A quiet evening

Except for the occasional **** misstep, you and Felicia made it back to your apartment unscathed. Archer made the compelling case that walking around alone and tipsy late at night was not wise, and naturally suggested that she head back to your apartment to at least cool off before calling a cab or something. You and she both knew that a cab was not going to be called.

She slipped inside your apartment, and you followed behind. Excessive **** made the slim Archer wiggly, kind of like one of those inflatable tube-creatures at car dealerships. You watched her tumble over the side of your couch onto the cushions, where her arms seemed to drag behind her in the air instead of prepare her for impact, and you couldn't help but laugh a bit. "I'm glad you had fun tonight, Arch. I've missed this side of things with how hectic the semester has been."

Felicia lifted her hands in the air toward you, making grabby-hands like she wanted something. You knew that was your cue, so you tossed your jacket to the side and took a step forward, but Archer held a hand up to stop you. "Wait... wait."

You waited, and Archer just stayed frozen in place. "...wait for what?"

"Can you try a little thing for me? Just, sway your hips with each step. You kinda do it naturally like girls just do but I really wanna see you move like that." Felicia's head was half-buried in the pillow, and eyes half-closed at that. It's amazing that she was seeing anything at all, but you sighed and obliged, stepping back a bit, and then taking a slow step forward, pushing your hip outward to the opposite side with each stride. Archer just smiled, and waved you closer, and you closed the distance with the same seductive sway. "It's a start. We'll put you in heels and that'll really make it happen later."

"I, uh, do have some, courtesy of Emilia. I haven't tried more than a couple steps though." You took a seat on the couch near Felicia, and she gently tugged at you to lie down with her. Given your own buzzed situation, that felt like a good idea, as you lay down atop her, resting your arms on her chest, while you rested your head in your arms, staring down at her as she stared up at you.

Archer fidgets a little, finding your warmth intoxicating. You felt similarly, finding comfort in this contact with another person. Normally you'd be on the bottom with a petite girl atop you, but rarely did you do this kind of thing with anyone you didn't really care about. "Hey," Archer starts, as she bites her lip a bit. "Do you, uh... like me? Like, I mean, I think I feel like I pushed this thing between us maybe a little too hard, now that I think about it. I just got... I got really excited when I saw this version of you, I dunno. But I don't want you uncomfortable while it's all new and I'd understand if you don't want me making it worse."

You smiled a little, looking into Felicia's eyes. "Of course I like you, you know that. And, yeah, it's been... a learning experience, that's for sure. Sometimes it's hard to keep up. I don't mean with just existing like this, that I think I can do. Like I'm not worried about walking around outside like a girl. Just... I made some choices today and now who knows what's going to happen. I really thought I'd be just doing an hour a day like this, tops."

Archer shook her head slowly back and forth. "No, no don't do that. You're special like this, Jane. Like... I dunno how to describe it."

"I didn't think you were so into girls, Arch."

With another headshake, she focuses back on you. "I don't think I am. ...That didn't come out right. I like you. Like you are right now. I like that it's this body, but that it's your mind still in charge. That you're in there figuring this out. That you're so damn beautiful and new but also instantly familiar to me. If you were just another girl I met, I think we'd be friends? But I don't think I'd be like this. I can't figure it out myself... but. I'm not bisexual. I'm Jane-sexual."

Your face reddened a little, voice barely above a whisper. "Wow, that's... kinda beautiful. You're really different like this. But, I like this side of you too. And I am more than happy, Archer, to be right here with you, right now. Because I like you a lot, and if you want 'Jane' all to yourself, she's yours. I'm yours." You stretched upward a bit until you lazily hovered your face over Archer's, and leaned down for the gentlest of kisses. Her arms wrapped around you, cuddling you close like a teddy bear or something. This kiss was not one of passion, but just a declaration of your bond. When your lips separated, you leaned down to nuzzle your head against hers.

"...You know, though, Ramona is pretty great too. I think maybe John should give her a shot."

You almost choked on air when you forgot how to breathe for a moment, and lifted your head up. "What? Archer, what..."

"I mean it! She's cute, good body, I saw you eyeing her at the ballpark which had me a little jealous I'll admit, but if you were John in that moment I realized I wouldn't have cared. Hell, I'd have been all for it! Those two are fun, I like them and they like us. So if you were with her, I mean... as John, I'd be really happy for our little group to expand. And if Cierra's included, then that's even better, four's a good number for a group."

You slid back down Archer's body, your head coming to rest on her chest as you looked over at the TV. It was off at the moment, but you could see a faint reflection of you and Archer relaxed upon one another. "I mean, I guess... I just don't want things to be awkward between you and me if that was also happening. I think I don't want to, uh, interrupt this thing we have now."

It was dawning on you just how much you were enjoying your time with Archer. If she wasn't in the picture and you were just trying to figure things out on your own, you doubt you'd have been even remotely as happy as you were now.

"...You could date that softball psycho instead if that's more what you wanted?"

You snorted a little. "McCall's body is the only nice thing about her. I wouldn't have said yes to any of her offers."

"What did she even offer you?"

"Anything I wanted," you said, nuzzling in a little more before you reached out, grabbing the remote to the TV and turning it on to some action movie with the volume on low, just for some ambience. "She said I could have her do anything with her body."

"That's a hell of a deal. You sure you don't want to give up softball for an offer like that? ...I'm kidding!"

You rolled your eyes. "I doubt she would've been serious. She just wanted to do something to hurt me, and if it didn't work then she would've been gone. You know, this would be a lot simpler if you and the other half of me had this same sort of connection."

Archer sighed. "I know, I know. I thought about that earlier. But it's like... there's just nothing there. Even back when we tried to make it work, I think we both knew we were just going through motions. I mean I'd take a bullet for you either way, but for different reasons. And it's not like I want you to stop being John because that's an important thing between us too, just... it's like what Ramona said. You're like a configurable friend, you can fill two purposes and that's something really exciting. I just don't want you to feel limited to one or the other to make me happy, or to just be happy yourself. Just consider it, because I'm serious when I say I'm fine with you doing whatever as long as I get to be with you when you're like this."

"I don't think I've ever had such a serious conversation with you, Arch."

A hand came up to rest on your head, hugging it to Archer's chest. "Don't get used to it. Alternately, buy me beer more often." She looked like she wanted to say something else, but stopped herself.

The two of you lay together for a while more, and you only briefly broke the cuddling to grab a blanket to drape over the two of you. It wasn't long before you two both passed out, drifting into a beer-aided sleep together.