Cervelles au Beurre Noisette

As light began to peer through the curtains of the Master’s Suite, Caleb found himself stirred from his light sleep, feeling more tired than ever. He supposed that made sense; he didn’t know exactly how long he, Stella, and Lily had spent over on Andy’s season, but none of it had been time spent sleeping, so even though he had passed out next to Lily on their return, he still felt the drain of the previous day. He turned and saw Lily, her expression peaceful in sleep, her body bare from a lack of concentration in her sleep, and he adjusted the blankets to better cover her, which she instinctively grabbed and nuzzled against as he got up from the bed.

Caleb walked to the blackout curtains and lifted them just enough to peek through and see the burnt orange hues of the sky as the sun peered over the many islands that made up their prison. He then noticed a latch on the window and flicked it to find that the one window panel swung open and allowed him to go out on a small balcony. He looked back at Lily before stepping outside.

A gentle wind greeted him as he stepped out, warm and damp. The Balcony itself was small, only really large enough for a potted plant and standing to look over the horizon. Caleb inhaled deeply through his nose as he felt his heart begin to race, and inwardly he smiled ruefully. Even a toe out was still enough to begin the process. His hands clutched the railing on the balcony until his knuckles turned white. He thought about the previous night and the time spent with all the other masters and contestants, hearing about their experiences, the ‘support group.’ While he had been at the party, it had been a comfort to see people in the same situation. Now, as he was alone?

Bitter thoughts like oil on water rose to the surface, the imbalance of experience as all everyone discussed was the hardships and what happiness they had managed to strangle out. Andy’s harem was practically a therapy circle. What did Caleb have? What was he worth? Was it a reflection of his quality as a person that things were so shit? If he were better? Stronger? Would things have turned out like this? Between the anxiety building inside his chest and bile rising in his throat, he couldn't hold back any longer and let out a prolonged, strangled cry, “FUCK!”

His chest was heaving as the sound faded out, the yell going out to no one and nowhere in particular. He squeezed the railing of the balcony and turned to go back inside to see Lily sitting up in bed, holding the sheets to preserve her modesty as she stared at him with a worried expression. Caleb closed the window as he walked in and shrugged, “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Lily shook her head as vines and leaves began to cascade over her body to form a simple nightgown. Letting the blankets fall, she stood up and began to walk around the bed. “Is this about the party?”

The master blinked, “How did you know?”

The plant woman gave him a wry expression, “When we were on our way back, you had such a pained expression, I thought maybe it was because of those drunk chicks harassing you earlier, but this makes a bit more sense.” She reached out and put a hand on Caleb’s shoulder, “Plus, it got me feeling a certain type of way too.”

Caleb tilted his neck, instinctively leaning towards the touch, “Really? I thought you’d have been buzzing, meeting another plant.”

Giving a snort, Lily gently withdrew her hand and grabbed her own wrist at her side as she looked away, “Yeah, it was nice but also like…looking into a funhouse mirror.” Lily bit her lip, “Like she got a worse version of my transformation, but made better choices.” Seeing Caleb begin to open his mouth, she shook her head, “I know that’s not true, Caleb. I know our situations are different. Their Host, Arabella, seems like she actually cares about them.”

Caleb clicked his tongue, “Yeah, I’m certain the ageless entity running a porn show really has a firm grasp on what people need and want.” The master pinched the bridge of his nose, “Andy, at least, believes it, and maybe in a twisted way she does.”

“My point being…” Lily pulled Caleb’s hand from his face as she interrupted him, “Their situation, while being superficially similar to ours…is not. They aren’t being pushed the same way we are. I…it’s really easy to think if we had done better, to act better, maybe we could look like that. It felt like I was seeing everything I was trying for in round one at the party, and it kind of made me sick to my stomach.” Lily’s face soured, “Because the more time I spent with people, the more I realized it didn’t end up that way because they were better people.”

Caleb's face twisted up as he frowned, “But there’s still more I could be doing…I could-”

Reaching out, Lily took hold of Caleb's arm and hugged it close, “We don’t have time for that, Caleb. We can’t hold out for perfection, and maybe we can’t achieve what other seasons have with how close they are to each other. We’re all a bunch of fuckups. We just have to do the best we can.”

Caleb looked down, surprised, and wrapped his free arm around Lily’s shoulder, “That does not sound like the Lily Wright I know, always pushing for perfection in everything.”

Chuckling against his chest, Lily looked up, “A very wise imp gave me a talking to earlier in the week.” She pushed her fist against Caleb’s chest, “I’m not happy about it. Every time I think about what this game is making us do, I feel sick to my stomach.” Her fist opened, and her fingers spread out over the flat surface of the Master’s sternum, “If we fuck it up…we just got to ‘go next’, yknow?”

Nodding, Caleb then sighed, “There are so many times I just wish I could ask my dad for advice. The last conversation I had with him was brushing him off about trying therapy again. He was always looking out for me, and I was an ass.”

Separating from the Master, Lily sat on the edge of the bed, “How’s he doing, besides that? Is he still dating that woman…Carolyn?”

“I can’t believe you remember that,” Caleb smiled, “Yeah, though I think he’s still nervous about bringing her around. They normally never come back to the house. I told him it didn’t bother me, but I still think he worries I’m gonna freak seeing him with someone who isn’t Mom.”

“Are you?” Lily asked.

Caleb moved to join her on the bed, “I would need to have a fondness for the woman to worry about her being replaced. You know what’s fucked up? She left so early, I can remember her voice…but her face?” Caleb scoffed derisively, “I don’t even remember what my own mother looks like. Maybe it’s for the best, don’t have to be worried about being reminded when I look in the mirror.”

Lily nodded and leaned up against Caleb, “Yeah, I know that feeling.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Lily shushed the Master up by flicking his forehead.

“It’s fine, Caleb, if anything, this experience at the hotel is making me see how much worse things could be and that…despite everything, despite what I’m like.” A small smile crept over her features, “There are people who will accept me, problems and all.”

Caleb got up and stretched, “Yeah, maybe…” he let out a long sigh, “I just wish I knew what to do about Mira and Eliza.”

“Remember, not all our problems are yours to fix. The first thing to do is see how the group is doing. I’m sure the wound is still raw after yesterday. Maya, in particular, feels like she lost her closest friend.” Lily got up, and her nightgown began to shift into more of a sundress design. “You also have a date to focus on.”

“How am I supposed to help the harem if I’m only ever focused on one person per day?” sighing heavily, Caleb crossed the room to begin grabbing clothes to wear for the day, “One thing at a time, dammit, it never feels like there’s enough time in the day.”

Lily smiled over at Caleb as he wrestled with a polo shirt, “Hate to break it to you, bud, that’s not unique to the Harem Hotel experience.”

Caleb thrust the shirt down his head, poking through and shaking it vigorously to get his hair out of his eyes, “Yeah, well, it certainly doesn’t ease the problem up now, does it?”

Sidling over, the plant woman clapped the master on the back, “Well, we can’t do anything without breakfast, so let’s start there.”

Buttoning up his jeans, Caleb joined Lily in heading to the elevator.

Backstage, Reyna was lazily viewing the monitors, kicking her feet as she watched the various members of the harem get ready for the day. She chuckled in particular as Mira stretched, trying to recover from sleeping at the foot of the bed, as Eliza dressed and strode out without nary a look at her roommate. That was some good stuff; they were gonna be able to milk that situation for a hot minute. They’d probably need to do something about the other groups, though. There was not nearly enough girl-on-girl action happening.

Thought it had been a sure thing getting the Christmas coloured girls together in the Innamorti suite, but nooo. The oni had to go and be a wet blanket and be focused on bullshit like trauma and family. Meanwhile, little Miss Plant had suddenly learned restraint? She knew if they could get one good pollen burst, they’d probably be fingering each other in the hour. Now, if only there were some way to engineer that situation.

She really needed some popcorn; it was Stella’s date, and she was always good for a laugh. She also held a letter in her hands that had been addressed to Caleb. The gifts had been confiscated by Lucy, so there wasn’t any real urgency to hand the letter out, and it would probably be funniest right before the challenge. She tittered away to herself and bounced out of her chair to go prepare a snack when a burst of flames announced the host’s entrance.

“Lucy!” the assistant chimed, clicking her heels, “All set for the challenge tomorrow?” She gave him a sharp grin. The host had been hard at work, even more than normal. She waited to see the look of annoyance from the demon that always brought her such joy, so she was somewhat repulsed by the smug grin that he gave her instead.

“Yes, everything is in order, and I just sent out a letter to enhance the coming round. I think everyone will be quite pleased with this turn of events. In fact, there is only one thing left to do.” He snapped his fingers, “Cameras ’ on me and broadcast to the audience, prep for message receipt.”

Reyna rolled her eyes dramatically, “Lucy, you dum-dum. There’s no fanmail for this round. We settled on every other round, remember? For beginning, middle, and end?”

Lucian looked back over his shoulder at the assistant, his teeth sharp and gleaming as he smiled, “That’s where you’re mistaken, I’m not doing fanmail.” He gestured to his side, “Come on over, assistant and look cute for the cameras.”

Looking around, Reyna stepped forward and posed. This wasn’t something in her script, nothing she had planned.

Lucian’s posture shifted to the showmanship he only gave in front of the cameras, “Salutations to all the bros, does, and nonbinary hoes out there viewing our lovely Masquerade. I trust you’re all enjoying yourself; if not, don’t worry, the best is yet to come!” He laughed venomously, and Reyna nervously joined in.

Twirling his slapstick around, the Demon then plunged it against the ground, “Regardless, I’m sure you have many questions. How much did Maya win in the lottery? What’s Stella’s body count? How did it feel to be burned alive?” The smile took on a sinister tinge as the demon’s eyes went manic, “Now is your time to get those answers and more, because starting now and until the start of our challenge day, we are opening a line for an AMA featured by yours truly where I will answer any question about the game, our staff, or our contestants.”

Reyna looked over and smiled, pumping her fists, “Wow, Lucy! What a great idea!”

Lucian’s eyes darted to the redhead, and his grin broadened, “Isn’t it just?” He focused back on the invisible audience. “You can ask about anything, not all questions will be featured, and Harem Hotel reserves the right to not answer questions that might remove dramatic tension from the proceedings, but anything else? Fair game, my friends, submit as many as you like!” He laughed and ran his slapstick across the bottom of the screen, flaming letters appearing

Make Your Submissions Here

Reyna bounced up and down, “Oh wow, Lucy, I can’t wait to see what people ask!”

“Indeed, I’m sure it will be very entertaining. We look forward to all your wonderful questions! I know there have been some doubts about my new entry as a host at Harem Hotel. I want this to be the first indication that you can trust me with your entertainment!” Lucian spread his arms wide and flung his head back, and flames burst dramatically behind him and Reyna.

Then, as he slumped forward, he gave a short and sharp “Cut.” He didn’t move for a moment as Reyna skipped around him.

The assistant was energetic, “Oh wow, Lucy, you really are starting to take this seriously, I knew you just needed the right push-I…what’s funny?” She asked in response to Lucian breaking out into a mad cackle as she spoke

Lucian stood up straight, clutching his forehead as he continued to laugh, and a book appeared in front of him, which he opened up and read, “While a host may be kept in the dark about certain aspects of their show to increase dramatic tension, a host will have access to all information necessary to facilitate the completion of official Harem Hotel activities.”

Reyna froze, “I-”

“We just announced an official Harem Hotel activity, I do believe.” The demon smirked at his assistant with a mad grin, “An activity that requires me to know all there is to know about our guests, game, and contestants.” He threw his head back laughing, “What was it you said? Ah yes:”

He snapped his fingers, and every monitor filled with different angles of Reyna speaking, “This means that as long as I have the knowledge I have, you can’t get rid of me.“ Her voice echoed throughout the backstage area.

Reyna fell backwards and stared wide-eyed, “Well, the thing about that is-” She moved to vanish and found herself staring at her hands as she didn’t move an inch. She looked back up at Lucian, who had changed pages in his book

“While an assistant may use powers granted to the host, they are only permitted under the host's discretion, who has final say on what powers they have access to and when- My dear, did you think I’d leave it on the default settings after everything you’ve done?” Lucian raised his hand, and with the sharp sound of metal clanking, chains appeared in his clutched fingers, spreading down towards Reyna,who felt a Metal collar fasten around her neck as her glamour faded from view from sheer shock.

She laughed nervously, “You still can’t get rid of me…you need me. I have to report to the producers!” From the way her eyes were darting around and the way her voice shook as she made the statement, it was clear that even the fox was unsure of the truth of what she was saying.

Lucian stroked his chin, “It’s true, you do need to report to them. And you will, you’ll tell them about how I’m following every rule of this damn game and what a good job I’m doing. But first,” He pulled on the chain and **** Reyna to look up at him, “You’re going to tell me anything and everything that I want to know.”