Chapter 8: A Grey Matter

Monday and Tuesday were fairly normal. I went to work, Iris eventually ended up there and followed me home later, where we spent time reading, talking, and/or watching three-vee before she went back home, which wasn't as much time as I would have liked, seeing as I was working til 5 PM Mondays through Thursdays now. It wasn't until Wednesday that things began to get more interesting.

I was at work on Wednesday when the first interesting part started. The library's 3VP - basically an oversized, land-line Omnus - beeped at noon to indicate an incoming call. This in itself was not unusual; even in this era where most people could ask their house AI for any kind of information, some people still preferred to speak with a real human being. It was only when Matria's image appeared holographically over the 3VP that I realized this was an unusual call.

"Matria?" I said, perplexed at the incongruity.

"Hi, Rianna. I would have called you on your Omnus, but I decided since you're working, to call the library instead."

"Oh, okay. How can I help you?" I asked. Hey, this was the library line after all.

"Well I tried both yesterday and Monday to get through to them, but finally I did it."

"Through to whom?"

"To the testing center, to make an appointment. They're on the other line. I wanted to check what would be a good time for you, since she wants you to be with her."

"Oh okay," I said, and told her my schedule for the next few days. She switched to the other line for a bit - which, as it transpired, meant she was calling me from her VC, while she had the testing center on her Omnus.

When she returned, she asked me, "How does this coming Saturday at 1 PM sound?"

"Sounds good to me, Matria."

"Good. We'll pick you up at noon, since Iris said she might want to visit you before then."

I chuckled. "Sounds good to me. Tell Iris she can come over any time after 8 on Saturday."

"I'll let her know."

Something occurred to me, and before she could hang up, I said, "Oh Matria, hold up. One other thing I want to ask you."

"What's that?"

"How old is Iris, anyway? I uh ... I never asked." Which is true enough, I mused.

She laughed. "Funny, I'd have thought that was one of the first things you'd ask, after a name."

"Yeah, well, it seems to have slipped both our minds. So how old is she? She's not here right now, or I'd ask." A minor fib, to be sure, but necessary.

"Oh she's 13. Her 14th birthday is in a couple months, in fact. So you might want to start birthday shopping for her if you're going to." Her words had the ring of truth to them. Well, I thought to myself, that confirms it.

"Thanks, Matria, I will. And wow, you know, 13 going on 14, that makes it even more unusual that her high intelligence wasn't spotted before now. I'm going to have to have words with someone about the quality of schools in this city."

"I'm not sure that'll be necessary. We had the same thoughts in the days after you figured it out, and the consensus here was that she's just very shy and withdrawn. Part of why we were surprised, in fact, was that she's never done very well in school."

"Yeah, well, that's not always a good indicator of intelligence. Some kids do horrible in school because they're not smart enough to do the work and get too frustrated trying. Others, like me, don't do well in school because it's too easy, so they don't see the point of doing things that easy. Imagine if you, as an adult, had to go back to kindergarten. It would be frustrating, insulting, and dull. If Iris is anything like I was, she'll feel the same way."

"Hmm ... I'd never thought of that before."

"Of course, your lot raised another good point: Iris is shy and withdrawn. I suspect she and I have a lot in common, in that respect. I'm an introvert, but another reason for my shyness in childhood - which I'm still working at getting over - was being too smart, and as a result not fitting in. I know the AI system is supposed to figure out who's gifted and who isn't, then put the gifted kids together so they have some peers, but I can easily see how the system didn't catch on with Iris. If she only does work that interests her at home, and not at school, the school AI's wouldn't have a clue, if she was just 'phoning it in' as the expression goes."

"You know, now you've said all that, I've noticed she's a lot less withdrawn these days. Especially around you, but also with us. I think you're a good influence on her."

"Yeah, sometimes we brainiacs just need kindred spirits to understand us. And kids often don't have the knowledge or experience to realize what they need, or to put it into words. But I think when we saw each other that first day in the library, we recognized something in each other that we both needed."

"Do you mean the day that you and she first spoke with one another?"

"Well yeah, that was the first day I'd ever seen her."

"Ah. In that case, I have a minor confession to make."

"What?"

"Well, that may have been the first time you saw her, or perhaps the first time you noticed her, but it wasn't the first day she'd noticed you."

I felt my cheeks getting hot. "Um ... w-what? What do you mean?"

"She'd been going to that library every day for the two weeks prior to that. I should know, she was babbling at me about it every day after, and she had even more to say that first day you and she spoke, too."

"I ... wow. Really?"

"Yes. That first trip to the library, of course, was just a normal trip to the library. Or at least it started out that way, but then she saw you, and spent the next two weeks gathering the courage to make an excuse to have some kind of conversation with you."

"But..." I thought about it. It's not like I noticed every child that came through the library. Even if I had glimpsed her in those two weeks before we'd officially met, I might not have necessarily remembered. I wondered, then, if part of the 'love at first sight' kind of feeling I'd felt that day had been recognizing, on some level, that she was interested in me. I tried picturing her face that day, and thought I saw those signs, but I couldn't be sure my memory was telling me the truth.

"Wow. That's..." I was at a loss for words.

She chuckled. "No worries, dear. I can tell what you mean by the look on your face. You're flattered, happy, and mildly embarrassed to find that she had a crush on you long before you noticed her."

My face fell a little. Matria backpedaled, "Not that- well, she was kind of trying to be unseen, at least until she wanted to be seen. She's got that invisibility thing down pretty well. Or she did, anyway. She used to dress quite plainly, even tomboyishly. But ever since that day you two met ... well, as I understand things, she dressed in that glittery silver, partially-see through dress that day because she wanted to be noticed. She had that dress specially made with her allowance. She wanted you to notice her, and you did." Matria was grinning, now. I guess I was, too, if you could count a crooked, awkward, sheepish grimace of mixed pleasure and embarrassment as a grin.

"What's more," Matria said, "she hasn't dressed in any of her old clothes since meeting you, except her PJ's. You've brought her out of her shell."

I simply nodded mutely.

Matria's eyes flicked to a place over my shoulder, and she said, "Anyway, don't forget: Saturday at 1 PM. We'll pick you up. Bye!" The projection flicked off, and I was left there feeling profoundly giddy and embarrassed at the same time.

"Come to think of it," a voice I was expecting from over my shoulder said, "I didn't think to mention it, but I recognized Iris that day. I was astonished at the difference in her dress. Matria's right, she was coming here every day for two weeks before that day."

"Hi Aren," I managed to say in a small voice. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Well let's see," my coworker said thoughtfully, sitting down at her seat next to me, "I came in around the time Matria said Iris is almost 14."

The heat in my face could have started a fire if it got any hotter.

Another couple hours later, Iris came in and waved at me briefly before going to her favorite chair to read. I waved back, even though I was busy helping patrons. I managed to notice what she was wearing: a sky-blue halter dress that showed off the top half of her back, and matching shoes. I wondered how much she was spending on her new clothes, a thought that led in turn to a decision to take her shopping sometime, spend some of my wages on her.

After another 20 minutes, something else unusual happened; my sister came in and came up to me. I looked up at her, noticing her hair first. It looked like it had started out in her usual two Afro puffs, but then it seemed she'd braided it, so that four small braids hung from each spot where Afro puffs normally were.

Then I noticed her outfit. Boy did I ever notice it. She was wearing extremely short denim shorts that showed off her ass nicely, and a tube top that held her cleavage in so inadequately that her cup was about to runneth over with the slightest disturbance. I looked at her crotch; her trans-womanhood must have been tucked away, for there was no sign of Little Kam. My own Little Rea was most pleased by the view.

I tore my eyes away from my sister's delectable body with difficulty, and somehow managed to shift my brain into the right gear for human speech. "Oh, uh ... hey Kam, how're you?"

"Good. And you?"

I looked around to see where Iris and Aren were, and then - seeing the coast was clear - filled her in on what Matria had told me over the 3VP; all of it.

She chuckled. "Wow, somehow that doesn't surprise me at all, even though it does. It sounds like something Iris would do. What I am surprised to find out that she was even more shy than you, before either of us met her."

"Well she's opening up more around me and around her family." I remembered something suddenly, and added, "Oh yeah, and she made a friend at the beach Sunday. Karra, a cute 10 year old mixed-race girl, half African and half Japanese. They traded contact info, even."

Kam eyed me in a way that annoyed me, and asked me salaciously, "So, you're looking at other little girls now, too? For shame, for shame. You gonna turn our triad into a quad?" She was joking with me, but it still annoyed me a little. I was, after all, still getting used to the idea of being polyamorous.

"I was only looking. I am a lover of beauty, and she is a beautiful little girl. But she's not my type," I said, trusting Kam to know what I meant.

"Ah, so not brainy enough for you, eh?"

"Yes. Just a bit above average, I think. Smart enough that I think she and Iris will make good friends, just not a prodigy or anything like that. Besides, the two of you are all I can handle. I'd go spare trying to add a third, even if I wanted to."

Kam chuckled again. She looked about to say something, but I suddenly remembered something I had to tell her before I forgot.

"Oh by the way, Kam. I found out she's not actually 8."

"Oh? How old is she then?"

I proceeded to tell her about the conversation Sunday with Iris about her age, how the fib got started, and how Matria confirmed it for me. Kam was surprised by the information, and looked thoughtful for a few minutes, saying nothing.

Finally, though, she did speak. "Interesting. And certainly worthy of more discussion, but I think I need more time to think before we do. I mean, I did come here today because we haven't had much in the way of conversation since we uh," she looked around before finishing, "made love the other day ... but, well ... our lovemaking is kind of what I wanted to talk about. I had a lot of fun, and whether we just talk or fuck, too, I still want to spend more time with you."

"Yes, but I'm at work right now."

"Yeah I can see that, seeing as I'm right here, too, silly bean. And I didn't mean to disturb you this long. I just wanted to check with you to see if I could go into your house before you get off work, and wait there for you."

"Iris will probably be coming over with me."

She shrugged. "Cool. I like the little runt. I haven't had a child friend since I was a runt myself, but I like her, and it only makes sense for us to be friends, seeing as we're both lovers of yours. But hey, she goes home by 10, right? Gives us two or three hours alone together, right?" She ran a finger softly along my hand, sending shivers up my arm.

"Um," I said, finding it hard to focus on speech. "I ... yes. That's true."

She sat down on the desk in front of me, her round, firm ass cheeks in easy reach of my hands. "So is it okay if I hang out over there and wait for you?"

I nodded mutely, my brain in a daze.

"Great! Thanks, sis." She kissed me on the forehead and scampered off. I felt Little Rea stir some more as Kam's ass bounced away from me and out the door. I watched her until I couldn't see her anymore, and only then thought to wonder what Iris would think of that outfit. Then I wondered if Kam was planning on teasing the both of us. I know she said she wasn't into kids, but then again, I hadn't been polyamorous not long ago, and Kam was more open minded than I was, more willing to change. I made a mental note to ask her about it.

The last hour and a half of work that day was dreadfully dull, or would have been, if Iris hasn't come over to liven things up a bit. She came over on the pretext of returning a book, and then just grinned up at me and said, "Hi."

"Hello there, my love."

"Hello to you too, my lovey bug," she said.

We just sat there staring at each other for a few minutes; lovingly, at first, and then it started getting a little awkward. I began to cast around for something to say.

"That's a very lovely dress you have on today, Iris," I said, glad I hadn't resorted to something stupid like the weather.

"Thanks. I like it a lot too."

"You always have such pretty clothing. It's hard to pick a favorite. Well, no, not really. I think my favorite is that glittery silver see-through one you wore the first say you spoke to me."

"Thanks," she said, blushing and grinning, "it's my fav-" she froze mid-sentence, then slowly turned her head to look at me, her eyes narrowed so suspiciously that I couldn't help bursting out laughing, it was so damned adorable and hilarious at the same time.

"What do you mean, the first day I spoke to you. That was the first day we even met."

I grinned. "Weellll," I said, drawing the word out with an amused tone, "so I thought, too, until Matria and I got into a conversation earlier." I proceeded, then, to tell her what Matria had said about those two weeks before we spoke. The more I said, the brighter red her face got, until it was bright as a tomato. I think her ears even got a little red, too.

"And so," I finished, "if it was attention you wanted, you sure got it."

She did not respond, just continued to stand there, bright red in the face, obviously embarrassed. But at least she was still looking at me. In her place, I would have been looking at my feet.

She opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, and turned her eyes to look at a fruit fly that had landed on the desk. I took her hand in mine. "It's fine, honey, you don't have to say anything. I have long experience with being unable to talk when I'm embarrassed."

After a few minutes, Iris's face returned to normal, and she looked into my eyes - and my heart skipped a beat still for those gorgeous thistle-colored eyes of hers. She smiled sheepishly and said, "Well ... I did dress for attention at first. Then I found I liked the clothes themselves. I didn't used to like dresses when I was little. I was surprised to find I like them now. I'll probably go back to somewhat-boyish stuff when winter comes, but, well ... Mama wasn't wrong, about me being invisible before. I liked it that way for a long time."

"Did you really like it, or did you do it because you felt like, with no friends, you ought to be invisible? Because either way, I can relate."

"Really? You felt both ways?"

"Yes. I'm an introvert, and a lot of times I genuinely like being by myself for a while. But introverts are still human, we still need to socialize. We're just a lot pickier about who we spend our time with, because even being around people we love can be draining on some level, even if it also energizes us."

She looked thoughtful all of sudden, then her eyes went wide. "Wow. I never thought of it like that before, but that's exactly how I feel! When we first started to date, I thought I'd never get tired of being around you, and then I found I needed some alone time, and it was making me a little annoyed with myself and worried, but I tried pushing that down. Wow. I'm an introvert. Introvert..."

"Yeah, and Kam is an extrovert. People energize her, so she spends as much time with them as she can. Of course, even extroverts need time alone sometimes. If, uh, for no other reason than having romantic time alone with themselves."

Iris giggled at that euphemism.

We talked some more, about this and that. I told her about the test appointment on Saturday, and we discussed that some, too. I also told her Kam was at my house waiting for us, but before I could get to warning her what Kam was wearing, we had to stop because I had to do a few things before my shift was over. Iris went back to her favorite chair to read some more while I finished up.

When Iris and I were heading out the door again, I said, "I really do like that silver dress. I haven't seen it for a while. I wouldn't mind seeing it again."

"Really? I thought, afterwards, it was a bit too flashy."

"On most people, maybe, but it looks great on you."

She brightened. "Well, okay. I'll wear it some more, then."

I started asking her more about her clothes, what she had spent on them, and if she fancied me taking her on a shopping trip, since - according to her - school was only a couple weeks away. She liked the idea, and we discussed times to go out, finally deciding to go out after the test on Saturday if there was time, or Sunday if there wasn't.

It wasn't until we got in and Iris ran into the living room when I remembered that I had once again forgotten to warn Iris what Kam was wearing. Iris ran into the room, saw Kam in her short shorts and dangerously under-designed boob tube, and it was like she'd seen Medusa - she was statue-still, her eyes bugging out of her face. Then her face went bright red again. I had a moment where I remembered that Iris had said her family were nudists, and wondered suddenly why she was reacting so strongly to Kam's outfit. Then I realized it wasn't the outfit, or lack of one, that was the problem. Kam was very attractive, and Iris was very attracted. The first time they'd met, it had caused Iris such mixed and guilty feelings that she'd cried in the bathroom til I calmed her down. What would happen now?

Well for one, even though it was a longer dress, I was pretty sure I would see signs of Littler Iris if Iris were in red mode today; but she must have been in blue mode, with her bits retracted into her body, because I saw no such stirrings down below.

Iris blinked. Still staring at Kam, she calmly kicked her shoes off, and sat on the sofa at the opposite end of Kam. Kam looked at her with concern, clearing worrying - like I was - that Iris would take off crying again. I guess having seen the two of us naked when she secretly filmed our intimate reunion had only made matters worse.

"Iris?" I asked, tentatively.

"Hey little runt, how are you?"

We waited a bit more. Just as I was about to speak again, Iris said simply, "Boobs."

That broke the tension; Kam and I burst out howling with laughter til our sides ached, and it didn't take long for Iris to join in. Soon, we were in a heap on the floor, laughing so hard I had to force myself to stop so I could breathe.

When we were all calm again and could speak, Kam said, "Okay, so I admit I wasn't thinking when I decided to wear this. I uh, I only wanted to make my sister hot under the collar, I forgot to consider your feelings, Iris."

"It's okay," she said, obviously leering at Kam's breasts. "I could have used some warning, but I like to look." This was so funny that I wanted to laugh, but I was too laughed out to try. So I settled for ruffling her hair.

"If I didn't know better, Kam, I'd say you were into kids, and dressed this way to flirt with Iris."

Iris stood up then, her dress caught in such a way that we both got an extended view of her pink-heart patterned panties before she pulled it back in place, and Kam said, "I'm beginning to think that may be open for debate, especially now I know she's older than she let on."

"Ah, so you know that too, now?"

"Yes. Don't fret, little pet, I've had those moments where I say things without thinking about them, too. It happens to the best of us."

"Yeah, and in some ways it wasn't really a lie either. Thirteen you may be, but your heart is still firmly eight, I think."

Ignoring this, Iris turned to Kam and asked, "Why does me being almost 6 years older than you thought make 'the matter up for debate'?"

"Well, Iris, it's because I was 14 when Rea and I started having sex, and also ... I guess I just feel more comfortable, more secure, taking the word of a 13 or 14 year old that he or she is ready for sex, than I would an 8 year old. It's hard to explain exactly why, especially without making broad generalizations. Anyway, I didn't say I was convinced, just that you're smart enough, kind enough, mature enough, and pretty enough that I'm thinking that if you were to ask me to kiss you, or more, I'm no longer sure I'd turn you down."

Iris blushed again, but was smiling. A flattered blush, then. I looked at Kam, then back at Iris, and started imagining the two of them kissing. I was surprised to find that, instead of feeling jealous, I was feeling turned on. Little Rea liked the idea very much.

"Can I watch?" I blurted out. I immediately put my hands to my mouth, horrified with myself. The two of them just stared at me for a moment, then looked at each other, both looking a little embarrassed. Then they looked away from each other uncomfortably, but I got the sense it was a different kind of embarrassment; like maybe such a thing could happen, and they were considering it.

"I ... I just meant, you know, if it ... if you were to, well, actually..." I made an opening gesture with my hands. "You know, if it were to happen, even just kissing, I would mery vuch ... I mean..." I started flapping my hands, desperately trying to get my brain back in gear, to no avail. Well there go my words, I thought to myself as I went mute again. Giving up, I slapped the floor in exasperation.

The two of them giggled at me a little, but then Kam put a hand on Iris's hand to silently tell her to stop. Obviously, Kam recognized where I was at, mentally speaking. They shared a look that clearly communicated that I needed time to untangle my thoughts. But then, Iris got this look on her face that I recognized as her 'up to no good' face. I struggled to get my words back, to stop whatever she was planning, but she turned to look at Kam. Kam looked perplexed, clearly at a loss for why Iris was looking that way.

I watched, mutely, as Iris sat on Kam's lap and leaned forward, kissing her on the lips. Kam's eyes went wide in surprise, but she made no attempt to stop Iris. In fact, she started to relax after a bit, like she was enjoying it. It had started as a normal kiss, but then Kam reluctantly opened her mouth - no doubt in response to Iris's tongue - and it became a french kiss. I felt iron butterflies in my stomach, and Little Rea stood up tall, hidden by my clothes.

Clearly getting into the spirit of Iris's evil plan, Kam pulled her closer and began to kiss in earnest, with all her years of experience at her disposal. It was quite hot, too. Kam's hands were exploring Iris's body, roving over her exposed back, across her little butt, and back up her back and onto her shoulders, like Kam wanted to feel every part of her. Iris, for her part, was straddling Kam's lap, dry-humping her through their layers of clothes. I couldn't help it, I had to put my hand down my waistband and try to do something for Little Rea. I felt I could almost come just by watching, and I had to bite down on my other hand to ease some of the excitement welling up.

Almost as though she were psychic, Iris pulled out of the kiss to look at me. "No coming," she said. "Wouldn't want to mess your clothes. And no getting nudie, either."

I moaned but nodded, removing my hand. If I couldn't come, there wasn't much point to masturbating with my hand. But it was kind of a moot point anyway. Kam was sitting there, looking shocked and bemused, Iris still on her lap.

We waited. Finally, she turned to Iris and said, "Not an unpleasant experience, but I still prefer adults. I guess it would be fun to do that to tease my poor sister, though."

Iris grinned. "So uh, how far would you be willing to go to tease her?"

"I don't know. We'll have to find out later, though; I'll have to process this awhile before I can know if I'm up for more than that."

Iris was only half-listening, though; her attention was still focused on my sister's barely-contained bosom.

"It's not like you don't know what they look like, silly," Kam said to Iris with a mockingly accusatory look. Iris looked up at her face and blushed, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh, uh ... yeah. Sorry about-"

"Rea already told me about her conversation with you about it. That's sufficient for me. I've always been an exhibitionist. Now, why don't you go over and kiss your girlfriend this time."

Iris giggled, and let Kam stand her up. She came over to me and straddled my lap the same way she'd done with Kam. I felt Little Rea respond to her warm weight as I put my arms around her and pulled her close. She kissed me on the lips, and I could taste Kam's green apple lip gloss on her lips, which just made me even more excited. I never knew sharing could be so fun, before today.

I put one hand on her little bum as she dry-humped me, and the other hand on the back of her neck while we tongue-wrestled. I found myself wishing she were wearing a two-piece outfit, so I could slide a hand into her clothing, but alas, I could not. But the top half of her back was exposed, so I could run my hand up from her bum to there, let it glory in touching her bare skin there. I don't think I've yet said, but I love touching Iris's skin. Whether it's her back, her face, or just a hand, there's something electrifying, something intensely exciting, about feeling her skin under my own.

Even better, of course, is her lips on mine, her little tongue on mine, the feel of the inside of her mouth on my tongue as it explored inside her cheek and the back of her throat. And those little warm puffs of air coming from her little nostrils, blowing against my cheeks.

I once more had one hand on her bum, but this time the other one caressed her ear and the side of her face, down her neck. She shivered with delight and giggled into my mouth. Her own hands had been holding me close, but she let one loose then to copy what I'd done, her little hand caressing my face and neck. We came apart then for air, looking lovingly into one another's eyes, and after a few moments, I leaned closer to kiss, nibble, and suck on her neck. She threw her head back, exposing more of her neck, which I gave all my attentions to. I put more enthusiasm into it than ever, sucking harder on her neck, and she gave little whimpers and moans of glee. I was probably going to leave a hickey, but I don't think her family would mind if Iris hadn't minded.

Frustrated at her choice of outfit, I let my free hand creep up her skirt along her leg. For a moment I found it hard to focus on her neck when my hand was tingling at touching her thigh. I wasn't just sliding my hand up it, either; I was gently massaging it with my thumb, and squeezing it with my whole hand. I was at her outer thigh, but then I moved to the front of the thigh, and then to the inside of it. I worked my way up a little bit at a time, all while giving her neck hickeys, until the tops of my fingers touched her panties. Which is when she put her hand on mine, moaning, and said, "No farther."

"Yes, my Queen," I said, nuzzling the place under her chin. "Your word," I kissed her. "Is my," more kisses. "Command."

I kept my hand where it was, still massaging her leg, this time running my thumb in circles.

Without warning, Iris pushed me away, and for a moment I worried I'd done something wrong, but then she tackled me so I had no choice but to lay down. Luckily, there wasn't anything behind me to block my way to the floor, and the carpet was soft enough to prevent me getting hurt. I would have complained, but my mouth was too busy with little girl kisses to make any sound.