I Know What "Proposition" Means, Thank You!

Confidence is a little hard to come by for Sebastian these days, but when someone as forthcoming and kind as Kay declares Sebastian her only hope, he can't help feeling like she's telling the truth. Three years of bumping elbows in Mr. Edgeworth's office was to thank for it. Small talk had turned into debates, debates turned into banter, and eventually, a stalwart friendship had been forged, a friendship so intimate that even Sebastian could never doubt it. 

It was a normal occurrence for Kay to mask invitations to hit the town behind personal favors for her. The heroic acts Kay asks of him are often mundane ones like “drive me to the grocery store” and “help me pick curtains for my new apartment,” but Sebastian is confident that if she ever asked for something of a more serious nature, he’d try his best to be of use.

However, today’s favor/invitation is a little — no, very out of the ordinary, and Sebastian wondered if it actually matched his ability. Kay had begged Sebastian for help with a turn of a completely new nature, and the manner in which she asked had a nervous air he had never seen in her before. “I need help with…uh…” Kay had faltered. “...the handling of illicit materials.”

Sebastian feels like he may be in over his head this time. It's true, despite her favorite hat of “Great Thief”, Sebastian couldn’t recall any incident where she actually stole anything, but from the way she had worded her request, his little anxiety demon worried if she had finally caved to the kleptomaniac urges she jokes about having.

If that was the case, Sebastian is duty bound as both a friend and professional (college student) to investigate. He stands in front of her apartment door to answer said call to duty. No one needed to know how long it took him to actually press the doorbell, though.

The moment Sebastian presses the doorbell to Kay’s apartment, a very familiar thundering sounds inside. It's a noise he’s heard a hundred times before in the prosecutor’s office’s halls, the sound of her shoes against the linoleum floor as she rushes this way and that. The reaction speed, though, is uncanny. 

The door swings open with surprising force, and there she is, a whirlwind of nerves wrapped in a flustered smile.

“Finally!” she exclaims. “Get your butt in here!”

Sebastian can't hold back a yelp as Kay grabs his arm and yanks him over the threshold. He has no time to complain about the rough treatment before Kay puts her hand over his mouth and presses him back against the closed door.

Her eyes squint at him and then swing left and right as if she were checking for any accompaniments. Sebastian’s questioning “Mrph?” is not answered until she seems satisfied all is clear.

Her tone drops to the special, husky tone reserved for a private eye persona she adopts sometimes. “Tell me something, kid — are you absolutely certain no one was tailing you?” Kay asks, releasing him and reaching behind Sebastian to click closed the locks of the door.

It would be a red flag if Sebastian hadn’t known Kay’s tendency to roleplay. Then again, they could be discussing contraband tonight. Whatever it is she’s hiding, Sebastian’s nerves aren't appreciating the anxious girl in front of him. Empathetic affective anxiety is a horrible curse. “I don't think so…” says Sebastian. “I mean, I'm not sure. I'm not one for sneaking around.”

“Hmm, well… If there wasn't anything obvious, then that's fine!” Kay takes a step back to flourish a thumbs up. “Thanks for coming. Want some tea?”

“Um…”

Sebastian glances over Kay’s shoulder to take in her apartment. To his surprise, it looks like its been ransacked…or was it always like this? He's been here before, but it's messier than he could remember. Could it be the aftermath of a break-in, the kind he sees in movies, where a crime lord tries to collect their stashed goods?

Kay takes Sebastian’s silence as a no. “Or would you rather get straight to business?”

“Oh, no, uh...” Sebastian snaps back to the conversation and tries to adopt an air of nonchalance, ignoring his anxiety. “You told me you needed help destroying contraband? Do we have time for tea?”

“I said ‘illicit material’, not contraband, Sebastian,” she huffs. “And, we are DEFINITELY not destroying this high-quality good.”

“What? Then what do you need me for?”

She dodges the question in her usual ‘aggressively change the topic’ fashion. “I’ll show you it, just be patient! Come inside already. You can hang up your jacket on the wall if you want.”

With a pout, Sebastian sheds his blazer and shoes to follow her. She beckons him over to sit beside the low table in the center of the room, pushing a sitting cushion over to him, and he takes the seat on the floor. On the table amidst some clutter is a large cardboard box that he assumes is the reason Kay called him here. It's rather large. Sebastian guesses the dimensions are 2 by 4 by 1, and it takes up most of the space on the low table.

Kay sits by him. “I think it'd make anyone foam at the mouth if they saw it, so no telling Mr. Edgeworth or Gummy or whoever. Promise me that, first.”

But apparently, Sebastian could handle it? “Okay…” he agrees tentatively.

Kay continues talking as she opens the box and fits her fingers inside. “I don't know what to do with it, but I can't just throw it away. These sell for a fortune online, apparently, but I don’t have the plastic cards to do it myself. Plus, there's no way I'm meeting up with anyone in real life to pass this over!”

Sweat prickles at Sebastian’s forehead. What is she talking about? She has a debit card, doesn’t she? Or would this sale be flagged as suspicious? Nerves start to get the better of him and he has to consciously smother his flight instinct. “You said it’s not illegal, but– No… A controlled substance? Cigars or something? You can’t sell that without–”

Then he gets a peek of soft, supple “flesh”.

With a bolt, Sebastian scrambles backwards to press himself against the wall behind him and covers his eyes with his hands. “K-K-Kay!” he yells. “You can’t just— Where did you get that!?”

Her loud guffaw shakes the room. “Oh my god, it’s just some silicone! It’s not going to hurt you!”

With his eyes still covered, Sebastian hears the shuffling of paper and a weighty, telltale thonk of the silicone sex doll torso being laid out on the table. "How I came by this ain’t none of your business, sweetheart," she sing-songs. “Just kidding. The previous owner left it, still wrapped. I forgot about it until I dug it out while deep cleaning.” 

She waits a beat for him to respond, but Sebastian’s head is muddled with panic. 

Sebastian can hear the exasperation in her voice. “…C’mon, open your eyes,” she says. “You’re not interested at all?”

Had Sebastian stepped into a raunchy rom-com? How was he supposed to “help” with this? “Uh…” he starts, fanning open his hand just enough to peek through the fingers. A dusky, tantalizing nipple stares back at him and Sebastian closes his fingers with a squeak. “Just throw it away!”

“I told you, I can’t!” She gives the silicone a firm smack, and the sudden noise makes Sebastian jump. “This apartment charges a huge fee for oversized stuff. I'm assuming that's why the previous owner just left it. Plus, it's brand new! It’d be such a waste!”

“For who?!” He fired back, but quickly realized he was getting way too worked up. Apparently, Kay had put a little too much trust in him to not 'foam at the mouth,' so to speak. 

He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. He has no clue, no understanding whatsoever why Kay would throw this at him. Despite their promise years ago to not tease each other out of malice, a terrified part of Sebastian screams that Kay is recording his reaction for social media.

' No ,' he thinks, 'that's ridiculous. She wouldn't do that. ' He grabs tight to the trust they've forged over a friendship of 3 years. He recalls memories of her good nature and uncanny ability to make him smile. The ichor of self-doubt makes it difficult to grip the memories firm and close, but eventually, he manages to do so.

He replies in good faith once he's calmed down enough to try. “Okay, you want to sell it. But why…uh, show me? Like this?”

Kay lets out a hum. “Well, I want to sell it, and I want your help setting up the money transfer stuff. The legalese is kinda…mind numbing, and I don’t know if there’s special laws I need to know for the sale of adult stuff.” She chuckles. “But, more than that, I figured you’d be interested! You told me you're into girls, right?” A smile leaks into her voice. “Want first dibs? No judgement!”

All of his effort to stay calm flies out the window, and Sebastian takes his hands off his face to give Kay the most incredulous look he could muster with his tomato-red face. Kay shoots back the most innocent, doe-eyed look she could muster in return.

But, at least with her friendly quip, she established she really isn’t trying to make fun of him.

He glances down at the torso and forces himself to size it up against all rational thought. It was only to humble her because, honestly, Sebastian couldn't comprehend what he was even looking at. The lack of a head and limbs sterilizes any sexual interest he possibly could have. The craftsmanship of what is there, however, is…impressive, and he admires it the same way he would an anatomical model of an organ.

Unfortunately, Kay leaps on what she perceives as an opportunity. “I knew you’d be intrigued!” she exclaims, adopting the persona of a shopkeeper. “Just look at these details.” 

Her hand grabs the breast of the doll and squeezes it up, caressing it, then flicking her thumb over the nipple. Very much unlike anatomical models, the silicone is pliant and his eyes are tricked, for only a fraction of a second, that Kay is touching the real thing. He squeezes his eyes shut again and turns his head away.

Kay giggles. “Fabulous, isn’t it? Hard to resist, isn't it?”

Kay’s dexterity is a beautiful thing, Sebastian agrees, which makes him unable to look directly at that hand for fear of the physical consequences. It was already getting so hard to breathe. If any blood left his head to go south, he'd pass out. “Why do you think I need this? I don’t. At all,” he says.

“Mmm,” she hums. “Are you sure, Mr. Single? You could have some companionship during long, lonely nights! Or, maybe it could be practice for your special someone in the future! You know how I practice my nonexistent thieving life: mannequins. Almost as good as the real thing, I would think!”

Sebastian finds himself praying that the ground will just swallow him up whole. “Uh! Right! Haha, makes sense! But, uh, I don’t need it.” His eyes are still firmly closed, but he could feel Kay’s eyes scrutinizing him nevertheless.

“Oh, c’mon! It’s not about needing it, and you know it!”

With horror, Sebastian hears Kay shuffle around the table to get to him, and when he glances in her direction to see what she's doing, he gets a face full of breasts as she holds up the doll for him, encouraging him to get a proper look. It’s completely indistinguishable from (his imagined) reality. Maybe the small animal part of him mistakes the breasts for the eyes of a large predator, and he freezes with his eyes affixed to them. The one saving grace of the close encounter is that he can’t see the crotch with it so close. 

Kay wobbles the doll in the air. “You could use her as a conversation partner!”

Sebastian rips his eyes away to glare at Kay. “What are you talking about!?” he squawks.

“You know, practice your rizz!” She beams at him as if she truly believes he could have any. “If you can tell it to a naked lady, you can pull off the line with anyone!”

“Flirting!? With a headless torso!?” The idea was so nonsensical that Sebastian could feel real, non-hysterical laughter bubble in his throat. “What’s next? Smearing spaghetti on it and asking how it tastes?"

“I think she’s more keen on sperm than spaghetti, but maybe!” Kay laughs back. She hoists the doll up and down, and mesmerizingly, the breasts bounce as she does. 

Sebastian looks up at the ceiling and counts to 10. 

“But really, think about it!” says Kay, earnest. “I’ll keep the price cheap for you. How about $100? They go for hundreds, you know. Friendship discount!”

Unfortunately for Kay, she was talking up the wrong target. Shame would make it impossible for him to even consider touching the thing. Sebastian clears his throat, eyes still closed, and puts on the big boy prosecutor voice that he's learned gets Kay to take him seriously most of the time. “You’re hilarious, really, but I’m not interested.” He pauses. "Wait."

Kay tilts her head. "What?"

"You need some money," he states sadly. "You could have just asked."

Kay’s expression falls abruptly, and she and the doll sink down together. “No. I don't need money.” She lets out a big sigh and runs a hand down her face. "Okay, you don't want it. Message received." She sets the doll back behind her, and the sound gives Sebastian confidence enough to lower his gaze again. “Are you not interested in sexy stuff at all? I have some magazines, too—”

“No, no, no, no, thank you,” he interrupted her, shaking his head and waving his hands. “I’m only interested in a real, living person, thank you.”

A pause lingers in the air, and Kay slowly turns around. Stars lit up her eyes, and Sebastian was confused as to why until he realized what it was he said in his panicked attempt to change the subject. His breath caught. It was supposed to be a way to de-escalate the banter, but Kay, another investigator who learned from only the best, recognized the hint as the opportunity it was. With one little article — the article "a" instead of none — he had implied there was a particular party he was thinking about.

She scooches up to him until there’s only an inch of distance between their knees. “Do you have someone you're interested in? Someone specific?”

If Sebastian called being in the same room as a sex doll hellish…

"Well,” he began. “I. Uh. I’m not planning on confessing anything. To you, I mean.”

His words disappear into the air, unheeded. He looks away from Kay’s sparkling eyes back to the sex doll, the damnable source of this awkwardness. Sebastian glares at it, but instantly feels bad when he remembers that Kay’s the one who selected and invited him into the “illicit material” handling in the first place — an invitation he decided to accept. He made his bed, and although he wants to lay in it out of honor, he's floundering to keep up.

“You’re keeping secrets from your best friend?” Kay presses him with faux seriousness. “Me? The Great Thief, of hearts included? You just know the Yatagarasu would be the best winglady in the world! Tell me, who is it?”

Between the doll and Kay, Sebastian has nowhere to look. His fingers flex and curl, wishing desperately to reach for his baton in his back pocket, but the tension is so high he was afraid one movement would incite Kay to assault him anew. The thought is so mouthwatering, he gulps.

The adrenaline, more than anything, was making it so hard to think. The true answer and the safe answer were in opposite directions, and no matter what he tried to script in his head, nothing gave him any confidence of success. It was impossible to build an answer when the facts, the foundation of everything, were incomprehensible. Why was Kay acting so nervous? Why did she feel confident pushing his nose into a pair of faux breasts had no danger in it? Although he couldn’t rationally piece anything together, a small, instinctive part of him felt like she…was hiding something, just like he was.

The feeling manifested into a solid realization with a burst. If she was hiding something, something that was making her feel like this, he could simply investigate what it was. He had been taught skills just for this. He wasn’t at the mercy of the world.

Sebastian hesitates to employ any strategy on Kay, though. In the courtroom, the stakes were high enough to justify a little badgering, but here… The fact that it was Kay…

Maybe, instead of pursuing the truth for the sake of justice, he could pursue the truth for the sake of his best friend.

And, with all the teasing she was subjecting him to, maybe a little payback was acceptable.

Kay waits patiently for his confession, but Sebastian won’t be giving it up so easily. He takes a deep breath, and then, as calmly as he could manage, he said, “Okay. I’ll give you some information if you want. I’ll answer one question about my crush, barring their name. However.” He gestures behind her to the doll. “Before I do, promise to answer me one question about that thing, no matter how embarrassing. If you lie, I get another question. Deal?”

Kay’s eyes widened, and she looked as though she had just found the Holy Grail. She probably figured it was a way Sebastian could ask a product-related question he didn’t otherwise have the courage for. “Deal!” she exclaimed, a little too quickly, a little too defenselessly.

It was the classic bait and switch. "You wanted to arouse me with the doll, didn't you?"

The impact of the question was as physical as a slap.

The air grows thick, a sudden pressure drop that is so palpable it could have been a tornado’s wake. It is the first time Sebastian had seen Kay in such a state. Her breathing halts, and slowly, a deep, deep red spread across her skin, flushing from the tips of her ears down past her collarbone. The intense color glowed with a heat Sebastian could almost feel. Her breaths comes back to her, but only in short, shallow burts, her chest visibly rising and falling. Her hands grip at her skirt, knuckles turning white.

“I…I don’t know what you’re t-talking about,” she stammers, not just her voice, but her whole body visibly trembling in the same way Sebastian had been just moments ago.

The adrenaline still runs thick in his veins, and the knowledge she is lying, completely and utterly lying, makes him feel high. But, respond, he must. He forces his smirk into a grin and bluffs as hard as he can. “That’s a lie.”

She was silent. He doubted she could speak at all, based on his personal experience in the same state, and so, he continued.

“You lied, so I get another question.” He gestures to her with an invisible baton. “You didn’t just gift the doll to me as a gag gift. You didn’t ask me to pay for the disposal fee for you. When I tried to keep it businesslike, you provoked me any way you could. And now, you admit you wanted to arouse me.”

Kay inhaled lightly.

“You…” he started. “You wanted…”

The words caught in his throat. He swallowed hard, licked his lips, and tried once again.

“That means…you wanted to seduce me, didn’t you?”

The fact he could say the words in this electrically charged air amazed him. Kay was not alone in her panic — Sebastian mirrored her as a perfect copy. Both of them are wound tight as springs. Kay’s answer could unwind her secrets and reveal the truth, but it risks the destruction of their relationship forever in the same moment.

There is the option of asking for time, of lying, of abandoning this potential in favor of a placid falsehood. Maybe one was a choice Sebastian would have picked in the past. But, this night…it was a chance that would never come again. He had grown the sense to realize that much.

“Sebastian,” Kay’s voice is tremulous, a rare sound coming from her, usually so full of energy and life. “Do you swear? Do you swear you’ll tell me the truth, too?”

His response is quick, voice tight. “I swear.”

As if a light switch was flipped, tears begin to roll down Kay’s flushed cheeks. The tears were so fresh, so raw, they trembled on her skin with her shaky voice. “I knew this whole thing was stupid, okay? Stupid from the moment I thought of it.” 

Sebastian blinks. 

“But I had to do something to get you to react! I’ve been trying subtlety for so long, and you…” She throws her hands in the air, and Sebastian jumps, startled. “I’ve tried all sorts of things, but you never noticed! Holding your hand, winking, cuddling you, making duck-face at you! It's all platonic, apparently! So, I figured, what could be more obvious than shoving a sex toy in your face? No one does that platonically, in any universe!”

Sebastian was frozen, his mind racing with a million questions and a single, mouth-watering answer.

Kay covered her face with her hands, but continued, voice muffled by her palms. “I knew I was making you uncomfortable and that you might think I was teasing you and that it could trigger you, but I still… I-I knew I was sexually harassing you, too! I knew I was being weird and creepy and I’m…”

Memories of her apologies, years ago, bubble to his mind. 'I’m sorry for teasing you,' she had said. It was one of the first things she said to him after the trial.

“I knew it could upset you, I knew I could even ruin our friendship if I went too far, but I still thought it was better than getting turned down for…propositioning you!” she exclaims into her hands. “I’m… I’m so, so sorry…”

“Kay, wait,” Sebastian says. 

He reaches for her wrists to pull them away from her face, and she allows him to with only light resistance. She looks up at him, eyes glistening. 

“You have one question, too,” he says with force. “You can ask me anything you want about my crush. I promised.”

Her voice is quieter now, trembling as she speaks. “But I don’t want to know anymore… I messed everything up. I shouldn’t be harassing you about it at all.” She swallows thickly. “You didn’t want to, so you shouldn’t. I’m sorry.”

Sebastian’s heart thuds in his chest, the blood rushing through his veins like a river. He knows he has to say something, but he is at a loss for words. This revelation was so unexpected, so raw, that he doesn't know how to respond. He feels a strange mix of emotions—surprise, confusion, and a flicker of something warm and hopeful. He doesn't want to let this moment slip away, but his mind is a mess of jumbled thoughts and feelings.

Kay was in a panic now. He worried that, if he pushed her too much, she would just shut him out and ask him to leave. 

As someone who once shut out the truth when it needed to come forward most of all, he couldn't let this talk end.

Sebastian tries to prod her. While he had noticed she never said "yes," he could get the answer out of her in a moment. First, though, she needed an answer of her own.

“I’ll feel bad if you don’t ask me anything at all. You have to ask something. It’s fine if it’s not about my crush, anything.”

Kay still appears unsure. “But…”

“It’s not fair I got a question and you don’t. Ask about my favorite color or something. Anything.”

She squirms, arms shifting in his grip. “Okay… What’s your favorite color?”

“I love the color of your eyes. I want to look at them forever,” he replies, firmly, resolutely.

The words hang in the air, a confession that changes their friendship forever. Kay inhales sharply, her eyes widening. She holds her breath, her body tense and still, as she looks back at him, searching for any hint of jest in his gaze. But all she finds is a steely resolve that she’s never seen before.

“Sebastian…?” she whispers.

“There, now we’re even.” Sebastian lets go of her arms and lets out the breath that he had been holding for way too long.

“Wait, Sebastian… What do you mean?”

“I just answered as clearly as you did,” he says, shrugging with exaggeration. 

“What!?” Kay exclaims. “No, wait, what did you mean?” Kay grabs Sebastian’s hands and picks them up, squeezing them. “Tell me! What did you mean about loving my eyes!? Please, you can’t just–”

Normally, Sebastian would be glad she trusted him to read between the lines. But, he wished she could try to do the same! Had Sebastian finally developed more tact than her? “I said what I said!” he says. Sebastian struggles in her grip, but it’s like an iron chain. “You never gave me a clear yes or no, either. You wouldn't even ask anything!”

A flash of something crosses her face, but Sebastian can't identify it.

"You can't just tell me?" Sebastian repeats, his voice showing his frustration. "You promised me you’d be honest with me! Not just for my questions, but in general!”

"And I try to be!" Kay insists, her voice wavering. "But not about s-sexual things! That's not something to just blurt out! I’m a girl!”

He scoffs. “Then, why were you waving a sex doll around in the air? I assumed you actually wanted to sell it!” Sebastian continues to struggle in Kay’s grip, waving his hands every which way to try and shake her off, to no avail. “Are you going to let me go, ever!?”

“No! Stop trying to get away!” she exclaims, her voice taking on a new urgency. “I was just... I was scared, okay? I can't make the first move with someone like you!”

Sebastian stops struggling, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean, 'someone like me'?” 

Kay cringes visibly, finding herself fallen into a minefield. “I didn’t mean it bad, Sebastian. I just meant...you’re generous, sometimes too much…and you actually listen to me…when you really shouldn’t.” She grimaces a smile. “Remember the coffee latte incident?” 

How could he forget? The aftermath had been so catastrophic that Kay’s awkward attempts at reparative kindness from then on felt like another trap waiting to spring. It took a long time to shake the feeling.

The reformed criminal sighs heavily. “Look, Sebastian, it feels like…like making moves on your little brother or—” Kay realizes how twisted that sounds and interrupts herself.  “I-I-I didn’t want you to think I was…gross, or taking advantage of you...”

“You’re gross all the time!” he says, intending to comfort her. “You’ve shown me how to drink milk with your nose, complained in detail about your period almost every month, gotten me scorpion lollipops as a souvenir, and tried to get me to flirt with a sex doll. I’ve seen it all already.” He shrugs with as much emotion as he can when she's holding him in place. “And taking advantage of me? You’ve taken tons already, so why are you suddenly growing a conscience?”

Like dropping a hot plate, Kay lets go of Sebastian’s hands. He had been resting their weight in Kay’s grip, and the sudden absence of her support makes them fall limp onto his lap. Kay shoots up like a bolt and backs away from Sebastian, covering her face with her arm.

The defensive gesture makes it impossible to see Kay’s expression, and her tone of voice doesn't give much away, either. However, her words are cold.

“Yes, to answer your two freakishly astute questions from before. Yes, I wanted to arouse you. Yes, I wanted to seduce you. And, I'm sorry for making you look at the sex doll.” She turns around and lets her arm drop, her fists clenching into her skirt at her sides. “I didn’t realize you’ve been rejecting me.” Her voice grows quieter. “My fault for not being considerate.”

Sebastian's mind reels, trying to piece together her words. Rejecting what? Wasn’t his love confession enough? Why was she upset?

Was love not what she wanted, but something else?

"Kay," he calls out, his voice strained as he sees her retreating, "Kay, stop."

But she doesn't. Her steps quicken, and Sebastian watches alarmed as she rushes towards the bathroom door. He jumps to his feet, his heart hammering in his chest. His instincts screamed that he couldn't let her close the door on this conversation. It had to be some kind of misunderstanding. Whether the misunderstanding was his, or Kay’s, he didn’t yet know.

He reaches his arm out to grab her but she's too fast for him. He uses the momentum to propel him towards the same door she slips inside. Kay turns to close the door behind her and Sebastian catches a glance of her face. The sight breaks his heart.

He can't let her close the door in that state.

By a hair’s breadth, Sebastian’s fingers grab onto the doorframe and Kay is forced to stop the closing door before he can be hurt. She hisses in frustration and tries to dislodge his hand.

“I think I’m misunderstanding something,” Sebastian says, his voice trembling with desperation. “Please wait. I-I don't understand what’s got you upset.”

“I’m not upset! I won’t be upset about something this pathetic!” says Kay. “I don’t need your attraction to be happy!”

It's like she's speaking a different language. He can't process anything about what she could mean. She thinks that he thinks that who is…what?

A weak “huh?” is all he can utter as he struggles to think through the adrenaline.

The sharp sound of Kay’s foot stomping the floor makes him breathe again. “Move your hand!” demands Kay. “Let me lick my wounds in peace!”

“Just wait, wait for just a minute, please,” Sebastian begs. “I need you to say what’s wrong clearly. I-I think there’s a misunderstanding.” His breath hitches as he admits to his greatest shame. “I'm stupid and dense, so I don't understand–”

Kay cuts him off sharply. “Don’t you ever call yourself that, ever again!” she shouts, the pain in her voice resonating through the small apartment. “You figured everything out! It's just that, duh, there's nothing stupid about finding me sexless!”

When did he imply she was celibate? No, it seems too big a jump in logic. The points aren’t connecting.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“I mean I can't explain without feeling like I'm…” She speaks like each word is painful. “Like I'm…”

Sebastian waits for her to continue, but she can't get the words out. Instead, he hears an unidentifiable thunk from the other side of the door.

“Kay? Are you okay?”

“I tried to get you to say you loved me but you won't!” she says. “I tried to get you to express interest and you won’t! You've made everything very clear! Just, please, just get out of here!”

The words hit Sebastian like a brick. “N-no, wait, let me explain!” With a flash, he remembers her desperate questions before. Was he accidentally turning her down? “You asked me what I meant when I said I loved the color of your eyes. I meant you! I mean, I love you! I'm interested in a relationship with you!”

Sebastian can't see Kay’s face, hidden by the partially closed door. He thought that she would finally understand and come out of hiding. But, he can hear through her voice the agony she is going through. Her words are interrupted with hiccuping sobs. “I can’t be happy with that. I’m i-insatiable,” she says. “I hate it so much, I shouldn't be like this, but I can’t… I can't be in a relationship with you if I can't… I'm so sorry, I'm just… I'm not a good enough person…”

He doesn't understand, even though she's trying so hard to explain. Frustration with himself is pushed aside and he asks clearly for a definition. “Insatiable?” he asks. “What does that word mean?”

“God, um…” Kay struggles to reply. “I… I, um…”

Her hand, which had been so fervently pressing Sebastian away, pauses as she tries to find the words.

“Being in love with someone…makes me…”

Her nails lightly scratch Sebastian’s hands as her fists itch to clench.

“Being in love with someone makes me so horny for them, I can barely think about anything else…” she mumbles. “I… I wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself.” She laughs again darkly. “So… We can't. I'm an all-or-nothing… I'm sorry.”

Sebastian scowls. It's even more confusing now. He furrows his brow hard to think, but no matter how he turns the problem in his mind, he can't understand how what she's saying is bad. How could something like this warrant a tearful confession? The movies say love and sex usually go hand in hand, after all, and he made it clear he loves her. The implications are all there. So, what's wrong? 

Is there something, somewhere, that's making her unable to be in a relationship with him? Some sort of third party, or outside force?

“Kay, are you being…threatened by anyone?” Sebastian says, fully realizing how ridiculous that would be.

There’s a pause, a deep intake of breath. “No…” she sighs. “No one’s threatening me. It’s just me. I wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you, not like that.”

That's the worst possible answer. Is he being rejected? Didn't she set up today to get his love confession? He can't remember her answers clearly anymore after all the panic that has since happened. He thought it was so clear-cut. He liked her, she liked him. They were both interested in sex. Did he misinterpret everything?

“Why not?” he asks.

“It wouldn't be right. I want it to be mutual.”

“But I thought it was! I love you, and I want..." He hesitates with the struggle with decorum. "I want to do s-sexual stuff, too! Is it some religious vow? Are you going on a trip or something, so we can't be together?" I don't understand!”

The silence that follows is like a vacuum. He waits, but he can't hear anything, not even her breath. If her hand wasn't resting on his, he would have assumed she disappeared.

As the seconds tick by, Sebastian becomes more and more sure he said the wrong thing. It was too much. She must be terrified that he's some predator now. He tries to gauge her reaction. “Kay?”

No response. He calls again. “Kay?”

With a soft creak, the door to the bathroom begins to open. Inch by inch, Kay’s face comes back into view, and the sight makes Sebastian shrink back slightly. Kay shows no sadness, but instead, fury. Oddly, she is not looking at him, but at something past him, something beyond him that inspires such disgust in her that she can't even acknowledge Sebastian’s presence. Sebastian watches the fire in her eyes with anxious trepidation. All he can do is wait for her to speak.

“It's mutual?” she asks.

He has no faith that he understands what she's referring to. “I…think so?” he responds tentatively.

Her eyes slowly turn to him. He feels like a bug under a microscope. “Sebastian,” she asks, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

He nods, but then remembers that doesn't hold in a court of law. “I do,” he corrects.

Kay points at herself. “I love you, want to have a lot of sex with you, and want to be your long-term exclusive lover, starting from now.”

“Uhh–”

She flips her finger to point at Sebastian. “Sebastian, do you love me, want to have a lot of sex with me, and want to be my long-term exclusive lover?”

Sebastian's brain feels like it's about to short-circuit. "Yes," he says, simple and dumb. He realizes that's not the whole truth and quickly adds, “Tonight and forever.”

Kay’s hands drop from the door to hang at her sides. She tilts her head up and looks at the ceiling. Sebastian follows her gaze but sees nothing there. Suddenly, a weight hits his chest and he looks down. Only the top of Kay’s head is visible as she rests her head lightly against his chest.

“So,” she says, as if to herself. “I misassumed, miscommunicated, and misogony’d my way into a mutual confession.”

Kay embraces him.

“That’s all it was…” she murmurs, a hint of wonder in her voice.

Sebastian’s heart is racing. He feels like a tornado has ripped through the apartment, leaving thoughts and emotions scattered everywhere. He looks back at the ceiling to check he really didn’t miss anything, then looks back at Kay. Confusion melts away into relief. Finally, Kay seems to be feeling okay again.

He takes an emotional step back as he tries to process everything. There's still too much unknown for him to stay quiet. So, with the tentative hope she has calmed down for good, he asks, "What was making you cry?”

“Wanted you to confess first. Thought you were intentionally trying to avoid me…for three years…”

Shame colors Sebastian’s cheeks. He never meant to play her a fool. That's why she was so nervous and frustrated.

“N-no. I’m just…clueless.”

“You're not. I'm just bad at talking. About this.”

Sebastian had always thought he had the monopoly on self-confidence issues in their friendship, but her pain was clear. He didn't dare to challenge it at this time for he still didn't understand the source. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into a gentle hug. 

He wasn't used to being the comforter, but all he had to do was recall the loving touches Kay would give him when he needed consolation. He puts a little power into his arms to make sure she can feel and hear the honest love in his chest.

Kay nuzzles into his touch and presses her body back into the hug. Although their relationship had crossed a new boundary, many hugs shared over years of friendship kept the atmosphere chaste. 

Sebastian dutifully stokes her back with a slow rhythm. The warmth of her body against his chest, the sound of her quiet sniffs, and the smell of her hair all fill his senses, making him feel calm and safe. He hopes she feels the same.

They stay like this for a while, letting their muscles unwind and nerves cool after so much anxiety and passion. While both held questions and hopes, it was put aside for the moment. It was all they could do as the adrenaline wore off and left bone-deep fatigue behind. 

Sebastian tightens his grip around Kay slightly, and as if in response, she speaks.

“Why did you call me gross before?” she asks in a quiet voice. “I thought you were saying I wasn't…sexually attractive.”

“I was talking with you like we always do. Bantering and stuff.” Sebastian says, ashamed that he didn't match the mood. Looking back, it's so obvious. He was still treating her like a friend when Kay wanted to feel like more. “I thought it would be comforting, or something. I'm attracted to you…and I know you're a person, so…” He trails off, unsure of how to tactfully express that her daily comfort is more important than trying to display constant sex appeal.

Kay clenches her hands into Sebastian’s shirt. “Do you think I take advantage of you? Should I back off more?”

Honestly, Sebastian doesn't understand his own feelings about that. It's true that Kay runs him around like a dog. Mr. Edgeworth even checked in with Sebastian once to make sure Kay wasn't stressing Sebastian out. The question had shocked Sebastian back then, and it still was strange to him that other people seemed to think a problem existed where he felt there was none.

It was like Kay and Mr. Edgeworth felt he should be reacting one way, but he really didn't have any negative feelings towards Kay’s treatment of him at all.

In fact, if she tried to change it too much, it would make him uneasy. Like they didn't trust his own opinion on what made him feel wanted or what made him feel disrespected.

He didn't want Kay to grow a conscience based on other people's standards, and not his.

“I don't want the way you treat me to change,” he says honestly. “That's all I think, so don't worry.”

“...Okay.”

More moments pass. Kay inhales deeply, then lets out the longest exhale Sebastian has ever heard.

“I'm so exhausted,” she says with a laugh. “I feel like I'm going to collapse.”

With that, she lets more of her body weight fall into Sebastian's arms. He figured it was just her relaxing more, but very quickly he realizes she's going completely ragdoll on him.

"Hey, wait, wait!" 

Sebastian struggles to stay upright with the Kay-shaped potato sack slipping from his grip. He crouches down and kneels on the floor with her flopped on him. What is he supposed to do now? He tries to look back into the apartment for a bed and realizes she doesn't have one – not even a couch! He never noticed! "Uhhh," he says, "where am I supposed to put you?"

“My futon is rolled up in the corner,” she mumbles.

Sebastian spots the Japanese-style bedding. He looks back at Kay. “Uhhh,” he repeats, “I'll just…put you on the ground for a second, then…”

Kay’s head wobbles with what he takes as an OK. Carefully, he lowers her to the floor before scurrying over to the futon. With some kicking and pushing of Kay’s low table, as well as a healthy dose of not-fucking-looking at the doll, he gets a space on the floor clear and spreads the bedding out. Job done, he looks back over at Kay, who adjusted her position to watch him with sharp eyes. She makes no move to lie on the futon.

She smiles at him. “You know what's romantic?” she says. “Being carried.”

A lot could go wrong if Sebastian tries to pick her up. He’s more of a stick than a person these days due to pouring all his time into college studies. But, Kay’s swollen eyes and red, blotchy face testify as to how exhausted she really is. Sebastian sighs. “Okay, I’ll try,” he says. “But if I throw my back out, I’m holding you responsible.”

Kay beams at him, then rolls over onto her back to make it easier for Sebastian to squat down. As he comes closer, she extends her arms up and stretches like a cat, wiggling. Sebastian smiles softly at her before squatting down and slipping his arms under her torso.

With some time, some unattractive huffing and puffing, and a lot of willpower, Sebastian manages to deposit Kay safely on top of her futon. She turns her head to look up at him and her eyes sparkle like he just gave her the world.

Unsure if he should lie down, too, Sebastian hesitates.

Kay graciously throws him a bone, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Would you...stay the night?" she asks.

His heart starts up again for the millionth time that night. Does she want to take things to the next level? He's always ready to serve, but she doesn't seem up to it. He clears his throat, cheeks burning. "Aren’t you tired?" he asks.

Kay laughs a sound that echoes through the apartment and fills Sebastian's chest with warmth. "Yup, I’m exhausted," she says, wiping at her eyes. "So it’s a platonic sleepover party. At least for tonight.” She grins wide at him. “Can you handle it, loverboy?”

The mix of joking seriousness makes it hard for Sebastian to know how to reply. The honest answer is that he suspects it’d only be 100% safe if she ties his hands behind him. His own self-control is no problem, but Kay, and only Kay, can make all his reason melt away in her sunshine smile. 

He tries to play it cool so as not to freak her out. “Only if you promise not to goad me on anymore,” he answers.

Kay's delight lights up the entire room. “I’ll do my best to wait until the morning at least!” she says. “Now, please hurry up to the bathroom and get me my toothbrush, toothpaste, and a cup of water!” Kay pauses for a moment. “I think I have an unopened toothbrush for you to use in the top drawer… It might be buried, though.”

The implication of what she’ll do in the morning sends a light trill down Sebastian’s spine. He clears his throat again. “Yes, Your Majesty,” he says with the practiced elegance of a prosecutor (in training).

He rises to his feet and heads to the bathroom, his legs feeling a bit wobbly. Sebastian can't believe the rollercoaster of emotions he's been on in the past few minutes. He takes a moment to calm down in front of the bathroom mirror before handling Kay’s task. Right as he comes back, Kay asks for a wet towel, then a bottle of water, then her hairbrush. The errands take a lot of back and forth from Sebastian.

He figures she’s completely capable of all of it herself, but seeing her ecstasy in being babied makes Sebastian more than content to dote on her. He figures it's the least he can do with all the crying he triggered, and with each little task he does, he feels more grounded in reality, too.

When Sebastian comes back to the futon to sleep, he pulls the light string hanging from the ceiling and darkness shrouds the room. 

Being so dark, Sebastian decides that taking his shirt off to sleep is probably safe. As he’s pulling off his belt, Kay speaks up. “Can I take off some of my clothes, too?” she asks quietly. "I'll leave my undies on. It's just for sleep.”

Sebastian can’t help a snort of laughter. “You just promised not to goad me on anymore!”

“And I meant it! It’s not an invitation! All I want is cuddling!” she huffs. “...I trust you, so behave.”

“You’re the problem here,” Sebastian quips as he slides into the futon.

It’s big enough for one person to spread their arms comfortably, but with two people, it’s a bit crowded. Sebastian gets comfortable, but he can feel Kay worming out of her clothes and has to consciously try not to imagine what his eyes can’t see. Eventually, she settles down and flops her head on the pillow with a sigh.

Sebastian looks up at the dark ceiling with her. Nothing is visible, nothing is audible, not even her breathing. He wonders if it’s a habit she trained to be a Great Thief.

Kay’s hand brushes against Sebastian’s flank and he twitches. Kay draws away with an apology. “Sorry. I was looking for your hand…”

Sebastian’s arm stretches out tentatively in the darkness. Playing Blind Man’s Bluff with a mostly nude girl is risky business, but the potential prize is too tantalizing to ignore. As he hoped, his fingertips graze against hers. By silent and practiced agreement, their hands move together, finding the familiar comfort of each other’s grip.

Kay squeezes his hand tight, and Sebastian returns the friendly greeting. Kay giggles with delight. As her hand relaxes, so does Sebastian, and the tension he was holding in other muscles releases with it. 

“Thank you for coming over,” says Kay, “and putting up with everything.”

“Now it's my turn to go ‘don't say that ever again’,” sighs Sebastian. “I'm offended that you think I put up with anything. I'd leave you crying in a heartbeat if I felt like you trying to manipulate me or whatever.”

“Hmph!” Kay pouts. “Somehow, I don't believe you!” 

“You don't have to believe me. But it's true. I'm here because I want to be. I've learned how to say no." Sebastian had to learn how to walk away, no matter how much it hurt, that fateful day 3 years ago. "But I'm not saying no to you, Kay. I want to be with you.”

Kay is silent. Slowly, she shimmies a little closer to him. Her arm presses against his, warmth against warmth.

Her tone is determined. “I'll show my gratitude by keeping you feeling that way, then.”

What a strange statement. “How do you mean?” asks Sebastian.

“I'll keep you happy,” says Kay. “I'll keep your heart close and treat it good.” Her voice grows so quiet he can barely hear. “I'll be the best lover ever.”

Sebastian reaches over in the dark towards her voice, and as he planned, he finds her cheek. Kay makes a small squeak as he pinches the round squish.

“What are you pinching me for?”

“If you don't keep being yourself, I'll get mad.”

“They're not mutually exclusive! You haven't seen all of me, yet!” she pouts.

Sebastian blushes, but knows she didn't mean literally. "Okay, right, but you better keep being my best friend, or else.” He pauses. “I'll get lonely if I lose my best friend.”

“Huh?” Kay is surprised at the concept. “I… Okay. That makes sense.” She thinks for a moment. “Lovers don't do platonic sleepovers.”

“Yeah.”

“So you like some platonic and unsexy stuff from your lover…your partner.”

“Yeah.”

“...Okay.” She squirms in the bedding. “That's a lot of hats to ask of one girl.”

“Hats? Oh, roles.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be doing the same for you,” he says. “And it'll be no problem for me.”

“So confident!”

Sebastian wishes she could see his smirk. “Winners only win.”

She knows exactly what to say in response. “And as Kay Faraday, I'll be A-OK.”

Both of them burst into snickers. Using their little catchphrases while lying mostly nude in bed together was such a ridiculous gap in tone. But, neither of them would have it any other way. 

The giggling eventually subsides as they're reminded of their fatigue. The room goes quiet until one last word from Kay.

“Hey, Sebastian?” 

“What?”

Her voice is deep and warm. “I love you. I'll see you in the morning.” 

He squeezes her hand one last time this night. “I love you, too. Good night.”

Sebastian's eyes flutter open to the faint light of early dawn peeking through a crack in the curtains. His body is stiff and uncomfortable, a clear sign that he's been lying in the same position for too long. He moves to stretch his limbs but is stopped when recognizes something warm and soft enveloping his arm that is definitely not a blanket. He freezes, and the fog of sleep instantly clears.

Kay is hugging Sebastian’s arm like a koala, her bare torso pressed flush against him, and that means the two dumplings he feels are undeniably her breasts.

Sebastian’s heart leaps into his throat.

He shuts his eyes immediately and turns to the opposite direction. What had led to this? Was it his exhaustion last night? Was it the adrenaline that had been still in his veins? He didn't know, but something had obscured the unbelievable situation he put himself into. Sebastian nearly couldn't believe it. Him, the king of virgins! In bed with an almost-nude Kay! He's afraid to open his eyes in fear the scene will disappear into a mist for some twisted reason. What kind of fatigue had he been suffering from last night to not comprehend how insane it was to sleep shirtless with Kay Fucking Faraday!?

The events that had led up to it all come back to him and he makes an audible wheeze with the mental impact. The doll, the squabbling, the crying, all very intense stuff…which somehow led to stripping his shirt in the dark and climbing into a girl’s bed like it was regular practice?! Did he contract satyromania from being in close proximity with a sex doll?

God, she’s so warm. He bets her sleeping face is adorable. He wants to look so bad, but she’s nude! Well, almost nude! She kept her underwear on, right? She was lucid when she undressed, right? She…she figured they would wake up like this…right?

Was looking at her acceptable?

He didn't have the courage to look at her directly, not yet...but the dim light of the dawn covered her in a gauze, protecting her from the lustful man he felt himself transforming into. It was enough censor that, maybe, she wouldn't hate him looking.

Slowly, slowly, Sebastian peeks out of the corner of his eyes at Kay. The window behind her is covered by curtains, but a soft glow seeps through the light-colored fabric. The glow of this light is minimal, and it's just enough to make out Kay’s form as a silhouette. He sees only her contours — her bare shoulders, her back, the curve of her hips. Sebastian catches himself straining his eyes to see if the white around her hips is a blanket or her exposed skin.

He closes his eyes, ashamed of his actions. He was 99% sure she was completely fine with his gaze, but years of clear and functional communication habits gave Sebastian an odd lack of faith in his ability to infer information. She had promised to keep her hands to herself till morning and had laid in bed with him like this, but while it implied things, Sebastian couldn't crush the last sliver of anxiety that he was being a letch.

But all his nerves needed to be put aside for now. His morning wood combined with a full bladder makes him extremely uncomfortable. He needed to free himself from Kay's entanglement, and fast.

Sebastian takes a quick inventory of where Kay’s limbs are. One of her legs is hooked around his upper thigh, almost completely interlocked, with her ankle as the binding. He can get out of that with a little wiggling, but the two arms wrapped around his bicep will be a problem.

As an aspiring ninja, she’s probably a light sleeper and may very well wake up. Sebastian doesn't have much of a choice, though. His bladder screams for relief.

He takes a deep breath and gently starts to slide his leg out from under hers. There’s no problem, and he’s quickly freed. Now for her arms. He feels like he’s disarming a bomb. Each movement is calculated. He starts with the one that’s lying on top, and with a feather-light touch, Sebastian lifts it off him. He gently places Kay’s hand on her own hip. Now, she’s pretty much off him. All that’s left is a very careful combat roll to the side.

Sebastian rolls away from the futon a couple of feet, rotating like a rotisserie chicken, until he feels he's enough in the clear to stand and calm down from the surprisingly tense escape that was. His sigh of relief is more like a gasp, and he turns away from Kay to head to the bathroom before he gets tempted to look at her again.

The morning light is bright enough to help him get to the bathroom safely and he does his morning routine as best he can without his normal toiletries. After his eyes catch a stocked towel rack, he adds a shower to the process. He manages to figure out how to turn on the gas water heater on his own, and it makes him feel a little proud of himself. It does get randomly hotter at one point, but he figures it's just an old model with the orneriness to match.

Once he’s clean, Sebastian dries off, steps out, and then loosely wraps a towel around his waist to get ready to tend his hair. He looks over at the sink, and that’s when he notices something is off. Between the time he entered the shower and came out, something changed. Did the cup holding the toothbrushes switch sides on the sink? It's not his apartment, so he can't really remember what's normal, either way. He laughs lightly at himself for so much overthinking. Why would anything move while he was in the shower?

Now, it's time to tackle his head of hair. But, first, Sebastian opens the bathroom door the smallest crack to let out the steam. The cooler air of the apartment is a relief, and as he inhales it, the door flings open.

It's Kay — an almost completely nude Kay, standing proud in the light. Sebastian gasps, and then she's on him. Her hands slide across his cheeks into his wet hair and hold his head steady. She uses the control to pull him down for a kiss.

His first kiss is stolen by the great Yatagarasu.

All he can do is “mrph?!” in surprise. He realizes instantly that she's been waiting for this moment, lying in wait like a cat ready to pounce on an unsuspecting bird. Was she awake before him, lying in wait? Her breath is fresh – did she sneak into the bathroom and brush her teeth, planning to jump him? Realizing that he was prey makes his arousal spike. He reaches out to embrace her in return, but as he does, the towel he had only loosely wrapped around himself begins to slip.

Sebastian gasps, shy, and tries to draw his arms back to catch the towel, but much too late. He wasn’t as fast to notice as Kay. She catches his arms and pins them between their bodies in a vice-grip hug, forcing the towel to drop. Her breasts squish around his bony arms, her nipples catching on his skin, and he can feel it all. He groans with embarrassment and longing. With her hips pressing up to his, she is brushing up against the embodiment of those emotions right now.

Kay draws back from their kiss to look Sebastian in the eye. “Time to really make you mine,” she whispers. Her voice drips with honey, each word a promise that makes Sebastian drool with desire.

The towel is lost on the floor and Sebastian’s body is in full contact with her. Her leg slides between his own, pressing against his arousal. It's almost too much. Her breasts, her kisses, her soft body. The stimulation is simple, but the situation is anything but. Embraced in the near-nude Kay’s arms and being treated like a treasure she has been yearning for amplifies every touch.

Shamefully, he wasn't ready to be ambushed. He should have been more aware of Kay’s desires — she had promised, after all. Caught unawares and in the face of such powerful want, shocked and unbelievably aroused at the same time, he felt like he would unravel already.

The Great Thief steals kiss after kiss from him, pushing him back so that he is leaning against the sink. In between her kisses, she whispers to him. “I've never seen you with your hair wet,” she says. “You're so cute…”

“K-Kay,” he groans, realizing that he has been entrapped in a precarious situation. With his back to the sink, he can't draw his hips away, can’t escape the stimulation. The pressure she rolls into him with her bare thigh is too much for his inexperienced self. “Kay, y-you have to slow down–”

She rolls harder into him, and Sebastian’s eyes flutter as her thigh catches the underside of his tip. The whole of her thigh, the thighs that have always lured his gaze, that pale skin in contrast with her boots and her skirt, the thighs he’s lusted over so many times… Kay’s thigh is in full contact with his length.

The thought is too much.

His voice turns to a whine. He begs for mercy, and it's all for her sake. He can't collapse here before he has a chance to show his affection in return. “Please,” he says.

“I'm gonna come, wait, please! I can't yet!”

Kay licks the underside of his chin. It's a clear denial of his request.

"Sebastian," she says, her voice still a sweet whisper. "You're my captive for today."

Kay’s words are a revelation, a declaration of her intentions that sends a jolt of excitement through him. He feels a thrill of fear and anticipation at being at her mercy, and the mixture of emotions multiplies his arousal. She presses closer than he thought possible with the softness of her body melding against him, the warmth of her skin igniting his own desires. "I've been holding back so much, dreaming, trying to catch your attention," she continues. "And now…I want to show you how I feel about you. I need to. I need you to understand me...and what you're getting into."

The memory from last night of her saying "You haven’t seen all of me yet" echoes through his mind. It wasn't just boasting or flirting; it was a declaration of her vulnerability and a warning. Sebastian's heart races, understanding that this isn’t just about sex; it’s about intimacy.

To be intimate with the fire that is Kay may be a frightful thing to some. She is passionate and sometimes brash, fickle and playful, and so, so warm. She has used her flame to connect people by melting the walls of icy hearts, and she has inspired action as a beacon of light, drawing people to her. Now, a new aspect of her flame is coming to be known. She will use her warmth to melt him down and reshape him as a lover.

It's a final warning, and Sebastian knows that, to him, it's no warning he should heed. This is what he wanted most of all, the light that drew him in, the lamp that he finds himself chasing after in the dark night.

To others, it would be frightening to dance with an open flame. To the past him, the younger him, the vulnerable and ignorant him that watched his world burn, flicked away as ash...

But now, the idea of being hers to burn or to warm is what sends him over the edge for the first time.

His breath hitches as an emotionally induced orgasm hits him, elongating a moan into a high-pitched whine, catching as his seed spills against the soft, warm skin of Kay’s thigh. His thrusts are weak with such limited motion, held fast and close by Kay’s iron grip, but that embrace saves him from collapsing from the powerful shocks and mind-whirling post-coital. His head lolls back as he loses control of his body. Kay gently pushes Sebastian further against the sink and he rests all his weight against it. In the brief blackout state, he can't mind himself and briefly becomes molten in Kay's arms.

With each breath Sebastian gasps, his senses come back. He blinks his eyes rapidly and refocuses. Kay pulls away, a smug smile playing on her lips as she looks down at her handiwork. Sebastian can't help doing the same. She’s covered in his come, her thigh gleaming with it, and some reached high enough to mark her panties. Sebastian’s cock twitches, desperate to continue, but that part of him must rest no matter how tantalizing the sight in front of him is.

The call for her is subconscious in the post-coital haze. “Kay,” he says simply, letting the name fill his mouth.

Sebastian watches numbly as Kay hooks her thumbs underneath her panties and steps out of them. She twirls them on her index finger like a toy. The movement isn't enough to distract Sebastian’s eyes from going straight to her crotch on instinct. Like him, dark, wiry hair accents her pale skin. It hides the red that Sebastian so wants to see.

Kay sizes him up at the same time. Slowly, she comes closer. She takes his soft cock with tender hands, and Sebastian bites his lip at the almost-painful sensation. She gently squeezes and strokes down in a milking motion, and her touch is delicate enough to not hurt. As a reward, one last drop of his seed beads at his tip.

Sebastian wonders if he could survive another onslaught, but he has nothing to worry about for at least a little while. Kay simply uses her panties to wipe him clean, careful to not smear it on him. Sebastian is vaguely surprised. He thought she was going to try to force past the recovery phase. He watches her use the same panties to wipe up the come on herself, and then she tosses the wad into a small laundry hamper.

It feels like a declaration that the romp is done, and it makes Sebastian feel…unfulfilled.

“Kay,” he says. “...Can you orgasm, too?”

Her eyes gleam, and she smirks at him, obviously scheming. “Yes, I can,” she purrs. “Only in a very specific way, but I can.” She leans in, and her breasts shift down tantalizingly, drawing Sebastian’s eyes. “Want to learn how?”

If he had dog ears, they would perk up at the proposal. Sebastian nods eagerly. He heard it was possible, but didn't know any details. He wonders excitedly about the kind of task he'll be entrusted with this time.

“Come out and wait on the futon,” she says. “I need to get something. Oh, and drink some water, first.”

Kay leaves the bathroom first and Sebastian watches her go with amazement. She's so…capable. He doesn't know if that's the right word to describe it, but he admires the way she transitioned overnight from sobbing and unsure to confident and in control. Was all she needed to feel safe with him was knowing their feelings were mutual? Sebastian is beyond relieved she seems to feel affirmed. Watching Kay be herself freely was his greatest wish. He makes a mental note to reaffirm her as much as he can so she never hesitates again. She mentioned struggling to talk about love and sex, so he will likely need to reassure her today. After all, if she dared to curb the flame, the warmth, that he hungered for, then he would be insulted. He wanted her trust in his ability to take it all.

He comes out of the bathroom and sees Kay arranging something in her closet. She spots him and gestures over to the futon with her head. He lays down and watches her, taking full opportunity to see her nude from a new angle. However, he's a bit shy of his own body and pulls the blanket to cover his crotch.

Kay turns back around and walks to the futon, holding up a small item for Sebastian to see. It's a black, rounded cylindrical object, the same size as two of Sebastian's fingers put together. On one end is a cord connecting to what looks like a lightswitch.

He's never seen anything like it before. He suspects it's a sex toy, but it's less phallic than anything he knows about. "What's that?" he asks as Kay slides onto the futon next to him.

"It's an egg vibrator," she says, grinning. "My one and only lover until now. I hope you'll work with it like a partner! And no jealousy, okay?”

She flicks the switch up one notch. It comes to life with a brr. Sebastian instantly figures out its use.

Kay's cheshire smile, broad enough to show her gums, says everything that she's thinking. Why bother waiting for her to ask? "I'll use it on you," Sebastian says, maybe a little too quickly, but there's no point acting coy after how thoroughly Kay made a mess of him earlier.

And his proposal is rewarded with a very happy Kay. "Yes, please!" she says.

Kay switches off the toy and takes Sebastian's hand, depositing it right in his palm. Sebastian turns it over in his fingers and considers what to do. He can imagine many uses for it and wonders what will be the secret to pulling an orgasm from Kay. The prospect of study, in this scenario, fills him with determination.

Now, it's time to try it. He looks back at Kay. "Before using this..." he says, "...I want to use my hands."

Kay nods eagerly, her cheeks flushing a little. "I'd like that," she says. "Save it for when you want to make me come my brains out. Like a coup de grace!" She squirms. "That's what I like to do, at least."

Sebastian laughs. "What the heck… No dying, please!” he says, shaking his head.

The Sebastian of last night would have continued to banter with her like always, but he learned very clearly to not get distracted and focus on the hard-to-craft atmosphere conducive to lots of sex. He rolls her over onto her back, then leans down and captures her lips with his own. He slowly makes his way over her to straddle her hips. The kiss is gentle at first, explorative, but as he feels the warmth of her mouth and tastes the mint on her tongue, his passion flares.

She must have felt the same, for Kay nips playfully at Sebastian's lower lip, catching him by surprise. He jumps back, breaking the kiss.

Kay quirks an eyebrow. "Why did you stop?"

Why did he stop? It had felt good. He blushes. It's obvious he has a lot to learn. He leans back down to continue to kiss her, and Kay keeps her teeth in check as they deepen the kiss. Sebastian feels like he has no idea what he's doing, but Kay very generously moans her encouragement when he does something right for her, and it serves as a reliable impromptu guide.

The kiss is intoxicating, a dance of tongues and teeth and breaths. Sebastian feels like he's floating on a cloud. The concept of a “make-out session” focusing only on kissing was starting to make a lot of sense. The messy wetness had conceptually disgusted him, but Kay…something about Kay was hypnotizing him. Her saliva is so warm, her tongue so soft, and with a shiver, Sebastian wonders what her mouth would feel like in other places. Before his mind can wander too far, Kay sucks on his tongue lightly, and a wanton moan is pulled from him. It was an instinctual sound, and Sebastian is mystified how he could ever have made such a sound from the simple act of a kiss.

His senses beyond his lips dull, and it's only after drawing away from the kiss to catch his breath that he realizes Kay is embracing him, pulling him down and restricting his movement. It's reminiscent of her attack in the bathroom earlier. Sebastian would be fine with it if he didn't want to use his limbs. "Kay, let up a little," he protests, gently pressing against her arms. "I want to... Um..."

Oh, no, saying it aloud made all his ideas seem so much more embarrassing.

Kay senses the opportunity and doesn't waste a moment. "What is it?" she purrs. "What do you want to do?"

Sebastian feels his face heat up. He's about to say "never mind," but the anticipation in her eyes, the way she's looking at him, makes him want to push through his shyness. "I want..." he starts, voice a squeaky mess, "I want to touch your breasts... really badly."

Kay releases him right away, a clear and silent approval. She rests her arms at the sides of her head to give him a better view and he relishes in it. The sun now clearly illuminates her shape, and with her submissive position, he has time to truly appreciate the beauty. Her breasts are perfectly proportioned for her size. They are small and pert, and he's certain that if he squeezed them, they'd fit perfectly in his palm. He's had fantasies, of course. He’s had so many, it’s shameful. The way the morning light highlights her curves, the way her breasts rise and fall as she breathes, it’s so much better than his imagination could have ever painted. And best of all, he will likely be seeing this sight for a long, long time to come, for they promised to be lovers.

It’s the moment of truth. He cups her breast, feeling the soft mound fill his hand. It's heavier than he thought it would be. He looks at her for approval, and she smiles back.

He would never admit it, but the image of Kay's hand caressing the sex doll last night comes to his mind. He remembers it in perfect clarity, much to his chagrin, but maybe it can be useful here. He tries to remember the exact motion he saw her use. Her palm had cupped the underside and gently pushed up, her thumb teasing the nipple. Now, his thumb follows the same path, and he can feel his own heart thundering in his chest in time with Kay's. His thumb flicks the nipple, and Sebastian is rewarded with a soft murmur from Kay.

"Mm," she says, and her eyes flutter shut.

Sebastian feels a thrill at his success, and his confidence grows. He takes both of her breasts into his hands, massaging them softly and playing with the nipples. He’s unsure how much pressure is appropriate, so he keeps his touch soft. Kay seems to appreciate it, based on her contented smile. Different movements don't seem to inspire any different reaction, so he allows himself to have a little fun and simply play with the incredibly soft treat he's found.

Sebastian doesn't notice when Kay opens her eyes again to watch him.

Her voice is teasing and sweet. "You're a boobs type?" she asks.

Caught red-handed. "Well...yeah," he admits.

Kay laughs, and her chest jiggles mesmerizingly in his hands. "That's good to know," she says, her voice filled with amusement. "I’m a boobie enjoyer, too! Same clan!"

What does clan mean here? Before he gets a chance to consider it, he feels her nimble fingers reach up to tweak his own nipples. He squeaks in surprise, his body jolting at the sudden contact. "Hey!" he protests, but the sound is swallowed by his own small whimper of pleasure as she gropes his chest with her palms. Her touch is much rougher than his. The one millimeter of pectoral muscle he has is squeezed firmly to the point that her fingers sink into it. Sebastian had thought he only had a flat plane of bone, but apparently not.

“You’re so cute, Sebastian!” she says, her voice full of mirth. “Look at you!”

“What are you doing to me?” he sulks. “There’s nothing there.”

“Are you kidding? Your nipples are so pink! Like candy!” she giggles, pinching said nipples again. It mainly hurts, but the praise feels good, he can’t deny.

“Mmm,” she moans. “And candy belongs in my mouth. Come here!”

And yet again, Sebastian is yanked into her embrace. 

This time, however, she uses her arms to not hold him, but roll him onto his side on the futon. He’s a bit surprised by the sudden movement, but it’s a surprise he quickly grows to enjoy when Kay shimmies down far enough to level her head with his chest. Kay leaves her tongue flat over his nipple. They moan in unison — Kay, as if she had tasted something delicious, and Sebastian, surprised by the pleasurable feeling. Her fingers had been a little abusive, but her tongue was completely different.

It’s wet, so wet, and searingly hot. The air has no time to cool his skin before Kay licks him again. The tip of her tongue flicks his nipple with each broad stroke. He can feel his nipple hardening in her mouth, and Sebastian is amazed that this part of him, too, could react like that. Kay wraps her lips around it and sucks, massaging his muscle lightly with her hand. It makes him moan even more.

But he can't let this continue! It's fine for her to follow her whims most times, but she's not letting him get his turn to make her come! “Kay, wait, stop!” Sebastian says, much more sternly than he did earlier in the bathroom. "I'm not trying to play around. I want to make you...come..." His voice trails off as Kay attempts to suck his brain out through his nipples.

She releases him with a pop of her lips. “Alright, alright. I'll let you drive," she says, letting go of his chest with a dramatic sigh. "But only if you start touching me where I really want to be touched."

Ah, so it was more that she was getting impatient. Of course. Sebastian clears his throat. "Sorry. Got distracted."

"By my bazongas. Very understandable! I forgive you."

Kay winks at him and returns to her previous position on her back. Kay spreads her legs and beckons Sebastian to move to kneel between them and over her. Here has full view of her entire body, including her crotch, accented beautifully by her dark hair.

Sebastian takes a deep breath and starts to trace the curves of her body. While her breasts are soft, her stomach and hips are just as much. He lets his fingers trace her ribs, as well, before moving his hands a little further past her belly. As he moves his hands, he moves his body backwards, moving down her body little by little. He can feel her muscles flex in anticipation. Kay watches Sebastian's every movement with intensity.

He reaches the top of her mound and pauses, his heart racing. He's so nervous he might mess this up. He looks down at his hand, hovering over her, and then at her face, looking for guidance. She's watching him, a smoldering fire in her eyes that tells him, challenges him, to continue.

He gathers his courage and gently runs his fingers through her hair, parting it slightly. He can see the plump folds of her inner labia, and his fingers itch to touch. He takes a moment to admire the deep red color before finally letting himself stroke down the slit with his thumb.

Kay gasps quietly, and Sebastian looks back up to her face. From this angle, her eyes are half-lidded, and with her lazy smile, Sebastian thinks her a succubus.

He strokes her inner labia again, his thumb picking up and spreading a fluid that reminds him of his own pre, but the major difference is the enormous amount. It's so wet, and there is so much, it drips like nectar from her.

Sebastian increases the pressure of his thumb and is startled when his finger slips deeper between her lips. Kay makes a sound of unmistakable pleasure, encouraging Sebastian that he is on the right track. He moves his other hand to part her body and see what he's doing better…and to see her body as closely as he can. It feels like taboo, but the urge to see her everything is just too great.

“Mmngh, don't look so close. Mmmm… You pervert,” she says, but the moans interlaced with her words take out all the bite. 

Sebastian gives a half-truth as comfort. “I want to see so I can learn…”

Kay tries to growl at him, but Sebastian’s fingers turn it into a groan. “Rrrnnnghh…” she replies, hips twitching. She abandons her complaints to teach him instead. “T-touch the top part. The clit.”

“The clit…” he echoes, looking a little closer. He's not sure what she's talking about. "Is it pink?"

"Yes, yes," she replies with haste, hips twitching up again and again as if trying to force his hand to go to where she wants. "The part that looks like a really tiny dick! Please...!"

It's a funny description, but it helps him quickly locate the small nub hidden under a fold of skin. It's swollen and a deep shade, begging for his touch. Excited to satisfy her, he pushes up into it from below, and to his horror, Kay hisses in pain and backs away. Sebastian takes his hand away too, aghast at her reaction.

"Sensitive!" she says, lowering her hips back down. She wiggles to try and incite Sebastian to touch her again, obviously apologetic for spooking him. "Touch from the top, gently... Try not to separate the, uh...foreskin part of it."

Sebastian nods, his cheeks burning. He appreciates her easy-to-understand terms. He uses two fingers to spread her wetness over her clit and then lightly touches the top of it through its hood. It's like pressing into a soft button, and she jolts upwards with a gasp. This time, it’s clear it’s from pleasure. "Good," she whispers. "Good. Good…”

Sebastian wishes to keep the pressure light out of fear of another accident, but Kay doesn't allow it. She pushes her hips up and at him, showing him physically the amount of pressure she wants. Sebastian watches with fascination as the muscles of her entire body flex to chase her own pleasure with his hand. Her legs in particular ripple and expand, and Sebastian is mesmerized by her powerful, lithe body.

“Good… Ah, good… Good,” she repeats, her linguistic skills depreciating quickly. She gathers her mind only to give Sebastian another request. “Put a finger in me.”

Sebastian eagerly follows her directions with the same enthusiasm as a puppy learning new tricks. With one hand, he continues to massage her clit with his thumb, and with the other, he inserts his middle finger into her. It slides in with ease, coated in her arousal.

They both moan in unison as he penetrates her for the first time, Kay in pleasure, Sebastian in desire. Kay's hips rock back and forth, urging him deeper, her slickness coating him as he moves, and Sebastian is salivating at the sight. The feeling of her body fluttering around his finger is taking away his rational though. His mission was to make her come and that was all his mind had focused on — her reactions, her requests, her fluttering eyes. But his body was insistent, urging him on, filling his head with rough and primal desires over his soft wishes, manifesting as images of Kay wailing in pleasure, violently taken from every position possible. Sebastian's cock, once soft from his previous climax, is now standing at full attention again. He drips precome as an image of Kay bent over and screaming his name invades his mind.

But he’s a man of his word, and he promised to make her come first.

He watches her face intently as he adds a second finger to the first and it slips inside just as easily as the first. He's never felt something so tight and wet and warm and alive around his fingers. More filthy images dance on the edge of his vision — Kay, Kay, Kay, all of it Kay — but he fights to focus. Carefully, he angles his hand to replace his thumb with the heel of a hand, instead and uses his free hand to reach over the side of the futon and grab the egg vibrator Kay had given him earlier.

He turns it on to the lowest setting and shows it to her. “Ready?” he asks.

Kay's eyes are hazy. She nods eagerly. "Please, please, put it inside me!"

With trembling hands, Sebastian lines up the egg vibrator with her entrance. He's barely holding onto his self-control when her desperate plea echoes in his head. He gently presses the toy into her, watching with fascination as it disappears into her heat.

But, he can't watch for long. Kay cries out in ecstasy and squeezes her thighs together. It seems the vibrator, even at the lowest setting, is extremely powerful to her. Sebastian had been keeping the heel of his hand on Kay's clit for her to hump up into, but before he knew it, his hand was trapped. It’s a good problem to have.

Now, he can only watch her beautiful face, scrunched up with pleasure so intense it seems near painful. He keeps his hand as steady as possible, making sure to keep the pressure consistent for her to use. She's panting heavily now, and her hips are moving in a pattern that tells Sebastian she's about to come. The stuttering of her hips and the power she puts behind each trust couldn't mean anything else.

And then it happens. She comes with a sound that makes Sebastian's blood boil. It’s a loud, unfiltered moan marking the explosion of all of the tension they had wound together. Kay’s eyes squeeze shut and her teeth clench to growl, deep and low. Her whole body tightens and relaxes repeatedly in powerful waves, slowly waning in force, and then she's shaking weakly, her thighs quivering erratically around his hand. Her orgasm leaves them both breathless. It’s raw, it’s primal, and it’s absolutely perfect.

He's never seen a woman come before, but he knows this is it. And Sebastian helped her feel that way.

Kay’s body relaxes with a sigh, and she releases Sebastian’s hand from her thighs' death grip. She relaxes her whole body into the futon and opens her eyes, smiling up at Sebastian. “Amazing,” she murmurs, seemingly at peace.

Sebastian, however, isn’t quite as composed. He's on the brink of losing it, his cock pulsing with need. He wants to be romantic and cool and just kiss her like a prince, but the reality is that if he touches her again, he'll really lose his mind.

Kay glances down and notices his plight. A catlike grin returns, and she reaches out to stroke his cheek. "You did good," she whispers, her voice still thick with lust. "Really good. And luckily for you..."

She reaches down and spreads her pussy with both hands. Sebastian's eyes snap to it like a magnet.

"...I don't have a refractory period."

Sebastian leans down and captures her mouth with his own, kissing her with all the pent-up desire he’s been holding back. It's a kiss that says just how he feels about her, how much he wants her and to be wanted in return, and Kay seems to understand. Her arms wind around his neck, pulling him closer, and she kisses him back with intensity.

Sebastian pulls away, his voice urgent and thick with need. "Kay, I need... I want to... I need a condom."

Kay laughs. "You seriously think I don't want you fucking me raw? I'm on the pill just for this. Hurry up already, before I mount you myself!"

Sebastian had wanted to piston his cock into her until she went as crazy as him, but maybe the lust-induced insanity was mutual, too...and for a long time, seemingly.

He feels surprised. She thinks he shouldn't be. Ahh, this is why he was addicted to her.

He lines himself up, the tip of his cock nudging at her opening. Her slick coats him in welcome. With one swift movement, he pushes into her, and she gasps, breath hitching into a high-pitched whine. He groans with her, deep from his gut.

Her pussy accepts him happily. Sebastian throws his head back and tries to breathe. It's too much, it feels so good, and her body twitches around him like she's wanting him to come right away. He can't. Sebastian has to force himself to start slow, to ease into her, but it’s so tempting to just dig his hands into the flesh of her hips and fuck up into her mindlessly. He fights against the urge and keeps it slow and shallow, watching her face as he moves in her. Her eyes are lidded and lustful, her cheeks flushed, and her mouth hangs open. Small little "ah"s fall from her lips with every single movement, even the twitch of his cock. He can feel the same twitches from her, milking him so incessantly that holding back is torturous, and he wonders if maybe he really should just come and fuck her using it as lube. He's aroused enough he thinks it'd be possible.

It's another fantasy for another day. He wants his first time to last a longer than a minute. It forces him to follow a haphazard pace. The moment he catches a rhythm, an orgasm quickly mounts. Sebastian grits his teeth in frustration. He tries to force it down, focusing instead on her reactions and seeking to follow her signs. But, heedless of his suffering, Kay’s voice urges him onward, to be quick, to be hard, to be passionate and unrestrained. Of course a steady pace would make her voice sound so sweet. Of course her pussy is so hot, melting him as gratitude for the orgasm he gave her earlier. Sebastian thinks this must be hell. Her siren's song draws him closer to the end of the encounter. He can't bear the thought of separating from her, even for a moment, even if she promised to sing for him again another day.

His own moans mix with Kay's. The power of will he needs to hold back his orgasm forces pained groans from deep in his chest. "D-damn it," he curses in despair. "I can't, I can't!" He closes his eyes and digs his nails into Kay's skin. "Mnnnnnngh...!"

"I love you, I want you," she groans in response. What she wants is unclear. "You're so good— Nnngh!" She starts stroking his body wherever she can reach, her hand sliding up and down his back, then his arms, and even reaching down to cup his ass. "I want you, please, please, you're so—"

Her breath hitches and her body spasms, eyes screwed shut. She throws her head back and moans.

Her whole body squeezes around him, and Sebastian's pitiful attempts to hold back mean nothing when her body begs him to come. It's too much. She's too much. He can feel the pressure welling up inside as her soaking pussy attempts to milk his shaft of every drop of his seed.

Holding back was hopeless from the start. Sebastian moans deeply as he has the control ripped from him by Kay's warmth, his body shaking as he comes hard and pours cum inside her. The first wave makes his vision blur, and mindlessly, wave after wave, he thrusts up into Kay. Each movement stacattos his voice until it fades to a weak, breathy whimper. Kay moans and pants with him as his hot sperm coats her inside. Her body doesn't stop even when Sebastian's hips falter, relentlessly squeezing him for more, hungry for anything and everything he can give.

Eventually, he doesn't have anything left, and he weakly pulls out of her with a wet shlick. The come immediately begins to drip from her, hot and messy. Kay moves a hand to cover herself, and Sebastian watches with perverted fascination as she tries to keep it inside her. A small, animal part of Sebastian swells with pride over how she treats his seed.

“Mn,” she murmurs, still trying to catch her breath. “So good, Sebastian. That was so good.”

But Sebastian, unfortunately, can’t hear her. His ears are ringing from the orgasm. He blinks and tries to gather himself. He falls back on his hands, sitting on the futon in a daze.

Kay giggles at his dumbstruck expression. She sits up and reaches for the tissues on the side of the futon and gently wipes the mess from herself, but keeps her eyes on Sebastian the whole while, waiting for his brain to reconnect.

Kay's voice somehow reaches him through the fog of his climax. "You okay?" Kay asks.

It takes a while, but the light comes back on upstairs, and his eyes refocus. He nods slowly. "Yeah," he drawls. "I just..." He looks down at his softening cock, which is now glistening with a mix of their juices. "That was..."

Kay laughs again. "Yes?" she prods.

"I feel like I lost my mind for a while," he finally says. His eyes flick down, embarrassed. "I've never felt anything like that before. It was...incredible."

Her smile softens, and she reaches over to caress his hair. "Glad it was good.”

They stay there for a moment, just looking at each other. Kay shimmies closer to Sebastian, and she drops her head on his shoulder, her hair tickling his bare skin. It's a clear request for cuddles that Sebastian accepts with everything he is. It's his turn to pull Kay into a fervent embrace. 

He buries his face in her hair, inhaling deeply, trying not to let the tears that prick his eyes fall. His heart is swollen to the point it feels like it'll burst, and as always, his eyes tattle on his emotion at a time he wishes he could be composed. He's so in love with Kay, it's scary. It's a feeling that he's held for a long time, a recognition of how much his new life seemed to revolve around her, and how dangerous it felt because of the last time he was betrayed by someone he adored. This is where he wants to be, but it's also where he feels most vulnerable. He feels like he's going to be crushed under the weight of his own feelings for her, no matter how positive. The fear is born of a deep sense of safety.

Kay’s hands rub up and down his back, the same way she's done so many times. How many times has she comforted him like this? She knew he cried when he was overwhelmed — could she tell what he was feeling right now? Did she know the small tremors of his body weren't fatigue, but of emotion, so intense it made him shake?

“I love you, Sebastian,” she whispers, her voice caressing his shaking heart. “You love me, too?”

Sebastian nods. He is afraid to speak.

But she knows everything he is thinking, and so, she prompts him to simply let go. “Say it, please…” she strokes his back again. “I really want to hear it.”

The tears finally spill and drop into her hair. "I love you, Kay," says Sebastian, his voice warbled.

Kay squeezes him harder. "I love you too... I love you, so much.” One of her hands entangles itself in his curls. “Promise me you'll tell me a lot? All the time?”

If he stays with her, he'll brush against that fear again and again. If he stays near that sense of safety, he's at risk of being betrayed. But he wants, so much, to believe in Kay. “Mmhmm.” He breathes in again, Kay’s scent calming him. “All the time. Every day. I'll say it."

“Yay!” she says, squeezing him one last time before drawing back and stealing a kiss. She smiles at him and then kisses a tear on his cheek away. “Mmm, salty.”

Sebastian laughs a little. “They're not for drinking.”

Kay pulls back and catches his gaze, her eyes shining with mischief. “No? You wouldn't cry for me if I asked to taste more?”

Sebastian’s brow scrunches in confusion. “Why would you want that?”

"Well, I don't want you sad," she says, her cheeks going red. "But it's just... When you happy-cry, you're so cute…” Her hand moves to stroke his chest, fingertips trailing towards his crotch. “...and I'm wondering if I can try to get you to cry for a brand-new reason today.”

Sebastian’s body throbs with renewed arousal. His erection starts up again, nudging Kay’s hand, which has strayed back to his cock.

He gulps.

“...I wouldn't mind,” he says.