Hey everyone!

Super Disclaimer (don't read if you just want smuts time) [This is a piece of metafiction. While there are quite a few stories out there that straddle the line, I believe it's done unknowingly. In fact, the whole idea of Heya fiction is problematic as the tag RPF is a contradictory statement. I'm sure it doesn't bother most writers who write Heya fiction, but metafiction has always rubbed me in the strangest way, but not necessarily bad. It's just this constant and unreachable itch in between my brain and the inner part of my scalp that I've never been able to scratch.

I've only ever taken one creative writing class and that's been in my graduate career. My professor encouraged me to continue writing meta pieces only because I think he liked to watch me struggle. So here I am, once again, writing another piece hoping this time it will be the story that finally itches my scratch. Sigh.]

For the rest of you, who just want to read, enjoy a shameless smut piece combining two of the fandom's favorite subjects – Heya and Brittana.

Playtime in MetaFiction Studio!

"Hey babe." Santana strolled up behind Brittany at the work table in the library. The brunette leaned over her girlfriend's shoulder to kiss her lightly on the cheek. Her dark eyes glanced towards the computer screen in front of her technologically challenged girl. She knew that Britt wouldn't be doing homework and that she really only used the computer to blog, make playlists, and edit videos. So when Brittany texted Santana that she would be in the library for their free period, Santana had been more than curious.

Santana's lip brushed against Brittany's warm skin with each word. Besides. "You only come in here when you want to have a little fun in the stacks. So should I go reserve the restricted area and see if we can find some good books?"

Brittany's pulse quickened at the presence of her girlfriend. They had that connection that didn't need words or announcements. It thickened the air around them. Drowning in a deep dark lake – the water so cold and unwelcoming until Santana would come around. Then it was like plunging into that needed hot bath, there wasn't the shock of the cold water trying to chill the body, but instead the welcoming and complete need to be smothered in her presence. The blonde leaned back into the kiss and smiled softly to herself at the suggestion.

"Books are for nerds." Brittany teased.

"We all know you're a secret nerd if you can get off while playing on top of the books here. Maybe you want me to caress a spine open for you…" Santana continued playfully suggesting. Her index finger wandered down the other girl's backside.

"As much as I would love to get our study on in the back stacks...I've actually been doing some research." Brittany stated as she pulled just slightly away from Santana's irresistible lips on the bottom half of her neck. Her girlfriend tugged just enough on the back collar of her Cheerios uniform to create a ripple effect down her body. As much as she loved getting distracted, she had to stay on top of her research so she could commence with the next phase of her plan.

"Research? I never thought that word could sound so sexy." Santana purred as she took the hint that her girlfriend wanted to finish her train of thought without the sexual persuasion. The brunette settled into the seat next to her. As much as she tried to give Britt some space, Santana couldn't help as her hands wandered down the other girl's backside and around her waist till she could comfortably splay her fingers along the upper part of Brittany's thigh. "Whatcha planning, B?"

"Well-" Britt turned the computer screen towards Santana. "-I've been looking up names."

Santana wasn't worried, but she felt the need to jokingly ask. "Something I need to be worried about? I know I'm good, but I don't think even my lady parts can get that stork to visit you."

"No, not for baby birds, San. I'm looking up names for us!" Brittany stuck her tongue out,which Santana took as an opportunity to lean forward and catch her lips in a quick stolen kiss. The blonde's smile continued through the moment of intimacy before she pulled back and playfully placed her finger across her girl's delicious lips.

This time Santana sighed. Their sexy time kept getting further and further delayed for Britt's plan. "And why would you be looking for names for us? I like our names."

Brittany grinned as she clicked on the random name generator link, but then she quickly x-ed out the window before it could load a name. Santana's face scrunched in confusion. "I thought you wanted a new name, B…"

"It's not that I want a new name. I was just thinking we could try a new and different kind of playtime."

"Like?"

"Okay, well first we need new names. But it's like a fortune cookie – it's bad luck if you pick your own. So you have to click on the link for my name and I'll do the same for yours."

Santana looked skeptically at the computer screen then back at her girlfriend. "So you want me to pick your name?"

"Pretty please…" Brittany batted her eye lashes.

The Latina's tongue rolled around her mouth and stuck to the top as if she was thinking over Britt's proposition. As if she could resist her girlfriend? "So you have a playtime idea?"

Now her girlfriend's eyes were absolutely sparkling at the use of the word 'playtime'. They had had quite a few now and it seemed that every time they upped the ante. It had started as just something fun that Brittany had wanted to try out and had branched from cowboys to astronauts to Disney characters to Batman and a thousand other scenarios. Anything that fascinated Brittany or held her attention long enough, the blonde cheerleader believed it warranted a playtime to explore with Santana. Brittany leaned across the keyboard. Her long fingers danced along her lover's knuckles as she attempted to get what she wanted from Santana by means of seduction. Again her long lashes slowly bounced up and down as her eyes flirted. "Just push the button and I'll tell you all about it."

"Fine." The brunette smirked as she pushed the button without losing her eye contact with her girlfriend. As the page loaded, the girls continued their staring contest. After a moment, Santana bit her bottom lip. "So do you want to know your new name, B?"

"Yes, please."

Santana finally broke their intense eye contact to look at the screen and read the name the generator provided. "Heather?" It felt so strange to say out loud so she said it again. "Heather. Does that fit?"

Brittany shrugged unconcerned if Santana felt the name fit or not. Fate had decided. "Heather. That works. Now it's time to figure out what I am going to be calling you!"

Taking back the laptop, Brittany hit the refresh button and threw her girlfriend a wink. For some reason, Santana felt nervous and anxious as they waited for the bad internet in the school library to refresh the page. To take her mind off the selection process, she outline Brittany's name on the notebook on the desk. Then to play along with Brittany's new game, Santana even wrote out the name Heather right afterwards. It still felt weird. Maybe they wouldn't have to use these fake names too long before they could go back to screaming each other's names.

When she looked up, Brittany had already closed the laptop lid in order to slide it away. Santana gave her a funny look. "What? I don't get to see the name you chose for me?"

Brittany pulled over the notebook Santana had been doodling and drew a heart connecting Santana's name to her own. Then underneath Heather, she wrote Naynay. Santana raised an eye brow with more than skepticism now. It was right out disapproval. Her nose wrinkled. "Really? That's the name the computer came up with?"

"It's fate…" Brittany said with a smirk. Her fingers whimsically drew hearts all around Santana's name and her own.

"Well I'm not sure I like this game anymore."

"My mom always said if there's too much 'na' in your banana you just gotta scoop some out with your spoon." Brittany answered. She finished the sentence with a definitive nod of the head as if she had spoken some kernel of wisdom.

Santana was unconvinced. "What? Like what does that even mean, B?"

Britt shrugged. "How should I know? Here." She took the pencil and began doodling again. The lead covered up part of the name and she merged some of the letters together underneath Heather. Proud of herself, Brittany leaned back away from the paper to show her the completed work.

"Naya?"

"Yeah, that's kinda what it spells without the extra letters…Naya…" It got caught in Brittany's tongue and stuck in her throat. The raspy noise captured the brunette off-guard. It wasn't often that her lover's voice dipped to the low throaty sound unless they were fucking each other senseless. Her dark eyes smoldered as she pushed forward till she was practically straddling Brittany in the middle of the library.

With her lips now against the blonde's ears, Santana's voice hummed. "Say it again."

"Naya." Again she allowed the name to take its time in her mouth before she finally released the final syllable. A pure shudder of desire ran down Santana's body as her mouth closed around her girlfriend's earlobe. Her teeth tugged as Brittany finished the word. And the brunette smirked as she felt her girlfriend's body roll forward on the chair beneath her searching for some way to rub herself against the wood to release some tension.

"As much as I applaud your new found confidence in your sexuality, Santana, I do believe this is the school library and some of us can't possibly hope to browse through the music catalog while you and Brittany continue to mount each other." Rachel stood in front of their table with her hands placed on either side of her hips. "Besides, as you both should remember, we have glee rehearsal in about five minutes in the choir room."

"Didn't know you were so interested in my sexuality, Berry. Trying to take notes? Because I'm sure five minutes would be far too much time if you and Finn wanted a quickie before practice."

Rachel bristled at the comment and raised her chin in a defiant manner. "I don't know what you're talking about, Santana, but I'll have you know that Finn and I are more than capable of taking care of each other."

This time Brittany giggled into the crook of Santana's neck. Her hands had wrapped around the small girl's waist and had practically pulled her girlfriend into her lap. "Taking care of each other?"

"Uh! You two are ludicrous and entirely unmanageable!" Rachel threw her hands up and stomped out of the library in the direction of the choir room.

The two girls were still laughing. Santana planted a soft kiss on Britt's lips before she shimmied off her girlfriend's lap so she was standing. "Come on. We should go before the troll starts throwing a tantrum."

Sighing, Brittany also stood up packing away her books and laptop. "Okay, but this playtime isn't over."

"You still haven't explained it, B. I mean I normally can guess because there are costumes and sets and scenery and sometimes you even have cut-outs of other characters, but this name thing has me totally stumped. Although, I can see the potential…" Santana finished with a smirk as they exited the library. Her thoughts were completely turned to the potential sexy moment that had been ruined by Berry, but before that, it had been hot.

"I was thinking, what if we weren't really real and that if we weren't real then someone who was playing us had to be real. So wouldn't it be fun to haveplaytime in like a television show?" Brittany said with a bright smile.

"What?" Santana shook her head and rolled her eyes. No matter what anyone said about her girlfriend, she knew for a fact that Britt was a genius. And this was just one of those moments when her brilliance shown.

"What I'm saying is that we might be someone else's playtime."

"I'm still a little lost…"

"So we are going to playtime as the people who playtime as us in order to cross like some space-time continuum or something like that. You know it's almost like a prototype to a time machine." Brittany shrugged her shoulders confident that this would work. Besides, what could go wrong except some switch in bodies and personalities? That would be if it was all real. At the moment, she was convinced that it would be fun and lead to some great sex around Lima. So it was a win-win. "I think the only way this could backfire is if we really aren't real, then I guess we'd be stuck in playtime forever…"

"No way that could happen besides…it's only playtime, B. And there is only one result of playtime and that is?"

Brittany didn't need to answer the question as they walked into McKinley High School's choir room. They both knew the answer.

"Oh good Santana and Brittany have joined us, that means we have a full ensemble today to kick off practices for our competition." Will ushered them into the room and to take their seats. Santana rolled her eyes and popped her gum obnoxiously as they passed by him. Berry sat in the front row with a disapproving stare. Britt didn't take the hint. She excitedly waved at glee's self proclaimed diva which seemed to make her only more upset at their tardiness. The two girls worked their way to their seats in the back row. Britt waved to just about everyone while Santana did her best to avoid making any sort of prolonged eye contact with anyone. Her fingers were still interlocked with Britt's as she dragged her to their place.

"Excellent!" Will shouted excitedly as the last of the New Directions took their seats. "So for this week's theme, I thought we could work on songs that capture the inexpressible! That feeling that can't be named – the one that comes from just living and realizing the potential of life."

Everyone in the class stared at him.

"Come on, guys! Someone has to know what I am talking about!" Will tried to the get the class to come around. But to no avail. That was until a certain Ms. Rachel Berry stood in front of the class and turned around.

"I know exactly what type of feeling Mr. Schuester is talking about-"

"Here we go…" Santana rolled her eyes and scooted closer to her girlfriend. "We should probably just make our own fun today, if you know what I mean…"

"-it's the feeling I have every time I look in the mirror in the morning and I know that I am just a star waiting to shine through all the dark and depressing clouds covering me."

"I think Berry's talking about us."

"So in order to clear the overcast away from my brilliant voice, I will dedicate this song to my own talents."

"Great, Rachel! What song are you singing so we can all join you?" Will asked.

"Mr. Schue, I will be singing it by myself." Rachel spoke over him and nodded to the piano man.

"Sometimes clouds are fun…" Brittany said softly.

"Of course they are, babe. Maybe we can make our own fun while Berry's wailing over there." Santana inched even closer to her girlfriend and maneuvered Britt's duck covered backpack to straddle the gap between their desks. It gave her hands just enough cover to hide what she intended to do. Brittany smirked as she realized what Santana would be doing. The blonde leaned all the way back in her chair and spread her legs.

"I love it when we create our own fun." Brittany's body tilted to the right to be closer to Santana's. Rachel was already into her chorus. Shivers ran up and down her long toned body. It was incredible how in love she was with this girl next to her. Maybe that was the feeling Mr. Schue had been talking about.

"CUT!" Brittany yelled at the top of her lungs.

Santana jerked back in her seat and looked at Britt incredulously. "B?"

Quinn turned around. "Brittany?"

This time another voice called out. "Cut!"

"Alright, I think we can call it a wrap for now."

"Britt?" Santana as she shook her head. Something felt so strange. But the blonde ball of energy had already bounced down to the bottom of the choir classroom.

"Naya, you okay? Scene's over." Dianna called from her seat as she lazily stretched out her arms.

The dark haired woman shook her head as if awakening from some dream. Her even darker eyes gazed about the set expectantly as if something else should be happening. But nothing did. Or would. She knew that and yet she still had this feeling that something else should be filling in the set. "Yea, thanks, Di."

Naya stood up from her chair and instantly pulled out her cell phone. She had apparently missed several phone calls this morning already from her agent and the texts only said to call him back immediately. Still feeling like her character, Santana, she resisted the urge to violently roll her eyes. Her friends and cast mates were already moving around; either getting something to drink, talking, texting, or surfing all sorts of social media. As the number dialed to her agent, Naya kept searching for only one person. She wasn't hard to find. Heather had a way of standing out from the crowd. Their eyes met for a moment past Chris' head. All she needed was that half a second before the other line picked up.

"Naya?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Good. I've been trying to reach you all morning."

"We've been filming. Ryan wants to finish on time this week. What do you need?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to run by a few items on your agenda for the next week and make sure we are on the same page. Got a few minutes?"

Naya's eyes blinked and broke eye contact with the blonde across the room. Kevin saw the moment and nodded his head in her direction. She couldn't help but smile at him before she turned away to walk towards the trailers. They would get more than a few minutes for break. They had been blazing through most of the morning without stopping. It would be nice to clear her head outside for a few minutes. "Go ahead."

He rambled on, but Naya was only half listening. Her agent and her PR guys had her pretty much wrapped up and probably for good reasons, but it made it difficult to care sometimes. Here on set, it was a whole different world and she could forget about everything for a bit. They were family here. She wandered back to where a table was set up with food and waters. She cracked one of the waters open and took a drink.

"No, I understand. It's fine. I haven't been seen with her in an interview in forever. What difference does it make if we're in a different panel this time too?" She resisted the urge to turn around and find the subject of the conversation.

"As long as we understand each other. It's not as if I like doing this, but I agree with the PR guys when they say it's the best thing for your image right now."

"And you don't think that it seems shady?"

"No, not in the least bit."

"People have noticed."

"You mean your rabid fans have noticed. They don't matter in the long run. You need to be marketable for more than just the horny little teenager girls."

"I know. Just set it all up. Everything seems fine." Naya spoke into the receiver as she finally turned around.

"Alright people, we have to switch some of the film and I don't like the lighting in here for the next scene so how about we take an hour break for lunch and we can all come back. Try not to mess up make-up or outfits. I don't want to put production back any further." A voice started shouting from over where the cameras were all set.

"Are we done?"

"Yup! Thanks again, Naya. I'll see you this weekend."

"Perfect." She hung up the phone and took her water with her as she walked towards the trailers again. She wasn't feeling hungry.

A hand yanked her into one of the empty make-up rooms. Naya could barely process what was happening when she felt the door being locked behind her in the dark. She heard the other person breathe for a moment and in that instant Naya knew exactly who had dragged her into the room. She blinked as her eyes readjusted to the darkness and the outline of the figure in front of her. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Getting grounded again?" Heather asked with that sparkle in her eyes.

"Something like that."

"You're lucky they don't have a tracker attached to you."

"No…" Naya said with a smirk. She leaned forward like she had when she had been playing Santana on the set only a few minutes ago. "I think you're the lucky one or we wouldn't even be allowed to work on the same set as each other."

"What makes you think you're the only girl out there? I could have just as easily pulled someone else in here."

"Shut up, Heather." Naya said with a grin. She dropped the phone to the vanity beside them as she reached out and tugged at the front of the cheerleading uniform. "Sometimes I wish we could fuck without feeling like dirty teenagers sneaking around the lot."

"You don't like the uniform?" Heather said as she pulled Naya away from the door. Her ass now pushed against the lip of the vanity.

"Sometimes it feels weird." Naya admitted, but she no longer felt like protesting. Already she could feel her body responding to Heather in ways that had never happened with anyone else. The way Heather just knew how to move into her body right between her legs so they could press into one another. Her dark eyes rolled back into her head and Naya had a hard time thinking of anything else.

"We could always ditch the uniforms?" Heather moved her hands up Naya's legs with confidence. "At least I don't call you Santana."

"I'd prefer if you didn't." Naya wrapped her arms around the back of Heather's strong neck as she was lifted onto the vanity behind her. The cold of the counter made her draw in a sharp breath.

"Maybe it's your turn to shut up."

"Just say my name again."

"Naya." She let the short name roll around in her mouth for an extended time as if the foreplay would all take place behind her lips and along the curves of her tongue.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"Get used to it, Naya." Heather teased once more. But her lips weren't sounding out her name this time, they maneuvered in that heavy space between. Naya felt her whole body freeze in place – it was the anxiety before the storm. The knowing that Heather's lips would soon be on hers that made her feel like the sky would topple down and crush her in that brief moment before they connected. Her right hand gripped at the lip of the counter as Heather breached that thrilling space.

Lips had a habit of sticking on first contact and this was no exception. But Naya loved and longed for the rough drag of untouched lips meeting for the first time. Sure this wasn't their first time sneaking around, but for some reason today felt different. Now she leaned forward unwilling to waste anymore time. The hand that wasn't gripping at the vanity for support cupped Heather's jaw and pulled her further in. The blonde didn't resist as their lips crashed together.

Heat flooded her cheeks as she felt her secret lover pull her closer. Heather loved the simple effect she had on Naya. But it wasn't until she heard – no, felt the other woman moan that Heather knew she was dying to touch the Latina. "I've been waiting to pull you in here all day."

"I've been waiting for you to be in me all day." Naya found Heather's hand and brought it from the top of her thighs, underneath that ridiculous cheerleading uniform, right up against the lining of the red spankies.

"Shit, Nay, these are soaking. You know the crew has to clean them, right?"

"So they get to see what working next to you does to me all day?" Naya said, her dark eyes sparkling as she slipped her own fingers between her legs. At first they played with Heather's fingers individually rubbing down each length from tip to joint to knuckle. At each one of her knuckles, Naya took her sweet time as she rubbed slow circles. Her eyes barely dared to blink.

Heather had never been seduced like this – these simple yet delicate attentions to her body or the way Naya could send shivers down her body with only that smoldering look. Each time Naya's fingers stretched along the length of her own it felt like the fuse of a fire lighting up and traveling through her body down to her very core. "Take'em off." Naya's breathlessly panted against Hemo's lips. The blonde couldn't control or stop the moan that rolled from her throat. Her fingers fumbled at the bottom of Naya's cheerleading outfit until she found the elastic and could easily pull it down. She wore nothing underneath.

Heather stepped back to appreciate the view. She bit her bottom lip in admiration. But Naya was having none of it. The brunette's fingers found Heather's collar and once again pulled back. Their lips met again.

Hard.

Naya wrapped her legs around Heather's waist to hoist most of her body weight onto her "on and off" lover. Her ankles locked behind Heather and gave her the very rare height advantage as she leaned down into their kiss. Tendrils of her dark hair drifted down her face and into Hemo's, but neither girl noticed or cared. Naya couldn't control herself as she rocked back and forth against Heather's chest trying to find some friction to relieve the feel deep between her legs. "I need you so bad."

"I know." Heather threw their bodies back towards the vanity. This time placing Naya's ass completely on the counter.

"Uunf-" Naya could barely get the noise out before she felt Heather moving between her legs. The blonde head disappeared beneath her vision for only a moment before she felt it. Heather's hot, wet tongue ran up and down the inside of her thigh. Her abdomen tightened. All she wanted was to feel that tongue go up. Naya moaned begging for Heather to go further up. Blue eyes smirked from between her spread, vulnerable legs. "Please."

Heather took her time as she traveled up between those beautiful legs. She loved the feel of Naya's fingers trapping her hair so she wouldn't be able to move away even if she wanted. Every breath Naya took, Heather could feel her body shaking with anticipation and need. Slowly, ever so slowly, she dragged her pink tongue around Naya's lips.

She loved the way she tasted.

So unique – so poignant – so unmistakable – so Naya.

Naya's gripped tightened as Heather got ever closer. All she wanted and needed was Heather's tongue inside her. "Please." Again, the Latina moaned and tried to pull Heather further between her legs. For a moment, it seemed like she would be deliciously tortured forever. But the softest of touches right between her legs made her whole body shudder in ecstasy. "Fuuu-k." She moaned and grasped harder at the blonde hair between her legs. Heather wasn't stopping now as she dipped her tongue in and out. Naya bit down hard on her bottom lip to curb some of the untamed noises coming from her lips.

Heather's whole body rolled in and out, rocking with Naya's hips as they bucked up and down. The Latina had locked her legs around the blonde head unknowingly. She threw back her head against the mirror behind her and closed her eyes hard. Her free hand found the edge of the counter again as she gripped it till her knuckles turned white from the strain, but she needed the leverage.

But before Heather would allow her to climax, she pulled back from the grip in her hair. "Wha-?" Naya looked between her legs confused and wanting more. But she didn't have to wait. Heather's hand maneuvered itself between her legs. Her fingers sought out her clit while her tongue continued to run up and down and in and out of her wet pussy. Naya had felt out of control before, but now she couldn't see. Her whole body arched from the vanity into Heather's mouth, but nothing could release the pressure building.

Heather loved the feel of Naya driven to the point of cumming. Her own body ached with the need for release and it would come soon. Finally, she felt the grip in her hair tighten even harder and she knew it was time. The walls around her fingers closed hard, impossibly tight and stayed like that for a second that felt like eternity. Before they loosened and tightened again even harder this time. "Fuck." Heather breathed against her. But Naya didn't hear her as she felt wave after wave of intense pleasure drive through her body. Everything tensed and hardened as she rode out her climax. Her hips rolled off the counter into Heather's mouth over and over again loving how the blonde's fingers stayed inside of her the entire time.

Eventually the throbbing subsided and Naya's hips rested back on the vanity. She felt spent; unable to even see clearly. The head between her legs finally came up for air, but Heather look just as spent.

"Wow…"

"Mmhm…" Naya could barely respond.

"Why don't we do that all the time?"

Naya breathed out a small laugh. "Because we're not together."

"Oh right." She threw away the response. "That's a shame."

"Trust me…I know…" Naya sighed as she slowly ran her hands through that beautiful blonde hair. She shifted so she could sit up properly. "Make-up and costume crew are going to kill us for messing ourselves up like this."

"We can't stay in here forever." Heather stood up and handed Naya back the bottom half of her outfit. Wordlessly, they got dressed. When they looked half-way presentable, Heather put her hand on the door and cracked it a bit. A soft noise could be heard just outside, but for some reason it was impenetrably dark. It was a familiar voice. In fact, it sounded like Lea's.

Brittany remembered they had just been listening to Rachel perform. Or maybe that had been an hour ago. Everything seemed so strange. She put a hand to her head and looked back at Santana. One day they would learn to just turn the light on in the janitor's closet. It wasn't like anyone came back here anyway. It was fun, but always seemed dangerous in retrospect. She knew they had just had some fun because she was incredibly aware of how wet she was, but also how incredibly satisfied she felt. It was a feeling Brittany had only ever felt when she had sex with Santana. Smiling, Brittany sought those dark eyes in the closet.

But they seemed different. They weren't as hard. They sparkled, but differently. Not the way Brittany was used to. And they were dark, but they appeared more caramel than the dark coffee she knew. For a moment, the blonde considered reaching up for the light string hanging above them. But she almost feared the consequences. She could make out Santana's outline and she smelled like Santana, so why did she feel so strange.

"Come on, Heather. We can't make them wait for us all day."

"Santana?"

"Heather?"

"Naya?"

"Brittany?"

Brittany shook her head trying to clear all the names. She gripped the other girl's hand tighter and closed her eyes afraid that when she opened the door, nothing would be the same.

Maybe they could stay in here forever.

Yeah so I wrote this to scratch the itch, but I think I once again failed. Oh well! At least there can be smut! If anyone has the secret to meta fiction or would like to discuss the whole thing, please send me a message or comment so I can totally chat it up with you later.

If you want non-thinking smut, I have a series of one-shots dealing with different playtimes so check'em out.

To my Sirens readers: I am about half-way through the next chapter despite this dalliance, so expect to see an update soon!