"So," Cheri said. "We should lay some ground rules."

"About?"

"Me and you. How these buffing sessions will work. This is the kind of thing we should be discussing in advance. Avoid mishaps."

“I'll do whatever makes you comfortable, of course."

Cheri had to suppress a smirk.

She wasn't sure what she would have thought Katia's 'type' was, but Vella … wasn't it. Which wasn't to say her first impressions were poor, Cheri had just figured Katia would have gone for, well, she didn't know. A dominating personality. Someone who filled up a room when they entered it, like Katia could herself.

Vella, while not a pushover by any means, was a softer, more considerate breed, something not often seen in delving academies. Not timid or weak, just … hesitant. In her actions and words. 

So actually, that made sense. Seeing how Katia hadn't looked twice at anyone from Cornerstone.

And the gentlemanly thing she had going on was pretty cute. Cheri had just thought cute a charm Katia immune to.

"Thanks, but I didn't bring it up for myself," Cheri said. "I doubt you’ll make me uncomfortable.” Seeing how Vella blushed at even peripheral mentions of sex, Cheri was willing to bet large sums of money on that. “We need to straighten some things out for Kat's sake."

"Like what?"

"This conversation stays between us, yeah?"

Vella paused, took the request seriously. Like she was actually resolving to keep it a secret. "Okay."

"First off, me and you, we aren't doing anything you and Katia haven't. On the chance something between you two works out, I'm not taking any of your firsts away."

Vella looked relieved at that, which made her want to roll her eyes.

"That sounds like a good idea.”

"And secondly," Cheri said, "I'm thinking we should only do group stuff, 'least for now."

Vella blushed, which also made her want to roll her eyes. Cheri, while more experienced than most girls her age, didn't fault anyone for being new to sex, or reserved – she just thought the reactions were funny, over the top, for something that wasn't that big of a deal.

"Group stuff. And the reasoning for that?" 

"So Kat knows what's going on. Between us, I mean. She has her head on straight, but since you two have this blushing virgin romance thing going on," – another blush, emphasizing the point and which this time actually did make Cheri roll her eyes – "then it's only reasonable she might feel certain ways about me and you. So we keep everything above the covers, where Katia can watch. And where I can watch her." Cheri poked an emphasizing finger into Vella's chest. "Which is where your code of conduct comes in, young lady."

Vella looked down at the finger.

"First,” Cheri said, “during fun times, you do not pay me more attention than Kat. Bat those eyelashes her way, not mine."

"Right."

"Second, and I don't know how this might show up, but given a choice between me and her, you always pick her."

"Obviously.”

Cheri raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be crass here, since maybe you didn’t get it. Given the choice between finishing on me and finishing on her, you pick her.”

“I got it,” Vella said, flushing. “But thanks for clarifying.”

"Good.” This girl was way too easy to fluster. "And third, and this one’s for me, not Kat, don't touch my ears." She twitched them to emphasize. "Especially while I'm giving head. I know some humans are super into beastkin's animal traits … I hope you aren't one."

It took a second for Vella to orient herself to the shift. "Um, I'm not. I mean, they're cute? But I'm not obsessed."

"Good."

"Does it hurt?"

"No. They're sensitive, but," Cheri paused. "It's just a me thing. Don't like people playing with them, but doubly so during sex."

"Okay. I won't."

"Tail is fine. It’s actually an erogenous zone, so I encourage it."

"R-Right."

"Anything I should know about you?"

"Not really?"

Honestly, Vella probably didn't know herself well enough to even have preferences yet … Cheri would keep her own eye out. "Kay. That covers that, then." Cheri chewed on her lip. "Kat asked me to get you up to speed on her plan with Moshe. You’re part of it."

"I am?"

"How good are you at lying?"

Vella paused. "To people I know, or don't?"

"Don't."

"Pretty good."

The implication being she couldn't lie to people she did know? Cheri tucked that away. 

"Kat’s telling Moshe she got a support class."

Vella blinked.

"It's more of a short term solution than anything," Cheri said. "Makes the rejection easier … even if she doesn't think it'll hold up long term. Or even medium term."

"Then why?"

"Kat's hoping she can make it pretty deep into the Tower before they find out. Establish herself as successful … make herself a less palatable enemy. So the Fains don't try anything. She doesn’t plan on hanging out at the guild much between Cascades, so it might not even be that hard to pull off."

"That makes sense," Vella said hesitantly.

"Which means you need to pretend to be the damage we picked up, if it comes up."

"Okay,” Vella said, eyebrows furrowing. “But … to who?”

"Uh, Cornerstone? Where do you think you'll be staying? Storing loot? Training, researching, planning, all that garbage. Kat's gonna be a hardass on how much downtime we get, but there'll still be some."

Vella chewed this over. "What's that going to involve?"

"Not much. But you need to keep it in the back of your mind, pretty much always. Not slip up and cause Kat problems."

"I don’t think that’ll be an issue? Don’t really plan on … socializing."

"Makes it easier, then. Just might still be some situations, you know? So don't forget. Anyone asks, you're some kind of damage mage. Invoker? Elementalist? Whatever you think's easiest. Not a priestess."

Vella seemed vaguely relieved, and Cheri assumed because it meant she wouldn’t have to field questions about how her actual class worked. It would be an awkward topic, one people would be intensely interested in. And Vella had a roguish handsomeness to her, too … so the propositioning wouldn't be an uncommon thing either, Cheri suspected.

Everything sorted out for the best, then.

But she felt like she was forgetting something.

"Oh," Cheri said, remembering. "And when Kat gets back, the three of us are consummating this bond thing."

 

---

 

So, fucking Vella was obviously no big deal.

To Cheri, a casual fling meant nothing. Just a bit of fun, an easy way to relieve stress. If it was just her and Vella, Cheri literally wouldn't have thought twice about any of this.

But Katia was involved.

Which made things … tricky.

See, involve your best friend of fourteen years into a sex-friends relationship, and things got complicated. And since Cheri knew Katia sure as fuck wasn't churning over the implications, the responsibility for emotional maturity fell on her.

So. Vella didn’t matter. But Kat? Sex with her best friend? That did.

Well, not sex. And maybe, not with. More of a joint effort with Vella – Katia and Cheri obviously wouldn't be doing anything. Not together.

Or would they? Cheri was looking to the future, here. Assuming things got a lot hotter and heavier than handjobs and kissing (which she was pretty sure they would) then these threesomes of theirs were sure to bleed over into something between her and Katia. Hard to get railed next to each other and not have some interest in getting handsy. They were both young, attractive, hormonal girls, as much as Katia sometimes pretended not to be.

Which, damn, made this tricky. Because while Cheri loved a roll in the hay, she loved Katia more. A lot more. Their friendship was everything to her, and Cheri, while someone who could very easily separate physical feelings from emotional ones, knew Katia couldn't. Or Vella too, apparently – but Cheri was prepared to crush her feelings, if she got stupid about it.

So, ugh. 

What to do about Katia?

Did Cheri just resolve to not let themselves get mixed into anything? In the heat of the moment? She could probably manage it … but then again, could also not. Cheri was as susceptible to in-the-moment mistakes as anyone else, especially in the middle of sex. Still just animals, all of them. Rational thought didn't always stick around when hormones had taken up full residence.

Which was why she was taking time now to think things over. 

Or, had tried to.

She wished she had longer to chew it over. Things were moving so fast, as expected from Katia and her taskmaster’s efficiency. They’d already arrived to Cheri’s room and Katia, wanting to be on with errands for the day and having dealt with the Moshe situation – not providing details beyond ‘it went fine’ – had told Cheri that they could ‘get on with Vella’s class stuff’.

So here they were.

And, from what she knew about Katia and Vella, it was going to fall on her to get things moving.

“Alright,” Cheri said. “Chop chop. We’re on a schedule. Get those pants off.”

Vella, expectedly, flushed. Cheri felt a brief pang of sympathy. It was an awkward situation, especially for someone so reticent to casual sex. But Cheri figured she ought to set an example; her flippant behavior might help set the tone, help accustom Vella to treating this for what it was: not a big deal.

“How do you two usually do this?” Cheri asked. “Clothes on or off?” Her hands went to the hem of her shirt, ready to lift up. 

Vella and Katia glanced at each other, then blushed and looked away. 

Gods … these two idiots were so awkward.

“Is that ‘off’?” Cheri said.

“Yes and no?” Vella said. “Um. The Tower spawned us in with no clothes, so. But you two can keep it on? Now that we have a choice? If you want.” 

Vella was saying ‘you two’ and ‘we’, but had eyes only for Katia.

Good, Cheri thought.

Katia huffed. “It’s only fair if we all do. And having something to look at will speed things up, right?”

“Yeah,” Vella said. “I guess it would.”

“Cool,” Cheri said, shucking her shirt off and tossing it to the ground. “How much off? Just shirts? And your pants are still on, missy.” She reached behind and unhooked her bra, tossed that to the side, too.

“Um,” Vella said, distinctly avoiding looking at Cheri’s chest. “However much you two want.” 

If Cheri were being honest, the way Vella’s eyes shied away irritated her, just mildly. The hesitancy was getting to her … making her start to blush. 

Just chill out, she wanted to say. I get you’re a virgin, but be cool. You can look at my tits, that’s kind of the point.

But she knew she needed to be understanding, and there was a point where trying to encourage casualness would turn to dismissiveness of feelings. Justified feelings. Vella and Katia weren’t wrong for how they were acting … Cheri just wished things could be easier. That this crazy, hilarious class hadn’t been dropped into the hands of the two least qualified individuals to handle it.

A bumpy start. Things would smooth out. It was Cheri’s job to help reach that point.

“Just tops is fine,” Katia mumbled, shrugging out of her own.

Vella did the same. Then tugged down her pants, kicked them to the side, leaving her in just her underwear.

Cheri took a brief moment to appreciate her body. 

Cheri didn’t usually go for tomboys, but Vella pulled it off better than most. 

Put her in a loose t-shirt, and she could’ve been mistaken for a boy with a facial structure to die for. A dude prettier than most girls. Shirt off, the doubts disappeared. She didn’t have a ton going on upstairs, but enough to be happy about. More than Katia, that was for certain.

Man, she hoped Vella didn’t have a thing for tits. Because in that department, Cheri was winning handily. And Cheri knew how easy insecurities could sneak up, especially when the three of them were going to be so involved. If Vella was always staring at Cheri’s chest during sex, Katia was one million percent going to notice. Vella wasn’t staring right now, but that could be out of awkwardness, not out of preference in chest size.

Problems for later.

Vella had a muscular, wiry build that didn’t suggest complete intent – like some of the lean nights had been circumstantial and not deliberate. Not a generational, Cheri was reminded. What her background was, she didn’t know … but she also knew girls from the suburbs, who’d lived easy lives, and they didn’t have so many scars – some so old to be faded white. None terrible, none that looked like they might have been life-threatening, but Vella had certainly been in more than a few tumbles.

As Katia and Cheri had. But if their bodies held the marks of all the fights they’d been through, they’d be more scars than skin. And sanitized fights, in their case. Always a healer on standby, ready to patch them up, not a mark left over. Nothing, she suspected like Vella’s.

Inappropriately, and quietly, Cheri wondered if she’d ever killed someone. But forced her mind away – really not the time for thoughts like those. The scars had just caught her off guard. For all the fighting Cheri got into, Cornerstone’s students were pristinely unmarked. Scars, not a common sight.

Vella’s hands finally went to her waistband. 

Cheri’s heart fluttered in excitement, baser natures taking over. She’d been wondering what she was in for, and she was finally about to find out.

Vella tugged her underwear down, and her cock bounced out.

Cheri’s brain faltered.

“What the fuck? Are you kidding me?”

They both looked at her, as if not understanding her outburst. 

Were the two of them too naïve to know better? 

“Why is it so fucking big?” Cheri asked.

“Unreasonably, isn’t it?” Katia said knowingly.

But by her tone, Cheri didn’t think she fully appreciated the situation. Vella’s cock wasn’t big. It was … 

Gigantic.

Like, ten, twelve inches? Cheri’d been with a number of guys who’d left her unable to walk straight, but nothing like that.

So, what the hell?

She’s a priestess to the goddess of sex, and was given that thing as part of her class. So I suppose it makes sense.

But … good gods.

“You better have a skill that makes it easier to fit,” Cheri said, giving Vella an incredulous look. “Because there’s no way that thing’s going in, you know that right?”

The width wasn’t horrendous, so maybe it’d go in, but even that’d be a challenge (one which made something in Cheri’s stomach tighten in excitement). But reaching depth? Getting it all the way in, to the base? No shot in hell. Cheri’s cervix complained loudly even at the suggestion. She appreciated a big cock, but there were limits to what was painfully exciting and regular old painful.

“I don’t,” Vella said. “But, um, hands still fit around it, you know, and we aren’t doing anything else, so …”

That was true. Cheri’d been thinking ahead, and now wasn’t the time for that. She assumed she must be getting some kind of skill that’d help, eventually, whatever form that might take … or maybe an ability to resize it.

(Huh, Cheri thought amusedly. That’d be neat … an adjustable cock.)

Something along those lines, though. Because as it was, that thing was inconveniently sized – and presumably, a priestess of sex was actually supposed to enjoy herself, not never be able to go more than half-into a girl without hurting her.

(Actually … Cheri remembered an experience from Cornerstone, when she and Zoe had been flirting, both more drunk than they ought to be, topics getting racier and racier, and Zoe had boldly and blushingly let it slip she could fit her entire fist up, well, the road less traveled. Cheri had, of course, demanded to see. And, well, gods-damned it, she’d been right. It was incredible what you could do if you put your mind to it.)

(So if Vella found herself inclined to anal, there were at least a few candidates. In this very building, in fact. Zoe had entered the Tower a few months back, and stopped by Cornerstone’s Ximore hall between Cascades. Cheri should catch up with her.)

“Do you get dizzy when it gets hard?” Cheri asked. “You’ve got to, right?”

“A little bit?” Vella said, shifting uncomfortably – probably at the fact she was stark naked, holding a conversation. But naked didn’t do much to Cheri. At least, embarrassment wise – she was definitely interested in what she saw.

“That’s it?” Cheri asked.

“I mean I get lightheaded, but it’s not like I fall over.”

Cheri was surprised she didn’t. Honestly, even keeping balance with that thing must be a challenge. How she managed to stuff it in her pants in a way that didn’t make it obvious, Cheri didn’t know.

Cheri hadn’t expected this encounter of theirs to be anything new and interesting, besides that Vella was a girl with a cock, which made things novel by default, but she found herself suddenly much more intrigued. 

It was a shame she couldn’t have real fun with it. Just hands, for now … and maybe for a while. Since Katia was getting it first.

Hm.

That image. Of Katia being filled up by that thing.

The thought shouldn’t fluster her as much as it did. This was her best friend she was talking about … someone she’d known since before she could ride a bike.

She tucked the squirming feeling in her stomach away to be analyzed later. She’d never thought of Katia in that way, but maybe because she’d never shown interest, never been exposed in the right way. Cheri was willing to confront uncomfortable topics of sexuality – but later, not now.

“Alright,” Cheri said. “Let’s get to it.”

She’d put some thought into the positioning they’d use. A three-man handjob (three-women?) only made sense in a few ways, but the one she’d picked had a few hidden intentions.

Cheri plopped herself down onto the bed, pushed herself until her back was up against the headboard. “C’mon,” she said. “Between my legs. Kat’ll go in front.”

This way, Vella nestled between Cheri’s legs, Cheri could give a reach around while Katia manned the front. With how much real estate was available on that damn thing, they could honestly fit all four of their fucking hands on it, which was slightly comical.

And made her pulse with heat. She refrained from rubbing her thighs together. It really was a shame they weren’t doing more. Cheri might have to take care of herself, after this. Probably too soon to ask Vella to do so for her, especially if she hadn’t for Kat yet. These girls better not take too long to warm up to the idea of more … Cheri could only handle so much teasing.

Vella did as instructed, climbing on the bed, facing the same direction as Cheri and sitting between Cheri’s legs. Cheri tugged her by the waist, pulled her until they were pressed into each other. Vella squeaked at her strength – and Cheri was caught off guard too. She’d been light as a feather. As a Champion, she’d already doubled her physical strength from its mundane limit, and the results were still catching her off guard. How easy some things had become.

Cheri took a brief second to savor the warmth of Vella’s skin, her chest squeezed into Vella’s back. She’d always been susceptible to the small euphoria of skin-to-skin. A huge fan of cuddling. Almost as good as sex. So maybe she took more liberty than she ought to pulling Vella into herself. She’d have more restraint in other matters, she promised.

She let her hands rest on Vella’s hips. “Kay, Kat. Complete the sandwich.”

Katia climbed onto the bed next, obviously blushing, but pretending she wasn’t – haughty, protective expression fully donned. That was the easiest way to tell she was actually nervous, Cheri had found over the years. Smoothing her face out – a defense mechanism.

Katia sat on her knees between Vella’s and Cheri’s spread out legs, the baseboard not allowing her to completely squeeze in – a small tragedy. But much more comfortable for her and Vella than sitting out in the open, so she’d have to bite the bullet.

Thus, girl sandwich complete. 

“Bet you’d never thought this is how you’d end up, huh?” Cheri asked.

Finally, one of her jokes broke the tension. Vella laughed, some of the nervousness draining from her shoulders.

“It’s – no. But I’m definitely not complaining.”

Cheri wasn’t privy to whatever expression Vella had on her face, but Katia and her had locked eyes – and Katia started to blush even deeper. Vella was probably sending her those dumb gooey eyes.

(One of the hidden intentions Cheri had mentioned. With this setup, Cheri seated behind Vella, Vella couldn’t pay attention to Cheri. Eyes for Katia only – Cheri was giving Vella training wheels. This kind of situation could be overwhelming for a beginner, and when it came to sex, feelings were so easily hurt. Cheri’d be doing her best to keep things safe.)

As if uncomfortable with the brief moment of emotional intimacy, Katia expedited the process: shuffled forward on her knees, closing the last few inches, and grabbed Vella’s cock, causing the redhead to tighten in sudden pleasure. Cheri had the privilege of feeling that ripple of emotion go through her, pressed in like she was.

“We’re on a schedule,” Katia said. “So, on with it.”

“Oh,” Cheri said. “Hold on.” She reached over to the nightstand, which was difficult entangled as she was, and opened the drawer. Pulled out a small clear bottle, clicked the top open. “This’ll help.” She poured some of the lube into her right hand, then said to Katia, “Make room, real quick. I’ll get it slicked up.”

Katia pulled her hand back, and Cheri worked the lube into Vella’s cock.

It really was such a nice cock. Big, perfectly shaped, and so hot, pulsing in her hand with each stroke. Smoothing it in, she savored the short, low gasps of pleasure that Vella let out, barely audible – which she only heard because she was tucked in so close.

But, hot as jerking Vella off was, Cheri paid more attention to something else:

Katia.

At how she reacted to Cheri’s hand going up and down Vella’s cock.

Because that’s what today was all about – scouting.

And what Cheri saw was …

Hm.

Not worrying, exactly.

But, um.

Maybe Katia had a thing for this.

In ‘sharing’, like she’d mentioned in that first conversation.

Because she was transfixed. Cheri had never seen ‘hungry eyes’ on Katia before. It … did something to Cheri. And apparently, this did something for her. Cheri’s hand going up and down Vella’s cock.

That was … a good thing, Cheri supposed? Considering the circumstances.

And also the first thing to make Cheri blush, today. A full one, to the ears. Katia noticed Cheri’s reaction, maybe caught on to how she herself had reacted, and looked away, stuck her chin up, pretended nothing had happened.

Joined her hand with Cheri’s, so that two slender hands were working up Vella’s cock.

“I should’ve put a towel down,” Cheri said, realizing her mistake. Ugh, she was going to have to clean her sheets, now, when Vella finished.

Realized something.

“Or …” Cheri said to Katia. “You could take one for the team.” Cheri wiggled Vella’s cock, which made the girl gasp. “Be the towel? Save me some work? I have good aim.”

Giving Katia an excuse. Cheri knew how much she needed those. Not that forgetting the towel had been intentional … Cheri was just good at improvising.

“There’s –” Vella started.

Cheri pinched Vella’s side with her free hand, which made her jump. But she shut up, took the hint. She’d been about to say something along the lines of, ‘there’s towels in the bathroom, you can just grab one?’, as if Katia and Cheri didn’t know that.

“If I must,” Katia sighed. “She’s already been inconsiderate a few times, so it’s nothing new.”

Ah? She had? Interesting. Cheri would’ve figured Vella too shy to finish onto Katia. Good for her.

The brief conversation quieted. With the lube coating their hands and Vella’s cock, and the sudden silence in the air, the squelching was seriously loud. Cheri’d always loved that sound. The awkward, lewd noises of sex. Combined with Vella’s growing moans, grunts, and the way she was twisting in Cheri’s lap, her ass rubbing into Cheri’s crotch, starting to squirm for relief …

Well, Cheri’d definitely be needing to take care of herself, later. What a tease, that it’d have to be after errands .. that Cheri would be needing to go out and handle stuff when she was practically pulsing with heat, thighs growing wet. She’d need to get changed.

(Again, these two idiots better not take too long to warm up. Cheri’d suffer through for the sake of Katia and their friendship, but she’d really rather they get to the good stuff.)

“It’s coming soon,” Vella panted out.

Already? Cheri thought, but politely didn’t say. She supposed it was only fair … Vella was new to all this – in general, it seemed, not even just having a cock. So not being the longest lasting wasn’t something she’d fault her for.

(But she’d better get some endurance, once they moved to the fun stuff. Cheri’s days of getting off to a stiff breeze were long over.)

At Vella’s announcement, that the finale was coming, Katia let go and scooted away, then leaned back so she was laying down.

For how much of a prude she was … Katia had intuited their next step way too easily.

Vella hadn’t. Cheri patted her on the waist. “Up you go. Get overtop her.” If they finished Vella vertically onto Katia, the cum would just drip off, onto the bed, ruining the whole point. So Katia had laid out, ready to be used as a towel. As requested.

And to her very obvious, flush-faced, panting excitement. Seeing Katia like that was … seriously compromising.

Vella and Cheri positioned themself over Katia, Katia between their knees, Cheri still jerking Vella’s cock off from behind, now aiming at Katia’s chest.

The two of them locked eyes, blushing beat red. Cheri briefly felt, somehow, like an intruder on the whole experience – which didn’t make sense, seeing how she was the one jerking Vella off.

Cheri could feel Vella’s stomach and cock spasm, announcing the incoming conclusion. Cheri picked up speed, starting pumping as fast as she could, letting Vella’s cock slide between her fingers, twisting and pistoning as Cheri gave it her best effort. The squelching grew even louder.

And then – the first rope. And the next, and the next, Cheri feeling Vella’s cock squeeze and spasm in her hand. Such a great sensation … and the panting, breathless groans were pretty awesome too. Cheri really gave it her all to milk Vella dry, to empty her completely onto Katia.

Like promised, Cheri had good aim. She managed to get every drop, every sticky string to cover Katia’s chest and stomach. And there was a lot. 

It was … interesting, what doing that did to Cheri. Purposefully covering her best friend’s tits with another girl’s cum. Hm. Cheri was going to need to think some things over, after this.

Vella thus expended, Cheri helped her lean back, and she unentangled herself from the other girl. Pressed her cock flat against her stomach. “Don’t get any on my bed. Keep that thing down, let it dribble onto you, not my sheets.”

Cheri jogged to the bathroom to grab a towel, patting Katia’s shoulder as she went.