Chương 995: Day Nine Hundred And Ninety-Three

Dear Diary, Y'know, back in the day... Shit, I just almost unironically called my first Season here 'back in the day'. Shit. Well, okay, my second season here, but only like a couple Days into it, what with what I was thinking about being Bill telling me I was obviously the guy in Saffron and my relationship. Because of the whole 'forgot our anniversary in less than forty-eight hours' thing. So much to unpack there.

Which, y'know, is why I have this Diary, among other things, because while I really do think it helps to have someone listening, maybe redirecting me when I get too spiraly, helping me find words, keeping me from heading down slippery slopes like a slip and slide, and generally keeping me on task for a value of 'on task' which is examining my beliefs and actions and emotions in a way that leads to maturity and growth rather than self-abuse, I think this is important too.

This meaning putting in the work, each and every day, to pick apart my own beliefs, to think about why I think the way I do, to unpack the bullshit caught in my internal filters. Okay, to unpack everything caught in those filters, because while some of it is bullshit, which needs to be folded into the soil or the compost to enrich it, other stuff is toxic garbage that would poison anything grown in that soil, and some things are valuable gems that somehow got caught up in the bullshit.

Shit, sometimes the gems are maybe toxic, but still valuable if seen as object lessons or some shit like that. At any rate, even here and now, which is remarkably accepting of both same sex and multiple partner relationships, still has prejudices. Like Bill's assumption that the 'guy' is gonna be the one who is forgetful about anniversaries. Or my own maybe ongoing assumption that the submissive partner is the 'bitch'.

Which, y'know, woof woof and all, but even there most of the times one of us has 'ordered' the other to do something, it's been something we want to do, something we think we should do, but something that guilt or doubt or hesitation is keeping us from doing.

Yeah, some of those things wound up traumatizing me, and I'm pretty sure some of them wound up traumatizing her, but they also wound up creating a world where kids are learning calculus instead of how to keep their stomachs from rumbling by sucking on rocks and drinking water with 'clean' dirt in it. Yeah, I figured it out, that's what Mor-Mimic Calculations are. Calculus.

Found that out yesterday when, after an evening of hymns and welcoming Furtim to the congregation, not to mention a morning pick-me-up Stabilize for Saffron, she joined me teaching Math to the kids. Okay, she taught what I sort of recognized as Calculus to a couple of the older ones, while I did basic Arithmetic and Algebra with the rest. Or 'Variable Equations', since apparently Islam never happened here and now. I'm entirely uncertain how to feel about that.

Might have to figure it out if I ever get over to the Middle East. At any rate, I've been here and now long enough that I kinda feel like a different person to who I was when I arrived. Not in any kind of mystical freaky way, either, just in the sense that I can tell I've grown up. I can tell that it's been a process, and while now and then some trauma has knocked some old congealed stuff loose and made me look at it, in general the trauma itself wasn't what made me change, grow, or mature.

Healing from the trauma did that, and even then the only reason trauma helped in any way was when it broke some kind of coping mechanism I had for earlier trauma. Kind of like rebreaking a bone that's set wrong. Or reopening a wound that's scarring badly to re-suture it so it'll scar less cripplingly. The fact that I've had both of those things done to me by my magnificent Murder Mittens Marie is not something I'm likely to forget any time soon. That I trusted her to do exactly what I needed and no more.

That she did it without hesitation, guilt, or unnecessary cruelty. I'm really not sure what to think about the fact that I apparently think sometimes cruelty is necessary, but I am certain that I'm not going to do a deep dive on that right now. Mostly because at the end of the school day yesterday, Karen stopped by the classroom in her Academy Uniform.

"I'm ready to go." Took me by surprise.

"Coming with us tonight?" She smiled.

"Well, you'll need a babysitter tonight, yes?" Definitely proof that my Reason and Memory have improved, even if my pernicious unmedicated ADHD makes me waste most of the processing power and storage space, that before she could say anything else I remembered that today was our wedding anniversary. Mine and Saffron's and Marie's. I turned to Saffron and said, "can you get Marie home?" She smiled and shook her head.

"I'll pick up the food from the kitchens. You collect our Wife. You're the one who can pull all of her back if she balks, after all." I snickered, then sighed.

"Yeah, I really hope I don't have to do that."

"Why not?"

"Eh." I shrugged.

"I want to think she wants to be there to celebrate with us."

"Oh, she does. But it's nice to be manhandled a little to our own benefit now and again." That caught me.

"Really?" She leaned up to my ear.

"Remember that first time with Siobhan?" Heat crept across my cheeks.

"Uh. Yeah. Okay, I don't remember all of that last bit."

"Regrets regarding that?"

"Aw, hell nah." So along with making me blush, Saffron brought home dinner while I jumped to the Academy kitchen, scooped up Marie, kissed her as the other Maenads were still reacting to my sudden appearance, and said, "sorry, ladies. I'll be stealing her away for a bit." Definite sign of progress that all of them smiled at me. Some of them purred. I think I saw at least one reach for their belly and look at Marie's.

Wasn't planning on expanding the kit count, but still, that lit a slow burning fire as I tugged at the rest of the Maries. She grinned at me as she resisted.

"You gonna come quietly, or do you want me to force you?" Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Enunciating carefully as her grin widened, she replied, "No. And Yes." I am only Human-Adjacent. All but one of her collapsed to the central seat at our table in the Dining Room. That one did not come quietly, but she did come quickly. Kinda violently, too, but then, Marie.

Meanwhile Saffron slid a steak big enough for all three of us in front of Marie before settling down on her other side.

"Did you just start without me?" I put on my best shifty-eyes as I sliced up the steak.

"Uh, pre-gaming. Just warming her up. Getting her loose after a long day of cleaning chamber pots and shit like that." She just smiled.

"I've been up for almost two days straight now, I'm not particularly upset."

"Oh, sweetie." I slipped a surreptitious tentacle under the table and watched my Kitten exert her awesome self control as I made her eyes glow.

"There. Now we're even, right?" She looked at Marie, who looked right back at her. I clenched a little when they both nodded, then Saffron hit me with a little sing-song of, "not yet but now we are, love." Yeah, just good clean fun between spouses. Chaste, even. Moral, healthy, even completely legal in this jurisdiction.

Yes, I am absolutely glossing over the fact that on the Homestead just about every layer from 'local authority' to 'highest temporal authority' was filled by Saffron or I, and what we said either was law or would wind up being so at some point. Normally I'd get all introspective about that, but something distracted me. No, not what you think. Darling wound up looking kinda depressed during dinner, even more so once we got in the bath.

I pulled her over, asking Hailee to watch over the new kids, because now that they weren't full of Cold Iron, I thought maybe they could use some of her innate Healing abilities. Meanwhile Karen had taken over managing the kid games for the more active girls in the tub. Once we had the tiniest bit of pseudo privacy, I murmured, "what's wrong, Ice Pop?" She pouted.

"I can't very well perform my duties like this," she nodded toward her belly. Saffron sucked at her teeth.

"That would imply we found you any less attractive right now than we have done since you first agreed to join us, Darling." As Marie made very decisive noises of agreement, I sighed and chose maturity.

"I think she means she can't be anywhere near as active, ladies." I turned to her.

"We kinda ragdolled you a little that night, didn't we?"

"Yes?" she squeaked, obviously thinking about some of the activities that night.

"Can't do that tonight, can we?"

"No." So cute when she gets pouty. I turned to make sure Marie and Saffron were looking at me.

"So we'll have to be very careful as we use her as an aperitif to work us up for one another."

"Wait, what..."

"Yes, Very." Marie's pronouncement sent Siobhan as red as I'd ever seen her. Of course, she got even redder when, what with her getting that red and not passing out, I kissed her forehead and said, "Good Girl."

"Don't worry, Sister. I'll stand in for you once you tire." Trust Tallulah to say something so well meaning yet so awkward. Okay, might have been awkward if Siobhan didn't turn to her and give her a hug and kiss.

"Thank you, Elle." Saffron laughed.

"Have you just stolen my pet names for everyone here?" Adorable when Siobhan mlemmed, then said, "maybe." Saffron smirked, looked at the rest of us, then said, "my turn first." So once all the kids were in bed, while all of us watched, my Kitten stood our Darling up in the little open space of the Bedroom, wrapped one arm around her, and turned her to face the big wall mirror.

"So you can watch this along with the rest of us, and know how beautiful you are."

"Even now?" Siobhan's hands rested atop her belly.

"Even? Especially." One of Saffron's hands cupped Siobhan's breast, the other reached around under her belly. I couldn't tell if it was hotter or cuter how hard Siobhan struggled to keep her eyes open, or how they didn't sag shut until she finished. At which point Saffron picked her up and handed her to Marie, who even with Siobhan's expanded midsection could hold her up with one claw, the other sliding into action.

"Mirror? Audience?" Siobhan whined.

"I can see you all in the mirror, but I... I feel so... So..."

"Lewd?" What, it's what I was thinking.

"Beautiful?" Tallulah, who sat tailor fashion on the bed, leaning against one wall, was at least trying. Also objectively correct.

"Close?" The burr in Saffron's voice as she asked the question pushed me closer my own self. At that point, our gasping little Darling managed to gasp out, "vain."

"You heard her, lovely Wife. Our Concubine feels vain watching herself. Best if you make sure her eyes close for the best part then." Marie is a way better actress than anybody gives her credit for. Her heartfelt sigh as she said, "Suppose So." made me giggle. Of course, her chosen method for making Siobhan's eyes close were to keep the peak going until Ice Pop had to blink, then finishing her so hard she lost control of her everything for a few seconds.

When Marie held her out to me, I just lounged there on the Bed as Siobhan fought a brave fight to do anything but blink and drool. With tentacles both semi-corporeal and Blended I lifted her away from Marie, brought her over to where I could touch her cheeks with my fingers.

"Okay, Ice Pop. Important question."

"Hnn?" She blinked a little. She drooled a little too, but as has been noted, when my partners are hot enough and I'm horny enough, that is not a deal breaker.

"Tabitha?"

"Yeah, the question is this: when I take your consciousness away via intense orgasm while we all watch and adore you, do you want me to lay you down on the divan and risk waking up sick, or do you want me to put you back to bed?" She paused, swallowed, then whispered, "divan?"

"You sure?" She nodded. So I did. Gently. Inexorably. Relentlessly. Mercilessly. All of us lost some time watching her inhabitant making her opinion of all that known by tryna shove her way out. She's no longer skinny enough for us to see, like, individual toes or shit, but there were definitely multiple lumps poking out at one point. At that point Tallulah turned to us.

"So. How will you make use of me this evening?" I opened my mouth to say something, at which point all of us got very distracted by Saffron arching her back and stretching.

"Apologies, ladies. I have been awake for quite some..." She trailed off as she realized that all of us had gone quiet and still, staring at her.

"Ought I be scared?" Without looking away, as all three of us slowly crawled toward her, I said, "nah." When she relaxed the tiniest bit, I said, "I can Revive you." Kitten tensed, but smiled nervously.

"It just occurred to me that I am the only Mortal in this room." Tallulah'd been mirroring Marie and I, but she paused.

"Ought we take care then?" Which is when Saffron growled, "No." Yeah, really glad our Kitten is all Titled up, because things got energetic. All of us eventually lost consciousness at the same time in that same configuration they'd yoinked me into on the day Siobhan joined us. In the morning I woke up to find Siobhan burrowed into the middle of us. Of course, a few seconds later her eyes popped open, she sat bolt upright, then Translocated away. That woke the rest of us.

I turned to Saffron and said, "am I scheduled to be somewhere today?" She smiled softly.

"Yes. Here at home, celebrating our marriage to our Wife." So we did. The three of us wound up spending the day together, most of it hand in hand in hand, or with our arms wrapped around one another. Part of the day the kids stayed around us, but for the most part we just sat on the roof of East House with Tallulah and Siobhan, watching life go by. I think maybe I felt stuff leaking out from me, but contentment filled me almost faster than it leaked out. Almost.