23 replies to this topic

[Emerald39]

Time of Ignition (Part 2: Ember)

            The next morning, I awoke to the rising sun out my window; its intense heat struck my pale face, and it was too reminiscent. All that transpired returned to me, and I wanted to kill them; but alas, you can’t remove your own memories. Believe me, I’ve tried.

            I walked down into the main room, and was greeted by the dead silence of my parents. Mother was trimming the small rosebed near the tulips; father was cutting some fresh bread for himself. I sat down in one of the three chairs and strained to ignore their stillness.

Eventually, their eerie stares gravitated towards me, and they came to sit in the two other chairs. Their eyes said it all: I don’t want to do this.

            Mother was the first to speak. “Soligna, there’s something we haven’t told you.”

I gave her an irritated look. “I already figured it out: I have fire powers. Now answer my question: why did you hide it from me?”

            Father sighed. “It was for your own good. You know the townspeople; they’re paranoid and afraid. They’ve heard terrifying stories of these powers: the queen of scythes, the deadly twins, even the girl with eternal life. If they found out about your fire wielding, chaos would ensue. Now, we may not be able to protect you, but we can at least teach you how to control it; so please, Soligna, can you find it in your heart to forgive us?”

            I had no need to think. “Of course; we’re a family, after all.”

            Mother smiled, and her hair shone where the sun struck. “Thank you, dear. In five days, we’ll go out into the forest to practice your power; until then, just forget your fear and enjoy the sunlight.”

            I smiled, but I knew I had deceived myself. “I’m going to play in the garden.”

            I quickly dashed out into this private grove and surrendered my mind to the array of flowers. Their sweet aromas embraced me and the beautiful colours lit up my vision like a watercolor painting.

            Yet, as much as I thought it was helping, the bed of blossoms was simply reducing my distracted mind into true fear. There was no turning back; this was my life now. Living in fear for it, concealing it from all those I had known and liked. How could I bear to lie to my own people?

            But I followed their advice, tried to return to the utopic mindset that I treasured. How ignorant I was to the chains of Time. 

Edited by Emerald39, 14 December 2016 - 04:28 AM.

[Emerald39]

Time of Ignition (Part 3: Fuel)

It was the night of the third day when it happened. I was returning from a long walk in the forest, where I had gathered bunches of herbs from the small shrubs nearby.

            When the house came into view, I noticed many people surrounding the front door, brandishing torches and pitchforks. A little scared, I slipped into the trees around the house and made my way to the backyard.

            From behind the trunk, I could see more people; they were setting fire to the beautiful flowerbed. Wisps of smoke and ashes floated through the woods; I could smell the charred pollen emanating from their resting place.

            In my sadness, I noticed the side window was open; I broke cover and dashed towards it, deftly climbing through. Inside, Mother was pushing against the back door, tears streaming as she looked through the small window; Father was pushing against the front door, a pained expression on his face.

            I approached Mother.

“What’s happening? Why are the townspeople here? Why are they destroying everything?”

            My mother, still pushing back the door, crouched down and placed my hands in hers. “One of the hunters saw your flame tulip. He immediately told the town and now they want you dead.”

            I stared back, a tear in my eye. “Guess it was only a matter of time.”

She moved her left hand to the window. “You need to escape this place. I can give you an opening, but once I do, you must run in that direction until you reach a cave. Only there will you be safe.”

            I sighed. “But how will you create that opening?”

With that, Mother got up and opened the back door, her right arm held out to her side, blocking me. She raised her hand towards the villagers, and cleared a path using two walls of fire. “Using the last thing I can do. Now, GO!!”

           I didn’t need to be told twice; I sprinted through the opened passage and made my way into the dense forest. I looked back, and the house was already burning.

           The thick wooden beams thumped upon the earth, frightening nearby birds. The lovely paints peeled off the walls, leaving only ruins of stone. It was like watching a tree in the woods, slowly falling to the earth, its base hit by a lightning bolt, and now is lost to the ravishes of time.

           The village was soon far from my vision, and so I stopped by a slanted boulder to catch my breath. Adrenalin is a powerful ally, but at a cost.

           I followed Mother’s instructions, and soon I reached the cave. Its entrance was shrouded in a veil of large thick leaves, sprouting from the hanging lianas. Pushing them aside, I discovered a rudimentary wooden door, hinged to the side of the cave. I shoved it open a crack, and hastily squeezed through, leaving it open.

           Behind the door was a spectacular sight, lit by the light of several torches: a sanctuary, clearly abandoned and coated in dust. A small bed had been built in the corner, but strangely had less of a dust cover. A large desk stood next to the other wall, covered in papers and some hand-made writing utensils; in the centre was a large binder full of writings, all dated and ordered.

           I spun around and took it all in, until I noticed a small folded note in the middle of the bed. I approached, and also saw some sort of outfit made from flattened vines; I was unsure why this was here, but I would soon know.

           I unfolded the paper and read the following:

 

Dear Soligna,

           If you’re reading this, then the worst has transpired, and our home is no longer safe. Your mother and I didn’t want this to happen, but I guess Fate is never kind to the pious.

Ever since you were born into this world, we have known that you possessed this power; we tried to hide it for your own safety and innocence, but clearly we failed. Thus, as a last resort, we prepared this cave for you.

           This shelter will serve as your new home, your concealed sanctum. This place belonged to another person just like you. She was strong, brave and misunderstood: truly Diana in a godless world.

Sadly, if you are to survive here, you must learn from her example. There is a diary on the table behind you; if I’m correct, it used to belong to the Flame Huntress herself. All can be found in that tome, so treasure it and protect it at all costs.

           I wish you the best of luck in your new life, and never forget: Love is immortal, and so is ours.

 

Your loving father,

Harmonus Aequora

 

Tears filled my eyes as I stared at my father’s handwriting, swirly like the gentle winds. His name imprinted himself on my mind, and I would never forget it. Even now, I still recall my younger self reading the letter, her father’s voice echoing within her shell-shocked brain.

            I turned to the leafy regalia again; I still had no clue what to do with it. Why would Father give me this primal garment?

            I remembered the diary, and so sat on the small stool that stood in front of the desk. I broke the bind on the papers and read the first entry:

 

Day 1

This is the first of many days that I may live.

           I remember awaking within a forest clearing, naked, and alone, with some knowledge of the world. I looked around, took in the beauty of Nature; I even silently stared as the thin veneer of a deer’s shadow danced upon a rock face.

           I walked into the thick covering of the forest, unafraid. I knew what I possessed, and so I searched for a chance to use it.

I tested its power quickly. The body heat emanating from my own hand, like a layer of slime, turned to flame, and bent and curved into a small flower. It was just a daisy, but it was enough to confirm my control.

           I sprinted through the forest, felling a few deer and rabbits for food, and eventually arrived at the most unexpected thing: a grove, the living room of the forest.

I approached the shallow stream, and drank of its clean, blue water. I found flattened vines on the trees, and took them for the creation of clothing. I scanned the entire cliff, and found the cave, where I now write this.

           As the silent sky grew dark and damp, I covered the entrance with the vines and lay down upon the cold stone floor. The light of my flickering fires drew me into sleep, closing my eyes for the first time. This is how it begins, and this is how it ends.

           I smiled. Even at the start, she had no real perception of what life she’d live. Maybe I would find mine, with her guidance. Maybe.

But now, the night had completed a third of its length, and Sleep grasped my wearied limbs and calmed mind. I slipped between the thin sheets and let it whisk me into the realm of Dreams. To use the Huntress’ words, this was how I began, and this is how my story ends. 

Edited by Emerald39, 23 December 2016 - 05:51 PM.

[The Illuminati]

Two Hearts, One Soul

 

Part One

 

“Alright young lady,” Eryn Nicolette Deas said sternly as she patted her red lips with a dinner napkin. “That..!" She continued before the pleasure of what she'd just eaten suddenly filled her with euphoria. “That was honestly the best thing I've had to eat all month,” she sighed happily. “I think it’s even better than when I usually make it for myself. How did you..?” She was about to ask, before giving herself a little shake. “Wait, no. Focus! What? Yes, what! What is it that you want from me, hmm?”

 

“Wait, so that means you liked it!” The other woman asked rhetorically, before her face lit up with excitement. “Oh, thank you so much! It makes me so, so happy to hear that.”

 

“Liked it?” Eryn interrupted. “No, hun. I LOVED it!”

 

“Oh!” Erin Nicole Dias blushed madly. “I-I’m so glad that you loved it. I really tried to stick to your recipe as much as I could too. But I just couldn’t help making little changes here and there,” she chirped before Eryn interrupted her again.

 

“Uh huh,” Eryn muttered as she observed her dinner companion, a younger version of herself from an alternate dimension. “You can stop being cute now. I already know that you want something me, hun. That’s pretty much the only time I’ll ever cook for someone.”

 

Hearing herself, Eryn felt a sudden rush of sadness and pity as she realized that she never truly had any friends back in her home dimension. In fact, the few times that she’d ever done anything nice for someone else, like cooking for them, she had still managed to find some way to benefit from it.

 

“So,” Eryn continued after a moment. “Why don’t you stop beating around the proverbial bush, and just come out and say it already?”

 

“I... What?” Erin gasped loudly with false shock and indignation, even opening her eyes comically wide for added effect. “I would never!” She said, vainly trying to appear ignorant of the fact that she did indeed have an ulterior motive.

 

“Of course you would,” Eryn corrected, with a small smile tugging at her full lips. “Because I would, and you’re basically me -- just a little younger, with a dash innocence and brilliance.”

 

Across from her, her younger version opened her pretty mouth to protest but quickly gave up, instead switching to a cute pout as she folded her arms under her chest. This was followed moments later by a large grin that warmed Eryn’s heart, causing her to smile openly at her younger self.

 

“Bah! You’re no fun,” Erin exclaimed, before taking a gulp from her wine glass. Eryn preferred to sip her wine, nursing it slowly over the course of a few hours. Erin did not however, and regularly took large gulps from her glass before refilling it. “Okay,” Erin continued a little less sober now and blushing once again. “Well, you see... Uhmm.”

 

“Mmm?” Eryn said, encouraging her younger twin as she suddenly found herself very interested by whatever was causing the other woman to blush so brightly.

 

“I-I can’t! It’s just too embarrassing. I mean, I understand that -- technically speaking – I’m talking to myself. B-but!” Erin cried as she hid her face behind her fingers.

 

”Oh my,” Eryn thought to herself as she took a sip from her wine glass. ”Now I REALLY want to know what this is all about!”

 

“Hun,” Eryn said softly as she stood up from the dining table. “Do you know what I like to do when I need to relax? I like to sit outside, on my amazing balcony, and just listen to the nice sounds of the city. How about we try that, hmm? The air’s really nice and crisp tonight too. And while you do that, I’ll just put the dishes away and clean up. Then, once you’ve had time to think, I’ll go and join you outside. And if you still don’t want to talk about whatever it is, we don’t have to. Okay?”

 

Erin replied with a quick, shy nod before practically skipping all the way to the balcony like some sort of love-stuck teenager, making Eryn chuckle. The younger twin’s birthday was in just a few hours, her twentieth, but Erin showed no signs of the seriousness that Eryn remembered herself having when she was at that same age. Not that she was complaining. If anything, Erin’s youthful personality and alternative perspective was quite charming, and very refreshing.

 

”Whoever Erin ends-up falling in love with, is going to be one of the luckiest guys on this planet,” Eryn thought to herself as she washed the dishes.

 

But the more she thought about it, the more Eryn realized that the thought of her younger, alternate self with another person was making her feel slightly jealous for some reason. Having come from a much darker reality than this one, naturally there was a part of Eryn that NEEDED to protect Erin from harm -- she couldn’t of course. If she did, Erin would never reach her full potential. But that didn’t feel quite like the reason why she was feeling so uneasy.

 

After being stranded in this alternate dimension, thanks to her semi-failed attempt at time travel, Eryn was initially just happy that there was wine in this universe. As bad as her fate could have been or was going to get, at least there would be something to drink to get her through it all. Eventually Eryn met Erin and the two have been joined at the hip ever since. Perhaps that was the reason for the sudden pinch in her heart. As an only child, it was definitely nice to suddenly have a pseudo, younger sister to talk to and have fun with.

 

And they were definitely more like sisters than clones, thanks to some minor yet impactful changes throughout their development. Both women for example, had the same dirty blonde hair with matching blue eyes and very similar faces, but Eryn wore her hair short and controlled, whereas Erin -- who was exactly ten years younger than Eryn -- still wore her hair long and free, down to the middle of her back. Another obvious difference was the change in their height, with Eryn being about seven inches taller than Erin, who was almost six feet tall herself. Both women were also very physically active but Eryn had a passion for strength -focused exercises, while Erin was more interested in improving her speed and flexibility.

 

With the dishes now washed, dried and put away, Eryn joined her younger twin outside, where a generous breeze seemed determined to replace the afternoon’s oppressive heat with its much cooler gusts. The colder air suddenly sent shivers up and down Eryn’s spine but she didn’t complain. After a week of hot afternoons and warm nights, it was good to know that she wasn’t going to sweat through her mattress again tonight. Erin was only a step or two away from her and seemed to be enjoying the cooler temperature as well, maybe even a bit too much as Eryn was forced to poke the younger woman with her elbow to make sure she hadn’t fallen asleep while standing up.

 

“Having fun, hun?” Eryn asked as she handed Erin another glass of wine, before taking a sip from her own glass.

 

“Mmm,” Erin replied with a lazy half-smile, before she too took a sip from her glass of wine, perfectly mirroring her older twin with her movements. “You were right. It IS amazing out here!” Eryn’s apartment was on the 42nd floor of her building, which sat squarely in the heart of the city. These two things combined to give her a perfect view of everything the metropolis had to offer.

 

“Thanks,” Eryn said proudly as she turned to give Erin her full attention. “So ‘Mini-Me’, are you ready to tell me all about what’s been bothering you?” Erin nodded her head but kept it low, hiding most of her face.

 

“Promise not to laugh?” Erin asked, after a pause.

 

“I promise to try,” Eryn said with a smile as the night air tossed her short hair around her face. “Hey, don’t look at me like that! It’s not my fault that you’re so super funny sometimes. Well, maybe it is my fault. But you know what I mean! Besides, you know you love my honestly. So, what’s going on?”

 

“I..,” Erin began, her face covered in a bright, beautiful blush. “I mean, we’re the same right?”

 

“Basically, yeah,” Eryn answered.

 

“Right. Of course. So... So you’ve probably already done everything I’m about to do, or have been thinking of doing, right? I mean, you being me from the future and all.”

 

“Actually, I’m an older version of you from an alternate future. Not you from this future,” Eryn corrected. “So this isn’t my past, and I don’t know what’s going to happen next. But for the sake of argument, let’s say ‘yes’. Yes, I’ve probably done everything you’re going to do.”

 

“Okay. So, for the sake of argument...”

 

“Mmm?” Eryn encouraged her, as she sipped some more of her wine.

 

“...have you ever BEEN with another girl?” Instead of laughing at the question, Eryn nearly choked on her wine instead. She just couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Had Erin… Did she just come out to ‘herself’?

[The Illuminati]

Two Hearts, One Soul

 

Part Two

 

“Are you okay?” Erin asked as Eryn continued coughing, tears now in her eyes.

 

“No. Yes! I mean… Yes, I’m fine. I just. Wasn’t expecting. That,” Eryn said between light coughs. “So, are you a..?”

 

“Are you?” Erin countered, blushing less fiercely now that the hardest part of their conversation was now of behind them.

 

“Well,” Eryn began, rubbing the back of her neck as she wondered how exactly to answer such a question.

 

Yes, she’s dated girls before. With a body like hers combined with her generous spirit, she didn’t really have much of a choice. To be fair, it wasn’t as if she went out with everyone who asked. She had to be at least partially open to the idea in the first place -- which she was. But was Erin?

 

That was ultimately the real problem here: the fact that Erin and Eryn were- and weren’t the same person. So while Eryn has dated girls before, that didn’t necessarily mean that Erin shared her sexual fluidity. Of course there was a chance that she did, and simply wasn’t aware of that fact yet. But if she was asking the question, then obviously the thought has crossed her mind. Still, Eryn needed to be sure. So she decided to dig a little deeper before she said anything that could drastically change her younger twin’s life forever. Well, more than it has already.

 

“Okay,” Eryn began, setting her wine glass aside as she cleared her throat. “The short answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’. I’ve dated various people of either gender, different ages and multiple ethnicities. But I think you need to answer a few questions for me first, before we can decide whether or not you’re like me in that regard.”

 

“Okay,” Erin replied with a sigh of relief and a budding smile. Already the weights were lifting from her tired shoulders as she realized that her older, alternate self was also attracted to both sexes. “So, what do you want to know?”

 

Eryn noted happily that Erin was already returning to her usual, upbeat self. Their conversation was far from over of course, but at least Erin didn’t look like her world was about to end anymore.

 

“Okay,” Eryn said. “Let’s start with the easy question first: who is she?”

 

“Oh!” Erin muttered under her breathe, her blush returning with a vengeance. “Well, umm... She’s a friend of mine. Do you know Amaris Khan?” Eryn nodded that she did. Amaris was a lovely, young woman with olive skin and long, black hair. If she had been just a few years older, Eryn might have considered asking her out by now. “Well, we were practicing some grappling moves the other day and... Things kinda-sorta, got heated? Well I mean, I thought so. And the way she looked at me when she had me pinned under her… But it’s already been a few days and she hasn’t really said anything to me about what happened. So I was wondering if I should do or say something to her about what happened. But then I realized that..! And I’ve only ever been interested in boys before, so I… Help?”

 

Eryn took a moment to think, intrigued by all of this sexually and from a scientific level. She remembered there being an ‘Amaris Khan’ back in her dimension but the two of them had never been close, and even moved through different social circles. Here though, in this reality, there was a potential romance brewing. It was simply amazing.

 

“Okay,” Eryn said, taking a deep breath for both of them. “Tell me EXACTLY what happened.”

 

“Okay,” Erin said, in her usual sing-song voice that made Eryn smile. Once again Erin was shocked and surprised by how much fun she was having, just talking to her older self. Even something as embarrassing and as awkward as this, she couldn’t wait to gush about now that it all out in the open. She just felt so safe and comfortable with Eryn. “So it was during our last sparring match. We were going at it for a few rounds when she finally managed to pin me to the mat. So before I could get away, she got on top of me and... Well she just sat there for a moment, staring at me and smiling. She had my hands pinned above my head, so her face was really-really close to mine and... And then she just licked her lips! And all I could think was how good she looked and smelled and felt sitting on top of me. I liked it, and I wanted more of her sitting on top of me, pinning me down. Her weight felt so good, smothering me...”

 

”Oh God,” Eryn thought to herself as she bit her finger to keep herself from moaning, her eyes wide. ”She’s a submissive too?!”

 

“Umm, okay. Wow,” Eryn said, after clearing her throat with a small cough. “We can stop there. So, erhm, was that the first time a girl’s ever made you feel like that?”

 

“I... Yes? Maybe, I’m not sure. I’ve only ever dated guys up until now, so I never really stopped to think about it. And since people usually only ever talk about being either gay or straight, I just assumed I was straight. But we’re actually ’bi’, right?”

 

“Well I don’t think of it in terms of ‘straight’, ‘gay’ or ‘bi’,” Eryn said, reaching for her wine glass. “I like who I like and whoever likes me -- simple, open and honest. No labels. That’s my rule. What they are on the outside isn’t nearly as important to me as what’s on the inside.” Erin’s eyes lit up with this new revelation as she placed a hand on her heart, while Eryn sipped her wine. Her older self was just an erupting volcano of wisdom and personal insights. “And I haven’t decided just yet,” Eryn continued, placing her wine glass back down. “Whether or not you’re bisexual or just… Into being dominated.”

 

“WHAT?!” Erin screamed as Eryn looked away, too embarrassed to face her younger self. Eryn could only pray that Erin didn’t ask her for any details because she didn’t trust herself not to give them, which would only embarrass them further. “Wait, so you mean..?” Thinking quickly, Eryn interrupted her with a question of her own.

 

“Hey!” She said loudly. “I know what we can do to settle this.” Erin raised her blond eyebrows, signaling for Eryn to continue as the former made a mental note to bring the ‘dominated’ topic back up again, at a later date. “You’ve never actually kissed another girl, right. Do you want to kiss one now, maybe see how it makes you feel?”

 

“Huh?” Erin wondered aloud. “Wait, you mean with you?” She asked, blushing at the thought of them making out.

 

Eryn’s mouth went wide as she stared dumbly at her younger twin in shock. She had actually been thinking about calling the other girl over, Amaris, so that they could settle this once and for all. This new suggestion was… But seeing Erin like that, blushing so prettily at just the thought of them kissing, stole the air right out of Eryn’s lungs and brought a slight blush to her own cheeks. She never could say no to a pretty blond.

 

“Yes,” Eryn coughed. “Or we could just call your friend, Amaris, and see if she wants to play ‘Spin-the-Bottle’ with us. You. I mean… Wait, do you guys even have Spin-the-Bottle in this universe? Never mind. Anyway, we’ll just have her come over and see if I need to give you two the ‘Birds ‘N Bees’ talk. Wait, do you know what..?”

 

“Oh gawd!” Erin cried, interrupting her older self with her laughter. “Please. Don’t,” she continued as she wiped a tear of joy from the corner of her eye. “It was embarrassing enough when Mom and Dad did that.”

 

“Did they use props too?” Eryn asked. “Mine used a banana…

 

“…and a condom! Yes,” Erin erupted with laughter. “And then Mom actually ate it afterwards! As if making me pretend for twenty minutes that it was a penis, suddenly shouldn’t count anymore because she was hungry.” Eryn could only stare in shock at first, too stunned to do much else. Eventually however, she found her voice again and managed to squeeze out a small ‘wow’.

 

“Well,” Eryn began trying to shape the mental image of her other-mother with a banana in her mouth. “That escalated quickly. At least now we know your mom swa...”

 

“Oh! Don’t you dare say my mom swallows!” Erin cried, before realizing her mistake. “Eww! Now you made me say it!” Eryn had to bite the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing.

 

“Hey now, don’t blame me. That was all you! Your mom sounds like fun though, maybe I should take her to a strip club for her birthday.”

 

“Okay, okay,” Erin groaned. “New topic, please come and save us from ourselves!” She begged the heavens, making Eryn smile as she finished off the last of her wine. “Oh, right, you wanted to see if I liked kissing girls?”

 

“It’s just an idea,” Eryn said defensively. “A tiny, little experiment. It’s not a hundred percent accurate of course, but it’s a good start. Maybe give us an idea, help us see if you actually like girls, or just your friend. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Very tiny, and very harmless.” Eryn added quickly when Erin bit her lower lip. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love this!”

 

“Oh? And how do you know that -- oh wait, never mind.”

 

“Yup!” Eryn said with a smile. “Because I’m actually looking forward to this myself, and since we’re the same that logically means that you’re actually looking forward to this as well!”

 

“Oh?” Erin asked with a raised eyebrow, and a coy smile. “So you’ve been wondering for a while now what it would be like to kiss me?” Eryn did her best not to trip over own her feet as she carried their glasses back inside her apartment. She had tried to switch the focus to Amaris, but it seemed like Erin was set on them making-out. It looked like Eryn had no choice but to submit to the wishes of her younger self.

 

Erin on the other hand, had expected some stuttering and awkwardness from her older self. She got some of that when she nearly tripped, but everything else was cool confidence and seductive smiles as she took Erin’s empty wine glass into the kitchen.

 

“Oh!” Erin thought to herself, slightly shocked by what she considered her older twin’s silent admission. Not sure what to do now, she decided to follow Eryn inside and took a seat on her couch.

 

Once she was seated, she was again reminded of how much her older twin loved open spaces and brilliant colors. Eryn’s apartment was small but lightly furnished, with a splash of bright paint and beautiful paintings on her walls. In each room there was at least one plant and every piece of furniture that wasn’t a table or a desk, came with several, soft pillows.

 

Sitting on the largest of the two couches in the living room, Erin watched as Eryn practically skipped into her petite kitchen before setting their wine glasses on the counter. Once that was done, Eryn literally flew back into the living room and joined Erin on the beige couch. The older woman was absolutely buzzing with infectious energy that slowly brought a smile to Erin’s face.

 

“So?” Erin finally asked, almost on the verge of laughing again. “How are we going to do this little ‘experiment’ of ours?”

 

“Oh?” Eryn asked. “You mean you haven’t figured it out yet?” She teased with a mischievous grin. Whatever anxiety she had felt before about them kissing was completely gone now. This was a new experience and she was eager to consume it.

 

“Nope!” Erin announced, almost matching Eryn’s grin now. “So tell me,” she teased back. “How exactly do you kiss a girl? Is it anything like kissing a boy, because I’ve kissed a few of those before.” Erin asked in a very, airy voice, barely able to resist the urge to twirl a lock of her golden hair around her finger as she did so.

 

“It’s nothing like kissing a boy,” Eryn breathed in a deep, sensual voice that both shocked and excited Erin at the same time. In her eyes too, for just a moment, Erin saw a flash of lust and hunger that promised sweet pleasure. A second later however, it was gone. “You see my lovely, young apprentice, it IS quite different,” Eryn said dramatically, jokingly as Erin gasped mockingly in response. “I know, right?! Audible gasp indeed! You see, you’d never think there would be a tangible difference – well, other than facial hair. But other than that, you would never know! That is, until you felt her soft lips pressing against yours...”

 

It was at this point that Eryn’s eyes seemed to focus on something just beyond Erin’s left shoulder, a special memory from a time long ago that was currently playing in her mind’s eye. The sudden pause was quite short but just long enough to make Erin wonder who the other woman was to make Eryn pause so. Whoever she was, Erin already knew she didn’t like her interrupting their time together.

 

Reaching out with her fingers, Erin slowly caressed Eryn’s cheek, bring her back to the here and now. Without thinking, Eryn turned and kissed Erin’s palm, apologizing for ruining their little game. But now that the game was paused, maybe…

 

“Maybe we should stop,” Eryn said aloud, pulling away from the warm hand of her younger twin. “I think we’ve probably had way too much to drink. And honestly, now that I actually think about it, we shouldn’t do this.”

 

“What?” Erin cried, suddenly furious that some woman who wasn’t even in the room with them was somehow stealing their special moment from them.

 

“Well,” Eryn began, as diplomatically as she could. “Wouldn’t it be too weird? I mean… Us? Making out and stuff?”

 

“No!” Erin replied quickly, sounding a bit spoiled but not caring in the least. “I mean, it’s like you said before. I need something to compare these feelings to. If not, then I might never really know if what I’m feeling is a girl-only thing or just me being attracted to my friend -- who just so happens to be a girl.”

 

“I know but,” Eryn said, smiling despite herself. Before she could finish, Erin took her free hand in between the two of her own, giving her older twin a look that said that she knew and understood exactly what they were about to do. And that she wanted them to do this, to share this moment and continue regardless of whatever moral dilemmas might exist. “Well,” Eryn said, surrendering to the desires of her younger self. “When you look at me like that, how can I possibly resist taking advantage of you!”

 

“Trust me,” Erin said with a small laugh as her heart soared in her chest. “I’m the one who’ll actually be taking advantage of you here. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

 

“Oh really,” Eryn said softly as she pressed a single, slender finger gently against her younger twin’s full lips, tracing their outline. “So what happens now?” Instead of answering, Erin’s eyes went wide as a new blush dashed some fresh color across her tender cheeks. Eryn smiled slightly at her young self’s speechlessness before leaning in, eager to taste herself.