Conclusions?

Now alone again with Mila and Noelle, I started by thanking Mila for carrying most of that conversation.

“It wasn’t really my intention,” Mila said, giggling. “I was just curious.”

“You social creatures scare me,” Noelle said, echoing one of my eternal thoughts.

“So? What do you think?” I asked them.

“I thought she’d be more withdrawn, but she’s surprisingly outgoing,” Mila said. “I can kind of understand why Eric would feel insecure. She’s cute and pretty forward.

“She did ask us if either of us was your girlfriend,” Noelle said. “But I think it was more out of curiosity than… interest in you.”

“I’m offended,” I said flatly.

“I think she actually likes him, though,” Mila continued. “I got her to open up a bit and she said she’s still not super sure about him but that they’re hitting it off really well.”

I nodded. “I got that impression, too. She didn’t lie about anything, and I didn’t feel like she was doing anything behind his back.”

“Can you really tell that much?” Noelle asked me.

“Mmm… Yeah, I believe I can. After working two nights at the bar, I think I can tell more clearly when someone has had sex or has those kinds of thoughts in their minds.”

“After just two nights?” Mila asked.

“I know how it sounds, but feeling the energy of that place was eye-opening.”

“What did Eric say about it?”

“He’s still skeptical, which is understandable when all I can really do is say ‘trust me, bro.’ He’s still afraid of losing her. Which leads me to…” I turned to look at Noelle. “I know you’re uncomfortable around him, but for what it’s worth, he doesn’t have feelings for you anymore.”

“Thank god,” Noelle said, giggling. “It’d be awful if he was seeing someone else and still liking another girl.”

“Uh…”

Mila laughed. “Yeah, it would be so scummy!”

“Who would do such a thing?”

“...” I sighed. “So I’m taking a vow of celibacy tomorrow… OW!” I flinched, feeling a quick, sharp pain in my head that was almost like getting my brain flicked.

“W-What happened?” Noelle asked.

“...I think Frey didn’t like my joke.”

“It’s still weird to remember that you’re… possessed, you know?” Mila said. “I usually forget about it, but then you mention her and I’m, like, ‘oh, right, Frey.’ Are we being rude by not acknowledging her?”

“Nah, don’t worry. She’s happy to be in the background. We’ve talked about it.”

“...You talk to her a lot? What’s she like?” Noelle asked.

“Kind of like an annoying and weirdly quirky older sister,” I told them. “She worries, she chides me, she teases me… We only talk in my dreams, though.”

“Does she say much about us?” Mila asked.

“She loves you all, both for obvious reasons and for some not so obvious.”

“Still remember when we talked to her with the ouija board,” Noelle said. “She really does care about you, huh?”

I chuckled. “I really owe her a lot, so I’m trying to do everything I can to help her with what she wants.”

“And what DOES she want?” Mila asked. “Maybe we can help, too.”

“She basically wants to become stronger. She says she’s very weak for a spirit, which I find ridiculous considering all she can do.”

“Right!?” Noelle asked. “If that’s weak, then what can strong spirits do!?”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” I said. “But yeah, she wants to experiment more with magic, learn more about runes and create stronger effects. She… also wants to push me to do kinkier stuff.”

“Oh? Maybe we CAN help after all,” Mila said, grinning sultrily.

“Let’s see, what’s your opinion on orgies?” I asked her.

Mila and Noelle both blinked, their smiles falling.

“When you say orgies…?” Noelle asked.

“Yeah, not the kind we have amongst ourselves, but something with other people. Other men, even.”

“I’m not letting other guys touch me, Oliver,” Mila immediately said.

“Yeah, I think that’s out of the question for us,” Noelle agreed.

I nodded. “I wouldn’t want that, either, and I said as much to Frey, so… She suggested something like… an orgy, but everyone stays with their own partners.”

“Ah. See, now that’s more reasonable,” Mila said, nodding.

“Yes, but even so…” Noelle grimaced. “It would be weird.”

“Oh, believe me, I know,” I told her. “It’s why I told her I’d think about it. She’s not that pushy, though. She’s very adamant in saying that, in order for any kind of sex to be good, everyone has to be into it. Otherwise it’s a waste and doesn’t produce good energy for her to feed on.”

“...were those three talking about orgies?” we heard a couple of guys whisper as they walked past our table.

“...”

The three of us shared another look.

“Have we learned NOTHING?” Noelle asked.

“I thought we were keeping a low profile…” I muttered.

Anyway, the stuff with Eric was over. I did what I promised I would, the rest was up to him. We waited a bit longer until Grace, Sarah and Alice arrived at the mall then went to meet them. We would’ve loved to have Diana with us, but she had another night shift to get ready for. She’d be free Mondays and Tuesdays.

When we found the three girls, I greeted Grace and Alice with a kiss, but Sarah actually gave me a strong hug. She rested her head on my shoulder and let out a heavy sigh.

I wrapped my arms around her and stroked her back, frowning worriedly. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just… My siblings are starting to realize I’m leaving the house in one or two months. Cole understood and was being all moody about it, but now Robert and Violet understand it and were crying before I left.”

“Oh, no…” Noelle muttered.

“Yeah, those kids love you,” I said. “And I’m the one taking you away from them.”

“Relax, I was gonna have to move out for university regardless,” Sarah said, kissing my cheek. “It’s just… Seeing them cry like that hurts. When they’re throwing tantrums I’ll smack them, but this…”

“It’s different.”

“Yeah.”

“...” I couldn’t just let that be. Sarah’s family was very important to her. “Let’s take them to the theme park.”

Sarah blinked, then slowly smiled at me. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah. You, me and them.”

“That sounds like a good idea to me,” Alice said. “It’ll help them realize that they’re not losing a sister, they're getting an older brother.”

“Okay,” Sarah said, sighing contently and hugging me tightly again. “Let’s do that.”

It’s hard to explain how powerful I feel when I manage to make one of the girls actually feel better, when I can ease their worries if only a little bit. But words are cheap. Now I had to deliver on them.

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