Shopping with your Girlfriends

“I’m going to be honest, when you suggested that I do something to make it up to you, I didn’t think this is what you meant.” You tell Cassie and Stella.

“We’re going out to train in a few minutes, so the other thing you can do to cheer me up is gonna have to wait.” Cassie teases.

“Are you sure this is going to cheer you up though?” You ask her, making sure this is what she wants, and she gives you an assured nod. “Okay then. What trait did you have in mind?” you ask.

When Cassie asked if she remembered correctly that you bought a trait for Stella, you weren’t exactly sure where she was headed with it; but you didn’t even consider that she would ask for one of her own. She’s known about that specific function of the Affection Multiplier for a while now; so whatever brought this on must be something she’s struggling with and she may be looking for a trait that could help address it; as you’re pretty sure she didn’t cry just because you were gone when she woke up. With that in mind, you’ll see what she wants to buy first before you ask her what brought this on.

“I’m not sure yet. I just know I want one.” Cassie tells you, and your initial assumption isn’t looking too strong anymore. “What are the traits that you can buy?” Cassie follows up.

Since you already have the Trait Catalogue of the Affection Multiplier open, you look at it and list off the first few ones that it’s recommending to you. She’s already heard of the ‘Normalized Polyamory’ Traits, which is on the top of your wishlist, seconded by ‘Steadfast Lover’ which you explained to her and Stella what it does and they completely understand without asking any further why it’s on your wishlist.

You also mention the traits you’ve bought recently — ‘Great Host’ and ‘Good Neighbor’, and why you bought them. You mentioned the ‘Feel No Jealousy’ trait, which Stella was interested in, but admitted it was a bit redundant if you were saving up for the ‘Normalized Polyamory’ trait anyway.

You notice the ‘Cheater’ trait is no longer being recommended. Maybe because you hated the idea of using it to get a girl; but it’s more likely because Celeste isn’t here anymore and the app is making it obvious it was recommending it to you to specifically have a chance with her. If it cared about your moral standing, it wouldn’t have suggested it in the first place.

The trait that is next recommended by the app is something that you don’t read out loud, as it directly addresses the issue you had with Stella the other night.

Infertile (50 Friendship Points): You can no longer impregnate your sexual partners or get pregnant.

Trait Exception: Your sexual partner has the Fertile trait.

The Fertile Trait was a hyperlink, so you tap it and it directly shows you the trait description for the Fertile trait.

Fertile (50 Love Points): Provided your sexual partner has a Love score higher than 50, you are guaranteed to impregnate them or get pregnant after insemination. The guarantee works even against contraceptives and is an exception to the Infertile trait.

“I wonder what trait it would recommend for me?” Stella then asks, taking back your attention before it becomes obvious you were reading a trait silently.

“You already got a trait!” Cassie points out.

“That doesn’t count! I would’ve quit smoking without magic anyway!” Stella defends herself. You and Cassie look at each other, having a mental agreement to tease Stella, before looking back at Stella and she sees that both of you have an eyebrow raised in doubt.

“The indictment! I so~ would have quit on my own!” Stella continues to say, before you and Cassie laugh after teasing her.

“I believe you, baby.” You tell her genuinely, although you play it up so that she thinks you’re being sarcastic; making her punch you in the arm playfully for not believing in her.

“Whatever.” Stella says dismissively before rolling her eyes. You give her a sweet peck on the lips to say you’re apologizing for teasing her.

“Is there a way to find out if there are recommended traits for specific people?” Cassie asks you.

“I’m not sure, to be honest. I haven’t tinkered around with this thing as much since it’s been intuitive at recommending traits for me that are pretty much exactly what I need at certain points.” You answer her. “I can try and find out.” You add, and the app immediately sends a pop up message that shows it’s listening in on your conversation.

‘Would you like to filter traits recommended for your relationship with Cassandra Jones?’

YES/NO

You tap on ‘YES’ and the trait catalogue is filtered to just a few traits. Before you get to read the recommendations, the app explains to you how to filter the trait catalogue to specific people manually first, in order for you to be able to do it without the pop-up message anymore.

As the screen clears to show the traits that are recommended for your relationship with Cassie, the first one takes you by surprise a bit, and you don’t read it out loud as you’re not sure if this is what Cassie’s anxious about.

Youth and Love (100 Love Points): So long as the person with this trait has a love score of over 60 with someone, their physical appearance will change very slowly over the years, allowing them to remain youthful for longer. Their health will also match their youthful appearance.

She’s scared of the idea of getting older? You look at the next recommended trait to see if it’s related to the first one, to try and figure out if it’s the concept of growing older that she’s concerned with. The trait that is next recommended is in a completely different realm in comparison to the first one though, but one that you completely understand as to why it was being recommended for her… well, not for her specifically.

“Apparently, it does have a filter function for traits that are recommended for my relationships with specific people. Guess what trait is recommended for you.” You tease her, specifically referring to the second trait you saw.

“What?” Cassie asks.

“Guess. Come on.” You insist, with a smile on your face that’s trying to hold in the laughter from coming out.

“I’m guessing it’s not something that deals with my anxiety if you think it’s funny.” Cassie says, and you immediately go from having fun to being concerned.

“You’re anxious about something, Cassie? Is that why you were crying earlier?” You immediately ask upon hearing her statement.

“I already told you why I was crying.” Cassie replies, forcing an awkward laugh.

“I wouldn’t want to think you’re that clingy, Cassie. I know you’re not. I don’t believe for a second you’ll cry about not knowing where I was for a few minutes.” You tell her. You look at your daughter and she seems to be struggling with wanting to tell you, but also not wanting to break Cassie’s confidence in her.

“It’s not a big deal, Cass. Maybe there is something in the app that can address what you’re worrying about.” Stella tells her.

“Okay, so you are worrying about something. Is it something that I shouldn’t know yet? Is that why you’re not telling me?” You ask her in a caring tone, making sure she knows you’re not forcing her to tell you.

“No, no. It’s not a secret. I just hate admitting it.” Cassie tells you honestly.

“I can say it for you if you want.” Stella says to her.

“I guess— No. He’s our boyfriend. I should be able to tell him stuff the way I tell you stuff.” Cassie says before taking a deep breath to collect herself. “Okay. Stella and I had a conversation about motherhood...” Cassie finally admits, and you made the connection that that probably came about after Stella told her about what happened last night. “... and how I have uh~... an aversion... to becoming one.” Cassie continues. That doesn’t seem like anxiety about her age at all.

“Cassie… you’re nineteen.” You immediately react upon hearing her statement. “Coming from a former teenage dad, who has a daughter that apparently wants to be a teenage mom —” you pause to look at Stella to hammer home your own stance on this idea and Stella reacts immediately.

“Hey! If I get pregnant now, I’d be 20 before the baby pops out. So…” Stella says before sticking her tongue out to you to finish her thought. You sigh. It’s only been a week since you started this relationship with them, and you’re already having the baby talk with all three of your girlfriends. You told Tanya earlier that you didn’t believe it was going too fast, but maybe you have to change your stance on that. It is kind of going a little fast. I guess that’s what happens when you accelerate people’s affection for you with magic.

“Also, it’s not that I’m rushing to get pregnant. It’s just… the idea of getting pregnant when we’re doing it, you know? The rush of the possibility of it happening. It adds so much more to it. We had sex in sorta kinda in public yesterday, and you cumming inside me knowing the pills weren’t fully working yet was a way~ bigger turn on.” Stella explains.

You rub your forehead after hearing that one. “Of all the fetishes, in all the kinks, in all the world; you had to fall into that one.” You reply, channeling your best impression of Humphrey Bogart.

“Besides, it’s a little easier for me to be Austin Powers and live dangerously when we have magic on our side. If there’s a Harry Potter spell for abortion, I’m pretty sure there’s one in that app of yours.” Stella tells you.

“I think that’s just a meme, Stella.” Cassie chimes in.

“Fetus Deletus? Didn’t JK tweet that at some point?” Stella asks, jokingly you hope.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she did. If she’s tweeting out that wizards used to shit anywhere and just clean it with magic, it’s not far-fetched that there’s a spell to abort a baby.” Cassie jokes back.

“I am NOT aborting a baby. Magically or otherwise.” You put your foot down. You close your eyes and take a deep breath to recollect your thoughts after that tangent.

“Okay. This is for both of you now, I wouldn’t mind being the father to your children. In fact, I’d be ecstatic to be that... someday… just not right now. Both of you still have your whole lives ahead of you. I wouldn’t want to take that away from you while you still have time to explore your options for your futures; because, trust me, when you have a kid… There's really only one future you have to start worrying about, and it isn’t yours. It’s your child’s.” You tell them.

Stella’s deep in thought after hearing your words. She heard it from you in a much weirder environment where she probably couldn’t process it much, but she seems to be taking the time to do it now. As for Cassie, she had a response ready that really hammers home why she’s being anxious about her fear of motherhood this early.

“We have our futures ahead of us, sure. What about you though? Are you not considering your future with us? I mean, if my anxiety over this does change only after I’m 30, what then? You’ll be closing in on 50 at that point. I just feel like, if I wait too long, you’ll be old enough to be our kid’s grandfather. I’m not sure I’d want that for you or our child.” Cassie points out, and you finally realize the ‘Youth and Love’ trait recommendation by the app.

It’s not for her.

She’s not concerned about her age.

She’s concerned about yours.