in which the narration is suggestive, yet vague

[subtly_artistic]

Neckrubs become a more regular part of Bella's life. And she does not tell him to stop until she is good and done. There is hugging. There is snuggling. There is kissing. There are some impressively sappy looks from his end, some fascinated mindreading from hers. The semester wraps up, Bella goes home for a week, and she comes back (now signed up for Utility Psionics 2, Intro to Mental Healing, Arcane Defense, Intro Cognition, and her survival credit, a lecture entitled "Wilderness Triage" (subtitled: Quick And Dirty Mechanisms For Identifying The Lesser Of Several Evils).

She missed Celo! She seeks him out at once. Hugs.

Comments

[pythbox]

Celo giggles.

[lifes_sake]

[And Aether was talking like the all-nudity-all-the-time thing was a reason for you not to go to Milliways, so I'm guessing that's a big deal?]

[pythbox]

[Yep. Like, there's a bunch of rules for how nymphs are supposed to behave, and I break some of the rest, but that's a pretty hardcore one.]

[lifes_sake]

[Okay. Your prerogative. What say we leave the girls be for a bit?]

[pythbox]

[Deal,] Celo says brightly. [My room?]

[lifes_sake]

[Sure thing.]

[pythbox]

Celo grins, hugs Aether, and murmurs in her ear, "I'm gonna go fuck Cam. See you later."

Then off he goes, trailing Jellybean.

[dark_light]

"I take it you've already worked out the non-monogamy thing to your satisfaction."

[subtly_artistic]

"Monogamy was never on the table. He would literally die."

[autokinetic]

"I guess that's one way to handle it," snorts Aegis.

[pythbox]

In the following days, Callahan shoots Celo a smug look or two during class, which information he does not volunteer in case it encourages somebody into doing something stupid.

[dark_light]

That's okay, they're gonna get impatient all by themselves.

They hold out three days, and then Cam and Amariah talk, and determine that while Cam might be "the diplomatic one" (as Bells go), this is reasonably likely to come to violence or at least a pissing contest, and Amariah's credentials there are better.

And, it goes unsaid but acknowledged - Amariah has done the great work on her world. Her people are, in the main, taken care of. Jane doesn't metaphysically depend on her, either.

Amariah could - if it came to it - be most easily spared of the available Bells.

Path is left in Aether's room. And Celo is asked for an introduction.

[pythbox]

Celo leads her to Callahan's office, knocks on the door, and enters at the "C'mon in."

Callahan's office has a desk, upon which she has put her feet, and a comfortable-ish chair, upon which she has put her ass, and four walls, upon which she has put an impressive array of implements for causing people to die in battle.

[dark_light]

Amariah steps into the office, and revisibles herself.

[pythbox]

Callahan points at the door. Celo closes it.

"So you found one," she observes, smirking.

[dark_light]

"Hi," says Amariah. "I'm Isabella Amariah."

[pythbox]

"Heh," says Callahan. "And I'm Jill. Want to tell me why you're in my office?"

[dark_light]

"I think you may know something I'd like to know."

[pythbox]

"You bet I do," Callahan agrees. "What do you plan on doing about it?"

[dark_light]

"I had some hope that you'd tell me if I asked you nicely. Will you please tell me what it is that you know about - us?"

[pythbox]

"Nope," Callahan says promptly.

[dark_light]

"Why not?"

[pythbox]

"Because you can't make me," says Callahan, "and you'll do what I want eventually whether I tell you or not."

[dark_light]

"What is it that you want?"

[pythbox]

Callahan just smirks again.