Kiss her

Rose leant even closer, her breath warm against Dev's skin.

With a sense of determination, Dev nodded, ready to go ahead. He was interested; as bewildering as the powers seemed, what Rose said seemed very reasonable to Dev. Is she gaslighting me as we speak? "I understand, Rose. I'm ready."

“It’s an added bonus that you’re really cute,” she giggled, and with that, Rose pressed her lips to Dev's, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck. A surge of energy passed between them as the transfer of power and passion took place. As they broke apart, Dev felt a rush of exhilaration and newfound strength coursing through him, his senses tingling with the awareness of his enhanced abilities.

"Thank you, Rose," Dev murmured, his voice filled with gratitude and determination.

Rose smiled and gave Dev a wink. "Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility."

Dev got erect from the embrace and had to take a moment to calm down. “What are these powers all about?” Dev asked, along with a million other questions to Rose. He wanted to know everything he could about these powers - he could feel they were real now. Rose explained everything she could about them; Dev particularly found the limitations of these powers useful. Dev, ever a lawyer, made a note of everything he had learnt about them:

Powers (using them to be known as Power Plays)

• Leverage allows the ability to find out secrets, weaknesses, and other things going on in people’s minds that are holding them down/back. Essentially, it is the ‘object of blackmail’ - it reveals things that Dev could then use to emotionally sway or even blackmail a target with.
• Gaslight allows the ability to make a target think that a situation is normal by gaslighting them against their better judgement.
• Manipulate, on the other hand (and also the catch-all term for this power) is to make a target do something against their better judgement. Dev can have a target think something is very normal or reasonable.
• Manipulation ONLY works if the target already has some desire to do the manipulated task but is inhibited in some way. Dev cannot make someone do something they absolutely would not do under normal circumstances, e.g. if it starkly goes against their personal values or beliefs. Dev can chip away at their inhibitions by using his powers and this correlates with his Resolve.
• Using powers on Rose does not affect Reputation under any circumstances, as Dev and Rose have a supernatural connection following their kiss.
• Dev can combine the abilities: use Leverage to find holes in their legal argument or a weakness in their personal lives. Use Gaslight to make them think that Dev will help them with this, or keep it a secret from others. Then, use Manipulate to have them do something for Dev’s personal favour such as score him high on an appraisal to show gratitude for his vow of secrecy (I can think of other personal favours I could ask, he doggedly thought). An evil spin would be similar: Gaslight them into thinking a mistake at work would be career suicide and Manipulate them into begrudgingly do something or else…
• The only exception to this are Rose and Leanne - Dev shares his powers with them. Leanne happens to be a Managing Partner - the youngest in the firm’s history - and is currently meeting with an international client overseas. (Rose confirmed Leanne kissed her to initiate her)

As Dev took a moment to process the implications of his newfound powers, a question burned in his mind, demanding clarity on the nature of their newfound abilities.

"Rose," he began, his voice tinged with curiosity, "when you manipulate someone, do they know they're losing control? Or do they believe they're making the decision willingly?"

Rose considered his question for a moment, and explained, “a target would believe that they're making the decision of their own free will, and be unaware of being Manipulated.

“The powers aren't just about exerting control; sometimes it’s about crafting a narrative to make them believe they're acting of their own free will.” Rose continued, “Gaslighting could be a powerful tool this way, planting seeds of doubt and uncertainty that makes the target question their own perceptions.”

As Dev delved deeper into his manipulation of Rose, his devious intentions drove him to test his powers in turn.

“Rose,” Dev murmured and stared into her eyes. With a subtle suggestion, Dev aimed to see if Manipulate could coerce her body into physical actions against her will. Lacing his voice with a commanding undertone, Dev whispered, “I want you to raise your arms high above your head.”

“Raise my arms? Sure thing” Rose replied, her voice tinged with amusement as Dev lifted her arms high above her head without hesitation.

"Good," Dev's voice was dripping with satisfaction. "Now, I want you to jump."

“Jump? Why not?” and she hopped up and down, her arms still outstretched. Dev gawked helplessly as her breasts bounce seductively underneath her green top, her bra working very hard to keep them restrained.

But as she landed back on the ground, her smile widened into a mischievous grin, a spark of challenge gleaming in her eyes.

"You see, Dev," she remarked, her voice echoing as she hissed, "I can do the same to you: I want you to take three steps backward." Dev felt the desire to follow Rose’s command stepped back. Suddenly, his back met the wall and his gaze met Rose's as she followed his footsteps. “How did that feel, baby?” she whispered seductively, leaning in the wall merely inches away from his face.

“Wouldn’t you like to kiss me again, Rose?” Dev whispered in a soft and endearing tone.

Rose laughed, “you don’t need to Manipulate me for that one!” and leant in for a passionate kiss, swirling her tongue all around Dev’s mouth.

She lightly moaned as she kissed him. Dev moved his hand around and caressed the curve of her ass through her thin trousers, deeply into the moment. He grabbed her behind with his left hand while reaching under her loose top to finally feel the one thing that had been teasing him since he laid eyes on her.

Rose returned the favour by unbuttoning Dev’s shirt and reaching for his rock-hard erection. “We’ve got about 20 minutes left before the Probate department comes in for their monthly meeting,” she said, pulling his shirt off. “Don’t you want to do more than just make out?”