Chapter 18

141

Kaitlin lifted slowly into consciousness. She didn’t feel rested, not really; they had been up far too late and had far too much vigorous ‘exercise’. But she felt satisfied. The needs of her body and heart had been met in ways she’d never known before.

She lifted her head from Tony’s chest and smiled at him. He looked so cute when he was sleeping. She could have spent all morning just staring at him and reminding herself of all they’d done and would do.

Then she saw the time and went pale.

Shit, shit, shit. She extricated herself from bed, slowly and carefully, to avoid waking Tony. But as soon as she was on her feet, she ran out.

Where were her clothes? And damn it, there was no time to go home and get another set. She’d have to walk-of-shame into the office with dirty—

“Good morning, Kaitlin.” Ai’s voice came from a speaker that pulled her attention to the coffee table — where her skirt suit sat clean, pressed, and folded. (The shower is preheated and ready for you. What flavour smoothie would you like for breakfast?) The rest came in that whisper inside their shared kybernet.

Kaitlin stopped short, stunned by the feeling of her stress just falling away. (You’re a life-saver. Can you do banana peanut butter?)

She grabbed her things and hurried into the bathroom. She couldn’t take the time to enjoy the shower, sadly, but just rushed through getting clean. Sex was fun, but it left her so sticky and messy the next day. Then afterwards, the only makeup in her bag was indigo eyeliner and glossy, hot-pink lipstick. At least none of it was sparkly.

While she put the finishing touches on her lips, Ai stepped into their panties and skirt. Multitasking was much easier when it was a team effort. (Your smoothie is ready and waiting by the door.)

Kaitlin let out a sigh. Such a dreamy feeling, having someone take such good care of her. No wonder Tony fell for Ai. (You’re wonderful.) She checked the time and her route. (Okay, I’m not late yet.)

(Tony’s home is considerably closer to the office. Much less travel time.) Ai pulled the bra on for her. Her camera use felt like cheating: she could still see the hooks even behind their back. (Just pointing that out.)

(Even less travel time if I just work from VR. They want me to sort some last things out this week, then after that, I’m free to just full-dive to the office.) Kaitlin smiled at their reflection. (Then that’s eight more hours you’re free to sleeve in.)

Ai froze, wide-eyed as she looked back at Kaitlin. (I hadn’t even considered that.)

Kaitlin grinned as she pulled on the rest of her work clothes. (I may not have planned what happened last night.) That was so glorious and wonderful a set of surprises. (But I have been planning how we’d share.) She stood up straight for the mirror. (Now, what do you think?)

Ai tilted their head as she looked Kaitlin over. (Lose the tie and undo two buttons.) She could have just done it herself; instead, she made Kaitlin take part.

That brought a tingling feeling to Kaitlin’s fingertips, even as they got to obedient work. Damn it, not even spending all night on a two-body threesome kept her from being horny for Ai. (How’s this look?)

Ai’s gaze slid over her. Kaitlin could feel her appreciation, there at the border between their minds, as she took in the blouse’s fit and the display of her cleavage. (Perfect.)

Her tone made Kaitlin weak at the knees. She was showered, dressed, and had breakfast waiting. There was just one more thing Kaitlin wanted, needed to do before she left.

She kissed the mirror. The cold, smooth glass was nothing like a pair of lips, but kissing their reflection was as close as she could get to kissing Ai. She took it in the spirit Kaitlin meant, laughing softly. As Kaitlin lifted away, Ai sleeved out, leaving her alone in her body.

Kaitlin gave her reflection one last goofy smile. “Talk later.” Then she ran for the door, grabbing her breakfast on the way out.

142

Tony slept in that morning. Kaitlin and Ai hadn’t quite worn out his Rejuv, but not for lack of trying. He slept better than he had in years, and not just because of all the physical activity.

His heart felt full. He had Ai, her lovely grace, her sweetly soft smile, and no looming deadline. And he had Kaitlin. Her bright smile, her warm embrace. He could finally be open about his desire for her. His love for her. That was what it felt like: not dirty, selfish lust, but love they could share in wholly new ways.

That morning only had two disappointments. First that Kytelin wasn’t there in bed with him, and second that he couldn’t stay in bed forever.

(Good morning, Tony.) Ai — or at least, her roller and AR avatar — stood beside his bed.

He groaned and rolled over, facing away from her.

While Ai’s hands stayed folded in front of her, the roller reached out to peel his blanket off him. (Good morning, Tony. You have four meetings today.)

He started grabbing for the blanket, but then it sank in. “Four meetings?” He could almost remember, and the tickle of memory felt like standing at the edge of a cliff with someone ready to push him.

Ai nodded and a day calendar appeared, floating in front of her. (At eleven o’clock, a project requirements meeting with Dario. At two thirty, a project design facilitation meeting with Caduceus Medtech. At five, a synergy promotion meeting with Silver Screen. And finally, at seven, a communication schedule planning meeting with Ruby Automation.)

Tony groaned, palming his face. (Communication schedule ... isn’t that just a meeting about when we can have other meetings?)

(Correct.)

They had delayed as long as they could, and now he needed to deal with his new business partners. All in one day. Winning the League was such a hassle. “It’s your project too. You can go to the meetings.” Even while he complained, he got out of bed and picked out some clothes.

(Incorrect.) Ai was so good at sounding smug without actually changing her tone of voice. (They need to speak with the lead engineer. I was, at best, a quality tester. Besides, there is something else I’d like to do this evening.) She said the last with a certain, playful smile.

Just enough for Tony to tell what was on her mind. He smiled back. “You and Kaitlin are adorable together.” That thought could keep him warm while he trudged through the tundra of meetings.

He checked the time. He still had a bit over an hour until his first appointment...

Ai read his mind. (What would you like for breakfast?) It still felt wrong that she couldn’t eat with him, but they could at least spend the time together.

That was what counted; he’d gotten halfway used to the idea of his love being bodiless, of never touching again, and he’d have been happy — well, mostly happy — with making other kinds of quality time. Now, that would simply tide them over, and he could look forward to the next time they were all together again.

143

After a long day at work, Kaitlin relished the chance to get back home, change into something more comfortable, and relax. Two days in, and she was still getting her momentum back and catching up from everything from her holiday.

It struck her: she hadn’t been home since she’d left for work on Monday morning. And now the house felt so big and empty. Sure, it wasn’t a massive house, it was nothing like the mansions on Daedalus Isle. But it felt too big just for her.

Especially when she peeked across the hall at her guest room. When they were growing up, it had been Tony’s room. Looking at it now, she felt a pang in her chest. Why had they taken so long to get together? And now that they had, she missed him already, even less than a day since she’d last seen him.

Should she call? Would that come off as desperate or needy? She didn’t want to scare either of them aw—

(Hello, Kaitlin. Are you home yet?) Ai’s voice in her kybernet. It sat oddly to hear a call or message instead of just having her there with her, in her.

(Yes! Yes, I’m here!) Kaitlin checked herself over to make sure she looked as good as she could, even though Ai couldn’t see her. Kaitlin wasn’t sending video, and didn’t have any cameras laced around the house. But looking good made her feel good, and that would carry through in her voice.

(Good. What are your plans for this evening?)

Well, she had been planning to just vegetate at home, maybe watch some shows. But if Ai was offering? (No plans, ) Kaitlin said. (Should I swing by the apartment? Or maybe you guys can come visit me here?)

(Unfortunately, ‘us guys’ are not both available. Tony has meetings for hours yet. But if you are available, this presents us a clear course of action.) Ai’s tone shifted; Kaitlin could hear her smile. (Kaitlin, we should go on a date.)

“Yes.” Kaitlin kybed it so hard, she said it aloud. Then her mind caught up with her mouth. What happened to not scaring them off? Besides. (Um. How would that work, exactly?)

(Much like any other date, I imagine.) Ai wasn’t scared away. She sounded more amused than anything. (We could go out to dinner, and we’d only need one meal between us. Convenient, really.)

Kaitlin winced as she lay a hand on her already-full belly. (I ate on the way home.) If she’d known to expect a dinner date with Ai...

(No matter, ) Ai said. (We can go to a movie. I’ve checked, and the charge is per seat, not per viewer. Still convenient.)

Kaitlin sighed with relief. Good, she hadn’t blown it.

(The important thing is spending time with you, one on one, ) Ai said. (That is what I want. Everything else is just details.)

Kaitlin’s heart did a backflip. Ai wanted to spend time with her, just with her. Damn it, how could she feel like this about two people at once? It felt like something could burst. Maybe her heart; maybe the bubble of the dream she was living in.

But there were still details to sort out. She looked down at herself; no way could she go on a date with Ai while wearing her lounging-at-home clothes. (I need to get ready. Give me twenty minutes, maybe thirty?)

(Ooh.) That tone put her in mind of Ai sitting up and paying attention. (Would you like me to help choose something?)

Having Ai tell her how to dress was fun, but this time, she had plans of her own. (No. I already know what I’ll wear. And ... I want it to be a surprise for you.)

(I can’t wait, ) Ai said. (I’ll go ahead and get the tickets. I’ll see you soon.)

The call ended. After a moment, Kaitlin whined. Why had she only said thirty minutes? For a date with Ai, her outfit had to be perfect. Now she had to hurry perfection.

144

Two meetings in, and Tony’s brain felt melted. Like ice cream left out in the sun.

The worst part was, some of the ideas were actually really interesting. Forensic eyewitness recordings? A VR sandbox with a library of Relive sensations? Sign him up. Put him in a room with other engineers and let him get to work.

But all the marketing types just ... couldn’t stop talking. The ice cream of his brain had melted because some people just wanted to talk, not bite the bullet. Or the ice cream. Fuck, even his metaphors were melting.

Next he had a synergy promotion meeting, whatever that was, with Silver Screen. Maybe a meeting at an entertainment company would be more entertaining.

He parked outside, next to a sleek, red car that put his own to shame. The address was a business branch, not a film studio, but Silver Screen still kept things interesting. As he approached the twelve-story building, augmented reality turned the big windows into animated movie posters. Individual, targeted advertising, too, unless it showed everyone a lot of giant robots.

Once he had a visitor’s badge, an intern led him farther in. She dressed in businesswear, but she had a spiky tattoo on her neck and high-gauge rings in her ears. Not what he usually imagined when picturing an office — and as they went through the halls, he noticed more personal decorations in other offices, heard more music. At least on some level, Silver Screen let its people be themselves. That was nice to see.

They reached a waiting room just outside his contact’s office. The intern peeked ahead. “Mr. Pagliacci is still in a call, I’m afraid, but he’ll be with you as soon as possible.” She smiled. “Ping me if you need anything. Otherwise, I’ll leave you two to it.”

You two?

Tony looked into the waiting room. Small, just a few seats. And in one of them sat Sonia, her trench coat draped over her arm.

Seeing her ... mostly, he was surprised that it didn’t bring up a lot of complicated feelings. Yes, they had been together. Now they weren’t. He looked at Sonia differently. Sure, she looked pretty with her red hair done up, and that red silk blouse matching it. But he didn’t feel drawn to her. He didn’t ache for her. She was just ... there.

She broke the silence first. “I can move if you want.” The chairs were all close together, but there was standing room.

He waved it off. “It’s fine.” As part of that great big nothing, he felt no need to hide from her or chase her away. They could be civil. He sat down with one chair between them.

She, for some reason, wouldn’t look right at him. “Thought I might see you here.” She held out her coat. “It’s why I brought this. Thank Ai for the loan.” Her tone was stiff, rehearsed.

He blinked at the coat. Black leather; it looked a little familiar. But... “When did Ai ever lend you a coat?”

Her head snapped around and she looked at him with confusion written all over her face. “You mean, she didn’t even tell you?” When he shook his head, she huffed a sigh. “So she didn’t even do it to get points with you. You didn’t even know. She just did it.” She scoffed.

He took the coat, but he was left bewildered. “What are you talking about?”

She sighed and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.” Yet, her silence was pregnant with things she wasn’t saying.

Before, that would have worried him. He’d have tried to figure out what he’d done wrong, would have tried to get her to open up. But it just wasn’t his problem anymore. He had a new girlfriend.

Or two. That thought brought a blush to his cheeks. Was Kaitlin his girlfriend now? That sounded appealing.

They sat in silence for a while longer. Jeez, that guy’s call was going for a while, wasn’t it? Tony hoped the meeting itself wouldn’t take too long, not if he still had to schedule a communication plan—

“Thank you,” Sonia said. She sounded like she’d spent the last five minutes gearing up for it, with how the words burst so suddenly out of her mouth.

“Huh?”

“The League,” she said. “What you said about Figments. Stella was interested, and she tracked me down after. It’s why I’m here now. So ... thank you.”

“It was just the facts.” He stared at her, only able to see the side of her face. It took a long while before it clicked, and he understood what she was doing.

She was reaching out to him. Not very well, and missing some steps, but making more effort than he was used to seeing from her.

Well ... if she was reaching out anyway, he could at least ask about something that he’d wondered. “I heard you and Rico ... broke up?”

Sonia sniffed. She skipped over that question entirely. It was obvious fact: the event had been public, posted in plenty of the League feeds. Instead, she answered what would have been his follow-up. “Yes, I’m still in the redhead anyway. He’s tried to take it back — still trying — but I’ve lawyered up. Turns out, all his little presents are in my name. Makes a good tax dodge, and a generous separation.”

Huh. Tony found that ... a little gratifying. The thought of Rico suffering from the implications of his own tricks.

That was all that topic needed. “So, Stella’s interested in Figments?” he asked. “Sounds like we’ll be seeing each other more around here, as well as school.” He could handle that. He didn’t feel any need to avoid her, not anymore.

She shook her head. “You won’t see me at school, at least not next semester. I’m suspended.” She said it so bluntly, so matter-of-fact, though the cold tone in her voice suggested she was anything but happy about it.

Tony’s eyes went wide. But before he could ask about that, Mr. Pagliacci finally came out of his office.

He was a portly man in a garish, brightly-coloured shirt and plain charcoal slacks. “Dreadfully sorry about that, both of you. When Stella Blaze calls, one simply does not hang up.” He beckoned them into his office proper. “She wants a venue where every table has its own hardlight projector.” He scoffed. “A hardlight projector the size of a table! Can you imagine?”

Sonia just looked at Tony. “Tell him. I want to see the look on his face.”

Mr. Pagliacci blinked, peering at each of them. “Tell me what?”

145

Kaitlin’s heart was in a whirlwind when she arrived at the cinema. Eagerness that made her want to jump into the open and dance with joy. Pride that made her want to strut, show off, and let her outfit drop people’s jaws. Trepidation that made her want to hide away and spend another two hours perfecting her look. Those feelings and more were all stitched together by the running thread of first-date excitement.

There weren’t too many people in the cinema lobby; early evening on a Tuesday wasn’t exactly the busiest period. On the right, one teenager in a colourful uniform stood behind the concession counter and oversaw the machines; on the left, a group of college students sat on couches to watch previews while they waited.

Or, they had been watching previews. A cute, brown-haired boy was the first to look up, and his green eyes went wide; soon, they all turned to watch Kaitlin walk in. She smiled back at them. It felt good to be noticed, even if they weren’t who she most wanted to impress.

Exactly thirty minutes after they’d said goodbye, Ai called her again. (Are you ready?) Anticipation filled her voice, the same anticipation that Kaitlin felt.

(One minute.) She hurried into the bathroom and braced herself, leaning on the sink. (Come in.)

She closed her eyes. When they opened, Ai looked back at her ... and immediately took in their reflection. Kaitlin settled into the background, letting Ai control their gaze.

Their flawlessly pale, Lunar Beauty skin didn’t need any foundation, but she’d given their eyes a smoky touch of dark grey shadow, and painted their lips in plum red. Darker than what Kaitlin would wear, and more colourful than what Ai would — if either decided alone. Ai smiled, in that soft way of hers, even before she continued downward.

A black lace choker decorated their throat and helped to frame their top’s low, scooping neckline. Ai bowed forward and spent another moment admiring their cleavage — Kaitlin tingled to feel that direct, sensual attention — before she took in the shirt itself. Black with silver bat designs, and tight enough to show every curve from shoulder to hip.

Ai stepped back to get more of their reflection into view. A tiny, pleated skirt flirted with their thighs. The darkness of grey-and-black plaid set off the pale perfection of naked thigh, visible for a few inches before Kaitlin’s favourite element.

Thigh-high silk stockings. Red on their left leg, and on the right, purple supported by a garter strap. They hugged Kytelin’s long legs all the way down to their low, practical boots.

Ai laughed and ran a hand gently down their right thigh. Even coming from their shared hand, that touch filled Kaitlin with the same electricity any lover would. (Are these what I think they are?)

(Mhm.) Kaitlin ran their other hand along their other leg, trying to give Ai some of those same heady feelings. (One of my favourite red stockings, and one of the ones you wore to the League. It seemed like ... like a good way to dress up as both of us at once? Does that make sense?) Oh God. Now she’d said it almost aloud, it sounded so weird—

(I love it.) Ai smiled at the mirror and struck a pose: demurely flirtatious, with their hips squared and their arms held behind them. (This is a gorgeous look, Kaitlin. Well done.)

Kaitlin melted, her nerves put at ease. Her blush looked strange behind Ai’s smile.

They hung there for a moment, just looking at each other; but then Ai straightened. (The movie is starting soon.) Her fluid, graceful steps took them out of the bathroom.

Oh, right. They were out on a movie date. (What are we seeing?)

(Breaking Chains. It’s an epic fantasy romance.) Ai stopped by the concession stand to pick up a drink and popcorn she’d pre-ordered. (Two paladins and a succubus.)

A three-way romance. Just like Kaitlin, Ai, and Tony — no, no, she was reading too much into it.

(I thought it could provide valuable suggestions, for how we and Tony could handle ourselves and one another.)

Damn it. How did Ai always know the right thing to say?

Ai paused just after passing the ticket barrier. (Is something wrong? It felt like our heart just missed a beat.)

And damn it, Kaitlin couldn’t hide anything from her. (No, nothing’s wrong.) Quite the opposite.

Ai furrowed their brow and pursed their lips with curiosity, but let it go.

Soon, they were in the darkness of the theatre, settled into a plush seat with snacks right at each hand. It turned out those college friends were all there for the same movie, and sat together a few seats farther down.

Ai didn’t pay attention to them or the previews on the screen. Her attention turned inward. (It occurs to me. If the right leg is mine, does that mean the right hand is as well?)

Kaitlin hadn’t thought of it that way, but... (Sure, we can split. We’re not going to stumble and fall on our face while we’re just sitting here.) She giggled, an idea coming to her. (I’ll go first.) She reached across for a handful of popcorn. (Open wide.) She giggled as she brought the handful up to their mouth. Such a cutesy ‘on a date’ thing to do ... which looked like she was just feeding herself. She tossed the popcorn in.

When Ai bit down, the buttery, salty flavour made her hum with delight, just loudly enough that someone else turned to look. Fuck, Kaitlin loved that sound. Ai laughed, her tone softer than Kaitlin’s giggles. (I enjoy salty flavours.)

(Salty, huh?) Kaitlin’s mind swan-dived into the gutter.

Ai saw where she was going before she could ask. (Yes. I do swallow.) Spoken without shame, though maybe a little playfulness.

Kaitlin sputtered at the thought. Thank goodness Ai had already swallowed the popcorn. How many times had Tony filled their mouth — filled her mouth — before she’d become a part of it? She had some catching up to do.

Ai laughed, knowing full well how that thought made Kaitlin squirm. She could feel their legs squeezing together. (This popcorn is nice, but not what I had in mind.)

Kaitlin tilted their head, pulling her mind from the swamp.

Ai lifted her hand slowly to meet Kaitlin’s. Her long, soft fingers linked between Kaitlin’s own, fitting perfectly, and gave her a firm, secure squeeze as she drew them both down to rest comfortably on their lap.

Kaitlin turned breathless. She felt ridiculous. They’d seen each other naked; they’d shared a lover just last night. In an absolute, objective sense, Kytelin just had their hands folded in their lap.

But it felt like they were holding hands. Such an intimate feeling, but not sexual. Just affectionate. Kaitlin couldn’t remember the last time someone had wanted to just hold hands with her. Maybe high school? Yes, Ai made her feel like a high schooler again, so dorky and gawky and over-eager. Her heart didn’t know whether to burst out of her chest, or relax its way into hibernation.

Ai remembered to breathe, even when Kaitlin didn’t. Her calm flowed through their body, slowing their racing heart. (Kaitlin?) Her thumb drew softly along Kaitlin’s. (Is this acceptable?)

(Yes.) Kaitlin squeezed Ai’s hand. (Absolutely yes. I’m just not used to it.)

(Good.) Ai squeezed in return, smiling. (Oh, the movie’s starting.)

Kaitlin honestly didn’t think she’d be able to focus on the movie. Not with Ai’s hand feeling so warm in hers.

146

After two hours, Tony and Sonia finally came out of their meeting. They hadn’t ‘promoted’ any ‘synergy’, but instead spent the whole time on Tony’s miniature projector. Mr. Pagliacci had been downright jubilant, all the way to the end.

Tony took in a deep breath of fresh air as they came out to the parking lot. Just one meeting left, and after Mr. Pagliacci’s infectious cheer, he felt energised enough to handle it. He wanted to handle it ... but he still had most of an hour until it was time. Time to kill. He leaned on his car and looked across to Sonia. “Can I ask you something?”

She had been expecting that. With both their cars between them, she peered across, her face already a well-shielded mask. “What is it?”

He put his elbows on his car’s roof. “What was that meeting actually supposed to be about?”

“Oh, that.” That wasn’t the question she’d expected. “‘Promoting synergy’. Basically, they think your project is chocolate and mine is peanut butter, and they want to get things mixing. It’s why I thought I’d see you here; pretty obvious where the synergy is between Figments and Relive.”

And that gave her the opportunity to give the coat back. He’d have to ask Ai about that. For the moment, he just put it on his car’s passenger seat. “Well, I’ll see you around—”

“Hold on.” Tension stood out all along her neck. She was sticking herself out in ways not familiar to her. “Can I buy you a coffee? I promise, I won’t try to seduce you again. I just want to talk.”

That gave him some pause. He’d never heard of Sonia coming that close to actually, directly, asking someone else out. She was always on the receiving end; she was the ‘hot commodity’ that people tried to acquire, not the haggler at the market. And he did have a while left until he had to go communicate a schedule plan.

But he too well remembered what happened in that hotel room. “One condition. Somewhere out in the open.” If she just wanted to talk, that would be no problem.

“No problem.” She offered an address, and his kybernet immediately started mapping out the route. “Meet me there?”

Soon, they arrived. It was a small cafe, not a major chain, with a well-stocked display case of baked goods and a rustic atmosphere to its wooden tables and soft music. Other than ordering, Sonia said nothing until they were seated. She picked a table out in the open, in front of the staff and the few other customers.

And then, for a long moment afterwards, she still said nothing. She didn’t even drink her coffee, but just stared down at it, holding the cup in both hands.

Tony frowned. What happened to talking? Did she really plan to just sit there? “Wh—”

She interrupted him by holding up a finger. A grimace spread over her face, like a bitter taste was rising from deep in her throat. “I’m—” She choked, her hand going to her throat. Eventually, she got the words out. “I’m sorry.” With that much said, she gained momentum. “I was a bitch to you. Both before we broke up, and since. I shouldn’t have gone behind your back, I shouldn’t have helped Rico trick you. So much I just... shouldn’t.”

That left him stunned. A proactive apology from Sonia; he never thought he’d see the day. It came so unexpectedly, he didn’t know what to do with it, how to feel about it. On a surface level, it felt good to hear, felt good for her to acknowledge it.

But it wasn’t enough. Maybe a month ago, he would have treated it like enough; but that time had passed, and she’d done worse since then. He just ... didn’t have anything to say to her, so he didn’t say anything. He just sat, drank his coffee, and listened.

She nodded, leaving her head hanging low, her gaze back on her cup. “There’s no excusing it. No justifying it. But ... could I explain?” Though she didn’t go as far as actually saying ‘please’, her plaintive, pleading tone made the meaning clear. She sounded so humbled and she looked so small. He was under no obligation to forgive her, or even listen to her, and she knew it.

He could still just walk away, and so much of him would feel absolutely nothing. But another part of him ... it wasn’t that he thought she deserved the chance. But he did want to know. He nodded, still silent.