Page 103 of Level Up
“Don’t stop,” I whine, my voice breathy and strained.
It’s enough to spur him on and he picks up speed, evenharder than before, but he keeps working little circles over me and it is a race to the finish line, just like our speedruns.
He’s watching me as intently as he can, even while his eyes go in and out of focus, and the knowledge that I’m about to watch him come undone is what sends me over. Except, when it crashes over me, my vision spots and I’m so thoroughly swept under that in that moment, nothing else exists.
Briefly, I worry that I’ve missed it, missed him, but when I return to myself, I can see him—hear him—like he’s about to reach his breaking point, too.
I touch the side of his face and let out a soft, whimpering, “So good,” and that’s the moment he snaps. His head drops and his hips jerk and stutter, and every little pulse still feels good—so good—that I almost don’t let him go when he finally pulls out and settles onto the bed, still half draped over me, completely spent.
I run my hand through his hair as he lies here, nestling his head against my chest, and we stay like that for several minutes—although it could be days, for all I know.
“Damien?” I finally say, and hehmms in response. “I think I get why people like sex now.”
His responding snort of laughter makes my heart swell.
Well, shit.
I think I might be in love with him.
And I think he might know that.
We decideto order our vegan sushi burritos to be delivered, since we can barely be bothered to get out of bed—let alone act like humans in the world—after all that.
We head out to the living room once we’re dressed again, and Damien goes over to his computer to place the order online. I stand over his shoulder to read the menu so we canpick out what we want, and he goes back to his Play’N dashboard once the order is placed.
“So. It looks like the archive went up already,” he says, which is unsurprising because the streams usually get saved to the archive within a few minutes. His tone suggests there’s something wrong with that, though.
“What’s the problem?” I ask, leaning in to get a better look at the screen.
The comments on the archive post for today’s stream have started coming in—I guess we were, uh,occupiedlong enough for some people to have already watched the replay of the stream. And almost all of them are questions and speculation about the mystery guest who appears near the end. Including one that has my brain starting to freak out.
HadTrash93:That Hadley t-shirt the girl is wearing… I’m pretty sure only@OddlyAdoredhas one like that… Just saying.
Ever since he was a pup, Oscar has wanted to make and sell cupcakes. Now his dreams are finally coming true, as he sets up his brand new shop, PupCakes, to bring joy to the community of Sugar Town.
Try new recipes, manage ingredients and supplies, keep customers happy, and help Oscar become the greatest cupcake-maker that Sugar Town has ever seen!
The colorful world of cupcake creation awaits!
— Promo forOscar’sPupCakeson Play’N, released June 3, 2024
twenty-six
had enough?
Somehow—Idon’t knowhowhow—people caught a glimpse of my t-shirt when I showed up in Damien’s stream. I was barely in frame for a second before he covered the webcam, but someone managed to screenshot the exact moment once it was archived and did some absolutely bananaszoom-in-and-enhance/CSIcrap on the image to make out myHAD ENOUGH?t-shirt.
So now the Whole Freaking Internet knows that I am Scones’s girlfriend. (By that, I mean the sub-niche: Internet Users > Play’N Users > SOA Fans > SconesOfAyor Subscribers > Who Are Also OddlyAdored Subscribers > And Who Are Inordinately Interested in Strangers’ Personal Lives) (Which is still a heck of a lot.)
My Wednesday night stream is aclustercluckof people wanting to knoweverything. Ranging from almost sweet to completely debauched. While I’m trying to play a cute little game where I’m a purple puppy opening and managing a cupcake bakery.
“What are we thinking for this new recipe?” I say, ignoringthe barrage of questions from my viewers. “Sprinkles or no sprinkles?”
SammyIsMyBaby: Please please please tell me it’s true! You and Scones are dating! OMFG!
AkilaCowgirl: I freaking knew it!! <3
HadTrash93: Yes to sprinkles, and yes to Scoddly being a thing.
