“H-how could you… no, before that… why would you?” I demanded in a shaky voice.

“You ask why? Is it not painfully obvious!? My every action stems from one singular truth. I’m in love with you, dearest… Come, let me show you~”

We had been reading from the first volume of Object of Obsession for some time now. As it continued, however, Luna's performance became far more animate than strictly necessary. She stood up from her chair with a predatory look and gracefully slid into mine, arms and legs gently wrapping around my body from behind, her head nestling against my neck. It was an incredibly tight squeeze, and if she wasn’t so slim, she would never have fit. As it stood, I was pressed rather firmly between her decidedly less slim features and the edge of the desk, and it was uncertain exactly how we were going to get out.

“Well, darling~? Have I made my intentions clear enough for you?” she asked, her melodious voice coming out in perfect sing-song.

“You… you love me?” I asked with a gulp. Luna leaned even closer, whispering breathlessly in a way that tingled my earlobes.

“With everything that I am, dearest. Mind, soul… body. All are yours to do with as you please…” 

A shiver from the base of my spine forced me to attempt to stand, which only pushed Luna further into me as I immediately fell back into her.

“Going somewhere~?” she cooed, squeezing me even tighter as she breathed in my scent like it was oxygen.

I... I can’t do this! It’s one thing to share my kink with someone, but to act it out so intimately on the first day!?

“Umm, I- that is, the time! Look at the time!”

To my great relief, the clock had indeed come through for me. It was shortly after 6pm, the time she had set as the end of the meeting. Luna looked to where my shaky hand was pointing and all but deflated. She stood up slowly, deliberately brushing her body against mine as she rose. Then, with a surprisingly cute pout she offered me a hand to help me out of my seat.

“That was… I mean, you were…” I stuttered. She gazed upon the clock with an unreadable expression.

“I’m late,” she hissed, looking back from the clock to me. “I’ll let you know when our next club meeting will be, and make sure to bring your copy this time!”

I didn’t want to tell her that I knew the entire series from memory, book or no book. Even despite her apparent hurry, Luna once again hesitated before peeling her eyes away from mine and running off. 

As for myself, I needed another minute. After being her theater prop for the last two hours, I needed to remember how to move without her lead.

The feeling of Luna’s body against mine and the tingle of her lusty whisper had nearly driven me mad. Left with a head full of steam, I was thinking about dealing with my arousal all the way home. After unlocking the door, I was about to sprint to my bed when I noticed another note left by dad.

Hey, kiddo! You know I prefer to be honest with you, but in this case I think it’s better for both of us if I’m not. I’ll be on an ‘overnight business trip’, so don’t worry about starting dinner for me. There’s a little money here if you just want to order something. If I don’t see you tomorrow morning, learn up a storm!

“…ew.”

 Well, I’m happy he went for it. Hope she treats him right.

By the time I made it to my room I realized the ramifications of the note had all but killed my previous mood, so I decided to log into Raid Fantasy to occupy myself instead.

Aether: Oh my god, Avera!

Aether: Yes yes yes yes yes!

Aether: I’m so happy to see you!

Avera: Wow, It’s going to be tough to deny you missed me after that.

Aether: No, I absolutely missed you.

It had only been one night away from the computer, hadn’t it? Then again, this was basically our only way of communicating, so it was actually rather sweet.

Avera: Aww, I missed you too! How’s that homework program coming along?

Aether: Oh, that? Yeah, it’s ready.

Avera: Cool! Should I download it now, or?

Aether: Wait. I have a… a weird question for you first, I guess.

Aether: If I hadn’t had to move away… or if we could have been closer, no matter what form it would have taken… is that something you would have wanted?

Avera: Huh? Of course it is! Some of my favourite memories happened during my parent’s divorce, if you can believe that, because you were there for me. You had so much energy to spare whenever I felt down, and you never gave up on me, even long after I wanted to give up on myself. I call Mae my best friend, but there’s been a hole in my heart ever since you left that no one else could ever fill. I hope you know that.

Aether: …thank you, Avera. That more than answers the question.

Aether: Check your e-mail. It’s a bit big to be sent as an attachment, so I sent you the link to download it from gethub.

Avera: lol, you’re so weird. From sappy to serious in no time at all, I love it. I’ll start the download now…

Avera: Hey, there are two files? What’s this other one?

Aether: Oh, I wanted to try a build for mobile as well! If you’re okay with testing it for me, just connect your phone and install that second file on it.

Avera: That’s such a great idea! Hmm, looks like they’ll need some time to finish. Are you cool if we try them as soon as they’re done? I actually have a lot of homework piled up (o_o;)

Aether: Oh, Avera. I’d love nothing more.

---

Luna sat in tense silence, trembling as her driver took her home. She was going to be in serious trouble for being late, that much was for sure. But gruesome as they were, she had become numb to her punishments long ago.

No, her body was coursing with adrenaline for a different reason. When she leaned into Norma and breathed her in, that moment should have been theirs and theirs alone. But there was someone else’s scent intimately entwined with Norma’s.

The ‘best friend’. I’ve been overconfident. Mae poses a much larger threat than anticipated.

Luna chewed her lip, calming slightly as the blood trickled into her mouth.

No, it’ll be fine. Your years together amount to nothing, in the end. I know the real Norma. And I have... no. I AM what she wants. Even with a body like that, you couldn’t possibly compare. But, hmm... Just in case…

As the car slowed to a stop, Luna’s mind swirled with grand plans. And later that night, even as she endured torture that would easily break a trained soldier, those plans refined themselves into a sure path forward.

A path to secure my first love, my reason to smile. My Norma...