The grinder metallic rattle, the slow chewing of the snacks and their upset breathing cut the room' silence. Mars' gaze wasn't begging for an answer now; it was demanding it, surrounding them in an icy inquiry.
Having swallowed whatever was left of her snack, Sasha seemed ready to answer; she had hawked and breathed in before opening her mouth, but she kept her silence and looked at the carpeted wooden floor, ashamed by the lack of courage to even begin her answer.
To her surprise, Anne had left her snack on her lap, taking her time to chew and swallow whatever she had in her mouth. When she did so, she looked Mars to their eyes and began:
–I knew that this day would come. And I would've preferred that it wasn't on my birthday… Especially this one, when we rediscover each other by this point…
Although she had spoken, she scratched the back of her head and deviated her gaze as if she wanted to avoid looking at her first friend ever. But her will went beyond and made her keep the confession's thread.
–But I think you should know it. Seven years ago, Sasha and I… We dated.
–And not in the platonic sense, Mars. Anne… Anne was one of my girlfriends…
Complemented Sasha, who saw herself pushed by the nonchalant bravery of her friend. But both women weren't counting on the question that the cartoonist posed to the with the same voice tone:
–And what happened then?
Both women looked at each other and deviated their gazes to the opposite side of their faces.
–Well, you see…
–What happened was… Do you want to speak about this or should I do so?
–Anne, I think that it is fair that you talk about it… I…
–Does it still hurt you?
Almost forgetting of their relative silence, Mars bursted:
–What should hurt you yet, Sash!?
Their frown hardened and in their eagerness demanding a straight answer from their friend, they almost turned over the grinder with one of their feet, risking a spillover of its contents. Realizing that, Mars took the little drum and kept milling its contents, although without stopping their gaze towards their friends.
–What should hurt you? Eh?
Breathing out dramatically, Sasha finally answered:
–Well… We didn't last more than three or four months… Even if I was… working out my "issues", I couldn't… Heh. I was pretty jealous.
–Aren't you nowadays?
The suspicious smile that the birthday girl aimed towards her former girlfriend only made the latter to mirth briefly, glancing back at her with her tenderly ashamed eyes.
–Nah. I haven't seeked a serious relationship for many years… Yet… It's not like I believe I can make it with those people…
–Sasha and I had quite the good times together, but she was pretty jealous. It wasn't much I could do without her demanding an explanation nor getting apart from her.
The smile on the psychologist's face erased after remembering that attitude.
–I felt that I was turning into my old self. And when Anne broke up with me, I… Understood it. I didn't want to accept it, but I knew that the relationship wasn't getting into a good course…
–We had some arguments. But when it seemed that we were going to have a real fight… Sash and I settled on giving us some time. Which stretched until this very day.
Mars had opened the little mill to retrieve the flowers threshing and spread it on a long smoking paper sheet. Nevertheless, they had paid attention to their friends' confession; some tears had fallen aside the incipient joint.
Having looked up, they revealed a couple of wet grooves forming on their cheeks, but their frowned eyebrows met the blustering twinkle in their eyes.
–Mars… I'm sorry that we didn't tell you before…
–We thought that it wasn't fair to start our thing when you were away…
–Why did you let some dumb arguments spoil your thing?
A breath rattle revealed the complicated anger repression that Mars exercised. But soon they soothed a bit and focused on arranging a filter with a strip of paperboard. They clarified:
–I mean… You should have to make the most of the chance you were given. The Gems give an isekai to the one who wishes to stay in their bed the whole day.
Their eyes roamed through their friends' faces, the heap of grinded flowers over the rolling paper, the busts and the snack tray. Anne and Sasha were left aching from that bitter comment. They would have elapsed more decades from that incident, but they would still remember the reasons why Mars dragged them to that adventure, paining from their remorse.
They remained silent as just lowered and sealed caskets while Mars continued:
–If I were with any of you both while the other was in my place, I would've held whatever it took to keep the relationship… Even if I felt bad for the one who was left out.
Their thumbs rolled and undid the filter again and again; each time that it seemed they were satisfied, their quavering fists made them do it once more. Their friends retroactively linked that isolation attitude with the times they played with their portable consoles.
Having glanced at one another, as if they were discussing their next move, Anne and Sasha crawled towards Mars, coming up to each of their sides. That didn't make their friend leave their task, although that didn't matter to them both. They felt the tension that Mars was garnering, which didn't stop them to grasp their arms around their shoulders and get their lips close to their ears. Anne began:
–Mars, we never looked down on our relationship to that low. Neither with you.
Sasha followed:
–We weren't ready to do it. We wanted everything to go alright, but…
–We are always thinking about you. We have always loved you infinitely.
–But transitioning from being friends to something else it's always complicated…
–Giving us this pause had made us appreciate better what we had lived.
–After these long years, we could keep our friendship despite everything.
–Don't you think you could accept and forgive us for giving ourselves a pause?
–And if we give ourselves a new chance… Wouldn't you like to be part of it?
The cartoonist veteran fingers twitched, allowing the softened paperboard to fall over the carpet. Anne glanced in disbelief at Sasha, as the latter only deviated her gaze and smiled timidly.
Mars' face boiled with blood; their blush warmed slightly their friends' lips. They seemed to suffer from hiccups, although their mouth didn't allow the escape of any sound; only their body moved.
–Mar-Mar! Do you want me to bring you a glass of water? A breathing bag?
Only their bodily hiccups seemed to answer her, making her wary of them being contagious and affecting her.
Nevertheless, Sasha extended her arms over Mars' chest and closed them around it, hugging them tightly.
–Sasha! What do you think you are doing-?
–Help me out, Anne. Mar-Mar needs us, isn't it Mar-Mar?
Timidly, the one she was referring to nodded, cuddling in the toned arms of their friend. Exhaling and grunting, the birthday girl followed her friend and surrounded Mars with hers, stroking their hair, while the psychologist kissed them on the cheek.
The cartoonist shed some tears when they received those caresses, keeping their rattles if not making them stronger. Slowly they crossed their arms over the ones on their chest, joining their friends in the hug. They allowed them to be rocked and to be cherished by a long silence. Anne decided to break it:
–You missed us a lot, didn't you?
–N… No… I just… I just wanted to…
–Would you be in a pretty uncomfortable relationship, even if you loved them deeply?
Sasha complemented:
–Would you hang in there until the other person gets the hint and matures?
–I… I only want you to… You take advantage of what you had back then…
–Did you fall in love with us to even reach that point? Are you still in love with us?
That question left Sasha and Mars with a deep impression. The cartoonist tried to hold their gaze to the psychologist, but the blush on their cheeks quickly revealed their mutual scrutiny they had made on each other. Yet Sasha could rough out a smile at least.
—Mars… Do you want to talk about it?
Yet another silence, another harsh breath in and out. But Mars answered:
—Is it necessary?
—I mean… If you don't wish to talk about this now, it's okay. We are your frie- No. Way more than that. We are your lifelong companions. We want to understand you, support you. Be there for you.
Mars tried to shield themselves with their arms, but their friends' hands over their body made them change their mind, lowering them to their legs. They abode for some moments their friends' hug, but softly they freed from their hands.
They got back to concentrate into the joint, but something in their fingers lingered badly; some marihuana wisps had fallen over the carpet and they might be rushing the wrap, turning it into a total disaster.
–Mar-
Sasha had placed a hand over Anne's shoulder, gesticulating her to give Mars room to recover. Soon, the cartoonist produced other wrapping paper, transferred the filter, the dope and, giving themselves some more room, they could concentrate and wrap it up decently.
–Do you want me to tell the truth? Well… who wants to share puffs with me?
Their friends looked at them incredulous.
–Eh… What's that?
Mars had lightened the cigarette and draught a bit from it. Then, they left the joint over the grinder and grabbed with their hands Anne's cheeks. Thinking that the eventual kiss would be ruined by the smoke, she felt another pair of hands over the cartoonist's and, suddenly, the pressure over her face banished.
Mars' eyes net with Sasha's, who gazed at them with a twinkle in her eyes. Her smile reassured them, although the hands over their shoulders returned some of that anxiety.
–Pass it to me.
And what Anne saw next was as intriguing as uncertain; her stomach was knotted by moths and frogs while Mars and Sasha kissed one another for brief seconds, pulling apart while they shared a thin strand of drool. Then, the psychologist threw the haze over their heads.
–Mars, it was supposed to pass a mouthful, not a kiss.
Pairing their index fingers, Mars replicated:
–I'm sorry, I let myself go-
–Let me show you how it's done…
Their faces got together once more in a kiss, but Mars' arms anchored over Sasha's shoulders.
They were her friends, sharing a platonic kiss. Although Mars had avoided her question with it…
But her eyes met with those from the cartoonist. Anne couldn't tell if the gaze was a reproach or an invitation, but when she looked at them again, Mars got lost in the kiss once more.
Seconds later, they were apart again. This time, the pants and the blush in their faces were enough to denote the enjoyment behind that gesture. Even though, the silence that came after was broken by a shy petition:
–Anne, could you give it a draught…? You know, if you want to…
Sasha smiled; where did they leave the previous boldness that they had with her? Nevertheless, she herself was surprised at the development; Anne could barely receive the joint from Mars' hand, since neither of them could look at each other's face.
Anne's grin shook while turning to rough out a smile, while Mars kept their lips commissures in the diffident smile they could offer to their very close friend.
One puff. It was still lightened. Enough smoke in her mouth for… that next step…
Hands over their shoulders, glances staring straight at their eyes. Twenty years knowing one another and just one kiss shared between these two people.
Sasha also remembered it; she had given them that dare and neither of them knew how to do it… Ten years later, they were sharing a mouthful akin to Catra and Adora's triumph over Horde Prime.
Was it possible for Mars to imagine sharing a kiss with Anne? They wouldn't have doubted, but it would be for an intense, platonic enthusiasm. Yet, twenty years had opened their heart. Amphibia made them realize how romantic their love was for their friends…
When they glanced at each other once they finished the kiss, Anne noticed a gleam on Mars' pupils. Flushing red, they asked to their friends:
–Girls… If we are going to try… Will kissing be something… an everyday feature?
Sasha laughed for some moments before dragging a puff more to the joint, taking her hands to Anne's chin and cheek. Just like with the previous kiss, she felt her heart racing and her jorts getting tight.
Yet, it was only the smoke that got inside her awaiting fauces, twisting her tongue between the teeth of them both.
–Enjoy the smoke first, Boonchuy.
It was Mars turn to laugh. But they took their hand to their mouth in amazement when Anne blew the haze right to Sasha's face and threw upon her, kissing her as if she was a lioness choking a zebra. The cartoonist felt as much jealousy as a suspicious itch in their crotch…
Despite breathing all the smoke while Anne took her breath away, Sasha enjoyed once again of her tongue and nibbling. The herpetologist' skin felt warm under the t-shirt, with her thumbs encountering the hardened and erected nipples of the young woman.
–Sasha… no- don't squeeze them…
–Easy there, Boonchuy. I can tell they are sensitive… Are you joining us, Mars?
Anne turned her gaze towards the cartoonist, who had already crawled to where they were. Their mouths met again, meeting with Sasha's hands to fondle her breasts.
The suckling on the neck met with the attentive glare from Mars, who leaped briefly; the herpetologist had groped their buttock with one of her hands, while the other unzipped the jacket up until, wide open, she probed a breast.
–My turn.
The nipple and the neck weren't the psychologist objectives anymore, but her partner's beautiful face. The strand of drool wasn't broken yet when Mars' vacant mouth found another destination.
—Mars, how daring you are!
She seemed to be nursing them when Anne made her get back to the kiss, demanding her attention as if she was regurgitating her favorite meal… One hand gripped to her back to lick and kiss in a better fashion her breast, while another had lowered to Anne's belly. Something similar happened with Sasha, although she kept her caress over the herpetologist's cheek.
–Gu- guys…
–Mars!
At the same time, as Anne felt the hands over her belly trespassing to her shorts and unbutton them, Sasha felt Mars' teeth over her nipples. They got away from each other as if the herpetologist had given them an electric shock.
Despite the burning sensation, Sasha didn't mind to her nipple, but to the crestfallen girl the she had in front of her. Ironically, it was the slight slap over her chest that worried her.
Mars, on their part, had fallen over their buttocks, sitting uncomfortably over a can. They didn't notice the viscosity between their fingers, although they were able to muse:
–Anne? Are you okay?
Gingering up, Sasha complemented:
–Did we rush a lot?
Gasping, the birthday girl answered as she examined her shorts:
–That was pretty close… Do you want to ruin my work clothes? Just you wait to…
–We strip down? Let's begin then…
Sasha had taken off her jacket once more, uncovering her breasts to her friends. She took the garment apart and, before she could take off her long skirt, Mars pointed out:
–We could still keep "warming up" the mood… By playing what we where playing before…
Nevertheless, from their lips commissures some drool escaped with their eyes were nailed to her breasts. They both could see them clearly due to the proud exhibition made by the psychologist of her assets.
The piercings stood out in the small areolas, albeit they seemed to shrink in comparison to the main mass of her breasts. They weren't pretty big, but compared to Anne's or Mars', they were on or two cups bigger than their friends. Over the left one got the bite mark imprinted that was inflicted by the cartoonist.
Over her navel, a green gem was pinned from the piercing she had done. For the herpetologist, it was clear that her former girlfriend minded her friends.
–How did you do them? They should've pained you a lot.
Anne smiled while pointing out her friend's breasts. Mars seemed mesmerized from the navel's piercing…
–Is that the same green stone from Vagabonda Chronicles, Sasha?
Their eyes shined from excitement, even though their eyelids weighed due to the marihuana joint…
–One question at a time, guys. Mars, yes. It's a Vagabonda Chronicles reference. And, Anne…
That inhalation anticipated the paradox of that anecdote…
–One day, my cou-
Glancing away, Sasha corrected herself:
–...close friend of mine and I were at a huge party, getting utterly drunk when we were asked to dance. Those guys were so hot that we wanted to fuck them right there.
As much Mars as Anne looked at each other perplexed; even if they could understand Sasha's bisexuality, it was quite odd seeing her talking about men in that manner. Not even back where she couldn't understand what she was.
–But one of them left early. And the other got bored of my cou- friend and we were left hot, drunk and daring as fuck. So we made a bet, to give us more motivation; if one of us fucked while the other didn't, the one who didn't got bedded with someone had to pierce her nipples…
Now they smiled at her shyly; so, they were the admission of a defeat? Sasha had change a lot, and they should give it to her… Yet, she returned the smile much more intenser:
–The thing was that, on the next morning, I woke up completely naked in a bed that I couldn't recognise due to one of those hangovers… Walking to the bathroom, I start to hear someone brushing their teeth… When I got inside, I saw them there; also as the Gems brought her to this world… My friend…
They smiles were now an exaggerated grin, with their eyes opened as flashlights. Would they see her as horny and voracious when they get utterly drunk?
But the psychologist ignored them, continuing:
–So, in the moment she was going to reprimand me for what we did the last night, I reminded her of our bet. We settled it as that Simpsons' episode where Homer and Ned bet for Bart and Rod on minigolf. And we both made the piercings…
Despite her unshaken, curved commissures, Sasha's eyes glanced away in a weird frown.
–And well, that's how I pierced my nipples. Now, these piercings? I earned these on a fair. And I only had to send the weight flying to the clouds, along the bell…
–Do you have any pics of you and your friend with the piercings?
Mars inquired, breaking their silence. Despite how abrupt their question was, Anne glanced at Sasha with a cautious curiosity.
–Eh… I'll show you later…
–Waybright, you showed us a nude pic of yours just at the beginning of the night. What is the thing in those pics that embarrass you in particular?
The herpetologist looked at her frowning, although lightened by a slight grin.
–It's just… My friend is… Is someone very famous and…
–Who? Do I know her?
Mars gazed at her from a few inches; they seemed to be seconds away to kiss once more.
–I don't know… I guess? Look, the thing is that she has a life that could be ruined from these kinds of things… So, if I show you the picture, couldn't you spill the beans of what you saw?
Clumsily they shook their heads for some instants. Having closed their eyes, they tumbled on their places for half a minute.
It wasn't hard for Sasha to find the pictures in which she and her friend posed with their pierced and adorned nipples.
–Watch and drool.
Anne took her phone out of her hands, sharing the screen with Mars. The picture was taken a few years ago. They recognised the seating on Sasha's convertible, although they couldn't identify the other woman; her enormous purple sunglasses covered a huge portion of her face.
Apparently, they were on a lookout at a sunset, with Sasha holding the phone. The other woman shared her blondness (although it was somewhat clearer than the psychologist's), the color of her nipples was quite similar (even though hers were inverted) and the other woman's breasts were bigger than Sasha's.
Both of them smiled audaciously, showing off the piercings their shared; Sasha showed her teeth in a malicious grimace, holding one of her breasts with the free hand and highlighted the barbell piercing. The other woman, on her side, could hold both of her breasts untroubled, although she only lifted them, giving a peek to her considerably large and thick golden rings.
Anne slid her finger to the right, finding another picture of them in the car. Sasha could be found pulling one of those rings with her freed hand at the same time her friend held her left breast, leaving it better profiled for the picture. The shape of the other woman's fringe seemed to them more familiar from the way her face angled.
Once more to the right. As Anne as Mars blushed watching both blond women kissing passionately while they played with their nipples. The slight slip of the sunglasses made Anne to recognise:
–Do you have a "friends with benefits" relationship with Paz No!? The ultrafamous West Coast socialite?
In spite of her excitement, she remembered how necessary was to keep their voices down. Her mumbling felt as reproach.
–That's why I'm asking you to-
–Don't you remember, Anne? Sasha has always had this kind of thing.
–Yes, but we are talking about Paz "Wood Priestess" No. One thing is that Sash had a huge ass pool while another would be her befriending THE socialite of our coast. You must invite us to one of those parties soon, Sash.
–I just hope aunt Priscilla and uncle Preston aren't home by then…
Sasha whispered to herself.
–Of course! I'll mention you the next time she invites me. Anyways, enough about me. Mars! Your turn is up.
–Why me? Anne asked you-
–I know, Mar-Mar. I just want you to integrate with us… Snuggle between us, answering this: How did you get that french maid dress?
–Sash, if Mars doesn't want you questioning something-
–Se-seriously? Well… One… One or two years ago… I was just beginning on my Just Simps and, a couple of hours after a session with the black thong on that you saw… I received a commission with this meme attached…
Having taken their phone from the purse once more, they were scrutinizing the screen for some instant until they showed their friends the direct messaging of their JS. It was at the very beginning of the interchange. Their interlocutor (a certain "J+O") had sent them a meme based on the "rich straight couple at a bar, looking at the fourth wall" template. The text below said "my partner and I saw you from the bar and we thought you could be a fine addition for our night".
Scrolling down the screen, they kept reading the conversation. Clearly it wasn't the best way to begin a dialog with any person, but since Mars had taken a liking to the memes, the chatting was enjoyable, although the cartoonist had answered them cautiously at first.
–As you could read, that same night they sent me a pic of the suit in exchange for a gallery with my… egg vibrator. And a good fistful of dollars. Since then, they have commissioned me for two more sessions, although…
Reaching to the latest chat, the girls noticed that, after a brief flirting, the message with which they had begun it was a self-reply to the initial meme.
"You know… We would like to make this for real… Would you be ok following through? We will do anything you ask for…".
–Mars! This couple wants to have something serious with you. Not bad.
–Well… They are from here, Los Angeles. So I could cash in… But I don't know. It's super fishy… Do you think they could… do any harm to me?
–Mars, it's very likely that it is the case. The thing to do is that you don't accept-
–The best thing to do is that we escort you-
Both women gazed at each other after proposing in unison.
–Escort them? Sasha, I don't think Mars, if we are going to try anything, would do this kind of thing… Besides risking themselves.
–I don't know, Anne. I think it would be quite exciting that Mars has… that kind of relationship.
Anne laughed with irony.
–Are you sure? Let me remind you that-
–I know, I tend to be possessive and jealous… Although I haven't been like that for a while-
–By your own admission you aren't that way precisely for the kind of relationships you had. But here we are aiming for something serious, Sash.
Having Anne mentioned what she said herself before, Sasha was left silent for some moments, frowning and eyeing the bookshelves, the busts and the snacks.
Then, clearing her semblance to something poiser, she answered:
–I understand. Anyways, it's Mars' decision if they want to keep with this enterprise while we are… "making it work"-
–One thing is to take some pictures with toys and another is to go on a blind date with, apparently, a married couple, Sash. On the other hand, seriously-
–Anne, Sash. Cut it out. If it makes you happy that I end with that couple, fine. But not without having gone on a date with them… And with you escorting me there. Does this seem ok with you two?
With their eyebrows folded and their authoritative voice, Mars had gestured to cut the argument. Before any women could answer, the cartoonist stood up, unbuttoned their pants and took them off.
The thong they used in the pictures was the same they wore in those instants. Looking closer, Anne as Sasha noticed that Mars kept their pubis correctly waxed. Not a lot could reveal how little that garment covered, except by the remarked vulva between the tight elastics.
Sitting back on their side, Mars continued:
–Fine. Since we agreed on my eventual meeting, it's my turn to ask Anne… What is your weirdest fantasy with which you had gotten off?