April 16th 2016 New Jersey, Rosewood, 9:00 AM EDT

Waking up in bed with a naked woman wasn't a new experience. Waking up in a headlock as my cuddly, naked, well fucked new sister wriggled in her sleep like a happy puppy very much was. I couldn't say a face full of grapefruit sized tits was unwelcome or anything, but her death grip made it tough to move.

"Emma." I mumbled between her tits. She didn't respond, just cooed in her sleep. Her body was plastered to mine, and when I reached up to slap a mouthwatering ass cheek all I got was a low moan and another full body wriggle. I heard a muffled giggle and looked up to see Amy and Barbie standing at the end of the bed, smirking at the scene of me trapped in an adoring embrace.

"It's so CUTE!" Cooed Barbie mockingly. I could tell she partly meant it, though there was a flicked of possessive jealousy in her eyes. She looked to Amy really quick to gauge her reaction and then moderated her response, which was actually kind of adorable. I just rolled my eyes.

Gesturing to my sister, I waved my free arm. "You could help me out you know? I'm kind of stuck." I could obviously easily tear myself free, but honestly it felt kind of nice. Most of my girls were too fuck drunk and demolished by the time I was done with them to get snuggly. I'd help back on Emma, wanting to make a good impression on my new big sis and avoid burning out her brain. I hadn't stuffed a girl with a mundane nervous system in a while, and Eros and Psych could be...intense.

Amy giggled again. "I think it's cute too. Do you think she'd mind if we climbed in with you two? She's family now, as your wife I should get to know her better."

Barbie snorted. "If you're hungry looks like Nicky cream filled her donut good. Have her for breakfast, every girl loves to bond by getting their ice cream licked." We both looked at her and she blushed. "Right, Ingrid talked to me about this. I'm sublimating my insecurity at sharing Nicky by acting as the aggressor with other women." She flicked her eyes at Amy, looking down a bit shyly. "Sorry."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Since when are you talking to Ingrid about your sexual habits? I know we talked it over during our last fuck, but I didn't know you were in therapy about it."

She blushed. "I mean, YOU'RE seeing her, it's not like its anything to be ashamed of. She's helped me a lot with my issues. Dick's cheating and flirtatiousness made me really insecure about my value to men. Its why I tried to do a one and done fuck with you. Sadly you broke my fragile little mortal brain with your fat draconic cock, and I was helpless before your awesome sexual prowess, but those issues never went away."

I wriggled over, Emma still sleeping like the dead, and patted the bed, knowing this would a longer talk. Barbie smiled shyly and climbed into bed. Despite her deflecting with sexually aggressive dirty talk, I knew discussing this with me was hard for her, because I could see Amy holding her hand behind her back until she climbed in with me.

"I thought that was internalized guilt about being bisexual. I know you had a big crush on Zee." It kind of sucked knowing I was damaging Barbie's self esteem. Not enough for me to stop, but if I could help her I would. Maybe I could command her to feel better with the Brand. I'd avoid that if possible though, she wasn't the type to appreciate it.

Amy walked over to sit down with her, resting a hand on Barbie's pajama clad him. Her thumb rubbed small circles, and I saw my redhead relax. She and Amy were much closer than I thought they were, and it was kind of nice to see, but it also made me feel kind of...jealous. I didn't really know how to do that comforting shit. When I didn't like what was going on in Barbie's brain I pounded it out of her ears. It wasn't fun knowing that wasn't an all encompassing solution.

Barbie looked at me guiltily. "Some if it was, and being with Zee helped, but I had some serious issues about the way you treated me. I wanted you so bad, and you wanted all these other girls. I tried to be part of it, to share you, but somewhere along the way I realized that treating them like whores made me feel like less of one." Her eyes widened. "Not that I still feel like that. I think it was knowing you didn't care, but now that I feel that interest from you...I don't know, it hurts less."

"So does that mean you're giving up pussy?" I said in amusement. I didn't really care if she did, if she really felt bothered by it then I'd support her. Barbie had been around a long time, and even without humanity I liked her enough to keep it that way. I wasn't going to be a one woman dragon, it wasn't in me, but if she needed my dick more and wanted me to be her only partner I'd do it."

She snorted. "Fuck no. Just because I know why I do something doesn't mean I don't love it. Emerald loves the taste of my pussy too much to do that to her, and if I told Hildie I was done strapping her I think she might cry. That girl is absolutely besotted with me." Her voice was tinged with pride, and I grinned at her.

Amy looked fondly at us both. "Look at you two. Talking things through. I'm so proud of both of you. And I'm grateful Barbara feels secure continuing her relationships." She blushed a bit. "I think Emerald wants to be better friends than I do far more often. For such a shy girl she's certainly enthusiastic. I enjoy our bonding time, but without Barbara I suspect I'd never be able to put on pants again."

I winced. I'd been planning to train that yandere pussy thirst out of the Emerald princess, but I'd gotten distracted. Barbie had helped me dodge a bullet there. I felt a slight movement at my side and looked up to see Emma close her eyes tighter. Snorting, I gently but firmly pried myself free. "Emma, why don't I introduce you to your sister in law."

My sister pouted, her eyes opening as she glared over at the girls, not exactly hostile, but not really welcoming. I slapped that doughy, jiggly ass, giving her a stern look, and she sulked a bit, but before she could really say anything Amy lunged forward to pull her into a tight hug.

"Oh, welcome to the family Emma! You're so beautiful. I can't wait to get to know you. I'm jealous of your bottom, Nicky is a sucker for an abundant behind. He seems to love yours already." Somehow, despite being overtly sexual and semi awkward, my wife's gleeful enthusiasm actually seemed to work.

My sister flushed a bit red. "I...you don't think I'm a freak? I had sex with my own brother. His cum is leaking out of me right now. Hell, I want it again. I wouldn't blame you for sending me back to the asylum."

Barbie grinned at her. "We have an on staff psychiatrist, as you might have heard. She's good." Her eyes raked over my sister. "Or we can always have some girl talk if you're feeling frustrated. Amy's right, you are very beautiful, I'd love to give you the same welcome Nicky did." At my raised eyebrow she shrugged. "What, she's your sister. There's some transference there, ok?"

Emma cleared her throat, reaching for the blanket. "I...uh I appreciate that, but I don't really like girls." She paused. "Or guys honestly. I mean, I'm not a virgin, but I haven't had sex many times. A friend's younger brother before I got sent away. I don't...really think I'd be interested in sex with anyone but Nicky."

Amy patter her shoulder affectionately. "That's fine, darling. We're Nicky's girls in the end. Barbara is a sweetie and likes to help the others feel appreciated and keep them busy, but it's not like she'll do anything you aren't interested in. You're perfectly safe with us. We take care of family."

And...I guess we did. I mean, I guess we did now anyway. I didn't want to lose Emma like I lost my dad. I still wasn't sure what that had done to me, but I hadn't liked it. I pulled my sister against me and she almost purred, snuggling into my side. Barbie melted a little and Amy smiled at her sweetly.

"So...what about your place? Are you coming to live with me?" I wanted Emma around, and not just for sex. We could like...hang out. And have sex after. or before. Or during. Sex with her felt great. I shook it off. I'd let her decide when she needed it. I was sure it would happen again soon, but until it did she was going through the same shit as me. Down about dad and all. Plus she had the Brand now, and with that and the Hall's defenses and extra room having her move in was the safest option for everyone.

She blushed. "You...want me to live with you?" I could tell she felt like she might be pushing it. Which annoyed me. I already said I wanted her around, how much clearer did I need to be.

Amy, of course, handled it better, squealing and clapping her hands. "Oh of course we do! I'll take you shopping for things for your room. I only recently got back to earth and I've been learning more about decorating and things like that." She gave me a sappy smile. "It's the wife's duty to make sure the house is a home after all."

The fact that she included decorating the rooms of my fuck pieces in that sentiment was one of the many reasons I adored Amy. Not that Emma was just a hole to stuff, but she was ALSO a hole to stuff, and Amy had been looking at a post stuffed version of that hole bare and dripping my cum when she came in without even blinking.

Checking my GP, I blinked at my new value of five million. Since I was sure that Emma wasn't worth that, the few items and properties in the will I hadn't actually heard about yet must have been counted. Sitting up, I climbed out of bed and stretched, amused at me girls laying together watching the show. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed some pants and slipped them on. "Alright you nymphos. We have funeral stuff today, get your minds out of the gutter before I take turns making you all my cumdumpsters."

Amy giggled, Barbie bit her lip appreciatively and Emma looked aroused until she remembered the others, then buried her face in the blankets, and I just laughed. The funeral would probably be mostly set up already, since Hobbes hadn't been the only one dealing with things he'd have had to put on a show at least.

As I grabbed a towel and made my way down the hall into the shower with nothing but sweats on, I nodded to a few of the other guests coming out of their rooms. I climbed into the water, beginning to wash myself and whistling cheerfully. Barbie had been right, coming to this had been a great idea. My dad had known me better than anyone.

The best cure for being sad about a loved one is to inherit a fat bottomed obsessed sister from them. I should report this to Ingrid. Not only was I getting awesome at being a person, I was inventing even better ways to do it. I bet she could write a whole psychological text book about me.

April 17th 2016 Brightedge City, Hall of Nevers, 11:00 AM EDT

"The rest of the funeral proceedings went pretty smoothly." I finished, filling Ingrid in on everything that had happened during the mess with Hobbes. "It was...weirdly cathartic, I guess? I don't really get catharsis, but from how it's been described that was close. I went in feeling like shit and came out feeling pretty much exactly as much like shit, but in a different way. Sort of partly healed? Like the pain of losing dad is there but starting to scab over."

She nodded happily. "I'm glad. That sounds like wonderful progress, Nicholas. Your bonding with your new sister seems to have been extremely helpful in your journey to understanding your feelings. I think that violence aside, the funeral was an excellent influence on your mental health."

That got a snort from me. "Are you supposed to be telling patients that fucking their sisters is ok? Because I would suspect that the national institute of mental health would frown on prescribing incestuous sex as a method of family bonding."

My implacable shrink never lost that ever present gentle smile. "Of course they would. But you forget I spent several years as the attending at Arkham. The main takeaway from my time there is that everyone's mental health journey is different. As a doctor, my mandate is 'first, do no harm'. My most important duty to my patients is to help them find methods to deal with their issues in ways that harm neither themselves or others, not to judge them for having those issues to begin with."

"That...makes some amount of sense." I said, mulling over her statement. "Well, I obviously don't mind it. You've helped me out a bit, and you've been amazing with my girls. Speaking of which, have you spoken to Raven at all? I gave her your number. If anyone needs help its that girl."

Ingrid was in a...weird place for me. I wasn't fucking her (fingers crossed that changed soon) but I did care about her like she was one of my girls. She was sweeter than candy, to a level I'd been pretty much forced to appreciate even before the seal broke, because of her inborn gifts. But more than that, Ingrid was one of the most selfless people I'd ever seen. She just genuinely wanted to help everyone she could. I found that conceptually horrifying as a mindset, and would never feel that way, but knowing she did paradoxically made me respect her more.

Not in a way that made me like the League or anything, but in a way that made it clear to me that she was unique. She was so caring and compassionate that even nutcases like the Joker adored her. Granted, comparing myself to that rabid bag of rats wasn't flattering, but still, Ingrid was the real deal. Her desire to help people was unconditional, unlike those JL fucks who only cared about you if you followed the law.

That made it somewhat easier to accept her affection for me. It took some of the pressure off not loving her back to know that Ingrid just loved everything. Unlike with Emma, where I was able to let her in a bit as an extension of dad, Ingrid slipped in under my defenses with a loophole all her own. Not love in either case, but I was willing to accept their feelings easier. For some reason.

And that helped, it gave her insight and leverage to help me with another goal. Because the fact was...I kind of wanted to love my girls. At least some of them. I wanted to love Dinah, who adored me and was fiercely protective in a way my own mother had never been. I wanted to love Amy, who was head over heels for me and did her best to be the perfect bride, and I wanted to love Barbie, who needed someone to adore her more than anything.

But despite wanting that, I wasn't there. It was such a weird feeling. I cared about them, liked them, lusted after them, but there was just this...disconnect between what I felt and what I was pretty sure it was like to love someone. It was like trying to flex a muscle you'd never used before, even if it was technically possible, you couldn't...find it.

"Nicholas." Said Ingrid patiently. "You're drifting again. Remember what I said the last time."

I exhaled. "You can't help if I don't share. I get it. It's rough for me to verbalize some of this shit though. I guess I was just thinking about how much it sucks that I can't love the girls. Even with my emotions, I'm trying but I just can't quite get there."

She gave me an amused smile. "And what on earth makes you think that you DON'T love them? I can't speak for anything universal, but I'm quite sure you feel at least some type of love for several of your 'girls'. You feel companionate love for Amaya, for instance. There isn't just one type of love, Nicholas, and not being able to feel all types for all people isn't unique to your situation. You DO love them, at least most of them. What exactly do you define as love?"

I shrugged. "Fuck if I know. I guess I just figured it was more than 'that ass is mine', which is what I feel for most of my girls."

She gave me a disapproving frown, a rare expression to see on her face, especially during sessions. "Is it? So you don't care if you make them happy? You don't want to see them smile? You don't do your best to help them achieve their goals when possible. I seem to remember you telling me about your night with Charise, when she told you about her revenge against her former lover. She opened up to you and you were happy about it."

That drew a snort from me. "Your evidence that I understand love is that I let the psychopath I fuck sometimes describe, in detail, how she tortured her ex? Doesn't exactly scream do no harm, now does it?"

To my surprise, she just shrugged. "If you had informed me prior to the event I'd have attempted to stop it, but Trevor was a destructive and hurtful person. As a doctor I find what occurred tragic and unfortunate, but as someone who worked with Charise during her time in Arkham, I can't muster much sympathy for him. Protecting people from the consequences of their own actions isn't in my job description."

"Damn." I said approvingly. "I've been a good influence on you doc, that was ice cold. I think I'm in love." At her raised eyebrow and smirk my lecherous grin turned into a scowl. "Oh fuck you, it's an expression."

With a sad shake of her head, Ingrid sighed. "Why do you feel so uncomfortable admitting to feeling love for them? Is it because you associate the closest thing you had to love with your father? Do you feel they might leave you in the same way, or be taken from you?"

The chair arms shattered as I surged to my feet, eyes blazing with draconic power as I snarled at her. "NO ONE TAKES FROM ME! They're MINE." I was looming over her, and in the shadow I cast I could see my wings unfurled to their full length. Ingrid, however, didn't flinch or shy away, she just sat and smiled at me.

I deflated, my wings vanishing as I slumped back down into the damaged chair. "You know, you could fucking PRETEND to be scared of me at least. It's bullshit that I'm a dragon and can't even scare a little blonde in a lab coat." I paused. "Actually why do you wear a lab coat? That's not a shrink thing is it?"

She shrugged. "I find it helps people take me more seriously. My warm manner and disarming appearance can sometimes cause people to question my abilities. The coat reminds them that I'm a doctor, and helps me make more of an impression on patients." Then her smile turned sly. "Plus it makes me feel official."

"Ah." I said in understanding. "So people discount your abilities because you look like a religious girl who tells her mom she's a math tutor so she doesn't have to admit to having an anal fetish because it's 'ungodly' but still carries a jar of KY in her purse for bathroom quickies?"

Her amused smile was knowing. "Does dropping that story in an attempt to associate yourself with sex in my mind and to turn my thoughts to carnal pleasure make you feel more in control? I think you're uncomfortable with the emotional nature of our conversation and are hoping to deflect with sex like you so often do."

I groaned. "Oh come on, can't I ever just be horny? There's not always some deeper meaning behind me wanting to fuck, I'm a dragon, we're lusty creatures. Not to mention your tits are popping out of that sweater. Can't I just genuinely want to bend you over that chair?"

She giggled. "I'm sure you do, but there can be more than one reason behind an action." She paused, looking pensive. "I suppose a generalized bit of bait at the end of our sessions is hardly a good incentive. Very well, how about this. Whenever you have a genuine breakthrough, with a legitimate emotional understanding being reached, I'll reward you. It may be a session with no shirt on, or perhaps the opportunity to grope me, but there WILL be a reward, aside from the promise of a sexual relationship at some ill defined point in the future."

"You..." I scrabbled for the words. "You're offering to play strip therapy?" I grinned at her. "Well, that certainly livens up these sessions in my eyes. Does that mean you'll take your top off now?"

"No." She said firmly. "I said a breakthrough. Anything you reveal at this point will simply be an attempt to see my breasts. Next session you'll have had some time to cool off and we can start. Any breakthrough I deem realistic will count, but I don't want to encourage you to fake it if I can prevent that."

"Lame." I said. "I want to watch those sweater puppies bounce." Ingrid failed to react, but I felt something...fascinating. For almost the first time since our sessions started, I felt her desires twitch. Not at the sweater puppy comment, I said crude shit to her all the time to see her off balance, it had been before that.

I was pretty sure that Ingrid had some kind of fetish for helping people in this context. It wasn't the weirdest thing I'd heard, though it was far from normal. I guessed there were worse things to be into than making people feel better. Seeing me losing my train of thought again, Ingrid refocused the session. "So, why don't you tell me about your relationship with your sister?"

"My relationship?" I said with a grin. "We met, I saved her life, and we fucked. Apparently my old man was training her for me, which weirdly made me feel much better about losing him. But we don't have a relationship, as it were. We're...fuck buddies with the potential for more? I guess. Unless you want me to tell you about the sex?"

I expected her to wave it off, but she nodded. "Do you feel the sex with her is significant? Is it different than most of the sex you've had? You often allude to sexual conquest, but you rarely offer to share the details of the act. I think it's a way of distancing yourself from the emotional aspect of lovemaking. The fact that you want to share with me tells me you feel that something notable happened. Please go ahead." I groaned, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Trust the therapist to even suck the fun out of fuck stories. That said, maybe it wouldn't hurt to fill her in a bit.

April 18th 2016 Brightedge City, Black Manor 8:00 PM EDT

I like women. This fact, is most likely a surprise to literally no one, considering the number of them I surround myself with. But along with my humanity and the introduction of actually giving a shit about them to my mental landscape, I was introduced to another, less fascinating factor of having so many girls…they can be fucking exhausting.

Most of the emotional feedback I now get from my girls is positive. Dinah's maternal adoration, Ingrid's patient helpfulness, Amy's unconditional support, these are all net gains, and while they have downsides, I had begun to find that even with my exercises, there IS too much of a good thing. I needed a fucking break.

Which was why this spy mission into the heart of the Court of Owls came at such an appropriate time. While I definitely enjoyed the attention, the adoration, and the copious amounts of acrobatic filthy sex, that shit was draining me dry. Not physically, obviously, but sadly my emotional balls didn't refill as quickly as my physical ones.

Adjusting my new mask before activating it, I stared at myself in the mirror. I'd made this one the same way as the ones in Gemworld, with a few tweaks. It isn't perfect, but it'll make it impossible to tell who exactly I am as I sneak around with Silver.

[Appraisal function activated. Treasure detected. Nobody Filter- E rank. A singular mask with only one use. To become another person. At the cost of flexibility, the nobody filter will fool all sensors, all detection below the power of the user themselves. To any observers with any senses weaker than your own, you will become a new man.]

A hundred thousand points for the damned thin, but it was worth it. Down to four point nine million, but able to properly explore my enemies.

The Fear Host was cagy. They wouldn't come anywhere near me physically. Whoever they were they'd made a point to be completely anonymous, and chasing them down wouldn't work. I just kept having to destroy the trail myself.

So I was going back to my roots. I'd gotten so used to being the big swinging dick I'd defaulted to it. Loud and destructive. But as nice as that felt, I'd acknowledged when coming back that I'd need to resume my role in the shadows. Being off balance because of my humanity and my dad was…not ideal, but it was a fact.

Now though, this mask was what I needed to be the spy I should have been. To twist people up into knots with my intelligence like I used to instead of doing it by hand. Which was why this entire mission I was planning to go entirely hands off with my powers. No abilities, no magic, no dragon fire.

The mark of a good spy is no one ever knowing you were there. So when I met Silver at the manor, it took her a second to realize who I was. I grinned at her, green eyes flashing in the light as it spilled over my crimson hair. I was smaller, don't ask me how that worked I have no idea, but only about five foot nine.

My skin was pale, much like my normal form, but the size difference and the hair, eyes, and facial features basically ensured no one would possibly recognize me. Luckily I had to the Brand, and only I could use it. "Don't speak." I said quickly, and her mouth snapped shut, compelled to do my will.

At her annoyed glare, I winked. "Sorry, just needed to take all that sexy in." I stepped up and kissed her, palming a doughy ass cheek as we tongue wrestles, and when I pulled away I murmured. "You can talk again darling." In her ear. She came away panting, eyes clouded with list.

"I…I understand, sir." She stressed the last word, letting me know she understood who I was. Smart girl. I knew I kept her around for a reason. Besides her clappable ass, dick sucking lips, and soft jiggly tits, of course.

I winked at her, pinching her ass cheek before I pulled away to offer her my arm. "Shall we, darling? These parties sound so interesting, but no part daily to be improved by the presence of Finbarr Wrong." I picked a name I'd read in a book and always loved, stating it casually so she would know my pseudonym.

She giggled fetchingly, slipping into her bimbo airhead guise with ease. Silver the gropable giggling fuck doll was no threat to the Court of Owls. Silver the cold ruthless pragmatist was. My little treasure had developed her persona well, all soft bouncing tits and vacant smiles. Men loved looking at breasts, loved feeling smart and worldly. Why would they question it?

I pulled her against me by the waist, feeling kind of affectionate. There's something special about the first girl to ever polish your knob. Not to mention Silver was a knockout. I felt…kind of proud of how well she played the game.

There was a slight but notable blush on her cheeks as I led her inside. Despite the new face, she knew this was me now without question. The Brand was mine, and I'd used it. There was no mistaking that.

"So…tell me about this party darling." Playing my part, I let my hand slip down her back to play in those sweet cheeks. If I was playing an arrogant rich young master, groping the bimbo was just good acting. The tiny whimpers of enjoyment and the wiggling under my grip were just bonuses. Honest.

Swallowing hard, Silver looked around. "Well, first welcome to Black Manor. The Black Family is old money, came over from Europe a century ago fleeing persecution from their main branch in the UK. Some sort of falling out over bloodlines apparently. They've got a knack for magic though, which helped them flourish in the city."

Looking around, I could see the results of that influence. The power, the hedonism, the debauchery. Rich older men paraded around with slutty teens in short dresses, girls in maid uniforms around my own age served drinks, incredible bodies on display.

Weirdly I wasn't that affected. I mean, I liked the eye candy, don't get me wrong, but they just weren't up to my standards. Any of my girls were sexier. I didn't really want any of them more than Silver, who was on my arm. Wait…no there was a redhead with massive watermelon tits. I kind of wanted to fuck those. But like…none of the others.

I'd never really done that before. My entire mindset had always been more of a Pokemon thing when it came to women. "Gotta catch em' all". But now it was like I was comparing Yu-gi-oh cards. I could only have forty in my deck and all my cards were better. I briefly stifled a shudder at the thought of having literally forty women in my harem. No thanks. But figuratively I was pretty much set.

Granted, I still had a few wayward ladies I had to tame. I hadn't fucked Cassie, or Leslie. Thorn and Raven were still kind of in play. But other than them, I was pretty happy with the girls I had now. I was almost proud of myself. I made a note to have that big titted redhead suck my dick before we left. As a reward. Blowjobs totally didn't count.

We approached the nearest group. Silver smiled seductively as we got close. "Gentlemen." She purred, and my hand tightened a bit on her ass in reflexive jealousy. I felt her body jolt in surprise, but my little treasure didn't let her shock show. "Might I introduce you to Finn Wrong, my handsome companion for the evening."

She leaned into me as she spoke, clearly sensing my possessiveness and happily showing these rich dicks that she was mine once I made it clear I didn't approve of the flirting. Which was weird, I used to not give a fuck who looked at my girls. I'd always been possessive, but never jealous.

A tall, broad shouldered man with mustache chuffed out a laugh. "Well met, young man. I am Benedict St. Germain, lovely to make your acquaintance. And you should know lovely. Our Silver likes to titter and preen but she's surprisingly selective about who she takes home. You're a lucky man."

If I'd had less control I'd have bristled at 'our Silver', but I didn't, so I just smiled easily. "Of course. I'm the lucky one. Though it's not all fun and games." I gave her ass a squeeze, drawing a squeak from my blonde, and winked at them. "She's quite a handful."

Benedict laughed again, his salt and pepper stache shaking like it was going to dispense pepper. His hair was dark, with silver at the temples, and his amber eyes were hawklike, flitting around craftily over a beaklike nose.

"So, Benedict. Since I brought my own entertainment, I think I have pleasure covered. Who do I talk to about business?" I let my voice grow sly, lowering my tone so only the few hangers on nearby.

There are two ways to manipulate people. To trick them into doing something, or to let them think they're tricking you. People love to feel smart, like Morgan Edge back when I was at Galaxy Communications. These were the same kind of people. Superiority is a drug, and as long as you didn't go overboard, once you gave them a fix they would keep coming back for more.

Sure enough, Benedict looked gleeful. "Ah, an entrepreneur then? I approve. Young men should always have a healthy appetite." His gaze raked over Silver in a way that made me want to growl a bit, but as usual I held it down, playing the disaffected party boy. "Tell me, what exactly were you planning to offer?"

I let out a sharp bark of laughter, harsh enough to snap him out of his staring, but not enough to be considered angry. "Why, money of course. Money makes the world go round." It was also functionally useless to me. Between Oracle, my salary from Galaxy, and the money my dad left me, I was set for life, and I could make more with ease.

Benedict, however, didn't have my…alternative options. His eyes lit up at the possible opportunity to swindle me for my cash. "A man after my own heart then. Straight to the point. Come, why don't we retire to the library. Roger should be in there diddling one of the maids. He likes to sneak off while Prudence is distracted. She doesn't allow full time staff he might be tempted to play with, so he indulges while he has the opportunity."

Silver smirked wickedly. "He's not the only one. Prudence has been spotted coming out of closets with a few bartenders, sometimes more than one at a time, and she's usually got a bit of a limp and a big silly grin when she does."

Benedict shrugged. "Marry a beauty queen twenty years your junior and you ought to expect that sort of thing. I doubt either cares as long as they don't have to confront it in public." His smirk turned lecherous. "And plenty of us got a turn with Prudence before he married her in any case. I suspect that empty head makes a wonderful depository for her lovely and very talented mouth."

He said that like Silver wasn't there, which weirdly kind of annoyed me, but since she didn't look offended I didn't bother to push it. I could have used any actual upset as potential leverage, but it didn't seem like Prudence, whoever she was, was a friend of Silver, and she didn't seem to mind the older man's implication that the Black patriarch's wife was an olympic level suck slut.

Following them back toward the library, I let my arm lie across her waist protectively. I had plenty of jobs here, but I knew at that moment I had one more than expected. I wouldn't let them lay a hand on Silver, even if my cover got blown. I doubted it would come to that, but I wanted to keep her safe. She cuddled against me, lying her head on my chest. I guess we could consider this our real first date. Neat.

April 18th 2016 Brightedge City, Black Manor 9:00 PM EDT

Roger was, in fact, diddling one of the maids. Some cute little brunette with big blue eyes was on his lap with his hand up her skirt when we arrived. He didn't bother stopping to greet us, just fingered her until she squealed, then stood her up and sent her off to get us drinks with a slap on the ass.

The poor thing was blushing so red she might as well have been a stop sign, but she whispered her apologies as she hurried past. Roger licked his fingers clean calmly, then raised a brow at us. "I've been buttering that little bitch up all night. She's a virgin you know? I always have them send at least one. Must you ruin my fun Benedict?"

The mustachioed man shrugged. "Have one of the attendees send over their daughter tomorrow or something. You know any one of them would trip over themselves for a favor."

I had to fight to keep from rolling my eyes. Fucking scrubs. Imagine needing power and influence to get some impressionable teenager on your dick. I'd have been balls deep in that maid. I briefly considered slipping off to get in her panties after this discussion, but I forced myself to focus. This was about gathering intel, plus it was kind of a date, and it would be rude to abandon Silver to creampie some virgin maid. The gentlemanly thing to do would be to ask her to join in, but that seemed like a second date kind of thing.

After realizing I was doing the horny/caring jump roping thing again I ran through my exercises to let myself concentrate. I really had to eat Raven out or something as a thank you for teaching me...which wasn't a thought that helped and I broke my concentration dreaming about my head between those oatmeal thick thighs. But I got it back under control as I focused on Roger.

Luckily Benedict had been his main point of interest for a bit, and he was just now turning to regard me with interest. I clapped a hand on Silver's ass as he looked over, pulling her against me. "Don't think you're going to take a turn with mine. I don't share with men."

Roger raised an eyebrow at Benedict. "Who the fuck is this kid. And since when does the eye candy have a claim on her." I felt Silver tighten up a bit at that, and it occurred to me that despite working it to be underestimated, my treasure didn't enjoy her success. I should have figured that. Silver wanted respect. To be known for her competence and not her booty jiggle.

"Watch your fucking mouth old man." I said bluntly. This character was supposed to be crafty but too direct to be a threat, so this played into my persona. "I don't know how you talked about her before I got here, but the only one who gets to imply my Silver is a giggly braindead slut is me, and only because she knows I don't really think so. You talk down in front of my woman again and I'm going to shove you up that chimney face first."

At five foot nine, I didn't cut an imposing figure as Finbarr, and a lot of guys who were on the shorter side tended to have chips on their shoulder. I could see them categorizing me as 'angry short guy' even as I stood there. Of course, in order to get away with threats and bluster I had to be useful, so Roger's flat look wasn't outside my predictions. "And what makes you think you can threaten me in my own fucking house, pipsqueak?"

I shrugged. "I looked into you. You're scrambling like everyone else to get set up with supply lines after the mashup. Shit is still shaking out, and everything is crazy, which means there's room to expand. You run a publishing company. I can get you a steady supply of recycled paper at cost with the stuff you were using before. You pay me the same flat rate and kick your prices up twenty percent for being "green". Or you could kill me because I told you not to talk shit to my girl and keep floundering."

Paper was REALLY cheap, like...even a shipping container of that shit would be H rank at worst. I could upgrade a container to recycled paper for pittance, and had been planning that offer since before I arrived. Roger raised an eyebrow. "Flat rate? I could work with that. With the population of the city doubling we have a bigger market. Cadaver Publishing was a Gotham label, we never made much headway outside of town. And we did lose our supplier in the crash."

I could hear both respect and interest in his voice. He stared at me for a hard minute before shrugging. "You jack my bottom line and I'll treat her like she's queen of england." I nodded with approval, but he cut me off with a glare. "But business deal or no, you threaten me in my house again and I'll have your corpses dropped in slaughter swamp. You can cuddle for the rest of eternity as you get eaten by bugs. I'll give you a pass, just this once, because you didn't know the score. But just once."

Putting on a suitably cowed expression I nodded. I needed a rep for being a hothead, not an idiot. Push and pull, it was a delicate dance. I'd made my point, and now I'd back down so he could save face. He smiled at me then as the maid came back with drinks. He didn't grope or manhandle her, apparently deciding that the way Silver was eye fucking me after defending her was a good example, and passed the girl a few hundreds, telling her she did a good job and to go take a bath and relax in his room for the rest of her shift.

You catch more flies with honey, and more teens with rolls of cash, because she blushed heavily before pecking his cheek gratefully and scurrying off. He was right, she'd been a sure thing, but that had ensured he could keep her coming back after the first time if he didn't go overboard.

We sipped cognac (in proper glasses with lighters to heat that shit all fancy) and talked business. Silver sat in my lap, and really did seem extra affectionate after my outburst. I don't think she got that it was just a character decision. If it even was. I had been annoyed at him making her feel bad. Maybe I was being extra soft on her, but I didn't give a shit. I hadn't taken it too far, and if it made her feel good it was win win.

"My original paper guy was giving me two grand per ton." Roger said, sipping his cognac. "I guaranteed a five hundred ton order every quarter. I also have some pull with the governor, and the whole thing counts as a tax write off, some bullshit about helping literacy. But not just anyone can work with me. I've never heard of you before, or your family, what makes you think I'll trust you?"

I'd been prepared for that. Barbie had backstopped me personally for this, and she was a bad bitch when it came to computers. The Wrong family did exist, and while their fortune DIDN'T, it didn't exist in a way that made it very clear that it should, and that we'd made the money disappear for laundering reasons. Which made it more than reasonable for me to double down.

"Because you need me." I said matter of factly. "Not just for the paper stuff, though you do need me for that, but in general. I know all about your little social club, and with the city population exploding, not to mention all the new power players, you're going to need to do some recruiting. If you don't. you're going to get people like me spinning off their own competitors for your organization, and if that happens your next few years are going to be busy and frustrating."

He raised a brow. "And if we just kill them off when they get out of line? It worked for Gotham for decades or more. Do you think we're scared of a few interlopers?"

I rolled my eyes. "Gotham was just getting started when you got your hooks in. You helped form it into what it was. That was easy mode. Now it's decades later and the city randomly doubles in size and scope? Don't piss on me and tell me its raining. You're in for a fight. But people like me can act as a bridge, help to mitigate some of the competition. And if you cut me in like I'm asking I have good reason not to be gentle with anyone." I put my hands up. "But hey, I know the drill, you need to do your homework before you agree to anything. Ask around, my family is from Dublin, though my da moved us to Star city when I was a boy. That should be plenty to start."

Standing up, I downed the glass and then raised it in a cheerful show of gratitude before pulling Silver with me out of the room. One of the first lessons you learn about acting is that it's done as much in the memory as in the present. I needed to let him percolate, because the character would do that. Meanwhile I could spend some time with my girl. We were heading back to the party at first, but she pulled me off into a side alcove, shoving me into a spare room. I was kind of expecting to fuck, but she just stared at me, standing just out of reach.

"What the fuck was that?" She said the words like she'd intended to be harsh, but it just came out confused. Like she didn't know what she was thinking.

I shrugged. "He was annoying me. It was in character, so I told him off. I could tell that upset you, being treated like a dumb whore, and it...made me mad. Like I said, when I do shit like that you know I don't mean it. If I did, I'd never have claimed you in the first place. I don't need a fuck bunny, I have plenty."

She frowned at me. "How am I supposed to take that N-Finn?" She almost slipped and used my name, but the walls had ears in a place like this.

"I don't really care." I said casually. "I didn't do it to impress you. I did it for the same reason I do anything. Because I felt like it. You're mine, and people who upset you are disrespecting me. Plus...I don't know. I feel kind of protective. I was a dick when we were kids, I feel shitty about that now. You're better than that. If you weren't I wouldn't have wanted you. People looking at my treasure like garbage posses me off."

To my absolute shock, she actually blushed at that. A real one, not an affectation. I could tell. She stared into my face, something much easier now that we were the same height. She leaned forward and gave me a soft kiss. "I...guess that's ok. Thank you. For thinking I'm worth more."

Normally, I would have diffused this moment. I didn't like heavy emotional stuff. I'd have grabbed her ass, or had some sort of dismissive thought about fucking her delicious booty, but in this circumstance, I just nodded to her seriously, before offering my arm. "How about we go get something to eat. I'm starving." She beamed at me and took my arm, leading me off back to the party. Weirdly, I wasn't staring at her ass or down her dress as we walked. I was thinking about how pretty that smile had been. If I had my way she'd do it more often.

April 19th 2016 Brightedge City, West Park 10:00 AM EDT

The rest of the night was pretty standard, since I was keeping up the Finbarr disguise so as not to alarm the Court I stayed with Silver, we went home, showered, I blew her back out a few times and then we cuddled and went to sleep. My platinum beauty was extra clingy, but there were worse things than sleeping with a face full of velvety funbags, so I just let her do her thing.

Defending her had clearly made an impression, and, remembering what Ingrid said about me being too afraid to admit to caring, I decided to explore that a bit in a very small scale way. Since I only had one bitch on hand during this (unless I went and got some more, but that seemed counterproductive) Silver was going to be my partner in exploration. It was kind of apropos honestly, Silver had been one of my early sexual experiences, and having her be an early emotional experience would work too.

So, I decided to take her on a picnic. I cheated, obviously, because I threw some random shit in a basket and then merged it up to an H-rank picnic basket complete with meal. It came out great, and I had enough points for it not to matter. Silver seemed...poleaxed by the offer, but in a good way, and I could feel her desire to be closer to me like a lit torch.

When we arrived, I laid down a blanket on the grass (came in the basket, I loved my system) and then started taking out food to set our meal. Silver sat demurely in front of me in a cloud gray tank top and a pair of very juicy black yoga pants. She wasn't wearing a bra, which was a bit distracting when you were smuggling cantaloupes like hers, but I ignored it to focus on her.

I'd like that smile last night, and I'd have enjoyed seeing it again. But I had no idea how to make that happen. She WAS smiling at me, of course. But it was a more reserved and slight expression. I was decent at face reading even as a sociopath, it was how I read people to manipulate them. Silver's expression was warm but distant.

She tucked a lock of platinum hair behind one ear as I unpacked lunch (sandwiches apparently). When I passed her one she thanked me and took a bite, moaning pleasantly at the H ranked food, which was beyond human normal levels of deliciousness.

"So." I said tentatively. "How long do I need to wait to hear back from Black?" I paused, realizing it probably sounded like I was trying to get out of this. "Not that I'm in a rush, I can wait. I don't...dislike being around you." Gods this was ridiculous. I could twist most bitches around my finger and have them bouncing off my hips within an hour, but when there was real emotion involved it was fucking excruciating.

When I was coming onto a girl to fuck I was the hunter, but now I felt all...vulnerable and shit. Like I was showing her where to stab me or something. I sighed as she raised an eyebrow at me, not being willing to cut me any slack. "Listen, I'm trying ok? I'm not a picnic in the park guy. I'm an assfucking in the bushes while your boyfriend takes the basket back to the car guy. Literally, that happened to me once."

She rolled her eyes. "I get the whole, out of your depth thing, but pro-tip, most women don't like hearing about the dirty sluts you've demolished."

I shrugged. "I mean, my wife does, and so does Barbie. But I take your meaning. My therapist says I sexualize everything because sex is something I'm good at. She says that I'm subconsciously deflecting my insecurities by recontextualizing all my interactions into an area where I feel confident." It was easier to quote Ingrid than admit anything like that directly, though I thought she was off about the insecurity thing.

Silver cocked her head at me. "I...I could kind of see that actually." She frowned slightly. "I thought you'd call, you know that? It was stupid, and self destructive, but I didn't exactly grow up in the nicest environment. Sure, some of the Court members stared because I was pretty, but daddy scared them all off. Couldn't let his precious daughter get slutted out before he got some use out of her." I raised an eyebrow and she waved me off. "Not like that, he never touched me, just moved me around like a chess piece with big tits."

I focused on the part of that I was even remotely qualified to comment on. "And you thought I was going to call?"

She laughed bitterly. "How fucked up is that? I was a fourteen year old who got blackmailed into oral sex and I thought it was the prelude to romance. That's why I tried to have you killed. I thought you blackmailed me because you liked me. When you didn't call I was hurt." She paused. "Also you were a huge dick, which probably helped me feel ok about it, but still, it's humiliating."

Nodding along I just said. "Kind of." Her eyes snapped up at me angrily and I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey I was fourteen too. Also...like really messed up." I didn't want to explain my mom to Silver, but I owed her something. "My brain used to be wired wrong. I didn't care about much. You were...you made in impression. I even mentioned to Barbie that you stuck in my mind. She hates you by the way."

She snickered at that. "Oh I know. She came to a bunch of Wayne's galas with his ward. Grayson never met a pair of jugs he didn't like to ogle. She hates a lot of people. Mostly women."

That made me snicker. "Even odds she wanted in your panties herself honestly. She was bi and kind of projected that self loathing onto other people. Though she did have self esteem issues. I should thank Dick for that. Getting her and Zee primed for a tag team and then never having the balls to make it happen. They were fucking magic in bed together." I blinked. "Shit, I did it again."

Waving her hand to dismiss the thought, she shook her head. "Nah, that's interesting enough to be worth hearing. I didn't know Gordon jr. was a rug muncher." She considered the comment. "I think I might have been down for that. She's a little spitfire, and I've been with girls before. As for the crush on Zatara, no shit. Even most of the straight girls in our circles (there are less of them than you would think, formal parties get wild behind the scenes while the adults mingle) wouldn't mind letting her sit on their face."

A pleasant mental image, but it made me realize what we were talking about. I smirked at her. "Did you change the subject to sex to make me feel at ease?"

She just shrugged. "You're trying. It's sweet. I opened up, you opened up, if you want me to get on my knees and open up in a more literal sense to make yourself feel less vulnerable I don't mind if you fuck my face. This is already more than most guys I know have tried, and that's WITH your issues."

I just shook my head. "No. I'm not some pansy ass bitch who curls up in a ball because something makes me feel worried. I CAN have an emotional conversation without talking it turning into soft core porn. Tell me about...shit, what do normal guys ask girls. What kind of hobbies do you have?"

Her eyes bored into me for a second, and the she giggled. It was a cute sound. "A little boring, but not as bad as 'what do you do for fun' or my favorite 'what's your favorite color'. I paint watercolors. I find them soothing. I also play the cello, though that relaxes me less. My father signed me up when I was younger because he thought it was a 'dignified' instrument. You play anything?"

"Nope." I said with a shrug. "Dad didn't micromanage stuff like that. He gave me lessons on interacting, politics, social stuff. But he left extracurriculars up to me. I never saw much point. I didn't get music much. My life was basically one big hedonistic blur until recently." My eyes lit up as I thought of something. "Oh, I got a dog recentlly. His name is Magnus, he's a fae hound and he's brilliant."

That same beaming smile came back. "I'd love to meet him some time." Finishing her sandwich she crawled across the blanket to snuggle up against me. I froze, not sure where to put my hands. "This isn't a sex thing." She said calmly. "Just hold me. I'm teaching you how to be a better boyfriend." That last word was...weird, in this context, but I didn't want to argue when she was happy, so I just held her.

Then she talked. Telling me stories, some about the Court, some about her parents, some about herself. She talked for hours, and I just sat and listened. It was easier than trying to come up with something to say, and Silver wasn't exactly boring. I learned a lot, both about her and about Gotham.

Finally she stopped and turned to me with a smile. "I give you an eight out of ten." I just looked back at her, confused. "On your first real date with emotional content. You did pretty well. You listened, you asked questions, you didn't just spend the whole time talking about yourself. That's better than most guys do from what I've heard."

I chuckled at her. "So this whole thing was a test? You just wanted to see how good I would be at all this?"

"Nah." She said happily. "That was a bonus. I wanted to talk to you. You're always so busy, with so many girls around. I felt kind of lost in the shuffle. Like sure, I felt wanted, but more like a possession. This made me feel like you actually give a shit." At my expression she rolled her eyes. "Calm down, I'm not aiming for second wife status. But it's nice to know you want me for more than bouncy tits and a smackable ass."

Having spent hours resisting the urge to comment on things like that, I didn't mention that she had both those things. Raven's exercises were pretty useful. "So...I guess now we...go see a movie or something?" I said, not wanting to do that at all. This had been weird but not bad, but I had no desire to follow through on the rest of a 'normal' date.

Snorting in amusement, Silver tried to smother a laugh. "Oh gods know. You're climbing out of your skin. No, we're going to pack up this picnic and then you're going to take me back to the car and you're going to fuck me bareback in the back seat. Then we'll got to dinner, and THEN we'll go to a movie. Which I will pick."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Will you now?" It was cute seeing her be assertive with me. Like watching a little puppy yap at a dog three times its size.

Smiling sweetly, she nodded firmly. "Yes, because you've been very sweet, and you need your balls drained, and I've been snuggled up against a muscly hunk for hours and my panties would be drenched if I was wearing any. It won't undermine your progress, because at this point in a date sex is perfectly reasonable. At least with people who have been together a while."

I scooped her up, earning a squeal as I threw her over my shoulder, smacking her ass to draw out another squeak. "Not what I meant. You aren't picking the movie. But if you're a good girl I'll let you pick what position I fuck you in. And if you're a VERY good girl, I'll let you pick where we have dinner." Funnily enough, she didn't see the need to argue. Learning more about my girls was pretty convenient.

As usual the next 10k words are up on pat-reon at that site /malcolmtent hope everyone enjoys