Yeah, yeah, long wait for an update, blah blah blah. It wasn't that I didn't know what to write--heck, I knew what was going to happen months in advance--I just find it hard at times to sit still long enough to actually get anything typed. Anyway, the result is the biggest chapter up to this point, second only to Requests and Reconnaissance(Ch49), so it might be worth the wait, especially for those of you who--you know, just read the title and you'll know what I'm talking about. Enjoy!
Chapter LVII: When Hormones Attack
Tuesday, 9/29 6:12 AM
Stephanie laid out on her bed, remote in hand, channel surfing; the look of boredom was apparent on her face. "One would think I'd be used to this by now," she said with a sigh. "Tuesday mornings are so slow; always have been." The television in her room was not like your everyday TV, as it broadcasted the lives of many couples around the world. Granted, in some places it was Monday evening or even early afternoon, but her point was still valid.
After clicking past a few Hollywood couples that never should have been on her cable plan to begin with, the screen displayed a scene she had become very familiar with lately. "Hmm," she muttered as she watched Sean sleep soundly in his room, but her attention was drawn to the icon at the upper right corner of the screen that signified that he was currently in a dream. "Eh, why not?" she said, pressing a button on her remote. The perspective zoomed in on Sean's forehead until she found herself watching Sean's dream as it happened. Luckily, it was just getting underway, but she would have been able to see it in its entirety regardless. Who needs TiVo when you're a goddess?
---
"It's so beautiful," Shinobu said; she appeared roughly 19 in this dream.
"I suppose," Sean said as the two watched the sunrise from the roof platform. "Maybe if you're into that sort of thing. Me? I prefer something I can look at all day long and not risk going blind from it."
Shinobu knew exactly what Sean meant by that. She didn't know if she would ever get tired of him always complimenting her looks--it's better than the alternative. "I love you," she said, wrapping an arm around Sean's waist and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Me too," Sean said, moving his own arm in a similar fashion. Time seemed to stand still as the couple just stood there at the rail, watching the sun come up. The only thing that brought them back down to reality was Sean feeling something hit the top of his head. "Hmm?" he muttered, looking up.
"What's going on?" Shinobu asked.
"Looks like Mother Nature has other plans for us this morning," Sean said, still gazing up at the storm clouds that had crept up behind them.
"At least it hasn't spoiled the view," Shinobu said.
"You got that right," Sean said. Of course, he wasn't looking at the clouds nor the sun at this point. Before more could be said, he drew her into a passionate kiss. For them, it seemed to last forever, their tongues intertwined and their arms wrapped around each other. By the time they came up for air, the slight drizzle had turned into a downpour. "Good thing we came up here in our PJs, huh?"
"Mmm hmm," Shinobu said as she felt Sean's hands running up and down her sides through the nightgown that now clung to her skin. She caught them when they got to her shoulders and reached for the straps. "What if someone sees us?" she asked, it being her only concern at this point. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stopped him.
"I doubt anyone would come out here in weather like this just to watch us," Sean reasoned. "Though if someone did go to all that trouble, it would be rude to disappoint them, wouldn't it?"
"Damn straight!" Stephanie said.
Anyone who knew her would know that "exhibitionist" wasn't exactly a word that described Shinobu very well, but at that moment, in the loving hands of her one and only since adolescence, she wouldn't care if the whole world was watching. "Then let's make sure we don't," she said, letting go of Sean's hands.
"I'll do my best," Sean said before leaning in for another kiss. Elsewhere, his fingers hooked underneath the straps of Shinobu's now utterly soaked nightgown and began to slowly move them off her shoulders.
Shinobu moaned slightly into Sean's mouth as he peeled the garment off her, letting it pool at her feet. Now clad only in her panties, she could feel every drop of rain that hit her body. Unfortunately, reality would come flooding back to her when Sean ended the kiss. When she opened her eyes--only realizing then that she had closed them in the first place--all she saw in front of her was the falling rain. She was about to say something when she felt Sean's lips on the crook of her neck and his hands roaming her body once again.
Hearing Shinobu start to moan only encouraged Sean further. Teasingly, he slid his hands up Shinobu's side, eventually reaching her breasts. A gasp rang out as he began to gently squeeze them. "Oh, Sean," Shinobu sighed, now thoroughly enjoying herself. This would go on for an undetermined amount of time (who the hell would actually keep track?!) before Sean redirected his efforts southward, causing Shinobu's moans to start increasing in volume and pitch when his hand stroked her most private area through her underwear.
Eventually, Sean decided to stop being such a tease. Going down on one knee, he slowly removed Shinobu's last line of defense. By the time he stood back up, she had turned around to face him, stepping out of the pile of clothes in the process. She had a lustful and mischievous look in her eye--if that was what you were looking at. "My turn," she said.
One by one, Shinobu removed articles of clothing from Sean's body. Afterwards, they looked at each other for just a brief moment before they came together in a tight embrace, kissing like there was no tomorrow, pressing their hot, wet (in more ways than one) bodies in an effort to get as much contact with the other's flesh as humanly possible. Both of them had the same thing in mind and they weren't about to let anything or anyone stop them; thunderstorms be damned.
---
Stephanie looked on as the couple made passionate love on the roof, masturbating all the while. Her moans radiated throughout the room along with her scent as she made long strides towards that one final destination. She didn't care if any of the other goddess heard her, as they knew what she usually did in her spare time anyway and never interrupted her unless they wanted to join in. That didn't happen this time, but to the goddess of love, it was of no consequence.
Her hands seemed to work completely on their own accord, as if they knew exactly where to go and what to do in order to provide the most pleasurable experience. Considering who she was and how long she's been in existence, that shouldn't be a surprise in any sense of the word. It didn't take all that long for her stimulation to provide results, as an orgasm washed over her body--along with a portion of her bed sheets.
"Oh, man," she sighed as her body relaxed. "That's the stuff." A quick glance back to the television showed that Sean's dream was beginning to wind down as well. "I can always rely on him to spice up a dull morning." Of course, while it was entertainment for one, it was torture for another.
--- 8:15 AM
Sean stirred slightly from his sleep, but his body was hesitant to get out of bed. The dream he had had only a couple hours ago wasn't one that was easily forgotten and it had the usual response. Part of him wanted to give in and satisfy the need slowly growing inside him, but another part knew that the privacy he would have required wasn't easily attained at Hinata-Sou.
This was not the first time he has had conflicting emotions in the mornings, as he has had quite a few dreams featuring him and Shinobu consummating their relationship. Up to this point, all of them have been unique, involving a wide range of times, locations and, in this case, weather conditions. The only constant theme in all of them was that Shinobu was between 18 and 20 years old, putting any possible allegations of pedophilia, had there been any, to rest.
As always, logic won the day, forcing Sean out of bed before anything happened. Muttering something incomprehensibly, he got dressed and went downstairs where he found Kitsune watching television, sake bottle in hand. "Morning, hon," she said.
"Morning," Sean replied unenthusiastically.
"Huh, somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Kitsune said. "You know, you should at least try to make it to breakfast more often. It's been a while since anybody's seen you before they head off for school."
"I know."
"Hey, what's up with you lately? Is something going on that I should know about?"
"No."
Before Kitsune could continue the inquisition, Sean disappeared into the kitchen where, no doubt, Shinobu had something prepared for him. There was a look of curiosity on her face for a few moments before she shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the TV, taking a swig of alcohol as she did so.
---
From the moment Sean became a part of her life, Shinobu started to become more sure of herself, quickly translating into better grades in school. She would not consider herself an honor student like Naru, but she was more than happy with the improvement. Now, she finds herself a freshman at the same high school as Suu (sophomore) and Motoko (senior). More often than not, she would spend her lunchtime with said girls to chat about various subjects--school related and otherwise. Today would be no different, but this time around, there would be something extra added to the mix; something that would have a lasting effect.
--- 12:01 PM
"Hey guys!" Shinobu said cheerfully as she sat down at what had quickly become her usual table.
"Hi, Shinobu!" Suu said between bites.
"Hello, Shinobu," Motoko said. "What do you think of high school so far?"
"It's fine," Shinobu said. "Other than having to go to a different building, it's not that different."
"That's good," Motoko said.
"I like the food," Suu said. "A bit bland, maybe, bit still--"
"Hey, Shinobu!" another girl said, taking a seat at the other side of the table.
"Hi Akiko," Shinobu said upon seeing her friend from back in junior high. "It's been a while. How have you been?"
"Pretty good," Akiko said. "But I can't wait till I'm out of this place."
"Why is that?" Motoko said.
"Shinobu's not the only one with a special someone waiting for her."
"When did you get a boyfriend?" Shinobu asked.
"About seven months ago," Akiko said. "I can't believe I never told you that."
"It's nice to have someone with similar interests," Motoko said, obviously referring to Jimmy.
"Yeah, no kidding," Akiko said. "Though our interests may not be what you were thinking."
"What do you mean by that?" Shinobu asked.
"Oh, come on," Akiko said, her voice becoming somewhat hushed. "Don't tell me you and your boyfriend haven't gone all the way yet."
"NO!" Shinobu said, louder than necessary. A deep blush instantly appeared on her face when she saw everyone in the room looking at her. "I--I mean, we haven't done anything like that."
"Oh man, you don't know what you're missing."
"That's what you think," Shinobu thought.
"One should not succumb to peer pressure," Motoko said, seemingly unaffected by the conversation happening around her. "A girl should only engage in sex when she is ready to receive it."
"That may work in theory," Akiko said. "But what about Shinobu's boyfriend? There's no telling what he might be going through--especially considering who he lives with."
"Sean has shown a strength of will the likes of which I have never seen in a man," Motoko said. "If there is anyone who can resist temptation, it would be him. He has proven this many times already."
"That may be," Akiko said. "But there's no telling just how long his 'strength of will' will last. You better watch yourself, Shinobu, cuz eventually, he might just pull you to the ground and have his way with you."
Shinobu quickly shook her head. "You're wrong. He would never force himself on me like that; it doesn't matter what he might be going through."
"If you're so sure of that, then what do you think he would do?"
That caught Shinobu partially by surprise, as she had never really thought about such things that often, but now that the question had been brought up, she let her mind wander down that path. "Well," she began. "First, he would take his time. No matter how horny or aroused he may be, he would make absolutely sure that I was enjoying myself. Slowly, his hands would roam across my body as though they had a mind of their own and knew exactly where to go. Time seems to slow down as he makes me feel a euphoria like I never thought possible. Just when I think things can't get any better, he--"
Her explanation/fantasy would be cut short by the ringing of the school bell. "Oh, darn," Akiko said. "And it was just getting to the good part, too. Well, I'll see you later, alright?"
"Um, yeah," Shinobu said, feeling somewhat awkward about what just happened.
"Are you alright?" Motoko asked.
"Yeah, I'm… fine," Shinobu said with hardly any conviction whatsoever. "I'll see you after class."
Motoko watched Shinobu walk off, the look on her face appeared as though she was seeing something out of the ordinary. "I wonder…" she thought.
The rest of the school day would pass by without a hitch for most of the student body, but for Shinobu, it was far from easy. When her fantasy was interrupted during lunch, she had no choice but to keep it contained, but with nowhere for it to go, she found it harder and harder to keep those thoughts from coming to the surface. More fantasies would play themselves out in her mind that, unbeknownst to her, held a strange similarity to some of Sean's more recent dreams.
The physical effects of all this were recognized in an instant, but all that did was make things more difficult for her. Granted, this wasn't the first time she has felt feelings of arousal, but the one other time occurred over one and a half years before and was an isolated incident of her own design. Being in a public setting didn't help matters any, either. For her, it felt as though embarrassment the likes of which she has never known was looming over her head, just waiting for the chance to make her life a living hell.
If the school day itself was torture, the train ride home was more like a public execution. Her train of thought had deviated very little and at this point, a new car has been added. Paranoia fully setting in, her eyes darted every which way. She felt like everyone aboard was staring at her, judging her as though they could read her perverted thoughts.
For her, the train couldn't get to her stop soon enough. Trying to look cool, calm and collected, she got off and started to trek back home. Just as she was about to begin ascending the front steps, she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch. She quickly turned around and was somewhat relieved when she saw who it was. "Oh, it's you," she said. "You scared me for a second there."
Motoko watched Suu almost fly by before she spoke. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"Uh, no, of course not," Shinobu said nervously. "Why would there be anything wrong?"
"There is no point in lying to me, Shinobu" Motoko said. "I can see it in your aura."
"It was worth a try," Shinobu thought. "You remember that conversation we had with my friend during lunch, right?"
"Of course."
"Well, since then, I haven't been able to get those kind of thoughts out of my head."
Motoko nodded her head knowingly. "I completely understand how that can make someone very self-conscious and paranoid, as I have gone through the exact same thing myself."
"How did you deal with it?"
"You know well enough what I did," Motoko said. Shinobu simply nodded. "Let me give you a couple words of advice," Motoko continued. "Try not to hold your hormones back for too long. I experienced this first hand and it was definitely not something I would wish to go through again. Kitsune underwent the same thing, though from what I am told, it was not by choice. The last thing I want to see is you putting yourself through such torture, so I suggest you nip this in the bud pretty quickly before too long."
It was at this point that the two girls reached the top of the steps. "Motoko's right," Shinobu thought. "Something has to be done--and I know exactly what that something is." They entered the dorm and were about to go their own separate ways when they spotted Naru leaving the kitchen, bringing a snack with her.
"Hey," Naru said. "How was your day?"
"It was… interesting," Motoko said, her attention somewhat drawn to the young sorceress next to her. While she wasn't showing any outward signs in that regard, Motoko easily noticed the slight energy output Shinobu was giving off. As though she was confirming her suspicions or something, Shinobu nodded her head and quickly left the room.
"What up with her?" Naru asked, as she was completely in the dark about what just occurred.
"It seems Shinobu is growing into a young woman," Motoko said, mentally making assumptions about what Shinobu had done.
Naru gave the swordswoman a strange look. "Again?"
---
Meanwhile, Alicia was lounging in the hot springs, using this time to leave her thoughts completely blank. Her mind was so far gone, she didn't realize the door had opened and another girl had entered until she heard a voice in her ear.
"I had a feeling you were in here," the voice whispered.
Startled, Alicia turned around to find Kitsune there, the usual grin on her face. "You know I don't like you sneaking up on me like that," she said.
"It's your own fault for not paying attention to your surroundings," Kitsune said as she sat down beside Alicia.
"Mm hmm," Alicia said.
"Well, someone's real cheerful today," Kitsune muttered. "What's up with you lately?"
"Nothing that concerns you," Alicia said flatly.
"Don't be like that," Kitsune said. "You know you can tell me anything."
"If I wanted to, I would have."
"True, but I have ways of making you talk."
Alicia rolled her eyes. "What else is new?"
Kitsune started giggling internally. "This should be fun," she thought. "Hmm, I haven't done that in a while. Ah, what the heck; I'll give it a shot."
"What the--?" Alicia thought when she felt Kitsune put a hand on her knee. Moments later, it trailed up her leg, coming dangerously close to some pretty sensitive areas. "Oh, of all things she could have done…" she started to think, but then let the sentence die there.
Kitsune was now giggling out loud as she watched her subject start to fidget. "Like I said," she said, barely above a whisper. "I have ways of making you talk, and if it means going back to my old forms of torture, then so be it." Little did she know just how close she had gotten to the answer she was seeking.
"Some torture," Alicia said, somehow able to keep her voice from wavering as Kitsune gently squeezed her inner thigh. "All I have to do is keep my mouth shut long enough to--"
"Ah ah ah," Kitsune interrupted, waving a finger in Alicia's face (using the hand not occupied, of course). "If you think I'm going to let something like that happen, you're sadly mistaken."
"Oh, you are so evil," Alicia said, her voice sounding more like a whine than was originally intended.
"I know," Kitsune said, her grin getting bigger and more sinister. However, much to Kitsune's chagrin, luck and timing would play out in her victim's favor.
The door to the hot springs opened and Shinobu stepped out, a towel wrapped around her. From her perspective, she was unable to see exactly what Kitsune was doing. "Hello Sean, hello Kitsune," she said.
Instantly, Kitsune stopped her actions and turned to face the newcomer. "Hey, Shinobu. When did you get back?"
"Just now," Shinobu said. "May I have a talk with Sean…alone?"
"Of course," Kitsune said. Before getting up, she switched her gaze back to Alicia. "I'll be back for you later," she whispered.
"Oh joy," Alicia thought, dreading however long she would keep her in agony the next time they were alone together. Eventually, Shinobu replaced Kitsune by her side. "How was school?"
"One I won't forget for a long time," Shinobu said, her face already turning pink.
"Really?" Alicia asked. "What happened?"
"There's something I need to tell you first,"
"Uh, sure," Alicia said, intrigued by the sense of urgency Shinobu possessed. "What is it?"
"I'm ready,"
"Um…" Alicia said, mystified by Shinobu cryptic message. "Ready for what?" The answer was given to her when, without warning, Shinobu kissed her. When she recovered from the shock of the girl's--or rather, young woman's unexpected actions, not to mention how passionate she was in doing so, Alicia began returning the favor.
When they eventually came up for air, Alicia quickly noticed the strange smile on Shinobu's face. "Figured it out yet?" she asked.
"Yeah, I think so," Alicia responded. "But are you sure you're ready for this? I mean, I wouldn't want you to jump the gun or anything."
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I want our relationship to go to the next level--and not just for one day this time."
By this time, fanfare was blaring in Alicia's head, as though some unknown prayer had just been granted. "Then I suppose the time for talking is over," she said, moving in for another kiss shortly thereafter, this one gentler than the first.
At this point, Shinobu began making an active effort to keep her mind blank in order to prevent her own thoughts from ruining this perfect moment and what was going to follow. The signals her brain received were those of their tongues dancing around each other, one hand placed at the back of her head and the other roaming up and down her back. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around Alicia, making even more points of contact between their bodies.
All of a sudden, Shinobu felt a rather strange sensation quickly run down her spine. With a gasp, she separated herself from Alicia and was about to say something when she noticed that in the other girl's hand was the towel that was on her body just moments before--and also that there were faint burn marks where it had obviously been cut into two pieces. "Why did you--"
"Well," Alicia said, knowing what Shinobu was going to ask. "I couldn't very well do what you want me to do while wearing this, now could I?"
Shinobu would only contemplate Alicia's logic for a few moments before she picked up right where they left off; this time, without that one piece of cloth that had come between them before. Slowly, Alicia circled around Shinobu, trailing kisses along the inner edge of her shoulder blades until she was completely behind her. From there, her hands blazed a trail up Shinobu's sides until they reached her chest. Shinobu's breasts were still small, but they seemed to fit perfectly with the rest of her body. Besides, it wasn't like it meant they were any less sensitive to touch, which Shinobu was about to find out first hand.
Shinobu gave a light sigh as she leaned back into Alicia and let her work her magic--no pun intended. "This is just like I had imagined," she thought. "Well, there was one thing different…" She would blush a bit at that last part, but it went unnoticed. Regardless of the circumstances, she was glad to be intimate with the one she loved with all her heart.
While Shinobu was enjoying herself, Alicia was a whole different story altogether. What Kitsune had done--or at least what she was in the process of doing--sparked a certain chain of events within her, and having her breasts pressed up against Shinobu's upper back was only moving her along further. It came to the point where she had to make a conscious effort to control her breathing, letting her hands pretty much go on autopilot.
"Oh, God," Alicia thought. "I want her so badly right now, but she came to me first. I can't stop until she's satisfied." Of course, depending on how long that would take, it might be easily said than done. Therefore, a tad more assertiveness was called for. She turned back around to the front of Shinobu, only making a brief pause in her fondling as she did so. "Are you liking this so far?" she asked.
"Oh, am I ever," Shinobu replied, her eyes barely open.
"That's all I wanted to hear," Alicia said, her lips made contact with Shinobu's for a couple quick kisses before moving her mouth downward. While she was doing this, she freed one of her hands and moved it around to Shinobu's back to brace it as she leaned her back a bit.
It would not take long for Alicia's mouth to reach the breast that her hand had just recently vacated, forcing a gasp from Shinobu. Letting her bodily instincts guide her, she wrapped her legs around Alicia's waist. "Oh, Sean…" she moaned, placing her hands on the back of Alicia's head; all her actions up to this point in an effort to increase the pleasurable sensations currently rippling through her.
"Looks like it's time to take things one step further," Alicia thought, her motives--at least in part--being that the sooner she brings Shinobu to ecstasy, the sooner she can return the favor. Standing up, she carried Shinobu a short ways before setting her down at the edge, her feet dangling in the water. The blue-haired adolescent might have asked why Alicia did this, but in her current situation, she has had some difficulty in maintaining rational thought, not that it was something worth complaining about in the least.
Just when she thought things just couldn't get any better, everything just--for lack of a better word--stopped. A disappointed groan coming from her lips, she looked down to see what was causing the delay. What she found was Alicia grinning at her as she used her newly freed hands to remove Shinobu's legs from around her waist, placing herself between them to keep them separated. Before Shinobu could say anything, she felt Alicia resume her ministrations; this time, lightly kissing her way down her body until she reached what was most likely the most sensitive place on it.
To say that Shinobu was pleasantly surprised would have done her a hint of justice. The things Alicia was doing to her privates were like nothing she had ever experienced before. Well, perhaps that wasn't entirely accurate, but only for reasons that have already been mentioned and will not be repeated. Her moans grew louder as she drew closer and closer to that one all-important conclusion that had been the focal point of her mind since lunch.
On the other end, Alicia's torture only seemed to get worse, what with all five now under a merciless assault. Her arousal quickly become sexual frustration when she felt a pounding in her crotch that was almost to the point of being painful. For her, it wasn't if her hormones would take over, but when. She could only hope that her strength of will would be able to keep her libido at bay long enough. Fortunately for her, her efforts would not be in vain.
"Oh, Sean…!" Shinobu moaned, her thighs now clamped tightly around Alicia's head. She arched her back and tried to move her hips as well, but considering her seated position and the fact that Alicia had a--shall we say--tight grip on the situation, this wasn't possible. This would be of little consequence as her body tensed up and all the pressure that had been building up to that point was released all at once amid sighs and groans.
When she was aware or your surroundings again, releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding, she found herself looking right into the blue eyes of the one who rose her to such wonderful heights. "Thank you so much," she said.
"Oh, we're not done quite yet, my dear," Alicia said.
"What do you mean?" Shinobu asked.
"I mean how you must have felt before all this doesn't even compare to how I feel right now." Alicia's voice started to become less sultry and more desperate. "It feels like a forest fire down there."
Driven more by curiosity than anything else, Shinobu moved a hand towards the other girl's crotch. Even without making contact, she could feel the heat radiating from it, realizing that the comparison was more accurate than she would have originally given Alicia credit for.
"Shinobu…" Alicia said, bringing Shinobu back to the matter at hand. "Please, don't tease."
Never one to wish any sort of discomfort on anyone, Shinobu did the one thing she knew would bring relief. As soon as her hand touched Alicia's groin, she spasmed a bit as the flood gates were opened, but it wasn't quite enough. Acting totally on her body's need for release, Alicia grinded herself against Shinobu's hand for what must have felt like an eternity until the dam finally burst. If Shinobu's orgasm was like a wave rushing through her, Alicia's was more like a detonating hydrogen bomb, and she reacted as such…
---
When Kitsune left the hot spring, she left the door open just a crack in order to see what was going on--which became pretty obvious very quickly. "So she's finally coming of age," she thought; the play on words was not lost on her. "Good for her." Fully closing the door, she walked over to the makeup table to freshen up and was about to get dressed when she heard a somewhat familiar cry of joy coming from the hot spring. "And there she goes," she thought with a grin. "She's lucky to have a guy like him. I suppose we all are."
Knowing what had just transpired was kind of a turn on, but Kitsune pushed those thoughts aside for the time being as she got dressed and was just leaving the changing room when she heard the most ungodly shriek. "Damn," Kitsune said, turning towards the door to the hot spring. "Was that Sean?! What in the hell could have made him scream like that?--no, it couldn't be…"
She wouldn't have any more time to think about it, as the other door sprang open, allowing the other girls and Keitaro to enter, looks of worry on all of their faces. "What happened?!" Naru asked.
"Yeah," Keitaro said. "What was that scream we just heard?"
"I think I may know," Kitsune said. "But I'm pretty sure everything's going to be fine."
"What makes you so sure?" Motoko asked.
"Because if my hunch is right, I've been through the same thing."
"Care to elaborate on that?"
"After my suspicions are confirmed," Kitsune said. "For now, let's just leave. I think Sean and Shinobu want to be alone for a little while longer."
All of a sudden, Motoko seemed to understand all sides to the story. "So Shinobu wasn't the only one after all," she thought.
---
Shinobu ran a hand through a now thoroughly exhausted Alicia's hair. "Are you going to be alright?" she asked.
"Yeah," Alicia said through short breaths. "I just need to rest a while."
"If I may ask, what caused all that?"
"Well, for a long time now, I've been having these… erotic dreams about us. Obviously, it had a certain effect on me."
"Why did you let yourself suffer like that?"
"I guess I was just waiting for this day to come. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait, but I hope I never have to go through that again."
"I'll make sure you don't," Shinobu said, kissing Alicia's forehead. "I may not be able to prevent all bad things from happening, but at least I can do that much."
"I love you, Shinobu."
"I love you, too." They would spend the next good while cuddling in each other's arms.
--- 7:12 PM
Kitsune opened Sean's door to find the landlord seated at his table using his laptop--whether he was working or playing a game, she couldn't tell. "Hey, Sean," she said.
"Yeah?" Sean asked.
"Dinner's ready."
"Thanks, I'll be down in a minute."
Kitsune remained in the doorway. "Shinobu told me everything." Sean only nodded in response. "What's up with you? It seems as though every time you have a strange or recurring dream, you go into hiding. Why don't you just--"
"Don't bother giving me a lecture," Sean interrupted. "It probably won't change anything. As the saying goes, old habits die hard."
"Yeah," Kitsune said. "I know that well enough."
"So much for you torturing the information out of me," Sean said with a grin.
"Well, if I had known what you've been putting yourself through, I probably wouldn't have done what I did--not to mention try to help you through it in my own way."
Sean rose an eyebrow. "Is there a difference?"
Kitsune laughed a bit. "I guess not. I'll see ya downstairs."
After Kitsune left, Sean sighed as he closed his computer. "Today sure turned out better than I expected it to."
---
"Dreams and fantasies are all well and good," Stephanie said. "But there's nothing quite like the real thing."
"I can certainly see why."
Startled, Stephanie turned around to see who had entered her inner sanctum without her knowing. "Oh," she said. "Hey Julie. How long were you there?"
"Long enough to know what you've been doing," Julie responded, her arms crossed.
"I'm not in trouble again, am I?" Stephanie asked, now a tad nervous.
A smile formed on Julie's face. "No, from what I saw, a little divine intervention was definitely called for, though I appreciate how you didn't make anyone aware of your presence."
"They didn't need to know I was there," Stephanie reasoned. "If they did, things probably wouldn't have gone as smoothly as they did. Besides, he has long since earned my respect and I am more than willing to help him if need be."
"Well, such a selfless act of generosity definitely deserves to be rewarded--and I think I know how to do just that." Julie would then proceed to take off all her clothes and join Stephanie in bed.
"Being a good girl sure has its benefits," Stephanie said.
"True," Julie said. "But being naughty can have its advantages as well."
"Really?" Stephanie asked, feigning innocence. "Would you like to show me how?"
---
As Amy passed by Stephanie's room, she could hear moans and sighs coming from within. "Is it just me or are we acting more and more like college coeds in recent decades?" she asked herself.
End of Chapter LVII
So, what did y'all think? Just another perverted day at the office, I suppose. Just so you know, the next chapter might take a while to write as well, not only because I'm going on vacation for Christmas, but also that the subject for chapter 58 is the brainchild of none other than Jimmy. I haven't contacted him in quite a while and I'll have to take down notes eventually. Until then, please R&R and I'll see y'all next time--in whichever story I update first.