Decompressing

"SNEAK ATTACK!"

"You guys really must have missed me." A lump of mashed potatoes, hurled with all the accuracy and speed an aspiring Neko warrior could muster, was brought to an abrupt halt as it met with an unnatural gust of wind near the center of the table. The lump hung there, jostling slightly as the stray bits were deftly gathered up before it was deposited back on Miriam's plate. "You'd never risk wasting food on games like this otherwise."

"Aww, phoo! I thought you said he was all shook up and stuff," Miriam huffed. "Never gonna beat Papa at this rate." The teen Neko went back to her plate with a look of defeat, angrily scooping away at the pile of potatoes that John casually returned her makeshift ammunition to.

The adults around the table only reacted with amused grins, although Lerianna made sure to give the kittens on either side of her a preemptive stink-eye, lest she wind up in the crossfire. The other kittens eyed John with awe... with the exception of Magnus, who went completely rigid, eyes wide, until he was certain no more magic was to be used. A few of the litterlings showed signs of wariness and reticence concealed behind that awe, though – giving John the sudden impression that he'd just squashed a potential dinnertime rebellion...

"Nyaa, Myaster is still the best there is!" Maera mewled happily, patting Miriam's head and lightly scratching at the base of her braided blue locks. "Besides, he's been restin' for almost four whole days. You missed your chance to catch him off-guard, pipsqueak!"

"I don't know if I’d count being in a coma as 'resting'," John pointed out. "Lerianna?"

"Huh? What are- Oh, uh, no. Not generally," Lerianna remarked after a moment, hiding her mouth behind her hand until she could manage a swallow. Where John's focus had been sharpening since his awakening, Lerianna's attention seemed to be elsewhere more and more. "Then again, I don't think you've really been doing all that much resting since you woke up either."

The last part came with a very pointed stare from Lerianna, while the rest of the table tried not to laugh too obviously. Even with their giggles barely hushed, there were enough curious looks from the younger audience to get them all swiftly ushered away as soon as they finished the last of their meal.

"Aww, but we wanna keep talking with Papa!" Midoriya's whine was too adorable to resist, and earned a playful headpat from John as the green-haired Neko was hurried past his chair.

"Don't worry, we still have all day today. I'll come back down in an hour or so, we'll find something to do together before you all wind up napping, I promise."

A few excited cheers rose up in response; once they'd faded, silence reigned over the dinner table until the sound of a distant door being closed rang out through the house. Then Lerianna gave John a much less subtle look, her right eye twitching as judgment plastered itself across her face.

"Seriously? Didn't you just finish up?" Lerianna huffed. "And don't give me some bullshit about how you were just cuddling. You've had that look since you came downstairs."

"Uh-huh. 'That look'?"

"The satisfied one that she wishes was on her own face, Father. Pay the jealous bunny no mind," Sophia explained evenly. Her tone was so flat that John might have thought she was just being her usual blunt self... if he didn't catch the way her lips tweaked upward when Lerianna rounded on her instead.

"Hey, don't act like I'm 'jealous' just because I'm callin' this perv out for being insatiable. Been locked up in that room for over twenty-four hours already," Lerianna grumbled. "Bad as my family, sometimes, I swear. Just got you out of one set of dungeons, now you're about ready to start building another…"

"Tricia gave me a list of activities to lower stress levels as treatment, and I'm not just going to sit around and meditate for forty-eight hours," John defended, giving a dramatic huff for emphasis. "This is part of my medical treatment, you know. You should be more supportive. I'm going through a hard time."

"I'm gonna put you back in that fuckin' infirmary, if you don’t starting taking this shit seri-"

"Settle down, Lerianna," Orria chimed in neutrally. Her expression was more subdued than usual, her eyes distant as she stared into the distance. She sat in a closed-off posture, one hand wrapped around her teacup, the other only lifted from the chair long enough to steady Lerianna, slowly urging the feisty rabbit-girl back into a seated position. "John is still in a tense state. There will be time to address our grievances. We should not risk his health by stirring him up. We will wait until he can handle it.”

“Besides, I’m sure Myaster would include you, if you’d just ask.” Maera’s lips twisted up in a prideful smirk as she sneered across the table.

"Th-that isn't even the-"

"Ooh! Are we going to have company?" Aria popped into the kitchen behind them, such a picture of ecstasy she almost seemed to levitate her way up to the table. "I was actually starting to feel a little bad about stealing so much of your time."

"You don't need to feel bad. No one here is jealous... right, Lerianna?" John made an attempt to look smug about his challenge, but it was difficult with Aria smiling so brightly. Seeing her this happy after how shattered she'd been before was enough to lift his spirits now, even after all that had happened.

"It's not about jealousy, it's about you being so- so incorrigible! Two days of nothing but debauchery, and you're so damn proud of it!" Lerianna settled down into her chair again, after she'd nearly launched herself at John for his tease. She crossed her arms in front of her as if trying to physically block out the Gamer's taunts.

"It's my fault, I'm sorry." Aria's tone pivoted hard from her exuberant greeting. All the admonition that Lerianna seemed to be searching for poured over her features with the weight of the ocean itself. "I-I'm just- I mean, I'm pretty sure this is all real by now. Two days, y'know, I've never, um, never had a dream that long. But just telling myself that doesn't always help as much as having someone there. I-I can hang out with some of you, though! I don't have to hog him. I know that you were all worried sick when he was gone, too, and that you only have a couple days to relax. I'm sorry for being so selfish."

Lerianna's turn to look mortified had arrived; for all her feisty energy, the bunny-girl melted faster than a toothpick-thin candle in front of Aria's seemingly genuine remorse. "No, no, I-I don't want to steal him away from you! Maybe the others do, but not me. You two were practically made for each other; why would I want to get in the way of that?" Lerianna turned her chin up, as if the statement were some profound rebuttal, though her tone made it seem more like she was making a noble sacrifice...

"You don't have to be getting in the way! We can all have fun together," Aria offered quickly. Her form shifted for a moment, blurring ever so slightly in the moments before a second Aria stepped free of the first one, leaning toward Lerianna with a genuinely enthusiastic smile. "Or separately! I mean, I'm here to serve Master first and foremost, but I'm sure it would make him plenty happy for me to take care of the rest of you when he's busy!"

"Y-you- so brazen!" Lerianna was just startled enough by the sudden duplication to hide her blush for a few precious seconds. "Jeez, didn't I tell you to warn me before you do that? And no, I don't want to just hop into bed with you. I'm not interested!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! Are you only into guys? I just assumed you were into girls too, 'cause of how you were staring at-" Lerianna clamped a hand over the duplicate's mouth, but it was futile – the words continued from the original Aria without fail. "-Sophia's ass when she went up the stairs the other day."

John had a feeling his growing amusement was the reason that Aria was pushing this teasing so far to begin with. He still couldn't help the guffaw that escaped him as Lerianna's caramel cheeks took on a reddish hue, one that gave her features the vague affectation of a chocolate-covered cherry.

"Do not act so ashamed, as if you've been caught in some treacherous act," Sophia said plainly, giving Lerianna an almost concerned glance. "Our family is beset on all sides by women of beauty and physical excellence. There is no disgrace in admiring your Mother's form, and I feel quite honored by it."

"Okay, you need to not phrase it like that." Lerianna jabbed a finger in Sophia's direction, the flush on her cheeks only growing stronger. "I'm fine with you using that title, your people, whatever, but can we just- not? In this context?"

"Why do you act as if you've brought some great dishonor to your name? It would be far more insulting to me if you did not find your own Mother arousing."

"Okay. Okay, I'm- I'm going to go for a run. And hopefully trip on a rock and die at some point along the way." Lerianna threw her hands up in defeat and shoved her chair back in a smooth motion. She stomped for the door before anyone could stop her, every muscle in her back visibly tensed as she went. John let his eyes drift between Sophia and the two Arias, not missing the fittingly devilish grin that was mirrored on both versions of the incubus.

John waited until the sound of Lerianna's excessively powerful kick-strides had faded before he started in a quiet tone, "I wasn't going to say it myself, but since she brought it up, yes, Aria is still having a bit of a hard time. Do let Lerianna know that when she gets back. I don't want her thinking we're actually just tormenting her."

"We are aware of the stressful situation the two of you have been in; you have nothing to apologize for, Master. Not that it would be necessary even if you did." Shishun's expression was as steadfast as ever, but there was a kindness in her eyes, and in the way she had been watching over Aria just as fiercely as John since the incubus' return.

"We'll try to help too, nyaa. If you get lonely, you can always come play with the kittens." Maera had crawled out of her seat to approach the incubus at some point. The Neko’s voice wavered in volume as she wove herself between the demoness’ legs and those of the chair in front of Aria’s original body. "You don't have to be alone. Family, remember?"

"Well, if you were already all so aware, then-" John's eyes narrowed, one brow lifted in Sophia's direction, "-you're excused because I still can't always tell when you're doing it on purpose." John pointed accusingly at the well-built harpy, then shifted his focus to Aria. "You, on the other hand, know exactly what you're doing; in fact, you can feel it!"

"Okay, okay, so maybe I was having just an eeeeeensy bit of fun." Aria giggled as her duplicate crossed back over to her, their physical forms reuniting. "But it was funny, wasn't it? And she's not really mad! She's just- err, you know, 'pent up'."

"It was funny," John admitted. "Which is exactly why you deserve a punishment."

"Aww, but if you think it was funny, wh-" Aria seemed genuinely surprised when her voice broke off. John couldn't tell if she'd finally thought it through, or if she'd felt the little ripple of warmth in his lower half. Either way, when she saw the subtle shift of his posture, her face lit up every bit as brightly as when she'd first entered the room. "Okay! Okay, I'll go get ready!"

Rather than zipping out of the room, Aria disappeared into a puff of red smoke that swiftly began to fade away, leaving behind only the faint scent of perfume and sulfur.

"Did she-" Mithra blinked a few times in stunned silence, then looked to John for answers. "Myaster, was that another duplicate? Or can she just do that?"

"I'm honestly not sure." John could only offer the others a little shrug. "She's done it a couple of times now since we brought her back. I asked her what it was, but all she said was 'a woman needs a little mystique to be sexy', and then she disappeared. She seems to be having fun with it, at least."

"I hope that doesn't seep into the wood," Yvara murmured. "We had a few creatures like her in my homeland. Cleaning hellfire scorch marks takes so much longer…"

"I'll ask her to see if she can put a stop to the smokeshow," John said with a sigh.

"Careful, John. You wouldn't want her to take that the wrong way," Orria noted as John stood from the table. “You’re already on thin ice.”

"I'll watch my phrasing," John affirmed as he stood. He gave Orria a sidelong glance, but seemed to think better of it after a moment, turning his attention back to the rest of the table. "If I'm late, would one of you please come and get me? I don't want to keep the kittens waiting, but I don't want to be watching the clock too closely, either. And phone alarms are a real mood killer."

"You intend to take longer than an hour?" Orria quirked an eyebrow at him, her expression taking on the barest hint of amusement. "My, Lerianna was right about you. You're quite incorrigible."

"I- I mean, I might," John admitted bashfully. "But I also need to go check in on Farrah and Aclysia. I still feel bad about how I was acting. I was a real dick to everyone, but Aria and Farrah had to feel exactly what I was putting myself through on top of it."

"Go ensure their well-being, Father. I will be at your door the very moment the hatchlings grow rambunctious," Sophia assured him. John nodded gratefully, then made his own, much less dramatic, exit from the dining room.

"Mmmm. I think Aria just popped downstairs. Either they're actually taking a proper break, or she's going to get him because he's taking too long."

"I see. I assume you will be requiring further assistance, if it's the latter...?"

Farrah groaned and shifted onto her side, facing Aclysia. They were huddled close together, just a few inches of empty sheets reluctantly allowed between them so that Farrah could cool down from her last climax. The thin fabric of what had more or less become their permanently shared bed lay messily around them, warmed and dampened by Farrah's exertions. The exact lines of their bare forms were just barely obscured by the subtle folds and wrinkles of the well-tossed covers splayed over them.

"Don't make it sound like such a chore." Farrah gave a frown too deep to be anything but absurd, and booped her artificial lover on the tip of her nose. "You're free to leave any time you want, you know. Or just, you know, do something else. I don't mind you being here while I take care of things. Sometimes it actually helps."

"My apologies. It is not a chore." Aclysia's correction was accompanied by a kiss along the brunette's neck, the smooth surface of her horns carefully kept from pressing into Farrah's delicate flesh. "I quite enjoy 'assisting' you, Farrah. I only wanted to clarify whether you were going to block out the sensations this time."

"Ugh," Farrah groaned, lifting her head up a few degrees so she could slump it into the pillow more dramatically. "I feel like I should make more of an effort at it. If nothing else, it's good practice to get used to tuning out strong emotions. But it's so hard to resist! It's like when John brings sweets home, but even worse, because I can't just ask you to hide a feeling from me! You'd think after a day and a half of those two going at it, I'd be bored, but it's always as good as the first time. I can try harder to resist, though, if it's bothering you, Aclysia."

"If it were bothering me, it would be quite easy for me to refuse the temptation to join in. You look remarkably delectable when you are touching yourself, however. I find it particularly difficult to resist once you begin to moan. It is surprisingly fun to see how loud I can make you."

"G-geez, you're almost as bad as Aria sometimes, you know that?" Aclysia's words only darkened the color in Farrah's blossoming cheeks. Farrah turned away to hide her embarrassment, but the light huff she **** out was infused with the essence of a smile. Aclysia couldn't resist the urge to twirl one of Farrah's braids between her fingers and tug lightly, coaxing the green-eyed beauty to face her once more so that she could pull her lover into a gentle kiss.

"And you are even cuter when you blush than when you climax," Aclysia added when they separated.

"Since when did you figure out how to tease?!" The pout that Farrah gave did nothing to disprove Aclysia's statement. Before either of them could prod further at the other, three knocks came from the door, quick and pronounced.

"It's John. Do you mind if I come in?" The sigil above the lock lit up – an attempt to fix the communication issues caused by the insulating enchantments. The altered enchantment allowed John's voice to come through despite the lock being in place. The outer circle slowly began to dim in a clockwise manner, signaling its countdown to the return of silence.

"O-oh. Shoot!" Farrah's words were whispered as both occupants snapped their attention to the door. She raised her voice again while beginning to fumble around under the sheets. "One second, John!"

Farrah glanced frantically around, searching for her abandoned undergarments and clothing. Aclysia made a token effort to do the same, but when she spotted her own brassiere – perched atop Farrah's wardrobe after being haphazardly tossed in the heat of the moment – she quickly surrendered to her own nudity.

"Creator John is aware of our relationship. I am not sure that our modesty is required…"

"We can't just-"

"Would you not bare yourself to him if he asked it of you?"

"That's different than-"

"Creator, you may enter at your will."

Farrah tried to object at the last moment, but Aclysia had timed it perfectly, calling out just before the insulating enchantments were reactivated. Then the infuriating woman had the audacity to twist her fingers in the air – Farrah couldn't tell what was done, but it must have been magical, for the door's lock twisted open just as the handle began to turn.

"Thanks. I was a little worried when you two didn't show up for dinner, I just wanted to-" John entered to find himself confronted by a gorgeous, if somewhat awkward, vista of feminine beauty.

Farrah had futilely attempted to dress with the speed of lightning, and succeeded only in tossing her last modesty away, the blankets folded at her feet. By the time John's brain processed what his eyes were seeing, she was sprawled on her back with one leg lifted, panties half-adorned, the mound of her womanhood and her perky chest on full display despite her wishes. If anything, the flex and stretch of her position only succeeded in highlighting those parts of herself, along with the rare opportunity to fully appreciate the soft curves of her thighs.

Aclysia captured the essence of serenity every bit as perfectly as the sculpture she'd once been. She rested her head on her arm with a casual tranquility, the blankets laid primly over the outward curve of her hips, her larger chest on full display. Not the slightest of effort was made to hide herself, unlike Farrah, who squeaked and jerked on her panties so hard John heard fabric begin to stretch and snap.

"Ah, I was- I was worried when you weren't at dinner," John repeated dimly. His gaze naturally shifted to Aclysia, finding himself not quite comfortable staring at Farrah when she was so obviously distressed. "I thought perhaps things had been a bit too much for you after these past few days, I didn't mean to intrude."

"You have not intruded, Creator John. We invited you inside."

"We?" Farrah fumed, glaring daggers at Aclysia to rival the one her lover had just lodged in her spine. Forsaking the attempts at dressing herself, Farrah grabbed for the blanket instead, giving it a quick shake to spread it out and hide her shame.

"I seem to have interrupted something, so I'll- yeah, I'll just go." John stopped halfway in his attempt to back out of the room, eyes reluctantly returning to the bed. "You should come down in an hour or so, play with the kittens, see everyone. You, uh, you seem to be doing okay, I'd just like to check in with you again before tomorrow."

"Um, thank you. I-I appreciate it." Farrah's voice was a little louder now, though it still wavered as she clutched the edge of the covers to her collarbone. "I'm doing much better now that I know you're okay. And it has been much more…" Farrah swayed her head back and forth for a moment, her lips twitching nervously as she thought for a word, "pleasant around here lately. I'm doing much better now."

"Y-yeah, you said that," John acknowledged. "Glad to hear it. I'll see you two later. If, uh, if you're not busy." With that, John finished his exit, backing out of the room as quickly as he could.

Farrah immediately turned a heated glare in Aclysia's direction. "Lock it," she hissed, still holding the blanket up like a shield until the very moment the lock slid into place. The second the sigil lit up, Farrah threw herself across the bed, landing with her legs spread over Aclysia's waist. "I'm going to make you pay for that!"

Aclysia smiled.