eCYN6a5r

1(Notes: Written for a pretty simple prompt, being “John doms the shit out of Rose”, which I of course stretched all out of proportion because this is mostly for practice. This really isn't anywhere in canon except perhaps a canon where the kids do their quests and hang out on their worlds for a while. As far as sexuality/canon pairings go I'm not mentioning it because I fucking hate stories where John plays the evil/clueless boyfriend so Rose can be liberated by Kanaya's magic pussy and figured the Rosemary crowd'd appreciate the same courtesy. Its a post-canon world maybe we can coexist or something idk.)
2
3The Land of Light and Rain had a lot of things going for it as far as vacation spots went. Great beaches, fishing, and a burgeoning tourist industry now that life was slowly returning to the once barren world. Consorts of all flavors huddled about, being attended by elegent turtles and lizards in mustaches and dresses and being led to a beautiful shell shaped restaurant with a magnificent overview of the world-ocean. 
4
5So of course the four demigodchums were going camping instead. 
6
7“SPRING BREAK!” Jade Harley whooped to the universe, pumping her free arm into the air. The excitable girl, tall and strong with enough curves to cause healthy philosophical debate over weather her 'earth goddess' leaned towards fertility or the hunt, bounced in the air, stumbling a little as the heavy equipment she was holding under her other arm threatened to fall all over the expensive deck; a turtle manager fretted over her very existence, as the land of wind and shade imported wood was ridiculously expensive. 
8
9“Harley.” Her tall, gloomy companion in red droned, sunglasses hiding any form of expression besides blasé almost amusement. “It isn't spring. There aren't seasons. We aren't on a break. Everything about that is wrong. If you break the keg I'm dumping you in the sand.” 
10
11“Its not a keg asshole!” Jade barked fondly, skipping around to trace her finger along the Knight's chest for the sheer joy of seeing the try hard struggle not to look flustered. “Its my Witchy Brewmaster Portable Cauldron! We're gonna make all sorts of awesome drinks in this because we're old enough to driiink and its spring! Break!” 
12
13“We could be doing this inside eating things we don't have to cook our goddamn selves you know.” 
14
15“All I'm hearing is thank you Jade for being so sweet and thoughtful as to make equipment for my brother's team rebonding holiday to be a fun success you are the greatest and super pretty thank you Dave you are the sweetest when your mouth's shut!”
16
17“Likewise.”
18
19“snap snap.” A pink turtle with a long, elegant mustache turned to the largest looking god, the big human in the blue outfit with the hammer over his shoulder. “sir is there something wrong with the accommodations we are all appropriately terrified by your divine visit oh mightiest of fickle ones snap snap.” 
20
21“What?” John Egbert snapped out of an increasingly less uncharacteristic moment of thought to smile effortlessly and gently reached down to adjust the Matre'Tortoise's flower. “Not at all, Pierre, we just needed some beach to ourselves for a few days. Clear our heads, do some grilling. We, uh, appreciate your discretion.” John winked and with a flick of his wrist produced a shiny coin from the turtle's flower lapel. 
22
23Needless to say the normally timid consort was overcome with glee, “snap snap how could this have happened this is sorcery on par with the witch or seer herself oh god its her please don't kill me ma'am I have to impress the dark elders.” 
24
25Rose Lalonde took up the back, telling herself it was because a lady always knew how to make an entrance and ignoring the nasty little voice in the back of her head saying that she couldn't stand seeing John get along with her consorts better than she ever could. Swaying her generous hips as if to show how much of a fuck she didn't give about any cowering waiters, Rose leaned as languidly as she dared in public. “We promise, only minimal fireworks.” 
26
27“snap snap it is clear now a pact has been made with dark forces may the tips be reasonable.” 
28
29==>
30
31“You didn't have to scare him.” John murmured to her when they were out of the consort patron's collective earshot, a ways down the infinite beach of her land. Rose supposed he was trying to be considerate, keeping his voice low enough that the other two, significantly ahead and enjoying a light hearted argument about sleeping arrangements or something ridiculous like that, weren't bothered. 
32
33“It is rather difficult not to scare them.” Rose's defense felt a little lame to her; she blamed the burly boy insisting on leaning so close and the sensation of his breath on her ear. Distracting. “Our desires were met, yes? Free reign of the upper beach for a few days, enough time for your 'team building exercise', mighty pharaoh.” 
34
35“It was really more Jade's idea.” John admitted instead of playing along, the bastard. “She gave some gigantic roundabout speech on family dynamics and friendladders but I really think it comes down to her wanting a vacation and to make Strider blush.” His whole chest rippled when he chuckled, a distressingly deep noise. “Pretty silly, but it wasn't a bad idea, yeah?”
36
37Rose felt herself losing some sort of abstract gambit. The word 'family', the rippling, no one being silly with HER anymore. The logical option was of course to just take a slow calming breath and just express herself in a frank, concise manner but she decided to tear her arm away from his again and stomp off towards her other friends, throwing her hood up before Egbert got any more subtle pranking ideas. “No one thinks this shit's funny, John.” 
38
39John blinked, rolled his eyes, and felt a familiar agitation rumble in his chest. Still, at least he could watch her walk away. 
40
41==>
42
43Tents were easy enough to set up; two large enough for a pair each, one green and one blue, and by the time John had finished hammering the last of the spikes in Dave had gotten the Don't Mess With Texas Grill and Grille wheeled out. He was wearing, well, there was no getting around it, John thought, he was wearing a red version of what his father would disdainfully call 'european swimwear' and, thankfully, a red t-shirt. 
44
45“Is the redundancy ironic?” John asked, cracking his back and taking a whiff of the salt air. 
46
47Dave shrugged, frowning a little at his best friend's massive big bad wolf huff just putting out his sick fire. “Fatfingered on the alchemizer.”
48
49“Can I help?”
50
51“Can you stop standing vigilant over the stormy sea like Captain fucking Nemo for a goddamn second and realize you keep putting out the grill's pilot light then yeah fine grab a sack of oysters. Try not to get your chest hair in the water you buck toothed no account carpet bagging yeti.” 
52
53“Oh thank God, I was worried you'd taken some knightly vow of mostly silence.” John grinned irritatingly, ruffling Dave's hair and grabbing a few. “Oysters, brazil nuts, honey...kind of noticing a theme.”
54
55“There's a steak, too.”
56
57“Ah.” John nodded, “Jade picked the spread. Do you, uh, think there's a little message here, Dave?”
58
59“I think you look fucking ridiculous. Board shorts with clouds on them, its like you want to evoke 'John Egbert, giant infant mancub' as hard as fucking possible.”
60
61“Ha ha, okay mister sophisticate!” John laughed, jumping back from the hiss of the pot of boiling water, “But you know, everyone's going to see your awkward stiffy when the girls walk out.”
62
63“Yeah because if anything's going to get me going its my sister in a sweatshirt and a bad attitude and your sister in whatevever bizarre boogie boarding getup she's going to be swimming for six years in.” Dave groused, turning the steak carefully. “The fuck you do to get the beach back in Rosie's vagina again.”
64
65John nearly spit up the carton of apple juice he was chugging, coughing. “What? Guh, did you time that? Ugh I know the answer to that just. Just stop whatever convoluted horseshit you're about to spout.  I don't know why Rose is in a mood and its none of my fucking business.”
66
67“Oh, that reason.” 
68
69“What?” John Egbert did not snap, even in his slightly more aggressive friendleader mode. 
70
71Dave rolled his eyes, which was a pointless gesture in sunglasses. “You two do this like once a year. I swear to God puberty's fried your brains. You both get all 'they're shutting me out!' and cranky as shit and I honest to Christ miss your gay ass therapy sharing sessions.” He ignored the flash of hurt on John's face, because he knew this country song already and maybe Jade was right and this stupid weekend would do everyone some good. “Just try to cut her a break.”
72
73“So what're you avoiding?” John asked, dicing some of the strawberries into a salad. 
74
75“What.”
76
77“When the hell do you ever talk about feelings, other people's feelings, and your sister's feelings without it being some massive distraction ploy from a topic you want to avoid.” 
78
79“Fuck off.”
80
81“We've got about a minute before those two stumble out of Jade's tent so you might want to hurry up Dave.”
82
83“Christ you're a monster. Fine. Just. Ugh. I need.” Dave did not scowl so much as left the impression of scowling. “Harley wanted to share a tent. For some bizarre Harley reason. And I need your. Okay.”
84
85There was an exceptionally pregnant pause. 
86
87“Why?” John went with his first instinct. 
88
89“Why what that's an open ended question you fucking sadist why the roomie thing why are you so damn moody your self lately why the asking why is the sky a rainbow vagina you've got to narrow it the fuck do-”
90
91“Why do you need my okay?” John interrupted before Dave could get a proper froth going, stern but not unkind. 
92
93“...because you aren't the only one who's aspect is leaving a mark.” Dave admitted after a miniature world war played out across his face. 
94
95The two old friends stared at each other for a second, and John took a breath. “You know I don't want to be that kind of-”
96
97“It don't matter.” Dave grilled with one hand, “In this particular case.” 
98
99A brief staring match resulted in John throwing up his hands. “Fine, I officially give my okay for you two to share a bunk and play pokemon or stare at the ceiling and hope the other makes a first move or whatever so long as I don't get woken up at three am with Jade in my lap bawling about how you are the biggest louse in the world it is cool. And next time just come to me as a friend instead of this roundabout vassal crap. Palssal!”
100
101“Weak.” Dave embraced John's tension deflating bullshit like a drowning man at sea. 
102
103“Chum-at-arms.” 
104
105“Why do I talk to you.”
106
107“Homiecarl.” 
108
109“...fuck I'll take that one.” 
110
111==>
112
113“So how does this device work, precisely?” Rose asked, looking over 'Jade's Witchy Brewmaster!' with undisguised fascination. The tacky little device had a tiny picture of Jade holding up a cauldron and winking like some sort of occult Saint Paulie's Girl but she could feel the power emanating from it. 
114
115“Do you mean,” Jade called from the 'boudoir' of her tent within a tent, a plush green affair with red accents and, naturally, a grim jury of stuffed animals to sternly judge every one of Rose's shortcomings as a friend. “How carbonation works, or how the magic bullshit happens?”
116
117“I think you can guess, dear.” Rose murmured, trying not to get in a staring contest with a particularly cocksure looking plush lion. 
118
119“Weelllllll,” There was a faint bang and a little whimper and Rose was nearly tempted to check up on the occasionally klutzy girl, “I'm okay! Just, uh, pinched. It kind of works like a home brewery set except you can, hehe, im-brew anything into it. You just have to be really careful because its easy to make it too potent! I had to, uh, practice a lot.”
120
121“You lush.”
122
123“It doesn't have to be booze!” Jade stuck her head out, flowers stranded in her hair, to stick a tongue out at Rose. “I'm going to make some sodas and maybe a few other drinks. I just put some courage in mine.”
124
125“The actual,” Rose Lalonde does not stick her tongue out so clearly one of Jade's plush frogs countered. “Emotion, courage?”
126
127“Yes! Just a tiny little bit. Too much and I might be, uh. Like a little bit makes you feel and too much makes you act on those feelings! I'd, uh, be out of control.” There was a bit of a blush on Jade's cheeks. “I can show you how it works if you want?”
128
129“That...” Rose grappled with temptation for a moment, considered a week of stormy silences and cold misdirects, and smiled as a plan came together. “Sounds lovely, Jade. We have a few moments. ...ah, but first, let me help you with your top, you're kind of.”
130
131“Oh God I tied it wrong didn't I.”
132
133“I wanted you about the tricky knots, sis.”
134
135“It keeps happeninggggg.”
136
137==>
138
139Finally, it was evening. The bonfire was roaring, dinner was a success, and Jade and Rose's experimental Blackberry Gonna Fuck You Up Zinger was pronounced a goddamn hit. Stories of solo and pair missions were told, John and Dave's excellent adventure against a pair of rogue Prospit agents who had somehow stolen the idea of “tomorrow” from Skaia's archives in hopes of preserving the Shining Kingdom indefinitely and not realizing everything else that'd fuck up being a particular winner.
140
141“You were both old men?!” Jade laughed, slapping Dave's chest at the thought of the pair hunched over with beards and walkers, hobbling after the forces of ruin. 
142
143“Bold men.” Dave corrected, “I was basically the finest red wine on the goddamn planet.”
144
145“It was like the underrated classic Old Dogs.” John mused, rubbing his stubble; he'd been toying with facial hair again. “We reunited for one last job but, in the end, found out lost vitality, got the score and even...learned a few new tricks.”
146
147The two blonds at the fire groaned while Jade paused for a second, craning her head as if trying to decide if that was a shot or not, and barked a raucous, pretty laugh, leaning her weight into her self appointed chair (Dave Strider) and going, “John you're so funny!”
148
149“He makes jokes, too.” Rose muttered, looking from Jade's bold island princess bikini that showed off her curves and promised more and her own rather prim one piece, purple with a bit of orange and a cartoon squid on her boobs for some fucking reason. Ugh this was all a bad idea. 
150
151“Lets play a game!” Jade chirped, as if sniffing the sudden unease in the air! “We're supposed to be reconnecting and I think we're all just liquored up enough to give it a real try!”
152
153“Jade, we talked about saucy card games.” John's voice became subtly paternal. 
154
155“Ugh doofus don't be gross.” Jade tried to smack him, found out he was too far away, grabbed Dave's arm to smack him with, and when that failed just snorted in the air. “I mean a trust game. We tell each other secrets around the fire. Stuff we usually keep to ourselves! We're, you know, a family, and things have been kind of...weird, and I thought this'd get us back to where we used to be where we could tell each other anything!”
156
157The cheerful atmosphere grew suddenly and inexplicably ill. Courtiers surrounded the old king, whispering poison, treachery, and maneuvering to take the throne. Rose turned stone faced, staring at her second helping of steak and John looked at the air as if considering just bursting into a cloud and joining it. For the first time that evening the unassailable fortress of confidence that was Jade Harley wavered, a little, her lower lip quivering as she wondered if, perhaps, she had laid too many cards on the table at once, if maybe the game and her mistakes as Witch had damaged the only people who ever really given a shit about her. If this was all a silly idea from a silly little girl who didn't realize that people just naturally grew apart and she was born to be alone in a tower forever.
158
159And then for once in his fucking life Dave Strider stepped up. “Fuck it, I'll play.” 
160
161“Holy shit.” John barked his own laugh, an unnervingly masculine echo of his sister's. “You're kidding.” 
162
163“I have to see this.” Rose leaned forward, an odd light in her eyes as she nestled more comfortably in the sand, “I anticipate your finding an excuse to leave within a round.”
164
165“I'll last longer than you, Lalonde.” 
166
167“So you keep saying.” 
168
169“So!” Jade cut in, her teeth exposed horribly in the firelight for what must have been an optical illusion, “Here are the rules. We go clockwise, everyone gets a question. If you answer, you're good. If you pass, you take a swig of the COURAGE BRAU. If you lie and we call you on it, you take a big swig.”
170
171“What if you lie about lying?” Rose asked, eyes narrowing a little. 
172
173“Then you're defeating the purpose of the game Rose! It is a choice you can make.” Jade looked very reasonable when she said this, perhaps her deadliest feature. Rose's mind immediately realized what was REALLY being said here, of course, do you want to be the one to break up the band again Yoko? 
174
175Well fuck you Jade Harley, lets be sincere and open. 
176
177==>
178
179Dave was up first and decided to come out swinging. “What do you really think about cinematic classic Con Air.” 
180
181“Fuck you.” John spat. 
182
183“That your answer.” There was a certain loving cruelty in Dave's monotone. 
184
185“Ahem.” Rose was technically first. “I haven't watched the whole thing, honestly. I thought John would've tried to get us to by now but for some reason he's been really into Hitchcock lately.” A significant look at her rival and nemesis before Rose turned the knife. “I always have fun acting out scenes from John's films, though. He gets very invested, and he's always a good sport about indulging my hobbies.” 
186
187“Pass.” John scowled at Dave as though wanting to turn him to stone and took a drink of the COURAGE BRAU. 
188
189Jade giggled, feeling the oncoming storm. “I liked the scene where he kicks the guy out of the plane! Wham! Bow! I'm a man and a half! I started listening to more of John's recs after that.”
190
191“I think.” Cruel sunglasses gleamed in the firelight. “Mister Cage catches the mid-texan accent perfectly.” 
192
193John stood up, furious. Superstitious turtles, which is to say all of them, mutter that at this exact time the Land of Light and Rain suffered its first case of thunder. “You KNOW that's wrong you fucking...it isn't even an accent from anywhere! The sounds are all off! Southern accents don't work that way! Holy God its not like Cage can't act, we've SEEN him act but I guess he was just on fucking crazy pills on set because he thought slurring his words and cocking his hips a little made him a southern career criminal! Fucking Christ how can you look at me with a straight face and-”
194
195==> 
196
197Rose's first turn took a while. She exalted a little in power over her friends, but also considered the damage an attack question like Dave's could have on her private gambit with the Witch. The part of her not caught up in ridiculous horseshit games also didn't want to ruin the mood again with a question that'd actually piss her friends off, which seemed to be her secondary Skaian power. Then there was the fact that this trip felt like a pagan temple to Jade Harley's repressed libido which was making it hard to keep her ideas PG rated. “Was there anyone back at home?”
198
199Needless to say the biggest surprise was when Jade said anything other than 'Crushing loneliness.'. “I traded art with another manthro enthusiast a little.” She admitted, looking at the fire, “Nothing, um, lewd,  but it was nice. He liked my drawings.”
200
201“You know how it is.” Dave said with a 'changing his answer' sort of air, “Women wanted me, men wanted to be me. It was hard. Hard and nobody understood.”
202
203Cold blue eyes narrowed. “Bullshit.” 
204
205There was a spike of tension and then Dave shrugged and took a significant sip. “There were a few chicks around the neighborhood who wanted to 'fix' me but they were all sort of skanky and lame. I dunno maybe I was holding out for something better. Or eleven. Your turn il Douche.”
206
207“I didn't have many real world friends.” John admitted evenly, looking at the stars and chewing on a chocolate covered strawberry. “Dad was protective and I was a goof. There was this girl who acted like she wanted to get to know me better, she liked movies and the dulcet tones of Oasis too, but it ended up being a joke. Her friends dared her to get the spergdragon to kiss her. Not my kind of prank but I respect the hustle.”
208
209Rose shrank in on herself, both from the painful sincerity around the fire and her own memories of lunches exiled in the library of her private school. She really was the worst. “Pass.” Swig. 
210
211==>
212
213“Okay!” John pointed at the fire, determination flashing in his eyes or maybe a slight buzz, he wasn't sure. Would dad approve? “Okay lets get this shit going. Best video game moment go go go.” 
214
215“Lame.” Dave said, “Pitched that so underhanded it was basically a grounder. It was basically you lobbing the ball behind you and going 'why can't you catch it guys a hyuck!'.”
216
217“I shot all three of you in Team Fortress!” Jade chirped, “Three headshots in a row! Kapow!” She pointed at John, “Kapow!” She pointed at Rose, “Kapow!” She pointed at Dave. “It was amazing and I am the strongest sniper.”
218
219“Jarate slinging cheater.” John sassed back, already enjoying himself. “You'd always get all whiny when you got winged too.”
220
221“Oh God, 'Daaaaavveee dooonnnntttt.' over ventrillo.” Dave said, chuckling, “Worst loser ever.”
222
223“False!” Jade pouted a little but was feeling too warm and happy to get a real froth going, “Rose exists. She wrote a play about how John was a teamkilling piece of shit. We all died, and then she killed herself because he was also bad at teamkilling.” 
224
225“They were based on true events.” Rose said, her head feeling a bit light as she defended herself. “Where John was a teamkilling piece of shit. But I suppose my personal favorite was when we all had to pitch in to get past that puzzle in Problem Sleuth: The Search for More Money DLC.”
226
227“I remember that.” John said, and Rose wondered if it was the mild buzz or if there was real warmth in his tone for the first time in. In a while. “We had to jump start Ace Detective's imagination so we could finally meet his female version.”
228
229“Oh yeah!” Jade perked up from what had quickly become her preferred perch, Dave's arm. “Because only the Toothsome Wench had a bustle stat big enough to store all the stuff you needed to break out of the spiritual halfway house Sister Regret stuck the girls in. That was fun!”
230
231“Yeah I guess solving mysteries together is sometimes vaguely entertaining cue scowl and look away in three two one.” Dave rolled his eyes, again missed as John scowled and Rose looked away. “You gonna make me say it bro.”
232
233“You can say it now or on whatever voodoo Jade's had us drinking for an hour.” John said, annoyed his ship of good feelings sprung a leak. 
234
235“Fine. You made me a Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff game one year and it was fucking amazing and I was sincerely touched that you put that much effort into making it artistically garbage you fucking piece of shit good friend you.”
236
237“You still haven't found Geromy's hidden level.” John noted triumphantly. Dave threw a marshmallow at him. “Can I get a mulligan? I was gonna pick the Problem Sleuth thing.”
238
239“Nope!” Jade pointed a finger at John, “Take a swig!”
240
241“Jeze, sis, you're bossy when you're buzzed. This stuff's safe, right?”
242
243==>
244
245It was time. Feelings were good, everyone was a little buzzed, and Jade comfortably felt that her hot and cold thing with Strider was edging a little towards hot. Wait shit that wasn't the plan. What was the plan? Right. Right. She leaned over a little dangerously, considering her swimsuit, and grinned in what she thought was a flirty manner. “Okay, enough of this baby stuff. Time to get r e a l guys.” Jade looked the part of her Class in the firelight, or would if she didn't have to hang on to Dave to keep from topping face first into the sand, but John and Rose appreciated the effort put towards properly building atmosphere. “What's. Your. Fantasy.”
246
247The awkward silence was briefer this time, as John broke it. “What like Game of Thrones?”
248
249“No! Ugh, fuck, I'll go first dummy.” Jade leaned back into Dave and sighed girlishly. “Mmm, its embarrassing but there's kiiind of a lot to pick from? I lived in my head a little back in my tower...”
250
251“She had a giant file.” Rose said, smiling a little. 
252
253“We had a giant file.” Jade said, sticking her tongue out. “This girl had a dirty mind for a twelve year old guys. But the one I feel like sharing is, uh. Oh gosh. Well I'm with my lover.”
254
255“Lover, really.” Dave said, bristling. “Going with that.”
256
257“Yes its romantic hush!” Jade tugged a strand of his hair for lack of a better incentive to shut the boy up. “My lover and I are at a big fancy party, with lots of people there, and everyone's having a lot of fun! But I'm so pretty in my dress and he's kind of excited and we sneak upstairs and the door's open so we could get caught at any time but he doesn't even care!” She was breathless at this point, clasping her hands in front of her chin, eyes wide, “Or maybe he does and I cuff him to the bed! They're both good! Either way we have a couple big misses as my overbearing ogre of a brother passes by, eager to spoil our love, but that just makes it more exciting! What if he sees! What if they all see us naked and exposed to the world, tangled together in primal bliss?!”
258
259“I'm an ogre?” John asked, as Jade took a pull of the mash to wet her throat.
260
261“I didn't even make it in that one.” Rose murmured, smiling a little at the dead silence emanating from her ectotwin. “After you?” 
262
263John had that strange look in his face again. “Oh, uh, well you know I don't really dwell on that stuff much.” He said, clearly dwelling on something. “I had this idea of like putting animal crackers on a girl's stomach and eating them, I guess? That'd be kind of sensual?”
264
265“Well, you know mine. Beings of strange and ineffable power and the grappling with thereof.” Rose said, feeling irritated for some reason, and more so when John shot her a look back. It felt like there was a stand off for some reason, as though they where on the dusty streets of Dodge City, two gunslingers staring each other down, a drop of sweat dripping down her neck as the Blue Specter stared her down mercilessly. 
266
267She was going to tell him the cowboy one too, damn it. 
268
269“Pictures.” Dave said, abruptly, putting the bottle down by the fire and looking as unconcerned as he possibly could by the girl who was, there was no way around it, essentially in his lap. “Always wanted to take pictures of a girl while she was getting ready.”
270
271The fight to the death at the Passive Aggressive Corral was put on hold as both friends said, “Ready?” 
272
273The Knight sighed, “Getting off okay. Excited. Fucking Christ can't the two of you pick up a Goddamn implication. Like I guess it'd be kind of cool to catch that sort of intimacy on film. Photography's all about preserving instants you know?” 
274
275“That's deep, bro.” John said, “I was gonna crack a joke about you holding having a picture of the poor girl sucking your dick over her head forever but that was kind of beautiful.” 
276
277“Who knew the tin man had a heart?” Rose mused, enjoying the slow burning fury on Dave's face. 
278
279Before he could well and truly tear into his best friends in the world, a sleepy looking Jade...moved, slightly, and yawned. “Hehe.” She giggled, “Click click, Dave.” 
280
281“...I should get her to the tent.” Dave said, a strange look on his face. 
282
283==>
284
285“So.” Rose leaned back in the sand after Dave scare crowed Jade back to their pavilion, “Armageddon?”
286
287“Hrm?” John was concentrating on putting out the fire. 
288
289“You blew the question off, John. By all rights you should have to take a swig.” 
290
291“Not like they noticed. Guess they're on 'hot' right now.” Icy winds sucked the heat out of embers, and John cracked his knuckles, stretching a little. “Besides, using something we've known from when you were like nine's hardly open either.” 
292
293“When am I ever open?” Rose countered casually, gathering a few bottles and other supplies, “Whereas you are practically see through, John. If you had something to share, why not share it? That was the purpose of this evening. To get real.” 
294
295“If you're an exception, why can't I be?” John sounded infuriatingly unconcerned. “Knowing Jade she'll go back there again sometime this weekend anyway, she was too blitzed by the end to care one way or another.”
296
297“You're missing the point, John.” 
298
299“Dave doesn't care about my dirty thoughts, Rose.” John said placidly, “If you think I have some big gross secret that's wigging you out I can sleep outside.”
300
301“What?” Rose stopped at their tent's 'door', blinking. “John its freezing out.” 
302
303John's laugh was strange, this time. Rose had, during the game and before, heard many different laughs from her old friend but this one was new and alien and she hated it, and him, a little, for making her hear it. “Do you really think I get cold anymore, Rose? Its fine.”
304
305Stick to the plan, Lalonde. “Don't be silly, John. Just get the room set up, I'm going to get a maiden's wall to protect me from your sinister attentions.”
306
307“As long as you're going to be consistent about your wants and needs, Lalonde.” 
308
309==>
310
311Inside the green tent, a surprisingly sober Jade Harley hunched over an All Seeing Spyoscope, frowning a little. 
312
313A slightly put off Dave Strider leaned against a stuffed unicorn, arms crossed. “How's it going.”
314
315“They're kind of snippy...she's a little desperate, that's good. Ugh those two are so stubborn, Dave! Its infuriating.”
316
317“Frustrating.” At least, Dave reflected, the insane woman was bending over at a fascinating angle. 
318
319==>
320
321John's tent was a bit more spartan than Jade's, Rose noticed. Consistent with his decorating style, not cold, just efficient; two beds of pillows and sleeping bags, color coded, blue cloth with cloud decorations that her Seer senses detected faint power emanating from, and a little radio set and bookshelf that was presumably for her. He'd even made a little folding screen. 
322
323Rose touched her elbows, feeling suddenly cold and remembering a time previous when the Heir wouldn't have made such an effort to respect her space and occasional implications to want nothing to do with him. Shaking her head, Rose relied on the courage and apple blackberry mash in her belly and sauntered into the silk palace. “What do the clouds do?”
324
325“Hrm?” John had been fiddling with the radio a little; “Oh, noise cancelers. I kind of anticipated...some kind of racket from those two and thought you'd want a decent night's sleep.” 
326
327“Just me?” An eyebrow raise? “How gracious of you.” John looked a little offended and Rose seized her opportunity. “Wait! Wait. I'm...I don't know why we've been doing this all day. Its silly. Clearly we've let Jade's idea that there's some unnamed tension between all of us get in our heads and that's snowballed into this ridiculous sniping. Truce?” Rose held up her secret weapon, a six pack of her own brews, cleverly disguised as Jade's Instant Warm When You Drink Egg Nog. 
328
329John blinked and his face split into a real smile for her for what felt like the entire trip. At her. The smile was at her. “Wow! Thanks, Rose. Yeah I guess we've been acting a little silly. These look great, I bet Jade was saving them for something special.” John winked. “If we're lucky she'll totally lose her shit at our cribbing them. Bottoms up?” 
330
331“Of course.” Sucker. 
332
333John took, as had become his habit, a mighty quaff of the beverage, while Rose mimed sipping; she knew she was already under the influence of the COURAGE BRAU and didn't want to risk her untested Open Your Fucking Mouth Already And Let Me Have It Chaser. The test batch was bad enough, if it hadn't worn off in time for the bonfire...the game would have had a very different ending, to be certain. A tiny kernel of guilt wormed its way into Rose's guts, but, she justified to herself as John smacked his lips and took another pull, clearly there was something seriously wrong with her friend and leader. He was hiding things from the whole group, from her, his oldest confidant. Important things, things that could jeopardize their efforts. 
334
335Yes, Rose nodded, taking a tiny sip for appearance's sake, that made sense. They couldn't afford to have John Egbert conceal the kind of soul consuming angst she burdened herself with daily, it wasn't just a personal slight against Rose Lalonde but a threat to the whole operation! He had to be open and free and tell her everything and laugh like a cool breeze tickling her chin and if drugging him was the only way to ensure that she was just the woman for the job. 
336
337“This.” John grinned hugely, finishing his second, “Is awful. But not bad! Just something...a little off. Kind of want another though.”
338
339“Here.” Rose passed him his third, taking another for-appearances sip, “This is nice, though. We haven't just had a quiet moment in a while.” 
340
341“Well I mean.” John paused, blinked, and as if fighting something off clammed up. The storm clouds came in again. “Yeah. I guess it has.” 
342
343Still?! “Why is that?”
344
345John shook his head, actually looking drunk for a second. “I haven't wanted to.”
346
347Oh. Rose's eyes narrowed, feeling heat in her face. “Why not?” She didn't care about this stupid boy and his stupid problems but she had an obligation to the group. 
348
349“Friendship's not a one way street.” John sounded hollow, distant, wrong. He was still holding back, somehow, perhaps without realizing it. Rose tipped the glass and John took another swig remotely, “You stopped...sharing, and eventually I got the hint. It just hurt too much to fake enjoying it in person.” 
350
351Rose did not stumble back because she was an amazing source of self control. She breathed heavily, feeling her chest rise and fall as a thousand feelings threatened to spill out and damn those little sips anyway, and focused on her patient. “The point of therapy is for the patient to unload themselves, John.”
352
353“We stopped playing that game a long time ago, Rose.” He sounded angry now, a little, and Rose so rarely saw that. She'd heard Jade mutter something evasive about a break down but mostly it was memories of rages against imps and silly little conspiracies in the early days and the actual evils of Derse and other horrors beyond now. He stopped slouching, his chest tightened, his jawline clenched ever so slightly like he was coming to some slow conclusion or about to bark a command on the battlefield. “I talk about my dad, you talk about your mom, I vent about clowns, you get off some wizard rage, we sneak in some actual stuff about our day, it was all a back and forth you dressed up in something that was fun for you. Then I realized that it was just fun for you and, I guess, it stopped being fun. And that's okay, I've dealt with it.”
354
355“By washing your hands of me?” Rose felt her head lightening, this was going out of control, where were the tearful apologies, the admissions of...whatever? Where was the goddamn catharsis? “By just giving up? Clearly you've dealt with it that's why you can't be alone with me for more than five seconds without getting all...stormy!”
356
357“Was that a pun?” John didn't laugh, “Jesus, Rose, you're as bad as I am! One minute you're hanging on my arm muttering about the weird kids and the next you're calling me an asshole and stomping off to brood. Shit you've got your hand on my chest right now like, what, I'm going to do something if you don't?” 
358
359Rose blinked at this betrayal and snatched her hand back. She had to regain control. “What were you going to say at the bonfire? The fantasy question?” 
360
361John looked physically struck, and stumbled back. “What were you?!” He snapped back, too quickly. 
362
363Unfortunately, it fucking worked. “An old dream where you were a cowboy named the Blue Specter and rode a horse named Phantasm and we rode him together and I held on to your back and we make love after stopping some bandits only I wasn't going to admit it was you fuck!”
364
365“You did something to the drinks you psycho!” John stood up, wobbling, groping for the tent flap only to find it wouldn't open, “Augh I was thinking of a dream where I'm a magician and a girl I'm pretty sure was you is my assistant and the trick cuffs stick and we end up making out! I was afraid everyone would think I was a perv! What did you do Rose Jade warned you about how delicate her stuff was!”
366
367“Its fine!” Rose was shouting, she was pretty sure! That meant she was winning. “That's actually pretty cute! Jade showed me what to do, I had to make you be honest with me! So I sealed us in here for the night, not even you can rip open that door, and I imbued that egg nog with sincerity and intensity and I even took a sip myself and we're having this out because the team can't have you go silent on us!” She closed in on him, eyes wide, the part of her that was in command of her facilities begging her to back off but fuck that she was winning. 
368
369“So.” John had that strange look in his eye again, “Instead of just talking to me like a person, you tricked me in here, used magic to seal the door, drugged me with three times the stuff that has you screaming random shit at me, stuff Jade specifically warned you that could make people not just speak but act if used too much, and didn't even take a second to think that there might be a good reason why I've been a little distant from the group lately? Like is that about the size of it, Rose?” 
370
371“...yes!” Rose was coming down, a little, something about John's tone. Or the way he stopped moving away from her. Or how stupid tall he was now. “You holding back from us. From me. It doesn't do anyone any good, John. It could be dangerous to the team.” 
372
373“You know?” John sounded a little pained, and Rose remembered something she once read about the eye of the storm being utterly, utterly quiet. “How everyone's been adjusting to their aspects leaving little...marks? Jade's been getting more earth mother witchy, you actually give good advice sometimes, stuff like that. I've been trying very. Very hard. To keep from you all. That I've been doing the same thing. Rose, what do, uh, sky gods who lead the team all kind of have in common?” 
374
375Rose wasn't sure that mythological reference made her sober up or feel a more inebriated, she swallowed. And then John took a pull of the last of the third bottle with one hand, grabbed her wrist with another, and kissed her. 
376
377The tiny part of Rose that was willing to admit to imagining kissing John Egbert at all was ready to concede this was not at all what she imagined it to be like. She was perhaps expecting something sweet and silly and a bit earlier, damn it, involving flowers and not a tongue shoving dangerous liquid down her throat or a surprisingly gentle hand getting her to swallow. He was saltier than she thought, but still a little sweet, and the stubble he insisted on toying with did interesting things to her skin she wanted to investigate for a while. Just to see what it was like. She felt her lips pressing back against his, sucking on his funny little overbite before it dug into her lower lip possessively.
378
379The rest of Rose Lalonde was a little less into her best friend implying he was dealing with Skyfather Feelings, grabbing her and sticking his tongue down her throat and for lack of the usual defense mechanisms directed her body to flail a little; her free arm rose up only to be taken by John's, who brought both up above her head and took another step forward, her legs moving in sync with his as she pressed into him, possibly because her breasts had some sort of stabbing weapon only activated when pressed up against his chest. She'd tell him that was enough, Rose decided, just after her face figured out if it wanted to let go of his or sink entirely into it. 
380
381John made the decision for her, his eyes still cloudy and wild as he pulled up for air. “The problem is I want you, Rose. That fucking real enough for you?” 
382
383==>
384
385“So how is it going?” She had to be doing this on purpose, Dave decided. The girl was on her knees, bent over, after talking about THAT, and dragging THAT out of his stoic ass. Jade had a fascinating back, smooth with the right curves and dips in the right places; her little sarong was split open, allowing her, well, her ass to peek out, still covered in that damn green bikini. Not that he was staring. 
386
387Alright maybe he was staring a little. He was only human. And, as previously thought, Dave was pretty sure the confounded woman was doing this all on purpose. 
388
389“Its hard to see in there. John did something to the tent, I guess he wanted privacy.” Jade said, seemingly utterly consumed by her auguries. “I think things are getting a little, um, purple though. Rose might have gone a little far. Or just far enough? Sometimes I wish I was a Seer, I could know how all this ends better, I hope I made the right choice. They both have important Decisions to make tonight.” Jade bent down a little, feeling watched for some reason. She pulled half consciously at the lining of her suit, trying to prevent a wedgie from forming. Could Rose have sent up a counter scry? 
390
391Click. 
392
393Oh. Oh gosh. Dave must be feeling neglected so he's playing a silly game with her where he pretends to be taking sexy pictures of her. 
394
395The buzz that hadn't entirely been faked did a little talking and Jade decided to play along, shifting her knee so that her sarong parted to show a generous helping of tanned, smooth thigh. He'd never have the guts to-
396
397Click. 
398
399Dave smirked a little to himself as Jade squirmed, trying to pretend she didn't notice. 
400
401==>
402
403John considered a few years struggling against the forces of primordial entropy and ruin to have matured him a bit. It wasn't entirely by choice; when Skaia says you're the boss, you're the boss, and at some point his friends had started looking at him to solve group disputes and other conflicts which in turn required John to stop laughing every problem off and occasionally address a bad feeling directly for a few awful seconds. He'd never be much of a long range planner but had instead acquired the skill to look over the various machinations of the schemers on his team and pick which ones were going to fuck them over least in the long run. The Heir was a little proud that he has spent far less time completely fucking gobsmacked by the universe than in the beginning. 
404
405Needless to say all he really wanted to do this evening was play a little pokemon. John didn't want to deal with this crap, with his fears of his aspect and where John Egbert ended and the Heir of Breath began and how entwined they were, he'd prefer to never deal with the implications of that particular spiritual crisis because seriously who the fuck do you think you're talking about. He was putting off asking Rose what the fuck was wrong because John was fairly sure the answer was “him” and the thought made him sad and tired and a little angry, so he had resolved to do things the Rose way and  pretend the problem didn't exist for a while. 
406
407There's a reason you don't make plans, Egbert, the remaining rational part of John thought ruefully as the rest of him tried to finally shut Rose Lalonde the fuck up for a minute by asphyxiating her on his tongue. He'd switched the radio to an Aquabats song for God's sake. 
408
409So here he was, struggling with all his will against some insane badly mixed, well, potion that his best friend had brewed because she felt like he was holding back on her. This was admittedly true, the product of more than a few attempts to breach a rift in their relationship landing on deaf ears; even after the drink forced his feelings, raw and uncut, back out into the air all John got was the usual deflection song and dance, though Rose saying he couldn't not tell her things because it threatened the team was a new, irritating note. It did address the problem he had been putting off looking into, being, “What had Lalonde on edge?”, by virtue of introducing an entire new galaxy of problems into the mix, mainly being. His trying to be rational about this. His not wanting to be rational anymore. Rose over him, back arched, heavy breasts swaying as she gulped for air, looking a little dazed and helpless and God help him a little into the whole scene. 
410
411It was hard. Fuck. Hard was a bad word choice. The drink was probably messing with his head, trying to get him to fully embrace the part of him screaming to rip her clothes off and fuck her until she said, 'Hey this is great lets get married!'. 
412
413“Rose.” Come up for air. Focus, John. “Bite me or something. Give me something to focus on. You can flash step out of my grip, get to Jade's tent.” 
414
415Rose looked up from her curtain of hair and John could not identify what passed through her eyes. He'd given her more of the drink, hadn't he? Fuck. “It'd actually kill you to be a little selfish for once in your life, wouldn't it. You would actually die, your virtue forever sullied, your great golden heart tarnished into uselessness.” She nipped at his collarbone, a teasing, taunting thing, like a kitten asking to play. 
416
417“Gold doesn't tarnish did you actually sleep through your science classes.” John groped for anything to focus on besides oh no he was actually grabbing her chest, and with all of his considerable willpower, for turning back to a man from a mighty storm wasn't always easy, turned the lusty squeeze into something slightly a bit more loving than he would have liked to have pulled off but it beat bruising the girl. God they felt nice, soft but a bit firm and like they were made for his hand, or maybe that was just his inner romantic justifying Rose's cookie eating habits. He wanted to see them, abruptly, fiercely, to trace a finger along the nipple until it turned rigid and tease it until she couldn't help but react. 
418
419And then Rose took her suddenly free hand and jammed her nails so hard in his arm they drew blood. “Holding back again, John?!” She looked mad, crazy that is, eyes wild as she pressed into him, “All that talk of strength and struggle like you're holding up a mountain and what the fuck.”
420
421Rose's wrists were suddenly covered in bright blue bands, warm to the touch and soft, almost like wearing a cloud. There was a faint chain of compressed air between them that, to Rose's shock, was not nearly as flimsy as it looked; the chain snapped her right arm to the left that was still in John's grip, pinning both above her head and causing her back to arch at an angle an animal part of the Heir's mind found entirely appealing. 
422
423“That's the idea.” John murmured into her neck, his brief flirtation with reason having crashed and burned at Rose drawing blood. His set his hands on Rose's hips, guiding her back towards their camp beds, and he languidly kissed her neck, suddenly having all the time in the world to toy with her. Rose bit her lip, feeling the balance of power shift again, and then John bit down on her collarbone. Hard. She breathed in through her nose, abruptly quiet and John drunkenly wondered if the mark would stick around for a while, or if their god-tier regeneration would fix the possessive claim sooner than later. 
424
425Oh well!, John shrugged at the abruptly quiet girl, biting her lip as if that were somehow going to keep him from noticing her quickened breath, the darting movements of her shoulders, hips and stomach, of the squirming of her legs, all the things the wind god'd ignore for the sake of politeness normally. He traced the outline of the little cartoon squid on the center of her bathing suit, smiled fondly, and ripped it in half. Rose's breasts spilled out, pale skin around soft red nipples around a torso that was also pretty fucking fascinating. The best part, John conceded, was the little 'Oh' she made and the look of absolute shock on her face. 
426
427“Relax, I'll lend you something tomorrow.” Tomorrow. She's going to hate him tomorrow. He's going to hate him tomorrow. Who fucking cares, what John sincerely hoped was the Witchy Brew said, as he ran a finger along her side, abruptly fascinated with the symmetry of her elbows. “I know you've kind of got a fat girl at the party thing going on with Jade but really, this is prime stuff Rose. I kind of want to plant you and show you off to other English aristocrats.”
428
429“Calling me fat and mentioning another girl.” Rose finally spoke, her voice a little odd as John just stared at her half nakedness. “Silver tongue like that, no wonder they call you panty dropper Egbert.”
430
431“We'll get to that half pretty soon, hah hah!” John laughed and for a beautiful moment didn't care why it made Rose look a little sad. He kissed her again, running his hands along her arms and down the side of her curves, using his wind-strands to tease her stomach and press against her flesh. She was biting her lip again, John noticed, and brought his attention to her breasts themselves, alternating between the two playfully at first and when she started trying not to squirm, suddenly going strong, pinching her left and bringing his teeth down around the nipple of her right. Rose sucked in a sudden, sharp breath and John slurped lazily, taking another step towards the bed and running his right hand through her hair as if rewarding her for the slip; her head pressed against his hand and John wanted to roar. 
432
433The reasonable part of John screamed, suddenly, slamming against a cage of impulse and hazy feelings and that goddamn face Rose made when sucking on her lower lip. Neither of them were in their right minds, but Jade's voodoo never lasted long. He just had to wait out the clock. This was fucking wrong, everything he ever wanted or no. okay wrong choice of words, brain. Man and god made a brief compromise and pushed Rose down, causing her eyes to go wide for a second before a gentle breeze caught her, setting her splayed on John's pile of pillows and blankets. That bought him some distance, right? And then John noticed that her legs were, well, there was no real way around it. Her legs were subtly spread, just enough that the right kind of mind would find it inviting, pressing up enough to show the shape of her thick thighs pressed against the silks of the floor. 
434
435Fuck. It was going to be a long night. 
436
437==>
438
439“Getting kind of quiet back there, Dave.” Jade said in what she thought was a casual tone. She hoped it looked like she was paying attention to her augur set, which was still getting mostly static and vague impressions of a series of very important Decisions to come. This was a worry on her mind, because both of her friends had a bad habit of fucking up important Decisions for the sake of protecting themselves, heroic self sacrifice or good old fashioned cowardice. It was irritating, in a way she had difficulty verbalizing without a healthy shot of COURAGE BRAU, because Jade had a plan for the end of this trippy adventure through elaborate, complex puzzles and spiritual journeys through their inner most souls and it involved the four of them living together happily ever after. If it took a little loving deception to get two stubborn idiots into the right head space to make sure her makeshift family stayed in tact, well, Jade supposed there was a reason Skaia made her a Witch. 
440
441Her other problem was a little more pressing; she couldn't get her curtain of hair out of the way in order to tease with the back string of her bikini. Dave was being no help, the butthead, not that she was worried about the Knight losing interest or at all turned on by him acting out what he just described as his kinky little fantasy on her while they were mid secret mission or who the fuck was she kidding. Jade swiveled her hips a little, which earned her a click of Dave's suddenly noisy camera, and resisted the urge to pant, fairy sure the mildly dog like habits she'd picked up from Bec weren't going to do much for the composed demeanor she was clinging to for some reason. Sometimes it just felt good to be rewarded for a trick okay?!
442
443And maybe it felt a little good to be the one playing it cool for once, too. That was weird and contradictory. Unnecessarily stretching her left leg at an angle her grandfather wouldn't approve of, click, Jade resolved to talk to Rose about that later if she and her brother didn't strangle each other first, then arching her back a little and easing her hands down the small of her back in a way she hoped looked alluring and mysterious and not like an oversized goof trying to reach a knot she tied too small. 
444
445“Why the capital letters?” Dave broke the silence and maybe a little of the spell.
446
447Jade blinked foggily, but quickly recovered, half turning around to look at him. At his face, after a moment of self control. “Hrm? Oh! Decisions. Um, well, it'd be easier for Rose to explain, but we all have them! They help set up our End Game, how our lives as the pantheon of the new universe we create are shaped. Choices that seem small and personal now, but can echo throughout Skaia! Rose already made one tonight, but she and John have a few more ahead of them before the evening's over.”
448
449Dave gave her a look that made her face hot, but for some reason she didn't complain when he took another picture. She leaned forward, a little, even. “If I were a Seer or even a Mage, or aligned to an Element more associated with fortune or fate I could tell more, but Witches only have a minor correspondence with that. I just know its there, like how you sometimes know when we're in trouble or John knows when we have to come together.”
450
451“Is it dangerous?” Dave asked, and Jade had seen stone gargoyles more expressive as he stared at her through three lenses of protection. It wasn't fair at all, she thought, pouting a little and immediately getting another click. 
452
453That made her rub her thighs together and inch closer. “It would be more dangerous if they put it off any longer...its already been a while. Rose's blind spot's always been her own happiness, and I think they're both a little afraid of each other right now. It makes me a little sad.” Jade looked up at Dave, wondering if he'd touch her chin or something. He took a picture instead. 
454
455She decided it was her turn to be brave, so she just took the goddamn bikini top off from the front, delicate fabric twist be damned. 
456
457==>
458
459Rose Lalonde was the first to admit to herself that perhaps she had a tendency of going a little far. Occasionally a situation could spiral, slightly, out of her control despite her best intentions, discipline and expertise in handling delicate personalities. This was not, she argued with herself, one of those times. Sure she was laying on her best friend's silly pillow bed, lounging on her side like some kind of diaphanous sex goddess, bound in chains of living air that felt like John's touch. He'd added a second set of wind bracelets to her feet. She squirmed a little, which didn't do anything to help the strange heat in her belly or other places as her thighs rubbed together. Warm air caressed her breasts teasingly, and there was the sensation of a ghostly hand on her face, gently running a finger along her full lips. It was almost tender. 
460
461Rose had this handled, though. She hadn't lost nearly as much of her self control as John had, she rationalized, arching her body forward as though inviting the stormy presence back over from their portable alchemizer to pay attention to her again, and there were times when a little intensive physical therapy was necessary in order to force a relationship out of the doldrums. Shit. Relationship was a bad word. Regardless, the important thing to remember is that she was perfectly in command of the situation and shit had not gotten entirely out of hand. This was what she wanted, after all, a John Egbert unfettered by the self doubt that had plagued him his whole life and the self control that had evolved out of a desire not to let any of his friends know he had a temper. Rose almost giggled a little remembering her shock at the sweet, gentle boy she knew screaming in, well, rage at a group of oily, sneering imps, bashing their heads in with a hammer. It was much easier to write off the confusion of John violating his little place in the carefully separated tv dinner tray of her universe as him being 'kind of a weird guy' than admit it was the first revelation that she didn't know as much about the boy as she thought. That it, well, stung. It was a few other things too, but by the time Rose began to understand the mythic destiny she had placed on her friend's shoulders she was...distracted. What began as a passive aggressive game to punish John a little for ditching her before she could wake up became deadly serious as she cut off everyone important to her to sink further and further into. 
462
463“Shit.” Rose swore, glaring at the ghostly breeze fondling her, “That pinched.”
464
465“Sorry.” John said, not sounding like he really meant it. Rose did not straighten up a little, if anything she looked more bored and lazy as though his playful voice having a whole new context had no effect on her. “When you're a little bit everywhere it can be hard to control sometimes, and my control is kind of...lacking right now! I mean if I'm going to pinch you I might as well enjoy it.”
466
467“You know, its a little sad that the great mystery of John Egbert is a dammed up sex drive.” Rose bit back, ignoring the flush that didn't exist on her cheeks. “I suppose I should be gracious I was chosen to be the sacrificial maiden on the altar of your conquest, if only for convenience's sake. Imagine if this had developed naturally, your dark desires bursting out like a summer squall abducting the most comely of mortals to be ravished and broken into simpering, obedient attendants to your virile majesty, until their fleshy forms are unable to handle the sheer power of your divine seed. My Skaian biology may have saved countless lives.”
468
469“Who's fantasy is this again?” John laughed easily, the alchemizer dinging as it finally finished whatever fell work the Heir was tinkering with. He padded over, shirtless and Rose's eyes couldn't quite look away from the bulge taking up his board shorts. “Ha ha, checking out my virile majesty?” John had acquired a bright blue wristband, an open bottle of the Intensity Nog, and an unnerving smile. “Turns out messing with my powers takes a while, sorry. But check this out!” John waved the band, and Rose's manacles turned from air to velvet lined leather. The chains could still move, somehow, Rose assumed Skaian bullshit because that was the source of most of the problems in their lives