Brinksmanship

For the second time that round, Dick woke to Felicia on top of him. He hadn’t gone to bed that way; he’d been sleeping on his side, not even touching his newest girlfriend. But now she was on top of him, and his shirt was wet. Wait, why is it so damp? As the dawn rose and he came to his senses, he realized that the source was where her chest was touching his. He started to gently lift her up, and saw two matching spots where the spare set of his pajamas Ava had put her in last night were soaked through. He was trying to figure out what to do when he heard her groan.

“I swear to god, if you’ve **** me to wake up early again, with a hangover…”

“Felicia, pay attention. What happened last night?”

She opened her eyes and glared, but started to blearily explain when she saw he was serious.. “Luna gave me some kind of aphrodisiac in this drink she asked me to try for her. I left early and picked some flowers I found in the forest for this…” She paused. “Really stupid plan where I took over after Ava changed her mind and pushed you towards me.”

“I think I understand once we get to that part. Did you cast that lactation spell on yourself?”

“No, I…” She stopped, feeling what he’d noticed. “I thought that was a dream.”

“You had a dream where you were-”

“Yes. Please don’t ask questions about it.” She interrupted. How would I explain being chained up in a barn? “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“I know. Shut up.” Her cheeks burned.

“How recently do you think it happened? I remember you telling me that your spells only last twenty minutes.”

“This one… can you put me down? Just being held in the air like this I feel like an animal, and not in a good way.”

He set her back down on the bed.

“Thank you. As I was saying, this one technically works a little differently. It is active for twenty minutes, yes, but whoever had it cast on them still needs to be drained.”

“Do you need help with that?” He offered.

She gave him the sort of look one would give a cat chasing its tail before responding. “Yes. I’d appreciate that. I’ll get the water warm so we can take a shower together.” She hopped off the bed and a moment later he could hear the water running in the bathroom. Ava was next to him, still asleep and sprawled out. That wasn’t particularly surprising, of course. She’d slept through fire alarms before.

He’d taken off most of his clothes on his way to the bathroom, and found his girlfriend standing next to the shower. “I want to have fun in there, but I still feel a little out of it from last night and don’t feel like going all the way right now. Are you good with that?”

“Of course. I don’t just think with my dick all the time. Plus Aubrey might have some issues if I did this much without her today.

Nodding, she stepped into the shower. Dick finished undressing and joined her.

For a moment, they just stood next to each other, making eye contact as the hot water fell around them. Seeming impatient, the blonde grabbed his hands and pulled them up to her breasts, turning around to make it easier for him to find a grasp.

He understood her directions and gently squeezed. Her light gasp was muffled in the roar of the pipes. He began to knead at her breasts, continuing as he saw a stream of white milk dripped onto the tile with the clear water. Felicia clung to him as he emptied her, growing progressively flushed.

“I was a little tempted to recast it.” She told him as it slowed and eventually stopped. She was back to normal, or at least what they’d become used to.

Felicia picked up the soap and started rubbing him down with it, slowing down at certain points. She was uncharacteristically gentle around his upper ribs, careful not to put too much pressure near his scars. She returned to her pressure around her favorites of his muscles; feeling his arms and abs and straining to reach his shoulders.

She slowed when she reached his pelvic area, watching him harden as the soap got ever closer.

“We both wanted not to go all the way, right?” He asked, trying to remind her.

“Right.” She agreed. “We don’t need to have full sex, but I could-”

“Not right now.” Richard gently asserted.

“Of course. Sorry.” She offered him the bar of soap. “Would you mind scrubbing me down now?”

He nodded and took over, trying to go over her as carefully as she had for him. Whether it was from the volume of the shower or something else, they didn’t talk much as they finished. They each chose times to quietly feel each other, but intentionally stopped short each time it felt like they might go further.

Drying off, Felicia finally spoke. “I didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I?”

“No, you?” He checked.

She smirked. “You’d need to try a lot harder if you wanted to bother me.”

“Really though,” he tried to make his voice clear that he was being serious. “You’re alright with that?”

She dropped her tone too. “Yeah. Probably better for my headache that I stuck to my word.” She wrapped the towel around her waist. “Drunk me put a change of clothes somewhere around here. Mind helping me find them?”

***

Half an hour later, they both were dressed and ready to head to the dining hall. Upon arriving, they saw a chaotic scene. Luna was sitting with Genet at the table closest to her apartment watching an argument between Aubrey and Stella. It may have been the loudest he’d ever heard the brunette as the two shouted at each other, focused on a bowl sitting on the buffet table between them.

“It won’t kill you to try something new. This might be the only thing in the room that might not hurt you. Just trust me, it’ll be better.” Stella pleaded.

“I don’t need better, I like this!” Aubrey defended herself, gesturing backwards to the unopened boxes of cereal. The cartoon mascots on the boxes were the same ones that had received so many complaints last round..

Huh. Is this the first time Dr.Petrov hasn’t been first to breakfast? He realized. The discord made him realize that something, or someone, was missing.

Seeing them come in, Luna split off from the shell-shocked host to skirt around the room and stand next to him and Felicia.

“What’s going on?” Richard asked.

“Stella asked to ignore the menu so she could serve everyone something edible, and Genet said she’d only allow it if Aubrey ate it too. They both dug in their heels and I think she’s kind of regretting it now.” Luna whispered to the two of them that had just arrived.

"I am not the person for this." Felicia warned them both.

Dick sighed. He knew how…particular they both could be about food in their own ways. The fight quieted as he strode over and inspected the bowl their mutual fury had been stirred by.

It was oatmeal.

It was good oatmeal. It smelled like cinnamon and vanilla and maple syrup. It even had cut up little pieces of strawberries on top. But it was oatmeal.

“Aubs, what’s wrong with it?” He asked, turning towards her.

She sighed. “There’s nothing wrong with it per se, it’s just… you know I don’t like new things. I don’t have any problem with everyone else eating it, but I have what I eat for breakfast and I’m used to that. I’ve already got the new things I think I might be able to handle planned out for the day, and this is a surprise I didn’t prepare for. I know it’s small, but it’s one more thing that I wouldn’t have control over after everything else here. I just want some things to stay mine.”

He took her hand and squeezed it twice before turning to his friend. “Is that understandable?”

Stella blinked. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized why it bothered you.” Her eyes caught the vile cereal and the mascots on the boxes. “Is there anything else you’d accept?”

Aubrey was trying to think. “French toast? And bacon?”

“Maybe not bacon?” He heard Luna mutter.

Stella looked relieved to have found a way out. She crossed her bare arms. “I can do that. The bacon will probably take me ten minutes, I can get the french toast done while that's cooking.” The chef left, grateful to escape the heat of the moment by heading into the kitchen. A moment later, they could hear the clatter of pans and sizzling from the stovetop.

“Thank you.” Aubrey pulled Richard into a hug, and everything felt like the room was taking a breath. As they both relaxed, she leaned up to be able to kiss his upper neck, with he only encourage with his spare hand on her waist until Luna faking a cough made them pull back. Aubrey pulled away and still smiling, took him to the middle table. She then guided him down so she could sit to his right. He heard Felicia scoff, but ignored it. “Thank you as well for your help cooling things when I got angry at her. I know I shouldn’t, but it felt like too many new things for one day. Hopefully after all that, you won’t mind sitting next to your girlfriend for breakfast.”

“No, I don’t think he’ll mind sitting with his girlfriend.” Felicia said, joining them to sit on his left. She had the bowl of oatmeal that had been rejected, and almost seemed to be showing off as she had the first bites. She placed a hand on his lower back, a point where everyone could see.

Aubrey’s eye twitched, but she said nothing.

Luna sat down across from the three of them, meeting her best friend’s eyes as they mutually understood the tension on either side of him. It was like he was caught between two Cold War powers.

I can handle other women being in his life now. Even if bullies try to win and claim him for their own like I'm not right here. Came from the right.

I’m trying. I won’t antagonize her more than she can handle. As long as she doesn't do anything stupid. Came from the left.

Everything is fine. The two girls thought in unison.