Chapter 10: I Am Your Stage
…
If they were going to do this, Rover wanted Phrolova to acknowledge she wanted it: speak your every sinful thought, and it will be so. No more hiding.
The symphony slowed, suspending Phrolova in time. The expression Phrolova made when her mind went completely blank made Rover hold back a laugh.
"Do you need some help?" Rover asked. With two fingers, Rover traced a line all they way down Phrolova's left arm, then fit their handprint to Phrolova's. "Let's start with this."
It was warm. The effect of acclimating to triple the wrappings made it so that taking off only one layer gave her the same sensitivity as though she had only worn one in the first place.
Rover smiled as an idea visibly flickered across Phrolova's eyes.
"It is a hot day," Phrolova started. She guided Rover's hand to the start of another bandage. "And the curtains are drawn for another story." Rover undid the second wrapping.
The effects were immediate. Phrolova clenched her legs against Rover as she straddled them. She could feel Rover through her clothes; it was as though every touch passed right through. Phrolova could already feel her breath become irregular. She became conscious of the shape of her dress; the play began forming in her mind. Before Rover could adjust, Phrolova seized their hands.
"There is a tale of an old castle, and inside of that castle…" Phrolova guided Rover's hands to the side of her breasts, at the border of where soft white cloth gave way to red leather "… a lady." She let Rover trace their hands down the shape of her breasts, past the decorative Lycoris, until the red gave way to soft black fabric. Along the whole path, Rover could feel Phrolova tense her legs against their sides; Rover's touch was firm but gentle, drawing thick lines of sensation along Phrolova's body.
Rover's hands reached Phrolova's navel. "The lady knew forbidden magic, that could reach into your very being." Phrolova let Rover in, and even as only Rover's fingertips touched her navel, she tensed with her whole body, as if behind this door of thin black fabric there was an entirely new world of sensual feeling. Slowly, Phrolova guided one finger – then two, four, five – to delve below the red of her dress and wrap around her waist. Even though Phrolova breathed heavily, she pressed with her own hands on top of Rover's, diving into the feeling as she guided Rover's hands lower, around her hips. She curled forward, almost touching foreheads with Rover. "And for this forbidden magic," Phrolova whispered, "there was no going back."
Taking that as a cue, Rover sharply pulled Phrolova a couple of inches forward along their body. Phrolova threw her head back and moaned; the sensation thundered up her entire body, striking multiple times. She leaned back in, bringing her forehead close to Rover's once more. Finding Rover's hands again, she swung backwards and dragged Rover into a reversal of positions. Phrolova lied on her back with Rover over her, intertwining Rover's fingers with hers. She wouldn't let go; the message was clear.
"Even then, there was an adventurer who wished to see the woman, and as anyone would, they started at the base of the mountain." Rover kissed Phrolova's belly, and her knees bent under Rover. Rover kissed curves and lines, and Phrolova forgot about her hands, wrapping them to pull Rover's head deeper into her. Rover wrapped their arms around Phrolova, picking her up as Rover moved from her lower abdomen to her navel, then the beginning of her ribs; Phrolova's legs wrapped around Rover's torso. Her breaths were sharp inhales. Just as quickly, moans escaped her.
Rover neared the opening of Phrolova's dress to her neck, before Phrolova's hands restrained them. Phrolova took a minute to catch her breath. Rover rested their head on Phrolova's chest; her heart beat as though she were in a sprint. Her legs released; her arms rested near her head.
"As the adventurer entered the last floor of the castle," Phrolova breathed, "they sneaked, not wanting to disturb the lady." Rover delicately proceeded, and landed the softest kiss they could at the beginning of her collar bone. Even this small brush of Rover's lips sent a shockwave through Phrolova. Her back arched, and she clasped the grass at either side of her head. Only after a minute had passed did Phrolova let Rover proceed. Rover tested the boundary, and drew a small line with their lips. Phrolova hugged Rover from below and made a sound. Through broken breath: "Like that… slowly, all the way up like that." Rover did as they were told. Slowly, an inch every five seconds. Below Rover, Phrolova became more and more exasperated, making it hard not to go too deep. Rover stopped at Phrolova's red choker; she was quivering. It took every ounce of Rover's willpower not to nibble the side of her neck right there.
They both stayed there; it was unclear how long. After enough time, Phrolova's body went still, and there was only their breathing.
When the silence broke, it was Phrolova: "And there she was… it was as though she were young, but the weight of time pervaded her. The lady said to the adventurer…" Phrolova's tone of voice drooped; it seemed as though she had become less invested in this play. Phrolova's voice reduced to a ghost of a whisper. "I want to evolve with you, Rover…" Phrolova hugged Rover a bit harder. "Whatever is next, I want you to be part of it. I don't want just a few decades with you. I want to be with you forever."
As Phrolova whispered this into Rover's ear, they were still.
Finally, Rover answered: "And give up this?" Give up this feeling, this heat? This electricity flowing through us, this thing that makes us feel human?
The two separated a bit.
Phrolova's arms draped around Rover's neck as she stared into their eyes: brilliant topaz. Phrolova's mouth was a thin line, indecipherable.
After what seemed like forever, Phrolova closed her eye and spoke. "In my heart…" – her hand traveled to the gauze on her right eye – "we are both dead." She undid the gauze, letting it fall beside her head. "But see?" Her mouth curved into a delicate smile, and she opened her eyes. They were the most beautiful things Rover had ever seen. "No tears."
There was a pause, then Rover landed a delicate barrage of kisses on Phrolova's eyes and forehead. She let out a bubbly laugh, and Phrolova tipped her head up to kiss Rover on the lips. They kissed again, and a third time. Then a fourth time. And what they did the rest of that day, and for most of the night, is to be left between them.