that's quite the kink. No wonder you became an escort."

"Yes, well. Thank Sunaira for the Blackberry Gardens, hm?"

"Yeah, I guess so!"

"Do people ever... arrange that sort of thing in the hotel?"

"Oh yes. It's a bit more of a bother for everyone involved, but that way you can include people who haven't made it into the Blackberry Gardens."

"... would you be willing to help arrange something like that for me?"

"- for you? Well, there's always the other escorts. I could bring in Kumi and Aya for that if you asked nicely. Maybe even Tasha. It'd mostly be strapons, only Kumi has a natural cock, but I think you'd... get the experience."

"That would be nice. Once I'm ready."

"I'll pencil it in."

"Wow. I don't know if I could commit to that kind of thing even tentatively."

"Different people learn at different rates. Don't let it bother you."

"... so you know the other local escorts. What are they like?"

"Aya's lazy and spends most of her time serving in the Blackberry Gardens. She's forgotten more about being an escort than I've ever learned. Tasha is a dragon girl, wings and tail, and she's very dedicated to her job. She's actually a priestess of Sunaira, if you had questions I could pass them along."

"No, I think that's alright."

"I'll talk about that with you later, Ishaza."

"Alright. Any more questions?"

"What are the Blackberry Gardens like? I've heard things, but I figure you might be... the sort of person to ask."

"No waiting, no bullshit, nothing but sex and kink. And when you stop wanting that it goes away. It's very eager to serve, more even than the Rosethorn Hotel. And sometimes something goes completely the opposite way to how you expected it to go and it's perfect anyway. There can be - scheduling issues, and conflicts, and all the detritus of life, but almost everything shuts up and lets you focus entirely on what you want."

"Sounds lovely."

"I wouldn't recommend jumping in immediately - it can be a lot - but it's the place to go for truly unrestrained fantasies. Because somewhere out there in the Rose Bowers, there's someone who wants exactly the complement of what you want."

"Do you really have enough people here to assure that?"

"We cheat a little. Between the escorts and nudging arrival and departure dates, we arrange compatible people. And there are so many people coming here. We try to keep the prices low to help with that."

"You nudge the arrival and departure dates? How?"

"Fate effects. It's all in the Bower Guide."

"Isn't that kind of unethical?"

"It only uses the slack that was already there."

"I guess."

"Gods."

"Gods."

"Personally I think it's worth it to provide a better experience here, but you're entitled to your own opinions."

"Let's get off this topic. What's your favorite breakfast food, Ishaza?"

"Oh, definitely sausages."

"Of course."

Audrey cracks up.

Aurica does too.

Ishaza is last to join in, but even her reserve is not unbreakable.

"What about you, Aurica?"

"Pancakes for me. Especially light and fluffy ones with a dollop of whipped cream on top."

"And for me it's waffles, obviously." She gestures to her current meal.

"The thing I like about sausages is that they go with everything. Kind of like how D/S play can touch everything while remaining itself."

"There's some foods it's kind of weird to have D/S play with though, right? Er, I mean - like it's weird to have a bowl of sausages - cereal -"

Aurica cracks up again.

"Now dear, be nice and let her get her thought out."

"Some breakfast foods like cereal are kind of weird to have sausages with. You might anyway if you really like sausages, but it'd definitely be a 'you thing.' And then there are some meals like a sausage and egger where the sausage is an integral part of the dish. Does the metaphor hold with D/S play?"

"Well, I mean, even if I metaphorically really like sausages I'm not going to have sausages every day for a month straight. Variety is important too. It helps D/S play that what it really is is sausage and eggs, that complete dish, and you can have sausage with almost anything as a side and eggs are in practically everything and can easily be unrecognizable, like making a cake with them. So what you get is sausage and eggs, sausage and egger, pancakes and sausages, bacon and eggs, chocolate cake, and all of that has D/S elements but the degree to which they're recognizable varies. And then sometimes you just eat cereal, which in this metaphor is nondynamic play."

"What's lunch in this metaphor?"

"All the romantic things that aren't necessarily sex but could be."

"And supper?"

"All the pleasurable things that could be sexual or romantic but aren't necessarily."

"And the rest of the day?"

"All the things you do for other reasons other than enjoyment."

She pauses. "It's Sunaira's philosophy that almost everybody could use more metaphorical food."

"Particularly breakfast?"

"I think Sunaira would say we're experiencing a critical breakfast shortage, yes."

"Why does she put breakfast first?"

"Because of the critical breakfast shortage, weren't you listening?"

"I guess I deserved that."

"Um... Ishaza, I apologize if this is rude, but - do you enjoy being an escort?"

"Yes. I get to set my own hours, bill my employer for social time, and have a lot of sex all on my terms. Why would I have a problem with it?"

"It doesn't seem... artificial, to you?"

"Everyone always wears masks. The masks slip here more often than not. I don't think there's any job that will get you what people really think of you more often than escort. Granted, often they feel you're disgusting, but that's the price you pay for going into the profession."

"Is the price worth it, to you?"

"Yes. Definitely."

"Now, it's true that not all escorts are as nicely treated as the ones here, but..."

"That doesn't change what the case is in the Rose Bowers."

"Exactly."

"I see."

"You sound skeptical."

"It's just... generally I would rather people weren't forced to have sex rather than starve."

"Very cogent argument. In the same way that one might argue it's horrible that you might have to mint Takkarash in order to not starve."

"... I guess?"

"The parallel is exact. It's an arguably bad thing happening to prevent an even worse thing."

"Yes, but there's... pimps, and so on..."

"I'm not going to pretend to you that prostitution is a squeaky-clean business. I'm just saying the Rose Bowers does it both legally and ethically. Particularly if you compare to history, we're an outlier. We have a literal goddess of pleasure at our backs, what do you expect?"

"Um... Ishaza, you said you knew a few other escorts. Could you give me contact information for them? So I could talk to them about this?"

Ishaza checks her phone. "I can do one better, Tabs. I can invite them over right now."

"Could you? I - think I could use it."

"Anything to help a young girl's education." She selects a portrait on her phone, calls. 

"Hello. Yes, I know. I have a client here who's working through her issues with prostitution and would like to speak to some more escorts, can I take some time out of your day? Yes? Thank you." 

She hangs up. Calls again. "Hey Aya, it's me. I have a client with escort issues who could use words from an experienced hand like yourself. Meet me at the Brunch Munch? Thank you."

She puts down the phone. "Aya and Tasha will be here shortly."

"Thanks a lot, it sounded like you called in a favour there -"

"Tasha is very busy, she works with the therapists, but she trusts my judgment on when she should get involved elsewhere. It's no big deal."

"...if I have a sudden case of bravery could we all go off and spend some time together?"

"I didn't ask them to budget for that, darling. But if it comes up I suspect we could work something out."

"I see..."

Tabs reaches out and takes Aurica's hand. "I think it'll be alright, whichever way you choose."

"Yeah. You're in good hands with the Bower escorts."

"Oh, I think I hear someone coming already."

A golden-furred kitsune with a gold kiseru in one hand turns the corner, thin wisps of smoke trailing from her pipe. "Ishaza," she says. "And company. Who's the client?"

"Tabs, the pink-haired one."

Aya slides into the booth alongside Aurica. "So, go ahead and ask."

"Um... What's in the pipe?"

"Chi. It's originally from my world, the OTC only started exporting it afterwards. In case you don't know it's a stimulant and mildly addictive - it's basically coffee. I used to have a habit of eating it - which is more like doing meth - but I kicked it with Sunaira's help."

"I... see. Did you start in prostitution because of your Chi habit, or...?"

"Yes. But I don't regret it, the business has turned out to be worth it. I had some very bad experiences, but the Bowers..."

"It all makes up for it in the end, huh?"

"What other job pays you to lie around texting?"

"...texting?"

"Aya mostly serves clients who get off on being ignored. She's world-class at being of use while doing something else."

"They can't handle me when my blood is up."

"What, ah, do you do then?"

"Heavy degradation, strict D/S, that sort of thing."

"Aya is what is colloquially known as a quote 'bitch-breaker' unquote."

"I... see. Well, more power to her I guess."

"I don't need it, I've already got more than enough." She takes a puff of her pipe.

"Ahahah, I see. Well, I won't keep you any longer..."

"Does Aya make you uncomfortable?"

"... yes. There's the pipe, and the bad experiences in her history, and the fact that all her interactions with her clients seem to cast them in a bad light..."

"But I still enjoy being an escort here and I'm not being abused. So what is it that you're really uncomfortable about?"

"... I don't know."

"Excuse me, is this the table?"

"Ah, Tasha! Come on in, we were just getting to the interesting part."

She squeezes in to the side with Tabs. "I see Aya's here as well, and these two?"

"Alts of each other. The pink-haired one, Tabs, is our client for the moment, though Aurica might want us all to take her back to her room in a little while."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time for recreational work right now, you know how it is."

"I do. But I thought you could offer a few words to Tabs."

"Yes, well, that's why I'm here."

"So, um, what is it you do here, Tasha?"

"I'm a sexual surrogate; I help people with sexual issues and hangups learn in a safe, professional environment. I basically simulate good sexual relationships for people who've got trauma or other problems. And yes, that means I have sex with them - I'm the participatory half of the team along with the sexual therapist."

"So you have sex in order to sort out people's problems? I didn't think that worked outside of porn."

"It's a real therapeutic model that's been adopted in a number of places! In more conservative worlds it's legally grey, but even there they recognize that some problems are intimate and require hands-on work. It's obviously not a cure-all but it does help."

"There are places that make the prostitutes healing fonts or whatever," opines Aya. "Don't see the point when you can just use a wand of Cure Light Wounds. Less complicated."

"And that encourages holy virgin myths which are terrible. Having sex with a virgin cures dragonpox. Losing your virginity hurts for women. You'll bleed on your first time if you're a woman. Blah blah blah. Heard too much of the same crap at my job, honestly." 

"And of course there's the various forms of stigma -"

"Right. Transphobia, homophobia, speciesism, racism, sexism - it's a wonder anyone bones anyone!"

"Straight people have it the worst."

"I know you joke, but seriously, being expected to treat your partner as an alien from another planet is hard on people."

"Not to mention all the forms of gender essentialism they never think to question."

"Yes, well. We're getting off topic."

"How's your job, Tasha?"

"Difficult but fulfilling, I'd say. It gets wearing, having to fix the same issues again and again, but... It's what I signed up for."

"What with being a priestess and all?"

"Yeah, exactly."

"Do you ever wish you'd done something different?"

"Rarely. It's not a perfect fit, for all the Doors of Night get hyped. But it's good. It's correct. And it makes sense for who I am right now. When I get bored I'll go through the Doors of Night again and get a new assignment."

"Do you all still need me? I have a client in fifteen and I'd like to prep."

"Go," says Ishaza. "I won't stop you."

Aya slides out of the booth and goes on her way.

"Any other questions, Tabs? I can stay as long as you need, but I do have other clients, so..."

"How do you feel about the sex being kind of fake and artificial?"

"Whoo. There's a lot to unpack there. Firstly, stop assuming that. Secondly, yes it is. Thirdly, that makes it possible for me to do things with it that I could never do in a real relationship. Haven't you ever poured your heart out to a stranger simply because you knew you'd never see them again?"

"... Okay, that's a good point."

"Sure, on some level it's artificial, but I will take a good fake thing over a shitty real thing any day. The key is to look at the real impacts of the fake thing."

"And the escorts here, even the recreational ones, make people happier and more fulfilled. Who are you to take that from them?"

"... Alright, you win."

"Who said this was a contest?"

"... yeah, fair."

"I think the poor girl's had enough of a learning experience for now, Tasha."

"Call me back if you need me."

"Will do."

Tasha scoots out and leaves.

"... I think I'm done here for now, too."

"Oh, I'll get out so you can move -"

"Thank you very much, Ishaza. And - do you mind if I call you later?"

"Not at all."

"See you later, Aurica."

"See you, Tabs. I'll try your suggestions."

Audrey heads back to her room and flops on the bed.

Whew. That was a lot.

Now what?

Well, she has a working phone. She pages through her contacts list; Tasha and Aya and Ishaza have all been added. She could call Lily or Hannah. Or if she just wanted to social, she could call Rose. 

... Would Rose want to spank her? There's a thought. It's probably pretty light for her, but... 

She could ask. 

She bonks on Rose's portrait and holds the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rose, I um... I wanted to let you know I'm getting into masochism a little. It turns out I like spanking, and... I was wondering if you'd be interested?"

"I mean, spanking barely counts in my book. But it is something. And we could get out a good-quality takkarash minter and play around and see what your tolerances are. I mean, if you wanted to explore more."

Aww it's kind of cute how much Rose wants to hurt her.

"Um. I'm not sure I'm up for that right now, but pencil it in for later? I do think I'll want to explore that kind of thing..."

"Alright. Talk to you then?"

"Yeah, talk to you then."

Rose hangs up.

Well, that went well. 

Hannah, then.

"Hello?"

"Hannah! Do you have time for a scene?"

"Um, no actually, I was just about to leave for the Blackberry Gardens. Sorry."

"Oh. Well, that's okay. Do you know when you'll be back?"

"I'll probably be something like four or five hours."

"Okay! I'll see you later, then, I guess."

"See you!"

"Bye!"

"Bu-bye!" Click.

Alright, guess she goes to Lily then.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lily, it's Audrey. I um, I was wondering if... if you'd like to do another scene... and maybe a date afterwards?"

"Um... depends. What were you thinking?"

"Um... I really liked getting to face you and kiss you last time, so maybe cowgirl? With you on top, unless you'd prefer to use your strap again? And... coffee? And maybe a board game?"

"Sure, I'll top you. And coffee sounds fine. If we don't hit it off we don't hit it off, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Your room or mine?"

"I'd be comfier with mine."

"Thirty, right?"

"Yep!"

"I'll be right over."

"See you!"

"Mhm." Click.

Audrey settles in to wait.

And before long, there's a knock at the door.

Audrey opens the door in her single-brooch dress; she'd thought of doing so nude, but... Not quite her style.

"Hey there. Come inside?"

She does, her dress sweeping against the floor.

"So, coffee huh?"

She goes and sits on her bed. "Yeah."

"You know, I wouldn't have accepted that offer for most girls."

Audrey goes pink. "Oh. Um. Thank you?"

"Thank yourself for being such a lovely partner that I'm willing to try something more."

"... I made that strong an impression, huh?"

"You did. But I think there's something else we were going to be doing?"

She pulls her dress off over her head, revealing dark lingerie.

"Why yes, there was." 

Audrey leans in to kiss her.

Lily's fingers unhook the clasp of Audrey's gown as she kisses back.

And now she's nude. Nude, but not naked. There's a difference she's coming to appreciate.

"May I get your bra?"

"Please." Lily turns to expose the clasp.

And Audrey unhooks it.

Lily slips off her bra. Then, slipping a thumb into her panties, she lies back on the bed and slides them off as well.

She stands up and turns around, exposing herself fully to Audrey - this time without her strap.

"... are you ready to take me?"

"Um," says Audrey. "I think we need a little foreplay first. How about you come sit in my lap?"

"Oh. Yes, um, alright." She comes and sits down, feeling Audrey's half-hard cock rub against her stomach.

"We can go fast if you want to go fast, but... we'd need lube at least."

"... it's jitters. I just want to get into it and moving. Slow would be better."

"Then let's do slow."

And she leans in and kisses Isabel firmly on the mouth.

Isabel mms back appreciatively. And... can her hand wander onto Audrey's breast?

Audrey pulls away from the kiss and smiles. "Yeah, just like that. May I touch your breasts?"

"Yes, you may." She draws her fingers across Audrey's nipple, and feels how her cock twitches in response.

"You're beautiful," says Audrey. "Just relax into it. It's not so bad, is it?"

"Who's the dominant here?" 

But she's blushing.

"You, of course, Mistress." She leans down to kiss at Lily's breast.

Lily sighs and smiles and runs a hand through Audrey's hair.

She smiles, and kisses back up past Lily's collar to meet her lips again. 

Lily kisses her, shifts in. Her hand falls to atop Audrey's cock. 

"... May I?"

"You may." 

Lily begins to stroke and pet at Audrey's cock, helping her along the way to getting properly hard.

Audrey starts making little oohs and gasps. She returns the favor with lots of nibbles and kisses along Lily's neck and collar.

Lily tilts her head back and smiiiiiiiiiiiiiles. 

"That's really good."

Audrey grins.

"... are you sure you still want to top?"

"... um..."

"It's okay to ask for what you really want, no matter what it might be."

"I don't know what I want. I... hadn't considered the question."

Audrey stops kissing for a moment. "Do you need some time to think?"

"... no. Can we do both?" 

"Cowgirl first, like we planned?"

"Yes, please."

"Then let's get back to it." Kiss.

"Definitely." Stroke, stroke.

"...I'm hard now, and thinking about making you squirm beneath me has gotten me all heated. Do you need any more foreplay?"

"... No, I think I'm good." Blush.

"Then how about we move a little more into the bed and you ride my cock?"

"Sounds like an idea!"

"Get up for a moment, then?'

"Oh um yes." She stands.

Audrey scootches back onto the bed. "Come straddle me."

"Yes, m- Hey, wait a second!"

Audrey giggles. "Am I too much of a handful for you?~"

Lily shifts in and straddles Audrey, her sex grinding against Audrey's cock. She kisses her. "Maybe I should put a leash on you so you don't forget your place.~"

"Yes, Mistress.~" Kiss. Her hands wander to Lily's breasts.

Kiss. And she grabs a bottle of lube off the nightstand that wasn't there a second ago and rubs it all over Audrey's cock.

"This is my technical virginity, you know."

"Well, technically congratulations!"

Lily halfsmiles. "We haven't got there quite yet."

"True enough." She kisses at Lily's breast.

Lily pushes Audrey down with one hand as the other fiddles with her cock, trying to line it up with her sex. "Stay down."

"Yes, Mistress." Her hands come to rest on Lily's thighs. "When you're ready."

Lily shifts her hips, and earths Audrey's cock inside her with a shiver and a soft exhale.

Audrey moans, and rolls her hips slowly.

Lily rests one hand atop Audrey's chest, between her breasts, and starts to bounce on Audrey's cock.

Audrey arches back into the sheets, thrusts, makes little circles with her thumbs against Lily's inner thighs -

 - and Lily bends down to kiss her, her long violet hair whispering across her skin, her hands coming to rest on her breasts as they move together -

- and Audrey edges but doesn't come and her fingers slip in to brush lightly across Lily's clit - 

- and Lily gasps and shudders and kisses Audrey passionately - 

- and Audrey comes -

- but Lily's not far behind her.

"Mmmmmmm. Misssionary?"

"Sure. You bottom."

Audrey blinks. 

"- I guess I should've expected that."

"I thought things through a little more while you were fucking me," says Lily, "and I was just not looking forwards to bottoming. So..."

"Yeah. We'll do it your way."

Lily pulls off and pulls a strap out from the bedside table's drawer. She seats it into her sex with a squelch, and sighs softly. 

"Ready?"

"Yeah, ready."

She lubes up her strap, and summarily pushes into Audrey's ass.

She moans, and squirms appreciatively.

Lily starts thrusting her hips, bending in to kiss Audrey and nibble at her ear.

Audrey is very appreciative! And very blushy. She seems to be enjoying this even more than having her cock inside Lily.

Lily, for her part, is getting plenty of stimulation through the strap's feedback features. She's moaning and shivering and tensing up.

Can they come together a second time?

Yes, they can.

Kiss kiss snuggle. 

"That was better than the first bit, honestly..."

"I'm just better with my strap."

"'m still glad I tried the experiment..."

Lily kisses her chin. "It was okay. And we learned a little. Coffee?"

"I'd like to snuggle a little more first..."

"Awww. We can do that."

Snuggle!

Snuggle. 

"Actually, we could start the date part right now. I mean, if you wanted to."

"Mm?"

"You could tell me a bit more about yourself?'

"Mmmmrm. Not the time."

"... you're the one who wanted the date..."

"Aftercare. s'important."

"Oh right, I didn't get you a potion -" 

She quickly grabs one off the nightstand. "Here."

Audrey sips.

"... candy?"

"... Okay, I guess." 

She summons a bag of peppermint patties and a bag of skittles and a whole chocolate bar from the console and gives them all to Audrey.

Audrey peels one of the peppermint patties out of its little foil wrapper and noms it. 

"... thank you. Comfort food... helps."

Awwwwwwwww. 

She kneels next to Audrey on the bed and pets her hair. "Is that a normal thing for you?"

"Yeah, I like... candy and juice and coloring books and dumb phone games. Simple things. Being pet. Being held."

"I like... control. Feeling like I'm in charge of things. My strap helps with that. I've never tried a leash or a whip or anything but - I bet those kinds of things would help me feel okay. They feel like... tools, to me. Not something strange." 

Audrey reaches down off the bed and pulls out her necklace of oral enchancement and empathy and breath-holding out of the pocket of her dress. 

"I... it took me a while to order this. I'm still not wearing it consistently. But... I think I feel the same way about it as you do about whips and so on."

"What's it do?"

"Um. It makes oral better - both it gives you feedback from eating someone out and it lets you hold your breath forever - and it gives you an empathic sense for your partner's enjoyment."

"Cool," she says. "Maybe you can use it on me sometime."

"Yeah, maybe. Though your strap is good too, don't get me wrong."

"It really is, isn't it."

She smiles. 

"So, are you alright enough for coffee?"

"Right now I'd like to snuggle you and eat more of these peppermint patties. Is that okay?"

"Um... okay, that works. And I'll be quiet for a little bit."