Let’s check the ol’ rectangular anxiety generator

[New author’s notes: I’m not a carpenter, nor do I have tusks.

Sometimes I look at an idle branch – the characters, the plot, the worldbuilding – and I say to myself, ‘oh, I know where this is supposed to go next!’, and then I write it. And then I push past that and see what else can happen.

I’m intending to stay pretty much within the themes that DFang described, although I’m not sure how much I’d go with “**** vs forgiveness and redemption”.

There will 100% be sex. A lot of it. Not for a while, but… possibly sooner than DFang had intended. Although “soon” in terms of how long it feels to Jacob is not the same as how many chapters it takes us to get there. Nor is it in terms of how long it will take me to write.

I do have a whole bunch of chapters planned out and at least partly written. Where this is going long-term, I’m not sure, but it’ll be fun to find out together!

I’m not sure my take on how the app works totally matches with DFang’s, or with Fantasy’s, but <shrug>.

Also, it is a pain to keep track of the scores. And I spent far too long trying to visualize the UI.]

You sit down on top of the blankets, pull out your phone, and call up the AMA. As you expected, it's blinking with ‘update’ notifications.

To your surprise, though, there are notifications under two tabs: one for family, but also one for superiors.

You haven’t interacted with Penelope or Mrs Hansen since you left work, and that was over six hours ago! How can their scores have changed?

You thumb the SUPERIORS tab, and Penelope’s profile pops up alongside Mrs Hansen’s - Helen’s.

Last you looked, your coworker-turned-manager Penelope had an affection for you of minus 24. And now:

Penelope Jones: Feels sorry for you about the fire +10 (-14)

Oh, right. You emailed her to let her know.

Penelope Jones: Double-checked all her kitchen appliances after hearing about your fire and found one that could have started a fire too; extremely grateful to you +14 (0)

Penelope Jones: Just remembered that Jackson and Ryder consistently pick on you and they’re jerks +6 (6)

Penelope Jones: Thinks you’re sort of cute +2 (8)

Penelope Jones: Feels guilty about having been promoted over you, and thinks she should be nicer to you +4 (12)

Fresh Start, New Leaf: Got someone from double-digits negative to double-digits positive. Nice work! (200 points awarded)

Holy shit.

You touch the icon for her mother Helen.

Helen Hansen: Feels sorry for you about the fire +10 (14)

Helen Hansen: Checked her smoke detector after Penelope told her about your fire, and replaced its battery; mildly grateful to you +2 (16)

Helen Hansen: Feels a little bad about passing you over for that promotion +1 (17)

Helen Hansen: Thinks you’re cute but too young for her +1 (18)

Huh.

You go back to the main menu, and look at the History. The scrollbar is tinier now. You touch it, and it scrolls to the oldest unread update.

Jesus, there’s a lot here!

Molly Carter: You genuinely listened. For forty-five minutes. +10 (39)

Tammy Carter: You listened to Molly, you took her seriously, you gave good advice. +8/+5/0 (66/50/23)

Hearts and Flowers: Got someone to 50 Love. Aww. (100 points awarded.)

Molly Carter: Your arm around my shoulder feels really nice. +6 (45)

Tammy Carter: Saw your dick. 0/0/+3 (66/50/26)

Tammy Carter: While you were peeing. 0/0/-4 (66/50/22)

That's interesting. Lust can go down even when you have the ‘I did okay’ perk?

Tammy: Is 100% certain you were sniffing her panties. (+3/+4/+15) 69/54/39

Molly: Is 100% certain you were sniffing Tammy’s panties. (+7/+4/+15) 52/4/15

On the one hand, you feel like you should be mortified that you got caught. On the other hand, they’re definitely not upset.

Molly Carol Carter: Reached 50 affection: Love Unlocked; Lust Unlocked; 500 points awarded

Hunka Hunka Burnin Love: Love started above 0 for someone; 100 points awarded

I’m Too Sexy: Lust started above 0 for someone; 100 points awarded

Molly Carter: Thinks you’re really, really funny +5/+5/0 (57/9/15)

Molly Carter: Really liked how it felt when you kissed the top of her head +1/+12/+2 (58/21/17)

Molly Carter: Is aroused by your saying ‘sexy’ in the context of Tammy 0/0/+4 (58/21/21)

Molly Carter: Snuggling is really really nice +10/+7/+13 (68/28/34)

Molly Carter: Oh my god he’s checking her out! 0/0/+10 (68/28/44)

Tammy Carter: Oh my god he’s checking me out! +5/+10/+20 (74/64/59)

Peaches and Eggplants: Got someone to +50 Lust. Mmm. (100 points awarded)

Dueling Banjos: Got a first-degree relative to +50 Lust. Tsk tsk. (100 points awarded)

Tammy Carter: Snuggling is really really nice. +12/+10/+5 (86/74/64)

Tammy Carter: He’s looking again! +3/+10/+6 (89/84/70)

Molly Carter: He’s checking me out! +10/+10/+15 (78/38/59)

Peaches and Eggplants: Got someone to +50 Lust. Mmm. (100 points awarded)

Arguing Banjos: Got a second-degree relative to +50 Lust. Tsk. (100 points awarded)

Tammy Carter: Aww, a hug. +2/+1/0 (91/85/70)

Your mouth is hanging open. It’s been one evening.

One really nice evening, yes, but still.

Your phone vibrates again with a new notification.

Sticky Fingers Premiere: Someone thought about you while masturbating, for the first time (500 points awarded)

Sticky Fingers: Someone thought about you while masturbating (once per person) (100 points awarded)

Now you’re just staring at the screen. Tammy? Or Molly? You squint – are their bedroom doors ajar? Is that panting you hear? Gasping? Squeaking? Or is it your imagination?

Buzz, and another update appears.

YES! Premiere: Someone had an orgasm while thinking about you, for the first time (500 points awarded)

YES!: Someone had an orgasm while thinking about you (once per person) (100 points awarded)

Your dick is throbbing.

Buzz. Update.

Tammy Carter: Oh, I needed that. 0/+3/-1 (91/86/69).

That answers that, you suppose.

You switch back to her profile and watch as, on the tiny screen, she sucks her fingers, smiles, then closes her eyes and starts breathing more slowly. You realize she’s asleep.

You peek at Molly’s profile. She’s asleep too.

You’re about to start jacking off. But... despite how unbelievably horny you are... you’re also very tired, and the shock of learning about the fire is starting to catch up with you.

You plug in your phone and your laptop to recharge (thank god you had a charger with you), and strip down to your boxer shorts. By now your erection has subsided. You peel back the blankets on the sofa, then climb into your impromptu bed.

Your... your bed.

Your bed is probably gone, you realize. Out of all the things you’ve probably lost, somehow that’s the one that pushes you over the edge, and you cry yourself to sleep.