Getting along.

Leonardo sat at the table, watching silently as the conversation unfolded before him. They were all eating the empanadas he made, which were not all that different to the local meat buns. Beef empanadas are basically baked dough filled with finely chopped and heavily seasoned beef, onions, an olive, ¼ of a boiled egg and a single raisin per serving, though Leo wasn’t personally a fan of that last one.

“Valerie says you’ve traveled a lot,” Lucia said to Victoria.

“For work, yeah. Now that I’ve settled, I travel a lot less, but I still get old friends asking favors every now and then, making me go visit them.”

“Where are you originally from?” Seina asked, blowing on the inside of the empanada to cool it off.

“London. Ever been?”

“I’ve yet to travel outside of the country, sadly.”

“I’ve been there, though only for a few days,” Lucia said. “Lovely place, but I wish I could’ve stayed longer to get a feel for it.”

“I’d say you didn’t miss much, but even I don’t know the nicer places in London,” Victoria said. “And you all? Where are you from?”

“I’m a local, technically,” Lucia said. “Left the island after high school, went to university and then left the country to see what the rest of the world had to offer.”

“I’m from Tokyo,” Seina said. “Born and raised. And honestly? This place feels like paradise,” she chuckled. “I don’t think I can go back to all that noise.”

“Same,” Angela said. “I’m from New York. It’s unbelievable how quiet it is here.”

“I’m from Madrid, Spain,” Valerie said. “My neighborhood was pretty quiet, so this didn’t come as that much of a shock. It’s still a hundred times prettier, though.”

“Um… I’m from Sendai,” Kaede said. “But it’s a little difficult for me to compare the two places.”

“Hm? Why’s that?” Victoria asked.

“…I only ever left my house to go to school and university, and even then my mom drove me there. I was practically a shut-in before coming here, so I’m glad that it’s really quiet.”

“And you, Leo?” Victoria asked. “We know you’re from Chile, but little else.”

“Oh? Did I never say? I’m originally from Valparaiso, an important port city. It’s generally quiet since it’s not nearly as big as the capital, but it can get loud and hectic when important things happen. Then I spent two years in New York before I came here at Mrs. Wisler’s invitation.”

“Hm? Then you two knew each other?” Victoria asked, looking from Leo to Angela.

“Hey, New York is huge. Of course we didn’t. Though we did meet at the airport in Naha,” Angela said, then started laughing. “Holy shit, I remember now! I think a couple of dudes were trying to hit on me and I was about to beat them up before Leo stepped up, pretending like we knew each other and had me walk away with him.”

“I thought you were in trouble,” Leo chuckled. “Little did I know I was actually saving those two.”

“We parted ways there but ended up meeting again on the boat here. That was when we realized we’d both been invited by Mrs. Wisler… And that we both had the same problem.”

“…Yeah.”

It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it had only been six months. Back then, the sexual tension between them could be cut with a knife. They were both attracted to each other, they both wanted it, but were unable to be together. Instead, Leo had to focus his attention on Reiko, and though it wasn’t something he regretted in the slightest, it made sense that Angela’s feelings for him were so complicated.

He could never give her his full attention. Even during the times they were alone, Angela knew there was another girl, and knew there would have to be more. She accepted it because it was her only choice, but now… with their minds clear and with true freedom so close…

A heavy silence filled the room, everyone noticing that he and Angela were reminiscing about those days. Leo only realized it when he noticed he hadn’t taken a bite out of his own food yet.

“S-Say… Why did you get into MMA, Victoria-san?” Kaede asked, changing the topic. Bless her.

“Oh, you’ve probably heard this boring story a thousand times,” Victoria laughed. “I lived in a bad neighborhood. Running into people who’d get violent wasn’t strange, so as I got older I started getting into fights. Eventually I caught the eye of a professional trainer, said I had a knack for it. I had nothing better to do, so I started training. Then I won money from my first professional fight, and I had to admit I did have a knack for it. Started dreaming of becoming the best, but, well, some dreams just remain dreams. I had to settle for being third or fourth best in my category until I retired and started the gym with the old lady’s help. I owe her for that, which is what got this started and why I’m here right now. Weird how things go, huh?”

“I think being third best in the world is pretty amazing,” Kaede answered. “Especially if it’s something you enjoy.”

“It hurts a little more BECAUSE I enjoyed it,” Victoria said. “I really did want to be the best. I trained day after day for it, but didn’t make it. Sure, I wasn’t lacking in money, so you could say I had a very successful career, but… I didn’t achieve my personal goal. The fact that I know I did my best is salt on the wound, but you know what? If I went back in time I’d still do it again, even if the result was the same.”

Kaede’s eyebrows shot up. “R-Really?”

“That’s what it means to have no regrets. So at the risk of sounding preachy, let me say this: Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. Better to fail than live with constant thoughts of what could have been.”

Kaede looked down at the table, pursing her lips tightly.

“I can get behind that,” Seina said, sighing and resting her chin on her hand. “Doesn’t make it less terrifying.”

“Oh, for sure,” Victoria said. “But we only have one life, don’t we?”

“That we do,” Lucia answered, chuckling.

Due to the nature of the food making everyone eat with their hands, there weren’t that many dishes to do this time. Valerie and Kaede still volunteered to do it, telling Leo to go relax for the night.

He decided to approach Victoria, who was still sitting at the table having a chat with Seina and Lucia. A chat that stopped the moment he got close.

“What? Were you talking about me?” he asked jokingly.

“Please, dear. We were making plans to go shopping in Naha,” Lucia told him. “Those jeans Victoria is wearing are really nice, so we were wondering where she got them.”

“The problem with this island is that there’s the one clothing shop,” Seina said. “So you run the very likely risk of seeing five more people wearing the same shirt you are wearing.”

“And then those five people get depress because none of them can pull it off as well as this girl,” Victoria says, grinning and pointing to Seina with her thumb.

“Believe me, I LIVE with that fear,” Lucia laughed.

“…Now you’re just making me feel bad,” Seina said. “Well, I hate it but I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I’ll be turning in for the night. It’s been great to finally talk to you, Victoria. Make sure to keep your weekend free, alright?”

“Definitely,” Victoria said.

“I’ll be turning in as well,” Lucia said. “I’m sure you two have plans for the night.”

“…You seriously don’t mind?” Victoria asked carefully.

“So long as you don’t mind knowing that we did it all night yesterday,” Lucia shot back. “That’s how it works. Keep it honest, keep it civil, and we’ll all have a grand old time.”

Victoria smiled with relief. “That sounds right up my alley.”

“And on that note, you don’t mind us kissing him good night, do you?” Seina asked, standing up.

“How could I?” she laughed. “Go ahead.”

Perhaps it was to prove a point, but instead of approaching one by one, Seina and Lucia held him close at the same time, pulling him into a three-way kiss that was a little too wet and too deep to be a simple good night kiss.

“Night, Leo,” Seina whispered. “Love you.”

“Have fun,” Lucia said, licking her lips.

Leo chuckled and shook his head. “I love you girls, too. Good night.”

The two women retired. He kissed Valerie and Kaede good night as well, but Angela was nowhere to be seen. Had she gone to bed already? She didn’t look upset during diner, but maybe Leo hadn’t paid enough attention.

“So?” he asked Victoria. “Feel comfortable enough to stay?”

“After how much they’ve tried to make me feel welcome? It’d be rude to leave,” she said.

“Want to go to my room, then?”

“Mind showing me to the bathroom, first?”

“It’s right next to my room, actually.”

Leo led her to the bathroom and waited for her in his room, spreading the futon and undressing to his t-shirt and boxers. It would be the first time they’d do it in his bedroom, so he got a little self-conscious.

Victoria announced herself and knocked on the door. Leo allowed her to come in, but… much to his surprise, she wasn’t alone.

“A-Angela? What…?”

Angela took a deep breath, walked into the room and up to him. She stared into his eyes, focused, determined, and just a tiny bit afraid.

“Let’s get back together,” she said. Nothing more, nothing less.

Leo stood there, blinking as he let the words sink in. He looked past her to Victoria, who was completely unsurprised and could only sight and shrug with a wry smile. He turned his eyes back to Angela and let out his own, drawn out sigh.

“Just like that? Out of nowhere and with no build up? It’d be a terrible way to ask a person out if that person wasn’t totally into you already.”

“Why do you think I did it? I know you like that side of me,” she said, grinning confidently.

Leo chuckled. “Won’t deny it.”

She stepped closer and hugged him by the waist, resting her head next to his. “Sorry it took me this long, but I needed to confirm some things.”

He hugged her back. “Like what?”

“Like the fact that almost nothing’s changed since you and the others started this relationship. It bothered me a little, and I thought it would bother me more if I had to share. Maybe I just got used to it, but I think I’m ready to accept this for what it is.”

Leo took in a deep breath. “I’m really happy to hear that, but…” he looked to the waiting Victoria. “Are you sure this was the right time?”

Victoria chuckled. “She didn’t feel like just coming up to you and asking you out was enough, so she asked me if I was up for a threesome. Luckily for her, I am.”

“Seriously?” Leo asked, trying and failing to keep his lips from curling into a smile.

“You like it, she wants it, I’m curious. Why not?” She started undoing the buttons of her shirt, revealing the blue silk bra underneath and those beautiful, defined abs of hers.

“I told you I’d ask her, but it took me more than I thought,” Angela said.

“If you two are really okay with it, then I’m all up for it as well,” Leo said.

He saw it a chance. A chance to make it an amazing experience for both. And by now, Leo had some good experience with threesomes.

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