A romantic detour, and some frightening revelations.

Chapter 3 – Putting a Plan Together (continued)

Author’s Note:
This chapter contains a character having a bad stress reaction to past trauma.

“I think you should get the mental alerts perk.” Chloe advised from the passenger seat once they were driving. “And that should also leave you enough points to get a branching effect or two if you need one.”

“Okay, I’ll do that. Now, I won’t be able to text you directly about the app, and I’m not sure the ward will even let us talk about it over the phone, so we’re going to have to figure out more time to hang out so we can discuss things in person.”

“I have no problem with that. Hey, it’s probably a bit late for a movie, did you want to go hang out at the park on seventeenth for a bit before driving me home? There’s something I think I need to tell you before we get too much further with this.”

“Yeah, we can do that.” He made a mental map in his head and turned left at the next traffic light to head in the indicated direction.

“So, other than Kate, the twins, and your boss, are there any other girls you’ve learned exciting things about since getting your app?”

Jason blushed.

“Oh, spill!” She grinned eagerly.

“Well, I mentioned I’ve been flirting a little with Heather, and I awakened the lust attitude for her profile. I didn’t put an amplifier on it, but it has gone up a little bit. She’s also got special traits for cocktease and drama queen.”

“I could have told you those!” She giggled; a bit of an uncharacteristic sound coming from her.

But then Jason sobered a little. “Also… I learned some things about Alex.”

“Oh? Anything interesting?” She paused, looking more closely at his face. “Nothing bad, is it?”

“I guess that depends what you consider bad. Her special traits are ‘fantasy crush’ and ‘taboo kink’.”

“Oh.” Chloe looked surprised this time. “So you mean, she has a crush on you, but it’s a fantasy…?”

“The description said something about me featuring in her sexual fantasies, if I recall correctly.”

Her eyes went wide. “Wait, is she into ****?”

“It’s not that specific. I’m pretty sure she fantasizes about **** with me at the very least. I don’t know if just the fantasy is a turn on, or if she would actually be interested in intimacy with me, but her lust score definitely fluctuates when I do things that catch her eye.”

“Not gonna lie, the thought of you and her getting all frisky gets me a little hot.” Chloe admitted, and Jason wished he wasn’t driving so he could stare at her in shock. As it was, his mouth still hung open as he glanced at her repeatedly while trying to focus on the road. “What? You’ve always been a looker, and she’s pretty cute too.”

“Didn’t you insist you’re not bi?” He asked.

“Yeah, but I know a hottie when I see one.” Jason still looked skeptical, “Come on, you can’t tell me the idea of me and Lynn together doesn’t sound hot?”

“That’s different.”

“Why, because we’re both girls?”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“That’s a little sexist.” She teased.

“I know… But I mean, if nothing else, you two couldn’t accidentally make a baby…”

“Well, you and Alex having a baby might be a turn on too, but that’s probably better left as a fantasy than something we should actively aim for. For, well, obvious reasons.”

“I bet you wouldn’t find me with my brother or my cousin sexy.” Jason added after a moment.

“You’d lose that bet.” Chloe retorted with a grin.

“What the heck, Chloe? First of all, Leo is only sixteen, and secondly, I’m one hundred percent positive I’m definitely not bi.”

“Well, we can wait a few years before considering anything with Leo, and John is the same age as you. Besides, I’m not really thinking about you directly with each other, more like you teaming up on a girl or girls.”

“Oh.” Jason looked a little sheepish, but decided to give the idea a fair shake before dismissing it. “Well, when Johnny gets back from his deployment, I guess I could consider it, if he was interested. Though he’s never needed the help of a magic app to get laid.”

“Which just means he’d probably be easy to convince.”

They finally pulled into the parking lot adjacent to the park she’d directed him to. The walkways in the park were level with the asphalt, so there were a few spots where a small enough car could get between the cement parking barriers and drive right up onto the grass, which is what Jason did before turning off his engine and turning to his best friend, now sort of his girlfriend.

“Well, we’re here.” He observed unnecessarily.

Chloe took off her seat belt and turned to face him folding her left leg under her on the seat. “I’ve never told anyone before, not even Lynn.” Chloe began, looking down.

Jason unbuckled his seatbelt and mirrored her posture.

“The summer after I turned sixteen…” She choked suddenly, and stopped talking.

“That’s when you got your tattoos, right?” He prompted her.

She nodded, “Yeah, it was. And… you know what, maybe I’m not quite ready for this. Let’s just put a pin in this, okay?”

Jason nodded, though he felt a swell of concern for whatever she might have been about to tell him. “Should I take you home then?”

But Chloe shook her head, “Not yet. As long as we’re here, there’s one more thing.” She pushed her seat back as far as it could go and lowered the back as flat as it could reach before getting up on her knees, crouching against the ceiling and motioning him closer. “Lay down on the seat.” She instructed.

Jason blinked at her, trying not to stare at the enticing amount of cleavage her position put on display down the front of her sweater and tank top, but quickly did as she asked, though it was a cramped space for two people as tall as they were, eventually he was on his back and Chloe knelt down, straddling his lap, her skirt riding up almost to the very tops of her thighs.

Jason kept his hands at his side for the moment as Chloe stared into his eyes, shifting around until she was comfortable, her face in her hands, and her elbows on either side of his ribs just under his arms.

“So uh, what now?” He asked, wondering what she was after, and hoping it was what he thought it might be.

“I’m not going to have sex with you, Jason.” She told him matter-of-factly, and he swallowed around the dry lump in his throat. “But I really want to kiss you. But before I do, I want you to officially make that promise we talked about.”

Jason was quite hard, and knew should could feel him against her beautiful ass and crotch, but she was being serious, and so he did everything in his power to give serious consideration to what she’d asked. “Okay, I promise that while you and I are dating, that I won’t use that as an excuse not to take advantage of any opportunities I might have to do things with other girls, and I’ll do my best not to feel guilty about it, knowing that it’s what you want, and you’ve given me express permission. I do genuinely want to see where these things will go, especially with the twins. If nothing else, I want to get them to confess the truth, and see if they really truly do feel sorry for what they did. As for Allison, I’m less sure. I think she’s hot, but I don’t want to just be used by her. And I really don’t want my first time to be with her.”

“Wait, you’re still a virgin?” She sat up a little, almost bumping her head on his roof.

“Um… yeah.” He admitted, suddenly blushing again.

“Oh. Okay, then we’re definitely not having sex tonight.” She said firmly. “Your first time needs to be special, and preferably with another virgin.”

“Are you…?” Jason started, but Chloe quickly shook her head.

“Not since… damn, I’m sorry, I can’t say it…” She looked self-conscious.

Jason was quick to reassure her, “It’s fine, you don’t owe me an explanation if you don’t want to tell me. I won’t push for details or anything.”

Chloe shifted around, and bit her lip, deep in thought.

“So no sex. Do you still want to kiss?”

Chloe nodded, turning her attention back to his face. She moved up a bit to plant her hands above his shoulders and hover right over his face, then slowly lowered her lips to his. The first touch was careful, and hesitant, and soft. Her lips were dry and waxy, and his weren’t much better, but he let his tongue out to wet his lips and hers then deepened the kiss as Chloe moaned into his mouth. He placed his hands on her hips, and she stiffened momentarily, before taking his hands one at a time with her own and moving them up to her waist, where he felt a narrow strip of skin between where her sweater had ridden up and the waistband of her skirt.

She leaned into him, putting a bit more of her weight on him, and deepened the kiss, meeting his tongue with her own. She groaned through her nose, breathing heavily and eliciting an answering groan from him as their lips pressed together, their tongues danced, and they gasped in breath through their noses and between the frequent gaps in their kisses.

“MMMnnggahh!” Chloe murmured when she finally broke the kiss. She was panting hard, her pupils blown wide as she leaned her forehead against his. “This…” She licked her lips, her voice cracking, “God this is so hot…!” She whispered.

Jason couldn’t agree more, and leaned up a little to try and recapture her lips. She pulled back briefly, startled, but then pressed into him again, sucking on his tongue when he pushed into her mouth once more.

He whimpered in protest when she pulled back again far too soon, but didn’t move to stop her as she sat up as well as she was able, her head and shoulders hunched against the ceiling. “Jason.” She said huskily, licking her lips again, “I’m… I’m going to try something, you just lay back, and enjoy. No touching on your own, okay?”

“I want to touch you so bad.” He said, flexing his eager fingers at her waist, but he didn’t move his hands.

“I know. I want you to touch me too, but you have to promise me, okay?” Chloe looked ****, and a little afraid, so Jason nodded, and then gasped, his eyes going wide as she, almost without warning, hooked her hands under the hem of her sweater and dragged both it and her tank top up over her head. Jason didn’t dare move, his eyes trying to memorize the red-brown expanse of her exposed torso, her breasts perky with chocolate nipples in the middle of quarter-sized areola hardened into little nubs.

Chloe’s shirt got caught as she tried to pull her head out, her braid still tangled up in the material and she growled under her breath, her face mostly hidden. “You okay?” Jason asked, fighting down the urge to lend a hand.

“I’m… fine… This shirt… Is not!” She finally yanked the offending material free, and managed to toss it somewhere in the back seat of Jason’s car, leaving her bare from the waist up, though her braid was just a little frazzled from the effort.

She was hyperventilating now, her chest expanding and contracting rapidly as she sat on top of him, sliding down a little until she was once more sitting on his lap. She stayed there, poised above him, her eyes shifting wildly like she was looking for an escape. But Jason stayed exactly where she’d told him, and gave her all the time she needed to calm down, and become comfortable with the situation.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Shut up, Jason.” She snapped, closing her eyes, only to immediately open them again. “This is hard for me, but you’re doing great.”

He wanted to ask questions. He wanted to understand why she was finding this so difficult, but he figured she would tell him when and if she was ready, though his own arousal was struggling to stay at the same frenzied level it had been at the start of all this. The last thing he wanted to do was let her down when she finally overcame whatever hang-ups she was experiencing.

Note:
The following scene contains a severe stress reaction. Feel free to skip to the next note if this kind of thing bothers you.

Then, without warning, Chloe shifted her position, brought her hands to take hold of his, and pulled them up from her waist, planting them on her breasts. Her dusky mounds were just big enough that he could cup one in each palm, with enough soft flesh left over to bulge slightly between his fingers. He flexed his fingers, squeezing slightly, and Chloe gasped and began to tremble. The sound elicited a surge of arousal in Jason’s body that hitched his breath and pooled right in his crotch, which seemed to thrust upwards of its own accord, grinding his arousal right up into his girlfriend through his shorts and slacks and her stockings and panties.

But Chloe’s gasp turned into a shout, “Stop!” She cried, “No, stop! I can’t!” She surged away from him, banging her head on the ceiling and tearing his hands away from her chest so savagely that his fingers left thin white marks on her brown skin.

“I need out!” She cried, twisting around and lunging at the door, banging her shoulder and head against it. She clawed at the door handle, which appeared to stick as Jason scrambled to push away from her as much as he could while she still knelt over him. “Open the door, Jason! Open the god-damn door!” She screamed, yanking the handle repeatedly in her hysterical panic.

Jason decided alacrity was more important than remaining gentle now, so he twisted and pushed against her enough to reach across to the driver’s side door and hit the unlock switch. In an instant, the passenger door was shoved open and Chloe tumbled out and into the grass.

“Oh god!” She cried and whimpered, crawling on her hands and knees as Jason got up out of the car and stood, helplessly, wishing he knew what he could do for her. Wishing he understood what the hell was going on.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” She intoned over and over, finally getting her feet under her and wrapping her arms around her naked torso. She walked away from him and his car for several yards, then turned left, walked a few more paces, then turned around and went back.

“Shit, shit, shit!” She interrupted her own monologue with a hiccup, but then started right back up, repeating the same word again and again.

“Chloe.” Jason began, looking around to see that they were still alone, though the noise was certain to draw attention their way if she kept it up much longer.

But Chloe didn’t respond to him. So he repeated her name, louder this time, “Chloe!”

She paused, and looked at him, but then raised her hands to her hair, exposing herself to his gaze once more. Were the situation different, he was certain he’d have found the sight incredibly hot. But he couldn’t be aroused by her distress.

“Talk to me, Chloe.” He pleaded. “Tell me what’s wrong?!”

“I can’t! Fuck, I can’t!” She said, and something in her broke, and tears began flowing for the first time. “God, Jason! Nothing’s wrong! Don’t you see? Nothing fucking happened?!” She sobbed, and fell to her knees.

Jason started to take a step forward, but then stopped himself. He didn’t know if trying to hug her would help or make things worse.

“How can nothing be wrong?” He asked, trying desperately to understand.

“Because it is!” Chloe whined in a raspy tone. “Oh god, everything’s fine!” She wailed, then quieted, and rocked on her heals, holding her head in her hands.

Jason turned away from her, and crawled into the back of his car, searching around until he found Jenny’s sweater and Lynn’s tank top, noticing that the latter was ripped under one arm. He turned back and approached Chloe slowly, trying to make enough noise that she couldn’t miss his approach, but not so much as to startle her. When he was just a few feet away, she looked up at him, and he held her clothes out to her. She rubbed snot from her upper lip, and tears and smudged makeup from her cheeks, then reached out with a trembling hand to take the proffered garments.

Note:
The severe stress reaction ends here. In brief summary, Chloe freaked out, had to leave the car, and eventually began to calm down, and Jason brought her her clothes, but she has insisted that nothing is wrong. There is still some milder reaction ahead, but the worst of it is over.
Enjoy.

“Thank you.” She whispered, clutching the sweater and tank top to her chest before reaching out to him again. He took her hand, and she used it to pull herself to her feet. Then she put her arms through the sweater and pulled it carefully over her head, not bothering with the tank top, and leaving her braid trapped down the back as she moved back toward the car.

Jason stepped to one side, giving her as much space as she could want, then went around to the driver’s side as she sat down on the passenger seat and levered it back into an upright position.

“I’m really sorry.” She mumbled, her voice hoarse.

“No, it’s fine. I should be sorry. I’m the one who couldn’t control myself when you told me to stay still.”

Chloe shook her head, “No, I expected too much. I didn’t think it’d be this fine.” She smacked her face with her palm. “Fuuuck!” She growled. “I thought I was just…” She sighed, and slumped down in the seat.

“I’m sorry, Jason. Please don’t blame yourself?” She pleaded with her eyes, puffy and red and still shining with unshed tears.

“I… I’ll try.” He said, still feeling pretty rotten, not sure if his answer was honest in this instance, but he couldn’t deny her.

“I wish you would… talk to me.” He whispered.

He was surprised when she answered what he’d thought was perhaps too quiet for her to hear, “I can’t. I wish… but it’s fine. Nothing happened…” She sighed, “Shit…”

“See, you keep saying that but, it’s obviously…”

“Please don’t…” She said, sniffling, and Jason felt immediate remorse.

“Fine, I won’t ask. But I wish you could let me know somehow. Even if you can’t say… whatever it is that you can’t say.”

They sat in silence for a moment, and Jason pushed his hand into his pocket to retrieve his keys, but when he looked up, Chloe was staring at him, a hopeful look in her eyes.

“Jason…?” She said in a soft anxious voice.

He looked at her, and she held his gaze, then glanced down, “Jason, take out your phone.” She asked.

He blinked, but then did as she asked, turning on the screen, then glancing back at Chloe for further instruction. “Go to the perks list.”

Jason opened the MRE app, and navigated to the perks menu, then met Chloe’s gaze again. “There, that one there, near the top.” She tapped his screen with one grass-stained finger.

“Reveal hidden traits?” He asked.

Chloe nodded, “There’s nothing, it’s fine.” She told him, but immediately added, “Buy it.”

Jason was getting more and more confused, but he tapped the perk then clicked the button to purchase it. “Whose profile?” He relayed what the app was asking him to select next.

“None… no profile… Shit! Chloe.” Her eyes widened and she repeated herself, “Chloe Yazzie!” She said, breathlessly.

“Uh…” Jason was feeling lost, but he found her name at the top of the list, and opened her profile. “It says… forty one points.” He relayed the cost to her.

“There’s nothing. Buy it please.”

Jason groaned, wishing she wasn’t being so cryptic, but recognizing that something strange was going on, and willing to indulge her. A quick glance showed he somehow had accrued a total of 215 energy, more than enough for the perk she’d asked him for.

He confirmed the purchase, then quickly navigated to Chloe’s profile, gasping when he saw the sheer volume of changes.

Chloe Yazzie

Relationship: Boyfriend, Co-Conspirator, Gaming Buddy

Prominent Attitudes (out of 100): Loyalty 89 (+2), Friendship 74 (+4), Affection 68 (+3), Lust 59 (+46), Trust 58 (+9), Playfullness 43 (+2), Protectiveness 42 (+1), Love 37 (+7)

Special Traits: Confidante, Partner in Crime

Hidden Traits* (Revealed): Deeply Rooted Trauma, Self Loathing, Taboo Geass

Active Effects: Reveal hidden traits and details.

Temporary Traits: **** Lust, Despair, Glimmer of Hope

He wasn’t sure where to start, but the revealed traits seemed most immediate. “Taboo Geass?” He wondered aloud.

“That’s nothing.” Chloe said, trembling again, but then covered her mouth and just stared at him, pleading with her eyes.

He hovered his finger over the revealed trait, and she nodded several times, still holding both hands over her lower face.

“This person has been enchanted by a magical geass that prevents them from revealing information that the spell caster does not wish them to reveal. This spell can be unraveled with energy through branching effects or through certain rituals and spells.”

“You’ve… been enchanted?” Jason glanced at her, and she let out a sob, but also smiled behind her hands, as fresh tears trickled down her cheeks and she nodded vehemently. “You can’t talk about it.”

She nodded again, still covering her mouth.

“Holy shit!” Jason swore, and Chloe continued to nod. “But this is different than the warding masque. Different but… also similar. It says I can ‘unravel’ it with a branching effect.” Chloe’s eyes widened and she nodded some more, so Jason backed out of her profile, navigated to the branch effects, and searched until he found ‘Unravel Enchantment’, with a cost of ‘varies’.

He selected it, and then selected Chloe’s profile again, and tapped on the Taboo Geass trait. “Fuck!” He let out.

“Something… what?” Chloe asked, finally releasing her hands.

“Base cost is ninety nine points, or three hundred sixty points to ‘unravel secretly’. It says that second option prevents the spell caster from becoming aware their spell has been unraveled. But I don’t have enough for that option.”

“It’s fine!” Chloe said, but then shook her head, “I mean… You don’t have to… Uggh!”

“I’ll save up for the secret option.” He assured her, and she smiled, nodded, and sighed.

Jason closed the app, and slumped in his seat. “I guess we’ll have some things to talk about when I’ve got the points.” He said, feeling emotionally exhausted.

“Not really…” Chloe said then groaned. “It’s fine.” She said again, shaking her head. “I’m tired.”

Jason chuckled, “Yeah, me too. But, I’m glad that we have something to work toward.”

Chloe leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and waved her hand in his general direction.

“I love you.” Jason said softly after a moment.

Chloe gasped, and turned to stare at him, then smiled. “I love you too.” She said, and almost immediately she looked happier. “God, I can say I love you!” She giggled. “I love you, I love you, I. Love. You!” She gasped, bouncing subtly in her seat.

Jason smiled back, “I’m glad.” She turned a bit more toward him, and leaned across the gap between the seats, and placed a kiss on his cheek, bracing one hand on his thigh. “Kiss me, just a little.” She asked.

He nodded and turned to face her as well, and brought one hand to her face, cupping her still damp and sticky cheek, smudging her makeup a little further before bringing his lips to hers. This time, her mouth was already damp, and he kept it light, just caressing her lips with his, and then after a few moments, withdrawing.

“I’m glad I can at least kiss you.” She whispered, her forehead against his nose.

“Me too.”

“Why are your pants wet?” She asked, shifting her hand, and bringing her fingers to her nose.

Jason looked down, and noticed a fading damp spot on his slacks, but it didn’t look like he’d creamed himself. It looked like it had been smeared along his front, including the bottom of his shirt. “I don’t think that’s me…” He muttered, and turned to see Chloe’s eyes widen once more.

“Shit!” She withdrew to her seat and pushed a hand under her skirt.

“What are you…?” Jason’s eyes grew wide.

“Shit…” She said again, her hand returning into view, glistening with fresh moisture.

“That’s from you?!” He gasped.

“Yeah, it’s…” She sighed, “I thought I was padded enough.” She added, grumpily.

“Enough for what?” He asked still feeling exhausted from everything that had happened since they’d arrived at the park.

“I suppose I’d have had to explain this eventually. Have you ever heard of hypersexuality?” Chloe settled down, embarrassed, but determined. Jason shook his head, “It means my body gets aroused and prepares me for sex really easily. I’m basically wet nine hours a day, most days.”

“Oh…” Jason blushed.

“No. Not ‘oh’! It’s not sexy! It’s not hot! It’s fucking inconvenient. My cunt is sticky, sore, and in pain, nearly all the time. And apparently when I make out with my boyfriend for the first time I leak all over him even through several layers of underwear and absorbent padding.”

“I see…” Jason continued to blush, and felt himself stiffen, despite trying very hard not to.

“For fuck’s sake.” Chloe said, glancing down at his reawakened erection. “Well, I’m glad you’re getting off to this.” She muttered.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.”

“I know.” She sighed. “I’m an effing nymphomaniac who hates sex. Some girlfriend I’m turning out to be.” She beat the back of her head against the headrest a few times, closing her eyes once more.

“You’re an amazing girlfriend whether or not we have sex right away.” He assured her. “What other girl would have been not only understanding about a magical harem app, but downright encouraging of me using it?”

He offered her a smile, and when she opened her eyes and looked at him, she smiled back. “Well, I guess that’s something. That’s part of why I want you to be with other girls. They can give you what I can’t. And it’ll really turn me on. And if I can’t have sex with you, I can at least get myself off to you telling me all about your other girls.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to understand a bit better.” He smiled lovingly at her, then suggested. “Hey, you should come with us to Uncle Arthur’s cabin next weekend.”

“Doofus!” She swatted his arm. “I’m already coming to that. You and Alex invited me ages ago, did you forget?”

“Uh yeah, I guess I did.” He rubbed his neck sheepishly.

“It’s okay, I forgive you.” They smiled at each other for a moment then Chloe said, “Maybe. Maybe you should drive me home now. I’m gonna have to figure out how to explain to Lynn and Jenny how and why I ruined Lynn’s tank top and Jenny’s stockings.”

“That could be an awkward conversation.” Jason chuckled, turning the key in the ignition as Chloe buckled her seatbelt.