Men of few words

Message from the author:

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Hey folks. Thank you for your patience with me mapping out the chapter. It was a good think I took my time. With this, I could insert a chapter about our boy Ryan. I hid a few hints in there for you to discover but I hope the main point of his loyalty towards Finn and his newfound life is made clear enough.

And hey. It seems you lie Sonya as much as I do.

Meaning as a pleasure bot with a functioning mind, heart and soul. That means, as always with the "good boy" route, that Sonya can participate in life with Finn and his harem and is happy with the treatment as an AI tool for pleasure and service. She will find a place in the Lynchwood Home but can be taken outside and to social events where the "appear human" mode can be activated. But at home, she will happily be the subservient pleasure bot, taking orders and talking in the introduced way. For me, I'm quite happy this way. Thank you. :)

Now, thank you for the wait, and please enjoy...

Chapter 81

Care to leave your peaceful life behind for an epic adventure?

Yes, peaceful it is. Just one day after Rose decided that Sonya had apparently paid her debt, turning her into a living, breathing robot servant with a functioning mind and heart, I'm already on my way to my next adventure.

God, it sucks not having a driver's license, but Mom never saw fit to provide me with the means to become a functioning adult. Jasmine, of course, offered to drive me, but I decided that my family should spend the first day of the weekend integrating Sonya into our home and learning all her new "features". Everyone complied, except for Rose, of course, who wanted to spend time with Heather again. She said goodbye with a 'tell me when you are having fun,' though I don't know if she meant Ryan or Heather, whom she knows I activated. Either way, she doesn't seem to mind, and so I head towards the small but nice apartment that Ryan lives in. Unlike me, he lives alone in the former office space that the city has almost frantically converted into housing to cope with the growing number of low-income earners like Ryan and me who need a place to live in America's largest city. His "apartment" consists of little more than a large room, a small bathroom, and a sleeping alcove, but it's enough for him, me…

"Sage?"

And apparently a third person as well.

If she weren't so beautiful, I might have missed her, so depressingly is she sitting at a table in the Asian takeaway you have to walk through to get to Ryan's apartment. The traffic noise of the crowded evening streets almost drowns out my surprised exclamation, but Sage notices me and gives me a look that makes me stop short.

"Hey," she says almost inaudibly. Miss Wang, the older waitress at the takeaway, gives Sage a dirty look. Apparently, she hadn't ordered anything, but she sat down at the table anyway. It takes a particularly dark aura to get Miss Wang to leave a non-paying guest alone, but Sage ticks all the boxes.

"Everything..." But no. Nothing seems to be right. "What's the matter?" I ask shyly.

"What could possibly be the matter?" she asks, her voice cold and poisonous. She looks tired. Stressed. Annoyed. "I'm waiting for Ryan, and that moron didn't tell me he invited you too."

"Oh." I understand what's happening. "We meet up every third weekend of the month for a boys' night at his place," I explain. "You know. Games. Locker room talk." I try to grin, but the attempt to bring warmth into her world dies miserably on the cold New York sidewalk. "Well..."

"Listen, Finn," she says, her voice tormented. "Can you just fuck off, please? No offense... but..."

The old Finn's first thought would have been to obey. He wouldn't want to run into a girl like Sage, so full of energy and cold rage, in broad daylight. What would a wasted day with his best friend matter? Ryan has the right to other friends.

The Finn with the MCD would have felt anger as his first reaction. Ryan is his best friend, and he has power over bad bitches like Sage. A few tweaks to the MCD, a few choice words, and he would have dragged her into a dark alley and shown her her place.

But Sonya is proof, perhaps the final proof, that the old Finn, and also the Finn with the MCD, no longer exists.

I am the new Finn, MCD in hand and heart full of affection. Of course, I know her bad mood must have something to do with me. I'm merging the minds of two completely different people. Naturally, that drives someone crazy.

So I just smile patiently and don't care that my smile isn't returned.

"Come on," I try to nudge her in the right direction. "You're part of our group of friends." With that, I sit down next to her without asking. "What can I do to help? I can see that you..."

"Nothing," she interrupts. "No one's saying anything's wrong. Stop always thinking you can change things, okay?" Her words sound strained and unconvincing. Apparently, she doesn't even believe it herself, judging by the way she looks at me. The MCD said the two of them would be seeking my help.

"Then why are you sitting outside Ryan's door, waiting for him?" I smile, and her eyes widen. Up until now, she'd certainly been able to repel everyone with her cold demeanor.

"Because..." she starts to answer, but presses her lips together. I can see the urge to confide in me. It's also a little unfair, I have to admit. I know what's happening to her, but she doesn't. But Sonya isn't the only proof that I want to help her. I'm simply a good person. Still, she doesn't continue. And she doesn't have to.

"Because I invited her." Together, we turn around as Ryan strolls smiling through the chaos of the diner. He looks good. Apparently, he's dressed up for the meeting. But he's always looked better than me. With his trademark smile, he approaches Sage, who isn't moving, leans down, and takes her in his arms. Sage doesn't react... Her eyes are fixed on me. As our eyes meet, she turns away. "I thought our boys' night could include a few girls," he tells me with a grin.

"Works for me," I shrug and stand up. After a handshake, we look down at Sage, who seems determined to just leave.

But you don't know what's happening to you and you need my help, I think, feeling no particular schadenfreude for her situation. More than anything, I want to help her move forward on her path, increase her progress score, and... well...

Sage is a really beautiful girl. And I like her character. There's something dark inside her, but unlike Rose, who tried to hide her darkness, Sage tries to mask hers with a facade of icy emotionlessness.

Somehow, it makes me sad to see her like this.

How many beautiful moments has she already rejected and missed because she didn't want her true self to be seen?

Now I'm going to be the one to see it, I'm sure of it. And as Sage loses the battle against her dark emotions, huffs angrily, and gets up, I promise her and myself that I'll earn the moment she opens up to me.

"Whatever," she snorts and looks at Ryan. "But don't think for a second that just because you invited Mr. Joyful here, it was a good idea." Ryan and I both throw up our hands and laugh. It'll do me good to spend some time with him. Finally, someone I'm sure I won't feel the need to push my thingy in him... unlike with Sage. But yeah. It's important that I don't just surround myself with my harem girls. Rose is setting an example, and the way she "lets me cook" and takes care of her own life is just as good for her as it is for me.

"Wait," Sage says suddenly, turning to Ryan. He smiles apologetically while I don't quite understand. "You said some girls?" Her tone betrays that she's about to explode. Then her eyes wander away from Ryan, past me, behind me. I turn around.

And smile.

But I'm the only one smiling. Okay, maybe Ryan is too, but my eyes are fixed on Sofia, who's approaching us from a distance. Her gaze is averted, and the frozen expression on her face suits her even less than it suits Sage. Then she notices us standing around the empty table in the Asian diner... and flinches. Normally, whenever she sees me, she breaks out in a bright smile. Not today. Sofia stops and, like Sage did, seems to reconsider her plans. Hey arms sway a little while when she halfheartedly turns around, then back to us, then back around till she faces us again. She's cute. Maybe I should...

"Excuse me for a second," Ryan says, hurrying past me to Sofia. He waves apologetically to a honking taxi that would love to run him over, then hugs Sofia just like he did with Sage. Sofia returns the gesture but glares at us, looking glum. I wave invitingly, but wonder what my role here actually is. After all, I'm the only one who knows what connects the two girls and where their difficulties stem from. It's okay that they haven't approached me yet. It takes time to realize you're sharing your thoughts with another person. But the fact that I'm not the only one looking after these two pretty, slightly confused girls is somewhat disconcerting.

But that's exactly why I'm here, and seeing Ryan successfully persuade Sofia to take hesitant, negatively charged steps to join us is okay with me. Ryan just wants to help me, and in the end, I'll be grateful for that help.

"Fuck," Sage grumbles beside me, her anger held between her clenched, white, clean teeth. "I could puke."

"Then do it." I shrug goodheartedly and smile as the girls' eyes meet again. Sofia stops and looks at Ryan. The words "I can't..." drift over on the wind, but Ryan places a reassuring hand on her shoulder while I turn to Sage. "I know it can be hard with someone as different as you two," I confess in a low voice while Ryantalks to Sofia.

"She's so... And I'm... like... urgh!" I have to stifle a giggle. I raise my hand and place it on her shoulder.

"I know," I say with a cheeky grin as we watch Sofia nod her head in resignation.

Ryan Shaft. +4 (PS -40)

Then the two of them come over to us and it seems Ryan fulfilled his role as wingman, handing Sofia over to the group.

"I know..." I pat Sage on the shoulder, then Sofia is standing in front of me. She's trying to hide in her purple sweater, and she's so small, her head down and shoulders hunched forward, I can only see the tip of her cute nose.

"Hey Finn," she murmurs without looking at me. Then I take her in my arms. I feel her body tense up and let go quickly, but not too quickly. What's happening isn't just new, exciting, and full of uncertainty for Sage and Sofia. It's the same for me, and I don't want to do anything wrong. Admittedly, I don't really know what awaits me on their path either, but like with Sage, I want to get the best for Sofia. She's really sweet the way she tries to hide her feelings beneath a layer of shyness, but when I place my hand on her head and my fingers feel the fabric of her hoodie, it's as if she's tolerating me. A good sign… if Sage weren't pulling her body away from me.

There's your task, Lynchwood, I realize as Ryan clears his throat and leads us through the restaurant with the promise of "no more surprises." I walk behind the two girls at the end, nodding to Miss Wang, who seems glad to see the disgruntled girls leaving her restaurant, and prepare myself to be the link between two very different people this evening.

"You two can go upstairs," Ryan says, gesturing to them, then towards me. "You'll help me get some extra chairs from the storeroom." I nod and turn to the girls. Then I stop short when I see Sofia pull a key from her shirt pocket. "And you two won't try to burn the house down while Finn and I are working for you, okay?" For the first time that day, I see Sofia and Sage smile.

"Sure," Sofia says, and Sage flips Ryan the bird, smirking.

"We already know the way." Then the two of them disappear upstairs, Sofia into the elevator, Sage up the stairs to the third floor.

"Shit," Ryan murmurs. "They're not even sharing the elevator. Finn? Hey!" He nudges me. Because I wasn't listening.

I know the feeling. It's primal. I know it well. I've felt it often. My life is permeated by it. Directed at my family, my surroundings, my work.

Jealousy.

I know the feeling of seeing that something good exists, wishing it were mine, and yet not getting it.

Sofia's smile.

Sage's trust.

I know jealousy.

But not when it comes to Ryan... Till now.

"Finn?" We stand together in the dark corridors of the building's storage area. Wooden latches lock the small storage rooms while Ryan tries to unlock his with an old key. "You're not going to pounce on me now, are you?" he asks with an amused look that I can read perfectly. He knows me. I quickly shake my head.

"Why would I?" But he gives me that 'bro... come on...' look.

"Because I know what your type is," he says with a grin that, even though I know him, I can't interpret. Then he unlocks the small storage room and disappears inside. "The furious raging woman on the outside, the helpless girl on the inside?" I hear his voice as he pushes his way through the stack of crates. He shares the room with Miss Wang and struggles to reach the pile of old folding chairs at the very end. I stand in the doorway, absorbing the realization that, MCD or not, I'm probably not the brilliant mastermind I always thought I was. "And Sofia? If God existed, he would have created this sweet little thing just for you."

"Heh," I chuckle as I remember Lisa… and see the parallels between my girlfriend and Sofia. I gulp. "Well…"

"Ah!" Ryan exclaims, bending down. Then he huffs and pulls out an old chair, which he hands to me across the chaos in the small room.

"So what?" I ask, taking the chair. "I have a girlfriend. Lisa is perfect for me. And besides…"

"And besides, everyone can see the way you look at Rose," his voice emerges from the mess while I only see his back working. He speaks the truth as if he's making me realize that everyone knows I have a sweet tooth for candy. He comes up, the second chair in hand, and laughs when he sees how red my face is. "So what? If you're going to have a crush on your sister, why not have one who isn't related to you, right?" I say nothing as I take the second chair. "What does Lisa say about that?" And with that, he disappears back into the chaos, and I can't decide whether to be impressed or ashamed. Impressed because Ryan proves why he's my best friend. Ashamed because… for several reasons.

Ashamed because I didn't tell him the truth. Ashamed because I was wrong about not being jaleause of him. Ashamed because Sage and Sofia had already been to his place. Without me.

But mostly ashamed because I'm jealous that they smiled at him. And not at me.

"Lisa's okay with it," I finally say, admitting to myself that Ryan will probably be the next one to get to know my world. He's my best friend for fuck's sake. So what? They trust him. They're adults and can decide for themselves who they like. And it's not like they don't like me. Besides, if they've already been to his place, I've been busy with my girlfriends the last few days. I simply don't have the right to rule over so many pretty girls like a jealous tyrant. So I confess my new life to Ryan. "She and Rose really like each other." Ryan comes up with the third chair, lifts it, and moves his lean but muscular body through the chaos toward me, effortlessly holding the chair in his muscular arms above his head. Something else I have to be ashamed of. He's worked for his muscles, I'm the product of my girls' desires.

"More than just okay, I hope," he says, his eyes sparkling. "Lisa's so into you, even I can imagine what it must be like to have sex with her and Rose."

"Well..." I cough. "That... That isn't..."

"Come on," he smiles and stands in front of me, his backside half in the small room. "I know you well enough to know what's going on in your dick," he says, looking shamelessly between my legs. "More than before, huh?" I can only blink dumbly. Does he know about my Uber Cock? I mean, everyone sees my altered body and…

“Wait,” I realize. “What do you mean, that even you can imagine it?” But Ryan just shrugs. Then he nods behind me.

“So, here and now would be the perfect time to tell me the truth,” he says with a conspiratorial but inviting expression. And I have no idea what he means, but I can guess.

“Uh…” But Ryan waits patiently for me. I can’t get away from him, even though I’m the one blocking his way.

Maybe in more ways than one, I think to myself, and this time I actually feel something like shame. Sage and Sofia already belong to me, in a way. The MCD will make sure they come to me, even though they apparently get along well with Ryan. I don’t have the right to control them, since I already manipulate them to such a degree that my interference with Candice and Lynn becomes child’s play in comparison. Letting them choose their own friends is a small price to pay for having the power to change their lives so drastically. For the better. I already know that. But still. I'm changing their lives.

"Sofia is quite cute, I guess," I confess. "And Sage is... well..."

"So this truth," Ryan murmurs, shrugging as I look at him questioningly. Then he grins. "Sage can be pretty hot-blooded when she wants to be," he agrees, leaning casually against the wall. "The last time they were at my place, she almost burned the apartment down when she got angry." He chuckles. "But Sofia's just as fierce. She's a real fighter." Then he looks at me for a long time. Too long. And too intensely. Under his gaze, I feel small and... guilty.

“I’ve never been in this situation before,” I finally confess, confiding in my best friend. “I never thought life could be so easy and… perfect, you know?” He nods.

“And I’m here for it,” he tells me warmly. We stand together in the narrow hallways, three shabby chairs around us, both of us poor in money but rich in company. “You haven’t had it easy in life. And hey. Now things are going well.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. We would never do something like this in public. Too intimate. Too much vulnerability that society doesn’t allow. But here it’s okay, and we trust each other. “I’m happy for you, got it? Rose. Lisa.” He grins. “If I were in your shoes, I’d do the same. Take as much as I can and share none of it.”

“Ryan… I…” I shrug helplessly. "I know what I'm doing is immoral and..."

"And exactly what Lisa and Rose want from you. Fuck, they need it, and Finn..." He winks at me. "Lisa is my best friend, and if you disappoint her just because you think you have to swear loyalty to the sister you've loved your whole life, well..." He shrugs, but I understand. We share a look that says everything that needs to be said. "So what?" he asks, raising his fists in a playful fistfight. "Are we fighting for Sage and Sofia's affections like men of old?" But I just laugh and shake my head. No more jealousy.

"As far as I'm concerned, they can decide for themselves who they're friends with," I say, feeling mature and free. It's a strange feeling, but as a man, I feel like I'm doing the right thing by giving them the freedom to choose me. The MCD is already drawing them closer. "As far as her feelings are concerned, I wouldn't fight over that."

"It's probably for the best," Ryan says with a grin. "That would be a short fight."

"Why?" I ask, confused, as Ryan hands me two chairs and then carries the third himself. Together we walk back down the aisle to the store.

"Because they didn't stop talking about you for a single minute while they were at my place."

"Hehe," I chuckle.

"No, for real," he smiles brightly. "They came to me, well, separately at first but like today together, because they, well... I don't know." He fixated me with his eyes. "It seems to me they're a bit lost at the moment. With our friendship, I guess? Well, at least that's what they told me." I of course know what drives them but can't say too much.

"They're on opposite sides of the spectrum," I say. "Sure, it's hard for them to be in the same group of friends. All the differences in life and social skills."

"But these want to say with us" Ryan says, still staring at me with this strange look. "They want to stay because of you. Because they need you're advice."

"Well.." But he shakes his head.

"No. Finn. This is important. They came to me because they thought you had your hands full." She chuckles. "Hands full of tits and asses I know. But still. They need your help but didn't dare to ask for it. That's not okay for friends to do." He sounds committed. Hard words, clear truths. "They might smile at me, but that's because they know you will be here. That#s a fucking big commitment towards them that you made. And I want you to be there for them."

"I didn't made them..."

"Hey!" His exclamation makes me stop and turn around. We stand in the middle of the small corridor, chairs in hand, while I turn around. Well, halfway, the narrow aisle doesn't allow for more. "I mean it, Finn," he says in a low voice behind me. I've never seen him so serious, and as a man, I understand the difference between drunken vulnerability while talking about girls and the earnest honor that shines from his face when talking about these girls. What he says is the undeniable truth. "I'm your best friend," he tells me, the three chairs posing no obstacle between us. "Nothing in this fucked-up world will ever come between us. Not even a woman." He grins. "Or two." I grin.

"Sage and Sofia... Well..." I hesitate only because I know these words aren't really necessary. I'm showing vulnerability, Ryan is showing me respect.

"No worries, bro. They're yours. Or neither of us, if you prefer." He shrugs in that way I always find endearing about him. My house burned down? Oh well. As long as my dog ​​isn't dead... In this case, our friendship is the dog, and yes, he's alive and well.

I nod. I will take care of them.

He nods. I know bro.

Man. No words needed.

"Come on, you fucker," he snarls, good-hearted, and moves me down the corridor. "I want to get to them before our princesses start fighting."

"Say," I say without looking at him. “Care to join my girlfriends and me on a date sometimes?” He chuckles.

“As a third wheel?” I hesitate for a second.

The question of whether I'd let Ryan near any of my current (and, as we both know, future) girlfriends after this is purely academic. I trust him. Just as Sofia and Sage decide today, I'll leave it up to my other girls to decide how they want Ryan in their lives. It's not just about me. It's about all of us.

“As my best friend,” I say, feeling his smile on my back.

Then we head upstairs. To Sage and Sofia.

Message from the author:

Hey folks. First: How was your Christmas? Mine was actually very peaceful. I was alone. A quick meeting with my mom (dad is dead), Dr. House on Netflix, home-cooked goulash with black vinegar and mushrooms and... s'more? Is that what you call it? Comes from America. Cookies, chocolate and marshmallows in the oven. Pure sugar. Incredibly delicious. But I had the wrong chocolate. Too cheap. Too crumbly. But it was still delicious.

I hope you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did. Happy holidays to all of you.

I wrote this chapter in one day. I actually only wanted to write a short scene about Ryan, but it turned into an important chapter. I really needed to describe Ryan's character before putting him, Finn and the girls together. Above all, he poses no threat to Finn. Given that even Sonya got the good girl treatment (we'll see what you decide for Candice), I want to make sure I can fit Ryan in without creating any false feelings for him.

I can assure you that Ryan will not pose a threat to any of the relationships you want to have with any of the girls. He is a pure supportive character for Finn and his path ensures that he will only be a wingman.

Whether that means he will be completely removed from Finn's love life is a different matter.

As a supporting character, Ryan can be more than just a wingman for Finn. I would like to do more with their friendship. That would be my first male side character that I would include.

The way I see it, I won't give Ryan any scenes that are somehow trademark Finn, if you know what I mean. So nothing super cute or super sexy. This is reserved only for you. I see in him more an amplifier and I hope this chapter shows what I mean with that. What I want to achieve with Ryan is that he is there when he is needed. To solve a situation, relax or make it spicy. Just a wingman. I'm sticking to the poll that Ryan doesn't get any of the women portrayed here and soon you'll be able to decide more about him and his sexuality. The further I get into the planning of Act II, the more important Ryan becomes to the plot and I want to find ways to incorporate him into the story just as intensively as the other girls here, only, of course, not with the sexual consequences for Finn. At PS +0, Ryan's path will become sexualized, meaning that he feels sexual desire when he goes his path. So being Finn's wingman. So from then on I will integrate him more as a sexual being into the story. So what I imagine is to install him in a threesome/foursome. Finn, Ryan and one, two, three girls. Ryan also has good use as a preparatory character. As he did here in the chapter, he can be a kind of gateway to Finn for girls who are not particularly well disposed towards him. Furthermore, in the future, he will certainly be helpful in managing the harem. Sage, Sofia and Lisa are of course interested in pairing with Ryan, but the story will explore other possibilities, especially when we decide on his Freedom Score.

Let me hear what you think about Ryan after this chapter.

The next chapter will of course, be about Sage and Sofia and will be another attempt by me to depict a party. Then I will write more chapters for Ko-Fi.

As for our two mind-bonded girls... So I watched Wednesday's season two. You know, on Netflix. And I can say that I can recommend the series to anyone who wants to penetrate the minds of lonely women. Basically, season two, even more than season one, is a fantasy of women. I can be as mean, cold-hearted and selfish as I want, everyone still likes and respects me, even if I keep saying how great I am and still make so many mistakes. Don't get me wrong. I only watch the series for one thing anyway.

Enid in Season II strengthened my decision to give Sofia a larger role in the story. There is an episode in Season II (only one because everything is resolved far too quickly) in which Wednesday and Enid swap bodies. Cliché. But hey, I do something similar. In any case, Wednesday then behaves like Enid and vice versa. What I'm trying to say is that I'm completely Team Enid. Seeing Wednesday's lively and colorful behavior showed me that it's not the outside that makes a woman attractive to a man but her inner self. I think that was a big mistake on Netflix's part because they belittled Emma Myers even more in Season II than before. This episode showed what truly makes a woman, in a series that focuses on telling women it doesn't matter how they appear to those around them as long as they are happy with themselves. Well. In any case, it encouraged me to go my way with Sage and Sofia, albeit a little more emotionally than Season II did.

And hey. I had real big brother/daddy feelings at Enid's dance a few episodes later. Nothing sexual, which confused me, but moire like "Damn I'm proud of you girl! You go your own way!" She really is the MVP of the series. And I now have a hobby that Sofia can do to give her exactly the same independence that I'm writing to Rose at the moment. A life of her own outside of Finn and his harem, which she and Sage will of course join with desire and trust. Spoiler? I think not. :)

Have a great time and fly safe folks.