Helpful AND self-serving. Compromise.

An idea suddenly hit Alice. Well if she didn’t want to take control of Katie, but still wanted to play with her, then maybe she could see… There was no reason she had to be cruel. Honestly she’d rather help Katie deal with her condition than see her passed around every random stranger.

“So, I got this letter…” Alice said, feigning a serious expression. “You mustn’t tell anyone this.”

“Huh? Sounds serious,” Katie said.

She walked out of her room, dropping what she was doing to look at her friend. Alice met her eyes, uncertain, looking her up and down.

“I have AGS,” Alice lied.

It seemed like a good idea. If Katie had it, then it wasn’t like Katie was going to push her too far; she could just tell Katie to stop and she would. But equally it was a guilt-free way to get what she wanted, at least if she was right about Katie. Alice wouldn’t be the one taking advantage.

Well, not really.

“Oh. Shit,” Katie said after a moment.

She was staring. Alice bit her lip, wondering if that was calculation she saw in Katie’s eyes. Well…

“You can’t tell anyone,” Alice said, hoping to trigger Katie’s own genuine AGS. “Disclosing someone else’s private medical details is a major offence.”

“I know that,” Katie said. “But I’m, er, glad you confided in me.”

There! There was that flicker of hesitation, she knew Katie liked girls. And to her credit at least, Katie hadn’t immediately told her to get naked or get on her knees or bend over or anything, she was actually debating whether or not to take advantage.

At least Alice knew Katie cared about her. So… that was nice. Although potentially frustrating of Katie had the same thought as her.

Katie took a step closer.

“I know a little about AGS,” Katie said. “It runs through my mother’s side of the family, so I get it. Well, not completely, but I know the kind of thing.”

“Yeah, they sent me these,” Alice said, lifting the booklets that had come with the letter. “Not had time to read them yet.”

“You should, it helps,” Katie said. “Here, come over, sit down.”

Hesitantly, Alice nodded.

Was Katie just going to be supportive? That was… nice, she supposed, not having a roommate who’d default to taking advantage of her. It was comforting though. Just not what she’d hoped for.

They went to the sofa, sitting side by side. Almost casually, Katie draped an arm over her shoulder; Alice glanced at it, surprised. That might be a sign of something.

It was kind of ironic, really. Katie having AGS made it easy for her to believe Alice was the one who had it.

“Want to read through them?” Katie said. “I can tell you what my mom’s done, we can help put a plan together.”

“I… guess I’d have to,” Alice said.

Shit, she hadn’t expected homework. Still, she was curious, and she probably would have offered to help Katie with this, so looking at it that way, this was fair. She probably should know this if just to help Katie deal with it.

She opened the first booklet – ‘Living with AGS, the basics,’ and started reading it with Katie.

“Ah, this bit,” Katie said, tapping one line.

‘It is recommended the patient seek out one person they know they can trust absolutely to act as a point of contact. If your behaviour changes drastically due to the malevolent statement of another, then the point of contact can correct any negative alterations with their own command. Remember, new statements will be believed over older.’

“I guess that’d have to be me,” Katie said.

“Really?” Alice said. “You’d do that?”

“Of course,” Katie said. “We are dating after all.”

She said it experimentally, and Alice bit her lip to keep from smiling. Jackpot!

“Oh, right, yeah, I don’t know why that slipped my mind,” Alice said.

Katie’s hand started stroking tender circles into Alice’s shoulder, and Alice shivered with anticipation. Katie really was going to do this.

“Hey, it’s fine, you just had a bombshell,” Katie said. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.”

Alice nodded, and absently tilted her head back as Katie leaned in to press a friendly kiss to her neck.

You heard all kinds of stories of AGS inevitably meaning ****, it was nice to have someone that actually cared a bit. Still, she could be Katie’s point of contact in turn, so this wasn’t one-sided.

“Let’s keep going,” Katie said, turning her attention back to the booklet.

It was dry, dull stuff, but if she was going to be with Katie than Alice knew she had to read it. It wasn’t like she’d want strangers screwing her friend-turned-technically-girlfriend. Alice almost liked the new label, even if they didn’t have the history it’d normally require. It made things seem more playful, less manipulative.

Katie clearly wanted to have some fun, and Alice really wasn’t going to deny her.

The next few pages of the booklet said a lot of things Alice knew she’d need to reread. Some she could have guessed, other were tips she wouldn’t have imagined. And all the while, Katie snuggled up close beside her.